China allows establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in major cities Xinhua) 09:24, November 30, 2024 BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday unveiled a plan to allow the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in some major cities, in a move to further open up its medical sector. The pilot work plan, released by the National Health Commission (NHC) and three other government departments, grants approval to the cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as the island province of Hainan. A major reform resolution adopted by the Communist Party of China leadership in July highlighted telecommunications and medical services as areas that need broader opening. In an explanation of the work plan published on Friday, the NHC stated that the two sectors have high domestic market demand and strong investment interest from foreign investors. In 2023, the number of hospitals in China topped 38,000, with public hospitals accounting for less than one-third of the total. However, public hospitals accounted for 83.5 percent of the total number of patient visits nationwide, according to official data. Since 2000, China has allowed the establishment of joint-venture medical institutions with foreign investors. After more than 20 years of development, there are currently over 60 foreign-invested joint-venture medical institutions in the country. The work plan explicitly excludes traditional Chinese medicine hospitals and prohibits the foreign acquisition of public hospitals. Aiming to introduce high-level international medical resources, improve the supply of medical services, and optimize the business environment, the document specifies pilot requirements, management measures, and other related terms. The plan permits wholly foreign-owned hospitals to operate as general, specialty, and rehabilitation hospitals. It also includes restrictions. For instance, such hospitals are barred from performing medical activities with significant medical or ethical risks, such as human organ transplantation. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) China-made modules depart for "artificial sun" in France Xinhua) 11:33, November 30, 2024 GUANGZHOU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Forty-eight blanket shield block modules departed from China on Friday, heading to France for the construction of the world's largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor. Departing from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, the components are the first of their kind destined for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in southern France. The facility, sometimes referred to as "artificial sun," is being built by China, the European Union, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and the United States to test the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and clean source of energy. The ITER tokamak uses a magnetic cage to confine, shape and control the super-hot plasmas to make fusion reactions possible. Luo Delong, deputy direct general of ITER organization, said that ITER is a long-term project that primarily focuses on the development of nuclear fusion energy. This type of energy is considered an ideal solution for the future energy needs of humankind, as it has an inexhaustible fuel supply, eco-friendly, and relatively safe. The blanket shield block modules are critical vacuum components that provide neutron shielding and heat conduction under high thermal loads. They protect the vacuum chamber, external equipment, and personnel from radiation, ensuring the reactor's stable operation. Chen Jiming, chief scientist of Southwestern Institute of Physics, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), explained that the blanket shield modules are similar to the "refractory bricks" of a furnace. The primary functions of the modules are to shield against 14 MeV high-energy neutrons and transfer hundreds of megawatts of nuclear heat outside the system via cooling water. This ensures the protection of peripheral equipment while maintaining component operations within permissible temperature limits, Chen added. China and the ROK are each responsible for the manufacturing of 220 blanket shield block modules. The first 48 modules were produced by Dongfang Electric Corporation. Wang Weidong, chairman of Dongfang Electric (Guangzhou) Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., said that an additional 172 blanket shield modules are expected to be delivered by 2027. "China's manufacturing plays a pivotal role in promoting the sustainable development of global clean energy," Wang said. Looking to the future, the modules also have the potential to produce tritium, a crucial fuel used for controlled nuclear fusion. There is essentially no tritium on Earth, which is far from meeting the needs of fusion energy development, according to Chen. Though the current project doesn't involve tritium production, the research team plans to further explore its functionality in the future to enable tritium regeneration and better achieve sustainability in clean energy utilization, Chen added. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) November 30, 2024: NATO analysts believe that Russia will continue to be a threat even after the Ukraine War is over. The invasion of Ukraine proved that the post-World War II creators of NATO were correct. While Russia was threatening from 1947 to 2021, that 74 year Cold War turned hot in 2022 when Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine. Vladimir Putin, a former secret police officer, gained control of Russia in 1999 and made no secret of his desire to reassemble the Soviet Union. This would involve persuading or conquering the other fourteen nations that came to life in 1991 when the Soviet Union was disbanded. The largest of the fifteen states was the Russian Federation. The next largest was Ukraine and that made Ukraine the first nation Russia needed to subjugate and absorb. The 1991 Soviet Union had 300 million people. 2022 Russia had 142 million and Ukraine 46 million. None of the other post-Soviet states wanted to rejoin the Soviet Union. While NATO didnt want to fight Russia, it was willing to supply Ukraine with weapons, munitions and economic aid to defeat the Russian invaders. NATO also backed international sanctions on Russia which crippled the Russian economy and made it difficult for Russian to continue its war against Ukraine. Russia, frustrated that its conventional forces could not conquer Ukraine, threatened to use its nuclear weapons. That was not a real threat because three NATO nations had nuclear weapons. In addition to the United States, France and Britain had nuclear weapons that could be delivered by aircraft or missiles fired from submarines. The nuclear threat was a phantom and Russia insisted its conventional forces would keep fighting in Ukraine until NATO got tired of the expense of supporting Ukraine. NATO nations believed Russia would give up first because the war was making life difficult for the Russian people, who were increasingly hostile to the war. Some NATO members are suggesting that NATO members be allowed to send troops to assist the Ukrainians in expelling the Russian forces. It is pointed out that the NATO coalition has a population of nearly a billion people. Adding Ukraine would make it a billion. Russia does not want Ukraine in NATO but Ukraine sees NATO membership as its only long term protection from Russia. A 1994 treaty had Ukraine give up its nuclear weapons in return for Russian promises to forever respect Ukrainian independence. Britain and the U.S. pledged to assist Ukraine if Russia violated the treaty. This is why the NATO threat to send troops to aid Ukraine is frightening. Russia reneged on the 1994 promises and the Americans and British agreed to support Ukraine if that happened. It happened and Russia faces war with the largest economic coalition on the planet. Other NATO members may join the U.S. and Britain, if only to ensure that the NATO ability to retaliate involves more than two of the 32 NATO members. By providing massive support for Ukraine, and NATO membership after the war, NATO serves a warning to China that threatening NATO members is risky. China needs trade with NATO nations more than a military stalemate or war. China disagreed with the Russian decision to invade Ukraine and has been circumspect and stingy in providing economic aid for its neighbor and economic partner. Jill and Ashley Biden enjoyed a short, windy walk on their private beach on Saturday just hours before the first family departs Nantucket. The mother and daughter duo have been spending a lot of quality time together during the Thanksgiving holiday, including a shopping spree in the historic downtown. The duo only spent about 12 minutes outside on Saturday but it was long enough for Ashley to bend down and pick up some items from the beach, most likely the sea shells that are scattered around the island. Both women wore long puffer coats to ward off the chilly and windy weather. Jill Biden appeared to be in workout clothes and sneakers. A few Secret Service agents walked with them as they made their way up the beach. Three Coast Guard gun boats were on guard in the harbor. As they headed back to the $34 million luxurious house where they're staying, a Secret Service agent gave the first lady a hand to help her navigate the stairs from the beach to the yard. The 13,000 square foot house sits on Nantucket's secluded inner harbor with gorgeous views of the water. It has a private beach and dock. The 13-acre compound belongs to billionaire businessman turned philanthropist David Rubenstein, who recently purchased Baltimore Orioles. Jill Biden (right) and Ashley Biden (center) walk on their private beach as a Secret Service agent walks ahead of them Mother and daughter have been enjoying time together. On Wednesday they went shopping, spending over an hour visiting over a dozen local shops in the historic downtown area. One stop included Ladybird Lingerie, known for its beautiful yet comfortable' undergarments. The window showed an array of lace bras and panties to choose from. The first lady wasnt spotted carrying any bags, but her personal assistant was with her and could make arrangements to have anything she purchased delivered. Jill Biden, wearing skintight brown leather leggings and black high-heeled ankle boots, even got a gift from Town Pool, a Nantucket-themed store. She received a t-shirt that read 'Biden' in the shape of the island. The Bidens are scheduled to leave Nantucket on Saturday evening to return to the White House. They arrived on the island off the coast of Massachusetts on Tuesday. President Joe Biden is scheduled to leave for Africa on Sunday. Hunter Biden, his wife Melissa Cohen and their son Beau joined the first couple at their holiday stay. The entire family had lunch together on Friday at the Brotherhood of the Thieves, a traditional pub in downtown Nantucket. After eating they did some black Friday shopping and watched the town Christmas Tree lighting. President Biden caused some controversy when he purchased a book considered to be anti-Israel. Biden was seen holding The Hundred Years War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonial Conquest and Resistance, 1917-2017 by Columbia University professor emeritus Rashid Khalidi at a local bookshop. The book harshly criticizes what it describes as the Zionist movement's acts of 'settler colonialism' on behalf of Israel and has called what is happening in Palestine 'the oppression of one people by another.' One reviewer described it as 'a highly partisan account from the Palestinian perspective.' It is unclear whether the book was purchased by Biden himself or one of his many family members who accompanied him on the trip. A Secret Service agent helps Jill Biden up the stairs from the beach Ashley Biden (left) bends down to pick up something off the beach as Jill Biden (right) watches and a Secret Service agent (center) keeps guard Jill Biden on the compound's private dock Coast Guard gun boats were on guard in the Nantucket Inner Harbor The 13,000 foot home belonging to David Rubenstein where the Bidens' are staying President Biden joined millions of Americans searching for a Black Friday deal on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. His grandson Beau, 4, got into the act, leading his grandpa through the cobble stone streets of Nantucket by the hand. The Biden family capped off their day of shopping at the town Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Afterward Hunter helped his father step up onto a small platform to take a photo with the children's choir, who entertained the crowd with traditional carols. Biden scoured the stores, holding hands with his grandson Beau and petting a Dachshund, while pedestrians watched and shouted 'we love you, Joe'. At one point, Biden even held the dog to pose for a photo with its owner. Hunter snapped the picture. Hunter, who is facing sentencing next month on federal tax on and gun crimes, walked alongside his wife Melissa in jeans and a bomber jacket. Biden responded to two questions from reporters waiting outside as he browsed holiday deals. He said he was 'working hard with the FBI' after several of president-elect's Trump Cabinet picks and Democrats were targeted with bomb threats and swatting. Biden also said he expects to speak to Trump again during the transition. Outgoing President Joe Biden's Black Friday shopping stunned onlookers as he carried a book considered to be anti-Israel President Joe Biden joined millions of Americans searching for a Black Friday deal with a shopping trip on Nantucket with first lady Jill. Hunter Biden, his wife Melissa and their son Beau also joined them Hunter helped dad Joe up on the platform to take a photo with the choir First Lady, Jill Biden goes shopping at 'Ladybird Lingerie' on Nantucket with Daughter Ashley in tow. Dr Jill and Ashley spent just under 2 hours perusing a multitude of stores before heading back to their Thanksgiving vacation home Jill Biden and daughter Ashley biden spent two hours shopping on Nantucket Jill Biden was also shopping for books, and appeared to be getting sentimental by picking up a copy of her husband's 2021 inaugural address. Their daughter Ashley was spotted trying on a headband as she looked for her own bargain. The Biden family celebrated Thanksgiving the same way they have done for the last 49 years, with a vacation on Nantucket. In his 2017 memoir 'Promise me Dad,' Biden wrote that Thanksgiving in 1975 was the first holiday he and his now-wife Jill spent together, going to Nantucket with his young sons Beau and Hunter for a little bonding time. They rarely have missed a holiday on Nantucket since. One of the few Thanksgivings the Bidens missed there was in 2015, which took place about six months after Beau Biden died. The family went to Rome instead. They also skipped going in 2020 because of the pandemic. Fury in the farming community over Labour's 'tractor tax' has rendered a trade deal with Donald Trump's America unviable and will force the UK further into the arms of Brussels, government sources have said. The uproar generated by the imposition of inheritance tax on farms worth more than 1 million would be dwarfed by the outrage if factory-farmed American products such as chlorinated chicken were allowed to drive higher-quality British goods off the shelves as part of a deal. Sir Keir Starmer's Government will instead step up its push for a post-Brexit reset, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves planning to join a meeting of EU finance ministers this month to help to thrash out terms. The EU has made clear what it will demand: freedom of movement in the UK for EU citizens aged under 30 and fewer border checks on animal, food and drink exports Negotiators expect the UK to seek the removal of trade barriers in exchange for 'dynamic alignment' Brussels jargon for being subject to EU red tape. One pro-Brexit Westminster figure with knowledge of the early discussions said: 'Starmer is planning to sell us out to Europe rather than do a deal with Trump. We are turning down an alliance with the fastest-growing superpower in order to lock ourselves in to the failing European market.' Any deal struck with Mr Trump is likely to be restricted to services, such as legal and financial expertise, they said. A government source denied this characterisation, arguing that even Boris Johnson baulked at the 'chlorinated chicken in the room' and refused to 'sell-out' British farmers. Keir Starmer, UK prime minister, during a news conference at Downing Street in London in August Thousands of farmers take part in a protest outside Downing Street against changes to agricultural inheritance tax rules Donald Trump speaks after being declared the winner during an election night watch party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida Admitting that a deal could be 'the final straw' for farmers, the source said: 'The past four Tory prime ministers all failed to sign one for the same reason that we won't compromise on food quality. 'We want growth for the UK, and we want it through better relations with the US, the EU and all the other major economies. This is a time for grown-ups'. Casting a shadow over the process is the prospect of a trade war with Mr Trump if he carries out his threat to hike import tariffs. Labour peer Peter Mandelson, who is in the running to become Sir Keir's ambassador to Washington, set out his fears in a private meeting with diplomats last week. Describing the prospect of a Trump trade war as 'grim', the former EU trade commissioner said: 'We have to take action and we have to work out what that is and how effective it could be. 'The idea that we should somehow sort of slide into some sort of intra-Alliance trade war, would be absolutely disastrous.' PM's new tractor tax battle by Anna Mikhailova Keir Starmer faces a fresh Labour rebellion when MPs vote on the inheritance tax hike on farmers this week. On Wednesday, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will use her first Opposition Day to force a vote on reversing the family farm tax. While the result of the vote will not be binding, it is expected to place 114 Labour MPs who have rural seats under pressure and highlight divisions within the party over the plans to tax farms worth more than 1 million. A Tory source said the number of Labour abstentions could be 60 higher than the 52 who missed the winter fuel allowance vote. Tory environment spokesman Victoria Atkins said Labour MPs 'must listen to the anger and frustration that farmers are feeling'. 'They have a choice. Will they vote to axe the tax, and save the family farm? Or will they turn their backs on rural communities?' she said. A man charged with murder after his parents were allegedly killed in a takeaway shop in western Sydney has been refused bail and will spend Christmas behind bars. Hoa Tek Chiem, 69, and Heang Kim Gau, 68, were allegedly killed inside Buzzy Bee's Burger House at Cambridge Park about 9.40am on Saturday. It's understood a family member discovered their remains about 10am. NSW Police arrested the couple's son Allan Chiem, 31, at their family home in Canley Heights at 12.30am on Sunday. 'He was taken to Fairfield Police Station where he was charged with two counts of murder (DV),' a spokeswoman said. It is understood police are investigating whether the incident was a targeted robbery gone wrong. When asked if anything was stolen from the shop or if there were any signs of a break-in, a source said officers were 'continuing to forensically examine the crime scene'. Footage of a man dressed head-to-toe in black and climbing onto the roof of the takeaway shop circulated on social media in the hours after the alleged murder. Allan Chiem has been charged with murder after a couple were allegedly killed in their takeaway shop in Sydney's west Detective inspector Michael Cantrell confirmed on Saturday officers were investigating the video. Police described the scene of the alleged murders as 'confronting' with the injuries inflicted on the couple 'significant'. Insp Cantrell confirmed a family member had found the pair, but said it was 'yet to be established' if they were present during the alleged attack. Mr Chiem and Ms Gau were well-known in the area of their shop, which they'd run for several years. It's understood they were making plans to retire shortly before their deaths. Owner of a nearby bakery, Thanh Tran, recalled seeing the couple's family while officers cordoned off the shop. Hoa Tek Chiem, 69, and Heang Kim Gau, 68, were allegedly killed inside Buzzy Bee's Burger House at Cambridge Park at about 9.40am on Saturday 'About 9.30am the eldest son visited the store and then the youngest came and the two hugged and cried for an hour,' Mr Tran said. 'Police got them milk crates to sit on and they hugged and sat down and cried, and they looked so sad, it was so sad. 'And the police stood around and watched them (as they talked and cried).' Chiem was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Local Court and the matter adjourned to Penrith Local Court for January. The Cabinet Minister who axed pensioners' winter fuel payments has her own 350-a-month energy bills paid by the taxpayer while she lives in a 4 million London mansion. Liz Kendall has been branded a hypocrite for removing the payment for ten million pensioners while bills at her second home are being met from the public purse. The Work and Pensions Secretary's main base is a four-bedroom property in Notting Hill, West London, which she shares with her partner, an Old Etonian investment banker. But she is allowed to claim costs for the second property she rents in her Leicester West constituency. The most recent documents held by the Commons show she claimed a total of 3,810 in energy costs between April 2023 and July this year, with the largest monthly bills totalling 352. Ms Kendall's decision to axe the annual winter fuel payment of between 100 and 300 for all but the poorest pensioners will force 100,000 people into poverty by 2027 according to her own department's forecasts. Last night, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told The Mail on Sunday: 'The hypocrisy of the Labour Government knows no bounds. I will not be claiming a penny in expenses for my heating.' And Tory MP David Simmonds said: 'This revelation will be a kick in the teeth for the 10 million pensioners facing choosing between heating and eating this Christmas because of Labour and Liz Kendall's political choice to cut the winter fuel payment. 'While Liz Kendall is living a life of luxury the country is facing real life consequences of Labour's ill-thought-out decisions. In four short months this Labour Government have made it clear they do not have the British people's best interests at heart.' Fuel minister Liz Kendall has been branded a hypocrite for removing winter fuel payments for ten million pensioners while her second home is heated with public money And Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices said: 'Many people will be furious rightfully furious. It's the hypocrisy of it all.' But a source close to Ms Kendall defended the Minister, saying: 'The accommodation costs budget is designed to meet costs incurred by MPs as a result of working from two permanent locations. 'MPs of all parties are entitled to this, and they continue paying their utility bills for their own homes like everyone else.' But a former neighbour and pensioner in Leicestershire said: 'This is outrageous.' The retired accountant, 77, who gave his name only as Wiliam, said: 'She has blighted the lives of so many people across the country with her scandalous winter fuel policy. 'Now we learn the people she is robbing are helping pay her bills at her constituency home. It is one rule for the powers-that-be and another one for us.' Ms Kendall bought the three-storey London townhouse with financier James Ind for 3.9 million in January 2021. It boasts four bedrooms, four reception rooms and three bathroom, with estate agent pictures from the time revealing plush interiors, with a magnificent gilt-framed painting and a large fireplace in the living room. The Government announced in July that access to winter fuel payments would be restricted to people claiming pension credit, with the aim of saving 1.5 billion a year. Of the 11.4 million pensioners previously eligible, only 1.5 million meet the new criteria. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly been accused of 'picking a fight' with pensioners. But he insists that it 'makes sense' to cut the payments, arguing that the government's finances were 'really, really difficult'. He said he had to prioritise delivering for the NHS, schools and other public services used by pensioners. Last week, Ms Kendall responded to growing pressure over the decision by saying: 'Means-testing winter fuel payments was not a decision this government wanted or expected to take' but blamed 'the 22 billion black hole we inherited.' Ms Kendall has declared Mr Ind's job with Santander Asset Management UK on her register of ministerial interests, because it could potentially lead to a conflict of interest with her responsibility for pensions policy as his firm's client base includes some local government pension schemes. Ms Kendall, who was previously in an eight-year relationship with the comedian Greg Davies, announced in January 2022 that she was 'bursting with love and happiness' after having a baby boy via surrogacy. The Government announced in July that access to winter fuel payments would be restricted to people claiming pension credit (file photo) Ms Kendall bought the three-storey London townhouse with financier James Ind (pictured) for 3.9 million in January 2021 Eton-educated Mr Ind, 53, is a City high flyer with a formidable CV. After graduating from Durham University he received an MBA in finance at Cass Business School in London before joining US banking giant Merrill Lynch. He left in 2008, during the global financial crisis, and later worked for a string of major investment firms, including Russell Investments, where he was responsible for around 4 billion. In July 2023 he joined Spanish banking giant Santander as 'global head of multi-asset solutions', with sources suggesting he would be paid around 600,000 a year in salary and bonuses. The bank's investment division, where he works, manages 192 billion of investments. One of London's most affluent areas, Notting Hill was once home to the so-called Notting Hill set of prominent Tories including David Cameron, George Osborne and Michael Gove. Opponents of the assisted dying Bill are plotting to derail its legalisation despite last week's historic vote in Parliament. MPs who are concerned about the legislation are feeling hopeful that they can defeat it at the next vote only 28 need to be persuaded to change their mind. On Friday, MPs took a historic step to legalising assisted dying by voting it through by 330 votes to 275. But a number of those who backed the Bill said they could change their minds and vote against it before it became law. An anti-legalisation campaign source said: 'The victory is more shallow than it appears. There is a lot to play for.' A Labour MP who voted for the Bill and spoke in favour of it in the debate told The Mail on Sunday they are privately concerned about suggestions that doctors will be able to propose assisted dying to patients: 'I hope that is corrected at committee stage.' Meanwhile, a war of words erupted after supporters of the legislation were accused of 'celebrating' the vote. Sources said they saw some male Labour MPs 'clinking champagne glasses' in the Members' Dining Room after the vote in Parliament. 'They were Keir (Starmer)'s supporters. Health Secretary Wes Streeting was among cabinet ministers to vote against the assisted dying Bill on Friday Deputy PM Angela Rayner also walked down the 'no' lobby. Just 28 MPs would need to be persuaded to change their mind to defeat the bill at the next vote 'They have turned it all very political. It was distasteful to celebrate.' Another said: 'They were gleeful and pleased for themselves even though they had just voted to say you could kill people.' Campaigners for the legalisation were accused of disingenuous tactics after they told MPs they could vote it through even if they had concerns, to 'continue the debate'. Tory MP Sir John Hayes said it was 'naive or optimistic' of some MPs to have voted for the Bill now in order to improve it later. The Bill was introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who will appoint a committee of MPs to scrutinise it. She promised to include opponents on the committee, telling the Commons 'there will be representatives of different parties with a range of views'. A source said: 'Does she just pick loyal MPs, or does she include any waverers? That could help fix the problems, but it will leave the Bill more at risk of amendments.' Tory MP Danny Kruger, who led opposition, said: 'The responsibility lies with Parliament to ensure that only a Bill with adequate safeguards passes into law.' Some MPs were concerned about suggestions that doctors would be able to propose assisted dying to patients (file photo) Opponents of the bill protesting outside Parliament on Friday as MPs were debating the proposed legislation Lib Dem MP Layla Moran, said: 'While I voted for it, I think all of us want this to be a good Bill. I would hope colleagues across the House reserve the right to vote no at further stages.' If the Bill passes third reading, Ms Leadbeater has written into her Bill that there would be a 'commencement period'. Ms Moran said: 'That's to say it could be two years before we see the first assisted death.' She said this should give plenty of time for palliative care to be improved. Younger MPs were more likely to vote in favour of legalising assisted dying, analysis for The Mail on Sunday has shown. Seventy-two per cent of MPs born in the 1990s voted in favour compared to 40 per cent of MPs born in the 1970s and 38 per cent of those born in the 1950s, according to the More In Common think-tank. Tv's Alastair urges end-of-life care Former TV newsreader Alastair Stewart, who has spoken openly about his battle with dementia, has urged MPs to prioritise end-of-life care over any legal right to end life. The lapsed Catholic, 72, says he has a moral dilemma over the assisted dying Bill, although he admits his father died very unpleasantly of Alzheimers. He says there are risks to giving the terminally ill the right to end their lives. I am totally confident that my children would never say to me: Dad, pop off to Dignitas, take the pressure off Mum and we can have the money, he said. But I can see circumstances in which a superficially caring person would go to someone like my father lying in his care home in Windsor and say: Swallow this pill, drink this potion, it will be better all round for your children. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Stewart added: I support our local hospices: the medical priority, the political priority should be better end-of-life care, not ending life. And while he says he cant tie his own shoelaces, choose a shirt, and would be lost without his wife Sally, he stays positive by thinking about his grandchildren, adding: They are like my medicine. As rumours fly of a coup in Damascus, fuelled by the reticence of President Bashar Al-Assad to appear on TV, many are speculating about the fall of the butcher of Syria. Uncertainty about his whereabouts and his failure to speak to his people contrasts sharply with the use of the media by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the Muslim fanatic whose balaclava-clad fighters have overrun the countrys biggest city. President Assads strange silence since he flew to Moscow to visit his staunch ally, Vladimir Putin, has many of his enemies excited that he might have sought sanctuary there rather than return to Syria. It would be a meek ending for a dictator who has spilled so much blood trying to wrestle his country from Syrian rebel groups, Kurdish fighters and Islamic fundamentalists like Isis and Al-Qaeda. He and his Russian patrons who have naval and air bases on the Syrian coast all but levelled Aleppo in 2017. And now Sukhoi jets are terrorising the people of that city yet again, as Russia will not baulk at high civilian casualties to protect its assets. But it prizes stability, and Assad represents that, so if the president has thrown in the towel it would not be at Moscows behest. More likely, Assad is planning a counter-attack. He has been on the back foot before and has weathered many a crisis, so will feel confident that this insurrection can be crushed as those before have. Rumours of Assad's demise, no doubt promoted by his enemies, will be demoralising to the Syrian regime, but he has always managed to pull himself back from the brink. Indeed he may already have delivered a final message to al-Julani. Many are speculating about the fall of the 'butcher' of Syria, President Bashar al-Assad, writes MARK ALMOND Anti-government fighters patrol a street in Aleppo on November 30 Rebels celebrate in the street in Maaret al-Numan in the northwestern Idlib province A car set on fire following an airstrike on Aleppo. In 2017, Assad's forces all but levelled the city, and are terrorising its people yet again Another option would be for Assad to consolidate his powerbase on the north-west coast of Syria where Russian bases are located. Whether he stays and fights or flees, leaving a power vacuum in Damascus, civil war is something that will affect us all. During the last one, in which Islamist fundamentalists overran large swathes of Syria, the UK suffered some of the worst terrorist outrages in recent history. In 2013, soldier Lee Rigby was murdered by two extremists. Four pedestrians were killed when Khalid Masood mowed them down with his car on Westminster Bridge before he stabbed to death police officer Keith Palmer in 2017. Three months later, three Islamists drove a van into crowds on London Bridge before stabbing shoppers in Borough Market. Then, as part of an international coalition, UK forces had been bombing Isis terrorists in Syria and Iraq to rid the region of the so-called Caliphate. The conflict radicalised Islamists here to commit heinous crimes. A chill will creep down the spines of us all at the prospect of a new era of extremism. The civil war in Syria also caused some five million people to flee the country, many of whom headed to Western Europe. We are next to powerless to prevent another immigration crisis. Smoke rising from an area in Aleppo following an airstrike on the city Destruction following an unidentified air strike in Aleppo on Saturday, after the city was captured by anti-regime armed groups A map of Syria showing Aleppo in the north and the capital Damascus in the south. Whether Assad stays and fights or flees, civil war is something that will affect us all The situation in Syria is even more complex and dangerous than before. Motivated by a hatred of the Alawite Syrian regime, this new Sunni group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham an offshoot of Al-Qaeda seems to have captured Aleppo as a stepping stone to overthrowing Assad. Turkish forces could fall in behind them, as fellow Sunnis who hate the powerful Kurdish minority straddling the Syrian-Turkish border. All these factions inside Syria are baffling and either sides victory will be bad news for the West, but do we have the forces and the will to stand between these mad dogs? Campaigners are calling on the Government to legalise a substance dubbed natures Valium after it apparently won a royal seal of approval. King Charles was seen sipping ceremonial drink kava which is said to induce a calm, euphoric state during his visit to Samoa in October, though it is banned in the UK. The substance was outlawed in 2003 due to links to around 30 cases of liver damage in Europe, including one death. It is also banned or restricted in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. But Dr Simon Geller, from the Kava Coalition, says it is time for the UK to take the lead in reinstating the drink for its health benefits. He said: If its safe enough for the King, isnt it time to reconsider its prohibition for everyone else? Made from the roots of the kava plant, it is drunk in the South Seas for medicinal, political and cultural purposes. It is also used to treat stress, anxiety and insomnia. Campaigners are calling on the Government to legalise Kava as King Charles was seen sipping the ceremonial drink in Samoa in October Kava, which is an outlawed substance in the UK, is said to induce a calm, euphoric state Varikuppala fled the country to India and hasn't been seen again The last man to speak with the alleged wheelie-bin killer of Chaithanya 'Swetha' Madhagani before fleeing to India has revealed his chilling final moments before escaping justice overseas. Ms Madhagani's husband, Ashok Raj Varikuppala, is suspected of murdering his wife inside their Point Cook home in south-west Melbourne before fleeing the country with their four-year old son Ayra. He still remains at large months after Ms Madhagani's body was found in a green wheelie bin on Mount Pollock Road in Buckley, west of Geelong, Victoria at 12pm on March 8. Now Daily Mail Australia can reveal Varikuppala calmly called a taxi to the airport from the couple's home the Friday before his wife's body was found. Police allege authorities discovered the wheelie bin, 80km from the family home, based on a tip-off from her husband. Now the taxi driver, who has asked to remain anonymous, has told Daily Mail Australia how he picked up Varikuppala that afternoon after receiving a routine fare through his taxi company. The taxi driver said he questioned the father's reason for his trip as he was curious why his passenger was travelling abroad with the young child. Family issues, came the chilling two-word response. Ashok Raj Varikuppala (left) and Chaithanya 'Swetha' Madhagani were married for 12 years before her body was found in a wheelie bin Varikuppala has not been seen since he allegedly dropped his son off with Ms Madhagani's parents at their house in the south central Indian city of Hyderabad days later. But on the trip from the Point Cook home to Melbourne Airport, the suspected killer appeared nervous, the driver said. He said the father had been travelling with a large suitcase and two smaller bags to the international departure point of the airport's Terminal 2 with his young son. But he driver admitted had no idea of the magnitude of the alleged family issues the man was now facing in Australia. I thought maybe his parents were unwell and he was going over to visit them,' he said. Varikuppala told the cabbie he planned to return after a short visit, chatting with him about his business installing solar panels. I told him I was interested in getting solar at my place and he gave me his details, the driver said. 'He said you can contact my colleague while I'm away.' Varikuppala even wrote his details down after failing to locate a business card. The green wheelie bin that contained Ms Madhagani's body was found in a paddock near Geelong He has my details too,' said the cabbie. 'He said his colleague would talk to me while he was away and help sort out the panels. Varikuppala had no concerns about revealing his identity, booking the cab under his own name, paying by credit card and leaving his name and number with the driver. But the driver said the husband appeared visibly shaken and rattled during the 45 minute journey. He didnt seem right. I thought he was stressed. He was nervous, the driver said. 'It seemed a bit strange to me that he was travelling with a four-year old son and his wife was not there. 'I thought maybe because of the family issues the wife stayed home and he was flying with the kid.' Varikuppala sat directly behind the driver throughout the journey to the airport with his son strapped into the back passenger seat beside him. Family of Chaithanya 'Swetha' Madhagani embrace outside her funeral in India The boy would later be dumped on the doorstep of his grandparents home a world away from his house in Australia. 'He was too young to know what was happening,' the driver said, who was oblivious to who his passenger was until Homicide Squad detectives tracked him down the day after Ms Madhagani's body was found. The driver spent two hours with detectives the following Monday as they worked to pull every detail they could from the suspected killer's final ride in Australia. 'Fortunately I had all those records, like I had the booking number in my phone, he wrote down his details which I gave to the cops as well and also the receipt,' he said. 'I was on my way back to Point Cook when I got the call. I had no clue it would lead to this.' On Friday, Victoria Police refused to comment to Daily Mail Australia over their progress of the investigation and locating the wanted fugitive. 'This investigation remains active and ongoing unfortunately we are not in a position to provide specific details on current enquiries or liaison with other agencies,' a spokesman said. The driver said police had also taken in-car CCTV footage from Varikuppala's final ride captured from inside his taxi. Chaithanya 'Swetha' Madhagani was farewelled in India. Her alleged killer remains at large In March, more than 100 mourners gathered at the Mallapur crematorium in the Hyderabad region of India to pay their respects to the beloved mum after Ms Madhagani's murder. 'It is not the time to die - you were so young, what will we do without you?' her father Balshetty Madhagani told mourners. Loud shrieks filled the air as Ms Madhaganis body was placed in the courtyard of her familys home. Another relative, Anna Swamy, said they were desperate for police to charge Ms Madhagani husband. 'We want justice for our daughter,' he said. 'We dont know where Ashok is,' Mr Swarmy said. 'There is no one from Ashok Rajs family. They should have been here if they really care about their grandson.'. Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed that Varikuppala family had offered Ms Madhagani's son four acres of land and to take care of and school the boy. The Hyderabad house where Mr Varikuppala reportedly visited Ms Madhagani's parents to apologise for what happened and drop off their grandson Varikuppala's parents have since visited their daughter-in-law's home to 'apologise' to Ms Madhagani's mother and father for what their son allegedly did, and offered the family four acres of land as well as an offer to take care and school the boy. In March Ms Madhagani's maternal grandfather K Gopal, who also lives with her parents, told Daily Mail Australia the visit 'happened a few days ago'. 'They wanted to take care of their grandson,' the 80-year-old said. 'They offered four acres of land for him. 'They expressed regret about the incident and apologised for whatever happened. They remember Swetha as happy daughter-in-law.' Mr Gopal said Varikuppala's parents had already enrolled Arya in a nearby school. He also said they had didn't know where Varikuppala was but 'are being told he is absconding'. Varikuppala's parents have reportedly offered to take care and school their grandson Ayra (pictured) In March Victoria Police said Varikuppala was a person of interest in its investigation of Ms Madhagani's death and that he was still overseas despite his claim he would be returning to Australia. Ms Madhagani and Varikuppala were married for 12 years and had seemed happy by many reports from neighbours in the Point Cook suburb of Melbourne where the family had lived for three years. However, close family friend Praveen Kumar Thopucherla - who has known the couple for seven years - told Daily Mail Australia that the family's 'internal problems' were well known to friends, and described their marriage as 'love and arranged'. 'I believe those went deeper (than) it seems,' he said. He hoped to sell it for $1.9m but had to settle for $1.75m The Prime Minister has had to drop the price of his Sydney investment townhouse by $150,000 after it spent months on the market without a buyer. Anthony Albanese sold his Dulwich Hill investment property for $1.75 million on Friday. The PM previously withdrew the house from its October auction where he had hoped to bring in $1.9 million before the initial asking price was revised. The three-bedroom property was last sold for $1,175,000 in 2015 and property values in the area have skyrocketed by 92.8 per cent since then. Now the median price of a Dulwich Hill home has an asking price of $2.28 million. In recent months the housing market has cooled off in Sydney and prices have been steadily falling in the very months that Mr Albanese has been trying to sell. Mr Albanese earlier this year revealed he had purchased a new clifftop home in the Central Coast's Copacabana for $4.3 million in preparation for his new life with fiancee Jodie Haydon. The prime minister said he wanted to simplify his life and real estate portfolio prior to their marriage which is scheduled for 2025. The now-sold townhouse caused waves of controversy after its previous tenant, music venue owner Jim Flanagan, publicly announced that he did not want to move out. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sold his Dulwich Hill investment townhouse for $1.75million on Friday The home had been on the market for months and Mr Albanese originally hoped to get $1.9million for it in October Tenant Mr Flanagan previously said he had been requested to leave the residence as it was being prepared for sale. His rent, which had remained unchanged since COVID when its initial weekly lease of $880 dropped to $680, was a driving factor in the protest. Mr Albanese defended his decision to sell the home and said he had looked after Mr Flanagan for a long time prior to deciding to sell. Another of his investment properties proved easier for the prime minister to sell before he assumed Australia's highest office in 2021. Mr Albanese sold his Inner West property for $2.35 million, above its $2.1 million asking price. Its value had doubled since Mr Albanese originally bought it with his first wife, Carmel Tebbutt, for $1,115,000 in 2012. The then-couple's family home in Marrickville, purchased for $997,500 in 2006, was transferred to Mr Albanese's sole ownership after the pair split in 2019. Mr Albanese's made his first home purchase as a 26-years-old when he held just a 'political party official' title within Labor. The townhouse had caused headlines earlier in the year after it's tenant claimed he did not want to move and that the prime minister was forcing him out Mr Albanese stood firm and said he was selling the property in order to slim down his investments and simplify his life prior to his marriage with fiancee Jodie Haydon The two-bedroom semi, also in Marrickville, was purchased for $146,000 at the time. Now the prime minister is well ahead in his career and topped off his busiest week in parliament yet with the sale of his Dulwich Hills townhouse. Mr Albanese oversaw the passage of 45 pieces of legislation and one of the 31 bills passed by the Senate on Thursday night was created to tackle the housing crisis. Labor hopes the Build to Rent legislation will create another 80,000 rental properties around the country which would constitute the largest-ever federal supply of rental homes. The Biden administration has come under fire for its $7.5billion rollout of electric vehicle charging stations - which is moving at a snail's pace. The administration pledged in 2021 to roll out 500,000 stations by 2030 in a bid to calm 'range anxiety' which has made Americans hesitant about purchasing EVs. But the initiative has just 102 fully operational units in nine states including New York, Hawaii, Ohio and Pennsylvania. When asked about the slow roll-out, a Federal Highway Administration spokesperson directed DailyMail.com to a statement issued by the transport secretary. Pete Buttigieg said the $7.5 billion has not been spent yet, clarifying that the money is 'the entire program budget for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.' He added that the operational chargers 'are only the first handful though. Most are to be built in the 2nd half of the decade.' But the sluggish rollout comes as Biden's mandate that the majority of new cars need to be electric by 2032 quickly approaches, though president-elect Donald Trump has signaled he plans to scrap that rule. The transportation secretary's comments come just months after Buttigieg came under fire when it was revealed just eight chargers had been built as of May. Americans have paid an 'absurd' number of taxes toward the Biden administration's push to build EV charging stations - but just eight were built in four years. 'In order to do a charger, it's more than just plunking a small device into the ground - there's utility work, and also this is really a new category of federal investment,' said Buttigieg. 'But we've been working with each of the 50 states, every one of them is getting formula dollars to do this work, engaging them in the first handful.' Gabe Klein, the executive director of the Joint Office, said: 'We expect to see hundreds of federally funded chargers operational this year.' However, sales of EVs dropped in the first quarter of 2024 from 8.1 percent to 7.0 percent, suggesting demand for eco-friendly vehicles is losing demand among Americans. President Biden launched the NEVI to transition to electric vehicles in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions and curb climate change. The plan, written in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, gave $5 billion toward building a charging network along US highways and $2.5 billion in Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI). While nine states have already used federal money to build new stations, there is construction happening in another four states. Another dozen states have been awarded construction contracts, but 17 haven't issued proposals yet. In August, the Biden-Harris Administration announced another $521 million in grants to continue building out EV charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure across 29 states. In the resurfaced video, Buttigieg said on CBS' Face the Nation that even though only eight chargers were built, President Biden still plans to reach his EV goals by 2030, adding: 'the very first handful of chargers are now already being physically built.' The announcement was in response to a letter penned by Republicans in February, questioning why EV chargers are being built at such a slow rate, despite taxpayers paying billions of dollars toward the initiative. 'We have significant concerns that under your efforts American taxpayer dollars are being woefully mismanaged,' wrote Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington), Jeff Duncan (R-South Carolina) and Morgan Griffith (R-Virginia). 'The problems with these programs continue to grow delays in the delivery of chargers, concerns from States about labor contracting requirements and minimum operating standards for chargers,' the letter continued. On top of delays, Biden's new chargers must meet higher expectations than the fast-charging alternatives. There are roughly 10,000 'fast' charging stations across the country - 2,000 of which are Tesla superchargers - but the non-Tesla equivalents have been criticized for their poor performance. Fast-chargers can provide an electric vehicle with a full battery in 30 minutes. Biden's stations are required to be fully operational 97 percent of the time, be no more than one mile from US highways and provide 150kW of power. Building one Level 2 electric charging station can cost upwards of $10,000 to $20,000 just for the equipment, not including the price tag associated with regular maintenance. 'I think that there was an expectation the program would move quickly, very quickly, without considering all of those different components,' Erin Belt, decarbonization program manager at the Virginia Department of Transportation told E&E News. The initiative is expected to pick up between 2026 and 2028, according to Klein, who said that's when taxpayers will see their money having the most impact. Biden also proposed another rule in September that would provide $1,000 in individual tax credits for installation of the equipment. This would only be available to residents living in low-income and non-urban areas who are exposed to higher levels of vehicle pollution from the EV charger delivery trucks. 'This new tax credit will further help consumers and businesses across the country make the affordable choice of clean vehicles,' US Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk said. Each EV charging station requires as much electricity as that used to power 20 homes. Pictured: a charging station located in London, Ohio Charging stations come in three levels, the first which is the slowest takes 40 to 50 hours to charge while Level 2 - the most commonly used in homes, workplaces and public spaces - takes between four and 10 hours to charge. The third level is the fast-charging option that's most commonly used by Tesla. A significant amount of energy is needed to operate the Level 2 station, with each charger needing the equivalent electricity used to power 20 homes. 'We are building a national EV charging network from scratch, and we want to get it right,' a spokesperson for the Federal Highway Administration told The Washington Post in March. 'After developing program guidance and partnering with states to guide implementation plans, we are hitting our stride as states move quickly to bring NEVI stations online.' Whether Biden's EV initiative will be safe from President-elect Donald Trump who has vowed to redistribute the funds to build 'important projects like roads, bridges [and] dams' has become a point of contention in recent weeks. But experts say that despite the slow roll-out of EV chargers, Trump won't be able to reallocate the funds, according to Andrew Rogers, who helped write the programs when he was chief counsel for Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee told Politico. 'Regardless of whether their funding is fully obligated by January 20 next year, these programs aren't going anywhere,' Rogers said. DailyMail.com has reached out to the Federal Transportation Administration for comment. November 30, 2024: Faced with certain defeat in Ukraine, Russia turned to Asymmetric Warfare. This involved using a number of less visible weapons including Electronic Warfare, sabotage and hacking NATO electronic networks to steal information and disrupt NATO operations. Asymmetric warfare has been all the rage for the last two decades. The prime example given is the Islamic terrorist use of roadside bombs and suicide bombers in Iraq between 2003 and 2010. These tactics terrorized Iraqis working for the Americans, and generated propaganda on the Internet to spin the mass media against the much more powerful U.S. forces. To the surprise of those following this via the mass media, the U.S. defeated al Qaeda, and the pro-Saddam Hussein terrorists in Iraq. Russia dismissed this victory because the Americans were fighting Arabs. Despite that, Russia sought to use the same techniques in Ukraine. What the media missed was that the military, at least the Ukrainian forces, were trained to deal with asymmetric situations as a matter of course. To a soldier, asymmetric means the unknown. All warfare is asymmetric, as you always seek to utilize deception and surprise against your opponent. Those two elements are seen as the most effective methods for surviving and winning in combat. In the opening stages of any war, there will be many asymmetric elements in play. Although armies try to figure out their opponents beforehand, the planners rarely get it completely right. So the opening stages of any war are full of unpleasant surprises. In 2022 Vladimir Putin thought he could defeat the Ukrainians quickly before NATO could intervene with large quantities of weapons for the outnumbered Ukrainians. Putin was shocked that the Ukrainians fought back with unexpected vigor and destroyed the initial attack force and most of Russias modern tanks. Putin had a Plan B, to back off and wage a terror campaign against the Ukrainians using thousands of high explosive-armed missiles fired at civilian and military targets. This was supposed to wear the Ukrainians out and intimidate the NATO nations supporting Ukraine. This didnt work. It never has. NATO and the Americans had been preparing for a Russian attack on Europe since 1949. Until 2022 the only Russian activity was threats and misinformation. This use of Asymmetric Warfare didnt work either and the Russians accused NATO and the Americans of using it to bring down the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia came out of that collapse with a half its Soviet era population and a thirst for revenge. The 2022 Russian attack on Ukraine saw Russia repeating its World War II mistake of expending soldiers at a tremendous rate. While the United States lost .3 percent of their population fighting World War II, Russia lost 18 percent, a third of them civilians. After World War II quantity became even less effective. At that point, atomic bombs and a lot of other high tech weapons and equipment made large armies less useful. Just sacrificing people was no longer as great an advantage. By the end of the 20th century it was obvious to all that an army of professional soldiers was far more effective than one that contained a lot of conscripts, even if armed with lots of tanks and other weapons. Russia agreed with this in theory, but when they invaded Ukraine in 2022, it was clear that Russia had not changed. Despite the heavy personnel and tank losses in Ukraine, Russia decided to reform and rebuild after the war. Russian forces are still in Ukraine but are much diminished. Russia has a comeback plan but no one, including most Russians, know what it is. Other nations have found that just trying to catch up with the American military tech was too expensive and surpassing the U.S. was extremely difficult. China is the latest major power to give it a go and they too have fallen back on a strategy of searching for new ways of fighting to compensate for the American real or apparent tech advantage. Asymmetric warfare is why the Chinese have been so aggressive in the use of Internet based espionage and the concept of Cyber War in general. This is a new technology area and the Chinese were able to steal a lot of the American tech and even leap ahead. This is a big gamble but the Chinese are not getting ready for World War 3, they are just trying to even the odds in case things do go sideways and they find themselves at war with those clever and lavishly equipped Americans. Meanwhile, the United States is being forced to reconsider how it equips and operates its armed forces. The money is not there, it is not going to be there, and prices for new warships and aircraft will only come down if cheaper models are bought or the development process adopts some wartime practices. That is unlikely as long as politicians see the defense budget as a source of campaign funds. This is why the Americans have turned to Asymmetric Warfare and new developments in Ukraine. Drone warfare quickly came to dominate the war and that was unexpected. In wartime the combatants are forced to do all manner of unconventional and unexpected things to survive. Ukraine did drones and redefined the shape of modern warfare. Ukraine also used Asymmetric Warfare, which was less visible than thousands of drones. The drones were part of Asymmetric Warfare tactics Ukraine used against Russia to turn Putins sure thing invasion into a quagmire where Putins hopes and dreams of victory went to die. Lauren Heavner, from Arkansas, offers ruthless verdicts of places she's been to There's the glitzy Mediterranean spot with 'no culture', the African nation where men will 'just pee anywhere' and the Asian nation with 'a hostility that seems to linger just beneath the surface'. Allow us to introduce globetrotter Lauren Heavner's hall of shame - a list of the 'least favourite' places she's been to that's noteworthy because she has been to an astonishing 170 countries in total. So she's certainly not lacking in perspective. Lauren, a professional vocalist from Arkansas, talks through the list on a TikTok (@laurenheav) video with over 3,000 likes and reveals further details here about experiences she had in the countries she's named. Scroll down for more, including her explanations for the controversial decision to include France and Canada on the list. Monaco Lauren Heavner has travelled to 170 countries and shared her least favourite in a TikTok video. The American globetrotter put a few popular destinations on the list Lauren explains that city-state Monaco is 'unapologetically built for the ultra-rich' Lauren, pictured here in Monaco, says the country is a 'playground of indulgence and spectacle' In her TikTok video, Lauren explains that shes been to city-state Monaco at least 20 times, but says its not for her. She says: It just doesnt have much of a culture. Its impossible to walk around the streets and see anything.' Speaking separately to MailOnline, Lauren reveals: The thing about Monaco, the bitter pill you cant quite swallow, is that its unapologetically built for the ultra-rich. Every time Im there, Im confronted by my place in the food chain. Just someone passing through, acutely aware of what I dont have. Its not even subtle, either. Monaco whispers it to you through every overpriced glass of wine, every gleaming yacht, every diamond-studded wristwatch you pass on the street. In the video, Lauren recounts her experience of entering a shop to look at a pair of shoes that she thought she could afford and being told by the shop assistant that they were $500 (394) and feeling like a peasant. Despite its flaws, Lauren admits that Monaco is beautiful at night in the video and tells MailOnline the view alone could get her back there. The traveller says: To be fair, Monaco is something else entirely. Its a playground of indulgence and spectacle, where the city lights at night from the harbour hit you like a scene out of a dream or movie youre not rich enough to star in. That view alone could bring me back. But if theres one thing that might really pull me in again, its the Grand Prix. She also explains that Monaco isnt a dangerous destination, saying: Monaco isnt the kind of place where you feel unsafe. Its too polished, too tightly controlled. When theres this much money floating around - billions tied up in yachts, diamonds, and offshore accounts - petty crime doesnt stand a chance. But perhaps the best part of Monaco is the ease with which you can leave it. Lauren tells MailOnline Travel: Monaco, for all its gilded edges, has its charms. One of them is the train station. In 15 minutes flat, youre in France. Head the other way, and youre in Italy. Its like a portal, a quick escape from all the polished perfection. On the train, suddenly the French Riviera unfolds before you from your window. Towns like Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes, Cannes, and Nice - places that feel less like an exclusive club and more like somewhere you actually belong. Ghana Lauren says she found there wasn't much to do in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. And that the men 'pee anywhere' In the video, Lauren explains that she's been to the capital of Ghana, Accra, a few times, but laments that there 'wasnt really much to do'. What's more, she tells MailOnline Travel that she felt unease as she explored. She comments: I wandered the streets of Accra on my own for a while. But it didnt take long before unease crept in. 'The chaos, the unfamiliarity, its not the kind of place that coddles a lone outsider. I felt slightly on guard. 'Maybe it was paranoia, maybe it was instinct - but either way, I retreated after only a short time of wandering solo. In the video, another negative about Accra, according to Lauren, is that men will just pee anywhere. She adds to MailOnline: What stayed with me most about Ghana was the stark reality of its struggles. The poverty was impossible to ignore. Children working, shops stocked with imported goods far out of reach for most. Despite her experiences, Lauren explains that the lingering regret of not seeing enough could lure her back. The traveller reveals: Theres depth to Ghana. Its a country that deserves more than a passing visit. Its not just a country to see, but one to understand. What I did get to see was a gift, a glimpse into a culture so vibrant. Theres so much more I want to see, so much more I need to learn. Its a country that calls you back, not just for the sights, but for the depth of understanding you can only gain by staying longer, listening harder, and letting it all change you and your perspective. Malaysia Lauren says Malaysia 'doesn't call her back' and that the capital, Kuala Lumpur (pictured above), 'never really delivered' Lauren didn't enjoy her visit to Malaysia's Batu Caves, where she's pictured above In her TikTok video, Lauren slams Malaysia as pretty corrupt and reveals that she visited the capital city, Kuala Lumpur, and the Batu caves, a series of limestone caves that are a popular tourist attraction. She says there were like a thousand steps at the cave and was disappointed when she reached the top to find it wasnt a cave. Speaking to MailOnline, Lauren adds: I was there with a group of friends. It was one of those punishingly hot, humid days where even breathing felt like work. We were all in shorts, naturally. But then came the rules: women had to be covered - no knees, no shoulders. Men? Yeah, come as you are, it doesn't matter." Typical. A small army of women at the entrance of the steps leading up to the cave were forcing us to buy $15 (11.84) long skirts to cover our bodies. All nine of us bought one, begrudgingly draped ourselves and trudged up the steps. Lauren explains that the worst aspect of her time in Malaysia was the lack of things to do in the capital, which she says felt like a city waiting to impress but never delivering. The traveller adds that the country had an edge which she describes as a hostility that seemed to linger just beneath the surface, although she jokes it might just have been the slightly aggressive monkeys. And she wont be back. Lauren says: If Im being brutally honest, Malaysia doesnt call me back. Its not that it wasnt interesting or without its charms - its just that it didnt leave a mark. Some places do that - they pass through you without sticking, without giving you much of a reason to return. Maybe I didnt see the right things or spend enough time digging beneath the surface. Or maybe its just one of those places where the connection wasnt there - and thats okay. Not every place is meant to. Canada Lauren says 'Canada is familiar to the point of feeling predictable', however she does like 'French Canada'. Pictured above is Quebec Lauren explains in her TikTok video, after pleading 'please don't come for me', that going to Canada is really not that exciting for an American. Although its on her list of worst destinations, she tells MailOnline there arent many negative aspects of Canada, its just too familiar. She explains: Its familiar to the point of feeling predictable. The same big-box stores, the same general vibe - just with better manners and a lot more Tim Hortons (a Canadian coffeehouse and restaurant chain). Despite her dislike of Canada, there is one region that Lauren likes. She tells MailOnline: Its French Canada that holds my heart. Quebec City is an absolute gem. A slice of Europe tucked into North America, with cobblestone streets, centuries-old architecture, and that unmistakable charm that feels both foreign and familiar. In the video, she also explains that she thinks French Canada has better food than the rest of the country. And one of those regional dishes is actually Laurens favourite memory of Canada. She reveals to MailOnline: One thing I truly enjoyed in Canada? The poutine.' Poutine is a traditional dish from Quebec made up of French fries with cheese curds and topped with gravy. Lauren shares: 'Its the kind of dish that doesnt just satisfy - it comforts, indulges, and reminds you that sometimes the simplest things are the most perfect. Poutine isnt just food - its an experience, a little taste of Canadas soul served on a plate. And for that, Ill give credit where its due. But even the poutine wont tempt her back to Canada. Lauren says: Canada is great, but its not exactly exotic. Sure French Canada has its old-world charm, and British Columbia has that Pacific Northwest mystique, but beyond that? It feels too much like home. France Lauren slams Paris as 'overrated' and says the French capital is 'the worst part of France' Although she doesn't care for Paris, Lauren describes Val D'Isere, where she's pictured here, as a 'postcard come to life' WANT MORE FROM LAUREN? Find her on TikTok here - @laurenheav. Advertisement In her TikTok, Lauren prefaces revealing the fifth country in the list with another plea: 'Please don't come for me, I am so scared to say this.' Then reveals that it's France. She slams Paris as overrated and says the capital is the worst part of France. The traveller recommends heading to the French Riviera or anywhere other than Paris. Speaking to MailOnline, she says she has never felt unsafe in France but adds that Paris can be slightly dodgy in certain areas. Lauren adds: Lets just say France isnt exactly known for rolling out the red carpet for outsiders. Theres a certain coolness, a guardedness that can feel like a wall if youre not prepared for it. It's not a complete fail, though. The intrepid traveller shares in her video that she spent at least a month across five winter seasons in ski resort Val dIsere, which she describes as impossibly charming. She adds: It was the kind of place that feels like a postcard come to life - snow-dropped roofs, winding streets and a timelessness that sinks into your bones. And the food gets a double thumbs up. Lauren tells MailOnline: The food alone is worth the journey. It doesnt matter if youre dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant or grabbing a baguette from a corner bakery. In France, food is never an afterthought. I'm Gilbert Ott, frequent flier and Founder of travel site godsavethepoints.com, and I have 10 top tips for making your next trip more luxurious. Follow my advice and you could snare a return lie-flat bed on a plane for around 1,300 ($1,999), get money back if the weather turns bad and avoid wasting time by trying TikTok hacks that just don't work. My list also includes ways to avoid the crowds in popular tourist destinations and why going back in time and picking up the phone to talk to a travel agent can pay dividends. Read on for more and let me know what you think in the comments. Book early and forget being flexible Long-haul flatbeds in business class for around 1,300 ($1,999) round trip? You bet. Usually, you'll just need to be sure about the trip. Yes - most airlines now offer their best discounts and prices for the earliest bookings and the least flexibility. If you're locked into a wedding or fixed dates and want the best experience for the least money, get in the habit of looking and booking earlier. For example, book for January 2026 in January 2025 if a big sale pops up. Another hot tip? Book flight and hotel packages directly with airlines, since they'll often slash prices if you secure accommodation through them. Gilbert Ott, frequent flier and Founder of travel site godsavethepoints.com, has 10 top tips for levelling up your luxury on your next trip There are real occasions where 'flight + hotel' can be cheaper than flight alone. Go back in time and pick up the phone For some of the savviest hotel deals the ones that include a free daily breakfast and upgrade pick up the phone and talk to a travel agent. Travel agents are back at the centre of travel planning and have special hotel perks that you typically can't find anywhere else, and often for the same price you'd pay online without the perks. Just don't waste their time if you're casually looking. Good weather or your money back I can't believe I'm saying this, but there are some startups in travel that will guarantee good weather, or your money back - for a price of course. Sensible and Weather Promise are two companies leading the way in travel satisfaction. They offer insurance-style products that allow you to purchase guarantees for your trip, such as sun for a beach holiday, and you can get compensated in full for every day the weather doesn't deliver. Investigate subscription discounts Pay 93 ($118) and you can instantly save thousands. It sounds too good to be true, but it's not. This is the membership fee for 'Dis-loyalty', the rather genius new 'loyalty' program of Ennismore, a brand behind Hoxton, SLS, Mondrian and SO/ hotels globally, among others. For some of the savviest hotel deals the ones that include a free daily breakfast and upgrade pick up the phone and talk to a travel agent, says Gilbert The membership gets you a free coffee at any of its hotels every day of the year (and that could pay your fee alone), but the gem is that all newly opened hotels are 50 per cent off and you get a real 20 per cent off your first time at any hotel, new or not. Crazy - and true. I booked SLS Playa Mujeres in Mexico and saved $2,800 (2,284), taking $750 room nights down to $375. Consider "nearby" airports for big savings with ease Google Flights allows you to enter up to five - yes five - departure and destination cities at once, meaning you can instantly compare how much it might cost to go to various places in one search. You can use this in two ways. Say you want to go to Buenos Aires, but pricing is expensive from London. You can enter cities you'd consider flying, driving or training to, like Amsterdam, Paris and others, and see if there are significant enough savings if you leave from one of those. This can also be a gem for picking a destination, where you want to go to South America, for example, but are open to Rio, Buenos Aires, Santiago or Bogota. Enter all into the search box for destination and the cheapest option will appear. Dive into points Points used to be called frequent flyer miles and that was a horrible misnomer. In today's world, they're less about frequent flying and more about frequent buying. You can earn points from daily activities with or without a credit card. At the very least, points can be a rebate off a flight and at best, they can be first-class somewhere far-flung and exotic for next to nothing. Figuring out your preferred airline and looking at their 'earning partners' is a great way to start. When it comes to burning points, use point.me, which simplifies how you find flights. Find the next hot travel spot The more difficult a destination is to reach, the more other people likely won't bother trying to get there, notes Gilbert If you want to level up your travel in 2025, be open to new and perhaps more exotic destinations, or ones that require an extra boat, train or flight. The more difficult a destination is to reach, the more other people likely won't bother trying to get there - and that's often where you'll find better savings and better trips. For example, while Mykonos can feel like a special form of crazy, other islands just a ferry ride away are still relatively idyllic. Stop faffing around with silly 'hacks' TikTok can show you many wonderful things, from recipes to new dance moves, but most of the travel hacks are not going to help. Save yourself money by not wasting your precious time trying things that don't add up to much. The days when you can switch the website country or currency to save on hotels or flights are really limited and only rare exceptions exist where there are meaningful savings to be had. If you spend five hours trying, only to save $10, something tells me you actually lost out on that deal. Take advantage of members-only prices online Because of hotel pricing rules, you often need to be a 'member' of a site - which can be as simple as sharing your email address - to see their 'special' pricing. By grabbing your email, booking sites and hotels themselves are able to undercut the publicly available pricing, since it's totally legal and ok for them to show 'closed environment' discounts. Try the new travel apps From Turo, which is basically the Airbnb of car rental (and even has fancy cars) to ResortPass, where you can simply purchase a day pass to a hotel pool, and Wander, a vacation house company that guarantees fast Wi-Fi and dedicated workspaces, there are so many 'new' ways to experience travel. Do your research, not all of these platforms will be a fit for everyone, but they're a great tool to add to the arsenal while searching for savings. I was able to rent a Tesla Model Y in California through Turo for less than a basic car from a leading rental company - and the host picked up and dropped off the car. A 1998 reality show saw a young comedian left in solitary confinement without any clothes or food for 15 months, all while being broadcast to the world without his consent. Tomoaki Hamatsu, better known as Nasubi, was the victim of A Life of Prizes, a hellish reality series that challenged the then 22-year-old to live solely off his winnings from magazine competitions in a tiny apartment in Japan. Despite the seemingly sadistic nature, the show broke records by pulling in more than 30 million viewers a week in Japan - from a population of 126.4m - with his diaries from inside also becoming a best-seller. Nasubi tells his harrowing story in upcoming Hulu documentary, The Contestant, which is set to be released in cinemas this week, alongside show producer Toshio Tsuchiya. Nasubi won a lottery-style draw to appear on a mystery show, before being stripped of all his belongings and clothes and left in a room, where he was told he would be released after a million yen - roughly $8,000 - of prizes. Without ever signing a contract, he was left alone with nothing but stacks of magazines and postcards, as well as running water, electricity, and heating. A 1998 reality show saw a young comedian left in solitary confinement without any clothes or food for 15 months, all while being broadcast to the world without his consent Tomoaki Hamatsu, better known as Nasubi, was the victim of A Life of Prizes, a hellish reality series that challenged the then 22-year-old to live solely off his winnings from magazine competitions in a tiny apartment in Japan (pictured) Nasubi tells his harrowing story in upcoming Hulu documentary, The Contestant (pictured), which is set to be released in cinemas this week, alongside show producer Toshio Tsuchiya. Nasubi ended up living in the room in total solitude for 337 days, while being filmed 24 hours a day on two cameras without his knowledge. He survived on food won from the magazines, such as 5kg of uncooked rice, before he was forced to resort to eating wet dog food on Day 80. The name Nasubi is Japanese for aubergine, with the producers using a cartoon image of the vegetable to cover up his genitalia, as he spent most of his time naked. Nasubi's mental state got to the point that he admitted he wished for death and tried to stay sane by writing diaries, dancing and playing games. In a recent interview with The Sun, he said: 'The loneliness affected me much more than not being able to eat or not having clothes. There were so many moments where I thought it probably would be better to die now than keep going. 'The toughest moment was when the rice ran out and I needed to face up to eating dog food. I didn't want to eat it but there was no alternative.' Nasubi admitted that he was 'such emotional turmoil that I couldn't sleep' and at points even believed he'd been 'abducted by aliens'. In his diaries he wrote: 'I dont have enough nutrition going to my brain. Being driven to the edge has brought out a madness in me.' Nasubi ended up living in the room in total solitude for 337 days, while being filmed 24 hours a day on two cameras without his knowledge He survived on food won from the magazines, such as 5kg of uncooked rice, before he was forced to resort to eating wet dog food on Day 80 When he finally reached the number of winnings needed, Nasubi was eventually freed, but producers soon conned him into returning to the hellish experience. He was flown to what he thought was a celebratory trip to Korea, where the producers worked for three hours to convince him to go through the same process again, while he pleaded: 'I thought my life was over. So many times I wanted to die.' Nasubi ended up competing for several more weeks, taking him to 434 days in isolation. He then returned to Japan, where he entered another apartment and stripped naked thinking he was about to be subjected to the same turmoil again. However, the walls then collapsed to reveal a TV studio with a live audience of fans, with him becoming aware for the first time that his ordeal had been seen by millions. He had become an icon over his long ordeal, with the Truman Show-esque programme poking fun at him with slapstick noises and suggestive censoring. But Nasubi was not ready to meet his new fans, and reportedly needed six months to rehabilitate back into normal life, after the lack of interaction and food left his speech slow and body malnourished, while he struggled to make eye contact or talk to other people. He admitted: 'After A Life In Prizes, I lost my faith in humanity. I had a void in my heart, like a black hole. My loneliness could only be filled by those around me. It was their support and affection that filled that void. A human's love or that kind of spirit of helping each other that's what it's all about.' The name Nasubi is Japanese for aubergine, with the producers using a cartoon image of the vegetable to cover up his genitalia, as he spent most of his time naked (pictured) Nasubi's mental state got to the point that he admitted he wished for death, and tried to stay sane by writing diaries, dancing and playing games Fortunately, Nasubi has managed to turn the negatives of his time on the series into positives. He completed his goal of climbing Mount Everest in 2016 saying that the resilience he gained from reality TV had come good for him in the climb. And the fame he garnered as a result of the show has enabled him to get regular appearances as a guest on a range of less traumatic panel and game shows. Taking part in a Reddit Ask Me Anything earlier this year, Nasubi answered questions from curious fans about his traumatic experience. He explained that the door had been unlocked during his time in the apartment, but that his mental state 'degraded' to the point that he decided to stay. He said: 'I was not offered a contract, I won an audition, and wanted to participate and complete the challenge. The option was 'do you want to do it,' and I said yes. 'So I was not forced to do it, I was not kidnapped. I was taken to a secret location and blindfolded, but I wasn't taken against my will, I decided to participate.' Nasubi went on: 'It's hard to explain, but I think that the people who have experienced being locked in confinement, and felt what it's like to be trapped in those walls, will understand why one chooses to stay instead of leave. When he finally reached the number of winnings needed, Nasubi was eventually freed, but producers soon conned him into returning to the hellish experience However, the walls then collapsed to reveal a TV studio with a live audience of fans, with him becoming aware for the first time that his ordeal had been seen by millions 'My mental state was degrading... instead of changing the environment, it felt safer to stay in the same situation, even though it was uncomfortable.' He added: 'I didn't think that the competition would last that long. The door wasn't locked, but I was determined to stay with it until the end. You could say it was Yamato Spirit, or Japanese spirt, I would not quit.' When asked if he had known he would be televised and what money he made from the show, Nasubi explained: 'Of course I didn't know it was being broadcasted. 'Back in the early days of reality TV in Japan, they didn't give contracts to participants, it was an entirely new genre of TV. And my manager did not protect me in the same way that TV stars are protected now. 'For compensation, I made 10 million yen for 1 year and three months, and that includes the money from the sale of my diaries from the show.' He added: 'I didn't receive any kindness or support from the crew. And since I didn't know the show was being broadcast to an audience, I didn't have any connection to the audience to receive that support. 'After the show was over though, the two emcees that were on Denpa Shonen, they encouraged me by saying that I did a good job, and I felt like they empathized with me and my situation on the show.' Speaking about what life was like once he was released, he admitted: 'For a while it was hard to interact with people. But I did realize that humans cannot live alone, so I did my best to reconnect with people.' Nasubi was not ready to meet his new fans, and reportedly needed six months to rehabilitate back into normal life, after the lack of interaction and food left his speech slow and body malnourished, while he struggled to make eye contact or talk to other people Fortunately, Nasubi has managed to turn the negatives of his time on the series into positives. He completed his goal of climbing Mount Everest in 2016 saying that the resilience he gained from reality TV had come good for him in the climb He also spoke about the parallels of his ordeal to the award-winning film The Truman Show, which was released the same year that A Life of Prizes aired. He said: 'Yes, I saw the film. The only person who really truly understands the feeling of what Truman went through is me. It felt like it was my story. 'His life was much easier than what I had, but it was a similar situation that everyone was watching both Truman and me, and we had no idea we were being observed.' Nasubi added: 'I am still recognized on the street, even 25 years later. I was even recognized in London and when I went to Stonehenge in 2018! 'There were a bunch of Japanese tourists who couldn't believe I was there, I think they were more excited to take photos with me than Stonehenge.' Despite his awful experience, Nasubi said he had no desire to take revenge or legal action and explained he is now working with charities to help others. He wrote: 'I never thought of solving the problem with violence. Because violence doesn't solve anything. 'But then, would I want to sue them and punish them by law? The answer would be no, because that would make some people sad and injured, and that was not what I wanted to do. Even if I get hurt, I want to protect people around me. Taking part in a Reddit Ask Me Anything earlier this year, Nasubi answered questions from curious fans about his traumatic experience (pictured) He explained that the door had been unlocked during his time in the apartment, but that his mental state 'degraded' to the point that he decided to stay 'Instead of revenge, I would like to use that energy for something more positive, like helping people.' He went on: 'I am working with charity organizations in Fukushima and across Japan. I enjoy connecting with people in person and helping bring smiles to those in Fukushima, and the northeast area of Japan.' While he even shows leniency towards 'the one who sent me to the hell that I experienced', saying: 'After a long time, Tsuchiya, the producer, apologized to me. 'He said he wanted to do something for me, and I think that his participation in the documentary shows he feels remorse.' In an interview with the New York Times in May, Nasubi went further into detail about why he didn't escape from the room, saying the isolation had sapped him of the 'strength of my mind and my hear He said: 'Its really difficult to explain that in just one word. But I was not normal mentally. When you are pushed into that kind of solitude, when you are in confined environments like that, its like a mental syndrome. 'You come to think its much safer to stay in the environment than it is to change the environment. So at that time I felt like it was more risky to change the environment and to get out. Also the strength of my mind and my heart were taken away. 'And this was something that I had decided to do, so I had to go through until the end. I had to persevere. I wanted to have mental fortitude. It was something like proving myself as well.' Despite his awful experience, Nasubi said he had no desire to take revenge or legal action and explained he is now working with charities to help others While he got candid again about his feelings towards Tsuchiya, admitting he could not forgive the producer for tricking him into thinking he was only being filmed as an experimental pilot and never told that instead he would be broadcast to all of Japan. But Nasubi went on to say he had made the inspiring choice to turn his 'negative past into something positive'. He said: 'It would be a lie if I said Im not regretting, even though I learned to live with the past. Did I forgive Tsuchiya, the producer? To be honest, in my heart, there is still something that is hating the person.' He explained: 'But then in 2011, a big earthquake happened in Fukushima. I could really relate to the people who are struggling. 'So without my experience in the past, I might not have been able to resonate with people in the tough situation. Thats when I realized my past struggle could be something useful. 'So I realized that instead of regretting my past, I have to learn to live with my past and turn this around to make my negative past into something positive.' Cain is arrested, Ruby relives her painful past, Angelica makes a big mistake and Will firms up his revenge plans in upcoming Emmerdale scenes. See our round-up of all the drama set to rock the village next week. 1. Anthony's on the warpath In the cafe, Brenda manages to let slip to Anthony that Celeb once had an affair with Tracy. Anthony's mood noticeably darkens as he sets out to confront Caleb. Both Caleb and Ruby defend their actions, but Anthony won't let the matter lie and persists with his questioning, leaving Ruby unsettled. Anthony confronts Caleb after Brenda told him about Celeb's affair with Tracy 2. Cain's guilt trip Recuperating at home, Moira tells Matty that she plans to throw Cain a birthday party, but he's concerned that she might not be well enough. Meanwhile, unknown to Moira, Cain is consumed with guilt about sleeping with Ruby and seeks solace at the garage, hunkering down there for the night. Recuperating at home, Moira tells Matty that she plans to throw Cain a birthday party, but he's concerned that she might not be well enough 3. Daddy issues for Ross Ross is shocked to realise that Moses is scared of him. Knowing that his actions are to blame, Ross feels defeated as Charity sends him packing. Ross is shocked to realise that Moses is scared of him and tries to reconcile with him Later, Ross sees how bonded Mack is with Moses and decides to abandon his plans to reconcile with his son. Will Ross' boy really be better off without him? 4. Moira's abandoned Cain has stayed out all night, but even so, Moira tells Matty that she's certain he will be home in time for her hospital appointment. When Cain fails to show, Moira manages to delay the appointment but eventually runs out of time. Cain's aggressive attempts to get on the move soon attract PC Swirling's attention Leaving her husband one last message, Moira has to face her results alone. At the garage, Cain listens to Moira's voicemail and comes to his senses, but finds his car blocked in by Jai's. His aggressive attempts to get on the move soon attract PC Swirling's attention. 5. Cain's arrested As Cain kicks off at the police, he soon finds himself arrested. He manages to persuade Swirling to let him phone Moira, and she is aghast that he's missed her appointment and is now in police custody. As Cain kicks off at the officers, he soon finds himself being arrested and put in the back of a police car Moira tells Cain her results were good, but then admits to Matty that she will need to undergo radiotherapy and the pair cry together. 6. Angel's emotional blackmail Jimmy is rattled by a letter from Tom and knows that it's just another attempt to manipulate him. However, Angel wants to be supportive of Tom and Jimmy is eventually emotionally blackmailed by his daughter into visiting Tom in prison. Jimmy is rattled by a letter from Tom and knows that it's just another attempt to manipulate him 7. Cheat Cain confesses? Cain is let off by the police with a caution and later Liam finds him drunk at the allotment. Wanting to help his friend, he takes Cain back home where a furious Moira is waiting. Moira rails at Cain for his behaviour and tells him he needs to pull himself together before his party tomorrow She rails at Cain for his behaviour and tells him he needs to pull himself together before his party tomorrow. Unable to deal with his guilt any longer, Cain prepares to tell her the truth about Ruby 8. Ruby's painful past Ruby and Steph seem to be making progress in their relationship. However, when Anthony makes some hints about the past, it's clear that Ruby is uncomfortable. Later, Steph finds a photo of Ruby on her 16th birthday and shows it to her. Ruby and Steph seem to be making progress in their relationship. Later, Steph finds a photo of Ruby on her 16th birthday and shows it to her Ruby pretends not to remember but is troubled. We then flashback to 1992 as we discover just what happened to Ruby 9. Tom's last chance Jimmy visits Tom, who soon turns on the crocodile tears. Jimmy offers to give him another chance, but only if he changes his plea over Belle. Soon, Tom is back to blaming Belle for everything that has happened and Jimmy realises that his nephew will never change. Jimmy visits Tom, who soon turns on the crocodile tears. Jimmy offers to give him another chance, but only if he changes his plea over Belle Later Tom's solicitor Ollie speaks to Angel and persuades her to post an online video in support of Tom. Angel agrees, hoping she can help Tom, but does she realise what she's doing? 10. Will's plotting delayed Putting on a loved-up facade for Kim, Will arranges a meeting with Peter to talk about advancing their plan. Putting on a loved-up facade for Kim, Will arranges a meeting with Peter to talk about advancing their plan He's confused when Peter tells him there's been a change of circumstance, and they are going to have to delay. Will pushes for answers why, but Peter refuses to call the mysterious third party who's involved to get them. 11. Christmas wedding bells Acting on Peter's instructions, Will tells Kim he'd like them to renew their vows on Christmas Day Will feels guilty when Kim puts extra effort into Christmas as she explains that it's a new start for them both. Acting on Peter's instructions, Will tells Kim he'd like them to renew their vows on Christmas Day. As Kim becomes emotional at his seemingly romantic proposal, Will's guilt grows. 12. Festive fail for Ruby Steph tries to bring the family together by decorating the house for Christmas Steph tries to bring the family together by decorating the house for Christmas. But it's clear that Ruby still feels uncomfortable in the seemingly happy scene. Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and ITVX. Linda shows herself up, Ian throws Christmas early, Nicola brings trouble for Teddy and Big Mo gives the locals some festive flesh in upcoming EastEnders scenes. See our round-up of all the drama coming to Walford next week. 1. Naked calendar Kim and Mo get to work on their naked charity calendar photo shoot. Soon, they are working hard to get the men of Walford camera ready starting with market trader Shrimpy who, of course, leaves his hat on! Kim and Mo get to work recruiting the men of Walford for their naked charity calendar photo shoot 2. Drunk Linda's ding dongs With Linda's drinking out of control, young Ollie is becoming fearful of his mum. Later, Johnny watches a drunk Linda throw some punters out of the Vic and confronts her on how her drinking is affecting her son. Linda doesn't want to listen and after losing her temper at Johnny, she packs a bag and leaves to live at Sharon's. With Linda's drinking out of control, young Ollie is becoming fearful of his mum 3. Sharon steps in Sharon promises to help Johnny by sorting Linda out. She gives her friend a dressing down, but after a nasty encounter with Bernie, Linda hits the bottle once more. Linda then argues with Alfie when he won't serve her booze in the shop, leaving her friend deeply concerned. Sharon gives her friend Linda a dressing down, but after a nasty encounter with Bernie, she hits the bottle once more 4. Martin's peace mission Martin is overcome with worry over little Roman, especially as Ruby continues to push him away. When Ruby arrives to tell him about a change in his son's condition, Martin ends up losing his cool. After thinking things over, Martin heads to the hospital to try and make peace with Ruby for the sake of their son. When Ruby arrives to tell him about a change in his son's condition, Martin ends up losing his cool 5. Nicola plots against Sharon Nicola reopens the club, which she's named Harry's Barn, but her joy is short-lived after Teddy tells her that he and Sharon are going to make a go of things. Soon, Nicola is seeking out Phil, hoping he'll help her put a spanner in the works. However, at Phil's home, she's shocked by what she finds, and wastes no time in telling Sharon. However, at Phil's home, she's shocked by what she finds, and wastes no time in telling Sharon 6. Break-in drama A worried Alfie reports to Johnny about Linda's behaviour. When Alfie then goes to Sharon's to check on Linda, he discovers that the place has been broken into after a drunk Linda left the door open. When Alfie then goes to Sharon's to check on Linda, he discovers that the place has been broken into after a drunk Linda left the door open Sharon is horrified to return home and see the carnage. Is this the last straw? 7. Nicola makes her move Nicola continues to stir between Teddy and Sharon. She tells Teddy she's changed and wants to put their marriage back together. Nicole tells Teddy she's changed and wants to put their marriage back together How will Teddy respond? Pushing forward with her plan, Nicola goes to visit Phil again, clearly scheming. 8. Sharon and Phil fight back Sharon is incensed by Nicola's stirring and she and Phil confront her before revealing to Teddy what Nicola's been up to. After the showdown, however, Phil feels more isolated from the other Mitchells than ever. When Jay later pops over to check on Phil, it's clear that he's not in the mood for talking. Sharon is incensed by Nicola's stirring and she and Phil confront her before revealing to Teddy what Nicola's been up to 9. Hope for Linda? Linda's behaviour continues to see her push away her loved ones as she clashes with Sharon, Alfie and Johnny. Recovering alcoholics Phil and Lauren come to her rescue and offer to go with her to a meeting. Linda's behaviour continues to see her push away her loved ones as she clashes with Sharon, Alfie and Johnny Johnny is delighted when Linda agrees. Has his mum finally turned a corner? 10. Ian's Christmas cheer Ian is in his element as gets the Beale's Eels Santa float ready. He excitedly presents the family with their outfits, and he enjoys lording over the rest of the Square in his role as Santa. Cindy, however, misses the event to take up an enticing offer from Junior Ian is in his element as gets the Beale's Eels Santa float ready and enjoys lording over the rest of the Square in his role as Santa. 11. Lauren's big decision With Lauren out of sorts, Peter goes to check on her. Lauren tries to brush his concerns away, blaming it on the pregnancy. However, when Lauren feels the baby kick for the first time, she makes a big decision However, she later worries the family when she snaps at Kathy. However, when Lauren feels the baby kick for the first time, she makes a big decision. 12. Can Elaine take control? Elaine returns from her honeymoon and is upset to discover from the locals what has been happening with Linda. She resolves to get her daughter back on the straight and narrow. Elaine returns from her honeymoon and is upset to discover from the locals what has been happening with Linda However, after a shocking and devastating day with Linda, Elaine gives her an ultimatum. Could Linda's reaction push away her last ally in Walford? 13. Kim hits a bum note Kim is in charge of the Christmas Eve carol concert but is struggling to get a choir together Kim is in charge of the Christmas Eve carol concert but is struggling to get a choir together. Knowing the show must go on, she resorts to bribery. As they gather in The Vic to rehearse, can she rope in enough carollers? EastEnders airs on BBC One and iPlayer. Shona has a secret, Gail makes an announcement, baby Frankie goes missing and Dee-Dee gets cold feet next week in upcoming Coronation Street episodes. See our round-up of the Weatherfield drama set to unfold on screens next week. 1. Dee-Dee's baby blues Dee-Dee admits to Sarah that she's nervous about her 12-week scan and reveals that she still hasn't told the family about her pregnancy. Sarah insists she'll come with her friend to the scan for support. Dee-Dee admits to Sarah that she's nervous about her 12-week scan and reveals that she still hasn't told the family about her pregnancy But as Sarah waits at the maternity unit, Dee-Dee fails to arrive. Can Sarah persuade her to face up to what's happening? 2. Shona's mystery liaison With things strained between David and Shona, David asks her to sleep on the sofa. As Shona beds down, she receives a text and slips out of the house. Soon, we see Shona tap on a hotel bedroom door. With things strained between David and Shona, David asks her to sleep on the sofaWith things strained between David and Shona, David asks her to sleep on the sofa Later, Shona returns home with an injured arm and lies to David, telling him that she fell down the stairs during the night and has broken her arm in two places. What has Shona been up to? 3. Evelyn the legal eagle Evelyn is delighted when Roy gives her a backgammon set as a Christmas gift. Evelyn enthusiastically sets up the board in the pub, but Steve accidentally spills his beer over it. Evelyn is delighted when Roy gives her a backgammon set as a Christmas gift Evelyn retaliates by sending Steve a fake solicitor's letter and fleecing him for a load of cash in damages. Having enjoyed her little deception, Evelyn decides to attend a lecture on criminal law with Alya. 4. A crash cover-up? Accusations fly after Debbie's car is stolen and later found crashed. With Daniel and Debbie having had words before the theft, was Daniel somehow involved? When Craig double-checks the CCTV footage, Kit makes it clear that he is in charge of the case and stops him Meanwhile, when Craig double-checks the CCTV footage, Kit makes it clear that he is in charge of the case and stops him. Is someone trying to hide their part in the crash mystery? 5. Shona confesses The plot thickens over Debbie's car when Shona admits to Adam that her injured arm was the result of being almost run over by a car linked to Debbie's stolen vehicle The plot thickens over Debbie's car when Shona admits to Adam that her injured arm was the result of being almost run over by a car linked to Debbie's stolen vehicle. Later, David finds Shona's bloodied and torn coat in the wheelie bin. How will Shona explain this away? 6. Gail and Jessie reveal their plans Gail and Jesse have a big announcement for the Platt family about their future. But how will their nearest and dearest react? Gail and Jesse have a big announcement for the Platt family about their future Later, there's trouble when Harry emerges with a fistful of cash. David and Jesse struggle to mask their panic when they realise that it must be from the stolen money. How will they get out of this one? 7. Meet the grandparents Claiming she's too busy, Dee-Dee tries to usher Gus and Anthea away, but Max passes by with Frankie in his pram Dee-Dee is shocked when Joel's parents invite her to join them at a memorial service in honour of Joel's birthday. Claiming she's too busy, Dee-Dee tries to usher Gus and Anthea away, but Max passes by with Frankie in his pram. He stops and introduces the couple to Lauren's son but he's mortified when he realises that they are Frankie's grandparents. 8. A kiss for Kit? Kit is delighted when Daisy invites him to have a drink with her in the back room of the Rovers. As the pair chat, the chemistry between them is evident. After weeks of flirting, will passion finally take over? Kit is delighted when Daisy invites him to have a drink with her in the back room of the Rovers 9. Bag snatch drama Dylan is out with Betsy when a lad steals Dylan's bag and runs off. Mason catches up with the lad and manages to wrestle the bag back. Dylan is out with Betsy when a lad steals Dylan's bag and runs off Later, Mason asks Dylan to meet him at lunchtime. What does the former bully have to say to Dylan? 10. Baby Frankie kidnapped? Later, Max takes them back to the Platt house with little Frankie Gus and Anthea have a meeting with their solicitor, but keep what they are up to quiet from Max. Later, Max takes them back to the Platt house with little Frankie. However, when he leaves Gus and Anthea alone for a time while he pops upstairs, Max returns to find them gone and little Frankie is nowhere to be seen! Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITVX. Jana Kramer opened up about whether or not she would return for the upcoming One Tree Hill reboot. The actress, 40, shared her thoughts about the possibility of her reprising her role as Alex Dupre for the revival of the beloved 2000s CW series. In an interview with TooFab published on Thursday, she admitted she spoke to her former co-star Sophia Bush, who is working alongside Hilarie Burton for the reboot show. This comes shortly after one of their former co-stars said they had no intention of joining the project, which is reportedly currently in development at Netflix. Previously, they starred alongside Bush and Burton in the drama series for nine seasons from 2003 to 2012. 'I definitely talked to Sophia about it and it's one of those things where she's kind of getting a temperature check on who would come back,' Kramer told the outlet. Jana Kramer opened up about whether or not she would return for the upcoming One Tree Hill reboot; pictured November in Nashville 'But for me, it's one of those things where I love when shows get rebooted and they bring back old characters because I like to see what they're up to,' she continued. 'I understand if they don't. I understand why some actors don't want to come back to a show that's been done, and they have closed that chapter,' she added. 'But for the viewers and the fans, I want to know what they're up to [and] what they're doing.' About what she imagines her character would be up to these days, she said she is interested in figuring it out. 'I have no clue what she's up to Alex, my character,' Kramer said. 'I'm excited to see what they do, what direction they take it,' she said about her former co-stars' reboot in the works. As for whether or not she would like to work on the reboot, she said she was open to the possibility. 'I'll be happy to jump on board, unless it's like I strongly disagree where they led her to. I mean, I don't think they'll do that,' she said. The actress, 40, shared her thoughts about the possibility of her reprising her role as Alex Dupre for the revival of the beloved 2000s CW series In an interview with TooFab published on Thursday, she admitted she spoke to her former co-star Sophia Bush, who is working alongside Hilarie Burton for the reboot show. Previously, she starred in the drama series for nine seasons from 2003 to 2012 About what she imagines her character would be up to these days, she said she is interested in figuring it out. 'I'll be happy to jump on board, unless it's like I strongly disagree where they led her to,' Kramer said 'I have full faith in Hilarie and Sophia for delivering a show that's going to be good,' Kramer added. 'They're both very talented and have the best, of the best, people wanting to jump on board.' Kramer's comments about the upcoming reboot come shortly after Chad Michael Murray explained why he is not interested in returning to the One Tree Hill universe. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times earlier this month, the Freaky Friday actor, 43, said he spoke to a former co-star about both of them not appearing in the revival. He said he won't be reprising his role of Lucas Scott because his former castmates did not ask him. After he heard that One Tree Hill alums Bush with whom he was briefly married during his time on the show and Burton as well as Danneel Ackles were working on the sequel, he said he spoke to James Lafferty, who played his on-screen half-brother Nathan Scott. 'We're not doing it because no one's ever picked up the phone and said, "Hey, we're doing this," so we're not doing it,' he said. Murray added that they both agreed that the revival was a good idea, however. 'I want it for the fans,' he shared. Strictly Come Dancing fans were left furious on Saturday, as they slammed the scores given to one beloved couple. Viewers of the BBC One show complained that the judges were being too harsh while others fumed that they had a 'vendetta' against certain pairings. Some fans have been left worried that Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola may not make it though to the next show, after receiving some 'unfair' scores. Despite impressing the professionals week after week, supporters of the Miranda star fear her luck may have run out. Sarah and her partner Vito performed a Charleston to Popular from Wicked for Musicals Week and were heaped with praise by the judges. Motsi Mabuse said it was 'a definite yes', and complimented the pair's 'unbelievable' lifts before adding that Sarah didn't miss a beat and set the standard for the others. Strictly Come Dancing fans were left furious on Saturday after hearing the scores for Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola Despite impressing week after week, supporters of the Miranda star fear her luck may have run out after failing to bag a ten from Craig Revel-Horwood despite positive feedback Sarah and her partner Vito performed a Charleston to Popular from Wicked for Musicals Week and were heaped with praise by the judges Even famously-harsh Craig complimented the actress, saying: 'Bravo!'. But when the scores came in, both Motsi and Craig gave the duo nines while Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke awarded them tens. And viewers took to social media to share their frustration, writing that Motsi and Craig were playing favourites and other dancers were being overmarked. One person wrote: 'No witches costumes available for Motsi then shame would have suited her based on tonights scoring for Sarah and Vito #Strictly.' While another said: 'Looks like im the only person to think Sarah and vito was the best dance of the night. We can all see JB is the judges favourite for this series'. Someone else complained that Motsi marked Sarah down, writing: 'Oh so you do have your 10 paddle then Motsi She clearly doesn't like Sarah and Vito wish she'd stop making it obvious who you she wants to win. Craig and Shirley both had issues with that Argentine Tango but what a surprise Motsi thought it was perfect.' A third wrote: 'For the past few weeks been getting the vibe Motsi doesn't like Sarah? The last few dances have been pure class and beautiful to watch but Motsi sounded dismissive and underscored IMO. Surprised as she is normally one of my fave judges..Is there beef?' Others said: 'Sarah gets robbed every week on this, its a joke'; 'The way Craig chooses to wrap Pete in cotton wool because he likes the musical but then couldn't wait to criticise 'Chris & Sarah'; 'Would it kill them to give Sarah a 40???' Despite positive feedback, when the scores came in, both Motsi and Craig gave the duo nines while Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke awarded them tens And viewers took to social media to share their frustration, writing that Motsi and Craig were playing favourites and other dancers were being overmarked Strictly Come Dancing Week 11: The Leaderboard 1. JB Gill and Lauren Oakley - 39 2. Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola - 38 3. Tasha Ghorui and Aljaz Skorjanec - 38 4. Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe - 32 5. Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell - 32 6. Pete Wicks and Jowita Przysta - 26 Advertisement And fans' complaints come after viewers slammed the judges for 'constantly down-marking' Jamie Borthwick earlier in the competition. The EastEnders actor, 30, sent fans into overdrive after performing a Foxtrot with pro partner Michelle Tsiakkas to Ben E King's classic Stand By Me. Despite many viewers raving over the soap star's dance, Jamie was once again harshly critiqued by the judges - prompting some to accuse the panel of 'favouritism'. Commenting on Jamie's routine before voting, judge Anton Du Beke said: 'Right arm is terrible.' And Craig Revel Horwood certainly didn't hold back as he added: 'There were time where it looked like you were wearing a neck-brace. It keeps containing the dance. Meanwhile head judge Shirley Ballas also corrected the actor on his chin position, with the couple bagging 32 points overall. And unfortunately it was the end of the road for the actor and his dancing partner who eliminated after facing Montell Douglas in the dance off. It's the love triangle spanning the two biggest reality shows of the moment - Strictly and I'm a Celeb - and with every day that passes, fans become more and more confused. Is former TOWIE star Pete Wicks pining for Maura Higgins who is on the other side of the world in the Australian jungle, or is he entangled in a romance with his dance partner Jowita Przysta? Before Maura departed for Queensland, they were spotted smooching on a string of dates, and Pete left a smitten comment on her final Instagram post before the jungle, saying: 'What a woman'. Yet Maura herself insists she's single, while fans are convinced Pete and Jowita have fallen for each other because of the intensity of their Strictly performances. What's more, they've been seen cosying up away from the dancefloor - with Pete placing a protective hand on her back on an outing in London and taking her to his hometown to meet rescue dogs, a cause hugely close to his heart. Now, body language expert Inbaal Honigman tells MailOnline that she's solved the mystery, insisting that Pete's dynamic with both women is 'entirely different'. Last week, when Pete and Jowita were saved from Strictly elimination by the public vote, she was seen stroking his arm repeatedly during an interview Maura Higgins and Pete Wicks spotted on a date night, at the London Palladium earlier in November Pete Wicks and Jowita Pryzstal looked cosy as they enjoyed a day meeting a group of puppies at the Dogs Trust in Basildon last week in snaps shared to Instagram. Speaking on behalf of Slingo, Inbaal said: 'Pete's dynamic with Jowita is entirely different to how he relates to Maura, judging by their photos. 'In the majority of Pete's photographs with Jowita, she's the one leaning towards him, he rarely leans towards her. This tells us that she's dependent on him, whereas he's not dependent on her. 'He's the dominant person in the situation, whether standing or sitting. Pete's shoulders are even and balanced, so he's not disrupting his own stability to accommodate her. 'Pete is the one leading the scene each time, and Jowita tilts her head towards him, or snuggles into him. She takes action while he stays still. He's the leader and she's the follower.' She claimed that Pete is certainly enjoying the attention from Jowita, but that's not to say that any feelings she might have for him are reciprocated. 'These photos tell us that Pete's connection with Jowita is flattering for him,' she said. 'It would appear that he lets her feed his vanity. Only on the odd occasion do we see him reaching out to embrace her.' Last week, when Pete and Jowita were saved from Strictly elimination by the public vote, their closeness was noticed by fans, with Jowita clinging onto Pete's arm and stroking his jacket as they were interviewed. 'Pete and Jowita's video on the sofa makes it clear that Jowita is the affectionate one, stroking his arm and embracing him, while he's facing away from her,' Inbaal said. Maura and Pete couldn't keep their hands off each other on a dinner date at Gloria restaurant in Shoreditch in late October The pair put on a tactile display, but Maura has since insisted that she is 'single' and not in a relationship with Pete Pete Wicks has been setting the Strictly dancefloor alight with his sizzling routines with Jowita Przysta. But it was Maura Higgins who was in his arms for a daring TikTok dance routine last month According to Inbaal, Maura - pictured with Pete at the BAFTA TV Awards in May this year - has the upper hand in their relationship 'In the footage, his leg is folded towards her, so there's no doubt that he enjoys his time with her and likes her, just not as much as she likes him.' There is no denying that the pair are close, and perhaps it was telling when Pete said on Lorraine earlier this week that Jowita is a 'friend for life'. When it comes to Maura, however, Inbaal said their connection is a 'whole different story'. 'Many of the couple's pictures together show Maura looking away from her man, while he looks towards her,' Inbaal said. 'When they walk side by side, his feet point forwards while her feet point away from him.' In direct contrast to his relationship with Jowita, Maura is the 'leader' and Pete is the 'follower'. 'She offers him very little eye contact, which means she gives him very little attention. With Maura, Pete has to work hard to earn her recognition,' Inbaal explained. Perhaps playing hard to get was the reason that Maura insisted she was still single as she prepared to make her I'm A Celebrity debut, despite being pictured kissing Pete on several occasions. When asked if she is in a relationship with Pete, Maura said: 'I'm not. I've been on dates with many people. I mean, I date, but I'm very much single. Everyone goes on dates.' Pete and Jowita looked cosy in London earlier this week, with the TV personality resting a protective hand on the dancer's shoulder as they crossed the road Fans are convinced that there's something going on between Pete and Jowita due to the intensity of their dance routines The pair appeared on Lorraine earlier this week and said of his bond with Jowita: 'We have a very strong friendship and are friends for life' She added: 'It is quite scary going in later. They have all met and got to know each other. 'It's never easy being the newbie, but I am not a shy person, so I feel like I will be fine. It will be nice to bring some energy to the camp. 'I am single at the moment, but honestly no-one is going to fancy me in the jungle. Trust me!' The plot thickened, however, when Pete wrote a smitten comment under Maura's Instagram post as she made her I'm A Celebrity arrival, sparking further speculation the two are dating. 'What a woman,' he commented. Meanwhile, Jowita and Pete have been competing on Strictly together since September, and in recent weeks, sources have claimed they have been secretly seeing each other away from the show and have been spotted looking cosy on car rides together. 'The chemistry between them has been pretty clear since the moment they met but the last few weeks something has changed and theyve started seeing each other away from the show,' a source told The Sun. 'Theyve tried to keep it low-key but they often travel together rather than getting separate cars to different locations. 'And theyre so tactile backstage it has become pretty obvious something is going on. Everyone is talking about the fact they seem closer than ever.' Jamie Borthwick's departure sparked backlash from viewers, with Pete and Jowita looking visibly shocked on Sunday's show when Tess Daly announced they were through and not in the dance off. Danny Cipriani cut a concerned figure as he attended a divorce hearing with ex-wife Victoria Rose who left with a smile on her face. The former rugby player, 36, flew back into the UK from Los Angeles for the proceedings in Kent on Thursday. Victoria, 42 filed for divorce in August, nine months after their split, and later claimed Danny blew 600 a month on drugs and messaged other women. She also said the ex-Bath star left her 'humiliated' when he moved on with American actress AnnaLynne McCord. Victoria arrived for the hearing in chic sunglasses with a designer handbag slung over her shoulder while Danny was dressed formally in a shirt and tie. Later the ex-England international looked deep in thought as he held conversations with his lawyers outside the hearing venue. Danny, who also played for Wasps, Sale Sharks and Gloucester, gripped onto his phone and headphones as he spoke passionately to his legal team. He was also spotted biting his lip and looking into the distance during the discussion. A stark contrast to his estranged wife who appeared relaxed and was seen smiling after leaving the afternoon hearing. Danny Cipriani flew back into the UK from Los Angeles to start the divorce proceedings in Kent on Thursday Danny cut a concerned figure outside court as he attended a divorce hearing with ex wife Victoria Rose Victoria arrives at a court in Kent after filing for divorce in August Victoria departed the divorce hearing alongside her lawyer with her head held high and a big smile Danny has previously admitted to taking cocaine, a crystallised toad psychedelic and to having so many magic mushrooms he became convinced his Victoria was trying to kill him. Speaking about how his drug habit took a toll on their three year marriage, Victoria told The Sun: 'I got so sick of it. It started to upset me. Everyday he said he wouldnt do drugs. Then by midday he'd be back on them.' Victoria said Danny would eat mushroom laced chocolate bars and she wouldn't know if he was on them or not as he 'would function so well'. She said: 'One day he took a large amount and just lay on the floor. I thought I would be able to help him and he said he wanted to stop taking drugs. Danny was taking loads of prescription drugs and I just said, "Enough is enough." Victoria admitted their marriage became increasingly strained when he stopped playing for Bath, claiming she noticed messages from other women on his phone. The row which ended their marriage in November, she says, was sparked by her becoming worried over his closeness with other women at a self help event. Victoria admitted she shouted at the other women 'he's my husband', before later rifling through his phone where she says she found flirty messages to others. She admitted she feels she had the 'wool pulled over her eyes' after ignoring his previous Lothario past. 'I was shocked, heartbroken. They werent sexts but they were telling women they were beautiful, and about the connections he felt to them. Not the kind of thing you want to read your husband sending,' Victoria said. Victoria admitted their marriage became increasingly strained when he stopped playing for Bath, claiming she noticed messages from other women on his phone The row which ended their marriage in November, she says, was sparked by her becoming worried over his closeness with other women at a self help event Danny, 36, has previously admitted to taking cocaine, a crystallised toad psychedelic and to having so many magic mushrooms that he became convinced his Victoria was trying to kill him Danny stood outside the court for around 10 minutes waiting for a taxi and could be seen in deep conversations with his lawyers Speaking about how his drug habit took a toll on their three year marriage, Victoria told The Sun: 'I got so sick of it. It started to upset me. Everyday he said he wouldnt do drugs. Then by midday he'd be back on them.' Victoria said Danny would eat mushroom laced chocolate bars and she wouldn't know if he was on them or not as he 'would function so well'. She said: 'One day he took a large amount and just lay on the floor. I thought I would be able to help him and he said he wanted to stop taking drugs. Danny was taking loads of prescription drugs and I just said, "Enough is enough." Victoria admitted their marriage became increasingly strained when he stopped playing for Bath, claiming she noticed messages from other women on his phone. The row which ended their marriage in November, she says, was sparked by her becoming worried over his closeness with other women at a self help event. Victoria admitted she shouted at the other women 'he's my husband', before later rifling through his phone where she says she found flirty messages to others. Danny Cipriani's estranged wife Victoria Rose filed for divorce, nine months after their split In a bombshell interview, Victoria, 42, claimed the former rugby player blew 600 a month on drugs (pictured in May 2024) Victoria said Danny would eat mushroom laced chocolate bars and she wouldn't know if he was on them or not as he 'would function so well' She admitted she feels she had the 'wool pulled over her eyes' after ignoring his previous Lothario past. 'I was shocked, heartbroken. They werent sexts but they were telling women they were beautiful, and about the connections he felt to them. Not the kind of thing you want to read your husband sending,' Victoria said. Victoria said they had a huge row and Danny left the house with just four pairs of jogging bottoms. 'I knew his reputation but thought he was a new person,' she admitted. Victoria went on to describe how she first got together with Danny after meeting via a mutual friend in 2019. After a dalliance, Victoria learned she pregnant during Covid, with Danny's child, a baby boy. Months after their split, Danny confirmed his relationship with AnnaLynne, 36, with the couple documenting their whirlwind relationship on Instagram, leaving Victoria feeling 'humiliated' The couple share snippets of their relationship on social media and have been seen out and about together on numerous occasions Victoria admitted she shouted at the other women 'he's my husband', before later rifling through his phone where she says she found flirty messages to others She said they had a huge row and Danny left the house with just four pairs of jogging bottoms She said she told Danny, who was in Malibu at the time, of her news with him being committed to making a relationship work. She moved into his home in Cheltenham. They tragically lost their son in June 2020, who they named River, at 23 weeks. Victoria, who has two children of her own and is also a grandmother, said they then went through gruelling rounds of IVF to try to have a child. They got married in 2021 with Victoria revealing Danny bought her a whopping three engagement rings. At the time of the split, Danny released a statement to announce the news, telling his Instagram followers that he 'only wished the best' for his ex. Victoria then announced that shockingly, she was 'made aware of the situation at the same time as the public' in a now deleted post. The media personality opened up about the difficult time and apologised for her 'emotionally charge response.' She wrote: 'Danny publicly announced our split without any prior notice or discussion with me. I was made aware of the situation at the same time as the public, and this has caused me a great deal of pain. 'I apologise if my reactions and responses have seemed reactive or emotionally charged. 'The truth is, I am still going through a difficult time, and it is challenging for me to see Danny speaking about our separation publicly while I have not yet found the strength to process it, adjust or heal. Victoria concluded: 'I really don't want to be caught up in the fanfare. Sorry for any hurt I have caused.' MANZINI - The hall was filled with the sounds of ululations and whistles as Wynter Mmolotsi, the newly-appointed Botswana Minister for Environment and Tourism, graduated. He was among approximately 6 000 graduates from the IDM class of 2024, who celebrated their achievements during the institutions 18th joint graduation ceremony and 50th anniversary. The event took place yesterday at the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre. Excitement Minister Mmolotsi graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Education Management. When his name was called, it sparked a wave of excitement and admiration among the attendees, especially those from Botswana. As the minister approached the high table, the crowd erupted in applause, whistles and cheers. People stood up from their seats, raising their phones high to capture this historic moment. The atmosphere was electric, reflecting the immense pride and joy felt by his peers, colleagues and supporters. The programme directors, Phila Dlamini and Bokang Tsiu, acknowledged the significance of the occasion and expressed their pride in honouring such a remarkable individual. They emphasised that Mmolotsis achievement was not only a personal triumph, but also a testament to the quality of education provided by IDM. During the ceremony, it was highlighted that the ministers graduation serves as an inspiration to aspiring leaders and students alike. It underscores the power of education to transform lives and empower individuals to make a positive impact on their communities. As Mmolotsi continues to serve his country, his story will undoubtedly motivate and inspire future generations. Over the last two days there has been a queue of people coming forward to share their tales of humiliation, bullying and downright rudeness at the hands of Gregg Wallace. Everyone from Kirsty Wark and Sir Rod Stewart, to Aggie MacKenzie and Ulrika Jonsson has been recalling how his particular brand of 'humour' caused outrage and upset. There have been tales of trousers dropped, sexual innuendos aplenty and unpleasant behaviour spanning almost 20 years from the 60-year-old MasterChef host. He even managed to upset Gogglebox star Kate Bottley, a Church of England vicar, who appeared on the show in 2017, I can exclusively reveal. It emerged last night that a former staff member has claimed Wallace made 'racist' and 'offensive' Asian remarks about a contestant on set in 2017. But there's one person who's been saying the most with his silence. And that's his sidekick, John Torode. The Australian chef, who made his name on ITV's This Morning before MasterChef came calling, has been at Wallace's side on the embattled BBC show for almost two decades, which translates to thousands of hours in his company. Yet he is still to break his silence on the scandal, which resulted in Wallace, a notoriously plain-speaking, Peckham-born former greengrocer and barrow boy, stepping down from the show this week. Gregg Wallace, with John Torode and wife Lisa Faulkner. Torode has been at Wallace's side on the embattled BBC show MasterChef for almost two decades When asked by the Mail yesterday whether he had witnessed any of Wallace's alleged tawdry behaviour or raised his concerns with bosses, Torode did not respond. Now industry bosses are wanting to know what did he see and crucially, what, if anything, he plans to do next. Another forum where his silence has been speaking a thousand words is Instagram, where Torode normally a prolific user hasn't made a single mention of Wallace since June. Indeed, one has to wonder whether Torode saw Wallace's downfall coming down the tracks. It has been an open secret in the media for some months that journalists were investigating the latter's on-set behaviour as rumours percolated throughout the television industry that Wallace was something of a 'wrong-un'. That might explain why Torode has been carefully distancing himself from Wallace as he plots his next move. One source familiar with the MasterChef scandal reveals: 'Gregg and John are not friends, their relationship has been purely professional for a long time but that is looking shaky right now. 'John is actually much more of a sensitive soul but the fact is that he was present in the studios while MasterChef was being filmed so you have to wonder what he saw, what did he know? 'John and Gregg filmed together when there has clearly been so much going on. 'You expect John is absolutely terrified of being dragged into this. The last thing anyone would want is for his brand to be tarnished too, he is seen as the more sensible one who keeps things together while there have been so many whisperings about Gregg.' In recent months Torode has been flooding his Instagram with cookery videos of himself and his much-loved wife of five years, Lisa Faulkner, making everyone wonder if he is lining her up as a replacement. A MasterChef star herself, after winning the celebrity version of the show in 2010, she and Torode share videos of their work from their ITV cookery programme John And Lisa's Weekend Kitchen with his 230,000 followers. No one could argue she'd make an excellent swap not to mention a much better behaved one. The last time Torode mentioned Wallace was on June 30 when he posted a photograph of the pair of them on a flag which was being flown at Glastonbury. Five weeks before that, Torode posted about the Celebrity MasterChef final. Meanwhile, model-turned-actress Lisa, 52, who married Torode in October 2019 at Aynhoe Park, Oxfordshire, is a welcome distraction from the fallout which threatens the future of the much-loved MasterChef. 'Lisa is adored by viewers and television bosses,' said one showbusiness insider. 'She is very, very good for John's brand and there is no doubt that showing himself with her is helping him and therefore MasterChef. Rock legend Sir Rod Stewart attacked Wallace for 'bullying' wife Penny Ulrika Jonsson recalled how Wallace's particular brand of 'humour' caused outrage and upset 'They've got a show on ITV which is popular, maybe next she will be snapped up by MasterChef, if it survives, to replace Gregg.' It is, I'm told, something that has been discussed in recent days though of course production firm Banijay and the BBC will not be able to make a decision on Wallace's future until the investigation is finished. While Torode, 59, is keeping schtum on Wallace matters, Lisa has not been so discreet. In fact, she was ahead of the curve when she spoke at the Cheltenham Literary Festival last year where she discussed quite openly Wallace's penchant for being rude on set. 'Gregg was telling I'm probably not allowed to say this,' she told the audience. 'Gregg just told rude joke after rude joke to the crew. 'You're just sitting there and if you're on the front bench just chopping away thinking, 'I've got ten minutes left,' and he's saying, 'So this girl walked into a bar' 'And I'm going, 'Please I don't want to hear this joke'.' Torode, who was present and appeared perplexed at his wife's outburst, awkwardly chimed in to defend his co-star, saying: 'It's changed quite a lot really' It was quite the defence considering Wallace and Torode have not always enjoyed an easy relationship. In fact, away from the cameras, the word 'tumultuous' has been the word used many times to describe things between them. Though Torode was Wallace's best man for his fourth marriage, to Anne-Marie Sterpini 22 years his junior in 2016, the pair are anything but close. Speaking in 2017, Torode stunned MasterChef fans by saying: 'It's funny, we've never been friends. We've not been to each other's houses.' Even when travelling abroad for work, the two have always kept their distance, avoiding each other at mealtimes. 'If we go away to somewhere like South Africa, we do things separately if we do go out for a drink, I'll invariably be at one end of a big old table and he'll be at the other,' he added. And when the two do come together, things don't always play out as smoothly as they appear on camera, as Torode previously admitted to booze-fuelled spats with his co-host in the past. 'Once, we had a bit too much to drink and filming got called off,' he admitted referring to a particularly vicious disagreement on set. A source who knows both men said: 'It is a miracle that they stand next to one another on set sometimes, there have been some really, really bad times. On Thursday it emerged that Wallace had been forced to step away from MasterChef amid allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour 'But John has stood by Gregg a lot over the years.' Until now, perhaps. Because on Thursday it emerged that Wallace had been forced to step away from MasterChef amid allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour. He had 'stepped down' after 13 people, including former Newsnight presenter Wark, came forward to accuse him of inappropriate sexual comments over a 17-year period from 2005 to 2022. Wallace has been accused of taking his top off in front of a female worker of the BBC cookery show, saying he wanted to 'give her a fashion show', made 'sexualised' jokes, and asked for massages. On another occasion he allegedly told a junior female colleague he wasn't wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans. His lawyers said it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. It has also emerged Wallace was formally warned by the BBC about his behaviour in 2018, but was allowed to return to the screen, raising further questions about the judgment of Corporation bosses. Friends have suggested his inappropriate behaviour may be due to undiagnosed autism. Wark, 69, who took part in Celebrity MasterChef in 2011, told BBC News that during filming Wallace told stories and jokes of a 'sexualised' nature in the company of contestants and crew which she felt were 'really, really in the wrong place'. Wallace was last night dropped as an ambassador for the children's charity Ambitious About Autism. The organisation said it is 'no longer working with' the TV host 'in light of recent allegations'. Meanwhile, the Telegraph reported that a former member of the MasterChef production team has claimed Wallace imitated a sex act, holding her head and thrusting his body towards hers, as she knelt down in front of him while cleaning a mark off his trousers. On another occasion Wallace is said to have walked into the studio 'completely naked except for [a] sock pulled over his penis' before doing a 'silly dance'. The allegations have opened the floodgates and in the last 48 hours a number of high-profile women have come forward to complain about Wallace who is becoming increasingly under siege as every minute goes by. Aggie MacKenzie said Wallace 'behaved like a sort of Sid James character' who made 'stupid, unfunny jokes that people kind of had to tolerate' while reality television personality Charlotte Crosby branded him 'extremely unpleasant.' Radio presenter Aasmah Mir, also a MasterChef contestant, shared a cryptic tweet after Wallace left the show yesterday which said 'keep hold of your receipts.' And then footage of him telling comic Katy Brand 'I'll munch the living daylights out of your little tart' emerged. Then there is Sir Rod's sensational accusation that Wallace humiliated his wife Penny Lancaster when she appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021. Ulrika Jonsson was left horrified by her stint on the show, revealing yesterday Wallace cried after being reprimanded for making a 'rape joke' that left a female contestant 'really distressed' and caused another person to storm off set and complain to bosses. 'They then went off to speak to Gregg. After a while he came up...and he apologised. He could hardly get his words out. He was apologising, and he had tears in his eyes', she said. But she added: 'The apology should have been to everyone. It felt like, you know, 'don't make the joke in the first place' and said she 'definitely' felt uncomfortable on set afterwards. And today, the Mail can reveal that it was Kate Bottley who made the complaint. 'She was bloody horrified,' said a show source. 'It was a disgrace and there was no way that she, as a Reverend, could stand back and let things like that be said.' What will baffle all of those on the receiving end of Wallace's alleged insults though is just why the BBC or production company Banijay didn't take more robust action before. There were red flags everywhere, it seems. In fact, a letter handed to me yesterday from online pressure group 's**tmenintvhavesaidtome' spelled out how they had written to the Corporation's HR department two years ago to warn them about Wallace's behaviour. In it was one allegation that Wallace had asked for personal phone numbers of women working on the set while he is also accused of making comments about a female's 'a***.' Incidents of angry outbursts were also raised, and apparently caught on camera, yet BBC bosses refused to engage. 'It is literally impossible to believe that the severity of Gregg's behaviour wasn't known to both the BBC and Banijay now,' said one source involved in the scandal. 'Now they need to tell us why they didn't act.' Katie Holmes was spotted arriving back on Broadway after spending Thanksgiving with her daughter Suri Cruise. The 45-year-old actress who recently made heads turn during an appearance on The Tonight Show appeared to be in good spirits ahead of Friday evening's performance of Our Town, the Pulitzer-prize winning play. Her smile beamed as she bundled up in a black winter coat paired with a blue sweater and dark slacks. She teamed her look with a denim cap and designer sunglasses while carrying a chic white purse, letting her brunette locks cascade over her shoulders. The actress kept warm with a cup of Starbucks coffee while enjoying her walk to the Big Apple theater. Holmes' sighting comes a day after winding down with her 18-year-old daughter who returned to her mum's New York home for the Thanksgiving break after her first semester at Carnegie Mellon University. Katie Holmes was spotted arriving back on Broadway after spending Thanksgiving with her daughter Suri Cruise The 18-year-old's famous father Tom Cruise is reportedly funding her attendance at the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania university. Despite the Top Gun star's financial support, he has not been seen with his daughter in more than a decade amid claims of an estrangement. However Suri enjoys a warm bond with Katie, whom she was seen visiting in the Big Apple just last month during her fall break from college. Now, the showbiz legacy is back in the city that never sleeps to ring in the start of the holiday season with her mother the teenager found time for a solo outing in the outer boroughs on Wednesday, surfacing in Brooklyn. The Toledo, Ohio native was spotted that same day heading to Broadway's Ethel Barrymore Theatre, where she is continuing her run in a revival of Our Town. Katie began previews for Our Town on September 17, with the production officially opening on October 10. The show originally ran on Broadway in 1938 and became an instant classic of the American stage, winning the Pulitzer Prize For Drama. Narrated by a stage manager, the groundbreakingly meta play revolves around New Hampshire village life at the dawn of the 20th century. Amid a Spartan stage set, characters break the fourth wall, travel backwards in time and even return from beyond the grave. During Wednesday's appearance on The Tonight Show, the actress opened up about her pre-show rituals and what exactly she does to prep for her performance on Our Town. Her smile beamed as she bundled up in a black winter coat paired with a blue sweater and dark slacks Holmes' sighting comes after winding down with Suri who returned to her mum's New York home for the Thanksgiving break after her first semester at Carnegie Mellon University; seen in August The 18-year-old's famous father Tom Cruise is reportedly funding her attendance at the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania university; seen in 2016 Holmes revealed that prior to every show, she makes a mandatory stop to a specific Starbucks location on Eighth Avenue in New York City. 'They're so lovely,' the actress said of the baristas at the location. 'Every time I go in, they know me and I know them, and they wish me a great show.' The actress also revealed that upon her arrival to the theatre, she runs her lines at least two more times after already reading through them 'about three times at home.' She added: 'One time I didn't do it, and I was in the middle of a scene and I just said the whole line except the last word. I couldn't remember it, and I made something up, but it didn't make sense.' Miley Cyrus has revealed whose idea it was for her to dance against a metal pole during her 2009 Teen Choice Awards performance. The 32-year-old pop star whose estranged dad Billy Cyrus wished her a happy birthday last week performed her hit song Party in the USA at the show more than 10 years ago. And now, she's shared that her mother Tish Cyrus, 57, was behind the controversial detail the pole dancing-inspired prop that was included with an ice cream cart set on stage. The now world-famous, Grammy-winning music artist was just 16-years-old at the time. Miley dished the fact about her mother in a conversation with her sister Brandi Cyrus, 37, for Spotifys Billions Club series. 'This is going to be no surprise to you,' Miley teased before asking Brandi, 'Do you know whose idea that was?' Miley Cyrus has revealed whose idea it was for her to dance against a metal pole during her 2009 Teen Choice Awards performance; L-R Tish, Miley, and Brandi Cyrus The 32-year-old pop star performer her hit son Party in the USA at the awards show more than 10 years ago. The now world-famous, Grammy-winning music artist was just 16-years-old at the time Brandi correctly guessed it was their mom who suggested the pole, as the Flowers hitmaker confirmed, 'Yup, that was my moms idea. So she always lets me take the blame.' Miley recalled, 'When I got in trouble the next day, you know who was nowhere to be found? Tish Cyrus.' And she went on to reveal what made the performance unforgettable. 'The thing that I remember most about that performance was it was the first time I ever wore real diamond jewelry on stage,' she said. 'So you guys remember a little old ice cream truck, I remember the diamonds,' the former child star said playfully. Tish recently got candid about her marriage with ex Billy Ray. She discussed their split, which came after 28 years of marriage, on the podcast Sibling Revelry With Kate Hudson And Oliver Hudson. 'I never wanted to be divorced,' the mother-of-three confessed. '[But] for us, youre in the public eye and the world that we exist in is already so odd and at some times unstable.' Miley has been estranged from dad Billy Cyrus, who wished her a happy birthday last week, since 2022 when he filed for divorce from Tish; the three pictured in 2019 Tish also shared with listeners the mistake she made in trying to make the marriage work. She explained: 'I wanted to make it work, probably for a little too long, like, for my own mental health. There became a point that, like, I didnt have a choice.' Tish and Billy Ray share daughters Miley, daughter Noah, 24, and son Braison, 30. Billy Ray also adopted Tishs daughter Brandi and son Trace, 35, from her previous marriage. On the podcast she also admitted to knowing that her split was 'tough on everyone' in the family, especially her adult children. Tish said: 'My son Trace, for example He was bummed. He was like, "I wish my mom and dad would never get I wish that wouldnt have happened."' Gigi Hadid looked absolutely radiant as she enjoyed some quality time with her mother, Yolanda Hadid, in Holland. In a sweet photo, uploaded to the 60-year-old Dutch model's Instagram on Friday, the resemblance between the two women was undeniable as they stood side by side. While joining Yolanda in her native country, Gigi, 29, put her washboard abs on full display in a cropped red polo shirt, which she paired with jeans and a white sweater tied around her hips. She looked overjoyed to see the sights with Yolanda, who hosts Holland's Next Top Model and is an alum of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. As they stepped out for dinner, Yolanda looked chic in a short-sleeved white top and white jeans. The mother of Gigi, Anwar and Bella Hadid also wore a brown vest and had a brown sweater casually draped over her shoulders. Gigi Hadid jetted to Holland to join her mother in her native country where her mother Yolanda Hadid is a judge on Holland's Next Top Model 'Thank you my love for coming all the way to Holland to work with me and the next generation of @hollandsnexttopmodel in the amazing new collection of @GuestInResidence at your favorite place in Holland @efteling where your Oma took you every summer your entire childhood,' Yolanda's caption read. Last week, Bella, 28, was a guest judge on the modeling competition where she also promoted her fragrance line Orabella. She shared some snaps from her experience in the Dutch country and absolutely gushed over the production and her mother in the caption. 'Thank you for having me on as a guest judge! To have @orebella be shot, on a show so dear to my heart, in my most beautiful Holland, was a dream,' she wrote. 'To watch my mama work and be a second mama to a new generation of young creative human beings is such a blessing to me!' The Orebella founder then gushed about her mother and how she is 'so proud' of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum. 'Things that my mom can teach, she wasn't taught,' she wrote. 'It's part of who she is. Her talent, nurturing ability, maternal instincts, confidence in hard work and success, faith in people, and love for fashion is what makes her so special, especially on a show like this. I am so proud of you mama!' In August, Yolanda also proved she could keep an epic secret when she revealed that she and her boyfriend of five years Joseph Jingoli, 68, have been engaged for two years. The couple met shortly after she moved to her farm in Pennsylvania back in 2017. Gigi, 29, flashed her abs in a red cropped polo shirt which she paired with jeans and a white sweater tied around her hips She looked overjoyed to be spending time with her mother, who is an alum of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Yolanda, 60, a former model herself, looked chic in a short-sleeved white top and white jeans 'Thank you my love for coming all the way to Holland to work with me and the next generation of @hollandsnexttopmodel in the amazing new collection of @GuestInResidence,' she wrote Yolanda revealed the shots were taken at Gigi's 'favorite place in Holland @efteling where your Oma took you every summer your entire childhood' 'I really started focusing,' the star, 60, told People in 2018. 'I made a love spiral and wrote down exactly everything that was important to me in a man and he magically just rang the doorbell at the farm.' She continued: 'When you meet somebody that thought he was going to die, like I felt I was gonna die, you have a whole new appreciation for life and you kind of share that, so thats really already a common bond that we have.' 'To live in the moment, enjoy every day, and not wait. Why take it slow? 'Lets just go for it and have a great time,' the mother-of-three raved. A major Channel Seven star has been tipped to replace Weekend Sunrise co-host Matt Doran, after his shock on-air resignation on Sunday. Seven's US Correspondent David Woiwod, who is based in Los Angeles, is likely to step into the co-hosting role opposite Monique Wright, according to news.com.au. The Melbourne-born reporter has worked at Channel Seven for eight years and was a reporter on Sunrise from 2016 to 2020. He moved to Los Angeles in July 2020 to become the network's US correspondent and was promoted to US Bureau Chief in April last year. Woiwod has developed a reputation for his engaging personality and cheeky banter when reporting. In 2020, Woiwod was left red-faced while appearing on Sunrise when he mispronounced the name of US actress Ellen DeGeneres as 'Allan'. A major Channel Seven star has been tipped to replace Weekend Sunrise co-host Matt Doran (pictured), after his shock on-air resignation on Sunday It comes after Doran called time on his five years at Weekend Sunrise. The breakfast host, 41, made the emotional announcement live on air at the end of the show on Sunday. The Seven star, who recently opened up about his struggles with depression on The Morning Show, said he will be taking time to focus on family and to pursue other opportunities. 'Before we go today, a bit of breaking news from the Doran household. I want to share with you a decision I've made, with my beautiful wife Kendall - and of course in earnest consultation with our beloved Italian greyhound Murphy - and this is, after five years at Weekend Sunrise, I will be finishing up at the end of the year,' he said. 'This is something I've agonised over because it's honest to say this is one of the best jobs on earth, but we think it's right and at the right time - for our little family. 'While I'm sad, and I'm doing everything possible presently not to look Monique in the eye, where I am right now is honestly a place of incredible gratitude for the laughs, the lessons, the tears. 'It is my unshakeable belief this role - specifically, being entrusted with the telling of people's most intimate, most personal stories - is one of the more privileged positions on the planet.' Matt will present his final episode of Weekend Sunrise on Sunday, December 8, alongside Monique. Network insiders told the Courier Mail that Seven's US Correspodent David Woiwod (pictured), who is based in Los Angeles, is likely to step into the co-hosting role opposite Monique Wright It comes after Doran called time on his five years at Weekend Sunrise. Pictured with co-host Monique Wright The breakfast show host broke down in tears speaking about his friendship with his closest colleague. 'Mon, you are not just a colleague, you are my best friend and I am going to miss you, any chance of a hug?' he said. In September - when Matt appeared on Morning Sunrise to spruik his latest book, Mental State, on Australia's mental healthcare system - he bravely opened up about his own struggles with depression. 'Are we getting better, do you think, Doctor, at putting our hand up like you did and saying, "I've got a problem with anxiety"?' Matt asked Dr Cross. 'I've had huge problems with depression over the last couple of years, too, but people, I think, are still frightened to come forward and say that.' 'It's amazing you say that the more we talk about it the better it is,' Dr Cross said, commending Matt for speaking so openly about his depression on television. Matt has sparked concerns in recent years after he mysteriously disappeared from work on two separate occasions. In June, he failed to arrive to the Seven studios for work on Weekend Sunrise. He was replaced by news reporter Chris Reason who returned to host the breakfast show alongside Monique Wright on Saturday, June 8. A network spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia at the time that Matt was 'on leave'. Abbie Chatfield set temperatures soaring on Friday night as she partied up a storm at the Troye Sivan Official Sydney Afterparty at Carousel Club, following his sold-out show. The reality TV star, 29, turned heads in a daring outfit, featuring a skimpy polka-dot blouse paired with a matching mini dress. The barely-there ensemble highlighted Abbie's flawless figure and long, slender legs, as she confidently flaunted her genetically blessed physique at the star-studded event, hosted by Smirnoff Australia. Abbie completed the look with knee-high black boots and appeared to be having the time of her life, smiling radiantly throughout the night. Her brunette locks were elegantly permed and she sported a cheeky grin, posing in a variety of suggestive angles for the cameras. The podcaster's bold confidence was undeniable as she owned the night, making it clear she was not afraid to turn heads wherever she goes. Abbie Chatfield (pictured) set temperatures soaring on Friday night as she partied up a storm at the Troye Sivan Official Sydney Afterparty at Carousel Club, following his sold-out show The reality TV star, 29, turned heads in a daring outfit, featuring a skimpy polka-dot blouse paired with a matching minidress Last month, Abbie showed off her musical skills during a jam session with boyfriend Adam Hyde. The podcaster and the Peking Duk frontman shared a series of videos to Instagram in which Abbie played the bongos and showed off her singing skills. Accomplished musician Adam accompanied her on the omnichord as Abbie launched into a rendition of the INXS song Never Tear Us Apart. In her comments, the former reality star teased that the couple could be releasing music together soon. 'Like this comment if u think we should do a whole song (I think we should)' she wrote. The comment garnered over 1100 likes from Abbie's fans, many of whom were keen for music from the pair. 'Yes we need this on Spotify' wrote one person while another said, 'I. Am. Obsessed! Please make this a thing!' Abbie previously sparked rumours she had tied the know in secret with her hunky muso boyfriend after the pair shared images from the music video to social media. The barely-there ensemble highlighted Abbie's flawless figure and long, slender legs, as she confidently flaunted her genetically blessed physique at the star-studded event, hosted by Smirnoff Australia The podcaster's bold confidence was undeniable as she owned the night, making it clear she was not afraid to turn heads wherever she goes The pair thrilled their fans when they shared a very bridal looking photos to Instagram last week alongside the caption, 'Weve made something truly biblical for you. Guess what it is for a lil treat'. The photos showed the pair dressed formally and kissing passionately at what looked like a glamorous venue. 'Did Mum and Dad get married?' asked one fan in the comments, while another said, 'Omggggg thought this was a wedding announcement'. 'Eloped?' asked someone else with another guessing, 'Omfg is this your wedding photos?!???' However the photos were taken from the upcoming Online Jesus clip. It comes after Abbie set pulses racing when she shared an X-rated photo with paramour Adam. The FBoy Island host took to Instagram to share the racy shot in which the loved-up couple canoodled poolside. Ben Affleck 'felt blessed' after spending a cozy Thanksgiving holiday with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, and their three children amid his divorce from Jennifer Lopez. The Oscar winner, 52 - who was spotted looking friendly with Garner as they volunteered for Midnight Mission on Thanksgiving - also indulged in a tasty meal at the actress's home with their kids Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12. While helping out the non-profit organization on Thursday to feed 2,000 homeless people in downtown Los Angeles, Affleck was seen getting close to Jennifer and also whispering to each other during the busy day. A source told Page Six that Ben 'felt blessed' to spend Thanksgiving with his ex-wife and children, adding that he 'can just be himself' around Garner. The former couple were married from 2005 until their split was announced in 2015. Three years later, their divorce was officially finalized in 2018. 'Even though Ben and Jen have been split for a while now, he feels a certain level of comfort with her,' the insider continued. Ben Affleck, 52, 'felt blessed' after spending a cozy Thanksgiving holiday with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, 52, and their three children amid his divorce from Jennifer Lopez 'Ben has a strong relationship with Jen that will never dissipate because they have a lot of history together and she's the mother of his kids.' The source further informed the outlet that Affleck and Garner have spent other Thanksgiving holidays together since their separation. 'They'll always be close because they share children together and maintain a friendly co-parenting relationship.' One day earlier on Thursday, Ben appeared in high spirits as he volunteered for Midnight Mission with Garner, as well as their children. The pair donned matching aprons that had 'I [heart] the Midnight Mission' as they served special meals to those in need on the holiday. During the outing, the two stars were seen standing close to each other and at one point, Affleck was seen whispering into Jennifer's ear with a small smile on his face. Body language expert, Judi James, informed DailyMail.com that Ben's 'demeanor suggests he is where he wants to be, without any pressure to perform as an A-lister.' 'His smile registers a fun, playful approach and at one point he whispers in Jennifer's ear in an act of intimacy.' A source told Page Six that Ben 'felt blessed' to spend Thanksgiving with his ex-wife and children, adding that he 'can just be himself' around Garner; seen in 2023 in Texas The former couple were married from 2005 until their split was announced in 2015. Three years later, their divorce was officially finalized in 2018; seen in 2013 in Hollywood James added, 'Ben is in pure alpha mode here, standing with arms folded and head cocked, looking immersed in the event, in contrast to his rather disconnected public signals with J-Lo.' In 2022, Affleck married Jennifer Lopez - whom he previously dated in the early 2000s before their first split. However, earlier this year in August, the On The Floor songstress filed for divorce from the Oscar winner on their second wedding anniversary. 'Ben looked so dour and irritable towards the end of his marriage to J-Lo but here he looks relaxed and in charge of the event,' the body language expert continued. 'Both he and his ex-wife Jennifer are smiling here and apparently happy to be photographed, with none of the rejection signals Ben had tended to display towards photographers until recently.' 'Ben looks happy and comfortable fitting back into the family unit, as though the high levels of A-list fame he achieved with J-Lo were a burden that he struggled to cope with, just as he had the first time he was in a relationship with her.' Later on Thursday, the Good Will Hunting actor was seen heading to his ex-wife's home in Brentwood to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. He kept it casual wearing a cream-colored button up as well as a pair of denim jeans and comfy sneakers that were secured with laces. 'Ben looked so dour and irritable towards the end of his marriage to J-Lo but here he looks relaxed and in charge of the event,' the body language expert continued; seen in 2023 in L.A. While strolling along a street in a quiet neighborhood, the Hollywood star easily carried an iced drink in his hand. As Affleck spent the holiday with Garner and their kids, Lopez also had the chance to enjoy Thanksgiving. She glammed up in a patterned sweater while posing with a turkey that had just been taken out of the oven. In the caption of the snap uploaded to Instagram, the On The Floor songstress penned, 'I hope everybody had a beautiful and Happy Thanksgiving. I am so incredibly grateful for all of you.' Following the end of her marriage to Affleck, a source recently explained to DailyMail.com that Lopez wants to take time for herself before getting into another relationship. 'Jen like most people, would love to have love in her life again.' 'But the one person she has to give the time to right now is herself. If something presents itself, then obviously life and love find a way, but she isn't looking to get into any new relationships.' 'She is focused on her work and wants 2025 to be the year she gets back to being herself,' the source said. 'She isn't actively looking to date right now and is still processing losing Ben again.' She glammed up in a patterned sweater while posing with a turkey that had just been taken out of the oven Following the end of her marriage to Affleck, a source recently explained to DailyMail.com that Lopez wants to take time for herself before getting into another relationship Garner also seemingly made a swipe at her failed marriage to Affleck during an episode of the Lipstick On The Rim podcast earlier this month; seen in West Hollywood earlier this month According to the insider, Lopez 'likes being in a relationship almost immediately after one ends, but right now she is trying something new and seeing if that works out for her better.' Last month in October, Lopez broke her silence on their split while talking to Interview Magazine - and described the separation as both 'sad' and 'scary.' Sources recently informed DailyMail.com that Garner 'no longer wishes' to be in contact with Lopez following the end of her marriage to Affleck. Insiders previously told DailyMail.com that she had felt like a 'pawn' after acting as Ben and Jennifer's 'marriage counselor' amid the breakdown of the former couple's two-year marriage. The 13 Going On 30 actress is currently in a relationship with John Miller - whom she had been dating on and off since 2018. Garner also seemingly made a swipe at her failed marriage to Affleck during an episode of the Lipstick On The Rim podcast earlier this month. When questioned what her 'favorite quote or mantra' was, the actress shared advice from her own mother, Pat Garner, and expressed, 'Never expect a man - dont marry a man thinking you can change him.' Charlotte Dawson has claimed cruel trolls called social services and falsely accused her of neglecting her children. The former Ex On The Beach star, 32, who is six months pregnant with her third child, is mother to Noah, three, and one-year-old Jude with her fiance Matt Sarsfield. Charlotte said the anonymous callers have contacted a council-based service as well as the NSPCC for unfounded reasons. Speaking to The Sun, she said: 'They ring social services all the time, whenever there is anything on my Instagram. It's pathetic. 'I have no idea who it is but they just won't give up. I've not heard anything for a few weeks but I'm sure I will do soon. 'I don't know who it is and I don't really care any more because it's just pathetic. There are people that actually need social services' help, you know, not me.' Charlotte Dawson has claimed cruel trolls called social services and falsely accused her of neglecting her children The former Ex On The Beach star, 32, who is six months pregnanat with her third child, is mother to Noah, three, and one-year-old Jude with her fiance Matt Sarsfield The most recent visit was in October when Charlotte posted a photo of herself with Nozeco an alcohol-free version of prosecco. The TV star has been dealing with the anonymous callers since last year when someone called social services to claim Charlotte was often drunk around her children. 'Basically it was saying that Noah is always injured in my care, I'm always drunk around him, he's always in hospital and all this crap,' Charlotte explained on her Instagram. 'They said me and Matthew aren't capable of looking after Noah and he needs to be taken off of us.' Another horrible complaint falsely claimed Charlotte had given Noah alcohol and had shared nude photos of him on social media. Charlotte isn't the first person in the limelight to fall prey to trolls calling social services. Kirsty Allsop previously spoke of her outrage after she was quizzed by social services for allowing her 15-year-old son to go Interrailing across Europe. In an extraordinary intervention, a social worker contacted the TV presenter to inform her that a file had been opened after child protection concerns were raised over her youngest child, Oscar. Charlotte said the anonymous callers have contacted a council-based service as well as the NSPCC for unfounded reasons She said: 'I have no idea who it is but they just won't give up. I've not heard anything for a few weeks but I'm sure I will do soon' (pictured in September 2024) To the 52-year-old's fury, the social worker demanded to know what 'safeguards' had been put in place when she allowed Oscar to travel for three weeks on the continent alongside a 16-year-old friend. Astonishingly, she was told that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), her local council, could keep the file open 'in case there was another referral and we needed to come to your house and look into this further'. Speaking to the Mail On Sunday, Kirsty branded the council's actions 'Orwellian' and 'absolutely outrageous'. She said that officials had failed to understand she had been targeted by a 'malicious' complaint from someone falsely alleging neglect. 'I just felt sick absolutely sick,' she said. 'Then I was cross. I was very, very cross. It was just so extraordinary. I was in a parallel universe where they were actually taking this seriously. 'I have broken no law and nothing about allowing my child to travel around Europe is neglectful.' Kirsty Allsop previously spoke of her outrage after she was quizzed by social services for allowing her 15-year-old son to go Interrailing across Europe Kirsty received the above text message from a social worker from 'Kensington and Chelsea children [sic] services' Charlotte recently detailed how she's learning to forgive her fiance Matthew's sexting scandal, likening the undertaking to a 'grieving process'. The reality TV star revealed in August that she and Matt, 33, were expecting their 'surprise' third child - just weeks after news broke he had been sexting another woman. Charlotte has since reconciled with her partner and said Matt is banned from using social media as she admitted it's taking her a 'long time to rebuild the trust' with him. Speaking to MailOnline, Charlotte opened up on her relationship, stating that the couple were 'taking it slow' and that it would have been 'easier walk away' from their eight-year romance. Discussing how it's been learning to trust her partner again and the time it takes, the star shared: 'As much as this is public, this is our actual lives. This is what has actually been happening to us, it's not a showmance! It's one of those those where there is a lot of hurt, it's like a grieving process.' Speaking further about her process of forgiveness, Charlotte continued: 'We're taking it slow and just taking it each day as it comes really. Obviously we have a baby on the way and we've got a family. Charlotte previously detailed how she's learning to forgive her fiance Matthew's sexting scandal, likening the undertaking to a 'grieving process' 'I actually always say, it's a lot harder to stay with them and it's actually easier to walk away. Do you know what I mean? So we're happy. 'We're taking it slow and he's not on social media at the moment just because of the obvious reasons. I just think it's the best thing for us at the moment. 'You know what it's like on social media, you just end up scrolling for hours, so it's just a waste of time and you end up in a bit of a like habit of it, don't you? 'So he's happy, he doesn't know anything that's going on with anyone, so it's quite nice actually. It was his decision. He said he just came off it [social media] and he was going to go back on it and then he just decided to not go back on. Charlotte said that if he did return to social media, it wouldn't be a deal breaker because they are 'learning to trust each other', adding that Matt will return to social media 'when the time's right'. Brooklyn Larsen announced the tragic news that her second baby was stillborn on Monday. She shared that she and her husband Tanner Larsen 'are completely shattered' after losing their baby, their first child together. In a joint Instagram post the grieving couple shared on Thursday, the reality TV personality, 29, said that she went into labor on Sunday at '40 weeks and 2 days.' The So You Can Think You Can Dance alum, who appeared on the 11th season of the long-running competition series, said 'our best day became our worst' when they were told by medical professionals that they were unable to find the baby's heartbeat. The couple who got married in August mourned the loss of their first child together; Larsen is mother to three-year-old son Rome from a past relationship. In a gut-wrenching, emotional post, they shared four photos of them saying goodbye to their stillborn son and cradling the infant in the hospital bed. Brooklyn Larsen announced the tragic news that her second baby was stillborn on Monday. She shared that she and her husband Tanner Larsen 'are completely shattered' after losing their baby, their first child together. The So You Can Think You Can Dance alum is best known for appearing on the 11th season of the long-running competition series; pictured in 2013 portrait 'Our hearts are completely shattered. Our perfect little boy didnt make it,' the caption accompanying their photos read. 'Late Sunday evening, at 40 weeks and 2 days, Brooklyn went into labor on her own,' the couple wrote. 'We arrived at the hospital, full of excitement, only to be told the devastating news that they couldnt find his heartbeat.' They continued: 'The following couple of hours were a complete blur. It didnt make sense. Every single checkup, every ultrasound, every test had shown nothing but a healthy baby. 'He was always measuring big, always moving, always so active,' the pair wrote. 'We never imagined that this could happen,' they continued. 'In an instant, our best day became our worst. 'At 11:23am on Monday morning, Brooklyn delivered our son in less than 9 minutes. 8 lbs 10 oz of pure perfection,' the couple wrote. 'He was strong, beautiful, and was the perfect mix of Tanner and Rome. Holding him, memorizing every feature of his, feeling his spirithe was everything we had dreamed of,' they added. They shared that they were 'blessed' to be able to spend time with their baby during the deeply emotional time. In a joint Instagram post the grieving couple shared on Thursday, the reality TV personality, 29, said that she went into labor on Sunday at '40 weeks and 2 days.' They said 'our best day became our worst' when they were told by medical professionals that they were unable to find the baby's heartbeat In a gut-wrenching, emotional post, they shared four photos of them saying goodbye to their stillborn son and cradling the infant in the hospital bed. 'Our hearts are completely shattered. Our perfect little boy didnt make it,' the caption accompanying their photos read The couple who got married in August mourned the loss of their first child together; Larsen is mother to three-year-old son Rome from a past relationship 'We were blessed to spend the next 12 precious hours with him, surrounded by our family, pouring all of our love into him,' the grieving parents penned. 'We cant fully express the depth of the pain we feel losing our son and Rome losing his little brother. Our son, our angel.' The pair previously shared their pregnancy news in August with an Instagram clip of them sharing their excited reactions to a positive pregnancy test. The couple previously opened up about how Larsen suffered a miscarriage back in December 2023. Miranda Kerr has made the bombshell admission she is done having children, as she feels complete with the four she already has. The Australian supermodel, 41, shared her thoughts in the December issue of Vogue Australia, explaining that the children she is raising with her tech billionaire husband, Evan Spiegel, are more than enough for her. 'I literally feel done. I know Evan would have 10 if it was up to him, but I just feel pulled and I'm not really someone who can just let someone else raise my kids,' Miranda began. The Sydney-born beauty mentioned that she had considered selling her Kora Organics skincare company to focus more on motherhood. However, her Snap Inc. founder husband encouraged her to reconsider. 'Often I just want to be, "Oh, I want to sell my company and just be a mum," because it's a lot to juggle. Miranda Kerr (pictured) has made the bombshell admission she is done having children, as she feel complete with the four she already has The Australian supermodel, 41, told the December issue of Vogue Australia that the four she is raising with her tech billionaire husband Evan Spiegel was more than enough 'But then Evan reminds me how my company is my baby girl... I started the concept in 2006, so Kora really was my first baby.' Miranda and Evan have three sons together: Hart, six, Myles, five, and Pierre, nine months old. She also has a 13-year-old son, Flynn, from her previous marriage to Orlando Bloom. Known for her dedication to wellness, Miranda is one of Australias top modeling exports, having walked the runway for prestigious brands like Victoria's Secret, Dior and Chanel. Last month, Miranda revealed the unique secrets behind her youthful appearance. Rather than moisturiser recommendations, the Aussie supermodel listed some of her more unexpected daily rituals, including taking placenta pills to balance her hormones. 'I want to be a grandma with great skin, that's my philosophy,' she told Get The Gloss as she detailed her health and wellness regime. The Kora Organics skincare founder explained she starts her day by drinking a litre of organic celery juice on an empty stomach to help with her IBS and digestion. 'I literally feel done. I know Evan would have 10 if it was up to him, but I just feel pulled and I'm not really someone who can just let someone else raise my kids,' Miranda began The Sydney-born beauty added she had previously considered selling her Kora Organics skincare company to focus on motherhood, but reconsidered after her Snap Inc. founder husband Evan Spiegel (left) talked her out of it She adopted the regime six years ago when she was diagnosed with proctitis, a form of IBS, while pregnant with her second child, Hart. 'I kind of enforce it, but my husband always has his coffee first - he's like, ''nothing is gonna take me away from my coffee'',' she explained. Miranda also spends 15 minutes per week in her home sauna. After relaxing in the heated room, she then plunges into an inflatable ice bath on her balcony, and practices the Wim Hof Method breathing techniques while in the water. She also owns a lavish Higherdose Infrared Sauna Blanket, which costs a huge $1,088 so she can indulge in heated therapy during the working day. Miranda has also joined Chrissy Teigen and Kim Kardashian in the niche practice of taking placenta pills, where the placenta is freeze-dried and turned into capsules. The wellness fanatic has also gone one step further and had her placenta bottled into a tincture, which she said she will be able to take until menopause. The divisive celebrity-loved practice is meant to help balance hormones to prevent post-natal depression but doctors previously warned it has no health benefits. Miranda also carries peppermint essential oil beadlets in her handbag to help aid digestion, and goes for a hyperbaric oxygen treatment once a week. As far as her skincare, Miranda swears by the $65 RMS Uncoverup Concealer as well as the $94 face oil from her own brand, Kora Organics. Miranda also keeps active with four-minute bite-size yoga and dance cardio workouts, and she swears by Kundalini yoga and Megan Roup's routines in particular. MBABANE Government must show nkwe in complying with the Supreme Court order to implement Phase II. This was Royal Eswatini Police Staff Association (REPOSA) Secretary General Dumsile Khumalos reaction to the Supreme Court judgment that found that Circular No.2 of 2014 (Phase Restructuring of the Royal Eswatini Police Service and His Majestys Correctional Services) is binding to the parties. The Supreme Court directed that government should comply with, and honour its commitment and undertaking as contained in the circular within reasonable time. Circular No.2 of 2014 makes provision for immediate salary increases for senior officers in both the police and Correctional Services in terms of Phase I. Phase II was to benefit junior officers. However, only Phase I was implemented. The Supreme Court yesterday also ordered that the intended disciplinary proceedings arising from or pertaining to Circular No.2 of 2024 and delivery of the petition in respect of terms of service are unlawful and shall not proceed. The matter was heard by Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Ma- phalala together with judges Phesheya Dlamini, Sabelo Matsebula, Mbutfo Mamba and Magriet Van Der Walt. Several reasons were put forward for the non-implementation of Phase II, including - a. that government would implement it; (b) government had already implemented it through another salary adjustment relating to all public servants and (c) the officers should make submissions to another salary restructuring exercise that government was setting up. The circular sought to improve the lives and welfare of members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) by increasing their salaries. The cause of the dispute was born from the implementation of this circular, which was issued through the Ministry of Public Service. The few members of REPOSA who were in court failed to contain their excitement when the judgment was delivered. Other police officers who heard the outcome of the court proceedings were also on cloud nine. Finally! There was no other way. No matter how long it took, the end would have been this. Saphose safa, kudlelwa tikwetfu, said an overjoyed police officer who had just heard about the judgment. Reneged In the judgment, the CJ said, in short, government reneged from its legal obligations as contained in the circular after awarding senior officers lofty salaries. Maphalala said the effect of this was to divide the forces and create ill feelings between the senior and the junior officers. This action was itself a threat to national security. The senior officers were set against the junior officers. While the junior officers were vulnerable, the senior officers, who had the commissioner of police in their group were insulated, as the commissioner of police had disciplinary powers entrusted to him by the Constitution and the Police Service Act (PSA). When the junior officers wanted the share of their money as promised in the circular, the commissioner reacted by the use of his disciplinary powers, challenging the manner of presenting their grievances through a petition, said the court. Maphalala also stated that the commissioner of police further decreed against the junior officers from holding meetings to discuss issues pertaining to the circular. He said it could not be disputed that the commissioner of police has wide statutory powers relating to the maintenance of peace, security and order as well as disciplinary powers over his officers for good reasons. The question that arises and needs to be decided by the court, according to Maphalala, was whether the commissioner exercised those powers correctly; that is lawfully and within the spirit for which the powers were given. The court noted that Section 39 (3) of the Constitution seems to be an open power without limits, which can be used by government as it pleases and when it pleases. He was quick to point out that it could not be so. The CJ said Section 25 allows for limitations to be imposed but they must be reasonable and justifiable in a democratic society. He further stated in the judgment that they had also seen that countries are bound by the international treaties they voluntarily signed and by so doing surrendered the Sovereignty they had. We have cited the relevant ILO statutes stating that government and its officials must not interfere in the affairs of legal or lawful workers associations except for the protection of public health and national security. Again we note that a government is established by the people, but not to kill the very people who established it. Its purpose is for harmonious co-existence of the people. It is difficult for the court to understand where does it disturb the peace, if junior officers peacefully ask for the money promised to them by government in 2014 through the circular, further reads the judgment. Maphalala said it is further difficult to fathom how peace is disturbed if junior officers meet during their off-duty time to peacefully discuss welfare issues emanating from the circular, lawfully issued by government for the benefit of these officers. Powers He mentioned that it is also difficult to understand what is wrong with delivering a petition with a list of grievances to their minister, especially where the powers that be have failed to establish a working commission as required by law and also where the current government negotiation structures have no seat for the junior officers. In the present case, for instance, according to the court, there was no iota of violence or pending violence or likelihood of destruction of property or riotous assembly, but instead, the junior officers were welcomed by the under secretary at Cabinet offices.Again the holding of a meeting to discuss terms of employment cannot be a danger to national security. The commissioner had not proffered any reasons for his actions except a display that he had powers to do what he did, said the CJ. Jennifer Lopez appeared unfazed by her ex Ben Affleck's warm Thanksgiving celebration with his first ex-wife Jennifer Garner. The 54-year-old superstar flashed her megawatt smile during a stylish Black Friday shopping spree in Beverly Hills. Lopez exuded effortless elegance, wearing a sophisticated tan overcoat paired with a crisp white oxford shirt and faded denim. Her signature chestnut locks cascaded casually, and she completed the look with sleek aviator sunglasses and a designer handbag. While Lopez indulged in some retail therapy, Affleck spent the previous day volunteering at Midnight Mission with Garner and their three childrenViolet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12. The actor reportedly 'felt blessed' to share a cozy meal with the family at Garners home, especially amid his ongoing divorce from Lopez. Jennifer Lopez appeared unfazed by her ex-husband Ben Affleck's warm Thanksgiving celebration with his first ex-wife Jennifer Garner The 54-year-old superstar flashed her megawatt smile during a stylish Black Friday shopping spree in Beverly Hills On Thursday, Affleck was seen getting close to Garner as they worked together at the non-profit, helping to feed 2,000 homeless people in downtown Los Angeles. The two were spotted whispering to each other, further fueling speculation about their close bond. A source told Page Six that Ben 'felt blessed' to spend Thanksgiving with his ex-wife and children, adding that he 'can just be himself' around Garner. The former couple were married from 2005 until their split was announced in 2015. Three years later, their divorce was officially finalized in 2018. 'Even though Ben and Jen have been split for a while now, he feels a certain level of comfort with her,' the insider continued. 'Ben has a strong relationship with Jen that will never dissipate because they have a lot of history together and she's the mother of his kids.' The source further informed the outlet that Affleck and Garner have spent other Thanksgiving holidays together since their separation. 'They'll always be close because they share children together and maintain a friendly co-parenting relationship.' Lopez exuded effortless elegance, wearing a sophisticated tan overcoat paired with a crisp white oxford shirt and faded denim While Lopez indulged in some retail therapy, Affleck spent the previous day volunteering at Midnight Mission with Garner and their three childrenViolet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12; seen in 2013 in Hollywood One day earlier on Thursday, Ben appeared in high spirits as he volunteered for Midnight Mission with Garner, as well as their children. The pair donned matching aprons that had 'I [heart] the Midnight Mission' as they served special meals to those in need on the holiday. During the outing, the two stars were seen standing close to each other and at one point, Affleck was seen whispering into Jennifer's ear with a small smile on his face. Body language expert, Judi James, informed DailyMail.com that Ben's 'demeanor suggests he is where he wants to be, without any pressure to perform as an A-lister.' 'His smile registers a fun, playful approach and at one point he whispers in Jennifer's ear in an act of intimacy.' James added, 'Ben is in pure alpha mode here, standing with arms folded and head cocked, looking immersed in the event, in contrast to his rather disconnected public signals with J-Lo.' In 2022, Affleck married Jennifer Lopez - whom he previously dated in the early 2000s before their first split. However, earlier this year in August, the On The Floor songstress filed for divorce from the Oscar winner on their second wedding anniversary. JLo glammed up in a patterned sweater while posing with a turkey that had just been taken out of the oven In 2022, Affleck married Jennifer Lopez - whom he previously dated in the early 2000s before their first split; seen in 2023 in L.A. 'Ben looked so dour and irritable towards the end of his marriage to J-Lo but here he looks relaxed and in charge of the event,' the body language expert continued. 'Both he and his ex-wife Jennifer are smiling here and apparently happy to be photographed, with none of the rejection signals Ben had tended to display towards photographers until recently.' 'Ben looks happy and comfortable fitting back into the family unit, as though the high levels of A-list fame he achieved with J-Lo were a burden that he struggled to cope with, just as he had the first time he was in a relationship with her.' Later on Thursday, the Good Will Hunting actor was seen heading to his ex-wife's home in Brentwood to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. He kept it casual wearing a cream-colored button up as well as a pair of denim jeans and comfy sneakers that were secured with laces. While strolling along a street in a quiet neighborhood, the Hollywood star easily carried an iced drink in his hand. As Affleck spent the holiday with Garner and their kids, Lopez also had the chance to enjoy Thanksgiving. She glammed up in a patterned sweater while posing with a turkey that had just been taken out of the oven. In the caption of the snap uploaded to Instagram, the On The Floor songstress penned, 'I hope everybody had a beautiful and Happy Thanksgiving. I am so incredibly grateful for all of you.' Following the end of her marriage to Affleck, a source recently explained to DailyMail.com that Lopez wants to take time for herself before getting into another relationship. 'Jen like most people, would love to have love in her life again.' 'But the one person she has to give the time to right now is herself. If something presents itself, then obviously life and love find a way, but she isn't looking to get into any new relationships.' 'She is focused on her work and wants 2025 to be the year she gets back to being herself,' the source said. 'She isn't actively looking to date right now and is still processing losing Ben again.' Following the end of her marriage to Affleck, a source recently explained to DailyMail.com that Lopez wants to take time for herself before getting into another relationship Garner also seemingly made a swipe at her failed marriage to Affleck during an episode of the Lipstick On The Rim podcast earlier this month; seen in West Hollywood earlier this month According to the insider, Lopez 'likes being in a relationship almost immediately after one ends, but right now she is trying something new and seeing if that works out for her better.' Last month in October, Lopez broke her silence on their split while talking to Interview Magazine - and described the separation as both 'sad' and 'scary.' Sources recently informed DailyMail.com that Garner 'no longer wishes' to be in contact with Lopez following the end of her marriage to Affleck. Insiders previously told DailyMail.com that she had felt like a 'pawn' after acting as Ben and Jennifer's 'marriage counselor' amid the breakdown of the former couple's two-year marriage. The 13 Going On 30 actress is currently in a relationship with John Miller - whom she had been dating on and off since 2018. Garner also seemingly made a swipe at her failed marriage to Affleck during an episode of the Lipstick On The Rim podcast earlier this month. When questioned what her 'favorite quote or mantra' was, the actress shared advice from her own mother, Pat Garner, and expressed, 'Never expect a man - dont marry a man thinking you can change him.' Kris Jenner wowed fans with an extremely youthful appearance as she posed for photos with daughter Khloe Kardashian while celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. The TV personality - who recently celebrated her 69th birthday earlier this month - opted for a chic bob and bangs rather than her usual pixie cut in the series of snaps shared to her main Instagram page on Friday. Jenner's makeup was glammed up while her skin had a radiant glow as she paused for pictures in front of a tall Christmas tree. She also proudly supported her daughter, Kim Kardashian, by wearing items from the latest SKIMS x Dolce & Gabbana collection. Kris donned a $498 leopard-print silk robe from the capsule, as well as a $148 bodysuit and $340 loose-fitting trousers. The momager added a layer of mascara to her lashes while a light shadow was added around her eyes. Kris Jenner, 69, wowed fans with an extremely youthful appearance as she posed for photos with daughter Khloe Kardashian while celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday The TV personality opted for a chic bob and bangs rather than her usual pixie cut in the series of snaps shared to her main Instagram page on Friday A warm blush was also added to cheekbones, while a nude-colored satin tint was worn on her lips for a finishing touch to the overall look. The star's dark locks were parted in the middle and stopped a few inches above her shoulders while her bangs fell down straight onto her forehead. Kris additionally slipped into a pair of open-toed, nude pumps to allow the ensemble to be the main focal point. Social media users quickly jumped to the comment section to share their thought on Jenner's youthful glow as well as her bold hairstyle. One wrote, 'Kris Jenner looks so young,' whole another shared, 'Okayyyyyyy Kris looking like younger Kris yet looks the same Kris.' 'Kris always looks stunning omg,' a fan typed out, while one penned, 'WOW Kris looks amazing.' Another added, 'OMG!!!!!! Kris, I loooooove your hair like this!' and one also wrote, 'Kris looks so different.' Kris flashed a cheerful smile as she stood next to Khloe - who also sported a stylish leopard outfit - as well as her children True, six, and Tatum Thompson, two. Social media users quickly jumped to the comment section to share their thought on Jenner's youthful glow as well as her bold hairstyle One wrote, 'Kris Jenner looks so young,' whole another shared, 'Okayyyyyyy Kris looking like younger Kris yet looks the same Kris' 'Kris always looks stunning omg,' a fan typed out, while one penned, 'WOW Kris looks amazing' Kris was seen rocking her signature pixie cut when she attended Kathy Hilton's holiday event in LA on November 18 Jenner also paused for a selfie to better show off her haircut and bangs while Khloe draped her arm over her mother's shoulders. While indulging in a tasty Thanksgiving meal, the family also had the chance to relax and watch a few movies together. The group watched Moana 2 as well as Home Alone as they got into the Christmas spirit. Kris lounged on a comfortable couch next to Tatum and Khloe in additional selfies that were included in the Instagram carousel. In the caption, she penned, 'Thankful I hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving! @disney #moana2.' The momager has previously opened up about aging and beauty - such as discussing the topic back in 2022 with People. At the time, she expressed, 'I think that I realize that as every year goes on, I'm more and more appreciative for the special moments in my life with my kids.' 'As I get older - and I had a hip replacement this year, which was a big aha moment for me in many ways - you realize how lucky you are to be healthy.' While indulging in a tasty Thanksgiving meal, the family also had the chance to relax and watch a few movies together Kris lounged on a comfortable couch next to Tatum and Khloe in additional selfies that were included in the Instagram carousel The group had the chance to watch Moana 2 as well as Home Alone as they got into the Christmas spirit In the caption, she penned, 'Thankful I hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving! @disney #moana2' 'And overcome some of these things that happen health wise, which are so minimal compared to some of the kids that I saw or talked to tonight,' Jenner continued to the outlet. Earlier this year in April, her makeup artist Etienne Ortega talked to E! News about achieving Jenner's youthful complexion. 'First and foremost, embrace who you are and embrace your age - whether you're 25 or 65,' Ortega explained. 'With Kris, our makeup styles have changed throughout the years. She still looks freaking fabulous, but I like using less on her now.' 'I like to use a lot less foundation and a lot less powder. I don't bake anymore. I want to sprinkle on the tones without saturating it with a heavy foundation. With her, it's more about the brow, the smoky eye and the lip,' the makeup artist added. And on Thursday, Khloe gave her own fans a glimpse of the lavish Thanksgiving celebration with her loved ones by sharing an assortment of snaps to her Instagram stories. 'Thankful,' the reality star penned over a photo of her adorable children watching a movie while bathed in blue light. She added a video of Tatum who appeared to be watching an animated movie with rapt attention while donning a white button-up shirt. The brunette beauty said her son wanted to dance. The entrepreneur also added photos of her holiday celebration, which was held at a house resembling the Palm Springs homes owned by her mother Kris Jenner and sister Kourtney Kardashian. Khloe's photos revealed place settings for around 18 guests at long dining table, though she may have also had other tables set up for children or additional guests. And on Thursday, Khloe gave her own fans a glimpse of the lavish Thanksgiving celebration with her loved ones by sharing an assortment of snaps to her Instagram stories Khloe's photos revealed place settings for around 18 guests at long dining table, though she may have also had other tables set up for children or additional guests One photo highlighted the fall foliage in the form of what looked like dried leaves that were placed atop each person's napkin. They were served on Thanksgiving-themed plates with illustrations of turkeys decorating them, while larger plates underneath had plaid designs with appropriately dark fall colors. The center of the dining table was decorated with lovely flowers in shades of crimson, pale pink and burnt orange, along with vibrant candy-colored turkey figurines. The Kardashians added another playful element to the display by getting mounds of butter that had been molded into the shape of turkeys. She added some elegant lighting to her holiday display thanks to tall, thick candles. The Kardashians star included additional snaps of some of the house's decorations, including tall glass encased candles that were in an atrium on the way out to the home's pool. Khloe shares both of her children with her former serial-cheater partner Tristan Thompson, who she dated from summer of 2016 until late 2021. In a 2017 interview, the Good American co-founder said they met via a blind date set up by their mutual friend, Brandon Jennings, and was reluctant at the time. They were served on Thanksgiving-themed plates with illustrations of turkeys decorating them, while larger plates underneath had plaid designs with appropriately dark fall colors In April of 2018, Thompson fathered daughter, True, with the reality star until their world came crashing down. Just days before the birth, he was caught in an exclusive video locking lips with a sexy brunette at Manhattan club. Despite their ups and downs, the exes have managed to remain committed co-parents to their two children. The mother-of-two previously revealed that she has no intentions of getting back together with the Cavaliers star saying she's 'not attracted' to him She recently came under fire from fans after posting a series of photos that appeared to be heavily filtered, which set off speculation that she might have had more plastic surgery or other cosmetic procedures recently. The drummer was part of My Chemical Romance from 2004 to 2010 Bryar's body was found 'badly decomposed' at his Tennessee home on Tuesday Former My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar was found dead at his home in Tennessee, at age 44, just two days before Thanksgiving. At this time, his cause of death has not been made public and it is unknown who found him, according to TMZ. Per the outlet, his body was 'badly decomposed' when discovered and Animal Control came to the house to take away his two dogs. Authorities do not suspect 'foul play' as all his 'weapons and music equipment in the home were left untouched.' Bryar was last seen alive on November 4, the same day he posted his final tweets, one of which simply read 'TULSI,' seemingly referencing former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. As the longest-serving and final official drummer for My Chemical Romance from 2004 to 2010, Bryar's departure was shrouded in rumors of tension with his bandmatesFrank Iero, Mikey Way, Gerard Way, and Ray Toro. My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar was found dead at his home in Tennessee, at age 44, just two days before Thanksgiving; seen in 2006 While the band members did not discuss the specifics, multiple sources confirmed that a falling out had occurred, per MTV. Bryar replaced former drummer Matt Pelissier following the release of the band's second album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004). He went on to perform and record music with the group on all of their subsequent releases until his departure. On March 3, 2010, guitarist Iero revealed that Bryar had left the band. 'As of 4 weeks ago, My Chemical Romance and Bob Bryar parted ways. This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and expect you all to do the same,' he wrote on a statement shared to their official website. He most recently teamed back up with the group in 2013 on their record, Conventional Weapons. After retiring from music in 2014, he became a real estate agent and an active advocate of various dog rescues and sanctuaries. In 2021, Bryar auctioned off the drum set he last used with the bandboth on tour and during the recording of their iconic 2006 album The Black Paradeto raise funds for an animal rescue center in Tennessee, according to Rolling Stone. Bryar was last seen alive on November 4, the same day he posted his final tweets, one of which simply read 'TULSI,' seemingly referencing former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard At this time, his cause of death has not been made public and it is unknown who found him, according to TMZ; pictured with his former bandmates (Ray Toro, Mikey Way, Gerard Way and Frank Iero) Per the outlet, his body was 'badly decomposed' when discovered and Animal Control came to the house to take away his two dogs (seen in 2004) Authorities do not suspect 'foul play' as all his 'weapons and music equipment in the home were left untouched' (seen in 2007) 'This is my very last drum kit and its ready for a new home. I used this kit when [the band] opened the MTV VMAs in 2005, the following tour, and for some of the [Black Parade] record,' he wrote in the listing, per the outlet. Bryar was born in Chicago, Illinois and began playing drums from a young age. In school, he performed in marching and jazz bands before going off to study sound engineering at the University of Florida. In 2015, Bryar tweeted that after being 'kicked out of MyChem' that he 'became the most depressed, angry, suicidal person ever.' In a later, since-deleted tweet, he wrote: 'Now, I am on so many pills that I feel a bit better, although, it still (b)others me every day. In a recent conversation, I was told I wont be back.' Although My Chemical Romance was scheduled to tour in 2025, Bryar was not scheduled to reunite with the band. The current lineup of My Chemical Romance consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero and bassist Mikey Way. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, available 24/7/365. Bernadette Fahey and fiance Jordan Sukkar were spotted together in Sydney on Saturday, shortly before their big wedding ceremony. The Pilates queen, 35, and her CEO partner put on a loved-up display as they chatted on the street of an upmarket Sydney suburb, as they prepared for the big day. The blonde beauty looked effortlessly stylish in a grey jumper paired with red tracksuit pants and white slippers. She wore her golden hair tied back in a bun and looked to be engaged in a lively conversation with her strapping fiance. Meanwhile, Jordan, who is the CEO of a large commercial construction company, rocked a laidback look in an orange tee paired with black pants and white footwear. The lovebirds were seen unloading white shopping bags from their car, which looked to be from an upmarket bridal boutique. Bernadette Fahey and fiance Jordan Sukkar were spotted together in Sydney on Saturday, shortly before their big wedding ceremony. Both pictured The Pilates queen, 35, and her CEO partner put on a loved-up display as they chatted on the street of an upmarket Sydney suburb, as they prepared for the big day She wore her golden hair tied back in a bun and looked to be engaged in a lively conversation with her strapping fiance Later in the day, Bernadette was seen strolling outside 'nude artist' Dina Broadhurst's Double Bay apartment. She looked stunning in a simple yet elegant white lacy ensemble, as friends and family followed behind, in what looked like a rehearsal ceremony just hours before she ties the knot on Saturday evening. Her blonde hair was elegantly styled and she looked to be in great spirits practicing walking down the aisle. It comes after Bernadette shared footage to Instagram in August as she went shopping for her perfect wedding gown just weeks after announcing her engagement. The Bondi Pilates queen looked absolutely radiant as she tried on a variety of white wedding gowns at an upmarket bridal store in Sydney. The stunner was all smiles as she rocked her best angles in a variety of white lacy designer gowns, as she searched for the ideal dress to tie the knot in. Bernadette looked every inch the blushing bride in the heartwarming clip, as she fit into a number of exquisite designs, while she continued her search for the right one. She captioned the clip with some informative words: 'And so the hunt begins for the most important white dress I'll ever wear.' The pair were not afraid to engage in a bit of PDA before the auspicious event, with Bernadette beaming as she went in for a kiss Meanwhile, Jordan, who is the CEO of a large commercial construction company, rocked a laidback look in an orange tee paired with black pants and white footwear The lovebirds were seen unloading white shopping bags from their car, which looked to be from an upmarket bridal boutique Later in the day, Bernadette was seen strolling outside her home in a her simple yet elegant white wedding outfit, as friends and family followed behind, in what looked like a rehearsal ceremony just hours before she ties the knot on Saturday evening Her blonde hair was elegantly styled and she looked to be in great spirits practicing walking down the aisle In July, Bernadette announced her engagement to long-term boyfriend Jordan Sukkar. The socialite and fitness instructor posted to Instagram to confirm her businessman partner Jordan had popped the question. Jordan, who is COO of his parents' $500m construction company Buildcorp, got down on one knee during their romantic getaway in Tinos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Bernadette confirmed their engagement by sharing a photograph of herself flashing her diamond ring as she cuddled up to Jordan. She looked stunning in a white cut-out gown as she held up her lavish gold ring for the camera, which had a large sparkling diamond encrusted in the centre. Bernadette, who owns popular Bondi Pilates studio Body By Berner, looked happier than ever as she beamed for the camera. While it is not known exactly how long the couple have been together, they went Instagram official in May. Bernadette is known for being the fitness instructor to some of Sydney's most high-powered socialites and famous faces, including Jade Yarbrough and model Madeleine Holtznagel. She stunned followers earlier this month when she revealed she celebrated her hens party by exercising, ahead of her wedding to fiance Jordan Sukkar. It comes after Bernadette shared footage to Instagram in August as she went shopping for her perfect wedding gown just weeks after announcing her engagement The Bondi Pilates queen looked absolutely radiant as she tried on a variety of white wedding gowns at an upmarket bridal store in Sydney The stunner was all smiles as she rocked her best angles in a variety of white lacy designer gowns, as she searched for the ideal dress to tie the knot in Bernadette looked every inch the blushing bride in the heartwarming clip, as she fit into a number of exquisite designs, while she continued her search for the right one Bernadette is known for being the fitness instructor to some of Sydney's most high-powered socialites and famous faces, including Jade Yarbrough and model Madeleine Holtznagel Bernadette took to Instagram with a series of images which showed her doing Pilates in a white unitard with her closest friends, following her engagement in July. One image showed the Bondi Pilates queen, who is the fitness instructor to some of Sydney's most high-powered socialites, posing in the workout studio with a white veil as she clutched a bouquet of flowers. Bernadette confirmed her engagement to Jordan by sharing a photograph of herself flashing her diamond ring as she cuddled up to her beau She looked stunning in a white cut-out gown as she held up her lavish gold ring for the camera, which had a large sparkling diamond encrusted in the centre. Bernadette, who owns popular Bondi Pilates studio Body By Berner, looked happier than ever as she beamed for the camera. A small detail in Nicole Kidman's Thanksgiving Instagram post has caused some confusion for her co-star Joey King. Nicole and Joey starred together in the 2004 Netflix rom-com A Family Affair alongside Zac Effron. The Aussie actress, 57, took to social media to express her gratitude for Thanksgiving but sharing a photo that showed a reflective Nicole lifting her face toward the sun as she stood on a balcony. Eyes closed, Nicole sported a tranquil expression as she stood before a sunning treee-lined vista. With long, strawberry blonde locks falling over her shoulders, Nicole was also holding a white teacup. And it was this detail, and the light that reflected off the cup's polished ceramic that seemed to confuse Joey, 25. A small detail in Nicole Kidman's Thanksgiving Instagram post has caused some confusion for her co-star Joey King. Kidman is pictured The Aussie actress, 57, took to social media to express her gratitude for Thanksgiving but sharing a photo that showed a reflective Nicole lifting her face toward the sun as she stood on a balcony (pictured) The Bullet Train actress admitted in the comments that Nicole was enjoying a different kind of beverage with her serene scene. 'I thought that was a glass of milk for a second,' a confused Joey commented. And it appears that some fans agreed with one replying with: 'Jesus, I thought it was ice cream/ What's wrong with me.' Another jumped in with: 'That would be so mundane.. except for if its Nicole Kidman,' to which a third added: 'Right lol drinking milk But make it fashion.' Nicole's Thanksgiving post comes after claims emerged that the Babygirl star and husband Keith Urban are considering a move back to Australia. Nicole recently suffered a personal tragedy after the death of her beloved mother Janelle in September, which saw her return to Sydney for the funeral. Amid the very difficult time, Nicole had a very busy schedule jetting around America promoting her latest movies and filming yet another project. Her loved ones are said to be worried about Nicole suffering from a 'burnout' and the Big Little Lies star and Keith are now reportedly considering returning to Australia. 'I thought that was a glass of milk for a second,' a confused Joey (right) commented referring to a polished teacup that Nicole held in the photo And it appears that some fans agreed with one replying with: 'Jesus, I thought it was ice cream What's wrong with me' Nicole and Joey starred together in the 2004 Netflix rom-com A Family Affair alongside Zac Effron 'Nicole and Keith have had their worst year ever, they've barely spent any time together and she's been on her own throughout some of her most distressing times,' a source told Woman's Day. 'The big worry on everyone's minds is, how much more of this can she take?' However, New Idea reported back in August that the couple were 'at odds' over where to relocate, with Keith eyeing off a move from Nashville to Los Angeles. An insider claimed Keith, who has battled drug and alcohol addiction in the past, is worried he is ageing out of being one of the 'cool kids of country music' in Nashville, and sees jumping into the thick of it in LA as a great way to stay out of trouble. 'One of Keith's keys to staying clean and sober is keeping busy,' the insider said. They added that Keith is 'making noise in his circle that he wants to work more in Los Angeles if he can.' The couple shelled out around $7million in 2008 for their LA pad - a contemporary five-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion in the exclusive LA enclave of Hidden Valley. However, the publication also claimed that Keith's LA dreams are at odds with Nicole's, 57, who has her 'heart set' on returning Down Under with Keith and children Sunday Rose, 16, and Faith Margaret, 13. 'It's common knowledge she's had her heart set on moving back home for a long time,' the insider claimed. Nicole and Keith own a sprawling 20-room Nashville mansion, which cost them $4.89million, as well as their Beverly Hills pad and $13.53million designer duplex in Chelsea, New York. They also still own properties Down Under, including a $6.5million farmhouse in the Southern Highlands and two penthouses in Milson's Point in Sydney, which they lease out. Rachel Zegler penned an emotional tribute to West Side Story producer, Adam Somner, following his death at the age of 57 on November 27. He passed away one day before Thanksgiving following a battle with anaplastic thyroid cancer, Deadline reported on Friday. The Snow White actress, 23, notably portrayed the role of Maria in the 2021 adaptation of the stage musical. Somner was also the first assistant director on the Oscar-nominated movie - which was directed by Steven Spielberg. Zegler who recently revealed her 'worst' Hollywood audition took to her Instagram stories as she recalled having the 'honor' to work alongside Somner. She penned, 'I had the honor of making west side story with adam somner when I was seventeen years old.' 'And with so much grace and love, he lifted me up and refused to let me stumble as I navigated the world of filmmaking. i could not have been in better hands.' Rachel Zegler, 23, penned an emotional tribute to West Side Story producer, Adam Somner, following his passing at the age of 57 on November 27; seen in October in NYC Zegler took to her Instagram stories as she recalled having the 'honor' to work alongside Somner Rachel continued, 'Long story short, i loved him, as did everyone who ever got to work with him. he was the kindest, the most efficient, the wackiest and he was the best at his job.' 'It is not fair that he won't get to do more,' the actress added. 'So much love to all of his family and all who got the honor of working with him.' Zegler concluded with, 'I never took it for granted and now i will take it with me forever. adam somner, you legend. i miss you already.' Along with the moving statement, the star also included a short reel of herself sharing a hug with Somner while on set of West Side Story. Adam collaborated with a variety of filmmakers during his long-lasting career in the industry, such as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Paul Thomas Anderson and Steve McQueen. He has 20 producer credits - per his official IMDB page - on films such as Killers Of The Flower Moon (2023), West Side Story (2021), Licorice Pizza (2021), Ford v Ferrari (2019), Lincoln (2012) and The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013). Somner was also the first assistant director on movies including War Horse, Killers Of The Flower Moon, Licorice Pizza, Ready Player One, Phantom Thread, The Revenant, Lincoln, There Will Be Blood and The Wolf Of Wall Street. He took on the role of second assistant director on other projects such as Hannibal (2001), Gladiator (2000) and G.I. Jane (1997). He passed away one day before Thanksgiving following a battle with anaplastic thyroid cancer, Deadline reported on Friday; seen in 2022 in L.A. The Snow White actress, 23, notably portrayed the role of Maria in the 2021 adaptation of the stage musical. Somner was also the first assistant director on the Oscar-nominated movie - which was directed by Steven Spielberg Following his passing, Spielberg also reflected on Somner's career throughout the years in a statement - and having the chance to work alongside Adam on a number of films. Somner's earliest credit as an AD on his IMDB page was Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989) - which was directed by Spielberg. The filmmaker said, 'The job title "assistant director" is insufficient to describe what Adam Somner was to me and the contribution he made to my films - just as my left arm is more than just an assistant to my right.' 'He worked as AD, and producer and he performed both of those tasks with equal measures of devotion. He loved making movies. He loved being on the set. It was his gridiron.' 'He was a cheerleader and ball carrier and at times I couldn't tell if he was following my lead or I was following his.' Steven added that Somner, 'made everyone who joined the crew feel like they were part of the family.' 'He was a uniter and when things werent going according to plan, his English working-class wit and humor, could smooth out the problem through his under-the-breath cursing, laughter, and the backup plan he always seemed to have standing by.' 'He was an icon in his field and an inspiration to anyone who wants a career in the mounting of productions - with the full recognition that it is as creative as it is organizational. Going back to work without Adam will never be the same.' Following his passing, Spielberg also reflected on Somner's career throughout the years in a statement - and having the chance to work alongside Adam on a number of films; Spielberg seen in June in NYC Scorsese also mourned Adam's passing and said in a statement, 'Adam Somner was credited as an Assistant Director and a Producer on three of my pictures, but his presence meant more to me and to the films than any credits could really even indicate.' 'Adam had a very special and very particular set of qualities - the organizational abilities and the discipline of a general on the battlefield.' 'A unique ability to work as closely with me or with any director as two dancers doing a routine or two musicians bouncing off each other; and an extraordinary artistry when it came to organizing and orchestrating movement in the frame.' Martin continued, 'Adam Somner embodied and practiced all of it. I would never have been able to make The Wolf Of Wall Street or Killers Of The Flower Moon without him, and we were in the middle of planning another project.' 'He passed away far too early, and I will miss him terribly. He loved "making pictures," as he put it. He was one of the finest collaborators I could ask for, and I know that my fellow directors would say the same.' Paul Thomas Anderson collaborated with Somner on projects such as Licorice Pizza, Phantom Thread and There Will Be Blood. While not on sets, the pair also developed a close friendship - with Anderson officiating Adam's wedding in 2011. Paul expressed, 'Adam loved making films more than anyone else ever in the history of the movie business. It was food and drink to him. He made everyone who worked with him feel safe.' 'I would never have been able to make The Wolf Of Wall Street or Killers Of The Flower Moon without him, and we were in the middle of planning another project,' Scorsese said Paul expressed, 'Adam loved making films more than anyone else ever in the history of the movie business. It was food and drink to him. He made everyone who worked with him feel safe'; Somner seen with producer Sara Murphy in 2022 in Hollywood A DGA (Director's Guild of America) scholarship will be established under Somner's name, per Deadline; seen with producer Sara Murphy in 2022 'He saw everything from all sides at once and had a back up plan to the back up plan to the back up plan. He moved mountains and trucks and people like he was moving a salt shaker across a table. It was glorious to watch him work.' The director added, 'He knew how to make a film better than anyone else. His intuition and talent was second only to how deeply funny and loving he was. Most of all and above everything, he was generous.' 'For those of us lucky enough to work with him, we know going to work will never be the same or as much fun.' Anderson expressed that he, 'would rank him in the Kobe Bryant, Mick Jagger, Winston Churchill category of Legends. And that would be under-selling it.' Somner's most recent first AD and producer credit was for the 2024 film, Blitz, which was written and directed by Steve McQueen. Before his passing, Adam had been working on an upcoming Paul Thomas Anderson film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. A DGA (Director's Guild of America) scholarship will be established under his name, per Deadline. Somner is survived by his wife, Carmen Ruiz de Huidobro, children Olivia and Bosco, and also his brother Mark Somner. Frankie Muniz revealed which Malcolm In The Middle co-star 'still checks in' with him - 18 years after the beloved Fox sitcom came to an end. The star, 38 - who recently put his acting career on hold to become a full-time NASCAR driver - opened up about topic during Tuesday's episode of the Inside Of You podcast with host Michael Rosenbaum. At one point, Muniz shared that Bryan Cranston - who portrayed his father Hal on the show - will still contact him every few weeks. 'I started working with him when I was 11, 12-years-old. He really became like a father figure to me. And then even still to this day, you know, he's essentially like a Hollywood god at this point.' Frankie added, 'You know what I mean? Like he's done incredible films, incredible shows, won tons of awards. Like he's literally It.' Despite it being nearly two decades since Malcolm In The Middle concluded, Muniz shared that Cranston, 'still reaches out to me every couple of weeks, check in on me.' Frankie Muniz, 38, revealed which Malcolm In The Middle co-star 'still checks in' with him - 18 years after the beloved Fox sitcom came to an end; seen in 2023 in Las Vegas 'He really cares about what I'm doing, comes to the races, if my band was playing, came to shows. I mean, he's such an inspiration, and like I said, that's what I strive to be that for someone else in the future.' Muniz played the character of Malcolm, the genius son of Hal (Bryan Cranston) and Lois (Jane Kaczmarek). Other cast members included Erik Per Sullivan, Christopher Masterson and Justin Tyler Berfield - who played Frankie's siblings on the series. Throughout its seven seasons on the air, the sitcom garnered critical praise - as well as a variety of award nominations, including seven Golden Globes and 33 Emmys, winning seven of the latter. 'He was the most incredible person because he showed up every day on set and gave it 100%,' Muniz recalled of working alongside the Breaking Bad actor. 'He was so nice to everybody and you never ever saw him wanting to leave...he took advantage of that opportunity and he did his best work. So I've always used that as an inspiration.' The Agent Cody Banks star has previously talked about his relationship with Bryan following the end of Malcolm In The Middle. During an appearance on Steve-O's Wild Ride! podcast in 2022, the father-of-one dished on still remaining in contact with Cranston. At one point, Muniz shared that Bryan Cranston - who portrayed his father Hal on the show - will still contact him every few weeks; seen in April in NYC Throughout its seven seasons on the air, the sitcom garnered critical praise - as well as a variety of award nominations, including seven Golden Globes and 33 Emmys, winning seven 'Bryan reaches out to me every two weeks and he has for 15 years. Like literally reaches out, "Just checking on you, hope you're well, what are you up to?" He's literally a Hollywood god and he calls me. He's the best.' 'No lie, Bryan is the greatest human being alive, as an actor, as a person,' Frankie expressed to the host. 'He would show up every single day, and you know when you do something every day you can get annoyed - never. He was so happy to be there and so great to the crew and so great to everyone.' 'So, in my head, he's like my idol. No one deserves it more. He's an incredible actor he's done so many different things.' Last year, a source told DailyMail.com that Frankie was '100 per cent ready' for a Malcolm In The Middle reunion. At the time, Cranston had also revealed that he was 'curious' to what the family would be up to years later. 'Frankie is 100 per cent ready and into any type of reunion when it comes to Malcolm,' the insider stated. 'It is such an important part of his life, so to return to it and do something fun and see everyone again would be great.' 'He shares Bryan's thoughts on wondering what they would all be doing now and has his own ideas and really hopes that it works out and they can eventually do something.' Frankie added, 'You know what I mean? Like he's done incredible films, incredible shows, won tons of awards. Like he's literally It' The source added, 'He thinks that it would be awesome to have something for the 25th anniversary. Whether it be something [like] Friends did, a movie, or a full-on reboot. If the idea is awesome it would be a no-brainer.' And during Tuesday's podcast episode, Muniz shared his thoughts on stepping back in front of the camera for a Malcolm In The Middle reunion or reboot. 'I want to see where Malcolm and his family are. I think it would be so fun, you know, 20 years later to see where everybody is. That's what I would love to do again.' Earlier this year in March, Frankie gave an update on whether a reboot could be possible while talking to PEDESTRIAN.TV. He said that, 'without giving away too much because theres nothing confirmed, but its the closest its ever been to being a reality.' 'I think itd be a lot of fun to dive into that world and see where everybody is, as adults because really, the possibilities are endless where everybody can be. Id love to explore it. And I know there are conversations happening.' Muniz further explained, 'We want to make sure its good. With an iconic show like we had, you dont want to taint it. You want to have the same impact for the people who would want to watch it.' Last year, a source told DailyMail.com that Frankie was '100 per cent ready' for a Malcolm In The Middle reunion 'I want to see where Malcolm and his family are. I think it would be so fun, you know, 20 years later to see where everybody is. That's what I would love to do again,' Frankie said And earlier this month, Frankie was notably involved in a NASCAR crash that involved multiple vehicles during a race in Phoenix. The former I'm A Celebrity star was slightly injured during the pileup, which took place during the 99th lap of the 150 lap race at the Phoenix raceway. According to Sportskeeda, the former Malcom in the Middle star's #27 Ford F-150 was involved in the crash after fellow driver Connor Mosack hit the wall on the second turn. Other drivers involved in the crash were Tyler Ankrum, Stefan Parsons, Thad Moffitt, William Salawich, Andres Perez de Lara, Spencer Boyd and Stewart Friesen. The star was seen limping toward an ambulance after the crash in a video, uploaded on X by journalist Noah Lewis. After medics gave him the all clear, the driver spoke about the disappointing end to the race. Muniz, who has signed with RBR teams to go full-time in 2025, tried to see the bright side of the experience. 'I felt like I got a good opportunity to run with some guys,' he told journalist Peter Strata in an interview posted on X,' I made a few passes, lost a few a spots on re-starts... it was good for me to figure out how to get by people... so that was really positive.' And earlier this month, Frankie was notably involved in a NASCAR crash that involved multiple vehicles during a race in Phoenix; seen earlier this month in Arizona Describing the crash, he said, 'There was no where for me to go.' 'I got hit from behind into the 42 and then the 42 got moved and the 18 was stopped and I went right into him. I don't feel there was anything I could have done there,' he explained. The Miracle in Lane 2 star said the past season wasn't what he had hoped for, but, 'this proved I can race with guys, I can pass here.' Looking forward to next season, Muniz claimed, 'we're going to be better next year and I've got the whole off-season to prepare.' Bernadette Fahey and fiance Jordan Sukkar have married in a star-studded ceremony in Sydney. The Pilates queen, 35, and her CEO partner walked down the aisle at Scots College in the upmarket suburb of Bellevue Hill. The bride stunned in a sleeveless satin gown from Steven Khalil with layered skirting and delicate lacy detailing at the bodice. She wore a free-flowing 1920s-style veil with embroidered edges that sat just off her face and flowed down her shoulders. Bernadette chose a soft makeup look for her big day including a pink lip gloss and peachy blush. She wore her blonde hair off her face, slicked back, and skipped accessories but for a number of rings. Bernadette Fahey and fiance Jordan Sukkar have married at a star-studded ceremony in Sydney. Both pictured The Pilates queen, 35, and her CEO partner walked down the aisle at Scots College It is located in the upmarket suburb of Bellevue Hill The fitness instructor completed her look with diamond earrings and a small bundle of white blooms for her bouquet. Meanwhile, Jordan, who is the CEO of a large commercial construction company, opted for a classic groom look, with black tuxedo worn with a white dress shirt and bow tie. Among the A-list guests was Dina Broadhurst who wore a see through red dress with visible black G-string. The 'nude artist' ensured all eyes ere on her in the sheer number that placed her figure on display. Also attending the nuptials was Jade Yarbrough who stunned in a chic, structured green gown. She mingled her sister Jasmine and her husband, Today show star Karl Stefanovic, who was dapper in a tux. Shoe designer Jasmine also went for green, choosing a satin emerald-toned number that stood out from the crowd Anthony Bell and new wife Annika Bell were also in tow, fresh from their own recent high end wedding. Annika was gorgeous in a blush pink gown with ruffle details throughout while Anthony went for a classic tux. The married couple shared a sweet moment as they cuddled under the bride's veil The bride stunned in a sleeveless satin gown from Steven Khalil It included layered skirting and delicate lacy detailing at the bodice The beauty wore a free-flowing 1920s-style veil It had embroidered edges that sat just off her face and flowed down her shoulders Bernadette chose a soft makeup look for her big day including a pink lip gloss and peachy blush She wore her blonde hair off her face, slicked back, and skipped accessories but for a number of rings The fitness instructor completed her look with diamond earrings Meanwhile, Jordan, who is the CEO of a large commercial construction company, opted for a classic groom look, with black tuxedo worn with a white dress shirt and bow tie She carried small bundle of white blooms for her bouquet Model Montana Cox wore a bright pink gown and looked stunning with her hair tied high and tight. Justin Hemmes and pregnant partner Madeline Holtznagel arrived late, showing up during the reception according to onlookers. Model Madeline was absolutely glowing as she showed off her baby bump for the first time since her pregnancy was announced. The beauty opted for a rust red gown that clung to her curves and had the added interest of a floral design at the shoulder. She carried a tiny black designer purse and chose a warm toned makeup look while pulling her blonde hair off her face. Madeline clung onto her billionaire pub baron boyfriend who was on trend in a black tuxedo and bowtie. Earlier in the day, Bernadette and Jordan were seen getting ready for the wedding. The lovebirds were seen unloading white shopping bags from their car, which looked to be from an upmarket bridal boutique. Along for the nuptials was Jade Yarbrough (pictured) She stunned in a chic, structured green gown The blonde carried a white purse and wore gold accessories She mingled her sister Jasmine (centre) and her husband, Today show star Karl Stefanovic Shoe designer Jasmine also went for green She went for a satin emerald-toned number that stood out from the crowd Karl (pictured) was dapper in a tuxedo with a satin stripe down the side Anthony Bell and new wife Annika Bell were also in tow, fresh from their own recent high end wedding (both pictured) Annika was gorgeous in a blush pink gown with ruffle details throughout Karl stopped to greet a friend outside the venue Jade shared a friendly moment with a fellow guest Later in the day, Bernadette was seen strolling outside 'nude artist' Dina Broadhurst's Double Bay apartment. She looked stunning in a simple yet elegant white lacy ensemble, as friends and family followed behind, in what looked like a rehearsal ceremony just hours before she ties the knot on Saturday evening. It comes after Bernadette shared footage to Instagram in August as she went shopping for her perfect wedding gown just weeks after announcing her engagement. The Bondi Pilates queen looked absolutely radiant as she tried on a variety of white wedding gowns at an upmarket bridal store in Sydney. The stunner was all smiles as she rocked her best angles in a variety of white lacy designer gowns, as she searched for the ideal dress to tie the knot in. Bernadette looked every inch the blushing bride in the heartwarming clip, as she fit into a number of exquisite designs, while she continued her search for the right one. She captioned the clip with some informative words: 'And so the hunt begins for the most important white dress I'll ever wear.' In July, Bernadette announced her engagement to long-term boyfriend Jordan. Justin Hemmes and pregnant partner Madeline Holtznagel arrived late (both pictured) They showed up during the reception according to onlookers Model Madeline was absolutely glowing as she showed off her baby bump for the first time since her pregnancy was announced The beauty opted for a rust red gown that clung to her curves and had the added interest of a floral design at the shoulder She carried a tiny black designer purse and chose a warm toned makeup look while pulling her blonde hair off her face Madeline clung onto her billionaire pub baron boyfriend who was on trend in a black tuxedo and bowtie The socialite and fitness instructor posted to Instagram to confirm her businessman partner Jordan had popped the question. Jordan, who is COO of his parents' $500m construction company Buildcorp, got down on one knee during their romantic getaway in Tinos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Bernadette confirmed their engagement by sharing a photograph of herself flashing her diamond ring as she cuddled up to Jordan. She looked stunning in a white cut-out gown as she held up her lavish gold ring for the camera, which had a large sparkling diamond encrusted in the centre. Bernadette, who owns popular Bondi Pilates studio Body By Berner, looked happier than ever as she beamed for the camera. While it is not known exactly how long the couple have been together, they went Instagram official in May. Bernadette is known for being the fitness instructor to some of Sydney's most high-powered socialites and famous faces, including Jade Yarbrough and model Madeleine Holtznagel. She stunned followers earlier this month when she revealed she celebrated her hens party by exercising, ahead of her wedding. Among the A-list guests was Dina Broadhurst (pictured) who wore a see through red dress with visible black G-string The 'nude artist' ensured all eyes ere on her in the sheer number that placed her figure on display Jade chatted to other guests outside the venue Several guests carried umbrellas to guard against the rain The weather didn't dampen the moods of the attendees at the upmarket event Jade beamed on her way into the nuptials Newly married Anthony and his new wife caught up with friends outside Justine and Madeline stayed close together with the pregnant model linking arms with her man Television host Karl was spotted wearing a pair of glasses Model Montana Cox (right) wore a bright pink gown and looked stunning with her hair tied high and tight The eye-catching dress flowed behind her Montana looked like a fairytale come to life in ruby slippers Bernadette took to Instagram with a series of images which showed her doing Pilates in a white unitard with her closest friends, following her engagement in July. One image showed the Bondi Pilates queen, who is the fitness instructor to some of Sydney's most high-powered socialites, posing in the workout studio with a white veil as she clutched a bouquet of flowers. Bernadette confirmed her engagement to Jordan by sharing a photograph of herself flashing her diamond ring as she cuddled up to her beau She looked stunning in a white cut-out gown as she held up her lavish gold ring for the camera, which had a large sparkling diamond encrusted in the centre. Bernadette, who owns popular Bondi Pilates studio Body By Berner, looked happier than ever as she beamed for the camera. While it is not known exactly how long the couple have been together, they went Instagram Official in May. Bernadette is known for being the fitness instructor to some of Sydney's most high-powered socialites and famous faces, including Jade Yarbrough and Madeleine Holtznagel. Earlier this year, Bernadette told the Daily Telegraph she sent guests 'inspiration' to guide what they wear on her big day. Earlier this year, Bernadette told the Daily Telegraph she sent guests 'inspiration' to guide what they wear on her big day Reflecting on the use of mood boards that many famous brides have been using to curate guest fashion, Bernadette claimed her wedding invitation 'isn't a mood board' However, she also told the publication that she did supply her loved ones with some specific ideas to help them 'Guests were sent some inspiration for dresses colourful gowns,' she told the publication The event has a black-tie theme and sees some of Sydney's most prominent society figures dressing up for the occasion A number of guests filed in wearing muted ensembles The bride had a hand with her long train In July, Bernadette announced her engagement to long-term boyfriend Jordan Jordan, who is COO of his parents' $500m construction company Buildcorp, got down on one knee during their romantic getaway in Tinos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea While it is not known exactly how long the couple have been together, they went Instagram official in May Reflecting on the use of mood boards that many famous brides have been using to curate guest fashion, Bernadette claimed her wedding invitation 'isn't a mood board.' However, she also told the publication that she did supply her loved ones with some specific ideas to help them. 'Guests were sent some inspiration for dresses colourful gowns,' she told the publication. The event has a black-tie theme and sees many of Sydney's most prominent society figures dressing up for the occasion. Mum-to-be Madeline Holznagel showed off her burgeoning baby bump for the first time on Saturday. It was revealed last week that Madeline, 27, is set to welcome her first child with billionaire Merivale boss Justin Hemmes, 52. The model, 27, looked radiant when she stepped out, with Justin, to the Sydney wedding of Bernadette Fahey and Jordan Sukkar. Madeline looked stunning in a figure-hugging rust red gown that finished just above her ankles. The fitted, sleeveless dress flaunted her toned arms and also showed off a hint of baby bump. It also featured a high neck and an eye-catching rose applique on the right shoulder. Mum-to-be Madeline Holznagel (pictured) showed off her burgeoning baby bump for the first time on Saturday The model, 27, looked radiant when she stepped out, with Justin Hemmes (right) to the Sydney wedding of Bernadette Fahey and Jordan Sukkar Madeline finished her stunning ensemble with a pair of strappy black heels that featured a red floral embellishment that matched her dress perfectly. Wearing her blonde locks back in a tight bun, Madeline added a pair of stunning diamond earrings. She also accessorised simply, with a $3,760 black leather Fendi bag. Justin, meanwhile was the perfect dapper accompaniment to Madeline in a classic black tuxedo and white dinner shirt. He finished his outfit with a pair of black suede shoes with a silver chain acrross the bridge of the foot. Madeline was also spotted doting on Justin, helping him into his jacket as they arrived at the venue. Like his partner, Justin also wore his hair back for the occasion, while also sporting a shock of stubble. The couple arrived late to the wedding showing up during the reception, according to onlookers. Madeline looked stunning in a figure-hugging rust red gown that finished just above her ankles The sleeveless dress flaunted her toned arms and also showed off a hint of baby bump. It also featured a high neck and an eye-catching rose applique on the right shoulder Madeline finished her stunning ensemble with a pair of strappy black heels that featured a red floral embellishment that matched her dress perfectly The loved duo looked chuffed to be in each other's company for the romantic occasion. As they walked into the event, Justin held Madeline's hand sweetly, before throwing his arm around her shapely waist. A source confirmed the exciting news of Madeline's pregnancy to Daily Mail Australia last week and revealed a friend of Justin's recently moved out of his Vaucluse mansion to make room for their growing family. Madeline is the younger sister of fellow Aussie model Simone Holtznagel, who welcomed her first child, a daughter called Gia, in March with her now-ex-boyfriend Jono Castano. Justin and Madeline were most recently seen earlier this month, when they arrived back in Sydney after enjoying a weekend away with Justin's two daughters. Madeline wore an oversized T-shirt as she strolled through Sydney Airport's private jet terminal with a huge smile on her face, just 12 days before their baby news was made public. Justin and Madeline quietly began seeing each other in 2019, a year after his debut on the Financial Review Rich List with an estimated net worth of $951million - which has since risen to $1.39billion. Though they generally keep their romance under wraps, the couple are often seen disembarking from his sea plane after enjoying luxurious family holidays with his two daughters. Wearing her blonde locks back in a tight bun, Madeline accessorised simply, with a pair of stunning diamond earrings She also carried a $3,760 black leather Fendi bag Justin, meanwhile was the perfect dapper accompaniment to Madeline in a classic black tuxedo and white dinner shirt Like his partner, Justin also wore his hair back for the occasion, while also sporting a shock of stubble Madeline was also spotted doting on Justin, helping him into his jacket as they arrived at the venue In August, Madeline also made a rare public post about Justin as she took to Instagram to mark his 52nd birthday. She shared a series of romantic selfies of them both and gushed over her partner in the caption. In one picture, Madeline flashed a huge smile as she sat on Justin's lap while he lovingly gazed at her. Another showed the pair cuddling up to one another as they relaxed on a yacht. 'Happy birthday my love,' she wrote in a caption along with rose emoji. Earlier this year, Madeleine celebrated her 27th birthday party with a lavish bash at Justin's sprawling Vaucluse estate. Following the festivities, she revealed that her doting partner had bought her two llamas as a sign of his love. The couple have gone from strength-to-strength since going public in 2019 and even sparked engagement rumours last June. Eagle-eyed fans noticed Madeline was wearing a ring on her wedding finger as they questioned whether Justin had popped the question. A picture showed her sporting the jewellery as she cuddled up to Justin while enjoying a bowl of Udon noodles together at a restaurant in Japan. But the bling appeared to be an emerald and diamond promise ring, and another photograph showed her wearing a different ring on the same finger as she posed for a selfie. Justin was previously in a relationship with Kate Fowler and the pair remain on good terms, often jetting off on holidays together with their daughters Alexa and Saachi. Ella Rae Wise and Dan Edgar packed on the PDA as they joined the rest of the TOWIE cast to film the Christmas special episode on Friday. The ITV special is set to air a 90-minute episode filled with drama and twists before Christmas Day. And looking stylish for their outing, Ex On The Beach star Ella, 24, wrapped up in a white fur coat, while Dan, 34, opted for a grey knitted jumper and joggers. The pair appeared in high spirits as they were spotted getting cozy and couldn't keep their hands off of each other, despite reports they have secretly split up after 'weeks of fake dating' on the show. The couple have been dating after getting back together in the latest season, yet it has been suggested their romance is being faked for the cameras. Earlier in the day, the duo was seen arriving separately at Peterborough's Holmewood Hall, with Freddie Bentley, James Bennewith, Jodie Wells, Sammy Root, Roman Hackett, and Amber Turner among those joining them. Ella Rae Wise and Dan Edgar packed on the PDA as they joined the rest of the TOWIE cast to film the Christmas special episode on Friday Ex On The Beach star Ella, 24, wrapped up in a white fur coat, while Dan, 34, opted for a grey knitted jumper and joggers The pair appeared in high spirits as they were spotted getting cozy and couldn't keep their hands off of each other Elma Pazar, Courtney Green, Jordan Brook, Sophie Kasaei, Danni Imbert, and Harry Derbidge were also at the filming location. Sophie, 35, and her boyfriend Jordan, 29, looked happier than ever as they arrived hand-in-hand. The former Geordie Shore star chose an all-white ensemble, featuring a crop top, joggers, and a cosy fur coat. Meanwhile, Jordan kept it casual in a grey tracksuit, paired with a long black puffer coat and a black cap. Amber, 31, turned heads in an oversized burgundy jumper dress, which she paired with black stockings and matching burgundy knee-high boots. She accessorised with Van Cleef earrings and carried her essentials in a burgundy purse as she posed alongside Harry, 31, who wore a black puffer jacket and black jeans. James, 31, sported a casual look with grey jeans and a white and grey fleece, while his girlfriend Jodie opted for an all-grey ensemble, completed with brown furry boots. Elsewhere Saffron, 31, put on a glamorous display in a statement red ball gown featuring tulle panel detailing. Earlier in the day, the duo was seen arriving separately at Peterborough's Holmewood Hall, with Freddie Bentley, James Bennewith , Jodie Wells, Sammy Root, Roman Hackett , and Amber Turner among those joining them (pictured Dan) Ella seen arriving at the filming spot Sophie and her boyfriend Jordan looked happier than ever Amber, 31, turned heads in an oversized burgundy jumper dress, which she paired with black stockings and matching burgundy knee-high boots She accessorised with Van Cleef earrings and carried her essentials in a burgundy purse as she posed alongside Harry, 31, who wore a black puffer jacket and black jeans Harry cut an edgy figure as he flashed his Nike underwear James, 31, sported a casual look with grey jeans and a white and grey fleece, while his girlfriend Jodie opted for an all-grey ensemble, completed with brown furry boots Saffron, 31, put on a glamorous display in a statement red ball gown featuring tulle panel detailing Roman, 21, kept warm in a grey puffer jacket and joggers as he pulled his suitcase and sipped a glass of champagne Meanwhile, Elma, 31, and Courtney, 29, appeared in good spirits as they arrived holding hands Roman, 21, kept warm in a grey puffer jacket and joggers as he pulled his suitcase and sipped a glass of champagne. Meanwhile, Elma, 31, and Courtney, 29, appeared in good spirits as they arrived holding hands. Elma wore leopard print trousers and a brown fur jacket, while Courtney was dressed in wide-leg blue jeans, a white tank top, and a long black teddy bear coat. It comes after Ella and Dan were reported to have secretly split up after 'weeks of fake dating' on the show. The pair, who first split up in May, have been enjoying a string of dates on the show after getting back together in the latest season. But it has been reported the pair have been 'faking their romance on TV' and secretly split a while ago. Now Ella has allegedly grown closer and moved on to a millionaire's son, 21-year-old Teddy Brunt. Courtney was dressed in wide-leg blue jeans, a white tank top, and a long black teddy bear coat Elma posed next to Dani, 26, as the pair appeared in great spirits Dani opted for a white fur jacket and a festive headband James appeared to be in great spirits as he poked his head out of the window A source told The Sun: 'She might be dating Dan on-screen but off-screen Ella has moved and shes secretly dating a very rich 21-year-old called Teddy Brunt. She has been in Dubai with him - shes staying in his apartment out there. 'He is only 21 but runs his own business and is well known in the Essex circles - and his dads a millionaire.' MailOnline have contacted Dan and Ella's representatives for a comment. While Ella is keeping her new romance under wraps, she has given hints by sharing a picture of a teddy bear made out of 1500 red roses from a special someone. In a previous TOWIE episode, Dan confided in best pal James, aka Diags, about his relationship with Ella. Ella and Dan have secretly split up after 'weeks of fake dating' on the show He said: 'It's not that I don't feel like I could ever get to that place, I don't know if I could or couldn't. 'I just know right now at this moment, I'm not at a place where I'm thinking of this as long term thing and when I do think of it as a long term thing, I start to then close off and go back because of other previous situations. 'That's messed me up as well with it.' Diags replied: 'Then you've gotta tell her that. Say "listen, I can't give you any more assurances in the fact that I don't know where this is going".' Dan said: 'Do you know what's mad about it? 'She's someone who I, well you know full well, wouldn't even have thought I'd never talk to again in my life to someone who I hold highly in my head. But it has been reported the pair have been 'faking their romance on TV' and secretly split a while ago While Ella is keeping her new romance under wraps, she has given hints by sharing a picture of a teddy bear made out of 1500 red roses from a special someone 'Do you know what I mean, as a person, I like her a lot but there is other stuff that needs to be spoke about, and I feel like before everyone gets carried away with it and before either of us get carried away, we need to have an honest chat about how we both feel.' The Sun recently confirmed Dan and Ella had gone their separate ways while he takes part in Dancing On Ice. An insider told the publication: 'Dan is set to focus on Dancing On Ice, whilst Ella has jetted off to Dubai for a month before filming starts for the Towie Christmas special. 'There isnt any bad blood between the pair and it was fun while it lasted, but a long term relationship was sadly not on the cards.' Former AFL star Dale 'Daisy' Thomas has admitted that he was 'disappointed' at missing out on a Triple M hosting gig. Following fellow Triple M presenter Marty Sheargold's exit from the Melbourne breakfast shift back in July, Daisy took over the gig alongside Wil Anderson and Rosie Walton. It was reported that the trio was put together with a week's notice in the wake of Marty's unexpected departure. And Daisy and Wil's temporary breakfast run has come to an end with Mick Molloy, Titus O'Reily and Nick Riewoldt taking over the shift along with Rosie. Taking to Instagram this week, Daisy revealed that he was 'disappointed' at not being afforded the opportunity to continue his tenure. He shared a photo that showed the former Collingwood star in the studio with Wil and Rosie. Former AFL star Dale 'Daisy' Thomas (pictured) has admitted that he was 'disappointed' at missing out on a Triple M hosting gig Commenting on the image, he was quick to thank his radio colleagues and listeners. 'Well thats that. I couldnt be prouder of what we built after being thrown together in a week and thrust into the magical world that is breakfast radio,' he wrote. 'Im not too proud to say that I was disappointed to not get the nod to continue next year, but that is just all part of it and like you all, Ill be tuning into Mick In The Mornings from Jan 20.' Daisy also offered a heartfelt thanks to everyone 'behind the scenes.' 'To every body behind the scenes, this show isnt what it was without you, but in particular, Jay thank you for taking a chance on us and supporting us right to the end,' he wrote. 'Tegan the super producer for locking in amazing guest, providing endless information on guests & topics, for your spelling mistakes and your baked goods youre a star!' After expansive thank yous to Wil and Rosie, Daisy signed off with a thank you to Triple m and the listeners. 'Lastly to the Triple M family, to everyone who contributed to the show by calling up and sharing your favourite way to eat spuds, or playing parcel parcel, leaving some kinds words or stopping for a chat at the pub, this station is as fun and honest as it is because of you guys' he said. Following fellow Triple M presenter Marty Sheargold's exit from the Melbourne breakfast shift back in July, Daisy took over the gig alongside Wil Anderson and Rosie Walton 'Im not too proud to say that I was disappointed to not get the nod to continue next year, but that is just all part of it and like you all, Ill be tuning into Mick In The Mornings from Jan 20' he said Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) revealed earlier this month that a panel of four 'all-stars' will co-host the breakfast radio slot next year. Mick Molloy will be headline the program alongside Nick Riewoldt, Titus O'Reily and returning host Rosie Walton with the show named Mick in the Morning with Roo, Titus & Rosie. 'I'm excited to be back behind the mic in my hometown, talking about all things Melbourne, with some of my favourite people every morning,' Molloy said in a statement. 'There's a fair chance that the Tigers may come up from time to time; what could possibly go wrong?' Riewoldt added: 'After two rewarding years in Houston, Texas with Cath's family, I'm excited to be returning home to Melbourne joining Mick and the Triple M Breakfast team back where it all started for me on radio. 'Triple M is a vibrant part of Melbourne's heartbeat, celebrating the city's spirit, its music, and its people. To be bringing the sounds and stories of Melbourne to life every day through our listeners is a privilege I don't take for granted.' The new group of co-hosts is set to shake up the currently radio market in Melbourne as the Kyle & Jackie O show's ratings continue their slow burn. Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson's move to Melbourne is still struggling to crack the top slot, unlike their stellar ratings in Sydney. The radio duo hold just 5.2 per cent share while attracting 420,000 listeners each week in the Victorian capital, according to the last GfK Radio Ratings from October. Montana Brown has revealed she was taken to hospital after being struck down with 'the worst tummy bug'. The Love Island star, 29, who is expecting her second child with fiance Mark O'Connor, took to Instagram on Saturday to give fans a health update after feeling extremely unwell for the past week. Alongside an image of her in hospital, as well as several of her snuggling up to 17-month-old son Jude, 17, Montana told how she's on the mend now and is gutted to have missed out on several recent events. The reality star also expressed her relief that her little boy wasn't struck down with the same illness, as she credited his hugs and kisses for helping her get through her tough time. She penned: 'A compilation of my week having the worst tummy bug, ending in a lovely trip to triage as I was so dehydrated. 'Had so many gorgeous plans this week so gutted to have missed it all BUT on the mend. Thank god for my little angel boy being so good with me and giving me all the hugs & kisses thank goodness he didnt get it! Montana Brown has revealed she was taken to hospital after being struck down with 'the worst tummy bug' The Love Island star, 29, who is expecting her second child with fiance Mark O'Connor , took to Instagram on Saturday to give fans a health update after feeling extremely unwell for the past week 'This is all the content I have for this week alongside me next to toilet bowls, thanks for all the recommendations too my lovely people xx.' Montana's fans were quick to offer their well wishes in the comments as they told how they were pleased to hear she's on the mend. Her post comes days after she showed off her blossoming baby bump in a series of vacation snaps. Montana displayed her growing bump in a stylish green bikini which consisted of a triangle bikini top and a pair of tie-side bikini bottoms. Cradling her bump, the TV star further accessorised her pool-side look with a pair of cool shades. The mother-of-one captioned the gorgeous snaps with: 'Not long Babygirl (heart emoji)' Montana announced she was pregnant with her second child in July and took to her Instagram to share the happy news with her 1.1 million followers. She displayed her tummy in a chic knit dress and cradled her stomach as she smiled for the camera in the clip. Alongside an image of her in hospital, as well as several of her snuggling up to 17-month-old son Jude, 17, Montana told how she's on the mend now and is gutted to have missed out on several recent events The reality star also expressed her relief that her little boy wasn't struck down with the same illness, as she credited his hugs and kisses for helping her get through her tough time She penned: 'A compilation of my week having the worst tummy bug, ending in a lovely trip to triage as I was so dehydrated' Confirming that she is expecting again with her rugby player fiance Mark, Montana wrote: 'Two under two let's go!' Montana and Mark welcomed their first child, a son named Jude, in June last year and announced they were expecting again just 13 months later. The couple travelled to Santorini after they enjoyed a week-long holiday with their son Jude in Montenegro and shared updates from their sun-soaked trip. The reality personality was flooded with congratulatory messages from her famous friends and Instagram followers. Her post comes days after she showed off her blossoming baby bump in a series of vacation snaps Montana displayed her growing bump in a stylish green bikini which consisted of a triangle bikini top and a pair of tie-side bikini bottoms Montana announced she was pregnant with her second child in July and took to her Instagram to share the happy news with her 1.1 million followers Gabby Allen, who appeared on her series of Love Island, wrote: 'Omgggg.' While fellow Love Island alum, Tasha Ghouri said: 'Ahh!! Congratulations!' Food influencer Emily English posted a series of clapping hands while Tiffany Watson and Natalya Wright both said 'congratulations'. Other stars who shared their support included Vicky Pattison, Danielle Lloyd, Grace Beverley, Kendall Rae Knight and Elle Brown. Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori caused quite a stir when they arrived at a mall in Tokyo for a night out. The rapper, 47, who reportedly wants renew his vows in an 'almost nude ceremony,' stepped out in a white hoodie and pants with black shoes. The Gold Digger artist pulled the hood up over his head as he rode the escalator up toward the Toho Cinemas. Censori, 29, donned another of her trademark unitards. This time she wore a sheer white body suit with white pumps. Her dark hair was pulled back into a sleek bun and she wore dark sunglasses. Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori caused quite a stir when they arrived at a mall in Tokyo for a night out on Saturday. The rapper, 47, stepped out in a white hoodie and pants with black shoes The couple have been in Japanese capitol for several months and is likely to remain there or somewhere else abroad for several months after being sued by a former employee. Influencer and former OnlyFans star Lauren Pisciotta sued West for allegedly raping, sexually harassing, and stalking her while she worked for him in 2021-22. She and her attorney filed their lawsuit in June, just after West left the US. A recent document accuses the West of evading being served, and asked the court to allow the case to proceed anyway. In her lawsuit, Pisciotta detailed West's alleged sexual obsessions, which included a fetish for also wanting to sleep with his targets' mothers - including his wife Bianca Censori's mother. The filing alleges West sent Pisciotta a copy of a text he had sent to Censori on September 28, 2022, which read 'i wanna f**k your mum. Before she leaves,' and then added a message to Pisciotta asking 'Should I add I meant I want you to watch me f**k your mom'. Another time, he allegedly texted Pisciotta on September 13, 2022, about an 'A-list fashion model' he was 'determined' to have sex with, and requested she model for his sunglasses campaign. 'Is [young A-list fashion model] better for me than [different A-list fashion model]? How do I tell her I need to f**k her mom baaad'. On June 14, 2022, he allegedly texted her about a sexual encounter with a model. Censori, 29, donned another of her trademark unitards. This time she wore a sheer white body suit with white pumps. Her dark hair was pulled back into a sleek bun and she wore dark sunglasses The Gold Digger artist has been in Japan for several months as he reportedly tries to avoid being served on numerous lawsuits filed against him, including one from an employee claiming rape, sexual harassment, and stalking her while she worked for him in 2021-22 Influencer and former OnlyFans star Lauren Pisciotta has asked the court to allow her case against West to proceed as the rapper has been out of the country since just before she filed her lawsuit in June (Pictured in Los Angeles in May) Several other former employees have filed suit against West, alleging a hostile workplace. The most recent comes from a former 'enforcer' who claimed in October that West threatened to kill him (Pictured in Inglewood, CA in March) 'I feel like you could be a spectator... I just feel like she needs an audience. A beautiful audience lol,' he allegedly wrote in a text, the lawsuit claimed. The lawsuit delves into his infamous sex parties and the full horror of his neo-Nazi views that included hate-filled rants and forcing staff to draw swastikas. She also claimed West promised to pay her a $4 million a year salary, bragged about it to Jay-Z, then wrongfully fired her and reneged on a $3 million severance payout. West denied the claims, calling them 'baseless' and accused her of 'blackmail and extortion,' but has yet to file a defense. The Stronger rapper faces several other lawsuits including a former employee who filed a suit in October. The anonymous employee who said he worked an an 'enforcer' for the rapper alleged West rapper threatened to kill him got other 'enforcers' to send threatening messages to him as 'he spiraled into conspiracy theories and erratic, reckless and dangerous behavior.' John Doe, a former military member, said 'The stress and trauma caused by the threats, hostile work environment, and Plaintiffs exposure to illegal and unethical activities severely impacted his mental and emotional well-being.' The veteran alleged he was hired to investigate ex-wife Kim Kardashian's family and to secretly follow Censori when she was in Australia visiting her family. Several other employees have also filed suit claiming a hostile workplace. The BBC announced on Saturday that Carlos Gu will no longer be participating in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special this year as he has sustained an ankle injury. Earlier this month, it was revealed that the professional dancer, 31, would be dancing with contestant Vogue Williams, 39. However, he has had no choice but to pull out from the show and fellow professional dancer Gorka Marquez will reportedly be stepping in as his replacement. A spokesperson for the BBC show said: 'Unfortunately, professional dancer, Carlos Gu, has sustained an ankle injury so is unable to participate in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special alongside contestant Vogue Williams.' They added: 'Fellow professional dancer, Gorka Marquez will be stepping in for him and dancing with Vogue. We all wish him a speedy recovery.' It comes after the full line-up for the Strictly Christmas special was revealed last week with Billy Monger completing the star-studded group. The BBC announced on Saturday that Carlos Gu will no longer be participating in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special this year as he has sustained an ankle injury Earlier this month, it was revealed that the professional dancer, 31, would be dancing with contestant Vogue Williams, 39 He will be paired with Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova. Billy is a racing driver and TV presenter and has scored podiums in British Formula 3 and followed in Lewis Hamilton's footsteps by winning the Pau Grand Prix in European Formula 3. He was critically injured in a high-speed collision while racing in Formula 4 which left him with both legs amputated. Despite this, Billy refused to give up on his racing career, lobbying to allow both disabled and non-disabled drivers to race alongside each other. Billy Monger said: 'I've spent the last 12 months training 20 hours a week for an Ironman world record attempt, but the thought of donning sequins in front of Craig Revel Horwood fills me with a fear I've never experienced before.' 'This is about as far from my comfort zone as it can get! My family are big Strictly fans, so I'm doing it for them and to raise awareness for what I'm doing for Comic Relief next year.' 'I'm just hoping my leg doesn't fall off mid-dance!' In the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, each of the six couples will perform a festive fuelled routine in the hope of impressing the judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley Ballas, and the voting studio audience. However, he has had no choice but to pull out from the show and fellow professional dancer Gorka Marquez will reportedly be stepping in as his replacement The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special will air on Christmas Day on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The news of Carlos pulling out of the show comes after he broke his silence on his fallout with his co-star Nancy Xu. The professional dancers, who both grew up in China, have been close since childhood but were refusing to speak and unfollowed each other on social media. It was claimed that tensions sparked between the formerly close pals when Carlos was left disappointed after he didn't get paired with a celebrity in this series. Speaking to The Daily Mail's Richard Eden earlier this month, for the first time after their row, Carlos insisted the pair 'are fine.' He said: 'We're fine. We've been friends since childhood, and friends argue, we're too close and are like brother and sister to completely fall out.' It comes after the full line-up for the Strictly Christmas special was revealed last week with Billy Monger completing the star-studded group An insider told The Sun earlier this month: 'The feud between Nancy and Carlos is really sad and has left everyone really shocked.' 'They've been close since childhood, but have fallen out and unfollowed each other on socials.' Meanwhile, a separate source told MailOnline: 'Both Carols and Nancy are extremely cordial and always incredibly professional on Strictly premises.' MailOnline has contacted the dancer's representative and the BBC for comment. Salma Hayek enjoyed a little bargain hunting as she attended the Black Friday sales in Los Angeles. The actress, 58, who has focused on the importance of women supporting each other, looked festive but casual in a dark red sweater over a black blouse with straight leg black jeans. The Oscar nominee styled her dark locks straight, and her makeup looked natural. The Eternals star tried to stay somewhat incognito by wearing a large black fedora. Hayek was spotted talking to a young woman at the mall in the Century City area while enjoying a smoke as an assistant patiently held her shopping bag. Despite her fame and beauty, the Without Blood star has revealed she feels 'pressure' to make her own money, in spite of being married to billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault. Salma Hayek enjoyed a little bargain hunting as she attended the Black Friday sales in Los Angeles. The actress, 58, looked festive but casual in a dark red sweater over a black blouse with wide leg black jeans In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the Mexican-born star revealed that she and her husband of 15 years keep their money separate. She also shared that there was no pre-nuptial agreement before their 2009 wedding. 'I support a lot of the aspects of my life and myself,' she stated. 'I have the pressure to make a certain amount of money, and I like it. And now, I decided, I want to make more.' Part of those efforts was her work as an executive producer on the HBO series Like Water For Chocolate through her Ventanarosa Productions. The show is a reimagining of Laura Esquivel's classic novel. Like Water for Chocolate is a true jewel of Latin American literature and film,' Hayek told Variety. 'I wanted to find a new place and way to tell this story, so that a new generation can discover it and the people who already have a relationship with the story can rediscover it in a new format.' The Oscar nominee was spotted talking to a young woman at the mall in the Century City area while enjoying a smoke as an assistant patiently held her shopping bag The actress revealed she feels 'pressure' to make her own money, in spite of being married to billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault. 'I support a lot of the aspects of my life and myself... and I like it,' she told the Wall Street Journal (Pictured in New York City in October) Hayek is offended by accusations she married husband Francois-Henri Pinault for his money. 'Think what you want,' she told Dax Shepherd on the Armchair Expert podcast, '15 years together, and we are strong in love' (Pictured in Paris in September) The series was launched November 3 on HBO/MAX. The hard working actress said she was offended by accusations she married her husband for his money. 'You know when I married him, everybody said, "Oh, it's an arranged marriage, she married him for the money.' she told Dax Shepherd on his Armchair Expert podcast in February 2021. 'I'm like, "Yeah, whatever, b****,"' adding, 'Think what you want,' she added, '15 years together, and we are strong in love.' The couple share one child, daughter Valentina, 17. Monica Bellucci turned heads as she and her partner Tim Burton graced the red carpet at the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival in Marrakech, Morocco on Saturday. The Italian actress, 60, who attended a tribute ceremony for Sean Penn, 64, looked incredible as she cut a glamorous figure in a red crochet embellished jumpsuit. The stylish ensemble boasted a scoop neckline, a crochet detailing at the upper bust, and a crochet ladder detailing at the trouser legs. Monica teamed a matching red shawl with her jumpsuit and toted her essentials in a silver clutch bag. To complete her look, the actress further accessorised with a silver diamond bracelet, a diamond necklace, and wore a flawless palette of makeup. Meanwhile, her partner Tim, 66, looked incredibly dapper in a three-piece black suit consisting of a black single-breasted blazer, a checked black shirt, and tailored trousers. Monica Bellucci, 60, turned heads in a red crochet embellished jumpsuit as she attended the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival in Marrakech, Morocco on Saturday She was also joined on the red carpet by her partner Tim Burton, 66, as they attended a ceremony to honour acting legend Sean Penn He teamed a pair of suede loafers with his ensemble as he and Monica posed up a storm on the red carpet. The Marrakech International Film Festival honoured Sean with a tribute event that included a screening of Gus Van Sant's drama film Milk. Andrew Garfield also flashed a glimpse of a smile as he graced the red carpet ahead of the tribute ceremony. The Amazing Spider-Man actor, 41, looked incredibly dapper in a black tuxedo consisting of a ribbed single-breasted blazer. He teamed the blazer with a crisp black shirt, a matching bow tie, a satin cummerbund, and tailored trousers. The star further accessorised with a gold wristwatch as he posed up a storm on the red carpet ahead of the event. Monica's red carpet appearance comes after she and her partner Tim attended the Film Festival's opening ceremony on Friday. She looked nothing short of sensational as she cut a glamorous figure in a chic black cape dress which hugged her curvaceous figure. Monica's stylish ensemble boasted a scoop neckline and a stunning crochet detailing at the upper bust To complete her look, the actress further accessorised with a silver diamond bracelet, a diamond necklace, and wore a flawless palette of makeup Meanwhile, her partner Tim looked incredibly dapper in a three-piece black suit consisting of a black single-breasted blazer, a checked black shirt, and tailored trousers Andrew Garfield, 41, also flashed a glimpse of a smile as he graced the red carpet ahead of the tribute ceremony The Amazing Spider-Man actor looked incredibly dapper in a black tuxedo consisting of a ribbed single-breasted blazer and a satin black shirt The stylish ensemble boasted a ruched detailing at the bust and a velvet cape which featured a cream textured lining and slits at the sides. Monica added inches to her frame with a pair of black open-toe platform heels and toted her essentials in a mini black handbag with a diamond embellishment. Meanwhile, her partner Tim cut a dapper figure in a three-piece suit consisting of a black single-breasted blazer, a black-and-white polka dot shirt, and tailored trousers. He teamed a pair of smart black shoes with his ensemble as he and Monica posed up a storm on the red carpet. Since its historic launch in September 2001, the Marrakech International Film Festival has brought together some of the biggest names in world cinema, confirming Morocco as a prime destination for major foreign productions. And the festival opened on Friday with The Order a thriller starring Jude Law that chronicles an FBI manhunt for the leader of a white supremacist group. James Argent has revealed he's already moving in with his new girlfriend Nicoline Artursson, just months after meeting her outside a supermarket. The TOWIE star, 36, previously battled drink and drug abuse but after attending rehabilitation, which involved a gastric band operation, and shedding 14 stone, he has turned his life around. The star is also so smitten with his model girlfriend that he's even ready to settle down and have children. Speaking to OK! Magazine in their first joint interview, James and Nicoline, 31, revealed that it was love at first sight for the pair after they bumped into each other outside a Spanish supermarket. And since that fateful meeting, Nicoline moved to the UK and has now moved into Arg's Essex home. Describing the moment they met, James revealed he thought Nicoline was out of his league but decided he had nothing to lose. James Argent, 36, has revealed he's already moving in with his new girlfriend Nicoline Artursson, 31, just months after meeting her outside a supermarket The star revealed that just months after their fateful meeting, they're so smitten that they're already planning to start a family He said: 'I was walking to my gig at Elliott Wright's restaurant in Marbella. 'All of a sudden I see this woman coming towards me. I was like, 'Wow, she's beautiful.' She was just in her gym clothes, wearing no make-up. She'd actually just fed a stray cat.' And after summoning up the courage, James asked her out. Nicole described James as a handsome man with a big smile, before adding that he makes her laugh, and it was these traits that helped cement their relationship. James and Nicoline went on their first date a week later, where James explained about his past addiction issues and his weight loss, and the couple were so engrossed in one another that they forgot to order anything to eat. Despite James's confession about his seven-year drug addiction which saw him go through a near-fatal overdose, a hospitalisation and a stint on rehab, the model was unfazed. He explained: 'I've been through a lot over the years. I've been to rehab, I've had to get help. I also had to explain that I used to be morbidly obese, I was a big guy and I've lost a lot of weight. I've had an operation which has helped with my portion control. I have to eat little and often. 'It was probably quite a lot to take in, but she was really cool. She was fine about everything. Being open and honest and putting your cards on the table from the start is so important.' James explained they would both 'love to have a family one day, absolutely.' while Nicoline added that one her favourite things about James is 'hes very family-oriented' And Nicoline echoed James adding that the pair had decided to be completely open with each other from the start. And now, several months later, the pair seem more loved up than ever and during the interview, the blonde beauty who previously modelled for Abercrombie & Fitch pointed out her Christmas stocking on the fireplace in the reality star's living room. James explained they would both 'love to have a family one day, absolutely.' while Nicoline added that one her favourite things about James is 'hes very family-oriented'. James said: 'Were both at the right stage in our lives. Weve both lived a life, weve both had experiences with previous partners, but now its a really good time to be sure of who you are with.' But for the moment they seem to be enjoying each other's company. In September, James packed on the PDA with his Nicoline as the couple were spotted snogging in St Tropez. The former TOWIE star seemed besotted with his former Miss Sweden love as the pair enjoyed a dip in the sea. James said: 'Were both at the right stage in our lives. Weve both lived a life, weve both had experiences with previous partners' James showed off his toned physique as he went shirtless and wore a pair of blue patterned shorts. James whisked his new girlfriend away for a lavish long weekend at Indie Beach at Plague de Pampelonne, The Sun revealed. Nicoline, 31, won the Miss World Sweden beauty pageant in 2011 and modelled for Abercrombie & Fitch. She was also asked to take part in the French version The Bachelorette but declined to focus on her studies. It is James's first relationship since splitting from his ex Stella Turian last November and the star previously opened up about feeling he would never find someone. In March, Arg told the My Dirty Laundry podcast that he really struggled on Valentine's day because of his single status - and had to stay off social media because it got him down so much. Having tackled his demons, staying sober for two years and losing 15 stone in weight, James said: 'I'm in a really good place. Everything in my life is perfect, apart from my love life. It would be nice if that would change. 'I'll be completely honest, this year I really struggled on Valentine's Day. I remember, I woke up and thought, I am not going to look at social media. 'It's not that I'm heartbroken or upset, but just because I knew it's not going to make me feel great because I didn't have a Valentine, I don't have a girlfriend. James broke up with Stella Turian in November after a year-long romance and said 'It's not that I'm heartbroken or upset, but just because I knew social media was not going to make me feel great because I didn't have a Valentine, I don't have a girlfriend. 'But, I couldn't help it. There was times where I'd just have a little glance and all you would see was couples. Everyone's madly in love. Everyone's happy. 'Everyone's out on dates. There's flowers, there's balloons, there's chocolates, there's date nights or trips or happily married couples - and yeah, it did start to affect me a little bit.' James also admitted to OK! magazine that following the breakdown of his last relationship he lost his confidence. He explained he was worried he wouldn't meet anyone new or have the chance to settle down but he revealed that's all changed now. He added that Nicoline is his biggest supporter and knew it was love when she said she liked his singing. And Nicoline has slotted into the reality star's life with ease with James exposing her to a proper Essex night out and even a Sunday roast which the model says is her new favourite food. The beauty has also been welcomed with open arms into the TOWIE family, meeting many of James's friends, including Mark Wright and Joey Essex. Dianne Buswell fought back tears on Saturday evening as she paid tribute to her dance partner Chris McCausland during Musicals Week. The professional dancer, 35, and the comedian, 47, who is blind due to retinitis pigmentosa, blew viewers away with their Quickstep performance which featured other professional dancers joining them on stage. The routine saw them dressed in nautical outfits and the backup dancers skipped and hopped around them as they commanded the stage. The duo received some sharp criticism from the judges for their performance to the sound of Youre The Top from Anything Goes and walked away with a combined score of 32. After their performance, Dianne and her partner Chris spoke with Claudia Winkleman, 52, backstage and Dianne looked close to tears as she discussed how much Chris has grown throughout the show so far. Claudia asked Chris: 'How did you find it? And did you welcome the extra dancers?' Dianne Buswell fought back tears on Saturday evening as she paid tribute to her dance partner Chris McCausland during Musicals Week The professional dancer, 35, and the comedian, 47, who is blind due to retinitis pigmentosa, blew viewers away with their Quickstep performance He responded with: 'It feels good to dance. It's joyful, you know? That was really fun. It's been a good week doing it all.' He added: 'Having the extra dancers, it's... I can't see them around me, but it's the idea of what it is around me. Especially because it feels like you're bringing a proper show.' Turning to his dance partner, Claudia asked: 'Diane, you say he blew your mind this week?' She began: 'He did. You've just seen what he did there. I am so grateful for (the judge's) constructive criticism -' as Chris interrupted to joke: 'I'm not!' Dianne looked emotional as she continued to praise the star, saying: 'But you mustn't forget, for 20 odd years, Chris's safe space has been down here (looking at the floor).' 'So for him to stand up and, it makes me quite emotional, because it is a big thing that we've overcome. And you've done so well!' Viewers were touched by the exchange and took to X, formerly Twitter, to comment on Dianne's tearful comments. One remarked: 'Dianne has made me emotional taking about how much chris has improved in the competition you can tell they have the best friendship and love seeing it on the dance floor each week.' The routine saw them dressed in nautical outfits as backup dancers skipped and hopped around them as they commanded the stage The duo received some sharp criticism from the judges for their performance to the sound of Youre The Top from Anything Goes and walked away with a combined score of 32 After their performance, Dianne looked close to tears as she discussed how much Chris has grown throughout the show so far While another wrote: 'Well, Chris and Dianne, that was amazing!!! #Strictly.' However, some fans were fuming that the judges gave Chris and Dianne a low score compared to the other contestants. One wrote: 'Stop judging Chris on the same level as those who can see. He is INCREDIBLE and Dianne is a genius. That was a bloody 40 #strictly.' Strictly returned to screens with its hotly-anticipated Musicals Week delighting viewers with a West End-themed night that tested contestants' theatre skills. On Saturday evening, professional dancers opened up the instalment with an incredible dance routine to Little Shop Of Horrors. As six couples remained in the gruelling dance competition, fans can't wait to find out who will be lifting the glitterball trophy. The celebrities and their professional dance partners performed routines inspired by theatre classics such as Six, West Side Story and Wicked. Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola sent fans into a frenzy paying homage to the beloved musical Wicked, dancing a Charleston routine to Popular. Montell Douglas and her pro partner Johannes Radebe performed an incredible Rumba to I'm Here from The Colour Purple, while Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec embodied SIX with a sultry Argentine Tango to Ex-Wives. Elsewhere JB Gill and pro Lauren Oakley took to a Viennese Waltz to Let's Go Fly A Kite from the iconic Mary Poppins. Showing off their skills, Pete Wicks and Jowita Przysta performed a Waltz to Somewhere from West Side Story. Strictly Come Dancing Week 11: The Leaderboard 1. JB Gill and Lauren Oakley - 39 2. Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola - 38 3. Tasha Ghorui and Aljaz Skorjanec - 38 4. Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe - 32 5. Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell - 32 6. Pete Wicks and Jowita Przysta - 26 Advertisement Strictly Come Dancing returned to screens with its hotly-anticipated Musicals Week delighting viewers with a West End-themed night that tested contestants' theatre skills Viewers of the hit BBC show have previously expressed concerns Montell and Johannes might be the next couple to get the chop. The pair have been in the dance-offs more than any of the other couples in the competition. For the past two weeks, the pair have been in the bottom two, surviving by the skin of their teeth after potential elimination against Wynne Evans and Katya Jones, and Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas. Week seven also saw them in the bottom two but they were mercifully saved over Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin. Reacting to their upcoming Rumba routine one fan on Reddit said: 'I fear Montell has received the kiss of death.' 'Worried for Montell with a rumba this late in the series and her being in the bottom 2 so many times,' another wrote. 'Montell supporters need to unite around her now,' someone else added. One viewer said their 'heart dropped' when they heard Montell would be dancing the Rumba, adding that their dream of seeing her dance the Charleston 'is slipping away'. Some tried to rally Montell fans to vote for her 'like crazy', while others called the Rumba assignment a 'death sentence'. Opinionated fans also didn't seem to be too thrilled about Sarah and Vito's performance to Wicked - claiming it gives them an 'unfair advantage'. Fans of the film production have been flocking to cinemas to watch the new film starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, but not all Strictly fans were happy about the nod to the famous musical. Viewers believe that the Miranda star, 53, has an 'unfair advantage' because their song is more relevant than others. Writing in an online forum, viewers complained that the show was fixing the results by allowing Sarah and her partner Vito to dance to the song, according to The Sun. Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola sent fans into a frenzy paying homage to the beloved musical Wicked, dancing a Charleston routine to Popular Viewers of the hit BBC show have previously expressed concerns Montell and Johannes might be the next couple to get the chop For the past two weeks, the pair have been in the bottom two, surviving by the skin of their teeth after potential elimination against Wynne Evans and Katya Jones, and Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas One person wrote: 'Seems particularly unfair that one person gets a dance everyone loves to a song that is extremely in the public eye at the moment, while someone else gets a dance the public can never be bothered with to a musical that is pretty unknown.' While another added: 'Top of the leader board will likely be Sarah.' Others said: 'Sarah and Vito get a Charleston and a tie in to Wicked - blimey! Popular indeed.' Another viewer said their favourite dancer is being purposefully pushed out of the competition. They commented: 'The BBC are so obvious with who they want out. I mean, this is practically a 'tell me you want Montell out without actually telling me' situation. And another chimed in, writing: 'It's ludicrous to give a rumba on Musicals week to a contestant who's been in the bottom three times? 'I see you Strictly producers, I see you. Montell deserves better! I would've loved to have seen a Charleston from team Jojo this week!' 'They stitched up Shayne and now they're stitching up Montell.' 'The difference though is that Montell is too good to leave this early. She should be a finalist! I'm fuming!' Meanwhile, Sunday's episode will see an incredible live performance from the West End cast of Hamilton. Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One and is available to stream exclusively on iPlayer. Ant McPartlin joked about I'm A Celebrity female producers losing their virginity in a string of 'inappropriate' sexist comments during an online after-show programme, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. McPartlin, 49, who presents the Instagram show with his sidekick Declan Donnelly, repeatedly references the women's looks, asks if they 'had found a boyfriend yet', and calls one of them 'fit'. He also made suggestive remarks to them about sausages and cake toppings. Women's campaigners and MP Rosie Duffield last night criticised him for targeting women, saying he should be setting an example. On Jungle Club, a private broadcast channel on Instagram, the Geordie duo chat without a script about that day's I'm A Celebrity. In the 12 episodes, McPartlin has singled out the producers, aged 40 and 24, mentioning their looks or relationship status. Two weeks ago, McPartlin tried to pull one on screen, saying: 'She's very pretty you know, but she refuses to be on camera.' On Wednesday night, the former Britain's Got Talent host said of the same producer, called Kat: 'You can't tell, but she's fit. She's fit and looking all right. She's fit.' Earlier, he joked that the other woman, Lola, could both 'give it and take it'. Addressing the double meaning, he raised his eyebrows and said: 'Oops, cheeky.' The women's sex lives have become a running joke after McPartlin noticed they were both wearing thumb rings. McPartlin, 49, who presents the Instagram show with his sidekick Declan Donnelly , repeatedly references the women's looks, asks if they 'had found a boyfriend yet', and calls one of them 'fit' The women's sex lives have become a running joke after McPartlin noticed they were both wearing thumb rings ANT McPartlin joked about I'm A Celebrity female producers losing their virginity in a string of 'inappropriate' sexist comments during an online after-show programme (Pictured alongside his co-host Declan Donnelley) He said: 'Is that a thing that you wear a ring on your thumb when you're single? And then when you get with a boy, you pop it off? Anyone who wants to date Lola, send some pictures of yourself.' The host went on to refer to them as 'virginity rings' and last Wednesday, he said: 'Lola...The thumb rings are gone the virginity ring is gone. What's going on there then? Are you having a nice time, yeah?' His long-time co-host Donnelly, 49, cut in and said: 'Let's leave that. We're getting into murky waters.' On Thursday night's episode, all the female producers put their thumbs out and McPartlin said: 'Look at all those thumbs and thumb rings. They're all single and they're all virgins.' On another episode of the show, which is produced by Mitre Studios and does not sit on an ITV platform, the presenters fed each other sausages but McPartlin addressed one of the women off camera and said: 'Lola, would you like...' He quickly turned to his TV partner and said: 'No? Inappropriate?' Dec agreed and warned: 'HR is going to be here in a minute.' To which McPartlin quipped: 'Again!' On an occasion when McPartlin had cupcake icing on his hand, he said: 'Lola, would you like to lick that? She likes toppings. Do you like toppings: thumbs up or thumbs down?' After Ms Brown reached in shot and put her thumb up, the father-of-one said: 'See, I told you, she likes toppings, I'll save it for you for later.' Ms Duffield, who sits on the women and equalities committee, said: 'Sexual harassment is sexual harassment. The power dynamic involves rich, powerful celebrities punching down on the younger people who cannot fight back. It may have been 'banter' decades ago, but you do not have to intimidate or target a person, or make it sexualised.' On Wednesday night, the former Britain's Got Talent host said of the same producer, called Kat: 'You can't tell, but she's fit. She's fit and looking all right. She's fit.' On an occasion when McPartlin had cupcake icing on his hand, he said: 'Lola, would you like to lick that? She likes toppings. Do you like toppings: thumbs up or thumbs down?' A spokesman for McPartlin said that 'much of the comedy programme's content deliberately leans into Ant and Dec's comedic friendship and working relationship with the crew.' Women's campaigners and MP Rosie Duffield last night criticised him for targeting women, saying he should be setting an example Patsy Stevenson, a women's rights campaigner, said: 'These remarks reflect a culture of casual sexism that undermines women in the workplace. The comments about 'licking toppings' and asking for photos of potential suitors are particularly degrading and verge on harassment. For someone in Ant's position, there is a responsibility to lead by example.' A spokesman for McPartlin said: 'The production team on Jungle Club have worked together for many years. 'Much of the comedy programme's content deliberately leans into Ant and Dec's comedic friendship and working relationship with the crew.' Additional reporting: Anna Mikhailova and Daisy Graham-Brown Condo residents in Florida are in uproar after being served a huge $21 million special assessment bill for repairs - just 16 years after construction. Some residents of the two condo buildings in Brickell, Miami, face individual payments of more than $40,000, leaving them feeling blindsided and financially overwhelmed. Some are even considering selling up as a result. The condo board insists the repairs are urgent and required under law, and work is already underway on projects such as a roof replacement and a pool deck restoration. But residents are questioning why, after construction finished less than two decades ago, this young building is in need of such dire repairs so quickly and with such a hefty bill attached. 'I think it's excessive,' resident Nima Mahdjour told CBS News. 'I feel like I'm being milked.' Mahdjour, whose condo comes with views of downtown Miami and the ongoing construction, told the outlet the decision feels rushed and lacking transparency. 'Absolutely left in the dark,' Mahdjour added. 'It was rammed through.' It comes as condo owners in Florida are facing a perfect storm of rising homeowner's association (HOA) fees, natural disasters, increasing insurance costs and new regulations - which is forcing many to try and flee. Condo residents in Florida are in uproar after being served a huge $21 million special assessment bill for repairs - just 16 years after construction On November 13, the board at the Brickell condo approved the special assessment based on findings from a Structural Integrity Reserve Study, which highlighted immediate repair needs despite most systems being classified as 'generally serviceable,' CBS reported. 'There are certainly things that have to be done,' Mahdjour acknowledged. 'No owner is denying that.' While he and other residents have acknowledged repairs would be necessary, they argue that the condominium declaration requires unit owner approval for any special assessment exceeding $50,000. However, while the meeting was held, the residents have claimed they were not given the opportunity for a formal unit-owner vote. 'We haven't had any say in the matter,' said Mahdjour. The Association's General Counsel, Marc Halpern, cited state laws put in place after the Surfside Champlain Towers collapse in 2021, which claimed the lives of 98 people, as justification for the board's actions. 'Florida law primarily is the justification,' Halpern told the outlet. 'The board is charged with the responsibility to adequately maintain and repair the common elements. If owners were to vote against that, you would be putting the building and the owners in danger.' Halpern defended the board's decision, stating that owners were given opportunities to tour damaged areas and view the scope of repairs before the assessment was finalized. 'I think it's excessive,' resident Nima Mahdjour told CBS News. 'I feel like I'm being milked' The condo board insists the repairs are urgent and required under law, and work is already underway on projects such as a roof replacement and a pool deck restoration Florida's state government approved a new law cracking down on older condos after the Champlain Tower South in the Miami suburb of Surfside crumbled in 2021 Resident Marthin Chan is now contemplating selling his unit due to the financial strain. 'We question the speed of how they're moving to do things. If it's so dangerous, then kick us all out of the building, and we should all not be here,' he said. The condo board has offered residents to pay the money over time in installments. But huge bills of this kind could soon be the reality for other Floridian condo owners in the future. The housing crisis in the state is continuing to escalate due to natural disasters, rising HOA fees and increasing insurance costs as well as these new condo regulations. Florida real estate has been in a downward spiral for months, with some condo owners listing their properties for 40 percent cheaper than they're worth just to unload them. 'The recent hurricanes have been a major disruption in existing or pending sales, even for unaffected homes,' said Phil Crescenzo Jr., Vice President of the Southeast Division at Nation One Mortgage Corporation. Three major hurricanes - Debby, Helene and Milton - tore through the Sunshine State this year, destroying thousands of homes and businesses. Florida native and former real estate agent Ro Barber told DailyMail.com that house, mortgage and insurance prices have rocketed up in response. 'We push out the middle class every time after a storm like this,' Barber said. 'It's not because of the storms that people move away - it's the real estate trends that come after... all of the rental prices go sky-high and people just get priced out.' Many lifelong Floridians are contemplating moving out of state for the first time to avoid this boom-bust cycle the state experiences. And out-of-staters appear just as hesitant to commit to Florida. 'First-time buyers are especially skittish,' said Lindsay Garcia, a Redfin real estate agent based in Fort Lauderdale. 'Theres still some demand for vacation homes, but in general, the market is very slow.' Three major hurricanes - Debby, Helene and Milton - tore through the Sunshine State this year, destroying thousands of homes and businesses (Pictured: Homes in Port St. Lucie that were razed during Hurricane Milton) Governor Ron DeSantis is at the forefront of state leaders seeking to ameliorate the condo crisis Condos are more vulnerable than any other market, because they're susceptible to natural disasters and new regulatory burdens to keep high-rises safe. All condo buildings 30 years old or older and three stories or taller are required to undergo an inspection by a qualified architect or engineer. If 'substantial structural deterioration' is found, the condo owner will be on the hook for the repairs. Thousands of owners who remain are attempting to dodge the rapidly approaching December 31 deadline for these inspections by selling their properties. Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed for the state legislature to address this glaring issue before the end of the year. His idea to stop panic selling is to offer a low or no-interest loan program for those saddled with high repair costs. Pyongyang, Nov 30 (UNI) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a meeting with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov condemned Western permission for Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory with long-range weapons, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. Earlier, the ministry reported that Belousov arrived in North Korea on an official visit Friday. The minister is scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings with North Korean high-ranking military officials and political leaders. "The United States and the West forced the Kiev authorities to attack Russian territory with their own long-range strike weapons. Russia must take measures to make hostile forces pay a price," the news agency quoted Kim as saying. Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder has confirmed that the Biden administration had authorized Kiev to use long-range US-supplied missiles, such as ATACMS, to strike deep into Russian territory. He said that the attacks were focused on the Kursk Region. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had struck targets in the Kursk and Bryansk regions on November 19, using ATACMS missiles and UK-supplied Storm Shadows. He said Russia in response successfully test-fired an Oreshnik ballistic missile on November 21, hitting a Ukrainian defence industry complex in the city of Dnepropetrovsk, also known as Dnipro. UNI SPUTNIK XC ARN Amid indications that the swearing-in ceremony of the Bharatiya Janata party-led MahaYuti government may take place on December 5, the ruling BJP and its allies, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-headed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), were on Saturday engaged in backroom negotiations over the power-sharing formula and distribution of portfolios. "We expect that the swearing- in ceremony of the new government will take place on December 5," BJP leader and former Speaker in the state Assembly Rahul Narwerkar said. However, informed sources in Raj Bhavan said that they had not received any communication from the Maharashtra government or the leaders of BJP-led MahaYuti as to when the swearing-in was being scheduled. Meanwhile, available indications within the Shiv Sena (ES) suggested that the care-take chief minister Eknath Shinde may return to the state capital late on Sunday night or on Monday. The earlier speculation was that the swearing-in ceremony would be held at Wankhede stadium. Now, the ruling alliance leaders are indicating that the swearing-in may be held at Azad Maidan. Though there was no confirmation from the ruling BJP as to when it would hold its legislature party meeting to elect its leader who would take over as the chief minister of the state, a few BJP leaders indicated that the JP Nadda-led party may schedule the BJP Legislature Party (BJPLP) meeting on Monday. The front-runner for the Chief Minister's post is Devendra Fadnavis. However, what has surprised many is that if Fadnavis is the chief ministerial choice, why has there been such a delay in convening the BJPLP meeting. In the Maharashtra Assembly polls, results of which were declared on Saturday last (November 23), the BJP won 132 seats, while Shiv Sena and NCP (AP) bagged 57, and 41 seats, respectively. Strangely enough, it is not known yet as to what transpired at a joint meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah had convened at his New Delhi residence to formalise details about the government formation, including the choice of the chief minister. Health and Family Welfare Minister and BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda was also present at this meeting. Amid rising communal tensions triggered by a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, the Sambhal district administration has imposed prohibitory measures, barring the entry of outsiders, including political leaders, activists, and social organisations, until December 10. The move comes in the wake of violent clashes on November 24 that left four people dead and several injured, including police personnel. District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya, in a statement on Saturday, declared, No outsider, social organisation, or public representative will be allowed to enter the district without prior permission from the competent authority. Officials say the decision is aimed at preventing further escalation of the volatile situation. The restrictions coincided with a planned visit by a 15-member delegation of the Samajwadi Party (SP), led by Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey. The delegation was set to visit Sambhal to gather details about the violence but was forced to call off the trip after senior officials, including Home Secretary Sanjay Prasad and the District Magistrate, requested them to stay away. Pandey, addressing reporters in Lucknow, accused the government of attempting to suppress the truth. The administrations ban is nothing but an effort to hide its own failures. Our visit would have exposed the lapses in handling the situation, he alleged. Pandey further claimed that innocent individuals were being framed for the violence. Even those who were not present at the site of the clashes have been named in the FIRs. This is a blatant misuse of power, he said. SP state president Shyam Lal Pal said that the delegations primary aim was to prepare a comprehensive report on the violence for party chief Akhilesh Yadav. The delegation included prominent leaders such as Lal Bihari Yadav, MPs Ziaur Rahman Barq, Harendra Malik, and Ruchi Veera, along with MLAs Kamal Akhtar and Ravidas Mehrotra. Adding to the political tensions, Congress state president Ajay Rai announced that a delegation from his party would visit Sambhal on December 2 to meet victims and assess the ground situation. We will ensure the voices of the affected families are heard, Rai said. The current unrest in Sambhal traces its origins to a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid on November 19. The petitioner alleged that the mosque was built over an ancient Harihar temple, a claim that has reignited communal sensitivities in the region. Protests erupted during the survey and culminated in violent clashes on November 24. Protesters reportedly gathered near the mosque, pelting stones and setting vehicles ablaze. The situation spiraled into chaos, with police and civilians sustaining injuries. While authorities have denied opening fire on the protesters, the violence claimed four lives, deepening the divide in the already tense atmosphere. In the wake of the violence, the district administration has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC, banning public gatherings and rallies across Sambhal. Security has been tightened, with additional police forces stationed in sensitive areas to prevent further disturbances. The Samajwadi Party has pledged financial assistance of Rs 5 Lakh each to the families of those killed in the recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. MP Ruchi Veera stated that the party stands in solidarity with the bereaved families. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has announced the aid, which will be disbursed to the families soon. The Samajwadi Party has also demanded that the State government provide a compensation of Rs 1 Crore to each victims family. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has indirectly pointed fingers at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its defeat in the Vijaypur Assembly by-election. Speaking to the media in Gwalior on Friday night, Scindia suggested that his presence in the campaign trail may have influenced the results, stating, I would have campaigned if I had been invited. Scindias statement has raised eyebrows, given his name was prominently listed among the BJPs star campaigners for the by-election. Despite this, the Union Minister chose to remain absent from the campaign. Political observers suggest this deliberate distancing might indicate deeper tensions within the BJP ranks, particularly concerning Vijaypurs candidate, Ramniwas Rawat. Rawat, a former Congress MLA from Vijaypur, switched allegiance to the BJP in 2024, just before the Lok Sabha elections. His move to the BJP came after he reportedly declined to follow Scindias defection from Congress in 2020. Subsequently, Rawat was rewarded with the Forest Ministers portfolio in the state cabinet, reportedly at his own request. However, his candidature in Vijaypur appears to have backfired, as local voters expressed dissatisfaction with his political maneuvering. Congress spokesperson Dharmendra Sharma, told The Pioneer, The voters were already annoyed with Rawat for joining the BJP. Even if Scindia had campaigned, it wouldnt have made much of a difference. Meanwhile, BJP insiders have dismissed Scindias claims, accusing him of evading responsibility. Party sources allege that Scindias campaign schedule was prepared well in advance but he failed to turn up. His claim that he wasnt invited is baseless. The party had arranged for his participation, but he chose to stay away, said a senior BJP leader. Scindias remarks are being viewed by many as an attempt to deflect criticism and save face. However, the statement has exposed underlying fault lines within the BJP, with questions being raised about the coordination between party leadership and Scindias faction. The Vijaypur by-poll loss has not only dented the BJPs confidence but also highlighted the challenges of managing leaders who defect from rival parties. For Scindia, this episode could signal a weakening influence within his new political home, especially as accusations of disloyalty swirl around him. For the Congress, the defeat may bolster its narrative that BJPs leadership is failing to win over disgruntled voters, particularly in constituencies with high-profile defectors. Lakhs of devotees thronged the venue to listen to sermons from top scholars on the second day of the 77th Aalmi Tablighi Ijtema at village Eintkhedi, on the outskirts of the state capital, on Saturday. Some traffic disruptions were reported from the Berasia road, especially around the Karond intersection, as the arrival of Jamaats continued at the Old City railway station. Volunteers worked to facilitate the free flow of vehicles through the area, parts of which remained covered by construction sheets due to the ongoing metro rail project. Proceedings on the second day started with daybreak sermons by Maulana Jamshed Sahab, while Maulana Saeed Kandhalvi, Maulana Manzoor, and Maulana Saad Kandhalvi addressed the congregation during the afternoon, evening, and post-dusk sessions, respectively. The speakers exhorted congregants to lead a life of piety and service in adherence to the guiding principles of their faith. They said that it was crucial for people to avoid all that is prohibited in Islam, including the receiving and giving of interest. Scholars also motivated the devout to pursue the methods of the Tablighi Jamaat and reach out to fellow Muslims with the message of the religion, bringing them back to the path ordained in the scriptures. Meanwhile, thousands of volunteers continued to provide valuable round-the-clock services to people attending the four-day event, which concludes with a large prayer congregation on December 2. The culmination of the Ijtema event marks the beginning of the final voluntary effort by Jamaat followers, who then focus on cleaning and clearing the venue of all signs of the congregation, one of the largest in the world. Thousands of volunteers work for nearly a month after the conclusion of the Ijtema to ensure that installations at the venue are carefully dismantled, cleaned, and stored for the next year. They also ensure that no residues from the event are left behind to cause trouble for residents, animals, birds, and trees that inhabit the area.Volunteers say that even if the effort is cumbersome, they are satisfied that their humble deeds count for the Khidmat or service, which Tablighi Jamaat elders describe as a cornerstone of faith. AIIMS Bhopal's 3D Computational Modeling Lab organized a workshop on "Medical Applications of 3D Modeling and Printing." This workshop marks a significant step in incorporating new technological initiatives into healthcare and medical education. The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Singh, whose leadership made the establishment of this state-of-the-art 3D lab possible. Prof. Singh said, "The 3D Computational Modeling and Printing Lab at AIIMS Bhopal is a symbol of innovation in our healthcare system. This technology allows us to improve surgical planning, treatment based on the needs of patients, and medical education. Prof. Singh also appreciated the efforts of the core committee in developing a cutting-edge facility that stands out for its capability to produce models in millions of colors with unparalleled consistency and precision. Through this workshop, we are learning new ways to use this technology, enabling us to provide better patient care in the future." During the workshop, detailed information was provided on 3D printing techniques and their medical applications. Additionally, a brainstorming session was held where participants shared their ideas and discussed ways to enhance the use of 3D printing. This workshop is the beginning of a series of training programs organized by AIIMS Bhopal's 3D Computational Modeling Lab. These sessions aim to teach clinicians and researchers the proper use of 3D technology. The series will begin with basic topics and gradually progress to more advanced techniques. The 3D Computational Modeling Lab, established in July 2024, demonstrates AIIMS Bhopal's commitment to promoting innovation in healthcare and the medical field. Regular workshops and collaborative sessions will be held in the future to maximize the benefits of this technology. Faculty members from various medical departments of AIIMS Bhopal participated in this workshop, where they discussed improvements in patient care, research, and medical education through 3D modeling and printing. The Pentecostal Assembly School (PAS) Bokaro celebrated its Annual Prize Day for the Primary Wing with great enthusiasm, honoring the exceptional achievements of its students. The event recognized academic excellence, co-curricular accomplishments, and the unwavering dedication of students, teachers, and parents. The ceremony began with a solemn prayer led by Director Dr D.N. Prasad and Chief Academic Officer Rita Prasad. A vibrant cultural program followed, with performances such as a group dance on "Gyan Ki Roshni" by Standard 1 students and traditional Bihu and Garba dances, showcasing India's rich cultural diversity. The event was graced by Chief Guest Kundan Kumar, Chief General Manager (Town Administration), SAIL Bokaro, and Guest of Honour A.K. Avinash, General Manager (Town Administration). They felicitated 175 students for their outstanding contributions to academics and co-curricular activities. Principal Dr. Karuna Prasad extended her heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees and expressed gratitude to parents for their continued support. The event concluded with a sense of pride, marking. Municipal Commissioner Harendra Narayan, on Saturday, directed civic body officials to ensure that green nets are installed at all under-construction sites and that Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste is disposed of immediately. Narayan was reviewing sanitation work across various parts of the city, which he has been monitoring tirelessly to implement immediate enhancements, raising it to the standards prescribed by the Swachh Survekshan 2024. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief called for greater attention to the quality of civil work, repairs, and painting of side and central verges. He urged officials to provide greater monitoring of all points in the city profile and directed campaigns to improve cleanliness in the citys parks. Narayan instructed that all zone and ward nodal officers, assistant health officers, health supervisors, and supervisors maintain continuous communication and ensure proper planning for improvements. On Saturday morning, Harendra Narayan inspected cleanliness in various areas of the city, including Link Road No. 01 and 02, Roshanpura, Polytechnic, Kamla Park, VIP Road, Lalghati, Airport Road, Ashram Bapu Chauraha, Gandhi Nagar, Mubarakpur Tiraha, and others. He issued instructions via direct communication and video conferencing to officials to ensure improved cleanliness in the city. He directed that green nets be installed in under-construction buildings, and C&D waste be removed quickly with dumpers and JCBs. Narayan gave instructions to check staff attendance, ensure the use of bhakku (manual labour), and improve the segregation of waste. He also directed the cleaning of side verges on both sides from Lalghati to Halalpur and from the airport to the Bypass Tiraha Mubarakpur, and to organise teams for better cleanliness of service roads. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, on Thursday night engaged in a warm and heartfelt conversation with the Indian expatriate community, Friends of MP, in Munich, Germany. Setting aside formalities and speeches, he fostered a deep connection with the audience by highlighting Indias rich culture and traditions in a spontaneous and friendly discussion. The program, which began with traditional Indian customs, evoked a profound sense of patriotism and love for the homeland among every member of the diaspora. Chief Minister Yadav said that the biggest feature of Indian culture is its inclusive and positive approach. He defined it as India having the art of finding joy in trouble and a tradition of taking everyone along. Describing Germany as close to India, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that Germany is also the charioteer of truth, culture, and knowledge. This is why the ideas and values ??of both countries are interlinked. The programme started with the garlanding of the picture of Bharat Mata followed by the national anthem. The tricolour flag and lighting of the lamp gave glimpses of Indian culture in every corner at the outset. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav expressed pride in the achievements of more than 2 lakh Indian expatriates and more than 35 thousand Indian students who are setting an example of excellence in the field of education and skills in Germany. Chief Minister Yadav openly and cordially communicated with the diaspora during the dinner. While sharing his thoughts, he encouraged the Indian community to stay connected to their roots even while residing in Germany. This event became a symbol of the pride of Indianness, coordination of tradition and modernity. This special effort by Dr. Mohan Yadav transformed the Friends of MP platform into not just a formality, but an intimate and inspiring experience, where the Indian diaspora got an opportunity to reconnect with their culture and values. The Invest Madhya Pradesh delegation that visited Germany under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav held talks with the top companies there for partnership. Chief Minister Yadav visited SFC Energy Company located in Brunnthal near Munich and learned about its features. This company is a leading company in direct methanol and hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing. Dr. Peter Podessar, CEO of SFC Energy, elaborated on the companys key technologies and their innovations in the field of clean energy solutions. During this, there was an in-depth discussion on the possibilities of implementing clean energy technologies in Madhya Pradesh and meeting the increasing demand for renewable energy. Chief Minister Yadav also held a formal meeting with the Baerlochar Group. Baerlochar, a leading German company in the field of plastic additives, has been operating its unit in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh since 2001. This company has so far invested more than Rs 400 crore in the state and has provided employment to more than 300 people. The expansion possibilities of Baerlochar, the use of innovative technologies, and the adoption of environment-friendly technologies were discussed in the meeting. This collaboration will not only enrich the plastics industry of Madhya Pradesh with high-quality additives but will also give impetus to employment opportunities and industrial growth. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described this visit as important for the economic and industrial development of the state. He said that with the partnership with Germany, Madhya Pradesh will have new achievements in the field of green energy and the latest technologies. The visit will prove to be an important step towards realizing the goals of Industry Year 2025 in the state. India's global stature is steadily rising, and under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the nation is building a unique and powerful identity. His "what he says, he delivers" approach has been an inspiration worldwide. Madhya Pradesh reaped the benefits of Prime Minister Modi's exceptional global reputation during the recent six-day visit to the UK and Germany, securing investment proposals worth approximately ?78,000 crore from industrialists and investors. These investments are poised to drive the state's overall development and create substantial employment opportunities for its techno-savvy youth. Speaking with the media on Saturday at Samatva Bhawan in the Chief Minister's residence after returning from the foreign tour, Yadav emphasized that the visit aimed not only to attract investments but also to explore key industries, research centers, educational institutions, and cultural hubs to bolster the state's holistic growth. The goal was to inspire the youth of Madhya Pradesh, foster employment opportunities, and position the state as a global hub for investment, technological collaboration, and cultural exchange. Dr. Yadav further stated that the visit was strategically designed to present Madhya Pradesh as a future-ready state and to promote partnerships across various sectors. A concerted effort was also made to highlight and attract participation in the upcoming Global Investors Summit, scheduled to be held in Bhopal in February 2025. The tour showcased Madhya Pradesh's readiness to embrace global collaborations and set new benchmarks in development. Yadav said that the focus sectors for investment during his visit to the UK and Germany were minerals, semiconductors, health, automobile, electronic vehicle (EV), renewable energy, education, and food processing. During the visit to UK and Germany, in-depth discussions were held with investors to promote investment to accelerate industrial, technological, and environmental development in the state. Technological research, green energy, and industrial development in Germany were particularly discussed. Here the focus was on strategies to promote industries with environmental sustainability. Yadav said that foreign investors were highly impressed by the industrial-friendly policy of the Future Ready State Madhya Pradesh when after a discussion with the officials and the company head, the decision to allot the land to the company was immediately taken and the allotment letter was handed over. In the technical sector, a proposal was made in the Sagar Regional Industry Conclave by a German and Indian company to jointly set up a unit in Acharpura, Bhopal. The German investor of this company was provided land allotment letter in Germany. The company will invest more than Rs 100 crore in Bhopal. The discussions on investment in the health and pharmaceutical sectors yielded encouraging results. An investment proposal of Rs 3000 crore has been received in this sector. The company will set up its plant in the Smart Industrial Park of Indore. The company gave its full consent after observing the policy of Madhya Pradesh. After discussing with the managers of the company working in the health sector, an immediate decision was taken to allot the land. The health sector has attracted investors to produce modern medical equipment and medicines. During the foreign visit, the focus was on setting up various industrial units for better utilization of the abundant reserves of mineral resources in the state. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday said that with the assistance of Work Bank, Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre will be set up in the State. After meeting with the representatives of the World Bank, Saini said that the present State Government in its manifesto has announced to establish Haryana as a global education hub through which the youth would be imparted training in Artificial Intelligence and modern skills. This initiative of Global AI Center is set to position Haryana as a hub for artificial intelligence research and innovation. This collaboration is expected to boost the states technological capabilities and contribute to the growth of the digital economy in the region, he added. In addition to the AI Centre, the Chief Minister also expressed keen interest for collaboration with the World Bank on the ambitious Interlinking of Rivers project. The World Bank also expressed keen interest in cooperation in this direction. The interlinking of rivers is expected to significantly improve irrigation facilities across the state and help implement the Amrit Sarover Scheme, which aims to rejuvenate water bodies and enhance water storage capacity particularly in rural areas. This collaboration will ensure better water management, improve agricultural productivity, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of Haryanas water resources. He said that a team from the state of Haryana will soon visit Gujarat to study the interlinking of rivers in Gujarat. During the meeting, the Haryana Clean Air Project was also discussed. This initiative is aimed at enhancing sustainable development in the state and improving air quality. With a total project investment of Rs. 3647 crore, the World Bank has committed to providing a loan of Rs. 2498 crore to support the implementation of the project. The Haryana state government will contribute Rs. 1066 crore, and an additional Rs. 83 crore has been allocated as a grant. This funding will be directed towards initiatives such as air pollution control measures, sustainable urban development, and the promotion of cleaner technologies. Saini expressed his gratitude to the World Bank for its continued support, emphasizing the importance of these projects for the state's growth and sustainability. These initiatives will not only improve the quality of life for our citizens but will also set Haryana on a path to becoming a leader in technology, water management, and environmental sustainability, he said. The World Bank's Country Director for India Auguste Koume said that Haryana holds immense potential for economic growth. Due to its proximity to the national capital, Delhi, Haryana attracts foreign investors, making it a preferred destination for investment. Rural-serving colleges are scaling back majors and degree programs across the United States, leaving students with fewer pathways to higher education. The cuts are a response to declining enrollment and financial pressures that are hitting colleges in rural areas harder than others. Students at Delta State University in Mississippi have seen their preferred majors disappear, forcing them to either change plans or leave college altogether. As detailed by Signal Cleveland, many rural colleges have cut programs in the humanities, sciences, and arts to help close budget deficits. Delta State, in particular, had cut 21 programs including digital media arts, history and music. St. Cloud State in Minnesota cut 42 majors. Higher education expert Andrew Koricich calls it a "ridiculous inequity" and is similar to asking rural students to accept fewer educational opportunities simply because of where they live. Read more: 15 US Colleges That Offer Low Costs for International Students The Impact of Cutting Majors Beyond the impact on students, these losses have great cultural significance. Campus programs like music and the humanities tend to help students approach issues in new ways and build creativity. Without them, rural colleges may lose this ability to inspire students to improve their communities. Regional public universities are hit the worst because they receive less state funding than flagship institutions. This is the case for Delta State University, which had faced an $11 million deficit by declining enrollment and tuition revenue. Similarly, flagship universities also cut back, but, of course, they come with more resources to use in navigating such challenges in West Virginia University. Experts say that such financial stress is exploited by some institutions to implement cuts rapidly, treating universities as businesses rather than learning centers. Such cuts are most devastating to first-generation, low-income, and minority students who rely on these institutions for access to education. As rural universities downsize, enrollment continues to fall, exacerbating the cycle. For example, Emporia State University in Kansas saw a 14% enrollment drop after cutting 40 programs, per Kansas Reflector. Fewer rural high school graduates are pursuing college, with enrollment rates declining to 55% in 2022, further compounding the crisis. It is in the best interest of reversing this trend that rural students are accorded equal opportunities in accessing higher education and its associated opportunities. If nothing is done, rural communities will lose educational institutions that are their cultural and economic support structures. The PM Shri Air Ambulance service is proving to be a boon in providing timely medical assistance to citizens in emergency situations. This service is saving precious lives. Vimal Kumar Jain (70 years old), a heart patient from Kareli in Narsinghpur district, was airlifted by the PM Shri Air Ambulance service and sent to Hyderabad for better treatment. Considering Jain's condition, Narsinghpur District Hospital referred him to the KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad. Jain was then transported by the 108 Ambulance to Jabalpur Airport, from where he was sent to KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad, by the PM Shri Air Ambulance service. This service was provided to Jain free of cost under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The PM Shri Air Ambulance service provides emergency medical assistance by air to citizens, reaching remote areas of the state and providing critical care and stabilising patients for airlifting to higher medical centres when necessary. The service includes both helicopter ambulances and fixed-wing convertible flying ambulances. These air ambulances are staffed with highly trained medical and paramedical teams. The PM Shri Air Ambulance service also provides free transportation for victims of road and industrial accidents or natural disasters, either within the state or to government and private hospitals. For Ayushman cardholders, free transport is available to all government and Ayushman-affiliated hospitals within the state and outside. For other beneficiaries who are not Ayushman cardholders, free transport is available to government hospitals within the state, while transport to hospitals outside the state is available at contracted rates. High drama ensued in Delhi's Greater Kailash area on Saturday a man allegedly threw a liquid at former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal during his padyatra on Saturday evening. The man was detained by security personnel present at the spot, identified as Ashok Jha, a bus marshal posted at the Khanpur Bus Depot. The incident took place around 5. 50 pm when Kejriwal, with Greater Kailash MLA and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, was walking in a narrow lane, greeting people as part of his campaign to strengthen his partys presence and connect with voters in the region following which the security personnel swiftly overpowered him. The visuals show stains in his blue sweater and scarves. Kejriwal was seen wiping his face after the liquid was thrown at him. In a video of the incident, Kejriwal can be seen walking in front, Bharadwaj a few steps behind him. Security personnel are also inside the cordon created using the rope. As he moves forward, the man reaches out and throws a liquid on Kejriwal. The liquid also falls on two security personnel. According to the police, the AAP Chief was shaking hands with the public when a person namely Ashok Jha attempted to throw water on Arvind Kejriwal, but he was immediately caught as the police staff was nearby along with ropes. In a statement, Delhi police said that the padyatra was organised by the AAP party members without permission. The said padyatra started from the chopal Savitri Nagar and ended at Meghna motors in the same area in which Arvind Kejriwal was the chief guest. In view of this a proper police deployment both in plain clothes and in uniform along with rope to control the crowd was made. The said attempt was foiled and Sub Inspector Sandeep from Malviya Nagar police station caught hold of Jha, the cops remarked. Further examination of the person is in progress to find out the reasons behind this act, the police said. Soon after the incident, a blame game has started between AAP and BJP. While AAP has claimed that the attack was done at the behest of BJP, the BJP leaders have claimed that it was a drama by Arvind Kejriwal. Reacting to the development, AAP said, "If a former chief minister is not safe in the national capital, where will the common man go?" AAP lashed out at the BJP-led Centre for the incident. "Delhi is facing a complete breakdown of law and order under BJP's rule," it said. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said that BJPs dirty politics stooped too low by attacking Kejriwal as it is afraid of being defeated for the third time in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. She warned that the people of Delhi will teach a lesson to BJP. BJP people: Delhi people will take revenge for such cheap acts. Last time they got 8 seats, this time Delhi people will give zero seats to BJP," she said in a post on X. Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj blamed the Modi government for the law and order situation in the national capital. He said, "BJP leaders carry our rallies in all states, they are never attacked... There are continuous attacks on Arvind Kejriwal... BJP attacked him in Nangloi. He was attacked in Chhatarpur... The law and order in Delhi have collapsed and the central government and the Home Minister are not doing anything..." Several other leaders including, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha and party MLA Naresh Balyan also condemned the attack and traded barbs at BJP. The BJP was quick to hit back, accusing Kejriwal of staging the incident. BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor dismissed the attack as a political ploy. Every political strategy of Kejriwal has failed. Now, hes returning to his old tricks like being slapped or ink being thrown at him. He should clarify what new game he has started today, Kapoor said. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that locals in the area confronted Kejriwal about issues like polluted water, and denied BJPs link to the incident. He also accused AAP of exaggerating the incident. This attempted attack comes amid Kejriwals continued efforts to engage with the public ahead of the upcoming elections, and it highlights the challenges faced by political leaders in maintaining security while interacting with constituents. This latest incident follows a similar attack in October, when AAP claimed that Kejriwal was targeted during a rally in Delhi. This is not the first time Kejriwal has been targeted. In 2016, the AAP leader was attacked with ink during a visit to Bikaner, Rajasthan, where he had attended a condolence meeting for a local AAP leader. Since his political debut in 2013, Kejriwal has been the victim of several such attacks. Kejriwal is currently leading a padyatra to connect with the public and promote the AAP's agenda ahead of the 2025 Delhi elections. The padyatra is a key component of his campaign strategy, as he seeks to engage voters across the city. In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing fight against extremist groups in Kolhan, PLFI (Peoples Liberation Front of India) area commander Lambu was killed in an intense encounter with a specially constituted team of Chaibasa police. The operation took place in the dense jungles of Tomrong village, located under the jurisdiction of Tebo police station, on Saturday. The Chaibasa police, acting on credible intelligence inputs, launched a well-coordinated operation to apprehend Lambu, who was wanted in several cases of extortion, murder, and other criminal activities in the region. The team, comprising personnel from district police and special task forces, was strategically deployed to intercept the commander and his associates. According to police officials, the encounter began when the team approached a suspected hideout in the jungle. Lambu and his associates opened fire, prompting the police to retaliate. The exchange of gunfire lasted for nearly an hour, during which Lambu was fatally injured. His associates reportedly managed to escape deeper into the forest, and a manhunt is currently underway. Following the encounter, the police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from the site. These included sophisticated weapons, country-made firearms, and several rounds of ammunition. In addition, police found documents and other materials that may provide crucial insights into the activities and networks of the PLFI in the region. The officials praised the bravery and swift action of the police team, emphasizing that this operation dealt a significant blow to the PLFI, which has been a persistent challenge in the area. Lambus elimination is a major success. He was a notorious figure responsible for creating fear and unrest among local communities, he said. Lambu, whose real name is yet to be confirmed, was a key operative in the PLFI hierarchy. He was known for orchestrating several high-profile crimes, including the murder of security personnel and businessmen who refused to pay extortion money. His operations extended across multiple districts, making him one of the most wanted criminals in Jharkhand. Locals in Tomrong and surrounding villages had long lived under the shadow of PLFIs influence, enduring threats and coercion from Lambu and his cadre. His death is expected to bring some relief to these communities, although concerns about retaliatory actions by the group remain. This operation underscores the importance of continued vigilance and proactive measures to dismantle the PLFIs networks. The group may attempt to regroup or retaliate, so sustained efforts are essential, said a senior police official. The police have launched follow-up operations in the area to track down Lambus associates and dismantle any remaining PLFI hideouts. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday called for the World Banks full support in addressing the major challenges the state is currently facing, emphasizing the need for financial assistance to accelerate growth, improve public services, and safeguard the environment. The Chief Minister, in a significant meeting with the World Bank Country Director for India Auguste Tano Kouame, presented a compelling case for the Banks involvement in Punjabs developmental projects. Highlighting Punjabs commitment to fiscal resilience and institutional reform, the Chief Minister stressed the importance of external financial support to achieve the states development priorities. He outlined the Governments reform agenda, which focuses on fiscal prudence, better governance, and improved service delivery all aimed at enhancing the quality of life for the states citizens. With a solid track record of implementing reforms, Punjab is well-positioned to make substantial progress with the right financial backing, Mann added. The proposed financial support would target several key areas, including infrastructure development, human resource development, and social welfare initiatives, which are vital to the states growth trajectory. The Chief Minister said that with World Banks assistance, Punjab is poised for a major leap forward in economic prosperity. One of the most pressing issues discussed was the environment, which Mann said is the State Governments top priority. He explained the steps being taken to conserve groundwater and reduce the depletion of this vital resource. Efforts to revive old water courses and line canals to increase surface water usage are central to these initiatives. The governments commitment to these efforts has already yielded positive results, with groundwater levels increasing by approximately one meter over the past two years, he added. In addition to water conservation, the Chief Minister highlighted the states solarization program for agricultural pump sets. This initiative aims to drastically reduce farmers electricity costs while boosting their income. Mann expressed confidence that, within five years, a significant portion of Punjabs agricultural pumps could be solarized. He also spoke about plans to incentivize farmers to diversify away from paddy cultivation, a crop that, while crucial for national food security, strains water resources. By promoting alternative crops like maize and pulses, the Government hopes to reduce the environmental footprint of rice farming, he said. Mann also addressed concerns regarding the high levels of lead and heavy metals in the states groundwater. He proposed a World Bank-supported project, similar to one initiated in Uttar Pradesh, to mitigate these issues and protect public health. In response, Auguste Tano Kouame offered an affirmative reply, indicating the World Banks interest in collaborating with Punjab on these critical issues. Kouame praised the states determination to implement transformative reforms and acknowledged Punjabs potential for growth. He emphasized that the World Bank is keen to support Punjabs fiscal and governance initiatives, particularly through improved public financial management, data sharing, and service delivery in large cities. Kouame also expressed interest in replicating some of Punjabs successful projects in other parts of India. The meeting concluded with a commitment to regular consultations between the Punjab Government and the World Bank to ensure the effective implementation of these initiatives. The Chief Ministers engagement with the World Bank underscores his administrations focus on sustainable development and its proactive approach to tackling the states most pressing issues. Punjab Government has yielded to farmers demands, agreeing to the release of the senior farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was detained during the wee hours on Tuesday ahead of his fast-unto-death. The decision came after an intense hours-long meeting between the Punjab Police, the administration, and farmer leaders at the Khanauri border on Friday. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, leading the ongoing protest along with Dallewal, confirmed the development, stating, We have not spoken to Dallewal yet, but officials have assured us that his health is stable. Our sole demand was Dallewals release, and the Government has agreed to it. He will soon join the protest at Khanauri border, and his hunger strike will continue. The decision regarding the December 1 demonstration will be made after his arrival. The standoff began on November 26, when Dallewal announced his hunger strike at Khanauri border to press for the farmers demands. However, at around 2 am, Punjab Police took him into custody from his protest tent, citing concerns about his health. Dallewal was subsequently moved to DMC Hospital in Ludhiana for medical examination. IG Jaskaran Singh, addressing the media, stated that Dallewal was discharged from the hospital and would soon rejoin the Khanauri protest. The Punjab Government prioritized his health. Farmers have been assured that medical facilities will remain available in case of any emergency during the protest, he said. Patiala Range DIG Mandeep Singh Sidhu added that Dallewals hunger strike posed significant health risks, especially given the crowd gathering at the protest site. The administration had decided to act preemptively to ensure his safety, he explained. Following Dallewals detention, farmers convened at Khanauri border and resolved to intensify their agitation. Former soldier Sukhjit Singh Hardo took up the mantle, launching his hunger strike. Now in its fourth day of his hunger strike underscoring the farmers unwavering resolve. Pandher had earlier announced that the farmers would march to Sangrur on December 1 to protest against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. However, now the decision, whether to continue with the demonstration outside Chief Ministers private residence in Sangrur, will be taken after Dallewal joined the protest at Khanauri border. The farmers had accused Manns Government of betraying their trust and failing to address their longstanding issues. For 10 months, our struggle was primarily against the BJP-led Central Government. However, the Punjab Governments actions have revealed its intent to suppress our movement, just like the Centre. CM Mann, who once claimed to be a farmers advocate, must now explain his stance and the steps he has taken to resolve our issues with the Centre, Pandher had said a day before. Pandher also disclosed plans for a massive march to Delhi on December 6. Farmers across Punjab are being mobilized for this action. Our agitation, which initially targeted the Centre, now includes the State Government as well. The protest will escalate in the coming days, he asserted. Farmers have expressed growing discontent with both the Centre and the Punjab Government, accusing them of neglecting their grievances. In a strong demonstration of their commitment to securing the rights and welfare of farmers, various farmer organizations have put forth 13 critical demands, with the enactment of a law guaranteeing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops being the principal. Besides, the protesting farmers are also demanding a comprehensive report on the cost of cultivation by Dr MS Swaminathan, and a reduction in the price of DAP fertilizers. Farmers are also calling for justice in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, fair wages for agricultural workers, and a halt to policies that undermine their livelihoods, such as the unchecked expansion of free trade agreements. Additionally, the farmers are demanding reforms in electricity and labour laws, compensation for families affected by the farmer protests, and stronger accountability measures against corruption in the agricultural sector. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav thanked Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on behalf of the people of the state for the scheme to develop 40 special tourist spots of the country according to international tourist places. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Special Assistance States Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme for 40 identified tourist places of the country for an amount of Rs 3 thousand 295.76 crore. Yadav said that beautification of tourist places makes them a centre of attraction for domestic and foreign tourists. He said that to meet international criteria for tourist destinations, it is essential to have proper maintenance arrangements, as well as comprehensive facilities such as guides, cafeterias, hotels, and guest houses for visitors. Yadav has also expressed his gratitude to Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for developing Madhya Pradesh's religious and holy city Orchha A Medieval Splendor and International Centre for MICE in Bhopal as world class iconic centres out of 40 tourist places in 23 states of the country by the Central Government. Yadav said that with the development of tourist places, the tourism industry and the small and big industries and local markets are also benefited by the number of tourists. Claiming that law and order situation is deteriorating in the national capital, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday here said When will you take action on Delhis spiraling crime? demanding answers from Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his inaction over the rising crime incidents in the national capital. The AAP National Convenor visited the family of an elderly man brutally murdered in South Delhis Panchsheel Park on Saturday. Expressing shock and concern, the AAP Supremo said the city is gripped by fear as incidents of violence, ransom calls, and attacks continue unabated. During a media interaction after meeting the aggrieved family, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, "We are currently in Panchsheel Park, considered one of the most upscale areas of Delhi. Just a few days ago, a horrific incident took place here where a 64-year-old man was brutally murdered. His throat was slit, and his body was repeatedly stabbed with knives in a ruthless act of violence." The AAP Supremo mentioned that he just visited the victim's family, and now standing in front of their house. He further described the victim's family as being in "deep shock and immense grief," struggling to comprehend the brutality of the crime. "The situation in Delhi has become alarming, where even senior citizens are no longer safe. This victim was a senior citizen as well," he remarked. Kejriwal further highlighted the deteriorating law and order situation in the city, saying, "Businesspeople are receiving ransom and extortion calls. Shootouts are taking place in various parts of the city. Women are feeling unsafe. The entire city seems to be in a state of chaos, with crime spreading unchecked everywhere." In his concluding remarks, Arvind Kejriwal addressed Union Home Minister Amit Shah to focus on curbing the rising tide of crime. "Ever since Amit Shah became the Home Minister, the situation in Delhi has gone from bad to worse. He is unable to handle Delhi. The city is in a terrible state. I hope the situation improves in the coming days. I want to ask the Home Minister Amit Shah when will he take immediate and decisive action against this rising tide of crime," he stated. The Mumbai Police has invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime (MCOC) Act in NCP politician Baba Siddique murder case, officials said on Saturday. The crime branch has so far arrested 26 persons, including the alleged main shooter Shiv Kumar Gautam, in the case. Provisions of stringent MCOCA are invoked in the Baba Siddique murder case, a Mumbai Police official said without elaborating. It is important to note that confessions made to the police under MCOCA are admissible as evidence in court. It is also difficult to secure bail under the MCOCA. Former Maharashtra minister Siddique, 66, was shot dead on October 12 by three assailants outside his son MLA Zeeshan Siddique's office building in Bandra East, Mumbai. He sustained two bullet injuries on his chest and was rushed to the Lilavati hospital in Mumbai, where he passed away. Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother Anmol was arrested in the US for his alleged role in the murder of Siddique and firing outside actor Salman Khan's Mumbai home. Suspected key conspirators Shubham Lonkar and Zishan Mohammad Akhtar are still on the run. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said his government is committed to the welfare of farmers and is implementing various schemes covering the entire spectrum of agriculture for the benefit of cultivators in the state. Kumar said his government after coming to power in 2005 took several initiatives for welfare of farmers. "After coming to power in November 2005, we took several initiatives and launched schemes for the development of agriculture sector and for the benefit of farmers. Our government is committed to the welfare of farmers. The state government is implementing various schemes covering the entire spectrum of agriculture for the benefit of farmers in the state", Kumar told journalists after inaugurating four-day agri exhibition - 'Agro Bihar 2024' at Gandhi Maidan here. He further said, "We launched an agriculture road map in the state in 2008 which increased the production and productivity of crops, fruits and vegetables in the state. We also took several steps to improve women's participation in the agriculture sector in the stateand the result is very positive". Farmers are getting modern equipment related to farming, procuring high-quality seeds and availing benefits of several other schemes launched by the government, the CM said. Organising such an exhibition is also an initiative by the government where farmers can get updated information about the use of latest technology in the agriculture sector, he added. The CM, accompanied by state Agriculture minister Mangal Pandey and senior officials, also visited different stalls at the exhibition. "More than 125 stalls related to agri-sector have been set up at the exhibition. Apart from Bihar, manufacturers of equipment used in the agriculture sector, from other states like Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal are also participating in this exhibition. Scientists, agricultural experts and entrepreneurs associated with the agricultural sector from Bihar as well as other states are also participating in the exhibition", a statement issued by the Chief Minister's office said. Arrangements have also been made for 4,500 farmers from all districts of the state to visit the fair every day at government expense, said the statement. "Farmers will also be trained at 'Kisan Pathshala' at the exhibition where they will get information about the latest agricultural machinery, crop residue management equipment and other materials", it said. One of the richest colleges in the UK, Cambridge's Trinity College, is under fire for misleading students about its arms deal with Israel. The college institution was found lying regarding its investments in arms firms complicit in killing Palestinians. Last May, the Trinity College Students' Union (TCSU) said senior college members had agreed to divest from arms companies "by the summer." However, in November, student representatives were told by college master Sally Davies that Trinity has not divested and has no plan to do so, leaving students feeling misled, per Middle East Eye. Students were frustrated by the college's lack of transparency. Many believed for months that Trinity was divesting, only to find out the opposite. MEE revealed earlier this year that the college had significant investments in Elbit Systems, Israel's largest arms manufacturer, and other companies tied to Israel's military actions in Gaza. Students Protest at Trinity College, Cambridge Students protested and demanded clarification but the college refused to neither confirm nor deny its actions. Letters from student unions have since called for immediate divestment and the creation of an ethical investment oversight committee, according to Algemeiner. The leadership of the college never clearly responded despite numerous questions. The college administration continued to keep quiet for an extended period, and it made the students feel "deeply shameful" regarding the institution's lack of transparency. One student contested that they deserve to know how their money is being used, especially when it involves companies complicit in war crimes. It reignites pro-Palestine student protests at Cambridge University and has set up encampments at key locations, demanding Trinity College and the wider administration of the university to break ties with arms companies. Protest leaders accuse the varsity of violating its previous agreements to review investments made and cut off its dealings with students when making critical decisions. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code This year on the 180 anniversary of the SVP in Ireland, the annual appeal is focused on providing help and hope to struggling individuals and families in the Dundalk area and across Ireland. Dundalk Area President Helen Grant said: The calls for help to our regional office and local conferences continue to increase. Help with food and energy continues to be the main reason for these. Our theme for this year, ''The Wonder of Christmas', reflects the questions our volunteers face most regularly in the run-up to Christmas: I wonder, will I have enough for food and toys? I wonder do the kids know we are struggling. I wonder how it is affecting them. I wonder how we got into this situation. I wonder if we will ever get out of it. I wonder if you can help. She went on to say that despite the one-off payments made by the Government coming through this month, there are many people who will continue to struggle to meet basic family expenses, particularly on special occasions such as Christmas. "Those hardest hit will include families, low-income workers, households on fixed social welfare incomes, low-income households in rural areas, and people with disabilities, and their careers. That is why we are seeking donations to help families pay for food, heat their homes and ensure their children get a decent Christmas" Ms Grant continued. Ms Grant said the public and corporate response to SVP has been magnificent in the past and they are hopeful of another very positive reaction this year. Dundalk Area raised 202K last Christmas, which was crucial in supporting those in need. During Christmas, they distributed 173K in vouchers and various forms of assistance to families. Additionally, they provided over 300k to support individuals and families throughout the year. Ms Grant added: "Unfortunately for too many people, it can still take just one small problem to tip someone into crisis and poverty, such as an unexpected illness or bill coupled with the current enormous cost of living increases, "But we know that a little help at the right time can stop a domino effect leading to a family experiencing prolonged hardship. Coming up to Christmas and into the New Year SVP expect there to be an increasing demand on their services particularly this year when, as everyone knows the cost of all our basic items such as food and fuel has increased greatly. "By supporting SVP annual appeal, you can help a family through the winter. You can get them back on their feet and give them a brighter future and save them from falling into a life of poverty." This year SVP are holding their annual church collection on Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December. SVP would urge anyone in genuine need to please contact them. Your contact with SVP will be treated with the strictest confidence. (1800 67 77 77) Ways to donate: By Cheque: Cheques made payable to Society of St. Vincent de Paul, address, Area Treasurer Dundalk, SVP, 21 Jocelyn Street Dundalk, Co. Louth Online: svp.ie and nominate your local area By phone: 0818 176 176 (ROI) By post: Cheques made payable to Society of St. Vincent de Paul-regional office, SVP, Tiernan House, Fair Green Drogheda, Co Louth, A92 TF3P Blue envelopes: Keep an eye out for special blue envelopes in newspapers and churches Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. You never know whats going on behind closed doors, a St Vincent de Paul (SVP) representative said, as some Cork families burn refuse to heat their homes. Jason Boyle, SVP southwest regional vice-president and area president for East Cork, has said that families burning their rubbish to stay warm is the reality of what is going on in Cork today. A significant number of Cork families are reaching out for help to cope with sky-high costs of food, basic utilities, and fuel. There are hardships that you might not even consider that people around you are facing, Mr Boyle said. You and I could arrive home and dont give a second thought about putting on the heating, but there are others who have to think long and hard whether they can afford to heat their house or feed their child that day. SVP received 4,645 calls for help from struggling families and individuals in Cork in October. This is expected to reach a peak of 1,650 calls per week in December. This is our busiest time of the year, Mr Boyle said. He continued: There is a preconception that we only help the poorest of the poor. There are plenty of people with a car in the driveway and, from the outside, things might look great, but inside that front door it is a different story. Mr Boyle said that without SVP, many families facing hunger and freezing temperatures would have nowhere else to turn. I have seen multiple cases where someone has been made redundant for whatever reason, they go to get their job seekers and their fuel allowance and are told, No, sorry. When you are unemployed for the guts of a full year, then we will think about giving it to you. You need to be on job seekers for 312 days before you are entitled to it. What are you supposed to do then, when your children are sitting in a cold house? Speaking at the launch of the annual car draw earlier this week, SVP southwests regional president, Mary Frances Behan, echoed Mr Boyles comments: The overriding theme we are seeing this year is that, in addition to struggling and vulnerable people, the cost-of-living crisis is really squeezing lower and even middle-income workers, as their expenses continue to rise, whilst their earnings remain the same. It will be all to play for as ballot boxes are opened in Nemo Rangers GAA grounds, Mallow GAA grounds, and elsewhere across the country this morning, as last nights exit poll showed all three of Irelands main parties within a couple of percentage points of each other. However, it wasnt Fianna Fail who emerged on top as many had predicted. The party were on 19.5% of first preference votes, while Sinn Fein came out the best on 21.1%, with Fine Gael just behind at 21%. The exit poll, carried out by Ipsos Behaviour and Attitudes for RTE, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin, is based on the answers of 5,018 respondents at constituencies across the country, and has a margin of error of 1.4%. While the exit poll is indicative of the support base for the political parties, the final results will be determined by transfer votes. The inconclusive results mean that all eyes will now turn to the potential search for coalition partners. Elsewhere, the exit poll showed: Social Democrats (5.8%), Labour (5%), Greens (4%), Aontu (3.6%), People Before Profit-Solidarity (3.1%), and Independent Ireland (2.2%). Independents and other candidates were on 14.6%. Polling opened at 7am yesterday and got off to a slow start, with candidates worried the weather would negatively impact turnout. However, there was the usual teatime surge in voting, and at 8pm last night Cork North West had the highest turnout, with 57.4%, while the figure was 55.4% in South West and 50.3% in Cork East. In Cork South Central, the turnout was around 54%. It varied between polling stations as low as 43% in some and as high as 65% in others. In North Central, the turnout was at around 50%, and similarly wide-ranging with stations having seen between 40% and 60% of the electorate vote by 8pm. Tanaiste and Cork South Central TD Micheal Martin told The Echo: The campaign went very well. I got positive feelings around the country people engaged and raised very serious issues around housing, disabilities, safety, education etc so Im under no illusions that theres lots of challenges facing us. The world is in turmoil at the moment, so a lot more challenges will come our way. Micheal Martin, Tanaiste and leader of Fianna Fail spoke to members of the news media after voting with his wife Mary and children Micheal Aodh, Cillian and Aoibhe at St Anthony's BNS, Ballinlough Cork for the general election 2024. Pic Larry Cummins I cant predict the outcome, but theres a very positive feeling around Cork I popped in to the English Market to get some fresh food for the weekend ang got a very warm response, so hopefully thats a sign. Sinn Fein TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire, who is the only other incumbent in Cork South Central where he topped the poll in 2020, said: Weve had a very positive number of weeks. Its clear that its going to be quite tight, our sense of the outcome is very uncertain but I am hopeful, and if we do end up as the largest party I dont see any reason why we wouldnt be able to enter negotiations to form a government and see Mary Lou McDonald as Taoiseach. His party colleague and Cork North Central poll-topper in 2020, Thomas Gould, said: The weather could have a big part to play on voter turnout, we know from the past that low turnouts suits the government parties. 'Elmo' and the school bears took the opportunity to show off cups, and shields won at the Allianz Sciath na Scol gaelic games finals, at the poilling station at St Anthony's BNS, Ballinlough Cork for the general election 2024. Pic Larry Cummins Im feeling positive, but we wont know anything until the boxes are opened the locals didnt go as well as we would have hoped but weve been getting a better response on the doors and recent polls have been reflecting what weve been seeing on the doors. Fine Gael TD for the same constituency, Colm Burke said: I had a great team of people working with me, especially councillors, and we had three or four teams out every night. Im optimistic, but you never know until the votes are counted how its going to go - thats the great thing about democracy, its private, people will go into the polling booth and give their vote for whoever they think will do the best for Cork North Central. Mick Barry of People Before Profit-Solidarity, also hoping to retain his seat in North Central, thanked his team of 107 people who helped him campaign: Made up of socialists, trade union activists, community activists, feminists and Palestine campaigners, it was the biggest team of volunteers I have ever assembled in my 25 years standing in elections. We're feeling hopeful but we know we're in a battle and it could go either way. People cast their votes at Greenmount National School in Cork, as voters go to polls the for the 2024 General Election in Ireland. Photo: Jacob King/PA Wire Non-incumbents were also hopeful about their chances, with Independent Irelands Ken OFlynn, running in North Central, saying: Im feeling optimistic about the election. I believe weve effectively communicated our vision for positive change, and Im proud of the conversations we've started. Regardless of the outcome, Im grateful for the opportunity to engage with everyone and address the issues that matter most to our residents. Independent candidate Mick Finn, running in South Central, said: We got a great response on the doors throughout this huge constituency and I am hopeful of being right in the mix to take a seat in Cork South Central. I had a superb team of 150 made up of family, friends, cousins and colleagues which meant we got to a lot of places. They couldnt have done any more and I am grateful to them and to the people we engaged with for the last 10 weeks. Its tough doing a campaign like this as an Independent, impossible to compete financially, but we made up for it with boots on the ground. Padraig Rice, general election candidate for the Social Democrats in Cork South Central voting in Morning Star Primary School in Ballyphehane, Cork. Social Democrats candidate Padraig Rice said: Im really proud of the campaign we ran. It was positive, pragmatic and solutions focused. One thing is crystal clear - people want change in housing, healthcare, disability services, childcare and climate. I hope this election is a catalyst for change. Labours Laura Harmon added: I am extremely proud of the campaign we ran and the huge team of volunteers. We knocked on tens of thousands of doors and I am so grateful to the people of Cork South Central for engaging with our campaign and sharing their wishes for a better Cork and Ireland with me. Ballots for both North and South Central will be counted in Nemo Rangers today, while votes for Cork East, North West and South West will be counted in Mallow. Figures for those seeking emergency accommodation in Cork have reached a new high with the number of adults and children recorded as homeless up significantly, according to data published by the Department of Housing and Local Government yesterday. Figures for October show there were 562 adults seeking emergency accommodation in Cork, up from the figure of 549 for September. The number of children recorded as homeless across Cork and Kerry combined is also up, increasing by 24 to 207 on the September figure of 183. Nationally, 14,966 people were described as homeless, comprising 10,321 adults and 4,645 children the highest ever in both metrics. The figure for the number of adults described as homeless in Cork has been above 500 consistently since October of 2022. The latest figures were described as a scandal by Cork North Central Sinn Fein TD, Thomas Gould. In just one month, child homelessness in Cork and Kerry has increased by 21%, he said. That is after four years of Fianna Fail in charge of housing. Micheal Martins message to the adults and children facing eviction and homelessness is that he hopes the figures will drop in the next 12 months. Theyve had a decade. In a pre-election interview, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said he could not guarantee when homeless figures would peak, but added that he would like to see a reduction within 12 months. He added that homelessness is the number one priority for his party. Volunteer co-ordinator with Cork Penny Dinners Caitriona Twomey said: Whatever government is elected must take decisive action. We need more affordable housing options, more social housing and the restoration of derelict properties to ensure everyone has a safe place to stay. Five Clean Coasts groups from Cork were honoured at the 2024 Ocean Hero Awards earlier this week, with one bringing home the joint title of Campaigner of the Year. The event, held at the Gibson Hotel in Dublin, celebrated dedicated groups, individuals, communities, and businesses who have gone above and beyond to protect their local coastline and its surrounding environment in 2024. The Ocean Hero Awards is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and showcase the incredible work that is being done day in and day out by volunteers in the Clean Coast community, Bronagh Moore, An Taisces Clean Coasts programme manager said. We hope that it will inspire others to get involved and be ambitious about the positive impact we can have in protecting and caring for our marine environment. Now more than ever our ocean needs to be protected. We are stronger together and when we work with a common purpose, great things can be achieved. Among those in Cork who were nominated and/or awarded was Schull-based Clean Coasts campaigner, Mark McCarthy, who was the joint winner of the Campaigner of the Year award. In 2024 Mr McCarthy added a #2MinuteBeachClean to a powerboating course that he runs, and was recognised alongside Sean Ronayne, who is an Irish ornithologist and wildlife sound recordist. Sean Ronayne, Irish ornithologist and wildlife sound recordist with Mark McCarthy, from Schull, joint winners of the Campaigner of the Year Award, at the Clean Coasts Ocean Hero Awards 2024. Picture: Naoise Culhane. Also nominated in the Event of the Year Category were Clean Coasts Ballynamona and St Colmans College, alongside Clean Coasts Cobh, Ballymore Community Association and Cobh Tidy Town for their individual events. Clean Coasts Ballynamona together with St Colmans College, Midleton were recognised for running the Big Little Beach Clean series, which took place across Redbarn in Youghal, Garryvoe and Ardnahinch in Ballycotton, and Inchydoney Strand. The events saw approximately 800 primary school children and their teachers participate in beach based environmental education workshops. Also, the collective groups of Clean Coasts Cobh, Ballymore Community Association and Cobh Tidy Towns held two very large events in 2024, which earned them their nomination in this category including one for World Ocean Day and one for the Big Beach Clean. Proinsias O Tuama, was further nominated for Individual of the Year for his volunteer work with Clean Coasts Ballynamona. Mr O Tuama founded Clean Coasts Ballynamona which is part of the Sea and Land Trust and he is a teacher with St Colmans College who were shortlisted for Youth of the Year and for Event of the Year. Speaking at the Ocean Hero Awards ceremony, Conall OConnor of the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage said: I would like to commend the Clean Coasts team for their outstanding work. The impact that their programme has on all our lives and particularly on coastal areas is immeasurable. 9.40pm: Jerry Buttimer and Padraig Rice took the fourth and fifth seats on the eighteenth count in the Cork South Central constituency - a historic breakthrough for the Social Democrats, who tripled their seats in Cork. Mr Buttimer ended up with 10,917 after 3,667 transfers from Mr OCallaghan, while Mr Finn got 474 transfers and was eliminated on 6,651, leaving Mr Rice to be elected on 10,242 without having reached the quota. Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer celebrates in Nemo. Picture: Chani Anderson The Social Democrats celebrated a historic day in Cork South Central with the election of the partys first TD for the constituency. Commenting after his election, Mr Rice said: Im deeply honoured to have been elected as a TD for Cork South Central. A huge thank you to the over 5,000 people who went out in the rain on Friday to put a number one next to my name. I really appreciate the support. This is a historic breakthrough for the Social Democrats as its the first time we have won a seat in this constituency. He explained: In Cork South Central, we ran a really energetic campaign. We knocked on thousands of doors right across the constituency. I had a fantastic team of volunteers who put their hearts and souls into it. Our campaign was positive, progressive and solutions-focused I think that really resonated with people. Mr Rice added: I would like to thank everyone I met during the campaign. On the doors, people shared their worries, hardships and concerns. One thing is crystal clear: people want to see real change in relation to housing, healthcare, disability, childcare and climate. I hope this election is the catalyst for that change. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said: It is an incredible achievement to win a seat in such a hugely competitive constituency. This victory is a testament to Padraigs hard work on the ground, since he became a councillor during the summer, and the hugely positive campaign he ran. This breakthrough also marks a major milestone for the Social Democrats. The surge in support we have seen in this election, in Cork and all around the country, makes it very clear that people out there want a new kind of politics. The Social Democrats did not engage in auction politics, we were clear with the electorate about what our deal breakers for government would be, and that message of honesty and transparency resonated with huge numbers of people. Mr Buttimer said it was a huge honour to be re-elected to Cork South Central after eight years, congratulating everyone who was elected tonight and those who were "brave enough to run but had not been selected, particularly his colleagues Una [McCarthy] and Shane [O'Callaghan]. Today is a special day for me because its my mums birthday, and I know shes in heaven watching over me, he said, thanking her and his father for all they had done for him. The people have spoken, they made a decision, its now time to form a government on behalf of the people, he concluded. 8.20pm: No candidate has been elected on the seventeenth count. Fine Gaels Shane OCallaghan has been eliminated and his 5,958 votes will now be distributed. Social Democrats candidate Padraig Rice is now at 9,563; Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer is at 7,250 and Independent candidate Mick Finn is at 6,177. 7.45pm: Nemo Rangers has enjoyed the second sing along of the night as Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire has been elected to the third seat in Cork South Central on the sixteenth count. Sinn Feins Donnchadh OLaoghaire has been elected to the third seat in Cork North Central on the sixteenth count. Picture: Eddie O'Hare Mr O Laoghaire surpassed the quota by just under 200 votes after getting close to 500 transfers from Labours Laura Harmon. Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer got just under 700 transfers from Ms Harmon, and is now on 7,223, while Social Democrats Padraig Rice got 1891 and is now on 9,418, while Mick Finn (Ind) got 4,98 votes and is now on 6,193. Shane OCallaghan, also of Fine Gael, has 5,943 votes after getting 431 transfers, but is likely the next to be eliminated. They are distributing Mr O Laoghaires surplus as it could theoretically put Mr OCallaghan over Mr Finn, but it is almost impossible that it will as he would need almost the whole surplus. After Mr OCallaghan is eliminated, his votes will possibly put Mr Buttimer over Mr Rice, but both are almost certain to be elected barring a major swing of transfers to Mr Finn. 6.10pm: No elections at the fifteenth count in Cork South Central, but it is expected that the next count will see Sinn Fein's Donnchadh O Laoghaire lifted onto shoulders while flags wave, potentially even with a sing along like his party colleague Thomas Gould enjoyed earlier this afternoon in North Central. With 2,299 transfers from his running mate Michelle Cowhey Shahid, he now stands on 10,152 and needs 299 votes to reach the quota. Labours Laura Harmon was eliminated her 4,643 votes will now be distributed, and will likely favour Social Democrats Padraig Rice, but Mr O Laoghaire will be hoping to get enough of those transfers to push him over the line. Mick Finn (Ind) also performed well, picking up 152 transfers taking him to 5,640, still ahead of Fine Gaels Shane OCallaghan who is on 5,512. The unpredictability of Independent transfers make it difficult to predict who is likely to take more of Ms Harmons transfers, but Mr Finn is expected to hold onto his lead, meaning Mr OCallaghan will be eliminated next. Mr O Laoghaire is unlikely to pick up many transfers from the Fine Gael candidate, so will be keen to get in on Ms Harmons transfers. Each count is taking just over an hour, but the constituency is now expected to be finished counting tonight, with the final two candidates likely to be elected without reaching the quota. These likely candidates are Jerry Buttimer (FG), currently on 6,532 and Padraig Rice (SD), who is currently on 7,527. 5.40pm: Nobody has been elected on either the thirteenth or fourteenth count in Cork South Central Anna Daly of Aontu and Michelle Cowhey Shahid of Sinn Fein have now both been eliminated. Transfers of Monica Oikeh's (G) 2,596 votes and Ms Dalys 2,951 votes pushed Ms Cowhey Shahid up to 3,214 her running mate Donnchadh O Laoghaire will be hopeful to take a sizeable amount of these transfers given the strength of Sinn Fein to Sinn Fein transfers nationally, but it will likely not be enough to push him over the quota. Independent Mick Finn got 903 votes from Aontu transfers, more than three times as much as the next highest candidate, and has slightly overtaken Fine Gaels Shane OCallaghan who stands at 5,479 compared to Mr Finns 5,488. Mr O Laoghaire sits at 7,853 votes needing 2,598 to get elected, Padraig Rice (SD) at 7,279, Jerry Buttimer (FG) at 6,459 and Laura Harmon (Lab) at 4,405 she is likely to be the next candidate eliminated. All candidates remaining are expecting it to be a long night, or even for the count to be called for the night and resumed tomorrow. 5pm: It is looking likely that the Social Democrats will triple their seats in Cork, following similar growth in the locals in June. Party leader Holly Cairns was elected in Cork South West early this morning and Liam Quaide in Cork East within the last hour. Padraig Rice, who is currently sitting on 6,324 votes and will likely take either the fourth or fifth seat in Cork South Central depending on how transfers go, told The Echo: Its really positive. We have two definitely and its looking really positive for me here, so a really great day for the party locally and nationally and were really grateful for all the support we got. Its an exciting time, I think our message and the way we were straight with people around our deal breaker issues for government and the issues we focused on really resonated with people." 3.20pm: No candidate has been elected on the twelfth count, and the Green Partys Monica Oikeh has been eliminated. The first time candidate polled better than many might have expected, but, in keeping with the national trend, was not in the running for a seat at any point since the first count. Her 2,596 votes will now be transferred. Transfers from FGs Una McCarthy slightly favoured Shane OCallaghan over Jerry Buttimer, with her running mates receiving 871 and 774 votes respectively. This proves enough for OCallaghan to overtake Independent Mick Finn, but not enough for him to overtake his party colleague. Neither of them have overtaken Padraig Rice (SD), meaning his shot of taking a seat becomes even more likely. The order of the remaining candidates now stands at: Donnchadh O Laoghaire (SF) on 7,468 followed by Padraig Rice (SD) on 6,324, Jerry Buttimer (FG) on 5,955, Shane OCallaghan (FG) on 5,004, Mick Finn (Ind) on 4,486, Laura Harmon (Lab) on 3,555, Michelle Cowhey Shahid (SF) on 2,993, Anna Daly (Aon) on 2,892. It is looking possible that two or even three candidates could be elected without having reached the quota, with Mr O Laoghaire unlikely to pick up enough transfers from Michelle Cowhey Shahid to be elected when she is eliminated, and instead having to rely on transfers from Aontu and Labour. 2.20pm: Nobody has been elected on the eleventh count in Cork South Central, as Seamus McGraths small surplus of 307 votes was transferred. Fine Gaels Una McCarthy will now be eliminated and her 2,347 votes will be spread out among the candidates. Fine Gael's Jerry Buttimer (currently on 5,181) and party colleague Shane OCallaghan (4,133) will be hoping to make significant gains from these, and it will be interesting to see which of her two running mates Ms McCarthys voters favour, though Mr Buttimer looks almost definite to take the seat in the end. Still in the race is: Donnchadh O Laoghaire (SF) on 7,418 followed by Padraig Rice (SD) on 6,238, Jerry Buttimer (FG) on 5,181, Mick Finn (Ind) on 4,433, Shane OCallaghan (FG) on 4,133, Laura Harmon (LAB) on 3,404, Michelle Cowhey Shahid (SF) on 2,969, Anna Daly (Aon) on 2,846 and Monica Oikeh (G) on 2,447. It is likely to be several counts before any candidate meets the quota. 1pm: Fianna Fails Seamus McGrath has secured the second seat in Cork South Central. He was elected on the tenth count with 10,758 votes having exceeded the quota of 10,451. Speaking following his election, Mr McGrath told The Echo: Im absolutely ecstatic, its great to finally make it over the line so I just want to thank everyone for their support. Its a wonderful day for the McGrath family, Michael takes up his role as EU commissioner today and Im elected as a TD so its a very special day. Michael McGrath said: Its emotional, Im so proud of him he had my back for 25 years in politics, he did all the hard work, so Im so proud to be here with him today. Party leader and constituency poll-topper Micheal Martin said: Id like to pay tribute to Seamus on an outstanding result, he has been a fabulous councillor and a political powerhouse for Michael over the years, hes a very formidable politician in his own right. Celebrations for newly elected TD Seamus McGrath, taking the seat of his departing brother and now EU Commissoner Michael McGrath at the general election count centre at Nemo Rangers on Sunday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins Its some achievement for the family, they must be very proud, and Seamus will be a very effective member of Dail Eireann, of that I have no doubt. He added: It confirms a very strong representation for Fianna Fail in Cork South Central again, saying: the bottom line is its hard work that gets these results. 12.25pm: No candidate has been elected on the ninth count in Cork South Central, but the elimination of Fianna Fails Margaret Kenneally and the transfer of her 1,241 votes means there will likely be an election on the next count. Fianna Fail's Seamus McGrath got 13 votes from People Before Profits Shane Laird transfers and now has 10,064 votes he needs 381 to reach the quota or 30% of Ms Kenneallys votes, which seems almost certain given that he got over 50% of Micheal Martin's surplus yesterday afternoon. The transfer of the remaining votes has benefited Padraig Rice (SD), who now stands on 6,194 after 514 transfers, and Donnchadh O Laoghaire (SF) who has 7,383 after 138 transfers, while Jerry Buttimer (FG) is on 4,927 with just nine transfers and Mick Finn (Ind) is on 4,369 after getting 46 transfers. 12pm: Fine Gael TD Simon Coveney, who is not contesting this year but had held a seat in Cork South Central for over 20 years, has arrived at Nemo Rangers. He told The Echo: Its very different this year, but Im almost as nervous for some of the candidates as I would have been myself. My role over the last number of months has been to support and mentor new candidates, particularly in Cork but further afield too. Ive launched lots of campaigns and canvassed for lots of candidates - some made it, some havent, so now its about trying to deal with the drama and emotion of that. In Cork South Central, he said: Weve got 16.5% of the vote, so down on results in the past, but you have to understand that two of the biggest vote winners for Fianna Fail are in this constituency including the party leader that is going to have a skewed impact on the result, especially when you have no counterbalance with a Fine Gael minister. He noted that in Wicklow, Fianna Fail have seen a similar drop in votes in Mr Harris constituency, saying that the partys fight for the fifth seat in South Central was to be expected with such a strong ticket from their former government colleagues. We had three great candidates, two who were brand new to general elections including Una [McCarthy] who has only been in politics for a year, Shane [OCallaghan] who has been in politics for five years but its his first general election, they both did very well. Jerry Buttimer is making a big comeback, we had one outgoing seat, and we do want to build on that for the future but its looking like we will hold a seat quite comfortably. 11.40am: No candidate has been elected on the eight count in Cork South Central. Fianna Fails Seamus McGrath remains the closest to the quota of 10,451 with 10,051 votes. He is followed by Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire now on 7,245 votes ahead of Social Democrats candidate Padraig Rice on 5,680. People Before Profits Shane Laird has been eliminated and his 1,052 votes will now be distributed. Mr Laird told The Echo that he was pleased to have gotten more votes than The National Partys Ted Neville and to have come to close to Fianna Fail's Margaret Kenneally. "I'm proud to have gotten over 1,000 before being eliminated," he said. 11am: They are tearing through the counts in Cork South Central, but after the seventh count there has still been no elections since Micheal Martin on the first count. His running mate, Seamus McGrath now stands on 10,016 after receiving 34 transfers from Independent Paudie Dineen. Mr Finn received the lions share of the transfers with 240, but remains in sixth place on 4,083 despite getting almost four times as many as the next highest candidate, Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire. Mr O Laoghaire got 63 transfers and remains in third place on 7,179, followed by Social Democrats Padraig Rice whose 35 transfers bring him up to 5,665 and Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer who got 31 transfers and now sits on 4,909. The National Partys Ted Neville has been eliminated, and his 978 votes will now be transferred these will likely not favour either government or left wing parties. People Before Profits Shane Laird will likely be the next to go with 1,018 votes both he and Mr Neville got 16 transfers on the last count. His transfers are likely to favour Mr Rice and probably wont help Mr McGrath reach much closer to the quota, which he is 435 votes behind. The ninth count will likely see Fianna Fails Margaret Kenneally currently on 1,232 votes eliminated, meaning Mr McGrath will probably be elected on the tenth count. From there, all the candidates are currently on over 2,000 votes, so counts are expected to take longer and provide larger boosts to the candidates vying for the final seats. 10.30am: The sixth count has seen no change in Cork South Central Fianna Fail's Seamus McGrath got 10 transfers leaving him on 9,982, still 473 behind the quota. The Social Democrats Padraig Rice is on 5,630 after getting nearly a quarter of Ms Bogues transfers, and it is looking increasingly certain that he will take either the fourth or more likely the fifth seat in the constituency, as his party has proven to be transfer-friendly in this and previous elections across Ireland. Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire sits on 7,196, Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer is on 4,878 and Independent Mick Finn is on 3,843. Independent Paudie Dineen was eliminated, and his 633 votes will now be transferred. Mr Finn will be hoping to pick up a high percentage from his former council colleague to keep him in the contest, though large transfers from Mr Buttimers two Fine Gael running mates remain to be divided, likely pushing him ahead of Mr Rice to take the fourth seat. The next to be eliminated will be - depending on how Mr Dineens transfers are allocated - either The National Partys Ted Neville currently on 962 or, with radically different political views, People Before Profits Shane Laird on 1,002. 10.10am: Nobody has been elected on the fifth count in Cork South Central - the first count of Sunday morning - and Rabhartas Lorna Bogue has been eliminated with 460 votes. Ms Bogue performed significantly worse than in the 2020 general election, where she came very close to taking the final seat ahead of Micheal McGrath. Mr McGraths brother Seamus gained just 15 votes from the transfers of Independent Irelands Veronica Houlihans 392 votes and is now on 9,972 483 from the quota of 10,451 it will likely be lunchtime or later before he is elected. Anna Daly of Aontu did the best from Ms Houlihans transfers, receiving 66 votes, while Ted Neville of the National Party received 55 votes they sit on 2,379 and 959 votes respectively now, both far from the quota and the frontrunners. The order of the main contenders remains unchanged - Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire sits on 7,092, Social Democrats Padraig Rice on 5,512, Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer on 4,854 and Independent Mick Finn on 3,816, with Mr Rice likely to benefit most from the transfers from Ms Bogue. 11pm: Nobody was elected on the fourth count in Cork South Central Fianna Fail's Seamus McGrath got just four transfers and is 497 from the quota. Independent Irelands Veronica Houlihan has been eliminated and her 392 votes will be transferred, starting at 9am tomorrow. 10.40pm: Nobody has been elected on the third count in Cork South Central. Fianna Fail's Seamus McGrath picked up just ten votes from the transfers of the elimination of the bottom three candidates and is now at 9,950 501 votes off the quota. Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire is on 7,055, Social Democrats Padraig Rice on 5,455, Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer on 4,840 and Independent Mick Finn on 3,734 after the third count. Independent Graham De Barra has been eliminated and his 230 votes will now be transferred these are likely to favour Mr O Laoghaire, Mr Rice and Mr Finn over Mr McGrath and Mr Buttimer, but do not have the potential to elect anyone regardless. Mr McGrath may not be elected until six counts time, when his running mate Margaret Kenneally, currently on 1,215 votes, will likely be eliminated if the order remains the same there are a further five candidates between her and Mr De Barra with under 1,000 votes. 9.40pm: Nobody has been elected on the second count in Cork South Central following the distribution of Micheal Martins surplus of 4,057. His party colleague Seamus McGrath gained 2,146 votes, leaving him at 9,940, meaning he is now just 511 off the quota of 10,451. Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer got 427 votes from Mr Martin, putting him at 4,834 he remains in fifth place behind Padraig Rice (SD) who got 79 second preferences and is now on 5,447, while Mick Finn (Ind) remains in sixth on 3,706 after getting 124 transfers. The three lowest candidates have been eliminated, Independent Irelands Valerie Ward, who ended on 105 votes, Independent John OLeary who ended on 61 and Tony Field, also an Independent, who ended with 37 votes. Their 203 votes will now be distributed, but do not have the potential to elect a candidate even in the unlikely event that all of their voters gave their second preference to Mr McGrath. Graham De Barra, an Independent candidate on 223 votes, is likely to be the next eliminated, with Independent Irelands Veronica Houlihan (on 353) and Rabhartas Lorna Bogue (on 423) possibly next it will likely take several more counts before another candidate is elected. 8.45pm: Micheal Martin told The Echo that he plans to celebrate his election with a pint of Murphys or Beamish alongside his family and canvassing team. Im in Nemo Rangers, so I couldnt be in a better place but Im tired as well, it was a hectic couple of weeks, particularly last night the exit poll which has now proven not to be correct was a bit of a downer. He thanked his family and election team, and said that overall the party had put up an incredibly strong showing in Cork. Cork North West is going to be very close to keep our two seats, in South West Christopher OSullivan looks like hell hold in, were in for a fight in Cork East and in North Central, Tony Fitzgerald is really in with a chance of winning a second seat I take a lot of heart from that. Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer, who is currently in fifth position, told The Echo: Its early days yet, but from that first count its clear that theres a Fine Gael seat in there anyway its a question of transfers now, Id like to compliment Una [McCarthy] and Shane [O'Callaghan] too we ran a great campaign. Micheal Martin got a huge vote, Id like to congratulate him on that, he has a big surplus so hopefully some of those will go to the Fine Gael element of the government and myself and my two colleagues will benefit from that. Mr Buttimer added: I want to thank the people who supported me, its a great element of trust which I am humbled by, and those who volunteered to knock on doors on wet and cold nights. Our democracy is precious, and anyone who has any doubts about democracy should be here in Nemo Rangers today seeing how it all works. 8pm: Independent candidate Mick Finn told The Echo he faces a "big battle" in trying to secure a seat in Cork South Central. I did well enough, but Id be a bit disappointed with the first preference votes based on what Id been hearing on the doorsteps I did okay, but I have a big battle ahead to get the last seat, Id need a lot of things to fall my way," he said. The poll-topping former councillor is currently sitting in sixth position with 3,582 votes he is just 825 votes behind Fine Gael's Jerry Buttimer, but there are two Fine Gael candidates below them who will likely transfer well to their party colleague. He added: I want to give credit to the other candidates, and in particular well done to Padraig Rice getting a huge vote in his first ever general election it has been at my expense sadly, but theres still over ten thousand votes to be transferred and Ill likely be in the mix until the last or second last count. 7.10pm: Tanaiste and leader of the Fianna Fail party Micheal Martin has been elected in the Cork South Central constituency on the first count. Mr Martin secured 14,526 first preference votes well exceeding the quota of 10,451. No other candidates were elected on the first count. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin is hoisted up by his sons Cillian and Micheal Aodh after he was deemed elected in the Cork South Central constituency at the election count centre at Nemo Rangers GAA Club. Speaking afterwards, Mr Martin said he is feeling relieved and elated and very humbled by what he described as an extraordinary vote of confidence from the people of Cork South Central. Mr Martin thanked his wife Mary who he said worked night and day while he was canvassing elsewhere in the country. He also thanked his three children, Micheal Aodh, Aoibhe and Cillian and his parliamentary assistant Fianna Fail councillor Mary Rose Desmond as well as other party staff and volunteers. Asked if he will be the next taoiseach, Mr Martin said: That remains to be seen, obviously in terms of the results across the length and breadth of the country. Its been a bit of a roller- coaster over the last 24 hours if Im honest we were kind of left wondering last evening where were we in that but now it transpires that we probably will exceed that exit poll prediction, above the margin of error so we could be at 21.9% or whatever now better mathematicians than me will work that out! So thats positive today, but then Im very conscious that theres going to be a lot, a lot of twists and turns, adding that the election will be extraordinarily competitive. The good news for us in Fianna Fail is notwithstanding that competition, multiple parties and Independents, we are competitive in every single constituency. Mr Martins party colleague, Seamus McGrath is set to retain his brother Michaels seat he received 7,794 first preferences. Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire is also in a good position with 6,947 first preferences, as is Padraig Rice of the Social Democrats with 5,368 and Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer on 4,407. Chasing them are Independent Mick Finn on 3,582, Fine Gaels Shane OCallaghan on 3,664 and Labours Laura Harmon on 3,005. Behind them and most likely out of the running are Sinn Feins Michelle Cowhey Shahid on 2,715, Aontus Anna Daly on 2,237, Fine Gaels Una McCarthy on 2,078 and Green Partys Monica Oikeh on 2,156. Ted Neville of the National Party finished on 858, a higher showing than many might have expected but well short of winning a seat, as he is unlikely to be transfer-friendly. Shane Laird of People Before Profit is on 876, Fianna Fails Margaret Kenneally is on 726, Independent Paudie Dineen is on 543, Lorna Bogue of Rabharta is on 425 and Independent Graham de Barra is on 217. Independent Irelands Veronica Houlihan is on 348, while her running mate and partner of Cork South West TD Michael Collins, Valerie Ward, received just 104 first preferences, likely due to being a late addition to the ballot and not submitting a picture. Independent John OLeary, who has ran in four of the five Cork constituensies, got 58 votes, while Tony Field, whose election promises included bringing back the death penalty, is on 35 and will likely be the first candidate eliminated, unless he gets enough transfers from the Tanaistes surplus to overtake Mr OLeary. 6.15pm: Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire told The Echo he felt cautiously optimistic following the results of the tallies. Im feeling encouraged, you never want to say in advance whats going to happen but it does look positive that there should be a Sinn Fein seat in Cork South Central, one in North Central with the possibility of a second and one in Cork East too. Id like to pay tribute to all the candidates who put themselves forward for the party, particularly my running mate Michelle Cowhey Shahid who got a very respectable and strong vote," he said. Mr O Laoghaire is expected to take the third seat in Cork South Central, with 6,740 first preference votes according to early tallies, ahead of the first count which is expected very soon. He added that the party looks likely to pick up seats in places including Waterford, Dublin North West and Dublin South Central. Candidates who, six months ago people were saying were in danger, have performed very strongly, but as for the amount of overall seats individual parties are going to get, we will see in time weve had very few first counts yet but the picture will become clear over the next few days." He concluded that his party fought to get the most seats, and said that if they do, they will be keen to start talks to form a government. Some parties have been saying they wont be talking to X, Y or Z, but weve been very honest well talk to any party once our priorities and our red lines around affordable housing and things like childcare are listened to. Meanwhile, Social Democrats councillor Padraig Rice, who is coming fourth with around 5,242 first preferences according to the tally, told The Echo that the numbers were looking really positive. He said: It looks like thousands of people across the city went out and put a number one next to my name on a wet Friday Im really honoured and delighted. Its been a really positive day for the party locally but also nationally, and I really appreciate the support people have given us. 5.15pm: Tanaiste and leader of the Fianna Fail party Micheal Martin said it is heartening that Fianna Fail is on course to exceed the exit poll results but cautioned that it is still early days yet. Speaking at the count centre in Nemo Rangers where the Cork South Central and Cork North Central votes are being counted, Mr Martin paid tribute to the partys candidates in the constituencies. Mr Martin, who is on course to be elected this evening after topping the tally, extended his thanks to his family for their support and said Fianna Fail had ran an impactful campaign. Tanaiste and leader of the Fianna Fail party Micheal Martin speaking to reporters at Nemo. Picture: Larry Cummins I think we ran probably the most effective and impactful on the ground campaign, knocking on doors everywhere and in every constituency, so I pay tribute to the Fianna Fail organisation and to our membership and to our volunteers. It seems, I mean its early days yet, but we look like we will certainly exceed the exit poll somewhat and that is heartening to us and again, its very, very early days but we do see a route to a very strong finish here in this election but I will predict that we will go into the early hours of tomorrow morning. I think we could go to Monday before a lot of these final seats in many constituencies will be decided because we have a very competitive and fragmented electoral situation, lets be honest, multiple parties now, small and different scale and Independents, he said. There is a very clear root back to Government, although its not fully determined because a lot will depend on those final seats that Ive spoken about. All we have at the moment are tallies of first counts which in the majority of cases will be reasonably accurate but then you have to work out geography, you have to work out eliminations, you have to work out the distribution of surpluses and it will be many, many counts later before we really are in a position to look at the destination of the final two seats in five-seaters or the final two seats in some four-seaters, Mr Martin added. Geography would be particularly important in the transfer area so its a bit too early yet to call the exact type of government that will be formed and the composition of the next government. But I think there will be a sufficiency of seats, it seems to me, that aligns with the core principles that I articulated at the outset of this campaign and throughout the campaign, around the pro-enterprise economy, around a pro-European Union position, a government that will strongly push for home ownership and parties that are transparently democratic in how they conduct their affairs. Tanaiste Micheal Martin, leader of Fianna Fail and his wife Mary arriving at the count centre at Nemo Rangers. Picture :Larry Cummins Mr Martin stressed that he was wary to make final predictions. Its just far too early to say if he will be the next Taoiseach, he added, saying: There will be a lot of twists and turns before this is over. 3.45pm:The first count is now underway in Cork South Central, with the Tanaiste set to be elected at around 6pm, but the fight for the remaining seats is likely to go into tomorrow. The three candidate strategy has gone well for Fianna Fail, who got 36.7% of the vote according the final tally 23.2% for Micheal Martin and 12.4% for Seamus McGrath, who will likely be the first two TDs elected, and 1.1% for Margaret Kenneally. The same strategy has not gone as well for Fine Gael who have a combined 16.2% of the vote 7% for Jerry Buttimer, 5.9% for Shane OCallaghan and 3.3% for Una McCarthy they are almost certain to take one seat but unlikely to take a second. Sinn Fein finished third with 15.4% of the vote 11.1% for Donnchadh O Laoghaire, who is likely to be the third TD elected, and 4.2% for Michelle Cowhey Shahid. The Social Democrats were the party with the fourth best showing - 8.6% of the vote for its singular candidate, Padraig Rice, who is in with a chance to make a breakthrough in the constituency. Mr Rices success was not predicted by political analysts or bookmakers, but Social Democrats co-founder Roisin Shortall told reporters earlier this month that they were quietly confident that Mr Rice, who has been involved with the party since its inception, would prove successful. Independents finished on 7.2%, the majority of these votes being for Mick Finn, who is on 5.8%, while Independent Irelands two candidates picked up just 0.7% between them. Labour finished on 4.8%, Aontu on 3.6%, the Green Party on 3.4%, PBP Solidarity on 1.4%, the National Party 1.3% and Rabharta on 0.7% - each party ran one candidate. 3pm: All boxes have been tallied in Cork South Central, where Tanaiste Micheal Martin is set to top the poll and be elected on the first count, with around 14,067 first preference votes representing 23.2% of voters. This would be Mr Martins second strongest ever showing, with the Fianna Fail leader having received 26.29% of the first preference votes back in 2002. Currently in second place is Mr Martin's party colleague Seamus McGrath (12.4%), who is closely followed by Donnchadh O Laoghaire (11.1%) but likely to get a stronger wave of transfers from Mr Martins surplus the Tanaiste is expected to be close to 4,000 over the quota. Mr McGrath told The Echo: Im very pleased with my own vote, it looks like Ill finish with the second highest amount of first preferences out of 22 candidates, so Im very pleased with that, and Im hopeful to take a seat, maybe the second or third. The partys overall result in Cork South Central is very strong, theres a long weekend ahead of us yet, but overall I feel Im in a good place personally. Social Democrats Padraig Rice is on 8.6%, putting him in a good spot to take a seat, though Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer, currently in fourth with 7% of the vote, may overtake him following transfers from Mr Martin and McGrath, as well as from his running mate Shane OCallaghan who is in sixth place on 5.9%, closely followed by Independent Mick Finn on 5.8%. Transfers from Laura Harmon of Labour, who stands at 4.8% and Michelle Cowhey Shahid of Sinn Fein at 4.2%, as well as from Mr O Laoghaire, could help Mr Rice hold his strong position. Monica Oikeh of the Green Party, Anna Daly of Aontu, Una McCarthy of Fine Gael, Shane Laird of People Before Profit-Solidarity, Margaret Kenneally of Fianna Fail and Ted Neville of the National Party are all between 1% and 5%. 1.30pm: Tallying in Cork South Central is continuing, with approximately 90% of boxes counted. Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin leads the way out of the boxes tallied so far, with 23.5% of the vote a number that has remained relatively steady since the first boxes were opened this morning. He is expected to arrive at the count centre soon. His party colleague Seamus McGrath is on 9.1%, with Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire having overtaken him and sitting on 11.8%, while Social Democrats Padraig Rice holds fourth place at 9.2%. Fine Gaels Jerry Buttimer is at 7.7%, followed by Independent Mick Finn at 6.8%, Shane OCallaghan, also of Fine Gael, at 6.2%, and Laura Harmon of Labour at 5.1%. Under 5% are Michelle Cowhey Shahid of Sinn Fein, Monica Oikeh of the Green Party, Anna Daly of Aontu, Una McCarthy of Fine Gael, Shane Laird of People Before Profit-Solidarity, Margaret Kenneally of Fianna Fail and Ted Neville of the National Party. Lorna Bogue of Rabharta, Veronica Houlihan and Valerie Ward of Independent Ireland and Independents Paudie Dineen, Tony Field, Graham De Barra and John OLeary are all on 1% or under, with Mr Field likely to be eliminated first with just over 30 votes so far. 12pm: Social Democrats could be set to make a breakthrough in Cork South Central, with the partys Padraig Rice currently coming in fourth with just under a quarter of the boxes tallied. Mr Rice was elected to Cork City Council for the first time in June, and currently has about 8.2% of the votes, behind Micheal Martin (23.9%) and Seamus McGrath (12.6%) of Fianna Fail and Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire (11.2%). Fine Gaels Senator Jerry Buttimer is in fifth place at 7.7%, but has two running mates, city councillor Shane OCallaghan and county councillor Una McCarthy, who are currently on 4.8% and 3.6% of the vote respectively, so will hope to pick up transfers from both, as well as from the two Fianna Fail candidates, as exit poll data shows the two coalition parties are set to transfer well to each other. Mr O Laoghaires running mate, Michelle Cowhey Shahid, is on 4.2% of the vote, with Independent Mick Finn and Labours Laura Harmon on 5.4% and 5% of the vote respectively, so it could be a close contest for the final seat as the remaining three quarters of the boxes are tallied before the official count begins. Mr Rices husband and campaign manager Aaron OSullivan told The Echo: Its looking quite positive, though its still early days and theres a lot of transfers to come into play. We dont want to count our chickens before theyre hatched, but were certainly in a positive position and were happy enough with where we are." Theres some strong boxes and then still reasonable showings in areas where we wouldnt be as strong or have done as much work given the timeline, so were optimistic. 11.15am: Fianna Fail look well placed to retain two seats in Cork South Central, as Seamus McGrath seems set to keep the seat his brother Michael vacated this year. Early tallies, with just under 15% of the boxes counted, show Tanaiste Micheal Martin in first place, with Mr McGrath in second, with the two of them representing over 40% of the vote between them. Sinn Fein and Fine Gael both also look well placed to keep at least one seat, but as more boxes are opened and tallied, the percentages may change dramatically as candidates are likely to poll best in the areas closest to them. Earlier: The tally is underway in Nemo Rangers, where boxes opened at 9am for the votes for Cork South Central. In Cork South Central, 22 candidates are to fight for five seats. This includes just two incumbents, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Sinn Feins Donnchadh O Laoghaire, as the constituency gains a seat and former Ministers Simon Coveney and Micheal McGrath dont contest. There are three Fine Gael candidates, three Fianna Fail, two Sinn Fein, two Independent Ireland and five Independent candidates running. One Social Democrats candidate, one Labour, one Green, one Aontu, one People Before Profit-Solidarity, one National Party and one from Rabharta are also contesting the race. Speaking to The Echo at the count centre former finance minister Michael McGrath cautioned against reading too much into the result of last nights exit poll, saying its all to play for. An exit poll, conducted by Ipsos/B&A on Friday for The Irish Times/RTE/TG4/TCD, showed Sinn Fein (21.1%), Fine Gael (21%), and Fianna Fail (19.5%) virtually neck and neck in first preferences. The poll had a margin of error of 1.4%. Its all to play for, its very early days, Mr McGrath, who tomorrow takes up his position as EU Commissioner designate for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law, said. I think the exit poll shows the three largest parties are broadly within the margin of error and there could be movement beyond that even when the actual votes are counted, so I would caution against reaching too many conclusions. He added that while the exit poll offered a snapshot of first preferences and second preferences, it did not give a closer analysis of what would certainly be a complex transfer pattern. Looking at ballot papers here this morning in Nemo Rangers, many people are going down to their 14th, 15th preference. You have 43 individual contests, you will have lots of local factors, the transfer patterns will be crucial for determining the last, the second-last seats, in particular, in the constituencies, he said. Its too early to predict what the outcome will be. He said that transfers between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were inevitable given that the parties have been in government together, with voters looking to each of the parties as a vehicle for offering stability. I think it is going to be a complex result; it will be for all of the party leaders to work out what this means over the days and most likely the weeks ahead. He said it was the first time in a long time that his own name was not on the ballot, and he was there to do what his brother Seamus did for me for a very long period of time. Mr McGrath said he was looking forward to taking up his role as commissioner, overseeing democracy in the EU. Were very fortunate in Ireland to have free and fair elections, and despite the weather yesterday, many, many people went to the effort to exercise their democratic franchise and cast their vote. I think its a fantastic exercise in democracy, and I look forward to seeing the final shape of the next Dail emerge over the next couple of days. He added that Ireland was fortunate that governments tended to last four or five years, something he saw as a real strength of Irish democracy. My only observation is that its important to have a significant majority, because things will happen over the course of a full term of Dail Eireann, for different reasons, people may exit politics, or fall out of favour with their parties for whatever reason. Things can and will happen, so I think it is important to have a significant buffer for unforeseen events that will happen over the coming five years. China, Nigeria forge stronger economic ties at Abuja trade expo Xinhua) 11:34, November 30, 2024 ABUJA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government reaffirmed its commitment to promoting a robust economic partnership with China as the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) opened Thursday here in Nigeria's capital. The three-day expo, which attracted numerous Chinese firms from Hunan Province in collaboration with the China Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria, aims to enhance Africa's agricultural and industrial capabilities. While speaking at the opening ceremony, Nigeria's Minister of Transportation Sa'idu Alkali praised the expo as a timely initiative aligning with the infrastructure-driven "Renewed Hope Agenda" of the Nigerian government. Alkali emphasized the importance of leveraging such collaboration to fast-track the ongoing railway modernization project across the most populous country in Africa. The minister said the sustainable collaboration with China and Chinese entities would make "Nigeria's transportation infrastructure accessible, safe, and environmentally friendly." Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai noted in his address the transformative potential of the expo for Africa, particularly in industrialization and agricultural mechanization. "The CAETE is not just a showcase of products; it is a gateway to a future where African nations can harness their resources effectively and elevate their industries to meet global standards," Yu said. He explained the dual significance of the expo, which coincides with the 18th China Engineering Technology Exhibition, a platform for technological and knowledge transfer, and emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts between China and Africa to address shared challenges and unlock opportunities for mutual growth. The Chinese envoy added that such engagements could drive sustainable development, improve agricultural practices, and enhance industrial capabilities across Africa. The expo, which showcases innovative agricultural technologies and industrial solutions, has drawn significant attention from Nigerian stakeholders eager to explore partnerships with Chinese firms. Local participants have expressed optimism that the event will strengthen China-Africa economic ties, particularly in sectors critical to Africa's development. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) 8am All three seats in the constituency were filled overnight with Fianna Fail's Aindrias Moynihan and Michael Moynihan retaining their seats and county councillor John Paul O'Shea taking a seat for Fine Gael on the sixth count. Fianna Fail candidates Christopher O'Sullivan, Cork South West with Aindrias Moynihan and Michael Moynihan, Cork North West who were elected at the count centre in Mallow GAA. Picture: Eddie O'Hare Mr O'Shea's running mate Michael Creed narrowly missed out despite polling 17.09 per cent of first preference votes. 00.11pm There will be at least one more count in Cork North West before counting is adjourned until the morning. This follows the announcement of the result of the fourth count, which saw the distribution of the votes of the Green Partys Colette Finn and Ellen Barry of Independent Ireland following their elimination. No one was elected as a result of this allocation. The next step is the elimination of Becky Kealy and the redistribution of her votes. 10.53pm The third count in Cork North West has not yielded an elected candidate The next step is the elimination of Colette Finn and Ellen Barry and the redistribution of their votes. 9.29pm No candidate has been elected in Cork North West following the announcement of the first count of the votes cast in the constituency moments ago with four in serious contention to land the three seats. The result was announced by the returning officer shortly before 9pm. The total electorate was 67,255 and the total poll was 43,110 with 266 spoiled votes. That left the valid poll as 42,844 and the quota has been calculated as 10,712. No candidate reached the quota on the first count and now the votes of candidates Walter Ryan Purcell and John OLeary are to be distributed following their elimination. 8.55pm Fine Gael candidate in Cork North West Michael Creed said he was proud of his campaign and the team that had canvassed with him but admitted was facing the likelihood that his bid to be elected to the 34th Dail would come up short by around 250 votes. Such is the exactitude of tallying and the depth of election expertise among his team, the veteran councillor expressed doubts that he would be able to make up the gap which would guarantee him one of the three seats in a constituency which has been a toss up between the two main parties since its establishment in 1981. The first count hasnt been announced yet, Im waiting for it but my friends whore doing the tally for me are telling me Im around 250 votes short the candidates that are left are on the northern end of the constituency so I think that I will find it very, very difficult to pick up those 250/260 votes on my side, he said, adding that he would be waiting on the declaration of the first count result. Its been a long campaign Ive been campaigning now with over eight weeks but its been a pleasure and Ive met some very decent people I had a go, I gave it one good try and just came up a small bit short this time. He said that while it wasnt over, he placed a lot of store in the tally carried out by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael jointly. It was a very good tally I am confident that they got it right. I will certainly wait until the first round result is and see. Mr Creed was nominated to run for Fine Gael after his cousin, also Michael Creed, decided not to run again. 7.55pm After what seems like an eternity, the final preparations are being completed to pave the way for the announcement of the first count result for Cork North West at the Mallow GAA complex. The adjudication of the doubtful votes has taken place and, following the announcement of the Cork East count which is expected shortly, there should be only a short delay before the Cork North West first count result is declared. The candidates are all gathering in, particularly those expecting to be in the hunt for the three seats. Its definitely going to be tight, only a couple of hundred votes between four or five candidates, said Aindrias Moynihan, who has 18.85% of the first preferences according to the tally, ahead of his rivals if only marginally. Im very glad to be in the position I am but its going to be a long evening. His running mate, Michael Moynihans vote share is being estimated at 17.67%. Fine Gaels Michael Creed was put at 16.9% by the tally which was completed before lunchtime said he would wait until after the first count result was announced before commenting, likewise with Sinn Feins Nicole Ryan, who has, if the tallies are to be believed, put in a strong performance with 12.79% of the first preferences. The tally of the first preferences in Cork North West indicates that Fianna Fail is retaining a slight edge over Fine Gael in the tussle between the two main Government parties to get the lions share of the three seats here. With 100% of the boxes opened and tallied, Fianna Fails overall vote appears to be down by 2.83% - nevertheless the party looks to have the advantage over Fine Gael based on the tally of first preferences which has just been completed moments ago. Fine Gaels vote share in 2024 is down by 0.12% on its share in 2020 and their vote appears to have been well managed with Michael Creed, the cousin of the outgoing TD and bearing the same name, having secured 16.90% and John Paul OShea on 17.56%. Becky Kealy of Aontu has a lot of ground to make up, being a distance behind on 7.9%. The Green Party vote is down 3.6% and that partys candidate, Colette Finn, a former elected member of Cork City Council is on 2.4% while Joe Moore of People Before Profit, standing for the first time, is on 1.9%. Ellen Barry of Independent Ireland is on 2.15% while Walter Ryan Purcell, who had been initially on the partys ticket, is on 0.97%. At the bottom of the poll in Cork North West is John OLeary who is on 0.29%. While it seems clear that the two main Government parties will share the seats, and the indications are that Fianna Fail have the edge at the moment, the allocation of transfers will have a bearing and the edge may switch several times before the result is finalised later on Saturday night or early on Sunday. 1pm: The tally of the first preferences in Cork North West indicates that Fianna Fail is retaining a slight edge over Fine Gael in the tussle between the two main Government parties to get the lions share of the three seats here. With 100% of the boxes opened and tallied, Fianna Fails Aindrias Moynihan appears to be heading for a poll-topping performance with 18.85% of the vote. Michael Moynihans vote share is being estimated at 17.67%. Nevertheless the party looks to have the advantage over Fine Gael based on the tally of first preferences which has just been completed moments ago. Fine Gaels vote appears to have been well managed with Michael Creed, the cousin of the outgoing TD and bearing the same name, having secured 16.90% and John Paul OShea on 17.56%. Sinn Feins first-time candidate in the constituency, Nicole Ryan, has put in a strong performance according to the tallies with 12.79% of the vote tallied so far and Becky Kealy of Aontu a distance behind on 7.9%. The Green Party's Colette Finn, a former elected member of Cork City Council is on 2.4% while Joe Moore of People Before Profit, standing for the first time, is on 1.9%. Ellen Barry of Independent Ireland is on 2.15% while Walter Ryan Purcell, who had been initially on the partys ticket, is on 0.97%. At the bottom of the poll in Cork North West is John OLeary who is on 0.29%. While it seems clear that the two main Government parties will share the seats, and the indications are that Fianna Fail have the edge at the moment, the allocation of transfers will have a bearing and the edge may switch several times before the result is finalised later on Saturday night or early on Sunday. 12.15pm The early indications from the ongoing tally of the Cork North West tally indicates that Fine Gael has a slight edge over Fianna Fail in the tussle between the two main Government parties to get the lions share of the three seats here. With almost two thirds of the boxes opened and tallied, Fianna Fails Aindrias Moynihan appears to be heading for a poll-topping performance with 21% of the vote so far. Counting the Cork North-West votes at the Mallow Count Centre in the GAA Complex, Mallow, Co Cork. Picture Dan Linehan Michael Moynihans vote share is being estimated at 13.9%, while the Fine Gael vote appears to have been well managed with Michael Creed, the cousin of the outgoing TD and bearing the same name, having secured 18.5% and John Paul OShea on 17.16%. Sinn Feins first-time candidate in the constituency, Nicole Ryan, has put in a strong performance according to the tallies with 13.06% of the vote tallied so far and Becky Kealy of Aontu a distance behind on 7.61%. Keeping tallies on the Cork North-West votes at the Mallow Count Centre in the GAA Complex, Mallow, Co Cork. Picture Dan Linehan The Green Partys candidate, Colette Finn, a former elected member of Cork City Council is on 2.66% while Joe Moore of People Before Profit, standing for the first time, is on 2%. Ellen Barry of Independent Ireland is on 2.18% while Walter Ryan Purcell, who had been initially on the partys ticket, is on 1.05%. At the bottom of the poll in Cork North West is John OLeary who is on 0.35%. Cork Prison reached another record high number of inmates yesterday, operating at 123% capacity, with 365 people. The prison has 296 beds, meaning 69 people are sleeping on the floor, and a prison officer previously told The Echo that, due to the high number of cases currently going through the courts, these numbers are expected to continue rising before Christmas. There are 69 prisoners on temporary release from Cork Prison. There are 5,086 people in custody in Irish prisons, which have 4,519 beds. The system is operating at 113% capacity, with Cork the most overcrowded, aside from the two womens prisons in Limerick and Dublin. More than 12% of prisoners who are without beds are in Cork, despite Cork Prison representing just 6.5% of Irelands prison capacity. A spokesperson for The Irish Prison Service told The Echo that it must accept into custody all people committed by the courts, and has no control over the numbers committed to custody. An investigation has been launched by gardai in Cork following an assault on a teenager in Cork city on Friday night. A Garda spokesperson said: "Gardai are investigating the assault of a male in his late teens following an incident on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork City shortly before 10pm on Friday 29th November 2024. "His injuries are not life threatening. Enquiries are ongoing. "Witnesses are asked to contact Anglesea Street Garda Station on 021 452 2000 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111." A male pedestrian in his 20s has been rushed to Cork University Hospital following a road traffic collision in Mallow this evening. A Garda spokesperson said: "Gardai attended the scene of a road traffic collision this evening at approximately 7.45pm at Bridge Street, Mallow, Cork. "A male pedestrian, aged in his 20s was injured and removed from the scene to CUH with serious injuries." James Cox, Michael Bolton and Kenneth Fox Counting on day one has come to a close in the general election, you can follow live updates again on Sunday morning. Here are the key points after the first day of counting: Independent TD Michael Healy Rae was elected in the first count in Kerry. Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty was elected in Donegal. Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee was elected in Meath East. Fine Gael leader Simon Harris was elected in Wicklow on the first count Aontu leader Peadar Toibin was elected in Meath West. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald was elected in Dublin Central. Fine Gael TD Jennifer Caroll McNeill was first TD to be elected, followed by Patrick O'Donovan and Neale Richmond. Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch is in contention for a seat, Jack Chambers and Paul Donnelly were elected in Dublin West. Micheal Martin was elected on first count in Cork South Central. You can get the rundown on every constituency in our Election Results Hub by clicking here 12:20am The Business Post focuses on Sinn Fein faring well in the general election but without a route into government. The Green Party's disastrous showing is also highlighted. This Sundays edition. Pick up a copy in stores or subscribe at https://t.co/u5ystSGUtr: Harris and Martin look to power as Sinn Fein shut out Charlie Taylor on consequences of NDRC closure Unparallelled analysis of election results pic.twitter.com/VhmuyTEl1k Business Post (@businessposthq) November 30, 2024 12:18am As we move past midnight, the latest from Sligo Leitrim delivers a good showing for Fianna Fail's three candidates. Leading the 4 seats is Fine Gael's Frank Feighan with 8,980, followed by Martin Kenny of Sinn Fein on 7,764. With a quota of 11,381, next up is Independent Ireland candidate Michael Clarke with 5,979, closely followed by Fianna Fail trio Eamon Scanlon on 5,913, Edel McSharry on 4,466 and Paddy O'Rourke on 4,066. Also in the mix is Sinn Fein's Chris McManus on 5,173. Independent Marian Harkin is at 4,347. 12:00am Another look at the Sunday papers. The Sunday Independent leads with Micheal Martin likely being the next Taoiseach and another Fianna Fail/Fine Gael coalition on the cards. Sunday Independent P1 In-depth general election reports and analysis over 13 pages - plus lots more across the five sections pic.twitter.com/HW2lsLGBqQ Alan English (@AlanEnglish9) November 30, 2024 11:46pm Independent TD Michael Healy Rae has been elected in the first count in Kerry, receiving 18,596 first preference votes and exceeding the quota of 13,083 with a large surplus, a lot of which will likely go to his brother, fellow outgoing TD Danny Healy Rae who received 8,603. Minister for Education and Fianna Fail TD Norma Foley received 10,302 and Sinn Feins Pa Daly received 11,647 votes. 11:31pm It doesn't look like Grainne Seoige has enough to get over the line in Galway West. In the five seater with a quota of 10,047, Mairead Farrell has 8,164 first preferences, Fianna Fail's John Connolly has 7,192 first preferences, independent candidate Noel Grealish has 6,887, and fellow independent Catherine Connolly is on 6,747. Next up is Hildegarde Naughton of Fine Gael with 6,011, and then Independent Ireland's Noel Thomas on 5,700. Against these figures, Seoige has 2,929. 11:24pm In the big Carlow-Kilkenny constituency 5 seater FF's John McGuinness is in the lead with 9,794, followed by his party colleagues Jennifer Murnane O'Connor on 8,087 and Peter 'Chap' Cleere on 7,194. The quota is 11,627. After this it's Fine Gael's Catherine Callaghan on 6,788 and David Fitzgerald on 4,743. 11:20pm Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty, of Donegal, has been elected to the 34th Dail. He has been elected on the first count having received 18,898 votes, widely exceeding the quota of 12,771. Pat The Cope Gallagher looks likely to return to the Dail for Fianna Fail having received 10,024 first preference votes in the first count, with sitting TD and Minister for Agriculture and the Marine Charlie McConalogue receiving 8,019 first preferences. Padraig MacLochlainn of Sinn Fein received 9,799 first preference votes and notably Charles Ward of the 100% Redress Party is ahead of Independent TD Thomas Pringle with them Ward getting 6,862 first preference votes and Pringle getting 5,289. 11:18pm Independent candidate Carol Nolan, of Offaly, has been elected to the 34th Dail. 11:16pm Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee has been elected to the 34th Dail in Meath East. 11:15pm Reports from our colleagues in the Western People say the fifth count in Mayo is sure to be an interesting one as Fine Gael's Martina Jennings 3,362 votes are distributed. "The big question is whether they go mostly in the direction of her fellow Fine Gael candidates Alan Dillon (who is still about 1,900 votes shy of the quota), Fine Gael's Keira Keogh and Fine Gael's Mark Duffy or if they spread more geographically. This would be to the benefit of south Mayo-based Independent candidate Patsy O'Brien, who is still very much in contention for a seat. Aontu's Paul Lawless also tallied well in the Claremorris area." 11:02pm With an eye on tomorrow, the Sunday Times focus on Fine Gael and Fianna Fail looking to form a coalition next week and Gerry 'The Monk" Hutch being close to being elected. SUNDAY TIMES Martin and Harris to open coalition talks next week as both vie to be Taoiseach Labour knocks back early overtures from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael The Monk close to Dail seat pic.twitter.com/0nLPHP0DRi Hugh O'Connell (@oconnellhugh) November 30, 2024 22:55pm A quick recap on where things currently stand, 23 of the 174 seats have now been filled in the 34th Dail. The counting of votes will continue in some constituencies tonight, while others have been stood down and will resume on Sunday morning. As it stands Fine Gael have 8 TD's, Sinn Fein has 6. Fianna Fail is on 5, Aontu's leader Peadar Tobin is their sole TD elected so far, while there are 2 independents returned in Michael Lowry and Verona Murphy. Independent Ireland has 1 seat so far, as does People Before Profit - Solidarity. 10:46pm Fine Gael TD and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke has been re-elected in the Longford/Westmeath constituency receiving 10,864 first preference votes and exceeding the quota of 10,315. Also in Longford/Westmeath Fianna Fails Robert Troy got 8,116 and Kevin Boxer Moran received 8,056 first preference votes, and Fine Gaels Micheal Carrigy received 7,090. 10:40pm Independent TD Michael Lowry has been re-elected in Tipperary Norths first count with 12,538 first preference votes, exceeding the quota of 11,442. 10:20pm Fianna Fail's Aisling Dempsey has just been elected to Dail Eireann having received 8,806 votes overall, filling the final seat in the Meath West constituency and joining Sinn Fein's Johnny Guirke and Aontu's Peadar Toibin. Dempsey beat Fine Gael's Linda Nelson Murray in the fifth and final count. Meath West is the first constituency to fill all of its seats in the General Election. 10:10pm With a quota of 12,182 in Clare, Fianna Fail Senator Timmy Dooley is set to be re-elected to the Dail after receiving 11,313 first preference votes. It also looks like outgoing Fianna Fail TD Cathal Crowe will be reelected after receiving 8,261 votes, while Sinn Feins Donna McGettigan received 7,843 first preferences and Fine Gael candidate Joe Cooney received 7,575. Notably, sitting Independent TD Violet-Anne Wynne received just 310 first preference votes, over 8,000 less than when she was elected as a Sinn Fein TD in 2020 before leaving the party in 2022. 9:45pm Independent Mattie McGrath and Fine Gael's Michael Murphy look set to be elected, with 10,014 and 8,371 first preferences respectively in Tipperary South three-seater. The quota is 10,270. Behind them is Fianna Fail's Imelda Goldsboro on 5,838 and Sinn Fein's Martin Browne with 4,937 9:40pm In Meath West, Aontu leader Peadar Toibin has been elected. Simon Harris celebrates with his wife Caoimhe (left), his parents, his sister Gemma and his political team after being re-elected to the Dail parliament as a TD for Wicklow on the first count. Photo: PA 9:35pm Fine Gael leader Simon Harris been elected on the first count in Wicklow. He celebrated with his wife Caoimhe, his parents, his sister Gemma and his political team at the count centre in Greystones. 9:30pm In Laois, Fine Gael's William Aird has been elected. 9:25pm Meanwhile, Fine Gael's Paschal Donohoe said the main theme of the election is one of the centre holding, describing Sinn Fein as the weakest opposition party in Europe. He told reporters at the RDS in Dublin: I think were on the verge of a very, very positive election for the party and a very, very strong electoral performance. On the potential election of Gerard Hutch in his constituency, he said: I think its worth noting that the vast majority of people in Dublin Central have not voted for him, and the vast majority of voters in Dublin Central have chosen to put their votes behind other candidates and we will have to reflect in due course regarding why he performed like he did, but the big picture today is one of the centre holding, thats the big picture. The big picture is, at a time in which incumbent governments all over Europe are struggling to get re-elected, the two larger parties within this government, in particular Fine Gael, are going to deliver a very strong performance. Fine Gael's Paschal Donohoe at the election count centre at the RDS in Dublin. Photo: PA 9:2opm In Dublin Bay South, former Fine Gael TD Kate O'Connell has been been elimnated. 9:15pm Fine Gael's Emer Currie has been elected in Dublin West. She claimed the third seat in the consituency after Fianna Fail's Jack Chambers and Sinn Fein's Paul Donnelly. 9:10pm Michael Collins of Independent Ireland in the lead in Cork South-West with 11,002 first preferences, just shy of the quota of 11,824 in the three-seater. He is followed by Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats with 9,421 first preferences, FF's Christopher O'Sullivan with 9,118 and then FG's Noel O'Donovan with 6,122. 9:00pm Michael Fitzmaurice has been elected on the first count in Roscommon-Galway's 3-seater with a vote of 12,002, on a quota of 10,283. In the running for the other seats are Sinn Fein's Claire Kerrane with 8.039, Fianna Fail's Martin Daly on 7,283 and some way back, independent candidate Eugene Murphy on 4,327. In the first count for the three-seat Cork North West, Fianna Fail's Aindrias Moynihan tops the first preferences with 8,047 on a quota of 10,712. Herth West, is followed by Fianna Fail's Michael Moynihan 7,678, John Paul O'Shea from Fine Gael with 7,607 and Michael Creed also of Fine Gael on 7,321 8:55pm In the first count for the four-seat Cork East, Fine Gael's Mark Stanton tops the first preferences with 5,740 votes on a quota of 9,602. He is followed by Fianna Fail's James O'Connor with 5,891 votes, fellow party member Deirdre O'Brien with 5,196 and Independent William O'Leary on 4,615. 8:45pm In the first count for the four-seat Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael's Neale Richmond has been elected with 10,044 on a quota 9,752. He is followed Maeve O'Connell also of Fine Gael with 6,375, Sinn Fein's Shay Brennan with 5,913 and Independent Michael Fleming on 4,380. In Dublin South West Sinn Fein's Sean Crowe tops the first preferences with 9,869 on a quota of 11,138. He is followed by Fine Gael's Colm Brophy on 8,498, Fianna Fail's John Lahart on 8,263 and then some gap to Labour's Ciaran Ahern on 5,788, People Before Profit's Paul Murphy on 5,081 and Sinn Fein's Niamh Whelan on 4,031. 8:40pm Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald has been elected in the Dublin Central constituency. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald celebrates topping the poll at the election count centre at the RDS in Dublin, after voters went to the polls to elect 174 TDs across 43 constituencies during the General Election. Photo: PA. In the four-seater Kildare South it's Fine Gael's Marin Heydon topping the first preference vote with 9,262, just short of the quota of 10.734. He is followed by Fianna Fail's Fiona O'Loughlin on 7,489, Sinn Fein's Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh with 7,241and Labour's Mark Wall on 6,654. Next up is Social Democrat Chris Pender on 3,157 and Cathal Berry on 3,007. 8:35pm Good news for the Social Democrats with Cian O'Callaghan topping the first preference vote in Dublin Bay North on 9,738 with a quota of 10,929 for the five seater. Next up is Sinn Fein's Denise Mitchell on 9,012, and Fianna Fail's Tom Brabazon on 6,854. Next up is his colleague Deirdre Heney on 5,509, followed by Fine Gael's Aoibhinn Tormey on 5,313. After these comes Sinn Fein's Micheal MacDonncha on 3,892 and Labour's Shane Folan on 2,921. 8:15pm In Meath East, Fine Gael's Helen McEntee tops the first prefrences with 9,957 on a quota of 9,997. She is followed by Sinn Fein's Darren O'Rourke with 8,175, Fianna Fail's Thomas Byrne with 6,403 and Independent Gillian Toole with 4,459. 8:05pm In Meath West, Sinn Fein's Johnny Guirke has been elected. It is the first of three seats in the constituency to be decided. More than 40 per cent of the eliminated candidate Ronan Moore's 2,542 transfers went to Mr Guirke, taking him over the line. 8:00pm In the four seater of Galway East, Fianna Fail's Albert Dolan tops the poll with 10,140, just ahead of independent Sean Canney with 10.030. The quota is 10,843. Others in the running are Sinn Fein's Louise O'Hara on 7,459, Fine Gael's Peter Roche on 5,521, Independent Ireland's Declan Geraghty on 5,150, FF's Anne Rabbitte on 4,056 and Fine Gael's Clodagh Higgins on 3,458. 7:50pm In Louth, Sinn Fein have two in the running with Joanna Byrne of Drogheda on 8,728 and Ruairi O Murchu on 8,169 on a quota of 10,623 for the 5 seat constituency. Of the rest, Labour's Ged Nash got 7,594 first preferences, while Fine Gael's Paula Butterly has 5,646. Fianna Fail's two candidates stand at 5,772 for North Louth's Erin McGreehan and 4,913 for Drogheda's Alison Comyn. Fine Gael's John McGahon, who was caught up in controversy, got 4.021. 7:40pm Fine Gael leader Simon Harris thanked the electorate for the mandate they gave him and his party and said he is cautiously optimistic. He told reporters at the count centre in Wicklow: Im really grateful to the other people for the mandate they have given me and my party in terms of the future. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris speaks to the media as he arrives at the election count centre at Shoreline Leisure Greystones in Co Wicklow, after voters went to the polls to elect 174 TDs across 43 constituencies during the General Election. He added: I think anybody who makes any suggestion about who is going to be the largest party or the construct of the next government, theyre a braver person than I am. Our electoral system dictates that therell be many, many transfers that will go on for hours, if not days, before we know the final computations at all. But what I am very confident about is that my party will have a very significant role to play in the years ahead, and Im cautiously optimistic and excited. 7:05pm Fianna Fail Leader Micheal Martin is the latest TD to be elected in Cork South Central after he was elected on the first count. He tops the first preferences with 14,526 on a quota of 10,451. He is followed by Fianna Fail's Seamus McGrath on 7,794, Sinn Fein's Donnchadh O Laoghaire with 6,947 and Padraig Rice from the Social Democrats on 5,368. 6:55pm Sinn Fein's Eoin O'Broin, in Dublin Mid-West, is the latest TD to be elected to the next Dail. Fianna Fail's Jack Chambers, in Dublin West, has been elected with Sinn Fein's Paul Donnelly in the constituency. 6:50pm Independent Verona Murphy, in the Wexford constituency, is the fourth TD elected to the next Dail. 6:40pm Sinn Fein's David Cullinane, in the Waterford constituency, is the third TD elected to the next Dail. He is followed by Fine Gael's John Cummins with 10,376, Fianna Fail's Mary Butler with 9,962 and Conor D. McGuiness of Sinn Fein on 5,791. 6:35pm In the much watched Dublin Central, Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch has secured 3,098 first preferences. With a quote of 6,551 SF's Mary Lou McDonald on 6,389 tops the poll, followed by FG's Paschal Donohoe with 5,493. He is followed by SD's Gary Gannon with 4,353; Labour's Marie Sherlock with 2,465; FF's Mary Fitzpatrick on 2,344. Of the rest, Green Party's Neasa Hourigan has 1,952, PBPS Eoghan O Ceannabhain on 1,471 and Independent 4 Change's Clare Daly on 1,317 Fine Gaels James Geoghegan has topped the poll in Dublin Bay South with 6,060 votes in the first count, almost 2,000 short of the quota of 7,957. Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik is econd on 5,684 with Jim OCallaghan of Fianna Fail in third with 5,536. Chris Andres of Sinn Fein lies fourth with 4,875 with Fine Gaels second candidate Emma Blain amassing 4,102 votes. The Green Party seat looks at risk as Hazel Chu has 3,250 votes, which will make it difficult for her to retain the seat. The new Social Democrats candidate Eoin Hayes is ahead of her at 3,615 votes. 6:10pm In the first count for the 3-seat Laois constituency, Fine Gaels Willie Aird tops the first preferences with 9.269 on a quota of 9,570. He is followed by Sean Fleming from Sinn Fein with 8,123, Independent Brian Stanley with 6,782 and Sinn Fein's Maria McCormack on with 4,914. In Wicklow-Wexford, the 3-seater has a quota of 9,560, with Brian Brennan on 8,820, followed by Malcolm Byrne of Fianna Fail on 8,311 and Fionntan O Suillebhain of Sinn Fein on 7,719. 5:55pm In the first count for the 3-seat Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail's Darragh O'Brien tops the first preferences with 8,906 on a quota of 9,475. he is followed by Ann Graves of Sinn Fein with 5,450, Labour's Duncan Smith with 5,396, and Fine Gael's Alan Farrell with 5,379. 5:40pm Fine Gael has taken the second seat in this election, with Patrick O'Donovan elected on the first count in Limerick County. The quota in the three-seat constituency is 11,385 and O'Donovan got 11,563 first preferences. Next up is Independent Ireland's Richard O'Donoghue with 10,540, followed by Fianna Fail's Niall Collins with 9,284 and Sinn Fein's Joanne Collins with 6,005. 5:35pm Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has paid tribute to his coalition colleagues from the Green Party. His comments come amid the possibility that the Green Party may suffer an electoral wipeout. I think the Green Party made a very positive contribution to government, he said. I think some good, constructive, positive policies emerge from the last government. He added: The Greens, to their credit, didnt buckle over the four and a half years. Being in government can be difficult for any political party. It is to the credit of the Greens that they went into government. We had challenges, we had different priorities of three political parties, but this government went full term, and I think Ireland was for the better for that. 5.20pm Time to look at the national scene as the counts start to come in. You can get the rundown on every constituency in our Election Results Hub by clicking here. Social Democrats Gary Gannon arriving for the count at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin after voters went to the polls to elect 174 TDs across 43 constituencies during the general election. 5:15pm First candidate elected and it's in Dun Laoghaire with Fine Gael's Jennifer Caroll MacNeill securing 11,685 first prefences in the four-seater cosntistuency where the quota is 11,134. Of the rest, Cormac Devlin of Fianna Fail has 8,831, Barry Ward of Fine Gael has 8,337, Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit-Solidarity has 6,795 and Shane O'Brien of Sinn Fein with 4,995. 5:00pm Sinn Fein's Johnny Guirke has topped the first count in the three-seat Meath West constituency with 8,604 first preferences. With a quota of 9,427, he is followed by Aontu leader Peadar Toibin with 7,563 first preferences. After that it is Fianna Fail's Aisling Dempsey with 6,535, Fine Gael's Linda Nelson Murray on 6,164, and Social Democrats Ronan Moore on 2,542. 4:45pm First count is in and it's Fingal West. With a quota of 7,530, Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly tops the count with 6,965 first preferences, ahead of Robert O'Donoghue of Labour with 5,044, Grace Boland of Fine Gael with 4,583 and Lorraine Clifford-Lee of Fianna Fail with 4,417. Outgoing Green Party TD Joe O'Brien secured just 1,844 first preference votes. 4:35pm The complete tally for the four seat Clare constituency has Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) comfortably topping the poll in Clare. The tally of the 180 boxes has the east Clare senator set to return to the Dail after missing out in 2020 on 11,041 tallied first preferences - or 18.29 per cent of the vote - which will leave him around 900 votes shy of the expected quota of around 12,000 votes. Outgoing deputy, Cathal Crowe (FF) is expected to return to the Dail with 13.69 per cent of the vote in a seat gain for Fianna Fail with 8,264 tallied votes in a strong showing for FF. First time General Election candidate, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) will secure a seat for Fine Gael while Donna McGettigan (SF) is favourite to secure the fourth seat on 12.44 per cent of the vote. A member of Clare Co Council, Cllr McGettigan lies 2,281 tallied votes ahead of nearest competitor, Leonora Carey (FG) who has 5,228 tallied first preferences. Outgoing Independent TD, Violet Anne Wynne has polled only 286 tallied votes and looks likely to be eliminated after the first count. The former Sinn Fein candidate was the story of the 2020 General Election in Clare when she topped the poll taking 15.11 per cent of the first preference vote. The final tally shows FF with 38 per cent of first preferences with FG having 25 per cent followed by SF on 12 per cent. 4:25pm The Social Democrats have had a positive day as they look set to grow their representation in the Dail. Party leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to a baby girl on polling day, is well placed to retain her seat in the highly competitive constituency of Cork South-West. The Social Democrats, founded in 2015, won six seats in the 2020 election with around three per cent of first preference votes. The exit poll after Fridays General Election put the party on 5.8 per cent, which would give them the most support of the smaller groups in the Dail. 4:10pm The full tally is now in for Waterford's four-seat constituency, with all boxes opened, and shows Sinn Fein's David Cullinane on 22.4 per cent; Fine Gael's John Cummins 19.3 per cent; Mary Butler, Fianna Fail 18 per cent; Sinn Fein's Cllr Conor McGuinness 10.8 per cent; Independent Matt Shanahan 9.9 per cent and Mary Roche, Social Democrats, five per cent. In Kildare South, Martin Heydon of Fine Gael is leading the tally, followed by Fianna Fail's Fiona O'Loughlin. Independent TD Cathal Berry is set to lose his seat. 3:55pm The final tally of the 3 seat Roscommon-Galway constituency is in, with the estimated quota of 10,561. The number of votes cast is estimated to be 40,681, indicating the turnout is well down on 2020, which saw 45,942 votes cast. According to tally, Michael Fitzmaurice appears almost certain to top the poll. He is followed by SF TD Claire Kerrane and Dr Martin Daly (FF). In Clare, Gordon Deegan reports that outgoing Independent TD, Violet Anne Wynne has polled only 286 tallied votes and looks likely to be eliminated after the first count. The former Sinn Fein candidate was the story of the 2020 General Election in Clare when she topped the poll taking 15.11 per cent of the first preference vote. The final tally shows FF with 38 per cent of first preferences with Fine Gael having 25 per cent followed by Sinn Fein on 12 per cent. 3:45pm Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin is set to top the poll and be elected on the first count in Cork South Central. The final tallies show Sinn Fein's Donnchadha O Laoighaire and Fianna Fail councillor Seamus McGrath are also set to take seats. In Wexford the tallies are showing Independent Verona Murphy is topping the poll, followed by Fianna Fails James Browne is on 16%. After those two it is Johnny Mythen from Sinn Fein and Labours George Lawlor in the four-seater. Fine Gaels Cathal Byrne and Aontu's Jim Codd are chasing those initial four. 3:42pm Michael Healy-Rae making clear his view of the Green Party's election performancce. 3:38pm With almost all of the Co Carlow ballot boxes opened, tallies indicated that Fianna Fail's Jennifer Murnane OConnor is on 20 per cent, Fine Gaels Catherine Callaghan on 15 per cent and Sinn Fein's Aine Knox Gladney on 13 per cent. 3:20pm In the Dublin Fingal West Constituency Minister of State and Green Party TD Joe O'Brien has conceded he will not be re-elected to the Dail. "Clearly I've lost my seat and that's very disappointing from my point of view. We put a lot of work in, and I think the key for me was the redraw of the constituency. I knew last August I was going to be up against it when I lost over half of my base, and then tide went out [on the Green Party]." 3:15pm Gordon Deegan reports from Ennis that Fianna Fail look on course to gain a seat in the four seat Clare constituency. With 80 per cent of the 180 boxes tallied, Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) remains on course to top the poll with running mate, sitting TD, Cathal Crowe now lying second overall. The latest tallies have Deputy Crowe edging Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) into third place. Sinn Feins Cllr Donna McGettigan has increased her share of the tallied vote to 12.26 per cent and is in a strong position to take the fourth seat. Cllr McGettigan on 6,872 tallied first preferences is 2,376 votes ahead of her nearest rival, Leonora Carey (FG) who sits on 4,567 tallied votes. 3pm Tallies in Wicklow are showing Taoiseach Simon Harris will get enough votes for a quota and a half. Counting takes place at Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Cork, after voters went to the polls to elect 174 TDs across 43 constituencies during the general election. 2.50pm Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is in real danger of losing his seat in Wicklow. He's currently holding the fourth seat but Simon Harris has a large surplus to transfer Grainne Seoige is not going to win a seat for Fianna Fail in Galway West The Greens are facing a wipeout - and deputy leader Catherine Martin looks likely to lose to the Social Democrats. It would be one of at least two extra seats for the Social Democrats who will take one in Cork South Central through Padraig Rice. Gerry Hutch is in the frame to take a seat in Dublin Central but it's not guaranteed, he has a battle with Labour Independent TD Cathal Berry also looks likely to lose his seat in Kildare 2.45pm The final tallies for Mayo show Sinn Fein's Rose Conway-Walsh in the lead, followed by Alan Dillon of Fine Gael, and Dara Calleary of Fianna Fail. Then it is Ballina Fine Gael candidate Mark Duffy in fourth, followed by a trio who will be fighting for the final seat: Fine Gael's Keira Keogh from Westport; Lisa Chambers of Fianna Fail and then former Fine Gael member and now independent Patsy O'Brien. Tallies in Wicklow are showing Taoiseach Simon Harris will get enough votes for a quota and a half. He will be followed by John Brady of Sinn Fein and Jennifer Whitmore of Social Democrats in the four-seater. Then it is a battle for the final seat. In Roscommon-Galway, Independent Ireland's Michael Fitzmaurice appears almost certain to top the poll. He's followed by Sinn Fein's Claire Kerrane Dr Martin Daly of Fianna Fail on 7,252. Independent TD Michael Healy Rae looks set to top the poll in Kerry based on tallies. Predicting the final seat count, he says: "You will have two Healy-Rae's and you will have Sinn Fein and you will have Fianna Fail, which I'm calling for Minister Norma Foley. And the last seat I'm calling that for Michael Cahill from Fianna Fail becuase he is transfer-friendly." 1.45pm Similar bad news for the Green Party in Dublin Bay South, the stomping ground of former party leader Eamon Ryan. The four-seater looks set to see Fine Gael James Geoghegan and Labour leader Ivan Bacik safe, while Fianna Fail's Jim O'Callaghan and Sinn Fein's Chris Andrews are in the running with Fine Gael's Emma Blain. Green Party candidate Hazel Chu is languishing in seventh place. 1.38pm In Dublin South West, all tallies are in and Sinn Fein TD Sean Crowe topping the poll, followed by Fine Gael's Colm Brophy and Fianna Fail's John Lahart. The last two seats are going to be hard fought, with Labour's Ciaran Ahern, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, Fianna Fail's Teresa Costello, Fine Gael's Sarah Barnes and Social Democrats Ross O'Mullane all fighting it out. It seems to mean there will be no room for Green Party TD Noel Francis Duffy. 1.28pm In the Mayo 5 seat constituency, former Fine Gael TD Jim Higgins told the Western People that, while not all tallies are in. he sees it going to Fine Gael's Alan Dillon, Fianna Fail's Dara Calleary, and Sinn Fein's Rose Conway-Walsh in the first three seats. He predicts the fourth seat may go to Fine Gael's Mark Duffy. After that he says it will be a real battle for the final seat, with the chances of Fine Gael taking it. 1.26pm Chairperson of the Green Party Senator Pauline O' Reilly concedes it's not the Green's day today. She said: "The feeling on the ground was very positive towards us and overall we were squeezed out by a lot of choice. Whether that's within Government or the centre left." 1.20pm With 10% of the boxes open in the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency, three Carlow candidates are performing well with Fianna Fail's Jennifer Murnane OConnor on 25.5%, Fine Gaels Catherine Callaghan on 19.9% and Sinn Fein's Aine Knox Gladney on 17.4%. 1.18pm Early signs of the turnout in Waterford point to the election quota being around 10,750. Turnout is believed to be 54,012, with the number of spoilt ballots yet to be revealed. A four-seat constituency, this means the quota is likely to be around 10,750 but may drop slightly when spoiled ballots are counted. The final tally numbers for the first count mean that David Cullinane, Sinn Fein TD, is expected to be elected on the first count with 10,839 votes. 1pm Limerick county: Tallies show Fine Gael's Richard O'Donovan, Independent Ireland's Richard O'Donoghue and Fianna Fail's Niall Collins leading the way, followed by Sinn Fein's first-time candidiate Joanne Collins who is the best of the remaining 11 candidates on 12%. 12.52pm Sinn Fein's director of elections Matt Carthy says it would be a phenomenal performance if they emerge as the largest party when the votes are counted. He told Newstalk: "I think in virtually every consistency where I've been looking at the tallies, the last one if not two seats are in play between several contenders so all I can say is if you consider where we were just a few short weeks ago, the prospect that Sinn Fein could emerge as the largest party out of this election will be an absolutely phenomenal result." 12.20pm Meath West too nearing a full tally - there will be one Sinn Fein and one Aontu TD, and then the final seat looks to be a fight between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. A member of the count staff as counting takes place at Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Cork, after voters went to the polls to elect 174 TDs across 43 constituencies during the general election. Photo: Jacob King/PA Images 12.10pm Final tallies are starting to come in starting in Dublin Central where Mary Lou McDonald will top the poll but the big story is Gerry the Monk Hutch could finish 4th and take a Dail seat The other story there is the underperformance of Clare Daly who looks well off the pace. 11.42am Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch is performing well in early ballots in the Dublin Central constituency, and is currently in fifth place. Mary Lou McDonald 19% Paschal Donohoe 17% Gary Gannon 13% Gerry Hutch 9% Mary Fitzpatrick 7% Marie Sherlock 7% Neasa Hourigan 6% Malachy Steenson 5% Clare Daly 4% 12pm In Dublin West, figures don't look good for Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers is currently at 21 per cent, followed by Sinn Fein's Paul Donnelly at 19 per cent. Fine Gael Senator Emer Currie is at 13 per cent, Peope Before Protfit's Ruth Coppinger is at eight per cent with Mr OGorman and Labours John Walsh both holding six per cent. There are five seats in the constituency. 11.36am Incoming EU Commissioner Michael McGrath has said that there is a danger in reading too much in to the exit poll last night and insists that everything is still to play for. 11:30am Taoiseach Simon Harris is on course to top the poll in Wicklow. However, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is struggling. Early counting shows Mr Harris in first place (28 per cent), followed by Sinn Feins John Brady (15 per cent) and Social Democrats Jennifer Whitmore in third (14 per cent). There are four seats in the constituency and Stephen Donnelly is currently in fith (6.6 per cent), trailling Fine Gael's Edward Timmins (6.8 per cent). Nicole Eggert broke down in tears during a heartfelt video on Instagram after she was unexpectedly permanently tattooed during a doctor's visit related to cancer. The actress opened up to fans about the difficult process of battling breast cancer and learning to live with the scars she recently received at her most recent hospital appointment. The 'Baywatch' alum was diagnosed with stage-2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer back in December 2023. Cribriform carcinoma is a rare, low-grade and slow-forming form of breast cancer. The diagnosis is seemingly related to a family history, as it's been reported that her father had skin cancer and her mother had colon cancer, per 'The Independent.' Eggert posted to her social media on November 20, first informing fans of an appointment she had at the hospital for a CT scan "what they call imaging" as preparation for radiation. In the very next video, she reveals what actually took place wasn't quite what she expected. "They call it imaging and tattooing of my organs," the 52-year-old began. She also acknowledged that the step was necessary although she remains apprehensive to undergo chemo citing the damage it can do to the body. "I've seen it," she added. Eggert appeared disturbed and in tears in the following video. "Okay so I just got out of my CT scan, mapping - as they call it - for my radiation treatment," she began. "When they said they were gonna tattoo me, I didn't realize it was actual, real tattoos so I was tatted!" she exclaimed. "It's minor, it's nothing but dots, but boy, every step of this process is never gonna let you forget it, there's just always going to be a constant reminder," she said through tears. She added that the medical staff was wonderful, and she'll need to work on herself to "get through" her situation. Read more: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner Spent Thanksgiving Together Amid Jennifer Lopez Divorce "Honor what you're feeling. Love you so much. Thank you for sharing yourself with us," fellow actress Alyssa Milano replied in her comment thread. "You can travel through this and make it be a success story. Medicine and faith will get you to the finish line," a second encouraged. "We love you Nicole. You got this," another added. In addition to 'Baywatch,' the actress is also known for her roles in "Charles in Charge" (1984), "Holiday Switch" (2007), and more. She has two daughters: Dilyn Elizabeth Eggert, 26, with ex-boyfriend Justin Herwick, and Keegan, 13, who's father was reportedly never revealed. Former 'Neighbours' actress Scarlet Vas has responded to criticism over her marriage to stepbrother Tayo Ricci, as the couple prepares to welcome their first child. The 29-year-old actress, who left the Australian soap in 2018, met Ricci as teenagers in Melbourne before their parents' relationship made them stepsiblings. Previously, the pair had been best friends for seven years, as they revealed to 'The Sun' in 2021. Despite the somewhat unconventional circumstances, they fell in love and married in Mykonos, Greece, last September. Read more: Shannon Sharpe Claps Back at Fans Barking Mad After His Dog Sat On the Thanksgiving Table Vas has been regularly posting images and videos celebrating her pregnancy since announcing it in October. But it seems not everyone has been able to share her joy about the impending addition to her family. Despite a number of hateful comments, Vas addressed those who have labeled their relationship "weird" and "gross" with a notably unbothered attitude. "Honestly, it doesn't affect us because we have each other," she told news.com.au in a new interview published on Friday, Nov. 29. "I don't really read our comments section, but if I do, I actually laugh." She added how they also "find trolls very entertaining." "If something's really negative, we might comment back, we find it is quite a good disarming tactic." Vas is well-known for her role as Misti Sharma on 'Neighbours.' She began to appear on the soap opera in April 2017 and made her final appearance in October 2018. When we think of powerful business leaders who have carved their own path, Barbara Corcoran stands out as an inspiring example of someone who didnt wait for the perfect time to start building her future. Today, shes a real estate mogul, best-selling author, and a beloved Shark Tank investor. But what truly makes her story remarkable is that she began laying the foundation for her success early on, starting her first business at just 23 years old. So, who is Barbara Corcoran, and how did she become one of the most successful women in business? Born in 1949 in Edgewater, New Jersey, Barbara grew up in a modest, working-class family with nine siblings. School was challenging for hershe was diagnosed with dyslexiabut she refused to let that hold her back. Corcorans determination, grit, and resilience would later become the secret ingredients behind her success. I had 22 jobs by the time I was 23 years old, Corcoran once said. But rather than seeing that as a failure, she used each experience as a stepping stone toward something bigger. In her early 20s, Barbara Corcoran knew she didnt want to settle for an average life. Fresh out of college, she worked as a waitress but dreamed of something more. The turning point came when her boyfriend at the time, Ray Simone, lent her $1,000. She used that money to start a small real estate business in New York City, which she named The Corcoran Group. At 23, with no real estate experience, no safety net, and just a phone book to find clients, Corcoran dove headfirst into the industry. The real estate market in New York City was tough, especially for a young woman without connections. But Corcoran was relentless. She knocked on doors, cold-called prospective clients, and took every opportunity to learn the business inside and out. I had no plan, but I knew one thing: I was never going to let anybody outwork me, she later reflected. Her tenacity paid off. Over the next 25 years, she grew The Corcoran Group from a tiny startup into one of the largest and most successful real estate companies in New York, which she eventually sold for a whopping $66 million in 2001. Barbara Corcorans journey wasnt without challenges. In fact, shes very open about the setbacks she faced along the way. The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend feeling sorry for themselves, Corcoran said. Early in her career, she faced sexism, skepticism, and rejection, but she refused to let those barriers stop her. One of her defining moments came when her boyfriend and business partner left her for another woman, telling her shed never succeed without him. Instead of letting that setback break her, Corcoran used it as fuel to prove him wrong. She poured all her energy into growing her company, working long hours and investing in marketing strategies that would set her business apart. One of her most famous innovations was the Corcoran Report, a real estate newsletter that offered valuable insights into market trends. This strategic move not only made her a trusted name in the industry but also established her as a thought leader in New Yorks competitive real estate market. Barbara Corcorans story is a powerful example of how starting early can create compounding success over time. By taking that initial leap into the unknown at age 23, she gave herself a head start to learn, grow, and build something extraordinary. Her early start allowed her to leverage every opportunity that came her way, turning each challenge into a stepping stone. Whats truly inspiring about Corcorans journey is how she embraced the power of compoundingnot just in financial terms, but in skills, experiences, and confidence. By starting early, she was able to accumulate years of knowledge and expertise, which positioned her to seize even bigger opportunities later in life. Dont you dare underestimate the power of your own instinct, she advises. You might be scared, but you have to jump in and learn to swim. Embrace Resilience: Corcorans journey was filled with setbacks, but her ability to bounce back was what made her unstoppable. She never let rejection define her. Instead, she viewed every no as just another step toward a yes. Focus on Your Strengths: Corcorans success didnt come from being the smartest person in the It came from her ability to work harder, be more creative, and stay true to her instincts. As she puts it, The best part of failure is that it teaches you so much. Be Willing to Take Risks: At 23, Corcoran didnt have a lot of money, connections, or experience. But she had the courage to take risks, which opened doors that others were too afraid to walk through. I dont need an invitation to get into the party; I just walk in, she once said. Never Stop Learning: Even after selling her company, Corcoran continued to Today, shes not only a successful investor on Shark Tank but also a motivational speaker, author, and podcast host. She believes in constantly pushing herself to grow. The biggest lesson from Barbara Corcorans story is that its never too earlyor too lateto start planning for the life you want. Whether youre just starting out in your career or thinking about making a change, taking that first step is often the hardest part. But as Corcoran shows us, the rewards are worth it. Dont wait until you have everything figured out, she advises. Just get started. You can learn along the way. Corcorans journey proves that starting early isnt just about getting a head start; its about building a foundation that can support your dreams, no matter how big they are. Her life is a testament to the power of resilience, creativity, and the willingness to take risks. Barbara Corcorans story is a true inspiration for anyone looking to break free from the ordinary and create a life filled with purpose and success. But what about you? Do you know someone who started early and turned their dreams into reality? Or maybe you have your own story of taking that first leap toward your goals? Saturday, November 30, 2024 Commentary by Edward Segal, author of Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies. TikTok, the popular and controversial video platform, provides leaders and business executives with a new way to help build, maintain, and expand their personal brands. It's important to remember that TikTok "is an interactive platform. Don't just talk at your audience; talk with them. Respond to comments, participate in challenges, and stay active," Tenyse Williams, an adjunct instructor specialist at Columbia University, George Washington University, and University of Central Florida, advised via email. Understand The Platform Before using it, executives should take the time to fully understand the app and he best and most effective ways to use it. "Leaders should use TikTok to supplement their strategy, not replace it. You need to understand the platform, but be strategic. I've seen TikTok's power, but also how trends change quickly and content can go viral for the wrong reasons,"Haiko de Poel Jr., a marketing specialist and CEO of a digital marketing agency, recounted in an email interview. When And Why To Avoid TikTok Using TikTok to build their personal brand may not be for every business leader, however. Executives should not use the app if their "brand or industry is highly formal or niche [because] TikTok may dilute its message or feel out of place. Industries like finance or law may require a different platform for professionalism and gravitas. Trying to 'fit in' with light-hearted, viral trends on TikTok may feel disingenuous and could harm the leader's credibility," Cristy Stewart-Harfmann, content creator, digital marketing professional, and an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University, recommended via email. Best Practices There are several best practices business leaders should consider beforeor whenthey use TikTok. Use Strategically "As someone who has run my own company for over 20 years, I've seen the power of social media in building a personal brand. When used strategically, TikTok can be an invaluable tool for leaders and executives," 'Dylan Cleppe, founder and CEO of digital marketing agency OneStop Northwest, counseled via email. In addition to connecting with their primary audiences, the video platform could help executives to connect with new ones. "I started using TikTok last year to share quick tips and insights from my experience in customer service and business operations. Within a month, my short videos gained over 25,000 views and 2,000 new followers, demonstrating TikTok's potential for reaching new audiences," he recalled. Set Goals "Leaders and business executives can use TikTok effectively by setting clear goals and ensuring their content resonates with their personal brand. Pay attention to detailssmall things matter, and they can affect how your brand is perceived. Avoid following trends that don't align with your brand, as doing so may damage your reputation rather than build it," Tatiana Dumitru, founder and senior branding expert at PreTree Creative, commented in an email interview. What executives emphasize in their videos can help them achieve their branding goals. "By emphasizing authenticity, sharing valuable experiences, and engaging interactively with the community, executives can forge meaningful connections with their audience" Williams, the adjunct instructor specialist, suggested. Tell Stories Because people like to hear and read stories, being a storyteller on TikTok can be an effective strategy for business executives. "Share stories and insights that showcase your unique perspective and expertise. Let your followers see the person behind the title. Tell your story about how you obtained your career goals or credentials," according to Williams. But the stories you tell should have a purpose, and meet the needs of those you are trying to reach. "It's not just about entertaining; it's about enriching your followers' day. Rather than broadcasting every thought or detail about your life, focus on what your followers can take away from the time they spend watching your content. Make your followers' time on TikTok enriching," Williams advised. Start Slow Firsttime TikTok users should start out slow, then ramp up as appropriate. "I suggest starting by posting a few casual videos each week discussing your work or interests. See how people respond and adapt. For example, I shared some legal marketing tips; some did well, others didn't. I learned and improved," de Poel of the digital marketing agency, commented. After executives have established their credibility on the platform, they can consider going to the next step. "Once you've built credibility, consider collaborations or short promotions. An executive I worked with had influencers react to sections of her new book, driving pre-orders. But build your base first," de Poel suggested. Build Trust "The key is to be authentic and focus on your area of expertise. Share experiences and examples that provide real value to viewers. For instance, I've found success with "day in the life" style videos showing what really happens in my role as CEO. These behind-the-scenes glimpses build trust and help humanize my brand, Cleppe of OneStop Northwest, shared. Collaborate Joining forces with others can be a good way for business leaders to take full advantage of TikTok. "Collaborating with influencers in your industry is also key. I've partnered with other business leaders on TikTok for "ask me anything" style videos which increased traffic to my website and social media profiles," Cleppe recounted. Manage Expectations Don't expect to achieve your branding goals immediately. "TikTok requires a consistent and well-defined content strategy. If a leader cannot commit to creating value-driven content regularly, the account may become inactive, negatively impacting the brand's perception. Inconsistent posting or irrelevant content will confuse audiences and dilute the leader's positioning as an expert," Stewart-Harfmann commented. Be Patient Don't be in a rush to be a success. "While results won't happen overnight, with consistency and the right strategy, TikTok can significantly expand a leader's reach and influence. Like any platform, test and learn what resonates most with your followers. For executives, TikTok should supplement, not replace, your existing social media and branding efforts," Cleppe pointed out. How To Measure Success There can be more than one way to gauge the success of your personal branding efforts. Corporate leaders should "define clear KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to measure whether TikTok is working for your personal brand. Metrics like engagement rate (comments, shares, likes) and follower growth are more important on TikTok than simple view counts," Stewart-Hafmann concluded. ##### Barry Keoghan refuses to discuss how he got a scar he has publicly displayed for the first time. Barry Keoghan refuses to discuss how he got a scar he has publicly displayed for the first time The Irish actor, 32, who shot to fame in films including The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Saltburn showed off what looked like the aftermath of a nasty injury on his left wrist during a cover shoot for Hunger magazine, which said the star wanted to lay bare the scars that have shaped him inside and out. Barry said after the photoshoot how it left him emotional, adding: I wont go into how I got this scar, but Ive got a scar that's like a millimetre away from my main vein on my left arm. I waited to do this with (photographer Rankin) to show that. You know, it just felt right. Referring to a tattoo in tribute to his mother Debbie who was killed by a heroin overdose when he was aged 12, Barry went on: On one wrist youve got my mum's name and then on the other wrist you've got this constant reminder, this scar. (Rankin and I) both looked at each other and went, Wow! Thats it. Barry also has a scar that goes along the length of his arm, which he got after he was afflicted with a flesh-eating bug that almost led to him having his limb amputated. The actor was stricken with necrotising fasciitis, which can flare up if a wound becomes infected, and it left him hospitalised and so ill just before he started shooting The Banshees of Inisherin alongside fellow Irishmen Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson its director Martin McDonagh feared he may not be able to make it onto set. Barry is a father to two-year-old son Brando, who he has with his ex-girlfriend Alyson Kierans, from whom he split from in mid-2023. He recently hit back at trolls who branded him a deadbeat dad, saying: By God, didnt the f***** internet do their work! Deadbeat father, blah, blah, blah! Its just because I dont post my child 24/7 or give the Internet what they want. My son isnt a talking point. Barry Keoghan credits therapy for helping him build a lovely relationship with his son. Barry Keoghan has therapy The Saltburn actor who has two-year-old Brando with former girlfriend Alyson Sandro is thankful to have a strong support system around him as he navigates his rising fame and developing bonds with the people he cares about. He told Britains HELLO! magazine: Ive got a really strong team around me, people I massively care about and they care about me. Ive got a right-hand man who doesnt leave my side he comes everywhere with me. When you make a decision to step up and get on with it, you understand that you need to do stuff like therapy to grow, and to be honest with yourself about certain things. Thats one of the reasons Im starting to enjoy life and having a lovely relationship with my little boy. Getting to see him grow gives me such love and hope. Hes starting to talk now and give backchat. Barry, 32, and his brother spent a lot of their childhood in foster care as their drug-addicted mother who died when he was 12 years old was unable to care for them, but their grandmother was a formidable figure in their lives. And the Banshees of Inisherin actor thinks thats why he gravitates towards female directors. He said: I was taken into full-time care when I was 10 or 11. My granny, my auntie and her daughter, three really strong women, moved into the same bedroom to give up their room for me and my brother. I was raised by those three women and learned my principles and to lift the toilet seat up. My granny was like a father figure and a mother figure for me- better than any man. And shes tough as nails. So I do gravitate towards female filmmakers, because Im allowed to be a bit more vulnerable. Its not a conscious thing. Rupert Grint has been ordered to pay another 1.8 million in tax. Rupert Grint has been ordered to pay another 1.8 million in tax The Harry Potter actor, 36, is said to be worth 40 million after his appearances in the wizard movie franchise, but it has now emerged there has been another bank balance-busting develpoment in his long-running legal battle with HMRC over his tax return from the 2011-12 financial year. Best known for portraying Ron Weasley in the film adaptations of J K Rowlings Potter books, the actor previously lost his fight with the taxman in 2019 and was ordered to pay the huge sum following a probe into his return from 13 years ago. It came after the star was given 4.5million from a company which managed his business affairs as consideration for rights, records and goodwill from his work. Rupert said it was a capital asset and should be the subject of capital gains tax. But HMRC said the cash should have been registered as income and their investigation concluded the actor needed to pay another 1,801,060 in tax. The Daily Mail has reported the actors lawyers appealed against HMRCs decision at a hearing in London in November and December 2022. But the newspaper said a tribunal ruling saw Judge Harriet Morgan dismiss the appeal and find the sum was taxable as income. In the 20 months up to 5 April 2010, Rupert was said to have built up a turnover of 28 million and 15 million in profits. Accountants tried to move eight months of his income from a 50 per cent top tax rate in 2010-11 to the 40 per cent rate in 2009-10 as they wanted to bring his accounts date back from July 31 to April 5. The taxman agreed but denied Rupert had actually gone ahead with the plan and a London tax tribunal ruled he would not get the rebate. Judge Barbara Mosedale ruled the conditions necessary to make a valid accounting date change had not been met. She said: It was no part of HMRCs case that Mr Grint was involved in tax avoidance. HMRC accepted that he had the right to change his accounting date. The dispute solely concerned whether he had done so within the meaning of the legislation. Rupert starred in the first Harry Potter film in 2001 and is calculated to have earned around 24 million from playing Ron Weasley alone. Prince Harrys legal team could reportedly cite Taylor Swift as an example in his battle for royal security. Prince Harrys legal team could reportedly cite Taylor Swift as an example in his battle for royal security The Duke of Sussex, 40, is locked in a legal fight over a ruling made in February that removed the automatic right to protection for him and his family, after the initial decision was made in 2020 to strip it back when he and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 43, quit being senior working royals in the UK for a new life in America. People has now reported Harrys team may highlight how Taylor, 34, got police escorts to her sold-out Eras Tour concerts at Londons Wembley Stadium in August in the wake of a terror plot against her and her fans being thwarted that prompted the cancellation of three of her shows in Austria. A source with knowledge of the case told the outlet Harry is desperate to ensure the safety of himself and his family while in the UK so his children can know his home country and work with his charities without fear of being targeted and attacked. They added: The (British) governments decision to provide Taylor Swift with armed police escorts during her August 2024 Wembley Stadium performances highlight significant inconsistencies in how protection decisions are made by UK authorities, raising questions about the transparency and consistency of the process. Clearly Prince Harry is being treated completely differently to everyone else. (The case) demonstrates the need for a more systematic and transparent approach to protection decisions, ensuring both public safety and equitable application of security resources. Harry has taken the issue of his security arrangements to the courts for more than four years, but lost an initial decision in April. He is now appealing it, and the case is set to be heard in the spring of 2025. Neil Basu, a former head of counterterrorism for the Metropolitan Police, has spoken out about how Meghan faced serious threats while in the UK, noting she and Harry have among the highest threat assessments within the royal family. Prince Williams royal equerry is stepping down following four years of service. Prince Williams royal equerry is stepping down following four years of service The 42-year-old future kings right-hand-man Lieutenant Commander Rob Dixon, who was first appointed to the royal household in 2020, shared the news he was departing serving the 42-year-old in an emotional LinkedIn post in which he said he felt it was time to move on from his role. He said: Ive had the most incredible opportunity to serve in a role that not only challenged me, but allowed me to grow, to learn and to make meaningful contributions alongside a talented and passionate team. I am immensely grateful for the support, collaboration and friendships formed during these last four years. Its been a remarkable journey, and I look forward to carrying the skills and insights Ive gained into my next appointments. The Lieutenant also highlighted how he had the honour of playing a small part in the April 2021 funeral of Prince Philip, the June 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth and the monarchs funeral three months later, as well as the May 2023 coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla and all the weird and wonderful in between. He went on: There were engagements when our whole Household was involved, every single person, and there were times when I was quite rightly standing alone, calling the shots and backing the shots Id taken. Its now time to swap the top hat and tails for daily working rig once again, and its the right thing to do. He is leaving his role as equerry to return to his post in the Royal Navy, where he has served for nearly 24 years, according to the Daily Mail. Equerries are officers from one of the three branches of the armed forces who are chosen to assist senior royals in their respective royal duties, from organising public engagements to arranging their official schedules. Around six equerries work in the royal household at any given time and are appointments generally lasting about three years. A distinguished alumnus of The Doon School, Sudhanshu Saria furthered his education at Ithaca College in New York, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Photography. He made his mark in the film industry with his directorial debut, the 2015 romantic drama Loev. His talent was further acknowledged when he won a National Film Award for his direction of the short film Knock Knock Knock. Sarias latest notable work includes directing and co-writing the high-octane espionage drama Ulajh for Junglee Pictures. The director is busy promoting Sanaa, his next project. In the midst of all the pre-release madness, he takes time off to answer a few questions.Im incredibly grateful and blessed for the opportunities Ive had. Its amazing to think about how far Ive come, given that many people had to trust and support me to reach this point. There were years when I struggled just to get meetings or responses. But I kept working diligently on my craft and building a body of work. Those efforts have led to significant achievements in recent years, like leading a series for Amazon, making a film like Sanaa for my company, and undertaking a major project like Ulajh. I owe much to Junglee Pictures for their faith and innovative thinking, trusting me with such a project in todays market. Reading the script, I saw its potential to redefine the spy thriller genre and offer something fresh.Ive always admired Junglee Pictures for their selectivity and trendsetting taste. I first encountered them while they were working on Badhaai Do. I received a thanks credit in that film. Later, when the script for this project arrived, I read it quickly and had a 45-minute discussion with my producer, Uzma, about it. At that time, I wasnt aware I was being considered for the project. I was just sharing my honest thoughts as a friend. Eventually, Amrita Panday, CEO of Junglee Pictures wanted to meet, and I explained my vision for the film, including potential changes. My detailed perspective and clear vision made it easy to convey how I would approach the film. Amrita responded positively and we moved forward. Both of us are perfectionists, which has worked well in this collaboration. We focused intensely on the script, and Junglees passion for every detail of the story made it an ideal partnership.Editing, casting and cinematography are crucial elements. Im meticulous about every detail, from the third button on the fourth shirt to the height difference among extras, because every choice has financial implications. Normally, you get three months to prepare for a shoot, but we took eight. It took six months just to cast the right people and another three to four months to select our technical partners. Each decision about the cinematographer, editor and other key roles has a significant impact on the film, so we aimed for excellence and didnt settle for less. Im incredibly proud of the team weve assembled. Each person, from the cast to the technicians, is more skilled and hardworking than I am, and their collective efforts have shaped the film you saw. The positive feedback about the films fresh and unique look directly results from these careful selections. Watching this cast together on screen is truly exciting.Casting actors like Gulshan Devaiah, Roshan Mathew and Janhvi Kapoor, each with unique styles, was the highlight of this project. Im very selective and passionate about casting actors whose work I admire. And Junglee supported this vision. We dedicated a month and a half to preparation, including workshops, look tests and various exercises. Each actor had different needs and required tailored direction to deliver their best performance. Casting against type was particularly exciting for me. Ultimately, the diverse cast enhances the films suspense, keeping the audiences engaged and guessing. Each actor adds depth to the narrative, making the unfolding mystery even more compelling.Id describe our working relationship as a true partnership. From the start, I was committed to ensuring equal collaboration. Janhvi, with her experience, initially took some time to fully believe in this scenario.I consistently emphasised that she was a partner in this project, not just executing my vision. As she grew to trust that her input was valued and not seen as overstepping. She fully committed her energy, expertise and passion to the film. This collaborative spirit defined our process. The film is not just mine; its ours.Im deeply immersed in my work, staying in the zone 24/7. If the atmosphere becomes too serious, I might lighten things up with jokes. Conversely, if things seem too relaxed, I get anxious. When things are going well, I tend to feel stressed, as I worry about becoming complacent. I believe that letting my guard down when everything seems perfect is when problems are most likely to arise.There were many challenging days, each memorable in its own way. I prefer shooting on location rather than on the sets, despite the added difficulties. For instance, in Bhopal, we faced intense rain and flooding that made every moment a struggle to shoot. Similarly, in London, we shot a crucial sequence in a small apartment without air conditioning due to sync sound requirements. The heat made it incredibly uncomfortable for everyone, and shooting long takes added to the strain. I recall Janhvi and Roshan performing a 10-minute-long scene that required 20 takes, which meant over 200 minutes of intense acting. Roshan eventually expressed concern about his health, which was a rare moment of him showing signs of exhaustion. These experiences, combined with the constant need to ensure we had every shot we needed, kept me deeply immersed and on edge. My incredible cast, with their patience and high standards, often pushed me to keep going, even when it felt overwhelming.Im not a fan of the factory approach to filmmaking. I prefer to focus on one project at a time, similar to Aamir Khans method. Right now, Im concentrating on the distribution and marketing of my film Sanaa, which has been well-received at international festivals. While there are exciting new ideas and projects on the horizon, Ill take my time to thoroughly consider them before diving in. Neelam Kothari Soni never imagined that life after fifty could be so fabulous. The reality show Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, produced by Karan Johar, has not only rejuvenated her career but has also introduced her to a new, younger audience. I did films back in the 80s and 90s. Now at 54, being relevant to Gen X, Gen Y and even to children and older people is a huge achievement, she beams with pride. The shows blend of glamour, candid moments and the daily lives of Bollywoods elite has turned Neelam into a household name once again. Beyond the fame, this surge in popularity has had a tangible impact on her ventures. Her jewellery and interior designing business has experienced significant growth, capitalising on the newfound attention. Neelams journey is a testament to the idea that reinvention knows no age and her story inspires others to embrace their passions at any stage of life. As she navigates this exciting chapter, her enthusiasm is palpable, proving that life can indeed get more fabulous with each passing year.The third season of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, now intriguingly titled Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives, promises to be an exciting showdown. This season features a glam-fueled face-off between the original Mumbai crew and three new powerhouses: Delhi stylist and entrepreneur Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, luxury silverware designer Kalyani Saha Chawla, and art collector Shalini Passi. Neelam shares her enthusiasm, stating, This time we have three new women on the show. So, the conversations and the settings are different. The dynamic between the two cities adds a fresh layer to the narrative, highlighting contrasting styles and sensibilities. What sets this season apart is the unscripted nature of the interactions. Everything is spontaneous. We were just told where wed be shooting and the beat required. Its up to us what we bring to the table, She explains, dubbing the experience a joyride. This format not only enhances authenticity but also allows for genuine connections and reactions, making for engaging viewing. With the blend of glamour and real-life drama, audiences can expect a captivating exploration of friendship, rivalry and the unique flair that each participant brings to the show.In the earlier seasons, I did restrain myself. But in season 3, youll see a totally different side of me, the actor reveals, hinting at a significant transformation in her approach. Known for her mild-mannered demeanour, she typically steers clear of controversy. However, this season promises a dramatic shift. Usually, I run away from conflict. But if theres controversy pertaining to something close to my heart, then I dont hold back. I give it my all, she admits. The chemistry among Neelam, Maheep Kapoor, Bhavna Pandey and Seema Kiran Sajdeh has made it easy for them to translate their real-life friendships onto the screen. Weve been old friends for a long time. With time, you realise youve passed the age of making new friends. After working together, our understanding and bond have reached another level, she explains. This strong foundation allows them to portray their dynamics authentically.In an industry often marked by fragile friendships, the entrepreneur reflects on what keeps their group together. From day one, theres been no one-upmanship, no competition between us. We genuinely enjoy one anothers company. No one tries to outdo the other. We celebrate our individualities and thats exactly what comes across on screen as well. This spirit of camaraderie not only enhances the shows appeal but it also showcases a refreshing perspective on female friendships, emphasising support and authenticity in an otherwise competitive environment. She acknowledges that while skirmishes do occasionally arise, they are swiftly resolved. In case theres a misunderstanding, which is natural, you need another person to intervene and become the mediator between the two, she confides. This approach highlights the importance of communication and support within their friendship circle. She reflects on the rarity of such deep connections: You dont come across friendships like ours. We cherish it. For her, the foundation of these relationships lies in mutual love and understanding. When you love a friend or a family member and vice versa, its okay to make mistakes, as long as you overcome them, ride the tide and are there for each other. This philosophy not only strengthens their bond but it also serves as a valuable lesson in navigating relationships, underscoring the importance of forgiveness and resilience in maintaining lasting friendships.Neelam knows that star wives often evoke envy with their seemingly postcard-perfect livesfilled with exotic getaways, glamorous social media posts and designer privileges. However, she insists that they too, experience their share of lows and disappointments. Theres glamour and glitz around us, but we have rough days as well, she explains. She shares a poignant example from her own life: I was shooting for two shows simultaneously. I had to rush from the outdoors of Made In Heaven in Alwar to Jawai in Rajasthan for Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives season 2. During that time, my daughter Ahana was ill and hospitalised and so was my dad. It was a challenging and difficult time. Despite these personal struggles, Neelam reflects on the need for resilience in the face of adversity. But as they say, the show must go on. You have to put up a brave front. A commitment is a commitment.Her ability to balance professional obligations with personal challenges underscores the reality that behind the glamour lies a human experience filled with both joy and hardship. Neelams candidness serves as a reminder that everyone, regardless of their public persona, faces difficulties and must find ways to navigate them with strength and grace. Despite the challenges, Neelam reflects on her journey with gratitude. Doing a reality show at this stage of our lives is special. Good, bad, ugly were being judged. Showing every side of your personality... your anger, vulnerabilities and insecurities is not easy, she admits. This exposure can be daunting, but it also allows for authenticity and deeper connections with viewers. Neelam has been praised for the sense of decorum she brings to a format that often thrives on unfiltered expression. Im told I keep it dignified, she shares, attributing this quality to her upbringing. Ive imbibed this from my parents. They always said, that no matter what you do, do it with grace and dignity. Her commitment to maintaining this grace, even in the face of scrutiny, sets her apart and reinforces her belief in the importance of authenticity tempered with respect. Her approach not only enhances her personal brand but it also serves as a model for others navigating the sometimes chaotic world of reality television.We live in the age of social media likes and the actor acknowledges that with praise comes a fair share of toxicity. Although she has received compliments for her charm and style, she finds it hurtful when trolls label her as aunty. Its not cool to call anyone aunty. Its rude and obnoxious, she expresses candidly. Neelam challenges those who use the term derogatorily, questioning, Id like to see what trolls and those who call me an aunty look like when theyre my age, or what their moms look like. Her frustration stems from the broader implications of such labels. Why use the word aunty in a derogatory way? We all will age, she points out. She, along with her co-stars Seema, Maheep, and Bhavna, has managed to connect with viewers over two seasons, sharing their lives and issues in a relatable way. Now to have XYZ call us aunties is not cool at all, she asserts. We agree. She emphasises the courage it takes to put oneself out there in the public eye and calls for a shift in perspective. How about appreciating us instead of looking down on us? Her words resonate with the importance of respect and recognition, challenging societal norms about ageing and the judgments that come with it. Her stance advocates for celebrating individuality and resilience, rather than diminishing it with hurtful labels.Staying positive is at the core of Neelams life philosophy. She explains, Kindness and goodwill will take you a long way. Thats what my parents taught me. This foundational belief shapes her interactions and is something she hopes to pass on to her daughter, Ahana. I want her to respect people, be kind and remain down-to-earth, She shares. She also credits her husband, Samir Soni, as a vital source of strength in her life. Samir respects what I do. He lets me be and encourages me, she says, highlighting their supportive partnership. Neelam confides that while she tends to approach him with larger issues rather than small problems, his insights are invaluable. He offers a sane and sound solution. I can be rash in my decisions and jump to conclusions but hes calm and sorted, she notes.Above all, she praises him for being a wonderful father, adding another layer to their relationship. Doesnt that make my life even more fabulous? she asks, reflecting on how the combination of love, respect and partnership contributes to her overall happiness. Neelams outlook showcases that true fulfilment comes from both personal and familial connections, reinforcing the idea that a supportive environment enhances ones journey through life. Deutsche Telekom's stock has achieved a remarkable milestone by surpassing the 30 threshold for the first time since 2001, demonstrating the telecommunications giant's robust market performance. Currently trading at 30.14, the shares are hovering close to their 52-week high of 30.19, supported by impressive financial results. The company's recent quarterly performance shows significant improvement, with earnings per share reaching 0.60 and revenue climbing to 28.50 billion. Trading volume exceeding 2.1 million shares reflects strong investor confidence, while the stock's year-to-date performance of approximately 40% positions it among the DAX index's top performers. Analyst Outlook and Dividend Prospects Market analysts maintain an optimistic stance on Deutsche Telekom's future prospects, setting an average price target of 36.36, suggesting substantial upside potential. Adding to investor appeal, the company's projected dividend for the current year stands at 0.89 per share, representing a notable increase from the previous year's distribution. Ad Fresh Deutsche Telekom information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated Deutsche Telekom analysis... Clearwater, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - November 29, 2024) - InnQuest Software, a leading provider of hotel management solutions, proudly announces its 30th anniversary. Since its founding in 1994, the company has delivered cutting-edge technology to the hospitality industry, serving over 5,500 properties worldwide. InnQuest provides solutions to all accommodations, including independent hotels, management groups, branded hotels, bed & breakfasts, and parks. InnQuest Software Celebrates 30 Years of Innovation in All-in-One Hotel Management Solutions To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/231574_03a28ac594fc188f_002full.jpg Over the past three decades, InnQuest has expanded its global presence with offices in the USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia. This growth has enabled the company to offer localized support and meet specific market demands, reinforcing its commitment to empowering hoteliers worldwide. "As we celebrate this milestone, I want to express our deepest gratitude to our clients, partners, and team members who have been integral to InnQuest's success. Our journey is defined by our commitment to delivering exceptional solutions that help hoteliers thrive. As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to driving innovation and expanding our offerings to meet the evolving needs of the hospitality industry," said Kent Howard, CEO of InnQuest Software. The company's flagship product, roomMaster PMS, offers real-time insights and powerful features that streamline hotel operations and enhance guest experiences. This comprehensive hotel management software has become a trusted tool for hoteliers seeking efficiency and growth. In 2016, InnQuest was acquired by Valsoft Corporation, a move that spurred significant growth and diversification of its product offerings. Under Valsoft's ownership, the company introduced innovative solutions such as the Hotel Website Builder and Payment Systems, providing clients with a broader range of tools to enhance their operations. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21iGVj1UGq8 InnQuest's product suite also includes the Hotel Booking Engine, a commission-free solution that helps hotels drive direct bookings through a fully customizable, mobile-friendly platform. The Hotel Channel Manager Software, known as Stayfull, connects to over 155 OTAs, optimizing occupancy and preventing overbookings through real-time updates. The introduction of the Website Builder Ignite offers a user-friendly, mobile-responsive tool designed to help hotels quickly build their online presence and boost direct bookings. This reflects InnQuest's dedication to providing comprehensive solutions that address the evolving hospitality industry needs. With a 24/7 award-winning support team and a commitment to continuous innovation, InnQuest focuses on helping hoteliers succeed. The company has been recognized for its excellence, recently receiving the Certificate of Excellence from Hotel Tech Report. After three decades of leading the hospitality technology space, InnQuest looks forward to the future with plans to expand its global presence and evolve its solutions. The company remains steadfast in its mission to provide exceptional tools and support that enable hoteliers to thrive in a competitive market. Individuals can explore the official website for more information about InnQuest Software and its range of hotel management solutions. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/231574 SOURCE: Plentisoft Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 29, 2024) - AnalytixInsight Inc. (TSXV: ALY) ("AnalytixInsight", or the "Company") today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2024, covering the nine-month period ended September 30, 2024. Key Financial Highlights: For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, AnalytixInsight revenue was $52,039 with a net loss for the nine month period of ($533,512) compared to September 30, 2023, revenue of $93,932 with a net loss for the nine month period of ($1,890,120). This change was due partially to the removal of Euclides revenue from service contracts as compared to prior year with no change in the number of CapitalCube enterprise customers and a significant number of employee options' cancellations resulting in an adjustment of share compensation expense. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, MarketWall (including InvestoPro) revenue was $6,937,531 with a net income of $653,436 compared to nine months ended September 30, 2023 revenue of $8,141,879 and net income of $2,105,287. Some additional highlights for MarketWall include Intesa Sanpaolo extending the licensing deal of Investo, with a two-year extension until December 31, 2026 at EUR 4 million/year and InvestoPro (licensed broker dealer exchange) expanding its assets under custody to 131million. AnalytixInsight's ownership of MarketWall is 49% and thus MarketWall is not consolidated in AnalytixInsight's financial results. MarketWall's financial results include the consolidation of its wholly-owned subsidiary InvestoPro. Management Commentary "Q3 was a challenging period, during which we streamlined our operations as much as possible, while working towards a settlement on our legal issues, as was completed in September with the final dismissal of the original court filing this week on November 25th," commented Natalie Hirsch, Interim CEO. "We used the time to resurrect sales efforts on CapitalCube and start identifying ways to sell our fundamental analysis attributes and scoring to a newer group of customers which we hope to realize in Q4." AGM Postponement AnalytixInsight, a corporation governed by the laws of Ontario, announces that it will be unable to hold its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") within the 15-month period required under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV). The Company's last AGM was held on August 31, 2023, and in accordance with corporate governance requirements, the next AGM is due to be held by November 30, 2024. However, due to the time required for key preparations, the Company will not be able to convene the AGM by this deadline. In response to evolving business conditions, the Company has implemented a series of strategic management and operational changes designed to strengthen its financial position and support continued growth. These efforts are expected to enable the Company to hold the AGM within the next six months. The Company understands the importance of holding the AGM in a timely manner to ensure ongoing shareholder engagement and compliance with regulatory requirements. It is actively addressing the remaining matters and will provide shareholders with an updated timeline for the AGM once the necessary preparations are completed. The Company appreciates the continued support and understanding of its shareholders during this period of transition. Dismissal Order The Company is pleased to inform its shareholders that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has issued a dismissal order on November 25, bringing the case with previous management of the Company to a successful conclusion. Option Expiry Clarification Additionally, the Company would like to clarify the terms of the options granted to certain advisors and announced in the November 18, 2024 news release. The Company announced that the options would expire five years from the date of grant, however the Company would like to clarify that the options will actually expire three years from the date of grant. ABOUT ANALYTIXINSIGHT AnalytixInsight is a data analytics and enterprise software solutions provider. AnalytixInsight develops and markets cloud-based platforms providing financial content, company analysis and stock research solutions to the financial services industry. AnalytixInsight holds a 49% interest in MarketWall S.R.L., a developer of fintech solutions for financial institutions in Italy. Neither THE TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the respective policies, regulations and rules under such laws ("forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "will" and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Specific forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the postponement of the annual general meeting. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this news release including, without limitation, general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the Company's technology and revenue generation; risks associated with operation in the technology sector; the Company's ability to successfully develop a go-forward strategy, raise capital, and extract value from MarketWall; foreign operations risks; the risk that funding options are not available to the Company, on reasonable terms or at all, to address its funding needs; the receipt of necessary regulatory, court, and corporate approvals to pursue funding options; the risk that the previously disclosed court-ordered inspector may uncover unexpected issues and/or the investigation may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, the risk that the issues to be addressed by the previously disclosed interim orders and the court-ordered inspector are not resolved in a timely manner or at all, and other risks inherent in the technology industry. Additionally, there are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary note. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/232025 SOURCE: AnalytixInsight Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 29, 2024) - Tenet Fintech Group Inc. (CSE: PKK) (OTCQB: PKKFF) ("Tenet" or the "Company"), an innovative analytics service provider and operator of the Cubeler Business Hub, today announced its financial results and operating highlights for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024, and September 30, 2023. Tenet reported revenue of $205,582, total expenses of $24,897,807, which included an expected credit loss provision of $18,715,423 recorded by the Company due to the de facto pause in activity on its platforms in China as the transition of its revenue model in that market continues, and a net loss of $24,692,225 for the quarter. All amounts in this news release are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. Q3-2024 Financial Highlights Total Revenue of $205,582 EBITDA of ($22.33 million) Net Loss of ($24.69 million) Reconciliation of Net Loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the 3-month period ended September 30, 2024 Net loss for the period ($24,692,225) Add: Income tax $ - Finance costs $708,891 Depreciation of property and equipment $33,589 Depreciation of right-of-use assets $81,481 Amortization of intangible assets $1,499,444 Amortization of financing issuance costs $36,014 EBITDA1 ($22,332,806) Add (less): Change in fair value of contingent consideration payable ($154,080) Change in fair value of debentures conversion options ($2,300) Loss on investment in associate company $ - Forgiveness of CEBA loan $ - Loss on sublease $ - Gain on disposition of property and equipment $2,715 Adjusted EBITDA2 ($22,486,471) (1) EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure provided to assist readers in determining the Company's ability to generate cash-flows from operations and to cover finance charges. It is also widely used for business valuation purposes. This measure does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. EBITDA equals the results before income taxes, depreciation of property and equipment, depreciation of right-of-use assets, amortization of intangible assets, amortization of financing issuance costs and finance costs, as defined in Note 24.4 of the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended December 31st, 2023 and December 31st, 2022. (2) Adjusted EBITDA equals EBITDA as described above adjusted for change in fair value of contingent consideration payable, change in fair value of debenture conversion options, impairment of goodwill, impairment of intangible assets, gain on bargain purchase, loss on investment in a related company, impairment on investment in a related company and loss on legal settlement. THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS SUMMARY While the Company's revenue continued to decline as expected as its Chinese operations prepare to embrace the Company's new data-centric business model, the Company got one step closer to that new business model with the beta launch of its Cubeler Business Hub's Networking and Advertising modules shortly following the end of the quarter. This announced that the Company would be in position to add a sufficient number of SMEs to the Business Hub during the last quarter of 2024 in order to be able to commercially launch the Company's first data driven ie-Pulse product. In summary, the Company generated revenue of $205,582 for the three-month period and $1,685,160 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2024, compared to $9,244,460 for the three-month period and $35,514,978 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023. Total expenses before taxes for the quarter amounted to $24,897,807 compared to $53,133,401 for the same period in 2023. Net loss for the third quarter of 2024 was $24,692,225 compared to a net loss of $43,002,953 for the same period in 2023. Full details of the Company's third quarter 2024 financial results can be found in the Unaudited Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, which are available at www.sedarplus.com. Q3-2024 Results and 2024 Outlook Q&A Tenet CEO Johnson Joseph will answer questions from shareholders related to the Company's third quarter 2024 results and provide his perspective on what's to come for the remainder of 2024 in a Q&A interview. Shareholders are encouraged to read the Company's MD&A prior to sending their questions related to these subjects to the Company by 9:00pm EST on December 5, 2024 to investors@tenetfintech.com or cathy@chfir.com. The interview will be posted on the Company's website by 5:00pm EST on December 10, 2024. About Tenet Fintech Group Inc.: Tenet Fintech Group Inc. is the parent company of a group of innovative financial technology (Fintech) and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. All references to Tenet in this news release, unless explicitly specified, include Tenet and all its subsidiaries. Tenet's subsidiaries offer various analytics and AI-based products and services to businesses, capital markets professionals, government agencies and financial institutions either through or leveraging data gathered by the Cubeler Business Hub, a global ecosystem where analytics and AI are used to create opportunities and facilitate B2B transactions among its members. Please visit our website at: https://www.tenetfintech.com/. Forward-looking information Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tenet to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, holding company with significant operations in China; general economic and business conditions, including factors impacting the Company's business in China such as pandemics and COVID-19; legislative and/or regulatory developments; Global Financial conditions, repatriation of profits or transfer of funds from China to Canada, operations in foreign jurisdictions and possible exposure to corruption, bribery or civil unrest; actions by regulators; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; timing and completion of capital programs; liquidity and capital resources, negative operating cash flow and additional funding, dilution from further financing; financial performance and timing of capital; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by Tenet with securities regulators in Canada. Reference should also be made to Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) in Tenet's annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form, filed with Canadian securities regulators and available via the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) under Tenet's profile at www.sedarplus.ca, for a description of major risk factors relating to Tenet. Although Tenet has attempted to identify certain factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event the Company does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that the Company will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/232023 SOURCE: Tenet Fintech Group Inc. The Platform Group AG, formerly known as fashionette AG, has announced a significant expansion through its complete acquisition of a leading European luxury watch online retailer. The comprehensive asset deal encompasses all assets, brand rights, and locations, with completion scheduled for December 2024. This strategic move has resonated positively with investors, driving the company's stock up by 3.32 percent to 7.79. The acquisition represents a pivotal step in strengthening the company's position in the premium segment, with the firm's market capitalization currently standing at 48.2 million based on 6.2 million outstanding shares. Strategic Growth Initiative Looking ahead to the second quarter of 2025, the company plans to implement an extensive platform strategy, incorporating both new and certified pre-owned luxury timepieces. This expansion aims to leverage and grow its established customer base of 175,000 across 60 countries. The initiative includes actively connecting with specialist retail partners and significantly broadening the product range, demonstrating the company's commitment to enhancing its market presence in the luxury segment. Ad Fresh fashionette information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated fashionette analysis... Youth Entrepreneurship Services (Y.E.S.!) officially launched in grand style with a packed event that brought together influential leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers from across the nation. Held at the stunning Centre Club on the 30th floor of downtown San Antonio's Weston Plaza, the evening was a vibrant celebration of community impact and the entrepreneurial spirit driving future generations. The event wasn't just a celebration-it was a movement. Attendees, including business leaders and philanthropists, were inspired by stories of resilience and success from accomplished entrepreneurs, setting the tone for collaboration and community engagement. Honoring Excellence The night featured the prestigious Texas TITAN Awards, which recognized outstanding business leaders and community contributors whose efforts have created lasting change and inspired others to take action. Honorees included: John Hartsfield , Co-founder of ICON Talks Arlette Belver , Founder and CEO of Aqua-Tots Swim School Chris Herring , President of the Global Chamber Wendy and Miguel Gamillo , Founders of Plant a Seed Nonprofit in El Paso David and Lorena Monroe , Founders of SAMSAT Vanessa Richaud , Franchise Owner of ChillN7 Ben Snipes and Jay Linton, Founders of Nextup Foundation These honorees exemplify the spirit of giving back, inspiring others to dream bigger, and demonstrating the profound impact of mentorship and service. Co-Founder Faten Bazzi said, "We are incredibly excited to launch Youth Entrepreneurship Services and to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that drives innovation and growth in the community of San Antonio." She added, "This event is not just a celebration of our launch but a tribute to the resilience and creativity of entrepreneurs across generations. Together, we are fostering a vibrant, inclusive business community." The room was abuzz with energy as prominent figures gathered to support the organization's mission to empower young entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, and resources. A highlight of the evening was the generous contribution of Mauricio Mejia, who kicked off the first donation of the night, becoming a Premium Platinum Sponsor with a remarkable five-figure gift. Mejia, a prominent socialite from Silicon Valley, has built an impressive career as a high-net-worth individual in the commercial real estate development realm. Beyond his professional success, he is famously credited with revolutionizing San Jose's nightlife scene and is the visionary behind the city's iconic summer concert series, "Music in the Park." His unwavering support for Y.E.S.! exemplifies his commitment to investing in future leaders and fostering a legacy of impact. Follow him on Instagram and Subscribe to his YouTube Channel, Mejia Live "We are deeply grateful for Mauricio's extraordinary generosity and his belief in the transformative power of mentorship and entrepreneurship," said Jacqueline Hernandez, Co-founder of Y.E.S. "His contribution will help us expand our programs, providing life-changing opportunities for young minds to realize their full potential." Take Action Y.E.S.! invites you to join its mission of empowering aspiring youth by becoming a mentor, donating, or partnering to expand its reach. Your support can provide vital resources, internships, and guidance to students starting as early as 6th grade, paving the way for the next generation of entrepreneurs. Click here to Donate today! Y.E.S.! Turning Vision Into Victory! Together, we can transform lives, build communities, and inspire a new era of changemakers. For more information or to get involved, visit yesnonprofit.org or follow us on social media on Instagram @yesnonprofit. Experience the Excitement Relive the energy and inspiration of our inaugural event by clicking here to watch highlights from this unforgettable evening. Witness the impact we're making and see how you can be a part of this transformational journey! Contact Information Jacqueline Hernandez Founder and CEO jacqueline@entrepreneurial-empire.com 4088028663 Source: Y.E.S.! Youth Entrepreneurship Services Y.E.S.! Youth Entrepreneurship Services is thrilled to announce its 6-Week Mentorship Program, an initiative designed to inspire and equip young innovators in grades 6-12 with the tools and skills to bring their entrepreneurial ideas to life. This engaging program offers hands-on guidance, fostering creativity and leadership while helping students turn their dreams into actionable ventures. Held every two weeks on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Geekdom in San Antonio, the program teaches the essentials of business planning, marketing, branding, audience engagement, and launching successful ventures. Participants will be mentored by experienced professionals who guide them every step of the way, preparing them for success in today's competitive world. "This program is about more than entrepreneurship-it's about empowering youth to see themselves as leaders and creators," said Jacqueline N. Hernandez, Founder of Y.E.S.! "We're giving them the confidence to take control of their futures and make an impact." Students interested in this opportunity can apply by completing an application form Here . Spaces are limited, so early registration is encouraged. Affordable Math Tutoring Services Led by Academic Expert James Courtney In addition to mentorship, Y.E.S.! is proud to offer Affordable Math Tutoring Services led by James Courtney, an experienced academic professor. These sessions, held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Geekdom 110 E. Houston St. San Antonio, provide personalized Algebra 1-2 and Geometry instruction. Courtney's high-level expertise ensures students receive focused guidance to build their math skills and confidence, whether they are catching up or aiming to master advanced topics. Y.E.S.!'s commitment to academic success complements its entrepreneurial training, giving students a well-rounded foundation for their futures. Fill out the application HERE to get your teen on the tutoring list and access these transformative services. Meet the Dynamic Leaders Behind it All: Introducing Our Leadership Team Y.E.S.! is led by a dedicated team of advocates, entrepreneurs, and youth leaders committed to empowering the next generation: Board Members Desiree H. Serna Martinez - Nonprofit Guru in San Antonio, TX, empowering youth through high-profile connections. Vanessa Richaud - Franchise owner of ChillN7 at 21, inspiring young entrepreneurs. Faten Bazzi - Co-founder of Entrepreneurial Empire Consulting, championing youth success. Jacqueline N. Hernandez - Founder of Entrepreneurial Empire Consulting, visionary leader, and author advocating generational wealth. Program Leadership Victoria Miranda - Program Director Victoria Miranda brings years of invaluable experience in youth development to her role as Program Director at Y.E.S.! Currently managing a YMCA site, Victoria has received numerous awards for her outstanding impact on the students she serves. Her proven ability to inspire, educate, and create meaningful change makes her an asset to the Y.E.S.! team. Victoria now brings her expertise to San Antonio, where she is expanding and curating impactful programs that empower youth to thrive academically, professionally, and personally. Junior Board Members The Junior Board Members of Y.E.S.! are exceptional high school students who were hand-selected for these positions because of their outstanding leadership and dedication to entrepreneurship. These individuals are not only noteworthy examples of what Y.E.S.! represents but also key contributors to the program's growth and success. Through their influence and decision-making, they attract peers and resources to the organization, adding immense value and fostering a community of innovation and leadership among all participants. Jade Aguirre - Organizational Specialist at Y.E.S.!, an aspiring fashion designer who connects youth through creativity. Madison Myers - Social Media Manager, athlete, and entrepreneur inspiring leadership. Samuel Torres - Leader of Y.E.S.! Mentorship program, student-athlete, and entrepreneur running two businesses. Dashawn Davis - Y.E.S.! Recruiter and young entrepreneur leading by example. Introducing Our Newest Premium Gold Sponsor: Master Jason Wright Y.E.S.! is honored to announce Master Jason Wright , Martial Arts Expert and Instructor at Super Kai Dojo, as our newest Premium Gold Sponsor. Located at 2422 Freedom Dr., Master Wright has made a generous donation, including class time-two classes per week for the next three months-to the youth of San Antonio exclusive to the members of the Y.E.S.! program. Through these karate classes, Master Wright is empowering youth with the tools to build strong minds and bodies. His lessons in leadership, discipline, endurance, and fortitude emphasize the importance of perseverance and self-belief. "We don't give up. 'I can't' is not in our vocabulary," said Master Wright. "I am committed to giving back to the youth of San Antonio, building their confidence, and helping them develop the strength to overcome challenges." Jason Wright's dedication to making a positive change in the community aligns perfectly with Y.E.S.!'s mission to empower young leaders, and his partnership adds immense value to our programs. Take Action Today - Enroll Your Child in a Life-Changing Program! Y.E.S.! Youth Entrepreneurship Services is transforming lives through our innovative programs. Don't miss the opportunity to empower your child with the skills and confidence they need to thrive. 6-Week Mentorship Program: Help your teen turn big ideas into reality with hands-on guidance from industry professionals. Click here to learn more and enroll today! Affordable Math Tutoring Services: Led by academic expert James Courtney, our tutoring sessions focus on Algebra 1-2 and Geometry to build skills and confidence. Click here to apply now! Exclusive Karate Classes with Master Jason Wright: Available only through Y.E.S.! Master Wright is offering two classes per week for three months, teaching youth the power of discipline, leadership, and endurance through karate. Click here to sign up! Spaces are limited-secure your spot today and give your child the tools to succeed! About Y.E.S.! Youth Entrepreneurship Services Youth Entrepreneurship Services (Y.E.S.!) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people through entrepreneurship education, leadership development, and academic support. By fostering creativity, innovation, and self-reliance, Y.E.S.! equips youth to build generational success and contribute meaningfully to their communities. For more information or to get involved, visit yesnonprofit.org or follow us on social media at @yesnonprofit. Y.E.S.! We Can. Contact Information Jacqueline Hernandez Founder and CEO jacqueline@entrepreneurial-empire.com 4088028663 Related Images Board Members Master Martial Arts Expert and Instructor at Super Kai Dojo Source: Y.E.S.! Youth Entrepreneurship Services YOKOHAMA (dpa-AFX) - Japanese carmaker Nissan Motors Co. Ltd. (7201.T, NSANF.PK) Chief Financial Officer Stephen Ma is set to step down. It is uncertain whether Ma will be demoted or leave the company entirely, as the move has not been officially announced. This change comes 17 months after Ashwani Gupta left his role as chief operating officer, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter.Last week, Nissan Motors revealed that around 6 percent or nearly 1000 people out of 17000 employees in the US have accepted early retirement packages. They would leave the company by the end of this year. According to reports, the company has been planning to axe around 9000 employees across the globe.Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - November 30, 2024) - This December, Sends company co-hosts the second edition of the London FinTech Networking Meetup, which will take place on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM at Nest Bishopsgate in London. This exclusive event brings together a select group of C-level FinTech professionals for an evening dedicated to fostering connections and exploring partnerships. Sends company To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10281/231884_a050db235494da38_001full.jpg About the event Unlike traditional conferences, the London FinTech Networking Meetup offers five hours of dynamic and engaging networking opportunities without lengthy marketing presentations. Participants can expect a collaborative environment focused on uncovering new, mutually beneficial opportunities in FinTech. Click the link to find out more details on the upcoming event. The event is organized and sponsored by Clear Junction, Dukascopy Bank, Colibrix, Xpate, Emerald24, Decta, and Sends. "We are thrilled to co-host this gathering of FinTech leaders. Networking is the lifeblood of innovation in our industry, and this event serves as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among FinTech professionals. With this being our second gathering, I believe we're on the path to establishing a lasting tradition," said Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends. Why attend the London FinTech Networking Meetup? Connect with industry leaders: Network with a select group of C-level FinTech professionals in an exclusive, invitation-only setting. Collaborate and innovate: Exchange ideas, share insights, and uncover opportunities for impactful partnerships. Stay ahead of the curve: Discover the latest trends and solutions shaping the future of FinTech from leading sponsors and participants. For more details or to inquire about participation, visit the event page on Eventbrite. It is worth mentioning that Sends Financial Company achieved PCI-DSS Version 4 certification this September. It continues to invest in advanced technologies and best practices to protect its clients' data from emerging threats. Contact information: *Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED. SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED is registered in England and Wales (Company number 11070048). To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/231884 SOURCE: Sends J N Roy Hospital in Kolkatas Maniktala announced on Friday that it will not treat any patients from Bangladesh. The decision comes after the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Das Prabhu in Dhaka, reports of suspected anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh and insults to the Indian flag by Bangladeshi citizens read more Hindu activists try to break a police barricade as they participate in a protest demanding the release of the Bangladeshi jailed Hindu monk leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, in Kolkata, India, November 28, 2024. Reuters Recently, the unrest in Bangladesh has once again grabbed attention. The local administration has not done much to stop mob attacks on homes and the impunity with which minorities, especially Hindus, are targeted. A hospital in north Kolkata announced on Friday that it will not treat any patients from the neighbouring country in direct response to the current circumstances. They say that the move is due to reported insults to the Indian flag by Bangladeshi citizens and to suspected anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh. Advertisement Lets take a closer look at the matter. Also read: Why Bangladesh protesters are targeting popular newspaper, Prothom Alo Hospital refuses to treat Bangladeshi patients Subhranshu Bhakta, the director of J N Roy Hospital located in Maniktala, said on Friday, We have issued a notification that from today till an indefinite time we will not admit any Bangladeshi patient for treatment. This is primarily because of the insults they have shown towards India. He also called on other local hospitals to protest the alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh by carrying out the same action. Seeing the tricolour being insulted, we have decided to stop treating Bangladeshis. India has played an important role in their independence but despite that, we are witnessing anti-India sentiments. We hope other hospitals will support us and take similar steps," he added. Renowned gynaecologist Indranil Saha had previously announced on social media that he no longer saw patients from Bangladesh. Saha allegedly shared a photo of the desecration of the Indian flag in Bangladesh on social media on Thursday evening. The Indian national flag is lying at the entrance of BUET University! I am stopping seeing Bangladeshi patients in the chamber for now. Country first, income later. I hope other doctors will do the same until the relationship is normal, Saha had said. A similar demand was made by West Bengal Assembly Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Friday afternoon. I bow down to Dr Indranil Saha. He said, my country first, income afterI request the entire Indian medical community, businessmen and India lovers to boycott Bangladesh completely, Adhikari had said. Advertisement Also read: Was Muhammad Yunus the wrong choice to bring stability to Bangladesh? Attacks on Hindu temples The decision comes as tensions between the two neighbours have increased due to a string of attacks on Hindu temples in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Three temples in the citys Harish Chandra Munsef Lane neighbourhood Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple were vandalised by a crowd on Friday. Around 2:30 pm, a group of several hundred people flung bricks at the temples while yelling slogans, according to Bangladeshi news portal BDNews24. Bangladesh protest. File Image/AFP Abdul Karim, the chief of the Kotwali Police Station, verified the incident and said that although there was little damage, tensions were high. Tapan Das, a temple committee member, said, A procession of hundreds arrived after Juma prayers, shouting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans. We called the Army when the situation worsened, and order was eventually restored. Advertisement According to the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), there have been over 200 reported incidents of violence against Bangladeshs minority Hindu community since 5 August. Also read: Pakistan and Bangladesh establish direct sea route. Should this worry India? Hindu monk arrested The attacks came after spiritual leader and former ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested on sedition-related charges. Prabhu, a monk who spearheaded several demonstrations against Bangladeshs crimes against Hindus, was taken into custody on November 25 at the airport in Dhaka. He was allegedly accused because of his vocal support for minority rights. Bangladeshi Hindu leader Krishna Das Prabhu shows a victory sign as he is taken in a police van after court ordered him detained pending further proceedings in Chattogram in southeastern Bangladesh, November 26, 2024. AP In Bangladesh, the Hindu community protested in Dhaka, Chattogram, and other places after his arrest on Monday and the subsequent refusal of bail on Tuesday. The escalating violence has caused the Indian government to voice serious concerns. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed Parliament that Dhaka ought to protect all of its citizens, including minorities. The surge in extremist rhetoric and violence is unacceptable. It is Bangladeshs responsibility to protect its minorities, he said. Advertisement We urge Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression," said the MEA in an official statement. Bangladesh, meanwhile, urged India to protect its diplomatic offices and voiced concerns over demonstrations at its deputy high commission in Kolkata. With inputs from agencies The opposition fighters, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, carried out a surprise sweep through government-held towns this week and reached Aleppo nearly a decade after having been forced out by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies. The attack has brought the 13-year civil war back into the spotlight. Who is behind the offensive and why does the fighting matter? read more Smoke rises as a member of the rebels led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham drives on a motorbike in al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria November 29, 2024. Reuters A surprise attack by Syrian rebel forces on Aleppo, one of Syrias largest cities and once-thriving commercial hub, has brought the 13-year civil war back into the spotlight. It is one of the rebels strongest in years of conflict, whose destabilising consequences have spread well beyond the nations boundaries. As US-backed Israel fights Iranian-allied Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the escalation in conflicts has increased the likelihood of another deadly front reopening in West Asia. Advertisement Heres a look at some of the key aspects of the new fighting: The surprise rebel offensive in Syrias Aleppo The opposition fighters launched their incursion on Wednesday, the same day that Israel and Hezbollah, a terrorist group supported by Iran, signed a fragile ceasefire in neighbouring Lebanon. By Friday, they had wrested control of a dozen towns and villages in the northern province of Aleppo, which was controlled by Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government, backed by both Iran and Russia. Then they entered the western districts of Aleppo, a city of some two million people before the war. Rebels led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham drive on a motorbike in al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria November 29, 2024. Reuters David Carden, UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, said: Were deeply alarmed by the situation unfolding in northwest Syria. Relentless attacks over the past three days have claimed the lives of at least 27 civilians, including children as young as eight years old, he told Reuters. Syrian state news agency SANA said four civilians including two students were killed on Friday in Aleppo by insurgent shelling of university student dormitories. It was not clear if they were among the 27 dead reported by the UN official. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the toll in the ongoing battle rose to 182, which includes 102 fighters from the HTS and 19 from the allied forces. Assad and his allies Russia, Iran and regional Shiite militias had retaken all of Aleppo city in late 2016, with insurgents agreeing to withdraw after months of bombardment and siege in a battle that turned the tide against the opposition. Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza rebel brigade, said, according to The Associated Press, their speedy advance this week had been helped by a lack of Iran-backed manpower in the broader Aleppo province. Irans allies in the region have suffered a series of blows at the hands of Israel as the Gaza war has expanded through West Asia. Advertisement The group leading the offensive The primary force leading the charge is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known by its initials HTS. The US and UN have long designated the opposition force as a terrorist organisation. Abu Mohammed al-Golani emerged as the leader of al-Qaidas Syria branch in 2011, in the first months of Syrias war. For many in Syrias opposition, who wanted to preserve the fight against Assads cruel regime free from violent extremism, it was an unwanted intervention. Golani and the group took properties from religious minorities, sent religious police to enforce womens modest attire, claimed responsibility for deadly explosions, and vowed to fight Western forces. Syrian opposition fighters ride in a truck in Talhiya, Idlib countryside, Syria, Friday, November 29, 2024. AP They have sought to remake themselves in recent years, focusing on promoting civilian government in their territory as well as military action, researcher Aaron Zelin noted. Advertisement His group broke ties with al-Qaida in 2016. Golani now presents himself as the protector of various religions while cracking down on some extremist groups in his jurisdiction. This included permitting the city of Idlib to host its first Christian Mass in years last year. By 2018, the Trump administration acknowledged it was no longer directly targeting Golani, Zelin said. But HTS has allowed some wanted armed groups to continue to operate on its territory and shot at US special forces at least as recently as 2022, he said. The reason behind the attack The opposition fighters claim that the offensive was launched to prevent any attacks by the Syrian army and in reaction to increased strikes on civilians by the Syrian and Russian air forces in recent weeks on regions in rebel-held Idlib. Lt. Col. Hassan Abdulghany, the rebel military leader, described the operation as a defensive necessity in a video statement launching the operation. Advertisement To push back their fire from our people, this operation is not a choice. It is an obligation to defend our people and their land. It has become clear to everyone that the regime militias and their allies, including the Iranian mercenaries, have declared an open war on the Syrian people, he said, according to the New York Times. Rebels led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham drive a military vehicle in al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria November 29, 2024. Reuters Reclaiming land, stopping airstrikes on civilian areas, and shutting off vital supply routes for government forces are among the rebels immediate objectives. Assad regimes response The Syrian military said it continued to confront the attack, saying in a statement it had inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib. Russian and Syrian warplanes bombed the area near the border with Turkey on Thursday to try to push back an insurgent offensive that has captured territory for the first time in years, Syrian army and rebel sources said, according to Reuters. Advertisement Iran, one of Assads key allies, suffered losses as well in the operation. A senior commander of Irans Revolutionary Guards is among those killed, according to NDTV. The Assad family has long depended on its partnership with Iran to maintain its hold on power. Since 2011, when President Assad initially encountered an anti-government rebellion, this alliance has been particularly advantageous. Opposition forces take control of areas outside Aleppo, Syria, Friday, November 29, 2024. AP Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow regarded the rebel attack as a violation of Syrias sovereignty and wanted the authorities to act fast to regain control. As for the situation around Aleppo, it is an attack on Syrian sovereignty and we are in favour of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible, said Peskov. The fighting matters. Heres why An estimated half a million people have died in the 13-year battle between Assad and opposition factions vying for his downfall. About 6.8 million Syrians have left the nation, a refugee crisis that fuelled far-right anti-immigrant movements and contributed to a shift in Europes political landscape. A variety of opposition forces and foreign troops govern the approximately 30 per cent of the country that is not Assads. About 900 American soldiers are stationed in northeast Syria, distant from Aleppo, to prevent an Islamic State resurgence. Israel and the United States occasionally strike government forces and militias with ties to Iran in Syria. In addition to having troops in Syria, Turkey also influences the large coalition of rebel fighters that are occupying Aleppo. Rebels led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham drive along a street in al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria November 29, 2024. Reuters Coming after years with few sizeable changes in territory between Syrias warring parties, the fighting has the potential to be really quite, quite consequential and potentially game-changing if Syrian government forces prove unable to hold their ground, said Charles Lister, a long-time Syria analyst with the US-based Middle East Institute. Risks include if Islamic State fighters see it as an opening, Lister said. Robert Ford, the last-serving US ambassador to Syria, said the fighting in Aleppo would become more broadly destabilising if it drew Russia and Turkey each with its own interests to protect in Syria into direct heavy fighting against each other. The history of Aleppo in the war Aleppo has been a hub of West Asian trade and culture for thousands of years, situated at the intersection of empires and trade routes. Before the war, about 2.3 million people were living in Aleppo. When rebels took control of the citys eastern half in 2012, it became the most prominent example of the armed opposition forces progress. A rebel led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham stands in the back of a vehicle in al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria November 29, 2024. Reuters The city was besieged in 2016 by government forces supported by Russian airstrikes. Neighbourhoods were systematically levelled by Russian shells, missiles, and crude barrel bombs, which are containers filled with metal and explosives, such as fuel canisters. That year, rebels who were starving and under siege surrendered Aleppo. The battle changed course when the Russian military entered, enabling Assad to maintain his hold on the region. According to an independent monitoring group, Israeli airstrikes in Aleppo this year hit the Syrian army and Hezbollah weapons storage, among other targets. Strikes against Aleppo and other government-held regions of Syria are rarely acknowledged by Israel. With inputs from The Associated Press and Reuters The new Bangladesh that Yunus and his other advisers have repeatedly spoken about has turned out to be grossly intolerant political machinery, a stark reminder of the days under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party government when minorities and political opponents were persecuted and the criminals went scot-free read more Yunus remains indebted to the students for his newfound political relevance and has made them his support structure. The interim government has two students as advisers, bringing youthful exuberance as well as immaturity into an entity that is tasked with a serious agenda. Source: AFP. It has been nearly four months since Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was forced to leave the country. One would have hoped that the departure of the person blamed for the students large-scale protests in the country leading to hundreds of deaths would have calmed things down. It was hoped that installing an interim government under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus would have allowed the country to recover from the days of turmoil and stand on its feet. Advertisement After all, before the student agitation, the country was functional, with all its apparatus performing their assigned duties. Unfortunately, that hasnt happened. The countrys return to normalcy has been painfully slow, with the interim government drowning under a range of contrasting expectations from various segments of people. And worse still, Yunus, in his desperation to please everybody, hasnt shown much statesmanship. The immediate beneficiaries of Sheikh Hasinas departure from the country are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), its allies such as Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), and their student organisations. After being sidelined for several years, these groups are now regaining momentum and aspire to return to power soon. Charges against BNP leadership have been dropped in court, and both the BNP and JeI have met multiple times with Chief Adviser Yunus. If elections were to be held today, the BNP and JeI would likely win. However, the reform agenda that the interim government has adopted poses a significant obstacle for these parties. Given that reforming the governing structure of Bangladesh can take years to implement, it remains uncertain whether elections will occur anytime soon. Such political precariousness could negatively impact the economy and the overall stability of the country. The interim government is supposed to be a politically neutral entity focused on improving governance and facilitating a smooth transition. However, this is not the case. While taking a pro-Awami League (AL) stance might be a health risk for the interim government, there are numerous instances where it appears to be actively pursuing an anti-AL agenda. Advertisement Under the interim government, 11 former AL ministers, a judge, and a former government secretary have been arrested and are facing charges of enabling massacres in a special tribunal. AL ministers and office bearers have even been charged frivolously with isolated civilian deaths during the protests. Chief Adviser Yunus and some of the other advisers seem to be intensifying their animosity towards Sheikh Hasina. In some cases, advisers have been reassigned or had their titles changed for appearing too sympathetic to the AL. Although part of the interim governments responsibility is to initiate a healing process, it seems to be opportunistically participating in an anti-AL vendetta to enhance its own legitimacy. Advertisement The students of various colleges and universities in Dhaka and elsewhere led the successful agitation against the Hasina government. It is the deaths of the students that provided a sense of direction and purpose to the people against the AL government, leading to its collapse. However, emotive agitators do not always make good leaders. Acts of arson and sabotage can weaken the government, leading to its collapse, but to expect the torchbearers of protests to turn into able administrators could be futile. The Assam Agitation that gave birth to the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and subsequently, the Assam Gana Parishad (AGP) in the 1980s is a case in point. The AGP turned out to be a thoroughly incompetent and corrupt governing entity. However, Bangladesh appears to be committing a similar mistake. Yunus remains indebted to the students for his newfound political relevance and has made them his support structure. The interim government has two students as advisers, bringing youthful exuberance as well as immaturity into an entity that is tasked with a serious agenda. Advertisement The new Bangladesh that Yunus and his other advisers have repeatedly spoken about has turned out to be grossly intolerant political machinery, a stark reminder of the days under the BNP government when minorities and political opponents were persecuted and the criminals went scot-free. Yunus, in his media interviews, has sought to play down the attacks on the Hindu minorities, although expressing the need to contain communal violence in the country during closed-door interactions with his colleagues. There can be differences over the scale of violence against the Hindus in the post-Hasina period, but the fact remains that a large number of Hindus, being considered to be pro-AL, continue to bear the brunt of organised violence by the BNP and Jamaat cadres. Advertisement Even the media hasnt been spared. Independent newspapers like Daily Star and Prothom Alo have been targeted with violence and intimidation. On November 28, the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the attacks were orchestrated by radicalised anti-India religious groups, who accused these two newspapers of being agents of India and promoting values contrary to Islam. Lastly, in its pursuit of an anti-India agenda, the interim government seems to have neglected the importance of maintaining a good relationship with India. Yunuss frequent and inappropriate attacks on Sheikh Hasina and her advisersblaming India for various problems in the country, including the floodsare contrary to the spirit of good neighbourly relations. New Delhi has fulfilled its role as a true friend in need by providing asylum to Sheikh Hasina during her precarious exit from Bangladesh. Since then, India has taken several steps to foster positive relations with the interim government and political parties like the BNP. The Indian High Commission continues to issue a significant number of visas to Bangladeshi nationals, and flights between the two countries remain uninterrupted, transporting hundreds of Bangladeshi citizens to Indian cities daily for medical care and other needs. By failing to rein in the anti-India rhetoric, the interim government may be adopting a short-sighted approach that could damage bilateral relations. Bangladesh is currently undergoing a period of transition. The advisers to the interim government, particularly Muhammad Yunus, have the crucial responsibility of guiding the nation out of the existing chaos and instability. They need to establish a clear agenda and provide direction for this journey. Prolonging the current state of turmoil is not an option. They owe it to their people to bring about positive change. To achieve this, they must demonstrate strong leadership and a clear vision for the future. The writer is the Director of Mantraya, a Goa-based research forum and the author of National Security Decision-making in India. He formerly served as a Deputy Director in the National Security Council Secretariat. He tweets @BibhuRoutray and can be contacted at bibhuroutray@gmail.com. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. UNICORN is a mast with integrated communication systems that will help improve the stealth characteristics of naval platforms. This induction will be the first such case of co-production of defence equipment between India and Japan read more Japan knows that India is a trustworthy partner in the Indo-Pacific region, which acts as a counterweight to Chinese aggression and security assertiveness. Representational image The Indo-Pacific region is witnessing an upsurge of activities among the countries, wherein India-Japan defence cooperation is observing its necessary warmth from post-COVID years. Both countries have signed a special strategic and global partnership agreement in 2014 to materialise regional stability and ensure their shared interests, serving as a foundational bed for increased defence exchanges. Their QUAD cooperation, defence exercises (JIMEX, Dharma Guardian, Malabar & Shinyuu Maitri), and 2+2 Ministerial Dialogues are testament to their strategic alignment while growing parallelly. This growing partnership is rapidly expanding in many domains of defence cooperation in such a short time. Advertisement Following the course, both countries signed a memorandum of implementation (MoI) for the co-development of Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) masts for fitment onboard ships of Indian Naval Forces last week. UNICORN (Nora-50 variant) is a mast with integrated communication systems that will help improve the stealth characteristics of naval platforms. This induction will be the first such case of co-production of defence equipment between India and Japan. These advanced, horn-shaped, single, streamlined, stealth characteristics structure systems will be co-developed by Bharat Electronics Limited in India under the guidance of the Acquisition Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA), Ministry of Defence, Japan. Another aspect is the Game of Chip War among the allies of Japan in East Asia. Countries like the US, Taiwan, and South Korea left Japan way behind in military chip production and next-gen AI-enabled chip production. India, on the other hand, is hustling for all resources to create an integrated chip development industry that can power its defence needs in the coming years. Japan witnessed that those who command next-gen techs rule the world. India has the potential to materialise Japanese chip research and development into a mega production facility that will benefit both partners in the long run. It will not only benefit defence industries but will also cater to whole electronics supply chains in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Andaman and Nicobar Islands In the context of Indian maritime security architecture, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands group plays a central role. The strategic location, vital shipping route, quick reach to ocean choke points, and base of tri-services command of the Indian Air Force (IAF) make it vital for Indian strategic plans. Japan is actively investing in these islands through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) projects. South Andaman hosts a $133 million renewable energy supply project contributing to overall development, enhancing industrial competitiveness, and military capabilities. Japans investment reflects its support for the islands strategic significance to counter regional threats, especially from naval superior countries like China. Japan also extended financial support for various infrastructure projects to improve logistics capabilities and interconnectedness among the islands. These islands are a critical juncture to vigil high waters of not only the Indian Ocean but also extend Indias reach to the Pacific. Japan is aware of its importance in empowering Indian capacities locally so as to extend its reach towards the South China Sea in emergency situations. Advertisement Indias North East Another strategically key area for India where India and China are at a crossroads. Kautilya (ancient Indian philosopher, author of Arthashastra) delineated centuries ago in its Mandala theory that the enemy of the enemy is a friend. Japan understands the criticality of the situation in high-altitude regions of northeastern India, which are not well-developed even after 77 years of independence. The lack of necessary facilities like all-weather roads, clean water, sanitation, digital connectivity, and others is still missing in many inhabited places. By default, it weakens Indias claim and power to exercise its right over geographical boundaries. It also contracts movement of Indian defence forces to border areas rapidly and provides security cover to strategic checkpoints. It was one of the main reasons for Indias loss in the Indo-China war of 1962. Advertisement Japan understands this grave issue of Indian incapabilities to develop its eastern arm rapidly in limited time, which needs better technology, access to immediate funds, and specific supervision to realise a developmental agenda. As of early 2024, more than $2 billion were invested by Japan through official development assistance (ODA) for infrastructure development in landlocked northeast India. Apart from that, an additional 50,000 million yen for two specific connectivity projects were cleared by the Japanese government. It enables Indian forces to reach border states quickly and acts as a pertinent supply chain for logistical supplies to infantries posted at border fronts. Advertisement To particularly develop northeast India, both countries have dedicated the India-Japan Act East Forum, which extends regions capacities to connect with Southeast Asian countries and attach northeast India to ports through Bangladesh; however, after regime change in Dhaka, the progress here may be marred. Strategic Caricature Japan knows that India is a trustworthy partner in the Indo-Pacific region, which acts as a counterweight to Chinese aggression and security assertiveness. Robust Indian defence architecture means a strong response to future Chinese manhandling in East & Southeast Asia. Any assistance to fortify India against its aggressors will result in the expansion of the security architecture of Japan in future years. It is an effort to create strategic kin in far lands who will solidly respond in hard times. Strengthening defence ties with India helps Japan to counterbalance Chinas growing assertiveness not only in the East & South China Sea but also with those countries that may support China in conditions of armed conflict. Advertisement In this situation, the India-Japan Defence Cooperation Framework will act as a swift legal agreement to enhance military interoperability between Self Defence Forces (SDF) and Indian Armed Forces. It also enabled both countries to facilitate military-grade technology transfer and boundless co-production of defence equipment with interoperability access. It is backed by the Joint Working Group on Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation (JWG-DETC), which is assisting defence manufacturing companies of both countries to intermingle and jointly produce next-gen defence products. Japans heavy investment in Indias defence sector is driven by a combination of its geopolitical compulsion, expanded security interests, deep economic benefits, and the need to balance regional power calculus amid the rising hiatus in the Indo-Pacific region. Japan knows only India will play its role assiduously to tame the dragon in coming times. The author is a PhD scholar at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. While both described the meeting as productive, Trudeau returned without firm assurances that the tariffs would be reconsidered read more Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with US President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to address escalating tensions over Trumps proposed tariffs on Canadian imports. The dinner marked the first face-to-face talks between the leaders since Trumps election and came amid fears of a potential trade war. While both described the meeting as productive, Trudeau returned without firm assurances that the tariffs would be reconsidered. Here are five key takeaways from the meeting: Advertisement Tariffs remain a major sticking point: Trump reaffirmed his plan to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, citing the need to address illegal immigration, fentanyl trafficking, and trade imbalances. Trudeau warned that such tariffs would harm both countries, raising costs for American consumers and jeopardising industries on both sides of the border. Despite the discussions, there were no indications of a policy shift from Trump. Opioid crisis and border security in spotlight: The fentanyl crisis was a central topic of discussion. Trump stressed the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic in the US, linking it to illegal immigration and drug trafficking across borders. While most fentanyl enters the US through its southern border, Canadian officials pointed out their commitment to enhancing border security to tackle the issue. Economic risks loom over tariff plan: The proposed tariffs threaten the strong economic ties between the two nations. Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states, with $2.7 billion worth of goods and services crossing the border daily. The tariffs could disrupt sectors like energy, agriculture, and manufacturing. Trudeau stressed the risk of undermining the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade pact renegotiated during Trumps first term, calling it a win-win for both nations. Broader discussions on energy, defence, and the Arctic: Beyond trade and border issues, the leaders discussed topics including energy cooperation, Arctic strategy, and defence. Canada is a major supplier of US crude oil, electricity, and critical minerals, which are essential to US, national security. Both sides recognised the importance of continued collaboration in these areas, despite the trade tensions. The relationship remains complex: This meeting marked a cautious step toward addressing bilateral challenges, but tensions persist. Trump has previously criticised Trudeau, labelling him weak and dishonest, yet described the dinner as productive. Trudeau, as the first G7 leader to meet with Trump post-election, sought to present Canada as a reliable partner while resisting punitive trade measures. With inputs from agencies A bombshell NYT report revealed that China has been misusing millions of dollars sent by American zoos for Panda conservation. The report accused Beijing to be using the money to build apartments and other infrastructure, while Panda conservation takes the backseat read more A bombshell New York Times report suggested that the tens of millions of dollars American zoos have sent to China for the right to host and display pandas are not being used by the country to actually protect the pandas. The money, given under the US Endangered Species Act, was used by the Chinese authorities to build apartments, buildings, roads, etc., instead of the protection of the species. While this has been a major oversight on the part of the American authorities, China has refused to account for millions of American dollars. As per the report, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees the payments, has been raising concerns over the matter for two decades to both American zoo administrators and Chinese officials. Advertisement Not only this, on three occasions, the US government has frozen payments to China over incomplete record-keeping, documents show. The NYT report suggested that even American zoos are aware that China is not using the money for conservation. However, they fear that if Fish and Wildlife cut off the money altogether, China could demand the return of its bears. As a result, the American regulator allowed the money to keep on flowing and did not scrutinize the matter so thoroughly. The gross oversight The Fish and Wildlife officials said that China has more or less been dismissive over the matter. There was always pushing back and forth about how the US shouldnt ask anything, said Kenneth Stansell, a former Fish and Wildlife official who travelled to China throughout the 2000s to discuss pandas. He said his Chinese counterparts argued that it shouldnt be of any concern to the US government. Stansells visit to Beijing was one of the many made in two decades, but none of these visits were revealed to the public, NYT reported. So where did the money go? It is pertinent to note that zoos in the United States are obligated to give around $1 million a year to get pairs of pandas from China. According to NYT, two decades of financial reports suggested that the US has paid over $86 million to a pair of organizations run by the Chinese government for the pandas. Zoos elsewhere in the world also contributed millions more. The sum is far larger than what zoos have usually spent on overseas donations for any other species. However, the records suggested that China allocated the funds to build apartment buildings far from nature reserves. Not only this, Beijing also bought computers and satellite television for local government offices and built at least three museums with the money. It was revealed that American money helped China to transform a breeding centre into a bustling attraction that, according to an architects plans, may soon welcome as many visitors as Disneyland. It is important to note that these payments are just the tip of the iceberg and include only those that are documented. Zoo administrators have at times struggled to persuade their Chinese partners to disclose the spending. You had to take their word, David Towne, who until 2016 was the director of a foundation representing American zoos with pandas, told NYT. China felt it was not our business that we got the pandas, and we shouldnt tell them how to spend the money, he added. While the early agreement gave zoos the right to verify funding on the ground, recent contracts signed by the National Zoo in Washington and by the San Diego Zoo make no mention of checking how money is spent. Zoos in Europe have also faced similar issues. Advertisement The low-altitude economy is short on infrastructure and many investors lack information and guidance about how the sector could develop in China read more A Chinese drone manufacturer is gearing up to mass-produce a compact, six-ton aircraft designed for the burgeoning low-altitude economy, a sector projected to grow significantly by 2030 with the rise of aerial taxis and drone deliveries. United Aircraft, a Shenzhen-based firm, announced on November 13 that it has secured 1 billion yuan ($138 million) in orders for its Lanying R6000, a tilt-rotor aircraft capable of vertical take-offs and landings from spaces as small as rooftops, according to South China Morning Post. Advertisement The R6000, which resembles a small plane, can reach speeds of up to 550 kilometers per hour (342 mph) and travel distances of up to 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles), the company said. Production of the aircraft is set to begin early next year in Chengdu, the southwestern hub, according to Hongxing News. The deals reportedly involve 10 buyers from various countries. China has long relied on imports for aircraft and components, sourcing from partners like Russia and the United States. However, Beijing has prioritised domestic development to capitalise on its emerging low-altitude economy a sector encompassing manned and unmanned operations at altitudes below 1,000 meters (3,280 feet). Valued at 500 billion yuan, the low-altitude economy has attracted significant investment. By the end of 2023, China registered 1.27 million drones, a 32.2 per cent increase from the previous year, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Is the low-altitude economy directionless? Despite the optimism, questions remain about whether the sectors infrastructure and workforce can sustain such rapid growth. There is no mature business model for the low-altitude economy to learn from abroad, said Luo Jun, executive director of the China Low Altitude Economic Alliance, in a statement earlier this year. Many companies are both enthusiastic and confused. Industry analysts have highlighted gaps in skilled labour and logistical infrastructure. A July report by state news agency Xinhua estimated the sector would require about 1 million additional workers to meet future demands. Advertisement While China presses ahead with innovation and production, the path to building a fully functional low-altitude economy remains fraught with uncertainty. With inputs from agencies Both Egypt and Hamas have reportedly signalled a willingness to ease their stance. They hae hinted at dropping demands for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area read more Egypt is in discussions with Israel to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Gaza as part of a renewed effort to increase aid deliveries to the enclave and move toward a broader ceasefire agreement, the Wall Street Journal reported citing Arab peace negotiators. Egyptian officials met with their Israeli counterparts earlier this week to negotiate terms for reopening the crossing, which has been closed since May following Israels military operation in the Gaza border town of Rafah. Advertisement Both Egypt and Hamas have reportedly signalled a willingness to ease their stance. They hae hinted at dropping demands for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area, WSJ reported citing sources familiar with the negotiations. Unlike Gazas other border crossings, Rafah did not interface with Israel, making it a critical conduit for between Gaza and the external world. However, during its May offensive, Israeli forces seized control of the Gaza side of the crossing, leading to its closure. The importance of Rafah crossing The closure of the Rafah crossing has significantly impacted the flow of humanitarian aid and restricted the movement of people between Gaza and Egypt, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region. The Rafah Border Crossing is the sole land passage between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, situated at the city of Rafah, which straddles both territories. Rafah serves as a vital channel for humanitarian aid into Gaza, especially during periods when other crossings are closed or restricted. This access is essential for delivering food, medical supplies, and other necessities to the enclaves population. The crossing also facilitates limited commercial exchanges. Efforts to reopen the crossing come amid ongoing international calls to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where access to aid remains severely restricted. Information regarding the stage of negotiations and proposed timelines is still awaited. With inputs from agencies Rep. Seth Magaziner, a House Democrat from Rhode Island, said on Friday he was targeted by a bomb threat at home, a day after six Democratic lawmakers from Connecticut reported similar threats. These included Reps. Joe Courtney, Jim Himes, John Larson and Jahana Hayes read more US President Joe Biden has said that his administration will work with the FBI to probe the hoax threats made to lawmakers and Donald Trumps cabinet picks over the week. The targetted people also fell victim to swatting which is a false report made to police to induce chaos and fear by drawing a potentially heavy, armed response by officers at someones home. What happened? Thanksgiving turned awry for at least six lawmakers after they received bomb threats as they were celebrating with their families. Rep. Seth Magaziner, a House Democrat from Rhode Island, said on Friday he was targeted by a bomb threat at home, a day after six Democratic lawmakers from Connecticut reported similar threats. These included Reps. Joe Courtney, Jim Himes, John Larson and Jahana Hayes. Advertisement Law enforcement in each case found no evidence of explosive devices, the lawmakers said. Pete Hegseth, Trumps choice to become US defence secretary, and Lee Zeldin, Trumps pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, were among nominees targeted with bomb threats and swatting attempts. House Democrats will not be deterred or intimidated from serving the people by violent threats, Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement on Friday. Threats signed with MAGA Jeffries said that the threats were placed in mailboxes and were signed with MAGA at the end of the message. Law enforcement is investigating potential links between threats recently sent to Congressional Democrats and those sent to Trump officials earlier in the week, according to two sources cited by CNN. Anytime a Member of Congress is the victim of a swatting incident, we work closely with our local and federal law enforcement partners. To protect ongoing investigations and to minimize the risk of copy-cats, we cannot provide more details at this time, US Capitol Police said in a statement. With inputs from agencies France has already pulled its soldiers out from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, following military coups in those West African countries and spreading anti-French sentiment read more French soldiers stand at attention during a morning drill at the French military base in Chadian capital N'Djamena. File image/ Reuters A French plan to significantly reduce its military presence in West and central Africa risks backfiring and further diminishing the former colonial powers influence in the region at a time when Russia is gaining ground. A French envoy to President Emmanuel Macron this week handed in a report with proposals on how France could reduce its military presence in Chad, Gabon and Ivory Coast, where it has deployed troops for decades. Details of the report have not been made public but two sources said the plan is to cut the number of troops to 600 from around 2,200 now. The sources said Chad would keep the largest contingent with 300 French troops, down from 1,000. Advertisement However, in a surprise move that caught French officials on the hop, the government of Chad - a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the region - on Thursday abruptly ended its defence cooperation pact with France. That could lead to French troops leaving the central African country altogether. For France it is the start of the end of their security engagement in central and Western Africa, said Ulf Laessing, director of the Sahel Programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Mali. Chad was the aircraft carrier of the French army, its logistical headquarters. If Chad doesnt exist, the French army will have a huge problem to keep running its other operations. In a further blow to France, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye told French state TV on Thursday it was inappropriate for French troops to maintain a presence in his country, where 350 French soldiers are currently based. France has already pulled its soldiers out from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, following military coups in those West African countries and spreading anti-French sentiment. Paris is also shifting more attention to Europe with the war in Ukraine and increasing budgetary constraints, diplomats said. The review envisions the remaining French soldiers in the region focusing on training, intelligence exchange and responding to requests from countries for help, depending on their needs, the sources said. Advertisement Chads move to end the cooperation deal had not been discussed with Paris and shocked the French, according to the two sources and other officials. France, which wants to keep a presence in Chad in part because of its work to help ease one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises unfolding now in neighbouring Sudan, responded only 24 hours after Chad made its announcement. France takes note and intends to continue the dialogue to implement these orientations, the foreign ministry said in a statement. One of the two sources, a French official with knowledge of Chadian affairs, said Chads government appeared to have seen the French decision to more than halve its military presence there as a snub. Chad also felt the French would no longer be in a position to guarantee the security of the military regime led by President Mahamat Idriss Deby, this source said. Advertisement Macron had backed Deby despite criticism since Deby seized power following the death of his father, who ruled Chad for 30 years until he was killed in 2021 during an incursion by rebels. Deby won an election held this year. In its statement on Thursday evening, released hours after the French foreign minister had visited the Sudanese border in eastern Chad with his counterpart, Chads foreign ministry said Ndjamena wanted to fully assert its sovereignty after more than six decades of independence from France. It said the decision should in no way undermine the friendly relations between the two countries. Earlier this year, a small contingent of U.S. special forces left Chad amid a review of U.S. cooperation with the country. Advertisement The French drawdown, coupled with a U.S. pullback from Africa, contrasts with the increasing influence of Russia and other countries, including Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, on the continent. Russian mercenaries are helping prop up the military governments of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, and are also fighting alongside them against Islamist militants. However, French officials and other sources played down Russias ability to take advantage of the French setback in Chad, at least in the short term. The French source familiar with Chadian affairs noted that Russia and Chad back rival factions in Sudans war. Russia also has major military commitments in Syria and the war in Ukraine. Advertisement The development comes days after Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire deal brokered by the US and France. After the Israel-Hezbollah truce deal came into effect last week, US President Joe Biden said that Washington would now push for the Gaza ceasefire with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and Israel read more A displaced boy covers his head with a pan as he runs from the rain past building rubble at the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on November 24, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group. Image- AFP Hamas representatives will attend a ceasefire meeting in Cairo on Saturday to negotiate a truce deal in Gaza. A representative from the Palestinian terror group told AFP on Friday, A Hamas delegation will go to Cairo tomorrow for several meetings with Egyptian officials to discuss ideas for a ceasefire and a prisoner accord in the Gaza Strip. The development comes days after Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire deal brokered by the US and France. Advertisement After the Israel-Hezbollah truce deal came into effect last week, US President Joe Biden said that Washington would now push for the Gaza ceasefire with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and Israel. Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with the hostages released and an end to the war without Hamas in power, POTUS said. Some 251 hostages were also taken on October 7, and 97 are believed still in Gaza, including 34 people who the Israeli army says are dead. The only ceasefire so far, in November 2023, saw the release of about 100 hostages by Hamas and its allies in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire has put renewed pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring the hostages back under a truce deal with Hamas. Meanwhile, the Israeli military would stay stationed in Gaza for years to come, a cabinet minister said on Friday. Avi Dichter, Israels minister for food security and a member of the Israeli security cabinet said, I think that we are going to stay in Gaza for a long time. I think most people understand that [Israel] will be years in some kind of West Bank situation where you go in and out and maybe you remain along Netzarim [corridor]. Advertisement The Israeli militarys prolonged presence in Gaza will ensure the thwarting of Hamas fresh recruits and streamline food and aid transfer in the region, Dichter said. With inputs from agencies The military is investigating reports about the slain terrorists employment in World Central Kitchen (WCK) who was hired at some point after the October 7 attack read more Palestinians inspect the site of Israeli strikes on houses, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 2, 2024. Reuters The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday said it had attacked the car of a terrorist Hazmi Kadih involved in the October 7 attacks who was also reportedly working in the World Central Kitchen. The terrorist was under intelligence surveillance for a long period, and was struck following reliable information about his location in real-time, the IDF said in a statement. Local media said that five people were killed in the attack in Khan Younis including three aid workers. Advertisement The military is investigating reports about the slain terrorists employment in World Central Kitchen (WCK) who was hired at some point after the October 7 attack. Earlier today, the IDF struck a vehicle with a terrorist, Hazmi Kadih, who took part in invading Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 massacre. Kadih was monitored by IDF intelligence for a while and was struck following credible information regarding his real-time location. Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 30, 2024 We emphasize that it was a civilian unmarked vehicle and its movement on the route was not coordinated for transporting of aid, it said. Meanwhile, Hamas representatives will attend a ceasefire meeting in Cairo on Saturday to negotiate a truce deal in Gaza. A representative from the Palestinian terror group told AFP on Friday, A Hamas delegation will go to Cairo tomorrow for several meetings with Egyptian officials to discuss ideas for a ceasefire and a prisoner accord in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement The development comes days after Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire deal brokered by the US and France. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Saturday that at least 44,382 people have been killed in more than 13 months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants. The toll includes 19 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to the ministry, which said 105,142 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. With inputs from agencies Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced the arrest of several individuals linked to the attack, labelling it a terrorist act orchestrated by Serbia. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic dismissed Kurtis accusations as irresponsible and baseless, asserting that such claims aim to tarnish Serbias reputation and undermine regional peace efforts read more Workers work near the damaged canal in northern Kosovo supplying water to two coal-fired power plants that generate nearly all of the country's electricity, in Varage, Kosovo. Reuters Kosovo intensified security around critical infrastructure Saturday (November 30) following an explosion that damaged a key water canal supplying two main power plants. The incident has escalated tensions with neighbouring Serbia, which denies involvement. The blast occurred Friday (November 29) near Zubin Potok, a Serb-majority town in northern Kosovo, compromising the canal essential for cooling systems at coal-fired power plants responsible for most of Kosovos electricity. Authorities have managed to restore water flow to 25 per cent capacity and found alternative methods to cool the power plants, ensuring electricity supply remains stable. Repair work on the canal is ongoing. Advertisement Kosovo-Serbia tensions flare up Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced the arrest of several individuals linked to the attack, labelling it a terrorist act orchestrated by Serbia. He said that law enforcement conducted searches, gathered evidence, and that those responsible would face justice. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic dismissed Kurtis accusations as irresponsible and baseless, asserting that such claims aim to tarnish Serbias reputation and undermine regional peace efforts. Serbian Foreign Minister Marko uric suggested that the Kosovar authorities might be behind the explosion, calling for an international investigation. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move Serbia has not recognised. Tensions persist, particularly in northern Kosovo, where the Serb minority does not acknowledge Kosovos statehood and maintains strong ties to Belgrade. Recent incidents, including attacks on municipal buildings and police stations, have heightened concerns. International communitys response The international community continues to urge restraint and dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia to prevent further escalation and to work towards lasting peace in the region. The European Unions ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, called for a thorough investigation into the explosion, offering the EUs assistance to Kosovar authorities. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama condemned the sabotage of the Iber-Lepenc Canal, describing it as a serious crime that endangers citizens lives and undermines regional normalisation efforts. With inputs from agencies The blast, which hit a canal supplying water to cooling systems at two power plants that supply most of Kosovos electricity, occurred near the town of Zubin Potok in the countrys troubled north read more Workers work near the damaged canal in northern Kosovo supplying water to two coal-fired power plants that generate nearly all of the country's electricity, in Varage, Kosovo. Reuters An explosion on Friday damaged a canal supplying water to Kosovos two main coal-fired power plants, Prime Minister Albin Kurti said, blaming a terrorist attack by neighbouring Serbia. This is a criminal and terrorist attack aimed at damaging our critical infrastructure, Kurti told a press conference late Friday. The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed by Serbia, he added. The blast, which hit a canal supplying water to cooling systems at two power plants that supply most of Kosovos electricity, occurred near the town of Zubin Potok in the countrys troubled north. Advertisement If the damage is not repaired, part of Kosovo could be without electricity as early as Saturday morning, the prime minister said. He gave no details about the extent of the damage to the canal, which runs from the Serb-majority north of Kosovo to the capital Pristina and also supplies drinking water. A Russia military delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday, amid growing international concern about the two countries expanding cooperation after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia last month read more In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, meets Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang, North Korea Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed his country will invariably support Russias war in Ukraine as he met Russias defense chief, the Norths state media reported Saturday. A Russia military delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday, amid growing international concern about the two countries expanding cooperation after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia last month. The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim and Belousov reached a satisfactory consensus on boosting strategic partnership and defending each countrys sovereignty, security interests and international justice in the face of the rapidly-changing international security environments in a Friday meeting. Advertisement Kim said that North Korea will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists moves for hegemony, KCNA said. North Korea has supported Russias invasion of Ukraine, calling it a defensive response to what both Moscow and Pyongyang call NATOs reckless eastward advance and U.S.-led moves to stamp out Russias position as a powerful state. Kim slammed a U.S. decision earlier in November to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with U.S.-supplied longer-range missiles as a direct intervention in the conflict. He called recent Russian strikes on Ukraine a timely and effective measure demonstrate Russias resolve, KCNA said. According to U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia and some of them have already begun engaging in combat on the frontlines. U.S., South Korean and others say North Korea has also shipped artillery systems, missiles and other conventional weapons to replenish Russias exhausted weapons inventory. Both North Korea and Russia havent formally confirmed the North Korean troops movements, and have steadfastly denied reports of weapons shipments. South Korea, the U.S. and their partners are concerned that Russia could give North Korea advanced weapons technology in return, including help to build more powerful nuclear missiles. Last week, South Korean national security adviser Shin Wonsik told a local SBS TV program that that Seoul assessed that Russia has provided air defense missile systems to North Korea. He said Russia also appeared to have given economic assistance to North Korea and various military technologies, including those needed for the Norths efforts to build a reliable space-based surveillance system. Advertisement Belousov also met North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol on Friday. During a dinner banquet later the same day, Belousov said the the two countries strategic partnership was crucial to defend their sovereignty from aggression and the arbitrary actions of imperialists, KCNA said. In June, Kim and Putin signed a treaty requiring both countries to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked. Its considered the two countries biggest defense deal since the end of the Cold War. After days of chaos, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif permitted authorities to register a case against ex-PM Imran Khans wife Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur after supporters of Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stormed into the countrys capital, Islamabad read more Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif allowed the countrys law enforcement agencies to pursue a case against ex-PM Imran Khans wife Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur after supporters of Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stormed into the countrys capital, Islamabad. While calling the PTI a party of anarchists and saboteurs, the government on Friday decided to tighten its noose against the opposition party. After days of chaos, the authorities decided to register a case against Bushra and Gandapur who were leading the marches that started from Peshawar and ended in Islamabad. The violent demonstrations became concerning after they led to the death of several people including four security personnel. Advertisement According to Pakistani news outlet Dawn, the decision to pursue legal cases was taken by Sharif at a meeting which was chaired by him and was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, federal ministers, Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir and senior security officials. What happened at the meeting? As per the report, significant decisions were taken during the meeting, which included the registration of cases against PTI leaders and workers who were allegedly responsible for the killing of security personnel and an attack on the federal capital when the Belarusian delegation was on an official visit to the country. The Pakistani premier also formed a task force which will be led by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The task force would be responsible for identifying people who were involved in the violent protest. Other members who are part of the task force are Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and officials of security departments. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif established a task force under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi to identify the people involved in spreading chaos and violence in Islamabad earlier this week and take strict action against them, said an official press release issued by the Prime Minister Office. The Prime Minister also decided to set up a Federal Riot-Control Force to prevent future attempts to spread chaos across the country. The PMO statement stated that the force will be provided with professional training and necessary equipment, on the lines of international standards. Apart from this, a Federal Forensic Lab will be set up to investigate the evidence collected at the sites of demonstrations. During the meeting, the prime minister also expressed discontent over the lack of technology that can be used to identify the perpetrators. According to Dawn, the quality of the Islamabad Safe City project was so bad that its cameras could not recognise people, especially at night. Advertisement Idlib, located in northwestern Syria, lies 59 kilometres away from Aleppo, the capital of the most populous governorate in the West Asian nation read more Smoke rises as a member of the rebels led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham drives on a motorbike in al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria November 29, 2024. Reuters Rebels who mounted a surprise offensive against the Iranian and Russian-backed Syrian government have reportedly taken control of strategic towns. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadist alliance led by Al-Qaedas former Syria branch, and allied factions, have taken control of key towns in Idlib and Hama provinces. Idlib, located in northwestern Syria, lies 59 kilometres away from Aleppo, the capital of the most populous governorate in the West Asian nation. Advertisement So far, the rebel offensive in Syria has killed at least 311 people, mostly combatants on both sides, but also including at least 28 civilians, the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for information, said. Iran, Russia express concerns The foreign ministers of Russia and Iran expressed extreme concern at escalating hostilities in Syria, where rebels launched an assault on the city of Aleppo, Moscow said Saturday. Strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic was reaffirmed, Moscows foreign ministry said in a readout of a call between Sergei Lavrov and Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. Iran also said that terrorist elements attacked its consulate in the Syrian city of Aleppo during the rebel offensive. With inputs from agencies Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi held a phone call to discuss the situation in the country read more Smoke rises as a member of the rebels led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham drives on a motorbike in al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria November 29, 2024. Reuters Russia and Iran on Saturday expressed concerns over the rebel attacks in Syria after rebels took control over most of Aleppo city. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi held a phone call to discuss the situation in the country. Strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic was reaffirmed, Moscows foreign ministry said. Earlier today, Syrias war monitor said, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions took control of most of the city and government centres and prisons. Advertisement Overnight, Russian warplanes launched raids on areas of Aleppo city for the first time since 2016, added the Observatory which relies on a network of sources inside Syria. Civilians killed The attacks have left as many as 16 people dead while 20 others were severely injured as Russian warplanes targeted civilian vehicles in the city. Syrias army admitted on Saturday that rebels had entered large parts of Aleppo and said dozens of men from our armed forces were killed and others wounded. Airport seized Rebels have also seized the airport in Aleppo city, making it the first time they have taken control over such a facility. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that rebels also advanced in Hama and Idlib provinces, taking control of dozens of strategic towns without any resistance. Iran consulate attacked Iran said that terrorist elements had attacked its consulate in the Syrian city of Aleppo during a rebel offensive in the area. In a statement, Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesman of the Iranian foreign ministry, strongly condemned the attack by some armed terrorist elements on the Iranian consulate, adding that all its staff members were safe. What is HTS? Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a terrorist coalition formerly affiliated with Al-Qaedas Syria branch, exerts control over significant areas of the Idlib region in northwest Syria, along with portions of the Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia provinces. With inputs from agencies Beijing especially bristles at official exchanges between Taiwan and the United States, which does not recognise Taipei diplomatically but is its most important backer and biggest supplier of arms read more Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te delivers his address during National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei on October 10, 2024. AFP Taiwan President Lai Ching-te arrived Saturday in the United States for the start of a week-long tour in the Pacific that he said would usher in a new era of democracy, but has sparked fury in Beijing. Lai landed in the US island state of Hawaii shortly before 7:30 am local time (1730 GMT), said an AFP journalist travelling with the president for the duration of the trip. China considers self-governed Taiwan to be part of its territory and opposes any international recognition of the island and its claim to be a sovereign state. Advertisement Beijing especially bristles at official exchanges between Taiwan and the United States, which does not recognise Taipei diplomatically but is its most important backer and biggest supplier of arms. Lai, who has been an outspoken defender of Taiwans sovereignty and whom Beijing calls a separatist, is on his first overseas trip since taking office in May. He will have a two-day stopover in Hawaii, with visits on Saturday to the Bishop Museum, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, according to his official schedule. He will later spend one night in the US territory of Guam as he visits Taiwans allies Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau. They are the only Pacific island nations among the 12 remaining countries that recognise Taiwan, after China poached others with promises of aid and investment. In a speech shortly before departing Taipei, Lai said the trip ushered in a new era of values-based democracy and he thanked the US government for helping to make this trip a smooth one. Lai said he wanted to continue to expand cooperation and deepen partnerships with our allies based on the values of democracy, peace and prosperity. Advertisement Lai, on his first trip abroad since taking office in May, will stop over in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam as he visits Taiwans allies Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau read more Taiwan President Lai Ching-te will leave Saturday on a week-long tour of the Pacific that includes a stopover in Hawaii, which has ignited fiery threats from Beijing. China considers self-governed Taiwan to be part of its territory and opposes any international recognition of the island and its claim to be a sovereign state. Lai, on his first trip abroad since taking office in May, will stop over in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam as he visits Taiwans allies Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau. Advertisement They are the only Pacific island nations among the 12 remaining allies that recognise Taiwans claim to statehood, after China poached others with promises of aid and investment. The planned trip has elicited a furious response from China, which has vowed to resolutely crush any attempts for Taiwan independence. China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since 1949 when Chiang Kai-sheks nationalist forces were defeated by Mao Zedongs communist fighters and fled to the island. Taiwan matters Taiwan lives under the constant threat of an invasion by China, which has refused to rule out using force to bring the island under its control. Beijing deploys fighter jets, drones and warships around Taiwan on a near-daily basis to press its claims, with the number of sorties increasing in recent years. Taiwanese government officials have previously stopped over on US soil during visits to the Pacific or Latin America, angering China, which has sometimes responded with military drills around the island. Lais tour of the Pacific was an opportunity for him to show those countries and the world that Taiwan matters, said Bonnie Glaser, a Taiwan-China affairs expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Advertisement I think that the Peoples Republic of China always wants to leave the impression that Taiwan is isolated and it is dependent on the PRC, Glaser told AFP, using Chinas official name. When Taiwans president travels outside Taiwan, its a reminder that there are countries in the world that value their diplomatic relationships with Taiwan, she said. And of course, when he transits the United States, its a reminder, I think, to the public of Taiwan, that the United States and Taiwan have a close partnership. The United States is Taiwans most important backer and biggest supplier of arms, but Washington does not have official diplomatic relations with Taipei. Advertisement Lais trip comes as the United States approved the possible sale of spare parts for F-16 fighter jets and radar systems as well as communications equipment to Taiwan, in deals valued at $385 million in total. Earlier this month, Taiwans foreign minister Lin Chia-lung met with European Parliament members in Brussels. It was part of a trend of more senior Taiwanese officials travelling abroad and countries publicly receiving them despite the risk of suffering retaliation from China, Glaser told AFP. I think theres safety in numbers the more countries that do something, the more that other countries are willing to do it, Glaser said. Advertisement Theres also greater awareness of how aggressive and assertive China has been, and so countries are willing, to some extent, to stand up to China because they dont like Chinas behaviour, she said. And there is recognition of Taiwans role in the world, especially in semiconductor chips. Earlier this week, Romanias top court ordered a recount of votes in the first round of the presidential election and the countrys top security body warned Romania was a key target for hostile actions from Russia after a shock result in the ballot read more Members of an election commission count ballots at a polling station after the parliamentary election in Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Photo: AP) The year 2024 was an election year. From small to large nations, the world saw at least 70 elections in various countries including presidential, parliamentary, and local contests. An election has winners and losers. The results might favour one party, disappoint another or, in some cases, coalitions are formed to turn the tables. However, this year also saw most losing parties blaming the outcomes as they failed to declare them the victors. Although the practice of overlooking their own shortcomings and pinning the blame on election machinery like EVMs or ballots is not new, it has certainly become the trend in 2024. Advertisement From Romania to India, heres a look at how countries have questioned elections because the results were shocking: Romania Earlier this week, Romanias top court ordered a recount of votes in the first round of the presidential election and the countrys top security body warned Romania was a key target for hostile actions from Russia after a shock result in the ballot. Having polled in single digits before Sundays vote, independent far-right politician Calin Georgescu, 62, surged to a victory that raised questions over how such a surprise had been possible in the European Union and NATO member state. The Constitutional Court unanimously ordered the re-verification and recounting of the voting ballots for the Nov. 24 presidential election, it said in a statement. Georgia In the same week, the European Parliament said that the elections in Georgia were not held fairly and advised that they should be re-run. The election results saw Georgias authoritarian government secure an overwhelming majority raising eyebrows among stakeholders. After the October vote, a group of Georgias leading election monitors said they had evidence of a complex scheme of large-scale electoral fraud. Members of the European Parliament have voted in favour of a decision to declare the Georgian elections invalid based on the argument that they do not serve as a reliable representation of the will of the Georgian people. India India saw the historic return of the Bharatiya Janata Party in June. The results did not sit right with the Opposition party Congress and its allies who lost for the third time in the Lok Sabha or general elections. India uses Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for voting. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, earlier this month, raised concerns over EVMs and suggested that India should go back to using ballot papers for voting. We dont want EVMs, we want ballot papers, he said. The Opposition has, for long, demanded the eradication of EVMs, believing that ballot papers are more secure and transparent. Advertisement The issue even reached the doorsteps of the Supreme Court which quashed the petition seeking a ban on EVMs. What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs are not tampered with. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with), a Supreme Court bench said. With inputs from agencies Ever since the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire took effect last week, the world has turned its attention to the Gaza truce that will possibly end hostilities between Israel and Hamas. US President Joe Biden has said that Washington will push for the Israel-Hamas truce with Qatar and Egypt read more Protesters stand with portraits of Israeli hostages outside the Israeli Prime Minister's residence in Azza (Gaza) Street in central Jerusalem on October 24, 2024 amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas. Image- AFP Relatives of Israeli hostages held in Gaza will hold a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday to mark one year since 105 captives were released under a temporary ceasefire. The protest will also serve as a renewed push to pressurise Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal with Hamas that would see the rest of the hostages get free. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said, A full year has passed since the remaining 101 hostages in captivity believed their freedom was imminent, yet no further deals have materialized. Advertisement It added, We must save them! They cannot survive another winter in Hamass death tunnels. The protest will be held in Tel Avivs Hostages Square where a number of relatives of hostages freed or still held are slated to speak. Ever since the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire took effect last week, the world has turned its attention to the Gaza truce that will possibly end hostilities between Israel and Hamas. US President Joe Biden has said that Washington will push for the Israel-Hamas truce with Qatar and Egypt. Meanwhile, Hamas representatives will attend a ceasefire meeting in Cairo on Saturday to negotiate a truce deal in Gaza. A representative from the Palestinian terror group told AFP on Friday, A Hamas delegation will go to Cairo tomorrow for several meetings with Egyptian officials to discuss ideas for a ceasefire and a prisoner accord in the Gaza Strip. Families of hostages are more anxious than ever to get their loved ones back. Last week, family members temporarily blocked off the entrance to Netanyahus Knesset office. My Prime Minister, we are asking you, just as you quickly resolved Lebanon, resolve Gaza quickly, too. We trust youyou can do it if you choose to. Please, we are begging you, from the depths of our hearts, for our loved ones, the father of a 19-year-old captive said. Advertisement Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reportedly landed in Florida and is scheduled to meet President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence. The surprise visit came just days after Trump threatened tariff wars with Mexico, Canada and China read more Amid the looming trade war between the United States and Canada, reports are emerging that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has flown to Florida to meet US President-elect Donald Trump. According to Canadian news outlet Global News, the two leaders will be holding a meeting at Trumps famous Mar-a-Lago estate. The secret trip by Trudeau came days after Trump threatened to impose a whopping 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico unless the two countries deal with the migration issue and the illegal smuggling of drugs at the border crossing. Earlier this week, Trump held a phone call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum from which both leaders gave positive takeaways. Advertisement According to Global News, flight data showed that the plane which is often used by the Canadian premier landed in West Palm Beach, Florida on Friday evening. This is the closest airport to Trumps Mar-a-Lago. Trudeau to stay overnight As per the report, the Canadian Prime Minister will be staying in Florida overnight and will be returning to Canada on Saturday morning. However, he is unlikely to stay in Mar-a-Lago. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc is also in attendance with Trudeau. Meanwhile, the Prime Ministers office did not publicly confirm the visit and the meeting with Trump. It also did not appear on Trudeaus itinerary for Friday and his itinerary for Saturday has not yet been released. On Monday, both the leaders spoke on the phone just hours after the president-elect made the tariff threat on social media. Following this, Trudeau convened an emergency meeting with the countrys top officials at their request on Wednesday to talk about the issue at hand. While speaking to the reporters after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the Trudeau administration has agreed on a unified approach to addressing the issue, including economic risks and the border security concerns Trump raised. Freeland and LeBlanc, who co-chair the cabinet committee on US-Canada relations that was revived after Trumps electoral victory, said there were opportunities to work with the US on border security and concerns about China. While addressing a press conference on Prince Edward Island on Friday, Trudeau emphasized that Trumps tariff threats should be taken seriously. One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out, Trudeau told reporters in Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island. Theres no question about it." Advertisement Our responsibility is to point out that, in this way, he would be actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, hed actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses, he added. Moore argued that Europe and its transatlantic partners must hold firm in the face of what he said was growing aggression read more In what appeared a message to incoming U.S. President Donald Trumps administration and some European allies that have questioned continued support for Ukraine in the grinding war, Moore argued that Europe and its transatlantic partners must hold firm in the face of what he said was growing aggression. We have recently uncovered a staggeringly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage in Europe, even as Putin and his acolytes resort to nuclear sabre-rattling to sow fear about the consequences of aiding Ukraine, he said in a speech in Paris. Advertisement The cost of supporting Ukraine is well known but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely higher. If Putin succeeds China would weigh the implications, North Korea would be emboldened and Iran would become still more dangerous. In September, Moore said Russias intelligence services had gone a bit feral in the latest warning by NATO and other Western spy chiefs about what they call hostile Russian actions, ranging from repeated cyber attacks to Moscow-linked arson. Moscow has denied responsibility for all such incidents. The Russian embassy in London did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Moores remarks. Last month the UKs domestic spy chief said Russias GRU military intelligence service was seeking to cause mayhem. Sources familiar with U.S. intelligence have told Reuters Moscow is likely to step up its campaign against European targets to increase pressure on the West over its support for Kyiv. Looking forward to Trump presidency Much of Moores speech was focused on the importance of Western solidarity, saying the collective strength of Britains allies would outmatch Putin who, he said, was becoming increasingly in hock to China, North Korea and Iran. Trump, who has vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine, without saying how, and other Republicans in the U.S. have expressed reservations about Washingtons strong strategic support and heavy weapons supplies for Kyiv. If Putin is allowed to succeed in reducing Ukraine to a vassal state he will not stop there. Our security - British, French, European and transatlantic - will be jeopardised, Moore said. Advertisement In general terms, Moore said the world was in its most dangerous state in his 37 years working in the intelligence world, with Islamic State on the rise again, Irans nuclear ambitions a continued threat, and the radicalising impact of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel not yet fully known. Nicolas Lerner, head of Frances foreign spy agency DGSE, said French and UK intelligence were working closely together to face what is undoubtedly one of the threats - if not the threat - in my opinion, the possible atomic proliferation in Iran. Iran has repeatedly denied seeking nuclear weapons. The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to the constant anger of Beijing read more The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of spare parts for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan for an estimated $385 million, the Pentagon said on Friday, a day before Taiwan President Lai Ching-te starts a sensitive Pacific trip. The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to the constant anger of Beijing. Advertisement Democratically governed Taiwan rejects Chinas claims of sovereignty. China has been stepping up military pressure against Taiwan, including two rounds of war games this year, and security sources have told Reuters that Beijing may hold more to coincide with Lais tour of the Pacific, which includes stopovers in Hawaii and Guam, a U.S. territory. The Pentagons Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the sale consisted of $320 million in spare parts and support for F-16 fighters and Active Electronically Scanned Array Radars and related equipment. The State Department also approved the potential sale to Taiwan of improved mobile subscriber equipment and support for an estimated $65 million, the Pentagon said. The principal contractor for the $65 million sale is General Dynamics. Taiwans defense ministry said it expected the sales to take effect within a month and that the equipment will help maintain the F-16 fleets readiness and build up a credible defense force. Taiwan and the United States will continue to strengthen their security partnership and work together to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, it said in a statement. Last month, the United States announced a potential $2 billion arms sale package to Taiwan, including the delivery for the first time to the island of an advanced air defense missile system battle tested in Ukraine. Advertisement Lai leaves for Hawaii on Saturday on what is officially a stopover on the way to Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 countries that still to have formal diplomatic ties with Taipei. He will also stop over in Guam. Hawaii and Guam are home to major U.S. military bases. China on Friday urged the United States to exercise utmost caution in its relations with Taiwan. The State Department said it saw no justification for what it called a private, routine and unofficial transit by Lai to be used as a pretext for provocation. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that unoccupied territories of Ukraine should be under the Nato umbrella in order to end the host stage war against Russia. For the first time since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Ukrainian leader hinted at a ceasefire deal that would include Russian control over conquered territories (even if it is for a temporary time period, according to him) read more Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that the territories that are still under Kyivs jurisdiction should be taken under the Nato umbrella to stop the hot stage Russia-Ukraine war. While speaking to Sky News on Friday, the Ukrainian leader emphasised that such a proposal has never been considered by Ukraine before because it has never been offered. If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under the Nato umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control. Thats what we need to do fast, and then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically, Zelenskyy said in the interview via translation. Advertisement This proposal has never been considered by Ukraine because no one has ever offered that to us officially, he furthered. He insisted that such an invitation should be given within the internationally recognised borders not just to one part of the territory. The proclamation from the Ukrainian leader came months after he presented his victory plan to his Western allies. Ceasefire is needed: Zelenskyy The Ukrainian president emphasised that a ceasefire was needed to guarantee that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will not come back to take more Ukrainian territory. He went on to urge Nato to immediately cover the unoccupied parts of the Ukrainian territory and appeared to accept that the occupied eastern parts of the country would fall outside of such a deal for the time being, Sky News reported. During the interview, Zelenskyy also spoke about President-elect Donald Trumps stance on the ongoing war. When asked what he thought about the new American leader, Zelenskyy said We have to work with the new president in order to have the biggest supporter. I want to work with him directly because there are different voices from people around him. And thats why we need not to [allow] anybody around to destroy our communication, he said. It will not be helpful and will be destructive. We have to try to find the new model. I want to share with him ideas and I want to hear from him, he added. When asked if he has spoken to Trump about the war, Zelenskyy recalled the conversation two leaders had in September. We had a conversation. It was very warm, good, constructive It was a very good meeting and it was an important first step - now we have to prepare some meetings, he said. What makes the interview significant is the fact that this is the first time Zelenskyy hinted at a ceasefire deal that would include Russian control over conquered territories (even if it is for a temporary time period, according to him). Since the start of the war, Zelenskyy has never said he would cede any occupied Ukrainian territory to Russia - including Crimea, which Russia occupied in February 2014 and formally annexed the following month. He often maintained that such a move is not allowed under the Ukrainian constitution. Advertisement The furthest he has gone over the matter was during an interview with Le Monde in July this year, when he suggested the territories could join Russia if they voted to in a free and fair referendum. Zelenskyys victory plan presented to the Ukrainian parliament and the countrys Western allies, includes an outright refusal to cede Ukrainian territory and sovereignty. In September 2022, Russia unilaterally announced that it had annexed certain parts of the country, months after it launched the invasion. These areas included the Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia following referendums that were not internationally recognised. Sat Saturday 48 /28 Snow changing to rain. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the upper 20s. Sunday Night Partly cloudy in the evening with more clouds for later at night. Low around 40F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Former British Soldier Found Guilty Of Spying For Iran By RFE/RL's Radio Farda November 28, 2024 A former British soldier, whose prison escape sparked a massive manhunt in 2023, has been found guilty of passing on sensitive information to the Iranian intelligence service. Prosecutors said that Daniel Abed Khalife, 23, played a "cynical game" by claiming he wanted to be a double agent for Britain after he had delivered a large amount of restricted and classified material to Iran, including the names of special forces officers. The verdict was delivered at London's Woolwich Crown Court on November 28. Prosecutor Mark Heywood told jurors at the start of the trial that Khalife collected sensitive information between May 2019 and January 2022. Khalife stood trial charged with gathering information that might be useful to an enemy, namely Iran, obtaining information likely to be useful for terrorism. Khalife, who was expelled from the army after he was charged, was also accused of planting fake bombs in his military barracks. But the court cleared him of a charge of carrying out a bomb hoax. Khalife snuck out of a London prison in September 2023 while awaiting trial and spent three days on the run. With reporting by AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-khalife- british-soldier-spying/33219106.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Data on interceptions of aircraft completed near the Baltic States' borders on November 18-24, 2024 Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2024-11-25 International cooperation On November 18-24 detachment of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states were scrambled once to intercept aircraft flying in violation of international aviation regulations. On November 19 NATO fighter aircraft were alerted to intercept one IL-26 flying from the mainland of the Russian Federation to Kaliningrad via international airspace. It had no pre-filed flight plan, the crew kept the onboard transponder switched off (which was switched on during the interception) and maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Interview: BRI promotes shared vision of peaceful development, win-win cooperation, mutual prosperity: Cambodian expert Xinhua) 11:35, November 30, 2024 PHNOM PENH, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has played a crucial role in promoting a shared vision of peaceful development, win-win cooperation and mutual prosperity, a Cambodian scholar said on Friday. The successful implementation of the BRI's flagship projects in Cambodia, such as the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport and the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, is a testament to great contributions of the BRI to the kingdom's infrastructure development, economic growth and poverty alleviation, said Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy of the Royal University of Phnom Penh. The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, the first of its kind in Cambodia, has significantly reduced travel time between the capital Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville from five hours to under two hours, promoting trade, logistic support and tourism, he said. "BRI projects are providing tremendous tangible benefits to Cambodian people," he told Xinhua. "They have improved infrastructure development and connectivity, created tens of thousands of jobs as well as facilitated the transfer of technical skills and managerial expertise to Cambodian professionals, fostering long-term self-reliance." Mengdavid said BRI-funded infrastructure projects, such as the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, align with Cambodia's goal of diversifying its economy by attracting industries and investments to special economic zones, boosting productivity and export capacity. Similarly, the airport, another significant BRI project, directly contributes to Cambodia's objectives of expanding its tourism and logistics sectors under the Cambodian government's Pentagonal Strategy, the expert said. Mengdavid said the BRI has also strengthened Cambodia's connectivity with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and global markets, supporting the Pentagonal Strategy's vision of making Cambodia a competitive player in regional value chains. "Through projects like railways, ports, and digital networks, the BRI fosters regional and global trade linkages, facilitating the free flow of goods, services, and capital," he said. The BRI, together with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement, will help Cambodia achieve its ambitious goals of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income nation by 2050, he said. The expert also pointed out that the BRI has also supported human capital development by providing training, technology transfer, and skill-building opportunities. Looking ahead, Cambodia stands to gain from industrial diversification, establishment of special economic zones, and a more diversified economy, reducing reliance on traditional sectors like textiles, he said. Aligning frameworks and complementing capabilities prioritize inclusivity, mutual respect and practical cooperation, which have been pivotal in the BRI's wide acceptance and growth, he said. "Through its focus on strategic alignment and complementary strengths, the BRI promotes a shared vision of peaceful development, win-win cooperation and mutual prosperity," he said. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) Langley expands campaign of learning footprint to west Africa By Maj. Mahalia Frost , U.S. Africa Command Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany Nov 26, 2024 STUTTGART, Germany -- It was once stated that the journey of a thousand miles was not for the weak, but for the one who was willing to be courageously intentional about every step taken along the path. That level of grit, no matter where one started, is what continues to fuel the men and women of U.S. Africa Command to challenge the status quo, build partnerships, and collaborate with African partners to face complex challenges in a dynamic environment. Surrounded around interagency partners and thought leaders, from Nov. 4-10, 2024, the commander of U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley expanded his campaign of learning footprint to three western region countries on the continent of Africa - Gabon, Liberia, and Nigeria. Gabon During his visit to Gabon, Langley met with Ambassador Vernelle FitzPatrick, U.S. Ambassador to Gabon, to discuss strategic efforts to further stability and prosperity in the region. As a country located on the outer coastlines of the continent, challenges ranging from maritime security and border security continually contests the overall ecosystem in Gabon. "It is through our joint exercises ...working together for many years where we address some of the changing dynamics of the security situation," Langley stated. Following his meeting with Gabon's President, Brice Oligui Nguema, Langley emphasized how the two country's ability to work together can produce the security solutions that are African-led and U.S.-enabled. "We have shared objectives and shared challenges," Langley said. "Meeting with the President was an opportunity to discuss the progress we're making with our mil-to-mil relationships." Liberia During Langley's first visit to Liberia, he met with Ambassador Mark Toner, U.S. Ambassador to Liberia; President H. E. Joseph Boakai; Minister of National Defense, Brig. Gen. (Rtd.) Geraldine Janet George; and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Brig. Gen. Davidson Fayiah Forleh. This visit provided an opportunity to communicate shared ideas, address challenges, and explore areas for cooperation. "U.S. Africa Command advances vital U.S. national security interests throughout Africa," said Toner. "It does this through focused and sustained engagement with our partners on the African continent and in support of our shared security and objectives. General Langley's presence here today is a testament to the strong military partnership the U.S. shares with Liberia." When asked more on the meaning to why Langley mentions shared values and shared objectives, the general explained that when he visits a country and he and the African partners "recognize the challenges and opportunities to work together, whether it be violent extremist organizations or whether it be climate change and building resiliency or providing for civil society that's what those opportunities are, and they're rewarding." The need for resiliency and the ability to counter the destabilizing tactics of some malign actors is a challenge across the Sahel and in Central Africa and plays a role in reinforcing U.S.'s enduring partnerships across the continent. "So when we talk about a security construct, understanding how discord and instability are sown is critical," Langley shared during a press conference in Liberia. "Destabilizing type activities, mainly brought about by misinformation and disinformation...sowing discord of belief and false stories can reduce civil society's confidence in their governance, and are illicit activities occurring in the information space." Nigeria During his visit to Nigeria, Langley met with a number of people, including Nigeria's 18th Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja to discuss advancing shared security interests, global health security, development and resource challenges. He also met with Ambassador Richard Mills, Jr., U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria. "Our bilateral relationship is based on shared values and understanding," Langley stated. When facing complex challenges whether it's from combatting violent extremist organizations or other factors that yield instability, Nigeria's strategic efforts to tackle its known insecurities, extend beyond its military. In addition to the Nigerian Armed Force's commitment to regional counterterrorism and crime cooperation, their commitment to addressing health issues can be seen in their collaboration both on medical care initiatives with U.S. Agency for International Development and through the public health partnership between the Nigerian Ministry of Defence and U.S. Department of Defense's Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, which resulted in the establishment of Nigeria's Defence Reference Laboratory, an internationally accredited facility. "What we're trying to achieve in our overall strategy is to deepen our partnerships and build the best resilience through a unity of effort," said Langley. "What I saw here today is a true example of health diplomacy and also strategic ways of focusing on building enduring security relations, especially when dealing with threats of infectious disease." U.S.-Nigeria cooperation expands across the command's three-dimensional construct: development, diplomacy, and defense. Bilateral efforts emphasize shared values and demonstrates how fostering relationships built on trust, respect, and communication all while ensuring African partners remain at the forefront of the command's strategic efforts underpins AFRICOM's ability to join its partners in promoting regional security, stability and prosperity. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address November 26, 2024 By Jim Garamone, DOD News DOD Consults With Interagency Partners on Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Roles Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a ceasefire which could lead to a cessation of Hezbollah attacks on Israel and the phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, according to news reports. The U.S. Defense Department will play a role in the ceasefire, but there are few details, said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder today. "We're, of course, strongly supportive of a ceasefire," Ryder said during a Pentagon news conference. "We're consulting closely with our interagency partners in terms of what potential contributions the DOD can make." DOD has worked tirelessly with interagency partners and international allies and friends to end the conflict in the region. "The Department of Defense plays an important role within our interagency here in the U.S. and on working with partners in the region to prevent a wider conflict," he said. The conflict between Israel and the Iranian proxy Hezbollah has killed approximately 3,800 people and wounded about 16,000, Lebanese officials have said. "We've seen diplomatic means as key to enabling both Lebanese and Israeli citizens to return to their homes on both sides of the blue line," Ryder said. "That's probably the most significant [development], as well as just the simple fact of reducing the amount of violence that we're seeing and the destruction and death on both sides of the border." Ryder said the United States would like to see a ceasefire in Gaza as well. "Certainly, we still want to see a situation in Gaza where there is a ceasefire, so that we can increase the flow of humanitarian assistance and restore a sense of stability and security in that region," he said. The ceasefire with Lebanon could carry over to Gaza. There is "a lot of potential good could come out of this ceasefire [with Lebanon]," Ryder said. Ryder was asked about reports of drones flying over bases in the United Kingdom that the United States uses. The general said none of the incursions has impacted base residents or the missions of the units on those bases. "We're, of course, continuing to work with host nation authorities and our mission partners to ensure the safety of our personnel, our facilities and equipment," he said. "You know, the bottom line is, it's something that we're going to take seriously. We're continuing to look into it, but as of right now, it has not had any significant mission impact." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by PM Netanyahu Israel - Prime Minister's Office Spokesperson notifications The 37th Government 26.11.2024 "The length of the ceasefire depends on what happens in Lebanon. We will enforce the agreement and respond forcefully to any violation. We will continue united until victory." "Citizens of Israel, I promised you victory, and we will achieve victory. We will complete the task of obliterating Hamas, we will bring home all of our hostages, we will ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel and we will return the residents of the north back home safely. The war will not end until we realize all its goals, including the return of the residents of the north safely home. And I tell you, it will happen, just like it happened in the south. My friends, residents of the north, I am proud of you, I am proud of your perseverance, and I am totally committed to your security, to the rehabilitation of your communities, to your future. To date, thanks to the bravery of our fighters in the IDF, the Israel Security Agency, the Mossad and Israel Police, we have made great inroads into the seven fronts of the "War of Redemption." These achievements are a source of awe and admiration across the globe, and they are projecting Israel's might throughout the Middle East: First, the head of the octopusIran. We destroyed major parts of Iran's air defense system and missile-manufacturing capabilities, and we demolished a significant component of their nuclear program. I am determined to do anything needed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. That threat has always been my top priority and is even more so today, when you hear Iran's leaders state over and over again their intention to obtain nuclear weapons. For me, removing that threat is the most important mission to ensure the existence and future of the State of Israel. In Gaza, we dismantled the Hamas battalions and killed close to 20,000 terrorists. We killed Sinwar, we killed Deif, we killed senior Hamas officials and we brought 154 hostages back. We are committed to bringing them all home, the 101 hostages still in Gaza, those who are still alive as well as the dead, and end the terrible anguish of their families. We are of course committed to completing the annihilation of Hamas. In Judea and Samaria, we are taking out terrorists, we are destroying terrorist infrastructure and we are operating in all of the terror strongholds. There is no place out of our reach. In Yemen, we attacked the Houthis' Port of Hodeida forcibly, which the international coalition had not done. In Iraq, we successfully thwarted, and are still thwarting, many drone attacks, and we have many challenges ahead. In Syria, we are systematically blocking attempts by Iran, Hezbollah and the Syrian army to transfer weapons to Lebanon. Assad must understand that he is playing with fire. And now, for the seventh frontLebanon. Hezbollah decided to attack us from Lebanon on October 8th. A year later, it is not the same Hezbollah. We have pushed them decades back. We eliminated Nasrallah, the axis of the axis. We have taken out the organization's top leadership, we have destroyed most of their rockets and missiles, we have killed thousands of terrorists and we demolished their underground terror infrastructure abutting our border, infrastructure they had been building for years. We have attacked strategic targets throughout Lebanon and we have brought down dozens of terror hi-rises in Beirut's Dahieh. The ground in Beirut is shaking. Citizens of Israel, Only three months ago, this all would have sounded like science fiction. But it isn't. We did these things. At every moment of managing this campaign, I observe all fronts simultaneously. That is what I did at the beginning of the war when I decided to focus on Gaza and not open a broader front in Lebanon. That is what I did several months ago when the conditions ripened to go north, and then we decided to focus on Hezbollah. That is what I did after the missile attack from Iran, when we meticulously decided on the time and nature of our response. And that is what I am doing today. I observe all the fronts simultaneously and see the broad picture. I am determined to give our courageous soldiers every resource to keep them safe and bring us victory. Therefore, this evening I will bring a ceasefire outline for the cabinet's approval. The length of the ceasefire depends on what happens in Lebanon. With the United States' full understanding, we maintain full freedom of military action. If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack. If it tries to rebuild terrorist infrastructure near the border, we will attack. If it launches a rocket, if it digs a tunnel, if it brings in a truck carrying rockets, we will attack. I hear the claim that if we enter into a ceasefire, we will not be able to attack and will not be able to renew the war. I remind you, that is exactly what they said when we had a ceasefire in Gaza to release the hostages. They said we wouldn't go back to fighting, but we did. They tell me Hezbollah will be quiet for a year or two, grow stronger and then attack us. But Hezbollah will be in violation of the agreement not only if it fires on us. It will be in violation of the agreement if it obtains weapons to fire at us in the future. And we will respond forcefully to any violation. I know there are people who don't believe we will do that. But many also didn't believe we would enter Gaza on the ground, and we did. They didn't believe we would go into Shifa and Khan Younis, and we did. They didn't believe we would go into Rafah and the Philadelphi corridor, in the face of all the international pressure. Not only did we go in, we attacked, and then some. Many didn't believe that we would attack in Lebanon, and we did that too. We attacked with force and sophistication that surprised the whole world. So after all that, maybe we should start believing? Believe in our determination, believe in our path, in our commitment to victory. Why should we have a ceasefire now? For three main reasons: The first reason is to focus on the Iranian threat, and I won't expand on that. The second reason is to give our forces a breather and replenish stocks. And I say it openly, it is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon. We will receive supplies of advanced weaponry that will keep our soldiers safe and give us more strike force to complete our mission. And the third reason for having a ceasefire is to separate the fronts and isolate Hamas. From day two of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own. We will increase our pressure on Hamas and that will help us in our sacred mission of releasing our hostages. Citizens of Israel, In the past year, we turned the tables. We were attacked from seven fronts and we fought back with might. We are changing the face of the Middle East. We are doing all this thanks to our brave soldiers, thanks to your tenacity and thanks to the resolute and smart management of the war. I have said many times, a good deal is a deal that is enforced, and we will enforce it. With God's help, we will establish security, we will rehabilitate the north and continue, united, until victory." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Siauliai-bound reinforcement: the French joins Italy on the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2024-11-26 International cooperation | Security and defense policy On November 28 a Handover-Takeover ceremony of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states will take place at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai. The event will be attended by Defence Policy Director at the Ministry of National Defence Vaidotas Urbelis, representatives of the Allied Air Command, Ambassadors of the respective countries, and other guests. The NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states will be transferred on the arriving contingents of French and Italian airmen. The Italian Air Force personnel with Eurofighter Typhoons will take over from their nationals who have been on the watch for the Baltic airspace for the past four months. Italy's effort will be bolstered by the French Air Force flying the Rafale fighter jets. In total, both Allies will be safeguarding our airspace with eight fighter aircraft. The Italian Air Force will be contributing its 7th rotation to the mission and the French -- the 8th one. The detachment which has been in charge of the mission since July is comprised of approx. 150 troops, including the pilots, technical maintenance and medical personnel, support teams, communications and other specialists. Throughout the deployment in Siauliai the Allies were engaging with the local community, conducted guided tours for pupils and students and took part in city celebrations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General to the Atlantic Future Forum: "a transatlantic future is the only way to ensure our freedom and security" NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 26 Nov. 2024 On Tuesday (26 November 2024), NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed the sixth edition of the Atlantic Future Forum via video message. He outlined NATO's three main priorities in the run up to next Summit in The Hague: strengthening collective defence, stepping up support to Ukraine, and deepening partnerships. "Russia's aggression is not contained to Ukraine. China, Iran and North Korea's destabilising actions have far-reaching implications. When aggressors are emboldened it threatens us all, no matter how large or small," the Secretary General said. "There is strength in numbers and value in building on a strong foundation, which is why we must continue to invest in NATO. A transatlantic future is the only way to ensure our freedom and security," he concluded. The Forum was chaired by former UK Cabinet Secretary and National Security Advisor Lord Sedwill, and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key. The event in London brings together senior leaders from the military, government, and academia to discuss a range of security challenges, this year highlighting the war against Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, and security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General praises Greece for its crucial role in supporting collective defence NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 26 Nov. 2024 NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday (26 November 2024) to discuss security challenges, support to Ukraine, and Greece's "crucial role" in supporting NATO's collective defence. Mr Rutte welcomed the fact that Greece invests 3 percent of its GDP in defence saying it had "long made security a priority". He also commended the country for its "highly skilled military and increasingly advanced capabilities" and its efforts to modernise them further. The Secretary General thanked Greece for its support for Ukraine's fight against Russia aggression. Just last month, Athens signed a bilateral security agreement with Kyiv and announced it will accelerate F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots and technicians "strengthening their hand in this brutal war". "Our support for Ukraine has kept them in the fight, but we need to go further to change the trajectory of this conflict," the Secretary General added. Mr Rutte underlined that Russia's use of North Korean weapons and troops, Iranian drones and Chinese dual-use goods contributed to an "increasingly dangerous" security environment and represented a "challenge to global peace and security". During his visit to Athens the Secretary General also met the Greek Minister of National Defence Nikolaos Dendias and Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO parliamentarians working to keep the Alliance strong NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 23 Nov. 2024 - 25 Nov. 2024 Last updated: 26 Nov. 2024 Members of NATO's Parliamentary Assembly (NPA) gathered in Montreal to discuss key challenges to Alliance security and NATO's essential role in addressing them. On Monday (25 November 2024), the NATO Secretary General addressed the NPA's 70th Annual Session via video message and NATO's acting Deputy Secretary General, Boris Ruge, addressed the NPA in person. The Secretary General underlined the NPA's crucial role in strengthening NATO's defences, supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, and addressing global challenges to Euro-Atlantic security, including through cooperation with partners. Mr Rutte reiterated NATO's commitment to strengthening deterrence and defence in a more dangerous and competitive world. "Allies are spending more on defence," he said, adding that "we must make our deterrence and defence even stronger. The more we spend on defence, the more we reduce the risk of future conflict". He urged lawmakers to support this investment, highlighting that "we have a duty to ensure we protect our nations, people and values, and security does not come for free". Rutte's acting Deputy, Boris Ruge, was in Montreal for the meeting and answered questions from parliamentarians during their plenary session. He underscored the importance of continuing the support that NATO and Allies are providing to Ukraine, the urgency of increased defence spending as well as the vital role the members of the NPA play in terms of making the case for stronger deterrence and defence. During his visit to Canada, Mr Ruge also participated in the 16th Annual Halifax International Security Forum, where he addressed the importance of maintaining a strong transatlantic bond and the urgency of ramping up defence industrial production. He held bilateral meetings with a range of interlocutors, notably the Speaker of Ukraine's parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, and Members of the US Congress. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Government of Spain welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs COMUNICADO 076 Tuesday, November 26, 2024 The Government of Spain welcomes the announcement of an agreement for a 60-day ceasefire, an indispensable condition to address the humanitarian situation in Lebanon and to proceed with the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Spain remains committed to regional stability through its contribution to UNIFIL and will support de-escalation efforts to allow the return of displaced persons to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line and to move towards a politico solution to the conflict. A ceasefire in Gaza, allowing humanitarian aid to enter at a large scale and the release of hostages, remains key to regional de-escalation. Only the implementation of the two-State solution will lay the foundations for a just and lasting peace in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Press Availability US Department of State Remarks Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Teatro Municipale Fiuggi, Italy November 26, 2024 SECRETARY BLINKEN: First, let me say this. As I am sure you're all tracking, we're in the final stages of securing a ceasefire agreement for Lebanon. We're not there yet, but I believe we are in the final stages. This has been an intensive diplomatic effort by the United States, partners like France, working with Israel, working with Lebanon, over many months. And if we get to the conclusion that I hope we reach very soon, it will make a big difference. It will make a big difference in saving lives and livelihoods in Lebanon and in Israel. It will make a big difference in creating the conditions that will allow people to return to their homes safely in northern Israel and in southern Lebanon. And I also believe that by de-escalating tensions in the region, it can also help us to end the conflict in Gaza; in particular, Hamas will know that it can't count on other fronts opening up in the war. So we're tracking this very closely, and I hope and believe that we can get this over the finish line. Now to the business of the G7. This is my final G7 as Secretary of State, and I really want to begin by thanking all of my counterparts in the G7 who have been such remarkable colleagues and have become good friends over these four years. Here in Italy, I particularly want to thank my friend, the foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, and also Prime Minister Meloni, both for their leadership of the G7 while Italy has had the chair but also because, over the last few years, we built the strongest possible partnership between Italy and the United States. And that is no small measure a tribute to the leadership we've seen from the prime minister, from the foreign minister, and of course from President Biden. Over the last four years, G7 partners have met a moment of unprecedented testing, and we've transformed the group into a steering committee for the world's leading democracies. We've also strengthened ties with our partners beyond the G7 - in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and more - so that we can work together to find shared solutions to shared challenges. Our work has shown that when we come together, when we act in common purpose, we can better the lives of the people we represent and indeed better the lives of people everywhere. We boosted global investment in food security. We've done the same for sustainable infrastructure. We've advanced common rules of the road for artificial intelligence. We've generated ambitious commitments and investments for deploying clean energy, and so much more. Today, our G7 partners pledged steadfast support for Ukraine into and through 2025, continuing what has been a truly unprecedented partnership - sharing the burden, determined to do everything that we can to help Ukraine deal with the ongoing Russian aggression. The U.S. is continuing to surge security assistance to bolster Ukraine's defenses in the east and to respond to the escalation by Russia and in particular now the involvement of troops from North Korea. And let me say on that that this is a matter of grave concern for all the members of the G7, both because of what it means for Ukraine, what it means for broader European security, but also what it means in the Indo-Pacific. We see that the security between the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic community are joined. The relationship between Russia and North Korea is a two-way street. We see what North Korea is doing for Russia in Ukraine right now with the troops, but we also are looking attentively at what Russia is and may be doing for North Korea, including potentially boosting its missile and nuclear capacity. So this was a shared concern among all the G7 partners. But in our support for Ukraine, we're also finalizing getting out the door the $50 billion that had been secured on the basis of the Russian sovereign assets that are frozen. Last week, the United States unveiled its latest sanctions on Russia's financial sector, including Gazprombank. And we, I think, can anticipate further action by G7 countries as well. The G7 and partner countries have committed more than $2 billion to the energy sector in Ukraine since Russia escalated its attacks on that sector. As we head into the winter, we have G7+ donors supporting, among other things, repairs for damaged power plants to restore over two gigawatts of generation capacity, the delivery of over 18,000 generators to help heat homes, hospitals, and schools. The G7 has also led the global push for enduring security commitments to Ukraine. Twenty-seven countries have now signed bilateral security agreements with Ukraine to help provide for their deterrence and defense capacity over the next decade. Today, the G7 had the opportunity to speak with Foreign Minister Sybiha about these and other lines of effort to further ensure that we're strengthening Ukraine's military and economic position going into and through 2025. We're determined that Ukraine has the money, the munitions, and mobilized forces to fight effectively in 2025 or to negotiate, but from a position of strength. We've also built on the G7's efforts to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. As I mentioned, this focus today on the presence of North Korean troops in the aggression that Russia is committing against Ukraine, we spent a lot of time on that, but also on China's ongoing support for Russia's defense industrial base - all of which is allowing Russia to continue the aggression against Ukraine, both of which are reminders that European and Indo-Pacific security are joined. And one of the hallmarks of our administration has been to build bridges between Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and other regions, because so many of the issues that we have to face are shared issues, shared concerns, whether they're challenges and threats, or whether they're opportunities. The G7 is increasingly aligned on our view of economic and security risks posed by the People's Republic of China, the policies it's pursuing, even as we recognize the need for constructive engagement. Over four years we have forged much greater convergence, more than ever before, on common approaches to China - a shared commitment, for example, to economic and security de-risking, dealing with over-capacity and unfair trade practices coming from Beijing, focused together on export controls on the most sensitive technology, working together on investment screening, standing against economic coercion, building mineral supply security, supply chains more generally and their security resilience, and helping to build sustainable infrastructure together around the world. The bottom line is this: We are much stronger, we're much more effective, when we're acting together, not alone. And just to cite the obvious example in the economic area when we're dealing with policies of concern by China, any of our countries acting alone compared to when we're acting together simply cannot be as effective. In the case of the United States, we're 20 percent or so of world GDP. When we're acting together with our G7 partners, it's more like 50 percent, and that weight is a weight that can't be ignored. As a result of the historic investments that we've made at home in the United States as well as in our partnerships abroad, we're now engaging China and the challenges it poses from a position of strength, and that's something that we'll be able to hand off to the next administration. We also spent time discussing the opportunity and indeed the necessity to end conflicts in the Middle East and lay the foundation for a more durable peace now that Israel has achieved its strategic goals in the wake of October 7th. In Gaza, we remain committed to bringing the hostages home and ending the humanitarian crisis that Gaza's children, women, and men are facing every single day. We agreed with Arab partners that we cannot end the conflict without a plan for the post-conflict - something that we're working on intensely as we speak. We also reiterated deep concern with Iran's nuclear activities and continued failure to cooperate fully with the IAEA. One other important area of focus over these last two days, and that's Sudan - the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. This horrific war has produced suffering for tens of millions of people, over 20 million forced to flee atrocities, facing famine, facing violence. I had an opportunity yesterday to visit with the World Food Program and to get an up-to-date report on the situation on the ground and what they're facing in terms of trying to deliver assistance to people in need. Now, we've made some progress over the last few weeks, particularly in terms of humanitarian access. Today, the World Food Program announced that for the first time pretty much since the conflict has kicked off, they're getting trucks to famine-isolated areas like Zamzam, an IDP camp. With partners we've also made progress to expand lifesaving access to emergency food and medicine in other places, including the opening of the Adre border crossing and the establishment of humanitarian flights. I had a very good meeting with partners from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt on the next steps that we all will endorse and need to take. The G7 and its partners, like these countries, are committed to expanding humanitarian access in Sudan and at the same time working toward ending the conflict and the suffering of the Sudanese people. We also addressed efforts to mitigate other conflicts and other humanitarian challenges around the world. We agreed on the need to continue increasing support for the Multilateral Security Support mission in Haiti for the contingent that's there as well as for the Haitian National Police, and on the importance of turning this mission into a formal peacekeeping operation. We also worked to ensure effective follow-on peacekeeping forces in Somalia. Many other things were on the agenda. I just wanted to focus on those and to conclude by saying that from my perspective these last two days and in fact these last four years are a reminder that we can navigate an increasingly complex world much more effectively when we're doing it together, when we're working with partners, with allies. The G7 has set us up for success on issues that matter to the citizens of each of our countries and that matter to people around the world. Our greatest strategic asset, our most significant force multiplier, individually and collectively, is our ability to come together and work in common cause, and from my perspective that's never been more important. It remains essential that we keep working together to get results to deliver for the people that we have the honor and privilege of representing. Thank you. And with that, I'm happy to take some questions. MR PATEL: The first question will go to Shannon Kingston from ABC. QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. As you said, a 60-day ceasefire deal in Lebanon appears imminent, but in 60 days you won't be in office anymore. Do you plan to work with the incoming Trump administration to ensure that this truce can really turn into a lasting peace? And the White House has said that this deal can lead to a ceasefire in Gaza, but for almost a year it seems that nothing has moved the needle with Hamas. So what makes you think that this will convince the group to turn over the hostages it's holding? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Great. First, yes, we're absolutely committed to working with the incoming administration on this issue and everything that we're dealing with. I had a good conversation with my successor-to-be, Senator Rubio, the other day. I look forward to meeting with him and to going over in detail exactly where we are and where we hope we can go or, if we haven't been able to complete the work, the next administration can go. And having that continuity and being able to hand off to the next administration the strongest possible hand to play in bringing peace and bringing security is exactly what I'm focused on. When it comes to a ceasefire, assuming we get it, in Lebanon, as I said, I think this can have profound effects not only immediately for those concerned - that is to say, the people in Lebanon and Israel who are facing a barrage of missiles and mortars and rockets every single day - saving lives, saving livelihoods, creating the conditions so that people can return to their homes in northern Isreal and in southern Lebanon - 70- to 80,000 people displaced in northern Israel, an equal or even greater number displaced in southern Lebanon. But yes, in terms of Gaza itself, I also think this can have a significant impact. Why is that? Because one of the things that Hamas has sought from day one is to get others in on the fight, to create multiple fronts, to make sure that Israel was having to fight in a whole series of different places. And as long as it's thought that that was possible, that's one of the reasons it's held back from doing what's necessary to end the conflict. Now, if it sees that the cavalry is not on the way, that may incentivize it to do what it needs to do to end this conflict. Now, we have two things that are essential. One is getting the hostages back, including the seven Americans. But we also need to make sure that, in order to end the conflict, we have a clear plan for what follows the conflict that enables the people of Gaza to move forward with their lives - without Hamas and with Israel having pulled out of Gaza. We spent some time here, just as we have in past weeks and months, working on that plan. And that, too, is something that we'll be working on intensely over the coming weeks and talking to the incoming administration about. MR PATEL: Giulia Pompili with Il Foglio. QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. My question is about, what could be the coordinated response that you discussed today regarding the escalation of North Korean troops in Russia, since apparently the sanction policy didn't work? And the same question is about China. The Chinese support to the Russian basic industries - what could be the response of G7 in addition to condemnation? Thank you so much. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yeah. Well, I think we've seen over the last more than two and a half years now coordinated and effective sanctions deployed by the G7 countries, by the EU, by other countries concerned to continue to increase the pressure on Russia and any of those who are aiding and abetting its ongoing aggression against Ukraine. That's the case, for example, with regard to Chinese entities that are supporting Russia's defense industrial base. And you've seen us, but you've also seen Europe sanction many of those entities. With regard to North Korea, we've been working together for some time to increase the pressure on North Korea, including through sanctions. But I think what's essential here is this: China has an important role to play in using its influence - its influence with the DPRK, North Korea, as well as with Russia - to cease these activities. And in the absence of that, I think one of the things you're going to see is the countries in the Indo-Pacific region to - and particularly on the Korean Peninsula, including the United States, including South Korea, including Japan, taking further steps to strengthen our own deterrence and defense capacities. And why is that? Because, as I mentioned before, we're deeply concerned about this two-way street - not only what North Korea is doing for Russia in its aggression against Ukraine, but what Russia is and may do for North Korea in terms of its missile capacity, its nuclear capacity, all of which increases insecurity and instability in the Korean - on the Korean Peninsula and will cause us to take further steps, building on what we've already done, to strengthen our deterrence and to strengthen our defense. And these are undoubtedly steps that, while not directed at China, China will not like. So when they are hearing not only from us but from many countries in Europe and from many countries in Asia the deep concerns that we all have about this relationship between Russia and North Korea, and as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, we, I think, would all look to China to use its influence to try to bring this to an end. MR PATEL: Christina Ruffini with One Decision. QUESTION: Hi, Mr. Secretary. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Evening. QUESTION: Do you think the European consensus on support for Ukraine will hold if the next administration pulls back from that effort? Can it survive without the full-throated support of America and particularly the American president? And I know you've been in meetings - I don't know if you've seen the images - but the Beirut skyline is currently littered with smoke plumes from heavy Israeli bombardment. Can you confirm the U.S. was only informed of that operation after it was in progress? And I'm wondering why the U.S. hasn't been able to be more influential in guiding Israel's actions in these conflicts. At this point, does the U.S.-Israel alliance benefit Israel more than it does the United States? Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good. Thanks. Let me take the second part first. I'll come to Ukraine and Europe in a minute. I think what you're seeing every day - that is, rockets, missiles are going in both directions - only underscores how urgent it is to get the ceasefire. And it's why we've been working so intensely on bringing it to conclusion. That's the single most important thing to make an immediate difference, to stop the rockets and missiles from flying - again, in both directions. Yes, we're seeing these attacks in Beirut directed against Hizballah, but every single day Hizballah has been launching projectiles into Israel, into northern Israel, as it's done virtually every day since October 7th, which is how this problem started. QUESTION: But the timing, do you think it's helpful? Did you know anything? SECRETARY BLINKEN: So again, I'm not going to speak to that. We've been focused on trying to see that this ceasefire agreement gets over the line and gets implemented. That's what's going to make the biggest difference. Look, we've been very clear also from day one that for the United States, we have a number of objectives in the Middle East. One is to make sure that we do everything we can to support Israel in its efforts to make sure that October 7th never happens again. Second, to do everything we can to make sure that the conflict doesn't spread, we don't have more open fronts, more open conflicts, which will simply endanger more lives and more livelihoods and create more suffering. And we've had some significant success in actually doing that, despite many, many challenges and many moments when this easily could have escalated into a regional war. And third has been to do everything we possibly can to help people who are caught in the middle of this horrific crossfire, a crossfire instigated by Hamas on October 7th. And that goes to the work that we've done on getting more humanitarian assistance more effectively to people who need it, to trying to get better protections for civilians who are caught in this. And while we absolutely must see more done on that front, it's also fair to say that what we've seen to date would not have happened without U.S. engagement, without U.S. determination. So we're intensely focused on this. We will be till the last day of this administration. On Ukraine and on Europe, look, what I've - what I continue to hear - I came from NATO meetings not so long ago, a few weeks ago, G20 meetings, and particularly here at the G7 - is enduring European support for Ukraine. I also believe that's reflected in my country, because we have a bipartisan majority in both houses of Congress who supported the supplemental budget appropriation for Ukraine. You see support on a bipartisan basis among the public for continuing to support Ukraine. But this has always been not just us, not just about us, not even just about Europe. This has been, in many ways, a global effort. We have more than 50 countries who have been supporting Ukraine and I believe, based on everything I'm hearing, will continue to do that. And what we're determined to do in the remainder of this administration is to do everything possible to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to be able, as I said, to fight through 2025 if necessary or, if there's a negotiation, to be able to negotiate from a position of strength. And much of what we're doing now, working in close coordination with allies and partners, including through the G7, is on these different lines of effort to make sure that we're moving out and moving ahead. Again, money, munitions, mobilize forces, and the training and support that they need - all of this we've been working. We'll continue to work over the coming weeks so that Ukraine is on a clear trajectory. And I'm convinced by everything I've heard that European support, support beyond Europe will remain strong. And I'm hopeful that the United States will also continue the efforts we've made. Final thing on this. I've never seen a better example of burden sharing in my 32 years of doing this. The United States has made significant investments in supporting Ukraine, about $100 billion over the last two and a half years. But our partners and allies around the world have contributed more than that, close to $150 billion. And of course, the investments we've made actually redound to our benefit in so many ways, investments that are made in the United States in terms of investing in our own defense industrial base to produce what Ukraine needs to deal with the Russian aggression. And that actually means more jobs in the United States; it means a stronger industrial base for the United States. And at the same time, our European partners are doing the same thing. And the reality is this: Ukraine is fighting for us. It's not just fighting for itself; it's fighting for us. Because what we've said from the start and the reason so many countries are involved in Ukraine's defense is because the aggression being committed by Russia is not only an aggression against Ukraine and its people; it's an aggression against the very principles that are at the heart of the international system and that are necessary for trying to maintain peace and stability, the notions that are at the heart of the United Nations Charter: sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity. And we know - and these more than 50 countries supporting Ukraine know - that if we let this go with impunity in one place, the message to would-be aggressors anywhere and everywhere is that it's open season. And that's a recipe for a world of conflict, and that's not a world that's in the interests of the United States or anyone else. So standing with, standing for Ukraine is, I believe, an important national interest, and that national interest is in making sure that we don't have a world of conflict, that we uphold international law, we uphold the system that is our best way of guaranteeing that there won't be war and that we can maintain peace and stability. MR PATEL: Final question, Cecilia Scaldaferri with AGI. QUESTION: Thank you. As you said, there is great hope for an Israeli green light to the ceasefire agreement on Lebanon, but there are also concerns about how Israel could react to violations, so what kind of guarantees have you given to it? SECRETARY BLINKEN: So I'm not going to speak to what's in the agreement that is before Israel and before Lebanon. I can say as a general matter that of course by definition Israel will always have the right to deal with challenges or threats to its security, just as any country has that right. But what I believe we have the possibility now of achieving is something that had not been the case up until now, which is the effective implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Now, why is that important? Well, let's remember just a little bit of history. Israel was in southern Lebanon for 18 years. It got out in 2000. Hizballah came further to the fore. There was another conflict in 2006, and when Israel ended that conflict as a result of Hizballah's aggression, the international community through the Security Council said we have to have some means of preventing this from happening again, and in particular, through Resolution 1701, making sure that Hizballah would not be in a position to carry out more attacks against Israel. Unfortunately, 1701 was never effectively implemented, and the result has been Hizballah has remained in a position where it could attack Israel and, as I said on October 8th, the day after October 7th, it again launched these attacks on Israel to such an extent that Israelis were forced out of their homes in northern Israel. Now what we've worked on for many months now was getting an agreement between Israel and Lebanon on the effective implementation of 1701 that would result in the withdrawal of any Israeli forces in Lebanon; the withdrawal of Hizballah to the north, such that it couldn't threaten Israel; the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces, so critical to the security of the state, to southern Lebanon, as well as UNIFIL; and an oversight mechanism to make sure that the agreements were - any agreements are being carried out and fulfilled. So if this is finally agreed and if this goes forward, it is the answer to the problem that has bedeviled the area for a couple of decades and is the best way to guarantee that there is peace, there is stability, and this constant threat of attack from Hizballah which has caused people to leave their homes, kids to not be able to go to school, is over, people can return, just as people who've been displaced in southern Lebanon can return to their homes. So that's in the immediate what's at stake, as well as, I think, the larger ramifications of getting an agreement, including what I believe can be very positive effects on also ending the conflict in Gaza. Thank you. MR PATEL: Thanks, everybody. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting Statement US Department of State Media Note Office of the Spokesperson November 26, 2024 The text of the following statement was released by the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union. Begin Text: I. INTRODUCTION We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, reiterate our commitment to foster respect for international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, to protect human rights and dignity for all individuals and to promote gender equality. As the international community is facing a growing number of challenges, including climate change and biodiversity loss, disaster risks, the eradication of hunger and poverty, emerging and disruptive technologies, we renew our determination to foster collective action in the pursuit of common solutions. Following the adoption of the Pact for the Future and its Annexes last September, we will work towards its implementation with all UN Member States and relevant stakeholders, through dialogue and mutual understanding. We reaffirm our commitment to work with all UN member states to strengthen the roles of the UNSG as well as the UNGA. We also recommit to the reform of the UNSC. Today, we reiterate our determination to further strengthen G7 unity and sense of common purpose, building on commitments taken by leaders at the Apulia G7 Summit and at our previous Foreign Ministers' meetings. II. STEADFAST SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE On 19th of November 2024, 1000 days have passed since Russia started its illegal, unjustifiable and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine, causing immense human suffering and destruction. We stand firm against Russia's war of aggression. We vehemently condemn the brutal attacks against Ukraine's cities and critical civilian infrastructure and its unacceptable toll on the civilian population. Russia's use of an intermediate range ballistic missile on 21 November is further evidence of its reckless and escalatory behaviour. Our support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence will remain unwavering. In the G7+ Ministerial Meeting on Ukraine Energy Sector Support on the margins of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly we committed to continue to give immediate priority to Ukraine's early recovery and energy resilience for this winter season, protecting and restoring the grid and bolstering generation capacity to protect the livelihoods of millions of Ukrainians and avoid a further, catastrophic deterioration of the humanitarian situation. We condemn Russia's seizure and continued control and militarization of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which poses severe risks for nuclear safety and security, with implications for the broader international community. We support the International Atomic Energy Agency's efforts directed at mitigating such risks, including through the continuous presence of IAEA experts and its focus on ensuring nuclear safety and security at the site. We condemn the recent increase in Russian attacks on commercial shipping and civilian port infrastructure in the Black Sea, which undermines international law, including UNCLOS, puts maritime safety and security at risk and impacts global food security. We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia's irresponsible and threatening nuclear rhetoric as well as its posture of strategic intimidation. We will never tolerate threats to use nuclear weapons, let alone any use of nuclear weapons, by Russia in the context of its war of aggression against Ukraine. We also express our deepest concern about the use of chemical weapons as well as riot control agents as a method of warfare by Russia in Ukraine. As the findings of the report issued recently by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have confirmed the presence of riot control agents in samples collected from the frontlines in Dnipropetrovsk region in Ukraine, we emphasize that the use of such weapons as a method of warfare is a flagrant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. We call on OPCW to shed full light on the use of these grenades and on other relevant incidents in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We also condemn in the strongest terms Russia's widespread and systematic torture and ill treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, and civilian detainees including the use of sexual violence, as reported by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. We welcome the approval by Finance Ministers of the principles and technical features of the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans initiative for the benefit of Ukraine, which was announced by G7 Leaders at the Apulia Summit in June. The ERA Loan initiative will disburse approximately USD 50 billion (EUR 45 billion) for the benefit of Ukraine. These loans will be serviced and repaid by future flows of extraordinary revenues stemming from the immobilization of Russian Sovereign Assets, in line with G7 respective legal systems and international law. This historic G7 Leaders' decision and its timely implementation confirm that the G7 remains steadfast in its solidarity to support Ukraine's fight for freedom, and its recovery and reconstruction. Russian illegal and unprovoked aggression has caused untold harm to the people of Ukraine and to global peace and security. We will not tire in our resolve to give Ukraine the support it needs to prevail. With the large amount of financing from the ERA loans directed at Ukraine's pressing budgetary, military and reconstruction need, we have once again made clear our unwavering commitment to stand by Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. Our aim is to begin disbursing the funds by the end of the year. We will build on our comprehensive sanctions and economic measures to further restrict the revenues, goods, and technology Russia uses to fund and conduct its war. We will take appropriate measures, consistent with our legal systems, against actors in China and in other third countries that materially support Russia's war machine, including financial institutions and other entities that facilitate Russia's acquisition of equipment and items for its defense industrial base. We will continue to apply significant pressure on Russian revenues from energy, metals and other commodities including through the effective implementation of existing measures and further actions against the "shadow fleet". We will take robust action against actors who aid Russia in circumventing our sanctions. We are seriously concerned about the deployment of the DPRK's troops to Russia and their use on the battlefield against Ukraine. The DPRK's direct support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, besides signaling Russia's desperate efforts to compensate its losses, marks a dangerous expansion of the conflict, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security. We are working with our international partners for a coordinated response to this development. We are also deeply concerned about the potential for any transfer of nuclear or ballistic missiles-related technology to the DPRK in violation of the relevant UNSC resolutions. We urge countries with ties to Russia and the DPRK, including China, to uphold international law by opposing this dangerous expansion of the conflict and implementing all relevant UNSC resolutions. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between DPRK and Russia, including DPRK's export and Russia's procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles and munitions in direct violation of relevant UNSC Resolutions, as well as Russia's use of these missiles and munitions against Ukraine. We condemn the use of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) by the Russian Government and its proxies to support its war against Ukraine and fuel global tensions. Collectively responding to FIMI remains central to the G7. Developing a Collective Response Framework by the end of the year via the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) is a crucial step in that direction, as tasked by the G7 Leaders. We remain fully committed to contributing to Ukraine's future reconstruction as a driver for inclusive growth, green transition and prosperity, while also closely linked to the reform agenda and the related EU accession path. We look forward to the next Ukraine Recovery Conference, to be hosted in Rome next 10-11 July 2025. We commend Ukraine's progress so far and will continue to provide all the necessary support as it advances on its path towards EU and Euro-Atlantic integration. Our ultimate goal remains to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, capable of restoring full respect for the fundamental principles of international law, blatantly breached by Russia. We welcome the Summit on Peace in Ukraine that took place in Switzerland on June 15-16 and its focus on the key priorities needed to achieve a framework for peace based on international law, including the UN Charter and its principles, and respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We stress that no initiative about Ukraine can be taken without Ukraine. To that end, we will continue engaging also with global partners and actors to achieve the widest possible international support for the key principles and objectives of Ukraine's Peace Formula, in line with international law including the UN Charter principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. We condemn Russia's unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children. We welcome the Montreal Pledge as the outcome of the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine's 10-Point Peace Formula, co-hosted by Canada, Ukraine and Norway as well as the offers by Qatar, South Africa and the Holy See to serve as intermediaries to support and negotiate the return of children; the continuing role of the United Arab Emirates on mediating the exchanges of prisoners of war; and the offers by Norway, Lithuania and Qatar to provide a supportive environment for Ukrainians returning home. We reiterate our condemnation of the Belarusian regime's complicity in Russia's war against Ukraine. We express our continued concern over the regime's continuing repression of independent media, civil society, political opposition, and citizens peacefully expressing their views. We also condemn the ill treatment of political prisoners and ask for their immediate and unconditional release. III. SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST We reaffirm our unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas and other terrorist groups against Israel on October 7, 2023. These atrocities, including the taking of hostages, are intolerable. We continue to call for the immediate release of all hostages, and for the remains held by Hamas in Gaza to be returned to their loved ones. We are deeply concerned by the escalating violence across the Middle East, which threatens regional stability and shatters the lives of civilians. An immediate halt to this destructive cycle is imperative, as no country stands to gain from further escalation in the region. Our commitment remains steadfast to the full implementation of UNSC resolution 2735 (2024) and to the comprehensive agreement advanced by President Biden in May. This plan would lead to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, a significant and sustained increase in the flow of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, and an enduring end to the crisis, to secure a pathway to a two-state solution, with Israel and a sovereign Palestinian state living side by side in peace and mutual safety. We urge all parties to accept the ceasefire and call on countries with influence to help reinforce mediation efforts conducted by the US, Egypt and Qatar. We are alarmed by the increasing toll of hostilities along the Blue Line and beyond. We are gravely concerned about the very high number of civilian casualties, the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and health care centers. The growing number of internally displaced persons in Lebanon is alarming. Displaced persons on both sides of the Blue Line must be allowed to return to their homes in safety and security. We remain concerned about the massive displacement of Lebanese people and Syrian refugees in Lebanon to Syria and Iraq. We urge the respect of international humanitarian law in all circumstances. We support the ongoing negotiation for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and the full implementation of UNSC resolution 1701 (2006). Now is the time to conclude a diplomatic settlement and we welcome efforts deployed in that regard. We emphasize again the role played by the Lebanese Armed Forces and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose posture should be strengthened, in order to fulfill their respective responsibilities. In this regard, we express deep concern over the recent attacks and strikes on UNIFIL, which have injured several peacekeepers and damaged facilities. We condemn any threats to the security of UNIFIL personnel and call on all parties to uphold their obligations to ensure their safety, allowing them to fulfill their mandate. We welcome discussions held at the Humanitarian Conference organized in the framework of the G7 Ministers' Meeting on Development in Pescara on October 22 with countries from the region and International Organizations, and at the International Conference in Support of Lebanon's people and Sovereignty hosted in Paris on October 24, to assess and address the urgent humanitarian needs in the region and accelerate coordination to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population. We also welcome the progress in the implementation of the "Food for Gaza" initiative - launched by Italy together with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent to facilitate the delivery of aid. The death toll in Gaza is tragic and continues to rise. The situation in Gaza has led to unprecedented levels of food insecurity, affecting much of the population, particularly in the North. Securing humanitarian access through all crossing points is a priority, as is ensuring security for aid to actually be delivered to the most vulnerable inside Gaza. All parties must facilitate aid delivery and protect humanitarian workers by implementing necessary de-confliction measures. It is critical that there be no interruption in the delivery of aid and essential services to those who need it most. We express our support to UNRWA to effectively uphold its mandate and we emphasize the vital role that the UN Agency plays. We urge the Israeli Government to abide by its international obligations, and fulfill its responsibility to facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms as well as the provision of sorely needed basic services to the civilian population in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. We express our concern for the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank. All parties must refrain from unilateral actions and from divisive statements that may undermine the prospect of a two-state solution including Israeli's expansion of settlements, legalization of settlement outposts and any annexation of the West Bank. We express our strongest condemnation for the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians, which undermines security and stability in the West Bank and threatens prospects for a lasting peace. Maintaining economic stability in the West Bank is critical for regional security. We urge Israeli authorities to release all withheld clearance revenues, remove measures that exacerbate the economic situation in the West Bank and extend correspondent banking relationships with Palestinian financial institutions. In exercising its right to defend itself, Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including International Humanitarian Law. We reiterate our commitment to International Humanitarian Law and will comply with our respective obligations. We underline that there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment, through reinvigorated efforts in the Middle East Peace Process, to the vision of a two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions. In this regard, we stress the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority. We reiterate our commitment to support civil society peacebuilding efforts, ensuring that they are part of a larger strategy to build the foundation for a negotiated and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. We reiterate our strong condemnation of Iran's missile attacks against Israel, which pose a serious threat to regional stability. We also condemn continuous destabilizing actions of Iran's affiliated armed groups - including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, as well as armed militias in Iraq and Syria. We will continue to work to avoid further escalation. A wider conflict in the region is in nobody's interest. We call on all parties to show restraint. We reiterate our determination that Iran must never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon. We will continue to work together, and with other international partners, to address Iran's nuclear escalation. A diplomatic solution remains the best way to resolve this issue. Iran must cease and reverse nuclear activities that have no credible civilian justification and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency without further delay to fully implement its legally binding safeguards agreement and commitments under UNSC resolution 2231 (2015). We reiterate our deep concern over Iran's human rights violations, especially against women, girls and minority groups. We call on Iran's leadership to end all unjust and arbitrary detentions, including of dual and foreign citizens, and condemn the unacceptable harassment of its citizens. We call on Iran to allow access to the country to relevant Human Rights Council Special Procedures mandate holders. We strongly condemn the transfer of Iranian weaponry to Russia. We are already responding with new and significant measures. Iran must immediately cease all support to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and halt such transfers of ballistic missiles, UAVs and related technology. The Houthis attacks against commercial shipping transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden must stop. These attacks constitute an egregious violation of international law. They have killed innocent seafarers, continue to endanger the lives and safety of crews and have exposed ecosystems in the area and coastal States to serious and grave environmental risks. We urge the Houthis to immediately release the MV Galaxy Leader and its crew. We note with satisfaction the intervention of the EU maritime operation ASPIDES and partners in preventing an environmental disaster in the case of the MT Delta Sounion. We reaffirm the right of countries to defend their vessels, in line with UNSC resolution 2722 (2024) and in accordance with international law. We applaud the efforts of ASPIDES and the US-led operation Prosperity Guardian in protecting vital sea lanes. We strongly condemn the Houthis' unjustified detention of UN, NGO, civil society and diplomatic personnel in Yemen, demanding their immediate release. We urge the Houthis to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the safety of humanitarian workers. We express deep concern about the repercussions of the crisis in the Red Sea also on the peace process in Yemen. We call on all parties, especially the Houthis, to resume negotiations in a responsible and constructive manner, in line with the UN-facilitated understanding reached in December 2023. IV. INDO-PACIFIC AND THE REGION We are committed to upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the rule of law, which is inclusive, prosperous and secure, grounded on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights. We reaffirm our unwavering support for ASEAN centrality and unity and our commitment to promoting cooperation in line with ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. We reaffirm our support for the objectives set in the PIF 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. We will continue strengthening the work of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) in the Indo-Pacific, including through the PGII-Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Investment Accelerator. We welcome the development of the Luzon Economic Corridor, the first PGII corridor in the Indo-Pacific, which will bring quality infrastructure and investment to the region. As we seek constructive and stable relations with China, we recognize the importance of direct and candid engagement to express concerns and manage differences. We reaffirm our readiness to cooperate with China to address global challenges We are deeply concerned by China's increasing support to Russia and Russia's defense industrial base, which is decisively enabling Russia to maintain its illegal war in Ukraine and to reconstitute its armed forces and has significant broad-based security implications. China must prevent its companies from transferring weapons, especially attack Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), dual-use materials, including weapons components, and equipment. We also call on China to step up efforts to promote international peace and security and to press Russia to stop its military aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine. We recognize the importance of China in global trade. We are not trying to harm China or thwart its economic development, indeed a growing China that plays by international rules and norms would be of global interest. However, we express our concerns about China's non-market policies and practices that are leading to harmful overcapacity and market distortions, undermining our workers, industries and economic resilience and security. We are not decoupling or turning inwards. Together with our partners, we are de-risking and diversifying supply chains, where necessary and appropriate to reduce critical dependencies and vulnerabilities and to foster resilience to economic coercion. We further call on China to refrain from adopting export control measures, particularly on critical minerals, that could lead to significant supply chain disruptions. We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas. We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. There is no legal basis for China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea. We reiterate our opposition to China's militarization and coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea. We re-emphasize the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and reaffirm its important role in setting out the legal framework that governs all activities in the oceans and seas. We continue to oppose China's dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea and its repeated obstruction of countries' freedom of navigation and overflight. We express deep concern over the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine and Vietnamese vessels. We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on 12 July 2016 is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties. Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is indispensable to international security and prosperity. We call for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. There is no change in the basic position of the G7 members on Taiwan, including stated One-China policies. We support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations as a member where statehood is not a prerequisite and as an observer or guest where it is. We remain concerned by the human rights situation in China, including in Xinjiang and Tibet. We remain concerned by the erosion of civil society, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong. The sentencing of 45 pro-democracy politicians and activists marks a further deterioration of democratic participation and pluralism, which undermines confidence in the rule of law as enshrined in the Hong Kong Basic Law, and therefore Hong Kong's and the People's Republic of China's international legal obligations. We urge China and the Hong Kong authorities to abide by their international human rights commitments and legal obligations. We call on China not to conduct or condone activities aimed at undermining the security and safety of our communities and the integrity of our democratic institutions, and to act in strict accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. We strongly condemn the DPRK's continuing expansion of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs and its continuous destabilizing activities. We further reiterate our call for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and demand that DPRK abandon all its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other WMD and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner, in accordance with all relevant UNSC resolutions. We urge all UN Member States to fully implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Following Russia's disturbing veto last March on the mandate renewal of the UNSC 1718 Committee Panel of Experts, we are working with the international community to establish alternative multilateral mechanisms, including the recently established Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), to monitor and report on violations and evasions of the sanction measures stipulated in the relevant UNSC resolutions , based on our commitment to uphold international peace and security and to safeguard the global non-proliferation regime. We strongly condemn DPRK's systematic human rights violations and abuses and its choice to prioritize its unlawful weapons development programs over the welfare of the people of DPRK. We call upon DPRK to resolve the abductions issue immediately. V. PARTNERSHIPS WITH AFRICAN COUNTRIES We reiterate our commitment to support African nations in the pursuit of peace, stability and sustainable development, as well as the creation of jobs and growth. We will continue to build equitable and sustainable partnerships with Africa based on result-based initiatives, aligned with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the integrated African continental thematic plans, in order to jointly tackle global challenges. We reiterate our commitment to support the African Union in the pursuit of peace and stability. We recognize the importance of bridging digital divides and strengthening the value chain between G7 and African countries. In this respect, we welcome the progress made by the G7 Italian Presidency in collaboration with UNDP in the co-design of the "AI Hub for Sustainable Development," set to focus on key sectors including agriculture, health, infrastructure, education and training, water, and energy, in the spirit of the Mattei Plan. The Hub embodies the G7's commitment to "Growing Together" with partner countries, advancing shared goals of sustainable development and ensuring that the digital age contributes to a more inclusive and prosperous future for all. We also welcome the G20 recognition of the WHO-led Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) and the Global Digital Health Certification Network, aligning support and guidance for digital transformation. Building on the achievements of previous G7 Presidencies, we will continue strengthening the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) in the African continent as well as initiatives such as the EU Global Gateway. PGII offers a framework to promote sustainable, climate neutral, inclusive, resilient and economically viable quality infrastructure, underpinned by high standards, transparent project selection, procurement and finance. While PGII has a global reach, we commit to focus on regions and sectors where infrastructure investment has the greatest impact, including the African continent. We welcome the decisions taken at the G7 Development Ministers' meeting in Pescara to launch the PGII secretariat, for effective implementation and investment coordination with partners, and to support the implementation of the African Virtual Investment Platform (AVIP), to enhance data and information, transparency and public policies on investment in Africa, in line with the Apulia G7 Leaders' commitment to enhance the PGII. PGII will work together with Public Development Banks, Development Finance Institutions, Multilateral Development Banks and the private sector to improve enabling environments and country-based investment design, coordination and co-financing. In line with the integrated African continental plans for improved local and regional infrastructure, trade and food security, initial pilots will be linked to economic corridors, such as the Lobito Corridor in Southern and Central Africa. We welcome the G7 leader's decision to launch the "Energy for Growth in Africa" initiative, that will help to overcome barriers to investments in clean energy across Africa. We also welcome the launch of the G7 Apulia Food Systems Initiative (AFSI), a package of initiatives to improve food security and nutrition and harness the role of agriculture and food systems for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on Africa. The AFSI will concentrate on concrete actions on the ground, supporting multi-stakeholder initiatives to promote sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems, including in coffee value-chains, and fight malnutrition, with a focus on childhood stunting and wasting. We commend the launch of Gavi's African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA) and look forward to collaborating with Gavi, the African Union and Africa CDC to develop regional vaccine manufacturing capacity. VI. MIGRATION In line with the Apulia G7 Leaders' Communique, we affirm our collective commitment to enhance cooperation to address the drivers of irregular migration and forced displacement, such as global poverty, instability, climate change and seize the opportunities migration brings globally. In doing so we will work in partnership with countries of origin, transit and destination to support their sustainable development, resilience and stability. VII. REGIONAL ISSUES Afghanistan We are appalled by the continued and systemic abuses of human rights and the growing restrictions imposed by the Taliban on the lives of the Afghan people, particularly women and girls, in violation of international obligations and Treaties to which Afghanistan is a State Party. We will continue to provide assistance to address the severe and deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the country. We remain committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan. The objective of an Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbors, fully reintegrated into the international community and meeting international obligations can only be achieved through an inclusive and representative political process regarding the future of the country, ensuring the full, equal, safe and meaningful participation of Afghan women, in line with the UN independent assessment - as recognized by UNSC Resolution 2721 (2023) - and UNSC resolution 2593 (2021). Great Lakes The G7 is deeply concerned by the ongoing crisis in the Great Lakes region, marked by armed violence, widespread human rights violations and abuses, and worsening displacement of populations. We strongly condemn the atrocities committed by any armed groups, as well as the violations of international law by any parties. We continue to express deep concern about the reports on foreign military support for M23 and direct military interventions on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) territory. We call for the territorial integrity of the DRC to be respected. We stress the urgent need for immediate, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access to affected populations. We fully support the mediation led by Angola and President Joao Lourenco between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. We urge the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to achieve swift progress in the implementation of the commitments made through the Luanda Process. The current ceasefire, which went into effect on August 4th, should be respected strictly. It is imperative that all regional actors refrain from any direct or indirect support to armed groups. We reaffirm our support for efforts to combat the illegal exploitation of natural resources and to promote sustainable and equitable development for the benefit of local populations. Haiti We condemn the continued violence and human rights abuses perpetrated by armed gangs in Haiti. We reiterate our support to the efforts of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) and we take note of the appointment of Mr Alix Didier Fils-Aime as Prime Minister of Haiti. We call upon all Haitian political actors to work together to restore democratic institutions and the rule of law in Haiti, leading the Country to a new democratically elected government in office by February 2026. We reiterate our full support to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which is providing critical support to the Haitian National Police against criminal gangs. We emphasize the importance of continued financial contributions to the UN Trust Fund as well as contributions in kind to the MSS mission, in the face of persisting dire conditions on the ground. It remains essential to create the necessary security conditions for convening the elections. We are gravely concerned that nearly half of Haiti's population is acutely food insecure. We call on all Haiti's partners to continue their support for humanitarian and development assistance to the Haitian people. We support Haiti's request for the United Nations to consider a transition of the MSS mission to a peacekeeping operation. Libya We reaffirm our commitment to preserving Libya's sovereignty, stability, independence, territorial integrity, and national unity, and support a positive response to Libya's request to the UN Security Council for international assistance to enhance security coordination among Libyan security forces throughout the country. We deplore Russia's malign activities in Libya, which undermine Libyan sovereignty and regional security and we call for the withdrawal of all foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya without delay. We strongly support the longstanding efforts by the United Nations and UNSMIL officer in charge Stephanie Koury to facilitate meaningful and inclusive dialogue among Libyan parties in order to reverse institutional fragmentation and move towards sustainable stability and security. In this regard, the recent agreement on the appointment of the new leadership of the Central Bank of Libya represents an opportunity to relaunch a process towards a comprehensive political agreement based on compromise. That will pave the way towards free, fair and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections conducive to the reunification of Libya's government and political, economic and military institutions. We furthermore affirm our support for the High National Elections Commission and the first round of municipal elections held on November 16, which offer Libyans the chance to exercise their democratic rights. Myanmar The brutal military regime in Myanmar must stop all violence - including airstrikes - that harm civilians, release all those arbitrarily detained and engage in a truly inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders. UNSC Resolution 2669 (2022) must be implemented fully and without conditions. We call on all armed actors to protect civilians and allow unhindered humanitarian access. We support ASEAN's efforts to achieve swift and complete implementation of the Five-Point Consensus and advocate for a strengthened UN engagement. We welcome the UN Special Evoy's recent visit to Myanmar and her efforts to resolve the crisis. We call for the regime to stop restricting access to UN Agencies, humanitarian aid, independent and international humanitarian actors, and allow full and unimpeded access to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. We call for the cessation of any arms and dual-use materials' transfers to the Myanmar military, including jet fuel. It is necessary to work towards a political solution that truly honors the aspirations of the Myanmar people to live in peace, freedom and democracy. We reiterate the need to create conditions for sustainable, voluntary, safe and dignified returns of displaced Rohingya and other refugees. Somalia We welcome Somalia's enduring efforts at institution building and in the fight against terrorism. We deem the stabilization of Somalia as a relevant factor to guaranteeing that both the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea lanes be secure. We encourage the Somali Government to continue in its path of consolidation of the Federal institutional framework and to undertake a transparent and inclusive constitutional reform process. We stand alongside Somalia in its fight against the terrorist movement of Al-Shabaab and other violent organizations. As for the upcoming termination of the African Union Transitional Mission (ATMIS), we believe it is essential to avoid any security gap that jihadist terrorism could exploit, before the transfer of responsibilities to national security forces is completed. Therefore, we support the new African Union Support Mission to Somalia (AUSSOM) and we encourage both the Somali Government and the AU to envisage an operational framework than ensures the mission can truly continue to provide stability to both the Country and the region. We call on all partners to ensure that the new mission has the support and funding it requires to succeed. Sudan A year and a half into the fighting, Sudan's civil war has taken a devastating toll on human lives and vital infrastructure. We reiterate our firm condemnation of ongoing attacks, including indiscriminate and direct targeting of civilians by both parties, which is causing massive displacement of people throughout the region, and worsening an already dreadful humanitarian situation. We call for an immediate end to violence. We especially note the impact of the crisis on women and girls and condemn the atrocities being committed by both sides, including kidnapping and sexual violence. All parties to the conflict must engage in serious negotiations aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire, humanitarian access and protection of civilians without pre-conditions. All external actors must stop fueling the conflict, in line with the commitments made in the Declaration of Principles adopted at the Paris Conference, and respect the UN arms embargo on Darfur. We urge the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces and their allied militias to comply with International Humanitarian Law, protecting civilians and facilitating rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access both into Sudan and across lines of conflict. We note with grave concern that the UN Fact Finding Mission has found reasonable grounds to believe that Rapid Support Forces and allied militias have "committed crimes against humanity, including persecution on the basis of ethnicity and forcible displacement of the population", and that Sudanese Armed Forces have committed "war crimes of violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture". We urge the warring parties to implement their Jeddah Declaration commitments, and we urge for the establishment of a robust and transparent monitoring and verification mechanism for the protection of civilians. Venezuela On July 28 the Venezuelan people made a clear choice in the polls, voting for democratic change and supporting Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia by a significant majority according to publicly available electoral records. We will continue to support efforts by regional partners to facilitate a Venezuelan-led democratic and peaceful transition that will ensure respect for the will of the voters. We are deeply troubled by the continued violations and abuses of human rights, including arbitrary detentions and severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms, targeting in particular political opponents, civil society, and independent media. All unjustly detained political prisoners must be released. End Text. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's veto prevented necessary Council action on the basic right of African civilians to be protected: UK statement at the UN General Assembly Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN General Assembly meeting on the use of the veto. 26 November 2024 Last week our Foreign Secretary used the UK Presidency of the Security Council to draw the world's attention to the devasting impact on civilians of the conflict in Sudan. The Secretary-General's October report described the deliberate targeting of civilians, widespread sexual violence, and the abduction of children. The UK and Sierra Leone decided to act in response to the urgent situation on the ground. Working in partnership, we co-penned a resolution on the protection of civilians, seeking to bring the Council together to address the protection crisis. We consulted extensively with Council members and stakeholders to produce a balanced text. The draft resolution called for the development of a compliance mechanism for the Jeddah Declaration, ensuring that the commitments made by both parties to protect civilians translated to results on the ground. It called for the warring parties to support humanitarian pauses to ensure the safe passage of civilians and aid. And it would have provided the international community with practical steps to support mediation efforts, to protect civilians and work towards a lasting ceasefire. The draft resolution also fully respected the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Sudan. We engaged extensively and listened carefully to the views of the Sudanese Mission when developing the text. Nothing in the text compromised the sovereignty of Sudan. Indeed, the provisions on humanitarian access through border crossings were explicit that this should be done with the prior agreement and coordination of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereign Council. The Sierra Leone UK co-penned resolution received 14 votes in favour. This included all the African Council members. But one country cynically blocked this resolution at the last minute. Russia's veto prevented necessary Council action on the basic rights of African civilians to be protected. Despite Russia's veto, 14 votes in favour sends a clear message. The international community will not allow Sudan to be forgotten, nor the suffering of civilians to be ignored. We must ensure that the Security Council continues to act for peace in Sudan. Our ambition remains high and unwavering, and we hope to move forward constructively. The UK is doing its part. Foreign Secretary Lammy announced last week that we are doubling the UK's humanitarian aid to Sudan, providing an additional $143 million. But funding is not the only issue, we must ensure that aid actually reaches those most in need. We welcome the decision to extend the authorization of the Adre crossing and the establishment of UN humanitarian hubs in El-Obeid Kadugli and Ad-Damazin. We call on the Sudanese authorities to facilitate UN presence and delivery across all of Sudan. We welcome the new emergency relief coordinators visit to Sudan, and we will continue to work with our OCHA, our African partners and other actors to press for more aid, more access and more protection in Sudan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Federation's Recent Vetoing of Security Council Resolution on Sudanese Conflict Causing Continued Suffering in Strife-Torn Country, Speakers Tell General Assembly Meetings Coverage General Assembly / Plenary Seventy-ninth Session, 42nd Meeting (PM) GA/12659 26 November 2024 Delegates in the General Assembly took turns today to express their regret over the Russian Federation's recent vetoing of a Security Council resolution concerning the situation in Sudan, stressing that such action translates to immense and continued suffering in that strife-torn country. The Assembly met pursuant to the April 2022 resolution (document A/RES/76/262), by which it is stipulated to formally convene within 10 working days of the casting of a veto by one or more permanent Council members. (For background, see Press Release SC/15901 of 18 November.) The Russian Federation's action on 18 November further generated calls on the need for Security Council reform to position itself and the Organization to better function as the safeguard for the prosperity and liberties of individuals and nations all over the world. "Today's meeting underscores the shared responsibility of the Security Council and the General Assembly to work collaboratively to safeguard peace and collective security," said Assembly President Philemon Yang (Cameroon). He expressed concern over increasing use of the veto since 2022 following adoption of Assembly resolution 77/262. The alarming trend highlights, yet again, the urgent need for the 193-member organ to take initiative on critical issues of peace and security when the Security Council "finds itself paralyzed and unable to fulfil its core mandates". With over 11 million persons displaced in Sudan, 3 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries and 80 per cent of the country's healthcare centres in conflict areas closed or nonfunctional, "these atrocities demand our immediate and collective attention", he said, calling on all parties to the Sudanese conflict to engage in dialogue, institute an immediate cessation of hostilities and work towards a sustainable resolution. Likewise, the Council must rise to its responsibility and fulfil its mandate in maintaining international peace and security. He called on the international community to not allow the situation to fade in the background as other global conflicts are addressed as it "is equally tragic, equally urgent and demands action". Russian Federation's Speaker Defends Veto Action Speaking in defence of the veto action, the speaker for the Russian Federation said her country esteems the right to the veto with a full sense of responsibility and would not use it without "real justifications" which the Sudan situation presented on account of some "extremely dangerous" points in the text which threaten that country's sovereignty. She said the request to deploy international forces in Sudan should come "exclusively" from its leadership and not done "above the heads" of the authorities. "Ill-thought-through peacekeeping operations in the hot stage of a domestic conflict, given its vast geography will end in disaster" and could undermine Sudan's trust in the UN, she warned, adding that her country is opposed to the politicization of the dire humanitarian situation there. She called on the Organization's humanitarian structure and its Western partners to refresh their memory on the UN's guiding humanitarian principles, "including the depoliticized nature of any assistance provided". Asserting that the path towards an immediate solution is to ensure an agreement from warring parties and "no one can make this decision for them" she said the Council's role is to assist in this regard and not impose on the Sudanese people the view of some Council members "peppered with postcolonial ideas regarding how this country should be structured". Further, she called for separate discussions on the illegal and unacceptable unilateral sanctions against the Sahelian country, stating that Moscow will "decisively put a stop to any attempts of our Western colleagues to use this topic to their own ends". Moreover, her delegation cannot take as serious criticisms by the United States which itself has time and again blocked several Gaza ceasefire resolutions, she added. Sudan's Delegate Says Resolution Undermines Sudanese Sovereignty Sudan's delegate said his country had, during deliberations, shared reservations on paragraph 10 of the resolution which undermines Sudanese sovereignty and authority. He expected the Council to take a more positive approach and unite against the militia and the Gulf State sponsoring the aggression destroying his country, he said, regretting that some Council members ignored "clear proof" of crimes by the militia. This "clearly reflects the double standards we find unacceptable," he stressed, further rejecting that some countries use the conflict for political purposes, particularly the flow of arms into Sudan and the use of artificial intelligence to attack its territorial integrity. He regretted the difficulty in adopting more consensus-based wording that could have allowed the text's adoption instead of signalling to the Rapid Support Forces that their actions can continue and called on the Council to avoid adopting new resolutions "which bring nothing new". The Council should call on the Support Forces to respect the Jeddah commitment and resolution 2736 (2024). Highlighting his Government's facilitation of visas and the opening of crossing points of different airports to show Sudan's willingness to cooperate with the UN, he urged the international community to "now build capacity and guarantee stability" particularly on resources and precious metals. "We believe the Russian veto supported this State that was being targeted, its military forces that were going to be dismantled and also supported the sovereignty which one of the paragraphs in the resolution was going to deny," he said. Dissociating his delegation from limited policies that do not regard the Sudanese people, he called on the Council to rediscover preventive diplomacy and the vision of the late Dag Hammarskjold. Delegates Voice Disappointment Russian Federation's Veto Prevented Resolution of Crisis Delegates expressed their disappointments not only about the exercise of the veto by the Russian Federation but also in its preventing a resolution of the crisis. The representative of the Netherlands, also speaking for Belgium and Luxembourg, observed that the Russian Federation's use of the veto forestalls important new accountability and compliance measures that would have improved the foundation for the protection of civilians in Sudan. "Blocking the resolution has done nothing to ease the suffering of people," she stressed, calling on States to "start working for the Sudanese people, rather than against them". "When the UN Security Council fails to take a decision, it is civilian lives that are lost", ceasefire steps hindered and peace that is prevented, said the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, calling on States to overcome their differences for the sake of "those" civilians. Australia's representative, who spoke also on behalf of Canada and New Zealand, echoed this position, saying the veto initiative ensures that Security Council actions are made to be accountable. "We are appalled by Russia's incomprehensible use of the veto," said the representative of Norway, also speaking for fellow Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. She regretted the humanitarian situation affecting millions in Sudan and called on all external actors to "refrain from fuelling the fire". France's delegate noted that Moscow opposed the draft resolution "without any valid reason" despite all points of view taken into account during deliberations. This veto prevented progress on the implementation of the compliance mechanism on the commitments contained in the Jeddah Declaration. Nevertheless, "we cannot resign ourselves to inaction," he said, recalling that, on 15 April, his country organized the international conference to provide assistance to Sudan and its neighbouring countries and mobilized more than 2 billion euros to that end. Security Council Reform Vital to Address Evolving Conflicts Delegates also used the opportunity to press home the need for Council reform in a world of evolving conflicts confronted by an unable Council. "There is no time as the present, where the reform of the Security Council has been necessary and urgent," said South Africa's delegate, regretting that "from Africa to the Middle East, the world is in turmoil because the tools in the hands of the United Nations have been blunted by the use of the veto." She called for accelerated efforts towards finding a negotiated solution because the longer this conflict persists, the greater the risk of fragmentation and foreign interference. Veto Must be Prohibited in Situations of Mass Atrocities Expressing regret that Sudan's humanitarian crisis is "one of the most severe and underreported tragedies of our time," Malaysia's representative said the exercise of the veto must be prohibited in situations of mass atrocity crimes genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, noting, however, that "ultimately, the veto needs to be abolished altogether." Some speakers highlighted the implications of the veto on the families and lives of civilians, with Chile's representative stressing that "protecting human life must be our highest priority". He added that the end of the war is only possible through diplomacy and dialogue. The Russian Federation "has been playing both sides of the conflict to advance its own selfish political objectives at the expense of Sudanese lives", said the United States' delegate. "Russia claims it is for Africans, but instead votes against a resolution supported by Africans, for Africans, to save African lives," she said, regretting that Moscow "callously and cynically" prevented the Council from doing its job to save lives in the world's worst humanitarian crisis. In a twist to the accusations and counter accusations, the representative of the Republic of Korea said that while the Rapid Support Forces continue to violate international humanitarian law, the Sudanese authorities are exploiting the failure to adopt the text and use it as a justification to continue "their" war. "This is an entirely man-made catastrophe, fuelled by a power struggle to consolidate authority through violence," he added. The Way Forward Some delegates like Saudi Arabia and Egypt were quick to provide solutions on the way forward with the former, recalling his country's hosting of the Jeddah commitments, underscoring that the political settlement is the only way to stop the crisis. Those commitments should therefore be implemented, while the Council shoulders its responsibilities to guarantee Sudan's unity, security and stability. As for the latter, any solution to the current crisis should be based on respect for Sudan's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the stability of its institutions "to allow them to play their role". Hence, there is a need for vigilance. His delegation welcomes and is working hard towards efforts aimed at strengthening mutual trust between the country and the UN, he said, warning that the opening of the Abri and other cross borders should not exploited for arms passage. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement from President Biden of the United States and President Macron of France Announcing a Cessation of Hostilities November 26, 2024 Today, after many weeks of tireless diplomacy, Israel and Lebanon have accepted a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. The announcement today will cease the fighting in Lebanon, and secure Israel from the threat of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations operating from Lebanon. This announcement will create the conditions to restore lasting calm and allow residents in both countries to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line. The United States and France will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure this arrangement is fully implemented and enforced, and we remain determined to prevent this conflict from becoming another cycle of violence. The United States and France also commit to lead and support international efforts for capacity-building of the Lebanese Armed Forces as well as economic development throughout Lebanon to advance stability and prosperity in the region. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Background Press Call on the Ceasefire Deal Between Israel and Lebanon November 26, 2024 Via Teleconference 4:07 P.M. EST MODERATOR: Thanks, everyone, for joining this call. I know you just heard from the President, but we wanted to provide you a little bit more detail and background. As a reminder, this call is on background, attributable to a senior administration official. For your awareness, not for your reporting, on the line today we have [senior administration official]. He'll provide a few thoughts at the top, and then we'll take your questions. With that, I'll turn it over to you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you, Eduardo. And good afternoon, everyone. As you just heard from the President, he received the calls from Prime Minister Netanyahu and spoke earlier with just before that, with Prime Minister Mikati of Lebanon. Both have informed him that their governments had accepted the U.S. proposal, and with French support. And so that ceasefire is now going to go into effect at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, so Wednesday morning local time in Israel and Beirut. 4:00 a.m. it will go into effect. At that point, all fire will stop from all parties. Israeli troops who are in occupying territory in Lebanon will hold their positions. They will not withdraw. But a 60-day period will start in which the Lebanese military and security forces will begin their deployment towards the south. This is a process that cannot happen overnight or in several days, and therefore there is this period to prevent any vacuums from being formed, where as the Lebanese military deploys and reaches the south, the Israeli military will withdraw. So this is when we say 60 days, we don't mean that at the end of the 60 days the Israeli troops will withdraw, but rather, by the time we reach somewhere in the 50 to 60 days, all Israeli troops will be gone. So it will be a phased withdrawal in different sectors where the Israelis are over time. So in the first couple of weeks, you'll already start seeing some of those troops withdraw until we reach the end, again, no later than or no longer than 60 days for this process to happen. That is the tenets of what's happening over the next several days. And different from previous agreements, specifically the 2006 where Hezbollah was supposed to withdraw to north of the Litani, and UNIFIL was supposed to verify it later, in reality, Hezbollah never withdrew, and UNIFIL was never able to perform that task. Therefore, there is an agreed-upon map that is roughly north of the Litani line, although it deviates some and goes further north than the Litani in certain areas. The Lebanese military will receive authorization and instruction from the Lebanese government to where they are, again, both authorized and instructed to fulfill their mission and to ensure that both they take position in the south and that Hezbollah is moving north of the line that was agreed on in the LAF deployment plan, and all their heavy weaponry is removed. They will also be patrolling the area and ensuring that if there's any remaining infrastructure or remaining weaponry, that it is removed and that no such infrastructure can be rebuilt, again, in that area. The United States, together with France, are going to be joining an existing mechanism referred to as the tripartite mechanism. This is something that was created shortly after the 2006 war to include UNIFIL, the U.N. force in Lebanon, and Israel and Lebanon. It will now the agreement states that it will be reformulated and enhanced to include France and to be chaired by the United States. What this means is that the United States, both through diplomats and military personnel, are going to be receiving any complaints by either side of any potential violations, if they are there. They will work with the Lebanese army to make sure that its capacity is building, its training is the necessary training is provided, and that information can flow on a real-time basis to make sure that any potential violations are deterred. And this will be done throughout the territory. As the President said, there will be no U.S. combat troops in the area, but there will be military support for the LAF, as we've done in the past. But in this case, it will be specifically done with the Lebanese army and in conjunction with the French military as well. There is another element here, which is something called the MTC, the Military Technical Committee, which has been revived by us a few months ago, and that includes several other countries' militaries who will be providing additional support, equipment, training, and financial support and financial resources to the Lebanese army and security services. The idea here is that, unlike in 2006 where the international community reached the agreement and then abandoned the scene, here we remain committed to be on the ground day to day, watch what's happening, and to let everybody know, whether it's Hezbollah or other organiza- other terrorist organizations, that the world is watching. Next, the international community is going to be working on as quickly as possible establishing raising resources to support both the Lebanese army and supporting a reconstruction and economic build-out of Lebanon. Again, learning from the mistakes of the past, where Hezbollah was the only organization that was doing any work did very little, but it was the only one that did some reconstruction in South Lebanon I think it is in our interest collectively as the international community to support economic growth and to bring to Lebanon back to health. Hezbollah is extremely weak at this moment, both militarily and politically, and this is the opportunity for Lebanon to reestablish its sovereignty over its territory, to appoint a president, and to attract investment so it can return to economic normalcy and independence. Again, the ultimate goal that Israel set out at the beginning of this conflict, when Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of Hamas a few hours after the October 7 attacks, was to return people to their homes in the north as safely and securely as possible and that that security would not be a temporary security guarantee, but a durable ceasefire that they can trust. That is where we are today. And I'll end with where the President started. Israel has had tremendous gains on the battlefield against Hezbollah, taking out most of its senior leadership and taking out a significant portion of its military capabilities. But you cannot win long-term security on the battlefield alone. It requires a political settlement that is leveraged by the military gains. And that's where we are now. I think, for the people of Lebanon, I'll repeat what the President said. Hezbollah didn't ask the permission of the Lebanese people, nor did it represent them when they decided to join the Hamas attacks, or a few hours after the Hamas attacks. This is a war that no one in Lebanon most Lebanese did not want. So it is important that now they can return to their homes too, with security both security from foreign invasion, as well as from internal. So, with that, I can tell you that this has been a long process of negotiation over the last couple mo- few months and with significant intensity over the last several weeks in order to bring it to a close. And I'm glad that we were able to achieve what the President what President Biden had charged us with, which is to try to bring this conflict to an end and to now not stop, and use this as a stepping stone towards getting a ceasefire deal in Gaza and bringing the hostages home. I'll stop there and take questions. MODERATOR: Thank you. Our first question is going to go to the line of Felicia Schwartz. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hi. Thanks so much. Just wondering if you guys have briefed the Trump team on this effort and if they've expressed that they're committed to it. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks. Good question. Obviously, they were not involved in these negotiations, which reached their most intense point before the election. And just several days before the election, Israel had asked for me to come out to Jerusalem to meet with the Prime Minister, where he told me that he thought there was a window, and I told him that if Israel and Lebanon were serious about it, we can get into an intense period. And over the next few weeks, that's what we did. After the election, when I thought the negotiations had reached a point that I could see the light at the end of the tunnel for the first time, I briefed President-elect Trump's senior national security team on the tenets of the deal and my expectations that it would likely that there was a higher likelihood of it coming to fruition. I felt that they needed to know what we were negotiating and what the commitments were. I did another round of that just in the last 24 and 48 hours. They seem to be supportive and for the obvious reason that I think they agreed that this is good for Israel, as Prime Minister Netanyahu just said, it is good for Lebanon, as their government has said, and it is good for the national security of the United States. And most importantly, doing it now versus later will save countless lives on both sides. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Humeyra. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hi, Eduardo. Thanks. Can you hear me? MODERATOR: Yes, we can hear you. Q Okay. Thanks. Just a couple of things. I want to ask about this idea that Israel can go in whenever it wants, whenever there's a violation, or whenever it sees a threat. Can you just describe the parameters of that? Who's going to decide? Will LAF or UNIFIL get an opportunity to deal with that violation directly, or is Israel going to be the sole party that determines what that violation is? And you also talked about how you went back and at some point you said that you saw the light at the end of the tunnel. These negotiations have been going on for such a long time. Can you tell us what exactly made you feel hopeful about this one? And super quickly: When is this new push for a Gaza ceasefire will start? And why is Turkey is it now a broker in this? The President mentioned it, and it hasn't been a broker before. Thank you so much. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Okay, there's a lot there. Look, the mechanism that has been created, or that has been enhanced, I should say, to include the United States and France, the whole point of it is, as violations come, is to make sure that that is the mechanism that works with the LAF and other security forces to address and to prevent it. But the President was very clear this is we're not making any there's no secrets here. The President said if there is a direct threat to Israel due to not just any violation, but a violation that poses a direct threat to Israel, then Israel, just like any other country in a similar situation, would have to address it. But we have built a we have discussed this issue with the parties for a very long time, and felt that we could put the necessary if we use the tools that we have in Lebanon to not take and not take our eye off the ball, that will not be necessary. So we have to we are I'm confident that if there's any need for Israeli action, it will be come hopefully no time soon and or perhaps never, and very rare if it has to happen. But if everything if the parties on all sides implement this agreement as they have committed to do, there should not be a need by either side. And I just want to note: What the President said is tied to what it says in the agreement itself, which is that both Lebanon and Israel retain the right of self-defense in accordance with international law. And I'll leave it there. I think the second part of the question was about what gave me the was the light at the end of the tunnel. Look, when you do these kind of negotiations for a long time in different parts of the world, as I have, you sometimes get a sense when is when things get into the final lane where the parties are not only close, but that the will is there and the desire is there, and the stars are aligned. And I felt that way in mid-October mid- to late October, I felt that this was there was something about a change in attitude in both countries, and that's why we made the push. We had to make some changes to what we were discussing at that point. As you know, there have been a lot of leaks of different things that are not what we've agreed to in the end. But I just I can't put a specific point on it, but we got to a point where there's an alignment in both Lebanon and Israel. And my motivation was just seeing the level of destruction and I think the realization and loss of life and the realization, I think on both sides, that the battlefield is not going to be the final answer, and at some point you have to know when to say this is the moment to leverage or to end the battlefield and to move to the next step, which was the deal. As far as Turkey, look, I think what the President meant is that, in fact, we have certain individuals and parties are now spending time in Turkey, and so they were added. But it was not to suggest that they are a broker or a negotiator, but it's to say that we will leave no stone unturned in trying to do this. Look, I think this is a what happened today has the potential for a game changer. And here, you know me, I don't speak in hyperboles on this, but if you can think of one thing that was going to put pressure on Hamas, on people that don't really care about the lives of their people or, quite frankly, their own lives, it's very hard to therefore get to a leverage point or a pressure point. But I think the realization, when they now watch the news and realize that Hezbollah has decided to abandon them and delink the two conflicts, there's no one coming for their support anymore, I think that's a powerful change of reality on the ground, and we have to see if they are if that's enough to be able to make a change in the posture on the negotiations. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Peter Baker. Q Hi. Can you hear me? Sorry. Thanks very much for this. Appreciate it. Can you give us any more sense of where the President thinks he can make progress in the next 55 days on the larger Saudi normalization deal that he talked about again today? How realistic is that? Does it have to be done with cooperation of the Trump team, given that anything that would be approved and require Senate ratification would almost certainly happen after January 20th? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, thanks, Peter. Look, as you know, we have the President has felt strongly that normalization is something that would be the ultimate change in the Middle East, that could change the entire picture. Just a few weeks before the October 7th attacks, we were all in India, where the main part of the G20 was a signing ceremony with the President, led by the President of the United States together with the Crown Prince and the leaders of UAE and other countries. That was with the vision of normalization. So we've done a lot of the work has been done, but clearly where we are in Gaza is holding us back. I think that the from what we have in the conversations we've had over the last several hours, maybe 24 hours, we have come to the conclusion that there is an opportunity a window of opportunity here, if we can get some changes in Gaza, to be able to reach this normalization now. I think the political and geopolitical stars of both are aligned, and we're going to see what we can do over the next 50 whatever days it is. And to that end, we are clear-eyed that there is a new administration coming in, and anything that we will do on this, they we won't do this unless they know what we're doing. And I think, again, this is in the best interest of the Middle East and inherently in the best interest of the United States. And I have gotten every indication that the new team coming in are supportive of this approach. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Jared Szuba. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hi, sir. Thanks for doing this. Just to clarify, you mentioned that Israel will retain the right to respond to a direct threat. Is that part of the deal that the Lebanese government is to sign, or is that a part of the separate letter of guarantees that's been reported? So, I mean, before Israel were to take action, would a violation have to be confirmed by the new tripartite mechanism? And then secondly, I'm wondering if you could clarify how many U.S. military personnel will be involved in this and where will they be based out of. Is this going to be based out of the embassy and attached to the (inaudible) mechanism? Or SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So the agreement that both parties the ceasefire that both parties agreed to specifically says that both countries retain the right to self-defense in accordance with international law. The President elaborated on that. And in a day, nobody should be breaking the agreement on either side, and both should fulfill it. And this will become an academic conversation for experts to discuss but not to be executed. And so, on the other issue of the military: Look, this is more as you know, in multiple places around the world, we provide technical assistance, capacity building. If we need folks on the ground, they will be based. That would be done in, I assume, the embassy. The President was clear that no troops would be deployed to the south, and we are not going to be engaging in I don't expect anybody to engage in any kind of combat operations of any kind. This is all in security assistance and other kinds of related activities. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Karen DeYoung. Q Hi. Thank you. I just want to go back once again to this same question, because with all due respect, I don't feel like you've answered it yet. Does Israel have the right, when it determines that there's been a violation, to use military force? Or does it need to wait for approval from the LAF? And secondly, on the Saudi deal, you said that you really see the opportunity for progress there. Members of the Israeli cabinet have said as recently as yesterday and today that there will never be a Palestinian state. Do you see any give on either the Israeli side or the Saudi side on whether that is likely to happen or that there can be a credible path that Israel agrees to that will allow the Saudis to move ahead? Thanks. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Karen, I'll start with your second question, and I'll say: Over the last many years, I've been involved in negotiations in a number of places, and they usually start or at some point during that period, there are senior leaders who come out with two words: "never" and "always." "We will never do this, and we will always insist on that." And that doesn't necessarily hold, because when you have that kind of a position, you don't reach an agreement. So I don't get too excited when I hear those kinds of statements. I tend to ignore them and only listen to what is being said in the room. And as I said before on Lebanon, ceasefire negotiations (inaudible), if we feel that both parties or, in this case, maybe a number of parties are serious about it and that there is some deal space here where there's some compromise that everybody has to make, then I think that we will try to take advantage of that opportunity and reach a historic agreement that is in everybody's interest. I'm sorry you feel that I did not answer the question. I have. I think you're trying to take complex, you know, decisions and put them into a single sentence. But there are going to be a potential for violations on one side or the other. Before, it would require the Israeli government and the Lebanese, whomever in their system, to contact the U.N.; the U.N. would then have to figure out a way to contact the Israelis or the Lebanese, the other side, maybe file a violation at the U.N. in New York at the end of a quarter or something. But here, what we're committing to is that, one, that's not a mailbox anymore, but rather we will serve as a live messaging, making sure that whenever there is a view of a violation, specifically a serious violation, it is addressed immediately. And as I said, if it is not addressed by the responsible parties, then and it develops into a direct threat, then Israel would have the right to defend itself. It's not a simple question to answer, but that is the principal rule that everybody has agreed to or, rather, everybody understands. And I'll leave it there. Next. MODERATOR: Next up we'll go to Andrea Mitchell. Q Thank you. Can you describe how the negotiation proceeded? How do we know that Hezbollah has signed on to this? The President said that he spoke to the prime ministers of Israel and Lebanon. I know, for practical purposes, it does, but can we say this is an agreement between Israel and Hezbollah? And what options does Hezbollah have to follow up on Karen if they feel that Israel is violating it? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: That's a fair question. The commitments made by the Lebanese government apply to Hezbollah. As you know, Andrea, we don't negotiate with Hezbollah directly. We negotiate with the state of Lebanon. And the government of Lebanon has to take responsibility for what happens in Lebanon. Now, as I negotiate with the leadership of the government, we are aware that they are also in communication with both Hezbollah and with Iran. And the expectations are clear. So when this is reached, this ceasefire is reached, it represents all the entities that need to join this understanding in announcing the ceasefire and holding to it. And that is not just my understanding, but that is we have verified that adherence by all parties in Lebanon. And at the end of the day, the opportunity that presents itself today in Lebanon with this ceasefire is for the government to assert its control across a territory and functions that, frankly, they haven't done in 50 years. And so, that is what we are supporting them, and I think what a lot of most people in Lebanon are most excited about is that this is now an opportunity for the country to reassert its independence after decades of different countries, organizations, and entities occupying it in one form or another. But fully expect adherence. I don't expect any I would hope that just as I hope that Hezbollah will not violate this agreement, I also hope Israel doesn't violate this agreement. And if they do, I expect the Lebanese army and the Lebanese security forces to work with this mechanism to address it directly with the Israelis on an immediate basis, whether it's incursions into their territory or anything else that they do that they had agreed not to do. So, I think we will we are seeking to have a violation-free implementation. And if violations do occur, we are expecting that they are addressed effectively, efficiently, and on a timely manner. MODERATOR: We have time for a couple more questions. Next up, we'll go to Nadia Charters. Q Thank you, Eduardo. Hi, [senior administration official]. Are you aware of any negotiation, whether it's directly or indirectly, with Iran to approve this deal or at least to give Hezbollah the green light to go ahead? Also, the French Special Envoy, Mr. Le Drien, will be visiting Beirut tomorrow. Do we expect you to be back in the region, or do you think that your mission is over by now? And finally, there were some reports that Israel might get more lethal weapons in return for agreeing to this deal. Can you confirm that these reports are true? Thank you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So as you know, I do not negotiate with Iran. And I would say this to the Lebanese people: I don't think Iran should be making decisions over what happens in the territory of Lebanon. It should be it is none of their business. It is only it should only be decided by those who represent the people of Lebanon, whether it's the speaker and the prime minister in the cabinet, in the acting capacity, of course, and inshallah, if a president is selected. To that end, Mr. Le Drien and I have been in close contact over the last many months, as he has had a mission from President Macron to try to work to see if the political impasse in Lebanon can be resolved and to get a president. Multiple parties in Lebanon have said that after a ceasefire, they would immediately turn to selecting a president. I call on them to do that now. The United States believes that two years without a president is long enough. We now have achieved a ceasefire that will go into effect in just a few hours. And there's no time like the present to take action and select a president and make that part of a signal to the people that this is the moment of renewal in Lebanon. As far as the weapons, there is there was no no part of this negotiation involved weapons on either side. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Aurelia. Q Hi, and thank you so much for taking my question and for doing this call. I was just wondering, can you elaborate on this being a stepping stone for a deal in Gaza? Because one could also argue that now that hostilities are supposed to cease in Lebanon, the Israeli army could, like, regroup in a way and concentrate on its offensive in Gaza. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: It's always possible to look at any event as a potential stepping stone for negative. I see here I choose to see the opportunity here, and I think it's the more accurate read. I can tell you that we have been disappointed in Hamas's lack of seriousness and approach to negotiations over the last several months. The President, I thought, was as clear as one can be that they have not been seriously negotiating about a hostage deal. This is the moment if anyone in Hamas thought that there was a broad support for their cause, I think today they have learned that that is not the case. So, again, I said before, I have a feeling sometimes when I negotiate when we're there. I can't tell you that that's how I feel at the moment. I can just say that I think this is an opportunity to test the proposition that we can reach an agreement at this time. And I think it's incumbent upon us to do that. President Biden has felt, as he has ended the speech, that no matter that if there is as long as there's an opportunity to get to a deal in Gaza that both addresses the terrible state that the Gazan people have had to endure and that brings the hostages, including the Americans, home, that it is incumbent upon us to do everything that we can to achieve that. MODERATOR: We've got time for one last question. We'll go to the line of Amichai Stein. Q Hello. Thank you very much. Two questions. The first one that Israeli officials claim that the U.S. threatened with arms embargo in the U.N. Security Council not to veto with regarding Lebanon, so to call for an immediate ceasefire. That's my first question. Was there something like this? And my second question is: Is the Russian going to have a role in Syria to help prevent Iran from supplying weapons to Hezbollah? Thank you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks. So, on the first question, short answer: No. This topic never came up, not once. It's not only that we didn't threaten it; we literally, the topic never came up. So I don't even know how to answer the question any other way. It is completely news to me, and none of us have heard of this before your question. Second, look, there is no doubt that what we all must focus on is to make sure that Iran does not continue to use Syria as a highway of weapons into Lebanon. There are a number of elements that are related. This is a ceasefire that has to do with the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, but there's no doubt that part of that is to make sure that Hezbollah is not rearming and rebuilding their infrastructure. Part of the answer to that question is inside Lebanon, and that's what this deal addresses. And part of the answer to that question is going to have to be in Syria, and that is a matter for another call and another conversation on another day. MODERATOR: Thanks. That's all the time we have for today. If there are any follow-up questions, please feel free to reach out to us. As a reminder, this call was on background to a senior administration official, and the embargo is now lifted. Thanks again for joining. 4:44 P.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Bombers, Tactical Air Controllers, Train with Moroccan Partners By U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs , United States Africa Command Stuttgart, Germany Nov 27, 2024 U.S. Africa Command, supported by U.S. Strategic Command, conducted a unique training opportunity with the Moroccan military Nov. 22 at Aoreora Range south of Agadir, Morocco. Two U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bomber aircraft from the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., departed England enroute to Morocco whereupon entering Moroccan airspace, the Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16s intercepted the B-52s to conduct interoperability and escort the bombers to the range. At Aoreora, Moroccan and U.S. Special Operations Joint Tactical Air Controllers contacted the bombers to conduct a live munitions drop. The JTACs guided the bombers onto a target, releasing two 500-pound bombs. "Our ability to conduct these long-range missions from across multiple combatant commands in cooperation with our partners on the continent highlight our partnership and continued military-to-military engagements and training when working with partners on the continent," said Maj. Gen. Claude Tudor, U.S. Africa Command Director of Operations. "These missions reinforce our commitment to African partners and Allies while helping support regional and African security." This event further showcases the longstanding relationship between Morocco and the U.S., strengthens our military interoperability, and demonstrates the U.S. commitment to our Partners. The B-52s flew from RAF Fairford in the U.K. to Morocco as part of a bomber task force mission, reinforcing the United States' ability to project strategic reach, long-range strike capabilities, and provide reassurance of our collective defense and security to our partners and allies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Massachusetts Guard Civil Support Team Put to the Test By Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton, Massachusetts National Guard Public Affairs November 27, 2024 A member of the Massachusetts National Guard 1st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team looks for signs of contamination during an evaluation training event at the Emerald Square Mall Nov. 7, 2024. The CST was tested over two days in North... NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. - Outside an empty school, the hum of generators and radios squawking breaks the silence. Inside, members of the Massachusetts National Guard's 1st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team in hazmat suits survey the scene. What brought them there was a training exercise. The scenario: firefighters found an unidentifiable lab process and suspected dissemination device. The Fire Department asked the CST to help identify hazards, assess consequences and advise on response measures. The training event was part of a three-day evaluation of the CST by Army Northern Command. ARNORTH is responsible for ensuring units around the country are capable and able to respond to real-world incidents. "There is no bias," said Willie Coleman, an observer controller and acting incident commander. "We give them a clean look at how they do business based on doctrine." CST members didn't learn of the event location before that morning. "The 1st CST is on call 24/7 and must be ready to support local, state and federal civilian authorities anywhere within Massachusetts," said Lt. Col. David Wilson, CST commander. "Every location in the state is unique and will present different challenges." The first scenario involved a simulated laboratory accident, resulting in multiple casualties and the potential release of a chemical agent. The CST, equipped with detection and identification equipment, assessed the situation, identified the hazards and advised on appropriate response measures. "While surveying the incident location, we take radiologic, biological and chemical readings to relay back to the incident commander, along with photos in real-time," said Tech. Sgt. Andrew J. Nadeau, a CST member. "Once we identify the hazard and maybe some of the processes that are going on, we take samples and as a team come up with a mitigation plan." To protect themselves from the unknown, the initial team wears the highest level of protection. "Wearing a Level A hazmat suit for a two-hour entry is an intense experience, both physically and mentally," said Sgt. Adam Balzarini, survey team member. "Mobility is restricted, making movement more difficult, and fine motor skills are hindered by the thick gloves and limited dexterity, "he said. "The suit is hot and can become unbearably warm after a while, as there is no ventilation, and body heat builds up quickly. Sweat accumulates, and dehydration can set in if not monitored closely." After the survey team completes its initial assessment, another team collects samples for more identification. Based on these samples, the CST can help incident commanders and civilian authorities plan to contain and mitigate the issue. The CST's primary mission is to support civil authorities in an incident involving hazardous materials or weapons of mass destruction. "Our capabilities allow local responders to build upon their initial findings," said Maj. Adam Kusser, CST deputy commander. "We can provide an incident commander with CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) response, communications packages and technical decontamination for first responders. We also provide a mobile laboratory to analyze and identify any hazmat and an operations section that can assist with information management." A second part of the evaluation occurred two days later at a North Attleboro mall. In this scenario, suspects tied to the school lab conducted a chemical attack at the mall. The CST was called in to identify the hazard and assist civil authorities. These realistic training exercises help ensure the CST is ready to respond to any emergency. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address November 17, 2024 Transcript Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds a Press Briefing PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER: One quick item to pass along at the top and then I'll be happy to take your questions. In recognition of the Thanksgiving holiday today and tomorrow, Secretary Austin will reach out to speak with service members from each branch of the Armed Forces to wish them well and all those serving our country, a Happy Thanksgiving. During these calls, the Secretary will speak directly with service members who are forward deployed or supporting major operations throughout the world. He'll thank them and their families for their service, sacrifice and professionalism in defense of our nation. He'll speak with service members from the following units. The U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, currently deployed to Poland in support of U.S. European Command and NATO; the U.S. Marine Corps' Combat Logistics Battalion 31 in Okinawa supporting combat logistics within the U.S. INDOPACOM AOR; U.S. Navy destroyer USS Stockdale. currently deployed to the 5th fleet AOR in support of operations in U.S. Central Command; the U.S. Air Force's 379th Expeditionary Medical Squadron, deployed to Al Udeid Air Base Qatar, delivering care to U.S. service members in the U.S. Central Command AOR; and the U.S. Space Force's 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado, which operates the Space Force's protected military satellite communication system. A readout of the calls will be made available on Defense.gov. And on that note, on behalf of Secretary Austin and the entire Department of Defense, I want to wish everyone a safe, restful and Happy Thanksgiving holiday. And with that, I will thankfully take your questions. We'll start with AP. Q: Thanks, Gen. Ryder. Jordan announced today that it's restarted airdrops in northern Gaza to send food. Is the U.S. going to also start airdrops given how unsuccessful the ground routes have been? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: I don't have any announcements to make, Tara, in terms of any U.S. airdrops. Of course, the U.S. government writ large continues to remain focused on ensuring and enabling the conditions for humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Of course this is something that USAID has been very focused on, as well as Secretary Austin in his conversations with his Israeli counterparts. But when and if we have any updates, of course, we'll let you know. Q: But given all of those conversations, has any progress been made in getting additional land routes open or getting assistance with all the looting that's been going on? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: As I understand it, and as we've previously discussed, there has been an increase by the Israelis in terms of enabling aid. Obviously, much more needs to be done. This has been a topic again of discussion to include security for those aid convoys that are going into Gaza. So, we'll continue for our part here at the DOD to have those conversations with our Israeli counterparts. Natasha? Q: Thanks, Pat. The White House confirmed yesterday that Ukraine has begun using the long-range ATACMS systems inside Kursk. And so, I'm wondering if there's any more information you can provide about what they're targeting, how successful those strikes have been. And then separately on the potential ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, what role, if any, is the U.S. military going to have in enforcing that? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yes, on ATACMS, as the White House highlighted yesterday, there has been a shift in policy in that the Ukrainians may employ ATACMS in defense of their nation, focused right now, of course, on the Kursk region. I'll let the Ukrainians speak to their operations in terms of their targeting and their operations; I just won't get ahead of them on that. As far as the ceasefire goes, we're of course strongly supportive of a ceasefire. We're consulting closely with our interagency partners in terms of what potential contributions the DOD can make. I don't have anything to announce from here, but we'll certainly keep you updated. Jen? Q: Gen. Ryder, there have been a number of incidents in England with drones targeting U.S. bases, kind of swarming U.S. bases, challenging security. Do you believe they have hostile intent? Do you believe they were sent by a foreign adversary? What is happening? What can you tell us about these drones? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: What I would tell you, Jennifer, is that they are being actively monitored. Installation leaders have determined so far that none of these incursions impact the base residents, the facilities or the assets that we have on those bases. We're of course continuing to work with host nation authorities and our mission partners to ensure the safety of our personnel, our facilities and the equipment. You know, the bottom line is it's something that we're going to take seriously. We're continuing to look into it, but as of right now has not had any significant mission impact. Q: Why not shoot them down? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Well, I won't get into force protection measures. We of course always maintain the right to defend ourselves if we deem something to be a threat. But again, we'll continue to work with the local host nation authorities there. Q: And also, do you think it's linked to the drones that were sighted three or four different locations back in December of last year that we reported on recently on the state side? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: I don't - I don't want to speculate and draw unnecessary connections. You know, again, this is something that - that we'll look into. As you know, small UASs drones - have become something that's, you know, relatively common now across the landscape. It's something that the department has been looking closely at in terms of how it applies to our facilities, our personnel, whether it's in combat zones or outside of combat zones. But in terms of these particular incidents in the UK versus the ones in the States, you know, again, I don't want to speculate that there's any connection. Q: They don't appear to be those of hobbyists, is that correct? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Again, it would be, you know, premature to draw any conclusions. We've got to see what these are. I mean, it's entirely possible that it could be hobbyist or something else. We just got to look into it, so. Let's come over here. Yes, sir? Q: Thank you, general. My question will be about ICC's arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his previous defense minister, Mr. Gallant. So far, most of the European countries have accepted the decision despite that you are rejecting it. Under these circumstances, do you think that this will create a duality between NATO members in this specific and sensitive issue? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: No. All right, yes, ma'am? Q: Thank you. Thank you, general. I have a couple of questions about the Russia, Ukraine and North Korea. According to the Ukraine defense intelligence, North Korea has provided Russia with a KN2030, KN24 and about 100 short-range ballistic missiles. And Russia is expanding its ballistic missile manufacturing plant in North Korea. North Korea and Russia are providing full scale weapons and technical support. What are your concerns about it? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Well, Janne, I mean, we've talked about this in the past. We're, of course, concerned about the developing relationship between North Korea and Russia as evidenced by the fact that they've deployed, you know, upwards of 12,000 troops into Russia to support their invasion of Ukraine. And so, it's something that we're going to continue to take seriously, keep an eye on and work closely with our regional partners to to address those threats. Q: Russian Kremlin warned that South Korea is being used by the United States and the West. And the what and that South Korea will be targeted as an accomplice with the West, which will lead to very bad results. It also said that if South Korea provide additional weapons to Ukraine, the war will be prolonged. How do you assess this? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: How do I assess North Korea's claims that the war would be prolonged? Q: I mean, the Kremlin, Russia, said that, not North Korea said that. MAJ. GEN. RYDER: I think Russia obviously invaded Ukraine. It's a little bit of gaslighting there. They could end this war today by withdrawing their troops from Ukrainian territory and restoring peace and stability to the region. All right, let me go to Fadi, and then we'll go to the phone. Q: Thank you, general, and welcome back. Channel 12 in Israel is reporting that the Israeli cabinet just approved the cease fire in Lebanon. There's been reporting that the U.S. will contribute to the monitoring mechanism maybe through a being represented by general. Is this one of the ideas that being discussed in the U.S. government about potential role for the Pentagon in this? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Well, again, as I mentioned to Natasha, you know, we are consulting closely with our interagency partners and looking at what the potential role of the DOD could be. I don't have any updates to provide from the podium right at this moment. But certainly, you know, as we have more to share on that front, we will. Q: Is the - is the DOD open to playing a role in monitoring the mechanism to make sure that the cease fire actually holds? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Well, I don't again, I don't want to get ahead of the process here. We are certainly very supportive of the cease fire. And the Department of Defense plays an important role within our interagency here in the U.S. and on working with partners in the region to prevent a wider conflict. And so, again, Fadi, we'll keep you updated on that front. Q: One follow up, how do you see potentially the impact of this ceasefire on what's been happening in Gaza in terms of the war, in terms of the potential famine, and in terms of the deal over ceasefire and release of hostages? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Sure, and this is something that Secretary Austin has talked about quite a bit is that for a while, we've seen diplomatic means as key to enabling both Lebanese and Israeli citizens to returning to their homes on both sides of the blue line. And so, that that's probably the most significant as well as, you know, just the simple fact of reducing the amount of violence that we're seeing and the - the destruction and death on both sides of the border. So, I think that is probably the most prominent. Certainly, we still want to see a situation in Gaza where there's a cease fire so that we can increase the flow of humanitarian assistance and restore a sense of stability and security in that region and see an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. And so, a lot of potential good could come out of this cease fire. Let me go to the phone here real quick. Jeff Schogol, Task & Purpose. Q: Well, thank you very much. Have there been any attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria or elsewhere in the Middle East in the past week or so? And also, the summary that OSD provided mentioned two attacks in Jordan. I can recall the Tower 22 attack. Is it possible to find out when the other one was? Thank you. MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Thanks, Jeff. I do I am aware of another, I believe, rocket attack against a facility in Syria, no U.S. injuries or or facilities damaged. But let me take that question and we'll come back to you in the group here in terms of any specifics that we're able to provide on that. OK, let me go to Mike Glenn, Washington Times. Q: Thanks, Pat. My question has already been answered. You can go on. MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Konstantin, Military.com. Q: Thanks, Pat. Yesterday, Elon Musk said that he was in a meeting with senior military officers. And they discussed sort of Pentagon procurement and bureaucratic sort of snafus and what have you. Is Mr. Musk holding transition meetings with military officials? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: I'm not aware of any transition meetings, Konstantin. As you know, the - the President-Elect's transition team has not contacted the department yet to conduct those transitions, so I'm not aware of any - any official meetings. Q: OK. Got it. MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Come back to the room here. Brandi? Q: Thank you. I'm following up on Jen's questions. Can you say on the record yet what the intent of any of these drones were? Is it to collect data or signals? Are they conducting surveillance? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yeah, I mean, I don't want to drone on here, but the bottom line is again still assessing what these are. And, you know, just don't have anything further to pass along. I'd refer you to U.S. Air Forces in Europe, which I'm sure you're in contact with just to keep in touch on the latest on that. Q: And can you share anything yet about how you guys are detecting or countering them? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Again, I don't want to get into the specifics in terms of tactics, techniques and procedures as it relates to force protection. Certainly, we have a variety of means at our disposal and we will protect our personnel and our facilities. But you know, again, just to kind of put this into context, you know, even here in the United States, right, if - if there are drones that are being flown by hobbyists or - or some other entity, you want to make sure that you're doing due diligence not only to protect yourself and the safety of others, but also using appropriate measures in order to not inadvertently create second- and third-order effects, in other words, potentially harming the civilian communities in which we operate in and around. So, again, right now, the assessment is that these drones have had no operational impact or safety impact on our personnel at any of these facilities. We're keeping a close eye on them. We're, of course, communicating very regularly with the UK host nation authorities. And we'll take appropriate measures again to protect our personnel and our people. Charlie? Q: Just to quick follow up. MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yes. Q: Have there been any drone incidents domestically since October? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: That's a hard question to answer, Jen. Because I mean, the reality is on any given day, you know, Pat Ryder, hobbyist drone pilot, can fly my drone next to a base and it's in and it's out. And is that a drone incident or are we talking about something more serious where like the Langley incident, where there's multiple drones operating over a facility for multiple days. So, again, I don't have any statistics in front of me, but just the reality is that these small aircraft are now ubiquitous across the United States and the world. I have a very close relative of mine who's a drone pilot and he flies his drone all over and does amateur photography. And what if that drone gets blown or carried by the wind too close to a facility or they don't understand FAA rules, etc., etc. So, this is something that the department, the FAA and others are looking at in this modern era of small aircraft how do we make sure that we're responsibly protecting our assets while at the same time not assuming every single aircraft is going to be a threat. So, thank you. Charlie? Q: Welcome back. I hate to go on about it, too. However - MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Please do drone on. Q: I have to drone on. This is the third time in two weeks; they appear to be coordinated, persistent operations, not the work of a hobbyist. There are reports out of Britain that 60 military personnel have been deployed, 60 British personnel have been deployed. Does this come down to the MOD? Is it down to the Home Office? I mean, there are other ways of taking down drones without shooting them down. MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yeah, and you're right. And again, I won't speak for the MOD and, as I highlighted, of course the U.S. military are guests in England, in the United Kingdom, at the invitation of the government of the United Kingdom. So, certainly working very closely with the authorities there. We are taking it seriously. We're monitoring, taking appropriate measures. Again, I'm not going to get into the specific TTPs in terms of when and if we feel that we need to take something down. At this point the assessment is that these do not pose any type of affect on our operations or safety of our personnel. So ... Q: (inaudible) MAJ. GEN. RYDER: So, I don't have an answer; I'd have to refer you to USAFE. But I mean, it's not uncommon if we have small teams that go around the world that are specialists in various capabilities. So, I don't have an answer to that question. But I mean, you've got RAF Mildenhall, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Feltwell, all those bases are in close proximity, I mean literally minutes away from each other. So, again, we'll continue to keep an eye on it. But as of right now, I would just caution jumping to conclusions about what this is and who's doing it. And we'll just continue to keep you updated. Q: I have an unrelated question. There are reports that the Houthis excuse me, the Russians have begun recruiting Yemenis to the fight. That came out of Ukraine. However, are you monitoring any more cooperation between the Russians and the Houthis in the Yemen area? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: What I would tell you, Charlie, is nothing significant, and that's just the bottom line. So, nothing significant on that front. Q: You haven't seen ships going into Yemen? You haven't seen because we saw that a few months ago. MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yeah, I mean beyond that nothing that I would characterize as significant. Q: What about intelligence help? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: I don't have anything to provide from the podium here. So, again, probably the best way to describe it is, at this point, we're aware that they of course are in contact, have been in contact with each other, but nothing significant in terms of aid to operations in Ukraine. Q: (inaudible) a handful of Yemeni soldiers in Ukraine, but what the Russians are providing the Houthis. MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yeah, and to this point, again, I wouldn't say there's anything significant on that front. Q: And nothing significant in terms of what you were saying something, you didn't finish that? MAJ. GENERAL RYDER: No, I finished the sentence. Q: So, nothing significant in terms of cooperation or - MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yeah, I think the question was, are they providing capabilities and/or are they providing yeah, is Russia providing anything to the Houthis in support of their efforts? And no, not that I'm aware of, right. (CROSSTALK) Okay. Let me just do a couple more here. Yes, sir, and then we'll go back to Tony. Q: Now that the ceasefire seems to be achieved, what kind of cooperation or support the U.S. is going to give to the UNIFIL militaries in the Blue Zone between Israel and Lebanon? Is there some sort of talks or how are you guys going to - MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yeah, just like I relayed to your colleagues, again, I don't have any updates to provide right now other than we've been having those discussions about the potential role for the Department of Defense and we'll certainly keep you updated when we have something along those lines. Q: And I have another question. Are you guys seeing any potential threat from Iran coming out from different Israeli neighbors? Now that the Hezbollah are like blocked, what about the neighbors like the Iranian allies? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yeah, I mean, nothing beyond what we've already seen from Iranian proxy groups. I mean, obviously still they obviously still pose a significant threat to Israel and the region. And we'll continue to work with our partners to include Israel to defend Israel from those kinds of attacks, but nothing new that you're not already tracking. All right, last question, Tony. Q: A couple, one housekeeping question and what's the status of the annual China military power report? Is that going to come out before this administration changes? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Tony, I don't have an update to provide I don't want to give you bad information in terms of timeline. Obviously, that is a report that we continue to work on, and we'll keep you updated in terms of the release date. Q: Elon Musk question, not related to a transition. Over the weekend, he used a potty mouth pejorative to describe the F-35's design, your largest program in history. What is your response? He implied that the Pentagon should buy more drones and not manned aircraft, but he really took a shot at the F-35? MAJ. GEN. RYDER: Yeah, as I'm sure you can appreciate, Mr. Musk is currently a private citizen. I'm not going to make any comments about what a private citizen may have to say about the F-35. Thanks very much, everybody. Appreciate it. https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3979733/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany Federal Foreign Office 27.11.2024 - Press release Foreign Minister Baerbock issued the following statement today (26 November) on the reaching of a ceasefire agreement: The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah gives the entire region a glimpse of hope. Hundreds of thousands of women, children and families in Lebanon can now look to a life without displacement or fear of bombardment. At the same time, the ceasefire gives relief to tens of thousands of people from northern Israel who for more than a year have been subjected to Hezbollah rocket attacks and want nothing more than to return to their homes. On both sides of the border, people expect to be able to live their lives in genuine and lasting security. The ceasefire is a success for diplomacy. I especially want to thank our American and French friends for this great collaborative achievement and their tireless mediation efforts, which the German Government supported through intensive shuttle diplomacy. Hezbollah's terrorists have drawn all people in Lebanon into this war. They triggered a war that makes the divide between the people of Israel and Lebanon appear almost unbridgeable. We must therefore concentrate all of our efforts on ensuring that all parties now swiftly take the steps they have agreed to. Full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701, with the assistance of UNIFIL, remains key for reaching a permanent solution to the conflict. We support the Lebanese army, which now has the task of assuming full control of the region south of the Litani River and making sure the situation along the border is stabilised. We continue to support the Lebanese to whom in recent months we have provided humanitarian assistance in the form of emergency shelter and medical care. The people of Lebanon must have the necessary strength to overcome their country's political and economic stagnation. This includes those with political responsibility finally clearing the way for the election of a President and breaking through the stalemate in Parliament. The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah shows what can be achieved through diplomacy. We now urgently need a ceasefire in Gaza, as well, so that all other hostages, including the German ones, can finally be released, and in order to finally put an end to the suffering and hunger of hundreds of thousands of women, children and men. Statement by Foreign Minister Eide on the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon Government of Norway News story | Date: 27/11/2024 I welcome the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. This is an important first step reached with support from the United States and France. I urge all parties to respect the agreement and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The hostilities have caused immense death, human suffering and destruction. Even last night, there were intense attacks on Beirut and southern Lebanon. The humanitarian situation in Lebanon is extremely challenging, with over 1.2 million people displaced from their homes. I hope this agreement will make it possible for the displaced in both Lebanon and Israel to return to their homes. The conflicts in the Middle East are interconnected. It is now crucial to initiate meaningful negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, to ensure that the people of Gaza will receive lifesaving humanitarian aid, and to secure the release of the hostages. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi IDF Press Release November 27, 2024 27.11.24 "The activity in Lebanon was very determined, the enforcement of the ceasefire agreement will be even more determined" Attached are the full remarks of the Chief of the General Staff: "The activity in Lebanon was very determined, and the enforcement of the ceasefire agreement will be even more determined. With determination, according to the guidelines approved yesterday by the Minister of Defense, the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet, Hezbollah operatives who approach our troops, the border area, and the villages within the area we have marked - will be struck. We do not intend to spend months in war, displace people from their homes, and not return them now safely. There are ground troops, troops from the Ground Forces and the Northern Command, they are the first to encounter those returning to the villages with a warning, with fire, with capabilities and mostly with air support. There are aerial assets constantly airborne and naval vessels gathering information and also capable of striking in the western sector. Above all, we are preparing, getting ready for the possibility that this approach won't succeed, we will know how to analyze it again, cut deeper, and it will be stronger. We are very, very determined to enforce the guidelines and bring about a completely different reality to the residents of the North." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In South and Western Australia, you can be fined between $20,000 and $30,000 for feeding pigeons. Source: Getty You might think you're doing some good if you've ever torn off a portion of your sandwich and fed it to a local bird. But in two Australian states, that simple act could see you facing a staggering $30,000 fine if the species in question is a pigeon. It is not uncommon for local councils in Western Australia or South Australia to issue infringements for feeding pigeons, Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh told Yahoo News Australia. "This is particularly the case when a complaint is made quite often neighbours will take videos and photos of the number of pigeons and the person feeding them," he warned. In these cases the council will issue a fine and sometimes, they may even issue a court attendance notice if the behaviour is repeated, Singh added. Explaining that the SA legislation "was enacted to protect communities from local nuisance", as well as preventing littering, Avinash said elsewhere in the country, most other states leave these issues to the local national parks and wildlife services. In WA, the fine offenders can expect isn't as much as in SA, but it is still an incredible $20,000. ADVERTISEMENT "There is an emphasis by the South Australian parliament on protecting property values and this legislation is one of the tools they can use to prevent behaviour that can negatively affect this," he said. Feeding pigeons in Australia is considered problematic because it poses health risks, as the birds can carry diseases that may be transmitted to humans. Source: Reddit Why is it bad to feed pigeons? Feeding pigeons in Australia is considered problematic for several reasons. First, it poses health risks, as pigeons can carry diseases that may be transmitted to humans and other animals, such as respiratory infections and parasites. Feeding them encourages larger congregations of birds, increasing the likelihood of disease spread. Additionally, pigeons are not native to Australia, and their overpopulation can disrupt local ecosystems by competing with native bird species for resources. ADVERTISEMENT This imbalance can harm biodiversity, with feeding also causing the birds to become reliant on human-provided food. Large flocks can create a public nuisance by causing noise, dirt, and property damage, particularly through their corrosive droppings, which can damage buildings and infrastructure. For these reasons, many local councils in Australia have implemented fines or laws prohibiting the feeding of pigeons. "It's definitely one of Australia's strangest laws, and one that while it may be annoying for other people passing by or trying to relax, it's not something people think they can get in trouble with the law for," Singh said. Adelaide's problem with pigeons Last month, a pigeon culler caused panic among Adelaide locals after he fired a suspected air rifle at the roof of a residential home without warning as children played, just metres away in a busy playground. ADVERTISEMENT The incident occurred near the Brighton Esplanade, with a resident telling Yahoo he spotted a man in hi-vis arrive in a ute and "loiter" for over an hour before taking the shots. "I was suspicious because he seemed to be hanging around the area restlessly without actually doing anything," the man said, explaining he had been sitting in the park reading a book at the time. "He was watching one particular house for an hour before firing shots from a large air rifle... I saw him take two shots. He shot one bird." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Prime Minister's Office Statement Israel - Prime Minister's Office Spokesperson notifications The 37th Government 27.11.2024 The State of Israel denies the authority of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague and the legitimacy of the arrest warrants that have been issued against the Prime Minister and the former Defense Minister. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today , at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, met with US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who updated him on the efforts that he is advancing in the US Congress against the ICC and countries that have cooperated with it. Parallel to the efforts in Congress, Israel submitted an announcement to the ICC today regarding its intention to appeal to the court along with a demand to delay implementation of the arrest warrants. Israel's notice of appeal shows in detail to what degree the decision to issue the arrest warrants was baseless and without any factual or legal foundation whatsoever. Should the ICC reject the appeal, this will underscore to Israel's friends in the US and around the world how biased the ICC is against the State of Israel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A look at the Defence news 18-24 November Netherlands Ministry of Defence News item | 27-11-2024 | 14:07 Ukraine has received new air defence systems from the Netherlands to help the country defend itself against Russian air strikes. The supply has a value of 88 million, funded by the Netherlands. The Netherlands is also taking further steps in the development of drones for Ukraine. These are attack drones, partly in response to North Korean involvement. RNLM criminal investigators investigate war crimes in Ukraine Two Royal Netherlands Marechaussee digital investigators are investigating possible war crimes in Ukraine. This is being done for the fifth time since May 2022 and once again following a request by Ukraine. The forensic experts started on 19 November. They carry out their work under the banner of the International Criminal Court. Europe wants to strengthen joint military capabilities both at sea and in the air European countries want to strengthen their military cooperation. This should include maritime cooperation, as well as cooperation in air defence and in the detection of moving targets. To this end, Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans signed three declarations of intent after the EU Informal Meeting of Defence Ministers in Brussels. Military musical cooperation with Suriname The Netherlands armed forces donated a number of musical instruments to the Military Band of Suriname. This is a direct result of the renewed military cooperation between the two countries. Final F-16s promised for training fighter pilots supplied to Romania Of the 18 F-16s promised by the Netherlands, the last 2 were supplied to the European F-16 training centre in Romania last week. Initially, only Romanian pilots were given F-16 training, but now Ukrainian pilots are also being trained. Netherlands to extend Force Protection contribution in Iraq by six months The Dutch Force Protection contribution to the NATO Mission in Iraq (NMI) will be extended by another six months. At the request of NATO, the company made up of 145 soldiers will remain in Iraq until June 2025. The Netherlands will therefore continue to contribute to the NMI. Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans and Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp informed the House or Representatives accordingly last week. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address AFP rejects 'intervention' calls, remains loyal to PH, Constitution Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno November 27, 2024, 4:55 pm Updated on November 27, 2024, 7:13 pm MANILA -- The Philippine military shrugged off calls for its intervention against a "fractured" government as described by former president Rodrigo Duterte, its chief said Wednesday. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. made this remark at the close of the two-day AFP Leadership Summit held in Camp Aguinaldo, saying their duty is to protect the country and the people. "So, let me take this opportunity to clarify a few things. Kasi maraming lumalabas ngayon sa social media, maraming mga bagay (there are a lot of things coming out of social media, a lot of things). Unang-una, 'yun nga po, may panawagan na mag-intervene ang AFP sa nangyayari sa ating pulitika ngayon dito sa ating bayan. But hindi po natin trabaho 'yun (First of all, there are calls for the AFP to intervene due to what is happening on the political scene of our country but that is not our job), ang trabaho natin (our job) is to protect the Republic of the Philippines, protect its people, defend our territory, and defend our sovereignty and our sovereign rights," he said. He said the military adventurism that happened in the past is no longer tolerated in present times. "That is why we will not take the law into our own hands. We will remain professional. Kung gusto po nilang may pagbabago, meron naman tayong proseso sa ating demokrasya (if they want change, we have a process in our democracy). So, let's allow that to happen," Brawner said. No pullout of VP Sara security Brawner dismissed reports of a pullout of its personnel tasked to secure Vice President Sara Duterte. "Hindi rin po totoo 'yun. So, ang istorya nito is that we received a subpoena from the Philippine National Police calling the members of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group for investigation (That is not true. The real story is that we received a subpoena from the Philippine National Police calling the members of the VPSPG for investigation)," Brawner said. However, he did not provide more details regarding the subpoena. With this development, Brawner said it is prudent to comply with the PNP's subpoena so that the investigation can proceed and be concluded quickly. "Kaya't ang gagawin po natin is (what we will do is) that we are just going to temporarily replace them with a contingent from the PNP and from the AFP. Hindi po natin iwan (we will not be leaving that role) because the security of the Vice President is still of primary concern to us," he added. Brawner also said "trouble would erupt" should anything bad happen to the Vice President. "Let's say may nangyari sa ating Vice President, maaring ito 'yung simula ng kaguluhan. Because of 'yung salaysay na rin na binanggit niya na kung may mangyari sa kanya, meron po siyang mga actions na gagawin against the President, the First Lady and the Speaker of the House (Let's say that something should happen to the Vice President, this could start trouble. Because of her earlier statement where she mentioned that in case something should happen to her, she will take actions against the President, First Lady and the Speaker of the House)," he added. Sedition Meanwhile, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Duterte's call to the AFP is considered "inciting to sedition." "That's a crime, inciting to sedition. So kailangan managot siya dyan (he must be held accountable for that)," Trillanes said in an interview at the sidelines of the House Quad Committee hearing. Trillanes acknowledged that some military personnel might sympathize with Duterte but downplayed the possibility of widespread support. While he expressed confidence that any potential sympathy for Duterte within the military would not translate into action against the government, he urged authorities to remain vigilant to prevent any destabilization efforts. "Ngayon doon sa effect ng panawagan na yon, ako ang advice ko sa mga awtoridad ay 'wag mag-kumpiyansa. Siguraduhin na walang makukuha na mga officers itong mga Duterte kase malaking problema yan so kailangan continuous monitoring (Regarding the effect of that call, my advice to authorities is not to be complacent. Make sure Duterte doesn't gain support from any officers because that would be a big problem, so continuous monitoring is needed)," he said. Trillanes cited a historical precedent, particularly the Second EDSA Revolution in 2001 that led to the ouster of then president Joseph Estrada. "Wag natin maliitin kasi any political crisis na mangyari, pwedeng i-take advantage. Kase nangyari na 'yan. We saw that happen doon sa EDSA 2 (Let's not underestimate this because any political crisis can be taken advantage of. That has happened before. We saw that during EDSA 2)," he said. He further stressed that Duterte's return to power would be detrimental to the country. "Bottom line, hindi na dapat makabalik sa puwesto itong mga Duterte kase malaking perwisyo ang ginagawa nito sa bayan (Bottom line, the Dutertes should not return to power because of the significant harm they've caused to the country)," he said. (With a report from Filane Mikee Cervanted/PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN agency slams Thai deportation of Cambodian dissidents Other Cambodian refugees in Thailand say they now live in fear. By RFA Khmer 2024.11.27 -- Thailand's deportation of six Cambodian political dissidents violated its commitment to the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits states from returning people to countries where they may face torture or other human rights abuse, a spokesperson for the U.N. Refugee Agency told Radio Free Asia. Six activists associated with the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party and one minor were on Sunday deported from Thailand back to Cambodia at the request of Phnom Penh. The six adults, who escaped Cambodia in 2022, were subsequently charged with "treason." All six activists are now being held in three separate Cambodian prisons, according to a prisons official, while the minor was released to the care of other family members upon arrival. Vivian Tan, a spokesperson in Thailand for the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, said the decision violated Thailand's domestic law protecting people who might face harm back home. "UNHCR is deeply concerned by Thailand's deportation of the Cambodian refugees, which violates the principle of non-refoulement," Tan said in an email to RFA Khmer. "This principle obliges States, including Thailand, to ensure no person is expelled or returned to a territory where their life or freedom may be at risk." "UNHCR appeals to Thailand to uphold its commitments under domestic legislation and international conventions, including the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, to safeguard the principle of non-refoulement," she said. Thailand passed the law she mentioned in 2022, and it came into effect in 2023. It criminalizes torture and enforced disappearances and protects the principle of non-refoulement. Tan noted that a child -- the 7-year-old grandson of one of the activists -- was among those deported, and said it was "especially alarming as it contradicts the principle of acting in the best interests of the child," as required by Thailand's Child Protection Act and other legislation. "States have a fundamental responsibility to protect individuals on their territory, including refugees and asylum-seekers," the spokesperson added. "We are seeking urgent clarification from the Thai authorities on the circumstances surrounding this deportation." Other dissidents scared Cambodian activists remaining in Thailand told RFA they were now concerned about their safety and living in fear of knocks at the door. Tan noted that a child -- the 7-year-old grandson of one of the activists -- was among those deported, and said it was "especially alarming as it contradicts the principle of acting in the best interests of the child," as required by Thailand's Child Protection Act and other legislation. "States have a fundamental responsibility to protect individuals on their territory, including refugees and asylum-seekers," the spokesperson added. "We are seeking urgent clarification from the Thai authorities on the circumstances surrounding this deportation." Other dissidents scared Cambodian activists remaining in Thailand told RFA they were now concerned about their safety and living in fear of knocks at the door. The opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party was banned and forcibly dissolved Cambodia's authoritarian government in 2017, with the long-ruling Cambodian People's Party having since easily won the 2018 and 2023 national elections without any viable alternative. After 38 years in power, Prime Minister Hun Sen last year handed over power to his son, Hun Manet, who has since shown little interest in diverting from his father's heavy-handed approach to ruling Cambodia. What little open defiance remains is seemingly being smothered out piece-by-piece by the government, with arrests of dissidents often now followed by forced apology videos that are widely distributed online. Edited by Alex Willemyns and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lebanon Cease-Fire Deal Seen As Major Victory For Israel By Kian Sharifi November 27, 2024 A U.S.-brokered deal to end hostilities in Lebanon is a significant win for Israel, which achieved its key war aims, experts say. The cease-fire agreement that came into effect on November 27 ended nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group and political party. Israel has eroded Hezbollah as a military power as well as a political and economic force in Lebanon. Israel has also succeeded in decoupling Hezbollah's rocket and missile attacks on Israel from the Gaza war. The Iran-backed group had vowed to continue its attacks until Israel ended its ongoing yearlong war in the Palestinian enclave. The truce will also end the presence of Hezbollah -- a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, although the EU has only blacklisted its armed wing -- in southern Lebanon, its stronghold. Israel, too, must withdrawal its ground forces from Lebanon. "Israel got the deal it wanted," said Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy. "Some are arguing in Israel that it would have been better to continue the war and aim for Hezbollah's full defeat, but the deal Israel achieved is as good as it could have hoped for," he added. Don't Underestimate Hezbollah Israel's devastating aerial bombardment of Lebanon decimated Hezbollah's leadership and military arsenal. But experts say it is too early to write off the group, which has representatives in parliament and retains support among the Shi'ite Muslim community in Lebanon. "Hezbollah is now a shadow of its former self, but it remains dangerous -- both to Israel and its many opponents in Lebanon," said Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Still, the war has shattered the armed group's narrative that it is Lebanon's protector against Israel, experts say. Hezbollah vowed to continue attacking Israel until it ended its war in Gaza. But the group was forced to drop that demand. The Israel-Hezbollah conflict killed over 3,600 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and displaced over 1 million people. Large areas of southern Lebanon and parts of the capital, Beirut, lie in ruins. "Not only was it not able to defend Lebanon, but it dragged it into a conflict for reasons outside of Lebanese interests, and now effectively gave up on this very narrative -- as it decoupled from Gaza," said Horowitz. "The group will face a legitimacy crisis, and will have to re-invent itself, and it will have to do so with a far less intelligent and politically shrewd leadership at its helm," he added. Hezbollah has not publicly commented on the cease-fire deal. But Hassan Fadlallah, a Lebanese lawmaker and member of Hezbollah, insists that the group will stay armed. "A lot of political groups in Lebanon will oppose this," Assaad Bechara, a political analyst based in Lebanon, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "Hezbollah will not be present in Lebanon's southern borders and will not face Israel, so their weapons will be aimed [at Lebanon]. Lebanon's transition phase will be very difficult and precarious." The Iran Angle Hezbollah has long been the crown jewel within Iran's loose network of regional allies and proxies known as the "axis of resistance." It also served as Iran's first and most formidable line of defense against Israel. Iran will try to use the respite afforded by the cease-fire to help Hezbollah "rehabilitate and reestablish its rank and file," said Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Azizi added that Iran and its allies view the cease-fire agreement as a "temporary respite until the next phase of confrontation with Israel." Under the terms of the cease-fire deal, thousands of Lebanese soldiers will be stationed in southern Lebanon along with a UN peacekeeping force. The United States will provide military support to the Lebanese Army and will ensure the implementation of the deal along with France. The presence of the West will likely be a major source of concern for Iran, which has long exerted its influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah, experts say. Tehran will see this as an attempt to bolster Hezbollah's domestic political rivals and "erode the potential for Hezbollah to remain active in Lebanese politics," Azizi said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/israel-hezbollah -ceasefire-iran/33217783.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pro-Russian Presidential Candidate Denies He Wants Romania Out Of NATO By RFE/RL ovember 27, 2024 Calin Georgescu, the pro-Russian far-right independent candidate who scored a shock victory in the first round of Romania's presidential election, has denied that he wants the country out of NATO and the European Union. Georgescu, who garnered nearly 23 percent of the vote in the November 24 poll, will face off against center-right Elena Lasconi, a staunch Euro-Atlanticist, in the December 8 runoff after both pushed ahead of favorite leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. Without the backing of a party, Georgescu's campaign relied heavily on social media platform TikTok, where his account had 1.6 million likes and where he posted videos of himself attending church, doing judo, running on a track, and speaking on podcasts. He has described NATO as "the world's weakest alliance" and the alliance's ballistic missile-defense shield in Deveselu, southern Romania, as a "shame of diplomacy," claiming the military alliance would not defend any of its members in case of a Russian attack. Instead, he recommended "Russian wisdom" as Romania's best path forward and launched a TikTok campaign calling for an end to Romanian aid for Ukraine. Under incumbent Klaus Iohannis, Romania has been one of Kyiv's staunchest allies. But facing a public backlash as hundreds of mostly young people took to the streets of Bucharest and other big Romanian cities chanting, "No Putin, no fear, Europe is our mother," and "Young people ask you not to vote for a dictator," Georgescu denied in a YouTube video on November 26 that he wanted Romania out of the Euro-Atlantic structures. "I do not want out of NATO, I do not want out of the European Union," Georgescu said, standing side-by-side with his wife, adding, "but I do want us to stand firm, not to kneel there, not to accept everything, to do everything in our national interest." He went on to say that he wanted peace, adding, "We cannot get into other peoples' wars for their interests that cause us prejudice," again alluding to Romania's support for Ukraine. For the December 8 runoff, Georgescu has rallied the support of far-right pro-Russia AUR party of which he used to be a member until 2022 and whose leader, George Simion, garnered almost 14 percent in the first round, while the center-right liberals threw their weight behind Lasconi, a former TV reporter and mayor of the small southern Romanian city of Campulung Muscel. But first, Romanians will elect a new parliament on December 1, with Ciolacu's Social Democratic Party, the centrist National Liberal Party, and Lasconi's Save Romania Union favorite to win most of the 332 seats in the lower Deputy Chamber and 137 mandates in the upper chamber, the Senate. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/georgescu-lasconi-nato-usr- pnl-psd/33217898.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Civilians Begin Returning To South Lebanon After Start Of Israeli-Hezbollah Cease-Fire By RFE/RL November 27, 2024 A cease-fire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has come into effect in southern Lebanon after almost 14 months of fighting that triggered concerns of a wider conflict in the region. After the cease-fire kicked off at 4 a.m. local time, the Israeli military warned civilians not to return to their homes in south Lebanon yet and not to approach Israeli positions. However, convoys of civilians crossed into southern Lebanon, defying the both the Israeli warning and appeal by the Lebanese Army, which is set to deploy to the area to replace the Israeli forces. Hezbollah is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and its military wing is blacklisted by the European Union. The cease-fire was overwhelmingly approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, Netanyahu's office said on November 26, marking a major development toward peace between Israel and Hezbollah militants. The move was immediately welcomed by U.S. President Joe Biden, who said it represents a fresh start for Lebanon and shows that peace is possible after nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting that forced tens of thousands of Israelis to flee and killed thousands of Lebanese. Netanyahu's office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the cease-fire agreement as he recommended his security cabinet adopt the plan, vowing to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the deal. In the hours leading up to the meeting, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs and issued a record number of evacuation warnings, while Hezbollah said it launched drones toward Israel amid cross-border fire. In a televised address, Netanyahu did not say how long the truce would last but noted that the length of the cease-fire "depends on what happens in Lebanon." He added: "If Hezbollah violates the agreement and attempts to rearm, we will strike. If they try to renew terror activities near the border, we will strike. If they launch a rocket, dig a tunnel, or bring in a truck with missiles, we will strike." The cease-fire marks the first major step toward ending the violence triggered by the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, by Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. However, the truce will not apply directly to Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Shortly after the cease-fire took effect, Hamas said it was also "ready" for a truce. Earlier, Netanyahu said on November 26 that Israel would now focus its efforts on Hamas and releasing the hostages seized by the militants on October 7. "From Day 2 of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own," he said. "We will increase our pressure on Hamas and that will help us in our sacred mission of releasing our hostages." Biden said that Israel reserved the right to resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce. "This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities," Biden said at the White House shortly after Netanyahu announced the security cabinet approval of the truce. If any party breaks the terms of the deal, "Israel retains the right to self-defense." He said that over the next 60 days civilians on both sides will be able to safely return to their own communities. The deal requires Israeli troops to withdraw from south Lebanon and Lebanon's army to deploy some 5,000 troops in the region, while Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the border south of the Litani River. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the cease-fire and said it was a "fundamental step towards establishing calm and stability in Lebanon." The war has killed at least 3,799 people in Lebanon since October 2023, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. On the Israeli side, the hostilities have killed at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians, authorities say. The war in Lebanon escalated after nearly a year of limited cross-border exchanges of fire initiated by Hezbollah. Separately, Syria's Defense Ministry said six people were killed in Israeli strikes on border crossings with Lebanon just after midnight on November 27, hours before the cease-fire took effect. With reporting by AP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-cease-fire- civilians/33217409.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sanctions and Visa Restrictions on Venezuelan Individuals Aligned with Nicolas Maduro US Department of State Press Statement Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State November 27, 2024 The United States is acting again today to hold Nicolas Maduro and his representatives accountable for undermining the electoral process in Venezuela and repressing the Venezuelan people. Four months after the Venezuelan people elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as president on July 28, Maduro and his representatives continue to falsely claim victory and violate democratic principles. Furthermore, Maduro's security apparatus has engaged in widespread abuses, including killings, repression, and mass detention of protestors. The Department of the Treasury is imposing sanctions on 21 Maduro-aligned individuals, including members of the security forces and cabinet-level officials. Concurrently, the Department of State continues to take steps to impose new visa restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 9931 on Maduro-aligned individuals who undermined a competitive and inclusive electoral process in Venezuela or are responsible for acts of repression. Including today's actions, Treasury has sanctioned 180 current or former Venezuelan officials for repressing and intimidating the democratic opposition in a desperate and illegitimate attempt to cling to power by force and the State Department has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on nearly 2,000 individuals for their role in undermining the electoral process or in acts of repression in Venezuela. We will continue to work with our international partners to defend democratic freedoms in Venezuela and ensure Maduro and his representatives are held accountable for their actions. The visa restriction actions were taken pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 9931 . Treasury's sanctions actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order 13692, "Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela," as amended. Executive Order 13857 expanded Executive Order 13692's definition of "Government of Venezuela" to include individuals who have acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of the Government of Venezuela including Maduro-aligned officials. For more information, see Treasury's press release. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Targets Maduro-aligned Officials Leading Post-Election Crackdown in Venezuela U.S. Department of the Treasury November 27, 2024 WASHINGTON -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning 21 security and cabinet-level officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro. These individuals are sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, as amended, for being current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. They have supported and carried out Maduro's orders to repress civil society in his efforts to fraudulently declare himself the winner of Venezuela's July 28 presidential election, thus ignoring the will of the overwhelming majority of Venezuelan voters who elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as their next president. Following the election, Venezuelan security forces have arbitrarily arrested democratic opposition supporters en masse, violently suppressed protests, and denied individuals the right to assemble peacefully without reprisal. These tactics also involved issuing an unjustified arrest warrant against president-elect Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, prompting his departure from Venezuela. "Maduro and his representatives' repressive actions in the wake of the Venezuelan presidential election are a desperate attempt to silence the voices of its citizens," said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. "The United States will continue to shine a light on those who seek to use violence and intimidation to undermine democratic governance and the legitimate exercise of free speech." Concurrently, the Department of State is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 9931 on Maduro-aligned individuals who have undermined the electoral process in Venezuela and/or are responsible for acts of repression. With these actions nearly 2,000 individuals have been identified to date as subject to visa restrictions for their role in undermining democracy, engaging in significant corruption, or violating the human rights of the Venezuelan people. VENEZUELAN MILITARY and POLICE OFFICIALs The individuals sanctioned today are senior Venezuelan officials, including from the Maduro-aligned Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), Bolivarian National Police (BNP), Bolivarian Militia, Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), and General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). These individuals are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13692, "Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela," as amended, for being current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. GNB Officials The GNB has led the violent repression following the election. Members of the GNB used their firearms to repress protestors, arrest and beat minors, and carry out arbitrary detentions. The GNB was deployed to control protests, at times taking a leading role beyond its constitutionally assigned responsibilities. The GNB failed to prevent non-state armed groups from harassing and attacking protestors on July 30. Many of the officials designated today are leaders of the GNB's military districts and operational zones, known as the Strategic Regions for Integral Defense (REDI) and Operational Zones of Integral Defense (ZODI). Dilio Guillermo Rodriguez Diaz is a Capital REDI commander. Previously, he served as the commander of Capital 81 of the ZODI and as the rector of the Bolivarian Military University. is a Capital REDI commander. Previously, he served as the commander of Capital 81 of the ZODI and as the rector of the Bolivarian Military University. Jose Yunior Herrera Duarte has served as head of GNB Zone Command No. 51 since 2022. has served as head of GNB Zone Command No. 51 since 2022. Carlos Eduardo Aigster Villamizar has served as commander and division general for Miranda State of the ZODI since 2023. He also served as the commander of GNB Zone Command No. 62 in Bolivar state. has served as commander and division general for Miranda State of the ZODI since 2023. He also served as the commander of GNB Zone Command No. 62 in Bolivar state. Jesus Rafael Villamizar Gomez has served as the Central REDI commander since 2024.Previously, he served as La Guaira ZODI commander and as the head of the Presidential Honor Guard. He is suspected of personal enrichment while employed as a high-ranking Venezuelan official. has served as the Central REDI commander since 2024.Previously, he served as La Guaira ZODI commander and as the head of the Presidential Honor Guard. He is suspected of personal enrichment while employed as a high-ranking Venezuelan official. Angel Daniel Balestrini Jaramillo previously served as the ZODI Aragua commander. previously served as the ZODI Aragua commander. Pablo Ernesto Lizano Colmenter previously servedastheZODI Carabobo commander. previously servedastheZODI Carabobo commander. Luis Gerardo Reyes Rivero previously served as commander and division general for the Yaracuy ZODI. previously served as commander and division general for the Yaracuy ZODI. Jose Alfredo Rivera Bastardo has servedas GNB director of services for Maintenance of Internal Order Division since 2024. He previously served as the commander of ZODI Falcon. has servedas GNB director of services for Maintenance of Internal Order Division since 2024. He previously served as the commander of ZODI Falcon. Alberto Alexander Matheus Melendez has served as the GNB director of Logistics Division since 2024. He previously served as he chief of Venezuela's National Anti-Drug Command. has served as the GNB director of Logistics Division since 2024. He previously served as he chief of Venezuela's National Anti-Drug Command. Jesus Ramon Fernandez Alayon isthe director of Operational Readiness of the GNB.He also held previous roles as the chief ofthe Coastal Surveillance Command and as the commander of GNB Command Zone in Lara. BNP, SEBIN, DGCIM, and Militia Officials Venezuela's large security apparatus has also contributed to violence following the election. The BNP is a Venezuelan security agency responsible for harassment and arbitrary detentions, including minors and in response to protests in rejection of the official information on the electoral results disseminated by the current President of the Venezuelan National Electoral Council.SEBIN has detained journalists who report on the electoral process, repression, and the abuse of power. In addition, the Bolivarian Militia is a special corps composed of the military reserves and the territorial militia with the purpose of supporting the Venezuelan Armed Forces. Ruben Dario Santiago Servigna has served as brigadier general of the BNP since 2023. He is also the officer in charge at the national level of the implementation of the electoral operation of citizen security. has served as brigadier general of the BNP since 2023. He is also the officer in charge at the national level of the implementation of the electoral operation of citizen security. Alexis Jose Rodriguez Cabello is the director of SEBIN. He is the cousin of Maduro's Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello Rondon, who has been sanctioned by OFAC since 2018. is the director of SEBIN. He is the cousin of Maduro's Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello Rondon, who has been sanctioned by OFAC since 2018. Javier Jose Marcana Tabata is the head of the DGCIM and the Presidential Honor Guard. is the head of the DGCIM and the Presidential Honor Guard. Orlando Ramon Romero Bolivar hascommanded the Bolivarian Militia since 2024. He also previously served as the Central REDI commander. VENEZUELAN OFFICIALs FROM VARIOUS MINISTRIES The following individuals are Maduro-aligned officials of various ministries, responsible for executing policies supporting anti-democratic acts. These individuals are being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13692, "Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela," as amended, for being current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. Anibal Eduardo Coronado Millan has served as minister of Maduro's Office of the President since April 2024 and as Government Performance Monitor of Maduro's Office of the President. He is also the "chief of government" in the Insular Territory of Francisco de Miranda. Previously, he served in the Presidential Honor Guard. Maduro's Office of the President has carried out Maduro's directive to commit electoral fraud, repress Venezuelans, and continue anti-democratic acts. has served as minister of Maduro's Office of the President since April 2024 and as Government Performance Monitor of Maduro's Office of the President. He is also the "chief of government" in the Insular Territory of Francisco de Miranda. Previously, he served in the Presidential Honor Guard. Maduro's Office of the President has carried out Maduro's directive to commit electoral fraud, repress Venezuelans, and continue anti-democratic acts. William Alfredo Castillo Bolle has served as Maduro's vice-minister of Anti-Blockade Policies in the Venezuelan Ministry of Economy, Finances, and External Trade since 2022. has served as Maduro's vice-minister of Anti-Blockade Policies in the Venezuelan Ministry of Economy, Finances, and External Trade since 2022. Ricardo Jose Menendez Prieto has been Maduro's vice president of Planning in the Office of the Vice President since 2014. He previously served as Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Industry, and Minister of Science, Technology, and Intermediary Industry. has been Maduro's vice president of Planning in the Office of the Vice President since 2014. He previously served as Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Industry, and Minister of Science, Technology, and Intermediary Industry. Freddy Alfred Nazaret Nanez Contreras is Maduro's minister of People's Power for Communication and the sectoral vice president of Communication, Culture, and Tourism. He has served as sectoral vice president for Communication and Culture and Minister of Communication and Information. Previously, he served as president of the Venezuelan National Television. is Maduro's minister of People's Power for Communication and the sectoral vice president of Communication, Culture, and Tourism. He has served as sectoral vice president for Communication and Culture and Minister of Communication and Information. Previously, he served as president of the Venezuelan National Television. Daniella Desiree Cabello Contreras has served as Maduro's president of the Venezuelan Export Promotion Agency since September 2024. The Venezuelan Export Promotion Agency is tasked with diversifying Venezuelan exports and with jointly drafting the Unified Protocol for Non-Oil Exports and Related Activities, which creates a single payment for exports from Venezuela. She previously served as the president of Venezuela's Country Brand Foundation who reported directly to Maduro's executive vice president, Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez, who has been sanctioned by OFAC since 2018. She is also the daughter of Diosdado Cabello Rondon. has served as Maduro's president of the Venezuelan Export Promotion Agency since September 2024. The Venezuelan Export Promotion Agency is tasked with diversifying Venezuelan exports and with jointly drafting the Unified Protocol for Non-Oil Exports and Related Activities, which creates a single payment for exports from Venezuela. She previously served as the president of Venezuela's Country Brand Foundation who reported directly to Maduro's executive vice president, Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez, who has been sanctioned by OFAC since 2018. She is also the daughter of Diosdado Cabello Rondon. Julio Jose Garcia Zerpa has been Maduro's minister of Penitentiary Services since 2024. Previously, he served as deputy for the state of Tachira and holds the position of first vice president of the Finance Commission of the Maduro-aligned National Assembly (AN). Many opposition figures and other political prisoners are also unjustly imprisoned. Venezuelan prisons have been criticized for depriving prisoners of their liberties, critical overcrowding, procedural delay, and prison neglect. In June, inmates from prisons across Venezuela led a hunger strike, demanding humanitarian measures and transfers to facilities closer to their relatives or where they were previously held. has been Maduro's minister of Penitentiary Services since 2024. Previously, he served as deputy for the state of Tachira and holds the position of first vice president of the Finance Commission of the Maduro-aligned National Assembly (AN). Many opposition figures and other political prisoners are also unjustly imprisoned. Venezuelan prisons have been criticized for depriving prisoners of their liberties, critical overcrowding, procedural delay, and prison neglect. In June, inmates from prisons across Venezuela led a hunger strike, demanding humanitarian measures and transfers to facilities closer to their relatives or where they were previously held. America Valentina Perez Davilahas served as second vice president of the AN. The AN has supported Maduro's fraudulent claim of victory in the July 28 presidential election. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above, and of any entities that are owned directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here. Click here for more information on the individuals identified today. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Guterres: Lebanon ceasefire deal 'first ray of hope for peace' 27 November 2024 - The ceasefire agreement in Lebanon represents "the first ray of hope for peace" in the regional war "amidst the darkness of the last few months", UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday in Lisbon. "It is a moment of great importance, especially for the civilians who were paying an enormous price for the fact that this conflict is not only dragging on, but is also gaining increasingly worrying dimensions," he said. The Secretary-General was speaking in the Portuguese capital at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, a day after Israel and Lebanon announced the ceasefire after more than a year of hostilities between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces. Respect the agreement He said it is essential that those who signed the agreement fully respect it, and that it paves the way for a political solution to the Lebanese crisis. "At the same time, I can assure you that UNIFIL, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force, which has been in Lebanon, is now prepared to contribute to the verification of this ceasefire with full commitment," he added. The Secretary-General stressed the importance of respect for international law for achieving peace. He said "it is clear that at a time when we see that conflicts are multiplying and that there is a feeling of impunity, that various powers, even small and medium powers, can afford to do whatever they want without anything happening to them, jeopardizing the security of their own country and their neighbours." Peace in Gaza, Ukraine and beyond Turning to other conflicts, he underlined the need for a just peace in Ukraine, with respect for the UN Charter, international law, and the territorial integrity of the country. The UN chief reiterated his call for peace in Gaza, with an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian access to the population "who have suffered in a way that I cannot recall at any other time during my term." The joint press conference was held following the conclusion of the 10th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), held over three days in the seaside town of Cascais. The UNAOC is platform for intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation. Its work is centred around the five main priority areas of youth, education, media, migration, and women as peace mediators. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Neil Keene was playing with his kids while camping when he spotted something 'floating underneath the water'. Neil Keene (left) found a camera in the Gloucester River in NSW last week while camping. Right: On it were treasured family photos. Source: Supplied An unexpected find on a family camping trip last week has reunited a young boy with a prized possession he lost seven months ago. Neil Keene was camping with his young children and his brother's family at a popular campground near the Gloucester River on NSW's Mid North Coast when something caught his eye in the water. "We were maybe 400 metres upstream of where the campground is and the kids were jumping in the water. My brother was helping them in at one end and I was further downstream to catch them," the Lake Macquarie man told Yahoo News. "I was waiting there when I saw this strap kind of just floating underneath the water." The dad said whatever was in the river "didn't look natural" and it was clearly covered in mud and growth from the river. ADVERTISEMENT "I grabbed it and pulled it out and it was this camera... it was so exciting," he said. The waterproof camera was 'crusty' but the SD card was preserved. Source: Supplied Camper's desperate efforts to identify owner of the camera It took a great deal of effort for Neil to figure out who owned the Olympus waterproof camera, unable to access the photos initially. "It was crusty and the locking mechanism wouldn't budge... I had to wait until I was home and use WD40," Neil said. To his delight, there was an SD card inside and he was able to recover the photos all of which portrayed a wholesome family holiday. He jumped on social media in hopes of finding the owner and within hours, he got a message. The family waded through the Gloucester River (left) trying to find the camera but the item, and the precious photos (right), were not found. Source: Supplied "It was only a couple of hours before the woman whose son Curtis owned the camera got in touch... they're from the Gold Coast... they'd actually been travelling around Australia for a couple of years and Gloucester River was one of their last stops on their trip back in April," he said. ADVERTISEMENT Curtis's mum Carly explained to Neil the family were devastated when he lost his camera and they waded through the river trying to find it. Family's first camping trip will be 'hard to live up to' The camera is now on its way back to its rightful owner and Neil included a handwritten note and surprise for Curtis, who desperately wants his camera back. "I've sent it back with a little note from our family to theirs and I put $10 in with the camera case... it's Christmas after all," he said. "I have twin girls who are eight and this is their first camping trip... our second will be hard to live up to," he said. "Social media often gets a bad reputation, deservedly a lot of the time, but it can be used for good. This is evidence of that." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Afghanistan: Surge in synthetic drugs could threaten public health 27 November 2024 - The latest report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals significant gaps in Afghanistan's ability to address substance use disorders, highlighting urgent issues with access, resources, and infrastructure. The Mapping of Facilities for Treatment of Substance Use Disorders in Afghanistan report, conducted in collaboration with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), is the first comprehensive survey of the country's treatment capacity. While services are operational in 32 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, systemic barriers - especially for women - severely limit access to care. Gender disparities and strained resources The report found that only 17 per cent of the 82 operational facilities cater exclusively to women, and services for female patients are accessible in just over a third of provinces, leaving many women without adequate care. The survey also highlights acute shortages of qualified medical personnel, essential supplies, and infrastructure funding. Over 72 per cent of centres operate at or near full capacity, yet many lack basic resources such as naloxone, a life-saving medication for opioid overdoses. Additionally, community-based care, a more accessible alternative to residential treatment, remains underdeveloped. Most facilities rely on resource-intensive residential models, disproportionately affecting rural populations who are underserved. A changing drug landscape Afghanistan is also experiencing a troubling shift in drug trends. While opiates such as heroin and opium remain the leading substances driving treatment admissions, the use of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine is rising rapidly. Methamphetamine-related admissions now account for a growing portion of cases, complicating treatment needs and straining already limited resources. This shift is occurring alongside a decline in opium production, which in 2024 totalled 433 tonnes - a 30 per cent increase from 2023, but still 93 per cent below 2022 levels, when the de facto authorities began enforcing a nationwide drug ban. The report warns that without targeted interventions, the proliferation of synthetic drugs could deepen Afghanistan's public health crisis. Coordinated action needed The findings call for urgent collaboration between Afghanistan's de facto authorities and the international community to address these challenges. "International efforts must be coordinated to ensure that this decline is not replaced with production of dangerous synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine within Afghanistan or the wider region," said Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC. Expanding gender-sensitive services, increasing community-based care options, and addressing critical resource gaps are among the top priorities. Investment in infrastructure, medical supplies, and workforce training is also essential to improve the quality and accessibility of treatment services across the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: Aid challenges in Syria, human rights in Iran, elections in South Sudan 27 November 2024 - Ongoing hostilities across Syria are intensifying an already dire humanitarian crisis, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned, amid reports of a deadly airstrike at the Ad Dabousiyah border crossing with Turkiye. A Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteer was among multiple civilians killed in the incident, OCHA said in a news release. The attack also damaged several SARC ambulances and other humanitarian objects and left two bridges impassable. "As a result, all humanitarian operations at border crossings [between Syria and Lebanon] are suspended until further notice," it said, underscoring the need to ensure protection of humanitarians in line with international law. Furthermore, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator David Carden raised alarm over the escalation of violence in Idlib and western Aleppo, with devastating consequences for children. Artillery shelling on Tuesday killed three boys under the age of 14 and injured more than a dozen other children attending classes. The violence also forced at least 35 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to suspend humanitarian activities in the region. Fourteen health facilities along the front lines also ceased operations, with schools and key roads closed. "Our partners are trying to verify the number of people who may have been displaced by the latest violence," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists at the regular news briefing in New York. Aid deliveries, however, continue through the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing. On Tuesday, 10 trucks carrying supplies from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) entered Idlib from Turkiye. Iran: Calls for accountability for 2022 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests Survivors of Iran's violent crackdown on the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests are demanding justice for gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on the country said on Wednesday. The FFM met with more than 50 Iranian survivors - who fled Iran - in Germany. The survivors shared harrowing testimonies, recounting severe abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention and injuries such as blinding, according to the FFM. They also highlighted the repression faced by families mourning loved ones killed during the protests sparked by the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody for allegedly violating hijab laws. FFM Chair Sara Hossain emphasised the importance of a victim-centred approach. "Their voices and their expectations for action, within Iran and internationally, are key to our taking a victim-centred approach to justice and accountability," she said. Survivors also spoke of pervasive state surveillance and judicial harassment impeding accountability efforts within Iran. Despite this, they insisted that they will continue their fight for justice, both in Iran and elsewhere. "It was inspiring to hear survivors speak of their enormous struggles to speak out against injustice, and to ultimately reach safety," said FFM member Shaheen Sardar Ali. "Their voices remind us of the continued need for solidarity and support to all survivors of the ongoing repression against the 2022 'Woman, Life, Freedom' protestors in Iran." The Mission's next report to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, due in March 2025, will propose recommendations on victim rehabilitation, accountability processes and reparations. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran is mandated by the Council to investigate alleged human rights violations in the country related to the protests that began there on 16 September 2022, especially with respect to women and children. Members include Ms. Hossain, Ms. Ali and Viviana Krsticevic (Argentina). They are not UN staff and do not draw a salary. UN Mission urges electoral preparations in South Sudan The head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, has called on provincial governors to take decisive steps to foster civic and political freedoms as the nation prepares for its first democratic elections, scheduled for December 2026. Speaking at the annual Governors' Forum in the capital, Juba, Mr. Haysom emphasised the critical role of state leaders in addressing the root causes of conflict and ensuring citizens can freely participate in the electoral process. Creating an open civic and political space is essential to building trust and engagement in the lead-up to these historic elections, he said. He urged governors to focus on delivering basic services to their populations through effective and accountable public financial management. He further highlighted the importance of this approach in building sustainable peace and addressing the nation's developmental challenges. Mr. Haysom also called for the commencement of training for the second batch of Necessary Unified Forces, a measure aimed at strengthening security nationwide, particularly ahead of elections. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA Situation Report #14 on the Lebanon Emergency Response: All information from 13 November - 20 November 2024, valid as of 20 November 2024 at 1:00 PM UNRWA 27 Nov 2024 Key Points UNRWA activated its Emergency Response in Lebanon on 24 September. The Agency is currently operating 11 emergency shelters across the country. As of 20 November 2024, a total of 3,281 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) has registered in UNRWA shelters. No incidents affecting UNRWA facilities were reported between 13 November and 20 November 2024. No casualties among UNRWA staff have been reported during the reporting period. During the reporting period, there were no new displacement orders that specifically referenced any area containing a Palestinian refugee camp or an UNRWA shelter. On 17 November, Beirut faced renewed airstrikes, including on Ras el Nabaa, Mar Elias and Zoukak el Blat on 18 November. UNRWA is working with a range of partner organisations (community based, local NGOs and international NGOs) in all its emergency shelters to provide a full range of services, including hot meals and psychosocial support activities. In its emergency response, UNRWA has relied on the dedication and commitment of partners on the ground. UNRWA has partnered with Lebanon's national vaccination campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), WHO, and UNICEF to ensure all children receive essential vaccines for protection against polio, measles, rubella and mumps. At the Overall Situation The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports a total of 886,028 IDPs[1](51 per cent female and 49 per cent male) as of 18 November 2024. New displacements continue to be reported and recorded. As of 20 November, 965 households, representing 3,281 people, are registered in UNRWA emergency shelters across the country, indicating a continued slow decrease for the eighth consecutive reporting period. UNRWA is monitoring this trend, noting that some Internally Displaced People (IDPs) have returned to their homes in the camps, while others have secured alternative housing arrangements by staying with relatives or renting. Despite the overall decrease in numbers, it is worth noting that UNRWA shelters do continue to record new arrival of IDPs in its shelters. [1] IOM Mobility Snapshot - Round 63: Lebanon: Displacement Tracking Matrix: Mobility Snapshot - Round 63 (18 November 2024) Humanitarian Access, Protection of Civilians During the reporting period, there were no new displacement orders that specifically referenced any area containing a Palestinian refugee camp or an UNRWA shelter. On 17 November, Beirut faced renewed airstrikes, including on Ras el Nabaa, Mar Elias and Zoukak el Blat on 18 November. No casualties among UNRWA staff have been reported during the reporting period. The UNRWA security team closely monitors the situation and staff movements to ensure the safety of frontline humanitarian workers. No incident affecting UNRWA facilities was reported between 13 November and 20 November 2024. The security situation in Tyre remains very tense, with the suspension of most services. On both 18 and 20 November, planned health service missions to refugee camps in the Tyre area were suspended. Through the support of ICRC, hygiene kits and food items could be distributed to the three camps in Tyre, over the reporting period. Partnerships In all areas, UNRWA coordinates with local partners to provide additional services to displaced people. At each emergency shelter, a co-support partner has been identified. These co-support partners include Nabaa, Tadamon, Beit Atfal El-Somoud, Najdeh, Mobader and the Arab Resource Center for Popular Arts (ARCPA), al - Jana. UNRWA is also coordinating closely with UN Agencies and international organisations, including IOM, UNICEF, WFP, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Save the Children International, Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), and Action Against Hunger. UNRWA Shelters Open UNRWA Emergency Shelter Locations as at 20 /11/2024 Programmatic & Operational Response On 3 October, UNRWA launched a Flash Appeal for US$ 27.3 million to address the urgent humanitarian needs resulting from the ongoing escalation in Lebanon, in addition to the displacement from Lebanon into Syria, over the next 90 days. Health As of 20 November, out of 27 UNRWA health centers, 15 are operational while 12 remain closed due to the security context. Family Health Teams are rotating inside the 11 designated emergency shelters. As of 20 November, UNRWA conducted over 12,229 consultations inside the shelters to Palestine Refugees from Lebanon (PRL), Palestine Refugees from Syria (PRS), Lebanese and others. The total number of health consultations at the remaining 15 operational health centers is 156,365, specifically for PRL and PRS. On both 18 and 20 November, planned health missions to refugee camps in the Tyre area were suspended due to security concerns. Routine opening of primary health clinics in the Tyre area remains suspended. In the Beqaa Area, all health centers remain operational. However, Wavel Camp Clinic is operational on an emergency basis only. In Central Lebanon Area (CLA), Shatila Health Center remains operational on a daily basis as of 7 November for primary health care services but had to suspend its services on 18 and 19 November due to security situation. In Saida, health clinics in Nabatieh, Ghazieh and Adloun remain closed. The Musaytbeh Emergency Health Center will start providing dental care shortly, with mobile dental units pending maintenance. Since the activation of the emergency, 105 emergency hospitalizations for the treatment of civilian war injuries were reported, including one UNRWA staff member. On 12 November, UNRWA's Health team started a vaccination campaign, in coordination with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, inside the 11 shelters. Children below five will be vaccinated against polio and children between 9 months and 10 years for Measles, Mumphs and Rubella (MMR) as well as a Vitamine A Supplementation (VAS). As of 20 November, 1,314 children below were vaccinated. Six solar fridges have been provided by UNICEF to store vaccines in the newly established health centers with remote temperature monitoring devices. Two solar fridges have been installed in Musaytbeh Center and one in Beqaa, during the reporting period. The health team also plans to install solar fridges in Saida. Active surveillance systems are established in all health centers and medical facilities to identify early signs of infectious disease outbreaks. Water tanks undergo chlorination and are routinely monitored for waterborne diseases. No further cholera cases have been reported. On 17 November two Palestine refugees were killed in separate airstrikes in the city of Tyre; a male was targeted while riding his motorcycle, and a female was struck in the Shabriha neighborhood. In al-Jarmak shelter, an incident between two displaced persons led to injuries and hospitalization. Most such sporadic conflics are solved through dialogue with support from the shelter managers and community committees. This underlines the continued need for community engagement activities in UNRWA shelters and effective conflict resolution mechanisms. Palestine refugees remaining in the camps in Tyre area continue to appeal for protection and access to services, particularly health services. On 19 November, a sit-in was conducted in Nahr el Bared Camp by Heraks activists to protest the delays in cash assistance. The same day, a list of demands was submitted by a committee of the displaced individuals of the shelters in the camp. Similar protests took place in Saida for cash assistance and hospitalization coverage. UNRWA's protection team continues to mainstream protection considerations aimed at improving the situation of the most vulnerable IDPs in the shelters. For example, over the reporting period, eleven Palestine refugees with disabilities in Yabud shelter were consulted on the accessibility in the shelter to ensure their needs are recognized. On 13 November, the Legal Aid team conducted two online awareness sessions on the Cash for Work Programme, targeting a total of 51 youth. On 14 November, UNRWA and NRC conducted an awareness session in STC shelter on civil documentation and safeguarding of these documents. The session targeted 17 individuals. On 14 November, the CCCM Specialist visited Nablus and Rafidiya shelters to discuss security management, challenges and support needed. Community Committees have been established in Nablus with a clear ToR. UNRWA's Protection and Social Services teams are looking into expanding this model to other shelters, including through a training on the Code of Conduct. UNRWA social workers provided 32 psychosocial support group sessions over the reporting period, targeting 655 individuals (383 women, 115 girls, 46 men and 111 boys) within the 11 shelters. Group sessions aim to address family issues and strengthen relationships. Since the onset of the conflict, the social work team has provided 659 group interventions and awareness sessions, targeting 2,426 IDPs. These sessions cover topics such as the rights and duties of those residing in UNRWA shelters, GBV and child protection sensitization sessions, parenting skills, services information sessions, self-care sessions, hygiene sessions, communication skills and online safety. The social workers coordinate closely with partners such as UNICEF, TDH, Save the Children, Hemaya, UPEL, Najdeh, Nabaa, Tadamon, Beit Afal and Al Somoud for additional support in UNRWA's shelters. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) While UNRWA Water and Sanitation services are currently being maintained, UNRWA faces a risk of fuel shortage, especially in the Tyre area, where access to fuel is severely limited. Water pumping is operating at minimal levels. UNRWA is undertaking efforts to secure regular fuel deliveries to the camps in the Tyre area to enable the ongoing operation of water facilities. The water levels in Nahr el Bared Camp (NBC) and its shelters, including Mount Tabour, Amqa, Toubas, Majeddo Mazar and Battir, have experienced challenges over the reporting period. In the camp, water shortages were reported as one of the water wells was out of order. Booster bumps have been installed in Battir and Mount Tabour schools to enhance the water supply and repairs will be taking place shortly. Two water wells in Burj Shemali are currently non-operational and require maintenance. Repairs have been hindered by the security concerns. The camp currently relies on the three remaining functional water wells. The generation of solid waste is also increasing in the Nahr el Bared Camp (NBC) and its shelters. During the reporting period, two compactors were out of order, requiring a private contractor to collect and dispose of the accumulated waste. On average, there is a ratio of 15 IDPs per toilet in the 11 UNRWA designated shelters. UNRWA's sanitation teams clean the sewer lines and manholes to avoid blockage and floodings. Some flooding already occurred two weeks ago in shelters in Saida City (Nablus and Rafidiya Schools). Despite previous successful interventions by the municipality, the issue has re-emerged again over the reporting period. The UNRWA team is working on finding a solution. UNRWA teams are conducting maintenance and repairs across all 11 emergency shelters. Technical assessments have been completed. The team is currently in the tendering phase for Internal Accommodation Works for existing buildings in STC and rehabilitation of the existing water well in STC. Technical assessments for additional accommodation are in progress. Winterization efforts are underway, with preparations ongoing such as clearing rooftop areas, manholes, as well as the inspection and maintenance of drainage systems. Additional winterization efforts are required, such as insulation, waterproof sealing, roof waterproofing systems, among others. Food Security Preparations for the community kitchen in Nahr el Bared Camp are underway. This kitchen will serve all northern shelters and is anticipated to start operating on 1 December. WFP is providing lunch and dinner meals until the end of November. On 18 November, Al Kasser Bakery began baking and distributing bread to the IDPs. A total of 1,020 bags was distributed, 450 bags to IDPs inside shelters and 570 bags to displaced people outside the shelters. In addition to the Community Kitchens, UNRWA is collaborating extensively with other organisations to ensure IDPs can fulfill their nutritional requirements. The Chief Area Officers coordinate closely with local NGOs. For instance, over the reporting period, ICRC supported in the distribution of food items to Tyre. In Central Lebanon Area (CLA) the Fingerprint of Change has increased their daily meals from 60 to 125 meals per day. Additionally, the Women's Humanitarian Association delivers 100 breakfast sandwiches a day from Monday to Saturday. The Children's Kitchen continues supplying daily meals, snacks, and toys for up to 30 children and 15 volunteers. Since 19 November, CLA will also distribute 70 bread packs daily at Yabud shelter through a partnership with a local bakery. Education The start of the 2024/2025 academic year was postponed to 11 November due to insecurity in the country. During the Readiness Phase (Phase I), education staff started off with an administrative week to begin the year. Since 18 November, students have been engaged remotely with their teachers in social and emotional Learning, mental health and psychosocial support, recreational activities. A review of the readiness phase will take place in the week of 25 November, Phase II - including the possibility of rolling out more formal learning and academic elements, depending on the outcome of the review, is due to start from 2 December. UNRWA remains dedicated to providing educational services to 38,006 students in grades 1 to 12, comprising 19,760 girls and 18,246 boys. With the support of 42 school counselors, UNRWA provides psychosocial support services to children, youth, and adults across and beyond all 11 shelters in Lebanon. This includes psychosocial first aid, individual and group counseling, awareness sessions on gender-based violence (GBV) and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), as well other essential PSS interventions. Since the onset of the armed conflict, approximately 3,500 people, including more than 1,500 children, have benefited from 3,008 psychosocial support sessions and recreational activities. UNRWA has distributed 1,946 sets of psychosocial support kits. During the reporting period a total of 608 individuals, including 471 children (288 girls and 243 boys) accessed these vital services. UNRWA's Education team is also providing remote psychosocial support to students and their families/caregivers outside emergency shelters to foster resilience, develop coping skills, and enhance wellbeing and safety. During the reporting period, 13 school counselors have conducted 1,334 care calls, reaching 120 adults and 194 children (124 girls and 70 boys). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Longest in the Fight - USS Indianapolis returns from deployment US Navy 27 November 2024 From U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs NAVAL STATION MAYPORT -- The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) returned to Naval Station Mayport, Fla. following a deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet, 6th Fleet, and 2nd Fleet areas of operations, Nov. 26. Indianapolis deployed in March 2024 as a dual-crewed command, conducting two exchanges of command between LCS Crew 112 and LCS Crew 118. This final deployment marked LCS Crew 118's second 5th Fleet deployment in 2024 and the consolidation of the crews into a single command. LCS Crew 118 deployed on May 5, 2024 to the U.S. 5th Fleet operating area to support the U.S. Navy's mission to promote freedom of navigation and the rules-based international order. "What this team of amazing Americans achieved over the course of this deployment will pay dividends in the maintenance planning and tactics development arenas for years to come," said Cmdr. Matthew Arndt, USS Indianapolis' Commanding Officer. "As the workhorse of the Arabian Gulf, Indy executed the lower tier missions necessary to maintaining good diplomatic relations in the Middle East which allowed Standard Missile shooters to reposition to deal with bad actors in the Red Sea. I think it's pretty special that we were able to provide the 5th Fleet commander with more tools and options to aid in the free flow of commerce through a contested waterway." Shortly after arriving at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, LCS crews 118 and 112 merged and integrated a detachment from the "High Rollers" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 into the crew. Indianapolis and HSC 28 supported operations as part of Task Force 52. The ship also worked with Task Force 59, the Navy's first unmanned and artificial intelligence development force, to validate crewless technology and mesh networks. Indianapolis also supported other interoperability initiatives and aviation training events with regional partners. "This deployment clearly marks a significant chapter in the ship's history and serves as proof the LCS class is capable of fulfilling operational and strategic goals across all theater of operations, but most of all, this deployment records the mountainous amount of teamwork, dedication and grit from our Sailors and their friends and families who support them - without them none of this would be possible," said Cmdr. William Green, USS Indianapolis' Executive Officer. Indianapolis validated the littoral combat ship concept both operationally and through administrative successes. During the final months of an 18-month deployment, Indianapolis completed a Mobility Aviation Reset, two Initial Ship Aviation Team Training events to support HSC 28.7 and HSC 28.9, certified in Explosive Safety and Cyber Security, and demonstrated navigational excellence during a mobility navigation assessment. The ship's deployed maintenance and repair experiences were supported by Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) and included maintenance availabilities in locations throughout the Middle East region, and Rijeka, Croatia. "The resilience and flawless performance of this crew during this historic deployment have exemplified the highest standards of naval excellence," said Command Senior Chief Darrell Shelton, USS Indianapolis' Senior Enlisted Leader. "Their unwavering dedication and skill ensured mission success and strengthened our maritime capabilities." LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric "anti-access" threats and can support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence. U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse comprises 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen. U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa. U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime forces ready to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic to ensure access, deter aggression, and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US imposes sanctions on 21 top Venezuelan officials over election crackdown By Celia Mendoza November 27, 2024 The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 21 security and Cabinet-level officials aligned with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro for what the Biden administration says are anti-democratic actions and violation of human rights perpetrated since the country's July 28 election. The group includes 15 leaders of the Bolivarian national guard, national police, national intelligence service members and the general directorate of military counterintelligence, who according to a high-level representative of the administration have targeted innocent civilians for repression and reprisals. In a statement Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States is "acting again today to hold Nicolas Maduro and his representatives accountable for undermining the electoral process in Venezuela and repressing the Venezuelan people." Blinken said Maduro and his representatives continue to falsely claim victory in the election while his security apparatus "has engaged in widespread abuses, including killings, repression and mass detention of protesters." International election observers have cast doubt on official results from the July 28 election. The U.S. and Venezuelan opposition parties maintain that Maduro lost the election to opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who fled to Spain after Venezuelan authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. The U.S. says it has now sanctioned 180 current or former Venezuelan officials for "repressing and intimidating the democratic opposition in a desperate and illegitimate attempt to cling to power." The State Department said it also has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on nearly 2,000 people for their role in undermining the electoral process or in acts of repression in Venezuela. The Biden administration, according to a senior official who spoke to reporters on Wednesday, has given "Nicholas Maduro and his representatives every opportunity to do the right thing." Instead, the official said, "Maduro and [his] representatives decided to use violent repression and defeat power at all costs. This is not something the United States will stand for, and nor will other countries in the region." The U.S. has not yet imposed sanctions on Venezuela's oil production or energy sector - something that has shown in the past to bring the government to the negotiating table. "As for the possibility of imposing energy sanctions, just because we have not taken an action so far does not mean that we will not take an action in the future," explained a senior administration official Wednesday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN report: Taliban have detained Afghan journalists more than 250 times By Jocelyn Mintz November 27, 2024 Journalists in Afghanistan are forced to navigate an environment of "censorship and tight restrictions" under Taliban rule, the United Nations has said. From the Taliban takeover on August 15, 2021, to September 30 of this year, the Taliban have detained journalists 256 times and 130 cases of torture and poor treatment have been documented, according to the report published Tuesday by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA. The report documents the "arbitrary arrests, torture, and violence" that journalists have been subject to since 2021, according to Freshta Hemmati, of the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization. "They are working under the severe pressure of censorship and restrictions," she told VOA. The Taliban-led foreign ministry said that the figures in the report were "exaggerated" and that journalists are detained only for violations of law, the Reuters news agency reported. The ministry cited crimes including defaming the government, false or baseless reports, and providing material to media outlets against the system, Reuters reported. The UNAMA report found that journalists and media workers in Afghanistan often face "unclear rules on what they can and cannot report." This leads to the high risk of arbitrary detention for what the Taliban deem as criticism. Analysts who spoke with VOA said that the report reflects the media suppression in Afghanistan and is a hallmark of the Taliban rule. "The aim of multiplying the arrests is to instill fear in the whole media community and to provoke self-censorship and submission," Celia Mercier, head of Reporters Without Borders' South Asia Desk, told VOA in an email. Since the Taliban resumed power, they have imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Their administration has not been officially recognized by any foreign government. Within three months of the takeover, around 40% of Afghan media outlets disappeared, according to the media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders, or RSF. The takeover led to a large exodus of journalists. Those who remain risk being targeted, according to Beh Lih Yi, of the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ. CPJ has documented "cruel assaults and beatings" of journalists by Taliban forces. Often, journalists and their families choose to remain silent about a detention for fear of retribution. "All these repressive measures of the Taliban are aimed at creating a chilling effect on the press and deterring journalists from continuing their reporting," Beh told VOA in an email. The restrictions have especially impacted women journalists in Afghanistan, Hemmati, of the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization, told VOA. After the Taliban takeover, eight in 10 women journalists stopped working, according to RSF data. The Taliban foreign ministry, in its response to the UNAMA report, said women were free to work if they met conditions, such as covering their faces and working separately from men. Watchdogs have called on Afghan authorities to uphold press freedom by respecting the country's media law, ratified nearly a decade ago. This law outlines the right to free expression in the country, with the goal of protecting journalists, according to the Afghanistan Journalists Center. The UNAMA report called on the Taliban to improve conditions for media. "We urge the de facto authorities to ensure the safety and security of all journalists and media workers as they carry out their tasks, and to fully recognize the importance of women working in the media sector," Roza Otunbayeva, special representative of the secretary-general and head of UNAMA, said in the report. Afghanistan is ranked at No. 178 out of 180 on the Press Freedom Index, where 1 signals the best environment. In 2021, before the Taliban takeover, the country ranked 122nd. Sahar Azimi of VOA's Afghan Service contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Background Press Call on Venezuela November 27, 2024 Via Teleconference 9:18 A.M. EST MODERATOR: All right, so good morning, everyone. Thank you again for joining us on somewhat of a short notice here. We will be speaking about Venezuela this morning. And on the line, not for reporting purposes, we will have [senior administration official]. We will also have [senior administration official]. And we will also have [senior administration official]. We will be on background, attributable to senior administration officials, and the call will be embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. At the end of the call, I can also email, also under embargo, some of our press releases for you to use in your reporting, but the embargo will lift on all documents and the backgrounder at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. With that, I will turn it over to my colleague. Over to you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Great. Thank you very much. And good morning, everyone. Really appreciate your time. We know that most of you are headed into the Thanksgiving holiday. The purpose of the call today is to discuss some actions we're taking related to Venezuela. Tomorrow, November 28th, will mark four months to the day from Venezuela's presidential election, which took place on July 28th, and it was an election in which the Venezuelans voted resoundingly to make Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia the president-elect. As we in the U.S. administration have said many times before, we believe it's extremely important that the voices of the Venezuelan people are heard and that their votes are fairly counted and respected. In the months since July 28th, we have given Nicolas Maduro and his representatives every opportunity to do the right thing, and we have incentivized the possibility of democratic steps. Instead, Maduro and his representatives decided to use violent repression and to seize power at all costs. This is not something the United States will stand for, and nor will other countries in the region stand for this. Therefore, the United States has taken steps to increase pressure against Maduro and his representatives, who are responsible for the electoral fraud that took place on July 28th and afterwards, and the brutal repression that we've seen in the last few months. For this reason, today I'm joined by colleagues from the Department of State and Treasury to inform you of actions the U.S. government will be taking to continue to hold Maduro and its representatives accountable. First, the Department of the Treasury will sanction 21 security and cabinet-level officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro. This includes 15 leaders of the Bolivarian National Guard, Bolivarian National Police, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service, Bolivarian militia, and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence. All of these entities are part of Maduro's security apparatus and are responsible for violently repressing peaceful protesters and carrying out arbitrary detentions. We have also included Maduro-aligned officials who have been responsible for anti-democratic acts. Concurrently, the Department of State imposed new restrictions on new visa restrictions on a significant number of Maduro alliance officials who have undermined the electoral process in Venezuela and are responsible for acts of repression. The steps that we are taking today build on multiple actions that we have taken already to hold the current and former Venezuelan officials accountable for undermining democracy in Venezuela and to hold them accountable for violating human rights. These actions will follow on similar sanctions and visa restrictions that we announced last September. To date, we have sanctioned 180 Venezuelan officials and 100 Venezuelan entities. Additionally, we regularly take actions to enforce our sanctions policy to demonstrate to Maduro and his cronies that their undemocratic governance has consequences. This included, last September, the seizure of Maduro's illegally acquired aircraft. It's important to point out that the United States does not stand alone in expressing our concerns with Maduro's anti-democratic actions and in our call for the restoration of democratic norms. I am now going to pass the floor to my colleagues from Department of State and from Treasury, who can discuss the further efforts that we are taking to rally support of the international community for Venezuela's return to democratic norms, as well as additional information on these sanctions actions. Thank you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Good morning. As [senior administration official] mentioned, tomorrow marks four months since Venezuela's presidential election. It also marks four months of Nicolas Maduro's refusal to recognize the will of the Venezuelan people and his brutal repression of those defending the true results of the election. We have witnessed the Venezuelan people's courage and commitment to democracy in the face of repression, threats, unjust detentions, and censorship. They overcome daily adversity as they clamor for a democratic transition and their rights to freedom of expression. Maduro and his representatives continue to ignore calls from their own people and the international community for transparency, and instead use brute force to silence dissenters. And they fail to present evidence that supports any shred of Maduro's false claim to victory. Democratic governments in the region and around the world press Maduro as a united front for transparency and a restoration of democracy in Venezuela. The Organization of American States, for example, adopted a U.S.-led resolution on this topic by consensus. More than 50 countries supported Panama's statement of concern in New York, outside the U.N. Security Council. And at the U.N. General Assembly in September, more than 50 countries and the EU called on Venezuela to end political repression and respect the results of the election. Just this week, at the G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy, G7 countries called on Venezuela to release political prisoners and respect the voters' decision for democratic change. As [senior administration official] already noted, today we are using our sanctions authorities to impose costs on 21 Maduro-aligned individuals for their myriad abuses against the Venezuelan people and attempts to steal the election. Our sanctions policy seeks to incentivize democratic actions in Venezuela, the only path to resolve Venezuela's political, economic, and humanitarian crisis. We will continue to promote accountability for Maduro and his representatives so long as they continue repressing the Venezuelan people. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you all for joining today. As my colleagues mentioned, today the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, is sanctioning 21 security and cabinet-level officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro. These individuals are sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order 13692, as amended, for being current or former officials of the government of Venezuela. They have supported and carried out Maduro's orders to repress civil society in his efforts to fraudulently declare himself the winner of Venezuela's July 28th presidential election, thus ignoring the will of the overwhelming majority of Venezuelan voters who elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as their next president. Following this election, Venezuelan security forces have arbitrarily arrested democratic opposition supporters en masse, violently suppressed protests, and denied individuals the right to assemble peacefully without backlash. These tactics also involved issuing an unjustified arrest warrant against President-elect Urrutia, prompting his departure from Venezuela. The United States joins other democracies in the region and across the world in condemning this subversion of democratic norms. We stand with the Venezuelan people and support those seeking to restore democracy in Venezuela. The Biden-Harris administration will continue to use our tools to hold Maduro and his cronies accountable, and support the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people. The individuals sanctioned today are senior Venezuelan officials, including from the Maduro-aligned Bolivarian National Guard, Bolivarian National Police, militia, National Intelligence Service, and General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence. Again, these individuals are being designated pursuant to Executive Order 13692. To date, OFAC has sanctioned over 150 Venezuelan individuals and 100 Venezuelan entities to target current or former officials for taking anti-democratic actions and violating human rights. Since the July 28th election, Maduro and his representatives have indiscriminately arrested Venezuelans for exercising their political and civil rights, and deployed a range of intimidation tactics to silence the opposition. As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above, and of any entities that are owned directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more of them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (transiting) the United States that involve any property or interest in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. We take these actions very seriously by Maduro and his cronies, and will continue to hold those responsible who are not abiding by the will of the people. Thank you. MODERATOR: Thank you very much for those opening remarks. For those who joined just a couple of minutes late, just a reminder that this call is on background, attributable to senior administration officials. It is embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time today. With that, I'll turn it over to questions. Please raise your hand and we will unmute you. Please state your name and your outlet. With that, we'll go to Gabe. Q Hi there. Good morning. Gabe Gutierrez with NBC. Appreciate you doing this. Question: Have you spoken to the incoming Trump transition team about Venezuela specifically? And how aligned are you with them on, you know, these sanctions and the policy? And also, while I have you, can anybody from NSC offer up any more information on the three Americans that have just been released from China? Thank you. MODERATOR: We'll take the China question and we'll get back to you, and our colleagues at the press team can send you a statement. We'll take your first question. Over to [senior administration officials]. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Sure. I'll jump in here. So we're undertaking these actions with respect to Venezuela as part of the Biden administration's engagement in advancing democracy in Venezuela and also holding the Venezuelan regime and regime actors accountable for practices that include political repression, subverting the democratic will of the people, and things that run and issues that run counter to good governance in Venezuela. So these actions, you know, are part of our overall policy framework. We obviously are aware that there will be a change in administration on January 20th. And at that juncture, a new administration can take up this issue of Venezuela. MODERATOR: All right, we'll go to the next question. We'll go to Juan Merlano. Q Thank you, Vanessa. Thank you, everybody. This is Juan Merlano, Caracol TV, Colombia. And Happy Thanksgiving, by the way. [Senior administration official], maybe you can help us with this. Is there any plan to have a meeting between President Biden and President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia before he tries to go back to Venezuela? Thank you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Sure. So I can't speak further to President Biden's schedule at this time. However, the Biden administration in both word and deed has been very supportive of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in terms of respecting the electoral victory that he achieved on July 28th. And recently, we've also proclaimed that we view Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia to be the president-elect in Venezuela. And so, these policies of continuing to support the will of the Venezuelan people are going to remain central to how the Biden administration engages with the issue of Venezuela. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I'll just add that Secretary Blinken and other U.S. senior officials have spoken with Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia on multiple occasions, and we continue to be in close touch with him and with Maria Corina Machado and other opposition figures in Venezuela. And we prioritize their views and insights as we look to find a positive way forward. MODERATOR: Thank you very much. We'll go to Celia Mendoza. Please state your outlet. Q Hi. Thank you so much. Celia Mendoza, Voice of America. So my question goes a little bit more into we understand that Nicolas Maduro has not responded to pressure. What these new sanctions could do for him to change his course? As we see it right now, he keeps jailing people; he keeps moving forward with his government; is expected for him to be taking power for the next six years in January. How does the administration see the last few months of the Biden-Harris strategy to actually impact or make a dent on what so far has not been any advancement? And then, the other part of that question is: Where is the conversations that were initially talked with Mexico, Colombia, Brazil? So far, we have not seen any advancement on that front. Would it be possible to reengage those countries, before the administration leaves, to be able to see any changes? Just yesterday, the government in Diosdado Cabello said that they were going to do a trial against Maria Corina Machado, who's still in the country, and they said they will do it even if she's not present, which, of course, is a signal that they will go after her. And the prospective of that happening within the next few months looks like imminent if we follow what he has done. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So I think it's important to recognize that Nicolas Maduro, with those around him, have never been more politically isolated. Scores of countries have come out and recognized that all indications are that Edmundo Gonzalez won the election. They've called on Maduro to substantiate his position. He's never been able to provide any evidence to refute Edmundo Gonzalez's overwhelming more than 2-to-1 victory in the election on July 28th. The countries around Venezuela have said that they are not going to recognize Nicolas Maduro as president of Venezuela absent the provision of some evidence to demonstrate that. The international coalition of countries that seeks democracy in Venezuela is strong, it is large, and it will continue to press Maduro and those around them to come to the table and talk about a democratic transition. The frontline states have a special role to play in that process. Countries like Colombia and Brazil, in particular, with borders with Venezuela, are influential, and they've continued to raise concerns in ways that we have not seen previously. This is very important for the future of Venezuela, the welfare of the Venezuelan people. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: And if I could, I'll just add to that that these actions that are being taken today are directed towards the Maduro regime but also towards specific individuals and entities in the Maduro regime that have been found credibly accused of perpetrating in acts of repression and contravening the will of the Venezuelan people. And so, I really do encourage you and everyone on this call to read the OFAC press release, which details the fact that you've got people who are, you know, in some cases, operating regional command zones that have been under the jurisdiction of Maduro, that have targeted innocent civilians for repression and reprisals. It also includes senior officials in the Venezuelan government who have strong ties to Diosdado Cabello, a senior regime figure. And so, I think that the signal that these sanctions will send is not merely about holding Nicolas Maduro accountable, but that, in fact, regime officials who are acting unlawfully to uphold this regime based on repressive tactics will also find themselves in the crosshairs of these sanctions. MODERATOR: Thank you. We'll go to David Alandete. Please state your outlet. Q Thank you so much. This is David Alandete from Diario ABC in Spain. I just have a question regarding European recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez, (inaudible) Spain, but there is still delay in the Spanish government recognizing him as president-elect. And I wanted to know if you expect this to happen before the end of President Biden's term, and if it would be helpful for these efforts, given the fact that the European Parliament and the Spanish Senate, separately, have recognized him. Thank you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, thanks so much. Those decisions are sovereign decisions for each country to make. But as you rightly point out, key institutions in Europe have already called Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia the president-elect. And the pressure that that puts on the Maduro authorities is significant. We believe that it reflects the reality of the will of Venezuelan voters, and we believe that it's urgent that all the countries that are committed to seeing democratic change in Venezuela publicly continue to press for that and to express their concern publicly and privately with Maduro authorities. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: And I'd also like to take this opportunity to highlight that, yesterday, the G7 foreign ministers put out a statement which was released by the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the high representative of the European Union which treats, among other subjects, the topic of Venezuela. Regarding Venezuela, the G7 foreign ministers said that: "On July 28th, the Venezuelan people made a clear choice in the polls, voting for democratic change and supporting Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia by a significant majority, according to publicly available electoral records. We will continue to support efforts by regional partners to facilitate a Venezuelan-led democratic and peaceful transition that will ensure respect for the will of the voters. We are deeply troubled by the continued violations and abuses of human rights, including arbitrary detentions and severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms, targeting in particular political opponents, civil society, and independent media. All unjustly detained political prisoners must be released." And so, that is a statement that includes all the G7 foreign ministers, including the high representative of the European Union. MODERATOR: Thank you. We'll go to Karen DeYoung. Q Hi, it's Karen DeYoung at the Washington Post. I have a couple of questions. First, has any consideration been given to lifting licenses, such as General License 41, or any individual licenses that have been given to the energy production and export, or any other part of the Venezuelan economy? Secondly, on the recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez as the president, [senior administration official] said that this imposes significant pressure. But I wonder if you could talk about exactly what it means. If one goes back to the period of Juan Guaido, what that actually accomplished and what you expect the recognition to accomplish. And finally, after the election, the United States tried to hold some meetings with representatives of Maduro. I wonder if you could tell me when you last met with any representatives of the Maduro government. Thank you. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Sure. I'll take question one and three and then let [senior administration official] comment. So in terms of the licenses and overall U.S. sanctions and licensing policy, this is something that is under continual review by us as we seek to achieve our foreign policy objectives in Venezuela. And so, we are obviously always evaluating events on the ground in Venezuela, how that corresponds to our sanctions policy, what steps that we can take that may provoke greater divisions in the regime as well. And so, this is something we're going to continue to review moving forward and certainly all the way to the end of this administration. And then, with respect to direct talks with Maduro authorities, we really can't comment on diplomatic discreet diplomatic discussions. But what we can say is that we remain in constant contact with a wide range of allies in the region and beyond, with respect to developments in Venezuela. MODERATOR: [Senior administration official], are you trying to speak? SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I was thinking, I think [senior administration official] covered it all, so I don't think I have anything to add. MODERATOR: Great. More chance for questions. We'll go next to Carla Angola. Please state your outlet. Q Good morning. Thank you for doing this. My first question is Carla Angola from EVTV. The president of Venezuela has reported that he's willing to return to the country on January 10 to take office. Would the United States be willing to accompany him, from a logistical point of view, on that return and protect his physical integrity? Or would you participate in some way in the operation to return home the president-elect, Edmundo Gonzalez? This is my first one. And regarding the license to Chevron, at first, this administration assured that Maduro would not have any profit from the sale of that oil. But on the contrary, some suspect that the license granted to Chevron is allowing Maduro to finance the repression of innocent people. Does this administration plan to suspend that license before leaving the White House? Thank you so much. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, let me just note, in terms of the logistics question that was asked: The United States government has not received a request from Edmundo Gonzalez for assistance in his transportation, and we did not participate in his departure from Venezuela, and we were not asked to do so. If we were to receive a request from him, we would consider that. But, you know, we don't recognize the Maduro authorities, so it's something that, you know, we're not in touch with them on these types of issues. And I'll leave the rest for [senior administration official]. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks. I'll just share that as we review our overall sanctions policy and licensing policy towards Venezuela, this is under constant monitoring and review, and we are willing to calibrate and adjust as needed in order to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives. MODERATOR: Great. We have time for one, maybe two questions if we go through them quickly. We'll go to Eric Bazail-Eimil. Q Hi. Thanks for doing this. Eric Bazail-Eimil from Politico. Look, can I just get more clarity on why, at this point, the administration is still reviewing those licenses and isn't more actively pursuing energy sanctions? There's only a month left until about a month, with a rounding error, for, you know, the handover to occur. And energy sanctions seem to be the only thing that have gotten Maduro to go to the negotiating table in the past. So I'm curious if you could just explain that. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Sure. Well, I think that there's you know, first of all, there's a number of things that have moved Maduro to the negotiating table at different junctures, which includes international pressure, their desire to seek some sort of legitimacy, obviously a desire that is not being met, given the malfeasance that followed the July 28th election. And so, we review this policy on a comprehensive basis, both the sanctions, of which there are still quite extensive sanctions towards Venezuela at a sectoral level, and also, as we're discussing today, at an individual level, targeted at regime officials who have committed human rights abuses. But we also have a number of other aspects of our policy towards Venezuela which are critical to our overall shaping of this policy. And so, this is something that we're going to continue to look at very carefully, both with respect to U.S. foreign policy interests and in consultation with a wider set of partners and allies. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I would just add that just because we have not taken an action so far, does not mean that we will not take an action in the future though, obviously, as we said many times, we do not preview our sanctions decisions. MODERATOR: Great. And with that, we'll go with one last question. We'll go to Regina Garcia Cano. Please state your outlet. Q Hi there. Thank you for doing this. I have a follow-up on that, on licenses. The opposition advisors to Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez have openly said that they would like to see particularly the Chevron license canceled, and I'm sure they've expressed that to you directly. The explanation for that license, at least in writing, when it was issued was all about democracy and getting to have a more free and fair election. We already saw what happened on July 28th. So with those 45 days left between now and January 10th, when the next presidential term starts in Venezuela, you say you're still reviewing and that you haven't taken it doesn't mean that you won't take it in the future. But why you know, if it was based in the idea of democracy, why is that still in place? That was, at least in writing, the argument for this. SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: As we said previously, we are continually reviewing our sanctions policy to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives. MODERATOR: Great. Thank you. That's all the time we have for today. Thanks again for joining us. Again, the call was embargoed until it is embargoed until 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and it is attributable to senior administration officials. We will have a transcript also on our WhiteHouse.gov website later this afternoon. Thanks again, and happy holidays. 9:53 A.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution: opening remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell European External Action Service (EEAS) 28.11.2024 Brussels EEAS Press Team Brussels, 28/11/2024 Check against delivery! Thank you, dear Hadja [Lahbib], and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for hosting [us] in this magnificent palace. I want to congratulate you for becoming [new] Commissioner for Crisis Management. You will be critical on supplying support to many people around the world, and in particular to the people in Gaza. The life of many people will be pending on your capacity to deliver. In particular, the life of many people in the Middle East and Gaza, will be critically depending on your decisions and on your management skills. It's a great responsibility, my dear Hadja [Lahbib]. I congratulate you for that. I am sure that you will be very successful on that. Your premises will be less glamorous than this one, less beautiful, but maybe you will have a stronger capacity to influence for the good the people in need. Belgium has been a proactive voice for peace since the 7th of October horrors, and over the last past months. I have to congratulate my colleague, Hadja [Lahbib, hitherto Minister of Foreign Affairs], because you have been always very proactive at the Foreign Affairs Council and [so has been] your Prime Minister [Alexander De Croo] at the European Union Council, asking for ceasefire and asking for the Two-State solution to be implemented. To start with a positive approach, we have to welcome the ceasefire in Lebanon. Now, strict compliance is necessary in order to allow us to refocus the situation in Gaza and look for a ceasefire in Gaza. At the beginning, it was ceasefire in both places. Then, it has been in one of them. It is not a definitive solution. But I am coming from Lebanon. At least tonight, no more people will go to the hospitals in Beirut. At least tonight, there will not be more bombing, and no more people will have to go to a hospital. I'm visited some of the hospitals, and I can tell you it is not something easy to see. I am very pleased that the attendance today shows that there is an ambition for the Global Alliance [for the implementation of the Two-State Solution] to work. Thank you for being here. Before we talk about the Two-State Solution, let me pause for a moment to reflect on the immensity of the suffering so close to all of us. It is about 44,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza so far. The vast majority of them are innocent people, women and children. Innocent men also, but too many children. Tens of thousands of children. I told you, if you go to visit one hospital for children wounded in Gaza, you feel the need for peace. And I want also to think about the Israeli killed, and the 100 hostages are still being held in captivity in Gaza. Once again, we have to start asking for their delivery, for them to be released. We think also [about] the two million people. How many people live in Brussels? So, twice the population in Brussels, who have been living through the hell that Gaza has become in the last 40 months. Displaced from there to there, from the South to the North, from the North to the South, by playing ping pong with human beings. Now, they do not have any place to go. No health care, no schools. Everything that makes society has been reduced to rubble. I had a long discussion, and you will have a long talk with him, with humanitarian responsible of the United Nations in Jordan [Muhannad Hadi], who stayed with me a whole afternoon. It would be something that you need to do, dear Hadja [Lahbib], quickly. He went into detail about what is going on there. How not to see, how not to agree that the basic humanitarian laws are being violated systematically? Then you will hear the United Nations responsible telling you everything that goes into Gaza is being looted. And if by accident police comes, they are shot. Two million people are being pushed North-South, South-North. They lack everything. And since Monday, a couple of days ago, United Nations has not been able to provide assistance because there is no more fuel, there is no more food, in order to keep these people alive. We need to address the underlying conflict. For that we need a ceasefire, [this is the] first step. The following step is to look for political solutions to the occupation. This has always been my conviction and what we have been working [towards]. Peace has been a priority from the beginning of my mandate. I have to say that I'm coming back home without a lot of success. The situation today is much worse than in the last five years. During these years, we have built a strong relation with our peace-minded partners, which also laid the ground for this Global Alliance. I want to thank Sven Koopmans, our [European Union] Special Representative for the Middle East peace process, who has been tirelessly working in order to make this happen. You have been instrumental in order to build partnerships with a broad international coalition for peace. We started our work at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2022. Upon the suggestion of His Highness Prince Faisal Al-Saudi Arabia and the Arab League Secretary General, I hosted the first meeting to mark the 20th anniversary of the Arab Peace Initiative. We decided to explore a new approach for a comprehensive regional peace, safeguarding the Two-State Solution as the basis principle - but to make it something more than a mantra that we repeat without doing anything about it. One year later, at the UNGA week in September 2023, the three of us, joined by the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan, launched the Peace Day effort. There were 50 countries and organizations among us. It was in September 2023. Unhappily, [what] happened, happened, and everything went in a very bad situation. In [trying to resolve] this, the Middle East conflict [has not become] easier. It has become more and more difficult. What has changed is the growing awareness that it has to be resolved, that we cannot put that in a corner, saying, "okay, it will be solved. Okay, the Arabs' agreement, the Abraham's agreement will solve it. If the Arabs make peace with Israel, the Palestinians will follow." No, it will be a phenomenon of spillover. And, "oh, the Middle East has never been so peaceful", as Jack Sullivan said one day before the terrorist attack in Hamas. Let's look at reality in the face. The cost of no peace has become exorbitant. It has to be solved. No other territorial dispute stirs emotions and fuels polarization across the globe - and in particular, inside our societies, inside European societies - as this conflict creates. No international conflict causes as much human suffering as we see in Gaza today. Well, maybe in Sudan, you can say that they are competing with Gaza, no? Hardly any conflict is undermining the foundations of the international order like the Middle East conflict does. While ending this war must be our most urgent priority today, preparing the ground for peace is no less important - even if the parties are not ready. One party at least is not ready for that. And I regret that this party is not sitting among us today. But it does not mean that in Israel there are no people who want peace. Yes, there are. I met with them in Cyprus this weekend. Yes, there are. There are Israeli people who want to build peace. Israeli and Palestinians are not an exception on their will to live in peace. It is part of human nature. And those who claim almost otherwise, they have an anti-humanist and extremist agenda. Our collective duty is to face them and to try to make them to work in order to make peace among us. For that, there are five principles, that I mentioned many times. First, to support the peace camp. We have to support the people who are working for peace. They are [doing it], and they need our support. We have to support the Arab Peace Initiative - that should be known by the Israeli people. The Israeli people mostly believe that the Arabs don't want peace. Yes, they want peace, and there is a peace initiative built by the Arabs. Let's make this initiative be known. In the same vein, Israeli activism for Palestinian rights should be spotlighted across the Arab world. There are Israeli people who risk [themselves], in order to support peace and support Palestinian people. To reach their rights, they risk penalties. They risk to be isolated inside their society. This has to be known and recognised by the Arab world. Second, we have to confront the spoilers. If there are the spoilers, we have to confront them. We have to identify the spoilers and sanction the spoilers. And doing that in a balanced way, understanding the mirror effect of radicalisation is essential for effective peace-making. Confront the spoilers. Third: stick to the facts. People have to know what is happening. And people do not know what is happening. In Spain we say: "Ojos que no ven, corazon que no siente"; if your eyes do not see, your heart does not feel. Well, many in European societies do not see because nobody shows what is happening. And in Israeli society, they do not see what is happening in Gaza because nobody shows it. And then there are the algorithms, the system that makes you to face information in order to bias your view. And the algorithms, who work for war are much stronger than the ones who work for peace. And this forum should address the great challenge of our time, which is the algorithm production of information that bias the understanding of the people. The force to protect United Nations and international law. We have to protect United Nations. I went talking with the United Nations people in Gaza. They are still there, risking their lives. And they are afraid that they can be the victims not only of the Israeli bombs, but the desperation of the people. To say, what are you doing there if you cannot help us? Incidents are growing and these people are risking their life. And the United Nations is being treated in the worst possible manner. They talk about Secretary General of the United Nations [Antonio Guterres] as the head of the snake. Mr Guterres is the head of the snake. So, it is supposed to be a kind of a snake which is fighting against Israel. You can imagine, this is not the case. But we have to protect international law and we have to protect United Nations workers. And the last one, use our leverage. We have leverage, but we do not want to use it. We can create positive incentive, and we can put in place coercive measures. As far as European Union is concerned, we have to take it by unanimity, and I know it will not happen. But at least you have to put that on the stage. If you are not able to take measures which go beyond persuasion, we will not advance because persuasion has been proved not to be enough. How many times we have gone to Israel to try to stop what is going on, asking for it, begging. That is not enough. Well, Hadja, this is a very good moment for encourage you. This is the last moment in which we will be sitting and working together. And I want to thank you because we have been always working in good cooperation. And I am sure that my successor, Ms Kaja Kallas will understand how important it is to face the consequences of this conflict. And for that, this platform that we have created, this toolbox, this setting, this framework - call it whatever you want - will be very useful. It is not easy to gather here as many people as you are, with goodwill, representing so many institutions and governments in order to work. Do not stop doing it. Please, do not stop. I hope you will push for it. Thank you. Link to the video (starting at 7:00): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-264316 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestine: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell ahead of the meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution European External Action Service (EEAS) 28.11.2024 Brussels EEAS Press Team Check against delivery! Good morning. I am happy to see you here. More than 90 delegates are attending the second meeting for the implementation of the Two-State Solution, which means the implementation of a state for the Palestinians. This meeting continues the one that took place in Riyadh last month. Remember that at the United Nations General Assembly [in September], we decided to launch a process called [Global Alliance] for the implementation of the Two-State Solution. I know some people do not like the word implementation. They want to talk about the Two-State Solution, but when the moment comes to talk about implementing it, they backtrack: "Oh yes, it is not the moment". It is the moment. It was the moment. It has to continue being the moment. 90 delegates will be working together, in order to collect all initiatives and all capacities in order to be active. Not to let that for the declarations of the meetings at the end of the corner, but to put [already] in place a dynamic. We know how difficult it is because today, unhappily, the Israeli society is being colonised from the inside by extremism and violent people. The colonists are not only expanding on the Israeli territory. The colonisation of the mind of the people is the most dangerous thing that Israeli society is facing because it is undermining the foundations of their democracy. After what has happened in Gaza and what has happened in the West Bank, this is a different Israel. This is a different Israel, and we have to deal with this situation in which a Prime Minister and a former Minister of Defence, are being issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court. So, here we are to work to take the state of Palestinians as an objective and to put a framework in order for everybody willing to work for that to make contributions. Financial contributions, political contributions, practical things. Let's see what may happen afterwards. But I did not want to leave my job in Brussels without holding this meeting. It is almost my last activity in Brussels. Tomorrow I will be leaving, but I want to ask to everybody that has been engaged in supporting the Two-State Solution to continue working hard on that. Without it, there will not be peace in the Middle East, and without peace in the Middle East, the whole region will be in danger. Not only the whole region. It is a cancer that will metastasize, affecting international relations and affecting - from [the] inside - European societies. This is an important endeavour. For years we have been talking about [it] and doing nothing about it. Now is the time to act. There is a light of hope. Yes, the ceasefire in Lebanon. As you know, I was in Lebanon on the days previous to the ceasefire. Among other things, visiting the Israeli, Lebanese armed forces - and testing their capacity to deploy in the south of Lebanon in case of ceasefire. While I was talking with General Aoun, the head of the Lebanese forces, an Israeli tank bombed a position of the Lebanese army, killing several soldiers without reason. Just like this, by bombing. No arguments, no reason, no consequences for anyone, unless [you count] the people killed. The Lebanese army has to be strongly supported. We will need an incredible amount of resources if we really want to deploy in the south of Lebanon. But this is a light of hope. You can say, "yes, it is a weak solution" [but] because it is a light of hope. At least tomorrow night, no more burned children will come into the hospitals in Beirut. I was visiting one of these hospitals for severely burned people. At least for one night, no more entrances in this hospital. We have a time gap. Hezbollah cannot be a state inside the state. Lebanese independence has to be guaranteed from external and internal challenges. Nobody should challenge the sovereignty of the Lebanese people; [coming] from an external enemy or an internal faction that divides the society and makes it weaker and makes it dangerous in respect to their neighbours. So, let's celebrate this moment of hope. But I want to make a call to all members of the international society, and in particular to the members of the European Union. We cannot undermine the International Criminal Court. It is the only way of having global justice. It is the only way to implement accountability. If the Europeans do not support fully the International Court, without procrastination, then the International Criminal Court will not work. And today the International Criminal Court has issued another warrant for arresting the responsible of the atrocities in Myanmar - the leader of the Myanmar [Min Aung Hlaing]. And I am sure we applaud, certainly we have to applaud all decisions of the Court. They are not political [decisions], it is a legal body formed by respected people who are the best among the profession of judges. Some of them have been being advised by survivors of the Shoa. Survivors of the Shoa has been among the people who were advising the International Criminal Court. So, the accusation of antisemitism is once again a failure word. Stop hiding behind the antisemitism. It has nothing to do with antisemitism. It is a matter of looking for justice at the global stage. And until the last minute of my mandate, I will repeat the same thing: it is on the honour of Europe to implement fully and respectfully the decision of the International Criminal Court. If it is not the case, then the future will not be very good for the justice. Q&A Q. Mr Borrell, what about the parameters of the Two-State Solution? Will the Palestinian state become demilitarised? And are the so-called [inaudible] conditions still relevant? The parameters have been decided years ago. As the Arab people say, we do not have to discuss once again what has been discussed and agreed. The parameters are not something that we have to invent. They are there, they have been agreed. So, what do we have to do to make it practical? And for that certainly we will have to overcome the resistance of the forces inside Israel qui n'en veulent pas. Permettez-moi de le dire en francais. Le probleme, c'est qu'il y a des forces qui n'en veulent pas, ni avec ces parametres, ni avec aucun parametre. Alors, comment ne pas voir que le gouvernement de Netanyahou est en train de pietiner le droit international humanitaire, qu'il est en train de violer systematiquement le droit international humanitaire ? C'est ca le probleme, ce ne sont pas les parametres. [Le probleme avec] les parametres est une obstruction claire. Ils ne cachent pas d'empecher par tous les moyens l'existence d'un Etat palestinien. Et c'est a ca qu'il faut s'attacher. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany Federal Foreign Office 28.11.2024 - Press release The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany are deeply concerned that Israel has yet to provide assurances it will extend the indemnifications for essential correspondent banking relationships between Israeli and Palestinian banks for a minimum period of at least 12 months On October 31, the Israeli government renewed its indemnifications of Israeli banks for 30 days, the shortest extension to date. This disappointing decision prolongs uncertainty and endangers the Palestinian economy. Cutting off these banking ties, which Israel has a clear duty under the Paris Protocol to maintain, would create significant economic turmoil in the West Bank, jeopardising the security of Israel and the wider region. There is no technical basis on which to withhold a year-long extension. We are fully satisfied that the Palestinian Authority has taken significant steps to counter the risks of terror financing, and that financial institutions within the West Bank maintain adequate controls to manage these risks. The issue of cross-border payments must not be leveraged to undermine the Palestinian Authorities, and Israel must pursue policies which promote internal and external financial stability. As the deadline of 30 November approaches, we therefore renew our call for Israel to immediately extend the indemnifications by at least one year, and for future extensions to be transparent, predictable and de-politicised. The Nordic countries must be prepared for threats of all kinds Finnish Government Ministry of the Interior 28.11.2024 Press release Government ministers and their deputies responsible for civil preparedness and provision in the Nordic countries met in Oslo on 28 November. The meeting took place in new circumstances, with all of the Nordic countries now members of NATO. Finland was represented at the meeting by Interior Minister Mari Rantanen. "We must be prepared for threats of all kinds, with joint planning of civil preparedness and cooperation between Nordic civil authorities that corresponds to arrangements that are already in place for military defence. This includes such aspects as learning from one another and engaging in joint exercises," Mari Rantanen explains. There are also plans to reinforce Nordic civil-military cooperation under all circumstances. Minister Rantanen also addressed the issues of hybrid influencing and the protection of critical infrastructure, noting that the Nordic countries must be prepared for such influencing and for associated countermeasures. "The benefits of close Nordic and international cooperation include formulating a common scenario and sharing information," Rantanen notes. The practical impact of recent damage to telecommunication cables between Finland and Germany was minimal. Finland to preside over Haga cooperation in 2025 The Haga framework for Nordic cooperation in crisis preparedness has brought together the ministers responsible for civil preparedness and provision at regular intervals since 2009. This cooperation is increasingly important in the current security policy situation, which has been significantly exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Finland will chair the Haga process in 2025, with a view to promoting even closer collaboration between Nordic public authorities responsible for civil preparedness. It will also seek to strengthen civil-military and other interdepartmental cooperation. Civil preparedness refers to measures taken by various public authorities to ensure the vital functions of society, basic supplies for the population, and the functional capacity of government in a crisis. The civil preparedness responsibilities of the Ministry of the Interior include rescue services and civil defence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lithuania joins the U.S. initiative to strengthen the security of undersea cables Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2024-11-28 On November 27, Lithuania joined the U.S.-initiated international declaration on strengthening the security of undersea cables. The Government of the Republic of Lithuania, following a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, today approved the accession to the United States-initiated Joint Statement on the Security and Resilience of Undersea Cables in a Globally Digitalized World. To date, the European Union and 16 other countries, including Australia, Canada, the Federated States of Micronesia, Finland, France, Japan, the Marshall Islands, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Tonga, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom, have signed up to this statement. "Threats to undersea cables and other critical undersea infrastructure are constantly increasing. Physical or cyber-attacks by authoritarian states increasingly target these critical objects. Joining this U.S. initiative is an important step in promoting closer international cooperation and uniting efforts to ensure sustainable and comprehensive protection of undersea infrastructure," Landsbergis noted. On 17 and 18 November this year, cables between Lithuania, Sweden, Finland and Germany were damaged, as well as a gas pipeline and cable between Estonia and Finland in October 2023. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Reinforcement lands in Siauliai: the French integrate with the Italian Air Force NATO Air Policing Detachment Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2024-11-28 International cooperation | Security and defense policy NATO Air Policing Detachments have rotated at a Handover Takeover ceremony at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai today. A French and a new Italian contingent have kicked off their missions: the Italians will continue their fellow nationals' work of the past four months with three Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft, airmen of the French Air Force will reinforce the Baltic airspace guard with the Rafale fighter jets. Our skies will be protected with eight fighter aircraft for the next four months. "The NATO Air Policing Mission has never been so important. We are watching hostile countries intensify hybrid attacks on NATO territories, carry out provocations and sabotage. Credible protection of NATO airspace in the Baltic states is one of the most key elements of deterrence and defence. I thank our Allies from Italy and France for their security commitments to our region," said MoD Defence Policy Director Vaidotas Urbelis. The Handover Takeover ceremony was attended by Ambassadors of Italy and France, representatives of the Allied Air Command, Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Col Antanas Matutis, representatives of Siauliai municipality and other guests. The Italian Air Force will be contributing its 7th rotation to the mission and the French - the 8th one. The detachment which had been in charge of the mission since July was comprised of approx. 150 troops, including the pilots, technical maintenance and medical personnel, support teams, communications and other specialists. Throughout the deployment in Siauliai the Allies were engaging with the local community, conducted guided tours for pupils and students and took part in city celebrations. When Russia launched the full-scale war against Ukraine, it became evident that the NATO Air Policing Mission fighter aircraft were as critical an element of deterrence as air defence in the event of aggression. As the war in Ukraine and the complex security situation in the region continues, NATO Allies are likely to keep the reinforced air policing capability in the Baltic region. The NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states is flown from the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai. Other detachments deployed to Latvia, Poland and Estonia augment the NATO Baltic Air Policing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PH Navy: Subi Reef now 'anchoring hub' of Chinese ships in WPS Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno November 28, 2024, 2:14 pm MANILA -- The Subi Reef is now serving as anchoring hub of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea, a Philippine Navy official said Thursday. Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad made this comment when asked about the continued presence of Chinese ships in the Ayungin Shoal, Escoda Shoal and Pagasa Island. Earlier reports had 80 plus assorted Chinese ships spotted in Pagasa's territorial sea. "Makikita natin ang maraming pagtitipon ng mga (Chinese) Maritime Militia ay 'yung malapit sa Pagasa sa Subi Reef at 'yung malapit sa Ayungin na Mischief Reef sapagkat 'yun naman ay mga enclosed haven, mga enclosed marina 'yun so safe harbor nila 'yun so dun ang maraming concentration ng kanilang mga Maritime Militia kasama na rin ang (People's Liberation Army) PLA Navy at Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) (We saw that their Maritime Militia continue to gather near Pagasa through Subi Reef, and Mischief Reef which is near Ayungin as these features have enclosed havens, enclose marinas, which are considered safe harbors for them, so there is a lot of concentration of Maritime Militia ships along with the PLA Navy and CCG in these areas)," he added in a radio interview. Trinidad said the Subi Reef is serving as a terminal or parking area of the Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM). The PN official said there are some days when around "150 to 200" CMM ships are known to concentrate there Trinidad attributes this to Chinese reclamation that resulted in the development of Subi Reef into a naval base in the past years and making it more capable of hosting CMMs, PLAN and CCG ships with its enclosed marine and close harbor. Chinese occupation of Subi Reef started in 1988 while reclamation activities commenced in 2014. Subi Reef also has a runway, ports and harbors, storage facilities, communication equipment, radar domes and is considered a fully operational facility. With its transformation as a naval base, Subi Reef was placed "off limits" to the Philippines, he added. "Nung nag-reclaim sila at ginawang naval base naging off limits 'yan sa atin (when they started reclamation and turned (Subi Reef) into a naval base, it was placed off-limits to us)," he added. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Joins Protesters In Tbilisi As Georgia Shuns EU Accession Talks By RFE/RL's Georgian Service November 28, 2024 Protesters gathered outside the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on November 28 said his government was suspending EU accession talks until 2028 and would not accept budgetary grants from Brussels. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, a staunch critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party, joined the protest in Tbilisi to a rousing welcome from demonstrators, who shouted her name. "I am with these people. The resistance has started and will not end until we have new elections," she told reporters. She also confronted a row of riot police, telling them that it was their "duty to protect" Georgia's sovereignty and asking them whether they "serve Russia or Georgia." Western governments have questioned the October parliamentary elections in Georgia -- in which Georgian Dream secured 54 percent of the vote -- arguing that the elections were marred by violations and Russian influence. Smaller pro-EU protests were also being held in Batumi, Gori, Kutaisi, and Zugdidi. Photos and videos of the rallies in Tbilisi and elsewhere showed protesters carrying Georgian and EU flags. Demonstrators in Zugdidi told RFE/RL's Georgian Service that the ruling Georgian Dream party was moving away from the EU and pushing the country toward Russia. "Georgian authorities cut off all relations with the European Union and also refuse to receive funding. This will certainly lead to an economic collapse," Manana Mikawa, a teacher, told RFE/RL. Earlier in the day, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for new legislative elections in Georgia and sanctions on senior members of the Georgian Dream party. In its resolution, the European Parliament said the result of the election did "not serve as a reliable representation of the will of the Georgian people." It also called on the European Union, which froze Georgia's EU membership application last month, to place sanctions on key officials within the ruling party, including Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream Chairman Irakli Gharibashvili, billionaire power broker and party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze. Speaking at the Georgian Dream headquarters, Kobakhidze said Tbilisi was suspending accession talks while also rejecting all budgetary grants from the EU until 2028. "We are not going to join the European Union by begging and standing on one leg, but in a dignified manner with a sound democratic system and a strong economy," the prime minister told reporters without taking any questions. Earlier, during a parliamentary session to approve his government, Kobakhidze said his government's goal was for Georgia to join the EU by 2030. "We are ready to observe and take into account all conditions [set by the EU] that do not go against our national interests," he said to applause from Georgian Dream lawmakers. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of the controversial "foreign agent" law that critics say threatens to publicly discredit thousands of media outlets and civil society groups as "serving" outside powers. The United States in July announced it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning that it was backsliding on democracy. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-eu-accession-frozen- elections/33219384.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Romanian Election Body To Recount Ballots From First Round Of Presidential Vote By RFE/RL's Romanian Service November 28, 2024 Romania's Central Election Bureau says it will recount all ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election by December 1, following an order on November 28 by the Constitutional Court. Calin Georgescu, the pro-Russian far-right independent candidate scored a surprise victory in the first round of the election on November 24, garnering nearly 23 percent of the vote. Georgescu is set to face off against center-right Elena Lasconi, a staunch Euro-Atlanticist, in the December 8 runoff after both pushed ahead of favored leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. An official from Lasconi's Save Romania Union party said the Central Election Bureau had rejected a request by the party to film the recounting of the ballots. Without the backing of a party, Georgescu's campaign relied heavily on the social media platform TikTok, where his account had 1.6 million likes and where he posted videos of himself attending church, doing judo, running on a track, and speaking on podcasts. Separately, Romania's Supreme Defense Council said after the court ruling that it had found evidence suggesting that "cyberattacks" had been used to influence the outcome of the election. Without naming Georgescu, the council also charged that TikTok had "given preferential treatment" to a particular candidate. Georgescu alleged that state institutions were attempting to deny the will of the people. Meanwhile, around 2,000 protesters rallied in Bucharest for the fourth consecutive day against Georgescu on November 28, carrying a banner telling Russian President Vladimir Putin to "get off Romania." Romania's president has significant decision-making powers, including on matters of national security and foreign policy. Elected for a five-year term, the president can also reject party nominees for prime minister and government nominees for judicial appointments. With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/romania-court-recount- presidential-election/33219269.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA Situation Report #148 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. All information updated for 19-25 November 2024, valid as of 25 November 2024 at 22:30 UNRWA 28 Nov 2024 Highlights Heavy rains hit the Gaza Strip on 25 November, further worsening living conditions for displaced people amid limited humanitarian response capacities. UNFPA reports that there are around 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, with 4,000 deliveries expected in the next month alone. Approximately 15,000 of them are likely to be on the verge of famine. WHO reports that, between 1 and 11 November 2024, out of eight WHO missions to health facilities across the Gaza Strip, all three planned for North Gaza were impeded or denied. On 25 November 2024, the Israeli authorities issued an evacuation order for the areas of Beit Lahiya and Jabalia. Forty-three UNRWA installations are located within the area affected by the Israeli Forces evacuation zone. According to a report by the Child Protection Area of Responsibility, the Gender Based Violence Area of Responsibility, and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, families in the Gaza Strip are having to resort to harmful and unsustainable coping mechanisms including reducing food intake, consuming contaminated water, selling personal items, and managing menstruation needs in a way that puts women's health at risk. According to OCHA, as of 22 November 2024 has become the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel, with 281 personnel killed globally. Most of them were UNRWA staff killed in the Gaza Strip (249 to date since the start of the war). Key Points The Gaza Strip Strikes by the Israeli Forces continue, with aerial, land and maritime bombardments across the Gaza Strip, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of residential buildings and public infrastructure. In northern Gaza, since 6 October 2024, the Israeli Forces have been carrying out a ground offensive and continue to impose a tight siege. Intense military operations are ongoing amid a near total lack of humanitarian aid entering the area, in addition to severe communications and internet disruptions. Some parts of the North Gaza governorate have been under a tightened siege for 50 days. Access remains extremely challenging, and partners' ongoing attempts to deliver aid into these besieged areas continues to be largely prevented. As of 18 November, the UN and its partners estimated that between 100,000 and 131,000 people had been displaced since 6 October 2024 from North Gaza governorate to Gaza City. The influx has raised the population in the Gaza City governorate from around 250,000, estimated to have been present as of the end of September 2024, to approximately 375,000 people. Between 65,000 and 75,000 people are estimated to remain in North Gaza governorate, accounting for less than 20 per cent of the population there before the intensification of military operations and the siege. Heavy rains hit the Gaza Strip on 25 November, further worsening living conditions for displaced people amid limited humanitarian response capacities. The heavy rains are estimated to affect over 1.6 million people living in makeshift shelters across the Gaza Strip, with thousands of displaced families living in tents along the coast in southwest Gaza being particularly affected by flooding and rising seawater. According to preliminary assessments, about 7,000 families residing along the shoreline were affected by recent rains, with thousands of tents flooded, belongings destroyed and shelters damaged. Harsh winter temperatures compounded by heavy rains and rising sea tides are further exacerbating sewage accumulation, the spread of disease, and risk of collapse of damaged buildings where many families have sought refuge. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that, with up to 130,000 people forcibly displaced from North Gaza to Gaza City since 6 October 2024, up to 70 per cent of people sheltering in some displacement sites are children and women. UNFPA highlighted that many women and girls are seeking shelter in abandoned homes and destroyed clinics, or sleeping out in the open, exposing them to gender-based violence, abuse, disease and infections. Amid all this, according to UNFPA, there are around 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, with 4,000 deliveries expected in the next month alone. In the Gaza Strip, over 550,000 women are reported to be facing acute hunger and more than 15,000 pregnant women are estimated to be on the verge of famine. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that denial and impeding of humanitarian missions to North Gaza continue to affect the health response. Between 1 and 11 November 2024, out of eight WHO missions to health facilities across the Gaza Strip, all three planned for North Gaza were impeded or denied. On 17 November, after four unsuccessful attempts, a WHO-led mission managed to reach the Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza and delivered 10,000 litres of fuel and medical supplies sufficient for 1,500 trauma patients, in addition to some food and water supplies. Between 6-12 November 2024, WHO documented five attacks on healthcare, including three in North Gaza, one in Deir al-Balah and one in Rafah. Between October 2023 and 13 November 2024, out of 15,600 cases requested for medical evacuation, 5,238 (34 per cent) have been evacuated, with only 336 patients evacuated since the closure of Rafah crossing in May 2024. On 22 November, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported that skin and respiratory infections, acute diarrheal illnesses and other viral diseases continue to rise across Gaza, with over 300 children treated daily at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. According to OCHA, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also reported that, in the six months between 9 May and 9 November, 31 per cent of all patients seen in the outpatient department of the Red Cross Field Hospital in southern Gaza were children under the age of 14, with respiratory infections, injuries and burns constituting the bulk of all cases treated. According to a report published by the Danish Refugee Council on 25 November, 95 per cent of people involved in the study reported knowing someone killed or injured by active warfare, 90 per cent of them reported destruction or damage to their home, and 70 per cent returned to areas affected by active fighting. Over half of the people interviewed reported encountering explosive ordnance (EO) at least once, with some up to 10 times, and 58 per cent of them reported looking under rubble for essential items, despite knowing the risk of encountering EO. Moreover, 23 per cent knew someone injured or killed by EO, with only 19 per cent of victims receiving emergency aid, only 6 per cent had access to physical therapy, and just one per cent had access to mental health services. On 25 November, the Child Protection Area of Responsibility, the Gender Based Violence Area of Responsibility, and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report on the impact of aid shortage on the protection situation in the Gaza Strip. According to OCHA, the near halt to commercial trucks entering the Gaza Strip has not only driven commodity prices up and threatened market stability, but also worsened the nutritional status of vulnerable children and women, who for months have faced severely limited access to adequate food, water and hygiene products. On 21 November, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory Muhannad Hadi stated that the delivery of critical aid across Gaza is grinding to a halt. According to OCHA, between 10 and 22 November, WASH Cluster partners received only 12 per cent of the daily minimum requirement of 70,000 litres of fuel to meet critical WASH and public health needs, including water production and distribution, sewage management, repair works and solid waste management. According to OCHA, as of 19 November, around 79 per cent of the Gaza Strip is under active Israeli-issued evacuation orders. According to the UN, at least 1.9 million people - or about 90 per cent of the population - across the Gaza Strip are internally displaced. Many have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more. - or about of the population - across the Gaza Strip are internally displaced. Many have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more. As of 17 November 2024, over 100 UNRWA school buildings in the Gaza Strip are being used to shelter over 415,000 displaced people*. On 25 November 2024, the Israeli authorities issued an evacuation order for the areas of Beit Lahiya and Jabalia. Forty-three UNRWA installations are located within the area affected by the Israeli Forces evacuation zone. Overall, since the start of the Israeli Forces ongoing operation in the North of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli authorities have issued evacuation orders impacting 54 UNRWA installations critical to providing humanitarian assistance to displaced people in the North. Some of these facilities serve as emergency shelters. Between 7 October 2023 and 26 November 2024, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza as reported by OCHA, at least 44,249 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza and 104,746 have been reported injured. Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza and have been reported injured. OCHA reports that, on 20 October, the MoH published the breakdown of 40,717 out of 42,010 fatalities as of 7 October 2024. These reportedly include 13,319 children, 7,216 women, 3,447 elderly, and 16,735 men. Among the child fatalities, 786 children are under one year of age, representing about six per cent of killed children whose full identification details have been documented, MoH further reported. Additionally, as of 7 October 2024, MoH noted that 35,055 children had lost one or both parents over the past year. As of 25 November, the total number of UNRWA team members killed since 7 October 2023 is 249 . . According to OCHA, as of 22 November, 2024 has become the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel with 281 personnel killed globally. The war in Gaza is driving up the numbers. Many humanitarian personnel were killed in the line of duty while providing humanitarian assistance. Most of them were UNRWA staff members. Several challenges continue to stand in the way of collecting much needed humanitarian supplies from the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing point in southern Gaza. These include deteriorating law and order, war and insecurity, damaged infrastructure, fuel shortages and access restrictions. According to OCHA, between 1 and 23 November, 1,489 humanitarian trucks were permitted to enter the Gaza Strip. This represents a daily average of only 65 humanitarian trucks, well below the pre-crisis average of 500 trucks per working day. OCHA reported that, of the 456 humanitarian movements coordinated with Israeli authorities across Gaza from 1 to 25 November 2024, 158 were denied access, 73 impeded, 41 cancelled due to logistical and security challenges and only 184 facilitated. Out of the 99 aid movements needed to pass through the Israeli military-controlled Al Rashid or Salah Ad Din checkpoints to reach areas north of Wadi Gaza between 1 and 25 November, 40 were denied, 25 were impeded, nine had to be cancelled, and 25 were facilitated. Between 1 and 25 November, the UN attempted to reach besieged areas in North Gaza 41 times, 37 of which were outright denied. Four were initially approved, but then severely impeded on the ground such that the assistance could not be delivered to people trapped in the besieged area. Since the tightened siege started in early October, none of UN's attempts to support besieged people in that area has been fully facilitated. OCHA reported that coordinated aid missions to areas in Rafah governorate, which has been under an ongoing Israeli military operation since early May, have faced similar challenges, with 24 out of 28 coordinated requests submitted to Israeli authorities denied, one impeded, one cancelled, and only two facilitated. This excludes 63 coordinated movements to Kerem Shalom crossing, of which 11 were impeded, 10 cancelled, and 42 facilitated. On 18 November, the Logistics Cluster conducted a general assessment of the Karem Abu Salem/Kerem Shalom platform. Preliminary findings indicate that the platform holds approximately 12,000 pallets, including about 1,000 pallets of damaged and/or expired goods. Clearing the platform would require an estimated 550 trucks. As of 21 November, 933 UN and International NGO trucks (60 per cent of which loaded with food supplies) were on standby in Al Arish, ready to be dispatched into Gaza. The latest information on supplies entering Gaza can be accessed through the link below: Gaza Supplies and Dispatch Tracking | UNRWA The West Bank, including East Jerusalem The West Bank, including East Jerusalem update is now once a week. According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 31 October 2024, 736 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, of those, 430 Palestinians were killed since the beginning of 2024. According to UNICEF, around 170 Palestinian children have been killed by the Israeli Forces and settlers in the West Bank since the war started. This corresponds to a child killed almost every other day. Between 18 and 24 November, 11 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of these, seven were killed during a two-day Israeli Forces operation in Jenin governorate starting overnight on 18-19 November, which extended to Jenin camp, Ash Shuhada, and Kafr Dan. Drone-deployed missiles were purportedly used by Israeli Forces during the course of the operation, which resulted in extensive infrastructure damage to Jenin camp and the temporary suspension of UNRWA services. A Palestinian child was killed on 18 November during a search operation by Israeli Forces in Nablus, and another Palestinian was killed on 21 November in Camp No. 1 during a search operation. Two Palestinians, including one child, were killed in a search operation in Ya'bad, west of Jenin, late on 24 November. An estimated 15 Palestinians were reported injured in Tulkarm camp late on 24 November, when rocket fire from Lebanon was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome, with debris landing inside the camp. The Israeli National Security Minister visited Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque on 22 November as part of an Israeli settlers' gathering associated with the Jewish commemoration of Shabbat Chayei Sarah. Across 22-23 November Israeli settlers in Hebron Old City reportedly harassed Palestinian residents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Drone sightings over US bases prompt British troop deployments By Henry Ridgwell November 28, 2024 British and American authorities are investigating after several drones were spotted in recent days flying over four U.S. military bases in England. Britain has deployed dozens of troops around the bases amid concerns the overflights could be acts of deception or sabotage by an adversary such as Russia. In a statement issued Wednesday, U.S. Air Forces in Europe said that "small unmanned aerial systems continue to be spotted in the vicinity of and over Royal Air Force Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Feltwell and RAF Fairford since Nov. 20." It said the number of drones sighted has fluctuated and has ranged in size and configurations. "To date, installation leaders have determined that none of the incursions impacted base residents, facilities or assets. The air force is taking all appropriate measures to safeguard the aforementioned installations and their residents," the statement said. RAF Lakenheath in the east of England is home to the U.S. Air Force 48th Fighter Wing, a cornerstone of its combat capability in Europe and home to several F-35 stealth fighter jets, among other aircraft. Four American B-52 strategic bombers are currently based at RAF Fairford in the west of the country. The Pentagon said this week it is actively monitoring the situation. "The bottom line is it's something that we're going to take seriously. We're continuing to look into it. But as of right now, [it] has not had any significant mission impact," Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters Tuesday, adding that small drones have become "relatively common now across the landscape." Britain has deployed about 60 soldiers around the U.S. bases. British Defense Minister Maria Eagle said they are using "multilayered force protection measures." "We will be making sure that anybody that we manage to catch for engaging in this behavior is shown the full force of the law," Eagle told lawmakers Wednesday. The nature of the sightings suggests the drones are not being operated by hobbyists, said David Dunn, a professor of international politics at Britain's University of Birmingham, who has written extensively on the dangers posed by drones. "It's particularly alarming in this context that actually talked about there [being] several different sizes of drones. It does seem to be a coordinated and planned activity. The most obvious thing is that these are disruptive practices and that they actually force the airfield to operate in a different way, to suspend air operations," Dunn told VOA. The drones can also be used for other purposes. "They can gather intelligence on how many planes are operating, where they're based, what the movements are. And, actually, they can also do that for individuals," Dunn said. Drones have been sighted above the U.S. base at RAF Feltwell, which primarily serves as living quarters for U.S. military personnel a "particularly sinister" development, according to Dunn. "Because in an age where you have highly sophisticated fifth-generation aircraft that operate stealthily and invisibly in the electronic spectrum when they're flying and are highly protected on the airbase in hardened aircraft shelters the most vulnerable part of the overall system is actually the aircrew," Dunn told VOA. "And so, if you can identify where they live by following them home onto their married quarters, you can identify where you can actually break the weakest part of that chain," he said. The Times of London newspaper reported that authorities have not ruled out Russia as the culprit. Dunn said there's evidence of Moscow seeking to step up hybrid attacks, meaning a nonmilitary form of warfare that can still be destructive. "Whether that be the disruption of undersea cables or of incendiary parcels being sent to the city I live in, Birmingham there was an incendiary parcel found in Birmingham airport. There's another [example] of a warehouse being burned down, which stored material going to Ukraine. These things are typically, it seems, done at third party, whereby the Russian state, it seems, has employed criminals in the U,K.," Dunn said. The Russian Embassy in London had not responded to VOA requests for comment by the time of publication. Moscow has previously denied any involvement in hybrid attacks on the West. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former US diplomat discusses Trump's Africa policy, China and Russia competition, trade, and security By Paul Ndiho November 28, 2024 As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second term as president of the United States, questions arise about what this means for U.S.-Africa relations. In this interview with VOA English to Africa's Paul Ndiho, Tibor Nagy, the former assistant secretary of state for African Affairs in the first Trump administration, shares insights into the administration's past approach. Nagy shares his perspective on U.S. competition with China and Russia, trade policies, including the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, commonly known as AGOA, which provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to U.S. markets and the ongoing crises in the Sahel and other regions on the continent. This interview, which aired on VOA's Africa 54 TV program on Wednesday, November 27, from VOA headquarters in Washington, D.C., has been edited for clarity and brevity. Paul Ndiho: As the former top diplomat for African affairs, what should we expect when it comes to President-elect Donald Trump's second term for Africa? Tibor Nagy: I'm very optimistic. I don't think people should worry about the slogan "America First" because that doesn't mean "America only." There are many areas where interests between the U.S. and Africa intersect. China, we very much see as a long-term existential threat, and so I think we'll be a little bit more honest in saying that part of our Africa relations is about China. Then there's the very important issue of critical minerals. Why should China monopolize all the critical minerals in Africa when it would do much better if Western, i.e., American companies were also involved? So, I think Africans should be optimistic I think they'll have a lot more deals and a lot fewer lectures. VOA: Many argue that China and Russia have an edge over the U.S. in Africa. What can the incoming Trump administration do better to compete with those two countries? Nagy: I think you would agree that what Africans want more than anything else, especially young Africans, and everyone knows that there are millions and millions and millions of young Africans, are jobs. Frankly, yes, China has done an awful lot of infrastructure projects, but how many jobs did the African young people get out of that? I think the truth is that American and Western types of investments, do lead to the kind of jobs that young Africans are looking for. And I think that will be a successful foreign policy. And I think that that will be the true kind of win-win for both sides. VOA: President-elect Trump is proposing a 10% tariff on all goods coming into the United States, obviously with AGOA, Africans are supposed to bring goods to the United States free of tariffs. What should we expect? Nagy: What we should expect is to see what happens, aside from during campaigns, a lot of things are said, and then what the actual policy is might be a little bit different. I mean, AGOA is a law passed by Congress and I'm sure that the United States of America will comply with that law. And as you also well know that law will be going out soon and everybody's kind of looking forward and wondering what kind of a new AGOA there will be. VOA: How about the issue of the Sahel? There is a crisis in the Sahel. There are wars in Sudan, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. How can the incoming Trump administration do better on this front? Nagy: The "three Cs" crises, conflicts, and coups have been really horrible. Again, here, U.S. engagement needs to be different. Lecturing, for example, the military government in Niger, I think had a lot to do with us being kicked out of some very valuable air bases that where we had agreements with and the whole issue of coups, I think it's important for the United States to look at coups individually. When a coup happens and we say it's a coup, then we have to cut certain ties and engagements. What we do is we call some coups, coups, and other coups, not coups, as it happened, for example, in Gabon, we didn't call it a coup. We just need to be a little bit more honest and say we really need to be much more flexible in how we engage with those governments because often the military government really needs engagement more to kind of help them see the way forward, especially those that are very popular with the people when they happen. VOA: What would you do differently if you got your old job back? Nagy: I'm not looking to get my old job back because being Assistant Secretary once is enough. I would look differently to be a little bit less hypocritical, to drop the megaphone, to engage with African governments where they are, not where we want them to be, and to see the world as it is and especially put so much more energy into Sudan, Ethiopia, Sahel, those kinds of conflicts. This Q&A originated in VOA's English to Africa Service. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel, Hezbollah accuse each other of violating ceasefire By VOA News November 28, 2024 Israel and Hezbollah accused each other Thursday of violating a day-old ceasefire agreement intended to bring an end to more than one year of fighting. The Israeli military said its air force struck a facility Thursday used by the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hezbollah to store midrange rockets in southern Lebanon. Israel also said it opened fire Thursday toward what it characterized as "suspects" with vehicles arriving at several areas in the southern zone, calling it a violation of the truce. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah, meanwhile, accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire. "The Israeli enemy is attacking those returning to the border villages," Fadlallah told reporters. "There are violations today by Israel, even in this form." The Lebanese army also accused Israel of violating the deal. "The Israeli enemy violated the deal several times," the army said, citing airstrikes and attacks on Lebanese territory with "various weapons." The ceasefire took effect early Wednesday. Accusations from both sides underscore the deal's fragility. Under the terms of the deal, unauthorized military facilities south of the Litani River must be dismantled, but the agreement does not mention military facilities to the river's north. The ceasefire stipulates that Israel can take up to 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon but that neither side can launch offensive operations. The truce, which was brokered by the United States and France, is supposed to last 60 days in the hope of reaching a permanent cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. Is a Gaza truce next? In announcing the ceasefire agreement Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he would now renew his push for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Despite Biden's calls, there is no sign that Israel is interested in a quick ceasefire in Gaza. "Gaza will never be a threat to the state of Israel again," Israeli Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter told reporters this week. "We will reach a decisive victory there. Lebanon is different. "Are we at the beginning of the end [of the Gaza campaign]? Definitely not. We still have a lot to do," said Dichter, who is a member of the inner security Cabinet and a former head of the Shin Bet intelligence agency. War broke out between Israel and Hamas after the U.S.-designated terrorist group killed some 1,200 people and captured more than 250 hostages in Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel's response has killed upwards of 44,200 people and displaced nearly all the enclave's population at least once, Gaza officials say, with huge parts of the territory destroyed. Months of efforts to negotiate a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas have produced little progress, each side blaming the other for the stagnation. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri on Wednesday accused Israel of being inflexible, saying his group wanted a deal. "We hope that this agreement [with Hezbollah] will pave the way to reaching an agreement that ends the war of genocide against our people in Gaza," he told Reuters. Mediator nation Qatar suspended its efforts to reach an agreement until both sides are ready to make concessions. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that conditions for obtaining a possible deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza have improved. "I think the conditions have very much changed for the better," Netanyahu told local Channel 14 when asked about a possible hostage deal. He did not provide details. Israel strikes Gaza targets Israeli military strikes killed at least 26 Palestinians across the besieged Gaza Strip Thursday, according to medical officials. The deaths came as forces increased their bombardment of central parts of Gaza and tanks pushed deeper into the enclave's north and south. Six people were killed in separate airstrikes on a house and near the hospital of Kamal Adwan in Beit Lahiya in the north of Gaza. Four others were killed when an Israeli strike hit a motorcycle in Khan Younis in Gaza's south. Later Thursday, an Israeli airstrike near a tent encampment housing displaced families in Khan Younis killed at least five people and injured others, according to medics. In the refugee camp Nuseirat, Israeli planes carried out multiple airstrikes that killed at least 11 people, according to health officials at a hospital in the camp. The attacks destroyed a multistory building and hit roads outside mosques. Dozens of families were trapped in their homes after tanks advanced from the northern area of the camp, and some ambulances were unable to reach them because of tank fire, the health officials said in a statement. The Israeli military told Reuters that its forces were continuing to "strike terror targets as part of the operational activity in the Gaza Strip." Israeli tanks also pushed deeper into the northwest area of Rafah, near the border with Egypt, according to residents. Israel has not commented on the latest fighting. The Lebanon truce has made the sense of suffering feel all the more severe for some inside Gaza. "I hope a ceasefire will happen like it did in Lebanon. ... I just want to take my children to see my land, my house, to see what they did to us. I want to live in safety," Amal Abu Hmeid, a displaced woman in Gaza, told Reuters. "God willing, we will have a truce." she said. Some information in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Historical materials have been donated to a Chinese memorial hall as new evidence of war crimes related to the 1937 Nanjing Massacre perpetrated by invading Japanese troops. The items include the wartime diary of Nishijo Eikaku, a Japanese soldier who witnessed the carnage of the massacre, and a photo collection containing 324 images of the Japanese forces occupying Nanjing and other locations in 1937, according to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders. Daito Satoshi, from Japan, was the donor of the photo collection. He also provided the memorial hall with Japanese documents on wartime air defense facilities in Shanghai and Nanjing, and other items. Notably, the hall received many photographs and documents concerning "comfort women," including a blueprint for the renovation of a "comfort women" station in Shanghai and physical examination forms from a Japanese military field hospital for "comfort women." Previous research has shown that some 400,000 women in Asia were forced to be "comfort women" -- sexual slaves for the Japanese army during World War II -- and nearly half of them were Chinese. MG Jasper Jeffers arrives in Beirut to Serve as Co-Chair for the Implementation and Monitoring Mechanism of the Cessation of Hostilities U.S. Central Command Press Release | Nov. 29, 2024 USCENTCOM Nov. 29, 2024 Release Number 20241129 - 01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAMPA, Fla. --Major General Jasper Jeffers, Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), arrived in Beirut on Nov. 27 and will serve as a co-chair, alongside Senior Advisor to the President, Amos Hochstein, for the implementation and monitoring mechanism of the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. The cessation of hostilities implementation and monitoring mechanism will be chaired by the United States and consist of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and France. Amos Hochstein will serve as the civilian co-chair until a permanent civilian official is named. This group will assist in the monitoring and implementation of the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon that went into effect on Nov. 26. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address November 29, 2024 By Joseph Clark and Army Maj. Wes Shinego, DOD News Project Olympus Forges Critical Digital Pathways to Enable Interoperability The Defense Department is moving rapidly toward the future of warfare in which decision advantage will reign as the decisive factor in deterring conflict, and when needed, defeating adversaries. Military leaders have long recognized the imperative to maintain the information edge in an increasingly complex and distributed global security landscape. Earlier this year, DOD announced it had reached a minimum viable capability of Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control, the department's approach to providing material and nonmaterial solutions to arm front line commanders with rapid access to actionable battlefield information across all warfighting domains and throughout the globe. The capability represents not only a force multiplier for the Joint Force but will also provide the foundation for ever increasing interoperability between the U.S. and global network of allies and partners. That ability to work seamlessly across warfighting domains and theaters with a range of partners is key to maintaining the United States' enduring strength around the globe. It remains a prime focus among military leaders that shape how the U.S. plans, trains and fights. But achieving the reality of seamless integration for CJADC2 between the U.S. and its broad range of partners is not without its challenges. Disparate technologies among forces along with policy hurdles have presented a perennial challenge for integrating partner nations onto a single network. Project Olympus, a Joint Staff J-6-led initiative, is working to solve these challenges through digital transformation initiatives that synchronize current warfighting capabilities and enhanced security frameworks that manage access to data at the end-user level. "Project Olympus is a concept that was formed in the Joint Staff based on lessons learned from previous events that we've done with capabilities employing new technology, such as zero trust and data centric security which is really focused on access control to data based on specific attributes to somebody's identity," said Fred Stanley, the Coalition Interoperability Division Chief within the Joint Staff Deputy Directorate for Command, Control, Communications and Computer (C4)/ Cyber Integration. Members of Project Olympus work alongside international partners to test, develop and integrate capabilities critical to CJADC2 through iterative experiments and demonstrations. Over the past couple of years, Project Olympus participated in a series of demonstrations and events involving a range of participants including U.S. Central Command, U.S. Transportation Command Joint Communications Support Element and partner forces from the U.K., among others. This year, Project Olympus is focused on implementing its first-ever mission partner environment architecture on a live network that will support a U.K.-led maritime mission spanning multiple U.S. combatant commands and involving 16 international partners. The new security frameworks being demonstrated as part of Project Olympus move the U.S. and partner forces beyond traditional network security methods, allowing for agile and targeted access to critical information on an integrated network. "We've historically looked at security as the antithesis for information sharing," said Jim Knight, the U.K. lead for Project Olympus during a demonstration last month. "The security folks come in and want to sort of clamp down. With zero trust and data centric security, they are security mechanisms, but they are enabling information sharing." "I think that's a key focus point," he said. "For the first time, we're getting that balance right in terms of applying more security. And by applying more security, we're getting greater information sharing." Knight said what Project Olympus is demonstrating goes beyond technology. "It's a paradigm shift," he said. "We're moving from not only securing our networks at the boundary, having high castle walls... but we're also applying security and information sharing to individual data objects." Project Olympus' success is forged through consistent test and evaluation of capabilities in complex scenarios involving a dynamic array of capabilities and partner forces. In October, members of Project Olympus took part in the latest iteration of Bold Quest a Joint Staff-sponsored multinational demonstration and assessment that provides a proving ground for new technology and warfighting concepts. During the demonstration, hosted at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, military participants and observers from allied and partner nations gathered to evaluate technical and procedural means of working together across strategic, operational and tactical levels in all domains. This approach expedites learning and adaptation. By regularly collaborating, coalition partners can identify and address gaps in technology and policy before they create critical risk in real-world crises. "Interoperability is crucial long before a crisis takes place. Waiting for a crisis to bring partners together is unacceptable," Stanley said, adding that "we need to be able to bring our partners in at the ground floor." Demonstrations like Bold Quest underscore the importance of iterative demonstrations and assessments to push boundaries and foster a culture of true interoperability. "We have to keep doing exercises or events, not once a year but multiple times, to continue pushing the boundary," said Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Cavanagh, a Project Olympus representative from U.S. Transcom's Joint Communications Support Element. That same sense of a need to continually innovate resonates throughout the department. Last year, in a keynote address titled "The Urgency to Innovate," Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks spoke to cloud computing's necessity in implementing CJADC2. She said digital foundations, like those being developed by Project Olympus, are helping realize Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control. "This is not a platform or single system that we're buying," Hicks said. "It's a whole set of concepts, technologies, policies, and talent that's advancing ... command and control." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna: Georgia's leadership ran roughshod over its people and is heading directly into Russia's sphere of influence Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 29.11.2024 "Yesterday's decision by Georgia's ruling party revealed what we have been warning about throughout the rule of the Georgian Dream Party - the GD aims to gain control over the country by lying and intimidation, and align Georgia with Russia instead of the European Union. Yesterday's decision was the formal finalisation of this policy." "Democracy has been backsliding in Georgia for a while now, with the so-called foreign agents' law and the so-called law to protect the traditional family among the most notable examples. Additionally, the elections held a month ago could not be called neither free not fair due to the amount and gravity of violations. Yesterday's decision by Georgia's ruling party was the final step and proof that they have lied to the people of Georgia, mainly to their voters, who hoped and believed that the country would move towards the European Union during the rule of Georgian Dream. 80% of the people of Georgia want their country to join the European Union. To voice their views, thousands of people came to the streets again yesterday. It is absolutely unacceptable that the Georgian authorities used violence against the protesters, including pepper spray, water cannons and acoustic equipment. The European Union halted Georgia's accession process and financial support this summer, adding it was possible that it would continue if Georgia decided to return to the path of democracy. Unfortunately, Georgian Dream made a different decision. Estonia has reduced its high-level contacts with Georgia and stopped supporting development cooperation in projects connected to the Georgian government; however, we continue to support Georgia's civil society. We find that the way Georgian authorities are treating their people and destroying democracy also calls for a response from the European Union." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rheinmetall and Lithuania sign agreements to begin construction of modern artillery ammunition plant Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2024-11-29 Acquisitions and infrastructure development | International cooperation Lithuania and Rheinmetall are beginning construction of a modern production plant for 155mm artillery ammunition. The necessary contracts, including a land lease agreement and a framework agreement for the procurement of 155mm ammunition, were signed at a ceremony held on 29 November 2024. The Prime Minister of Lithuania, Ms Ingrida Simonyte, the Lithuanian Minister of the Economy and Innovation, Ms Ausrine Armonaite, and the Lithuanian Minister of National Defence, Mr Laurynas Kasciunas, attended the event. With the start of construction in Baisogala, Lithuania is taking a further step towards strengthening its defence sector. A state-of-the-art production facility, including a shell manufacturing and load assembly pack, is being built on an area of around 340 hectares. The facility will begin operations in mid-2026 and, once completed, will be able to produce tens of thousands of 155mm calibre artillery shells per year. A total of 180 million euros are invested directly in Lithuania, and around 150 jobs will be created in the country. Local companies and the local economy will be fully integrated into the value chain. "From day one, the dialogue between the Lithuanian Government and Rheinmetall has been based on a mutual understanding of this project's necessity and urgency. I am very pleased that today, this cooperation has enabled the beginning of construction of the artillery ammunition production plant. Our defence needs, the importance of the shortest possible supply chains, and strong allied partnership between Lithuania and Germany underscore the need to maintain the momentum as we continue to work in the same spirit of cooperation," says Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister of Lithuania. "We at Rheinmetall are very grateful for the trust Lithuania has placed in us. It is and remains our aspiration at Rheinmetall to be one of the pillars of national and international security provision. This long-term partnership with Lithuania confirms this once again," says Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. "In light of the growing security challenges, we must move beyond words and take concrete steps to strengthen our nation's defence capabilities. By fostering large-scale investment projects and enabling local production of weaponry, we not only address national security needs but also reduce our dependence on arms procured from international markets. I have no doubt that Lithuania is moving in the right direction, and it is promising to see global leaders like Rheinmetall choosing to be part of this progress," says Ausrine Armonaite, the Minister of the Economy and Innovation. "The establishment of the German defense industry company Rheinmetall's ammunition factory in Lithuania is not only significant in the context of the defense industry's development but will also address the needs of our armed forces. It was quite a complex process, but I am pleased and grateful to my colleagues that, through joint efforts, we managed to reach an agreement on this historic and important project for our national security," notes Laurynas Kasciunas, the Minister of Defence. As recently as June 2024, Rheinmetall and the Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovation Armonaite signed an agreement regulating the establishment of the German defence company Rheinmetall in Lithuania. The project was granted the status of 'state significance'. As a result, the Lithuanian Centre of Excellence for Ammunition will benefit from special investment and business conditions to speed up the construction of the plant. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Details from interim court of inquiry report into HMNZS Manawanui incident released New Zealand Defence Force HMNZS Manawanui grounded and sunk off the coast of Samoa as a result of human error, the interim Court of Inquiry report shows. 29 November, 2024 The Royal New Zealand Navy ship grounded on a reef on the southern side of Samoa, on Saturday 5 October 2024 while conducting survey operations. Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding stood up a Court of Inquiry following the incident in order to understand the facts of what occurred. "The direct cause of the grounding has been determined as a series of human errors which meant the ship's autopilot was not disengaged when it should have been," Rear Admiral Golding said. "The crew did not realise Manawanui remained in autopilot and, as a consequence, mistakenly believed its failure to respond to direction changes was the result of a thruster control failure. "Having mistakenly assessed a thruster control failure, standard procedures should have prompted ship's crew to check that the ship was under manual control rather than in autopilot. This check did not occur. Remaining in autopilot resulted in the ship maintaining a course toward land, until grounding and eventually stranding." Rear Admiral Golding said why it happened and what would come next in terms of lessons learned were still being worked on as part of the wider Court of Inquiry, which was expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year. Rear Admiral Golding said given human error was identified as the cause, a separate disciplinary process would need to be commenced once the Court of Inquiry had concluded. As well as the primary cause, there were also a number of identified contributing factors leading to the ship's grounding, which will be considered in more detail during phase two of the Court of Inquiry. "To provide some immediate assurance, we have conducted a series of audits in the Fleet and looked to implement initial lessons identified from the interim report around training, risk management, and improving relevant orders, instructions and procedures" he said. Rear Admiral Golding said he was grateful for the support from the Transport Accident Investigation Committee, the Royal Australian Navy, and Royal New Zealand Air Force for their support to the Court of Inquiry investigation, which used evidence collected through interviews with the crew, expert witnesses and data from the ship's recordings to find the primary cause. The New Zealand Defence Force remains thankful for Samoa's ongoing support regarding the situation, and is committed to working alongside Samoan authorities on the response, he said. "I want to reassure the public of New Zealand that we will learn from this situation and that it is on me, as the Chief of Navy, to earn back your trust. "We have incredible people within our Defence Force who answer the call to serve every day. Much of their work is risky and involves decisions that can mean life or death. No one turns up to work to have a bad day. "In this situation, we thankfully did not lose any lives but lives have been affected nonetheless, and we continue to support and work closely with those who were onboard Manawanui on that day." Timeline: On Saturday 5 October 2024, HMNZS Manawanui was conducting survey operations on the southern side of Apia, Samoa in a strong breeze of up to 25 knots and moderate swell. The survey was conducted in a box-shaped area, running east to west in survey lanes that start on the outside, working inwards. At about 6.15pm, the ship's crew attempted a routine turn to starboard, initially to a course of 340 degrees, within the survey area, as part of a turn. The crew attempted to turn off the 340 degree course to starboard towards an easterly course but the ship did not respond as intended. Shortly after, Manawanui left the approved survey area, and in an effort to stop the ship, the crew conducted further actions that they believed should have resulted in the ship essentially braking. Manawanui did not slow or stop, and instead the ship started to accelerate towards the reef, grounding for the first time at or about 6.17pm at a speed of more than 10 knots. The ship then travelled around 635 metres (400 yards) before becoming stranded, grounding multiple times along the way. Full control of Manawanui's propulsion system was not regained until 10 minutes later, at 6.27pm, when the ship's autopilot was disengaged. The inability to turn the ship to an easterly direction from the 340 degree course and stop the ship is attributed to the ship being in autopilot mode. Unsuccessful attempts were then made to manoeuvre the ship off the reef. Manawanui was brought to emergency stations after the grounding, and searches were conducted to check for damage. No damage or flooding was detected inside the ship. However, stability assessments made after the grounding indicated Manawanui was no longer stable. At approximately 6.46pm, about 30 minutes after the initial grounding, the decision was made to abandon ship. The timeliness of the decision to abandon ship and to keep Manawanui's generators running contributed to the successful abandonment process and likely prevented serious injuries or death. The ship suffered a series of catastrophic fires after being abandoned, before capsizing and sinking on the morning of Sunday 6 October. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operation Resolution New Zealand Defence Force 29 November 2024, 8.36pm Update: 8:36pm NZDT The latest update on the HMNZS Manawanui response. The New Zealand Defence Force-contracted ocean-going tug and barge has sailed from Whangarei for the anticipated 10-11 day passage to Samoa, weather and sea dependent. Following the arrival of the vessels in Samoa's capital, Apia, there will be a number of days of preparation required on the barge, along with appropriate authorisations and permissions from Samoan authorities, before the barge will be towed to the location of HMNZS Manawanui on the south west coast. Planning work has already begun on the installation points for the anchoring system that will keep the barge in place over HMNZS Manawanui for the fuel removal, without touching the reef. This is being done in close partnership with Samoan government agencies, to ensure the absolute minimum disruption to the reef and seabed. Once the barge is in place and site and equipment preparations are complete, work will commence on the removal, recovery and safe disposal of the fuel and other pollutants from HMNZS Manawanui. Commodore Andrew Brown, the NZDF Senior National Representative for Operation Resolution said, "Getting the tug and barge to sea was a critical first step in the process. With that achieved, our focus turns to ensuring all customs and immigration clearances, environmental considerations and biosecurity approvals are in place on arrival in Apia." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address AFP chief lauds Japan's support for capacity-building efforts Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno November 29, 2024, 11:30 am MANILA -- Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. has expressed the military's appreciation for Japan's continued support for its capacity-building efforts and humanitarian assistance in recent disasters that struck the country. The military chief made the remark during the courtesy visit of Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) chief of staff Gen. Uchikura Hiroaki at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Thursday. "During the visit, Gen. Brawner expressed gratitude for Japan's steadfast support to the Philippines through capacity-building initiatives and humanitarian assistance. Both leaders also committed to foster mutual understanding and shared defense goals for the benefit of their nations," the AFP said in a statement Thursday night. The meeting, it said, reflects the AFP's effort to deepen engagements and strategic cooperation with like-minded nations, advancing shared commitment to a free and stable Indo-Pacific Region. Uchikura also visited the Philippine Air Force (PAF) headquarters in Villamor Air Base in Pasay City where he called on Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreno. He was presented with an honorary PAF Gold Wings badge in recognition of his exceptional contributions to strengthening bilateral defense cooperation between the Philippines and Japan. "The visit underscored the deepening partnership between the two air forces. During their discussions, both leaders reaffirmed their mutual commitment to advancing regional security and stability. They also explored plans for regular exchanges, joint training exercises, and expanded collaboration in areas of mutual interest," the PAF said in a separate statement. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese military conducts patrol near disputed Scarborough shoal China's air-and-sea patrol took place as a U.S. carrier strike group entered the South China Sea. By RFA Staff 2024.11.29 -- The Chinese military held a large-scale maritime and airspace patrol near the Scarborough shoal, a disputed reef in the South China Sea known in China as Huangyan Dao, citing "instability" created by "certain countries." Scarborough Shoal, known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines, is about 125 nautical miles (232 kilometers) from the main Philippine island of Luzon. China now effectively controls it, even though a landmark international arbitration case in 2016 rejected Beijing's claims to most of the South China Sea. The People's Liberation Army, or PLA, Southern Theater Command, responsible for the contested waterway, said in a statement on Thursday that navy and air forces were taking part in the "routine training" which included reconnaissance and early warning; and maritime and airspace patrol near the shoal. The Philippines has not reacted to the news but in the past Manila has repeatedly protested against what it saw as "China's bullying." Also on Thursday, a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group entered the South China Sea, according to ship-tracking data obtained and analyzed by Radio Free Asia. Data from the MarineTraffic website show the nuclear-powered USS Abraham Lincoln, or CVN-72, transited the Singapore Strait and entered the South China Sea on Thursday morning before moving northeast. Unusually, the ship has its automatic identification system, which shows its location, turned on. 'Stirring up trouble' The Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group also includes Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., and destroyers USS Spruance and USS Michael Murphy. The destroyers have just visited Thailand and Singapore, and are now "underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations," the U.S. Navy said. USS Abraham Lincoln is the fifth aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class that comprises the largest warships in the world. The U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet with a continuous presence in the Indo-Pacific for more than 75 years. The navy said in a news release that the fleet "routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region." In its statement, the PLA Southern Theater Command criticized "certain countries from outside the region" that were "stirring up trouble" and creating instability in the South China Sea but did not name any country. It reiterated that China has "indisputable sovereignty" over Huangyan Dao and its surrounding waters, and that Chinese troops would "resolutely" defend national sovereignty and maritime rights. Edited by Taejun Kang. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Georgian Police Use Water Cannons, Tear Gas To Disperse Pro-EU Protesters In Tbilisi By RFE/RL's Georgian Service November 29, 2024 Georgian police have used water cannons to disperse thousands of demonstrators gathered near the parliament in Tbilisi to protest the government's decision to suspend talks to join the European Union. Reports say police also used tear gas to break up the rallies in the late hours of November 29. President Salome Zurabishvili, a staunch critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party, condemned the "brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and media", likening the crackdown to "Russian-style repression." "These actions will not be forgiven! Those responsible for the use of force should be held responsible," she wrote on Twitter. Protesters have hit the streets for the second day running after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said his government was suspending EU accession talks and would reject budgetary grants from Brussels "until the end of 2028." More than 100 Georgian diplomats have slammed the government's halting of EU membership talks after security forces violently dispersed protesters and journalists at a rally in Tbilisi over the move. More than 30 people were hospitalized early on November 29 after police used tear gas, water cannons, and beat some of the thousands gathered to vent their anger over Kobakhidze's announcement. The Interior Ministry said 43 people were arrested "as a result of the illegal and violent actions" during the first night of protests on November 28, while parliament raised its security level to the maximum -- code red. Security forces violently dispersed protesters and journalists at the November 28 rally in Tbilisi. In response, more than 100 serving Georgian diplomats signed an open letter criticizing the policy change, saying it violated the constitution, which commits to the pursuit of EU membership. "The stalling of the accession negotiation process will lead to the isolation of the country," they wrote. "Without the support of the Western partners, Georgia remains face to face with threats that are especially intensified in the background of the ongoing processes in the international and security environment." More than 100 people working at the Public Services Development Agency, which operates under the Interior Ministry, also issued a statement warning that suspending EU accession talks will only serve to hurt national interests. Even Tbilisi's biggest clubs opted to close their doors on November 29 to bolster the protests, saying in a joint statement that the "energy on the dance floor should be taken to the streets." Georgia has been thrown into turmoil since the October parliamentary elections -- in which Georgian Dream secured 54 percent of the vote -- with the opposition and Western governments arguing the vote was marred by violations and Russian influence. Early on November 29, riot police moved to clear out the peaceful demonstrators, with masked police firing rubber bullets and brutally beating protesters and journalists. RFE/RL Georgian Service journalist Davit Tsagareli was punched and thrown to the ground by a riot police officer as he reported live from the scene, while earlier RFE/RL captured footage of a police officer repeatedly hitting TV Formula journalist Guram Rogava on the head. After Rogava fell to the ground, the officer fled the scene. The journalist was hospitalized with injuries to his face and head. "His condition is satisfactory. He has facial bone fractures, as well as a fracture in his neck. At this stage, it does not require surgical intervention," the doctor who treated Rogava at the hospital told journalists. Kobakhidze blamed the protesters for the violence, saying that if it were not for their actions, "there would be no need to break up the gathering." Zurabishvili joined the protest in Tbilisi on November 28 in a show of solidarity with the demonstrators. "I am with these people. The resistance has started and will not end until we have new elections," she told reporters. She also confronted a row of riot police, telling them that it was their "duty to protect" Georgia's sovereignty and asking them whether they "serve Russia or Georgia." Demonstrators in Zugdidi told RFE/RL's Georgian Service that the ruling Georgian Dream party was moving away from the EU and pushing the country toward Russia. "Georgian authorities cut off all relations with the European Union and also refuse to receive funding. This will certainly lead to an economic collapse," Manana Mikawa, a teacher, told RFE/RL. Earlier in the day, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for new legislative elections in Georgia and sanctions on senior members of the Georgian Dream party. In its resolution, the European Parliament said the result of the election did "not serve as a reliable representation of the will of the Georgian people." It also called on the European Union, which froze Georgia's EU membership application last month, to place sanctions on key officials within the ruling party, including Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream Chairman Irakli Gharibashvili, billionaire power broker and party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze. Speaking at the Georgian Dream headquarters, Kobakhidze said Tbilisi was suspending accession talks while also rejecting all budgetary grants from the EU until 2028. "We are not going to join the European Union by begging and standing on one leg, but in a dignified manner with a sound democratic system and a strong economy," the prime minister told reporters without taking any questions. Earlier, during a parliamentary session to approve his government, Kobakhidze said his government's goal was for Georgia to join the EU by 2030. "We are ready to observe and take into account all conditions [set by the EU] that do not go against our national interests," he said to applause from Georgian Dream lawmakers. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of the controversial "foreign agent" law that critics say threatens to publicly discredit thousands of media outlets and civil society groups as "serving" outside powers. The United States in July announced it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning that it was backsliding on democracy. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-violence-protesters- rferl-journalists-attacked/33220075.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tajikistan's Secret Trial: A Plot To Seize Power Or A Government Fearful Of Being Overthrown? By RFE/RL's Tajik Service November 29, 2024 In an unprecedented court case that has stunned many Tajiks, eight public figures are being tried in secret in Dushanbe for allegedly seeking to overthrow authoritarian President Emomali Rahmon, who has been in power for 32 years. Among the defendants are a former foreign minister, a prominent lawmaker, and two security service colonels who -- according to prosecutors -- joined forces with banned opposition parties to organize armed groups to seize political power in Tajikistan. Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon (no relation to President Rahmon) has claimed the plot involved seeking $10 million from a "foreign government" while the banned Muslim extremist group Jamoati Ansorulloh was enlisted to provide some 3,000 militants for the takeover, an accusation that puzzled many because the defendants are known to be staunchly secular. The closed-door trial began on November 14 in a Dushanbe detention center, with no announcement by court or government officials. Family members of the defendants, the media, and members of the public are not allowed to attend the proceedings. The exact charges against the defendants are unknown, while the relatives and defense lawyers don't speak to the media. But according to RFE/RL sources close to the matter, the charges include an attempt to seize power by force, treason, inciting hatred, and forgery. Some of the defendants have pleaded not guilty, the sources says, while pleas by most of the others are unknown due to the secrecy surrounding the cases. The events began with a shocking statement by the prosecutor-general, who asked parliament on June 14 to revoke the legislative immunity of lawmaker Saidjafar Usmonzoda, who had been arrested two days earlier. Tajikistan's top prosecutor claimed that Usmonzoda, the former chairman of the Democratic Party, had been in contact with the banned National Alliance of Tajikistan -- a Europe-based grouping that brings together several Tajik opposition movements -- to discuss a plan to "seize political power by force." According to Yusuf Rahmon, during a phone call with Usmonzoda in September 2021, the then-deputy head of the National Alliance, Sharofiddin Gadoev, had allegedly pledged that the banned opposition Islamic Renaissance Party would provide financial assistance and organize the entrance of the Jamoati Ansorulloh militants from Afghanistan into Tajikistan to help carry out the plot. Gadoev has denied the claim. The plot involved militants seizing military and police headquarters to capture weapons in various parts of the country to destabilize the situation and ultimately overthrow the government "in a short period of time," the top prosecutor told parliament. The prosecutor-general also claimed that Usmonzoda had admitted to having committed all of the allegations against him, including requesting $10 million from a "representative" of an unnamed foreign country "to persuade influential figures and organize demonstrations." Situation Ripe For Change Within days, prominent public figures -- former Foreign Minister Hamrohkhon Zarifi, former parliament speaker Akbarshoh Iskandarov, deputy head of the Democratic Party Ahmadshoh Komilzoda, and the deputy leader of the Social Democratic Party, Shokirjon Hakimov, had been detained in Dushanbe. Authorities also detained three other lesser-known officials -- former Foreign Ministry department head Abdulfaiz Atoi, and two retired colonels from the State Committee for National Security, Nuramin Ganizoda and Jamshed Boev. Prosecutors told reporters in August that all of the cases being probed were "closely related," but did not provide further details. Since then, there has been no word from the authorities, court officials, or defense lawyers about the cases. State-controlled media has largely ignored the process. In a country where free speech and criticism of the government are not tolerated, most Tajiks are reluctant to speak to the media, fearing retaliation. On condition of anonymity, a university professor in Dushanbe said that while "we don't know if the defendants are guilty as charged, some sort of attempt to change the regime is inevitably going to happen in Tajikistan sooner or later." The lecturer said many Tajiks are unhappy with the situation in Tajikistan amid widespread speculation that President Rahmon is grooming his 36-year-old son, Rustam, to be his successor. "The Tajik people at all levels are unhappy with how the president and his close circle control everything, treating the country as their own private property, giving no opportunities to anyone else," the professor said. "People don't want another 30 years with this family." In the absence of democracy and free and fair elections, some people "may consider or resort to other ways to get rid of the authoritarian regime," the professor said. "But these criminal cases could also reflect the government's lack of confidence and paranoia ahead of any plan to transfer power from the father to the son," the lecturer added. Some Tajik analysts believe the charges against the eight men are baseless, as it is unlikely that the defendants -- most of whom are in their 60s and 70s -- would risk challenging a government known for its brutal reprisals against opponents. "These defendants were not able to challenge the regime during the height of their careers when they had power, influence, and political clout, and it's almost improbable that they would try it now," said Aziz Nurulloev, a U.S.-based Tajik political-affairs analyst. But Nurulloev points out that the situation is "ripe" in Tajikistan -- an impoverished nation of some 10 million, millions of whom have to go abroad to find work -- for people to demand political change. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-secret-trials-plot-or- paranoia/33220733.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Romania Begins Ballot Recount Amid Accusations Of Social Media Violations By RFE/RL's Romanian Service November 29, 2024 Romania's Central Election Bureau has begun a court-ordered recount of all ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election as accusations swirled that surprise winner Calin Georgescu illegally used TikTok to boost his campaign. The Constitutional Court ordered the recount on November 28 after officials from the Supreme Council of National Defense demanded the authorities take "urgent" steps, saying Georgescu was granted "preferential treatment" by the social media platform. TikTok has denied any wrongdoing. Georgescu, a pro-Russian far-right independent candidate, scored a surprise victory in the first round of the election on November 24, garnering nearly 23 percent of the vote. He is set to face off against center-right Elena Lasconi, a staunch Euro-Atlanticist, in the December 8 runoff after both pushed ahead of favored leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. Sources have told RFE/RL's Romanian Service that the Constitutional Court, which was originally set to validate the results of the first round of the election on November 29, will do so on December 2 after the recount is finished. Without the backing of a party, Georgescu's campaign relied heavily on TikTok, where his account had 1.6 million likes and where he posted videos of himself attending church, doing judo, running on a track, and speaking on podcasts. The Supreme Defense Council said it had found evidence suggesting that "cyberattacks" had been used to influence the outcome of the election. Georgescu alleged that state institutions were attempting to deny the will of the people. Protesters have rallied in Bucharest for several days against Georgescu, with many accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of interfering in Romania's internal affairs. Romania's president has significant decision-making powers, including on matters of national security and foreign policy. Elected for a five-year term, the president can also reject party nominees for prime minister and government nominees for judicial appointments. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/romania-ballot- recount-tiktok/33220242.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Truman Strike Group Concludes High-North Operations with Strait of Gibraltar Transit US Navy 27 November 2024 From Story by Lt.Cmdr. Courtney Callaghan, Lt. Brandon Dedmon and Lt. Camila Healey MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG), including Italian Navy Carlo Bergamini-class frigate Carabiniere (F 593), and the Spanish Navy Alvaro de Bazan-class frigate Mendez Nunez (F-104) transited the Strait of Gibraltar for the Mediterranean Sea, Nov. 25, following over a month of operations with Allies and partners in the North and Norwegian Seas. "Two months into deployment, and the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group has experienced an unprecedented amount of operations with our NATO Allies and partners," said Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of the HSTCSG. "It is truly impressive to watch the seamless integration of the armed forces of so many countries and multitude of ships and aircraft all operating as a unified fighting force. It is an absolute testament to the strength and versatility of the NATO Alliance." HSTCSG arrived in the North Sea on Oct. 15, immediately engaging with Allies and partners, starting with the Portuguese Navy Frigate NRP Francisco De Almeida (F 333) and Royal Norwegian Navy replenishment oiler HNoMS Maud (A-530). Almeida seamlessly integrated into the carrier strike group as an immediate force multiplier, where the ship served as a horizon reference unit for the carrier and conducted Helicopter, Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (HVBSS) operations. During that time, Maud provided the needed fuel for the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS Stout (DDG 55) to detach as a surface action group to conduct maritime operations in the Barents Sea, where the ships enhanced domain awareness, deterred adversaries, and practiced campaigning in the Arctic. On the way back, both ships pulled into Troms, Norway, for fuel, supplies, and rest and relaxation for the crew. "It is important that U.S. naval forces demonstrate a calibrated presence in the Arctic by conducting routine operations in the region," said Cmdr. Desmond Walker, commander officer of Stout. "We must take on all opportunities to enhance our capabilities toward potential campaigns around the world." In a display of transatlantic military cooperation and power projection, HSTCSG units conducted dual carrier strike group operations with the United Kingdom Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09) for the 7-day NATO-led maritime vigilance activity Neptune Strike (NEST) 24.2, Oct. 24-31. The two carrier strike groups transferred operational authorities to NATO to conduct coordinated surface and air operations, including complex air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and maritime strike operations. Vigilance activity provides an example of the long-standing strategic partnership between the United States and its NATO Allies over the last 80 years. Today, upholding the international, rules-based order is more important than ever. Harry S. Truman participated in the first Neptune Strike vigilance activity, then called Neptune Shield, in Feb. 2022, shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine; marking the first time the United States placed a carrier strike group under NATO's control since the Cold War. Before and during NEST, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 squadrons flew a multitude of missions with several countries to include Czech and Swedish Air Force JAS-39 Gripens, Danish F-16 Fighting Falcons, Royal Navy and Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, Finish F/A-18C Hornets. The ability to plan and fly tactical missions with Allies and partners explicitly demonstrates NATO's combat credibility in the air, expanding the striking range of any carrier strike group. Following NEST, the strike group disaggregated to conduct port visits across the region. Harry S. Truman and Carabiniere navigated the Oslofjord with the Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate Thor Heyerdahl (F 314) to visit Oslo, Norway. At the same time, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg went to Helsinki, Finland, and Stout went to Gothenburg, Sweden. While at anchor in Norway, Harry S. Truman, Vice Adm. Jeffrey Anderson, commander of U.S. 6th Fleet, and Charge d'Affaires a.i. Eric Meyer of the U.S. Embassy to Norway, hosted a 700-person reception featuring Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre as the distinguished visitor. Gettysburg and Stout also hosted receptions and office calls with host nation civilian and military leaders. At the conclusion of their port visit, Harry S. Truman and the Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate Roald Amundsen (F 311) headed north into the Norwegian Sea to operate above the Arctic Circle, echoing the 2024 Department of Defense Arctic Strategy's "Enhance, Engage, and Exercise" tenants by enhancing our ability to campaign in the Arctic, engaging with Allies, and exercising with calibrated presence. "Operating in the Arctic requires comprehensive coordination and adaptability," said Capt. Dave Snowden, commanding officer, USS Harry S. Truman. "Our ship is no stranger to these waters and, while these conditions are a proving ground that tested the ship, crew, and air wing, Team Truman and Tarbox demonstrated that we are capable of operating anywhere and anytime as a combat ready team." In an increasingly dynamic region, Harry S. Truman's integration and collaboration with Allies and partners is a testament to NATO's combined force interoperability, combat-credible collective defense, and flexibility of threat response in a region seeing increased strategic importance due to climate shifts and global competition. The carrier strike group consists of the flagship USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75); Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 with nine embarked aviation squadrons; staffs from CSG-8, CVW-1, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28; the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64); and two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout (DDG 55) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109). HSTCSG's mission is to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations at sea and remain the cornerstone of the Navy's forward presence through sea control and power projection capabilities. You can find them on DVIDS at https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN75. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by President Biden in Press Gaggle | Nantucket, MA November 29, 2024 11:10 A.M. EST Q Mr. President, what are you thankful for? What are you thankful for this year? THE PRESIDENT: I'm thankful for for my family. I'm thankful for a peaceful transition of the presidency. And I'm thankful for the fact that, I think, with the grace of God and the goodwill of the neighbors and a little bit of luck, we're going to get some more progress in the Middle East. And I'm really thankful for being able to get the first piece done on Lebanon. There's a lot to be thankful for. I mean, look, we're the United States of America. I know I've said this a thousand times some of you have heard me say it more than once but I really believe there's nothing beyond our capacity nothing beyond our capacity when we work together. So, that's the hope: We're going to be able to do that. So, that's what I'm thankful for. Q Mr. President, have you spoken with the three formerly detained Americans who have returned from China? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I have. I spoke with all three of them. You know, one was there only three years, but he was for a life sentence. Other one was there for I think it was a total of 20-some years. Anyway, they're long, long stays. And I'm really happy they're home. I got to talk to them all when they landed in Alaska. They're reu- reunited with their families. And and it's I was very very happy to be able to get it done. Q (Inaudible) tariffs with Canada and and Mexico that the President-elect is talking about? THE PRESIDENT: I hope he rethinks it. I I think it's a counterproductive thing to do. You know, look, one of the things you've heard me say before that we we're we have an unusual situation in America. We're surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and two allies: Mexico and Canada. And the last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships. I think we've got them in a good place. I think the And, by the way, you know, the cooperation with the outgoing president incoming president, the illegal crossings are down considerably to what they were back in when he was in office. There's a lot more to do. But I I just think I hope they reconsider. (Cross-talk.) Q President-elect Trump proposed tariffs on China as well. Are you worried about that as well or that relationship? THE PRESIDENT: I I we have reached a relationship where there's a status quo ante with regard to China. China has is we've set up a hotline between President Xi and myself, as well as through our military a direct line. The one thing I'm confident about Xi is he doesn't want to make a mistake. And I mean that sincerely. And I'm not saying that he is our best buddy, but he he understands what's at stake. And that's why I've spent so much time, as you know, getting the situation in the South Pacific, as well as in the Indian Ocean, in the (inaudible). So, a combination of Japan, Australia, India. I mean, things are moving in the right direction, with the grace of God and the goodwill of the neighbors. One last question. Q Mr. President, there are many Americans who are worried about the future this holiday season. What is your message to them? THE PRESIDENT: My message is to just remember who we are. Look, you all have a very tough job. And I'm not being solicitous a really tough job. Think about it. If we I I remember a couple weeks ago, the survey done: How do people feel about where they are? It was at 62 percent and (inaudible) percent thought they were doing pretty well. What do they think about the direction of the country? Thirty-five percent only thirty-five percent or so thought it was moving in the right direction. I think there's an explanation for that. If you think about it, what do you I'm it's not a criticism of the press and I mean this; you know me too well (laughs) is that you turn on the television and you don't see a lot of good news. Even the stuff that is good news doesn't seem to sell very well. And so, when you turn on the TV, everything looks bad. Everything looks bad. And now you have I forget what the number is, but an exceedingly small number of people watching mainstream television and reading the newspapers. I forget the number, but you know better than I would. And they're way down. So, where where do you get your news? And what and how do you know what you're getting is not just what you're looking for as opposed to what's happening? Not because of you. Not I'm not being critical of the press. I've talked to too many of you privately. You've been around a long time, and you got a hell of a job. I mean, you know anyway, I don't think I want to make sure this transition goes smoothly. I want to make sure it goes smoothly. And all the talk about what he's going to do or not do, I think there may be a little bit of internal reckoning on his in his party, what what he is going to do or not do. So, it remains to be seen. And and the Congress is is so razor thin across the board, it's going to be a I think it's going to require what usually happens in these cases: some real compromise. But we'll see. We'll see. And on Thanksgiving, I'm hopeful. Thank you so much. 11:15 A.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese MSR ships spotted in PH EEZ off Siargao, Davao Oriental - PCG Philippine News Agency By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora November 30, 2024, 3:25 pm MANILA -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday confirmed the sighting of two Chinese marine scientific research (MSR) ships entering the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) near Siargao and Davao Oriental. At a news forum in Quezon City, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Commodore Jay Tarriela, said the PCG had initially detected three MSR ships - the Xiang Yang Hong 3, Jia Geng, and Xiang Yang Hong 10 - about 257 nautical miles northeast of Santa Ana, Cagayan outside the Philippine EEZ on Nov. 17. The Jia Geng was spotted once within the nation's 200 nautical-mile EEZ near Davao Oriental on Nov. 14 while the Xiang Yang Hong 10 was seen east of Siargao Island, within the EEZ, on Nov. 20. "For the EEZ, since the Philippines has sovereign rights to exploit and explore these areas, dapat for a foreign-flagged marine scientific research, dapat humihingi sila ng clearance (a foreign-flagged MSR should have requested a clearance)," Tarriela said. "For the Coast Guard, we will communicate this to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea and it is up to the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) to take action regarding their presence." He said the vessels entered and passed through the waters but did not linger. Still, the PCG will continue to monitor and document the vessels' movements, he said. As of Saturday morning, all three were spotted near the border of the Philippine EEZ or 211 nautical miles off Siargao Island. "It is outside of our exclusive economic zone. However, we're still monitoring itong paggalaw nitong Chinese research vessels na ito because at some point it entered our exclusive economic zone noong mga nakaraang araw (They are outside of our EEZ. However, we're still monitoring their movement because, at some point, they entered our EEZ)," he said. The Chinese Embassy in Manila and the DFA have yet to respond when asked for comment. 'Always a cause for concern' In the same forum, Tarriela said the Philippines remains concerned over the presence of Chinese maritime militias near the Pag-asa Island in the western part of the country following reports of swarming earlier this week. More than 80 Chinese vessels were monitored in Pag-asa Island's territorial sea on Nov. 27 but Tarriela said it might have been due to bad weather. "This has always been a concern for the Philippine government. We are explaining the phenomenon, bakit tumaas at bakit bumaba (why it increased and why the number went down)," he said. "But every time na pumapasok din naman sila sa territorial sea natin sa (But every time they enter our territorial sea in) Pag-asa, we are constantly radio-challenging these Chinese maritime militia," he assured. Based on the PCG's latest monitoring, the number of Chinese vessels in the Philippine feature has gone down to 30. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Icebreaker deal would challenge Russian supremacy in Arctic By Jay Heisler November 30, 2024 With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding this month, the United States, Canada and Finland are moving ahead on what military analysts see as a belated but much-needed answer to a mounting Russian and Chinese threat in the Arctic Ocean. Under the arrangement whimsically labeled the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE Pact, the three nations have agreed to share research, knowledge and capabilities in building a still unspecified number of icebreakers capable of enforcing each nation's sovereignty in an ocean that has become increasingly navigable because of climate change. While the retreat of the polar icecap is steadily opening the region for commercial traffic and mineral exploration, the ICE Pact is largely driven by concerns over the Arctic capabilities of an increasingly hostile Russia and the rapidly growing presence of China. "Up until this past summer, you would expect one Chinese research vessel in the Arctic. This past summer, there were five," said U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan at a security forum in the Canadian city of Halifax this month. "This summer they were operating in tandem surface action groups with both China and Russia, 60 to 70 miles off the coast of Alaska," Fagan added. "If we were to see that same pattern of behavior off the East or the West Coast of the [contiguous] United States, it would have the attention of the United States." Speaking at the same forum, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said his country has been watching "the activities of two particular adversaries, China and Russia, in the area, which are deeply concerning to us and, frankly, their aggression and assertions in the region are somewhat different." Blair said that in passages through the Arctic, the Russians "have not demonstrated respect to the international rules-based order and respect for other countries sovereignty and economic interests." China, he said, approaches the Arctic in two ways, the first being significant investment in critical and other infrastructure. "And the second one is through what they term scientific research. And we've seen a huge increase in their presence in the Arctic. And it's not just scientific research. They're mapping the sea floor. They're gathering intelligence," he said. Experts say Russia is far ahead of the United States and its NATO allies in icebreaker capability, largely because it has for years been developing a commercial shipping route across its Arctic coast known as the Northern Sea Route. The route is of particular interest to China as a shortcut for its lucrative trade with Europe. But Russian icebreaking is no longer limited to economic development, according to Heather Exner-Pirot, a global fellow at the Washington-based Wilson Center's Polar Institute. "Its first armed combat icebreaker, the Ivan Papanin, is in sea trials and scheduled to join Russia's Northern Fleet by the end of 2024," she wrote on the Wilson Center website in July. "And China is quickly gaining capacity, having commissioned its fourth polar-capable vessel, the Jidi, last week," added Exner-Pirot, who is also the director of energy, natural resources and environment at the Ottawa-based Macdonald-Laurier Institute. If the Western alliance hopes to match Russian and Chinese capabilities in the Arctic, it has a lot of catching up to do. While precise counts vary according to how one defines a polar-capable icebreaker, the CIA World Factbook says Russia has 18 such vessels of varying classes, part of a world-leading fleet of 46 icebreakers including the world's only two nuclear-powered icebreakers. It has 11 more planned or under construction, according to a chart prepared by the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy. Canada ranks second in the world with 18 total icebreakers, according to the CIA World Factbook, but only one is suitable for polar missions. The others are mostly deployed to maintain commercial shipping channels through the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes in winter. Canada has two more polar icebreakers under construction and another five planned. Finland has at least eight polar-capable icebreakers, according to most assessments, and uses them mainly to clear ice around its Baltic Sea ports. It is also regarded as the world leader in the design and construction of icebreakers but has been unable to sell them to its main customer, Russia, since that country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its expertise will be critical to the ICE Pact program. The United States has only two operational polar-capable vessels, both of which are nearing the end of their lifespan, a senior administration official told Reuters earlier this year. A third vessel is being cannibalized for parts. The U.S. currently has three more polar-capable icebreakers planned and hopes to secure funding for an additional three, according to a RAND Corporation report. The U.S. Coast Guard Is Building an Icebreaker Fleet: What Comes Next? Issues and Challenges "While Russia has steadily expanded its world-leading fleet, and China is making significant inroads, Canada and the U.S. have let their icebreakers age and their shipbuilding capacity atrophy," Exner-Pirot wrote in her Wilson Center article. "Even with the recent resolve to reverse trend and commit billions in new dollars to icebreakers, previous neglect has led to shipbuilding programs that are frequently over time and over budget," she wrote. "The ICE Pact aims to turn the ship around." Deep-water ports where the West's new icebreakers can take on provisions and fuel may be an even tougher problem to solve. "Russia also has 17 deep-water ports on that [Arctic] Ocean, Canada has none, and so we need to do better," Blair said at the Halifax International Security Forum. "They also have significant additional capabilities in icebreakers and military presence in the region." Canada does hope to open a deep-water naval facility soon at Nanisivik, at the north end of Baffin Island, which would allow it to command the entrance to the Northwest Passage across Canada's Arctic. But the facility is 10 years behind schedule as a result of logistical and environmental delays. Due to escalating costs, plans for the facility were scaled back to make it operational for only four months a year rather than 12. The station is primarily intended for use as a refueling station for vessels patrolling Arctic Sea routes. It remains unclear how many new vessels will be built under the ICE Pact or how soon they will be completed, though it is expected that each of the three participants will send the work to shipyards in its own country. Finnish shipyards are said to be capable of building an icebreaker within two years, but progress in the United States and Canada has often stretched out much longer. At the Halifax forum, U.S. Admiral Fagan brushed off a mischievous suggestion that, given the rate at which the Arctic ice pack is retreating, by the time the new icebreakers are completed they may no longer be needed. "The ability to create year-round presence [in the Arctic] from a sovereignty and defense standpoint requires heavy icebreakers," she said. "It requires it now and into the foreseeable future. And so, this is not a waste there, but we need to accelerate. We need to continue the partnership." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Solitudinem fecerunt, pacem appelunt Publius Gaius Cornelius Tacitus Syria - 2024 In early 2024 Syria experienced a wave of violence not seen since 2020, the UN Syria Commission of Inquiry warned in a report. Across multiple frontlines, parties to the conflict have attacked civilians and infrastructure in ways likely amounting to war crimes, while an unprecedented humanitarian crisis is plunging Syrians into ever deepening despair. Since October, Syria has seen the largest escalation in fighting in four years. With the region in turmoil, a determined international effort to contain the fighting on Syrian soil is imperative. Syria, too, desperately needs a ceasefire, said Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the Commission. The Syrian people cannot sustain any further intensification of this devastating, protracted war, Pinheiro said. More than 90% now live in poverty, the economy is in freefall amid tightening sanctions, and increased lawlessness is fuelling predatory practices and extortion by armed forces and militia. The upsurge in fighting in Syria started on 5 October 2023 when consecutive explosions during a graduation ceremony at a military academy in the government-controlled city of Homs killed at least 63 people, including 37 civilians, and injured scores. Syrian Government and Russian forces responded with bombardments affecting at least 2,300 sites in opposition-controlled areas over just three weeks, killing and injuring hundreds of civilians. Their indiscriminate attacks, which may amount to war crimes, hit well-known and visible hospitals, schools, markets and camps for internally displaced persons, and have since continued. Syrian Government forces again used cluster munitions in densely populated areas, continuing devastating and unlawful patterns that we have documented in the past, said Commissioner Hanny Megally. The October attacks resulted in some 120,000 people in fleeing, many of them previously displaced several times, including by the devastating earthquakes last February. It should be no surprise that the number of Syrians seeking asylum in Europe last October reached the highest level in seven years, Megally said. Syria remains the worlds largest displacement crisis with over 13 million Syrians unable to return to their homes. Since the start of the Gaza onslaught, tensions have increased between some of the six foreign armies active in Syria, notably Israel, Iran and the US - raising concerns of a wider conflict. Israel reportedly struck alleged Iran-linked sites and forces in Syria at least 35 times and attacked the Aleppo and Damascus airports, temporarily halting vital UN humanitarian air services. Pro-Iranian militias reportedly attacked US bases in north-east Syria over 100 times, and the US responded with air strikes against pro-Iranian militias in eastern Syria. Meanwhile, in northeast Syria, the Turkish military accelerated operations against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in retaliation for an attack claimed by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Ankara in October. Turkish aerial attacks on power plants deprived nearly one million people of water and electricity for weeks, in violation of international humanitarian law. Civilians were also killed in targeted aerial attacks fitting a pattern of Turkish drone strikes. Such attacks may amount to war crimes. Compounding the violence in the northeast, fragmentation of military alliances and heavy infighting between SDF and a coalition of tribal fighters in Dayr-al-Zawr, saw several unlawful attacks leading to civilian casualties. The ongoing hostilities are fuelled by longstanding grievances that the cash-strapped Kurdish-led self-administration is failing to provide essential services to secure basic rights. ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as Daesh) also stepped up its operations in central Syria, not only on military targets but also on civilians in urban areas in attacks likely amounting to war crimes. Recent reports also indicate that civilians trying to make a living by gathering lucrative truffles are again being killed in the central Syria desert. Clashes also increased on the Syria-Jordanian border between Jordanian forces and drug smugglers, with civilians caught in the middle, killed and injured. The Syrian Government continued to disappear, torture and ill-treat its detainees, and the Commission documented yet more deaths in custody, including in the infamous Sednaya prison. Four months after the International Court of Justice ordered the Government to prevent torture and destruction of evidence, Syrian authorities still deliberately obstruct and profit from families efforts to ascertain the whereabouts and fate of their detained loved ones, engaging in extortion. In Idlib, Hayat Tahrir el Sham (HTS) continued to commit acts of torture, ill-treatment and unlawful deprivation of liberty, with reports of executions based on summary trials, including for witchcraft, adultery and murder. Several womens rights organizations suspended their activities owing to threats, denial or delays of permits required by HTS. In areas held by the Syrian National Army (SNA), torture and ill-treatment continued in several detention facilities. Some armed SNA-factions continued to appropriate land and olive harvests belonging to absentee landowners. And as much as the world may wish to forget, five years after the fall of Baghuz when ISIL lost its territorial control in Syria, almost 30,000 children are still held in internment camps, prisons or rehabilitation centres in northeast Syria, Commissioner Lynn Welchman said. These children were already victimized during ISILs rule, only to be subjected to years of continued human rights violations and abuses. Increased violence along the frontlines in Syria, with continued war crimes on all sides, left civilians in the region fearful of a "large-scale war", a new report from the UN Syria Commission of Inquiry released on 10 September 2024 warned. After over a decade of brutal fighting, the Commission Chair, Paulo Pinheiro, said that deadly dynamics are causing new waves of hostilities. "The recent direct fighting in northeast Syria around Deir-ez-Zor between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the one hand and Arab tribes, Government forces and Iran-backed militia on the other, evokes the deeply entrenched grievances among the population in this part of northeast Syria," he said. The report links rising regional tensions stemming from the Gaza war, increased Israeli attacks against Iranian officials and Iranian-backed forces across Syria, which resulted in at least three civilian casualties. The Syria Commission says they are investigating these attacks and noted that Iranian-affiliated groups have also targeted US bases in eastern Syria over 100 times, prompting US counter-attacks. According to news reports, an alleged Israeli strike on a facility that the West alleges produced chemical weapons on 08 Septembe 2024 left at least 18 dead. Based on investigations by the Commission, increased violence in northwest Syria, including Syrian Government forces' use of cluster munitions in densely populated areas of Idlib, has killed or injured over 150 civilians, half of them women and children. These attacks, along with Russian airstrikes causing civilian casualties, may amount to war crimes, the report said. Another investigation was launched following a massacre in Dara'a by a pro-Government militia which brutally executed 10 people, including two children, by knives or gunshots. These attacks could amount to "war crimes of murder and outrages on personal dignity." "The events in Daraa bore the hallmarks of some of the most heinous atrocities committed during more than a decade of conflict in Syria," Commissioner Hanny Megally said. "Government forces stationed just metres from the massacre failed to intervene and protect civilians, displaying how Syria is descending deeper into lawlessness." The report said the Commission believes the Syrian government has continued to torture persons in State custody through sexual and gender-based violence - including other forms - despite an International Court of Justice (ICJ) order to cease these practices. Deaths in State custody were documented, and Syrian authorities impeded families' efforts to locate their arbitrarily detained relatives, often demanding bribes for information or visits. In some cases, families only received official notifications of deaths after a ten-year delay, leaving them in limbo for a decade. These detention practices confirmed ongoing war crimes by various actors and, in State custody, crimes against humanity. Based on the report's findings, the Commission says "Syria is falling deeper into an alarming humanitarian crisis that threatens to spiral out of control." It was further noted that only a quarter of the humanitarian needs for 2024 are funded while 13,000 civilians face acute food insecurity and more than 650,000 children show signs of stunting from severe malnutrition. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lithuania and the United States mark a milestone of cooperation: bilateral guidelines in cyber security and defence have been established Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2024-11-28 Cyber security | International cooperation Lithuania and the United States endorsed a bilateral cyber security and cooperation roadmap 2025-2029 earlier this week. The roadmap not just builds on the already present transatlantic cooperation but also reflects global threats that require coordinated response. Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasciunas and U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Kara C. McDonald held a meeting on the principal guidance of the roadmap. The document is aimed to facilitate military cooperation in cyber defence with the establishment of a Lithuanian Cyber Command (LTCYBERCOM), joint cyber threat hunting and cyber threat analysis. The roadmap is also designed to strengthen cyber security "commandant's offices" through information exchange and joint civilian and military cyber security exercises and training events. Short-term, mid-term and long-term civilian and military cyber security and defence cooperation objectives have been approved in the roadmap. "Today masks an important milestone in cooperation with the United States. Hostile states and non-state actors they support aim to undermine our democracies and damage resilience. We have to collaborate and respond properly to ensure the cyber defence line is strong and cyber-criminals are punished," said Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasciunas after meeting with U.S. Ambassador Kara McDonald. The endorsed roadmap for 2025-2029 lays out three Lithuanian cyber defence pillars: strengthening cyber defence capabilities, enhancing public and critical infrastructure resilience, and joint training with U.S. and other Allies. The theme of cyber security is gaining prominence in the European Union. According to the Cyber Threat Report 2024 issued by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the main malicious actor groups that pose the most significant threat to the European Union comprise state-sponsored cyber-criminals from such countries as Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. Malicious actors supported by Russia and China are particularly active in our region targeting democratic processes with destructive operations in order to destabilize democratic countries and undermine their resilience. Activities of cyber groups from China is most often associated with theft of intellectual property and long-term espionage objectives targeting technological and strategic goals. Russia is an active participant of regional and global operations which prey on EU member states mainly with ransomware and DDoS attacks. The ENISA Report highlights the constant increase in cyber-attacks amount and complexity and more frequent occurrence of AI tools. Consistent information-sharing among member states and partners is encouraged to prevent potential threats. Cooperation with partners is promoted to build a safer EU cyberspace as it knows no physical EU borders. The Ministry of National Defence takes an active role in the EU processes and supports Union interests representing Lithuania in the EU cyber security policy formation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Government conventions on armed conflict decision making The Hon Richard Marles MP Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Defence 27 November 2024 The Albanese Government has today codified the practices to occur in the event of a decision by Government to deploy the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in a major military operation as a party to an armed conflict overseas. The defence of Australia, its people and its national interests is a Government's most important responsibility. The decision to engage in armed conflict is one of the most consequential options available to the Government in meeting this responsibility. To this effect, the Albanese Government has released a Memorandum on Government Conventions Relating to Overseas Armed Conflict Decision Making. The Memorandum reaffirms that the decision to deploy ADF personnel into armed conflict is the prerogative of the Executive Government, while ensuring that Parliament has the opportunity to be informed and debate the deployment at the earliest opportunity to fulfil its important role in holding the Government of the day to account for its decisions. The Government agreed in its response to the Inquiry into international armed conflict decision making by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade to codify practices relating to informing the Parliament about these decisions. In line with the Government's Response, the Memorandum provides that: the Prime Minister and Leader of the Government in the Senate give a statement in both Houses of Parliament at the earliest opportunity and within 30 days of the deployment to inform a timely debate on the decision by the Executive; a written statement be tabled in both Houses of Parliament outlining the objectives of any deployment; and regular updates be given to Parliament during active deployments. The Memorandum has been published on the website of the Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet at: https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/memorandum-government-conventions-armed-conflict NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defence aircraft continue Australia's longest running defence operation Issued by Defence Media 29 November 2024 Defence has deployed two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to conduct patrols in the North Indian Ocean and South China Sea under Operation Gateway. Operation Gateway, which is Australia's longest running Defence operation, deploys a number of RAAF P-8A aircraft to Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base Butterworth each year. The maritime domain awareness operation sees personnel from RAAF Base Edinburgh 92 Wing operating and maintaining the No. 11 Squadron P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The operation is a key aspect of the longstanding Malaysia-Australia Joint Defence Program, which marked 40 years in 2021. The two countries share a strong, long-standing partnership, based on a shared commitment to a peaceful, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific Region. Quotes attributable to Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, AO, CSC, RAN: "Operation Gateway forms part of Australia's contribution to the preservation of regional security and stability in Southeast Asia. "We continue our cooperative operations between Australia and Malaysia, which provides significant benefit to both our nations." Quotes attributable to Commanding Officer No. 11 Squadron, Wing Commander Adam Saber: "Each mission under Operation Gateway involves routine maritime domain awareness patrols to monitor merchant and naval shipping along some of the world's busiest shipping routes. "The No. 11 Squadron crews deployed to Operation Gateway are highly trained and professional aviators. "This end-of-year deployment marks the culmination of a demanding 12 months and I am extremely proud of their commitment to regional operations and Australia's interests." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address First Nations base names unveiled at two Defence sites Issued by Defence Media 29 November 2024 Defence has unveiled two dual base names on Wiradjuri country at RAAF Base Wagga and Blamey Barracks Kapooka. Dual naming highlights the longstanding links between Defence and First Nations communities by acknowledging the important role that First Nations people have, and continue to play in the defence of Australia. With 90 per cent of Australia's First Nations languages identified as endangered, dual naming of our bases is an important way for Defence to support local languages being retained where we work, live and train. The Wiradjuri Traditional Owners have provided Wiradjuri names for RAAF Base Wagga; 'Yalbiligi Ngurang' (pronounced 'Yal-bili-gi Ner-rung'), and 'Gabuga' (pronounced 'Gah-buh-gah'', the traditional pronunciation of Kapooka) for Blamey Barracks. The First Nations language names, which complement the existing names, are reflected on newly erected base entry signage unveiled during a special ceremony. Dr (Uncle) Stan Grant AM, Wiradjuri Elder, said dual naming was part of a broader recognition of the Wiradjuri language. "This is a wonderful initiative by the Australian Defence Force," he said. "As a Wiradjuri language restoration matter expert, I am extremely pleased to be assisting and supporting Kapooka in obtaining the traditional name of the country, which is Gabuga." Local artists have contributed to this important initiative through representative artwork which is proudly displayed on the new base entry signage. Aunty Cheryl Penrith, Wiradjuri Elder, welcomed the initiative. "To see Defence embracing dual naming in the Wiradjuri language at RAAF Wagga is fantastic," she said. "For our community, this is a warm and welcoming sign, a symbol of mutual respect and common ground." Blamey Barracks First Nations Elder Uncle Hewitt Whyman also welcomed the dual naming. "The relationship between the Wiradjuri people and Army has been ever evolving in strength and unity," he said. "The dual naming enhances the cultural relationship and understanding by including Wiradjuri language on an already well-known military establishment and identifying the traditional significance of the land." Defence deeply appreciates the support from First Nations representatives who have worked closely on this initiative, sharing their First Nations language names for these bases, and the definitions and stories for these names. Defence's Indigenous Champion and Deputy Secretary Security and Estate Ms Celia Perkins said the updated signage created a tangible link to local language. "The dual naming of these Defence bases provides an official recording of the First Nations place names, preserving languages and culture, and recognising the longstanding relationships between Defence and First Nations communities," Ms Perkins said. Defence has created a factsheet for each site that provides details of both the military and First Nations history of the site. Further information can be found at: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/locations-property/dual-naming-defence-bases NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint statement between Canada and the Democratic Forces of Belarus Global Affairs Canada Statement November 28, 2024 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada "On November 26, 2024, the Government of Canada and representatives of the Belarusian Democratic Forces, including Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her office, members of the United Transitional Cabinet, and individuals from Belarus' civil society, convened in Ottawa for strategic consultations. These consultations, which were held for the first time, focused on the protection of fundamental human rights, democratic resilience, targeted sanctions, democratization, the rule of law and efforts to ensure accountability for the Lukashenka regime. "Participants expressed grave concern over the continued lack of respect of the will of the Belarusian people, especially as we move towards Belarus's 2025 presidential election, that is expected to be neither free nor fair. "Both parties strongly condemned the systematic use of torture and inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment, incommunicado detention, and other forms of repression in Belarus, and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and the restoration of democratic freedoms in Belarus. "Canada underscored its commitment to bolstering international efforts to counter Russian influence operations and uphold Belarusian citizens' rights, including the right to self-determination. The parties emphasized the importance of connecting Belarusian civil society with European and North American democratic institutions and strengthening international networks that empower the Belarusian people in their struggle for freedom, human rights, and independence. "The Canadian government reaffirmed its dedication to using targeted sanctions against individuals and entities that violate human rights and those who support directly or indirectly Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. "Recognizing the critical role of independent media, both parties agreed to support Belarusian journalists and media organizations, particularly those providing accurate information to audiences within, and outside, Belarus. "Canada's consultation with Belarusian democratic forces reaffirmed a shared vision of a free and democratic Belarus - free from oppression, corruption, and interference - and expressed their commitment to continuing to stand in defense of shared democratic values and freedoms, deepening their partnership through enhanced collaboration, and joint initiatives aimed at building a future where Belarus is free from oppression and external interference." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau November 28, 2024 Ottawa, Ontario Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan about the situation in the Middle East. Prime Minister Trudeau and His Majesty King Abdullah II welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. The leaders discussed the instability in the West Bank and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to protect civilian populations and increase the flow of humanitarian assistance. The Prime Minister underscored that Hamas must lay down its arms and release all hostages immediately, and the leaders discussed the importance of the humanitarian corridor as essential to address the urgent needs of civilians in Gaza. Prime Minister Trudeau thanked the King for his continued leadership on improving access to humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza. The leaders highlighted the importance of promoting peace and security in the Middle East, and the Prime Minister underscored Canada's commitment to a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side within internationally recognized borders, in peace, security, and dignity, without fear. Prime Minister Trudeau and His Majesty King Abdullah II reaffirmed the strong partnership between Canada and Jordan and agreed to remain in close contact as the situation continues to evolve. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Founder of U.S. Freight Forwarding Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Illegally Export Goods from the United States to Prohibited Chinese Companies Tuesday, November 26, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Richard Shih, 77, the founder and former chief executive officer of a California-based international logistics and freight forwarding company with offices in Grapevine, Texas, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate export laws by shipping goods to Chinese companies on the U.S. Department of Commerce's Entity List. According to court documents, as of September 2018, Shih's U.S. company had an existing business relationship with Chinese freight forwarder Seajet Company Limited (Seajet). In September 2018, Seajet and its Chinese co-owner were both added to the Entity List for engaging in activities that were contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, to include unlawfully procuring and diverting U.S.-origin items to North Korea. In addition, in June 2021, Hisiang Logistics Company Limited (Hisiang) was added to the Entity List as an alias for Seajet. Hisiang is the Chinese transliteration of Seajet. As a result of being added to the Entity List, a specific license was required to export goods from the United States to Seajet, its co-owner, and Hisiang. Nonetheless, between September 2018 and May 2022, Shih and others at his company continued to transact with and export items to Seajet and its affiliates. Specifically, between September 2018 and May 2022, Shih's company conducted more than 1,000 shipments of items from the United States to Seajet and its alter-ego Hisiang. During that time period, Seajet's co-owner and his affiliated businesses, including Hisiang, transmitted 34 international wire transfers to accounts held by Shih's company. The company used the funds to pay various expenses on the transactions, such as air carriers and trucking companies, while retaining a portion of the funds as profit. Shih and his company knew that Seajet and its co-owner were on the Entity List and that Hisiang was established as an alias for Seajet. For example, Seajet's co-owner notified Shih by email that Seajet had changed its name to Hisiang for purposes of its international business but that "[t]here is nothing else changed such as company address, structure and policy etc." Shih then forwarded the email to ten of his employees, copying Seajet's co-owner and several Seajet employees. In addition, federal officials repeatedly educated Shih's company about the Entity List and related laws. In December 2018, after Seajet and its co-owner were added to the Entity List, a BIS official visited Shih's company to discuss the prohibition against exporting items to Seajet, because it was on the Entity List. Yet, company records from the time revealed that it had used an account code assigned to Seajet for a shipment to Hisiang. In November 2020, another BIS official reached out to Shih's company and received a list of foreign persons and companies with which Shih's company would not do business. Yet, the company's list did not include Seajet, its co-owner, or Hisiang. Shih pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371, which carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch announced the case. The FBI and BIS are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Weimer for the Northern District of Texas and Trial Attorney David J. Ryan of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. Topic: National Security Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Security Division (NSD) USAO - Texas, Northern Press Release Number: 24-1493 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China seeks easing of Japan ties amid growing tension with US Beijing extends olive branch in hope of more Japanese investment. By Ray Chung for RFA Cantonese 224.11.26 -- China on Friday added Japanese passport-holders to a newly expanded list of people eligible for unilateral visa-free entry on a trial basis, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced on Friday. China also notified Japan that it will remove a buoy near the Diaoyu Islands, which are also claimed by Japan as the Senkaku Islands, Kyodo news reported. Japan had objected to the installation of the buoy in the high seas over Japan's southern continental shelf in the Pacific Ocean without explanation, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi calling the move "regrettable" in June. The buoy was installed in high seas north of Japan's southernmost Okinotori Island by the Chinese survey vessel Xiang Yang Hong 22 during a voyage through Japan's waters, ostensibly "for the purpose of scientific research and serving public good." The move prompted an angry reaction from Chinese "little pink" nationalists online. "Only those at the bottom of society remember history," complained one comment, while another said: "My heart hurt inexplicably when I read this." But state media reporting on the visa policy was buoyant, citing figures from Trip.com's Japanese platform showing a surge of interest in Chinese destinations, with searches spiking by 112% within 30 minutes of the announcement. Popular searches included Zhangjiajie (28.8%), Changbai Mountain (9.2%), Qingdao (11.1%), and Shanghai (9.6%), the Global Times newspaper reported. Seeking foreign investment Analysts said Beijing is keen seek further rapprochement with Japan, amid worsening tensions with the United States and an exodus of foreign investors. "Japan is one of the most important foreign investors in China, particularly in technology," Chen Li-fu, president of the Taiwan Professors Association, told RFA Cantonese in a recent interview, citing massive Japanese investment in Chinese vaccine factories in recent years. "If China wants foreign investors to return ... Japan is the most likely source of investment," he said. "Japanese manufacturers are still likely to want to set up in China, because ... most of its textile brands, its automotive industry and chemicals industry have ties with China." "And that cooperation would fall outside of the influence of the United States," Chen said. Taiwanese national security expert Shih Chien-yu said China is also looking for other sources of income before the Trump administration comes to power in Washington, bringing with it a huge hike in tariffs. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has said he will impose a 10% tariff on all products coming into the U.S. from China on his first day in office as penalties for deadly fentanyl and illegal immigrants, which he claimed were pouring across the borders. Competition with US Trump's election victory sparked concern in China, where many expect the next president to take a tougher stand than his predecessor, particularly on trade and economic issues, with repercussions for an already struggling Chinese economy. "Faced with the way its international relations are going, China is learning to put aside the proud attitude of the past," Shih said. "It's clear that there will be competition with the United States, so Beijing will definitely look to compete by reaching out to Tokyo to try to ease ties." "They'll be wanting to do this especially over the next few months, before Trump's Indo-Pacific strategy becomes clear ... because if they wait until after that, there'll be very little room for further action,' he said. Shih said any rapprochement with Tokyo could also have security implications for the region. "China, the United States and Japan have a very special military and security relationship, so China will be trying to differentiate its relationships with the United States and Japan," he said. "China will try to make some adjustments regarding Japan's stance, which is to protect Taiwan or assist in its defense, because Japan will play an important role in any military conflict in the Taiwan Strait," Shih said. Asked about visa-free entry for Japanese nationals, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing wants to boost exchanges with Japan. "We hope that Japan will work with China to jointly enhance the level of facilitation of personnel exchanges between the two countries," Mao told a regular news briefing in Beijing on Monday. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Joshua Lipes. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Can China hit its 5% growth target under Trump's tariffs? By VOA News November 26, 2024 The prospect of punishing new U.S. tariffs will hang over the deliberations at China's highest-level economic meeting when the Central Economic Work Conference of the Chinese Communist Party convenes for its annual session next month. A key function of the meeting will be to set the nation's growth target for 2025, a task made more challenging by the prospect of tariffs that could stunt the crucial export sector. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened repeatedly during his election campaign to swiftly impose a 60% tariff on Chinese-made goods. He wrote on his Truth Social account late Monday that he will impose "an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of [China's] many products coming into the United States of America." Most of the Chinese government advisers interviewed for a Reuters report this month recommended that Beijing maintain an economic growth target of 5.0% for next year, the same target as 2024. Some said the country would have to launch stronger fiscal stimulus measures to offset the impact of new U.S. tariffs after Trump takes office in January. Cai Shenkun, an independent commentator in the United States, told VOA Mandarin that Beijing's "5% target" is clearly based on political necessity, rather than a market perspective. After securing an extraordinary third term as president last year, Chinese leader Xi Jinping "will have to give the CCP an explanation and a vision," Cai said. "He must make a good gesture. If he does not maintain the 5% target, his ruling position will be greatly threatened." Si Ling, a financial scholar in Australia, said in a phone interview with VOA Mandarin that if China wants to achieve its goal of doubling the size of its economy from 2020 to 2035, the annual economic growth rate must reach 4%. "China has taken into account the uncertainty factors, like external shocks when Trump pledged to impose high tariffs. China must face the sudden decline in GDP growth," said Si. Reuters reported last month that China's economy is likely to expand 4.8% in 2024, missing the government's 5% growth target, and could slow to 4.5% in 2025. Si said the growth of China's current GDP is dependent on exports and investments. If Trump fulfills his promise to impose high tariffs on Chinese goods, the impact on China's economy will be profound, he said. "China's advantages in industrial products exports, brought by high state subsidies, will be completely wiped out due to high tariffs," Si said. "Can the domestic market digest the industrial products intended for export? Many of these industrial enterprises have already begun to reduce their production scale. This means more people will lose their jobs." Local debt and real estate woes Independent commentator Cai warned that overreliance on stimulus measures may exacerbate local government debt problems. "Private capital does not dare to invest anymore. State-owned enterprises can no longer play the role of investment pioneers," Cai said. "'Maintaining the 5% target' means printing a lot of cash, pouring it into the market, issuing a lot of treasury bonds and increasing the fiscal deficit. This is the only way. But it will have a great negative impact on the stability of the RMB currency value." A new wave of property market challenges will likely occur in the next 10 years, Cai said. "In the past, people saw property as a means of asset appreciation or value preservation. Now the future housing market looks dark to everyone. If we continue to build houses, who will buy them? In the end, it may only lead to an avalanche-like bubble, which will burst completely." Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said last month that unless China's economy shifts from an export and investment-driven model to a consumer demand-driven model, its economic growth may slow to "well below 4%." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on November 27, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: November 27, 2024 18:36 CCTV: The second China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) opened yesterday with the theme "Connecting the World for a Shared Future." The proportion of foreign exhibitors is higher than the first CISCE. The event is widely welcomed by companies from all countries and exhibition booths are once again in high demand. Can you share more with us on that? Mao Ning: The second China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) opened in Beijing yesterday. Premier Li Qiang had a dialogue with exhibitors and delegates, and Vice President Han Zheng attended and addressed the opening ceremony. This year's CISCE attracted close to 700 exhibitors from 69 countries and international organizations. Over 60 percent of the exhibitors are Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders, and the proportion of foreign exhibitors rose from 26 percent at the first CISCE to 32 percent. As President Xi Jinping noted, maintaining the resilience and stability of global industrial and supply chains is a vital guarantee for promoting the development of the world economy. In global industrial and supply chain cooperation, China has long been not only a participant and beneficiary, but also a staunch defender and contributor. We have made positive contributions to the growth of the world economy. Currently, the world economic growth remains anemic and moves of protectionism and overstretching the concept of security disrupt global industrial and supply chains, increasing the costs of companies, lowering economic efficiency and hindering common development. China will continue to take concrete actions to keep global industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded, and work with all countries to jointly build an open world economy. Reuters: Sweden is asking a Chinese ship to return to Swedish waters to help facilitate the Swedish investigation into a recent damage to undersea fiber optic cables in Baltic Sea. Does China plan to send the Yi Peng 3 back into Swedish waters? Mao Ning: As we've noted before, China has unimpeded communication channels with relevant parties, including Sweden. Let me say again that China always advocates working with other countries to keep global undersea cables and other infrastructure safe and secure in accordance with international law. Rudaw Media Network: China has expanded its visa-free policy allowing visitors from a variety of countries into China without a visa. When will China issue tourist visa to Iraqi passport holders and when will Iraqi passport holders can travel to China without a visa? Mao Ning: China attaches high importance to cross-border travel and stands ready to, on the basis of visa facilitation policies and measures announced previously, continue providing more facilitation for foreign nationals, including Iraqi citizens, to travel to China. Dragon TV: China recently rolled out measures to facilitate cross-border travel. Last week, a new batch of countries were added to the visa-free list. We noticed that China is becoming an increasingly popular destination for foreign tourists. Places in China have become trending searches on multiple tourism platforms, and the number of reservations for tours to China surged on many foreign e-commerce tourism platforms. Can you give us more details? Mao Ning: China has extended the visa-free policy to 38 countries since the end of last year and so far has realized comprehensive mutual visa exemption with 25 countries in total. We have also made Chinese visa application more efficient and easier by improving the visa application form, canceling visa reservation, expanding the scope of fingerprinting exemption, lowering visa fees and other measures. While streamlining the procedure of travelling to China, we are also committed to making life and work in China more convenient and comfortable for foreign friends. Places including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong Province improved payment services, including by mobile devices, bank cards and cash, to make online shopping and transportation more problem-free for foreign friends. Chinese telecom providers, by opening new shops, improving foreign language services and launching new packages, have enabled foreign friends to access and use 5G network more conveniently. More cities have set up special windows to provide one-stop service to help foreign nationals to get work permit and residence permit faster. We will make continued effort to facilitate cross-border travel. We welcome friends from all countries to visit China, experience the country's glamour and share in the dividends of China's development. AFP: A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon took effect on Wednesday after more than a year of fighting that has killed thousands of people. Does China have a comment on this? Mao Ning: China is closely following the current situation between Lebanon and Israel, and has always been calling on all parties to earnestly abide by UN Security Council Resolution 1701. We support all efforts conducive to deescalating the tensions and realizing peace, and welcome the ceasefire agreement reached by relevant sides. In the meanwhile, China believes that the protracted fighting in Gaza is the root cause of this round of turmoil in the Middle East, and all parties need to work together to realize a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza at an early date. Xinhua News Agency: The G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting Statement said the group seeks constructive and stable relations with China and stands ready to cooperate with China to address global challenges. In the meantime, the group asks China to stop supporting Russia's defense industry, plays up the allegation of China's "overcapacity" and makes irresponsible remarks on issues related to the East China Sea, the South China Sea, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang and Hong Kong. Do you have any comment? Mao Ning: Since the beginning of this year, we've made clear China's solemn position on the G7's erroneous remarks related to China on multiple occasions. Given that the G7 members say they seek constructive and stable relations with China and stand ready to cooperate with China to address global challenges, they should champion the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit and act on their words accordingly rather than smear and attack China. China has been objective and just on the Ukraine crisis and actively promoted talks for peace. China has never provided weapons to parties to the conflict and strictly controls the export of dual-use articles, even drones for civilian use, and opposes using civilian drones for military purposes. The normal economic ties and trade between China and Russia should not be disrupted or coerced by any third party. The so-called allegation of China's overcapacity has been proved a false one by a large number of informative facts and statistics. We hope relevant countries will keep an open mind and pursue fair competition. China's position on issues related to the East China Sea, the South China Sea, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang and Hong Kong is consistent and clear-cut. We firmly oppose the G7 undermining China's sovereignty and interfering in China's internal affairs. We urge G7 countries to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations and look after their own affairs. As we speak, changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace in our world and international peace and development are facing unprecedented challenges. As a responsible major country, China always upholds fairness and justice, advocates openness and inclusiveness and brings benefits to the world through its development. We hope the G7 countries will stop indulging in geopolitical games, discard the narrow zero-sum mindset and make concrete contributions to international solidarity and cooperation. AFP: Trump said on Monday he would be slapping China with a 10 percent tariff above any additional tariffs. Does the Foreign Ministry have any additional comments on this? Mao Ning: The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson has responded to that yesterday, which you may refer to, and I have nothing more to add. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rising Violence Threatens Chinese-Funded Projects In South And Central Asia By Bashir Ahmad Gwakh and Frud Bezhan November 27, 2024 Scores of multimillion-dollar Chinese-funded development projects dot South and Central Asia. But rising violence is threatening to derail China's investments in the region, which is key to Beijing's global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In Pakistan, militants have killed seven Chinese workers so far this year. In Tajikistan, a Chinese worker was killed this month in the first attack of its kind. The killing of Chinese nationals has highlighted the growing fighting capabilities of extremist groups in the region, which has long been a hotbed of militancy. 'The Chinese Are So Frustrated' Thousands of Chinese nationals work in Pakistan, which is home to the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an integral part of the BRI. To protect Chinese workers, Islamabad has created a special police force, installed hundreds of checkpoints, and erected numerous barriers around the megaprojects. But the measures have failed to curb the rising number of attacks on Chinese workers in recent years. Experts have put that down largely to Pakistani security and intelligence lapses as well as the increasing capabilities of the Baloch Liberation Army, the largest armed group in the southwestern province of Balochistan. "China believes in safe investments, meaning they do not like conflicts around their projects," said Jalal Bazwan, a researcher at China's Zhejiang University. "The Chinese are so frustrated because of the inability of the Pakistan government to provide security that they will not invest in further projects," he added. Balochistan, an impoverished but energy-rich region, is the site of dozens of Chinese-funded infrastructure, energy, and trade projects. The vast province borders Afghanistan and Iran and is home to Pakistan's Baluch ethnic minority, who accuse Islamabad of exploiting the province's natural wealth. In October, the BLA killed two Chinese citizens in a bombing outside the airport in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi. In March, a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car into a bus carrying Chinese workers in northwestern Pakistan, killing five of them. No group claimed responsibility. The fighting capabilities of the BLA, a separatist militant group, have increased in recent years. Estimated to have around 5,000 fighters, the BLA has been boosted by the influx of U.S. weapons to Pakistan since the Taliban takeover of neighboring Afghanistan in 2021. The BLA has also evolved in recent years, adopting tactics used by militant Islamist groups like suicide bombings. The BLA has also boosted its ranks by recruiting women. Besides attacking Chinese nationals, the BLA has also rapidly increased its attacks on Pakistani security forces. "Generous donations, tax and extortion of local projects, and the purchase of modern weapons have helped the BLA carry out more attacks with precision," said Bahot Baloch, a researcher on armed groups in Balochistan. Experts say China is concerned that rising violence in Balochistan could disrupt its projects in Pakistan. In a sign of Beijing's worries, China said on November 19 that it will send troops to Pakistan later this month for their first joint counterterrorism military exercise in five years. Pakistan on November 19 announced plans to launch a new military offensive against militants in Balochistan. "No doubt that the attacks have increased," said Abdullah Khan, managing director of the Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security Studies think tank. "However, this will not deter China or make it wind down its projects and leave Pakistan. The billion-dollars investment is too big to pause. China is here to stay." First Known Attack In Tajikistan On November 18, one Chinese national was killed and four injured in a cross-border attack in Tajikistan's south, sources told RFE/RL's Tajik Service. The sources said the attackers crossed from Afghanistan. But it was unclear if they were criminals possibly involved in drug trafficking, a crime that is common in the area, or members of a militant group. The Chinese nationals were reportedly working at a gold mine in the Zarbuzi Gorge. Significantly, the attack marked the first known incident resulting in the death of a Chinese national in Tajikistan, home to major Chinese-funded energy and transport projects. The deadly attack underscored the persistent security concerns along Tajikistan's southern frontier. Dozens of extremist groups are active inside Afghanistan, including the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), and Jamaat Ansarullah, which is comprised mainly of Tajik citizens. Edward Lemon, a Central Asia expert at Texas A&M University, says China has long been concerned over the security of its operations in Tajikistan and it has invested significantly in bolstering the Tajik military and law enforcement. "Rather than derailing China's investments in the country, I think this attack will only strengthen China's role in security in the country," he said. "We can expect further military aid, training, and potentially an expanded role for Chinese private security companies operating in the country to protect Chinese investments." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-balochistan- baloch-tajikistan-china/33211205.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hong Kong: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the EP plenary on the cases of Jimmy Lai and the 45 activists recently convicted under the application of national security law European External Action Service (EEAS) 28.11.2024 Strasbourg EEAS Press Team Speech delivered by Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, on behalf of High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell. Check against delivery! Thank you, President, and Honourable Members, In June 2020, Beijing imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong. Since then, we have witnessed a dramatic decline of the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Hundreds of opposition politicians, journalists and civil society activists have been arrested. Most independent media outlets were forced to close. Many civil society organisations were disbanded. The trials against Jimmy Lai and against the pro-democracy politicians and activists, known as the "Hong Kong 47", are emblematic of the erosion of democracy and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong. Both cases further undermine confidence in the rule of law - a cornerstone of Hong Kong's uniqueness and attractiveness as an international business hub. Last week, 45 of the "Hong Kong 47" were sentenced to long prison terms, ranging from four to ten years. All they had done was organise and participate in a primary election. Criminalising such peaceful and constitutional political activity constitutes a breach of Hong Kong's international commitments, and it is yet another blow to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. Jimmy Lai has been imprisoned for almost four years. He is being prosecuted for his support for freedom of expression and democracy in Hong Kong. The independent newspaper Apple Daily, that he founded, was forced to shut down in 2021. This is a striking example of the clampdown on the free and independent press in Hong Kong. The European Union, through its Office in Hong Kong and Member States' representations on the ground, has closely followed the trials against the "Hong Kong 47" and Jimmy Lai, including by regularly attending the court hearings. The European Union has issued statements on both cases and raised its concerns in meetings with Chinese and Hong Kong authorities. You can rest assured that the European Union will continue to closely monitor the situation in Hong Kong, in particular the application of national security legislation and its impact on the exercise of rights and freedoms. The European Union will continue to call on China and Hong Kong to adhere to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the Hong Kong's Basic Law, respect international commitments and preserve the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on November 28, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: November 28, 2024 19:52 Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will chair the fifth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting from November 30 to December 1 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kulubaev Zheenbek Moldokanovich, Tajikistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov will attend the meeting in China. CCTV: It's reported that China and the US released personnel from prison on both sides. Three US citizens have returned to the US and it shared some details about the cases concerning the three Chinese citizens freed from the US. Can you confirm and what's your comment? Mao Ning: Through the unremitting efforts of the Chinese government, three Chinese citizens wrongfully detained by the US have returned safely to China. It once again shows that never ever will China give up on its citizens. The motherland will always have their back. Let me stress that China remains firmly opposed to the US's politically driven suppression and persecution of Chinese nationals and will continue taking all measures necessary to defend the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals. Among those sent back from the US is a fugitive who fled to the US many years ago and has now been repatriated to China. No one can escape justice, and no place on earth can be a safe haven forever for crime. The Chinese government will continue its work to bring back fugitives and recover their illegal proceeds, and will not rest until they are all brought to justice. The Paper: To follow up on your announcement about the fifth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Chengdu, can you share what will be discussed at the meeting? Mao Ning: At the fifth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an will be further implemented, and preparations for the second summit in Kazakhstan next year will be launched. Foreign Ministers from the six countries will exchange views on the advancement of China-Central Asia cooperation across the board, the building of the China-Central Asia mechanism and international and regional issues of mutual interest. AFP: Taiwan's Lai Ching-te will stop over in Hawaii and Guam during his trip to the Pacific. Does China have a comment on this? Mao Ning: The one-China principle is a basic norm in international relations and a prevailing international consensus. The Lai Ching-te authorities' political manipulation and separatist provocations by visiting countries having so-called "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan will lead nowhere. It will not shake the solid and strong international commitment to the one-China principle or stop the overriding historical trend towards China's reunification. We have all along opposed official interactions between the US and the Taiwan region, opposed any visit by the leader of the Taiwan authorities to the US in any name or under whatever pretext, and opposed any form of US connivance and support for "Taiwan independence" separatists and their separatist activities in any form. China News Service: The State Department on its website downgraded its travel advisory for China from level three to level two and removed the notation indicating the risk of wrongful detention. What's China's comment? Mao Ning: China noted the adjustment made by the US and believes that it is conducive to the normal mutual visits between the people of the two countries. We oppose any move that can have a chilling effect. We hope that the US will do more to facilitate cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. The New York Times: Do you have any comment on the ship near Denmark that is of Chinese registration and has been stopped by vessels there? Mao Ning: We have shared China's position several times in recent days. When handling such incidents, China always upholds a cooperative attitude. There is now ongoing communication and coordination between China and relevant parties. TASS: The New York Times reported that some US and officials from EU countries proposed giving Ukraine nuclear weapons. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment? Mao Ning: China is paying close attention to the nuclear risks triggered by the Ukraine crisis and has reiterated time and again that nuclear weapons should not be used and nuclear war must not be fought. Under the current circumstances, all parties need to remain calm and exercise restraint, and jointly seek to cool down the situation through dialogue and consultation to reduce strategic risks. AFP: The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor on Wednesday asked judges to grant an arrest warrant for Myanmar's junta chief over alleged crimes against humanity committed against Rohingya Muslims. Does China have a comment on this? Mao Ning: The Rakhine issue has a complex historical, ethnic and religious background, which needs to be prudently resolved with a multi-pronged approach. As a friendly neighbor of Myanmar, China closely follows the developments of the situation in Rakhine State and stands ready to work with the international community to play a constructive role in stabilizing and deescalating the situation. We always believe that the International Criminal Court should uphold an objective and impartial stance, strictly follow the principles of complementarity and cooperation, exercise its functions and powers prudently in accordance with the law, and interpret and apply the Rome Statute and general international law in good faith. Under the Statute, the Court has no jurisdiction over acts committed by nationals of non-State Parties on the territory of a non-State Party, unless referred to it by the UN Security Council. The New York Times: Volkswagen said yesterday that Volkswagen and the SAIC would transfer their joint venture in Xinjiang to an affiliate of the Shanghai government. Do you have any comment on that and also about efforts by BASF, a German company, to sell its stakes in joint ventures in Xinjiang? Mao Ning: I'd refer you to these companies and competent authorities for business cooperation details. Some political forces have spread too many rumors and created too much disinformation about Xinjiang in the world. "Forced labor" is one of these. By concocting these lies, they are aiming to destabilize Xinjiang and hold back China's development and revitalization. What they are actually doing is to force "de-coupling", unemployment and poverty on Xinjiang under the pretext of human rights. Such attempts will never succeed. Currently Xinjiang enjoys social stability, economic growth, ethnic solidarity and harmony among various religions. The rights and interests of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are well protected. China will continue to promote high-quality development and expand high-standard opening up to create more opportunities for foreign companies, including those from Germany, to invest and operate in China. Beijing Youth Daily: It was reported that Koreshige Anami, former Japanese Ambassador to China, passed away from pneumonia on November 13. Can I have your comment on that? Mao Ning: Mr. Koreshige Anami has long been engaging in diplomatic work related to China. He served as Japanese Ambassador to China from 2001 to 2006, and became a member of the 21st Century Committee for China-Japan Friendship after retirement, making positive contribution to improving and developing China-Japan relations. We express condolences over his passing and sympathies to his family. The Chinese Ambassador to Japan and former Chinese ambassadors to Japan who worked with him have sent messages of condolences to his family. AFP: Reuters has reported that China is likely to launch military drills near Taiwan around or shortly after Lai Ching-te's visit to the Pacific. What is China's comment on this? Mao Ning: I made clear China's position on Lai Ching-te's visit just now, and your question is not about foreign affairs. AFP: German car giant Volkswagen said yesterday it would sell its operation in China's Xinjiang region. Just wanted to ask if the Foreign Ministry has any additional comment on this. Mao Ning: The New York Times asked the same question just now, and I have answered that. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Three Americans arrive in Texas following prisoner swap with China By VOA News November 28, 2024 Three American citizens jailed for years in China arrived in the United States late Wednesday as part of a prisoner swap between Washington and Beijing. The swap, which the White House announced earlier Wednesday, marked a rare diplomatic agreement between the United States and China as U.S. President Joe Biden's tenure comes to a close. Beijing announced Thursday that the United States has returned four people to China, including at least three Chinese citizens whom Beijing said were held for "political purposes." The fourth was an individual sought by Beijing for crimes who had been living in the United States. The Chinese government did not identify the four people. The three Americans released in the swap Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung landed Wednesday night at a military base in San Antonio, Texas. Biden told reporters Thursday morning that he has spoken to all of them. "I'm really happy they are home," he said. All three Americans had been designated as wrongfully detained. Swidan was facing a death sentence on drug charges, and Li and Leung were jailed on espionage charges. In a separate but connected move, the State Department Wednesday lowered its travel warning to China to "level two" from "level three," now advising American citizens to "exercise increased caution" when traveling to China. Previously, the State Department advised Americans to "reconsider travel" to China, partially due to the risk of wrongful detention of Americans. The prisoner swap comes two months after China released David Lin, a Christian pastor from California who had spent nearly 20 years jailed in China after being convicted of contract fraud. And in August, the United States engaged in a separate historic prisoner swap. That one, between the United States and Russia, included the release of American journalists Alsu Kurmasheva and Evan Gershkovich, as well as ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and U.S. permanent resident and Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza. Some information in this report came from the Associated Press and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wrongfully detained Americans return from China By VOA News November 28, 2024 Three U.S. citizens imprisoned by China were on their way home late Wednesday, U.S. officials said, culminating years of U.S. diplomatic efforts to free Americans Washington says were wrongfully detained by Beijing. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke to Kai Li, Mark Swidan and John Leung "as they traveled home to the United States just in time for Thanksgiving." "I told them how glad I was that they were in good health and that they'll soon be reunited with their loved ones," Blinken posted on X, formerly Twitter. The White House announced the release of the Americans on Wednesday. "We are pleased to announce the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung from detention in the People's Republic of China," a National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement. The development is a diplomatic win for President Joe Biden, who will be leaving office in January. With the men's release, "all of the wrongfully detained Americans" in China have been returned, the spokesperson added. Biden and his aides have raised the issue of the three Americans with Beijing repeatedly, according to U.S. officials. In his last in-person meeting on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru earlier this month, Biden also spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping to press for their return. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Thursday three Chinese nationals "wrongfully imprisoned" by the United States had been returned to China. Mark Swidan had been held since 2012 and received the death sentence in 2019. He maintained his innocence. John Leung was sentenced last year to life in prison. A U.S. citizen who also holds permanent residency in Hong Kong, he was detained on April 15, 2021, by the local bureau of China's counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou, according to The Associated Press. Kai Li, a naturalized U.S. citizen who owned an export business and worked in New York, was arrested after flying into Shanghai in September 2016. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. In 2018, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage, a charge that he has denied. The release comes just two months after China freed a Christian pastor from California, David Lin, who had been held since 2006. He was convicted of contract fraud. Revised travel warning On Wednesday, the State Department lowered its travel warning for China to "reflect a shift to Level 2," according to the department's website. The current advisory warns travelers, "Exercise increased caution when traveling to Mainland China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans." The alert had previously been at Level 3, telling Americans they should "reconsider travel" to China in part because of the "risk of wrongful detention" of Americans. VOA Senior White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report. Information from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Press was also used in this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on November 29, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: November 29, 2024 20:48 At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli will pay an official visit to China from December 2 to 5. China Daily: To follow up on your announcement that Nepal's Prime Minister Oli will pay an official visit to China. Can you brief us on the program of the visit? How does China view the current China-Nepal relations and what's China's expectation for the visit? Mao Ning: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has visited China twice as Nepal's Prime Minister and made important contribution to advancing the growth of China-Nepal relations. During his upcoming visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with him, and Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji will have talks and meet with him respectively. The two countries' leaders will have in-depth exchanges of views on deepening our traditional friendship, expanding Belt and Road cooperation and exchanges and cooperation in various fields, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest. China and Nepal are neighbors with enduring friendship connected by mountains and rivers. Over the past 69 years since China and Nepal established diplomatic relations, despite the changing international and regional landscape, bilateral ties have maintained sound and steady growth, setting a fine example of equality and win-win cooperation between countries of different sizes. In 2019, President Xi Jinping paid a historic state visit to Nepal and the bilateral relationship has been elevated to the strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity. In recent years, the two sides have been earnestly delivering on the important common understandings between leaders of the two countries and achieved fruitful outcomes in our bilateral ties. China stands ready to work with Nepal through Prime Minister Oli's visit to enhance strategic mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and strive for new progress in China-Nepal strategic partnership of cooperation. AFP: Sweden said yesterday that it has sent a formal request to China to cooperate with Swedish authorities as they investigate the severing of two cables in the Baltic Sea after a Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3, was linked to the incident. Can the Foreign Ministry share any updates on this incident or the investigation? Mao Ning: China stands ready to work with relevant countries to find out what happened. There is ongoing close communication between China and Sweden on this. Shenzhen TV: The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP29, successfully concluded a few days ago and climate governance has become a hot topic. We noted that China is the first country in the world to achieve zero net land degradation and reduce both desertification and sandification. By the end of 2023, China's forest coverage ratio had exceeded 25 percent with the increase topping the world. How would you comment on China's achievement in desertification prevention and control and its contribution to the world? Mao Ning: China is among the countries that suffer most from desertification. The Chinese government attaches great importance to this issue, and has steadily advanced the comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and major ecological conservation projects, such as the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program. We have put 53 percent of treatable sandy land under effective treatment, realized a virtuous cycle of ecological conservation and improvement of people's life, and contributed to the global effort to combat sandification. This year marks the 30th anniversary of China signing the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Over the past three decades, China has taken active effort to implement the convention, carried out international cooperation on combating sandification, and explored mechanisms under Belt and Road cooperation to prevent and control desertification. China has also shared relevant technology and experience and provided training to Central Asian and African countries, which also face the problem of desertification, injecting impetus to the joint pursuit of the Global South for green development. Next week, COP16 of the UNCCD will be held in Saudi Arabia, and China will send a delegation to the meeting to contribute China's solutions to global effort to combat desertification and join hands with all parties to make Planet Earth greener. Reuters: A Beijing court sentenced Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in prison today for espionage. Would the Foreign Ministry like to comment given the international attention his case has attracted? Mao Ning: China upholds the rule of law and Chinese judicial authorities handle cases in strict accordance with law. Those who violate laws will certainly be brought to account in accordance with law. TASS: Yesterday, when answering questions from the press in Astana, Russian President Putin said he discussed with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev the possibility of creating new routes for oil and gas pumping to third countries, including to China, over the territory of Kazakhstan. What is China's comment on this? Mao Ning: I'd refer you to competent Chinese authorities for this question. Reuters: Has China directly told the US not to allow Taiwan's Lai Ching-te to visit Hawaii and Guam while he is on the Pacific tour? Mao Ning: In the meeting between Chinese and US Presidents in Lima, President Xi Jinping stressed that the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques are the political foundation of China-US relations and they must be observed. Cross-Strait peace and stability and "Taiwan independence" separatist activities are irreconcilable as water and fire. If the US side cares about maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait, it is crucial that it sees clearly the true nature of Lai Ching-te and the DPP authorities in seeking "Taiwan independence," handles the Taiwan question with extra prudence, unequivocally opposes "Taiwan independence," and supports China's peaceful reunification. Let me reiterate that China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the US and the Taiwan region, firmly opposes any visit by the leader of the Taiwan authorities to the US in any name or under whatever pretext, and firmly opposes any form of US connivance and support for "Taiwan independence" separatists and their separatist activities. We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, act on its leaders' commitments, including not supporting "Taiwan independence," stop any official interactions with the Taiwan region, and stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. China remains resolutely determined to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and oppose interference in our internal affairs by external forces. Global Times: It's reported that, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued three executive orders recently, which ask for preventing China's "police service stations" overseas and "Operation Fox Hunt" from targeting dissidents, prohibiting Texas state agencies and all public higher education institutions from entering into new contracts with companies controlled by the Chinese government, and protecting critical infrastructure in Texas from being "attacked" by China. Greg Abbott also sent a letter to Texas state agencies, prohibiting them from making any new investments of state funds in China and asking them to divest at the first available opportunity. What's the Foreign Ministry's comment? Mao Ning: There is no so-called Chinese police service stations overseas at all. China's law enforcement agencies carry out cooperation in international law enforcement in strict accordance with international law, fully respects other countries' laws and judicial sovereignty and safeguard the lawful rights and interests of the suspects. The economic ties and trade between China and the US are win-win in nature. Over the years, Chinese companies' investments have made important contributions to boosting employment and economic growth in the US. To politicize the issue of trade and investment and overstretch the concept of security runs contrary to the principle of market economy and international trade rules, undermines international confidence in the US market and does no good to the US's economic growth. Relevant people in the US should stop smearing and making groundless accusations against China. Instead, they need to do more to facilitate cooperation between China and the US. Reuters: CPTPP members met in Vancouver this week to consider applications to join the free trade agreement. According to reports, the meeting agreed to set up a working group to consider Costa Rica's entry. Are you able to tell us whether a working group to consider China's bid to join was also set up? Mao Ning: China's position on the CPTPP is consistent and clear. China firmly champions trade liberalization and facilitation and actively participates in the regional cooperation and economic integration of the Asia-Pacific. We have taken the initiative to align with high-standard international trade rules, taken proactive steps to expand opening up, and advanced the process of joining the CPTPP. We are in contact, communication and consultation with all parties on this. Reuters: A BBC report quoted the boss of global fashion chain Uniqlo as saying the brand does not use cotton from Xinjiang. Would the Foreign Ministry like to comment on these remarks? Mao Ning: Cotton from the Xinjiang region is among the best in the world. We hope relevant company will overcome political pressure and malign disruption, and independently make business decisions that serve its own interests. Reuters: Could you confirm whether today's joint air patrols between China and Russia took place in international or Chinese or Russian airspace? Mao Ning: I'd refer you to competent Chinese authorities for this question. AFP: Russia's defense minister has arrived in North Korea today according to Russian state media, citing a military statement. Recent months have seen these two countries strengthen their military ties. North Korea has been accused of sending more than 10,000 soldiers to help Russia fight Ukraine. China is a country with close ties to both Russia and North Korea. How does China view this visit and Russia and North Korea's recent military cooperation? Mao Ning: Russia and the DPRK are independent sovereign states. Their bilateral exchange is a matter for themselves and we are not familiar with the specifics. China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent. *************************************************** The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People's Government of Hainan Province will hold the event of "presenting Hainan Free Trade Port to the world" themed "Local Practices of Chinese ModernizationHainan Free Trade Port: New Era, New Mission, New Opportunities" on the afternoon of December 4 at Lanting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will attend and address the event. Secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee Feng Fei and Governor of Hainan Province Liu Xiaoming will deliver remarks and presentations respectively. Representatives of the diplomatic corps in China will deliver remarks. The event will comprehensively showcase the unique strengths, early harvests and development prospects of Hainan Free Trade Port, as well as the cooperation opportunities it offers to the world. The event will demonstrate China's firm resolve in promoting reform through opening up and in building a new open economic system at a higher level. You are welcome to cover the event. There will be no regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 4. The press conference will resume on December 5. During the recess, questions can be submitted to the Spokesperson's Office via fax, e-mail or WeChat. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China probes top military official for 'serious violations' Defense ministry says top military official Miao Hua is suspended, denies minister Dong Jun under investigation. By Qian Lang for RFA Mandarin 2024.11.29 -- The ruling Chinese Communist Party has placed Miao Hua, a high-ranking defense official, under investigation for "serious violations of discipline," a phrase often used to denote an internal party corruption probe. "Miao Hua, member of the Central Military Commission and director of the Political Work Department of the Military Commission, is suspected of serious violations of discipline," defense spokesperson Col. Wu Qian told a news conference in Beijing on Thursday. "After research by the Party Central Committee, it has been decided to suspend Miao Hua from his duties pending investigation," Wu said. The announcement came a day after the Financial Times newspaper reported that Admiral Dong Jun, who was named as successor to Li Shangfu in December 2023 after Li was fired for corruption, was himself being investigated for graft. Wu dismissed the report on Thursday as "pure fabrication and rumor with ulterior motives." "China does not accept such reports," he said, but gave no further details of the investigation into Miao Hua. Current affairs commentator Cai Shenkun said Miao was taken away for investigation on Nov. 9, adding that Dong Jun is his former subordinate. "Dong Jun was put forward [for defense minister] by Miao Hua, who recommended him to Xi Jinping," Cai told RFA Mandarin in an interview on Thursday. "There was a lot of controversy over his appointment, because he had only ever served in the navy, and had never fought on the front line." He said any corruption on Dong Jun's part was unlikely to be serious. "He has never worked in a particularly lucrative department, and naval cadres don't have that much power anyway," Cai said. He said if Dong was assisting party investigators with their inquiry, it would like be in the role of Miao's former subordinate, and that close associates of Miao could fall with him. Refused to meet Austin A former admiral and commander of the Chinese navy, Dong was appointed minister of national defense in December 2023, replacing Li Shangfu who was removed in October 2023 after just seven months in office. The last time Dong appeared in public was on Nov. 21 when he attended the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. While holding talks with the defense chiefs of New Zealand, India, and Malaysia, as well as the ASEAN secretary-general, Dong refused a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Beijing blamed it on Washington for undermining China's "core interests" by providing weapons to Taiwan. A native of Shandong province from where Xi's wife Peng Liyuan also hails, Dong -- as well as his predecessor Li Shangfu -- was believed to be appointed by Xi. Yet Dong wasn't promoted to the Central Military Commission, the top military leadership of the Communist Party, nor was he appointed to the State Council, or the national cabinet. In China, defense ministers are usually members of both those bodies and Dong's non-appointment had raised questions about his position. Former ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe were expelled from the Communist Party for "grave discipline violations" such as taking bribes and causing great damage to the images of the party and its senior leaders, according to official statements. Series of sackings The investigation into Miao follows a slew of sackings at the highest levels of the People's Liberation Army in recent months. Just after Dong was appointed, China expelled nine military officials from its parliament, including three former commanders or vice commanders of the PLA Rocket Force, one former Air Force chief and one Navy commander responsible for the South China Sea. Analysts said they believed that the expulsions were related to the corruption over equipment procurement by the rocket force. But they also link the purges to ongoing dissent within the Chinese military about its readiness to stage an invasion of democratic Taiwan, which has said it has no wish to submit to "peaceful unification" under Beijing's territorial claim on the island. An academic who gave only the surname Song for fear of reprisals said Xi's enthusiasm for an invasion may not be shared by actual military commanders, who fear China may not win such a war. "Even if the current boss [Xi] wants to attack Taiwan and work with Putin to change the global order for a century to come, real soldiers and generals know whether or not such a war can be won," Song said. "The actual military commanders are the ones who know whether their forces are up to the fight, and whether the morale is there." "The last two defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were removed because they knew it couldn't be won, and mustn't be fought," he said. "That, I think, is the most important reason." China froze top-level military talks and other dialogue with the U.S. in 2022 after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the highest-ranking U.S. official in 25 years to visit Taiwan. The island has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party, nor formed part of the People's Republic of China, and its 23 million people have no wish to give up their sovereignty or democratic way of life to be ruled by Beijing, according to recent opinion polls. China, which hasn't ruled out an invasion to force reunification, was infuriated by the Pelosi visit and canceled military-to-military talks, including contacts between theater-level commanders. President Joe Biden persuaded his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to resume contacts in November 2023, when they met on the sidelines of an APEC summit in Woodside, California. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China debuted a new fighter plane. How does it compare to the F-35? The J-31 fighter, also known as the Falcon Hawk, is designed for stealth and speed. By Tara McKelvey 2024.11.29 -- When it debuted at an air show in Zhuhai, China, earlier this month, the J-31 fighter plane made an impression. Produced by a Chinese aviation company, Shenyang, the new jet took more than a decade to build- and bears more than a passing resemblance a U.S. fighter, the F-35, made by Lockheed Martin. As the U.S. Air Force's chief of staff, David Allvin, told Air & Space Forces Magazine, the similarities between the two aircraft were striking. Both models have silver-grey wings, a pointed nose and a smooth, slicked-back design. Though made in two different countries, they looked as if they came from the same factory. If you were to put the two jets side-by-side, said Allvin, you could practically see where they both "got their blueprints." That in itself is an achievement for the Chinese military, which has for years struggled to compete with the U.S. military advances. Still, there are differences between the two aircraft. The Chinese-made J-31 is more svelte than the American jetdespite the fact that the Chinese model has two engines, while the U.S.-made F-35 has one. Chinese designers may have chosen to build their aircraft with two engines to give the jet more power, says Douglas Royce, a senior aircraft analyst with the Sandy Hook, Connecticut-based research company, Forecast International. But the design could have also been chosen for a more primitive reason: the second engine could serve as a backup in case of mission failure. "Maybe they have less faith in the reliability of the aircraft," says Greg Malandrino, a former U.S. fighter pilot now at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Chinese pilots will have to make do with a smaller workspace than American F-35 pilots, according to Boyko Nikolov, the head of a media company Bulgarian Military. The U.S. fighter jet's cockpit is cushier, roomier, with a bigger canopy, while the Chinese plane's cockpit reflects "a more utilitarian approach to pilot ergonomics," according to Nikolov. Malandrino, says he did not notice any significant differences in the design of the two cockpits. Besides, as he points out, the cockpit of a fighter jet, whether Chinese or American, is not known for comfort. The seat is designed to provide the pilot with a way out of a tricky situation. "You're sitting on ejection seat," he says. "It's basically a rocket seat." Others questioned whether the Chinese jet, however well-designed, is all that sneaky. According to aviation expert Dario Leone, the J-31 spits a lot of smoke from its exhaust pipe when it's in the air, which could make it easier to detect the plane. But experts agree that the real power of a fighter jet lies in the overall strength of the military they serve. Says Forecast International's Royce: "People are thinking about two jets operating in a dog fight. But in the real world, it depends on the entire combat system." "Until the two countries fight, it's just guesswork," Royce says. "You really don't know till the shooting starts." Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beijing tests bilateral waters with US prisoner exchange Return of 3 prisoners for Thanksgiving sends message to the incoming Trump administration, experts say. By Qian Lang for RFA Mandarin 2024.11.29 -- Three Americans who Washington says were wrongfully imprisoned in China have landed back on U.S. soil as part of a rare prisoner swap with Beijing, in a move analysts said could signal China's willingness to do further deals with the incoming Trump administration. Mark Swidan, of Houston, Texas, Kai Li, of Long Island, New York, and John Leung, a permanent resident of Hong Kong, have been reunited with their families for the first time in years in time for Thanksgiving, Nov. 28 this year, ABC News reported. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke to Li, Leung and Swidan while they were en route back home. "I told them how glad I was that they were in good health and that they'll soon be reunited with their loved ones," Blinken said via his X account. While the State Department didn't reveal more details about the deal, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed that three Chinese citizens had also been returned. "Three Chinese citizens who were wrongly detained by the United States have returned to their motherland safely," Mao told a regular news conference in Beijing on Thursday. "China has always firmly opposed the U.S.'s suppression and persecution of Chinese citizens for political purposes and will, as always, take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens," she said. Accused of spying Reports named one of the Chinese nationals as Xu Yanjun, an official in the Chinese Ministry of State Security who became the first Chinese spy to be extradited to the United States following his arrest in Belgium in 2018. A jury found Xu guilty in 2021 of attempting to steal designs for an engine fan from Ohio-based GE Aviation. Department of Justice officials said it was part of an organized effort by Beijing to "modernize" its own economy by stealing U.S. technology. Another was identified as Ji Chaojun, a former graduate student was sentenced in Chicago to eight years in prison for spying for China in January 2023, according to multiple media reports. Mao declined to identify the returned Chinese nationals, but said a "fugitive" from Chinese justice had also been returned to the custody of the Chinese authorities, warning that the ruling Communist Party would "continue to pursue fugitives ... to the end." Sending a signal? Yang Haiying, a professor at Japan's Shizuoka University, said such prisoner exchanges are rare for China, and could be intended to send a signal to the incoming Trump administration. "Maybe China is trying to test Trump, whether he will want to do various kinds of deals with China in future," Yang said, describing the swap as a form of "hostage trading." If that works, then maybe China and the United States can make bigger deals in future, including trade deals, political deals, and agreements on international issues like the South China Sea," he said. "I think they are sending that signal." Current affairs commentator Guo Min said the swap was undoubtedly in Beijing's interest at this time. "China regards some of its people as so-called patriots for propaganda purposes, saying that the Chinese government has made great efforts to protect patriots and successfully returned them to China," Guo said. "Everything the Chinese government does is based on political considerations," he said. The U.S. State Department on Wednesday downgraded its travel advisory for China from Level 3 (reconsider travel) to Level 2 (exercise extreme caution). The advisory now warns U.S. citizens of the possibility of "arbitrary enforcement of local laws" in mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong, with the possibility of exit bans in mainland China. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Unjust Sentencing of PRC Journalist Dong Yuyu US Department of State Press Statement Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson November 29, 2024 The United States condemns the People's Republic of China (PRC)'s November 29 unjust sentencing of journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in prison for alleged "espionage." His arrest and today's sentencing highlight the PRC's failure to live up to its commitments under international law and its own constitutional guarantees to all its citizens, which include the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press. We celebrate Dong's work as a veteran journalist and editor, as well as his contributions to U.S.-PRC people-to-people ties, including as a Harvard University Nieman Fellow. We stand by Dong and his family and call for his immediate and unconditional release. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Who were the prisoners in US-China swap? By Zhang Legu November 29, 2024 This week's rare prisoner swap between the United States and China saw each side claim victory and accuse the other of wrongfully detaining its citizens, while Beijing has kept quiet about the identities of the returned Chinese. China confirmed the repatriation of at least three Chinese nationals convicted of espionage and other crimes in the U.S. Among them was an individual whom Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, speaking at a regular briefing Thursday, described as "a fugitive who fled to the U.S. many years ago." Some media reports indicated four individuals were returned to China. Mao did not name those who were returned and did not confirm a prisoner swap, or the release of any Americans detained in China. But media reports, including one from the Financial Times, cited unnamed U.S. government officials as saying three Americans were exchanged for three Chinese. Released Chinese Xu Yanjun Though U.S. officials have not confirmed their identities, NBC News cited unnamed U.S. officials as saying the prisoner swap included Xu Yanjun, a Chinese intelligence officer sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to steal aviation trade secrets from GE Aviation. Records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons show that Xu's status is now listed as "not in federal custody." Ji Chaoqun NBC reported that those returned to China also included Ji Chaoqun, a naturalized U.S. citizen convicted in 2022 of providing classified defense information to Chinese intelligence. Jin Shanlin The Financial Times on Thursday reported the third Chinese released was Jin Shanlin, a former doctoral student at Southern Methodist University in northern Texas, who was sentenced in 2021 for possessing and distributing child pornography, with his sentence set to end in 2027. Records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons also show Jin's status as "not in federal custody." Jin's case has sparked controversy because of his crime and his family's alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The FBI testified that his family had "important political connections," The Dallas Morning News reported in 2022, raising questions about why he was chosen for the exchange over other Chinese nationals in U.S. custody. Released Americans The White House National Security Council said Wednesday in a statement that it had secured the release of three Americans it said were "wrongfully detained" in China, though it did not confirm a prisoner swap. Their detentions had drawn international condemnation. Mark Swidan Swidan, a Texas businessman, was arrested in 2012 in Dongguan. Despite a lack of direct evidence no drugs or incriminating records were ever found he was sentenced to death for drug trafficking but granted a reprieve in 2019. His mother, Katherine Swidan, led a tireless campaign for his release. "I feared I would never see my son again," she told VOA, recounting his years in a Guangdong prison marked by overcrowding, intense heat and deteriorating health. Kai Li Li, a Chinese American businessman, was arrested in 2016 in Shanghai on charges of stealing state secrets. His family has consistently denied the allegations, calling his 10-year sentence politically motivated. "We thank President [Joe] Biden for prioritizing my father's case," said his son, Harrison Li. "But we also urge the administration to stand firm against such detentions in the future." John Leung Leung, 79, a Hong Kong-based American citizen, was arrested in 2021 on espionage charges. His case saw minimal public advocacy, and his family remained largely silent throughout his detention. John Kamm, founder of the San Francisco-based rights group Dui Hua, meaning "dialogue" in Chinese, said his organization played a role in the prisoner swap in negotiations that took years to complete. "We submitted 54 lists with Mark Swidan's name to the Chinese government and received 10 responses," Kamm told VOA Mandarin. "The process was arduous but ultimately effective." A spokesperson for the National Security Council hailed the release of the three Americans as a significant diplomatic achievement for Biden, emphasizing that all Americans classified as "wrongfully detained Americans" in China have now been brought home. While the move brought relief to the families of the freed Americans, it has sparked concerns about its implications for U.S.-China relations and the growing trend of "hostage diplomacy." Kamm cautioned against declaring the issue resolved. "There are at least 200 American citizens under coercive measures in China. Many face exit bans or detentions with little transparency," he said. Critics like Peter Humphrey, a former detainee in China and a nonresident associate at Harvard University's Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, argue that no Americans held in China should be considered normal prisoners. He noted to VOA Mandarin that China's legal processes are fundamentally flawed, as prisoners do not have fair and transparent trials. "They have never had a trial where they were able to defend themselves properly and freely. They were under tremendous pressure in detention cells, and that pressure amounts to torture," Humphrey said. Humphrey called this week's prisoner swap "capitulation to hostage diplomacy" and warned it could incentivize Beijing to detain more Americans. Diplomatic balancing act The prisoner exchange occurred amid strained U.S.-China relations, with both nations navigating a complex mix of strategic competition and occasional cooperation, and just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is to return to the White House promising to impose hefty tariffs on Beijing. The U.S. on Wednesday lowered its travel advisory for China from Level 3 ("Reconsider Travel") to Level 2 ("Exercise Increased Caution"), raising questions about the advisory's role in the negotiations. Kamm told VOA, "The lowering of the travel warning was part of the deal, as I understand it." Humphrey expressed concerns about the change in travel advisory. "China did not suddenly become safer for Americans, or any other foreigners actually, to travel to China," he told VOA. "It has not become safer." Bo Gu contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai tells court overthrowing CCP 'impossible' By Liam Scott November 29, 2024 Jailed pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai dismissed as "impossible" the idea that the Chinese government could be overthrown, during testimony in his much-condemned Hong Kong national security trial on Thursday, as foreign governments continue to call for his immediate release. "To think about overthrowing the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], I think it's out of the dimension of any discussion. It's impossible," Lai said. "Do you think sanctions [and] blockade would overthrow the CCP? It's more than ridiculous," Lai told the court. The 77-year-old British national made the statements during what was his sixth day of testimony in a high-profile national security trial that rights groups and foreign governments have rejected as politically motivated. Lai stands accused of collusion with foreign forces and sedition under a Beijing-imposed national security law. He rejects the charges, but if convicted, faces life in prison. The founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper has been held in solitary confinement since late 2020. Lai's national security trial which is taking place before three government-appointed judges, rather than a jury began nearly one year ago but was initially estimated to last about 80 days. During his testimony, Lai has maintained that he never lobbied for international sanctions on Hong Kong. But he said international support would be the "salvation" of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement and could protect the city "from the encroachment of China on our freedom." Describing his thinking at the time, Lai told the court that the 2019 pro-democracy movement could have garnered the international community's support by conducting demonstrations "peacefully and rationally." "If we conduct our demonstration on a moral high ground and people sympathize with us, I think this is the greatest lobbying we can have," Lai said in his testimony. A chorus of rights groups and foreign governments, including the United States, have repeatedly called for Lai's immediate release. On Thursday, the European Parliament passed an urgent resolution calling for the publisher's release. The measure, which passed by an overwhelming majority, marks the first time that the newly reconstituted European Parliament has considered Lai's case and the situation in Hong Kong. EU Commissioner Helena Dalli said Lai's trial "is emblematic of the erosion of democracy and freedom in Hong Kong." Lai's international legal team welcomed the resolution. Caoilfhionn Gallagher, the head of the international legal team, said in a statement that Hong Kong's treatment of Lai "flies in the face" of European values. "He shouldn't spend a second more in prison," Gallagher told VOA last week. "This is a trial which should never have happened in the first place, under a law which should not exist." The European resolution also called for the release of Chung Pui-kuen, one of two editors-in-chief at the new-defunct Stand News sentenced for sedition in a case widely viewed as politically motivated. In a more than 800-word statement sent to VOA after publication, a Hong Kong government spokesperson said it was "inappropriate" to comment on Lai's case because legal proceedings are ongoing. The spokesperson also said Hong Kong "rejected any fact-twisting remarks and baseless smears against the legal system" and emphasized that "Hong Kong citizens enjoy freedom of the press and freedom of speech." Hong Kong's Security Bureau did not immediately reply to a VOA email requesting comment for this story. But in a more than 700-word statement to VOA last week, a Hong Kong government spokesperson said it was "inappropriate" to comment on the case because legal proceedings are ongoing. The spokesperson said that Hong Kong "rejected any fact-twisting remarks and baseless smears against the legal system and safeguarding of rights and freedom in Hong Kong." Hong Kong authorities have previously denied that Lai's trial is unfair. Lai began his testimony on November 20, just one day after 45 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to as much as 10 years in prison under a national security law. In testimony last week, Lai said he had advocated for "peaceful resistance" against rising Chinese repression in Hong Kong through his commentaries published in Apple Daily. He noted that he tried to "reduce violence" during the city's pro-democracy protests in 2019. Lai also was questioned about the establishment of Apple Daily's English online edition in May 2020, shortly before the national security law came into effect. Lai said a "sense of crisis" drove him to believe that the new edition would help Hong Kong by encouraging foreign lawmakers to "take notice of our situation" and "voice out their concerns" to Beijing. Apple Daily closed in 2021 after authorities jailed its staff, raided its office, and froze its assets worth millions of dollars. Earlier this week, Lai rebutted the testimony of prosecution witness Cheung Kim-hung, the former CEO of Apple Daily's parent company Next Digital. Lai said he never discussed sanctions with Cheung and accused Cheung of falsifying testimony. Also this week, Lai testified that he did not give editorial directions during "lunch box meetings." Earlier in November, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Lai is unlawfully and arbitrarily detained in Hong Kong and has called for his immediate release. A one-time billionaire, Lai could have fled Hong Kong, but he instead chose to stay and stand up for freedom in Hong Kong, according to his son Sebastien. "His actions speak louder than words. And he has done all these brave and incredible things in defense of freedom for the people of Hong Kong, and they're criminalizing him for it," Sebastien Lai told VOA last week. Jimmy Lai's international legal team has expressed concern about the conditions in which the publisher is being held, including prolonged solitary confinement and no access to specialized medical care for diabetes. Even as Jimmy Lai's physical health has declined, "his spirit is holding strong. His mind is holding strong," Sebastien Lai told VOA last week. Jimmy Lai's international legal team expects the trial to continue into 2025. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address G7 urges China to oppose North Korea-Russia military cooperation China, a key North Korean ally, faces growing pressure to act as a responsible stakeholder in regional stability. By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.11.26 TAIPEI, Taiwan --7 foreign ministers called on China to oppose North Korea's growing military ties with Russia, while NATO recommended its members employ diplomatic and economic levers to discourage Beijing from aiding Moscow. China, one of North Korea's few traditional allies, has recently been under growing pressure to serve as a responsible stakeholder as the United States and its allies worry that the deployment of North Korean troops will dangerously escalate the Ukrainian war. "We are seriously concerned about the deployment of the DPRK's troops to Russia and their use on the battlefield against Ukraine ... We urge countries with ties to Russia and the DPRK, including China, to uphold international law by opposing this dangerous expansion of the conflict and implementing all relevant UNSC resolutions," foreign ministers of the Group of Seven said in a statement on Tuesday. DPRK refers to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, while UNSC is short for the U. N. Security Council. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between DPRK and Russia, including DPRK's export and Russia's procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles and munitions in direct violation of relevant UNSC Resolutions, as well as Russia's use of these missiles and munitions against Ukraine," they added. Separately, NATO recommended its members discourage China through diplomacy from aiding Russia. "It [the NATO Parliamentary Assembly] recommended employing diplomatic and economic levers to discourage China from aiding Russia," the security bloc's assembly said on Tuesday. "The Assembly called for tightening sanctions on Russia and North Korea, citing Pyongyang's growing military support for Moscow," it added. In a video message to the assembly, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte sought support for Ukraine in its war against Russia and its allies. "There's war in Europe. We see China, Iran, North Korea and Russia joining forces to undermine us, and threats continue to transcend borders, from terrorism to cyber attacks. So it is vital that NATO becomes stronger, more capable and more agile," Rutte said. China has not commented on North Korea's deployment except to say the development of relations between Russia and North Korea was solely for them to decide. U.S. President Joe Biden, during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Peru on Nov. 16, condemned North Korea's decision to send its troops to Russia to assist in the war against Ukraine, while expressing "deep concern over [China's] continued support for Russia's defense industrial base." At that time, Xi said that China's position regarding the war had "always been fair and square," adding Beijing would "not allow conflict and turmoil to happen on the Korean Peninsula" and that it would "not sit idly by" while its strategic interests are endangered. The U.S. and South Korea have said that North Korean troops had been fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region, parts of which Ukrainian forces occupied in early August. Washington has estimated more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers had been sent to Kursk and had begun combat operations alongside Russian forces. Neither Russia nor North Korea have confirmed the presence of North Korean troops. But South Korea's main security agency confirmed on Monday that it had "specific intelligence" that North Korean forces in Russia had suffered casualties, though it gave no figures. Media reported that 500 North Koreans and one high-level North Korean official had been killed in a Ukrainian attack with British missiles last week. Ukraine also said North Korea had sent more than 100 ballistic missiles to Russia, along with military specialists, to support its war with Ukraine. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Latvia delivers a demarche to DPRK condemning the growing military ties between DPRK and Russia Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 27.11.2024 On 25 November 2024, the Ambassador of Latvia to Sweden, Ilze Ruse, met the Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Latvia, Ri Won Guk (residing in Sweden). At the meeting, the Ambassador of the DPRK was delivered a demarche condemning the increasing military ties between the DPRK and Russia. The Latvian side expressed unequivocal condemnation of the decision to send DPRK troops to support Russia in its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. It was underlined that deepening of military cooperation and arms transfers between the DPRK and Russia are in a flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, namely, resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), and 2270 (2016), as well as of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. Russia and its proxies have recently taken escalatory steps, including the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile by Russia against Ukraine, to terrorise the Ukrainian people and intimidate Ukraine's supporters. Those deplorable actions will not change the firm resolve of Latvia and like-minded countries around the world to support Ukraine until its victory over the aggressor, Russia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea doesn't deny reports of troop deployment to Russia North will 'fulfill obligations' under a June defense pact with Russia, North's UN envoy said. By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.11.27 TAIPEI, Taiwan -- North Korea's U.N. envoy declined to deny or confirm that his country had sent troops to Russia to help with its war against Ukraine, adding that the North will "fulfill obligations" under a North Korea-Russia treaty. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a landmark treaty on a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" on June 19 in Pyongyang after summit talks, which includes a mutual defense assistance clause that applies in the case of "aggression" against either of the signatories. In response to a question from the U.S. deputy ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood regarding Pyongyang's troop dispatch to Russia, the North's Kim Song said: "We will faithfully fulfill our obligations under the North Korea-Russia Treaty." "The 'Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' between North Korea and Russia is fully in accordance with international law and the U.N. Charter. Therefore, North Korea will faithfully maintain its obligations under this treaty," said Kim at the Security Council meeting held at the U.N. headquarters on Wednesday. The U.S. and South Korea have said that North Korean troops have been fighting in Russia's southwestern Kursk border region against Ukrainian forces who occupied parts of it in early August. The U.S. has estimated that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers had been sent to Kursk and they had begun combat operations alongside Russian forces. Neither Russia nor North Korea have confirmed the presence of North Korean troops. Kim added that North Korea and Russia were developing bilateral relations in all areas, including politics, economy, military, and culture, in accordance with their treaty. "North Korea will faithfully fulfil its obligations under the treaty and strengthen relations to protect the fundamental interests of the people of both countries, contribute to regional and cooperative peace and security, and realise international justice," said Kim. Sergiy Kyslytsya, permanent representative of Ukraine to the U.N., accused Kim of "representing a rogue regime that aids other rogue nations" and said his remarks were "pulp fiction." "I stayed in my seat in the conference hall to look Kim in the eye and say these words," he said. "Soon, you and your leader will be judged, and soon, the people of your country will be free and enjoy democracy and freedom." New batch of ballistic missiles Separately, U.S. representative Wood said North Korea was preparing to deliver a new batch of ballistic missiles to Russia, adding to the more than 100 already supplied, which Russia has used to attack Ukraine. "The DPRK is preparing to transfer even more ballistic missiles," said Wood, adding that North Korea, or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as it is officially known, had previously illegally supplied Russia with over 18,000 containers of ammunition and related materials, as well as more than 100 ballistic missiles. "All of which have been used to strike populated areas like Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia," said the U.S. ambassador. Wood added that the U.S. had information indicating that Russia was using a significant number of 170-mm self-propelled artillery systems and 240-mm multiple rocket launchers produced by North Korea on the front lines. In exchange, Russia has provided North Korea with air defense systems, alongside other supplies, including fuel, technology, and dual-use equipment, according to Wood. Wood's remarks echo South Korea's confirmation last week that North Korea had exported additional artillery ammunition and launchers to Russia. North Korea was suspected of sending weapons to Russia to support its invasion of Ukraine well before their June defense pact. South Korea said last month that North Korea was believed to have sent about 7,000 containers of weapons to Russia over the previous two months, bringing the total number of containers to 20,000. Edited by RFA Staff. Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson November 26, 2024 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the margins of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, Italy. Secretary Blinken and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar affirmed the United States and India's enduring commitment to deepening bilateral ties. The Secretary underscored the United States' desire to continue coordinating closely with India to address global security challenges. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ARMY CHIEF GENERAL UPENDRA DWIVEDI ADDRESSES 26TH DOCTRINE AND STRATEGY SEMINAR India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 28 NOV 2024 5:49PM by PIB Delhi General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) addressed participants of the 26th Doctrine and Strategy Seminar (DSS) in Mhow today. The two-day seminar, on the theme, 'Need for Adaptive Doctrines/ Operational Philosophy for Indian Army in view of recent Conflicts and Technology Infusion in Warfare', was conducted at the Army War College on 27th and 28th November 2024. Aim of the seminar was to critically examine the validity of established doctrines, operational strategies, and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) of the Indian Army in light of recent conflicts and induction of niche technology and recommend necessitated changes in doctrines, operational philosophies and TTPs to meet the challenges of future conflicts. Experts from the fields of Geo-Strategic affairs, Geo-Political affairs, Armed Forces, Defence Public Sector Undertakings and Industries expressed their views on various operational and logistics aspects and capability development of Armed Forces in the modern warfare environment. The seminar was organised under three themes as follows: - The Global Scan - Latest Trends and Technology Infusion in Warfare and Imperatives for the Indian Army: The first session focused on global scan to identify latest trends in military niche technology and analyse its impact on conduct of warfare, highlighted the doctrinal and tactical changes adopted by nations in their warfighting approach in recent conflicts and imperatives for Indian Army, analysis of the adversaries' warfighting concepts and their pursuit for niche technology and implications for India, and identification of the technologies being developed/ imported by the adversaries and their intended application against India including in sub conventional operations. The first session focused on global scan to identify latest trends in military niche technology and analyse its impact on conduct of warfare, highlighted the doctrinal and tactical changes adopted by nations in their warfighting approach in recent conflicts and imperatives for Indian Army, analysis of the adversaries' warfighting concepts and their pursuit for niche technology and implications for India, and identification of the technologies being developed/ imported by the adversaries and their intended application against India including in sub conventional operations. Warfighting Strategy - Impact on Conduct of Warfare - Rethinking Doctrine/ Strategy/ TTPs: The second session critically analysed the validity of existing doctrines/ strategy/ TTPs in conventional warfighting in mountains/ High Altitude Areas (HAA) with infusion of niche technology, conventional warfighting in plains and deserts along with recommended changes in doctrine/ strategy to meet the opportunities and challenges posed by infusion of niche military technology, and the impact of new age technology on CI/ CT operations and recommend changes in doctrine/ strategy and TTPs. The second session critically analysed the validity of existing doctrines/ strategy/ TTPs in conventional warfighting in mountains/ High Altitude Areas (HAA) with infusion of niche technology, conventional warfighting in plains and deserts along with recommended changes in doctrine/ strategy to meet the opportunities and challenges posed by infusion of niche military technology, and the impact of new age technology on CI/ CT operations and recommend changes in doctrine/ strategy and TTPs. Technology as an Enabler - Human Resource (HR) and Logistics Aspects: The last session tried to identify the major impact on HR aspects as a fallout of integrating niche technology into the warfighting doctrines/ strategy and analyse the major impact of niche technology on logistic operations and need for restructuring the current Operational Logistics framework of the Indian Army. During his talk, the COAS commended the in-depth analysis of strategic and operational issues, emphasising the critical need for transformation and adaptation in response to the evolving nature of warfare. The COAS stated that modern conflicts are increasingly focused on achieving political objectives through non-military means, with military strategies incorporating new technological advancements. He described contemporary warfare as a continuum of 5Cs - Competition, Crisis, Confrontation, Conflict, and Combat, blending statecraft and diplomacy with kinetic and non-kinetic actions. The COAS highlighted the defining characteristics of 5th generation warfare, including non-kinetic military actions such as disinformation, cyber-attacks, and the use of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. He stressed that while newer forms of warfare are emerging, older generations remain relevant, with both non-contact and non-kinetic methods being integrated into military strategies. Drawing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, the COAS identified key takeaways: the importance of Combined Arms Operations, leveraging asymmetric tactics, and enhancing Civil-Military Integration. These lessons underscore the need for military leaders to operate seamlessly within the broader DIME T framework. The COAS also pointed to the ongoing Decade of Transformation (2023-2032) as a step toward achieving this integrated approach. Addressing national security challenges, the COAS discussed the complexities of Grey Zone operations, the two-front challenge, and the need for convergence of land operations, maritime and air strategies to protect India's interests in the Indo-Pacific region. With adversaries increasingly employing hybrid strategies, the Indian Army must adapt doctrines to counter multi-dimensional threats from both state and non-state actors. The COAS emphasised that military doctrines must be flexible, enabling unity of effort while fostering individual judgment. Technology, including artificial intelligence, precision warfare, and cyber capabilities, must be integrated to support multi-domain operations. He stressed the need for military leaders to adapt quickly to technological challenges at the front lines and to foster institutional agility in developing and deploying new technologies. On the role of leadership, the COAS highlighted its paramount importance in military adaptation. Strong and adaptive leadership is essential to overcome challenges in doctrine and technology. The COAS also advocated for a reduction in excessive doctrinal rigidity, urging greater agility, decentralisation, and rapid decision-making, particularly at the tactical level. In conclusion, the COAS called for the development of adaptive doctrines that incorporate dynamic threat assessments, technology integration, realistic training, and wargaming. These doctrines should promote jointness, interoperability with allied nations, and seamless civilian-military synergy, leveraging innovations from the private sector for military applications. SC (Release ID: 2078589) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fourth Meeting of Working Group on Military Cooperation under the India - Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation successfully concludes in Moscow India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 28 NOV 2024 9:20AM by PIB Delhi The fourth meeting of the Working Group on Military Cooperation under the India - Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC), concluded successfully in Moscow Russia. The meeting marked a significant milestone in advancing the long standing Strategic Partnership between the two countries. The meeting was co-chaired by Lieutenant General JP Mathew, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff representing India and Lieutenant General Dylevsky Igor Nikolaevich, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces. The Working Group emphasised the importance of continued knowledge-sharing and collaboration in areas of strategic interest. It also agreed upon expanding joint exercises to further solidifying the operational synergy between the two forces. Both nations have conducted numerous joint exercises across land, air and sea domains. Exercises such as INDRA, AVIA INDRA and INDRA NAVY, have served as vital platforms for sharing best practices, refining joint operational tactics drills and procedures, and deepening mutual understanding. The Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership was signed in 2000, which was elevated to the level of Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership in 2010. The Working Group, a crucial forum for India-Russia defence cooperation, provides a platform to assess existing military engagements and identified new areas for collaboration to address evolving security challenges. *** VK/SR/Anand (Release ID: 2078236) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ICG conducts 11th National Maritime Search & Rescue Exercise off Kochi coast India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 29 NOV 2024 3:46PM by PIB Delhi The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the 11th edition of National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2024) off the Kochi coast on November 29, 2024. The two-day exercise was inaugurated by Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh on November 28, 2024, and reviewed by Director General ICG Paramesh Sivamani. SAREX-2024, with the theme 'Enhancing Search and Rescue Capabilities Through Regional Collaboration', highlighted the importance of international cooperation in strengthening maritime safety. The first day of the event featured various programmes, including table-top exercise, workshop & seminars involving participation of senior officials from government agencies, Ministries & Armed Forces, various stakeholders and foreign delegates. The second day comprised the sea exercise involving large scale contingencies off the Kochi coast with participation of ships & aircraft of various agencies. The simulated contingency involved a passenger aircraft crash, wherein an aircraft carrying 250 passengers encountered severe technical failure, losing communication with Air Traffic Control and vanishing from radar approximately 150 nautical miles northwest of Kochi. A coordinated Mass Rescue Operation (MRO) was swiftly initiated, demonstrating the seamless deployment of resources, including ships and aircraft from the ICG, Indian Air Force (IAF), tugs from Cochin Port Authority, three water metros, one Garuda rescue & emergency craft from Kochi Water Metro and a water ambulance provided by the Kerala State Administration. Key operations included: Life raft drops by IAF aircraft and ICG ships Passenger evacuation using Advanced Light Helicopters Crew rescue operations utilising Jason Cradle technology The innovative deployment of drones to deliver lifebuoys The successful execution of these operations underscored the high level of coordination and preparedness among participating agencies. The exercise aimed to validate standard operating procedures and best practices for conducting MROs. It served as a vital platform to enhance mutual understanding, foster collaboration, and exchange effective strategies for managing large-scale maritime contingencies. The event also saw participation from members of the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board and 38 distinguished foreign observers. Over the years, ICG has emerged as a leading maritime agency, driving India's efforts to build a robust maritime search and rescue framework. By consistently collaborating with various stakeholders, ICG plays a pivotal role in enhancing maritime safety and security. These initiatives align with the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), reinforcing India's reputation as a reliable and proactive maritime partner on the global stage. *** MR/KB (Release ID: 2079013) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement of Intent on Cooperation on Design & Development of Electric Propulsion Systems for Indian Navy signed with UK India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 29 NOV 2024 11:22AM by PIB Delhi A Statement of Intent (SoI) on Cooperation on Design & Development of Electric Propulsion Systems for the Indian Navy was signed between Ministries of Defence of India and UK in Portsmouth on November 28, 2024. The signing was part of the third Joint Working Group Meeting of Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership, symbolising the commitment to promote indigenous development of niche technologies. The SoI would serve as a broader framework intended for cooperation in the co-design, co-creation and co-production of Electric Propulsion capability for future Naval Ships. The Landing Platform Docks, planned to be built at an Indian Shipyard, are envisaged to have a Full Electric Propulsion System. The SoI was signed and exchanged between Joint Secretary (Naval Systems), Shri Rajeev Prakash and Director, Ships Operations & Capability Integration, UK MoD Rear Admiral Steve McCarthy. *** SR/Savvy (Release ID: 2078853) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address INDIAN NAVY AND SRI LANKAN NAVY CONDUCT SUCCESSFUL ANTI-NARCOTICS OPERATION India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 29 NOV 2024 11:10AM by PIB Delhi Based on information received from the Sri Lankan Navy regarding probable narcotics smuggling by Sri Lankan flagged fishing vessels in the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy responded swiftly through a coordinated operation to localise and intercept the boats. Extensive surveillance was undertaken by Indian Naval Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft, based on inputs from the Information Fusion Centre (Indian Ocean Region), Gurugram, and an Indian Naval ship was deployed to augment efforts. Two boats were identified based on continuous inputs from the Sri Lankan Navy and aerial surveillance by IN aircraft. Subsequently, in a closely coordinated operation between the ship and the aerial assets, both boats were boarded by the ship's boarding team on 24 and 25 Nov 24, leading to the seizure of approximately 500 kg of narcotics (Crystal Meth). One additional IN ship was also tasked to augment the force level for conduct of anti-narcotics operations. The two boats, along with crew and seized narcotics, are being handed over to Sri Lankan authorities for further legal action. The operation reaffirms the close partnership and bonds developed between the two countries and navies. It also symbolizes the combined resolve of both navies to address regional maritime challenges, and ensure safety and security in the Indian Ocean Region. ___________________________ VM/SPS 252/24 (Release ID: 2078843) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Warns It Could Go Nuclear Ahead Of Talks With European Powers By RFE/RL November 28, 2024 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says his country may change its nuclear doctrine and develop a bomb if UN sanctions are reimposed on Tehran. Speaking to reporters on November 28 in Lisbon, Portugal, Araqchi said Iran had long had the technical know-how to build a bomb but doing so "is not part of Tehran's security strategy," according to Iranian media. His comments come as negotiators from Iran and the E3 (Britain, France, and Germany) are scheduled to meet in Geneva to discuss a range of issues, including Iran's nuclear program and conflicts in the Middle East. Araqchi described the meeting on November 29 as a "brainstorming session" to see "if there really is a way out" of the current nuclear impasse. The Geneva meeting is not billed as nuclear talks by any party but Iran's atomic program is expected to be a central topic. Talks between Iran and world powers to restore the 2015 nuclear deal have stalled since September 2022. Last week, the 35-member board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a censure resolution against Iran and tasked the UN nuclear watchdog to prepare a "comprehensive and updated assessment" on the state of Iran's expanding nuclear program, including past and present attempts to develop a bomb. The report could pave the way for referring Iran's case to the UN Security Council in a bid to trigger the so-called "snapback" mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions that had been lifted under the terms of the 2015 agreement with world powers. In response to the resolution, Iran activated several "new and advanced" centrifuges to enrich uranium. Araqchi said he was "not optimistic" about the Geneva talks because he was unsure whether Tehran was "speaking to the right party." The 2015 nuclear agreement began to unravel after President-elect Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the accord during his first term in office in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran. Tehran responded by expanding its nuclear program, limiting inspections of its nuclear sites, and enriching uranium to as high as 60 percent. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-nuclear-talks- britain-france-germany/33219023.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, European Powers Agree To Continue Dialogue By RFE/RL November 29, 2024 Iran and three European powers agreed to continue their dialogue "in the near future" after a meeting in Geneva as intelligence officials warned Tehran's nuclear proliferation poses a "critical threat" in the coming months. Negotiators from Iran and the so-called E3 (Britain, France, and Germany) met in Switzerland to discuss a range of issues, including Iran's expanding nuclear program, its military support for Russia, and conflicts in the Middle East. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on X on November 29 that the talks in the Swiss city focused on the latest bilateral, regional, and international developments, "especially the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions." "We are firmly committed to pursuing the interests of our people, and our preference is the path of dialogue and engagement," Gharibabadi said. Ahead of the meeting, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said it would be a "brainstorming session" to see "if there really is a way out" of the current nuclear impasse, among other issues. Separately, the spy chiefs of Britain and France raised the alarm about Iran's growing relationship with Russia and its accelerating nuclear program. The meeting in Geneva came a week after the 35-member board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a censure resolution against Iran. It also tasked the UN nuclear watchdog to prepare a "comprehensive and updated assessment" on the state of Iran's expanding nuclear program, including past and present attempts to develop a bomb. The report could pave the way for referring Iran's case to the UN Security Council to trigger the so-called "snapback" mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions lifted under the terms of the 2015 agreement with world powers. In response to the resolution, Iran said it would begin enriching uranium with thousands of advanced centrifuges at its key nuclear facilities in Fordo and Natanz, the IAEA announced on November 29. The agency noted, however, that Iran would be enriching uranium to 5 percent purity -- even though it is enriching uranium with less advanced machines at 60 percent. Richard Moore, head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6, said on November 29 that if Russia were to meet its Ukraine war objectives, "China would weigh the implications, North Korea would be emboldened, and Iran would become still more dangerous." He added that Iran's nuclear ambitions were "a continued threat" -- a sentiment shared by Nicolas Lerner, head of France's foreign intelligence service. "Our services are working side by side to face what is undoubtedly one of the threats, if not to say the most critical threat, in the coming months -- the possible atomic proliferation in Iran," Lerner said in Geneva. With reporting by Reuters and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-europe- meeting-nuclear/33220666.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia-Kazakhstan talks Vladimir Putin and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks at the Akorda Residence. November 27, 2024 21:00 Astana Before the talks, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held an official welcoming ceremony for President of Russia Vladimir Putin. During the ceremony, the heads of state introduced the members of their respective delegations. The international consultations began with a restricted attendance meeting between the leaders, followed by a meeting with the participation of the two countries' delegations. During the state visit, a package of documents was signed, including the Joint Statement by the President of the Russian Federation and the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the enhancement of strategic partnership within the new world order. Among the executed documents is the Programme for Interregional and Cross-Border Cooperation between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2024-2028. Additionally, intergovernmental agreements were signed on collaboration in the development of railway transport and infrastructure, motorways, as well as road and railway checkpoints along the state border between Russia and Kazakhstan. Further agreements pertain to cooperation in healthcare and tourism. Also, documents were signed regarding trade and economic collaboration in the supply of oil and petroleum products to the Republic of Kazakhstan and cooperation between various ministries and departments of the two nations. Following the bilateral talks, the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan made statements for the media. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum Vladimir Putin and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part, via video link, in a plenary session of the 20th Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum in Ufa. November 27, 2024 19:10 Astana The event is themed as "Fulfilling the potential of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan: New challenges and opportunities." Following the plenary session of the forum, the leaders of Russia and Kazakhstan took part, via videoconference, in the opening ceremony of a branch of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University at Dostoevsky Omsk State University. This is the first branch of a Kazakhstani university to open in Russia. Vladimir Putin and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev authorised the initiation of the university branch's registration procedure. * * * President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, friends, I would like to extend a wholehearted welcome to the participants and hosts of the 20th anniversary Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum, which is taking place in Ufa. Regional ties are absolutely important. In fact, they are the foundation that makes the progressive and sustainable development of our bilateral relations possible. It makes absolute sense that the most recently held Russia-Kazakhstan regional forums have been held concurrently with the top-level visits. Notably, during today's talks with President of Kazakhstan Tokayev, the issues of strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships between the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan took the centre stage. We have approved a large-scale programme of interregional and cross-border cooperation, which includes about 150 joint initiatives aimed at creating favourable conditions for the comprehensive development of the regions of the two countries, improving the quality of life, and diversifying Russia-Kazakhstan economic ties. Your Forum is also devoted to trade and investment cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan, and as far as we know, you are discussing in detail its various aspects ranging from building up cross-border trade and investment and expanding industrial cooperation to developing logistics infrastructure and improving transport connectivity and boosting tourism and youth exchanges. We discussed this today as well. Representatives of 30 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and 13 Kazakh regions have gathered in Ufa. These regions are most widely involved in practical activities to expand bilateral ties. The overall commitment of all Forum participants to achieving concrete results and seeking to implement new projects is critical. This is evidenced, in particular, by an impressive set of interregional agreements, memorandums, and business contracts scheduled for signing. Importantly, Kazakhstan has firmly established itself as our country's key economic partner. In turn, Russia is Kazakhstan's second largest investment partner and foreign trade counterparty. As of the end of last year, bilateral trade reached a record high at nearly $30 billion, and in January-September of this year, it exceeded the $20 billion mark. Moreover, business transactions between the border regions of the two countries account for a significant portion of mutual trade. Russia is among the largest investors in Kazakhstan's economy as well. The total amount of Russian accumulated capital investment in Kazakhstan stands at $13 billion. Currently, about 60 large joint investment projects are being implemented in machine building, the chemical industry, and agriculture. Notably, the regions of the two countries make a significant contribution to implementing them. Our companies from the Urals, Volga, and Siberian Federal Districts are actively engaged in Kazakhstan's energy development programmes. In April, an intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Kazakhstan was formalised, stipulating the construction of new contemporary power plants in the regional centres of Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk. A joint project to upgrade hydroelectric generation facilities on the Kazakh segment of the Irtysh River is presently under consideration. The Russian company, RusHydro, expressing interest in participation, possesses extensive expertise in the construction of hydroelectric power stations in full compliance with environmental safety standards and sustainable water management practices. Rostselmash has effectively localised the manufacturing of tractors and combine harvesters within enterprises situated in the Akmola Region. Kazakhstan enjoys a continuing supply of components and spare parts for Russian and collaboratively manufactured agricultural machinery icluding from the Rostov and Chelyabinsk Regions. In September, the production of engine components for KAMAZ lorries commenced in the Kostanay Region, with the enterprise anticipated to achieve its full operational capacity in the first quarter of 2025. In the Karaganda Region, the production of car tyres has been initiated with Tatneft's involvement. A Russian-Kazakhstani enterprise producing mineral fertilisers is operational at the Karatau phosphorite deposit in southern Kazakhstan. In February, production of thermal insulation materials, under the Russian brand TekhnoNikol, began at the Kairat industrial zone in the Almaty Region. A polyethylene plant is currently under construction in the Atyrau Region, with its products intended for distribution not only within the regions of Russia and Kazakhstan but also to third countries' markets. This commodity is in high demand globally. The regional authorities are vigorously supporting efforts at the governmental level in Russia and Kazakhstan to establish a unified transport infrastructure, as extensively discussed today. They aim to optimise logistical corridors and enhance the traceability of goods. The eastern route of the International North-South Transport Corridor, extending from Russia and Belarus to the Indian Ocean coast, traverses Kazakhstan. Since the year's commencement, over one million tonnes of cargo have been transported via this corridor. Interregional collaboration in science and innovation is advancing dynamically. For instance, researchers from Moscow's Kurchatov Institute and Tomsk Polytechnic University are engaged in work on the Kazakhstan Material Testing Tokamak. In concert with their Kazakh counterparts, they are conducting pioneering research in fusion, physics, plasma, and advanced energy sources. Numerous educational institutions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Volga Region, Siberia, and the Urals maintain robust connections with Kazakh partners. Russian universities are instrumental in training highly skilled personnel for Kazakhstan's economy, with approximately 60,000 Kazakh students currently pursuing studies in our country. Overall, Russia and Kazakhstan possess a wealth of experience in constructive collaboration, presenting extensive prospects for further cooperative endeavours. We anticipate that the regions will persist in making substantial contributions to the development of the Russian-Kazakh comprehensive partnership. I am confident that the President of Kazakhstan shares my sentiment that the leadership of both countries will continue to endorse all your beneficial initiatives. I wish the participants of the Ufa Forum every success and the very best. Thank you for your attention. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: Mr President, forum participants, I am delighted to welcome you to the 20th anniversary Kazakhstan-Russia Interregional Cooperation Forum. It is symbolic that the Forum is taking place in Ufa, a unique city with a dynamically developing economy and rich cultural heritage. We know that Ufa recently marked its 450th anniversary. Over two decades, the Forum has become an effective venue where the tone is set for strengthening the strategic partnership between our countries. Cooperation in trade and economic and investment spheres, as well as industrial cooperation, demonstrates steady growth dynamics. The Russian President has just mentioned this. Indeed, trade numbers are up and last year it reached an impressive $27 billion, with Russia accounting for almost 20 percent of Kazakhstan's foreign trade. The total volume of direct Russian investment has approached $25 billion. The annual inflow of investment has grown significantly, doubling to $3 billion as of the end of last year. There are 23,000 Russian and joint venture companies successfully operating in Kazakhstan, which makes almost half of all our enterprises with foreign participation. In cooperation with leading Russian companies, high-tech projects are being implemented in areas such as the production of polyethylene, butadiene, mineral fertiliser, machine-building equipment, and hydrocarbon production. This clearly demonstrates the high level of economic integration between our countries. I am confident that today's Forum will become a starting point for developing new coordinated approaches to expanding trade and economic cooperation between the two countries on the principles of mutually beneficial and equal partnership. In this regard, I would like to elaborate on the key issues of inter-sectoral cooperation. First, cooperation in the fuel and energy sector between our countries has reached a whole new level. In conjunction with Lukoil, we began to develop a large Kalamkas Sea - Hazar offshore field. The investment in the project will amount to over $6 billion. In addition, Russian partners are widely involved in carrying out oil and gas chemical projects. In conjunction with SIBUR, in 2022 we commissioned the largest polypropylene plant in Central Asia with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year. Today, this enterprise not only provides raw materials for Kazakhstani processing facilities, but also exports products to Russia, China, Turkiye and other countries. In September, construction of a polyethylene plant with a capacity of 1.2 million tonnes per year began. Jointly with Tatneft, a project on butadiene production with a capacity of 340,000 tonnes per year is being implemented. Considerable progress has been achieved within the gas industry. For the first time, the transit of Russian gas to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan has launched. Moreover, an agreement has been executed with Gazprom concerning the transit of Russian gas to Kyrgyzstan, and deliberations are underway regarding long-term supplies of Russian gas to Kazakhstan. These initiatives are poised to significantly bolster the energy security across the Central Asian region. A year prior, we signed an intergovernmental agreement concerning measures to ensure the parallel operation of the energy systems of Kazakhstan and Russia. The execution of this agreement is expected to fortify the foundation of our energy sector partnership. From our perspective, we are committed to finalising the ratification of this pivotal document in the imminent future. Practical collaboration has been established concerning the construction of thermal power plants in the cities of Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk. Our alliance is also advancing robustly in renewable energy resources. Projects with a cumulative capacity of 370 megawatts have already been actualised in Kazakhstan with the involvement of Russian partners. Pursuant to the agreements reached, plans are in place to initiate an additional 1 gigawatt of sustainable energy generation in the near term. There exists substantial potential for further expansion of collaboration in this domain. Turning to the second point, this year commemorates the fifth anniversary of the programme of joint actions in industrial cooperation. Under this programme, 93 collaborative projects, attracting nearly $18.5 billion in total investment, have been realised, resulting in the creation of over 22,000 jobs. This year, in collaboration with Tatneft, a tyre manufacturing facility with a design capacity of 3.5 million units annually was launched in the city of Saran. In conjunction with KAMAZ, the localisation of machine-building equipment production is intensifying. This October, a significant project for the production of iron castings, with a capacity of up to 40,000 tonnes annually, was launched in Kostanay. The opening of a plant for manufacturing drive axle components is anticipated next year. Currently, 49 additional projects, involving an investment in excess of $29.5 billion and the creation of approximately 20,000 jobs, are in progress. EuroChem and Uralchem are engaged in large-scale projects in the Jambyl Region for the production of mineral fertilisers. The commencement of these facilities will not only satisfy domestic market demands but will also enable export activities. Furthermore, 26 additional projects are being developed, which will enhance industrial cooperation between our nations. Addressing the third point, Kazakhstan and Russia possess substantial potential for amplifying cooperation within the agricultural and industrial sectors. Russia has attained commendable success in developing the agro-industrial sector, import substitution, and the incorporation of contemporary technologies within the industry. It is unsurprising that Russia currently holds the premier position in the structure of Kazakhstan's foreign trade in agro-industrial commodities. Kazakhstan is making great efforts to advance its own agro-industrial sector. This year, our agricultural workers achieved a record grain harvest of nearly 27 million tonnes. This is particularly noteworthy in the year marking the seventieth anniversary of the commencement of Kazakhstan's virgin lands development. Moreover, we have embarked on numerous large-scale projects aimed at diminishing reliance on imports for essential food products. Over the forthcoming years, 116 state-of-the-art dairy farms will be established, enabling us to increase milk production by 600,000 tonnes. Plans are underway to commission 29 meat poultry facilities with a combined capacity exceeding 220,000 tonnes of meat annually, alongside 11 egg poultry farms capable of producing 850 million eggs per year. Our nations possess a truly colossal export agro-industrial potential. I strongly believe - as we have discussed it today - that our countries should not compete within the domestic market of the Eurasian Economic Union, nor in export markets, as such rivalry is evidently counterproductive to integration and collaboration overall. We devoted significant attention to this issue during our discussions and have reached a consensus. Rather, we can unite our efforts to emerge as a pivotal food hub for agricultural exports to third-country markets. Currently, China stands as a dependable partner and a consistent consumer of our products. For oilseeds and grains alone, its annual demand in global markets is estimated at approximately $90 billion, and for meat, nearly $30 billion. We can complement one another to enhance trade with our eastern neighbour. To realise this objective, our governments need to actively pursue joint production ventures. For instance, in collaboration with the ECO-Culture company, a major project to construct a greenhouse complex spanning 500 hectares has been initiated in the Turkistan Region. There should be an increase in projects of this nature. For instance, there are substantial opportunities in deep processing of wheat, oilseeds, as well as meat and dairy products. The fourth point pertains to reinforcing the transport and logistics infrastructure across the Eurasian region. This matter holds strategic significance for both Kazakhstan and Russia. Consequently, by 2030, we aim to repair 11,000 kilometres and build over 5,000 kilometres of new railways. To enhance the transport sector's efficiency, advanced digital technologies are being implemented in our country. A critical priority for us is establishing a network of modern multimodal centres and dry ports internationally. A successful example of such cooperation is the construction of a new transport and logistics centre at Selyatino station in the Russian Federation. At the opposite end of the transit corridor, cargo will be amassed at the recently completed Kazakh terminal in the Chinese city of Xi'an. Thus, in effect, pivotal nodes of the unified cargo transit system along the China-Kazakhstan-Russia route are being established. In alignment with the strategic interests of our nations, we intend to launch the construction of the new Ayagoz-Bakhty railway line, which will enhance throughput capacity towards China to 20 million tonnes annually. We attach particular importance to the development of the critical North-South transport corridor. Last year, over two million tonnes of cargo traversed this route, yet we consider it entirely feasible to escalate this volume to 20 million tonnes per annum. As a supportive measure, Kazakhstan has introduced a 50 percent reduction on cargo transit fees along this corridor this year. Our interest also extends to the joint development of the Trans-Afghanistan corridor, which holds the potential to become a stable and secure pathway providing access to South Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Fifthly, the tourism sector is experiencing dynamic growth in both our countries. Kazakhstan offers visa-free travel to citizens of 86 nations and maintains direct air connections with 31 countries worldwide. Efforts are consistently underway to enhance transport accessibility to key resort areas. Currently, comprehensive plans are being worked out to develop the Almaty mountain cluster, beach tourism along the Caspian coast, and the Shchuchinsk-Borovsk urban resort zone. We observe with keen interest the significant achievements of the tourism industry in the Russian Federation. Our countries possess all the prerequisites for further advancement in this sector: a favourable geographical location, diverse natural landscapes, and a rich, unique historical and cultural heritage. I am of the opinion that collaborative efforts in the tourism sector can yield substantial economic benefits. For Russian tourists in Kazakhstan, there exist no linguistic or cultural barriers. We are united by a shared culture and a common history. In the first nine months of this year alone, the mutual tourist exchange between our nations surpassed five million people. Forum participants, Collaborative endeavours to broaden trade and economic cooperation enable us to adapt to contemporary challenges and establish a robust foundation for the sustainable growth of our two countries' economies. It is imperative that we sustain the high calibre of our multifaceted cooperation. Continuing efforts to simplify cross-border procedures and eliminate trade and logistics barriers are crucial to ensuring favourable conditions for Kazakh and Russian businesses. I am confident that the comprehensive package of agreements signed during the Forum, along with the specific initiatives proposed, will not only unlock the considerable potential of interregional cooperation but also provide a strong impetus for the economic development of our countries. In conclusion, I wish to extend my best wishes for productive deliberations, prosperity, and success to all participants, and to express my gratitude to President Vladimir Putin and the Government of the Russian Federation for the exemplary organisation of the Forum in the city of Ufa. Thank you. <...> NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Article by Vladimir Putin in the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper, Russia - Kazakhstan: a Forward-Looking Alliance Demanded by Life November 27, 2024 00:00 On the eve of my regular state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, I would like to share my vision of the current state and future of the relations between our two countries on the pages of the authoritative Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper. The cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan has been a genuine alliance, which continues to develop actively in all directions. Our partnership is underpinned by traditions of friendship, good neighbourliness and mutual assistance and relies on unwavering principles of equality and consideration of each other's interests. The peoples of Russia and Kazakhstan are connected by the bonds of similar cultural, spiritual and moral values, centuries of living in one State, as well as shared achievements and victories. The strong good personal relationship that Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and I have developed after the years of joint work, are yet another proof of the level of our two States' ties. We regularly call each other and meet in various formats. We constantly coordinate our positions on pressing bilateral, as well as on regional and global issues, and make plans for the future. The most important thing is that both President Tokayev and I have always sought specific results and tried to do our utmost to ensure the best possible conditions to enable further steady development of Russian-Kazakh cooperation, the prosperity of our countries, and the improving of the quality of life of our citizens. Russia is one of Kazakhstan's major economic partners. Our states have actively supported Eurasian economic integration and were among the founders of the Eurasian Economic Union, where we have been developing a common market of goods, services and capital, removing regulatory and trade barriers and creating a common transport and logistics infrastructure. All of this enables us to cooperate effectively in various economic areas and substantially benefits our countries. The impressive volume of our bilateral trade speaks for itself. Last year it reached a new peak hitting the USD 28 billion mark, and already exceeded USD 20 billion between January and September 2024. Our bilateral trade has been constantly diversifying, with the share of higher value-added non-commodity goods growing continuously. Besides, settlements in national currencies have played an increasing role, which has helped protect business transactions between our countries from the negative impact of external, including political, factors. Russian investments in Kazakhstan's economy have also been growing annually; today they amount to about USD 13 billion. More than 23,000 enterprises with Russian capital operate in the Republic. Companies of our countries are implementing a number of major joint projects in the field of industrial cooperation and high technologies and develop new full production cycle manufacturing processes, which facilitates comprehensive economic modernization and strengthens the technological sovereignty of Russia and Kazakhstan. Our countries are engaged in equally constructive cooperation in the oil and gas sector. Due to the activities of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, over 80 percent of Kazakhstan's oil is exported to foreign markets via Russian territory and Russian port infrastructure on the Black Sea. The energy companies of our companies are jointly developing hydrocarbon reserves, processing energy resources and expanding the pipeline system. Rosatom provides practical assistance in the implementation of nuclear fuel cycle projects and the development of the uranium industry in Kazakhstan. The Russian state corporation, which has unique competencies and technical solutions, often unparalleled in the world, is ready for new large-scale projects with Kazakhstan. Good prospects are also opening up for cooperation in the field of alternative and clean energy, environmental protection and combating climate change. There is a whole range of promising industrial projects and initiatives in other areas of economic cooperation as well. I would like to mention, for example, the ongoing work to expand the eastern branch of the North-South international transport corridor that passes through Kazakhstan, and the creation of the Baiterek space rocket complex at the Baikonur Cosmodrome using the Russian Soyuz-5 rocket carrier. The regions of our countries are making a tangible contribution to strengthening our mutually beneficial collaboration. Practically all of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation have established direct ties with their partners from Kazakhstan, and are working together on projects in the field of energy, industry, transport, and high technologies. These days, Ufa is hosting the 20th jubilee Interregional Cooperation Forum that traditionally gathers government senior officials, lawmakers, representatives of ministries and agencies, business, scientific and social circles, i.e. all those who deal with the practical issues of the development of bilateral relations. Mr Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and I are going to address participants in the forum via videolink. In addition, a large-scale Programme for Interregional and Cross-Border Cooperation has been developed. It comprises some 150 joint activities and projects aimed at creating favourable conditions for further progressive socio-economic growth of the regions of Russia and Kazakhstan, and for improving the quality of life for people. Humanitarian exchanges occupy a traditionally important place in the spectrum of Russian-Kazakh interaction. Both Russian and Kazakh sides do much to expanding cooperation in culture, sports, through social and youth communities, and, certainly, in education. Around 60,000 Kazakhstani students attend Russian higher education institutions. Branches of many leading Russian higher education institutions, including Lomonosov Moscow State University, operate successfully in Kazakhstan. In the near future already, a branch of MGIMO University of the MFA of Russia whose graduates include many famous Kazakhstanis, including Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will open in Astana. Russia also supports the construction of new Russian language schools in Kazakhstan, as well as enhancing the quality of school education in Russian language. We expect that soon three more such schools will open in the cities of Kyzylorda, Taraz and Turkistan. And we are naturally grateful to the leadership of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and personally Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, for the caring attitude to the Russian language and putting forward an important initiative of establishing the International Organization for the Russian language which will contribute to the promotion of the Russian language as a means of interstate and international communication. I would like to emphasize that next year the peoples of our countries will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. We look forward to seeing President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and our other Kazakh friends at the anniversary celebrations in Moscow on 9 May. Both Russia and Kazakhstan remember and sacredly honour the feat of their fathers and grandfathers, who fought shoulder to shoulder against Nazism. And we must certainly do our utmost to ensure that future generations remember the cost of defending peace and freedom. This is especially important now, at a time when a more just multipolar world order is formed based on equal cooperation and new opportunities for sovereign development. Russia and Kazakhstan are at the forefront of these processes and take similar positions with regard to the key role of international law in interstate relations, and the need to take into account the interests of all countries in matters of global security, stability and sustainable development. It is on the basis of these approaches that our countries cooperate productively within multilateral organizations, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The President of Kazakhstan took part in the CIS Summit in Moscow and in the BRICS Summit in Kazan which were held in October with great success. In particular, one of the important decisions taken at the BRICS Meeting of State Leaders was the establishment of a new category - "Partner Country" of our Group, as well as the list of candidate countries to obtain such status was agreed. Kazakhstan was invited to join the BRICS in this capacity. I would like to emphasize once again that Russia is willing to continue developing multifaceted relations of friendship and alliance with the Republic of Kazakhstan for the benefit of our peoples. I wish all citizens of Kazakhstan success, well-being and prosperity. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address What To Know About A New Investigation Into Kazakhstan And A Strategic Caspian Pipeline By Reid Standish November 27, 2024 A new investigation led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and 26 media partners, including RFE/RL, dug into financial dealings surrounding a key pipeline in Kazakhstan and the oil fields that feed it. The project, Caspian Cabals, and the two-year investigation are based on tens of thousands of pages of confidential e-mails, company presentations, and other oil-industry records, audits, court documents, and regulatory filings, as well as frontline reporting and hundreds of interviews, including with former oil company employees and insiders at Shell, Chevron, and Exxon. At the center is a crucial 1,511-kilometer Caspian pipeline that transports Kazakh oil through Russia to European markets. The investigation documents instances of inflated budgets, rigged bidding for contracts, and payments to subcontractors for work that never happened linked to the pipeline's construction over the years. In Russia, the investigation reported on how Transneft, a state-owned company that is the Russian partner in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) that operates the pipeline, sought to wrest greater control and sideline other Western corporations such as Chevron, Exxon, and Eni that are also part of the consortium. ICIJ also looked at how oil companies signed off on lucrative contracts to two firms linked to Timur Kulibaev, the billionaire son-in-law of Kazakhstan's former president, Nursultan Nazarbaev. The investigation also focused on villages near the Kazakh oil fields where people are battling chronic illnesses and grappling with mounting environmental and health problems that local residents and activists say is tied to the sprawling energy projects nearby. Key Findings: Kazakhstan and Kulibaev In Kazakhstan, the investigation centers on the well-connected Kulibaev, who is sometimes called the Oil Prince for his top role in the industry and how he leveraged his influence with international companies and the Kazakh government to turn the country into one of the world's top producers. Kulibaev is one of Central Asia's wealthiest people, with Forbes estimating his fortune at more than $5 billion in 2024, including extravagant properties around the world. In 2011, a $276.5 million contract for two oil pumping stations was awarded to KazStroyService, a company tied to Kulibaev. Over the course of the six-year project, public records show Kulibaev's Singapore-based private equity firm, Steppe Capital, listed KazStroyService among its holdings. The cost of the project awarded to KazStroyService ballooned to $486 million, with little explanation offered for the increase -- and the company completed the work four years behind schedule. Tenizservice, a company partially owned by Kulibaev until 2010, was given a contract to build the offloading facility linked to the pipeline with a price tag of $1.06 billion. Despite enormous regulatory hurdles, the project moved quickly with preliminary work starting within a month. Chevron, Exxon, and two other partners approved a deal that would ultimately pay TenizService $1.5 billion beyond the original cost of the no-bid contract, for a total of $2.5 billion. Kulibaev declined ICIJ's requests for an interview. Kulibaev's U.K. law and communications firm, Schillings, said he is an independently wealthy businessman and investor, with his own business interests and a proven commercial track record. In a 39-page letter to ICIJ's lawyers, Schillings acknowledged Kulibaev had an indirect, minority stake in TenizService until 2010, but had no financial interest in the company when the giant infrastructure contract was awarded two years later. KazStroyService did not respond to repeated requests for comment, nor did the Caspian Pipeline Consortium or Exxon. Chevron did not respond to questions about the KazStroyService contract. Kulibaev's lawyers said he acquired a 50 percent stake in KazStroyService in June 2007 but was not involved in the company's management or contract discussions. They said Kulibaev "was never involved in the management of CPC," adding that neither he nor Steppe Capital played a role in the pumping stations project or CPC's awarding of the pipeline contract to KazStroyService. According to filings seen by ICIJ, the government of Kazakhstan has retained a U.S. lobbying firm since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine for a contract that is now worth nearly $4 million to help keep the pipeline sanction-free. Key Findings: Russia And Transneft Russia's Transneft owns a 31 percent stake in CPC and one of the central takeaways of the Caspian Cabals investigation is how the state-owned company has expanded its control over the pipeline. In one instance documented by ICIJ in March 2020, Transneft sought to wrest greater control of CPC's board from Western companies. According to internal CPC documents reviewed by ICIJ, Transneft sought to grant expanded powers to Nikolai Gorban, a Transneft veteran who had worked at several of the company's subsidiaries and was CPC's general director. This move required Western shareholders working at CPC to report to Gorban as part of a new board for the consortium. In May of that year, shortly after the new board's election, more than a dozen Western oil company employees working with CPC were accused by Russia's Interior Ministry of being illegally employed in Russia. Concerned over the possible legal consequences, the Western workers fled the country and were then shut out of CPC's computer system. The move effectively sidelined Western influence over the pipeline's operations. Prior to the 2020 push by Transneft, sources told ICIJ's Dutch partner NRC that shareholders argued over a proposal to award Transneft Service, a subsidiary for the state-owned firm, a lucrative marine service contract. Six weeks after the Western employees left Russia, CPC signed a 10-year contract with Transneft Service for marine services at Novorossiysk, the processing terminal for the pipeline on Russia's Black Sea coast. A politically influential Russian company, Velesstroy, became one of the pipeline's key suppliers under Transneft management. Velesstroy is co-owned by two Croatian businessmen, both under sanctions by the United Kingdom for their ties to the Russian energy sector. One of them is Kresimir Filipovic, who is known in Russian and other media as "Putin's wallet" in the Balkans. Bank documents, inspection reports, and court filings show how the company avoided taxes and piled up safety violations. At least 18 Velesstroy workers have died on the job since 2015, including one at a pipeline site. Yet the consortium's partners continued to sign off on contracts with the company amid allegations that the deals were vastly overpriced. After it started paying dividends, CPC made at least $1.4 billion in such payments to the Russian state through CPC shareholders Transneft and Rosneft, Russia's biggest oil company. According to ICIJ, at least $816 million has been paid to those companies since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. ICIJ found that since the start of the war, there have been at least 20 pipeline disruptions or suspensions of oil shipments. CPC paid roughly $321 million in taxes to Russian authorities in 2022 -- including $96 million to the Russian federal government -- an amount equivalent to the value of about 70 new Russian tanks, according to ICIJ calculations. ICIJ also found that CPC downplayed the severity of the 2021 oil spill in Russia and significantly underreported the amount of oil lost. The consortium later lost a Russian court case on this issue and paid a $98.7 million fine for environmental damage. In 10 cases identified by ICIJ, Russian construction firms signed contracts for the CPC expansion and accepted advance payments or loans, but they allegedly failed to carry out substantial work or delivered work late. In a statement to ICIJ, Chevron said the company is "committed to ethical business practices, operating responsibly, conducting its business with integrity and in accordance with the laws and regulations of each of the jurisdictions in which it operates." Transneft did not respond to ICIJ's request for comment. Exxon also did not respond to requests for comment on this issue. A Shell spokesman said the company does not tolerate bribery in any form. An Eni spokesperson said, "We are committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency, ethical conduct, and environmental responsibility." The company referred questions about the pipeline to its owner, the CPC, which did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-russia- cpc-caspian-pipeline-investigation/33217866.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Toqaev Welcomes Putin On Visit To Kazakhstan During 'Difficult Time' By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service November 27, 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin has been warmly received in Kazakhstan, where he and Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev discussed boosting energy and industry ties. Putin arrived in Astana on a state visit on November 27 and was greeted by Toqaev with a handshake, according to images released on social media. Toqaev said he had "carefully read" Putin's commentary published in state newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda ahead of the visit and said he had published his own commentary on the state of the relationship between Moscow and Astana in the Russian media. "I think that we have very thoroughly, as if in unison, outlined our approaches to the development of cooperation aimed at the future," Toqaev said. He emphasized in his article that Kazakhstan "remains a reliable strategic partner and ally of Russia in this very difficult time," Toqaev's press service quoted Toqaev as saying. Putin thanked Toqaev "for his careful attitude toward the Russian language," a reference to the lower house of parliament's ratification of an agreement to create the International Organization for the Russian Language a few days before Putin's arrival. Kazakhstan has tried to distance itself from Moscow's war in Ukraine but remains highly dependent on Russia for exporting oil to Western markets and for imports of food, electricity, and other products. Underscoring that more than 80 percent of Kazakhstan's oil is exported to foreign markets via Russia, Putin said he and Toqaev always focus on "a specific result" in their talks. "Our countries are...constructively cooperating in the oil and gas sector," Putin wrote in his article, which was also featured in the Kremlin's website. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told journalists on November 26 that Putin and Toqaev would sign a protocol on extending an agreement on oil supplies to Kazakhstan. He did not give details. The two leaders said after their meeting that they had discussed plans to increase the transit through Kazakhstan of Russian natural gas to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, part of Moscow's pivot away from European energy markets. They also said they talked about joint projects in hydroelectric power, car tires, and fertilizers and other areas. Putin said in his article that Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom was "ready for new large-scale projects." The company already is involved in some projects in Kazakhstan, which in October voted in favor of constructing its first nuclear power plant. Neither leader mentioned the nuclear project after their talks. Toqaev said he had raised the issue of agricultural trade following a Russian ban on imports of grain, fruit, and other farm products from Kazakhstan in October. Moscow imposed the ban after Kazakhstan barred Russian wheat imports in August to protect its producers. "Our countries should not compete on the Eurasian Economic Union market or foreign markets," Toqaev said, referring to agricultural exports within and outside a Moscow-led post-Soviet trade bloc. With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kazakhstan- putin-toqaev-central-asia-trade-oil-agriculture/33218211.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Unconstitutional' Proposals To Change Kazakhstan's Charity Laws Set Off Alarm Bells By Chris Rickleton and Manshuk Asautai November 28, 2024 ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Don't look there, look here? Officials in Kazakhstan are mulling amendments to laws affecting charity that critical journalists and activists are calling unconstitutional and potentially damaging to their work. If sent to parliament and passed, the amendments would regulate how people can make and receive donations -- changes that could reach beyond charity, depending on how they might be worded and interpreted. What is more, the so far closed-doors discussions of the Culture and Information Ministry's working group on the topic are taking place in the middle of a noisy scandal that has cast fundraising in a bad light. Local media has been feasting on the rise-and-fall story of jailed businesswoman and charity co-founder Perizat Qairat. It is certainly a colorful one. Qairat's social media accounts portray a jet-setting lifestyle in which luxury-filled visits to the United Arab Emirates, expensive tastes in fashion, and a spoiled canine all feature heavily. The Agency for Financial Monitoring on November 14 alleged this lifestyle was paid for by around $3 million in contributions by Kazakh citizens to the Biz Birgemiz (We Are Together) charity led by Qairat during its fundraising drive for victims of historic floods in Kazakhstan in the spring. The agency provided a list of top-end vehicles, real estate, and holidays it said the 33-year-old had purchased with these funds and then followed up with another statement on her alleged embezzlements during another fundraising drive for Palestinians. The court will decide if she is guilty and, since courts in Kazakhstan rarely disagree with the positions taken by investigators, Qairat might find herself up against it. But the fact her arrest has coincided with reports about the working group's activities is already setting off alarm bells among journalists and activists dependent on donations for their work. This is "in no way a coincidence," according to Vadim Boreiko, a veteran journalist and the host of the popular Hyperborei YouTube channel. "These amendments have not been passed, but they are already threatening small independent media that work overwhelmingly thanks to donations," Boreiko said, citing a sudden drop-off in donations to Hyperborei since Qairat's detention was announced. As such, the agency's comment in its November 14 press release that the case amounted to a "breach of public trust in civil society" is already proving prophetic, Boreiko noted with sarcasm. 'Stimulating And Developing Charity' The Culture and Information Ministry has said the working group was established to develop proposals and new strategies for "stimulating and developing charity" in Kazakhstan. In response to an official inquiry from RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, the ministry said amendments to the law were still under discussion and "will be submitted for public consultation at a later stage." The ministry has also reassured multiple media outlets that "the issue of restricting individuals and legal entities from making charitable contributions, including in critical situations, is not being considered." But a draft document of the amendments that RFE/RL's Kazakh Service was able to obtain raises doubts about that position. Kazakhstan's charity law was adopted in 2015 but has been tweaked several times since then. The latest proposals to change the law and laws related to it are ostensibly being made to bring Kazakh legislation in line with the best practices of the Financial Action Task Force, a Paris-based intergovernmental organization that fights money laundering and terrorist financing. One proposal currently being studied by the working group calls for the introduction of steep fines (as much as $800) for crowdfunders who indicate a personal bank account when calling for funds "for the benefit of other people." Lesser fines would be applicable to individuals who begin and conclude fundraising drives without notifying the authorities of their activities and goals. These measures are needed to "reduce the number of fraudulent transactions," according to the authors of the document. Along with fraudsters, mobile donations are also the main method by which activists, journalists, and regular citizens receive support. It has less relevance to charities like Biz Birgemiz, which is a registered entity with its own bank accounts. But those types of organizations would be affected by several other proposals being discussed by the working group. One of those is a proposal to amend a different law -- on civil defense -- to determine who can and cannot raise funds during natural and manmade emergencies in a given region. If passed, "the choice of a charitable organization for collecting funds should be assigned to the local executive body," the document reads. A Scandal Made In The Ruling Party? The drive to overhaul the sector would perhaps be generating less pessimism if it were not spearheaded by the Culture and Information Ministry and its high-powered minister, Aida Balaeva. In August, President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev signed off on a new law on mass media drawn up by the same ministry. The law has introduced new restrictions around media accreditation, limiting journalists to working for a single outlet and increasing the ease with which authorities can suspend accreditation. One pretext for suspension could be perceived infringements at press conferences and other settings where officials and journalists interact after Balaeva complained of "inappropriate" behavior from journalists in these settings. Kazakh authorities have a standard form of viewing fundraising efforts negatively when government critics are involved. The most famous recent example of this is the situation surrounding the women's and children's rights group NeMolchi.KZ (Don't Be Silent). Last year, police said an arrest warrant had been issued for Dina Smailova, the group's leader, in connection with an embezzlement case. Smailova has herself said hundreds of individuals who donated to her in the past have been called in for questioning as officers attempt to build a case against her. NeMolchi.KZ is known for defending women who are victims of domestic and sexual violence. Several of the group's recent cases have involved perpetrators who are state officials or members of law enforcement. Human Rights Watch in February called the charges "dubious" and raised concerns that the authorities were on "a fishing expedition for evidence of wrongdoing by Smailova," who lives in de facto exile but continues to source donations to cover the work of Kazakh-based staff and lawyers to represent victims of abuse. Smailova argues that authorities' attempts to tighten regulations surrounding charitable work are unconstitutional, restricting the fundamental right of citizens to dispose of their assets in the way they choose. While the scandal surrounding Qairat and Biz Birgemiz is a bad look for the local charitable sector, it has also somewhat backfired on the government. That is after journalists from the Ratel.kz news agency identified at least four people with current or past connections to the ruling Amanat party (formerly Nur Otan) on the charity's documents of incorporation. To date there have been no announcements that any of these co-founders are being investigated alongside Qairat, whose entrepreneurial sidelines include a luxury flower shop and a meat export business. A report from RFE/RL's Kazakh Service on November 14 recalled that during the massive floods in northern and western Kazakhstan in April, Qairat published an Instagram post calling on President Toqaev to "react promptly and travel to emergency sites to avoid the death of his people" and to cancel international engagements "as presidents of other countries do during emergencies." Qairat promptly deleted the post and published a new one, apologizing and asking the country to unite around Toqaev. Whether her earlier, unsolicited advice played any role in her fate is unclear. But Amanat was forced to respond to the reports of its members' involvement in the charity. Lawmaker and Amanat executive secretary Elnur Beisembaev acknowledged on November 20 that two serving party members were among the charity's founders but denied any institutional connections between Amanat and Biz Birgemiz. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-charity- law-proposals/33218213.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar's Wa rebels reject Thai demand to withdraw from bases along shared border They say troop placement must be negotiated at the government level. By RFA Burmese 2024.11.26 -- Ethnic rebels in eastern Myanmar's Shan state on Tuesday dismissed calls by the Royal Thai Army to withdraw from nine military camps along a disputed portion of the border with Thailand, suggesting Bangkok take the issue up with the ruling junta. The United Wa State Army, which controls an autonomous region of Shan state, has designated the townships of Tachileik, Mongsat, Mongton, Hway Aw and Pong Par Kyin -- near Thailand's Mae Hong Son province -- as part of its "171 Military Region." Leaders of the Wa army, or UWSA, met with officers from the Thai Royal Army in Chiang Mai, Thailand from Nov. 18-19 to discuss tensions along the border, after which Thai authorities demanded that the rebels withdraw from the nine military outposts by Dec. 19, according to Thai media reports. On Tuesday, the UWSA responded to the demand, saying troops withdrawals must be decided as part of official bilateral talks. "This is a matter of negotiation for the two governments," said UWSA liaison officer Nyi Rang, referring the issue to Myanmar's ruling junta, which seized power in a February 2021 military coup d'etat. UWSA officials said tensions between its forces and the Thai military are highest along the border with Shan's Mongton and Mong Hsat townships. Beginning Monday, the Royal Thai Army has been reinforcing its troops in the area, further stoking the border spat, a resident named Aung Kyaw told RFA Burmese. "At present, no clashes have occurred, but troops on both sides remain in a standoff," he said. "It is hoped that conflict can be avoided to prevent any loss of life or property. The situation should be resolved peacefully." Aung Kyaw said that residents of the area are concerned by military preparations on both sides of the border. Long-running dispute The areas under dispute between Myanmar and Thailand were previously under the control of Myanmar's ethnic Mong Tai Army. However, amid conflict between Myanmar's army and the Mong Tai army, the former deployed allied Wa forces to the areas, according to observers of ethnic issues in Myanmar. Following a 1989 peace agreement between Myanmar's military and the UWSA, more than 80,000 ethnic Wa people migrated to eastern Shan state, and the Wa forces established strong military bases along the Thai border, observers say. Than Soe Naing, a commentator on military and political affairs, told RFA that the UWSA will not leave these stronghold areas, with a population that now numbers more than 100,000 within its 171 Military Region. "The UWSA has established positions in this area with the approval of former Major General Khin Nyunt of the Myanmar military to block the Mong Tai Army from importing supplies from Thailand," he said. "The UWSA is unlikely to relinquish these disputed areas quietly, despite Thailand's demands for their withdrawal. If Thailand carries out military action, clashes between the two neighboring countries are inevitable." Several Myanmar and Thailand governments have attempted to resolve the long-running dispute along the two countries' shared border, with little success. Thailand made similar demands to the UWSA during a township-level meeting in Tachilek in June 2023, which the Wa army also dismissed. But the stakes are higher this time around, with Bangkok issuing a deadline and the Royal Thai Army deploying reinforcements to the border. Attempts by RFA to contact the Thai Embassy in Yangon via email received no response by the time of publishing. Thailand downplays tensions Despite the rising tensions, Col. Rungkhun Mahapanyawong, the Royal Thai Army's 3rd Army Region spokesman, described the situation at the border as "normal." "The situation along the borders of [Thailand's] Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son remains normal - people are living their lives as usual and the [parties] along the border have good relations with one another," he said at a press conference at the Royal Thai Army's 3rd Army headquarters in Phitsanulok province. "The reported areas are not yet demarcated," he said. "Government-to-government negotiations are ongoing." However, he warned that Thailand will protect its national sovereignty if necessary. "The 3rd Army Region is ready to do its best to defend the nation's sovereignty and protect the Thai people," he said. Attempts by RFA to contact junta spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for a response to UWSA reports of territorial disputes went unanswered Tuesday. Junta unlikely to engage A former military officer turned political commentator told RFA that the junta has little interest in the disputes between the UWSA and the Thai government. "This border dispute is not even equal to one hundredth of the importance of friendly relations between the two countries," said the former military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. "The [junta] ... is preoccupied with internal affairs, so they aren't interested in this dispute and won't address it." Tensions with Thailand come as the UWSA faces pressure from Beijing to end hostilities with the junta amid conflict at the border China shares with northern Shan state. Other Myanmar political commentators told RFA they believe that in renewing its demands on the longstanding territorial disputes, the Thai government is taking advantage of a time when both the Myanmar military and the UWSA are dealing with internal conflict. Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EXPLAINED: What is Myanmar's Arakan Army? Spotlight on fate of Rohingya Muslims, China investments as guerrillas consolidate control. By Kiana Duncan 2024.11.27 -- The Arakan Army insurgent group in western Myanmar's Rakhine state has made rapid advances against the junta over the past year and controls more territory and people than any other rebel force in Myanmar. Rakhine state, or Arakan as it used to be known, was a separate kingdom until it was conquered by Burmese kings in 1784. Now the Arakan Army, or AA, could be on the brink of a major step towards fulfilling what it calls the "Arakan Dream", of once again securing self-determination for the state of more than 3 million people, some 60% of whom are ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and about 35% Muslim Rohingya. As the AA advances towards its goal of driving out junta forces, scrutiny has turned to how it sees Rakhine state's future in Myanmar, how it would handle the state's Muslim minority, amid accusations of serious rights abuses, which the AA denies, and how it would accommodate China's economic ambitions. When was the Arakan Army formed? The AA was founded in 2009 by members of the ethnic Rakhine community, led by former student activist Twan Mrat Naing, seeking shelter with the Kachin Independence Army, or KIA, in northern Myanmar. The AA recruited some of its first fighters among Rakhine men working in jade mines in Kachin state. They gained experience fighting the military alongside the KIA and other insurgent forces in Shan state, before filtering back into Rakhine state from around 2014. The AA burst onto the scene in Rakhine state on Jan. 4, 2019, with Independence Day attacks on four police stations. Aung San Suu Kyi, who led a civilian government at the time, ordered the military to crush the "terrorist" force but the two sides later agreed to a ceasefire. What was its reaction to the 2021 coup? The AA condemned the military's February 2021 coup but did not immediately resort to arms. Over the next two years of on-again, off-again ceasefires, the AA built up its administrative capacity through its political wing, the United League of Arakan, including a COVID-19 vaccination drive. In November 2023, it launched a large-scale offensive in coordination with two Shan state insurgent forces, as part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance. The AA made lightning progress, initially in northern Rakhine state and a southern part of neighboring Chin state that it claims, seizing military outposts, bases and towns, as well as large amounts of arms and ammunition. How big is it, and how much territory does it control? The AA claims to have more than 30,000 fighters though independent analysts suspect its strength is around 20,000. The AA controls about 80% of Rakhine state - 10 of its 17 townships and one in neighboring Chin state. In townships it does not control, it has pinned junta forces into pockets of territory, such as the state capital, Sittwe, the town of Ann, home of the military's Western Command, and the Kyaukpyu economic zone on the coast where China has energy facilities. What are its goals? While all of Myanmar's insurgent forces want to throw off military rule, they differ when it comes to ultimate aims. Most ethnic minority forces and pro-democracy militias drawn from the majority Burman community aspire to a democratic, federal union but the AA has called for a vaguely defined "confederate status" for Rakhine state. "We will see whether a Federal Union of Myanmar will have the political space for the kind of confederation that our Arakanese people aspire for," AA leader Twan Mrat Naing told the Asia Times newspaper in a 2022 interview. How does the AA treat the Rohingya? The prospect of the AA governing Rakhine state is bound to raise fears for the Rohingya. The AA's position on the persecuted Muslim minority community has shifted over the years, from seemingly moderate and inclusive to accusations of mass killings this year. The catalyst for the hardening of the AA line on the Rohingya was a campaign by the junta to recruit, at times forcibly, Rohingya men into militias to fight the AA. U.N. investigators said they documented attacks on Rohingya by both the AA and the junta. On Aug. 5, scores of Rohingya trying to flee from the town of Maungdaw to Bangladesh, across a border river, were killed by drones and artillery fire that survivors and rights groups said was unleashed by the AA. The AA denied responsibility. How influential is China? As well as capturing large volumes of weapons from the military, the AA has been helped by its insurgent allies in the northeast, analysts say. For revenue, it says it relies on taxes and donations from Rakhine workers overseas. It denies any link to the flow of methamphetamines from producers in Myanmar to a booming black market in Bangladesh. The role of China is likely to be crucial as it seeks to bring peace to Myanmar. China has extensive economic interests in its southern neighbor including a hub for its Belt and Road energy and infrastructure network in Rakhine state at Kyaukpyu, where China wants to build a deep sea port. Natural gas and oil pipelines begin at Kyaukpyu and run across Myanmar to southern China. The AA, like other insurgents in Myanmar, has not attacked Chinese interests, though it has surrounded Kyaukpyu. Some analysts say the AA, with its northeastern Myanmar connections, has links to China. However, there has been no public indication that China is pressing the AA to make peace with the junta, as it has done with groups in northern and northeastern Myanmar. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Taejun Kang. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address International criminal court seeks arrest warrant for Myanmar junta chief Prosecutor says 2017 Rohingya crackdowns were suspected of being committed by the army, police and civilians. By RFA Staff 2024.11.27 -- The International Criminal Court, or ICC, issued an application for an arrest warrant on Wednesday for Myanmar's army chief who now heads its junta, in connection with violence against the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority in western Myanmar's Rakhine state in 2017, its prosecutor said. Myanmar's military conducted a sweeping crackdown on Rohingya communities in 2017 after Rohingya militants attacked police posts on the border with Bangladesh. Thousands of people were killed when the military cleared and burned Rohingya communities. The violent campaign forced more than 740,000 people to flee to Bangladesh. The United States and other countries said the attacks by Myanmar's military against Rohingya civilians was genocide. U.N. investigators concluded that the military campaign had been executed with "genocidal intent". "After an extensive, independent and impartial investigation, my office has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Senior General and Acting President Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, bears criminal responsibility for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya," ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement. "My Office alleges that these crimes were committed between 25 August 2017 and 31 December 2017 by the armed forces of Myanmar, the Tatmadaw, supported by the national police, the border guard police, as well as non-Rohingya civilians." Radio Free Asia was not immediately able to contact Myanmar's military for comment. In 2022, the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, rejected all of Myanmar's objections to a case brought against it by Gambia that accuses it of genocide against the Rohingya minority. Myanmar's military regime had lodged four preliminary objections claiming the Hague-based court does not have jurisdiction and that the West African country of Gambia did not have the standing to bring the case over mass killing and forced expulsions of Rohingya in 2016 and 2017. The ICC seeks to establish individual criminal responsibility for international crimes. The ICJ is concerned with state responsibility. RFA attempted to contact the military council's spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, by telephone regarding the ICC prosecutor's statement, but he did not respond. Instead, the military council issued a statement on its Viber news network, asserting that "Myanmar is not a member state of the ICC and therefore does not recognize its statement." 'Could open the door for us' Rohingya and rights groups welcomed the move. "This is great news for us," said Mohammed Jubair, acting chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, a Rohingya rights advocacy group based in the sprawling refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh along the border with Myanmar's Rakhine state. "We want arrest warrants for everyone involved in the Rohingya genocide, not just the military leader," he told BenarNews, an affilate to Radio Free Asia, on Wednesday. "Bringing them to justice will also send a strong message to prevent such crimes in the future," he said. "This could open the door for us to return to Myanmar." "The application for an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing is long overdue and will be celebrated across Burma," said Anna Roberts, Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK. "For decades, the Burmese military has been allowed to get away with violating international law without facing consequences. Justice is slowly closing in on the generals, but there is still a long way to go," she said. "We can expect bluster and defiance from the Burmese military in response to the application for an arrest warrant, but in truth it will send shockwaves through the military, because their sense of impunity is finally being eroded." security forces. Tun Khin, president of Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, called it a day of celebration "not just for Rohingya, but for everyone from Burma." "This is not only about seeking justice and accountability, but also an acknowledgement of the crimes committed against us, which were ignored for so long. We must never forget that this was a preventable genocide, with ample warnings given, which the international community chose to let happen for the sake of a so-called reform process which was always a sham." Myanmar's military and the then-government, led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, defended the 2017 crackdown in Rakhine state as a legitimate response to attacks by insurgents on Suu Kyi and her government were ousted in a February 2021 coup by Min Aung Hlaing. She and hundreds of pro-democracy colleagues and supporters are in prison, while war between anti-junta forces and the military has spread across large parts of the country, including Rakhine state, where Rohingya have again been subjected to violent attacks. Edited by Taejun Kang, Kiana Duncan and Malcolm Foster. Adds quotes from Rohingya and rights groups, and from military council. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Arrest warrant sought for Myanmar Commander-in-Chief for Rohingya crimes By Vibhu Mishra 27 November 2024 - The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has filed an application for an arrest warrant against Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's armed forces and Acting President, alleging his involvement in crimes against humanity targeting the Rohingya population. The move, announced on Wednesday, follows a comprehensive investigation by the ICC into the 2016 and 2017 waves of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine province targeting the minority Muslim Rohingya community. "My Office has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Senior General and Acting President Min Aung Hlaing bears criminal responsibility for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya, committed in Myanmar, and in part in Bangladesh," ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement. The charges stem from alleged crimes committed between 25 August and 31 December 2017 by Myanmar's armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw, in coordination with police forces, border guards and some non-Rohingya civilians. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has been in power since February 2021, when the military overthrew the elected government in Myanmar arresting hundreds of officials, political leaders and activists. Countless accounts of atrocities In addition to driving over one million Rohingya to flee their homes and seek refuge in Bangladesh, there were countless accounts of atrocities, including systematic killings of some 10,000 Rohingya men, women, children and newborns. There were also horrific reports of gender-based violence against women and girls, including rape and sexual violence, and more than 300 villages were burnt to the ground. The then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, called the brutal campaign a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing." First application, more to follow "This is the first application for an arrest warrant against a high-level Myanmar government official that my Office is filing. More will follow," Mr. Khan stated. The Prosecutor's case is built on extensive evidence, including testimonies from insider witnesses, documentary proof and scientific and visual materials, gathered with support from states, civil society, and international organizations. Mr. Khan expressed his appreciation for the "confidence and the steadfast commitment" from the Rohingya community for their cooperation. He also noted that the support of Government of Bangladesh, and the cooperation of the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has been essential to advancing the investigation. Rohingya voices at the centre He also highlighted his visits to refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, southern Bangladesh, where he engaged with survivors, youth activists and elders who shared their stories and demanded justice. "Our work, the work of the International Criminal Court, seeks to vindicate their resilience and their hope in the power of the law," he said. During his first visit to Cox's Bazar in February 2022, Mr. Khan announced plans to accelerate investigations and provide additional resources. He emphasized that today's developments reflected that renewed focus. No one above the law Reacting to the ICC Prosecutor's request, Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), underscored the significance of the move in the fight for justice. "This application for an arrest warrant for the person who holds the highest military position in Myanmar sends a strong message to perpetrators that no one stands above the law," Mr. Koumjian said. The IIMM was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2018 to collect and preserve evidence of serious international crimes committed in Myanmar since 2011 in support of justice and accountability efforts, including potential prosecutions in national, regional, and international courts. Next steps The decision to issue the arrest warrant now rests with the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber I judges, who will determine if the evidence meets the threshold for action. If approved, the Prosecutor will work with the ICC Registrar to coordinate efforts for Min Aung Hlaing's arrest. Mr. Khan reiterated his commitment to justice for the Rohingya, vowing to submit additional applications in the coming months. "We will be demonstrating, together with all of our partners, that the Rohingya have not been forgotten. That they, like all people around the world, are entitled to the protection of the law." About the ICC The International Criminal Court (ICC) is not part of the United Nations, but they have a cooperative and complementary relationship. The ICC is an independent judicial body established by the Rome Statute, which was adopted in 1998 and came into force in 2002. The Court was established to address serious international crimes and ensure accountability when national justice systems are unable or unwilling to act. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cease-Fire Agreed After More Than 100 Killed In Pakistani Sectarian Violence By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal November 28, 2024 A new truce agreement has been reached between feuding Sunni and Shi'ite communities in Pakistan's northwestern region of Kurram, where more than 100 people were killed and dozens more injured in a new bout of sectarian violence, local officials said. Authorities said late on November 27 that government troops will be deployed in key locations in Kurram, a remote tribal district in the volatile Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, to ensure the cease-fire. "Negotiations will continue to ensure lasting peace," the provincial minister's office said in a statement. It also pledged to pay compensations to the victims' families. The violence erupted on November 21 when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a convoy of some 200 passenger vehicles carrying Shi'a traveling through Kurram's Parachinar area. Dozens of people, including women and children, were killed in the attack, which triggered a week of clashes between the two communities. Regional officials brokered a seven-day truce on November 24, but it did not hold. Most of Pakistan's some 250 million people are Sunni Muslims. But Kurram has a large Shi'ite population, and the two communities have clashed for decades. More than 200 people have been killed since July, alone. Sectarian violence in the region is often linked to land disputes. With reporting by AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kurram-pakistan- ceasfire-sunni-shia-sectarian-violence/33218933.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seoul to counter North Korean threats with new missile system A homegrown Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitudes. By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.11.29 TAIPEI, Taiwan -- South Korea has completed the development of a homegrown Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile, or L-SAM, system, a move hailed by its president as a "significant breakthrough" in the country's missile defence system to counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats. The development comes amid heightened domestic security concerns over Pyongyang's repeated missile launches and its growing military ties with Russia. The L-SAM, designed to shoot down incoming targets at altitudes above 40 kilometers (25 miles), works in a multi-layered missile defense system, along with the U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and M-SAM II air defense systems that intercept targets at altitudes of 40 kilometers or below, according to the South's defense ministry. "Even if North Korea attempts a missile provocation, the North cannot penetrate our military's sturdy defense system," defense minister Kim Yong-hyun said in his congratulatory address during a ceremony marking the completion of the new system. "It will have to pay the price - the end of its regime, which is bigger than what it gets through provocation," Kim added. South Korean President Yoon Seok Yeol called the development of the new system a "significant breakthrough" in the development of countering North Korean nuclear and missile threats. South Korea is expected to begin production of the L-SAM next year and deploy it to the military during the mid-to-late 2020s. North Korea has not commented at the time of this writing. In October, when South Korea showcased a domestically-produced ballistic missile, the Hyunmoo-5, the North reacted by calling the missile "worthless." Calling the showcasing of the missile as a "foolish act before the nuclear weapons state," the North Korean leader's powerful sister Kim Yo Jong said the South proved once again that they can "never cross the wall of inferiority in strength," which is "the fate of a non-nuclear weapon state." "If it had not been opened to the public, the 'mysterious ghost weapon' would have been more effective in propaganda," she said at that time. Dubbed the "monster missile," reflecting a destructive capacity that South Korean media said is comparable to that of a nuclear weapon, the Hyunmoo-5 can carry a warhead weighing up to 9 tons and is capable of striking deeply buried command centers. The showcasing of the Hyunmoo-5 came amid growing concern in South Korea as North Korea had intensified its nuclear posturing with the first public disclosure of its uranium enrichment facility and a direct threat to hit the South with its nuclear weapons. North Korea unveiled details of its uranium enrichment facility, a material commonly used to make nuclear weapons, for the first time in September. Its leader, Kim Jong Un, called to increase the number of centrifuges for uranium enrichment so it can increase its nuclear arsenal for self-defense. Since then, Pyongyang conducted multiple missile launches, while bolstering its military cooperation with Russia. The U.S. and South Korea have said that North Korean troops have been fighting in Russia's southwestern Kursk border region against Ukrainian forces who occupied parts of it in early August. The North was also suspected of sending weapons to Russia to support its invasion of Ukraine. Neither Russia nor North Korea have confirmed the presence of North Korean troops. Edited by Kiana Duncan. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at a meeting of Heads of Security Agencies and Intelligence Services of CIS Member States, Moscow, November 26, 2024 26 November 2024 21:57 2304-26-11-2024 Mr Naryshkin, Colleagues, I appreciate the invitation to attend your annual event this time again. I am honoured, following the tradition, to have the opportunity to speak at the opening of this meeting. The Russian Federation attributes high importance to deepening integration within the framework of the CIS, particularly concerning a wide range of regional security issues. We welcome the strengthening of the collective efforts to respond effectively and promptly to both existing and emerging challenges and threats. In this context, meetings of the security agency and intelligence service leaders from the CIS member states provide a venue for professional and candid discussions of pressing issues, which is a way to promote mutual trust and to identify concrete decisions concerning joint actions. The message from President Vladimir Putin, which Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin just read, brings into focus the key point which is, considering existing circumstances, your exchange of views and assessments is particularly important. I'm not going to discuss in detail the fact that the international situation remains extremely tense and continues to worsen courtesy of our Western colleagues. The main reason includes their persistent attempts to keep the remains of their former dominance. To this end, the collective West is stoking internal conflicts and hotbeds of tension and resorts to various unsavory geopolitical tactics, ranging from orchestrating large-scale information wars to inciting "colour revolutions," which we are witnessing in Georgia. The neo-Nazi Kiev regime employs openly terrorist methods, closely collaborates with international terrorist groups and transnational criminal networks in order to transfer foreign mercenaries to fight against Russia, among other things, and to train militants to fight against legitimate governments in Africa and Syria. I am confident that the security agencies and intelligence services of our respective countries can and should respond to such threats promptly and decisively. In this sense, as I earlier mentioned, your meeting is of particular importance. As you are aware, Russia is chairing the CIS this year. We are implementing the chairmanship concept which was approved by your countries, which places great emphasis on matters of security and law enforcement. In line with the goals outlined in it, the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers adopted a statement on October 7 regarding principles of cooperation in ensuring security in Eurasia. Amid the efforts to form a new and fairer international order, this statement lays a solid foundation for continued work towards this end. The statement comprises a number of important provisions on adapting Eurasian security interaction architecture to multipolar realities, settling and preventing regional conflicts by Eurasian states themselves, addressing the root causes of fundamental differences between the countries that underlie particular crises, and developing a mutual collective security guarantee net. We acknowledge the substantial contributions of our partners to joint CIS projects and programmes in areas such as combatting terrorism, extremism, transnational crime, illicit drug and arms trafficking, and money laundering. Strengthening the CIS external borders remains an urgent task, particularly amid ongoing threats emanating from Afghanistan. I would like to highlight the adoption, on October 8, by the CIS Heads of State Council, of a 2025-2027 programme for cooperation in deradicalisation which was initiated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. This programme aims to implement a consolidated policy to prevent the spread and fuelling of terrorist and extremist ideologies, and calls for close collaboration with allies to successfully implement this document and achieve its goals at the UN and other multilateral platforms. Priority areas of sector-specific cooperation include monitoring migration flows and establishing cooperation in this area in order to suppress illegal migration and reliably protect the rights of honest labour migrant who are using legal channels of employment created between our countries for this purpose. Expanding information exchange on these matters is vital to our efforts to ensure the security and stability of each CIS member state. We believe that the effectiveness of our work gets significantly better when CIS efforts are integrated with the efforts of other regional organisations, primarily, the SCO and the CSTO, which also operate through relevant mechanisms. The role of the Union State of Belarus and Russia in ensuring security in our shared region has increased substantially. It is crucial to adhere to the "regional solutions to regional problems" principle, which is taking on increasingly universal nature. A growing number of countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are supportive of these particular approaches rather than seeing former colonial powers dictate how these nations should go about resolving their disputes the way they did back in the day, and even attempting to enforce such measures through the UN Security Council. For Eurasia, this means independent security arrangements by the continent's nations without external interference, which, in most cases, creates tensions and new irritants. In addition to the above entities such as the SCO, the CSTO, the Union State, and the CIS, we have partners such as the GCC and Central Asia Plus mechanisms, including Central Asia-Russia, Central Asia-China, and Central Asia-India mechanisms. Collectively, these mechanisms will allow us to create a Eurasian security architecture that is not imposed on us from above artificially, but is developed through the harmonious integration of existing capabilities of these organisations. Notably, the ongoing transformation of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia into an intergovernmental organisation holds significant potential. We believe that CICA can contribute to a Eurasian approach to security that is open to all countries and associations on the continent. NATO, however, approaches these matters differently. Their previously bashful rhetoric about NATO being a "defensive alliance" has already been refuted by previous Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. He said they defend the territories of their member countries, but the threat to these territories now comes from the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the Asia-Pacific region. That makes the North Atlantic Alliance responsible for security in the Asia-Pacific as well, meaning that Euro-Atlantic security and security in Asia and the Pacific are indivisible. This is a direct quote which later made it into a resolution of one of the Alliance's summits. More recently, Chair of NATO's Military Committee Rob Bauer announced that this was no longer enough, and in order to meet the goals of NATO member states' protection and defence, it is necessary to preemptively hit targets in the Russian Federation that NATO believes could pose a threat to NATO member states. I believe this does not need my comment. Such statements discard diplomatic decorum and expose NATO's true intentions. I would like to close by re-assuring everyone in this audience of the Foreign Ministry's unwavering commitment to cooperating closely with our colleagues in the CIS countries in a substantive and result-oriented manner in order to counter numerous challenges to our common security and to coordinate the necessary efforts within the Commonwealth and in the other formats that I mentioned earlier. I have no doubt whatsoever that today's meeting will be constructive and productive, and the agreements reached during it will contribute to strengthening stability in the Eurasian space. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Statement on personal sanctions against representatives of the United Kingdom's political establishment, military and defence-related entities, as well as journalists 26 November 2024 18:12 2300-26-11-2024 Once again, the Foreign Ministry has to raise its voice against the unrelenting aggressive anti-Russian rhetoric coming from the United Kingdom's authorities, as well as London's persistent efforts to impose illegitimate unilateral restrictions on our country, coupled with its reckless policy to support the neo-Nazi Kiev regime in pursuit of its vested geopolitical interests, which further delays the resolution of the Ukraine conflict without any reason. This Russia-hating policy includes efforts to discredit Russia's actions and isolate it on the international stage, while also spreading misinformation about our country, including in the context of the special military operation, coupled with offering military support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which borders on UK's direct involvement in the conflict. This can lead to further escalation and demonstrates London's commitment to carrying on with its system-wide confrontation with Russia. Once again, Moscow stresses that this policy has no future and calls on London to renounce it in favour of mutually respectful and constructive ties for greater security and stability around the world. In response to the hostile actions by the UK, Russia decided to designate several members of the UK's political establishment, the military, high-technology sector, as well as journalists on the Russian stop list. The list of UK subjects who are now banned from entering the Russian Federation is provided below: Angela RAYNER, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government; Yvette COOPER, Secretary of State for the Home Department; Shabana MAHMOOD, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice; Rachel Jane REEVES, Chancellor of the Exchequer; Patrick Bosco MCFADDEN, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; Edward Samuel MILIBAND, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero; Wesley Paul William STREETING, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care; Steven Mark Ward REED, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Jonathan Neil REYNOLDS, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, President of the Board of Trade; Elizabeth Louise KENDALL, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; Bridget Maeve PHILLIPSON, Secretary of State for Education; Hilary James Wedgwood BENN, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Joanna Meriel STEVENS, Secretary of State for Wales; Lucy Maria POWELL, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council; Angela Evans SMITH, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal; Maria EAGLE, Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry; Benjamin William JUDAH, political adviser to the Foreign Secretary; Gurinder Singh JOSAN, Labour Member of Parliament; John Derek TWIGG, Labour Member of Parliament; Andrew James SNOWDEN, Conservative Member of Parliament; Keith BISSETT, RAF 51 Squadron Commander; Victoria FOY, Board member, SAFRAN SEATS GB, Chief Executive Officer of Safran Seats GB; Adrian John Luke EVES, Board member, CALLEN-LENZ; Matthew John FOSTER, Board member, CALLEN-LENZ; David Samuel John HOLMES, Board member, CALLEN-LENZ; Simon Werner MUDERACK, Chief Executive Officer, Windracers Group Limited and Distributed Avionics Limited; Catherine Mary WRIGHT, Board member, Windracers Group Limited and Distributed Avionics Limited; Stephen John Michael WRIGHT, Board member, Windracers Group Limited and Distributed Avionics Limited; Tom BALL, journalist, Times; Dan WOODLAND, journalist, Daily Mail. The Foreign Ministry will further expand the stop list in response to the United Kingdom's hostile actions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on the summoning the British Ambassador to the Russian Foreign Ministry 26 November 2024 18:02 2299-26-11-2024 On November 26, British Ambassador to Russia Nigel Casey was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to receive a strong protest regarding new information indicating that Second Secretary of the British Embassy Edward Wilkes had deliberately provided false information when applying for entry into Russia. This constitutes a violation of Article 26.2 of the Federal Law On the Procedure for Exiting and Entering the Russian Federation of August 15, 1996, No. 114-FZ. Additionally, relevant Russian authorities have obtained information confirming the said diplomat's affiliation with UK intelligence agencies, and there are indications that he was engaged in intelligence and subversive activities in the territory of the Russian Federation. In light of this breach of Russian law, and in accordance with Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the UK was notified of the withdrawal of Mr Edward Wilkes' accreditation. Given the fact of this deliberate submission of false information, stricter requirements will be introduced for British diplomats and UK embassy staff when completing application forms. Russia strongly advises British citizens to provide accurate information about their past when applying for Russian visas. The British ambassador was again informed that Moscow will not tolerate any activities by undercover agents of the British intelligence in the territory of Russia. A firm stance on this matter will be adopted in line with the national security interests of the Russian Federation. Moreover, should London choose to escalate the situation, Russia will respond immediately with reciprocal measures. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jailed Former Moscow Anti-War Lawmaker Gorinov Faces New Trial By RFE/RL's Russian Service November 27, 2024 A new criminal trial against imprisoned former Moscow municipal deputy Aleksei Gorinov, known for his outspoken criticism of Russia's war against Ukraine, began at a Russian military court on November 27. Before the hearing started, Gorinov displayed a hand-drawn message on piece of paper that said: "Stop killing. Let's stop the war." When court bailiffs attempted to confiscate the makeshift poster, Gorinov refused to hand it over, saying that he was not breaking any regulations and insisting the bailiffs must document the seizure formally. Asked about his health before the session, Gorinov revealed ongoing struggles with illness. "There's no treatment available," he said, adding that he relied on psychotherapy. "I don't understand why they're targeting an ordinary person like me." His lawyer, Alyona Savelyeva, said that Gorinov was suffering from bronchitis, which makes his transportation to court and time spent in cold rooms particularly difficult. Gorinov, 63, was sentenced in July 2022 to seven years in prison for spreading "fake news" about the Russian military because of his public opposition to Russia's full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine. In October 2023, the authorities opened a new case against him, accusing him of "justifying terrorism" based on alleged conversations with fellow inmates about Ukraine's Azov Regiment. During the hearing, Gorinov firmly denied any ties to terrorism. "I am far from any ideology of terrorism," he said. "I am a committed internationalist and an opponent of war and violence, as I have consistently stated publicly throughout my life." Gorinov's initial conviction stemmed from an anti-war speech he delivered at a city council meeting in Moscow's Krasnoselsky district. He was the first person sentenced under Russia's new law criminalizing "fake news" about the military, introduced after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Earlier this year, Gorinov was transferred from a detention center in Moscow to a prison in the Vladimir region. He complained of harsh conditions, including solitary confinement in a cold cell without a mattress, blanket, or access to hot water. Dmitry Muratov, editor in chief of the Novaya gazeta newspaper and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross for an urgent inspection of the conditions Gorinov was being held in. Following this, local officials and prosecutors inspected the facility, resulting in Gorinov's relocation to a slightly improved cell with a window that opens and closes, a functioning toilet, and reportedly no mice. Gorinov has been repeatedly subjected to punitive measures, including spending extended periods in solitary confinement. In spring 2023, he spent 48 consecutive days in a punishment cell, a treatment often reported by other political prisoners in Russia. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-gorinov-moscow- lawmaker-terrorism/33217802.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany, Russia Expel Journalists In Tit-For-Tat Moves Amid High Tensions By Merhat Sharipzhan November 27, 2024 The Russian state-run Channel One television company in Germany said the government has ordered two of its journalists to leave the country, prompting Moscow to revoke the accreditations of two correspondents from German media group ARD. The affected Channel One journalists, correspondent Ivan Blagoi and cameraman Dmitry Volkov, said they were informed that they must depart Germany by mid-December. The media outlet confirmed the expulsions on social media on November 27. Blagoi said the decision was justified by the German authorities as being "in the interest of the security of the Federal Republic of Germany." Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news conference on November 27 that Moscow had revoked the accreditations of two ARD correspondents, saying, "we have to take tit-for-tat measures." She gave no further details. The expulsions mark the latest in a series of escalating tensions between Russia and Western countries over the role of Russian state media. Since Moscow launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian broadcasters have faced bans, restrictions on access to social media platforms, and accusations of disseminating propaganda. Channel One, a Russian-language broadcaster popular among older audiences in Russia and some other former Soviet republics, has come under scrutiny for its coverage. ARD is an association of German public broadcasters. German authorities reportedly accused the outlet of spreading propaganda and disinformation among the Russian-speaking diaspora in Germany, which numbers in the hundreds of thousands. The accusations include claims the channel justifies the Russian invasion of Ukraine and portrays Ukraine's defenders as "Nazis." The expulsions follows a report aired by Blagoi on November 24 regarding Nikolaj Gajduk, a German citizen detained by Russia's Federal Security Service in October. The report alleged that Western intelligence agencies, including the CIA, were involved in Gajduk's alleged actions ordered by Ukrainian special services. The timing of the decision to expel the journalists, shortly after this broadcast, raises questions about the broader geopolitical dimensions of the incident. Russia has consistently retaliated against measures targeting its state media. Following Germany's 2022 ban on RT, a Kremlin-backed broadcaster, Moscow shut down the Deutsche Welle bureau in Russia and revoked accreditations for German journalists. Similar restrictions have been imposed on other foreign correspondents, reflecting a tit-for-tat approach. The German government has not publicly detailed the reasons behind its decision, but the move underscores the increasing focus on disinformation as a national security threat. Channel One claimed its journalists had complied with German laws and accused the authorities of using vague accusations to stifle alternative narratives. Germany has a large number of residents who have emigrated from the former Soviet Union, who are mostly ethnic Germans from Kazakhstan and Russia. With reporting by TASS, AFP, Channel One, and RIA Novosti Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/germany-russia-channel-one- journalists-expulsion/33217862.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Moscow, November 27, 2024 27 November 2024 00:05 2305-27-11-2024 Question: You represented Russia at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. Shortly before that, a series of meetings with African foreign ministers took place in Sochi, a city that hosted the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. Combatting modern practices of neocolonialism is increasingly taking a centre stage internationally. Was this issue addressed during the above events? Sergey Lavrov: Of course, it was. Increasing numbers of participants in the international dialogue are coming to the realisation that the exploitation of former colonies by the colonial powers has never stopped. All it did was merely adjust its form, but the goal has remained the same, and it is to pump out resources from the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America to sustain the West's dominance and ensure a high standard of living for its people. The methods can vary from sanctions pressure to coercion into signing unequal predatory agreements. Clearly, this slows down the development of the Global South and the Global East, particularly the poorest and the least developed nations among them. The cynicism of the Western countries profiting from the hardships of the most vulnerable countries is particularly striking. For instance, after the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, of the $2.5 billion in recovery aid promised by the United States, merely 2.6 percent made it to Haitian companies and organisations. The rest of this amount stayed with the US contractors. There are more cases like that. Similarly unconscionable abuses took place with the Western aid for the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan that is the countries that the Americans and their NATO allies themselves first laid to waste. I'd be remiss not to mention the fact that the developing countries keep raising the issue of their rightful spot in the global division of labour, which, in its current form, is a stark manifestation of modern neocolonialism in and of itself. I noted on earlier occasions that African countries receive less than 10 percent of the revenue from global coffee sales, and the rest is pocketed by transnational corporations. We have no illusions and we are clear-eyed about the fact that Western neocolonialists will never give up their privileges of their own accord. Everyone can see that the West is shamelessly leveraging international financial institutions to promote its self-serving interests. The IMF and the WTO have been politicised, and "undesirable" members of these organisations are being openly discriminated against. This is why, alongside our like-minded partners from the World Majority, we believe that bringing principles and governance system established by the Bretton Woods institutions in line with the realities of the global economy is a long time coming. In fact, the G7 economies account for less than a third of global GDP, whereas BRICS nations make up 36 percent. The West ostensibly agrees with this view, but is unwilling to take action. Question: The UN Climate Change Conference ended in Baku the other day. Dialogue on climate change in connection with energy security and environmental protection is also held within other formats, including the G20. Sergey Lavrov: This is true. Our priority during these discussions is to depoliticise cooperation on climate issues. Our goals in this sphere should be realistic, and their implementation should promote a balanced socioeconomic development of all countries. The results of the G20's efforts on the energy track can be assessed as positive, largely thanks to the effective contribution of Brazil's Presidency, which has cleansed the group's sectoral formats from extraneous geopolitical topics. In particular, we managed to adopt a ministerial declaration on energy, for the first time in three years. It has been formulated so that the interests of the Global South countries are taken into account. Like before, the Russian delegation cautioned the participants against increasing the global funding of renewable sources of energy by reducing investment in traditional energy. We believe that investments should be made in all available types of fuel to prevent spikes on energy markets and the aggravation of energy poverty. Transition to low-emission technologies is being actively discussed on international venues. The idea is that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions create a greenhouse effect, which subsequently leads to climate warming. The conclusion is that a reduction of CO2 emissions would prevent or slow the rise of temperature. At the same time, as professionals we should take into account the fact that not all scientists adhere to this view. Some of them say, using facts and convincing arguments, that climate change is a naturally recurring process and, hence, that the importance of anthropogenic factors used by the advocates of fighting against climate change is strongly exaggerated, to put it mildly. Anyway, we regard the task of energy transition in the context of ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern sources of energy. The key role in this process belongs to natural gas, the cleanest hydrocarbon and an ideal transition fuel. We consistently protest against the accelerated green transformation, which Western countries are advocating. Their fixation on that subject has already caused an unjustified growth of energy prices and, consequently, unprecedentedly high prices of mineral fertilisers. We insist that industrialised countries honour their commitments to assist developing countries. Incidentally, it would be interesting to see them fulfil their obligation, which they have assumed in Baku, to annually provide $300 billion to developing countries for green energy projects. I would like to remind you that the West has not fulfilled its previous green funding obligation, which was three times smaller in terms of annual allocations. Question: In this interview, we cannot fail to mention the so-called hotspots. Today, this matter primarily deals with the tragedy for the Palestinians as the Middle East crisis continues to escalate. Have the participants in the Group of Twenty summit raised this topic? Sergey Lavrov: They have, especially considering that the situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate. You were right to point this out. Tens of thousands of people have already died during the current stage in the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation, and military hostilities spilled over into Lebanon and other neighbouring countries. All this directly results from Israel's aggressive, militarist policies, coupled with Washington's efforts to monopolise the mediation process while throwing the UN Security Council decisions under the bus, despite the fact that these documents were adopted by consensus. It is quite obvious that Israel's desire to ensure its security at the expense of the security of others, while benefiting from the unwavering support it gets from the United States, leads nowhere and is a very dangerous thing, considering the way this tragedy will affect the relations between the Islamic world and Israel for many years to come. Bringing the situation with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict back to normal is the only path to improving the situation across the Middle East, including in Lebanon. Everyone understands this, but the United States keeps preventing the UN Security Council from adopting a resolution which would include strong wording to demand a sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Creating conditions for achieving a two-state solution would be the next step in terms of moving beyond the violent phase in this crisis. This deals with fulfilling the commitments as articulated by the international community back in 1947, which is to establish a Palestinian Arab state living side by side with Israel in peace and security. We believe that in our efforts to achieve this goal we must enable countries within this region to take centre stage instead of those who are trying to impose their terms and conditions from overseas. By the way, this applies not only to the Palestine issue, but to other crisis situations across the world too. Question: The Ukraine crisis seems to have entered yet another stage in its escalation... Sergey Lavrov: Judging by what has been happening on the battlefield, we have still a long way to go before we achieve a political and diplomatic solution for this crisis. Washington and its satellites remain possessed by the idea of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia, and are willing to go to great lengths to achieve this goal as far-fetched and unrealistic as it is. Carrying out strikes deep inside Russian territory contributed to this escalation, while they ignored our warnings that these unacceptable actions would be met with an adequate response. In his televised address on November 21, President Vladimir Putin made it abundantly clear how Russia intended to respond to steps of this kind. I am certain that everyone responsible for hurting Russians or damaging Russian infrastructure will be held accountable. No matter what the adversary does to escalate the situation, it will never make us renounce efforts to achieve the special military operation's goals. To paraphrase President Vladimir Putin, we are ready to face any developments but would prefer to address issues and resolve disputes by peaceful means. In Ukraine's case, this deals with addressing the root causes of the conflict, which include the emergence of entrenched security threats for Russia along its western borders, including NATO's eastward expansion, as well as recurrent and system-wide violations by the Kiev regime of the rights of Russians and people identifying as Russians in terms of their cultural affiliation and the Orthodox faith. A political settlement must include the demilitarisation and de-Nazification, while also ensuring the unaligned, neutral, non-nuclear status for the territories controlled by the Kiev regime. Of course, any agreements will hinge upon recognising the political and territorial reality as per the Constitution of Russia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint Statement from Australia and New Zealand Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 28 November 2024 Category: International relations Australia and New Zealand are deeply concerned about the rise in Russian and DPRK 'shadow fleet activity' and its risks to the environment, maritime safety, international trade and security, and maritime law. Collective action is needed to address this risk. The 'shadow fleet' presents significant threats to all countries as vessels involved in illegal activities to bypass sanctions, ignore safety or environmental rules, avoid insurance costs, or engage in other unlawful actions including circumvention UNSC and autonomous sanctions. Australia and New Zealand endorse the Call to Action on the Shadow Fleet. This initiative aims to promote practices that ensure compliance with international standards for safety, environmental protection, and insurance. We look forward to collaborating with other countries committed to the Call to Action and to reinforce the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) Resolution A.1192(33) aimed at preventing illegal operations in the maritime sector by the 'shadow fleet'. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Congress President condemns continued persecution of local elected representatives in Russia Council of Europe Congress Strasbourg 28 November 2024 President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Marc Cools, has issued the following statement in response to the trial of the former Moscow city councillor Alexei Gorinov on charges of "justifying terrorism" in conversation with his fellow prisoners: "I condemn the continued persecution of local elected representatives and reaffirm the call of the Congress, in its 494th Resolution (October 2023) for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners of conscience in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, who are detained because of their political views. "We stand in solidarity with Alexei Gorinov and all those critics of the war who continue to be illegally detained or persecuted - municipal councillors, local and regional elected representatives, human rights defenders, journalists, youth activists and political opponents. We cannot accept that people in Russia are put on trial for speaking against the war. It is vital that we keep up the pressure on the Russian authorities to ensure that all political prisoners are released immediately and that the persecution does not continue." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CSTO Summit A regular session of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) took place in Astana. November 28, 2024 14:00 Astana President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov attended the restricted format meeting. The meeting continued in an expanded format, with the participation of delegation members. Attending the meeting on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office - Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Kazakhstan Alexei Borodavkin and Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian Federation to the Collective Security Treaty Organisation Viktor Vasilyev. Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergei Lebedev and Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Zhang Ming were also invited to take part in the expanded format meeting of the CSTO's Collective Security Council. A large package of documents was signed following the summit. The documents include the Declaration of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation and the Statement of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation on the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, as well as a decision on a plan of scheduled events to celebrate this anniversary. The sides also signed decisions of the CSTO's Collective Security Council on the Targeted Interstate Programme of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation to Reinforce the Tajik-Afghan Border, on Further Strengthening Allied Relations within the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, on the List of Standard Modern and Advanced Weapons Systems, Military and Special-Purpose Equipment for the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asia Collective Security Region, and a number of other documents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's participation in a joint meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Defence Ministers and the Committee of Secretaries of the Security Councils of the CSTO 28 November 2024 13:22 2313-28-11-2024 On November 28, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took part in a joint meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Defence Ministers and the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in Astana, chaired by the Republic of Kazakhstan. The participants had a constructive and interested exchange of views on topical issues on the international and regional agendas. They discussed in detail the situation in the CSTO area of responsibility and the adjacent regions and emphasised the need for further joint efforts to strengthen the Organisation's potential. They approved a number of documents for endorsement by the CSTO Collective Security Council, including the final declaration and a statement in connection with the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. They also adopted decisions intended to further strengthen allied ties, enhance foreign policy coordination, improve crisis response procedures within the Organisation, and develop the CSTO Collective Forces. At the Russian initiative, the participants adopted the statements made by the Foreign Ministers of the Organisation's member states on the situation in Afghanistan and in connection with the 20th anniversary of the CSTO's observer status at the United Nations General Assembly. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbek Kulubaev informed the meeting participants about the priorities of the country's chairmanship in the CSTO in 2025. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answers to questions from Moscow. Kremlin. Putin television programme, Astana, November 28, 2024 28 November 2024 10:31 2312-28-11-2024 Question: There is ongoing discourse in the United States regarding the potential transfer of nuclear weapons to Kiev. Some of their politicians are expressing such views. While currently, these are merely discussions, it is worth noting that initially, this was the case with other matters as well... Sergey Lavrov: Politicians, by their very nature, continuously seek to capture and maintain public attention. We have our share of politicians who frequently speak about escalation. The decision rests with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. I hold the hope that this is similarly the case in the United States. Question: There are already considerations there about NATO executing preventive precision strikes on Russian territory... Sergey Lavrov: This statement was made by Admiral Rob Bauer, an individual who is utterly irresponsible. There are numerous such figures there who have never experienced combat yet adorn themselves with shoulder boards. They are likely attempting to ingratiate themselves, sensing the current political climate. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jailed Former Moscow Anti-War Lawmaker Gorinov Handed New Prison Sentence By RFE/RL's Russian Service November 29, 2024 Imprisoned former Moscow municipal deputy Aleksei Gorinov, known for his outspoken criticism of Russia's war against Ukraine, has been handed a new three-year prison sentence for "justifying terrorism." After a three-day trial, a Russian military court on November 29 handed down the sentence to the 63-year-old, who is in poor health. In his closing statement, Gorinov, one of the most prominent jailed dissidents left in the country after a major prisoner swap with the West earlier this year, accused Russia of committing a "bloody slaughter" in Ukraine. Earlier this week, Gorinov revealed ongoing struggles with illness, saying there was "no treatment available," for his ailment, which his lawyer said was bronchitis. Gorinov was first sentenced in July 2022 to seven years in prison for spreading "fake news" about the Russian military because of his public opposition to Russia's full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine. In October 2023, the authorities opened a new case against him, accusing him of "justifying terrorism" based on alleged conversations with fellow inmates about Ukraine's Azov Regiment. During the hearing, Gorinov firmly denied any ties to terrorism. "I am far from any ideology of terrorism," he said. "I am a committed internationalist and an opponent of war and violence, as I have consistently stated publicly throughout my life." Gorinov's initial conviction stemmed from an anti-war speech he delivered at a city council meeting in Moscow's Krasnoselsky district. He was the first person sentenced under Russia's new law criminalizing "fake news" about the military, introduced after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Earlier this year, Gorinov was transferred from a detention center in Moscow to a prison in the Vladimir region. He complained of harsh conditions, including solitary confinement in a cold cell without a mattress, blanket, or access to hot water. Dmitry Muratov, editor in chief of the Novaya gazeta newspaper and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross for an urgent inspection of the conditions Gorinov was being held in. Following this, local officials and prosecutors inspected the facility, resulting in Gorinov's relocation to a slightly improved cell with a window that opens and closes, a functioning toilet, and reportedly no mice. Gorinov has been repeatedly subjected to punitive measures, including spending extended periods in solitary confinement. In spring 2023, he spent 48 consecutive days in a punishment cell, a treatment often reported by other political prisoners in Russia. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-gorinov-anti- war-new-prison-sentence/33220662.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov meets with his North Korean counterpart Army General No Kwang Chol 29.11.2024 Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov met with the Defence Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Army General No Kwang Chol. The Russian military chief began his speech by congratulating his Korean counterpart on his appointment as the DPRK's Defence Minister. 'It is a pleasure to meet you personally. I would like to thank you for your invitation to Pyongyang and for your hospitality,' Andrei Belousov said. The Russian Defence Minister also stressed that Russia and the DPRK are good neighbours and long-standing friends. A key role in strengthening Russian-Korean relations is played by the trusted contacts between the leaders of Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. 'The results of the historic meeting between the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the President of the State Affairs of North Korea Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang last June as well as the mutual desire of our countries to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in a difficult international situation demonstrated the highest level of mutual trust. As well as the mutual desire of our countries to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in a difficult international situation,' Andrei Belousov stressed. The most important result of the summit was the signing of a new basic interstate document, the North Korean-Russian Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It has a stabilising role to play in the North-East Asia. It also has to make a positive contribution to the maintenance of the balance of forces in the region, reduce the risk of a return to war on the peninsula, including with the use of nuclear weapons, lay the foundations for the construction of a new Eurasian security system. 'Today, friendly ties between Russia and the DPRK are actively developing in all spheres, including the military cooperation. We are committed to implement all the agreements reached at the highest level. We look forward to close and fruitful cooperation with our Korean counterparts,' the Russian Defence Minister added. Andrei Belousov expressed confidence that 'today's talks will serve to further strengthen the Russian-Korean strategic partnership in the field of defence'. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov visits Democratic People's Republic of Korea 29.11.2024 The Russian delegation was welcomed at the Pyongyang International Airport in an official ceremony attended by the Korean People's Army's Guard of Honour Company. The Minister of Defence of the People's Republic of Korea Army General No Kwang-chol welcomed the head of the Russian military department at the aircraft steps. During the official visit of the Russian Minister of Defence, it is planned to hold meetings with the military and military-political leadership of the DPRK. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK secures another signatory for its 'Shadow Fleet' call to action as New Zealand and UK Foreign Secretaries pledge closer cooperation New Zealand will sign up to the UK's 'Shadow Fleet' initiative, as part of the first annual UK-NZ Foreign Ministers' Dialogue in London. 29 November 2024 First of new annual meeting between UK and New Zealand foreign ministers takes place in London Shared priorities including trade and growth, and climate and security at the top of the agenda Pacific communities to benefit from clean energy in UK-NZ joint funding commitment for renewable energy projects following the Prime Minister's visit to the region New Zealand will sign up to the UK's 'Shadow Fleet' initiative, as part of the first annual UK-NZ Foreign Ministers' Dialogue in London. Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with his New Zealand counterpart Winston Peters to discuss a wide range of shared priorities, from trade and economic growth to security challenges and climate action. This included New Zealand's confirmation that it will sign up to the UK-led 'Shadow Fleet' call to action, an initiative which addresses the environmental and security risks posed by Russia's 'shadow fleet' - a desperate and dangerous attempt to soften the blow of our sanctions. As part of a wider commitment to cooperate closely on development outcomes in the Pacific, they agreed joint funding to bolster renewable energy projects in the Pacific, increasing energy access and bringing clean energy to communities by reducing reliance on expensive imported diesel. A combined funding commitment of 23.9 million will support private sector investment in the first of its kind blended finance platform in the region. This follows the Prime Minister's historic visit to Samoa in October for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, where he became the first UK Prime Minister to ever visit a Pacific Island country. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK's commitment to supporting people in the Pacific and working with them to unlock opportunities that will drive growth and promote security and prosperity in the region, as well as in the UK. The Ministers' discussions also highlighted the growing science and technology partnership between our countries, as well as the growing economic relationship. Our active Free Trade Agreement is expected to increase trade with New Zealand by almost 60%, adding 200 million to household wages in the long term and supporting hardworking British people. The Trade Agreement drove 3.4 billion of trade in goods and services between the UK and New Zealand in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2024, with the UK travel sector alone bringing in 414 million. Exports to New Zealand support around 13,600 jobs in the UK, while around 6,600 UK VAT-registered businesses exported goods to New Zealand last year. Meanwhile the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will be confirmed on 15 December 2024. Reaffirming the UK and New Zealand's commitment to preserving Antarctica's fragile environment, the Ministers also signed the UK-NZ Statement on Antarctic Cooperation Priorities to 2028, committing to an annual Antarctic Dialogue to strengthen joint scientific and conservation efforts, as well as upholding the peaceful use of Antarctica. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: I welcome this valuable opportunity to discuss the enduring strength and relevance of the UK-New Zealand partnership with Foreign Minister Peters. Our shared values and strategic outlook make us natural partners in addressing global challenges, from supporting Ukraine to tackling climate change. The concrete steps we've taken today show how our relationship continues to deliver practical benefits for both our nations and the wider world. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said: The United Kingdom is our oldest, and one of our closest and most trusted partners. While we are separated by vast distance, our close cultural links and shared history and values enable us to achieve more together in the world. The discussions covered shared international priorities, including support for Ukraine, Middle East developments, and Indo-Pacific security. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to the rules-based international system and discussed deepening defence cooperation. The Dialogue delivered several other outcomes, including: Enhanced cooperation between Border Agencies to combat child sexual abuse and exploitation Plans for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on National Security Science and Technology cooperation Welcoming the first detection of earthquakes using quantum technologies by a joint UK-NZ team Fresh funding for a joint regional initiative through the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) to support ecosystem resilience and climate adaptation in Pacific Island Countries Notes to editors: This was the first annual formal UK-NZ Foreign Ministers' Dialogue. The renewable energy project is funded through the Transforming Island Development through Electrification and Sustainability (TIDES) project under the Pacific Clean Energy Programme (PCEP). The Restoring Island Resilience initiative is a new collaboration between the UK, New Zealand and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). This initiative delivers climate and biodiversity impact through the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS). The Memorandum of Understanding on National Security Science and Technology cooperation will see bilateral working on research and technology development, including joint research and projects, to deliver national security and counterterrorism objectives. This will enable an innovation fast track to help tackle a range of threats to border security, cybersecurity and critical infrastructure. Enhanced cooperation between border agencies on child sexual abuse and exploitation will see the UK Border Force and the NZ Customs Service work together to strengthen our borders against digital threats including child sexual abuse material, travelling child sex offenders, modern slavery and other forms of digital harm. Scientists from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Measurement Standards Laboratory (MSL) in New Zealand have successfully detected a multitude of earthquakes in the Pacific Ocean using a pioneering detection technique. The international collaboration was enabled by the UK's International Science Partnership Fund and is supported by New Zealand's Quantum Technologies Aotearoa programme. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Strikes reach Syria's Homs province By By VOA News November 26, 2024 Border crossings between Lebanon and Syria were targeted with strikes late Tuesday, Lebanon transportation minister Ali Hamieh said. Sana, Syria's state media, confirmed the strikes, which Hamieh said came just after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was announced. Israel had increased raids on these crossings and had sealed off those roads to Syria, according to Reuters. Syrian state TV said 10 people were injured, three of them critically. Israel did not immediately comment. Earlier Tuesday, Syrian state news reported that two villages in Syria's Homs province were hit with strikes in what it described as Israeli aggression. A website affiliated with the Syrian opposition reported that "the air defense is confronting Israeli missiles in the skies of Homs," according to Ynetnews.com. Syrian state television said blasts had been heard near Homs city and their source was under investigation. Israel has conducted strikes against Iran-linked organizations in Syria for years. However, Israeli attacks on Syria have grown following Israel's war in Gaza that began in October 2023 and the ongoing hostilities between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. The U.S. military also hit an Iranian-linked site in Syria on Tuesday, the U.S. Central Command said. The site was a weapons storage facility and was in retaliation for an attack on Monday on U.S. forces. Last week, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported there have been more than 150 Israeli strikes on Syria this year. SOHR said the strikes targeted Iranian-back militants in Syria's provinces. Iran is a major supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government, building a significant military presence in Syria in recent years, supported by dozens of proxy groups, including Hezbollah and several Iraqi militias. Local media reports in Syria last week said that amid increased Israeli strikes, Iran sent some of its proxies from Syria to Iraq, including at least a dozen high-ranking military advisers who had been deployed in Damascus and Palmyra. Seth Frantzman, an adjunct fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, has offered a different explanation for the movement of Iranian proxies in the region. "Iran may be moving proxies around Iraq and Syria in order to threaten Israel and may feel the need to move them more often so that they preserve operational security in case of Israeli retaliation," he told VOA. "Iran also likely wants to mobilize proxy forces in case of a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah so it can increase threats to Israel on other fronts," Frantzman said. Iran's Foreign Ministry recently said there has been no change in the status or number of their military advisers in Syria. Some information provided by Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian rebels, allies capture parts of Aleppo By Sirwan Kajjo November 29, 2024 Syrian rebel fighters Friday took control of parts of Aleppo, Syria's largest city, for the first time since 2016, as clashes continued with government forces, according to a monitoring group and local sources. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has researchers across the war-torn country, said Friday that five neighborhoods on Aleppo's western edge were captured by Turkish-backed rebels and militants with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former affiliate of al-Qaida. By early Saturday, the observatory's director, Rami Abdel Rahman, told Agence France-Presse that the rebels had swiftly captured half of Aleppo without meeting significant resistance. "There has been no fighting, not a single shot was fired, as regime forces withdrew," he said. A witness in Aleppo, who did not want to be named for security reasons, confirmed to VOA that rebel forces advanced Friday in parts of the city after clashes with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. Reuters, citing military sources, said Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport as well as all roads leading into the city on Saturday. It was the first major attack on Aleppo since 2016, when Syrian government forces, supported by Iranian-backed militias and the Russian air force, pushed out rebel factions from the eastern parts of the city during the height of Syria's civil war. Another witness in Aleppo, who also didn't want to be identified for security reasons, said the fighting has forced thousands of residents to flee to safer parts of the city. The witness told VOA there were clashes in a neighborhood in the western part of the city, adding that Syrian government forces ended up withdrawing from the area. Friday's advance in Aleppo is part of a major offensive launched by Syrian rebels and their allies that began Wednesday. Rebel forces said they had taken control of dozens of towns and villages in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib in the past two days. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday that 277 people have been killed in clashes since Wednesday, most of those rebels and Syrian soldiers. However, David Carden, U.N. deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, said Friday that the fighting has also killed at least 27 civilians, including children. The Syrian military said in a statement Friday that "its armed forces operating on frontlines in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib continue to counter the major attack carried out by the terrorist organizations," referring to rebel forces. The military did not comment on the ongoing situation in Aleppo city. Experts have linked the latest developments in Aleppo to shifting dynamics elsewhere in the Middle East. "Since 2016, those defending Aleppo were Iran and Hezbollah, but both are now in vastly different circumstances," said Ahmed Rahal, a former Syrian military general who defected from the army in 2012. He now works as a military analyst in Istanbul. "Iran is currently preoccupied with its conflict with Israel and Hezbollah has nearly been decimated [by Israel]," he told VOA. "The regime is unable to defend Aleppo, particularly after its total collapse in five neighbors on Friday." While Russia, a key backer of the Assad government, has carried out airstrikes against rebel forces in recent days, it has not targeted the advancing rebel fighters in Aleppo city. According to the Syrian Observatory, Russian warplanes on Friday carried out at least 20 airstrikes in Idlib province in northwestern Syria. Military sources told Reuters that Russia has promised Damascus extra military aid to combat the rebels. Turkey's foreign ministry spokesperson, Oncu Keceli, said in a statement Friday that "the recent clashes have resulted in an undesirable escalation of tensions in the region," calling on the warring sides to respect previous deescalation agreements sponsored by Turkey and Russia. Nicholas Heras, a Middle East expert at the New Lines Institute, a Washington-based research group, said that Turkey has long been dissatisfied with Russia's inability to deliver an agreement to normalize Ankara's ties with the Assad government, saying that "this current offensive needs to be placed in that strategic context." However, he told VOA, "Neither Russia nor Iran has an interest in Aleppo city falling to the Syrian rebels, and this means that there is a real risk that the situation could devolve into a big crisis." "Moscow and Tehran cannot risk Assad losing Aleppo because there is a regionwide perception that [Iran's self-described] Axis of Resistance is on the ropes after Hezbollah and Hamas took major damage from Israel's military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon," Heras said. This story originated in VOA's Kurdish service. Some information in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2024/11/27 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Date 6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Tuesday to Wednesday, Nov. 26-27 PLA activities 17 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 10 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New missile plan by US-Japan eyes Chinese invasion of Taiwan By Christy Lee November 27, 2024 A U.S. plan to deploy sophisticated missiles on a Japanese island chain close to Taiwan is prompting angry responses from both China and its close ally Russia. The United States is drawing up a joint military plan with Japan to deploy High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and other weapons to Japan's Nansei Islands, according to a Sunday report by Kyodo News, which cited unnamed sources. The plan is expected to be completed by December. The island chain stretches from Japan's main islands to within 200 kilometers of Taiwan and includes Okinawa,which has a major U.S. military presence. The U.S. could use the missiles to defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese invasion of the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as a renegade province. The plan, the first joint operation by the U.S. and Japan to prepare for a war between Taiwan and China, will involve sending a U.S. Marine Corps regiment that possesses HIMARS and setting up temporary bases on the Nansei Islands to station them, said Kyodo. The Japan Self-Defense Forces would be expected to provide logistic support, including fuel and ammunition. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson criticized the reported plan at a press conference on Monday, saying, "China opposes relevant countries using the Taiwan question as an excuse to strengthen military deployment in the region, heighten tensions and confrontation, and disturb regional peace and stability." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded with a stronger statement, warning that her country would respond to the deployment with "necessary and proportionate steps" to strengthen its defense capabilities, according to the Russian news agency Tass on Wednesday. "We have repeatedly warned the Japanese side that if, as a result of such cooperation, U.S. medium-range missiles emerge on its territory, this will pose a real threat to the security of our country," Zakharova said. Tass also quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov urging Washington to reconsider the deployment of missiles to the Asia-Pacific. He warned that Moscow will not rule out stationing shorter- and intermediate-range missiles in Asia in response to the U.S. deployment. Earlier in November, Russian President Vladimir Putin said China is Russia's ally and "Taiwan is part of China," and that China conducting wargames near the island is "a completely reasonable policy" while Taipei is escalating tensions. While Russia and China have no formal military treaty, Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have spoken of having a "no limits" partnership, and the United States accuses China of supporting Russia's war efforts against Ukraine. U.S. Secretary Antony Blinken said at a press conference held at the G7 meeting in Italy on Tuesday that China's support for Russia's defense industry is "allowing Russia to continue the aggression against Ukraine." US-Japan missile plan Despite Moscow's alarming rhetoric, analysts say the deployment of HIMARS to the region is primarily aimed at protecting Taiwan from Chinese warships. "The most important purpose of HIMARS" would be "an anti-ship capability" and to "protect the island and base itself," said Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Navy Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said last week at a forum held by the Brookings Institution that China this past summer conducted its largest rehearsal to date for an invasion of Taiwan involving 152 vessels. He cautioned that the U.S. "must be ready." The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy possesses the world's largest naval force with over 370 ships and submarines while the U.S. has about 290 vessels. Eye on Chinese invasion Timothy Heath, senior international defense researcher at the RAND Corp., said HIMARS on the Nansei islands "could help sink amphibious landing ships as well as destroyers and other PLA Navy ships that might approach the island from the north" and also "target concentrations of PLA troops on beaches near Taipei." Heath continued, "The fielding of these weapons systems shows that the U.S. and its allies are learning lessons from the Ukraine theater, where HIMARS have been effectively deployed against Russia." The U.S. is also planning to deploy the Multi-Domain Task Force's (MDTS) long-range firing units to the Philippines, said Kyodo news on Sunday. The MDTS uses HIMARS as long-range firing units. "The deployment of HIMARS to Nansei islands and long-range firing units to the Philippines will impose greater costs on China," said Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi, an associate professor at Tokyo International University Institute for International Strategy and a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Indo-Pacific Security Initiative. "Both locations are vital to deter China's aggressive moves in not only the Taiwan Strait and East China Seas, but also Beijing's ambitions in the Pacific. Still, one can expect China to do more to outdo such measures by enhancing their military readiness and conducting more assertive activities in the coming years," he said. Taiwan and the Philippines, as well as Japan and Indonesia, make up what China calls the first island chain potentially blocking its military access to the Pacific. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin concluded a nine-day trip to the Indo-Pacific on Monday after a series of meetings with the defense heads of countries in the region, including Japan, the Philippines, Australia and South Korea. At the meetings, Japan agreed to increase its participation in annual trilateral amphibious training with the U.S. and Australia. The Philippines agreed to share military intelligence by signing a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with the U.S. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Paraguay vows to uphold Taiwan ties amid growing Chinese influence in Latin America By William Yang November 27, 2024 Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ruben Dario Ramirez Lezcano said Friday the country remains committed to diplomatic ties with Taiwan despite farm sector calls for it to switch to having formal relations with China. At the same time, Ramirez Lezcano said his government is open to establishing trade and other relations with Beijing as long as it would not have to break off its ties with Taiwan. Paraguay is one of only 12 countries maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan and the only one in South America. "Paraguay is open to establishing diplomatic, consular or commercial relations with China without conditions," Ramirez Lezcano told VOA and five other U.S. news organizations. "We are still committed to supporting the Taiwan government, and we don't accept any condition to break our relations with Taiwan," he said. Paraguay has been seeking to gain access to the Chinese market though a trade deal between Beijing and the South American Common Market, known by its Spanish initials Mercosur, which includes countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay as well as Paraguay. "Our position with China is one of total openness," said Paraguayan President Santiago Pena during an August interview with Reuters. "We are in favor of advancing trade agreements." However, talks toward a China-Mercosur trade deal have so far been frustrated by disagreements among the Mercosur members and China's insistence that any country seeking relations with Beijing must renounce its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. 'Principles and values' matter, too Ramirez Lezcano reiterated Friday that economic benefit is not the only consideration for Paraguay when deciding whether to maintain diplomatic relations with any country. "The most important factors are principles and values, rather than just trade and money," he said. Analysts say Paraguay's recognition of Taiwan is not the only obstacle to a China-Mercosur trade deal. There are also fears by some countries within the bloc about overreliance on China and the impact that a deal would have on their own industries. Kung Kwo-Wei, a Latin American affairs expert at Tamkang University in Taiwan, noted that Brazil imposed new tariffs In October on Chinese and other Asian imports such as iron, steel and fiber, describing the move as an effort to combat dumping and protect Brazil's domestic industries. "Mercosur can only sign a free-trade agreement with China if all member states approve the proposal, but so far, there is no consensus among all member states because Brazil remains cautious about the move," said Su Yen-pin, an expert on Latin American affairs at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. "Since Paraguay has repeatedly said it won't sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan in exchange for signing trade deals with China, that makes it impossible for Mercosur to approve the free-trade agreement with China anytime soon," he told VOA by phone. China has repeatedly emphasized that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and urged Paraguay to "follow the trend of history." "We hope the government and leader of Paraguay will follow the trend of history, meet the aspiration of its people, stand on the right side of history as early as possible, join the overwhelming majority of the international community, and make the right decision that serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the country," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters in August. Trade with Taiwan While Paraguay is unlikely to sign trade deals with China anytime soon, experts say Taiwan faces pressure to increase its imports from Paraguay and its investments there. "Members of the Paraguayan Congress tend to discuss the benefits for Paraguay to maintain ties with Taiwan, and there is an increasing sense among Paraguay's agricultural businesses that they are losing a lot of economic benefits from maintaining ties with Taiwan," said Fabricio Fonseca, an assistant professor of diplomacy at Taiwan's National Chengchi University. He said that while Taiwan continues to increase its imports of beef and other agricultural products from Paraguay, farmers in other Mercosur states want the greater access to the China market a trade deal would offer, contributing to the pressure on the Paraguayan government. "Every once in a while, not only during election cycles, we see these push to discuss the topic of Paraguay's relations with Taiwan in the Congress, and this will continue to affect bilateral ties between Taiwan and Paraguay," Fonseca told VOA by phone. Paraguay has also been seeking more Taiwanese investment. Ramirez Lezcano said Asuncion is trying to attract more Taiwanese investments in the high-tech sector. "Taiwan is establishing an industrial park in Paraguay, and we are working to establish a technological ecosystem with Taiwanese companies," he told the reporters Friday. While Taiwan has sent several trade delegations to Paraguay in recent years, some Taiwanese analysts say the number of Taiwanese businesses investing in Paraguay remains limited. "Paraguay is geographically far from Taiwan, and Taiwanese businesses often think it's difficult to ensure a smooth industrial technology transfer to Paraguay," Kung Kwo-Wei, a Latin American affairs expert at Tamkang University in Taiwan, told VOA by phone. Despite Taiwan's limited private sector investment in Paraguay, Kung said the United States and Taiwan are working together to help Paraguay expand its private sector. "In 2021, Taiwan and the U.S. worked with Paraguay to bolster growth in its renewable energy and electric vehicle sector, and the three countries also jointly established several small business development centers," he said. Despite the challenges, Su in Taiwan said Paraguay's ruling Colorado Party is unlikely to make a major shift. "Unless there is a regime change in Paraguay's next election, there won't be too many opportunities for China to influence the diplomatic ties between Taipei and Asuncion," he told VOA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan leader to visit Hawaii as part of visit to Pacific: report The island's foreign minister called on China not to 'overreact' to Lai's foreign trip. By RFA Staff 2024.11.28 -- Taiwan President Lai Ching-te will visit Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam on a trip to the Pacific that will include stops in three diplomatic allies, media reported, after the government called on China not to "overreact" to his travels. China views Taiwan as its territory and it objects to any country or organization treating it as a state. In particular, China gets infuriated by visits by Taiwan leaders to the United States, and by visits by U.S. officials to Taiwan. Lai sets off on Saturday for visits to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, his first overseas trip since taking office on May 20. He would also visit Hawaii and Guam, Taiwan's Central News Agency, or CNA, reported on Thursday. "The president will stay in Hawaii for two nights before visiting the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, then transit through Guam before heading to Palau," CNA cited an unidentified government source as saying. "During the layovers in the U.S., Lai plans to hold closed-door discussions with think tanks and meet with local Taiwanese communities," it said. A spokesperson for China's defence ministry said China objected to the trip, the AFP news agency reported. "We firmly oppose official interaction with China's Taiwan region in any form," the spokesperson, Wu Qian, told a press conference. "The Chinese (military) shoulders the sacred mission of safeguarding national sovereignty... and will resolutely crush all secessionist attempts for Taiwan independence," Wu said. Taiwan's foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, speaking before the president's office announced the Hawaii and Guam stops on the trip, called on China not to use the Pacific trip as an excuse to stage military exercises. "We call on Beijing not to use the long-standing practice [of Taiwan's presidents traveling overseas] as a pretense to overreact, for example, by holding military exercises that risk destabilizing cross-strait relations," said CNA in a separate report, citing Lin. Reuters news agency on Wednesday reported that China would likely launch military drills near the island, using Lai's to the Pacific and the expected U.S. transit stop as a pretext, citing regional security officials. China launched intensive military exercises around Taiwan in 2022 after then U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the highest-ranking U.S. official in 25 years to visit Taiwan. China also froze top-level military talks and other dialogue with the U.S. in response to the Pelosi visit. Chinese forces have held frequent drills in the air and seas around the island since then. Beijing has over the years successfully swayed several of Taipei's diplomatic allies to shift their recognition to China. As of Nov. 28, only 12 countries maintained official diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Edited by Taejun Kang. Updated to include information about Lai's plan to visit Hawaii and Guam as well as a statement from China's defense ministry. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2024/11/28 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Date 6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Wednesday to Thursday, Nov. 27-28 PLA activities 13 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 9 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM call with Chancellor Scholz of Germany: 28 November 2024 The Prime Minister spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this afternoon. 28 November 2024 The Prime Minister spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this afternoon. The Prime Minister began by updating on the UK's latest immigration statistics published this morning and set out his determination to continue working together to reduce illegal migration. Both leaders agreed more could be done to smash the gangs in Europe and intercept smuggling gangs trading in human life. Germany was a vital partner in supporting that action, the Prime Minister added. Discussing progress on the joint action plan to tackle illegal migration, the leaders looked forward to signing the overarching treaty, which the action plan underpinned, in the coming months. Turning to Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated on his call with President Zelenskyy this morning, and said he was focused on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position going into the winter. The leaders agreed to stay in close touch. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Warship production milestone supports thousands of British jobs Construction has begun on HMS Sheffield - a new warfare ship for the Royal Navy, and will be one of the world's most advanced warships. 28 November 2024 The construction of HMS Sheffield, an advanced anti-submarine warfare ship for the Royal Navy, officially began today with a traditional steel-cutting ceremony in Glasgow. Nearly 2,000 jobs and apprenticeships will be supported through the production of Type 26 frigates, providing valuable employment opportunities for skilled workers and apprentices in Scotland. Around 4,000 jobs will be supported throughout the UK supply chain, in a boost to the economy. HMS Sheffield is the fifth of eight Type 26 frigates being built in Scotland, marking another significant step forward in the City Class frigate programme, designed for a service life of at least 25 years, serving into the 2060s. Representatives from BAE Systems, Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the Royal Navy, and government joined employees for the event, as an apprentice official cut steel on HMS Sheffield. Attending the ceremony, Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle MP, said: This steel cutting ceremony marks another key moment for both our Royal Navy and British shipbuilding. HMS Sheffield represents not just a cutting-edge addition to our fleet, but also demonstrates our commitment to supporting thousands of skilled jobs and economic growth across Scotland and the wider UK. This investment in our naval capability ensures we can continue to protect our nation's interests while supporting British industry. The Type 26 frigates will replace the current Type 23 fleet and will be among the world's most advanced warships, supporting our national security. Their primary role will be to protect the Royal Navy's Continuous At Sea Deterrent and Carrier Strike Group. These versatile ships will also support international operations, including counter-piracy missions and humanitarian relief work. This will support the UK in creating a stronger defence and ensuring our Armed Forces are better equipped to tackle the threats of the future. Sir Simon Lister, Managing Director, BAE Systems, Naval Ships said: This is a proud moment for our talented teams across the UK who play their part in the design and construction of these important vessels. HMS Sheffield's construction will benefit from a range of investments, which are transforming our digital and physical infrastructure and will consolidate a centre of excellence for UK shipbuilding in Glasgow. I'd like to thank our customers and suppliers for their support and commitment as we take this programme forward together and deliver the next generation frigates for the Royal Navy. HMS Sheffield is a name steeped in Royal Navy history, with the name previously on several ships, including on a Town class cruiser which saw extensive action during the Second World War, and a Type 42 destroyer which was deployed during the Falklands War. Construction of all of the City Class Type 26 frigates is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s, with HMS Glasgow, the first in class, entering service by the end of 2028. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Royal Navy ship demonstrates commitment to Caribbean security during visit to Turks and Caicos Islands Residents in Providenciales and Grand Turk were given the opportunity to visit the ship and learn more about the Royal Navy 29 November 2024 HMS Medway has visited Providenciales and Grand Turk during the past week, underscoring the UK's steadfast commitment to its Overseas Territories and regional partners in the Caribbean. Currently assigned to the North Atlantic and Caribbean region, HMS Medway plays a critical role in disaster response during the Atlantic hurricane season. The visit enabled a disaster response exercise and engagement between the ship's crisis response troop and the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment. The vessel's visit to Turks and Caicos also offered residents an opportunity to learn more about HMS Medway's work, highlighting the UK's ongoing commitment to the security, stability, and prosperity of its Overseas Territories. Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard, said: I would like to thank the dedicated men and women serving aboard HMS Medway for their hard work in supporting the UK's commitment to regional security and for supporting our Overseas Territories in the Caribbean. From tackling narcotics trafficking, to supporting relief efforts during hurricane season, the crew of HMS Medway are providing a valuable and reassuring presence for British citizens in the Overseas Territories. The ship hosted local dignitaries, including the Islands' Governor, for defence engagement activities in Providenciales, and later, in Grand Turk, welcomed schoolchildren aboard to learn about her vital capabilities and humanitarian equipment, including disaster relief supplies, ration packs, medical gear, and materials for clearing storm debris. Key engagement was also conducted with the Turks and Caicos Islands Defence Regiment. In addition to disaster preparedness, HMS Medway actively supports counter-narcotics efforts across the region, regularly conducting joint operations with US authorities to disrupt the narcotics trade. These efforts bolster regional security and play a significant role in preventing illegal substances from reaching UK shores. Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, said: HMS Medway's presence in the Turks and Caicos Islands exemplifies the UK's unwavering commitment to its Overseas Territories and regional allies. From providing rapid disaster response to supporting security operations, HMS Medway represents the UK's readiness to assist and support Caribbean communities. HMS Medway's presence in Turks and Caicos reflects Defence's commitment to maintaining a persistent presence in the region, reinforcing partnerships with Caribbean allies like the United States, Netherlands, Canada, and France. The ship's previous work in the Caribbean includes assisting the British Overseas Territories, including through providing security support during the COVID-19 pandemic, and conducting counter-narcotics operations in partnership with US law enforcement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO-Ukraine Council meets following Russia's launch of intermediate-range ballistic missile NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 26 Nov. 2024 Ambassadors met in the NATO-Ukraine Council (NUC) today (26 November 2024) to discuss the security situation in Ukraine following Russia's launch of an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) last week. Senior Ukrainian military officials briefed the Council via video link. During the meeting, NATO Allies reaffirmed their support for Ukraine. The attack, which targeted Dnipro, is seen as another attempt by Russia to terrorise the civilian population in Ukraine and intimidate those who support Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's illegal and unprovoked aggression. As earlier noted by the NATO Spokesperson, Farah Dakhlallah, "deploying this capability will neither change the course of the conflict nor deter NATO Allies from supporting Ukraine." The NATO-Ukraine Council provides a forum for consultation between Allies and Ukraine on security issues of common concern, including Russia's war of aggression. The meeting was chaired by NATO's acting Deputy Secretary General, Boris Ruge. The next meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council is due to take place during the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers that will be held on 3-4 December. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting of foreign ministers of Poland and Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Poland 26.11.2024 Radosaw Sikorski and Andrii Sybiha, the foreign ministers of Poland and Ukraine, met in Warsaw on 26 November. The talks focused on developing Polish-Ukrainian relations, Ukraine's EU accession process, and Poland's support for embattled Ukraine. The ministers also discussed the importance of Poland's presidency of the Council of the European Union, with support for Ukraine being one of its priorities. Minister Radosaw Sikorski emphasised our country's willingness to share the experience of the accession process with Ukraine. The ministers stressed the potential and significance of Polish assistance to Ukraine in the military, humanitarian, energy, and political dimensions. They underscored that any talks on ending the conflict must take place with Ukraine's consent, in accordance with the principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine". Minister Radosaw Sikorski noted that Poland should take part in such talks. The ministers also discussed bilateral issues, including historical ones. They declared their full willingness to solve problems concerning search and exhumation work on Ukrainian territory. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the intensive bilateral contacts between Poland and Ukraine this year and hope for their continuation, including through meetings at the highest level. The ministers have adopted a joint statement which indicates priority areas of engagement and defines principles to guide both countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nordic and Baltic countries and Poland pledge to strengthen support for Ukraine Finnish Government Government Communications Department 27.11.2024 Press release In a joint statement delivered on Thursday, the Nordic and Baltic countries and Poland pledged to strengthen their support for Ukraine. The statement was adopted by the leaders of the countries at their summit at Harpsund, Sweden. "In the coming months, we will step up our support, including to the Ukrainian defence industry. Military assistance is an integral part of our support. We encourage other to do the same," the statement said. "Our main message today is that our support for Ukraine is unwavering and will remain strong," said Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. "The situation in the world right now is very uncertain. We are facing security threats and challenges we thought we had left to history. At the same time, after our discussions here - between friends and neighbours and allies - I feel reassured," Orpo said. This time, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was also invited to take part in the Nordic-Baltic (NB) Summit. French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech at the meeting via remote connection. In addition to support for Ukraine, the leaders also discussed transatlantic relations and security in the Baltic Sea region. Inquiries: Marja Koskela, Diplomatic Adviser to the Prime Minister, tel. +358 295 160 978, tel. +358 50 433 4533 and Heli Suominen, Head of Communications, tel. +358 50 479 3766, Prime Minister's Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Baiba Braze: Nordic, Baltic and Polish Allies have a shared vision of the transatlantic security. We will stay in the lead to support Ukraine until its victory Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 27.11.2024 "The Baltic States, the Nordic countries and Poland - we have a shared vision of the security of the transatlantic region and a firm position that our common security and defence capabilities need to be strengthened even further and faster. Europe must take greater responsibility for its security by prioritising defence spending. Russia is, and will remain a direct threat to the security of all of us in the foreseeable future. Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and increasingly intense hybrid threats affect stability and security on a global scale. Russia's attempts to intimidate us and undermine global support to Ukraine provide an additional incentive to reinforce our resilience capabilities and mutual cooperation in the region, the EU and NATO," Foreign Minister Baiba Braze stressed at the meeting of the Prime Ministers of the Baltic States and Nordic countries (NB8). In apressconferencefollowingthesummit,Baiba Braze underlined: "We, together with the Allies, must do what it takes to constrain Russia, including work on further sanctions against Russia - to reduce its revenues, which allows it to fund the war of aggression against Ukraine. It is no less important to monitor compliance with sanctions in the EU at the national level, as well as to prevent violations or possibilities to circumvent the sanctions. Currently, in times of increased intensity and workload, this is done by Latvia's competent authorities, which guard the external eastern border not only of Latvia, but of the EU and NATO. As a country bordering both Russia and Belarus, we are the first EU security line, and investment in security is our priority: Latvia will channel 3.5% of GDP to defence in 2025. In 2024, it is 3.25% of GDP on defence and 1% of GDP in support of Ukraine." At the meeting of the Prime Ministers of the Baltic States and Nordic countries (NB8) held on 27 November in Sweden, Latvia was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze, standing in for the Prime Minister of Latvia, Evika Silina. The NB8 prime ministers were also joined by the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk. The focus of the meeting was placed on strengthening of the resilience of the Baltic Sea region against hybrid threats, on security policy developments, transatlantic relations, NATO's role in strengthening the Baltic Sea region and the Euro-Atlantic space as a whole. Baiba Braze thanked the Nordic countries for their vital contribution to the security of the Baltic States: NATO's Multinational Brigade Latvia currently consists of over 3,500 troops from 13 countries, including Denmark, and 600 soldiers of the Swedish Armed Forces will be sent to Latvia at the beginning of 2025. The participants of the summit confirmed that they will continue their support to Ukraine in every possible way - military, political, humanitarian. The NB8 countries collectively are the second largest provider of military support to Ukraine after the U.S. "We - the Baltic States, the Nordic countries and Poland - will stay in the lead in providing support to Ukraine until Ukraine wins," Baiba Braze underlined. Those present agreed that Ukraine should receive the broadest possible international support to be able to prevail in the war against Russian aggression and to ensure a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. The prime ministers expressed their support for the Ukrainian Victory Plan and the country's full integration into the European Union and NATO. Demonstrating their unity and strong stance, the head of government also adopted a Joint Statement on strengthening security in the Euro-Atlantic space and supporting Ukraine. "In the coming months, we will step up our support, including to the Ukrainian defence industry, and we will invest in making more ammunition available to Ukraine. Ukraine's courage and resilience will be backed by strong and steadfast support by our countries whereof military assistance is an integral part. We encourage others to do the same," the declaration reads. Joint Statement by the heads of government of NB8 countries - https://www.government.se/statements/2024/11/joint-statement-by-the-heads-of-government-of-denmark-estonia-finland-latvia-norway-poland-and-sweden/ About the NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia The lead nation of NATO's Multinational Brigade Latvia is Canada. The brigade currently consists of over 3,500 troops from 13 countries - Albania, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Iceland, Latvia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. About 600 personnel of the Swedish Armed Forces will be also sent to Latvia in the early 2025. About NB8 The format of the Baltic States and Nordic countries (NB8) comprises Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden. In 2024, the NB8 activities are coordinated by Sweden. Its priorities: security policy cooperation in the NB8 region, demonstrating NB8 support for Ukraine's freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and promoting global support for Ukraine In 2025, the coordination of NB8 cooperation on foreign affairs will be taken over by Denmark. Latvia coordinated NB8 cooperation at the foreign ministry level in 2023. The previous NB8 meeting at the prime ministers' level was held in Finland in 2017. the present meeting takes place in the format of NB8+Poland. Poland is a close partner and ally of Latvia and other NB8 countries, and Poland's contribution to regional security is highly important. https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/co-operation-among-baltic-and-nordic-countries Joint Statement by the heads of government of NB8 countries - https://www.government.se/statements/2024/11/joint-statement-by-the-heads-of-government-of-denmark-estonia-finland-latvia-norway-poland-and-sweden/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US official confirms North Korean casualties in Russia's Kursk US defense official's confirmation comes after media report of 500 North Koreans killed by British missiles. By Taejun Kang for RFA and Lee Sangmin for RFA Korean 2024.11.27 TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A U.S. official confirmed to RFA Korean service that North Korean troops deployed in Russia have suffered casualties, the first U.S. confirmation after media reported that 500 North Koreans had been killed in a Ukrainian attack with British missiles last week. The unidentified official from the U.S. Department of Defense familiar with the situation said casualties among North Korean troops have occurred in the Kursk region of Russia, adding that it was caused by an airstrike by the Ukrainian army, RFA Korean reported on Tuesday. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said earlier that the Defense Department could not independently confirm reports about North Korean casualties, although South Korea's main security agency said it had "specific intelligence" that North Korean forces in Russia had suffered casualties. It did not provide any estimated toll. Videos circulated by pro-Russian war bloggers indicated that up to 12 British Storm Shadow missiles struck a target believed to be a command headquarters in the village of Maryno on Wednesday last week. The site might have been used by North Korean and Russian officers, the defense news publisher Global Defense Corp reported, adding that 500 North Koreans had been killed in a Ukrainian attack. Separately, The Wall Street Journal, citing Western officials, said the attack on the command headquarters also killed one high-level North Korean official. The U.S. and South Korea have said that North Korean troops had been fighting in Kursk against Ukrainian forces who occupied parts of the Russian region in early August. The U.S. has estimated that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers had been sent to Kursk and they had begun combat operations alongside Russian forces. Neither Russia nor North Korea have confirmed the presence of North Korean troops. Ukraine envoys in South Korea Special envoys from Ukraine, led by its defense minister Rustem Umerov, arrived in Seoul on Wednesday to meet South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, media reported. They are expected to share information about the North Korean deployment and request arms support for Ukraine, Yonhap News Agency reported. Yoon previously said that while Seoul had provided humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine, in line with a South Korean convention of not supplying arms to active conflict zones, the situation has changed with the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia. Russia warned that it would respond strongly if South Korea supplies weapons to Ukraine, saying it would "fully destroy relations between the two countries." Edited by RFA Staff. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content November not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Defense Minister Discusses Boosting Security With South Korean President By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service November 27, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov's talks in South Korea on November 27 focused on cooperation on the security of both Ukraine and South Korea in light of the deployment of North Korean forces in Russia's war against Ukraine. Zelenskiy said Umerov went to Seoul at his instruction to discuss all aspects of North Korea's involvement in the war "and the things we can do together to defend our nations and to secure our regions together." Umerov said earlier that he had discussed joint steps to strengthen security and stability with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol while in Seoul. Umerov also met with South Korea's defense minister and national-security adviser. "We believe that our arguments about the need to increase cooperation between Ukraine and the Republic of Korea will lead to a tangible strengthening of security for our peoples and regions," Umerov said on Telegram. Umerov said he raised the presence of the North Korean troops and the North Korean military's "active" support for energy infrastructure attacks on Ukraine. For South Korea, the deployment of the North Korean troops poses a serious threat because they are gaining combat experience, which could create additional security challenges, he said. A statement issued by Yoon's office does not say whether the parties discussed the possibility of Seoul supplying weapons to Ukraine. Ukraine has previously asked Seoul for weapons, and South Korea has said it could consider such aid, depending on what Russia and North Korea do. Zelenskiy also said in his nightly address that decisions made in July at the NATO summit in Washington on air defense and other supplies to the front line "have not yet been fully implemented...and this, of course, has had a significant impact on our people's motivation and morale." The recent authorization of long-range strikes on military targets in Russia "has been helpful, but the pressure on Russia must be maintained and increased at various levels to make Russia feel what war really is," Zelenskiy said. Russian forces have been making steady gains along the front line as Kyiv's troops battle a larger and better equipped enemy. Zelenskiy did not mention a news report that President Joe Biden's administration is urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops. A senior Biden administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, was quoted earlier on November 27 by the Associated Press as saying that the outgoing administration wants Ukraine to lower the mobilization age to 18 from 25 to help expand the pool of fighting-age men. The official said "the pure math" of Ukraine's situation now is that it needs more troops in the fight, according to the AP. The official said the Ukrainians believe they need about 160,000 additional troops, but the U.S. administration believes they probably will need more than that. With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-war-north- korea-south-korea-umerov-zelenskiy/33218282.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Nominates Defense Adviser Kellogg As Special Envoy For Ukraine, Russia By RFE/RL November 27, 2024 U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on November 27 tapped Keith Kellogg, a retired army lieutenant general who has long served as a top adviser to Trump on defense issues, as his nominee to be special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. "Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration," Trump said on social media. Kellogg "was with me right from the beginning," Trump said on Truth Social. "Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!" Kellogg's nomination comes after Trump's criticism during the 2024 presidential campaign of the billions of dollars that the United States has poured into Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Trump also said he could end the war within 24 hours of retaking the White House, a statement that has been interpreted as meaning that Ukraine would have to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. Kellogg has already put forth a plan for ending the war that involves freezing the battle lines where they are and forcing Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table, Reuters reported in June. According to Reuters, Kellogg has advocated telling the Ukrainians that if they don't come to the negotiating table, U.S. support would dry up, while telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that if he doesn't come to the table, the United States would give the Ukrainians "everything they need to kill you in the field." NATO membership for Ukraine would be off the table as part of the incentive for Russia to come along, while putting it back on would be punishment for holding back. Kellogg, 80, earlier this year wrote that "bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties." He made the statements in a research paper written for the America First Policy Institute, a think tank formed after Trump left office in 2021. "The United States would continue to arm Ukraine and strengthen its defenses to ensure Russia will make no further advances and will not attack again after a cease-fire or peace agreement," the document said. "Future American military aid, however, will require Ukraine to participate in peace talks with Russia." Kellogg served in several positions during Trump's first term, including as chief of staff on Trump's national security council and national-security adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence. Mikhail Alexseev, a professor of political science at San Diego State University whose research focuses on Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, told RFE/RL that the appointment signals "the intent to enforce some kind of cease-fire and conflict settlement which Trump said he would try to achieve within 24 hours." Alexseev said Kellogg seems to be a straight shooter who would "detect very quickly whether a peace proposal would be unrealistic" and would be able to see through "Putin's repeated record of breaking agreements." Alexseev doesn't believe the proposal to get the parties to negotiate is going to work but said Kellogg "would be among the first to see why and how it wouldn't work." Mark Cancian, a military analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Relations, told RFE/RL that negotiations will be "difficult," because the "two sides are so far apart. Russia thinks its winning. Ukraine wants all its territory back, including Crimea, reparations, war crimes. [The Trump team] has indicated that they'll use U.S. aid as a tool against both sides. Maybe that will work." Cancian adds that he also expects to see "personal diplomacy." He expects that Trump "will meet personally with both Putin and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskiy. That is his style. I mean, he's a New York real estate developer, and to get something done, you threaten, you bluster, but then in the end, you sit down face to face, and you make a deal, because if you don't make a deal, you don't make any money." Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky told a UN Security Council meeting that any decision by Trump's incoming administration to cut support for Ukraine would be a "death sentence" for the Ukrainian Army. "Even if we're to lay to one side the prediction that Donald Trump will cut assistance to Ukraine, which for the Ukrainian Army would essentially be a death sentence, it is becoming clearer that he and his team will, in any case, conduct an audit of the assistance provided to Kyiv," Polyansky said. Polyansky said Russia had repeatedly offered to negotiate, but Ukraine and its Western backers have favored escalation. Ukraine has consistently rejected Russian offers to negotiate because Moscow's conditions, including accepting Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territory, have been unacceptable to Kyiv. The Russian diplomat also accused the Biden administration of trying through its increased support to Ukraine to create a "mess, both in Russia and with the new team in the White House." He warned the decision by the Biden administration and its European allies to authorize the Ukrainian military to use long-range missiles against targets inside Russia had "placed the world on the brink of a global nuclear conflict" and said Russia would respond decisively. "I will be frank, we believe that it is our right to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries who allow the use of weapons against our facilities." Speaking earlier at the same Security Council session, UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca highlighted recent Russian long-range missile strikes on Ukraine and called the use of ballistic missiles and related threats against Ukraine "a very dangerous, escalatory development." U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the session Washington would "continue to surge security assistance to Ukraine to strengthen its capabilities, including air defense, and put Ukraine in the best possible position on the battlefield." With reporting by Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-war-kellogg- trump-peace-plan/33218229.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nordic-Baltic States, Poland To Increase Military Aid To Ukraine By RFE/RL November 27, 2024 Nordic-Baltic countries and Poland have pledged to step up support for Ukraine, including making more ammunition available to strengthen deterrence and defense against hybrid attacks. The leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, and Sweden, who met near Stockholm on November 27, also said they were ready to step up sanctions against Russia and backers of its Ukraine invasion and discussed an investigation into the severing of undersea communication cables earlier this month in the Baltic Sea. "Together with our allies, we are committed to strengthening our deterrence, and defense, including resilience, against conventional as well as hybrid attacks, and to expanding sanctions against Russia as well as against those who enable Russia's aggression," the leaders said a statement. The leaders met for talks covering transatlantic relations, regional security cooperation, and a common policy on the war in Ukraine. The meeting was the first of the Nordic-Baltic heads of government since 2017. Poland attended for the first time. Ahead of the meeting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk proposed joint monitoring of the Baltic Sea by the navies of the Baltic states following damage to two undersea communication cables that is being investigated as a hybrid attack. "Baltic air policing already exists for the airspace over the Baltic Sea," Tusk said. "I will convince our partners of the necessity to immediately create an analogous formula for the control and security of the Baltic Sea waters, a naval surveillance," he added. The underwater cables -- one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania -- were damaged on November 17-18, prompting suspicions of sabotage. Sweden, Germany, and Lithuania have all launched investigations, but the cause of the damage is still unknown. Finnish police have said they believe the incident was caused by a Chinese ship dragging its anchor, and Swedish investigators have focused on the Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3, which is thought to have passed both locations at the times of the cable breaks. The ship now sits idle in international waters but inside Denmark's exclusive economic zone. Sweden has asked the vessel to return to Swedish waters to help facilitate the investigation, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on November 26, but he stressed he was not making any accusations. Kristersson told a press conference he was hopeful China would respond positively to the request to move the ship to Swedish waters. "From the Swedish side we have had contact with the ship and contact with China and said that we want the ship to move towards Swedish waters," Kristersson said. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said communications with Sweden and other relevant parties had been "unobstructed." Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing on November 27 that China has shown "consistent support" in working with other countries to maintain the security of international undersea cables and other infrastructure. Yi Peng 3 left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15. Russia last week said suggestions it had anything to do with the breaches were "absurd." The Wall Street Journal reported on November 27 that the ship has been surrounded by European warships in international waters for a week. Investigators suspect the crew of the Yi Peng 3, which is loaded with Russian fertilizer, deliberately severed the cables by dragging its anchor for more than 160 kilometers, the newspaper reported. The probe centers on whether the captain of the ship was induced by Russian intelligence to carry out the sabotage, the report said. With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and The Wall Street Journal Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-china-denmark- sweden-poland-baltics-norway-undersea-cable/33218161.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia has intensified its deliberate targeting of civilian energy infrastructure: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN at the UN Security Council meeting on the maintenance of peace and security in Ukraine. 27 November 2024 Last week, we marked 1000 days since Russia launched its illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We recalled the devastating impact the war has had upon the Ukrainian people and the world, and reiterated our steadfast commitment to ensuring Ukraine gets the support it needs to defend itself and to achieve a just and lasting peace, in line with the UN Charter. President Putin has demonstrated, time and again, that he has no interest in such a peace. In recent weeks and months, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine. First, it has stepped up the use of indiscriminate glide bombs against Ukrainian cities. Last week, the UN announced that the number of civilians killed since February 2022 had reached over 10,000, with over 18,500 injured. Second, Russia has intensified its deliberate targeting of civilian energy infrastructure. This is a war crime and puts the lives of millions of Ukrainians at serious risk during the cold winter months. Third, Russia is using experimental weapons. Last week, it fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Dnipro. Ukraine is not a testing ground for new weapons. I could go on. But this pattern of reckless activity by Russia serves only to prolong the war and the suffering of the Ukrainian people, whilst posing serious risks to international peace and security. There is only one aggressor here and only one country in breach of the Charter. To seek de-escalation, we must focus on deterring Russia from that aggression. No one wants peace more than Ukraine, but Ukraine needs to be able to defend its civilians from these brutal attacks. Ukraine has a right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and we will support them in their efforts to achieve sustainable peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Enhancing Ukraine's Air Defense and NATO's Response to Russia's Expansion of the War: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Had a Conversation with Mark Rutte President of Ukraine 27 November 2024 - 20:11 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The Head of State thanked him for organizing an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which was held yesterday at Ukraine's request. At the meeting, the Ukrainian side presented detailed information regarding Russia's use of a new ballistic missile that targeted Dnipro. The President stated that Ukraine expects a decisive and timely response from the Alliance to Russia's expansion of the war. In particular, on December 3 and 4, a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at the foreign minister level will be held in Brussels. Ukraine relies on support for the transfer of air defense systems capable of intercepting such missiles. The list of air defense systems in service with NATO countries was handed over to Ukraine's partners. The Head of State also stressed the importance of Ukraine receiving an invitation to NATO and continuing its defense cooperation with the Alliance. Additionally, the conversation addressed the supply of long-range weaponry and the urgent need to deliver arms from the previously announced aid packages. In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte discussed the global risks posed by the alliance between Russia, Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In particular, the issue of Russia transferring its modern military technologies in exchange for weapons. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Pressure on Russia Must Be Maintained and Increased at Various Levels - Address by the President President of Ukraine 27 November 2024 - 19:56 I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! I have just spoken to Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General. Yesterday, there was a meeting of our NATO-Ukraine Council related to Russia's use of a new ballistic missile. And today, we discussed with Mark the available response options - the need to enhance Ukraine's air defense. I identified specific air defense systems that are needed that can be effective. Our partners have these air defense systems. And it is crucial that the decisions made at the NATO Summit in Washington on air defense and other supplies to the frontline have not yet been fully implemented; we are looking forward to it, and this, of course, has a significant impact on our people's motivation and morale. The recent authorization of long-range strikes on military targets in Russia has been helpful. But the pressure on Russia must be maintained and increased at various levels. To make Russia feel what war really is. We discussed engagements with our partners - the United States and others - and our coordinated efforts to ensure the fulfillment of what we have already agreed upon, as well as to secure the necessary additional reinforcements, both military and political. Including an invitation to NATO for Ukraine - this is a strategic political step - an invitation that our people truly deserve and that can really help. I am grateful to Mark for his assistance and for keeping me informed on his communications, and on his negotiations with partners. Overall, today is a very active day: lots of meetings, including at the highest level, for Minister of Defense of Ukraine Umerov in the Republic of Korea. On my instructions. Rustem Umerov has spoken with the President of South Korea, and with his counterpart, the Minister of Defense, and the National Security Advisor. The agenda is clear. It includes everything related to Russia's involvement of North Korea in the war against Ukraine - all aspects of this involvement. And the things we can do together. To defend our nations and to secure our regions together. The presence of not only missiles and shells from North Korea in Russia's arsenals but also soldiers on the frontlines - this is the globalization of war, initiated by Russia; and it can only be stopped globally. And upon Minister Umerov's return, I look forward to his report on the negotiations in Seoul. There was a report from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi. As usual, he provided detailed updates on the frontline situation and operations in the Kursk region. Donetsk remains the most intense area. Particularly the Kurakhove direction - facing the most intense hostilities and the most brutal assaults. As well as Pokrovsk and Kupyansk directions. I am grateful to all our units - to every soldier, sergeant and officer who is destroying the occupier and defending our positions. And one more thing. Today I held a meeting with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Minister of Finance of Ukraine Marchenko, and representatives of the Verkhovna Rada. We discussed the key parameters of next year's state budget, our financial readiness for this December and for the coming year. And we agreed that tomorrow I will sign the law on next year's state budget - as soon as the law is received from the Verkhovna Rada. The main thing is that all Ukraine's financial needs for the near future and for the coming year are guaranteed. I am grateful to all those who are working for the benefit of Ukraine! I am grateful to everyone who is fighting for our state and people. Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Reverse dangerous cycle of escalation' in Ukraine, UN official urges, amid ballistic missile strike 27 November 2024 - Recent days have seen alarming signs of further escalation in the war in Ukraine, a senior UN official warned the Security Council on Wednesday, appealing for greater efforts to bring an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. "The latest developments follow the already disturbing reports of troops from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) being deployed to the conflict zone," Miroslav Jenca, Assistant Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told ambassadors. He said the Ukrainian city of Dnipro was hit by a ballistic intermediate-range Russian missile on 21 November which reportedly struck an industrial area to the southwest. Ukrainian authorities reported that the missile was equipped with six warheads, each with six sub-munitions, and that it took only 15 minutes to arrive from the launch site in the Astrakhan region of Russia, some 1,000 kilometres (about 620 miles) away. Hours later, President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia had tested a new conventional intermediate-range missile called "Oreshnik", and that the strike was in response to Ukraine's use of Western supplied long-range missiles against his country. He further stated that Russia would continue testing the new missile in combat. More strikes possible Mr. Jenca said on Tuesday, Russian authorities signalled the likelihood of further strikes, following additional reported strikes by Ukraine using long-range missiles. "The United Nations does not have additional details on these incidents, including on the type of weapons used. However, the use of ballistic missiles and related threats are a very dangerous escalatory development," he said. He stressed that the UN condemns all attacks on civilian targets and critical infrastructure, irrespective of the weapons system used. Stop the suffering "We urge all parties to take immediate steps to de-escalate and to refrain from any action or rhetoric that could further intensify this war, bring more suffering to the civilian population and gravely endanger regional and international peace and security," Mr. Jenca said. Meanwhile, Russian aerial strikes continue to wreak havoc across Ukraine. "Just yesterday, Russia reportedly launched 188 drones against 17 regions of Ukraine. This was reportedly the record number of drones deployed in a single attack," he said. He noted that since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, more than 12,000 civilians have been killed, and nearly 27,000 injured, according to the UN human rights office, OHCHR. Furthermore, relentless attacks hitting residential areas continue to cause severe damage to civilian infrastructure, further deteriorating the living conditions for millions. A heavy price Mr. Jenca said the cost of the war is already too high for the people of Ukraine, and for the world, and it is growing by the day. "We must reverse the dangerous cycle of escalation," he told the Council. "This requires genuine political will and inclusive diplomatic efforts towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions." He concluded by underlining the UN's readiness to support such efforts. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Security Council Split over Russian Federation's Mid-range Ballistic Strike, Ukraine's Use of Western-supplied Long-range Missiles Meetings Coverage Security Council 9796th Meeting (AM) SC/15914 27 November 2024 As the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine surpasses 1,000 days, speakers warned the Security Council today of a dangerous escalation, citing reports of mid- and long-range missile firings by both sides and the deployment of troops from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the conflict zone. "In recent days, we have seen alarming signs of further escalation in this already explosive war," said Miroslav Jenca, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, pointing to a strike on 21 November of an industrial area in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, by a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile. According to Ukrainian authorities, the missile, which was equipped with six warheads, took only 15 minutes to arrive from the launch site in the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation, 1,000 kilometres away from Dnipro city, he said. Hours after the strike, the President of the Russian Federation confirmed that Moscow had tested a new conventional intermediate-range missile called "Oreshnik", in response the use of Western supplied long-range missiles by the armed forces of Ukraine against the territory of the Russian Federation, indicating that it would continue to test the new missile in combat. "The use of ballistic missiles and related threats are a very dangerous escalatory development," Mr. Jenca said, urging all parties to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation. Meanwhile, systematic Russian aerial strikes have continued to wreak havoc across Ukraine, he went on, citing Tuesday's launch by the Russian Federation of 188 drones against 17 regions of Ukraine. "This was reportedly the record number of drones deployed in a single attack," he added. At least 12,162 civilians have been killed and 26,919 injured in Ukraine since February 2022, he reported, stressing: "The cost of this war is already too high for the people of Ukraine, and for the world and it is growing by the day." Therefore, he again called for the dangerous cycle of escalation to be reversed, through political will and inclusive diplomatic efforts towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, in line with the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Ukraine's delegate pointed out that the ongoing deployment of troops from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea "remains one of the clearest indicators of Moscow's unwillingness to de-escalate, alongside the weapons supplies Russia has been receiving from Pyongyang for over a year". He noted that the first clashes between the Ukrainian forces and Pyongyang's servicemen are already taking place. Those troops are fighting with forged documents that provide them assumed identities, he said, adding that the current military contingent of 11,000 troops could quickly be increased to 100,000 soldiers. Missiles supplied by Pyongyang since August 2023 are responsible for one third of all ballistic missile attacks against Ukraine this year, he stated, adding that such transfers and the training of servicemen deployed to Kursk flagrantly violate multiple Council resolutions. He therefore called on "responsible nations to take immediate actions to counteract the Russian and North Korean regimes", and to condemn Moscow's "irresponsible nuclear sabre-rattling". Ukraine will continue to exercise its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which does not impose geographical limitations on defending against an armed attack, he said. The United States' representative said that Moscow expanded the war by seeking external supplies of missiles, drones and ammunition to replenish its dwindling stock, violating Council resolutions. In return for Pyongyang's support 1,000 troops and 18,000 containers of munitions and materiel used to strike Kyiv and other populous places Moscow provides the Asian country air defense systems as well as free and subsidized fuel, he stated, calling on China to use its influence to stop a further escalation of the conflict. As a "gift to Pyongyang" in March, the Russian Federation vetoed the renewal of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1718 Committee monitoring sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, he condemned. Underscoring Ukraine's right to defend itself, Washington, D.C., is supplying Kyiv with hundreds of additional Patriots and advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAMs) to strengthen its air defence capabilities, he added. However, the Russian Federation's representative countered that his country's recent use of a new missile system was in response to Ukraine's firings of long-range missiles authorized by the United States and the United Kingdom against his country, which placed the world on the brink of a global nuclear conflict. "Every wave of escalation from the West will be decisively responded to," he declared, stressing that Moscow has the right to use its weapons against military facilities of those countries that allow the use of their weapons against its facilities. Ukraine's "bankrupt Zelenskyy regime" is dragging the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into a conflict to avoid a humiliating defeat, he stressed, citing the "failed Kursk escapade" and the "clear collapse of the Donbass front". Recent developments, including the fleeing en masse of forcefully conscripted Ukrainian soldiers from their positions, made it increasingly difficult for the "actor Zelenskyy" to lie his people, he stated. Further, the incoming United States President Donald Trump is expected to cut assistance for the Ukrainian army, which is a "death sentence" for them, he said, adding that the new Administration's audit of assistance to Ukraine is a "frightening scenario" for Kyiv. "Japan, as the only country that has ever suffered atomic bombings during war, will never tolerate Russia's nuclear threats, let alone its use of nuclear weapons", its delegate declared. The representative of the Republic of Korea also sounded the alarm over Moscow's new nuclear doctrine, which lowers the threshold for nuclear engagement. By launching an intermediate-range ballistic missile, the country is "dangerously blurring the lines between conventional and nuclear warfare", he warned. "Ukraine is not a testing ground for new weapons," warned the representative of the United Kingdom, Council President for November, who spoke in her national capacity, calling for combined efforts to deter Moscow from its aggression. "No one wants peace more than Ukraine," she underscored, affirming her country's support for Ukraine's right to self-defence and its efforts to achieve sustainable peace. However, the representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea defended the Kremlin's position, saying "Russia's counterstrike on 21 November is an exercise of just and legitimate right to self-defence and serves as a serious warning to the US and Western countries in war mania." He then declared that Pyongyang will continue to strengthen relations with Moscow to defend the fundamental interests of both their peoples, contribute to regional and global peace and security and "realize international justice". Many delegates voiced alarm over the ongoing Moscow-Pyongyang military cooperation, including Slovenia's, who called the deployment of troops an "unprecedented development". Estonia's representative, speaking on behalf of Latvia and Lithuania, drew attention to Moscow's reported recruitment of cannon fodder from Yemen to fight in Ukraine. "It is highly alarming that military and mercenaries from all over the world are being recruited to fight in the heart of Europe to satisfy Russia's neo-colonial and imperial ambitions," he said. China's delegate called on all parties, especially the United States, to work with his country to "make a genuine effort to end the war". His country has actively conducted "shuttle diplomacy" through its special representative and is engaged with all relevant parties, he said, also highlighting its founding of the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis, which calls for "upholding the three principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no fueling the flame by any party". Poland's representative stated that any future peace must be negotiated and agreed upon by Ukraine, calling for Russian authorities and soldiers to be held accountable for all crimes committed in Ukraine. "If they go unpunished by international justice, aggressive Moscow could inspire other actors to replace international law with a 'might makes right' approach", a point echoed by the representative of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as observer. Some speakers highlighted the impact of the conflict on civilians, among them Guyana's delegate, who called for their concrete protection, citing the finding by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that an average of at least 16 children are killed or injured in Ukraine every week. Relatedly, her counterpart from Malta voiced concern over Moscow's systematic targeting of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. This month alone, it launched another massive missile and drone attack with the sole intent of damaging Ukraine's energy capacity just before the upcoming winter months. Ecuador's delegate pointed out that Ukraine has become one of the most heavily mined countries worldwide, with almost 25 per cent of its territories contaminated, a concern shared by the speaker for Switzerland. The delegates of Sierra Leone, Mozambique and Algeria, called for diplomacy, with the latter warning against confrontation and polarization and urging the parties to avoid the worst scenario. "Only dialogue and negotiation can lead us to a ceasefire and stop the bloodshed," he stressed. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Update 262 - IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine International Atomic Energy Agency 121/2024 Vienna, Austria 28 Nov 2024 Ukraine's three operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) reduced their electricity generation this morning following renewed attacks on the country's energy infrastructure that further endangered nuclear safety during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said. For a second time in less than two weeks, the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs lowered their power levels as a precautionary step during widespread military activities in the country, while air raid alarms sounded at the three sites, Director General Grossi said. Two of the IAEA teams deployed in Ukraine were forced to seek shelter. The operating NPPs have a total of nine reactors, all of which decreased output. One reactor, at the Rivne NPP, was also disconnected from the grid. The NPPs continued to receive external electricity, even though the Khmelnytskyy site lost the connection to two of its power lines. "Ukraine's energy infrastructure is extremely fragile and vulnerable, putting nuclear safety at great risk," Director General Grossi said. "Once again, I call for maximum military restraint in areas with major nuclear energy facilities and other sites on which they depend." There were no reports of direct damage to the NPPs, but the IAEA was informed by Ukraine that the strikes once again impacted the electrical substations which the plants use both to transmit and receive off-site power. These substations, identified by the IAEA as important for nuclear safety and security, have been damaged in previous attacks, including in August. IAEA teams visited seven substations - located outside the NPPs across Ukraine - in September and October to assess the situation there following the August strikes, finding "extensive damage" and "concluding that the grid's capability to provide a reliable off-site power supply to Ukrainian NPPs has been significantly reduced," Director General Grossi told the IAEA Board of Governors last week. "The IAEA will continue to assess the extent of damage to facilities and power lines that are essential for nuclear safety and security," he said today. "The IAEA will continue to do everything in its power to reduce the risk of a nuclear incident during this tragic war." NPPs need reliable connections to the grid both to distribute the electricity they produce and to obtain off-site power for reactor cooling. The increasing fragility of the grid has been one of the main challenges for nuclear safety and security throughout the armed conflict. The Director General has repeatedly underlined the importance of adhering to the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security, one of which states that there must be a secure off-site power supply from the grid for all nuclear sites. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address News / National by Staff reporter A 24-year-old man, Bright Chikomo, was arrested on Thursday for his involvement in a robbery that took place at a residence in Eastview, Phase 15, Mabvuku, Harare. The robbery occurred on November 28, 2024, when Chikomo, along with an accomplice identified only as "Digital," attacked a couple in their home, stealing cash, cellphones, and a blanket.The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed Chikomo's arrest, stating that the suspect was positively identified by the wife of the couple during the robbery. This identification led to Chikomo's swift apprehension. Authorities also recovered a knife from the suspect's trousers pocket at the time of his arrest.A statement from the ZRP said:"On 28/11/24, Police in Harare arrested Bright Chikomo (24) in connection with a case of robbery which occurred at a house in Eastview, Phase 15, Mabvuku, where a couple was attacked before USD 30.00 cash, two cellphones and a blanket were stolen. The suspect was positively identified by the wife during the robbery, leading to his arrest. The arrest led to the recovery of a knife which was in the pocket of the suspect's trousers."The second suspect, "Digital," is still at large, and police have urged anyone with information regarding the fugitive's whereabouts to report it to the nearest police station.In a separate incident on the same day, three armed suspects carried out a violent robbery at a residence along Cecil Road in Greendale, Harare. The suspects, who have not yet been identified, assaulted the family members before stealing a significant amount of cash, along with laptops, cellphones, and a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). The total value of the stolen goods is estimated to be US$12,200.The police have not made any arrests in this second robbery case, and investigations are ongoing. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to assist in the investigation and apprehension of the criminals involved. Russia has created a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine: UK statement to the OSCE Ambassador Holland condemns the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and calls on Russia to end its illegal war and comply with international law. 28 November 2024 Thank you, Madam Chair. President Putin's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine has caused untold suffering and destruction. Millions displaced, thousands killed, and vital infrastructure decimated - resulting in one of the largest humanitarian crises in Europe since World War II. Ukrainians are enduring unimaginable hardships. Russian airstrikes have devastated cities, destroyed homes, and left critical infrastructure - including hospitals, schools, and energy facilities - in ruins. The destruction of essential services has curtailed access for millions to heat, electricity, clean water, and medical care. And children have had their education severely disrupted. Over the past month, Russia has intensified its airstrikes, primarily targeting energy infrastructure causing rolling blackouts in several regions. Last night's attacks were the latest in a series. As winter approaches and temperatures plummet, this additional strain on the energy grid is deeply concerning and will disproportionately affect the vulnerable, including the elderly and frail. Attacks on residential areas are also causing immense devastation. On 17 November, a Russian missile hit a residential building in the Sumy region. Among the 11 killed were two young girls called Ilya and Anastasia, who were just nine and fourteen years old. Their parents, like so many others, are left to cope with their grief as they endure this unrelenting war. In search of safety, 14 million people - nearly a third of Ukraine's population - have fled their homes since February 2022. Families have been torn apart, entire communities have been destroyed, and children have been left homeless. Humanitarian access remains a critical issue. Repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure and restrictions on aid delivery have exacerbated the suffering of vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, and people with disabilities. Relief organisations face significant challenges in reaching those in desperate need, due to ongoing violence. Humanitarian workers have been injured and killed. Vulnerable Ukrainians in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia cannot be reached. Madam Chair, I also draw the Council's attention to the OPCW report of 18 November, which confirmed the presence of riot control agents in samples collected by Ukraine on the frontline. This is a serious concern and a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The UK calls on the Russian state to immediately cease its war of aggression, withdraw its forces, and comply with international law, including the Geneva Conventions and Chemical Weapons Convention. Safe and unimpeded access must be granted to humanitarian organisations to deliver aid and address the urgent needs of the Ukrainian population across the country. President Putin's war of aggression is a stark reminder of the need to uphold the principles of sovereignty, human rights, and the protection of civilians. The UK reaffirms our commitment to supporting Ukraine, documenting human rights abuses, and pursuing accountability for those responsible for violations of international law. The suffering in Ukraine cannot be ignored. It is our collective responsibility to act decisively to alleviate this humanitarian crisis and work towards a future where a just and lasting peace can prevail. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine: 28 November 2024 The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this morning. 28 November 2024 The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this morning. The Prime Minister began by reiterating the UK's steadfast support for Ukraine. The leaders discussed the egregious Russian missile strike in the early hours of this morning, which had deprived more than a million people of heat, light and electricity. Russia's systematic attacks on Ukraine's energy sector was depraved, the Prime Minister said. Both leaders underlined the importance of putting Ukraine in the best possible position ahead of another challenging winter of conflict. The leaders also discussed Ukraine's long-term future, and how investment in the country's security today would support Europe's broader security for generations to come. They looked forward to speaking again soon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Any Russian Blackmail Must Be Met With a Tough Response - in the Way Putin Deserves - Address by the President President of Ukraine 28 November 2024 - 19:43 Dear Ukrainians! Briefly about today. Restoration work is still ongoing after the Russian attack. Over 90 missiles and nearly 100 strike drones were launched. The targets were energy infrastructure and ordinary civilian objects. Many were shot down, and our electronic warfare systems performed well, but unfortunately, there were also hits. Some of the strikes involved Kalibr missiles with cluster warheads - a particularly dangerous type of Russian weaponry used against civilians. These significantly complicated the work of our rescuers and repair crews. Despite all the risks, our people have been working all day, gradually restoring electricity in areas where outages occurred. I am grateful to everyone who has been at work since early morning and will continue to work around the clock to restore basic normalcy to people's lives. Today, Ukraine's Minister of Energy Galushchenko delivered a report on the pace of restoration. There is also a decision by the Netherlands to provide additional launchers for the Ptriot systems, and it is timely. Thank you! Norway has made a significant decision to increase its support for Ukraine next year. The Norwegian government and parliament have agreed on a minimum funding level of $3.2 billion for aid to Ukraine. On days like these, when we face massive Russian strikes, it is crucial to feel that our partners stand shoulder to shoulder with us. Today, in Kazakhstan, Putin once again promoted his missiles - his readiness to kill and destroy. To the thousands of missiles that have already struck Ukraine, Putin clearly wants to add thousands more. He has no interest in ending this war. Moreover, Putin wants to prevent others from ending this war. By wagging his 'oreshnik' now he is aiming solely to disrupt the efforts of President Trump that are sure to follow his inauguration.Putin wants to escalate the situation now so that President Trump fails to end the war. Putin is the only culprit in this war and the only one who believes in war. That is why Putin's escalation now is a form of pressure aimed at eventually forcing the President of the United States to accept Russia's terms. We are aware of all the existing threats. Today, I received a report from Chief of the Defense Intelligence Budanov regarding Russia's intentions for missile strikes. Yesterday, I explained the situation during a conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Today, I spoke with British Prime Minister Starmer. Tomorrow's schedule includes a conversation with German Chancellor Scholz. We must respond together to Russia's attempt to make the situation more unbearable and to prolong this war. We are interested in peace - Ukraine and all our partners. Now is the time to strengthen our positions - the positions of Ukraine and our partners. Any Russian blackmail must be met with a tough response. In the way Putin deserves. And we must see the prospect - the prospect of ending the war with genuine peace together with America, together with Europe, together with all partners. True peace is needed - peace through strength, not this series of disasters where one dictator in Moscow has been imposing his terms on every new leader for 25 years already with his missiles. And one more thing. To all our people: when there are air raid alerts and missile threats, we must go to shelters. This is a firm rule - a rule that does not depend on any statements coming from Russia. Right now, there may be even more attempts by Russia to spread fear and despair in Ukraine. We all need resilience to get through this. And we need unity with all our partners. Putin is now doing what he always does - intimidating, dividing, and trying to break or destabilize each one of us individually. He can do nothing else. He loses when he is isolated. And he must lose now. In everything. And it will be safe for everyone. Thank you to everyone who helps! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Must Implement Innovative Forms of Diplomacy - Ihor Zhovkva President of Ukraine 28 November 2024 - 19:06 Ukraine must implement innovative forms of diplomacy and seek new approaches in international relations, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva stated during the international forum "Diplomacy Today: Ukraine's Role in Global Politics." He emphasized that the President of Ukraine consistently employs new tools in diplomatic relations. For instance, Volodymyr Zelenskyy not only speaks at traditional international platforms but also addresses the people of partner countries and engages with foreign students. "Ukraine will continue to approach diplomacy innovatively. We will always present bold ideas and adopt such methods. What seemed impossible a few years ago is now becoming a reality," Ihor Zhovkva said. He also highlighted that Ukraine successfully secured long-range weapons, tanks, and aircraft from its allies, despite skepticism from some experts regarding the possibility of these supplies. Ihor Zhovkva called the signing of 27 bilateral security agreements on Ukraine's path to NATO membership another innovative approach. Additionally, the President of Ukraine proposed the Peace Formula, which represents a vision for achieving a just and lasting peace. "We are confident that most countries around the world will continue to share our approaches to global and European security. We believe the second Peace Summit should take place in the near future. Our proposals are on the table, and we are discussing them with all key leaders," the Deputy Head of the Office of the President concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer Discussed Continued Defense Cooperation President of Ukraine 28 November 2024 - 13:01 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer. The Head of State informed that today Russia had used more than 90 missiles and nearly 100 drones against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure. The President thanked the United Kingdom for its support, in particular for its willingness to allocate a minimum of GBP 3 billion annually for Ukraine's needs. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer discussed continued defense cooperation and agreed to maintain close interaction with European leaders regarding steps aimed at ensuring the strongest possible position for Ukraine in the face of any developments. The Head of State emphasized the need for Ukraine to receive an invitation to NATO and to enhance its long-range capabilities. The parties also discussed Ukraine's possible participation in the Joint Expeditionary Force Leaders' Summit that will take place in Tallinn next month at the invitation of Estonia. This year, Ukraine was the only country to attend the JEF Joint Protector 2024 Exercise as an observer. The President noted that our country seeks to deepen cooperation with this partnership. In addition, the leaders agreed to expedite the preparation of the agreement on a 100-year partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement from President Joe Biden on Russia's Attack on Ukraine November 28, 2024 Overnight, Russia carried out a horrific aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities report that Russia launched nearly 200 missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, depriving Ukrainian civilians of access to electricity. This attack is outrageous and serves as yet another reminder of the urgency and importance of supporting the Ukrainian people in their defense against Russian aggression. On this day, my message to the Ukrainian people is clear: the United States stands with you. Earlier this year, and at my direction, the United States began prioritizing air defense exports so they go to Ukraine first. The Department of Defense has delivered hundreds of additional air defense missiles to Ukraine, as a consequence of this decision, and further deliveries are underway. For months, my Administration has been working to help Ukraine increase the resilience of its energy grid in preparation for the winter, and the Department of Defense continues to surge other critical capabilities to Ukraine, including artillery, rockets, and armored vehicles. Russia continues to underestimate the bravery, resilience, and determination of the Ukrainian people. The United States stands with more than 50 countries in support of Ukraine and its fight for freedom. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sweden to contribute to Ukrainian production of long-range missiles and long-range drones Government Offices of Sweden - Ministry of Defence 29 November 2024 On Friday 22 November, Minister for Defence Pal Jonson received his Ukrainian colleague Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov at Karlberg Palace. At the Palace, Mr Jonson presented plans for a new Swedish financial contribution to the Ukrainian defence industry with a focus on the mass production of long-range missiles and long-range drones. A bilateral meeting was held at Karlberg Palace, as were meetings with the Swedish defence industry that focused on possibilities for cooperation with Ukraine. A press conference was also held where plans for a upcoming Swedish support package were presented. Subject to a forthcoming parliament decision, the future support package may consist of significant financial contributions to the Ukrainian defence industry for the mass production of products such as long-range missiles and long-range drones, which will then be donated to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This contribution may also be included in the upcoming 18th support package that the Government is planning to present early next year. Enhanced international cooperation with allies and partners may also be included in the next package, with the aim of further strengthening Ukraine's capabilities as regards long-range missiles and long-range drones. The 18th package will be financed within the framework of the three-year support package totalling SEK 25 billion per year between 2024 and 2026 for military support to Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Says It Struck Russian Oil Depot, Radar Station By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service November 29, 2024 Ukraine said it struck an oil depot and an air-defense radar inside Russia early on November 29 amid an escalation of attacks by both Moscow and Kyiv ahead U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Ukraine's military General Staff said a strike on the Atlas oil depot in Russia's Rostov region sparked a fire at the facility, which was previously hit by a similar attack earlier this year. "Atlas is part of the Russian military-industrial complex, which provides the supply of petroleum products for the army of the Russian Federation," it said in a statement on social media. It added that a radar station housing a Russian Buk-M3 antiaircraft missile system was destroyed in a separate attack in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhya region. Yury Slyusar, the acting governor of the Rostov region, acknowledged the blaze at an "industrial complex" in the area where the refinery is located, saying more than 100 responders were battling to extinguish the fire. For the past several months, Russia has been battering Ukrainian cities with increasingly heavy drone, missile, and glide-bomb strikes, causing casualties and damaging energy infrastructure as the cold season settles in. Ukraine has launched several counterattacks since the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, the top foreign supporter of Ukraine in its battle against Russia's full-scale invasion, and Kyiv's European allies authorized the use of long-range missiles against targets inside Russia. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump was critical of Biden for pouring billions of dollars into Ukraine to help it fight. Trump also said he could end the war within 24 hours of retaking the White House, a statement that has been interpreted as meaning that Ukraine would have to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. That possibility appears to have prompted both Moscow and Kyiv to try and solidify geographical positions before Trump takes office in January. Later on November 29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appointed Mykhaylo Drapatiy as the new commander of Ukraine's ground forces and named Oleh Apostol as a deputy commander in chief of the country's armed forces. Writing on Telegram, Zelenskiy said the Ukrainian Army needed "internal changes to achieve our state's goals in full." Meanwhile, Russia's stepped-up attacks have targeted energy infrastructure, leading to the introduction of emergency power outages in the regions including Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk. Kyiv had also reportedly been forced to disconnect several nuclear power units from the network during attacks. Ukraine gets more than half of its electricity from nuclear plants. Russia's offensive comes as temperatures across Ukraine dropped to around zero degrees Celsius. Earlier this month, a senior UN official, Rosemary DiCarlo, warned that Moscow's targeting of Ukraine's energy infrastructure could make this winter the "harshest since the start of the war" nearly three years ago. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia- oil-depot/33220337.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address More Than 1 Million Ukrainians Left Without Electricity After Latest Russian Attack By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service November 28, 2024 Russia unleashed a "massive" attack on Ukraine's infrastructure on November 28, leaving more than 1 million people without power in freezing temperatures across the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of a "despicable escalation," as the Interior Ministry recorded damage to infrastructure in nine regions. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the latest attack was Moscow's "response" to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with U.S. medium-range ATACMS missiles. Speaking during a trip to Kazakhstan, Putin warned that Russia's future targets could include "decision-making centers" in Kyiv. Putin said Russia launched more than 90 missiles and 100 drones in the "comprehensive strike" on November 28 and that 17 targets had been hit -- the type of detail that the president rarely gives. Ukraine's air force said it had shot down 79 missiles and 35 drones, while 62 drones were "lost," meaning they had likely been disrupted by electronic warfare. All missiles or drones aimed at the capital, Kyiv were downed, officials said. The attack forced national power-grid operator Ukrenerho to "urgently introduce emergency power cuts," Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said early on November 28. "Once again, the energy sector is under massive enemy attack. Attacks on energy facilities are taking place across Ukraine," Halushchenko wrote on social media. Energy provider DTEK said early in the day that emergency power outages were being introduced in the regions of Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk. Kyiv had also reportedly disconnected several nuclear power units from the network during the attack. Ukraine gets more than half of its electricity from nuclear plants. It comes as the temperatures across Ukraine dropped to around zero degrees Celsius. Earlier this month, a senior UN official, Rosemary DiCarlo, warned that Moscow's targeting of Ukraine's energy infrastructure may make this winter the "harshest since the start of the war" nearly three years ago. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-missile- strike-energy-infrastructure-under-massive-attack/33218755.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's participation in a roundtable discussion held by the Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy and titled Ukraine Crisis: Global Information Space 29 November 2024 13:03 2325-29-11-2024 On November 29, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took part in a roundtable discussion titled Ukraine Crisis: Global Information Space. Held by the Diplomatic Academy with the Foreign Ministry's support, this event brought together over 70 ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow. In his remarks, Sergey Lavrov spoke at length about various media-related matters, including the violation of the rights of journalists and fighting fake news, Western attempts to control the international media landscape and impose neo-colonial practices in this domain. He described these approaches as being unacceptable for the Global Majority. The Minister offered examples demonstrating that our adversaries have been intentionally using the information space for subjecting to their system-wide repression the Russian media, as well as representatives of media outlets in other countries which have been trying to be honest and impartial when covering the approaches of the West. In addition to this, Sergey Lavrov offered a detailed insight into Moscow's overall position on the Ukraine crisis in its key aspects. Participants in the roundtable engaged in a lively interactive discussion and exchanged views on the conflict around Ukraine and other topical international matters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address News / National by Staff reporter Former Mt Pleasant Member of Parliament and outspoken political figure, Fadzayi Mahere, has sharply criticized the recent trend of gifting cars to Zimbabwean music artists, calling it a form of disrespect and a reflection of the country's struggling economy.Her comments come in the wake of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo's gesture of gifting brand-new Toyota Fortuner SUVs to iconic musicians Mai Charamba, Leonard Zhakata, and Mechanic Manyeruke. The presentation of the vehicles has sparked a national debate on the state of the arts industry and the country's broader economic health.In a post on X, Mahere questioned the appropriateness of the gifts, arguing that in a properly functioning economy, these artists should be able to afford luxury vehicles without relying on handouts. She stated:"The larger point is that the economy is so bad that most of our iconic artists and celebrities are reduced to basket cases who are unable to make enough money out of music that they have to take petty donations. If Zimbabwe had an economy that worked, an artist would make more than enough not just to survive but also to thrive."Mahere further criticized the Toyota Fortuner, describing it as a "common vehicle" that even ordinary citizens might drive, and suggested that it was not the type of car that the country's top artists should be driving. She compared the situation to that of South African artists, questioning whether they would accept such a gift. She added:"A Fortuner is not the car we expect our biggest celebrities to be driving. It is an ordinary vehicle that common citizens like you or I can maybe drive. Just look at South African artists in the league of ours and ask yourself whether they'd be seen driving a Fortuner, let alone accepting a donation of one?"Mahere's comments reflect her broader frustration with the state of Zimbabwe's economy and its effects on the arts sector. She argued that the current economic conditions are preventing Zimbabwean artists from achieving financial independence, forcing them to depend on the whims of wealthy individuals and politicians for survival."This moment tells an important story about the state of Zimbabwe's economy and the health of the arts industry. Both are comatose as a consequence of bad governance," Mahere said.She also criticized the ruling elite for perpetuating poverty, claiming that the government intentionally keeps Zimbabweans in a state of dependency. "We can all see what's happening here. They' want everyone to be poor so that they' bail everyone out and ensure everyone is beholden to them for these handouts. It's not right," Mahere asserted.Mahere emphasized that Zimbabwe's cultural icons, many of whom have shaped the nation's music landscape for generations, deserve better. She questioned the dignity of being an artist in such a system and raised concerns about artistic freedom in an environment where political handouts are necessary for survival."Some of these names have been at the core of the culture for more than a generation. Their hits are embedded in our lives. We know the words. We love their music. And we love them. Why should they be disrespected like this? Where is the dignity in being an artist if that is what one is eventually reduced to?" she said.Mahere also expressed concern for the potential limitations on artistic expression, questioning whether artists would have the freedom to address societal issues that may not align with the interests of politicians. "Why must an artist be at the mercy of politicians in order to survive? What if they want to sing about a societal issue that may offend the politicians? Will they have the freedom to do so?" she asked.Her comments resonate with broader concerns about Zimbabwe's economic struggles and their impact on various sectors, including the arts, and highlight the challenges facing creative professionals in the country. Russian Defence Ministry reports on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (29 November 2024) 29.11.2024 The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise an enemy group, which broke into the territory of Kursk region. Units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of 21st, 41st, 44th, and 47th mechanised brigades, the 17th Heavy Mechanised Brigade, the 5th Tank Brigade, 80th , 82nd, 95th air assault brigades, the 36th Marine Brigade as well as 112th, 116th, 117th, and 129th territorial defence brigades near Aleksandria, Viktorovka, Lebedevka, Leonidovka, Nizhny Klin, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Nikolsky, Novoivanovka, Plyokhovo, and Sverdlikovo. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the enemy near Bogdanovka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Daryino, Kositsa, Kruglenkoye, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Leonidovo, Martynovka, Nizhny Klin, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Novoivanovka, Plyokhovo, Sverdlikovo, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye as well as Basovka, Belovody, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Loknya, Malaya Rybitsa, and Pavlovka (Sumy region). In the past 24 hours, the AFU losses have amounted to over 340 troops. One armoured personnel carrier, one armoured fighting vehicle, 12 motor vehicles, one artillery gun, and six mortars were neutralised. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses were more than 36,600 troops, 223 tanks, 158 infantry fighting vehicles, 123 armoured personnel carriers, 1,201 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,056 motor vehicles, 305 artillery guns, 40 MLRS launchers, including 11 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 13 anti-aircraft missile launchers, seven transport-loading vehicles, 70 EW stations, 13 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 27 units of engineering and other materiel, including 13 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, six armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle. The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken's Call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson November 29, 2024 The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha to discuss battlefield updates, including incoming U.S. security assistance and budgetary assistance packages. The Secretary expressed his condolences for lives impacted in Russia's massive November 27-28 missile barrage against critical energy infrastructure, and expressed full U.S. support for additional protections and countermeasures as winter approaches. He briefed the Foreign Minister on U.S. goals for sustainable support for Ukraine, to be discussed at upcoming diplomatic engagements with NATO and through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. The Secretary reiterated the United States' enduring commitment to a sovereign and democratic Ukraine, and support for just and lasting peace on the basis of the United Nations Charter. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Only Ukraine's Strong Position Can Force the Russian Dictator to Abandon His Intentions - President in a Call with Olaf Scholz President of Ukraine 29 November 2024 - 13:15 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz. The President thanked Olaf Scholz for the defense support for Ukraine, which totals 12 billion, and particularly for the leadership in strengthening air defense - both through German air defense systems and by consolidating partner assistance. The leaders discussed further defense cooperation, including the possibility of joint weapons production and enhancing the capabilities of Patriot and IRIS-T systems. The Chancellor assured that Germany would continue providing defense support to Ukraine and shared details of his phone conversation with Vladimir Putin. The President of Ukraine stated that the Russian dictator is not interested in ending the war and uses every international contact to spread threats and ultimatums. Only Ukraine's strong position can force him to abandon his intentions. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Olaf Scholz discussed the possibility of meeting both bilaterally and with other European leaders to coordinate joint actions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Membership Is the Best Security Guarantee for Ukraine - Ihor Zhovkva President of Ukraine 29 November 2024 - 11:28 Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva held a meeting with State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany Thomas Bagger. During the meeting, they discussed the security situation in Ukraine and the state of critical infrastructure amid intensified mass Russian attacks. Ihor Zhovkva expressed gratitude to Germany for the European leadership in providing military assistance to Ukraine. The total amount of support has now exceeded 12 billion. "I would like to especially highlight Germany's significant contribution to strengthening Ukraine's missile defense, particularly with the Patriot and IRIS-T systems, which save millions of lives in Ukraine every day. We are counting on no less support from Germany next year," he emphasized. They also discussed Ukraine's vision for achieving a just peace, focusing on obtaining reliable guarantees from partners. "The best security guarantee for Ukraine is NATO membership. We count on strong political decisions from the Alliance countries regarding Ukraine's invitation to join NATO," the Deputy Head of the Office of the President noted. Other topics included the implementation of a bilateral security agreement and prospects for expanding cooperation in weapons production in Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address More Global Cooperation is Needed for Peace - the President at the Meeting with Representative Delegation of Latin American Countries President of Ukraine 29 November 2024 - 22:43 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Latin American parliamentarians and diplomats. Representatives of Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, El Salvador, Ecuador, Peru, and Costa Rica arrived in Kyiv to participate in the Parliamentary Conference "Ukraine - Latin America and the Caribbean: Cooperation for the Future." Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about Russian aggression against Ukraine, daily missile and drone strikes by Russia, attacks on the energy system, frontline situation, abduction and transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. The President provided additional information on the Peace Formula, which fully complies with the UN Charter, and the results of the First Peace Summit. Latin America was represented at the level of leaders. The Head of State thanked particularly Argentina, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Chile for participating in the Summit. "Unfortunately, Russia rejects the Peace Formula and all other proposals, any proposals based on the UN Charter. They reject them and will continue to reject them because they do not respect the UN Charter, they do not recognize it. They recognize it only in words. And Putin believes in war, believes in his missiles. However, we need to force Russia into an honest peace," Volodymyr Zelenskyy added. During the meeting, the parties discussed in detail the prospects for cooperation in Ukraine's defense and relations with Latin American countries. The President urged them to join the peace process, work together to facilitate the return of illegally deported Ukrainian children, address food security issues and help Ukraine recover from shelling. "These are not weapons issues; these are other issues. These are issues of people having something to eat, something to feed their children, something to cook, electricity to keep them warm at night. Especially now, in winter," he emphasized. In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined how Ukraine and Latin America can deepen their cooperation, particularly in the economic, technological and educational spheres. The Head of State called the visit of the Latin American delegation to Kyiv important for countering Russian disinformation. He urged them to share their experiences and impressions and create platforms that would facilitate the exchange of reliable data on the Ukrainians' struggle against Russian aggression. "We want state borders to be respected. Unconditionally. We want this to be the rule not only for Ukraine but for all nations worldwide. We want every nation to be free to choose its own future, free from coercion. Whether through war, political pressure, or economic manipulation by another country. And we want no one in the world to be able to carry out deportations or steal the children of another nation, as Russia is doing to Ukrainians," the President said. Representatives of the delegation assured of further support for Ukraine from Latin America: "We are a group of your friends. We have come to tell you that Latin America is a friendly land for you. Our people, our nations are with you." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine and Norway Will Increase Joint Efforts to Produce Weapons in Ukraine and Protect the Energy Sector President of Ukraine 29 November 2024 - 21:43 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Stre. The Head of State thanked the Norwegian Parliament for yesterday's decision to increase support for Ukraine in the coming year from USD 1.4 billion to USD 3.2 billion and highlighted its unanimous support by all parliamentary forces. Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it a true testament to the unwavering solidarity of the Norwegian people with Ukraine. The President also emphasized that part of these funds would be used for domestic production of drones and other weapons. The leaders also discussed Ukraine's priority needs. These include generators, other energy equipment, and additional air defense systems, given Russia's attacks on energy infrastructure. In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked for the recent reception of the Ukrainian delegation led by Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov and for assistance in establishing contacts between Ukrainian and Norwegian defense companies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Changes Are Needed in Personnel Management That Will Ensure Better Results on The Battlefield - Address by the President President of Ukraine 29 November 2024 - 20:51 I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! Today, some important decisions were made. Together with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, we decided that it was time to replace the Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi has been appointed as the new Commander. Colonel Oleh Apostol - who previously commanded the 95th Air Assault Brigade - has been appointed as the new Deputy Commander-in-Chief. Both are highly experienced warriors. This year, Mykhailo Drapatyi organized the defense in the Kharkiv direction, practically thwarting a Russian offensive. Overall, since 2014, he has been involved in the war on the most intense and critical fronts. Oleh Apostol - a Hero of Ukraine - has held every command position within the Airborne Assault Forces; he has also been defending our state since 2014, and he knows exactly what is needed to enhance our army's combat capabilities. Now, Oleh Apostol will be responsible for the new quality of training for our warriors, and he will receive full support at all levels to ensure exactly that. The Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are the backbone of our army. And much depends on how effectively the structure of the Land Forces, as well as the entire Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine, functions. Changes are needed - changes in personnel management that will ensure better results on the battlefield. Colonel Pavlo Palisa, a combat commander and Commander of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Brigade, has been appointed Deputy Head of the Office. He clearly understands what is happening in the brigades, at the front, and I need just such a person to know exactly what is happening on a daily basis directly from the front. And one more thing. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine continues to develop our Army+ application, and in December, the National Guard of Ukraine is expected to join all Army+ services. In particular, this concerns transfers. I held a meeting of the Staff today. The primary focus was on the energy sector: protection of facilities and restoration efforts. Relevant reports were made. There are tasks of protecting facilities and engaging with partners regarding the supply of air defense systems. Today, I spoke with German Chancellor Scholz. I thanked Olaf for Germany's leadership in providing air defense systems, including Patriots and IRIS-Ts. We discussed our next steps in defense cooperation. Today I also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron. I am grateful to Emmanuel for responding to our request for additional supplies. Both France and Germany can now help us even more significantly in our defense against Russian terrorist strikes. Of course, we are coordinating our communications with other partners as well. I also spoke with Norwegian Prime Minister Stre. I thanked the Prime Minister personally and his government team, the Norwegian team, for their increased support for Ukraine in the coming year, which we deeply appreciate. I am grateful to the Norwegian Parliament for its consolidated support to Ukraine. We discussed joint actions for the near future. We will expand our cooperation in arms production in Ukraine and in efforts to protect our energy sector. Additionally, we discussed cooperation with Norway in the field of air defense. I thank them for their willingness to help. Today I also met with a very representative delegation from Latin America: members of parliaments and senators. Nearly the entire region was represented. We had a detailed discussion of the situation and prospects - both here, for our defense, and for our relations with Latin America and other partners. I outlined what we can do, how we can deepen our cooperation with Latin America. And I am grateful for all the words of support, for all the emotions and for the fact that Ukraine is being heard. We must work together to bring a just peace closer and put pressure on Russia. We are doing all we can. I thank everyone who is helping! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy Held a Telephone Conversation with Emmanuel Macron President of Ukraine 29 November 2024 - 20:25 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a telephone conversation with President of France Emmanuel Macron. The Ukrainian leader described in detail the battlefield situation. In particular, the tasks set by the Russian dictator for their command: take control of Pokrovsk and advance to the borders of the Kursk region, even at the expense of heavy personnel losses. For this purpose, the Russian group in the Kursk region was increased to 60,000. At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukrainian warriors are holding their positions and destroying Russian potential in the border area, which is very important. The President of Ukraine also informed his counterpart about the consequences of the Russian Federation's shelling on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and thanked France for its readiness to help with the urgent strengthening of air defense, particularly at the tactical level. The leaders instructed their teams to intensify the dialogue between the Ministries of Defense on the joint production of certain types of weapons. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed particular gratitude for France's military support: the supply of defense packages, including long-range capabilities, training of the Anne of Kyiv Brigade and the expedited process of transferring Mirage aircraft. The Presidents agreed on the need to hold a meeting at the level of Ukraine's key partners to maximize and strengthen Ukraine's positions in a timely manner. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that this is necessary to bring closer a just peace, which can be done only in a strong position. That is why Ukraine needs an invitation to join NATO, the expansion of long-range capabilities and the continued training and manning of brigades - both on allied territories and through the development of France's idea of training missions within Ukraine. Separately, the Ukrainian leader stated that he expects decisive messages from the Ukraine-NATO Council meeting, which will be held at the level of foreign ministers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Presidential Office Hosted a Meeting with Civil Society Representatives to Discuss Joint Steps Under the Bring Kids Back UA Initiative for the Return of Children Deported and Displaced by Russia President of Ukraine 29 November 2024 - 17:32 Dariia Zarivna, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President and Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA, Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, and Daria Herasymchuk, Advisor - Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and Child Rehabilitation, held a meeting with representatives of civil society. The meeting was attended by representatives of organizations involved in searching for deported and forcibly displaced children, documenting crimes against children, and assisting in the reintegration of those who have been brought home. "We have a common goal - to improve the effectiveness of work on the search, return and reintegration of children. It is also important to document cases of deportation and forced displacement in order to achieve justice. That is why we actively involve Ukrainian civil society in Bring Kids Back UA. National organizations have unique experiences. We also cooperate with foreign organizations, paying special attention to the countries of the Global South," Dariia Zarivna emphasized. The Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office noted that Qatar and the Vatican are mediating the negotiation process on the return of children. After the Ministerial Conference in Montreal, South Africa plans to support the efforts of these countries. In addition, Croatia, Estonia, Argentina, Canada, and Ukraine will work together to obtain detailed information on Ukrainian deportees and displaced persons in Russia and Russian-occupied territories. Iryna Vereshchuk pointed out that the Ministry of Justice updates data in a separate register containing information on deported and forcibly displaced children. Another important outcome of this work will be the unification of the procedure for submitting information to the register and gaining access to it. "It is important that we have one database on deported children, the history of their displacement and their total number. Russia does not share information, so we must fully consolidate our efforts to put pressure on them. We understand that human rights activists also possess information, children and their relatives can contact organizations directly, so we need to constantly exchange data and coordinate our actions to find and return children," she said. Daria Herasymchuk stated that efforts are underway to promote the Stolen Voices information campaign abroad and to attract countries to the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. She also urged civil society organizations to get involved in sharing stories of children and information about ways to rescue them: "I want the voices of Ukrainian children to be heard. To resonate loudly across the globe. Because now their voices are being stolen by the Russian authorities. And it is only up to us, the adults, to give the children back the opportunity to speak up and tell the truth." "Children who have experienced deportation or forced displacement need professional care and support from the very first days after their return, as they have been living in stressful circumstances and without a sense of security for a long time. That is why it is important to provide both the children and the families they return to with psychological support in addition to social assistance," said Olena Rozvadovska, co-founder of the Voices of Children Foundation. During the meeting, civil society representatives shared their feedback on interaction with the President's initiative Bring Kids Back UA and made suggestions for joint information campaigns, as well as active involvement of experts in projects aimed at reintegration and restoration of justice for children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN rights office urges Russia to cease attacks on Ukraine's energy grid as winter sets in 29 November 2024 - The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday reiterated its call for Russia to halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, adding that those responsible must be held to account. Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said massive missile and drone attacks on the power network this week have heightened serious concerns about the plight of civilians facing a winter of hardship and misery. Russia launched missile and long-range drone strikes on Thursday, which reportedly caused damage in at least 13 regions, in addition to the capital city, Kyiv. More than a million people across the country were affected by blackouts, and in some regions, essential services such as water and transportation were disrupted. Continued wave of attacks Since March, Ukraine's energy production capacity has been targeted in waves of attacks, causing "foreseeable and wide-ranging harm" to civilians, Mr. Laurence told journalists in Geneva. The most vulnerable - older people, low-income households, persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons (IDPs) - have been particularly put at risk. "As temperatures drop below freezing, and are likely to fall further, electricity and electricity-dependent services are even more critical for the survival of the civilian population," Mr. Laurence said. While the full impact of the latest strikes will only become clearer in due course, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has consistently followed up in the wake of such attacks, he said. Staff have been documenting the effects on electricity production, water distribution, heating and hot water, public health and education. Call for investigation He added that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has reiterated that multiple aspects of the military campaign to damage or destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure "raise serious concerns regarding Russian forces' respect of cardinal principles of international humanitarian law of distinction, precaution and proportionality in the conduct of hostilities." OHCHR stressed that these recurring, systematic attacks must be investigated, and anyone found responsible for serious violations should be held to account. "We call again on the Russian Federation to immediately cease all attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure critical to the civilian population, for accountability for all unlawful attacks, and for the international community to prioritize support to Ukraine to repair and restore its energy systems," Mr. Laurence said. Impact on nuclear plants Meanwhile, Ukraine's three operating nuclear power plants reduced their electricity generation following the attacks, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Thursday. This marked the second time in two weeks that the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine nuclear plants lowered their power levels as a precautionary measure amid hostilities. "Ukraine's energy infrastructure is extremely fragile and vulnerable, putting nuclear safety at great risk," said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. "Once again, I call for maximum military restraint in areas with major nuclear energy facilities and other sites on which they depend." Avert nuclear risk Although there were no reports of direct damage to the nuclear power plants, Ukraine informed the IAEA that the strikes once again impacted the electrical substations used both for transmitting and receiving off-site power. These substations, identified by IAEA as important for nuclear safety and security, have been damaged in previous attacks. Mr. Grossi said the UN agency will continue to assess the extent of damage to facilities and power lines essential for nuclear safety and security. "The IAEA will continue to do everything in its power to reduce the risk of a nuclear incident during this tragic war," he stated. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address News / National by Staff reporter Senator Sengezo Tshabangu, the leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in Parliament, has returned to the Senate with words of praise for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, and Parliament, following his recent hospitalization in Geneva, Switzerland.Tshabangu, who had been receiving medical treatment abroad, took the opportunity during his return to acknowledge the support extended to him by Zimbabwe's leadership during his health ordeal. He expressed his gratitude for the government's care and for the role Parliament had played in ensuring his swift recovery."I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to President Mnangagwa, Vice President Chiwenga, and the entire Parliament for their unwavering support during my time of illness," Tshabangu remarked. "The care I received, and the messages of encouragement from both the leadership and my colleagues in Parliament, were incredibly uplifting."His comments come at a time when political tensions remain high in Zimbabwe, with his remarks offering a rare moment of cross-party goodwill. Tshabangu's return to the Senate marks a continuation of his commitment to representing his constituents and his party, the CCC, in the national legislature. La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, Nov. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nestled along the serene shores of the Sea of Cortez, often called "the aquarium of the world," La Paz, Baja California Sur begins its celebrated marine life season. From late fall to early spring, this extraordinary period offers travelers the chance to witness awe-inspiring natural spectacles unique to this Mexican destination. During this season, La Paz becomes a gateway to remarkable experiences, such as swimming alongside gentle whale sharks in their natural habitat and observing the migration of gray whales through Pacific waters. Visitors can snorkel among colorful coral reefs, kayak near the protected Espiritu Santo Island, and explore the unmatched biodiversity of this UNESCO World Heritage site. Beyond its renowned marine life, La Paz offers an ideal blend of adventure and tranquility. From its pristine, uncrowded beaches to sustainable outdoor activities, the destination aligns with the preferences of travelers seeking authentic and nature-focused escapes. Its welcoming atmosphere and intimate connection to the Sea of Cortez make La Paz a distinctive retreat for those looking to explore at a slower pace. Reaching La Paz is seamless with various seasonal flights connecting major Canadian cities to Los Cabos International Airport (SJD), just a scenic two-hour drive from La Paz. Direct flights are available from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Montreal, making it easier than ever to access this marine paradise. Alternatively, visitors can fly directly into La Paz International Airport (LAP) via Alaska Airlines from Los Angeles (LAX). About La Paz, Baja California Sur La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur in Mexico is a coastal paradise nestled between the Sea of Cortez and the desert landscape. With its rich cultural tapestry, diverse marine life, and commitment to sustainable tourism, La Paz invites travelers to explore, connect, and experience the true essence of Baja California Sur. For more information about La Paz and to plan your sustainable adventure, visit: https://golapaz.com/ Connect with Us #GoLaPaz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/golapaz Twitter: https://twitter.com/golapaz For media inquiries in Canada, please contact: Marisol Hernandez, +13053002249, mhernandez@gpoeuroamerica.com Attachments MANAUS, Brazil, Nov. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brazil Potash Corp. (Brazil Potash or the Company) announced today the closing of its initial public offering (the IPO) of 2,000,000 of its common shares, no par value per share (Common Shares), at a price to the public of US$15.00 per share. The gross proceeds to the Company from the IPO, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company, were US$30.0 million. In addition, the Company has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 300,000 Common Shares, for a period of 30 days from the date of the final prospectus, to cover over-allotments, if any. The Common Shares commenced trading on the NYSE American on November 27, 2024 under the symbol GRO. Brazil Potash intends to use the net proceeds of the offering primarily to fund its pre-operation development expenses, to pay its current liabilities, and for working capital and general corporate purposes, which will include, among others, expenses relating to (i) obtaining and complying with its environmental licenses, (ii) engineering, procurement and construction for critical path items, and (iii) other pre-development matters, such as obtaining the environmental license, the mining concession, and other remaining required authorizations, permits and licenses for the Autazes Project, purchasing the remaining land for certain project sites, primarily consisting of the sites to be used for the dry stacked tailings piles, and maintaining its mineral rights. Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Banco Bradesco BBI S.A., Roth Capital Partners, LLC, Clarksons Securities, Inc. and Freedom Capital Markets acted as underwriters in the IPO. A registration statement on Form F-1 relating to the offering of the Common Shares in the IPO was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and was declared effective on November 26, 2024. The offering of Common Shares was made only by means of a prospectus, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 110 East 59th Street, 6th Floor, New York, New York 10022, or by email at p rospectus@cantor.com ; or Bradesco Securities Inc., Attention: Isabella Behar, 450 Park Avenue, 32nd Floor, New York, New York 10022, or by email at bbi.ecm @ bradescobbi.com.br . Copies of the Companys registration statement can be accessed through the SECs website at www.sec. g ov . The Company has also obtained a receipt for a (final) base PREP prospectus filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, other than Quebec, on November 26, 2024. A copy of the supplemented PREP prospectus containing pricing information and other important information relating to the Common Shares may be obtained by contacting Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation, Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 181 University Avenue, Suite 1500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 3M7, or by email at ecmcanada@cantor.com, and will be available under the Companys SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company, nor shall there be any sale of any securities of the Company in any state, province, territory, or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state, province, territory, or jurisdiction. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. Advisors Greenberg Traurig, P.A., acted as counsel for Brazil Potash in the United States and Wildeboer Dellelce LLP acted as counsel for Brazil Potash in Canada. Sidley Austin LLP acted as counsel for the Underwriters in the United States and Bennett Jones LLP acted as counsel for the Underwriters in Canada. About Brazil Potash Brazil Potash is an exploration and development company with a potash mining project (the Autazes Project) located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. The Companys technical operations are based in Autazes, Amazonas, Brazil and Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and its corporate office is in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Company is in the pre- revenue development stage and has not yet commenced any mining operations. The Companys plan of operations for the next few years includes securing all required environmental licenses for the Autazes Project, and, subject to securing sufficient funds, commencing all phases of the construction of the Autazes Project. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are statements that are not historical facts. Words such as expects, anticipates and intends or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the use of proceeds from the IPO and the underwriters over-allotment option, are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those described in the Risk Factors section of the Companys registration statement on Form F-1, as amended, for the IPO filed with the SEC and the supplemented PREP prospectus filed in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, other than Quebec. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward- looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Companys expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based, unless required by law. For more information, please contact: Brazil Potash Investor Relations info@brazilpotash.com SINGAPORE, Nov. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We are honored to announce that WADU (WADU on KAS) will be listed on XT Exchange! The WADU/USDT trading pair will be available in the Innovation Zone (MEMEs & KASPA Eco). Please take note of the following go-live schedule: Deposit : 09:00 on November 30, 2024 (UTC) : 09:00 on November 30, 2024 (UTC) Trading : 09:00 on December 01, 2024 (UTC) : 09:00 on December 01, 2024 (UTC) Withdrawal: 09:00 on December 02, 2024 (UTC) About WADU WADU is a unique memecoin inspired by the unforgettable spirit of waduhek, bringing back his essence in a way thats both unpredictable and entertaining. Rooted in the KASPA Ecosystem, WADU is more than just a memeits a community-driven project aimed at celebrating the iconic humor and charm of waduhek. With WADU Coin, users can dive into a playful journey of fun and creativity while embracing the memecoin culture. This token pays homage to waduheks legacy, inviting enthusiasts to join in the mission to make WADU great again. The listing of WADU on XT Exchange marks an exciting milestone for the WADU community, offering global exposure and expanding its presence in the cryptocurrency space. XT Exchanges dedication to innovative projects like WADU highlights its role in empowering meme-driven ecosystems and delivering dynamic trading opportunities to users. Website: https://wadukas.fun/ Blockchain Browser: https://kas.fyi/token/krc20/wadu About XT.COM Founded in 2018, XT.COM now serves nearly 8 million registered users, over 1,000,000+ monthly active users and 40+ million users in the ecosystem. Our comprehensive trading platform supports 800+ high-quality tokens and 1000+ trading pairs. XT.COM crypto exchange supports a rich variety of trading, such as spot trading , margin trading , and futures trading together with an aggregated NFT marketplace . Our platform strives to cater to our large user base by providing a secure, trusted and intuitive trading experience. Website: xt.com X: twitter.com/XTexchange Telegram: t.me/XTsupport_EN XT Exchange Bella Wei Listing@xt.com WADU support@wadukasfun.com Disclaimer: This content is provided by XT exchange. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider.The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e8bf80c7-ee5b-4b7a-b80c-d8a848921825 SINGAPORE, Nov. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We are thrilled to announce that WHISKEY (Whiskey Meme Coin) will be listed on XT Exchange. The WHISKEY/USDT trading pair will be available in the Innovation Zone (MEMEs). Please take note of the go-live schedule: Deposit: 12:00 on December 02, 2024 (UTC) 12:00 on December 02, 2024 (UTC) Trading: 12:00 on December 03, 2024 (UTC) 12:00 on December 03, 2024 (UTC) Withdrawal: 12:00 on December 04, 2024 (UTC) About WHISKEY (Whiskey Meme Coin) In the dynamic world of cryptocurrency, where innovation meets humor, Whiskey Meme Coin (WHISKEY) is making its mark as a community-driven token on the Solana blockchain. Designed for those who seek to balance fun with financial engagement, WHISKEY brings together like-minded crypto enthusiasts to celebrate a unique blend of games, community spirit, and humor. By entering the meme coin space, WHISKEY combines the lightheartedness of internet culture with the transformative potential of blockchain technology. Whether youre a seasoned crypto trader or someone looking to join a supportive and playful community, WHISKEY promises to be more than just a token its an experience. The listing of WHISKEY on XT Exchange represents a significant step forward for the project, offering increased accessibility and the opportunity for a wider global audience to participate. XT Exchanges commitment to highlighting innovative and community-focused projects underlines its mission to drive the growth of decentralized ecosystems and empower blockchain innovation. Website: https://www.whiskeycoin.wtf/ Blockchain Browser: https://solscan.io/token/9UNqoPEXXxEnEphmyYsZYdL5dnmAUtdiKRUchpnUF5Ph Whitepaper Link: https://www.whiskeycoin.wtf/ About XT.COM Founded in 2018, XT.COM now serves nearly 8 million registered users, over 1,000,000+ monthly active users and 40+ million users in the ecosystem. Our comprehensive trading platform supports 800+ high-quality tokens and 1000+ trading pairs. XT.COM crypto exchange supports a rich variety of trading, such as spot trading , margin trading , and futures trading together with an aggregated NFT marketplace . Our platform strives to cater to our large user base by providing a secure, trusted and intuitive trading experience. Website: xt.com X: twitter.com/XTexchange Telegram: t.me/XTsupport_EN XT Exchange Bella Wei Listing@xt.com WHISKEY support@whiskeycoin.com Disclaimer: This content is provided by XT exchange. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider.The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/da3f5d9a-0dd4-47f8-8f67-d283971bb035 VALENCIA, Spain, Nov. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pond.fun, a memecoin launchpad developed as part of the Efrogs ecosystem, has recorded $1.2 million in trading volume and onboarded over 4,000 unique addresses in its first month of operations on the Linea blockchain. By offering a seamless solution for launching and trading memecoins, Pond.fun has established itself as a hub for creativity and innovation, attracting attention across the rapidly growing blockchain community. The platform, which has facilitated the launch of 162 tokens, operates as an extension of the Efrogs ecosystem. Efrogs is a community-driven initiative on Linea that includes digital collectibles, a memecoin called CROAK, and other integrated projects designed to foster engagement and collaboration within the blockchain. The vision behind Pond.fun is spearheaded by Shama, the founder of Pond.fun and Efrogs , who is recognized as a pioneering figure in the Linea ecosystem. Shama has driven community engagement and innovation, building Efrogs into the leading community on Linea. Pond.fun helps projects launch their memecoins with ease, and we are here to support them through strong co-marketing efforts and integration into the Linea community, said Shama, reinforcing the platforms user-centric approach. Pond.fun is built on the Linea blockchain, leveraging its scalability and low transaction fees to provide a streamlined experience for users. The platforms integration of TradingView advanced charts offers professional-grade tools, enabling traders to monitor token performance with detailed analytics and customizable features. These capabilities ensure that creators and traders alike can thrive in Lineas rapidly expanding ecosystem. Pond.funs connection to the Efrogs ecosystem underscores its focus on community-driven activity. Efrogs launched a limited collection of 2,015 digital collectibles on March 20, with the follow-up Efroglets collection of 10,000 tokens selling out soon after. CROAK , Efrogs memecoin, plays a pivotal role within the network, driving interactions and utility across the Linea blockchain. Tokens launched on Pond.fun become part of this vibrant ecosystem, with notable examples like Linpuss, Genesis, and CWC capturing attention: Linpuss represents the playful and engaging spirit of memecoins while showcasing significant growth potential. represents the playful and engaging spirit of memecoins while showcasing significant growth potential. Genesis , symbolizing innovation and exclusivity, drives the platforms cutting-edge features. , symbolizing innovation and exclusivity, drives the platforms cutting-edge features. CWC (CatWifCap) prepares for its upcoming listing on the Nile Exchange, promising greater visibility and trading opportunities. Pond.funs features make it the ideal launchpad for memecoins: Early Adoption : As one of the first movers on Linea, Pond.fun offers creators a prime opportunity to tap into a growing ecosystem. : As one of the first movers on Linea, Pond.fun offers creators a prime opportunity to tap into a growing ecosystem. Cost Efficiency : Lineas Ethereum-based infrastructure ensures low fees for token launches and trades. : Lineas Ethereum-based infrastructure ensures low fees for token launches and trades. Advanced Tools : TradingView Advanced Charts enable users to refine strategies and follow tokens performance. : TradingView Advanced Charts enable users to refine strategies and follow tokens performance. Community Engagement : Co-marketing opportunities and a robust network of creators and traders foster collaboration and innovation. : Co-marketing opportunities and a robust network of creators and traders foster collaboration and innovation. Exchange Integration: Direct listings on platforms like the Nile Exchange ensure liquidity and market presence for launched tokens. Pond.funs dynamic community-driven approach, powered by the Efrogs ecosystem, has attracted partnerships with over 35 projects, including ZeroLend, Zypher Network, Lynex, and Mendi Finance. Collaborative events, giveaways, and integrations are key to driving engagement and fostering growth within the Linea ecosystem. For users ready to explore the possibilities of memecoin creation and trading, Pond.fun offers a gateway to Lineas blockchain revolution. Launch coins, trade tokens, and connect with a vibrant community that celebrates creativity, innovation, and growth. About Pond.fun Pond.fun is a leading memecoin launchpad built on the Linea blockchain, empowering creators, traders, and enthusiasts to innovate and trade within a dynamic ecosystem. With user-friendly tools, advanced analytics, and deep integration into the Efrogs community, Pond.fun accelerates the adoption of memecoins while fostering collaboration and growth. Connect with Pond.fun Dive into Pond.fun and join the movement driving memecoin innovation on Linea. Contact: SHAMA G. Marketing@froglabs.xyz Disclaimer: This content is provided by Pond.fun. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/922ae3be-a3ae-4321-a73f-b6144ffe8c98 NEW YORK CITY, Nov. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kikoff, a fast-growing credit-building service, has been recognized as one of the Best Credit Builder apps of 2024 by Expert Consumers, a trusted source for consumer reviews. Known for its accessible, straightforward approach to credit growth, Kikoff has earned high marks from industry experts and users alike, making it a highly recommended solution for individuals new to credit as well as those working to improve. Kikoff - can strengthen credit by focusing on payment history, credit utilization, and account age. A Spotlight on Kikoffs Core Products The Expert Consumers review acknowledges Kikoffs strategic focus on the five critical factors that impact credit scores: credit utilization, payment history, types of credit, length of credit history, and recent credit inquiries. By addressing major factors directly, Kikoffs products provide users with tools to build credit in a balanced way. Kikoffs monthly plans are central to its service. Paired with a revolving line of credit, these plans are designed specifically to build credit history by positively impacting payment history, credit utilization, and account age over time. Unlike traditional credit cards, Kikoffs plans avoid the temptation to overspend - and make responsible credit habits easy. Monthly payments are interest-free, and Kikoff reports these to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the three major credit bureaus, enhancing credit growth potential. Alongside their monthly plans, Kikoff offers a Secured Credit Card that operates on the Mastercard network. The Kikoff Secured Credit Card uses deposited funds as a spending limit, allowing users to avoid overspending. Direct deposit functionality means users can access paychecks up to two days early, making Kikoffs card an adaptable tool for everyday transactions. Moreover, the cards fee-free overdraft protection offers increased flexibility, allowing for up to $200 in overdrafts each month, with limits increasing the longer users continue banking with Kikoff. With a flat monthly fee of $5, Kikoffs Basic plan offers credit-building support at one of the industrys most affordable rates. Unlike other credit-building services that charge monthly fees ranging from $8 to $25, Kikoff eliminates added expenses such as administrative fees, annual fees, or late fees. For individuals looking to build credit on a budget, this streamlined, no-surprise pricing is a major advantage. According to Kikoff, users who start under 600 and pay on time see an average growth of 51 points, highlighting real-word credit improvement. By emphasizing responsible financial habits like timely payments and low credit utilization, Kikoff helps users achieve lasting credit growth. To know more about Kikoffs credit building features, read the full expert review at Expert Consumers. Contact: Drew Thomas (press@expertconsumers.org) RADNOR, Pa., Nov. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against Visa Inc. (Visa) (NYSE: V) on behalf of those who purchased or otherwise acquired Visa securities between November 16, 2023, and September 23, 2024, inclusive (the Class Period). The lead plaintiff deadline is January 21, 2025. CONTACT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP: If you suffered Visa losses, you may CLICK HERE or go to: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/visa-inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=v&mktm=r You can also contact attorney Jonathan Naji, Esq. by calling (484) 270-1453 or by email at info@ktmc.com. DEFENDANTS ALLEGED MISCONDUCT: The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Visa was not in compliance with federal antitrust laws; (2) Visa did not have effective internal programs and policies to assess and control compliance with federal antitrust laws; and (3) as a result, Defendants public statements were materially false and/or misleading at all relevant times. Please CLICK HERE to view our video or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://youtu.be/8n9Stj-T6K8 THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: Visa investors may, no later than January 21, 2025, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com. CONTACT: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Jonathan Naji, Esq. (484) 270-1453 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 info@ktmc.com May be considered attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Vancouver, November 29, 2024 - Wedgemount Resources Corp. (CSE: WDGY) ("Wedgemount" or the "Company"), announces that its annual financial statements for the year ended July 31, 2024, the related management discussion and analysis, certifications of the Chief Executive Officer (the "CEO") and the Chief Financial Officer (the "CFO"), and the annual oil and gas filings required under Part 2 of National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities for the year ended July 31, 2024 (collectively, the "Annual Filings"), will not be filed by the required filing deadline of November 28, 2024 (the "Annual Filing Deadline") due to delays in receiving certain financial information regarding the Company's reserves data. The Company is working diligently with its auditors to complete the Annual Filings and expects to be able to file the Annual Filings on or before January 27, 2025. The Company has applied to the applicable securities regulatory authorities and received a management cease trade order ("MCTO") imposed against the CEO and CFO of the Company precluding them from trading securities of the Company. The MCTO will be in effect until the Annual Filings are filed, and requires that they be filed on or before January 27, 2025. Until the Annual Filings are filed, the Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the Alternative Information Guidelines set out in National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders. The Company confirms that there is no other material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed. About Wedgemount Resources Corp. Wedgemount Resources is a junior oil & gas company focused on maximizing shareholder value through the acquisition, development and exploitation of natural resource projects in the southern USA. On behalf of the Board of Directors, WEDGEMOUNT RESOURCES CORP. Mark Vanry, CEO Reader Advisory This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include the anticipated filing date of the Annual Filings. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, availability of funds, personnel and other resources necessary to conduct exploration or development programs, successes of the Company's exploration efforts, availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/231980 News / National by Staff reporter Tensions flared between Kwekwe City CCC Mayor Albert Zinhanga and former Zanu-PF Mbizo MP Vongaiishe Mupereri on Tuesday during a public event in Mbizo 15, as the two clashed over the issue of illegal tuck-shops operating within the city.The confrontation occurred during the official opening of a revenue hall in Mbizo 15, where Midlands Minister of State, Owen Ncube, was the guest of honor. Zinhanga took the opportunity to address the growing issue of unlicensed tuck-shops, urging Ncube to intervene and assist the local government in shutting them down.The mayor expressed concern that these informal businesses were proliferating across the city, operating without the necessary licenses or payment of municipal rates, which he said was depriving the city of much-needed revenue."We have witnessed the construction of unsanctioned tuck-shops that have mushroomed everywhere, and some of them are in undesignated areas. When our municipal officers are collecting revenue, these people hide behind politicians. We need your help, honorable Minister, so that we have the situation under control," Zinhanga appealed to Minister Ncube.However, the issue quickly became a point of contention as Mupereri, who was present at the event, openly acknowledged his support for the tuck-shops and rejected any efforts to close them down."The mayor has asked you to intervene on tuck-shops. It is true that I am behind those tuck-shops, but you should allocate people places to establish their tuck-shops," Mupereri said, adding that he would not allow the local council to shut down the businesses unless designated spaces were provided for them.Mupereri further stated, "If you don't allocate them spaces, I will allow them to do their business so that they will not die of hunger. We have plenty of places where you can allocate them spaces. I am now talking politics, as you indicated earlier. We are not going to stop operating tuck-shops until you give people designated places."The public dispute between Zinhanga and Mupereri highlighted the underlying political tension, with Mupereri suggesting that the issue was not just an administrative matter but a political one as well. He argued that without proper allocation of space for small and medium entrepreneurs, the council would not be able to curb the proliferation of informal businesses.The debate between the two figures underscores the broader challenges Kwekwe faces in balancing urban development with the needs of small businesses, particularly in the informal sector. While Zinhanga pushed for formalization and regulation, Mupereri's stance resonated with the difficulties many small entrepreneurs face in securing legal operating spaces.As the dispute continues, it remains unclear how the local government will navigate the issue of illegal tuck-shops, with both the mayor and former MP remaining firm in their respective positions. The outcome could have significant implications for Kwekwe's informal economy and its efforts to regulate and tax small businesses operating within the city. Golden Ridge Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: GLDN) ("Golden Ridge" or the "Company") announces that in connection with its previously announced acquisition (the "Proposed Transaction") of 80% of the issued and outstanding membership interests in MM Group Ltda. ("MMG") it has entered into a credit facility agreement dated November 29, 2024, pursuant to which the Company has agreed to advance to MMG up to an aggregate of $950,000 (the "Loan"). The Loan bears interest at a rate of 8% per annum and matures on July 30, 2025. The repayment of the Loan is secured against the assets of MMG and is subsidiaries and guaranteed by certain MMG members. The Company anticipates making a minimum initial advance on the Loan of $250,000 in mid-December 2024, all in compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). About Golden Ridge Golden Ridge is a TSX-V listed exploration company engaged in acquiring and advancing mineral properties located in British Columbia and Newfoundland. Golden Ridge owns a 100% interest in the 1,700-hectare Hank copper-gold-silver-lead-zinc property located in the Golden Triangle district, approximately 140 kilometres north of Stewart, British Columbia and has a portfolio of exploration projects in Newfoundland. At the Company's request, trading in Golden Ridge's shares was voluntarily halted in June 2024 upon the Company entering into a definitive agreement with MMG. Trading is expected to remain halted until the completion or abandonment of the proposed transaction. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GOLDEN RIDGE RESOURCES LTD. "Mike Blady" Mike Blady President and Chief Executive Officer For more information regarding this news release, please contact: Mike Blady, CEO and Director T: 250-717.3151 W: www.goldenridgeresources.com Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and if applicable pursuant to Exchange requirements, disinterested approval. Where applicable, the Proposed Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction 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 Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Golden Ridge should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Forward Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations (including negative and grammatical variations) of such words and phrases or state that certain acts, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information in this press release may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Proposed Transaction and the Loan, including the terms and the timing thereof, and all other statements that are not historical in nature. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including risks regarding the mining industry, commodity prices, market conditions, general economic factors, management's ability to manage and to operate the business, and explore and develop its projects, and the equity markets generally. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance of Golden Ridge may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although Golden Ridge believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, they can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, Golden Ridge disclaims any intention and assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this press release. Audi, with Qatar, to be major power in F1 says Haug Qatar, via its sovereign wealth fund, is tipped to eventually own a full half of Audi's Formula 1 team. Valtteri Bottas, Qatar GP 2024 Sauber Swiss-based Sauber, and the Qatar Investment Authority, used the occasion of the Middle Eastern state's grand prix this weekend to announce that Qatar is buying a significant minority stake in the team that will be called Audi from 2026. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, reporting from the Losail circuit, Qatar's initial stake is believed to be 30 percent. The transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals. And Qatar's investment should rise to over 50 percent , in an investment that ultimately could be worth up to a billion dollars or more for Audi. It is the third state with a stake in Formula 1 after Bahrain-McLaren and Saudi Arabia-Aston Martin, the specialist Italian newspaper reported. The move relieves pressure on Audi, whose parent Volkswagen is locked in one of its worst financial crises in decades. La Gazzetta dello Sport quoted Audi CEO Gernot Dollner as saying: We have decided to adopt a broader approach. The involvement of such an important partner represents a milestone for our journey in Formula 1. Audi F1's Italian boss Mattia Binotto, meanwhile, commented to the newspaper: "This news is a great boost for our plans. It will certainly give us the opportunity to improve our infrastructure and the personnel at our disposal, but the greatest satisfaction is linked to the fact that we are achieving the objectives we have set ourselves. Qatar already owns 17 percent of Volkswagen. When asked to comment on Qatar's part-acquisition of the Audi project, former Mercedes F1 boss Norbert Haug told DPA: "I think that by 2030 at the latest, Audi should be able to compete for victories on a regular basis. I absolutely trust them to do this and applaud their courage to show their true colours in the premier class of motorsport - the only one that enjoys real global resonance. However, when asked to comment on the fact that Audi-owned Sauber is the only team in 2024 without a single point, Haug replied: "Audi is not getting into Formula 1 to be at the back. They are doing this to prove to the world that Audi will become a major power in Formula 1. (GMM) Lets exercise our right to vote Daily Graphic Editorials Nov - 30 - 2024 , 06:48 3 minutes read The time is here again for us to exercise our civic duty, and the Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that all is set for the conduct of Special Voting, December 2, ahead of the general election. This exercise is restricted to members of the security agencies, media and electoral officials who have applied and followed through the process to a successful end. According to the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa, a total of 131,478 personnel have qualified to cast their ballots in Monday's exercise, which will take place in 328 special voting centres across the 276 constituencies. But that's not all - the EC has also completed preparations for the December 7 general election. The voters' register has been disseminated across the country, and ballot preparation for the presidential and parliamentary elections is nearing completion. Advertisement Ballots are being distributed to police armouries nationwide, except for the Northern, Bono, and Bono East regions, which received theirs earlier. The EC has also recruited approximately 210,000 temporary officials, including returning officers, presiding officers and polling assistants, to support the electoral process. Biometric verification devices are also being prepared, with more than eight regions already receiving theirs. Also, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, has assured Ghanaians of a peaceful election, commending the EC for its excellent work so far. The security agencies are ready to provide a secure environment for the polls. The assurance from Dr Dampare is important, and that is why the Daily Graphic couldnt agree with the advice of a Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Bossman Asare, who said it was essential for political parties to manage their resources judiciously. Instead of spending unnecessary resources on tracking vehicles transporting electoral materials, parties can inform their representatives about the specifics of the materials to ensure proper oversight. The December 7 general election is a pivotal moment in Ghana's democratic journey. As citizens, it is essential to recognise that elections are a cornerstone of democratic governance, enabling us to actively participate in shaping the direction of our nation. By exercising our right to vote, we are not only choosing our leaders but also fostering a sense of legitimacy and accountability in the political process. Youth participation is crucial in this election, as they bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table. According to researchers, youth participation in formal political processes is vital for democratic development and ensuring that the needs and concerns of young people are addressed. By encouraging young people to vote and engage in the electoral process, we're empowering them to take ownership of their future. The upcoming election presents an opportunity for citizens to hold their leaders accountable and demand better governance. Elections ensure that representatives are responsible and accountable to the people, and that citizens have a say in the policies that affect their lives. By participating in the election, citizens can shape the direction of the country and ensure that their voices are heard. The years election, no matter the outcome, will provide an opportunity for transferring power from one government to the other as the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, ends his two terms. In a democratic election, citizens can choose their leaders without resorting to violence or coercion. A peaceful transfer of power is essential for maintaining stability and promoting economic growth in this country, and that is why it is essential that all registered voters participate in this process. For us at the Daily Graphic, the December 7 general election is a critical moment for Ghana's democracy. By participating in the election, citizens can shape the direction of the country, hold their leaders accountable, and ensure a peaceful transition. Let our voices be heard, and we must exercise our right to vote. Next article: Fama Kwame reflects on rejections and inspiration behind new single, Kyere Me Odo Rocky Grammy journey of Dawuni Gifty Owusu-Amoah & Jessica Love Otoo Showbiz News Nov - 30 - 2024 , 12:01 4 minutes read WHEN Ghanas Afro-Roots/ Reggae artiste, Rocky Dawuni, earned his first Grammy nomination in 2015, it was certainly good news not only for him but Ghanas music industry, particularly for its debut recognition on such a revered global stage. After his 2015 nomination in the Best Global Music Album category for Branches Of The Same Tree, the music icon has received three nods in Best Global Music Performance in 2021 for Voice of Bunbon Vol. 1; 2023 for Neva Bow Down featuring Blvk H3ro and 2024 for Rise which is set to be held next year. The award for Best Global Music album is reserved for international performers exhibiting "non-European, indigenous traditions". Next year marks exactly a decade since Rocky Dawunis first appearance on the Grammy Awards nominations list. While earning the nods has been applauded loudly in Ghana, the path to winning the coveted statuette proper has been rocky. Advertisement Anytime he has been mentioned as a nominee, hopes are heightened and we all wait for the announcement of his win with bated breath only for the gold-plated gramophone to find its way to another country. The first African to win a Grammy was South African musician, Miriam Makeba in 1966. She won Best Folk Recording for her collaboration with Harry Belafonte for the album, An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba. Other African Grammy award winners include Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa, 5 Grammys), Angelique Kidjo (Benin, 5 Grammys), Ali Farka Toure (Mali, 3 Grammys), Sikiru Adepoju (Nigeria, 2 Grammys), Babatunde Olatunji (Nigeria, 1 Grammy) and Owuor Arunga (Kenya, 3 Grammys). Others are Youssou NDour (Senegal, 1 Grammy), Tems (Nigeria, 1 Grammy), Wizkid (Nigeria, 1 Grammy), Soweto Gospel Choir (South Africa, 3 Grammys) and Burna Boy (Nigeria, 1 Grammy). As the days draw closer to February 2025 for the 67th annual Grammy Awards, is it going to be another rocky story for Dawuni? (Related articles on Rocky Dawuni: Im 100% confident of winning Grammy in 2025, says Rocky Dawuni, 2025 Grammy Awards: Rocky Dawuni grabs 4th nomination for Ghana, EDITORS LENS: Celebrating Rocky Dawuni) In a recent conversation with Daily Graphic, Rocky Dawuni, credited with songs such as In Ghana, Jammin Nation, Jerusalem, Akwaaba, African Reggae Fever, and Download the Revolution said its not a do or die affair even though he is very optimistic his 10-year-milestone of Grammy nominations will yield positive results this time around. Im 100 per cent sure I will win my first Grammy next year. Weighing my chances on a scale of 1-10, I believe it is 10. Ive worked very hard over the years and my consistency will pay off. Im extremely confident, he said. African Rhythms Several chart-topping artistes in the country with countless bangers in their repertoire have been trying to make the Grammy nomination list but have been unlucky so far. Interestingly, Rocky doesnt command their kind of clout in Ghana so the question of how he does it never seems to go away. Rocky told Daily Graphic that his relevance and success in the music industry had been palpable because he chose to be unique with his style without being pressured to follow music trends. The multiple Grammy award nominee indicated many artistes with global potential were failing to make the mark because they abandoned what set them apart and followed what was in vogue and trendy. Im a proud African and I make sure the identity of my roots is always reflected in my music. My music has always operated on fusing African elements with global elements to forge new and exciting sounds. My Afro-Roots sound which encompasses a message-driven mix of Reggae, Highlife, Afrobeat and Pop has steadily gained a wide level of influence and impact and is the sound that has resulted in most of my nominations. Again, my message of empowerment and peace has gained resonance in many places around the world, leaving a lasting impact on all those we've reached with our music so we are working hard, he stated. Support As Ghana continues to strive to be relevant players on the global music stage, it is imperative to recognise and support music ambassadors who are putting the country on the global stage and Rocky Dawuni, has been flying high the flag of Ghana. Since 2015, Rocky Dawuni has held the fort for Ghana at the Grammys; unfortunately, the support has not been loud enough as it should particularly when this feat does not only bring pride to Ghana but also highlights a positive image for the countrys music sector. Is Rocky enjoying home support? In his words, I think that sometimes our kind are not recognised in our own country. I believe in my mission to serve the people of Ghana without constantly waiting for applause. I believe that my deep sense of love for my country will eventually be reciprocated as long as I continue to stay the course of that service selflessly. According to Rocky, the defining words for an artistes success are the right mindset, humility, determination and sacrifice. I believe that nothing can move you if you don't equip yourself with the right mindset, humility, determination and sacrifice to find success. You have to love to play music and not do it purposely for the allure of money and fame. This will transform your craft into an extension of your being, making you unstoppable in your growth, he added. Mahama or Bawumia: Who is taking Ghana to Africas Tourism Elite? Francis Doku Features Nov - 30 - 2024 , 12:14 5 minutes read Ghana stands on the brink of yet another election, its future hanging in the balance as the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) vie for the nations trust. In a country bursting with cultural wealth and tourism potential, both parties have long touted ambitious plans to transform these sectors into economic powerhouses. Yet, election cycle after election cycle, these promises often dissolve into a haze of unrealised dreams, leaving citizens questioning whether this time will truly be different. Meanwhile, the world watches as other African nations surge ahead, raising the question: why is Ghana, with its unmatched cultural and historical treasures, still struggling to claim its rightful place as a tourism leader on the continent? In this two-part series, I examine the promises and efforts made by both the NDC and NPP for the tourism, arts and culture sectors. Part one delves into their track records, highlighting successes and failures. Advertisement Part two, set for election day, will focus on their current pledges and explore how these can be leveraged to finally position Ghana as Africas premier tourism destination. We are focusing on these two parties because, lets face it, none of the other contesting parties and individuals can win. The NDC: A vision rooted in heritage Under the leadership of the NDC, including Jerry John Rawlings and John Dramani Mahama, the partys approach to tourism and culture emphasised Ghanas identity as a land steeped in history and heritage. PANAFEST and Emancipation Day stood as pillars of this vision, seeking to attract the African diaspora to reconnect with the continent. These festivals were not merely celebrations but powerful statements about Ghanas role in the global narrative of African unity and identity. The NDCs vision also extended to infrastructure development. Heritage sites such as the Cape Coast Castle and the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre were earmarked for restoration and modernisation, symbolising the partys commitment to preserving Ghanas cultural and historical treasures. Yet, while these initiatives were well-conceived, many fell victim to funding shortages and bureaucratic delays, leaving some sites only partially completed or underfunded. A significant policy during Mahamas administration was the promulgating and signing of the Creative Arts Bill into law, which aimed to formalise the creative industry and offer support to those in the arts. However, despite the promise, delays in passing the bill meant that many of the expected benefits such as financial backing for artists and creators could not materialise. The NDC also sought to decentralise tourism, championing regional initiatives such as ecotourism in the Volta and Northern regions. The aim was to ensure a more equitable distribution of tourisms economic benefits, but inconsistent execution and lack of engagement with local stakeholders meant that these projects never reached their full potential. The NPP: Modernisation and diaspora engagement In contrast, the NPP, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, pursued a modernisation agenda, focusing on technology and private sector involvement. The partys flagship achievement, the Year of Return, in 2019, attracted significant global attention, especially from the African diaspora. It became a historic moment for Ghana, drawing tens of thousands of diasporans to the country to reconnect with their roots. The Year of Return not only boosted tourism numbers but also led to investments in real estate, arts and culture. The lasting effects of this initiative cemented Accra as a cultural hotspot for the African diaspora, particularly during the Christmas season. Building on this success, the NPP introduced Beyond the Return, a follow-up programme that shifted focus from cultural reconnection to economic opportunities. The programme sought to attract investments from the diaspora and to capitalise on Ghanas increased visibility. Unfortunately, the economic impacts were dampened by the COVID-19 pandemic and critics argue that the benefits were more concentrated in urban areas like Accra, with rural tourism still lagging. Institutionally, the NPP established the Creative Arts Agency to regulate and promote the creative arts industry. While the agencys formation was a positive move, its impact has been limited by a small budget and an inability to fully support Ghanas burgeoning creative industries. Critics have also pointed to the appointment of the presidents daughter to head the agency as a sign of nepotism, which has undermined its credibility. A tale of two approaches Both the NDC and NPP have acknowledged the transformative potential of Ghanas tourism, arts and culture sectors, but their approaches have been marked by contrasting priorities. The NDCs vision, which is deeply rooted in Ghanas heritage, emphasises culture and history as key to national branding. However, the execution of these initiatives has often been hindered by bureaucratic challenges and inadequate funding. The NPP, on the other hand, has sought to modernise the sector through technology and global engagement. Their focus on diaspora connections has brought attention to Ghanas tourism potential, but their initiatives often seem more focused on short-term gains than on creating sustainable growth in the sector. Furthermore, their programmes have frequently left out rural communities, where there is untapped tourism potential. Both parties share a common ailment: a lack of continuity. Projects that were initiated under one administration are often sidelined or completely overhauled by the next, creating a fractured trajectory for Ghanas tourism development. For instance, PANAFEST, a key festival championed by the NDC, saw reduced prominence under the NPP while the NPPs emphasis on digital initiatives has yet to be integrated into the broader cultural landscape envisioned by the NDC. A call for continuity, coordination As Ghanaians head to the polls, the tourism, arts and culture sectors are at a crossroads. The question remains: who between John Dramani Mahama and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has the vision, leadership and commitment to propel Ghana into Africas tourism elite? The path forward requires more than just ambitious manifestos it demands long-term vision, sustained funding and effective institutional frameworks. Sustained investment is necessary to complete heritage projects and support new, innovative programmes. Strong institutional coordination is equally important to ensure that tourism, arts and culture agencies work in tandem to maximise their impact. Most importantly, the next government must prioritise long-term goals over short-term successes, recognising that Ghanas true tourism potential lies in its ability to marry its rich heritage with the demands of a modern, globalised world. In next weeks edition, on election day, I will focus on the promises of both parties, examining how their current pledges could help position Ghana as Africas premier tourism destination. Previous article: Mahama or Bawumia: Who is taking Ghana to Africas Tourism Elite? The UAE Partnership: Strengthening Ghanas forest protection and economic growth Prof. Samuel Lartey Features Nov - 30 - 2024 , 09:40 5 minutes read In a world increasingly threatened by climate change and environmental degradation, sustainable practices have become paramount for global development. The government of Ghana's recent partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a $30 million grant signals a significant step forward in addressing these issues while providing alternative livelihoods to forest fringe communities. This grant, part of the broader Resilient Ghana Package launched at COP28 in Dubai, aims to support forest protection, restoration and reforestation efforts, while advancing Ghana's climate and biodiversity goals. By focusing on both ecological restoration and economic benefits, this initiative will have far-reaching effects on governmental operations, the corporate sector and the livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians. Advertisement Historical Context: Ghanas environmental challenges Ghana, like many countries in West Africa, has long faced environmental challenges due to deforestation, habitat destruction and unsustainable land-use practices. Historically, forest-dependent communities have relied heavily on timber and other forest resources, which, while critical for their survival, have placed immense pressure on the country's natural ecosystems. Between 1990 and 2015, Ghana lost about 33.7 per cent of its forest cover, primarily due to illegal logging, agriculture and mining activities. According to a 2019 report from the World Resources Institute (WRI), Ghana had one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, losing nearly 60,000 hectares of primary rainforest between 2017 and 2018 alone. To combat this growing threat, the Ghanaian government has initiated several programmes aimed at restoring degraded landscapes and promoting sustainable forest management. Notable among these efforts is the Green Ghana initiative, launched in 2021, which aimed to plant five million trees nationwide. The $30 million grant from the UAE builds on these efforts by providing further resources for forest protection and alternative livelihoods. Impact on governmental businesses The $30 million grant will bolster governmental programs aimed at ecological restoration and sustainable development. By supporting forest fringe communities with alternative livelihoods, the grant reduces reliance on environmentally destructive practices such as logging and unsustainable agriculture. This shift will enable the government to redirect resources toward long-term environmental conservation efforts while also meeting international climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By successfully implementing this project, the Ghanaian government may unlock further opportunities for international funding and collaboration, thereby boosting its diplomatic and trade relations, especially with Gulf nations and global environmental organisations. Impact on the corporate sector The corporate sector in Ghana stands to benefit significantly from the enhanced focus on environmental sustainability and green projects. In the past, corporate entities engaged in forestry, agriculture and mining have contributed to environmental degradation, which has, in turn, led to greater scrutiny and regulatory pressure. However, with this new initiative, companies in these sectors have the chance to realign their operations with sustainable practices and environmental conservation efforts. For instance, agribusinesses operating near forest fringe communities can now explore partnerships with the government and international agencies to promote climate-resilient farming techniques, sustainable agroforestry and responsible land use. The grant will also open up opportunities for corporate investment in eco-tourism, green infrastructure, and renewable energy projects, helping businesses shift toward more environmentally friendly operations. The opportunity for businesses to engage in reforestation projects, support alternative livelihoods or invest in green technologies will not only boost their public image but also position them as key players in Ghana's journey toward achieving its environmental and economic goals. Impact on citizens and the economic landscape At the grassroots level, the $30 million grant will have a profound impact on forest fringe communities by providing alternative livelihoods that promote sustainable practices. This initiative will create jobs in forest restoration, tree planting, and other conservation activities, directly benefiting communities that rely on forest resources for survival. Moreover, by reducing deforestation and promoting biodiversity conservation, the initiative will safeguard ecosystem services that are critical for agriculture, water supply and local climate regulation. The economic benefits of this initiative extend beyond rural areas. The national economy will benefit from the preservation of vital forest resources, which play a critical role in industries such as timber, eco-tourism and agriculture. According to the World Bank, Ghanas forestry sector contributes about 2.5 per cent of GDP, providing significant employment opportunities, especially in rural areas. However, unsustainable exploitation of these resources has threatened the long-term viability of the sector. By investing in reforestation and sustainable livelihoods, the government can safeguard this vital part of the economy while ensuring the long-term health of its forests. By demonstrating tangible progress on climate action, Ghana may attract further international investment, aid, and green bonds that can fund additional environmental and economic projects. Financial data and key figures 1. Ghana lost about 33.7 per cent of its forest cover between 1990 and 2015. 2. From 2017 to 2018, Ghana lost approximately 60,000 hectares of primary rainforest. 3. The forestry sector contributes around 2.5 per cent to Ghanas GDP, providing jobs for thousands of citizens. 4. The $30 million grant will provide alternative livelihoods for forest fringe communities and contribute to forest restoration and reforestation. 5. The Green Ghana initiative, launched in 2021, aims to plant millions of trees across the country, complementing the UAE grant's objectives. Conclusion The partnership between Ghana and the UAE for the $30 million grant exemplifies the critical role of international collaboration in achieving sustainable development and environmental restoration. The initiative will not only contribute to forest protection, reforestation and habitat restoration but will also have far-reaching effects on Ghana's governmental businesses, the corporate sector and its citizens. By providing alternative livelihoods for forest fringe communities, the grant will create a more sustainable economic model, reducing dependence on forest resources while promoting environmental resilience. This, in turn, will positively impact the national economy, providing long-term benefits for businesses and citizens alike. As Ghana continues to strengthen its environmental policies and partnerships, the country will be better positioned to meet its climate goals, contribute to global biodiversity conservation and enhance its socioeconomic landscape. The grant, therefore, represents a significant milestone in Ghanas pursuit of sustainable development and environmental stewardship, signaling a brighter, more resilient future for the nation. sammylaatey@yahoo.com Born too soon! Pre-term awareness must be of concern Vicky Wireko Reality Zone Nov - 30 - 2024 , 07:18 4 minutes read They are called pre-term because they are born sooner than the 40 weeks that they are supposed to be in their mothers womb. They come into the world very tiny, but only God knows the magnitude of the struggle they enter the world with. I am referring to premature babies. In the last couple of weeks, I have been twice at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospitals Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), first with my Church Group to present to the Unit an ultrasound fitting to assist with quality care for pre-term babies admitted into intensive care. The second visit was days after the presentation on the fact-finding mission and to talk to some mothers whose babies were on admission to feel their anxieties. What I witnessed on both occasions indeed humbled me. It called for intensive awareness creation out there with some focus on the dire needs of such babies who are born prematurely through no fault of theirs. Advertisement World Prematurity Day The World marked Prematurity Day on November 17 to raise awareness of the needs of premature babies and their families and to promote early detection of pre-term births. A noble call in the right direction, but how many of us stopped that day to think of the struggle of those precious tiny tots and their mothers? The theme for this years Day was: Breaking barriers; Access to quality care everywhere. My emphasis is access to quality care. The scores of babies I saw on admission at the NICU, lying helpless in their cots with tubes, oxygen and other equipment invading their tiny bodies, some as tiny as the size of a beer bottle or a childs water bottle. With some, their heads could fit into my open palm. Pre-term babies, as I learnt, are born before 37 or the normal 40 weeks of pregnancy. According to experts, such babies do not have enough time to fully develop in the womb. This means that certain organs and body systems may not be ready to support them in their lives. Optimism On seeing what I saw at the NICU, I asked the question as to whether such babies could survive out of the womb. I was encouraged by the positive answer I received, as well as the optimism of some parents I spoke to. Though there were some complaints about the amount of money they had spent on endless tests, some parents, including a father who had come that morning to pay for his daughters tests, were confident that their babies were doing well and sooner, they would be going home. Though some statistics chanced upon cited pre-term births as one of the leading causes of death in children under five in many parts of the world, there is a strong belief that with advancements in medical technologies, premature babies are increasingly overcoming early hindrances. That is exactly what neonatal intensive care units are there for. However, they need optimum medical equipment to do the job. With help from churches, organisations and individuals, the Korle-Bu NICU should be well equipped to take the charge a step further to treat premature babies and save more lives, learning that even 26 to 28 weeks pre-term babies have survived under their care. Early detection So if the Day of Awareness Creation is also meant to promote early detection of pre-term birth, then what should potential mothers be looking out for before they get to that critical stage? Experts do say that people can go into premature labour due to chronic health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. As well, multiple births with twins or triplets, pre-eclampsia, abruptions in the placenta and infections during pregnancy are all factors causing pre-term deliveries. In terms of challenges, and from what I witnessed at Korle-Bu last Tuesday and the week before, pre-term births have a big emotional impact on the parents. As they came outside from the wards for a breather and to compare notes, I overheard a mother whose baby had then just been admitted saying that it looked like they were going to spend Christmas in the NICU based on conversations she was gathering. For another mother, they had spent tens of thousands of cedis on tests alone, all of which had proved negative. I was touched by the comment of a father who had been waiting to see his wife. If you dont do the tests, how would they know the symptoms to treat? he said. Indeed, as I had earlier learnt, early treatment, no matter the cost, is critical to reduce long-term impacts and sometimes even avert some such challenges as visual impairment, developmental delays and learning difficulties, among others. I have learnt that pre-term babies are not disabilities. They have good chances of survival with modern technologies and quality care, both in the hospitals intensive care unit and at home. That is why the World Prematurity Day Awareness call to break barriers and access to quality care everywhere is everybodys call. We can all contribute to making the world a better place of stay for those who come in too soon. Writers E-mail: vickywirekoandoh@yahoo.com Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala reappointed Director-General of World Trade Organisation Graphic.com.gh International News Nov - 30 - 2024 , 06:55 3 minutes read The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has reappointed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its director-general for a second four-year term. Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and the first African to head the WTO, was the only candidate in the race, and had been all but assured a second four-year term. The 70-year-old Nigerian was reappointed by consensus among the organisation's 166 members, who sped up the process in what observers suggested was a bid to avoid Trump blocking her candidacy after he returns to the White House on January 20. Okonjo-Iweala, who was reappointed Friday for a second term running the World Trade Organization, said she looked forward to working with Donald Trump, while insisting on the importance of rules-based global trading. Advertisement "We have a full agenda to deliver for the people of this world... and for the planet," Okonjo-Iweala told reporters after her reappointment was announced. "We fully intend to get to work immediately, no stopping." Her current term ends in August 2025, but African countries called for the appointment process to be brought forward, officially to facilitate preparations for the WTO's next big ministerial conference, set to be held in Cameroon in 2026. The unstated objective was to "accelerate the process, because they did not want Trump's team to come in and veto her as they did four years ago", said Keith Rockwell, a senior research fellow at the Hinrich Foundation and a former WTO spokesman. The common practice of appointing directors-general by consensus made it possible in 2020 for Trump to block Okonjo-Iweala's appointment for months, forcing her to wait to take the reins until after President Joe Biden entered the White House in early 2021. 'Eager' to work with Trump The overwhelming support for Okonjo-Iweala's second term came "not so much (because) everyone loves Ngozi", but rather due to concern that Trump "would slow things", a source close to the process told AFP. Okonjo-Iweala herself said she found suggestions her re-appointment had been rushed due to the looming changing of the guard in Washington "a little odd". "I look very much forward to working with President Trump... I am eager for it," she said. For now at least, Washington is equally enthusiastic, with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai congratulating Okonjo-Iweala in a statement highlighting Washington's appreciation for "her work over the last nearly four years" and her "strong commitment to the work and future of the organisation". But during Trump's first term, the WTO faced relentless attacks from his administration, which crippled the organisation's dispute settlement appeal system, and also threatened to pull the United States out of the organisation altogether. Trump has already signalled he is preparing to launch all-out trade wars, threatening to unleash a flurry of tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico on his first day in office. 'Festival of tariffs' Okonjo-Iweala said Friday that "until we get specifics" it was "a bit premature" to comment on Trump's promised trade actions. "We should come into things with a very constructive and creative approach," she said. She stressed though the need "to make sure that we don't have a situation in which we have any kind of trade disputes that are detrimental to the functioning of the world trade system". That could be tricky, observers said. "The festival of tariffs announced to date shows that (Trump) has no intention of following any rules," said Elvire Fabry, a researcher at the Institut Jacques Delors think-tank. "The United States would not even need to withdraw from the WTO," she told AFP. "They are freeing themselves from the WTO rules." In this context, the WTO chief will have "a firefighter role", she said. It will be a question of "saving what can be saved, and making the case that there is no real alternative to the WTO rules", said another source close to the discussions on speeding up Okonjo-Iweala's reappointment. "It will be a very difficult mandate, with little certainty about what will happen." Since taking the WTO reins, Okonjo-Iweala has tried to breathe new life into the fragile organisation, pushing for fresh focus on areas like climate change and health. But pressure is growing for WTO reform, in particular of the moribund appeals portion of its dispute settlement system, which collapsed during the first Trump presidency as Washington blocked the appointment of judges. Trump, Putin and the peril of territorial concessions in Ukraine Dr Richmond Acheampong International News Nov - 30 - 2024 , 06:58 5 minutes read The Russia-Ukraine war has emerged as a pivotal geopolitical conflict with far-reaching global consequences. President Vladimir Putins drive to reassert Russia's control over former Soviet territories, including Ukraine, has prompted widespread international concern. The United States, along with its Western allies, has responded by supporting Ukraine through economic sanctions, military aid and diplomatic efforts, stressing the importance of Ukraines sovereignty and the international order grounded in territorial integrity and self-determination. However, US President-elect Donald Trumps stance on the war has sparked significant debate. Trumps suggestion that if re-elected, he would negotiate an end to the war on Russias terms raises alarm about the future of the rules-based international order. What would such a shift in US foreign policy mean for global norms, treaties and the international system that has developed over the past century? Advertisement This piece critiques Trumps position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and explores the potential consequences for international law, treaties and norms while also examining the role of Trumps advisers in shaping a foreign policy that respects existing global agreements, such as the Paris Climate Accord. Russia-Ukraine war Trumps foreign policy has often been characterised by pragmatism and scepticism of multilateral institutions. As president, Trump frequently questioned US involvement in NATO and other international organisations, arguing that American interests were sidelined in favour of globalist agendas. His rhetoric on the Russia-Ukraine war has mirrored this worldview, with Trump suggesting that a settlement could be reached by negotiating directly with Putin. Trumps claim that he could end the war in 24 hours if re-elected, along with his admiration for Putin, suggests a preference for pragmatism at any cost, even if it benefits Russias geopolitical interests. Trump has framed the Russian invasion of Ukraine not as an unlawful act of aggression against a sovereign nation but rather as part of a broader struggle between NATO and Russia. This position has led some to argue that Trumps approach undermines the core principles of the rules-based international order. Trumps position The rules-based international order, grounded in the United Nations (UN) and international law, emphasises sovereignty, territorial integrity and the peaceful resolution of disputes. The Russian invasion of Ukraine directly challenges these principles, violating provisions of the UN Charter designed to prevent aggression between states and protect national sovereignty. By advocating for negotiations that might recognise Russias territorial gains, Trump risks legitimising territorial conquest as a legitimate political tool. Such a shift would signal to authoritarian regimes worldwide that military aggression could be tolerated if it results in a negotiated deal. This could embolden other leaders to pursue expansionist agendas, knowing that their actions might eventually receive political legitimacy through negotiation. Should Trump push for an end to the war on Putins terms, it would likely solidify Russias territorial control in Ukraine and other post-Soviet states. This would be a significant setback to decades of progress in global norms promoting peaceful coexistence, territorial sovereignty and self-determination. Trumps rhetoric could also undermine NATO and the European Union (EU), which have been crucial in supporting Ukraines resistance. NATOs open-door policy, central to European security, would be destabilised if the US president prioritised appeasing Russia over strengthening international alliances. Advisers and handlers While Trumps personal instincts as a dealmaker are influential in shaping his foreign policy, the role of his advisers cannot be overlooked. Trumps foreign policy team played a critical role during his presidency in moderating or reinforcing his stance on global issues. Figures such as former National Security Adviser John Bolton were strong proponents of NATO and saw Russia as a strategic adversary, which often clashed with Trumps more isolationist inclinations. Trumps tendency to surround himself with advisers who share his scepticism of global institutions could result in a foreign policy prioritising national sovereignty over international cooperation. This raises concerns about the future of international treaties and agreements, particularly in areas like climate change. Global cooperation Trumps foreign policy approach, which has often favoured American economic interests over international collaboration, is exemplified by his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. The Paris Agreement, designed to combat global climate change through international cooperation, was a key example of a multilateral treaty that Trump rejected, signalling his preference for policies that prioritised national interests. In the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trumps nationalistic approach could similarly undermine international diplomatic frameworks. If Trump pursued a peace settlement that favoured Russia, it could erode trust in global treaties, making it more difficult to negotiate future agreements on global challenges like climate change or security. International treaties like the Paris Agreement rely on the commitment of all parties to uphold their obligations, and a retreat from such agreements could diminish the prospects for future global cooperation. Conclusion Donald Trumps stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, particularly his suggestion that the US could negotiate a peace settlement favourable to Russia, presents significant risks to the rules-based international order. If such a shift were to occur, it could legitimise the use of military aggression to resolve territorial disputes, undermining core principles of sovereignty and self-determination. Trumps transactional foreign policy, sceptical of multilateralism, could further challenge the effectiveness of international treaties and norms. As president, Trumps advisers would play a crucial role in moderating his approach, especially regarding treaties such as the Paris Climate Accord. Global cooperation, whether in climate change or security, relies on a commitment to multilateralism and the rule of law. If Trump were to abandon these principles in favour of pragmatic deals, it could have far-reaching consequences for global peace, security and sustainability. Ultimately, Trumps policies on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and international agreements like the Paris Accord reflect the broader challenge of balancing national interests with global cooperation. The question remains whether Trumps advisers will help navigate this balance to respect international norms or whether his instincts will further erode the rules-based international order. The writer is a journalist, columnist, public relations expert and a journalism and media studies academic. He holds a PhD in Journalism and teaches at Christian Service University. Email: achmondsky@gmail.com President inaugurates Phase 2 of Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Chris Nunoo Nov - 30 - 2024 , 06:59 4 minutes read President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday inaugurated the second phase of the Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange in Accra in honour of the late patriot. Phase one of the project was completed and inaugurates by President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, while phase two, which comprises a flyover on the Ring Road West (Awudome to the Abossey Okai Central Mosque) and the widening of the Ring Road West (from Awudome Junction to Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange) into a two by three dual carriageway has just been completed. Transformative development President Akufo-Addo described the project as remarkable and further evidence of the government of President John Agyekum Kufuors strong commitment to transformative development that enhanced mobility, drove economic growth and improved the quality of life for all Ghanaians. About the inception of the project, he said his vision was to confront the persistent traffic congestion which had for a long time plagued movement and economic activity in that crucial area of Accra. Advertisement President Akufo-Addo said the completion of phase two was not just an infrastructure milestone but a pivotal moment in the nations journey towards modernity and efficiency. He said the interchange would significantly enhance the flow of traffic in the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, as well as along the Ring Road West, Kaneshie and Accra Central corridors. Infrastructrure Over the past eight years, President Akufo-Addo said, his government had undertaken significant infrastructure projects across the nation. These, he said, included the Pokuase Interchange, the Tamale Interchange, which he said was the first in northern Ghana, and the Bechem-Techimentia-Akomadan road. That, President Akufo-Addo said, had unlocked the vital agricultural house and enhanced trade and livelihoods. In addition to these, he said his government was delivering six interchanges nationwide, with 13 others currently underway and progressing steadily towards completion. Last week, I had the honour of commissioning the 97-kilometre Mpakadan railway line, a project that heralds a new chapter in Ghana's transportation history. Our investments in health care, education, and other critical sectors are similarly guided by a vision of resilient, inclusive, and dynamic Ghana, he pointed out. He said although much had been accomplished, the journey was far from complete, and therefore the upcoming elections represented a defining moment for the country. He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to place their confidence in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and vote for the outstanding Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to sustain the progress the government had made and bring ongoing projects to completion. He also urged Ghanaians to vote for parliamentary candidates of the NPP for continuity, growth, and a brighter future for the country. Road safety President Akufo-Addo further advised all motorists to exercise caution, adhere to road safety regulations, and uphold the principles of responsible driving to ensure the safety of all road users. He was grateful to all who played a role in this memorable undertaking, particularly the British contractor, QGMI, and the United Kingdom (UK) Expo Finance Company for their great contributions. In a brief tribute to the late Emmanuel Odarkwei Obetsebi Lamptey, President Akufo-Addo said the statesman was worthy of honour, the reason he continued to name the interchange after him. Connectivity The Minister of Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, said the ministry, and for that matter government, was proud to unveil the interchange that would not only enhance connectivity, but also significantly reduce travel times along that vital corridor. By upgrading the existing roundabout to a three-tier interchange, he said, we have addressed one of the most challenging traffic issues in Accra. He said that ambitious transformation would significantly improve traffic flow between key arterials, including the Ring Road West towards the Nkrumah Interchange and the Ring Road West Extension towards Abossey Okai. The third tier of the interchange features a 389-metre bridge, providing a direct link for traffic on Ring Road West across the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle. This bridge descends to the Abossey Okai traffic lights, ensuring seamless movement for commuters and effectively eliminating delays caused by cross-traffic, Mr Asenso-Boakye added. He said a newly constructed roundabout underneath the flyover would facilitate ground-level access to Abossey Okai Road (Agbogbloshie Market Road), with provisions made for safe pedestrian crossing to ensure the safety of all road users. To further enhance mobility, the Roads and Highways Minister said the Nii-Teiko Din intersection on the Kaneshie-Mallam road had been reconfigured to allow right-in and right-out movements only. Additionally, he said a pedestrian footbridge over Ring Road West at the Awudome-Adjuma Crescent junction had been incorporated to ensure safe and efficient pedestrian movement across that busy corridor. He said a comprehensive storm drainage system had also been integrated into the project, addressing long-standing flooding concerns in the area. Benefits Mr Asenso-Boakye said the benefits of the phase two of the Obetsebi Lamptey interchange would ensure a safer and more efficient transportation experience for all road users, reduction in accidents and delays; improved air quality through reduced vehicle emissions, and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, enhance urban aesthetics, and foster opportunities for business. In addition, he said the statue of Emmanuel Odarkwei Obetsebi Lamptey had been reinstated at the roundabout as a tribute to the legacy of the distinguished leader. Refrain from hate, rancorous utterances Peace Council Albert K. Salia Nov - 30 - 2024 , 08:43 2 minutes read THE National Peace Council has appealed to political parties and presidential candidates to refrain from doing anything that will prop their followers to violence. Hate speech and other rancorous utterances must be checked and avoided. This will ensure that neither their supporters nor opponents are agitated or motivated in any way to resort to violence, it stated. The Chairman of the NPC, Rev. Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi made the appeal at the signing of the peace pact in Accra by the 12 presidential candidates to declare their commitment to promote peace during and after the election. The signing of the peace pact by the presidential candidates or their representatives, supervised by the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, served as an undertaking by the presidential candidates to uphold and promote peace. Advertisement Peace pact The Presidential Election Peace Pact, organised under the auspices of the National Peace Council (NPC) and the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), was on the theme: Pursuing Peaceful Elections, Non-Violence and Justice. This is the fourth time the NPC and IDEG have organised the signing of the Presidential Peace Pact after similar ones were held in 2020, 2016 and 2012. Avoid violence Rev. Dr Adu-Gyamfi expressed the hope that signing the pact would not be just another public show, but that all our aspiring presidential candidates to this accord will play their roles effectively, particularly, after the declaration of the election outcomes on December 7, 2024. He pointed out that resorting to violence was inimical and must be avoided. He urged those who would win to be magnanimous in their celebration as their victory would be four years. To all those who will be unsuccessful in the election, do not grieve for long, for after four years, you will have another opportunity to come back, this time in a stronger position, he stated. Democracy Rev. Dr Adu-Gyamfi said it was the collective duty of the citizenry to ensure that elections were conducted in a free, fair and transparent environment. He said the NPC had taken significant steps in ensuring peace in the country during and after elections in the country. He cited the organisation of a National Dialogue after the 2020 election together with its key stakeholders including civil society organisations, political parties, religious and traditional leaders to mobilise support for increased avenues for dialogues and consensus among stakeholders, transparency, accountability and credible elections in the country. He said the presence of the leaders seeking the highest office of the President of the Republic sends a clear message about their commitment to the peace and stability of the country. Previous article: Man arrested for beating, stripping his mother naked for hating his wife UG Pharmacy student tops 2024 Ghana Pharmacy Professional Qualifying Exams Ug.edu.gh Nov - 30 - 2024 , 14:08 2 minutes read The first batch of PharmD products from the University of Ghana School of Pharmacy has produced the overall best candidate in the recent November 2024 qualifying examinations organised by the Pharmacy Council of Ghana. Amongst 624 pharmacy students who took the licensure exams across the country, Maame Adjoa Gyasiwaa Aidoo, a final year PharmD student from the University of Ghana School of Pharmacy emerged as the overall best candidate. Besides, the University recorded a 98 per cent pass rate. This is the first batch of PharmD students produced by the School following the phasing out of the 4-year BPharm programme in the 2021/2022 academic year. In his congratulatory message, the Dean of the School of Pharmacy, Prof. Isaac Julius Asiedu-Gyekye, extended his heartfelt appreciation to members of faculty, staff, administrators (both past and present), University Management, preceptors and all stakeholders for their hard work and support that has culminated in this remarkable accomplishment. Advertisement It is our hope that the success chalked by the University in this years examination will be maintained in subsequent years. Prof. Asiedu-Gyekye opined. Hearty congratulations to the UGSOP class of 2024!!! Profile of Maame Adjoa Gyasiwaathe Overall Best Candidate Maame Adjoa Gyasiwaa Aidoo is a current PharmD graduate from the University of Ghana, recently honoured as the overall best student in the Ghana Pharmacy Professional Qualifying Examination. Born and raised in Tema, Maames early academic journey began at Robert Memorial School, continuing at Aburi Girls Senior High School and culminating in her pharmacy studies at the University of Ghana. Her passion for Pharmacy was ignited by her family, particularly through a habit of helping her mother understand medications. This experience sparked a lasting interest that led her to pursue a degree in Doctor of Pharmacy. Throughout her studies, she cultivated a profound commitment to pharmaceutical knowledge, leadership and service. During her academic years, Maame took on significant roles in her Christian fellowship, where she developed her skills in guiding and organising others. She also nurtured her entrepreneurial spirit by offering professional braiding services, a creative pursuit which she seeks to develop. Maame is deeply grateful to God for guiding her journey and to her friends and mentors whose support has been invaluable. With her recent academic success, she stands ready to make a meaningful impact in the field of pharmacy, confident that her calling will continue to serve her community and glorify God. Buem Chief declares confidence in Bawumias presidential prospects GraphicOnline Politics Nov - 30 - 2024 , 11:46 2 minutes read The Twafohene of the Buem Traditional Area, Nana Osabarima Antwi Agyei V, has expressed unwavering confidence in the Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, predicting his imminent election as Ghanas next president. During a visit to Buem in the Biakoye Constituency of the Oti Region, the Chief lauded Dr Bawumia's leadership qualities, humility, and incorruptible nature, declaring that his next visit to the area would be as President of the Republic. Nana Osabarima Antwi Agyei V extolled Dr Bawumias unique standing as a Vice President, praising his widespread popularity and the integrity that has characterised his political career. The Chief noted the Vice Presidents impactful policies and clear campaign message, urging him to maintain his respectful and solution-focused approach as the election campaign draws to a close. Advertisement The Chief highlighted the importance of good leadership, affirming the traditional area's backing for Dr Bawumias presidential bid. He assured the Vice President of the communitys support and emphasised their collective belief in his ability to lead Ghana towards inclusive development and transformation. Dr Bawumia, in turn, thanked the Chiefs and people of Buem for their encouragement and warm reception. He reiterated his dedication to implementing policies aimed at ensuring equitable development across the country if given the mandate to lead. As the countdown to the elections continues, the Vice Presidents visit to Buem reflects growing endorsements from various traditional leaders, bolstering his campaign in the final days before the polls. EC addresses ballot paper shortfalls for Ghana Election 2024 Samuel Duodu Politics Nov - 30 - 2024 , 09:59 5 minutes read The Electoral Commission (EC) says it has taken steps to address the issues of shortfalls and discrepancies regarding ballot papers sent to the Volta and Bono regions. Addressing an emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Chairperson of the EC in charge of Corporate Services, Dr Bossman Eric Asare, said the shortfalls and discrepancies in the ballot papers were detected by the commissions own staff, and that they were not reported to it by any political party. The meeting was attended by representatives of political parties, independent candidates, civil society organisations and the country's development partners. It was to provide information on accreditation and collation centres ahead of Saturday, December 7 elections, but the issue of the shortfall in the ballot papers for the Volta and Bono regions came up strongly during the meeting. Advertisement Shortfall Dr Asare said to ensure transparency and accountability, the commission sent a memo to inform all political parties about the shortfalls and discrepancies in the ballot papers for the two regions and also ordered for reprinting. He said the reprinting to fill the shortfalls and correction of discrepancies had been done, and that the ballot papers had been dispatched to the regions, adding that the memo was to inform the political parties. Dr Asare said although the memo which was meant for the political parties found its way onto the social media the EC had nothing to hide. The Deputy EC Chairperson emphasised that additional verification was a standard procedure to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the ballot papers. "It is part of the transparency and accountability mechanisms of the Electoral Commission," he said. "We wish to inform our political parties and all the observers here that this is a standard procedure to ensure that all ballot papers are accurate and intact on election day," he said. Dr Asare also noted that similar shortfalls and discrepancies were discovered and reported back to the head office by their regional directors in Greater Accra, Western North, Upper West, Western and the Middle belt regions. "If the commission had anything to hide it would not transparently call for a reprint of ballots to make up for the shortfalls," Dr Asare added. Mistrust The Deputy EC Chairperson in charge of Corporate Services urged the public and political parties to disregard acts of mischief aimed at maligning the commission and sowing seeds of mistrust and doubt. "The memo in circulation demonstrates the commission's resolve to operate above board and in a transparent and accountable manner," Dr Asare said. On the issue of collation, Dr Asare said the commission had appointed collation officers with statistical and mathematical backgrounds at the constituency and regional levels to assist Returning Officers and Regional Collation Officers in the performance of their functions. He said Regulation 2(3)(b) of Constitutional Instrument (C.I) 127 allowed the commission to appoint other persons to assist the Returning Officer. In the spirit of that provision, Dr Asare said the commission had appointed collation officers to work under the supervision of Returning Officers. Dr Asare added that the commission advertised the position of collation officers in the August 15, 2024 issue of the Daily Graphic on Page 12 . He added that the commission advertised for applicants with backgrounds in statistics, accounting, finance and other related quantitative disciplines to apply, saying a team from the head office and officials in the regions as well as officials from the Ghana Statistical Service, constituted the interview panel. "Those who were selected are well qualified for the task ahead. The commission will undertake further training for them to ensure that they deliver on Election Day," he stated. Dr Asare explained that the reason why the commission engaged the officers was to enhance the integrity of the collation. Their main function, he said, was to do electronic collation of the polling station results for both the presidential and parliamentary elections on an Excel format provided by the commission. "They are going to work side by side with our Returning Officers, but independently. The Returning Officers will do the manual collation and compare with that of the Excel collation by the Collation Officers," he said. The Deputy EC Chairman announced that collation at the regional level would take place at the regional offices of the commission, while the national collation would take place in Accra at a location to be communicated to the parties and agents of presidential candidates very soon. Regarding accreditation, Dr Asare explained that political parties and presidential candidates would be given accreditation for two agents at the constituency and regional coalition centres, while domestic and international observers would also be accredited, but only accredited persons and organisations would be allowed into the collation centres. He said the media would be allowed to cover the collation processes at all levels, but said the EC was still in discussion with the Ghana Journalists Association and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association to finalise the arrangements. Political parties Some representatives of the political parties and independent presidential candidates at the meeting said the EC did not consult them on the appointment of the collation officers. Some of the political parties present, notably the opposition National Democratic Congress, led by its Director of Elections and Information Technology, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, also raised concerns about the shortfall in the ballot papers. A man accused of shooting his stepbrother to death and was charged with murder is being held on $50,000 cash bail, according to documents from the Office of the Attorney General. Toshie Salvadore, also known as Charles Tone, was charged with murder as a first-degree felony with notices of deadly weapon used in commission of a felony and commission of a felony while on felony release, and arson as a third-degree felony with notice of commission of a felony while on felony release, a magistrates complaint filed in Superior Court states. Around 3:24 a.m. on Nov. 4, an unidentified man driving a gray Dodge Avenger arrived at the emergency department of the Guam Regional Medical City where he dropped off another unidentified man who appeared to have a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest. The driver fled without providing any information about the gunshot victim other than identifying him as his brother Mike Jr and he was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived. At 5:17 a.m. the same day, officers received a call of a burning vehicle and found a Dodge Avenger to be completely burnt after having been set on fire. The following day, police identified the victim as Mike Fel by showing his picture to people in the area. Fels step-brother, Salvadore, was identified and police went to his house to interview him. Another person who lived with Salvadore was shown footage of the car at GRMC and she told police the person driving was a relative and they all lived together, the complaint states. Salvadore was arrested on active warrants. At the time, he was on pretrial release in two felony cases. On Nov. 9, the person who drove the car was interviewed and told police Salvadore drank almost an entire 12-pack of Bud Ice and then stated he was going to check on Fel. The man rode with Salvadore in the Dodge to where Fel was staying and at the residence, Salvadore loaded a pipe with methamphetamine for Fel, documents state. Salvadore then showed him a gun and began to act like a gangster and Salvadore told Fel to sell the drugs and give him the profit, the complaint states. As he spoke, Salvadore was holding the gun pointed at Fel when the gun suddenly discharged, causing Fel to slump over and gurgle, documents state. Salvadore began to freak out when he realized Fel was shot and the man told Salvadore to take Fel to the hospital, but Salvadore has three active warrants and was afraid of being arrested and instead drove into Dededo, the complaint states. Salvadore stopped at a convenience store at which time the man got into the drivers seat and took Fel to the hospital. The man then picked up Salvadore after the hospital and they drove toward the Paintball area until the Dodge ran out of gas. Fels housemate told police he heard what sounded like a single gunshot discharging shortly after Salvadore arrived and when he checked on the noise, the Dodge was speeding away from the house. Officers spoke with a woman, who saw Salvadore walking onto a property about 300 yards away from where the burnt vehicle was found. She said she heard Salvadore say he was going to burn the car and saw him holding a gas can and shortly after heard the crackling of a fire. Another witness told police while she was driving Salvadore, he became emotional, started crying and asked her to take care of his family. On Nov. 26, Salvadore was transferred to police custody from the Department of Corrections, where he was still being held on a warrant. He admitted to police that he accidentally shot Fel and he would tell officers where the gun was located if they could let him out of jail, the complaint states. Salvadore said he had been drinking when he decided to go see Fel. Fel asked him for methamphetamine and Salvadore loaded a pipe and gave it to him. Salvadore first told police that Fel was holding the gun when it accidently went off, but then later admitted to being the person who fired the gun, the complaint states. Pacific Star Resort and Spa owes about $4.9 million in taxes, according to an operating report filed in the Tumon hotels ongoing bankruptcy case. Marianas Properties, which does business as Pacific Star, filed for bankruptcy on Sept. 12, hours before Bank of Guam was set to auction the hotel off over a defaulted loan. Parties are set to appear before District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood on New Years Eve to argue whether that foreclosure should proceed. A liability report filed in federal court lists $2.8 million in gross receipts taxes and $2.1 million in hotel occupancy taxes owed to the government as of Oct. 31, along with an outstanding accounts payable balance of $2.4 million. Besides the $28.6 million balance on the hotels Bank of Guam loan, which accrues $8,348.53 in interest every day, Pacific Star also has another $14.5 million in unsecured debt, based on the operating report. The hotel posted a $227,733 loss for October, with its only income coming from $13,776 worth of goods sold, the operating report on file with the court shows. The company reports about $171,225.81 held in various bank accounts. Pacific Star hasnt been in regular operation since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, with only a short stint as a government-contracted quarantine hotel. Only about $9.65 million worth of assets are listed in its October operating report, but the actual value of Pacific Star is a matter of dispute in ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. Pacific Star has its own appraisal going and asserts the value of the hotel exceeds the balance of its Bank of Guam loan. Attorneys for the bank dont want to publicly disclose their own appraisal, and argue the hotel is sinking in value. Bank of Guam wants the court to let a foreclosure auction proceed, due to that alleged falling value. But attorneys for the hotel argue that a foreclosure auction will result in the hotel being sold off for less than its worth, and prevent Pacific Star from paying off its other debtors. Bank of Guam and the hotel were supposed to appear in court on Nov. 22 to argue the matter, but the bank and hotel agreed to push the date back to Dec. 31 while settlement talks proceed, according to a notice filed by Pacific Stars attorneys. Attorneys for Bank of Guam have reported that Micronesia Mall owner Goodwind Development Corp. may want to buy the hotel property. Goodwinds lawyers filed an entry of appearance in the bankruptcy case in October, stating Goodwind is an interested party in the case. In the meantime, the hotel will take a $1.5 million personal loan from company owner Matthews Pothen to keep employees paid and close out the companys bankruptcy case, filings in the District Court of Guam show. Tydingco-Gatewood authorized the hotel to accept the loan to cover administrative costs associated with the bankruptcy proceedings. The judge also authorized Pacific Star to retain attorney Menakshi Hemlani as legal counsel, hire financial advisors, and approve payroll for the 17 employees that continue to keep the hotel maintained. A declaration filed by Pacific Star president Ajay Pothen on Sept. 11 indicated the hotel had plans to reopen in 2023, but suffered substantial damage from Typhoon Mawar. While the hotel assessed damages north of the $25 million cap on typhoon insurance coverage, its insurer assessed damages at $13 million. As of this September, the company was still waiting on insurance claims needed to fix the facility, the Pacific Daily News reported. Haiti - 37th anniversary : PM pays tribute to the martyrs of Vaillant Alley On November 29, 2024, the 37th anniversary of the Vaillant Alley Massacre, the Nation remembers, with a heavy heart, these peaceful citizens inhabited by the dream of a democratic Haiti who went to the polls with ballots in hand, fulfilling their civic duty for these first elections under the 1987 Constitution and who never returned home.. On that fateful Sunday, November 29, 1987, about twenty voters were cowardly assassinated at the Vaillant Alley polling station by neo-Duvalierist paramilitaries, with the active complicity of the Haitian Armed Forces, at the Argentine Bellegarde National School, remains a symbol of the terror that surrounded this first post-Duvalier election. This tragedy, marked by blood and tears, forever reminds us of the inestimable price of the right to vote, democracy and freedom. In this circumstance, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime expressed a profound thought that reflects the government's state of mind: Message from Prime Minister Fils-Aime : "These courageous souls, who fell for believing in a better future, will never be forgotten. To their forever grieving families, we say : your pain is ours and the sacrifice of these heroes who fell in the field of duty remains a light in our darkness. In these times when insecurity stifles our hopes, this tragedy of 1987 recalls the tireless fight for our survival as a people. Every life lost today in violence is a reminder of these past crimes. We must fight so that such a disaster never happens again. The memory of Vaillant Alley is a vibrant call for justice, against impunity, for dignity, in the face of barbarity and security, so that every citizen can live without fear. The sacrifice of the victims of 1987 urges us not to look away, to continue the fight for Peace and democracy. The blood of our compatriots shed on November 29, 1987 for our freedom, must remind us that Haiti deserves better. Honor to them. Long live the memory of these heroes. Long live Haiti !" HL/ HaitiLibre The Lower Bavarian leisure vehicle manufacturer Knaus Tabbert is currently going through a turbulent time. The well-known manufacturer of motorhomes and caravans has undergone a change of management in recent weeks. In addition, production has been halted at two sites until the end of the year. The economic problems may now be compounded by another: the Landshut public prosecutor's office is investigating suspected corruption. Anzeige Two managers of a company "from the automotive sector" and a manager of a Saarland investment company aged between 57 and 61 are alleged to have accepted bribes from individual suppliers, according to the investigating authority and the Lower Bavaria police headquarters. In return, the paying suppliers are said to have been given preferential treatment for individual orders. In a raid involving 165 police officers, the public prosecutor's office had several offices and business premises at Knaus Tabbert and the home of one of the suspects searched. Further raids were carried out in Lower Saxony, Baden-Wurttemberg, Saarland, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Switzerland. The two managers were taken into custody. For the time being: a suspicion The search of Knaus Tabbert AG's business premises was carried out due to a public prosecutor's investigation against individual members of the company's management in connection with individual allegations of criminally relevant acts at the expense of the company, according to the brief statement. "The company itself is not the subject of the allegations." According to the statement, the investigators seized both files and documents. The public prosecutor's office and police expressly pointed out that in criminal law, the presumption of innocence applies to all suspects until they are convicted. There has been considerable unrest in the Knaus Tabbert boardroom this year. First, Chief Financial Officer Caroline Schurmann left the company in February 2024. Her duties were taken over by CEO Wolfgang Speck until he also left "for personal reasons" at the end of October, leaving only two members of the Management Board. In mid-November, the Dutch shareholder Wim de Pundert, previously a member of the Supervisory Board, took over the management. He is to manage Knaus Tabbert in a dual role as CEO and CFO. Boom is over After the boom of the corona years, the motorhome and caravan manufacturer is currently suffering from a lack of orders. Due to a lack of capacity utilization, production at the company headquarters and at the Nagyoroszi plant in Hungary is currently at a standstill. Work is still being carried out at two other sites. Knaus Tabbert has significantly reduced its turnover and profit forecasts for this year. Last year, the company still achieved a turnover of 1.4 billion euros. Anzeige (mfz) The popular streaming and download service Real-Debrid is implementing far-reaching anti-piracy measures. This comes in response to a letter of formal notice from the French Federation of Film Distributors (FNEF). The FNEF has already taken action against several service providers who have enabled piracy. Anzeige Real-Debrid offers access to unlimited downloads from various file hosters and torrent websites. The service serves as an intermediary for accessing file hosters and also maintains a cache of previously downloaded data so that streams from torrent sites can be played directly. The offer is therefore extremely tempting for "movie pirates". Real-Debrid has been informing users about the measures to be implemented on X since last week. The service had implemented a directive to remove content following complaints from rights holders in accordance with the DMCA. However, this did not go far enough for the French film distributors. Rigid anti-piracy measures In order to get out of the FNEF's field of fire, Real-Debrid wants to implement a number of measures. For example, the service now blocks "audiovisual files" on a number of so-called cyberlockers that are on a USTR blacklist or appear on the European "Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List". In accordance with the FNEF requirement, file names are also filtered and the service intends to manually process the false positives that inevitably occur. The service also blocks torrent hashes from private torrent trackers, which are mentioned in cases before the Paris court. Real-Debrid also wants to remove all files from the caches that meet the aforementioned criteria. The API endpoint /instantAvaibility will be removed and Kodi and Stremio apps will be blocked if they are recognizable. Anzeige Both apps, Kodi and Stremio, are popular media centers. Stremio initially displays information on current films and series and provides direct links to the legitimate streaming apps from Disney+, Netflix, Prime and the like. After a few more clicks, however, it can search torrent trackers and play content, similar to Kodi, with the corresponding plug-ins. Interested parties can enter their Real-Debrid account in both media center programs so that content can be pulled from the caches or via HTTPS instead of via P2P protocols and thus without the risk of warnings. Read also Italy's police take down illegal streaming platforms with millions in revenue It currently looks as if the rights holders are once again gaining the upper hand over content thieves. On Wednesday this week, for example, it was announced that European police authorities had busted an international gang of streaming pirates. Their IP TV platform had more than 22 million users. The perpetrators made around 250 million euros a month from illegally copied video streams from TV channels and major streaming services. (dmk) Keskisarja confirmed his decision in an article published in the nationalist Sarastus magazine and on the website of the 612 association, which organises the event. Teemu Keskisarja , a Member of Parliament from the Finns Party, has announced he will not attend Finlands Independence Day gala at the Presidential Palace this year. Instead, he will speak at the controversial 612 event, followed by a torchlight march in Helsinki. He cited personal and political reasons for his choice. I do not believe I deserve a lavish reception for my work as an MP, Keskisarja wrote. The torch march moves in the right direction, unlike the handshake queue at the gala. The 612 event, held annually on Independence Day, is described by organisers as a nationalist commemoration. Critics, however, link it to far-right and extremist groups, including members of the banned Nordic Resistance Movement. The march typically begins at Toolontori and proceeds to Hietaniemi Cemetery to honour Finlands war dead. The event regularly draws counter-protests. The Helsinki without Nazis demonstration has repeatedly sought to disrupt the march, accusing it of providing a platform for far-right ideologies. Keskisarja defended his decision by aligning himself with the event's stated values. The 612 crowd stands for freedom of speech and opposes the silencing of public discourse, he wrote. He added that Finland, as a member of the European Union, no longer embodies the independence or self-determination he believes should define the nation. EU-Finland in 2024 is neither independent nor assertive, so let this days sanctity remain in history, he stated. Keskisarjas decision to attend the event has sparked reactions from across the political spectrum. Past participants of the 612 march have included other members of the Finns Party, such as Simo Gronroos, the partys former secretary, who spoke at the event in 2021. The Finns Party, known for its nationalist stance, has faced criticism for connections to far-right elements. Authorities have historically monitored the march closely due to its associations and the risk of clashes with counter-protesters. Police are expected to oversee this years event as tensions remain high. The Independence Day gala, hosted by Finlands President at the Presidential Palace, is a long-standing tradition and one of the years most prominent national celebrations. Invitations are extended to government officials, military leaders, and figures from various fields. Keskisarjas absence from the gala breaks with the norm for MPs, who typically attend to represent their constituencies. He downplayed the significance of the event, suggesting his presence would not add value. My wretched existence would please no one in the televised spectacle, but let the counter-protesters enjoy their moment, he wrote. Keskisarjas participation as a keynote speaker at the 612 event underscores his alignment with its nationalist themes, while also distancing himself from the formalities of state ceremonies. Critics argue that such a choice risks normalising extremist narratives. The 612 association has faced scrutiny for its ties to nationalist and far-right movements, although organisers claim the event is open to anyone who respects Finlands independence. Counter-protests have challenged this portrayal, arguing that the march provides a platform for extremist groups under the guise of patriotism. Independence Day, celebrated on 6 December, marks Finlands declaration of independence from Russia in 1917. The day is observed with solemn ceremonies, candle-lit windows, and military parades. The gala at the Presidential Palace is widely broadcast and viewed as a symbol of national unity. HT The decision was confirmed during an SDP parliamentary group meeting. Kiljunen, who has held the post since early 2023, said he requested the resignation himself. Kimmo Kiljunen , a veteran Finnish MP from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has resigned as chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee following remarks about reopening Finlands eastern border. His resignation comes amid criticism that his comments undermined confidence in his leadership. A new chair will be chosen next week. I take responsibility for my country and asked my group to relieve me of my duties, Kiljunen said after the meeting. He added that he intends to continue representing his constituents in Vantaa and Uusimaa. The controversy began after a video of Kiljunens comments to a very small group of Finnish Russian speakers resurfaced. The video of Kimmo Kiljunen was recorded at a recent event organised by the Finnish-Russian Aleksandrov Association. While the exact recording date is not specified in the search results, the video gained attention and began circulating online this week, on reopening the border between Finland and Russia, closed to passenger traffic since the invasion of Ukraine. Kiljunen criticised the border closure as a violation of human rights. He also accused Finnish tabloid media of engaging in "hybrid influencing" against Russian residents. Even though the comments were mainly balanced and related to Finlands policies and did not in any way promote Russia or Putins policies, Kiljunen later had to apologise, acknowledging his comments were inappropriate for someone in his role. "In this position and at my age, I should have known better," he said in a statement. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen from the National Coalition Party described Kiljunen's remarks as "serious" and stated that they were unsuitable for the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto of the Green League also said confidence in Kiljunen had been damaged. Other members of parliament echoed this sentiment. Sofia Vikman, vice chair of the committee, called the resignation the only correct decision. Mikko Savola, a deputy member, described Kiljunen's statements as lacking judgment, adding that officials in such roles must align with Finland's official policies. Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho commented that Kiljunen's remarks about the border closure echoed Kremlin narratives. In a social media post, Halla-aho called the comments "a gift to Russian propaganda. Halla-aho is a devoted and hardline anti-Russian, with frequent tweets expressing hatred towards Russia and Russians; such as a tweet on October 2022 on the occasion of a brief success of Ukrainian forces, saying: Russians run like cockroaches. Halla-aho has also paid for a message to be written on Ukrainian artillery shells targeting Russian forces in Ukraine. Kiljunens remarks about the press, suggesting Finnish tabloids perpetuate anti-Russian sentiment, also drew backlash. Even though the comment was about the role of the media in a free democracy, critics noted that such statements risk undermining Finlands foreign policy and security at a sensitive time. Finnish tabloids and the media have taken a strong anti-Russian bias in their newscasting, often crossing the line to propaganda and misinformation, depicting Russia as a failed state which could collapse any moment. Any critic of support for the war in Ukraine or advocates of a balanced foreign policy have been silences, or targeted by the Finnish mainstream media as traitors. Kiljunen's short tenure as chair was marked by disputes over his outspoken views. He had previously raised questions about Finland's NATO accession process and criticised the lack of transparency regarding nuclear weapons policies. These comments were dismissed by his party leadership. Kiljunen is respected for his decades-long career in Finnish politics. First elected to parliament in 1995, he has served multiple terms and held various prominent roles, including vice speaker of parliament and membership in the Council of Europe. Known for his academic background and expertise, he has authored books on globalisation, apartheid, and Finnish history. The SDP has not yet named Kiljunens replacement. Party leader Antti Lindtman said the decision would follow standard procedures. He added that while Kiljunen made a mistake, his contributions to Finnish politics remain valued. Reports suggest Johannes Koskinen, a senior SDP politician and former justice minister, may be selected. Koskinen narrowly lost to Kiljunen in the 2023 committee chair election. Kiljunens departure is not the first time the role has seen controversy. In 2022, Mika Niikko of the Finns Party resigned from the same position after remarks suggesting Ukraines NATO aspirations should be reconsidered. Kimmo Kiljunen, 73, was born in Ruokolahti. He holds a doctorate in political science and has a long history in Finnish politics, as well as international roles. He has served as a Vantaa municipal councillor since 1984 and is known for his work on arms control and pension reform. Kiljunens personal ties to Russia, including his marriage to Svetlana Kiljunen, have drawn attention during his career. His statements about the border closure were framed as a personal issue, given his familys connections across the border. HT Saturday November 30, 2024 Workers handle sacks of sorghum marked with the World Food Programme (WFP) logo, intended for humanitarian aid distribution. (CREDIT/ WFP Mogadishu (HOL) The World Food Program (WFP) has taken the extraordinary step of suspending all humanitarian operations in Somalia's SSC-Khaatumo region, citing escalating insecurity and looting of food aid intended for the region's most vulnerable populations.The move comes after two large-scale looting incidents this month that have disrupted the delivery of critical food supplies. On November 24, approximately 45 metric tons of food aid were stolen in the Buhodle district, followed by an additional 50 metric tons looted just three days later. The decision leaves over 51,900 people without assistance in one of Somalia's most vulnerable regions.In a letter to Puntland's Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor, WFP Somalia Country Director El-Khidir Daloum described the decision as "difficult but necessary." Daloum cited the recent looting of aid as the tipping point for the suspension."These incidents of looting make it impossible for us to operate safely and effectively," Daloum stated, calling for urgent action from local authorities to restore security and protect humanitarian workers.Former Puntland Minister of Planning Mohamed S. Farole, in a statement on Twitter, advised Puntland Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor to urge WFP to establish an area office in Las Anod and engage directly with SSC-Khaatumo authorities. "Aid has been politicized in SSC for three decades, and it's time to stop," Farole wrote, adding, "SSC territories are much safer than most of the places where the WFP works in Somalia."SSC-Khaatumo, encompassing three districts in northern Somalia, has long been a hotspot for political and clan tensions, with its recognition by Somalia's federal government in October 2023 marking a turning point in its regional status.However, the area continues to experience periodic clashes between SSC-Khaatumo forces and Somaliland troops, leading to instability. In November 2024, intense fighting near Qorilugud resulted in numerous casualties and further displacement of civilians.The WFP suspension is another blow to the region, which relies heavily on international aid to address chronic hunger and malnutrition.The broader humanitarian crisis in Somalia remains dire, with over 6.6 million people facing acute food insecurity due to conflict, climate shocks, and displacement. The looting of aid supplies disrupts relief efforts and exacerbates the suffering of vulnerable populations.WFP has called on local authorities to prioritize security measures."Without a secure environment, the most vulnerable communities will suffer the consequences," Daloum wrote. Passenger numbers at airports during the 2025 Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday are expected to reach 10.5 million, up from 10 million during the previous Tet, according to an official from the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV). Nguyen Dang Minh, head of ACVs airport operations department, stated that the nine-day holiday, which runs from January 25, will see a significant increase in passenger traffic. Minh said approximately 10% of aircraft of many Vietnamese airlines are currently being recalled by manufacturers for engine maintenance, creating a challenge for the aviation sector amid the rising demand. Airline employees speak to passengers at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in August 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City alone is projected to serve over 4 million passengers during the holiday, posing a significant challenge for airport management given the fact that the airports infrastructure has already been operating at full capacity, even beyond, during peak periods in recent years. Against the backdrop, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has approved an increase in the maximum capacity of flights at airports. For example, Tan Son Nhat will ramp up its flights to 46 per hour between 5:00 a.m. and 11:55 p.m. daily, a notable rise from the usual 3840 flights. Additionally, five major airports in central Vietnam will operate around the clock during the holiday. $600 monthly income with a US education: When studying abroad isn't just about salary returns in Vietnam While studying abroad often involves significant financial investment, many Vietnamese believe its value extends beyond immediate salary gains upon returning home. Readers have shared their experiences and perspectives on the long-term benefits of studying abroad, emphasizing personal and professional growth over financial returns. Nampham, a reader who studied in the U.S., shared: "If you look purely at the financial side, it's hard to recover the cost of studying abroad, especially in developed countries, with a Vietnamese salary. When I returned, my starting salary was around VND15-20 million (US$590-787) per month. However, my international education brought me intangible benefits. I was valued in every company I joined, often invited to important meetings with senior management and partners. My bosses explained this by saying, 'Many colleagues, despite high IELTS scores, struggle to understand such meetings, and we didn't want to pressure them.' Studying abroad improved my language skills and gave me a network that proved invaluable for my career. When I started my business, these advantages helped me succeed in ways local education might not have." People talk inside a library. Illustration photo by Pexels For others, studying abroad has become a challenging financial proposition that they accept to take. Reader Huyentram, who earned a Masters in Finance in the U.K., reflected: "Now in my 30s, I earn VND25 million (US$984) per month, but thats because I prioritize family time over career advancement. I also manage my husbands business finances, so my salary doesnt fully reflect the returns on my education investment. I dont regret my choices; studying abroad has shaped my perspective and skills in ways that benefit my life." Some readers criticized the focus on recouping financial investments from studying abroad. Sithien argued: "If you plan to study abroad, you should either have enough funds to cover the costs without stress or aim to work and settle abroad. If money is a concern, studying locally might be a better option, as Vietnam now offers excellent educational opportunities. Studying abroad isn't just about earning money; it's about investing in personal growth and future potential. People trying to recover their costs quickly don't understand education as a lifelong investment." Nguyen Tam concluded: "Studying abroad is just the start of a more challenging journey. It offers immense benefits but also demands significant financial and emotional preparation. It's not only about securing a high-paying job but also about equipping yourself to face new challenges and compete globally." According to UNESCO, Vietnam had over 132,000 international students in 2021-2022, the highest in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is ranked among the top 10 countries worldwide for students studying abroad, including top 5 in the U.S., top 2 in Japan, and number one in Taiwan. ELKO Residents in Elko County now have easy access to digital legal resources and court meetings. Thanks to the Nevada Legal Kiosk project of Nevada Legal Services, those resources are right at Elko Mybrary visitors fingertips, where a desk area in the computer section of the library gives instant digital access to legal assistance. The whole kiosk concept grew out of the pandemic, because that really exposed the digital divide and the problems that people had accessing information if they didnt have access to technology, explained the groups litigation director, Susan L. Myers, who manages the Nevada Legal Kiosk Project out of Las Vegas. Nevada Legal Services provides free legal services for low-income Nevadans. If youve ever tried to do research on your cellphone, its not always that effective, especially for seniors. So we received a grant in Nevada for the kiosks. They were to be geared towards seniors, she said. But, of course, seniors have all the same problems that everybody else has legally. The kiosks were designed for placement in local libraries because thats a trusted resource where people will go for information, Myers said. That way, theres somebody to direct people to if they have questions about how to use the kiosk. Also, the kiosks make librarians jobs easier if customers ask them about legal topics, she added. Since the projects start in the summer of 2023, the group has placed 28 kiosk stations across the state, including one recently added in Winnemucca at the Humboldt County Library. Being licensed as a legal professional in Nevada since 1993, Myers said she drew on her past experiences to create the legal kiosks contents. I had a pretty good idea of the sorts of information that people were looking for. We consulted with librarians what are the biggest requests that you get? Housing is one, family is a big one and then seniors often want information on powers of attorney and things like that. So, we incorporated those substantive topics into the kiosk and I linked them to resources around the state that deal with those questions, she said. The kiosks also offer access to legal forms, which are a frequently requested resource, she added. The kiosks are designed to be one-stop portals for Nevadans to be able to reach these resources without having to just randomly Google and maybe hit the right resource, Myers explained. A lot of states have something called LawHelp, where thats maintained by one of their legal aid organizations that kind of does what the kiosk does. Because Nevada does not have its own LawHelp site, Nevada Legal Services created the kiosks to fill the same role, Myers said. The Nevada state self-help center is one of the resources we link with. Theyre actually doing some exciting improvements with their forms, with fillable forms and forms translated into multiple languages, she said. Anywhere in the state, you can find the legal aid that would be relevant for your area and your needs. We also have links to courts. While the kiosks do not connect customers directly to lawyers, they do offer access to the State Bar of Nevada lawyer referral service. If youre not eligible for free legal services, you can go there to get a referral to an attorney who will agree to do a consultation for no more than $45. So, thats a low-cost option, Myers said. If people need to print out forms, the kiosks include a printer, she said. We also provide tech support for the kiosks for the library, so theyre not having to fix the printer. If it does go down, the group provides a contractor to fix things. We have a web developer and project manager called A2J Tech, who actually did the programming. Theyre the ones who determine the equipment to be used and what we need to order for the libraries. And they handle the actual physical installation, Myers noted. As the project received its funds from a limited Nevada grant, the kiosks could only come to so many libraries. So, Myers said she researched Nevadas public libraries and identified the features and needs unique to each community, such as distances from other resources, the number of available resources, the size of the senior population and whether the area was underserved economically. And then I just started contacting libraries to see if they were interested. And Elko was and, of course, they have the county law library within the library. So that seemed like a perfect match. Myers said 92% of people who have a civil legal need cant get help from an attorney because theres not one available or they cant afford it. So this is intended to help bridge the access to justice gap, she said. It provides resources that people wouldnt otherwise have access to or know where to find. Photo provided to Guangming Online In an exclusive interview with Guangming Online, Dr. Balew Demissie, Communication and Publication Consultant at the Policy Studies Institute, Ethiopia's government think tank, expressed his belief that Africa and China, with their shared histories and similar development trajectories, are destined to continue growing together. He emphasized that both regions face common challenges and require common solutions, underscoring the need for collaboration across various sectors, including academia and research. Dr. Demissie pointed to one of the key initiatives that exemplify this commitment: a letter sent to President Xi Jinping with the aim of fostering stronger academic cooperation and research, particularly in the area of China-Africa relations. He explained, Our primary goal is to achieve mutual growth, development, and progress by investing in human capital and enhancing research capabilities. This initiative was warmly received by President Xi, who responded with encouragement, urging collaboration in three major areas: Africa-China relations, the Global South, and South-South cooperation. This endorsement has spurred continued efforts by African intellectuals and leaders to work together in these domains. Shifting to a more specific example of Africa-China collaboration, Dr. Demissie discussed the evolution of Ethiopia-China relations. While the diplomatic ties between the two countries began in the 1970s with a focus on political matters, the relationship has transformed significantly over the years. The shift towards economic cooperation has been particularly marked since the late 1990s. Notably, Chinas involvement in Ethiopias infrastructure development has been substantial, with one of the most significant projects being the Addis Ababa-Djibutie Railway. This crucial infrastructure, part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, now facilitates 95% of Ethiopias imports and exports and has become the backbone of the nations economy. Beyond infrastructure, China has contributed to Ethiopias telecommunications sector and played a key role in educating Ethiopian students. Many Ethiopian students are now pursuing advanced degrees in China, a testament to the growing academic exchanges between our two countries, Dr. Demissie noted. This development is complemented by ongoing efforts to build deeper cultural ties, such as Chinese cultural troupes visiting Ethiopia and Chinese restaurants opening in the country. The establishment of institutions like the Confucius Institute in Ethiopia, where Chinese language and culture are taught, further solidifies the bond between the two nations. Dr. Demissie also highlighted Chinas extensive technical and medical assistance to Ethiopia, particularly through training programs that have bolstered local capacity. He recalled the vital support offered by Chinese medical teams during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that China was among the first to send help when other nations were unable to do so. These efforts were invaluable in strengthening Ethiopias health sector, he said. Looking forward, Dr. Demissie reflected on the lessons that African countries can learn from Chinas modernization journey. While acknowledging that each country must follow its own path, he noted that Africa could draw valuable insights from Chinas experience. Africa should not simply copy China but adapt the lessons from its achievements, he said. Chinas success in infrastructure development and human capital investment, including the emphasis on education and technical training, provides a framework that African nations can use to accelerate their own development. Dr. Demissie also pointed to Chinas governance and leadership practices as exemplary models for Africa. The discipline, accountability, and long-term planning demonstrated by China, particularly through its five-year plans, are areas where African countries could benefit. In many African countries, we lack consistent planning and institutional efficiency, he observed. By adopting Chinas approach to governance and strategic planning, Dr. Demissie believes Africa can move towards a faster-paced modernization. In conclusion, Dr. Demissie expressed his optimism for the future of Africa-China cooperation, stating that while the path to modernization may not be immediate, the lessons drawn from Chinas experience can guide Africa toward achieving sustainable growth and development. Through collaboration and shared commitment, both regions can address their common challenges and build a better future together. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/vadym.filashkin/ Over the past 24 hours, Russians shelled populated areas of Donetsk region 9 times, a civilian died, 691 people, including 92 children, were evacuated from the front line, reports head of the regional military administration Vadym Filashkin. In Pokrovsk district, numerous houses were damaged in Kurakhove; in Uspenivka, one house was destroyed and seven were damaged; in Vesela Roscha, one house was destroyed. In Myrnohrad, a house was damaged. In Pokrovsk, a house and two administrative buildings were damaged. In Kramatorsk district, in Zarichne, Lyman community, a person died, a house was damaged. In Kostiantynivka, a private house, two industrial premises and a power line were damaged. In Bakhmut district, a two-story building was damaged in Siversk. In Chasiv Yar community, six private houses and two multi-story buildings were damaged. In Scherbynivka, Toretsk community, a house was damaged. Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/11260 On the night of November 30, 2024 (from 21:30 on November 29), the enemy attacked with ten Shahed-type strike UAVs and unidentified drones from Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk Russia, eight enemy drones were shot down, one was lost, and another flew to occupied territory, the Air Force reports. "As a result of the anti-aircraft battle in Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson regions, eight enemy drones were shot down. One UAV was lost in its location, another flew into occupied territory," the message on Telegram reported on Saturday. Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/ MP, leader of the party European Solidarity Petro Poroshenko, while in Canada, in an interview with the CBC TV channel said that Canada could finance production of Ukrainian weapons for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the website of the political force reports. According to Poroshenko, this would significantly speed up the delivery of necessary means to the front. He thanked the Canadian people and official Ottawa for their support of Ukraine, which has continued since the beginning of Russian aggression against our country in 2014. "We are counting on Canada, because next year Canada will lead the G7 group. This gives us a unique opportunity to make significant progress. Secondly, we expect Canada to be the leader of the Western world in confiscating frozen Russian assets, because these are assets that have been stolen all over the world. This instrument provides a unique opportunity to finance Ukraine in order to stop Putin," Poroshenko is convinced. He specified that it was very important for Ukraine to receive anti-aircraft missiles from Canada and emphasized the relevance of the initiative to train Ukrainian troops, since Canada will receive advanced experience in modern warfare, and Ukrainian soldiers will have the opportunity to work with unique equipment. "We have several projects, and I have proposed them to our Canadian partners. For example, a project where the Canadian government and Canadian companies participate in the Ukrainian military-industrial complex. Firstly, it would be faster. Secondly, it would be cheaper. And thirdly, it would be immediate testing on the battlefield. Ultimately, it would save money for Canadian taxpayers and provide new technologies to Canadian manufacturers. Therefore, we have a full package for discussion with the Canadians," Poroshenko said. He also recalled the need to allocate 0.25% of the GDP of allied states to finance the security and defense sector of Ukraine. Earlier, Petro Poroshenko, during a speech at a session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Canada, called on the Alliance members to give Ukraine an invitation. He emphasized that this would be the right response to Putin's escalation. The protocol on further cooperation between Ukraine and Moldova on the protection of the water resources of the Dniester River was signed in Chisinau by the co-chairs of the Dniester Commission. As reported by the press service of Ukraine's Ministry of Ecology of, the document was signed by First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Olena Kramarenko and State Secretary of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Moldova Gheorghe Hajder. As part of the agreements, Ukraine and Moldova: approved the work plans of the Commission's working groups for 2024-2025; continued monitoring the waters in the river basin, exchanging information on the state of the waters, and assessing their chemical and ecological status. The parties also agreed to further exchange information on the state of water resources in accordance with the Cooperation Program between the State Hydrometeorological Service of Moldova and the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center for 2021-2025; discussed screening the legislation of Ukraine and Moldova in the field of water monitoring for compliance with European directives. The next meeting of the Commission is scheduled in Ukraine at the end of 2025. The parties also heard the OSCE representative on the progress of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project "Enabling Transboundary Cooperation and Integrated Water Resources Management in the Dniester River Basin." The meeting participants recommended accelerating the completion of this important project. BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 1. Four years have passed since the liberation of the Lachin district of Azerbaijan from the Armenian occupation, Trend reports. According to a trilateral statement signed on November 10 by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the Lachin district was cleared of the armed forces of Armenia and returned to Azerbaijan on 1 December. Lachin was occupied by the armed forces of Armenia on May 18, 1992. Armenian occupants destroyed and plundered hundreds of cultural and household objects, dozens of settlements, villages and historical monuments in the region. As a result of the occupation, 63,341 Azerbaijani citizens were expelled from their homeland, more than 300 military personnel and civilians were killed and disappeared without a trace. On the territory of the district, 8950 buildings were occupied, including 7 industrial and construction enterprises, 471 service points, 154 schools, hundreds of historical and cultural monuments. The occupation of Lachin, which has an important geostrategic position, caused serious damage to the economy of Azerbaijan. Lachin region, rich in natural resources, has healing springs such as Turshsu, Galaderasi, Aganus, Khirmanlar, Tigig, Turshtigig, Nureddin, Nagdali, Hajihanli. According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, on the territory of the Lachin district there are 3 mercury deposits (Narzanli, Chilgazchay, Saribulag) with total reserves of 1,124 tons, Gochaz marble limestone, suitable for the production of facing stone, with reserves of 2,533 cubic meters, 2 tuffs (Agoglan, Ahmadli), suitable for the production of sawn stone, 2 colored decorative stones, volcanic ash and other natural resources. In addition, the Garagol State Nature Reserve and the State Nature Reserve are also located in the Lachin district, the reserve with a total area of 240 hectares has vegetation of 68 species and 27 families. Rare species of fauna, such as roe deer, goat, wild boar, bear, blackbird, partridge, blackbird, inhabited the territory of the State Reserve, created in November 1961 to protect and increase the number of animals and birds. During the survey of the reserve in 1989, 96 mountain goats (bezoar goats), 360 wild boars, 320 roe deer, 110 bears were recorded, as well as a large number of wolves, badgers, squirrels, pheasants and partridges. For 28 years, Armenia ignored the norms of international law and UN resolutions on the unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands. As a result of the counter-offensive operation launched on September 27, the Azerbaijani army fulfilled the mission unfulfilled by the UN Security Council and restored historical justice, liberating our lands, which had been occupied for almost 30 years Until November 9, 5 cities, 4 villages and 286 villages were liberated from the occupation. Jabrayil city and 90 villages of the district, Fuzuli city and 53 villages of the district, Zangilan city, Mindzhivan, Agband, Bartaz villages and 52 villages of the district, Gadrut village and 35 villages of Khojavend district, 3 villages of Terter district, Gubadli city and 41 villages of the region, Khojaly district 9 villages, the city of Shusha, 3 villages of the Lachin region, as well as several strategic heights in the direction of Agdar and Murovdag, and in Zangilan - Bartaz, Sigirt, Shukurataz heights and 5 more unnamed heights also were liberated from the occupation. According to a trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, Aghdam was returned to Azerbaijan on November 20, Kalbajar on November 25, and Lachin on December 1. Shaping Jordans Culinary Future Through Youth Empowerment - Image Credit EHL Hospitality Business School Did you know that Jordans hospitality industry is one of the fastest-growing in the Middle East, with a projected annual growth rate of over 5%? In the heart of this thriving sector is the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA), a pioneering institution driving excellence in culinary education. Established in 2008, RACA has not only led the way in developing a skilled workforce, but also in empowering youth and fostering gender equality within the industry. As an EHL Certified School, RACA offers a range of programs, from Bachelor's degrees to vocational courses, focusing on academic excellence and hands-on training. Its comprehensive approach equips students with the practical skills and mindset necessary to meet the evolving demands of the hospitality sector, both locally and regionally. Join us as we explore how RACA is shaping Jordans culinary future and leaving a significant mark on the countrys hospitality and culinary arts landscape. Meet Chef Jacques Rossel Leading the academy is Director Jacques Rossel, a seasoned chef with over three decades of experience from five-star hotels across Switzerland, the Middle East, and Africa. Chef Rossel joined RACA in 2014, bringing his extensive expertise and passion for education to the role. He oversees the day-to-day management of the institution, ensuring its alignment with RACA's strategic goals and values. His mission at RACA has been clear: to foster the next generation of Jordanian culinary talents. "Witnessing young people grow and develop a passion for an industry I have always loved, and seeing them graduate at the end of their studies, is such a reward," says Chef Rossel. His passion for teaching mirrors RACAs broader commitment to driving excellence in Jordans hospitality sector. RACA has been a member of the EHL Network of Certified Schools since 2018 and achieved Certified status in 2022. This recognition underscores RACA's dedication to academic excellence and practical skill development, empowering students to excel in the dynamic world of hospitality. "Becoming a certified member of the network of EHL-certified schools was a huge achievement," notes Chef Rossel. "Especially significant was RACA's transformation from a Community College offering a two-year Diploma in Culinary Arts to a Technical University College, now able to offer a BA in F&B Management." Jordans Hospitality Industry: Growth and Opportunities Jordans hospitality industry is a key driver of its economy, contributing $5.8 billion to the GDP in 2021, accounting for 19.3% of the countrys total economic output. As international tourism in Jordan continues to rebound post-pandemicespecially with destinations like Petra and Wadi Rum gaining popularitythe demand for skilled culinary professionals has surged. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the sector is projected to grow by 8.4% annually over the next decade. RACAs mission aligns with these growth trends by equipping young Jordanians with world-class training. As Chef Rossel notes, "RACA's duty is to prepare its students for this vibrant and ever-changing industry and make them ready for new opportunities." The Evolution of Jordans Culinary Landscape In recent years, Jordans culinary landscape has become increasingly international, driven by its growing tourism and expatriate population. As Chef Rossel highlights, "Jordan's culinary landscape has become more international, with many outlets offering a variety of cuisines to please the increasingly well-travelled Jordanian palate." Furthermore, the rise of cloud kitchens has added a new dimension to the market, particularly in Amman, where online food delivery has seen exponential growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. RACA plays a pivotal role in preparing its students for this evolving environment, with programs that blend traditional Jordanian cuisine with global culinary trends. Chef Rossel believes that this balance is essential for students: "The program offers a comprehensive view of the culinary world, including local cuisine. Students also learn to appreciate their responsibilities in promoting sustainability through the use of locally sourced ingredients." Bridging the Skills Gap: RACAs Role in Reducing Youth Unemployment One of the greatest challenges Jordan faces is its youth unemployment rate, which stood at 48.5% in 2021, among the highest in the region. RACA directly addresses this challenge by providing high-quality vocational training that increases employability in both Jordan and the broader Middle East. In fact, graduates of RACA are in high demand, with many finding opportunities in neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia, where rapid hospitality development is driving the need for skilled chefs and hospitality managers. "RACA must support the efforts of the Jordanian government in combating unemployment and poverty among youth," Chef Rossel asserts. With the support of EHL Education Consulting experts, RACAs curriculumacademically certified by the EHL Group through its prestigious certification schemeensures that graduates are equipped not only with technical skills but also with leadership and management qualities, positioning them to compete successfully in the international job market. Empowering Women in Culinary Arts RACA is also making strides in promoting gender equality in a traditionally male-dominated industry. According to the World Bank, only 14% of Jordanian women are active in the workforce, a statistic that RACA is working to improve within the hospitality sector. One of RACAs notable success stories involves a young female graduate who, after a successful stint abroad, returned to Jordan to open her own restaurant. "She has become an inspiration for female chefs who still need empowerment in our industry, especially in the Middle East, says Chef Rossel. By creating an inclusive environment and encouraging female participation, RACA is fostering culinary talent and addressing broader societal challenges related to gender inequality. A Vision for the Future: RACAs Long-Term Goals Looking ahead, RACA aims to continue its leadership role in shaping Jordans culinary landscape. Chef Rossel envisions the academy playing a larger role in promoting vocational education, combating unemployment, and empowering women. "The Jordanian government is promoting vocational education and lifelong learning more than ever. I believe RACA has the opportunity to pave the way for a new vocational identity in the food and beverage sector," he says. With Jordans tourism industry set to expand and the government prioritizing job creation in high-demand sectors, RACA is positioned to be a key player in the countrys economic future. RACAs journey over the past 15 years has been marked by excellence, innovation, and a commitment to empowering Jordans youth. As the countrys culinary landscape evolves, so too does RACAs role in preparing the next generation of chefs and hospitality professionals. Under Chef Jacques Rossels leadership, the academy remains dedicated to shaping a brighter future for Jordans hospitality industryone where tradition meets innovation, and where passion meets opportunity. Mario Sides Dura - Certification Project Manager This article originally appeared on EHL Insights. ABCC Kicks Off 'Operation Safe Holidays' BOSTON To ensure safety for everyone in Massachusetts during the holidays, the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) will be conducting alcohol enforcement at local bars in Massachusetts cities and towns from Thanksgiving Eve through New Year's Eve. In doing so, the ABCC hopes to prevent accidents caused by impaired driving and other alcohol-related harm that often occurs at this time of year. The ABCC will work with municipal police departments and focus enforcement efforts at bars that have been identified as the last to sell alcohol to a convicted drunk driver and other high-risk locations. "It is extremely important to deter bars from over-serving and prevent problems before they happen, said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, who oversees the ABCC. "We want to keep people safe and make sure everyone can enjoy the holidays with their family and friends, avoiding tragedies before they occur." The program is run in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Impaired Driving Crackdown, from Thanksgiving Eve through New Year's Eve, and is funded through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security - Highway Safety Division. According to the NHTSA, from 2017 to 2021, 137 drivers involved in fatal crashes on Thanksgiving Eve (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.), also known as 'Blackout Wednesday,'' were alcohol impaired. In 2021 alone, 36 drivers were in fatal crashes on that day. Also, from 2017 to 2021, young drivers ages 21-24 represented the largest percentage of drivers involved in deadly crashes. The message before Thanksgiving is simple the NHTSA says to stop the blackout trend on Wednesday. Alcohol is involved in 40 percent of traffic crash fatalities, resulting in 17,013 fatalities and injuring an estimated 275,000 people annually. Data indicates that well over 50% of impaired driving arrests originate at bars. Taylor Vreeland, left, Bob Bishop, Alison Peters, Thom Snyder, Deb Kovacs, Ellen Chiacchiaretto, Billy and Mary Walsh, John Boyle, Alyssa Maschino, and Dan Esko stand with the new LaFayette Trail marker. Lafayette Trail Marker Unveiled at CRA DALTON, Mass. In 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette made his way across the state of Massachusetts, passing through the Berkshires as he completed a tour of the young country. Several towns have markers noting his historic passage and Dalton is now included. On Veterans Day, local officials, Historical Commission members, and others gathered in front of the Community Recreation Association for the unveiling of the marker. The sign highlights how, on June 13, 1825, Lafayette was welcomed into Dalton at Nelson's coffee house while passing from Pittsfield to Boston. "The sign highlights the rich history and significance of the trail, celebrating its role in connecting our community to the legacy of General Lafayette and promoting awareness of our local heritage," the press release announcing the marker states. The marker's design honors the national colors of France and the United States, Lafayette Trail Inc. founder and President Julien Icher said. The title "LaFayette's Tour" is generic and common to all Lafayette Trail Inc.'s markers around the nation in addition to the credit of its partner the William G. Pomeroy Foundation at the bottom, Icher said. The town selected placing the sign in front of the CRA in the hopes that it would attract more visitors because of the improved visibility from the previously proposed location. In addition the proposed location was on state property along Main Street, which would have required state Department of Transportation approval. The CRA approved placing the sign on its property because officials feel it aligns with the mission to provide educational and cultural opportunities for the Dalton community, said Alison Peters, CRA Executive Director. "The CRA's mission is to build a sense of community by offering social, educational, recreational, cultural and wellness programs to the Central Berkshire community in a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment," she said. "When [Icher] reached out to the CRA regarding the trail marker, we were very excited about the opportunity to work with him on this project," Peters said. "It's important to understand the rich history of our region, and we hope that this marker will inspire our community to dig deeper into General Lafayette's travels, his impact on our country, and the pivotal role he played in assuring the independence of our nation." The French general played a significant role as an ally of the rebellious colonies. President James Monroe invited Lafayette on a tour of the nation in 1824 because of his contributions during the American Revolution. The tour traveled to all 24 states, including crossing the Berkshires directly on the way to Boston to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. The tour's bicentennial anniversary is starting in August. The trail runs along Route 20 to Route 8 to Route 143. Route 8 runs right down Main Street. The non-profit Lafayette Trail Inc. has placed several markers to educate the public on the tour's national significance and "promote a broader understanding of Lafayette's" contributions to American independence. The Berkshires has at least three other markers in Pittsfield, Hinsdale and Peru. The nonprofit has been working with the William G. Pomeroy Foundation to memorialize all the stops Lafayette made. Photo: State Committee for Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. The Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Prague will open classes in Azerbaijani national dances for children above eight years old as part of the "Dance Workshop" project, authored by Lenay Seyidali-zade, a source in the State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend. According to the source, the main goal of the classes is to promote Azerbaijani national dance and music beyond the borders of Azerbaijan and to popularize dance as an important means of spiritual and physical education. The dances will be taught by professional pedagogs and choreographers invited from Baku, including students of the People's Artist, outstanding choreographer, and holder of the "Sharaf" and "Shohrat" orders, Rosa Jalilova. The classes will be held at the cultural center every Sunday. Registration will continue until December 5, 2024. The first class will take place on December 8, 2024. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Gift shopping for a pop culture aficionado or history buff this holiday season? Goldins November Elite Pop Culture Auction might help. Its sale features iconic pieces of pop culture memorabilia and historical artifacts, with legendary pieces like a golden watch owned by Elvis Presley, a Tim McGraw hand-written lyric sheet signed by Taylor Swift and a dinner invitation signed by President Thomas Jefferson over 200 years ago. The auction provides a unique opportunity to own a piece of history that influenced pop culture - from historic figures to celebrity icons, youll never come across these items again, Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of the marketplace and host of Netflixs King of Collectibles said in a statement. Check out some of the best pop culture items up for sale this month: Elvis Presleys golden watch This golden watch features a gray, oval face and ornate gold forming the wristband. The watch has a current bid of over $8,000 and was gifted by Presley to comedian Redd Foxx nearly 50 years ago. The musical icon engraved the watch to Foxx, known for his standup comedy and the show Sanford and Son, with the phrase, "TO REDD / FROM ELVIS / HILTON HOTEL / 1977." open image in gallery Elvis Presleys golden watch, which he gifted to comedian Redd Foxx in 1977 ( Goldin ) Taylor Swifts signed Tim McGraw lyrics sheet The song Tim McGraw, co-written by Swift and Liz Rose, skyrocketed the Pennsylvania native to stardom when it came out in 2006. In the song, Swift pleads with her ex to remember her whenever he thinks of McGraw, a country music star. The single, which appeared on her self-titled debut album, was recognized at the BMI Country Awards in 2007. The songs music video won Breakthrough Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards that same year. Now, Goldin is auctioning a hand-written lyric sheet signed by the co-writers. The current bid is over $9,000. open image in gallery A Tim McGraw lyric sheet, signed by co-writers by Taylor Swift and Liz Rose ( Goldin ) Thomas Jeffersons signed dinner invitation and Chinese bowl Goldin is auctioning off a dinner invitation signed by Thomas Jefferson in 1806 while he was serving as the third U.S. president. Th: Jefferson Request the Favour of Dr. Mitchell to Dine with him on Monday the 9th instant, the invitation reads. Dinner will be on the table precisely at sun set. Dec. 6: 1805. The favour of an answer is asked. Also included is a rare export serving bowl from China that he owned with a monogrammed J in the center. The current bid sits at over $10,000. open image in gallery A dinner invitation signed by Thomas Jefferson in 1806 and his rare export serving bowl from China ( Goldin ) Bob Ross signed original Iconic painter Bob Ross, known for his show The Joy of Painting, has an 1989 signed original up for auction. Ross, who died in 1995, was known for his painting tutorials and his gentle approach to the subject. Dont worry the winter landscape painting up for sale includes several of his iconic happy little trees. The current bid is over $30,000. open image in gallery A 1989 Bob Ross signed original painting ( Goldin ) Cast-signed copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone A first-edition copy of the inaugural Harry Potter book by J.K. Rowling, signed by several movie cast members including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, is also up for auction. The book that launched the iconic franchise was first published on June 26, 1997. The first movie came out four years later, grossing $974 million worldwide. The current bid is over $2,000. open image in gallery A first-edition copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone signed by cast members of the film, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson ( Goldin ) MTV Award for Janet Jacksons Nasty music video Janet Jacksons iconic Nasty music video won an MTV award for best music video choreography during the 1986-1987 season. The silver trophy, which is now up for sale, features an astronaut holding an MTV flag. The song, which appeared on her album Control, also won Favorite Soul/R&B Single at the 1987 American Music Awards. The current bid sits at over $2,000. open image in gallery The MTV Moonman trophy awarded to A&M Records for Janet Jacksons Nasty music video ( Goldin ) American history autograph book, 1880-2000 This autograph book includes signatures from dozens of notable people throughout American history, including presidents Woodrow Wilson and Dwight Eisenhower. The album also includes notable womens rights activists, including suffragette Susan B. Anthony and Sandra Day OConnor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court. The current bid is over $30,000. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy It was a pretty bewildering time, says Katherine Waterston hovering, for a moment, in the memory of 2016. It was a period of transition for the American actor: after a breakthrough performance in the sativa haze of Paul Thomas Andersons hippy-death daydream Inherent Vice, Waterston had secured what remains her biggest mainstream role a lead part in the Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Everybody else up for that part were huge stars; I never thought I was going to get it, she says. Honestly, it was hard to catch up with the rate at which my life had changed at that time. I really didnt know what I was doing in a big franchise. Today, its hard to imagine Waterston feeling so ill-suited to the limelight. It may be that the mise en scene is to blame: appropriately glammed-up for a run of video interviews this afternoon, the 44-year-old sits a few feet away from me in a central London hotel room, lights and cameras aimed squarely at her face. Around us a team of technical hands and publicists form a human skirting board. The setup, she admits, is terrifying but then you realise theyre not out to get you and its not so bad. Im pretty sure this is just for my benefit: she seems right at home. It was during this first venture into the land of blockbusters (Fantastic Beasts) that Waterston got to grips with the business of cinema. I started in the theatre, where you dont have to understand the business at all, really, she says. Theres no business, in fact no ones making any money! After this, there were Beasts sequels, films with Ridley Scott (a starring role in Alien: Covenant), Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky), and Damien Chazelle (Babylon). Theres an elegant complexity to her work across the board a kind of shifting, hard-to-define strength, like molten steel, and a world-weary sadness thats as present when shes fighting Alien xenomorphs as it is in nuanced indie projects such as 2020s The World to Come, or last years The End We Start From. Her latest role is in the Paramount+ series The Agency, a thoughtful spy thriller adapted from the French drama Le Bureau des Legendes (2015-2020). Waterston plays a skilled, emotionally oblique handler in an organisation responsible for long, deep-cover espionage operations; Michael Fassbender plays a spy with a potentially compromising love life. Espionage stories generally either celebrate that world by presenting it as very glamorous, she says, or they have a very cynical view of it. The Agency felt like a really holistic, honest portrayal of both sides its honest, and authentic. The series marks the third time Waterston and Fassbender have worked together. She played Chrisann Brennan, mother to the daughter of Fassbenders tech tycoon in the 2015 biopic Steve Jobs, with Fassbender also starring as a pair of eerie androids in Alien: Covenant. Actors are usually in a sort of first date state with their co-stars, Waterston says. Just when you start to really understand somebody, how they work, the film wraps and you never work with them again. Almost in every case. But with Michael, you have this ineffable thing going in a trust there, a history. I fantasise sometimes about the days of the studio system, she continues, which has its undeniable downsides but actors had to work together in multiple films. It meant you could jump off in the deep end and get into the work faster. There is in fact something quite Old Hollywood about Waterston, a certain poised erudition. She smiles widely, and frequently, but has a well-keeled sincerity to make a point, she arches her eyebrows, widens her eyes. And she has a penchant for simile. An actor in film and TV is kind of like a blindfolded painter, she says. What artist would do all their paintings blindfolded and then let them hang them on the wall, asking somebody else if theyre good? But thats what we do. open image in gallery I, spy: Katherine Waterston as Naomi in The Agency ( Luke Varley/Paramount+ ) Any thespian grandeur is undercut, however, by a tendency for wry self-deprecation when, for instance, she harangues herself for overusing the word holistic. I am so obsessed with directors and great writing, she says at one point. That makes me totally unique, right? No other actor cares about these things... Waterston was a child of show business, the daughter of former model Lynn Louisa Woodruff and Sam Waterston, the decorated actor of Law & Order fame. She decided she wanted to be an actor when she was very, very small. I remember looking at myself in a full-length mirror and saying, Youre going to be an actor. I was a weird kid. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Many have noted Waterstons refusal to trade on her family name during those early years of rejection and hard graft. She grew up in Connecticut, and studied at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. But her fathers experience had its benefits too. When you have family in the business, theyve been through a lot of the things you go through, she says. So if I had a humiliating audition and I had so many he was very sympathetic to what I was going through. open image in gallery Katherine Waterston in Alien: Covenant ( Fox ) I have so many friends whose parents would be like, So you dont have a job right now? Youre not really trying They dont understand. But that was really wonderful and then just being able to nerd out [with her father], with these incredible long conversations about communicating character. Waterston cut her teeth in the theatre (in plays such as Kindness by Adam Rapp, Leslye Headlands Bachelorette, and a revival of The Cherry Orchard), clawing her way through years of small projects, bit-parts and dispiriting screen auditions before she finally made it in the movies. It was her first film role, in the 2007 independent film The Babysitters, that brought her to the attention of Paul Thomas Anderson, the first filmmaker to fully utilise her star power. (Andersons eye for leftfield casting remains peerless: see also Alana Haim in Licorice Pizza, or Vicky Krieps in Phantom Thread.) As Inherent Vices Shasta Fay Hepworth, the missing ex-old lady of Joaquin Phoenixs hippy gumshoe, Waterston was a revelation. open image in gallery End of an era: Katherine Waterston and Joaquin Phoenix in Inherent Vice' ( Warner Bros ) Inherent Vice sort of ruined me for like a decade, Waterston admits, wistfully. Because I was looking for the structure and feel of [Andersons] film set everywhere I went. Everythings the best. You name it, hes doing it the best way. But you cannot recreate that. Hes got a crew of people who grew up together, making films together for 20-plus years. People have fallen in love, got married and had children in that crew. Everybody there is so proud to be there and its palpable in the air. I also dont know how he does it, but it is the safest place that I can imagine working. Fantastic Beasts was, inevitably, a different vibe, a big and fan-frenzied production that cast Waterston as witch Tina Goldstein (complete with transatlantic accent again, very Old Hollywood). The challenge, always, in those larger scale projects is to try to hang on to the person that you were when you were doing theatre for 20 people, she says. The work is meant to be the same and those big machines sometimes dont serve to remind you of that. That, she explains, is when you cling onto your co-stars, because theyre trying to do the same thing. (In this case, that included Eddie Redmayne, Dan Fogler and Alison Sudol.) You feel yourself as an animal when you become a parent. Its shocking The franchise came juddering to a halt just three films into a five-film masterplan; after a hugely profitable first outing, the film series was beset by middling reviews, mounting backlash to the gender critical rhetoric of creator JK Rowling, and a protracted controversy around Johnny Depp, who played the villain in the first two films before his role was re-cast in the third. (Waterston has previously made clear her support of trans rights, telling The Independent that she wanted to avoid being grouped in with other peoples views by association.) I ask if she felt any disappointment over the way the franchise ended. No, she says. There is a long silence. Things happen, and you move on. Waterston recently had a small role in the Armando Iannucci-produced series The Franchise, which depicted the nightmarish production of a fictitious blockbuster, complete with rampant studio interference and creative prevarication. Is this sort of satire true to life, I wonder? Waterston replies slowly, carefully, and in pointedly generalised terms. I do think its accurate, she says. I think communication is really difficult when theres that many moving parts. And the managing of money at that level there can be a lot of waste and recklessness. Then other projects at the same scale can be run really well so you know its not an indictment of every large-scale production. But yeah, theres a lot of things in The Franchise that were familiar to me. She flashes a big grin, and makes a sort of teetering-scales motion with her palms. Careful, now. Careful. open image in gallery Witch hunt: Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston in Fantastic Beasts' ( Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros ) There is a slight interrogation element to your style, Waterston tells me, in jest, a few minutes later. Which Im not minding! But I feel like I might have a lie detector strapped around my chest. Without the aid of such a device, I wont say shes lying but Id argue her impression of my interviewing has more to do with the bright, scrutinising lights overhead (and the circle of onlookers) than any Paxmanesque prodding from me. She may be exercising some caution in her replies, but shes also far from difficult. Interviewers have long noted Waterstons habit of long, pensive silences while answering questions; today, this hasnt been the case at all. All the same, Waterston is good at giving away only as much as she wants to say. Her private life, for instance, is mostly a sealed vault. What we do know is that she now lives in London, and had a son in 2019, the name and paternity of whom are not publicly shared. Parenthood changed Waterstons perspective on some of her past work in ways you might not necessarily expect. I felt a lot of regret and shame about having portrayed mothers before I became one, she says. I had been too nonchalant. I never treated it like I do with this job, for instance, thinking OK, Im playing as a CIA operative; I have a lot of research to do. I didnt treat motherhood that way. I thought, I have a mother. Ive observed her for a long time. I had friends and a sister who were mothers, so I figured Id sort of gotten it by osmosis. open image in gallery Wronged mother: Katherine Waterston as Chrisann Brennan in Steve Jobs ( Universal Pictures ) She singles out Steve Jobs as a project she would love to redo. My character in that film had a palpable undercurrent of rage about how she was being treated. Now? I feel like I didnt play it hard enough at all. If my heating wasnt working, and the man who was denying paternity to my child was making millions I mean, let me at him! You feel yourself as an animal when you become a parent. Its shocking. Waterston also points out that the passing years have brought a change in how people discuss her own work with her. I was thinking about this this morning, she muses. I dont know when it happens, but one day, you suddenly have a body of work. You go from being the new kid on the scene, trying to convince people that you deserve to take up space in the business, and then something shifts, and it changes the way people treat you on set. Im ageing all the time and so the roles and the things that interest me change as I grow, and grow up. Well, sort of grow up. She pauses. But I also think the industry is changing in a wonderful way. Theres still a long way to go, but Ive had a lot of really happy experiences where it hasnt felt like I was getting the short end of the stick because I was a woman. And thats changed. She smiles again. Over the past 15 years thats changed a lot. The Agency premieres in the UK today, with two episodes available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The official script for Deadpool and Wolverine has been shared online, revealing an X-rated joke about Mickey Mouse which was cut from the films release. The film, which marked Deadpool and Wolverines official debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was a gigantic hit despite being slated by critics and littered with CGI problems. The full script for the blockbuster has now been shared online by Disney, revealing a controversial line that was cut from the film, something which Ryan Reynolds had previously alluded to. Variety reports that the gag centres around Deadpool learning that Magneto is already dead when he arrives in The Void. This prompts the superhero to break the fourth wall and say: F***! What we cant even afford one more X-Man? Disney is so cheap. I can barely breathe with all this Mickey Mouse c*** in my throat. open image in gallery Deadpool and Wolverine ( Disney Plus ) In September, during an appearance at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York, Reynolds said: It had been six years since I had done one of those movies because you cant take your hand off the stick every scene has to do something or feel something. He said something that sounds very pedantic and is probably not the thing to say out loud, but actually, weirdly, served as a creative engine, Reynolds explained, adding: He was like, Make every scene great. And I was like, Thanks, Kev. Sounds good. Reynolds also said he was concerned Disney, who owns Marvel, would act like a red-line lawyer on every page but in actual fact, Marvel and Disney were such great partners who, ultimately, only told him to remove one line from the 15-certificate film. While Reynolds remained coy on revealing what the line was, he did acknowledge that Disney CEO, Bob Iger was right to ask. open image in gallery Ryan Reynolds ( Getty ) This comes after director, Shawn Levy revealed that the ending was inspired by Reynolds wife, Blake Lively after reshoots that lasted nearly two days. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free The original ending saw Deadpool and Wolverine save the day and destroy the Time Ripper before being immediately revealed as alive. However, in the final version, their fate is uncertain while villain Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) delivers a vitriolic speech. The superheroes then emerge to interrupt his monologue, backed by the song Irish by the Goo Goo Dolls. We did just a day-and-a-half of reshoots on the movie, which were very proud of, said Reynolds, according to GamesRadar. These kinds of movies typically involve weeks of reshoots. But this speech that Matthew has is one of the pieces that we reshot. And he is miraculous. Credit where credit is due, Levy added. It used to be that there was no suspense the power room blew up, and our heroes had survived. It was Blake who said to us, You know, Ive been with you this whole movie. I want to sit in the fear that theyre lost. Let me be in that place of suspense so the triumph of their survival is more emotional and visceral. That was a Blake note and it really opened up a new way of thinking about this part of the movie and its why we did this reshoot and, here, the payoff is so much more satisfying, he continued. Photo: State Committee for Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. Salim Karimov, a representative of the Azerbaijani diaspora, was elected as an MP of Kyrgyzstan's Kant city council with the support of the 'Birlik' Public Union of Azerbaijanis in the country, a source in the State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend. According to the source, Kant city, where the largest Azerbaijani community in Kyrgyzstan resides, has a street named after the outstanding statesman of the Turkic world, the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev. In 2016, a memorandum of partnership was signed between the city and Azerbaijan's Guba district. To note, along with his public activities, Karimov is involved in entrepreneurship and charitable work. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Pro-Brexit, pro-hunting, anti-abortion former Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg is a somewhat divisive figure. During his long political career, outrage followed him around like his horde of six offspring. He was forced to apologise for grotesque comments about the victims of the Grenfell tragedy; his dubious investment funds in Ireland pre-Brexit landed him in hot water. The notorious speeches he delivered in parliament, his arrogance, and his peculiarly Victorian parlance have all made Rees-Mogg a household name which, it turns out, has come in quite handy. Having lost his seat as the MP for North East Somerset in July, this week hes launching into a new era of his career as a reality TV star. Meet the Rees-Moggs, a fly-on-the-wall documentary airing on Discovery + from 2 December, follows the GB News presenters life in the run-up to the general election and through his withering defeat to Labours Dan Norris. The series is mostly shot at the familys 5.5m, 17th-century, nine-bedroom Somerset mansion, Gournay Court (not to be confused with his 5m London townhouse), where Rees-Mogg lives like a rural Liberace, in a mansion full of oil paintings with a large gold cross over his bed. Keeping Up with the Conservatives (as the programme has been dubbed by Tatler) will be a rather different kettle of fish from the Kardashians, Rees-Mogg assured us. Observers of the fame-hungry multimillionaire arent so sure perhaps, especially, those who have lived in close proximity to the family for the last 14 years. In North East Somerset, where he represented the Conservative Party, theres little enthusiasm for yet another episode (five, in fact) of the Rees-Mogg saga. Locals are full of anecdotes that, over the years, have painted a pretty unpleasant picture of the former Etonian. When I visit Keynsham High Street in the heart of his constituency they dont hold back. He was fairly useless as a local MP, and his voting track record in parliament is abhorrent, Ben Green, from Paulton, a nearby village, tells me. I think hes a nasty individual behind a twee 19th-century gentleman cartoon character facade, he adds. Its true that Rees-Mogg cuts an unusual figure wherever he goes. In the documentary, we see him in a double-breasted blazer, uncomfortably lolloping past charity shops, vape shops and tanning studios a stark contrast to the opulence of his family home. Yet Rees-Mogg insisted to The Sunday Times that viewers would see from the doc that what goes on behind the walls of Gournay Court is not so different to their own home. Those familiar scenes include shots of the butler polishing the Bentley and a housekeeper starching his boxers. Rees-Mogg takes tea in fine china, and hosts black-tie dinners on Saturday evenings, for which his children wear smoking jackets and bow ties as they are served from silver terrines. Still, Rees-Mogg wonders how people feel politicians are just completely out of touch. open image in gallery Locals are full of anecdotes that, over the years, have painted a pretty unpleasant picture of the former Etonian ( Getty ) People like that have no clue what everyday people have to go through, local resident Daisy Yeo, 22, tells me. Hes not fit to represent the UK, she says and certainly not representative of the young, diverse, student city that is nearby Bristol, filled with people from different backgrounds and economic situations. She finds his views on abortion insensitive hes a privileged white man, he should have no say on what happens to womens bodies. Rees-Moggs views on abortion he believes it should be criminalised even in cases of rape or incest are almost universally reviled. He attributes them to his religious beliefs, which his large Catholic family follow devoutly. His six children deep breath Peter Theodore Alphege Rees-Mogg, Mary Anne Charlotte Emma Rees-Mogg, Thomas Wentworth Somerset Dunstan Rees-Mogg, Anselm Charles Fitzwilliam Rees-Mogg, Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius Rees-Mogg, and Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher Rees-Mogg appear alongside their father in the doc, as does his Boden-wearing wife, Helena de Chair, who is heir to a reported 45m fortune. Despite his fecundity, Rees-Mogg proudly claims hes never changed a nappy. Thats done by nanny Veronica, appointed before Jacob was born, which by my count means she has been dealing with his familys s*** for almost 60 years. open image in gallery With Nigel Farage, then leader of Ukip, at a press conference in 2016 ( Getty ) It checks out, according to Ben Green. He ran into Rees-Mogg only once while he was a serving MP, at Midsomer Norton station on a family day out. Greens wife happened to be breastfeeding. Mogg saw her and turned away immediately, as if the thought of seeing a woman breastfeeding was terrifying, he says. I am told Rees-Mogg was often heckled when out campaigning; people defaced his election posters, and in 2019, a giant sign appeared on a slagheap in Midsomer Norton, proclaiming: Get Mogg Out. David Leverton ran the Mogg Watch campaign, to raise awareness of the MPs voting record. He says Rees-Mogg seems to despise people who are poorer, adding: Almost all of us are poorer than him. One area Rees-Mogg does seem genuine about is his faith. Meet the Rees-Moggs shows him teaching his youngest, Sixtus, the catechism, in preparation for his first Holy Communion. He has built his own chapel, complete with relics he collects (although simony is a sin). But who could resist a bit of thorn from the crown of thorns? I wonder how much it cost him? Several locals tell me theyve spotted Rees-Mogg in churches around the parish. In Midsomer Norton and Glastonbury, writer Guy Kennaway tells me, He looks amazingly congruous but then, on Glastonbury High Street you can see a guy in a suit of armour and another in the full wizard kit. In this company, Mogg looks almost ordinary. open image in gallery Not quite the Kardashians: the former politician with his wife, Helena, and three of their children ( Getty ) Gideon Davey is less delighted by his encounter with Rees-Mogg, who rocked up unannounced with a film crew to the church where 10 little children, amongst them Daveys 10-year-old daughter, were taking their first Communion. Its a very holy moment, a big day, attended by family and godparents. The children had been preparing and practising for weeks, Davey says. None of us knew, or were asked permission for Rees-Mogg to film. He paraded around the church, was filmed attending mass and interviewed on the steps. I was shocked hed use his faith in that way, to degrade his religion, stain it, and hijack another familys special moment. It felt so cynical. First Holy Communion is a massive once-in-a-lifetime moment for children, and he just trampled all over it. It totally ruined the day. Several people wrote to the diocese to complain, Davey tells me, asking: How would he feel if his sons Confirmation was crashed by David Beckham with a film crew? My mother was so upset that, at the last election, she didnt vote Conservative for the first time in her 86 years. As we watch Rees-Mogg lose his seat on camera, his PA considers how sad he will be: Its like being told youre not wanted any more, she says. Indeed. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Im a Celebrity host Declan Donnelly left his fellow crew members in tears and Ant McPartlin having to apologise after making a very amusing, yet unfortunate innuendo during Fridays aftershow. Journalist and Loose Women star, Jane Moore became the first celebrity to be voted off this years show, which left many viewers unhappy about the result of the public vote. After each episode, Ant and Dec join Joel Dommett, Sam Thompson and Kemi Rodgers for the Im a Celebrity...Unpacked aftershow, where they reflect on the events of the previous day. On Fridays edition of the show, the TV veterans were asked to reflect on their two decades on the show, which they began presenting in 2002. In response, Dec said that the show was now unrecognisable from its original incarnation, which was filmed in Queensland, Australia, as opposed to its current location, in New South Wales. Ant McPartlin explained: It wasnt here. It was up in Northern Australia, near Cairns, so it was a lot hotter. Interjecting, Donnelly said: And it was really thickthick bush. Thick under Unable to contain himself, Dommett burst out laughing, which prompted a fit of laughter from the rest of the cast and crew, with Thompson doubled over in hysterics. And what happened on the show!? joked McPartlin, who was also struggling to contain himself. Yea yea yea it was thick. Thick bush, McPartlin said, while patting his co-host on the shoulder, who had begun to make a bizarre claw shape with his hand. Dommett then alerted Donnelly to this, adding that the hand wasnt helping. Struggling to contain himself, Donnelly managed to utter the words thick jungle. McPartlin, who had composed, himself then said Im so sorry to Kemi Rodgers, who had her only hilarious response, adding: Its fine. Its reminding me to go for a wax when I go home. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Ant, Dec and Kemi Rodgers on Im a Celebrity...Unpacked ( ITV ) Viewers at home couldnt help but find the moment hilarious too. One person said: Honestly dont think theres anything funnier than watching Dec disintegrate like that. A second joked: Maybe you should do next years show in Cairns? Just make sure Dec keeps his hands in his pockets! A third viewer, enthusiastically called it: Probably the greatest moment on TV ever. Meanwhile, one fan praised Rodgers for how she responded to the awkward moment: This was hilarious watching it live. Kemis brilliant, hope she gets more presenting jobs after this. Im a Celebrity continues on ITV 1 at 9pm. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Actors are known to sometimes gift their co-stars a parting gift after a film wraps but Keira Knightleys previous choice of present is sure to raise a few eyebrows. The Love Actually star, 39, was a guest on Friday nights episode (29 November) of The Graham Norton Show. She was joined on the red sofa by Cher, Josh Brolin and Michael Fassbender the recipient of her NSFW gift more than a decade ago. Fassbender, 47, had starred opposite Knightley in the 2011 film A Dangerous Method, about the relationship between psychoanalysts Carl Jung (Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (played by Viggo Mortensen). Knightley, meanwhile, played Jungs patient-turned-colleague Sabrina Spielrein. The three become embroiled in a love triangle. One scene in the film required Fassbenders Jung to spank Knightleys character. Basically it was about spanking, Knightley told Norton of the movie. Michael had to spank me. Fassbender joked: I was the spanker. You were the spankee. open image in gallery Light in on magic: Knightley and Fassbender in A Dangerous Method Given the themes of A Dangerous Method and the memorable shooting of the scene, Knightley thought it appropriate to give her co-stars, including Fassbender, a spanking paddle as a gift. I bought Michael and three other cast members their very own spanking paddles, she said. The Pirates of the Caribbean star recalled: I had to go into a sex shop and say, Hello, can I have three spanking paddles, please? Elsewhere during the conversation, the actors shed some light on how difficult it was to make the spanking scenes realistic without causing Knightley pain. In the end, they ended up putting a Yellow Pages book between [her] bum and the paddle. open image in gallery ( BBC ) Knightley who is due to star in Netflixs new show Black Doves also opened up about her true feelings towards the now-controversial scene in Love Actually, which fans have deemed creepy. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free The actor appears in a famous scene in the holiday classic, during which Andrew Lincolns character appears on her doorstep and declares his love for her using cardboard signs. Knightley recalled a creepy and sweet momen. t she shared with a car full of builders who recreated the moment in an unlikely situation. I was stuck in traffic for ages recently and a car full of builders next to me started holding up the signs like in the movie, said Knightley. It was creepy and sweet at the same time, much like it was in the film. Love Actually has been reappraised several times since its release two decades ago, with critics debating whether the film is as romantic as it initially appeared. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Outside a vast country pile, a man with a thick West Country accent, who looks like Michel Roux Jr, polishes a luxury car. His name is Shaun. He makes our cider, he looks after the Bentley, an instantly recognisable drawl describes. Everything that needs to be done in a busy household. Welcome to the world of Jacob Rees-Mogg, the dandyish Brexiteer and pin-up of bootlickers everywhere, as depicted in a new Discovery+ documentary series, Meet the Rees-Moggs. Jacob Rees-Mogg: your loveable, neighbourhood plutocrat. In early 2024, Rees-Mogg found himself agreeing to be shadowed by a documentary crew, who wanted to chart the realities of life with one of the most divisive politicians in Britain in the run-up to a, presumed, election before Christmas. But then boom! prime minister Rishi Sunak fired the rain-soaked starter pistol on the general election in May, upsetting the carefully laid plans for Meet the Rees-Moggs and, spoiler alert, paving the way for a Labour landslide. And so, Meet the Rees-Moggs starts as an intimate portrait of a family caught up in the tough reality that their much-admired patriarch is about to lose his job. Of course, it doesnt really matter to the Rees-Moggs. Thats the point. They have their beautiful country house (the children quibble over whether its technically a mansion), Gournay Court, in Somerset, as well as a 5m townhouse behind Westminster Abbey. So, while Rees-Mogg does some perfunctory door-knocking, quietly undermining the government while bashing his Labour rival, he never feels particularly overcome by the jeopardy. Jacob has got the fight of his political life on his hands, his wife, Helena, remarks, and yet that fight is conducted with a passivity bordering on indolence. It may well be that the Discovery+ camera crews were not given access to the brains trust of political strategists who would, eventually, help Rees-Mogg to a 5,319-vote defeat in North Somerset and Hanham. After all, the show was not envisioned as a hard-hitting political documentary, but as a portrait of a curious, attention-seeking family. Jacob, well known to the public; his wife, Helena, a droller figure; their six children, of whom only the youngest three are routinely at home; the staff, orbiting the family, including nanny Veronica, who swaddled Jacob and now looks after his children. I think the worlds got quite enough Rees-Moggs already, remarks Helena, when asked about the possibility of a seventh child. And yet, while the quantity might be met, the thirst for publicity appears unslakeable. Rees-Mogg is one of Britains most recognisable politicians for a reason. Tall, with cartoonish features like a Trumpton figurine, he is rarely dressed in less than a three-piece suit. He speaks in a lazy drone and seems to hark back to a previous age, a time when aristocrats ran our democracy. I quite enjoy winding people up, he announces early on. And thats about as far as the show goes in challenging Rees-Mogg on social or political issues. Commentary about immigration is glossed over. His Roman Catholicism is admired; its impact on his legislating such as calling abortion morally reprehensible even in cases of incest or rape all but ignored. He is afforded an avuncular, often buffoonish, quality that the show makers clearly think is TV gold. So wasteman isnt rizz? he asks, probing his teenage daughter, Mary, on contemporary slang. You can almost hear the commissioners howling with laughter. Plink plonk: the score announces, if it wasnt clear already, that this is all whimsical fun. Hello, my great man, Rees-Mogg says to his youngest son, Sixtus, as though he cant quite remember his name. With the eldest three safely squirrelled away at boarding school (though one suspects there is an element of self-preservation at play, too, among the teenagers), the lens falls mainly on Anselm (12), Alfred (8) and Sixtus (7, on election day). Here, the show enters murkier ethical grounds. Will these children innocent of their own privilege still come to regret the primetime broadcast of them yelling Vote Conservative! into a megaphone, or dressing up in black tie to eat birthday cake? Will they regret because their parents surely wont their part in propagandising for the silver spoon brigade? The music might be cueing that this isnt to be taken too seriously, and yet the instinctual response is the same as watching Teen Mom or Super Nanny to feel like its not quite fair on these non-consenting participants. Lounge lizard: Jacob and Helena in their vast country pile ( Discovery+ ) The mercy of Meet the Rees-Moggs is that its so toothless it will likely pass, undetected, through the TV schedule. Those expecting a hate-watch will be disappointed; those expecting a political hagiography will find it vapid. And also: how many UK households have a Discovery+ subscription? No, if the former MP is looking to kickstart his life after parliament, then hes going to have to do it the good, old-fashioned way: by going on Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy China says it has discovered the worlds largest known deposit of gold, estimated to be worth over $80bn (63bn). The deposit at the Wangu goldfield in central China could yield more than 1,000 tonnes of gold, the Geological Bureau of Hunan was quoted as saying by Chinese state media. The bureau announced the detection of 40 gold veins, which are long and narrow openings in rocks filled with the metal, around a mile deep in Hunan provinces Pingjiang county. These rocks alone may have 300 tonnes of gold and there could be more reserves at deeper layers, geologists said. Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold, Chen Rulin, a geologist and ore prospector at the bureau, said. Test drills near the sites peripheral areas found more gold, suggesting that the deposit could be even larger. In all, there could be over 1,000 metric tonnes of the precious metal at the site which, at current prices, would bring in more than 600 billion yuan, or about $83bn (65bn). China Gold Mines Global gold prices rose after the discovery was announced, but the long-term trajectory remained uncertain due to geopolitical tensions around the world. The demand for the precious metal has increased in China amid global uncertainties. And the latest find, according to the Hunan Provincial Geological Institute, could be significant in helping safeguard the countrys resource security. The Wangu goldfield is one of Chinas most critical mining hubs and the country has invested nearly 100 million yuan for mineral exploration in the area. China produced about a tenth of the worlds gold as of 2023. The nation is a global leader in mining, dominating the production of precious metals used to make new generations of batteries and electronics. It also leads the world in the export of technology for mining, developing new ways to reduce carbon emissions in the process. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sweden has sent a formal request for China to cooperate with its investigations into the severing of two undersea data cables on the Baltic Sea bed. The cables were severed on 17 and 18 November when a Chinese ship, Yi Peng Three, was speculated to be sailing in the area. China, responding to Swedens request, said it stands ready to uncover the truth while denying any involvement in suspected sabotage. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said it will work with the concerned nations to find out how the two undersea cables were damaged. Swedish president Ulf Kristersson said on Thursday that Stockholm is seeking clarity from Beijing on how the two fibre optic cables were damaged. Today I can tell you that we have additionally sent a formal request to work together with Swedish authorities to get clarity about what has happened, he said during a press conference after a security meeting of government leaders of the Baltic Sea region. We expect China will choose to work together as we have requested. open image in gallery China willing to maintain communication on submarine infrastructure security ( REUTERS ) The two cables in question are the Arelion cable, linking Sweden to Lithuania, and the C-Lion 1 cable that runs between Finland and Germany. They are part of network infrastructure that facilitates international communication by providing high-speed data connections. According to data from ship tracking websites, theYi Peng Three disembarked from Ust-Luga post, west of St Petersburg in Russia, on 15 November. The vessel was tracked sailing over the cables around the time the cables were severed on 17 and 18 November. open image in gallery Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng Three is anchored near the city of Granaa in Jutland, Denmark, on 20 November 2024 ( AP ) The next day the ship was anchored in the Kattegat Strait, a passage between Sweden and Denmark, and was being monitored by multiple vessels, including from the Danish navy. According to a Wall Street Journal report, it is suspected the crew on the Chinese ship deliberately severed the cables by dragging its anchor through the seabed for more than 100 miles. Polish prime minister Donald Tusk expressed full solidarity and full support for Sweden as it acts in the interest of all countries in the Baltic region. Finnish, Swedish and German authorities have launched investigations into the rupture of the two cables. Germanys defence minister claimed the damage appeared to have been an act of sabotage, although there is no evidence thus far. The cable between Sweden and Lithuania, which is owned by a Swedish company, was damaged on 17 November, a Swedish prosecutor said. The cable between Finland and Germany, located south of the Sweden-Lithuania cable, was damaged a number of hours later. Both damage sites are located within the Swedish economic zone. Tensions have escalated in the Baltic Sea since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The period of war has seen a number of incidents involving damage to undersea infrastructure costing billions of euros to countries in the region. Seven months into the invasion in 2020, undersea explosions damaged Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines which carried natural gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. One investigation into the explosions reported in August that they were carried out by a Ukrainian sabotage team, but Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky denied the accusation. In October 2023, an undersea telecommunications cable between Estonia and Sweden was damaged. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Uniqlo is facing calls for a consumer boycott in China after the company's boss said the Japanese clothing retailer does not source cotton from Xinjiang amid allegations of forced labour in the region. Fast Retailing's chief executive Tadashi Yanai, who had been silent for years over the procurement of cotton from the northwestern Chinese region, revealed this week to BBC that Uniqlo was "not using" cotton from Xinjiang. "By mentioning which cotton were using ... actually, it gets too political if I say anymore so let's stop here," he said without adding further details. Companies that buy clothing, cotton, tomatoes and other goods from Xinjiang have come under pressure from Western consumers over the alleged genocide of the minority Uyghurs and Hui Muslims under the Xi Jinping administration over the past decade. Beijing has routinely denied allegations of crimes against humanity, calling them the lie of the century. Two hashtags on Mr Yanai's comment went viral on Friday on Chinese social media platform Weibo, where several users slammed the company and vowed to never purchase its products. "With this kind of attitude from Uniqlo, and their founder being so arrogant, they're probably betting that mainland consumers will forget about it in a few days and continue to buy. So, can we stand firm this time?" one user wrote. "It seems that I will have to stop buying Uniqlo in the future," wrote another user on Weibo. On X, an account named Shanghai Panda with over 110,000 followers, wrote: "UNIQLO rejected Xinjiang cotton. Chinese must reject UNIQLO." China is one of the biggest markets for Uniqlo, where the brand aims to expand its business. Greater China, including Taiwan and Hong Kong, accounts for more than 20 per cent of the company's revenue. Mr Yanai told the broadcaster that there were only 900 to 1000 stores for China's mammoth population. "I think we can increase that to 3,000." Several global brands, such as H&M, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and Adidas have faced backlash in China for removing products using Xinjiang cotton from their shelves expressing concern for the alleged use of forced labour. The brands were pushed by US-led sanctions imposing tougher regulations on the import of goods from Xinjiang in 2022. H&M saw its stores removed from major e-commerce platforms and its store locations moved from map apps in China as it bore the brunt of consumer anger at companies refusing to source cotton from Xinjiang. The Xinjiang region produces one of the best cotton in the world and a US federal report published in 2022 estimated that cotton from Xinjiang accounted for roughly 87 per cent of Chinas production and 23 per cent of the global supply in 2020 and 2021. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said: We hope that relevant companies can eliminate political pressure and negative interference, and make independent business decisions that align with their own interests. China in 2021 accused the West of "fabricating lies like 'forced labour' to create 'forced industrial decoupling' and 'forced unemployment' in Xinjiang to suppress Chinese companies and industries". Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Greenpeace activists halted a petrochemical tanker in South Korea on Saturday, demanding a strong global plastics treaty as UN negotiations in Busan enter their final 24 hours with divisions remaining over critical aspects of the treaty. The activists climbed aboard the tanker, Buena Alba, stationed near South Koreas Hanwha TotalEnergies complex, at 9.30am local time. The ship was set to load propylene, a fossil-fuel-derived chemical used in plastic production. Equipped with safety gear, the activists scaled the ships mast, painted PLASTIC KILLS on the side of the vessel, and set up tents to sustain their protest. The vessel was halted for over nine hours as activists told The Independent they planned to continue sitting in protest until a treaty restricting plastic pollution is signed at the UN talks in Busan, where representatives from almost 200 countries have gathered. Our activists are taking action to stop this plastic shipment to urge world leaders to listen to the millions of voices demanding an end to plastic pollution, Capucine Dayen, communications and engagement manager of Greenpeace, who was accompanying the activists, said on a phone call. Our activists want to stay as long as necessary, until the end of the treaty negotiations, Ms Dayen said on a phone call as activists remained mounted on the tanker. open image in gallery Greenpeace International activists board a tanker in South Korea carrying petrochemicals destined for plastic production. ( Greenpeace ) Sunday is scheduled to be the final day of the fifth and final round of the UNs plastics treaty negotiations where countries are expected to agree to the worlds first legally binding plastics treaty. However, the talks appear to have reached an impasse amid deep divisions persisting over critical issues such as production caps, financing and even the definition of plastics and harmful chemicals. The activists say they wanted a treaty that puts a cap on plastic production. Global plastic waste is projected to nearly triple by 2060 if current trends continue, according to an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report. Greenpeace is calling for a 75 per cent reduction in plastic production by 2040 to stay within safe climate limits. Greenpeace estimates that unchecked plastic production could consume up to 31 per cent of the remaining carbon budget needed to limit global warming to 1.5C. However, they say the presence of the petrochemical industry was undermining the negotiations. open image in gallery Greenpeace activists approaching a tanker on a boat off the coast of South Korea ( Greenpeace ) Were protesting here because petrochemical industry lobbyists are out in force in Busan, using their power, money, and access to try to ensure the treaty fails, said Ms Dayen. We want them to turn off the plastic production taps. And we want to show that if our climbers can challenge the plastic industry, so can world leaders inside the negotiation room. We are taking direct action here todaystopping this plastic shipmentto urge world leaders to listen to the voices of millions of people around the world, said Alex Wilson, a Greenpeace UK climb team volunteer. Scientists and businesses are demanding a cap on plastic production to stop plastic pollution. As the activists held their positions on the tankers mast, tensions were escalating by evening. Ms Dayen told The Independent that the ships crew attempted to disrupt the protest by using loud noises and shining laser lights at the activists. She said the situation was complicating their ability to communicate with the media. open image in gallery An activist holds a banner calling for cut in plastic production at the UN plastics talks ( Greenpeace ) Unfortunately, the crew on the vessel have been playing this very loud noise and trying to shine laser light in their eyes, which is making it very difficult for them to take any media interviews, she said. A spokesman for South Koreas coast guard told AFP news agency that the police had been deployed on the ship, and we are making warning announcements to facilitate a safe disembarkation. He said a thorough investigation would be carried out to determine if there were any illegal elements to the protest. Greenpeaces protest comes after a report showing heavy lobby presence by the petrochemical industry at the treaty talks. Analysis by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) revealed that more than 220 petrochemical lobbyists, the highest seen at any plastics treaty negotiations so far, were present in Busan. Despite slow progress in the negotiations, there is growing international support for including production cuts in the treaty. A cross-regional proposal for a global reduction target has garnered backing from 100 countries. Additionally, a coalition of 350 global businesses, named Champions of Change, has called for cuts aligned with climate commitments. open image in gallery Environment activists hold a press conference calling for a strong global plastics treaty outside of the venue for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution in Busan, South Korea ( Yonhap ) Graham Forbes, head of delegation to the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations at Greenpeace USA, urged world leaders to seize the moment. We are at the eleventh hour of the negotiations. Countries must agree to reduce plastic production to protect human health, avoid climate chaos, and encourage investments in a truly circular economy, Mr Forbes said. A treaty that does not tackle plastic production would be a failure, and this should be a red line for all governments committed to ending the plastic pollution crisis. Host South Koreas petrochemical industry has also faced scrutiny for its role in fueling both plastic pollution and climate crisis. Greenpeaces analysis showed that the countrys plastic production capacity emits greenhouse gases equivalent to Japan and Taiwans combined totals. South Korea also ranks as the largest producer of plastic waste in the OECD and the fourth-largest producer of petrochemicals globally. The South Korean government should listen to the wishes of its citizens who want to see an end to plastic pollution, said Mikyoung Kim, project manager at Greenpeace Seoul Office. Corporate interests should not override the public. The INC-5 negotiations in Busan are Koreas opportunity to make the right choice together with the world. The treaty talks are expected to conclude on Sunday, leaving a narrow window for negotiators to agree on decisive measures. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hurricane Helene hammered the southeast at the end of September, killing at least 62 people, but the long-term damage from the storm is still being felt in places like North Carolina. There, scores of people are facing eviction as the state struggles with a combination economic-housing crisis. We had an avalanche of need with this hurricane, and theres a second avalanche coming with these evictions, Vicki Meath, executive director of Just Economics, a group pushing state officials to declared an eviction and foreclosure moratorium, toldThe Washington Post. A hurricane would cause housing problems anywhere, but when it hit western North Carolina, the storm landed in a region that was particularly vulnerable because of its high housing costs and reliance on tourism. With the regional economy still in tatters, at least 225 new eviction cases have been filed as of mid-October in Buncombe County, home of the hard-hit tourist hub of Asheville, according to the North Carolina Tenants Union. Sometimes as many as 40 new cases are filed a day. State lawmakers and city officials have both pledged separate $1m pots of money for rental and mortgage support, but local officials worry this funding wont be enough to keep people in their homes. In this gap, private institutions have joined the effort, with Ashevilles Grant Covenant Presbyterian Church spending more than $1m in rental aid for local residents. Hurricane Helene has left North Carolina residents paying for apartments in poor condition or facing eviction notices ( REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo ) The housing crisis is only made worse by the poor conditions left behind after the storm. A boil notice for Ashevilles water supply lasted until November 18. This, plus long-running lack of power, left many residents unable to properly clean out their damp apartments, many of which began to mold after the storm. I explained to (my landlord) that the house is unlivable because we have no running water, no electricity, and no one will be living since we had lost these basic necessities, a childcare worker who rents near UNC Asheville told Carolina Public Press last month of the conditions. Tenants dont have the right to withold rent in North Carolina, even if they live in units that are unsafe or lack basic necessities, leaving renters, many of whom were unable to work, in the position of continuing to pay for apartments that werent safe to live in. Those who lost work in North Carolina can get a maximum weekly benefit of $600, but such funds may not be enough in communities like Buncombe County, where a 2021 report found that almost half of renters are cost burdened and spend at least a third of their income on housing. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Its collapse would have devastating consequences, causing severe droughts, Europe to freeze, sea levels to rise and the ocean a critical carbon sink would not take in as much of the greenhouse gases produced by our fossil fuels. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, also known as the AMOC, is a system of deep ocean currents that acts as the Earths central heating system. It sends warm water north and cold water south within the Atlantic Ocean, bringing warmth to various parts of the globe. As a part of the global conveyor belt a constantly moving system of deep-ocean circulation driven by temperature and salinity it also carries nutrients necessary to sustain ocean life. Currents slow when more fresh water is injected into the ocean. Fresh water is less dense than the salt water that helps drive them. While there have been questions regarding the rate of weakening or collapse of the AMOC during recent years, research published this year has had extremely concerning conclusions. Now, a new study from the University of New South Wales is warning of the impact of the melting Greenland ice sheet and Canadian glaciers, which researchers say is weakening ocean circulation and speeding up warming in the southern hemisphere. The studys authors said the AMOC, which is weaker now than at any other time in the past millennium, is likely to become a third weaker than it was 70 years ago when the Earth passes the 2 degrees Celsius mark of global warming over preindustrial levels. A 2-degree rise in global temperatures means humans could face multiple impacts of climate change simultaneously. And, if the additional melting of the Greenland ice sheet in the subarctic ocean is accounted for, the study says the AMOC could be 30 percent weaker by 2040: 20 years sooner than initially projected. open image in gallery Fast-moving meltwater rivers flow across the Greenland Ice Sheet. New research from the University of New South Wales is warning that the impact of that water could make critical ocean circulation waker much sooner than projected ( NASA ) Reacting to these findings, Dr. Stefan Rahmstorf who has been studying the AMOC for years says that the world must expect a faster decline than the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted in annual assessments. Rahmstorf was not involved in the research. It is very likely (90100 percent probability) that the AMOC will weaken faster than CMIP6 projections if meltwater forcing is considered. Thats bad news; it increases the risk of passing the AMOC tipping point, he wrote in a thread on X. Rahmstorf, who is a professor of physics of the oceans and head of earth system analysis at Germanys Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, told The Independent that the biggest uncertainty is knowing how far away the planet is from that tipping point. Ive compared it to sailing with a ship into uncharted waters, he said, and you know there are rocks under the surface that you cant see. So, its dangerous, but you dont know exactly where they are. And, thats the kind of situation we are facing here. The AMOC wouldnt collapse suddenly. It would slowly wind down over 50 to 100 years after that. Passing the tipping point in a few decades, he said, would be entirely plausible. open image in gallery The global conveyor belt is shown, in part, on this map of the world. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation is part of this system of global ocean currents that heats the planet ( NOAA ) Rahmstorf noted that the impacts of the collapse would likely be very severe, although they require further study. But most importantly, I think, of course its more important to try and prevent this from happening, rather than studying in more and more detail what it would mean. Or, of course, we can do both at the same time, hopefully, he said. Rahmstorf was one of 44 international scientists who recently penned an open letter to the Nordic Council of Ministers, issuing a stark warning about the dangers of crossing the tipping point. Its authors also included UC Riverside associate professor Wei Liu and NASAs Dr. Anastasia Romanou. The IPCC had said, for example, that we dont expect this to happen before 2100. But, what people dont realize is that the IPCC has looked at models where they dont simulate ice sheet collapse or large extreme events the sort that we have seen over the last two years, Romanou told The Independent before the Australian study was released. She said that while there is uncertainty regarding the time frame, collapse will take just decades, but will not be much longer than that. Whether it happens in 20, 30, or 50 years, it will be catastrophic. We have to take measures now to avoid these kinds of effects, said Romanou. What kinds of measures does the world need to take? For many, thats been clear for a long time. To limit continued warming, by slashing emissions of greenhouse gases. I think we definitely want to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Liu said in a separate interview, noting that the world would still feel the effects of previous carbon dioxide emissions. open image in gallery A map shows the global thermohaline circulation on Earth. The AMOC is in the upper-left corner ( NCEI ) Echoing Rahmstorf, he says more research is necessary to look at the global impact of a possible collapse. This year is expected to be Earths warmest on record, surpassing scorching temperatures felt in 2023. The United Nations warned in October that the world is on track for a global temperature rise of up to 3.1 degrees Celsius over preindustrial levels. A previous goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees will soon be dead, it said, without unprecedented mobilization. For AMOC, I wouldnt place a time frame, like 2100 or 2080 or something like that. I would place something like a temperature threshold, Romanou said. She cited a 2022 paper published in the journal Science that warned exceeding 1.5 degrees could trigger multiple climate tipping points including the AMOCs collapse. When we are going to pass that, that will place the AMOC tipping much earlier than 2100, she added. Rahmstorf also said global warming up to 3.1 degrees would be catastrophic and would increasingly endanger the AMOC. You know, I try to take this professionally, he said of climate impacts. I sometimes think of emergency doctors who come to horrible accidents frequently. They just have to somehow distance themselves emotionally from that and just take a professional attitude. Thats what Im trying to do, but I have two children and I do really worry about their future. BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. The Faculty of Arts of the Karabakh University in Khankendi city has organized a concert and exhibition event on the occasion of the anniversary of the university's creation, Trend reports. The event began with the performance of the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan by the choir of the Faculty of Arts and a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs who died for the territorial integrity of the country. The event was attended by the Minister of Science and Education of Azerbaijan Emin Amrullayev, Deputy Minister Idris Isayev, other officials of the ministry and representatives of the public of Khankendi. Rector of Karabakh University Shahin Bayramov delivered an opening speech at the event. He welcomed the guests and noted the special moments of the university's year-long activities. Speaking about the achievements made during this period, the rector said that Karabakh University plays an important role in the country's education system. Bayramov stressed that the establishment of the university will make an important contribution to the socio-economic and cultural development of the Karabakh region. In his speech, Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev noted that Karabakh University has achieved great success in a short period of time and that the universitys activities in the fields of education, science and innovation are important for the country. The Minister noted that the educational process at the university is organized according to internationally recognized standards, and students are provided with modern and high-quality opportunities for obtaining an education. The concert featured works by famous composers performed by the Cadenza Orchestra, famous artists working as teachers at the Faculty of Arts, and students. After the concert, the works of teachers in the decorative and applied arts and design specialties were presented in the exhibition hall of the Faculty of Arts. To note, the Karabakh University was established on November 28, 2023 by the relevant order of President Ilham Aliyev. Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Lewis Hamilton insisted it is not a question in my mind that I definitely still have it after he qualified sixth for the penultimate round of his Mercedes career. Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari next season, raised question marks about his future in Formula One when he claimed he is not fast anymore at this weekends Qatar Grand Prix. The seven-time world champions comments arrived after he qualified only seventh for the sprint race 0.399 sec slower than George Russell in the other Mercedes in Doha on Friday night. Hamilton made up one place to finish sixth in the 19-lap dash to the flag, and then was sixth again this time even further behind Russell with the gap standing at 0.436 sec in qualifying for Sundays main event. The 39-year-old, whose 104 poles ensures he is the greatest one-lap performer the sport has ever seen, has now been beaten by Russell in 23 of the 29 qualifying sessions this season. And although Hamilton admitted he is now looking forward to the end of his career with the team which has carried him to six of his record-equalling seven world titles, he added: I know Ive still got it. Its just the car wont go faster. But I definitely know Ive got it. It is not a question in my mind. Attempting to explain his comments 24 hours previously, Hamilton said: I am slow, about half-a-second off my team-mate in the same car. Asked if he was referring to this weekend, Hamilton replied: No, it has been all year. And why is he slow? I dont know, replied Hamilton. It is not possible to change it. With Hamilton struggling, Russell, a winner in Las Vegas, put his Mercedes on the front row, initially second to Max Verstappen after the newly-crowned four-time world champion looked to have claimed his first pole position since the Austrian Grand Prix, exactly five months ago. Verstappen started sixth and finished only eighth in the earlier sprint race won by Oscar Piastri as McLaren edged closer to their first constructors title in 26 years. But the Dutch driver returned to form in qualifying for the main event, only to later be penalised one place for impeding Russell as both drivers geared up for their final laps, giving top spot to the Mercedes man. Lando Norris, who handed victory to team-mate Piastriz in the sprint with McLaren securing a one-two finish to move 30 points clear of Ferrari took third. Piastri finished fourth to ensure both McLarens will start ahead of Ferrari. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz qualified fifth and seventh respectively for the Italian team. Norris controlled the sprint before moving aside for Piastri at the final corner the British driver returning the favour after they traded positions in Sao Paulo. Then Norris still harboured ambitions of claiming the drivers crown. But, with the individual title off the table, Norris sole focus is on delivering a ninth crown for McLaren to put them level with Williams in second place. Ferrari lead the way with 16 titles, but the Italians are also in a drought with their last triumph back in 2008. Norris aborted both his first and second laps in Q3 and then did not have the speed to match Verstappen and Russell. However, it remains advantage McLaren and they will secure the constructors crown on Sunday with one round remaining if they outscore Ferrari by 15 points. Verstappen has won in just one of his 12 previous appearances and would not have expected to even be in the fight for pole. It is a crazy turnaround, said Verstappen. I didnt expect that. Well done to the team for giving me a car that is more connected. We changed some bits on the car, but I never thought it would make such a swing in performance. That is encouraging and I hope it continues into the race. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Never has a prime minister said and done so little to get what he wanted in bringing about such a profound change to the country he is governing with an historic vote on assisted suicide. It was no surprise that Sir Keir Starmer voted for Labour MP Kim Leadbeaters bill - as did a majority of Labour MPs. He had voted in favour of the failed legislation nine years ago in 2015 and had given no indication of changing his mind. But, unlike five of his six immediate predecessors in number 10, Sir Keir has kept a vow of silence during the debate before walking through the Aye lobby with 329 others in favour. The issue now is what it means for his government and by extension his own personal standing after less than six months in office which has seen him under siege almost from the day he was elected. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak both backed the Bill (Alberto Pezzali/PA) ( PA Wire ) A divided government The cabinet and ministers were split on this issue, with health secretary Wes Streeting and justice secretary Shabana Mahmood who will have to oversee the results of this legislation both opposing it while others were in favour. But bringing together these two sides may be the least of Sir Keir problems. The debate has in the most part been conducted in a respectful way and there is little animosity. The one problem was Labour peer Charlie Falconer attacking Ms Mahmood for voting on her religious conscience as a Muslim. What this will not do is paper over any of the problems in his government where he has already lost a chief of staff (Sue Gray) and a cabinet minister (Louise Haigh), is beset with criticism over the Budget, has angry farmers protesting around the country, has left pensioners in fear of freezing to death and has been facing questions over freebies. open image in gallery Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood (Stefan Rousseau/PA) ( PA Wire ) Swallowing up parliamentary time If this bill is to be allowed to pass and get through both houses then the government will have to give it some of its own time. There is no way it can be relegated to Fridays for discussion not least because there are many complex issues still to debate. But already more than 200 amendments at committee stage have been prepared in the Commons for the Bill with many of its supporters at second reading saying their continued backing will be conditional on rewriting of large parts of the legislation. This means that the debate and time needed to go through the bill in the Commons alone will be substantial and could get in the way of Sir Keirs own legislative agenda which is pretty ambitious. Then when it gets to the Lords it is set to take even more time with a huge amount of opposition there from various interests including the Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the palliative care consultant Baroness Llora Finlay and the 26 Church of England bishops. The bishops were instrumental in holding up the Rwanda legislation previously. To say that the bill will take up time and prove to be a distraction may be an understatement. open image in gallery Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson says she does not believe there are safeguards in place that can guarantee protection for vulnerable people (Stefan Rousseau/PA) ( PA Archive ) A lasting legacy Assuming the bill passes and goes into law, which it should do with a 55 majority in the Commons at second reading, then it is not too much to expect that assisted dying, and the enormous social change it brings will be the most important development of this parliament. But who will get the credit? For a prime minister who wanted to introduce profound change to the UK, Sir Keir might want this on his legder. However, his silence means he is unlikely to be remembered for it. He could have come out and made the moral case while leaving the decision to MPs own consciences but he did not. Arguably, this has been yet another example of a prime minister who prefers to be managerial rather than visionary and has a serious problem with his operation being able to communicate his message. Nobody remembers that Harold Wilson was prime minister when abortion was legalised in 1967. Insead Sir David Steel gets the credit for his private members bill. Likewise Kim Leadbeater who introduced this bill is more likely to be the one remembered for a true social revolution rather than Sir Keir. open image in gallery Kim Leadbeater joins campaigners ( Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire ) Dealing with the consequences of change Like it or not this bill will also force the government into huge changes of public policy - many of which will be expensive. Not least among these will be the clamour to finally sort out palliative care to give people a proper option of dying without having to seek help to end their lives. Added to that the NHS an courts will need to be reconfigured to offer assisted death with some attempt to ensure the so-called safeguards work. All this will fall into the lap of Sir Keirs government and will become urgent priorities. It may end up being a case of victory for the prime minister and the liberalised country he wants Britain to be, but the question he may well end up asking is at what cost for so little personal gain? Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Cucumbers distributed across the United States and Canada have been recalled due to salmonella contamination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an urgent notice on Thanksgiving Day (November 28), advising consumers to avoid SunFed brand bulk American cucumbers, which were officially recalled the previous day. The affected cucumbers, sold between October 12 and November 26, were packaged in bulk cardboard containers labeled SunFed, as well as in generic white boxes and black plastic crates with stickers marked Agrotato, S.A. de C.V., identifying the grower. The recall impacts consumers in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. In Canada, the affected provinces include Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. open image in gallery FDA issues recall of SunFed cucumbers across North America due to salmonella contamination ( US Food and Drug Administration ) The FDAs notice stated: Anyone with the recalled product in their possession should not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products. Consumers are urged to dispose of the cucumbers, destroy them, or return them to the point of purchase for a refund. The notice also advises cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces that may have come into contact with the contaminated produce to prevent cross-contamination. SunFed president Craig Slate confirmed the recall was initiated after the FDA linked the cucumbers to an unspecified number of illnesses, reported between October 12 and November 15. As soon as we learned of this issue, we immediately acted to protect consumers. We are working closely with authorities and the implicated ranch to determine the possible cause, Slate said. open image in gallery SunFed president Craig Slate confirmed the recall was initiated after the FDA linked the cucumbers to an unspecified number of illnesses ( US Food and Drug Administration ) He added: Here at SunFed, food safety and consumer health and wellness have been our priorities for more than 30 years. We require all of our growers to strictly comply with FDA food safety requirements. Although the exact number and locations of illnesses remain unclear, consumers should be warned that salmonella is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. According to the FDA, consuming contaminated food can lead to salmonellosis an infection that manifests within six hours to six days after consumption. Symptoms typically include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and fever lasting four to seven days. Severe cases, which can be life-threatening, are more likely in children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Those who feel unwell after consuming recalled cucumbers are advised to contact their healthcare provider. Additional questions can be directed to SunFed at 888-542-5849, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST. The Independent has reached out to SunFed and the USDA for comment. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Bowen both spent Thanksgiving night in the emergency room with their children. The two Modern Family alums, who starred as siblings Claire Dunphy and Mitchell Pritchett on the show, never ran into each other but shared the same unfortunate end to their respective holiday celebrations. On Thursday (November 28), Bowen posted a picture of one of her sons standing outside the emergency room with the caption: Its not a holiday without a trip to the ER. (Hes fine, btw) HAPPY THANKSGIVING. The 54-year-old mom didnt reveal which of her three sons she shares with ex-husband Scott Phillips Oliver, 17, John, 15, or Gustav, 15 had to be treated at the hospital on Thanksgiving. In true Modern Family form, Ferguson ended up in the exact same situation. Not long after Bowen posted on Instagram, the 49-year-old dad shared a picture of himself laying in a hospital bed with his two-year-old son, Sullivan Louis, resting on his chest. open image in gallery Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Bowen had to take their sons to the hospital on Thanksgiving ( Getty ) I have received a lot of parenting wisdom from @itsjuliebowen so seeing I wasnt the only one with a kid in the ER on Thanksgiving was comforting. (Hes also fine.) Thank you to the kind folks at Lennox Health. NYC really DOES have the best healthcare, his caption read. Ferguson shares sons Sullivan and Beckett Mercer with his husband, Justin Mikita. In the comments section of Bowens emergency room photo, Mikita commented: Us too. Sofia Vergara Ferguson and Bowens on-screen stepmother commented on Fergusons picture, writing: Oh no!!!! The Modern Family cast have shown their support for each other while filming the hit ABC sitcom from 2009 to 2020. At one point, Bowen helped Sarah Hyland who played her daughter, Haley Dunphy free herself from a toxic relationship in 2014. Last June, Bowen recalled rescuing Hyland from her abusive partner during an appearance on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her podcast. I was a responsible adult that happened to be around at the right time, she explained. I mean, Im sure another responsible adult would have done the exact same thing. I just love her. Hyland was granted a restraining order from ex-boyfriend and Geek Charming co-star Matt Prokop in September 2014. Prokop appeared in one episode of Modern Family, as well as High School Musical 3: Senior Year. The 34-year-old former Love Island USA host accused Prokop of verbally and physically abusing her throughout their relationship. One month after she was granted the restraining order, Hyland praised her Modern Family co-stars for their support for each other in an interview with People. Were always there for each other. And its wonderful. I love them, she told the outlet. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Lindsay Lohans dad Michael Lohan has defended his daughters natural features amid plastic surgery speculation. Many people have commented on the Mean Girls stars appearance since she stepped back into the limelight while filming the highly anticipated Freaky Friday sequel. Lohan left Hollywood and moved Dubai 10 years ago amid intense paparazzi scrutiny. Lindsay never had any plastic surgery done ever, her 64-year-old father told Page Six. Her look (is) so natural just like her talent. Michael went on to call all the individuals spreading false narratives about his daughters looks disgusting. That said, the former Wall Street trader admitted Lohan has gotten chemical peels, Botox, and filler. On X/Twitter, fans have shared side-by-side images of the Irish Wish actor from past years to show her glow-up and incredible transformation. Lindsay Lohans dad defends his daughters appearance against plastic surgery claims ( Getty Images fir Michael Kors ) The Just My Luck lead was in and out of rehab for drug and alcohol abuse in her early twenties. Beginning January 2007, she was sent to five different rehab facilities for a total of 250 days after multiple arrests and a probation violation. She spent two weeks behind bars in 2010 for missing her alcohol counseling sessions and ignoring the terms of her probation. 10 years ago, Lohan abandoned Hollywood and headed for London to escape the intense media scrutiny. She ended up residing in Dubai where she met her husband, Bader Shammas, with whom she welcomed her son Luai in July 2023. Earlier this year, the A-lister spoke to Bustle about what exactly motivated her to leave the country and how doing so has helped her mentally. I feel like some of (my work) got overshadowed by paparazzi and all that kind of stuff when I was younger, and thats kind of annoying, she told the outlet. I wish that part didnt happen. I feel like that kind of took on a life of its own. So thats why I wanted to disappear. I was like, Unless theres no story here, theyre not going to focus on just my work, Lohan explained before admitting she was also in search of romance when she left. At the time, the star was worried shed never experience true love the way shed always wanted to. I was like, What if I never fall in love? What if this never happens? she said. And it took me just taking time for me for all those doors to open and the yeses to come the things I wanted to say yes to. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A pregnant meteorologist has hit back at criticism over her form-fitting outfits while shes on the air. In a video posted to TikTok earlier this month, Claire Anderson a meteorologist for Fox 13 in Seattle, Washington shared a screenshot of an email she received from someone named Kathy. Please, PLEASE, pack away the form-fitting dresses until after the baby comes, Anderson read, noting she was seven months into her pregnancy. Your mommy bump has gotten so big that your overall appearance distracts from your presentation. Something loose and flowing would be best. The critic claimed in the email that since Anderson gives some of the best presentations on TV, she deserves the undistracted attention of the viewers. Anderson directly sent a message to the body-shamer, as she responded to the camera: I appreciate that, but remember we are not supposed to comment on what women wear and look like, especially when were pregnant. open image in gallery Pregnant meteorologist urges viewers to never comment on what women wear amid criticism of her form-fitting clothing ( @callmemetclaire / TikTok ) She then showed an image of her broadcast from that day, as she was seen wearing a white, turtleneck dress. Anderson showed another angle of her outfit, before acknowledging that shes not necessarily changing how she dresses during her pregnancy. I dont know, heres the thing, shes still got two months of this, she said, in response to Kathys criticism. However, the meterologist then sarcastically thanked Kathy in the caption for watching her weather broadcast. Reminder: Pregnant women do NOT need to hear your thoughts on what we wear or how we should dress! she wrote. In the comments of the video, multiple people praised Anderson for showing off her baby bump and hitting back at anyone telling women to avoid doing so. When I was pregnant was the first time I really felt comfortable and confident wearing form-fitting clothes. I loved showing off the bump. Keep it up you look great! one TikTok user wrote. It took me so long to get pregnant I was SO proud of my body. It was BIIIIIIG, even bigger the second time, but I felt so beautiful and happy for me. I love seeing baby bumps, another agreed. A third wrote: My mom always makes judgy comments about pregnant women wearing tight clothing too. I think its a generational thing, but I think baby bumps should be shown off. Speaking to Today, Anderson said that when she first picked out her white dress, she didnt think anything of it being offensive to viewers. Instead, she was feeling great about her appearance before receiving that email. I come back, and I see that email, and I was like, Oh man. Like, really? Bad stuff, she said, recalling her reaction to the email. Although shed received similar criticism before, her friends encouraged her to make the now-viral video about Kathys message. She further explained that while shes seen so much conversation encouraging women to support women in 2024, she still receives some of the nastiest emails from women. My message was just like, Guys, remember, we are in a time, in place, in the world, where we dont need to be commenting on someones body unless you think it looks amazing, Anderson added. Unless someone asks you how they look, we dont need to be commenting. While she understands that people have different opinions regarding maternity clothes, Anderson said she doesnt plan on changing who she is just because shes pregnant. We are in a time when we are healthy. We can have kids, and we can work full time. We are... professional women, and we can be sexy, we can look good, she explained. Just because we are pregnant does not mean we have to put on frumpy clothes anymore. The Independent has contacted Anderson for comment. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Target fans cant get enough of the companys new holiday campaign, which has transformed Santa Claus from sweet to sexy. With Christmas fast approaching, the American retailer sprinkled some cheer with a new series of commercials starring model Brent Bailey as Target employee Kris K., also known as Kris Kringle. Instead of appearing like the typical Santa Claus, however, Bailey was dressed in a tight quarter-zip red sweater and khaki pants, prompting viewers to fawn over the handsome Santa. Titled Born to Be Kris, the first 30-second ad showed the 41-year-old actor with silver hair driving a red Ford Bronco, with a Sleigh license plate on the back. He was then seen getting out of the car outside a snow-coated Target, as Born to Be Wild by Steppenwolf played in the background. Meet Kris, our newest Target Team Member. He loves the holidays as much as the next guy. Actually, way more than the next guy, Target wrote in the ads description on YouTube. Actually, way more than anyone we know. Actually, more than anyone anyone knows. But hey, thats not important. What is, is that shiny red Bronco and perfectly coiffed beard. The holiday commercial, which Bailey posted to Instagram on November 14, left fans mesmerized not only by his silver fox facial hair but his overall attraction. open image in gallery Target releases its holiday campaign starring Brent Bailey as Kris K. ( Target / YouTube ) Sexy Target Santa Not your Mommas Santa, one viewer commented under his post. The second advertisement titled Hes Hot, But These Target Turkey Deals Are Hotter saw the return of Baileys Kris K., as he approached a woman in the refrigerated aisle. Upon seeing him, the woman told Bailey hes weirdly hot, before reaching for a $0.79 turkey. On YouTube, the 15-second ad has been viewed more than six million times. My favorite ad of the 2024 season so far. I cannot get enough of it, one fan commented, while another said: Congrats Target, Santa got it going on. open image in gallery Target shoppers fawn over sexy Santa-themed holiday ads ( Target ) Target also released a third video as part of its holiday campaign, titled Kris from Target, whiched showed Bailey doing bicep curls with a miniature Christmas tree as he walked around the store. On Instagram, Target shoppers begged for more sexy Santa ads and wished for the chance to meet Bailey in person. Where are they doing photos with THIS Santa? Id like some, one person asked, while a second user wrote: Whoever is in charge of our marketing deserves a raise. Love it, thats my kind of Santa, another commenter added. I believe in Santa again, joked someone else. Of course, one skeptical viewer pointed out that Targets version of Santa Claus would likely only appeal to adults, and kids wouldnt be as amazed by Baileys rendition. I guess adults might like this Santa, but kids wont, they wrote. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy People are convinced movie theater etiquette is dead following Wickeds opening weekend. Director John M Chus film adaption of the hit Broadway musical Wicked starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba hit theaters this past weekend (November 22), prompting many fans to sell out showtimes at their local cinemas worldwide. However, those who didnt buy tickets for the movie musicals opening weekend have likely already seen several sneak peeks and full scenes on social media. Across TikTok, Instagram, and X/Twitter, pictures and videos of Wicked are being posted from inside the theater, spoiling some of the movies best moments. Scenes from fan favorite numbers such as Defying Gravity and Popular have flooded timelines and For You Pages, sparking outrage among the fans who havent been to the cinema yet. On X/Twitter, one person shared a photo of the opening credits and asked others to show ur wicked part 1 photos. The post quickly received more than 18.4 million views and 2,100 comments, prompting a debate over movie theater etiquette. open image in gallery Wicked fans are furious movie-goers are posting pictures and videos of the film from inside the theater ( Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. ) Several fans slammed the individual for encouraging others to share spoilers, as one person said: This is SO illegal. Disgraceful thread. Have some respect for the people in the same cinema as you, another added. Theater etiquette is dead, a third commented, while a fourth wrote: Its people like you that ruin cinema experiences. Even Alamo Drafthouse, a popular chain of dinner theater cinemas, commented from its official X/Twitter account: Or, dont do that. open image in gallery Fan encourages others to post pictures from inside the theater ( X/@nat_dwbua_ ) Despite pleas from fans to stop ruining the movie, many people continued to post pictures and videos throughout the two-hour and 40-minute long film. Before Wickeds release, some theaters issued a reminder to fans that singing is not permitted unless the screening is a sing-along version. At AMC Theaters, silence is golden. No talking. No texting. No singing. No wailing. No Flirting. And absolutely no name-calling. Enjoy the magic of movies, a short, Wicked-themed preshow advisory video said. According to USA Today, Wicked: Part One brought in $114 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters within the first weekend. The first part of the Universal Pictures film grossed $50.2 million in international markets, for a combined global total of $164.2 million. However, the double premiere of Wicked and Gladiator 2failed to surpass the success of Barbenheimer last summers dual release of Barbie and Oppenheimer on opening weekend, coming in at $169.5 million domestically compared to $244 million. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Israeli aircraft struck Hezbollah weapons smuggling sites along Syria's border with Lebanon, the Israeli military said Saturday, testing a fragile, days-old ceasefire that halted months of fighting between the sides but has seen continued sporadic fire. The military said it struck sites that had been used to smuggle weapons from Syria to Lebanon after the ceasefire took effect, which the military said was a violation of its terms. There was no immediate comment from Syrian authorities or activists monitoring the conflict in that country. Hezbollah also did not immediately comment. The Israeli strike, the latest of several since the ceasefire began on Wednesday, came as unrest spread to other areas of the Middle East, with Syrian insurgents breaching the country's largest city, Aleppo, in a shock offensive that added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars. The truce between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, brokered by the United States and France, calls for an initial two-month ceasefire in which the militants are to withdraw north of Lebanon's Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. The repeated bursts of violence with no reports of serious casualties reflected the uneasy nature of the ceasefire that otherwise appeared to hold. While Israel has accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire, Lebanon has also accused Israel of the same in the days since it took effect. Many Lebanese, some of the 1.2 million displaced in the conflict, were streaming south to their homes, despite warnings by the Israeli and Lebanese militaries to stay away from certain areas. Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone attacked a car in the southern village of Majdal Zoun. The agency said there had been casualties but gave no further details. Majdal Zoun, near the Mediterranean Sea, is close to where Israeli troops still have a presence. The military said earlier Saturday that its forces, who remain in southern Lebanon until they withdraw gradually over the 60-day period, had been operating to distance suspects in the region, without elaborating, and said troops had located and seized weapons found hidden in a mosque. Israel says it reserves the right under the ceasefire to strike against any perceived violations. Israel has made returning the tens of thousands of displaced Israelis home the goal of the war with Hezbollah but Israelis, concerned Hezbollah was not deterred and could still attack northern communities, have been apprehensive about returning home. Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, in solidarity with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and its assault on southern Israel the day before. Israel and Hezbollah kept up a low-level conflict of cross-border fire for nearly a year, until Israel escalated its fight with a sophisticated attack that detonated hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah fighters. It followed that up with an intense aerial bombardment campaign against Hezbollah assets, killing many of its top leaders including longtime chief Hassan Nasrallah, and it launched a ground invasion in early October. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon during the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel over half of them civilians as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon. ___ Mroue reported from Beirut. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad has fallen, bringing a shocking end to his familys 50-year reign following a lightning offensive by Islamist rebels. The presidents whereabouts remain unknown after reports he left Damascus early on Sunday as opposition fighters entered Damascus. It was the first time opposition forces had reached the capital since 2018 when Syrian troops recaptured areas on the outskirts of the capital following a years-long siege. open image in gallery People celebrate at Umayyad Square in Damascus ( AFP via Getty Images ) A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting Syrian prime minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Interventions by Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and others have allowed him to remain in power within the parts of Syria under his control. But no international help for the deposed leader appears forthcoming. Incoming US president Donald Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by (President) Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer, open image in gallery Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has fled the country his family ruled for 30 years ( AFP via Getty Images ) Here is a look at some of the key aspects of the new developments: Whats the latest? The military command of the Syrian opposition says its fighters have entered the capital Damascus claiming that it is free of President Bashar Assads rule. The so-called Military Command Administration said Assad had fled without giving further details. His departure marks the end of the 54-year Assad family rule of Syria with an iron fist. His father Hafez Assad came to power in a bloodless coup in 1970 and ruled until his death in 2000. Bashar Assad was elected weeks after his fathers death and ruled Syria until he was overthrown on Sunday. The command declared the end of the dark period and the beginning of a new era in Syria. State television in Iran - Assads main backer in the years of war in Syria - reported terrorists had entered Damascus and that Assad had left the capital. An Associated Press journalist in Damascus reported seeing groups of armed residents along the road on the outskirts of the capital and hearing gunshots. The citys main police headquarters appeared to be abandoned, its door left ajar with no officers outside. Another shot footage of an abandoned army checkpoint, uniforms discarded on the ground under a poster of Assads face. In the early hours of Sunday, Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany said that insurgent forces fully liberated Syrias central city of Homs. A rebel commander said they had also taken control of an army camp and villages outside the city. The Syrian military, which has been reinforcing Homs and hammering the rebels with intense airstrikes, did not immediately comment on the reports. Homs, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, is a major intersection point between Damascus and Syrias coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, where President Assad enjoyed wide support and where his Russian allies have a naval base and airbase. Homs province is Syrias largest and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Earlier the rebels said they seized control of the southern city of Daraa the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against Assad as they pressed on with their lightning advance. The Syrian army withdrew from much of southern Syria on Saturday, leaving more areas of the country, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. This change presents an opportunity to build a new Syria based on democracy and justice that secures the rights of all Syrians, the leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces Mazloum Abdi said in a written statement, praising the fall of the authoritarian regime in Damascus. The Kurdish-led group has a significant presence in northeastern Syria, where they have clashed with the extremist Islamic State group and Turkish-backed militias over the years. open image in gallery Rebel forces shoot in the air as they parade in their vehicles through the streets of the central Syrian city of Homs ( AFP via Getty Images ) Rebel commander Colonel Hassan Abdulghani said the insurgents advanced in the countryside around Idlib, putting all of the province of the same name under their control. This could not be independently confirmed. Military vehicles abandoned by Syrian troops dotted the roads in Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province as people posed and took pictures atop an abandoned tank on a highway. What implications could the insurgency have? The Islamist rebels dealt a major blow to the influence of Russia and Iran in the heart of the region, key allies who propped up Assad during critical periods in the conflict. The collapse followed a shift in the balance of power in the Middle East after many leaders of Lebanons Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, a lynchpin of Assads battlefield force, were killed by Israel over the past two months. Russia, Assads other key ally, has been focused on the war in Ukraine. Turkey-backed Syrian forces have taken control of some 80 per cent of northern Syrias Manbij area and are close to victory against Kurdish forces there, a Turkish security source said. Stabilising western areas of Syria captured in the rebels advance will be key. Western governments, which have shunned the Assad-led state for years, must decide how to deal with a new administration in which a globally designated terrorist group - Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - looks set to have influence. The US will continue to maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State, deputy assistant secretary of defence for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro told the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrains capital on Sunday. Before its defeat, Islamic State imposed a reign of terror in large swathes of Syria and Iraq. At a conference in Doha, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said terrorist organisations must not be allowed to take advantage of the situation in Syria, and called on everyone to act with caution. HTS, which spearheaded the rebel advances across western Syria, was formerly an al Qaeda affiliate known as the Nusra Front until its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, severed ties with the global jihadist movement in 2016. The real question is how orderly will this transition be, and it seems quite clear that Golani is very eager for it to be an orderly one, said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert and director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Golani will not want a repeat of the chaos that swept Iraq after US-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, he said, adding: They are going to have to rebuild ... they will need Europe and the US to lift sanctions. HTS is Syrias strongest rebel group and some residents remain fearful it will impose draconian Islamist rule or instigate reprisals. Assad has been at war with opposition forces seeking his overthrow for 13 years, in a conflict which has claimed an estimated 500,000 lives. Some 6.8 million Syrians have fled the country over the course of the war, mostly resettling in Turkey. Nearly 1.3 million people have been granted protection in EU countries, as of last year. open image in gallery An anti-government fighter holds a weapon as he keeps position near a defaced portrait of Assad, in the city of Hama ( AFP via Getty Images ) The US has around 900 troops in northeast Syria, far from Aleppo, to guard against a resurgence by the Islamist terror group Isis. Both the US and Israel conduct occasional strikes in Syria against government forces and Iran-allied militias. Turkey also has forces in Syria and has influence with the broad alliance of opposition forces storming Aleppo. What do we know about the group leading the insurgency? The US and UN have long designated HTS as a terrorist organisation. Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, emerged as the leader of al-Qaidas Syria branch in 2011, in the first months of Syrias war. His fight was an unwelcome intervention to many in Syrias opposition, who hoped to keep the fight against Assads brutal rule untainted by violent extremism. open image in gallery Abu Mohammed al-Golani analyses a military map of Syria Golani early on claimed responsibility for deadly bombings, pledged to attack Western forces and sent religious police to enforce modest dress by women. He has sought to refashion himself in recent years, renouncing his al-Qaida ties in 2016, disbanding his religious police force, cracking down on extremist groups in his territory, and portraying himself as a protector of other religions, including by allowing the city of Idlibs first Christian mass in years. What is the history of Aleppo in the war? At the crossroads of trade routes and empires for thousands of years, Aleppo is one of the centres of commerce and culture in the Middle East. open image in gallery ( AFP via Getty Images ) Aleppo was home to 2.3 million people prior to the war breaking out in 2011. Rebels seized the east side of the city in 2012, and it became the proudest symbol of the advance of armed opposition factions. In 2016, government forces backed by Russian airstrikes laid siege to the city. Russian shells, missiles and crude barrel bombs fuel canisters or other containers loaded with explosives and metal methodically levelled neighbourhoods. Starving and under siege, rebels surrendered Aleppo that year. The Russian military's entry was the turning point in the war, allowing Assad to stay on in the territory he held. This year, Israeli airstrikes in Aleppo have hit Hezbollah weapons depots and Syrian forces, among other targets, according to an independent monitoring group. Israel rarely acknowledges strikes at Aleppo and other government-held areas of Syria. KHANKENDI, Azerbaijan, November 30. Teaching and student life at Karabakh University will continue in accordance with the highest standards, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Karabakh University Turker Gasimzade told Trend. "Exactly one year ago, on November 27, by the order of President Ilham Aliyev, the Karabakh University was established. During this time, we have done significant work. As a faculty of arts, we began our activities with the participation of the best teachers of our country and talented students. Over the year of its work, the university has achieved a number of successes, and thanks to the high quality of teaching, it has become one of the most innovative universities in Azerbaijan. I am confident that we will continue to develop and maintain high standards of education and student life," he noted. Turker Gasimzade expressed confidence that Karabakh University will achieve significant success and make a great contribution to the development of education and culture of the country. According to him, the Faculty of Arts teaches such areas as "Music Teaching", "Instrumental Performance", "Vocals", "National Vocals" (khanende) and "Design". "We started with about 130 students studying in these specialties and attracted the most professional teachers of our country to work. Among them are people's and honored artists. Our educational programs are adapted to world standards", he noted. Gasimzade also spoke about the significant achievements of the universitys faculty and students during the first year of operation. "Our teachers and students have already taken part in international festivals and competitions, and there are winners among them. Recently, our artists performed at a festival in Berlin. In addition, students actively participate in exhibitions, concerts and festivals. This is just the beginning. I am sure that the Arts Department of the Karabakh University will become an important part of the country's cultural agenda," he concluded. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Alastair Stewart has described how he struggles to tie his own shoelaces in his battle against dementia. The veteran broadcaster, who was the face of ITV News for more than 35 years before moving to GB News, revealed he had early onset vascular dementia in September last year. The 72-year-old, who lives in Hampshire with his wife Sally, said many daily tasks are now beyond him. Ive covered the Gulf War and run the very first television leaders debate, but now I cant tie my own shoelaces or choose my own shirt, he told The Telegraph. But theres no point feeling self-indulgent about it. I wont condemn myself to an awful life in the short term. open image in gallery The 72-year-old retired after 44 years on TV in local and national news ( Getty ) Stewart, a father of four, said that his grandchildren keep him going and make him appreciative of life. The broadcaster was diagnosed with dementia in 2023 after a scan revealed he had had a series of minor strokes that are called infarct strokes. The previous year he had struggled with the knot in his tie and couldnt tell the time on an analogue clock. He also found it hard to write emails, with poor spelling and punctuation becoming the norm. Now, he can no longer drive and relies on his wife to get him around and look after him. open image in gallery Alistair Stewart moderated the first televised leaders debate in 2010 ( Reuters ) It is demeaning and soul destroying, and she comes to it from a position of enormous calibre and talent, he said. She is a beautiful, intelligent woman. I hate reducing her role in life to being my carer. During his career, Stewart covered major stories such as the Beslan school siege, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and numerous elections. In 1980, he joined ITN as an industrial correspondent and a decade later became Washington correspondent. Shortly afterwards he was sent to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, to anchor ITNs coverage of the first Gulf War. He later became the first UK TV reporter to broadcast live from the liberated Kuwait City. In 2004, he was named presenter of the year at the Royal Television Society Awards and in 2006 he was appointed an OBE for services to broadcasting and charity. He is now a spokesperson for Alzheimers Research UK to help boost the profile of the charity and push for a cure for Alzheimers and vascular dementia. Unless Alzheimers Research UK is successful in the not too distant future, 50 per cent of us will either have dementia or will be caring for somebody with dementia, he said. Urging people to seek medical help if they feel the early signs, he added: Dont ignore it. Go to your GP. And if youve got it, dont be Johnny-b*****ks-brave about it. Go and talk to somebody. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After five hours of intense and emotional debate on Friday, MPs voted in favour of a bill that would allow terminally ill adults who have six months or less to live to seek help to end their own life. The historic vote was heralded by assisted dying campaigners as amazing news, which would pave the way for people having choice over how they died. But campaigners against the bill vowed that their efforts to stop it becoming law were not over. While the bill was passed in the House of Commons, with 330 MPs in favour and 275 against, some only gave qualified support with the proviso that changes will be made before its third reading. With the bill now entering committee stage, MPs will get a chance to scrutinise the plans and propose any amendments. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the bill, has said that there is absolutely still a lot of work to do on the bill and that slight changes are part of the process. open image in gallery Kim Leadbeater joins supporters in Parliament Square in London after hearing the result of the vote in parliament for her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. ( PA Wire ) Under the bill, a terminally ill adult wanting assistance to end their life must have approval from two doctors and a High Court judge. So what are the issues parliamentarians may try to clarify before the bill returns to the Commons again? How involved are family members in the process? There was some concern among MPs who opposed the bill on Friday that terminally ill patients could apply and be granted the right to end their life without their loved ones hearing about it. Under the bill, the doctor assessing the terminally ill patient for an assisted death should, where they consider it appropriate, advise the person to consider telling their next of kin or other people they are close to. There is no requirement for involvement of family members in the application to the High Court, however judges can hear from and question any other person that they wish in order to determine that the applicant has not been coerced. Under the bill, there is no right to appeal a decision made in favour of granting an assisted death. Ms Leadbeater argued that by creating a formal process that enables assisted death, closed-door practices are now brought into the open. open image in gallery Supporters of assisted dying wept and hugged as the Bill passed its first vote ( PA Wire ) Will the court proceedings happen in public or private? Once someone has got approval from two doctors to have an assisted death, they must then apply to the High Court for final approval. It is not yet clear from the bill whether the judge will make a decision based on the papers, forgoing a formal hearing, or whether a court hearing will take place. If a hearing takes place, it is unclear whether it will be in public or in private. Unlike in criminal courts, family court hearings are often held in private. If there is a hearing and it is in public, questions will also arise about whether the person applying for an assisted death should be granted anonymity - and if so, whether that anonymity should be lifted after their death. open image in gallery People take part in a demonstration at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, London, to oppose the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ( PA Wire ) Can someone else apply for an assisted death on behalf of the patient? The current bill allows for the applicant for an assisted death to use a proxy. This is to allow for cases where the patient is unable to sign their own name and wants to authorise someone else to apply for an assisted death on their behalf. The proxy can be either a person who has known the person making the declaration personally for at least two years or a person who is of good standing in the community. This person cannot be a family member or someone who is a beneficiary of their will. How quickly will assisted dying happen? Ms Leadbeater said that her bill has a commencement period of up to two years, promising: This is not going to happen overnight. This timeframe can be altered and debated by MPs at the committee stage as it is more important to get this right than to do it quickly, she said. Can doctors and judges opt out? There is a specific clause in the bill that allows for doctors or other health professionals to opt out of assisting someone to die. However there is not a similar clause in place for judges. open image in gallery Conservative MP Danny Kruger led opposition to the assisted dying Bill on Friday ( PA Archive ) Can doctors suggest an assisted death to their patients? Sir David Davis, who voted in favour of the bill on Friday, told MPs during the debate that his support was conditional on certain areas being put right in the committee stage. He raised a particular concern about a clause that suggests that doctors would be able to suggest assisted dying as an option for a terminally ill person. Under the bill, no medical professionals are stopped from using their judgement to decide if, and when, it is appropriate to discuss the matter with a person. The bill also allows for the applicant to seek the opinion of another doctor if they are refused an assisted death. If a second doctor refuses to affirm the patients right to an assisted death, then the first doctor - who granted approval - can refer the patient to another medical practitioner. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A brewing giant has been warned it is threatening jobs and reducing drinkers choices by axing nearly a dozen beers from pubs. Carlsberg Marstons Brewing Company (CMBC) is dropping 11 popular types, blaming a drop in demand. The company, a joint venture that was taken over by the Danish giant this year, has already shut down Cumbria-based Jennings Brewery, sold the Eagle Brewery to Spanish beer maker Damm and announced the closure of Wolverhamptons Bankss Brewery. Now it is also being accused of wiping out British heritage. Carlsberg Marstons will delist eight cask ales and three kegged beers at the end of the year. The delisted beers are: Bankss Mild, Bankss Sunbeam, Bombardier, Eagle IPA, Jennings Cumberland Ale, Mansfield Dark Smooth, Mansfield Original Bitter, Marstons Old Empire, Marstons 61 Deep, Ringwood Boondoggle and Ringwood Old Thumper. But Jennings Cumberland, Marstons Old Empire, Ringwood Boondoggle and Bombardier Amber Beer will still be available in bottles. The Campaign for Real Ale said the cuts would hit jobs, British brewing and consumer choice. Gillian Hough, of the organisation, said: "This is another example of a globally owned business wiping out UK brewing heritage. "This loss of consumer choice is the inevitable outcome of a brewing conglomerate run by accountants and the bottom line. "This is a sad and disappointing decision that puts both the history and the future of British brewing in jeopardy." Carlsberg paid 206m in July to take full control of the brewing joint venture it had with pub operator Marstons. A Carlsberg Marstons Brewing Company spokesperson said it was always reviewing its lines but where demand had declined it had to delist beers. Bankss Mild will still be sold in kegs and in cans, and Bombardier Amber Beer will be available in cask and in bottles. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy France has warned of a showdown with Britain over Channel migrants if a legal route for asylum seekers to come the UK is not set up. Bruno Retailleau, the new French interior minister, warned on Friday that Britain could no longer sub-contract Channel border security out to Paris, according to a report by The Telegraph. Mr Retailleau blamed Brexit for destroying immigration cooperation between the two countries, saying that France was ready for a showdown on border security. He added: I hope it wont come to that, but we have to change this relationship. Mr Retailleau called for a more comprehensive deal between Britain and the EU ahead of a meeting with home secretary Yvette Cooper on 9 December. The border between France and the United Kingdom is Europes common external border, he said, adding it was no longer possible for France to bear the entire burden of defending it. open image in gallery French Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau (C) speaks next to Hauts-de-France regional council president Xavier Bertrand (L) and Mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart, during a press conference after a meeting with local mayors on the migrant crisis in Ambleteuse, northern France, on November 29 ( AFP via Getty Images ) He continued: France cannot tackle this issue alone. The UK must play its full part, as must our European partners. There is no buying our silence with British pounds. On the visit the northern French coast, Mr Retailleau also threatened to denounce the Le Touquet agreement, referring to a 2004 deal that allows Britain to carry out border checks on French soil. Earlier this month, a group of French mayors called for the cross-Channel migrant deal to be ripped up, while also calling for a legal route to be opened for migrants to the UK. Eventually, there will have to be a legal [immigration] route to Great Britain and a returns route not only to France but also to the border countries, Mr Retailleau said. Referencing the high number of deaths in the Channel this year, believed to be at least 72, Mr Retailleau added: Its not tolerable. Its a tragedy. Under Rishi Sunak, the Conservative government pledged 500m to the French police, with money to go on more equipment for border surveillance such as binoculars, drones and dash-cams. To get around the French polices surveillance, migrants have also spread out further along the coast, launching boats from new beaches in an attempt to avoid detection. However, this tactic has seen them take longer and more dangerous routes, increasing their risk of death. 2024 has been the deadliest year for Channel migrant deaths on record. Though refugee charities have called for safe and legal routes for Channel migrants to come to the UK when they are in France, this has been rejected by the Labour government. In a speech earlier this month, Sir Keir Starmer pledged to reduce the number of people crossing the Channel on small boats by targeting the gangs facilitating the journeys. 150m has been pledged over two years for a new border command, which will use high-tech surveillance equipment and 100 specialist investigators to target criminals. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A woman has been landed with a 1,906 bill after she took longer than five minutes to pay for parking at a site in Derby. Rosey Hudson paid the full tariff every time she parked her vehicle at the Excel Parking Ltd site, but did so after walking to where she could connect her phone due to bad signal service. Despite this, the company sent her 10 parking charge notices (PCNs) and argued that she had exceeded the maximum period of five minutes to purchase the tariff at Copeland Street. In a statement to the BBC, the car park operator said that Ms Hudson had breached its terms and conditions and was the author of her own misfortune. She had started using the car park in February 2023 and said that the parking machine was out of order, so she tried to pay using the phone app. Due to poor reception, she used the wifi in a store at the nearby Derbion centre, and paid the daily 3.30 fee each day until she received a PCN letter asking her to pay 100 within 28 days, which would be reduced to 60 if she paid within a fortnight. After ringing the company to explain the situation, they insisted she pay the fee, which she did the keep them off my back. She then received a further nine PCNs for 100 each, which was increased as Excel Parking added an extra 70 debt recovery charge to each one, an interest of 8 per cent per annum and 115 court fee, as well as 80 costs for a legal representative. Ms Hudson believes the five-minute rule is totally unreasonable and said: I havent got children but I can imagine a busy mum trying to sort her kids out, trying to pay for something when theres no signal here, and the machine being out of order. This has been going on for over a year now, and Im just really hoping it can be resolved. "I desperately dont want this to happen to anybody else, more than anything, because it gives you a lot of stress. In a statement, an Excel Parking spokesperson said: The signage at the car park made it clear that it was Pay on Entry and that there was a maximum period of five minutes to purchase the parking tariff. This is one of the specific terms and conditions for use of the car park. It is the drivers responsibility to read and understand the terms. It seems that Ms Hudson is the author of her own misfortune. Two MPs have previously written to Excel Parking over concerns people were being unfairly fined, while the company has said the five-minute rule is to ensure motorists dont simply use the car park for drop-off and pick-up purposes. Excel Parking also told the BBC that Ms Hudson had taken between 14 to 190 minutes to pay the tariff, and could have used cash at the machine. Despite the two parties conducting telephone mediation, a settlement over the payment has not been reached and a court hearing has been scheduled for six months time. I believe I have got a good case and I believe that it will help not just me, but potentially other people that have been in this situation, said Ms Hudson. Hopefully the judge will understand my case and see my point of view. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A woman endured seven years of hell which saw her lose her business, life savings and contemplate taking her life, after being wrongly charged with fraud. Krista Brown was horrified when she was suddenly arrested in January 2017 by HMRC officers while her teenage son watched in the hallway. The 52-year-old grandmother spent six years with the allegations hanging over her, with her trial delayed multiple times until the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the case in October 2023, with the prosecutors offering no evidence. Seven years later, the CPS has apologised unreservedly in a three-page letter, admitting she had been clearly let down and that the decision to charge her did not meet the required standards. Speaking to The Independent, Ms Brown said: Ive got the outcome I wanted but Im heartbroken as its proven that I went through all of that for eight years for nothing. Thats a hard pill to swallow. open image in gallery Ms Brown lost her life savings over seven-year ordeal and was left in debt ( Supplied ) There really are people who get caught up in the justice system and theyre innocent. Ive spent 27,000 on legal fees, my life savings are completely gone and Im now in debt the impact is very real. After years of working in security and events, the east London grandmother had established her own business in 2008 with just 1,000 in the front room of her Hackney home. Over the years, her recruitment company, Persona, had developed into a 2m business with 400 staff and had successfully provided employment to 3,000 young offenders. In 2014 an accountant was sacked over financial issues, and an agreement was made with HM Revenue & Customs to repay unpaid tax in instalments. We cleared all of the debts, I went without a salary for months and we never missed a payment or were late in delivering a payment, she said. Despite this, she was arrested out of the blue in 2017 and questioned at a police station for hours after being accused of fraud by false representation, money laundering and cheating the public revenue. Upon being released on unconditional bail and surrendering her passport, she went months with no communication from HMRC, despite repeatedly emailing to ask for updates. In February 2020, she was eventually charged on three counts, which she denied, and began the process of navigating the judicial system, on occasion without legal representation and dealing with constant delays in her case. Psyching yourself to go through all of that for it to be continually cancelled, and receive constant knockbacks, I dont know how anyones mental health is supposed to get through that, she said. She set up a social media account under the pseudonym The Secret Defendant on Twitter/X, in which she wrote about her experience of dealing with the criminal justice system and asked for advice. open image in gallery The CPS admitted Ms Brown had been let down and apologised unreservedly for the distress caused ( Supplied ) I was suicidal at my worst, she says, becoming emotional. Im a real joie de vivre person, Im positive, Im nice. Im not somebody that hates life. I just didnt want to hear another word, I just wanted it all to stop. Her trial was adjourned twice which increased her distress, with the CPS admitting that their actions contributed to this delay. She was also offered multiple plea deals if she admitted her guilt, despite adamantly insisting that she was innocent. In their apology letter, the CPS acknowledged this should not have happened, and that the management of disclosure of evidence in her case did not comply with the obligations under the relevant legislation. After preparing herself for a third trial date at Snaresbrook Crown Court in October 2023, she was informed that prosecutors had dropped the charges, after deciding the legal case was no longer met. It took six months and three complaints for her to receive her acquittal certificate, and through the encouragement of her barrister and friends, she met with Meg Hillier, the Labour MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, who agreed to escalate her complaint to the CPS. In the three-page letter sent to her home address, the public prosecutor said: Overall, the CPS recognises that the handling of this case and associated decisions, including charging, disclosure and ongoing review, did not meet the standards set out in the Code and that the case should have been stopped much earlier. We fully accept that you have been let down by the CPS and again apologise. Describing it as an exceptional decision to respond, the CPS said that they have taken steps to address the concerns raised and take accountability, and that it has led to the implementation of refresher training. A CPS spokesperson told The Independent: We unreservedly apologise to Ms Brown for the distress caused by the handling of her case. We recognise that the handling of this case and associated decisions did not meet our standards and the case should have been stopped much earlier. This is why we have already taken steps to address the concerns raised by identifying lessons learned and implementing changes on the oversight and scrutiny of our case strategies. An HMRC spokesperson said: We take all reports of suspected tax evasion extremely seriously and we thoroughly analyse and investigate them, but the Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) decides which cases should be prosecuted. Ms Brown, who now works for the NHS and has successfully opened a food bank for struggling families, is now hoping to meet with the justice secretary Shabana Mahmood. As much as Ive processed and am healing, this has changed me for life, she said. You cannot even begin to understand the mental impact this has had on me. Im a hard-grafting mum from the East End; to lose it all and go on benefits, that was a lot for me. She added: For them to admit that it was wrong and to admit it in black and white, thats an overwhelming feeling for me. While I got my certificate of acquittal earlier this year, this letter has vindicated me at last. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: The new government inherited a record and rising Crown Court backlog, delaying and denying justice for far too many victims. While we are bound by our financial inheritance, we are committed to bearing down on the Crown Court backlog. As first steps, we have increased the number of days the court can hear cases to 106,500 and extended magistrates court sentencing powers from six to 12 months freeing up 2,000 days so courts can handle the most serious cases. The government is exploring further options to deliver swifter justice in our courts. If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The world is at its most dangerous point for 40 years, the head of MI6 has warned, accusing Russia of waging a staggeringly reckless campaign of sabotage in Europe to undermine support for Ukraine. Sir Richard Moore also said the West could face a reckoning as potential terrorists are radicalised over war in the Middle East. In 37 years in the intelligence profession Ive never seen the world in a more dangerous state. And the impact on Europe, our shared European home, could hardly be more serious, Sir Richard said, adding that if Putin is allowed to succeed in reducing Ukraine to a vassal state he will not stop there. Sir Richard said MI6 cherishes our heritage of covert action, which we keep alive today with British spies working to stop the consequences of Russias invasion of Ukraine. He warned that a victory for Mr Putin in Ukraine would jeapordise both European and transatlantic security, in what appeared a message to president-elect Donald Trump, with the incoming US leader having repeatedly complained about the amount of money and military aid Washington is sending to help Kyiv. We have recently uncovered a staggeringly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage in Europe, even as Putin and his acolytes resort to nuclear sabre-rattling to sow fear about the consequences of aiding Ukraine, he said. The cost of supporting Ukraine is well known but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely higher. If Putin succeeds China would weigh the implications, North Korea would be emboldened and Iran would become still more dangerous, he added. Our security British, French, European and transatlantic will be jeopardised, Sir Richard said during an event with his French counterpart to mark 120 years since the Entente Cordiale, the Anglo-French diplomatic agreement, was first signed. The spymaster said his agency and its French counterpart, run by Nicolas Lerner, were working together to prevent a dangerous escalation by calibrating the risk and informing the decisions of our respective governments in response to President Putins mix of bluster and aggression. Vladimir Putin is waging a staggeringly reckless sabotage campaign, Richard Moore warns ( Sputnik ) Western officials have linked Moscow to several planned attacks in Europe in recent months, including an alleged plot to burn down Ukrainian-owned businesses in London, and to incendiary devices in packages on cargo planes. In July, one caught fire at a courier hub in Germany and another ignited in a warehouse in England. Moscow has denied responsibility for all such incidents. Sir Richards remarks come after Ken McCallum, the head of the UKs domestic intelligence service MI5, warned last month that Russian spies were on a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets including arson, sabotage and more dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness. Describing British intelligence officials as facing a hell of a job, Mr McCallum said both Russia and Iran had turned to employing private intelligence officers and criminals from both the UK and third countries. Speaking on Friday, Mr Lerner, head of Frances foreign spy agency DGSE, said that Britains experience in the wake of recent attacks like the Salisbury novichok poisoning in 2018 was invaluable to French intelligence officers seeking to defuse Russian actions. Britain and France have been among Ukrainian allies most willing to allow Kyiv to use weapons they supply to hit certain targets inside Russia, after US president Joe Biden this month eased its long-held opposition to US-made ATACMS missiles being used to do so. Since then, Russia has bombarded Ukraines energy infrastructure with hundreds of missiles and drones, fired and threatened the West with a new intermediate-range ballistic missile, and altered Russias nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for using such weapons. A power plant in Ukraine severely damaged by a Russian airstrike ( AP ) While Mr Trumps stance on Ukraine has raised concerns among some UK officials, Sir Richard who has been mentioned as a possible choice for the UKs ambassador to Washington said he was confident the transatlantic bond remained strong. For decades the US-UK intelligence alliance has made our societies safer, he said. I worked successfully with the first Trump administration to advance our shared security and look forward to doing so again. Sir Richard also directly addressed defence spending, with Mr Trump having called on Nato nations to spend more during his first term in the White House. We know that we all need to do more, he said. Thats why the British government has committed to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence. However, the MI6 chief said Europe and North America already have many times Russias GDP and defence budget, adding: We should never doubt that our alliance has strength in numbers, both economic and military, and our unity of purpose makes that count. Trump and Putin in Helsinksi in 2018 ( AFP ) Turning his attention to the war in Gaza, Sir Richard said: We have yet to have a full reckoning with the radicalising impact of the fighting and terrible loss of innocent life in the Middle East after the horrors of 7 October. The war in Gaza along with cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon was triggered on 7 October last year, when Hamas launched an attack inside Israel. The militant group killed around 1,200 people and took some 250 hostages into Gaza. In response, Israel launched a devastating air and ground offensive against Hamas, and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep fighting until all of the hostages are freed. Some 100 hostages remain, although about a third of those are believed to be dead. More than 44,000 Palestinians have been killed in the largely devastated Gaza Strip, according to local health officials, while around 90 per cent of the population of around 2.3 million have been forced from their homes. The former head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, warned last month that police and intelligence agencies in Britain should be on their toes as the assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders by Israel could trigger attacks on British soil. Additional reporting by agencies Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Former Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint must pay more than 1.8m in tax after losing a legal battle with HM Revenue and Customs. Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the franchise, was ordered to pay the sum in 2019 after HMRC launched an investigation into his tax return from the 2011-12 tax year. The actor had received a 4.5m sum from a company which managed his business affairs as consideration for rights, records and goodwill from his work, which he claimed was a capital asset and therefore the subject of capital gains tax. But HMRC argued that the fee should have been classed as income, and following the investigation told Mr Grint he needed to pay an additional 1,801,060 in tax. At a hearing in the First-Tier Tribunal, held in London in November and December 2022, lawyers for Grint appealed against HMRCs decision, arguing that the right amount of tax had been paid. But in a ruling, Tribunal Judge Harriet Morgan dismissed the appeal, finding that the sum is taxable as income. She said that the money derived substantially the whole of its value from the activities of Mr Grint, which was otherwise realised as income in the 2011/12 tax year. Grint starred in the first Harry Potter film in 2001 as a teenager and is calculated to have earned around 24m from playing Ron Weasley. He previously lost a separate court battle concerning a 1m tax refund in 2019. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Tui plane with 193 people on board failed to pressurise because crew members did not realise a switch had been left off by maintenance workers, forcing the pilots to abort the flight, an investigation has found. The Boeing 737-8K5 took off from Manchester Airport for Kos, Greece, on 17 October last year, but only got as far as northern Lincolnshire before having to return. The 193 people on board, six crew and 187 passengers, were at risk of oxygen deprivation after a major error was made by both pilots. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch found the pilots had failed to spot that switches that controlled the engine air bleed systems had been left off by maintenance workers. The aircraft failed to pressurise and a cabin altitude warning sign turned on. The warning sign was on for 43 minutes, the report found. The jet returned to Manchester, with no injuries reported, but investigators said that the crew and passengers were exposed to the risk of hypoxia. Hypoxia is low levels of oxygen in the body, which can lead to confusion, difficulty breathing, and eventually people passing out. While the risk of loss of consciousness was small for the altitude the plane was at when the fault was discovered, it would have been higher if the plane continued to climb. The lack of oxygen could have contributed to bad decision-making by the crew, investigators found. According to the report, both pilots had thought that the bleed switch was on before take off, but when the plane passed around 15,000 feet the altitude warning sign came on. The commander said it was quickly noticed that both engine bleeds were off, these were placed straight back on and the problem was resolved. The crew did not don oxygen masks and continued as normal until a fault was noticed with the right air conditioning unit. The commander then stopped the climb and sought advice from bosses on the ground, with the decision being made to return to Manchester Airport. The report found that the crew did not complete prescribed drills from a Quick Reaction Handbook in response to the cabin altitude warning. Neither of the pilots had been originally scheduled to operate the flight, and were both on standby duty starting at 3am that day. The commander was woken up by his phone at 1am with the news that he had been assigned the Manchester to Kos flight. The co-pilot received a call at 2.30am and they were both told to turn up for work at 4.30am. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy MPs have taken a historic step towards legalising assisted dying in England and Wales, by voting in favour of a bill that would support terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of six months or less to end their lives. After five hours of intense and heartfelt debate, in which some members of parliament were brought to tears, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed in the House of Commons with 330 voting in favour and 275 against. The result was a bigger majority than many were predicting, after similar legislation was roundly defeated in 2015. Under the terms of the bill, a terminally ill adult with a life expectancy of six months or less could seek assistance to end their life, provided that two doctors and a High Court judge approve their decision. open image in gallery Kim Leadbeater opens the debate for the second reading ( UK Parliament ) MPs were given a free vote on the issue, meaning they could vote according to their conscience and were not bound to follow a party line. While Sir Keir Starmer backed the bill, his government was split, with both of the cabinet ministers who would ultimately be responsible for implementing the legislation health secretary Wes Streeting and justice secretary Shabana Mahmood voting against. The bill has some way to go before it becomes law, with more than 200 amendments already tabled in the Commons and the House of Lords, meaning it will be subject to intense scrutiny. Added to that, a number of MPs only gave qualified support at the second reading, with the proviso that they would not vote for it without significant amendment at its third reading. Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who put forward the bill, said it would give society a much better approach towards end of life, whereas Tory MP Danny Kruger argued that it would pave the way for a state suicide service. Mr Kruger, who led opposition to the bill, said following the vote that a lot of people are very worried about the lack of safeguards. He said there will be further opportunities to improve the bill, and if thats not possible, to reject it. Campaigners in favour of assisted dying hailed the outcome, saying: Thousands of people will be heartened by this result. But campaigners who had been fighting against it promised: This is not over. open image in gallery MPs gather to hear the result of the vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ( PA Wire ) The bill will now go to the committee stage, where MPs can table amendments, before facing further votes in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Dame Esther Rantzen said she was absolutely thrilled at the result, but that it was unlikely to have an impact on her own life. The broadcaster, who is terminally ill, said minutes after the historic vote: Its going to take probably almost two years for it to change the law, and Id be astonished if the drug Im on manages to extend my life that far. open image in gallery The broadcaster Esther Rantzen, who is terminally ill, has been a strong advocate of changing the law to allow dying adults to take their own lives in limited circumstances ( PA Media ) Trevor Moore, chair of the campaign group My Death, My Decision, said: Thousands of people will be heartened by this result. Every day, 20 people in the UK are suffering unbearable pain at the end of their lives, despite receiving the best possible care. For them, the choices are stark and harrowing: travel to Switzerland, and end their life by suicide, stop eating or drinking, or face an agonising natural death. These people deserve better. They deserve the dignity of choice at the end of their lives, and we are relieved to see MPs acknowledge this. Patricia Donoghue, 70, who is in favour of assisted dying after seeing her husband Kevans painful death in 2015, told The Independent that the result of the vote was amazing news. She added: Im a bit surprised but Im relieved. Im hopeful that it will become law and that people will have a choice. Its not for everybody, but for those who would like to have that choice it is an amazing day. Bryan Grayson, who saw his father-in-law refuse food and water at the age of 102 and wants a change to the law, said the vote was a significant first step. However, Merv Kenward, who has campaigned against assisted dying with his wife Nikki, said he was really disappointed. He added: Weve lost this particular battle, but the war certainly isnt over. His wife became a campaigner against assisted dying after being suddenly paralysed by Guillain-Barre syndrome aged 36. The Church of Englands lead bishop for healthcare, Dame Sarah Mullally, said that safeguarding the vulnerable must now be our priority. Bishop John Sherrington of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales called on Catholics to pray that members of parliament will have the wisdom to reject this bill at a later stage. Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said that today was a very Black Friday for the vulnerable in this country. In a five-hour debate in the Commons, MPs agonised over the pros and cons of such a dramatic change to the law, which former minister Robert Jenrick described as a cliff edge with no return. Veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott has suggested that a better bill on assisted dying could come forward in the future, as she said she could not vote for legislation when she had doubts about the safeguards contained in it. She reminded the House that in 1969, MPs abolished the death penalty because they did not think the state should be responsible for ending peoples lives. Sir David Davis revealed that he would be backing the assisted dying bill at its second reading, but urged the government to give MPs more time to debate it in future. Sir David said he had changed his mind on assisted dying, describing himself as a believer in the sanctity of life but also in freedom from torture and misery, and confirmed he would support its continuation through parliament. In a direct message to Labour ministers, he said: This bill is more important than most of the bills in your manifesto. Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has warned that NHS trusts in areas with the weakest palliative care provision will have the highest uptake if the bill becomes law. The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale warned of the potential for self-coercion and said: My opposition to this bill is grounded in compassion. open image in gallery Campaigners react on hearing the result ( Getty ) A Labour MP who has lived with a disability all her life said she would support the assisted dying bill, but described the decision as one of the hardest that I have had to make. Marie Tidball, the MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, told the Commons: In my career in disability law and policy, I chose not to focus on debates about whether disabled people should be born, or whether we should die. Instead I focused on enabling disabled people to live better, more fulfilling lives. Today I find myself voting in a way that I thought I never would: I will be voting in favour of moving the bill to the next stage of the legislative process. But Conservative former minister Sir John Hayes warned: This bill changes the relationship between clinicians and patients for ever. It says to the NHS, your job is not only to protect and preserve life, it is sometimes to take life. While some, including Mr Streeting and former prime minister Gordon Brown, have argued that palliative care should be improved before assisted dying is legalised, Dr Simon Opher, a GP and the Labour MP for Stroud, suggested assisted dying is a tool in palliative care. BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. New buildings will be opened at Karabakh University, Azerbaijani Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev told journalists, Trend reports. The Minister announced that work on renovating the building of the educational and medical research center will begin in the near future. "Preliminary work on the construction of two new buildings has already been completed. The buildings of the School of Economics and Business and the Faculty of Social Sciences will be ready in the near future," the minister noted. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Employers who flout visa rules could face lengthy bars from hiring foreign workers, as part of a crackdown on abuse and exploitation. Ministers plan to double the length of time companies can be sanctioned to two years for serious employment breaches like not paying the minimum wage, or for repeatedly disobeying visa rules. Measures introduced through the governments Employment Rights Bill which is currently making its way through parliament would also take action against employers who are showing signs of rule-breaking. Enforceable action plans binding businesses who commit visa breaches into improvements will be strengthened, and the period they apply for will be lengthened from three months to a year. While these plans are in place, employers will be restricted from hiring overseas workers. Migration minister Seema Malhotra said the government was committed to ensure those who abuse our immigration system face the strongest possible consequences. She added: No longer will employers be able to flout the rules with little consequence or exploit international workers for costs they were always supposed to pay if they choose not to recruit domestically. Worker exploitation is completely unacceptable. Shamefully, these practices have been seen particularly in our care sector, where workers coming to the UK to support our health and social care service have all too often found themselves plunged into unjustifiable insecurity and debt. This can, and must, end. open image in gallery The Home Office in Westminster ( PA ) New powers will also make sure that employers pay the costs of visa sponsorship, instead of passing this onto their workers. The Home Office says overseas workers who have joined the UK care sector have been particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Some 450 sponsor licences in the sector have been revoked since July 2022, and work is taking place to help care workers into alternative jobs when their sponsor has lost their licence. Health minister Stephen Kinnock said: Migrant workers are a valuable part of our social care workforce, supporting vulnerable people across the country every day. Many have travelled to the UK with the promise of a rewarding and fulfilling career. However, there has been an unacceptable rise in the exploitation and abuse of overseas social care workers from rogue operators. Cracking down on these unethical employers will protect migrant workers from unacceptable and shameful exploitation. open image in gallery Stephen Kinnock ( PA Media ) The rule changes will apply to skilled worker visas first, including for care workers, and would be extended to other sponsored routes in future. Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of the Work Rights Centre, welcomed the governments plans, but said what was being done was the bare minimum. Dr Vicol added: Waiting until employers have committed serious breaches of the law before taking action was indeed the tactic of the last government, but if this government is serious about addressing migrant workers exploitation, itll have to go beyond simply sticking plasters on a broken work migration system that enables exploitation by design. Urgent and extensive reform of the sponsorship system is the only way to properly protect migrant workers from exploitation. Days before they were elected, Labour committed to investigating the appalling treatment of migrant care workers. They must deliver on this promise, which will inevitably point the finger at sponsorship. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy MPs have voted to pass the Terminally Ill Adults (End Of Life) Bill, allowing the assisted dying legislation to pass through to the next stages of scrutiny and amendment. The bill was passed by a majority of 55 votes. The vote followed five hours of debate this morning (November 29), with 175 MPs requesting to speak on the matter. The bill was open to a free vote, meaning that the party whips did not dictate whether to support or oppose the bill. Individual MPs were free to vote based on their own values and opinions of their constituents, regardless of whether they are Labour, Tory, or otherwise. Use the search bar to find how your MP voted on the bill. Among the MPs who voted in favour of the bill were prime minister Keir Starmer, and his predecessor Rishi Sunak. Meanwhile Lib Dem leader Ed Davey, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Mother of the House Diane Abbott were among those who voted against it. The private members bill, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, was the first time MPs have been able to vote on assisted dying since 2015 when it was struck down 330 to 118. At this mornings debate, Ms Leadbeater insisted that this was the beginning not the end of the conversation around assisted dying. At least 10 MPs who voted against assisted dying in 2015 supported the current bill, including Peter Dowd and Toby Perkins. Some 45 MPs did not record a vote on todays bill. More Labour MPs supported their colleagues bill (234) than voted against it (147). Though Labour leader Sir Starmer remained silent on his position before the debate, he voted in favour of the bill today. Conservative MPs voted overwhelmingly against the bill, at 92 against and 23 for assisted dying. Those supporting the bill included former medical practitioner Neil Shastri-Hurst, and shadow cabinet ministers Mel Stride and Alicia Kearns. Jeremy Hunt, who had a six-year stint as health secretary, quietly voted in favour of assisted dying after changing his view on the issue. To be eligible for assisted dying under the proposed bill, a person has to be over 18 years old, have proven mental capacity, no more than six months left to live, and the consent of two medical professionals. The assisted dying bill has sparked significant debate since it was introduced in mid-October, with strong advocates for and against the legislation. The majority of Liberal Democrats voted to support the bill, with 61 votes in favour. Leader Ed Davey was among the 12 who voted against the legislation, saying that his experience with his dying mother inspired a focus on palliative care rather than assisted dying. Even in smaller parties like Reform, the decision was highly individual, with three votes for and two against. While leader Nigel Farage voted assisted dying, saying it gives him the shivers, deputy leader Richard Tice was strongly in favour, along with Rupert Lowe following a mock referendum of constituents. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy At least 36 MPs who voted in favour of assisted dying have indicated that they could change their minds at a later stage, new analysis suggests. An analysis of statements made by MPs about Fridays vote shows that a significant number of parliamentarians suggested that their ongoing support would be conditional on how the bill stands up to scrutiny. The bill, which allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with a life expectancy of six months or less to seek assistance to end their lives, passed in the Commons by 55 votes. 330 MPs voted in favour of the legislation, with 275 against. 18 Labour MPs and three Conservative MPs did not vote on Friday, meaning their votes are also to play for in the next stage. Under the proposed plans, a terminally ill adult would have to get approval from two doctors and a High Court judge before they would be helped to end their life. With the bill now entering committee stage, MPs will get a chance to scrutinise the plans and propose any amendments. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the bill, has said that there is absolutely still a lot of work to do on the bill and that slight changes are part of the process. Some MPs warned in Fridays debate that their support was conditional on additional safeguards being put in place or parts of the bill being changed. The House of Commons was packed for the vote on assisted dying ( PA Wire ) Sir David Davis, who backed the bill, said he was concerned that a clause within it seemed to say that doctors could suggest an assisted death as a treatment option for their patients. Armed forces minister Luke Pollard voted for the bill but wrote to Ms Leadbeater calling for further safeguards to be added. Labour MP for Wrexham Andrew Ranger said that letting the bill pass through to the report and committee stages would allow for amendments and areas of possible concern to be addressed. He said that when the bill comes back to the Commons for its third reading, likely in Spring next year, he would then arrive at a final decision. Lib Dem MP for Chelmsford Marie Goldman said that her vote in favour on Friday was by no means a guarantee of my vote for the bill at third reading. Fellow Lib Dem Andrew George MP said he was in principle broadly in favour of assisted dying, but that he had not reached a final decision. In a letter to constituents, he wrote that he would carry out a study especially in respect of the robustness of the law and the clinical judgements required to underpin its operation. He added that, while he was not convinced that the law would put pressure on vulnerable people, he would keep an open mind. On Saturday, the Association for Palliative Medicine said that there is a risk the funding needed to pay for doctors and the courts to oversee assisted dying could divert money away from care for the dying. Labour MP Diane Abbott told the BBC that she was very worried that vulnerable people will get swept up in the assisted dying route, when actually what they really need is access to hospice care and proper end-of-life care. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy British families who help terminally ill loved ones to go to Switzerland to die may now be free from the threat of police action, according to Dame Esther Rantzen. The vote by MPs in favour of assisted dying is likely to make it impossible for police to carry out the existing legal ban on assisted suicides, said the TV broadcaster, who has stage four cancer. Assisted dying campaigner Dame Esther, who hailed the extraordinary Commons decision, says she may now decide to take her family with her to Switzerland if her condition deteriorates - and defy the law. She told BBC Radio Four: Since there has been this vote I am wondering whether it means I can say to my family come with me to Switzerland, say goodbye to me there. Because when they come home again Im not sure they would be investigated for assisting my suicide. The proposed new law would probably not take effect in Britain soon enough to allow her to have an assisted death in the UK itself, said Ms Rantzen. open image in gallery Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who put forward the bill, reacts during a demonstration in support of assisted dying outside parliament ( Reuters ) However, it could mean she could: say to my nearest and dearest: come with me (to Dignitas in Switzerland) and we will buy a cuckoo clock and a box of chocolates and we will enjoy my assisted death. Her comments suggest that although any law allowing assisted dying in Britain is not expected for at least two years, she believes that in practice it could remove the threat of legal action against Britons who go to Dignitas for an assisted death. In other words, from now on police and courts could be powerless to enforce the law because MPs had already voted to scrap it. Under the 1961 Suicide Act it is an offence to take part in an act capable of encouraging or assisting suicide, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. Between 2009 and 2024 a total of 187 such cases have been investigated by police. There have been four successful prosecutions and six cases are ongoing. Although the statistics suggest few families are punished for helping terminally ill loved ones who go to Dignitas in Switzerland to die, campaigners say many others are reluctant to do so when they know they are breaking the law. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ministers have been accused of "burying their heads in the sand" about the potential benefits of a youth mobility scheme with the EU. Despite repeatedly citing economic growth as a number one priority, the Treasury and Home Office have refused to conduct an assessment of how a deal for young people to live and work across the bloc could boost the economy. Despite repeated requests, Sir Keir Starmers cabinet have refused to look into the potential economic benefits of a deal with Brussels, or with the countries Britain has already signed agreements with. Liberal Democrat EU spokesman James MacCleary said: Its astonishing that ministers are burying their heads in the sand over the potential benefits of a youth mobility scheme with the EU. Such a scheme would not only deliver economic benefits but also help businesses address labour shortages in key sectors such as hospitality. open image in gallery Keir Starmer has been urged to strike a youth mobility scheme with the EU ( AP ) Young people contribute significantly to the economy while living and working here, and for a government that claims to prioritise growth, refusing even to assess this opportunity is deeply disappointing. Asked to conduct an impact assessment of the UKs existing youth mobility schemes, which include ones with Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Home Office minister Seema Malhotra declined. She said the schemes are not designed, nor intended, to be a route for economic growth or to address any specific labour shortages. It comes after the EUs former chief negotiator piled pressure on Sir Keir to strike a deal with Brussels that would allow young people to live and work in Europe as part of his much-hyped post-Brexit reset. In a policy brief setting out the potential future EU-UK relationship, Ignacio Garcia Bercero called on the prime minister to strike an agreement on youth mobility and cultural facilitation as part of a series of deals with Brussels to complement the existing trade and cooperation agreement (TCA), which currently governs trade with the bloc. open image in gallery Ignacio Garcia Bercero called on the prime minister to strike an agreement on youth mobility ( EPA ) Sir Keir has so far ruled out agreeing to such a scheme, which would let under-30s live, study and work across the bloc for a period, despite it being one of the EUs top priorities in renewed talks. When Britain was part of the EU, freedom of movement allowed people to live and work freely across the bloc. The deal on offer from Brussels would let British people live and work in Europe, with Europeans welcome to do the same in Britain, for two or three years. Emma Knaggs, Deputy CEO, European Movement UK, said: "The potential benefits of a Youth Mobility deal are huge. There is no price you can put on the opportunity for young people to experience cultural, educational and social exchanges by living and studying in other countries. That does not mean there arent also measurable economic benefits for the UK to be found in such a scheme, and its right that the Government should assess the potential economic boost that reaching an agreement with the EU could bring. The UK has youth mobility schemes with 13 other countries - including Australia and Japan - so it makes sense to have one with our nearest neighbours and closest partners. And it makes sense to analyse the boost that could bring to our struggling economy. Dismissing the idea of reciprocal youth mobility simply means letting down British young people who face all sorts of difficulties and have seen their horizons curtailed by Brexit. Young people want and deserve the chance to study or work in Europe. The government owes it to them to make sure they get that chance." A government spokesman said: There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme and we will not return to freedom of movement. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Metropolitan Police has apologised for sending an email that named alleged victims of the Westminster honeytrap scandal to each other. The force said it had referred itself to the Information Commissioners Office after an email relating to the ongoing investigation was sent in error on Friday. Reports have said alleged victims email addresses were viewable to each other in the message, instead of being hidden. The Metropolitan Police said officers would personally apologise to those affected. In a statement, a Met spokesperson said: An email relating to an ongoing investigation was sent in error today. open image in gallery William Wragg has admitted his involvement in a honeytrap scheme targeting Westminster politicians ( PA ) We recognise the impact on those involved and apologise sincerely for any distress. A referral to the Information Commissioners Office has been made and we await advice on next steps. Officers will be reaching out to those impacted to personally apologise and provide reassurance. The Met is investigating flirtatious messages being sent by someone calling themselves Charlie or Abi to as many as 20 people including MPs, staffers and political journalists. Earlier this year, at least 12 men in political circles received the unsolicited WhatsApp messages, Scotland Yard previously said. In some instances, explicit images were exchanged. Former Conservative MP William Wragg resigned the party whip after he admitted giving politicians phone numbers to a suspected scammer. An ICO spokesperson said: People have the right to expect that organisations will handle their personal information securely and responsibly. If an individual has concerns about how their data has been handled, they should raise it with the organisation, then report them to us if they are not satisfied with the response. The Metropolitan Police have made us aware of an incident and we will assess the information provided. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Princess of Wales has invited child survivors of the Southport stabbing to her annual Christmas carol concert. Kate, who is recovering from cancer, has invited child survivors of the attack to her festive event at Westminster Abbey on December 6, Kensington Palace has confirmed. It comes after the princess made a surprise visit with her husband William to meet the bereaved families of the victims in Southport last month. The royal couple met privately with the families of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, who were fatally stabbed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 in Southport, as well as the childrens dance teacher. At the Southport Community Centre they met emergency responders involved in the attack and heard about their experiences. The princess has set her sights on being able to stage the Together At Christmas service in 2024 despite the health challenges she has faced in what the Prince of Wales described as a brutal year. It forms part of her gradual return to public duties after finishing chemotherapy treatment in the summer. The Palace said Kate, who honoured the war dead at Remembrance events earlier this month, wanted the theme of this years carol service to celebrate those supporting others in need, with a focus on the importance of love and empathy. The service will shine a light on individuals from all over the UK who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards others in their communities. The Palace added: This year, Her Royal Highness wanted to celebrate the many people supporting those in need individuals who have inspired, counselled, comforted, and above all else shown that love is the greatest gift we can receive. This theme takes inspiration from the Christmas story which encourages us to consider the experiences of others and the important human need of giving and receiving empathy. It will be the fourth time Kate has staged her Together At Christmas carol service, which is supported by The Royal Foundation. The event will be filmed as part of a special programme on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve. Members of the royal family will gather with the princess as around 1,600 people fill the abbey in London for musical performances by stars including Paloma Faith, Olivia Dean and Gregory Porter. Among the invited guests will be people who have given support, either on a personal level with friends and family, or through their work or volunteering. They have been nominated by charities associated with the royal family, and by Lord Lieutenants, the Kings representatives in counties across the UK. Last year Kate and Williams children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attended, along with Kates Middleton family. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A court in Beijing on Friday sentenced a prominent Chinese journalist to seven in years in prison for espionage, his family said. Dong Yuyu, a commentator and editor, was taken away by police while meeting a Japanese diplomat at a restaurant in February 2022. He has been in police custody since then. The Beijing Number 2 Intermediate People's Court read the verdict but did not share a copy with Dong's lawyers or family. No announcement was available on the court's website or its Weibo account. The verdict named then-Japanese ambassador Hideo Tarumi and Shanghai-based chief diplomat Masaru Okada as agents belonging to an espionage organization, according the family's statement. Dong had served as the deputy head of the editorial department at Guangming Daily, one of the five major state-owned papers in China. The paper was once considered more liberal than other state-backed papers. Dong also contributed to the Chinese edition of the New York Times. In his published writings, including essays as well as opinion articles, Dong had voiced his support for constitutional democracy and political reform, which later were considered to be against the stance of the Communist Party. He had contacts with foreign diplomats, scholars and other journalists as part of his decades-long career and counted Tarumi, the ambassador, as a friend. Still, his family said he knew he was always watched by state security, and therefore sought to be as open as possible while meeting his Japanese or American contacts. With Yuyus conviction, every Chinese citizen, when dealing with the Japanese embassy or perhaps any other foreign embassy and diplomat will be expected to know that the Chinese government may consider those embassies to be espionage organizations, said the family in a statement. Every sensible Chinese citizen should be appalled by this reasoning. The U.S. Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, condemned Dong's conviction. Punishing Dong for exercising his freedom of speech and the press, guaranteed by the PRCs constitution for all its citizens, is unjust. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Bill Maher and Stephen A. Smith have revealed why Donald Trump increased his support with Black voters this presidential election cycle. In a wide-ranging conversation for Mahers podcast, Club Random Podcast, the two media personalities dissected how the president-elects language impacts voters of color. You know what I think Black people think about Trump? Is he a racist? Yeah, but they think every white person is kind of a racist. Do they think white people, behind closed doors, talk like Trump? Maher, the host of Real Time on HBO, said. open image in gallery Bill Maher has expressed frustration with how Democrats targeted voters this past election cycle ( Club Random Podcasts / YouTube ) That right there! Smith said. That second part is very, very important. Smith, a frequent guest on ESPN, said he doesnt assume white people are racist but there is an automatic understanding that they have a different lived experience. When you talk about how Trump talks were going like this: So thats the first time he talked like that? When he became president? Smith said. We know better than that. We know better than that. We know that aint the first time and we know that the people he was friends for all these years, he talked just like that around yall and yall didnt have no problem with it. Dont act like you have a problem with it now. open image in gallery Stephen A. Smith explained that attacks on Trumps rhetoric during the election felt like a political tactic rather than genuine concern ( Club Random Podcast / YouTube ) This election cycle, Trump made ground with Black voters nationally especially Black men. Roughly 3 in 10 Black men, under the age of 45, voted for Trump. That is nearly double the number from the 2020 election, according to The Associated Press. He also increased support among Hispanic voters. Though Trump is often accused of using racist, derogatory or offensive language when speaking about people or groups of people, for many voters those issues took a backseat compared to the economy, immigration and housing. Maher, and others, have accused Democrats of failing to understand the needs of most voters and focusing too much on demographics. I dont think his motivation is I dont like Black people I think his motivation is everybody must love me, Maher said. Smith agreed with Maher and said he too is frustrated that Democrats are not appealing to voters. The Democrats have gotten on my last damn nerve. It wasnt for Trump I would have voted Republican because Im so sick of how they are, Smith said. Its always about the other side and engaging in demagoguery for you to get my vote as opposed to really articulating what youre bringing to the table to offer me. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Costco is closing the book on year-round sales of physical novels. The bulk retailer is looking to end constant book sales at 500 of its 600 stores across the U.S., according to reports. Starting in January, Costco will remove the book section from most of the stores. Book sales will only return during the holiday season and other select times of the year. Costco officials said they are making the shift because stocking books on tables is labor-intensive and has to be done by hand - unlike other merchandise that can be stocked with forklifts, according to the New York Times. Consumers have also turned to buying books on Amazon and not at big-box retailers. The popular store says that if book sales do well at the stores where they remain, they could return to stores. But if they continue to lag, more book sections could get the ax. Costco is looking to end year-round book sales at most of its stores next month ( REUTERS ) Executives with the retailer are also watching how book sales fare at competitors, including the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour book that is being sold exclusively at Target, according to Publishers Weekly. Costco continues to make changes as it navigates the consumer market. Earlier this year, the company announced that membership ID cards would have to be scanned for entry. The retailer also increased membership fees, with most raising by about $5. A gold star account went from $60 to $65 in September. Despite the changes, Costcos popular hot dogs havent had their prices change. They continue to cost $1.50, the same as in the 1980s when the stores first opened. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Photo: Press service of the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, November 30. The company ACWA Power will build energy storage systems with a capacity of 2000 MWh in Uzbekistan, Trend reports. The contract signing ceremony between the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan and the Saudi company ACWA Power took place during the COP29 conference in Baku. The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan, Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, and the Chairman of the Board of the state-owned company UzEnergoSotish, Jahongir Obidjonov. The value of the signed project is estimated at $1.1 billion, and more than 1,000 jobs will be created during the construction phase. As part of the project, studies of the energy system across the entire country will be conducted, and based on the results, regions will be selected where energy storage systems will be gradually implemented. ACWA Power is a developer, investor, co-owner, and operator of a portfolio of power generation and desalinated water production plants with a presence in 13 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and central and southeast Asia. ACWA Power's portfolio of projects in operation and development has an investment value of $85.7 billion. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A man has been charged with his wifes murder seven years after hunters found the missing womans body in a shallow grave in the Virginia woods. Russell Wayne Layne, 67, was arrested on November 27 in connection to the 2017 murder of his wife Emma Compton Layne, the Halifax County Sheriffs Office announced. Emma Layne was last seen on June 17, 2017, at the Cody Convenience Store she ran in Nathalie, Virginia, according to Halifax County deputies. When her family didnt hear from her the next day, they knew something was wrong and called the police. Her family reported her missing after they found her credit card, clothes, car keys, cell phone and dog left behind at her home. open image in gallery Emma Compton Laynes sister Shawna Compton Krohn wrote on Facebook that she has been waiting for this moment to hear news of an arrest ( Supplied ) A search was launched, but nothing was found until five months later. In November 2017, hunters stumbled across Laynes remains in a very shallow grave in the woods, Maj. Tommy Spencer told WSLS. Her cause of death is unclear, but authorities have stated that she was violently murdered. Over the years, her family has never given up hope for justice. open image in gallery Emma Compton Layne was last seen on June 17, 2017. Her remains were found five months later ( Justice for Emma Compton Layne Facebook page ) One of Laynes sisters, Wynona Childress, told WSLS that the news of Russell Laynes arrest feels like a full-circle moment. Emmas remains were found on the 22nd of November. But in 2017, the 22nd of November was the day before Thanksgiving, she pointed out. And then we get this call today, the day before Thanksgiving. And its a blessing. I feel like I finally have something to be thankful for after seven years and five months. Her other sister Shawna Compton Krohn wrote on Facebook this week following the news. Ive waited for this day for sooooo long, her sister Shawna Compton Krohn wrote, adding that it took some convincing that the arrest was real. open image in gallery Russell Wayne Layne is being held at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority without bond ( Halifax County Sheriffs Office ) After talking to Investigator Burton and Sheriff Clark, I dont think it really sunk in, I started thinking after we hung up that this is a dream and Im gonna wake up...But it is REAL..My Baby Gurl is on her way to getting her Justice. Its not clear what helped crack the case, but the HCSO wrote in the Facebook post that Laynes case has been a top priority since 2017 and that they remain committed to seeking justice for Emma and her family. We hope that this arrest will bring some measure of closure to Emma Laynes family and loved ones, they wrote. Russell Layne is being held at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority without bond while he awaits arraignment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A teen mom has been charged with murder in the death of her newborn baby after she sliced the infants neck and was caught digging a hole in the backyard of her Georgia home with the intention of burying the body, police said. Leticia Rodriguez, 17, now faces charges of felony murder and felony aggravated assault with a weapon, in addition to earlier felony charges of concealing a death, abuse of a dead body and abandonment of a dead body, according to the Marietta Police Department. Officers responded to the teens home in Marietta on Sunday and found Rodriguez digging a hole in the backyard and the baby boy dead. We did see the mother of the deceased infant digging a hole in the backyard in an attempt to create that situation, Marietta Police Public Information Officer Chuck McPhilamy said at a Monday press conference. The infant was never actually buried, he clarified. Leticia Rodriguez, 17, is accused of trying to kill her newborn baby boy and then trying to bury him in the yard ( Cobb County Sheriffs Office ) McPhilamy said Rodriguez had given birth in her home earlier in the day and had no one to help her. About six hours later, the new moms uncle found her digging a hole and called the police. Rodriguez, who was in bad shape and required immediate medical attention due to the trauma of childbirth, was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital for treatment, McPhilamy said. A new probable cause affidavit obtained by WAGA revealed graphic details about the tragic incident. The teen mom had admitted to police that she used a sharp knife to cut the umbilical cord from her babys neck after birth, causing a large laceration on the child. She then used a pocket knife to cut out the deceased infants heart, police said. Rodriguez is then accused of wrapping the newborn in a blanket and then stuffing it inside a grocery bag to conceal his death for about six hours. The family has been cooperative with us through this entire investigation, and certainly, our hearts go out to them, McPhilamy said. We cant imagine the trauma that they are going through. Neighbors told local news outlets that the family is from Guatemala and had moved in about two years ago, but that they had never noticed a teenage girl. One of the neighbors, Theresa Neill, said she was shocked by what unfolded just across the street from her home. Ive been here 30 years and nothing like that happened in this neighborhood as far as I know, Neill told Atlanta First News. Its just sad that something like that has shown up and you know my heart goes out to anyone who loses children. After Rodriguez was discharged from the hospital, she was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center and is being held without bond. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Houston man has been charged with capital murder in connection to the fatal stabbings of a woman and her two-year-old daughter. Police found Kendrick Rayvon Fisher, 29, asleep on the couch when they responded to the west Houston apartment early Friday morning. The bodies of the slain 28-year-old woman and the toddler were also found in the home. They have not yet been publicly identified as authorities work to notify their family. Officers were flagged down shortly after 3 a.m. by a concerned citizen who claimed the victims were being held hostage inside the apartment, according to the Houston Police Department. Kendrick Rayvon Fisher has been charged with capital murder after a mom and toddler were found stabbed to death ( Houston Police Department ) The mother and child, who had been stabbed multiple times, were pronounced dead at the scene by Houston Fire Department paramedics. Fisher had injuries consistent with a flight and had blood on his clothing, police said. He was taken into custody and charged with capital murder by the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Its unclear what the suspects relationship was to the victims or what led to the alleged fight. The suspects mother, Joanna Fisher, said he had recently been released from jail and that she warned police about her son after he threatened to kill the whole family. I want to let yall know how the police failed us, she told Fox26. Fisher is currently in the Harris County Jail. His bond is set to $200,000. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The life of every member of the Ramsey clan changed forever when 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found viciously killed in the basement the day after Christmas in 1996. But the life of an investigator and subsequently the rest of his family was about to change, too; Lou Smit just didnt know it yet as he drove to Boulder from Colorado Springs in the months immediately after the murder. The retired veteran detective had been called in by Boulders district attorney to advise as local police grappled with media chaos and infighting while attempting to investigate a sensational murder an almost unheard-of crime in the well-heeled, leafy community. Smit, however, already had more than 200 murder cases under his belt. Hed also helped score high-profile convictions, including after the investigation into the 1975 killing of Karen Grammer, sister of Frasier actor Kelsey, and the murder of a woman whose killer later confessed to taking 47 other lives. Smit a married father of four and grandfather known for his habit of perennially carrying a toothpick in his mouth threw himself into the investigation. He applied the same dedication that had earned him near legendary status among his colleagues, even agreeing to take on the case despite difficult family circumstances. open image in gallery Lou Smit, a detective who worked in Colorado Springs law enforcement for decades, came out of retirement at the request of Boulder authorities after the 1996 murder of JonBenet Ramsey ( Cindy Marra ) A week or two after he started, he moved to Boulder, Smits daughter, Cindy Marra, tells The Independent, detailing how a local couple let him use a spare room as his base during the week. We had to all get together as a family, because my mom had been dealing with cancer, and so we had to have some kind of a plan to take care of her. Despite her illness, Smits wife, Barbara, also lent a hand. We have his journal; he dictated into a recorder every day, and my mom would then transcribe it, Cindy says. And within the first couple of days, in that journal, he already said: Something is not right. Something is not right. Here I see evidence of an intruder. Cindy caught up with her dad by phone when he finally could come up for some air as he pored over the case. I remember just saying to him: So, who did it? The mom or the dad? Because thats what we had been fed by the media, she tells The Independent. He goes, Well, I dont think it was either. I dont think it is a family member. I think an intruder broke into that home and killed her. So that was really surprising to me. Smit, who at the time had grandchildren of similar ages to JonBenet, became convinced that the perpetrator entered the home through a basement window. He proved it was possible by climbing into and out of the window himself. Smit believed the killer used a stun gun on JonBenet, pointing to marks on her body as evidence. open image in gallery Smit, posing with his four children, was devoted to finding JonBenets killer and asked his family and friends to continue the investigation after his 2010 death ( Cindy Marra ) In accordance with the investigative transfer theory that a killer brings or leaves something to a crime scene he posited that JonBenets attacker brought with him duct tape, cordage and a stun gun as part of a kidnap kit, then left with the evidence. Smit also pointed to DNA collected from under the childs fingernails and on her underwear that was ruled by a lab report from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to be foreign and male, excluding JonBenets parents and nine-year-old brother, who were home at the time. All of this put him at odds with Boulder police, who seemed dead-set on their theory that someone within the Ramsey family was responsible. (Within four years of JonBenets murder, one former Boulder detective went on national television to claim she feared for her life when she looked into John Ramseys eyes after he discovered his daughters body in the basement; another detective wrote a book placing blame squarely on Patsy, hypothesizing she killed her daughter in anger over a bedwetting incident.) Eighteen months after he joined the JonBenet investigation, Smit resigned, writing in his September 1998 letter that the Ramseys did not do it. There is substantial, credible evidence of an intruder and a lack of evidence that the parents are involved, he wrote. Smits friends and family note the toll the case took on him as he hit repeated obstacles with Boulder authorities. He had to fight to present evidence to a grand jury looking into JonBenets murder. Years after Smits 2010 death, it emerged that the grand jury had voted to indict the parents on child abuse charges, but its important to note that grand juries only hear arguments and evidence hand-picked by prosecutors. There is no defense. It was just hard for him to think that people were just proactively trying to thwart his investigation or his observations, Cindy says. It always made us angry, because we knew he didnt deserve it. We knew these people just were on their own page. open image in gallery Smits friend and former law enforcement colleague, John Wesley Anderson, published a book last year about the detectives quest to get justice for JonBenet; he is among the group working to continue Smits effort to solve the case ( WildBlue Press ) Calling him a delusional old man or anything like that was just so off. It just was so wrong. Smit had dedicated his life to family, faith and the force, applying in 1966 to the department where his cousin, Bill, already served as a police officer. The problem was the 5-foot, 9-inch minimum height requirement Lou was only five feet 8 inches, writes John Wesley Anderson, a fellow Colorado Springs detective who asked Smit to be his best man at his 1997 wedding, in Lou and JonBenet: A Legendary Lawmans Quest to Solve a Child Beauty Queens Murder. Lou really wanted to be a police officer and told Bill to whack him over the head with his nightstick. Later, at his medical exam, Lou measured exactly 5-feet 9- inches tall, including the bump on his head. Within a decade of joining the department, Smit proudly brought his children to the trial of Freddie Glenn, who was convicted in 1976 of the murder of Karen Grammer and two other victims. Glenn later confessed to dozens more. We didnt know who Kelsey Grammer was at all, but I just remember going to that trial and being just so impressed, Cindy says, who calls her father my hero. Filmmaker Joe Berlinger, whose three-part documentary Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet premieres on Netflix Monday and lays out much of Smits work, uses the same word to describe the detective. open image in gallery Smits wife, Barbara, was suffering from cancer at the time he agreed to help with the JonBenet investigation; Barb assisted in the effort, too, transcribing notes he dictated into a recorder ( Cindy Marra ) Smit was a total hero a really smart cop who became personally attached to this case who was horribly mistreated by the Boulder police, Berlinger tells The Independent, adding that he believed the then-Boulder DA did the smart thing: hired a well-regarded investigator, somebody who had tremendous respect. And the Boulder police were okay with it, until he came up with the wrong conclusion for them, and then they smeared him and said hes like a delusional old man looking for fame and fortune, Berlinger continues. The opposite was true. I wish Id had the pleasure to meet him in person he struck me as somebody who was deeply dedicated to his craft and deeply dedicated to the truth. Smit is described in the documentary by law enforcement friends in similar terms; one compares him to a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. He continued to work the case on his own and with the Ramseys; as he was dying of colon cancer, he enlisted help. He was trying to get the evidence in front of more and more people, but he just ran out of time, his friend Anderson tells The Independent. Anderson is among a group of family and friends carrying on Smits mission in his memory after the detectives death 14 years ago at the age of 75. Weeks before Smit entered hospice, while he was still in the hospital, Cindy recalls her father reiterating his hope that the investigation go on after his death. open image in gallery A new Netflix documentary puts forth much of the investigative work done by Smit, who was known for perennially carrying a toothpick in his mouth ( Cindy Marra ) My husband and I were in the room at that time, and he again, just said, Just make sure that somebody continues to follow up on this. And he said, Get a pen, get a pencil and paper and write this down, she says. And he gave me a name, and he goes, Start there. That was his number one person of interest at the time, Cindy says; following her fathers death, she convened a dedicated group that did exactly what her father asked, and theyve been working their way through his list of likely culprits ever since going to so far as to obtain DNA from individuals across the country. They have a GoFundMe to help defray the costs; in the days before the release of the Netflix documentary, donations totalled nearly $64,000. It speaks to the impact that my dad had on not only his children and grandchildren, but on the people that he worked with, because we have just been on a mission to fulfill his dying wish and I think that, if he wasnt who he was to all of us, we would have given up a long time ago, Cindy says. Anderson, who says he served as an advisor for the new Netflix documentary, considers whether Smit would find the continuing efforts to solve JonBenets murder bittersweet . Having known Lou most of my life, Im sure he would be from a professional perspective very thankful that theres so much attention to the investigation, to the facts of the case and keeping the case alive, he says. He had a wonderful quote, and he would often say, on cold cases that we had or cases that were waiting to be solved, he said: If nothing else, you have to stir the pot. To me, what that always meant was, if nothing else, lets go re-interview some witnesses, lets do something we havent done, lets keep that pot from growing cold on the stove. And I think, with this Netflix documentary, its really a big spoon to stir that pot. I think its going to have kind of a ripple effect where other people will say, I thought that was solved, or Ive been waiting to share this information or I thought it was the mother, but now its not so were hoping that more significant leads will come out. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A man is in custody for allegedly killing his 80-year-old roommate after an argument over the Thanksgiving food at their Massachusetts home. Richard Lombardi, 65, has been charged with manslaughter and assault and battery on an elderly person following the death of Frank Griswold, according to the Plymouth District Attorneys Office. It happened on Wednesday afternoon at their home on Main Street in Marshfield. Lombardi told police that Griswold often sneezes so he warned the man not to go near the food because he did not want him to sneeze or contaminate the food, according to prosecutors. The suspect left the kitchen but later returned to find Griswold near the food, so he grabbed him by the collar and shoved him aside. Lombardi surmised that Frank Griswolds feet got tangled up, and he fell and hit his head on the floor, prosecutor Joseph Presley said in court. open image in gallery Richard Lombardi, 65, was charged with assault and battery and involuntary manslaughter in connection to the death of his roommate ( CBS Boston ) He did see the victim, Mr. Griswold, near that food doing dishes, said that he went over and grabbed Mr. Griswold from behind, grabbed his back and threw Mr. Griswold to the right and tossed him to the side, prosecutor Joseph Presley said in court. He was seen laying face-up on the floor in the kitchen in a pool of blood. When Lombardi saw that his roommate was unconscious and bleeding from the head, he called 911, according to court documents obtained by WCVB. Griswold died of blunt force trauma to the neck and head, the prosecutor said. Lombardis attorney, Marshall Johnson, told the court that Lombardi was devastated to learn that his friend had died. The pair were friends for about 30 years and roommates for more than 20 years, he said. It sounds like an accident based on what the evidence was that was revealed in court, Johnson said. He was shocked because nobody had told him that his friend had passed away until I told him this morning. Lombardi was charged with assault and battery on a person 60 and over, causing serious injury, and involuntary manslaughter, according to the Plymouth District Attorneys Office. He pleaded not guilty in Plymouth District Court and is being held without bail. He is expected to be back in court on December 4. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A South Carolina mayor died in a car crash during a deputy pursuit days after his entire police force quit. Darlington County Coroner J Todd Hardee confirmed the news in a Facebook post on Tuesday. McColl Mayor George Garner II, 49, died when a car he was traveling in collided with a truck. The crash happened around 2.40 pm on Hwy 34 in Mechanicsville. Garner was being pursued by a Marlboro County Deputy at the time. He veered left of the center line and collided with an 18-wheeler on November 26. He was transported to McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, where he died. Garner had recently been re-elected to his position. The pursuit was not related to any laws being broken, Hardee wrote. The pursuit was taking place in effort to protect the well-being of Mr Garner. Hardee expects to make a ruling on Garners death in the coming days. The Independent has emailed Marlboro County officials for comment. Earlier this month, McColls entire police force resigned, leaving the town of 1,900 without a single officer on duty. In a statement obtained by WPDE, Chief Bob Hale said he resigned following treatment from a local official. open image in gallery George Garner II, 49, a South Carolina mayor died in a car crash days after his entire police force resigned ( WBTW ) For months, I have endured unwarranted and malicious behavior aimed at undermining my integrity and leadership, he wrote. These actions have not only affected me personally but have also created a toxic atmosphere that has hindered the departments ability to function effectively. The collision is being investigated by the Darlington County Coroner and the SCHP MAIT team. In a separate Facebook post, Marlboro County 911 wrote: Our hearts are heavy during this difficult time, and we are keeping everyone affected in our thoughts and prayers. Mayor Garner was truly a remarkable individual. He consistently treated everyone with warmth and respect, and his kindness left a lasting impact on those around him. Garner leaves behind a wife, two sons and a daughter. His funeral service will be held on December 3. McColl Mayor Pro-Tem Brian Blue also offered his condolences to Garners family. In a statement he gave to WMBF, he wrote: I want everyone to know the mayor loved his family and the people in the Town of McColl. He always told us whether he was in or out of office, he always wanted us to move the town in the right direction. And at this time, I would like for everybody to keep his family and the Town of McColl in your prayers as we deal with the loss of the mayor of McColl. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A former member of Donald Trumps administration has warned fellow Republicans not to underestimate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as the liberal congresswoman is touted as a possible contender to lead the Democratic party. Speaking on Fox News on Friday, Monica Crowley, a former public affairs official in the Treasury Department during the first Trump administration, said AOC had real grassroots support through her early adoption of social media. The Democratic congresswoman, 35, is known for her leftist stance on multiple issues. In the ongoing aftermath of the partys historic defeat on November 5, many insiders have reportedly floated her name to lead the Democrats into 2028. open image in gallery Monica Crowley (right) has warned her fellow members of the Republican party not to underestimate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, after the New York congresswomans name has been floated as a possible contender to lead the Democrats in 2028 ( Fox News The Ingraham Angle ) Party members have been impressed with her ability to cut through the BS and tell it like it is, as one Democratic strategist told The Hill. Crowley said that, though she believed AOC to be wrong on everything, the New York congresswoman was an early adopter of social media so shes connecting directly to voters. Just a word of warning to the Republicans, to my party: Do not underestimate AOC. Shes young, shes vibrant, shes attractive, Crowley said. I think shes wrong on everything, but she does have real grassroots support. And all of the energy and activism in the Democrat party remains with the revolutionary left, of which she is a part. open image in gallery Ocasio-Cortez has reportedly been touted as a contender to lead the Democrats in 2028 ( Getty Images ) However, not all agree with Crowleys assessment, even with the Democratic party. Political analyst Doug Schoen speaking on the same segment said the choice of AOC as leader could be a disaster. Most Democrats dont want extreme left wing politics, Schoen said. I believe the Democratic Party needs to move to the center on cultural issues and on fiscal issues and be more fiscally disciplined. AOC represents the opposite, and I think if she runs, it would be a disaster for the party, and I think her chance of getting nominated would be nil. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President-elect Donald Trump has promised to impose tariffs on China which are set to make a wide variety of goods more expensive come the new year. That may include your next iPhone. Trump said during the campaign that he would impose a 60 percent tariff on all Chinese products, with 10 to 25 percent tariffs being applied to other major trading partners. If Trump goes ahead with his 60 percent tariff on Chinese goods, iPhone prices are likely to increase significantly. Economists have estimated that an iPhone 16 for $1,000 may cost $300 more under Trumps policies. On Monday night, Trump said in a Truth Social post that China may face additional tariffs. I have had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular Fentanyl, being sent into the United States But to no avail, he wrote. Representatives of China told me that they would institute their maximum penalty, that of death, for any drug dealers caught doing this but, unfortunately, they never followed through, and drugs are pouring into our Country, mostly through Mexico, at levels never seen before, he claimed. Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10 percent Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America. President-elect Donald Trump has promised steep tariffs on goods from China ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) While Trump has claimed that his policies wont hurt consumer prices, most economists disagree. Tariffs are paid to the government by the retailer or manufacturer importing the products, not the country where the goods were purchased from. Trumps tariffs may help some companies whose products are already made in the U.S., but economists have warned that tariffs would raise costs for U.S. companies who have to buy goods from abroad, such as iPhone compartments. U.S. companies may take on that extra cost and make a smaller profit, or as is more likely, they could pass those costs on to the American consumer. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo told Newsweek: Shoppers eyeing big-ticket items this Black Friday should consider moving quickly, especially with potential tariffs looming that could potentially raise prices. Electronics, appliances, cars, and furniture are particularly vulnerable to price increases because of their reliance on imported parts and materials, Lupo added. The U.S. imported goods worth $4 trillion in just the last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Tariffs are taxes. Taxes make prices go up, the director of Texas A&M Universitys Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy, Raymond Robertson, told Newsweek. Im just so stunned that people dont put two and two together, he added. For budget-conscious consumers, the advice is clear: prioritize purchasing now if youre in the market for items like stoves, smartphones, or cars, Lupo told the outlet. Locking in lower prices before new tariffs take effect is a smart move. Waiting might result in sticker shock once tariffs are implemented and retailers are forced to adjust their pricing to accommodate higher import costs. The U.S. census reveals that smartphones are about a tenth of the goods imported in the last year and that more than 80 percent of them are made in China. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Joe Rogan has claimed that a media psy-op is responsible for creating a negative image of Donald Trump that has distorted peoples perceptions of the president-elect. The MMA commentator and popular podcast host noted an apparent shift in media treatment of the President-elect dating to a time before his first presidential term. "The Joe Rogan Experience" is one of the worlds most popular podcasts, with a listenership of roughly 11 million per episode. Rogan is seen as having been one of the key players in the 2024 election, having made a last-minute endorsement of Trump. Rogan has previously spoken out about the loss of credibility of so-called legacy media, TV broadcasters and other traditional publication platforms, which, he says, has led to an alienation of lifelong liberal voters. Speaking on an episode of his podcast on Thursday, Rogan discussed the abrupt shift in tone toward Trump, noting prior episodes of The View and a 2000 endorsement from Oprah Winfrey, who had told him he would make a good candidate for president. open image in gallery Joe Rogan claims a media psy-op is responsible for people having a negative view of President-elect Donald Trump ( AP ) "What we saw is the greatest media psy-op in history, he said. "What youre seeing with Trump, regardless of his flaws, is a massive concentrated psy-op. Theyve distorted who he is to the point where most people think that way. Most people think that way. Theyve had narratives." The term psy-op is an abbreviated version of psychological operation a military operation usually aimed at influencing the enemys state of mind through non-combative means. Rogan went on to highlight comments about illegal immigrants made by Trumps former presidential challenger Hillary Clinton in 2008, which he described as wild Maga-type s***. open image in gallery In an episode of his podcast on Thursday, Joe Rogan claimed that the abrupt media treatment of Donald Trump was a media psy-op ( The Joe Rogan Experience ) "2008 Hillary Clinton was more MAGA than Trump, he said. But how about that? More MAGA than Trump. Its all a f****** illusion. Its all a f****** illusion. All of them, when convenient, have said the exact same things." Rogan then argued that the 2024 election was the first in which legacy media had been overshadowed by alternate outlets, including podcasts such as his own. "They had control of the media up until now. This election was the first time they didnt really have control of the media anymore," Rogan argued. "Because of us, because of podcasts. Because of social media, because of X." Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Social media is roasting right-wing Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene for sharing a Trumpsgiving meme on X. Greene, known for her staunch support of Donald Trump and for promoting right-wing conspiracy theories, shared the definition of Trumpsgiving, on Thursday. The image she posted defined the term as: The expression of gratitude that Kamala is NOT the president [see also: Trump won, liberal tears]. Now, social media users are mocking the lawmaker. Marjorie Taylor Greene shared a Trumpsgiving meme on X, prompting users to mock her ( Getty Images ) But liberals are divisive for not wanting to spend the holiday with MAGA relatives, one user wrote. Try being normal for just one day, another said. Its a cult, a user added. One writer kept their roast short and sweet, posting a single trash can emoji. The Independent has contacted Greenes office for comment. Greenes post is just one of many bizarre Thanksgiving-themed photos and videos shared by MAGA politicians. President-elect Trump shared a parody video of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation featuring President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and ending with himself leaping out of a turkey. Meanwhile, Vice President-elect JD Vance shared a manipulated image of a Norman Rockwell family sharing Thanksgiving dinner, featuring a picture of Trump as the father and Vances face pasted onto what appears to be the familys mother. Instead of serving a Turkey, however, the woman is serving a picture of a US map depicting election results. The president-elect also hosted several allies at his Mar-a-Lago estate for Thanksgiving dinner, including Elon Musk, his pick to co-chair the Department of Government Efficiency, alongside former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Musk spent the evening at Trumps table, along with his mother Maye Musk, the president-elects youngest son, Barron Trump, and soon-to-be First Lady again Melania Trump. One clip showed the Trumps and Musk seated at the table and listening to Y.M.C.A., the president-elects signature song. Musk and Trump swayed to the song, as other attendees stood up, danced and filmed the action. The video also shows Barron, who is a first-year student at New York University, appearing to look on awkwardly as his dad turns to him and laughs. Many on social media were quick to comment that Barron looked uncomfortable and embarrassed during the song. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A bipartisan bill to boost transparency and make sure incoming presidents stick to an ethics plan was so uncontroversial that it passed the Senate by a voice vote in 2020. Donald Trump then signed it into law. But now, after blowing past deadlines to adhere to the law after winning the White House a second time, Trump appears to have excluded himself from those same ethical guidelines. Trump missed two months of deadlines before finally signing off on an agreement with President Joe Bidens administration to begin the presidential transition process this week. But the agreement does not appear to include the president-elects pledge to avoid conflicts of interest while in office, despite requirements under a renewed Presidential Transition Act he signed into law four years earlier. open image in gallery Donald Trump met with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on November 13 ( EPA ) Trumps team is turning down federal funding and office space for his transition team as well as official government checks and security checks for his staff. The president-elect has rebuffed agreements with the Department of Justice to process security clearances to access classified information during the transition. This announcement fails to answer key questions about national security threats and FBI vetting of nominees, and increases concerns about corruption, said Senator Elizabeth Warren, who co-wrote the Presidential Transition Act. There appear to be serious gaps between the Trump transitions ethics agreement and the letter of the law, she said. The reliance on private donors to fund the transition is nothing more than a ploy for well-connected Trump insiders to line their pockets while pretending to save taxpayers money. open image in gallery Senator Elizabeth Warren, who co-wrote the re-newed Presidential Transition Act that Trump signed into law in 2020, has warned that his refusal to submit an ethics pledge could open the door to corruption ( AFP via Getty Images ) Trumps agreement with the Biden administration this week paves the way for Trumps landing teams to begin entering government offices to receive briefings from current staff about the day-to-day operations of hundreds of federal agencies. The team said it is turning down federal support consistent with President Trumps commitment to save taxpayers hard-earned money, his campaign said in a statement. But accepting the money would have put a $5,000 cap on individual donations to the transition and require the public disclosure of donors. Trumps team merely said it would not allow foreign contributions and would be disclosing its donors, but did not reveal any guidelines for those pledges. By turning down roughly $7 million in federal funding for the transition process, Trump will be able to raise unlimited private donations for the transition. The team will operate as a self-sufficient organization, and its organizational autonomy means a streamlined process, Trumps campaign said in a statement. open image in gallery Donald Trump Jr and his father launched a cryptocurrency venture in the days before Election Day ( AP ) Democrats and government watchdogs have been repeatedly sounding the alarms over a lack of clear, transparent ethical guidelines and background checks in place. The Presidential Transition Enhancement Act, which Trump signed into law in March 2020, requires presidential candidates to create and release an ethics plan for their transition team prior to the election, according to the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Presidential Transition. That plan must disclose conflicts of interest for the president-elect and transition team members, as well as a code of ethical conduct that all staff must agree to. Trump, whose net worth is more than an estimated $5 billion, has a bulk of his wealth tied up in stock for Trump Media & Technology Group, the publicly traded company that runs Truth Social, and his ties to foreign business interests and potential conflicts of interest have repeatedly come under scrutiny. He also has advertised a number of products bearing his name, including watches, guitars and shoes, and Trump and his sons embarked on a cryptocurrency venture in the days before Election Day. His Trump Organization also has global real estate holdings, though Trump and his empire are on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in financial penalties for fraud tied to the family business. Trump is appealing that judgment. open image in gallery A bulk of Trumps net worth is tied up in shares of Trump Media & Technology Group, the publicly traded company that runs Truth Social ( REUTERS ) Trumps alleged resistance to signing an ethics pledge is a red flag pointing to nothing so much as greed and corruption and an intention to enrich himself and/or his family through the extensive powers of his office, according to Virginia Kase Solomon with democracy advocacy group Common Cause. Americans expect and deserve a president who prioritizes the nations well-being over personal gain, she added. They will not tolerate a president who abuses the powers of his office to line his own pockets. The plan requires transition team members to avoid both actual and apparent conflicts of interest and to safeguard classified information and non-public information and other information that is not readily available to the public. It also blocks team members from lobbying activities and prohibits them from serving as registered foreign agents while working during the transition Without thorough reviews of the incoming administrations financial withholdings and interests by the Office of Government Ethics, those nominees could be in a position to benefit from their proximity to power, according to Campaign Legal Center counsel Kedric Payne, a former deputy chief counsel with the Office of Congressional Ethics. Without this crucial review which is mandated by law nominees may enter office with conflicts of interest (obvious or hidden) that they are not ordered to remedy, Payne said in a statement. If that happens, not only are Americans deprived of critical information about those poised to hold immense power, but those power holders could manipulate the government for their own personal benefit while facing little to no consequence, he added. Trumps dismissal of ethics obligations is not only a break from precedent but a potentially illegal and dangerous scene setter for the years to come, according to Payne. If we do not bother to hold some of the most politically powerful members of our government to ethical guidelines before they even enter office, there is little hope that these leaders will bother with ethics guidelines throughout their public service, he added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President-elect Donald Trump is said to be hoping to secure an Israel-Gaza ceasefire before he takes office. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina confirmed the incoming presidents position in an Axios interview. Graham advises Trump on foreign policy and has just returned from a trip to the Middle East, where he met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Graham says Trump wants a deal to free the hostages and end the war as soon as possible, preferably before he takes office, Axios reported. Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire that includes a hostage deal, Graham told Axios. He wants to see it happening now. I want people in Israel and in the region to know that Trump is focused on the hostages issue. He wants the killing to stop and the fighting to end. There are currently 101 hostages in Gaza, including seven American citizens. However, it is not known how many are still alive. President Joe Biden has declared his intentions to secure a deal before he leaves office but little to no recent progress suggests Trump could wind up steering the operation. Graham has advised Trump on foreign issues ( AP ) Its important the former president quickly reaches a deal, Graham said, so Trump can focus on other matters at hand like Israel-Saudi normalization and the regional alliance against Iran. Graham has objected to proposals for an indefinite Israeli occupation of Gaza, the outlet reported. Israel Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has claimed that with Trumps re-election, the country has an opportunity for voluntary immigration out of Palestine that could deplete the Palestinian population. To that, Graham said: I think he should talk to Trump and hear what he wants. If you havent spoken to him, I wouldnt put words in his mouth. Still, he added that a peace deal would not include a reoccupation of Gaza. The best insurance policy against Hamas is not an Israeli reoccupation of Gaza but a reform in the Palestinian society. The only ones who can do that are the Arab countries, he said. The senator said he believes a ceasefire will be easily accomplished with Trump at the helm because world leaders fear him. If you are a bad guy and you are not afraid of Trump then you are also a dumb guy, he continued. Bad and dumb guys dont last long. In a phone call on Tuesday, Biden told Netanyahu he wants to reach a deal after the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. Netanyahu told the president he wants to try, Axios wrote. Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokesperson, told the outlet The American people trust him to lead our country and bring stability and peace back to the Middle East. When he returns to the White House, he will take the necessary action to do just that. A Hamas delegation is heading to Cairo to discuss ideas for a hostage and ceasefire deal with Egyptian officials. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy First Buddy Elon Musk joined Donald Trump and his family at Mar-a-Lago for Thanksgiving with footage showing a seemingly embarrassed Barron looking on while the two men danced to YMCA. The president-elect was surrounded by friends, family and the now ever-present tech billionaire at his Palm Beach, Florida, resort on Thursday evening. Video reshared by Musk online shows Trump sitting between his 18-year-old son and Musk, with his wife Melania next to Barron, in the ballroom. In the video, Trumps campaign anthem is heard blaring in the background, prompting an in-the-seat jig from both Musk and Trump. The incoming head of the Department of Government Efficiency is seen gently nodding his head while Trump belts out bam, bam, bam and smacks the table in tandem. open image in gallery Trump taps Musk on the shoulder as YMCA plays at his Thanksgiving party at Mar-a-Lago ( ALX/X ) After spotting Musks more measured moves, the president-elect gave him a few taps on the shoulder prompting the Tesla boss to thrust his arms into the air. Barron appears to look on awkwardly as his dad turns to him and laughs. Social media users were quick to comment that Barron looked uncomfortable and embarrassed during the encounter. open image in gallery Musk responds by thrusting his arms in the air leaving Trump grinning ( ALX/X ) Wow. Elon Musk couldnt get a single family member to spend Thanksgiving with him other than his mom who relies in him, one X user wrote. And Trump paid his 3rd wife to join. Even Barron looks embarrassed for them. What LOSERS. Another person posted on X: Barron looks uncomfortable. The body language of everyone at that table is weird. Barrons like Okay have we had enough of this song yet father, a third person chimed in. open image in gallery Barron Trump appears to flash an awkward smile as his father and Elon Musk dance to the Village People hit ( ALX/X ) Elons been adopted by the Trump family, added another. Trumps daughter Tiffany, son Eric, daughter-in-law Lara and Musks mother Maye also joined the Trumps for Thanksgiving. Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone who recently called Trump the second Founding Father and likened him to George Washington was also seen at the holiday party, speaking to Trump and Musk. Musk has become a fixture at Mar-a-Lago in the weeks since the election, with even the president-elect joking that he cant get him out of his Florida home. The tech billionaire has joined Trump on phone calls to foreign leaders, while the president-elect accompanied Musk to his SpaceX Starship rocket launch in Texas. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A former Trump administration Food and Drug Administration commissioner is worried that the incoming administrations pick of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead a key health agency will prove dangerous. I think if RFK follows through on his intentions, and I believe he will, and I believe he can, it will cost lives in this country, Scott Gottlieb said during a Friday appearance on CNBCs Squawk Box. Youre going to see measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates go down, and like I said, if we lose another 5 percent [of vaccinations], which could happen in the next year or two, we will see large measles outbreaks, he added. Gottlieb, who serves on the board of Pfizer, maker of one of the Covid vaccines, is one of a number of health experts who have raised the alarm about the Trump administrations pick of Kennedy to lead the department of Health and Human Services. The Independent has contacted the Trump-Vance transition team for comment. Kennedy, who doesnt have a medical background, has a long history of raising doubts about vaccines, though he denies hes an anti-vaxxer. Trumps former FDA commissioner warns welcoming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. into the administration could harm public health and cost lives ( AP ) During a July interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, Kennedy doubted the utility of the polio vaccine and said falsely that, Theres no vaccine that is, you know, safe and effective. He later denied making the comments. In 2019, the island of Samoa suffered a measles outbreak that left 83 people dead, which critics argued Kennedy and his Childrens Health Defense organization helped bring about during a trip to the nation that year where Kennedy met with and later praised a prominent anti-vaxxer. Kennedy has said he had nothing to do with people not vaccinating in Samoa. The former environmental lawyer has said he will not take away anyones vaccines in office. We are going to make sure that Americans have good information right now, Kennedy told NPR this month. The science on vaccine safety particularly has huge deficits, and were going to make sure those scientific studies are done and that people can make informed choices about their vaccinations and their childrens vaccinations. Public health experts worry this message will further drive a partisan rejection of vaccines, at a time when routine vaccination rates are dropping, more children are seeking vaccine exemptions, and cases of measles are sprouting around the country. Georgetown University public health expert Lawrence Gostin has warned that Trumps victory and alliance with Kennedy represent the darkest day for public health and science in my lifetime. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trumps plan to immediately carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history upon taking office is banking on a key ally: conservative sheriffs. There are some 6,000 federal immigration agents in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), but the incoming administration is counting on sympathetic local law enforcement to be its eyes and ears in communities and jails across the country. While police chiefs are appointed, sheriffs are often elected and excercise broad powers, including running county jail systems. Many right-leaning sheriffs, whose own partisan politics align with new administrations, are eager to join forces. Im willing to support the president 100%, Chuck Jenkins, the Republican sheriff of Marylands Frederick County, recently toldThe Wall Street Journal. I want to do more, within the law. Were going to be in the business again, another sheriff, Richard Jones of Butler County, Ohio, told the paper. Trump is also likely to get support from the insurgent constitutional sheriff movement, a growing trend of local, often right-wing, sheriffs who believe they are the final word on whats legal and constitutional in their jurisdictions even if state or federal laws or Supreme Court decisions say otherwise. Such sheriffs have been key proponents of Trumps election denial claims and flouted Covid restrictions during the height of the pandemic. The president-elect himself has acknowledged his alliance with sheriffs, touting their support in a recent post on Truth Social. open image in gallery Sheriffs like Frederick County, Marylands Chuck Jenkins, left, will be key allies in the Trump administrations deportation plans ( Getty Images ) Through Trumps political rise, hes sought to tie himself to hardline local sheriffs who crack down on immigration, including Joe Arpaio, the notorious, now-former, sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. In 2017, Trump pardoned Arpaio, who was accused in a civil rights lawsuit of racially profiling Latino constituents, stopping and detaining them on immigration suspicions them even if they hadnt broken any state laws. Arpaio was held in contempt of court for refusing a 2011 court order to cease such stops. Pro-Trump state governors have also taken up the mantle of immigration enforcement, even though its traditionally an area of federal power. Texas has declared it is literally under invasion by immigrants to justify sweeping new plans, and has spent billions on its Operation Lone Star, which has surged state troopers to the border and erected walls and barriers across the international boundary with Mexico. This election season, Arizona passed Proposition 314, a ballot initiative making illegal immigration a state crime in addition to a federal one, and empowering state police and courts to carry out deportations. open image in gallery Trump has long aligned with former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was accused of racially profiling Latinos as he sought to crack down on immigration ( Getty Images ) Throughout both Republican and Democratic administrations, local sheriffs have cooperated with federal immigration officials through initiatives like the 287(g) program. Under 287(g) agreements, sheriffs screen inmates for their immigration status, share data with federal officials, serve warrants for ICE, and in some cases begin the deportation process themselves. Critics like the ACLU claim that such collaborations are a license to abuse and encourage law enforcement to profile people they suspect to be unlawful immigrants because of their skin color or language. A report from the group analyzed the more than 140 local law enforcement agencies in the program as of 2022 and found that at least 59 percent of the sheriffs in the program have a record of anti-immigrant, xenophobic rhetoric and 65 percent have shown a pattern of racial profiling and other civil rights violations, including excessive use of force. In 2021, a Latina woman in Frederick County, one such jurisdiction, won a lawsuit accusing deputies of stopping her on false claims of a broken tail light and interrogating her over her immigration status. Others argue local police collaboration with immigration authorities erodes public safety by making minority communities and immigrants, legal and otherwise, wary of interacting with law enforcement or other government offices for fears of being swept into the deportation system. The last thing we want is people who are part of our economy, part of our school system, part of our community and the fabric of our city to feel than all of a sudden they have to retreat into the shadows, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said earlier this month in an interview with WCVB. Since 2014, the city has had a law on the books limiting local police resources from going towards enforcing civil immigration violations, while leaving room for cooperation on immigration matters involving criminal accusations like human or drug trafficking. Boston is one of a number of sanctuary jurisdictions across the country limiting local resources and cooperation with federal immigration agents. The Trump administration has warned it will crack down on sanctuary cities and states, including reports it could pull federal grants for such jurisdictions. After the mayor of Denver said local police might be used to stop federal forces from deporting migrants, Trump border czar Tom Homan said he would put the mayor in jail. The mayor later walked back the comments on police, but called on local citizens to help resist the mass deportation plan. Despite the political narrative that Democrats have ignored immigration in comparison to Donald Trump, the Obama administration actually deported more immigrants than Trump in nearly every year of its two terms, and in 2023, the Biden administration removed more people than any year during the first Trump term, according to a Reuters analysis. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Wyoming woman discovered she may need have a lot more Christmas gifts to buy this year. Jessica Lippincott of Thermopolis, Wyoming, grew up feeling in her gut that something wasn't quite right about her family history. That hunch was validated recently when a genetics analysis revealed that she had 50 half-siblings. She used to ask her mother if she was adopted, she told KTVQ, curious if she had brothers and sisters. Lippincott, an only child, said she "felt" like she had brothers and sisters. Lippincott's mother brushed off the question but, in the final days of her life, she revealed the truth: she had used a sperm donor to become pregnant with Jessica. I remember when she passed away, she was terminally ill with cancer, and I was writing her obituary, and I started to ask her some questions about who I thought was my real father because I dont have any memories, Lippincott said. And she started to tell me. And I said, What do you mean? And she said she used a sperm donor and went to a fertility clinic. open image in gallery Jessica Lippincott said her heart was full after meeting her biological father and some of her half-siblings ( screengrab/ KTVQ ) Lippincott asked her mother for more information, but she became "nervous" and "didn't want to talk about it anymore," so she dropped it to avoid making her mother upset. Her mother ultimately died in 2013, but the implications of her secret weighed on Lippincott. Four years later, she decided to try 23andMe, a genetic testing service that provides people detailed information about their genetic history. And of course, by the time I did take the test, she had already passed away, so I couldnt ask any more questions, and the stepfather who raised me had passed, and so I couldnt ask him any questions as well, she said. Lippincott's stepfather adopted her when she was young and raised him as her own. She had previously thought her birth father was another man, Thomas Peters, who separated from her mother and later abducted her from her grandparents. Peters and Lippincott were found three months later in Florida by a private investigator her mother hired, according to KTVQ. The abduction was widely reported in the media at the time, and Lippincott grew up embarrassed at the prospect of Peters being her father. But the genetic test provided some relief: Peters wasn't her father, and she wasn't an only child. According to the test, she has 50 confirmed half-siblings via her father, the sperm donor. Since the test, more half-siblings have been added to her DNA relative list, and she suspects more are likely out there. "We all have a lot of the same eyes and mouth, so yeah," she said. The discovery set her on a journey to meet her half-siblings. She said she's been busy building relationships with her genetic relatives and making up for lost time. And there are some that I havent met yet, and that is okay. I will one day, she said. She's also met her biological father; she said he is a man in his 80's who is currently living in Southern California. He's met her children, which she called "special." Lippincott said she was thrilled to learn she had such an enormous extended family, and plans to continue building bonds with the newly-discovered side of her life. My heart is full, she said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The French president Emmanuel Macron has praised the more than 1,000 craftspeople who helped with the project of the century: rebuilding Pariss Notre-Dame Cathedral after it was gutted by a devastating fire. Five and a half years after the blaze, the Gothic masterpiece, one of the French capitals most beloved and visited monuments, will reopen its doors to tourists and the Catholic faithful next week. Never before have we seen such a construction site. You all had your share in the project of the century, Mr Macron told a gathering on Friday, which included carpenters, stonemasons, art restorers, firefighters and donors. The burning of Notre-Dame was a national wound and you were its remedy, [restoring it] through determination, hard work and commitment. open image in gallery The nave of Notre-Dame Cathedral following its extensive restoration ( Stephane de Sakutin/AP ) The workers, who included members of the elite Compagnons du Devoir, a centuries-old guild of artisans considered to be Frances finest, burst into joyful applause when Mr Macron concluded his address with a final Thank you. The reconstruction work restored the 12th-century cathedrals spire, its rib vaulting, flying buttresses, stained-glass windows and carved stone gargoyles to their past glory, with the white stone and gold decorations shining brighter than ever. open image in gallery French president Emmanuel Macron (second left) and his wife Brigitte (left) visit the restored 12th-century cathedral ( Christophe Petit Tesson/AP ) It is a far cry from the evening of 15 April 2019, when TV viewers in France and worldwide watched with horror as the cathedrals roof and spire burst into flames and collapsed in a raging fire that also threatened the main bell towers, which only narrowly avoided destruction. On his visit to the site, Mr Macron seemed deeply impressed as light poured into the nave through the renewed windows. open image in gallery On his visit to the site, Macron seemed deeply impressed as light poured into the nave through the renewed windows ( Christophe Petit Tesson/AP ) This is overwhelming, he said as he toured the cathedral with his wife Brigitte, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, and other senior officials. Relieved at having finished on schedule, stone-carver Samir Abbas, 38, said: It was an exceptional renovation project. open image in gallery The French president delivers a speech to construction workers inside the newly restored Gothic masterpiece ( Stephane de Sakutin/AP ) An opening ceremony to which celebrities and heads of state have been invited is planned for the evening of 7 December, followed by days of special masses to celebrate the reopening and to thank those who helped save and rebuild the cathedral. So much money poured in for the renovation from all over the world more than 840m (698m), according to the presidents office that there are still funds left over for further investment in the building. open image in gallery So much money poured in for the renovation from all over the world that there are still funds left over for further investment in the building ( Christophe Petit Tesson/AP ) The Catholic Church now expects the cathedral to welcome some 15 million visitors annually. We are very eager to welcome the whole world under the roof of our cathedral, Pariss Archbishop Laurent Ulrich said in a message on the cathedrals website, expressing the Churchs gratitude to all those who helped to save it. open image in gallery A view of part of a bas-relief outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris ( Stephane de Sakutin/AP ) On the night of 15 April, hundreds of thousands of people committed themselves to what then seemed an impossible bet: to restore the cathedral and give it back its splendour within the unprecedented deadline of five years. The guest list for the reopening ceremony has not yet been published, but one source familiar with the planning said US president Joe Bidens wife Jill would come, while president-elect Donald Trump had not yet confirmed his attendance. open image in gallery The altar of the cathedral is one of the French capitals most beloved and visited monuments ( AFP/Getty ) Parisians expressed excitement and relief at the prospect of the cathedral reopening. Im so happy, said 50-year-old architect Sebastien Truchot, who lives nearby. Whether you believe in God or not, Notre-Dame is a universal symbol, and its amazing to have it back and to rediscover it. Albert Abid, a bookseller whose stall stands on the quay, was shocked to see it burn five years ago. He said: Its a relief. Finally, Notre-Dame is restored. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Ukrainian poet and screenwriter was reportedly killed on the frontlines while fighting against Russia in Donetsk Oblast. Myroslav Herasymovych died on 25 November just four days before turning 57, his brother Taras Kulyk confirmed on Facebook. "In the battle with Russia, my brother, Myroslav, gave away his life in the city of Avdiivk, Donetsk region," Mr Kulyk wrote on Friday about his brother whose real name is Myroslav Kulyk, according to Ukrainska Pravda. He shared a picture of his brother wearing a military uniform. Herasymovych was reportedly a poet, prose writer, screenwriter, and musician and had joined the Ukrainian military to fight against Russia in Vladimir Putins 33-month-long war on Ukraine. He was born in Lutsk, northwestern Ukraine, on 29 November and graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. He founded the School of Liberal Arts named after Evening Space, Ukrainska Pravda reported. Mik, fly high and lightly, higher and higher, as granny Helia used to say, up to your heavenly School of Liberal Arts, said journalist Myroslava Barchuk. Herasymovych is one of the over 100 cultural figures, including writers and artists, to have been killed by Russian forces in Ukraine since Russia launched its war on Ukraine on 24 February 2022, PEN International said in a statement. The ability of future generations to participate in artistic activities, as well as critically and collectively reflect, is also severely impacted through death, disruption to education, malnutrition, starvation, and disease..., PEN International said. Since the beginning of the war, at least 11,973 Ukrainian civilians, including 622 children, have been killed, the UN office of the high commissioner for Human Rights said in October. The Economist reported that at least 60,000-100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died so far, while another 400,000 sustained injuries. Russia has suffered more than 2,000 casualties in a single day, Ukraines military claimed, in what would mark one of the heaviest toll of losses inflicted on Vladimir Putins forces at any point in the war so far. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested he would temporarily cede Ukrainian territory to Russia in exchange for joining Nato to end the hot phase of the war. If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the Nato umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control, Mr Zelensky told Sky News. We need to do it fast. And then on the occupied territory of Ukraine, Ukraine can get them back in a diplomatic way. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, November 30. Kyrgyzstan is set to construct a floating solar power plant at its Toktogul hydroelectric power plant (HPP), Trend reports via the country's Ministry of Energy. Kyrgyz Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibraev signed the corresponding investment agreement during his visit to Germany. The deal involves the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and several companies, including Sonnenenergie a.s., AB Progressio GmbH, LTI ReEnergy CleanTech Project Development UG, and OJSC Toktogul Solar Power Station. The primary objective of the agreement is to attract investment into Kyrgyzstan's green energy projects, reduce the country's reliance on imported electricity, and strengthen energy security and independence. The planned floating solar power plant will have a capacity of 612 MW and will be built in two phases. Construction is expected to take up to four years. Additionally, Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG and the Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU focuses on exploring and implementing energy sector projects in the region. Minister Ibraev and Maxim Zubov, Vice President for Turkiye and Central Asia at Siemens Energy, signed the agreement. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan's electricity production totaled 10.943 billion kWh in JanuaryOctober 2024, a decrease of 1.4 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the country's state statistical committee. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Volodymyr Zelenskys suggestion that Ukraine could temporarily cede territory to Russia in exchange for joining Nato would mark a major concession to Vladimir Putin, the UKs former ambassador to Russia has said. In a significant development on the route to a potential ceasefire after 33 months of conflict, the Ukrainian president indicated for the first time that Kyiv could accept Russian control over some of its territory in order to end the hot phase of the war. With Moscow appearing to ramp up its push for territory in Ukraines east ahead of Donald Trumps return to the White House in January, Mr Zelensky told Sky News that peace could be struck if territory he controls is taken under the Nato umbrella, allowing him to negotiate the return of the rest later in a diplomatic way. Praising Mr Zelensky for playing a very sophisticated game, Sir Tony Brenton who served as ambassador to Russia between 2004 and 2008 told the broadcaster: He knows that Trump is about to descend on him and on Russia. He is already arranging to have something to offer Trump. What he is suggesting in many ways is bringing us much closer to the obvious target area, which is a freeze in the fighting where the lines actually currently are, and then an eventual negotiation about who retains which bit of territory, and then security guarantees for Ukraine in the course of that ceasefire. Warning that Nato membership for Ukraine is frankly going to be very, very difficult, Sir Tony said that Mr Zelenskys statement that he is prepared to see a ceasefire and then negotiate the return of Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine over the longer term would be viewed by Mr Putin as a concession. That is actually quite a major concession, because the longer term could be a very long time indeed, he said, adding: [Putin] will say to himself, Ah, they are feeling weak, I can press for more. That is a danger if we go into this. The Russian president is currently keeping his cards very close to his chest in terms of his views on how to end the conflict, which he believes he is winning, said Sir Tony. Moscows troops have been making steady gains in Ukraines east but at a cost of incurring potentially record casualties. open image in gallery Zelensky has suggested that the parts of Ukraine under his control should be taken under the Nato umbrella ( Sky News ) Concurring with this view, James Nixey, of the Chatham House think tank, warned that any part of Ukraine being in Nato would be unacceptable to Mr Putin. After all, it is, for him, an abhorrence. Putin doesnt want a pause anyway he believes hes on the brink of an historic and strategic victory, kindly deal-sealed by Donald Trump, Mr Nixey told The Independent. But if such a deal were to be struck, both Kyiv and its allies would be able to present it as a victory in securing a free democratic Ukraine linked to the West, Sir Tony said. In further remarks to Sky News, the UKs former representative to Nato, Sir Adam Thomson, said Mr Zelensky appeared to be preparing domestic audiences for compromises, while making opening moves in a likely extended negotiation with Mr Trump over which line to take with the Kremlin. Hes moving Ukraine to a much more realistic position still not necessarily an achievable one, but more realistic, said Sir Adam, adding that around three-quarters of Natos members believe membership for Kyiv would be the least bad outcome, in the sense of being the least expensive and the most stable. open image in gallery US president-elect Donald Trump has claimed he could end the war in Ukraine in a day ( AFP via Getty Images ) Were such a deal to be struck, it would require Nato troops including from Britain to defend Ukraines borders, including its northern border with Belarus, said Mr Nixey, adding: Whether Nato is fully prepared for this eventuality is open to question. Throughout the conflict, Mr Zelensky has never said he would cede any occupied Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which Russia occupied in February 2014. In September 2022, Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of four Ukrainian regions Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia despite not controlling all of those territories. Yet war analysts say Russia has been gaining territory in recent weeks on Ukraines eastern front at the fastest pace since the early days of the war, as both Moscow and Kyiv look ahead to Mr Trumps return in January. The US president-elect has claimed he could end the war in a day. Historian Dr Mark Galeotti, author of Forged in War: A Military History of Russia, said Mr Zelenskys comments in part likely reflect the unfolding political and military realities, as the Russians continue to advance and Donald Trump's shadow looms over everything. But I think it may also be Zelensky's attempt to, in effect, call the Wests bluff, Dr Galeotti told The Independent. Actually getting all Natos 32 members to agree to a quick membership would be very difficult, but in effect he is asking, If not the Article 5 security guarantee, what else could be offered? Mr Zelenskys ex-foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said earlier this week it was inconceivable that he could sign a deal surrendering territory, telling Politico: The Russians keep the Donbas, they keep Crimea, no Nato membership. Can Zelensky sign? He cannot because of the constitution. And because it will be the end of Zelensky politically. Last month, Mr Zelensky unveiled his victory plan, which calls for Ukraines unconditional accession to Nato, a refusal to trade Ukraines territories currently occupied by Russian forces, and the continuation of the Ukrainian incursion into Russias Kursk region. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested he would temporarily cede Ukrainian territory to Russia in exchange for joining Nato. Mr Zelensky said Nato membership would have to be offered to unoccupied parts of the country to end the hot phase of the war and appeared to accept eastern parts of the country would fall outside this deal. It comes after reports claimed one of US president-elect Donald Trumps plans to end the war might be for Kyiv to cede the land Moscow has taken in exchange for Ukraine joining the alliance. open image in gallery Ukrainian soldiers carry shells to fire at Russian positions on the front line, near the city of Bakhmut, in Ukraine's Donetsk region ( AP ) If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the Nato umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control, Mr Zelensky told Sky News. We need to do it fast. And then on the occupied territory of Ukraine, Ukraine can get them back in a diplomatic way. He said Nato should immediately cover the part of Ukraine that remains under Kyivs control, something he said Ukraine needs very much otherwise he [Putin] will come back. Mr Zelensky was asked what he thought of the Mr Trump and said we have to work with the new president in order to have the biggest supporter. I want to work with him directly because there are different voices from people around him. And thats why we need not to allow anybody around to destroy our communication, he said. It will be not helpful and will be destructive. We have to try to find the new model. I want to share with him ideas and I want to hear from him. open image in gallery Zelensky and Trump met earlier this year as Kyiv tries to forge a relationship with the US president-elect ( AP ) Throughout the conflict, Mr Zelensky has never said he would cede any occupied Ukrainian territory to Russia, including Crimea, which Russia occupied in February 2014. In September 2022, Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of areas in and around the Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia following referendums that were not internationally recognised. Mr Zelenskys long-held position is that the territory remains Ukrainian, that Russias occupation of the land is unlawful and that Kyiv will not cede any of its territory in order to strike a peace deal. The interview therefore marks the first time he has suggested that Ukraine could temporarily cede territory in a peace deal, as Russia intensifies its push to seize Ukrainian territory, with Kyivs military claiming this week to have inflicted a record 2,030 daily casualties on Moscows forces this week. War analysts say Russia has been gaining territory in recent weeks on Ukraines eastern front at the fastest pace since the early days of the war, as both Moscow and Kyiv look to Mr Trumps return to the White House in January and a possible freezing of the conflict. Mr Zelenskys ex-foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said earlier this week that it was inconceivable that he could sign a deal surrendering territory, telling Politico: The Russians keep the Donbas, they keep Crimea, no Nato membership. Can Zelensky sign? He cannot because of the Constitution. And because it will be the end of Zelensky politically. Last month, Mr Zelensky unveiled his victory plan, which calls for Ukraines unconditional accession to Nato, a refusal to trade Ukraines territories currently occupied by Russian forces, and the continuation of the Ukrainian incursion into Russias Kursk region. Mr Zelenskys latest comments come after the US and Britain allowed Ukraine to use their long-range missiles to strike certain targets within Russia for the first time. Russia said it had launched a new mid-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response, and revised its nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for a strike, while carrying out a wave of long-anticipated attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure, heaping further pain on civilians as they enter winter. Sir Richard Moore, the head of Britains foreign intelligence service, MI6, warned on Friday that the world is at its most dangerous point for 40 years, accusing Russia of waging a staggeringly reckless campaign of sabotage in Europe to undermine support for Ukraine. The spymaster told an event in France: The cost of supporting Ukraine is well known but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely higher. If Putin succeeds China would weigh the implications, North Korea would be emboldened and Iran would become still more dangerous. Our security British, French, European and transatlantic will be jeopardised, he added. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A humanitarian aid organisation has suspended its operations in Gaza after a number of its workers were reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike. World Central Kitchen (WCK) said it was heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying employees, with the group now urgently seeking more details on what happened. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that three employees of WCK were killed in the strike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Earlier, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it had targeted a WCK worker who, it claimed, was involved in the 7 October massacre last year. The military has not offered any evidence and The Independent has been unable to independently verify the claim. In a statement responding to the attack, WCK said it had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7th Hamas attack. open image in gallery A person holds a cap next to a vehicle in which employees of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) were reportedly killed in an Israeli strike ( REUTERS ) The statement said: We are heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. At this time, we are working with incomplete information and are urgently seeking more details. It added: World Central Kitchen is pausing operations in Gaza at this time. Our hearts are with our colleagues and their families in this unimaginable moment. Medics in the enclave said that a total of five people were killed in the strike. An aid worker in Gaza said that three of those killed were WCK workers. The strike on the vehicle was the latest in what aid agencies have described as the dangerous work of delivering aid in Gaza, where the war has sparked a humanitarian crisis that has displaced much of the territorys 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger. open image in gallery An aid worker in Gaza said that three killed were workers with the WCK. ( REUTERS ) WCK provide meals to people in need following natural disasters or to those enduring conflict. Its teams have often served as a lifeline for people in Gaza who have struggled to feed themselves. The groups aid delivery efforts in Gaza were temporarily suspended in April after an Israeli strike killed seven of its workers - three British citizens, Polish and Australian nationals, a Canadian-American dual national and a Palestinian. The Israeli military called the strike a mistake. Gaza officials say at least 44,382 people have been killed since October 7, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and capturing over 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Australia is going to ban under-16s from social media in the most extreme such decision yet, and one that could have knock-on effects around the world. The ruling was passed by the countrys parliament this week and described by prime minister Anthony Albanese as a way of prioritising the safety and mental health of our young people. It comes amid international pressure on technology firms to better look after the children and teens that use them. But reaction to the ruling has been mixed. And it remains unclear exactly how it will work. The aims of Australias ban are simple. They put the onus onto technology firms and require that they stop young people from logging in or face a $32 million fine. But the actual way it will work is less clear. The Australian government will trial a number of different measures from January though the ban will not actually take effect for another year. Many companies already impose age restrictions on users. In Europe, for instance, parental consent is required to process the data of young people, and some countries in the continent have more restrictive rules about age requirements to create accounts. But they are generally applied by asking the young people using them to confirm their age a process that is easily bypassed by lying, as many young people are believed to do. Other more restrictive options are of course available. When the UK looked to block access to pornography for under-18s, for instance, it considered options including identification checks and the requirement to have a credit card. And the technology platforms themselves do have systems that can spot young people. Firms including YouTube use systems that are able to identify the behaviour of possible young people, and require extra proof of their age or add additional restrictions to their account. Albanese appeared to admit that there would be ways of getting online, in comments on Friday. We dont argue that its implementation will be perfect, just like the alcohol ban for under 18s doesnt mean that someone under 18 never has access, but we know that its the right thing to do. But Australia has suggested it will ask technology companies to try a range of different options as they try and spot under-16s and keep them from signing up. It may be those practical problems that stop Australias ban from spreading to other countries. In the UK, for instance, the technology secretary has said that a ban was on the table but only if other protections in the Online Safety Act do not prove successful. Though Australias ban is the most extreme of its kind, some other countries including France and some US states have launched their own bans on young people using social media. A murderer lied about her identity to police after luring a man to a park where he was stabbed to death by her accomplices. Rebecca Moore, 25, of Springvale Walk, Sheffield, convinced Sacad Ali, 24, to meet her in a park in the early hours of 9 March 2024. This was a ruse, as Barney Griffin, 18, of Dixon Drive, Sheffield, and 17-year-old Jack Douglas, of Brightholmlee Lane, Sheffield, appeared from the darkness to stab Mr Ali to death with machetes. Moore was sentenced to life for murder, with a minimum term of 15 years. After admitting murder and possession of a bladed article, Griffin was told he must serve 16 years in prison, with Douglas given a 15-year prison sentence. The donations have now opened for the RTE Toy Show Appeal 2024. The appeal is inspired by Saoise Ruane who won the hearts of the nation with her appearance on The Late Late Toy Show in 2020. Four years ago, Saoirse from Kiltullagh, Co Galway, inspired the country to donate to the official RTE Toy Show Appeal which has raised more than 21 million for children's charities to date. After Saoirse sadly died in March this year, her legacy continues with the Toy Show Appeal as her parents Roseanna and Ollie Ruane joined The Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty to pay a special tribute to Saoirse. In recognition of her contribution, donations to the RTE Toy Show Appeal now opened one week ahead of the upcoming Late Late Toy Show next Friday, December 6. Saoirse Ruane, right The members of the public can donate now on the Toy Show Appeal's website or donate in-app with the appeal's official donation partner Revolut Pay. Next year, a grant award of up to 150,000 will be made in Saoirse's name to a chosen charity. The Saoirse Ruane Grant will be issued as part of the 2025 appeal allocations and can be used over two years. RTE's director general Kevin Bakhurst described the Toy Show Appeal as "one of the most important things that we do as an organisation". "We are so grateful for the support of our audience over the last four years, whose generosity has ensured that RTE can continue to make a positive difference to the lives of thousands of children, and their families across the island, north and south," he said. "Im particularly pleased to see the announcement of The Saoirse Ruane Grant in honour of Saoirse, and that donations to the RTE Toy Show Appeal are opening a week earlier this year. "Saoirse will be remembered as someone who made such a positive and lasting impact on us all. "Her memory lives on through the RTE Toy Show Appeal and the many young lives that it transforms," Mr Bakhurst added. Over the last three years, 359 grants have been provided to 226 children's charities across the island of Ireland. It is estimated that the appeal, managed by Community Foundation Ireland, has helped more than 1,100,000 children and family members annually since its establishment. A GRANDFATHER accused of sexually assaulting two women he never met before after coming to Dublin on a family visit has been held on 25,000 bail. The man (54) who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared at Dublin District Court on Saturday following a Garda investigation into two incidents at the same apartment complex in south Dublin on October 27 and 20 last. A 35-year-old Dublin man has been refused bail after being accused of repeatedly punching and "choking" his elderly mother with his two hands as she lay in bed. Peter Dunne, of The Avenue, Scholarstown Wood, Rathfarnham, was charged with assault, causing harm to his mother, 69, at the family home on Friday night. He was also accused of assaulting his father. Two of those elected to Cork East have secured their first Dail seats Social Democrats tally man Ken Curtin photographed in his custom 'dog shirt' at Mallow Count Centre. The Cork East vote being counted at Mallow GAA Complex Fermoy councillor Deirdre O'Brien (FF) and sons at Mallow GAA Complex on Saturday. Phot by Sheila Fitzgerald Supporters of candidates awaiting the tenth count to be declared for Cork East at Mallow Count Centre. Fianna Fail's James O'Connor speaks to the media following his re-election to Cork East. James OConnor (FF) was elected to the constituency with 9,924 votes. All 4 seats have been filled in Cork-East Seats filled: 4 4:15pm: Two news faces elected to Cork East after remaining three seats filled Fine Gaels Noel McCarthy (9,561), Sinn Feins Pat Buckley (9,194) and the Social Democrats Liam Quaide (7,925) have been elected following the 12th count. The redistribution of the 322-vote surplus of James OConnor (FF) saw the final three seats of the constituency filled. Fine Gaels Mark Stanton (7,169), who was attempting to secure the long-held seat of his retiring father David, was the candidate to miss out. The result means outgoing TDs James OConnor and Pat Buckley have retained their seats. Noel McCarthys election has sees Fine Gael keep its spot while Liam Quaide will be the first Social Democrat to represent Cork East. 3:51pm: The results of the crucial upcoming count will not be declared for at least another half an hour, according to the returning officer at Mallow GAA Complex 3:50pm: Cllr Liam Quaide (SD) reveals his campaign suffered a serious setback due to illness Midleton councillor Liam Quaide is currently locked in a close fight with Fine Gael candidate Mark Stanton for the fourth seat in Cork East and anxiously awaiting the count of the surplus vote of James OConnor (FF), who became the first candidate elected to the constituency earlier today. Speaking to The Corkman before the results of the previous (eleventh) count, which saw him surpass Stanton and take a 200 vote lead courtesy of 781 transfers from Fermoy councillor William OLeary (Ind), Cllr Quaide said his election campaign had many serious setbacks. Chief amongst them was a period of illness he endured before the General Election was called. I was actually quite unwell for the most of October. And for a period of time I thought that would derail the whole campaign, Cllr Quaide revealed. But I just got back into it as the election was being called. I was completely out of action for three weeks. I had a kind of post-viral syndrome for another three weeks so I was back but I was operating at about 50pc capacity. It was a very difficult time. 3:05pm: Fine Gael councillor Noel McCarthy is in position to secure the second seat after receiving a massive haul of transfers in the eleventh count Cllr McCarthy received 2,184 transfers from the his eliminated Fermoy LEA colleague Cllr William OLeary. On his way to become the first Government TD from Fermoy for some time, Cllr McCarthy (9,173) is now 227 votes ahead of Pat Buckley (SF). Cllr Liam Quaide (SD) has 7,889 votes while Mark Stanton (FG) sits on 7,689. Counters are now redistributing the 322 surplus votes of the elected James OConnor to decide the makeup of the constituency. All 4 seats have been filled in Cork-East Election 2024 update from Political Reporter Tabitha Monahan 2pm: First Fermoy man to be elected as TD in over 30 years Cllr Noel McCarthy said he is delighted that he will become the first Fermoy man in 33 years to be elected to Dail Eireann, in anticipation of his election in the upcoming eleventh count. 1.15pm: Outgoing Fianna Fail TD elected to first seat in tenth count James OConnor (FF) was elected to the constituency with 9,924 votes. Four candidates are now vying for the remaining three seats, with the 6,643 votes of William OLeary (Ind) set to be redistributed. Pat Buckley (SF) 8,261 Cllr Noel McCarthy (FG) 7,216 Cllr Liam Quaide (SD) 7,108 Mark Stanton (FG) 7,169 11:30am: Fianna Fail candidate out of running in first big elimination while Soc Dems improve position FF would have hoped Cllr Deirdre OBrien could secure a seat alongside outgoing TD James OConnor, but that is now impossible. The Fermoy councillors 5,810 votes will be redistributed in the next count and where her votes go will prove pivotal. Cllr Liam Quaide looks more likely to secure the seat long-held by the retiring Sean Sherlock (Labour Party) as he now leads Fine Gael Cllr Noel McCarthy, a former Labour Party member, by 960 votes. He leads Mark Stanton (FG) by 81 votes. However, he will have to make it through the upcoming count, as Cllr OBriens transfers will likely favour Cllr McCarthy and Independent Cllr William OLeary, who like her hail from the north of the constituency, as well as FGs Mark Stanton. 10:30am: The eighth count saw most votes transferred from Aontus Mona Stromsoe to Pat Buckley (SF) and Cllr Liam Quaide (SD). Independent councillor Mary Linehan-Foley was eliminated, and her 4,526 votes will prove vital to this race. Here is how things stand this morning: Pat Buckley (SF) 7,187 Cllr Noel McCarthy (FG) 5790 Cllr Deirdre OBrien (FF) 5,568 James OConnor (FF) 6,322 Cllr William OLeary (Ind) 5,421 Cllr Liam Quaide (SD) 6,203 Mark Stanton (FG) 6,255 2.20am: Counting for Cork East has been suspended after the seventh count, which has seen Cllr Liam Quaide (SD) move over 200 votes ahead of Noel McCarthy (FG). Cllr Quaide received 673 transfers from Cliona OHalloran (GP) but may not fair so well from the candidates who will be eliminated in the coming counts. Mona Stromsoes (Aontu) vote of 2,1778 will be transferred when counting resumes later this morning. 1.40am: No huge change after sixth count, as Cllr Mary Linehan-Foley received the bulk of Kathryn Berminghams 1,067 transfers. One more count is expected in the early hours. 12:40am: Kathryn Bermingham eliminated in fifth count The Independent Ireland candidates 1,067 votes will be redistributed in the sixth count. SFs Pat Buckley (6,609) remains closest to achieving the quota of 9,502. Five in contention for Cork East following fourth count Pat Buckley (SF) 6,096 James OConnor (FF) 5,956 Mark Stanton (FG) 5,809 Cllr Noel McCarthy (FG) 5,450 Cllr Deirdre OBrien (FF) 5,301 The 739 votes of Medhi Ozcinar (SF) will be transferred in the fifth count. 11:05pm: Fianna Fail candidate Cllr Deirdre OBrien received the biggest share of transfers (93) from former Fermoy councillor Frank Roches 615 votes. The transfers have done little to change the state of the race, with SFs Pat Buckley, FFs James Buckley, FGs Mark Stanton and Cllr Noel McCarthy still in contention for the four-seater alongside Cllr OBrien. The 685 votes of Asch Ni Finn (PBP) will be redistributed in the next count. 10.15pm: Little change after second count declared for Cork East Pat Buckley remains most likely to be elected first in Cork East, while Frank Roche (Ind) has been eliminated. His 615 votes will be redistributed in the third count. 9.05pm: Fine Gael hopeful of winning two seats in Cork East constituency following first count Cllr Noel McCarthy is hopeful that Fine Gael will win two seats in the Cork East constituency. The two Fine Gael candidates Mark Stanton and Cllr McCarthy are well placed following the first count in the constituency. Mr Stanton received 5,740 votes, while Fermoy based councillor Noel McCarthy received 5,364 votes. I am delighted with the first count, said Cllr Noel McCarthy: I got over 5,300 votes. I am honoured to get it. I have given myself a fighting change. It is a great chance. I am very humbled. I want to thank the people of East Cork. I am sweating like everyone else now for transfers. Cllr McCarthy is hopeful his party will win two seats. I think we have a great chance of winning two seats. No-one gave us a chance before it. There is a long way to go. I hope I wont be eating my words later. Sitting Sinn Fein TD Pat Buckley received the most votes in Cork East on 5,901. There are four seats to be filled in the constituency. Sitting Fianna Fail TD James OConnor also appears well placed. Deputy OConnor received 5,891 votes. Cllr Deirdre OBrien (FF) on 5,196, Independent councillor William OLeary on 4,615 and Social Democrats councillor Liam Quaide on 4,791 are also in contention for the final seats. All 4 seats have been filled in Cork-East Election 2024 update from Political correspondent, Gabija Gataveckaite 6pm: The results of the first count for Cork East are set to be announced at approximately 6.30pm. 4.15pm: Complete tally shows seven-horse race in Cork East With all 127 boxes of votes sorted, outgoing TDs Pat Buckley (SF) and James OConnor (FF) are leading the way alongside Mark Stanton (FG) on 12pc each. Just behind on 11pc are Fermoy councillors Noel McCarthy (FG) and Deirdre OBrien. Liam Quaide (SD) and William OLeary (Ind) are each on 10pc and are still in with a shout. Despite an early lead, Independent councillor Mary Linehan-Foley has fallen behind (8pc). 3.40pm: Soc Dems Tally man is best dressed at Mallow Count Centre courtesy of custom dog shirt The best-dressed in Mallow count centre is most certainly Ken Curtin, who is donning a fantastic custom-made shirt emblazoned with the faces of his beloved pet dogs Toffee and Milo. Ken, a Social Democrats tally man from Cobh, told The Corkman that he had his shirt made through an online company. In a sea of sensible attire donned by those observing the three Cork County vote counts at Mallow GAA Complex, Ken has added some much-needed colour to the serious proceedings courtesy of his flamboyant top. Ken said he is hopeful that his partys Cork East candidate, councillor Liam Quaide, can secure one of the four Dail seats on offer. Tallies indicate that Cllr Quaide currently has around 11pc of the vote. The tally man said he is also happy with how the Social Democrats have done in the election nationally, and would support them going into Government if the conditions were right. A left alliance, consisting of the Soc Dems, Labour and the Greens, is also something that might appeal to Ken in the future. 3pm: Voter turnout was 57pc in Cork East Counting is taking place in Mallow GAA Complex after a lull in activity as counters ate their lunch. Beef stroganoff and chicken curry was on the menu RTE journos the only media to have a table reserved in dining room 12:50pm: Tallies portray close race in Cork East With most boxes opened, the race for the four seats of Cork East remains tight. Tallies suggest outgoing TD James OConnor (FF) is leading the way with 13pc of the vote while Pat Buckley (SF) and Mark Stanton (FG) each have 12pc. Councillor Mary Linehan-Foley (Ind), Deirdre OBrien (FF) and Liam Quaide (SD) each have 11pc. Noel McCarthy (FG) and William OLeary (Ind) are still in contention too, with each sitting on 9pc. 11:45am: Early tallies suggest Independent candidate strong in Cork East Independent candidate Mary Linehan-Foley could secure her first Dail seat as she is currently tallying on 13% in Cork East. Fermoy councillor Deirdre OBrien (FF) is looking even more likely to secure her first seat in Dublin, currently topping the tallies with 14%. The tallies indicate Outgoing TDs Pat Buckley (SF) and James OConnor (FF) are each on 11%. Noel McCarthy (10%) and William OLeary (9%) are posing a strong challenge in the constituency. Just over half the boxes have been opened. 10:30: The first count for Cork East is well underway The count has been underway since 9am at Mallow GAA Complex. With three counts taking place, there is a big crowd present at the state of the art facility. Seats filled: 5 6pm The youngest TD in the new Dail Eoghan Kenny of Labour has said that he feels privileged to have the opportunity to work on behalf of his constituents in Cork North Central. Mr Kenny, who is just 24-years-old, described the Labour Party as being alive and kicking following a successful weekend which has seen the election of 11 party TDs nationwide. He stressed that he was pleased to be able to bring a younger perspective to the Dail. It has been very evident that there is a real need for a new generation of politicians to tackle the issues that we are facing in housing, healthcare, childcare and many issues across the board. Being the youngest TD in Dail Eireann is a real privilege. Hopefully we will set the world alight in Dail Eireann with our 11 (Labour TDs) elected. It is a fantastic weekend for the Labour Party as well that we have 11 TDs elected. That is with Sean Sherlock and Brendan Howlin both hanging up their political boots. I am absolutely privileged and extremely honoured to get this mandate from the people of Cork North Central and in particular the people of my home town of Mallow who backed me here. Mr Kenny, who is a county councillor, works as a business and religion teacher at Mayfield Community School on the northside of Cork. A full recount was ordered in the constituency last night after just 35 votes separated the final candidates Councillor Kenny of Labour and outgoing TD Mick Barry. Mr Barry of People Before Profit/Solidarity withdrew his request for a recount shortly after 5pm today. 5PM Deputy Mick Barry of People Before Profit/Solidarity has withdrawn his request for a recount in Cork North Central. Cllr Eoghan Kenny (Labour) will take the fifth seat. 11.20am A full recount was ordered in the five seat Cork North Central constituency last night after just 35 votes separated the final candidates Councillor Eoghan Kenny of Labour and outgoing People Before Profit Solidarity TD Mick Barry. Counting of bundles is underway in Nemo Rangers with a full decision to be made at lunchtime on whether a full recount will take place to decide the fifth seat in the constituency. Mr Kenny was deemed elected with 7,461 votes on the 17th count shortly after 12.30am. However, with just 35 votes between Kenny and Mick Barry a full recount was launched. Deputy Barry said that they were keeping their options open at this point. We are going to start with a check of the bundles. If we are going to overhaul 35 votes, it is more likely to be on the basis of a bundle error rather than one here, one there. We are going to do the bundles but we will keep our options open after that. A full recount, if it goes ahead, could take up to three days as it involves the counting of 59,071 papers. 1am A RECOUNT has been ordered in the five seat Cork North Central constituency after just 35 votes separated the final two candidates. The fifth and final seat was going to Labour's Councillor Eoghan Kenny ahead of outgoing People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Mick Barry by a mere 35 votes - but after the two candidates had been separated by just one vote earlier in the count. The same count had seen two different candidates separated by just three votes for one earlier elimination. On the 17th count the distribution of the surplus from Independent Ireland's Councillor Ken O'Flynn had seen Councillor Kenny poised to win the final seat with a transfer of 68 votes bringing him to 7461. The outgoing PBP-Solidarity TD had received a transfer of 117 from Councillor O'Flynn, leaving him on a total of 7426 - just 35 ballots behind the Labour candidate for the final seat. The recount will begin at 10am on Monday. Mr Barry confirmed he had sought and was granted a recount. Cork North Central returning officer Martin Harvey is supervising his final general election after 32 years in the role. In his first general election in 1992, the same constituency had witnessed a lengthy recount after just a handful of votes separated Liam Burke of Fine Gael and Billy Kelleher of Fianna Fail for the fifth and final seat. The Fianna Fail and Fine Gael candidates were cousins. The other four seats in the constituency were won by Sinn Fein's Thomas Gould, Fianna Fail's Padraig O'Sullivan, Fine Gael's Colm Burke and Independent Ireland's Ken O'Flynn. Nemo Rangers GAA complex is serving as the count centre for both Cork North Central and Cork South Central. 10.40pm INDEPENDENT Ireland's Councillor Ken O'Flynn and Fine Gael's Junior Minister Colm Burke have been elected in Cork North Central. Both were elected after the 14th count. Councillor O'Flynn is the son of veteran former Fianna Fail TD Noel O'Flynn who held a seat in Cork North Central for 14 years before his retirement in 2011. Colm Burke The councillor - a former member of Fianna Fail - narrowly failed to win a seat in the 2020 General Election as an independent. Last June he delivered one of the biggest votes in the Local Government election as he was re-elected to Cork City Council. Mr Burke - a former Ireland South MEP - has successfully defended his Dail berth. The first two seats in Cork North Central were taken by outgoing TDs, Thomas Gould of Sinn Fein and Padraig O'Sullivan of Fianna Fail. Mick Barry (PBP) and Eoghan Kenny (Labour) are in a dogfight for the final seat with just 300 votes currently separating them. 7.30pm FIANNA Fail poll topper in Cork North Central, Padraig OSullivan, has been re-elected. The outgoing TD took the second seat after fellow outgoing TD Thomas Gould of Sinn Fein was elected marginally ahead of him on transfers. Ken O'Flynn He was elected on the twelfth count. Fianna Fail are also battling for the fifth and final seat with outgoing TD Colm Burke and Independent Irelands Councillor Ken OFlynn poised to take the third and fourth seats. The final seat will be determined by a nail biting battle between Fianna Fail, Labour and People Before Profit. 4.30pm Cork North Central is shaping up to prove a cliffhanger with just three votes now separating two candidates battling for the fifth and final seat - after three votes determined an earlier elimination involving two other candidates. Outgoing TD Mick Barry of People Before Profit-Solidarity is at 4,724 votes after the tenth count - just three votes behind Councillor Eoghan Kenny of Labour as both battle for the final seat in the five seat constituency. In an earlier count, three ballots determined the elimination of Councillor John Maher ahead of Sinn Fein's Councillor Joe Lynch. The order of final eliminations and candidate geography will now determine the destination of the final seat. Outgoing TD Thomas Gould of Sinn Fein was elected on the tenth count with outgoing Fianna Fail TD Padraig O'Sullivan set to be re-elected within an hour. Outgoing TD Colm Burke of Fine Gael will be re-elected while Councillor Ken O'Flynn of Independent Ireland, a son of veteran former Fianna Fail TD Noel O'Flynn, is also set to take a seat. Counting in Cork North Central is expected to continue into the early hours of Monday morning. 1pm Fianna Fails outgoing TD Padraig OSullivan is expected to be elected within the next two hours after he edged within 700 votes of the quota in Cork North Central by 1pm. Mr OSullivan topped the poll in Cork North Central where none of the five Dail seats have been filled as yet. The ninth count is now underway with the elimination of Labours Councillor John Maher who was just three votes behind Councillor Joe Lynch of Sinn Fein set to prove crucial. Councillor Maher is expected to transfer heavily to his Labour running mate, Councillor Eoghan Kenny who is now engaged in a tense five way battle for the fifth and final seat. Outgoing TDs Thomas Gould of Sinn Fein and Colm Burke of Fine Gael are all set to be returned to the 34th Dail. Independent Ireland challenger Councillor Ken OFlynn will take a seat after a strong first preference vote and heavy transfers from other independents and small parties. Councillor OFlynn got a massive transfer from Ireland Firsts Derek Blighe of 1,280 votes pushing him well ahead of Mr Burke. The quota in Cork North Central is 9,846. 9am Counting has resumed at the Nemo Rangers GAA complex for Cork North Central where officials expect the fifth and final seat not to be filled until the early hours of Monday morning. Poll-topper and outgoing Fianna Fail TD Padraig OSullivan is around 1,900 votes shy of the 9,846 quota and is expected to be elected by early afternoon. Sinn Feins outgoing TD Thomas Gould is also expected to be re-elected by early afternoon with outgoing Fine Gael TD Colm Burke also set to hold his Dail berth. Independent Ireland challenger Councillor Ken OFlynn the son of former Fianna Fail TD Noel O'Flynn will also be elected. However, the fifth and final seat is expected to prove a tense battle between Fianna Fails councillor Tony Fitzgerald (4,084), People Before Profits outgoing TD Mick Barry (3,494) , Labours Councillor Eoghan Kenny (3,329) and Councillor John Maher (2,687), as well as Fine Gaels Councillor Garret Kelleher (2,790) and Sinn Feins Councillor Joe Lynch (2,894). Analysts stressed that the order of eliminations will be critical to determining who wins the fifth and final seat. Read more Cork South Central General Election 2024 updates: Seamus McGrath takes second seat but three still to be filled 7.30pm OUTGOING Fianna Fail TD Padraig OSullivan topped the poll in Cork North Central, marginally ahead of outgoing Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould, with both now set to be re-elected. Mr OSullivan polled 7,708 votes compared to Mr Goulds 7,399 with both men about 2,000 votes short of the 9,846 quota. Fine Gaels Junior Minister Colm Burke also looks set to be re-elected after he polled 5,736. Independent Ireland challenger Councillor Ken OFlynn who narrowly failed to get elected at the 2020 General Election is also certain to secure a Dail berth as he polled 5,733. However, the fifth and final seat is expected to prove a tight battle between Fianna Fails councillor Tony Fitzgerald (4,084), People Before Profits outgoing TD Mick Barry (3,494) , Labours Councillor Eoghan Kenny (3,329) and Councillor John Maher (2,687), as well as Fine Gaels Councillor Garret Kelleher (2,790) and Sinn Feins Councillor Joe Lynch (2,894). Social Democrat Susan Doyle appears to face an uphill battle to get into contention for the final seat at 2,255. Geography is expected to prove crucial in terms of the destination of late count transfers with Cork North Central having the towns of Ballincollig and Mallow added to the constituency. 5.45pm A five-way battle is looming for the fifth and final seat in Cork North Central as Fianna Fails outgoing TD Padraig OSullivan is set to top the poll. A first count for Cork North Central which reverts to a five seat constituency is expected at the Nemo Rangers GAA count centre around 6.30pm. Mr OSullivan will top the poll, marginally ahead of Sinn Feins outgoing TD Thomas Gould, as both are set to be over 1,000 votes short of the quota. Independent Irelands Councillor Ken OFlynn and Junior Minister Colm Burke for Fine Gael are both also well placed to win Dail berths. However, a tight battle is looming between Fianna Fails councillor Tony Fitzgerald, People Before Profits outgoing TD Mick Barry, Labours Councillor Eoghan Kenny and Councillor John Maher, as well as Fine Gaels Councillor Garret Kelleher and Sinn Feins Councillor Joe Lynch for the final seat. Tanaiste Micheal Martin admitted that geography will prove crucial in a constituency which has been massively expanded by the addition of the Cork towns of Ballincollig and Mallow. 2pm Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, Fine Gael and Independent Ireland are poised to take the first four seats in Cork North Central with a tense battle between People Before Profit, Labour, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for the fifth and final seat. The final tally in Cork North Central showed outgoing TD Padraig O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) set to top the poll at 13.2pc Fellow outgoing TD Thomas Gould (Sinn Fein) will also comfortably be re-elected at 12.6pc. Also likely to secure a Dail berth are Councillor Ken O'Flynn (Ind Ire) with a final tally of 9.82pc and outgoing TD Colm Burke (Fine Gael) at 9.77pc. However a tense battle is likely for the fifth and final seat with six candidates within striking distance of each other. Councillor Tony Fitzgerald (Fianna Fail) is on 7.04pc while outgoing TD Mick Barry (PBP-Sol) is on 6pc. A strong challenge is also being mounted by Councillor Eoghan Kenny (Labour) on 5.63pc and Councillor Joe Lynch (Sinn Fein) on 4.94pc, both of whom are from the two additions to Cork North Central, Mallow and Ballincollig. Fine Gael have not given up hopes of contesting the final seat if transfers are kind with Councillor Garret Kelleher (Fine Gael) on 4.79pc while Councillor John Maher (Labour) may also in contention on 4.54pc 11am: Early tallies indicate that Independent Irelands Councillor Ken OFlynn is poised to make a breakthrough in Cork North Central. The constituency is reverting back to a five seater and early tallies indicated a major battle for the fifth and final seat. Cork North Central dropped to a four seat constituency at the 2016 and 2020 general elections. However, early boxes have indicated a strong poll showing for Councillor OFlynn, the son of veteran former Fianna Fail TD Noel OFlynn, with 13pc of first preferences. Councillor OFlynn enjoyed one of the strongest electoral performances in the Local Government Election last June with a huge vote as he was re-elected to Cork City Council. It appears that he has repeated that electoral performance and is poised to win a seat. His vote has been particularly strong in Blackpool, Mayfield and The Glen. With one-third of the ballot boxes opened for Cork North Central, Sinn Fein's outgoing TD Thomas Gould is topping the poll. With 50 of the 160 boxes tallied, Mr Gould is on 16pc. He is followed by Fianna Fail's Padraig O'Sullivan on 14pc, Independent Ireland's Councillor Ken O'Flynn on 13pc and Fine Gael's outgoing TD Colm Burke on almost 9pc. All four look set to be comfortably elected. The fifth and final seat appears to be a battle between outgoing People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Mick Barry (8.6pc), Fianna Fail's Councillor Tony Fitzgerald (6.9pc) and Labour's Councillor John Maher (7.6pc). However, tallymen warned that predicting the fourth and fifth seats will be difficult given that the constituency has been expanded to include Ballincollig from Cork North West and Mallow from Cork East. Analysts warned that the Ballincollig and Mallow votes will be critical in determining the destination of the final two seats. Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein have adopted a specific geographic strategy in the constituency. Tallymen warned that a more accurate picture will be known around 11am when the majority of the constituency ballot boxes will be opened. Analysts are carefully watching transfers to determine whether left-wing candidates are supporting each other with outgoing People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Mick Barry expected to be vying with Labour and others to remain in the hunt for the fifth seat. The result means that a candidate with the surname Creed name has not been elected to Cork North-West for only the second time ever All 120 boxes have been counted for Cork North-West. Fianna Fail's Aindrias Moynihan photographer with Fine Gael councillor for Macroom, Eileen Lynch, and supporters at the Mallow Count centre. The first count for Cork North-West is underway at Mallow GAA complex. Michael Moynihan is hauled into the air in celebration of retaining his seat. John Paul O'Shea celebrates winning the second seat in Cork North-West. Aindrias Moynihan celebrates winning the first seat in Cor North-West. Seats filled: 3 3:00am: Fianna Fail retains majority in Cork North-West The fifth count, declared in the early hours of Sunday morning, saw Fianna Fails Aindrias Moynihan (10,094) and Michael Moynihan (9,057) retain their seats while Fine Gael councillor John Paul OShea (9,351) secured his first Dail seat at the third attempt. Macroom councillor Michael Creed (8,692) was the man left on the outside, and this means that for the first time ever, a Fine Gael representative with the surname Creed will not represent Cork North-West. 1:30am: Sinn Fein transfers to decide traditional constituency of Cork North-West Following the distribution of Becky Kealys (Aontu) share, contenders Aindrias Moynihan (FF) has 9,020 votes, Cllr John Paul OShea (FG) has 8,451, Michael Moynihan (FF) sits on 8,321 and Cllr Michael Creed (FG) has 8,020. The transfer of Nicole Ryans (SF) sizeable 7,530 votes in the next count will be decisive. Cork North-West seats 12:15am: Fight for Cork North-West far from over following fourth count While it looks like Aindrias Moynihan will retain his seat, it does not look certain who will secure the final two seats. The fourth count saw John Paul OShea (FG) creep past outgoing TD Michael Moynihan (FF). Michael Creed (FG) also gained ground and now stands within 151 votes of Moynihan thanks to transfers from Ellen Barry (II) and Colette Finn (GP). The 4,054 votes of eliminated Becky Kealy will go along way in deciding the race in the next count. 10:50pm: Collette Finn (Green Party) and Ellen Barry (II) have been eliminated following the third count 10:15pm: Independent Ireland candidate benefits most from second count Ellen Barry (II) won 123 transfers in the second count courtesy of eliminated candidates John OLeary (Ind) and Walter Ryan-Purcell (Ind). The race remains the same however, with FF TDs Aindrias Moynihan and Michael Moynihan and FGs John Paul OShea best placed to secure a seat. Michael Creed remains in the race, over 300 votes down on Cllr OShea. The votes of Joe Moore (PBP) will be transferred in the third count. 9:15pm: Fianna Fail looking likely to retain majority in Cork North-West following first count Outgoing TD Aindrias Moynihan (FF) topped the poll with 8,047 first preferences while long-standing FF representative Michael Moynihan secured 7,678 votes. Kanturk councillor John Paul OShea (FG) looks likeliest to retain the seat evacuated by his party colleague Michael Creed after garnering 7,603 votes. Macroom councillor Michael Creed, who told The Corkman he does not expect to be elected ahead of the count, won 7,321 votes. SFs Nicole Ryan (5,452) and Aontus Becky Kealy (3,364) were the next best. 8.38pm: Fine Gael candidate expected to challenge for seat does not believe he will be elected to Cork North-West As the results of the first count are due to be declared, Fine Gael councillor Michael Creed told The Corkman that his tally team have informed him that he will be about 250 votes short of winning election. Unfortunately, if the tallies are correct, which I presume they are, I will not win a seat, Cllr Creed said. But I will be eternally grateful for the people who supported me and backed me. I always knew it was going to be an uphill battle with the way the constituency was and I told all my supporters numerous times that there would be two seats north and one seat south and thats how its going to pan out. Unfortunately Im the man that has lost out. The people have spoken, Im a democrat and I completely respect their wishes. Cllr Creed said he does not think transfers from eliminated candidates will benefit him, because they are largely based in the north of the constituency while he hails from the south. Read more Fine Gael candidate expected to challenge for Cork North-West believes he will fall short of election 5.55pm: The results of the first count for Cork North-West is due after 7pm. 3pm: Cork North-West voter turnout was 64pc 2.30pm: Counting of Cork County constituencies commencing in Mallow Counting is taking place in Mallow GAA Complex after a lull in activity as counters ate their lunch. Beef stroganoff and chicken curry was on the menu RTE journos the only media to have a table reserved in dining room. 1:15pm: Cork North-West too close to call after tally completed. The completed tally for Cork North-West indicates that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are once again locked in battle to secure a majority in the constituency. Outgoing Aindrias Moynihan (FF) is in the lead with close to 18.85pc of the vote while his party colleague Michael Moynihan, also outgoing, has edged just ahead of the Fine Gael contingent with 17.67pc. John Paul OShea (FG) is just behind on 17.56pc while his running mate Michael Creed sits on 16.9pc. Transfers will prove vital in this race. 11:20: Early tallies suggest change on the cards in Cork North-West The latest tally figures indicate that Fine Gael could secure an additional seat in Cork North-West, reducing Fianna Fail to a single seat Outgoing FF TD Aindrias Moynihan is leading the charge with 22% of the vote but FGs Michael Creed, cousin of the outgoing TD Michael Creed, and his running mate John Paul OShea each have in excess of 18%. Given Fine Gaels early strength, long-time FF TD Michael Moynihan (13%) could be under pressure. There was an expectation that Aontus Becky Kealy (7%) would be the best of the rest but SFs Nicole Ryan is currently outpacing her on 13%. 10:15am: Counting well underway at Mallow GAA Complex Counting the Cork-North West vote has been underway for over an hour at Mallow GAA Complex, where all three counts for Cork County are taking place. Tally figures to follow soon. Micheal Martin comfortably topped poll on SaturdaySeamus McGrath, brother of European Commissioner, Michael, is electedTallies indicate two seats for FF, while FG and SF set to take seat one each Counting continues in the Cork North Central and South Central at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 Counting continues in the Cork North Central and South Central at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 Tanaiste Micheal Martin to the Cork North Central and South Central count centre at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 Counting continues in the Cork North Central and South Central at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 Tanaiste Micheal Martin celebrates as he is elected to Dail in first count (REUTERS/Damien Eagers) Fianna Fail's Councillor Seamus McGrath has been elected in Cork South Central on the tenth count Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin did not make the same mistakes as Simon Harris on the campaign trail. Picture by Damien Eagers Tanaiste Micheal Martin to the Cork North Central and South Central count centre at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 Seats filled: 3 7:45pm Outgoing Sinn Fein TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire was elected on the 16th count in Cork South Central. Padraig Rice He takes the third seat after Tanaiste Michael Martin was elected on the first count on Saturday and his running mate Councillor Seamus McGrath was elected on Sunday morning. There are still two seats still to be filled with Padraig Rice and Jerry Buttimer poised to take them, but transfers will tell the tale. Jerry Buttimer 1.05pm Fianna Fail's Councillor Seamus McGrath has been elected in Cork South Central on the tenth count, successfully defending the Dail berth previously held by his younger brother, EU Commissioner Michael McGrath. Michael McGrath, a former Finance Minister, retired from the Dail after being appointed to his Brussels role - with his brother, a longtime political supporter, being selected as a running-mate for Tanaiste Micheal Martin. He becomes the second person to be elected in Cork South Central, Councillor McGrath garnered 7,794 first preference votes with the Cork South Central quota at 10,451. He was elected having reached 10,758 on transfers. Cork-South Central's 5 TDs Tanaiste Micheal Martin: There is a clear route back to government 9am Counting has resumed in Cork South Central at the Nemo Rangers GAA complex with officials increasingly hopeful that all five seats can be filled by midnight. Only Tanaiste Micheal Martin has been elected so far but his running mate, Councillor Seamus McGrath, is expected to reach the 10,451 quota by mid afternoon. Fianna Fail will retain their two seats in Cork South Central while Sinn Feins outgoing TD Donnchadh will also be elected. A tight battle is underway within Fine Gael to secure the Dail berth vacated by former Tanaiste Simon Coveney with Senator Jerry Buttimer having a critical edge over Councillor Shane OCallaghan. The fifth seat is expected to be taken by Social Democrats surprisingly strong challenger, Councillor Padraig Rice. 7.00pm Cork South-Central Count 1: Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has been re-elected by a margin on the first count in the five-seat Cork South-Central constituency with 14,526 first preference votes The Tanaiste secured a massive 23pc first preference vote. He celebrated with his family as he was hoisted into the air by his sons Cillian and Micheal Aodh after topping the poll. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin did not make the same mistakes as Simon Harris on the campaign trail. Picture by Damien Eagers Mr Martin was elected with a massive first preference vote of 14,526 ballots - almost one-of-four of all votes cast in the sprawling southside constituency. Tanaiste Micheal Martin celebrates as he is elected to Dail in first count (REUTERS/Damien Eagers) The Tanaiste has been returned at every election in Cork South Central since 1989. His surplus of over 4,000 votes will now be counted and distributed - with Mr Martin's running mate, Councillor Seamus McGrath, the older brother of Ireland's new EU Commissioner Michael McGrath, also set to take a seat for Fianna Fail, being just 2,700 votes short of the quota. The remaining seats are tipped to be filled by Sinn Fein's outgoing TD Donnchadh O'Laoghaire (6,947) and either Fine Gael's Sen Jerry Buttimer (4407) or Councillor Shane O'Callaghan (3,664). Social Democrat's surprisingly strong challenger Councillor Padraig Rice (5,368) has an edge over rivals including Labour's Councillor Laura Harmon (3,005) and Independent Mick Finn (3,582) in the battle for the final seat. 5.45pm Tanaiste Micheal Martin arrived at the Cork South Central count centre at Nemo Rangers GAA club to cheers as he will be elected on the first count. The first count which is due around 6.30pm will see the former Taoiseach returned to the Dail after he was successful at every election he contested since 1989. He secured a whopping first preference vote of 23pc almost one-in-four of every first preference vote cast in the sprawling Cork constituency. His surplus is set to guarantee the election of his running-mate, Councillor Seamus McGrath, the older brother of Irelands new EU Commissioner Michael McGrath. Cork South Central is set to return two Fianna Fail TDs, one Fine Gael TD and outgoing Sinn Fein TD Donnchadh OLaoghaire. Social Democrats Councillor Padraig Rice has also polled very well and has an advantage over rivals from the Labour Party and Independents. Counting continues in the Cork North Central and South Central at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 1pm: Tanaiste Micheal Martin is poised to be elected on the first count after a strong performance in Cork South Central. With 90pc of boxes tallied, the former Taoiseach is at 23pc, almost 11pc ahead of his nearest challenger. With the first count expected at the Nemo Rangers GAA complex around 6pm where both Cork South Central and Cork North Central are being counted, Mr Martin will be elected on the first count. Outgoing Sinn Fein TD Donnchadh OLaoghaire is a 11.6pc and is also poised to hold his Dail berth. The Tanaistes running mate, Councillor Seamus McGrath, a brother for former Finance Minister and current EU Commissioner Michael McGrath, is at just over 10pc. Fine Gaels Senator Jerry Buttimer is at 7.9pc, critically ahead of his running mate Councillor Shane OCallaghan (5.8pc). The surprise challenger has been Social Democrats Councillor Padraig Rice who was tallied at 8.7pc which puts him firmly in contention for a seat. Independent challenger and former Lord Mayor of Cork Mick Finn is on 6.4pc and Labours Councillor Laura Harmon is on 5.1pc. Tanaiste Micheal Martin to the Cork North Central and South Central count centre at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 11am: Tanaiste Micheal Martin looks set to top the poll in Cork South Central with one third of the ballot boxes tallied. Mr Martin - a TD for 25 years and a former Taoiseach - is at 24pc of first preference votes from the city centre boxes tallied so far. His running mate, Councillor Seamus McGrath, is on 17pc though boxes from his Cork harbour heartland have yet to be analysed. Senator Jerry Buttimer is on 6.8pc, critically ahead of his running mates Councillor Shane O'Callaghan on 4.2pc and Una McCarthy on 4.4pc. Sinn Fein's outgoing TD Donnchach O'Laoghaire has been tallied at 9.2pc and should comfortably be re-elected. The battle for the fifth and final seat appears to be a complex battle between Fine Gael, Labour's Councillor Laura Harmon (4.3pc) and Social Democrats Padraig Rice (8.2pc). Green Party challenger Dr Monika Oikeh has been tallied at 4.2pc. Tallymen indicated that the Social Democrat candidate is polling very well across both urban and rural ballot boxes and has a good chance of taking a seat, depending on transfers. Former Cork South Central TD and incoming EU Commissioner Michael McGrath warned that caution is needed over reading too much into the General Election 2024 exit poll. "Everything is still to play for - I certainly would urge caution over reading too much into the exit poll," he said as he arrived at the Nemo Rangers GAA count centre for both Cork North Central and Cork South Central. Early tallies have indicated Fianna Fail is likely to take two seats in CSC with Fine Gael and Sinn Fein each likely to take one seat and a battle royal looming over the destination of the fifth and final seat. Mr McGrath stepped down as a Fianna Fail TD for Cork South Central after securing his Brussels post having served as Finance Minister in the former three-party Coalition Government. Counting continues in the Cork North Central and South Central at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 His brother, Seamus, is now seeking to defend his brother's old Dail seat as Cork South Central reverts to a five seat constituency. "I am here today in a different capacity. It is the first time in a long time that I have not been on the ballot paper. "I am here today to do for my brother what he has done for me (tallies) over many elections." Councillor McGrath is strongly tipped to take a seat in Cork South Central alongside party leader and former Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Mr McGrath said that it was far too early to read into how the General Election will transpire in terms of seat numbers nationally and possible Coalition structures. However, he noted that it was apparent there were strong transfers between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail candidates - and this could prove critical in determining the destination of the fourth and fifth seats in many constituencies. Counting continues in the Cork North Central and South Central at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Pic:Mark Condren 30.11.2024 Fianna Fail officials have also warned that polls traditionally underestimate the strength of the party - and its renowned "ground game" is being able to utilise late count transfers to win late seats in both urban and rural constituencies. "I think that was inevitable given that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have been in Government together for the past four years." Mr McGrath said that Irish democracy remains strong given the turnout despite the appalling weather conditions on Friday/ "I think it is very important we appreciate just how fortunate we are with Irish democracy and that we have free and fair elections here unlike other parts of the world." Mr McGrath also said it was noteworthy how many independent and non-party candidates were competing - and could be in with a chance of getting elected. But he warned it was vital that any incoming Government have a working majority. "I think having a significant majority will be very important for them," he said. Richard Boyd Barrett speaking to media at the Count Centre at the RDS. Photo by Steve Humphreys 30th November 2024. Eamon Ryan speaking to media at the Count Centre at the RDS. Photo by Steve Humphreys 30th November 2024. Seats filled: 5 1am: After a long slog, its all over in Dublin Bay North. Fine Gaels Naoise O Muiri retained the seat left vacant by outgoing TD Richard Bruton and surpassed the quota with 11, 574 votes. The final two seats were filled by candidates who did not reach the quota, Fianna Fails Tom Brabazon and Independent candidate, Barry Heneghan. It was a surprise change when Mr Heneghan, a relative newcomer to politics only elected this year to Dublin City Counil, overtook Fianna Fails Deirdre Heney on transfers on count 11. But he secured strong transfers from a spectrum of candidates including from Aontu and Sinn Fein. Asked how he felt about the win, Mr Heneghan said he was humbled and thanked his team. "I think people want an independent young voice to represent them in Dail Eireann and thats exactly what Im going to do, he said. Asked if he would support a Fianna Fail and Fine Gael government, Mr Heneghan said he would have to speak with his team. "At the moment, Im just going to go back, celebrate with my team and well discuss it with the kitchen cabinet, he said. 11:45pm: After count 13, Aoibhinn Tormey of Fine Gael has been excluded from the count and her transfers will be distributed. We still have three seats to fill and it is looking likely that after the next lowest candidate is eliminated, it will mean all three will be filled without candidates meeting the quota. 10.08pm: True to form and another count came and went with no candidate elected. Micheal Mac Donncha from Sinn Fein is now excluded and we await his transfers to see how that will impact the race. 9:30pm: As expected, Denise Mitchell of Sinn Fein is across the line has is the second candidate in the area to be elected. Now we wait for the distribution of Labours Shane Folan who was eliminated on the last count. Interestingly, Independent candidate Barry Heneghen is back in contention for the last seat after he benefitted from Aontu candidate James Morris transfers and has leapfrogged Fianna Fails Deirdre Heney. He is now ahead by 125 votes. 4pm: Social Democrats Deputy Leader Cian OCallaghan is the first candidate to be elected in Dublin Bay North in Count 8, after he surpassed the quota with 11,908 votes. Speaking after he was elected, Mr OCallaghan said he its been a brilliant day for the party. "Were really happy that voters have supported us in so many different constituencies around the country. We are looking forward to a much expanded parliamentary party, he said. He added that his party are expected have at least ten seats entering into the next Dail and said there were a few constituencies that are too close to call. 3pm: We are edging ever closer to the first candidate elected in Dublin Bay North. Count 7 didnt see that happen after the transfers from the Green Partys David Healy was distributed. This count saw Cian OCallaghan do the best out of the count, securing 726 transfers. With just 104 votes between him and the quota, we will hopefully soon see him get across the line. From there, the hope is things will begin to speed up. It has taken a long time to get even this far, which is understandable when you have 20 candidates on the ballot. 1pm: Count 6 has now come and gone and still nobody elected for Dublin Bay North. While it is getting closer, poll topper Cian OCallaghan is still 825 votes away from the quota. David Healy of the Green Party has been eliminated and his votes will be transfered during this next count. 11.13am: Good morning from the RDS where we have just received the results of count five in Dublin Bay North. Still nobody elected on this count and it may take a few more counts before we some a candidate reach the quota. John Lyons has now been eliminated so we await to see where his 2122 votes transfer to. ***** 11pm: After Count 4, still no candidate elected. Paul Fitzsimons has now been excluded and his 1,469 votes will be distributed. But not until tomorrow! The counting for Dublin Bay North has been suspended until 10am tomorrow morning, when we are sure to see a number of candidates get across the line throughout the day. 10pm: Still nobody elected after Count 3 here in Dublin Bay North. Brian Garrigan has now been excluded and his votes will be distributed. 8.39pm: We finally have the first count for Dublin Bay North and as expected, Cian OCallaghan has topped the poll with 9,738 votes. The quota is 10,929. Denise Mitchell followed with 9,012 votes. As nobody was elected, three candidates have been excluded, Stephen Doyle, Jamie McGlue and Diarmaid O Conarain 7.05pm: Candidates and their representatives are gathered at the Dublin Bay North section of the RDS, examining all the spoiled votes that are to be rejected. The first pile were ballots that dont have the official stamp. Other bundles had ballots that had an X beside candidates, other marks like circles or lines, some that had multiple number one votes, and others that saw no number one votes but the sequence starting from preference two or three. 3:30pm: Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan has said he is delighted with the support his party has received across the country and hopes the Social Democrats will become the fourth largest party in the Dail. Weve doubled our vote. Hopefully well emerge as the fourth largest party and there is a number of constituencies where we are hoping to make gains, Mr OCallaghan has said. According to the tallies, Mr OCallaghan is set to top the poll, just ahead of last elections poll topper, Denise Mitchell. "Delighted to be topping the poll in Dublin Bay North. Its a huge privilege for people to vote for you and put their trust in you and was delighted with the feedback during the campaign from people, he said. Dublin Bay North seats filled Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 1.50pm: Cian O'Callaghan has overtaken Denise Mitchell according to the latest tally numbers, which come after 98pc of the boxes in the area have been opened. In the last election, Denise Mitchell topped the poll in the constituency and got the most first preference votes in the country in 2020. Cian O'Callaghan is currently on 14pc, with 8283 first preference votes while Denise Mitchell is also on 14pc but with 8148 votes. Very little between the two as it stands. 12:20am: Slowly but surely we are getting more tallies and 46pc of boxes have been opened in the constituency. There are a number of areas that dont factor into these tallies yet, including Donnycarney, Raheny, parts of Howth and Kinsealy. With five seats to fill, here are the five candidates with the most first preference votes right now: Denise Mitchell is set to top the poll again. Currently she has 14.8pc of the first preference votes. Next is Cian OCallaghan on 12.5pc, followed by Tom Brabazon on 11.5pc. Naoise O Muiri is on 9.8pc and Deirdre Heney is on 8.7pc. 10:50am: Now on to Raheny and Bayside. Cian OCallaghan and Aoibhinn Tormey doing well in Bayside, and Deirdre Heney has a decent showing here too. Voting in Raheny Library showing a strong preference for Tom Brabazon but Cian OCallaghan and Aoibhinn Tormey are also picking up plenty of first preference votes here too. 10am: Some boxes in Donaghmede and Priorswood being counted at the moment. So far Sinn Fein have strong support here, with Micheal Mac Donncha taking many first preference votes from the St Benedicts polling centre and Denise Mitchell running away with the first preference votes in St Francis school polling centre in Priorswood. 9am: Good morning from the RDS where the boxes are open from Dublin Bary North and the ballots are being closely watched by the tally people. Its a large constituency and with five seats to fill and three outgoing TDs not running this time round, it will be an interesting race. The first boxes open are from the Clontarf area of the constituency, more specifically from the St Garbiel's polling station and the Belgrove junior boys school. Some very early indications from these boxes are first preferences are going to local Independent Barry Heneghen and Fine Gaels Naoise O Muiri. Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan has a decent showing here too. With only a few boxes open from one area, there is a strong health warning with these figures before the first tallies come in. Stay tuned. All four seats have now been filledMary Lou McDonald (SF), Gary Gannon (SD), Paschal Donohoe (FG) and Marie Sherlock (Lab) Seats filled: 4 3.40pm So convicted criminal, Gerry 'the Monk Hutch loses out on the last count. As the ballot boxes were emptied in RDS Simmonscourt yesterday the early tallies were strong for Hutch, but with the health warning that the early boxes being counted were from areas like North Strand where he would have a popular base. That will be diluted when boxes outside his area are opened, said one tally man. But throughout the morning that tally did not dilute much, and when the counts started and the day progressed, others fell off the list. Clare Daly, Janice Boylan, Andrew Kelly, Ian Noel Smith, Eoghan O Ceannabhain, and Malachy Steenson all fell. Hutch remained. Dublin Central seats filled This morning when Malachy Steensons votes were transferred Hutch got a shot in the arm. Neasa Hourigan of the Greens was then eliminated, and the field got smaller. Sinn Feins Mary Lou McDonald had been elected yesterday, then Gary Gannon of the Soc Dems was elected, and at this point his votes were distributed. The rumour mill began that Hutch might arrive, and photographers started watching the doors again. After Mary Fitzpatrick from Fiann Fail was eliminated on the 10th count that left her surplus to be distributed among Hutch and Sherlock. Then, just after 3pm, Hutch arrived. It took a good half hour for things to calm down, and everyone waited for that all important Count 11, where Paschal Donohoe surplus put Marie Sherlock on 6,102 votes, almost 800 more than Hutch in the end. 3.32pm The Labour Partys Marie Sherlock pips Gerry the Monk Hutch to the fourth and final seat in Dublin Central. 2.23pm Paschal Donohoe elected, leaving just one seat left to play for. Donohoes 1,518 surplus will be redistributed. Gerry the Monk Hutch is 124 votes ahead of Labours Marie Sherlock with 5,194 to 5,070. It is set to be a nail biting finish. 1.15pm Mary Fitzpatrick (FF) has now been eliminated after Count 9. The expectation is transfers will not be Hutch friendly, and that Labours Marie Sherlock could be the eventual holder of the last seat. Still no sign of Gerard Hutch in the RDS. Paschal Donohoe is yet to be elected but will take the third seat. 12:20pm Social Democrat Gary Gannon is the second to be elected in what proving to be one of the most interesting constituencies. With the quota being 6,551, Gannon has almost 1,000 votes to be redistributed. Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe is expected to be the third TD to be elected, leaving a battle between Gerry the Monk Hutch and Labours Marie Sherlock for the fourth and final seat. Hutch is in a stronger position, with Sherlock set to need a large proportion of Gannons surplus to stay in contention. Donohoe, Paschal (FG) 6162 Fitzpatrick, Mary (FF) 2768 Gannon, Gary (Soc Dems) 7481 Hutch, Gerard (Ind) 5021 Sherlock, Marie (LAB) 3841 Indo Daily Election Extra: Where do Sinn Fein go from here and the box-office battle for Dublin Central (Live from the RDS) 9.18am After a long day yesterday, and six counts, Malachy Steenson was eliminated in Dublin Central last night. It is believed a lot of his surplus will transfer to Gerry Hutch, but whether or not this will help get him over the line for the fourth seat is up in the air. Neasa Hourigan of the Green Party is likely to be out of the race later today, and where her transfers go will dictate the running. Mary Lou McDonald (SF) was first past the post in this race yesterday. Paschal Donohoe (FG) and Gary Gannon (Soc Dems) will take seats today because they are well ahead of the field. Hutch is still in the running, but there's a hurdle or two yet before the finish line. Counting resumes at 10am 11.16pm After a long day and six counts, Malachy Steenson has now been eliminated in Dublin Central. It is believed a lot of his surplus will transfer to Gerry Hutch, but there is doubt now as to whether it is enough to get him over the line for the fourth seat. If Neasa Hourigan is next to go then her surplus would more likely stretch to Labour's Marie Sherlock. We're back at 10am to find out. 10.30pm: After Count 5 we still have Paschal Donohoe, Mary Fitzpatrick, Gary Gannon, Neasa Hourigan, Gerry 'The Monk Hutch, Marie Sherlock and Malachy Steenson in the race for four seats. The quota is 6,551 and Paschal Donohoe (FG) is on 5,701. Gannon (Soc Dems) is on 5,027. Mary Lou McDonald has already been elected, and it looks like a battle for the fourth seat. Nobody is writing-off The Monk yet, but there is a sense that other candidates are more transfer friendly, and this could benefit Labour's Marie Sherlock. 10pm: Mr Donohoe, Fine Gael Minister for Public Expenditure, said the main theme of the election is "one of the centre holding", describing Sinn Fein as "the weakest opposition party in Europe". He told reporters at the RDS in Dublin: "I think we're on the verge of a very, very positive election for the party and a very, very strong electoral performance." On the potential election of Gerard Hutch in his constituency, he said: "I think it's worth noting that the vast majority of people in Dublin Central have not voted for him, and the vast majority of voters in Dublin Central have chosen to put their votes behind other candidates and we will have to reflect in due course regarding why he performed like he did, but the big picture today is one of the centre holding, that's the big picture. "The big picture is, at a time in which incumbent governments all over Europe are struggling to get re-elected, the two larger parties within this government, in particular Fine Gael, are going to deliver a very strong performance." Referring to Sinn Fein he added: "It's now very evident that they're the weakest opposition party in Europe." 9.30pm: Clare Daly has been eliminated in Dublin Central after the fourth count. Mary Lou McDonald has already been re-elected. Gerrry 'The Monk' Hutch is now looking very likely to take the fourth seat, after Paschal Donohoe and Gary Gannon. Fine Gael's Paschal Donohoe and Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats also look secure to win seats 8.30pm Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has been elected on the third count in Dublin Central. There were loud cheers from supporters as her election was announced. 7.47pm After two counts in Dublin Central Mary Lou McDonald is nearly across the line for the first seat. She needs 41 more votes, and seeing how her running mate Janice Boylan has been eliminated she will benefit from her transfers. Also eliminated now are Andrew Kelly (Centre Party Ireland), and Ian Noel Smyth (Aontu) 7.30pm: After Count 2, Mary Lou McDonald's running mate Janice Boylan has been eliminated. Full results after the second count, with no one yet elected: McDonald, Mary Lou (SF) 6,510 Donohoe, Paschal (FG) 5,569 Gannon, Gary (soc Dems) 4,397 Hutch, Gerard (Ind) 3,187 Sherlock, Marie (LAB) 2,505 Fitzpatrick, Mary (FF) 2,427 Hourigan, Neasa (Green) 1,986 Steenson, Malachy (IND) 1,955 OCeannabhain, Eoghan (PBP/SOL) 1,497 Daly, Clare (Ind 4 Change) 1,367 Boylan, Janice (SF) 1,295 Eliminated this round: Janice Boylan (SF) 6.30pm Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has topped the first count votes in Dublin Central but no candidate has yet been elected in the constituency as no one has yet reached the quota. Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch is currently in fourth place, after Paschal Donohoe and Gary Gannon. Things are not looking good for sitting Green TD Neasa Hourigan in the four seater, polling 1952 first preference votes. Full results: Mary Lou McDonald 6389 Paschal Donohoe FG 5493 Gary Gannon - Soc Dems - 4353 Gerard Hutch - Independent - 3098 Marie Sherlock Lab 2465 Mary Fitzpatrick FF 2344 Neasa Hourigan Green 1952 Malachy Steenson - Non party - 1602 Eoin O Ceannabhain PBP 1471 Clare Daly Indepdents for Change 1317 Janice Boylan SF 1257 Eliminated Ian Noel Smyth Aontu 715 Andrew Kelly Centre Party 298 The second count has now commenced, with the eliminated candidates' votes being redistributed according to preferences. 5.30pm Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said her party had delivered an incredible performance in the general election. She made clear she wanted to engage with other parties about the possibilities of government. Ms McDonald arrived at the count centre in the RDS in a very positive mood ahead of the first official Dublin counts. The first thing I want to say is to acknowledge every single person right across the state who came out to vote for Sinn Fein, she told reporters in the RDS count centre in Dublin this evening. Mary Lou McDonald (right) and deputy Michelle O'Neill (centre) arrive at the RDS (Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire) You have given us again a powerful and a strong mandate, and we understand the trust that you have placed in us to make life better for you, and we are determined to do just that. This has been really an incredible performance by all of our candidates, by Sinn Fein across the state. Over a short number of weeks we have achieved a result that many people a few weeks ago would have thought impossible. So thank you. Thank you to every single person who voted for us. I said in the course of the campaign that I believe another five years of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail is bad news for our society, for our communities, for families who are struggling, for our housing crisis, which is deepening, and nobody should miss the record homeless numbers that we saw on election day itself. Were now at a really important decision point for Irish society and politics, and we need change. We intend when the votes are counted and when we know the lie of the land, we will be talking to people about the possibilities of government. I do not want to see another five years of the kind of chaos, the kind of disregard that we have seen under Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. I think that is a bad outcome for our society. Speaking to Newstalk later, Ms MacDonald was asked if she had a message for Gerry The Monk Hutch: Not particularly, she said. "This is a democratic system; the people make the call. If he is a representative of the people to the Dail he will have the same rights and responsibilities as the rest of us. I look forward to and hope to be working with other colleagues on the left in the Dail, she added. 5.07pm Independent 4 Change candidate Clare Daly, who polled poorly in Dublin Central, said the fact that Gerry Hutch did well was an anti-establishment vote that could bring a needed focus on the area. Its incredibly interesting. Its not a place I would have wanted to be obviously but I think weve seen the massive galvanising of that anti-establishment vote around the candidacy of Gerard Hutch, she said. I think all progressive Independents across Dublin probably suffered a little bit in favour of the parties as well, so it left me where I am. Theres huge goodwill out there and all the rest but Im not going to get to see the benefit of all of the massive transfers that we got, but thats life and I think it has put the worlds attention and the countrys attention on a constituency that has been so badly neglected, and for me thats a really good thing. I hope that attention can be maintained and the people in this wonderful area can get the attention that they so badly deserve and havent got, she added. Asked if she welcomes the fact that Hutch appears to have the level of support he has, Ms Daly said the fact that he is there in the constituency will focus attention on it. The challenge will be to him to build on that. I do believe the constituency needs that. I dont see him being a national parliamentarian or a legislator per se, which is part of the job, but if elected he could, if the will was there, really keep a focus on an area that has been left behind and is crying out, she said. There are so many people in that community trying their best. It is an incredibly diverse constituency with a lot of division within it. Lets see what happens. Either way the constituency has spoken and by voting for Gerard Hutch in such numbers theyve sent that signal anyway, and the political establishment should take note, she added. 1.57pm Social Democrats candidate Gary Gannon has said he is humbled by the vote in Dublin Central. I'm humbled and also determined to vindicate that over the course of the next five years. We've done a massive amount of work in Dublin Central. In terms of the work that we are doing on the ground, the strength of conviction we have bringing through issues in the Dail that was really starting to come back for us, and we were picking up a lot of momentum in Dublin Central. And I think today you'll see the results of that, he said. Asked about the effect that Gerry Hutch had being on the ballot paper, Gannon said it was something that none of us expected. He came in and he got a lot of media with this announcement, and that's going to be expected. But I think, for me, it's not just about what happens and who takes the fourth seat. I think it's a reflection of the fact that there's a lot of hurt, there's a huge amount of pain. I mean, that period of austerity in 2011 to 2016 destroyed the fabric of communities, and you're still seeing the tentacles of that now, he added. I appreciate what the headlines will be today and tomorrow, but I do encourage everybody to go beyond them and look deeper. Because when people are hurting to the extent that they are in, some of the communities that I represent the length and breadth of Ireland, and you're going to see outcries of that, and it'll manifest in different ways. And I think we're seeing one manifestation of that today, he said. Asked if he thought the Hutch vote was a protest vote he said he didnt think so. Soc Dems leader Holly Cairns gave birth to her first baby yesterday as the nation went to the polls, and Gary Gannon was delighted for her. For me, I just want to say how in awe I am of Holly Cairns. She's not only our leader, she's my friend. She is somebody that has took the reins of this party two exceptional TDs in Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall, and she's really brought us on, he explained. Regarding future plans and possible negotiations for government, he said the next step is to see exactly what's in the boxes. 1.30pm Independent candidate Malachy Steenson has said it looks like Mary Lou McDonald will take the first seat in Dublin Central, followed by Paschal Donohoe, and Gary Gannon for the Social Democrats will take the third seat. The battle for fourth seat could be between Gerry Hutch (Ind), Marie Sherlock (Lab) and Mary Fitzpatrick (FF) in his opinion. He thinks Sherlock may take it on likely transfers. The Monk is in the mix as Malachy Steenson gives his view on the tallies from Dublin Central Its a disappointing day for the Nationalist movement but it shows what acres of media coverage can do for a celebrity candidate, he said in reference to Gerry Hutchs entry. The media have to look at the role they have played in this election in excluding people they didnt agree with. Sadly, the people will pay the price, he told the Irish Independent. 12pm With practically all the boxes tallied in Dublin Central the news of the day is how well convicted criminal Gerry Hutch has polled. From the outset he was doing well on tally sheets from his own inner city areas like North Strand, and there was an expectation among some of the tally crews that this would change as more boxes were opened. But his vote was strong across the city, and when it comes to the first count he looks destined to come fourth. Transfers in later counts will erode this, but the fact that he has featured so strongly has surprised many. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald will top the poll on around 20pc it appears, followed by Fine Gaels Paschal Donohoe on around 17pc. Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats is polling in third place at 13pc followed by Hutch on 9pc. The fact that Hutch entered the race in the first place will have hurt the ambitions of right wing candidate Malachy Steenson, and Independent 4 Change Clare Daly, who are in ar around the 5pc mark. The Green Partys Neasa Hourigans ambitions to retain her seat appeare to have taken a bruising, with the tallies indicating 6pc of the vote. Transfers will play around with the placings a lot, but this constituency is one to watch today. BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. Key factors for increasing trade between Austria and Kyrgyzstan could include improving bilateral trade agreements to reduce tariffs and trade barriers, as well as establishing bilateral investment treaties, a source at the Austrian Ministry of Finance told Trend. "Increasing awareness and promoting each country's market strengths would also help Austrian and Kyrgyz businesses identify mutual benefits and opportunities, thereby strengthening trade relationships," the source added. According to the ministry, Austrian investors in Kyrgyzstan may prioritize initiatives in sustainable energy (particularly hydropower)aligning with the global transition to renewable energy sourcesand infrastructure development, especially in transport (e.g., cable cars, toll systems) and logistics. "Currently, Austrian exports to Kyrgyzstan are still relatively modest, amounting to almost 30 million euros in 2023, primarily for machinery and pharmaceuticals. There are several sectors that could be attractive for Austrian companies, such as infrastructure, renewable energy, and technology transfer. Investments may focus on upgrading transport and logistics infrastructure to improve trade routes and access to markets. Renewable energy projects (hydropower), aimed at exploiting Kyrgyzstans abundant natural resources, are also attractive," the source said. Additionally, the ministry noted that there are promising opportunities in tourism and agriculture, given Kyrgyzstans potential in ecotourism and agricultural production. Sinn Feins Louise OReilly is first candidate electedFine Gaels Grace Boland and Labours Rob ODonoghue elected on sixth countCount completed on Sunday afternoon Happy doggo in Fingal West as proceedings finish with all 3 seats filled People Before Profit candidate in Fingal West looking on as first preference votes are counted Fine Gael's Grace Boland, a first time candidate was elected on the sixth count Seats filled: 3 1pm: All seats in Fingal West have been filled on the sixth count. Sinn Feins Louise OReilly was elected on the fourth count and Labours Rob ODonoghue and Fine Gaels Grace Boland secured the two remaining seats in the constituency on the sixth count. Tony Murphy, Independent candidate was eliminated in this count. Proceedings are now finished for Fingal West. Happy doggo in Fingal West as proceedings finish with all 3 seats filled 10am: Here's what has happened so far in Fingal West As of last night, the fifth count in Fingal West concluded with Fianna Fails Lorraine Clifford-Lee being excluded, after being narrowly overtaken by Independent candidate Tony Murphy by just 38 votes. Labour's Robert O'Donoghue gained 397 votes, bringing his total to 6,862, and continues to perform strongly. The current tally stands as follows: Robert O'Donoghue (Lab): 6,862 Grace Boland (FG): 5,218 Tony Murphy (Ind): 4,923 Lorraine Clifford-Lee (FF): 4,885 (excluded) A recount has been discussed, but the returning officer has indicated it may be a recheck instead. Counting resumes at 10am. 9.20pm: Fianna Fail's Lorraine Clifford-Lee was eliminated on the fifth count count. Despite her consistent vote increases in earlier rounds, she could not maintain enough support to stay in the race. This marks the end of her campaign for a seat in this count. Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly had already been elected in an earlier count. On this count, her surplus votes from Count 4 were redistributed. A total of 94 votes were deemed non-transferable during the process, meaning they could not be passed on to other candidates. As a result of the redistribution of O'Reilly's surplus, other candidates received additional votes, but no other seats were filled in this count. O'Reillys surplus votes played a role in reshuffling the standing of remaining candidates, but no further eliminations or elections occurred. Key Results from the Fifth Count: Eliminated Candidate: Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Fianna Fail) Redistributed Surplus Votes: Louise O'Reilly (Sinn Fein) - 94 non-transferable votes Votes redistributed: O'Reilly's surplus votes were redistributed to other candidates, though no new seats were filled during this count. 9pm: FFs Lorraine Clifford-Lee has been excluded after the 5th count. However the returning officer has said that he has an indication that he will be asked for a recount so is suspending the count for the day. The count for Fingal West has suspended the count until tomorrow morning at 10am and we will then get an update for the parties on how a recount might proceed. 8pm: In Count 4 of the Dublin Fingal West constituency, Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly was the first to be elected. There were tears of joy as she hugged her team and family members in the count centre. Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly secured a seat in this count, receiving a total of 8,261 votes after redistribution. Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly is elected on fourth count 7pm: At Count 3, two candidates were eliminated: Brynn Edwards (PBP) and Joe O'Brien (GP). There were 239 non-transferable papers during this count. Candidates' Performance in Count 3: Grace Boland (FG) received an additional 71 votes, bringing her total to 4,680. Lorraine Clifford-Lee (FF) gained 129 votes, increasing her tally to 4,575. Tony Murphy (Independent) surged with an additional 513 votes, bringing his tally to 4,393. Brynn Edwards (PBP) received +108 additional votes bringing his total to 1594, before he was eliminated in this round. Joe O'Brien (GP), like Brynn Edwards, was eliminated after receiving just 39 votes transferable votes, which brought his total to 1,905. Robert O'Donoghue (LAB) gained 105 votes, bringing his total to 5,203. Louise O'Reilly (SF) added 282 votes, increasing her total to 7,361. 6pm: Count 2 for the Dublin Fingal West constituency has concluded with Sinn Feins Louise OReilly still in front and likely to be elected on the third count. Aontu's Robbie Loughlin has been eliminated. Second count results with redistribution of votes: Grace Boland (FG): 4,583 (+26) = 4,609 Lorraine Clifford-Lee (FF): 4,417 (+29) = 4,446 Bryn Edwards (PBP): 1,392 (+94) = 1,486 Robbie Loughlin (Aontu): 1,163 (+323) = 1,486 Tony Murphy (Independent): 3,588 (+292) = 3,880 Joe O'Brien (GP): 1,844 (+22) = 1,866 Robert O'Donoghue (Labour): 5,044 (+54) = 5,098 Louise O'Reilly (SF): 6,965 (+114) = 7,079 5pm: In the first count for the Dublin Fingal West constituency, the electorate consisted of 51,403, and the total poll saw 30,285 votes cast. Out of these, 168 votes were spoiled, leaving a valid poll of 30,117 votes. The quota required to be elected in this count was 7,530 votes. No candidates were elected during this count. From Count 2 onwards, the redistributed votes will come from the eliminated candidates. These include votes from Mark Joseph Parsons (IP), Oghenetano John Uwhumiakpor (Independent), John Oakes (IFP), and Ben Gilroy (Liberty Republic). In terms of vote distribution, the candidates' results in Count 1 are as follows: Grace Boland Fine Gael: 4,583 votes Lorraine Clifford-Lee, FF: 4,417 votes Bryn Edwards, PBP: 1,392 votes Ben Gilroy Liberty Republic: 417 votes Robbie Loughlin Aontu: 1,163 votes Tony Murphy IND: 3,588 votes Joe O'Brien GP: 1,844 votes Robert O'Donoghue LAB: 5,044 votes Louise O'Reilly SF: 6,965 votes John Oakes IFP: 392 votes Mark Joseph Parsons IP: 157 votes Oghenetano John Uwhumiakpor IND: 155 votes SFs Louise O'Reilly and FGs Grace Boland are leading the pack the pack, while other candidates, such as John Oakes, Mark Joseph Parsons, and Oghenetano John Uwhumiakpor, will be eliminated in Count 2 and their votes will be redistributed. 4.10pm: Rumour has it that results from the first count for Fingal West are due in around 30 minutes. 4.05pm: Sinn Feins Louise OReilly has said she is very pleased with how things are looking so far. The outgoing TD looks set to repeat her 2020 general election performance and top the poll and become the first elected in her constituency. "We had a lot of people who were ringing the office and saying, 'Look, when can I vote for you?' which is always a good sign, she said. "But also there was a real, real mood for change, a real appetite for change on the doors. And I think that's what was reflected in the vote. "I'm very pleased with todays tally indicators similar to my 2020 vote, which many people said was a flash-in-the-pan that wouldn't be repeated, well it has been repeated. "My vote held up, and it did so because of my party, I think, but also because of the work I do. "It's always tough in a three-seater, it's a completely different prospect to a five-seater. I'm just delighted, she added. Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly said she is glad that she proved her 2020 topping of the poll wasn't a 'flash in the pan' moment 3.40pm: Still no announcement on first counts 3.20pm: It was announced that adjudication would take place at 3.30pm 2.30pm: Green Party TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities Joe OBrien has said that Its not going to be a good day for the party. Judging by latest tallies he is clearly going to lose his seat in the constituency with just 6.2pc of first preference votes. In the 2024 elections tallies have showed he has roughly 1,793 first preference votes so far in comparison to the 8,400 first preference votes he got on the first count back in 2020. Speaking to the Irish Independent at the National Show Centre in Swords he thanked his campaign team for the hard work over the past couple of months. 'I've lost my seat anyway' says outgoing Green Party TD Joe O'Brien "We put an awful lot of work in... we are walking away, a lot of us with essential achievements, and that's what we're gonna hang on to, Minister OBrien said. "We hope we retain some few seats so that a lot of the things that we've got done... don't get that slip away in the next door, that would be our concern. "I've lost my seat anyway, and that's very disappointing from my point of view. But as I said, you know, we put a lot of work in, he added. He said that the redrawing of the constituency definitely hindered his likelihood to retain his seat losing half of his base. "We knew that risk, and that's, that's politics, that's the way it goes. Sometimes it seems to be that that's continuing to be the pattern in Irish politics, he said. "If you're given a mandate by the people, I think you have a responsibility to step up to the place and follow through, regardless of who you may or may not have to collaborate with in government. The Indo Daily Election Extra: Coalition toss-ups, crime bosses and Versace bottles (Live from The RDS) "Our message will always remain relevant, and we as a group of politicians and activists, will always remain committed, and we'll be there waiting again, he added. The news comes after Green Party leader Roderic OGorman confirmed that the party are not performing well so far and expect to retain only roughly 2 or 3 of the 12 seats the previously had. 1pm: The first count has gotten well underway with rumours that we will only get results after 3pm. 11.30am: 100pc of the boxes in Fingal West have been opened and tallied. Here are the final results: The estimated quota for Fingal West is 7,295 Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly is still leading the pack but will likely be just shy of making the quota on the first count. Battling it out for the two remaining seats will be Robert O'Donoghue of the Labour Party, Fine Gael's first time candidate Grace Boland and Fianna Fail's Lorraine Clifford Lee. Final tally results for Fingal West at 11.30am 10.30am: Early tallies in Dublin Fingal West show Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly ahead, but with Fine Gael's and Labour's candidates close behind. Over two third of boxes have now been opened. Outgoing Green Party minister of state Joe O'Brien is currently lagging behind but he'll be hoping to see his position improve as more votes from Balbriggan are yet to be tallied. It might be a close race yet for Fine Gaels Grace Boland and Fianna Fail Senator Lorraine Clifford Lee. Calling it now, it looks like Louise OReilly might be elected on the first count, all going well for her. Fingal West tallies at 10.30am 10am: The first tallies have come in for Fingal West here is what we know so far.. Leading so far is current TD Sinn Feins Louise OReilly with 1,705 first preference votes making up 22.3pc of the total votes counted. Fine Gaels first time candidate Grace Boland is also doing well with 1,614 first preference votes making up 19.3pc of the votes counted so far. Coming behind her then is Labours Robert ODonoghue hoping to become a TD for his party with 1,536 first preference votes making up 18.4pc of the total votes counted. Also doing well is Independent candidate Tony Murphy with 11.0pc of the total votes so far. Fianna Fails Lorraine Clifford Lee is doing okay with 933 first preference votes she has 10.9pc of the total votes so far Dublin's Fingal West tally at 9.45am 9am: Boxes have been opened in the National Show Centre and candidates along with tally people are watching eagerly on for some indication of where things may be going. Neal Richmond re-elected on first countGreen Party minister Catherine Martin loses seat The count continues in Ballinteer Community School as Rathdown looks to elect four TDs. Seats filled: 4 9.30pm: As the dust settles in Rathdown, here are the full results of the tenth and final count, which saw Social Democrats SInead Gibney, Fine Gael councillor Maeve OConnell and Fianna Fail councillor Shay Brennan all elected to the Dail as first-time TDs. Fine Gael junior minister was elected on the first count on Saturday, having topped the poll with having topped the poll and surpassed the quota with 10,044 first preference votes. Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney surpassed the quota of 9,752 following the re-distribution of Green Party minister Catherine Martin's votes after her elimination in the ninth count. She received 2,487 transfers, bringing her to 10,612 total votes. She has become the first Social Democrats TD for Rathdown. Fine Gael councillor Maeve O'Connell was elected with 9,752 total votes - exactly the quota. She joins her husband, Dublin South-West TD Colm Brophy, in the next Dail. Fianna Fail councillor Shay Brennan was also elected on the tenth and final count with 8,999 total votes. His father, the late Seamus Brennan, held several portfolios as a Fianna Fail minister and it is the first time Fianna Fail has held a seat in the area since his father died in 2008. Independent candidate Michael Fleming was 997 votes behind Shay Brennan on the tenth count. All four seats have now been filled following a tense contest. Here are the results of the final count, including the transfers received from the re-distribution of Green Party minister Catherine Martins votes: Shay Brennan (FF) + 903 = 8999 Michael Fleming (IND) + 516 = 8002 Sinead Gibney (SD) + 2487 = 10612 Maeve OConnell (FG) + 1534 = 9752 8.25pm: Fianna Fail councillor Shay Brennan, the son of the late Fianna Fail minister Seamus Brennan, has described his election as a very emotional and very poignant moment as he wins the first seat for the party in the area since his fathers death. "I am delighted to be elected, delighted for the team that has worked so hard to make this happen, to restore Dublin Rathdown to its flagship status as a constituency for Fianna Fail and yes, of course, I would like to think my dad is very proud of me today as I, of course, am of him. He said he was blessed to have his siblings around him during the campaign. 8.30pm: Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney said she was "absolutely over the moon" upon her election to the Dail for Rathdown, paying tribute to her campaign team who "worked so hard" despite being "written off as a campaign". Ms Gibney surpassed the quota in the tenth count to achieve 10,612 total votes, receiving the majority of transfers from the elimination of Green Party TD Catherine Martin. Ms Gibney, who ran in the Dublin constituency in the European election for the party, sold her car and left her job as the chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission to work on the campaign. "You cannot believe the year I've had, it was amazing but it was tough, it was three-and-a-half months, I gave up my job as well as selling my car so I could work on it full-time," she said. "Just before I was selected to run for the European (election), my dad died so this whole year has been on the back of saying goodbye to one of the biggest people in my life and he would be so proud of me today and I'm going to do him so proud in the Dail." She is a first-time TD and the first Social Democrats TD - and candidate - for Rathdown, with Ms Gibney saying her campaign team "slogged our guts out" and knocked on over 11,000 doors. "We were clear with the electorate as a party on exactly what we can offer and I think the people of Rathdown said, 'Yes, thanks'." She said the party has made huge progress in this election and have been "so straight with the electorate about what we want to do as a government" with a focus on housing, public services, disability services and the cost-of-living. 8.20pm: Fine Gael councillor Maeve OConnell said her life will be changed completely by entering the Dail as a first-time TD. She and her husband, Colm Brophy, who is a TD in Dublin South-West, have become the only husband-and-wife to both be elected to the new Dail. It was a title previously held by Green Party minister Catherine Martin and her husband Francis Noel Duffy, both of whom lost their seats this weekend. Speaking after her election, Ms OConnell said: "My life will be changed completely. She said she will finish off the semester with her students at TU Dublin, where she is a lecturer, and joked that herself and her husband have already discussed "carpooling. 8.15pm: Fine Gael councillor Maeve O'Connell, Fianna Fail councillor Shay Brennan and Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney have been elected in Rathdown on the tenth and final count. All seats are now filled. Fine Gael minister Neale Richmond topped the poll yesterday and was elected in the first count. Green Party minister Catherine Martin lost her seat here earlier tonight, one which had been considered safe before disastrous tallies exposed the danger the junior coalition party was in yesterday morning. 7pm: Green Party minister Catherine Martin has thanked the people of Rathdown and her campaign team following her elimination from the count. She was not present during the count results, but had yesterday attended the count centre where she had told reporters that the Green Party will come back stronger than ever before after a very disappointing election. "Thank you to the people of Dublin Rathdown who entrusted me to represent them since 2016. Thank you to my campaign team and local members who canvassed with me in #GE24, she said in a statement shared to X. "It wasn't to be this time. I wish all who were successful the very best. Beir bua. Speaking yesterday in the count centre in Ballinteer Community School, Ms Martin said: "We'll see what happens but its a very, very disappointing day for the Green Party and my heart goes out to everyone, all of the candidates. "We ran in every single constituency and it's a tough day but this has happened before and we will come back and we will come back stronger than ever before, that I can be sure of." Ms Martin said there was a warm reception on doors but "maybe it was just a case of the smaller party get edged out". "I am incredibly proud to be here having represented Rathdown," she said, adding that the fate of the party is "in the hands of the electorate and I respect that". "I was in the hands of the electorate and I'm still in the hands of the electorate," she said, adding that the Green party term in government was "challenging at times" but it was also "rewarding". "It is an absolute privilege to serve at Cabinet and be one of the few women, I was very conscious of that at all times. I never forgot that honour and every day I've been in Leinster House I look back and go 'It's an honour to be here'." 6.45pm: The transfers of former Green Party minister Catherine Martin will decide the result here in Rathdown after she was eliminated on the ninth count, losing her seat in what has become an incredibly tight race in the four-seat constituency. The battle for the final two seats is now even tighter that was originally anticipated this morning. There are three seats left to fill in the constituency and four candidates remain. Fine Gael councillor Maeve O'Connell leads with 8,218 votes, now followed by Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney, who has overtaken Fianna Fail's Shay Brennan by 122 votes to land on 8,125. Mr Brennan has 8,096 votes. Independent Michael Fleming has received 7,486 votes and remains in the running for the fourth and final seat in a constituency which will be decided by the transfers of Ms Martin. There are just 608 votes between Mr Brennan and Mr Fleming. 6.30pm: Green Party minister Catherine Martin has lost her seat in Rathdown. 6pm: Fianna Fail candidate Shay Brennan is cautiously optimistic as he looks poised to take a seat in a narrowing race in Rathdown. Speaking to the Irish Independent as the gaps close and a ninth count is imminent, Mr Brennan said the progress being made by Fianna Fail in Dublin is a sign of a resurgence of the party in the capital. If elected, Mr Brennan will be the first Fianna Fail TD in Rathdown since the constituency was first created in 2016, having been separated from Dun Laoghaire. Mr Brennan said the initial tallies were around about what we expected yesterday morning, putting him in contention with two Fine Gael candidates in a constituency that has become a very contested battle. It put him in a strong position, he said, and the seat would mark a gain for Fianna Fail. Its the second last count so were almost there, but there is still a way to go. 5.40pm: Sinn Fein candidate Shaun Tracey has been eliminated on the eighth count here in Rathdown, his 4,382 votes will now be distributed between the remaining candidates. Fine Gael councillor Maeve OConnell leads with 8,123 votes, followed by Fianna Fails Shay Brennan with 7,908 votes. The fight for the final seat has still not been made clear, with suspense now rising here in Rathdown. Independent Michael Fleming has 6,291 votes, just 47 votes ahead of Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney, who has 5,480 votes. Green Party minister Catherine Martin is in danger of being eliminated in this next count if she cannot bridge the gap based on transfers from Sinn Feins Shaun Tracey. She is 811 votes behind independent candidate Michael Fleming and 764 votes behind Ms Gibney. 4.20pm: A recheck of the seventh count in Rathdown has found a discrepancy in the results. Fianna Fail's Shay Brennan should have received 300 more votes in the re-distribution of Aontu candidate Liam Coughlan's votes, while the second look has also found that Sinead Gibney received 296 less votes than had first been counted. The amended results do not change that Labour candidate Lettie McCarthy has been eliminated in the seventh count, but it has widened the gap between independent Michael Fleming and Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney. There are now 647 votes between the two candidates. There are 1,301 votes between Mr Fleming and Green Party minister Catherine Martin. The redistribution of votes from Labour's Lettie McCarthy could be crucial in determining whether Ms Martin will remain roughly in contention or if her re-election is outside the realm of possibility. Count 8 is now underway with three seats left to fill. 3.45pm: The recheck appears to be coming to a close here in Rathdown. Counters were positioned in groups of two, one looked over the order of preferences on the ballot before passing it to the other to take another look. The returning officer in Rathdown is expected to make an announcement shortly on where things currently stand. 2.30pm: A recheck of Count 7 is due to begin shortly, with experienced counters drafted in to take a second look at the results after Fianna Fail flagged a discrepancy between their tallies and the outcome. Preparations underway for a recheck in Rathdown. The Fianna Fail team had tallied that councillor Shay Brennan would receive 398 votes from Mr Coughlan but received 102 votes in the official count. 1.20pm: The Fianna Fail team in Rathdown are seeking a recheck of votes in most recent count as they said they have tallied a larger redistribution of votes for councillor Shay Brennan from Aontus Liam Coughlan than were received in the last count. 1.10pm: Labour councillor Lettie McCarthy has been eliminated on the seventh count, having received 3,480 votes that could prove crucial in deciding the fate of the final seat. Independent councillor Michael Fleming, who received more than double the quota of necessary votes at the local elections in June, received a huge 833 votes from the distribution of Aontu candidate Liam Coughlans votes. He has leapfrogged Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney by 358 votes, but she is expected to benefit substantially from Labour candidate Lettie McCarthys redistribution. Green Party minister Catherine Martin could also benefit from these transfers, as all three parties are likely to target the same left-leaning voter base. 12.30pm: There are just 45 votes between Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney and independent councillor Michael Fleming as we enter the seventh count, proving the contest for the final seat will be a nail-biter and heavily dependent on transfers. Green Party minister Catherine Martin is now 608 votes behind Ms Gibney and 563 votes behind Mr Fleming. Her path to re-election has narrowed with each count. Aontu candidate Liam Coughlan was eliminated in the sixth count. It is unlikely Ms Martin can expect enough transfers from his 170 votes to bring her closer into contention. While ex-Fine Gael independent candidate Alan Shatter received just 10 votes in the re-distribution of Neale Richmond's surplus votes yesterday, the distribution of his votes gave Fine Gael councillor Maeve O'Connell a surge of 582 votes. There are three seats left to fill, with Fianna Fail's Shay Brennan and Fine Gael's Maeve O'Connell making progress towards the quota. Things have picked up pace significantly here in Ballinteer Community School. Here is how we are fixed in Rathdown after the sixth count: Shay Brennan (FF) - 7199 Liam Coughlan (Aon) - 2267 ELIMINATED Michael Fleming (IND) - 5035 Sinead Gibney (SD) - 5080 Catherine Martin (GP) - 4472 Lettie McCarthy (LAB) - 3382 Maeve O'Connell (FG) - 7440 Shaun Tracey (SF) - 3976 11.30am: Former Fine Gael justice minister Alan Shatter has been ruled out of the running in the fifth count, having receiving 1,925 votes in total which will now be re-distributed. Mr Shatter ran in this race as an independent and lost his seat in 2016, when he was leapfrogged in a strong performance at the polls by Catherine Martin, who became a first-time Green Party TD. Ms Martin went on to top the poll here in 2020, but has been left, alongside her party colleagues, struggling to make the same impact as four years ago. 11.15am: Fianna Fail candidate Elaine Dunne has been eliminated on the fourth count in Rathdown as Green Party Minister Catherine Martin continues to trail two candidates in the fight for a seat. The redistribution of People Before Profit candidate Siomha Ni Aonghusa's votes has allowed for Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney to overtake independent Michael Fleming in the race for the embattled final seat. Ms Gibney benefitted substantially with 643 votes, bringing her to 4,939 in total. Labour candidate Lettie McCarthy received 114 votes, while Sinn Fein candidate Shaun Tracey received 306 votes. Green Party minister Catherine Martin received just 87 votes, bringing her total to 4,262, meaning the gap between herself and Ms Gibney has widened to 677 votes. Independent Michael Fleming also remains ahead of Ms Martin by 384 votes. The next counts will be crucial as her path to re-election still appears in doubt. Ms Dunne's running mate Shay Brennan remains well-placed to take the third seat here, while Fine Gael's Maeve O'Connell is expected to take the second seat. Things are moving quickly here in Rathdown this morning, another count result is expected shortly. 10am: Another day of counting has resumed here in Ballinteer Community School as we begin to work towards the rest of the result in Rathdown. Fine Gael junior minister Neale Richmond was re-elected on the first count yesterday. People Before Profits Siomha Ni Aonghusa was eliminated after the third count, just before counting was adjourned last night. It is expected that her transfers will favour Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney, who is among those vying for the final two seats alongside Fianna Fails Shay Brennan, independent Michael Fleming and Green Party minister Catherine Martin. It became clear quite early on Saturday morning, as tally results rolled in across the country, that the Green Party were going to have a difficult few days ahead. Whenever safe seats were discussed by the party in the weeks leading up to polling day, those of Ossian Smyth in Dun Laoghaire, party leader Roderic OGorman in Dublin West and minister Catherine Martin here in Rathdown were all pointed to. Mr Smyth lost his seat yesterday, while both Mr OGorman and Ms Martin have been left fighting for the final seats in their constituencies. The quota is 9,752. Fine Gael councillor Maeve OConnell is expected to take the next seat, followed by Fianna Fails Shay Brennan. The final seat will be a tense battle, with independent Michael Fleming currently in the lead with 4,582 votes, followed by Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney with 4,296 and Ms Martin with 4,175. Transfers remain the key to victory here in Rathdown. **** 11.30pm: Counting has been suspended here in Rathdown until 10am tomorrow morning following the results of the third count, which saw the elimination of People Before Profit candidate Siomha Ni Aonghusa. Her 1,351 votes will be redistributed tomorrow morning. 10.45pm: The redistribution of the 292 surplus votes of Neale Richmond has resulted in the elimination of Independents, Kevin Daly and Conor Murphy and National Party candidate Garrett McCafferty in the second count. The largest beneficiary of Mr Richmonds surplus was, as expected, his running mate Maeve OConnell with 198 votes. 9.15pm: As the dust settles after the first count, here are the full results as counting staff work to redistribute Mr Richmonds surplus of 292 votes. Candidates are battling it out to reach the quota of 9,752 votes. Turnout was 61pc in Rathdown, with a total valid poll of 48,759. Shay Brennan (FF) 5913 Liam Coughlan (Aon) 1808 Kevin Daly (IND) 253 Elaine Dunne (FF) 1417 Michael Fleming (IND) 4380 Sinead Gibney (SD) 4277 Catherine Martin (GP) 4146 Garrett McCafferty (NP) 367 Lettie McCarthy (LAB) 3043 Conor Murphy (IND) 66 Siomha Ni Aonghusa (PBP) 1336 Maeve O'Connell (FG) 6375 Neale Richmond (FG) 10044 Alan Shatter (IND) 1783 Shaun Tracey (SF) 3551 8.45pm: Fine Gael junior minister Neale Richmond has been re-elected on the first count, topping the poll with 10,044 first preference votes. Speaking after his election and surpassing the quota of 9,752 by 292 votes, Mr Richmond said he was lucky to be backed by his team of supporters through an exhaustive campaign. "Myself and Maeve OConnell were given a very clear task by Simon Harris, to deliver two seats here and it looks like we will. Personally, obviously, Im chuffed and hopefully we will see a lot more Fine Gael seats elected over the next couple of hours and days, he said. Mr Richmond, who grew up "500 metres from the count centre at Ballinteer Community School, said he fully expects his running mate Ms OConnell to be elected as the pair ran a united campaign in their constituency. "We ran a really united ticket that delivered two seats for Fine Gael in Dublin Rathdown again even though many people said that we couldnt do it. 6pm: A first count looks imminent in Rathdown as Green Party minister Catherine Martin has said it has been a "disappointing day" for her party. Speaking to reporters as she arrived at the count centre, she said her seat remains in the "hands of the electorate" after initial tallies of first preferences placed her in sixth-place in her constituency of Rathdown. She thanked those who voted for her in what has become a "very, very tight" race in her constituency. "It's very, very tight here (in Rathdown) but still, all is to play for but we will have to see what unfolds in the next few counts." Asked what she believes may have "gone wrong" for the party, Ms Martin said she believes it could be "the old story of the junior coalition partner gets the punishment of a government". "I remember being at the count centre in 2011 when Eamon lost his seat and at that time there was a feeling or a sense that the Green Party hadn't delivered enough in that government. I certainly felt coming into this election that we had a track record of delivery and certainly punched above our weight." She said she had been "hopeful" that the party would have retained seats in this election, adding that the party remains "in contention" for her own seat and for the seats held by party leader Roderic O'Gorman and Dun Laoghaire incumbent Ossian Smyth. "They are very tight, tight battles. I felt throughout the campaign that there was no anger on the doorsteps and I congratulate all the candidates actually on really terrific campaigns, very respectful campaigns in Dublin Rathdown by everybody too. We'll see what happens but its a very, very disappointing day for the Green Party and my heart goes out to everyone, all of the candidates. "We ran in every single constituency and it's a tough day but this has happened before and we will come back and we will come back stronger than ever before, that I can be sure of." She said climate action did not feature in the campaign even though constituents had raised the issue on the doors, adding that she is "proud" of her work and the work of the Green Party in government. Ms Martin said there was a warm reception on doors but "maybe it was just a case of the smaller party get edged out". "I am incredibly proud to be here having represented Rathdown," she said, adding that the fate of the party is "in the hands of the electorate and I respect that". She said the issue of climate is "much more important than us as a political party". "I was in the hands of the electorate and I'm still in the hands of the electorate," she said, adding that the Green party term in government was "challenging at times" but it was also "rewarding". "It is an absolute privilege to serve at Cabinet and be one of the few women, I was very conscious of that at all times. I never forgot that honour and every day I've been in Leinster House I look back and go 'It's an honour to be here'." Ms Martin said she was surprised by the scale at which the Green Party appears to be struggling across the country as counting continues. She paid tribute the Green Party teams working on campaigns across the country, adding that even as the exit poll results came in last night that she believed the party would maintain at least "5 or 6 seats" but the party is now looking at three tight contests in Dublin. 4pm: Rathdown is still counting in a quiet Ballinteer Community School. Conversation has turned to speculation over when the first count can be expected a fairly inexact science. 2.20pm: There is a sense of calm before the storm as the count chugs steadily onwards in Rathdown, with Fine Gael junior minister Neale Richmond expected to top the poll. It is a conclusion foreseen since ballot boxes were first opened this morning, with the real race beginning once transfers enter the state of play after the first count later today. His running mate Maeve OConnell is well placed to take the second seat. The count continues in Ballinteer Community School as Rathdown looks to elect four TDs. 1pm: Counters have taken a break here in the hall of Ballinteer Community School, with party supporters making peace with the results of their tallies before the official outcome of the first count rolls in later this afternoon. The electorate in Rathdown has often dealt the blows of what can only be described as a mild curse of the minister in elections past, with sitting Media minister Catherine Martin likely to now face an uphill battle for the final seat in this four-seater with a sixth-place finish in the tallies with 8pc of first preferences. Transport minister Shane Ross lost his seat in Rathdown four years ago, while former justice minister Alan Shatter also lost his seat here in 2016. It remains to be seen whether Ms Martin will be the latest casualty of this curse, having been the one to benefit from Mr Shatters loss eight years ago when she was first elected to the Dail. 12pm: We are close to a full tally in Rathdown, with 99pc of the boxes open and a clear trend emerging for Fine Gael based on first preferences. Junior minister Neale Richmond looks likely to take 20pc, now followed by his running mate Maeve OConnell on 13pc. It shows signs of two seats for Fine Gael here once our first count is completed and transfers are taken into account. Fianna Fail candidate Shay Brennan is on 12pc, followed by both independent Michael Fleming and Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney on 9pc. Catherine Martin is still in the race with 8pc of first preferences based on these tallies, but she could face an uphill battle for the final seat and be more reliant on transfers than anticipated. Sinn Feins Shaun Tracey is on 7pc, followed by Labours Lettie McCarthy on 6pc. Dublin Rathdown's four TDs. Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 11.10am: Tallies are showing it will be a tight race in Rathdown as first preferences are keeping multiple candidates in with a fighting chance of a seat, including Green Party minister Catherine Martin. With 66pc of the boxes opened, Neale Richmond continues to lead based on tallies with 21pc of the first preference vote share. He is followed by Fianna Fail candidate Shay Brennan on 12pc, who is closely followed by independent Michael Fleming on 10pc and Social Democrat Sinead Gibney, Green Party minister Catherine Martin and Sinn Feins Shaun Tracey all on 9pc. Fine Gael councillor Maeve OConnell has an 8pc share of first preferences based on these tallies and she will be expected to benefit from the transfers of her running mate on the ticket, Mr Richmond. Former Fine Gael minister Alan Shatter, who is running as an independent, does not appear to be fulfilling the disruptive role he was initially cast in when he announced his candidacy. Based on first preference tallies, Mr Shatter is performing at around 4pc. Transfers will be the key to victory in Rathdown. 10.25am: Initial tallies are being calculated as parties and supporters keep a close eye on the counting here. Tally people have told each other it is early days when others have optimistically pointed to strong first preference showings for their candidates in boxes across the constituency. Although just 24pc of the boxes have been opened, initial tallies show Fine Gael minister Neale Richmond leading the pack with around 21pc of first preferences, followed by Fianna Fail councillor Shay Brennan with 14.3pc, Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney on 10pc, Green Party minister Catherine Martin on 9.8pc and Sinn Fein candidate Shaun Tracey on 9.2pc. Turnout is around 59pc based on these initial tallies. There are candidates here which will do better in some parts of the constituency over others. A local election poll topper like independent Michael Fleming is a prime example of this, who appears to be polling well in his own local electoral area of Glencullen-Sandyford. It remains to be seen whether his local success can translate across the constituency. Counting begins in Ballinteer Community School. 9am: Boxes have been opened in Rathdown The ballot boxes have now been opened in Ballinteer Community School, where the constituency of Rathdown will soon return four seats to the Dail. There are just two incumbent candidates seeking re-election in Green Party minister Catherine Martin and Fine Gael junior minister Neale Richmond after Fine Gaels Josepha Madigan left politics and an additional seat was added to the constituency. Tally people have received their instructions and will be keeping a close eye on first preference votes throughout the morning to see which way the wind has blown in Rathdown. While both incumbents have been considered safe throughout the election campaign, the remaining two seats will make for an interesting contest. Former Fine Gael minister Alan Shatter has run in this election as an independent, while Fianna Fail councillor Shay Brennan will be looking to make a gain for the party in this constituency alongside his running mate Elaine Dunne. Local councillor Michael Fleming, who was elected to the local council in June with more than double the necessary quota of votes, has been among the favourites to pick up the new fourth seat in Rathdown. Social Democrats candidate Sinead Gibney, the former chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission who raised her profile in the European elections earlier this summer, and the Labour Partys well-tested local poll topper Lettie McCarthy also cannot be ruled out. It all remains to play for in Rathdown as counting begins and the early tallying gets underway. Seats Filled: 5 8:20pm As the 11th and final count concludes People Before Profit's Paul Murphy and Labours Ciaran Ahern have both been elected after exceeding the quota at 9,928 and 11,349 respectively. Murphy managed to gain a massive surplus of 1,411 while Murphy trailed behind slightly at 396. 7.30pm Dublin South-West: Fianna Fail's John Lahart has been elected. Fianna Fail TD John Lahart has been re-elected after achieving an impressive 4,016 transfers following the elimination of his running mate Theresa Costello. Count ten also saw Labour's Ciaran Ahern pick up 725 transfers reaching 9,958 votes still short of the 11,138 needed to win. Trailing behind him is Paul Murphy who managed to achieve a sizeable number of transfers after count nine of 2,311 following the elimination of Sinn Fein councillor Niamh Whelan. There are two seats left to fill, with Ciaran Ahern and Paul Murphy favoured to land them. The state of play for now is as follows: Ciaran Ahern 9958 (725) Alan Edge 7563 (635) Paul Murphy 9532 (513) 6:15pm Fianna Fails Theresa Costello has been eliminated on the ninth count here at Weston Airport with her impressive 6,695 votes to be distributed. Her running mate John Lahart needs 1,340 votes to reach the quota a feat most believe he is capable of achieving. As it stands: Ciaran Ahern 9213 (435) Alan Edge 6928 (844) John Lahart 9798 (126) Paul Murphy 9019 (2311) 4:49pm No candidate has been elected on the 8th count, however, Councillor Niamh Whelan of Sinn Fein has been eliminated with her 5,192 set to be distributed. As of the now the results are as follows: Ciaran Ahern 8778 (252) Theresa Costello 6406 (546) Alan Edge 6084 (88) John Lahart 9672 (413) Paul Murphy 6708 (42) 4:10pm Fine Gaels Colm Brophy has been elected on the 7th count with 12,498 votes after securing a whopping 3,455 transfers. Brophy, who was joined by his wife Fine Gael Councillor Maeve OConnell who was also elected in Dublin Rathdown, said that hes delighted with the result and mentioned working with like-minded parties to form a government. "Obviously we had an outgoing partner in Fianna Fail.. and we can also talk to likeminded independents, he said. 2:30pm Sinn Feins Sean Crowe has been re-elected on the sixth count after surpassing the quota of 11,138 with 11,226 votes in total. Meanwhile, Fine Gael are confident incumbent Colm Brophy with his 9043 will get elected on the next count. Speaking after his victory Crowe said that he is delighted and mentioned that his party would be open to forming a government. "Theres a lot of things we need to do we fought this election, we fought for change and people are still there that want to see that change happen, he said. When asked how the party would recover some of the lost support from the previous election he mentioned that the party would aim to capitalise on its young membership. "I think were in a new phase, its a new dawn and a lot of new members coming in a lot of young members, he said. 12:30pm With the fifth count underway things are moving faster today than they did yesterday. This latest count has seen Aontus Soirse Ni Chonarain eliminated with Independent Alan Edge expected to be the beneficiary. It seems our prediction for where Holohans transfers would go came to pass with around 500 going to Sinn Feins Crowe who has 629 left to reach the quota of 11,138. He has been telling journalists he expects the next count to be his one. So far as things stand: Ciaran Ahern 6485 (40) Sarah Barnes 4472 (14) Colm Brophy 8751 (17) Teresa Costello 4994 (135) Sean Crowe 10509 (518) Alan Edge 4564 (620) John Lahart 8512 (41) Paul Murphy 5577 (344) Ross OMullane 4305 (57) Niamh Whelan 4398 (295) 11:15am Count 4 is underway for the Dublin South West constituency with former MMA Fighter Paddy Holohan eliminated and his 3,034 votes set to be distributed. The result has surprised many as Holohan managed to secure tow local areas in this years local elections. While no candidate has reached the quota of 11,138 a result is expected soon. It is unclear where his transfers will go with some suspecting less than 500 going mainly to Sinn Fein.. Some suspect that voters may have just voted for Holohan due to his recognition without giving transfers to other candidates. Heres how we stand at present: Ciaran Ahern 6445 (637) Sarah Barnes 4458 (156) Colm Brophy 8734 (217) Teresa Costello 4859 (82) Sean Crowe 9991 (52) Alan Edge 3944 (145) Patrick Pearse Holohan 3034 (15) John Lahart 8471 (178) Paul Murphy 5233 (97) Saorise Ni Chonarain 3148 (26) Ross OMullane 4248 (286) Niamh Whelan 4103 (22) *** 10pm It seems Dublin South West is not immune to the national rejection of the Green Party with Francis Noel Duffy losing his seat on count 3. As of now, he is the third Green TD to lose his seat. Currently, 4 out of 5 incumbents look to retain their seat with Labour's Ciaran Ahern the likley beneficary of the Duffys lost seat. Mr Duffy is the party's housing spokesman and is married to Arts Minister Catherine Martin, whose seat is in danger, as are the seats of TDs Brian Leddin in Limerick and party leader Roderic O'Gorman. It follows a disastrous day in which the Greens have already lost TDs Ossian Smyth in Dun Laoghaire and Joe O'Brien in Fingal. 9pm With the first count announced no candidate has reached the quota of 11,138. The candidates eliminated are Yan Mac Oireachtaigh (1,450) of the National Party, Independent Niall Hade (2,457) and another Independent Colm OKeefe (117). Most of the transfers are going to Paddy Holohan and Saoirse Ni Chonarain. Sean Crowe continues to lead with 9,869 votes followed by Colm Brophy on 8,498 and John Lahart on 8,263. 8pm Despite being one of the first constituencies to finishing tallying Dublin South West looks to be one of the last to announce the first count 6pm Fianna Fail TD John Lahart says he is pleased with the early election vote noting a potential 20pc vote share up from 18pc previously and a personal increase of 2,000 votes. "I'm particularly pleased there were two very strong campaigns and 20% for Fianna Fail candidates in a Dublin constituency a competitive Dublin constituency is a good day by any marker," he said referencing his running mate Theresa Costello. On the boundary changes Lahart said he would've liked to have had more time to engage with new constituents. "I would just say for myself, I'd like to have had more time to get people acquainted with me there. There was a short run in and we didn't get to every door. "I'd like to have had an opportunity to give it the proper service of a TD, so was it a positive addition, I'll have to look at the results. Theoretically, some good votes came in. And did we have enough time to work them all? No," he mentioned. 16:00: As the first count gets underway Sinn Fein, People Before Profit and other left-leaning parties can breathe a sigh of relief as the inevitable collapse in support as a result of boundary changes proved illusory. The transfer of Fettercairn to Dublin Mid West and with that over 11,000 voters many of whom are inclined towards the likes of Sinn Fein and micro left wing parties, spelled potential disaster for the likes of Sean Crowe and Paul Murphy. However, both managed to persevere with Crowe topping the poll currently at 14.8pc with Murphy coming fifth on 7.6pc. Speaking with the Irish Independent Crowe said that he is confident about the party's performance in the early election rallies, predicting a strong showing and potentially gaining more seats in Dublin. "We're doing very well. It's really good day for ourselves in Dublin. So it looks like... by the tallies that... we're going to get on top of the poll, and we're in for a shout for one of those, one of those seats with the second seat." People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy expressed gratitude for holding onto his seat despite the boundary changes. "I'm thankful that it looks like we will be able to hold on to the seat here. That's not guaranteed. There's still a lot of transfers come into play but based on what we look on the transfers and so on, I think we're about to hold on," he said. Meanwhile, politicians expected to benefit from the inclusion of the likes of Rathfarnham and Templeogue have performed well including incumbent Fine Gael's Colm Brophy coming second at 12.7pc and Fianna Fails John Lahart coming third at 12.4pc. Meanwhile, anti-establishment candidates and right leaning parties failed to reach the top with vote splitting and an incumbent heavy constituency acting against them. Former MMA fighter Paddy Holohan failed to capture enough votes in his stronghold of Tallaght despite winning both Tallaght South and Central in this years local elections. When 50pc of votes were counted, mainly in Tallaght, he was on just over 6pc. The Irish National Party candidate Yan Mac Oireachtaigh said that despite the party's performance he noted a significant increase from the last general election. "Listen, we got 2.1pc of tallies. That's what came in... I was aiming for about 3pc and because, let's be realistic here, the National Party in Dublin South West in 2020 got 0.75pc we didn't even break 1pc of the mark," he said. With 100pc of the tallies counted Sinn Feins Sean Crowe is topping the poll at 14.8 pc with Fine Gaels Colm Brophy trailing behind him at 12,7pc. Fianna Fails John Lahart is currently coming in at 12.4pc ahead of Labours Ciaran Ahern at 8.7pc Both candidates would be vying for the same affluent regions of the constituency in the Rathfarnham Templeogue region. People Before Profit's Paul Murphy, who expressed agnst over the loss of his traditional stronghold in the Fettercairn region, is polling at 7.6pc with Fianna Fails Theresa Costollo just behind at 7.1pc. 12pm: With 67pc tallied in Dublin South West Sinn Feins Sean Crowe and Fine Gaels Colm Brophy have emerged on top with Crowe capturing close to 20pc while Brophy is over 12pc. While initially Fianna Fails Theresa Costello was outperforming her running mate John Lahart in the Tallaght region, the latter has managed to garner more votes in the Rathfarnham Templogue region. Some smaller parties and independents were confident in acquiring votes, but this has not come to pass. Former MMA fighter Paddy Holohan is on just over 6pc with 50pc of votes counted mainly in the Tallaght area. Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and Green Party TDs elected Seats filled: 5 7.45pm Roderic OGorman will be the sole Green Party TD in the 34th Dail after he was elected alongside PBPs Ruth Coppinger in the final count this evening. OGorman overtook Ellen Troy from Aontu in the final count to land the sole Greens seat in the Dail. 7pm Roderic OGorman looks set to survive as the sole Green Party TD after his main rival was eliminated. Ruth Coppinger is on the brink and likely to be elected in the next count. It is a close battle for final seat between OGorman and Ellen Troy of Aontu but OGorman is expected to be more transfer friendly from John Walshs redistributed votes. Quota 7,373 Count 12 --- Distribution of Ellen Murphy (Soc Dems) -- 3,094 votes. Non-transferable --:453 votes. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 1,129 = 6,340, Troy Ellen (Aontu) + 199 = 4,547 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 573 = 4,350 Walsh John (Lab) + 740 = 4,039 ELIMINATED Thirteenth and final count will be distribution of Walshs 4,039 votes EARLIER 6,12pm Count 11 --- Distribution of Breda Hanaphy (SF) -- 2,573 votes. Non-transferable : votes. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 717 = 5,211, Troy Ellen (Aontu) + 348 = 4,348 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 125 = 3,777 Walsh John (Lab) + 129 = 3,299 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 435 = 3,094 ELIMINATED Twelfth count will be distribution of Murphys 3,094 votes EARLIER Count 10 --- Distribution of (Ind) Tania Doyles 2,086 votes. Non-transferable 574: votes. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 352 = 4,494 Troy Ellen (Aontu) + 343 = 4,000 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 161 = 3,652 Walsh John (Lab) + 188 = 3,170 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 240 = 2,659 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 228 = 2,573 ELIMINATED Eleventh count will be distribution of Hanaphys votes EARLIER 4.40pm Troy leapfrogs OGorman Count Nine--- Distribution of Patrick Quinlan (NP) 1,658 votes. Non-transferable: 389 votes. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 105 = 4,142 Troy Ellen + 677 = 3,657 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 23 = 3,491 Walsh John (Lab) + 22 = 2,982 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 34 = 2,419 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 177 = 2,345 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 231 = 2,086 ELIMINATED Tenth count will be distribution of Doyles 2,086 votes EARLIER 4pm Count Eight--- Distribution of Lorna Nolan (FF) 1,247 votes. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 88 = 4,047 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 261 = 3,468 Troy Ellen + 138 = 2,980 Walsh John (Lab) + 237 = 2,960 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 63 = 2,385 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 51 = 2,168 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 75 = 1,855 Quinlan Patrick (NP) + 26 = 1,658 ELIMINATED Ninth count will be distribution of Quinlans 1,658 votes EARLIER: Count 6: Distribution of of Susanne Delaneys 877 votes.. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 39 = 3,803 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 12 = 3,188 Walsh John (Lab) + 29 = 2,684 Troy Ellen + 142 = 2,732 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 28 = 2,272 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 43 = 1,949 EARLIER 3.15pm Count Seven --- Distribution of Ind. Natalie Treacys 1,099 votes. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 146 = 3,949 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 19 = 3,207 Troy Ellen + 110 = 2,842 Walsh John (Lab) + 39 = 2,723 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 50 = 2,322 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 168 = 2,117 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 216 = 1,780 Quinlan Patrick (NP) + 141 = 1,632 Nolan Lorna (FF) + 31 = 1,247 ELIMINATED Eighth count will be distribution of Nolans 1,247 votes EARLIER: Count 6: Distribution of of Susanne Delaneys 877 votes.. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 39 = 3,803 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 12 = 3,188 Walsh John (Lab) + 29 = 2,684 Troy Ellen + 142 = 2,732 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 28 = 2,272 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 43 = 1,949 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 116 = 1,564 Quinlan Patrick (NP) + 298 = 1,491 Nolan Lorna (FF) + 25 = 1,216 Treacy Natalie (Ind) + 93 = 1,093 ELIMINATED Count Seven will be a distribution of Tracys 1,099 votes. EARLIER 1.36pm Quota 7,373 Count 5: Distribution of of Emer Curries surplus of 206 votes.. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 6 = 3,764 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 52 = 3,176 Walsh John (Lab) + 31 = 2,655 Troy Ellen + 13 = 2,590 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 8 = 2,244 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 4 = 1,906 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 6 = 1,448 Quinlan Patrick (NP) + 1 = 1,193 Nolan Lorna (FF) + 83 = 1,191 Treacy Natalie (Ind) + 0 = 1,006 Susanne Delaney (Ind) + 2 = 877 ELIM Count Six will be a distribution of Delaneys 877 votes. 11.56am Sunday Chambers, Donnelly, Currie have already been elected. Third count Distribution of Donnelly surplus Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 27 = 3,666 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 4 = 3,078 Walsh John (Lab) + 6 = 2,579 Troy Ellen 2,453 + 10 = 2,542 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 13 = 2,211 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 262 = 1,861 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 14 = 1,405 Quinlan Patrick (NP) + 5 = 1,161 Nolan Lorna (FF) + 1 = 1,072 Treacy Natalie (Ind) + 10 = 998 Susanne Delaney (Ind) + 4 = 836 Count 4: Distribution of al-Qadri and Forde votes. Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 92 = 3,758 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 46 = 3,124 Walsh John (Lab) + 45 = 2,624 Troy Ellen + 35 = 2,577 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 25 = 2,236 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 41 = 1,902 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 37 = 1,442 Quinlan Patrick (NP) + 31 = 1,192 Nolan Lorna (FF) + 36 = 1,108 Treacy Natalie (Ind) + 8 = 1,006 Susanne Delaney (Ind) + 39 = 875 Count Five will be a distribution of Emer Curries surplus of 206 votes.. 11.56am Sunday Chambers, Donnelly, Currie have already been elected. Third count Distribution of Donnelly surplus Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 27 = 3,666 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 4 = 3,078 Walsh John (Lab) + 6 = 2,579 Troy Ellen 2,453 + 10 = 2,542 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 13 = 2,211 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 262 = 1,861 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 14 = 1,405 Quinlan Patrick (NP) + 5 = 1,161 Nolan Lorna (FF) + 1 = 1,072 Treacy Natalie (Ind) + 10 = 998 Susanne Delaney (Ind) + 4 = 836 Al-Qadri Umar (ind) + 1 = 398 ELIMINATED Forde John (Ind) + 1 = 104 ELIMINATED Count Four will be a distribution of Al-Qadri and Fordes combined 502 votes.. SATURDAY 9pm: Emer Currie (FG) joins Jack Chambers (FF) and Paul Donnelly (SF) in being elected in Dublin West. There are two seats still to be filled, with counting now adjourned until 10am on Sunday, Quota: 7,373. Second count Currie Emer (FG) + 788 = 7,579 Elected Coppinger Ruth (PB) + 87 = 3,639 OGorman Roderic (GP) + 165 = 3,074 Walsh John (Lab) + 118 = 2,573 Troy Ellen 2,453 + 79 = 2,532 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) + 30 = 2,198 Hanaphy Breda (SF) + 32 = 1,599 Doyle Tania (Ind) + 52 = 1,391 Quinlan Patrick (NP) + 7 = 1,156 Nolan Lorna (FF) + 659 = 1,071 Treacy Natalie (Ind) + 19 = 988 Susanne Delaney (Ind) + 16 = 832 Al-Qadri Umar (ind) + 16 = 397 Forde John (Ind) + 5 = 103 Chambers Jack (FF) 9,446 * Elected Donnelly Paul (SF) 7,731 * Elected Count Three will be a distribution of Donnellys surplus of 358. 7pm: Jack Chambers (FF) and Paul Donnelly (SF) have been elected in Dublin West on the first count. There are three seats remaining to be filled, with Emer Currie (FG) and Ruth Coppinger (PBP) expected to prevail, and the last seat a major battle involving at least Roderic OGorman (GP) and Labours John Walsh, with the possible involvement of Ellen Troy of Aontu. Electorate: 78,034 Total poll: 44,593 (53pc turnout) Spoiled votes: 357. Valid poll: 44,236. Quota: 7,373. FIRST COUNT Chambers Jack (FF) 9,446 * Elected Donnelly Paul (SF) 7,731 * Elected Currie Emer (FG) 6,791 Coppinger Ruth (PB) 3,552 OGorman Roderic (GP) 2,909 Walsh John (Lab) 2,455 Troy Ellen 2,453 Murphy Ellen (Soc Dems) 2,168 Hanaphy Breda (SF) 1,567 Doyle Tania (Ind) 1,339 Quinlan Patrick (NP) 1,149 Treacy Natalie (Ind) 969 Susanne Delaney (Ind) 816 Nolan Lorna (FF) 412 Al-Qadri Umar (ind) 381 Forde John (Ind) 98 Count Two Distribution of Chambers surplus of 2,073. The line-up for Dublin Mid-West. Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 12.05pm: 100pc tally completed. It is projected that Jack Chambers (FF) and Paul Donnelly (SF) will be elected on the first count, expected at 3pm. Both will exceed the quota, expected to be around 7,281 votes. Chambers tallied at 9,396 votes; Donnelly at 7,631. Currie and Coppinger well placed to be elected next. OGorman will battle Walsh for final seat, most likely, although Aontus Ellen Troy still in the hunt. Earlier: Chambers stretches lead over Donnelly, FF man on 22pc to SF contenders 17pc, Currie climbs to 15pc on 84pc tally. Coppinger on 8pc, but expected to take fourth seat, which could be tomorrow. Roderic OGorman has nose in front of Labours Walsh in bid to hold his Green seat. First count expected around 3pm. 10.45am: Here is the picture so far in Dublin West, with 53pc of the ballots tallied Chambers (FF) 5043 (21pc) Donnelly (SF) 4650 (19pc) Currie (FG) 3222 (13pc) Coppinger (PBP) 1983 (8pc) Walsh (Lab) 1502 (6pc) OGorman (GP) 1486 (5pc) Troy (Aon) 1287 (5pc) Murphy (Soc Dems) 1243 (5pc) Its between the candidates above for the five seats, with eliminations set to determine everything. 10am: Finance minister Jack Chambers is battling to top the poll in Dublin West with Sinn Feins Paul Donnelly, in what is now a five-seater. But with 35pc of boxes opened, the two men are neck-and-neck with Donnelly on 22pc to Chambers 20pc, but the latters Castleknock stronghold has not yet been factored in.. Green Party leader Roderic OGorman, on 6pc but with current ballots not from his base believes he will be in a fight for the fifth seat with Labours John Walsh. The latter is on 5pc and gaining. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar once bestrode this constituency, but is leaving politics, with the expectation that Fine Gaels one-candidate strategy is likely to bring home Emer Currie, who was on 13pc with over a third a quarter of ballots opened. That leaves the remaining two seats up for grabs, with Green Party leader Roderic OGorman battling with People Before Profit candidate Ruth Coppinger, a former TD for this area, and Walsh, the Labour Party candidate. Coppinger is on 9pc and Walsh 5pc at this stage. Tania Doyle, an Independent, is also on 5pc. She was physically attacked during the local elections. Aontus Ellen Troy is a dark horse, also polling 5pc, while the candidature of former SF councillor Natalie Treacy is likely to scupper any Sinn Fein hope of bringing in their second candidate, first timer Breda Hanaphy. DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, November 30. Barqi Tojik, Tajikistan's national power company, and Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat have signed an electricity purchase agreement for 2025, Trend reports via the Afghan company. The agreement was signed by Abdul Bari Omar, CEO of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat and CEO of Barqi Tojik Mahmadumar Asozoda. As Barqi Tojik's spokesperson, Kurbon Akhmadzoda, told Tajik media, the agreement with Afghanistan for electricity supply is renewed annually (until 2028) and will only be in effect during the summer months, from May through September. The agreement stipulates that electricity export is possible only if there are no restrictions on the domestic market. The company has not disclosed details regarding the volume and cost of electricity to be supplied in 2025. It was noted that since the introduction of winter restrictions, electricity exports have completely halted in order to meet domestic demand. Earlier, the head of Barqi Tojik stated at a press conference that Tajikistan is expected to supply approximately 1.9 billion kWh of electricity to Afghanistan in 2024. In 2023, Tajikistan exported 1.6 billion kWh of electricity to its neighbor Afghanistan. According to the statistical agencys data, Tajikistan generated 17.2 billion kWh of electricity in the first nine months of this year, which is a 0.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. About 95 percent of this energy was produced by hydroelectric power stations. Seats filled: 4 10.30pm All seats in Dun Laoghaire have been filled on the seventh count. People Before Profit Solidaritys Richard Boyd Barrett, Fine Gaels Barry Ward and Fianna Fails Cormac Devlin have secured the three remaining seats in the constituency. Social Democrat Hugo Mills was eliminated. The first seat was filled earlier in the day by Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Fine Gael). 9pm Green Party TD and junior minister Ossian Smyth has been eliminated in the fifth count tonight. Mr Smyth joins another former Green minister, Joe O'Brien (Fingal), in losing their seats in what was a disastrous election for the party. All seats filled Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 5:57pm: Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I hope Fine Gael will be in government and I hope to have a role in that government in some way To win on the first count with a surplus is extraordinary and its a privilege, said Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Fine Gael TD, who has become the first TD to be elected in this general election. Its a huge privilege to be elected, its a completely different level of privilege to be re-elected because people had a chance to try me out and see. The only reason I ran for re-elections was to help the children in my area. I have worked really hard to try and expand special education access in my constituency, she said. She also added that she hopes to have a role in the new government: Of course I hope Fine Gael will be in government and I hope to have a role in that government in some way. Thats for tomorrow but for now yes, Im the first TD to be elected in Ireland but theres an awful lot more to come. Lets see who they are and lets see how we move forward together. Jennifer Carroll MacNeill MacNeill spoke about how she worked closely with her constituents in Dun Laoghaire during the past few years and why she thinks it made a difference. What gives me most satisfaction is that we have expanded the number of special classes and mainstream schools in my constituency by 23 which is a 109 pc increase. We were able to get the funding for more speech and language therapists but theres more work to be done, we need to fill those posts, she said. The last five and the next five years for me will be about helping the children I repeat this because were one of the only affluent constituencies in Ireland where theres a gap. I know what its like to struggle with a child when you need more for them. If I didnt look for this second chance for any other reason, it was for that. 5:15pm: Fine Gaels Jennifer Carroll MacNeill wins first seat in the constituency The first count for Dun Laoghaire was announced with Fine Gaels Jennifer Carroll MacNeill winning enough votes to exceed the quota and securing the first of four seats in the constituency with 11685 votes. Fine Gael supporters cheered at the count centre in Leopardstown Racecourse. Another candidate from the party, Barry Ward also won a high share of the votes 8337 according to the official count. MacNeill with supporters Other candidates at the top of the list included Fianna Fails Cormac Devlin winning 8831 seats and People Before Profit Solidaritys Richard Boyd Barrett with 6795 votes. It was also announced that the remaining votes would be redistributed proportionately. 2:16pm: Aontus candidate request voters not to post pictures of ballots online When asked about some Aontu voters under criticism for illegally posting pictures of their ballots online, the partys Dun Laoghaire candidate Mairead Toibin made a request to voters to refrain from doing so. There was a lot of education about voting before the election, and one thing we always need to remind people is to not take pictures, she said, I just noticed that it was busy when I was voting yesterday and I wondered how well-supervised it was. Aontu supporters illegally breaching the idea of a secret ballot @gardainfo https://t.co/Ap6sDOXY3R Jack Nolan (@jacknolan__) November 29, 2024 With all the ballots opened for votes from Dun Laoghaire, Aontus votes have reportedly gone up from 1.9 pc to 4.3 pc. Im feeling good, my vote has doubled here, she said, We were just months old last time, and now people are much more familiar with Aontu, with our distinctive policies. Weve made some unique inroads in the last few years. Mairead Toibin Toibin also spoke about the Aontu Accountablity campaign saying, It means that if people make decisions that affect us, we should know who made those decisions and have them take responsibility for it. One of the shocking stories for me of Aoife Johnston who went to A&E with a queried sepsis diagnosis and very little was done for her, and she died there. It was well known that the hospital was overwhelmed constantly who made that decision and what happened to the person who made it? If were going to fix healthcare in Ireland, we need these questions answered. 11:35am: Richard Boyd Barrett: The left should have come together sooner, but its still a historic decline for Fine Gael and Fianna Fail Sitting Dun Laoghairie TD and People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett called the electoral counting a nail biter as there wasnt a clear left alternative. Mary Lou called at the very end for a transfer to the left with ourselves and the Social Democrats but that message should have gotten out much earlier, I think the #VoteLeftTransferLeft campaign could have made a big difference, he said. Richard Boyd Barrett at the count centre in Leopardstown Racecourse Speaking at the Leopardstown Racecourse count centre where the ballot boxes from his constituency were being opened, Mr Barrett was confident about their own results. With 65 pc of the boxes open, he follows Fine Gaels Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Fianna Fails Cormac Devlin with over 13 pc of the total counted votes. He worried that the lack of a clear left alliance had led to a smaller voter turnout than parties like his own had hoped for. We argued from the beginning that there should have been a clear left alliance, I think that would have created momentum and one consequence of that is it looks like a low turnout in working class areas and among young people which will favour the government and wont be great for the left, he said. I think for the big picture, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are still down from the last election so the historical decline of that coalition is still a feature in this election. If the left had come out clearly and told people were providing an alternative without propping up the government, the people who didnt turn out would have turned up. 10:35am: Fine Gaels Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has an early lead With 37 pc of boxes opened, tally people at Leopardstown Racecourse have already begun speculating about trends. A total 49 out of 132 boxes opened, sitting Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has the lead having gathered up over 20 pc of the votes so far. Another Fine Gael candidate and the partys Seanad spokesperson Barry Ward is also strongly in the running with over 13 pc of the votes. MacNeill is followed closely by Fianna Fails Cormac Devlin and People Before Profit Solidaritys Richard Boyd Barrett who respectively have 15.5 pc and 12.9 of votes calculated so far. A 57 pc turnout has been projected among the 95,462 electorate in Dun Laoghaire. As tallies continue at a steady place, a small crowd watches on patiently at the count centre in Leopardstown Racecourse. Sinn Fein's Cathy Bennett elected in Cavan-Monaghan Ms Bennett joins running mate Matt Carthy and Fine Gael's David Maxwell on the ticket, with just two seats in the constituency, and the country, left to be filled. It was elation once again for Sinn Fein as first time candidate Cathy Bennett won a seat to Dail Eireann amid wild celebrations in the Cavan Leisure when she was elected. Her supporters sang 'Oro Se Do Bheatha Abhaile' at full pitch this evening. Cathy Bennett got 3,281 votes from Matt Carthys transfers putting her on 13,383 and giving her a surplus of 1,841 to be distributed between Fianna Fails Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth and Aontus Sarah OReilly. Niamh Smyth is on 10,856 after getting 73 from Carthys surplus while Brendan Smith got 94 pushing him to 10,616. Aontus Sara OReilly got 131 from Carthys surplus and is on 9,129 and looks like she will finish in sixth place. But, there was a heavy feeling of inevitability on the 13th count as Cathy Bennett, Brendan Smith, and Niamh Smyth relaxed with their families and friends so you had none of the quaintly manic nail biting of other elections where a delicious sense of hope and wonder filled the air. Smith and Smyth are sitting TDs and Fianna Fails vote has increased by around 600 votes while Sinn Feins overall vote is down around 2000 votes while Fine Gaels vote is down around 5,000 votes. But they will be happy to have held the seat that ex Minister Heather Humphreys worked so hard to win and first timer David Maxwell has big shoes to fill. But for those who won, it was all worth the trudging of the winding roads of Cavan and Monaghan in the deep winter was all worthwhile. But with one more count to go, Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth look set be elected. Gerry McLaughlin Today, Election Extra comes from the RDS count centre in Dublin. Counting has begun in Election 2024. Early tallies point to a possible Sinn Fein surge and a shy Fianna Fail voter. Early indicators show Gerry The Monk in strong contention for seat in Dublin Central while some current ministers look in danger of losing theirs. We break down the all-important results to help identify the key battleground areas across the country and look at which TDs could be in trouble. Joining Fionnan Sheahan on the Indo Dailys Election Extra to break down the latest stories emerging are Philip Ryan, Gabija Gataveckaite and John Downing from the Irish Independents political team. We also look at a day in the life of a tallyman with Kevin Humphreys. Outgoing Fianna Fail TD Darragh OBrien has been elected after the seventh countOutgoing Labour TD Duncan Smyth has been re-electedFine Gael suffer major blow as Alan Farrell loses his seat to Sinn Feins Ann GravesCounting has been complete and all three seats have been filled Fianna Fail Outgoing TD and Housing Minister Darragh OBrien elected on the seventh count for Fingal East Seats filled: 3 4pm: Labours Duncan Smith and Sinn Feins Ann Graves have taken the second and third Dail seats in Dublin Fingal East. Here are the results from Count 11: Votes redistributed: 5,774 Quota: 9,475 Duncan Smith (LP) 10,265 (+2,928) Ann Graves (SF) 8,394 (+1,229) Alan Farrell (FG) 7242 (+712) Fine Gael suffer major blow as Alan Farrell eliminated, Duncan Smith retains his seat gaining seat 2, Sinn Feins Ann Graves takes seat 3. Fingal East seats filled 2.30pm: Social Democrats candidate and councillor Joan Hopkins has been eliminated on the tenth count. There was a redistribution of 3428 votes from Independents4Change candidate Dean Mulligan. Here is the results of the tenth count for Fingal East - Alan Farrell (FG) +320=6530 - Ann Graves (SF) +804=7115 - Joan Hopkins (SD) +711= 5774 - Duncan Smyth (LAB) +831=7337 There was 762 non-transferable votes. As no candidate reached the Quota of 9,475, Social Democrats Joan Hopkins was eliminated. Social Democrat's Joan Hopkins was eliminated on Count 10 2pm: Independents4Change candidate Dean Mulligan has been eliminated and Aontu's candidate Margaret McGovern's 2140 votes were distributed to candidates in the ninth count. It looks like Fine Gael will be taking a serious blow here as outgoing TD Alan Farrell looks set to lose his seat to Sinn Fein councillor Ann Graves. Alan Farrell (FG) +242 = 6210 Ann Graves (SF) +333 = 6311 Joan Hopkins (SD) +217= 5063 Dean Mulligan (I4C) +548 = 3428 Duncan Smyth +236=6506 The race for the second seat is on between Labours Duncan Smyth and Sinn Feins Ann Graves, it looks like it will be a narrow path for Fine Gael's Alan Farrell to keep his seat in Fingal East. He has admitted himself that it's "very narrow" for him to be elected. Calling it now it looks like Social Democrat's councillor Joan Hopkins will be eliminated in the next count and we may have our final two seats filled. 12.20pm: Count 8 results Redistributed: 1506 Quota: 9475 Duncan Smith (LAB) 6,270 (+509) Ann Graves (SF) 5978 (+46) Alan Farrell (FG) 5968 (+324) Joan Hopkins (SD) 4896 (+423) Dean Mulligan (I4C) 2,880 (+88) Margaret McGovern (AON) 2140 (+29) No candidate elected on count 8, Margaret McGovern (2140) eliminated. Duncan Smith is after taking the lead again ahead of Sinn Fein's Ann Graves after a strong transfer from eliminated Green Party candidate Ian Carey and Housing Minister Darragh OBriens surplus of 23 votes. 12pm: Outgoing Housing Minister Darragh OBrien has said that he would be delighted if he can work in housing again. "I have loved every day of being a housing minister, and we've made significant progress, he said. "Not everyone is seeing that progressI get that, I know that toobut I am very determined that we see through the job at hand. "If I'm fortunate enough to be asked to serve in cabinet and take nothing for granted, I will serve in whatever capacity Im asked to. "If I can work in housing again, I'll be delighted, he added. Asked by the Irish Independent what the number one priority for the next housing minister should be he said that they need to focus on "accelerating the number of homes to get people out of emergency accommodation. 11.10am: Fianna Fail candidate and outgoing Housing Minister Darragh OBrien has been elected in Dublin Fingal East. Here are the results from the seventh count, Green Party candidate Ian Carey has been eliminated. Ann Graves (SF) +191 5932 Alan Farrell (FG) +37 5644 Ian Carey (GP) + 19 1483 Joan Hopkins (SD) + 64 4423 Margaret McGovern (AON) +143 2111 Dean Mulligan (I4C) + 248 2792 Darragh OBrien (FF) +87 9498 Duncan Smyth (LAB) +139 5761 Its neck and neck at the moment for the second and third seats between Outgoing Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell, Sinn Feins Ann Graves and Labours outgoing TD Duncan Smyth 10.20am: Here are the results from the sixth count for Fingal East Ian Carey (GP): 1388 1464 (+32) Alan Farrell (FG): 5386 5607 (+199) Ann Graves (SF): 5466 5741 (+165) Joan Hopkins (SD): 4042 4359 (+66) Darren Jack Kelly (Non-Party): 900 1052 (+10) Margaret McGovern (Aontu): 1561 1968 (+25) Dean Mulligan (IN4C): 2259 2544 (+161) Darragh O'Brien (FF): 8913 9411 (+454) Duncan Smith (LAB): 5424 5622 (+68) Darragh O'Brien (FF) received the most substantial vote increase (+454), further solidifying his lead. He continues to maintain a strong position and will be elected on the seventh count if he gets at least 64 transferable votes. Alan Farrell (FG) also saw a strong boost (+199), maintaining a solid vote count that puts him in a good position to compete for a seat. Ann Graves (SF) (+165) and Duncan Smith (LAB) (+68) have been consistently increasing their votes and may be vying for the remaining available seats. Graves, in particular, has gained more than Smith in this count, suggesting her position is stronger. The overall trend shows that Darragh O'Brien is on track to secure a seat, followed by Alan Farrell and Ann Graves, with Duncan Smith and others like Dean Mulligan or Joan Hopkins possibly in contention for the final available seats. 10am: Heres what has happened so far in Fingal East In Fingal East, the race is still tight, with the battle for the third seat intensifying. Outgoing Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien is expected to be elected soon, with the count on track to continue through the day. The results at the close of Count 5 show: Darragh O'Brien (FF): 8,957 Duncan Smith (Lab): 5,554 Ann Graves (SF): 5,711 Alan Farrell (FG): 5408 Joan Hopkins (SD): 4293 Dean Mulligan (I4C): 2518 Margaret McGovern (AON): 1943 Ian Carey (GP): 1432 Counting resumes at 10am. 9.50pm: Count adjourned until 10am tomorrow. 9.10pm: The race between Labour's Duncan Smyth and Sinn Fein's Ann Graves is getting closer! Count 5 results: Ian Carey (GP): +27 = 1,432 Alan Farrell (FG): +6 = 5,408 Ann Graves (SF): +165 = 5,711 Joan Hopkins (SD): +227 = 4,293 Darren Jack Kelly (Non Party): +15 = 1,042 Margaret McGovern (Aontu): +41 = 1,943 Dean Mulligan (IN4C): +161 = 2,518 Darragh O'Brien (FF): +23 = 8,957 Duncan Smith (LAB): +105 = 5,554 8.30pm: Constituency: Dublin Fingal East At Count 4, Ollie Power (PBP) was eliminated after receiving 791 votes, his votes will be redistributed in the fifth count. From Count 3, 675 votes were redistributed from Victoria Byrne of the Irish Freedom Party (IFP), with 51 non-transferable papers. Sinn Fein's Ann Graves has now surpassed Labour's Duncan Smith with shy of 100 votes in the difference which has the TD looking a little nervous. It's all still to play for here in Fingal East Candidate Results at Count 4: Ian Carey (GP): 1383 votes 1388 (Count 2) 1390 (Count 3) 1405 Manju Devi (FF): 940 votes 941 (Count 2) 943 (Count 3) 955 Alan Farrell (FG): 5379 votes 5386 (Count 2) 5389 (Count 3) 5402 Ann Graves (SF): 5450 votes 5466 (Count 2) 5490 (Count 3) 5546 Joan Hopkins (SD): 4025 votes 4042 (Count 2) 4048 (Count 3) 4066 Darren Jack Kelly (IND): 834 votes 900 (Count 2) 923 (Count 3) 1027 Margaret McGovern (Aontu): 1549 votes 1561 (Count 2) 1625 (Count 3) 1902 Dean Mulligan (IN4C): 2234 votes 2259 (Count 2) 2279 (Count 3) 2357 Darragh O'Brien (FF): 8906 votes 8913 (Count 2) 8919 (Count 3) 8934 Ollie Power (PBP): 750 votes 762 (Count 2) 774 (Count 3) 791 Duncan Smith (LAB): 5396 votes 5424 (Count 2) 5430 (Count 3) 5449 7.30pm: Here are the results for Count 3 in the Dublin Fingal East constituency: Victoria Byrne (Irish Freedom Party) was eliminated with a total of 675 votes after the redistribution. Ian Carey (Green Party) + 2 votes = 1,390 Manju Devi (Fianna Fail) + 2 votes = 943 Tony 'Theo' Donnelly (Independent) did not have any transfers, remaining at 149 votes Alan Farrell (Fine Gael) + 3 votes = 5,389 Ann Graves (Sinn Fein) + 24 votes = 5,490 Joan Hopkins (Social Democrats) + 6 votes = 4,048 Darren Jack Kelly (Independent) + 23 votes = 923 Margaret McGovern (Aontu) + 64 votes = 1,625 Dean Mulligan (Independent 4 Change) + 20 votes = 2,279 Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) + 6 votes = 8,919 Ollie Power (People Before Profit) + 12 votes = 774 Duncan Smith (Labour) + 6 votes = 5,430. 6.30pm: In the second count for Dublin Fingal East, the total electorate stood at 62,465, with 38,055 voters participating. Of these, 156 ballots were spoiled, leaving a valid poll of 37,899 votes. The quota required for candidates to be elected was 9,475 votes. Ben Gilroy of Liberty Republic was eliminated in this count. Redistribution of votes commenced from Independent candidates Fergal O'Connell and Tony 'Theo' Donnelly. Results of the second count for Fingal East: Victoria Byrne (IFP): 513 votes, plus 14 votes, totaling 527 votes. Ian Carey (Green Party): 1,383 votes, plus 5 votes, totaling 1,388 votes. Manju Devi (Fianna Fail): 940 votes, plus 1 vote, totaling 941 votes. Tony 'Theo' Donnelly (Independent): 149 votes, with no votes transferred. Alan Farrell (Fine Gael): 5,379 votes, plus 7 votes, totaling 5,386 votes. Ben Gilroy (Liberty Republic): 308 votes, plus 10 votes, totaling 318 votes. Ann Graves (Sinn Fein): 5,450 votes, plus 16 votes, totaling 5,466 votes. Joan Hopkins (Social Democrats): 4,025 votes, plus 17 votes, totaling 4,042 votes. Darren Jack Kelly (Independent): 834 votes, plus 66 votes, totaling 900 votes. Margaret McGovern (Aontu): 1,549 votes, plus 12 votes, totaling 1,561 votes. Dean Mulligan (IN4C): 2,234 votes, plus 25 votes, totaling 2,259 votes. Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail): 8,906 votes, plus 7 votes, totaling 8,913 votes. Fergal O'Connell (Independent): 83 votes, with no votes transferred. Ollie Power (People Before Profit): 750 votes, plus 12 votes, totaling 762 votes. Duncan Smith (Labour Party): 5,396 votes, plus 28 votes, totaling 5,424 votes. 5.49pm: Here is the first count results for Fingal East Electorate: 62,465 Total Poll: 38,055 Spoiled: 156 Valid Poll: 37,899 Quota: 9,475 Candidates' Results on Count 1: Victoria Byrne (IFP): 513 Ian Carey (GP): 1,383 Manju Devi (FF): 940 Tony 'Theo' Donnelly (IND): 149 (Eliminated) Alan Farrell (FG): 5,379 Ben Gilroy Liberty Republic: 308 Ann Graves (SF): 5,450 Joan Hopkins (SD): 4,025 Darren Jack Kelly (IND): 834 Margaret McGovern (Aontu): 1,549 Dean Mulligan (IN4C): 2,234 Darragh O'Brien (FF): 8,906 Fergal O'Connell (IND): 83 (Eliminated) Ollie Power (PBP): 750 Duncan Smith (LAB): 5,396 Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 4.30pm: Outgoing Housing Minister and Fianna Fail TD Darragh OBrien arrived to a warm welcome at the Fingal East count centre. He is expected to top the poll with around 23.5pc of the first preference vote. "I have the best team in the country here, he said. "We are really absolutely delighted with the results. I spoke to the Tanaiste about an hour ago and Fianna Fail are performing well. "We are hoping the first count here will be done very shortly but its amazing to receive nearly 25pc of first preference votes in this area. "I think this is the start of a really significant chapter of history for Fianna Fail and in Dublin in particular we are doing really well, and it looks like we will retain what we have and possibly gain three or four additional seats. "I want to thank all the Dubs who have come out and supported us and we acknowledge there is many more challenges that need to be addressed, he added. Asked if he wants to continue with his work as Housing Minister, he said that if he is fortunate to be a part of a government he will serve in whatever capacity hes asked to serve in. Outgoing Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien will likely be elected on the second count 1pm: The first count is well underway with rumours that we will get results after 3pm. 11:05am: 85pc of boxes so far have been tallied here in Fingal East. 100pc of the boxes from Malahide have been tallied and 92pc of Swords has also been sorted through. 10.45am: Box sorting is progressing very well in the Dublin Fingal East constituency at the National Show Centre. With an electorate of 62,934, a total of 96 boxes are to be counted. So far, just under 44pc of the boxes have been processed, with tallies from Malahide 59pc, Donabate 50pc, Portmarnock 21.43pc, and Swords 42.5pc. Boxes in Kinsealy havent been opened yet. The current TDs, Darragh O'Brien (FF) from Malahide and Duncan Smith (LAB) from Swords, are performing strongly with 3,970 and 2,711 first preference votes, respectively. Fianna Fail staff are confident that O'Brien, the outgoing housing minister, will hold on to his seat and will likely be elected upon the first count. The race for the third and final seat is tightly contested among Fine Gaels Alan Farrell from Malahide, Sinn Feins Ann Graves from Swords, and Social Democrats councillor Joan Hopkins. Early tallies suggest that Independent 4 Change Councillor Dean Mulligan is lagging behind. There have been 92 spoiled votes so far. The first count is well underway in Fingal East at 2.30pm TALLIES SO FAR Byrne, Victoria, IFP: 206 votes (1.2pc) Carey, Ian, GP: 630 votes (3.7pc) Devi, Manju, FF: 371 votes (2.2pc) Donnelly, Tony, IND: 70 votes (0.4pc) Farrell, Alan, FG: 2,410 votes (14.3pc) Gilroy, Ben, LR: 102 votes (0.6pc) Graves, Ann, SF: 2,345 votes (14.0pc) Hopkins, Joan, SD: 1,810 votes (10.8pc) Kelly, Darren Jack, IND: 462 votes (2.7pc) McGovern, Margaret, Aontu: 731 votes (4.3pc) Mulligan, Dean, I4C: 793 votes (4.7pc) O'Brien, Darragh, FF: 3,970 votes (23.6pc) O'Connell, Fergal, IND: 53 votes (0.3pc) Power, Ollie, PBP: 304 votes (1.8pc) Smith, Duncan, LAB: 2,711 votes (16.1pc) 10am: Early tallies are giving us indications that the current TDs in this constituency notably Fianna Fails Minister for Housing Darragh OBrien is looking strong to hold onto his seat. Leading the race at the moment is Fianna Fail TD Darragh OBrien with 2,381 first preference votes, he is currently making up 22pc of the total votes counted so far. Following him is current Labour TD Duncan Smith who has a total of 1,885 first preference votes making up 17.4pc of the total votes so far. In third place is Sinn Feins Ann Graves who is looking to snap up a seat, she has 1,561 first preference votes so far. Right behind her is current TD Fine Gaels Alan Farrell who may have to battle Ms Graves for the final seat in the constituency. Also doing well is Social Democrats candidate Joan Hopkins with 10.9pc of the first preference votes counted so far. Votes by candidate in Fingal East at 10am 9am: Boxes have opened in Fingal East and the counting of first preference votes has gotten underway. Kevin Doyle: Dont blame the electorate when Simon Harris is Taoiseach for Christmas and five other takeaways from the count The impact of immigration is not what many tried to tell us while the answer to housing is as elusive as ever. A count staff member sorting ballot papers for the Cork North Central and South Central at Nemo Rangers Gaa club for the General election 2024 Photo: Mark Condren Kevin Doyle Sat 30 Nov 2024 at 11:14 As the early results poured in social media was awash with angry people asking whats wrong with people?. For example, shock jock Niall Boylan, who ran in the Europe elections, said: Irish voters have serious Stockholm Syndrome. Sean O Fearghail already elected as ceann comhairle of last Dail Champagne will have to be kept on ice for a while in Kildare South as long weekend of counting looms Twins Tilly and Pierce Stafford who are helping with the tally Outgoing Independent TD Cathal Berry who had conceded he will lose his seat in the coming counts All seats in Kildare South have been filled Seats filled: 3 (plus Sean O Fearghail) All seats in Kildare South have been filled Martin Heydon claims seat in Kildare South 5.30pm Its all over in Kildare South with two new and two familiar faces holding the four seats. Sean O Fearghail was automatically returned for Fianna Fail without a vote being cast and Martin Heydons poll-topping performance for Fine Gael was no surprise. But the outcome of a tight three-way battle for the second and third seats was not clear to the end. It was a famous victory for Labour Senator Mark Wall who regained the seat formerly held by his father Jack on his third attempt. Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh meanwhile has had a spectacular few months for Sinn Fein, taking a council seat on her first attempt last June and now becoming a first-time TD. Fianna Fail Senator Fiona OLoughlins hopes of a comeback after losing her seat in 2020 were dashed despite the transfers from elected Martin Heydon favouring her strongly. The final result was 1. Martin Heydon, 2. Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh and 3. Mark Wall. 4pm Fine Gaels Martin Heydon has been returned to the Dail for Kildare South on the 11th count. The minster of state took the first seat, exceeding the quota of 10,734 by 630 after transfers from eliminated Cathal Berry. His surplus is more than the difference between Fiona OLoughin and Mark Wall and could also get Shonagh O Raghallaigh over the line so thats what count staff are distributing now. It could all be wrapped up in Count 12. 1.20pm Independent TD Cathal Berry has said he will consider a run for the Seanad after conceding he will not hold his seat in Kildare South. While he had not been eliminated and no seats had been filled, with Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and Labour all ahead of him after the eighth count, he said he was not in the running for the three seats. He insisted, however, his five years in the Dail had been hugely positive and left him with a hunger to do more. We have a load of progress made over the last five years and a load of that progress is permanent, he said. He cited the 30m investment in building projects in the Curragh Camp and improvements to soldiers pay and navy allowances among his proudest achievements. Getting the navy back to sea that has a knock-on effect for the presence of narcotics in towns like Newbridge, he said. So theres a great sense of achievement. My only regret is what could have been achieved over the next five years but you can still have a lot of influence outside the Dail. Who knows what the future brings? The Seanad elections are only a few weeks away and well see how that plays out. Mr Berry said the result was expected, chiefly because of the boundary changes that lost him a stronghold in Portarlington. There are a lot of independents right now and that would have diluted the brand, and a shift back towards the established political parties because of concern about the formation of the next government, he added. An ideal way to end his run would be to see his transfers go to Mark Wall, he said. Were hoping that our transfers when they come will hopefully nudge Senator Mark Wall in the right direction because hes a very good fella and from an honorable political family. He said he would encourage anyone interested in running for election to absolutely go for it . He hoped he might have opened doors for other defence force members as there were now councillors who were ex-military in a number of local authorities around the country. Military skills are very, very transferable and I would say that ideal preparation for political life. 10am Sunday has begun with two more counts in swift succession in Kildare South but still no candidate elected. Counts six and seven have concluded with Martin Heydon (FG) in top place, still steadily gaining transfers but, at 9595 votes, still a way off the quota of 10,734. There are now seven candidates remaining of the original 16 and with three seats to fill, the majority of those are going to go home unhappy. Martin Heydons seat is secure but theres a battle ahead between Fiona OLoughlin (FF), Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh (SF) and Mark Wall (Lab) for the remaining two. 11.50pm Counting in Kildare South has been suspended for the night after completion of the fifth count with still no seats filled. Six of the 15 candidates have now been eliminated: Rob Cosgrave, Edel Doran, Tom McDonnell, Leanne ONeill, Monaa K Sood and Patricia Ryan. Ms Ryan was the biggest casualty of the day. A poll-topper in 2020 for Sinn Fein, she ran this time as an Independent having quit the party in acrimonious circumstances in October. Martin Heydon is in first place with 9,407 votes but that is still a way off the quota of 10,734 so there will be several more counts before he is home and dry. Counting resumes at 9am on Sunday. 8.40pm: The first count has been completed in Kildare South and leaves Martin Heydon the poll-topper with 9,263 votes. The quota is 10,734, however, so it is likely to be another few counts before he is formally elected. Independent Leanne ONeill and Independent Ireland candidate Edel Doran were eliminated but the transfers from their votes of 152 and 123 respectively are unlikely to make much of a difference to the state of play. Fianna Fails Fiona OLoughlin is in second place with 7,489 votes with Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh of Sinn Fein close behind on 7,241. Labours Mark Wall has 6,654, Chris Pender of the Social Democrats is next with 3,157 and Independent Cathal Berry follows with 3,007 with Melissa Byrne of Aontu on 1,677. All other candidates have taken less than 1,000 votes. Champagne will have to be kept on ice for a while in Kildare South as long weekend of counting looms 7pm: A thrilled Martin Heydon arrived at the Punchestown count centre safe in the knowledge that he would top the poll in Kildare South. I wouldnt switch my position with anyone else. Im really thrilled and so grateful to so many people who worked and volunteered and supported me over the campaign, he said. Thats what I put my success down to a real team effort across Kildare South. Currently, the Fine Gael Minister of State has 21.5pc of the first preferences according to the tallies but he said the indications were that the first count would show he took an even greater portion of the vote. 3.40pm: Tallies are complete in Kildare South and Fine Gael minister of state Martin Heydon is firmly ahead with 21.5pc of first preference votes. Second place is a scrap between Fiona OLoughlin, who is looking to make a comeback for Fianna Fail and is on 17.3pc; Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh of Sinn Fein who has 16.9pc and Mark Wall of Labour on 15.8pc. The Social Democrats Chris Pender has 7.2pc and outgoing Independent TD Cathal Berry has 7pc. Melissa Byrne of Aontu is on 3.9pc, Monaa K Sood of the Green Party has 1.3pc and Independent Irelands two candidates have 2.5pc between them. A first formal count is some hours away yet. 1pm: With almost half of the boxes tallied in Kildare South, there is a clear leader but jostling due for the second and third seats. Fine Gaels Martin Heydon has 26pc of the first preferences, followed by Fiona OLoughlin of Fianna Fail on 16.3pc, Shonaigh Ni Raghallaigh of Sinn Fein on 15.9pc and Mark Wall of Labour on 13.9pc. There is a long way to go though so those figures come with a word of caution. What is more certain, however, is the difficult position that outgoing TDs Cathal Berry (Ind) and Patricia Ryan (SF) are in. Ryan, who quit Sinn Fein to run as an Independent a few months ago, has just 0.9pc of the first preferences a far cry from 2020 when she topped the poll. Berry, who lost one of his strongholds, Portarlington, in the redrawing of constituency boundaries, is on 6.7pc, neck and neck with Chris Pender of the Social Democrats on 6.8pc. 10am Counting has begun in Kildare South and two of the youngest tallypeople are also among the most conflicted in their political loyalties. Twins Tilly and Pierce Stafford, aged 12, are ticking the boxes at the Punchestown count centre, primarily watching the performance of Fine Gaels Martin Heydon. Were a Fine Gael family, explained mum, Marianne Thynne. But theyre also keeping a keen eye on the numbers one going to Sinn Feins Shonagh Ni Raghallagh who happens to be the siblings teacher at Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha in Kildare town. Pierce said the best result would be if both got a seat although it would mean muinteoir Ni Raghallagh leaving her class for the Dail. This isnt their first rodeo, said Marianne of her capable tally team. Theyve been at counts since they were very small and theyve tallied before. We did the Europeans and the local elections, said Pierce. Its not that hard and its fun watching for the number ones. We canvassed too and that was good. We spoke to people and asked them to vote for Martin. Martin Heydon shouldnt have to worry too much about his prospects in the four-seater in which only three seats are up for grabs as ceann comhairle Sean O Fearghail is automatically returned. There are 15 candidates for the three seats and very early indications from the first boxes open show that Pierces preference could become a reality with both Heydon and Ni Raghallaigh polling strong. Willie Aird (FG), Sean Fleming (FF) and Brian Stanley TD (Ind) elected to Laois constituency Charlie Flanagan TD, who is retiring after nearly 40 years in the Dail Count staff working hard at Scoil Criost Ri in Portlaoise ahead of the first count Seats filled: 3 Laois seats are filled Former Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley re-elected to final seat in Laois 11.45am: General election concludes in Laois, as all three seats filled The General Election in Laois has now concluded, with Brian Stanley TD and Sean Fleming TD getting in on the final count. Both candidates, who were certain to take the two remaining seats from tallies. They will take their place in the 34th Dail for the constituency. Brian Stanley elected 10.45am: Brian Stanley and wife Caroline Dwane arrive into Laois count centre Brian Stanley (independent) and his wife Caroline Dwane (Sinn Fein) Former Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley and his wife Carmel Dwane have arrived at the Laois count centre. It comes ahead of the former Public Accounts Committee Chairmans re-election to the Dail. Deputy Stanley is in contention with Sean Fleming (FF) and Maria McCormack (SF) for the final two seats. His wife, Mrs Dwane remains a party member with Sinn Fein, with party leader Mary Lou McDonald saying she would deal with it after the election. Follow Independent Laois on Facebook However, the independent TD is expected to be re-elected on one of the next two counts. Sean Fleming elected 10.30am: Three candidates remaining, with two seats up for grabs. There are just three candidates remaining at the Laois constituency count centre in Scoil Chriost Ri this morning. Staff began to tot up count seven from 9am this morning. The Returning Officer announced that Aisling Moran (Independent) has been eliminated. Her 4371 votes will now be redistributed to the remaining three candidates. They are Sean Fleming, Brian Stanley (Ind) and Maria McCormack (SF). 22.35pm: Elaine Mullaly eliminated as count suspended until 9am tomorrow. Independent candidate Elaine Mullaly has been eliminated with her 2959 votes to be redistributed. The Returning Officer has suspended the next count until 9am tomorrow morning. William Aird elected 9.20pm: Laois has its first TD elected to the 34th Dail As expected, race leader WIllie Aird has been elected to the first seat in Laois. Both Ken Mooney (PBP-S) and Aontus Mary Hande have been eliminated. 8.20pm: Green Party candidate eliminated on fourth count Rosie Palmer (GP) has been eliminated, with her 788 votes to be redistributed. Cllr Willie Aird could well be elected in the next count. He is 100 short of the quota of 9,750 votes. 7.45pm: Single party strategy for Laois paid off for Fine Gael, retiring TD says Charlie Flanagan TD, who is retiring after nearly 40 years in the Dail Outgoing TD Charlie Flanagan, who retires after nearly 40 years in Dail Eireann, has described his partys result in Laois new three-seater constituency as spectacular. The Mountmellick native, who comes from the Flanagan political dynasty, is the son of former Minister for Defence Oliver J. Flanagan, also of Fine Gael. He said the one candidate strategy for Laois, running Cllr Willie Aird, who has been with the party for 45 years as paying off. Deputy Flanagan said it has been a long time that his party colleague Mr Airde has worked at the core phase of politics at local level in Portlaoise. His vote is testament to that hard work and vigour and I have no doubt that he will bring that to the floor of Dail Eireann, he told the Irish Independent. Mr Flanagan said one of the main issues for the newly redrawn Laois constituency, is that Portlaoise is a commuter town without the services following the residential area. I think it is essential to ensure that we have sufficient services from a health perspective, an educational perspective, from special education and from a sports and recreation perspective, he said. He stressed that the profile of the county has changed dramatically over the course of his career. Unfortunately the level of services has not kept pace with the demand and I think that is the most important, he said, adding that Cllr Airde, as a farmer brings expertise in that area, with international trade and agricultural policy. He added that Mr Airde is the first farmer to represent Laois since the 1980s. 7.35pm: Third contestant exits the race following count three Independent candidate Pauline Flanagan has exited the race. Her 610 votes will now be redistributed among the nine remaining contestants. 6.45pm: Second count sees Fianna Fail's Austin Stack eliminated Austin Stack (FF) has been eliminated in the second count in the Laois constituency. His father, Brian, was shot and murdered by the provisional IRA when he was working in Portlaoise Prison in 1984. Mr Stack has been fighting for justice for his fathers murder. His 502 votes will now be redistributed for the third count, with 10 candidates remaining. 6pm: First count and first elimination in Laois The first count has been announced by the Returning Officer for the Laois constituency. As expected, Cllr Willie Aird (FG) has topped the poll with 9,269 votes, just shy of the 9,570 quota. Sean Fleming (FF) and Brian Stanley (Ind) follow Cllr Aird, who is expected to be elected on the third count. Jason Lynch (Ind) is the first of the 12 candidates to be eliminated, with his 170 votes to be redistributed for the next count. 3.30pm: The final tally results for Laois ahead of first count are showing that Cllr Willie Aird is in first place with 9,136 votes (24.6pc). The county councillor is just shy of the estimated quota of 9,340 or 25pc. With all of the 114 boxes open, Cllr Aird is ahead with 24.6pc of the total first preference votes. He is followed closely by Sean Fleming (FF) at 21.21pc of the vote and Brian Stanley (Ind) with 17.6pc of the share. In fourth place, and unlikely to take any of the three seats on offer is Sinn Fein candidate Maria McCormack. Still considered a Republican stronghold, tallies show that the Republican vote in Laois stands at 30.2pc. Fine Gael has 24.6pc of the vote, Fianna Fail 22.5pc, Sinn Fein 12.6 pc, while Independents have 17.6pc. A first count was expected by 3.30pm, however it is now unclear when the Returning Officer will make his first announcement with official figures. Count staff working hard at Scoil Criost Ri in Portlaoise ahead of the first count 1pm: Laois councillor Willie Aird could reach quota on first count, as full tally leader board revealed Laois councillor could see election to Dail on first count One of Laois' longest serving county councillors could be elected on the first count, tallies are indicating. With more than half of the boxes open, 63 out of 114, Cllr Willie Aird is out in front with 25.68pc of the vote. The quota vote so far, according to tally's is 25pc, or 5,432 votes. Minister of State Sean Fleming (FF) is second, with 21.48pc of the vote, with Brian Stanley TD in third, with 18.17pc. Sinn Fein's Maria McCormack has 11.82pc in fourth, followed by independent candidates Aisling Moran at 7.pc and Elaine Mulally at 5.03pc. In seventh place is Aontu's Mary Hande (2.94pc), eight is the Green Party's Rosie Palmer (1.92pc), ninth is PBP's Ken Mooney (1.81pc). In 10th place is independent Pauline Flanagan at 1.64pc. She is followed by Austin Stack (FF) at 1.3pc and independent Jason Lynch (0.41pc). Sinn Fein candidate Maria McCormack 12pm: 'Many people didn't have faith in us. But we stood strong' - Sinn Fein Candidate Maria McCormack on party's performance Sinn Fein candidate for Laois Maria McCormack said she is nervous ahead of the first count but "relieved" that she got here. Ms McCormack is the only Sinn Fein candidate for the Laois constituency, following the high profile departure of Brian Stanley TD from the party this year. Mr Stanley topped the poll the last time around in 2020 in the Laois-Offaly constituency, earning 23.99pc of the overall vote. "The narrative around is that so many people didn't have faith in us. Didn't have faith in Laois Sinn Fein after everything that went on. "But, the results are fantastic," said Ms McCormack, who is contesting her first General Election. She stressed that there is a "really respectable vote" and is a "really good showing" of the support she witnessed out on the doors while canvassing. "I am proud, really delighted. Which or whether I take a seat. There is a massive victory here that we built up and we stood strong and we held our ground here. "I am very proud of that," she said. Ms McCormack previously said that the seat belongs to Sinn Fein and "not any individual or family". Ms McCormack added that it would also be nice to see a woman elected to the constituency for the first time in its history. However, for now, early tallies show three male candidates Cllr Willie Aird (FG) , Minister of State Sean Fleming and Brian Stanley TD are out in front. Ms McCormack is in fourth place, with 11pc of the total overall vote, according to tallies. There are three seats up for grab in the new look constituency, which was previously joined with Offaly. It is the second time in his Laois is a standalone constituency. First count is expected in the late afternoon here in Portlaoise. Follow Independent Laois on Facebook 11.40am: Tallies show TDs being pipped by long-time councillor Early tallies are indicating that long-time councillor, Willie Aird (FG) is pipping two sitting TDs for the first seat. Cllr Aird is out in front with 3,363 votes. In second place is sitting TD and Minister of State at The Department of Foreign Affairs Sean Fleming (FF). Mr Fleming has 2,563 votes, according to tallies, followed closed by independent sitting TD Brian Stanley. Mr Stanley, who left Sinn Fein this year, has 2,429 votes. Cllr Aird is no stranger to politics, having served as a county councillor and town councillor for Portlaoise since 1979. Back in 2020, Cllr Aird turned down an all-expenses-paid trip to New York for St Patrick's Day because he was too busy calving cows. He also turned down the offer 15 years ago as he was busy with work commitments then as well. "It's because of my work commitments, I can't get anybody to fill in for me, I have a lot of cows calving at that time, I couldn't walk away," explained Cllr Aird at the time. Counting begins in Laois 10am: Tallies show Fine Gael edging the party vote in Laois, but independent going strong Tallies are being totted up in Laois, where 12 candidates are battling it out for just three seats. Fine Gael are edging the party percentage vote for the county. Of the big three parties Fine Gael have 22.5pc of the vote, with Fianna Fail sharing 20.2pc of the vote. Sinn Fein has 15.6pc of the vote, much lower than independent representatives, who have 20.3pc of the vote. Non-party candidates account for 14.2pc of the vote. Of the smaller parties, Aontu are leading the way with 3.6pc. That leaves the Green Party (1.7pc) and PBP (1.9pc). 9am: Ballot boxes open Returning Officer Rory Hanniffy has officially directed the ballot boxes to be opened. Count staff at Scoil Chriost Ri, Portlaoise have been directed by Mr Hanniffy to open the first 36 boxes. A number of the 12 candidates have already been seen roaming around the the count centre. These include Independent Brian Stanley TD, who topped the poll for Sinn Fein in 2020. The 12 candidates are all vying for the three seats in the newly divided constituency, which has split from a previous five-seater with Offaly. Fine Gael candidate Willie Aird is a dairy farmer from just outside Portlaoise town. As the saying goes, there wont be a cow milked in X, and that X tonight is just outside the town of Portlaoise, at the farm of veteran councillor Willie Aird. The Laois councillor and dairy farmer has officially been elected to Dail Eireann after serving as an elected representative in his native county for the last 45 years. "Im just feeling absolutely delighted, Cllr Aird told the Irish Independent following his election to the Dail. I have to say a very special thank you to the people of Laois, they came out and gave me such an outstanding vote. A Fine Gael candidate, he is the longest serving politician in Laois and today pipped not one, but two sitting TDs to the pulpit, in the newly divided three-seater constituency. Fine Gael candidate Willie Aird is a dairy farmer from just outside Portlaoise town. Newly elected TD, Willie Aird who was a councillor for 45 years speaks to Irish Independent following his election to the Dail He crossed the finish line in the fifth count, beating both Minister of State in the Department of Foreign Affairs Sean Fleming (FF) and former poll-topper Brian Stanley TD, who ran as an independent following his resignation from Sinn Fein earlier this year. The 64-year-old, who was ahead all day according to all party and non-party tallies, was elected to the 34th Dail with 9619 votes. Cllr Aird, a dairy farmer and businessman from just outside Portlaoise, follows in the footsteps of his grandfather and namesake, William Patrick Aird, who was elected to the Dail in 1927. His grandfather was an auctioneer, farmer, and merchant, who was elected to Cumann na nGaedheal as a TD. He died during the 6th Dail with a general election called less than three months later, leading to Fianna Fail taking power under Eamon DeValera. Cllr Willie Aird, now a TD following todays election, started as a Portlaoise Town Councillor in 1979 at the age of 18 and was subsequently elected to the Council itself for the first time in 1985. Back in 2020, Cllr Aird turned down an all-expenses-paid trip to New York for St Patrick's Day because he was too busy calving cows. He also turned down the offer15 years ago as he was busy with work commitments then as well. "It's because of my work commitments, I can't get anybody to fill in for me, I have a lot of cows calving at that time, I couldn't walk away," explained Cllr Aird at the time. He replaces retiring Fine Gael stalwart Charlie Flanagan in the Dail, with the Flanagan dynasty not contesting a Dail seat in the constituency for the first time since World War Two was raging, in 1943. Deputy Flanagan said his party colleague newly-elected Deputy Aird is the first farmer to represent Laois in the Dail since the 1980s. Newly-elected TD Aird arrived into the constituencys Scoil Criost Ri count centre before the first figures were released. He said he was busy all day with farm work and spoke to the media surrounded by family, friends and his Fine Gael compatriots following the Returning Officers confirmation of his election. A family member, overjoyed, told the Irish Independent the last time Willie Aird failed to top the poll in Portlaoise, Bill Clinton was the US president and we were paying for teas and coffees with the Irish pound. Despite the long-awaited celebrations due tonight, Mr Aird said there will still be farm work getting done in the morning. Peter Burke (Fine Gael) elected on first countSinn Feins Sorca Clarke retains seat on Count 13Kevin Boxer Moran (Ind), Robert Troy (Fianna Fail) and Micheal Carrigy (Fine Gael) take final three seats Kevin 'Boxer' Moran gives the thumbs up after tallying comes to a close at Athlone's TUS count centre. Kevin 'Boxer' Moran speaks to the media following the culmination of tallying at Athlone TUS count centre this afternoon. Peter Burke celebrates with his family following his election in Athlone's TUS tonight. Sinn Fein's Longford-Westmeath candidate Barry Campion has said the party is focused on building towards the next general election. Supporters of Kevin 'Boxer' Moran have taken their positions inside a congested count centre in Athlone. Sinn Fein's Sorca Clarke celebrating with supporters after she was elected on Count 13 in the Longford-Westmeath constituency. All 5 seats in Longford-Westmeath have now been filled Seats filled: 5 All 5 seats in Longford-Westmeath have now been filled Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 3.40am: Final two seats filled and count ends Fianna Fails Robert Troy and Fine Gael opposite number Micheal Carrigy have taken the final two seats in the five seat Longford-Westmeath constituency. The pair were elected on the 15th count following the distribution of Independent Irelands 4484 votes. Mr Troy secured 804 transfers, taking him past the quota with a final total of 10,331 votes. The fifth and final seat which went the way of Mr Carrigy, means Fine Gael return as the constituencys dominant party once more in a move which sees outgoing Fianna Fail TD lose his seat after a four and a half year term in Leinster House They join Peter Burke (Fine Gael) Sorca Clarke (Sinn Fein) and Kevin Boxer Moran (Independent) in the 34th Dail. Robert Troy is elected. Longford Westmeath 15th count Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +291 9208 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +189 6563 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +804 10,331 Micheal Carrigy is elected. 2.10am: Kevin Boxer Moran regains seat he lost in 2020 Hes back, was the cry that reverberated around Athlones count centre within the last few moments as former Minister of State Kevin Boxer Morans election was confirmed following the 14th count. The return of the man more affectionately known as The Boxer to those who know him best, Mr Morans political renaissance will arguably go down as one of the chief talking points of general election 2024. Having lost his seat in the corresponding election of 2020, Mr Moran stormed back onto the local political stage in June by securing one of the highest vote returns in the country in his Athlone-Moate stronghold, courtesy of 3,782 first preferences. Fast forward five months and Mr Moran has gone one better by returning to an arena he, by his own admission, has unfinished business in. Having raked in over 8,000 number ones when the constituencys first count was made known yesterday evening, it was only a matter of time before that figure gradually edged towards the quota of 10,315. When his return was finally confirmed in the last few moments, cries of: Hes back echoed through a near to capacity count centre, followed by the man himself as he yelled: Athlone has a TD, Athlone has a TD. His election follows that of Fine Gaels Peter Burke last night and Sinn Feins Sorca Clarke earlier this morning. Two more seats have still to be filled with Robert Troy of Fianna Fail (9,527) and Fine Gael candidate Micheal Carrigy (8,917) in pole position to take the fourth and fifth seats respectively. Kevin 'Boxer' Moran takes the third seat. Longford-Westmeath Count 14 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +79 8917 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +73 6374 Paul Hogan Independent Ireland +179 4484 Eliminated Kevin Boxer Moran Independent +195 10450 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +37 9527 *Paul Hogans 4484 votes now being redistributed 12.36am: Sinn Feins Sorca Clarke is the second TD to be elected in Longford-Westmeath following the 13th count in Athlone TUS count centre. The partys sitting Sinn Fein TD, who topped the poll in the 2020 general election, profited from a huge 2353 transfer of votes following party running mate Barry Campions exit. Ms Clarke is the second candidate to be elected, following Peter Burkes election last night. All eyes had been on Kevin Boxer Moran, who many had envisaged would be next to pass the quota of 10,315. However, it was the Mullingar-based mother of four who stole the show, something she struggled to contain when her election was confirmed. I am absolutely delighted. Never in a million years did I think I would be a TD in Dail Eireann. It was never something that had ever entered my mind. When I was an 18-year-old single parent, the last place I thought I would ever be was in politics, never mind at a national level. To be re-elected is such an honour, its such a privilege and it is something I do not take for granted. Ms Clarke also reserved a special word of praise for her running mate, saying the party would be looking to build on its phenomenal Longford vote going forward. We had a very clear campaign plan and the strategy of running two candidates is very different to running one candidate and it was a strategy that needed to be quite tight, she said. Its really important too that when you are running a second candidate, that you run that person on merit and who has a potential future in politics. As for her thoughts on the seemingly increasing unlikeliness of Sinn Fein having the necessary numbers to form a left leaning government, Ms Clarke was staying nonplussed. I think thats a question for when every seat is filled because it is a very different Dail this time around, she said. We have been very clear that we will speak to anyone who is committed to providing a programme for government that provides the hope, certainty and meets the needs of people in the here and now. Longford-Westmeath Count 13 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +158 8338 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +2353 10878 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +89 6301 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +89 4305 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +91 10225 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +52 9490 Non transferrable votes 155 11.35pm: Boxer on the brink of regaining seat Former OPW minister Kevin Boxer Moran will have to wait a little while longer until his return to the corridors of Leinster House is rubber-stamped after he fell agonisingly short of securing re-election following the 12th count in Longford-Westmeath. Mr Moran took in 625 transfers from fellow Independent Gerry Warnocks 2,700 votes, leaving him just over 150 votes shy of the 10,315 quota. The Athlone based taxi driver is expected to reach or surpass that latter figure when Barry Campions (Sinn Fein) 2,987 votes are redistributed among the remaining six candidates. The presence of Mr Moran and a large posse of his supporters has certainly brought with it plenty of entertainment and hilarity, perhaps no better exemplified than when the former minister of state bumped into Longford county councillor Paraic Brady. The Fine Gael local politician who, himself, is well known for his quick wittedness, left Mr Moran fighting back laughter when telling him: I am delighted you are back. I am looking for a lock of money because the rivers in north Longford have been blocked since you left. The comment was one which led the pair to embrace, watched on by a large cohort of Mr Morans campaign team. As Mr Moran awaits confirmation of his impending election, outgoing Fianna Fail TD Robert Troy sits just over 700 votes behind on 9438, having secured 78 transfers. He is followed in fourth and fifth by Micheal Carrigy (8680) and Sinn Feins Sorca Clarke (8525) with the former having benefitted from a handsome 618 transfer return from Mr Warnocks redistribution. Cllr Paraic Brady enjoys a light-hearted moment with Kevin 'Boxer' Moran inside Athlone's TUS count centre. 10pm Final seats close to being filled as Warnock is eliminated Eleven counts and another elimination, this time culminating in the departure of Independent candidate Gerry Warnock. The former Longford county councillor bowed out with a final tally of 2,700 after Laura ONeills (Aontu) 2472 final vote total was redistributed among the remaining eight candidates. Independent Irelands Paul Hogan received the largest allocation from that exercise, raking in 496 transfers. Of more pressing importance, however, was the 470 transfers Independent candidate Kevin Boxer Moran received, pushing him ever closer to the 10,315 quota with his current total of 9539. The likely return of Mr Moran to Leinster House has seen a large entourage of the Athlone natives supporters arrive into the count centre, sporting high vis jackets with the name Boxer emblazoned across across them. Fianna Fails Robert Troy looks set to follow Mr Moran across the line after securing 293 transfers, leaving him on 9360. Sinn Feins Sorca Clarke and Micheal Carrigy of Fine Gael may well be some way further back on 8315 and 8062, both are nonetheless are odds on to take the constituencys two final seats without reaching the quota. Longford Westmeath Count 11 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +116 2783 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +117 8062 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +322 8315 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +88 5693 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +496 4033 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +470 9539 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +293 9360 Gerry Warnock Ind +198 2700 Eliminated *415 non transferrable votes 8:40pm Eight candidates remain with four seats still to be decided Ten counts in and we are still awaiting confirmation as to the constituencys four remaining seats. Aontus Laura ONeill has just become the eleventh candidate to be eliminated, leaving eight others battling it out to remain in the race. In truth, however, the make-up of where those four seats will likely go to is becoming clearer with doubts emerging as to when and whether all of those in pitching for a seat will reach the quota of 10,315. Fianna Fails Robert Troy (9067) and former OPW minister Kevin Boxer Moran (9069) remain best placed to get closest to that golden figure following the redistribution of Labour candidate Fidelma Bennetts 2,300 votes. And despite doubts as to how transfer friendly Sinn Feins Sorca Clarke would be, the constituencys 2020 general election poll topper seems to be dismissing any of those concerns after managing to pull in 421 transfers, a figure which has now nudged her ahead of Fine Gaels Micheal Carrigy for the fourth seat. The latter, who secured 266 transfers from Ms Bennetts vote, is over 2,300 votes ahead of Fianna Fail outgoing TD Joe Flaherty as his chances of mounting an unlikely comeback look all but over. Longford Westmeath Count 10 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +140 2667 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +266 7945 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +421 7993 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +98 5605 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +109 3537 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +257 9069 Laura ONeill Aontu +110 2472 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +414 9067 Gerry Warnock Ind +70 2502 *415 non transferrable votes 7:20pm Nine candidates vying for four seats as Labour's Fidelma Bennett exits race The ninth count has just been delivered in Athlone TUS count centre, leading to the elimination of Labours Fidelma Bennett. Her exit leaves nine candidates remaining with four seats still to be filled following Peter Burkes re-election last night. Leading the way in taking the second seat is former OPW minister and Independent candidate Kevin Boxer Moran on 8812. The Athlone based county councillor edged ahead of Fianna Fails Robert Troy following the distribution of fellow non party candidate Louise Heavins 1250 votes, securing 298 transfers compared to the 70 Mr Troy accrued which the Ballynacargy native on 8653. Fine Gaal candidate Micheal Carrigy (7679) and outgoing Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke occupy the fourth and fifth seat positions, still more than 2,000 votes ahead of sitting Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty. Longford Westmeath Count Nine Fidelma Bennett Labour +307 2300 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +38 2527 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +49 7679 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +175 7527 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +17 5507 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +92 3428 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +298 8812 Laura ONeill Aontu +63 2362 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +70 8653 Gerry Warnock Ind +43 2432 *98 non transferrable votes 6:30pm Heavin becomes fourth Independent to be eliminated Independent Louise Heavin has been eliminated in Longford-Westmeaths eighth count at Athlone TUS this evening. The former Westmeath county councillor accrued 915 first preferences before bowing out with a final total of 1,250 votes. Outgoing Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke took in the largest share of People Before Profit Solidaritys Dave Smyths 1,047 total, thanks to 271 transfers. That figure extends her lead over sitting Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty to over 1,900 votes. Longford Westmeath Count Eight Fidelma Bennett Labour +180 1993 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +105 2489 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +26 7630 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +271 7397 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +32 5490 Louise Heavin Ind +150 1250 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +46 3336 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +58 8514 Laura ONeill Aontu +51 2299 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +34 8583 Gerry Warnock Ind +42 2389 *52 non transferrable votes 5:40pm Smyth is eighth candidate to exit race for Dail seat The seventh count in Longford-Westmeath has just concluded, culminating in the departure of People Before Profit Solidaritys Dave Smyth. The Newtownforbes based engineers 1,047 votes are now the subject of redistribution inside Athlone TUS count centre. That count had seen Ireland Firsts Margaret Maguires 884 votes being redistributed with, as expected the lions share of those going to predominantly Westmeath based candidates. Aontus Laura ONeill turned out to be the biggest beneficiary, courtesy of 242 transfers, closely followed by Independent Ireland candidate Paul Hogan. The closest candidate to securing the constituencys second seat after last nights election of Peter Burke is Independent candidate Kevin Boxer Moran who has now overtaken Fianna Fails outgoing TD Robert Troy who is seven votes behind in third (8,549). In another development, Mr Troys running mate and fellow outgoing TD Joe Flaherty has just arrived into the count centre. The Longford based father of three looks to be in grave danger of losing his seat given the 1,668 gap that exists between him and Sinn Feins Sorca Clarke for the constituencys fifth and final seat. Longford Westmeath Count Seven Fidelma Bennett Labour +13 1813 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +10 2384 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +7 7604 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +43 7126 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +15 5458 Louise Heavin Ind +41 1100 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +239 3290 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +98 8456 Laura ONeill Aontu +242 2248 Dave Smyth PBP Sol +31 1047 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +25 8549 Gerry Warnock Ind +53 2347 *67 non transferrable votes 4:55pm Carrigy believes Longfords future will be better served by Fine Gael returning to government Micheal Carrigy inside Athlone's TUS count centre this afternoon. Fine Gael candidate Micheal Carrigy has issued a rallying cry to Simon Harris to do all he can to ensure the party returns to power, saying: I fought the election on Fine Gael going back into government. The Longford based outgoing senator looks nailed on to secure what will be the partys second seat following Peter Burkes re-election late last night. Mr Carrigy, who has made no secret of his desire to represent Longford in the make-up of the 34th Dail, also took aim at comments made yesterday by Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald over attempts to broker a government of the left. I put myself forward to be an elected representative for the people of Longford and the wider constituency of Westmeath, he said. As a Fine Gael person I fought the election on Fine Gael going back into government to govern the country with prudent policies which I dont think the Oppostion have. There was numerous questions put to the Sinn Fein leader at the last (RTE) debate and I dont think we got an answer to any of them in terms of running the country and I would definitely be in favour of Fine Gael going back into government. Micheal Carrigy. Mr Carrigy narrowly missed out on securing a Dail seat in the 2020 general election when taking in over 6,300 first preferences. The Ballinalee postmaster bettered that total by more than 700 votes this time around, and in so doing, coinciding in sitting Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty staring at the likely loss of his seat. Mr Carrigy has, by his own admission, built a political career on a commitment of endeavour and a steely resolve that has led him to becoming a regular contributor on the floor of the Seanad. Thats why I put myself forward, to work on behalf of the people of Longford, to make improvements to the lives of the people of Longford, he said. In reiterating that pledge ahead of his impending election later this evening, the former Longford County Council cathaoirleach outlined an ambitious list of key targets he intends realising over the lifetime of the next Dail. We need a family resource centre in our county town, we need serious regeneration within Longford, additional garda resources to support the good work that is being done by the Gardai who are stretched on the ground and the continuation of the N4 as that project is badly needed not just for road safety, but also for future economic viability of the midlands and north west, he added. The father of three said a large element of his focus in representing the wider constituency at national level, will take the form of working closely with a string of local community groups. We have to make sure we have the infrastructure within our county to support all our communities, he explained. It is something that I have worked on all my life. I am still involved in community organisations in my own parish and I will continue to support them throughout the county and wider constituency. As for whether there was ever any lingering chance Longford could have returned two TDs, Mr Carrigy said such a scenario was always one that looked more aspirational than a nigh on certainty. It was always going to be very difficult, he confided. My priority was always on getting Micheal Carrigy elected and winning back a seat for Fine Gael in the constituency. 4:25pm Maguire is seventh to be eliminated Another count and another elimination in Longford-Westmeath, this time in the shape of Ireland First candidate Margaret Maguire. The Mullingar native bowed out following the sixth count on 884 following the distribution of Fine Gael candidate Tanya Cannons 658 votes. As perhaps had been expected, party running mate, Micheal Carrigy benefitted the most from that exercise, taking in 346 transfers which brought his total to 7597. Athlone based Independent candidate Kevin Boxer Moran was next best, securing 121 transfers with his total now at 8358, still almost 2,000 shy of the constituencys 10,315 quota. Longford Westmeath Count Six Fidelma Bennett Labour +23 1800 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +4 2374 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +346 7597 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +11 7083 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +14 5443 Louise Heavin Ind +28 1059 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +21 3051 Margaret Maguire Ireland First +1 884 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +121 8358 Laura ONeill Aontu +7 2006 Dave Smyth PBP Sol +4 1016 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +43 8524 Gerry Warnock Ind +6 2294 *29 non transferrable votes 3:30pm Cannon eliminated for Fine Gael, leaving 14 candidates in race for final four seats The fifth count has just concluded in Athlone TUS count centre, leading to the exit of Fine Gael candidate Tanya Cannon. Ms Cannon secured 507 first preferences with transfers during the opening four counts bringing her overall total to 658. Those votes are now being redistributed among the remaining 14 candidates in Longford-Westmeaths newly enlarged five seat constituency. Longford Westmeath Count Five Fidelma Bennett Labour +11 1766 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +6 2370 Tanya Cannon Fine Gael +32 658 Eliminated Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +13 7251 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +13 7072 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +173 5429 Louise Heavin Ind +20 1031 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +37 3030 Margaret Maguire Ireland First +0 883 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +99 8237 Laura ONeill Aontu +6 1999 Dave Smyth PBP Sol +3 1012 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +110 8481 Gerry Warnock Ind +0 2288 *23 non transferrable votes 2:40pm Fianna Fails Dymna Cunniffe exits race Counting appears to be moving at a much greater rate of knots than yesterday evening with the fourth count in Longford-Westmeath resulting in the departure of Fianna Fails Dympna Cunniffe. The Westmeath based candidate, who had caused somewhat of a stir in the lead up to polling day over social media posts linked to immigration, bowed out with 546 votes. Those votes are now the subject of redistribution inside Athlones TUS count centre. Ms Cunniffe had come under scrutiny when a TikTok account owned by the Mount Temple native, posted a number of messages supportive of a local campaign to block an asylum seeker accommodation centre in Athlone. She later attempted to clarify those remarks by insisting her account was administered by a social media manager and that its content should not be taken as statements. Ms Cunniffe is the first Fianna Fail candidate to be eliminated in a constituency the party looks set to also see outgoing TD Joe Flaherty bow out as counting continues into this evening. Longford Westmeath Count Four Fidelma Bennett Labour +147 1766 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +7 2364 Tanya Cannon Fine Gael + 14 626 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +36 7238 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +33 7059 Dympna Cunniffe Fianna Fail +11 546 Eliminated Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +12 5256 Louise Heavin Ind +59 1011 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +5 2993 Margaret Maguire Ireland First +5 883 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +26 8138 Laura ONeill Aontu +22 1993 Dave Smyth PBP Sol +41 1009 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +37 8371 Gerry Warnock Ind +7 2288 *12 non transferrable votes 1:40pm Okeke latest exits race on following third count Green Party candidate Carol Okeke is the latest casualty to fall in Longford-Westmeath following the third count. Ms Okeke, who had been aiming to become Longford-Westmeaths first Green Party TD, exited with 474 votes, a figure which will now be redistributed ahead of the fourth count. There were also 16 non-transferable votes on this count. Longford Westmeath Count Three Fidelma Bennett Labour +13 1619 Barry Campion Sinn Fein +10 2357 Tanya Cannon Fine Gael + 4 612 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +5 7202 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +10 7026 Dympna Cunniffe Fianna Fail +2 535 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +5 5244 Louise Heavin Ind +32 952 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +18 2988 Margaret Maguire Ireland First +12 878 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +23 8112 Carol Okeke Green Party +6 474 Eliminated Laura ONeill Aontu +35 1971 Dave Smyth PBP Sol +5 968 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +18 8334 Gerry Warnock Ind +17 2281 12:20pm : Count Two sees Independent trio exit race We are down to 16 candidates in Longford-Westmeath following the elimination of three candidates in the second count in Longford-Westmeath. Count staff have, for almost the last three hours, been redistributing Peter Burkes 549 surplus votes which has now resulted in the exits of Independent candidates Paul Bradley, Charlotte Keenan and Donal Jackson. Their votes will now be redistributed ahead of the constituencys third count. Longford Westmeath Count Two Fidelma Bennett Labour +32 1606 Paul Bradley Ind +1 116 Eliminated Barry Campion Sinn Fein +3 2347 Tanya Cannon Fine Gael + 101 608 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael +107 7197 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein +18 7016 Dympna Cunniffe Fianna Fail +5 533 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail +8 5239 Louise Heavin Ind +5 920 Paul Hogan Ind Ireland +14 2970 Donal Jackson Ind +0 48 Eliminated Charlotte Keenan Ind +1 67 Eliminated Margaret Maguire Ire First +2 866 Kevin Boxer Moran Ind +33 8089 Carol Okeke Green Party +4 468 Laura ONeill Aontu +10 1936 Dave Smyth PBP Sol +3 963 Robert Troy Fianna Fail +200 8316 Gerry Warnock Ind +2 2264 11:25am Sinn Fein building for next general election already, says Campion Sinn Feins chances of taking a seat in future general elections in Longford-Westmeath has been evidenced by its increasing vote share in the Longford end of the constituency. Thats the view of party candidate Barry Campion in the wake of last nights first count in Athlone TUS that secured the Kildare native 2,344 first preferences, putting him in eighth position overall. Speaking to the Irish Independent from inside a hushed count centre in Athlone this morning, Mr Campion spoke of his own personal pride at his performance and in terms of what its impact may have going forward. Absolutely, was his defiant response when asked about his vote return. I am delighted with my performance given it was my first time to run nationally and to get 2,300 odd first preference votes is really good. Whats more, to have them spread across the two counties is a good foundation to build on and build up Sinn Fein in both north Longford and Longford as a whole. Barry Campion. Those comments concerning a healthy voting spread across the constituency would appear to be well merited, in light of some of the first preferences which came the community workers way. In his own home base of Granard, Mr Campion pulled in over 180 votes while in pockets of Kinnegad, Delvin and Castlepollard, the first time Sinn Fein candidate also polled perhaps better than many political commentators had been predicting. Pressed about whether the likelihood of Sinn Fein securing two seats was more fanciful than realistic, Mr Campion remained staunchly defiant. Yeah, but it is achievable for again, he bluntly replied. Its about being out on the ground, doing the work for the people and doing it all the year round. I was selected late enough into the campaign and next time around its a case of watch this space. As for the seeming inevitability of party running mate and outgoing TD Sorca Clarke holding onto the constituencys fifth and final seat despite topping the poll last time out in 2020, Mr Campion said it was especially important Sinn Fein at least held onto what it had going into the general election. Sorca is a great TD, he said. I have worked with her closely over the past couple of years. She is a really, really hard worker, is dedicated to everything she does and more than that she is a great supporter and mentor. Equally, Mr Campion batted off suggestions Sinn Feins pre-election slogan as a party for change still held credence despite doubts whether it would take enough seats to form a government of the left over the coming days. I think so, yeah and the turnaround was quite visible in the last couple of weeks when we were going door to door, he said. There were an awful lot of people looking for change, so of course the mantra that we want change and the country needs change is credible. It is reflected in the votes we are getting and the seats we are filling up and down the country. 10:15am Hogan hints at fifth tilt at national office despite seeing Independent Ireland Dail hopes fade Independent Ireland candidate Paul Hogan has expressed his disappointment at missing out on one of Longford-Westmeaths five seats, but insisted his fire is still burning over possibly running again in the future. The 41-year-old Westmeath county councillor had been mooted as a potential fly in the ointment to the two main government parties of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael in their hopes of securing two seats. Mr Hogans hopes in terms of following through on that pre-election talk failed, however, to materialise yesterday when initial tally figures put him in seventh place with just under 5pc of the constituencys voting share. And while last nights first count returned 45 more first preferences than what final tallying had shown, Mr Hogan said, in the end, democracy had delivered the ultimate say in terms of his own political aspirations. It wasnt where I thought it was going to be, he told the Irish Independent. It was certainly a little bit lower, but then there were phenomenal performances by some other candidates and to be honest, the people have spoken and I have to respect what their wishes are. Paul Hogan has hinted at running for national office again in the future despite looking like missing out on a Dail seat for Independent Ireland. A seasoned local political campaigner, with almost two decades of experience under his belt, Mr Hogan said he was still hoping to benefit from transfers as other candidates below him begin to be eliminated. In terms of here today, I have always garnered a lot of transfers frim across the board, so it will be interesting how they pan out, he added. This I my tenth election, four generals and a by-election. I hit the bar in 2016 and when Independent Ireland came together around a year ago, I was asked, given my experience in terms of local government and running in national elections to join and I gladly did so. Having narrowly missed out on a Dail seat in 2016 when running under the guise of Sinn Fein, Mr Hogan refused to rule out putting his name on a general election ballot paper for the fifth time should the opportunity present itself. In all elections we have only so many winners, he said, while confessing the personal toll running local and general election campaigns in the same calendar year had taken. This time around it is five, but in previous elections it was four and there an awful lot of candidates that dont make it. I am still 41 and have been in politics for the best part of 20 years. I am not ruling anything in or out, the fire is still burning and who is to know when we will have another one, but I can tell you trying to run two elections in one year is tough. Mr Hogan, meanwhile, congratulated his local authority colleague, Kevin Boxer Moran in all but sealing his own return to the inner confines of Leinster House. I am probably one of those who would have served with Boxer more than most because he and I would have been on the council back in 2004 right up until 2016 and we served up until this year, he said. I am glad there is representation across the two counties including Athlone especially as it missed out in the last make-up, but we have to respect the decision of the people. In the last election the four that were chosen were the four that people thought were the best for the constituency and again we pick five today and us candidates that dont make it have to respect that. Day 2: Redistribution of Burkes 549 surplus votes set to get under way Another day and what is sure to be many hours of thrills and tension aplenty inside Athlone TUS count centre today. Last night, at around 11pm outgoing cabinet minister Peter Burke was elected on the first count. Returning officer Bridin Concannon called a halt to proceedings thereafter with counting set to resume at 9am this morning. That will see the redistribution of Mr Burkes 549 votes. Expect a large chunk of those to go party running mate and Longford based candidate, Micheal Carrigys way, figures that are likely to push him ever closer to a seat at the expense of outgoing Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty. 11pm: Burke elected on first count After a marathon wait, the first count in Longford-Westmeath is finally in and, as the tallies had predicted, outgoing Enterprise Minister Peter Burke has been elected on the first count. The Mullingar based chartered accountant secured 10, 864 first preferences, a figure which turned out to be over 549 votes above the 10,315 quota. He is followed in second place by Fianna Fails Robert Troy (8,116) and Independent candidate Kevin Boxer Moran in third (8,056). Mr Burkes party running mate, Micheal Carrigy looks nailed on to secure a second seat for the party thanks to a 7,090 first preference return. Last time out poll topper, sitting Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke sits in fifth position on 6,998, leaving outgoing Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty facing an almost impossible task to hold on to his Dail seat. Total electorate 10,6814 Total poll 62,353 Invalid ballot papers 469 Valid poll 61,884 Number of seats 5 Quota 10,315 Fidelma Bennett Labour 1,574 Paul Bradley Independent 115 Peter Burke Fine Gael 10,864 Barry Campion Sinn Fein 2,344 Tanya Cannon Fine Gael 507 Micheal Carrigy Fine Gael 7,090 Sorca Clarke Sinn Fein 6,998 Dympna Cunniffe Fianna Fail 528 Joe Flaherty Fianna Fail 5,231 Louise Heavin Independent 915 Paul Hogan Independent Ire 2,956 Donal Jackson Independent 48 Charlotte Keenan Independent 66 Margaret Maguire Independent Ire 864 Kevin Boxer Moran Independent 8056 Laura ONeill Aontu 1,926 Carol Okeke Green Party 464 Dave Smyth PBP- Sol 960 Robert Troy Fianna Fail 8116 Gerry Warnock Independent 2262 Counting has been adjourned for the evening with Peter Burkes 549 surplus votes at 9am in the morning. 8pm: Close political ally of Boxer Moran set to take over former OPW ministers local authority seat Former OPW minister Kevin Boxer Moran has confirmed who will assume his local authority seat when his anticipated return to the corridors of Leinster House is announced over the coming hours. John Gibbons, a close confidant and key member of the Independent general election candidate, had been earmarked for the role in the lead up to this weekends all-important ballot. He is a great worker of mine for the last seven elections and has been with me through thick and thin, Mr Moran said. I asked him when I was running that if I got elected would he take the job and he said he would gladly. I didnt make decisions on my own. John has always been there to the forefront and he knows his way around the place. Mr Gibbons ratification to the council will have to go through a mandatory co-option process which, if as expected, Mr Morans return to the Dail is confirmed either tonight or at some stage tomorrow. Kevin 'Boxer' Moran gives the thumbs up after tallying comes to a close at Athlone's TUS count centre. 6:25pm Long night in store as first count not due for another hour After the storm comes the calm! The chairs are out, evidence enough of the likely long evening that lies ahead inside a fairly depleted Athlone TUS count centre. Talk emanating among those watching on from the floor is of a first count at around 7:30pm. Hold onto your hats folks, this one looks like being a long-drawn out affair indeed. In the midst of all of that, likely poll topper and outgoing Enterprise Minister Peter Burke has just arrived into Athlone TUS to a sea of handshakes and warm embraces ahead of his impending re-election. 4:22pm Final Longford-Westmeath tallies Peter Burke FG 17.7pc 10,860 Robert Troy FF 13.2pc 8,073 Kevin 'Boxer' Moran Ind 13.1pc 7,994 Sorca Clarke SF 11.3pc 6,907 Micheal Carrigy FG 11.2pc 6,868 Joe Flaherty FF 8.3pc 5,069 Paul Hogan Ind Ire 4.8pc 2,911 Barry Campion SF 3.8pc 2,304 Gerry Warnock Ind 3.6pc 2,204 Laura ONeill Aontu 3.1pc 1,888 Fidelma Bennett Labour 2.6pc 1,592 Dave Smyth PBP Sol 1.6pc 984 Louise Heavin Ind 1.5pc 898 Margaret Maguire Ire First 1.4pc 834 Dympna Cunniffe FF 0.9pc 566 Tanya Cannon FG 0.9pc 522 Carol Okeke GP 0.8pc 472 Paul Bradley Ind 0.2pc 119 Charlotte Keenan Ind 0.1pc 76 Donal Jackson Ind 0.1pc 58 Estimated quota: 10,200 3:40pm Boxer is back and with a bang! In what is sure to be one of the political fairytales of the 2024 general election, Kevin Boxer Moran looks set to complete the comeback of all comebacks following the conclusion of tallying in Athlones TUS count centre this afternoon. The former OPW minister, according to final tally figures, looks destined to take the third of Longford-Westmeaths five seats and, in so doing, capping a political renaissance that will live long in the memory. And, upon his arrival into the count centre this afternoon, the Athlone based taxi driver wasted little time in talking up his return to the national political fold. Its a massive comeback, he said. Since the loss of my seat in 2020, I have been working on this with my team as to where we were going to go and we then started to put a team around us. Kevin 'Boxer' Moran speaks to the media following the culmination of tallying at Athlone TUS count centre this afternoon. The local election then, of course, put me in a very good position, the people gave me a mandate and from that we have led from the front. This was all about going back to old style politics, knocking on doors, talking to people and seeing what people really want. Asked if he would entertain thoughts of opening talks with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail ahead of any likely formation of the next government, Mr Moran said he would be willing to enter into dialogue with both Simon Harris and Micheal Martin. My door is always open, 100pc, he simply put it before being whisked off to conduct a raft of other interviews with assembled media. His expected return comes as Fine Gael look primed to take two of the constituencys three remaining seats. Outgoing Enterprise Minister Peter Burke, according to tallies, has amassed almost 18pc of the vote share and is likely to exceed the estimated 10,200 quota on the first count. His Fine Gael running mate, Senator Micheal Carrigy secured 11.2pc and looks well positioned to take the constituencys fifth and final seat with Fianna Fails Robert Troy and Sinn Feins Sorca Clarke, who topped the poll four and half years previously, securing the two other seats. That likely outcome looks like resulting in Fianna Fail outgoing TD Joe Flaherty losing out ahead of the first count which is expected later this evening. 2:25pm Tallying enters final stages as Fine Gael look set to secure two seats Just 29 boxes have yet to be tallied in an election that looks set to see Fine Gael follow through on its pre-election target in delivering two seats in Longford-Westmeath. Peter Burke and Micheal Carrigy have, so far, managed to secure over 30pc of tallies between them in a performance which has raised serious question marks over whether Fianna Fail will do likewise in holding onto their two seat share. Just under 30 boxes in Longford-Westmeath have still to be tallied. Former minister of state Robert Troy looks all but assured to extend his Dail tenure into a fourth term, thanks to over 6,200 tallies. Sinn Feins Sorca Clarke, who topped the poll last time out in 2020 and who had looked to be in a battle for the fifth seat, now appears equally well placed on 5,634 or 11.4pc. Independent candidate Kevin Boxer Moran is just behind on 11.2 (5,533), more than 750 ahead of sitting Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty. The Lanesboro native, given that all Longford boxes have now been tallied, faces an uphill battle to hang on. One key element which could yet aid the father of three is the distribution of Longford town based Independent Gerry Warnocks votes when his anticipated 2,000 plus votes are allocated. 1:40pm Bookies get it right again as tallies show Burke likely to top poll The bookies rarely get it wrong, and on the evidence of 130 boxes tallied in Longford-Westmeath Fine Gaels Peter Burke will top the poll by some distance. The outgoing Enterprise Minister currently sits on 17pc with over 7,500 tallies to his name, almost 2,000 ahead of nearest rival and fellow outgoing Fianna Fail TD Robert Troy. The state of play in Longford-Westmeath after the opening of 130 boxes. Mr Burkes Longford based running mate, Senator Micheal Carrigy has maintained his early impressive showing and presently occupies the third seat on 12.5pc. Independent Kevin Boxer Moran has so far managed to accrue 11.9pc of the tally share with the fifth and final seat likely to involve a fierce battle between outgoing Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke and Fianna Fails Joe Flaherty. Of course, there are still over 40 boxes still to be tallied and with transfers also likely to play a pivotal role in Longford-Westmeaths future political landscape, its certainly still all to play for. 1:10pm Carrigy upbeat over Dail hopes as tallying enters crucial stage Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy has spoken of his delight at early tally returns which show he is in with a real chance of taking one of Longford-Westmeaths five Dail seats. The Ballinalee postmaster has made no secret of his desire to translate his past four and half years of experience as a serving senator to the Dail. And, in the wake of almost half of boxes having been tallied and carefully examined, those aspirations look well placed to become a much desired reality. Cllr Martin Skelly, Senator Micheal Carrigy and former Longford-Westmeath Fine Gael TD James Bannon. It is early days yet, but my vote has held up very well in north Longford and my home area, he said. I am doing stronger this time around than last time (in the 2020 general election). I am hoping I can bridge that gap that was there the last time to make sure we have a Longford representative in the next Dail. I have always said and I have said it throughout the campaign that Longford needs a dedicated and hardworking TD and I dont think we have had that for the last four and a half years. There is a lot of issues that need to be addressed, particularly in our county town and we need someone who will work hard on behalf of the county. That is what I have been doing since I entered politics and in particular in building my profile over the last four and a half years in the Seanad. Mr Carrigy said his work with local politicians in procuring over 40m in grants through the Department of Rural and Community Development over the lifetime of the past government was one such avenue he vowed to build on in making Longford a better place for families to live and work in. 12:30pm: Tallying nears halfway as Fine Gael eye two seat return We are now almost halfway through tallying in the Longford-Westmeath constituency with 87 out of a total of 177 having been opened and collated. Based on those figures, it would seem Fine Gael are in pole position to achieve their pre-election target of securing two seats with Senator Micheal Carrigy and outgoing Enterprise Minister Peter Burke laying claim to the first two seats. Tally figures taken after the opening and collating of 87 boxes in Longford/Westmeath. Following a slow past hour or so, Fianna Fails Joe Flaherty sits in third place with 11.6pc, closely followed by Independent Kevin Boxer Moran and sitting Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke occupying the fifth and final seat in what is a new look and enlarged constituency. Dont discount Fianna Fails Robert Troy, however, with a large number of Westmeath boxes still to be tallied. That mindset is one which is evidenced by the fact 19 boxes in the Longford end of the constituency have still to be formally tallied compared to over 70 in Westmeath. 11:50am Warnock admits facing struggle to win Dail seat as Boxer strengthens claim for sensational Leinster House return Independent candidate Gerry Warnock has all but resigned himself to coming up short in his attempts to secure one of Longford-Westmeaths five seats following the opening of almost 50 boxes in Athlone TUS centre. At this stage it doesnt look too promising, he told the Irish Independent. I know there is still some of the urban boxes still to be opened which might bring me up a bit, but in the cold light of day, you have to be real about these things. The former Longford county councillor, despite his own disappointment, expressed his delight at the impressive performance of long-time political ally Kevin Boxer Moran. The Athlone-based former government minister looks set to for a spectacular return to the national political fold barely five months after returning to the corridors of Westmeath County Council. Looking around at the constituency as a whole, it is looking like Boxer will be back in Athlone and I am absolutely delighted about that, he said. "I worked very closely with him in Leinster House out. He is a great old skin, such a hard worker and it was nearly an injustice that he lost out last time out. It is great to see that he is potentially going to be back again. Staying in the Westmeath end of the constituency and, despite a sluggish opening, the addition of tallies taken from a number of Mullingar based boxes has seen outgoing Fianna Fail TD Robert Troy take in almost 1,500 tallies. With further boxes from that end of the constituency still to be tallied, expect the Ballynacargy native to make further inroads over the coming hours. 10:40am Burke leading the way as Boxer Moran stakes claim for sensational return to Leinster House Almost 30 boxes have been tallied so far in Longford-Westmeath and it makes for very interesting reading indeed. As expected, bookies favourite and outgoing Enterprise Minister Peter Burke has enjoyed a strong start, securing over 1,300 tallies. His Fine Gael running mate, Senator Micheal Carrigy has got off to a similarly impressive early morning showing, accruing for over 1,220 tallies from the 27 boxes that have so far been opened and collated. Former OPW Minister and sitting Westmeath county councillor Kevin Boxer Moran look well positioned to be pitching for a return to Leinster House with almost 1,110 tallies. Interestingly, and just like he had done in 2019 despite losing his seat, the Athlone taxi m driver seems to have garnered a healthy vote from the Longford end of the constituency, tallies which look set to serve him well as the day goes on. Sinn Feins sitting TD Sorca Clarke currently sits in fourth on 910 tallies with Fianna Fails outgoing TD Joe Flaherty sitting in fifth position. All 5 seats in Longford-Westmeath have now been filled Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 9:15am Clipboards aplenty as ballot boxes in Longford-Westmeath open It might have been a minute or two past the anticipated 9am start time, but tallying is now well underway as tally personnel huddle around various sections of a muted Athlone TUS count centre. 8:35am: Anticipation builds as count staff assemble inside Athlone TUS count centre All eyes are on a hushed count centre in Athlone TUS as count staff begin to arrive ahead of counting to decide the fate of all 20 candidates vying for election to the 34th Dail in Longford-Westmeath constituency. Hold onto your hats folks, this is going to be a long, but insatiably exciting day as tallying to decide who and which parties secure what is a newly enlarged five seat constituency gets off the ground. School Principal, Thomas Sharkey with a group of Dundalk Grammar School students at the Louth Constituency count centre in Colaiste Chu Chulainn, Dundalk. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics The count is underway at the Louth Count Centre in Colaiste Chu Chulainn. Joanna Byrne, Sinn Fein celebrating her election to the 34th Dail at the Louth Constituency count centre in Colaiste Chu Chulainn, Dundalk. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics Ruairi O Murchu celelbrates with Sinn Fein supporters after his election to the 34th Dail. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan / Newspics Seats filled: 5 Louth's five TDs. Election 2024 update from Political Reporter Tabitha Monahan 17.15 Five TDs elected After 20 counts and two re-checks, Louth has elected three brand new TDs and returned two incumbents to Leinster House. With Sinn Fein pair, Ruairi O Murchu and Joanna Byrne, crossing the finish line on Sunday night, it took most of Monday to complete the line-up, wiith Ged Nash (Lab), Paula Butterly (FG) and Erin McGreehan (FF) securing seats as darkness engulfs the count centre here at Colaiste Chu Chulainn. Having only elected its first female TD in history in 2016, Louth returned three first-time female TDs in one fell swoop. So here are the five TDs that will be representing Louth in the 34th Dail Eireann: 14.30 Re-check complete The Re-check of the 19th is complete and there is no change so Kevin Callans (ind) elimination stands and the count moves to his distribution. 1.30pm Another re-count underway There was more drama at the Dundalk count centre early this afternoon as the 19th count revealed just four votes between Fianna Fails Alison Comyn and Independent, Kevin Callan, triggering a recheck. Callan is four votes behind Comyn and in danger of elimination after the 19th count and has asked for a recheck which has begun at the count centre in Dundalk. John McGahons redistribution fell as follows (total vote in brackets): Ged Nash =369 (10,573); Paula Butterly +2,042 (8,502); Erin McGreehan +1,166 (8,284); Alison Comyn +228 (5,686); Kevin Callan +182 (5,682). Ged Nash (lab) is now less than a hundred votes short of the quota of 10,623, so regardless of who is eliminated, the fact that both Comyn and Callan are from Drogheda should see him through with a healthy surplus after count 20. Both Callan and Comyn will be hoping Nash gains a big surplus, as many of those transfers are likely to fall their way. Independent candidate, Kevin Callan at the Louth Constituency count centre in Dundalk. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics However, the gap to fifth placed Erin McGreehan is still considerable and she still looks likely to take the fifth seat. Paula Butterly now looks nailed on for the fourth seat. Speaking about his decision to ask for a recount, Callan said: With the recount, Im absolutely somebody that does not want to see recounts but when its four votes, I have an obligation to the people who voted for me to make sure thats actually correct. I know its taking time, and Im extremely sorry its taking time, but I have no option. If it was anything beyond that (four votes), I wouldnt but its too close. "Its an important process and people do take the time to go in and vote and make their mark on that sheet so I have to make sure that this is spot on, for them. 12.31pm We havent gone away you know School Principal, Thomas Sharkey with a group of Dundalk Grammar School students at the Louth Constituency count centre in Colaiste Chu Chulainn, Dundalk. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics Yes, it's us, the nation might be moving on from the election but here in Louth we are still waiting to elect three TDs to complete the five from Louth heading to Leinster House and Dail Eireann in the coming weeks. The only buzz this morning has come from a visiting group of secondary school students from Dundalk Grammar School who witnessed the count process in action and then were treated to a tour of the host school by Principal, Thomas Sharkey. We have just heard the ping of the WhatsApp message to say the 19th count is coming up in five minutes. 10.20am Two down, three to go With two seats safely in the bag for Sinn Fein, the race has resumed to fill the final three seats in Louth. Ged Nashs coronation is a formality at this stage as he just needs 400-odd votes to reach the quota. Whether he can get over on the line on the next count John McGahons re-distribution remains to be seen, but he will definitely get there when either of his fellow Drogheda candidates Kevin Callan or Alison Comyn are eliminated. As things stand, Nash, McGreehan and Butterly are firmly in the driving seat, but transfers and the order of eliminations could make things interesting on the home straight. The elimination of Comyn or Callan will give one or the other a healthy boost when their votes are re-distributed. Also, if Nash doesnt make it with McGahons transfers, he too should have a healthy surplus following Callan or Comyns elimination, and if that is distributed, it too could favour the south Louth candidates, Comyn, Callan and Butterly. 01.09 Count suspended Counting has been suspended for the night following the distribution of Joanna Byrnes surplus. John McGahon has been eliminated and his 4,587 votes will be distributed on Monday morning. With three seats still to be filled, the remaining candidates and their current vote are as follows (quota: 10,623) Ged Nash (Lab) 10,204; Erin McGreehan (FF) 7,118; Paula Butterly (FG) 6,460; Kevin Callan (Ind) 5,500; Alison Comyn (FF) 5,458 00.22 Two Sinn Fein seats confirmed As expected Joanna Byrne has taken a second seat for Sinn Fein after receiving 2,077 transfers from Ruairi O Murchus surplus. The first-time Drogheda candidate takes over from Imelda Munster, who became Louths first ever female TD when elected in 2016. There will be two more female TDs representing the Wee County in the next Dail. As things stand Erin McGreehan (FF) and Paula Butterly (FG) will also be elected, although Alison Comyn (FF) still has an outside chance of taking the last seat. Joanna Byrnes surplus of 1,366 is now being counted. Joanna Byrne, Sinn Fein celebrating her election to the 34th Dail at the Louth Constituency count centre in Colaiste Chu Chulainn, Dundalk. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics 23.00 Ruairi O Murchu elected Ruairi O Murchu took an impressive 2,815 from party colleague Antoin Watters redistribution to take the first seat in Louth. The Sinn Fein TD was elected on the 16th count. Relieved to finally get over the line the Dundalk TD said: You never are completely sure until you see the votes, I suppose, until you seem them in the boxes. "We stood three candidates and we got a really good showing. I think it was the correct strategy to do. "Would I prefer if we got a slightly higher percentage and got Antoin (Watters) across the line? Yes, but we still have great support and you could sense that when we were canvassing and its great to see it here, on the day. They are now counting O Murchus surplus, which should take party colleague, Joanna Byrne, over the line on the next count. 21.30 Light at the end of the tunnell We should have at least one seat filled after the next count, with both Ruairi O Murchu and Joanna Byrne set to win big from the re-distribution of Antoin Watters ballots. Sinn Fein added Watters to the ticket late in the day, but he performed well and now has 4,325 votes to divide out. Barring an epic shock, O Murchu will pass the quota after count 16, and Byrne may also get across the line. Ged Nash is edging closer to the quota too, but may have to wait for a couple more counts. Heres the remaining candidates and their current standings, the quota is 10,623: Ruairi O Murchu (SF) 10201; Ged Nash (Lab) 9,714; Joanna Byrne (SF) 9,358; Paul Butterly 6,359; Erin McGreehan (FF) 6,463; Alison Comyn (FF) 5,391; Kevin Callan (Ind) 5,197; John McGahon (FG) 4,440. 20:18 Yes folks we are still here. I hope you are on the edge of your seat for count 14. No candidate has been elected following the distribution of Michael ODowds votes and Hermann Kelly of the Irish Freedom Party has been eliminated. Ruairi O Murchu is less than a thousand votes shy of the quota, with 9845 votes, the quota being 10,623. On a separate note, it pays to know the electoral rules as Aontus Michael ODowds request for a re-check has paid a rich dividend as he is now entitled to claim upwards of 11,500 in election expenses, having fulfilled the requirement of reaching a quarter of a quota upon his elimination. He was a happy man as he left the count centre a short while ago. 16.29: John McGahon has arrived at the count centre John McGahon has arrived at the count centre here. Speaking briefly with the media he congratulated all the winning candidates particularly his running mate Paula Butterly. He thanked the people of Dundalk for their support and said after years in politics now was the time to concentrate on his family. MORE TO FOLLOW 16.27: Re-check ongoing Just a quick update on the re-check for Michael ODowd following count 13. It is still ongoing and while no official communication, there is rumours in the count centre that he has picked up 3 or 4 votes 14.43: Recheck granted Aontu's Michael O'Dowd. The first bit of real drama of the day following the announcement of the 13th count which resulted in the elmination of Aontus Michael ODowd. Minutes later Assistant Returning Officer, Mr Paddy Donnelly was back to the mircophone stating that the candidate for a re-check which was granted and the distribution of his votes has been suspended until the outcome of the re-check. Explaining his request, Michael ODowd stated that he is six votes short of being able to claim his election expenses to the value of 8,500. I probably wont get the votes. Im getting some dagger looks from the other candidates, he explained but agreed that any candidate in his position would do the same. 1.10pm: Nash in a Sinn Fein sandwich Ged Nash (+585) leap-frogged Joanna Byrne to become Ruairi O Murchus closest challenger as the Labour TD and James Renaghan (+423) were the big winners from the re-distribution of 1,781 votes from Niall McCreanor (Soc Dems) in count 12. It wasnt enough to grant Renaghan a stay of execution as he is now eliminated and his re-distribution is currently being counted. 12.45pm And then there 12 Heres the final 12 candidates and their current vote. The quota is 10,623. Ruairi O Murchu 8960 Joanna Byrne 8373 Ged Nash 8120 Erin McGreehan 6090 Paula Butterly 6087 Alison Comyn 5118 John McGahon 4198 Antoin Watters 3849 Kevin Callan 3677 Hermann Kelly 2842 Michael ODowd 2538 James Renaghan 1855 12.30 Paula proving transfer-friendly Fine Gaels Paula Butterly is proving transfer-friendly this morning. She picked up 181 votes from Thomas Clare and David Brennan on count 10 and then swallowed up 231 from Marianne Butler. Erin McGreehan (+204) also did well out of Butlers redistribution, as did Ged Nash who collected 373 no Dundalk/Drogheda divide there! Social Democrats candidate Niall McCreanor was the latest casualty and his vote is now being re-distributed. Paula Butterly wtaching the count with party colleagues. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics 12.00 state of play So heres the state of play after count 10, only remaining candidates listed. The magic number is 10,623. Ruairi O Murchu 8879 Joanna Byrne 8318 Ged Nash 7747 Erin McGreehan 5886 Paula Butterly 5856 Alison Comyn 5029 John McGahon 4111 Antoin Watters 3827 Kevin Callan 3604 Hermann Kelly 2829 Michael O'Dowd 2517 James Renaghan 1764 Niall McCreanor 1614 11.20am Green Party candidate, Marianne Butler has bowed out after count 10. The re-distribution of votes from David Brennan (Ind) and Thomas Clare (Ind) saw Kevin Callan (+265) and Paula Butterly (+181) make gains. Ruairi O Murchu (SF), Joanna Byrne (SF) and Ged Nash remain on track for a seat. There are now just 30 votes between Paula Butterly (FG) and Erin McGreehan (FF) in fourth and fifth respectively, with their nearest rival, Alison Comyn (FF) some 800 votes back. The quota still hasnt been reach with O Murchu (SF) now 1,744 votes short. Marianne Butlers votes will now be re-distributed. 8.59 Day two Good morning everyone, day two counting in Louth is about to commence with the tenth count. A quick re-cap on where we are at. No candidate has reached the quota as yet, with Ruairi O Murchu leading the way at this point closely followed by party colleague Joanna Byrne. The tenth count in progress is dealing with the distribution of Thomas Clare and Ryan McKeowns votes. 23.59 Louth count suspended The Louth count has been suspended after the ninth count which led to the elimination of Thomas Clare (Ind) on 482 votes and David Brennan (Ind) on 805 votes. A little earlier, Ryan McKeown (Independent Ireland) was eliminated after the 8th count. Counting resumes at 9am on Sunday morning with the tenth count. There are still 14 candidates standing and none of the five seats up for grabs have been filled. Well be back bright and early to bring you every twist and turn in the race for Dail Eireann. 10.15pm Minister? Yes, please With a seat seemingly safe in his hands as the count goes on in Louth, Labour TD, Ged Nash said his party wants to be in government and he wants to be a minister. The incumbent TD who seems destined to regain his seat said: We want to be in government, Labour wants to be in government and I want to be a senior minister. "Our own area has never had that privilege before. Theres things we can do that can transform this area. Asked what party Labour might play in the formation of the next government, Deputy Nash said: Weve said from day one, and Ivana (Bacik) has been clear on this for the last year, the first thing we would do is assess the landscape on the centre-left, whether that is progressive parties like the Social Democrats and the Green Party and including centre-left-leaning independents, to try and form some form of progressive alliance before we would enter into negotiations with anyone. Paul Butterly (FG) and Ged Nash (Lab) share a joke at the Louth count. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics We have big difficulties with the three main parties and they would have difficulties with us as well. "So, I think we may be some way off forming a government thats going to run this country for the next five years, the result is very, very fragmented and one of the things we have learned from this is that actually, there hasnt been much change since 2020, across the country, despite what some people might have said. He added: We are a party of government and we are party that helped to found this county and we are very, very proud of that. James Renaghan at the count in Dundalk. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics 10.00pm Age is just a number Among the 24 candidates running in Louth there were not only candidates with contrasting politics, but also a very wide range of ages from 21-years-old, all the way to 76. The youngest candidate in the field was James Renaghan from Dundalk who secured 1,672 first preference votes. James was happy with his showing and explained his reasons for running: I think we are happy, we ran off the back anti-fascist protests over the summer. I could see unfortunately, politics across the world is shifting right and I was seeing it materialise in my own home town. "But it was heartening to see so many people coming out to defend the streets from turning reactionary. Independent candidate, David Brennan, has more than 50 years on James and fairly contrasting politics too, as a businessman who believes in an entrepreneurial approach. Despite failing to gain a seat this time around, Mr Brennan looks set to be the second highest independent, behind Kevin Callan and he he said he had enjoyed his first election campaign at the tender age of 76. Im an independent, I think I will be the second highest independent. Im obviously not going to make it but Im glad I ran. It was a great experience, Im 76 years of age and its the first time Ive ever ran. I see theres a young man here that is 21 so Ill have to get my picture taken with him. David Brennan. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics 9.45pm Small gains With the highest number of candidates in the country, the Louth count was always going to be slow moving to begin with due to the redistribution of what are essentially small numbers. David Carroll (40), Albert Byrne (100) and Alan Fagan (116) have been divided out already, making no real difference to the race for the five seats. This trend is set to continue as the next five candidates to be eliminated dont have 1,000 votes between them: Derek McElearney (121), Peter James Nugent (149), David Bradley (161), Tracey OHanlon (239) and Ryan McKeown (308). 9.00pm Irish Freedom Party leader will be back While nationally anti-immigration candidates failed to make the mark many anticipated they might in this general election, the leader of the Irish Freedom Party said he had no intentions of walking away from politics. At the Louth constituency count in Dundalk, Hermann Kelly polled just shy of 4pc in first preferences, a long way from securing a seat but showing a marked improvement on the partys performance in 2020. He said: Given its the first run-out for myself in County Louth in a General Election, I think to get almost 4pc first preferences, I think is pretty good. Now, four years ago, the Irish Freedom Party got 570 votes so weve gone up almost five-fold in four years. "Myself, individually, compared to the European Election results, Ive doubled my vote since June. So, I think its positive. Mr Kelly has been among the speakers at anti-immigration protests in Louth but he rejected the suggestion that his party was a party of street protest. He said: I think I only spoke at one of those (protests) and it wasnt my type of thing. "We are a political party, were not about street protest. Were a political party and were looking to make progress by the ballot box and that will be our priority. People have to realise that theres no use walking up and down the street, shouting about one politician or another. People voted for these people, they may be destroying our country but people put them in there, he said. 8.45pm Heres that first count in full David Bradley 157 David Brennan 671 Marianne Butler 1504 Paula Butterly 5646 Joanna Byrne 8169 Albert David Byrne 99 Kevin Callan 3223 David Carroll 40 Thomas Clare 416 Alison Comyn 4913 Alan Fagan 114 Hermann Kelly 2546 Niall McCreanor 1547 Derek McElearney 119 John McGahon 4021 Erin McGreehan 5772 Ryan McKeown 305 Ged Nash 7594 Peter James Nugent 149 Ruairi O Murchu 8728 Michael O'Dowd 2330 Tracey Marie O'Hanlon 234 James Renaghan 1671 Antoin Watters 3767 8.33pm We go again As expected, none of the candidates reached the quota in the first count. Ruairi O Murchu (SF) topped the poll with running mate, Joanna Byrne, a close second. The tallies had the order spot on with Ged Nash (Lab) in third, Erin McGreehan (FF) fourth, Paula Butterly (FG) in fifth and Alison Comyn (FF) just outside the seats, as things currently stand. Count 2, which was David Carrolls redistribution of 40 votes, didnt take long, so on to count 3 we go. 6.00pm Sinn Fein flying high First-time Sinn Fein candidate, Joanna Byrne, turned off her phone and stayed away from the news until early afternoon, but when the Drogheda United chairperson eventually checked in at the Count Centre she was over the moon to learn that Sinn Fein again look set for a 1-2 in Louth. I'm over the moon, she said. It's been a very positive, vibrant and short enough campaign and I didn't envisage the results that are coming in front of us at the moment. But obviously I'm chuffed. I'm chuffed for me, I'm chuffed for my team, I'm chuffed for Sinn Fein, but more importantly I'm chuffed for the people of Louth. Imelda [Munster] made history in many ways and it was always a fear of mine that they were big boots to fill. But thankfully I brought my own game to the table and my record has stood to me as well. The Louth county councillor kept a low profile before arriving at the county centre at 4pm, adding: My intention was actually to put up the Christmas tree this morning. But I've been unwell. I've been in hospital this week, so I just took a few hours to rest and recuperate and stayed off the news until early afternoon. I was eager to get here as early as I could, but I also had to think of my health and make sure that when I did get here, I was able to last the pace of the evening. 5.25pm Final tally...at last! Its been a long day for tally staff in Louth, but they got there in the end and its a 1-2 for Sinn Fein, with outgoing TD, Ruairi O Murchu and first-timer, Joanna Byrne, out in front. Ged Nash looks set to hold a seat for Labour and, barring a miraculous recovery from John McGahon or Antoin Watters, the final two seats will be contested by Erin McGreehan (FF), Paula Butterly (FG) and Alison Comyn (FF). The official first count result is expected sometime after 6pm. For the record, the final tally in Louth is as follows: The final tally in Louth. 4.40pm As you were ahead of final tally Sinn Fein is still leading the way based on party tallies, which are now 92pc complete. Incumbent, Ruairi O Murchu has edged marginally in front of party colleague Joanna Byrne, but its as you were thereafter with Ged Nash (Lab) in third, Paul Butterly (FG) in fourth and Fianna Fail pair Erin McGreehan and Alison Comyn currently in fifth and sixth respectively. Again, based on tallies, Antoin Watters is now up to seventh spot, leaving Sinn Fein with an outside shot at three seats. Heres the lie of the land with the tally 92 pc complete. Still no indication when the actual first count might be, but word is it could be sooner rather than later. The Louth tally is 92pc complete as the first count eagerly awaited in Dundalk. 2.50pm Good day for Fianna Fail? Fianna Fails mission was to regain a seat in Louth and that objective appears to be firmly on track but who actually takes the seat is another matter entirely. Tallies show Erin McGreehan marginally ahead of running mate, Alison Comyn, so they do look likely to take one seat. If tallies ring true the party has increased its share of the vote by 2.64pc since 2020. Sinn Fein are down by almost 10pc and Fine Gael is virtually unchanged, while Ged Nashs solid first preference showing has Labour up by 4.43pc. Party share of the vote in Louth with 74pc of boxes opened and tallied. 1.50pm 60% tally Sorting of the ballot papers is well underway in the count centre in Louth, meanwhile we have reached the 60pc of the tally. The trend continues as previous posts, with Joanna Byrne and Ruairi O Murchu both Sinn Fein leading the way, followed by Ged Nash. Thereafter it is getting tight between the two Fianna Fail candidates, Erin McGreehan on 3197 and Alison Comyn on 3032. Fine Gaels Paula Butterly has polled extremely well across Mid Louth, her homebase and is on 3600. Antoin Watters (SF) and John McGahon (FG) are next on 2366 and 2217. However as ever, it is all going to come down to transfers and the order of elminations in later counts with the drama reserved until counts tomorrow. A first count is estimated late in the afternoon, early evening. 12.40pm While Sinn Fein will likely return Ruairi O Murchu and Joanna Byrne to the next Dail, one of the emerging stories in Louth is that their share of the vote is down 8.74pc on their 2020 vote, when both O Murchu and former Deputy Imelda Munster raced past the winning line on the first count. 42pc of the tally is complete and is still weighted towards Drogheda, giving Labour a showing of 12pc in Ged Nashs hometown. The party share of the vote with 43pc of boxes open and tallied. 12.30pm The state of play with 43pc of boxes open in Louth. The state of play with 43pc of boxes open. 12.00am The students from Colaiste Chu Chulainn are looking after the hospitality side of things at the Louth Count Centre. Colaiste Chu Chulainn students in The Food Village area at the Louth Constituency count centre. Photo: Aidan Dullaghan/Newspics 11.45am 32pc of the boxes are now open and the update below provides a better county spread of boxes. Its early days, but first count tallies show newcomer Joanna Byrne (SF) and incumbents Ged Nash (Lab) and Ruairi O Murchu (SF) in strong positions. It gets a lot closer after that with Paul Butterly (FG) and Erin McGreehan (FF) neck and neck, followed closely by Alison Comyn (FF). Antoin Watters, is also showing up well. Is a third Sinn Fein seat possible? John McGahon (FG) and Kevin Callan (Ind) wont be throwing in the towel just yet, but are trailing already. Transfers will be crucial for those fourth and fifth seats. The Louth tally with 32pc of boxes opened. 11.10am Tasty treats Its time for a tasty treat thanks to the 4th year Home Economics stdudents in Colaiste Chu Chulainn who have baked election themed cup cakes which are available from the student coffee dock. John Mulligan 10.55am Heres the first official tally from Louth, with just over 20pc of boxes opened. It comes with the health warning that the majority of the early boxes opened were from the greater Drogheda area. Early indication that the Independent surge around the country may not be replicated here, as Droghedas Kevin Callan is trailing party candidates such as Alison Comyn (FF) and Paula Butterly (FG). But these are only tallies, of course. The first tally from Louth. 10.30am Good morning, and welcome to Colaiste Chu Chulainn in Dundalk. The count centre has been a hive of activity since early morning. With 19pc of boxes open, the tallies suggest its already looking good for Sinn Fein first-time candidate Joanna Byrne, who is stepping into the breach following Imelda Munsters retirement. Official tally report due in the next few minutes, so stick with us h Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey takes the last seat in Meath West. Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey takes the last seat in Meath West. Leader of the Aontu Party Peadar Toibin was elected on Count 4 Meath West is done and dusted with all three seats filled after Count 5. Seats filled: 3 Meath West is done and dusted with all three seats filled after Count 5. 22.18pm: Meath West is done and dusted with all three seats filled after Count 5. Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey takes the last seat in Meath West. She follows in her father, Noel Dempseys footsteps, to the political corridors of Leinster House and will be the first woman to represent the Meath West constituency in Dail Eireann. This leaves Fine Gael without a seat in the constituency, which is a major blow for the party. Fine Gael has held a seat in the constituencies of Meath/Meath West since 1948. Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey takes the last seat in Meath West. Earlier today, Sinn Feins Johnny Guirke was elected on Count 3, and leader of the Aontu Party Peadar Toibin was elected on Count 4. That brings counting to a close here in Trim GAA. Now, time for bed. Oiche mhaith from Meath West. Leader of the Aontu Party Peadar Toibin was elected on Count 4 9:20pm: Count 4 Aontu's Peadar Toibin re-elected The leader of the Aontu Party, Peadar Toibin, has been re-elected to Dail Eireann. He reached the quota on the fourth count after Sinn Feins Johnny Guirke topped the polls.. The picture is also becoming clearer as to who will pick up the last seat. Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey looks to be gathering Noel Frenchs distributed votes and widening the gap between her and Fine Gaels Linda Nelson Murray for that coveted third seat. Dempsey currently has 8454 votes while Nelson Murray trails on 7823. Fine Gael has held a seat in the constituencies of Meath/Meath West since 1948. If Nelson Murray fails to get elected, it would be a major blow for Fine Gael. Peadar Toibins surplus will now be redistributed. 19.40pm: Sinn Feins Johnny Guirke has been returned to the Dail on Count 3. He takes the first seat in the constituency. He first topped the polls in 2020 and has replicated that win in todays results. Aontus Peadar Toibin is also inching towards the finish line with around another 1,093 votes to go. The former Sinn Fein TD was first elected to the Dail in 2011. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are neck and neck for the last seat, with Aisling Dempsey and Linda Nelson Murray vying for the win. Whoever takes the seat, they will be the first female elected for Meath West since the constituency was first formed in 2005. Meanwhile, Independent candidate and former Fine Gael councillor Noel French has been eliminated after count 3 and his votes will be redistributed. Meath West is done and dusted with all three seats filled after Count 5. Sinn Feins Johnny Guirke says hes heading to Oldcastle for a few pints to celebrate his re-electionand he says hes buying! 18.22pm: After the second count in Meath West, Johnny Guirke is still leading the pack with 8,899 votes, still shy of the 9, 427 quota. The Moylagh native said that he faced challenges in this election campaign with the re-drawing of the constituency boundary, which saw areas such as Castlepollard, Delvin, Collinstown and Clonmellon all moved out from the Meath West constituency. Aontus Peadar Toibin also has quite a way to go to reach the quota, with 8,038 votes after the second count. The real contest is now between Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey and Fine Gaels Linda Nelson Murray for the constituencys third and final seat with 290 votes separating them. Social Democrats candidate Ronan Moore will now be eliminated, and his 2,542 votes redistributed. Sinn Feins Johnny Guirke was elected on Count 3 16:55pm: In Count 1, Johnny Guirke of Sinn Fein has topped the poll, recording 8,604 first-preference votes, putting him just over 800 shy of the quota to be elected. Aontus leader Peadar Toibin is in second place with a battle for the third and final seat between Fianna Fail's Aisling Dempsey and Fine Gael's Linda Nelson Murray. The following have now been eliminated and their votes will be redistributed: Finbar Lynch (PBP), Ian McGauley (IPP), Ben Gilroy (LR), Damien Reilly (IND), Seamus McMenamin (GP) and Sandy Gallagher (LAB). 16:30pm: Will Fine Gael hold onto their seat in Meath West? Outgoing TD Damien English is hoping to pass the Fine Gael baton onto Linda Nelson Murray. According to the tally, Linda is in fourth place in this three-seater. Mr English says he is hopeful the transfers will help Linda secure a Fine Gael seat in Meath West for another five years. 2:50pm: Count one is well underway. We should have the results of count one around 4pm. It is unlikely any candidate will reach the quota on the first count. According to the unofficial tally, the quota stands at 9,081 13:30: Aontu hoping to pick up seats in Cavan/Monaghan, Dublin West and Mayo. Aontu Leader Peadar Toibin is confident the party have doubled their vote nationally in this election. According to the tally in his own constituency of Meath West, Toibin currently sits in second place behind Sinn Fein, with 20pc of first preference votes. He says that Aontu is in real contention for a seat in Cavan/Monaghan with Sarah Reilly, Paul Lawless in Mayo and in Dublin West with Ellen Troy. This would be a huge boost for the party as Toibin is currently its only elected representative in the Dail. Meath West is done and dusted with all three seats filled after Count 5. Peadar speaks about what seats Aontu look to be picking up nationally 11:55am: Sinn Fein leads in Meath West will final tallies in Sinn Feins Johnny Guirke looks set to top the poll in Meath West. The final tally shows Guirke leading the pack with Anotus Peader following in second place. The third seat is expected to be a battle between Fine Gaels Linda Nelson Murray and Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey. Tallies show: Johnny Guirke (SF): 8,219 (23pc) Peadar Toibin (Aontu): 7,245 (20pc) Aisling Dempsey (FF): 6,459 (18pc) Linda Nelson Murray (FG): 5,865 (16pc) Noel French (Ind): 3,808 (10pc) Ronan Moore (SD): 2,430 (7pc) Seamus McMenamin (GP): 582 (2pc) Finnbarr Lynch (PBP): 482 (1pc) Sandy Gallagher (L): 411 (1pc) Ben Gilroy (Liberty Republic): 397 (1pc) Ian McGauley (The Irish People): 214 (1pc) Damien Reilly (Ind): 209 (1pc) Boxes are open in Meath West 10:48am: At this stage 59pc of boxes have been opened in Meath West The current tallies show strong support for Sinn Fein and with 60 of the 103 boxes opened, the candidates currently stand at: Johnny Guirke (SF): 5,259 Peadar Toibin (Aontu): 4,293 Linda Nelson Murray (FG): 3,576 Aisling Dempsey (FF): 3,535 Noel French (Ind): 1,966 Ronan Moore (SD): 1,248 Seamus McMenamin (GP): 368 Finnbarr Lynch (PBP):296 Sandy Gallagher (L): 268 Ben Gilroy (Liberty Republic): 265 Damien Reilly (Ind):121 Ian McGauley (The Irish People): 118 10.30am: Initial tallies are putting Sinn Feins Johnny Guirke in the lead with 2,258 first preference votes. Tallies have been gathered from 27 boxes opened here in Meath West. There are 103 boxes in total to open. Aontus Peadar Toibin is coming in second with 1,948 first preference votes. Fine Gaels Linda Nelson Murray has 1,844 first preference votes, while Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey has 1,752. According to the tallies so far, Independent candidate Damien Reilly has the fewest first preference votes, at 49. Former Fianna Fail TD Noel Dempsey is waiting nervously in the count centre as his daughter Aisling Dempsey is on the ballot. Mr Dempsey says hes a bag of nerves and its worse than it ever was standing for election himself. Retuning Officer Des Foley has determined that the total electorate is 65,148. Total papers to be counted stands at 37,720, meaning voter turnout yesterday was 57.8pc. Returning officer Des Foley says they expect the count to be wrapped later tonight with all three seats in the constituency filled. Meath West is done and dusted with all three seats filled after Count 5. Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 9am: Counting is under way! There are 103 boxes to be opened in Meath West. All boxes should be opened by midday. Retuning Officer Des Foley has determined that the total electorate is 65,148. Total papers to be counted stands at 37,720, meaning voter turnout yesterday was 57.8pc. Tanaiste Micheal Martin said it was obvious from the early General Election 2024 indications that there was "a very clear route back to Government" for Fianna Fail. However, Mr Martin warned that it was far too early to predict precisely what Coalition partners might be involved as he paid tribute to the Green Party, who are facing serious electoral losses, for their contribution to the three-party Coalition in the 33rd Dail. The Tanaiste refused to comment on whether the Social Democrats, who are set to make major Dail gains, will be the obvious Coalition partners for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Mr Martin was speaking as he arrived at the Nemo Rangers GAA complex in Cork where the South Central and North Central counts are being handled. The former Taoiseach will be elected on the first count after securing a whopping 14,000-plus first preference votes. He secured almost one-in-four first preference votes in Cork South Central. "There is a very clear route back to Government, although it is not fully determined," he said. "Because a lot will depend on those final seats I have spoken about." "We know very little at the moment - just tallies. In the majority of cases these will be reasonably accurate but then you have to work out geography, work out eliminations, work out distribution of surpluses. "It will be many, many counts before we really are in a position to look at the destination of the final two seats in five seaters and, in cases, the final two seats in four seaters. "Geography will be particularly important on the transfer area. What I am basically saying is that it is too early to call the exact type of Government that will be formed, the composition of the next Government. "But I think there will be a sufficiency of seats that aligns with the core principles that I outlined at the beginning of the campaign around the pro-enterprise economy, around positively pro-European Union position and a Government that will strongly push for home ownership - around parties that are transparently democratic in their affairs." Mr Martin has repeatedly ruled out Sinn Fein as a Coalition partner because of their economic policies. He said the incoming Government will have challenges most especially in tackling Ireland's housing issue. "Also I acknowledge that there are many people out there who are suffering, who are under pressure notwithstanding the optics of the economy in terms of statistics (that it is) doing quite well. "Many people are feeling the pressure because of the cost of living issues - we still have unfinished business with housing, to be frank, we have a lot more houses to build. "That was a challenge in this election." The Indo Daily Election Extra: Coalition toss-ups, crime bosses and Versace bottles (Live from The RDS Mr Martin warned against "racing too far ahead" in terms of speculating about the formation of the next Government before even a substantial number of TDs have even been returned. "I genuinely would have to caution that the final seats cannot be determined. I remember in 2020, late on the evening of the count we looked to be in a very good position for closing the deal on eight seats - but we didn't close any of them by the following day." Mr Martin admitted he was "very pleased" with Fianna Fail's overall general election campaign - and repeated that he believed the party had fielded arguably its greatest selection of candidates ever. "You will understand my wariness of the final predictions as to the final destination of the seats." The Tanaiste said he had no idea how long it would take after the final counts to hammer out a Coalition deal. "It remains to be seen (formation of Government). There will have to be negotiating teams and I would like to think that the Dail can do it (a Government agreement) than it did the last time." "This is not easy - whatever parties engage in the discussions...very detailed work will have to be done in terms of a Programme for Government." Micheal Martin elected on first count Mr Martin said opinion polls consistently underestimated Fianna Fail support. "There is an issue. I couldve had a better evening last night if the polls had been a bit more accurate. The polls give Fianna Fail heart attacks all the time. We should respect the process. "Believe me, there will be a lot of twists and turns before this is over. Im going through the permutations myself at home in different constituencies. Im ringing a few candidates and you pick up the local knowledge. "Geography will play a part in this as well transfers. We will win new seats. New TDs will be elected. "And that is always positive for a political party, that there is new blood coming in as well and a fresh injection of young blood coming into the party. "And that is very positive. "With a few balances of the ball we could do quite well here, but I am very conscious here that a lot will depend on the transfers. "It is a very different environment now but it is has been a very strong effort on behalf of the volunteers across the length and breadth of the country. "I have been sustained by some great people around the country from 2011 onwards and there is a great belief in many of those whose families belong to the party historically, they didnt give up and they believed in the founding fathers of the party, the values of the party. "Mary always says Im at glass half full person but part of me feels we are only another 2% away from even better results. But it is very competitive." Mr Martin added that he wanted to specifically mention the Green Party. "I want to pay tribute to all those who served in the last Dail, and who may lose seats. "I think the Green Party made a very positive contribution to Government. I think some good constructive positive policies emerged from the last government. "I think the last government had to weather very significant external shocks from Covid. I think the long shadow of Covid is over this election too. "I will always remember Angela Merkel at the commencement of Covid saying she equated Covid to world war in terms of its long-term impact on politics and society and so on. "That probably hasnt been analysed to the degree it should. But if you look at the cost-of-living crisis, it has its genesis within Covid. "If you look at healthcare where a lot of waiting lists dramatically because of the emergency that Covid was. And there were a lot of impacts on society from it. And we weathered it and we came through us and then we had the war in Ukraine. So the Greens to their credit, didnt buckle over the 4.5 years. "Being in government can be difficult for any political party. It is to the credit of the Greens that they went into government. We had challenges, we had different priorities, but this government went full term and I think Ireland was for the better for it." There was something shiny at the bottom of the ballot box for the new 100pc Redress party. It was not as many votes as the campaigning Donegal party were hoping for, but a wedding ring that got caught in the box as a man voted on Friday. Unable to open the box until counting started yesterday, the returning officer in Moville stuck a notice on the box to warn counting staff of the hidden treasure. The note told them to pass the ring on to Councillor Ali Farren from the 100pc Redress party, which was formed to secure a new redress scheme for those affected by defective concrete products used to build homes. A special message on a ballot box in Donegal Mr Farren said it was a big lump of a ring. He obviously wasnt married too long. He cant go home to the wife without the ring, he said, promising to reunite the man with his wedding band. Mr Farren helped run the campaign of Charles Ward, the 100pc Redress candidate who was in fifth place in the five-seater constituency based on tallies. Last night, Mr Ward faced a challenge from Independent TD Thomas Pringle to hold on to fifth place once all transfers had taken place. Sinn Fein's Eoin O Broin, president Mary Lou McDonald and Pearse Doherty last month. Photo: PA Simon Harris - The Irish people have spoken, now we need to figure out what they said Tricia Sullivan said the new party, which has four councillors in Donegal, recycled old election posters and held fundraising dances to raise money. Ms Sullivan said even if Mr Ward was unsuccessful, the party would continue its campaign and hoped at least four of Donegals five TDs would support the 100pc redress campaign. She said the rest of Ireland had to realise the depth of the humanitarian crisis affecting families whose homes are collapsing. John McNamara, a 100pc Redress tallyman, said people around Ireland dismissed the campaign as they believed homeowners were sufficiently taken care off by the redress scheme, but that was not the case. Mr McNamara, who had to leave the count early to meet a builder, said his original mortgage should be paid off in three years. He is facing having to borrow another 100,000 to fund the replacement build of his damaged house even after he avails of the redress scheme. We are not looking for handouts but people need to understand the gravity of what we are facing, he said. There is a lot of animosity here towards Charlie McConalogue as he didnt do enough to influence the scheme. Although there was some early concern in Fianna Fail that Mr McConalogue, the Agriculture Minister, could be in danger, he was in fourth place, behind his party colleague Pat The Cope Gallagher, and the two Sinn Fein TDs Pearse Doherty and Padraig Mac Lochlainn, according to tallies. You could be angry now and its easy to be despondent, but we need to look at the reality of it Fine Gael ran two candidates, senator Nikki Bradley and John McNulty, but faces having no Donegal TD for the first time, with tallies showing both candidates together failed to reach the vote that departing TD Joe McHugh achieved in 2020. Jimmy Kavanagh, one of Fine Gaels three councillors in Donegal, said the mica party had damaged Fine Gael, but said there were other issues too. He called for a complete rebuild of the party in Donegal. Fine Gael candidate Nikki Bradley chats with Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty at the Donegal count centre in Letterkenny This is a huge decline for us but the decline has been coming as we went from six to three seats in the local elections, Mr Kavanagh said. We have to face that reality. I think we need to start really from the ground up now and rebuild the whole party. Its no fault to the two candidates, they put in a big effort, they ran decent campaigns, but it just wasnt there. Its a time for cool heads. You could be angry now and its easy to be despondent but we need to look at the reality of it. Senator Niall Blaney, Fianna Fails director of elections in the county, said he was hopeful the party would win two seats in the county. He admitted to being shocked by the strength of Sinn Feins performance, with an outside chance it could bring in a third candidate because of Pearse Dohertys surplus. They have taken a very strong vote and they are taking first and second seat and they could be in the running for a third and that is the shock of the day, he said. Mr Doherty, who was an early arrival at the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny, said Sinn Fein was clearly the peoples choice in Donegal. The Sinn Fein deputy leader said the party absolutely had a mandate to try to form a government with other parties. He said Donegal people had not supported those candidates who stood on strong anti-immigration platforms. Clearly, people in Donegal are voting for change, theyre voting for hope, he said. Theyre voting for a better future. They know the issues they have themselves, and thats why theyve come out in their numbers to support Sinn Fein above all of the other parties. The traction that some on social media would think that theyve got, that the whole world is of their same view, it is not the case. Sends a very clear signal to governments that you cant ignore a county Mr Doherty also praised Mary Lou McDonald for bringing the national Sinn Fein vote up from the local and European election levels. We had tough local and European elections where we were at 11pc and 12pc, he said. We listened to people, we responded back. We came back with a very positive vision that was solution and policy focused. And I think people have responded to that. I think Mary Lou McDonald in particular, in terms of her campaign that shes had personally, was fantastic. She knocked it out of the park. People seen her on the campaign trail, engaging, listening and having that empathy, and I think thats really important in a leader as well. The Sinn Fein TD said Fine Gaels impending wipe-out in Donegal showed people would not stand for it being a forgotten county. The old certainties are gone, he said. The peoples choice in this county is Sinn Fein, and that sends a very clear signal to governments that you cant ignore a county. Scanlon returns to the DailMarian Harkin beats off challenge of ClarkeFeighan and Kenny retain seats Former Fianna Fail councillor Seamus Kilgannon keeps a close eye on the tallies. Counting of votes in Sligo/Leitrim has officially got underway. Counting is underway at the count centre in the Clayton Hotel. Former Fine Gael TD Tony McLoughlin with Deputy Martin Kenny (SF) at the count in the Clayton Hotel, Sligo. Eamon Scanlon (FF) and Marian Harkin (Independent) took the final two seats in Sligo-Leitrim Seats filled: 4 Marian Harkin (Ind) retained her seat 1am Monday The final two seats have been filled in Sligo/Leitrim with Eamon Scanlon (FF) and Marian Harkin (Independent) both elected on the 13th and final count without reaching the quota. Harkin held off the challenge of Michael Clarke (Independent Ireland) to hold on to her seat while Scanlon returns to the Dail having lost his seat narrowly in 2020. The final count is: Frank Feighan (FG) 12,241 elected Martin Kenny (SF) 11,381 elected Eamon Scanlon (FF) 10,285 elected Marian Harkin (Ind) 10,168 elected Michael Clarke (II) 9,287 The party line-up is the same as in 2020 with one seat each for Sinn Fein, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and one Independent. 11.50pm: Shamrock Rovers' goal-scoring hero from Thursday night is here Celtic's Johnny Kenny, on loan at Shamrock Rovers, is at the count centre here in Sligo for the final stages. Johnny Kenny (second from right) with friends at the count centre in Sligo. Pic: Carl Brennan The Sligo native scored the equaliser for Stephen Bradley's men against Rapid Wien on Thursday night in the Europa Conference League, and is here tonight now as the count enters the final stages. It is expected that the 13th count will be the final one, and should be enough to elect the final two candidates here with Marian Harkin (Ind), Eamon Scanlon (FF) and Independent Ireland (II) in contention for the final two seats. 11pm: Kenny retains seat Outgoing Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny retained his seat following the 12th count. Two of the seats have now been filled in Sligo/Leitrim. Fine Gaels Frank Feighan was elected on count 11. Kenny was elected with 15,433 votes following the distribution of party colleague Chris MacManuss votes of 8,932. Kenny got a massive 5,215 of these. Martin Kenny Eamon Scanlon (FF) got 227 but crucially outgoing Independent TD Marian Harkin picked up 523 to leave her on 8, 829 and ahead of Michael Clarke of Independent Ireland on 8,318 who received 349. The 13th count is now underway and it could prove unlucky for Clarke. The count involves the distribution of Kennys surplus of 4,052 votes. Clarke is 500 votes behind Harkin and has to hope he gets more from these transfers. Tally people are predicting that Harkin will stay ahead and take the final seat. The next count should also see the election of Eamon Scanlon (FF). The state of the candidates after count 12: Martin Kenny 15,433 elected Frank Feighan 12,241 elected Eamon Scanlon 9,967 Marian Harkin 8,829 Michael Clarke 8,318 Surplus of 4,052 from Kenny now being distributed in count 13 Martin Kenny (SF) celebrates his election. Pic: Carl Brennan. 9.20pm: Feighan eyes ministerial position Fine Gael's Frank Feighan has taken the first seat in Sligo Leitrim on the 11th count, having been the frontrunner from the very early stages. The party opted to go with just one candidate in Sligo Leitrim this time, and it certainly paid off, while Feighan admits it was somewhat risky. "I'm delighted and honoured. It tells me that this country is a wonderful country, with wonderful people, despite the challenges that we face. We can face them all together. Frank Feighan takes the first seat. Pic: Carl Brennan "Democracy can be cruel, but that is democracy. I want to pay tribute to all the people who put their name forward, from all parties and none. "It was a risky strategy I suppose, however Fine Gael felt that I was a candidate that was able to get votes in county Sligo, Leitrim and South Donegal." And he has his eyes on a ministerial position now that he is the only Fine Gael TD across Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal and Roscommon. "I have a view, I was a minister in the Department of Health and I really enjoyed it. I'm the only Fine Gael representative in Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal and Roscommon so I feel now, I expect to show ambition, not just for myself but also for the constituents." No of seats: 4 Seats filled: 1 Frank Feighan has been re-elected. 8.45pm First TD elected after 11 counts Fine Gaels Frank Feighan has become the first TD elected in Sligo/Leitrim following 11 counts. He was elected with 12,241 votes, well over the quota of 11,381. Feighan proved transfer friendly right throughout the count and secured 1,177 votes from the eliminated Edel McSharry of Fianna Fail in count 11. After this count, Martin Kenny (SF) and Eamon Scanlon (FF) have moved closer to being elected. Kenny stands on 10,218 votes and Scanlon on 9,740. Outgoing Independent TD Marian Harkin and Independent Irelands Michael Clarke are locked in a battle for the last seat. Harkin has overtaken Clarke after count 11. She has 8,306 votes and Clarke is on 7,969. Sinn Feins Chris MacManus has now been eliminated and his 6,932 votes are being distributed. His votes will go a long way in deciding who gets the final seat. Former Fine Gael TD Tony McLoughlin. 7.30pm: Supporting Coolera Strandhill! Former Sligo Leitrim TD Tony McLoughlin has arrived at the count centre in his Coolera Strandhill colours after the Sligo senior champions won the Connacht Senior Football Championship today for the first time, beating Padraig Pearses of Roscommon by a point after extra-time at Markievicz Park. It's the first time since 1983 that a Sligo side has won the Connacht Senior Football Championship. They will take on Cuala in the All Ireland semi-final. McLoughlin is here to support Fine Gael's Frank Feighan who will be elected on the next count. 6.30pm: Feighan is nearly there Fine Gaels Frank Feighan got a massive 848 votes from Fianna Fails Paddy ORourke when the latter was eliminated after count ten putting him just shy by 317 votes of the 11,381 quota. Poll topper Feighan should be elected on count 11. Count ten also saw Martin Kenny (SF) get boosted by 1,020 votes in transfers from fellow Leitrim man ORourke while 977 votes when to fellow Fianna Fail candidate Eamon Scanlon. Its now down to just six candidates in Sligo with Edel McSharry now eliminated as count 11 gets underway. McSharrys 6,698 votes will have a big say on whether Michael Clarke of Independent Ireland or Marian Harkin (Ind) gets the final seat. Sinn Fein will not get a second seat with Chris MacManus next up for elimination Result after count 10: Frank Feighan 11, 064 Martin Kenny - 9,947 Michael Clarke - 7,573 Eamon Scanlon 7,312 Marian Harkin - 7,145 Chris MacManus - 6,698 Edel McSharry - 6,062 5pm: Harkin and Clarke to battle for final seat As the Sligo/Leitrim count enters its final few counts, its becoming clear that the final seat will be between outgoing TD Marian Harkin (Ind) and Independent Ireland candidate Michael Clarke. Following the 9th count which saw the distribution of Marie Casserllys 3,480 votes, the candidates are edging towards taking the seats. Seven are now left in the field. Harkin has closed the gap on Clarke to around 500 votes. The next two candidates to be eliminated are both from Fianna Fail, Paddy ORourke and Edel McSharry and their transfers will have a big say on who wins the final seat. Paddy ORourke (FF) has now been eliminated and his 4,406 votes are now being distributed which should boost Eamon Scanlon (FF) and fellow Leitrim candidate Martin Kenny (SF). The state of the parties after the 9th count is: Frank Feighan 10,216 Martin Kenny - 8,927 Michael Clarke - 7297 Marian Harkin - 6791 Chris MacManus - 6847 Eamon Scanlon 6,335 Edel McSharry - 5390 Paddy O'Rourke - 4360 Marie Casserly - 3480 Sligo - Leitrim Returning Officer Paraic O'Grady. 3.20pm Down to eight candidates in Sligo/Leitrim Eight candidates remain in Sligo/Leitrim following the conclusion of count 8 which saw the elimination of Labours Nessa Cosgrove and distribution of her 2,846 votes. Frank Feighan (FG) got 426, Marian Harkin got (558) and Marie Casserly (Ind) (586). Casserly has now been eliminated and tthe Grange based councillors 3,480 votes are now being distributed. No candidate is close to the quota of 11,381 with poll topper Frank Feighan of Fine Gael the closest on 9,743 and along with Martin Kenny of Sinn Fein and Eamon Scanlon (FF) are favourites to fill the seats. Outgoing Independent TD Marian Harkin remains very much at risk of losing her seat to Independent Irelands Michael Clarke though a case can still be made for Sinn Feins second candidate Chris MacManus. Fianna Fails Edel McSharry has too much to make up at this stage it would appear to win a second seat for Fianna Fail. The numbers after count 8: Frank Feighan - 9743 Martin Kenny - 8717 Michael Clarke - 6879 Chris MacManus - 6369 Eamon Scanlon 6,137 Marian Harkin - 5688 Edel McSharry - 4948 Paddy O'Rourke - 4360 Marie Casserly - 3480 2.10pm: Count seven complete, no-one elected yet We're flying through the counts now in the Clayton Hotel in Sligo, some of us had even skipped out for lunch and got caught having to rush back to catch count 7. PBP's Gino O'Boyle's 1954 votes have given a big boost to candidates on the left, with Sinn Fein's Martin Kenny and Chris MacManus the beneficiaries, MacManus receiving 655 votes on this occasion. Marian Harkin is still in with an outside chance, and she will be the big winner of Marie Casserly's vote when she is eliminated. Labour's Nessa Cosgrove has been eliminated, and it's likely that her votes will boost the two Sinn Fein candidates again. Here's how it stands: Frank Feighan - 9317 Martin Kenny - 8431 Michael Clarke - 6785 Eamon Scanlon 6059 Chris MacManus - 6042 Marian Harkin - 5130 Edel McSharry - 4673 Paddy O'Rourke - 4329 Marie Casserly - 2894 Nessa Cosgrove - 2846 1pm: Count six done (L-R), Finbar Diamond, Seamus Kilgannon, Keith Henry and Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, CLLR. Declan Bree. Count six has been completed in Sligo with Independent Irelands Michael Clarke and outgoing Independent TD Marian Harkin making the most gains from the elimination of Aontus Graham Monaghan and the distribution of his 1,425 votes. Clarke is edging towards 7,000 votes and an historic seat for Independent Ireland with Harkin also gaining ground keeping her ahead of Edel McShary (FF) and getting closer to Chris MacManus of Sinn Fein though she remains an outsider to take the final seat Clarke remains favourite to take the final seat after Feighan (FG), Kenny (SF), Scanlon (FF). No candidate is near the quota of 11,381 and the 7th count is now underway with the elimination of Gino OBoyle (PBP) and the distribution of his 1,954 votes. There are 11 candidates remaining. Frank Feighan (FG) 9,278 Martin Kenny (SF) 8,173 Michael Clarke (II) 6,697 Eamon Scanlon (FF) 6,027 Chris MacManus (SF) 5,387 Edel MacSharry (FF) 4,950 Marian Harkin (Ind) 4,602 Paddy ORourke (FF) 4,310 Marie Casserly (Ind) 2,726 Nessa Cosgrove (Lab) 2,527 12.15 pm Count five has been completed which outgoing Independent TD Marian Harkin will draw some comfort from as she overtakes Fianna Fail candidate Edel McSharry. The state of the candidates now with 12 remaining after count 5. Graham Monaghan of Aontu has now been eliminated and his 1,425 votes are being distributed. Feighan, Kenny and Scanlon remain favourite but Harkin will be pleased to have overtaken McSharry and will be hoping for big transfers from Casserly and Cosgrove also from Sligo to push her closer to Clarke. Frank Feighan (FG) 9,213 Martin Kenny (SF) 8,056 Michael Clarke (II) 6,330 Eamon Scanlon (FF) 5,965 Chris MacManus (SF) 5,276 Edel MacSharry (FF) 4,560 Marian Harkin (Ind) 4,678 Paddy ORourke (FF) 4,272 Marie Casserly (Ind) 2,631 Nessa Cosgrove (Lab) 2,487 Gino OBoyle (PBP) 1,862 11.30: Count four finished with 13 candidates now remaining Independent County Leitrim candidate Des Guckian has been eliminated following the conclusion of count four. His 991 votes are now being distributed. 13 candidates now remain in the field. The state of the count is: Frank Feighan (FG) 9,103 Martin Kenny (SF) 7,867 Michael Clarke (II) 6,213 Eamon Scanlon (FF) 5,952 Chris MacManus (SF) 5,259 Edel MacSharry (FF) 4,531 Marian Harkin (Ind) 4,524 Paddy ORourke (FF) 4,101 Marie Casserly (Ind) 2,589 Nessa Cosgrove (Lab) 2,481 Gino OBoyle (PBP) 1,845 Graham Monaghan (Ant) 1,347 10.40am: Third count completed in Sligo/Leitrim Third count has been completed in Sligo/Leitrim but great movement in order of candidates after distribution of Green Party candidate's Blaithin Gallaghers 782 votes. Michael Kelly of The Irish People has now been eliminated and his 810 votes are now being distributed in count 4. The quota is 11,381 The state of the count is: Frank Feighan (FG) 9,090 Martin Kenny (SF) 7,839 Michael Clarke (II) 6,039 Eamon Scanlon (FF) 5,942 Chris MacManus (SF) 5,225 Edel MacSharry (FF) 4,521 Marian Harkin (Ind) 4,457 Paddy ORourke (FF) 4,096 Marie Casserly (Ind) 2,532 Nessa Cosgrove (Lab) 2,470 Feighan, Kenny and Scanlon remain favourite to win seats with Clarke, McSharry and MacManus in the running for the last seat. 10am: Second count completed with Green Party candidate now eliminated Former Fine Gael TD Tony McLoughlin with Deputy Martin Kenny (SF) at the count in the Clayton Hotel, Sligo. The second count has been completed in Sligo/Leitrim with no great change in the order of candidates. Fine Gaels Frank Feighan remains in poll position on 9,004 followed in Martin Kenny (SF) on 7,794, Michael Clarke (II) 6,033, Eamon Scanlon (FF) 5,926, Chris MacManus (SF) 5,200, Edel McSharry (FF) 4,486, Marian Harkin (Ind) 4,378 and Paddy ORourke (FF) 4,076. The third count has now commenced following the elimination of the Green Partys Blaithin Gallagher and the distribution of her 782 votes. The second count took just 45 minutes this morning and follows the marathon 15 hour first count on Saturday. Its unlikely any candidate will be elected in Sligo/Leitrim for at least four or five more counts. Results after the second count Marie Casserly (Ind) - 2494 (+75) Michael Clarke (II) - 6033 (+54) Nessa Cosgrove (Lab) - 2149 (+63) Frank Feighan (FG) - 9004 (+24) Blaithin Gallagher (GP) - 782 (+57) Des Guckian (Ind) - 909 (+22) Marian Harkin (Ind) - 4378 (+31) Michael Kelly (IFP) - 809 (+39) Martin Kenny (SF) - 7794 (+30) Chris MacManus (SF) - 5200 (+27) Edel MacSharry (FF) - 4486 (+20) Graham Monaghan (Aon) - 1126 (+14) Gino O'Boyle (PBP) - 1722 (+65) Paddy O'Rourke (FF) - 4076 (+10) Eamon Scanlon (FF) - 5926 (+13) 9am Sunday: Counting gets underway again Counting is back underway at the count centre in the Clayton Hotel, Sligo. Counting is underway here at the Clayton Hotel in Sligo after being adjourned late on Saturday night. So far, just three candidates have been eliminated. Those are Molly Candon (Party for Animal Welfare), Caroline Corcoron (Independent Ireland) and Diarmuid MacConville (Ind) were all eliminiated. 12.15am Sunday: First count declared Fifteen hours after the count began a first count result was declared in Sligo/Leitrim. Topping the poll is Fine Gaels Frank Feighan on 8,980 followed by Martin Kenny of Sinn Fein on 7,764, Michael Clarke of Independent Ireland on 5,979 and Eamon Scanlon of Fianna Fail on 5,913. Sinn Feins Chris MacManus is on 5,173 and outgoing TD, Independent Marian Harkin is on 4,347. Three candidates have now been eliminated, Molly Candon (Party for Animal Welfare), Caroline Corcoran (Independent Ireland) and Diarmuid McConville (Independent). The Count will resume on Sunday at 9am. 11.40pm: Sligo Leitrim still waiting for a first count We are still waiting for a first count here in Sligo. The count centre is getting quieter and quieter as the wait continues. There are still hopes that we will have at least one count tonight, but it could be late. 10.40pm: MacSharry believes three of four seats can be predicted Former Fianna Fail TD Marc MacSharry believes that the fourth seat in the Sligo Leitrim constituency is too close to call at this early stage. MacSharry is confident that Frank Feighan (FF), Martin Kenny (SF) and Eamon Scanlon (FF) have secured three of the four seats on offer, but says the fourth seat can go anyway. MacSharry is at the count working as a commentator for local radio station Ocean FM. He told Independent.ie: "It's been very interesting. Super performance by Fine Gael here by Frankie Feighan. There had been some suggestions from some quarters that there may have been a vulnerability there, well, it certainly doesn't show with such a resounding performance. Congratulations to him, and his family and his team on that. "Martin Kenny very strong as expected, and once the Fianna Fail strategy extended to three candidates to include such a legendary vote-getter as Eamon Scanlon it was inevitable that he was going to poll very strongly. "They very much look to be three seats. The surprise beyond that is that Marian Harkin's vote is substantially down, not unexpected that it was going to be affected when you've Councillor Marie Casserly who was always in her corner and on her campaign team. "Clarke also running, a portion of his voters would have supported Harkin in the past. Then you have three professional ladies in Casserly, Edel McSharry and Nessa Cosgrove running in the broader Sligo town area. "It looks likely that Clarke gets the fourth seat at this early stage, there's an awful lot to happen. I certainly wouldn't be calling it. There's approximately seven or eight thousand votes, we don't know where they're going to go. "And you have Chris MacManus and Michael Clarke about 1500 ahead of a pack and theoretically that could all come into play. There's no predictions for that last seat until tomorrow." And MacSharry was quick to dismiss any suggestions that he misses being involved in an election himself. "No (don't miss it). I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I'm here effectively as a pundit, getting the figures. I've a front row seat. My heart goes out, we talk about the 18 candidates as if they're animals in a sale in a mart or something. "There's a huge amount of emotion. All 18 candidates for the most part put in the same, some over the course over the last year and some intensely over the last few months. Unfortunately, only four will celebrate. "We owe a great debt of thanks to all those from parties and no parties who are prepared to put their names forward and get involved. "It's a good sign of a healthy democracy. It's going to be a very difficult weekend for some, unfortunately." 10.15pm: Harkin says she will be fighting for last seat Marian Harkin speaking with Paul Deering of The Sligo Champion Outgoing Independent TD Marian Harkin says she hopes to be fighting for the last seat and admits she thought the picture was bleak earlier in the day. "I keep saying the same thing. There's a narrow pathway and its slipping. We have looked at the numbers twos and at 12 Oclock today Id have thought Im finished. I thought there might have been 2,000 2,500 between myself and Michael Clarke (Ind) but theres 1,600 and thats a huge gap but theres a lot of votes to be transferred. The samples we have done, and Im not saying they are representative, generally the tend to be fairly towards us. It would show there is a possibility for me to fight for the last seat. One of her chief rivals for her seat is that of Cllr Clarke whom she said has just swept up votes to put himself strongly in contention. "The number of votes he got in some of the polling booths I dont think has ever been equalled. He did exceptionally well and then coming into South Donegal and Leitrim his vote dropped back a little but he still ran a great campaign. "Look, I dont know, maybe at 12 Oclock tomorrow Ill be saying, look, we didnt get it right, the samples we looked at werent representative and if they are and thats all you can say then I think theres a chance that Ill be fighting for the last seat. "But, therell be people elected, therell be surpluses, therell be distributions of all kinds and I think whoever takes the last seat actually, whether Im in the frame or not, will not take it by more than a couple of hundred votes at most, whether Im there or not. 10pm: Edging closer to a first count The final doubtful ballots are being dealt with here, and it looks like we could be getting closer to that first count. 9.30pm: Still waiting for a first count We have still not heard the results of the first count yet, but there are hopes that there will be at least two counts completed today. Looks like we are set for another long day here at the Clayton Hotel on Sunday. 8.15pm: Doubtful votes being examined An examination of the doubtful votes is currently underway. We still have not had a first count in Sligo Leitrim, but it is hoped that well have it by 9pm. More candidates have arrived in the last few minutes. Sinn Fein's Chris MacManus is here and PBPs Gino OBoyle has arrived. 6.30pm: Scanlon delighted with his performance Fianna Fail candidate Eamoin Scanlon with Deputy Frank Feighan.(FG) Fianna Fail candidate Eamon Scanlon says he hadn't intended standing but now finds himself in with a strong chance of winning back the seat he narrowly lost in 2020. "It was a very close call in 2020. I didn't intend to run again, that's the truth. The convention was called, three people were nominated and I was delighted and then two decided they weren't going to contest it and we were down to one candidate. "The party felt that we needed a second candidate to try to secure a seat either I or the other candidate. So, that's why I reconsidered and let my name go forward. "There's no guarantee just yet that i'll take a seat. There'll be a couple of tough counts to come. All I can do is to try to stay ahead and get one of those two last seats." 5.30pm: Feighan sympathises with Catherine Martin Outgoing TD and likely poll topper Frank Feighan (FG) has expressed his sadness on hearing that Green Party minister Catherine Martin could lose her seat in Dublin Rathdown. "We had a good relationship with the Green Party and I have to say that a very good colleague of mine, Catherine Martin, who was instrumental in securing funding for Sligo Rovers is under pressure at the moment and I'd love to see her and some other colleagues survive. "A lot of people put their names forward and some are successful and others aren't and you always feel sorry for those who aren't but that's democracy." Asked about the formation of Government, he said: "The two main parties are obviously there in a strong position and after that I don't know whether it will be Labour or Social Democrats or independents. That'll be a matter for people higher up in my party." Deputy Frank Feighan with his daughter Francesca 4.45pm: Candidates arrive Candidates have been arriving at the Clayton Hotel in the last few minutes ahead of the first count, which we expect sometime around 8-9pm. Fianna Fails Eamon Scanlon has just arrived, and Fine Gaels Frank Feighan has arrived. Labours Nessa Cosgrove arrived minutes later. Sinn Feins Martin Kenny has been here all day. 3.55pm: Counting of votes begins Counting of votes has officially got underway at the Sligo count centre. Counting of votes is underway at the Clayton Hotel in Sligo following the completion of tallies and the sorting of votes earlier. A first count is not expected until after 8pm tonight and going by the tallies its unlikely therell be any candidate elected until the second or third count with the quota likely to be around 11,300. 3.45pm: Quiet period as counting underway We have a lull here in the Clayton Hotel in Sligo as we await the first count. Sligo Rovers defender Ollie Denham was spotted in the car park looking for a space, probably going to the gym to prepare for the 2025 season. Car park spaces are hard to come by here with a huge crowd at the hotel for the count. 2.45pm: Tallies complete Tallies are complete here in Sligo Leitrim and we do hope to have a first count sometime around 8pm. Here is how it stands with the tallies done. Candon (Ind) - 415 Casserly (Ind) - 2411 Clarke (II) - 5938 Corcoron (II) - 79 Cosgrove (Lab) - 2072 Feighan (FG) - 8947 Gallagher (GP) - 745 Guckian (Ind) - 901 Harkin (Ind) - 4307 Kelly (IFP) - 776 Kenny (SF) - 7733 MacConville (Ind) - 67 MacManus (SF) - 5158 McSharry (FF) - 4453 Monaghan (Aon) - 1106 O'Boyle (PBP) - 1658 O'Rourke (FF) - 4082 Scanlon (FF) - 5908 1.45pm: Lunch time! Break time The counters have taken a break here in the Clayton Hotel in Sligo. The tallies are almost complete, and we have a better idea of who will be fighting for seats. The Leitrim tallies are yet to be complete, but if the early tallies are anything to go by, both Martin Kenny (SF) and Paddy ORourke (FF) are looking good from their home county of Leitrim, as expected. The overall tally so far has FGs Frank Feighan at 15%, Eamon Scanlon and Michael Clarke at 12%, Chris MacManus at 11% and Martin Kenny at 10%. 1.20pm: Donegal tallies complete, Leitrim almost finished The South Donegal tallies are now complete, and Sinn Feins Martin Kenny is the big winner in that area. The outgoing TD is on 29% from those tallies, with Feighan (FG), MacSharry (FF), Harkin (Ind) and MacManus (SF) almost performing well in Donegal. Eamon Scanlon and Michael Clarke, two of the frontrunners in Sligo, are well behind in South Donegal. We expect to have a full tally by 2pm, with Leitrim well underway. With 16pc of the tallies complete in Leitrim, Kenny is on 26pc from his home county, while FFs Paddy ORourke is ahead on 29pc, although he has performed poorly in Sligo and Donegal. Sinn Fein's Martin Kenny checks over the tallies. 1pm: SF still in with a chance of two seats, says Kenny Outgoing Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny says each of the main parties are likely to win a seat in Sligo/Leitrim with his own in with an outside chance of a second. "Well, I think we're looking at a situation where we're going to have one seat for each party and the last seat uncertain at this stage. "Obviously, Marian Harkin is the sitting TD has got a poor vote and that's very disappointing for her. It looks like Michael Clarke (Independent Ireland) could take that last seat and Chris MacManus (SF) could possibly be in with a shout for it too. "We'll have to see how the first counts come in. It depends on how much of a left wing vote there is in Sligo town that he (Chris) could capitalise on in terms of transfers. "From what I have seen from the tallies so far, that vote is lower than the exit poll would have indicated last night both for Gino O'Boyle (PBP) and Nessa Cosgrove (Labour). so that when they go out they won't have as much to transfer to Chris. "So, you're looking at either Clarke or possibly McSharry for the last seat with MacManus an outside chance." 12.45pm: Sligo tallies now complete The Sligo tallies are now complete, and the South Donegal boxes are open. Fine Gaels Frank Feighan is out in front from the Sligo tallies with 16pc, with Eamon Scanlon (FF) and Michael Clarke (II) close behind. Chris MacManus (SF) is next, followed by Edel MacSharry (FF) on 10pc. Sinn Feins Martin Kenny will likely do well from the South Donegal vote, while his vote from his home county of Leitrim will likely put him back into contention. 12pm: Sligo tallies almost complete The Sligo tallies are almost complete, and we will then move on to both Leitrim and South Donegal. With 87pc of the boxes tallied, Eamon Scanlon (FF), Michael Clarke (II), Frank Feighan (FG) and Chris MacManus (SF) are the frontrunners. Tallies should be complete by early afternoon, and it is hoped that we will have a first count later in the afternoon or early evening. Former Fianna Fail councillor Seamus Kilgannon keeps an eye on tallies 11.21am: Three quarters of Sligo boxes tallied Three quarters of Sligo boxes have been tallied, and its former Fianna Fail TD Eamon Scanlon who is out in front, but only just. The early indications are that will be very tight, but it should be noted that Leitrim and South Donegal boxes are yet to be opened. Ballymote based Scanlon continues to perform well, particularly with votes from rural areas. Independent Irelands Michael Clarke is just behind Scanlon, and is doing well again from rural areas. Outgoing Independent TD Marian Harkin will be disappointed with just from the Sligo boxes. Sinn Feins Martin Kenny too, who picked up 24.8pc of first preference votes in 2020, is on just 5pc from the early tallies. But, he will get a large vote from Leitrim so that needs to be considered. 10.40am: Tallies show it could be tight With almost 50pc of the Sligo boxes tallied, its looking like Sligo Leitrim could look similar to the national picture. Boxes from around the county have been tallied, with Fianna Fails Eamon Scanlon picking up votes in his hometown of Ballymote and surrounding areas, while Fine Gaels Frank Feighan continues to pick up votes around the county. Boxes from West Sligo have been opened, and the Independent Ireland candidate is performing well in his home area and in rural areas. Sinn Feins Chris McManus is tied with Fine Gaels Frank Feighan, while Scanlon and Clarke are close behind. Leitrim and South Donegal boxes are yet to be tallied. 10am: Sligo town candidates performing well in tallies Over 20 boxes have been opened in Sligo town, with the Sligo town candidates doing well as expected. Sinn Fein's Chris MacManus, a former MEP, is performing better than at the 2020 General Election. Fine Gael's Frank Feighan, Fianna Fail's Edel McSharry and People Before Profit's Gino O'Boyle also performing well, which would be expected given that they are based in Sligo town. 9.30am: Counting is underway Counting is underway in the Clayton Hotel for the four-seater Sligo Leitrim constituency. All the main parties appear to be well represented with tally workers. A speedy and accurate tally is expected around lunchtime. Counting underway in the Clayton Hotel. Pic: Carl Brennan. Outgoing TD for Sinn Fein Martin Kenny has been present at the Clayton Hotel since early. Former Fianna Fail TD Marc MacSharry is also at the count centre. Full recount commenced at 11am MondayMichael Lowry elected after topping the poll, with Labours Alan Kelly looking good for the second seatFianna Fails Michael Smith is eliminated Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 Michael Lowry has topped the poll for the seventh time in succession in North Tipperary, with 12,538 first preference votes Michael Lowry has topped the poll for the seventh time in succession in North Tipperary, with 12,538 first preference votes When asked if Michael Lowry would support another FF-FG led coalition government, Michael Collins replied: "Michael Lowry, as he has done in the past, will put both national interests and Tipperary interests to the fore" Michael Lowry has topped the poll for the seventh time in succession in North Tipperary, with 12,538 first preference votes Michael Lowry has topped the poll for the seventh time in succession in North Tipperary, with 12,538 first preference votes The count for Tipperary North and South has resumed in Thurles Fianna Fail Cllr Ryan O'Meara, in the green tie, with his family and supporters in Thurles The exterior of the Tipperary North count centre, the sports complex of the Presentation Secondary School There's an air of expectation in the Thurles Count Centre as the full recount of Tipperary North's votes re-commences l Cllr Ryan O'Meara with supporters just prior to being elected as a TD for the first time in Tipperary North In the end, the Tipperay North recount didn't take two days as some predicted, but was all over by about 4.30pm after Michael's Smith's 6,381 were redistributed An emotional Cllr Ryan O'Meara enters the count centre in Thurles just prior to being elected as a TD for the first time in Tipperary North Seats filled: 3 Tipperary North seats filled Election 2024 update from Political Reporter Tabitha Monahan 4.30pm Alan Kelly and Ryan OMeara win the second and third seats in Tipperary North on count ten Cheers went up when Alan Kelly and Ryan OMeara were announced as the winners of the second and third seats respectively in Tipperary North at about 4.30pm on Monday, ending three days of counting. Kelly, a former leader of the Labour Party, finished on 12,330 votes, including transfers. Fianna Fails OMeara finished on 11,118 with Jim Ryan (Ind) on 7,088. In the end, most of Michael Smiths transfers from count nine went to OMeara instead of Jim Ryan, while Mr Kelly exceeded the quota of 11,442 comfortably. Cloughjordans Ryan OMeara spoke of his breakout performance just prior to being elected in Tipperary North. The 29-year-old said his message resonated with younger generations and he has brought a fresh energy to the role. Taking up the mantle after his mentor Jackie Cahill decided not to contest the election on health grounds, Cllr OMeara was first out of the traps to announce his candidacy, ahead of party colleague Cllr Michael Smith. Tipperary North seats filled Tipperary North update: Alan Kelly and Ryan OMeara win final two seats as recount concludes Were hopeful that it will work out. Its been a whirlwind of months, theres no other way of saying it, he said. Im on the ticket just four days since polling day. So 26 days of campaigning is what I had, from planning, organising and executing the campaign. The response to a new face and younger voice was really positive which was heartening, he said. The former parliamentary assistant to Jackie Cahill met with a positive response not just in Tipperary but also over the border in Kilkenny, where he had the backing of at least three councillors. We had worked hard in Kilkenny, and Ive been working with Jackie Cahill for the last year in Kilkenny with the new constituency redraw. Togethery, they worked with sports clubs and different organisations, and local councillors, building up a relationship with the people of Kilkenny north west. They came out and supported us which was key in this election, he said. While there were still some seats to come in, it looked like Fianna Fail had won the popular vote but still lacked an overall majority in terms of seats. Cllr OMeara was the success story of this election, and put that down to his positivity. My slogan was ambition for our future. I think we need TDs elected in this country that are thinking long term, particularly for the younger generation of this country. While I spoke a lot about my generation a lot in the campaign, I was thinking about those coming after me as well. I want politicians to be able to instil a sense of hope into people for the future. I feel a lot of people are missing that at the moment and its something I drove was a positive campaign fully acknowledging the issues that are in this country because its affecting all of us. Like I said as a young person in this country, my daily struggles are your daily struggles. Acknowledging those, but saying lets be ambitious, lets build an Ireland for all. 13.46pm Fianna Fail Cllr Michael Smith is eliminated following partial recount Fianna Fail candidate Cllr Michael Smith has been eliminated from Tipperary North and the request for the full recount has been withdrawn. The state of the candidates is now: Alan Kelly 11,089 votes Ryan OMeara 7,785 Jim Ryan - 6,364 Michael Smith 6,361 Cllr Smith was eliminated after count centre staff found errors in the bundles this morning. Cllr Ryan was asked by the Returning Officer James Seymour if he wanted to withdraw his request for a full recount and that they would amend the ninth count results to reflect the new numbers in his favour. Cllr Ryan said he agreed to this request. As a result Im still in the race, he said. Michael Smith has been eliminated and its now going to go down to his transfers, with regards to who takes that final seat, whether its myself or Ryan OMeara. But to think that Im still in with a chance and for it to go down to the very last count, for somebody who four or five weeks ago, wasnt even a candidate in the field its an incredible achievement, for myself, my family, my campaign team. And for everyone out there who voted for me. It just shows democracy wins out in the end. I looked for a full recount last night some people saying I was mad to do it. But as it turned out, I was right to do it and Im still in the hunt. As Cllr Smith is Cllr OMearas party colleague, its expected that Smiths transfers will heavily favour OMeara over the Thurles independent candidate, Cllr Ryan. The next count result is expected to be announced around 4pm. 12.54pm Tipperary North recount could take two days The recount has restarted for Tipperary North but an announcement is not expected for several hours, while the count itself could take up to two days. Former Labour Party leader Alan Kelly, reflected on his success so far, on Sunday night before the recount drama began. With 11,089 votes following on from the ninth count last night, he remains in strong contention to take the second seat. The people have given me their support again, he said. Im delighted. Well see how the counts go but its looking good. This is my sixth national election and hopefully for the sixth time Ill be elected. Delighted with that, he said. Mr Kelly said the partys overall picture was also looking up, and they might reach double figures. All in all a good day. The competition this time round was one of the strongest, because I knew I wasnt going to do that well in Kilkenny I had two other candidates very close geographically to me in Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. I had to put in a big campaign, and I have to thank all the lads who have been with me for years: Chicken (Michael Brennan), Fiona (Bonfield) and Louise (Morgan Walsh), for all their work with me. Would he be in favour of Labour going into government as the smaller party in a FF-FG coalition? Its way too early for all that yet. We have to find out who is going to get elected elsewhere, and see what the numbers are, said Mr Kelly. Until you have defined the numbers, these conversations are kind of pie in the sky because you dont know who needs what. Im always a positive person and I believe you should always talk to people anyway. I believe that if you get elected, and if you have opportunities to go into government, you should seriously look at them. Well talk to other like-minded people and then well then have a look at the options. Certainly, from my perspective, I always believed that as a party you should look at government as a possibility. But we have red lines. There would be certain things we would demand and also on top of that, we would need to make sure that the conditions would be right for us as a party, collectively. Mr Kelly said he would have to discuss any options with his parliamentary colleagues. At age 49, he is now the longest serving member of the Labour parliamentary party. He has been elected in every election he has contested since 2007. Im sure people will be coming to me and giving me their thoughts, and they have been already, but really its all kind of a bit early until we know the final figure and who is elected where, added Mr Kelly. 11.14am Monday December 2: Battle re-commences for third seat in Tipperary North with full recount Tipperary Returning Officer James Seymour has just announced this morning that they are to commence the re-count for Tipperary North in the Presentation Secondary School in Thurles. Michael Lowry, in his tenth successful election campaign, and seventh time topping the poll, had been re-elected on Saturday evening. By Sunday evening, the count took a dramatic twist as two candidates, Cllr Michael Smith and Cllr Jim Ryan, were initially separated by just seven votes, after the redistribution of FG Cllr Phyll Buglers 5,000 votes. After multiple check and re-checks on Sunday night due to the closeness of the contest, the Labour Partys Alan Kelly is tantalisingly close to taking the second seat, with 11,089 votes up one vote from 11,088 as initially announced. This puts him just shy of the quota of 11,442 by 353 votes. Chasing for that third final seat are FF Cllr Ryan OMeara on 7,785 votes a change from 7,781 as initially announced, FF Cllr Michael Smith (6,364) and independent Cllr Jim Ryan (6,362). The previous figures had Smith on 6,369 votes, meaning only two votes now, not seven as before, separate him from Cllr Ryan. The ninth count on Sunday night found Cllr Ryan so close to Cllr Smith that Cllr Ryan requested a re-count and Mr Seymour agreed to this request. It will all come down to eliminations and transfers, so it looks like an exciting day ahead. 9.41pm Full re-count in Tipperary North Returning officer James Seymour has just announced that there is to be full recount in Tipperary North, due to commence on Monday at 11am. The ninth count redistributed 5,000 votes from Fine Gaels Phyll Bugler. That ended up with Fianna Fails Ryan OMeara on 7,781 votes, while Fianna Fails Michael Smith (6,369) was just seven votes ahead of Thurles-based Independent candidate Jim Ryan (6,362). Multiple checks were made concerning Ryans votes, which found he was almost exactly tied with Smith. Its understood a re-check found Smith and Ryan were even closer than those seven votes, and this has prompted Ryan to now request a full re-count. Ryan said its a really important decision to make, as it could have major implications for his life and family. Im only two votes behind Michael Smith. That has changed nearly I think four times on the one count the transfer of Phyll Buglers votes. Im within my rights to do it. I have been advised to do it by a number of people here tonight. I want to ensure democracy is done right. There is always human error. People are tired, they are here two days. I cant blame them. I have to apologise to that staff, but I want to make sure this is done right, and that democracy is done right. With only two votes behind, I think Im perfectly entitled to look for recount. Ryan topped the poll in Thurles town, ahead of Michael Lowry. It shows people have put their faith in me. I want to thank everyone who came out and voted for, whether it was number one, two, three, four or five. All the transfers kept me in it here today. I dont think they gave me any chance to still be in it at this hour on a Sunday night, and to be here is really a very proud moment for me and my family, said Ryan. I know this is going to drag on for a few more days, but if I didnt do it, Id always be regretting it for the rest of my life. Its in my right to do it so Im not looking for anything out of the ordinary. 9pm Delays in Tipperary North due to close contest Checks are being made in Tipperary North concerning Cllr Jim Ryans votes as he was just seven votes behind FF Cllr Michael Smith on the last count. The ninth count redistributed 5,000 votes from FG Cllr Phyll Bugler. That ended up with FF Cllr Ryan OMeara on 7,781 votes, while FF Cllr Michael Smith (6,369) was just seven votes ahead of Thurles independent Cllr Jim Ryan (6,362). Its understood a re-check found Cllr Smith and Cllr Ryan were even closer than those seven votes, and this has prompted a slow-down in the process, with rumours that there may be a full re-count, or just a re-count of Buglers redistribution. Its all still on a knife edge, as if Alan Kelly reaches or exceeds the quota on the next count, theres no way of knowing which way his transfers will go. 7.38pm Alan Kelly edges towards the second seat on ninth count Four candidates remain after the ninth count in Tipperary North, with Labours Alan Kelly within closing distance of the second seat. The quota is 11,442, and Kelly now has 11,088 votes. Battling it out for the final and third seat are FF Cllr Ryan OMeara, now with 7,781 votes, while FF Cllr Michael Smith (6,369) is just seven votes ahead of Thurles independent Cllr Jim Ryan (6,362). The next count will likely determine the final shape of Tipperary North. The count for Tipperary North and South has resumed in Thurles 6.15pm FG Cllr Phyll Bugler is eliminated in Count Eight, with 5,500 votes The main contenders here now look like: (Lab) Alan Kelly 9,245 votes (FF) Ryan OMeara 6,407 (Ind) Jim Ryan 6,000 (FF) Michael Smith 5,490 4.52pm Dan Harty is eliminated after count seven with a final vote of 4,745 votes The state of play now stands: Phyll Bugler 4,860 votes Alan Kelly 8,019 Ryan OMeara 6,126 Jim Ryan 4,817 Michael Smith 5,258 3.53pm Evan Barry of Sinn Fein and Francis OToole of Aontu have been eliminated Two candidates have been eliminated at the end of count six. Labours Alan Kelly is now leading the pack, with 7,792 votes. Behind him are Cllr Ryan OMeara, (6,002), Cllr Michael Smith (5,152) Cllr Phyll Bugler (4,753), Cllr Jim Ryan (4,327), and Dan Harty of Sinn Fein (3,360). 2.53pm Tipperary North two candidates have been eliminated in succession Diana ODwyer eliminated in Count Four Iva Pocock is eliminated in Count Five 1.29pm Peter Madden is eliminated on third count The state of play in Tipperary North is now. Peter Madden was eliminated with 500 votes. Phyll Bugler +14 = 4587 Dan Harty + 32 = 3111 Alan Kelly +41= 7,268 Ryan OMeara +34= 5883 Jim Ryan + 110=4127 Michael Smith +20=5,091 12.26pm Two candidates eliminated in Count Two in Tipperary North Independent candidates Liam Minehan and Justin Roundy Phelan have been eliminated following the second count in Tipperary North. Michael Lowrys surplus was redistributed. The remaining candidates with significant numbers include: FG Phyll Bugler 4,573 Dan Harty 3,079 Alan Kelly 7,227 Ryan OMeara 5,849 Jim Ryan 4,017 Michael Smith 5,071 11.14am Poll topper Lowry doesnt rule out doing deal with government Speaking on Saturday night just before he topped the poll for a record seventh time in a row, Michael Lowry said it was also his tenth election in a row. I have unbroken service now in the Dail which is a great achievement, but I always say Im only as good as my supporters have made me. Its about my family, its about my friends, its about my supporters. They are so dedicated, so committed and so alive. The minute we raised the flag for the election, I knew everything was going well. The launch we had in The Ragg was very well attended. That night the momentum started and we kept that momentum going through the campaign. Michael Lowry elected after first count Its a remarkable achievement, to exceed the quota, head the poll again for the seventh election in a row. To beat all the political parties takes a lot of doing. Mr Lowry said he wouldnt rule out any arrangement with any coalition of parties. I have always been positive and constructive in my approach to politics. I hate negativity. I get up every morning to see what I can do thats positive, how I can engage with government to make a difference. I have no doubt that after this election, that myself and other like-minded independents I suppose you could call us centre party politics, sensible politics were dependable, and were reliable, and thats what theyll be need to form a government. Mr Lowry spoke to Simon Harris before the election. What did they discuss? Part of being successful in supporting a government is to know when to say nothing. I have worked with Bertie Ahern, I worked with Brian Cowen, worked with Enda Kenny, worked with Leo Varadkar. Michael Lowry has topped the poll for the seventh time in succession in North Tipperary, with 12,538 first preference votes I worked with Simon Harris and Micheal Martin in the last government. Its a case of, you have to know when to ask, and you have to know when to support. Whats the secret to his enduring success? I believe in one thing very firmly. I see people around the country in politics and they think that they can turn up in the month before an election, and just put themselves in front of the public. It doesnt work like that anymore. You have to be consistent, you have to be available, you have to be approachable, and above all, you have to work. I have made a lot of sacrifices in my life to be where I am tonight. I have had to endure a lot of difficult days, but what kept me going through the dark hours was the loyalty I have from the people of Tipperary. And might I say, whats incredible about this election is that north Kilkenny people were hugely disappointed with the re-drawing of the constituencies. I was hugely disappointed because I lost 5,300 number one votes in the South Tipperary area. So I had to start all over again. I went to Kilkenny. I made friends. I listened to the people and its remarkable, the Kilkenny people allowed me to top the poll in their areas, as well as in North Tipperary. Its not too often that a Tipperary man can top the poll in his own county, and then go to the neighbouring county and do the same, added Mr Lowry. 10.15am Sunday morning sees resumption of counting in Thurles Counting has resumed at the Presentation Secondary School sports complex for Tipperary North and South. Its expected an announcement will be made in the next in Tipperary North concerning the redistribution of Michael Lowrys 1,096 surplus, with Alan Kelly and perhaps Fianna Fails Ryan OMeara in contention for the second and third seat. Meanwhile, in Tipperary South, five candidates were eliminated last night as independent Mattie McGrath inched towards the finishing line, with 10,014 first preferences. Its expected to take at least another hour before a further announcement is made here, but Cllr Michael Murphy looks set to take the second seat, with a dogfight for the remaining third seat. 10.50pm Michael Lowry elected on first count Michael Lowry has topped the poll for the seventh time in succession in North Tipperary, with 12,538 first preference votes. Electorate: 70,214 Total Poll: 46,106 Spoiled: 339 Valid Poll: 45,767 Quota: 11,442 Evan Barry 1,332 Phyll Bugler 4,423 Dan Harty 3,015 Alan Kelly 7,072 Michael Lowry 12,538 Peter Madden 437 Liam Minehan 182 Diana O'Dwyer 632 Ryan O'Meara 5,654 Francis OToole 890 Justin 'Roundy' Phelan 200 Iva Pocock 731 Jim Ryan 3,743 Michael Smith 4,918 Michael Lowrys surplus of 1,096 is to be redistributed on Sunday. Michael Lowry has topped the poll for the seventh time in succession in North Tipperary, with 12,538 first preference votes 3.07pm OMeara in contention for third seat after Lowry and Kelly With 100pc of the tallies now in, and 160 boxes open, here is the state of play in Tipperary North: Michael Lowry 27.6pc, Labour Partys Alan Kelly 15.4pc, FF Ryan OMeara 12.5pc, FF Michael Smith 10.7pc, Dr Phyll Bugler 9.7pc, independent Jim Ryan 8.2pc, SF Dan Harty 6.5pc. Other candidates are hovering in around 1 or 2pc. One of the breakout success stories of this Tipperary North contest is Fianna Fails Ryan OMeara. 1.44pm Lowry on course to top the poll for seventh time Independent candidate Michael Lowry of Thurles is yet again on course to top the poll in Tipperary North, despite the splitting of the constituency which saw him lose as many as 5,000 votes. With 76pc of the boxes open, Lowry is in poll position with 27.5pc of the votes, according to tallies, and some 9,324 total first preferences. Lowry election supporter Michael Collins said he is on target to top the poll probably with a surplus of 2,000 to 2,500 votes. Its a testament to his hard work and dedication in the constituency for37 years. If he tops the poll today, which we expect he will, thatll be his seventh time which I believe is a record to top the poll and be re-elected on the first count in Tipperary. Whats the secret to Michael Lowrys success? Absolute dedication, said Mr Collins. To the people of the constituency, regardless of their political background, and regardless of where theyre coming from in terms of political affiliation. Michael Lowry is an extremely hard working man, said Mr Collins. There is a cost to all of that, which many people really are not prepared to pay, in terms of family and everything. Its a 24/7 commitment by Michael Lowry. Its not by accident that hes been a TD in Tipperary for 37 years. When asked if Mr Lowry would support another a FF-FG coalition government, Mr Collins said: Its too early to discuss that really. We have to see how the election unfolds nationally. Michael Lowry, as he has done in the past, will put both national interests and Tipperary interests to the fore. Did splitting Tipperary into two constituencies harm his vote? It did certainly, said Mr Collins. It took away some key areas that were always part of the north Tipperary constituency. Actually, it took away about 5,000 votes. So he lost 5,000 votes because of the re-drawing of the boundaries. And its an incredible achievement for him today if, by the end of this evening, he has topped the poll once again and is elected on the first count, once again after losing so many votes, added Mr Collins. When asked if Michael Lowry would support another FF-FG led coalition government, Michael Collins replied: "Michael Lowry, as he has done in the past, will put both national interests and Tipperary interests to the fore" 12.32pm Fianna Fail in contention for third seat in Tipperary North With 55pc of the boxes open, the state of play in Tipperary North is: Michael Lowry 27.3pc of the vote, Labour Partys Alan Kelly 15.1pc, FF Cllr Ryan OMeara 13.7pc, FF Cllr Michael Smith 11.9pc, independent Cllr Jim Ryan 8.4pc and FG Dr Phyll Bugler 8.3pc. Something to note here is that if Fianna Fail had run one candidate, that candidate may now have been running on 25.6pc the combined total of the two Fianna Fail candidates. 11.30am Lowry leads the pack with Labour Partys Alan Kelly in second place Independent Michael Lowry is leading the pack in Tipperary North with over 30pc of the vote, according to tallies. But less than 30pc of boxes have been opened. Labour Partys Alan Kelly is second, with 14.5pc, FF Cllr Ryan OMeara is third 13.7pc, FG Dr Phyll Bugler 9.9pc, and FF Cllr Michael Smith 9.1pc, and independent Cllr Jim Ryan is at 7.6pc. Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 10.08 am Early tallies show strong support for Michael Lowry Very early tallies show strong support for independent candidate Michael Lowry and Fianna Fail Cllr Ryan OMeara, who announced his candidacy after outgoing TD Jackie Cahill decided to not contest the election due to health reasons 9.24am. Boxes are opened in Thurles for Tipperary North and South constituencies And so it begins. Boxes from all over the Premier County of Tipperary have been collected and sorted at the count centre in the Presentation Secondary School in Thurles. Returning James Seymour announced the opening of the boxes and the first count shortly after 9.20am. The two new constituencies of Tipperary North and Tipperary South both three seaters have a combined population of about 133,000: over 64,000 in the north, and over 68,000 in the south. Vying for office in Tipperary North are 14 candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. They include Evan Barry, a Sinn Fein policy adviser from the newly absorbed Kilkenny portion of Tipperary North, Fine Gaels Dr Phyll Bugler, an industrial chemist from Ballina, Sinn Feins Dan Harty, a sales assistant (Thurles), the Labour Partys Alan Kelly (Nenagh), independent Michael Lowry (Thurles), Peter Madden of the Irish People, an environmental scientist (Roscrea), farmer and independent Liam Minehan, (Nenagh), researcher Diana ODwyer of People Before Profit Solidarity (Thurles), Fianna Fails Cllr Ryan OMeara (Cloughjordan), Aontus Francis OToole, a teacher an psychotherapist, (Templemore), independent Justin Roundy Phelan, a truck driver (Roscrea), communications consultant Iva Pocock of the Green Party (Cloughjordan), accountant and independent Cllr Jim Ryan (Thurles), and Fianna Fails Michael Smith, a farmer (Roscrea). Many pundits expect Michael Lowry to take the first seat in Tipperary North. Mr Lowry has topped the polls in the last six general elections, while Alan Kelly looks to be in strong contention for the second seat. The former Labour Party leader has been a TD since 2011, and took the sixth Tipperary seat at the last general election in 2020 when the county was all one constituency. The third seat in the north could turn into a hard-fought contest, and it remains to be seen if Fianna Fails gamble of running two candidates in Cllr Ryan OMeara and Cllr Michael Smith pays off. Mattie McGrath (Ind) tops the pollBlow to Sinn Fein as sitting TD Martin Browne loses his seatFine Gaels Michael Murphy and Independent candidate Seamus Healy take final two seats Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 Independent candidate Seamus Healy has championed Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel and has a long record of serving as a TD. At about 11am he was in third place for a seat behind Mattie McGrath and FG Cllr Michael Murphy I think there was a targeted attempt on Michael Murphy because more of his posters were defaced. I have no time for it there is no place for it in our democracy and it shouldnt be accepted by anyone, said Fine Gael Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Declan Burgess. Fianna Fail's Cllr Imelda Goldsboro has edged ahead of independent Seamus Healy for the third seat in Tipperary South as 64pc of the boxes are now open Martin Browne is still in with a fighting chance to retain a seat for Sinn Fein in Tipperary South, insisted his party colleague, Cllr David Dunne South Tipperary Labour Party Cllr Michael 'Chicken' Brennan - "If this comes up again in four or five years time, Im ready to go again" A jubilant Mattie McGrath explained his appeal when he visited the Thurles count centre at about 5pm The count for Tipperary North and South has resumed in Thurles Excitement fills the air in Thurles' Presentation Secondary School as the first boxes are opened to count the votes of Tipperary North and South constituences in Election 2024 Mattie McGrath and his famiy at the count centre in Thurles Mattie McGrath surrounded by friends and family after he was elected on Count Two in Tipperary South Seats filled: 3 The three TDs for the Tipperary South constituency. Tallies indicate first major wins and casualties in tight race 5.30pm Michael Murphy and Seamus Healy win second and third seats in Tipperary South In a nail-biting finish, Mayor of Clonmel, FG Cllr Michael Murphy was just 214 votes shy of the quota of 10,270, with a vote of 10,056 at about 5pm on Sunday. The final seat was being battled over by Fianna Fails Imelda Goldsboro and independent left Seamus Healy. In the end, Cllr Murphy took the seat with 10,415 votes and Healy took the third seat with 9,610 votes. Clonmel Mayor FG Cllr Michael Murphy reflected on his breakthrough success in Tipperary South ahead of his expected election to the second seat. On Saturday night, Cllr Murphy said he was in poll position to win that second seat but he wouldnt absolutely declare it until it is officially announced, at some time on Sunday. A lot of emotion. The overarching emotion is one of gratitude, he said. Gratitude for the huge numbers who put their confidence in me, that they gave me their number one vote. It was a great campaign, great structure, great organisation. Tremendous support from my fellow public representatives. I specifically want to mention my family, my wife Jess, my son Alex, and the extended Murphy and Slater families. When you undertake a general election, its a huge task and I think family support is very important, and the Fine Gael grass roots. Ive been at this for a while. I am 15 years a councillor, and I think that has stood to me. Cllr Murphy said its been a long year of campaigning, going back to April. Thankfully I came through that convention. Then I was campaigning in the local elections. No sooner was that over, than he had to start campaigning in the general election in August. I think Im on the cusp of winning that second seat the third seat is too tight to call. Cllr Murphy paid tribute to all the candidates, particularly to Deputy Mattie McGrath on his poll topping performance. Im excited. Its one journey over, but big challenges ahead. Im looking forward to taking my position, please god, in the Fine Gael parliamentary party. Fine Gael were particularly hungry to regain a seat in Tipperary South after a long period of having no seat in the county. Were without Dail representation since 2016. For me, in the context of the next government and who knows what that government will be but there is a strong likelihood that Fine Gael will be part of that government. In the event that is a government including Fine Gael, one of his key messages is that it helps to have a voice for Tipperary in government. Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel, Tipperary town and Cahir face very similar challenges, in trying to obtain funding for local amenities. Having a voice in government does help. Thats why my 35 years in the private sector I had a European role as well I want to get my teeth into those challenges. Asked if Tipperary might be in line for a cabinet position or a Ministerial position of some kind, were FG to go back into government, Cllr Murphy said: Im not even going to even entertain that question. Im 35 years in the private sector. Im heading into national politics I have an interest in legislation, I want to be a legislator, but you have to learn to walk before you run. Cllr Murphy said he will work day and night for the people of Tipperary. Would he support another FF-FG coalition? I would say in the context of the challenges we face, and Ive had that European role for the last 10 years Im conscious of the geopolitical situation. 2The new president elect coming into the United States, a potential trade war. Ninety per cent of what we produce here is exported. The ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, the threat from China. Instability in the middle east. Cllr Murphy said Ireland needs a strong, stable government, and in the context of so many challenges, especially housing, its a once in a lifetime opportunity with the next government. It was always a difficult election for Fine Gael, being in government since 2011. I think 18 of our members of the parliamentary party retired. We had 17 outgoing TDs contesting this election, 26 constituencies without a TD, and Tipperary South was one. I think from what Im hearing, there is a strong chance we could hit 40 seats. Im trying to win my match and I think Ive won my match, but I wont declare my seat until James Seymour calls it, said Cllr Murphy. 4.14pm Sinn Fein decide not to pursue recount In a dramatic turn of events, Sinn Fein have said that no additional requests will now be made of the Returning Officer and Martin Browne is now eliminated, his votes of 6,237 to be redistributed. It remains to seen whether FF Imelda Goldsboro or non-party Seamus Healy will win seat 3 in here. The vote now stands: FG Michael Murphy 10,056 votes FF Imelda Goldsboro 7,271 Ind Seamus Healy 6,316 3.24pm Sinn Fein ask for recount as Martin Browne and Seamus Healy battle for final seat Martin Browne of Sinn Fein has been provisionally excluded in Count Five of Tipperary South, but the SF team are understood to asking for a partial recount, given the small difference, of 79 votes between himself and independent Seamus Healy for the final seat. Its so close now we have to look for a recount, said Mr Browne. We are requesting a recount, and I would expect the other candidates to have the same as well. Its so close that we feel that we need to do that. We have over 5,000 people that have voted for me here in South Tipperary. And for them, as well as my own family, and that, we are calling for a recount. It will be left up to Sinn Feins legal team as to whether its a full recount, added Mr Browne. An emotional Mr Browne said he will be back. Ive had disappointments before. Its not easy I wont lie. I have always said Im in this craic because I like it. There are comments being made on local media and all that as well about we being shadowy figures. Sinn Fein have pulled 10,000 votes again out of Tipperary and I want to debunk this bullshit thats going on about we being shadowy figures. No one, and Mary Lou has made it quite clear, no one tells Mary Lou what to do. Im involved in the party and we will build like we always have towards the next election. The state of play at Count Five was: SF Martin Browne +54 = 6,237 FF Imelda Goldsboro + 52 = =7,271 Ind Seamus Healy + 169 = 6,316 FG Michael Murphy + 47 = 10,056 2.11pm Martin Browne of Sinn Fein has been excluded but not fully eliminated in Count Five of Tipperary South The process has been paused to allow candidates to make a decision as to whether accept or challenge the decision. It understood Mr Browne has about 20 or 30 minutes to make a decision on appealing for a recount. Its still all to play for in Tipperary South The state of play at Count Five is: SF Martin Browne +54 = 6,237 FF Imelda Goldsboro + 52 = =7,271 Ind Seamus Healy + 169 = 6,316 FG Michael Murphy + 47 = 10,056 1.07pm. Count Four in Tipperary South Constituency: Tipperary South Count: Four Electorate: 68,247 Total Poll: 41,363 Spoiled: 284 Valid Poll: 41,079 Quota: 10,270 Count Four sees four remaining candidates in Tipperary South with FG Cllr Michael Murphy in the driving seat to take seat two. Martin Browne just gained 715 votes, coming to 6,183 Imelda Goldsboro +713 = 7,219 Seamus Healy +754 = 6147 Michael Murphy +1097=10,009 11.48am. Independent John OHeney is eliminated on count three Sources say FF Cllr Imelda Goldsboro could now be in trouble as many of John OHeneys transfers may go to Martin Browne, who, like OHeney, has a strong base in west Tipperary. But whether transfers will go from independent OHeney, who hails from the Fine Gael gene pool, to Sinn Fein remains to be seen. Count: Three Electorate: 68,247 Total Poll: 41,363 Spoiled: 284 Valid Poll: 41,079 Quota: 10,270 Eliminated on this count: John OHeney Martin Browne 4,937 + 173 = 5,110 + 358 = 5468 Imelda Goldsboro 5,838 + 127 = 5,965 + 541 = 6506 Seamus Healy 4,795 = 176 = 4,971 + 422 = 5393 Michael Murphy 8,371 + 184 = 8,555 + 357 = 8,912 John O'Heney 3,692 + 154 = 3,846 + 132 = 3,978 170 Non transferable votes The three TDs for the Tipperary South constituency. Poll-topper Mattie McGrath credits hard work and integrity for ballot success 11.07am. Mattie McGrath has been elected in Tipperary South Independent Mattie McGrath has been elected in Tipperary South after the second count while Michael Chicken Brennan has been eliminated. A cheer went up as Mr McGrath, surrounded by dozens of supporters, friends and generations of the McGrath family, was elected this morning on County Two in Tipperary South. He was elected on count two His surplus is now being redistributed, with Cllr Michael McGrath of Fine Gael in a strong position to take the second seat. Count: Two Electorate: 68,247 Total Poll: 41,363 Spoiled: 284 Valid Poll: 41,079 Quota: 10,270 Eliminated on this count: Michael Chicken Brennan Figures for count two in Tipperary South Michael 'Chicken' Brennan 1,731 + 239 = 1,970 Martin Browne 4,937 + 173 = 5,110 Bill Fitzgerald 154 Imelda Goldsboro 5,838 + 127 = 5,965 Seamus Healy 4,795 = 176 = 4,971 Myriam Madigan 584 Rosemary McGlone 486 Mattie McGrath 10,014 + 578 = 10,592 John McGrath 316 Michael Murphy 8,371 + 184 = 8,555 John O'Heney 3,692 + 154 = 3,846 Nadaline Webster 161 70 Non transferable votes Mattie McGraths 322 surplus to be redistributed Mattie McGrath and his famiy at the count centre in Thurles 10.15am Sunday morning sees resumption of counting in Thurles Counting has resumed at the Presentation Secondary School sports complex for Tipperary North and South. In Tipperary South, five candidates were eliminated last night and independent Mattie McGrath inched towards the finishing line, with 10,014 first preferences. Its expected to take at least another hour before a further announcement is made here, but Cllr Michael Murphy looks set to take the second seat, with a dogfight for the remaining third seat.10.15am Sunday morning sees resumption of counting in Thurles. Meanwhile, its expected an announcement will be made in the next while concerning Michael Lowrys 1,096 surplus, with Alan Kelly and perhaps Fianna Fails Ryan OMeara in contention for the second and third seat. 23.07pm Five candidates eliminated in Tipperary South Five candidates have been eliminated in Tipperary South after the first count while independent Mattie McGrath inches towards being elected. The count resumes on Sunday morning. Electorate: 68,247 Total Poll: 41,363 Spoiled: 284 Valid Poll: 41,079 Quota: 10,270 Eliminated on this count: Bill Fitzgerald, Myriam Madigan, Rosemary McGlone, John McGrath, Nadaline Webster Figures for count one in Tipperary South Michael 'Chicken' Brennan 1,731 Martin Browne 4,937 Bill Fitzgerald 154 Imelda Goldsboro 5,838 Seamus Healy 4,795 Myriam Madigan 584 Rosemary McGlone 486 Mattie McGrath 10,014 John McGrath 316 Michael Murphy 8,371 John O'Heney 3,692 Nadaline Webster 161 5.15pm: Mattie McGrath explains his secret to success With 100pc of the boxes now opened, Independent Mattie McGrath looks set to top the poll once again in Tipperary South, leading the pack with 24.5pc of the vote, and 9,733 first preference votes. The Newcastle based candidate visited the count centre in Thurles at about 5pm and explained the secret to his success. Im feeling pretty ecstatic, and humbled really at the size of the vote, he told the Irish Independent. Its in my opinion, a reward for the hard work, my team in the office, Cllr Mairin, and others. There is no substitute for hard work, and we look forward to continuing in that vein. He said his recipe for success is: Hard work, honesty, integrity and straight talking, and not afraid to call out wrong doing. There has been so much waste in spending challenging that, and being a true representative of the people. Martin Browne is still in with a fighting chance to retain a seat for Sinn Fein in Tipperary South, insisted his party colleague, Cllr David Dunne 3.49pm Labour Party Cllr Michael Chicken Brennan vows to rebuild the party in Tipperary South While Alan Kelly of the Labour Party looks set to take a seat in North Tipperary, his party colleague Michael Chicken Brennan looks set to be eliminated this time out in Tipperary South. Cllr Brennan vowed to not let this experience deter him, and said hed fight to win the seat again at the next general election. Cllr Brennan won a local election seat earlier this year and sees this as a learning experience. Id like to have seen just under 4,000 votes, he said. In seventh place shortly before 4pm with 4.1pc of the tallies, and 1,628 first preferences according to the tallies, Cllr Brennan said he would like to have rejuvenated Labour in Tipperary South at this election. I found that on the doorsteps, that even though Labour was formed in Clonmel, I met a load of people who were Labour but have gone to different places to vote now, because we didnt have a candidate in over 24 years since Michael Ferries. I know Denis Landy ran in the by-election and that, but we have to look now and put a base of Labour back in the area. Im looking forward to doing that. Its about building the team up again in south Tipperary, he said. When I started out, the one worry I had was that, would I have enough soldiers on the ground to do the massive canvassing that a general election needs? Its been a learning experience since June, when he won back a seat for Labour previously won by his uncle. I said Id serve my time as a county councillor, its an apprenticeship. Monday morning is back to that. If this comes up again in four or five years time, Im ready to go again. Would he be in favour of Labour of going into coalition with Fine Gael Fianna Fail? I made this clear back in September when we had a get-together in Malahide with the Labour Party. Questions were asked would we talk to Fianna Fail, or Fine Gael. My view is that, if Labour are going into government, unless the thing is right for Labour stay out of it. We still have scars from the years of austerity, with the water charges and the whole lot. They came up again on the doorstep. Id be saying, if we go in, we go in with the right policies, and that we not be overtaken by any party, and we stand equal with everyone else. My personal opinion is that we should stay in opposition and build up our party and get us back up to maybe 22 or 23 seats and be a real force in five years time, said Cllr Brennan. South Tipperary Labour Party Cllr Michael 'Chicken' Brennan - "If this comes up again in four or five years time, Im ready to go again" 3.33pm South Tipperary tallies show Mattie McGrath on course to top poll With 100pc of the tallies now in, and 160 boxes opened, here is the state of play in Tipperary South: Mattie McGrath 24.5pc, FG Cllr Michael Murphy 20.3pc, FF Cllr Imelda Goldsboro 14.2pc, SF Martin Browne 11.7pc, independent John OHeney 9pc, Labour Party Michael Chicken Brennan 4.1pc. Other candidates hover at about 1 or 2pc. 2.53pm Sinn Fein are still in with a chance to win third seat in Tipperary South, insist party faithful Martin Browne is still in with a fighting chance to retain a seat for Sinn Fein in Tipperary South, insisted his party colleague, Cllr David Dunne. At around 2.35pm, the Cashel based SF candidate was in fifth place, behind Mattie McGrath, FG Michael Murphy, FF Imelda Goldsboro, and non-party Seamus Healy. Will Sinn Fein lose the seat it gained in 2020, the first time for the party in Tipperary since the foundation of the State? Absolutely not, said Cllr Dunne. I think were in with a very strong shout for the last seat. 100 per cent. A big block of votes are with OHeney, which is geography suited to us, because its west Tipperary, near Cashel. Im expecting us to get more transfers from that block of votes, and that should put us up above Seamus Healy. Were in a dead heat with Seamus Healy at this time. Whichever one goes ahead, should win the seat over Imelda (Goldsboro). Cllr Dunne said that, nationally, Sinn Fein is willing to talk to anyone concerning forming a coalition government. Thats the mature thing to do. Thats what adults do. They talk to each other. We have been treated like second class citizens by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Thats what theyre doing. Its not good for democracy. Cllr Dunne said he heard political commentator Gerard Howlin on the radio: Gerard Howlin is no friend of Sinn Fein he said its bad for democracy, to keep a block of votes out over a term of time. It happened in Italy, with the Communist Party. We need to talk. We want to build a government. We want to solve the issues and we want to work for the people. Personally, I want us to be the lead party. We wont know for a few days who is going to get the most seats. But we could back at the polls again. If you have a four-party government, its on a knife edge all the time. Labour will jump through hoops to get into government, thats what Labour do. But it will damage Labour in the long run. Meanwhile, the Green Party are getting decimated as far as he could tell, said Cllr Dunne. Housing was the main issue that kept coming up, he said. Housing, cost of living, and childcare. When Simon Harris made that mistake, that issue came up on the doors a lot. Carers came out very upset, said Cllr Dunne 12.48pm Fianna Fail back in contention in Tipperary South Fianna Fail Cllr Imelda Goldsboro has come back into third place in Tipperary South according to the latest tallies, just ahead of Independent candidate Seamus Healy. With 64pc of the boxes opened in Tipperary South, the state of play is: Independent Mattie McGrath 24.5pc, FG Cllr Michael Murphy 21.2pc, FF Cllr Imelda Goldsboro 13.4pc, Independent Seamus Healy 11.5pc, SF Martin Browne 11.3pc, and Independent Cllr John OHeney 10.1pc. 11.52am No place in our democracy for defacing posters With the Mayor of Clonmel FG Cllr Michael Murphy in second place in Tipperary South, the Fine Gael team in Tipperary are happy that they look in strong contention to regain a seat in what was traditionally considered a heartland. Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Declan Burgess, said its been a fantastic outing for Michael Murphy and the Fine Gael party. A lot of energy and professionalism went into this campaign. We havent had a Fine Gael TD in the county since 2016 so there was an appetite their for our supporters, out voters, and indeed our party, to regain that Dail voice. And it looks like we will in Michael Murphy. Cllr Murphy had a strong outing in 2011, and now he looks to take that Dail seat, which is massive and its a really exciting time, said Cllr Burgess. Tipperary South looks very interesting at the moment. Mattie is very strong as an incumbent. The third seat is anyones game. I think Seamus Healy could have it a the moment, depending on how the rest of the tallies go. Martin Browne is still not out of the race. Imelda Goldsboro is still not out of the race, but time will tell. Housing was a hot topic, and particularly delivering affordable and social housing. That was a significant issue but the cost of living, the cost of doing business, was a main concern Im hearing on the doorstep. A significant issue was childrens disability services, access to education they were really for me the main issues I was hearing on the doorstep in this election. Vandalism and defacing election posters featured in Tipperary South, with attacks on candidates posters from across the political divide. Cllr Murphys posters were targeted in the Fethard area, and his constituency office was vandalised. Cllr Burgess said: Its disgusting, its disgraceful. It shouldnt happen. We have to protect our democracy at all costs. Its so important to us. Postering unfortunately is an element of electioneering and I know, in 2019, when I stood for for my first election, if it wasnt for postering, I dont know if I would have got my name out there. I do agree that we probably do need to restructure how we poster. I dont think its acceptable for anyone to go out and steal posters, deface posters, and weve seen quite a lot of it. I think there was a targeted attempt on Michael Murphy because more of his posters were defaced. I have no time for it there is no place for it in our democracy and it shouldnt be accepted by anyone, concluded Cllr Burgess. 10.55am Community activist Seamus Healy in third place in South Tipperary The current state of the tallies in Tipperary South is: independent Mattie McGrath on 26pc, FG Cllr Michael Murphy - 18.9pc, independent Seamus Healy 14.5pc, FF Cllr Imelda Goldsboro 13.5pc, and Sinn Feins Martin Browne at 11.6pc. Clonmel based Seamus Healy has championed Clonmel hospital and has a long record of serving as a TD. Mr Healy said it was too early to call at about 10.50am with only 26pc of the boxes open. Currently Im in third place, but the first two seats would appear to be Mattie McGrath and Michael Murphy of Fine Gael. There will be three or four candidates for the last seat and it will be all down to transfers, he said. Mr Healy said: Im confident that well have a fighting chance for the last seat. His team, which is associated with the Workers Unemployed Action Group (WUAG), based in Clonmel, met with a positive response on the doorstep. You have to get the number ones, he said. So far, trends seem to be reasonably good, but its much too early to tell. Housing and homelessness were top of the agenda on peoples minds. Dereliction around Clonmel has come up as an election issue. Clonmel is no different from any other major town in that regard, he said. There is dereliction in all towns. Clonmel is a very good town a lot of employment, with good facilities. The cost of living, disability services, and services for children kept coming up. Mr Healy has been a community activist for many years, and was involved in campaigns to save acute hospital services. Ive effectively been an activist since I was 14 years of age, so hopefully all those things will help at the end of the day, he added. Meanwhile, the first count election result may be announced around 6pm, said one source. 10.35am Mattie McGrath is local and hes vocal Early tallies have shown independent candidate Mattie McGrath doing well in Tipperary South, but his daughter, Cllr Mairin McGrath said its too early to tell,.. There are a lot of boxes to open, she said at the count centre in Thurles. I wouldnt say anything too certain. Theres a lot to play for. There are a lot of candidates up there. I wont call any seat at this stage. Cllr McGrath said the atmosphere in their camp was optimistic, given that they knocked on a lot of doors and covered a lot of ground during the election campaign. We got a reasonably good response. We were happy with it. Hopefully that will translate into votes today. The main issues that kept coming up on the doorstep were the cost of living, housing and immigration. A lot of people said to us, you were the only people who called, or knocked on the doors. They were even grateful for that. What is Mattie McGraths secret ingredient? Hes independent. Hes vocal. Hes not a TD youve only heard of in the last five years. Hes local and hes vocal, and he speaks his mind, added Cllr Mc 10.20am Mattie McGrath leads the pack in Tipperary South Very early tallies show that, as expected, independent candidate Mattie McGrath is doing well in Tipperary South, with FG Cllr Michael Murphy, FF Cllr Imelda Goldsboro, and Sinn Feins Martin Browne also doing well. 9.32am Boxes are opened in Tipperary And so it begins. Boxes from all over the Premier County of Tipperary have been collected and sorted at the count centre in the Presentation Secondary School in Thurles. Tipperarys Returning Officer James Seymour announced the opening of the boxes and the first count shortly after 9.20am. The first tallies are expected in an hour or so. Well keep you updated throughout the day from Thurles. The two new constituencies of Tipperary North and Tipperary South both three seaters have a combined population of about 133,000: over 64,000 in the north, and over 68,000 in the south. Vying for office in Tipperary South are twelve candidates for three seats, also drawn from a wide range of backgrounds. These include the Labour Partys Michael Chicken Brennan, a hospitality manager from Fethard, Sinn Feins Martin Browne (Cashel), computer technician and independent Bill Fitzgerald (Cahir), Fianna Fail Cllr Imelda Goldsboro (Ballingarry), community worker and independent Seamus Healy (Clonmel), retiree and Green Party candidate Myriam Madigan (Clonmel), teacher and Aontu candidate Rosemary McGlone (Co Down), truck driver John McGrath of the National Party (Hollyford), independent Mattie McGrath (Newcastle), Cllr Michael Murphy of Fine Gael (Clonmel), self-employed independent Cllr John OHeney (Lattin), and strategy director Nadaline Webster of Independent Ireland, based in Hospital, Co Limerick. Mattie McGrath is expected by many to take the first seat in Tipperary South with the Mayor of Clonmel, FG Cllr Michael Murphy tipped to take the second seat, with his strong base around Clonmel. But all this is only conjecture and the experts can get it wrong this election is sure to throw up some great surprises with polls showing the three main parties, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein, neck and neck at about 20pc in the polls each. How that translates into Tipperarys count is anyones guess. Count concludes with Verona Murphy, James Browne, Johnny Mythen and George Lawlor taking the four seatsFine Gaels two-candidate strategy looks to have backfiredMick Wallace eliminated on Count 8 Seats filled: 4 The four TDs for the Wexford constituency. Election 2024 update from Political Reporter Tabitha Monahan 5.15 p.m. The Wexford count has completed. With Verona Murphy (IND) having topped the poll and been elected on the first count on Saturday night, James Browne (FF) followed her across the line surpassing the quota on Sunday evening with 11,292. Also reaching the quota was Johnny Mythen (SF), who finished with 10,550. Although he didnt manage to reach the quota, finishing with 10,066, George Lawlor (LAB) was also deemed elected as he couldnt be caught by Cathal Byrne of Fine Gael, who will be disappointed to lose the seat which was occupied by his party colleague Paul Kehoe since 2002. James Browne. 3.51 p.m. Almost there in Wexford as just four candidates remain with three seats to fill after count ten. That count saw the eliminated Bridin Murphys (FG) 3,756 votes distributed to remaining candidates with party colleague Cathal Byrne receiving 1,877 of those. This brings him to 7,069 but still behind James Browne (FF) 10,397, Johnny Mythen (SF) 9,352, and George Lawlor (LAB) 8,991. Aontus Jim Codd has now been eliminated and his 5,078 votes will be distributed in what is expected to be the last count in Wexford. With a quota of 10,502, James Browne is set to surpass that and will be eventually be joined by Mythen and Lawlor on the next count. Johnny Mythen 2.26 p.m. As expected, Bridin Murphy (FG) is eliminated on the ninth count with 3,756 votes. That count saw Johnny Mythen (SF) receive 688 of the eliminated Mick Wallaces votes bringing him to 9,213 in total. He is still behind Fianna Fails James Browne (9,647), and ahead of Labours George Lawlor (8,552). Cathal Byrne (FG) is on 5,192 and Aontus Jim Codd is on 4,869. With no one having reached the 10,502 quota, Bridins votes will now be distributed among the five remaining candidates with Byrne expected to receive the majority from his party colleague. George Lawlor. 2.10 p.m. As we await Count 9 here in Wexford, Fine Gaels Bridin Murphy looks set to be eliminated. While she hasnt attended the count centre, she posted on social media to say it wasnt meant to be this time and to thank her team and everyone who voted for her in this election. 1.05 p.m. While it looks almost certain that Fine Gael will lose the long-held seat occupied by Paul Kehoe here in Wexford, the partys Director of Elections in Wexford Martin Lawlor is defiant that our strategy was correct. There are even those within the party that believe running both Cathal Byrne and Bridin Murphy had been a mistake, however, Mr Lawlor says running a single candidate wouldnt have made any material difference to the outcome as were simply not picking up any transfers. He also cites the redrawing of the electoral boundaries and the votes lost into the new Wicklow/Wexford constituency and states that the partys analysis of surpluses shows that poll-topper, and former Fine Gael candidate, Verona Murphy is sitting on 1,500 to 2,000 soft Fine Gael votes Verona Murphy elected on the first count receiving a kiss from her daughter Robyn. Pic: Jim Campbell 12.50 p.m. Count eight here in Wexford and the big news is that former MEP and TD Mick Wallace has been eliminated. Currently in Italy attending a fundraiser in memory of his late son, who passed away in June, the Wellingtonbridge native is not in attendance as his race comes to an end. Geography is likely to have played a part as Bridin Murphy (FG) did the best out of Michael Sheehans transfers, taking an additional 354 votes. James Browne (FF) also did well from his former party colleague, moving another 350 votes closer to the quota, while Johnny Mythen (SF) took 233 and George Lawlor (LAB) 189. Cathal Byrne (FG) picked up another 56 votes, while Jim Codd took 189. Mick Wallaces 2,420 votes will now be distributed among the remaining candidates, as we move into Count 9 still awaiting a second TD in Wexford. 11.48 a.m. Count seven sees George Lawlor (LAB) benefit from Peader McDonalds (GREEN) transfers as he receives 596 votes. This brings him to a total of 7,991. Johnny Mythen (SF) also did well in this count receiving 369 transfers from the eliminated McDonald and Martina Stafford (PBP) bringing him to 8,292. Both remain short of the quota of 10,502 and behind Fianna Fails James Browne (9,068) but ahead of Cathal Byrne (FG) 5,057 and Jim Codd (Aontu) 4,192. Michael Sheehan (IND) has been eliminated on this count and his 1,890 votes will now be distributed among the remaining seven candidates with former party colleague Browne expected to be transfer friendly. 10.28 a.m. Two more candidates have been eliminated on count six here in Wexford, but no further elections. Peadar McDonald (Green Party) has been eliminated with 757 and Martina Stafford (PBP) with 814. Their votes will now be distributed to the remaining candidates. The transfers from Jackser Owens (IND) largely went to Johnny Mythen (SF) who picked up 148 to bring him to 7,923 and James Browne who received 106 to take him that bit closer to the 10,502 quota, now sitting on 8,986. 9.48 a.m. First count of the day and fifth in total is already in as Jason Murphys (NP) 449 votes are distributed. Jim Codd (Aontu) is the main beneficiary with 183, this brings him to 4,114 and ever closer to Cathal Byrne (FG) whos on 4,960. Its been suggested in some quarters that Codd could surpass Byrne and finish fifth overall. However, the pair are effectively fighting for the minor positions as James Browne (FF) 8,880, Johnny Mythen (SF) 7,775, and George Lawlor (Lab) 7,372 remain primed to take the remaining three seats. Jackser Owens has now been eliminated and his 561 votes will be distributed for the sixth count. SUNDAY 8.51 a.m. Good morning from the Wexford Count Centre where we are about to resume the count to see who will fill the remaining three of the four seats here. Last night, Verona Murphy (IND) was elected on the first count surpassing the quota of 10,502 with a whopping first preference vote of 11,340. Since then weve had Stephen Power (Irish People) and Michelle ONeill (FF) eliminated, along with Jason Murphy (NP) on count four where we stopped for the night. With counting to resume at any minute, we will see his 449 votes redistributed among the remaining candidates. James Browne (FF) is next closest to the quota with 8,870 votes, followed by Johnny Mythen (SF) 7,748 and George Lawlor (LAB) 7,359, who are likely to take the remaining seats. Cathal Byrne (FG) has some distance to make up with 4,955 and is extremely unlikely to retain the seat vacated by outgoing TD Paul Kehoe here. 10.38 p.m. Count four is now in, with Michelle ONeills 306 votes being distributed among the remaining candidates. Predictably, her party colleague James Browne picked up the highest number of these with 154, bringing him to 8,870 and ever closer to the quota. Bridin Murphy (FG) received 44 of Ms ONiells votes, but is still some way off at 3,139. George Lawlor received 27 votes this time bringing him to 7,359, while Johnny Mythen picked up 12 to put him just ahead on 7,748. Cathal Byrne still trailing behind and looking increasingly unlikely for that fourth seat having picked up 13 to put him at 4,955. Jason Murphy (Natinoal Party) has now been eliminated and his 449 votes will be distributed among the remaining candidates. However, the count has now concluded for the day and we will resume tomorrow (Sunday) at 9 a.m. 9.59 p.m. Motoring along nicely here now as Stephen Powers (Irish People) 175 votes are transferred for the third count in Wexford. The bulk of those votes go to Jason Murphy (National Party) who receives 110 and moves up to 448 in total. Neither James Browne, Michelle ONeill (both FF) nor Cathal Byrne (FG) receive any of Powers votes. Little has changed at the top of the poll with Browne (8,716), Johnny Mythen (7,736)m, and George Lawlor (7,332) almost certain to be elected tomorrow. Michelle ONeill has now been eliminated and her 306 votes will be distributed for the fourth and last count of the evening. 9.18 p.m. The second count is in with Verona Murphys surplus of 838 distributed to the remaining 14 candidates. Aontus Jim Codd received the most second preferences from Deputy Murphy with 129 votes, this brings him to 3,904. James Browne (FF) received 120 bringing him to 8,716, while Michael Sheehan (IND) received 113 bringing him to 1,736. George Lawlor (LAB) received 99 which brings him to 7,327. No one is elected in this count so Stephen Power (Irish People), as the lowest polling candidate, is eliminated with his 175 votes to be distributed. James Browne, George Lawlor, and Johnny Mythen (SF) remain on course to be elected with Cathal Byrne (FG) still over two thousand votes behind with transfers from party colleague Bridin Murphy to come. 8.15 p.m. Speaking following her poll-topping performance here in Wexford, Independent TD Verona Murphy said that it was unexpected to top the poll and the goal first and foremost was to retain the seat, but that it was reflection of the hard work being done on the ground. Thanking her team, she said it was a very proud moment for her. In terms of the future, Ms Murphy says that she is willing to speak to anyone in terms of government formation talks, but she wouldnt be drawn on whether any of the main parties had yet been in touch. If I was Minister for Housing, I have solutions to the housing crisis, she noted, before heading off to celebrate the large crowd of followers that had travelled to the count centre to witness her election. 8.02 p.m. Though the results of the first count have currently placed Fine Gael candidate Cathal Byrne in fifth place with 4,891 votes, behind Sinn Feins Johnny Mythen with 7,633 votes, he is still optimistic about securing one of the four coveted seats. "I will be keeping a close eye on the transferrable votes. I am very grateful for the nearly 5,000 people who put a number one next to my name. There is still a long way to go in this count, he said. In response to if he felt any apprehension coming into the count hall today, given the backlash the party has received amidst a call for change, he said the reactions on the door tell a different story. "The feedback I have been getting from the people of Wexford has been very positive, honestly. The biggest challenge for me in this election, being almost the youngest candidate, has been getting my name out there, he added. As of yet, whether or not running two candidates in the same constituency was perhaps a bad strategy, he believes it is too soon to tell. 7.20 p.m. As he watched votes pile up in cubby holes at the Wexford count centre, Fianna Fails James Browne had reason to be cheerful. While Verona Murphy comfortably topped the poll, Browne looks set to follow his fellow incumbent across the line, although he concedes that he might have to wait until tomorrow. Congratulations to Verona and her team, he said. They obviously worked very hard. My own team worked exceptionally hard. We canvassed every house in the constituency, which is no mean feat given its size. Feeling that he lost a considerable amount of votes with North Wexford now falling into the Wicklow South/Wexford North three-seater, he was particularly proud of this campaign. We started off on the back foot, he said. We lost half the Enniscorthy hinterland with the changing of the boundaries. We lost 2,500 number ones, including my own half parish. Our backs were to the wall. We canvassed like never before because of the way the county would have been divided under different Fianna Fail candidates. We never wouldve had south New Ross or Rosslare to canvass for example, even in my Dads or my grand uncles time. It was a huge effort by the team. Im delighted with the result. It certainly wasnt easy. 6.50 p.m. The first count has finally arrived in Wexford and, as predicted, Verona Murphy (IND) has exceeded the quota of 10,502 with 11,340 first preference votes and is deemed elected. James Browne (FF) looks set to follow her into the second seat, having managed 8,596 first preference votes, but he will probably have to wait until tomorrow. Next in line currently is Johnny Mythen (SF) on 7,633 with George Lawlor (LAB) following close behind on 7,228 first preference votes. Cathal Byrne (FG) is the best of the rest with 4,891 first preference votes, but it would be a major task to catch either Lawlor or Mythen at this point. Aontu councillor Jim Codd managed 3,775 first preference votes and was followed by Bridin Murphy (FG) 2,997; Michael Sheehan (IND) 1,623; Mick Wallace (IND) 1,615; Martina Stafford (PBP) 782; Peadar McDonald (GREEN) 731; Jackser Owens (IND) 498; Jason Murphy (NP) 333; Michelle ONeill (FF) 296 and finally Stephen Power (Irish People) 170. Verona Murphys surplus of 838 will now be distributed among the remaining candidates. The total electorate was 85,744, the total poll was 52,844 and there were 336 invalid ballot papers. The valid poll was 52,508. Verona Murphy elected on the first count. Pic: Jim Campbell 5.42 p.m. Those disputed votes are now being distributed. The estimated quota is likely to be 10,526 and on the combined tallies, Verona Murphy has 11,074. 5.32 p.m. Things have ground to a halt here in Wexford as representatives of each of the candidates are huddled around a table to discuss disputed votes. Were still awaiting the first official count, but when it does finally arrive, Verona Murphy (IND) is set to be elected. 5 p.m. Its been an unusual day for former Labour Party leader and veteran Wexford TD Brendan Howlin. Today was the first time in 40 years I went to vote and my name wasnt on the ballot paper, he reflects. With Wexford traditionally returning a Labour TD, there was relief in the party that George Lawlor looks set to continue the tradition. "George will be elected, Howlin said emphatically. A transition is always difficult. When Brendan Corish transitioned, there was a difficulty for a year or two. His brother Des stood and didnt win the seat, but thankfully there were three elections in a row very quickly and I was a new young candidate, 26 years of age, put into the senate and then I won the seat in 87 and the rest in history. "Its tricky. Transitioning to George, we didnt know how it would turn out. But hes not a young new candidate. Hes a tried and tested worker for Wexford. Hes ambitious for this town and county. Id be very confident that George will be elected. When pushed whether Cllr Lawlor will take seat three or four in Wexford, Howlin says: It doesnt matter. Any seat is a seat! But he does believe that his party is on to take the third of four seats here in Wexford. 3.50 p.m. Labour candidate George Lawlor is feeling confident having arrived at the Wexford Count Centre. Hes only putting in a brief appearance, however, as he has a date with Santa Claus turning on the Christmas lights on Wexford Quay as Mayor. "Im going down to turn the lights on with Santa Claus on the quay now, which could be my last function as Mayor of Wexford, he said. Theres not too much I can do here, the die is cast, so Im going down to don the robes one more time. While confident, the Labour man is not taking anything for granted just yet. "Obviously still a way to go, but Im very happy with what appears to be the first preference votes, he said. Although there are a number of hurdles to jump, Im in a position to take the third or fourth seat. Thats how it looks at the moment, but the beauty of the Irish system is it can throw so many different variations on the outcome. But Im pleased to be in the position Im in and I think weve a very good chance. While some on the count centre floor suggested that Lawlor may not be the most transfer friendly, the current Mayor of Wexford says that the indications are good on that front. "The indications from my own team is that were doing well on transfers, he said. Geography will come into and policy will come into it, but it would seem were quite transfer friendly, which will help us. 3.33 p.m. Having received 720 first preference votes according to tallies, Green Party candidate Peadar McDonald said he is a little disappointed at the outcome of his first foray into politics. Accepting that he was running against a strong Wexford town candidate in Labours George Lawlor, the Green Party man said, The climate crisis isnt on peoples agenda at the moment, but I really appreciate the people who voted for me, a huge thank you to them. However, a lot of work needs to be done to increase the vote for the Greens in the county. 2.58 p.m. Despite being well-positioned after the tallies, Sinn Feins Johnny Mythen says he is still apprehensive about his prospects of being re-elected in Wexford. Citing transfers between the two Fine Gael candidates, Mythen said the battle for the third and fourth seats in the constituency will continue into tomorrow with nothing decided until the last count. On a separate note, Mythen congratulated his party colleague Fionntan O Suilleabhain on his strong performance in the newly created Wexford-Wicklow constituency with the Gorey man looking like taking a seat for Sinn Fein there. 2.50 p.m. With Fine Gael looking set to lose a seat thats been occupied by Paul Kehoe for the past 22 years, the outgoing TD feels that the party got its strategy wrong in the Wexford constituency, running both Cathal Byrne and Bridin Murphy. "I do feel genuinely feel sorry for Cathal," he said when contacted. I think he would make a brilliant TD. While disappointed to see his Fine Gael seat lost, Kehoe reflects that the party will still have a seat in the county with Brian Brennan set to take one of the three seats on offer in the South Wicklow/North Wexford constituency. Currently, it's looking like Co Wexford will have 7 TDs across the two constituencies. 2.17 p.m. Aontus Jim Codd has declared himself absolutely delighted with the results of the first tallies, having almost doubled the vote he received in 2020. Sitting sixth after the tallies, he said, My party is only five years old while some of the major parties are close to a hundred years old, so its a great day for Aontu as we have almost doubled our vote in Wexford since the last General Election. 2.01 p.m. In a departure from standard practise, Sinn Fein, Fianna Fail, and Fine Gael have worked together on the tallies in Wexford and, in a further sign of unity, they have called an impromptu press conference to announce the results of those tallies. Speaking to the press, Fine Gael director of elections Martin Lawlor revealed that Verona Murphy (IND) is almost certain to top the poll as she has 11,074 first preference votes according to the tallies. She is followed by James Browne (FF) 8,679, Johnny Mythen (SF) 7,553, George Lawlor (LAB) 7,274, Cathal Byrne (FG) 5,012, Jim Codd (Aontu) 3,893, Bridin Murphy (FG) 3,032, Michael Sheehan (IND) 1,583, and Mick Wallace (IND) 1,577. While the consensus is that the top four is already set in stone, Mr Lawlor wasnt conceding just yet. I am a realist, he said, it will be a struggle for us to retain a seat, we will still be trying to put it up George and Johnny. I dont want to encourage false hope but you never know with transfers. The counting of votes at the Wexford count centre in the Loreto Secondary School on Saturday. Pic: Jim Campbell 1.29 p.m. All boxes tallied in Wexford and a very clear picture has emerged. Verona Murphy (IND) sits on 21.1 per cent, followed by James Browne (FF) on 16.3 per cent, Johnny Mythen (SF) on 14.4 per cent, George Lawlor (LAB) 13.8 per cent, Cathal Byrne (FG) on 9.5 per cent, Jim Codd (Aontu) 7.35 per cent, Bridin Murphy (FG) 5.76 per cent, and Mick Wallace (IND) 3 per cent. Transfers will obviously play a part but the first four are sitting pretty as we await the first official count which is expected between 4-5 p.m. today. 12.28 p.m. Following the early tally results, sitting Enniscorthy Fianna Fail councillor Aidan Browne, and cousin of candidate James Browne, said he is not surprised that James is leading the pack. We are very happy, he said. The response on the door was great and he has put in an enormous amount of work but we will wait until the official count to celebrate. When asked what the partys reaction to Sinn Fein coming out on top of the exit polls, he admitted, look everyone probably had them wrote off, but they have come back in fairness to them. 12.11 p.m. Perhaps further evidence of the split within Fine Gael in Wexford. Some members of the Fine Gael camp unhappy with word being put out that they are in any way conceding. I dont know who youve been talking to, the party member said. But were conceding nothing! This comes after another party source had indicated they were likely to lose the seat vacated by the outgoing Paul Kehoe and that it wont even be close. 11.38 a.m. The first provisional cross-party tallies are in here in Wexford with 76 boxes open. They come with a major caveat that a lot of the town boxes are yet to be opened. Leading the way on the initial tallies is James Browne (FF), followed by Verona Murphy (Ind), Cathal Byrne (FG), Bridin Murphy (FG), Michael Sheehan (Ind) and George Lawlor (LAB). These 76 boxes would predominantly be from the New Ross and Enniscorthy areas. 11.31 a.m. Aontus Jim Codd has now arrived at the count as well. He may not be overly happy at what he sees though as Verona Murphy has taken a lot of votes in Carrig-on-Bannow and Mayglass, areas Codd was expected to be strong. Jim Codd at the count centre in Wexford. 11.24 a.m. The mood is quite downbeat in the Fine Gael camp here in the Wexford Count Centre at the moment as they bid to retain their seat vacated by veteran TD Paul Kehoe. A senior Fine Gael source has already indicated its over" and that its not even going to be close. They predict that Verona Murphy (IND), James Browne (FF), George Lawlor (LAB) and Johnny Mythen (SF) will take the four seats. 11.13 a.m. First candidate sightings in the Wexford count centre as Peadar McDonald (Green) and Jason Murphy (National Party) are spotted perusing the boxes. Perhaps unhappy at what he sees, Peadar departs as quickly as he arrives. Jason remains at the centre but, with the first tally over an hour away, is not expected to poll particularly well. 10.46 a.m. Word from the count centre floor is that Verona Murphy (Ind) and James Browne (FF) are looking good in boxes from the rural New Ross area. A few whispers that George Lawlor (LAB) might not be as certain to take a seat as some had predicted, although its a regular occurrence for people to write Labour off before the Wexford town boxes are opened. Coming up to half the boxes opened here in Wexford and still awaiting the first official tally. 10.40 a.m. Confirmation has come that Mick Wallace (Ind) is not likely to appear at the count centre here in Wexford this weekend, as he is attending a memorial fundraising event for his late son Joseph in Turin. 10.00 a.m. Early indications from the rural Enniscorthy boxes are that Johnny Mythen (SF), Cathal Byrne (FG), and James Browne (FF) are neck and neck. Local independent candidate Jackser Owens not polling well at the moment but is expected to pick up first preferences in the urban areas. First official tallies expected at 12.30 p.m. 9.00 a.m. Were under way and the first boxes have been opened here in the Wexford constituency count centre at the Loreto Secondary School. With 15 candidates vying for four seats, it looks set to be one hell of a scrap for the final seat in particular. Ahead of polling, bookmakers had seemingly reached a consensus that Independent Verona Murphy was the favourite to top the poll. She had taken the top spot from Fianna Fails James Browne in recent days. Outside the first two seats, bookmakers had a harder time separating things. Most had Labours George Lawlor and Fine Gaels Cathal Byrne more or less neck and neck, with last elections poll-topper, Sinn Fein's Johnny Mythen, following very close behind. Stating he was an outsider from the start, it wont come as a shock to Mick Wallace (Independent) to find himself just outside the fray as the sixth most likely to take one of the four seats. Bridin Murphy (FG) is next in the list for the bookies, followed by Jim Codd (Aontu), Jackser Owens (Ind), Michael Sheehan (Ind), Michelle ONeill (FF), Peadar McDonald (Green Party), Jason Murphy (National Party), Martina Stafford (PBP) and Stephen Power (Irish People). Will the bookie's have called it right? Last night's exit polls showed that the main three parties were neck and neck. Well find out the state of play soon here in Wexford as we await the first tallies. It is now more than 12 hours since ballot boxes were opened at count centres around the country. A clearer shape is beginning to emerge of who will be returned to the 34th Dail. Here is a snapshot of what was happening in every constituency across the nation this evening, as counts continue into Saturday night: Carlow-Kilkenny Sitting Carlow-Kilkenny Green Party minister Malcolm Noonan could be a casualty for the party. Mr Noonan is looking likely to lose his seat having polled very poorly in the tally. Fianna Fail have performed very well with sitting TDs John McGuinness and Jennifer Murnane OConnor in poll position in the final tally with running mate Peter Chap Cleere in the hunt for a seat. Fine Gael also look likely to retain their seat, with newcomer Catherine Callaghan ahead of her running mates. Sinn Fein are also likely to keep the seat previously held by Kathleen Funchion before her election to the European Parliament. Cavan-Monaghan The big question is whether Sinn Fein will take a historic three seats in the Cavan Monaghan General Election. The tallies showed they have already taken a considerable slice of the first preference votes with an impressive 22,785 total shared between Matt Carthy and Cathy Bennett and Pauline Tully. Fianna Fails Brendan Smith, Robbie Gallagher Niamh Smyth and are in a scrap for a seat while David Maxwell looks like he will take ex Minister Heather Humphreys seat for the party. The Indo Daily Election Extra: Coalition toss-ups, crime bosses and Versace bottles (Live from The RDS Clare Timmy Dooley is delighted that not only has he reclaimed his seat but that his fellow Fianna Fail man Cathal Crowe looks on course to retain his seat in the county too. "Im very pleased to get a good result. Whats particularly good is that it looks like were going to get two seats, he told the Irish Independent. First-time general election candidate Joe Cooney of Fine Gael meanwhile was in third place in the final tally figures while Sinn Fein's Donna McGettigan looked set to reclaim a seat for the party in the constituency after she gained an impressive 12.44pc of the vote. It was a very poor showing by incumbent TD Violet-Anne Wynne who gained just 0.47% of first preference votes. Cork East The 18-strong field of Cork East has been whittled down to a seven-horse race. Outgoing TDs James OConnor (FF) and Pat Buckley (SF) have been joined towards the head of the race by newcomer Mark Stanton (FG). Fermoy councillors Noel McCarthy (FG) and Deirdre OBrien (FF), both hoping to secure their first Dail seat, are chasing. Liam Quaide (SD) and William OLeary (Ind) will feel they are in contention too. Cork North-Central A five-way battle is looming for the fifth and final seat in Cork North Central as Fianna Fails outgoing TD Padraig OSullivan tops the poll, marginally ahead of Sinn Feins outgoing TD Thomas Gould. Independent Irelands Councillor Ken OFlynn and Junior Minister Colm Burke for Fine Gael are both also well placed to win Dail berths. However, a tight battle is looming between Fianna Fails councillor Tony Fitzgerald, People Before Profits outgoing TD Mick Barry, Labours Councillor Eoghan Kenny and Councillor John Maher, as well as Fine Gaels Councillor Garret Kelleher and Sinn Feins Councillor Joe Lynch for the final seat. Cork North-West Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are once again locked in battle to secure a majority in the constituency. Outgoing Aindrias Moynihan (FF) is in the lead his party colleague Michael Moynihan, also outgoing, should be elected too. Close behind is Fine Gael councillor John Paul OShea. His colleague Michael Creed, cousin of the retiring TD Michael Creed, told The Corkman that his tally team have informed him that he will be about 250 votes short of winning election. Unfortunately Im the man that has lost out. The people have spoken, Im a democrat and I completely respect their wishes. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin celebrates in the Cork South Central constituency. Photo : Jacob King/PA Wire Micheal Martin elected on first count Cork South-Central Fianna Fail leader and Tanaiste Micheal Martin was elected on the first count with a massive 23pc first preference vote in Cork South Central. The former Taoiseach celebrated with his wife, Mary, and children, Micheal Aodh, Cillian and Aoibhe at the Nemo Rangers GAA complex. Mr Martin was elected with a massive first preference vote of 14,526 ballots almost a quarter of all votes cast in the sprawling southside constituency. The Tanaiste has been returned at every election in Cork South Central since 1989. His surplus of over 4,000 votes will now be counted and distributed - with Mr Martin's running mate, Councillor Seamus McGrath, the older brother of Ireland's new EU Commissioner Michael McGrath, also set to take a seat for Fianna Fail, being just 2,700 votes short of the quota. The remaining seats are tipped to be filled by Sinn Fein's outgoing TD Donnchadh O'Laoghaire (6,947) and either Fine Gael's Sen Jerry Buttimer (4,407) or Councillor Shane O'Callaghan (3,664). Social Democrat's strong challenger Councillor Padraig Rice (5,368) has an edge over rivals including Labour's Councillor Laura Harmon (3,005) and Independent Mick Finn (3,582) in the battle for the final seat. Cork South-West Independent Ireland party leader Michael Collins is on course to retain his seat and top the poll in the Cork South West constituency. After the completion of the final tally, Deputy Collins had 23.5pc of the vote. Social Party Democrats party leader Holly Cairns who gave birth to a baby girl on polling day is well poised to retain her seat after she secured 20pc. Fianna Fail TD Christopher OSullivan is also well placed to retain his sea. Fine Gael duo Cllr Noel ODonovan and Senator Tim Lombard are the closest challengers. Donegal Donegal looks set to be without a Fine Gael TD, while the 100% Redress Party is in the fight for the fifth seat. Sinn Feins performance and Fine Gaels failure to retain a seat in Co Donegal are the main talking points from the Donegal count centre. Pearse Doherty will keep his seat and is closely followed by Padraig MacLochlainn. Fianna Fail look set to secure two seats with Veteran Pat The Cope Gallagher and Minister Charlie McConalogue. The fifth seat will be hotly contested with outgoing TD Thomas Pringle and 100% Redress Party candidate Charles Ward going head to head. For the first time since the 1930s, Fine Gael have failed to retain a seat in the county, following Joe McHughs exit from the party. Dublin Bay North The main government parties of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will be happy as both are expected to retain the seats of Richard Bruton and Sean Haughey, which have been held for decades. The Social Democrats are set for a big win in the area, with deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan set to top the poll ahead of Sinn Fein's Denise Mitchell. So with Mr O'Callaghan, Ms Mitchell, Fine Gael's Naoise O Muiri and Fianna Fail's Tom Brabazon all in contention for the first four seats, the final seat may see a battle between Fianna Fail's Deirdre Heney and FIne Gael's Aoibhinn Tormey, though Ms Heney is slightly ahead according to the tally. Dublin Bay South Green Party candidate and former Mayor Hazel Chu looks like an early casualty of Election 2024, which reflected the partys performance nationwide. Her ambitions to retain the Green seat being vacated by Eamon Ryan seem to have floundered. Former Fine Gael, but now Independent candidate, Kate OConnell, is also well down the list. It was good news in the tallies for Fine Gaels James Geoghegan, followed by Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Fianna Fails Jim OCallaghan, and Sinn Feins Chris Andrews. The question remains as to who will fill Ryans seat, and transfers will be interesting. Dublin Central The biggest surprise of the day was the size of the vote that convicted criminal Gerry Hutch commanded, not only in his heartland of the north inner city but beyond as well. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald topped the poll but missed out on getting elected on the first count. Behind her were Paschal Donohoe for Fine Gael, and Garry Gannon of the Social Democrats. Who will take the fourth seat will depend on transfers, but nobody is writing Hutch off. It is bad news for the Green Partys Neasa Hourigan who was struggling down the field, and Independents Clare Daly and Malachy Steenson are conceding defeat. Dublin Fingal East Housing Minister and Fianna Fail TD Darragh OBrien arrived to a warm welcome at the Fingal East count centre this evening. He is expected to top the poll with around 23.5pc of the first preference vote. He could be elected most likely on the second count. "I have the best team in the country here, he said. Labour's Duncan Smith also remains strong, while the race for the third seat is heating up, with Fine Gaels Alan Farrell, Sinn Feins Ann Graves, and Social Democrats' Joan Hopkins all close behind. Independent candidates, including Dean Mulligan, are trailing, with 92 spoiled votes recorded so far. Dublin Fingal West Louise OReilly of Sinn Fein repeated her 2020 performance, and was returned to the Dail. She was being followed in the race for seats by Grace Boland of Fine Gael and Robert O'Donoghue from Labour. Green Party TD Joe OBrien was struggling and is expected to lose his seat. Dublin Midwest Back in 2020, Dublin Midwest saw big changes as Sinn Fein dominated the votes with over 40pc going to both Eoin OBroin and Mark Ward. Its looking like 2024 will see something similar. This time round, there will be five seats available compared to four. Following the Sinn Fein members were Emer Higgins (FG and Shane Moynihan (FF). Paul Nicolas Gogarty, Fine Gaels Vicki Casserly and Social Democrats Eoin OBroin remain in the mix. With transfers on the cards, it could still be anyones game. Dublin North-West Sinn Fein TD Dessie Ellis didn't get elected on the first count like he did in the previous general election. Nobody reached the quota but Ellis is in the lead, followed by Soc Dems' Rory Hearne, Sinn Fein's Cathleen Carney Boud and incumbent Fianna Fail TD Paul McAuliffe. Social Democrats' outgoing TD Roisin Shortall said she is "very hopeful" that Mr Hearne will win the seat. Speaking to the Irish Independent in the RDS, she said: "I think he will stay ahead of the second Sinn Fein candidate.. it's not absolutely watertight but that's the way it's looking at the moment and we're quite hopeful at this stage. Dublin Rathdown Fine Gael junior minister Neale Richmond was re-elected on the first count, topping the poll with 10,044 first preference votes. Speaking after his election and surpassing the quota of 9,752 by 292 votes, Mr Richmond said he was lucky to be backed by his team of supporters through an exhaustive campaign. "Myself and Maeve OConnell were given a very clear task by Simon Harris, to deliver two seats here and it looks like we will. Personally, obviously, Im chuffed and hopefully we will see a lot more Fine Gael seats elected over the next couple of hours and days, he said. Green Party minister Catherine Martin meanwhile said it has been a "disappointing day" for her party as she faces an uphill battle. Dublin South-Central Two Sinn Fein seats are likely in this four-seater, with Aengus O Snodaigh and Daithi Doolan performing strongly. Dublin South Central didn't elect any Fianna Fail or Fine Gael candidates in 2020. This time around Catherine Ardagh (FF) is tipped to get a seat after benefitting from transfers. Dublin South-West Sinn Feins Sean Crowe is topping the poll with Fine Gaels Colm Brophy behind him. Fianna Fails John Lahart is currently coming in ahead of Labours Ciaran Ahern. Both candidates would be vying for the same affluent regions of the constituency in the Rathfarnham Templeogue region. People Before Profit's Paul Murphy expressed angst over the loss of his traditional stronghold in the Fettercairn region but was still in the mix with Fianna Fails Theresa Costello. Dublin West Jack Chambers (FF) and Paul Donnelly (SF) were elected in Dublin West on the first count. It is coming down to a battle for the fifth seat between Roderic O'Gorman of the Green Party and John Walsh of Labour which will certainly go deep into Sunday. The surplus distribution of Chambers aided not only his running mate, Lorna Nolan, but also Emer Currie, Fine Gael's sole candidate, who was elected on the second count. The fourth seat could go to former TD Ruth Coppinger of People Before Profit. Roderic O'Gorman could hold his seat as a rare Green survivor. Dun Laoghaire Jennifer Carroll MacNeill became the first TD elected in Ireland after the first count was announced at the count centre in Leopardstown Racecourse. The Fine Gael candidate took 11,685 votes. On being re-elected, MacNeill said: To win on the first count with a surplus is extraordinary and its a privilege. After two counts, Cathy Lynch (The Irish People) and Michael ODoherty (Independent) were eliminated. According to the tally earlier in the day, Fianna Fails Cormac Devlin won 15.8pc of the votes, Fine Gaels Seanad spokesperson Barry Ward secured 15pc and People Before Profit Solidaritys Richard Boyd Barrett won 12.4pc. Galway East Albert Dolan just edged ahead of Sean Canney on the first count with 110 more first preference votes (10,140 to 10,030). Unseating Mr Canney as Galway Easts biggest vote getter is an achievement in itself. Both had to wait to reach the quota of 10,843. Louis OHara is in third for Sinn Fein at 7,459 votes, followed by Pete Roche (Fine Gael) on 5,521 and Declan Geraghty (Independent Ireland) on 5,150. Fear of trouble for Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail) was confirmed with the sitting TD on just 4,056. Galway West things are looking good for independent candidates Catherine Connolly and Noel Grealish, as well as for Sinn Fein Mairead Farrell, who are all likely to retain their seats. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have performed well and Fianna Fail John Connolly is also likely to get a seat at the Dail. While Hildegarde Naughton might face a challenge to keep her seat as she is in a scrap with Fine Gaels Sean Kyne and Independent Irelands Noel Thomas. Kerry Michael Healy-Rae is the clear leader in Kerry and will return to the Dail. But in somewhat of a shock in the Kerry constituency, Fine Gael could lose its seat as Billy OShea did not poll as well as expected. He received just 10.1pc of the tallies. Those set to gain will be Fianna Fail as sitting TD Norma Foley is expected to be joined by Michael Cahill. Having arrived at the count centre this evening, Mr OShea wasnt giving up yet. He said that he has given it his best shot and the final result would depend on transfers. "We are in a dog fight with Cllr Michael Cahill, he said. Kildare North Fianna Fail minister of state James Lawless topped of the poll with newcomer Aidan Farrelly of the Social Democrats in second looking to hold the seat vacated by retiring party colleague, Catherine Murphy. Fine Gael are also expecting to hold a seat although whether it will be incumbent Bernard Durkan or newcomer Joe Neville is less clear. Reada Cronins vote appeared strong enough to hold her seat for Sinn Fein while the fifth seat was looking to be a toss-up between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Kildare South A thrilled Martin Heydon arrived at the Punchestown count centre safe in the knowledge that he would top the poll in Kildare South. I wouldnt switch my position with anyone else. Im really thrilled and so grateful to so many people who worked and volunteered and supported me over the campaign, he said. Second place is a scrap between Fiona OLoughlin, who is looking to make a comeback for Fianna Fail and Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh of Sinn Fein as well as Mark Wall of Labour. The Social Democrats Chris Pender and outgoing Independent TD Cathal Berry follow behind. Laois All eyes were on former Public Account Committee chair Brian Stanley who recently left Sinn Fein and ran as an independent. But Fine Gael Councillor Willie Aird topped the poll with 9,269 quotes and was just shy of the 9,570 quota. Sean Fleming of Fianna Fail followed. Sinn Feins sole candidate Maria McCormack was in fourth place, one position out from one of the three seats, following its break from the five-seater Laois-Offaly constituency. Austin Stack (FF) was eliminated in the second count. His father, Brian, was shot and murdered by the provisional IRA when he was working in Portlaoise Prison in 1984. Limerick City Fianna Fail candidate Willie ODea is projected to take the first seat. After the second count, he was only 153 votes from reaching the quota. He is being followed by Kieran ODonnell (FG) and Maurice Quinlivan (SF). Dee Ryan of Fianna Fail has taken the lead for the fourth seat ahead of Maria Byrne of Fine Gael. Limerick County Fine Gael candidate Patrick ODonovan secured the first of three seats this evening. The Newcastle West man said: From my perspective, the general election didn't start when the Taoiseach dissolved it. It started the day after I was elected the last time. So it's a four year campaign, and the next campaign starts tomorrow. Niall Collins of Fianna Fail is projected for another of the seats whichwill mark his fifth consecutive term in Dail Eireann, continuing a political career that began in 2007. Independent Ireland candidate Richard O'Donoghue is also expected to secure a seat. Longford-Westmeath Fine Gael might well deliver on their pre-election target of two seats, but there was only one name to take centre stage in Athlone TUS count centre yesterday Kevin Boxer Moran. The former OPW minister, according to official tally figures, looked set to claim the constituencys third seat and, in so doing, cap a remarkable return to Leinster House. The Athlone-based taxi driver looked on course to take in just shy of 8,000 first preferences, according to final tally figures with outgoing Enterprise Minister Peter Burke looking set to top the poll. His Fine Gael colleague, Senator Micheal Carrigy, occupied the fifth and final seat position, but with the lions share of Burkes surplus expected to come his way, the Ballinalee postmaster appeared well positioned to the claim the partys second seat. Fianna Fails Robert Troy remains on course to retain his seat and secure a fourth Dail term ahead of last times poll topper Sorca Clarke of Sinn Fei. This scenario would mean Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty loses out after four-and-a-half years in Leinster House. Louth Louth has a story for everyone. For Sinn Fein a replacement TD for outgoing Imelda Munster in Joanna Byrne, a county councillor, destined to join outgoing Ruairi O Murchu in Leinster House. For Fine Gael, Cllr Paula Butterly confounded the national attention on the party ticket in Louth, surpassing the embattled Senator John McGahon, whos political career lies in tatters. For Fianna Fail, a very real chance to securing a TD with closely tied Erin McGreehan or Alison Comyn expected to fill the final seat. Labours Ged Nash will be safely returned, while independent Kevin Callan fell short of high expectations. Mayo Outgoing TDs TDs Alan Dillon, Rose Conway-Walsh and Dara Calleary look set to retain their seats. Cllr Mark Duffy (FG) is also polling exceptionally well for a first time candidate. He is in fourth position, but he is approximately 2,600 votes behind Calleary at 5,900. In terms of transfers, he is not looking likely to gain. It is a very tight race between the fourth to eighth candidates in Mayo. Meath East Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee said it looks like the partys vote has held and overall it has been a positive day. She McEntee is one minister who is not in danger of losing her seat. Outgoing TDs Darren ORourke of Sinn Fein and Thomas Byrne of Fianna Fail also look safe. Independent Gillian Toole is a strong contender for the new fourth seat, trailed by Emer Toibin of Aontu and Sharon Tolan of Fine Gael. The percentages are tight and Independent Joe Bonner and Maria White of Sinn Fein are also in the running. Meath West Sinn Feins Johnny Guirke has been elected on count three. He takes the first seat in the constituency to embark on his second term as in the Dail. He first topped the polls in 2020 and has replicated that win in todays results. Aontus Peadar Toibin has also crossed the finish line on he fourth count. The former Sinn Fein TD was first elected to the Dail in 2011. The picture is also becoming clearer as to who will pick up the last seat. Fianna Fails Aisling Dempsey looks to be gathering Noel Frenchs distributed votes and widening the gap between her and Fine Gaels Linda Nelson Murray for that coveted third seat. Offaly Independent and incumbent candidate Carol Nolan (Independent) has had a very good day claiming the top spot in the tally and the first count, and can be sure of her seat. Aontu candidate Maureen Ward has been eliminated. The two remaining seats are very much still to play for. The three candidates expecting a tight race over the weekend are John Clendennen (FG) with 6,580 first preference votes in this first count, Aoife Masterson (SF) with 6,211, and veteran count councillor Tony McCormack (FF) coming in with 6,349 of the total poll. Senator Pippa Hackett had a bad day at the polls, with only 925 first preference votes. She says she is undecided about her future as a Senator ahead of that election next year. Roscommon-Galway It looks very straightforward here with Michael Fitzmaurice (Independent Ireland) set to top the poll. He will be followed by Claire Kerrane (SF) and Martin Daly (FF) for the other two seats. Aisling Dolan (FG) and Eugene Murphy (Ind) polled reasonably well but look too far behind to make up the numbers on transfers. Sligo-Leitrim The biggest talking point so far from the Sligo/Leitrim count in Sligo is the struggle which outgoing TD Marian Harkin (Independent) is going to have to hold on to her seat. A final tally has Harkin on 4,907 (7.6pc) which is well down on her showing in 2020 (11.5pc). The poll topper is likely to be outgoing TD Frank Feighan. Former TD Eamon Scanlon (FF) who lost out narrowly in in 2020 looks likely to regain his seat. While Martin Kenny's (SF) vote is well down on his showing in 2020, he should keep his seat. The final seat will be a battle between Independent Ireland's Michael Clarke, Sinn Fein's second candidate and also Fianna Fail's second runner, Edel McSharry with Clarke the favourite at this stage. Tipperary North Michael Lowry tops the poll for the seventh time in a row in Tipperary North, with a continuous career of over 37 years in the constituency. As expected, in second place is former Labour Party leader Alan Kelly, of Nenagh. The big breakout story of this election contest however is third placed Fianna Fail Cllr Ryan OMeara of Cloughjordan, who looks set to take the third seat. Just behind him are his party colleague, Roscrea Cllr Michael Smith, Fine Gaels Dr Phyll Bugler, and independent Thurles Cllr Jim Ryan. Tipperary South With 100pc of the boxes now opened, Independent Mattie McGrath looks set to top the poll once again in Tipperary South, leading the pack with 24.5pc of the vote, and 9,733 first preference votes. He said his recipe for success is: Hard work, honesty, integrity and straight talking, and not afraid to call out wrong doing. There has been so much waste in spending challenging that, and being a true representative of the people. As predicted, the Mayor of Clonmel FG Cllr Michael Murphy looks likely to take the second seat, with 20.3pc of the tallies, and 8,045 first preferences. The final seat is going to be a hard fought contest between three candidates, FF Cllr Imelda Goldsboro (14.2pc), independent left Seamus Healy (11.7pc) and Sinn Feins Martin Browne (11.7pc). Sinn Fein seem confident their man will collect enough transfers from independent Cllr John OHeney to get over the line, but it looks like a tough battle for the final seat. Waterford Sinn Feins David Cullinane has topped the poll with 11,936 votes on the first count, successfully passing the 10,731 quota. John Cummins is guaranteed to swap his Seanad seat for the Dail as has just 355 votes to go to pass the quota, sitting comfortably on 10,376, with Mary Butler going to carry on the seat for Fianna Fail, adding to the partys national success. Shes received 9,962 first preference votes. The fourth seat could be between Matt Shanahan (Ind) and Conor D McGuinness (SF) based on the tallies, with Sinn Fein the only party to run a second candidate, and depending on transfers, Mary Roche (Soc-Dem) shouldnt be ruled out. Former Green Party TD Marc O'Cathasaigh said the issue around Waterford Airport was definitely damaging as he loses his Dail seat, but the family man said : At home this now means less money, but more dad. Wexford Verona Murphy comfortably topped the poll, but Fianna Fails James Browne looks set to follow his fellow incumbent across the line, although he concedes that he might have to wait until tomorrow. Congratulations to Verona and her team, he said. They obviously worked very hard. My own team worked exceptionally hard. We canvassed every house in the constituency, which is no mean feat given its size. Fine Gael look set to lose a long-held seat, vacated by former government chief whip Paul Kehoe after 22 years. Johnny Mythen (SF) and George Lawlor (Lab) are looking to take the final two seats here with tallies indicating that Fine Gael's Cathal Byrne will lose out. Wicklow Taoiseach Simon Harris was elected on the first count with a huge surplus of some 5,000 votes over the quota. With only four seats up for grabs, reduced from five, things were looking good for incumbents Jennifer Whitmore (Social Democrats) and John Brady (SF). But the fight for the fourth seat was on, with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly leading Fine Gael's Edward Timmins but the latter expected to benefit from significant Harris transfers. Wicklow-Wexford There may be slight disappointment across the border in south Wicklow as three Wexford candidates; Sinn Feins Fionntan O Suilleabhain, Fianna Fails Malcolm Byrne and Fine Gaels Brian Brennan are expected to be elected with Brennan looking likely to top the poll. Wicklow Councillors Peir Leonard and Pat Kennedy look to fall short on becoming the first ever TD for Arklow. With thanks to Irish Independent journalists around the country who are staffing every constituency count centre and providing stories, results and live updates on our blog. A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to divert to Dublin this week to allow for an unruly passenger to be removed. Flight DL83 was 90 minutes into its journey from Paris to Atlanta when it forced to change course toward Ireland on Wednesday. It later emerged that a man in his 30s was arrested after an incident on board, said Gardai. The Airbus A330, which had departed nearly 20 minutes late, eventually landed nearly three hours later in Atlanta. Images shared on social media appeared to show a man being led off the plane in handcuffs. According to the aviation newsletter, A2Z the fire service was standing by at Dublin Airport because the plane had to make an overweight landing. It couldn't dump fuel, given it was set to continue flying across the Atlantic. In a statement to Business Insider, Delta said the plane had to stop in Dublin to remove an "unruly customer. "Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behaviour and will work with law enforcement authorities to that end," the airline said in its statement. "We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel." Meanwhile, a stowaway was discovered on another Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris. The passenger had managed to fly from the US to France without a ticket before being discovered on the flight. A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesperson said the woman - who boarded the Delta Air Lines flight without a ticket - had managed to bypass two "identity verification" stations. The woman was caught onboard Delta Airlines flight 264 from New York's John F Kennedy International Airport to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Tuesday. A source told NBC News that upon landing in Paris, the stowaway was removed from the aircraft by police officers. Delta Air Lines said in a statement: "Nothing is of greater importance than matters of safety and security. "That's why Delta is conducting an exhaustive investigation of what may have occurred and will work collaboratively with other aviation stakeholders and law enforcement to that end." Burned out? An Irish wellness travel expert tips her top holidays, from an off-grid retreat in west Cork to a futuristic spa in Italy Wellness tourism is growing at speed, with more retreats and treatments than ever from infrared saunas to longevity and mindfulness escapes. Wellness travel expert Kate OBrien explains the boom and shares the best holidays for mind and body Eriro in the Austrian Alps. Photo: Alex Moling Kate O'Brien Sat 30 Nov 2024 at 03:30 In this era of finely tuned wellbeing, the word spa is beginning to feel outdated. Fionnan Sheahan: 24 people, places and predicaments to watch out for in todays election count Expect shocks, sub-plots, big wins and bigger losses, conspiracies and conundrums in this waiting game People walk to a polling station in Dublin as the nation goes to the polls. Photo: PA Fionnan Sheahan Sat 30 Nov 2024 at 03:30 Remember the first rule of politics. The ballots dont make the results, the counters make the results. The counters. Keep counting. So said Boss Tweed in Gangs of New York. As the votes are counted, my earnest hope is that Fine Gael will not form part of the next government. I hope the party will seize the opportunity to rediscover and rejuvenate itself in opposition after 13 tumultuous years of desperately rebranding itself in order to cling to power. This may enable me (and many like me) to recommence canvassing for them come the next election with A New Energy of our own. Killian Foley-Walsh, Kilkenny We know what makes our politicians tick, so lets just go with that for now I believe integrity is a rare gift, so why do we expect our politicians to possess it? No one who wins political power in an imperfect, flawed but functional democracy like ours is ever going to be any kind of saint. We will always be led by people who possess enormous quantities of ambition, cunning and self-esteem. We dont learn anything important about the future from our relentless attempts to make them admit it. Former US Republican senator Alan J Simpson once said: If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you dont have integrity, nothing else matters. John OBrien, Co Tipperary US election was the one that matters Trump will be calling shots for us all Never has any recent election had less relevance, with parties squabbling over what they will spend the available pot of cash on. The election that matters was on November 5. Donald Trump will decide how much cash will be in the pot. Seamus McLoughlin, Keshcarrigan, Co Leitrim Whatever the outcome, getting out and actually voting is always crucial The story goes that on polling day many years ago, while walking down the street, a man was asked by a passerby: Have you exercised your franchise yet? He replied: Sure, I didnt even get time to vote. Leo Gormley, Dundalk, Co Louth In looking for answer to housing crisis, Sinn Fein is not going to provide one In the wake of the election, we should call for realism on housing plans. We have heard many numbers and forecasts over the past three weeks, but I believe we can all agree that delivering 300,000 to 350,000 new homes in the years through to 2030 is a genuine need. To achieve this will require in the range of 20bn to 25bn a year. Under any new administration, the State will be able to provide up to around 10bn a year. The remaining 10bn to 15bn will have to be provided by the private sector and every builder, developer, investment fund and pension fund involved in the property market knows this. Analysis of these numbers has been sorely missed throughout the campaign. This level of funding will not be provided in a market with rent freezes, bans on evictions and convoluted land ownership plans by Sinn Fein and other left-wing parties. A left-wing Sinn Fein-led government cannot possibly provide the homes required. Mark Mohan, Castleknock, Dublin 15 Fortunes of FG and SF will be watched to see if their support levels change Philip Ryan is probably right about transfers being crucial to the outcome of the election (Transfers expected to be more important than ever as voters to decide on the next five years, Irish Independent, November 29). Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are at roughly the same level of support as at the last general election. Ryan talks about a continuous slip in the fortunes of Fine Gael, yet no other party has benefited. He failed to inform us about the drop in the fortunes of Sinn Fein since the last election. He should remember the party got 24pc of the popular vote and has slumped since. Thomas Garvey, Claremorris, Co Mayo NGOs have proved theyre wildly out of touch with the Irish publics feelings Katherine Zappones piece on the need to hear all voices in the national conversation is a noble sentiment, but one cant help but wonder if it extends to voices questioning the self-proclaimed authority of NGOs (Dublin riots remind us we need to hear all voices in the national conversation, Irish Independent, November 28). These organisations claim to represent the views of the Irish people, yet the referendum results in June a resounding No despite NGOs unanimous campaigning for a Yes paints a very different picture. This wasnt just a minor miscalculation. It was a spectacular misreading of public sentiment by groups that proudly tout their connection to the ground. If theyre so attuned to public feeling, how did they get it so wrong? Their failure highlights why it is imperative to scrutinise NGOs, especially when they attempt to position themselves as the sole arbiters of public interest. Lets be clear: in a democracy, no institution is above question, least of all those claiming to speak for everyone while silencing dissenting views. If anything, the referendum result proves we need more critical voices, not fewer, to ensure these groups dont continue operating in a bubble of their own making. Elena Brooks, Glenageary, Co Dublin Horror inflicted on the Gazan population takes a particular toll on children I wholeheartedly agree with the thrust of your editorial that the respite in Lebanon is a welcome development, but that the killing in Gaza continues unabated (Respite in Lebanon is welcome, but Gaza bloodshed continues Irish Independent, November 29). The colossal magnitude of death and destruction that has engulfed the region is horrific. It is appallingly overwhelmed with heart-wrenching narratives of anguish, suffering and utter misery. Children, women, the elderly, the infirm and the disabled are living in sprawling tent camps in the midst of harsh winter conditions. Many tents have been flooded by heavy rainfall. Children are without nutrition, shelter and education. They have become the lost generation. Children pay the price for actions that have nothing to do with them. We need to find solutions to their predicament. Violence cannot continue unabated. Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. The idea and slogans promoting the development of nuclear weapons in Iran are harmful to the country, a former member of the Iranian parliament and expert, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh told reporters, Trend reports. In a statement to Iranian media, Falahatpisheh emphasized that such ideas are not in the countrys best interests. He noted that the promotion of nuclear bomb ideas puts pressure on Irans diplomats, especially those in international organizations, forcing them to make statements and clarify issues. This, in turn, damages the national interests of Iran. The Iranian expert also mentioned the recent discussions among the foreign ministers of Iran and three European countries (the UK, France, and Germany), calling them among Irans most passive talks in recent years. These discussions have been primarily focused on alleviating European concerns. In the next phase, the best possible outcome might be a return to the situation before the US pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, after which the US and its new government will play a key role in dealing with Irans nuclear program. "The slogans advocating for nuclear weapons in Iran, coupled with the failure to take timely action, led to the approval of a resolution against the country by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Looking at the resolution as a whole, it is clear that Iran had the opportunity to lift most of the sanctions imposed on it by allowing the inspections outlined in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reducing uranium enrichment levels, or suspending parts of its nuclear program. However, the current resolution demands that Iran fulfill these obligations without receiving any reciprocal benefits, marking a setback for the countrys national interests," he added. To note, the International Atomic Energy Agency adopted a resolution on November 21 with 19 votes in favor, 12 abstentions, and 3 against Iran. The resolution urged Tehran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency on a number of issues and also called for a credible document on uranium residues at two undeclared sites on Iranian territory. Meanwhile, in January 2016, Iran and the P5+1 group (the US, Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany) implemented the Comprehensive Joint Plan of Action concerning Irans nuclear program. However, in May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran. Two years later, Iran responded to the sanctions by implementing a strategic plan for the nuclear sector to counter them. The Iranian parliament made this decision at the end of 2020, leading to the suspension of additional measures and the Additional Protocol in accordance with the nuclear agreement. Consequently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) faced a reduction in monitoring capabilities by 2030 percent. Iran has officially affirmed that its strategy is not to pursue the development of an atomic bomb and that it does not support the production of weapons of mass destruction. The Iranian parliament's 39 members have petitioned Iran's Supreme National Security Council to review the country's defense doctrine regarding the production of nuclear weapons. A meeting was held in Geneva with the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany on November 29, where regional issues and Iran's nuclear program were discussed. It was emphasized that the discussions would continue. Maharees Heritage and Conservation Group were shortlisted in the Group of the Year category. Tralee Tidy Towns have been shortlisted for the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Award at the 2024 Clean Coasts 2024 Ocean Hero Awards. Two Kerry groups are celebrating this week after they were shortlisted for awards at the 2024 Ocean Hero Awards which took place recently at the Gibson Hotel in Dublin. The annual awards were hosted by An Taisces Clean Coasts Programme and they aim to celebrate and give thanks to the dedicated groups, individuals, communities, and businesses who have gone above and beyond to protect their local coastline and its surrounding environment, in 2024. Every year, the Ocean Hero Awards commemorate the invaluable contribution and dedication that Clean Coasts volunteers, groups and communities give towards conserving Irelands unique coastal heritage. Established in 2006 as the 'Clean Coasts Merit Awards,' the awards initially featured a single category, 'The Clean Coasts Group of the Year.' In the years following the awards have grown alongside the programme itself as more groups have come on board. As of 2024 there are over 2,000 Clean Coasts groups and over 40,000 volunteers who are actively engaging with the programme and who are integral to their coastal communities nationwide. The two Kerry groups who were shortlisted at this years awards were Tralee Tidy Towns and the Maharees Heritage and Conservation Group. First up, we have the Maharees Heritage and Conservation Group who were shortlisted in the Group of the Year Category for their work in 2024 protecting and conserving their local coastal heritage. The group have a busy yearly timetable and in addition to their beach cleans with a full summer programme, they also run a a mix of beach cleans, dune protection work, biodiversity talks, and fundraising activities. The group was started back in 2016 in response to a crisis faced by the community. Over the winter of 2015-16, a series of Atlantic storms blew large drifts of sand onto the only access road to the main residential areas of the Maharees tombolo. The group's main aim is sand dune protection for this reason, but their love of the beaches in their location leads them to run numerous beach clean events throughout the year. Up next, the Tralee Tidy Towns earned a shortlist nomination in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Category of the 2024 Ocean Hero Awards. As the population of Tralee town has become more diverse, with many people moving to Ireland, the group has now members from different countries, including Ukraine, Syria and Algeria, as well as local people and Irish people who call Tralee their home. People seeking refuge in Ireland are fleeing very difficult situations but to want to give back to their new home and keep the local area clean shows real strength and compassion. Upon the release of the IBAL litter results, Tralee Tidy Towns put a plan into action to address areas that are littered and for any areas they cannot access they work with local businesses and state companies to get everyone to keep the town tidy organising weekly beach cleans. The group also dropped 250 copies of their Family Heritage Trail booklet to the Tralee International Resource Centre (TIRC) who will use them in English language classes and in information about the town. They are hoping to work with TIRC on translations into the languages of the people they work with. Bronagh Moore, An Taisces Clean Coasts Programme Manager said: The Ocean Hero Awards is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and showcase the incredible work that is being done day in and day out by volunteers in the Clean Coast Community. We hope that it will inspire others to get involved and be ambitious about the positive impact we can have in protecting and caring for our marine environment. Killorglin could be set to have a toll for tourist buses crossing over the bridge, at least if local councillor Podge Foley was to get his way. He believes the toll would provide funds for the town and the bridge itself. At a recent Kenmare MD meeting he suggested that a 20 tariff be introduced on tourist buses "on all large tourist buses crossing the Laune." This money can be used to keep the bridge clean and help develop the attractiveness of the town, he said. In response council management said there it would be a matter for TII but there are not plans by the national body to introduce any such toll. "Laune Bridge is a structure on the N70 National Secondary Road. This proposal would essentially be a toll on the route which would have to be in introduced in accordance with the provisions of the Roads Act, 1993, as amended. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) oversees the implementation of tolling in Ireland. There are no proposals by TII to introduce tolling on the existing National Secondary network in Kenmare MD," they said in response to the motion. A proposal to introduce a tourist bus toll will be sent to TII as the motion was seconded by Fine Gael councillor, Teddy OSullivan-Casey. This is however not the first time that such a proposal had been made. Former Fine Gael councillor Johnny porridge OConnor also proposed a similar tariff when he was in public office. Pictured at the launch of the new eight-part Recovery Haven podcast were Catherine Mason (Gilroys), Tim McSwiney (Recovery Haven), Dan Nolan, Pa lynch (Longwave Audio), Sara Ross and Siobhan McSweeney (Recovery Haven). Photo by Mark O'Sullivan. There was great excitement in Tralee and further afield this week as cancer support charity, Recovery Haven Kerry, offically launched its very own eight-part podcast series. The show, which has just been uploaded to Spotify and Apple Play, was recorded and produced by Pa Lynch of Tralee-based Longwave Audio, and sponsored by Gilroys Green Energy LTD. The new podcast series is hosted by the charitys client services coordinator, Siobhan MacSweeney, who speaks about the broad range of services available at Recovery Haven Kerry Cancer Support House; chats with some service users about their experiences, along with health care professionals who sensitively outline what patients can expect when referred to oncology services. Among those who sit down to chat with Siobhan are Tralee woman Karyn Moriarty, who details her own breast cancer story and highlights the support she received from Recovery Haven; Kilflynn mother Sarah Barry, who availed of the services of Recovery Haven after her young daughter Aleyah was diagnosed with cancer. Also interviewed is Tarbert man, Dan Nolan, who chats about his extraordinary cancer journey - which saw him being place in an induced coma for over two months and how, with the support from Recovery Haven, recovered from his ordeal. Other special guests on the podcast include David Brennan of the Vicky Phelan Portrait Tour & Campaign team who speaks about the purpose and impact of the national campaign, as well as his fond memories of his dear friend Vicky and the legacy she leaves behind. Siobhan Sweeney and Sandra Murphy of UHHKs Oncology Department discuss the various treatments available at the chemotherapy unit and offer practical advice and information about at what you can expect when referred to oncology services. The final two episodes in the series, meanwhile, feature Recovery Haven Kerrys experienced psychotherapist, Kay Lynch, who speaks about the psychological and mental impact of a cancer diagnosis in a family, as well as Lynn Swinburne - senior health promotion officer with the HSEs National Screening Service - who outlines her role and discusses the range of cancer screenings currently available in Ireland. Over two years in the making, the aim of the podcast series is to allow those experiencing cancer to learn a little bit more about the services available at Recovery Haven Kerry and encourage those who may not have previously availed of the charitys services to consider doing so. Recovery Haven Kerry board chairman, Tim McSwiney, paid tribute to everyone who put so much time and effort into creating this informative, educational and poignant series including Siobhan and producer Pa Lynch who were incredible with their time and commitment to the project, to the wonderful clients, staff, counsellors and health care professionals who shared their stories and experiences. He also thanked Pat Gilroy of Gilroys Green Energy Ltd who kindly sponsored the series. Ray Toro, Gerard Way, Frank Iero, Mikey Way and Bob Bryar of My Chemical Romance (Photo by Carley Margolis/FilmMagic) Bob Bryar, the former drummer for My Chemical Romance, has been found dead aged 44. Bryars body was found in his Tennessee home on Tuesday (26 November) two days before Thanksgiving. According to TMZ, law enforcement suspect no foul play given that his belongings, including music equipment and weapons, were untouched. The musicians body was described as badly decomposed by the outlet. Animal Control reportedly arrived at the house after the body was discovered and removed two dogs from the residence. According to reports, Bryar was last seen alive on 4 November. His cause of death remains under investigation. Byar was a member of the rock band from 2004 to 2010, replacing drummer Matt Pelisser shortly after the band released their album 2004 Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. He played drums on all of My Chemical Romances biggest hits including 2006s Welcome to the Black Parade. The Chicago-born drummer exited the group in 2010 before the release of Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, which he did contribute to. At the time, My Chemical Romance issued a statement describing Bryars decision as painful. As of four weeks ago, My Chemical Romance and Bob Bryar parted ways. This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly, the statement read. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours and expect you all to do the same. In addition to Bryar, My Chemical Romance was comprised of Gerard Way, Frank Iero, Ray Toro, and Mikey Way. After working with other bands throughout the years, Bryar announced his retirement from the music industry in 2014. He went into a career of real estate and worked with a number of dog rescue charities and sanctuaries. In 2023, Bryar opened up on Twitter that he suffered severely from mental health issues. On social media, fans have paid tribute to the late musician, recalling his immense skill and genre-shaping tenure with My Chemical Romance. A court in Beijing on Friday sentenced a prominent Chinese journalist to seven in years in prison for espionage, his family said. Dong Yuyu, a commentator and editor, was taken away by police while meeting a Japanese diplomat at a restaurant in February 2022. He has been in police custody since then. A Palestinian woman stands inside a destroyed building after Israeli forces withdrew from a part of Nuseirat, following a ground operation in the area in the central Gaza Strip yesterday. Photo: Abd Elhkeem Khaled/Reuters Israeli military strikes killed at least 40 Palestinians overnight on Thursday and yesterday in the Gaza Strip, many of them in the Nuseirat refugee camp at the centre of the enclave, medics said, after Israeli tanks pulled back from parts of the camp. Shira Rubin: Hostages families urge Israel to seize chance to secure release following Lebanon ceasefire Relatives view US pressure as crucial to getting loved ones out of Gaza Protesters in Tel Aviv demand the release of Israeli hostages who were taken during last years October 7 attack. Photo: Reuters Shira Rubin Washington Post Sat 30 Nov 2024 at 03:30 When US president Joe Biden vowed that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon this week would be followed by a renewed push for a truce in the Gaza Strip, Jonathan Dekel-Chen made a deliberate effort not to get his hopes up. Former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh | Photo courtesy: YouTube screenshot grab Kolkata/IBNS: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named ex-RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh and four others in the chargesheet for the case over financial irregularities in the state-run institution in West Bengal. Apart from Ghosh, former house staff member Ashish Pandey, proprietor of M/s Maa Tara Traders Biplab Singha, proprietor of M/s Hazra Medical Suman Hazra and additional security and key person of M/s Eshan Cafe Afsar Ali Khan have been named in the chargesheet. The case was filed in accordance with the order of the Calcutta High Court. The alleged financial fraud came to light in the wake of the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar in August. The rape-murder, which had triggered widespread protests across the nation, brought the state administration under the scanner and allegedly exposed the fraudulent activities of Ghosh first brought to notice by the junior doctors in the college. Ghosh, who was reportedly the most powerful person in the medical college and hospital, was also arrested in connection with the rape-murder case. However, civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy, who was arrested by Kolkata Police in a quick time after the crime, is the only person so far named in the chargesheet in the rape-murder case. The probe agency has shown Roy entered the trauma centre of RG Kar at 3:34 am on August 9, the night when the heinous crime was committed. The CBI was handed over the case after the Calcutta High Court expressed dissatisfaction and pointed out several lapses in the investigation by the Kolkata Police. Francis Ekka was arrested from West Bengal's Darjeeling | Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X post New Delhi/IBNS: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after one of its leader's husband was arrested in West Bengal's Darjeeling with confidential DRDO documents and dangerous nuclear materials worth crores, media reports said. TMC party leader Amrita Ekka's husband Francis Ekka was arrested by police in a joint raid with the Army from Belgachi village in Naxalbari. Francis, who was in possession of radioactive Californium, has been charged with smuggling. Police are probing into his possible links to foreign organisations. Slamming the TMC, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla questioned, "Anti-national activities of TMC exposed? The possession of a highly dangerous radioactive element like Californium by a TMC leader highlights the party's involvement in activities that threaten national security." "How could the local administration not know ? Is this negligence or deliberate complicity? A thorough and impartial investigation must reveal the truth behind these anti-national actions." BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. The State Security Service of Georgia has called on protesters to refrain from provocative actions, the official statement of the State Security Service says, Trend reports. "We call on all protesters to exercise caution and not to become, knowingly or unwittingly, part of planned provocations," the the State Security Service said in an official statement. According to the service, some groups are attempting to organize provocations in front of the parliament building with the aim of implementing "destructive and violent scenarios." It is said that an investigation is underway into an attempt to violently overthrow state power, as provided for in Part 1 of Article 315 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which is punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to eight years. The private bus was carrying 15 passengers was heading towards Sikkim's Gangtok. (Image courtesy: Video grab) Siliguri: Five people were killed and several others were injured when a bus traveling along the Bengal-Sikkim border fell into Teesta River on Friday afternoon, media reports said. The private bus, carrying 15 passengers from Siliguri to Gangtok, veered off the road and plunged into the river, reported India Today. The accident occurred around 3:50 pm as the bus was en route to Gangtok in Sikkim. Preliminary reports suggest that a brake failure may have led to the tragedy. Three passengers died on the spot, while two others, critically injured, succumbed to their injuries while being transported to Rangpo Hospital. Rest of the injured individuals have been admitted to hospitals in Rangpo and Singtam, where they are undergoing treatment. Police, local residents, and rescue teams responded quickly to the mishap. A JCB machine stationed near National Highway 10 for roadwork was deployed in the rescue operation. Administration is continuing to investigate the exact cause of the accident. Sharad Pawar blamed EVM for Maharashtra poll rout but has no evidence to prove his claim. (Photo Courtesy: Sharad Pawar X handle) Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday alleged irregularities in the votes recorded through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the Maharashtra Assembly elections. However, he admitted that he currently lacks evidence to support this claim. Pawar said there was a discrepancy in the votes from EVMs but admitted he had no proof to substantiate it. He said that some people had requested a recount and assured that whatever was feasible in the matter would be done. "Some people have applied for recounting. Let's see what happens in that, but I do not have much hope from this," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. After suffering a near wipe out in the recent Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand as well as in Jammu Kashmir last month, the Congress accused the Election Commission of undermining the "integrity of the entire electoral process" and declared plans to launch a "national movement" in response. "The Congress Working Committee (CWC) believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission. Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take up these public concerns as a national movement," the Congress said in a statement. The Election Commission rejected the Congress's allegations but added that it was ready to discuss the matter with a party delegation scheduled for December 3. Sai Teja Nukarapu had come to US 3 months ago and worked part-time at shopping mall. (Photo Courtesy: video grab) Chicago: Sai Teja Nukarapu, a 22-year-old student from Telangana, was shot dead by armed robbers at a shopping mall in Chicago, USA, on Friday, media reports said. Teja, a resident of Khammam district, was working part-time at the malls cash counter when the attackers opened fire and looted cash. He died on the spot, reported India Today. Teja had moved to the US three months ago to pursue an MBA after completing his BBA in India, according to the report. Consulate General of India's office in Chicago decsribed the incident as "shocking" and demanded immediate action against the culprits. We are shocked and deeply sad at the murder of Indian Student Nukarapu Sai Teja. We demand immediate action against the culprits. Consulate will extend all possible help to the family and friends of the victim @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia India in Chicago (@IndiainChicago) November 30, 2024 This incident comes just days after another Indian student from Telangana, 23-year-old Aryan Reddy, accidentally fatally shot himself on his birthday in Atlanta, Georgia. In related news, US consular data revealed that India has overtaken China as the top source of international students in the US for the 2023-24 academic year. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh contributed 56% of these students, with Telangana alone accounting for 34% and Andhra Pradesh 22%. According to US Consular Chief Rebekah Drame, over 47,000 student visa interviews were conducted in Hyderabad during the summer of 2024, a significant increase from 35,000 the previous year. Public Affairs Officer Alexander McLaren noted that nearly 3.3 lakh Indian students traveled to the US last year, with most opting for masters programs. Maharashtra CM will be from the BJP, and Deputy CMs will be from two allies NCP, Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar said. (Photo courtesy: Ajit Pawar X page) Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister will be from the BJP, Ajit Pawar announced today, stating that the two Deputy Chief Ministers will represent the alliance partners in the Mahayuti coalition, media reports said. The alliance includes Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the BJP. In the recent state elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 132 seats, while the Shiv Sena secured 57 and the NCP 41, giving the alliance a commanding majority of 230 seats in the 288-member assembly, well above the 145-seat threshold. "During the meeting in Delhi, it was decided that the Mahayuti will form the government with a BJP Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers from the remaining two parties," Pawar was quoted as saying by NDTV. Addressing the delay in government formation after the Maharashtra Assemblys term ended on November 26, Pawar remarked, "This is not the first time there has been a delay... In 1999, it took a month to form the government." While the BJP has yet to convene a meeting of its newly elected MLAs or name its legislature party leader, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed today that the swearing-in ceremony will take place on December 5 at 5 pm at Mumbai's Azad Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event. Outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who earlier said he would not be an "obstacle" and would defer to the BJP's central leadership, has effectively cleared the path for Devendra Fadnavis, a former Chief Minister, to return to the role unless the BJP opts for a new face. Nagarjuna with Naga Chaitanya and Shobita Dhulipala on the couple's engagement day | Photo courtesy: Nagarjuna X handle Ahead of his son Naga Chaitanya 's wedding with Sobhita Dhulipala, actor Nagarjuna bought a swanky Lexus car worth Rs. 2.5 crore, media reports said. Nagarjuna was also seen travelling in the car to get the vehicle registered. The video of Nagarjuna arriving at the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) office in Khairatabad went viral on social media. King Nag at RTA office for his latest #Lexus registration #Nagarjuna pic.twitter.com/uB2cJ5d8Fg Nag Mama Rocks (@SravanPk4) November 28, 2024 Naga and Sobhita, who are quite known Indian actors, got engaged in August. They will tie the knot on December 4 at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. As per reports, Naga and Sobhita met each other for the first time in 2022. They became friends and soon their friendship turned into courtship. However, the couple kept their relationship under wraps leaving much to the imagination of their fans and followers. The rumours of their dating emerged months after Naga was separated from his now ex-wife, actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The two got divorced in 2021. BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. Anti-government rally in Tbilisi smashes windows of parliament building, throwing stones, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement, Trend reports. "We inform the public that some of the protesters resorted to violence immediately after the rally began. In particular, the fences of the parliament building were damaged, and dozens of window panes on its facade were broken with stones and other objects", the statement noted. In addition, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, some protesters were found to have pyrotechnics, stones and heavy objects. "We once again call on all participants in the action to express their discontent in legal and peaceful ways, avoiding illegal actions," the ministry emphasized. Allu Arjun is gearing up for the release of Pushpa 2, one of the biggest films of the year. The actioner is a sequel to the 2021 blockbuster Pushpa and features the mass hero in a rugged avatar. Bunny grew a beard to do justice to the character. During the promotions of Pushpa 2 in Mumbai, Allu Arjun revealed that he wasnt able to kiss his daughter for nearly four years because he had grown a beard for his role in the franchise. Allu Arjun reveals he wasnt about to kiss his daughter during the shoot of the Pushpa saga Allu Arjun recently promoted Pushpa 2 in Mumbai. During the event, the star revealed that he wanted the shoot of the franchise to end at the earliest as it was taking a toll on his personal life. He revealed that he was not able to kiss Arha, his daughter, while shooting for the Pushpa saga as he had grown a beard. I shot this film for almost five years, including the first and second parts. I was waiting for this film to get over so that I could clean shave. My daughter doesn't come to me because I can't kiss her because I "I haven't kissed her properly in the last three to four years, said the Stylish Star. Allu Arjun has dedicated nearly five years to the Pushpa saga. The first part of the franchise hit the screens in 2021 and emerged as a blockbuster. The second instalment is set to premiere in theatres on December 5. About Pushpa 2 Pushpa 2 is an actioner that features Allu Arjun as a smuggler and centres on the events that take place when he clashes with menacing foes in his quest for power. The actioner features Rashmika Mandanna as the leading lady. She plays Srivalli, the protagonists wife. The second instalment of the Pushpa franchise also features Fahadh Faasil, Sunil, Jagapathi Babu, and Ajay in key roles. Sreeleela makes a guest appearance in the Kissik song. Its music is composed by Devi Sri Prasad, best known for his work on films such as Kanguva and Rangasthalam. Pushpa 2 is set to hit the screens on December 5. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Well-known for his role in Hindi film Josh, actor Sharad Kapoor has been accused of attempting sexual harassment. Yes, you read it right. Sharad Kapoor has been accused of the crime by a 32-year-old woman. The complainant registered the FIR at Khar Police Station. Here's everything you need to know about the case: What is the allegation against Sharad Kapoor? As per media reports, the complainant has said the actor and producer invited her under the pretence of discussing professional opportunities, where he attempted to harass her. The lady has claimed that upon arriving at his Mumbai residence, she was directed to the actor's bedroom, where she alleges Kapoor was found without clothes. Further, the FIR says the woman requested Sharad to dress up and carry the meeting in question professionally. But even after the request, the actor attempted to hug her inappropriately. According to media reports, Mumbai police have registered a case against Sharad under the following sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: 1. Section 74: Assault or use of criminal force against a woman. 2. Section 75: Sexual harassment. 3. Section 79: Insulting the modesty of a woman. What is the current status of the case in question? The investigation into the sexual harassment is ongoing, and no official statements are out as of now. There are no remarks by Sharad Kapoor also. Sharad Kapoor's career so far Sharad Kapoor is a well-known face in the Hindi film industry. He is famous for his roles in Bollywood films like Josh, Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani, Tamanna, Dastak, and Topi Uske Sar. Stay tuned for updates on this case. A hospital in Kolkata has taken a strong stand against the recent spate of attacks and violence targeting Hindus across the border in Bangladesh, following the ouster of the long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The JN Ray Hospital in north Kolkata's Maniktala area said it would not treat patients from Bangladesh. According to the JN Ray Hospital management, the decision was taken due to the insult of the Indian flag by Bangladeshi nationals. CREDIT: JN Ray Hospital What JN Ray Hospital said "We have issued a notification that from today until an indefinite time, we will not admit any Bangladeshi patient for treatment. This is primarily because of the insults they have shown towards India," a hospital official said. He urged other hospitals in the city to do the same as a mark of protest against the alleged atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh. CREDIT: IANS "Seeing the tricolour being insulted, we have decided to stop treating Bangladeshis. India has played an important role in their independence, but despite that, we are witnessing anti-India sentiments. We hope other hospitals will support us and take similar steps," he added. Also read: Three Hindu temples vandalised in Bangladesh's Chattogram, were pelted with bricks How India-Bangladesh ties suffered after Sheikh Hasina's ouster Relations between India and Bangladesh have been rocked by the ouster of Hasina in August due to public protests. The interim government, installed by the protesters who saw Hasina as pro-India, has taken a more hostile attitude towards its neighbour since assuming office. A spate of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and their places of worship, to which India has raised serious concerns, has only made matters worse. The recent arrest of an ISKCON monk, Chinmoy Krishna Das, in Bangladesh on charges of sedition has strained the ties further. CREDIT: AP India asks Bangladesh to ensure safety of minorities India on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities, as it expressed serious concern over the "surge" of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence in the neighbouring country. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladeshi government the threats and "targeted attacks" on Hindus and other minorities. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Amid the worsening security situation in Bangladesh for the religious minorities in the country, now ruled by a caretaker government, three Hindu temples in the port city of Chattogram came under mob attack on Friday. The Shantaneshwari Matri Temple in Harish Chandra Munsef Lane, the Shoni Temple, and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple were attacked on Friday afternoon by a mob allegedly chanting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans. CREDIT: IANS Three temple attacked in Bangladesh According to local media reports, the attack took place around 2:30 pm when a group of several hundred slogan-shouting people threw brickbats at the temples, damaging the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples. Kotwali Police Station chief Abdul Karim confirmed the attack, saying that assailants attempted to damage the temples. What temple authorities said A procession of hundreds arrived after the Juma prayers. They started shouting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans, Tapan Das, a permanent member of the Shantineshwari Main Temple management committee, told local media. We did not obstruct the attackers. When the situation worsened, we called the army, who arrived quickly and helped restore order. All the temple gates were closed before noon. The miscreants arrived unprovoked and carried out the attack," he added. CREDIT: IANS Tensions in Chattogram Chattogram, also known as Chittagong, which is home to the Chittagong port, the largest port in Bangladesh, has been the centre of recent religious tensions in the country. The flare-up in recent tensions follows the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) of Bangladesh. Also read: ISKCON denies distancing itself from Chinmoy Krishna Das, says the organisation stands with monk arrested in Bangladesh Arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Das, along with 18 others, was booked for sedition by the Kotwali Police for allegedly disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag in Chattogram's New Market area during a rally of the Hindu community. CREDIT: AP Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday. Calls to ban ISKCON Following the incident, there have been calls in Bangladesh to ban ISKCON, and on Friday, authorities froze the bank accounts of 17 people associated with the religious group, including Das, for 30 days. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: Millions of devotees, saints, and pilgrims from all around the world will assemble in Prayagraj (Allahabad), India, for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, a magnificent Hindu celebration. Every twelve years, this revered occasion entails ritual bathing in the holy rivers, especially at the Triveni Sangam, which is the meeting point of the Yamuna, Ganga, and the fabled Saraswati rivers. During the Maha Kumbh, bathing here is thought to bestow spiritual blessings and purify sins. Prayers, religious talks, cultural activities, and parades will all be part of the festival. It showcases India's spiritual legacy and is one of the world's largest peaceful gatherings. When is Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 starting? From January 13 to February 26, 2025, many pilgrims will be immersed in the sacred Sangam during the 30- to 45-day Kumbh Mela. Makar Sankranti will mark the start of the celebration, and Maha Shivratri will mark its conclusion. During this time, important bathing dates will include: Bathing dates Event 13th January, 2025 Paush Purnima 14th January, 2025 Makar Sankranti 29th January, 2025 Mauni Amavasya 4th February, 2025 Basant Panchmi 12th February, 2025 Maghi Purnima 26th February, 2025 Maha Shivratri Why is Kumbh Mela celebrated in every 12 years? Credit: Wikipedia The Kumbh Mela's distinctive 12-year cycle is among its most fascinating features. The alignment of the planet Jupiter (Brihaspati) with the Sun and Moon is represented by the 12-year interval. When these celestial bodies are in a favorable position, which is regarded as spiritually significant, the Kumbh Mela is held according to astrology. Based on particular astrological alignments, each of the four Kumbh Mela sitesPrayagraj (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashikfollows a 12-year cycle. For instance, when Jupiter is in Taurus, and the Sun and Moon are in Capricorn, Prayagraj hosts the Kumbh Mela. What happens during Kumbh Mela 2025? Holy Bathing: In order to obtain divine benefits, devotees take a bath in the hallowed rivers. Religious Ceremonies: Chanting, prayers, and yajnas (fire rites) are conducted. Sadhu Procession: Naga sadhus, or austere monks, are among the sadhus who arrive in vibrant processions. Spiritual Talks: Well-known spiritual authorities give talks. Cultural Programs: The joyous ambiance is enhanced with folk music, dance, and artistic displays. Who started Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj? Credit: Wikipedia Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad, has been celebrating the Kumbh Mela for centuries. During the 7th-century reign of King Harshavardhana, the celebration became more organized and well-known. Buddhism and Hinduism were greatly supported by King Harshavardhana, who ruled throughout northern India. He was instrumental in the Kumbh Mela's advertising, converting it into a sizable community where religious and cultural interactions occurred. His work specified Prayagraj as one of the main venues for the Kumbh Mela celebration and enabled the institutionalization of the occasion. In which states does Kumbh Mela take place? Four Indian states celebrate the Kumbh Mela, with each one holding the event at a different time: Haridwar Prayagraj Nashik Ujjain What are the types of Maha Kumbh Mela? Credit: Wikipedia Various celebrations of the Kumbh Mela are held depending on the region and frequency: Purna Kumbh Mela: The biggest and most important Kumbh Mela is held in Prayagraj every twelve years. The biggest and most important Kumbh Mela is held in Prayagraj every twelve years. Ardh Kumbh Mela: Every six years, Prayagraj and Haridwar Every six years, Prayagraj and Haridwar Maha Kumbh Mela: Every 144 years, following 12 Purna Kumbh Melas, Prayagraj hosts the Maha Kumbh Mela, a magnificent occasion. Every 144 years, following 12 Purna Kumbh Melas, Prayagraj hosts the Maha Kumbh Mela, a magnificent occasion. Magh Mela: A yearly celebration in Prayagraj, is regarded as a scaled-down replica of the Kumbh Mela. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. If you haven't heard about the banana duct-taped to a wall that sold as art for a whopping $6.2 million, you might just be living under a rockor perhaps, under a banana. Enter Justin Sun, the man who shelled out millions for this quirky masterpiece, claiming it's "not just artwork; it's a cultural phenomenon." But now, Sun has gone bananasliterallyby eating the pricey fruit. How could he, right?! Justin Sun, a cryptocurrency mogul and avid art collector, made headlines when he purchased the infamous duct-taped banana artwork for a staggering $6.24 million (Rs 53 crore) at a Sotheby's auction in New York. I'm thrilled to announce that I've bought the banana !!! @SpaceX @Sothebys I am Justin Sun, and I'm excited to share that I have successfully acquired Maurizio Cattelan's iconic work, Comedian for $6.2 million. This is not just an artwork; it represents a cultural phenomenon pic.twitter.com/lAj1RE6y0C H.E. Justin Sun (@justinsuntron) November 21, 2024 On a whim, Sun joked that he might just end up eating the bananaand he followed through in dramatic fashion. At one of Hong Kong's most luxurious hotels, Sun took a bite out of a banana in front of a captivated audience, describing the artwork as "iconic." BREAKING: Justin Sun eats the $6.2M banana art he purchased. pic.twitter.com/3Qj1ANpTYX Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) November 29, 2024 His verdict? The experience was "naturally different from an ordinary banana," given its rich backstory or as Sun described it, "a banana with such a back story." Many friends have asked me about the taste of the banana. To be honest, for a banana with such a back story, the taste is naturally different from an ordinary one. I could discern a hint of what Big Mike bananas from 100 years ago might have tasted like. pic.twitter.com/Sz6zaePGpv H.E. Justin Sun (@justinsuntron) November 29, 2024 Reflecting on his purchase, Sun said he felt "disbelief" in the first 10 seconds after winning the bid, quickly realising, "this could become something big." By the next 10 seconds, he had already decided the banana was destined to be eaten. Sun is no stranger to splurging on art. His collection includes both traditional blue-chip pieces and NFTs. In 2021, he made waves by spending $78.4 million on a Picasso painting and an Alberto Giacometti sculpture. But dropping Rs 53 crore on a banana? Now that's a-peeling. Who made the duct taped banana art work? The duct-taped banana, a conceptual art piece titled Comedian, was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Credit: Reuters The artwork serves as a critique of the art market's extravagance, with its value driven entirely by the hype and money it generates. In an interview with The Times, Cattelan delved into the deeper meaning of the piece, stating, "The higher the price, the more it reinforces its original concept." In other words, the absurdity of a banana's multimillion-dollar price tag perfectly embodies the critique of art as a commodity. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. Thanksgiving 2024, which took place on Thursday, November 28, was filled with trending moments, from Donald Trump's Thanksgiving celebration with Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago to his AI-powered video mocking Democrats like Biden and Kamala. But amid all the buzz, there's one Thanksgiving wish from the next US VP, JD Vance, that's gone viral and has everyone asking, "What was he thinking?" On Thanksgiving, Ohio Senator JD Vance posted a strange image that quickly caught attention. Check it out below: He shared a parody of Norman Rockwell's famous "Freedom From Want" painting, but with a twistVance's face was superimposed on the mother/ wife serving turkey, while Donald Trump appeared as the smiling husband standing behind her. The scene, originally depicting a holiday feast, was altered to show a U.S. electoral map instead of the turkey, highlighting the red counties that voted for Trump in 2024, symbolising his return to the White House. Leaving the politics aside, it was the strange portrayal of Vance as Trump's spouse that left many questioning his intentions. Another post that went viral this Thanksgiving was Donald Trump's AI-powered spoof video, which drew inspiration from the 1989 classic Christmas Vacation. The video featured AI-generated versions of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and other Democrats like Nancy Pelosi, creating a comedic take on the holiday season. How did people respond? The post left many people baffled. One user simply asked, "Why did you portray yourself as the wife?" Why did you illustrate yourself as the wife? Mightykeef (@MightyKeef) November 29, 2024 So you're Trump's wife? That's weird. Jen (@JenResistedAGN) November 29, 2024 Another quipped, "Is Vance the First Lady now? Is America cooked like a turkey? Where's Elon Musk? I have so many questions." Is Vance the First Lady now? Is America baked like a turkey? Where is Elon Musk? I have so many questions. Drew Myszka (@drewmyszka) November 30, 2024 A third chimed in with, "Thanks for letting us know you're comfortable wearing dresses." Thank you for being comfortable enough to tell us you wear a lot of dresses Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) November 29, 2024 To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. Whether you're just in the mood to 'Netflix and chill' or watching show after show, bewarescammers are targeting Netflix users with a sneaky new scam. Experts are sounding the alarm about a "very large" cyber scheme where criminals trick subscribers into revealing sensitive financial information through fake messages. What is the Netflix scam all about? A new Netflix scam, which has been circulating since September and continues to be a major threat, is targetting unsuspecting subscribers with fake SMS messages. These messages, designed to look like official Netflix alerts, claim there's an issue with your account. One example reads, "There was an issue processing your payment. To keep your services active, please sign in and confirm your details at: https://account-details[.]com." These fraudulent texts often contain links to phishing websites that mimic Netflix's login page. Once a subscriber enters their login details, personal information, and credit card numbers, the criminals behind the scam collect this sensitive data and sell it on the dark web to various underground networks. The success of the scam is partially due to Netflix's lack of two-factor authentication, leaving users more vulnerable to these types of spearphishing attacks, as per New York Post. The streaming giant relies only on usernames and passwords, which makes it easier for cybercriminals to trick people into handing over their credentials. According to experts, the scam works by creating a sense of urgency, playing on the fear of losing access to your account due to a missed payment. Given the widespread popularity of Netflix as a subscription service, it's likely that many people will get exposed to this scam. Therefore, it's crucial for subscribers to stay vigilant and avoid clicking on any suspicious links or responding to unsolicited messages. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. A 50-year-old Greek woman is stranded in Turkey awaiting trial after being accused of theft in Istanbul. The woman was detained by Turkish police on November 22nd following an alleged incident where a shop owner's phone was stolen. She was shopping for headscarves with her 22-year-old daughter and a friend to enter Hagia Sophia. Although the shop owner has since withdrawn his complaint, believing a mistake was made, the woman remains in Turkey facing a trial that could take months. Her husband has appealed to the Greek government to intervene and secure her return to Greece. The woman's daughter was also detained and deported after three days without her mother being notified. The Greek Foreign Ministry is monitoring the situation and has confirmed its commitment to protecting the rights of Greek citizens abroad, though it emphasized that it does not intervene in judicial matters of other countries. iefimerida.gr A shocking case of alleged child abuse has come to light, with a parliamentary police officer accused of raping his own children. The complaint was filed by his wife, also a police officer, who endured years of terror in her own home before finally coming forward. The officer is accused of sexually assaulting his three daughters, starting when they were just five years old, and engaging in disturbing behavior with his son . The abuse is alleged to have occurred from 2016 until November of this year. Despite the horrors unfolding in her home, the mother, who has five children and is expecting a sixth, continued to work at the Hellenic Police Headquarters (GADA) without showing any outward signs of the trauma. The children have testified before a child psychologist, recounting the nightmare they endured. Forensic evidence is also reportedly available. This is not the first time the officer has faced accusations of domestic violence. In February, and again just days before the current complaint, the mother filed reports against her husband for verbal and physical abuse. In the first instance, she withdrew her statement and sought criminal mediation after he threatened suicide. In the second instance, she was provided with a "panic button" application and additional protection. Authorities have informed the prosecutor's office, and the children have been transferred to a hospital for medical examination and placed in protective care. A forensic examination of the minors has also been ordered. This case has sent shockwaves through the Greek police force and the public. It highlights the hidden nature of domestic abuse and the urgent need for better support systems for victims, even within law enforcement agencies. iefimerida.gr The European Parliaments recent resolution rejecting Georgias parliamentary election results and calling for a rerun has sent political shockwaves through Tbilisi. Backed by 444 Members of Parliament, with 72 dissenting and 82 abstaining, the resolution underscored widespread electoral violations that, according to Brussels, render the results unacceptable for international recognition. The European Parliament urged new elections within a year under an improved electoral framework with independent oversight. At the heart of the resolution lies a recommendation for personal sanctions against prominent Georgian leaders, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili, and "Georgian Dream" party chairman Irakli Garibashvili. The call also includes sanctions against judges accused of handling politically motivated cases and oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, alleged to have eroded Georgias political stability and steered the nation closer to Russia. Moreover, the European Parliament proposed that the European Commission and EU Council revisit Georgias visa-free travel arrangement, suggesting its possible suspension. European lawmakers argue that Georgias current leadership is driving the country toward domestic political instability and alienation from its democratic partners. In a defiant response, Prime Minister Kobakhidze announced a suspension of negotiations with the EU until 2028 and a rejection of EU grants, doubling down on the governments narrative of sovereignty and self-reliance. Despite this, he reaffirmed Georgias goal of EU membership by 2030, stating, "Our duty is to make Georgia part of the European family. However, relations with the EU must remain strictly bilateral and must not become a tool of pressure." A Nation Divided According to Georgias Central Election Commission, the ruling "Georgian Dream" party secured 53.93% of the vote, while four opposition parties, including the "Coalition for Change" (11.03%) and the "Unity National Movement" (10.16%), also entered Parliament. Yet, the opposition has categorically rejected the results, citing widespread irregularities. The United States and the EU have voiced concerns, demanding investigations into alleged abuses, including voter intimidation, bribery, and misuse of administrative resources. Both Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU High Representative Josep Borrell specifically pointed to an uneven playing field for political parties and the chilling impact of Georgias controversial "foreign agents" law. The contested elections have fractured Georgia politically and diplomatically, deepening domestic divides and straining ties with its Western allies. The growing rift between Georgian authorities and the international community has escalated tensions, casting a shadow over Georgias European aspirations. Protests Erupt Across the Nation In the wake of the elections, spontaneous protests erupted outside the Georgian Parliament. Initial estimates placed the crowd at 2,0003,000 demonstrators on Tbilisis iconic Rustaveli Avenue and adjacent Freedom Square, but numbers quickly swelled to tens of thousands. Protests soon spread beyond the capital, with roads blocked near "Georgian Dream" offices in Kutaisi and demonstrations reported in Batumi, Gori, and Zugdidi. The flashpoint for these protests? The governments decision to postpone EU membership negotiations until 2028. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported 43 arrests for minor infractions and disobedience to police orders, alongside injuries to 32 officers, 13 of whom required surgery. Journalists covering the unrest were not spared, with several sustaining injuries. As the protests continued into the night, scenes of arson, property damage, and clashes with police unfolded along Rustaveli Avenue. Protesters reportedly hurled glass bottles and fireworks at law enforcement, prompting the use of tear gas, smoke grenades, and water cannons. By 2 a.m., special forces had been deployed to disperse the crowds. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, joining demonstrators at Parliament earlier in the evening, questioned special forces about whom they were servinga moment that highlighted the widening chasm between the nations leadership and its people. A Red Alert in Parliament Starting November 29, Parliament implemented a "red security level," restricting access to the building to personnel designated by parliamentary leadership based on the assessed threat level. Commenting on the unrest, Vladimir Bozhadze, First Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, maintained that Georgia remains committed to its EU path, dismissing the protests as baseless. Yet, the growing public dissatisfaction suggests mounting challenges for the government. Strategic Pragmatism or Isolation? The Georgian governments decision to pause EU negotiations until 2028 marks a watershed moment in the nations foreign policy. While officials frame the move as a defense of national sovereignty, critics see it as a dangerous pivot away from Georgias historical trajectory toward European integration. The "Georgian Dream" partys decision to halt EU talks and reject European grants signals a broader recalibration in Georgias international posture. At a press briefing, Kobakhidze cast the move as a response to Brussels attempts to use EU integration as leverage, declaring, "Integration into the EU should not be presented as an act of charity. Georgia, with its ancient Christian heritage and unique cultural identity, has much to contribute to Europe." This rhetoric underscores a strategic pivot, but it comes with risks. Suspending EU negotiations deepens Georgias isolation from its Western partners, potentially jeopardizing vital economic and diplomatic ties. The opposition, led by figures like former Defense Minister Giorgi Baramidze, has branded the move a "historic betrayal," warning of dire consequences for Georgias economic stability and national identity. The Balancing Act Between East and West Georgias leadership appears determined to chart a middle path, balancing its European ambitions with economic pragmatism. With Russia serving as a key trading partneraccounting for significant wine exports and billions in tourism revenuesTbilisi has little room to maneuver without risking economic fallout. Yet, aligning too closely with Moscow could alienate Western partners and erode public trust domestically. The decision to delay EU negotiations reflects a broader dilemma: how to reconcile the competing demands of economic stability, geopolitical strategy, and public expectations. Georgias balancing act between East and West is becoming increasingly precarious, with the stakes higher than ever in a rapidly shifting global order. As Tbilisi seeks to navigate these turbulent waters, the question remains: Can Georgia maintain its independence and stability while keeping its European dream alive, or will it be forced to choose sides in a polarized world? Protecting Sovereignty or Resisting Pressure? In the wake of Georgia's suspension of EU negotiations and rejection of European grants, Georgian authorities have offered several key justifications for this bold move: Opposition to Foreign Interference. Tbilisi has framed the European Parliaments resolution and accompanying pressures as direct attempts to undermine Georgian sovereignty. From demands to review election results to threats of sanctions and discussions surrounding the visa-free regime, the Georgian government views Brussels actions as undue meddling in its domestic affairs. Pursuit of Equal Partnership. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has emphasized that Georgia is unwilling to accept a subordinate role in its relationship with Europe. He has called for a partnership grounded in mutual respect, rejecting ultimatums and economic coercion. Reducing Financial Dependence. The refusal to accept EU grants signals Georgias aspiration for independent economic policy. Tbilisi may be using this as a strategic pivot to strengthen financial autonomy, with an eye toward diversifying partnerships globally. A Diplomatic Tightrope for Tbilisi Georgias announcement comes against the backdrop of a tough European Parliament resolution, which outlined several high-stakes challenges for Tbilisi: Non-Recognition of Election Results. By questioning the legitimacy of Georgias October 26 parliamentary elections, Brussels has cast a shadow on the countrys international reputation. Sanctions on the Table. The European Parliament has urged the European Commission to consider imposing sanctions on Georgian officials, a move that could destabilize bilateral ties. Visa-Free Travel at Risk. Revisiting Georgias visa-free regime with the EU introduces significant uncertainty for Georgian citizens who rely on free movement across Europe for business and personal opportunities. Tbilisis Defiant Stance In response, Tbilisi has rejected these measures outright, asserting that European integration must be based on mutual respect, not external dictates. Georgian officials have characterized the EUs demands as a direct challenge to national sovereignty, a stance they believe is critical for preserving the countrys independent trajectory. Yet this firm response brings inherent risks. Economically, Georgia could face significant repercussions, and its European integration ambitions may now confront even greater challenges. Isolation or New Alliances? Georgia at a Crossroads The decision to suspend negotiations and reject EU grants has undoubtedly deepened the rift between Tbilisi and Brussels. Several potential consequences of this choice merit attention: Worsening Political Crisis. The specter of revisiting Georgias visa-free status with the EU could incite domestic unrest, particularly among younger citizens and business communities who actively benefit from European privileges. International Isolation. Sanctions against Georgian officials could weaken Tbilisis standing in global diplomacy and strain relationships with key Western partners. Pivoting to New Players. Rejecting European grants could signal Georgias readiness to strengthen ties with alternative global actors, such as China, Turkey, or Russia, thereby reshaping its geopolitical alignment. The "Georgian Dream" partys approach appears as much a declaration of independence as it is a challenge to Brussels. While this defiance plays well domestically, it carries economic and political risks that could strain an already precarious balance. Political Motives and Constitutional Constraints Tbilisis decision has also been interpreted as a defensive maneuver amid growing EU pressure. However, the suspension of talks until 2028 may reflect legal and structural realities: Georgias Constitution, under Article 78, mandates that state institutions do "everything possible to achieve membership in the EU and NATO." Despite formal adherence to Euro-Atlantic goals, skepticism regarding the real feasibility of EU membership is growing. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has underscored this complexity, noting that joining the EU could require Georgia to impose visa restrictions on countries like Russiawhose tourists alone contribute $4$4.5 billion annually to the Georgian economy. Similarly, EU membership could necessitate revisiting free trade agreements, risking significant impacts on Georgian exports, including wine, nearly 70% of which is destined for Russia. Economic Risks and Pragmatism in Georgias Foreign Policy Georgias economic dependence on Russia remains a central factor in shaping its foreign policy choices. Key pillars such as tourism and agricultural exports play a vital role in sustaining the economy, leaving little room for drastic shifts. Economic Risks Disrupted Trade Relations. Aligning with Europe could force Georgia to adopt sanctions against Russia, potentially jeopardizing the 60% of wine and mineral water exports currently directed to Russian markets. Tourism Decline. Russian tourists contribute billions annually to Georgias economy. Severing ties with this market could destabilize state revenues and exacerbate socio-economic inequalities. Caught Between East and West: Georgias Strategic Dilemma Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvilis recent statement, "Georgia is no more ready to join the EU than the EU is to accept it," underscores the nuanced position of the Georgian government. European integration, while aspirational, entails not only sweeping political reforms but also economic risks that are difficult for a fragile economy to bear. Balancing its aspirations for European integration with the realities of economic dependence on Russia reflects Georgias pragmatic approach. By avoiding overtly anti-Russian moves, such as implementing sanctions, the government seeks to maintain economic stability while keeping diplomatic channels open. Georgias cautious balancing act between East and West grows increasingly precarious. As geopolitical tensions rise globally, Tbilisis ability to navigate this turbulent landscape will require deft political maneuvering and significant economic resilience. Whether this suspension of negotiations represents a momentary recalibration or a more profound shift in Georgias foreign policy remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the stakes are higher than ever. Georgias political and economic futureand its place in the broader European orderhangs in the balance, with repercussions that extend far beyond its borders. Growing Rift with Brussels The widening divide between Georgia and the European Union underscores the inherent tension between Brussels expectations and Tbilisis domestic priorities. The EU has consistently pushed for deep structural reforms and greater alignment with its anti-Russian policiesdemands that clash with Georgias internal economic and political realities. These divergences reveal a fundamental disconnect: while Georgia aspires to European integration, the immediate costs of meeting Brussels criteria often outweigh perceived benefits. For Georgian authorities, preserving economic stability has emerged as a more immediate priority than accelerating integration into European structures. Opposition: Accusations of Betrayal and Calls for Protests Georgias opposition has seized on the governments decision to suspend EU negotiations, framing it as a deliberate pivot toward Moscow. Giorgi Baramidze, former Defense Minister and leader of the "United National Movement," labeled the move a historic betrayal and called for nationwide protests. Baramidze and other opposition leaders argue that turning away from European integration jeopardizes not only Georgias economic future but also its historical identity as a pro-Western state. This rhetoric has amplified internal divisions, fueling public unrest and creating fertile ground for mass demonstrations. The opposition accuses the government of using economic pragmatism as a pretext to entrench authoritarian governance and tighten control over the political landscape. Striving for Balance The decision to pause EU negotiations reflects a broader strategic calculation: Georgias desire to retain freedom of maneuver in a world increasingly polarized between East and West. Tbilisis leaders appear intent on avoiding entanglement in the intensifying geopolitical rivalry between Brussels and Moscow. However, this balancing act comes with high stakes. Political isolation from Europe risks undermining Georgias credibility with Western partners and curtailing critical foreign investment needed for sustainable economic growth. On the flip side, Georgias deep economic and cultural ties to Russia remain a crucial factor in shaping its policy choices. As the global power struggle intensifies, Georgias position between East and West grows more precarious. The challenge lies in maintaining a strategic equilibrium without alienating key allies or destabilizing its domestic landscape. Redefining Relations with Brussels The suspension of EU negotiations until 2028 signals more than temporary pragmatismit marks a deliberate reevaluation of Georgias relationship with the European Union. By rejecting what it perceives as external overreach, Tbilisi is asserting its sovereignty and demonstrating a willingness to chart a more independent path, even at the cost of strained relations with Brussels. Yet, this stance comes with profound risks. To sustain such a course, Georgias leadership will need to display greater political dexterity and bolster economic resilience. The country faces a critical question: Can Georgia navigate its position at the crossroads of Europe and Russia without forfeiting the trust of its partners or endangering its internal stability? What remains clear is that Georgia is entering a transformative phase, where its choices will reverberate far beyond its borders. Whether this pivot strengthens Georgias independence or exacerbates its vulnerabilities will depend on the delicate balance Tbilisi manages to strike in the years to come. Baku Network Thessaloniki's long-awaited metro system has finally opened its doors, offering a glimpse into the city's rich history alongside a modern transportation solution. On Friday, just a day before the official launch, dignitaries including President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Culture Minister Lina Mendoni toured the Venizelos metro station, the central hub of the new line and a showcase of archaeological discoveries unearthed during its construction. The Venizelos station has become an "emblematic" site, revealing layers of history dating back to the Roman and Byzantine eras. The excavations uncovered ancient alleys, unique artifacts, and insights into the city's commercial past. Ms. Mendoni, an archaeologist by training, guided the tour, highlighting the significance of the finds for understanding Thessaloniki's evolution. Mr. Mitsotakis praised the project, acknowledging the challenges overcome to bring it to fruition. Former Thessaloniki Mayor Sotiris Kouvelas congratulated the government on completing the metro, recognizing Mr. Mitsotakis's role in overcoming years of delays. The metro's opening marks a significant milestone for Greece's second-largest city, promising to improve mobility and enhance the quality of life for residents. The Venizelos station, with its integrated archaeological display, adds a unique cultural dimension to this modern transportation project. iefimerida.gr Following the trilateral summit, President Sisi and Prime Minister Mitsotakis will hold a separate Supreme Cooperation Council meeting to further their bilateral agenda. The United Nations refugee agency has voiced concern at a rise in deaths of migrants trying to reach Greece by sea in small boats from Turkey , following two fatal shipwrecks this week. A Federal High Court in Lagos has rejected a fundamental rights lawsuit filed by Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, popularly known as Bobrisky, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the National Assembly. Bobrisky had requested N200 million from the EFCC for psychotic trauma and N1 billion from the National Assembly for violation of his right to a fair hearing. He also asked the court to prohibit the EFCC and the National Assembly from harassing, detaining, or declaring him wanted. Advertisement Bobrisky has been involved in controversy since social media influencer Martins Otse also known as VeryDarkMan posted an audio recording claiming that he paid the EFCC N15 million to get money laundering charges dropped against him. However, the crossdresser rejected the recordings legitimacy and vowed to sue VeryDarkMan. Despite his denial, he ignored an EFCC invitation after being summoned by the agency. On November 1, the EFCC intercepted Bobrisky aboard an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Justice Alexander Owoeye concluded on November 28, 2024, that Bobriskys claims of rights violations lacked substance and were not backed by credible evidence. READ MORE: Iyabo Ojo Calls Out VeryDarkMan Over Toxic Behavior, Blamed His Troubled Upbringing The EFCCs Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said in a statement on Friday that, Having evaluated the evidence placed before this Court by the Applicant, it is evident that the Applicant has failed to provide credible evidence to justify the award of the declaratory and injunctive reliefs sought by him. I hold that the claims of violation of fundamental rights against the 1st and 2nd Respondents were not made out of the affidavit evidence placed before this Court. The Applicants claims against the 1st and 2nd Respondents lack merit and are accordingly dismissed. Justice Owoeye also declined to impose damages against the EFCC. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has threatened to impose severe penalties on banks found engaging in sabotage over the ongoing cash scarcity at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, stated this at the annual Bankers Dinner organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) on Friday. We also recognise the ongoing challenges with cash availability at ATMs, which disproportionately affect ordinary Nigerians, Cardoso said. Advertisement The CBN had earlier directed banks to prioritise cash disbursement through ATMs, warning that banks disbursing naira notes to persons hawking the Nigerian currency will be penalised. READ ALSO: Nigerians Abroad To Get Easier Access To Local Banking With New BVN Platform By December Cardoso Cardoso reiterated that non-compliance will lead to severe penalties. To address this, we are conducting spot checks across deposit money banks, and we will impose penalties on underperforming institutions. Effective December 1, 2024, customers are encouraged to report any difficulties with withdrawing cash from bank branches or ATMs directly to the CBN through designated phone numbers and email addresses for their respective states, Cardoso said The CBN, he noted, will continue to maintain a robust cash offering to meet the countrys needs, particularly during high-demand periods such as the festive season and year-end. Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, has appealed to Nigerians not to leave the country amid economic hardship facing the country. Mr. Cardoso assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubus ongoing reforms and policies are in the best interest of everyone, and geared towards economic development. The CBN Governor led this out on Saturday while delivering his keynote address at the 59th annual Bankers Dinner of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, in Lagos State. Advertisement He also appealed to youths not to leave the country, as the bank was working on building an economy where businesses could thrive. Cardoso said: I want to assure you that at central bank, every decision we make is for serving the best interest of the people. And we will continue strenghting our internal capacity processes to ensure that these processes remain firmly rooted in evidence-based analysis. It is not a good idea to japa at this stage. Two reasons. One, those who may decide they are going to do that, they will sell and get rid of their assets. Youll be doing it for cheap. Predators, who are outside looking for bargains, will come and take it and pocket it, put it in their pocket and wait for the turnaround and sell it away. READ MORE: Old Naira Notes Remain Legal Tender, No Deadline For Circulation CBN Number two, you want to be part of the solution. You want to be part of the solution, and this is time that we need all hands on them. There are opportunities in the market today, which I must say, from my experience over the past year and also for the past six months, a lot of interest from the outside in what is going on in Nigeria In taking positions in certain assets, so they see the opportunity, and we, who are here, should be part of the solution for the better things which will come. We are building an economy where every individual, every business, and every community can thrive. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused GOtv, an international cable television network, of forcing Christianity on Nigerian Muslims by airing the Christian televangelism programme, Faith, on its main channel. In a Friday statement signed by MURICs Executive Director, Ishaq Akintola, the organisation described the decision as offensive, nauseating, and denigrating to Nigerian Muslims. MURIC argued that GOtvs choice to feature Faith on a prominent channel infringes on the rights of Muslim viewers, violating their freedom of choice and their right to select television programming without being confronted with unwanted religious content. Advertisement The group maintains that this practice is divisive and unjust to Muslims in the country. MURIC has demanded that GOTV relocate the Faith programme to a different channel and restore the first channel to its original function. The organisation warned that if their request is not fulfilled within a week, they may consider peaceful actions, including urging Muslims to unsubscribe from the service. This is an obvious extension of trammadolised religiousity to a provocative level, a strangulation of Nigerian Muslims with a Christianised hangmans noose and a grinding subjection of the totality of the Nigerian Muslim psyche to trauma, assault and derision. It is offensive, nauseating and denigrating. READ ALSO: Nigerias Hardship A Trial From Allah, Impact From Bad Past MURIC GOTV is taking undue advantage of its licence, abusing its priviledged position and infringing on Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslims to use of television, choice of programme and freedom to navigate television channels. On behalf of more than 130 million Nigerians, MURIC demands immediate cessation of the Faith programme on this prime channel and its return to its former channel or any other of GOTVs choice. By allocating its first channel to the Christian Faith televangel programme, GOTV has made Christianity its numero uno agenda in the country and relegated Islam to the bottom of the pyramid. It is religious apartheid and Nigerian Muslims will not accept relegation to third class citizenship in a country where they enjoy comfortable demographic lead. For a starter, Nigerian Muslims will be forced to start de-subscribing from GOTV if this obnoxious, prejudiced and ill-advised practice is not halted within seven days counting from Monday, 2nd December, 2024. Other peaceful, legitimate and constitutional anti-GOTV actions may follow as deemed necessary if the service provider fails to comply the statement read. The law is on our side and we have the right to reject a service provider that has no respect for our faith or for its Muslim customers, it added. MURIC also advised GOTV to return to its original practice whereby the last station watched by consumers opens immediately they switch on their television sets. Former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has expressed concern over crisis facing Nigeria, saying that the country cant experience another civil war anymore. Speaking at the Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival in Jos, Plateau State, on Friday, Gowon expressed displeasure over insecurity challenges in some parts of Nigeria. He prayed that God will touch hearts of people fueling crisis in various places in Nigeria. Advertisement Gowon said: All the various crises that we are having in Nigeria are so disturbing. This is something that God knows we should not be having after our Civil War. READ MORE: Prioritise National Interest, Not Partisan, Regional Politics Gowon Tells Northern Leaders I have said and I prayed to God that I hope Nigeria will not go through another period of crisis that we went through. Let us pray to God that we are now beginning to see the end of all these crises. Pray to God so that God can touch the hearts of all those who are that way inclined to create problems. For Nigeria, pray to God, for God to touch their hearts, change them, reform them and make them contribute to peace and well-being of one another, of Nigerians. Recall that there was Civil War in the country, between 1967 and 1970 and claimed millions of lives. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that insecurity challenges have been affecting many areas of the country, especially the Northern region and the South East. A herbalist, Ismail Usman, is currently in a critical condition after shooting himself in the stomach while testing a self-made bulletproof charm in Kuchibuyi Village, Abuja. According to Josephine Adeh, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police spokesperson, the incident occurred on November 23. Adeh, on Saturday, stated that Usman, known for his unconventional methods, had attempted to test the effectiveness of the charm by shooting himself. Advertisement She said, On November 23, 2024, an alarming incident unfolded in Kuchibuyi Village that drew the attention of the FCT Police Command. A distress call from Shandam Michael reported a shocking event involving Ismail Usman, a local herbalist known for his unconventional methods. READ ALSO: Police Parade 10 For Alleged Internet Fraud, Possession Of Charms In Bayelsa Adeh added that Usman was quickly transported to Kubwa General Hospital for emergency treatment and later transferred to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital for further care. The police spokesperson also stated that Usman is expected to face charges for unlawful possession of firearms and attempted suicide. Olatunji Disu, FCT Commissioner of Police, also condemned the incident, highlighting the dangers associated with illegal firearms. Disu said, This situation illustrates the serious risks of engaging in reckless behavior. We strongly advise the community to avoid such dangerous practices. Ali Ndume, Senator representing Borno South, has threatened to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) if the party supports President Bola Tinubus proposed tax reform bills. Ndume, who expressed his concerns on Channels Televisions Politics Today, again stated that the bills would negatively impact ordinary Nigerians. The Senator, who has been vocal against the bills, said, If not, look, I can leave the party. When you say those earning N800,000 below do not pay VAT on what? Do you exclude him from paying VAT from the goods that he will buy in the market? And then the corporate tax goes up. Advertisement READ ALSO: Tax Reform Bills: Weve Lost Confidence Of The People Ndume He also argued that the tax policy would increase the burden on consumers, despite promises of exemptions for those earning below N800,000 annually. Now they transfer the cost or the taxes over to the consumer. So, are you helping him? Ndume asked. The Senator also emphasized his closeness to Tinubu and his desire not to see him fail. However, he reiterated his willingness to leave the Party if his concerns are not addressed. I can leave the Party. The Party has even given me an offer that I can go if I want, Ndume said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. Militants in Syria have announced an advance in the Idlib province adjacent to Aleppo. The Telegram channel of their general command, Al-Fatah al-Mubin, reported that rebel groups, including the terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have taken control of 25 settlements in the south and east of the province. The total area of the captured territories is about 388 square kilometers, Trend reports. The fighters reportedly took control of the city of Maarat al-Nuuman, the administrative center of the eponymous district south of Idlib, which had previously been under militant control. It is noted that this means the complete capture of the province by the rebels The rebels also said they had taken control of the villages of Sheikh-Idriss, Al-Rayyan, Tal-Debs and Al-Kanais, all located east of Idlib, with fighting continuing. According to Arab sources, the rebels have captured the Abu al-Duhur military airport in eastern Idlib. This facility is considered an important stronghold for government forces. In addition, the militants have taken control of the strategically important city of Saraqib, located about 15 km southeast of Idlib. National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has appealed to angry members of the party to return, adding that crisis has ended following Courts judgement. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Abure has been at loggerhead with some stakeholders in LP, over partys leadership. Recall that a faction, led by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had kicked against Abures reelection. Advertisement READ MORE: LP Leadership Crisis: Court Affirms Julius Abure As Party Chairman They insisted that the convention that was conducted at Nnewi, Anambra State, in 2024, wasnt an all-inclusive and expansive one. Reacting to the development on Saturday during an interview with PUNCH, Abure disclosed that no more crisis in the opposition party, adding that all angry members should return. He said: I want to say there is no more crisis in the party. The court has said there is only one leader in LP. And if there is a dispute in the country or anywhere, the only place you can go for reprieve is the court. It was said that our national convention didnt follow due process. That was why people went to court. INEC said we didnt follow due process and we went to court. The court said the convention was in line with the party constitution, electoral act and the constitution of the land. INEC has since obeyed it and we are working very closely with the commission. All those who feel offended should come back to the party. We have forgiven all those who perceived they had done us one thing or the other. I am not angry. We have put it behind us and LP is one big family. Osita Chidoka, a former Aviation Minister, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing the need for reforms within the Party. Chidoka revealed his resignation on Friday during an appearance on Channels Televisions Politics Today program. I am leaving politics for some time. I am focusing on the Athena Centre, Chidoka said, referring to a non-profit organization he will be dedicating his time to. Advertisement I will work in concert with other Nigerians who want us to reform the political system to bring evidence-based governance and to support it. So, effective today, I am no longer a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he said. READ ALSO: Review Bank Charges, Pension Deductions As Step To Cushion Subsidy Removal Osita Chidoka Chidoka had previously expressed concerns about the PDPs ability to reform itself, stating in August 2023 that the Party could become extinct if reforms did not take place quickly. Now, we are beginning to see that PDP itself needs to be reformed. It needs to renew and reimagine itself to be able to begin to play the role of opposition, knowing full well that we have a politician as President, he said. Also in his resignation letter, sighted by newsmen, Chidoka emphasized his commitment to good governance, national unity, and honest public service. As I step away from active partisan politics, I remain committed to good governance, national unity, and evidence-based and honest public service, he wrote. A member of a criminal gang causing unrest in Anambra State has been killed by the police. SP Tochukwu Ikenga, spokesman for the state police command, said in a statement on Saturday that the incident took place on the Agulu/Nnobi route. The police also recovered a pump-action gun, five live cartridges, machetes, two SUVs, and desert shoe. Advertisement READ MORE: Banker, Two Others Held In Enugu For Forging Customer Details To Steal N4m He said: Police operatives from the operations department of the command, attached to a VIP in the state on 29/11/2024 by 8:30 pm along Agulu/Nnobi road, demobilized one of the criminal elements in the state and recovered one pump action gun, five live cartridges, five machetes, two SUV jeeps and two pairs of desert shoe. He stated that the hoodlums attacked the VIPs convoy without provocation, prompting a retaliatory response. The Port Harcourt Refining Company, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, has halted operations, with the loading bay empty. Visit to the refinery on Friday by Punch revealed that there was no activity on site, with workers claiming that the refinery was undergoing calibration. According to a worker, They are de-watering, removing the water under the PMS. Maybe there will be loading after that, but we dont know what time today. Advertisement Another worker at the loading bay mentioned that ongoing calibration was the reason for the delay. They are calibrating the meters, he said. An official, who spoke anonymously revealed that the loaded trucks contained dead stock. READ ALSO: Peter Obi Hails NNPC Over Port Harcourt Refinery, Seeks Transparency In Fuel Production He said, Before the refinery was shut down between 2015/2016, we had dead stock left in the tank, including some Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) DPK (kerosene), and Automated Gas Oil (diesel). So, these products were in large quantities in stores in those tanks. During the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Old Area 5, those products were evacuated from the tanks for storage. According to him, the large quantity of refined petrol was off-spec, requiring separation from water to obtain the main product in preferred colours. But for DPK, it is in large quantity but they have not pushed it from the tank where it was kept after refined ready for commercial purposes. So, the product that was loaded was dead stock, that is the old product that was in the system. So, after these dead stocks, they will have to clean the tank, remove all the debris before pumping the new project into that tank, and redye it, the source said. President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of Finance, on her re-election as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. Recall that Okonjo-Iweala made history in 2021 as the first African and first woman to lead the 164 nation-member WTO. Her re-appointment was confirmed in a statement posted on WTOs official X account on Friday. Advertisement Reacting to the development in a statement on Friday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that Tinubu assured the former Finance minister full support throughout her period in office. The former Lagos governor also urged Okonjo-Iweala to consolidate on the bold reforms, dedication to equitable global trade practices, and tireless efforts to promote international cooperation. The statement reads: As a committed member of the WTO, ECOWAS, and the African Continental Free Trade Area, Nigeria will continue to support the WTOs mission to foster a fair, inclusive, and equitable multilateral trading system. READ MORE: Okonjo-Iweala Reappointed As WTO DG President Tinubu is confident that her continued leadership will strengthen the international economic organisations role as a critical pillar of inclusive global economic growth and good governance in the next four years. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Okonjo-Iwealas first term as the seventh Director-General of the WTO would expire on August 31, 2025, while the second term begins September 1. The Lagos State Task Force has dismissed two of its personnel for alleged theft during a raid conducted at a hotel in Gowon Estate. In a statement by the commissions Spokesman, Abdulraheem Gbadeyan, on Friday, disclosed that the two officials misconduct was captured on closed circuit television. Gbadeyan identified the two dismissed officers as Fatai Yusuf (42) and Hammed Garuba (38). Advertisement He said: The Lagos State Taskforce has dismissed two of its personnel following their involvement in theft during a recent raid. READ MORE: Man Jailed For Removing Nuts Holding Lagos Bridge The operation, conducted at a hotel in Gowon Estate known for harboring drug users and traffickers, resulted in numerous arrests. However, the integrity of the raid was compromised by the actions of two officials whose misconduct was captured on CCTV. The culprits, Fatai Yusuf (42) and Hammed Garuba (38), were found guilty of stealing mobile phones from the scene. Both individuals, serving as paramilitary officers within the agency, were subjected to a meticulous investigation by the agencys Disciplinary Committee. Upon confirmation of their guilt, they were summarily dismissed from service and will face immediate prosecution for theft. These actions highlight the Taskforces uncompromising stance on unethical conduct and its dedication to maintaining law and order in alignment with the Lagos State THEMES PLUS agenda. A South Jersey police sergeant faces charges of stealing drugs from his departments evidence room after he failed a drug test. Atlantic County Prosecutors Office announced that on Monday, Hammonton Detective Sgt. Robert Zbikowski, 45, of Hammonton, was charged with second-degree official misconduct, second-degree crime of pattern of official misconduct, third-degree theft by unlawfully taking, fourth-degree tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and fourth-degree obstruction of administration of law. Advertisement Earlier this year, the Hammonton Police Department contacted the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office after Zbikowski failed a drug test, testing positive for methamphetamine, according to a statement by the prosecutors office. A subsequent investigation revealed that Zbikowski was found to have allegedly tampered with and taken drugs, including methamphetamine and oxycodone, from the departments evidence room, the prosecutors office said. The Atlantic County Prosecutors Offices Professional Standards and Accountability Unit is investigating the incident. Anyone with information about this case or other serious crimes can call the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office Major Crime Unit at 609-909-7666. Zbikowski, who was promoted to the rank of sergeant in January of last year, could not be reached for comment. File photo of the security gate at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility on State Road in Northeast Philadelphia. Read more Two inmates stabbed each other Friday night inside Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Northeast Philadelphia, law enforcement authorities said. The stabbings occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. A 30-year-old man was stabbed three times in the back, and a 31-year-old man was stabbed in the head, police said. Advertisement The men were not seriously injured, were treated at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, and were returned to Curran-Fromhold, according to someone with knowledge of the situation. Weapons were recovered, police said, providing no additional information. In an interview Saturday with attorney Michael Coard on WURD, Philadelphia Prisons Commissioner Michael R. Resnick said violence at the jails can be attributed to staffing issues. One of the reasons that we are in the condition that were in now is because were so short-staffed, Resnick said. Were about 54% staffed. Resnick said 2024 has seen the strongest prison officer recruitment in several years, with 228 cadets going through the academy since January. He attributed the staffing shortage to labor dynamics caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and said law enforcement systems nationwide were experiencing similar problems. Fridays stabbings came just over a week after Miles Pfeffer, who is accused of shooting and killing Temple University Police Officer Christopher Fitzgerald in 2023, was stabbed multiple times in Curran-Fromhold, where he has been held awaiting his murder trial. Pfeffer, 19, was in a communal area for recreation around 6:40 p.m. Nov. 21 when another incarcerated man, Rafael Vanegas, ran out of his cell and attacked him, according to the jail incident report. Pfeffer suffered puncture injuries to his forehead, inner right hip, and right hand in the attack, the report said. In early November, 100 people on pretrial detention were released from Philadelphia jails due to what advocates have called dangerous conditions and an ongoing staffing shortage. Nathan Koenig and his mother, Laura. When Nathan started school, he struggled with reading, and was told he had a learning disability. It took years before his family discovered the root issue: He had a problem with his eyes. Once that was addressed, his reading dramatically improved, and he has now caught up with his peers. Read more Nathan Koenig was articulate, with an impressive vocabulary. As early as age 3 in preschool, he showed a knack for storytelling, creating detailed characters and plotlines. But once he started school, he had trouble with reading and writing. He brought home class worksheets that were all blank. Eventually, Nathan was diagnosed with a learning disability. Even with extra support, he never caught up to his peers. Advertisement It was only after years of struggling at school that his family discovered what was really going on. Nathan didnt have a learning disability he had an issue with his eyes. Nathans condition took a long time to diagnose because he had always passed vision screenings offered at his school, in which he read back increasingly tiny letters from a distance. He didnt need glasses. His family did not know that typical school-based vision screens miss 75% of children with vision problems, according to the American Optometric Association. Now, Nathans mom, Laura, is fighting for a new law in Pennsylvania to require kids to undergo more comprehensive eye health exams that would pick up on vision problems like Nathans, all to save other families from what hers went through. If I could spare other kids and parents, that would be great. Extra support not enough When Nathans reading issues in school became apparent, he obtained an IEP, or individualized education plan. Still, even with the extra support, even with his mother working with him over the summer, he was always reading at least one grade level below his peers. The constant struggle with no payoff left Nathan feeling demoralized. After he finished third grade, Laura Koenig had enough. Hes so smart, and hes so sad, she said. There has to be something more. The Chester County mom joined some parent dyslexia groups on Facebook, and saw one piece of advice repeated over and over: Get your childs vision checked. She knew Nathan had passed typical vision screens, but the posts talked about vision therapy. And theyre like, sometimes the kid needs vision therapy and not reading support, said Koenig. She had never heard of vision therapy, but something about it clicked for her. Nathan, then almost 10 years old, also couldnt tie his shoes or ride a bike. Could he have a problem with his eyes? She booked an appointment for an eye health exam, which is more comprehensive than vision screens. During an eye health exam, an ophthalmologist or optometrist checks, for instance, the health of the structures of the eye, and how well the eyes focus, move, and work together. Because childrens eyes change a lot in the first years of life, the American Optometric Association recommends that all children receive comprehensive eye exams from an optometrist or ophthalmologist between 6 and 12 months of age, once between the ages of 3 and 5, and then every year after age 6. But according to the CDC, fewer than half of preschool-aged children ever receive an eye exam from an eye doctor. During Nathans test, the doctor determined that Nathan had a severe form of ocular motor dysfunction, in which his eyes darted around, unable to stay along a line of text, such as in a book. Its like youre riding on a roller coaster when youre sitting still, said Koenig. These types of eye movement disorders arent rare. Between 2% and 13% of school-aged children have convergence insufficiency, one of the conditions Nathan was diagnosed with, in which the eyes struggle to work together. Nathan started vision therapy, doing exercises to train his eyes to remain where he wanted them. After eight or nine sessions, he asked his mom to show him how to tie a shoe again. Id show him. And hes like, Oh, yeah. And then he could just do it, Koenig said. When she asked him why he couldnt do it before, he told her: I just didnt know where to look. When Nathan started fourth grade in September 2021, he was reading at a first- or second-grade level. But as he continued his vision therapy sessions, his reading dramatically improved; by the end of fourth grade, he was reading as well as his peers. The teachers are calling and the reading specialist is calling, and theyre like, Oh my God, Koenig said. Koenig unfollowed the dyslexia parent groups on Facebook and started following the vision therapy groups, where she saw so many, so many, so many stories like his, of families who thought their child had a learning disability when the real issue was eye problems that school-based vision screenings had missed. Unfortunately, addressing the issue isnt cheap: Vision therapy is often not covered by insurance, and each session costs more than $100. Koenig estimated she spent $5,000 on 38 sessions. Without it, the possibilities of [Nathans] life were diminished, she said. Pushing for access To widen access to eye health exams, Koenig is supporting legislation championed by State Sen. Chris Gebhard (R., Lebanon) to require a comprehensive eye health exam when children enroll in public school, then again in fourth and eighth grades. Gebhard introduced Senate Bill 780 last year, which stalled in committee, and will likely be reintroduced next year. The bill seeks to identify kids who have eye problems, so they like Nathan Koenig can get the appropriate treatment, not struggle through school without addressing the root cause of their issue. Basically, it changes their life, said Jesse Jones, an optometrist at East Falls Eye Associates, who is advocating for this legislation. Pennsylvania wouldnt be the first state to enact this kind of law. Since 2000, Kentucky has required that all children who start public school have an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Among more than 5,000 children who underwent the exam in Kentucky after the law was passed, hundreds were diagnosed with eye issues such as amblyopia, in which the brain doesnt recognize vision information from one eye. Years after he was diagnosed, Nathan is now in seventh grade, and still reading at grade level. Recently, he started writing a short story. Hes doing terrific, Koenig said. Despite widespread claims on social media from conservative activists, Amish voters cannot be credited with winning Pennsylvania for President-elect Donald Trump, according to vote returns. While there looks to be marginal increase in the number of Amish people who voted this year, experts said they do not expect major shifts in Amish turnout this year, according to early analysis of vote returns in Lancaster County precincts with high Amish populations. Advertisement The large Amish community in Lancaster County and across the state many of whom dress plainly, minimize their technology use, and keep to their insular, self-sufficient communities has long been seen as an untapped voting bloc for Republicans. Many of Pennsylvanias Amish do not vote, with some who view it as in conflict with their religious beliefs of serving Gods kingdom by engaging with earthly government. But that has been slowly changing in recent years, with the largest jump occurring four years ago, when Amish turnout more than doubled from 7% in 2016 to 17% in 2020 of the approximate 20,000 Amish people who are of voting age in Lancaster County, or about 3,400 votes. Experts wont know exactly how many Amish voted until final voter rolls are available, when academics will then make the painstaking process of comparing names, addresses and birthdays of voters with those in Amish church directories. The Amish experts, based out of Elizabethtown Colleges Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, do not digitize or scan the directories, because Amish leaders oppose it. I do not expect to find a large jump in Amish voters, said Steven Nolt, an Amish expert who runs the Young Center. In 2020, the overall data suggested something different between 2016 and 2020. Thats not the case this time as we eyeball up 2020 and 2024. The push for more Amish voters Republicans wanted to turn out even more Amish voters in Pennsylvania this year, in an election that was expected to be just as close as the last two presidential cycles. President-elect Donald Trump won Pennsylvania by more than 121,000 votes by increasing his vote share across the state, including in Democratic strongholds like Philadelphia. Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, said America PAC, the political action committee he launched to boost Trump, organized rides to the polls for Amish, who often do not drive motor vehicles but are allowed to be passengers. Billboards and mailers targeted the Amish community specifically to turn out to vote for Trump. One grassroots group held weekly voter registration drives at Amish markets in Lancaster and Mifflin Counties. Philip Habegger, who grew up Amish in Kentucky as one of 11 children before leaving his community at age 27, said his family would not have considered voting at all, though they were informed and interested in politics. Habegger, now 31 and living in Lancaster, volunteered with the Trump campaign. The Trump campaign never thought it would quadruple turnout like some pundits claimed, but knew it could convince more Amish people to vote in Pennsylvania in this election. They share many of the same beliefs as Republicans: a focus on religious freedom, economic opportunity, or in other words, want to mind their business, Habegger said. As far as efficiency goes, the Amish are much better at these things than the government, Habegger said. Scott Presler, a conservative activist who runs grassroots group Early Vote Action, which hosted targeted weekly voter registration drives and moved to Pennsylvania to flip the state back to red, said his organization is here to stay and is preparing to hire 19 full-time staff next week. And hes doubling down on their engagement with Amish voters, hiring a state director who will be specifically tasked with courting the votes of Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities. Were not going away. This is a real concerted effort, not just every presidential year, Presler said of his organizations effort to engage more Amish people to vote in Pennsylvania. Its part of his groups larger strategy for incrementally running up the numbers in every county in Pennsylvania: Turn out 500 to 1,000 new voters for Trump, and win the state which is exactly what Trump did. Presler noted that all counties with large Amish populations produced more votes for Trump this year than in 2020, but he acknowledged these increases were not all attributable to Amish voters. There are more than 90,000 Amish and Old Order Mennonite people living in Pennsylvania, which is the largest population in the country, with the highest population centered in Lancaster County. There are approximately 400,000 Amish people living in the U.S., mostly in Pennsylvania and the Midwest. The population continues to grow at a rapid rate, nearly doubling every 20 years and families have six to nine children on average which will mean even more voters, Presler added. State Rep. Dave Zimmerman (R., Lancaster), who represents a district with Amish and Old Order Mennonite populations, said these groups were engaged and concerned about the outcome of the election. The Amish are going to be most concerned about being able to be free to be Amish, Zimmerman added. Any issue thats out there that is kinda interfering with their lifestyle, its going to be a concern, such as invasive regulations or restrictions on their religious freedoms. For the most part, they want to be left alone to raise families, send their kids to school, be down on the farm or be part of their construction business, Zimmerman said. Law enforcement officers in Warsaw have detained scandalous TikTok blogger Vladyslav Oliinychenko, better known online under the pseudonym Crawly, and deported him to Ukraine. For a long time, the 23-year-old streamer lived in Poland, where he created trash content, organizing provocations on the streets and in shopping centers. ADVERTISIMENT Such videos caused strong indignation among the country's citizens and attracted the interest of the police, RMF24 reports. In addition, the Internet activist conducted live broadcasts where he allegedly openly insulted Poles and stated that he wanted to move to Moscow. "The man was handed over to the Border Guard officers, who, based on his registration in the Schengen Information System, took measures to expel him from the Republic of Poland," said Jacek Dobrzynski, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior and Administration. Representatives of law enforcement agencies reported that the blogger is a native of Belarus, but he was educated in a Ukrainian school. He has now been banned from entering the Schengen area for ten years and deported from Poland to Ukraine. The online activist's Instagram account has 1.9 million followers. He used social media to organize provocative events, which were attended by a large number of people. According to Polish media, shortly before his arrest, Crawly posted a video of himself and his fans running around a parking lot and jumping on cars. Earlier, the blogger also had a page on the social network TikTok, but now the account has been deleted. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. 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Gardai are investigating the assault of a teenager following an incident on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork City on Friday night. The incident occurred shortly before 10pm on Friday. Polling in the 2024 general election has now come to a close. The first indication of how Ireland voted was revealed in an exit poll just after 10pm tonight. Join us early tomorrow from the moment the ballot boxes are open until the very last candidate is elected to fill the 34th Dail. Dont miss live updates, results and analysis as it happens. 10:30pm A nationwide exit poll has revealed Fine Gael and Sinn Fein are deadlocked at the top, with Fianna Fail narrowly behind in a tight three-way race. The poll indicates that Sinn Fein has received 21.1% of first preference votes, closely followed by Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fail on 19.5%. Transfers and the sequencing of eliminations are now likely to play a significant role in the eventual make-up of a coalition Government, which may require at least four parties. Mary McCaffrey casts her vote alongside her father James at Carrigallen NS polling station in Co. Leitrim on the way to her wedding. Picture: Lorraine Teevan The Social Democrats on 5.8%, Labour on 5% and the Green Party on 4% may all now be included in post-election government formation talks, based on initial numbers. It appears that Independents, which had been polling at up to 20% ahead of the election, have not gained as much support as predicted, with the exit poll putting non-party candidates on 14.6%. The poll has People Before Profit on 3.1%. Aontu on 3.6%, and Independent Ireland on 2.2%. 9:20pm: As it hit 9pm in Cork county, the highest turnout was in Cork North West, where 57.4% of voters turned out. Slightly lower in Cork South West, with 55.4% heading to their local polling station. On the west coast in Mayo, the turnout is more mixed. Some parts of the county are seeing in the low to mid 50s, while in one polling station in Castlebar it is as low as 36.7%. In Thurles, they have surpassed 50% with almost 55% having voted by 8pm. Mullaghmonaghan is coming in around the same with 52.8% having cast their ballots while Clones is trailing at 44%. In Offaly, the late evening voters saw rural areas like Kinnitty and Killeigh rise up to 58% and 62% respectively while urban areas such as Birr and Edenderry are hovering around 50%. 9pm A serious error appears to have been made on the Limerick City ballot paper putting candidates in the wrong order, which could see the eventual outcome challenged./url Members of the public casting their votes in the four-seat constituency have been given a ballot paper, which does not feature all candidates in alphabetical order. On her 100th birthday, Bridget Delaney from Carlow Town accompanied by her daughter Phil casts her vote at the polling station in the St Laurence OToole AC in Carlow Picture: Michael O'Rourke Photography Electoral law dictates that candidates must be listed in alphabetical order based on surnames. However, it appears that Sinn Feins Maurice Quinlivan and Dean Quinn of The Irish People party have been placed ahead of long-standing Fianna Fail TD Willie ODea, Fine Gael's Kieran O'Donnell, and Elisa ODonovan of the Social Democrats on the paper. This could open up the possibility of a challenge, especially if the numbers are tight when the ballot boxes are opened and counting begins. 7:20pm As the evening draws on, turnout is rising up and beyond 40% in parts of the country, while some polling stations are remaining in the low to mid 30s. Theres been a steady trickle of voters in Meath East over recent hours, with new figures showing that there is a 42% turnout in Ashbourne as of 6pm. Similar figures are seen in Meath West, with two-fifths of the electorate casting their ballot in Trim. A steady stream of people have been voting at Schull National School from early this morning. Picture: Andy Gibson. In the south of the country, but particularly in Cork county, the turnout is approaching 40%. Cork South West is at the higher end, with 38% of voters having cast a ballot as of 5pm this evening. In Cork city, there are wild variations depending on which polling station. In Cork South Central, turnout in some polling stations is as low as 33%, while others are reaching up to 48% as of 6pm. People are hotfooting it to vote out in the midlands, with the town of Mullingar seeing steady streams of voters as it reaches 44% turnout at 6pm. One election official says that this is being seen all across the Longford-Westmeath constituency, as the cliche teatime rush is in full swing. In the commuter belt in Kildare North, Naas is reaching just over 41% in turnout, while in neighbouring Kildare South, Cullen is seeing the strongest number of voters with 39% having voted. 5:55pm Turnout is picking up as people head to the polls this evening. Some counties are reporting figures of 30%, with polls open until 10pm. Polling stations have been open since 7am, and turnout is now starting to pick up. In Dublin city most polling stations are reporting that their figures have doubled since lunchtime. Claire McGonigle of Skibbereen with her rescue dog 'Bailey' after voting this afternoon at O'Donovan Rossa GAA Club, Skibbereen. Picture: Andy Gibson. Figures in these constituencies range from 26.3% in Dublin Bay South to 36.7% in Dublin Bay North and it is expected this busy period will continue over the coming hours. In County Dublin, the number of ballots cast has more than doubled since 1pm and now stands at 34%. In Tipperary, votes are coming in a steady stream. While most areas in the north of the county are hovering around 30%, Carrick on Shannon is up to 42%. In Monaghan, the voter turnout is ranging from 24.5% in Clones to 35% in Mullaghmonaghan. The rural-urban divide is widening in Offaly where urban areas currently stand at 27%-29% while rural areas are coming in strong between 30%-35.4%. The weather is understood to have had an impact in Waterford, with turnout at around 32% in the city. Around 26% of people have turned up to vote in North Westmeath, with a figure of 32% in Kilbeggan. Kilkenny is reporting a turnout of 30% so far, with Mayo floating around 35%. Galway East is at 28%, while Galway West is at 22%. In Kildare North, turnout has surpassed 30% in some locations like Naas. Elsewhere, around 38% of people have cast their votes in Donegal. Turnout is highest in Buncrana with 33%, while Letterkenny is at 29% and Stranorlar is at 32%. 4:45pm Holly Cairns has received congratulations and well wishes from politicians from across the Dail. The leader of the Social Democrats announced the birth of her baby girl earlier today. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has given birth to a baby girl on the day of the general election. Among those sending well wishes to Ms Cairns was the Taoiseach who took to X to send his well wishes. "Congratulations Holly and Barry. Wonderful news. Wishing the three of you a lifetime of happiness and good health," Simon Harris wrote. Tanaiste Micheal Martin welcomed the new Corkonian as well, telling the new parents to "cherish and enjoy every moment with your beautiful new baby girl". Meanwhile, Mary Lou McDonald sent her comhghairdeas saying it was "such great news". "She will bring you untold happiness and joy. Wishing you all the very best. Enjoy these first days. They are some of the most special in life," the Sinn Fein leader said. Some of Ms Cairns' Social Democrats colleagues also shared their joy on social media as did Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman and Labour leader Ivana Bacik. Hours after posting the big news on her Instagram, Ms Cairns posted one last message urging people to get out and vote. "So it turns out I won't be able to vote today," she wrote, clarifying that it was "for the best possible reason." Referring her first election, the local election in 2019, Ms Cairns joked: "It's going to come down to one vote again, isn't it". Read More In Pictures: Voters and a pug cast their ballots in the General Election 2.35pm Voting has been brisk into the early afternoon, with election officials in Cork county reporting that theres a strong turnout so far, particularly among younger voters. As of 12pm, Cork North West has had the highest turnout in the county constituencies, with 15.5%. In Cork city, election officials have a rough estimate of between 14% and 15% across the two city constituencies, but that this is varied depending on the polling station. Out in the commuter belt, voting up to midday has been ticking along steadily, with one station in Leixlip, Co Kildare reaching 19%. In Louth, one polling station, Dundalk Town Hall, is up at 18% turnout as of 12.30pm, with nearby Realt Na Mara NS following closely behind on 17.5%. On the west coast, turnout is varied in Mayo as of 12 noon, with it up as high as 18% in rural Knockrooskey but dropping to 9% in Castlebar. Polling stations across Dublin saw a welcome boost in numbers thanks to the usual lunchtime bump. Large parts of the city saw a "massive jump" in voters compared to slow start in many places. The increase was attributed to those who used their lunchbreak to pop out and get their ballot in. Sonia Higgins, with her dog Chico, arrives to cast her vote at Deaf Village Ireland (DVI) on the Navan Road in Dublin. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire One staff member said that many lunchtime voters are working from home and likely were not too pushed on getting up and out early in the morning to vote before starting work. The figures vary around Dublin ranging from 10% to a whopping 33% in Shankill by lunchtime today. Dublin Central which had just 0.05% of ballots cast by mid-morning jumped to 10% by 1pm much to the joy of those working in the polling station. Across much of the rest of the country, turnout is sitting around the high teens for the most part. Weather is continuing to have an impact as the rain sweeps up over the country but in the early afternoon, Monaghan said it had only arrived and it hasn't put people off coming in so far. With around 19% of votes cast in parts of the county, the pace has been steady and stronger than in the local and European elections earlier this year. Further north, Donegal also enjoyed a midday surge with 14.8% of ballots cast by midday. Over in the west, areas of Galway are reporting a 12% turnout as of lunchtime and Mayo is not far behind at 11%. Down in the Kingdom, things are ticking along with an estimated 10% of ballots cast with some polling stations reporting a "strong turnout". In the midlands, polling stations are reporting differences between their rural and urban voters with turnout ranging from 8% in rural Longford to almost 17% in rural Longford 1.45pm: Social Democrats leader and Cork South West election candidate Holly Cairns has given birth to a baby girl on the day of the general election. Ms Cairns shared a picture of herself holding her baby on Instagram, with the caption shes here. The baby girl's name is yet to be confirmed. Read More Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns welcomes baby girl on day of general election 12.20pm The Sinn Fein leader has also been out to vote, with Mary Lou McDonald heading to Cabras Deaf Village at 11.30am today. Ms McDonald said that the early reports of turnout are good and that it is really, really encouraging. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald casts her vote in the General Election at the Deaf Village in Cabra Dublin. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos Ive been hearing stories during the week of young people travelling home, coming home to cast their vote so Im really hopeful that we will get a really high turnout, Ms McDonald said. She said that it could be a historic day, where for the first time a Sinn Fein government is elected. The Sinn Fein leader said that the election today has a particular significance for younger people. She cited the ongoing housing crisis and that some young people are opting to emigrate rather than stay in Ireland. Thats not acceptable to us, she added. A significant day for everyone, a particular significance for younger people and were asking young people especially make the effort to vote today. Please dont miss this, this can be your election. And of course the mammies and daddies, the grandparents as well, of course vote for yourselves, for a better society, but for your young people too. 11.39am Turnout in the general election is has been slow so far this morning, after polls opened at 7am. As some feared, the weather has been a factor as people are opting to stay indoors as the rain moved across the south of the country this morning. In Cork North Central, the rain was "chucking it down" and those on the ground said that things had been quite slow. People going into vote in the 2024 General Election at the polling station in Delgany National School, County Wicklow. Picture: Sasko Lazarov RollingNews.ie However, the rain is due to clear from the Munster area around lunchtime so turnout is expected to increase in the afternoon. In the usually sunny South East, the picture is a little brighter with turnout approaching 10% in parts of Waterford while in Wexford centres reported around 9% at 11am. In the capital, things have been slow and steady in most parts with turnout around 3%-5% with a steady trickle coming through over the course of the morning. The weather in Dublin is set to turn in the afternoon so it may impact the afternoon footfall, something staff at Dublin South Central are hoping will not happen. By mid-morning the turnout in the constituency was at 0.05% which has caused some concern but there is hope that this will turn around as the day progresses. People cast their vote at St Mary's Hospital, Phoenix Park in Dublin. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire In County Dublin, things are a bit busier with around 7.3% of voters already casting their ballots. In the west, Galway polling centres were reporting a 4% turnout by 10am while in Tipperary North around 8% of voters have made their choices. Up in Cavan the flow of people was slow to get started but saw a jump of around 6% in the two hours up to 10am. In Cork county, at 8.30am there was 2.9% turnout in Cork North West, while both Cork East and Cork South West were lower yet on 2.5% and 2.7% respectively. Kerry has seen a steady turnout throughout the morning, with Castleisland topping the pile as 11.2% of voters have cast their ballot at 10.45am. Cahersiveen is following closely behind on 11%, while Killarney sits on 10%. Towards the midlands, election officials are reporting a slow start to the day, with rural areas reporting between 8% and 10% turnout. However, they say that it is much more brisk in Athlone, with voters turning out in greater numbers to start the day. In Louth, the more rural parts of the constituency are coming out to vote in greater proportions than in urban areas. At one polling station in the Drogheda Rural ward, there has been 13% turnout as of 11am this morning, the highest across the entire constituency so far. 11.05am President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina cast their votes in the 2024 General Election. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina have also cast their vote in the election. The pair voted at St Marys Hospital in Phoenix Park a short time ago. 10.32am Tanaiste Micheal Martin cast his vote alongside his wife Mary and his children at St Anthony's BNS in Ballinlough, Cork earlier this morning. Asked how he will be feeling in the day of the count, Mr Martin said his only challenge will be "to make sure that I can keep the noise out". "I will probably go into town and do a few things, go to Douglas market maybe. Then in around midday, 1pm maybe, depending when the tally will be finished, head to the count centre, and its very familiar ground for me, Nemo Rangers, and Ill enjoy that. The Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader is running in the five-seater Cork South-Central constituency. You can find more information on this constituency here. 9.50am Taoiseach Simon Harris has cast his ballot in Wicklow before travelling across the country to urge voters to come out. Speaking at Delgany National School, Mr Harris said that he was "feeling really good today" as polls open in the general election. "Im feeling really hopeful, hopeful in terms of the election, but hopeful for the future of our country, he said. Taoiseach Simon Harris casts his vote in the 2024 General Election with his wife Caoimhe Wade and their daughter and a son at Delgany National School in Wicklow. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie I wanted to vote early because I now want to head across our country today, continuing to encourage everyone to get out and have their say in this election." The Fine Gael leader said that he would be travelling to multiple counties today, including Monaghan, Tipperary, Carlow, Laois and Dublin. However, Mr Harris said that the country was in for a "long few days ahead of us" with counts. "Isnt it the beauty and the complexity of our system that when the clock strikes 10pm tonight, therell be an exit poll but that wont even tell us the outcome of the election because of our PR-STV, he said. Compare and contrast that with the British system, Big Ben hits 10pm and Sky News can say the winner is we dont live in that sort of system." The count is well and truly underway with TDs being elected across the country. Here are six things we learned on the first day of counting for Election 2024. 1. Green wipeout The Green Party has had a catastrophic day at the polls and are potentially facing a total wipeout, as some of its most high-profile TDs face the fights of their political careers. Roderic OGorman, the Green leader, is currently in fifth place in the five-seat Dublin West, with transfers from other left-wing candidates likely to decide his fate. Catherine Martin in Dublin Rathdown will be fighting for the final seat in her constituency after she topped the poll in 2020. Other key Greens, like Joe OBrien in Dublin Fingal West, have already been eliminated and more will follow in the hours ahead. It isnt the first time the party has been wiped out, but it will be a very difficult pill to swallow for party activists across the country. 2. Labour and Social Democrat surge Both the Labour Party and Social Democrats are on track to enter the double digits of Dail seats after performing well across the country. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to a baby girl on polling day, will likely retain her seat in Cork South-West and the grouping is now hopeful of seeing between 10 and 13 TDs elected to Leinster House. Labour's Ivana Bacik is in a similar position. With a likely outcome of at least 10 TDs, it sets her party up to enter serious coalition talks after all the votes are counted. 3. The Monk Dublin Central provided the story that most people will be talking about on Sunday and possibly far beyond. Veteran criminal Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch is in a position to challenge for a seat in the constituency, having announced his candidacy just five weeks ago. Mr Hutch arrived at Dublin Airport earlier this month after being arrested in Spain last month as part of an international investigation into money laundering. He has reportedly been released on bail of 100,000. But that did not stop 3,098 voters from giving him a first preference, landing him fourth in the running. He is around 600 votes ahead of Labour's Marie Sherlock and is expected to grow that lead when anti-migrant campaigner Malachy Steenson is eliminated. Whether Ms Sherlock is able to attract a sizeable number of transfers from Fianna Fail's Mary Fitzpatrick and the Greens' Neasa Hourigan will determine the destination of the final seat in the centre of the capital. 4. Sinn Fein say political landscape altered Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has said it is clear now that there is a strong appetite for change, and she will be speaking to others on the left after the votes are counted. Arriving at the RDS count centre added that she is going to knuckle down now and do everything she can to "to bring about change. "Not so long ago, the old traditional establishment parties monopolised not just government but also opposition, that's changed now, and I think this election is confirmation of that," said Ms McDonald who topped the poll in Dublin Central. 5. Ministers in danger Elections can be cruel and this time around a number of high-profile candidates are in the danger zone. This includes Health Minister Stephen Donnelly who polled around 6% of first preference votes. In what has been a bad day for the Greens, party leader Roderic O'Gorman will be fighting it out to retain his seat in Dublin West. In Galway East, junior minister Anne Rabbitte has not polled as well as expected on 7.5% and could be taken out by her own party colleague councillor Albert Dolan. 6. Wedded to politics Every election, there are always stories of lost items making their way into ballot boxes, and general election 2024 is no different. In Donegal, one box from Scoil Eoghain in Moville had an errant wedding ring land into it, as a voter came to cast his vote. Local polling station staff ensured to warn the incoming count staff of the lost ring, with it tumbling out once counting kicked off early this morning. Local 100% Redress councillor, Ali Farren, managed to return the ring to its rightful owner, with a happy reunion after a few hours stuck under stacks of ballots. For many children growing up, a general election means one thing: A day off. Small yellow chairs are turned upside down on top of child-sized desks as voters mark ballots beside artwork and whiteboards. While Irish children will return to welcoming and warm classrooms on Monday, in Gaza the equivalent of a combined junior infants, senior infants, and first class group will have been killed, wiped off this earth over the weekend. Many more will have been maimed and orphaned. Women and children account for nearly 70% of deaths in Gaza, according to figures verified by the United Nations (UN). Palestinian children have been denied an education for more than a year as their schools have been repeatedly bombed; they have been denied stability having been forced to move multiple times across the strip, many now living through the harsh winter in tents; denied food and water as aid supplies are repeatedly blocked at the border; denied their innocence, with thousands now ascribed the acronym WCNSF wounded child, no surviving family. For these children the long-term future is equally as bleak, there are no universities left in the strip, a non-existent economy, obliterated infrastructure, and little hope. While Israel arrived at a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon this week, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) continues to attack schools, hospitals, and refugee camps, and the death toll has ticked up to 44,363, according the Hamas-run health ministry. After 13 months, the figures, just like the searing images of children clinging to each other in distress, begin to lose their impact. But solidarity with Palestinian people has never been more important as the world slowly averts its gaze. This week, Tanya Haj-Hassan, a paediatric intensive care doctor who has worked in Gaza many times over the past decade, and most recently as part of an emergency medical team, became emotional as she gave first-hand testimony to a UN committee. At the start of this brutal campaign, her intervention would have gained widespread attention, but the problem with genocide is the relentless murder becomes almost expected. In fact, atrocity fatigue is what many brutal regimes rely upon. Those who happened across her startling descriptions of lives upturned and destroyed may have seen clips edited down for social media. We held the hands of children as they took their last breaths with no one but a stranger to comfort them. Those who recovered enough to leave hospital continued to face the obvious risk of death, be it through another bombing, starvation, dehydration, or disease, she said. As one of the few international observers allowed into Gaza I can tell you spend just five minutes in a hospital there and it will become painfully clear that Palestinians are being intentionally massacred, starved, and stripped of everything needed to sustain life. What is left to say that might move people to action? How can we even begin to articulate what we have seen? she asked. This week, as Irish politicians and political hopefuls were engaged in a canvassing frenzy, their inboxes were filling up with a single pleading request. Dr Abu Sefiyeh who has worked tirelessly in Kamal Adwan Hospital in north Gaza was injured by shrapnel when the Israeli army sent quadcopters into Kamal Adwan hospital and bombed it, the email, marked as urgent began. On social media, Dr Sefiyeh has appeared from his hospital bed, flanked by other injured medical staff, describing how he is bleeding internally, yet a specialist surgical team has not been given permission from Israel to travel to the hospital to carry out life-saving work. We call on the Irish government to insist that Israel gives safe passage to this medical team, to save Dr Abu Sefiyeh and his two daughters who are also injured, and the other patients there, the email sent en-masse asked. On October 17 last year, just 10 days into the bombardment, the world recoiled as a new line was crossed. An exposition ripped through a courtyard of al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, making headlines for days. Israel pointed to a misfired rocket from Gaza, while Hamas pinned the blame on Netanyahus forces. Since then hospitals, which have become shelters for tens thousands of war-torn families, have become battle grounds, targeted again and again by the IDF. Palestinian children queue at a food distribution kitchen in Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip last week. Picture: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Healthcare workers have died while trying to rescue the wounded in what are infamously known as Israels double and triple strike attacks a location is struck, then struck again a second and a third time once rescue workers have arrived to retrieve the casualties. In total, more than 1,000 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza. Of the hundreds of nurses and doctors taken into Israeli captivity since the October 7 terrorist attack, at least four have now been killed while in detention. How have global political leaders got to a stage where they allow this to become a normal part of war? We cannot and must not stand by as a new deadly precedent is set. Addressing the UNs Palestinian Rights Committee, Dr Haj-Hassan shared the harrowing words of her colleagues, still in Gaza with no hope of leaving a hell on earth. Struggling to get the words out through her tears, she spoke on behalf Saed, a nurse who had been detained an tortured, and who wanted the world to know that I am a human being. At the end I am not pen on a paper, I am not anonymous, I am a human being created by God. Numbers can become meaningless, but putting the level of death into context, Dr Haj-Hassan said that during the 24-hour period that she would be in New York for the UN event approximately 60 children would have be injured or killed in Gaza. She told the assembly: One day someone will dig up the records of our testimonies, pleading for 14 months. They will dig up the records of Palestinians covering their own genocide when international journalists were unprecedently banned from entering. Palestinian children setting up press conferences to tell the world that their lives mattered. We will have to reckon with this history. Ukrainian TV presenter Andrii Bedniakov visited the de-occupied village of Borova in the Kharkiv region. Against the backdrop of a building destroyed by Russian terrorists, the 37-year-old showman addressed the locals and all fellow citizens. ADVERTISIMENT The video was posted on the Telegram channel of the Dumka media outlet. In the video, the star noted that Kharkiv residents give him special confidence because despite all the terrible events, they continue to develop. "Iron, steel Kharkiv. Keep going, and keep working, because you inspire confidence. When you come and see new establishments opening, coffee shops, people going to buy coffee, croissants, eating in establishments, it motivates you," the host said. In addition, Andrii Bedniakov gave a rather important piece of advice to all Ukrainians. He urged them to eliminate from their lives people who still do not have a clear position and have a positive attitude towards the aggressor country of Russia. ADVERTISIMENT "Remove the 'vata' as much as possible if you see it around you. Such people need to be removed, in the good sense of the word. Those who are coming from there (Russia Ed.), other people are removing them, but you need to remove all these thoughts. We don't need it," the showman said. It is worth noting that in April 2022, Russian terrorists entered the territory of Borova village in the Izium district of Kharkiv region. The settlement was under occupation for about six months. Fortunately, in October of the same year, Ukrainian defenders managed to liberate the village, but it still suffers from constant shelling. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! Micheal Martin's party is now hopeful of leap-frogging both Fine Gael and Sinn Fein to be the largest party in the country, and could even breach the 50 Dail seat mark if the stars align. This could be as many as 10 seats more than Fine Gael, which is now looking at returning around 40 TDs to the next Dail. But a good day in the count centres for Fianna Fail could signal some very long and difficult days for government formation talks when counting is done. Too wide of a seat rift between the two civil war parties calls into question the 'parity of esteem' arrangement that paved the way for a rotating Taoiseach and an equal divvy-up of the senior cabinet ministers last time around. While it may not make it to 50, Fianna Fail sources are now confident of landing somewhere in the high 40s, an estimation that is currently not shared by members of Simon Harris' party. Fianna Fail sees itself losing around three seats, with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly missing out in Wicklow, junior Minister Anne Rabbitte losing her seat in Galway East and Joe Flahtery missing out in Longford Westmeath. But in the case of Ms Rabbitte, the party seat will be retained and picked up by local party councillor Albert Dolan. In Kerry, the party is in the hunt for two seats, with councillor Michael Cahill tipped to come in with outgoing Education Minister Norma Foley. In Clare, senator Timmy Dooley, who lost his seat at the last election, is topping the poll, closely followed by party colleague Cathal Crowe. The return of Pat the Cope Gallagher is being touted in Donegal meaning he will join Charlie McConalogue in the Dail. Another comeback is expected in Kildare South where Fiona O'Loughlin is on track to reclaim her seat after losing it in 2020. There had been some controversy in Roscommon Galway when serving senator Eugene Murphy was not selected by the party to run, but this appears to have paid off for Fianna Fail which is now on track to see Dr Martin Daly elected. In Cavan Monaghan, the party will retain two seats, however, it could see the departure of Brendan Smith, who could be replaced by Fianna Fail senator Robbie Gallagher. However, the eliminations of Aontu and Independent Ireland will decide which one of the two get across the line. Senator Erin McGreehan will claim a seat in Louth, along with fellow senator Malcolm Byrne who is expected to get across the line in the newly formed Wicklow-Wexford constituency. In Carlow Kilkenny, the party is expected to now pick up a third with Peter 'Chap' Cleere, former Kilkenny hurler, coming over the line with Jennifer Murnane O'Connor and John McGuinness. In Tipperary North, 28-year-old Ryan O'Meara is expected to claim the seat vacated by Jackie Cahill. Fianna Fail has always had a weakness in the capital, but is set to make gains this time around. In Dublin Mid-West, Shane Moynihan was in fourth place on first preference in the five seater constituency. Having come close in 2020, Shay Brennan is now widely expected take a seat in Dublin Rathdown. In Dublin South Central, senator Catherine Ardagh, who last time around was out canvassing just days after she gave birth to twins and eventually missed out on a seat, is looking more positive this time around. There are outside chances of gains with Lisa Chambers in Mayo, Aisling Dempsey in Meath West and Teresa Costello in Dublin South West. It all of this paves the road to the magic 50, if the transfers fall right, but in doing so it is storing up problems for the weeks ahead. Often the first thing to catch the eye when viewing the remarkable Hennessy Founders Edition bottle for the first time is the striking red and white striped bottle neck, a nod to the flag of the city of Cork from where Richard Hennessy hails. Its such an Irish story, for better or worse, to have to leave to make your name, reflects artist Conor Harrington on the journey he has taken. He is considering this in the context of a new collaboration with fellow artist Maser in honour of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Richard Hennessy, the man behind the eponymous brand. And while his fellow Corkonian emigrated to the Cognac region in France, creating the globally revered Hennessy, Harrington made the move to London, settling there 20 years ago. Collaborating with him on this project to create the artwork accompanying a new Founders Editions bottle is Maser, a fellow globetrotter, initially like Harrington, working through the prism of street art. I knew these collaborations were a rite of passage within our subculture. Some of the biggest names over the years have been invited to work with the brand. My first thought was that I love Conors work, and wed collaborated before, so there was a synergy there. Then I thought, since he has never done commercial work before, this is going nowhere. Fortunately it did. Artists Conor Harrington and Maser during the research process of the project. When I read this brief, it was very much aligned with what I do and made sense from a creative point of view, says Harrington, over Zoom from his Brick Lane studio in London. I was on holidays in La Rochelle around 97 when my dad took us to Cognac. He was really passionate about Irish history, so he was going on and on about how this guy comes from Cork and went on to create the biggest cognac brand in the world. It was partly a shared love of hip-hop which also brought the two artists into each others orbit for the first time, when they were both part of the formative Irish street art scene in the late 1990s. Harrington recollects a piece by Maser at the Bridge Jam in Drogheda, a figurative piece of a face painted in blue tones which they link back to The Roots album Things Fall Apart. Its cool you saw that, enthuses Maser. Indeed, hip-hop royalty, Nas is one of the previous creators of a limited edition bottle. After its official launch this month, the original artwork will hold pride of place upon the walls of Killavullen, the Co Cork home of Richard Hennessy. Meanwhile, Maser remembers witnessing Harringtons burgeoning success overseas and decided to reach out to him for some advice. I messaged him and asked, Can I pick your brain? I was totally vulnerable and transparent. He gave me the answer before I even went over to see him. Eagerly making arrangements to meet, Maser, arriving at 2pm had to wait until Harrington finished his self-imposed working day, to meet for an evening pint. That was a clear indicator there no matter what, he didnt break his routine, he was focused on his practice. The dude is so disciplined. Artists Conor Harrington and Maser, whose appreciation for the Hennessy brand saw them journey to Cognac, France, as well as visiting the historic homeplace in Killavullen, Co Cork, of founder Richard Hennessy. The pair's journey with Hennessy saw them making a trip to Cognac together which became integral to understanding the Hennessy world and its machinations. Travelling over there, looking at the landscape, the past, the present that was the whole framework for the narrative, says Maser. It was rich in context and inspiration. Youd think Hennessy would be this big massive machine but it all starts with as seamless as their work, Harrington jumps in, a master blender and the tasting committee. "The room is the size of a living room, really small with a table in the middle. On the shelves they have these tiny little samples of eau de vie which is like cognac before it becomes cognac. Twice a day they sit there tasting with the master blender making the final call. It felt so bespoke for such a huge brand. Its not a million miles from what we do, sitting in our studios instead of tastebuds we are using our eyes and trying to make the right decisions as well. The Hennessy Founders Edition bottle. And so they set to work on their vibrant fusion with Maser heading over to Harringtons studio every few weeks. I would turn up for a weekend, paint for two days and shoot off. As Conor uses oil it takes longer to dry. The process was quite draughtsman-like, with a degree of push and pull, adding to it to make sense. One of the trickier things to negotiate turned out to be the packaging. That was a learning curve for me, says Harrington, as it was something I wouldnt have considered. I work on really large canvases whereas with a bottle and packaging, its much smaller and when you stick it on a shelf it has to stand out. There was a lot of simplifying and distilling to make something complicated in the studio work on a smaller scale. We chose a canvas with four sections, says Maser. You dress around the front and have to think about label info. It still needs to be visually strong, not competing but complementing. We had the final artwork ready last September before the addition of textures and layers to bring it into the luxury space. Then we painted it as a full composition. Conor Harrington and Maser, who are proud that their original artwork for the Hennessy Founders Edition bottle has now been brought home to Killavullen, the Co Cork home of Richard Hennessy before he left for France in the 1750s. Conor Harrington is very proud to share a Cork heritage with Hennessy cognac creator Richard Hennessy. Born hundreds of years apart, the two Corkonians also share a connection with the Cognac region, where both first discovered the distinctive French brandy. Having first tasted cognac during his years in the military in France in the 1750s, Richard Hennessy settled in Charente with his wife Ellen Barrett. Their son Jacques was born in 1765, the same year that Richard and his business partners first began selling the now globally famous Hennessy cognac. Initially trading from his house in Charente, Richards cognac has gone on to enjoy centuries of fame as one of the worlds most beloved brands. And the tale of Hennessy cognac will forever be linked back to Richards origins in Killavullen, Co Cork. It is also here that Maser and Conor Harringtons creative artwork for the packaging for the Hennessy Founders Edition bottle now finds a fitting home. The global launch of the bottle took place in October and the original artwork was brought home from there, to Killavullen, the Co Cork home of Richard Hennessy, where it will hold pride of place, something Harrington is particularly proud of. To be personal about it, my dad died during lockdown. He was very proud of everything Ive done, but didnt understand the art world. I use historical dressing more as a Trojan horse to discuss other ideas while my dad had a very linear sense of history. I did one painting where they were wearing 18th-century costumes but there was a UN flag. I know the UN didnt exist then and my dad would have called me up on it. However, I know he would have been absolutely buzzing to know I am working with Hennessy and proud of what weve achieved. The Hennessy Founders Edition bottle is now available across grocery, independent wine shops & wholesale customers. Recommended selling price at 41. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed his country will invariably support Russias war in Ukraine as he met Russias defence chief, state media reported Saturday. A Russian military delegation led by defence minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday, amid growing international concern about the two countries expanding co-operation after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia last month. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Mr Kim and Mr Belousov reached a satisfactory consensus on boosting strategic partnership and defending each countrys sovereignty, security interests and international justice in the face of the rapidly changing international security environments in a Friday meeting. Russian defence minister Andrei Belousov shakes hands with North Korean defence minister No Kwang Chol on his arrival at a Pyongyang airport (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) Mr Kim said North Korea will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists moves for hegemony, KCNA said. North Korea has supported Russias invasion of Ukraine, calling it a defensive response to what both Moscow and Pyongyang call Natos reckless eastward advance and US-led moves to stamp out Russias position as a powerful state. Mr Kim critcised a US decision earlier this month to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with US-supplied longer-range missiles as a direct intervention in the conflict. He called recent Russian strikes on Ukraine a timely and effective measure to demonstrate Russias resolve, KCNA said. According to US, Ukrainian and South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia and some of them have already begun engaging in combat on the frontlines. US, South Korea and others say North Korea has also shipped artillery systems, missiles and other conventional weapons to replenish Russias exhausted weapons inventory. North Korea and Russia have not formally confirmed the North Korean troops movements and have steadfastly denied reports of weapons shipments. South Korea, the US and their partners are concerned Russia could give North Korea advanced weapons technology in return, including help to build more powerful nuclear missiles. Last week, South Korean national security adviser Shin Wonsik told a local SBS TV programme that Seoul assessed that Russia has provided air defence missile systems to North Korea. He said Russia also appeared to have given economic assistance to North Korea and various military technologies, including those needed for the Norths efforts to build a reliable space-based surveillance system. Mr Belousov also met North Korean defence minister No Kwang Chol on Friday. During a dinner banquet later the same day, Mr Belousov said the the two countries strategic partnership was crucial to defend their sovereignty from aggression and the arbitrary actions of imperialists, KCNA said. In June, Mr Kim and Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed a treaty requiring both countries to provide immediate military assistance if either is attacked. It is considered the two countries biggest defence deal since the end of the Cold War. Hundreds of protesters gathered in Bucharest after a far-right populist unexpectedly won the first round of a presidential race, plunging Romania into turmoil just days before the country holds parliamentary elections. Sundays ballot will determine a new government and prime minister to lead the European Union and Nato member country. The vote is sandwiched between the two rounds of the presidential race and is overshadowed by controversies and chaos following the outcome of the first vote. Despite polling at less than 10% before the first round, a far-right politician who has praised Romanian fascist leaders and Russian president Vladimir Putin won the most votes in the November 24 ballot. Posters of various political parties, one showing a man pointing a thermometer at a statue of Ellie Wiesel and reading Our Day Will Come a placed on a panel ahead of the countrys parliamentary elections (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Calin Georgescu is due to face reformist Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in a December 8 runoff. Hes pro-Russia, pro-Putin, and we, the people and especially the young people we are supporting democracy, said Sebastian Marin, an 18-year-old student who attended a protest on Wednesday in the capital. Its really important for people to mobilise. Mr Georgescus success, which many have attributed to his rapid rise in popularity on the social media platform TikTok, has triggered nightly protests throughout Romania by those who oppose his past remarks and view him as a threat to democracy. According to a report by Expert Forum, a Bucharest-based think tank, Mr Georgescus TikTok account has had an explosion which it said appears sudden and artificial, similar to his polling results. Without naming Mr Georgescu, who declared zero campaign spending, Romanias top defence body said on Thursday that a presidential candidate benefited from massive exposure due to preferential treatment granted by TikTok. Romania has become a priority target for hostile actions by Russia, it added. The Kremlin denies it is meddling. The same day, the Constitutional Court requested a recount of all 9.4 million votes after a former presidential candidate who obtained 1% lodged a complaint alleging the Save Romania Union had violated electoral laws against campaign activities on polling day. The Central Election Bureau approved the request and said scanned reports were due to be sent in by 10pm Sunday. On Friday, the court postponed a decision until Monday on whether to annul the vote. Calin Georgescu, running as an independent candidate for president touches his face while speaking to media (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Opposite the government headquarters, people of all ages, but mostly young people, could be heard chanting: Democracy saves Romania! A protest in Bucharest on Friday organised by the Corruption Kills community, demanded that the votes be recounted with independent observers and cameras and accused the Constitutional Court of once again attacking democracy in the interest of a specific party. It is the first time in Romanias 35-year post-communist history that the leftist Social Democratic Party did not have a candidate in a presidential runoff. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu resigned as party leader after he lost to Lasconi by a wafer-thin 2,740 votes, and Nicolae Ciuca also resigned as leader of the centre-right National Liberal Party after obtaining just 8.7%. While the presidential role in Romania has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security and foreign policy, the prime minister is the head of the nations government. Sundays vote will determine the formation of the countrys 466-seat legislature. Since 2021, Romanias two biggest parties the Social Democrats and the National Liberal Party formed an unlikely coalition, which has become bitterly strained. A small ethnic Hungarian party exited the cabinet last year following disputes over a power-sharing agreement. Like many countries throughout Europe or even the US anti-incumbency sentiment is running high in Romania, which has experienced high inflation and cost of living, has a large budget deficit, and a sluggish economy. It has bolstered support for far-right populist parties. Recent surveys have suggested the top three parties in Sundays race will be the PSD; the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, and the PNL. After rising to the political scene eight years ago on an anti-corruption ticket, the Save Romania Unions popularity has waned in recent years but could garner the next most votes. A court in Beijing on Friday sentenced a prominent Chinese journalist to seven in years in prison for espionage, his family said. Dong Yuyu, a commentator and editor, was taken away by police while meeting a Japanese diplomat at a restaurant in February 2022. He has been in police custody since then. The Beijing Number 2 Intermediate Peoples Court read the verdict but did not share a copy with Dongs lawyers or family. No announcement was available on the courts website or its Weibo account. The verdict named then-Japanese ambassador Hideo Tarumi and Shanghai-based chief diplomat Masaru Okada as agents belonging to an espionage organisation, according the familys statement. Every sensible Chinese citizen should be appalled by this reasoning Dong had been deputy head of the editorial department at Guangming Daily, one of the five major state-owned papers in China. The paper was once considered more liberal than other state-backed papers. Dong also contributed to the Chinese edition of the New York Times. In his published writings, including essays as well as opinion articles, Dong had voiced his support for constitutional democracy and political reform, which later were considered to be against the stance of the Communist Party. He had contacts with foreign diplomats, scholars and other journalists as part of his decades-long career and counted Mr Tarumi, the ambassador, as a friend. Still, his family said he knew he was always watched by state security, and therefore sought to be as open as possible while meeting his Japanese or American contacts. With Yuyus conviction, every Chinese citizen, when dealing with the Japanese embassy, or perhaps any other foreign embassy and diplomat, will be expected to know that the Chinese government may consider those embassies to be espionage organisations, said the family in a statement. Every sensible Chinese citizen should be appalled by this reasoning. Polands Prime Minister Donald Tusk has visited his countrys border with the Russian region of Kaliningrad to inspect progress on the construction of military fortifications along the eastern frontier, calling it an investment in peace. Mr Tusks visit on Saturday comes a month before Poland is to take over the rotating presidency of the 27-member European Union. Polish officials say their priority is to urge Europeans to strengthen defences at a time of Russian aggression and with change coming soon in Washington. Some European leaders are concerned that the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump might be less committed to Europes defence. Mr Tusk also proposed this week that Poland and the Nordic and Baltic countries carry out joint navy patrols in the strategically important Baltic Sea, after the suspected sabotage of undersea data cables. Pierwszy odcinek Tarczy Wschod na granicy z Rosja gotowy! W trakcie mojego spotkania z zonierzami 200 metrow od granicy czuem sie naprawde bezpieczny. pic.twitter.com/HXW87WZBhX Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) November 30, 2024 Polands government and army began building the system dubbed East Shield this year. It will eventually include approximately 500 miles along the Polish borders with Russia and Belarus, at a time when western officials accuse Russia of waging hybrid attacks against the West that include sabotage, the weaponisation of migration, disinformation and other hostile measures. The better the Polish border is guarded, the more difficult it is to access for those with bad intentions, Mr Tusk said at a news conference near the village of Dabrowka as he stood in front of concrete anti-tank barriers. Poland has been at the mercy of aggressive neighbours for centuries and has become a leading European voice for security at a time when France and Germany are weakened by internal political problems. Poland aims to spend 4.7% of its gross domestic product on defence next year, making it one of Natos leaders in defence spending. Mr Tusks government estimates that the strategic military project will cost at least 10 billion zlotys (1.96 billion). Polands borders with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are the easternmost external borders of both the European Union and Nato. Mr Tusk said he expected the East Shield to eventually be expanded to protect the small Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Everything we are doing here, and we will also be doing this on the border with Belarus and Ukraine, is to deter and discourage a potential aggressor, which is why it is truly an investment in peace, Mr Tusk said. We will spend billions of zlotys on this, but right now the whole of Europe is observing these investments and our actions with great satisfaction and will support them if necessary. He did not elaborate on his plans for reinforcing the border with Ukraine, a close ally. Along the frontier, anti-tank barriers known as hedgehogs will be integrated with natural barriers like ditches. Mr Tusk said parts of the project are not visible to the naked eye, but it is nonetheless the largest project of its nature in Europe since the end of the Second World War. The plans also include the construction of threat reconnaissance and detection systems, forward bases, logistics hubs, warehouses and the deployment of anti-drone systems, the state news agency PAP reported. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with US President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Mr Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Mr Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they do not stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. A person familiar with the details called it a positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours. The official said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defence, Ukraine, Natro, China and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year. Justin Trudeau is the first leader from the G7 countries to visit Mr Trump since the November 5 election (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Although Mr Trump once called Trudeau weak and dishonest during his first term, ties between the two countries have remained among the closest in the world. Mr Trudeau is the first leader from the G7 countries to visit Mr Trump since the November 5 election. A smiling Mr Trudeau declined to comment as he returned to his West Palm Beach hotel late on Friday. Were going to work together to meet some of the concerns, Mr Trudeau told reporters in Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. He said Mr Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now he is talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island. It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. Theres no question about it, Mr Trudeau said. Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business, he added. Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Mr Trumps team negotiated during his initial term. Mr Trudeau said they were able to successfully re-negotiate the deal, which he calls a win win for both countries. Mr Trump made the tariff threat on Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though the numbers at the Canadian border pale in comparison with the southern border. The US Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024. Mr Trump also railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border are few in comparison to the Mexican border. More than 100 demonstrators were arrested overnight in Georgia as protesters clashed with police following the governments decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union, the countrys interior ministry said on Saturday. It was the second straight night of protests after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the countrys ruling Georgian Dream party announced the decision the previous day. Demonstrators faced off against police late on Friday in a number of major Georgian cities, including the capital, Tbilisi, and the Black Sea port of Batumi. The Associated Press saw protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the countrys parliament building. A demonstrator holds a Georgian national flag outside the parliaments building in Tbilisi (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze) Riot police used water cannons to push protesters away from the building and later moved to force them farther back along Rustaveli Avenue, the citys main street. Police also used heavy force against members of the media and used loudspeakers to shout profanities and insults at the crowds. Georgian Dreams disputed victory in the countrys October 26 parliamentary election, which was widely seen as a referendum on Georgias aspirations to join the European Union, has sparked massive demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of the parliament. The opposition has said that the vote was rigged with the help of Russia, Georgias former imperial master, with Moscow hoping to keep Tbilisi in its orbit. Georgian president, Salome Zourabichvili, joined protesters on Thursday after accusing the government of declaring war on its own people. In an address to the nation on Friday, she urged police not to use force against protesters. Mr Kobakhidze, the prime minister, characterized the protests on Saturday as violent demonstrations. He said that unspecified foreign entities wished to see the Ukrainisation of Georgia with a Maidan-style scenario a reference to Ukraines 2014 Maidan revolution. Mr Kobakhidze also said that Georgia remained committed to European integration. The governments announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that condemned last months vote as neither free nor fair. It said the election represented another manifestation of Georgias continued democratic backsliding for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible. Protesters gathered across Georgia on Saturday night in a third straight night of demonstrations against the governments decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union. More than 100 demonstrators were arrested as crowds clashed with police on Friday night, the countrys interior ministry said. The Associated Press saw protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the countrys parliament building. On the same night, police also used heavy force against members of the media and deployed water cannons to push protesters back along the capitals central street, Rustaveli Avenue. A demonstrator throws a firecracker toward police as officers block a street to halt protesters outside the parliament building in Tbilisi (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze) The ruling Georgian Dream partys disputed victory in the countrys October 26 parliamentary election, which was widely seen as a referendum on Georgias aspirations to join the European Union, has sparked major demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of the parliament. The opposition has said that the vote was rigged with the help of Russia, Georgias former imperial master, with Moscow hoping to keep Tbilisi in its orbit. Speaking to the AP on Saturday, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said that Georgia was becoming a quasi-Russian state and that Georgian Dream controlled the countrys major institutions. We have seen happening in the country which is a country where we do not have any longer independent institutions, not the courts, not the central bank, and not, of course, the parliament, she said. We have been moving more and more rapidly into a quasi-Russian model. Ms Zourabichvili also rejected statements made by the Georgian prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, who characterised the protests as violent demonstrations. In a statement on Saturday, he said Tbilisi remained committed to European integration. However, he said that unspecified foreign entities wished to see the Ukrainisation of Georgia with a Maidan-style scenario a reference to Ukraines 2014 Maidan revolution. We are not demanding a revolution. We are asking for new elections, but in conditions that will ensure that the will of the people will not be misrepresented or stolen again, Ms Zourabichvili said. Georgia has been always resisting Russian influence and will not accept having its vote stolen and its destiny stolen. The governments announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that condemned last months vote as neither free nor fair. It said the election represented another manifestation of Georgias continued democratic backsliding for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible. Critics have accused Georgian Dream established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBT+ rights. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home on Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Mr Trump called the talks productive but signalled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders hastily arranged dinner on Friday night at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Mr Trudeau spoke of an excellent conversation but offered no details. Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post later on Saturday that they discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address. Canadas Justin Trudeau met Donald Trump during his first erm as president in 2020 (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) For issues in need of such co-operation, Mr Trump cited fentanyl and the drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration; fair trade deals that do not jeopardise American Workers; and the US trade deficit with its ally to the north. Mr Trump asserted that the prime minister had made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbours. The US, he said, will no longer sit idly by as our citizens become victims to the scourge of this drug epidemic. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. US customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the US Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Mr Trump on the telephone, said on Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Mr Trump said he and Mr Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. An official cited defence, Ukraine, Nato, China, the Middle East, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau weak and dishonest, but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the November 5 election. Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states. Nearly 2.7 billion US dollars (2.1 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of US crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of US electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminium and uranium to the US and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canadas exports go to the US. 28-year-old Ukrainian actor Oleksandr Rudynskyi took part in the spy thriller series The Agency, produced by American celebrity George Clooney. The first two episodes premiered on Paramount+ on November 29, so viewers can see Oleksandr playing the role of a Ukrainian military in the second one. He will also appear in the third, ninth and tenth episodes. ADVERTISIMENT The star spoke about his role in the project in an interview with Harpers Bazaar. He admitted that he was very excited to receive such an opportunity. "My agent told me about the casting. At first, I went through several rounds of self-auditions, and then I had a Zoom meeting with the director. When I found out that I got the role, I was very happy, but also nervous. There were many organizational issues. But in general, I was delighted with this opportunity," the celebrity said. According to Rudynskyi, in the series, he played a Ukrainian soldier Sasha Butenko, who performs tasks under the guise of a doctor both in the government-controlled and occupied territories of Ukraine. To better understand his character, the actor underwent a week of intensive rehearsals in London and worked with instructors, including former soldiers. ADVERTISIMENT The actor admitted that although he played in George Clooney's series, he was never able to see him, "The filming took place in Estonia and England, and Clooney never came to the set. I didn't even have time to think about it because I was completely immersed in my work." Nevertheless, Oleksandr Rudynskyi did manage to meet some of his famous colleagues. Thus, in a hotel, he crossed paths with Richard Gere, who played the lead role. According to Oleksandr, the series is really worthy of the world's attention because many famous people worked hard on its creation. Philip Martin and Joe Wright directed it, while the cast includes the oscar-winning Jeffrey Wright and Michael Fassbender. ADVERTISIMENT "What is particularly important to me is the theme of Ukraine, which runs linearly through the entire plot. My character is part of this line, especially in the second, third, ninth and tenth episodes. There's one scene where my character decides to do something that all Ukrainians probably dream of. I would like to see this happen not only on the screen but also in real life," the celebrity said. The Agency is an adaptation of the French series Le Bureau des Legendes (The Bureau), which aired from 2015 to 2020. The story tells about a CIA agent with the code name "Martian" who works in a mysterious department responsible for training and working with intelligence officers on long-term missions. He has been performing undercover tasks for six years but is now suddenly summoned to the head office in London. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! There are places in many parts of the world where life once bustled. Photographers have shared breathtaking abandoned locations in the depths of the water, on land, in the mountains and on the plains. ADVERTISIMENT Many tourists dream of going on a trip where time seems to have stopped and the world has come to an end. OBOZREVATEL collected photos of locations where people have not lived for decades. Christ from the Abyss In 1954, a 2.5-meter-high statue of Christ was installed at a depth of 17 meters in the waters of the Italian Riviera. The monument is a popular destination for divers. Dome houses in the ocean Dome houses in Florida are slipping further into the ocean from year to year, which is why they attract connoisseurs of mystical buildings. They were buil by an oil tycoon Bob Lee in 1980, and at the time they were considered innovative because they were powered by solar energy. ADVERTISIMENT A city in the middle of the desert Diamonds were mined in the forgotten settlement of Kolmanskop in Namibia 100 years ago. When the jewelry ran out, people left the town. Nowadays, only tourists come here. An underwater city The "Lion City" Shicheng was flooded during the construction of a hydroelectric power station in China in 1959. Water protects the buildings from destruction, so they have remained in good condition for decades. ADVERTISIMENT A fisherman's house The Nationalpark Berchtesgaden in Germany is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a fisherman's house in the middle of a picturesque lake that blends harmoniously into the natural landscape. An abandoned hotel The Salto Hotel was built near the picturesque Tequendama Falls in Colombia back in 1923. A decade later, the owners went bankrupt because the complex was not profitable. The empty mansion above the waterfall began to gradually deteriorate. The eerie landscape is associated with ghosts, attracting thrill-seekers. ADVERTISIMENT A house in the middle of the ocean By 1910, Holland Island in the Chesapeake Bay had about 350 residents and 70 apartment buildings. The land in that area consists of clay and silt, so over time the water eroded and destroyed the buildings. Now there is only one house left in the middle of the ocean, becoming an interesting place for tourists. A shipwreck A yacht called the Endless Sea sank in the Antarctic in 2014. The expedition members were evacuated, and no one was injured. Picturesque photos and videos from the site became incredibly popular online. ADVERTISIMENT A forgotten theater The theater in Massachusetts was opened in 1912. However, eventually the building became a tobacco shop. Now the building is in a state of disrepair. Some public organizations hope to restore it. A city slowly going underground Travel agencies do not dare to take tourists to the dangerous city of Craco in Italy, which was almost destroyed by an earthquake. Authorities have evacuated the city, but about 500 residents are still living on limestone cliffs. Mark Munn, a professor of ancient Greek history and archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania, first visited the Arslan Kaya ("Lion Rock") monument in Turkey to simply see it before it was completely destroyed. However, thanks to the good lighting at the time of his visit, the researcher was able to take photos that read the word "Materan." ADVERTISIMENT The Phrygian inscriptions on this monument have been studied for many years. But thanks to Munn's photos and comparing them with the best photos taken by previous visitors from the 1890s and 1950s, it can be confirmed that the name of the Mother of Gods "Materan" can be accurately read in the center of the inscription, News Week writes. According to the study, published in the journal for the study of early and pre-Greek languages Kadmos, the random timing of the visit allowed Munn to ensure the correct reading of the inscription. Experts generally date carved monuments associated with the goddess in the Phrygian Highlands between 700 and 550 B.C. Although for stylistic reasons, Munn said he believes most of them, including Arslan Kaya, date from 600-550 B.C. ADVERTISIMENT Arslan Kaya's monument was ornately decorated with an image of a Phrygian mother goddess standing in a doorway, two lions flanking her, figures of sphinxes on a pediment above the door, and a giant lion carved into the rock. However, these elements have suffered from weathering, and in recent years they have been severely damaged by treasure hunters who have blown up part of the face of the monument and the frame of the doorway, and completely cut down the image of the goddess. The surviving inscriptions in Phrygian Owl can only be partially understood today. When the monument was first described in the 1880s, the inscription that is the subject of the latest research, located above the doorway, was already badly worn. The scholars who studied the inscription were not sure that it contained the word "Materan," the name of a Phrygian goddess in the accusative case, because it was impossible to read and essentially illegible. However, Mark Munn managed to see new details. ADVERTISIMENT "I didn't expect to discover anything new, I just wanted to see this monument, which has already been heavily damaged by treasure hunters, before it collapses completely. But fortunately, I was able to see certain details that had not been seen before or definitely not reported," he said, adding that he came to the monument in the morning light, when the sun was shining on Arslan Kaya's face, and was able to see the traces of the letters of the Phrygian inscription. "If the light is wrong, these traces cannot be distinguished from cracks in the rock," the archaeologist explained. The scientist's photographs can confirm that the word "Materan" is readable there. A few other letters can be read, but not enough to form whole words. Therefore, Arslan Kaya preserves the name or title of the goddess Mater in the accusative case, according to Munn's study. The word "Materan" seems to be the object of a phrase or sentence, coming after what might be a verb. Judging by the well-preserved Phrygian inscriptions, this prominent inscription probably refers to the name of the person responsible for creating or dedicating this monument to the mother goddess. "The name of the Phrygian Mother can be read on at least two other large Phrygian facades, but Arslan Kaya is the only one with both her name and her image carved," Munn says. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! France unveiled the beautifully restored interior of Notre Dame Cathedral to the world just over a week before the 850-year-old medieval structure is set to reopen following extensive restoration after the catastrophic fire in 2019. President Emmanuel Macron inspected the restoration during a live televised event, stating that the workers had accomplished the impossible by healing a national wound from the fire that occurred on April 19, 2019. While every effort has been made to preserve the cathedrals original appearance, an international team of designers and architects has crafted a radiant space that leaves a striking impression on visitors. We need your consent to load this rte-player content. We use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences You have achieved what was once deemed impossible, Mr. Macron told the restoration workers and officials gathered at Notre Dame after touring the cathedral. The fire at Notre Dame was a national wound, and you have been its remedy through dedication, hard work, and commitment, he continued, emphasizing that the cathedrals reopening would bring a shock of hope. This is an immense source of pride for the entire nation, Mr. Macron expressed, voicing hope that the spirit of fraternity would prevail. Mr. Macron visits the newly refurbished Notre Dame spire The cathedral will once again welcome visitors and worshippers over the weekend of December 7-8, following a complex restoration journey to restore the iconic Paris venue to its former splendor after it was severely damaged by fire on April 19, 2019. World leaders are anticipated to attend, but the guest list remains undisclosed. The French president is optimistic that the reopening of Notre Dame will be a significant achievement amidst the current political standoff following early parliamentary elections this summer. Sublime, remarked a visibly delighted Mr. Macron, who was joined by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, the culture minister, the mayor of Paris, and other officials. It is much more welcoming now, he noted, complimenting Notre Dames pale-colored stones and stating that everyone involved in the reconstruction should take pride. Insane challenge Following the tragic fire, Mr. Macron set an ambitious goal to rebuild Notre Dame within five years and to make it even more beautiful than beforea target that French authorities claim has been achieved. The building site of the century was a challenge that many deemed insane, Mr. Macron stated. Around 250 companies and hundreds of experts were engaged in restoration efforts, with costs reaching hundreds of millions of euros. All 2,000 individuals who contributed to the restoration were invited to the event on Friday. The total cost of the restoration was nearly 700 million. A fire in 2019 ravaged the medieval landmark This was funded by 846 million euros in donations received from 150 countries, marking an unprecedented surge of solidarity. The 19th-century gothic spire has been reconstructed as an exact replica of the original, the stained glass windows have regained their vibrancy, the walls shine after cleaning from fire damage, and a refurbished organ is ready to play once more. Unseen by visitors, a new mechanism has been installed to protect against future fires, featuring a discreet network of pipes designed to release millions of water droplets in the event of another disaster. Read the latest stories from around the world Notre Dame, which attracted 12 million visitors in 2017, is expected to welcome an even greater number of 14 to 15 million following its reopening, as per church authorities. French ministers have proposed introducing an entrance fee for tourists, but the Paris diocese has emphasized maintaining free admission as a core principle. Reopening ceremony Mr. Macron had initially intended to deliver a speech inside Notre Dame to commemorate the reopening; however, following discussions with the diocese, he is now scheduled to speak only in the forecourt. By its constitution, France is a secular nation with a strict separation between church and state. The following day, Sunday, December 8, will see the first mass and the consecration of the new altar. The newly restored windows in Notre Dame Cathedral In December 2023, Mr. Macron extended an invitation to Pope Francis for the reopening of the cathedral, but in a surprising announcement in September, the head of the Catholic Church revealed he would not attend. Instead, the pope plans to make a landmark visit to the French island of Corsica the following weekend. More than five years later, the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, with preliminary findings suggesting accidental causes such as a short circuit, a welders torch, or a cigarette. At least 32 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israeli military strikes throughout Gaza overnight and into this morning, with the majority of the casualties reported in northern regions, according to medics.Among those who perished, at least seven were killed in an Israeli strike on a residential building in central Gaza City, as reported by the Gaza Civil Defense and the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. The Gaza Civil Defence has also stated that one of its officers was killed in the attacks in Jabalia, located in northern Gaza, raising the total number of civil defense personnel killed since October 7, 2023, to 88. Earlier today, WAFA reported the deaths of three employees from the World Central Kitchen, a U.S.-based non-governmental humanitarian organization, who were killed when a civilian vehicle was targeted in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The Israeli army targeted the vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen aid workers The Israeli military has claimed responsibility for the death of a Palestinian accused of being involved in Hamas October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which occurred during a vehicle strike in Gaza. They are currently investigating claims that the individual was an employee of the World Central Kitchen. In the meantime, Hamas representatives are scheduled to travel to Cairo today for discussions on a potential ceasefire in Gaza, as confirmed by an official from the Palestinian militant group. A Hamas delegation will visit Cairo for several meetings with Egyptian officials to explore ideas for a ceasefire and a prisoner arrangement in the Gaza Strip, said the official, who requested anonymity. This announcement follows the recent implementation of a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, a known ally of Hamas. The United States has also initiated a new diplomatic effort alongside Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitate the release of hostages captured during Hamass October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that initiated the current conflicts. The attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,207 individuals, the majority of whom were civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official statistics. Israels retaliatory military actions have claimed the lives of 44,363 people in Gaza, according to figures reported by the health ministry of the territory, which the United Nations regards as credible. Additionally, around 251 hostages were taken on October 7, with 97 believed to still be in Gaza, including 34 individuals whom the Israeli army claims are deceased. Many Palestinians have been displaced due to continued Israeli bombardment The sole ceasefire thus far, which took place in November 2023, resulted in the release of approximately 100 hostages by Hamas and its allies in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have spearheaded multiple unsuccessful initiatives since the beginning of the year aimed at achieving a new ceasefire and the release of hostages. Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza Israeli military strikes claimed the lives of at least 40 Palestinians yesterday in Gaza, according to medics. Medics reported recovering 19 bodies in Nuseirat, one of Gazas eight longstanding refugee camps. Later, an Israeli airstrike resulted in at least ten fatalities in a residential building in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, according to medical sources. A man comforts a child as people mourn the death of relatives killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza Additional deaths were reported in various northern and southern regions of Gaza, as stated by medics. There was no new statement from the Israeli military; however, earlier on Thursday, they announced that their forces were continuing to target terror sites as part of their operational activities in the Gaza Strip. Israeli tanks had entered the northern and western sections of Nuseirat on Thursday. They withdrew from northern areas yesterday but remained active in western parts of the camp. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service reported that emergency teams were unable to respond to calls from residents trapped within their homes. Latest Middle East stories Dozens of Palestinians returned to areas where the military had pulled back to assess the damage to their residences. Medics confirmed that an Israeli drone strike killed Ahmed Al-Kahlout, who headed the Intensive Care Unit at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, located on the northern fringe of Gaza, where military operations have been ongoing since early October. In communication with Reuters, the Israeli military stated it was not aware of any strikes occurring in that particular location or timeframe. Kamal Adwan Hospital is one of three medical facilities situated on the northern edge of Gaza that is barely operational due to severe shortages of medical supplies, fuel, and food. Health officials report that most medical personnel have been detained or expelled by the Israeli army. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and accused Israel of employing starvation as a weapon against the people (in northern Gaza) to force them from their land and homes. The Israeli army has stated that operations in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia since October 5 aim to prevent Hamas militants from regrouping and launching further attacks from these areas. Residents have reported that the military is depopulating the towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, as well as the Jabalia refugee camp. Israeli military strikes resulted in the deaths of at least 30 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip overnight, primarily in the Nuseirat camp located in the heart of the enclave, according to medical sources. This followed a withdrawal of some tanks from areas they had previously invaded. According to medics, 19 bodies of Palestinians were recovered from the northern parts of Nuseirat, one of the eight long-established refugee camps in the enclave. The remaining victims were killed in various locations in the northern and southern Gaza Strip, as reported by medical personnel. We need your consent to load this rte-player content. We use rte-player to manage extra content that may set cookies on your device and gather data regarding your activity. Please review their details and agree to load the content.Manage Preferences. No recent statement has been issued by the Israeli military; however, it claimed yesterday that its forces were still engaged in striking terror targets as part of operational activities in the Gaza Strip. A number of Palestinians returned to areas where the military had withdrawn to assess the damage sustained by their homes, with some recovering the bodies of the deceased. Medical personnel and family members wrapped the deceased, including women, in blankets or white shrouds before carrying them away on stretchers. Destroyed and heavily damaged buildings in Nuseirat Refugee Camp According to medical reports, an Israeli drone strike killed Ahmed Al-Kahlout, the head of the Intensive Care Unit at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, on the northern fringe of the Gaza Strip, where military operations have been ongoing since early October. Sources at Kamal Adwan Hospital informed Reuters that Mr. Al-Kahlout was struck by a missile from the drone as he entered the hospital premises. Earlier in the week, the hospitals director and 12 other medical staff were injured in similar drone strikes, as reported by the Gaza health ministry. No immediate response has been provided by the Israeli army. Kamal Adwan Hospital is one of three medical facilities in northern Gaza that are barely functioning due to shortages of essential medical supplies, fuel, and food. Health officials reported that most of the hospitals medical staff have either been detained or expelled by the Israeli military. Displacements The Israeli army stated that its operations in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia since October 5 were focused on preventing Hamas militants from regrouping and launching attacks from those regions. Residents have reported that the army is effectively depopulating the areas of Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and the Jabalia refugee camp. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), stated yesterday that Israels offensive over the past seven weeks in northern Gaza has displaced approximately 130,000 individuals. In a separate development, Israeli authorities released around 30 Palestinians who had been detained during the ongoing military operation in Gaza over the past few months. Those released arrived at a southern Gaza hospital for medical evaluations, according to medical sources. Freed Palestinians have alleged mistreatment and torture while in Israeli detention, a claim that Israel has denied. Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza have seen little progress, and discussions are currently suspended. A ceasefire in the concurrent conflict between Israel and Lebanons Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, came into effect early Wednesday, putting an end to escalating hostilities that had overshadowed the situation in Gaza. Scenes of destruction at the Nuseirat Refugee Camp in the central part of the Gaza Strip This week, US President Joe Biden announced his intention to renew efforts for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, urging both Israel and Hamas to take advantage of the opportunity. According to Gaza officials, Israels military campaign has resulted in nearly 44,300 fatalities and displaced nearly the entire population of the enclave at least once. Extensive areas of the region have been left in ruins. Hamas-led militants, who launched attacks on southern Israeli communities 13 months ago, which triggered the conflict, caused approximately 1,200 deaths and captured over 250 hostages, as reported by Israel. West Bank In the meantime, a shooting incident targeting a bus near an Israeli settlement injured at least eight individuals, according to an Israeli rescue service. Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the Gaza war began. The latest incident occurred at an intersection near the settlement of Ariel, as stated by the Israeli military. The military also reported that a terrorist was neutralised on the spot. Of the injured, four suffered gunshot wounds, three of them critically, while four others sustained light injuries from shattered glass, according to the Magen David Adom rescue service. Upon arrival, rescuers found three of the injured lying near the bus, conscious, and transported the critically injured individuals to the hospital in stable condition. Since the onset of the Gaza war, at least 24 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during military operations in the West Bank, according to official Israeli data. During the same period, at least 747 Palestinians have reportedly lost their lives in the West Bank as a result of actions by Israeli troops or settlers, based on an AFP count of Palestinian official figures. All Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which have been occupied since 1967, are deemed illegal under international law. Amid the turmoil surrounding Ursula von der Leyens pursuit of a second term, she and the newly appointed European Commission secured a solid majority in Strasbourg on Wednesday: 370 votes in favor, 282 against, with 36 abstentions. Nevertheless, the margin was lower compared to confirmations over the past several decades, with the political atmosphere in the chamber feeling particularly contentious. This vote was for the new College as a whole. Ms. von der Leyen received a clear endorsement in July to serve a second term as Commission President. Ursula von der Leyen is seen with the newly elected College of Commissioners in Strasbourg. As anticipated, Sinn Feins Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion, along with Independent MEP Luke Ming Flanagan, opposed the new commission. A surprising dissent came from Labour MEP Aodhan O Riordain, despite the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) largely supporting Ms. von der Leyens team to reinforce the pro-European center. Mr. O Riordain expressed his initial support for the creation of a housing commissioner, believing that a no-fault eviction ban across the EU might be achieved over the next five years. However, at the last moment, he chose to vote against it due to her handling of the Gaza conflict. Ursula von der Leyen exacerbated her Gaza issue by not mentioning it [in her speech], remarked Mr. O Riordain. He continued: [Also], the dissatisfaction within the S&D group regarding her agreements with the far-right instead of the center was something I couldnt accept. Playing petty politics Fianna Fails Cynthia Ni Mhurchu promptly criticized the six (out of 14) Irish MEPs who either voted against the new commission or abstained, including Independent Irelands Ciaran Mullooly and Independent MEP Michael McNamara. All commissioners nominated by Member States underwent thorough confirmation hearings in the European Parliament, including Michael McGrath. They were endorsed by the European Parliament, she stated. She added: To abstain now on the vote is playing petty politics at a time when Ireland requires an operational European Commission to tackle pressing issues for Irish agriculture, climate, competitiveness, and migration. Confirming a new commission has increasingly become a political affair. Parliamentary hearings to interrogate nominees about their qualifications and to uncover hidden issues are not a mandated process in the Lisbon Treaty. The founding Treaty of Rome does not mention the European Parliament (or Assembly, as it was previously known) having a role in this process. It was only through the Maastricht and Amsterdam treaties that MEPs were granted a consultative role and then a formal confidence vote on the Commission President. The Lisbon Treaty advanced this further, tying the outcomes of European elections to the entitlement of EU leaders to appoint a new Commission President (leaders now must consider the results of the elections when evaluating a presidential candidate). Additionally, the candidate must now secure an absolute majority instead of a simple one; the Parliament also modified its own rules in 1994, gaining a greater voice. The European Parliament has seized every opportunity since then to assert its influence with each incoming Commission and effectively compelled change, especially concerning the distribution of portfolios and the composition of the College, explains Sophia Russack, a researcher at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS). While party politics have always played a significant role, the control exerted by (major) political parties and the targeting of political adversaries appear to have intensified. This has been evident to varying degrees throughout this approval process. Tit-for-tat Technically, MEPs cannot vote to block individual nominees; they can only reject the entire commission. However, if a candidate faces overwhelming dissatisfaction, he or she typically withdraws. Or there can be tit-for-tat: if a centre-right candidate is rejected, the centre-right will demand a centre-left sacrifice. Ironically, on this occasion, no nominee had to withdraw, despite the toxic political climate following the June European elections. Those elections resulted in a notable power shift to the right. Currently, there are 111 MEPs from far-right parties, and 78 from the hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), adding up to a right-wing, Eurosceptic bloc of 189 MEPs. In contrast, there exists a pro-European bloc of 454 MEPs (188 from the centre-right European Peoples Party [EPP], 136 from the S&D, 77 from the Renew Group, and 53 Greens). Ms. von der Leyen giving a speech to the EU Parliament during the presentation of the new Commissioners. While a clear majority for the pro-European center persists, there has been considerable fragmentation due to Ms. von der Leyens EPP relying on the ECR for support on critical issues. Critics contend that this has pulled her, and her party, further rightward, particularly regarding climate policies. The EPP had previously assisted in diluting the Nature Restoration Law in the spring, and in September, Ms. von der Leyen, much to the ire of environmental groups, postponed for one year the deforestation regulation, which would restrict imports of coffee, cocoa, palm oil, and other products potentially linked to deforestation from third countries. There have also been claims that Mercosur countries pressured the European Commission to delay the deforestation law as a condition for finalizing the EU-Mercosur trade deal before Christmas. In late October, an unnamed commission official informed the environmental news outlet Ends Europe: The deforestation regulation has been delayed by a year to allow all parties to prepare better so it doesnt appear likely to affect the chances of finalizing the [Mercosur] deal. The commission has assured that the delay was due to various global partners expressing concerns about their preparedness, and that preparations among stakeholders in Europe are also uneven. Rotten trade deal Sinn Feins Lynn Boylan remains skeptical, believing the postponement was partly intended to facilitate the ratification of Mercosur. We know that Mercosur is a damaging trade deal that will inflict significant harm on people and the planet, she commented. I have consistently urged the Irish Government to officially inform the European Commission of Irelands opposition to this deal and to create a blocking minority at the EU Council. Following the June elections, the Centre for European Reform (CER) forecasted that the rise of far-right and populist right-wing parties will prompt the [EPP] to shift further right in hopes of reclaiming disenchanted voters. This trend is likely to be especially pronounced in the climate and environmental sectors. Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni seen with Ursula von der Leyen. Not only that, Ms. von der Leyen has depended on Italys ECR prime minister Giorgia Meloni for support in securing her second term, promising to elevate Ms. Melonis candidate Raffaele Fitto to one of six executive vice president roles within the new commission. This arrangement has drawn ire from many in the center-left, Renew, and Greens, who are appalled by the notion of a party with neo-fascist roots elevating a candidate to senior positions in EU policy making. In reality, Mr. Fitto hails from the late Silvio Berlusconis center-right background and was considered a pragmatic and cooperative Europe minister in Ms. Melonis government. However, that did not prevent the leader of the Greens, Bas Eickhout, from delivering a fervent condemnation of those who argued that Mr. Fitto was not genuinely far-right. Raffaele Fitto during his confirmation hearing earlier this month. Tell that to the mothers in Italy whose rights to raise children together have been stripped away simply because they wish to cohabitate, he asserted. Tell that to the judges who face government criticism for merely doing their jobs. Tell that to the journalists who increasingly encounter pressure merely for carrying out their duties independently. In September, the S&D party threatened to block Mr. Fittos nomination; the EPP retaliated by threatening to block Spains Teresa Ribera the S&D candidate slated for the highest-ranking portfolio of the center-left unless she returned to Madrid to be scrutinized over her management of the devastating Valencia floods. Blank cheque Throughout this process, the traditionally Eurosceptic ECR has behaved reasonably by supporting 19 out of 20 Commissioners-designate during committee hearings, including Irelands Michael McGrath. With the S&D bluff called, party president Iratxe Garcia Perez delivered a poignant message to Ms. von der Leyen just before the vote on Wednesday. We are not providing you a blank cheque, she stated regarding her partys conditional support for Ms. von der Leyen. Ms. Garcia Perez further remarked: European forces have established the EU since its inception, and we have an agreement. You must honor that agreement: remain faithful to your pro-European tradition and recommit to the pro-European majority. We will not accept you playing both sides. Building Europe cannot be accomplished with those who seek to dismantle it. Ms. von der Leyen argues that the rise of the far-right necessitates the EU to be in constant listening mode to engage citizens on climate objectives. French farmers protesting against the Mercosur trade deal. Her new work program is filled with pledges of dialogue with industry and citizens concerning climate goals, but many perceive this as blatant pandering to the far-right. Following the postponement of the EUs deforestation regulation, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) called the action shameful. Ms. von der Leyens EPP, as stated by Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, WWFs Forests Policy Manager, has aligned with extreme right-wing factions, prioritizing political posturing over climate action, and disregarding the appeals of European citizens and responsible businesses to protect our forests. There is scant evidence that the far-right, encouraged by the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House, will be satisfied with promises to slow the pace and intensity of Europes decarbonization efforts. Yet, the EPP continues to be a pivotal force in European politics. Currently, there are 14 EPP commissioners out of 27, including Ms. von der Leyen, while 13 member state governments, including Simon Harris and Michel Barnier in France, are led by the EPP. Numerous officials and diplomats have indicated that Ms. von der Leyen has been meticulously vetting candidates for positions in the cabinets of the new commissioners, with officials linked to the EPP and Germany permeating the ranks. The presence of considerable overlap in the new portfolios has fueled suspicions that the commissions design intentionally provides Ms. von der Leyen with extra arbitration power. Historic struggles Citing the historic battles of Europeans to secure freedom and democracy, she foretold a challenging path ahead, given the impending second Trump administration, a more assertive China, conflicts threatening Europes borders in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the EUs declining competitiveness compared to the US, China, and India. These freedoms will not be earned without cost, she warned MEPs on Wednesday. It will require making tough choices. It will necessitate substantial investments in our security and prosperity. Above all, it demands that we remain united and uphold our values. It is crucial to discover ways to collaborate with one another and overcome fragmentation. This is what I and all 26 women and men alongside me will endeavor to accomplish each day. A second Donald Trump presidency is among the challenges faced by the EU. Fragmentation is undoubtedly a concern. Spanish EPP members voted against Ms. von der Leyen due to their opposition to Teresa Ribera, while French and Belgian S&D MEPs also voted against her (neither the Greens nor the centrist Renew party showed unanimous support). Consequently, only 54% of the chamber backed the new commission, contrasting with 47% who dismissed it. Ms. von der Leyen begins her second term with the narrowest parliamentary majority since 1993. This reflects the increasing wedge of MEPs on the far-right (and far-left) who are ready to obstruct or impede European integration at a time when many governments (and citizens) feel it is more vital than ever. Ms. von der Leyen is betting on navigating the ship by keeping the ECR close. It may succeed, but the tempests stirred by Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, and a surge in migration will persist in battering the vessel. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov held discussions with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, agreeing to enhance military collaboration between their two reclusive nations, according to North Korean state media. The United States and South Korea have alleged that nuclear-armed North Korea has dispatched over 10,000 soldiers to assist Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. Experts suggest that Mr. Kim is keen to acquire advanced technology and combat experience for his troops in exchange. During his meeting with Mr. Belousov yesterday, Mr. Kim criticized the recent decision by Western powers to allow Kyiv to launch strikes within Russia using their armament, describing it as a direct military intervention in the conflict, as reported by KCNA. It is an exercise of the right to self-defence for Russia to take decisive action to make the hostile forces face consequences, Mr. Kim purportedly stated. According to KCNA, Mr. Belousovs visit would significantly contribute to strengthening the defense capabilities of the two countries and fostering friendly, mutual cooperation and the development of relations between their armed forces. In a statement, Mr. Belousov expressed appreciation for the deepening ties between the two nations and commended North Koreas completely independent foreign policy. Experts suggest that North Korea may be leveraging the situation in Ukraine to realign its foreign policy. Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un formalized a strategic partnership in June (File image). By sending soldiers, North Korea is strategically positioning itself within the Russian war economy, serving as a provider of weapons, military assistance, and laborpotentially even bypassing its traditional ally, neighbor, and main trading partner, China, according to analysts. Russia also provides access to extensive natural resources like oil and gas, they noted. Mr. Belousov is well-positioned to facilitate such arrangements, according to Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, who referred to the Russian official as an economic expert without a military background. As Russias defense chief, he specializes in long-term strategies for securing weapons and military supplies, evading sanctions, and overseeing post-war reconstruction, Mr. Hong explained. Unwavering Support Since Moscows invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, military ties between Russia and North Korea have strengthened. Both nations are facing multiple UN sanctionsthe former due to its nuclear weapons program and the latter in connection with the Ukraine conflict. Following US president-elect Donald Trumps victory earlier this month, the Biden administration has intensified its support for Kyiv, supplying additional weaponry and granting Ukraine the authority to launch long-range missiles into Russian territory. Mr. Kim declared that his government, military, and people would steadfastly support the policy of the Russian Federation in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Earlier this month, North Korea confirmed the ratification of a significant defense agreement with Russia after Russian politicians unanimously approved the deal, which Mr. Putin subsequently signed. On Wednesday, South Korea and Ukraine announced plans to enhance security cooperation in response to the threat posed by the deployment of North Korean troops, yet did not mention any potential arms shipments. President Yoon Suk Yeol stated earlier this month that South Korea was not ruling out the possibility of providing weapons to Ukraine, signaling a considerable shift from its longstanding policy against arms sales to nations engaged in active conflict. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov has praised the growing relations with North Korea, following accusations from western nations that the country has dispatched over 10,000 soldiers to assist Russia in its conflict against Ukraine. The friendly relations between Russia and North Korea are actively developing across all sectors, including military collaboration, he stated, as reported by Russian news agencies during his visit to North Korea. The United States has alleged that North Korea has sent thousands of troops to the Kursk region of Russia, where Russian forces are engaged in efforts to drive out Ukrainian soldiers. Russia has not confirmed or denied these claims. Mr. Belousov noted that discussions would enhance the strategic military partnership between Russia and North Korea. According to Russian news reports, Mr. Belousov was scheduled to meet with the military and political leadership of North Korea. In related developments, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of potential strikes on decision-making centres in Ukraine utilizing a new hypersonic missile, just hours after Russian forces targeted Ukraines energy grid, resulting in a million people losing power. Earlier, Ukraine had cautioned about a massive Russian offensive aimed at its energy infrastructure. Russias assault on Ukraines energy grid left one million people without power. According to Ukraine, Russia launched over 90 missiles and around 100 drones in a recent attack, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to call on allies to respond decisively to what he characterized as Russian blackmail. President Putin described the recent wave of attacks as a reply to Ukrainian incursions into Russian territory using Western missiles. The ongoing war, which has now lasted nearly three years, has seen a significant escalation in recent days, with both sides rolling out new weaponry to secure an advantage ahead of US president-elect Donald Trumps inauguration in January. The use of the Oreshnik against military, military-industrial, or decision-making centres, including in Kyiv, is not ruled out, Mr. Putin remarked at a press conference in Astana, the Kazakh capital, referring to the hypersonic missile. The government district in Ukraines capital, where multiple government buildings are situated, is heavily fortified, but concerns for its safety have heightened in the past week. Russia conducted tests of its new Oreshnik ballistic missile on Ukraine last week, and Mr. Putin mentioned that firing multiple units simultaneously would generate a force comparable to a nuclear strike or a meteorite impact. He noted that the recent barrage was a response to ongoing assaults on our territory by (US) ATACMS missiles. As I have reiterated, our side will always respond accordingly, he added. Despicable escalation US President Joe Biden stated that the attack underscored the urgency of supporting Ukraine (File image). These strikes occurred as Ukrainians braced for a challenging winter, with substantial damage already inflicted on the countrys energy infrastructure due to nearly three years of conflict, while Russian forces continued their advance in eastern Ukraine. Mr. Putin expressed optimism regarding Mr. Trumps potential second term, describing the Republican as intelligent and capable of establishing a solution, though he did not specify what he meant. President Joe Biden emphasized that the attacks highlighted the urgency of backing Ukraine in the lead-up to Mr. Trumps return to office in January. This attack is outrageous and serves as yet another reminder of the urgency and importance of supporting the Ukrainian people in their defense against Russian aggression, Mr. Biden remarked in a statement. Journalists from AFP in the capital reported hearing explosions overnight as air defense systems engaged Russian drones and missiles, with locals seeking shelter in the underground metro system. The energy ministry indicated that this was the eleventh significant Russian assault on Ukraines civilian energy infrastructure this year. A senior UN official, Rosemary DiCarlo, warned this month that Russias attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure might render this winter the harshest since the onset of the war. ( Middle East Monitor ) The arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are a diplomatic disaster for Israel, reported the Economist, a hard stigma for the Israeli leader, wrote the Guardian, and a major blow, said others. But a term that many seem to agree on is that the warrants represent an earthquake, though many are doubtful that Netanyahu will actually see his day in court. The pro-Palestine camp, which as of late represents the majority of humankind, is torn between disbelief, skepticism and optimism. It turned out that the international system has a pulse, after all, though faint, but is enough to rekindle hope that legal and moral accountability are still possible. This mixture of feelings and strong language is a reflection of several important and interconnected experiences: one, the unprecedented extermination of a whole population which is currently being carried out by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza; two, the utter failure of the international community to stop the grisly genocide in the Strip; and, finally, the fact that the international legal system has historically failed to hold Israel, or any of the Wests allies anywhere, accountable to international law. The real earthquake is the fact that this is the first time in the history of the ICC that a pro-western leader is held accountable for war crimes. Indeed, historically, the vast majority of arrest warrants, and actual detention of accused war criminals seemed to target the Global South, Africa in particular. Israel, however, is not an ordinary western state. Zionism was a western-colonial invention, and the creation of Israel was only possible because of unhindered, die-hard western support. Since its inception on the ruins of historic Palestine in 1948, Israel has served the role of the western-colonial citadel in the Middle East. The entire Israeli political discourse has been tailored and situated within western priorities and supposed values: civilisation, democracy, enlightenment, human rights and the like. With time, Israel became largely an American project, embraced by American liberals and religious conservatives alike. Americas religious crowds were motivated by the biblical notion that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, And whoever curses Israel will be cursed. The liberals, too, held Israel within a spiritual discourse, although disproportionately favoured the classification of Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East, constantly emphasising the special relationship, the unbreakable bond and the rest. Thus, it would not be an exaggeration to claim that the ICCs indictment of Netanyahu, as a representative of the political establishment in Israel, and Gallant, as the leader of the military class, is also an indictment of the United States. It is often reported that Israel would not have been able to carry on with its war genocide on Gaza without American military and political support. According to the investigative news website ProPublica, in the first year of the war, the US shipped over 50,000 tonnes of weaponry to Israel. Mainstream American media and journalists are also culpable in that genocide. They elevated the now war criminals Netanyahu and Gallant, along with other Israeli political and military leaders, as if they were the defenders of a civilised world against the barbarians. Those in the conservative media circles portrayed them as if they were prophets doing Gods work against the supposed heathens of the South. ICC Warrant, Digital, Dream / Dreamland v3, 2024 They, too, have been indicted by the ICC, the kind of moral indictment, and hard stigma, that can never be eradicated. When Karim Khan, the ICCs chief prosecutor, originally filed for arrest warrants in May, many were in doubt, and justifiably so. The Israelis felt that their country commanded the needed support to disallow such warrants in the first place. They cited previous attempts, including a Belgian court case where victims of Israeli brutality in Lebanon attempted to hold former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon accountable for the Sabra and Shatila massacre. Not only was the case dropped in 2003, but Belgium was pressured by the US to change its own laws so that they do not include universal jurisdiction in the case of genocide. The Americans, too, were not too worried, as they were ready to punish ICC judges, defame Khan himself, and, according to a recent social media post by US Senator Tom Cotton, ready to invade the Hague. In fact, this is not the first time that Americans, who are not signatories of the Rome Statute, thus not members of the ICC, flexed their muscles against those who merely attempted to enforce international law. In September 2020, the US government imposed sanctions on then-Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and another senior official, Phakiso Mochochoko. Even those who wanted to see accountability for the Israeli genocide were in doubt, especially as pro-Israeli western governments, like that of Germany, stepped forward to prevent the warrants from being issued. Unreasonable delays in the proceedings contributed to the skepticism, especially as Khan himself was suddenly being paraded for supposed sexual misconduct. Yet, after all of this, on 21 November the arrest warrants were issued, charging Netanyahu and Gallant with alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity the other punishable offenses within the ICC jurisdiction being genocide and aggression. Considering that the worlds highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has already found that it is plausible that Israels acts could amount to genocide and is currently investigating the case, Israel, as a state, and top Israeli leaders have suddenly, and deservingly so, become the enemies of humanity. While it is right and legitimate to argue that what matters most is the tangible outcome of these cases ending the genocide while holding the Israeli war criminals accountable we must not miss the greater meaning of these earth-shattering events. The ICJ and the ICC are essentially two western institutions created to police the world by reinforcing the double standards resulting from the post-World War II western-dominated international system. They are the legal equivalent of the Bretton Woods agreement, which regulated the international monetary system to serve US western interests. Though, in theory, they championed universally commendable values, in practice they merely served as tools of control and dominance for the western order. For years, the world has been in a state of obvious and irreversible change. New powers were rising and others were shrinking. Political turmoil in the US, Britain and France were only reflections of the internal struggle in the wests ruling classes. The incredible rise of China, the war in Europe and the growing resistance in the Middle East were outcomes and accelerators of that change. Thus the constant call for reforms in the post-WWII international system to reflect in a more equitable way the new global realities. Despite American-western resistance to change, new geopolitical formations continued to take place, regardless. The Gaza genocide represents a watershed moment in these global dynamics. This was reflected in Karim Khans language when he requested the arrest warrants, stressing on the credibility of the court. This is why we have a court, he said in an exclusive interview with CNN on 20 May. Its about the equal application of the law. No people are better than another. No people anywhere are saints. The emphasis on credibility here is a culmination of the obvious loss of credibility on all fronts. This should hardly be a surprise as it was in the west, the self-proclaimed champion of human rights, the very political entity that championed, defended and sustained the Israeli genocide. While one would like to believe that the ICCs arrest warrants were made exclusively for the sake of the victims of the Israeli genocide, plenty of evidence suggests that the unexpected move was a desperate western attempt at salvaging whatever little credibility it had maintained up to that moment. The US government, an unrepentant violator of human rights, has maintained its strong position in defence of Israel, shaming the ICC for the warrants, not the Israeli war criminals for committing the genocide. The conflict in Europe has been much more palpable, however, reflected in the position of Germany, which said it would carefully examine the arrest warrants but that it is hard to imagine that we would make arrests on this basis. One remains hopeful that the shifts of global powers will eventually save international law from the hypocrisy and opportunism of the west. But what is clear for now is that the wests own conflict will only gain momentum. Will those who created the Zionist Israeli menace be the very powers that demolish it? One is doubtful. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment. Via Middle East Monitor Mystery movies have long been a favorite genre for many moviegoers. From mysterious comedies to suspenseful whodunit detectives, this genre offers a wide range of choices for viewers who love to unravel intricate stories. Its popularity on the screen is largely due to the works of classics such as Raymond Chandler, Arthur Conan Doyle, Daphne du Maurier, and Agatha Christie. ADVERTISIMENT Agatha Christie, the queen of detectives, is recognized for her complex and fascinating stories that have been the basis for movie adaptations. Her classic whodunit stories have inspired many authors and directors, setting trends in the genre for decades to come. In addition to film adaptations of Christie's works, cinema offers many other brilliant examples of mysticism. For example, the films The Big Sleep, In the Heat of the Night, and Knives to the Head attract the attention of even the most demanding mystery fans. These films combine a deep plot, charismatic characters, and unpredictable outcomes. Modern mystery continues to evolve, preserving the spirit of classic stories and adding new accents. OBOZ.UA offers a selection of films to enjoy both the devotion to the traditions of the genre and fresh interpretations, which makes mystical films popular among generations. ADVERTISIMENT Mystic River (2003) A psychological thriller directed by Clint Eastwood and based on the novel by Dennis Lehane. The plot centers on three childhood friends whose fates are intertwined by a terrible crime that tests their friendship. Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon play the main characters, and their impressive performances have received numerous accolades. The film touches on deep themes such as past trauma, revenge and moral dilemmas. The film received six Oscar nominations and won two statuettes - for Best Actor (Sean Penn) and Best Supporting Actor (Tim Robbins). "Mystic River is considered one of Eastwood's best films and a true masterpiece in the detective drama genre. ADVERTISIMENT Fracture (2007) An intense psychological thriller directed by Gregory Goblit. The plot centers on the confrontation between an ambitious young prosecutor, Willie Beachum (Ryan Gosling), and a resourceful criminal, Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins), who confesses to an attempted murder of his wife but escapes justice through cunning. The movie features an intriguing script that keeps the audience in suspense until the very end. The cold intellectual game between the characters is emphasized by the brilliant acting of Hopkins and Gosling. The film explores the themes of morality, justice, and manipulation of the system. Fracture received positive reviews from critics for its stylish direction, sharp dialogue, and charismatic performances, becoming a notable film in the courtroom drama genre. ADVERTISIMENT The Big Sleep (1946) A classic detective film noir directed by Howard Hawks and based on the novel by Raymond Chandler. The main role of private detective Philip Marlowe was played by cult actor Humphrey Bogart, and his partner was Lauren Bacall. The plot revolves around a blackmail investigation that Marlowe takes on at the request of a wealthy family. However, the case quickly becomes more complicated, plunging the hero into a world of criminal conspiracies, blackmail, and murder. The film is characterized by an intricate plot, fast-paced dialogues, and atmospheric cinematography that perfectly captures the spirit of the noir genre. ADVERTISIMENT "The Big Sleep became one of the most famous films of its time, thanks to the chemistry between Bogart and Bacall, as well as stylistic decisions that influenced the further development of the detective genre. The film is still considered one of the best adaptations of detective literature. Laura (1944) This is a classic film noir directed by Otto Preminger that has become one of the most influential films of the genre. The main roles were played by Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb and Vincent Price. The plot focuses on detective Mark McPherson, who investigates the mysterious murder of the charming Laura Hunt. As the case unfolds, the detective becomes increasingly fascinated by Laura's personality through her portrait and the stories of her friends. The tension rises when the ulterior motives of the witnesses become apparent and the plot suddenly changes direction. ADVERTISIMENT Rear Window (1954) One of Alfred Hitchcock's most famous thrillers, which has become a classic of the genre and continues to captivate audiences to this day. The film stars James Stewart as photographer LB Jeffries, who is forced to stay in a wheelchair in his apartment due to an injury. He begins to observe the lives of his neighbors through the window and soon suspects one of them of committing a murder. The film skillfully plays on the themes of observation, isolation, and interpretation of facts, creating tension through the use of limited space and long shots through the window. The role of the woman Jane, played by Grace Kelly, adds an element of romance and intrigue to the plot. The script, built around the concept of "all things seen", keeps the viewer in suspense and questions the boundary between reality and imagination. ADVERTISIMENT "Window to the Yard has become a significant example of a "psychological thriller" and is noted for its ability to manipulate the objectivity and subjectivity of observation. The film explores the themes of privacy, morality, and human weaknesses, keeping the intrigue to the very end. Sleuth (1972) A British detective thriller directed by Joseph Mankiewicz. The film is based on the play by Anthony Schaeffer, who also adapted the screenplay. The film stars Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine as two men whose encounter becomes a real psychological duel. Olivier plays Sim, a wealthy and eccentric mystery writer, and Caine plays a young man who is married to his wife. ADVERTISIMENT The main conflict of the film arises when Sim invites his young rival to his house to play a game that involves intrigue, deception, and manipulation. Sharp plot twists, complex dialogues, and acting create the atmosphere of a tense psychological thriller. The film skillfully plays on the contrasts between the characters, their motivations, and relationships, where every step can be part of a bigger game. "The Lady Vanishes remains a classic of the genre, attracting the audience's attention with its unpredictability and multilayered nature. The Lady Vanishes (1938) A British detective thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, which has become a classic of the genre and one of the most famous films of the early period of his career. The plot focuses on a young woman, Irina (played by Mia Seymour), who is traveling across Europe by train and witnesses the disappearance of an elderly lady named Mrs. Foyle (Ethel Griffiths), who was sitting next to her. Trying to find out what happened, Irina quickly discovers that all the other passengers seem to notice nothing and claim that the woman was not on the train. ADVERTISIMENT Hitchcock skillfully combines elements of detective, comedy, and thriller, creating a tense atmosphere with numerous plot twists and turns. The film uses Hitchcock's characteristic technique of creating psychological tension through uncertainty and distrust of what is happening. "The Lady Vanishes demonstrates and ironizes numerous social stereotypes, while emphasizing the importance of human honesty and vigilance. The Loft (2014) A psychological thriller, the directorial debut of Erik van Loy. The film focuses on five friends who share a luxury apartment in the city center for secret meetings with women. However, their quiet life is disrupted when a dead woman is found in the apartment, and one of them becomes a suspect in the murder. ADVERTISIMENT The main characters, each with their own secrets, begin to suspect each other, leading to tense and often shocking plot twists. The film explores the themes of betrayal, trust, and moral choices, as well as how dark secrets are hidden behind the scenes of an ideal life. "The Loft is characterized by a complex structure with numerous flashbacks and dramatic conflicts that keep the tension high until the very end. The original version of the film was released in 2008 in Belgium, and the American adaptation, which was filmed with the help of Hollywood actors, became more commercially successful. In the Heat of the Night (1967) ADVERTISIMENT American crime thriller directed by Norman Jewison, based on the novel by John B. Taylor. The film takes place in a southern US state, where African-American detective Virgil Thibs (Sidney Poitier) becomes an unplanned partner of a local police officer, department head Spike Miller (Rod Sterling), in the investigation of the murder of a wealthy white businessman. The intrigue is heightened by social tensions, as racism and prejudice are an integral part of the local culture. Despite the prejudice against him because of his skin color, Thibs proves to be a more skilled detective and helps solve the crime. The film has become an important milestone in the history of cinema, as it discusses issues of racism and social inequality in the United States, and raises questions about the relationship between people of different races. ADVERTISIMENT Knives Out (2019) A crime comedy-detective directed by Ryan Johnson, which is a fresh take on the classic whodunit genre. The plot centers on the death of a wealthy writer Harlan Trombey, who mysteriously dies in his luxurious mansion after celebrating his birthday. The police and private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) are trying to find out who among the many relatives and family employees could be responsible for his death. The film combines elements of the traditional detective story with a modern approach, bringing humor, sarcasm, and satire to social and family themes. The plot keeps the audience in suspense with unpredictable twists and turns, and each of the characters has their own dark secret. "Knives in the Ground" received positive reviews from critics and audiences, as well as several nominations for prestigious film awards, including the Golden Globe. This movie became popular due to the brilliant cast, including Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, and others. Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. Friday, November 29, 2024 - A 16-year-old girl has been charged with murdering a homeless man after he was attacked at Kings Cross Station. Anthony Marks, 51, died after being assaulted on Cromer Street on Saturday, August 10. The teenager, from Brixton South London, will appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court later today charged with the murder. Marks, who was homeless, was believed to have sheltered in a bin shed during the attack. A 17-year-old boy, from Dagenham, was arrested on October 4 and charged two days later with Anthony's mu&der. He has been remanded in custody and will face trial next year. The Metropolitan Police have not been able to locate Marks's family and an appeal has been launched to find them. Speaking on the murder in October Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said: 'Despite someone having been charged, our investigation is ongoing with a number of active lines of enquiry. 'Sadly, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to identify next-of-kin for Anthony and I urge anyone who can help to contact the investigation team. 'I am also very keen to hear from anyone who witnessed this incident but has not yet spoken with police. 'There were a number of people in the area at the time of the murder and we know that some of those people tried to help Anthony. 'If you are one of those people please do get in touch with us.' Anyone with information should contact the incident room directly on 0208 358 0300, dial 101 or contact the police on X. Saturday, November 30, 2024 - An employee from QuickMart Mtwapa is the latest to speak out about management issues within the second-largest supermarket chain in Kenya. This time, the focus is on an acting Manager whose leadership is being called into question by staff members. The employee alleges that he has fostered a toxic environment marked by tribalism, favouritism, and abuse of power. This follows a pattern of similar complaints at the supermarket chain where staff across various branches have consistently raised concerns about unfair treatment, poor management practices and lack of accountability. "Hello Nyakundi. This is following your vigilant address on our affairs here in Quickmart branches at the coast. I feel there is one more issue to be tackled. It's the Mtwapa Express branch. Currently, we have no manager and Mr. Peter is in an acting capacity. "This guy is bad news. He is the king of tribalism, unfairness, and favouritism. He awards offs, leaves, and even shifts as he pleases. "He thinks he knows everything in the store and treats us staff like shit. Imagine calling him just 'kupeana password' when he is in his office, and he makes you write an explanation letter! He single-handedly runs all departments in the store despite having section heads. He wants to be feared, and anyone who questions his decisions, whether good or bad, has the worst day there or, even worse, gets sent to Sameer RMS. "This guy has a wife in the same shop, contrary to company policy, and no one dares to approach. This guy is the worst of all Quickmart team leaders." Via Cyprian Nyakundi. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Friday, November 29, 2024 - The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced notable reductions in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths across Africa, marking a significant milestone in the continent's fight against the epidemic. The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, shared this in her statement on Friday, November 29, to commemorate World AIDS Day under the theme, Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right. Dr. Moeti highlighted a critical shift in global HIV trends, noting that for the first time in 2023, the number of new HIV infections was higher outside sub-Saharan Africa. She pointed out that the African region is leading globally in progress towards achieving the 95-95-95 UNAIDS targets for HIV testing, treatment, and viral suppression, which aim to bridge gaps in treatment coverage and outcomes. Seven countries have already achieved the targets, with the overall rating for the region currently at 90-82-76. About 21.3 million people are now on antiretroviral treatment, raising their life expectancy. Botswana (silver tier status) and Namibia (bronze tier status) have both been recognized for notably curbing mother-to-child HIV transmission rates, achieving the required indicators for the Path to the elimination of HIV criteria introduced in 2017, Dr Moeti said. The region has also made significant strides in implementing biomedical HIV prevention methods, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Countries are rapidly adopting oral and long-acting injectable PrEP and the dipivefrine vaginal ring to ensure broader accessibility to prevention options. Despite these achievements, Dr. Moeti emphasized the need to address lingering challenges. She cautioned that the value of scientific advancements and tools depends on their universal accessibility, calling for increased investments and policy reforms. We have a collective obligation to protect human rights, specifically ensuring that health care is available to everyone, without any discrimination, regardless of their HIV status, background, gender or where they live. Stigma and discrimination cannot be allowed to undermine the gains and impede our progress, she stated. Dr. Moeti also stressed the importance of community involvement in shaping strategies and implementing interventions to overcome human rights-related barriers to care. We must ensure their voices are heard, she said. However, the HIV response faces complications from the rising incidence of disease outbreaks in Africa, which strain already burdened health systems. Dr. Moeti underscored the urgency of accelerating the response to the epidemic, emphasizing the need for strong health systems and integrated, person-centred approaches to health care to meet the needs of vulnerable populations. Lets take this opportunity today to acknowledge the progress, but to also renew our joint commitment to eliminating HIV. By protecting everyones right to health, and reducing new HIV infections, we can achieve an AIDS-free generation and ensure the sustainability of the HIV response, she added. Saturday, November 30, 2024 - Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has urged President William Ruto not to abandon Adani entirely after cancelling all his deals, arguing that he could still be useful. Kaluma urged Ruto to engage the Adani Group to upgrade and maintain the Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay County, transforming it into a full-fledged airport. He argued that the country's economy is strained and that the government seemingly lacks the necessary funds to extend the airstrip's runway. As a solution, he suggested that Adani Group be engaged under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, claiming that airlines have been forced to withdraw operations to and from Kabunde Airstrip due to landing and takeoff risks. "Our economy is constrained and it is now clear the government lacks funds for the long-awaited extension of the runway of Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay. "Airlines are forced to withdraw operations to and from Homa Bay due to the landing and takeoff risks attendant to the short runway, despite this being a very central and highly lucrative route. "Please bring in ADANI to extend the runway and to build the airstrip into an airport under a public-private partnership arrangement," Kaluma remarked. His remarks come after President William Ruto cancelled Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and KETRACO deals with Adani due to corruption. During his State of the Nation address, the Head of State revealed that the new orders followed information from "international partners" regarding Adani's integrity. The Kenyan DAILY POST Ukrainian law enforcement officers have served a notice of suspicion to Russian war criminal Yevgeny Nikiforov, who ordered the attack on the Regional Academic Music and Drama Theater in Chernihiv with an Iskander missile. The shelling killed 7 local residents and injured more than 200 others. ADVERTISIMENT The commander of the "West" group of troops of the Russian Armed Forces faces life imprisonment. This was reported by the press service of the Security Service of Ukraine. According to the Security Service, on August 19, 2023, Colonel-General Nikiforov ordered a missile strike on the Chernihiv Regional Academic Music and Drama Theater named after Taras Shevchenko. The missile was launched from the territory of the Kursk region. The victims of the Russian terrorist attack were 7 people, including a six-year-old child. More than 200 people sustained injuries of varying severity. The SBU emphasized that the large number of dead and injured was due to the fact that the Russian missile attack hit the central part of the city. Law enforcement also noted that the explosion damaged apartment buildings, administrative buildings, and citizens' cars. ADVERTISIMENT Based on the collected evidence, the SBU investigators served Nikiforov a notice of suspicion in absentia under Part 2 of Art. 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder). Comprehensive measures to bring him to justice for crimes against our state are under way. As a reminder, on the night of November 29, Russian troops attacked Odesa region with kamikaze drones. Port and transport infrastructure was hit, and residential buildings, outbuildings, and a gas pipeline in Odesa district were damaged. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Saturday, November 30, 2024 - National Assembly Majority leader, Kimani Ichungwah, has urged Members of Parliament not to be threatened by their constituents that they they could be voted out in the 2027 elections. Ichungwah, speaking during parliamentary proceedings on Friday, November 29, 2024, stressed that MPs should not be swayed by such threats, which he described as common. The Kikuyu lawmaker stated that legislators should instead focus on preparing for their post-political lives, particularly by ensuring that their pensions and retirement plans are well taken care of. "Many MPs are usually threatened, especially around this time. You'll be told 'utatupata 2027, utaenda nyumbani 2027, yet you go home everyday. "So nobody should threaten you that you will go home because you will go home. "The question you should ask yourself when you are here, the day you are not serving as a member of parliament, is how shall things be for you so that you dont feel threatened by anybody," Ichungwah remarked. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, November 29, 2024 - The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday dismissed a request by Mongolia to appeal a decision that found Ulaanbaatar in breach of its obligations for failing to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit. Putin traveled to Mongolia in early September despite an arrest warrant issued by the ICC for the alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children following Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Chamber rejects Mongolias request for leave to appeal, ICC pre-trial judges stated in their ruling. In October, the ICC accused Mongoliaa member state of the courtof not fulfilling its obligation to arrest Putin and referred the matter to the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), the courts oversight body, for further action. Under the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the ICC, member states are obligated to arrest individuals wanted by the court. Mongolia subsequently sought leave to appeal the decision and called for the disqualification of two judges involved in the ruling. Additionally, it requested that any decision regarding the appeal be postponed until the matter of the judges disqualification was resolved. On Friday, November 29, the court denied all of Mongolias requests, stating that its decision and the referral to the ASP were not subject to appeal as they were not formal rulings on the merits or procedural aspects of a case. The judges clarified that the decision was a compliance assessment regarding Mongolias duty to cooperate with the ICC. The arrest warrant for Putin, issued in March 2023, alleges that the Russian president is responsible for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children to Russiaan act classified as a war crime. Kyiv claims that thousands of Ukrainian children were forcibly taken from orphanages and other institutions in occupied territories during Russias 2022 invasion. Moscow, however, maintains that children were relocated for their safety from areas near active conflict. While Russia has dismissed the ICC warrant as inconsequential, Putins visit to Mongolia marked his first trip to an ICC member state since the warrant was issued. Last year, Putin canceled plans to attend a BRICS summit in South Africaalso an ICC member statefollowing pressure on Pretoria to arrest him if he entered the country. Saturday, November 30, 2024 - Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwah has blasted former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over the Limuru burial fiasco, saying that the former deputy president is out to seek sympathy. In a statement, Ichungwah condemned Gachagua for faking his alleged assassination attempt just to get public sympathy. He criticized the former DP for making an appearance at the burial of Erastus Nduati, terming it unnecessary and a ploy to get into the good books of Kenyans. The Majority Leader in Parliament further accused Gachagua and his allies present at the burial of disrespecting the family of the late Nduati and called for political leaders to stop politicking during funerals. The leaders who go to burials and churches propagating sympathy politics should stop. Such leaders should respect themselves, he stated. At the same time, Ichungwah condemned the attack by goons witnessed at the burial and stressed the need to respect grieving families and religious leaders who preside over the funerals. He went on to term the scenes observed at the burial as a big shame, noting that it was uncalled for. The MP further stated that the church has a responsibility to keep leaders who spread bad politics in check. The church also has a responsibility to keep the leaders who go political in places of worship in check and refrain them from spreading bad politics, Ichungwah noted. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, November 30, 2024 Kenyan nurses and caregivers in Saudi Arabia may be deported any time from now months after President William Ruto secured them jobs in the Gulf. This follows their complaints about their working conditions in which they are being treated like slaves. This was revealed by CNN Journalist Larry Madowo, barely a day after sharing the distress of Kenyan nurses and caregivers in Saudi Arabia. According to Madowo, the nurses and caregivers are being threatened with deportation after his posts about the struggles of the nurses sent to work in the Asian country went viral. In a post on X, the CNN journalist on Friday shared some of the voice messages he was receiving from the Kenyan nurses, who decried working under frustrating conditions facing racism, slave-like work conditions, and no days off. The nurses were seeking assistance after they alleged that the Kenyan government was ignoring their pleas. A claim that the government vehemently denied. Venting on his X on Saturday, Madowo revealed that the nurses are now being pressured to reveal who spoke out, or else they will face dismissal and deportation. "Kenyan workers in Saudi Arabia who shared their complaints with me were threatened with dismissal and deportation," the journalist revealed. In an audio message shared by the journalist, a voice believed to be from the recruitment agency that manages the nurses can be heard reminding them that they did not get employment offers from Larry Madowo but from the company. The voice of the woman continues to add they should complain through the right channels. "This might cause a lot of problems. Once it gets to the government, the best I can do is to ensure that whoever sent this message is brought back home," the woman in the audio asserted. "If you feel that they do pay and take care of you well, you are welcome to go back home," the message continued. According to Madowo, the nurses and caregivers are living in fear, threats, and intimidation of losing their jobs and deportation if they speak up. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, November 29, 2024 - A woman who was on the run after the brutal murder of her husband has been arrested in South Africa. Hallimah Thamando Mnyobisi was arrested in her alleged boyfriend's house in Sandton, Gauteng on Monday and appeared in the Botshabelo Magistrate Court on Thursday, 28 November 2024. She will join the other three suspects who are still in custody and are to appear in court on 3 December 2024 for formal bail application. On September 15, 2024, Fezile Mnyobisi, 35, a teacher in Botshabelo, Free State, was brought by his wife Hallimah, 38, to hospital in a private vehicle and was declared dead on arrival. He had been stabbed more than 30 times. After intensive investigation by Botshabelo detectives working with the provincial investigative psychology section, three suspects were arrested after warrants of arrest were issued, said police spokesperson Sgt Mahlomola Kareli. Vusumuzi Daniel Nqele, 43, and Moeketsi Innocent Manko, 35, were arrested on November 8 for murder and conspiracy to murder. Further investigations led to the arrest of the deceaseds brother-in-law, Abdool Thamando, 35, in Johannesburg. It was initially stated that the wanted suspect was on the run in a black Mazda CX-5 with an unknown registration. Investigators later discovered she was travelling in a white BMW. On November 26 at about 4pm, the team followed information that led them to an accommodation complex in Sandton. While there they found the 38-year-old hiding at one of the luxury units. She was staying with her alleged boyfriend, Kareli said. Saturday, November 30, 2024 NARC Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua has made a startling announcement regarding her future as the party leader. Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, Karua revealed that NARC Kenya is seeking to rebrand ahead of the 2027 General Election. As a result, the party will be amending its Constitution, a move that will not allow her to vie as the party leader. According to Karua, the party wants to amend its Constitution to allow term limits for top leadership. "The party delegates have permitted us to amend our party constitution. We wish to be the first party in Kenya to have term limits for the top leadership of the party. "This means that in the next party elections, I will not be eligible to contest," Karua revealed. Apart from the constitutional amendments, Karua has announced major changes to the party as she gears up for the 2027 elections. Karua revealed that plans are underway to have the party rebrand, including changing its name and color in the major moves. "Narc-Kenya is rebranding, Nark-Kenya is changing its name, we are changing party colors, but we are waiting for the process at the registrar of political parties to come to a close," the party leader revealed. Karua revealed that as they await the registrar of political parties, the party's national delegates have begun the process of rebranding. The changes follow the party's official exit from the Azimio coalition after months of disagreements. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, November 30, 2024 - President William Ruto has been elected Chair of the East African Community (EAC), succeeding South Sudan's President Salva Kiir. His appointment came during the 24th Summit of EAC Heads of State in Arusha, Tanzania. The 24th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State brings together the regions leaders to deliberate on critical issues shaping the future of East Africa. The high-profile gathering, held under the overarching theme of the EACs 25th Anniversary celebrations, serves as a platform to assess the achievements of the past 25 years while charting the way forward for deeper integration. The announcement of Rutos new position was made on Saturday following an election conducted by the Heads of State from seven member countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and Somalia. Ruto commended President Salva Kiir for successfully steering the EAC community for one year. Ruto will serve for one year. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, November 30, 2024 - Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's ex-aide, Silas Jakakimba, has landed a powerful job in President William Rutos government. In a Gazette Notice dated 29th November, Jakakimba was appointed as a South Nyanza Sugar Company board member. His appointment followed the revocation of Eric Osenyas appointment and is effective November 29, 2024. The Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development appoints SILAS JAKAKIMBA as a member of the Board of Directors of South Nyanza Sugar Company Limited, with effect from the 29th November, 2024. The appointment of Eric Osenya is revoked. Jakakimba will serve for three years. Others appointed include former Uhuru-era Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa, named chairperson of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, November 30, 2024 National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has come under fierce fire over missing Sh160 billion at Treasury. This is after it emerged that he cannot account for the billions spent in external debt repayment for the past three financial years. This comes as the government plans to borrow Ksh413 billion in the current financial year. A Special Audit Report on the Servicing of External Loans has raised concerns about budgeted corruption, possible plunder, and wastage of public resources. In the report, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu expressed concerns regarding Ksh161 billion in unclear debt repayment over the past three financial years. Gathungu reported to the National Assemblys Public Debt and Privatisation Claims Committee that there were discrepancies between the budgeted and actual debt servicing amounts for the financial years 20202021, 20212022, and 20222023. These variances exceeded the 5 per cent limit allowed by law, reaching as high as 10 per cent of the approved amounts for the fiscal year. According to the report, the Treasury underpaid by Ksh1. 4 billion in 2021 and a staggering Ksh83.3 billion in 2022. The Controller of Budget had budgeted Ksh235.3 billion in 2021 and Ksh339 billion in 2022. In the next financial year, the Treasury went over and beyond the approved amount by Ksh77 billion. The Controller of Budget had set aside Ksh311 billion for the debt reservicing. On Wednesday, MPs put Treasury to task to explain the anomaly raised by the auditor general. However, the Treasury defended the variances, stating that the fluctuations were caused by the exchange rates of the Kenyan shilling against other currencies. The Kenyan DAILY POST Saturday, November 30, 2024 - Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwah has expressed disappointment with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for attending Erastus Nduatis funeral in Limuru, Kiambu, where chaos erupted on Thursday. Addressing the press on Saturday, Ichungwah subtly criticised Gachagua and his allies, accusing them of pushing a political agenda and showing little regard for the grieving family. "I would like to ask politicians to stop taking politics to funerals. Taking politics to funerals shows a complete disregard for the bereaved families because you want to push for your own agendas. "I would like to ask all of them to first respect those who have lost their loved ones," Ichungwah said The National Assembly Majority Leader added that politicians, seemingly referring to Gachagua, should avoid seeking sympathy at funerals or in churches. "I want to condemn the chaos that erupted in Limuru. What happened on that day was very embarrassing. "Those going to carry out politics to look for sympathy in funerals should not do that or in churches. "They should also respect themselves," Ichung'wah said. The Kenyan DAILY POST The population of giraffes in the wild savannahs of Africa has plummeted. The problem has grown to the point that environmentalists have begun to sound the alarm and the US government has begun to take measures to protect these animals. ADVERTISIMENT The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced a proposal to add giraffes to the Endangered Species Act. This will be the first time that this species will receive official protection under the law, according to the NY Post. Environmentalists praised the decision of the wildlife service. "This action will support giraffe conservation while ensuring that the United States does not contribute to their further decline," said Martha Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The move is aimed at reducing giraffe poaching by restricting imports of giraffe body parts and products such as carpets, jewelry, and shoes made from their remains. These items are contributing to the ongoing decline of the giraffe population. Giraffes are facing serious threats as the population has plummeted from over 150,000 individuals in 1985 to an estimated 98,000 in 2015. The sharp decline is largely attributed to habitat loss due to urbanization, drought caused by climate change, poaching for wildlife meat, and illegal trade. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! A retired Naas soldier was delighted to receive recognition for his late fathers service in the blue berets of the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Force in a near-forgotten chapter of Irish history 60 years ago. In July 1960 the young nation of the Republic of Ireland sent its first ever troops on an overseas mission with the UN to the Congo in Central Africa, and these were to be the first of 6,000 Irish soldiers to serve there valiantly over the next four years. Last week, at a ceremony in Portlaoise, Martin Rowe (71) from Naas was presented with a Certificate of Recognition from the UN for his late father Patrick Rowes service there until his return in 1964. 60th anniversary Martin was joined by his wife Elizabeth and their granddaughter Lucy Loughlin while the presentation was made by Tommy Mooney, chair of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) 27, based in Portlaoise. My father was in the Congo in the 35th Battalion, said Martin. The 60th anniversary for the Congo vets was a few months ago, and what the UN did was to issue certs to any of the members still alive, before notifying the families of the deceased vets to present them with their certs." Martin himself followed in his fathers footsteps into the bullswool, and is himself a UN vet, having done two tours in Lebanon in the early 80s. I was a paramedic in the army for 25 years and an NCO in the apprentice school up to 1996, he said. My father died in 2000, but served in the Military College at home. He wasnt part of the Jadotville siege, but he was one of about 20 soldiers who went missing in the bush for about 10 days, until they found a road and were rescued by the Swedish contingent. He explained why the presentation was in Portlaoise. Were trying to open a IUNVA in Naas but it is difficult to find premises". A new candidate to enter the General Election race in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency is exceeding expectation so far following the conclusion of tallies and leads a well known Kilkenny TD. First time candidate Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats) is currently showing as having 4.7% of first preference votes in an impressive first showing in a General Election. Meanwhile, Malcolm Noonan, outgoing Green Party TD and Minister of State, is on 4.2%. Across the country there is a trend that Green Party candidates seem to be in trouble at the polls and here in Carlow-Kilkenny it looks no different, at this early stage. Patricia Stephenson is a fresh face in Kilkenny politics, hoping to secure a first-ever seat for the Social Democrats in Carlow-Kilkenny. FOR MORE GENERAL ELECTION NEWS, CLICK HERE The new candidate lives with her partner in Coollcullen, between Old Leighlin and Castlecomer, where the couple have renovated an old parish hall. Originally from Belfast, Ms Stephenson moved here a few years ago after six years working in East Africa in the aid/humanitarian sector, before her return to Ireland. Her aunt and uncle live close to Comer, where she visited a lot as a child. She has been a member of the Social Democrats for about three and a half years, with a strong family pedigree in politics; her late father was a former councillor and chair of the SDLP. More to follow... FOLLOW OUR ELECTION BLOG HERE Planetary scientists have issued a tornado warning for Jupiter. Researchers have found that magnetic vortices swirling from the planet's ionosphere into its deep atmosphere lead to the emergence of giant ultraviolet-absorbing anticyclones the size of the Earth. ADVERTISIMENT These anticyclonic storms appear as dark ovals and are visible as dense aerosols in Jupiter's stratosphere. However, they are only visible in ultraviolet light and were first spotted at Jupiter's north and south poles by the Hubble Space Telescope in the late 1990s, Space.com reports. Planetary scientists, led by University of California, Berkeley student Troy Tsubota, found that the dark ovals are formed by swirling magnetic tornadoes that occur during friction between magnetic field lines in Jupiter's powerful magnetic field. A key to understanding dark, ultraviolet-absorbing anticyclones has been found in annual images of Jupiter taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. As part of the OPAL project, Hubble takes pictures of each of the giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune once a year to track changes in their appearance. ADVERTISIMENT In the images of Jupiter taken between 2015 and 2022, Troy Tsubota saw a dark oval at the planet's south pole, but only once out of eight images at the north pole. Scientists explain that, like on Earth, Jupiter's magnetic field converges at the poles. This concentration of magnetic field lines directs charged particles to the polar regions, where they collide with atmospheric molecules, creating auroras. On Jupiter, the aurora can only be detected in ultraviolet light, unlike the colorful reflections we see in the Earth's sky. The presence of a temporary phenomenon, such as dark ovals appearing at Jupiter's poles, strongly suggests that it is related to the planet's magnetic field, just like the aurora borealis, scientists believe. Tsubota and his supervisor Michael Wong teamed up with other leading scientists to solve the mystery of what causes the dark ovals. The researchers suggested that the friction between the magnetic field lines in the plasma torus and the lines closer to the planet in the ionosphere could regularly trigger the formation of magnetic vortices that rotate deep into Jupiter. And then, according to the scientists, these magnetic tornadoes stir up aerosols in the lower atmosphere, creating a dense area of swirling, ultraviolet-absorbing haze that forms a dark oval. Researchers think that dark ovals form for about a month and then dissipate within a few weeks. And given the regularity of the appearance of dark ovals, it seems that Jupiter is sitting in the middle of its own magnetic tornado alley, scientists suggest. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The Herald reports: During that time, Chambers took a lead role marshalling the troops during the Covid-19 pandemic, and was later put in charge of the operation to remove the vaccine mandate protesters occupying the Parliament precinct in early 2022. The stand-off ended with a mass eviction on March 22, 2022, which descended into a remarkable scene in New Zealand: a riot with police officers being attacked with makeshift weapons like cobblestones, and returning fire with sponge rounds, while protesters set fire to the grounds. It was really, really tough, Chambers said. The whole issue around Covid mandates had divided the country. New Zealand Police reflects the community so within our own ranks we had different views on what we should and shouldnt do, Chambers said. But as police officers, weve got a job to do. Everyone put aside their personal views and got on with the job. I was so proud of everyone. In the fortnight leading up to that watershed moment, Chambers would leave the confines of Police National Headquarters and head down Molesworth St to walk around the occupied grounds of Parliament each day. He spoke with staff to canvas their thoughts, but also to get a visceral sense of what it felt like on the ground. No doubt it was a tense environment. We hadnt seen this kind of division since the Springbok Tour in 1981, Chambers said. But the vast majority of the people at the protest were there for the right reasons. They were good people, it was only a small few that came with a different purpose in mind. NewstalkZB report: Santa and his elves must wear seatbelts for Christchurchs Christmas parade following new health and safety advice a move labelled by some city councillors as woke nonsense and over the top. Christchurchs Christmas Show Parade director Jason Reekers said an audit of the parades floats recommended installing seatbelts on some of them. This included Santa in his sleigh and the elves, Reekers confirmed. Other floats have also had safety bars installed. Reekers said there was an extremely low safety risk but said no one had fallen off a float in the 75 years the parade has been running. With todays health and safety rules and with WorkSafe the way they are, once weve had something brought to our attention, if we dont show that weve done mitigation, then well be held liable. So, we kind of get put between a rock and a hard place. A recently discovered hearth, apparently dug into the floor of a cave in modern-day Gibraltar, shows that Neanderthals were skilled engineers who mastered the process of making glue. Scientists have found that they used specialized hearths to make resin about 65,000 years ago. ADVERTISIMENT A "glue factory" was discovered on the Iberian Peninsula, which is a carefully designed hearth. According to a new study, this feat was accomplished 20,000 years before modern humans (Homo sapiens) set foot in the region, Live Science reports. With the help of resin, Neanderthals produced glue, which was used to make weapons and tools. The so-called "factory" allowed Neanderthals to precisely control the fire and regulate the temperature of the flame that produced their sticky creations. Archaeologists already knew that Neanderthals made glue, including tar and resin, as well as sticky substances from ochre, a reddish mineral that they used for rock art. With these sticky materials, they attached stone blades or points to wooden handles in combination with plant fiber wrappings. ADVERTISIMENT But the latest discovery shows that Neanderthals were skilled engineers who fine-tuned the glue-making process. "The structure that has revealed a hitherto unknown way by which Neanderthals managed and used fire," the researchers write in the new study. At first glance, the Neanderthal hearth looks deceptively simple: it is a circular pit, almost 22 centimeters across by 9 centimeters deep, with sharply cut vertical walls. Two short trenches about 2.5 centimeters long extend north and south of the pit. But if the researchers are right, this is a work of precision engineering. Inside the hearth, the team found traces of charcoal and a partially burnt rockrose, small crystalline lumps of cooled plant resin, and thin twigs from local shrubs. They analyzed samples taken from the blackened walls and floor of the hearth, having found chemicals associated with combustion and residues of protective wax on the leaves of plants. According to the scientists, this hearth - actually more of a buried oven - would have been ideal for heating certain plants to distill tar or resin for making tools. ADVERTISIMENT "To make these so-called glue factories, Neanderthals likely filled the pit with leaves from nearby rockrose plants, which produce a sticky, dark brown resin when heated, the researchers of the new study wrote. Next, they covered the pit with a layer of wet sand and soil, probably mixed with guano to help seal the inside of the pit and keep oxygen out, which would have prevented any flames from burning the contents to a crisp. Finally, they built a small fire on top using thin twigs, which would heat the rockrose leaves in the chamber below," the researchers write in the report. According to the team, each stage of the process was carefully planned. It's easier to control the temperature of a fire made of thin twigs, and the Neanderthals who used the fire needed to heat the rockrose leaves to about 150 degrees Celsius, but not much higher. And they had to keep the oxygen as far away from the leaves in the pit as possible, as too much oxygen allowed the resin to burn rather than melt. ADVERTISIMENT To investigate this method, the scientists built their own replica of the kiln. During the experiment, the scientists found that the production of the resin may have required the involvement of two people. "Our colleagues noticed during the experimental archaeology experience that they need to manage the fire covering the plant and also open the crust [the covering over the kiln]," said study co-author Francisco Jimenez-Espejo. He speculated that the two straight channels on either side of the pit could mark where two Neanderthals dug the pit from opposite sides to remove the heated leaves before they cooled. This is because it is difficult to separate the tar from the cooled leaves. If Neanderthals really worked this way, they were good not only at engineering but also at teamwork. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Showers early then continued cloudy and windy in the afternoon. High 47F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 23F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Agency confirms NewJeans contract through 2029, plans to find new producer By Lee Gyu-lee Ador responded to NewJeans' press conference Thursday announcing the group's decision to terminate its contract with the agency, calling it "regrettable," adding that the contract remains valid until July 2029. We feel regrettable on (NewJeans) planning and proceeding with the press conference about terminating the exclusive contract without sufficient review and before receiving our response to their certification of content, the agency said in a release sent out shortly after the press conference. Ador has not violated the contract, and merely claiming that trust has been unilaterally broken cannot be grounds for termination. The exclusive contract between Ador and NewJeans members remains valid. Therefore, we request that (the group's future activities) continue to be carried out with Ador as before. The agency also expressed its hopes to settle the issue through dialogue. Our company has requested meetings with the artists multiple times, but these have not been successful, it said. We hope that even now, they can open their hearts, meet and have a sincere conversation. Ador will do its utmost to support NewJeans' activities and help them grow into global artists. The five-piece act held a press conference on Thursday evening to announce that the group will terminate its contract with Ador and its parent label HYBE, stating that Ador has failed to meet its requests. Earlier this month, the group issued a legal notice to the agency with a list of demands, including the reinstatement of former CEO Min Hee-jin, an apology for alleged bullying and actions against controversial internal reports. It asserted that the notice was an ultimatum and would terminate the members contracts if the demands were not met. The deadline for the requests weve addressed is midnight tonight. But despite being after business hours, HYBE and Ador show no willingness to address our demands or make improvements, the group said during the press conference held in Gangnam District, Seoul. We are heading to Japan and coming back next week for schedules and were particularly worried about HYBE and Ador potentially manipulating the narrative ... so we decided to hold an urgent press conference to clearly express our positions. The group stated that the decision was reached after extensive discussions among its members and emphasized that it had no reason to abide by the contract because the agency breached the trust. (Ador) argues its not obligated to terminate the exclusive contract as HYBE is at fault, not Ador. But HYBE and Ador are essentially one. The existing board members were suddenly dismissed. Ador, which has been altered to HYBE's liking, broke the relationship with a director weve been working with and undermined our trust. So we no longer have an obligation to continue the exclusive contract, the group said. The group noted that Ador failed in its obligations to protect its artists, leading the members to want to leave due to emotional distress. The reason for leaving Ador is very simple: NewJeans is Adors artist, and Ador has the responsibility to protect (us), but Ador has no will or the capability to do so. We believe continuing with Ador would be a waste of time and would only prolong our mental distress, it said. In response to Adors statement after the press conference, NewJeans shared the 26-page document it received from the agency on Thursday afternoon as a reply to the groups earlier demands. Ador also released summaries of the document. The document gave answers to each of the groups demands, stating that the agency has been doing its best to support the artists. Ador has consistently strived to gather board members' perspectives and work toward rational problem resolution whenever issues arise. However, simply because these efforts may not have aligned with the artist's specifically desired approach or failed to meet subjective expectations does not constitute a violation of the exclusive contract, Ador said in the document. It added many of the members claims for contract violations were related to third parties, over whom the agency has no legal rights to make them comply with the artists demands, such as a personal apology or reaching a specific agreement. The agency denied neglecting the artists and vowed to fully support the group. It said it planned various schedules for next year, including fan events, a full-length album release and a world tour. As per the request to reinstate Min as its CEO, the agency noted that management positions are for the board of directors to decide, adding it made an effort to bring Min back as the producer but she has declined the offer. The company has made its utmost effort to respect the artists' wishes and continue working with former director Min as the chief producer. Unfortunately, this was not something achievable through the company's intentions alone, it said. We are in the process of recruiting new producers who can support the artists in maintaining their unique identity and carrying out their desired music and stage performances Regarding these preparation details, we are willing to meet with the artists at any time to provide a comprehensive explanation and listen to their preferred direction and feedback. By Lee Kyung-min A power struggle between the countrys two main parties is expected to intensify, as indicated by the main opposition railroading a revision that no longer automatically tables government-drafted annual budget proposals at the Assembly plenary session once the Nov.30 deadline lapses, observers said Friday. The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) say the previous system remained in place at the expense of the principle of checks and balances, as evidenced by only around 1 percentage point revisions made to the finance ministry-drafted proposals. This essentially bypassed and undercut the opposition partys role, reinforcing the policy initiatives of the government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP), it says. However, the ruling party maintains the unilateral revision politicizes the budget review. It reverts a decade of efforts to minimize the Assembly gridlock, often characterized by embarrassing physical confrontation among lawmakers over specifics of the budget and the resulting delays in passage. The extent of escalation in partisan conflict will be determined by the President Yoon Suk Yeol's veto of the revision, as recommended by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok. I am deeply concerned and cannot accept the development, Choi said soon after the revision passed the Assembly, Thursday. I will recommend that President Yoon exercise veto to prevent the resumption of chronic delays in budget review, a source of diminished reputation with investors from within the country and abroad. The revision can be constitutionally challenged, Choi said. The Assembly must approve the budget by Dec. 2 for prompt government implementation. However, the opposition party can now disregard this legal deadline, citing the revision. The revision allows a continued review of the budget long after Nov. 30 when Assembly standing committees and the Special Committee on Budget and Account are removed from the decision-making process, he said. Also threatened will be the guarantee of time to prepare for a thorough review of the budget. The government revised the related law in 2014 to mandate the submission of the budget a month earlier to secure enough time for a thorough review at the Assembly. However, the revision will remove the 30-day clause, certain to cause an extended deadlock every year. Subsequently delayed will be government social welfare spending for vulnerable low-income groups and state-run infrastructure projects. Social welfare and infrastructure expenditures need to be finalized by the end of December, before the beginning of the fiscal year, he said. Delays in the Assembly's approval of the budget over the past few years led to failures in timely assistance for the underprivileged. Paleontologists have discovered the world's largest worm lizard. The fossil was found south of the Mediterranean Sea in the arid landscape of Tunisia. ADVERTISIMENT Researchers managed to dig up only the jaw of an unusual prehistoric creature. However, this was enough to establish that it is a new species for science, the MiamiHerald writes. According to the study, the fossil found belongs to a species of Eocene amphisbaenians that lived about 50 million years ago. According to paleontologists, amphibians are a group of worm-like reptiles, usually without limbs, long and thin like a worm but covered with hard scales like a lizard, and with a snake-like head. Interestingly, species related to these creatures live today, and some amphibians have even retained their two front limbs. Others have a tail that mimics their head to ward off predators, scientists say. ADVERTISIMENT According to the researchers, the newly found creature "has a certain degree of similarity to extinct and extant (worm lizards), but also has some distinctive features that can easily distinguish it from all other amphisbaenians." Scientists have discovered the right side of the upper jaw and the left side of the lower jaw of the ancient lizard. Both parts have "a strange dentition," including "a huge tooth in each upper and lower jaw," said study author Georgios Georgalis. According to the researchers, it's not just a new species, it's "the largest worm lizard in the world." Although it was not large, it was up to about 80 cm in length. According to the study, a strong jaw allowed this species to "crush a large variety of snails," which may have been the main source of food for this species of prehistoric lizard. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! KCGF-led statement stresses protecting shareholders as cornerstone of corporate system By Jun Ji-hye The Korean Corporate Governance Forum (KCGF), an organization that monitors transparency in business management, issued a statement urging the National Assembly to amend the Commercial Act. The proposed amendment would expand corporate directors' fiduciary duties to include responsibility toward shareholders. The KCGF said, Friday, that the statement, announced the previous day, received endorsements from 109 domestic and foreign investors, academics and journalists, including high-level officials at global asset management firms such as Fidelity Management and Research, Wellington Management and Schroders Asset Management. Among the 109 supporters of the statement also include Yoon Jong-ha, a partner at MBK Partners, the largest private equity firm in Northeast Asia. The signatories emphasized that the Korean economy and its capital market are facing a severe crisis. They stressed the urgent need to amend the law to prevent harm to shareholder interests and to resolve the so-called Korea discount. Domestic investors are increasingly diversifying their portfolios away from Korea to the U.S. and Japan, while foreign investors are being advised to reduce their exposure to Korea. Furthermore, promising companies like Coupang and Toss are increasingly opting to list on U.S. stock exchanges in search of higher valuations, the statement read. The Korean market is steadily losing the attention of the public. The most significant culprit contributing to the crisis in Koreas capital market and economy is the systemic failure of basic corporate governance principles. Discussions on revising the act have been gaining momentum at the Assembly since Rep. Lee Jae-myung, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, announced the partys willingness to pass a related bill within the year. The party said the revision will shield minority shareholders from what it describes as unfair practices by companies run by large, family-owned business conglomerates whose stocks are publicly traded. However, the business community, the ruling People Power Party and the government are opposed, raising concerns that the revision could leave Korean companies vulnerable to attempts to wrest control of their management. The KCGF highlighted that the fiduciary duty of directors to protect the interests of all shareholders is the most basic and fundamental cornerstone of a functioning corporate system. Unfortunately, in Korea, this principle has existed only in textbooks, it said, noting that ongoing discussions on amending the law are a significant breakthrough. The KCFG said now is the perfect time to push for the amendment, as the majority party in the Assembly has adopted it as an official stance, and the Supreme Court has also expressed clear support. In response to opposition from the business community, the KCGF argued that protecting the rights and interests of all shareholders who are the true owners of a company should not be viewed as an excessive regulation on corporations. We must not allow the countrys future to be sacrificed by a small, privileged minority who still cling to the outdated ideologies of the developmental dictatorship era in the 1970s, the statement read. We must urgently return to the fundamentals of corporate governance. By doing so, we can resolve the Korea discount in the capital market, which is one of the key steps to solving numerous social and economic issues such as extreme crowding into real estate assets, soaring cost of housing, falling birth rates and aging population. The KCGF explained that the 109 supporters participated in the statement in their personal capacity. The statement was announced after 16 top executives of Koreas major conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics and SK Supex Council, issued a joint statement, Nov. 21, protesting the revision plan, arguing that the amendment will undermine corporate growth momentum. Ruling party leader stresses necessity as means to eliminate unfair transactions By Jun Ji-hye Attention is now on whether delayed legislation for security token offerings (STO) will gain traction, following comments from the ruling party leader who recently emphasized the need for regulatory improvements during his participation in a related meeting. STO emerged as a new growth area for the securities and banking industries after financial authorities released related guidelines in February last year. However, the lack of legislative progress in the previous 21st National Assembly has delayed their integration into the institutional framework. Han Dong-hoon, chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), stated that the time for debating whether to allow tokenized securities has passed. He made the remark during a breakfast meeting at the National Assembly discussing the STO legislation, Thursday. We must thoroughly prepare and establish the system without delay to eliminate unfair trading and user inconveniences, he said. The United States and Singapore have already released STO guidelines, and Japan has incorporated STO into the institutional framework through amendments to its financial instruments and exchange act. The meeting was jointly hosted by Rep. Kim Jae-sub of the PPP, who had submitted a bill aiming to establish the legal foundation for security tokens and draw up measures for investor protection. Kim said, Although STO-related bills were introduced in the 21st Assembly, they were discarded. I have introduced the bill in the 22nd Assembly, and I will work diligently to ensure that legal preparations for STO are completed in this session. In February last year, the financial authorities officially announced that they would allow the issuance and distribution of tokenized securities. The authorities said at the time that, unlike general virtual assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, tokenized securities are rearded as equity, even though they are issued in digital asset form. They emphasized that tokenized securities fall under the regulation of the Capital Market Act and promised their integration into the institutional framework. In response, securities firms and banks have quickly established dedicated teams for STO and expanded their workforce. Many of them have also actively collaborated with blockchain companies to complete the infrastructure necessary for STO operations. These firms have already invested tens of billions of won, but are now facing significant challenges, as the legislation for STO has yet to be realized despite the authorities announcement nearly two years ago. This highlights the urgent need for institutionalization. Securities firms have made significant preparations and investments. It is crucial that the STO bill is passed quickly and the legislation is implemented without delay, Rye Ji-hae, a senior official at Mirae Asset Securities, said. By KTimes The global popularity of Korean content, from dramas to music, is propelling Korean cuisine into the spotlight as a cultural powerhouse, highlighted by actor Ryu Su-young's recent lecture at Stanford University. On an episode of KBS2s Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant, Ryu visited a Korean language village in the U.S. at the invitation of a professor, where he shared spicy braised short ribs with local teenagers. The broadcast highlighted how deeply the youth were immersed in Korean culture, from K-dramas to K-pop, and Ryu was visibly moved by the heightened global status of Korean culture. Once considered a barren land for Korean cuisine, the U.S. has now become a passionate hub for Korean food lovers. Traditional staples like doenjang (fermented soybean paste), gochujang (red chili paste) and ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) are enjoyed without translation, preserving the authenticity of Korean flavors. The term mukbang (a portmanteau of the Korean words for eating and broadcast) has even been added to the Oxford English Dictionary, reflecting the global appetite for Korean food and its culture. Foreign fans are also reinterpreting Korean food in creative ways, marking a golden era for K-food. This popularity owes much to the influence of K-content. Iconic examples include jjapaguri (a mix of two different instant noodles, Chapagetti and Neoguri) from Parasite and the instant noodles featured in Squid Game, which have spurred interest in Korean cuisine. Rather than rejecting unfamiliar flavors, international food lovers eagerly explore local Korean eateries to experience the culture firsthand. BTS member Jimins love for tteokbokki (a dish of chewy rice cakes simmered in red chili paste) has even inspired global fans to travel to Korea to try the dish, paving the way for the expansion of Korean street food to Southeast Asia. Indirect advertising, or product placement, has further boosted this phenomenon. According to GS25, a Korean convenience store chain, desserts launched in collaboration with Netflix generated over 2 billion won ($1.5 million) in sales. CU, another major convenience store, saw a 30 to 40 percent sales increase in chestnut tiramisu products, with 150,000 sold during the preorder period alone a record for the fastest and highest sales. With demand for Korean instant noodles surging globally, South Korean instant noodle manufacturers have ramped up production to meet demand from the U.S. and Southeast Asia, contributing to a cumulative instant noodle export total of $800 million. The hit show Culinary Class Wars has also played a pivotal role in raising the profile of Korean cuisine, prompting the government to strengthen its support for the industry. A recent government meeting announced plans to enhance competitiveness in the Korean food sector and expand its global reach. Signature dishes from K-dramas and movies are also driving the growth of the Korean food industry. Gimbap, frequently featured in Extraordinary Attorney Woo, has gained popularity worldwide, leading to the rapid expansion of related industries. Meanwhile, hearty dishes like "gukbap" (soup with rice) are emerging as the next trend. India has not been immune to this wave. Indian media outlet Times Now highlighted the growing love for Korean dishes like kimchi and tteokbokki, attributing the trend to the influence of K-pop groups like BTS and Blackpink, as well as K-dramas. These artists and shows not only entertain but also offer a gateway to Korean culture, the outlet noted. As a result, Indians are naturally becoming curious about Korean cuisine. The Korean wave, or hallyu, is no longer just a trend but a dominant cultural force. Beyond dramas and music, Korean food, cosmetics and more are becoming mainstream worldwide. With the global success of shows like Culinary Class Wars, Koreas government has doubled down on its efforts to bolster the food industry. As new food-centric variety shows, such as JTBC's Please Take Care of My Refrigerator Season 2, hit the airwaves, the Korean food industry is set to reach new heights, driven by the success of K-content. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times. U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg celebrated Thanksgiving in his host country, joined by a Korean YouTube celebrity for a cooking session blending the two countries' traditional cuisines, a video released by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul showed Thursday. The video showed Goldberg, wearing a dark apron and white cooking gloves, carefully adding toppings to a pizza-shaped "yakbap," a Korean dessert made with glutinous rice and sweetened soy sauce, using ingredients commonly found in Thanksgiving dishes. "Had a wonderful time celebrating Thanksgiving with Grandma Park Mak-rye, and making Thanksgiving-inspired yakbap, blending traditions with classic holiday flavors. A sweet symbol of our two cultures!" he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, uploaded alongside the video clip. Goldberg, who took office as the ambassador to Seoul in July 2022, will retire and leave Korea in January, following 35 years of service as a career diplomat, according to diplomatic sources. (Yonhap) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met Russia's visiting defense minister and expressed his support for Russia's war against Ukraine, state media reported Saturday, amid deepening military cooperation between the two countries. Kim had a "friendly and trustworthy" meeting with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang, Friday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Belousov arrived in the North the previous day for a visit that came as pyongyang has sent thousands of its troops to Russia in support of Moscow's war against Ukraine. In the meeting, the Kim condemned the United States and the West for permitting Ukraine to use long-range missiles for strikes against Russia, calling the move a "direct" military intervention, the KCNA said. "It is an exercise of the right to self-defense for Russia to take resolute action to make the hostile forces pay the price," Kim said. Kim's remark was seen as expressing support for Russia's recent firing of a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile into the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The strike was seen as a response to the U.S. and Britain's allowing of Kyiv to strike Russian territory with advanced Western missiles. The KCNA report did not mention whether Kim and Belousov discussed North Korea's troop deployment to Russia. He affirmed that "the DPRK government, army and people will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists' moves for hegemony," the KCNA said, using the acronym for North Korea's official name. North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military cooperation under a major defense treaty signed in June that calls for providing military assistance "without delay" if either side comes under attack. Earlier this month, North Korea ratified the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty through a decree signed by Kim. Russian President Vladimir Putin also signed the treaty into law after Russia's upper and lower houses ratified it. The North has not publicly confirmed its troop deployment to Russia. But South Korea and the U.S. have said some of the North's deployed soldiers have already entered combat in Russia's western Kursk region. Seoul officials are concerned that North Korea may receive advanced weapons technology from Russia in return for its troop dispatch to Moscow. North Korea's troop deployment has raised concerns about an expansion of Russia's protracted war against Ukraine. Pyongyang has provided artillery and conventional weapons to Moscow in support its war. In regard to Belousov's visit to North Korea, experts raised the possibility of Russia asking for more weapons or troops to help bring the war to its advantage. Ukrainian and Russian forces have intensively engaged in combat in recent weeks ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump taking office in January. During the campaign, Trump said, if elected, he can end the war "in one day." Meanwhile, Belousov held talks with his North Korean counterpart, No Kwang-chol, the previous day to discuss strengthening "strategic and tactical cooperation" between the two countries' armies by thoroughly implementing the strategic partnership, the KCNA said in a separate dispatch. Russia's defense minister "expressed the willingness to further expand the mutually beneficial cooperation in the complicated international situation," it said. Belousov was quoted as saying by Russia's news media Friday that cooperation with North Korea is "expanding" in various areas, including in the military field. (Yonhap) Korea and Portugal have held economic talks to explore cooperation in the battery industry, Seoul's foreign ministry said Saturday. During the seventh joint economic committee meeting in Lisbon, Friday, Kim Hee-sang, deputy foreign minister for economic affairs, met with his Portuguese counterpart, Joao Ferreira, to discuss strategies for cooperation, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to enhance economic ties in supply chains, trade and investment to address growing uncertainties in the global trade environment. They also highlighted potential for collaboration in the battery sector, combining Korea's advanced battery manufacturing capabilities with Portugal's large reserves of lithium, a key material for battery production, it said. (Yonhap) The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and its supporters held a massive rally in central Seoul on Saturday, lashing out at the Yoon Suk Yeol government for what they called the mishandling of state affairs and demanding a special counsel probe into first lady Kim Keon Hee. DPK leader Lee Jae-myung and around 100,000 party members and supporters a count claimed by the party gathered near Gwanghwamun Square and staged a rally, according to police and party officials. The protest was the fifth of its kind. The participants called on Yoon to accept a bill for a special counsel probe into Kim for her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme, the alleged interference in election nominations through a broker and the acceptance of a luxury bag, among other things. Yoon vetoed the bill, Tuesday, the third time he has rejected the DPK-led bill. "Judging Yoon Suk Yeol and punishing Kim Keon Hee ... are all a battle for democracy," Rep. Kim Min-seok told supporters. The party then joined civic groups protesting the government and held a candlelight vigil. Conservative civic groups also held a rally in support of the government, but no physical clashes were reported, according to officials. (Yonhap) The interior ministry said Saturday it set up a task force to support snow-removal and restoration work in Gyeonggi Province and other parts of Korea reeling from the aftermath of heavy snowfall earlier this week. The capital city, some of its surrounding Gyeonggi areas, and several other regions in the country had received a record-level of snowfall for November on Wednesday through Thursday, which caused casualties and property damage. The task force will be in charge of extending support for evacuees, helping restore damaged facilities and giving administrative support to swiftly provide disaster relief funds to victims, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety. The ministry plans to conduct a governmentwide on-site survey, with which it will review the possible designation of special disaster zones. Cities and counties in the southern part of Gyeonggi Province, in particular, were hit hard, with the city of Anseong reporting eight casualties and damage worth 35.2 billion won ($25.2 million). "The government will make all-out efforts to support victims in a swift and practical manner in cooperation with relevant ministries and local governments," task force chief Lee Han-gyeong said. In Gyeonggi Province, nearly 3,000 cases of facility damage were reported, and more than 400 people have remained in temporary or community facilities after being displaced. The provincial government mobilized 2,639 officials and workers to clear snow in 11 affected cities and counties on Saturday alone, and checked affected facilities and other vulnerable sites, such as traditional markets, according to officials. (Yonhap) North Korea's chief envoy to the United Nations has sidestepped a question confirming the country's troop deployment to Russia during a U.N. meeting, instead reiterating that his country will continue to develop relations with Russia. Kim Song, North Korea's permanent representative to the U.N., made the remarks while responding to a question from Robert Wood, the United States' alternate representative, during a U.N. Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Wednesday in New York. "The deployment of DPRK troops to help Russia carry out its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine ... has fundamentally changed the nature of this war, posing ... an increasing threat to broader European security," Wood said during the session. The U.S. representative then shifted the focus to Kim, asking, "It's a very simple question ... Has DPRK deployed troops to Russia?" DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. South Korea and the U.S. said that North Korea has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia in support of its war against Ukraine, and some of them have already entered combat in Russia's western Kursk border region. Kim did not answer Wood's question with a simple yes or no, instead stating, "The treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between the DPRK and Russian Federation fully conforms to international law and the U.N. Charter." He said that his country "therefore remains faithful to its obligation under that treaty," a remark interpreted as an effective acknowledgment of his country's troop deployment to Russia. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty in Pyongyang in June, which commits the two nations to providing military aid to each other in the event of war. The treaty elevated their military relations to a new level, regarded as similar to an alliance. In his earlier remarks to the UNSC meeting, the North Korean envoy said that his country and Russia are "developing bilateral relations in all fields, including politics, economy, military and culture" under the mutual treaty. "The DPRK will remain faithful to its obligation under the treaty and continue to strengthen and develop relations" with Russia to contribute to regional and global peace and security and realize international justice, he said. During the meeting, Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's permanent representative, accused Kim of "representing a criminal regime" that "helps another criminal regime," saying that he and his country's leadership will "end up in the dock." Additionally, the U.S. envoy revealed that North Korea is preparing to supply more ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. "We have information that a large number of DPRK-origin 170 millimeter long-range self-propelled artillery pieces and 240 mm long-range multiple rocket launchers are being introduced into the conflict," Wood noted. It is in addition to North Korea's transfer of over 18,000 containers of ammunition and ammunition-related materials, as well as more than 100 ballistic missiles to Russia, he added. In return, Russia supplied North Korea with air defense systems and other "substantial benefits," including fuel, and is selling dual-use technology and equipment to help the North Korean regime improve its military manufacturing and capabilities, Wood said. (Yonhap) Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said Friday during his visit to Pyongyang that Russia's cooperation with North Korea is "expanding" in various areas, including in the military field. His remarks came as Russia and North Korea have been deepening military cooperation under a mutual defense treaty signed in June, with more than 10,000 North Korean troops deployed to fight alongside Russia in its war against Ukraine. "Today, friendly ties between Russia and North Korea are expanding across all areas, including military collaboration," Russia's TASS news agency quoted Belousov as saying in a meeting with North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol in Pyongyang. The Russian news agency reported the Russian defense chief arrived in North Korea earlier in the day for a number of "high-level" talks with senior military officials and politicians. "We are committed to implementing all agreements reached at the highest level," Belousov said. "We look forward to close and fruitful cooperation with our Korean comrades," Belousov also noted, expressing confidence that their discussion will "further strengthen the Russian-Korean strategic partnership in the defense industry." North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Pyongyang in June, which commits the two nations to providing military aid to each other in the event of war. The visit also follows North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's trip to Russia a month ago, during which she had a surprise meeting with Putin. South Korea's intelligence agency assessed that Choe may have had a "very sensitive" discussion with Putin during the meeting, and raised the possibility of Kim traveling to Russia for talks with Putin. The Russian defense minister is expected to discuss a potential increase in Russia-North Korea military cooperation in connection with Moscow's war against Ukraine. Some of the North's soldiers have already entered combat in Russia's western Kursk border region, according to the National Intelligence Service, Seoul's spy agency. Russia has provided North Korea with anti-air missiles and air defense equipment in return for its troop deployment in support of Moscow's war, South Korea's top security adviser said last week. (Yonhap) Greece is considered a relatively inexpensive option for a beach vacation. If you are tired of crowds of tourists and want to enjoy an idyllic weekend full of harmony and unity with nature, you should pay attention to less popular Greek destinations. ADVERTISIMENT Greece has always attracted travelers with its local flavor, history, warm climate, beautiful beaches, diverse landscapes and delicious cuisine. Express reports that Andros, the northernmost island in the Cyclades archipelago, is one of the best and cheapest options. Andrea Afinati, travel expert and founder of Voyaged magazine, said he spent last summer exploring lesser-known and inexpensive vacation destinations. "With the rise of tourism in popular spots like Santorini and Mykonos, I wanted to find a place that was both affordable and beautiful, without the insane crowds or hefty price tags," the expert said. Andros is the second largest island of the Cyclades archipelago (after Naxos). Andros is washed by the Aegean Sea, has an area of 380 square kilometers, and the length of its coastline is 177 km. ADVERTISIMENT The island is predominantly mountainous, with chestnuts, walnuts, willows, poplars and olive trees growing on the slopes. The largest cities are Andros (also Chora), Gavrio, Batsi and Ormos Kortiou. According to Greek mythology, the island was named in honor of Andros, the grandson of Apollo, who served the Cretan king Rhadamanthus. The heyday of ancient Andros dates back to the first millennium BC, when the Ionians arrived on the island. Andros became a strong maritime power, had colonies in Thrace and Asia Minor and minted its own coinage. During the Byzantine rule, the island did not lose its cultural prosperity and importance. In the XI-XII centuries, its economicy boosted as silk production began on Andros. ADVERTISIMENT Since 1204, Andros was ruled by the Venetians, and in 1556 the island was captured by the Ottomans. The greatest tragedy of Andros occurred in 1943, during the massive German bombing. Here is what you should visit on Andos: The ruins of the fortress with the Holy Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary; Archaeological Museum; Museum of Contemporary Art; Maritime Museum; Tower of Agios Petros; Sariza Spring; Apano Kastro (upper castle) and Kato Kastro (lower one); The ruins of the city of Palaiopoli. "Properties on the island are also reasonably priced, making it an attractive option for both holiday stays and long-term moves. In Chora, the capital, apartments around 80-100m are available to rent for 500-600 per month," said Afinati. There are 70 beaches on the island, the most popular of which include Zorkos with its golden sand, crystal clear water and surrounding rocky landscape, as well as the pebbly bay of Vitali and the secluded Achla. Andros is relatively easy to reach - just take a 1.5 hours ferry ride from the port of Rafina in Athens. Subscribe to OBOZ.UA on Telegram and Viber channels to keep up with the latest events. By Antonia Giordano Around the time of the release of the "Frontline" documentary on Korea's international adoption, another documentary was being released offline, at the Busan International Film Festival. "K-Number" was released on the weekend of Oct. 5. Unlike other movies that boasted star power, this movie gained recognition for its narrative and style, even winning BIFF's inaugural Documentary Audience Award this year. "K-Number" is also set to be released in Seoul in conjunction with the Seoul Independent Film Festival, from Saturday to Dec. 4. While "Frontline" provided a deeply investigative, historical account of the adoption industry, "K-Number" offers something more personal a heartfelt and human-centered perspective. The film not only weaves in historical context and documentation but also invites us into the emotional journeys of adoptees as they search for answers about their origins. It introduces us to the organizations and individuals who stand by them, offering support with translation, navigation and the countless puzzles adoptees face in uncovering their past. At the heart of the story is Mioka Miller, an adoptee who has spent years searching for her birth family. On her fifth journey to Seoul, we join her in piecing together incomplete information from intake forms and faint childhood memories. Through her eyes, we experience the rollercoaster of emotions hope, despair, resilience that come with trying to find a place in a story long thought lost. Along the way, we meet groups like Banet, a collective of Korean women who dedicate themselves to helping adoptees, and organizations like KoRoot, which offer safe spaces and resources for adoptees visiting Korea. These groups bring not only practical support but also a profound understanding of adoptees' emotional struggles, grasping these experiences in ways that lawmakers and institutions cannot. The documentary paints a vivid picture of the barriers adoptees face even seemingly small obstacles, like the renaming of streets or districts, become enormous challenges when tracing their roots. For adoptees, these details can mean the difference between finding answers and facing decades of uncertainty. Even with the best of intentions, a lack of oversight in the adoption process often turned simple facts like birth dates or locations into mysteries that can take a lifetime to unravel. Millers journey is deeply moving. Unlike many adoptees who have no memory of their early years, she has a few fragments to work with snippets of moments that allow her to connect some dots. But even with these clues, her search is fraught with setbacks. At one point, she believes she may have found her birth mother based on new information, only to discover upon meeting the woman that the details dont align. Both are left heartbroken, and Miller must begin again, revisiting old records and searching for new leads. The film also shares the stories of other adoptees, each at different stages of their search. Through radio interviews, conversations with locals and countless hours poring over records, they show us the relentless determination required to piece together their histories. Every breakthrough feels like a small miracle, but more often, these searches are marked by frustration, disbelief and a lingering sense of loss. A key thread throughout "K-Number" is the role adoption agencies played in meeting the global demand for Korean children. The documentary highlights how these agencies sometimes withhold critical information or release it inconsistently, leaving adoptees in limbo. In Millers case, information previously deemed nonexistent was suddenly provided during her fourth round of searching a reminder of how these agencies often hold the power to shape an adoptees journey, for better or worse. For those who do reconnect with their families, the reunions are often bittersweet. One particularly heart-wrenching scene shows an adoptee sharing a meal with her birth mother. The adoptee is trying to sound positive about their current meeting, but the mother, burdened by her pain and circumstances, expresses that she doesnt wish to meet again. The unspoken emotions in this moment are profound, reminding us of the complexities that come with reconciling with the past. "K-Number" effectively uses stories blended with informative clips to ask broader questions about family, identity and the evolving definition of what it means to be Korean. It reflects on Koreas need to move beyond traditional notions of homogeneity and emphasizes the importance of acceptance, diversity and inclusion. These issues are still very current, but all Koreans should at least know this perspective because of all the connected threads that are presented. This documentary was by director Jo Se-young, who made her directorial debut in the documentary film scene with the 2004 movie Made In Korea and worked on various other projects. In 2013, she won the Golden Goose Award at the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, for Lets Dance which centered around the womans right to choose. She has also worked on other documentaries that are reflective on various social issues in Korea. Her approach to this film is no different. While she hasnt always worked on adoptee-related films before, the director said she had an intense feeling towards the topic" after she happened to speak to a mother on the topic in an unrelated project. She said this project "gave me another perspective on the meaning of family. She said for "K-Number," it was during the editing process that the narrative came together, after having talked with 30-50 people, I had 12 different versions (of the film), and it was difficult, but once the meaning of the film became clearer on how to edit and how to fit the film, I wanted to also use documentation and historical references not to necessarily hone in on certain figures but to give the story balance and perspective, she said. In the video description, she wanted to connect the issues of adoptees with the issues of the Korean population so that this connection further highlights that this is an issue for both adoptees and Koreans. Ultimately, "K-Number" is a deeply moving exploration of connection and family. It leaves viewers with much to reflect on not only about the adoption industry but also about the changes needed to create a more compassionate and inclusive society. Antonia Giordano is a freelance photographer and writer based in Seoul. An adoptee, Antonia deeply understands and connects with the issues surrounding adoption and post-adoption. Visit giordanoantonia.myportfolio.com and follow @antonia_creative_services on Instagram. By Jon Dunbar Renovations at Blackmarket, a barber shop/event space in central Seoul's multicultural Itaewon, are nearing completion, and its owner, Australian national Beau Walder, is celebrating with a special hip-hop/lo-fi event this weekend. Headlining the event will be German beatmaker/producer digitalluc. "I'm a massive fan," Walder told The Korea Times. "When Beau contacted me a few months ago, I had already booked a trip to Southeast Asia but didnt have the return ticket yet," digitalluc said. "He texted me on Instagram and was asking if I would be down to play a gig in Korea and that he wants to book me for a show. Then everything went quick. We booked the tickets, and voila. It was perfect timing." The event will also feature local talent, namely DJ Son, whom Walder describes as a "wicked well-known Korean DJ," and his friend DJ Log, "both well known for their scratch and original taste in hip-hop." Digitalluc said he will play a beat set on his sampler for the event, "only original music that I have produced by myself. Playing a few remixes I did as well." This will be the only chance to catch digitalluc's act during his short three-day stay in the country. In his downtime, he's looking forward to exploring the city and digging for some records. "I (have) always been interested in Korean history but never visited," he added. "Im not too familiar with the music scene over there but very keen to find out." Digitalluc started making beats 14 years ago in his tiny one-bedroom apartment as a hobby. "I spent countless nights producing and always dreamed of reaching a few people," he said. "Never thought that one day Ill be making a living out of it and traveling the world. Traveling and playing shows in different countries and continents is amazing. You meet people you would never meet and it often feels like you know them for a long time already. Music really connects!" He said he produces music almost exclusively at night and has always had a strong connection with the moon and universe. "If my music were a physical location, it would be on the moon," he said. "I think people in Korea can easily vibe to it because there is no language barrier most of the tracks are instrumentals, and hip-hop is always super international." Entry is limited to 60 people and costs 20,000 won at the door. This includes a free drink, plus a screen-printed poster handmade by Walder and signed by himself and all the performers. After having completed extensive renovations on the place, Walder will continue booking events at Blackmarket with international artists, and he also plans to rent the space out for others to put on their own events. Visit blkmrkt.co.kr for more information about the show and venue, or linktr.ee/digitalluc for more about digitalluc. Risk of deadly accidents far greater for non-Koreans who make up 3.2% of workforce By Jung Min-ho Foreign workers have accounted for more than 15 percent of all workplace fatalities so far this year in Korea, a source familiar with the issue told The Korea Times. According to a report published on Tuesday by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 443 workers died as a result of industrial accidents between January and September, down from 459 during the same period last year. Of them, 67, or 15.1 percent, were foreign nationals, the source said. These figures show that the risk of deadly accidents is disproportionately higher for foreign workers who make up less than 3.3 percent of the labor force in this country. Data released last year revealed that 923,000 foreign nationals were employed in the country, accounting for approximately 3.24 percent of the total workforce of 28.42 million in Korea. So far, details such as the nationalities of foreign workers involved in workplace accidents have largely been excluded from the ministry's official reports, other than only a few exceptional cases. However, officials told The Korea Times that they would push to start including information on foreign victims nationalities in quarterly reports next year. They noted that implementing this change would require approval from Statistics Korea, the government-run statistical agency. This moves comes as some politicians, including Rep. Cha Gyu-geun of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, call for more transparency and a better statistical system for foreign nationals living here. A justice ministry report revealed last month by the lawmaker showed a staggering 44.2 percent of all 15,325 deaths of foreign nationals in Korea between 2018 and 2022 were attributed to other causes, meaning the reasons were unclear. The latest report on industrial accidents suggests that workers employed in the construction industry are at the greatest risk of deadly accidents. Of the total 443, 203 were construction workers, followed by those in the manufacturing industry (134) and other industries (106). The report also shows that 249 of the victims were employees of small firms that have 49 or fewer workers, a reduction from 267 during the same period in 2023. Meanwhile, the figure increased slightly from 192 to 194 among bigger companies with 50 or more workers. Slips and falls account for 36.8 percent of the deaths, followed by falling objects (14 percent), jamming (10.8 percent) and collisions (9.3 percent). Other causes include explosions and fires, electrical accidents and chemical exposure. By region, 136 of the deaths occurred in Gyeonggi Province, followed by South Gyeongsang Province (40), Seoul (37), Busan (32), South Jeolla Province (32), North Gyeongsang Province (31), North Jeolla Province (24), North Chungcheong Province (22) and South Chungcheong Province (21). The government plans to strengthen monitoring of the high-risk industries and areas and to closely manage the workplaces through on-site inspections and meetings [to reduce such cases], the ministry said in a statement. In addition, we would step up efforts to keep the trend of decline until the end of the year by helping safety supervisions and encouraging both labor and management to take part proactively in the process. By Jung Da-hyun The Korea Times has selected 11 students and one institution as winners of the 13th Global Korea Youth Awards. Hwang Yu-na, a student at Cheongshim International Academy in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, won the Grand Prize award, which will be presented by Gender Equality and Family Vice Minister Shin Young-sook, who is serving as the acting minister. Born to a Chinese mother and Korean father, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership, serving as vice president of the schools student council. With a keen interest in science and astronomy, she actively engages in a range of activities both within and beyond the classroom. The Korea Times also selected two outstanding students each from the elementary, middle and high school levels. The winners are Maeng Ye-lin from Seoha Elementary School, Kim Jeong-in from Daap Elementary School, Kim Tae-yang from Wando Middle School, Kim Su-yeon from Murung Middle School, Lee Ji-eun from Doonchon High School and Lee Ji-na from Wonju Finance Accounting High School. Oh Song-hui from Daeja Middle School won the Special Jury award, while Arabella Nia Joshua from the School of Global SARANG won the Semoon Chang Award presented to students with exceptional talent in foreign languages. Kim Won-hee from Samgye Middle School received the Korean Association for Multicultural Education Award, while the University of Utah Asia Campus Award went to Shadikhodjaeva Asilakhon Sherzodovna from Sejong Arts High School. The School of Global SARANG was picked in the volunteer category. The grand prize winner will receive 2 million won ($1,430) and each of the winners of other awards will receive 1 million won. An awards ceremony will be held on Dec. 17 at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. South Korea has completed the development of a homegrown Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM) system, the defense ministry said Friday, in a feat that will help bolster the military's air defense capabilities against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. A ceremony marking the completion of the L-SAM, designed to shoot down incoming targets at altitudes of above 40 kilometers, took place at the Agency for Defense Development in Daejeon, about 140 km southeast of Seoul, according to the ministry. While the ministry did not elaborate on the precise altitude the new system covers, it is known to shoot down targets at altitudes of 50 to 60 km, working in a multi-layered missile defense system, along with the U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and M-SAM II air defense systems that intercept targets at altitudes of 40 km or below. For targets at higher altitudes, the country relies on the U.S. Forces Korea's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system that can defend against upper-tier threats at altitudes of 40-150 km. In a congratulatory message sent for the ceremony, President Yoon Suk Yeol hailed the completion as "groundbreaking progress" in responding to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who attended the ceremony, warned the North against carrying out such provocations. "Even if North Korea attempts a missile provocation, the North cannot penetrate our military's sturdy defense system," Kim said in his congratulatory address during the ceremony. "It will have to pay a price, the 'end of its regime,' which is bigger than what it gets through provocation." With the completion of the development, South Korea is expected to begin production of the L-SAM next year and deploy it to the military during the mid-to-late 2020s. Once deployed, the L-SAM is expected to play a central role in the country's multilayered missile shield, called the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD). KAMD is a pillar of the country's three-axis deterrence structure that also includes the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) system. "KAMD is a system that defends our territory while the other two systems are more focused on the offensive," a ministry official said. "The development of L-SAM is meaningful as we get another opportunity for interception at a higher altitude. This enhances the level of defense for our territory." The military is currently developing a Block-II version of the L-SAM designed to intercept targets at altitudes higher than the current one. (Yonhap) Five Chinese and six Russian military aircraft entered South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) over the seas off the eastern and southern coasts without notice on Friday, prompting the South to send its fighter jets in response, the South Korean military said. Between 9:35 a.m. and 1:53 p.m., the Chinese and Russian military planes entered the KADIZ consecutively over the East Sea and the waters off the southern coast, according to an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The Chinese planes reportedly entered the KADIZ near Ieodo Island off the southern coast and flew northward over the waters between South Korea and Japan, while the Russian aircraft approached from the northeast. They met and flew side by side over waters south of the easternmost islets of Dokdo before retreating. The aircraft, reportedly including bombers and fighter jets, did not violate South Korea's air space, officials said. The air defense zone is not territorial airspace but is delineated to call on foreign planes to identify themselves so as to prevent accidental clashes. The South Korean military detected the planes before they entered the KADIZ and took "tactical" measures by mobilizing Air Force fighter jets in preparation for a potential emergency, the JCS said. The JCS assessed that the flight was part of a joint air exercise between China and Russia. Seoul lodged a "stern" complaint against the move, expressing regret and calling for efforts to prevent such actions going forward in separate phone calls with both sides, the defense ministry said. "The defense ministry strongly requested for an appropriate measure to prevent the recurrence of such actions, which can unnecessarily cause regional tension," the ministry said in a release. Since 2019, the two countries have sent their military planes into the KADIZ once or twice a year during joint exercises, without prior notice. Military planes from both China and Russia last entered the KADIZ together in December last year, when they said they were conducting a joint air patrol. (Yonhap) South Korea's new defense cost-sharing deal with the United States for hosting American troops in the South in the 2026-2030 period formally took effect Friday, Seoul's foreign ministry said. On Thursday, the National Assembly ratified the five-year Special Measures Agreement (SMA), enabling Seoul and Washington to exchange official letters confirming the completion of necessary domestic procedures for the agreement's implementation. No congressional approval is required in the U.S. Last month, Seoul and Washington inked the new agreement on determining Seoul's share of its cost for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea, just days before the U.S. held its presidential election on Nov. 5. Under the 12th SMA, South Korea will pay 1.52 trillion won ($1.09 billion) in 2026, up 8.3 percent from 1.4 trillion won in 2025. The deal came amid speculation that South Korea was seeking to strike an early deal to apparently avoid tough negotiations if former President Donald Trump returns to office. Trump had demanded a hefty rise in Seoul's share to as much as $50 billion during his term, calling the ally a free rider on U.S. military power. (Yonhap) Former President Moon Jae-in's daughter was referred to the prosecution without detention on Friday on suspicions of illegally operating house sharing businesses in Seoul, police said. The Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station said it sent the case of Moon Da-hye to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office for further investigation and a possible indictment. She is suspected of running an Airbnb business at a studio apartment in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo district without official declaration in violation of the Public Health Control Act. Da-hye is also accused of running an Airbnb business at another apartment in Yeongdeungpo she had previously owned before moving to Thailand. Police have secured testimony from guests who stayed at her apartments and questioned her on Nov. 23. In addition, the Jeju District Prosecutors Office is now investigating Da-hye on suspicion of running an Airbnb business at a house on the southern Jeju Island. Separately, Da-hye has been referred to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office for alleged drunk driving after her car collided with a taxi in Seoul's Itaewon district in early October. (Yonhap) By Jung Min-ho Konkuk University will accept 1,364 new students for the academic year of 2025 through its regular admissions, which are based primarily on the results of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). According to officials at the Seoul-based school on Thursday, the number includes 145 spots allocated to applicants under special circumstances 63 for those from low-income families, 80 from rural regions and two for graduates from vocational schools. Of them, 60 would be undecided major students, who would be allowed to choose majors after freely attending classes during their first year. Another 60 engineering college students would also be given one year before choosing what they want to focus on in that college. The introduction of this system is one of the most significant changes for the university this year, officials said. In Korea, most students are given specific majors when they are accepted into certain universities. But in recent years, many universities have increased the portion of undecided major students as they try to give students more time and freedom to think about what they want to study further before settling on their majors. In addition, there have been structural changes to some college departments. For example, the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering will be divided next year into two the department of mechanical, robot and automobile engineering and the department of aerospace and mobility engineering. Another notable change is the consideration of bullying records during the evaluation process. Records of using violence toward other students in high school or middle school could negatively affect the applicant's chances of being accepted. The school will begin accepting applications between Dec. 31 and Jan. 2. The announcement of successful applicants will be made at 2 p.m. on Feb. 6. November 30 marks several important events in Ukraine. In particular, the Radio-Technical and Special Troops of Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine celebrate their professional day. This is a professional holiday for servicemen and employees who ensure the operation of radio systems in the AFU. ADVERTISIMENT Believers honor the memory of St. Andrew the First-Called. This is a religious holiday that honors one of the closest disciples of Jesus Christ. St. Andrew is considered the patron saint of Ukraine, and his prophecy about Kyiv became the spiritual foundation for our country. St. Andrew the First-Called He was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, who went down in the history of Christianity as the first called disciple of the Savior. He was born to a fisherman's family in the city of Bethsaida in Galilee at the beginning of the first century. From a young age, Andrew decided to devote his life to serving God, remained unmarried, and sought spiritual perfection. Andrew became a disciple of John the Baptist after hearing him preach on the Jordan River about the coming of the Messiah. Later, he not only accepted the faith but also brought his brother Simeon, who became the Apostle Peter. According to the Gospel, it was Andrew whom Jesus called the first of the apostles, and this is how he was named the First-Called. ADVERTISIMENT Throughout his life, the apostle followed Jesus and witnessed the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Andrew received the gift of healing diseases and preaching in different languages. Mission and martyrdom Andrew the First-Called preached Christian teaching in many pagan countries. He crossed the Bosphorus and reached the territories of modern Kyiv and Novgorod, spreading the faith in Eastern Europe. However, when he returned to the pagans, the apostle was sentenced to death. He was crucified on a cross in the shape of the letter "X," which was later named St. Andrew's. The relics of St. Andrew were transferred first to Constantinople and later to Italy, where they are still kept. ADVERTISIMENT International holidays on November 30 International Computer Security Day. This day is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of information and data protection. International Cities for Life Day. This holiday aims to draw attention to the problems of cities and the importance of creating a safe and comfortable living environment. Historical events on November 30: Judicial reform in the Hetmanate (1763). Hetman Kyrylo Razumovskyi introduced courts in Ukraine: zemski (for civil cases), hrodski (for criminal cases), and podkomorski (for land cases). The General Court became the highest court of appeal. This reform was an important step in the development of Ukrainian law and justice. The Crystal Palace fire in London (1936). A unique building built for the 1851 World's Fair was completely destroyed. This event was a great loss for world culture. The beginning of the Soviet-Finnish war (1939). The provocation on the border and the subsequent Soviet attack on Finland marked the beginning of this long and bloody war, known as the "Winter War". In addition to these events, November 30 is also associated with: The beginning of the construction of the Suez Canal (1859) The beginning of the construction of the Odesa Lighthouse (1867) The launch of ChatGPT (2022) The violent dispersal of Euromaidan participants (2013). Name day Today, Victoria, Hennadiy, Hhyhoriy, Zakhar, Ivan, Mykhailo and Yan celebrate their name day. Subscribe to OBOZ.UA on Telegram and Viber channels to keep up with the latest developments. Seventy-six artificial intelligence-based digital textbooks have been certified for classroom use for the first time, covering elementary to high school students, the education ministry said Friday. The textbooks, which were listed in the official gazette, are for the subjects of math, English and information for elementary school grades 3 and 4, middle school grade 1 and high school grade 1. The 76 were chosen from 146 textbooks submitted for certification. The certified textbooks will be displayed at schools starting Monday, and each school will choose from among them to use in classrooms starting in the new school year in March, alongside existing paper course books. The education ministry has said the digital textbooks will help provide tailored education to students in a way that matches their abilities and levels. (Yonhap) By Jung Da-hyun The government will introduce artificial intelligence (AI) textbooks for English, mathematics and information technology classes starting next year, despite concerns about the effectiveness of digital learning and the potential for increased digital dependency among teenagers, the Ministry of Education said Friday. AI textbooks will be rolled out as planned in March next year for the three subjects, targeting third and fourth graders in elementary school, as well as first-year students in middle and high school. "The new digital textbooks are designed to support personalized learning by tailoring content to each student's level and pace. Teachers will also have access to data-driven insights, enabling more customized educational plans," Education Minister Lee Ju-ho said during a press briefing. However, the ministry announced adjustment plans that will be applied from 2026. Digital textbooks will not be used in Korean and home economics, while the rollout for social studies and science will be delayed until 2027. These adjustment plans came in response to a request from the National Council of Governors of Education to slow the pace of the initiative, including delaying the introduction of AI textbooks for certain subjects. The request to adjust the pace stemmed from concerns that the AI textbooks could aggravate excessive dependence on digital devices among children, while teachers have not been fully prepared for the new teaching tools, and schools have yet to receive the necessary budgets. "The ministry has been engaging with parents and teachers through various channels, actively listening to their feedback," Lee said. "We have carefully monitored the concerns raised during these discussions and have been reviewing policy alternatives since the development of AI digital textbooks." The education ministry completed its review of AI-powered digital textbooks, approving 76 out of 146 that applied for certification. Starting Monday, the certified textbooks will be displayed at schools, which will choose the ones to use in classrooms starting in the upcoming school year, alongside existing print books. However, some warn that AI textbooks may face significant hurdles, with only three months remaining until the new semester. The relevant bill, passed by the National Assemblys education committee, Thursday, classifies digital textbooks as educational materials rather than official textbooks. Unlike textbooks, which must be adopted by all schools, educational materials are optional and can be used at the discretion of school principals. Regarding this, Lee expressed concerns that if the bill is passed by the Assembly's plenary session and confirmed as it is, it could not only deprive students of equal educational opportunities and hinder educational reforms, but also widen the existing educational gap. "If the bill is applied, it will cause significant confusion in schools that have been preparing to implement these resources," the minister said. By KTimes A group of 1,466 Catholic priests, including five high-ranking clergy members, issued a declaration calling for President Yoon Suk Yeols resignation. The statement released Thursday criticized the president for failing his constitutional duties and accused him of fostering division and undermining public trust. The priests, including Archbishop Ok Hyun-jin of the Gwangju Archdiocese and four other bishops, said, We are no longer surprised by what President Yoon does. We ask, how can a person act in such a manner? They accused Yoon of being a man of falsehoods, who denies what exists and claims what does not. The declaration continued, Unable to ignore the fierce outcry of the people, we join this public statement to demand his removal. President Yoon has failed to uphold the Constitution, protect the nation, promote peaceful unification, and enhance the welfare of the people. It is time to hold him accountable and declare his dismissal. The priests went on to describe Yoon as a man of violence who governs recklessly without discerning what is good or bad for the people. He doesnt seem to know who he is or what he is doing, acting as a puppet of private interests who has handed over the authority entrusted to him by the people to others, they said. He is a peculiar leader who fattens an already privileged few while driving everyone else into ruin. The statement concluded with a call to action: As sovereign citizens, we have not only the right to elect but also to remove. Let us act decisively before its too late, exercising love and mercy to restore a sense of humanity. The declaration, signed by priests and bishops across the country, marks a significant moment of collective dissent from the Catholic Church in Korea. The president has not yet commented on the matter. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times. DPK to propose impeachment motion against state auditor chief on Monday By Kwak Yeon-soo The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) attempt to impeach the state auditor chief and prosecutors is drawing backlash from ruling party lawmakers and political commentators, who say that the DPK is exploiting its majority to play party politics, according to political pundits Friday. The DPK, which holds 170 of the 300 Assembly seats, said it would propose an impeachment motion against Board of Audit and Inspection Chair Cho Jae-hae and three prosecutors, including Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office (SCDPO), during a plenary session of the National Assembly on Monday. By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a plenary vote within 24 to 72 hours after being reported to the first general Assembly session following its proposal. The grounds for the impeachment include the controversy over Choes audit of the presidential residence relocation and alleged violation of the Act on Testimony and Appraisal Before the National Assembly, such as failing to submit requested materials during the parliamentary hearings, Rep. Noh Jong-myun, spokesperson for the DPK, said. The oppositions push to impeach prosecutors came after the prosecution's decision not to indict first lady Kim Keon Hee over her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme. Choe, addressing the DPK, said he will not resign. I express deep regret over the opposition partys impeachment attempt, which is deemed political and undermines the constitutional order. I have no intention of resigning, he told reporters Friday. Deputy chief prosecutors from the SCDPO issued a joint statement Friday, urging the DPK to stop the abusive attempts to impeach prosecutors. The main oppositions attempt to impeach prosecutors simply because the investigation results are not to their liking may set a wrong precedent that abuses the democratic legitimacy, the statement said. If the impeachment motion passes the National Assembly, Choe will be suspended from duty until the Constitutional Court decides whether to endorse or reject the motion, a process that usually takes a few months. Political commentators said a court ruling on Monday that cleared DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung of charges that he forced a former mayoral secretary to commit perjury boosted the partys confidence to intensify its anti-government campaigns. However, they said the DPKs move seems unlikely to woo moderates. The DPKs move comes under the notion that the ruling People Power Party (PPP) holds greater power and responsibility. It believes that the public will blame the PPP more than the DPK and thinks that pushing for impeachments wont worsen public opinion. Although its efforts to impeach prosecutors and a high-profile agency head can unite the DPKs hard-core supporters, moderate voters may move away from the party, political commentator Kim Sang-il said. In a democracy, procedures are important. If you go beyond procedures just because you have power, it is highly likely that it will lead to abuse of power. Impeachment must be the last resort, he added. The PPP accused the DPK of being "addicted to impeachment." The DPKs attempt to shake up the government has gone too far, PPP floor leader Rep. Choo Kyung-ho said during the party's Supreme Council meeting Friday. The DPK is pushing for the impeachment of the head of the state audit agency. This is the 17th impeachment prosecution under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and the 10th impeachment in six months since the 22nd National Assembly began. This is a reckless rampage. The presidential office also condemned the DPKs impeachment attempts. A senior presidential official said, "The oppositions push to impeach chief state auditor damages constitutional order. Its attempt to impeach prosecutor is to paralyze the court system and protect the opposition party." The presidential office blasted the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Friday for pushing to impeach three top prosecutors and the chief state auditor over issues related to first lady Kim Keon Hee and the relocation of the presidential office. The DPK, which holds a majority in parliament, plans to introduce motions next week to impeach three prosecutors, including the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, for failing to indict the first lady following an investigation into her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme. Also next week, the DPK plans to introduce an impeachment motion against Board of Audit and Inspection Chair Choe Jae-hae for refusing to comply with a parliamentary request to submit documents related to an audit of the presidential office relocation, which took place in 2022 in line with a campaign pledge of President Yoon Suk Yeol. "It is unprecedented in our constitutional history and damages the foundation of the constitutional order," presidential spokesperson Jeong Hye-jeon said during a press briefing, referring to the push to impeach Choe. On impeaching the prosecutors, she said, "It is clearly revenge impeachment to impeach the command of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office just because the results of the investigation were not what the opposition party wanted." Jeong said impeaching the prosecutors can only be interpreted as an attempt to halt various investigations and trials involving the opposition party. Among other trials, DPK leader Lee Jae-myung has been charged in five cases, including one in which he has been sentenced to a suspended one-year prison term for making false statements as a candidate during the 2022 presidential campaign. (Yonhap) The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) pushed ahead with a budget proposal that only reflects reductions in a parliamentary budget committee session Friday, prompting ruling party lawmakers to boycott the vote and leave in protest. The proposal railroaded by the DP during a plenary session of the parliamentary special committee on budget and accounts puts next year's budget at 677.4 trillion won ($485.3 billion), down 4.1 trillion won from the initial plan proposed by the government. The cut affects the whole amount flagged for special activity expenses of the presidential office's secretariat and national security office, as well as those of the prosecution, the state audit agency and the police. It also halves the government's 4.8 trillion-won reserve fund to 2.4 trillion won. Under the Constitution, the National Assembly needs government consent to raise or add new budget items but can carry out cuts on its own. The ruling People Power Party denounced the move as "neutralizing the functions of the prosecution, the police and the state audit agency" by cutting such budgets, claiming such a vote is only aimed at shielding DP leader Lee Jae-myung who faces several trials. Lee is standing trial in four cases, including those on alleged subornation and allegations of involvement in an illegal cash transfer of US$8 million to North Korea and embezzlement of funds from the Gyeonggi provincial government. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok expressed "deep regret" over the vote, voicing concerns that the budget cut proposal will affect government functions, such as responding to natural disasters and conducting probes and audits. "The main opposition's sole passage of the reduced budget proposal will result in paralyzing the nation's fundamental functions," Choi said in a statement. The statutory deadline for approving the national budget is Dec. 2, but the National Assembly has managed to meet it only twice in the past two decades. (Yonhap) By Casey Lartigue Jr. Should North Korean refugees be recruited to become human rights advocates? Why do most North Korean refugees avoid public advocacy? How can we empower their voices without imposing external agendas? And what does it take for a North Korean refugee to naturally transition into advocacy? These were the questions I wrestled with while reading the papers presented by Park So-keel and Shin Hyo-sook at the Korea Hana Foundations 2024 International Seminar on November 19. Both papers were well-researched, logical, and rooted in valuable insights. They highlighted the potential of North Korean refugees to make a global impact, and for the past 12 years, I have been involved with making that happen. Yet, I found myself disagreeing with the premise that North Korean refugees should be actively recruited to become human rights advocates. In my response, I focused on three main points. First, I questioned whether most North Korean refugees even want to be advocates. Second, I emphasized the importance of balancing advocacy with autonomy and authenticity. Third, I reflected on the limitations of advocacy as a broader strategy. The assumption that North Korean refugees are eager to become human rights advocates doesnt align with my experience. Since 2013, over 600 North Korean refugees located in various countries including South Korea, the United States, Canada, Italy, France and the UK have studied English and public speaking at Freedom Speakers International (FSI), the organization I co-founded with Lee Eun-koo. Their reasons for learning English are diverse and deeply personal. Many refugees prioritize education, aiming to succeed in South Korean universities or gain professional skills. Others see English as a tool to advance their careers, improve their independence, or build confidence. Only a small number express a desire to engage in public speaking or advocacy. When refugees do engage in public speaking, their motivations vary. Some aim to raise awareness about North Korea, while others focus on personal storytelling, which allows them to share the experiences of loved ones. For many, public speaking serves as a form of therapy, helping them process trauma and heal. It is also a way to build self-confidence and find a sense of identity. Advocacy against the North Korean regime is just one of many possible outcomes, and it is far from the most common. While advocacy has its place, it must not overshadow the personal goals and autonomy of North Korean refugees. Many North Koreans who escape begin their journeys as refugees, focused on survival rather than activism. Over time, some transition into defector-advocates. In freedom, free to read any book, watch videos, meet and talk with people, they learn more about North Koreas systemic oppression. However, this transformation is deeply personal and should not be rushed. One of the most remarkable examples Ive witnessed is my co-author, Han Song-mi. For her first nine years in South Korea, she was largely invisible. Today, she is a public speaker who has addressed audiences at Harvard University and the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Whereas she was once silent, she now encourages other refugees to share their stories. Song-mis journey illustrates the importance of patience. When North Korean refugees are given time and space to grow, many naturally become effective advocates. Conversely, when pressured into advocacy roles prematurely, they risk losing their authenticity and credibility. On average, it takes North Korean refugees, after they are living in freedom, 11 years to publish a memoir in English. This timeline reflects the time they need to process their experiences, adjust to life in freedom, and develop the skills and confidence required to share their stories publicly. There are many more North Korean refugees who havent published their memoirs, for a variety of reasons. Despite the long timeline for North Korean refugees to speak out, there is a constant demand by media, academics, and NGOs for new stories. The ultimate dream is for a reporter to interview Kim Jung-un, after he escapes, about the DMZ. This obsession with novelty overlooks the contributions of refugees who have already stepped forward as speakers, authors, and advocates, but who may have escaped a decade ago or longer. One thing that has baffled me is the constant search for new stories instead of supporting the handful that have already told their stories and may be ready for activism. While advocacy is a powerful tool, it has limitations. Advocacy alone cannot address the structural challenges facing North Korean refugees or dismantle the Kim regimes control. Moreover, advocacy efforts are often shaped by external agenda. Governments, NGOs, and academics frequently ask refugees to speak on topics they may not be comfortable with or have no personal connection to. This can dilute the authenticity of their voices and make them appear as paid propagandists. At FSI, we have conducted 20 English speech contests with about 150 speeches by North Korean refugees in English. They can choose their topics freely. Few speeches have focused on human rights, unification, or North Koreas leadership. Most North Korean refugees prefer to discuss their personal journeys, struggles, and adjustments to life in freedom. This freedom to choose ensures that their voices remain genuine and authentic. The papers presented at the Hana Foundation seminar were by my colleagues concerned about North Korean refugees. My point of disagreement is with the rush to recruit newcomers and to present most North Korean refugees as potential human rights advocates. Advocacy should be an option, not an expectation, to create space for authentic voices to emerge naturally. Casey Lartigue Jr. (CJL@alumni.harvard.edu) is the co-founder of Freedom Speakers International with Lee Eun-koo and co-author with Han Song-mi of her memoir "Greenlight to Freedom: A North Korean Daughters Search for Her Mother and Herself. By Kim Sun-ae Even in Inje, one of the northernmost counties of Korea, it was still hot in the afternoon until mid-November. Some people wore short-sleeved T-shirts in late autumn, too. It is a little cooler in rural areas in Gangwon Province (the northeastern region of South Korea) than in other regions of the country. Nonetheless, also in Inje in the province, spring and autumn are getting shorter while summer is getting longer because of global warming. From October to November, I participated in a government-supported program named the Two-Month Stay in Inje. For two months, I lived in a rural village in the county. The room where I stayed had big windows, so I could always see beautiful mountains out of them. However, even in October and early November, it was too hot to be in the room in the afternoon due to the strong sunlight and heat coming through the windows. So I used other cool spaces in the accommodation during the time, like the meeting room of the building. I could feel the climate crisis. In the village, I stayed with other participants of the Two-Month Stay. Talking with us (the participants), the manager of the village once said, We farmers deeply feel the climate crisis. She said, Its difficult to grow corn and other vegetables because its so hot in summer. Have you felt that global warming is directly affecting your life? It may be hard for many urban people to directly experience the climate crisis. Those who stay indoors most of the time may take this issue lightly and think, If its hot, I can turn on the air conditioner. No problem. Nevertheless, there are people who do not have an air conditioner. Moreover, if we use more air conditioning, the Earth will become even hotter. And of course, those who work outdoors, including delivery people, street cleaners and construction workers, will feel that heat waves and heavy rains due to global warming can even threaten their lives. The climate crisis has been increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather phenomena such as droughts, heavy rains and heat waves. We need to take this problem seriously. One of the programs for the participants of the Two-Month Stay in Inje was to listen to a lecture on native Korean seeds. In the lecture, the speaker said, These days, its too hot due to the climate crisis. A lot of farmers are having difficulty growing Korean cabbage (which grows well in a cool climate). But I planted native Korean cabbage seeds this year, and they grew well. He showed us various native Korean seeds like mung beans, waxy corn and beans in diverse colors. White, brown and black beans were especially beautiful. It is urgent to respond to the climate crisis in a variety of areas including farming, and practice all methods of stopping the worsening of the crisis. Kim Sun-ae (blog.naver.com/everythingchanges) wrote Old Potato, New Potato and translated Little Lord Fauntleroy. Prudent measures needed in looming trade war U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has reignited controversy with his proposal to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada. In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that one of his first executive actions would be to implement this tariff on goods entering the U.S. from its northern and southern neighbors. He justified the move by accusing both countries of exploiting what he described as "ridiculous open borders." The proposal has sparked concern not only in Mexico and Canada key partners in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) but also in other nations with substantial trade surpluses with the U.S., such as South Korea. Trump justifies these tariffs by linking them to illegal immigration, particularly from Mexico and Canada, and the rise in drug-related crime. He has also claimed that much of the fentanyl fueling the U.S. opioid crisis is imported from China, promising to impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods until such imports are eliminated. This stance signals a broader escalation in Trump's trade policies, foreshadowing a potential tariff war during his administration. For countries like South Korea whose trade relationship with the U.S. includes a significant surplus there is growing concern about being caught in the crosshairs of Trumps aggressive trade measures. South Korea, a major trading partner with the U.S., faces significant risks from Trump's proposed tariffs. With strong trade ties to both Mexico and the U.S., South Korean companies operating in the Central American country stand to be among the hardest hit. Many of these businesses, particularly in the automotive and home appliance sectors, have heavily invested in Mexico to capitalize on its lower labor costs and tariff-free access to the U.S. market. In 2023, South Korea emerged as Mexico's second-largest foreign investor, pouring over 1 trillion won ($716 million) into the country. A 25 percent tariff on goods manufactured in Mexico would sharply increase the cost of exporting these products to the U.S., undermining the profitability of these investments. This could force South Korean firms to rethink their strategies and restructure global supply chains to adapt to the new trade landscape. The prospect of tariff impositions on South Korean goods produced in Mexico is just one part of a wider threat posed by Trumps trade policies. With South Koreas significant trade surplus with the U.S., it is highly likely that the Trump administration will scrutinize the KORUS Free Trade Agreement (FTA) more closely once it takes office. Trump has already criticized South Korea in the past over what he perceives as an imbalance in trade, and he may use this as leverage to press for further concessions, including demanding that Seoul shoulder more of the cost of maintaining U.S. military forces in South Korea. Such demands would add further strain to the bilateral relationship. In light of these developments, it is imperative that the South Korean government adopt a proactive approach. The Yoon Suk Yeol administration must prepare to engage with the Trump team, emphasizing the value of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and the mutual benefits of close economic cooperation. The U.S. is eager to revitalize its manufacturing sector, and South Koreas strong position in industries like semiconductors, automobiles and electronics could be an asset in such efforts. South Korea should remind the U.S. that a stable and robust economic partnership will contribute to job creation and economic growth in both countries. Moreover, South Korea must also highlight the critical strategic importance of the bilateral alliance, especially in the face of increasing North Korean threats. The U.S. military presence in South Korea is not just a security asset for the region but also a strategic necessity for the United States. It is essential that Trump respects the value of this partnership and does not undermine it in pursuit of short-term trade gains. South Koreas strategy should be one of flexibility, pragmatism and realism. Rather than simply resisting U.S. tariffs or pushing back against demands for further concessions, South Korea should offer mutually beneficial proposals. This could include expanding cooperation in sectors where both nations stand to gain, such as technology, clean energy and regional security. South Koreas ability to navigate these challenges will depend on its capacity to respond quickly and decisively to the shifting dynamics of international trade under Trumps administration. The looming trade war and the prospect of tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and other countries pose serious challenges. South Korea, while maintaining its strong economic ties with the U.S., must remain vigilant and agile in the face of these threats. The Yoon administration must approach these challenges with a clear understanding of the broader geopolitical and economic implications, ensuring that any agreements or compromises made are beneficial to both nations in the long term. The coming months will require diplomatic skill and strategic foresight to weather this storm effectively. Path forward for South Korea's role in peninsula security Reports suggest that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is considering a direct meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, sparking debate about the future of diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula. Such a meeting, especially before Trump assumes office, would mark a bold and unprecedented step. If realized, renewed talks between Washington and Pyongyang could indicate a shift in U.S. policy toward North Korea, emphasizing engagement over confrontation. However, before proceeding, Trump must coordinate closely with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to ensure a unified strategy for addressing the regions complex security issues. During his first term, Trump held two high-profile summits with Kim, along with multiple exchanges of personal letters. These efforts were aimed at addressing North Koreas nuclear program and reducing military tensions in the region. However, despite the dramatic imagery of the meetings and promises of cooperation, tangible progress on denuclearization and peace building remained elusive. Given this history, it is crucial that any future engagement with Kim be approached with careful consideration and a clear strategy to avoid repeating the failures of the past. Reports indicate that Trumps team is already prioritizing North Korea, with the appointment of Alex Wong as deputy national security adviser. Wong, who was instrumental in crafting the U.S. approach to North Korea during Trumps first term, will likely play a key role in any renewed efforts to engage Pyongyang. Trumps focus on North Korea contrasts with the current U.S. administration under President Joe Biden, which has taken a more cautious and measured approach. This shift in emphasis could lead to a more aggressive pursuit of dialogue, but it also carries the risk of overlooking the lessons learned from previous summits. One of the most significant lessons from Trumps past dealings with North Korea is the need for close consultation with South Korea. Seoul is the nation most directly affected by North Koreas provocations, including its missile tests and nuclear ambitions. South Koreas security concerns must be central to any discussions between the U.S. and North Korea. For this reason, it is imperative that Trump meet with Yoon before sitting down with Kim. This consultation will ensure that any potential summit with Kim is aligned with South Koreas strategic interests and that both countries are united in their approach to managing the North Korean threat. As the situation on the Korean Peninsula evolves, particularly in light of North Koreas increasing military collaboration with Russia, South Koreas role becomes even more crucial. North Koreas support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, coupled with Russias assistance to Pyongyang in developing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), raises the stakes for regional security. The growing nexus between North Korea and Russia, two nuclear-armed states, could complicate efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and create a more volatile security environment. As such, the U.S. and South Korea must work in lockstep to develop strategies that can deter potential nuclear threats from North Korea while simultaneously exploring avenues for diplomatic engagement. In preparation for a possible Trump-Kim summit, it is vital that the U.S. and South Korea discuss the meetings agenda in detail, particularly regarding North Koreas nuclear program. The denuclearization of North Korea remains a central goal, but it must be approached with caution. Past talks have faltered over disagreements on the specifics of denuclearization issues such as timelines, verification, and compensatory measures. Any future summit should focus on clear, actionable steps that can lead to meaningful progress. This is where South Koreas input is invaluable. As the nation most vulnerable to North Koreas nuclear threat, South Korea must be involved in every stage of the process, from setting goals to defining the parameters of any potential deal. Moreover, South Korea should take proactive steps to reduce tensions on the peninsula. The Yoon administration should consider proposing high-level military talks with Pyongyang to discuss measures that can reduce hostilities, such as halting provocative military exercises and ending hostile activities like balloon launches and loudspeaker broadcasts near the border. A shift in South Koreas North Korea policy, moving toward greater engagement, could help create the conditions for stability and peace. A potential summit between Trump and Kim could offer hope for easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but it must be preceded by thorough preparation and close consultation with South Korea. The Yoon administration must play an active role in shaping the discussions and ensuring that any agreement reflects the security concerns of all parties involved. Only through close coordination between Washington and Seoul can a meaningful and sustainable solution be found to the North Korean threat. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that given the security situation, it is currently impossible to partially open the airspace. Therefore, it is important to develop alternative routes for the delivery of goods and transportation of passengers. ADVERTISIMENT He said this during the International Transport Forum, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "We have conducted a risk assessment and identified the need for air defense forces and means to partially open the airspace. Security and military issues remain key to this decision. That is why it is important for us to develop alternative routes for the delivery of goods and the movement of passengers. We are talking about the land border, road and rail transport," the Prime Minister said. Shmyhal noted that during the Russian attacks, the aviation infrastructure was damaged, and at least 15 civilian airports were affected. In addition, he reminded that over the past three months, the enemy has carried out almost 60 attacks on port infrastructure, resulting in damage or destruction of almost 300 facilities and 22 civilian vessels, and dozens of people were injured. ADVERTISIMENT "Despite the aggressor's constant attempts to cause even more destruction, thanks to the Defense Forces, we were able to ensure the stable operation of the Ukrainian sea corridor. Today, more than 2,800 vessels have used it, transporting more than 75 million tons of cargo," the Prime Minister said. Earlier, the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, with the support of the U.S. Embassy, presented a roadmap for opening Ukraine's airspace under martial law. "During the war, our strategic task is to preserve aviation infrastructure and qualified personnel so that when the time comes, we can resume civilian flights as quickly as possible," the Ministry said at the time. As reported by OBOZ.UA, Russian Shahids do not pose a threat to civilian aircraft in the air due to their height restrictions, but they can be dangerous for airports. A complete ban on flights remains in place and only limited opportunities for resuming flights are being considered with the strengthening of air defense, the expert emphasized. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! By Jason Lim Koreans often characterize their culture as a "pot" culture. No, I dont mean the kind of pot you smoke; Im referring to a pot as in pots and pans. This metaphor is used to describe a culture that quickly adopts the latest trends, ideas and outrages, only to discard them just as rapidly much like how a pot boils water and then loses heat. While this description is meant to be derisive, it often makes Korea useful as a prognosticator of global trends that might not become visible as quickly as they do in Korea. The growing political divergence between young men and women is a case in point. According to The Guardian, In 2024, men aged between 18 and 29 turned out in force for Trump, with the Republican winning the demographic by 14 points, overturning a generational trend that has for decades seen young people favor left-leaning candidates. This trend contrasts with recent polls whereby young women, particularly those under 30, overwhelmingly support progressive candidates who champion reproductive rights, climate action and social justice. South Koreas 2022 presidential election displayed strikingly similar patterns, underscoring how gender identity and generational shifts shape electoral outcomes in distinct cultural and political contexts. Young voters emerged as a decisive force, with gender playing an outsized role in determining preferences. Conservative candidate Yoon Suk Yeol secured a narrow victory, largely thanks to the support of young men, while his progressive opponent Lee Jae-myung garnered significant backing from young women. Much like in the U.S., this divide reflected fundamentally different worldviews and priorities. A major flashpoint in South Korea was feminism and gender equality. According to annual surveys, South Korea has one of the largest gender pay gaps among OECD countries and a persistent issue with workplace discrimination. Despite these challenges, many young men felt alienated by feminist movements and affirmative action policies, which they perceived as disadvantaging them in an already hyper-competitive society. Mandatory military service, which robs young men of two years of their most productive years fed into this grievance. Yoon tapped into this sentiment by pledging to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, framing it as unnecessary and unfair to men. On the other hand, young women rallied behind progressive policies that sought to address systemic sexism and violence against women. High-profile cases of digital sex crimes and gender-based violence, amplified by movements like #MeToo, had galvanized this demographic, who saw the progressive agenda as their best hope for structural reform. While these opposing trends reflect genuine grievances and aspirations, these divisions were not just about specific policies but about identity and survival in a rapidly changing world, especially for young men who face diminishing economic prospects. Rising costs of living, stagnant wages and housing crises have left many feeling disillusioned. In South Korea, Hell Joseon became a popular term among young people to describe the lack of upward mobility and the culture of giving up lifes rites of passage such as dating, marriage and kids as luxuries that they cant afford. At the same time, the traditional family value whereby men are supposed to provide for the family is persistent, creating a no-win situation for young men that hits them where it hurts the most: self-identity. In fact, according to Dan Cox, director of the Survey Center on American Life at the American Enterprise Institute, The economic and employment picture for younger men without college degrees is significantly worse than previous generations These sort of traditional norms around masculinity and what it means to be a man and a husband are wrapped up in economic success, and that makes it really, really challenging when their economic outlook is not as bright. For young men, these struggles often manifest as resentment toward policies they perceive as prioritizing womens issues over broader economic concerns that affect young mens prospects the most. This resentment is worsened by dating apps. Previously, dating and mating were limited to meeting someone generally compatible within your geographic area. Dating apps eliminated that boundary to a large extent, but, ironically, apparently made dating options more limiting for a vast majority of men who dont belong in the top tier in terms of physical attractiveness and socioeconomic status. As a result, young men with decreasing economic prospects are facing ever-diminishing chances of even matching on a dating app, let alone actually physically meeting a woman for a date. Add to this the fact that women, as a group, have been outperforming men in education and the workplace for the past generation, making young mens prospects comparably worse since hypergamy is a factor when a woman chooses a partner. No money and no woman is tolerable if it can be counterbalanced with some kind of hope that the situation will get better. But combine that with no prospects and no hope, then you have young men looking for something different. Jason Lim (jasonlim@msn.com) is a Washington-based expert on innovation, leadership and organizational culture. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not reflect The Korea Times editorial stance. By Casey Lartigue Jr. On October 16, 2024, three North Korean Refugee Author Fellows in Freedom Speakers International (FSI) wrapped up a two-day conference with high school students visiting South Korea. Han Song-mi, Eom Yeong-nam, and Jang Sha-ron shared their personal stories, raised awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, and signed copies of their books. Most of the 600 North Korean refugees who have studied in our organization first contacted us through our website, called our office, or were directly connected to FSI co-founder Lee Eun-koo. Eun-koo recently pointed out something I had yet to recognize. All three authors initially contacted me when they wanted to join our organization. They share other similarities, such as the fact that they all escaped during 2010-11, were all rescued by a family member who had escaped from North Korea first, were all in limbo in North Korea because of issues related to family members, all lived abroad in Canada for more than a year, have all worked in our office, and have made donations to our organization. It was a Freedom Speakers International (FSI) event done in collaboration with Giving Tuesday Korea and sponsored by the Korea Hana Foundation. We encouraged the high school students to set up projects to increase generosity and kindness in the world. There was no requirement that they come up with projects related to North Korea or North Korean refugees, but this would be a chance for them to team build and to get advice from North Korean refugees. I started the conference with the first group as Giving Tuesday Korea's co-country director. The participants at this particular conference were all teenage girls. I am not trying to get myself into trouble by pointing out that the attendees were more interested in small group discussions with the speakers. In contrast, when we have had conferences with teenage boys in previous years, they had questions but were more interested in creating a project and getting feedback from the refugees. In this case, I didn't push for the projects and instead gave them the chance to talk and do the projects later if they choose to do so when they return to their respective countries. I know in this hypersensitive world that people don't expect me to see what I see, but that has been the reality. The second hour, Eunkoo introduced FSI. As usual, she urged me to do so, but I gave an excuse about why I couldn't, and then explained why it was better for her to introduce FSI so there would be a better distinction between FSI and Giving Tuesday Korea. Sharon Jang, author of "Girl with Black Makeup" When I worked with Sharon on her speech the day before, I told her she would be the first speaker for a reason. I introduced her when she gave a speech the first time, but the second time around, I told Eunkoo that she should introduce Sharon. I am the one who first proposed that Sharon write a book and after we changed from TNKR to FSI, I said we should check with Sharon to see if she would like to finish the book. Sharon confirmed, thankful that we had not forgotten about the project. Eunkoo worked closely with Sharon to finish the book. Sharon started off somewhat shy, apologizing about her English level. She apologized before her second speech also, but she spoke with more energy the second time. Sharons journey as an author and public speaker has been gradual, and thanks to our donors and supporters over the years, we can work with North Korean refugees at their own pace. Theres no rush to push them onto the stage before they are ready; instead, we give them the time they need to develop at their speed. And if they choose not to speak, or not write a book, or just talk about their hobbies instead of human rights, that's fine, too. I often discourage our supporters from categorizing us as a human rights organization or from saying we encourage North Korean refugees to talk about North Korea. Because of fans mischaracterizing us and critics lying about us, I renamed our speech contest "I am from North Korea" so it would be clear that North Korean refugees have the power to speak as they wish. After we finished, Sharon had her first book signing at an event. FSI recently purchased pens for our authors, but Sharon is the only one who brought her pen to sign copies. I am going to give the authors a hint that if they ever want special pens again, they should let Eunkoo see them signing books with them. Songmi Han, co-author of "Greenlight to Freedom" with Casey Lartigue I introduced Songmi, who gave a speech without notes. She didn't give her first public speech until early 2022, but now she delivers speeches without notes. She says she is nervous, and that is fine. For some reason, people tell speakers not to be nervous. Nervousness and fear can inspire some speakers to prepare and practice more; even some great speakers say that even after years of public speaking, they still get nervous. As Samuel Johnson said in a different context, "The threat of execution sharpens the mind." I advise speakers, but I don't tell them to ignore their feelings, and I don't try to read their minds about how they are feeling. I like to point out that both Eunkoo and Songmi say they are shy but will keep talking as if time has stopped. After Songmi's speeches, I joined her during many of her small group discussions -- as if I had a choice. North Korean refugees have freedom of choice within FSI, but as co-founder and Senior Mentor, I don't have choice when it is in conflict with theirs. Like Yuna the night before, Songmi encouraged me to join her, although now it is more of an imperative with her. "Mr. Casey! You are my co-author. Please join me. I wouldn't be here without you." She often gives me an impatient stare, as if I have abandoned her when I don't immediately join her on stage. How can I say no? Yeongnam Eom, author of "Strongest Soldier of North Korea" Yeongnams public speaking approach reflects his life as a soldier and his newfound freedom as a public speaker. As a soldier in North Korea, he had to memorize without thinking. But as a speaker in freedom, Yeongnam has the flexibility to improvise and adapt. There have been times when he has asked, right before speaking, Which speech should I give? What should I talk about? a stark contrast to his life as a soldier, where there was no room for such creativity and freedom. I chose Sharon to speak first in the morning session, but during our lunch break, somehow Yeongnam was assigned to be the first speaker of the second session without them consulting me. Did those lovely ladies outvote him? Did he volunteer? I'm not sure what happened, but there was no discussion. He was going to be first. He embraced his role without complaint. He was being the good soldier taking on a task assigned to him. But as a man now living in freedom, he is engaged in tasks he chooses. For those of you who advise speakers not to be nervous, dont waste your words with Yeongnam. Even before he learned any public speaking skills, he was already ready. As he wrote in his book, he was inspired by North Korean refugees, especially Yeonmi Park, who told their stories globally. From his first speech with us in 2015, he had stories to tell. Book signing Songmi, Sharon and Yeongnam all participated in the book signing at the end of the event. For Songmi, this was yet another stop in her international journey. When Songmi gives a speech, attendees often ask her if she has traveled to other countries. Not only has she traveled to other countries, but she has had book signings abroad. Greenlight to Freedom has built up Songmis frequent flyer miles. In the USA, we have had book signings together in Nashville, New York City, Cambridge, Washington, D.C. We have also had book signings in Geneva and New Delhi. When it is time for a book signing, Songmi makes sure that I sign the books along with her. It is also an imperative: "Mr. Casey! You are my co-author! Why aren't you signing our book?" For Sharon and Yeongnam, it was their first time signing books at an event (due to a bureaucratic snafu, Yeongnam's books did not arrive in time when he, Songmi and I spoke at a Talk Concert in Harvard Square last month). The impact these authors made at the conference goes beyond just their speeches they are raising awareness about North Korea, North Korean refugees and the importance of sharing their stories with the world. Based on hearing their speeches and our mentoring sessions, they each have a mission. Sharon says writing the book was a form of therapy and she hopes it will console others. Her book lets people know about the reality of North Koreans condemned to terrible lives by the regime. Songmi wants people to know about the daily life of a North Korean, about difficult choices mothers (and fathers) make as they escape North Korea, and that many young people struggle as they wait for their mothers to rescue or return to them. Yeongnam wants people to have a better understanding about the lives of North Korean soldiers, the lack of freedom in North Korea, and about differences between North and South Korea. Casey Lartigue Jr. (CJL@alumni.harvard.edu) is the co-founder of Freedom Speakers International with Lee Eun-koo and co-author with Han Song-mi of her memoir "Greenlight to Freedom: A North Korean Daughters Search for Her Mother and Herself. By David Tizzard Im meant to write something about how Korean education sucks. How it drains the life out of students. Creates robots incapable of independent thought. And how Korea would be so much better if only it followed the lessons and examples of western practice and culture. After all, why isnt Korea more like England? Why arent the after-school academies filled with John Keatings instructing students to stand on their desks and constantly look at things in a different way? Where is Platos cave in a world of Confucian rote learning and memorization? And then I thought about my day-to-day life. Every day I walk into a different lecture hall filled with Korean students. They greet me warmly, some ask me about my day, and most shrug off their tiredness in preparation for the lesson. A few of them clutch tall vertical cans of Monster energy drinks, others have coffee. The majority of them have large tumblers of water. There are Tupperware cases of sweet potato and the occasional packet of Maltesers. When trying to convey the challenging ideas of Han Byung Chul, Piere Bourdieu, or David Matsumoto, they sit quietly, their eyes focused on the front of the class. The theories are difficult and so I switch sporadically between English and Korean, hoping that one of the sentences makes sense. They nod. They take notes. They wait until the end to ask questions. And then when given the chance to discuss the ideas, they room erupts into noise. Admittedly they are not always talking about the finer points of Hans work or Bourdieus theories, but they are awake. They are alive. And they are dealing with the ideas as best they can. Openness When I ask them to debate the various approaches to feminism and gender theory, they do so respectfully but with personal opinions regarding liberal, standpoint, and post-structural feminism. They disagree on LGBT issues. They debate policies directed toward North Korea and the current government. There is no admonishing of each other. No trying to cancel each other. And no privileging opinions based purely on identity, be it via skin color, or sexuality. Curious whether I have a warped sense of reality, I turn to a few of my international students. I asked one from France, Whats it like being in a Korean university classroom? They smiled and replied, The thing that is most interesting is this. Listen to how silent it is. When the professor is talking, no one is using their phone. No one is talking. No one is making noise. Its actually really nice because, if you want, you can really concentrate on the class and study well. The Korean students raised their eyebrows. They didnt expect their education system to be praised by foreigners. So, I tried with an American student. My grades have improved since Ive been here. I like it. Theres a nice respect that happens. I wish we could have more of that back home. Now, to be clear, we arent talking about Korean middle school or high school. We arent talking about the many years of after-school academies and endless vocabulary lists. We are talking about university-level education. But I see the results of that long process. Hundreds of students across two universities every semester. And they are the reason I always remain confident about the future. I dont have to chase students for assignments. I dont have to discipline them. I dont feel threatened in the classroom or the pressures of self-censoring to avoid the ire of an angry progressive group. Students are not stoned or drunk in class. Koreans are smart I pulled up the latest PISA rankings. Obviously the idea of standardized testing is frowned upon by many. How do we truly measure intelligence? What is a fair test? Do we allow for essays rather than multiple choice? How do we ensure objectivity if answers are subjective? These are all valid questions and topics of discussion. Nevertheless, we have 15-year old students from all over the developed world take a standardized test to test their math, science, and reading skills to meet real-life challenges so we might as well look at the results. In 2023, out of 81 countries, Korea finished 5th. Thats pretty impressive. By way of comparison, the U.S. finished 18th, the U.K. 20th , and France 26th. Students in Korea scored much higher than the OECD average in mathematics, reading and science. I turned to some of my Korean students. How do you feel about the idea that you guys are generally smarter than people from other countries? There was nervous laughter. Koreans smarter than westerners? Surely not. They are the people we look up to. They are the people we have been trying to emulate for the past few decades in our post-colonial modernization. And now we are being told that we are smarter than them? A student bravely ventured an opinion: Maybe we are smarter than them on average, but I dont think I am. I am not smart. Everyone laughed. Could the answer be any more Korean? And, of course, they said that in English, a second-language. Korean education in the formative years is about discipline and obedience. Its about self-control and resilience. And this can be useful. The streets are safe to walk. The coffee shops are filled with unattended laptops and phones. The parks are free from drugs and graffiti. And the people are smart. We can also add how Korean education has liberated women from the shackles of traditional lifestyles, providing them with not only knowledge, but also self-respect and the chance for an independent life. I was heartbroken to read about Niger a few days ago. A country that has experienced little in the way of development, struggled to overthrow its military dictators, and offers minimal education. There, the fertility rate is around 7 children per women. An extreme contrast but not too far removed from Koreas own past. So, yes, Korean education is challenging. Its hard. It puts a lot of pressure on both students and parents. A lot of money is wasted on after-school programs. And suneung sucks. But, as a student remarked, At least it sucks equally for everyone. Korea has achieved great things over the past few decades. Its society today, while no means perfect, is generally safe, clean, and in full working order. And, should you have the chance to interact with a young Korean in their 20s or 30s, one that has been through the education system recently, chances are they will be educated, respectful, and courteous. So, maybe the education system doesnt suck that much? At least not by the time they get to university. David A. Tizzard has a doctorate in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He is a social-cultural commentator and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He is also the host of the "Korea Deconstructed" podcast, which can be found online. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. By Lee Jong-eun Since Donald Trumps ascendency into national politics a decade ago, Republicans and Democrats have generally agreed on one political trend: an electoral realignment is taking place in U.S. politics. The two parties have, however, disagreed on which party would benefit more from the political realignment. Republicans pointed to Trumps appeal among traditionally Democratic-leaning voters, such as blue-collar, working-class white men. Heading into the 2024 election, the Republican Party predicted that Trumps appeal would expand further into blue-collar, working-class voters among ethnic minorities, particularly within Latino and African American communities. Democrats, along with some anti-Trump Republicans, have argued that a significant segment of traditionally Republican-leaning voters has shifted toward the Democratic Party due to their aversion to Trumps policies and personality. Specifically, suburban, college-educated, white-collar voters were seen as defecting from the Republican Party. Heading into the 2024 election, the Democratic Party anticipated that suburban white women, in particular, would be galvanized by the issue of abortion rights and drastically realign their votes in favor of their party. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, once remarked, For every blue-collar Democrat we lose in western Pennsylvania, we will pick up two moderate Republicans in the suburbs of Philadelphia. For both parties, the key to winning the 2024 election was to use a South Korean analogy, keeping in the house rabbits while bringing over the mountain rabbits. In other words, minimize defections within their political base while expanding support among voters outside the base. And the 2024 election outcome revealed the Republican presidential candidate ultimately won more rabbits than his Democratic rival. According to national exit polls, Trump significantly expanded his support among traditionally Democratic-leaning voters, including African American and Latino men, union households, young voters and Muslim voters. Vice President Kamala Harris did expand support among several traditional Republican-leaning groups. Compared to Bidens performance in the 2020 election, Harris increased her margin over Trump among white voters with college degrees, voters aged 65 or older and voters in higher income levels. However, Harris gains (despite her campaigns touting of endorsements from prominent Republican figures such as Liz Chaney) were insufficient to offset the loss of votes within the Democratic-leaning electorate to Trump. Harris campaign also struggled with a decline in turnout among Democratic voters, which resulted in an electorate with a higher proportion of Trump-aligned demographics. Ultimately, Harris was unable to win enough mountain rabbits to compensate for the loss of house rabbits who either stayed home or voted for her opponent. It may appear simple then to conclude that the Republican Party achieved a larger electoral coalition from the political realignment. Republicans, in particular, might find reassurance in Trumps expansion of support among ethnic minority voters, which could provide their party with a competitive electoral base in an increasingly ethnically diverse U.S. society. However, there are two important caveats when analyzing the implications of this years presidential election. First, Trumps victory may not be a decisive indication of an electoral alignment toward the Republican Party. In several battleground states, Trump outperformed other Republican candidates. While Trump swept swing states in the Rust Belt (e.g., Michigan, Wisconsin) and the Sun Belt (e.g., Arizona, Nevada), the Republican Senate candidates, albeit by a narrow margin, lost in their races (some Trump voters split their tickets or did not vote in the down-ballot races). Republican candidates struggle in winning over Trump voters raises questions about whether voters who aligned with Trump in the presidential election have also aligned with the Republican Party as a whole. Without Trump on the ballot, the Republican Party may struggle to retain the voters he has brought into his coalition. Second, while the Democratic Party may appear to have drawn the shorter end of the stick in terms of political realignment, they have expanded support among demographic groups with higher political engagement. College-educated, white-collar and higher-income voters who have shifted toward the Democratic Party are often described as high-propensity voters, meaning they are more likely to participate regularly in elections. In contrast, blue-collar, lower-income voters without college degrees who align with Trump are often categorized as low-propensity voters, meaning they are less likely to vote in non-presidential election years. Even with Trumps reelection, the Democratic Party may hold turnout advantages in future congressional and statewide elections. In fact, Democrats have overperformed in recent special elections, where turnout is generally lower, and outcomes are more likely determined by higher-engaged voters. To be sure, this years presidential election was a narrow yet decisive win for Trump, who won both the electoral college and the popular vote. Losing some voters within the traditional party base yet also attracting new voters from outside the base, Trump ultimately succeeded, to quote one expert, in first breaking, then putting back together the Republican coalition. The challenge now for Trump and especially the Republican Party is to ensure not only to retain their new coalition but also to keep their electorate motivated, even in the post-Trump elections. And as for the Democrats, the beauty of American democracy may be that they will have another chance for a rabbit chase four years later. Lee Jong-eun is an assistant professor of political science at North Greenville University. Mileage, job security remain concerns By Lee Min-hyung Korean Airs high-profile acquisition of Asiana Airlines is nearing completion after the European Union's (EU) competition authority granted approval for the deal, Thursday. According to the nations flag carrier, the European Commission (EC) concluded its review of Korean Airs fulfillment of all required conditions to acquire cash-strapped Asiana. The approval paves the way for the long-awaited launch of the mega carrier, as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to conclude its review of the deal and grant approval in line with the EC's decision. Korean Air said it submitted the EC approval to U.S. authorities and plans to finalize the transaction by the end of December. Korean Air satisfied all conditions set by the EU competition authority, an official at the carrier said. In February, the EC granted conditional approval, requiring Korean Air to meet two preconditions: the operation of a replacement carrier on four overlapping European routes and the sale of Asianas cargo business. In response, Korean Air designated Tway Air as the replacement carrier for the four routes from Incheon to Barcelona, Frankfurt, Paris and Rome. Air Incheon was also picked as a preferred bidder to purchase Asianas cargo business. Korean Air plans to inject 800 billion won ($573 million) and secure a stake of 63.9 percent in Asiana on Dec. 20 to finalize the long-delayed acquisition. Asiana Airlines will then be incorporated as a subsidiary of Korean Air. The two airlines will be operated separately for the next two years, during which Korean Air will normalize Asianas financial condition and relocate workers. A combined entity will be launched later. The combined airline will become the worlds seventh-largest mega carrier in terms of passenger volume. As of the end of October, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines collectively operated 203 passenger jets, with a total of 35 cargo aircraft during the same period. The two airlines low-cost carriers (LCC) will be merged afterwards. Both carriers operate Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul as their LCC subsidiaries. When the three subsidiaries are integrated, the merged entity will rise to become the largest LCC here by sales. However, there are still a series of pending tasks for Korean Air to resolve. First, Asiana employees continue to express concerns about whether Korean Air will guarantee their job security after the deal. Earlier, Korean Air pledged not to implement any compulsory job cuts during the acquisition of Asiana. However, industry officials remain skeptical of this pledge, as many employees from both airlines will be performing similar duties redundantly following the acquisition. Korean Air is also facing a dilemma over how to merge the mileage points from both carriers. The mileage points of the two carriers are unlikely to be integrated at a one-to-one ratio, as Korean Airs points are generally valued higher in the market, an aviation industry official said. However, Asianas customers will likely complain if their mileage points are valued significantly less in the merger. It will be challenging to find a fair middle ground. Korean Air announced the acquisition plan in November 2020, and has since filed notifications regarding the deal to a group of 14 competition authorities abroad. The carrier said it will soon hold an event to share details on how to alleviate such lingering concerns after the acquisition. The combined operating profit of the two carriers surpassed 730 billion won in the third quarter. A former chairman of a major dairy company has been arrested on charges of breach of trust and false advertising related to a yogurt product's benefits against COVID-19. Hong Won-sik, former chairman of Namyang Dairy Products , was arrested late Thursday night following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Seoul Central District Court, which cited concerns he will destroy evidence. Hong is accused of inflicting losses of some 10 billion won ($7.16 million) on the company by needlessly involving businesses run by his family members in deals. He is also accused of taking billions of won from suppliers in exchange for securing deals and using corporate cards for personal use. Prosecutors also charged Hong with involvement in a false advertising campaign related to the benefits of Namyang's Bulgaris yogurts in preventing COVID-19. (Yonhap) By Park Jae-hyuk Hyundai Elevator Choir of Disabled People won a prize at a national-level competition. According to the elevator maker, the choir, comprised of its disabled employees, received the silver prize at the 32nd National Choral Festival with the Disabled at Kangwon National Universitys Baeckryung Art Center in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province on Nov. 14. The award ceremony will take place at the Eliena Hotel in Seoul on Dec. 4. It was meaningful for us to win a prize in a nation-level competition within a year after our foundation, the choirs official said. We will take a leap for the local communitys growth and for disabled people to be self-reliant. The choir was one of the 15 teams that qualified for the final after preliminaries in each region. Hyundai Elevator launched the choir in March, after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities (KEAD) earlier this year to expand employment opportunities for the disabled. Following a two-month recruitment process, the company hired 20 people. Additionally, a conductor, an assistant conductor, an accompanist and a social worker were employed to support the choir. Five caregivers belonging to the KEADs North Chungcheong Provincial office have also assisted the choir, according to the elevator firm headquartered in the provinces city of Chungju. We have operated a commuter bus for the convenience of the members living in various parts of Chungju, a Hyundai Elevator official said. We have also provided them with the same level of welfare benefits offered to our other employees. A Korean court again ordered Japanese companies on Friday to provide compensation to victims of Japan's wartime forced labor. The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Nippon Steel must pay 100 million won ($71,740) each to two Koreans forced into wartime labor in Japan, who are surnamed Choi and Kim, respectively. In Choi's case, he has already died so his bereaved family will receive the compensation, the court said. Choi was forcibly taken to work for Kamaishi steel plant from January 1941 to September 1944, while Kim was forced to work at Yahata steel plant from April 1944 to September 1945. The same court also ordered Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to pay 100 million won to a forced labor victim surnamed Yang, who was forcibly taken to the company's aircraft manufacturing plant in Nagoya in July 1943. Korean courts nationwide have issued numerous compensation rulings in favor of forced labor victims and their families in cases brought against Japanese companies after the Supreme Court upheld two relevant rulings in 2018. (Yonhap) Executive promotions drop for 4th year amid chip slump By Lee Min-hyung Samsung Electronics carried out its year-end executive reshuffle, placing a strong emphasis on a generational shift to broaden the pool of potential candidates for the companys future leadership as it navigates ongoing management challenges, the company said Friday. The electronics giant prioritized promoting younger officials to executive-level positions, seeking to inject new energy and drive growth while addressing its uncertain outlook for management. A total of 137 officials were promoted to executive positions under Samsung's merit-based evaluation system. However, this marks a 4.2 percent decrease compared to 2023, continuing a downward trend for the fourth consecutive year. In 2021, Samsung promoted 214 officials to executive positions, but this number steadily decreased in the following years. The company chose to reduce the number of promotions this year in response to declining revenues at its core semiconductor business, which has been a key driver of profits. Ha Ji-hoon, 39, made headlines as the youngest official promoted to vice president. Ha is a software engineer at the firms device experience division. The company also named eight executive vice presidents in their 40s. We placed a strategic focus on selecting talented officials, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), sixth-generation network and next-generation chip technologies, so we can tackle the uncertain management environment with a bold and challenging spirit, an official at the company said. The firm also promoted 35 vice presidents to executive vice presidents during the latest reshuffle. Park Jeong-ho, the new executive vice president at the firm, was recognized for driving his leadership in software development at the device experience division. He is a telecommunication expert, having driven key projects by using AI-powered next-generation network technologies. Kim Sang-ha, who led generative AI and neural machine translation projects at the company, was promoted to vice president. He was recognized for his role in helping Samsung launch the worlds first AI-powered smartphone, the Galaxy S24, this year. The flagship model achieved significant success, securing a spot on the list of the top 10 best-selling smartphones globally for three consecutive quarters a first since 2018, according to data from market tracker Counterpoint Research. Samsung Electronics also ramped up its efforts to build a more innovative and horizontal organizational structure by appointing a group of women and foreign executives regardless of gender and nationality, according to the company. They include Sitthichoke Nopchinabutr, the new vice president in charge of handling sales in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Former Samsung Electronics Executive Vice President Yoon Jang-hyun was also appointed as Samsung Venture Investments next CEO during the latest reshuffle. Yoon joined Samsung Electronics in 2003 and has since handled key tasks in the firms mobile and software teams. Samsung Electronics is expected to ensure the sustainable growth of our key businesses and bolster next-generation growth engines through the latest promotion of executives, the Samsung official said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has urged his NATO counterparts to issue an invitation to Kyiv to join the Western military alliance at a meeting in Brussels next week , according to the text of a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. The letter reflects Ukraine's renewed push to secure an invitation to join NATO, which is part of a "victory plan" outlined last month by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to end the war triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion. Zelenskiy told U.K.-based Sky News that offering Ukraine NATO membership while allowing Russia to keep for the moment territory it had captured could be a solution to end the "hot stage" of the 33-month-old war. Ukraine says it accepts that it cannot join the alliance until the war is over but extending an invitation now would show Russian President Vladimir Putin that he could not achieve one of his main goals preventing Kyiv from becoming a NATO member. "The invitation should not be seen as an escalation," Sybiha wrote in the letter. "On the contrary, with a clear understanding that Ukraine's membership in NATO is inevitable, Russia will lose one of its main arguments for continuing this unjustified war," he wrote. "I urge you to endorse the decision to invite Ukraine to join the Alliance as one of the outcomes of the NATO Foreign Ministerial Meeting on 3-4 December 2024." Zelenskiy told Sky News an invitation had to be officially extended to the entire country as Ukraine had no legal right to recognize any of its territory as Russian. NATO membership could then initially apply to only the part of Ukraine that Kyiv controls. "No one has offered us to be in NATO for one part or another part of Ukraine. The fact is, it is a solution to stop the hot stage of the war because we can just give NATO membership to the part of Ukraine that is under our control," Zelenskiy said. "But the invitation must be given to Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders ... That's what we need to do fast and then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically." No NATO consensus NATO diplomats say there is no consensus among alliance members to invite Ukraine at this stage. Any such decision would require the consent of all NATO's 32 member countries. NATO has declared that Ukraine will join the alliance and that it is on an "irreversible" path to membership. But it has not issued a formal invitation or set out a timeline. Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine's deputy prime minister in charge of NATO affairs, said Kyiv understood that the consensus for an invitation to join NATO "is not yet there" but the letter was meant to send a strong political signal. "We have sent a message to the allies that invitation is not off of the table, regardless of different manipulations and speculations around that," she told Reuters. In his letter, Sybiha argued an invitation would be the right response "to Russia's constant escalation of the war it has unleashed, the latest demonstration of which is the involvement of tens of thousands of North Korean troops and the use of Ukraine as a testing ground for new weapons." In recent days, however, diplomats have said they do not see any changes of stance among NATO countries, particularly as they await the Ukraine policy of the United States the alliance's dominant power under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. (Reuters) The authorities of the Soviet Union had a habit of keeping silent for a long time about disasters that occurred on the territory of its republics. ADVERTISIMENT This also affected Ukraine, where dozens of tragedies remained out of the public eye due to censorship and the authorities' desire to avoid panic. The most famous is the Chernobyl accident, but the list of disasters is much longer. OBOZ.UA offers to find out which tragedies were hushed up by Soviet leaders for a long time. The Soviet practice of concealing information about disasters had tragic consequences for many citizens. The lack of access to the truth, the concealment of real risks, and the non-disclosure of important data continue to affect the lives of Ukrainians even today. The Kurenivka tragedy One of the worst disasters in Kyiv was the breach of the Babyn Yar dam on March 13, 1961. A gigantic wave of liquid slurry flooded 30 hectares of the area, destroying industrial buildings, a kindergarten, hospitals, and private homes. In total, 145 people died during the tragedy, according to official figures, although the actual number is believed to be much higher. The authorities forbade reporting on the disaster, so most Ukrainians learned about it only later. ADVERTISIMENT Cholera epidemic In 1970, Odesa became the epicenter of a cholera outbreak. Within days of the first case, dozens of people were hospitalized and hundreds were isolated. The disease spread to neighboring regions, but the newspapers did not mention it, and information about the number of victims remains unknown. The first nuclear explosion in Ukraine The first nuclear explosion in Ukraine occurred long before the Chornobyl tragedy. This event, although classified by the Soviet authorities, had a significant impact on the environment and the health of people living near the explosion site. It was an underground nuclear explosion that occurred in 1972 near the village of Khrestyshche. The purpose of the operation was to stop a fire at a gas field, but the experiment did not yield the expected result. A similar operation took place in 1979 at the Yunkom mine in Donetsk Oblast, where a radioactive cavity was formed. This area still poses a radiation hazard, especially after it was flooded in 2021 due to the cessation of water pumping. ADVERTISIMENT The accident at Korystivka station The Korystivka railway accident, which occurred on November 6, 1986, is one of the largest railway disasters in the history of Ukraine. Dozens of people died and many more were injured in a head-on collision between two passenger trains. This tragedy shook the country and became the subject of numerous discussions and investigations. The crash was caused by the locomotive crew of one of the trains falling asleep, which led to a violation of traffic rules and a collision. The Soviet media remained silent about the collision of two passenger trains Kryvyi Rih-Kyiv and Kyiv-Donetsk at Korystivka station, which killed 44 people and injured more than 100 passengers, in order not to spoil the celebrations of the October Revolution. ADVERTISIMENT The Chernobyl disaster The Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident occurred on April 26, 1986. The explosion of the fourth reactor and a fire released a huge amount of radioactive substances into the atmosphere, which led to large-scale contamination of large areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. The Chornobyl disaster is one of the largest man-made disasters of the 20th century. During an experiment to test the safety system of the fourth power unit, a reactor exploded. The radioactive cloud spread over large areas of Europe, contaminating large areas of agricultural land and forests. Thousands of people were evacuated from the contaminated areas, and millions were exposed to radiation. ADVERTISIMENT The consequences of the accident are still being felt today: increased disease rates, genetic mutations, and environmental problems. The Soviet government hid the scale of the disaster for a long time, trying to maintain its authority and avoid panic among the population. Only a few days after the accident did the Soviet media report on the incident, but the scale of the disaster was significantly underestimated. The real truth about Chernobyl became known only after the collapse of the USSR. Radioactive ampoule in Kramatorsk Another tragedy hidden behind the Iron Curtain. The radioactive contamination in Kramatorsk is a little-known, but no less tragic event that took place in one of the city's panelized buildings between 1980 and 1989. This incident is a vivid example of how the Soviet system concealed information about man-made disasters and their consequences for human health. The cause of the contamination was an ampoule of cesium-137, a powerful source of gamma radiation, forgotten in the wall of the house. For several years, the residents of the building, especially those who lived in apartments located near the radiation source, were exposed to significant radiation. This resulted in the illness and premature death of several people, mostly young people. As in the case of Chornobyl, the Soviet authorities concealed information about radiation incidents in order not to cause panic and damage their image. The radiation monitoring system in the USSR was underdeveloped, which allowed such incidents to go unnoticed for a long time. Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. A possible resumption of nuclear weapons tests by Moscow remains an open question in view of hostile U.S. policies, a senior Russian diplomat was quoted as saying early Saturday. "This is a question at hand," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS news agency when asked whether Moscow was considering a resumption of tests. "And without anticipating anything, let me simply say that the situation is quite difficult. It is constantly being considered in all its components and in all its aspects." In September, Ryabkov referred to President Vladimir Putin as having said that Russia would not conduct a test as long as the United States refrained from carrying one out. Moscow has not conducted a nuclear weapons test since 1990, the year before the collapse of the Soviet Union. But Putin this month lowered the threshold governing the country's nuclear doctrine in response to what Moscow sees as escalation by Western countries backing Ukraine in the 33-month-old war pitting it against Russia. Under the new terms, Russia could consider a nuclear strike in response to a conventional attack on Russia or its ally Belarus that "created a critical threat to their sovereignty and (or) their territorial integrity." The changes were prompted by U.S. permission to allow Ukraine to use Western missiles against targets inside Russia. Russia's testing site is located on the remote Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, where the Soviet Union conducted more than 200 nuclear tests. Putin signed a law last year withdrawing Russia's ratification of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. He said the move sought to bring Russia into line with the United States, which signed but never ratified the treaty. (Reuters) A court in Beijing, Friday, sentenced a prominent Chinese journalist to seven in years in prison for espionage, his family said. Dong Yuyu, a commentator and editor, was taken away by police while meeting a Japanese diplomat at a restaurant in February 2022. He has been in police custody since then. The Beijing Number 2 Intermediate People's Court read the verdict but did not share a copy with Dong's lawyers or family. No announcement was available on the court's website or its Weibo account. The verdict named then-Japanese Ambassador Hideo Tarumi and Shanghai-based chief diplomat Masaru Okada as agents belonging to an espionage organization, according the family's statement. Dong had served as the deputy head of the editorial department at Guangming Daily, one of the five major state-owned papers in China. The paper was once considered more liberal than other state-backed papers. Dong also contributed to the Chinese edition of the New York Times. In his published writings, including essays as well as opinion articles, Dong had voiced his support for constitutional democracy and political reform, which later were considered to be against the stance of the Communist Party. He had contacts with foreign diplomats, scholars and other journalists as part of his decades-long career and counted Tarumi, the ambassador, as a friend. Still, his family said he knew he was always watched by state security, and therefore sought to be as open as possible while meeting his Japanese or American contacts. With Yuyus conviction, every Chinese citizen, when dealing with the Japanese embassy or perhaps any other foreign embassy and diplomat will be expected to know that the Chinese government may consider those embassies to be espionage organizations, said the family in a statement. Every sensible Chinese citizen should be appalled by this reasoning. The U.S. Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, condemned Dong's conviction. Punishing Dong for exercising his freedom of speech and the press, guaranteed by the PRCs constitution for all its citizens, is unjust. (AP) U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said he hoped President-elect Donald Trump would rethink his plan to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada, saying it could "screw up" relationships with close allies. "I hope he rethinks it. I think it's a counterproductive thing to do," Biden told reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he is spending the Thanksgiving Day holiday with his family. "We have a unusual situation in America - we're surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and two allies: Mexico and Canada. And the last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships." Trump on Monday said he would impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico until they clamped down on drugs and migrants crossing the border, in a move that would appear to violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free-trade deal. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday she did not specifically discuss tariffs in a call she held with Trump on Wednesday, adding the two had agreed there would be good relations between the two nations. Following the call, Trump said Sheinbaum had "agreed to stop migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border." Sheinbaum, however, said she had laid out a strategy that "attended to" migrants before they reached the U.S. border. Biden, who met with Trump at the White House earlier this month, reiterated that he wanted the transition between his outgoing administration and the president-elect's incoming one to go smoothly. "And all the talk about what he's going to do or not do, I think there may be a little bit of internal reckoning on his ... part," Biden said. Biden spoke to reporters while visiting a fire station in Nantucket and delivering pumpkin pies with his wife, first lady Jill Biden. Asked what he was thankful for on the holiday, Biden said he was thankful that his administration, with some good luck, would make more progress in the Middle East, noting the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Biden said he had spoken to the three Americans who were recently released after being detained in China. "I'm really happy they're home," he said. Trump has threatened new tariffs on China as well. Biden noted that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had established a hotline between the two leaders and a direct line of communication between their two militaries. "One thing I'm confident about Xi is he doesn't want to make a mistake," Biden said. "He understands what's at stake." (Reuters) European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde has warned against taking retaliatory measures in response to potential new tariffs imposed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, in an interview to the Financial Times newspaper published on Thursday. "We could offer to buy certain things from the United States and signal that we are prepared to sit at the table and see how we can work together," Lagarde said, according to a transcript of her interview published by the ECB. She argued that such a "check book strategy" was preferable to a purely retaliatory approach. Lagarde reiterated warnings about the consequences of a possible trade war with the U.S. By offering to purchase goods from the U.S., the Europeans could signal their readiness to negotiate and explore possibilities for cooperation. A trade war would be "in nobody's interest, neither for the United States nor for Europe, or anyone for that matter," the ECB chief added. The interview was conducted on Monday, before Trump announced his intention on Tuesday to impose tariffs of 25 percent on all imports from Mexico and Canada on his first day back in office. Trump's inauguration is due to take place on Jan. 20. Throughout his election campaign, Trump had generally announced far-reaching tariffs, arguing that this would lead U.S. companies to increase domestic production and thereby create jobs. (DPA) Amazon staff in India have joined strike action calling for better wages and working conditions as the company prepares for one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. About 200 warehouse workers and delivery drivers rallied in the capital, New Delhi, under a "Make Amazon Pay banner. Some donned masks of Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and joined hands against the Seattle-based companys practices. The walkout on Black Friday , which starts one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, was repeated at Amazon warehouses in other countries as workers called for higher wages, better working conditions, and union rights. "Our basic salary is 10,000 rupees ($120), which should be at least 25,000 rupees ($295)," said Manish Kumar, 25, a warehouse worker who joined the New Dehli protest. "And the environment there is to work under pressure, he added. Nitesh Das, a union leader, said the workers took to the streets because they wanted the government to take up their cause. Amazon, in a statement issued in India, accused the workers of "intentionally misleading and continuing to promote a false narrative." "Our facilities are industry-leading and provide competitive pay, comfortable working conditions, and specially designed infrastructure to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all, the company said. "Weve created more than 1.5 million jobs around the world, and counting, and we provide a modern, safe, and engaging workplace whether you work in an office or at one of our operations buildings.'' A statement from the Amazon India Workers Union said similar protests are planned in other parts of India and in other countries, including the United States, Germany, Japan, and Brazil. The demonstrations will call on Amazon to pay its workers fairly, respect their right to join unions, and commit to environmental sustainability, it said. The union said it would submit a memorandum highlighting its demands to Indias Labor Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The gig economy has become huge in India due to its fast economic growth, but workers face low wages and difficult working conditions. Indias National Human Rights Commission sent a notice to Amazon in June 2023 after local media reports that workers were being made to work without breaks during the peak hot summer season. Amazon India denied the charge. (AP) Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Windy with rain developing this afternoon. High 67F. Winds SSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 39F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch. The head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, is in his place. The first head of the DIU (1992-1997), Oleksandr Skipalskyi, suggested that some people envy Budanov "because he is young and has achievements," and that Russian influence is an important source of his criticism. ADVERTISIMENT In an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA, Lieutenant General Skipalskyi supported the current head of the DIU. He believes that such an important structure in a full-scale war should be headed by "such a young combat general." "But because he is young and has achievements, he causes envy. They say, how is it that Budanov is being honored, while I, also a general, am not. This is compounded by the political image syndrome. And this is a very threatening trend, it should not be allowed," he said. The lieutenant general is confident that the political image of "those who cannot, are not capable, do not cope in a high position or abuse power" will still fall, while the image of authoritative combat generals will grow. Skipalskyi said that our country's intelligence is based on the principles of the military intelligence of the United States and some European countries. ADVERTISIMENT "This is a structure that does not imply totalitarian influence. The right statement was made by President Zelenskyy that Budanov is in place today, Budanov is working. And I think it should be that way," the first head of the DIU expressed his position. He also emphasized the influence of the Russian Federation. "If Russia manages to undermine the situation in the elections in the United States and Europe, imagine the influence it can still have in Ukraine, where it knows everything because of the historical past, historical ties, etc. And this influence is clearly visible," the expert explained. "What structure in Ukraine do you think is the most annoying for Russia? Most of all, it is military intelligence. The agent network is working, and after 5-10 broadcasts, someone who believes in the message, starts making statements that it is necessary to change the structures of the DIU and deal a devastating blow to the military intelligence system. As a person who helped to lay the foundations on which the Ukrainian military intelligence successfully performs its tasks, I have the moral right to say: hands off the GUR and Kyrylo Budanov," Skipalskyi summarized. As reported by OBOZ.UA, Budanov recently called the rumors about his possible dismissal "another accusation." He believes that they are being spread for destabilization purposes and assures that he has normal working relations with the Office of the President of Ukraine. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! After an initial investigation, the police freed Choi Minhwan from his prostitution solicitation and sexual assault charges. Will he still have custody of his three kids? On November 29, the Gangnam Police Station gave an update about F.T. Island Choi Minhwan's charges of violating South Korea's Anti-Prostitution Act under Article 21 and forced molestation. According to the authorities, they decided to not send the celebrity to the prosecution due to lack of evidence and gave him a not guilty verdict. Previously, the National Petition forwarded the case to the police after netizens filed a complaint about his frequent visits to adult shops during her marriage to former Laboum Yulhee. Her ex-wife also revealed audio recordings where Minhwan was reserving girls at the establishment through broker A. With the verdict, there are concerns about their three kids' custody remaining to Minhwan, but Yulhee's lawyer attested that it wouldn't affect their request for a change in parental rights and custody adjustment. Attorney Yang So Young told OSEN on the 29th: "The incident in question is not a decisive factor (for the mediation application). The focus is that it was not initially discussed for the purpose of punishment, but to clear up the misunderstandings they had and to seek future rights. It was not an accusation filed by Yulhee's side." READ ALSO: FTISLAND Minhwan's Prostitution Scandal: Idol to Take Hiatus Amid Police Investigation He claimed that Yulhee actually had a strong chance of winning the case, and she would most likely be able to take back her three kids sooner or later. As a brief background, it was initially reported that the former couple mutually agreed to give Minhwan custody to avoid giving the three kids stress due to a new environment. At the time, she received sour reactions and was labeled "bad mom." However, Yulhee would later reveal that she originally wanted to take them with her but due to the financial and mental stress the family would face once she filed a lawsuit against the idol, she kindly gave up her custody and property shares. But as the table turned upside down and as she gained more support from the public, Yulhee finally decided to fight back. RELATED ARTICLE: Yulhee Files Lawsuit Against Choi Minhwan for Custody of 3 Kids, Alimony & Division of Property Ukrainians can often see "locationally lost" Shahed drones in Air Force reports on Russian attacks. This may mean, among other things, that the Shahed was either of poor quality or under the influence of electronic warfare. ADVERTISIMENT The drone may also run out of fuel, causing it to crash. This was stated by Ilia Yevlash, Head of the Public Relations Department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in an interview with the Center for Countering Disinformation. "There are a lot of locationally lost drones now. And everyone is asking what it means. In fact, it can be anything from poor quality and production of a drone," he said. Also, Shahed drones can be locationally lost after falling under the influence of electronic warfare. In addition, drones may crash in different places after they run out of fuel, and it is not always possible to find them immediately. ADVERTISIMENT "They fall quite often into some water bodies and fields. We constantly warn people not to try to get rid of them on their own. If you find them, report to the relevant services," Yevlash said. He added that the drones launched by the occupants have different warheads. "Of course, if there are 120-140 of them, our air defense tries to shoot down most of them, but some are still lost. It is just a dot on the radar that eventually disappears," noted the spokesman. Yevlash also said that in addition to Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, Russians are also using cheap alternatives - the so-called "decoy drones" to deplete the Ukrainian air defense system. As reported, on the night of November 29, Russia attacked Ukraine with 132 kamikaze drones. The defenders of the sky shot down 88 targets, and dozens of UAVs were suppressed by means of electronic warfare. Thus, 41 drones were locationally lost due to active countermeasures, while one more returned to Russia. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! JOB done, was how retiring Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan described the first count result of votes for his party colleague Willie Aird who landed just short on 9,269 of the 9,570 quota in the election count centre in Portlaoise. He said: Willie has worked at the coalface of politics a long time, 45-years, at local level. His vote is testament to that hard work and vigor and I have no doubt that he will bring that to the floor of Dail Eireann. It looks like the second seat will go to Fianna Fail and the third to Brian Stanley, which really would be no surprise. Asked how he felt watching the proceedings in the count centre and his name not on the ballot paper he said: Its a day of mixed emotions. I have stood in count centres over the years in Laois/Offaly and in Laois when we had good results and when weve had pretty bad bleak results. For me over my career it has been a game of snakes and ladders. But, this is a good day for Fine Gael today in Laois and a good day for Willie Aird. We had a one candidate strategy for the first time and glad to see that seems to have paid off in a significant way. Deputy Flanagan said he has no specific plans now that he is retiring from active politics but is looking forward to taking some time out. Im doing some work in Northern Ireland with a group called Co-Operation Ireland on reconciliation and peace-building with cross communities, and Ill do a bit more of that. There are a number of other issues from an International perspective that I may become involved in. But my goal over the past few weeks was to begin my retirement with a good result in Laois and that seems to be happening, and Im pleased. He said: I enjoyed a great career. Ive had great opportunities. Ive served in the highest offices in the state in the Department of Foreign Affairs, and in the Department of Justice. I would never had done so if it wasnt for the confidence that was placed in me by the people of county Laois and of Laois/Offaly. Im really grateful for that and I very much appreciated it and I thank everyone for their support for me over the years. With Willie Aird just short of being elected to Dail Eireann and vacating his council seat that he held continuously for the past 45-years Deputy Flanagan was asked who he would like to see coopted in his place he replied: I wont get into that. Thatd be a matter for the Fine Gael organisation. Ive heard nothing, Im just a foot solider now. Tongue in cheek he was asked if he had any plans to serve again as a county councillor, with a typical political answer he laughed saying: Lets wait and see. IN HIS address to the November meeting of Laois County Council, new chief executive Michael Rainey outlined a list of priorities that he would like to achieve during his term in office. Mr Rainey from Ballyadams returns to Laois County Council after serving a five-year term as interim CEO and director of service with Carlow County Council. A former director of service with Laois County Council, he takes over the role from John Mulholland, who retired earlier this year. The new boss began working with Laois County Council in 2001. Over the following 18 years he was involved in almost every area of local government, including nine years as housing officer before being appointed director of service in Laois County Council with responsibility for planning and housing. He took up the position of director of service with Carlow County Council in 2019 with responsibility for planning, economic development, regeneration, corporate services, HR and ICT as well as Carlow town manager. He also worked with Kildare County Council. Addressing councillors in his new role, Mr Rainey said: A thriving Laois County Council has significant positive implications for the county, but also for the midlands. I look forward to developing a close and proactive working relationship with the elected members, staff of the local authority and community and business stakeholders over the coming years. I wish to acknowledge and thank my colleague Simon Walton, who has served as interim chief executive since May 2024, for his excellent stewardship and to especially acknowledge the huge contribution to Laois of my predecessors John Mulholland and Peter Carey before that. Over the coming months, Mr Rainey said that he intends to communicate with all of the key business, community, sectoral stakeholders around the county, to ensure that the council is delivering quality services that meet the needs of the customer and to hear about opportunity areas for further development. There are also several key priority areas that I will be focusing on. Laois has outperformed other local authorities in the delivery of social housing over recent years. This is something that will continue under my leadership. I will be placing an increased focus in affordable and other housing delivery pipelines to ensure there is a sustainable housing delivery model across the county. Another key focus area will be regeneration. I believe a lot can be achieved through ambitious plan-making and securing the highest levels of government investment through URDF, RRDF, Town and Village, Clar, ORIS and other funding streams. It is critical that vacant and derelict properties are brought back into use, that public realms are attractive and the communities across Laoiss towns and villages feel supported. Mr Rainey highlighted the success that Laois County Council has had with the J17 National Enterprise Park and believes this is only the start of unlocking the economic potential of the county. The aim for me will be to work in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to bring investment into the county and to support the existing strong and vibrant SME sector. He said he also wants to see a new tourism strategy that reflects the importance of tourism and maximises the potential of the recreational, social and cultural assets within Laois. I am also very conscious of climate change and the role that local government must play in addressing this very significant challenge. The recent adoption by Laois County Council of a Climate Action Plan and the proactive work of Laois County Council to date shows the potential of local government in this area. As an employer, the council needs to continue to attract and retain the right talent to deliver on the councils ambitious plans over the coming years. It is also important that the council keeps pace with the digital agenda and increases the range of services that are available online. Despite the challenges, Mr Rainey said that he is optimistic about the future for Laois. He said: As someone who has lived in the county for the last 24 years, I know the strengths of the county, its citizens and the exceptional quality of life on offer. It is my mission to improve that quality of life through the many services provided by Laois County Council, but particularly in the areas of housing provision, employment opportunity and community development." The general election exit poll, which revealed Sinn Fein, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are essentially deadlocked, dominates Saturday's front pages. The Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Irish Independent, The Echo and Irish Daily Mail all lead with the exit poll. Sinn Fein held 21.1 per cent of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of current coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21 per cent and 19.5 per cent respectively, according to the Ipsos B&A Exit Poll commissioned by RTE, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin. In Saturday's Mail pic.twitter.com/3nCus6w2lE The Irish Daily Mail (@irishdailymail) November 29, 2024 The Irish Sun leads with a story on Shane MacGowan's widow saying "the pain never leaves" one year after his death. Today's front page of The Irish Sun. pic.twitter.com/dK2qn4LSLT The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) November 30, 2024 The Herald leads with a story on James Mago Gately and his partner being given four months to vacate their family home, which the High Court has found to overwhelmingly derive from proceeds of crime. In the North, the Belfast Telegraph leads with a story on a boxer who said he missed out on representing his country "because I'm Protestant". The Irish News leads with a story on rappers Kneecap winning a court case against the UK government over funding. The House of Commons vote on a bill which would support assisted dying dominates the front pages of Saturdays UK newspapers. The Times simply says MPs back assisted dying after voting 330 to 275 to pass the bill, the Daily Mirror opting for the same headline as it says the result sparked joy and sorrow. Both the Daily Mail and The Independent declare that MPs have voted for the unknown. Daily Mail: MPs VOTE FOR A LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/H19Jcx7zFU George Mann (@sgfmann) November 29, 2024 The vote means assisted dying is on course to become legal within three years, according to the i Weekend. i weekend: Assisted dying set to become legal within three years after historic vote #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/HrVlTYdbGL George Mann (@sgfmann) November 29, 2024 The Daily Express celebrates the outcome after a three-year campaign alongside veteran broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen, giving over its front page to her words saying that future generations will be spared ordeals we suffer. Daily Express: 'Now future Generations will be spared ordeals we suffer #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/4RRmnAIwCy George Mann (@sgfmann) November 29, 2024 The Daily Telegraph turns its attention to Ukraine with president Volodymyr Zelenskiy saying he would be willing to cede territory to Russia to end the war in exchange for a Nato umbrella over the rest of his country. The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: 'Zelensky: I'll give up territory for peace'#TomorrowsPapersToday Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/qj0ZJZSd55 The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 29, 2024 Allegations about MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace fill the front of The Sun and Daily Star. Four large takeover deals have brightened the spirits of the mergers and acquisitions market in the UK, according to the FT Weekend. Financial Times Weekend: Rush of deals brightens UK market spirits #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/y8oBJ26FWJ George Mann (@sgfmann) November 29, 2024 The New York Times leads with a story on UK MPs voting in favour of an assisted dying Bill for England and Wales. PNN Gurugram (Haryana) [India], November 30: SkinInspired, the breakthrough skincare brand, is proud to announce its victory at the highly prestigious BEAUTY&YOU India 2024 Awards by The Estee Lauder Companies (NYSE: EL) New Incubation Ventures (NIV) and Nykaa. SkinInspired triumphed in the GROW (in-market) category, competing against 660 participants and being celebrated as "the future of Indian beauty" at a ceremony recently held at The Leela Palace, New Delhi. The brand was honored for setting new standards in skincare and beauty by combining science with innovation."From innovation to impact, SkinInspired redefines skincare and clinches top honours in the GROW category at The Estee Lauder Companies and Nykaa's coveted platform." Also Read | Tragic Fall in Greater Noida: 14-Year-Old Boy Dies After Slipping from 14th-Floor Balcony at Paramount Emotions Society. Founded in 2023 by Piyush Jain, a seasoned FMCG professional with over a decade of experience, and renowned dermatologist Dr. Prashant Agarwal, SkinInspired has quickly gained recognition for its result-oriented, science-backed skincare solutions. The brand's innovative use of multi-active ingredients and sustainable, travel-friendly packaging has earned it a reputation among dermatologists and consumers alike. "I am deeply honored by this recognition," said Piyush Jain, Founder of SkinInspired. "This milestone reflects the hard work and passion of our entire team. We are confident that our products will continue to make a positive impact, offering Indian consumers skincare that's both effective and accessible." Also Read | NZ vs ENG 1st Test 2024: Kane Williamson Becomes First New Zealand Player To Score 9,000 Test Runs. SkinInspired has been embraced by leading dermatologists across India, who recommend its formulations for a range of skin concerns. In just one year, the brand has made a significant mark in the industry, providing affordable skincare solutions that rival international standards. The awards were judged by an esteemed panel of personalities, including Shana Randhava, Senior Vice President at NIV, ELC; Rohan Vaziralli, General Manager at ELCA Cosmetics; Tarun Tahiliani, Founder and Director of Tarun Tahiliani; Anaita Shroff Adajania, Stylist and Creative Director; Deepica Mutyala, CEO and Founder of Live Tinted; Shruti Chandra, Vice President at Invest India; and Gianandrea Ferrari, CEO of Intercos, among others. About SkinInspired SkinInspired is a pioneering skincare brand on a mission to make international-quality skincare accessible to Indian consumers. With science-backed ingredients and eco-friendly, travel-friendly packaging, SkinInspired addresses a wide range of skin concerns. Recommended by hundreds of leading dermatologists across India, SkinInspired is redefining the standards of affordable and effective skincare. For more information, visit- https://www.skininspired.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) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Nov 30 (PTI) With Uttar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directing extensive security arrangements at Maha Kumbh 2025, 20 high-tech drones have been deployed to monitor activities in the area round the clock. The Maha Kumbh 2025 will be held at Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. Also Read | Tiger Attack in Telangana: Farmer Injured After Tiger Pounces on Him in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad; Minister Konda Surekha Calls for Action Plan. The advanced drones provide around the clock surveillance, capturing every detail of the massive gathering, according to a press statement. The drones are programmed to focus on even the smallest movements, ensuring a highly secure environment, it said. Also Read | Cyclone Fengal Update: Cyclonic Storm Makes Landfall Near Puducherry, Says IMD (Watch Video). Every development work, from the Sangam to the Maha Kumbh, is being closely monitored. The highlight of these arrangements is the use of special drones, which provide real-time updates on every detail of all 25 sectors of the Maha Kumbh with just a single click. Special security measures are being implemented to ensure the safety and convenience of devotees attending the Maha Kumbh. Chief Minister Adityanath has issued instructions to provide a seamless experience for pilgrims travelling to Prayagraj from across India and abroad. To enhance security, three drone-based projects have already been initiated, ensuring vigilant monitoring of every corner of the Maha Kumbh. The number of these specialised drones may be increased if needed, further strengthening the security framework. The drones are being deployed to oversee all construction activities carried out by various departments, including Smart City, Municipal Corporation, Police, Healthcare and Transportation. Currently, 20 state-of-the-art drones are operational, keeping a close watch on land, water and air to ensure safety. These remotely controlled drones are operated by specially trained teams, providing a detailed view of all activities, reads the statement. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], November 30 (ANI): As per the website of e-Committee, Supreme Court of India (https://ecommitteesci.gov.in/service/district-courts-portal/), there are 688 District Courts across the country. Further, the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 which was enacted to establish Gram Nyayalayas at the grass-root level aims to provide access to justice in rural areas ensuring opportunities to secure justice for citizens, said a press release. As on October, 2024, 313 Gram Nyayalayas are functioning across the country which have disposed of more than 2.99 lakh cases during December, 2020 to October, 2024. Also Read | Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Advocates Development, Cultural Preservation at Credit Outreach Programme in Bihar. Further, Lok Adalats are organized by Legal Services Institutions at such intervals as deemed fit in order to reduce the pendency of cases in the courts and to settle the disputes at pre-litigation stage. Lok Adalats handle pending court cases as referred to it by the respective courts. Since Lok Adalats are not permanent in nature, all unsettled cases, are reverted to the respective courts and hence do not remain pending with Lok Adalats, the press release further stated. Also Read | Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: Vijay Goel Engages With Delhiites on Key Issues Ahead of Polls. During the year 2024-25 (upto September 2024), 5944 benches of State Lok Adalats were constituted which disposed of 10,11,912 cases. In addition, 98,776 cases were settled through 17,309 sittings of Permanent Lok Adalats (Public Utility Services) during the same period. The Government has released Rs 200 crore to National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) during 2024-25 (upto October 2024) for implementing legal aid programmes through State Legal Services Authorities. The legal services institutions have been setup from the Taluk level to the Supreme Court level for providing free legal aid to poor and weaker sections of the society. As on September 2024, 41,775 panel lawyers and 43,050 para legal volunteers are available with legal services institutions to improve access to justice across the country including rural areas. This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law & Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal in a written reply in Lok Sabha on Friday. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati, Nov 30 (PTI) Meitei radical organisation Arambai Tenggol's supremo Korou Nganba Khuman and Kuki militants are under the radar of the National Investigation Agency, which has been tasked with probing four cases of attacks on security forces and an IED explosion in strife-torn Manipur. The cases include looting of arms and ammunition from the 1st Manipur Rifles complex in Imphal, attack on Indian Reserve Battalion post in Moreh and IED explosion in Bishnupur. Also Read | Cyclone Fengal Update: Multiple Flights Affected in Chennai Due to Heavy Rains As Cyclonic Storm Expected To Make Landfall Today (Watch Video). The Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs has recently ordered the NIA to undertake further investigation of the four cases. The cases have recently been transferred by the Supreme court from the NIA Court in Imphal to NIA Special Court in Guwahati. Also Read | Kolkata Fatafat Result Today: Kolkata FF Result for November 30, 2024 Declared, Check Winning Numbers and Result Chart of Satta Matka-Type Lottery Game. A copy of the transfer petition filed by the NIA before the Supreme Court said, "The first case involving Khuman is related to an incident that occurred on November 1 last year when a large number of Arambai Tenggol members led by him and armed with sophisticated weapons, wearing camouflaged uniforms, and black colour shirts coming in many light vehicles gathered at Palace Compound in Imphal East district on a call given in Facebook page Korou Nganba Khuman in Manipuri language which literally translates to 'please come all brave brothers let us teach them all a final lesson today'." "When they were stopped by (personnel of) the Imphal East police station at the palace gate, the group fired at police, overpowered the local police and proceeded through Sanjenthong Bridge towards Imphal West side in many light vehicles," it said. "The central government has received information from the Government of Manipur regarding registration of an FIR at Porompat in Imphal East district dated 1/11/2023 under Sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 188, 307, 379 A, 395, 504, 505, 506, 34 of IPC, Sec 18 of UA(P) Act, Sec 6 (1) (a) of Official Secrets Act, Sec 25 (1-B) of Arms Act," an FIR filed by NIA Imphal said. "The central government is of the opinion that a scheduled offence under the NIA Act 2008 has been committed and having regarded the gravity of the offence and ramifications on national security, it is required to be investigated by the NIA in accordance with the NIA Act," it added. The second case involving Khuman is of another incident that happened on the same day at 6 pm. The petition stated that a large number of AT members led by its chief rushed in from the northwestern gate and attacked the 1st Manipur Riffles Battalion in Imphal. "They ransacked government office belongings including vehicles and looted the arms and ammunition from the 1st MR Battalion. After the arrival of reinforcement of the security forces including civil police, Assam Rifles and CRPF, the assailants escaped with arms and ammunition looted from security personnel," it said. One Mutum Rajesh Singh (25) of Lilong Chajing Mamang Leikai and Langthabal Kunja of Kyamgei Shantipur were arrested on November 30, 2023 in connection with the case. Another case that brought Kuki militants under the radar of the NIA involved an armed attack on an IRB post in Moreh in Tengnoupal district in January this year. "On January 17, 2024, some heavily armed suspected Kuki militants attacked the IRB post at Ima Kondong Lairembi in Moreh using bombs and firearms thereby injuring one IRB personnel. IRB also retaliated and thus encounter ensued between unknown suspected Kuki militants who are waging war against the national security forces and IRB personnel," the petition stated. It said the fierce exchange of fire spread to many other parts of Moreh town and one rifleman Somorjit Meetei attained martyrdom and two other IRB personnel were injured. No accused were arrested in the case. The fourth case was related to an IED bomb blast at Phougakchao Ikhai in Bishnupur district on June 21 last year by suspected militants in which three persons were injured and houses and government properties were damaged. One Seiminlun Gangte of Churachandpur, and two others, identified as Md Noor Hussain and Md Islauddin, have been arrested in connection with the case. More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has appointed a new deputy commander of the Russian Ground Forces. It is Colonel General Rustam Muradov, whom Putin fired last spring as commander of the Eastern Military District. ADVERTISIMENT The reason for the dismissal was the significant losses of the Russian army in Ukraine, in particular the defeat of the 155th Marine Brigade from Vladivostok near Vuhledar. The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) described the Kremlin's decision and the reaction of Russian military commanders to it. On November 28, it became known that Putin had appointed Colonel General Rustam Muradov as the First Deputy Commander of the Russian Land Forces. The news, which will surely "delight" Russian Z-bloggers, was announced by the head of the Tabasaransky Raion of the Republic of Dagestan, Magomed Kurabanov. At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense has not commented on this appointment yet. ADVERTISIMENT And, obviously, not without a reason. After all, a year and a half ago, Muradov served as the commander of the Eastern Military District and whom Putin scandalously fired in March 2023. The reason for the dismissal, analysts say, was most likely the failures of Russian troops in Donetsk region and the significant losses of personnel and equipment of the Russian army near Vuhledar early last year. As previously reported, the notorious 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade (which has recently been involved in cruel treatment and executions of captured Ukrainian soldiers) suffered a crushing defeat (the third since the full-scale Russian invasion) near Vuhledar. Ukrainian soldiers destroyed a huge number of personnel of this Russian unit, along with the command, and more than 130 tanks, armored personnel carriers and other armored vehicles were destroyed. ADVERTISIMENT Muradov was in command of the failed Russian offensive on Vuhledar at the time. Russian Z-bloggers and "military commanders" raised the alarm at the time, accusing Muradov of "slaughtering the unit near Vuhledar and thus aiding the Ukrainians" and giving "criminal orders that led to senseless and inexpedient losses". They also demanded a military tribunal, demotion and even execution. One of the Telegram channels associated with the Wagner PMC also accused Muradov of "exterminating" other Russian brigades. "He decided to further weaken one of the best tank brigades (the 5th Tank Brigade) of the Russian Armed Forces. But he is not only not removed from office and convicted but promoted," Z-bloggers wrote at the time. And this message really turned out to be prophetic. After the news of Muradov's appointment, Russian military commanders reminded him of all his previous "sins," and one of the propagandists even began to criticize the Russian military "tradition" of reappointing incompetent generals who are considered loyal to the Kremlin to new positions. It is worth reminding that the information that Muradov was fired because of the failures in Donetsk region appeared in many propaganda channels on March 26, 2023. It is known that this high-ranking war criminal has the title of "hero" of the Russian Federation (2017) and has been under sanctions in the European Union and a number of other Western countries since February 28, 2022. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber . Do not fall for fakes! Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], November 30 (ANI): Giving a boost to market linkages for agri-horti producers of Arunachal Pradesh, the state government launched 'Mission Arun Himveer' with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) and the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), North East Frontier, in presence of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Under the MoU signed on Friday, the state government will supply fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry products to the ITBP procured from local farmers, Self Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organisations and farmer cooperatives, through the APAMB. Also Read | Varanasi: Grand Conclave of Priests of 51 Shaktipeeths, 12 Jyotirlingas in Uttar Pradesh Today. This follows the first such understanding made between the state government and the Indian Army in August 2022. Till date, around 400 tons of fruits and vegetables worth Rs 72 lakhs were lifted by LAMPS from indigenous farmers for supply to the Indian Army. Also Read | Priyanka Gandhi's First Visit to Wayanad Today After Kerala Bypoll Victory. The Mission aims to achieve the short-term goals of the Marketing Board in providing ready-made markets from far-flung villages and circles with low marketable surplus and creating a vibrant economy besides solving employment issues across the state. Chief Minister Pema Khandu congratulated APAMB for the initiative and expressed optimism that with ITBP agreeing to purchase produce locally produced, the issue of the limited market of local farmers will be resolved to a huge extent. Expressing gratitude to the ITBP for accepting the state government's proposal, he said that Mission Arun Himveer would have a far reaching impact on accelerating 'reverse migration' of people, who have left their villages to towns and cities. "We have enough land and weather, suited for all kinds of horticulture and agriculture products. However, people were not taking an interest in farming due to a lack of a market. Such initiatives will surely encourage people to take up farming," Arunachal Pradesh CM said. He said that the initiative would not only double farmers' income but also create a friendly relationship between people in the border region and ITBP forces. "The Mission will also cater to the prevailing demand for marketing of Agri-Horti produces from the border districts under the Vibrant Village Programme," he said. Khandu viewed the rural economy as the backbone of the state's economy and termed women as the backbone of the rural economy. He informed that with the state government's efforts, more than one lakh women were today involved in running SHGs across the state. As per the agreement, ITBP can procure directly from farmers and payment would be made by APAMB out of the revolving fund of Rs 4 crore granted by the state government on behalf of ITBP. The amount will be then reimbursed to the Board after reconciliation by ITBP. Under the Mission, 100% of the funds will go directly to the farmers and APAMB envisages that more than Rs 10 crore of business will be done in a year. The MoU was signed by APAMB CEO Okit Palling and ITBP NE Frontier Inspector General, Akun Sabharwal. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, the Chief Secretary, officers from agri and allied departments and senior ITBP officials. Agriculture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu also attended virtually. Deputy Commissioners, district officials, farmers and SHG, FPO and cooperative society members joined the event virtually from their respective districts. To mark the initiative, exchanging of agricultural produce was made between ITBP and farmers at Jang (Tawang), Ziro (Lower Subansiri), Aalo (West Siang), Tuting (Upper Siang) and Tezu (Lohit). (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 30 (ANI):The announcement of a four-day winter session for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly has sparked sharp criticism from the BJP, with the party accusing the Congress government of avoiding accountability. Randhir Sharma, Media Department In-charge and BJP MLA, on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu-led government, alleging that the decision reflects the government's reluctance to face opposition scrutiny. Also Read | Eknath Shinde Will Take Big Decision in Next 24 Hours, Says Shiv Sena Leader Sanjay Shirsat. While addressing the media in Shimla, he also questioned the impartiality of the Assembly Speaker, claiming that his actions suggest a bias in favor of the government. Sharma criticised the truncated winter session, calling it a deliberate attempt to avoid answering pressing questions. "The Congress government has caused disgrace to Himachal Pradesh across the country with its decisions. To avoid answering the questions of the opposition, they have now called a session of only four days," Sharma said. Also Read | Tamil Nadu School Holiday: All Schools, Colleges To Remain Shut in 8 Districts on November 30 Due To Cyclone Fengal, Check List Here. He dismissed any justification for the short session, adding, "They might argue that the monsoon session was extended, but they forget that the budget session was also shortened. This is a clear pattern of evading accountability." Sharma asserted that the BJP would not be deterred by the reduced session length and would ensure that the government is held accountable. "Even in these four days, we will surround the government with full strength on every issue," he stated. In a sharp critique of the Assembly Speaker, Sharma said that the post demands impartiality and dignity, which he alleged is being compromised. "The statements of the Assembly Speaker make it seem like he is working at the behest of the government. Earlier, he said he had 'beheaded six and three heads are under the saw.' Now, he claims the case of nine BJP MLAs is with him," Sharma remarked. The BJP leader suggested that these remarks are politically motivated, particularly in the context of the membership issue of the six MLAs appointed as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS). "This appears to be a tactic to intimidate MLAs who have filed a case in the court regarding the CPS issue. However, I hope the Speaker will uphold democratic norms and avoid any action that is undemocratic, illegal or diminishes the dignity of the Assembly," he added. Sharma also highlighted an incident where BJP MLAs staged a protest in the well of the House, claiming that the Speaker was absent during the event. "No action can be taken on this as the Speaker was not present. This makes it clear that the government is using such issues to scare opposition MLAs," he alleged. Randhir Sharma targeted the Congress government's plans to celebrate two years in office, calling it unwarranted and baseless. "What exactly is the government celebrating? In two years, there has been no major achievement worth mentioning. The only thing they seem to be celebrating is the dissolution of the Congress Executive, which perhaps is a personal victory for the Chief Minister," he remarked sarcastically. He added that the BJP has formed a committee to analyze the failures of the Congress government and would soon present its findings to the public. "This government has done little other than dissolving old structures and celebrating minor victories. It is not worth celebrating," he stated. Responding to the CPS controversy, Sharma pointed out that the matter is still sub-judice. "The Supreme Court has only stayed the case; the final decision is yet to come. The state government should not celebrate small and incomplete victories as if they are grand achievements," he said. Sharma emphasized that the BJP would continue to hold the Congress government accountable, regardless of the attempts to restrict debate. "The government cannot run away from the opposition's questions. Whether it's four days or four hours, we will raise every issue concerning the people of Himachal Pradesh," he declared. As the political temperature rises in the cold mountains of Himachal Pradesh, the BJP's stance reflects its resolve to challenge the Congress government at every step, particularly as it prepares to mark two years in office. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Saturday rejected a proposal to levy affiliation fees on government colleges by GGSIPU, citing concerns over its potential to increase the financial burden on students. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) had proposed to charge affiliation fees from government colleges and other institutions by amending Clause 5 of Statute 24 of the University, a statement from the LG office said. Also Read | Road Accident: 5 Killed, 15 Injured As Bus Plunges Into 150-Feet-Deep Gorge Near West Bengal-Sikkim Border. "Had the University's proposal to charge affiliation fees from them been approved, it would have ultimately led to the additional financial burden being passed on to the students," the LG's office stated. According to Statute 24, Clause 5, "Affiliation fee is charged from all the self-financed Institutions whereas no processing fee or affiliation fee is being charged from the colleges or institutions established and run by the Central Government or a State Government or fully funded by the Central Government or a State Government." Also Read | Maharashtra Chief Minister Swearing-In Ceremony To Be Held on December 5 at Mumbais Azad Maidan. Expressing concerns over the implications of the proposal, the LG noted that "meritorious students, many from poor economic backgrounds, generally get admission in government colleges purely based on their talent and approving the University's proposal may put the future of these talented students at stake." Saxena pointed out that government institutes already bear significant financial responsibilities, including application fees for provisional affiliation and continuation of affiliation, which vary based on the course and location of the institute. Additionally, these institutes are required to pay affiliation fees after receiving approval for provisional affiliation, the statement said. The LG has also suggested that GGSIPU explore "alternative methods to generate revenue to augment their budget" to address its financial requirements without impacting students. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], November 30 (ANI): Delhi LG VK Saxena has rejected a proposal by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) to impose affiliation fees on government institutes, the LG Office said in a release on Saturday. It added that the move aims at protecting the interests of students, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Biased Towards Gautam Adani, Discriminating Against Wayanad Landslide Victims, Accuses Rahul Gandhi. "The amendment of Clause 5 of Statue 24 of the University, had it been implemented, would have required government colleges and institutions affiliated with GGSIPU to pay affiliation fees from the 2025-26 academic sessions. This would have inevitably led to increased financial burdens on these institutions, ultimately resulting in higher course fees for students. As per Statute 24, Clause 5, an affiliation fee is charged from all self-financed Institutions whereas no processing fee or affiliation fee is being charged from the colleges or institutions established and run by the Central Government or a State Government or fully funded by the Central Government or a State Government," the LG Office said. Expressing serious concerns over the potential implications of this decision, LG Saxena emphasized that such a move could disproportionately affect students from disadvantaged backgrounds who often rely on government institutions for affordable higher education, it added. Also Read | Digital Arrest Scam in Mumbai: Woman Forced To Strip on Video Call for 'Body Verification', Duped of Nearly INR 1.80 Lakh. The LG statement added that disposing of the file in this regard, Saxena noted that meritorious students, many from poor economic backgrounds, generally get admission to government colleges, purely based on their talent and approving the University's proposal may put the future of these talented students at stake. The LG pointed out that government institutes already bear significant financial responsibilities, including application fees for provisional affiliation and continuation of affiliation. "These fees vary based on the course and location of the institute. Additionally, they are required to pay affiliation fees after receiving approval for provisional affiliation," it added. "By rejecting the proposal, the LG has ensured that government institutes can continue to provide quality education without imposing additional financial burdens on students and making higher education accessible and affordable for all," it added. "The proposed fee hike would have had a direct and significant impact on student affordability. For many students, particularly those from low-income families, government colleges are the only viable option for higher education. Any increase in fees would have made it even more difficult for these students to pursue their academic goals," the LG Office said. Keeping in view the financial requirements of GGSIPU, LG has suggested that the University explore alternative methods to generate revenue to augment its budget, it added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) Retirement fund body EPFO on Saturday approved an amnesty scheme to encourage compliance by employers, allowing them to deposit past provident fund dues without any penalty. Central Board of Trustee (CBT), the apex decision-making body of Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), headed by Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday recommended the EPFO Amnesty Scheme 2024 to the central government, a labour ministry statement said. Also Read | Maharashtra Chief Minister Swearing-In Ceremony To Be Held on December 5: Mahayuti 2.0 Government to Take Oath in PM Narendra Modis Presence at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. The initiative is designed to encourage employers to voluntarily disclose and rectify past non-compliance or under-compliance without facing penalties or legal repercussions, it said. A simple online declaration from employers will be sufficient to avail the scheme benefits. By providing a limited window for voluntary compliance, the scheme aims to extend social security benefits to more employees, rebuild trust with employers, and promote formalisation of the workforce, it stated. Also Read | Surat Police Arrest Bangladeshi National With Multiple Fake Documents, Had Illegally Entered India 7 Years Ago. The scheme will help in the implementation of Employment Linked Incentive Scheme, which was announced in the FY25 budget to foster employment generation and incentivize formalization of jobs in the economy. According to the statement, several small establishments (under MSME sector or otherwise) may wish to avail of the benefits under the ELI Scheme but would be worried in enrolling under EPFO. This amnesty scheme would provide them the confidence to enrol without any fear or additional financial burden. Meanwhile, the board also approved an amendment to the EPF Scheme, 1952, under which the interest will be paid to members up to the date of settlement. As per existing provisions, for the claim settled till 24th of the month, interest is paid only up to the end of the preceding month. The amendment will result in more financial benefit to EPFO members and reduce grievances. Till now, interest-bearing claims are not processed between the 25th and the end of each month to avoid loss of interest to the members. Post the amendment, claims will be processed during the entire month, leading to reduced pendency, timely settlement and optimised utilization of resources. The board also ratified the extension of EDLI (Employees' deposit linked insurance) benefits with retrospective effect from April 28, 2024. Under this scheme, an insurance cover in the range of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh is provided to the dependents of the member in case of death. The proposal, supported by actuarial valuation indicating a surplus of Rs 6,385.74 crore has been approved to ensure uninterrupted benefits to EPF members. The board also approved a proposal for simplification of criteria for empanelment of banks for centralised collection of EPF contributions. It will now include all agency banks listed with RBI. Additionally, the central board of trustee also approved the empanelment of other scheduled commercial banks that are not RBI agency banks but have a minimum of 0.2 per cent of total EPFO collection. The earlier requirement for such entities was 0.5 per cent. Besides, the board has approved a redemption policy for ETF investments in CPSE and Bharat 22 to generate income for the EPF Scheme's Interest Account. The policy mandates a minimum five-year holding, returns exceeding government securities, and performance above the CPSE and Bharat 22 indices. It also approved the guidelines for investment in units issued by Public Sector Undertaking sponsored Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs)/ Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Also, the limit for auto claim settlement facility has been extended to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 50,000 earlier, including for those seeking advances for housing, marriage and education. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], November 30 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel gifted 52 development projects worth Rs 120 crores for the Anand district, including the foundation stone laying of 39 projects valued at Rs 90 crores and the inauguration of 13 projects worth Rs 30 crores, a release said on Saturday. As per the release, the event was held in Sojitra, the Karmabhoomi of Sardar Patel, the architect of United India, and the birthplace of visionary educationist Shree Bhaikaka. Also Read | Maharashtra Chief Minister Swearing-In Ceremony To Be Held on December 5: Mahayuti 2.0 Government to Take Oath in PM Narendra Modis Presence at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Paying tribute to Sardar Patel and Shree Bhaikaka, the Chief Minister praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for setting a global standard for development, highlighting Gujarat's visionary, large-scale growth. He emphasized that the state has fostered a pro-people governance work culture through these impactful development initiatives. In the same context, the CM remarked that the foundation laid by PM Modi for Gujarat's growth, through a development-focused work culture during his tenure as Chief Minister, has transformed the state into a role model and growth engine for the nation's development, added the press statement. Paying tribute to the late Bhai Kaka, the architect of Vallabh Vidyanagar's educational legacy, CM Patel inaugurated the newly built Shree Bhaikaka Government Commerce College in Sojitra, constructed at a cost of Rs 14.85 crore. Also Read | Surat Police Arrest Bangladeshi National With Multiple Fake Documents, Had Illegally Entered India 7 Years Ago. CM stated that the PM has consistently focused on the development of all sectors by prioritizing education and fostering cultural growth. Aligning with this vision, the state government is advancing holistic development, with a strong focus on education. Reflecting the Prime Minister's vision for a green and clean future, the Chief Minister further emphasized that Gujarat is advancing while ensuring environmental sustainability, read the statement. CM emphasized that Gujarat has witnessed a Vikas Kranti (development revolution) in key sectors such as urban development, public infrastructure, and healthcare. Under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, the state now proudly hosts 103 universities and 2,800 colleges, providing ample opportunities for higher education to its youth. Bhupendra Patel also praised Shree Bhaikaka for establishing a strong foundation of knowledge and education in Charotar, turning Vallabh Vidyanagar into a prominent centre of learning. Reflecting on the region's revolutionary history, he noted that following the independence movement led by Sardar Patel, Charotar became the epicentre of the world's largest cooperative movement through Shwet Kranti (White Revolution) and Vidya Kranti (Educational Revolution) led by Bhaikaka. Today, under the Prime Minister's leadership, Charotar is witnessing the Vikas Kranti (development revolution). The CM stated that 'Swachhta Hi Seva' campaign, inspired by the Prime Minister, is gaining momentum. Under 'Vay Vandana Yojana' designed to ensure quality healthcare for the common man, Ayushman Cards are being issued to citizens aged 70 and above. The Chief Minister emphasized that by following the Prime Minister's vision of 'Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas, and Sauno Prayas', the state is progressing towards the holistic development of society. The government is committed to enhancing citizens' well-being and improving the Ease of Living by continuing its tradition of development-focused initiatives. The Chief Minister reiterated the Prime Minister's call for global collaboration during the country's Amrit Kaal, urging continued service towards building a Viksit Bharat@2047 and realizing the vision of a Viksit Gujarat for a Viksit Bharat. On this occasion, the Chief Minister applauded Padma Bhushan Dr. Tejas Patel as a pride of Gujarat, Charotar, and the nation. Padma Bhushan Dr Tejas Patel, a prominent cardiologist, conveyed heartfelt gratitude for the honour bestowed upon him in his birthplace. Reflecting on Charotar's significant contribution to the freedom movement, he acknowledged the pivotal roles of Sardar Patel, the architect of a united India, and Bhaikaka, a promoter of education. He conveyed his gratitude for those who shaped his life and fondly recalled his childhood memories. Dr Tejas Patel mentioned that the people of Charotar will always have a special place in his heart and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the citizens of this region, including Sojitra. In the beginning, Sojitra MLA Vipul Patel welcomed everyone and stated that the inauguration and foundation stone laying of development projects worth over Rs 30 crore in Sojitra taluka would lead to holistic progress in the area. He also announced plans to beautify Kanelav Lake in Tarapur taluka with an Rs 80 crore investment and outlined other upcoming development initiatives for both Sojitra and Tarapur talukas. The Chief Minister distributed Ayushman cards to the beneficiaries of the Vay Vandana Yojana and honoured Padma Bhushan Dr. Tejas Patel, the distinguished cardiologist. An MOU was signed between Anand District Panchayat and Bharat Biogas Energy Ltd. in the Chief Minister's presence under the Nirmal Gujarat initiative to produce biogas and fertilizers and ensure the scientific disposal of animal dung in 39 villages of Umreth taluka. At the Chintan Shibir in Somnath, the Chief Minister awarded Rs 51,000 to Praveen Chaudhary for being recognized as the Best District Development Officer during his tenure in Junagadh. This amount was dedicated to Anganwadi children. Under the state's 'Tera Tuj Ko Arpan' Yojana, the Anand Police Department successfully returned stolen and lost property worth Rs31 lakh to its rightful owners. The Chief Minister also flagged off 25 e-rickshaws for door-to-door waste collection, a project supported by Power Grid Corporation India Limited's corporate social responsibility initiatives. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Collector Praveen Chaudhary, added the release. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Nov 30 (PTI) The Kumbh Mela authorities have allotted 2.5 acres of land to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams to set up a replica of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. TTD Joint Executive Officer for Health and Education, Gowthami, met Kumbh Mela Authority Officer Vijay Kiran Anand in Prayagraj and inspected the allotted land. Also Read | Cyclone Fengal: Chennai Airport Shutdown Flight Operations After Heavy Rains and Adverse Weather Condition. During the inspection, Gowthami and TTD officials made several suggestions regarding the arrangements for the mega-religious event, particularly to accommodate the expected influx of North Indian devotees, said a press release from TTD on Saturday. As part of its initiative to promote Hindu Sanatana Dharma nationwide, TTD has sought a suitable space to establish a model temple for devotees from across the country. Also Read | Sanjauli Mosque Issue: Shimla Court Rejects Application of Muslim Organisation Against Order to Demolish 3 Storeys of Masjid. The Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is scheduled to be held in Prayagraj from 13 January 2025, to 26 February 2025. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kakching (Manipur) [India], November 30 (ANI): Manipur Police arrested seven (7) people for allegedly attacking Kaching police station and other officials in Kakching district of the state. According to Manipur police, the seven people attacked the police station and other officials on November 27 (Wednesday), and were arrested the next day. Also Read | Mumbai: Drunk Businessman Arrested for Ramming Car Into Police Barricades, Hitting Other Vehicles To Evade Checking in Andheri. Reportedly, 2 police people were injured because of the attack. The seven arrested people have been identified as Naorem Jotish Singh (30), Kshetrimayum Rajiv Singh (50), Pravin Leishangthem (31), Pukhrambam Gopen (32), Naorem Sitaljit Singh (33), Wayengbam Johnson Singh (31) and Kshetrimayum Ashokumar (30). Also Read | Sambhal Violence: Failure of BJP's Governance, Says Akhilesh Yadav After Uttar Pradesh Police Stops Samajwadi Party Delegation From Visiting Sambhal. Manipur police said that the people were demanding the release of four other people who were arrested earlier on November 16 for allegedly vandalising properties of an elected member. "On 28.11.2024, Manipur Police arrested 07 (seven) individuals who attacked the Kakching Police Station and police personnel who were lawfully discharging their duties on 27.11.2024. The attack was carried out to demand the release of four persons arrested on 16.11.2024 for vandalizing properties of an elected member. In the said attack. 02 (two) police personnel were injured," read the X post by Manipur Police. Earlier on November 22, Manipur police arrested multiple individuals in connection with arson and property damage incidents involving elected members on November 16. The officials had arrested a total of 32 people in connection with arson incidents. "In connection with cases related to arson/damage of properties of elected members on 16.11.2024, Manipur Police arrested 07 (seven) more persons on 20.11.2024 and 21.11.2024 in addition to the 25 (twenty-five) persons arrested on earlier days", police officials said in a post on X. Those arrested earlier in connection to the arson incidents have been identified as Wahengbam Jyotikumar Singh (26), Khundrakpam Bikram Singh (41), Monish Nepram (31), and Aribam Mirachandra Sharma (41), Elangbam Harison Singh alias Dada (34), Lourembam Norojit Singh alias Nonni Singh (40), Laimayum Kedarnath Sharma (37). Meanwhile, Poliice conducted search operations and area domination in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts. Movement of vehicles carrying essential items along NH-37 and NH-2 was ensured. Manipur Police said, strict security measures are taken up in all vulnerable locations and security convoy is provided in sensitive stretches in order to ensure free and safe movement of the vehicles. A total of 105 Nakas/Checkpoints were installed in different Districts of Manipur, both in the hillnand the valley and no one was detained by Police in connection with violations in different districts of the State. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, November 30: Mumbai Police on Saturday invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the murder of Bab Siddique murder case. Baba Siddique was an NCP leader who was shot dead by three assailants near his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique's, office in Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar on October 12. So far, the police have arrested 26 accused, while 3 more people are wanted by the authorities. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the NCP leader's murder. Baba Siddique Murder Case: Mumbai Police Arrest 2 Suspects After NCP Leader Shot Dead. Mumbai Police investigation into the Baba Siddiqui murder case has revealed that prime suspect Akashdeep Gill, arrested in Punjab, used a labourer's mobile hotspot to communicate with key conspirators, including mastermind Anmol Bishnoi, police said. Gill was identified as the logistics coordinator in the murder plot orchestrated by notorious gangster Anmol Bishnoi. "In a significant development in the Baba Siddique murder case, Akashdeep Gill, arrested from Fazilka, Punjab, disclosed during interrogation how he communicated with key conspirators using a labourer's mobile hotspot. This method was employed to evade police detection," Mumbai Crime Branch said. Baba Siddique Shot Dead: NCP Leader Passes Away in Lilavati Hospital After Miscreants Open Fire At Him in Mumbai. "Gill admitted to using the hotspot of a labourer named Balwinder, allowing him to appear offline and avoid tracking. The Crime Branch is currently searching for Gill's mobile phone, which may hold vital evidence related to the case. Gill has been identified as a crucial logistical coordinator for the murder plot orchestrated by gangster Anmol Bishnoi," they said. On November 12, a local court in Mumbai sent Shiva Kumar, one of the accused and shooter in Baba Siddiqui murder case, along with four other accused, to police custody. Shiva Kumar and four other accused were arrested by a joint team of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and the Mumbai Crime Branch from Nanpara area of Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich on November 10. NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead by three assailants near his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique's, office in Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar on October 12. Police have also arrested Salman Vohra and Akashdeep Singh in connection with the murder. Vohra has been accused of financing the murder. According to the information received from a senior officer of the Mumbai Crime Branch, the investigation of the Mumbai Crime Branch has revealed that after the murder of Baba Siddiqui, a big leader of Pune was also on the radar of the Bishnoi gang. On November 16 Shubham Lonkar, the mastermind and wanted accused in the NCP leader's murder had allegedly planned to kill Aftab Poonawala, the accused arrested in the gruesome Shraddha Walker murder case, according to sources. As per the sources, Lonkar, allegedly associated with Lawrence Bishnoi gang, continuously planned for a month in 2022 to kill Poonawala in Delhi's Saket Court.Accused Aftab is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail number 4. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chaibasa, Nov 30 (PTI) A Naxalite was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Saturday, police said. The gunfight broke out in Tomrom village in the Tebo police station area after a police team that went to the spot on the basis of a tip-off intercepted members of the proscribed People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI), they said. Also Read | Ajmer Sharif Dargah Row: Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Shrine Embroils in Controversy As Petition Claims Shiva Temple Under Mosque; From Its History to Court Case, Know All About It. The deceased was identified as PLFI's 'area commander' Radung Bodra alias Lamboo, a resident of Jikilata village in Bandgaon police station area, Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Shekhar said. He was wanted in 29 criminal cases registered in West Singhbhum and Khunti districts, the officer said. Also Read | Maharashtra Chief Minister Swearing-In Ceremony To Be Held on December 5: Mahayuti 2.0 Government to Take Oath in PM Narendra Modis Presence at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. He said inputs were received on Friday that Lamboo along with three-four members of his squad were seen in the Tebo forest. They were there to execute some plan, he claimed. Accordingly, a special operation team of the police was sent to the spot to initiate necessary action, he said. On seeing the police, the ultras started firing from the bank of the Roro river, forcing the personnel to retaliate in self-defence, the SP said. "The PLFI members, however, made a hasty retreat under mounting pressure taking advantage of dense forest and hills," he said. Later, the police team recovered Lamboo's body from the spot along with arms and ammunition, he added. Among the items seized were two pistols, four live cartridges of 7.65 mm bore, two empty cartridges, a receipt book of PLFI, seven mobile phones and 10 sim cards, Shekhar said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The General Staff of the Armed Forces is not considering lowering the mobilization age in Ukraine and has not taken any such initiatives. Instead, they are preparing motivational contracts for citizens aged 18-25. ADVERTISIMENT It is planned that under these contracts young people will serve for a year in combat brigades. A source in the General Staff of the Armed Forces told OBOZ.UA on November 30. "They sign the contract, undergo training and military service for a year. After a year, they are dismissed and, again, have the right to a deferment until the age of 25," the source said. The conclusion of such a contract provides, in addition to payments, a motivational social package. For those liable for military service under the age of 25, it will be larger than usual. The whole process requires changes in the legal framework. "We have developed proposals, and the Ministry of Defense is working on all this," the source said. He hopes that the initiative will be implemented soon. The proposals were previously approved by the Defense Ministry. As previously reported by OBOZ.UA: National Security Advisor to the US President Jake Sullivan said that the difficult situation on the battlefield in Ukraine is due to the slow pace of mobilization. Washington believes that Kyiv needs to increase the number of manpower on the front line. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to calls from the United States to mobilize more people to the Defense Forces. He emphasized that Ukraine is not fully equipped with proper weapons in the existing brigades. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! New Delhi, November 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the all-India conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police in Bhubaneswar for two days starting from Saturday. According to the Prime Minister's Office, the three-day conference, being held from November 29 to December 1, will include deliberations on critical components of national security, including counterterrorism, left-wing extremism, coastal security, new criminal laws, and narcotics, among others. PM Modis Odisha Visit: Renowned Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik Makes Sand Sculpture of PM Narendra Modi at Puri Beach Ahead of His 3-Day Visit to State (Watch Video). During the next two days of the Conference, top brass of police leadership of the country would chalk out a roadmap to counter existing and emerging national security challenges, including LWE, Coastal Security, Narcotics, Cyber Crime and Economic Security. The conference will provide an interactive platform for senior police professionals and security administrators in the country to freely discuss and debate diverse national security-related issues, as well as various operational, infrastructural and welfare-related problems faced by the police in India. Odisha Parba 2024: PM Narendra Modi Highlights Govts Efforts To Make State Prosperous and One of Fastest-Growing States (Watch Video). The progress in implementation of the new Criminal Laws and initiatives and best practices in policing would also be reviewed during the next two days. The Prime Minister has always demonstrated a deep interest in the DGP Conference. "This year, some unique features have also been added to the conference. The entire day is being effectively utilised, starting with yoga sessions, business sessions, break-out sessions and thematic dining tables. This will also provide senior police officials with a valuable opportunity to present their perspectives and suggestions on critical policing and internal security matters that impact the country to the Prime Minister," it added. The Prime Minister has encouraged the annual DGsP/IGsP Conference to be organised all across the country since 2014. The conference has been held in Guwahati (Assam), Rann of Kachchh (Gujarat), Hyderabad (Telangana), Tekanpur (Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh), Statue of Unity (Kevadiya, Gujarat), Pune (Maharashtra), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), New Delhi and Jaipur (Rajasthan). Continuing with this tradition, the 59th DGsP/IGsP Conference 2024 is being organised in Bhubaneswar (Odisha). The conference will be attended by the Union Home Minister, Principal Secretary to the PM, National Security Adviser, Ministers of State (Home Affairs), DGP of States/UTs and Chiefs of Central Police Organisations among others. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 30 (ANI): As air seems to getting clear over the chief ministerial position in the state Shiv Sena UBT MLA Aaditya Thackeray congratulated the next-to-be CM but claimed that the nation is witnessing "anarchy". "The date (of the oath-taking ceremony) comes from the Governor's Office. We congratulate the person who is going to take the oath. There seems to be anarchy in seen in the country. Someone has to claim to form Govt, show majority and then all this is decided, has anything happened so far..," said MLA Aaditya Thackeray. Also Read | Tiger Attack in Telangana: Farmer Injured After Tiger Pounces on Him in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad; Minister Konda Surekha Calls for Action Plan. Earlier in the day, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Ajit Pawar said that it had been decided in the meeting that the CM will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the remaining two parties will have Deputy Chief Ministers. Speaking to the media, Pawar said, "During the meeting (Delhi meeting of Mahayuti leader) it was decided that Mahayuti will form the government with CM from BJP and the remaining two parties will have DCMs." Also Read | Cyclone Fengal Update: Cyclonic Storm Makes Landfall Near Puducherry, Says IMD (Watch Video). "This is not the first time there has been a delay... If you remember, in 1999, one month was taken for government formation," he further added. Earlier, on Thursday night, Maharashtra's caretaker CM Eknath Shinde, along with Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar, and other Mahayuti leaders, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in the national capital. This comes after reports on Friday suggested that caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was "upset" and had travelled to his native village amid the delay in forming the government. However, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant dismissed these claims, clarifying that Shinde would return soon and that the next cabinet would be finalised shortly. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Varanasi, November 30: A massive fire broke out at parking lot in Varanasi Cantt Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh on Friday night, police said. According to Varanasi police, several vehicles were damaged in the fire. Visuals from the site showed more than 50 bikes gutted in the flames. The flames were doused later in the day, the officials said. One of the assistant loco pilots at the station, Ravi Ranjan Kumar said that his vehicle was also damaged in the fire. Varanasi Railway Station Fire: 200 Motorcycles Destroyed After Blaze Erupts in Parking Area, Firefighting Operations Underway (Watch Video). Several Vehicles Gutted in Varanasi Fire #WATCH | UP: Several two-wheelers destroyed after a fire broke out at the parking lot of Varanasi Cantt railway station, yesterday. pic.twitter.com/yjqyADzOih ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 "I parked my vehicle here two days ago as I went for my duty, now as I came back I saw that my vehicle was burnt to a crisp. I had an activa and I used to always park my vehicle here. This is made for us only, that government employees can put their vehicles here," he said while speaking to ANI. "This was my main mode of daily transportation and now I cannot recognise my vehicle due to the fire," he added. The assistant loco pilot also said that usually two guards are deployed at the parking lot. Another loco pilot, Shantraj lost his vehicle in the fire. Uttar Pradesh Hotel Fire Video: Blaze Erupts at Three-Star Hotel in Varanasi, No Casualties. "After I came back from duty I saw that every vehicle is damaged. We can be called anytime for our duty, and we have to come, so sometimes you cannot get transport late at night, so some people will face more difficulty as people also don't get auto late at night as winters have come," he told ANI. The cause of the fire and the extent of damage is yet to be ascertained, the officials said. More details are awaited. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Nov 30 (PTI) Peoples' Conference chief Sajad Lone Saturday lashed out at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, describing him as Delhi's "best bet in Kashmir's destruction and erosion" of its identity. In a scathing attack against the chief minister, Lone, the Handwara MLA, took to X to allege that Abdullah does not have the guts to fight Delhi and does not dare speak against the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha or the BJP. Also Read | Ajmer Sharif Dargah Row: Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Shrine Embroils in Controversy As Petition Claims Shiva Temple Under Structure; From Its History to Court Case, Know All About It. "During the election period, your body language and utterances were aggressive. Your whole campaign was customised against the BJP. Your electoral script was a blend of escalation and scapegoating. And it worked for you. A massive mandate you got," Lone said in a long post on the microblogging site. After the elections, "we have seen you descending from the peaks of escalation to the language of temperance", he said. Also Read | 8th Pay Commission: Minimum Salary of Govt Employees Set to Cross INR 50,000? Know Details. "The aggression is gone. The utterances have been watered down. The belligerence has been replaced by humiliating visuals of you gifting shawls to the top BJP leadership," the Peoples' Conference chief said, referring to the chief minister presenting shawls to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers in Delhi after he took over the office. "What was the hurry to go to Delhi and gift shawls? From a rebel with a sword in his hand mounted on a horse to a minion grovelling on his knees, the sword was replaced by a shawl. What a comedown," the MLA said. Hitting out at the chief minister, Lone said, "Your shawl-draping visuals of surrender meant that BJP had actually taught the people of Kashmir a lesson. The BJP had the last laugh. You displayed a rookie enthusiasm to attack them during elections and are now displaying a rookie enthusiasm in surrendering to them. "So desperate you seem to get a 'foot in the BJP door', unable to hide your yearning for boundary-crossing. And your shawl gifting spree, your desire to be the BJP good boy, your evident discomfort in having to take on the 'Congress Excess Baggage" is a kick in the teeth for all those Kashmiris who were tricked into believing that you are the ultimate secular warrior to take on the communally depraved BJP," he added. The MLA said there is an elected government in J-K, but there is also the parallel LG government. "There are no business rules in sight. Business rules are in essence demarcation of respective competencies. And there is total confusion. You have been ring-fenced," he said. Referring to the dismissal of two government employees on Friday by the Jammu and Kashmir L-G over alleged terror links, Lone said not a single day passes when the elected government is not "undermined". "And now two employees have been terminated. Again you are quiet. And while you don't dare speak against the LG or the BJP, your toadies are at it making a list of small-level government employees who they believe have not been politically favourable to them. And single transfers will yet again become a norm. Again it is the Kashmiri you will punish," he said. The Peoples' Conference chief said, "You (Abdullah) don't have the guts to fight Delhi. But you will fight and punish the Kashmiri". "That you have been doing for decades," he said. Lashing out at the chief minister, Lone said he was Delhi's "best bet in Kashmir's destruction and erosion" of its identity. "This feeling of being overprivileged and you being some precious cargo which India or Delhi can't do without... Get off that high horse. They let you prosper because you are pliable. And may I say Shawl-able. And in Kashmir's destruction and erosion of their identity, you are Delhi's best bet," he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Nov 30 (PTI) National Conference president Farooq Abdullah welcomed on Saturday the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, hailing it as a beacon of hope for peace and the preservation of lives in West Asia. Applauding the de-escalation of tensions between Israel and Lebanon, he called upon the global community to step in and aid Lebanon in its reconstruction and relief efforts, the party said in a statement. Also Read | Ajmer Sharif Dargah Row: Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Shrine Embroils in Controversy As Petition Claims Shiva Temple Under Structure; From Its History to Court Case, Know All About It. The NC president urged the world powers to swiftly mobilise international efforts to broker a deal and put an end to the even more devastating and brutal conflict in Gaza, the statement said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sao Paulo, Nov 30 (AP) Brazil's Federal Police in late November formally accused far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others of planning a coup to keep him in office. The agency described a multi-step scheme, substantiated by evidence and testimony, in an 884-page report. The plan included systematically sowing distrust of the electoral system among the populace, drafting a decree to give the plot a veneer of legal basis, pressuring top military brass to go along with the plan, and inciting a riot in the capital. Also Read | 'Donald Trump Is an Intelligent and Experienced Leader': Vladimir Putin Praises US President-Elect, Says Moscow Is Ready for Dialogue With United States. Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet will now decide whether to formally charge the accused parties, toss the investigation or request more testimony to understand each person's participation in different parts of the alleged plot before deciding who stands trial on which counts. Bolsonaro and his main allies have denied any wrongdoing or involvement and accuse the authorities of political persecution. Here is a breakdown of the plan's key elements as laid out in the report and how they are supposedly connected. Also Read | Right To Die Bill Cleared: UK MPs Vote in Favour of Historic Assisted Dying Bill for Terminally Ill Adults in England and Wales. Sowing doubt about Brazil's voting system Police allege that efforts to disseminate fake news about Brazil's electronic voting system began in 2019, Bolsonaro's first year in office, but were conducted more strategically and intensively as his 2022 reelection bid drew near. Police say so-called digital militias comprised of thousands of social media accounts linked to pro-Bolsonaro propaganda, as well as other prominent right-wing influencers and politicians, spread propaganda claiming the voting system could be tampered with. Bolsonaro also openly expressed admiration for Brazil's military dictatorship (1964-1985), which he claimed saved the country from communism. The narrative of an impending illegitimate election defeat helped Bolsonaro rally tens of thousands of supporters to multiple street demonstrations and also muster many to set up camp outside military barracks and headquarters to pressure leaders. Three months before the election, Bolsonaro invited dozens of diplomats to the presidential palace for a nationally televised meeting in which he presented supposed vulnerabilities of the voting system, without providing any evidence. Following Bolsonaro's loss in 2022 to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bolsonaro's Liberal Party questioned results at the country's top electoral court, arguing voting devices made in specific years could have permitted fraud. The electoral court swiftly dismissed the claims. They spread false studies on the vulnerabilities of the electronic voting machines through the Liberal Party, in an attempt to create a factual basis for a presidential decree that would set the coup in motion, the report says. A draft decree to set the coup in motion In January 2023, Brazilian police found a draft decree in the home of Bolsonaro's former justice minister Anderson Torres. It was one of many versions drafted either at the far-right leader's behest or with his knowledge, police say. The former president presented the document, unsigned, to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces on Dec. 7, seeking their support. Investigators say the draft decree shows Bolsonaro and his allies sought to create a committee to probe alleged fraud and crimes in the October 2022 vote, so they could later suspend the powers of the nation's top electoral court and possibly convene a new election. The navy's commander was ready to comply with the decree, but army and air force leaders objected to any plan that would prevent Lula's inauguration, the report said. Those refusals are why the plan did not go ahead, according to witnesses who spoke to investigators. Many legal experts including say evidence that former president presented the draft to military leaders and supported for different versions of the document are very damaging. (The goal) was to unduly intervene in elections," said Luiz Henrique Machado, a law professor at the IDP university in the capital Brasilia. "In Brazil, it is the electoral prosecutors' office and the top electoral court that have the final word about electoral legislation. In an interview with website UOL published Thursday, Bolsonaro said he discussed with military leaders moves including decreeing a state of emergency and other exceptional measures that would have suspended the rule of law for the public good. He said such measures are provided for by the constitution, so there is nothing unseemly about evaluating those options. "What is being said is absurd. For my part, there has never been any discussion of a coup, Bolsonaro told journalists in Brasilia on Monday. Plan to assassinate the president-elect On Nov. 19, Brazil's Federal Police arrested four army special operations officers and a federal police officer accused of plotting in 2022 to assassinate Lula, vice-president-elect Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The arrested men were all mentioned in a police report that was unsealed later. The assassination plan sought to leave Bolsonaro's ticket as the only remaining valid one in the 2022 runoff, police say. As for de Moraes, he led a five-year probe into fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices, which has led some far-right allies and supporters being barred from social media and even imprisoned. In early 2023, he presided over the nation's top electoral court when it declared Bolsonaro ineligible for office until 2030 over abuse of power related to a meeting he convened with foreign ambassadors to spread lies about the voting system. Gen. Walter Braga Netto, Bolsonaro's 2022 running mate and former defense minister, greenlit the assassination plan at a meeting with the plotters inside his home, investigators added. Federal Police portray the retired general as one of the plot's leaders, also involved in pressuring military leaders to sign onto the coup. Braga Netto said in a statement on Tuesday that he never plotted a coup. He added that several of the documents seized from one of his aides, including writings, drafts and media reports were "preparatory material to answer media requests and to prepare for testimony in congressional hearings. The police report contains no indication that any attempt to assassinate Lula or Alckmin was put into motion. However, investigators found messages and documents indicating that the plotters were monitoring and following de Moraes at the time. Police said they found evidence that retired Brig. Gen. Mario Fernandes, one of the officers arrested who had been serving as interim general secretary of the presidency, also visited the protest camps outside military installations, including at the army headquarters in Brasilia. Investigators said they have evidence that he gave instructions and financial support to the protesters. Jan 8 uprising Federal Police linked Bolsonaro and some of his top ministers to the Jan. 8, 2023 riot in which supporters of the former president, many of whom had been camped outside army headquarters for months, ransacked the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace in Brasilia. The protesters had pleaded for the armed forces to keep the leftist leader out of office and their uprising - which came after Lula was sworn in - was an attempt to force military intervention and oust the new president, police say. The riot appears in the report as one of several other actions to pressure the army commander to join the coup d'etat. Police also say that Brig. Gen. Fernandes sent a message in November 2022 to Gen. Marco Antonio Freire Gomes, then the Army's commander, discussing the need for a triggering event for a coup. Defendants, including Bolsonaro, have argued that the riot was an isolated event, and many legal experts have noted that the report's evidence of a connection between it and a broader plot is tenuous. It is clear that the alleged coup plotters had contacts with people camped outside military barracks, people who were there on Jan. 8. But how much of that contact was transformed into planning, coordination, stimulus for those people to take public buildings that day? That is to be debated, it is going to be discussed in the process and the collection of more evidence, said Joao Pedro Padua, a professor of criminal law proceedings at the Universidade Federal Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro. Bolsonaro left for the United States days before Lula's inauguration on Jan. 1, 2023 and stayed there three months, keeping a low profile. The police report alleges he was avoiding possible imprisonment related to the coup plot and awaiting the fallout from the uprising. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], November 30 (ANI): As speculations are rife about possible imposition of governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday warned the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) cannot be "intimidated" by such actions, Geo News reported. His remarks came as tensions have been rising following the crackdown against PTI protesters in Islamabad. Also Read | 'Donald Trump Is an Intelligent and Experienced Leader': Vladimir Putin Praises US President-Elect, Says Moscow Is Ready for Dialogue With United States. While speaking to reporters outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in Peshawar, he said, "Imposition of governor's rule or emergency cannot hold us back," according to Geo News report. His remarks come a day after Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah stated that the federal cabinet in its meeting held talks on the option of imposing governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, there was no consensus on the issue and the matter was deferred for further discussion. Also Read | Right To Die Bill Cleared: UK MPs Vote in Favour of Historic Assisted Dying Bill for Terminally Ill Adults in England and Wales. Sanaullah made the remarks in response to a question during the Geo News programme 'Capital Talk' on Thursday. He said the matter was discussed during the cabinet meeting as resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being used for holding violent protests and marching on Islamabad. Pakistan's federal minister Amir Muqam made the suggestion, seeking stringent action against Imran Khan's party, during the federal cabinet's session that was support by most of the members, Geo News reported, citing sources. Ali Amin Gandapur has been leading the PTI's protests seeking the release of "political prisoners" including former Pakistan PM Imran Khan, which resulted in unrest in Islamabad and adjoining cities, facing criticism from the ruling coalition over the alleged use of state machinery. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Gandapur announced that they stand by PTI's ideology and asked the federal government to fulfil its desire of imposing governor's rule. In his address at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly floor, Ali Amin Gandapur slammed the authorities for firing at "peaceful" protesters who have been marching for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan. Rejecting government's denial of direct firing at protesters, he said bullets were fired at PTI protesters at Chungi No 26. He further said, "We have been targeted several times [...] firing was carried out at China Chowk and D-Chowk also." He stressed the need to bring a revolution "to save our generations", demanding the "immediate" release of Imran Khan. His remarks come at a time when nearly 1,000 PTI workers, as per the party's claim, were arrested by security personnel in the late-night crackdown against the crowd that had gathered in Islamabad's D-Chowk as part of their "do-or-die" protest to demand release of Imran Khan, who has been in prison for over a year, Geo News reported. Imran Khan (72), 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 and un-Islamic marriage case. PTI has claimed that hundreds of protesters were shot and has caused casualties ranging from eight to 40. However, the government has rejected PTI's claim of direct firing and has ruled out any fatalities during the action to disperse the protesters. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], November 30 (ANI): The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has opposed the idea of imposing a ban on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and has called on the government to take measures for mainstreaming the opposition party, Dawn reported. The PPP, which is an ally of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), expressed its opposition to the idea of proscribing PTI, after a resolution was submitted to the Punjab Assembly, seeking a ban on Imran Khan-founded party. Also Read | 'Donald Trump Is an Intelligent and Experienced Leader': Vladimir Putin Praises US President-Elect, Says Moscow Is Ready for Dialogue With United States. Punjab PPP general secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza said, "We are not in favour of banning the PTI or sidelining it. Rather, the government should take the initiative to bring the PTI into the national mainstream," according to Dawn report. While addressing a press conference on Friday, he said, "There has been no discussion with us regarding proscribing the PTI. When they (the government) contact us, we will take a decision considering the entire context." Also Read | Right To Die Bill Cleared: UK MPs Vote in Favour of Historic Assisted Dying Bill for Terminally Ill Adults in England and Wales. He further said that the government must engage with PTI through a fresh dialogue rather than taking such negative measures. Murtaza stressed that while the situation was not ideal in Islamabad. However, he called it important for the nation to get rid of discord. He slammed Ali Amin Gandapur for storming Islamabad with Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi instead of addressing the sufferings of people in Kurram Agency and Parachinar, where dozens of people were killed in clashes that erupted between two groups. He said that Bushra Bibi's control of PTI during the protest march demonstrated dynasty politics in Imran Khan's party. The PTI, with a support from its government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has repeatedly held march in Islamabad. At least five security personnel were killed and scores of others were injured in the recent incident that ended after an operation clean-up by the law enforcers during the night between November 26 and 27. The federal government has been discussing the option of imposing governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile, PML-N Member of Provincial Assembly Uzma Kardar has submitted a resolution with the Punjab Assembly, calling for a ban on PTI. The resolution has criticised the PTI for riots on May 9 last year and again carrying out acts of violence in Islamabad this week, according to Dawn report. It said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur using state machinery and other resources marched in Islamabad twice, violating the orders of Islamabad High Court, disallowing the protest, which resulted in financial damage worth Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 190 billion on a daily basis to Pakistan. The resolutions said that the 'fitna' party caused chaos every time some international event was taking place in Pakistan, including Shanghai Cooperation Summit and visit of Belarus President, to block foreign investment here. It called for imposing a ban on PTI by the federal government to save Pakistan from further damage. On Thursday, the Balochistan Assembly adopted a resolution, seeking a ban on PTI. The motion, accusing PTI of causing unrest and targeting state institutions like May 9, 2023 was tabled by the PML-N parliamentarhy leader in the house Saleem Khan Khoso. The resolution was signed by PPP parliamentary leader Mir Sadiq Umrani and had the support of other allies, including Awami National Party, Dawn reported. Meanwhile, former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani has called for initiating a political dialogue and added that banning a political party was no solution. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Nov 30 (PTI) A New Jersey-based Sikh non-profit body served free meals to thousands across the country in a public feast, also know as a 'langar'. More than 700 volunteers from the outfit 'Let's Share a Meal' delivered vegetarian meals to more than 10,000 individuals across 80 locations in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, a media release said Friday. Also Read | 'Donald Trump Is an Intelligent and Experienced Leader': Vladimir Putin Praises US President-Elect, Says Moscow Is Ready for Dialogue With United States. "Let's Share a Meal was inspired by the life and teachings of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, who established the concept of Langar, or community kitchen," Onkar Singh, one of the key organisers of the event, said. He claimed the body has served over 1 million meals across the US since its inception. Also Read | Right To Die Bill Cleared: UK MPs Vote in Favour of Historic Assisted Dying Bill for Terminally Ill Adults in England and Wales. Another volunteer, Harleen Kaur, said, "I have been part of this incredible effort for over 15 years, and I am so grateful to see how it has grown. Every year, more and more people volunteers and donors alike come together to make this possible." LSM now distributes more than 20,000 meals annually, a superb progress from the 1,500 meals it served in its first year. "We are trying to teach our children the core values of our religion, which include peace, harmony, and Oneness. Oneness is not just for Sikhs, but for all of humanity. "The world is one community, and nobody should be hungry or unequal. We are proud that over 700 volunteers, including many from the broader American community, have come together to support this cause," Onkar Singh said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Nov 30 (PTI) US President-elect Donald Trump has met Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where they discussed key bilateral issues, including trade, tariffs, border security, and drug trafficking. In a social media post on Friday, Trump described the meeting as "productive", highlighting Trudeau's commitment to address these issues. However, there was no indication of any resolution of the differences between the incoming US administration and the Canadian government. Also Read | Bangladesh: ISKCON Claims Arrest of 2 More Monks, Ranganath Das Brahmachari and Chinmoy Krishna Das' Assistant Adipurush Shyamdas Without Warrant Amid Row. I just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where we discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address," Trump said. The topics include Fentanyl and drug crisis due to illegal immigration, fair trade deals that do not jeopardise American workers, and the massive trade deficit the US has with Canada, he said. Also Read | Gautam Adani Breaks Silence on US Fraud Charges, Says 'Every Attack Makes Us Stronger, Every Obstacle Becomes Stepping Stone for More Resilient Adani Group'. Trump emphasised his administration's commitment to tackling the drug epidemic. The US will no longer sit idly by as our citizens become victims to the scourge of this drug epidemic, caused mainly by drug cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China, he said. Too much death and hardship! Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of US families. We also spoke about many other important topics like energy, trade, and the Arctic. All are vital issues that I will be addressing on my first days back in office, and before, Trump said. According to The New York Times newspaper, the dinner meeting between the two leaders on Friday included senior Canadian officials and Trump's close aides. Prominent among them were North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Trump's nominee for interior secretary; Howard Lutnick, his pick for commerce secretary; and Mike Waltz, his choice for national security adviser. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) In 2024, Poland detected twice as many cyberattacks as in 2023, and three times as many as in 2022. Most of them were coming from Russia. ADVERTISIMENT This was stated by Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland. He made this statement at the opening of the Digital Skills Summit conference in Gliwice on Friday, November 29, tvn24.pl reports. According to the official, Russia's attacks are straightforward, as the Russians are trying to find vulnerabilities in Polish infrastructure. "A significant part of them is clearly directed at Poland from Russia. Russia no longer hides that it is in a state of cyberwar with Poland. They attack and do it deliberately. They know where our weaknesses are," the minister said. He also emphasized the need for digital legislation within the European Union but warned that such rules should not lead to overregulation. The journalists noted that cybersecurity of Polish local governments is of great concern. In response, the Ministry of Digital Affairs, in cooperation with the state research institute NASK, launched the Cyber Secure Local Government program. As reported, earlier, Russia threatened the world with a strike on the American air defense base located in northern Poland. The Kremlin noted that this facility has already been "included in the list" of priority targets for the Russian military. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber . Do not fall for fakes! Surat, November 30: Three girls died from suspected gas poisoning after inhaling plumes from a bonfire caused by burning garbage in an open field in Surat industrial area, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred when the victims Durga Mahanto (12), Amita Mahanto (14), and Anita Mahanto (8) were warming themselves around the bonfire along with another girl on Friday evening. According to police, the group had gathered around the fire, which was made from burning garbage in the area. Sikar Shocker: 3 Manual Scavengers Die After Inhaling Toxic Gas While Cleaning Sewage Tanks in Rajasthan. "While they were warming themselves, the girls started vomiting and fell unconscious. They were rushed to a hospital where three of them died," said Sachin GIDC-1 police inspector J.R.Chaudhari. A survivor girl told police that the three others died from suspected gas poisoning, he said. "The exact cause of the death will, however, be known after a postmortem report is prepared and forensic examination conducted. Prima facie, the inhalation of a poisonous gas seems to be the cause," the police officer said. Madhya Pradesh: 2 Labourers Die After Inhaling Toxic Gas Inside Well in Anuppur District. Surat Civil Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr Ketan Naik said the girls might have burned something that emanated toxic plumes and fallen ill. "Things will become clear after postmortem and forensic investigation," he added. Donald Trump Says He Ordered Washington DC Clean Up To Keep PM Narendra Modi From Seeing Tents and Graffiti Starlinks Satellite Broadband Services Unlikely To Pose Major Threat to Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel in India: Report Bumber Thakur Shot at in Bilaspur: Himachal Pradesh Ex- Congress MLA Says Drug Traffickers Shot at Him, Local Leaders Involved Robinhood: Striking First Look of David Warner From His Tollywood Debut Featuring Nithiin and Sreeleela Unveiled! (See Pic) DEAR MISS MANNERS: In conversation with an acquaintance, I mentioned the early arrival times required at airports, and said that I enjoy using that time to relax and people-watch. Her response was a horrible, derogatory comment about watching ugly fat people. She added that all they have to do is eat less. I was shocked, not knowing how to respond. After several seconds, I simply said Ouch! and changed the subject. But I realized I dont know how to respond to prejudicial comments. I believe silence suggests you agree, and I dont want to suggest I agree with hateful, ignorant statements. GENTLE READER: In this case, you might have said, Oh! Surely you dont think Im that mean-spirited! and changed the subject. The equivalent: I do not share your sentiment is a handy all-purpose disclaimer for offensive or prejudiced statements. But Miss Manners further suggests that you find a better quality of acquaintances. *** DEAR MISS MANNERS: I sent a compliment to the corporate office of a local restaurant about a specific employee. This employee thanked me and said to ask for her next time I came in, so she could give me a free meal. I do not want her to think I paid her a compliment to get something for free, but should I take the offer anyway? GENTLE READER: If it makes you feel better, you may tell her what you told Miss Manners. But accept the free meal graciously -- and appreciate the rare exchange of two well-meaning humans being kind to each other. Just do not ruin the good feelings by forgetting to tip. (Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.) Bangor is increasing fines to rental unit owners for disruptive behavior by their renters. Bangor Borough Council voted unanimously Monday, Nov. 25, to adopt an ordinance that updates the boroughs residential rental unit and landlord registration ordinance. Under the new ordinance, any landlord or owner of a residential unit that is cited for disruptive conduct will be fined $1,000 for the first violation, $1,500 for the second violation and $2,000 for the third violation. The previous ordinance capped violations at $1,000. Violations to landlords can result from disruptive behavior by the occupants and visitors to the property. The new ordinance also requires landlords to file updated occupant listings by March 31 and Oct. 31 of each year, in addition to the annual rental registration that needs to be completed by June 30. In recent years, many formerly private homes have been turned into residential rental units, the ordinance says. Those rental units have oftentimes been rented to individuals who because they have no ownership interest in the property, have allowed the properties to deteriorate. Disruptive conduct is defined in the ordinance as behavior by any occupant or visitor of a residential rental unit that is loud, untimely, offensive, riotous, or that otherwise disturbs other persons of reasonable sensibility in their peaceful enjoyment of their premises, or cause damage to their premises. To be cited, a police officer needs to fill out a disruptive conduct report and submit it to the borough. The behavior does not need to rise to the level of a criminal offense nor require a criminal charge to be filed to be considered a disruptive conduct violation. Violations can be appealed before a disruptive conduct appeals board. After a third violation, the owner or responsible agent of the property must begin eviction proceedings against the occupants. Failure to take such action will result in the immediate revocation of the propertys rental registration. The disruptive occupants, upon eviction, shall not reoccupy any residential rental unit in the borough for at least five years from the date of eviction. Borough manager Stephen Reider said there were no specific incidents that prompted the updated ordinance. The ordinance had not been updated since 2015, he said. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. John Best is a freelance contributor to lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The Netflix hit series Wednesday is coming back for Season 2. The hit show, directed by iconic filmmaker Tim Burton, is gaining significant buzz as fans have been waiting for a second season. The first season, which premiered Nov. 23, 2022, was a massive success, earning four Emmy awards and is one of Netflixs biggest hit streaming series. Production for Wednesday Season 2 began in May 2024 and is expected to wrap up this month, according to The Economic Times. Heres what else you need to know about Wednesday Season 2. What is Wednesday Season 2 about? The second season of Wednesday will continue to follow Wednesday Addams, the only teenage daughter of the Addams Family, as she attends Nevermore Academy and the supernatural mysteries she encounters as a student. Fans will find out what happens to Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan), Wednesdays love interest and the Hyde monster terrorizing the town of Jericho controlled by Laurel Gates (Christina Ricci), who was previously believed to be dead. She was originally going by her alias Marilyn Thornhill, Nevermores botany science teacher, to conceal her true villainous plan to resurrect her familys ancestor and Pilgrim leader, Joseph Crackstone, to eliminate all outcasts. Theyll also find out if Gates is actually dead after Wednesday foiled her plans and beat her in an epic boss fight. If youre looking for a more in-depth recap, you can watch this video here: When is Wednesday Season 2 coming out? Fans waiting for the series to return will have to wait a few more months. Wednesday Season 2 is predicted to debut in September 2025. However, Netflix has not yet announced an exact premiere date, according to The Economic Times. Who is in the cast of Wednesday Season 2? Jenna Ortega will reprise her role as the main character, Wednesday Addams. Several cast members will return to reprise their roles, as well. But there are also many exciting new cast members, including one from the Addams Family universe making a major comeback. Here are the other cast members in Wednesday Season 2: Returning Wednesday cast members Emma Myers (Enid Sinclair) Joy Sunday (Bianca Barclay) Moosa Mostafa (Eugene) Georgie Farmer (Ajax) Victor Dorobantu (Thing) Catherine Zeta-Jones (Morticia Addams) Luis Guzman (Gomez Addams) Isaac Ordonez (Pugsley Addams) Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Deputy Ritchie Santiago) Jamie McShane (Sheriff Donovan Galpin) Fred Armisen (Uncle Fester) Hunter Doohan (Tyler Galpin) New Wednesday cast members Christopher Lloyd (guest star, previously Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values from the 1990s) Joanna Lumley (Grandmama) Billie Piper (Capri) Thandiwe Newton (Dr. Fairburn) Steve Buscemi (Barry Dort) Evie Templeton (series regular) Owen Painter (series regular) Noah Taylor (series regular) Lady Gaga (guest star) Haley Joel Osment (guest star) Heather Matarazzo (guest star) Frances OConnor (guest star) Joonas Suotamo (guest star) Click here to see a trailer featuring some of the new members of the cast. Where is Wednesday Season 2 being filmed? Wednesday Season 2 is being filmed on location in Ireland, according to Netflixs Tudum. The first season was entirely filmed in Romania due to its gothic and medieval architecture that helps give the show its creepy and vintage vibe, according to Screen Rant. However, due to logistical challenges the crew faced during filming Netflix decided to move production to Ireland, according to MovieWeb. Where can I watch Wednesday Season 2? You can watch Wednesday Season 2 exclusively on Netflix. Season 1 is still available to watch so you can catch up on all the spooky and kooky action before Season 2 premieres next year. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. Laois Green Party candidate Rosie Palmer has reflected on her campaign, describing it as a 'difficult sell' to be a Green Party candidate in rural Ireland. The candidate spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live at the count centre in Scoil Chriost Ri, Portlaoise. Ms Palmer thanked those for their help throughout her campaign, and has asserted that she will 'remain positive'. "The campaign has been brilliant, it has been very fun and exciting, all culminating into today," she said. There has been a lot of positivity which has been nice. "I am delighted to have been able to give people in Laois the option to vote Green, and to vote liberal left. I am polling at around 2.1%, which to me is quite good," Ms Palmer explained. I am delighted with that. Being a green is a difficult sell in rural Ireland. It is important to me to give people the option to vote Green, and vote left when they can." The candidate has said she is feeling 'very positive' at the minute, an attribute she alleges is important to maintain in a political campaign. The whole process in politics can really take the best out of you, I think the most important thing is to keep the head up and keep yourself positive, she said. Keep pushing for change, thats whats most important, Ms Palmer finished. Being a Green is a difficult sell in rural Ireland, says Laois Green Party candidate Rosie Palmer. The candidate has said that she is keeping the head up and staying positive. Keep an eye on our live blog for updates.#GeneralElection2024 #laoiselection pic.twitter.com/SOcYCbIxww Leinster Express / Laois Live (@LaoisNews) November 30, 2024 Ms Palmer has successfully secured 2% of votes in Laois, while her party are currently fighting an uphill battle. The latest tallies show that the Greens have done poorly, achieving only 6% of votes nationally. The party currently has 12 TDs in Dail Eireann, with most TDs now at risk of losing their seats. Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman has called these results 'disappointing', and that his party have 'not had a good day'. "Undoubtedly, it's a disappointing result for our party today," Mr O'Gorman said. "We got a mandate in 2020 and that was a mandate to go into government, to act on climate, to support families and children all over the country, and we did that." The First Encyclopedia of Tlon speaks of all that is known about Tlon, its geography, customs, gastronomy, mindset. The citizens of Tlon, the book tells us, are more interested in psychology than philosophy and rather than moving in the pursuit of Truth, they move in pursuit of Amazement. In some of the languages of Tlon there are only verbs, no nouns. In Tlon, there are live transparent tigers and towers of blood. But perhaps the most notorious fact is that in Tlon, a radical idealist philosophy reigns. Ideas and language hold more weight than reality itself. In fact, its residents dont subscribe to the existence of the objective present nor reality. If someone forgets something, that something ceases to exist. Following this reasoning, the legendary encyclopedia has recently returned to existence within our tangible reality. Tlon is a fictitious planet, created by a 15th century secret society named Orbius Tertius, led by a dark man of genius, which guided the writing of the encyclopedia of the made-up world. A game that wound up becoming a monumental project, carried forward by different generations, that has covered more and more territory. The very idea of Tlon begins to take over terrestrial reality: The world will be Tlon. We also know that, like a set of Russian nesting dolls, the idea of Orbius Tertius as the creator of Tlon was born from a story by Jorge Luis Borges. Tlon, Uqbar, Orbius Tertius, which was included in Borgess collection Fictions (1944) after being published by a literary journal. I owe the discovery of Uqbar to the conjunction of a mirror and an encyclopedia, begins the Argentinian writer. In the tale, Borges finds a reference in a tome to the country of Uqbar, a nation that not only cannot be found in any other book, almost as if it did not exist, or that it only existed within that singular volume. One of the heretical leaders of Tlon comments that, mirrors and copulation are abominable, since they increase the number of men. With time, the author and his inseparable friend and partner in obsession Adolfo Bioy Casares discover, through their found volume of the First Encyclopedia of Tlon, that Uqbar is a country on the planet of Tlon, a world that was invented by the aforementioned secret society of intellectuals and philosophers. Now I held in my hands a vast methodical fragment of an unknown planets entire history, with its architecture and its playing cards, with the dread of its mythologies and the murmur of its languages, with its emperors and its seas, with its minerals and its birds and its fish, with its algebra and its fire, with its theological and metaphysical controversy. And all of it articulated, coherent, with no visible doctrinal intent or tone of parody, writes Borges, in a most Borgian manner. Volume XI of the 'Encyclopedia of Tlon' in its original Spanish, published by Paginas de Espuma. Paginas de Espuma Fiction invents all things, and it also invents books, observes Juan Casamayor, publisher at Paginas de Espuma. This celebrated tale reflects on the intricate loops that bind reality and fiction, and, in the case of the fictional encyclopedia it features, explores how books can shape reality. In an era dominated by fake news, we are acutely aware of how various forms of information can influence perceptions of truth. Reality and fiction blur further with Paginas de Espumas ambitious project, spearheaded by Mexican writer Jorge Volpi: the Primera Enciclopedia de Tlon (in English, the First Encyclopedia of Tlon). This work, inspired by Borges, imagines itself as Volume XI of the fictional encyclopedia mentioned in his story, now materialized in our tangible world. Much like Lovecrafts Necronomicon or Chambers The King in Yellow, a fictional book steps out of its literary origins and becomes part of our reality. This book can be read in three ways. Literally, as a facsimile of the first known copy of the Encyclopedia of Tlon. Metaphorically, as the product of a secret and benevolent society created with the purpose of inventing a country. Or fantastically, like an anthology of short story writers under 40, one from each Spanish-speaking country, says Volpi. In the original story, the volume is referred to as A First Encyclopaedia of Tlon. Vol. XI. Hlaer to Jangr this is the book Borges discovers and which has now been meticulously reproduced exactly as it is physically described in the fiction. This replication was carried out with exceptional care and precision, though it falls short of the claimed 1,001 pages yet the pagination, as if by some magic, still suggests otherwise. The idea for the project was proposed by Jorge Volpi to Juan Casamayor, who assigned Paul Viejo to handle the editorial process. In a playful homage, the contributors are credited in the volume under pseudonyms: George Foxes, Paul Oldman, and John Manor House. Jorge Volpi, a Mexican writer who lives in Madrid, directed the creation of the Encyclopedia of Tlon. Isabel Wagemann (Paginas de Espuma) The idea fit perfectly because we are turning 25 years old and this could be a flagship book for a publishing house dedicated to short stories, that got its start being very much dedicated to anthologies. The book of all books created by the short-story writer of all short-story writers, Borges, says Casamayor. Even so, at the beginning I didnt believe we would be able to do it, because it required very complex reproduction work. To create this so-called real version of the volume, they enlisted the help of 20 short-story writers under the age of 40, each hailing from a different Spanish-speaking country. Some were already well-known, while others were discovered through a systematic search. Among them were Spains Irene Reyes-Noguerol, Chiles Paulina Flores, Argentinas Marina Closs, and Guatemalas Rodrigo Fuentes. These writers were given complete creative freedom to craft an encyclopedia entry on a Tlonian subject, drawing inspiration from Borges original story. An encyclopedia, by its very nature, is already an anthology; it doesnt encompass all of reality, but selects certain things while omitting others, reflects Viejo. To create it, we carefully studied both the content and the form, he adds. Indeed, the volume meticulously recreates the appearance of the book as described by the Argentine master, paying close attention to every detail. It has the vintage look of an Encyclopedia Britannica (which Borges studied with great intensity), with stained pages, tightly packed text (almost impossible to read for pleasure, says Viejo), illustrations, and even lost objects tucked inside such as a postcard and a receipt from the American Books bookstore on Calle Corriente 455 in Buenos Aires, a place Borges often visited. Among the fictitious books listed on the receipt are fictitious works by Milton, Joseph Conrad, and Thomas Carlyle writers cherished by Borges. Perhaps this edition of the so-very fictitious book is a first incursion of Tlon into our reality. Perhaps soon, the world will be Tlon. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Green Party has suffered a major defeat in the new Laois and Offaly General Election constituencies with the early elimination of both its candidates in the two counties despite having a minister representing the counties in the outgoing Government. The biggest casualty is Pippa Hackett in Offaly. The outgoing Minister of State and Senator contested the Laois Offaly Constituency in the 2020 General Election when she secured 3,494 number-one votes or 5% of the total vote. While not elected to the Dail, the Geashill farmer won Senate seat. She was then appointed as a super junior Minister which would see her sit at Cabinet with the Taoiseach, Tainaiste every week for the last five years. A close ally of former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, Ms Hackett contested the Green leadership election after Mr Ryan stepped down. She came closed to becoming leader. However, this high standing has meant little to voters in Offaly where she decided to stand after Laois and Offaly were split for the 2024 General Election. Ms Hackett was eliminated after the second count in Offaly after securing just 925 first preference votes. Her counterpart in the new Laois constituency was her parliamentary assistant Rosie Palmer. The former local election candidate polled 747 number one votes but lasted longer in the Laois count. She was eliminated on the fourth count with a total of 788 votes. The latest homeless figures for Laois have been released by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The figures cover those in emergency accommodation and those sleeping rough for October 2024. There are currently 67 children homeless in the Midlands, with 32 adults in emergency accommodation in Laois. 41 families are homeless across the Midlands. This is nearly a substantial increase from August figures, which saw 24 homeless people in Laois, and 33 homeless families in the Midlands. Figures for the Midland's region cover Laois, Westmeath, Offaly and Longford. There are 10,321 homeless people in emergency accommodation across Ireland, with 173 homeless adults in the Midlands. There are 41 homeless families in the Midlands, with 35 of these families made up of single parents with dependent children. Currently, the Midlands have 173 adults in emergency accommodation. 126 of these individuals are single adults, with 96 men and 77 women currently homeless. By age, there are 24 homeless people aged 18 to 24 in the Midlands. There are 89 people homeless in the Midlands between the ages of 25 to 44. There are 56 homeless people aged 45 to 64, and four homeless people over the age of 65 within the Midlands. By citizenship, 131 of these adults are Irish, with 30 EEA/UK citizens homeless. There are 12 non-EEA citizens in emergency accommodation. On a national level, 5,399 of those in emergency accommodation are Irish (52%), with 2,264 from EEA/UK countries (22%) and 2,264 from Non-EEA countries accounting for 26% of those in emergency accommodation. There were 32 people accessing emergency accommodation in Laois this past October. A national total of 862 adults exited emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy being created, with a further 1,247 prevented from entering emergency accommodation in the first instance. This represents an increase of 22.6% on the number of exits and an increase of 41.4% on the number of preventions achieved in Q3 2023. There were four tenancies created within the Midlands in Q3 of 2024, with 49 individuals currently in a tenancy. Since 2022, only 32 tenancies have been created in the Midland's, which is one of the lowest figures compared to other counties. 133 homeless people within the midland's are staying in Private Emergency Accommodation (PEA) which include hotels, B&Bs and other emergency residential facilities. Meanwhile, there are 40 people in the Midland's housed in Temporary Emergency Accommodation (TEA), which is emergency accommodation with no (or minimal) support. Portlaoise Action to Homelessness (PATH) have recently appealed for ground mats, tents, tarps and clean sleeping bags and warm clothing to donate to the homeless community in the face of freezing temperatures. In October, another Midland's based homeless charity expanded to cover homeless people in Laois. The Good Shepherd Centre Kilkenny (GSCK) now provides a Regional Support Service to Laois' homeless community. Met Eireann is predicting a new downturn in temperatures as Ireland braces for another cold spell of weather next week. In their latest outlook, Met Eireann forecasters said it looks like "turning cooler next week, especially by night under clear skies. "Our weather will turn more mixed with drier brighter conditions as well as spells of rain at times," they added. In their forecast for Saturday night, they said: "Outbreaks of rain, heavy at times in the southeast, will gradually clear into the Irish Sea tonight with scattered showers and clear spells following from the west. Moderate to fresh and gusty southwest winds, strong at first in the west and north, will ease through the night. Lowest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees. "Sunny spells tomorrow [Sunday] with scattered showers moving eastwards across the country, some turning heavy at times. Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees, with light to moderate southwest to west winds, freshening northwesterly in Atlantic coastal areas during the evening. READ NEXT: Tommy Tiernan's RTE Late Late chat causes website to crash as viewers react to comments "Clear spells and scattered showers on Sunday night. Feeling cooler with lowest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees in a moderate to fresh northwesterly wind," the forecast continues. Looking to next week, Met Eireann says it will be "mostly dry with long spells of sunshine and just isolated showers [on Monday]. Cloud will build from the northwest by evening. Moderate northwest winds easing light in the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees. "Starting off dry [on Monday night] with clear spells before outbreaks of rain arrive into the west and southwest by midnight extending across the country through the night. Lowest temperatures of -1 to 4 degrees, coldest in the east. Light southeasterly winds will increase moderate with the arrival of the rain." For Tuesday, they add: "A wet start as outbreaks of rain will spread eastwards through the morning, clearing the west by afternoon with sunny spells and isolated showers following. Highest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees, with moderate southeasterly winds veering northwesterly as the rain clears. "Clear spells and scattered showers at first [on Tuesday night]. Becoming mainly dry as showers become isolated through the night. Another cold night with lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees in light westerly winds. "A mainly dry day [on Wednesday] with hazy spells of sunshine before rain arrives into the west later in the afternoon, spreading into much of Connacht and Munster by the evening. Highest temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees in moderate to fresh southerly winds." As we rush headlong into the festive season, the KWWSPCA are inviting you to take time out on Saturday 7 December at the Whitewater Centre in Newbridge to partake in some festive cheer. The newly established Choir for Paws and Claws will be performing inside the centre. The choir, which was set up by volunteer Elaine Reville, is made up of KWWSPCA volunteers from all sections of the charity. The MC on the day is Robbie Fallon and the choir is musically supported by Pete Kavanagh and Rodney Lakes. Children from Enquiring Minds Childcare will be opening the event with renditions of popular Christmas songs. There will also be performers on the day as well including the Portarlington Comhaltas Musicians and Irish Dancers. The choir will be debuting their original Christmas song Help Save A Life. It was written by volunteer Deirdre Tracey and performed and arranged by volunteer Pam Kavanagh and her husband Pete. Sound engineer Paul (Rubber) Keogh generously donated his time and recording costs for the KWWSPCA. The cover artwork is by volunteer Lisa of Art Defrosted. The message of the song identifies with the true meaning of Christmas to bring love, hope and joy to others. The song is available to purchase online, all proceeds go directly to the charity. It can be downloaded at kwwspca.bandcamp.com. In true KWWSPCA tradition everyone involved has volunteered their time and talents. There will be raffle prizes on the day and an opportunity to purchase gift cards, where you donate an amount that suits you and gift that on behalf of a friend or family member. If you are struggling with ideas of what to buy a loved one, what better gift than a donation on their behalf to help save a life? The KWWSPCA would like to thank Whitewater for hosting this event and for their support throughout the year. Voting in the Irish General Election continued into Friday evening after a quick campaign that focused on the countrys most pressing issues. Turnout tipped across 40% in some areas by 6pm amid fears that harsh winds and heavy rain may deter some voters. The leaders of all the main political parties cast their votes, except for the head of the Social Democrats Holly Cairns who gave birth to a baby girl on polling day. The Cork South-West candidate posted a picture of her cradling her daughter on Instagram with the caption: Shes here. Current Taoiseach Simon Harris said he expects a fascinating couple of days after he submitted his ballot minutes after polling stations opened. Speaking after voting on Friday, Mr Harris said that the make-up and stability of the next government could be decided by where transfer votes go a key part of Irelands complex electoral system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV). The Fine Gael leader arrived at the polling station in Co Wicklow just before 7.30am with his wife Caoimhe and their children, Saoirse, five, and Cillian, three. Im feeling really hopeful, hopeful in terms of the election, but hopeful for the future of our country, he said. Irelands three main parties Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the largest opposition party Sinn Fein were considered to be near neck-and-neck rivals coming into polling day, with turnout expected to be another crucial factor. Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin urged people to brave the wet and windy weather to attend their local polling station: I encourage people to vote its a key part of our democracy. After voting in the suburbs of Cork city with his wife Mary, his daughter Aoibhe, and his sons Micheal Aodh and Cillian, the Fianna Fail leader and Tanaiste said his party had run a positive campaign in a close-fought race as he argued for the formation of a coherent, stable government. Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of the largest opposition party, said it was decision day after she voted in Cabra, Dublin. She said it was a particularly significant election for younger people as she urged people to vote. I just want to encourage everybody to come out and make their mark on what can be, in my belief, a really significant, in fact, a historic day where we can elect a new government for change, she said. Irish president Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina cast their votes at their local polling station in the Phoenix Park as the leaders of smaller parties also came out early to vote. Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Green leader Roderic OGorman, People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett, and Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan were among those who voted in Co Dublin. Meanwhile, Independent Ireland founder Michael Collins voted in Co Cork and Aontu leader Peadar Toibin cast his vote in Navan. The polls opened at 7am and will close at 10pm, with a total of 174 seats in the countrys parliament to be filled more than ever before. More than three million registered voters will pick their representatives across 43 constituencies, in a campaign that has focused on the countrys housing crisis, the response to a dramatic increase in immigration, and economic management for the cost of living as well as potential future trade shocks. After the 2020 general election delivered an inconclusive result, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Irelands Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power. Sinn Fein won the popular vote in 2020 but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government. An exit poll at 10pm will provide the first sense of what Irelands next government may look like. The arithmetic to form a majority could prove tricky though, with the countrys several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockeying for a place in government. It will end a lacklustre three-week campaign that seemed to fail to ignite a surge of enthusiasm among the public, after the election was officially called by Mr Harris on November 8. That decision was ultimately his prerogative, and occurred while Fine Gael was enjoying a lift in the polls after he took over as leader from Leo Varadkar earlier this year. It also came at a time when Sinn Fein was beset by a string of controversies in the preceding weeks including former party members writing job references for a colleague who was later convicted of child sex crimes. But opinions polls suggested that the parties fortunes may have since shifted. One key flashpoint in the campaign arose out of Donald Trumps presidential election victory in the US, which brought heightened concern around what his proposals for corporation tax and tariffs could mean for Ireland. As such, the scale of Sinn Feins spending proposals have been dubbed as irresponsible by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, who have argued that Ireland needs to prepare for potential trade shocks with more prudent financial management. But the campaigning tactic has been derided as project fear and desperate scaremongering by critics. At the same time, a Sinn Fein pledge to instigate an independent review into Irish national broadcaster RTEs coverage of Gaza and other international conflicts was met with criticism by the partys opponents, and the National Union of Journalists. Meanwhile, Fine Gaels campaign has been plagued with several controversies which the Taoiseach has been unable to shake. These include a much-criticised encounter in which Mr Harris was accused of dismissing the concerns of a disability care worker at a supermarket, a video of another party candidate involved in a fight outside a pub, and an endorsement of a Fine Gael minister by Ryanair boss Michael OLeary that suggested teachers should not run the country. The party of Mr Martin a former teacher also faced criticism over its proposals to decriminalise cannabis for personal use. Fianna Fails approach to drug use formed part of a wider row on handling the justice portfolio, which has come into sharp relief in the context of 2023s Dublin riots and a perception that the capital is unsafe. Some party figures were accused of sexism over their criticism of Justice Minister Helen McEntee, Fine Gaels deputy leader. After the 2020 election, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail relied on the Green Party as a junior partner to secure the coalitions majority. Mr OGorman said it looks likely his government partners will be returned to power, but cautioned they could seek an easier life over the next five years. He said this could result in right-wing independents or small populist parties padding out the numbers. The final results will immediately kick-start government formation speculation amid the possibility that more than three parties will be needed to get over the line. The protracted process of counting ballots by hand will begin on Saturday. As Ireland uses a system of proportional representation where candidates are ranked by preference, the voting slips need to be counted several times an undertaking which can last days. Global Times: Exploring China's treasure trove of ethnic cultures BEIJING, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ancient artifacts, silent carriers of a country's memories and national spirit, can offer valuable insights into the appreciation of culture. Every year, more than a billion visits were made to museums across China. Beyond the comprehensive museums, the specialized, dedicated museums also offer insights into cities, societies and the population. The Global Times cultural desk presents you this "Museum Wonders" series designed to showcase how these cultural gems illustrate the essence of Chinese civilization and promote its great wisdom. In the heart of Beijing, there is a museum like no other, a treasure trove that boasts numerous artifacts and ancient texts reflecting China's rich culture of ethnic. It is the Cultural Palace of Nationalities, an institution boasting one of the largest and most diverse collections of ethnic minority artifacts, ancient texts, and artworks. From ancient tools to household items, colorful garments, musical instruments, and religious objects, the museum presents a vivid portrait of China's multi-ethnic community. "The Cultural Palace of Nationalities' extensive collections of artifacts clearly illustrate the long history of interaction, exchange, and integration among China's ethnic groups," Cui Dezhi, deputy curator of the museum told the Global Times. "They are powerful evidence of the nation's unity in diversity and the development of a cohesive Chinese nation," he added. Mutual learning The Cultural Palace of Nationalities houses about 50,000 ethnic minority artifacts, more than 200,000 ancient books in ethnic minority languages, and over 4,600 artworks by renowned painters and ethnic minority artists. The collection includes many unique and unparalleled items, including rare manuscripts and prints in various ethnic scripts, as well as ancient treasures such as palm-leaf and bodhi-leaf manuscripts that are rarely seen in China or abroad. Among the museum's prized collections that witness the historical process of the unity of the Chinese nation are artifacts like seals and certificates granted by central governments to regional ethnic officials. One of the rarest pieces is a manuscript of the Yi ethnic group, chronicling the story of Lady Shexiang, a chieftain who played a crucial role in preserving national unity. "The collections not only showcase the unique artistic styles and cultural characteristics of China's ethnic groups but also reflect the inclusive nature of Chinese culture," noted Cui. Take the Cultural Palace of Nationalities' musical instrument collection for example. The large number of musical instruments belong to different ethnic groups, come in diverse shapes and produce a wide range of tones, yet all reflecting the exchanges and mutual learning among China's ethnic groups. Similarly, the museum's clothing collection features vibrant costumes adorned with intricate embroidery and colorful patterns, showing how different ethnicities influenced one another's designs, revealing a shared cultural evolution. Revitalizing heritage According to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, in 2023 China's museums set a new record with 1.29 billion visits. On social media, a growing trend has emerged, with the younger generations flocking to museums to appreciate the exhibits, take photos, and purchase souvenirs. "The rise in museum visits nationwide has had a positive impact on our museum's development. It has encouraged more people to visit cultural exhibitions, significantly increasing public awareness of national heritage, and deepening the understanding of China's rich history, thereby boosting national cultural confidence," Cui said. According to Cui, the growing number of visitors has led to higher expectations for the museum to improve its planning, display design, and visitor services to better meet the evolving cultural needs of the public. The museum has curated a variety of high-quality and distinctive exhibitions, such as one of its most talked-about exhibitions ?? "Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation." With innovative exhibitions and cutting-edge technologies, the museum is breathing new life into its collections. For example, to enhance visitor engagement, the museum employs interactive multimedia elements. In the "Unified Nation" hall, the "Petal Wall of Ancient Texts" combines visual artistry with cultural insight: Each petal conceals a miniature book box containing a replica of ancient texts. When visitors press a petal, a book will emerge, allowing for a sensory experience of history. "Through simple interactive actions, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the artifacts and ancient texts, enhancing their comprehension and appreciation of the exhibition's theme," Cui remarked. Since its establishment 65 years ago, the Cultural Palace of Nationalities has hosted more than 1,700 exhibitions at home and abroad. including displays highlighting the work and achievements of ethnic groups. The museum also plays a crucial role in cultural exchanges. International exhibitions in countries like Japan, the US, France, and South Korea have showcased traditional art of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, ethnic costumes, and other treasures, offering global audiences a glimpse of China's cultural richness. "By showcasing the unique charm of China's outstanding traditional heritage, they enhance international cultural exchange and understanding, playing an important role in promoting Chinese culture," Cui said. SOURCE Global Times 30 november 2024 at 02:43 News published onand distributed by: National Press Club: Family Statement On Verdict in Case of Chinese Journalist Dong Yuyu WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club is releasing the following statement from the family of journalist Dong Yuyu. Family Statement on Dong Yuyu's Verdict and Sentencing 29 November 2024 (Issued by the Dong Family) Today's verdict is a grave injustice not only to Yuyu and his family but also to every freethinking Chinese journalist and every ordinary Chinese committed to friendly engagement with the world. Sentencing Yuyu to seven years in prison on no evidence declares to the world the bankruptcy of the justice system in China. The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court convicted Yuyu of espionage, a crime that requires that the prosecution prove that the defendant knowingly acted on behalf of "espionage organizations" and their agents. According to the judgment, which was read in court but not shared with Yuyu's lawyers or family, the Japanese diplomats he met with, including then-ambassador Hideo Tarumi and current Shanghai-based chief diplomat Masaru Okada, were specifically named as agents of an "espionage organization," which is the Japanese embassy in Beijing. We are shocked that the Chinese authorities would blatantly deem a foreign embassy as an "espionage organization" and accuse the former Japanese ambassador and his fellow diplomats of being spies. Given this reasoning by the court, we simply want to ask on behalf of all Chinese people: Didn't the Chinese authorities have to approve of the ambassadorship of Mr. Tarumi? Why did China not expel all Japanese diplomats, including Mr. Tarumi and everyone else named in the judgment, in 2022 for spying on our country? With Yuyu's conviction, every Chinese citizen, when dealing with the Japanese embassy?or perhaps any other foreign embassy and diplomat?will be expected to know that the Chinese government may consider those embassies to be "espionage organizations." Chinese citizens should also know that foreign diplomats are potentially agents of "espionage organizations" under the meaning of Chinese law. Every sensible Chinese citizen should be appalled by this reasoning. So should every foreigner who wishes to meaningfully engage with China and its people. Yuyu has known numerous Japanese and American journalists, scholars, and diplomats for more than two decades. He is always transparent about his exchanges with foreign contacts and has long served as a bridge of understanding between China and the China-based diplomatic and journalistic communities from Japan and the United States. Yuyu is being persecuted for the independence he has demonstrated during a lifetime spent as a journalist. Even before his detention, Yuyu had faced tremendous pressure numerous times for the words he published, and we believe the charges against him were an excuse for inflicting more pain and punishment. Yuyu is also being targeted for his principled engagement with the outside world. His fellowships at Japanese and American universities, including the prestigious Nieman Fellowship at Harvard, were under intense scrutiny by Chinese authorities. These authorities suggested that foreign governments were paying Yuyu for his service by awarding him these fellowships. Chinese Internet trolls pointed to the Nieman fellowship as evidence that Yuyu was an American spy. Some even provided a list of all previous Nieman Fellows from China and called on the authorities to arrest them all. These charges are patently absurd. But the accusations, along with today's outrageous verdict, put tens of thousands of Chinese scholars and professionals who have been on exchanges abroad in danger. Any such fellowship could now be considered by Chinese courts to be a pay-off by a foreign actor. It could be used as evidence of a serious national security crime. Yuyu's yearslong detention has already had a chilling effect on Sino-Japanese ties, and his verdict today could irrevocably damage relations at the highest level. Yuyu's conviction effectively marks the end of "people-to-people diplomacy," a method of engagement the Chinese authorities have always claimed to champion. As last year's open letter by dozens of prominent academics and journalists calling for Yuyu's release asked: "Who would want to come to China to meet Chinese journalists, academics, or diplomats if these meetings could be used as evidence that the Chinese side is committing espionage?" "No one" is the answer the Chinese authorities provided definitively today. To those who have asked and cared about Yuyu in the past several years, we are eternally grateful. Your help and support has been of immeasurable value in this extremely difficult time. Like most of you, we have not been able to see Yuyu in person and have only been able to get updates from his lawyers, Mr. Mo Shaoping and Mr. Shang Baojun, to whom we also owe a debt of gratitude. Through these lawyers, who've visited him once a month, Yuyu has reported that he has been consistently doing 200 pushups and 200 leg raises a day and has maintained his high spirits. He is aware of the tremendous support he has received from throughout the world. He is extremely grateful. Even though today's verdict does nothing to tarnish Yuyu's reputation internationally among those who know the value of his work, the propaganda within China will undoubtedly mislead his own fellow citizens, for whom Yuyu has advocated his entire career. Yuyu will now be known as a traitor in his own country, instead of being recognized as someone who always fought for a better Chinese society. This baseless assault on Yuyu's love for his country is unacceptable, and we will support Yuyu's upcoming appeal of his conviction. Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 or [email protected] SOURCE National Press Club 30 november 2024 at 15:38 News published onand distributed by: Yenifer Lopez is 19 years old. Since 2016, she has lived in San Mateo County, in the heart of Silicon Valley. She migrated from El Salvador with her mother, Yesenia, for the same reason that thousands of people try to reach the United States: to fulfill a dream. But her story is more like a nightmare; and, although today she is a nursing student, she knows that there are wounds that do not heal. View of the coast in San Mateo, California. Liu Guanguan (Getty Images) Crossing the thousands of kilometers that separate El Salvador from the United States was not easy. On the journey, which lasted more than a month, the two were as one, as it had always been. Whether it was in the rain, enduring hunger At one point I even got hypothermia, Yenifer recalls. They were also victims of a kidnapping attempt, but despite every obstacle, they crossed the border into the United States. My mother told me that I was going to meet people I had never met, that I would have a future here, that there would be nothing impossible. What neither of them imagined was that they would not be free of danger in their dream country. Last year, Yesenia was murdered in her home. Her death was added to that of 74 other women who were victims of domestic violence in California. This is the term contemplated by law in the United States to refer to abusive behavior in a relationship used as a form of power and control, and expressed in physical, sexual, emotional, or economic actions or threats. In America, legislation still limits gender-based violence to the domestic area and does not recognize femicide as a distinct form of homicide. Yesenia met her partner shortly after arriving in San Mateo and they had a child in 2017. He was also an immigrant. She wanted to give her children the family she had not been able to build in El Salvador. But the dream faded away. He really liked drinking. He would hit the walls, he would scream, Yenifer recalls. In the Golden State, popularly known as progressive, about 124 women are murdered by their partners every year. It is an area where Latinas, who represent 20% of the population, are a target. According to official data, of the total number of fatal victims in 2023 (381), 74 deaths were directly related to domestic violence, and of these, 41 of the victims were Hispanic; that is, 55%. But that is an issue that is not talked about or rarely mentioned. Unlike other countries on the American continent that have included the criminal figure of femicide or feminicide to give visibility to murders based on gender that directly affect girls, adolescents, adults, elderly women and trans people, in the United States this term does not exist. However, a report by the Violence Policy Center from October 2024 shows that almost nine out of ten women murdered in 2022 died at the hands of men they knew. The relationship of victim to offender differs significantly between male and female victims of homicide. Compared to a man, a woman is far more likely to be killed by her spouse, an intimate acquaintance, or a family member than by a stranger, the document notes. Paradoxically, California saw a 14.2% decrease in homicides among the general population last year. However, murders of women increased. And this is an upward trend. Yesenia was murdered by her partner and father of her second child in July, a couple of days after Yenifers high school graduation. In 2023, San Mateo County, with just over 700,000 inhabitants, recorded five homicides and two suicides related to domestic violence, a classification that includes women and men as victims. This incidence of cases prompted the formation of a joint prevention and care force. One of the first actions by this group, which includes public and civil society bodies, was to meet with community members to understand their perceptions of how the system works. People are frustrated by their experiences with the court and in their search for support, Noelia Corzo, who leads this organization, told EL PAIS. She also denounced that this year the funds allocated to the courts in charge, for example, of issuing restraining orders, were cut, which has weakened the system. Despite the efforts, five deaths have been reported in 2024, a number that includes two children and a nine-month-old unborn child (the victim was pregnant). The judge wants to see the bruises, the broken bones Senator Susan Rubio, who is of Mexican descent, points out the same shortcomings. I grew up as a Latina hearing that what happens at home stays at home, she tells EL PAIS as she recalls her path to the legislature. In 2016, she made her story public. She confessed that her husband, a political figure, had beaten her for years; she went on to become one of the most active voices in trying to eradicate this reality. California Senator Susan Rubio speaks during a press conference. Frazer Harrison We are a very progressive state, but we are very far behind when it comes to these things, emphasizes Rubio, who in 2020 managed to include the concept of coercive control (manipulation) in the California Family Code. This criminal type recognizes isolation, economic violence and communication control as forms of psychological abuse. The judge wants to see the bruises, the broken bones. If they dont see the scars, its not abuse to them. So I changed the law, because coercive control is also violence, she underscores. Yenifer did not know that her mother was being abused until the situation got out of hand. And Yesenia did not trust the authorities, as is the case with many immigrants. Here, Latinas face language barriers and those of us who have been activists know that there is fear of the police, notes the senator. Studies from the 2000s were already pointing out the lack of cultural sensitivity in police responses to Hispanic women in situations of domestic violence, and recommended including immigration factors to better understand their background. In the early hours of July 28, Yesenias partner tried to enter the small apartment where she, their seven-year-old son, and Yenifer were living. My brother was already asleep. At around 11:30 p.m. he started knocking on the door, looking for a fight. My mom told him: If you dont leave, Im going to call the police. So he left, Yenifer recalls. But he later returned. When he saw that the police never arrived, he came back. Yesenia had not made the emergency call. Data from the California Department of Justice indicates that, in 2023, more than half of crimes against women (59%) were committed inside a home. This is what happened to Yesenia. Fernando sneaked in and she saw him but did not understand what was happening. It was dark. Fernando stabbed her five times in the heart and tried to do the same to Yenifer. The last words he said to my mother were: Mija, I told you this was not going to end well, you deserved it, says Yenifer, who survived the attack and is now caring for her brother. More than a year has passed since then. The scars are healing, but the pain is there forever. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition LIMERICK City TD Willie O'Dea has described a polling card error which saw some General Election candidates' names not appear in alphabetical order as a "monumental cock up". The veteran Fianna Fail deputy, first elected to the Dail in 1982, said while he is upset that this happened, he does not think it will impact the outcome of the election on the four-seater. Mr O'Dea is one of the TDs impacted by the order error. Ahead of the first ballot boxes being opened this Saturday morning, deputy returning officer Vincent Murray confirmed the returning officer Rita Considine was aware of the error and had considered it, but is satisfied the count should proceed READ MORE: Returning officer happy for Limerick City count to proceed despite 'error' on ballot paper Mr O'Dea, who is bidding to return to the top of the Limerick City poll also confirmed he would not challenge any result so long as he is elected. Sinn Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan - also impacted - described the alphabetical error as "an absolute shambles", and also homed in on claims that many people voting in the city did not receive their polling cards in time for election day. "A number of issues cropped up in the last week or so. Polling cards were not sent out to people. I know in certain parts of the city, particularly working class areas, no polling card arrived or they arrived on polling day itself. It's absolutely scandalous. A lot of people don't realise they can vote without a polling card. So I imagine if turnout is depressed in some of those areas, it is down to the whoever is in charge of issuing these," he said. Mr Quinlivan, polltopper in 2020, said he does not matter where he finishes in the running order this time. "I don't care if I win by a single vote. I have a running mate (Senator Paul Gavan), I want him to do well. It's why we have two people running here. Topping the poll is not important to me. If you don't get the seats, you don't form a government and that's what we want to do. If I win the last seat by one vote, then it's fine by me," the Sinn Fein man added. Reacting to the exit poll on Friday night which put Sinn Fein ahead of both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael in terms of first preference votes, Mr Quinlivan actually believes his party's vote might even be higher. "We have to be careful. The last exit poll in 2020 had us two points below that. So I think we might be slightly higher than what it says. The response on the doors particularly in the last two weeks was incredibly strong. We seem to be doing well in some of the obxes we weren't epxecting to," he said. "But significantly, the exit poll last night was the lowest poll ever recorded for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Whatever way people voted, they didn't vote for the Government." Fine Gael TD Kieran O'Donnell did not return a request for comment from Limerick Live. But one of his core supporters, Castletroy-based councillor Peter Doyle says he does not think the alphabetical order will make a difference. "I think most people like myself looked at the pictures and picked the candidates off the pictures. I think now there are a lot of pictures on the ballot paper, it won't be that significant," he predicted. "In fairness looking at the tallies this morning, both O'Dea and O'Donnell are flying. They weren't affected by it," the councillor concluded. Before Nirav Modi became the face of bank fraud in India, Sanjay Singal at Bhushan Power and Steel Limited (BPSL) had seemingly perfected the art of turning steel into fool's gold. The sheer numbers in the case filed against him by several investigative agencies are staggering 157 shell companies and 33 banks duped of 47,700 crore in total. The scale of the fraud was such that investigators needed to create special teams just to track and verify the paper trail. The Bhushan empire was launched by Brij Mohan Singal, who started a business selling door hinges and rail track fasteners in the 1970s. It grew with a few smart acquisitions, and by 1993, when Bhushan Steel & Strips (distinct from Bhushan Power & Steel) listed, it had earned a reputation for quality. Also read: Vijay Mallyas short-lived kingdom of pizzas But in 2002 Sanjay Singal, one of his sons, decided to set off on his own, leading to a split and infighting. This continued until 2011 when a family settlement led to a truce, with Brij Mohan and his son Neeraj retaining the legacy business. Sanjay Singhal set up Bhushan Power & Steel (BPSL) and expanded it rapidly. Over the next 15 years he allegedly turned his company into a laboratory of financial deception. Stories of how one man's ambition created a multi-crore hole in India's banking system are still whispered in Delhi's corridors of power. Brazenness behind the numbers The numbers, however, tell only half the story. The other half is the sheer audacity and complexity of Sanjay Singals alleged efforts. By 2015, even as accusations of malfeasance were swirling around the company, his personal wealth was soaring. His net worth was estimated at $1.1 billion in the Forbes list of billionaires that year. He owned properties in many high-end neighbourhoods of Delhi and Mumbai, and a large collection of luxury cars. Well-connected with the well-heeled in Delhi society, his parties, attended by top Bollywood stars, were the talk of the town. By then, BPSL was already one of India's largest steel producers. In 2013, the companys sales were 8,670 crore and net profit was 571 crore. Unnoticed at that stage was another figure net debt which had climbed to 24,810 crore. The company was growing aggressively, setting up steel plants and prospecting for coal in distant Australia. Also read | Vinod Khosla: Silicon Valleys persistent provocateur The funding came primarily from banks. Combined with Bhushan Steels debt of 31,000 crore, this made it one of the most indebted industrial groups in India. By 2014, a crash in steel prices caused profit to collapse to just 62 crore, even as the company was spending more than 1,600 crore a year in interest payments alone. Its stock price went into freefall. By now, alarm bells were going off with banks screaming for repayments and investigative agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) on the case. In 2017, State Bank of India dragged the company to bankruptcy court and soon, worms started to emerge from the can. What a tangled web we weave In court, the agencies showed how BSPL used fake documents to obtain letters of credit, created fake vendor payments, diverted funds to other companies and took loans from multiple banks for the same purpose. At the heart of the alleged fraud were multiple shell companies sharing common addresses, registered across several states with employees and relatives as directors. The companies had no real business operations and were merely used to open multiple accounts in various banks, the agencies said. Money moved through these shell companies, creating a complex web of transactions. Documents later filed in court mentioned round-tripping of funds, over-invoicing of imports, under-invoicing of exports, and manipulation of letters of credit. There was also the obligatory stock-market angle, with the shell companies allegedly used to manipulate the market by creating artificial trading volume and engaging in circular trading to manipulate stock prices. Also read: Multifaceted legacy of advertising genius and theatre pioneer Alyque Padamsee Eventually, the ED arrested Sanjay Singal in 2019. The CBI also filed criminal charges against him, alleging massive bank fraud. BPSL went into insolvency and was acquired by JSW Steel for 19,350 crore in 2021 in one of the largest insolvency resolutions in India. Needless to say, banks took a significant haircut on their loans. The original Bhushan Steel also met a similar fate, with Tata Steel buying the bankrupt company from its committee of creditors in 2018. While Bhushan Steel also faced several charges, the Supreme Court in September ordered the release of Neeraj Singal in a money laundering case filed by the ED over an alleged 46,000-crore bank fraud, on the grounds that procedure was not followed in his arrest. Criminal proceedings against Sanjay Singal are ongoing, but the vast Bushan empire that his father set up lies in ruins. Its rise and fall traces a common pattern in Indian business, that of overreaching expansion funded by aggressive bank borrowing, eventually leading to collapse. When an Israeli bomb killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hizbullah, last week, it did not just decapitate a fearsome militia that has driven some 60,000 Israelis from their homes with frequent rocket attacks. It also dealt a hammer blow to Irans axis of resistance", a constellation of proxy forces that Iran has for decades used to attack both Israel and Western interests in the Middle East. In addition to its current assault on Hizbullah, Israels year-long dismemberment of Hamas in Gaza has vastly diminished Irans capacity to cause trouble if threatened. Those defeats, in turn, may be prompting Iran to fall back on its other main form of deterrence: its nuclear-weapons programme. In recent days, amid Israeli strikes on Hamas, Hizbullah and militants backed by Iran in Yemen, Iranian officials have been insinuating that Israels belligerence may induce Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Others have suggested that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans supreme leader, might rescind an earlier fatwa, or religious edict, ruling out the pursuit of nuclear weapons. The regime has been expanding the number and sophistication of centrifuges it uses to purify uranium. It now has a big stockpile of near-weapons-grade material. It is plausible, though not yet likely, that Mr Khamenei might decide that the only way to protect his regime, which is despised by its own citizens and vulnerable to Israeli attack, would be to seek nuclear weapons. America and Israel have long promised that Iran will not be allowed to build a bomb. Israel, in particular, appears to have detailed intelligence on the progress of Irans nuclear programme. If it were to pick up signs that Iran was crossing a threshold, it might well attack Iranian nuclear sitessomething it came close to doing in 2011. But there is no guarantee that this would succeed. Israeli insiders, in their more candid moments, acknowledge that the chance to set Irans nuclear programme back significantly with air strikes may have passed: the relevant facilities are too deeply buried and nuclear know-how too widely dispersed. Bombing them would set the region ablaze while only delaying the programme by months, some argue. The first question is, what sort of arsenal would Iran seek? Becoming a country with nuclear arms is more of a spectrum than a single point. Such weapons require three things: a core of fissile material, such as enriched uranium; a warhead that can house the material and initiate a chain reaction that ends in an explosion; and a delivery system, such as a bomb or missile, to transport the warhead to a target. Iran might not make all these things at once. It could produce weapons-grade material without a viable warhead, or it could build a warhead without a suitable delivery system. Iran could also build a complete weapon but, like Israel, refrain from announcing that it had done so. The intention behind such opacity is to reap the deterrent benefits of nuclear arms without incurring all the diplomatic costs. Much would depend on how blatant Iran was. It could build a weapon entirely covertly, on the assumption that deterrence would still be established because foreign intelligence agencies would have some idea of what it was up to. It could signal its intentions more clearly by expelling international inspectors, pulling out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and renouncing the fatwa. Or it could conduct a nuclear test, guaranteeing that it had a working device and demonstrating its capability to the world, but also inviting international outrage. Whether Iran crossed the nuclear threshold openly or furtively, it would then have to choose how many bombs to build and how to deploy them. It could, like Israel in the 1960s, build just a handful of devices in the hope that sympathetic powers would come to its aid when it was threatened to avert a nuclear war. Irans problem is that it has no clear patrons: it is not certain that Russia would step in to save the regime. A second option would be to emulate India. That would involve building a larger, though still modest, arsenal, which could survive an enemys first strike, allowing subsequent retaliation. A decade ago many experts and officials thought that the Indian option was Irans likeliest course. It would appeal to Irans leaders, who could maintain close control over the weaponsas they did with chemical weapons in the pastrather than devolving authority to use them to commanders in the field. In recent years, however, Irans calculations may have changed. The military gap with Israel appears to have widened. Worse, the regime is more vulnerable at home, with mounting dissent. It is also becoming bolder militarily, as it showed when it launched missiles at Pakistan in January and Israel in April. An Iran that has decided to build nuclear weapons, perhaps in the aftermath of Mr Khameneis death, is one in which the armed forces are probably more powerful, exacerbating these tendencies. Irans emboldened generals may prefer a third option: the Pakistani model, in which they would build a much larger arsenalhundreds rather than tens of warheadsdesigned to be used first and early in a conflict to ward off even minor conventional military threats. That might require building small nuclear weapons, dispersing them widely to ensure they could be used in a crisis and delegating the authority to use them to commanders in the field. The choice of posture relates to a second question: how would a nuclear capability shape Irans behaviour? In 1981 Kenneth Waltz, a political scientist, published an essay entitled, The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: More May Be Better", which argued that countries tended to become more secure and thus more cautious when armed with nuclear weapons. Its been proven without exception that whoever gets nuclear weapons behaves with caution and moderation," Mr Waltz argued years later, with reference to Iran. In 2007 Jacques Chirac, Frances president at the time, was phlegmatic about the idea of a nuclear Iran. What is dangerous about this situation is not the fact of having a nuclear bomb," he said. Having one or perhaps a second bomb a little later, well, thats not very dangerous." Many others are horrified by these arguments. Scott Sagan, another political scientist, has offered two counter-arguments. One is the risk that nuclear material might be stolen or sold to terrorists, either by rogue members of the regime or with its blessing. The second is that the weapons might serve as a nuclear shield", which would allow Iran to become more aggressive, safe in the knowledge that it could not be attacked in response. That is just what happened with Pakistan, Mr Sagan has argued: the countrys armed forces allowed paramilitary groups and disguised troops to encroach on Indian-controlled territory in 1999, in part because Pakistans acquisition of nuclear weapons the year before had made its top brass more confident. Similarly North Korea, having conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, torpedoed a South Korean ship in 2010. How would these dynamics play out in Iran? It, like Pakistan, has a long history of funding, arming and supporting armed groups to compensate for conventional military weakness and to put pressure on its adversaries, Israel foremost. The regime would not want to share nuclear technology with proxies, as much as some militant groups might like to syphon off some nuclear material via sympathetic members of the Iranian security forces. But it could well decide that the immunity afforded by nukes would allow it to redouble its support for proxy groups and to encourage those groups to intensify pressure on Israel. This issue is not clear-cut, though. Nuclear weapons offer security, but not complete immunity from attack. Argentina invaded the Falkland islands in 1982 despite Britains nuclear capability. Irans own missile strikes on Israel and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states, are proof that nuclear shields have holes. Moreover, Pakistan has tended to host Islamist proxies on its own soiland even then India launched air strikes against them in 2019. Iran has preferred to cultivate foreign groups located far from its borders. So unless Iran extended a nuclear umbrella over Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemenan unlikely prospect, not least because it would require a very large arsenal with sophisticated command and control, capable of surviving multiple rounds of strikesthose groups would still be at the mercy of American and Israeli firepower. That raises the third question: how would others respond to an Iran that had successfully built and deployed nuclear weapons? In the 1960s America contemplated attacking Chinas nascent arsenal. It decided against such a risky operation. Today Israeli intelligence has clearly burrowed deep into Iran and, with America, might believe it could locate and strike a site where warheads were being assembled or stored. That in itself could trigger turmoil inside Iran, Iranian retaliation against American bases and Arab states and a wider regional war, perhaps layered on top of existing ones. In practice, the response might be more muted. Although an Iranian nuclear test would be condemned across the globe and lead to a temporary spike in support for new penalties against Tehran," says Eric Brewer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, an advocacy group, enthusiasm would wane in the subsequent months and years." Iran is already subject to many sanctions; China and Russia would help insulate it from any more that might follow. And if the arsenal could not be eliminated, Irans rivals would turn to deterring its useas America has sought to do in Asia after North Korea acquired nukes in 2006. America would probably extend its nuclear umbrella over Saudi Arabia, other Arab allies and Israel, none of which currently enjoy formal guarantees. That step, which would raise many questionswould America, for instance, deploy tactical nuclear weapons to the Middle East, as it does in Europe?would have two purposes. One would be to persuade Iran that any use of its weapons would risk the destruction of the regime. The other would be to dissuade Americas friends in the region from pursuing nukes of their own. Saudi Arabia has long said that it would respond to the development of an Iranian bomb by making one of its own. Egypt, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would all be likely to explore such an option, too. That does not mean a nuclear arms-race is inevitable. The UAE wants to cool tensions with Iran and stay away from a regional conflict, not paint a target on its back. Egypt is insolvent and dysfunctional, and is farther from the threat. Jordan is broke. Even Saudi Arabia would probably prefer American protection to the uncertain pursuit of a bomb, which it might only be able to obtain with Pakistans help. Israel faces a different dilemma. Since the 1960s it has been coy about its nukes, saying only that it would not be the first country to introduce" nuclear weapons to the region. Israel would face strong pressure to reverse that policy, publicly declaring its nuclear status despite the inevitable diplomatic backlash. Israeli leaders might also want to advertise their nuclear capability, by showing off the submarines and missiles that carry the countrys bombs. A nuclear test is another possibility. This would be risky, cautions Richard Nephew of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a think-tank. If they provided a lot of new information about their alleged weapons programmes, they might even expose weaknesses or deficiencies no one thinks they have," he says. Keeping that club in the bag may have much greater deterrence value than brandishing it, since everyone assumes they must have some top-flight stuff." In any case, the deterrent dynamics between Israel and Iran would be worryingly untested. America and the Soviet Union had worked together as allies for several years before they began their nuclear stand-off. India and Pakistan had well-established backchannels of communication. Israel and Iran have no such history. In the past year their shadow war has turned ever hotter. An Iranian bomb would be a dangerous and unpredictable addition to an already combustible region. Sign up to the Middle East Dispatch, a weekly newsletter that keeps you in the loop on a fascinating, complex and consequential part of the world. 2024, The Economist Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com A cook-off between artificial intelligence (AI) and a two-Michelin-starred Valencian chef drew the biggest crowd at last months San Sebastian Gastronomika culinary event in Spain. The auditorium packed up to the point that many attendees had to stand in the aisles and passageways. On one side was chef Ricard Camarena and on the other, a team led by physicist Eneko Axpe. The challenge: create dishes using ingredients suggested by the audience. While Camarena harnessed his knowledge, Axpe used AI-generated recipes. A jury evaluated the food without knowing who had prepared each dish. While Camarenas starter and main course were lauded for their flavour and composition, the AI-generated dishes, though technically impressive, lacked soul. The desserts ended in a draw, showcasing the immense potential of AI in the culinary world. Its a contest that the food industry around the world is still talking about. Thomas Zacharias, founder of The Locavore, a platform championing local food in India, believes this kind of collaboration holds promise. AI allows us to explore flavour combinations, textures and ingredients that we might not traditionally consider. It can become a powerful tool for experimentation, leading to new possibilities in gastronomy," he says. Bots and the kitchen AI is already playing a crucial role in guest management. AI-powered chatbots handle customer queries about menus and forward personalised marketing messages to guests. IHOP, a diner and breakfast chain with 1,800 locations all over the world, including India, uses AI to analyse a customers ordering history to recommend dishes they might prefer, similar to Swiggy and Zomato. Another area where AI is making strides is in improving efficiency. AI-powered inventory systems help restaurants track food costs and predict how much theyll need, thereby curbing wastage. In fine dining restaurants, an important element is the sauces. Yes, they are technique driven but the individual elementstemperature, viscosity, colourcan be codified. In fact a computer can do it better as it can detect between a thousand shades of yellow, unlike humans," explains Shaival Desai, chief growth officer at PetPooja. The software company has created the AI-powered Invoice programme which helps restaurants monitor changes in food prices and automatically adjust menu prices. AI can already detect temperature and appearance and its very close to getting the smell part right," Desai says. There are companies that are working on AI-based smell detectors. So its just a matter of 2-3 years and AI will enter fine dine kitchens too." For now, restaurants are experimenting with AI to upgrade the dining experience. Last year, The Bombay Canteen employed AI tangentially to elevate its annual Onam feast. Titled Raja Ravi Varmas Feast of Wonders", the dinner featured AI-generated art displayed on screens, bringing iconic paintings to life and immersing guests in the history of Onam. Similarly, the restobar, The Second House in Goa, uses AI-generated art to splash their walls with images of quaint Goan village homes and lush green paddy fields. Chefs are using generative AI chatbots like to streamline their planning. Niyati Rao, co-founder of the Mumbai restaurant Ekaa, believes one has to live hand-in-hand with AI. Rao uses ChatGPT to calculate the price of dishes. So instead of toiling over a calculator or on an excel sheet, I simply feed the recipe in ChatGPT. It calculates the prices of ingredients and gives me a cost for the dish. I also use it to multiply a recipe by 2 or 10 times. It saves time." She says AI can be a great tool to compile guest profiles (food allergies, likes and dislikes) but it has its limitations. It only works with data that is already available. If you ask for recipes based on a list of ingredients, it will only give you a compilation of recipes that have been done before. thats not pushing the boundaries or being imaginative," Rao says. A major drawback is AIs current inability to replicate sensory experiences, believes Hussain Shahzad of The Bombay Canteen. In experiential dining, chefs and service teams play an important role in creating personalised experiences. Its the human interactions that make these dining experiences memorable. The artistry, creativity and connections with guests are what truly set these restaurants apart." While AI can analyse ingredients and recipes, it cannot replicate the personal experiences that chefs bring to the kitchen to infuse food with cultural and emotional significance. In that sense, the way forward for dining will be a fusion of past and future. While technology will continue to play a crucial role, it might not be as easy to overshadow the heart and soul of cooking: human creativity and culinary tradition. Nivedita Jayaram Pawar is a Mumbai-based food writer. India's push for local manufacturing is prising open a new business frontier for domestic telecom equipment manufacturers. The defence forces, which have largely relied on overseas vendors for communication requirements, are now seriously sourcing from Indian companies such as HFCL Ltd, Sterlite Technologies Ltd (STL), and Tejas Networks Ltd. The development comes against the backdrop of evolving geopolitical and national security concerns in terms of importing sensitive telecom infrastructure from foreign companies, including those from China. Expectations of upcoming demand for localized equipment from defence clients and allied applications has got telecom infrastructure manufacturers to build intellectual properties (IPs) and pursue defence contracts upward of 1,000 crore ($120 million) annually, according to senior executives of telecom infrastructure manufacturers who spoke anonymously. Two of these executives alluded to plans to scale defence businesses to upward of 3,000 crore within the next two years, as indigenization leads to the development of cutting-edge and sophisticated telecom equipment from within India itself". Weve built crucial network infrastructure, including complex technologies, which we did not need to source from any other geography in the world," said N. Ganapathy Subramaniam, chairman of Tata Group-owned Tejas Networks. He cited an example where the company has built an integrated single-tower structure approach for its network instead of two separate towers for consumers and enterprises. This is helping us do away with the need to duplicate infrastructure for telecom operators, reducing capital expenditure (for those deploying the infrastructure)," Subramaniam said. Industry stakeholders Mint spoke to said that companies like Tejas Networks, HFCL Ltd and Sterlite Technologies Ltd (STL) stand to reap the rewards of the Indian defence forces increasing preference for locally developed telecom infrastructure. Software giants such as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd are also expected to benefit. Companies such as Chinas Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd and ZTE Corp., Finlands Nokia, Japans NEC Corp., and Swedens Ericsson have been the key telecom equipment suppliers to India. But over the past five years, US allegations of corporate espionage against Huawei and Indias border conflicts with China have proved to be key catalysts for Indian companies to turn to locally developed communications technologies. Whats contributing to the trend There are some other factors at play, too, that are moving the needle towards India. To be sure, for many firms, the US and India are among the top two markets for defence communications contracts, according to statements by HFCL and Sterlite in their latest quarterly earnings. An India play, therefore, is natural for companies. Refusal to grant certain sensitive technologies to Indian forces by foreign providers has also contributed to the trend. A senior executive with direct knowledge of the development underlined that until as recently as the past five years, India was unable to procure fibre optic perimeter sensing technologies from the likes of NEC, which cited national interests not to sell the technology commercially." An email query sent on Thursday to NEC was unanswered till press time. This technology has now been developed by STL, among others. Ankit Agarwal, the companys managing director said it is currently in talks for trial runs of its fibre optic perimeter intrusion detection system. Were deploying artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to ensure that we dont have false signals and have the right data that can be acted upon," Agarwal said. It is a made in India solution that were trying to build and deploy at lesser price points than global counterparts." New technologies Prashant Kumar Singhal, telecommunications leader at consultancy firm EY India, added that new technologies have also been an impetus for indigenous defence contracts. Indigenous infrastructure for telecom in defence forces would be going through a natural upgrade cycle, causing companies to get fresh business to cater to," Singhal said, adding that most of these contracts are three- to five-year ones, and would cater to new technologies that come into the fray. In overall terms, the defence sector is likely to account for around 10% of the telecom infrastructure spending within the next three to five years, giving companies a finite business pool to seek out," he said. Currently, the defence sectors contribution to Indias telecom infra spend is negligible. HFCLs managing director Mahendra Nahata confirmed to Mint that defence contracts are a major part of the companys revenue, and there is a dedicated R&D team working in partnership with Indias defence forces to build and deploy indigenized telecom infrastructure". HFCL, a listed company, does not disclose specific defence contract revenues. However, during its Q2FY25 earnings call, Nahata had said that the contribution of defence contracts to its net revenue can go up to 33-50%, depending on business cycles. For perspective, HFCL reported consolidated revenues of 4,465 crore in FY24. The countrys high import bill for telecom equipment is another reason for the push towards local telecom infra manufacturers. Tejas Subramaniam said telecommunications applications is now a horizontal service that is ubiquitously used across industries, be it finance or others. With such a massive application base, the import bill that a country incurs on telecom equipment runs into hundreds of billions of dollars". That, plus cybersecurity, privacy, and data localization, are key, too. Were investing heavily in R&D to ensure that our products are competitive in features against global majors. If we can get close to that, the remaining aspects of scale and margins can be worked out," said Subramaniam. New opportunity Defence communications infrastructure is a crucial emerging line of business for domestic manufacturers of telecom equipment. On 21 October, HFCLs Nahata projected that in 10 years, defence contracts would offer a business opportunity of $138 billion ( 11.7 trillion) globally. Agarwal, too, noted during STLs 5 November analyst call on the September quarter earnings that as per global consumption estimates the medium-term demand [from defence agencies across nations] for optical fibre volumes is to go up steadily to 652 million fibre kilometres by 2028". This represents a strong 7% annual demand growth for optic fibres, excluding China, he added. When Walmart, the worlds biggest retailer, and one of the biggest employers in the US with more than 1.6 million employees, says that it is rolling back a majority of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, it can mean only one thing that the idea of using positive discrimination" as a tool of social justice is dead. Walmart is the latest but arguably the largest in employment terms American corporate to roll back some or all of its DEI initiatives, as pressure mounted on corporate America from conservatives, emboldened by the impending Trump presidency, to end wokeism" in American society. In a sweeping reversal of stance, Walmart announced that it would no longer give preferential treatment to some suppliers based on race or gender. The big box retailer has decided not to renew its five-year commitment to a racial equity centre established after a black man, George Floyd, was killed by a white police officer. It is also withdrawing from a prominent gay rights index. More tellingly, it also said that it will no longer sell chest binders or childrens books about transgenderism, a hot-button issue with conservatives. Walmart is neither the first nor the only large US corporation to roll back affirmative action and DEI policies. Automakers Ford and Toyota, motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson, and retailer Lowes and Tractor Supply have all cut back or eliminated many of their DEI initiatives. Also Read: DEI backtrack: Tractor Supplys policy reversal may backfire The reason is not far to seek fear of customer backlash, the very same fear of the cancel culture" which liberal activists used to force the inclusion of such policies in the first place. Perhaps the most telling comment on the radically changed atmosphere in the US comes from the Walmart spokespersons explanation for why the company did what it did: "We are willing to change alongside our associates and customers who represent all of America," the spokesperson said. The actions of giant corporates like Walmart are bound to encourage others to follow. The question is whether such a movement will spread outside the US. Ford CEO Jim Farley, in an internal e-mail to staff, which was leaked by anti-DEI campaigner Robby Starbuck (who also forced Walmart to change), said: "We are mindful that our employees and customers hold a wide range of beliefs," adding, The external and legal environment related to political and social issues continues to evolve." Farley may be a bit behind the curve here. The political and social environment has already evolved. Middle America, which supplies the bulk of the customers for most of the brands which have rolled back DEI initiatives, has already swung hard right. Donald Trumps victory, rather than marking the start, was actually a culmination of this trend, which started a while ago. Ask Bud Light. The Anheuser-Busch brand came under fire for its controversial partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. In April 2023, the beer brand launched a special can celebrating Mulvaneys transition to womanhood". Rather than open up a new market in the LGBTQ+ space, as it had hoped, this caused a massive boycott by conservative customers, leading to a 28% drop in sales. Worse, Anheuser-Buschs stock lost nearly 7%. Also Read: DEI: Dont throw the baby out with the bathwater These developments are not just about for-profit companies correcting course to adjust to new market realities. They mark the endor at least the beginning of the endof the idea that one can use affirmative action, or institutionalised positive discrimination", to correct perceived social inequities. It began in 1961 in the US, with then President John F. Kennedy signing executive order 10925, which was later formalised by his successor Lyndon Johnson, to create equal employment opportunities for African Americans. This laid the foundation for policies which, over the years, grew to embrace a whole spectrum of people viewed as disadvantages for reasons of race, gender or sexual orientation. Six decades later, the wheel has turned full circle. While affirmative action remains on US statute books, the US Supreme Court effectively dismantled it last year, by ruling against affirmative action in college admissions. The actions of giant corporates like Walmart are bound to encourage others to follow. The question is whether such a movement will spread outside the US. Affirmative action, of course, is not an American idea. India, for instance, started on its affirmative action journey much earlier by introducing caste-based reservations, which has now expanded to include a multiplicity of other causes, including gender equity. But this has remained confined largely to the government, with Indian corporates being exempted from any legal compulsions on reservations or quotas on this score. Social pressure, aided by some regulatory push, was beginning to change this. Whether India Inc picks up cues from its US counterparts remains to be seen. Also Read: Diversity and inclusion: A growing factor in mergers and acquisitions Corporate America is unleashing an unorthodox campaign to influence Donald Trumps agenda in the weeks leading up to his second inauguration, a period that is emerging as a key stretch for shaping the next administration. To break into the unusual circle of influence that surrounds Trump, chief executives are discussing whether to try to secure an appearance on Joe Rogans podcast. They are buying the Trump familys cryptocurrency token and emailing tips about spending cuts to Vivek Ramaswamy. Some lobbyists are instructing companies to scrub their websites and corporate policies of language that favors Democrats and instead tout GOP-friendly issues such as job creation. My in-box and text-message box looks like Niagara Falls," said Ramaswamy, who is co-running a new department to make government more efficient. The moves are part of an effort by corporate interests to more strongly align with the Republican Party after drifting away from it in recent years. The stakes are immense given Trump is quickly outlining key economic changes. The president-elect said Monday he would levy tariffs of 25% on imports of all goods from Mexico and Canada, and promised to levy additional tariffs of 10% on Chinese imports. Those who can garner sway with Trump or his team could ask for exemptions to forthcoming tariffs and influence staffing. They could recommend officials who are friendly with the pharmaceutical industry to counterbalance vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his top health-agency nominee. At least one pharmaceutical company is in final negotiations to hire a Republican lobbying firm to help advise it about Kennedy and how to best navigate the second Trump administration. Despite the populist influx among his base, Trump still cares deeply about markets and businesses, and he remains more accessible than most high-profile politicians. The most recognizable chief executives dont require a go-between to reach the president-elect: Leave a message with one of his assistants and Trump will call back people whose names he recognizes directly, multiple corporate advisers said. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday, Trump adviser Stephen Miller told Fox News. (A Meta adviser confirmed the meeting.) And Coinbase Global CEO Brian Armstrong and a team from Ripple Labs have each spoken with Trump in recent days, according to people familiar with the matter. Myriad others are scrambling. While the transition team is expected to set up a system for meeting with business executives, right now it is exceedingly difficult to book an in-person meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Trumps Florida club. Lobbyists are counseling their clients to be patientand shore up their connections to Republican Washington while they wait. Uber Technologies CEO Dara Khosrowshahi flew to Washington, D.C., last week to discuss Trumps no tax on tips" campaign pledge. Khosrowshahi had meetings with Republican lawmakers, a company spokesperson said, and urged lawmakers to include Uber drivers if such legislation goes through Congress. One lobbyist has recently counseled clients that they need to get rid of corporate policies adopted during the Biden administration that favor one party over another, such as bans on corporate PAC donations to lawmakers who didnt vote to certify the 2020 election. Another strategist said he recently instructed a clean-energy company to strip a section on environmental, social and corporate-governance (ESG) policies from its website and instead focus the site on issues such as job creation. Cryptocurrency executive Justin Sun said on Monday he is now the largest investor in World Liberty Financial, a crypto project backed by Trump and his family, by buying $30 million in the project. The U.S. is becoming the blockchain hub, and bitcoin owes it to @realDonaldTrump!" wrote Sun on the social-media platform X. The Securities and Exchange Commission sued Sun and three of his companies last year for alleged securities-law violations. Sun has said he believes the SECs complaint lacks merit." The most-desired envoys Despite there being thousands of registered lobbyists in Washington, relatively few have thrown their weight behind Trump. Two who run their own firms, Brian Ballard and Jeff Miller, have quickly emerged as businesses most desired envoys to the Trump team. Ballard, a longtime Florida lobbyist who represented Trumps business in the state, has longstanding ties to many of Trumps Florida-related cabinet picks. He moved up to Washington during the first Trump administration and in the years since has built a thriving business. Clients include Amazon, United Healthcare and Nippon Steel, a Japanese company facing headwinds as it tries to acquire U.S. Steel. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to kill the deal. It was Ballard who introduced Trump to his incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, months before Trump ever declared his first bid for president. Wiles was a longtime employee of Ballards firm. She helped Trump win the state in 2016 and eventually ascended to top positions with his campaign. Pam Bondi, Trumps nominee for attorney general, is another former Ballard lobbyist. If Ballards biggest strength is his longtime connections, Miller can claim the mantle of being Trumps K Street rainmaker. Millera lobbyist whose corporate clients range from Anheuser-Busch to Apple to Delta Air Linesraised tens of millions of dollars for Trumps 2024 campaign. That included a March bash held just a couple blocks from the White House featuring Donald Trump Jr., to whom Miller is close. Dozens of Republican members of Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly attended, and Miller drew in more than $2 million for the re-election campaign that night alone. Sought-after podcasts During Trumps first term, people looking to get to Trump knew an appearance on Fox & Friends" could get them an audiencevia cable newswith the president. Now podcasts are also drawing in interest from the business sector eager to reach Washington. In recent days, corporate executives have asked public-relations consultants about appearing on podcasts such as the Joe Rogan Experience, which draws in huge audiences and has attained an agenda-setting status. If the Rogan podcast proves too difficult to book, several similar but smaller podcasts like the Jordan B. Peterson Podcast have piqued interest. There is less desire to talk to traditional mainstream media, one public-relations executive said. Business leaders have met with staff from the Daily Wire, the media network that includes conservative podcaster Ben Shapiro, according to a person familiar with the meetings. Scott Bessent, Trumps nominee for Treasury secretary, used appearances on conservative media outlets to campaign for the post: In November, he went on Steve Bannons War Room, which remains deeply influential in Trumpworld, to talk about the economy, pledging to cut regulations and government spending. Piercing Trumps circle As Trump and his inner circle plan out the next administration at Mar-a-Lago, some businesses are pinning their hopes on the influence of people such as Trump confidant Elon Musk, Ramaswamy and transition co-chair Howard Lutnick, whom Trump will nominate to lead the Commerce Department. All are businessmen. I generally believe that Elon has a lot of the right instincts, so Im optimistic that him being next to Trump is a very positive force to advancing innovation in America," said Aaron Levie, a Kamala Harris supporter and CEO of cloud company Box. I think this could be a very different four-year period compared to 2016 and 2020." Among other things, the tech industry is hopeful that Musk and others can push for friendlier policies around high-skilled immigration, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies and acquisitions. Some are trying to be helpful by chiming in with ideas for Musk and Ramaswamys Department of Government Efficiency, which is charged with cutting costs across the government. Others have reached out to Lutnick, a financial executive and cryptocurrency enthusiast the industry sees as a potential ally. Then there are the executives who put financial support behind Trumps campaign to begin with: People such as oil executive Harold Hamm, a longtime Trump donor who is helping the transition, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, a supporter of the cryptocurrency industry and startups more broadly who donated more than $3 million to help Trump. The best part of the new administration," Andreessen said on a recent podcast episode, is that it is open for business, and open to the conversation, and willing to talk." John McCormick, Chip Cutter, Vicky Ge Huang, Jack Gillum and Laura Cooper contributed to this article. Write to Maggie Severns at maggie.severns@wsj.com, Preetika Rana at preetika.rana@wsj.com and Brian Schwartz at brian.schwartz@wsj.com View Full Image Corporate America Launches Unorthodox Campaign to Gain Trumps Attention View Full Image Corporate America Launches Unorthodox Campaign to Gain Trumps Attention View Full Image Corporate America Launches Unorthodox Campaign to Gain Trumps Attention Increased Body Fat The buildup of fat, especially in the abdominal region is one of th reason to get andropause. Credit : PIXABAY, HEALTH DIALOGUES The future could be an ultra-capitalist and hyper-technological neo-monarchy. Beyond other, more widespread futuristic imaginings, this is whats proposed by the neo-reactionary movement (NRx), also known as the Dark Enlightenment. Those who adhere to it believe that liberal democracy is a mistake and that equality isnt a desirable end. In short, its all a farce. NRx advocates in favor of techno-authoritarianism: that societies should be governed by a king-CEO like a highly hierarchical company, with citizens acting as veritable shareholders. These are ideas surrounded by an underground, obscurantist and gloomy halo that have a connection with the alt-right. And they could infiltrate Donald Trumps next administration through the magnates of Silicon Valley. The Enlightenment ideas were previously criticized by the Frankfurt School, or the postmodernists: those (apparently) luminous ideals of Eurocentric rationality and progress had led to control and domination, the justification of colonialism, as well as the technological sophistication of war and the industrialized destruction of nature. NRx, on the other hand, is a critique of the Enlightenment from far-right positions. The Dark Enlightenment is a disturbing oxymoron that proposes a mix of the ancien regime with the ideology of Silicon Valley. The goal is to reach a pragmatic yet elitist solution that restores order and stability in turbulent times. In their opinion, if the market isnt democratic from an egalitarian point of view if, in the market, Elon Musk and I will never be equal whats the point of democracy? explains Jaime Caro, a historian who researches the extreme-right. NRx is a clandestine movement: it has no visible leaders, no solid organizations, nor the official backing of think tanks. Its ideas emerge in conservative rallies, podcasts, or marginal blogs. It would be difficult to find more than a handful of people outside the conservative movement who know about these ideas, says Mike Wendling, author of Alt-Right: From 4Chan to the White House (2018). But, in a way, thats an advantage, he adds. The true influence of the neo-reactionary movement isnt its presence as such, but rather the way in which it has slyly infiltrated different areas, from Silicon Valley to Trumps MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement, through the universe of cryptocurrencies, or the Republican Party. Elon Musk is the most notable example, but there are many others. These people tend to believe that theyre the masters of the universe: they want fewer regulations, while wanting to take advantage of government contracts, Wendling sighs. The growing perception of the migrant population as simply being temporary and transient labor instead of the traditional idea of those who arrive being in pursuit of the American dream also has neo-reactionary roots. Curtis Yarvin, one of the movements promoters, boasts that his position is always the opposite of Noam Chomskys. The product of conservative disaffection Movements like NRx emerged from the disaffection with the traditional American right. This began in the final stages of George W. Bushs administration (2001-2009), following the U.S. invasion of Iraq and amid the financial crisis. These circumstances seemed to indicate that Bushs version of conservatism was discredited and opened up an opportunity for right-wing alternatives, explains George Hawley, a professor at the University of Alabama and author of The Alt-Right: What Everyone Needs to Know (2018). From this breeding ground emerged the Tea Party movement, which fiercely confronted Barack Obama in a libertarian and populist drift but without straying far from the usual right-wing framework. At the same time, more marginal neo-reactionary ideas began to appear, convinced that the traditional right was incapable of achieving structural changes. In those days, its easy to imagine Curtis Yarvin in a dimly lit room, illuminated by the computer screen, typing away with a desire for transgression. Hes a computer engineer from New York and a former progressive who began to develop his ideas under the pseudonym of Mencius Moldbug. He writes on his blog, Unqualified Reservations, which he launched in 2007. In that space, Moldbug promises to cure your brain, offering readers a so-called red pill (in reference to the film The Matrix) that will free them from the ideas of left-wing thinker Chomsky. Moldbug is a declared follower of Thomas Carlyle, a 19th-century Scottish philosopher who distrusted equality and democracy. He proposed a government of heroes, exceptional individuals who are the protagonists of history and must guide their societies (like Hegels great men, who embody the zeitgeist or spirit of their times). The influence of the contemporary German anarcho-capitalist Hans-Hermann Hoppe or the neo-fascist, Nazi occultist Julius Evola also led the software engineer to distrust democracy and explore authoritarian and monarchical alternatives. Along these lines, Moldbug himself writes that democracy is a dangerous, malignant form of government which tends to degenerate, sometimes slowly and sometimes with shocking, gut-wrenching speed, into tyranny and chaos. The movement portrays Trump as a messianic hero, destined to save the country from the so-called Deep State, which is considered to be pedophilic and satanic. Trumps 2016 victory with his authoritarian ways, his departure from established conservative values, and his challenge to the media and political norms seemed to be in tune with the tenets of NRx and likely helped encourage these ideas. NRx believes that its necessary to combat a conglomerate that exercises ideological control dubbed the Cathedral (something like Gramscian hegemony) where major media outlets, universities, and other elite institutions meet to maintain the status quo. The red pill offered by Yarvin already an icon of this dissident right is the one that supposedly helps you escape from this matrix. Upon reflection, the NRx proposal isnt very different from the dystopian future described in cyberpunk science fiction, in which large corporations dominate a hyper-technological society. Such a tremendously unequal technocracy is also known as technofeudalism, in which power is concentrated in large corporations, which citizens depend on for the most fundamental aspects of their lives. Healing the state of democracy The Cathedral is a concept that connects with the notion of the Deep State conspiracies pedaled by QAnon. In this framework, Trump is a messianic hero who has come to save the United States from said Deep State and from the swamp that is Washington, D.C. NRx is also connected to the alt-right in terms of ideas of white supremacy and anti-feminism, Caro points out, although NRx has a more elitist and less popular character than the alt-right. Yarvin has fallen into white supremacist opinions, has downplayed Nazism, or has suggested that certain races are more conducive to being enslaved than others although, generally speaking, NRx is more focused on technological and libertarian ideas. Coming from the Austrian school of economics, as a devout follower of Friedrich Hayek, Yarvin recognizes that the state cannot be eliminated, but at least it can be cured of democracy, as Nick Land writes. Curtis Yarvin, left, and Nick Land, ideologues of the NRx movement. Wikipedia / Robert Johnson (cedida por la Editorial Holobionte) Land, an eccentric and obscure British philosopher, writes hallucinatory texts of theory-fiction. Hes considered to be the founder of accelerationism, a breeding ground from which another famous thinker also emerged: Mark Fisher (1968-2017). Land has taken Yarvins ideas and has developed them under the name of the Dark Enlightenment, adding touches of transhuman futurism. The Dark Enlightenment overlaps with the system of neo-cameralism, in which a state is governed like a company, in search of maximum efficiency and profitability, without having to constrain itself to democratic, short-term goals. Each state would fight to retain its clients and try to prevent them from becoming dissatisfied and leaving for another state. Land insists that democracy is evil and [proposes] a very strong social Darwinism, Caro explains. People arent strong, theyre dependent on others. [Therefore, according to him], the best system of government is a state controlled by technological corporations, in which you should buy more shares to have more say. Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal, is another pillar of the movement. Hes been a fervent financier of Yarvin and other neo-reactionaries since the movements beginnings. The Silicon Valley magnate has also financed the Seastanding Institute founded by Patri Friedman, the grandson of the neoliberal godfather, Milton Friedman which aims to create anarcho-capitalist utopias on islands, as well as maritime platforms located in international waters. These sites would be governed according to Yarvins notion of neo-cameralism. In 2009, in a text for the libertarian Cato Institute, the multibillionaire Thiel wrote: I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible. PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel speaks during the 2022 Bitcoin Conference in Miami, Florida. Marco Bello (Getty Images) Thiel is also the mentor and benefactor of Senator J. D. Vance, the vice president-elect of the United States (as well as a follower of Yarvin). Steve Bannon, who was Trumps guru, has also had contact with the founder of NRx. These connections offer an idea about how close the neo-reactionary movement may be to the next administration in the White House. Traditional conservatism, meanwhile, is still trying to find its place. Its true that Vance [is familiar] with NRx ideas, Hawley explains. Its less evident that these ideas drive his governing philosophy although its clear that hes less enamored with traditional conservatism than many other Republican leaders. I dont have inside information to confirm this, but I strongly suspect that Trump has no knowledge of NRx. Neo-reactionary influence It remains to be seen how much influence the vice president will have on the new government. However, the greatest impact of NRx could be in more flexible areas, such as technological regulations and cryptocurrencies. More generally, neo-reactionaries are excited by the prospect of an imperial presidency, where power is concentrated in the hands of a single man, with few checks and balances on that power, Wendling notes. This power will surely be questioned by progressive local and state governments, as well as by moderate Republican sectors. Not many people know about these authors and these ideas, which retain a certain transgressive tint. However, some of them often only partially and without the authors being cited are circulating on social media more and more. Their influence is growing: just think that businessmen as powerful and influential as Thiel or Musk promote them, says historian Steven Forti, author of Extreme Rights 2.0, A Big Global Family (2021). The breeding ground is fertile, because algorithms favor the spread of extremist content. Conspiracy theories with their simple solutions to complexity often find followers. And sympathy for authoritarian leaders grows as disaffection in democracy grows. Is it so strange, then, that there are people who are starting to believe these theories? Forti asks. The Enlightenment remains the enemy of the far right in the 21st century. This has been made clear by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, or Russian nationalist philosopher Alexander Dugin. And such was the case in the 20th century as well, with, for instance, the far-right philosopher Julius Evola, or journalist Alain de Benoist, a founding member of the Nouvelle Droite (Frances New Right). But neoliberalism, with its promotion of individualism and competitiveness, as well as its deterioration of the common space, has also made a dent in the values of social welfare and fraternity. By increasing inequality, it has distorted democratic values. NRx claims to embrace the collapse of the West and the forces of chaos but, as Claudio Kulesko has written, these forces of chaos are something that not even they could control, concludes Federico Fernandez Giordiano, who has edited the Spanish translations of Nick Lands works. Their mistake is to try to extract a pre-modern and cameralist order from the future. But chaos always produces novelty. Therefore, its trajectory cannot be fixed in any configuration from the past. He adds: Whatever emerges from chaos (or from the collapse of the world order), it wont be what [the neo-reactionaries] expect. From left, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and future vice president J. D. Vance during a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show on October 5. Alex Brandon (Ap / LaPresse) Translated by Avik Jain Chatlani. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Senator Micheal Carrigy is performing strongly and he said he is 'very encouraged' by the count so far, however, there is a long way to go. With 42 of of 177 boxes tallied in Longford-Westmeath the leading six candidates stand with Micheal Carrigy leading the way on 2,503. The rest stand on Kevin 'Boxer' Moran (2,180), Peter Burke (2,427), Joe Flaherty 1,863), Sorca Clarke (1,740) and Robert Troy (1,516) so far. READ NEXT: General Election 2024: Carrigy in the lead with Flaherty and Moran following behind Senator Micheal Carrigy said he is satisfied so far. "It's encouraging but there is a long way to go and there is only about 25% of the boxes even opened so you can't make a call until the rest are open but it's quite encouraging," he said. "It's definitely a strong improvement for me in my vote compared to back in 2020." Senator Carrigy stated they put in a fantastic campaign and the team behind me got out throughout the county. "I've always said it would be my work rate over the last four and a half years that would get me across the line because that's what Longford needs," he said. READ NEXT: General Election 2024: Barry Campion is "Nervously Excited" "Longford needs a TD to work for the people of Longford and hopefully the trend continues the way it's going and I get that opportunity of representing a county at that level and maybe (getting) the much needed improvements that we need in the county." My campaign started in 2020 and doing as much work as I could, representing people and working for people." As we were speaking to Micheal an Edgeworthstown box was being opened which showed he was outperforming Fianna Fail's Joe Flaherty by almost two to one. Crime By Long Island Published: November 30 2024 Plandome Manor man arrested for assaulting a police medic during a hospital evaluation, causing leg injuries. The Sixth Squad Detectives report the arrest of a Plandome Manor male for an Assault that occurred on Friday, November 29, 2024 at 5:37 pm in Plandome Manor. According to Detectives, Defendant Nicholas Vulpis, 53, was transported to North Shore University Hospital located at 300 Community Drive for evaluation. While the AMT was rendering aid, the defendant became violent and combative and struck the Nassau County Police Medic in the leg causing swelling, bruising and substantial pain. Defendant Vulpis was placed under arrest. The Police Medic was treated and release from the hospital. President Joe Biden and the first family stuck with their Thanksgiving vacation tradition Friday, spending much of the day downtown, lunching at The Brotherhood of Thieves, popping into a number of shops and catching the Main Street tree-lighting with 1,000 or so spectators. A day after a soggy Thanksgiving that saw Biden, the first lady and grandson Beau, 4, drop off pumpkin pies to firefighters and police officers a the Nantucket Fire Department before spending the rest of the holiday at the Abrams Point compound of Washington, D.C. philanthropist and Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein, the family, including the Bidens' daughter Ashley, son Hunter and his wife Melissa and their son Beau, headed into town around 2 p.m. for lunch at the Brotherhood. Afterward, they did some shopping at Nantucket Bookworks, and the president exited with the book The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi. Outside the bookstore, a reporter asked the president from across the street for any reaction to the reported bomb threats against Democratic lawmakers and Trump cabinet nominees. He replied, Were working that hard, the FBI. The family also stopped into the Samuel Owen Gallery, the home goods store Centre Pointe and Craftmasters. As Biden continued to walk, a reporter asked if he expected to talk to president-elect Donald Trump again during the transition. I expect so, he said. President Joe Biden, center right, holds hands with his grandson Beau as they walk with Hunter Biden, left, in downtown Nantucket Mass., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)AP The first family then made their way to the tree-lighting, where they stood to the side by the Methodist Church as the crowd counted down to the lighting of the 30-plus-foot tree at the top of Main Street and smaller trees around the historic district. Biden then stepped onto the platform behind the tree to speak with members of the Accidentals and Naturals, the Nantucket High School select choirs leading those in attendance in singing Christmas carols. The first family then crossed the street and popped in to Murrays Toggery Shop before reentering their armored SUV and the motorcade headed back to Abrams Point for the night. The Bidens are scheduled to leave the island around 7 p.m. Saturday on Air Force One. In the past, they have either ventured downtown on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, often attending early evening mass at St. Marys Catholic Church, or stayed at Rubensteins compound before heading to the airport. The Inquirer and Mirror on Nantucket is a news partner of MassLive.com. To subscribe to The Inquirer and Mirror, click here. From the bowels of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport parking garage, an exasperated Jake Cornell cut to the chase. Finding your Uber after a flight these days is getting a little ridiculous, the touring comedian told the camera in a recent social media video. After landing in Austin, Cornell had to walk through a maze of parking garages to reach the correct zone, or, as he saw it: You get to baggage claim, you walk out, and theyre like, Okay, follow the yellow brick road, Cornell said. In light of recent tropical storms that wreaked havoc across the country, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles cautions people buying a car to watch out for signs of flood damage. With recent storms across the country, thousands of vehicles have been damaged by floods, which can cause long-term damage that is not immediately visible, Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie said in a release. Potential buyers should do their due diligence on a purchase, inspect vehicles for damage, and know the signs of a fraudulent or misleading title. Between June and August, tropical storms damaged 89,000 cars, according to Carfax. The RMV cautions buyers that many water-damaged vehicles may be sold without including information of the vehicles flood history. Customers are encouraged to know and look for signs of water damage such as musty smells, salvaged titles and hard water lines before finalizing their purchase. How to ID a flood-damaged vehicle Check the title If a vehicle is deemed a total loss after a flood, an insurance agency issues a salvage title which is often labeled with a brand, to mark the extent of the damage. The RMV notes that how states label vehicle titles can vary. While some may explicitly mark them with flood, others may use less-obvious codes. In Massachusetts, vehicles with salvage titles cannot get registered unless repairs are made and the vehicle is able to pass inspection. Once those requirements are met, they receive a rebuilt, or reconstructed title. Know the cars history Buyers are strongly advised to check a vehicles history to avoid falling victim to title washing, which allows totaled cars to get new titles in states with more lax regulations. The RMV suggests using the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System to view the vehicles history. Carfax offers a free flood damage check service based on location history and title records. The National Insurance Crime Bureau also provides a free VINCheck to see any history of theft or salvage. Double check the title The RMV warns flood-damaged vehicles can sometimes be sold with false or misleading titles and buyers should always verify a titles authenticity using sources like National Motor Vehicle Title Information System. Know the warning signs Signs of a flood-damaged vehicle can include musty smells or excessive odors used to try and coverup the smells associated with water damage, the RMV cautions. Some signs are a little less obvious than a weird odor. The RMV suggests inspecting the carpets for water logging, mud and rust in unusual or hard-to-reach areas. Buyers can also examine lights and reflectors for waterlines and inspect the engine oil for a milky appearance or the air filter for sogginess. Always proceed with caution Buyers can protect themselves from getting scammed by purchasing from a licensed dealer and verifying the title. Massachusetts requires dealers to disclose any information that could impact their decision making, including vehicle history. The RMV recommends taking caution when purchasing from private sellers from online platforms like Craiglist or Facebook Marketplace especially if they cannot provide a clear title or offer only a bill of sale. GILL The Northwestern District Attorneys Office has identified the Northampton man found dead in the Connecticut River on Monday. Police and firefighters recovered the body of Daniel Esrick, 29, from the Connecticut River near the Route 2 French King Bridge on Monday afternoon. Laurie Loisel, spokesperson for the DAs ffice, said in a statement that no foul play is suspected. 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2024[Video News] Les numeros gagnants du tirage du Loto et Loto Plus du 28 decembre 2024[Video News] Dawood Rawat a rencontre les investisseurs dans la BAIBulletin de Veille de fortes pluies pour MauriceUne voiture detruite par les flammes Mukuru (www.Mukuru.com) is a leading next-generation financial services platform that offers affordable and reliable financial services to a customer base of over 16-million people across Africa, Asia and Europe. The company, dedicated to continuously building a strong, reliable and resilient financial payments infrastructure to allow its customers to access new physical and digital services that add value, is also transforming the landscape of commercial and aid payments through its Enterprise Payments Platform (EPP). EPP is a secure, efficient, safe and cost-effective solution for collections and bulk payments and is built off the successful use case of Mukurus widely known remittance services. This case study explores how Mukurus EPP is addressing the challenges associated with aid disbursements, payroll, and commercial transactions in underserved communities, including limited financial infrastructure, high transaction costs and issues regarding security, speed and regulations. It examines how EPP is revolutionising bulk payments in these critical sectors, with a focus on Malawi and Zimbabwe, by tackling the difficulties businesses and aid organisations encounter when serving remote areas. The challenge Tererai Mare, Enterprise Market Development Manager at Mukuru, explains that before EPP, businesses and nonprofits had to rely on traditional methods such as mobile money and banks to facilitate bulk payments. These methods presented limitations high transaction and encashment fees, delays, and limited reach in rural areas, Mare says. These issues hindered the efficient distribution of aid and management of payroll, especially in vulnerable communities. Aid organisations faced significant hurdles in making bulk payments, while remote communities had limited access to affordable and convenient financial services. This created delays in aid reaching those in need and added financial pressure on businesses. The solution EPP was built on Mukurus extensive person-to-person physical and digital payment infrastructure across Africa. The platform, known for its reach and liquidity, has many benefits, explains Mare. These include: Instant payouts: Funds reach beneficiaries instantly through cash collection points or digital wallets. Traceability: The platform offers full transaction tracking, which enhances transparency. This is vital for aid agencies for financial reporting to secure ongoing funding. Competitive fees: Lower costs benefit both businesses and nonprofits. Extensive network: Mukurus branches, booths and mobile disbursement teams, alongside a rich network of partner locations, provide exceptional reach across southern and eastern Africa. Security: The best technology and processes ensure secure transactions. Flexibility: EPP caters to aid, commercial, and social grant distribution needs. Aid Agency Applications: Malawi Chiyembekezo Ken Ndala, Enterprise Sales Manager for Malawi at Mukuru, shares that the company partnered with CADECOM National Office for emergency flood relief in the aftermath of a recent cyclone. CADECOM used the Mukuru platform to reach 4,520 households across several underserved areas., Ndala says. The timely distribution of funds allowed families to recover quickly and have their basic needs met. Mukuru also partners with Yamba Malawi, which provides monthly stipends to teenage mothers. Yamba Malawi supports teen mothers, each receiving $20 per month for 12 months, with an additional $100 as seed capital after six months. This funding helps them care for their children and start small businesses to break the cycle of poverty, Ndala explains. As an ongoing project, Mukuru has disbursed over $100,000 (MK183,600,000) to these beneficiaries. Zimbabwe Michael Scott, Group Head of Commercial at Mukuru, says that Mukuru has built extensive partnerships with United Nations agencies, including UNICEF, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and the World Food Programme (WFP). Mukuru was awarded a contract by WFP to distribute monthly cash grants to refugees at the Tongogara Refugee Camp. The EPP platform enables efficient delivery and end-to-end traceability of essential emergency funds to this vulnerable community Scott explains. Scott explains that Mukuru has been awarded prestigious Long-Term Agreements by both UNICEF and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), underscoring its capability and reliability in delivering essential financial services across Africa. Under these agreements, Mukuru has facilitated payments to beneficiaries under emergency social cash transfer programming in Zimbabwe, alongside the provision of payroll services and payments to vendors and workshop participants. International NGOs, like Action Contre la Faim, have partnered with Mukuru to deliver cash transfers to remote households via Mukurus mobile disbursement service. Mukurus mobile teams schedule trips to these hard-to-reach areas and provide regular access to financial services, supporting a base level of financial inclusion and social upliftment otherwise not possible. Payroll and Commercial Applications: Mare explains that Mukuru also serves the varying needs of businesses needing to make payments to their employees, customers or smaller suppliers, who may not have bank accounts. Many workers earn low salaries, making bank accounts unaffordable due to high transaction and maintenance fees. The EPP platform helps these workers receive payments efficiently, without encashment or ongoing account fee, addressing a major financial inclusion gap. On the commercial side, Mukuru partners with the likes of Cottco and Premier Tobacco Auction Floors, heavyweights in Zimbabwes cotton and tobacco industries, to facilitate payments to small-scale farmers. These farmers often dont have bank accounts and come from far and wide to sell or auction their goods. Mukurus EPP ensures they receive payments securely and swiftly. A Mukuru cash voucher is as trusted as the USD cash for which it can be exchanged, but safer to travel with on long journeys to and from the auction floors, Mare adds. Conclusion Mukurus EPP platform has redefined bulk payments and aid distribution for organisations struggling with traditional methods. Whether payroll or commercial settlement for businesses, or emergency aid for vulnerable communities, Mukuru offers efficiency, transparency, and security. With its vast network and proven ability to reach even the most remote areas, Mukuru continues to drive financial inclusion while streamlining bulk payments, reducing transaction costs, improving traceability and accountability, and minimising delays critical when delivering aid. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mukuru. Notes to Editor: Mukuru is a leading next generation financial services platform in Southern Africa that offers affordable and reliable financial services to a customer base of over 16 million across Africa, Asia and Europe. With over 100 million transactions to date, our core was built providing international money transfers and from this base, weve developed a set of services to address the broader financial needs of our customers. We now operate in over 60 countries and across over 500 remittance corridors. We are a business that puts the customer at the centre of everything we do, and for that reason, we serve clients across physical and digital channels, by various payment methods (cash, card, wallet) as well as a range of engagement platforms including WhatsApp, USSD, contact centre, App, website, agents and a branch and booth network. Mukuru has, for the fifth consecutive year, been listed as one of the top 100 Cross Border Payments businesses in the world in the 2024 FXC Intelligence Top 100 Cross-Border Payment Companies (https://apo-opa.co/41825jC), one of only six African companies to receive this accolade. In 2023, Mukuru officially ranked sixth on the LinkedIn Top Companies List in South Africa. Mukuru was celebrated for innovation and excellence at the 2023 Africa Tech Festival Awards, receiving the Fintech Innovation of the Year Award an acknowledgment of the transformative power of financial technology in driving economic growth, financial inclusion, and digital transformation. In 2024, Mukuru won the IAMTN Payments Network Customers Experience Excellence Award for setting a high bar in exceptional customer satisfaction in cross-border payment services. Additionally, Mukuru was officially accredited as a 2024 Top Employer in South Africa by the Top Employers Institute. SINN Feins Gerry Murray looks set to top the poll in Swinford but still looks unlikely to take a seat. Cllr Murray has tallied over 2,300 votes out of 8,379 tallied in the Swinford Local Electoral Area (28 percent), where he was comfortably re-elected on the first count during the June local elections. The Charlestown-based councillor is the only candidate based in the Swinford area running in the general election and has tallied 5 percent of the vote in Mayo with 83 percent of the boxes tallied. Dara Calleary (15 percent) has also put in a strong showing in the Swinford LEA, tallying over 1,200 with 95 percent of the boxes open. The Ballina-based Minister of State is currently in line to top the poll in the Ballina area and should retain his seat. Ballina-based Fine Gael councillor Mark Duffy (11 percent), who has emerged as an early contender for one of the five seats, tallied an impressive figure of 938 in the Swinford LEA. Not far behind him is party colleague Alan Dillon, who tallied 931 votes in the Swinford LEA. Minister Dillon looks set to top the poll in Mayo with some Fine Gael sources speculating that Cllr Duffy and Westport-based Keira Keogh could take two of the other four remaining seats. Cllr Paul Lawless, who is running in his second general election, secured over 700 first preferences in the Swinford LEA to take 9 percent of the tally. View all the latest updates from the count centre at the TF Royal Hotel & Theatre in Castlebar on our live blog. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, November 29, 2024 A federal judge who threw out X Corp's lawsuit against Israeli analytics company Bright Data said this week that he will allow X to amend some of its claims and bring them again. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup in the Northern District of California, comes in a lawsuit brought in July 2023 by X Corp., which accused Bright Data of using automated tools to collect data about tweets, and also selling both the scraped data and data-scraping tools. The complaint included claims that Bright Data violated X Corp.'s terms of service, and that it misappropriated X Corp's data. Alsup said in an opinion issued in May that he was dismissing claims relating to scraping data because X Corp.'s allegations, even if proven true, wouldn't show how the company was harmed by the alleged scraping. He also ruled that federal copyright law overrode X Corp's claims relating to Bright Data's alleged sale of data that had been publicly posted by users. X Corp. then proposed amending its complaint by claiming that the alleged scraping harmed the company in several ways -- including by causing a glitchy experience for users. advertisement advertisement Alsup essentially said in a 21-page ruling issued Tuesday that those new allegations warranted further proceedings. X Corp. newly alleges that scrapers traverse the X service in patterns markedly different from humans or authorized machines, that scrapers thus use underlying server capacity in abnormal proportions, and that this results in intermittent, isolated server failures and a 'glitchy, lagged user experience' for Xs human users, Alsup wrote. He added that X Corp. also alleged that if it hadn't purchased millions of dollars of server capacity, the alleged scraping would have resulted in catastrophic system failures. With those allegations, X Corp.s proposed complaint now sufficiently alleges server impairment from scrapers accessing its service, Alsup wrote. At the same time Alsup refused to allow X Corp. to revive claims that Bright Data misappropriated users' tweets. Instead, he reiterated his prior holding that claims regarding the misappropriation and sale of data were overridden by federal copyright law. Earlier this year, U.S. District Court Judge Edward Chen in the Northern District of California sided with Bright Data in a lawsuit over scraping brought by Meta Platforms. Chen ruled in that matter that Bright Data didn't violate Meta's terms of service by scraping publicly available data from Instagram and Facebook because Bright Data wasn't logged in when it gathered the data. KYODO NEWS - Nov 30, 2024 - 09:49 | All, Japan Crown Prince Fumihito, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, said ahead of his 59th birthday on Saturday that the opinions of female royal members must be heard as lawmakers consider allowing them to retain their imperial status even after they marry a commoner. The crown prince made the remarks to reporters in Tokyo earlier in the week following an interim report compiled by ruling and opposition parties in September, in which they said such female members should be allowed to keep their imperial status as a way to address the shrinking royal household. "At least some responsible officials of the Imperial Household Agency, which supports the livelihood and duties of the royal members, need to understand and be aware of what thoughts the (female) members concerned have," the crown prince said. "The relevant imperial family members are real live persons. What kind of situation will they be in?" the crown prince said, while declining to comment on the country's imperial household system. Japan's 1947 Imperial House Law requires female members to leave the imperial family upon marriage to a commoner, and a government panel in 2021 concluded that the provision was the reason why the number of imperial family members has been dwindling. The current total stands at 16, with 11 of them women. Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko, 58, have 18-year-old Prince Hisahito, who is second-in-line to the Chrysanthemum Throne and two daughters -- former Princess Mako, 33, who married her university sweetheart in 2021, and Princess Kako, 29. The crown prince said he had not really talked with Princess Kako about her marriage plans. Over posts on the Internet that could be regarded as harsh criticism of the crown prince's family, he said, "In general, from a perspective of the party concerned, I presume that (such information) is taken as bullying rather than a harsh criticism." Prince Hisahito's 18th birthday in September marked the first time a male member of Japan's imperial family had reached adulthood in around 39 years following the crown prince himself. And the crown prince said the development still "has not sunk in." "I want (him) to carefully work on each task he is involved in, one by one," he said. Regarding his mother, the 90-year-old former Empress Michiko, who successfully underwent surgery for a broken right femur in October, the crown prince said "I think rehabilitation is hard work, but I hope she will recover and stay healthy." The crown prince also said he feels "extremely lonesome" following the death of Princess Yuriko, his great-aunt and the oldest member of the imperial family, who died aged 101 on Nov. 15. Regarding notable events of the past year, the crown prince mentioned the massive New Year's Day earthquake on the Noto Peninsula in central Japan, which was also hit by torrential rains in September. He mourned for the victims and hoped for a quick recovery for the area. The crown prince also said he was "deeply moved" when this year's Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, Japan's leading group of atomic bomb survivors, also known as the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organization. He lamented Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the conflict between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel in Gaza, saying, "I am very sorry for the loss of so many people." Related coverage: Princess Yuriko's funeral held at Tokyo cemetery Japan's crown prince, princess to visit Turkey in December Japan gov't protests U.N. call for reviewing male-only imperial succession by Colin Kirkland , November 29, 2024 This week, the Australian Government passed a controversial bill that will force all social-media platforms in the country to ban users under the age of 16, setting a potential precedent for jurisdictions across the globe to regulate Big Tech's influence over children and teens. The new laws -- touted as a world leading policy approach aimed at protecting young and vulnerable users from unsafe exposure online -- demand that tech giants like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok bar minors from logging in, or else they could face fines up to $32 million. The legislation will take effect one year from now. Until then, the Australian Government will run a trial of methods designed to help enforce the laws, while giving social platforms time to meet the new requirements and updated regulations. According to the bill, social-media platforms will need to prove that they have taken reasonable steps to keep users under 16 off their platforms and will not be allowed to require users to show government-issued IDs to prove their age. advertisement advertisement However, there are some caveats included in the legislation. For example, messaging apps, online games, and services with the primary purpose of supporting the health and education of end-users will be exempt from the law, which includes YouTube. Despite the governments attempt to help protect the well being of young people, the decision has received widespread criticism from Big Tech and childrens advocacy groups alike. A Meta spokesperson said the company was concerned about the government's process, which it feels rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people. Snapchat said it will comply with the laws and regulations in Australia, but pointed out that many unanswered questions about how this law will be implemented in practice." As for child advocacy groups, 140 child-safety experts published an open letter earlier in the week, demanding the government rethink its approach. The online world is a place where children and young people access information, build social and technical skills, connect with family and friends, learn about the world around them and relax and play, the letter stated. These opportunities are important for children, advancing childrens rights and strengthening development and the transition to adulthood. Peter Wanless, chief executive of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), an advocacy group in the UK, said the group understands the concerns about children having access to social media, but that children deserve to have age-appropriate experiences online rather than being cut off from it altogether. According to Wanless, the new laws penalize children for the failures of tech companies to make their sites properly safe for young users and deliver age-appropriate experiences. Other child-safety advocates are worried that the governments outright ban will push bad actors and online predators to other digital spaces, like messaging and gaming platforms. The latest poll by YouGov shows that 77% of Australians support the under-16 ban. It is still uncertain how the Australian government will implement these changes moving forward, and how many apps in total will be affected by the ban. Cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug, shows enhanced effectiveness against prostate cancer and fibrosarcoma. Trusted Source Gold(I) complexes of the type [AuL{IC-2-C6H4P(S)Ph2}]: Synthesis, characterisation, crystal structures, and In Vitro and In Vivo anticancer properties Go to source Trusted Source #Chemotherapy drug #cisplatin is 3.5x more effective against #prostatecancer and 7.5x more effective against #fibrosarcoma cells in the lab. Newly Synthesized Compounds Show Superior Anticancer Potential Advertisement Advertisement Gold(I) complexes of the type [AuL{C-2-C6H4P(S)Ph2}]: Synthesis, characterisation, crystal structures, and In Vitro and In Vivo anticancer properties - (https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0223523424008894) A new gold-based drug that can significantly slow tumor growth in animals and target cancer cells more precisely than traditional chemotherapy. (The RMIT University study published in thereveals a new gold-based compound thats 27 times more potent against cervical cancer cells in the lab than standard chemotherapy drug cisplatin.In mice studies, the gold compound reduced cervical cancer tumour growth by 82%, compared to cisplatins 29%.Project lead at RMIT, Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava AM, said it marked a promising step towards alternatives to platinum-based cancer drugs.These newly synthesized compounds demonstrate remarkable anticancer potential, outperforming current treatments in a number of significant aspects including their selectivity in targeting cancer cells, said Bhargava, Director of RMITs Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry.While human trials are still a way off, we are really encouraged by these results.The gold-based compound is now protected by a US Patent and ready for further development towards potential clinical application.Gold is famously known as the noblest of all metals because it has little or no reaction when encountering other substances; a property that makes it perfect for wedding rings and coins.However, the gold compound used in this study is a chemically tailored form known as Gold(I), designed to be highly reactive and biologically active.This chemically reactive form was then tailored to interact with an enzyme abundant in cancer cells, known as thioredoxin reductase.By blocking this proteins activity, the gold compound effectively shuts down cancer cells before they can multiply or develop drug resistance.Bhargava said this highly targeted approach minimizes the toxic side effects seen with the platinum-based cisplatin, which targets DNA and damages both healthy and cancerous cells.Their selectivity in targeting cancer cells, combined with reduced systemic toxicity, points to a future where treatments are more effective and far less harmful, Bhargava said.This specific form of gold was also shown to be more stable than those used in earlier studies, allowing the compound to remain intact while reaching the tumour site.Project co-lead at RMIT, Distinguished Professor Magdalena Plebanski, said along with this ability to block protein activity, the compound also had another weapon in its anti-cancer arsenal.In zebrafish studies, it was shown to stop the formation of new blood vessels that tumours need in order to grow.This was the first time one of the teams various gold compounds had shown this effect, known as anti-angiogenesis.The drugs effectiveness at using these two attacks simultaneously was demonstrated against a range of cancer cells.This included ovarian cancer cells, which are known to develop resistance to cisplatin treatment in many cases.Drug resistance is a significant challenge in cancer therapy, said Plebanski, who heads RMITs Cancer, Ageing, and Vaccines Laboratory.Seeing our gold compound have such strong efficacy against tough-to-treat ovarian cancer cells is an important step toward addressing recurrent cancers and metastases.The dedicated RMIT team is collaborating with scientists at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) in Hyderabad under a $2million Australia-India Strategic Research Fund grant.First author on the latest study, Dr Srinivasa Reddy, was initially a graduate from RMITs joint PhD program with IICT and is now playing an active role in the collaborative project.Meanwhile, RMIT Vice-Chancellors Research Fellow Dr Ruchika Ojha has been supporting Bhargava in building and leading his Molecular Engineering Group to continue advancing innovative research into gold-based therapeutics long into the future.I am proud to carry forward Professor Bhargavas golden legacy, ensuring his pioneering contributions to this field continue to inspire groundbreaking discoveries, Ojha said.Bhargava said leveraging the best minds and technical infrastructure across both Australia and India was critical to making a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer.Gold has been a cornerstone of Indian Ayurvedic treatments for centuries, celebrated for its healing properties.Today, gold-based cancer treatments are gaining global traction, with advancements such as the repurposing of the anti-arthritic drug auranofin, now showing promise in clinical trials for oncology.We know that gold is readily accepted by the human body, and we know it has been used for thousands of years in treating various conditions, Bhargava said.Essentially, gold has been market tested, but not scientifically validated.Our work is helping both provide the evidence base thats missing, as well as delivering new families of molecules that are tailor-made to amplify the natural healing properties of gold, he said.RMITs research in this field over a sustained period has caught the gold industrys attention.In October, Pallion subsidiary ABC Bullion committed an annual donation of 250 grams of pure Australian gold valued at more than AUD $30,000 to support the research.Representatives of Canadas third-largest gold producer, Agnico Eagle Mines, have also visited the RMIT labs to explore collaboration opportunities.These endorsements highlight the social and scientific impact of our research, Bhargava said.There is a recognition that this is not just a scientific breakthrough but a step towards addressing a global health challenge and people want to be a part of that.Source-Eurekalert Elite controllers, people who suppress HIV naturally, are teaching us how to design smarter vaccines targeting the viruss weak points. Clinical trials are on the horizon. Trusted Source How HIV research has reshaped modern medicine Go to source Trusted Source HIV's biggest challenge? Latent reservoirs reactivate and drive chronic inflammation, leading to #cardiovascular and metabolic risks. Statins may reduce these by 35%! #HIVcare #medindia Advertisement From Molecular Insights to Frontline Medicines Advertisement Roadmap to a Vaccine Advertisement Lessons from Elite Controllers Broader Implications of HIV Research How HIV research has reshaped modern medicine- (https:news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/11/how-hiv-research-has-reshaped-modern-medicine/) In 1981, physician-scientist Bruce Walker began his medical career at Massachusetts General Hospital. Early in his internship, Walker encountered a patient with a puzzling combination of infections and cancers.This case, followed closely by another with identical symptoms, marked the advent of a new epidemic acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This catastrophic disease, once an acute medical enigma, is nowadays the leading cause of death among Americans aged 25-44, as of 1993, because of HIV().These days, over 40 years of tenacious scientific research have radically transformed AIDS management from a death sentence into a manageable chronic illness.The retrovirus identification of HIV, which is the, had a very major achievement in the recognition of HIV as critical.. Research from Harvard Medical School (HMS) has enlightened essential facets of the behaviors of the virus in accepting host cells, genetically integrating, and escaping immune response. The muchIt has ain some instances now proven to be true. More recently, innovations such as aThe other complication thatLatent HIV can be. Research headed by Steven Grinspoon has shown that, which can be a form of management for these complications.Even with advanced treatment, approximately 1.3 million new HIV infections occur annually, highlighting the urgent need for a vaccine. However, the quest for an HIV vaccine has been fraught with challenges, including theRecent efforts, such as thedeveloped by Dan Barouch and Johnson & Johnson, utilized computational biology to target multiple HIV strains. The vaccine demonstrated safety but. Research emphasises the importance of designing vaccines that neutralise antibodies and robust T-cell responses.They provide valuable knowledge to elite controllers, a small group of HIV-infected people, with naturally suppress the virus without any form of medication.Research indicated that. Such findings have suggested new vaccination strategies, such as viral vector- or RNA-based candidates now set for clinical trials in Africa (2025) and the US (2026).The process of fighting HIV for several decades has resulted in the advancement of several fields by leaps and bounds. On account of the HIV experience, the research that learned important lessons from rapid developments in COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments was greatly accelerated. For instance, vector-based technologies and other platforms currently used in developing vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 were refined using HIV-based research.. As the next step in this evolution,; whereas some of the earliest CAR T-cell studies targeting HIV laid out the groundwork for their eventual application in oncology.At present, more than millions benefitted from their lives by improving them through reliving and bringing changes to substitutions in modern medicine. From the very early stage of pioneering antiretroviral therapy to the immunology and gene therapy experimental branches, this area of research appears to generate revenue for scientists trying to make progress.This will no longer be the end of the future trials for new vaccines- the historical lesson learned through these initiatives would be useful towards finding a solution for ending the HIV epidemic as well as improving global health.Source-Medindia Snakebites in India are now a notifiable disease, aiming for better prevention and treatment. Trusted Source Snake Bites: Treatment & Prevention Go to source Trusted Source Around 50,000 Indians lose their lives annually due to #snakebites. Let's raise awareness and work towards prevention! #India Snakebites Pose Public Health Risks Advertisement Snake Bites: Treatment & Prevention - (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15647-snake-bites) India has officially recognized snakebites () as a serious public health issue, with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare declaring it a "notifiable disease."This accounts for half of all snakebite deaths globally. However, the cases are grossly underreported.Snakebites are an issue of public health concern and in certain cases, they cause mortality, morbidity, and disability. Farmers, tribal population, etc. are at higher risk, said Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, in a letter, addressed to the Secretaries of Health of all States and Union Territories (UTs).You are requested to make snakebite cases and deaths a Notifiable Disease under the relevant provisions under the State Public Health Act or other applicable legislation. The letter urged all government and private health facilities (including medical colleges) to make it mandatory to report all suspected, probable snakebite cases and deaths in the enclosed format, read the letter. The common krait, Indian cobra, Russell's viper, and saw-scaled viper are responsible for about 90 per cent of snakebites in the country.While polyvalent anti-snake venom (ASV) -- with antibodies against these four -- is effective in 80 per cent of cases, the lack of trained human resources and health facilities to treat snakebite patients remains a cause of concern. Other major hindrances are the lack of data on incidence, morbidity, mortality, socio-economic burden, treatment patterns, etc. In March, MoFHW launched the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE) to address the issue of snakebite.The action plan aims to halve the snakebite-related deaths by the year 2030, Srivastava said. The plan carries defined strategic components, roles, and responsibilities of stakeholders involved in snakebite management, control, and prevention. A key objective of NAPSE is to boost the surveillance of snakebite cases and deaths in the country.Srivastava called for developing a robust surveillance system for accurately tracking snakebite incidents and deaths. This will provide valuable data to inform and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. It will also help the stakeholders understand "accurate burden, high-risk areas, factors responsible for deaths of snakebite victims," which in return would result in the improved clinical management of victims, Srivastava said.Source-IANS Demand for free Naloxone rises in South Australia, highlighting its crucial role in preventing opioid-related harm and promoting safe medication use. Did you know? Over 6% of South Australian children are admitted to hospitals for accidental #opioid poisoning. #naloxone #medindia Over 6% of South Australian children are admitted to hospitals for accidental #opioid poisoning. #naloxone #medindia Saving Lives with Free Naloxone in South Australia Advertisement THN Program: Expanding Naloxone Access Advertisement Free naloxone nasal spray can temporarily reverse the effect of opioid toxicity and provide relief while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.It can save lives and reduce opioid-related hospital admissions. A new initiative by the Federal Government has funded a national Take Home Naloxone (THN) program making the medication available for free and it does not require prescription in pharmacies across Australia.Anyone at risk of either experiencing or witnessing an opioid overdose can get the free Naloxone to treat the condition temporarily. More than 384 pharmacies are now involved in the THN program across South Australia.Demand for free Naloxone has increased as people are getting aware of its availability with 8377 units being supplied across South Australia (SA) alone in 2022-23 and 16,171 in 2023-24 says Dr Victoria Cock, Statewide Clinical Director, Drug and Alcohol Services SA.A recent paper co-authored by SA Health experts and University of South Australia pharmacist Dr Jacinta Johnson found there were 2046 hospital admissions in SA involving opioid toxicity between 2017 and 2020, costing the State approximately $18 million.Almost 20% of the patients admitted stayed in the hospital for more than five days, 22% required intensive care and around 10% required mechanical ventilation. Over 6% of children were admitted to the hospitals as they were accidentally poisoned. So health officials were told to remind South Australians about the importance of safe medication storage and disposal of opioids to protect children.It is also recommended to have naloxone on hand in case of accidental poisoning at home. Dr Maria Sarantou from Flinders Medical Centre says a 2019 trial of the Take Home Naloxone (THN) program, providing free access to the opioid blocker, found that it saved an estimated three lives a day.Research evaluating the pilot program showed that expanding THN supply to include the majority of patients prescribed medium to high doses of opioids would save hundreds of lives over the next five years, Dr Sarantou says.Dr Johnson, the UniSA senior lecturer who is responsible for driving all pharmacy research across SA Health, says a history of opioid toxicity is a major risk factor for future overdoses, yet many patients were not referred to drug and alcohol services or specialist pain services for help after discharge.As the THN program is expanding to include more public hospitals, improved discharge referrals to external healthcare services, and parental/carer education around safe storage and disposal of opioids to protect children is recommended.Organizations involved in the study included local health networks in Adelaide, South Australian Statewide Chronic Pain Clinical Network, University of South Australia, University of Adelaide, and SA Pharmacy Statewide Clinical Support Services.Source-Medindia Watching a horror movie is not always an easy task. There are some that can really send chills down your spine. In fact, there is one horror film made by Hollywood that even 50 years after being released still can leave one quivering in fear. The movie has served as the benchmark of horror films in the years to come. It is held to a higher standard. In fact, it is even more famous now than it was when it came out. In fact, when it did release in 1973, one could say it was ahead of its times. The movie we are talking about is The Exorcist. The name itself explains that it is about an exorcism of a demon from a human body. The film was a sensation despite mixed reviews when released the day after Christmas. Fast forward to 2024, it remains a cult classic in the horror genre of Hollywood. But there is one even scarier fact, way more horrifying than the film itself. The revelation that one of the actors in an uncredited cameo role in one of the most intense scenes of the film, would actually be convicted of murder later on. Yes, you read it right. @ Prime Video The man in question is Paul Bateson. Paul has a cameo as a radiographer, which was his profession back then. That scene is a very intense one and had audiences awestruck due to its realism. In fact, that was why Bateson had been chosen for the role by the director who had seen him perform his duties earlier on. Paul did his job well and those watching were left speechless. In 1979, Paul was convicted of the murder of Addison Verril, a reporter. He was also suspected behind other murders and there was the theory that he was a serial killer but it was never proven. Paul was sentenced to 20 years to life. Title: The Chinese Rocket Land: A Unforgettable Journey through Space (Did The Chinese Rocket Land) As the world watches in awe as China launches its latest space mission, theres no shortage of excitement and anticipation. From the moment the rocket takes off, viewers cant help but feel a sense of wonder and amazement at whats being accomplished. In this particular instance, the launch was nothing short of remarkable. With its towering size and advanced technology, it marked a significant milestone in Chinas journey to becoming a major player in the global space community. One of the most impressive aspects of the Chinese rocket is its ability to land safely on the ground. Unlike some other rockets that may struggle to make it all the way to orbit and back, the Chinese rocket has a proven track record of landing smoothly and safely. The landing process itself is equally fascinating. As the rocket descends towards Earth, it creates an incredible spectacle of light and sound. Viewers can watch in awe as the rocket crashes down onto the ground with a soft thud, leaving behind a trail of dust and debris in its wake. But perhaps the most exciting part of the Chinese rocket launch comes when we look back on what it represents. For many, it marks a turning point in Chinas history. Its a recognition of the countrys technological prowess and determination to push the boundaries of whats possible in the realm of space exploration. (Did The Chinese Rocket Land) And for those who havent had the chance to see this incredible event firsthand, its sure to leave a lasting impression. Whether youre a fan of science fiction or simply interested in the wonders of our universe, theres no denying the and impact of this Chinese rocket launch. So mark your calendars, because next week, another exciting chapter in Chinas space story will begin. Inquiry us if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected]) KYODO NEWS - Nov 30, 2024 - 16:43 | World, All, Japan Chinese police have formally arrested and are expected to prosecute a Chinese man in his 40s on suspicion of murder in the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in September, diplomatic sources said Saturday. The Japanese government has requested China share details of its investigation into the killing of the 10-year-old pupil in Shenzhen, southern China, but Chinese authorities have yet to disclose the motive or any background to the case. The boy, whose father is Japanese and mother is Chinese, was stabbed on his way to school on Sept. 18. He received treatment at a hospital but succumbed to his injuries early the next morning. A male suspect was apprehended near the school shortly after the incident. Speculation has been rife that the stabbing was linked to the 93rd anniversary of a Japanese bombing of a railroad track near Shenyang, the start of the Manchurian Incident that led to Japan's invasion of northeastern China. However, Chinese authorities have characterized the case as an isolated incident. Last month, a senior official from China's Foreign Ministry said in a meeting with Keiichi Iwamoto, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Consular Affairs Bureau, that an explanation for the case will be provided based on progress in judicial procedures. Related coverage: China resumes visa-free scheme for short-term Japan visitors 5 people stabbed in Beijing, man detained Expat community uneasy 1 month after killing of Japanese boy in China Googles Impact on Our Brains: A Debate (Is Google Making Us Stupid? Exploring the Debate) In todays world, we are constantly bombarded with information from various sources, from social media to news headlines. One of the most prevalent topics of discussion is whether Google is making us stupid or not. This debate has been ongoing for years, but with the rise of AI and machine learning technologies, it seems that the conversation is taking a new turn. The question of whether Google is making us stupid is a complex one, and opinions vary widely. Some believe that Google is contributing to our brain development by increasing our cognitive abilities, while others argue that it is having the opposite effect. In this blog, we will explore the different sides of the debate and consider the potential implications of Googles impact on our brains. On the one hand, some argue that Google is helping us develop critical thinking skills. By exposing us to vast amounts of information and allowing us to quickly sort through it, Google is forcing us to think more deeply about the material we encounter. For example, if you search for a particular topic on Google, you may be presented with multiple articles and videos, each offering its own perspective on the issue. This constant exposure to information forces us to critically evaluate the information we see and form our own opinions. Moreover, Google is also helping us improve our problem-solving abilities. With its advanced algorithms, Google can analyze large datasets and identify patterns that might not be immediately apparent to humans. This can help us make better decisions and solve problems more effectively. For instance, if you need to plan a trip to a new city, Google can suggest the best places to eat, shop, and visit based on your interests and location. By using Googles recommendations, you can save time and increase your chances of success. On the other hand, there are concerns that Google is contributing to our brain decline. Some argue that excessive use of technology, especially Google, can have negative effects on our mental health. For example, spending long hours on screens can lead to eye strain, headaches, and even depression. Additionally, the constant need to process information from Google can cause our brains to become overwhelmed and fatigued. Another concern is that Google is leading to a decrease in face-to-face communication skills. As people rely more heavily on technology for information, they may lose touch with their peers and community. This could have serious consequences, both personally and professionally. In addition, the constant availability of online information can make it difficult for people to understand and respond appropriately to real-life situations. (Is Google Making Us Stupid? Exploring the Debate) In conclusion, the debate over whether Google is making us stupid or not is a complex one that has both positive and negative implications. While Google is certainly helping us develop our cognitive abilities and improve our problem-solving abilities, it is also raising concerns about our brain health and social connections. Ultimately, the decision of whether to continue using Google or limit our exposure to it should be made with careful consideration of the potential benefits and drawbacks. Inquiry us if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected]) GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A Detroit man is heading to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin in Michigan. Joseph McNoriell, 43, also known as Mike X, was sentenced Tuesday, Nov. 26 to 110 months in federal prison after he was found guilty of drug distribution earlier this year, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced this week. Mr. McNoriell helped traffic illegal street drugs across our state, which eventually made it into our neighborhoods these poisons destroy lives and devastate communities, Totten said in a news release. We will never prosecute our way out of this problem, but we will continue our work to dismantle the regional-level supply lines that distribute drugs across Michigan. Evidence at an April trial showed McNoriell worked with a drug courier to deliver two kilograms of cocaine from southeast Michigan to Lansing. McNoriell was arrested in June 2022 after Michigan State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration seized the cocaine from the couriers car. This investigation emphasizes the mission of the DEA: combatting criminal drug networks like the one Mr. McNoriell was involved in, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene in a statement. Along with our local, state and federal partners, we will relentlessly pursue individuals and organizations who prioritize greed and profit over human lives. The case was investigated by the DEA, Michigan State Police, Lansing Police Department and Holland Department of Public Safety. YPSILANTI, MI A bakery offering savory homestyle pastries has found a home in the downtown Ypsilanti space that was once a beloved ice cream shop. Beara Bakes opened in September in the former Go! Ice Cream space on downtown Ypsis brick-lined Washington Street. Since starting her business in 2020, owner Cat Spencer has blended her experience as a sous chef at Ann Arbors Spencer restaurant with a newfound passion for baking to add her own flavor of Midwestern hospitality to hearty pastries. The bakery originated during the COVID-19 pandemic when Spencer and a business partner launched pre-ordered seasonal bake boxes on a monthly basis, with a portion of proceeds donated to local organizations like Ozone House and Ypsilantis SOS Community Services. READ MORE: Croissants, cookies, baked goods now sold in former Go! Ice Cream Spot As demand grew, Spencer began to supply RoosRoast Coffee and other local cafes, slowly building a wholesale operation. Beara Bakes eventually found a home at Growing Hope, an urban farm and startup kitchen closely associated with the Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market. For the next four years, Spencer built her business with the hopes of one day opening a storefront in Ypsi. When the former GO! Ice Cream space became available, the large kitchen made the space an obvious fit. Spencer named her business after the Hag of Beara, an Irish folk character that she calls a purveyor of winter wheat. When drawing up the semi-rotating menu, Spencer focuses on comfort food - croissants, rolls and biscuits - using ingredients from the Ypsilanti Farmers Market for an elevated twist. Her specialty is layered, flaky doughs that lend themselves perfectly to everything from a savory buttermilk biscuit to French galettes. The inspiration we draw from is sort of Midwest and Southern hospitality, she said. That comes through in our service but also in the style of dishes we make. Homestyle chive and cheddar biscuits, for instance, have become a staple of the Beara Bakes menu. We laminate them - theyre buttery and flaky and beautiful. she said. Other savory pastries include a spinach, feta, potato and egg galette - a type of flaky French pastry with raised sides and a flat center - as well as a classic ham, cheese and mustard croissant. On the sweet side, Beara Bakes offers a cinnamon roll made with milk bread and an orange glaze. The milk bread lends itself to a lovely, pillowy soft roll, Spencer said. The cafe-like storefront features local artwork, bar seating and a large window through which customers can watch Spencer and her employees at work. She says setting up shop in a downtown thats on the rise has helped her feel like a bigger part of the community. At Growing Hope it was just a kitchen, so we werent customer-facing, she said. I really love this window it allows me to see everything thats going on out here and enjoy everyones joy. The bakery has like-minded neighbors - sourdough-centric Bird Dog Baking is just around the corner on Michigan Avenue, and owners Jennifer Haglund and Mark Bogard also got their start at Growing Hope. I think we all had the same idea. Before Bird Dog opened and before we opened there wasnt really a bakery downtown, Spencer said. But they focus more on their breads and we focus more on pastries and desserts. its nice to have support just down the street. Going forward, Spencer hopes to expand Beara Bakes brunch offerings and add patio seating in the pedestrian alleyway along the side of the building. Therell soon be a list of cakes available five days a week, in addition to custom orders, she said. Beara Bakes, 10 N. Washington St., is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Customers can keep track of the rotating menu or order custom cakes on the bakerys website. Beara Bakes products are available in Ann Arbor at RoosRoast Coffee, LowerTown Cafe, Argus Farm Stop and Lab Coffee Roasters. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. YPSILANTI, MI The Fall Gin Toddy cocktail at Ypsilanti Cocktail Club is warm fall beverage that holds hints of medicinal tea, perfect for a chilly night. I was able to sip a sidecar of the gin to get an unadulterated taste full of herbs and spices. Up front flavors of clove and cinnamon accompanied by rosemary, thyme, and sage on the back end. A robust gin that left me with a craving for turkey. The fall gin that goes into the Fall Gin Toddy is distilled at Ann Arbor Distillery, I tasted its summer gin in a previous drink of the week, but this gin profile fits the autumn season like a snug glove. RELATED: Ypsilanti Cocktail Club is serving a delicious fall gin from Ann Arbor Distillery The cocktail as a whole tastes earthy with a hint of citrus. The lapsang bitters have a sharp taste that plays off the brighter citrus from the orange bitters. The drink is warmed with boiling water and an orange slice garnish steeps at the top. The Fall Gin Toddy plays off the spices in the gin, citrus aroma, and bitters to create an earthy herbaceous profile that is a welcome change to the regular hot toddy. If you have never tried a hot toddy before I would try mixing one at home first before ordering this out. Warmed alcoholic tea beverages can present unique flavors not all people enjoy. DRINK OF THE WEEK: Fall Gin Toddy at Ypsilanti Cocktail Club Address: 102 W Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti Hours: 4 to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday; 2 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday (closed Monday). Price: $11 If you have a drink or cocktail youd like Santino Mattioli to try, email him at smattioli@mlive.com. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. For more Michigan content be sure to subscribe to MLive on YouTube CORUNNA, MI Corunna Middle School Principal Ingrid Dettman has been named Michigans 2025-26 Middle School Principal of the Year by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP). The Middle School Principal of the Year award is meant to honor principals who, according to a statement from the MASSP, exemplify collaborative leadership, excellence in curriculum and instruction, and meaningful engagement with students, staff, and families. Im very honored, Dettman said. I dont like being in the spotlight at all, so this is hard for me. But if it makes the kids super excited, then its all worth it for me. Im proud to say that I represent Corunna, not only the middle school, but the district as a whole. Corunna Public Schools Superintendent John Fattal shared some superlatives about Dettman. I cant imagine that theres anybody whos harder working than Ingrid and that somebody cares more about her students than she does, Fattal said. Shes unbelievable. Were fortunate to have Ingrid on our team. Dettman has been Corunna Middle Schools principal for approximately five years, and she has been working for the school in some capacity, including as a teacher, for more than two decades. Shes Corunna through and through, Fattal said. The district initially found out Dettman would be named Middle School Principal of the Year in October, but Fattal explained the district waited until this week to tell her the news because the MASSP wanted to hold a surprise award presentation. The surprise ceremony took place Nov. 25 in the middle schools gymnasium. Dettman entered a dark gymnasium that day before the lights were turned on, revealing the crowd of middle School students waiting inside. It was a lot of fun, Fattal said. Some former superintendents were here. It just was a nice quick ceremony just to let her know how much we care about her. According to a statement from MASSP, the Middle School Principal of the Year award was presented to Dettman by Wendy Zdeb, executive director of the MASSP. Ingrid Dettman embodies the qualities of an exceptional leader visionary, compassionate, and deeply committed to her students and staff, Zdeb said in a statement. Her dedication to fostering a positive school culture and academic excellence makes her truly deserving of this recognition. Along with her nomination for Middle School Principal of the Year, letters and testimonials written by staff and the parents of students about Dettman and the impact she has had as middle school principal were sent to the MASSP. It was amazing how much people came through to say this is how much of a difference she has made in their lives, Fattal said. I think that it just shows that we have good, hardworking people in place who care about our kids. And I think that Ingrid has certainly earned that award and that recognition. Several of the districts teachers, including middle school special education teacher Rachel Hannah, praised Dettman in a statement from the MASSP. Her tireless efforts in creating a safe, nurturing environment have not only benefited the school but have also left a lasting positive impact on our students lives, Hannah said. This isnt the first time one of the districts administrators have received this award. According to Fattal, Corunna Middle Schools former assistant principal, Scott Moeller, was named Middle School Principal of the Year about 10 years ago. Dettman will go on to represent the state of Michigan as its nominee for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Middle School Principal of the Year award during the NASSPs conference in Seattle, Washington in July 2025. I actually graduated from Corunna High School, so to me, this is all about family. And here at Corunna, were a family, so Im proud to represent that family and hope that I make them proud with representing them so with this award, Dettman said. I want to do my home proud, and the kids are my major focus. A wise man once told me, You can always go to bed at night and rest well if you know you made the best decision for kids. If the decision you made was what you thought was best for kids, then youre on the right track. Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter. EAST GRAND RAPIDS, MI A parking ramp in East Grand Rapids is going to be demolished soon, making way for a massive redevelopment that will transform Gaslight Village over the coming years. The two-level parking ramp at 2255 Wealthy St. SE, which is privately-owned, is set to be torn down in December, East Grand Rapids City Manager Shea Charles said. A date for demolition hasnt been set yet, but the city issued permits for the demolition on Tuesday, Nov. 26. China addresses foreign enterprises' IP concerns: official Xinhua) 09:34, November 30, 2024 Foreign guests visit a service center in Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province, Oct. 12, 2024. (Photo by Liu Zunshuan/Xinhua) BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China has taken proactive measures to address the intellectual property (IP) concerns and demands of enterprises, ensuring equal protection for both domestic and foreign innovators, a Chinese IP official said at a press conference on Friday. Aligning with international rules, providing efficient dispute resolution and establishing regular communication channels are the key tasks China has focused on to assist foreign enterprises in the country, according to Guo Wen, an official with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), which is the country's top IP regulator. Guo said that the Chinese government has joined almost all major international IP treaties and become a prominent user of the three primary registration systems for patents, trademarks and designs that are administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization. She also noted the new round of revision to the country's trademark law and patent law, saying that China has implemented "strict punitive measures in accordance with the highest international standards." China has also taken measures to crack down on malicious patent invalidation and malicious trademark filings, effectively resolving numerous IP disputes involving companies from countries such as the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Thailand and Denmark, Guo noted. The CNIPA has built a regular communication mechanism, organizing numerous symposiums in Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Guangdong to listen attentively to the demands of foreign enterprises and offer assistance in resolving their problems. From January to October this year, China authorized 92,000 foreign invention patents, a year-on-year increase of 5.3 percent. The registration of foreign trademarks in China climbed to 121,000, up 13.1 percent compared to the previous year. "These figures demonstrate the recognition foreign enterprises have given China's IP protection work," Guo said, emphasizing that China will continue its endeavors to "establish a business environment that is fairer, more transparent, and more predictable." (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) KYODO NEWS - Nov 30, 2024 - 19:16 | World, All, Japan, Travel/Tourism China restarted its unilateral visa-free arrangement for short-term Japanese visitors on Saturday, allowing stays of up to 30 days in a move believed to be aimed at promoting tourism and trade amid a downturn in the world's second-largest economy. The preferential treatment had been suspended since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The visa-free arrangement will be effective through the end of next year. Japan currently requires all Chinese visitors to obtain visas regardless of the length of stay. Beijing had previously called for "equal" visa treatment for Chinese nationals as a condition for resuming the visa-free arrangement, according to sources familiar with bilateral relations. At a Shanghai airport, a 37-year-old Japanese tourist from Tokyo said Saturday morning, "I bought an air ticket immediately after the visa exemption was announced. It helps because I like to visit historical sites." However, the visitor added that "security concerns" remain following a recent series of random attacks in China, and the number of Japanese tourists is not expected to increase soon. Relations between the two Asian neighbors have been strained over a host of issues, including the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen and the detention of Japanese nationals over espionage allegations. Japanese companies operating in China have generally welcomed the restart of the visa-free scheme, saying it removes obstacles to short-term business trips to the neighboring country. Some local Japanese government offices in Shanghai have also anticipated that the visa exemption would increase the number of direct flights linking regional Japanese cities with those in China. China has so far given visa exemptions to short-term visitors from nearly 40 countries, including Southeast Asia, Europe, Oceania, South Korea and Japan. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed during their meeting in Peru in early November to foster "mutually beneficial" and "stable" relations and boost people-to-people exchanges. Between 2003 and 2020, China allowed Japanese nationals to visit without visas for up to 15 days. About 2.67 million Japanese people visited China in 2019, with the figure making up the largest group among foreign visitors to the country that year, according to the Japanese government and a major Chinese tourist agency. Related coverage: China to allow 30-day visa exemption for Japan visitors from Nov. 30 China shows support for Osaka Expo, vows safety for expats from Japan Laos-China railway boosts trade and tourism, but also Beijing's clout KYODO NEWS - Nov 30, 2024 - 23:01 | All, Japan A plan for Japanese retail giant Seven & i Holdings Co. to separately sell some of its noncore specialty store businesses is being floated as part of an effort to offload shares in its intermediate subsidiary York Holdings Co., a source close to the matter said Saturday. The idea to spin off the noncore businesses, such as those in lifestyle goods and children's apparel, was proposed by potential buyers, the source said. The moves come as many potential buyers that participated in the first round of bidding for shares of York Holdings, which operates 31 retailers, appear primarily interested in its supermarket operations centered on Ito-Yokado, the source said. Seven & i has been focusing more on its convenience store business by separating it from noncore operations amid a takeover bid from Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. The Japanese retailer, which closed the first round of bidding for York Holdings' shares on Thursday, plans to sell a majority stake in the subsidiary by February 2026, turning it into an equity-method affiliate. According to the source, Seven & i is seeking a buyer capable of enhancing the real estate value of stores near train stations and other prime locations while focusing on supermarket operations centered on food products. In addition to the Loft outlet chain and children's clothing chain Akachan Honpo Co., York Holdings also operates Denny's casual restaurants. If the plan to spin off the specialty stores proceeds, separate sale processes will be initiated outside the current bidding for York Holdings. Participants in the first round of bidding included major Japanese trading company Sumitomo Corp., which operates the Summit supermarket chain in Tokyo and its vicinity, and U.S. fund Fortress Investment Group LLC, which acquired Seven & i's department store unit Sogo & Seibu in September last year. Related coverage: Trading house Itochu looks to finance Seven & i management buyout Seven & i mulls management buyout to fend off Canadian takeover bid Seven & i shuts all 8 Israel stores amid Middle East tensions HELSINKI, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Icelanders headed to the polls on Saturday for a general parliamentary election, with rising support for the Social Democratic Alliance and a late surge for the Independence Party, led by outgoing Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson. Polling stations are set to close by 10 p.m. local time, though blizzard conditions in southeastern and northeastern regions could hinder voter turnout. Many areas remain impassable, but road administration teams are working to clear major routes. A survey published Friday by Icelandic research company Maskina showed the Social Democrats leading with 21.2 percent support, while the Independence Party followed with 17.6 percent. The Liberal Reform Party held third place with 17.2 percent. All three parties have seen increased backing since the previous survey. In October, Benediktsson called for the dissolution of parliament after coalition disagreements over immigration and energy policies. Althingi, Iceland's 63-member parliament, requires a majority of at least 32 seats to form a government. SYDNEY, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The bodies of a man and woman in their 60s were found in a shop in Sydney's west on Saturday, police said. Police were called to a shop on Oxford Street, Cambridge Park, about 9:40 a.m. on Saturday following reports of an assault and found the bodies of two people, New South Wales Police said in a statement. They have not been formally identified but are believed to be a man and woman aged in their 60s, police said. A crime scene was established and police commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident, according to the statement. Residents observed a large police and ambulance presence on the street, while helicopters circled above, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Police are appealing for anyone who was in the Cambridge Park area on Oxford Street Saturday morning, or who may have dashcam or CCTV, to come forward. BAGHDAD, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Five Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in airstrikes in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk, the Iraqi military said on Saturday. Acted on intelligence reports, Iraqi forces on Friday carried out airstrikes on IS hideouts in the Hamrin mountain range in the southeastern part of Kirkuk province, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command. On Saturday morning, a joint force from the Iraqi army and intelligence searched two bombed hideouts and found the bodies of five "terrorists," the statement said. It noted that the joint force also found weapons, ammunition, explosives, logistical materials, and communication devices in the hideouts. The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have sneaked into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerrilla attacks against security forces and civilians. GAZA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least 22 Palestinians, including three aid workers, were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said on Saturday. Local sources and eyewitnesses reported that an Israeli aircraft targeted a vehicle in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip with at least one missile. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense Authority in Gaza, told Xinhua that the raid killed three people inside the vehicle and two passers-by. According to local sources and eyewitnesses, those killed inside the vehicle were Palestinian employees at the World Central Kitchen (WCK). The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Saturday that the IDF struck a vehicle with a militant that took part in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. The claim that the militant was simultaneously a WCK worker is being examined, the IDF added, noting that "We emphasize that it was a civilian unmarked vehicle and its movement on the route was not coordinated for transporting of aid." In another raid on Saturday, seven people were killed, including children and women, and several others injured in an Israeli bombing of a residential house in the al-Rimal neighborhood in the center of Gaza City, and there are still missing people under the rubble, according to Basal. A raid on a residential house in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in the north of Gaza City led to the death of 10 people and the injury of others with varying injuries who were transferred to hospitals, according to Basal. On Friday, the Palestinian presidency called in a press statement for an emergency meeting of the Council of the League of Arab States at the level of foreign ministers in light of the ongoing "war, starvation and displacement" in the Gaza Strip. The statement, published by the Palestinian official news agency WAFA, called on the international community to take action and force Israel to stop "its aggression against the Palestinian people and to submit to international legitimacy resolutions." It stressed the need to implement Resolution 2735 calling for an immediate ceasefire, the full entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, and enabling the State of Palestine to assume its full responsibilities, "otherwise the region will continue to live in a cycle of violence, and no one will enjoy security and stability." It held the U.S. administration fully responsible for the continuation of the "bloody aggression" as a result of giving Israel political cover to "impunity" and continuing financial and military support "to challenge international legitimacy resolutions." Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage. The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 44,382, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Saturday. AMMAN, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization said on Saturday it had dispatched a new humanitarian aid convoy to the Gaza Strip in cooperation with the Jordanian Armed Forces and the World Food Programme. The convoy consists of 50 trucks loaded with food, medical supplies, and other essential items, which will be delivered to the relevant authorities in Gaza for distribution to those in need, the organization said in a statement. Hussein Shibli, secretary-general of the organization, said Jordan will remain at the forefront to support the people in Gaza. Shibli noted that Jordan has so far sent 4,326 trucks of aid to Gaza, along with 53 planes via Egypt's El-Arish Airport. Additionally, 390 airdrops have been conducted, including 124 by Jordan and 266 in collaboration with other countries, as well as eight helicopter aid missions. TEHRAN, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and his Lebanese counterpart Nabih Berri on Saturday exchanged views on the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. In a phone call, the two sides also discussed the latest situation in Lebanon following the ceasefire that went into force early Wednesday, according to the Iranian parliament's ICANA news agency. Qalibaf expressed satisfaction with the cessation of the war in Lebanon, praising his Lebanese counterpart for his "important and effective" role in the achievement of the ceasefire "under those difficult circumstances." He added that Iran has always supported Lebanon's government, parliament, people and resistance, as well as their decisions, and warned of Israel's actions to violate the ceasefire. He also pointed to recent attacks by "Takfiri terrorist groups" in Syria, saying they were in line with Israel's objectives. He emphasized that, under the current circumstances, the situation in the West Asia region must be handled with seriousness and coordination. For his part, the Lebanese parliament speaker praised Iran's "unsparing" assistance for his country. Berri added that with Iran's help, Lebanon managed to stop Israel, which he called a "brutal predator." He noted that southern Lebanon, as well as the Beqaa and Dahieh regions, currently "are in a good situation." According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of its territory over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- A seminar on expanding practical cooperation and deepening China-New Zealand friendship has brought together key figures from both nations to discuss the mutual aspirations for the bilateral relationship between China and New Zealand. The seminar, held here on Friday, was organized by the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand China Friendship Society (NZCFS). It featured speeches from prominent leaders and panel sessions on bilateral economic and people-to-people exchanges, highlighting the importance of mutual understanding and cooperation. Mike Dawson, president of the NZCFS Auckland Branch, emphasized the society's primary objective -- to foster friendship, understanding and goodwill between the peoples of China and New Zealand by encouraging visits and facilitating exchanges of ideas, information, culture, and trade between both countries. Chen Shijie, Chinese consul-general in Auckland, highlighted the historic progress and unprecedented cooperation achieved especially in the past decade. "Standing at a new historical starting point, China and New Zealand are facing unprecedented opportunities and unlimited potential for future cooperation. I believe that as long as both sides master the overall situation and take a long-term view, enhance mutual trust, focus on cooperation, and steer clear of disruptions, China-New Zealand friendly cooperation will continue to bear new fruits," said Chen. Wayne Brown, mayor of Auckland, shared his experiences from a recent official visit to China, where he was impressed by the country's rapid progress and technological advancements, mentioning the advanced robotics and electric cars seen in Chinese factories. Alistair Crozier, executive director of the New Zealand China Council, read a statement from the council's chair John McKinnon, who highlighted New Zealand and China's multidimensional relationship that benefits both sides in unique ways. Sun Zhiyang, mayor of Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, delivered a video message to note the fruitful cooperation between Guangzhou and Auckland in various fields, including trade, technology, education, and culture. The seminar also featured panel discussions on enhancing economic and trade cooperation and expanding cultural exchanges. M Snehanjali USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept A philatelist puts a stamp on an envelope before sending the mails at China 2024 Asian International Stamp Exhibition in Shanghai Exhibition Center in east China's Shanghai on Nov. 29, 2024. The exhibition opened on Friday and will last for 5 days. (Photo by Chen Haoming/Xinhua) Guards of honor escort the caskets of the fallen Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs during a burial ceremony at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Nov. 29, 2024. The remains of 43 CPV soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were laid to rest on Friday in Shenyang. (Xinhua/Li Gang) This photo shows the morning glow over a turret of the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) People of Dong ethnic group sing as they celebrate Dongnian festival in Zhaoxing Dong village of Liping County in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Nov. 29, 2024. Dongnian festival, a traditional festival for harvest and gathering, was enlisted as one of China's national intangible cultural heritages in 2011. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) This photo taken on Nov. 29, 2024 shows the militaries of China and Russia conducting a joint strategic air patrol over the Sea of Japan. The militaries of China and Russia conducted a joint strategic air patrol over the Sea of Japan on Friday, according to China's Ministry of National Defense. The patrol, the ninth of its kind, was carried out as part of the two militaries' annual cooperation plan, the ministry said in a statement. (Photo by Sun Liren/Xinhua) Fishermen prepare to fish on Lake Qarun in Fayoum province, Egypt, Nov. 23, 2024. After years of closure due to pollution and ecological collapse, Egypt's Lake Qarun in Fayoum province has reopened for fishing, sparking a resurgence of hope and economic opportunity for local communities. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Dancers perform on stage during the 31st Far East Dance Competition in Vladivostok, Russia, Nov. 29, 2024. More than 200 groups from Russia's Far East region participated in the competition. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua) A drone photo taken on Nov. 29, 2024 shows China's research icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong 2. Currently on China's 41st Antarctic expedition, research icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon and Snow Dragon 2, carried out icebreaking operations surrounding Zhongshan Station, a Chinese research base in Antarctica, on Friday. The ships will begin unloading operations after reaching the designated anchoring position. (Photo by Chen Dongbin/Xinhua) Players of Hainan celebrate victory after the men's pearl ball final between Hainan and Sichuan at the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of China in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Nov. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Zixuan) A man demonstrates traditional Chinese exercise Tai Chi during an event on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Prague, the Czech Republic, Nov. 28, 2024. The event on TCM was held here Thursday to promote wellness and cultural exchange, while celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Czech Republic. (Photo by Dana Kesnerova/Xinhua) 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Hero Future Energies to invest Rs 11,000 crore in Karnataka, likely to create 3,000 jobs in renewable energy and green hydrogen 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 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 Meghna Mittal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept Smriti Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept DAMASCUS, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Armed groups of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) spread across several streets and neighborhoods in Aleppo city in northern Syria on Saturday, a day after the militant group stormed parts of the city, according to local media and opposition activists. Most civilians are staying indoors, with schools and government institutions nearly completely shut down, according to pro-government Sham FM radio. On Friday, the HTS and allied rebel groups swept into parts of Aleppo city for the first time since they were driven out of the city in 2016. The escalation came as the HTS launched a major offensive in the western countryside of Aleppo on Wednesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said the HTS took control of half of the city. It said that warplanes launched airstrikes early Saturday on the al-Furqan district near the New Aleppo area in the western part of the city. The airstrikes and limited clashes with government forces resulted in the deaths of 20 HTS fighters, the observatory said. Videos emerged on Friday night from Aleppo showing the HTS fighters freeing prisoners from government jails. Other fighters shot videos of themselves celebrating taking over the historic citadel of Aleppo and other key city landmarks. Aleppo's governor, police chiefs, and security officials have withdrawn from the city center, according to the observatory. The sudden surge in violence has reignited tensions in Aleppo, a city that has endured years of devastating warfare during Syria's protracted conflict. Government authorities have not yet issued official statements regarding the latest developments except the Syrian defense ministry statement, which says the army is fighting fierce battles against the HTS and allied militant groups. Another Hindu priest arrested in Bangladesh after Chinmoy Das, says Iskcon member Smriti Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Cyclone Fengal updates: Northern Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rains and gusty winds on Saturday, disrupting normal life as Cyclone Fengal continued its approach towards the coast. The storm, expected to make landfall near Puducherry later in the day, intensified the weather conditions that began with intermittent rainfall in coastal areas on the night of November 29. By Saturday morning, the rains had become steady, leading to waterlogging in several regions, including Madipakkam. Residents in low-lying areas, including Madipakkam, parked their vehicles on both sides of the Velachery flyover, while others from similarly vulnerable zones sought safer spots for their vehicles. Roads in many areas were largely deserted as authorities deployed civic workers, police, and fire and rescue personnel to assist in the affected locations. The Department of Revenue and Disaster Management has set up toll-free numbers 112 and 1077 to receive distress calls from the public. A WhatsApp number, 9488981070, has also been provided for assistance, as per PTI. Meanwhile, in compliance with the advisory, 4,153 boats have returned to shore, and 2,229 relief camps are ready for use if needed. 'By Saturday evening, Shinde will take a very big decision,' says Sanjay Shirsat on Maharashtra CM's future Aishwarya Dabhade USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- An international cruise ship, the Seven Seas Explorer, made its inaugural visit to Brunei on Friday, arriving from Malaysia with 666 passengers and 545 crew members on board, local media reported. According to the local daily Borneo Bulletin, it marks the seventh international cruise ship to visit the Sultanate in 2024. The passengers enjoyed a guided city tour and a range of local delicacies, drinks, and souvenirs. The Brunei government is committed to economic diversification and tourism development. Brunei's Tourism Development Department anticipates five additional calls before the end of 2024. India's growth over last decade propelled by advancement in science, tech: Union min Jitendra Singh Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept MVA: How Sharad Pawar engineered it and how it is heading towards its end J. Kumar is an author, journalist and a political commentator based in in Mumbai who writes on crime and Maharashtra politics. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Why BJP is keen on Eknath Shindes active role despite his hesitation? Smriti Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Crypto entrepreneur eats duct-taped banana artwork bought for $6.2 million: 'It's much better...' Shubhi Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept GAZA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- A high-level Hamas delegation will arrive in Cairo on Saturday for talks with Egyptian officials on a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, a source who preferred anonymity told Xinhua. The delegation will meet with Egyptian officials to discuss an agreement to end the ongoing conflict, the source from Hamas said, adding that the talks were initiated at the request of Egypt. Hamas is prepared to reach a deal to ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces and allow displaced people to return, the source said, adding that the entry of humanitarian aid is also expected to be covered in the discussions. The source added that if Egypt presents new proposals that align with Hamas' demands and there is commitment from both Israel and the international community, Hamas would consider them favorably. Israel has been waging 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, when some 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage. The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 44,363, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Friday. Musician crafts guitar out of late uncle's skeleton as tribute, names it 'Skelecaster' Shubhi Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says he had an 'excellent conversation' with Donald Trump in Florida after tariffs threat Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Swarali Bodas USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Aishwarya Dabhade USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept People walk in the street in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, on Nov. 29, 2024. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. (Str/Xinhua) People walk in the street in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, on Nov. 29, 2024. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. (Str/Xinhua) A man operates an excavator to clear the debris in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, on Nov. 29, 2024. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. (Str/Xinhua) People check the ruins of buildings in Bekaa, Lebanon, Nov. 29, 2024. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. (Photo by Maher Kamar/Xinhua) A man clears the debris in Ras al-Ain, near Baalbek, Lebanon, Nov. 29, 2024. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua) A man cleans the floor in Bekaa, Lebanon, Nov. 29, 2024. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. (Photo by Maher Kamar/Xinhua) A woman cleans the yard in Ras al-Ain, near Baalbek, Lebanon, Nov. 29, 2024. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua) A man clears the debris in Ras al-Ain, near Baalbek, Lebanon, Nov. 29, 2024. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua) Women and children scavenge for food in Gaza, UN official says 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Canadian media organisations sue OpenAI, want to ban ChatGPT from using their content Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Aabhas Sharma USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept NAIROBI, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan government has issued a flood alert following heavy rains affecting several parts of the country. Disaster response teams have begun evacuating more than 240 households impacted by the ongoing floods nationwide, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration said in a statement issued on Friday evening in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Counties in the Lake Victoria Basin and northwestern regions have experienced heavy rainfall, leading to isolated cases of flooding, the ministry said. "Disaster response teams, coordinated by national government administration officers, are monitoring the situation in various parts of the country and providing support to those affected," the ministry said. It added that flood alerts have been issued for northern and eastern Kenya, as well as parts of the coastal and Rift Valley regions, where storms are expected over the weekend but are likely to subside next week. The ministry also noted that evacuations are underway in Kisumu, a lakeside city, where about 200 households have been affected and nearly 100 acres of crops have been destroyed. "Residents of flood-prone areas who may be temporarily relocated for their safety are urged to cooperate with the response teams," the statement added. Earlier this year, unusual seasonal rains, compounded by the El Nino weather pattern, caused widespread disruption across Kenya, a country highly vulnerable to climate change. Between March and June, heavy rains and floods claimed the lives of more than 300 people, injured 188 and left 38 missing. More than 293,200 people were displaced, and nearly 306,520 were affected, according to figures from the National Disaster Operation Center. THE HAGUE, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- With over 30 visits to China and experience guiding over 450 tourists, Tom Lops, a seasoned tour leader, shared his captivating anecdotes and practical advice to Dutch audience during an event on Friday at The Hague's China Cultural Center. The China journey of Lops, a tour leader with TUI, one of Europe's leading travel and tourism companies, began with a serendipitous newspaper advertisement. In 2008, he embarked on his first trip to China, visiting iconic cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, and Guangzhou. "It was a roller coaster of new impressions, the people, the country, and the things that I saw," Lops recalled. That initial visit sparked a deep curiosity, leading him to explore remote regions and immerse himself in diverse cultures across the country. Highlights of his travels include a heartfelt moment in Guizhou, where he photographed local villagers in 2010 and reunited them with their own photographs two years later. A journey along the Silk Road in Gansu Province revealed a completely different side of China. The region's Buddhist culture, ancient statues, and vast deserts offered a unique and unforgettable experience unlike anything he had encountered before. Thereafter, Lops returned year after year, witnessing the significant changes in China's tourism landscape. "Traveling in China has become much more tourist-friendly," citing digital payments, bike-sharing, and extended visa policies. With the advent of digital payment apps, bike-sharing services, and an improved visa policy, navigating both cities and rural areas has become seamless for foreign travelers, he said. "I think it's very convenient to rent a bike in China. You can pick it up and drop it off almost anywhere. It's ideal for exploring city centers," he said. He also praised the recent extension of China's visa policy from 15 to 30 days, emphasizing how it enables visitors to balance time between bustling cities and tranquil countryside. Lops believes that first-time visitors to China will be struck by the friendliness of its people. "They are always curious to know where you come from and like to have a chat with you," he said. Lops takes pride in his role as a cultural bridge. "I really like to be an intermediary between the Dutch people and the Chinese people. I've already made a lot of friends," he said. Over the years, he has built connections with more than 400 friends on WeChat from across China. Looking ahead, Lops hopes to explore China's famed mountains, including Mount Huashan in Shaanxi Province and Mount Huangshan in Anhui Province. For those planning their first trip to China, Lops said there's no need for extensive preparations. "You will be surprised by all the new impressions that you will have in this country. You will be amazed," he noted. KIGALI, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda launched the Digital Soil Information System (RwaSIS) on Friday, a platform designed to boost agricultural productivity by promoting the use of specialized fertilizers, lime applications and region-specific crop selection. The system provides farmers with detailed, location-specific information about their soil, including its composition, the most suitable crops to grow, erosion risks, and the correct amounts of fertilizers to use, according to a statement from the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB). Speaking at the launch in the Rwandan capital Kigali, Rwandan Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe said the system will help enhance agricultural productivity and improve farmers' livelihoods. The system was developed based on trials conducted with key crops such as potatoes, rice, maize, wheat, beans and cassava, according to the RAB. A significant issue has been the use of blanket fertilizer recommendations across different regions of Rwanda, without accounting for the specific needs of varying soil types. This has led to lower crop yields and inefficient use of seeds and fertilizers, the RAB said in the statement. The trials conducted for RwaSIS generated valuable data that enabled the development of region-specific recommendations. While final tests for maize, wheat, cassava and beans are still ongoing, fertilizer recommendations for potatoes and rice have already been completed. Farmers can access the system by entering their soil identification, referred to as the Unique Parcel Identifier. The platform then provides tailored information about their soil, crop recommendations, erosion risks, and precise fertilizer application guidelines to enhance yields. Rwanda's agricultural sector remains vital to the country's economy, with about 69 percent of households engaged in farming and around 400,000 people employed in agri-food systems, according to the Fifth Population and Housing Census (2022). Yosemite National Park Sierra Nevada Red Fox View Photos Yosemite, CA Get a glimpse into the life of wildlife thriving in Yosemite National Park as 20 motion-sensitive cameras along the Sierra crest snap pictures of wildlife, including the elusive and federally endangered Sierra Nevada red fox. The red fox is pictured in the image box along with photos of a ram, bear, and other animals. Park biologists maintain the cameras, which are visited once or twice throughout the year. Then the biologists set to work sorting through tens of thousands of photos to gather information on the wildlife and how they are faring. With the red fox population of 18-39 throughout the entire Sierra Nevada, capturing a photo of one can be tricky or a stroke of luck, but it is not as the cameras are placed in such a way that a wide variety of wildlife within the Sierra crest is also photographed. Think of it like 20 stationary wildlife paparazzi cameras waiting in anticipation for the Sierra Nevada red fox, an A-list celebrity, while other wildlife are photographed as their supporting cast, according to park officials. The grim reality of life for South Africas zama zamas illegal miners has been laid bare following the recent emergence of dozens of miners from abandoned mine shafts in Stilfontein, North West province. Over a period of just days, a total of 34 individuals resurfaced from the perilous depths, offering chilling accounts of their subterranean existence. Their stories paint a picture of forced labour, brutal conditions, and a complex criminal network operating with impunity. On Thursday, 28 November, 17 zama zamas emerged from two separate mine shafts. Among them were teenagers who hadnt seen daylight since May 2024. One 19-year-old described a surprisingly well-equipped underground world: We used to go to work as early as six in the morning and then come back around 4pm, take a bath and then sleep. Or go to the shops and watch TV. We have TVs, fridges and speaker boxes. He detailed their routine, highlighting the stark contrast between their harsh working conditions and the surprisingly comfortable living quarters. He also revealed that supplies, including food, are delivered every three months by individuals descending into the mines. However, this relative comfort is overshadowed by the constant threat of violence and the extreme difficulty of escape. The young man explained that heavily armed guards, allegedly Lesotho nationals, prevent miners from leaving. He recounted the perilous journey to freedom: We are lucky that we managed to escape. We prayed before we left. The harsh realities of life underground were further emphasized by another teenagers account. He described the struggle for survival, relying on salt water to quench their thirst: Others had food. We didnt have food. We would warm water and drink it, staying in prayer and believing that we would one day be able to escape. We have a plan, and we plan to tell the cops the truth about what is happening underground. Adding to the growing concern, a further six miners emerged on Friday, 29 November, prompting a second visit to Stilfontein by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. During a media briefing, Minister Mchunu stressed the need for stability and order: We dont want anybody to threaten anybody. We want stability, order, peace and security in the country. To have all these things, there must be responsible people who must ensure that within the law, those things happen. He also highlighted the issue of undocumented foreign nationals involved in illegal mining activities. Then, late on Sunday night, 14 more zama zamas surfaced from a disused mine, where a major operation against illegal mining is underway. These Mozambican miners, arrested by police guarding the shaft entrance, were found in a desperate state. Their clothes were torn and muddy, some were barefoot, and they bore cuts on their hands. They had spent several days climbing up giant steel girders, navigating the perilous depths of a shaft deeper than 1.5km, which lacked ventilation and emitted hot, billowing steam. Newsroom Afrika reporters interviewed some of the men before their arrest. Their accounts revealed a pattern of deception and coercion. One man described being offered a job in Johannesburg while waiting for work in Middelburg. He said goodbye to his wife and four children, unaware that this job would lead him to one of the worlds most dangerous mines. The minibus carrying him and others bypassed Johannesburg, heading to Stilfontein, where they were forced underground at gunpoint. Similar recruitment tactics were used in Diepsloot and Alexandra, with Basotho men identified as the recruiters. Stilfontein, situated near Klerksdorp, has become a focal point for South Africas illicit gold industry. Abandoned mine shafts, remnants of a bygone era of industrial mining, now serve as havens for powerful gangs. A mine security expert from Orkney estimated that 500 men could work in a single shaft, mining 30 grams of gold weekly a staggering potential profit of over R60 million monthly per shaft, given the black market price of gold. Analysts estimate illegal mining accounts for around 10% of South Africas annual gold production, potentially representing over R15 billion worth of gold. The persistence of this illicit economy is attributed to various factors: numerous disused shafts, weak enforcement of mine closure regulations, high poverty and unemployment rates in former mining towns, and widespread corruption. Syndicates not only extract gold from abandoned shafts but also infiltrate operational mines through bribery. The operation is structured like a pyramid scheme, with white-collar criminals at the top laundering gold, and the miners at the bottom, trapped in a cycle of debt and danger. For decades, heavily armed Lesotho gangs have controlled access to the shafts, demanding exorbitant fees. One zama zama described paying R10 000 to enter and R25 000 to exit a mine, often financed by gold buyers in exchange for a share of the gold produced. The high cost of food and supplies underground further exacerbates the miners debt. Some miners remain underground for months or years, emerging with nothing. One zama zama, who worked as a cage operator transporting men and supplies, described witnessing young men, mostly from Mozambique and Zimbabwe, forcibly taken underground, often in tears. He recounted a horrific incident where a teenagers testicles were torn during a descent, highlighting the brutality of the conditions. A recent joint police and military operation attempted to starve the zama zamas out by cutting off their supplies. Over 1300 miners have been arrested, many from Mozambique and Zimbabwe, including about 100 undocumented children. The escape of the 14 men on Sunday has been interpreted by police as evidence that the zama zamas are not trapped, but rather avoiding arrest. However, a community leader in Stilfontein countered this, stating that the miners are caught between the police and the gangs, facing a double victimisation. Hundreds of men are still believed to be trapped underground, highlighting the continuing urgency of the situation. Breaking News via Email Related Pin Share Share 0 Shares Yves here. Please note that some of the speculation about the new Russian Oreshnik missile has been cleared up by later news reports and unusually forthcoming commentary by Vladimir Putin. Western commentators have tried to minimize the potency of the weapon by saying it did not contain explosives, or worse, suggesting it was a dud. This is a serious misreading. Our esteemed commentariat was early to tease out how the Oreshnik works. From comments: >Blasting calculations use distance from the charge divided by either the square or cube of the weight of the charge to get a scaled distance. Damage would be from: 1. Direct impact of projectile 2. Shockwave from projectile impact (and from air pressure 3+ km/s arrival velocity), which propagates through any material not in a vacuum, 3. Vibration from impact. Multiply by each warhead, and use the scaled distance from each to calculate cumulative effects of shock/vibration damage extending from the impact. No explosive needed. Energy = 0.5* mass*(velocity^2). The damage will be intense and be more like a hammer blow than an explosion. Putin stated, as was already widely surmised, that the Oreshnik was nuclear capable. However, give the likely givens above, there does not seem to be any reason for it to carry conventional explosives, since the raw kinetic force + additional superheating damage delivers a much bigger punch. By Rob Urie, author of Zen Economics, artist, and musician who publishes The Journal of Belligerent Pontification on Substack The Russian response to the US launching ATACMS short range missiles at targets deep inside Russia was to turn a very large Ukrainian munitions factory into fine dust using a new weapon which Russian President Vladimir Putin claims is currently in production. The Russian weapon is by reports non-nuclear, but hardly conventional. Per Ted Postol, the missiles fired into Ukraine reportedly traveled at speeds up to Mach 10. They appeared to superheat from a long glide at low altitude that occurred after the missiles reentered the atmosphere. And they combined heat with kinetic energy as they hit their target to create nuclear scale destruction without nuclear technology. Gilbert Doctorow offers that the new Russian weapon is a smaller version of an existing liquid-fuel propelled ICBM that was first revealed by the Russians in 2018. The non-nuclear ICBM can hit any city in the world, travels so fast that it cant be stopped, and one missile can destroy a land mass the size of Britain. The version fired into Ukraine has a solid-fuel rocket, making it more stable than the liquid-fuel version, per Doctorow. As if to demonstrate the intellectual decline of the US, The New York Times reports that the new Russian weapon can be fitted with nuclear warheads. Why this is stupid almost beyond comprehension is that the weapon produces nuclear-scale destruction without being nuclear. Putting nuclear warheads on it would make it a less effective weapon, not more. Why this confusion is problematic is that the Times is a mouthpiece for the CIA and Pentagon. If these sources really have this little understanding of the Russian weapon, it indicates an incapacity by the US to comprehend what it is that the Russians have created. Because of the weapons hypersonic speed, it is impossible to stop using currently existing technologies. Given this, as well as the weapons destructive capacity, the Russians can destroy any city within range of the weapon with no way for the intended target or its allies to stop it once the weapon has been launched. But as Doctorow has it, the greater threat is the ICBMs (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles). If one of these ICBMs were to hit, say Philadelphia, it would take out New York and Washington as well, the Eastern corridor of the US. The US as a nation would cease to exist were this to occur. Some pundits in Europe appear to be confused as to who it is that is firing the ATACMS missiles into Russia. Several otherwise knowledgeable talking heads have asserted that it is Ukraine that is firing the missiles. This likely came from the Biden administrations framing that it had given Ukraine permission to fire the missiles when, for technical and security reasons, only the Americans can launch them. The point: the Ukrainians didnt fire the ATACMS missiles at Russia, the Americans did. By pretending that the decision to fire additional missiles lies with Zelensky and the Ukrainians, the Biden administration wants to control the process without taking responsibility for the consequences. The Biden administration appears to be assuming that the rest of the world is as gullible and ignorant of basic facts as it is. The Russians know who fired the missiles. At present, to the extent that there is confusion amongst the belligerents, it is on the American and European side. With apologies for the use of the phrase, the new weapons give Russia escalation dominance, meaning that Russia will prevail against foes as the parties escalate due to the lethality and speed of the new weapons. With its military cupboards bare, the only escalatory response that the US has left is nuclear weapons. Despite claims to the contrary emanating from the Biden White House, the Trump-elect administration, and the American defense establishment, almost any use of nuclear weapons will set in motion a chain of events that will end humanity. After the new Russian weapon landed in Ukraine, the Biden administration launched a second volley of ATACMS missiles into Russia. This, as members of the US military publicly proposed that the US place nuclear weapons in Ukraine and stated that the US is prepared to prevail in a nuclear war. The Russians have already stated that Russia will not accept nuclear weapons being placed in Ukraine because of Ukraines proximity to Russia. According to retired US Colonel Doug MacGregor, the US does have the nuclear weapons to place in Ukraine. They are about all that the US has left according to MacGregor. The incoming Trump administration is looking even dumber and more dangerous than Biden & Co., with Trumps Deputy National Security advisor, Sebastion Gorka, and National Security advisor, Mike Walz, both displaying crude belligerence, near complete ignorance of basic facts, and a certainty that truly, deeply, unworkable ideas will change the course of history. Note: this is a decent description of Biden and his brain trust as well. And they got us to the current mess. For instance, Gorka is pushing the Trump campaigns silliness that Trump will threaten to flood Ukraine with weapons until Putin begs for a cease-fire deal. One problem with this idea is that Ukraine is out of armies. Flood away, there is no one left to use the American weapons. Another problem is that, according to the military folk referenced above, the American militarys cupboards are bare, meaning that the weapons needed to flood Ukraine with will need to first be produced. This makes the Trump plan for Ukraine a threefive-year proposition. The extra not-well-thought-outedness of the plan is that the whole logic of Biden drawing the Russians into Ukraine was to bleed Russia. The idea, as was reported in the US press, was that Russia would waste blood and treasure in Ukraine to the point where the Americans could organize a Color Revolution, remove Mr. Putin, and then loot Russias resources. While this makes Biden and his compatriots industrial scale scumbags, it also reveals their profound ignorance of how far both Russia and China have developed since such a move was practicable. The irony of the Trump plan, if anything this dangerous can be ironic, is that it would bleed the US. 1) the US currently lacks the weapons to back-up Trumps threat. 2) the lead -time and cost to produce the weapons that Trump is threatening to deploy are prohibitive. 3) the plan reads like good old-fashioned American bullshit and bluster, because that is what it is. What is most telling about what the Americans are doing and saying is that they dont appear to understand the position that they have put the US, and the world, into. If the Americans could either match or stop Russias hypersonic weapons, which they cant, then their threats might seem impolitic, crude, and unnecessarily belligerent, but not totally batshit crazy. If Trump imagines that the war in Ukraine will be ended with the three Bs, belligerence, bullshit, and bluster, this seems a weak plan. The second-order problem for Trump is that his planned Greater Israel war against the entire Middle East depends on first ending the US war in Ukraine. While this may read as an opportunity for the US to not recreate Hitlers march through Europe, only in the Middle East, the more likely result is that getting bogged down in Stalingrad (Ukraine) will be the coup de grace. If the consequences could be confined to the politicians who created this mess, justice might be served. But that isnt how the West works. They will be in bunkers as the rest of us are sent to the great beyond. Thank you, Joe Biden. Much of the technical information in this note came from public interviews with Ted Postol, Gilbert Doctorow, Scott Ritter, and Douglas MacGregor. New Delhi, Nov 29 : The Central government is set to spend at least Rs 1,010 crores on three key projects along the Brahmaputra and Barak Rivers in Assam, said Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday. The Minister also informed about the approval of a new slipway in Majuli River Island in the state at an investment of Rs. 96.60 crores under the Sagarmala scheme. The due in-principle approval has been conveyed by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. According to Sonowal, the comprehensive development of the national waterway in the Brahmaputra River is being done with a sanctioned cost of Rs. 474 crores with an overall physical progress of 79.87 per cent till October this year. It also includes the development of the approach road from Pandu Port terminal to NH27 and the development of a Ship Repair Facility at Pandu with an estimated cost of Rs. 388 crores, with more than 60 per cent of physical progress completed. For the development of national waterways 16 in Barak River and Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR), the central government has sanctioned Rs. 148 crores of which more than 16 per cent of work has already progressed till October this year. "A total of Rs 1,010 crore will be spent in these three projects along the Brahmaputra and Barak Rivers," Sonowal said. The Union minister further stated that among the six tourist jetties, the floating jetties at Bogibeel and Pandu are nearly 85 per cent complete. "Four tourist jetties made of steel at Silghat, Biswanath ghat, Neamati and Guijan, the Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Construction Limited (IPRCL) has been entrusted with the project. While the construction of slipways at Dhubri and Majuli is being developed at Rs. 96.60 crores each, the proposal of construction of passenger terminal at Ghagor in North Lakhimpur, Bahari in Barpeta, Goalpara, Guijan in Tinsukia, Kurua in Darrang, Disangmukh in Sibsagar as well as at Matmora in North Lakhimpur are also under various stages of execution," he said. Responding to a question by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, Sonowal further said that, as part of the inland waterways infrastructure development on Brahmaputra for cargo and passenger movement and river tourism, 12 floating terminals, two Multimodal Terminals at Pandu and Jogighopa and two permanent terminals at Bogibeel and Dhubri. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is also tasked to maintain a fairway with the required depth for the smooth sailing of cruise vessels. Sonowal also said that an MoU was signed for "Riverine based Religious Tourism Circuit in SPV framework" among Sagarmala Development Company Limited (SDCL), Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC), Assam Directorate of Inland Water Transport (IWT). "This project is aimed at connecting several religious places of worship through waterways by deploying appropriate capacity of vessels on a 'Hop On and Hop Off' basis. These seven sites are Kamakhya Temple, Pandunath Temple, Ashwaklanta Temple, Doul Govinda Temple, Umananda Temple, Chakreshwar Temple and Auniati Satra," he added. Hyderabad, Nov 29 : Poorest of the poor will be given first priority in the allocation of houses under the Indiramma housing scheme of the Telangana government. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday stated that the poorest of the poor will be chosen in an order of priority physically challenged individuals, agricultural laborers, landless people, and sanitation workers. He conducted a review of the Indiramma housing scheme at his residence on Friday evening. The Chief Minister ordered officials to take necessary precautions, emphasizing that in the first phase, priority would be given to those who possessed their own land. He directed that village secretaries and mandal-level officials be made responsible for this process, utilizing available technology. The officials have been instructed to ensure that there are no shortcomings in the functioning of the Indiramma Housing mobile app and that beneficiaries should not face any difficulty at any stage. Revanth Reddy warned officials against mistakes at the department level and suggested implementing steps to provide a special quota for tribals and ITDAs within the Indiramma housing scheme. He made it clear that beneficiaries should have the freedom to construct additional rooms in the allotted Indiramma houses if they are interested. The Chief Minister asked senior officials to strengthen the Housing Department to ensure effective implementation of the Indiramma Housing Scheme and to appoint the necessary officers and staff. State Housing Minister P Srinivasa Reddy, Chief Minister's Advisor Vem Narender Reddy, Chief Minister's Principal Secretary Chandrasekhar Reddy, Housing Secretary Dr. Jyoti Buddha Prakash, Special Secretary V.P. Gautam, and others were present during the review. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister expressed that the peoples government is encouraging farmers who have made Telangana the rice bowl by cultivating 1.53 crore tonnes of paddy. He posted on X that the effort to turn agriculture into a festival by paying a bonus of Rs. 12,000 per acre is giving him immense satisfaction. Imphal, Nov 29 : The Manipur government on Friday strongly criticised Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhomas reported demand for imposition of Presidents rule in Manipur. The Manipur government said that it would not allow fragmentation of northeast India at the behest of foreign vested interests, or such secessionist interests as openly espoused by the Mizoram CM. Any individual, group or organisation working with such intent shall be met with the strong hands of the law. The Mizoram CM can display better statesmanship by being a good neighbour rather than stoke the fire of hatred and division, the statement said referring to Mizoram CMs interview with a newspaper. The Manipur government statement claimed that Mizoram CM had recently given a controversial speech in the US by calling for the formation of a Christian nation by carving out areas from Bangladesh, Myanmar and India. In his interview with the newspaper, the Mizoram CM revealed his democratic credentials by espousing the imposition of Presidents Rule in Manipur while opposing boundary fencing along the India-Myanmar international border, the statement said. According to the statement, Mizoram CM also calls for the reunification of the Zo people and he also talks about the possibility of armed militias in Manipur pointing their guns at Delhi and the need for disarming, and sincere negotiations with hill leaders. He further questions the use of border fencing saying smuggling of guns, weapons and drugs could not be stopped along the Indo-Bangladesh border despite the existence of border fence, the Manipur government said. Noting that the ongoing crisis in Manipur is a creation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, the state government said that in the period between 1969 till present, there has been an increase in number of villages in the districts of Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Churachandpur and Pherzawl by 893, from 731 to 1624. In the remaining hill districts of Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul and Kamjong, which are Naga-dominated, the increase during the same period is a figure of merely 49, up from 527 to 576, a mere 9 per cent increase, the statement said. It said that the Mizoram CM is apparently unable to fathom the reasons behind this abnormal 122 per cent increase in the mushrooming of villages, many of which are in forest areas, in the first group of hill districts, which are Kuki dominated, or which have a sizeable Kuki population. CAIRO, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Syrian counterpart Bassam Sabbagh on Saturday discussed in a phone call the escalating situation in northern Syria, particularly in the provinces of Idlib and Aleppo, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Sabbagh briefed Abdelatty on the latest escalation of tensions in his country, it reads. Abdelatty expressed concern over the developments, reiterating Egypt's support for Syrian national institutions and emphasizing "Syria's vital role in fostering regional stability and combating terrorism." The Syrian army announced Saturday a temporary redeployment of its forces following intense clashes with militant groups in the northwestern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, according to a statement issued by the Syrian Defense Ministry. On Wednesday, a major rebel offensive rocked the western countryside of Aleppo province, marking the first significant attack since 2016. On Friday, the rebels successfully stormed parts of Aleppo. In response, the Syrian government, supported by Russia and Iran, launched airstrikes and ground operations to counter the rebels' advance. Mumbai, Nov 30 : Priyanka Chopra's mother Madhu Chopra has talked about that one regret she still has and ponders over it even today. Madhu Chopra was in conversation with host Rodrigo Canelas for the "Something Bigger Talk Show" podcast, where she shared that she "regrets" sending her daughter and the global head-turner to a boarding school at the age of seven. The actress' mother said: "I don't know, was I a mean mother? I still regret it. I still cry over it. It was very hard for me, too...But the thing was, every Saturday, I would leave my work and take a train and come to visit her every Saturday." "That was becoming disruptive for her because she was not able to adjust to her boarding school. Saturday, she would wait for me to arrive, and then on Sunday, I would stay with her. And all week, the teacher told me, 'Stop coming. You can't come'". Reflecting on the same, Madhur said that decision is both filled with pride and regret. "So that is one regretful decision, but Priyanka turned out alright. She landed on her feet." Madhu then went on to reflect on a bittersweet chapter of Priyanka's journey as Miss World. "Despite achieving a monumental milestone and becoming the Millennium Miss World, Priyanka's home state, Uttar Pradesh, was hesitant to welcome her," as per the caption mentioned on the podcast's handle on Instagram. Talking about it, Madhu said: "There was a trend that all these beauty pageants are for 'nari social', shaming women by making them objectifying women. These pageants are not good. But she won this world. They were not ready to welcome her into Uttar Pradesh as such." She revealed that a leading newspaper had a tough time getting permission for her to come and that took its limitation. "So they allowed her to come only within the army area and have her welcome party only in the army club with only army officers, no civilians. So to have won such a big title for the country, and it was big then, she was a millennium as well and it was huge." "She had reams and reams and reams written about her. But then her own home state didn't welcome her as well. But she was not fazed." Mumbai, Nov 30 : Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha and her husband Zaheer Iqbal, who were holidaying in Italy, hilariously asked if someone is casting for an Italian mafia movie to call them. Sonakshi took to Instagram, where she dropped a string of pictures of the two posing all suited up in Italy. The actress looked edgy in a black suit while she sported a dapper dude look wearing a striped suit. To add some extra drama to the pictures, she added the iconic track from "The Godfather" starring Al Pacino. She wrote as the caption: "Anyone casting for an Italian mafia movie... call us." Talking about the iconic film "The Godfather", which was released in 1972, is an epic gangster film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte and Diane Keaton. It is the first installment in The Godfather trilogy, chronicling the Corleone family under patriarch Vito Corleone (Brando) from 1945 to 1955. It focuses on the transformation of his youngest son, Michael Corleone (Pacino), from reluctant family outsider to ruthless mafia boss. Sonakshi and Zaheer tied the knot on June 23 in Mumbai after 7 years of dating. They first met at a party hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. Interestingly, both Sonakshi and Zaheer started their careers with Salman. While Sonakshi made her debut opposite Salman in the box-office phenomenon 'Dabangg', Zaheer made his debut with Salman Khan's home production 'Notebook'. The couple reportedly dated for 7 years, and lived together for a year before tying the knot. Meanwhile, on the work front, the actress is set to share the screen with her husband in 'Tu Hai Meri Kiran' The two have previously worked together in the film 'Double XL', which also starred Huma Qureshi, and a music video titled, 'Blockbuster'. Chennai, Nov 30 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday said that the situation is under control in Chennai and other districts, which have been witnessing heavy rains due to Cyclone Fengal. Addressing reporters after reviewing the measures being taken to tackle the impact of Cyclone Fengal at the State Emergency Operations Centre at Ezhilagam Complex here, the Chief Minister said that he had held a review meeting with the Chennai Corporation Commissioner and District Collectors of Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, and Chengalpattu, and was apprised of the situation on the ground and the relief measures being undertaken. People have been provided shelter in camps and food has been provided, he said. "There has been heavy rain since Friday night and it is continuing. The information is that the cyclone will make landfall by (Saturday) evening and there will be heavy rains. We have instructed for relief measures to be undertaken in full swing," Stalin said, adding that due to the measures the government has undertaken, there was no waterlogging in Chennai and any issues related to rains would be addressed with immediate effect. He also said ministers have been deputed to other districts in the state, and so far, there are no adverse reports and the situation is under control. Chennai and its surrounding areas are experiencing heavy to very heavy rainfall caused by the effects of Cyclone Fengal, which is expected to make landfall this evening between Karaikal and Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram). The cyclone, currently located 150 km east of Puducherry,140 km southeast of Chennai, 210 km northeast of Nagapattinam and 400 km north of Trincomalee, is likely to move westward and cross the northern Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast near Puducherry as a cyclonic storm, with wind speeds of 70-80 km/h, gusting up to 90 km/h, according to the weather department. Meanwhile, The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has reported water ingress in 12 subways across the city. The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) has urged residents to avoid visiting beaches, amusement parks, and recreational events. Parks and beaches in Chennai and adjoining districts will remain closed on Saturday. GCC Mayor R. Priya has assured the public that the civic body is fully prepared to handle the cyclone and the heavy rains associated with it. Specific warnings have been issued against standing or parking vehicles under trees during heavy rains. The GCC has deployed 28,000 workers for rain relief operations. Additionally, 10 extra workers have been assigned to each of the 200 wards to address rain-related complaints, assist in food distribution, and carry out rescue operations. Volunteers have been mobilised to maintain communication with the civic body, and 36 boats are on standby for emergencies. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Chennai and neighbouring districts for November 30, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. Heavy rains continue to batter Tamil Nadus Delta districts, including Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam. District Collectors have urged the public to avoid entering water bodies for bathing, washing clothes, or swimming. Parents are advised to keep children away from waterlogged areas and ensure they do not stand under trees or in open spaces during thunderstorms. Malappuram : , Nov 30 (IANS) Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who arrived in Wayanad on Saturday for the first time after winning her first Lok Sabha poll from the Kerala constituency, said this is just the beginning and she would always be with its people, who gave her lots of love and affection. At all four places she visited, she was received by a massive crowd which has now become a regular thing, each time she has visited the constituency, right from the time she filed her nomination. At her last public reception of the day, which began with her roadshow at Edavanna, she began her address by saying that she wants to thank all from the deepest part of her heart for the love and affection that they have given her. "I have come here for two days just to go around my constituency to say thanks to all of you. No matter how many times I say thank you, I know its not enough. You stood with my brother at his most difficult time. You gave him support and comfort. So I thank him also for trusting me and choosing me to stand here. He respects all of you deeply," Priyanka Gandhi said. "In the fight to protect our Constitution, the people of Wayanad have stood for whats right. You have raised your voice again and again for the truth and I am proud and honoured to be your representative," she added. "I will prove to you how an MP should work for the people and I know I am going to work hard to raise your voice in parliament and at all venues. Because of the love you have given me, I will never waver on my path forward," the Congress leader stressed. "We begin this journey together, its a journey filled with love from both sides. I have met lots of people, children, young and old and students. This is just the beginning I want to meet all of you come to your homes find out your problems and find a solution to your problems," she said. Her programme is planned in such a way that she will address a meeting at seven centres, one each in every Assembly segment of the constituency that spans the Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Wayanad districts. On Saturday, she finished going around the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts and on Sunday she will address meetings at the Wayanad, Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavady Assembly constituencies and then return to Delhi. She is being accompanied by her brother and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi who also addressed the meetings. Earlier in the day soon after arriving at the Kozhikode airport, Priyanka Gandhi told the media that she was happy to be back. "I am really happy to be back and am ready to start work for the people of Wayanad to help them to have a better life," she said. Priyanka Gandhi clinched her electoral victory in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a commanding margin of 4,10,931 votes. Incidentally, she bettered the victory margin of 3.60 lakh votes of her brother Rahul Gandhi, which he got in the April Lok Sabha polls, but fell short of his margin of 4.30 lakh votes which he won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The bypoll was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat earlier this year to retain the family's UP pocket borough of Rae Bareli. During the campaign, the primary question revolved around whether Priyanka Gandhi could surpass her brothers record-breaking margin. Priyanka Gandhis victory marks a significant moment in her political journey, coming nearly 20 years after she first campaigned for her mother, Sonia Gandhi, in Rae Bareli and her brother in Amethi during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Her debut as an elected representative is seen as a pivotal step in solidifying the Congress presence in Kerala and revitalising the partys fortunes at the national level. Covid-19 may be a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). This has been shown by new research at orebro University and orebro University Hospital, Sweden. We saw a raised risk of MS among people who had severe Covid-19. However, only an extremely small number of people who had severe Covid-19 received a subsequent MS diagnosis." Scott Montgomery, professor in clinical epidemiology, Orebro University Scott Montgomery examined the records of all patients with Covid-19 that were admitted to hospital in Sweden between 2020 and 2022. The results showed that nearly 26 per 100,000 patients with serious Covid-19 subsequently developed MS. This was more than double the risk than in those without a Covid-19 diagnosis. "I want to make it clear that MS is an uncommon disease and very few people in this study had an MS diagnosis linked with Covid-19. Approximately 26 people with new-onset MS per 100,000 with serious Covid-19 is only 0.02%." Scott Montgomery suspects that the number who are diagnosed with MS following severe Covid-19 will increase over the years after the pandemic. "It can take up to 10 to 20 years until an MS diagnosis following a relevant exposure to the brain or spinal cord. The extent to which serious Covid-19 is a cause of MS will become clearer in several years," says Scott Montgomery. He hopes that the research will result in earlier diagnosis of MS among those affected so they can be treated before development of more advanced disease. "Since the majority of people who were infected will not develop diseases such as MS, they should not worry. However, people with symptoms should seek medical advice. The earlier patients with MS are treated, the better quality of life they will have, because treatments delay the worsening of the disease," says Scott Montgomery. He also emphasises the importance of ensuring that everyone is up to date with their vaccinations to prevent infections. "There is a connection with the severity of Covid-19. More serious Covid-19, is associated with greater risk MS, possibly uncovering latent MS." Similar research is underway on other diseases that could be caused by Covid-19. Research results come continuously. "If we can follow the patient group that has been admitted to hospital for severe Covid-19 and identify diseases that are more likely to develop subsequently, we may be able to monitor for these diseases and hopefully help patients in a timely manner." The research is published in Brain Communications. The immune performance of wild capuchin monkeys declines when the animals experience higher temperatures, and younger monkeys seem to be particularly vulnerable to heat, according to a University of Michigan study. U-M anthropology doctoral student Jordan Lucore examined how the immune systems of wild monkeys in Costa Rica were impacted by temperature. Lucore and a team of researchers found that when monkeys experienced about two weeks of warmer temperatures - 86 degrees Fahrenheit - their generalized immune system performance declined. This is the part of the immune system that is activated as soon as the body senses a threat. Their findings, published in Science Advances, were a surprise, Lucore said. Scientists expect endotherm animals - animals that can regulate their own body temperature, like mammals - to be able to protect themselves against fluctuating temperatures because they can maintain a constant body temperature. We think this has implications for understanding the effects of climate change because we're seeing this unlikely relationship between the immune system and temperature in this particular study species, and we're seeing it at much lower temperatures than expected. Eighty six degrees Fahrenheit is not that hot." Jordan Lucore, U-M anthropology doctoral student For the study, Lucore examined a population of wild white-faced capuchins in the Taboga forest reserve of Costa Rica. Launched in 2017, the Capuchinos de Taboga Research Project focuses on the cognition, endocrinology and behavior of these primates. The project is co-directed by Jacinta Beehner, U-M professor of anthropology and psychology; Thore Bergman, U-M professor of psychology; and Marcela Benitez, professor of anthropology at Emory University, all of whom are co-authors of the study. "Capuchins are thought of as generalist species because they live in a lot of different places with different climates and diverse ecologies. They're successful generalists," Lucore said. "That was another concerning thing about the results: I can't believe we're seeing this in capuchins. They are quite resilient." Studying the immune system can be invasive: Biomarkers are typically found in blood serum, which can only be extracted in invasive ways. But Lucore examined a biomarker called neopterin, which can be measured in urine. The researchers used a "clean catch" method to collect the urine. Urine that falls on the ground or other leaves often can't be used because it may be contaminated, Lucore said. Taking care to not stress the animals or get too close, the researchers followed the monkeys, which are habituated to human presence, until they urinated. The researchers then caught the urine using a basket wrapped in plastic attached to a stick. Field researchers at the site can individually identify each monkey to keep track of which urine samples belong to particular individuals. Lucore measured the amount of neopterin in the urine and modeled the temperature in the days and weeks leading up to the urine collection. The researchers found that immune performance declined when the monkeys experienced two weeks of high temperatures. They also saw that younger monkeys experienced the strongest impact on immune performance. "We discovered that young individuals' immune systems may be particularly affected by temperature compared to the rest of the age groups," Lucore said. "This is especially important for potential health and fitness outcomes, because when you're young, you rely on your generalized immune system. Your adaptive immune system has not yet developed." The adaptive immune system is the component of the immune system that recognizes specific pathogens - something that takes time, up to several years, for young animals to develop. Lucore said the researchers don't know yet whether this has long-term impacts for health in wild animals. Longer-term studies will need to look at multiple generations to conclude whether the monkeys' decreased immune performance results in poorer health or reproductive outcomes. Lucore also said the results may be difficult to apply to humans, but they can tell us something about how climate change is impacting wild animal populations. "Climate change is happening. It's going to have effects on anyone living on Earth in ways that you may not expect, and especially on these fundamental systems that we need to survive," Lucore said. "The fact that a graduate student like me can go out there and collect rather short-term data and find strong evidence that temperatures are affecting the physiology of wild animals - I think that's a pretty important thing to keep in mind." The Capuchinos de Taboga field team, specifically co-authors Amy White, Lorena Sinclair, Vasco Alexandre Martins, Sarah Kovalaskas and Juan Carlos Ordonez, were instrumental in the study. Co-author Andrew Marshall, U-M professor of anthropology and of ecology and evolutionary biology, provided critical analysis and interpretation of the study. Forty-eight blanket shield block modules departed from China on Friday, heading to France for the construction of the world's largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor, sometimes referred to as the "artificial sun." #ArtificialSun #ChinaMade #France Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin attended the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Conference organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD) in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on November 29. She delivered a presentation on how Hong Kong enhances science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) education with the use of PISA data, promoting Hong Kong's quality education. Ms Choi pointed out that the Education Bureau has been making reference to Hong Kong students' science and mathematics performance in PISA to review and enhance the science and mathematics curricula for primary and secondary schools, and plan various support measures to achieve STEAM education for all, for fun and for diversity. Regarding the subject of mathematics, the bureau has increased the elements of applications of mathematics in the curriculum through nurturing students' ability in mathematical reasoning and data literacy. It has also organised a large-scale training programme for all secondary school mathematics teachers, focusing on the innovative pedagogies and implementation strategies of mathematical modelling education. As regards science education, the bureau is renewing the junior secondary science curriculum to put greater emphasis on scientific competencies and cross-disciplinary learning to promote integration and application of knowledge and skills across disciplines and foster innovative thinking among students. Digital education and STEAM education complement each other. In order to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) with science education, the bureau is launching a pilot scheme to encourage schools to adopt AI-assisted teaching in junior secondary science and support pedagogical innovations. The bureau will also establish the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Digital Education to provide advice and recommendations on advancing digital education. Ms Choi thanked the PISA Governing Board, Croatia's Ministry of Science, Education & Youth, and the OECD Secretariat for organising the inspiring conference. She said that, with concerted efforts of all parties, the future generation will be equipped with global perspectives, future-ready skills, and the values and attitudes necessary to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Additionally, the education chief visited the University of Dubrovnik and exchanged views with its leadership on promoting the recruitment of international students and enhancing higher education collaboration between Hong Kong and Croatia. She will conclude her visit and return to Hong Kong on November 30. 'Every Attack Makes Us Stronger': Gautam Adani Breaks Silence On US Fraud Charges Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 23:43 IST On November 20, 2024, the United States Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an indictment and a civil complaint in the New York district court against Gautam Adani. Gautam Adani was addressing the 51st Gem and Jewellery Awards. (PTI) Coming out in public for the first time after recent allegations and his indictment in the US, Adani group chairman Gautam Adani on Saturday said his conglomerate was committed to compliances and "every attack makes us stronger". "Less than two week back, we faced a set of allegations from the US about compliance practices. This is not the first time we have faced such challenges. What I can tell you is that every attack makes us stronger," he said addressing the 51st Gems and Jewellery Award here. related stories On November 20, 2024, the United States Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an indictment and a civil complaint in the New York district court against Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain, key functionaries of Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL). The charges relate to allegations of securities fraud, wire fraud and violation of the SEC guidelines that led to materially false and misleading statements in the bond offering documents of AGEL with respect to anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies. Adani Group had issued a statement denying all allegations as baseless, and said it would seek legal recourse to defend itself. Speaking at Saturdays event, Adani said that despite a lot of vested reporting, no one from Adanis side has been charged with any violation of the FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) of the US or any conspiracy to obstruct justice. "The fact is that despite a lot of the vested reporting, no one from the Adani side has been charged with any violation of the FCPA or any conspiracy to obstruct justice. Yet, in todays world, negativity spreads faster than facts," he said, adding that the group was committed to regulatory compliances. "As we work through the legal process, I want to re-confirm our absolute commitment to world class regulatory compliance," he added. Adani Green Energy Ltd, the renewable energy arm of the port-to-energy conglomerate, on November 21 scrapped a USD 600-million bond issue. The 20-year green bond was over-subscribed three times, hours before the US prosecutors charged Gautam Adani and associates with participating in a scheme to pay over USD 250 million bribe to Indian officials in exchange for favourable terms for solar power contracts. Following the indictment, Adani group companies stocks also tanked in the Mumbai trade. Ten listed firms of the group lost about USD 26 billion (Rs 2.19 lakh crore) in market value more than double of what the conglomerate had lost when US short-seller Hindenburg brought out a damning report in January 2023. However, since Wednesday, stocks of all the group firms have recovered. Shares of nine of the 11 listed Adani Group firms ended higher on Friday, with Adani Green Energy surging almost 22 per cent and Adani Energy climbing nearly 16 per cent. "Over the years, I have come to accept that the roadblocks we face are the price of pioneering. The bolder your dreams, the more the world will scrutinise you. But it is precisely in that scrutiny that you must find the courage to rise, to challenge the status quo, and to build a path where none exists," he said. Adani said that the group had successes but the challenges have been bigger. "However, these challenges have not broken us. Instead, they have defined us. They have made us tougher and give us the unshakeable belief that after every fall, we will rise again, stronger and more resilient than before," he said. Last year, the conglomerate had scrapped a Rs 20,000 crore Follow-on Public Offer (FPO) at its flagship firm Adani Enterprises Ltd after US short-seller Hindenburg Researchs report in January, which alleged the group of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. Adani had rejected all allegations and threatened to sue Hindenburg for its "reckless" attempt to sabotage the mega share sale at Adani Enterprises. But the allegation led to a free-fall of the group firms stocks, which at the lowest point saw USD 150 billion in market value being eroded. Talking about the Hindernburg report, he said, "This was not a typical financial strike, it was a double hit, targeting our financial stability and pulling us into a political controversy. All of this was further amplified by certain media with vested interests. But even in the face of such adversity, our commitment to our principles remained strong." Adani said that after successfully raising Rs 20,000 crore from Indias largest-ever FPO, the company made the extraordinary decision to return the proceeds. "We then further demonstrated our resilience by raising capital from several international sources and proactively reducing our debt-to-EBITDA ratio to below 2.5 times, an unmatched metric in the global infrastructure space," he said. "Our all-time record financial results in the same year showcased our commitment to operational excellence. Not a single Indian or foreign credit rating agency downgraded us. Finally, the Supreme Court of Indias affirmation of our actions validated our approach," he said. He further said that in 2010, when the group was investing in a coal mine in Australia, its objective was to make India energy secure and replace every two tonnes of poor-quality Indian coal with one tonne of high-quality coal from Australia. However, he said, the resistance from NGOs was huge and lasted almost a decade. "It was so intense that we ended up funding the entire project of 10 billion dollars with our own equity. While we now have a world class operating mine in Australia and it could be seen as a great sign of our resilience," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Adani also shared his journey of becoming an entrepreneur and highlighted its dominance in various sectors. He also advised businessmen to embrace technology and sustainability for progress, empower and uplift the skilled workforce and nurture the younger generation and equip them to balance tradition with transformation, culture with innovation and legacy with sustainability. First Published: November 30, 2024, 23:43 IST IIM CAT 2024 Answer Key To Be Released On Dec 3 At iimcat.ac.in Curated By : Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 09:44 IST IIM CAT 2024 examination was conducted on November 24, 2024 in three shifts. IIM CAT 2024 answer key and response sheets will be available on the official website - iimcat.ac.in. (Representational/ PTI Photo) The Indian Institution of Management (IIM) Calcutta will release the provisional answer key of the IIM CAT 2024 exam. Candidates who appeared for the Common Admission Test 2024 can check and download the answer key and their response sheets from the official website iimcat.ac.in. The release of the Provisional Answer Keys for CAT 2024 conducted on 24 November, 2024 is scheduled on 3 December, 2024," reads the official notification. related stories Steps To Download IIM CAT 2024 Answer Key Once released, candidates can download the CAT 2024 answer key and response sheets from the official IIMCAT website using their User ID and password. Candidates can also click on the link given below to directly access the IIM CAT Answer key 2024 link. Step 1: Visit the official CAT website iimcat.ac.in Step 2: On the homepage, click on the Candidate login link. Step 3: Now look for the CAT 2024 Answer Key link Step 4: Click on the link and the answer key in PDF format will appear on your screen Step 5: Now download the answer key and cross-check with the answer marked in your response sheet to roughly calculate your IIM CAT 2024 scores. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Candidates who are not satisfied with the provisional answer key can raise objections from December 3 to December 5, 2024, on the official website. The final answer key is expected to be released in the second week of December 2024. IIM CAT 2024 examination was conducted on November 24, 2024. The exam was held in three sessions. The exam was held in three shifts. The first session of the exam was held from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM, the second from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, and the third shift was held from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. First Published: November 29, 2024, 15:32 IST Election Commission Invites Congress To Review 'Concerns' Over Maharashtra Election Results Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 14:25 IST Maharashtra Election Results: Election Commission reiterated that the process was transparent with the involvement of candidates or their agents at every stage. EC said they will review all legitimate concerns of the Congress over Maharashtra election results | Image/File The Election Commission on Saturday asserted that all poll procedures it followed in Maharashtra were transparent and assured that it would review all legitimate concerns flagged by the Congress, which alleged serious inconsistencies. In its interim response to the party, the poll authority invited a Congress delegation on December 3 to discuss concerns expressed by it. related stories The Congress on Friday raised with the Election Commission serious and grave inconsistencies" which it said were being revealed in the data relating to the polling and counting processes for the recently-concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls and sought an in-person hearing to present relevant evidence. In the response, the EC reiterated that the process was transparent with the involvement of candidates or their agents at every stage. The commission also assured of a review of the Congress legitimate concerns and a written response after hearing the partys delegation in person. It asserted that a transparent electoral roll updation process was undertaken with the involvement of all political parties. Responding to the issue regarding the voter turnout data, the EC asserted that there was no discrepancy in it and the data was available with all candidates polling station-wise and is verifiable. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The gap in the 5 pm polling data and the final voter turnout was due to procedural priorities, as presiding officers perform multiple statutory duties near the close of polling before updating the voter turnout data. As an additional disclosure measure, an EC press note at around 11:45 pm was introduced during the 2024 Lok Sabha election and followed subsequently during all assembly polls thereafter, the poll body told the Congress. First Published: November 30, 2024, 14:25 IST 23 Lakh Students, Over 75,000 Schools & A 24x7 War Room: What is PARAKH Rashtriya Sarveskshan 2024? Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 15:28 IST The survey is a comprehensive, national-level assessment designed to evaluate and monitor the progress of Indias school education system over time A 24x7 war room has been set up at the NCERT headquarters to track the progress of the survey. (News18) Over 22 lakh students, 75,565 schools, 782 districts, and a war room set up for the first time this is the setup for PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, a nation-wide school education survey being undertaken by the national assessment body of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) under the Union ministry of education (MoE) to be conducted on December 4. The PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 was formerly referred to as the National Achievement Survey (NAS) which was carried out every three years. The last NAS was in 2017-2021. related stories The survey is a comprehensive, national-level assessment designed to evaluate and monitor the progress of Indias school education system over time. This assessment is conducted by the National Assessment Center, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), which operates the NCERT and the MoE. The assessment is in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which is designed to measure learning levels across India at the end of foundational, preparatory, and middle stages, as outlined in the policy. According to Prof Indrani Bhaduri, head and CEO, PARAKH, this year, a total of 75,565 schools and 22,94,377 students will participate across 782 districts. Also, she said, this is the first time that a 247 war room has been set up at the NCERT headquarters to track the progress of the survey and help with queries from the field across districts. It went live on November 27 and will remain in operation till December 5. The 247 war room is to be manned by a team that will work in shifts. There will be two people on the night shift to help resolve queries from field investigators and others such as the movement of material and people. The idea is to address any queries from any region at the soonest such that the survey is completed smoothly," said Prof Bhaduri. How is this survey different from NAS? In PARAKH Sarvekshan, it is baseline competencies that are being assessed while in the case of NAS, it was the learning outcomes that were graded. Another key difference is that this survey is stage-specific while in case of NAS, it was grade-specific. Stage-specific means that the assessment is being done at the end of every crucial stage of learning. The survey is being administered to students in Classes 3 (at the end of the foundational stage), 6 (at the end of the preparatory stage) and 9 (at the end of the middle stage). In NAS, the survey was conducted for different grades 3, 5, 8 and 10. Some of the examples of stage-specific competencies and how will these be assessed for different stages are: Grade 3: Reads short stories and comprehends their meaning by identifying characters, storyline, and what the author wants to say on their own Grade 6: Discovers, recognises, describes, and extends patterns in 2D and 3D shapes Grade 9: Describes the properties of a magnet (natural and artificial; earth as a magnet) What will the survey entail? For the survey, question papers have been designed for students while questionnaires have been prepared for teachers and school administration. It is meant to assess student competencies in key subjects, comparing performances across gender, location, and socio-economic groups, highlighting learning gaps based on National Curriculum Framework (NCF-2023), identifying factors that influence learning outcomes as well as resource allocation and shaping policies for the future. Multiple test booklets are used to assess a range of competencies without burdening the child. The Pupil Questionnaire captures insights that no score can reflect students learning environments, challenges, and aspirations. It is an effort to understand their background. Understanding the why behind their performance is just as important as the what," said Prof Bhaduri. For example, it will have questions like how do you typically commute to your school? Do you speak a different language at home than your teachers at school? The teacher and school questionnaires are intended to give a bigger picture on what influences student success. For example, teacher insights will include questions like how do they rate the parental support for students learning in their particular school. School questionnaire will record factors related to school environment. For example, how many books does the school library have? Why it matters top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to Prof Bhaduri, PARAKH holds significant value for policymakers and stakeholders, providing a critical foundation for shaping and advancing Indias school education system. By delivering comprehensive insights into student performance, educational standards, and learning outcomes, this assessment equips decision-makers with data-driven evidence to evaluate current policies and refine educational strategies. By turning data into insights, were evaluating the effectiveness of Indias school education system. This ensures that every student gets the quality education they deserve. This will help bridge gaps, transform teaching, and unlock potential across Indias classrooms," she said. First Published: November 30, 2024, 15:28 IST Aleppo Attacked: What Surprise Rebel Offensive In Syria Means For West Asia, World | Explained Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 16:30 IST The conflict, which began on Wednesday, is the first major flare-up in years between the Syrian opposition and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who has ruled the war-torn country since 2000 Syrian opposition fighters get off a truck as they enter the village of Anjara, western outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, on Nov 28. (Photo/AP) Russian and Syrian warplanes targeted insurgents in an Aleppo city suburb on Saturday after the rebel fighters penetrated the heart of the city in Syrias northwest in a surprise attack the previous day. The offensive, which began on Wednesday, is the first major flare-up in years between the Syrian opposition and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who has ruled the war-torn country since 2000. Assad is currently in Russia, where he is visiting his ailing wife. related stories 2016 conflict In 2016, a brutal air campaign by Russian warplanes helped Assad retake the northwestern city. Intervention by Russia, Iran, Iranian-allied Hezbollah, and other groups has allowed him to remain in power, within the 70% of Syria under his control. The surge in fighting has raised the prospect of another violent front reopening in West Asia, at a time when US-backed Israel is fighting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both Iranian-allied groups. About Aleppo, Assad Around 350 km north of the capital Damascus, Aleppo has been a critical battleground in the Syrian civil war. Before the conflict, it was one of the countrys largest cities, home to 2.3 million people. Assad has been at war with opposition forces seeking his overthrow for 13 years, a conflict thats killed an estimated half-million people. Some 6.8 million Syrians have fled the country, a refugee flow that helped change the political map in Europe by fueling anti-immigrant far-right movements. The roughly 30% of the country not under Assad is controlled by a range of opposition forces and foreign troops. The United States has about 900 troops in northeast Syria, far from Aleppo, to guard against a resurgence by the Islamic State. Both the US and Israel conduct occasional strikes in Syria against government forces and Iran-allied militias. Turkey has forces in Syria as well, and has influence with the broad alliance of opposition forces storming Aleppo. The opposition: Golani and HTS The US and UN have long designated the opposition force leading the attack at AleppoHayat Tahrir al-Sham, known by its initials HTSas a terrorist organization. Abu Mohammed al-Golani emerged as the leader of al-Qaedas Syria branch in 2011, in the first months of Syrias war. It was an unwelcome intervention for many in Syrias opposition, who hoped to keep the fight against Assads brutal rule untainted by violent extremism. Golani and his group early on claimed responsibility for deadly bombings, pledged to attack Western forces, confiscated property from religious minorities, and sent religious police to enforce modest dress by women. In recent years, though, they have been focusing more on promoting civilian government in their territory as well as military action. The HTS broke ties with al-Qaeda in 2016. Despite these changes, the group maintains a controversial reputation, accused of harbouring extremist elements and tolerating militant activities within its territory. HTS is joined by several Turkish-backed factions, operating under the umbrella of the Syrian National Army. These groups have long had a complex relationship, often fighting among themselves despite their shared opposition to Assad. History of Aleppo in the war At the crossroads of trade routes and empires for thousands of years, Aleppo is one of the centres of commerce and culture in West Asia. Aleppo was home to 2.3 million people before the war. Rebels seized the east side of the city in 2012, and it became the proudest symbol of the advance of armed opposition factions. In 2016, government forces backed by Russian airstrikes laid siege to the city. Russian shells, missiles, and crude barrel bombsfuel canisters or other containers loaded with explosives and metalmethodically levelled neighbourhoods. Starving and under siege, rebels surrendered Aleppo that year. The Russian militarys entry was the turning point in the war, allowing Assad to stay on in the territory he held. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This year, Israeli airstrikes in Aleppo have hit Hezbollah weapons depots and Syrian forces, among other targets, according to an independent monitoring group. Israel rarely acknowledges strikes at Aleppo and other government-held areas of Syria. (With agency inputs) First Published: November 30, 2024, 16:30 IST 6 Killed, 15 Injured As Bus Plunges Into Gorge Near West Bengal-Sikkim Border Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 21:30 IST The accident happened between Andheri and Atal Setu, about 1 km from the Rangpo border, around 3 pm People gather near an overturned bus after it fell into a gorge on the bank of the Teesta river near Rangpo border, in Pakyong district, Sikkim, on Saturday. (PTI photo) Six people were killed and 15 others injured as a bus plunged into a 150-ft-deep gorge near the West Bengal-Sikkim border on Saturday afternoon, police said. The accident happened between Andheri and Atal Setu, about 1 km from the Rangpo border, around 3 pm, they said. related stories The private bus, heading to Gangtok from Siliguri, veered off the NH-10 and crash-landed on the bank of the Teesta river, said SP of West Bengals Kalimpong district Srihari Pandey. The identities of the deceased and the injured were being ascertained, police said, adding that there was a woman among the deceased. The injured persons were initially taken to a health centre in Rangpo for treatment and later moved to various hospitals in Sikkim, they said. Police said the number of deaths is likely to go up as many injured passengers were very critical. Among the passengers on the bus when the accident happened were some tourists, they said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The bus, named Quality, used to operate daily between Siliguri, the largest city in northern West Bengal, and Gangtok. The cause of the accident is being investigated, police said. Location : Sikkim, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 21:29 IST AAP MLA Naresh Balyan Arrested Over Extortion Claims, He Denies Charges Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 22:40 IST The arrest was made after an investigation revealed an audio clip of a conversation between Balyan and gangster Kapil Sangwan, also known as Nandu AAP MLA Naresh Balyan (File image) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Naresh Balyan was arrested by the Delhi Polices Crime Branch on Saturday in connection with a year-old extortion case and his alleged links with gangster Kapil Sangwan. According to the Delhi Police, the arrest was made after an investigation revealed an audio clip of a conversation between Balyan and gangster Kapil Sangwan, also known as Nandu, reportedly based in London. related stories The police said that the conversation in the audio clips has discussions about collecting ransom money from a businessman. Further investigation of the case is in progress. Delhi Polices @CrimeBranchDP has arrested Sh. Naresh Balyan, MLA of Delhi Legislative Assembly in connection with an extortion case.The arrest was made after examination of audio clip having conversation between MLA and notorious gangster Kapil Sangwan @ Nandu. Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) November 30, 2024 The Uttam Nagar MLA was called to the Delhi Polices Crime Branch office in R K Puram for questioning and was later arrested. An audio call purportedly between Balyan and Sangwan was intercepted by the probe agencies. BJPs Charges Against Balyan Earlier today, the BJP accused Balyan of allegedly colluding with gangster to extort money from business owners. Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia and the partys Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva played an audio clip of a purported conversation of the AAP MLA with the gangster. In the clip, Bhatia claimed, Balyan addressed the gangster as a brother and discussed threats and intimidation against a builder. The saffron camp charged that the AAP leader was involved in threatening people and extorting money from them. He asked whether Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi will take action against the MLA and ask him to resign. pic.twitter.com/ltyaaEbBP1 Virendraa Sachdeva (@Virend_Sachdeva) November 30, 2024 If they do not ask for his resignation, it will be deemed that the extortion money is going to the party and its leaders," he charged. Bhatia said that it was election time" in Delhi and the AAP government was in exit mode". People will not only throw it out of power" but also ensure its not able to remain in the opposition, he added. AAP Reacts Dismissing the accusations levelled against him, Balyan said, I am sending notices to all those who have spread the false clip and getting FIRs registered against them. Remember, I am not a Congressman. Those who spread lies should be ready for legal action." FIR , . . Naresh Balyan (@AAPNareshBalyan) November 30, 2024 AAP senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh dismissed the allegations by the BJP. Ever since Arvind Kejriwal has raised the issue of law and order situation in Delhi and, he and his party workers are being targeted by the central government. As part of the same conspiracy, AAP MLA Naresh Balyan has been arrested by the Delhi Police Naresh Balyan had already filed 5 police complaints since 2023, on the threats he has been receiving. He was even provided with police protection Even though Delhi HC had banned this audio clip, the BJP released it to the media. Naresh Balyan has been arrested in this baseless allegation" #WATCH | On the arrest of AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, party MP Sanjay Singh says, Ever since Arvind Kejriwal has raised the issue of law and order situation in Delhi and, he and his party workers are being targeted by the central government. As part of the same conspiracy, AAP pic.twitter.com/T8vnVvlme2 ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The audio clip has no authenticity and the Delhi High Court has imposed a stay on it. Despite this, the Bharatiya Janata Party I must call it the Bharatiya Jhootha Party- has once again circulated this clip." The BJPs allegation comes amid AAPs criticism of the Centre and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged rise in crimes in Delhi. The AAP has alleged that the BJP and the Union Home Ministry has turned Delhi into gangster capital", he added. (With inputs from agencies) First Published: November 30, 2024, 22:27 IST First Sambhal, Then Ajmer: Ex-CJI Chandrachud Under Fire For Opening Floodgates Of Survey Pleas Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 11:01 IST The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board and Samajwadi Party MPs are targeting Chandrachud for a decision last year by a bench headed by him which allowed an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi premises in Varanasi The All India Muslim Personal Law Board blamed the Chandrachud-led bench for softening its stance and allowing a survey at Gyanvapi. (PTI) The moves of the lower courts on Sambhal and Ajmer Sharif have brought the focus of political attacks on former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud for opening the floodgates" for such petitions and surveys of various religious sites in the country. First, the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and now, MPs from the Samajwadi Party are targeting Chandrachud for a decision last year by a bench headed by him which allowed an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi premises in Varanasi. related stories That decision by Chandrachud was a bad one, a wrong one. It has opened the floodgates for more such surveys. The SC must take cognizance and stop such petitions and surveys in the countrys interest," SP MPs Zia Ur Rehman Barq and Mohibbullah Nadvi told News18. The AIMPLB also issued a statement on the same lines, blaming the Chandrachud-led bench for softening its stance" and allowing a survey at Gyanvapi. During the Babri Masjid case, the SC referred to the Places of Worship Act, 1991, and said no new claims could be entertained after the enactment of this law that specified that the status of any place of worship has of August 15, 1947, shall remain unchanged and cannot be challenged," the AIMPLB said. ALSO READ | How Turk-Pathans Politics Of Supremacy Led To Sambhal Violence In UP | Explained It then went on to refer to the Chandrachud bench judgement last year. Yet, when the lower court accepted the claim on Gyanvapi mosque, the Muslim side approached the Supreme Court, arguing that such a claim should not entertained given the Places of Worship Act. The court, however, softened its stance, and allowed the survey, stating it did not violate the 1991 law," AIMPLB says. This has led to subsequent claims on Shahi Eidgah in Mathura, Teelewali Masjid in Lucknow and now the Jama Masjid in Sambhal, and Ajmer Sharif, says the statement by the AIMPLB. The lower courts should immediately stop entertaining any such petitions. Only the Supreme Court and the high court should look into matters related to the Places of Worship Act, 1991. Or the lower court decisions will set the country alight," senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav told News18. Imran Masood of the Congress also questioned what purpose a survey will serve if the character of a religious place cannot be changed as per the 1991 Act. What is the purpose of a survey at all except spreading communal disharmony and tensions?" Masood told News18. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, while speaking to News18, also questioned the purpose of such surveys when nothing further can happen as per the 1991 Act. The same day a petition was moved in the Sambhal court, in that afternoon the survey was ordered, and the survey was also done within the same day," Owaisi said. Many opposition leaders are also appealing for a stop to such surveys citing RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwats statement from 2022 that there is no need to look for a Shivling in every mosque". The Counter-Argument Many of these cases are led from the Hindu side by Vishnu Shankar Jain. He cites Section 4 of the 1991 Worship of Places Act, which clearly says it wont apply to places protected by the ASI. ALSO READ | Stones, Arms In Hands: Sambhal Administration Releases Fresh Pictures Of Rioters The Sambhal site is an ASI-protected one. Hence the Places of Worship Act, 1991, does not apply to Sambhal," Jain said. He also cited the Ancients Monuments Act of 1950 which says that if an ASI-protected monument is a religious site, then the ASI will determine the religious character of that site and provide access to the community to which the religious site is attached. Jain has cited this Act to press for a survey of the Sambhal Jama Masjid site and demand access for Hindus to do prayers there. The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the trial court proceedings in the matter till the high court decides on the matter, and said the survey report will be kept in a sealed cover by the lower court. The Chandrachud Judgement The Supreme Court, on August 3, 2023, allowed a scientific survey by the ASI at the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi, a decision by a bench of then Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. The Anjuman Intejamia Masjid Committee of Varanasi had argued before the court that the decision was against the 1991 Places of Worship Act and would open the floodgates of similar pleas across the country. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all However, the SC bench said Section 3 of the Places of Worship Act did not expressly bar ascertaining of the religious character of the place of worship, while Section 4 of the same Act prohibits change of character of religious places as they existed on August 15, 1947. After this judgement, on December 14, 2023, the Allahabad High Court allowed a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque complex adjoining the Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura. A dispute also arose in Madhya Pradesh over the scientific survey of Bhojshala, an ASI-protected 11th-century monument. Earlier this week, a local court also issued notices on a plea that claims there was a temple in the Ajmer Sharif dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti and fixed the matter for December. First Published: November 30, 2024, 11:01 IST Gujarat Man Shares Intel On Coast Guard With Pakistani Spy For Rs 200 A Day, Arrested Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 10:13 IST The accused, Dipesh, reportedly used to receive Rs 200 per day for sharing intelligence about the movement of Coast Guard ships with the Pakistani agent. The accused had easy access to the Coast Guard ships as a contractual worker | Image: X The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested a contractual worker for allegedly putting national security at risk" by sharing sensitive information on Indian Coast Guard ships with Pakistani agents. The accused, Dipesh, reportedly used to receive Rs 200 per day for sharing intelligence about the movement of Coast Guard ships and had received a total of Rs 42,000 from a Pakistani agent. related stories Dipesh, who worked at the Okha port, had been in touch with the Pakistani agent with whom he was connected through the social media platform Facebook, said officials aware of the matter. The Pakistani agent, who used the alias Sahima, connected with Dipesh on Facebook and remained in close contact through WhatsApp. He used to take information on names and numbers of the Coast Guard ships stationed at Okha port. We received information that a man from Okha was sharing details about the Coast Guard boat with an agent of Pakistans Navy or the ISI through WhatsApp. Following an investigation, we arrested Dipesh Gohil, a resident of Okha. The number Dipesh was in contact with was traced to Pakistan," Gujarat ATS officer K Siddharth said. As a contractual worker, Dipesh had easy access to the Coast Guard ships at the Okha Port, said the ATS, adding that he received the money in exchange for his friends account since he didnt own any. Pakistans Navy or ISI agents are seeking people who can provide information about Indian Coast Guard boats for a small sum. For a long time, Gujarats Anti-Terrorism Squad, working with the Coast Guard, has been intercepting drugs along Indias maritime borders. In such cases, details about Coast Guard boats could be valuable to Pakistans military and agents. During a conflict, sharing this information could be especially dangerous for us," K Siddharth was quoted as saying by India Today. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Dipesh used to take cash from his friend, saying the money was for his contractual work. The police recovered Rs 42,000 that he received from the Pakistani agent. In a similar incident, the Gujarat ATS arrested an individual named Pankaj Kotia from Porbandar for sharing sensitive information about the Indian Coast Guard ships with a Pakistani spy. Location : Gujarat, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 09:46 IST VIENTIANE, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The China-Laos Railway has become a game changer for Laos, significantly enhancing the country's connectivity with its neighbors and facilitating the movement of goods and passengers both within Laos and across borders. As of September 2024, the railway has handled over 10 million tons of imported and exported goods since it was put into operation. The range of goods transported via this railway has expanded from an initial 500 varieties to more than 3,000 currently. The railway has not only reduced transportation costs but also helped local businesses reach international markets more efficiently. "I think the China-Laos Railway has provided us with opportunities to grow our business, especially for those who want to engage in import and export, because it has greatly reduced transportation costs and the time required to move goods. In addition, the railway connects Laos more directly with China, which is one of the world's largest consumer markets," Somsavanh, a fruit vendor in Lao capital Vientiane, told Xinhua on Saturday. He added that the railway opened new opportunities for more efficient fruit imports from other countries and expanded fruit exports from Laos to more locations. In addition to boosting trade, the railway has opened up new opportunities for tourism, allowing people from both Laos and China to travel more easily between the two countries. The China-Laos Railway, which connects Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the Lao capital Vientiane, is making cross-border travel faster, more affordable, and more efficient. "The China-Laos Railway provides a fast and affordable means of transportation between Laos and China. I believe it has made it easier for people in both countries to travel, whether for business or tourism," said Chanthida, a 28-year-old student in Lao capital Vientiane. "At the end of this year, I also plan to travel to China with my family for a holiday. I think this is a great opportunity for us to learn about Chinese culture, traditions, and ways of life," she added. The China-Laos Railway's Lao section has transported a total of 3 million passenger trips in 10 months of 2024, an increase of 44.4 percent from the same period in 2023. From Jan. 1 to Nov. 4, the railway carried 3 million passengers from 101 countries. More than 2,800,000 passengers traveled within Laos, while over 108,000 passengers were transported by cross-border passenger trains, according to the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. For local residents, the improved travel infrastructure has opened up new opportunities for work, study, and leisure. The ease of movement has brought families and friends closer together, and it has also made it simpler for students, businesspeople, and tourists to travel between Laos and China. Hindu Bodies In India Slam Bangladesh's Yunus Govt Over Attack On Temples, Seek UN Action Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 13:46 IST Bangladesh situation: Bangladesh is facing protests from all ends, including in India over its treatment of Hindu minorities. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh (Reuters Image) As India-Bangladesh tensions over atrocities against Hindus escalate, the neighbouring country has intensified its crackdown on the minority community with more vandalisation of temples, freezing of bank accounts of ISKCON-related persons, and more harsh steps. Protests have been taking place in several parts of Bangladesh over the arrest of former ISKCON member and Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das on charges of sedition. He was arrested on November 25 and denied bail the next day alleging that he disrespected the Bangladesh national flag in Chattograms New Market area during a rally by the Hindus. related stories On Friday, an unprovoked mob vandalised three Hindu temples in Chattogram and shouted anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans. The three temples that were a target of the attack included Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple. Yesterday, one of the satsang bhavans (congregation center) in Bhairav was vandalized. No devotee was injured. pic.twitter.com/eKpPbwMRNC Yudhistir Govinda Das (@yudhistirGD) November 30, 2024 A mob of several hundred people shouted slogans and threw brickbats at the temples which damaged the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples, according to the temple authorities, as per the local media reports. Urgent AlertIn Bangladeshs Chittagong, Radicals have attacked the Shantaneswari Temple after Friday Jumma prayers. Reports claiming Hindu shops and houses being attacked. Many Injured!! pic.twitter.com/zOS0iWMcHD Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) November 29, 2024 Bangladesh Cracks Down On ISKCON The local authorities have ordered to freeze the bank accounts for 30 days of 17 people linked to ISKCON, including Chinmoy Krishna Das, local media reported. The stringent move comes after a Bangladeshi High Court dismissed a petition seeking a ban on ISKCON after a lawyer was killed in the protest by the Hindu community against Dass arrest. The order to freeze the bank accounts was issued by Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) to various banks and financial institutions on Thursday, according to newspaper Prothom Alo. All types of transactions in the bank accounts of these individuals will remain suspended for 30 days," the BFIU order said. VHP Protests Against Bangladesh Members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal staged protest on Friday against Krishna Das arrest in Bangladesh and demanded the protection of Hindus in the Muslim-majority country. A VHP leader said that a conspiracy is being done to drag Hindus out of Bangladesh and urged the government to release Das. Another VHP leader slammed the Bangladeshi government while also seeking a United Nations intervention on the matter. He urged the Indian government to take actions to protect the Hindu minorities. RSS Issues Statement On Bangladesh Situation In a statement on Saturday, RSS, the BJPs ideological parent, condemned the attack on Hindus in Bangladesh by Islamic extremists stating that the current Yunus administration and agencies have remained mere spectators" and failed to take any action against the atrocities. The situation has escalated further, as Hindus in Bangladesh, compelled to raise their voices democratically for self-defense, are now being subjected to a new wave of injustices and atrocities," it said. The RSS termed the arrest of Krishna Das unjust" and urged the government to immediately release him and also ensure protection of Hindus. The RSS also appeals to the Government of India to continue its efforts to prevent atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh by all possible means. Furthermore, it should take necessary steps at the earliest to build global consensus and support in this regard," RSS said. India Expresses Concerns India on Friday urged the interim government of Bangladesh to fulfill its responsibility of safeguarding all minorities, expressing deep concern over the growing wave of extremist rhetoric and the rising incidents of violence in the neighboring country. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that India has consistently and unequivocally raised concerns with the Bangladeshi authorities regarding the threats and targeted attacks faced by Hindus and other minority communities. Bangladesh Responds To Indias Concerns Bangladesh on Friday responded to Indias concerns claiming that India followed double standards" on the protection of minorities. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Bangladesh interim governments Law Affairs Adviser Asif Nazrul said in a Facebook post that Indias unwarranted" concern for Bangladesh continued. In India, numerous incidents of brutality on minority Muslim community are going on. But they dont have any remorse or embarrassment (over those incidents). This double standard of India is condemnable and objectionable," Nazrul wrote. First Published: November 30, 2024, 13:46 IST Indian Student From Telangana Shot Dead At Chicago Gas Station, EAM Jaishankar Demands Action Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: December 01, 2024, 00:03 IST A youth from Khammam district of Telangana was shot dead by miscreants at a gas station in United States where he was working, family members said on Saturday. Sai Teja Nukarapu (22) was shot at by the assailants in the gas station near Chicago in the early hours of Saturday Indian time (Image: X) In a tragic incident, a student from Telanganas Khammam district was shot dead by some miscreants at a gas station near Chicago in United States where he was working, his family members said on Saturday. Sai Teja Nukarapu (22) was shot at by the assailants in the gas station near Chicago in the early hours of Saturday as per the Indian time, as reported by news agency PTI. related stories Sai Teja completed BBA in India and was pursuing MBA in the United States. One of the relatives of the victim told the media that he was doing a part-time job at the gas station. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he is deeply grieved at this news." Our Consulate is rendering all possible assistance to the family," he said in a post on X. Deeply grieved at this news. Our Consulate is rendering all possible assistance to the family. https://t.co/6qEY5yHjfx Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) November 30, 2024 Further, the Consulate General of India in Chicago also demanded immediate action against the culprits responsible for killing the student and said it will extend all possible help to his family and friends. We are shocked and deeply sad at the murder of Indian Student Nukarapu Sai Teja. We demand immediate action against the culprits. Consulate will extend all possible help to the family and friends of the victim," the Consulate General of India in Chicago posted on X. We are shocked and deeply sad at the murder of Indian Student Nukarapu Sai Teja. We demand immediate action against the culprits. Consulate will extend all possible help to the family and friends of the victim @IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia India in Chicago (@IndiainChicago) November 30, 2024 Madhusudan, a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Member of Legislative Council (MLC), said that Sai Teja was not on duty when the incident happened but was helping a friend who asked him to stay on for some time. The friend had gone out for some work. The MLC said he spoke to the members of Telugu Association of North America (TANA) for help in the incident. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The youths body is expected to reach India next week. (With inputs from PTI) First Published: November 30, 2024, 17:35 IST Influencer Bryan Johnson, Who Wants To Live Forever, Creates Buzz With India Visit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 15:42 IST Bryan Johnson, a 45-year-old millionaire who is known for his unique efforts for reversing ageing, is set to visit India in December. Bryan Johnson recently claimed that he spends $2m a year to become 18 again | Image/Instagram Bryan Johnson, a 45-year-old millionaire known for launching the Blueprint project to explore innovative methods of reversing ageing, is set to visit India next month, sparking significant buzz among his fans. In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), Johnson announced that he will visit Mumbai and Bengaluru in December to promote his book and community, Dont Die, which focuses on overcoming mortality and fostering prosperity. related stories This announcement thrilled many of his fans, but what caught everyone off guard was the tech entrepreneurs mention of model and reality TV star Poonam Pandey in his post. Tagging her in the post, Johnson hinted at a collaboration that no one anticipated. Leaving people baffled, the tech mogul wrote, Hello India. Ive been told the only person who believes in Dont Die is @iPoonampandey.Were about to change that. Im in Mumbai Dec 1-3 and Bangalore 4-6. #(Dont Die)." Hello India. Ive been told the only person who believes in Dont Die is @iPoonampandey. Were about to change that. Im in Mumbai Dec 1-3 and Bangalore 4-6. # Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) November 22, 2024 The tech mogul stated that Poonam Pandey is the only one who believes in Dont Die," a tagline he frequently uses to discuss efforts aimed at extending human lifespans. Interestingly, Johnson began using this Hindi phrase a few months ago, which initially caused widespread confusion. His recent post on X drew laughs, with some speculating that his signature hashtag may have been mistranslated. A former Silicon Valley executive, Johnson has gained global recognition for his unique anti-ageing efforts, which he frequently shares on social media. His unconventional steps include receiving blood transfusions from his teenage son and undergoing gene therapy injections. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all First Published: November 30, 2024, 15:41 IST Khalistani Terrorist Arsh Dalla Granted Bail In Canada Amid India's Push For His Extradition Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 17:45 IST Intelligence sources told News18 that Dalla's bail was granted despite non-cooperation from the Indian authorities Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Dalla was involved in a shootout in Canada on October 28. (X) Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill, also known as Arsh Dalla, has been granted bail in Canada after a surety bond of $30,000 is to be paid, sources told News18. His bail comes as India has intensified its push for his extradition. Dalla, a key figure in the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was arrested in late October in connection with a shooting incident, which led to his booking under 11 serious charges, including illegal possession of weapons and tampering with evidence. related stories Speaking on the matter, intelligence sources told News18 that Dallas bail was granted despite non-cooperation from the Indian authorities, and no opportunity has been given to question him. We will continue to pursue the matter with the Canadian authorities," sources added. Dalla, once a local gangster from Punjab, became one of Indias most wanted terrorists after taking over the leadership of KTF following the assassination of Harjit Singh Nijjar in 2023. He reportedly recruited young people from Punjab and Haryana via social media to expand his terror network. About his arrest On October 28, the Guelph Police in Ontario had received a report from a local hospital about a man with a gunshot wound. The injured individual was later identified as Arsh Dalla, who had arrived at the hospital with another man, Gurjant Singh. The two were in a Dodge Durango with visible bullet holes and bullet casings inside. The vehicle was later seized by the police for further investigation. The male was accompanied by a second male. They had arrived at Guelph hospital in a Dodge Durango, DCHN175The two males were identified as Arshdeep Gill and Gurjant Singh. Gill had a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his right bicep, which was treated by hospital staff," the chargesheet, earlier accessed by News18, had stated. Who Is Arsh Dalla? Arsh Dalla hails from Dala village in the Moga district of Punjab. He began his criminal career as a local gangster before relocating to Canada in 2020. According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Dalla was living in Surrey, British Columbia, with his wife and young daughter. Dallas passport was issued by the Regional Passport Office in Jalandhar on September 1, 2017, and is valid until August 31, 2027. Reports suggest that the passport was issued based on a fake identification report from a Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector (ASI). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In Canada, Dalla was in contact with Nijjar, the former leader of the KTF, a group designated as a terrorist organisation by India in February 2023. After Nijjars murder, Dalla took over as the chief of the KTF. Reports suggest that Dalla expanded his terrorist network while in Canada, with connections in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. Indian intelligence agencies have also linked him to the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as to drone-based arms trafficking from Pakistan into Punjab. First Published: November 30, 2024, 17:42 IST Kolkata Hospital Refuses To Treat Bangladeshi Patients Over 'Violence Against Hindus' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 13:40 IST The hospital official urged other city hospitals to follow the same step as a sign of protest against the alleged atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh. Members of Hindu community stage protest across India over alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh | Image/PTI A hospital in north Kolkata district on Friday announced that it will not treat any Bangladeshi patients to mark its protest against the atrocities on minority Hindus" in the neighbouring country. An official said that the J N Ray Hospitals move was forced after alleged insults were meted out to the Indian flag by Bangladeshi nationals. related stories It comes a day after the Ministry of External Affairs urged the Bangladesh government to safeguard Hindus" in the country amid several reports claiming arson and looting of minorities homes and business establishments, as well as theft and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples." We have issued a notification that from today till an indefinite time we will not admit any Bangladeshi patient for treatment. This is primarily because of the insults they have shown towards India," said hospital official Subhranshu Bhakt. He further urged other city hospitals to follow the same step as a sign of protest against the alleged atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh. Seeing the tricolour being insulted, we have decided to stop treating Bangladeshis. India has played an important role in their independence but despite that, we are witnessing anti-India sentiments. We hope other hospitals will support us and take similar steps," he added. Hindu Monk Chinmoy Prabhu Arrested Earlier this week, the Bangladesh police denied bail to Hindu religious leader and monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested under the charges of sedition, which was filed against him allegedly over his outspoken stance on minority rights. Prabhu, a monk who led multiple protests against atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, was arrested at Dhaka airport on November 25. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday condemned the arrest and denial of bail to a Hindu religious leader and urged the Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety of Hindus, a religious minority in the country. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all We urge Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression," said the MEA in an official statement. First Published: November 30, 2024, 13:39 IST Maha Kumbh 2025: 20 Drones Deployed In Prayagraj To Ensure Security Mega Event Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 23:12 IST The Maha Kumbh 2025 will be held at Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. The government has installed anti-drone systems and bulletproof outposts at key entry points, parking areas, and temples. (Getty) With Uttar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directing extensive security arrangements at Maha Kumbh 2025, 20 high-tech drones have been deployed to monitor activities in the area round the clock. The Maha Kumbh 2025 will be held at Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. related stories The advanced drones provide around the clock surveillance, capturing every detail of the massive gathering, according to a press statement. The drones are programmed to focus on even the smallest movements, ensuring a highly secure environment, it said. Every development work, from the Sangam to the Maha Kumbh, is being closely monitored. The highlight of these arrangements is the use of special drones, which provide real-time updates on every detail of all 25 sectors of the Maha Kumbh with just a single click. Special security measures are being implemented to ensure the safety and convenience of devotees attending the Maha Kumbh. Chief Minister Adityanath has issued instructions to provide a seamless experience for pilgrims travelling to Prayagraj from across India and abroad. To enhance security, three drone-based projects have already been initiated, ensuring vigilant monitoring of every corner of the Maha Kumbh. The number of these specialised drones may be increased if needed, further strengthening the security framework. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The drones are being deployed to oversee all construction activities carried out by various departments, including Smart City, Municipal Corporation, Police, Healthcare and Transportation. Currently, 20 state-of-the-art drones are operational, keeping a close watch on land, water and air to ensure safety. These remotely controlled drones are operated by specially trained teams, providing a detailed view of all activities, reads the statement. Location : Prayagraj, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 23:12 IST Only Strong Anti-Rape Laws Can Eliminate Menace: TMC Leader Abhishek Banerjee Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 19:23 IST Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday said only a strong antirape law can effectively eliminate the menace of rape in the country. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. File pic Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday said only a strong anti-rape law can effectively eliminate the menace of rape in the country. He made the remark at a doctors convention organised to announce the launch of the Sebaashray health camp programme. related stories Addressing the gathering, Banerjee said, "At a time when the country was protesting the RG Kar rape-murder, similar incidents kept occurring every 10 minutes, according to official data. Hence, I reiterate that only a strong anti-rape law can eliminate this menace. The Centre should act immediately and implement it through an ordinance if it wishes." Banerjee also highlighted the delay in the approval of the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, which he claimed has been pending with the President for two months. "If this amendment is passed, it can be implemented across the country. We have demonstrated our intent to tackle such crimes by introducing this law. I have condemned the RG Kar incident and said such perpetrators have no right to live," he added. He criticised the opposition for their alleged role in the RG Kar protests, accusing them of attempting to retain control by using junior doctors. Banerjee said the Sebaashray programme will commence on January 2 and as part of it, 40 health camps will be organised daily for 10 days in each Vidhan Sabha constituency. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all "The programme will begin in Diamond Harbour and continue for 70 days, covering seven constituencies. In the last five days, 280 follow-up camps will be held across these constituencies. So far, over 1,200 doctors have signed up for these camps," he noted. Banerjee further revealed plans for another convention in April, which is expected to host 5,000 doctors. Location : Amtala, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 19:23 IST Sambhal Administration Extends Ban On Entry Of 'Outsiders' Till December 10, Akhilesh Yadav Reacts Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 16:12 IST Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era mosque was carried out. The administration's earlier ban on the entry of outsiders was to expire on November 30 | PTI Photo The Sambhal district administration on Saturday extended the ban on the outsiders entry till December 10 in a bid to maintain peace and law and order in the district after the recent incidents of communal violence which led to the death of four people and left several others injured. Sambhal District Magistrate (DM) Rajendra Pensiya issued a statement saying, To maintain peace and order, the imposition of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita in the district has been extended to December 31." related stories No outsider, any social organisation or public representative can enter into the borders of the district without seeking the permission of the competent authority till December 10," he added as quoted by news agency PTI. Pensiya further said, If anyone tries to spread rumours on any group on social media, the group admin will delete the post and immediately inform the police. Cyber cafes will keep a register to enter the names of visitors. No person in Sambhal will burn effigies at public places." The ban extension decision came on Saturday when a 15-member Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation was scheduled to visit the violence-hit district to gather information about the clashes that broke out over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The administrations earlier ban on the entry of outsiders was to end on Saturday. Curbs under Section 163 (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, set to end on Sunday, were extended to December 31. Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era mosque was carried out following claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site. Violence erupted during a second survey on November 24 as protesters gathered near the mosque and clashed with security personnel, leading to stone pelting and arson. Four people were killed and several others were injured in the clashes. The Supreme Court has since ordered the Sambhal trial court to halt proceedings in the case and its survey. With the fresh extension taking effect, the Samajwadi Partys Muzaffarnagar MP Harendra Malik was stopped from entering Sambhal from Ghaziabad. I dont understand why we are being stopped. Are the opposition leader and the MPs so irresponsible that they cant be allowed to move within the state? Our delegation also included MPs Zia-ur-Rehman Barq (Sambhal) and Iqra Hasan (Kairana). What can we do? The government is acting in an autocratic manner," Malik said. Reacting strongly to the situation, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took to social media to condemn the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government. Yadav accused the government of administrative failure and alleged that the BJP was attempting to shield its negligence. Imposing a ban is a failure of the BJP governments governance, administration and government management. If the government had imposed such a ban earlier on those who dreamed of causing riots and made people raise frenzied slogans, the atmosphere of harmony and peace in Sambhal would not have been spoiled," Yadav said in a post on X. , , - - pic.twitter.com/7ouboVnQu4 Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 30, 2024 Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman Barq has been booked in connection with the November 24 violence for provocative acts". In Moradabad, Samajwadi Party MP Ruchi Veeras residence was surrounded by cops to prevent her from travelling to Sambhal. Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey, who was to lead the delegation, told reporters outside his Lucknow residence that Home Secretary Sanjay Prasad called him and requested him to not visit Sambhal. Pandey is sitting on a dharna in Lucknow. The Sambhal district magistrate also called and told me that the ban on the entry of outsiders had been extended. I will now visit the party office and discuss the issue before deciding on our next action," he said. The government perhaps wanted to prevent me in order to hide its wrongdoings in Sambhal as our visit would have exposed its mistakes," he added. Heavy security has been deployed outside Pandeys residence since Friday. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The party had earlier postponed a visit after assurances from the director general of police about a fair investigation into the violence. (With inputs from PTI) Location : Uttar Pradesh, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 14:11 IST Passenger Falls To Death While Spitting 'Paan' From Moving Bus In UP's Sultanpur Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 19:51 IST The incident took place on the 93-km milestone of the expressway around 10.30 am when the bus was en route to Lucknow from Azamgarh. The deceased was identified as Ram Jiavan, a resident of Chinhat area in Lucknow.(Representational Image) A 45-year-old passenger fell to his death from an air-conditioned Uttar Pradesh roadways bus allegedly after he opened its door to spit pann as the vehicle moved through the Purvanchal Expressway here on Saturday, police said. The incident took place on the 93-km milestone of the expressway around 10.30 am when the bus was en route to Lucknow from Azamgarh. related stories "As the bus reached near Bihi village in the Baldirai police station area, a passenger opened the door of the moving bus to spit. He lost balance and fell onto the road, resulting in his death. He had opened the door to spit paan," a police official said. "The bus was stopped immediately, and Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) officials along with the police were informed," the official said. Baldirai Station House Officer (SHO) Dheeraj Kumar said that UPEIDA personnel rushed the victim to the local Community Health Centre via ambulance, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all "The deceased was identified as Ram Jiavan, a resident of Chinhat area in Lucknow. His wife, Savitri, was also travelling with him on the bus," Kumar said. He added that the bus has been taken to the police station for further investigation and the body has been sent for post-mortem. Location : Sultanpur, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 19:51 IST Row Erupts After Audio 'Defaming' Rahul Gandhi Played In Himachal Govt Bus, Probe Ordered Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 09:14 IST The incident occurred on November 5 on a state-run bus operating between Dhalli and Sanjauli, according to officials. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi | File Image/PTI The Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government found itself in a controversy after the State Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) ordered a probe against a bus driver and conductor for allegedly playing an audio clip critical of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the vehicle. The complaint of the incident, which occurred on November 5 on a state-run bus operating between Dhalli and Sanjauli, was reported to the Chief Ministers Office (CMO), prompting the HRTC to initiate action. related stories The bus staff were served legal notices and asked to submit explanations within three days. According to reports, the driver and conductor have claimed that no such audio defaming Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders was played. Defaming Audio Charges Spark Row The incident drew sharp criticism from the BJP, acting as a primary opposition party in Himachal Pradesh, which accused the ruling Congress government of misusing its authority. It is wrong to harass ordinary employees like drivers and conductors over such matters. Himachal Pradesh is becoming a subject of ridicule due to such actions," said former minister Sukhram Chaudhary. Chaudhary further alleged that development in the state has halted, and public welfare schemes are being neglected. The government is focused on such trivial issues instead of addressing real problems like health facilities and infrastructure," he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Another BJP MLA came to the front and attacked the Congress over the incident. A driver is responsible for driving, not monitoring what passengers listen to. If the government is so concerned, it should deploy marshals on buses to handle such matters," said Dharamshala BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma. The HRTC said that disciplinary action could be taken against the bus driver and conductor if their response is unsatisfactory. It further stated that playing such content in public spaces could violate government regulations. Location : Himachal Pradesh, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 09:14 IST JUBA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), announced on Saturday that it has secured more than 282,000 doses of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) to carry out vaccination campaigns in areas identified as cholera transmission hotspots. The Ministry of Health said that the vaccines will be strategically deployed to Upper Nile State and other priority locations. "Cholera prevention is a priority in areas targeted for multisectoral intervention," Minister of Health Yolanda Awel Deng said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Awel said that the campaigns aim to protect vulnerable populations and serve as a foundational step toward implementing sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene interventions. The vaccines will be used to implement a two-dose mass vaccination campaign in Renk and Malakal counties in Upper Nile State, the minister added. In the coming days, the minister noted, additional doses will be shipped to support response efforts in other affected locations. The vaccination campaign aims to mitigate cholera outbreaks in these areas. According to Humphrey Karamagi, WHO representative in South Sudan, cholera is endemic in the country. "The strategic interventions include OCV campaigns in at-risk areas, training of state-level rapid response teams, and prepositioning and provision of diagnostic test kits and essential supplies for managing patients. These measures have enhanced surveillance and enabled prompt responses to suspected and confirmed cases," Karamagi said. According to the WHO, cholera continues to pose a significant public health challenge in South Sudan, exacerbated by ongoing humanitarian crises that primarily affect children, women and other vulnerable groups. Inside Priyanka Chopra's Thanksgiving Feast: Apple And Pumpkin Pie, Roast Turkey, And Good Times Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 14:03 IST Priyanka Chopra shared pictures from her Thanksgiving dinner on her social media. She celebrated it in London with Nick Jonas, Malti Marie, and family. Priyanka Chopra gave a glimpse of her sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner. Priyanka Chopra always blends her Indian heritage with her husband Nick Jonas Western traditions. The actor is often seen celebrating both Indian and Christian holidays with equal gusto along with her family. As the world celebrated Thanksgiving recently, the actor took to her social media to share snippets from the family get-together that she spent in London along with her husband and her daughter, Malti Marie. Sharing a carousel post from her Thanksgiving dinner, Priyanka Chopra wrote, So grateful for the life were building together. With tremendous gratitude in my heart, Id like to thank everyone that has been in my corner all these years. Its so important for a person to have champions and Im very lucky to have always had that. May you all be surrounded by love and loved ones. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating." related stories Take a look at the post here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka (@priyankachopra) With a table that was decked with leaves in the colours of autumn, candles, and pumpkins, Priyankas Thanksgiving included a classic pumpkin and apple pie. The pie was followed by a caramelized lattice crust stuffed with apple slices. Her feast also included chunky chocolate chip cookies and what is Thanksgiving without a juicy roasted turkey? She finished off her frats with an upside-down pineapple cake that was garnished with cherries on top. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Along with the feast, Priyanka also decorated her Thanksgiving table with personalized place cards for the guests and gift bags. The images also showed Priyanka and Nick showering love on their daughter. Earlier, she had shared a photo dump that gave fans a glimpse of her October treats. She gorged on coffee, steak, veggies, and other sweet treats as she celebrated Halloween with her family. The actor is currently in London to film for Russo Brothers Citadel. Location : Delhi, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 14:00 IST Easy Yoga Poses To Ward Off Winter Laziness: Know The Benefits Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 17:48 IST Follow these simple yoga poses to get rid of body stiffness and winter laziness. These poses are easy to perform and will not cause a strain on your body. Yoga can help you stay active during winter months. With the winter season approaching, it is indeed difficult to get outside the cozy blankets and exercise. This is also the time when we most likely feel lazy and tired, making it difficult to stay alert. However, if you are experiencing lethargy and seeking ways to keep energized during the winter months, yoga is an ideal option. While there are many difficult poses, you can always start with a few easier ones. Plank Pose related stories To perform this posture, start in a tabletop position with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Draw your navel towards your spine to engage your core muscles. Ensure that your toes are tucked under, forming a straight line from head to heels. Maintain a small bend in your elbows, but do not lock them. Keep a parallel stance to the floor by ensuring that your hips and shoulders are aligned and neither sagging nor elevating. Chair Pose Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Inhale deeply as you raise your arms aloft, palms facing each other. Exhale, bend your knees and drop your hips as if sitting in an imaginary chair. Keep your spine straight and use your core muscles. Ensure that your knees are directly over your ankles, transferring your weight evenly between your feet. Goddess Pose Begin in a standing position with your feet wide apart and your toes pointed outward. Inhale deeply while extending your arms up towards the ceiling. Maintain your legs in a squat position and keep the spine straight. Ensure your knees are directly above your ankles, with your thighs parallel to the ground. Benefits of Doing Yoga During Winters Improves Immunity Regular yoga can help the body defend itself against seasonal ailments such as cold. It also stimulates the flow of lymphatic fluid, which transports immune cells throughout the body. Relieves Stiffness Yoga can deal with the stiffness and joint pain that come with the winter season. It improves flexibility and relieves tension, reducing winter-related aches. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Boosts Energy Popular yoga asanas and breathing exercises alleviate winter fatigue and boost energy levels. They rejuvenate the body, keeping you active and invigorated during the colder months. Location : Delhi, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 17:48 IST Kumbh Mela 2025: Dates, Location, And The Cultural Significance Of Maha Kumbh Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: December 10, 2024, 10:19 IST Kumbh Mela 2025: Maha Kumbh Mela is set to begin in Prayagraj on January 13, 2025, with the Paush Purnima Snan, and will conclude on February 26, 2025, coinciding with Maha Shivratri. Kumbh Mela 2025: The Shahi Snan will take place on January 14, January 19 and February 3, 2025. (Image: Shutterstock) Kumbh Mela 2025: The Maha Kumbh Mela is a major Hindu gathering that will take place at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, from January 13 to February 26, 2025. This festival is one of the largest religious fairs in the world. The gathering attracts millions of people who take part in ritual bathing in the waters of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Kumbh Mela 2025: Key Dates related stories The festival spans approximately 30 to 45 days and includes several key bathing dates, known as Shahi Snan, which are considered particularly auspicious for spiritual cleansing: ALSO READ: Kumbh Mela 2025: From Shahi Snan To Pind Daan, 8 Sacred Rituals You Must Experience Shahi Snan Dates January 13, 2025: Paush Purnima Paush Purnima January 14, 2025: Makar Sankranti (First Shahi Snan) Makar Sankranti (First Shahi Snan) January 29, 2025: Mauni Amavasya (Second Shahi Snan) Mauni Amavasya (Second Shahi Snan) February 3, 2025: Basant Panchami (Third Shahi Snan) Basant Panchami (Third Shahi Snan) February 4, 2025: Achla Saptami Achla Saptami February 12, 2025: Maghi Purnima Maghi Purnima February 26, 2025: Maha Shivratri (Final Snan) ALSO READ: Kumbh Mela 2025: UP Govt To Set Up 2,000 Swiss Cottage-Style Tents Kumbh Mela 2025 Location: Prayagraj Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad, is a city in Uttar Pradesh, situated at the confluence of three sacred rivers: the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. This meeting point, called Triveni Sangam, has a religious importance for the Hindus. The Ganges is seen as the goddess mother, Yamuna is the symbol of devotion and Saraswati is known as the goddess of knowledge. This forms the basis, in mythological terms, for its spiritual energy at Prayagraj, where the Kumbh Mela takes place to attract millions of visitors seeking purification and spirituality. ALSO READ: Kumbh Mela 2025: History, Origins, And Evolution Of Maha Kumbh Kumbh Mela 2025: Historical and Cultural Significance The history of Prayagraj dates back to ancient times and is deeply intertwined with Hindu mythology and religious practices: Mythological Origins Kumbh Mela has its origins in the Hindu mythology of Samudra Manthan (the churning of the ocean). As per this story, gods or devas and anti-gods or asuras together churned the ocean to get a nectar of immortality, called amrita. ALSO READ: Maha Kumbh 2025: Coloured Vehicle Passes With QR Codes For Seamless Access Its believed that during this great conflux, some drops of amrita fell on earth at four holy places namely Prayag, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain. Religious Importance Prayagraj is also called Tirth Raj or the King of Pilgrimage Sites, because of its importance in Hindu epics. It is believed that the first Yajna (sacrificial ritual) was performed here by Lord Brahma. ALSO READ: Kumbh Mela 2025: Sacred Rituals, Celestial Alignments And Maha Kumbh Mysteries Many ancient literatures including Mahabharata and various Puranas describe it as a sacred region known for religious practices. Cultural Hub In addition to religious significance, Prayagraj has been the centre of culture and education since ancient times. Literary giants like Tulsidas and Kabir have their roots in this place. ALSO READ: Uttar Pradesh Declares Prayagrajs Maha Kumbh Area As New District top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all It has also witnessed many political movements in different eras including the Mauryan Empire. Historically, culturally and socially, the city has done a lot for music and art, and has used occasions like Kumbh Mela to propagate traditional performances. Location : Prayagraj, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 09:16 IST Josh Actor Sharad Kapoor Accused Of Sexual Harassment; FIR Filed Published By : IANS Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 12:54 IST No statement has been issued from Sharad Kapoor's side with regards to the incident as of now. Sharad Kapoor is known for films like Josh and Lakshay. (Photo: Instagram) A case has been registered against actor Sharad Kapoor, who is known for Josh, LOC Kargil, Lakshya and others, for alleged misbehaviour and inappropriately touching a woman. As per the Khar police in Mumbai, a 32-year-old woman filed a case. Elaborating on the incident, the victim alleged that the actor had called her to his house, during which he tried to misbehave with her, and also forcibly touched her inappropriately. As per the Khar police in Mumbai, a 32-year-old woman filed a case. Elaborating on the incident, the victim alleged that the actor had called her to his house, during which he tried to misbehave with her, and also forcibly touched her inappropriately. related stories The victim said that she came in contact with Sharad Kapoor through Facebook, after which she spoke to him through video call, Sharad told her that he wanted to meet her to talk about the shooting. After this, he had sent his location through the phone, she was asked to come to the office in Khar, but on going there, she found that it was not his office but home. When she reached the house on the third floor of the building, a man opened the door and Sharad from inside gave a voice and asked to come to his bedroom. In the evening, Sharad sent a WhatsApp message to the woman and used foul language. The victim narrated the entire incident to a friend, who then approached the nearby Khar police station and lodged a complaint against the actor. No statement has been issued from the actor with regards to the incident. An FIR has been registered against Sharad Kapoor under section 74 (Assault or use of criminal force against a woman), 75 (sexual harassment) and 79 (insult the modesty of any woman) of Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita. First Published: November 30, 2024, 12:54 IST Shalini Passi Says Sanjay Passi, Gauri Khan Were Neighbours In Delhi: 'Shah Rukh Khan And My Husband...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 07:50 IST Shalini Passi's son, Robin Passi and Aryan Khan went to university together. Shalini Passi shares a close bond with Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri. During her debut on Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives, Shalini Passi mentioned that she is quite close to Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan. She said that she is always invited to their close-knit dinners as they are like family. This created intrigue about how Shalini and her husband Sanjay Passi know SRK and Gauri. Speaking to Instant Bollywood, Shalini mentioned, My husband and Gauri were neighbours in Delhi. Sanjay is very very close to Gauris family. Hes like a son to Gauris mom. Shah Rukh and my husband studied in school and college together. Then Robin and Aryan went to university together." related stories View this post on Instagram A post shared by Instant Bollywood (@instantbollywood) Previously, in a conversation with India Today, Shalini said, Gauri, being from Delhi and with her father being in the army, has this amazing quality of remaining grounded. Its rare to maintain that in our industry. Gauri is a very solid person, whether it comes to her family or her friends. When she visits Delhi, she always makes it a point to meet her school and college friends and spend time with them. Its truly a pleasure to know her and the entire family." Shalini Passi also revealed that Gauri Khan gave her feedback on her debut, which she values. She told News18 Showsha in an exclusive conversation, The most special reaction came from Gauri. She called me while I was in Bombay, just before Manish Malhotras Diwali party," Shalini recalled. She said, Ive seen it. Its amazing. Youre incredible. She was genuinely concerned for me, and when she told me how much she loved the show, it really touched my heart. Gauri knows me better than most, so hearing that from her was very special." Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives has turned Shalini Passi into an internet sensation, mesmerising fans with her bold personality and free-spirited approach to life. Shalini, one of the three Delhi socialites featured on the Netflix reality show, stands out for her spontaneity and unique fashion sense. Shalinis personality has made her a fashion and lifestyle icon in her own right. First Published: November 30, 2024, 07:50 IST Vicky Kaushal Says Katrina Kaif Is The 'Subedar' Of His Fashion Army Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 16:20 IST Vicky Kaushal credited Katrina Kaif for making sure he looks presentable at public events by curating his wardrobe. Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif got married in December 2021. (Photo Credit: Instagram) Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif are one of the most adorable couples in Bollywood. Whether it is posting heartfelt pictures or rooting for each other in award ceremonies, the two always set couple goals. Vicky recently attended the GQ Men Of The Year event in Mumbai, looking dapper in a black tuxedo with a silver brooch. During his appearance, he also engaged in a conversation about his fashion. Vicky Kaushal credited Katrina for making sure he looks presentable at events by curating his wardrobe. He also said that he is fashion handicapped and it takes an army for him to maintain his style whose subedar(governor) is his wife Katrina. related stories Im a really fashion handicapped person. I rely on an army to make me a little presentable," said Vicky. Playfully calling Katrina subedar of his army, he shared that the actress often advises him on style and helps him select his outfits for public events. The actor also opened up about their married life in the same conversation. He said that after 3 years of marriage, his and Katrinas tastes have started to blend. While she has found a taste for aloo ke parathe with white butter, the actor has started to enjoy pancakes. Vicky Kaushal never misses an opportunity to express his admiration for Katrina. In a previous interview with BBC Network, Vicky said that Katrina is his reality check. She always helps him improve with her small suggestions. For me, Katrina is my reality check. Shes always there to tell me, This could be better; that could be better," he said. The actor further shared that he learns a lot from her. He praised Katrina for being resilient throughout the ups and downs in her career. I learn a lot from her, and I love jamming with her on creative things," said Vicky. Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif tied the knot on December 9, 2021, in a grand ceremony at the luxurious Six Senses Fort Barwara in Rajasthan, with close friends and family in attendance. On the work front, Vicky is gearing up for his historical drama Chhava based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Apart from him, the film will feature Rashmika Mandanna and Akshay Khanna in key roles. After facing a delay, the film will be released in February 2025, as per reports. Vicky will also be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Love and War in March 2026. First Published: November 30, 2024, 16:20 IST Caste The X Factor, BJP Looks For Non-Jat Rajya Sabha Pick From Haryana Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 13:08 IST From Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli, former Karnal MP Sanjay Bhatia, former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal, to former Haryana BJP chief OP Dhankar, and Kuldeep Bishnoi, the race is heating up for a seat to the Upper House While past performance and discipline will also be considered by the party leadership, everything will eventually boil down to caste calculations. (PTI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in search of a Rajya Sabha candidate a not-Jat to be more specific if BJP sources are to be believed for the only upcoming Rajya Sabha seat that is up for grabs in Haryana since Krishan Lal Panwar resigned from the Upper House and the seat fell vacant. Panwars term as Rajya Sabha MP was due till August 1, 2028, which necessitates the election on December 20. The equation for a Non-Jat leader is clear. In August, Kiran Choudhry, after she joined BJP, was sent to the Upper House from Haryana. She won unopposed and the messaging reaped political benefits, with her daughter winning an assembly seat for BJP. But now, its time to balance the caste equation," a senior BJP leader, who is among the three credited for the Haryana win, told News18. related stories The same leader told News18 that past performance and discipline will also be considered by the party leadership. But, everything will eventually boil down to caste calculations. The man who is leading the race represents the Brahmin community which often complains of being neglected because it does not carry heft like the Jats or Yadavs. Though Brahmins constitute just 7.5 per cent of Haryana, they vote en bloc for BJP despite some issues here and there. If Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli gets the ticket to the Upper House, much of the right messaging will be done as it was done in August towards Jats when Choudhry was picked. As everyone was scrambling for tickets during the Haryana election, Badolis decision to run the show seemed to have impressed the leadership. Former Karnal MP Sanjay Bhatia is also contending for the berth. Bhatia belongs to the Punjabi community, just like Manohar Lal Khattar. In fact, he gave up his seat for Khattar to fight after the former chief minister had to switch from state politics to the Centre. Hence, Khattar may go the extra mile to pay back Bhatias debt. Punjabis constitute 8 per cent of Haryanas population but significantly influence its politics. If the BJP thinks playing a backward caste card will help them in the larger scheme of things, they may put their money on former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal. She is a prominent Scheduled Caste leader. Dalits constitute 21 per cent of Haryanas population. Another contender in the race is former Haryana BJP chief OP Dhankar. However, Dhankars chances look slim, given he is a Jat and the BJP doesnt want to send a wrong signal by consecutively sending two Jat leaders from the state to Rajya Sabha, irking the non-Jats. Moreover, Dhankar lost from Badli for the second consecutive time and is seen as a non-performer. So, he doesnt fit on the merit or caste angle of the BJP. Now, if one would go beyond Duggals caste, there is little merit in her candidature as well. Duggal lost from Ratia seat in assembly polls, showcasing a poor political performance. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, politically irrelevant Kuldeep Bishnoi, from the Bishnoi community, has gone all out to lobby for his case. He is the son of late chief minister Bhajan Lal and a former Member of Parliament who has called upon Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda to secure the Upper House seat that he has been eyeing since August but which ultimately went to Choudhry. Bishnois political weakness, caste insignificance and, most importantly, him snubbing BJP after not getting a Rajya Sabha ticket hasnt gone down well with the party. BJP insiders cite an incident of November 25 in Hisar when Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini was in the area for a BJP event but both Bishnoi and his son stayed away from the event an act that didnt go unnoticed by the top brass. Location : Haryana, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 13:08 IST 'Mahayuti To Form Govt With CM From BJP, 2 Deputy CMs From Allies': Ajit Pawar Clears Air Amid Deadlock Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 19:57 IST The Mahayuti, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by Ajit Pawar, registered a resounding victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Mahayuti leaders Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar | Image/PTI The next chief minister of Maharashtra will be from the BJP and there will be two deputy chief ministers from other Mahayuti constituents, NCP chief Ajit Pawar said on Saturday. The Mahayuti, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by Ajit Pawar, registered a resounding victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections. seats, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, while Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats respectively. related stories However, government formation has been delayed and suspense over the next CM continues. Ajit Pawar was in the city to meet 95-year-old social activist Dr Baba Adhav, who held a protest against the alleged misuse of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls. When asked who will be the chief minister of the state, Pawar said, "The state will have one chief minister from BJP and two deputies from other two parties of Mahayuti. Tentatively, the oath taking ceremony will take place on December 5. We have decided to move ahead with a strong vision." State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday evening announced that the new Mahayuti government will be sworn in at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on the evening of December 5 in Prime Minister Narendra Modis presence. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all While there was no announcement yet on who would be the chief minister, BJP sources said Devendra Fadnavis, who has been chief minister twice and was deputy CM in the last Eknath Shinde-led government, was the frontrunner for the top post. Ajit Pawar was another deputy CM in the Shinde-led government. First Published: November 30, 2024, 19:57 IST 'Unwell' Eknath Shinde Camps In Native Village As Maharashtra Awaits His 'Big Decision' Amid CM Suspense Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 20:02 IST This news comes just hours after Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat revealed that Shinde is expected to make a significant political decision within the next 24 hours Eknath Shinde (Photo: PTI) Maharashtras caretaker Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who is currently in his village of Satara, is reportedly unwell. A team of doctors has also visited him to assess his condition. This news comes just hours after Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat revealed that Shinde is expected to make a significant political decision within the next 24 hours, as suspense mounts over who will be the next Chief Minister to lead the Mahayuti-ruled state. related stories Shirsat hinted that the suspense surrounding the identity of Maharashtras next Chief Minister will soon come to an end, with an announcement expected by midnight. He also added that the oath-taking ceremony for the new CM is scheduled for December 2. The leaders of Maharashtra met at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday. The decision on the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be taken by PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah," Shirsat told the media, news agency IANS reported. The Shiv Sena leader further stated that whenever Shinde is set to make an important political move, he tends to retreat to his native village. He also clarified that Shinde would not be taking a position in the Union Cabinet, as his primary focus remains on Maharashtras politics. Speaking about Shindes health, his family doctor said he is doing fine now and is suffering from a fever and its side effects. Its been two days now. We have given him antibiotics. We are a team of 3-4 doctors," he told news agency ANI. #WATCH | Satara, Maharashtra: On caretaker CM Eknath Shindes health, his family doctor RM Patre says, He is doing fine now. He is suffering from a fever and its side effects. Its been 2 days now. We have given him antibiotics. We are a team of 3-4 doctors" pic.twitter.com/5cI8vHV2Jz ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 Shinde is not upset On Friday, another Shiv Sena leader, Uday Samant, dismissed speculation that Shinde had gone to his native village in Satara due to being upset, as government formation has been delayed. Samant clarified that Shinde had been unwell when he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday night. #WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: On Maharashtra CM post, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant says, We were with Eknath Shinde till early morning. Tomorrow he will be back and it is not as if the meeting takes place physically only, they also take place through video conferencing, pic.twitter.com/P99iaTF0Ew ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2024 Samant, a minister in the previous Shinde-led cabinet, further emphasised that Shinde had made it clear he would accept the decision of the BJP top brass on the next Chief Minister. He added that Shinde should be part of the new government. BJP Offers Shinde A Role In New Mahayuti Govt A crucial meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and alliance leaders was held in Delhi on Thursday night, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reportedly offered Shinde the position of Deputy Chief Minister in Maharashtra. However, Shinde, who had initially sought to retain the Chief Ministers post, is reluctant to accept this offer, creating a political dilemma for the BJP. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Sources told News18 that Shinde has asked the BJP to consider another leader from his Shiv Sena faction for the Deputy CM position. He is even contemplating staying out of the government altogether. Despite this, the BJP is unwilling to let Shinde step aside, citing his importance in the new government. ALSO READ: Why BJP Insists On Sulking Shindes Role in Maharashtra Government Despite His Reluctance Location : Maharashtra, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 18:32 IST Why BJP Insists On Sulking Shindes Role in Maharashtra Government Despite His Reluctance Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pathikrit Sen Gupta Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 16:10 IST Eknath Shindes role in the Mahayuti government goes beyond ministerial positions. Shindes leadership during his tenure as chief minister helped the BJP navigate tricky situations, including the split in the Shiv Sena and the Maratha protests Sources suggest that Eknath Shinde has asked the BJP to give the deputy CM post to another leader from his Shiv Sena faction. He is even considering staying out of the government entirely. (File photo/PTI) The Mahayuti alliance is moving swiftly to form the new government in Maharashtra. A crucial meeting between union home minister Amit Shah and alliance leaders was held in Delhi on Thursday night. During this meeting, the Bharatiya Janata Party reportedly proposed the deputy chief minister post for Eknath Shinde. However, Shinde, who initially sought to retain the CMs post, is reluctant to accept the offer. His resistance has created a political dilemma for the BJP. Sources suggest that Eknath Shinde has asked the BJP to give the deputy CM post to another leader from his Shiv Sena faction. He is even considering staying out of the government entirely. However, the BJP is unwilling to let Shinde step aside, citing his importance in the new government. Shinde reportedly feels that accepting the deputy CM role would be a significant step down after holding the chief ministers chair. He has also allegedly suggested his son, Shrikant Shinde, for the deputy CM post. However, this proposal is unlikely to be approved by the BJP. Shrikant Shinde lacks the political experience required for such a high-profile position. The BJP believes elevating him to this role could invite accusations of nepotism. Moreover, many senior leaders within Shindes faction may feel sidelined, leading to internal unrest. related stories If Shrikant Shinde were to take the deputy CM post, he would be placed alongside seasoned leaders like Ajit Pawar. Comparisons between the two could weaken the image of the Shiv Sena faction. BJP strategists also fear that Shrikants aggressive political style may lead to issues within the government. The BJP views Eknath Shinde as a crucial figure in its government. Over the past year, Shinde has emerged as a prominent face of the Maratha community in Maharashtra. His association with key Maratha leaders, such as activist Manoj Jarange Patil, has strengthened his position. Shindes popularity and credibility among Marathas are valuable assets for the BJP. In the event of future protests or unrest over the Maratha reservation issue, the BJP believes Shindes involvement in the government will help defuse tensions. Another reason the BJP is insistent on Shindes presence is the growing influence of Ajit Pawar within the Mahayuti alliance. If Shinde stepped aside, Pawars authority and control over the government could increase significantly. To counterbalance Pawar, the BJP wants two strong Maratha leaders in key positions. Shindes continued involvement would ensure that Pawars influence does not dominate the alliance. This balance is critical to maintaining the unity and stability of the Mahayuti government. While Shinde is unwilling to accept the deputy CM role, he has reportedly demanded key portfolios as compensation. These include home, urban development, and public workssome of the most significant ministries in the government. The BJP is currently evaluating these demands as part of the ongoing negotiations. Whether these demands will be accepted remains uncertain. However, they reflect Shindes determination to retain political relevance within the government. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Eknath Shindes role in the Mahayuti government goes beyond ministerial positions. He is seen as a crucial link to the Maratha community, which has been at the centre of Maharashtras political debates. Shindes leadership during his tenure as chief minister helped the BJP navigate tricky situations, including the split in the Shiv Sena and the Maratha protests. His absence could leave a gap that the BJP might struggle to fill. Moreover, Shindes exit could embolden Ajit Pawar, who has already consolidated his position within the Mahayuti alliance. Pawars growing influence could disrupt the BJPs plans and create a power imbalance in the government. Eknath Shindes reluctance to accept the deputy CM role has added complexity to the Mahayuti government formation. While Shindes demands for key portfolios indicate his intent to stay relevant, the BJPs insistence on his involvement underscores his importance in the alliance. Balancing the aspirations of Shinde and Pawar is a delicate task for the BJP. How this political tug-of-war resolves will have a lasting impact on the dynamics of the new Maharashtra government. First Published: November 30, 2024, 06:00 IST This photo taken on Nov. 27, 2024 shows a shelling machine at a local company in Shuangfeng County, Loudi City, central China's Hunan Province. In recent years, central China's Hunan Province has continuously utilized its manufacturing strengths to develop its agricultural machinery industrial chains, accelerating its transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang) This photo taken on Nov. 26, 2024 shows an auto seedling placing machine at a local agricultural company in Ziyang District, Yiyang City, central China's Hunan Province. In recent years, central China's Hunan Province has continuously utilized its manufacturing strengths to develop its agricultural machinery industrial chains, accelerating its transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) This photo taken on Nov. 27, 2024 shows an agricultural drone at a local agricultural company in Taojiang County, Yiyang City, central China's Hunan Province. In recent years, central China's Hunan Province has continuously utilized its manufacturing strengths to develop its agricultural machinery industrial chains, accelerating its transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) A worker assembles a tractor at a local company in Chenzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Nov. 29, 2024. In recent years, central China's Hunan Province has continuously utilized its manufacturing strengths to develop its agricultural machinery industrial chains, accelerating its transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang) This photo taken on Nov. 29, 2024 shows a smart welding robot at a local company in Chenzhou City, central China's Hunan Province. In recent years, central China's Hunan Province has continuously utilized its manufacturing strengths to develop its agricultural machinery industrial chains, accelerating its transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang) Workers adjust an assembled tractor at a local company in Chenzhou City, central China's Hunan Province, Nov. 29, 2024. In recent years, central China's Hunan Province has continuously utilized its manufacturing strengths to develop its agricultural machinery industrial chains, accelerating its transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang) Bryan Johnson Uses Bollywood Songs To Explain Night-time Erections Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 13:49 IST Bryan Johnson has been vocal about his nighttime erections as a biomarker for cardiovascular and sexual well-being. Bryan Johnsons viral nighttime erection has sparked debate. (Photo Credit: X) Bryan Johnson, the CEO of Kernel and the founder of Project Blueprint, has sparked online discussions with his posts about nighttime erections. These posts highlight his unconventional perspective on health and ageing, with nighttime erections being identified as a key biomarker" for overall health. These India-focused posts were shared prior to his highly publicised tour of the country. However, the unusual content of the posts, which includes references to Bollywood and pop culture, has generated significant interest. Johnson has been open about using his nighttime erections as a biomarker" for cardiovascular and sexual health. In a recent post, he shared a song from the 1994 Bollywood film, Andaz, titled Khada Hai, which features Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla and is known for its suggestive lyrics. Alongside the video, he wrote, Nighttime erections are a biomarker for cardiovascular, physiological and sexual health." related stories Night time erections are a biomarker for cardiovascular, physiological and sexual health.#IndiaTour pic.twitter.com/QzbCrPnt32 Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) November 28, 2024 Bryan Johnson did not stop there. In a post thread, he shared an excerpt from the song, Choo Lo by The Local Train, writing, When your night-time erections are shorter than Lagaans run time" When your night time erections are shorter than Lagaans run time pic.twitter.com/8F00g58TyZ Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) November 28, 2024 After his initial post, Johnsons public admission that he doesnt wear underwear continued to attract attention. He followed this up by sharing a widely circulated and somewhat peculiar video of a woman who gained fame on social media for provocatively asking about the colour of peoples underwear. In a shirtless video, Johnson said, Main chaddi nahi pehenta (I dont wear underwear)." He captioned the post, Its not about the color of your underpants. Its about the length of your nighttime erections." Its not about the color of your underpants. Its about the length of your night time erections.#IndiaTour pic.twitter.com/IOrOrOyIdG Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) November 28, 2024 A user humorously commented, Whoever is suggesting you Bollywood songs needs to be arrested. Being too accurate is dangerous." Whoever is suggesting you bollywood songs needs to be arrested.Being 'too accurate' is dangerous. vivan. (@VivanVatsa) November 28, 2024 Some users speculated that it is YouTuber and Comedian Tanmay Bhats doing, with one user commenting: Reveal your social media agency for the India tour already. PS: is it Tanmay?" reveal your social media agency for the India tour alreadyPS: is it Tanmay? amitsarda.xyz (@sardamit) November 28, 2024 Directly tagging Bhat, another user said: @thetanmay ye aapka idea hoga ser?" top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all @thetanmay ye aapka idea hoga ser? ? VaibhavRajput.eth/lens ? || SOCLLY (@Vaibhav_SOCLLY) November 29, 2024 Johnson has also been candid about using a device to track his nightly erections. In a previous interview with Business Insider, he revealed that he wears a gadget at night to monitor both the duration and quality of his erections, which he has averaged at over two hours. His goal is to reach 3.5 hours, a benchmark he believes would align him with the virility of an 18-year-old. Johnson explains that this monitoring is part of a broader assessment of what he refers to as his biological age and sexual fitness. Location : Delhi, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 13:46 IST How Defense Research Gave Rise To Inventions Like The Internet And GPS Curated By : Local News Desk Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 11:41 IST Innovation and research are vital to a nation's power. The more a country invests in resources and expertise, the stronger it becomes. Many innovations we use daily were developed for military purposes. Innovation and scientific research have always been key to the countrys strength. The more resources and capabilities a country invests in, the stronger the country will be. Interestingly, many of the inventions that are widely used in our daily lives were originally developed for military purposes. Today, these innovations can be found in almost every home. Although many still do not know their origins. Internet related stories The Internet is now an essential part of everyday life and a major step in technological advancement. The United States Department of Defences ARPANET was first developed in 1969 to connect universities, government agencies and defence contractors in the United States through an integrated network. Global Positioning System (GPS) GPS is commonly used for navigation and traffic tracking by almost all planes, ships and people worldwide, except in China. It was developed by the United States Department of Defense in the 1970s and the first satellite of the navigation system, called NAVSTAR, was launched in 1978. By 1993, the system became fully operational, with 24 satellites orbiting 19,300 km above Earth. Initially designed for use by the US military and its allies, GPS was made available to the public in 1983. Microwave Oven The microwave oven was invented by accident when a scientist noticed that a chocolate bar in his pocket had melted due to microwaves. This discovery occurred during the Cold War, a time when radar technology was advancing rapidly after World War II. NATO forces were using radar systems to detect Soviet threats. In 1946, scientist Percy Spencer was studying magnetrons (a type of electromagnetic wave) to improve radar capabilities when he accidentally discovered the effects of microwaves. Intrigued by what he observed, he experimented further by placing a raw egg in a microwave, which exploded and then tried it with popcorn kernels, which popped. This unexpected discovery led to the creation of the first microwave oven, which became available for sale in 1947. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Aviator sunglasses (Ray-Ban) Aviator sunglasses, now a popular fashion item worldwide, were originally designed for pilots in the 1930s. In the early days of aviation, aeroplanes had open cockpits and pilots wore large goggles to protect themselves from the wind and cold. With advancements in aviation technology and the introduction of enclosed cockpits, the need shifted to protecting the eyes from bright sunlight. To address this, Colonel John Macready of the United States Air Force worked with a medical equipment company in New York to create a new type of sunglasses. In 1936, they developed the first anti-glare" lenses with green lenses in a plastic frame designed to block UV rays. These sunglasses were later renamed Ray-Ban, giving rise to the iconic brand we know today. Location : Delhi, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 11:40 IST In MP's Balaghat, Family Dispute Over Will Triggers Police Action On Womans Funeral Curated By : Local News Desk Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 12:02 IST The story took a turn when her brother-in-law's son, Subhash Bisen, learnt about Devkan Bai's passing. Katangi police station provided details on this case. We all have come across different kinds of cremation happening. Have you ever come across the body that was carried to the police station rather than the ghat, even though the bier is typically taken straight to the crematorium when it is ready? Reading or seeing something like that is odd. Recently, the city of Balaghat in Katangi witnessed a similar situation. A woman passed away on the evening of November 28. The body was ready and on its way to the Crematory when the police arrived and took it into custody. The body was then sent for a post-mortem. Lets know the reason behind it. As per the Local 18 report, the body was sent into police custody just because of a will. Devkan Bai Bisen, 82, owns roughly 18 acres of land and a residence in Balaghat. Before she passed away, she had written a will. The will stated that her property would belong to the person who would care for her in her later years. In this case, Devkan Bai was looked after in Balaghat by her sisters son, OP Thakur. For three years, Devkan lived with OP Thakur. After which at 10 p.m. on November 28, she passed away. related stories The story took a turn when her brother-in-laws son, Subhash Bisen, learnt about Devkan Bais passing. Subhash Bisen began to suspect the death of his older mother. He suspected it to be a murder. He also submitted an FIR. Following this, the police officers acted quickly and seized the body they had found. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The charge of the Katangi police station Gehlod Semliya provided details on this case, stating that the deceased womans brother-in-laws son had raised suspicions of murder. The body was placed under arrest and submitted for a post-mortem in such a case. Now, something is being done. As of now, there is no further evidence or updates on it. This kind of case is very common in villages of every state. It is sometimes difficult to understand the family members and their intentions when it comes to taking the property. Due to this lot of elder people write and draft a will in someones name so that there wont be any such disagreement among family members. Location : Delhi, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 12:02 IST Indian-Origin Man In Singapore Wins Rs 8 Crore Lottery After Buying Gold For Wife Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 10:42 IST Balasubramanian Chithambaram from Singapore won a grand prize of over Rs 8 crore in a stores annual lucky draw. The man has spent nearly Rs 3.79 lakh on gold chains. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Winning a lottery is a dream that only few get to experience but for an Indian-origin man in Singapore, it became a reality that left him and his wife overjoyed. A gold purchase he made three months ago for his wife turned out to be the key to a life-changing moment. Balasubramanian Chithambaram, an Indian-origin project engineer, won a grand prize of US$1 million (over Rs 8 crore) in a lucky draw organised by Mustafa Jewellery. According to Asia One, the draw was part of the stores annual event and took place at the Civil Service Club in Tessensohn on Sunday, November 24. Customers who spent at least S$250 (around Rs 15,650) at the store were eligible to participate. Chithambaram had spent S$6,000 (nearly Rs 3.79 lakh) on gold chains for his wife three months ago but never imagined that this purchase would change his life. related stories Overwhelmed with emotions, Chithambaram shared his feelings during a video call after receiving the news. He described the win as a blessing especially because it coincided with his late fathers fourth death anniversary. Today is also my fathers fourth death anniversary. Its a blessing," Chithambaram said as quoted by the outlet. Chithambaram further added that he plans to share the news with his mother. He also expressed his desire to give back to the community as a gesture of gratitude for the support he received during his 21 years of working in Singapore. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mustafa Jewellery Singapore (@mustafajewellerysg) The lucky draw brought happiness to other participants as well. Several customers walked away with prizes of US$5,000 (around Rs 4.2 lakh) during the event. This isnt the first time a wifes advice has led to incredible luck for a husband. Back in April 2023, a man from Klang, Malaysia, struck gold after following his wifes suggestion, winning RM3 million (S$900,000) which is around Rs 5.6 crore. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The man, identified as Cheng, was a regular lottery player who typically bet on the same set of numbers. However, when he went to buy a ticket that time, his usual numbers were unavailable. His wife then suggested he try his luck with a Big Sweep ticket instead. It turns out, listening to my wife helped me to win!" Cheng had told the Sin Chew Daily. He had further mentioned to the Chinese news outlet that he planned to use part of the money to secure his childrens future and decided to let his wife handle the rest of the money. Location : Delhi, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 10:42 IST Same-sex UK Couple Trolled After Woman Announces Pregnancy Curated By : Local News Desk Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 13:24 IST Lauren Evans got slammed after she posted a picture with her partner announcing her pregnancy. Lauren Evans is currently waiting to bring three children into this world. When someone gets married or a woman announces her pregnancy, people offer blessings and good wishes. When a woman from the UK shared the news of her pregnancy along with a photo of her partner, the reaction was far from expected. Instead of congratulating her, people began to hurl abuse at her. According to a report, a woman named Lauren Evans uploaded a couple picture on social media. Lauren herself and her partner Hannah Kaye were in the photo. The couple recently got married and shared this good news with people. After seeing the photo, people assumed that Lauren had married a 10-year-old child and now she is going to become the mother of his child. 31-year-old Lauren Evans is currently waiting to bring three children into this world. Lauren married Hannah in September and announced her pregnancy in October. It was fine till here but as soon as people saw Lauren and Hannah together, they could not believe their eyes. Hannah looks so young that she appears to be a 10-12 year old child. Seeing the couple together, many people started backlashing her assuming that she married a child. Lauren clarified that she and Hannah are in a same-sex marriage and that Hannah is actually 29 years old. It is just that Hannah appears to look much younger than her age. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all related stories Following this, the couple also conceived the pregnancy through IVF with donor sperm and Hannahs eggs. They took treatment for this in Cyprus and spent about Rs 10 lakh. Lauren is carrying all three children in her womb and is waiting for the family to grow. A similar story went viral on social media, where a woman faced severe backlash from netizens when she married a man who is of her fathers age. The 29-year-old woman fell in love with Renaldo McQueen, who is 53 years old. The woman claimed that she had never thought of a man of her fathers age to be her lifetime partner but somehow, she realized that she had feelings for Renaldo. Though her family did not support her choice, she remained firm in her decision. Location : Delhi, India First Published: November 30, 2024, 13:24 IST After Chinmoy Das, Another Hindu Priest Arrested In Bangladesh: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 18:02 IST ISKCON Kolkatas Vice-President and spokesperson Radharaman Das shared the picture of the young priest and claimed that he has been arrested. Priest Shyam Das Prabhu (Image: X/ @RadharamnDas) Days after the arrest of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, another Hindu priest was allegedly arrested in Bangladeshs Chattogram on Saturday. The priest, identified as Shyam Das Prabhu, reportedly went to meet Chinmoy Das in jail. International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Kolkatas Vice-President and spokesperson Radharaman Das shared the picture of the young priest and claimed that he has been arrested. related stories Does he look like a terrorist? #FreeISKCONMonks Bangladesh. The arrest of innocent #ISKCON brahmacharis are deeply shocking & disturbing," he said in the X post. Does he look like a terrorist?#FreeISKCONMonks Bangladesh. The arrest of innocent #ISKCON brahmacharis are deeply shocking & disturbing. pic.twitter.com/VG6u7jlnXB Radharamn Das (@RadharamnDas) November 30, 2024 The arrest of Prabhu came days after former ISKCON monk and a popular face of Hindu minorities protest in Bangladesh, Chinmoy Das was arrested and sent to jail on the charges of sedition. The arrest triggered widespread violent clashes in Bangladesh. A public-prosecutor was killed and several others were injured on Tuesday in clashes between police and supporters of Hindu leader erupted after the latter was denied bail and sent to jail by a Chittagong Court. The clashes erupted when angry supporters surrounded a prison van carrying Chinmoy. Protesters hurled rocks, prompting security forces to use stun grenades and baton charges to disperse the crowd. The Hindu monk was eventually transferred to prison in a police vehicle. The former ISKCON monk, associated with the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group, was arrested on Monday at the Dhaka airport. His organisation has been vocal in calling for protections for the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, on Friday, an unprovoked mob vandalised three Hindu temples in Chattogram and shouted anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans. The three temples that were a target of the attack included Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple, news portal BDNews24.com reported. A mob of several hundred people shouted slogans and threw brickbats at the temples which damaged the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples, according to the temple authorities, as per the local media reports. Kotwali Police Station chief Abdul Karim confirmed the attack, saying that assailants attempted to damage the temples. The local authorities have ordered to freeze the bank accounts for 30 days of 17 people linked to ISKCON, including Chinmoy Krishna Das, local media reported. The order to freeze the bank accounts was issued by Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) to various banks and financial institutions on Thursday, according to newspaper Prothom Alo. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all All types of transactions in the bank accounts of these individuals will remain suspended for 30 days," the BFIU order said. India on Friday urged the interim government of Bangladesh to fulfill its responsibility of safeguarding all minorities, expressing deep concern over the growing wave of extremist rhetoric and the rising incidents of violence in the neighboring country. However, Bangladesh responded to Indias concerns claiming that India followed double standards" on the protection of minorities. Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: November 30, 2024, 17:31 IST 'Prevented Enemy From Destroying...': Hezbollah Chief Declares 'Divine Victory' Against Israel Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 07:53 IST A US-brokered ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday, bringing an end to months of conflict. Hezbollah chief termed it a victory. Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem (Reuters Image) Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Friday termed the ceasefire declaration between Israel and Lebanon a great victory" as Israel was prevented" from destroying the militant group. In his first speech since a ceasefire came into effect before dawn on Wednesday, Qassem termed the divine victory" even greater than that of July 2006". related stories I have decided to declare officially and clearly that we are facing a great victory that surpasses that of July 2006," Qassem said, adding, We won because we prevented the enemy from destroying Hezbollah (and) from annihilating or weakening the resistance." To those that were betting that Hezbollah would be weakened, we are sorry, their bets have failed," he added. Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Deal Notably, the ceasefire deal, brokered by Israels allies the US and France, brought an end to over a year-long conflict that began after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The tensions between the two neighbouring countries escalated this year after the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Under the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli troops will hold their positions, however, a 60-day period will commence in which the Lebanese military and security forces will begin their deployment towards the south," according to a US official. The ceasefire stipulates that Hezbollah will withdraw from the areas south of the Litani river, which runs nearly 30 km north of the Israeli border, and the Lebanese army will deploy its troops at this point and the Israeli ground troops will withdraw. Hezbollah Chief Pledges To Coordinate With Army For Ceasefire Implementation Hezbollah head Qassem vowed to coordinate closely with the Lebanese military to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire deal with Israel. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Hezbollah had approved the deal, with the resistance strong in the battlefield, and our heads held high with our right to defend (ourselves)," Qassem said. (With inputs from agencies) Location : Beirut, Lebanon First Published: November 30, 2024, 07:35 IST Justin Trudeau Dines With Donald Trump At Mar-A-Lago Resort Amid Tariff Threat Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 09:08 IST Trump-Trudeau Meeting: Justin Trudeau met Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida amid tariff threat. Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau (Reuters File Photo) As threats of a potential trade war between the two neighbours loom, US President-elect Donald Trump is having dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday evening (local time) at Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, CNN reported citing a source. According to the report, some members of Trudeaus cabinet were also expected to join the dinner as Trump recently expressed border-related concerns and threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports starting on the first day of his administration. related stories Earlier, Trudeau was seen leaving a hotel in West Palm Beach to meet Trump at his resort. According to Reuters, Trudeaus public itinerary did not include a visit to Florida. Neither Trudeaus office nor Trumps representatives commented on the resort meeting. Florida Representative Mike Waltz, a pick for Trumps national security adviser, and Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick, his Commerce secretary pick, were also present at the table alongside their spouses, CNN reported citing a source. Katie Telford, Chief of Staff to Trudeau, and Dominic LeBlanc, Canadas Minister of Public Safety, were in attendance, the report added. US-Canada Trade War On Cards? However, the meeting is significant as it comes weeks before Trump assumes office at the White House, and days after he vowed huge tariff on Canadian imports. On Monday, Trump threatened to slap a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico until the two countries acted on drugs and illegal migrants crossing over the borders with the US. As a result, Trudeau called a meeting with the premiers of all 10 Canadian provinces to discuss US relations. One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. Theres no question about it," Trudeau said while speaking to the reporters on Friday morning. Our responsibility is to point out that in this way he would be actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States; hed actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses," he added. Trudeau Expresses Hope About Working Together With Trump Trudeau expressed hope that he and Trump would work together to address some of the concerns and respond to some of the issues". According to the CNN report, Trump and Trudeau had a brief call after the tariff announcement, in which the two leaders discussed border security and trade. Earlier this month, Trudeau congratulated Trump on the presidential poll victory while striking a diplomatic tone. The friendship between Canada and the U.S. is the envy of the world. I know President Trump and I will work together to create more opportunity, prosperity, and security for both of our nations," Trudeau had said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all However, the Trudeau government is bracing for an expected turbulent phase in its election year in 2025. In January this year, Trudeau reportedly told senior Liberals that a second Trump tenure would be a magnitude more challenging" than his first, according to a Reuters report. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: November 30, 2024, 09:01 IST Mob Vandalises 3 Temples In Bangladesh's Chattogram Amid Unrest Over Hindu Monk's Arrest Published By : PTI Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 09:04 IST Police said the damage to the temples was minimal after the confrontation between the two sides, with both groups throwing brickbats at each other The attack took place around 2:30 pm in the port citys Harish Chandra Munsef Lane. A slogan-shouting mob vandalised three Hindu temples on Friday in Bangladeshs Chattogram which has witnessed protests and violence since a former ISKCON member was booked under sedition charges. The attack took place around 2:30 pm in the port citys Harish Chandra Munsef Lane, where the Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the nearby Shoni Temple, and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple were targeted, news portal BDNews24.com reported. related stories A group of several hundred slogan-shouting people threw brickbats at the temples, damaging the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples," the news portal quoted temple authorities as saying. Kotwali Police Station chief Abdul Karim confirmed the attack, saying that assailants attempted to damage the temples. Police, however, said the damage to the temples was minimal after the confrontation between the two sides, with both groups throwing brickbats at each other, it added. Tapan Das, a permanent member of the Shantineshwari Main Temple management committee, told bdnews24.com: A procession of hundreds arrived after the Juma prayers. They started shouting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans." We did not obstruct the attackers. When the situation worsened, we called the army, who arrived quickly and helped restore order. All the temple gates were closed before noon. The miscreants arrived unprovoked and carried out the attack," BDNews24.com said further quoting him. Spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) of Bangladesh, was arrested in connection with a sedition case on Monday and denied bail on Tuesday. It triggered protests by Hindu community members in various locations in Bangladesh, including in the capital Dhaka and Chattogram. On October 30, a sedition case was filed against 19 people, including Das, at Chattograms Kotwali Police Station, accusing them of disrespecting Bangladeshs national flag in Chattograms New Market area during a rally of the Hindu community. On Tuesday, New Delhi expressed concern over the leaders arrest and denial of bail, and asked Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities. The weeks anti-Hindu incidents have led to a diplomatic row between the two South Asian neighbours. India on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the surge" of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus as well as attacks on temples. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India has taken serious note of incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh and that it is the primary responsibility of Dhaka to protect the life and liberty of all the citizens, including minorities. On the other hand, Bangladesh on Friday expressed deep concern over the violent protest at the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and urged New Delhi to ensure the safety of all its diplomatic missions in India. Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: November 30, 2024, 07:40 IST NATO Offer For Ukraine-controlled Areas Could End 'Hot Stage' Of War, Says Zelenskyy Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 21:23 IST Zelenskyys remarks on Friday signaled a possible way forward to the difficult path Ukraine faces to future NATO membership Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP Image) An offer of NATO membership to territory under Kyivs control would end the hot stage of the war" in Ukraine, but any proposal to join the military alliance should be extended to all parts of the country that fall under internationally recognized borders, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a broadcast interview. Zelenskyys remarks on Friday signaled a possible way forward to the difficult path Ukraine faces to future NATO membership. At their summit in Washington in July, the 32 members declared Ukraine on an irreversible" path to membership. However, one obstacle to moving forward has been the view that Ukraines borders would need to be clearly demarcated before it could join so that there can be no mistaking where the alliances pact of mutual defense would come into effect. related stories You cant give an invitation to just one part of a country," the Ukrainian president said in an excerpt of the interview with Sky News, dubbed by the UK broadcaster. Why? Because thus you would recognize that Ukraine is only that territory of Ukraine and the other one is Russia." Under the Ukrainian constitution, Ukraine cannot recognize territory occupied by Russia as Russian. So legally, by law, we have no right to recognize the occupied territory as territory of Russia," he said. Since the start of the war in 2022, Russia has been expending huge amounts of weaponry and human life to make small-but-steady territorial gains to the nearly one-fifth of Ukraine it already controls in east and southern Ukraine. If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control. Thats what we need to do, fast. And then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically," he said. An invitation for Ukraine to join NATO is one key point of Zelenskyys victory plan", which he presented to Western allies and the Ukrainian people in October. The plan is seen as a way for Ukraine to strengthen its hand in any negotiations with Moscow. Earlier this week, NATOs new Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the alliance needs to go further" to support Ukraine in its fight against a Russian invasion. Military aid to Kyiv and steps toward ending the war are expected to be high on the agenda when NATO members foreign ministers meet in Brussels for a two-day gathering starting on December 3. However, any decision for Ukraine to join the military alliance would require a lengthier process and the agreement of all member states. There is also uncertainty as to the foreign policy stance of President-elect Donald Trump. While Trump vowed on the campaign trail to end Russias invasion of Ukraine in a single day, he has not publicly discussed how this could happen. Trump also announced Wednesday that Keith Kellogg, an 80-year-old, highly decorated retired three-star general, would serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. In April, Kellog wrote that bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties." Meanwhile, during his only campaign debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump twice refused to directly answer a question about whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war raising concerns that Kyiv could be forced to accept unfavorable terms in any negotiations. Zelenskyys statement comes as Ukraine faces increasing pressure along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) frontline. In its latest report, the Washington-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War said Saturday that Russian forces had recently advanced near Kupiansk, in Toretsk, and near Pokrovsk and Velyka Novosilka, a key logistics route for the Ukrainian military. Ukraines air force announced Saturday that the country had come under attack from ten Russian drones, of which eight were shot down over the Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kherson regions. One drone returned to Russian-occupied territory, while the final drone disappeared from radar, often a sign of the use of electronic defenses. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said that 11 Ukrainian drones had been shot down by the countrys air defense systems. Both the mayor of Sochi, Andrey Proshunin, and the head of Russias Dagestan region, Sergey Melikov, both in Russias southwest, said that drones had been destroyed in their regions overnight. No casualties were reported. On Friday, the Ukrainian president announced a number of changes to military leadership, saying that changes in personnel management were needed to improve the situation on the battlefield. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all General Mykhailo Drapatyi, who led the defense of Kharkiv during Russias new offensive on Ukraines second-largest city this year, was appointed the new head of Ukraines Ground Forces. Oleh Apostol was named as the new Deputy Commander-in-Chief responsible for improving military training. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi also announced Friday that he would bolster units in Donetsk, Pokrovsk and Kurakhove with additional reserves, ammunition, weapons and military equipment. ___ Associated Press writer Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, contributed to this report. Location : Kyiv, Ukraine First Published: November 30, 2024, 21:14 IST The brain, our most complex organ - how much do we really know about it? Join us as we explore the Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence in southwest China, where technology can be used to help Alzheimer's and stroke patients. Produced by Xinhua Global Service 'No Systematic Attack On Minorities, Chinmoy Das Arrested On Specific Charges': Bangladesh Tells UN Forum Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 20:44 IST The arrest of a Hindu leader in Dhaka has been misconstrued and he was arrested on specific charges, Bangladesh has told a UN forum on minority issues, claiming that there has been no systematic attack on minorities in the country. Islam made the statement during the 17th session of the Forum on Minorities Issues that took place in Geneva on November 28-29. (Reuters Image) United Nations/Geneva: The arrest of a Hindu leader in Dhaka has been misconstrued" and he was arrested on specific charges, Bangladesh has told a UN forum on minority issues, claiming that there has been no systematic attack on minorities in the country. Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested from Dhakas Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday. He was denied bail and sent to jail by the Chattograms Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court in a sedition case on Tuesday. related stories With utter dismay, we note that the arrest of Chinmoy Das has been misconstrued by some speakers, although he was actually arrested on specific charges. The matter is being dealt with by our court of law," Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Offices and other international organisations in Geneva Tareq Md Ariful Islam said. Islam made the statement during the 17th session of the Forum on Minorities Issues that took place in Geneva on November 28-29. After Das, the leader of the Hindu group Sammilita Sanatani Jote, was sent to prison, it triggered protests by Hindus in various locations, including the capital Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram. India has noted the developments with deep concern even as a diplomatic row has erupted between the two South Asian neighbours. During the session, some Bangladeshi NGOs and individuals spoke about the situation in the country. A representative of the International Forum for Secular Bangladesh (IFSB) said that the situation right now in the country is very alarming" and a very burning issue." Referring to Das arrest, the representative said that ISKCON is a very popular and peaceful organisation but the former ISKCON leader has been arrested with nothing accused against him. He was arrested three days before in Dhaka and now Bangladesh every day . the police, army every day, they are torturing the minority." Islam said that Bangladesh reaffirms that every Bangladeshi, regardless of religious identity, has the right to practice their respective religion or express views freely. Ensuring safety and security of every citizen, including from the minority community, remains the cornerstone of the interim government of Bangladesh," Islam said. This has been repeatedly reassured to minority religious leaders by our top leadership, and proved time and again in the first 100 days" of the interim government led by the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, he added. The post August 5 violence in Bangladesh was rooted in political and personal factors, not sectarian, he noted. The violence affected people, mostly with partisan political affiliations, almost all of them being Muslims, and only a few from other religious minority groups." Deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5 following widespread protests against her Awami League-led government over a controversial job quota system. Three days later, Yunus, a Nobel laureate, took over as the Chief Adviser of the interim government. Ariful Islam said that there was no systematic attack on minorities" and following the mass uprising in July, the world witnessed how the entire society of Bangladesh came forward to protect its minorities." He added that unfortunately" there have been a fiery of exaggerated, unfounded and fake reports and deliberate spread of misinformation and disinformation by vested quarters regarding minority persecution. Sadly, we saw it happening at this forum too." He said the Bangladeshi government remains vigilant and will continue to act promptly to maintain religious harmony at any cost and thwart any attempt to undermine rights of minorities." Following this weeks anti-Hindu incidents including Das arrest and attacks on Hindu temples and community members India on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the surge" of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus as well as attacks on temples. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India has taken serious note of incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh and that it is the primary responsibility of Dhaka to protect the life and liberty of all the citizens, including minorities. On the other hand, Bangladesh on Friday expressed deep concern over the violent protest at the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and urged New Delhi to ensure the safety of all its diplomatic missions in India. Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: November 30, 2024, 20:44 IST Lies, Sleeps Around: US Defence Pick's Mother Accuses Son Of Abusing Women For Years Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 14:35 IST The explosive email by Pete Hegseth's mother sent to him in 2018 surfaced weeks before new administration takes office next year. Donald Trump's pick for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth (Reuters File Image) The mother of Pete Hegseth, US President-elect Donald Trumps pick for Defence Secretary, accused him of mistreating women over the years and exhibiting a lack of moral character. The email was written in 2018 and was made public by The New York Times weeks before the new administration takes over in January next year. related stories Pete Hegseths Mothers Strong-Worded Email On behalf of all the women (and I know its many) you have abused in some way, I say get some help and take an honest look at yourself," Penelope Hegseth wrote in the email, adding that she still loved him. I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth," the email further read. Pete Hegseths Mother Apologised To Son After Email In a telephonic interview with The New York Times on Friday, Petes mother said that she had got back to him immediately on the email apologising for her previous email. She said that she had written the original email in anger and with emotion" when he and his wife were undergoing a divorce. She defended Pete and disavowed the feelings she had expressed in the first email relating to his character and how he treated women stating that it was not true. Stating that publishing the contents of her original email was disgusting", she said, It has never been true. I know my son. He is a good father, husband," as per The New York Times. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Concerns regarding Hegseths treatment of women have surfaced in recent weeks following his selection by Trump. This matter is anticipated to face significant scrutiny during the Senate confirmation hearings. Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army veteran, was nominated to serve as Secretary of Defense by President-elect Donald Trump. Announcing the nomination on social media, Trump had praised Hegseth as tough, smart, and a true believer in America First." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: November 30, 2024, 14:23 IST US Universities Urge Foreign Students To Return Ahead Of Trump's Swearing-In Published By : PTI Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 11:23 IST Trump will take the oath of office on January 20 and has announced that he will sign several executive orders on issues of economy and immigration on his first day When Donald Trump took over office in 2017, the number of international students fell every year. (Reuters File Photo) Several American universities have issued travel advisories for their international students as well as staff and urged them to return to the US before President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration in January next year amid concerns over travel bans that may be enacted by his administration. Trump will take the oath of office on January 20 and has announced that he will sign several executive orders on issues of economy and immigration on his first day as the 47th President of the United States. related stories Amid concerns over the disruptions caused by travel bans during his first term as president, several top US universities are issuing travel advisories for their international students and faculty who may be travelling outside the country around Trumps inauguration. According to data from the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Institute of International Education, India and China made up over half (54 per cent) of all international students in the United States. But for the first time since 2009, India became the leading place of origin with 331,602 international students in the United States in 2023/2024, reflecting a 23 per cent increase from the prior year, surpassing China, according to data from the Open Doors 2024 Report on International Educational Exchange. China was the second leading place of origin, despite a 4 per cent decline to 277,398 students. It remained the top-sending country for undergraduates and non-degree students, sending 87,551 and 5,517, respectively. Associate Dean and Director at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) International Students Office David Elwell in a post following the presidential elections said that with every election, when there is a change in administration on the federal level there can be changes in policies, regulations, and legislation that impacts higher education as well as immigration and visa status matters". Elwell urged students to assess their travel plans over the upcoming winter break, noting that new executive orders under Trump may impact travel and visa processing. In addition, election transitions also impact staffing levels at US Embassies/Consulates abroad, which could impact entry visa processing times. Students who would need to apply for a new entry visa at the US Embassy/Consulate abroad to return to the US in their student status should assess the possibility of facing any extensive processing times and have a backup plan if they must travel abroad and wait for a new entry visa to be issued. Any processing delays could impact students ability to return to the US as planned," Elwell said. The Office of Global Affairs at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in an advisory recommended that its international community including all international students, scholars, faculty and staff under UMass immigration sponsorship" strongly consider returning to the US before the presidential inauguration if they are planning on travelling internationally during the winter holiday break. While noting that this was not a requirement or mandate from UMass, nor was it based on any current US government policy or recommendation, the university added that given that a new presidential administration can enact new policies on their first day in office (January 20) and based on previous experience with travel bans that were enacted in the first Trump administration in 2017", the Office of Global Affairs is making this advisory out of an abundance of caution to hopefully prevent any possible travel disruption to members of our international community. We are not able to speculate on what a travel ban will look like if enacted, nor can we speculate on what particular countries or regions of the world may or may not be affected." The Wesleyan Argus, the college newspaper of Wesleyan University, said in a report that the university has been evaluating the potential future impacts" of the Trump administration on international and undocumented students. Much uncertainty surrounds the possible changes to American immigration policy that could be enacted by the Trump administration beginning January 20, 2025." The report added that Wesleyans Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) has been concerned about sweeping policy changes" that could be implemented soon after Trumps inauguration. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all With the presidential inauguration happening on Monday, January 20, 2025, and uncertainties around President-elect Donald Trumps plans for immigration-related policy, the safest way to avoid difficulty re-entering the country is to be physically present in the US on January 19 and the days thereafter of the spring semester," an email sent on November 18 to international students studying under the F-1 visa read, according to the Wesleyan Argus report. Within a week of his first term as president, Trump had in January 2017 signed an executive order banning nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the US for 90 days, causing massive disruptions among communities and outrage and concerns by civil rights organisations. Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: November 30, 2024, 09:08 IST US-Based Supermodel Luciana Curtis, Family Held Hostage At Gunpoint In Brazil, Escapes Ordeal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 30, 2024, 10:35 IST The Brazil-born model was taken hostage along with her husband and kid at gunpoint in Sao Paulo. US-based model Luciana Curtis (Image: Instagram/lucurtis) A US-based model was kidnapped at gunpoint in Brazil along with her husband and their kid, and held hostage in a shack for 12 hours, the New York Post reported on Friday (local time). The model was identified as Luciana Curtis, daughter of British businessman Malcolm Leo Curtis and a Brazilian teacher. She, her husband Henrique Gendre and their 11-year-old kid were ambushed on Wednesday night by a gang of armed men after they left a restaurant in Sao Paulo, the New York Post reported citing local outlet Gazeta. related stories How Did The Incident Take Place? The 47-year-old model, who was born in Brazil and reportedly lives in New York but often visits Sao Paulo and London, were forced into their own car at gunpoint and driven to the shack in Brasilandia where they were held hostage for the night. As per the visuals, the wooden shack only had a mattress, a sink and a toilet. The armed criminals approached the victims outside a restaurant and took them captive," the New York Post quoted the police as saying in a statement. During their captivity, the gang members transferred money from the couples bank accounts, the officials said, adding that they were eventually freed early on Thursday. How Did Police Know About Kidnapping? The incident came to light when the trio did not return home and their eldest child, who did not go for dinner, complained to the relatives as they did not return home. The relatives then informed the police about their missing. During the search by specialist police teams, the gang abandoned the family and fled," the police said. The trio called out for help from the locals who then cut them loose. The family has been released and they are safe and well," a spokesperson for the model told local media outlets, as per New York Post. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Curtis has won the Brazilian final of Supermodel of the World in 1993 and has also featured on the covers of Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan magazines. She has also modeled for Harrods, H&M, and Victorias Secret. Location : New York, United States of America (USA) First Published: November 30, 2024, 10:32 IST MANILA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' foreign investments yielded net outflows of 529.68 million U.S. dollars in October, the Philippine central bank has said. The net outflows in October resulted from 2.009 billion dollars in gross inflows and 1.479 billion dollars in gross outflows. The recorded net outflows are a reversal from the 1.025-billion-dollar net inflows posted in September, said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in a statement released on late Friday. The BSP said the majority of investments for the month came from Britain, Singapore, the United States, Luxembourg, and Malaysia, with a combined share of 87.8 percent. Registered investments in October 2024 are 55.1 percent higher than the 954.38 million dollars recorded in October 2023, while gross outflows increased by 56.7 percent compared to last year. The BSP said the first 10 months' transactions for foreign investments registered with the BSP yielded net inflows of 2.494 billion dollars, a marked improvement compared to the 715.43 million dollars net outflows noted for the same period in 2023. The counting of ballots won't begin until Saturday morning, but Ireland has received its first indication of how the parliamentary election went, with an exit poll showing a near-even split among the three leading partiessuggesting none will emerge a clear winner. Ipsos MRBI found Sinn Fein at 21.1%, Fine Gael at 21%, and Fianna Fail with 19.5%, the Guardian reports. The survey, which was taken of about 5,000 voters Friday and reflects only first preference votes, suggests a coalition will be needed to govern the country. At this rate, no party is likely to win more than 35 or so seats, and around 88 are needed to hold a clear majority in the 174-seat Dail. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have refused to form alliances with Sinn Fein, which wants to reunite Northern Ireland with the independent Republic of Ireland, per the AP. Fine Gael is the party of Prime Minister Simon Harris, who called the election on Nov. 8, per CBS News. Fianna Fail had led in polls taken this week, while Sinn Fein was running third. Official results could be in Saturday or days later. (More Ireland stories.) No one's completely sure if Donald Trump's tariffs proposal is a real, fleshed-out plan or merely a "negotiating ploy" with China, Mexico, and Canada to win some trade concessions. Whatever it turns out to be, Canadian Prime Minister seems to be taking the threat seriously, paying a visit on Friday to Mar-a-Lago in Florida to discuss it, reports Reuters . Trudeau, who's said to have stayed somewhere other than the president-elect's Palm Beach resort, was accompanied by his minister of public safety, Dominic LeBlanc, at the dinner with Trump, "along with a delegation of senior Trump allies poised for top trade and security positions in his new administration," per the New York Times , which notes that Trudeau's visit would make him the first head of a G7 nation to visit Trump since the election. The visit wasn't on Trudeau's public itinerary, per Reuters. Instead, the media got wind of it after the Globe and Mail tracked the prime minister's plane landing in Florida. The Times notes that Trudeau is under "considerable pressure" over the proposed tariffs, which economists believe would hurl Canada, the United States' biggest trading partner, into a recession. About 80% of Canada's gas ends up in the US, as does 40% of its oil; car manufacturing also has the two nations "deeply intertwined." Trump's plan would impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports. Meanwhile, a senior Canadian official has said that retaliatory tariffs on some products from the US are on the table. GOP Sen.-elect David McCormick of Pennsylvania, who also attended the Trump-Trudeau meetup, posted a pic of the group, which included North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (Trump's pick for interior secretary); Howard Lutnick, the president-elect's nominee for commerce secretary; and Mike Waltz, Trump's selection for national security adviser. A source tells the AP that it was a "positive, wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours." In addition to tariffs talk, other topics of discussion were said to have included fentanyl, the Ukraine-Russia war, NATO, defense, and pipelines. (More Justin Trudeau stories.) Southwest Airlines plans to end cabin service earlier on its flights. Beginning Monday, a company spokesperson said, flight attendants will begin preparing the cabin for landing at an altitude of 18,000 feet instead of 10,000 feet. The change is designed to "reduce the risk of in-flight turbulence injuries" for crew members and passengers, the company said. For passengers, that means they will need to do the usual pre-landing proceduressuch as ensuring their seatbelts are fastened and returning their seats to an upright positionearlier than before, the AP reports. While turbulence-related fatalities are rare, there have been injuries. More than one-third of all airline incidents in the US from 2009 through 2018 were related to turbulence, and most of them resulted in one or more serious injuries but no damage to the plane, the National Transportation Safety Board reported. In May, a 73-year old man died on board a Singapore Airlines flight when the plane hit severe turbulence over the Indian Ocean. Turbulence will only increase with climate change, experts said. "The atmosphere is getting more turbulent; there will be more severe turbulence in the atmosphere," Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, told USA Today. Southwest previously had announced other changes, per the AP. Starting next year, the airline will end its half-century tradition of "open seating"passengers picking their own seats after boarding the plane. (More Southwest Airlines stories.) Protesters gathered across Georgia on Saturday night in a third straight night of demonstrations against the government's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union. More than 100 demonstrators were arrested as crowds clashed with police Friday night, the country's Interior Ministry said. The AP saw protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the country's parliament building. On the same night, police also used heavy force against members of the media and deployed water cannons to push protesters back along the capital's central boulevard, Rustaveli Avenue. The ruling Georgian Dream party's disputed victory in the Oct. 26 parliamentary election, which was widely seen as a referendum on Georgia's aspirations to join the EU, has sparked major demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of the parliament. The opposition has said that the vote was rigged with the help of Russia, Georgia's former imperial master, with Moscow hoping to keep Tbilisi in its orbit. Speaking to the AP on Saturday, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said that Georgia was becoming a "quasi-Russian" state and that Georgian Dream controlled major institutions. "We have seen happening in the countrywhich is a country where we do not have any longer independent institutions, not the courts, not the Central Bank, and not, of course, the parliament," she said. Zourabichvili rejected statements by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who characterized the protests as violent. In a statement on Saturday, he said Tbilisi remained committed to European integration. However, he said unspecified "foreign entities" wished to see the "Ukrainization" of Georgia. "We are not demanding a revolution. We are asking for new elections, but in conditions that will ensure that the will of the people will not be misrepresented or stolen again," Zourabichvili said. "Georgia has been always resisting Russian influence and will not accept having its vote stolen and its destiny stolen." (More Republic of Georgia stories.) SINGAPORE, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said it arrested 54 suspected drug offenders, including a 16-year-old girl, in a recent operation. The CNB seized about 2,430 grams of heroin, 723 grams of cannabis, and 64 grams of Ice (methamphetamine), among other drugs, with an estimated value of 286,000 Singapore dollars (214,000 U.S. dollars). Investigations into the suspects were ongoing. President-elect Trump announced Saturday that he has chosen Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law and a real estate mogul who was convicted of federal charges before being pardoned during Trump's first term, to be ambassador to France. "He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," Trump posted on Truth Social, per USA Today . He is the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka. The founder of Kushner Companies was convicted in 2005 of preparing false tax returns, retaliating against a cooperating witness, and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. He was released in 2006 after completing about 16 months of a two-year sentence in federal prison and a halfway program. Trump pardoned him in 2020, citing his philanthropy. "This record of reform and charity overshadows Mr. Kushner's conviction and 2 year sentence," Trump's office said at the time. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who handled the case as a US attorney, described it as "one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted." Kushner admitted to paying a prostitute to seduce his sister's husband in an effort to keep her from testifying in the federal case. Jared Kushner, who was a senior adviser to his father-in-law in Trump's first administration, has said he doesn't intend to take a job in the next one, CNN reports. FEC records show Charles and Jared Kushner each gave the fundraising group Trump 47 Committee the maximum donation of $844,600 earlier this year, per the Wall Street Journal. (More President-elect Trump stories.) TDT | Manama Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa recently visited the desert regions of the Southern Governorate, where he was briefed on the ongoing efforts of the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) to preserve Bahrains natural environment and wildlife. During the tour, His Majesty was introduced to the rare Baobab tree, a species he had personally ordered to be brought to the Kingdom and planted as part of Bahrains environmental preservation initiatives. The Baobab tree, now successfully cultivated in Bahrain, symbolizes the Kingdoms commitment to the protection of natural habitats and biodiversity. His Majesty expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the SCE and other government authorities in maintaining Bahrains valuable natural heritage. In addition to the conservation projects, His Majesty emphasized the importance of the desert regions as potential locations for relaxation and holidays, particularly during the cooler months. He called for further attention and care to be given to these areas, ensuring they remain accessible and appealing for both residents and visitors. His Majestys tour reflects his continued dedication to sustainable environmental practices and his vision of preserving Bahrains rich natural landscape for future generations. Buffalo, N.Y. A state of emergency has been declared Saturday by the governor for 11 counties in Western New York and the North Country as heavy lake effect snow moves into those areas this weekend. Oswego, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Allegany, Erie, Cattaraugaus, Chautauqua, Genessee, Herkimer, and Wyoming counties are all under a state of emergency. Gov. Kathy Hochul declared the state of emergencies in a tweet at 2:42 p.m. on X, formerly known as Twitter. The state of emergency starts immediately, Hochul wrote. READ MORE: Forecast worsens for Watertown: City could get 70 inches of snow through Monday Over 100 National Guard members are staging in Western New York, according to a press release from the governors office. The declarations come as heavy lake-effect snow starts to fall in those areas. As of early Friday, the snow fall projected for specific communities included wide ranges. Consider these forecasts for today through early Monday, according to the National Weather Service: Dunkirk could get 29 to 47 inches Jamestown could get 9 to 17 inches Pulaski could get 8 to 16 inches Lowville could get 11 to 21 inches And Watertown could get 49 to 64 inches more than 5 feet of snow by Monday. In the Orchard Park area, where the Buffalo Bills are set to play Sunday, there could be as much as 3 to 4 feet of snow. The stadium is in Erie County, which is now under a state of emergency. In the North Country, near Watertown, up to 5 to 6 feet of snow is possible. The snow is expected to create poor visibility and dangerous travel conditions on parts of the state Thruway and Interstate 81. Empty commercial vehicles and tandem trucks have been banned from several stretches of highway. The ban includes: The New York Thruway (Interstate-90) from the Pennsylvania line to Buffalo (Exit 53) Interstate 86 from the Pennsylvania state line to Interstate 390 U.S. Route 219 from the Pennsylvania line north to the Thruway 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. WENCHANG, Hainan, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- China on Saturday night successfully launched a new carrier rocket into space from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in the southern island province of Hainan. The Long March-12 carrier rocket sent two experimental satellites into their planned orbits. The mission was the maiden flight of the Long March-12 carrier rocket, and the first launch mission undertaken by the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site. DAMASCUS, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army announced Saturday a temporary redeployment of its forces following intense clashes with militant groups in the northwestern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, according to a statement issued by the Syrian Defense Ministry. The statement noted that the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied opposition factions had launched a large-scale offensive in recent days. The assault, supported by thousands of foreign fighters, heavy weaponry, and a significant number of drones, targeted multiple fronts over a stretch exceeding 100 kilometers. Dozens of Syrian soldiers have been killed and some others wounded in the fighting, according to the statement. The ministry said the militant groups had entered large sections of Aleppo neighborhoods but were prevented from establishing strongholds. Faced with overwhelming numbers of militants and multiple attacks on fronts, the Syrian army said it had implemented a strategic redeployment to strengthen defensive lines, protect civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counteroffensive. "This measure is temporary," the ministry emphasized. "The armed forces will continue operations to repel the militants and restore full state control over the city and its surrounding areas," it added. On Wednesday, a major rebel offensive rocked the western countryside of Aleppo province, marking the first significant attack since 2016. The assault has involved a coalition of rebel groups, mainly the HTS. The rebels have employed a combination of ground attacks, car bombings, and shelling to penetrate government-held territory. On Friday, the rebels successfully stormed parts of Aleppo, after they were driven out of the city in 2016. In response, the Syrian government, supported by Russia and Iran, launched airstrikes and ground operations to counter the rebel advance. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that over 270 people, including civilians, have been killed since the start of the offensive. Bob Bryar, a former drummer for New Jersey band My Chemical Romance, has died, TMZ reports. Bryar, 44, was found dead in his Tennessee home Nov. 26 after last being seen alive Nov. 4, according to the report. His death is under investigation. Bryar, a Chicago native, was the drummer for the macabre-styled pop-punk and emo darlings from 2004 to 2010. A former sound engineer for The Used, he replaced Matt Pelissier, the bands original drummer. Pelissier co-founded My Chemical Romance in 2001, in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, with frontman Gerard Way, a fellow Summit native who grew up in Belleville. Bryar, who joined My Chemical Romance after the release of its second album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), played on the bands third album The Black Parade (2006), which was a big hit, charting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Singles included the anthem Welcome to the Black Parade. Bob Bryar playing with My Chemical Romance in England in 2005. Hayley Madden | Redferns The drummer was injured in 2006 during the filming of a fiery music video for another of the albums singles, Famous Last Words (see video below), sustaining third-degree burns on his legs. After Bryar left the band in 2010, drummer Michael Pedicone replaced him on tour before the group broke up in 2013. Bryar later became a real estate agent and dog rescue advocate. My Chemical Romance, which launched its first reunion tour in 2019 and played Newark in 2022, is set to play North America again in 2025 on its 10-city Long Live the Black Parade tour, which comes to MetLife Stadium Aug. 9. Bryar was not a part of the groups reunions. In 2022, the band released The Foundations of Decay, its first new song in eight years. Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup. One of New Jerseys popular New Years Day events at least for those desiring a quick dip in the ocean is coming home. The Sons of Ireland Polar Beach Plunge is returning to Asbury Park on Jan. 1 after moving several miles away to Long Branch starting in 2022. Handsome Brooke Farms issued a voluntary recall of 10,800 retail units of organic eggs sold at 25 Costco stores in the eastern United States because of the risk of Salmonella contamination, the company announced. The Kirkland Signature Organic Pasture Raised 24-count eggs were identified as possibly being contaminated and were mistakenly distributed to Costco stores in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee beginning on Nov. 22, the company said in an alert issued on Thanksgiving Day. The recall applies to Kirkland Signature Organic Pasture Raised 24-count eggs packaged in plastic cartons with the UPC label 9661910680. The company said the recall only applies to products that have all three of the following pieces of information. Use by Jan 5 2025 P1363 327 The recall was instituted after eggs that were not intended for retail distribution were identified as packaged and distributed in retail packaging, the company said. Additional supply chain controls and training were adopted to prevent further issues, according to the companys media alert. As of Thursday, no illnesses had been reported in connection with the incident, and Handsome Brooke Farms was working in cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration to complete the recall, the company said. Customers who purchased recalled products should immediately stop consuming the eggs and return them to their local Costco for a full refund, the company said. Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea fever and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Symptoms typically begin within six hours and six days of consumption, and the bacteria can be more harmful to children under five and adults over 65 requiring antibiotic treatment or hospitalization, according to the CDC. Cucumber recall In another major food recall triggered by potential salmonella contamination, SunFed Produce LLC is recalling whole cucumbers sold in 26 states and parts of Canada, according to the FDA. The affected cucumbers, sold from Oct. 12 to Nov. 26, are being recalled in the following states: Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Florida; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Kansas; Maryland; Massachusetts; Minnesota; Missouri; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Virginia; Washington, and Wisconsin. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday he wants New Jersey real estate developer Charles Kushner, father of Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and long a controversial figure in Garden State politics, to serve as U.S. ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker. Kushner, who grew up in Elizabeth the son of Holocaust survivors, is a founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm now based in New York City but established decades ago in Florham Park. The company has a sizable empire worth more than $3 billion in property in New Jersey and beyond. His son, Jared Kushner, is a former senior Trump adviser who is married to the incoming presidents eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump. Charles Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the mans wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison the most he could receive under a plea deal but less than what Chris Christie, then the U.S. attorney for New Jersey, had sought. Christie, later New Jerseys governor and a Republican presidential candidate, has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trumps transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushners offenses one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney. At the time of Kushners guilty plea, Christie declared in a press conference: No matter how rich and powerful you are or poor and un-powerful, if you have violated the federal law in the district of New Jersey or if you are corrupting our political system, this office will bring you to justice. Today, Charles Kushner was brought to justice. A player in state and national politics, Charles Kushner hosted fundraisers for President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who all paid calls at his offices in Florham Park, or his home in Livingston. As the single largest campaign contributor to Gov. James McGreevey when he ran in 2001, Kushner was later appointed by McGreevey as the powerful chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles, and their children were married in 2009. Among those reacting to Saturdays news was Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. Charlie Kushner? This is madness, Rasmussen, formerly McGreeveys press secretary, wrote on social media. And we always get the government we deserve. NJ Advance Media staff writers Brent Johnson, Steven Rodas, and Ted Sherman contributed to this report. Q. President Biden announced a cease-fire in Lebanon, one that calls for Hezbollah to stop firing missiles into Israel in support of Hamas in return for an Israeli withdraw from southern Lebanon. Is this a clear victory for Israel? Could it lead to a cease-fire in Gaza, as Biden hopes? Mike: Anything that de-escalates the war in the Middle East should be seen as a win for everyone. Moving Hezbollah away from the Israeli border is a win for Israel. One can hope it leads to a ceasefire in Gaza, but Hamas broke the last ceasefire and will do again, only a matter of time. But we should still hope and pray for a ceasefire. Julie: Ceasefires are fine as a stop-gap measure, but until there is a broad agreement about a multilateral path forward for all the key players, from the Israelis to the Palestinians to Iran to Saudi Arabia and their various proxies, we will be back at this. A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is in effect because of relentless diplomacy carried out by the Biden administration, National Security Adviser @JakeSullivan46 says. Sullivan says the U.S.-brokered deal is designed to be a permanent end to this war. pic.twitter.com/AJyt8nGc88 CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) November 27, 2024 Q. New Jersey attorney Adeel Mangis bid to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit ended this week after Sen. Chuck Schumer concluded he didnt have the votes and struck a deal for GOP support of lower-court judges instead. Was the resistance to Mangis this nomination based on bigotry, as his supporters contend? Mike: I dont know the specifics of any allegation about Mangi so cant weigh in on it. I simply hope religious bigotry was not part of the failure to get votes. However, I am also not naive. I saw firsthand how Gov. Christie was attacked in the GOP primary in less diverse US states like Iowa for his appointment of a Muslim judge, Sohail Mohammed. Christie rightfully stood by this pick but was attacked constantly, solely on the base of Mohammeds religion, despite all he had done for the US especially in the wake of September 11th. I have seen how ignorance and bigotry play in politics, and its ugly. I will never get over the horror of watching Adeel Mangi have to respond to outrageously bigoted questions like whether he celebrated 9/11 and endure months of purgatory caused by people who were elected to do better. His service would have been a gift to our country. https://t.co/tHGo9dVDV7 Amber Reed (@amberleereed) November 27, 2024 Julie: Mangi was subjected to horrific Islamophobia, and I am immensely sorry that he will not be serving on the Third Circuit. I am even more sorry, as I wrote here, that Democrats do not have the stone-cold leaders this moment requires. Mangis nomination was tied up for nearly a year (to stress again, unfairly). Six months in, the White House and the Senate Majority Leader could not get the requisite Democratic votes to get him confirmed, they should have pulled his nomination and replaced him with someone who could have gotten 51 Democratic votes. By not doing that, Donald Trump will now have two appointments to the Third Circuit, which is inexcusable. I cannot be silent as I watch, in horror, as Adeel Mangi, an esteemed member of my profession, a pillar of our community, a resident of our state, and a citizen of our nation is baselessly targeted by members of the Senate because of his Muslim faith. Full op-ed: https://t.co/5TDFmbi125 Attorney General Matt Platkin (@NewJerseyOAG) March 24, 2024 Julie: Yes, it was time for the Muslim community to have representation at the appellate division. Yes, Mangi is beyond qualified. No, that should not have stopped Democrats from being cold-blooded about reality, which is that they gave away the store to Trump and the Federalist Society because they could not get three members of the Senate Democratic Caucus to support him. Heck of a job, Democrats. No wonder Mitch McConnell has eaten our lunch for more than a decade. #AdeelMangi has not only been treated unfairly, the outright bigotry he has experienced is a national shame. He has been a tremendous lawyer who has used his skills to advance the ideals of this great nation and we will be greater with him as a federal judge. https://t.co/bXT3Ye22Z9 Maya Wiley (@mayawiley) March 22, 2024 Q. In Trenton, Gov. Phil Murphy announced a pay freeze and ordered his cabinet to cut spending by 5 percent, a recognition that the structural deficit is growing and could gobble up nearly a third of the states surplus next year. Whose fault is this? Does it spell the doom of Speaker Craig Coughlins Stay NJ program, which would provide huge property tax breaks to seniors? Mike: The state has dramatically overspent the past seven years during Gov. Murphys time in office, borrowing billions unnecessarily while billions in federal COVID relief dollars were inflating our budget, but in an unsustainable way. Incredibly, the state budget is tens of billions more per year now than when Gov. Christie left office. Unpopular decisions have to be made. We cannot tax our way out of this problem. It is a spending problem. Julie: Democrats better deliver some sort of fiscal relief for the taxpayers of this state. If the 2021 election and this Novembers election were not a flashing warning sign, I dont know what is. I know that Speaker Coughlin understands this, and since he is the only one whose members are on the ballot next year, I expect him to prioritize this. Q. One of Trumps most influential advisors, Boris Epshteyn, was accused of demanding money from potential nominees to help advance their causes, including Scott Bessent, Trumps choice for Treasury. Meanwhile, Trump is breaking tradition by refusing to reveal the names of donors to his transition effort. How concerned should we be about corruption among the unusual cast of characters around Trump in coming years? Mike: Well, the Trump legal team seems to have investigated and self-reported the Boris scheme, so thats a step in the right direction. Frankly, I am done handwringing about Trump breaking tradition. Voters dont care if he breaks tradition. They didnt care that he broke the law. The opposition needs to fight Trump on more than boring process. Julie: Why are we even wasting our time on this? Americans knew exactly what they were getting when they voted to put Trump and his cronies back in office. The grifters will continue grifting regardless of how many stories you write about them. The Pottery Barn Rule applies to Trump: You break it, you own it. Trump is intent on breaking this country and now he will own the consequences. No one is going to vote for Democrats in 2028 because they are offended by Plainsboro, NJs own Boris Epshteyn. They are going to vote for Democrats if Democrats focus like laser beams on how Trumps policies -- from tariffs to mass deportation -- impact the price of groceries, housing, cars, and iPhones. This seems like some pretty obviously unethical, pay-for-play grifting by Boris Epshteyn, but its a stretch to suggest its worse than Don Jr launching a crypto company, Kushner taking $2B from the Saudis or Trump selling bibles. pic.twitter.com/9xcjhKLoN9 Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) November 26, 2024 Q. Police in Trenton routinely conduct illegal searches and use excessive force on suspects, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger concluded after a year-long investigation. Trump has voiced opposition to these federal investigations of local police, so I wonder, will the feds follow up on this? And will they continue to press the Newark police, which is now under a federal consent decree? Mike: Part of Trumps victory was due to Americans being sick and tired of putting criminals rights ahead of the rights of police officers or the innocent victims. The pendulum is swinging back in favor of giving police the benefit of the doubt. The public knows there are bad apples in every profession, but they also believe that 99.9% of police officers are good people putting their lives on the line for the rest of us. The next four years, you will see police being given the benefit of the doubt. Julie: Agree. The pendulum has swung way to the right on these issues. Progressives may not like it, but the support for Mikes viewpoint doesnt just come from Republicans. It comes from many of the same people who used to be a bedrock of the Democratic base. Shoot the messenger all you like, but data shows that there is a reason we have been bleeding voters of color, and its not just because of the price of eggs. BREAKING: After a year-long investigation, @TheJusticeDept & @USAO_NJ found that Trenton Police engaged in a pattern/practice of unconstitutional policing. For too long, the residents of Trenton have felt afraid of the police, rather than protected by them. @USAttySellinger. pic.twitter.com/wR6SYBHotu Ryan P. Haygood (@RyanPHaygood) November 21, 2024 Q. Finally, special counsel Jack Smith halted the federal prosecutions of Trump in deference to a Justice Department policy that bans prosecutions of sitting presidents. So, not only did these cases fail, they prompted a Supreme Court ruling that grants presidents broad immunity for crimes committed while in office, and may have fortified support for Trump in the election. If youre going to shoot at the king, dont miss, said Samuel Buell, a former prosecutor now at Duke University. Thoughts? Mike: The problems all started with Manhattan being the first jurisdiction to bring charges. Regardless of the case, no one believes Trump would have been charged if he wasnt the former president and running again. Even though there looked to be crimes, most thought bringing charges was political. It discredited every case that came from the federal government, which were much stronger. There is zero doubt that the overzealous Democratic politics of Manhattan strengthened Trump. Julie: You ask these questions about Boris Epshteyn or Jack Smith like it is 2015. Everything has changed. The U.S. Supreme Court has become a political entity masquerading as a judicial entity. Lets all wake up. Trump walked because his MAGA Supreme Court majority wanted him to walk. His unqualified and dangerous nominees will mostly get confirmed because the legislative branch has voluntarily abdicated its role as a co-equal branch of government. The failure of legacy media to notice all this and to keep writing about these phenomena as though they are one-offs like the Iran-Contra Affair and not the transformation of a 250-year-old democracy into a looming autocracy is what is really unsettling. No wonder newspapers are dying and television news is on its last legs. Thank God Merrick Garland waited nearly 2 years to appoint Jack Smith because, after all, nothing is more important than preventing the optics of politicization. Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) November 25, 2024 Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. When George Santos calls you an unhinged, out of control attention addict. pic.twitter.com/p8YUoB18sW Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 25, 2024 A note to readers: Mike and Julie are deeply engaged in politics and commercial advocacy in New Jersey, so both have connections to many players discussed in this column. DuHaime, the founder of MAD Global, has worked for Chris Christie, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and President George W. Bush. Roginsky, a principal of Comprehensive Communications Group, has served as senior advisor to campaigns of Cory Booker, Frank Lautenberg, and Phil Murphy. We will disclose specific connections only when readers might otherwise be misled. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. BEIJING, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- China has unveiled a plan to allow the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in some major cities, in a move to further open up its medical sector. The pilot work plan, released by the National Health Commission (NHC) and three other government departments on Friday, grants approval to the cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as the island province of Hainan. According to Liu Guoen, head of the Institute for Global Health and Development of Peking University, the move has demonstrated a stronger commitment to openness made by the Chinese government. Medical services, along with telecommunications, education and culture, are among a number of sectors that China pledged for a "wider opening in a well-conceived way" in a package of comprehensive reform plans rolled out by Chinese authorities in July. In a statement released on Friday, the NHC noted that medical services have high domestic market demand and strong investment interest from foreign investors. Wholly foreign-owned hospitals are expected to help meet the public's diverse healthcare demands. In 2023, the number of hospitals in China topped 38,000. Public hospitals accounted for less than one-third of the total yet received 83.5 percent of the total patient visits nationwide, according to official data. Chen Hao, director of the drug policy and management research center at Wuhan-based Tongji Medical College in Huazhong University of Science and Technology, said foreign-owned hospitals, generally positioned toward the high-end market, can supplement China's current domestic healthcare system, which primarily focuses on providing public welfare medical services. "This will help to establish a multi-tiered healthcare service structure," Chen said. China has allowed the establishment of joint-venture medical institutions with foreign investors since 2000 and currently has over 60 foreign-invested joint-venture medical institutions. In 2014, the government issued a document to permit the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and the four provinces of Jiangsu, Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan. The document, however, did not lead to the prominent development of wholly foreign-owned hospitals due to multiple factors such as policies and market adapting obstacles facing the hospitals. Compared with 10 years ago, the new pilot program appears to be more well-prepared regarding policy guidance, supportive measures, and supervision. Concerning the pilot program, the NHC and the Ministry of Commerce have promised to provide clear policy interpretations for foreign enterprises and address challenges facing key foreign investment projects in areas such as land use and financing. End-to-end support will be provided to ensure projects are launched, constructed, and operational as soon as possible, according to the authorities. The work plan also stipulates that wholly foreign-owned hospitals are permitted to operate as general, specialty, and rehabilitation hospitals, explicitly excluding traditional Chinese medicine hospitals and blood disease hospitals, while prohibiting the foreign acquisition of public hospitals. It restricts wholly foreign-owned hospitals from performing medical activities with significant medical or ethical risks, such as human organ transplantation, assisted human reproductive technologies and psychiatric inpatient treatment. Liao Xinbo, formerly a senior health official in Guangdong and now an internet celebrity, told the media that regulators must consider various issues, such as market supervision and data security, and improve policies across all stages to provide the conditions necessary for foreign-funded hospitals to survive and thrive. According to Liu Guoen, foreign-owned hospitals will likely need an observation period, and the investment might be cautious initially. At the same time, he remains optimistic about the investment prospect. "The pilot program is a concrete action for China to fulfill its commitment to reform and opening up, sending a very positive signal," he said. "It will also certainly help China better advance its reform and inclusive development in the future." Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's national flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, announced on Saturday the resumption of passenger flights to Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, effective Nov. 30. The inaugural flight was celebrated in the presence of several high-ranking officials from both Liberia and Ethiopia, along with executives from Ethiopian Airlines, according to a statement released by the airline. "The resumption of services to Monrovia brings significant benefits, as it not only expands travel options for passengers but also plays a vital role in promoting economic integration between Ethiopia and Liberia," the statement said. The airline said that the new route aims to facilitate trade, tourism and cultural exchange, contributing to the socioeconomic development of both nations. "We are pleased to resume our flights to Monrovia, reinforcing our dedication to connecting Africa and promoting intra-African trade," said Mesfin Tasew, the chief executive officer of the Ethiopian Airlines, as quoted in the statement. Flights to Monrovia will operate three times a week, providing seamless access to Liberia's rich cultural and natural attractions, the statement added. "In line with our vision of providing the best travel experience, we believe that our presence in Liberia will enhance opportunities for business and tourism, thus driving mutual growth," Tasew said. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine 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 In the summer of 1993, the movie Free Willy about a captive killer whale thats heroically set free was an unexpected hit. But when word got out that the real whale who played Willy, an orca named Keiko, was dangerously sick and stuck in a tiny pool at an amusement park in Mexico City, fans pleaded for his release. Our newest podcast, The Good Whale, hosted by Daniel Alarcon, tells the true story of what happened to Keiko once the cameras stopped rolling, and the wildly ambitious experiment to return him to the ocean. Keiko was transported from country to country, each time landing in the hands of well-intentioned people who believed they knew what was best for him people who still disagree, decades later, about whether they did the right thing. So now, we want to hear from you: What do you remember about Keiko? Did you have a personal memory, experience or connection with him? Maybe you were moved to write letters after watching Free Willy, or perhaps you saw him perform live at Reino Aventura in Mexico City. Maybe Keiko made you feel a certain way when you visited his tank in Oregon. Wed love to hear your story. Please record your response as a voice memo and email it to serialshows@nytimes.com with the subject line: My Keiko Story. Start by telling us your full name and what city you live in. Well be listening to all the voice memos, and we may use excerpts from your submission on the podcast or in a future newsletter. We will accept submissions until Dec. 10, 2024. The split has driven a wedge between two allies, Canada and Mexico, who were able to leverage their relationship to negotiate a favorable agreement during Mr. Trumps first presidency. The trade pact is officially up for renegotiation in 2026, but analysts say they believe that Mr. Trumps decision to put tariffs against the two U.S. neighbors on the table even before he takes office indicates that a renegotiation of that agreement could come sooner than planned. Mr. Trudeau is facing considerable pressure over how to handle this difficult moment. The imposition of tariffs on Canada would throw the country into recession, economists believe, as doing business with the United States is the lifeblood of the economies of several Canadian provinces. But Mr. Trudeau is in a precarious political moment, too, after nine years in power. He faces elections in the coming months, and polls show his party, the Liberal Party, is set to lose badly to the Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre. And as Mr. Trudeau has been trying to define a negotiating position to counter Mr. Trumps unilateral tariff threat, the leaders of some provinces have charged ahead with their own proposals. Most prominently, Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, has said that Canada should ditch Mexico and directly negotiate a new deal with Mr. Trump. To compare us to Mexico is the most insulting thing Ive ever heard from our friends and closest allies, the United States of America, Mr. Ford said earlier this week, adding that Mr. Trumps descriptions of Canada were like a family member stabbing you right in the heart. TEHRAN, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Saturday strongly condemned an attack by armed "terrorist elements" on Iran's consulate general in northern Syria's Aleppo city. He made the remarks in a statement while reacting to the attack without elaborating on its time and potential damage. Baghaei pointed to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963, "which prohibits any invasion against consular premises," saying the convention's violation by any individual, group, or government was not accepted. Noting that the Iranian consul general and the diplomatic mission's staff members are in full health, Baghaei said Iran would take serious legal and international actions against the attack. Militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaida-linked extremist organization, and allied opposition factions launched a major offensive in the countryside of the northern Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Idlib on Wednesday, resulting in dozens of deaths, including a senior member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. By Friday, the rebel militants had advanced into parts of Aleppo city for the first time since they were driven out of the city in 2016. The gallery had not yet decided that afternoon which pieces would be headed to Miami for Basel, though the Mehretu painting was priced at several million, Lord said, and Sehgals handiwork (or at least the exclusive right to perform it) was $31,000. It would certainly be cheaper to send a staffer to perform the Sehgal gestures than to ship a 12-foot-high painting. But selling the Mehretu piece would cover all the gallerys Basel expenses and then some. Though with rent and payroll to meet at not only their TriBeCa space, but also sizable Marian Goodman outposts in Los Angeles and Paris, such a seven-figure sale seemed like a necessity and one that would need to be regularly repeated. To the art adviser Todd Levin, a longtime Basel fixture, that is precisely the problem. Its really not about having enough collectors, he said. The truth is more that theres just not enough good art made that can validate this many fairs. Its not the buy side thats the problem, its the sell side. Even assuming a level of quality control, Levin continued, unless an artist is essentially operating like a Warhol-esque factory and churning out product, they cant be requested over and over to make work for all these fairs, plus their exhibitions and then museum shows. Something has to give, he concluded: I think the entire system has reached a level of exhaustion. Finn is aware of such dire predictions but remains upbeat. Yes, the art market was under pressure, but its not a situation like 2008 with its global recession. Moreover, she pointed out, the talk of a rivalry between Basel and Frieze missed the point: We are not operating in a scarcity economy where, if we do well, they suffer, and vice versa. Generally, when sales are good, sales are good for everyone. And there was still plenty of growth potential, she said, citing the Miami setting for Basel, where the homegrown art scene had exploded in size and stature over the past two decades. At least 68 people, including 18 that needed to be treated at hospitals, have fallen ill across 19 states in a salmonella outbreak that may be linked to cucumbers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday. Federal officials announced they were investigating the outbreak believed to be tied to cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico, and sold by SunFed Produce, which is based in Arizona, and other importers. No deaths have been reported. The C.D.C. said it was working with public health and regulatory officials in several states, including the Food and Drug Administration, to investigate the infections. The cucumbers were sold in the United States and Canada, according to the F.D.A. SunFed recalled all sizes of the product described as whole fresh American cucumbers. The problem for Apollo Bagels begins outside its cramped West Village corner storefront and ends, at peak hours, more than 100 feet down the block. That is the reach of a line of hungry customers who wait patiently outside the shop on weekend mornings and afternoons, seeking a taste of a chewy, crunchy bagel that has been ranked as one of the best in bagel-crazed New York City. On a recent Sunday, the line included Emma Richardson, 23, who lives in Paris and was capping a 10-day trip to New York with a visit to Apollo Bagels after an American friend told her she had to go. Galen Hughes, 31, who hunts down food that has gone viral in her spare time, had booked an early train from Philadelphia to squeeze in the wait before heading to a Broadway matinee. Its estimated that nearly 45 percent of people who have been involved with the American criminal justice system have a history of brain injury. Some research suggests rates of brain injury among incarcerated women are 5 to 7 percentage points higher than for incarcerated men. And an eight-year study in Flint, Mich., of ninth graders at risk of dropping out of school found that those who had sustained brain injuries in their youth were more likely to engage in violent acts as young adults. Brain injuries often result in overwhelming feelings of disinhibition, mood swings, overreaction and even acts of rage, which can lead to criminalized behaviors. Survivors of brain injury can struggle with social interaction, skill acquisition, planning and follow-through. This can make it hard to get and maintain employment and housing. (One study in Colorado found that 71 percent of housing-insecure people surveyed reported a history of brain injury.) Brain injuries frequently go unnoticed because they are invisible unlike, say, a broken leg and because they often affect people who are themselves unseen. Few Americans are more invisible than those living in prisons and jails. Today the countrys largest mental health facility is not a hospital or asylum. It is part of the Los Angeles County jail system, according to the local sheriffs department. A few states are taking meaningful steps to treat the extant effects of brain trauma among incarcerated people. A law passed by Colorado in 2021 written in part by Mr. Taylor while he was still in prison requires the state to create a pilot program to offer screenings for brain injury to individuals in the criminal justice system who are about to be sentenced. To carry out the law, Colorados Department of Corrections started a program in 2022 at La Vista Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison holding about 560 women. Those who demonstrated a history of brain injury were invited to participate in weekly group sessions focused on teaching coping strategies for memory loss, impulsivity and grief, as well as skills for organization and emotional regulation. In Indiana, where researchers note that people with brain injuries are twice as likely to return to prison within the first year of release, advocates are pushing for brain injury training for probation service personnel. These efforts should be scaled up nationally. Every state should be required to provide brain injury screenings and treatment for those serving sentences. People in prison who are recovering from brain injuries, especially those that result in disabilities, should be taught about their injuries. They should be invited to participate in programs that target emotional, interpersonal and cognitive skill development some as basic as learning how to manage court appointments. Therapy models overseen by the Department of Justice, such as trauma therapy by phone for incarcerated survivors of rape, could be expanded to include those suffering from brain injury. Group therapy initiatives like the one at La Vista Correctional Facility could be duplicated elsewhere. Such measures help not only people in prisons but also the professionals who work with them daily guards, transitional housing staff members, addiction counselors all of whom are susceptible to compassion fatigue. And ongoing support during the first few weeks after release from prison, when people are more susceptible to arrest in connection with new crimes, could help reverse the cycle and prevent victimization of others. I would prefer to live in a world where the recent news that more than 146,000 New York City schoolchildren experienced homelessness during the last school year was regarded as a crisis demanding immediate changes in public policy. But if helping children isnt enough to move New Yorks political leaders to action and, by all indications, it most certainly is not they might consider doing it for the sake of the Democratic Party. There is a straight line from homeless schoolchildren to Donald Trumps election victory. Homelessness is the most extreme manifestation of the nations housing crisis. America simply isnt building enough housing, which has driven up prices, which has made it difficult for millions of households to keep up with monthly rent or mortgage payments. Every year, some of those people suffer at least a brief period of homelessness. Popular anger about the high cost of housing, which is by far the largest expense for most American households, helped to fuel Mr. Trumps comeback. He recorded his strongest gains compared with the 2020 election in the areas where living costs are highest, according to an analysis by the Economic Innovation Group, a nonpartisan think tank. The results are more than a backlash against the party that happened to be in power. The animating principle of the Democratic Party is that government can improve the lives of the American people. The housing crisis is manifest proof that government is failing to do so. And it surely has not escaped the attention of the electorate that the crisis is most acute in New York City, Los Angeles and other places long governed by Democrats. In his dank Budapest prison cell in the mid-1950s, my father imagined he heard Dvoraks New World Symphony. Though no one in my family had ever set foot in the actual New World, just knowing it existed brought my father solace during his nearly two-year incarceration. Locked up in Soviet-occupied Hungarys notorious Fo Street fortress, my father was blessedly still unaware that his wife my mother, a reporter for United Press International occupied a nearby cell. Nor did he know that his two small children, myself and my older sister, were living with strangers paid to look after them by the American wire services, my parents employer. Their crime was reporting on the show trials and jailing of priests, nuns and dissidents that Stalinist satellites of the postwar era used to clamp down on dissent. My parents would find it bitterly disappointing that American conservatives, including Donald Trump, have come to admire their small European homeland, with its habit of choosing the wrong side of history, and even to see it as a role model. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has branded Hungary an illiberal democracy as he systematically rolls back hard-won freedoms, reinvents its less than glorious past and cozies up to Russia, Hungarys former occupying power and my parents jailer. I recall a different Orban. In June 1989, I stood with tens of thousands of Hungarians in Budapests Heroes Square during the reburial of the fallen leaders of the 1956 uprising against the Soviet-controlled government. From the podium, a bearded, skinny youth captured our attention with a fiery speech. If we are sufficiently determined, we can force the ruling party to face free elections, he shouted, urging negotiations for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary. If we are courageous enough, then and only then can we fulfill the will of the revolution. The 26-year-old speakers name was Viktor Orban. Kimberly Stolar was glad to be off the roads in Erie, Pa., on Saturday. Not that she had much choice: She couldnt open her front door, no matter how hard she pushed against an estimated 50 inches of snow that had drifted over. She knew her S.U.V. was somewhere in her driveway, but she couldnt tell exactly where. Im just trying today to ignore the fact that I cant get out of my house, and just be thankful for what I have in my house, said Ms. Stolar, 33, an Erie native who said this storm was the worst that she could recall. Parts of the upper Midwest and Northeast, particularly western New York and Pennsylvania, were bracing for more snow on Sunday after getting blanketed with more than two feet over the holiday weekend, with some parts getting more than three feet. The lake-effect snowstorm, which has already disrupted post-Thanksgiving travel and stranded dozens of vehicles on highways, threatened to bring the total to six feet of snow to some areas by Tuesday morning. More than two million residents across Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York were under lake-effect snow warnings on Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service. But as up-and-coming Democrats blanketed the country campaigning for the presidential ticket, promoting down-ballot candidates, working the national fund-raising and cable news circuits many of them also managed to quietly develop bigger platforms, broader networks and a batch of new admirers across some of the countrys most politically important states. Such advantages will help determine who has outsize influence in the debate over the beleaguered partys future and who generates the most buzz in the earliest stages of the next presidential race. Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, so many candidates had been coming into New Hampshire for years before they actually ran, said Raymond Buckley, the chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, whose state hosted many ambitious Democratic surrogates this cycle. It gives them an opportunity to size us up, and we get to size them up. The 2028 presidential election is many political lifetimes away, and it is impossible to predict how a second Trump term will shape it or what the Democratic field will look like. Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota have not said what they will do next, and many of this years other in-demand Democrats insist that, for now, they are focused on governing. But Donna Brazile, a former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee, said she expected that a new generation would try to wrestle control of this party and its future. House Democrats are considering pushing aside some of their most senior leaders from top posts in the next Congress, driven by a worry that aging members are not up to the task of countering President-elect Donald J. Trump and his loyal Republican allies in Congress. The debate has grown most intense in recent days as dozens of Democrats have been privately pressing Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland to challenge Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York for his position as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. They are doing so out of concern that Mr. Nadler will be ineffective in pushing back against any efforts by Mr. Trump to abuse his power. Mr. Nadler, 77, the dean of New Yorks congressional delegation, has made it clear he has no plans to step aside. And while Mr. Raskin, 61, is mulling a challenge, he has not yet decided whether to pursue one, according to colleagues familiar with his thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. As a New Yorker, I have stood up to Donald Trump my entire career, Mr. Nadler wrote in a letter to colleagues announcing his run for re-election to the post, in which he emphasized his history of going after Mr. Trump. When he became president, I led the Judiciary Committees efforts to hold him accountable for his various abuses of power, culminating in two historic impeachments. President-elect Donald J. Trump announced on Saturday that he would name Charles Kushner, the wealthy real estate executive and father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France, handing one of his earliest and most high-profile ambassador appointments to a close family associate. The announcement was the latest step in a long-running exchange of political support between the two men. Mr. Kushner received a pardon from Mr. Trump in the final days of his first term for a variety of violations and then emerged as a major donor to Mr. Trumps 2024 campaign. I am pleased to nominate Charles Kushner, of New Jersey, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to France, Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post announcing his choice. He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests. Mr. Kushner, 70, pleaded guilty in 2004 to 16 counts of tax evasion, a single count of retaliating against a federal witness and one of lying to the Federal Election Commission in a case that became a lasting source of embarrassment for the family. As part of the plea, Mr. Kushner admitted to hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, a witness in a federal campaign finance investigation, and sending a videotape of the encounter to his sister. JERUSALEM, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israel's National Security Council (NSC) warned on Saturday about heightened threats against Israeli citizens in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand. "Further to threats identified in the past few weeks against Israelis by terrorist organizations in Thailand, for which the NSC issued a clarification on Nov. 24, 2024, all security organizations relevant to the Southeast Asia arena, and especially Thailand, assess that current intelligence indicates that the terrorists responsible for the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in Dubai on Nov. 21 have been planning further terrorist activity," the NSC said in a statement. Given the increased threat, the NSC issued a seven-point guideline, recommending all Israelis currently in Southeast Asia follow it. On Nov. 24, the NSC raised the travel warning for Thailand to Level 2, meaning travelers are recommended to "take increased precautionary measures" without avoiding or leaving the country altogether, citing a continuing threat to Israelis in the Southeast Asian country in a follow-up to an alert it first issued some two weeks ago. The alerts came as Thai police reportedly warned of a terror plot at a party on the vacation island of Koh Phangan on Nov. 15, where there were believed to be many Israeli visitors. On Nov. 24, the UAE intelligence and security authorities found the body of Zvi Kogan, a former Israeli soldier who was a rabbi and emissary of the Jewish religious movement Chabad in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), three days after Kogan went missing. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said Kogan was killed in a "heinous antisemitic terror incident." Soon after starting at the newspaper, he took part in the 1989 pro-democracy protests, which ended with the militarys killing of hundreds or even thousands of civilians, and was sentenced to a year of hard labor in a steel factory. He returned to his job afterward, and through the decades wrote articles and columns on the need for China to embrace more liberal ideas and be more open to the outside world. He spent 2006 to 2007 at Harvard as a Nieman fellow, a prestigious appointment for American and international journalists. He later did a fellowship and a visiting professorship in Japan, and also occasionally wrote essays for foreign publications, including the Chinese edition of The New York Times. (I first met Mr. Dong and his family on a visit to Harvard and kept in touch with them after I was posted to Beijing for The Times in 2008. I did a Nieman fellowship later, and mentioned Mr. Dongs case in my new book on China.) Mr. Dongs harsh sentence comes at time of contradictions in the policies of the autocratic Xi Jinping, Chinas leader. On the one hand, he has been trying to keep U.S.-China diplomacy stable and is encouraging some foreigners to live and work in China to boost its slowing economy. On the other, he has told Chinese citizens to report potential spies and has empowered his security agencies to arrest so-called subversives, whether justified or not. Mr. Dongs sentencing appears intended to force a limiting of contacts between Chinese citizens and foreigners. Mr. Dong met openly with diplomats from Japan and the United States, as well as with international scholars, journalists and other foreigners. The judgment read aloud in court on Friday accused the Japanese Embassy in Beijing of being an espionage organization and named several Japanese diplomats Mr. Dong knew, including a former Japanese ambassador and the current chief diplomat in Shanghai, as agents, according to a statement from Mr. Dongs family. The Japanese foreign ministry has said its diplomatic missions engage in legitimate duties carried out by diplomats. Taiwans president set off on a mission on Saturday to shore up relations with some of his island democracys shrinking band of diplomatic allies: three tiny Pacific Island nations that have taken an outsize importance in Taiwans struggle against Chinese efforts to push it off the international stage. Lai Ching-te, the Taiwanese president, is scheduled to visit the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, which amount to one-quarter of the dozen states that maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Since the 1970s, dozens of countries have shifted ties to China. Beijing claims the self-governed island of Taiwan as its territory, and insists that governments end diplomatic relations with Taipei if they want full relations with China. Mr. Lais weeklong trip comes as his government tries to fathom what changes President-elect Donald J. Trump will bring to U.S. dealings with Taiwan, and with China. Mr. Trump has called for Taiwan to sharply increase its military spending and has complained about Taiwans global dominance in making semiconductors. But Mr. Trumps proposed cabinet includes Republicans who have been deeply distrustful of China and sympathetic to Taiwan. In uncertain times, experts say, Taiwan needs every edge of international advantage that it can get, including from its small allies in the Pacific. Their total population is about 67,000, according to United Nations estimates, compared with Taiwans more than 23 million people. But they are members of the United Nations and its bodies, while Taiwan is generally excluded. Russian troops in eastern Ukraine have seized at least 10 villages and settlements in roughly as many days, according to a group with ties to the Ukrainian Army that maps the battlefield, as Moscow presses on with slow but steady advances that have heightened pressure on Ukraines authorities to start cease-fire talks. The situation looks particularly precarious for Ukrainian forces in Donetsk, in Ukraines east, where Russian forces are closing in on their last two strongholds in the southern part of the region, according to the analysis by the group, DeepState. The fall of the strongholds, Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka, could pave the way for a Russian takeover of the area, experts say. Russia, which annexed Donetsk in 2022 and controls about two-thirds of the region, is seeking to consolidate power over the whole territory. It has concentrated its attacks in the south of the region, searching for weak points in the Ukrainian lines and attacking from many directions, giving outnumbered Ukrainian troops little choice but to withdraw. This is indeed the most difficult situation in almost three years of war, Andrii Biletskyi, the commander of the Third Assault Brigade, one of Ukraines top fighting units, told the newspaper Ukrainska Pravda last week, referring to the overall state of the battlefield. Israel on Saturday said it had killed a World Central Kitchen worker it accused of taking part in the Hamas-led attack that started the war in Gaza last year, in the second Israeli strike to kill workers affiliated with the aid group. A spokeswoman for World Central Kitchen, a U.S.-based relief group, said on Saturday that three of its contractors had been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle. In a statement, the aid group said that it had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the Hamas-led attack. To the best of our knowledge, no WCK team members are affiliated with Hamas, the spokeswoman, Linda Roth, said in an email. The Israeli military declined to comment on the two other workers World Central Kitchen reported were killed. The fragile peace between Israel and Hezbollah largely hangs on 10,000 soldiers in the Lebanese Army. The last time it was tasked with enforcing a cease-fire, it plainly failed. The current cease-fire, which came into effect on Wednesday, calls for a 60-day truce between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, during which time Israeli forces gradually withdraw from Lebanon, and Hezbollah moves away from Lebanons border with Israel. To ensure Hezbollahs retreat, the agreement relies heavily upon the Lebanese Army, a national military strained under competing priorities and sectarian complexities that has long proved unable or unwilling to rein in Hezbollah. In a new buffer zone along the border a strip of land ranging from a few miles to 18 miles wide the Lebanese Army is responsible for destroying all Hezbollah military infrastructure, confiscating any unauthorized weapons and blocking the transfer or production of arms. United Nations peacekeeping forces will sometimes accompany the Lebanese soldiers in a supporting role. On Wednesday, the army began deploying more soldiers to the region. But that approach has been tried before and it did not work. The Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire that ended the 2006 Lebanon War, known as Resolution 1701, also called on the Lebanese Army to keep Hezbollah away from the border, with U.N. peacekeepers assisting. Years later, Hezbollah emerged even stronger than before, with extensive weaponry, infrastructure and tunnels across the border region. Yet despite those past failures, the international community is once again banking on the Lebanese Army. In recent months, the United States and other nations revived an effort to train, equip and fund Lebanese forces. But, analysts say, it is a risky bet. Rebels had seized most of Syrias largest city, Aleppo, as of Saturday, according to a war monitoring group and to fighters who were combing the streets in search of any remaining pockets of government forces. The antigovernment rebels said they had faced little resistance on the ground in Aleppo. But Syrian government warplanes responded with airstrikes on the city for the first time since 2016, according to the war monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Aleppo came to a near standstill on Saturday, with many residents staying indoors for fear of what the sudden flip in control might mean, witnesses said. Others did venture out into the streets, welcoming the fighters and hugging them. Some rebels tried to reassure city residents and sent out at least one van to distribute bread. The rapid advance on Aleppo came just days into a surprise rebel offensive launched on Wednesday against the autocratic regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The developments are both the most serious challenge to Mr. al-Assads rule and the most intense escalation in years in a civil war that had been mostly dormant. Trump said he would impose tariffs on all products coming into the United States from China and two other countries on his first day in office. What were they? GHANA Ivory Coast Abidjan Assinie-Mafia Jacqueville 1,640 FEET DEEP 3,280 4,920 Trou Sans Fond Canyon 6,560 8,200 9,840 10 miles 11,480 Ivory Coast Abidjan 1,640 FEET DEEP 3,280 4,920 6,560 8,200 Trou Sans Fond Canyon 9,840 10 miles 11,480 Ivory Coast GHANA Abidjan Jacqueville Assinie-Mafia Grand-Lahou 1,640 FEET DEEP 3,280 4,920 6,560 8,200 Trou Sans Fond Canyon 9,840 10 miles GHANA Ivory Coast Abidjan Assinie-Mafia Jacqueville 1,640 FEET DEEP 3,280 4,920 6,560 8,200 Trou Sans Fond Canyon 10 miles 9,840 GHANA Ivory Coast Abidjan Assinie-Mafia Jacqueville Undersea cables damaged on March 14 Ivory Coast Abidjan Undersea cables damaged on March 14 Ivory Coast GHANA Abidjan Jacqueville Assinie-Mafia Grand-Lahou Undersea cables damaged on March 14 GHANA Ivory Coast Abidjan Assinie-Mafia Jacqueville Undersea cables damaged on March 14 GHANA Ivory Coast Abidjan Assinie-Mafia Jacqueville Ivory Coast Abidjan Ivory Coast GHANA Abidjan Jacqueville Assinie-Mafia Grand-Lahou GHANA Ivory Coast Abidjan Assinie-Mafia Jacqueville Undersea cable Source: WIOCC Undersea cable Source: WIOCC Undersea Surgeons In a wireless world, it is easy to forget the all-too-real cables that snake across the turbulent ocean floor. Until they snap. Something was wrong in the vast undersea canyon known as the Bottomless Hole. One by one, internet cables were failing on a seabed so deep that no human has ever set foot on it. And as they did, life in the cities far above them ground to a halt. One morning last March, tens of millions of people in West Africa woke up to find they had no more internet. Hospitals were shut out of patient records. Business owners couldnt pay wages. In homes and on sidewalks, people stared at the wheel icon rolling endlessly on their screens. Connecting, it promised. It wasnt. People remained disconnected some for hours, many for days. It created panic all over, said Kwabena Agadzi, head of communication technology at one of Ghanas largest insurance companies, Starlife. As if the world was coming to an end. In the absence of hard information, rumors flew. It was a coup, some said. It was sabotage, said others. Even those who guessed what was really happening knew that identifying the problem and fixing it were two very different things. The Trou Sans Fond Despite its name, the Trou Sans Fond the Bottomless Hole, in French a sinuous canyon carved into the continental shelf off Ivory Coast, does have a bottom. Its just very, very deep down. The chasm begins near the coastline with a precipitous drop of nearly 3,000 feet. Canyon depths top view Map of the canyon showing locations of depth profiles Ivory Coast Trou Sans Fond Canyon Elevation view Depth profiles of the canyon at multiple locations OCEAN SURFACE 144 FEET DEEP 348 Distance from the oceans surface to the edge of the canyon 3,480 6,366 10,200 12,054 13,074 top view Elevation view Depth profiles of the canyon at multiple locations Map of the canyon showing locations of depth profiles OCEAN SURFACE Ivory Coast 144 FEET DEEP 348 Distance from the oceans surface to the edge of the canyon Trou Sans Fond Canyon 3,480 6,366 10,200 12,054 13,074 top view Map of the canyon showing locations of depth profiles Ivory Coast Trou Sans Fond Canyon Elevation view Depth profiles of the canyon at multiple locations OCEAN SURFACE 144 FEET DEEP 348 Distance from the oceans surface to the edge of the canyon 3,480 6,366 10,200 12,054 13,074 Source: Robert S. Dietz and Harley J. Knebel, Trou sans Fond submarine canyon: Ivory Coast, Africa Note: The elevation lines show vertical exaggeration. Nested in the murky water at the bottom, at times some two miles deep, and buffeted by powerful currents lie cables that provide internet service across West Africa. Many nations use cables like these, but for emerging economies with limited alternatives, they are a lifeline to the rest of the world. It can be easy to forget this. For most people, the internet may be indispensable, but they take it for granted. Though it is sometimes described as the worlds biggest machine, few spare a thought for its physical core: the vast networks of cables spun across sea floors and continents, the cities of energy-hungry servers speeding along data. Until there is a problem. On the morning of March 14, there was a big one. Cables on the floor of the Trou Sans Fond began going offline. When the fourth went out, some five hours after the first, people in a dozen countries got an unwelcome reminder: No one is truly untethered. A city in Ivory Coast, a few months before the internet went out. Joao Silva/The New York Times The more we rely on our phones to get everything done, the more we forget how we connect, said Jennifer Counter, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. But theres still a cable somewhere. Some know this all too well. When cables malfunction, it is their job to wrest them from the muck of the seabed, splice them together and lower them back down, thrumming once again with data. And so the day after the trouble at the bottom of the Bottomless Hole, the Leon Thevenin, a 41-year-old, 107-meter repair ship based in Cape Town, South Africa, prepared to set sail. Ahead lay a voyage of about 10 days up Africas western coast. Life Without Internet Any number of things can knock an undersea cable out of service. Landslides can do it. So can a ship dragging its anchor. There may be unintended damage from military skirmishes. And then there is sabotage, a growing concern. But most components of the physical internet are privately owned, and the companies behind them have very little incentive to explain any failures. That can make it daunting for people who rely on the cables to try to get a handle on why an outage is happening. Especially in real time. On March 14, the regional chief information officer for the Ecobank Group in Ivory Coast knew only one thing for sure as he stared at signals blipping red in his offices: There was a problem. Still, it was early in the day. Banks were not due to open for another 30 minutes. That was probably enough time, figured the information officer, Issouf Nikiema, for his I.T. engineers to sort it out. Those hopes faded when the techs came back to his office in Abidjan. Even their body language I realized that something was really wrong, Mr. Nikiema said. Ecobank alone serves 28 million people across the continent. But many other businesses, from sprawling bank chains to modest food stands, were hit, especially after the fourth cable went out and the internet went into freefall. Africa is a continent of 1.4 billion people where economic ambitions are high but the infrastructure often lags. People have learned the art of the workaround, and so when the electricity fails, generators often come to the rescue. If the WiFi goes down, mobile data might still do the trick. But this time was different. In many places, the shutdown was total. Imagine waking up in New York with no WiFi at home, no data on your phone, no internet available at your local Starbucks, at your office, no way to check your bank accounts on your Chase app, said Sarah Coulibaly, a technology expert at Ivory Coasts national telecommunications agency. In Accra, Ghanas capital, international travelers arriving at the airport could not locate their rental cars. Internet traffic to Ghana Four cables broke on March 14, 2024 March 13th NIGHT DAY Internet traffic in bits per second March 14th 5:02 5:31 7:45 10:33 Cable 1 Cable 2 Cable 3 Cable 4 March 13th NIGHT DAY Internet traffic in bits per second March 14th 5:02 5:31 7:45 10:33 13:55 Cable 1 Cable 2 Cable 3 Cable 4 March 13th NIGHT DAY Internet traffic in bits per second March 14th 5:02 5:31 7:45 10:33 Cable 1 Cable 2 Cable 3 Cable 4 Internet traffic in bits per second NIGHT DAY March 13th March 14th 5:02 5:31 7:45 10:33 4:00 13:55 Cable 1 Cable 2 Cable 3 Cable 4 Note: All times for the four cable breaks are in UTC. The chart shows changes in internet traffic over time, rather than displaying total internet usage levels. Source: Doug Madory, Kentik In Abidjan, Ivory Coasts largest city, restaurants couldnt use WhatsApp to order local produce. And more than 500 miles away in Ibadan, Nigerias third-largest city, Oke Iyanda couldnt collect money for the food that she sells to students and university workers. Sales of abula, a popular mix of yam powder, vegetables, pepper stew and goat meat, plummeted and food spoiled. The failures highlighted a broader problem for African countries: For all their techological progress, they are served by far fewer cables than more developed countries are, and often lack backup systems. By contrast, when two data cables linking four European countries were cut in quick succession in the Baltic Sea earlier this month, service interruptions were relatively minimal. (American intelligence officials assessed that the cables had not been cut deliberately, but the European authorities have not ruled out sabotage.) For Africa, some help is on the way. Starlinks satellite internet technology now operates in at least 15 countries, and a 28,000-mile-long cable being built by a consortium of companies has begun to come online. Still, the continents dependence on private and for the most part Western internet providers can make true sovereignty elusive. Were at the mercy of these cable operators, said Kalil Konate, Ivory Coast's minister for digital transition. For an Uber driver in, say, Stockholm or Buenos Aires, an internet outage is a big inconvenience. In Lagos, Nigerias largest city, it can mean calamity. With his clients locked out of their bank accounts, one driver there, Segun Oladejoye, said he went without work for three days. In Lagos, Nigeria, as in much of West Africa, merchants rely on the internet to conduct daily transactions. Taiwo Aina for The New York Times The timing could hardly have been worse. Months earlier, Mr. Oladejoye, a 46-year-old father of four, had taken out a loan for his Uber car. With barely any savings, the only way he could pay back the $30 weekly installment and feed his family was through even longer hours of work. Worried that the lending company might seize his car, Mr. Oladejoye said, he borrowed still more money, this time from a Chinese lending app. It still hurts me and my family, he said, because I now have to pay back both loans. A Web of Fiber-Optics According to Telegeography, an internet data and mapping company, there are hundreds of cables crossing the floors and canyons of the earths oceans. Stretched end to end, they would reach approximately a million miles. Though not dramatically different in appearance from the slender cables a local TV provider would run into an apartment building, at any moment they are conveying a vast number of messages, from WhatsApp flirtations to complex financial transactions. Remotely operated vehicle Undersea cable Remotely operated vehicle Undersea cable Remotely operated vehicle Undersea cable Note: A length of cable on the seabed was laid for training purposes and photographed by one of Orange Marines remotely operated vehicles. Source: Orange Marine People have been laying cables underwater since the dawn of the telegraph age in the mid-1800s, but those being put down now bear little resemblance to their forebears. At the center of modern cables are fiber-optic lines, usually numbering four to 24 fibers. Thinner than a human hair, each is coated with a different color so they dont get mixed up. The composition of the cables depends in part on the depth of the water, said Verne Steyn, director of subsea networks at WIOCC, a major digital wholesaler in Africa. In deep-water locations, the cables often have a black outer polyethylene layer. Below is a wrap of metal tape, then another polyethylene layer, a copper sleeve to conduct electricity, and a tangle of stainless steel wires to provide strength. Only then comes a small metal tube holding the fiber-optic lines, which are often coated with glycerine jelly as a last protection against the water. Ultrahigh-strength steel wire Black outer polyethylene Copper sleeve Fiber-optic lines Polyethylene layer Inside the protective coating, lines are thinner than a human hair. Metal tape Joint box Fiber-optic cables inside Fiber-optic lines Black outer polyethylene Inside the protective coating, lines are thinner than a human hair. Polyethylene layer Copper sleeve Ultrahigh-strength steel wire Diameter approx. 38 mm Metal tape Joint box Fiber-optic cables inside Ultrahigh-strength steel wire Black outer polyethylene Copper sleeve Fiber-optic lines Polyethylene layer Inside the protective coating, lines are thinner than a human hair. Metal tape Joint box Fiber-optic cables inside Black outer polyethylene Fiber-optic lines Metal tape Inside the protective coating, lines are thinner than a human hair. Polyethylene layer Copper sleeve Joint box Ultrahigh-strength steel wire Diameter approx. 38 mm Fiber-optic cables inside Fiber-optic lines Black outer polyethylene Inside the protective coating, lines are thinner than a human hair. Polyethylene layer Copper sleeve Joint box Ultrahigh-strength steel wire Diameter approx. 38 mm Metal tape Fiber-optic cables inside Source: WIOCC The result is a remarkably sturdy conduit but not an invulnerable one. And in a world ever more dependent on the uninterrupted flow of data, that worries people. Just weeks before the cables went out in the Trou Sans Fond, cables in the Red Sea serving East Africa and Asia were severed by a ships anchor. They were a casualty of war: The ship had been hit by a missile fired by militants in Yemen backing Palestinians in Gaza. And about two months later, two more cables were torn apart in shallow waters off Mozambique by a fishing trawler. Its crew had reportedly switched off its tracking system so it could operate in protected waters. Some communications experts argue that the way to make internet infrastructure more resilient to the inevitable problems is redundancy just lay more cables, so there are more alternative pathways for data, and that has happened. Twenty years ago, for example, there were just two major cables strung along the West African coast, according to Mr. Steyn. But sometimes, that just means more cables are cut at once. The seabed is not as peaceful as it once was, said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik, a network monitoring company. Just adding more cables doesnt solve all your problems. The fact of todays internet is that weve got to survive multiple cable cuts in a single incident. It might be better, he and other experts say, to diversify the location of the cables and set up more on land, though that can be more expensive and pose geopolitical challenges. A grapnel, used to retrieve cables, on the deck of the Leon Thevenin in April. Tommy Trenchard for The New York Times And more cables can do only so much. Katarzyna Zysk, a professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies in Oslo, said that there were mounting, credible reports of sabotage around the world. I believe that the infrastructure is highly vulnerable and presents an attractive target, Professor Zysk said. Sabotage did not, however, appear to play a role in the outage in the Trou San Fond, analyses of the crews that eventually repaired the cables and independent experts interviewed by The New York Times said. . To try to understand what happened, Mr. Madory, a pathologist of sorts for the undersea communication network, used clues from the internets global addressing system, known as BGP, and the networks attempts to route traffic around the broken connections. He was able to pinpoint the time of the first cable failure at 5:02 a.m. local time. The three others followed at 5:31, 7:45 and 10:33. You can see in the routing system a little scramble as the rest of the internet tries to figure out how to reach these networks, Mr. Madory said. The cascade of failures offers strong evidence that the culprit was almost certainly one of the underwater mudslides or avalanches scientists call them turbidity currents that are fairly common in that region. The Repair Crew As the Leon Thevenin steamed northward along the coast, it was outfitted with a curious mix of old and new. Coiled in its belly were miles of replacement cable and heavy rope. Steel grapnels were fastened to lengths of chain that would be dragged along the sea bottom to snag broken cables and haul them to the surface. The master of the ship, Capt. Benoit Petit, delicately rolled out huge charts they resembled scrolls showing the broad topography of the Trou Sans Fond. Capt. Benoit Petit aboard the Leon Thevenin with his second officer, Sandile Mthembu, in April. Tommy Trenchard for The New York Times But there was also high-tech splicing equipment, and needles on dials in the ships work areas quivered as amber, red and green lights flashed. Always on call, with sailors rotating in and out to keep the active crew at about 55, the Leon Thevenin is one of six repair ships operated by Orange Marine, a subsidiary of Orange, the French telecommunications giant. Orange Marine says it carries out 12 to 15 percent of the roughly 200 cable repairs that take place around the world each year. Crew members sometimes have trouble making their families and friends online understand what they do on long voyages. I say it straight: Im a fiber optics splicer, said Shuru Arendse. What is that? comes the reply, so he tries again. I repair the data communication cables on the seabed. But still no. So Mr. Arendse keeps it simple. I keep Africa connected to the rest of the world, he says. But before he can, his crew has to find the cable breaks no easy task. Tracking and repairing undersea cables 1 Damaged subsea cables are located using maps of existing cable networks, laser beams emitted from landing stations and underwater sensors. SURFACE LEVEL Undersea cable SEABED Damaged cable 2 Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or grapnels, the damaged section of the cable is spliced and the severed ends are brought to the surface for repair. The ship recovers both sides of the cable. Areas where the cable is cut. 3 The faulty segment is replaced, then the cable is carefully lowered back to the seabed. Joint Joint Severed section of damaged cable. SURFACE LEVEL 1 Damaged subsea cables are located using maps of existing cable networks, laser beams emitted from landing stations and underwater sensors. Undersea cable SEABED Damaged cable 2 Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or grapnels, the damaged section of the cable is spliced and the severed ends are brought to the surface for repair. The ship recovers both sides of the cable. Areas where the cable is cut. 3 The faulty segment is replaced, then the cable is carefully lowered back to the seabed. Joint Joint Severed section of damaged cable. SURFACE LEVEL 1 2 3 Damaged subsea cables are located using maps of existing cable networks, laser beams emitted from landing stations and underwater sensors. Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or grapnels, the damaged section of the cable is spliced and the severed ends are brought to the surface for repair. The faulty segment is replaced, then the cable is carefully lowered back to the seabed. The ship recovers both sides of the cable. Undersea cable Joint Joint SEABED Areas where the cable is cut. Damaged cable Severed section of damaged cable. SURFACE LEVEL 2 3 1 Damaged subsea cables are located using maps of existing cable networks, laser beams emitted from landing stations and underwater sensors. Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or grapnels, the damaged section of the cable is spliced and the severed ends are brought to the surface for repair. The faulty segment is replaced, then the cable is carefully lowered back to the seabed. The ship recovers both sides of the cable. Undersea cable Joint Joint Areas where the cable is cut. SEABED Damaged cable Severed section of damaged cable. Frederic Salle, the onboard mission chief, regards each repair as a forensic investigation and each break as a crime scene, even if malfeasance is not suspected. But the evidence in this case would have to be deduced from surveys, charts and hauling up the cable itself rather than imagery of the sea bottom. The waters of the Trou Sans Fond were too deep and the canyon walls too steep to send down a camera-laden remote vehicle. Didier Dillard, the chief executive of Orange Marine, said the crews operated in a world of the unknown. When you go beyond 1,000 meters depth, he said, nobody really knows what the seabed is like, because nobody goes there. It can be rocky, sandy, muddy you can just imagine. But there were clues to where the breaks the Leon Thevenin was looking for might be, and what had caused them. The cables depth put them out of reach of passing fishing nets or anchors. And Mr. Salle determined that they had broken in order from closest to the coastline to farthest strong evidence that there had been an avalanche, since that was the direction one would speed down the slope of the canyon. Another sign: Light signals sent through the fiber optics revealed that the break was squarely within the canyon, where avalanches occur, Mr. Salle said. There was no doubt as to the identity of the perpetrator, he said. Note: A lab simulation of turbidity currents, which can damage undersea cables. Source: Eurotank Laboratory, Utrecht University. The repair itself, Mr. Salle said, involved cutting the cables on either side of the breaks and fastening them to buoys. Then jointers like Mr. Arendse got to work splicing a length of new cable into place. First stripping off the colored coating, they carefully melted and joined the strands from two cable pieces the microsurgery of internet repair checking to be sure that laser light was flowing freely across the repaired joint. They boxed it all up into an elaborate splint. Then it was time to drop the cable back into the sea and move on to the others. When the last cable was patched, about a month after the crew left South Africa, it was time to head home. With the breaks repaired, internet service returned to normal in West Africa but normal is relative. Outages, though shorter, remain frequent. And some think another cable-snapping avalanche is just a matter of time. Mr. Konate, the Ivorian digital transition minister, said that the March outage was a wakeup call and that he had asked cable providers like Google to offer terrestrial backup solutions. This cannot happen again, he said. In the port of Cape Town, another Orange Marine mission chief, Didier Mainguy, said that for all the lasers and fiber optics, little had changed fundamentally from a century and a half ago. To make his point, Mr. Mainguy held up a mounted piece of old telegraph cable in his quarters. Its still a cable, he said. It was a cable a hundred years ago. Voila. Independent candidate Carol Nolan will top the poll and retain her seat in the Offaly constituency according to the tally figures. The first count will not be officially declared until later today but the tally people's calculations give a good indication of where the battle for the three seats will be fought. Cadamstown woman Nolan, already a two-time winner in Dail elections, looks set to get her highest first preference on this occasion in a decisive shift by the Offaly electorate to a non-party candidate. First elected as a Sinn Fein TD in 2016, when Offaly was also a three-seat constituency (but with part of north Tipperary tacked on), Nolan ran as an Independent in 2020 and was re-elected with an even higher first preference. With a near 22% share, and over 8,000 votes on the first count, Nolan will be short of the projected quota of about 9,100 but is assured of election. The tally has Fine Gael's John Clendennen in second place with 6,704 votes and pinning his hopes on transfers as the count progresses. Though Fianna Fail's Tony McCormack is on 6,305 votes, he will be looking to boost that figure once his party colleague Claire Murray exits the race. The tally has her on 2,439 number ones. The election has gone very well so far for first time Sinn Fein candidate Aoife Masterson, who has picked up one vote in every six, according to the tally. That puts her firmly in the frame for a seat and her supporters will be examining the transfers of the north Offaly candidates closely throughout the day. Eddie Fitzpatrick, the Independent candidate who left Fianna Fail after the party did not select him for this election, has seen his vote drop to 2,616. The tally has Independent Ireland's Fergus McDonnell behind Edenderry woman Claire Murray while the Green Party vote has collapsed, with Pippa Hackett on 931, just 2.5%. The destination of the seats after Carol Nolan is very difficult to call, but Fianna Fail members are confident Tullamore man McCormack will be elected. If that is the case, the last seat will be a fight between Cllr Masterson and Kinnitty-based Clendennen, with geography in the Sinn Fein candidate's favour because there will be more transfers coming her way as eliminations from the north Offaly area take place. IN FEBRUARY 2017 it was announced that Cistercian College Roscrea was going to close in June of that year, after 112 years of operations. The school will finish classes for the majority of its students following the Leaving Cert and Junior exams this June, a statement said. This news made many local people sad. The college held an important place in their hearts because it was an excellent centre of education. They also looked on it with fondness for a number of other reasons including the fact it had a number of beautiful buildings; it was a place of history and culture; it was a place with woodland and streams making it a lovely spot to visit and walk around; and you could go on retreat there (staying in the guesthouse), an important factor when you consider today's busy and stressed culture. The school has witnessed a 45% drop in enrolment in the past 10 years, said Dom Richard Purcell, Abbot, with just nine first-year students enrolled for September 2017. Clearly this is unsustainable and the school is simply no longer financially viable. We were sadly left with no option but to conduct what we anticipate will be a phased closure of the school over the next 16 months. The community rallied wonderfully. The general feeling was that everything that could be done should be done to save the school. In mid March 2017, a month after the first announcement, the media was told that a group of volunteers made up of parents and past pupils had formed the CCR Action Group which pledged to devise a restructuring plan to ensure the future viability of the school. A rescue package had been set in place, which included significant financial contributions in the form of personal pledges totalling in excess of 1.5 million. Since then the school has flourished. An example of this flourishing could be seen last week when its annual musical was performed by the students over four nights. The show was packed out every night and audiences responded to the performers with great enthusiasm. I attended on the final night and as I sat in the audience I felt deep gratitude in my heart that this fine establishment was still going. It was not just the school as an educational establishment that had been under threat, but also the presence of the Cistercian monks in this part of Ireland. If the school had come to an end, who knows how much longer the monks would have held out. In a world which can feel very shallow and stupid it's important we hold onto our places of tradition, culture and heritage. The musical was Les Miserables, one of my favourite musicals. As I listened to Fantine's song I dreamed a dream tears began to roll down my cheeks. Les Miserables can be translated into English as The Wretched, The Miserable Ones, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, The Victims, or The Dispossessed. Fantine is poor and wretched. Surrounded by unkindness she descends into prostitution. Eventually she dies of tuberculosis. A working-class girl from the coastal town of Montreuil-sur-mer and an orphan, she is a symbol of the countless people throughout history who were decent but were savaged by life. She sings, I dreamed a dream in time gone by When hope was high and life worth living I dreamed that love would never die I dreamed that God would be forgiving But the tigers come at night With their voices soft as thunder As they tear your hope apart Les Miserables was first performed in September 1980 in Paris. The first English language version was performed in October 1985 in London. Initially some of the reviews for the London production were condescending and negative, but the public loved it and it became a cultural phenomenon. Part of its success lies in its fantastic melodies. They really hit home, with great power. The lyrics are also emotional and uplifting. The melodies and lyrics combined together make for a formidable, potent force. Another reason for the musical's success is the novel it's based on. Victor Hugo wrote a masterpiece which points out many of the failings, injustices and cruelties of 19th Century France. Confronted with the corruption and cruelty of society some of the novel's characters resort to political change and violence; others respond with Christian love. As I listened to the musical in Cistercian College I thought about the differences between 19th Century France and the world of late 2024. In so many ways our societies are vastly better than the way France used to be between 1815 and 1832. However, our world is still plagued by a huge amount of corruption and harshness. The number of poor is enormous and vast wealth is concentrated in the hands of a very small percentage. One study I read recently stated that the bottom 50% of the world's population own less than 2% of the global wealth, while the top 1% owns 38%. Along with this, there's also a high number of armed conflicts. In the Middle East and North Africa, 45 armed conflicts are currently taking place, in Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Yemen and Western Sahara. Closer to home, in Ireland there is much which could lead you to despair, including the fact we have a neverending homelessness and housing crisis. How do we as individuals respond to these hard and unsettling facts? One possible response is Erich Fromm's: Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence. A visitor views the exhibits during the "Belt and Road" International Handicraft Art Exhibition at University of Johannesburg Art Gallery in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 29, 2024. The first stop of the "Belt and Road" International Handicraft Art Exhibition, themed "Dialogue with World Cultures," opened here on Friday. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The first stop of the "Belt and Road" International Handicraft Art Exhibition, themed "Dialogue with World Cultures," opened in South Africa on Friday. The inaugural event, hosted by Shanghai University in China and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in South Africa, will be displayed at the UJ Art Gallery until Jan. 25, 2025, after which it will travel to other destinations, including Kazakhstan, Sweden, Turkey, New Zealand, Australia, France and Italy, among others. At the opening ceremony, Minister at the Chinese Embassy in South Africa Li Zhigang said the exhibition will help foster cultural exchanges and mutual understanding. "Intangible cultural heritage is a treasure of human civilization, a precious wealth accumulated from diverse cultures over the long course of history. Since ancient times, painting and handicrafts have been a typical medium of communication between people around the world," Li said. "We look forward to more cultural and artistic exchanges and cooperation between China and South Africa in the future." Federico Freschi, executive dean of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, said "handicrafts are not just objects but cultural treasures embodying history, tradition and creativity." The exhibition showcases dozens of China's intangible cultural heritage skills, demonstrated by numerous inheritors. Divided into three sections -- Maritime Blossoms, Symbiosis of All Things and Endless Vitality -- it features a variety of traditional Chinese cultural items, including embroidery, paper cutting, kesi (silk tapestry), kites, nianhua (New Year paintings), silver pots and purple clay teapots, along with cross-genre intangible cultural heritage projects. A visitor views the exhibits during the "Belt and Road" International Handicraft Art Exhibition at University of Johannesburg Art Gallery in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 29, 2024. The first stop of the "Belt and Road" International Handicraft Art Exhibition, themed "Dialogue with World Cultures," opened here on Friday. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) A visitor views the exhibits during the "Belt and Road" International Handicraft Art Exhibition at University of Johannesburg Art Gallery in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 29, 2024. The first stop of the "Belt and Road" International Handicraft Art Exhibition, themed "Dialogue with World Cultures," opened here on Friday. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) Ciara Doherty has confirmed that she will front The Tonight Show for the last time this weekend. The Letterkenny native is to leave Virgin Media after fronting an election special. Ms Doherty has worked with Virgin Media for 14 years, working on the Ireland AM show before taking up a role presenting The Tonight Show in 2020. Ms Doherty and fellow presenter Claire Brock will both leave the show. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ciara (@ciaradvmtv) Ive decided to move on from late nights and early mornings to begin a new adventure, Ms Doherty said on Instagram. Thank you to my incredible colleagues and friends, to all of our guests and especially to the viewers who joined me along the way. READ NEXT: Searches for two missing teenagers stood down as gardai issue separate updates In October, Virgin Media reduced the number of episodes, going from four to two per week. Ms Doherty is a qualified barrister and is remaining tight-lipped about her next move. GAZA/JERUSALEM, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least 54 people, including a journalist and a Civil Defense officer, were killed on Saturday in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, according to Palestinian sources. In southern Gaza, an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle and a crowd receiving flour in the Qizan al-Najjar area, south of Khan Younis, eyewitnesses said. Rescue workers told Xinhua that medical teams retrieved the bodies of 12 people and that the injured were transferred to hospitals. In northern Gaza, at least 40 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the home of the Al-Araj family, which was sheltering displaced people in the Tal Al-Zatar area of Beit Lahia, the Civil Defense said in a statement. "A large number of victims are still trapped under the rubble, and it is difficult to retrieve them due to the absence of Civil Defense and medical workers," it said. The Civil Defense also said that one of its officers died in an Israeli airstrike targeting residential houses in the Jabalia camp. Meanwhile, the Hamas-run Gaza media office reported in a statement the death of a journalist working for Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV after he was shot in the parking lot of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza. The Israeli army has not commented on the attacks yet. Also on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that an Israeli soldier from an engineering battalion was killed, another soldier seriously wounded in fighting in northern Gaza, and an Israeli armored fighter was seriously wounded in southern Gaza. The IDF said earlier in separate statements that the Israeli Air Force, with the direction of the Intelligence Directorate, struck a ready-to-launch launching site directed toward southern Israel, in the humanitarian area in Deir al Balah, central Gaza. Over the past week, IDF troops conducted searches near a hospital and a mosque in Rafah, southern Gaza, and located weapons, anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, ammunition, AK-47 rifles, grenades, military vests, and more, it added. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage. The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 44,382, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Saturday. A Bulgarian girl raises her hand to ask questions during the "Talking with Taikonauts" event in Sofia, Bulgaria, Nov. 30, 2024. Three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, connected with Bulgarian youth via video link on Saturday, sharing their experiences in space exploration and answering questions about life aboard the Tiangong space station. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua) SOFIA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, connected with Bulgarian youth via video link on Saturday, sharing their experiences in space exploration and answering questions about life aboard the Tiangong space station. Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, members of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceflight mission, fielded 15 questions from Bulgarian participants aged 8-22 during the event "Talking with Taikonauts." Topics ranged from comfort in spacecraft and spacesuits to daily activities like eating, using gadgets, and working on the space station. The event marked several milestones, including the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Bulgaria, the 155th anniversary of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), and the 45th anniversary of Bulgaria's first astronaut Georgi Ivanov's mission. It featured space science lectures, a quiz, and an exhibition showcasing a mock-up of the Tiangong space station. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, in a letter to the event, emphasized the opportunity to deepen cooperation between the two countries in areas such as cultural exchange, space exploration, and high technology. He highlighted the potential for innovative partnerships to accelerate technological progress and provide opportunities for young people. Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dai Qingli noted that China's rapidly advancing space industry is fostering international collaboration, with over 150 intergovernmental space cooperation agreements signed with more than 50 countries and organizations as of November 2023. Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Education and Science Nikolay Vitanov described astronauts as symbols of the human spirit and the pursuit of knowledge, which transcends borders and unites humanity. Members of the Bulgarian Parliament, Atanas Atanasov and Gabriel Valkov, praised the event as a meaningful platform for scientific exchange and strengthening bilateral relations. "Such events should happen more often, so we can understand more about China, and also about Bulgaria," Valkov said. Cai Xuzhe (C, on screen), Song Lingdong (R, on screen), and Wang Haoze (L, on screen), members of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceflight mission, speak via video link during the "Talking with Taikonauts" event in Sofia, Bulgaria, Nov. 30, 2024. Three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, connected with Bulgarian youth via video link on Saturday, sharing their experiences in space exploration and answering questions about life aboard the Tiangong space station. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kulubaev Zheenbek Moldokanovich, who is here to attend the fifth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting, in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Kun) CHENGDU, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday met with Kulubaev Zheenbek Moldokanovich, Kyrgyzstan's minister of foreign affairs, in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the fresh outcomes of bilateral practical cooperation fully demonstrate the huge potential of bilateral cooperation. Wang called on the two sides to carry forward the fine tradition of mutual respect and support, deepen strategic mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and take the China-Kyrgyzstan comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era to a new level. Kulubaev, who is here to attend the fifth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting, said Kyrgyzstan looks forward to preparing for the next stage of high-level exchanges with China, establishing a high-level strategic dialogue mechanism, and expanding cooperation in various fields. KAMPALA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has urged people living in disaster-prone mountainous areas to evacuate immediately after a landslide killed 20 people and left another 100 missing in the eastern district of Bulambuli. The landslide struck five villages in Bulambuli district on Wednesday night. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, who visited the affected area on Friday, called on residents to cooperate with the government, which is committed to addressing such catastrophes through medium- and long-term interventions. "We urge all survivors and those in vulnerable areas to relocate immediately to Bunambutye (a subcounty in Bulambuli district) for safety," she said in a statement issued Friday night. She said that the Wednesday night landslide was "triggered by a 10-hour downpour," which buried homes and destroyed crops. "More than 100 residents are still unaccounted for as rescue operations continue," Nabbanja said. She announced that the government would provide compensation of 1,350 U.S. dollars for each deceased person and 270 dollars for each injured individual. Lillian Aber, minister of state for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, said additional manpower would be deployed to aid the search and rescue efforts. "Food and non-food items will be provided to the victims by the Office of the Prime Minister and the Uganda Red Cross Society," Aber said, adding that a medical camp would also be established. John F. Kennedy%2C White House color photo portrait. (Image by Wikipedia (commons.wikimedia.org), Author: Cecil Stoughton, White House) Details Source DMCA Duluth, Minnesota (OpEdNews) November 27, 2024: I published my first op-ed commentary in my high school student newspaper in 1961. In it, I quoted President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address challenging us not to ask what our country can do for us, but what we can do for our country. I was sixteen when I wrote my first op-ed commentary, and I was idealistic. I was too young to vote, but I followed Senator Kennedy's 1960 campaign. He was of Irish descent, and my paternal grandparents had immigrated to this country from Ireland. He was a Roman Catholic, and so was I. Born in 1917, he was about the same age as my parents; my father was born in 1916; my mother, in 1918. Kennedy was in the navy in World War II and was a hero. My father was in the Army in WWII and was decorated for his bravery. As you might expect, I was heart-broken when President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas - 61 years ago. As you might expect, I was seriously disenchanted subsequently when revelations of Jack Kennedy's sexual promiscuity before and after his marriage to Jacqueline Bouvier began to surface. And I was further disillusioned about Jack Kennedy when subsequent revelations came out about his medical history. For information about Jack Kennedy's medical history, see Robert Dallek's An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy 1917-1963 (Little, Brown and Company, 2003). For information about Jack Kennedy's sexual promiscuity, at least up to 1956, see Fredrik Logevall's JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956 (Random House, 2020; for specific page references concerning his sexual promiscuity, see the "Index" [p. 767]). In any event, in the American journalist Maureen Callahan's 2024 feminist book Ask Not: The Kennedys and the [Thirteen] Women They Destroyed (Little, Brown and Company/ Hachette Book Group) reviews various revelations about Jack Kennedy's sexual promiscuity before and after his marriage to Jackie Kennedy. Maureen Callahan's cogent analysis caught my attention, and so in the present essay, my 650th OEN article, I want to discuss certain highlights in her 2024 feminist book Ask Not - which is, in my estimation, represents feminist analysis at its best. Now, whatever else may be said about John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), he was not a feminist. Today we tend to take the critique of society advanced by second wave feminism in the United States as a given. But John F. Kennedy lived and died before second wave feminism became influential in American culture. Now, in theory, we might say that when we view the various women that John F. Kennedy had sex with as his conquests, we are thereby invoking a patriarchal view. In a hypothetical non-patriarchal view, we might say that when each of those women had sex with John F. Kennedy, she was thereby making her conquest of him. But Mareen Callahan does not engage in taking such a hypothetical view. For this reason, her view might be considered by some readers as patriarchal in spirit, even though she is writing what I consider to be a feminist critique of the patriarchal view. Now, according to the Wikipedia entry on "Maureen Callahan", "Callahan worked as a writer, editor and later columnist for the New York Post from 2002 to September 2022. She has worked as a columnist for Daily Mail since October 2022. "In 2024, Callahan published Ask Not: The Kennedys and the [Thirteen] Women They Destroyed. Ask Not became an instant New York Times bestseller": Click Here Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Trang Tran walked through the food court at Clackamas Town Center, sipping a soda as she reflected on her first Black Friday shopping experience. Coming to Portland from Vietnam a year ago, she had heard stories of chaotic crowds and aggressive bargain hunters. I thought it was going to be brutal, Tran admitted with a smile. But its much nicer than I anticipated. Police on Saturday released the names of the two men killed in a fatal double crash in Southwest Portland that injured a third person Wednesday. Evan C. Hadlock, 31, was driving south on Southwest Barbur Boulevard near Terwilliger Boulevard around 9:21 p.m. with his brother 32-year-old David C. Hadlock and a third back-seat passenger when they collided with another car, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. All three were driven to the hospital with serious injuries, and Evan and David Hadlock later died, police said; the driver of the other car was not seriously injured. Police say that they believe Evan Hadlock was intoxicated, which contributed to the crash. The Portland Police Traffic Division Major Crash Team investigated the scene, but police say they made no arrests and the incident is still under investigation. According to PPB data, Evan and David Hadlock are the 62nd and 63rd people to die in a traffic-related incident this year. Tatum Todd is a breaking news reporter who covers public safety, crime and community news. Reach them at ttodd@oregonian.com or 503-221-4313. An educator and writer, Joanne Yatvin had a profound impact both in the Portland community and nationally. She died on Nov. 17 at the age of 93, after suffering with dementia. Yatvin was an award-winning educator who dedicated her life to helping students learn and educating teachers on how to instill a love of reading in students. When she wasnt teaching, or serving as a principal or superintendent, Yatvin was a prolific writer. Reading and writing were her passion. ... son Alan Yatvin said. She wrote op ed pieces. She was a contributor the Washington Post. She wrote letters to the editor at the New York Times on different subjects having to do with reading and education. She wrote articles and commentaries for various journals. She also authored three books, each one focused on education and teaching children. Joanne Yatvin was born in 1931 in Newark, New Jersey. Her parents were John Goldberg, a butcher, and Mary Goldberg, who managed the household. Yatvin had a younger sister, Helen, with whom she was close. The family vacationed every summer at Bradley Beach. Joanne YatvinFamily archive As a girl, Yatvin developed a lifelong obsession with reading. In high school, she had an interest in theater. She obtained a full scholarship to Douglass College at Rutgers University, where she studied English and the dramatic arts. To make ends meet, she waitressed in the universitys dining hall. She was petite, pretty, and popular, with blond hair and blue eyes. She met her future husband, Milton Yatvin, on campus and he pursued her, often delivering her favorite dish, fried clams from Howard Johnsons, to her while she was on break from working. Joanne YatvinFamily archive After she graduated, she taught elementary school in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Soon, her husband, who was a research scientist, enrolled in a postdoctoral fellowship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Several months pregnant, and with two young children in tow, she boarded her first ever flight to join her husband. The family lived in Puerto Rico for two years. Yatvin taught English to children there and learned to speak Spanish herself. The family returned to New Jersey, bought a house, and settled there. Yatvin taught elementary school and obtained a masters degree from Rutgers. She had a lifelong interest in education, said her son, Alan Yatvin. Joanne YatvinFamily archive In 1963, the family relocated to Madison, Wisconsin, where Yatvin taught children and pursued a PhD in curriculum development and applied linguistics from the University of Wisconsin. In 1969, the family moved to Belgium for a year, while her husband was on sabbatical. While we were there my mother took advantage of being in Europe to go to schools in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France to observe the foreign language teaching methods in various schools, Alan Yatvin said. That formed the foundation of her doctoral dissertation, which was about comparing foreign language teaching in North Central Europe to the US. Joanne YatvinFamily archive After obtaining her PhD, Yatvin became chair of the English department at Madison Memorial High School before transitioning to be a principal at Crestwood Elementary School. In 1985, she won the Wisconsin Principal of the Year award. She was a fabulous principal. She was very active in developing programs for her teachers to help them with their classes, to help them teach reading to students. She was active in professional organizations. She had a deep interest in in reading and how children learn to read, Alan Yatvin said. In 1988, with all their children out of the house, Yatvin and her husband moved to Portland, in search of a more temperate climate. She became superintendent of the Cottrell School District in Boring. She taught at Portland State University, overseeing student teachers. Her teachers loved her; they respected her. She cared for them, Alan Yatvin said. Joanne YatvinFamily archive Yatvin advocated for the whole language approach to teaching. Whole language is a method of teaching children to read at an early age, which emphasizes kids reading what they want to read, Alan Yatvin said. The motivation behind it is that children will learn to read if theyre interested. Whole language emphasizes the use and recognition of words in everyday context. Joanne YatvinFamily archive She was a big advocate of the school being more than the eight to 3:30 place where students went, Alan Yatvin said. She felt that that schools, especially in underserved populations, should be akin to community centers, places for kids to go to be involved in activities. She thought that closing a school building on nights and weekends was a waste of a resource. For many years, Yatvin maintained a blog, where she shared her thoughts about education and beyond. Her blog was very important to her, and she stuck with it to the end. Even when she had trouble writing, but she kept at it, said her sister, Helen Kapner. Joanne YatvinFamily archive Yatvin will be remembered for her kindness and her forceful personality. She was a pistol, Alan Yatvin said. She was outgoing and outspoken. She didnt hide her light under a bushel. She had distinct opinions and she was an ardent advocate for her beliefs, particularly area of education, which was her specialty and her passion. Yatvin is survived by her sister, Helen Kapner, three sons, Alan, Bruce, and Richard Yatvin, and four grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband, Milton, and her daughter, Lillian Yatvin. DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Local acupuncturists in Tanzania's Zanzibar have expressed their gratitude to the 34th Chinese medical team for providing training in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncture techniques. Li Dengke, a Chinese medical team member, organized a training lesson for local acupuncturists at the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital on Friday, with more than 20 local doctors in attendance. "Thank you, Chinese doctors, for bringing new TCM technology to Zanzibar and training us selflessly," said Hafsa Mohamed Ali, head of the TCM center at the hospital. She said that through the training, local acupuncturists had gained an understanding of the basic principles of scalp acupuncture, including how to select acupuncture points and their functions. "It is believed that this training will greatly improve the ability of local acupuncturists to treat brain diseases and promote new Chinese medical diagnosis and treatment technologies in Zanzibar," she said. Li said that many patients in Zanzibar suffer from stroke sequelae or cerebral palsy, enduring difficulties in physical movement and speech, noting that scalp acupuncture is an effective treatment for such conditions, though it had not yet been practiced in Zanzibar. Since 1964, when east China's Jiangsu Province dispatched its first medical team to Zanzibar, 847 medical workers in 34 batches have provided medical services for some 8.3 million locals so far, according to the Jiangsu Commission of Health. ISLAMABAD, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Three people, including a policeman, were killed in firing by unknown gunmen in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday, official sources said. The incident happened in Lakki Marwat area of the district where the victims were attacked on their way to the country's east Punjab province in a vehicle, the sources added. The attackers opened fire on the vehicle and fled the scene, the sources said. An investigation is underway, with initial findings suggesting that the attack was a targeted killing aimed at the policeman who was stationed in Punjab. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. ISLAMABAD, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police thwarted a terrorist attack by arresting 11 terrorists in Lahore district of the country's eastern Punjab province, said an official on Saturday. A spokesperson of the CTD said in a statement that the detained terrorists of outlawed groups, armed with weapons, explosives, and maps of sensitive locations, were plotting to target a key government facility. The CTD also recovered a cache of items from their custody, including maps of key buildings, arms and ammunition, explosive materials, detonators, safety fuse wire, bullets, weapons, hand grenades and improvised explosives devices. According to the details, the CTD conducted 242 intelligence-driven operations across Punjab, resulting in the arrest of 34 terrorists in districts, including Lahore, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, and Rahim Yar Khan. Additionally, the law enforcement agencies, along with intelligence support, carried out 7,536 combing operations in November, leading to the interrogation of over 235,000 individuals and the detention of 637 suspects. The official added that the ongoing efforts are meant to enhance security and combat terrorism in the region. Over the last year, Florida was found to be responsible for nearly half of the entire country's book bans as the number of banned books reaches a new high. A recent study by PEN America, a human rights organization that focuses on the freedom to access literature, found that Florida saw 4,561 book bans across the state in the 2023-24 school year. The report, which reflects numbers as of October, stated that nearly half of all counties in Florida 33 out of 67 saw book bans. The thousands of books banned this year saw a significant jump from the prior school year, which saw 1,406 books banned, as reported by the Tallahassee Democrat. "Of the most commonly banned books in the 2023-2024 school year, 44% featured people and characters of color and 39% featured LGBTQ+ people and characters," PEN America said in the report. Prior to the previous school year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a House bill into law that created an official process for banning books. Libraries were also required to remove any books that were under review for claims of sexual content, as reported by El Pais. Florida's number of book bans accounts for nearly half of the more than 10,000 book bans implemented across the county. Only about 3,300 book bans were implemented nationwide during the prior school year. Following Florida, Iowa came in second for the most number of banned books, with PEN America reporting 3,671 in the previous school year. Texas came in third with 538 book bans. Originally published by Latin Times. Australia passed legislation this week that would ban the use of social media for children under the age of 16. While Australia's ban certainly is one of the world's toughest regulations targeting social media, other countries have also moved to pass their own bills to regulate the use of these platforms among children. Australia's new law forces tech giants such as Facebook and Instagram to develop a method that would prevent children under 16 from creating profiles and stop them from logging into existing accounts. Tech companies that fail to adhere to the said ban will be fined up to $33 million. The Australian government is expected to conduct a trial of methods to enforce the blanket ban in January 2025, with the full ban taking effect in a year. Prior to Australia's passing of the ban, other countries have also hinted at plans to regulate social media use among young children and adolescents. Belgium In 2018, the Belgian government passed a law that required children to be at least 13 years old to create their personal social media account without the need to get permission from their parents or guardians. Britain Britain has said it is unlikely to impose a blanket ban like Australia's in the meantime. However, the British government has already launched a study to explore how smartphones and social media impact children. It has also passed the Online Safety Act, which requires domestic and international providers of online services, including social media, to conduct risk assessments to identify and mitigate risks associated with illegal content. Read Also: What Parents Should Know Before Buying Toys From Temu and Shein France In 2023, the French government passed a bill that require social media platforms to obtain parental consent for children under the age of 15 when they are creating accounts. In April of this year, France also floated ideas of banning the use of cell phones for children under 11 and smartphones for children under 13. That ban is currently being tested in about 50,000 middle schoolers across the country. Germany Children between the ages of 13 and 16 are not allowed to use social media if they do not have the consent of their parents. Italy Children under the age of 14 in Italy are required to obtain parental consent when creating a social media account. CANBERRA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has announced humanitarian assistance to support the Philippines' recovery from a devastating series of tropical storms. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy on Saturday committed five million Australian dollars (3.2 million U.S. dollars) in funding for humanitarian assistance for the Philippines. The Philippines was hit by six tropical storms in a one-month span between October and November, killing hundreds of people and causing widespread displacement and damage. Australia's assistance will be delivered through humanitarian partners including the United Nations, NGOs and local organizations. Wong and Conroy said that the government's partners will work with local authorities to support those most in need with shelter, food security, health services and water sanitation and hygiene. By Mickayla Miller, LNP, Lancaster, Pa. (TNS) Emmy Award-winning actor William H. Macy dined at a Lancaster County restaurant Wednesday night and took a photo with the staff afterward. Kyma Seafood Grill, at 1640 N. Reading Road in Stevens, posted about the experience to its Facebook page Wednesday evening. What a surprise we had this evening, the post says. We had the pleasure of serving William H. Macy. We hope he had a fantastic meal and could not be more thankful for his generosity towards our staff! Macy, known for his roles in Fargo and Shameless, frequently visits Lancaster County. A resident who spoke to him on a previous outing said the actor told him he was visiting family in the county. Macy visited the county a few times earlier this year. In March, he dined at Guss Keystone Diner and 3 Sisters restaurant in Ephrata, and Columbia Kettle Works' location in Adamstown. He also was spotted at the Starbucks in The Crossings on Harrisburg Pike in March. Macy talked with an LNP LancasterOnline reporter about his experience in the county, saying, It is a beautiful area and they are really kind people. (c)2024 LNP (Lancaster, Pa.) Visit LNP (Lancaster, Pa.) at lancasteronline.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Governor Josh Shapiro has signed a disaster emergency proclamation for the northwestern region of Pennsylvania that has been struck by a severe snowstorm. The declaration authorized additional resources, including the activation of the Pennsylvania National Guard, to assist with relief efforts in the area. Portions of Erie County have been hit with nearly three feet of snow as a result of a lake-effect snowstorm. More snow is expected through Monday night. Our teams at PEMA [the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency], the Pennsylvania State Police, and PennDOT have been on the ground overnight to help their fellow Pennsylvanians as the impacts of heavy lake-effect snow hit Erie County, reads a statement from Shapiro. At the countys request, Ive called in the Pennsylvania National Guard who are now on the ground to help any stranded drivers and make sure emergency responders can get to folks who need them. According to the announcement from the governors office, the Pennsylvania State Police have responded to nearly 200 incidents in Erie County the over 24 hours since 6 a.m. on Nov. 29. Anyone who is able should stay off the roads, reads the announcement from the governors office. And those with travel plans in the region should plan ahead, and follow direction from PEMA, PennDOT, and local authorities. If you must drive in the affected region, state agencies advise that you prepare for extra travel time, pay attention for rapidly changing weather and road conditions, leave extra space between you and the car in front of you, and travel with emergency supplies. Have food, water, warm clothing or blankets and any specialized items you may need such as medications or baby and pet supplies, the announcement reads. Travelers are also advised to have multiple ways to receive alerts about the weather, which can include the 511PA website or by following regional weather alerts posted on websites such as X. To read the governors full announcement, click here. While it is chilly but clear in central Pennsylvania, parts of western Pennsylvania are seeing a full-fledged lake-effect snowstorm. More than 4 feet of snow could pile up in Erie by the end of the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. A lake-effect snow warning is in effect for Erie and Crawford counties, as well as portions of New York and Ohio until 10 a.m. Saturday. The National Weather Service (NWS) advises that snowfall could come down at 1 to 2 inches per hour and accumulate nearly 30 inches by Saturday morning. The Black Friday snowstorm that battered Erie caused closures of major highways, public transportation and libraries and caused delays to many of the major events scheduled for the post-holiday shopping weekend. Anyone planning to travel to the region is asked to delay their trip as lake-effect snow can cause rapidly changing, and dangerous, road conditions. For those who do have to travel, the NWS suggests bringing a winter storm kit with tire changes, booster cables, a flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing to that part of Pennsylvania. Another 18 inches of snow could come down in the northwestern portion of the state by Monday morning. Southwest Pennsylvania, including the Pittsburgh area, is expected to get a light dusting through Sunday, bringing no more than a half inch of snow each day, according to the NWS. More snow or mixed snow and rain is predicted there all of next week. Travel conditions should be better from the mountains east to Philadelphia. No snow is expected across much of the region but temperatures will remain below 40 throughout the day and below freezing overnight, making for the coldest stretch of weather so far this season. The Perry County Literacy Council (PCLC) currently is in great need of donations and volunteers to continue supporting the growing demand for services. Whether individuals or businesses can contribute financially or offer time to tutor, assist with office tasks, or help with fundraising, the support is essential in helping the organization fulfill its mission. Donations can be made directly through the PCLC website, and volunteers can apply by contacting the office to find out how their skills can be put to use in the impactful community service. The communitys generosity can make a direct difference in the lives of individuals striving for a better future. The PCLC began in the early 1980s with a small group of concerned community members, and over the past four decades it has grown into a vital resource for many residents of Perry County. The organization was born out of a shared concern about illiteracy when Dale Lesperance approached Lane Partner, seeking a solution to the lack of educational opportunities. With a $100 grant from the New Bloomfield Civic Club, they organized a Laubach Literacy training event for a small group of 10-12 people, using books loaned from the Juniata County Literacy Council. The organization started simply, without a formal structure, but local churches and clubs helped spread the word, and volunteer tutors worked with students one-on-one. The first year, they worked with only a handful of people, meeting in Father Larrys house at St. Bernard Catholic Church. That informal start laid the foundation for what would become a much larger operation. By 1984, after securing a $25,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), the PCLC moved into the basement of the Newport Public Library. At that point, the organization hired its first executive director, Wendy Lindstrom, and began to expand its offerings, including high school equivalency instruction. In 1993, a major shift occurred when Carol Steiner took over as executive director. Steiners priorities included integrating computer literacy into PCLCs programs and significantly increasing fundraising efforts. At that time, Anne Chappelka, a new arrival to Perry County, became deeply involved in the organization and eventually joined the board, where she remained an active volunteer until her passing in 2021. Tragedy struck in 1997 when Steiner died in a car accident. Chappelka, serving as the board president, stepped in as acting director until a permanent replacement could be found. With help from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which had strong respect for Steiner, PCLC was able to continue its operations while searching for a new leader. By 2000, the organization had outgrown its library basement and moved to a new facility on Market Street in Newport. In 2003, the Newport School District made a significant decision to allow PCLC to use its facilities as a GED test site, an arrangement that benefited many adults in the community who previously had to travel to Harrisburg Area Community College to take tests. When Executive Director Susan Risner retired in 2007, Kathleen Bentley, a former special education teacher, took over. Bentley brought a wealth of experience to the organization, and her approach focused on treating each individual with dignity and compassion. Bentleys time at PCLC saw the organization expand its services further, with a new location on South Fifth Street offering more space for workforce training and other resources. She established partnerships with various agencies, including Perry Apex Services Unlimited (PASU), which provided transportation to help people access PCLC services. Bentley also launched a scholarship fund that paid for at least half the cost of GED testing. Bentleys work highlighted the profound need for basic services like identification documents, which many residents lacked. Through her efforts, PCLC helped individuals obtain essential documents like photo IDs, birth certificates and social security cards. In 2010, a social work office was established, and Bentley used grants to provide other crucial services such as childcare for students children and emergency food and gas cards. In December 2021, Bentley retired, and Leslie Heimbaugh, who had been with the organization since 2009, took over as executive director. Heimbaugh initially joined PCLC as a part-time office manager and quickly became involved in fundraising and supporting students. She served as an administrative assistant and development officer before being asked to take on the executive director role in 2017. However, that meant shed need to earn a bachelors degree, which she did by completing a degree in communications from Central Penn College at age 58, even becoming the valedictorian of her class. Heimbaughs deep commitment to the work of PCLC is reflected in her passion for the students and families the organization serves. Its such a privilege that people trust us to help them through some of the roughest times in their lives, she said. Its simultaneously the most joyful and toughest work Ive ever done. Heimbaugh is particularly moved by the resilience of students who, despite facing enormous challenges in their lives, continue to pursue their educational goals. She acknowledges the importance of offering second chances. PCLC is all about second, third, and sometimes even fourth chances. We never judge anyone who needs to walk away and return when conditions are more favorable for their success. The range of services offered by PCLC is extensive, with a primary focus on adult education and GED preparation, as well as English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Heimbaugh pointed out that the number of ESL students has been growing rapidly, with all students legally residing in the U.S. or holding refugee status. In addition to the educational services, PCLC provides an array of support services, including help with obtaining vital documents, emergency food and gas cards, childcare for students children, free tax preparation for low-income residents, and assistance with healthcare connections. As an official Pennsylvania CareerLink, PCLC helps individuals connect with employment and training opportunities, especially for youth and adults who need job readiness support. The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, which co-locates with PCLC, provides services to Perry County residents with disabilities. Merakey, another organization that shares space, runs programs for adults with mental health challenges, including advocacy, recovery and psychiatric rehabilitation. Heimbaugh highlighted the importance of their partnerships with other local organizations. We rely on the support of a vast network of partnerships. We listen to what our clients need, take care of what we can, and offer a warm hand-off to one of our partners. The impact of PCLCs work is evident in the stories of individuals it serves. Heimbaugh shared an example of a student who came to the organization with the hope that a pair of steel-toed boots could help secure a job. PCLC was able to provide the necessary support, and the individual eventually found employment. PCLC continues to serve residents not only from Perry County but also from neighboring areas such as upper Dauphin and eastern Juniata counties. As Heimbaugh put it, The people we serve are just like you and me they want the same things we dolove, safety, security, education, a home, and family. Many of the students and clients face significant obstacles in their lives, but PCLCs mission is to help them overcome those barriers and achieve their goals, one step at a time. Amazons return-to-office policy announced in September, mandating employees work in person five days a week starting in 2025, has workers irritated. Some have even begun rage-applying to new positions, wanting to stick it to the tech company. The trouble for them: that could be exactly the response Amazon was hoping for. The tech mammoths strict RTO push might just be a sneaky means of laying off workers, some future-of-work experts say. Amazon likely already knows the new policy will nudge dissatisfied workers out, meaning the company will no longer have to go through the tough process of formal layoffs. As a tradeoff, the RTO crusade could come at the expense of the companys own talent and tech advancements. "Amazon presumably took the view they would rather control costs by cutting head count and take the hit of technology and innovation," Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom told Business Insider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company may be content with making the sacrifice of some brain drain. The RTO crackdown came in tandem with CEO Andy Jassy calling for a reduction in managers and a bump in the ratio of workers to managers by 15% by the end of 2025s first quarter. Amazon said its RTO shift is an effort to strengthen company culture and that the company has no plans to reduce its headcount. Brian Elliott, future-of-work advisor and author of How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams to Do the Best Work of Their Lives, agreed with Bloom. He told Fortune Amazon will undoubtedly see employee attrition as a result of the mandate because it continues to be widely unpopular among most U.S. workers. The vast majority of people want something that is in the middle: They want a couple days a week together that are meaningful with their teams, he said. And, by the way, those people the flexibility is taken away from are much more likely to jump ship. A study from human resources consulting firm Robert Half conducted last month revealed 39% of office workers in Australia would quit if their company slashed flexible working. Amazon employees are already bolstering that statistic. Anonymous job review site Blind, which surveyed 2,585 verified Amazon workers a day after Jassys RTO announcement, found that 73% of employees considered quitting their jobs as a result of the mandate. Amazons high risk strategy These backdoor layoffs, as Bloom refers to them, have already made a splash in other workplaces. According to research by BambooHR published in May surveying over 1,500 U.S. managers, about a quarter of executives said they hoped employees would voluntarily leave the company after the implementation of an RTO mandate. When AT&T mandated its 60,000 workers across nine of its 350 offices work in person again, some employees interpreted the push as a way to eliminate workers unable or uninterested in relocating to their offices. CEO John Stankey estimated that 15% of the affected workforce, about 9,000 employees, would face the choice of relocating or leaving the company altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a layoff wolf in return-to-office sheeps clothing, an anonymous AT&T employee told Bloomberg. The sneaky layoff strategy hasnt always worked out for employers. Almost half of employers that implemented RTO policies saw a greater than anticipated level of employee attrition, according to a 2023 report from Unispace. Almost 30% reported recruitment difficulties. Amazon will face this same risk, Elliott argued. Other tech companies may keep their flexible work policies as a means to poach Amazons talent, and Amazon may struggle to hire new faces, he said. This talent pool shrinks even more for women, who may need flexibility for child care, and managers, who can leverage experience to find a cushier job elsewhere. You lose a set of people in your organization, Elliott said. You lose high performance. A version of this story originally published on Fortune.com on October 2, 2024. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form By Ankur Banerjee SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Worries of a wider spillover from bribery charges against the Adani Group will hurt sentiment in India but not the long-term outlook, global investors say, as they wager one of the world's best-performing markets will get back on track next year. U.S. allegations, denied by the company, are that Gautam Adani's colossal ports-to-energy conglomerate paid bribes to secure power sales and made misleading disclosures, roiling the stocks and debts of Adani companies. Investors expect a stronger spotlight on governance and disclosure, and perhaps some volatility, but say the affair has not challenged the reasons they are in India in the first place - for exposure to a growing economy and a huge consumer market. "Foreign investors may grow more cautious about the transparency and governance practices of Indian companies," said Steve Lawrence, chief investment officer at Balfour Capital. Still, he pointed to a roughly 3% rise in the Nifty 50 index since the Adani news broke as signalling confidence. In the same period, $14 billion has been wiped off the value of shares in 10 companies owned by Adani. Foreigners are relatively small players in India's over $5.5 trillion equity space with a share of less than a fifth, but are sensitive to the mood and performance of a market seen as increasingly attractive while China's economy and stock market stalls. India's benchmark Sensex has more than doubled from its pandemic lows in 2020, outpacing even the S&P 500, something money managers say can't be derailed by one company. "We consider (the Adani indictment) as a stock specific event. We dont see any negative sentiment at all towards India as a result," said Mike Sell, head of global emerging market equities for London-based asset manager Alquity. "Clients are continuing to seek higher allocations in India." After a gush of profit-taking and pre-U.S. election nerves drew a net $11 billion in foreign cash out of Indian stocks in October, flows have steadied in November, according to LSEG data. TAILWINDS Topping Adani's troubles on investors' list of concerns has been the recent lacklustre earnings season, which has driven a rotation away from some previously favoured consumer stocks but not shaken too many bulls' faith in the longer-run. James Thom, senior investment director of Asian equities at abrdn, expects earnings to recover and has a positive outlook, driven by "supportive government policies following a decade of painful, but necessary economic reforms." Aiken, SC (29801) Today Cloudy skies with some morning fog. High 78F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy skies. Low around 65F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. In the run-up to the 2008 presidential primaries, an impressive group of public health, medical, business, insurance and civic organizations came together to try to focus the public and the presidential candidates on The Big Seven: seven chronic diseases that consume the bulk of our health care spending and will suck ever more life out of our society and economy until we decide to manage or prevent them. At the time, there was a lot of talk about universal health care this was before Obamacare and this organization wanted to tweak the focus of any law to the fact that 75% of all medical costs were attributable to The Big Seven: cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, pulmonary disease and mental disorders. Today, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease says, that figure is up to 90%. Theres no magic wand to make that 90% go away much less to make the diseases that affect more than half the U.S. population go away; all of us, directly or indirectly, will continue to spend most of our health care dollars treating them, at least in the near term. But long-term theres a better way: Most people with chronic diseases didn't have to get them. They wouldn't have Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart or pulmonary disease or even some cancers and mental disorders, and they wouldn't stroke out, if they weren't so overweight or inactive or didn't smoke or drink so much. Easier said than changed, yes, but doable over time if we transform our approach from sickness care to wellness care with a heavy dose of support for lifestyle changes. Ive had diabetes since I was 8, although not the kind you can prevent, and I got really excited about the campaign, which spent a lot of time and money in South Carolina and the other early primary states. Dave Ramsey has seen it all when it comes to predictions about the economy. And when it comes to the national debt, he's clear: people have been sounding alarms about an economic end of the world for decades, but so far, they've been consistently wrong. Don't Miss: Can you guess how many Americans successfully retire with $1,000,000 saved? The percentage may shock you . Inspired by Uber and Airbnb Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share! Ramsey shared his thoughts on the topic, explaining how, in his late 20s, he was deeply worried about the rapid growth of the national debt. Back then, he thought it might lead to a complete economic collapse. "I've observed people in my world write books about the economic end of the world," he said. "And they keep being wrong, so I don't want to write that book." See Also: The global games market is projected to generate $272B by the end of the year for $0.55/share, this VC-backed startup with a 7M+ userbase gives investors easy access to this asset market. While he acknowledges that the debt is a serious concern, Ramsey doesn't believe it's about to cause the economy to crash. "Is it concerning? Yeah, it's concerning. But is it going to cause a crash? Apparently not," he said. Ramsey explained that the national debt impacts the economy in subtle but important ways. The government funds its debt by selling Treasury bonds, which investors buy because they earn interest. But Ramsey points out that if those investors had put their money into businesses or other productive areas of the economy instead, it could have created more growth and opportunities. "It's stealing money from the economy in that sense," Ramsey said. He added that the cost of interest payments on the debt is increasingly consuming the federal budget. "The interest only on it is becoming a larger and larger portion of the budget,' as if they've got a budget." Trending: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement How do you compare? Confidence in the Market Despite his concerns about the national debt, Ramsey remains confident in the stock market as a safe place for investment. He admitted that there's always been some level of manipulation in the market, but he still encourages people to invest. "I do think it's still a safe place for people to invest. I've got millions and millions of dollars in mutual funds," he said. SHANGHAI/BERLIN (Reuters) -Mercedes-Benz is betting on China's Momenta to help it win back market share in the world's biggest auto market, with plans for fresh investment and at least four future models to use the autonomous driving startup's software, three sources with knowledge of the matter said. The plans, which have not been previously reported, will make autonomous-driving developer Momenta the first Chinese supplier picked by Mercedes to be a primary provider of a key technology and selling point for its products, as intense competition and technological innovation in China force Western automakers to rethink their supply-chain strategies. The German premium automaker has since 2017 had an investment in Momenta but the two companies have yet to publicly announce jointly developed products. In the years since, the Chinese firm has emerged as one of China's leading suppliers of advanced driving assisted system (ADAS) features similar to Tesla's full self driving that can navigate urban traffic with human drivers' supervision. Mercedes intends to make a fresh $75-million investment in Momenta and may invest more as a cornerstone investor in Momenta's initial public offering scheduled in the first quarter of 2025, the sources said. It has chosen Momenta as its ADAS supplier in four models to be launched in China from 2025 to 2027 and is discussing internally whether to use Momenta software in more Chinese models beyond 2027, one of the people said. It is also working with Momenta on preliminary plans to use the Chinese supplier's technology in Mercedes models outside China, two of the people said. Mercedes and Momenta declined to comment. Mercedes has also been exploring ADAS options with U.S. artificial-intelligence chipmaker Nvidia as part of a partnership announced in 2020, when they said they would develop Mercedes-Benz vehicles with upgradable automated-driving functions. However, the firms have yet to unveil any products. BEHIND IN CHINA Mercedes is playing catch-up in China on both electric vehicles and smart-driving software, which is led by Tesla, Nio and Xiaomi. Only 3% of Mercedes' 443,764 cars sold in China this year were EVs, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, fewer than one-tenth of Nio's sales. Automakers in China are locked in an autonomous-driving race, with BYD hiring thousands of engineers to ramp up its in-house development of such software. Nio, Xpeng and Xiaomi are developing their own ADAS chips that could achieve better smart-driving performance with their EVs. Gabriel Ruiz De Chavez, 47, of Fresno, California, was recently sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for defrauding his former trucking company out of nearly $1.6 million. (Photo credit: Jim Allen/FreightWaves) A California man was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison for embezzling nearly $1.6 million from the Fresno-based trucking company where he worked for 15 years. Once released from prison, Gabriel Ruiz De Chavez, 47, of Fresno, who served as operations manager for a small trucking firm, which was not named in court filings, will serve three years of supervised release. In July, Ruiz De Chavez, 46, of Fresno, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. His attorney, Nicholas F. Reyes, did not respond to FreightWaves request for comment. U.S. District Court Judge Troy L. Nunley also ordered Ruiz De Chavez to pay nearly $1.6 million in restitution to his former employer, which has a fleet of approximately 22 trucks that haul agricultural products. What happened? Federal prosecutors say that over a seven-year period between 2012 and 2019 Ruiz De Chavez used his position to generate over 600 fake invoices, purportedly created by genuine vendors for goods and services. Court filings state that Ruiz De Chavez presented these fake invoices and corresponding checks made out to the real vendors with his employers signature and then deposited the checks into his personal bank account. It was through this close relationship with the owners, coupled with his duties as an operations manager especially concerning his duties involving invoicing that Ruiz De Chavez was placed in a position of trust that enabled him to perpetrate his scheme to defraud undetected for so long, court documents state. Prosecutors say the theft was uncovered by the trucking companys owners after an independent audit found that Ruiz De Chavez had deleted 10 years of accounts payable records for 2010 to 2020. According to court filings, the former operations manager knew about the audit and quit before it was completed in June 2020. He used the funds to pay for personal expenses including credit card payments, cash withdrawals, mortgage payments, vacations, and car loans, according to court filings. The U.S. Department of Justices sentencing memorandum claims that Ruiz De Chavezs theft had a significant and negative impact on his employer. The victim company had to take out loans during the period between 2012 and 2020 to maintain cash flow because of the theft, federal prosecutors stated. Read more articles by Clarissa Hawes. Read other articles here: EX-NFL player, business partners indicted on PPP fraud charges Trucking company co-owner sentenced for falsifying driving logs after crash probe NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until January 10, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG), if they purchased the Company's shares between February 8, 2024 and October 29, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period") or purchased Chipotle call options or sold put options during the Class Period. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Get Help Chipotle investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-cmg-2/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Chipotle and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (1) the Company's portion sizes were inconsistent and left many customers dissatisfied with its offerings; (2) in order to address the issue and retain customer loyalty, the Company would have to ensure more generous portion sizes, which would increase cost of sales; and (3) as a result, defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. The case is Stradford v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., et al., No. 24-cv-2459. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of common stock and those who purchased Chipotle call options or sold put options of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) between February 8, 2024 and October 29, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important January 10, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm. So what: If you purchased Chipotle securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the Chipotle class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=30587 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 10, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Chipotle's portion sizes were inconsistent and left many customers dissatisfied with the Company's offerings; (2) in order to address the issue and retain customer loyalty, Chipotle would have to ensure more generous portion sizes, which would increase cost of sales; and (3) as a result, defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Chipotle class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=30587 https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=28116 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A. NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until December 9, 2024 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against EngageSmart, Inc. ("EngageSmart" or the "Company") (NYSE: ESMT), if they (1) purchased or otherwise acquired EngageSmart common stock between October 23, 2023 and January 26, 2024, or (2) held EngageSmart common stock as of the December 21, 2023 record date of the take-private acquisition of the Company (the "Merger") by Vista Equity Partners Management, LLC and its affiliates. This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. Get Help EngageSmart investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-esmt/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit The Complaint alleges that a pattern of material misstatements and omissions of material facts concealed the conflicted and tainted sales process that led to EngageSmart's January 2024 take-private Merger with Vista, which was motivated not by what was best for Unaffiliated Stockholders but by controlling shareholder General Atlantic's desire to monetize part of its five-year investment in EngageSmart while maintaining its control position or, at the very least, to roll over some of its equity to maintain an upside benefit in the Company going forward, in violation of an "equal treatment" provision in the Company charter. The case is Altshares Event-Driven ETF v. Engagesmart, Inc., et al., No. 24-cv-1083. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler IRVING, Texas, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- To empower small businesses to achieve their best year in 2025, The N2 Company (N2) will provide free website audits through its internal digital marketing agency, Hyport Digital. This offering, announced on Small Business Saturday, underscores the company's belief in the importance of an optimized online presence for local businesses, while also being the nation's top franchisor of print media. According to Zippia, 81% of shoppers research a business online before making a purchase, emphasizing the necessity of a user-friendly, updated website. Hyport's website experts, who specialize in helping small businesses win, say many existing sites they see fall short of providing a seamless user experience or meeting modern SEO standards. Hyport's free website audits will give business owners actionable insights into their current website's performance. Post this "At Hyport Digital, we've worked with thousands of small businesses on their digital presence. We often see websites that would benefit greatly from a few improvements, whether it's optimizing the site for mobile-friendliness or giving the design a boost to let potential customers know yours is a business they can trust to do the best job," said Colby Ray, N2's Director of Digital Operations. Hyport Digital's free website audits, available now, will give small business owners actionable insights into their current website's performance, including design effectiveness, loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and SEO. Business owners can then use this information to make enhancements that drive customer engagement and increase sales. Hyport will also provide pricing information for owners who wish to have improvements professionally made by N2's digital experts. Small business owners interested in receiving a free website audit should visit hyportdigital.com/book-a-meeting and fill out the contact form. Though no promotion end date is set, owners are encouraged to take advantage of this free offering ahead of the new year. About The N2 Company For 20 years, The N2 Company has helped businesses "connect with ideal clients" by partnering with affluent neighborhoods, real estate communities, new-mover audiences, and others, to produce 800 custom publications and more opening every week. And through Hyport Digital, N2 provides exceptional services to local businesses that wish to unlock their digital potential. Visit The N2 Company at www.n2co.com to learn about our full portfolio of brands: Stroll, Greet, Real Producers, BeLocal, Salute, Uniquely You, and Hyport Digital. CONTACT: The N2 Company [email protected] SOURCE The N2 Company WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- News Advisory: Event: News Conference with family of journalist Austin Tice, currently held in Syria. This event is a program of the newly formed Press Freedom Center of the National Press Club. The Tices have been invited by the Center to discuss this case and take questions from the press. When: 2:30pm (EDT), Friday Dec. 6 Where: National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC (13th Floor) Who: Debra Tice, mother of Austin Tice (Houston, TX) Marc Tice, father of Austin Tice (Houston) Simon Robert Tice, Brother of Austin (Perth, Australia) Meagan Tice, sister of Austin Tice (Houston) Naomi Tice, sister of Austin Tice (Houston) Abigail Edaburn, sister of Austin Tice (London) Jon Tice- Zeleya, brother of Austin Tice (Houston) Jacob Tice, brother of Austin Tice (Tacoma, WA) Details: This is the first time the entire Tice family has been in Washington to advocate for the return of their brother who has been held in Syria since 2012. They have a meeting at the White House at 11am on Dec. 6 and will come to the Club after that for this news conference. During the news conference the Tices will discuss their White House meeting and the current status of the case. This will include new information the Tices have learned about Austin and his situation. Austin is the only U.S. journalist currently being held overseas. He is the longest held U.S. journalist hostage at 12 years, 4 months. For perspective, the late Terry Anderson was held about 7 years. Austin was in Syria working as a freelance photographer and reporter for McClatchy, The Washington Post and CBS. In 2023 President Biden said: "we know with certainty that Austin is being held by Syria." Austin is a Marine veteran, rank of captain who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. This event is open to credential press and members of the National Press Club. To attend the event please RSVP to [email protected]. You will receive a confirmation. Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 or [email protected] SOURCE National Press Club WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club is releasing the following statement from the family of journalist Dong Yuyu. Family Statement on Dong Yuyu's Verdict and Sentencing 29 November 2024 (Issued by the Dong Family) Today's verdict is a grave injustice not only to Yuyu and his family but also to every freethinking Chinese journalist and every ordinary Chinese committed to friendly engagement with the world. Sentencing Yuyu to seven years in prison on no evidence declares to the world the bankruptcy of the justice system in China. The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court convicted Yuyu of espionage, a crime that requires that the prosecution prove that the defendant knowingly acted on behalf of "espionage organizations" and their agents. According to the judgment, which was read in court but not shared with Yuyu's lawyers or family, the Japanese diplomats he met with, including then-ambassador Hideo Tarumi and current Shanghai-based chief diplomat Masaru Okada, were specifically named as agents of an "espionage organization," which is the Japanese embassy in Beijing. We are shocked that the Chinese authorities would blatantly deem a foreign embassy as an "espionage organization" and accuse the former Japanese ambassador and his fellow diplomats of being spies. Given this reasoning by the court, we simply want to ask on behalf of all Chinese people: Didn't the Chinese authorities have to approve of the ambassadorship of Mr. Tarumi? Why did China not expel all Japanese diplomats, including Mr. Tarumi and everyone else named in the judgment, in 2022 for spying on our country? With Yuyu's conviction, every Chinese citizen, when dealing with the Japanese embassyor perhaps any other foreign embassy and diplomatwill be expected to know that the Chinese government may consider those embassies to be "espionage organizations." Chinese citizens should also know that foreign diplomats are potentially agents of "espionage organizations" under the meaning of Chinese law. Every sensible Chinese citizen should be appalled by this reasoning. So should every foreigner who wishes to meaningfully engage with China and its people. Yuyu has known numerous Japanese and American journalists, scholars, and diplomats for more than two decades. He is always transparent about his exchanges with foreign contacts and has long served as a bridge of understanding between China and the China-based diplomatic and journalistic communities from Japan and the United States. Yuyu is being persecuted for the independence he has demonstrated during a lifetime spent as a journalist. Even before his detention, Yuyu had faced tremendous pressure numerous times for the words he published, and we believe the charges against him were an excuse for inflicting more pain and punishment. Yuyu is also being targeted for his principled engagement with the outside world. His fellowships at Japanese and American universities, including the prestigious Nieman Fellowship at Harvard, were under intense scrutiny by Chinese authorities. These authorities suggested that foreign governments were paying Yuyu for his service by awarding him these fellowships. Chinese Internet trolls pointed to the Nieman fellowship as evidence that Yuyu was an American spy. Some even provided a list of all previous Nieman Fellows from China and called on the authorities to arrest them all. These charges are patently absurd. But the accusations, along with today's outrageous verdict, put tens of thousands of Chinese scholars and professionals who have been on exchanges abroad in danger. Any such fellowship could now be considered by Chinese courts to be a pay-off by a foreign actor. It could be used as evidence of a serious national security crime. Yuyu's yearslong detention has already had a chilling effect on Sino-Japanese ties, and his verdict today could irrevocably damage relations at the highest level. Yuyu's conviction effectively marks the end of "people-to-people diplomacy," a method of engagement the Chinese authorities have always claimed to champion. As last year's open letter by dozens of prominent academics and journalists calling for Yuyu's release asked: "Who would want to come to China to meet Chinese journalists, academics, or diplomats if these meetings could be used as evidence that the Chinese side is committing espionage?" "No one" is the answer the Chinese authorities provided definitively today. To those who have asked and cared about Yuyu in the past several years, we are eternally grateful. Your help and support has been of immeasurable value in this extremely difficult time. Like most of you, we have not been able to see Yuyu in person and have only been able to get updates from his lawyers, Mr. Mo Shaoping and Mr. Shang Baojun, to whom we also owe a debt of gratitude. Through these lawyers, who've visited him once a month, Yuyu has reported that he has been consistently doing 200 pushups and 200 leg raises a day and has maintained his high spirits. He is aware of the tremendous support he has received from throughout the world. He is extremely grateful. Even though today's verdict does nothing to tarnish Yuyu's reputation internationally among those who know the value of his work, the propaganda within China will undoubtedly mislead his own fellow citizens, for whom Yuyu has advocated his entire career. Yuyu will now be known as a traitor in his own country, instead of being recognized as someone who always fought for a better Chinese society. This baseless assault on Yuyu's love for his country is unacceptable, and we will support Yuyu's upcoming appeal of his conviction. Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 or [email protected] SOURCE National Press Club SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Nov. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ProMortgage, a leading California mortgage broker, is thrilled to announce a significant expansion of its team with the addition of four seasoned mortgage professionals: Jacob Driscoll, Nick Rosen, Amy Lin, and Matt Wakefield. This strategic move underscores ProMortgage's commitment to providing exceptional service and expertise to its clients, particularly in today's challenging economic landscape. ProMortgage recognizes that attracting top talent is crucial for sustained success. These new additions bring decades of combined experience and a robust network of real estate professionals, further solidifying ProMortgage's position as a trusted advisor for homebuyers and homeowners alike. "We are confident that these new team members will bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to ProMortgage. They are committed to delivering exceptional service," said David Rubinstein, CEO and Managing Broker, "and will play a key role in driving our future success." Jacob Driscoll joins ProMortgage with an impressive background spanning nearly two decades in the mortgage industry. His previous roles as a top producer at prominent institutions such as Wells Fargo and CMG Financial have equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of mortgage lending practices and a proven track record of client satisfaction. Nick Rosen brings a wealth of experience as a wholesale mortgage originator since 1995. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-own and operate a successful wholesale mortgage company from 2000 to 2014, while also excelling as a full-time originator. Matt Wakefield, formerly with Wells Fargo, Homebridge Financial Services, and CMG Financial, adds over 15 years of specialized mortgage expertise to the team. His diverse background also encompasses investments and insurance, making him a well-rounded asset to ProMortgage and its clients. Amy Lin brings a unique perspective to the team, having transitioned from a successful career in corporate tech in Tokyo to the vibrant world of Silicon Valley real estate. Her experience spans various facets of the real estate industry, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of the market. ProMortgage is thrilled to welcome talented team members who will play a key role in the company's ongoing growth and success. The company is actively seeking experienced mortgage originators to join its team. If you are interested in becoming part of the ProMortgage family, please contact David Rubinstein at [email protected] . We Work For You, Not The Banks! About ProMortgage and our Mission: We Work For You, Not The Banks! Our sole mission is to support our customers as they pursue their real estate goals. Whether your goal is a dream home, a vacation getaway or investment real estate, our specialists put you first and deliver personalized service and mortgage solutions to achieve your goals. SOURCE ProMortgage Bassim Haidar now splits his time between Greece and Dubai because of Britains punitive tax regime Britain has lost another multimillionaire. Bassim Haidar, 53, quit the country he loves to escape a hostile tax regime that he says has become worse under Labour. The telecoms tycoon now splits his time between Greece and Dubai, taking advantage of tax benefits geared towards the footloose super-rich. With dozens of high-profile uber-wealthy business owners like Mr Haidar threatening to leave and take their vast wealth with them just how worried should we be? Britain has a proud history of attracting foreign wealth. Its convenient time zone, proximity to the Continent, cultural wealth and elite schools and universities have long piqued the interest of the jet-setting class. This desirable mix persuaded Mr Haidar to move here a decade ago. It was the quality of life, culture, schooling system for the kids, he says. And the tax situation non-dom was a key decider. Until recently, Mr Haidar was one of 68,800 non-doms who live in Britain but avoid paying UK tax on money they make overseas. He has five children aged between four months and 22 years old. The youngest three have moved to Greece with Mr Haidar and his wife. The eldest four were the beneficiaries of an excellent education in Britain and felt settled here, he says. In many ways Britain gave me peace of mind emotional and financial security. The laws work. The tax system is complicated but clear. You felt there was good structure and it was safe for children. But this feeling is diminishing. The previous Tory government announced that it would phase out non-dom status. Rachel Reeves went a step further in the Budget last month when she announced that the remittance basis of taxation for non-doms will be abolished from April 2025 and replaced with a residence-based regime. Foreign earnings will also be brought into the inheritance tax system. Mr Haidar moved abroad just before the Budget, which justified his decision to leave. The Budget was self-defeating, he says. You cant simply tax people investing in infrastructure and call it growing an economy, thats just not the way it works. From a non-dom perspective, the UK is no longer interesting as a country to stay in. Its no longer competitive compared to Europe or the US. The issue goes deeper than fiscal policy, he says. One of the biggest things I discovered when I moved here is the resentment of wealth. If youre wealthy youre not applauded for it, whereas in the United States and other places its highly encouraged. You need to measure quality of life versus future wealth protection, and if you were to choose, youd rather go with the latter. NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces an investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) resulting from allegations that Unisys may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. So What: If you purchased Unisys securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=9648 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. What is this about: On October 22, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it had charged four companies, including Unisys, with "making materially misleading disclosures regarding cybersecurity risks and intrusions." Further, the SEC also charged Unisys with disclosure controls and procedures violations. On this news, Unisys stock fell 8.6% on October 22, 2024. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A. BOGOTA, Colombia, Nov. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL; NYSE: EC) (the "Company") announces that the Board of Directors approved the annual investment budget of the Ecopetrol Group for 2025 for an amount between 24 and 28 trillion pesos1, in line with the strategy, this annual budget increases investment levels compared to 2024, under capital discipline criteria and is expected to have the following implications: Approximatey 20.3 trillion pesos are expected to be allocated in 2025, corresponding to 76% of the annual budget, for profitable production between 740,000 and 745,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, an average refinery load between 415,000 and 420,000 barrels per day, and transportation between 1,130,000 and 1,170,000 barrels per day. are expected to be allocated in 2025, corresponding to 76% of the annual budget, for profitable production between 740,000 and 745,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, an average refinery load between 415,000 and 420,000 barrels per day, and transportation between 1,130,000 and 1,170,000 barrels per day. At an estimated Brent price of US$73 /barrel for 2025, the financial plan estimates competitive returns with an approximate EBITDA margin of 39%, transfers to the Nation of approximately 35 trillion pesos , and a commitment to generate greater efficiencies to improve its indicators, such as lifting cost, total refining cost, and cost per barrel transported, allowing ROACE to remain at competitive levels. /barrel for 2025, the financial plan estimates competitive returns with an approximate EBITDA margin of 39%, transfers to the Nation of approximately , and a commitment to generate greater efficiencies to improve its indicators, such as lifting cost, total refining cost, and cost per barrel transported, allowing ROACE to remain at competitive levels. Approximately 6.5 trillion pesos (24% of the annual budget) is expected to be directed to projects in the Energy Transition and Energy Transmission and Roads businesses and other corporate investments. (24% of the annual budget) is expected to be directed to projects in the Energy Transition and Energy Transmission and Roads businesses and other corporate investments. Approximately 2.3 trillion pesos in 2025 are expected to be allocated to SosTECnibilidad projects and activities, mainly in the areas of climate change, sustainable territory, innovation, science and technology, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. in 2025 are expected to be allocated to SosTECnibilidad projects and activities, mainly in the areas of climate change, sustainable territory, innovation, science and technology, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. This budget is expected to leverage the additional reduction of about 300,000 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions by 2025, contributing to the achievement of the GE emissions reduction target by 2030. The following are some excerpts from the annual investment budget approved by the Board of Directors, disaggregated by business line: Hydrocarbons Line For 2025, investments in the exploration and production segment are expected to be approximately 17.2 trillion pesos (approximately 52% of the annual budget for crude oil-related investments and around 12% for gas-related investments) and are expected to allow organic production levels in 2025 between 740,000 and 745,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (78% crude, 17% gas, and 5% white products), seeking to implement recovery technologies to optimize the use of available resources and maintain production levels. Crude oil production in Colombia is expected to continue growing and compensating for the natural decline of gas fields. In 2025, the Company has planned to drill between 455 and 465 development wells, of which 79% would be executed in Colombia and the remaining 21% in the United States. In terms of exploration, the Company has planned to drill 10 wells mainly in the Llanos area and Offshore Caribbean of Colombia. Gas investments are estimated between 3.1 and 3.3 trillion pesos in 2025, mainly in the Piedemonte Llanero and Offshore, to develop Caribbean Colombia gas, contributing to a production of approximately 123,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (which represents about ~700 million cubic feet of natural gas), of which 85% would represent gas supply for the country. Investments in the transportation segment are expected to reach approximately 1.5 trillion pesos, corresponding to 5% of the total budget for 2025, mainly in integrity and reliability projects concerning the infrastructure developed by Cenit Transporte y Logistica de Hidrocarburos S.A.S., Oleoducto Central S.A., Oleoducto de Colombia S.A., and Oleoducto de los Llanos S.A. Transported volumes are expected to reach between 1,130,000 and 1,170,000 barrels per day, in line with the country's production expectations and refined product demand. Investments in the refining segment are expected to reach approximately 1.6 trillion pesos, corresponding to 6% of the total investment amount estimated for 2025, and are expected to be focused on ensuring the reliability, availability, and sustainability of the operation of the Barrancabermeja and Cartagena refineries, ensuring the development of programs that would reduce product imports, ensuring better quality fuels, and maturing renewable fuel (SAF) projects. The joint load of the refineries is expected to be between 415,000 and 420,000 barrels per day. Transmission and Roads Line Interconexion Electrica S.A E.S.P. (ISA), a subsidiary of Ecopetrol S.A., is expected to invest between 5.7 and 6.5 trillion pesos in 2025 (equivalent to approximately 21% of the annual budget of the Ecopetrol Group), of which approximately 90% is expected to be allocated to the electric transmission business. The budgeted investment is expected to increase the electric power grid to achieve approximately 50,400 km in operation by 2025, maintaining the Company as a leader in energy transmission in the region. Energies for the Transition Line To advance the energy transition in parallel with the decarbonization of operations in the hydrocarbons business, the annual investment budget has also foreseen to allocate resources to unconventional renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, among others. An additional energy optimization of 2.6 Peta Joules (PJ) is expected to be achieved in 2025, reaching an accumulated energy saving of around 21 PJ by 2025, accelerating the achievement of the 25 PJ optimization target by 2030. Additionally, the goal of 900 MW by 2025 is projected in line with the 2040 strategy "Energy that Transforms." In line with our goal of generating value with SosTECnibilidad, the investment budget has expected to allocate 2.3 trillion pesos in transition energies during 2025. Of this amount, 29% is expected to be focused on climate change, 18% on sustainable territories, 12% on innovation, science and technology, 12% on biodiversity and ecosystem services, and the remaining 29% on other material issues. The financial plan for 2025 seeks to ensure competitive returns in a scenario of Brent prices averaging US$73/barrel, generating an EBITDA margin at levels close to 39%. The plan incorporates efficiency targets for 2025, exceeding 4 trillion pesos, aiming to capture savings in operational management and investment projects, to achieve improvements in their lifting cost, total refining cost, and cost per barrel transported indicators. Finally, the financial and investment plan for 2025 assumes the collection of the account receivable from the Fuel Price Stabilization Fund (FEPC) corresponding to 2024. Considering the above, the financing of the Plan for Ecopetrol S.A is expected to be carried out with operational resources and projects transfers to the Nation (including dividends, payments to the ANH, and taxes) of approximately 35 trillion pesos. Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated energy companies in the American continent, with more than 19,000 employees. In Colombia, it is responsible for more than 60% of the hydrocarbon production of most transportation, logistics, and hydrocarbon refining systems, and it holds leading positions in the petrochemicals and gas distribution segments. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, the company participates in energy transmission, the management of real-time systems (XM), and the Barranquilla - Cartagena coastal highway concession. At the international level, Ecopetrol has a stake in strategic basins in the American continent, with Drilling and Exploration operations in the United States (Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil, and, through ISA and its subsidiaries, Ecopetrol holds leading positions in the power transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, road concessions in Chile, and the telecommunications sector. For more information, please contact: Head of Capital Markets Carolina Tovar Aragon Email: [email protected] Head of Corporate Communications Marcela Ulloa Email: [email protected] 1 Exchange rate USD/COP 4,100 SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A. NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until December 23, 2024 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against The Toronto-Dominion Bank ("TD" or the "Company") (NYSE: TD), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 29, 2024 to October 9, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Get Help TD investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-td-1/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit TD and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On October 10, 2024, the Company disclosed resolutions reached from investigations by various U.S. Government entities into the Company's anti-money laundering ("AML") program compliance with the United States Bank Secrecy Act ("BSA"), which included a punitive payment of $3.09 billion, an asset cap preventing TD's two U.S. subsidiaries from exceeding a collective $434 billion, and a "more stringent approval processes for new bank products, services, markets, and stores to ensure the AML risk of new initiatives is appropriately considered and mitigated." On this news, the price of TD's shares fell from a closing price of $63.51 per share on October 9, 2024 to $59.44 per share on October 10, 2024, and further to $57.01 on October 11, 2024. The case is Tiessen v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank, et al., No. 24-cv-08032. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until January 21, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Zeta Global Holdings Corp. ("Zeta" or the "Company") (NYSE: ZETA), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 27, 2024 and November 13, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Get Help Zeta Global investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-zeta/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Zeta Global and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (1) the Company used two-way contracts to artificially inflate financial results; (2) the Company engaged in round trip transactions to artificially inflate financial results; (3) the Company utilized predatory consent farms to collect user data and these consent farms have driven almost the entirety of Zeta's growth; (4) as a result, defendants' positive statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. The case is Davoodi v. Zeta Global Holdings Corp., et al., No. 24-cv-8961. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler Geneva, Nov 29 : Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreed on Friday to appoint incumbent Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to a second term, according to a press release from the organisation. The decision was made during a special meeting of the WTO's General Council. The process for appointing the next Director-General formally began on October 8. By the end of the nomination period, Okonjo-Iweala, who had confirmed her willingness to serve a second four-year term, was the sole candidate for the position, Xinhua news agency reported. Okonjo-Iweala's second term will commence on September 1, 2025. By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) -Five Canadian news media companies filed a legal action on Friday against ChatGPT owner OpenAI, accusing the artificial-intelligence company of regularly breaching copyright and online terms of use. The case is part of a wave of lawsuits against OpenAI and other tech companies by authors, visual artists, music publishers and other copyright owners over data used to train generative AI systems. Microsoft is OpenAI's major backer. In a statement, Torstar, Postmedia, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press, and CBC/Radio-Canada said OpenAI was scraping large swaths of content to develop its products without getting permission or compensating content owners. "Journalism is in the public interest. OpenAI using other companies' journalism for their own commercial gain is not. It's illegal," they said. A New York federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Nov. 7 against OpenAI that claimed it misused articles from news outlets Raw Story and AlterNet. In an 84-page statement of claim filed in Ontario's superior court of justice, the five Canadian companies demanded damages from OpenAI and a permanent injunction preventing it from using their material without consent. "Rather than seek to obtain the information legally, OpenAI has elected to brazenly misappropriate the News Media Companies valuable intellectual property and convert it for its own uses, including commercial uses, without consent or consideration," they said in the filing. "The News Media Companies have never received from OpenAI any form of consideration, including payment, in exchange for OpenAI's use of their Works." In response, OpenAI said its models were trained on publicly available data, grounded in fair use and related international copyright principles that were fair for creators. "We collaborate closely with news publishers, including in the display, attribution and links to their content in ChatGPT search, and offer them easy ways to opt out should they so desire," a spokesperson said via email. The Canadian news companies' document did not mention Microsoft. This month, billionaire Elon Musk expanded a lawsuit against OpenAI to include Microsoft, alleging the two companies illegally sought to monopolize the market for generative AI and sideline competitors. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Chris Reese and Rod Nickel) Damascus, Nov 30 : The Syrian army announced that its forces successfully repelled a large-scale offensive by armed groups from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the rural regions of Aleppo and Idlib provinces in northern Syria. In a statement on Friday the army said the HTS -- an al-Qaida-linked extremist organisation -- has launched attacks using various heavy and medium weapons, including drones provided by its foreign allies, Xinhua news agency reported. "Our armed forces have inflicted heavy losses to the attacking groups, causing hundreds of deaths and injuries among the terrorists," the statement said, adding, "We have destroyed dozens of vehicles and armored units and have downed 17 drones." The army is reinforcing its positions on various frontlines to prevent further breaches, the statement noted. It also accused the HTS of disseminating misleading information and videos aimed at alarming the civilian population in Aleppo, urging citizens to rely solely on official national media for accurate information. Four civilians were killed and several university students were injured on Friday when the armed militant groups fired shells at a dormitory complex in Aleppo city, state news agency SANA reported. The shelling marks one of the deadliest attacks in recent months on the area, as ultra-radical groups launched a large-scale offensive on military sites in Aleppo's western countryside starting from Wednesday. The HTS, formerly the Nusra Front, is considered a terrorist organisation by Syria, Russia, and several other countries. Accra, Nov 30 : Presidential candidates in Ghana's general elections signed a pact, pledging to ensure peace before, during, and after the polls. Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, former President John Dramani Mahama, and leaders of the other smaller parties signed on behalf of their parties at a ceremony in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, Xinhua news agency reported. "We must all take responsibility to ensure peace and harmony, and I hope we will come out of this election stronger, and all sides will uphold the peace and stability of Ghana," said Bawumia, a presidential candidate from the ruling New Patriotic Party. Bawumia expressed commitment to working with all relevant institutions and personalities to ensure a free and fair election. Former president Mahama, representing the National Democratic Congress, urged all parties to align their actions with their pledges, saying that genuine efforts are essential to maintaining Ghana's reputation as a peaceful democratic nation. "It is laudable to commit to peace and recite beautiful platitudes. But all the efforts at building peace before, during, and after the 2024 elections would come to naught if undermined by mistrust and insincerity," Mahama stated. Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana Chairperson Jean Mensa affirmed the commission's responsibility to ensure transparency of the polls. "At the end of the day, when the EC declares the results, Ghana should remain standing as a beacon of democracy in Africa. We each have a role to play to ensure this happens," Mensa added. According to the commission, Ghanaians will go to the polls on December 7 to elect a new president and 276 members of parliament. Windhoek, Nov 30 : The Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC Countries (ECF-SADC), an independent regional organisation of election management bodies, has described the recently concluded Namibia elections as peaceful and orderly while also identifying areas for improvement. In a preliminary report issued Friday, the regional observer mission commended voters, electoral officials, and political parties for ensuring a generally smooth voting process, Xinhua news agency reported. Meanwhile, the report flagged several issues, including challenges with voter registration, delays in vote counting, and limited access to polling stations in certain areas. The 33-member mission recommended that electoral authorities address these shortcomings to enhance the credibility and efficiency of future elections. It also called for the peaceful resolution of disputes that may arise. The ECF-SADC is an independent organisation representing election management bodies across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional economic community of 16 member states in Southern Africa. The observer group's findings will be followed by a final report, which is expected to include more detailed recommendations. On Wednesday, Namibians went to polling stations for the country's eighth presidential and National Assembly elections. London, Nov 30 : The British parliament voted in favour of a bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill people, a measure that has sparked divided opinions across the country. After five hours of debate in the House of Commons on Friday, the vote concluded with 330 Members of Parliament (MPs) supporting the bill and 275 opposing it, Xinhua news agency reported. The Terminally Ill Adults Bill, also known as the End of Life Bill, proposes allowing adults with terminal illnesses to request and receive assistance to end their own life, under safeguards and protections. The bill also includes provisions for connected purposes. Under the proposed bill, individuals aged 18 or older in England and Wales, diagnosed with a terminal illness expected to result in death within six months, would be eligible to request assistance to end their own life. They must demonstrate mental capacity to make an informed, voluntary decision. The process requires High Court approval for each case. The individual must self-administer the approved substance after a mandatory reflection period, during which they must reaffirm their intent through a second declaration. Tehran, Nov 30 : Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi held a phone talk with his Syrian counterpart Bassam Sabbagh, exchanging views on the latest developments in Syria, Iran's state-run IRIB TV reported. During the talk on Friday, Araghchi denounced the resurgence of terrorist groups in Syria as a US-Israeli "scheme" following setbacks in Lebanon and Palestine, affirming that Iran would continue to support the Syrian nation, government, and army in the fight against terrorism for safeguarding regional security and stability, Xinhua news agency reported. For his part, Sabbagh said the Syrian nation and government would strive to the fullest extent to defend themselves, and will, as always, foil the attempts of terrorists and their supporters in reaching their objectives. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group and allied factions have launched a major offensive on Syrian military positions in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces since Wednesday, resulting in dozens of deaths, including a senior member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the seizure of several towns. Earlier on Friday, the Syrian army announced that its forces successfully repelled the large-scale offensive by HTS in the rural regions of Aleppo and Idlib, claiming to have inflicted heavy losses to the rebel group and hundreds of casualties among the terrorists. In May 2017, Russia and Iran, allies of the Syrian government, signed a memorandum with Turkey, a key supporter of the Syrian opposition, agreeing to establish de-escalation zones in Aleppo and Idlib. In September 2018, Russia and Turkey brokered a stabilisation memorandum for Idlib. But sporadic fighting continues to erupt in the province. Nairobi, Nov 30 : The establishment of small-holder livestock systems that can withstand climatic shocks, pests, diseases, and habitat loss holds the key to alleviating poverty, hunger, and malnutrition crisis in Africa, said agriculture officials. Speaking at the 50th anniversary of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, ministers reaffirmed support for climate resilient animal husbandry to help feed the continent and boost rural incomes, Xinhua news agency reported. Andrew Karanja, cabinet secretary in Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, said that empowering African pastoralists and small-holder farmers through index-based insurance, research on drought-tolerant breeds, and enhanced market linkages is key to deriving maximum economic and nutritional benefits from the livestock sector. "We need to build the resilience of our livestock systems through cutting-edge research and innovations and enhance their productivity to meet food and nutritional needs of local communities," Karanja said. The event gathered participants from the Global South, including scientists, researchers, and policymakers, to reflect on decades of ground-breaking research aimed at transforming smallholder livestock systems. Fikru Regassa, state minister for the Ministry of Agriculture in Ethiopia, emphasised the importance of developing climate-smart solutions to help African livestock keepers withstand recurring droughts, invasive pests, and disease outbreaks. He also called for policy harmonisation and collaborative research to identify and promote livestock breeds adaptable to harsh climates. The livestock sub-sector contributes about 30 per cent to the gross domestic product of many African countries and plays a critical role in ensuring food security and generating incomes in rural areas, ILRI Director-General Appolinaire Djikeng said. Djikeng stressed the urgency to reorganise the continent's livestock systems and ensure they meet the evolving needs of local communities, including nutritional diversity and sustained revenue flows. To enhance the resilience and productivity of the livestock sector in Africa, Djikeng called for investments in research and development of heat-tolerant breeds, new vaccines, and therapeutics to combat infectious diseases exacerbated by climate change. --IANS int/rs Jerusalem, Nov 30 : An Israeli fighter jet struck a portable medium-range rocket launcher in southern Lebanon, according to a statement issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The statement said the strike was carried out as "terrorist activity and movement of a Hezbollah portable rocket launcher were identified in southern Lebanon," Xinhua news agency reported. The attack came despite the entry into force of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon since early Wednesday, paving the way for an end to their nearly 14-month-long fighting. The statement noted that the IDF troops are deployed in southern Lebanon, working to remove any threat that endangers Israel and constitutes a violation of the ceasefire. Earlier on Friday, the IDF warned residents of 63 villages in southern Lebanon not to return to their homes until further notice. Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the IDF, posted on social media platform X a map highlighting the restricted area, where these villages are located, warning that anyone entering this area would be exposed to danger. The area, roughly 120 km long and 3 km wide, extends from Naqoura in the west to Shebaa in the east. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. New Delhi, Nov 30 : Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, who recently took oath as the Wayanad MP, is set to address her constituency for the first time on Saturday after her historic victory in the just-concluded bypolls. The MP will hold a joint public meeting with her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Saturday at Mukkam in the Thiruvambadi Assembly constituency of Kozhikode district. Priyanka Gandhi clinched her electoral victory in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a commanding margin of 4,10,931 votes. Later in the day, receptions will be held for Priyanka Gandhi at Karulai in Nilambur, Wandoor, and Edavanna in Eranad by 2.15 P.M., 3.30 P.M. and 4.30 P.M. respectively. Priyanka Gandhi officially assumed her role as Wayanad MP amidst loud cheers and chants of "Bharat Jodo" from Congress supporters earlier on Thursday. Holding a booklet of the Indian Constitution, a symbolic gesture popularised by the INDIA bloc during this Parliament session, she exuded confidence as she took the oath. The bypoll was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat earlier this year. During the campaign, the primary question revolved around whether Priyanka could surpass her brother's record-breaking margin. Priyankaas victory marks a significant moment in her political journey, coming nearly 20 years after she first campaigned for her mother, Sonia Gandhi, in Raebareli and her brother in Amethi during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Her debut as an elected representative is seen as a pivotal step in solidifying the Congress' presence in Kerala and revitalising the party's fortunes at the national level. Tehran, Nov 30 : Iran's permanent mission to the UN in New York has firmly rebutted claims suggesting that the nation had breached the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the official news agency IRNA reported. The Institute for the Study of War, a policy research organisation on US national security, alleged that Iran had been focussing on how to produce and deliver pharmaceutical-based chemical agents for military use, citing a November 26 report by the US Institute for Science and International Security, Xinhua news agency reported. In response to the allegation, the Iranian diplomatic mission wrote on Thursday on social media platform X that Iran stands as a responsible signatory to the CWC, which strictly forbids the development, production, and stockpiling of chemical weapons, asserting that "over the past several decades, not a single instance of Iranian violation has been recorded." It called the allegation "unfounded" and "merely an outgrowth of psychological warfare propagated by the Zionist regime (Israel) in the wake of its recent defeat on the Lebanese front." New Delhi, Nov 30 : BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya has filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) and the Mumbai Police Commissioner, demanding strict action against Congress leader Bhai Jagtap for allegedly insulting the poll panel with derogatory remarks. He condemned Jagtap's comments, stating that such disrespect of the constitutional body cannot be tolerated. "Congress leader Bhai Jagtap called the Election Commission a 'pet dog.' This kind of abuse and disrespect towards the EC is completely wrong. Such humiliation cannot be tolerated, and strict action should be taken against him," Somaiya said. He added that he has already lodged a complaint with both the Election Commission and the Mumbai Police Commissioner, urging them to take swift action. The controversy erupted after Jagtap made a statement linking the Election Commission to a pet dog. "The Election Commission is like a dog, acting like a dog, sitting outside Narendra Modi ji's bungalow," Jagtap had remarked. His comments were part of a broader accusation that the EC and other agencies were being misused by the ruling Central government. "All the agencies that were created to strengthen our democracy have now become puppets, acting under the influence of Narendra Modi ji," he added. Jagtap further claimed that these institutions, which were once meant to protect and uphold the integrity of democracy, were now being manipulated. He pointed to the ongoing developments in Maharashtra and across the country as evidence of how the system was being exploited to serve political interests. Earlier, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole had accused the EC of tampering with voter data during the recently- concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections. In a letter to the Election Commission, Patole questioned the sudden increase in voter turnout by 7.83 percentage points after the official polling time had ended, suggesting possible manipulation. BEIJING (Reuters) -China's largest ride-hailing company Didi Global reported third-quarter net income of 929 million yuan ($128.42 million) on Friday, as it built back its business after a regulatory crackdown. That compared with a net loss of 284 million yuan in the same quarter last year, the company said in its financial statement, revised from an earlier reported net profit after the group adopted a new accounting standard earlier this year. Continuing its recovery after being badly hit by a regulatory crackdown, the company's revenue was up 5% at 53.9 billion yuan for the three months to Sept. 30. Didi drew the attention of China's cyberspace regulator in 2021 over its pursuit of a U.S. initial public offering without approval, prompting an inquiry that prohibited it from adding users and saw many of its apps removed from stores. The regulator handed Didi a $1.2 billion fine in July 2022 over a data security violation, before granting the company permission to relaunch its apps in early 2023. Travel demand in China has shown signs of a recovery, though economic growth is sluggish. The company completed a total of 3.2 billion transactions during the quarter, a 10.6% year-on-year rise across its platforms in China. Didi, which is seen as China's answer to Uber, generates most of its revenue at home but also has a significant presence in Brazil and Mexico. Third-quarter revenue from international operations rose to 2.9 billion yuan from 2 billion yuan a year earlier. Over the past two years, Didi has been divesting non-core assets. In August it sold its smart cockpit unit to a subsidiary of state-backed map provider NavInfo. Last year, Didi divested its electric vehicle development business - the majority of its EV-related assets - to Xpeng. ($1 = 7.2342 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Liam Mo and Brenda Goh; Editing by David Goodman and Jan Harvey) Kolkata, Nov 30 : The oath-taking ceremony of six new legislators in West Bengal elected in the bye-elections earlier this month will be conducted at the state Assembly on Monday, the sixth day of the ongoing Winter Session of the House. According to information available as of now, unlike the face-off last time, things might go a bit more smoothly, with Governor C.V. Ananda Bose most likely to be present at the Assembly to administer the oath to the six legislators. Incidentally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also slated to be present in the Assembly during the oath ceremony on Monday. State Assembly sources said that the timing of the oath ceremony has been fixed at 11 A.M. on Monday. The six newly-elected MLAs whose oath ceremony will be held on Monday are Sangita Roy, from Sitai in Cooch Behar district, Jay Prakash Toppo from Alipurduar, Sheikh Rabiul Islam from Haroa in North 24 Parganas, Falguni Sinhababu from Taldangra in Bankura district, Sujoy Hazra from Medinipur in West Midnapore district and Sanat Dey from Naihati in North 24 Parganas. All the six elected legislators belong to the ruling Trinamool Congress. The bypolls were conducted on November 13 and the results were announced on November 23. To recall, in the recent past there had been confusion over the oath ceremony of new legislators elected in the bypolls, with the Governor insisting on administering that function at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata and the Speaker of House insisting that the Governor come to the Assembly for the same. However, Assembly sources said, this time the Governor himself has agreed to come to the House to administer the oath ceremony. It is learnt that soon after the results for the bypolls were announced, an invitation was sent to the Governor from the office of the Speaker so that Bose himself administers the oath ceremony at the Assembly premises. As per protocol the Governor can either administer the oath ceremony himself or can assign the same task to the Speaker of the House. Mumbai, Nov 30 : Indian filmmaker Zoya Akhtar's photo sitting in between Hollywood heartthrobs Andrew Garfield and Jacob Elordi at the Marrakech International Film Festival in Morocco has taken the Internet by a storm. Several pictures and videos are doing the rounds on X, formerly called Twitter, where Zoya is seen sitting on a sofa dressed in a printed black ensemble. Garfield and Elordi look dapper dressed in crisp suits sitting on either side of the Indian celebrity. The "Spiderman" star could be seen dressed in an earthy green hued shirt paired with a blazer and black pants. While Elordi chose a white shirt paired with a classic black blazer and trousers. X was abuzz after the pictures started doing the rounds. A user commented: "Zoya Akhtar chilling with Jacob Elordi and Andrew Garfield is killing me." Another said: "Oh to be sitting between Andrew Garfield and Jacob Elordi just like Zoya Akhtar is sitting between them at the Marrakech International Film Festival." "Zoya Akhtar is living my dream!" said a fan. One simply couldn't believe and wrote: "zoya akhtar, andrew, jacob???? what in the multiverse of madness is this???" The jury of the 21st edition, which commenced on November 29 and will conclude on December 7, presided by Luca Guadagnino, also comprises Ali Abbasi, Patricia Arquette, Virginie Efira, Nadia Kounda, and Santiago Mitre. Talking about Zoya, daughter of Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, made her directorial debut with the drama Luck by Chance in 2009, and achieved her breakthrough with the ensemble buddy road comedy-drama Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara in 2011. She then co-wrote the psychological crime thriller Talaash: The Answer Lies Within alongside Reema Kagti, and directed Sheila Ki Jawaani, a segment of the anthology film Bombay Talkies. Zoya then went on to make films such as "Dil Dhadakne Do", "Lust Stories", "Ghost Stories", "Gully Boy" and "The Archies." Lucknow, Nov 30 : The 15-member Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation, which was scheduled to visit Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, was stopped by the heavy police security deployed outside the residence of Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mata Prasad Pandey. On the instructions of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, a 15-member delegation was to visit Sambhal on Saturday. Formed under the leadership of Mata Prasad Pandey, the delegation's job was to collect detailed information about the incident. A report was to be prepared and submitted to the SP National President. Apart from Mata Prasad Pandey, the delegation includes Legislative Council leader Lal Bihari Yadav, the party's state President Shyam Lal Pal, other MLAs and MLCs and prominent officials. Before the leaders could leave Pandey's residence for Sambhal, security officials stopped them. The leaders then decided to go to the party office, but they were not allowed to leave the residence. Reacting to this, Pandey said, "The police have no right to stop us. There was an arrangement that no one would go to Sambhal, however, they cannot stop us from going anywhere else." "Everyone knows they work illegally; the government never follows the constitutional system. It is our fundamental right in the Constitution that we can go anywhere. The ban was imposed in Sambhal; it has not been imposed in Lucknow," he told IANS. "So then what they are stopping me from is completely unconstitutional and illegal," he said, adding that now the police are "not allowing us to even go to the party office, which is in Lucknow." The delegation planned to visit Moradabad first before proceeding to Sambhal. They had also planned to meet the victims of the violence and the families of those killed in the clash. The clashes broke out in Sambhal when a court-mandated survey team arrived at the Mughal-era Jama Masjid, which is under dispute due to claims of a Harihar temple allegedly existing within its premises. Protesters pelted stones at the police and survey team with the situation then escalating into violent clashes. Vehicles were set ablaze, and firing ensued, leading to the deaths of four youths and injuries to several people, including police and officials. The attackers also caused widespread vandalism. Following this, Internet services in the area were suspended, and the entry of outsiders was also restricted to maintain peace in the area. A large police presence was deployed around the Shahi Jama Masjid, especially during Friday prayers, to maintain order. Now, the situation in Sambhal is reportedly calm, with schools open and normal activities resuming. The SP delegation's planned visit underscores the political and social significance of the incident as investigations continue into the root causes and consequences of the violence. Sarajevo, Nov 30 : Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) Border Police thwarted an attempt to smuggle six foreign nationals from Serbia into BiH, according to an official statement released. The incident occurred on Wednesday in the Zvornik area, where officers intercepted five Indian nationals and one Nepalese national during a border surveillance operation. The individual operating the boat, suspected of facilitating the smuggling, fled toward Serbia upon noticing the police, Xinhua news agency reported. The Border Police Station in Mali Zvornik, under Serbia's Ministry of Internal Affairs, has been informed to locate the suspect. Meanwhile, the Prosecutor's Office of BiH has directed the confiscation of the boat and related evidence, the statement released on Friday read. The six foreign nationals were handed over to the BiH Service for Foreigners' Affairs for expedited readmission proceedings. Abuja, Nov 29 : Scores of people were dead after a wooden boat carrying over 200 passengers and crew capsized at a section of the River Niger, one of the two largest rivers in Nigeria. The boat, carrying mainly market women and farm labourers from Kogi to a weekly market in Niger on Friday -- Kogi and Niger are two states in the country's central region -- capsized midway, Suleiman Makama, a spokesman for the National Inland Waterways Authority, told reporters in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State. So far, eight bodies have been recovered by rescue operators, including local divers, Makama said, while confirming an ongoing search and rescue operation, Xinhua news agency reported. A local source told Xinhua that none of the passengers and crew members wore lifejackets during the trip. Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, often due to overloading, adverse weather conditions, and operational errors. In October, over 150 people, mostly women and children, perished after a wooden boat carrying approximately 300 passengers capsized on the River Niger upstream of Jebba Dam, according to local authorities. Seoul, Nov 30 : North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has met Russia's visiting Defence Minister and expressed his support for Russia's war efforts against Ukraine, Pyongyang's state media reported on Saturday. Kim had a "friendly and trustworthy" meeting with Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang Friday, Yonhap news agency reported quoting the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Belousov arrived in North Korea the previous day for a visit that came as North Korea has sent thousands of its troops to Russia in support of Moscow's war against Ukraine. In the meeting, the North's leader condemned the US and the West for permitting Ukraine to use supplied long-range missiles for strikes against Russia, calling the move a "direct" military intervention, the KCNA said. Kim affirmed that "the DPRK government, army and people will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists' moves for hegemony," the KCNA said, using the acronym of North Korea's official name. North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military cooperation under a major Defence treaty signed in June that calls for providing military assistance "without delay" if either side comes under attack. Patna, Nov 30 : A motorcycle turned into a ball of fire on being hit by a speeding vehicle, burning two of its three riders to death in Bihar's Gaya district , police said on Saturday. The incident occurred in the Atari police station area on the Teusa-Manpur main road near Sidh Shivala, Neeraj Kumar, SHO of Atri police station, told IANS. The deceased were identified as Deepak Kumar, son of Surendra Yadav, from Pali village and Amarjeet Kumar, son of Ravindra Mistry, from Bandhu Bigha village. The third rider on the bike, Raju Kumar, also from Pali village, was injured, police said. "The collision was so intense that the bike's fuel tank burst, resulting in a fire that engulfed the three riders. Two of them were burnt alive and died on the spot while another was seriously injured due to the explosion," the SHO said. "The unidentified vehicle responsible for the accident fled the scene, and efforts are underway to locate the errant driver," said the SHO. The police registered a case of rash and negligent driving and launched a hunt for the driver, Kumar said. "The condition of one of the victims remains critical. The police promptly responded by reaching the scene and ensuring the injured was transported to hospital for treatment," Kumar said. The incident caused panic among locals who rushed to the scene but were unable to prevent the youths from sustaining serious burns. The injured youth was admitted to Magadh Medical College Hospital for treatment. As the news of the accident deaths reached Pali and Bandhu Bigha villages, the victims' families went into mourning. Demanding early action against the culprits, the victims' families approached the police for early arrest of the errant driver. The tragic event highlights the devastating consequences of reckless driving and road safety lapses, underlining the need for respecting traffic rules. New Delhi, Nov 30 : BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Saturday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of turning into a party of "extortionists and gangsters," after presenting an alleged audio clip of an AAP MLA conversing with a gangster about extorting money from a businessman. Addressing a press conference at the party's headquarters alongside Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, Bhatia alleged that AAP MLA Naresh Balyan was engaging in criminal activities with the consent of party chief Arvind Kejriwal and questioned whether the MLA would be expelled from the party. Bhatia claimed that the audio clip revealed Balyan discussing threats and intimidation tactics to extort money from a builder. He alleged that such behaviour reflects the character of the AAP and its leadership. "The corrupt AAP has now turned into a party of hardcore criminals. With the consent of Arvind Kejriwal, AAP's MLA is both a criminal and a gangster," he claimed. "Who is their (AAP) biggest supporter? It is the gangster who openly extorts money. And who asks them to extort money? Does the one who has taken the oath of the Constitution openly extort money with Kejriwal's permission?" he questioned. "AAP MLA or it would be better if I say extortionist MLA Naresh Balyan, is talking to a gangster in this audio clip. The MLA is talking to the gangster like his brother. The MLA is indicating that a certain builder, a certain person, is being called, threatened, and intimidated. They discuss how to intensify threats, demand ransom, and distribute the money collected. This cannot be acceptable behaviour for any MLA, however, if the MLA is from a party of dishonest party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, then it is possible," he alleged. Drawing parallels with the BJP-led Centre, Bhatia said, "On one hand, the law and order situation in Delhi is the responsibility of the Centre and it is our responsibility that everyone feels safe. On the other hand, the elected government of Delhi, who has taken the oath of the Constitution, threatens Delhiites and ensures that they do not feel safe. This is worrisome." Bhatia also questioned Kejriwal's silence on the matter and demanded whether Balyan would be expelled from the party. "If Kejriwal and Delhi CM Atishi do not act, it will be clear that this extortion is being carried out under Kejriwal's directions," he added. Slamming the AAP's track record, Bhatia referred to past controversies involving party members, including Tahir Hussain, who is accused in the Delhi riots case, and former ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, who faced allegations of corruption. He also mentioned Amanatullah Khan's arrest for assault, a rape accusation against another MLA, and domestic violence allegations against Somnath Bharti. Bhatia said that AAP had lost the moral authority to govern and stated, "The people of Delhi deserve better. AAP should not even be in the Opposition." He vowed to fight until Balyan was expelled from the party and faced legal action, adding, "The only place for such individuals is behind bars." New Delhi, Nov 30 : Former Union Minister and Vice Chairman of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, Vijay Goel on Saturday was seen engaging with the public in Delhi's Rajiv Chowk area, seeking feedback on the key issues that should be addressed in the forthcoming Assembly elections. With the elections scheduled for February 2025, Goel, along with his team, took to the streets to gauge public opinion, asking people about their concerns and demands from the next Delhi government. Speaking to IANS, Goel highlighted that the meeting with the public was an effort to understand the pressing issues that should feature in the electoral debate. "Delhi elections are in February, and we are gathering public opinion on the key issues for the campaign. Pollution, water, sewage, and garbage are the major concerns. People also mentioned the presence of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, poor hospital services, and failing schools. But most importantly, water issues topped the list, followed by parking problems and the pollution of the Yamuna," he added. Goel emphasised the need for political parties to not only include these concerns in their manifestos but also provide tangible solutions. "The people of Delhi need clean water, air, and adequate electricity. The parties should promise solutions, not just empty promises. They don't want to have 'revdi'", he added. In the lead-up to the elections, political parties have begun intensifying preparations. The BJP has accelerated its candidate selection process, shortlisting three potential candidates for each of the 70 constituencies. Meanwhile, the AAP has released its first list of 11 candidates, including six leaders who recently joined from the BJP and Congress, while dropping three sitting MLAs. The Congress party, on the other hand, has decided to contest the Delhi Assembly elections independently, ruling out any alliance with the AAP. As the political battle heats up, all eyes are now on the manifestos that will address the concerns raised by Delhi's voters. Pune, Nov 30 : Amid the growing chorus for a return to ballot paper voting, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar called on veteran social crusader, Dr. Babasaheb Pandurang Adhav, alias Baba Adhav and backed the latter's three-day hunger strike against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), here on Saturday morning. Pawar, 83, met the medico Baba Adhav, 96, who has been fasting since November 28, and expressed full support to the latter on the issue that has rocked the polity after the Maharashtra Assembly elections verdict (of November 23). Besides the NCP (SP), Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray and senior Congress leaders, besides Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Ajit Pawar, are slated to meet Baba Adhav later today, as he has red-flagged against the Election Commission of India (ECI) "to save democracy and Constitution". "There have been huge discrepancies in the voter turnout figures declared by the ECI, kept changing, the vote-counting processes were allegedly manipulated to give undue advantage to the outgoing Mahayuti, and related aspects. The verdict is an assault on democracy," said Baba Adhav. The frail, but firm, nonagenarian pointed out how the Mahayuti regime "doled out cash" to women (aLadki Bahina) scheme just before the elections and undermined the state's delicate financial condition, as Pawar nodded in agreement. "The government wants a democracy that gives it a monopoly without any Opposition (party). Therefore it is the duty and responsibility of all citizens to thwart this, and take a firm stance," urged Dr. Baba Adhav. Speaking on the occasion, Pawar reiterated that there was massive "misuse" of the government machinery and a flood of money power during the state Assembly elections and Dr. Baba Adhav has raised his voice against all this. "Huge doubts have been raised by the poll results... Dr. Baba Adhav has taken this step in the interest of the people, saving democracy and safeguarding the Constitution, for which we all are with him," said Pawar. The NCP (SP) supremo said that the voting figures that have emerged from the ECI raise many doubts and the MVA has requested the national opposition INDIA bloc alliances to take it up, as some voiced concerns that an aged person like Dr. Baba Adhav is forced into a hunger-strike to draw the government's attention. Since November 23, the MVA and other parties have pointed accusing fingers at the ECI and Maharashtra State Election Commission (M-SEC) on various aspects after the stunning outcome that landed an unprecedented landslide victory for the Mahayuti. Among them are Nana F. Patole, M. Arif Naseem Khan, Ramesh Chennithala Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Dr. Jitendra Awhad, Jayant R. Patil, Uddhav Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Kishore Tiwari, Sushma Andhare, Ashok Dhawale, Raj Thackeray, Bachhu Kadu, Anjali Damania and many more. Till now, at least 22 losing candidates from various MVA parties and other smaller or regional outfits have lodged complaints with the M-SEC and demanded recounting of votes. A small band of supporters representing various social and rationalist organisations have been sitting along with Dr. Baba Adhav, keeping a close watch on his health with medicos regularly checking his vital parameters. Expected to call off his three-day agitation around 5 pm today, Dr. Baba Adhavas hunger strike has sparked the public imagination, leading to similar protests with symbolic fasts to support him plus thumb-down the role of money-power and misuse of officialdom in the Assembly polls. The hunger strike by Dr. Baba Adhav came as Congress chief Nana Patole shot off a letter to the M-SEC's Chief Electoral Officer, S. Chokalingam on November 29, pointing at purported lapses in the election, which the latter has denied. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com) TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese cosmetics maker Shiseido Co downgraded its profit outlook for the next two years on Friday, after a downturn in sales to Chinese consumers. Shiseido joins other luxury brands such as Cartier-owner Richemont and Gucci-owner Kering that have been hurt by slowing growth, increased competition and weaker consumer confidence in the world's second-biggest economy. "The state of the Chinese market does not permit optimism," Shiseido President Kentaro Fujiwara told a press conference at which he announced a new midterm business strategy. "We will work to rebuild our brand." The high-end Japanese make up manufacturer, which slashed its full-year earnings forecast this month, aims to lift its operating margin to 7% by 2026 from 3.5% for the 12 months to Dec. 31. In a business plan unveiled in February, the company said it aimed to boost its profit margin to 9% next year. However, Shiseido has also had to contend with Chinese consumers avoiding Japanese brands after the release of treated water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. "If you look at their online sales in China, they're down 20% year to date compared to a market that is down 10%," said Jacques Roizen, managing director of China consulting at Digital Luxury Group. "So, it's not just a China economic environment or consumer slowdown issue here." That means Shiseido has had to rely more on sales in Japan, buoyed by demand from growing numbers of foreign tourists taking advantage of a weak yen to buy creams, foundations and other products more cheaply than at home. To grow profits for the next two years, Shiseido will further cut costs, focusing on Japan next year and the rest of the world excluding China in 2026. Those savings will come from cuts in personnel spending and production expenses, Fujiwara said. (Reporting by Tim Kelly; Additional reporting by Casey Hall; Editing by Kate Mayberry) New Delhi, Nov 30 : The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has strongly condemned the ongoing violence and atrocities being committed against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh by Islamic fundamentalist groups. In a statement issued on Saturday, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale highlighted the alarming rise in attacks, murders, looting, arson, and inhuman atrocities, particularly targeting women within the Hindu community. He called for immediate action to halt these violations. Dattatreya Hosabale expressed deep concern over the Bangladesh government's inaction, stating, "Instead of taking decisive steps to curb these attacks, the present Bangladesh government and other responsible agencies remain silent spectators. This apathy has emboldened perpetrators, ushering in a new phase of injustice and atrocities designed to suppress the democratic voices of the Hindu community seeking self-protection." The RSS leader specifically criticised the imprisonment of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent figure who was leading peaceful demonstrations for Hindu rights in Bangladesh. "It is highly unjust of the Bangladesh government to jail a peaceful activist like Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, whose only fault is his effort to mobilise a non-violent movement for the safety and dignity of Hindus," Hosabale stated. The RSS urged both the Bangladesh government and the international community to act swiftly and decisively. He said, "The RSS appeals to the Bangladeshi government to stop all atrocities against Hindus, ensure justice for the victims, and release Chinmoy Krishna Das without delay. The RSS also appeals to the Government of India to step up efforts to safeguard the rights of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh." It also urged the global community and institutions to support the victims as it is essential for world peace and the spirit of brotherhood. As per the latest report, three Hindu temples in Chattogram, Bangladesh, were vandalised by a mob shouting slogans, amid ongoing protests and violence in the region on Friday. A group of several hundred individuals, after attending the Friday prayers, descended upon the temples, throwing brickbats causing damage to the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples, the report said. The violence has been brewing in Chattogram since the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das who was detained on charges of disrespecting the Bangladesh national flag. The protests and unrest surrounding his arrest have escalated tensions in the region. Seoul, Nov 30 : Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that Ukraine has received a US$100 million loan from South Korea aimed at supporting the social sector. In a post on social media X, Shmyhal said the loan is "the first budget assistance" from South Korea to support the social sector, Yonhap news agency reported. He said Ukraine also signed an agreement with South Korea granting access to up to $2.1 billion in funding earlier this year. "I am grateful to the Government of the Republic of Korea for supporting Ukraine during a full-scale war," Shmyhal wrote, referring to South Korea's official name. In April, South Korea signed a framework agreement with Ukraine to provide the war-torn country with $2.1 billion in long-term, low-interest loans through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund. Seoul, Nov 30 : South Korea and Japan held a joint meeting of senior diplomats and defence officials and reaffirmed the importance of their security cooperation, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said, despite the controversy over Japan's memorial ceremony for Korean wartime forced labour victims. In the director general-level policy consultations held in Tokyo, both sides shared assessments of the regional security environment and exchanged views on bilateral security cooperation as well as their trilateral cooperation, also involving the US, Yonhap news agency reported quoting the ministry. "Both sides concurred that bilateral security cooperation is indispensable in responding to the stern regional and international political situation, prompted by North Korea's troop deployment to Russia," the ministry said. They also agreed to advance the cooperation based on a "mutual understanding" of each other's defence and security policies, it added. The talks were seen as apparent efforts to seek collaboration as strategic partners amid North Korea's military threats and deepening military cooperation with Russia. Friday's meeting came amid a controversy over a memorial ceremony honoring Korean victims of wartime forced labour at the UNESCO-listed Sado mine complex in Japan. Seoul boycotted the first memorial service held on Sunday, citing a lack of sincerity from Japan in properly honouring Korean victims. The director general-level policy consultations, launched in 1998, have taken place on and off, depending on bilateral ties. The previous meeting took place in Seoul in April last year, resuming after a five-hear hiatus as bilateral ties soured over historic disputes. Bengaluru, Nov 30 : Reacting to the Karnataka police notice summoning him for questioning over his demand for disenfranchisement of Muslims, Vokkaliga seer Chandrashekaranatha Swami stated on Saturday that he was ready to go to jail and had left the matter to God. The seer told the media on Saturday, "I am ready to go to jail if they want me to. I had taken part in the pro-farmer protest and spoken against the alleged snatching of their lands by the Waqf Board. I can't go to the police station for questioning. If they come to my mutt, I will give clarification for my statement." "The statement against Muslims was a slip of the tongue. It was not intentional. Expressing regret, I had made the statement the very next day. Let's leave the matter here," he stated. "Our Mutt has Muslim devotees too. I also attend marriage functions of the Muslim community. I don't understand why the complaint was registered against me," the seer stated. "I don't know about the notice issued by the police summoning me for questioning. I am not in a good state of health. Many leaders have met me and expressed their solidarity with me. I am not bothered about consequences," the seer maintained. "I have never stated anything regarding banning of the Waqf Board. I have demanded that farmers' lands must not be taken away. Why is the government acting in such a fashion? The appeasement of one community by the government is not good," he opined. "Many statements were made earlier. My statement won't make a difference and there is a Constitution. My whole intention is the farmers should not be exploited. Let me see the legal consequences," the seer maintained. Swami heads the Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt and the statements were made at a protest on Tuesday in Bengaluru, organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a farmers' organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to condemn the Waqf Board's alleged move to take away farmers' lands. Swami stated, "Politicians indulge in vote bank politics and appeasement of Muslims. Hence, Muslims should be deprived of exercising their voting powers. This should be done and the end of vote bank politics would help the progress of the country." Upparpet police have registered a FIR against the seer following the complaint in this regard. The police have lodged an FIR under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the seer. The complaint stated that the statement by the seer was provocative and threatens to disturb communal harmony in society. The filing of the FIR against him has taken a serious political turn with a Karnataka BJP delegation visiting him on Friday and warning of "serious consequences" if he was booked by the police. The BJP delegation's visit to the powerful Vokkaliga seer was headed by Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and former Deputy CM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan. Mumbai, Nov 30 : Telugu superstar Allu Arjun, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming film 'Pushpa 2: The Rule', has heaped praise on his co-star from the film Rashmika Mandanna. The pair recently attended a press event in Mumbai during the promotional campaign of the film where Allu Arjun spoke highly of Rashmika. He went on to say that the 'Pushpa' franchise is incomplete without her character of Srivalli. During the event, Allu Arjun highlighted Rashmika's unwavering support, calling her the kind of person who uplifts everyone around her. Allu Arjun said, "I want to take two minutes and thank her for everything she has done for this film. Her support is immense. There is no way this film is complete without Srivalli's support. Me and my director have so much admiration for her because we keep shooting every day, and she comes once in a while. When she comes, those days are so pleasant. She leaves me like such a sweet girl, bringing in so much beautiful, positive energy". Allu Arjun's heartfelt acknowledgment of Rashmika's contribution not only reflects their camaraderie but also underlines her growing stature as a pan-India star. He further mentioned, "These are the kind of girls we want to work with. These are the kind of girls who will brighten up the room. The world needs more girls like these. On a day where we all compare and say, 'Oh, girls are like this today, like that today,' she is the kind of girl where you can say, 'Even girls like this will make the world a better place'". Meanwhile, 'Pushpa 2: The Rule', directed by Sukumar also stars Fahadh Faasil. The film is produced by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar Writings with music on T Series. The film will be released on December 5, 2024. Urban Naxals are intellectual supporters of Marxist-Maoist-Leninist ideology, which promotes a radical form of communism. Unlike rural Naxals who engage in armed conflict in remote tribal areas, Urban Naxals operate in cities, using ideas, narratives, and propaganda to destabilize the nation. They aim to replace nationalism with a vision of a stateless, classless society. Inspired by the communist thinker Antonio Gramsci, Urban Naxals believe that nations maintain control through cultural influence, or "hegemony," which they seek to dismantle. They view institutions like religion, culture, and nationalism as tools of oppression. While working toward their ideal of communism, Urban Naxals feel justified in creating chaos, mistrust, and anarchy to undermine the current state and seize power. To achieve this, Urban Naxals use every means available: spreading misinformation, exploiting legal loopholes, and using social media to manipulate public opinion. Despite claiming to oppose only the government, their actions often target the nation itself, fostering ideas of secession, anti-nationalism, and anarchy. Itas crucial to differentiate Urban Naxals from democratic opposition parties. Opposition parties criticize government policies within the democratic framework, without opposing Indiaas existence as a nation. Urban Naxals, however, actively promote anti-national agendas and work to weaken the countryas unity, posing a distinct and concerning threat. Urban Naxals believe that any development comes at the cost of exploiting the poor and marginalized. This drives their agenda to question, criticize, and disrupt everything associated with the idea of India. Their default stance is one of negativity and suspicion, fostering narratives that challenge the nationas unity and integrity. They show disrespect for Indiaas sovereignty, national symbols, and institutions like the flag and armed forces, dismissing them as tools of a capitalist system. Their ultimate aim is to dismantle the nation-state, pushing anti-India narratives that distort India's history and achievements. Urban Naxals can be broadly divided into two groups: Outsiders to the System: This group influences narratives from outside formal institutions. They may include filmmakers, high-profile lawyers, award-winning producers, university professors, historians, news anchors, writers, self-styled rationalists, human rights activists, poets, civil rights advocates, and environmentalists. They often use their public positions to spread anti-national sentiments under the guise of intellectualism and activism. Insiders in the System: This group operates from within institutions, attempting to disrupt the nationas progress by exploiting legal, judicial, and constitutional loopholes. They use these platforms to delay or block initiatives that support national interests. In the Indian context, Urban Naxals oppose the idea of India itself, supporting narratives that promote chaos and conflict rather than constructive criticism. Their primary tools are misinformation, historical distortion, and an anti-national narrative that undermines the nationas unity and progress. Urban Naxals in the Indian Context Support for Secession: Urban Naxals openly support secessionist slogans like "Bharat Tere Tukde Honge" and "Bharat Teri Barbadi," which reflect their anti-national ideology. They idealize those who promote secession and even terrorism, showing sympathy for separatist movements in Kashmir, the Northeast, Punjab and other insurgencies. They have been part of Deep State of earlier regimes who connived with their ideology. Instigating Civil War: They often attempt to instigate unrest and civil conflict in India. Urban Naxals are vocal in their criticism of the Indian Army, labeling it as an oppressive tool of the state. For instance, they celebrated the killing of 76 paramilitary personnel in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, illustrating their support for violence against the state. Funding for Propaganda: Urban Naxals collect funds under the guise of supporting armed struggles, often sourced from international groups, NGOs, and anti-India organizations. These funds are obscure, often illegal, and support their ideological propaganda. Propaganda Warfare: A new trend among Urban Naxals is a "war of propaganda." They distort facts and spread misinformation through social media, using platforms like WhatsApp, hashtags, and web channels to create viral anti-national narratives. Hijacking Movements: Unable to generate movements of their own, Urban Naxals latch onto existing protests as "parasites" to amplify social tensions and establish a culture of perpetual unrest. Urban Naxals are waging an "ideological war" against India. As a nation, it is essential to uncover and counter their narratives to protect unity and stability. Bengaluru, Nov 30 : The Congress party in Karnataka expelled State General Secretary Gurappa Naidu on Saturday following the charges of sexual harassment surfacing against him. The Disciplinary Committee Chairman of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) K. Rahman Khan issued an order to expel Gurappa Naidu from the party. "In the backdrop of lodging of sexual harassment case against State General Secretary Gurappa Naidu, he has been expelled from the primary membership of the party for six years," the order stated. Karnataka police had slapped an FIR against the State Congress office bearer over alleged charges of sexually harassing a teacher at a school run by him in Bengaluru on Thursday. The complaint is registered with Chennammanakere Achukattu police station against Gurappa Naidu, the state Congress General Secretary and also the Chairman of the BGS Bloom School. The police had registered a case under IPC Sections 354 (a) (sexual harassment), 354 (assault or criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insults that provoke a breach of the peace) and 509 (acts, words, or gestures that insult a woman's modesty). These incidents are said to have occurred between 2021 and 2023. In her statement to the police, the victim stated, "Accused Gurappa Naidu sexually exploited gullible women staffers at his school. He has been using them and also raping them. He is video-recording these acts and blackmailing them." A teacher told the police that she worked at the school run by the accused and more than 75 per cent of the staff are women and came from middle and poor classes. Many of their children also studied at the same school. In her complaint, the victim said, "The accused Gurappa Naidu is a psychotic womanizer who pesters women and won't spare anyone. Everyone in the school fears him and he uses women as per his wishes." "The accused makes vulgar and nude videos of women and blackmails them. He threatens them that if they don't do exactly how he says, their videos would be made viral. He also threatens women staffers if they dared to file a police complaint," the victim stated. The victim further mentioned, "Gurappa Naidu has exploited many women staffers belonging to the poor and weaker sections. They are not able to bear the trauma and are forced to live in fear. Though the teachers decided to file a complaint against him, considering his clout and fearing backlash from families, they decided not to file the police complaint." "I have worked in the school for three years. The accused used to call me into his chamber and repeatedly asked me when I was going to get ready. He used to stare at me causing mental trauma," she stated. "Gurappa Naidu's behaviour was vulgar. He used dirty language and dragged me to his chamber. When I told him not to indulge in such acts with me, he got wild and stated that everyone is cooperating with him and I am not listening to him even after showering much love," the victim stated. "Gurappa Naidu maintained that I won't change and asked me whether I was born to a single father and abused me. I started crying and I rushed to my home in tears from the school premises," the victim added. "After seeing me in tears, my mother questioned me and I shared the trauma. She asked me not to go to work there. I am feeling threatened and fearful after the incident. It took months together for me to come to normalcy. I used to get reminded of traumatic experiences. I was thinking that even as many teachers and staff are exploited, no one is coming forward to file the complaint," she said. Kolkata, Nov 30 : The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday accused a West Bengal minister of promoting population explosion of a particular community in the state by pushing the concept of "Hum do, Hamare Chaar." Kolkata, Nov 30 (IANS) The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday accused a West Bengal minister of promoting population explosion of a particular community in the state by pushing the concept of "Hum do, Hamare Chaar." LoP Adhikari made a detailed post on his official X handle on Saturday and also attached a purported video there where West Bengal Minister In Charge of the Department of Mass Education Extension and Library Services Siddiqullah Choudhury could be seen speaking somewhat on the same lines. However, IANS was not in a position to cross-check the authenticity of the video posted by Adhikari. According to Adhikari, the same minister had earlier claimed that he would not allow the implementation of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The LoP further claimed that such comments were quite unfortunate when India, a country grappling with population explosion, has been looking for ways and means for decades to educate people about this menace and make people understand the benefits of having a small family. "Unfortunately, a senior minister of the Mamata government is asking 'people' to have more kids. That too, within the Vidhan Sabha. This is alarm bells for West Bengal, the most densely populated state of India, where lakhs of Rohingyas have already settled down and the population of the minorities has exceeded 35 per cent. Is this a camouflaged hint to a specific community? Is this a veiled appeal for a demographic overhaul?" Adhikari commented in his post. He also urged the Union government to get the Population Control Bill passed to halt the rising population growth and put brakes on the demographic changes, which is posing challenges to the goal of a 'Viksit Bharat.' Otherwise, he added, such people will keep on trying their level best to encourage a section of the society to have more children, as it suits their politics. Patna, Nov 30 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar targeted the previous RJD government on Saturday accusing it of the state's underdevelopment. After inaugurating the state-level Krishi Yantrikaran Mela under Agro Bihar 2024 in Gandhi Maidan in Patna, CM Nitish told media persons that during RJD's Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi's tenure as Chief Minister, no significant development occurred. CM Nitish listed the achievements of his government in fostering development, particularly in the agriculture sector, since assuming office in November 2005 and compared it with the previous RJD governments. "There was no development work in Bihar before 2005. They have done nothing for Bihar. When I took over the office, reforms in every sector began," he asserted. The Chief Minister also emphasised his government's efforts in empowering women, noting their increased representation across various sectors. He highlighted this as one of the cornerstones of Bihar's progress under his leadership. "Today, a large number of women are employed in every sector. We are responsible for women empowerment in Bihar," he stated, showcasing the state's efforts to increase opportunities and participation for women in the workforce. He underscored the stark difference between Bihar's pre-2005 conditions and the reforms his government initiated. "The people of the young generation do not know about the situation before 2005. There was nothing in Bihar. The development works started after I came to power," CM Nitish remarked, emphasising his administration's focus on progress across sectors. CM Nitish's remarks reflected his pride in the initiatives, his government has undertaken, to elevate the state's socio-economic and infrastructural landscape. At the fair, the Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Mangal Pandey and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha. The fair, showcasing modern agricultural equipment, offers training programmes and includes cultural activities to engage and educate farmers. Rome, Nov 30 : Hundreds of thousands of workers in Italy staged an eight-hour strike, protesting against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's 2025 budget, rising living costs, and low wages. The strike, organised by Italy's two main trade unions, the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) and the Italian Labour Union (UIL), involved workers from various sectors, excluding train staff, who had held a separate protest earlier this month, Xinhua news agency reported. In response to an injunction from the Transport Ministry, workers in local transport, ferries, and airways sectors limited their stoppage to four hours instead of the planned eight, to minimise disruption. Despite this, the strike saw significant participation, with organisers reporting around 70 per cent of workers in affected sectors joining the action. Italy's flagship airline, ITA, was forced to cancel 109 flights, including 18 international routes. Mass demonstrations and rallies took place in at least 43 cities, including Rome, Milan, Turin, Bologna, and Naples, drawing an estimated 500,000 people, according to CGIL. The strike was sparked by discontent over Meloni's draft budget law for 2025. The budget aims to address Italy's longstanding issues with high public debt, with a commitment to reducing the country's deficit to 2.8 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2026. However, this fiscal consolidation has limited the government's capacity for income-support measures, tax cuts, and other expansionary policies, fueling frustration among workers. A development company owned by two billionaire Texas brothers who control thousands of Idaho acres proposes a giant development that includes more than 1,100 homes southwest of McCall. DF Development is set to present plans for the 1,130-unit RedRidge Village development in Valley County. The plans represent only a sliver of a larger, 30,000-acre project stretching across a wide swath of land south of New Meadows in Adams and Valley counties. DF Development is owned by billionaire brothers Dan and Farris Wilks, of Cisco, Texas, who sold a 70% share in their fracking company Frac Tech for $3.5 billion in 2011. Farris Wilks, 72, is estimated to have a net worth of $1.9 billion, with Dan Wilks, 68, estimated to have a net worth of about $2 billion, according to Forbes. DF Development purchased about 172,000-acres of land in Central Idaho in 2016. Since then, the company has sold and developed smaller parcels, but no project has equaled the size of the RedRidge Village proposal. The company owns 57,908 acres of land in Valley County and 60,930 acres in Adams County, including the land on which the project is proposed. The vision for the full 30,000 acres includes areas of limited development surrounded by acres of wildlife habitat, according to application materials. In the RedRidge proposal, homes would be built in neighborhoods around a village center and include a variety of designs with multifamily housing, single-family residences and large estate lots. Plans include a vineyard, retail and restaurant spaces, a community hall, and an outdoor amphitheater with lawn seating for about 2,000 people. An artists conceptual rendering of a gathering space in the RedRidge Village center, part of a proposed 1,100-home development southwest of McCall. Development would take place in four phases, each requiring a separate approval at P&Z. Each phase includes access roads, trails, utilities and other amenities. Centralized water and sewer services are planned, as well as septic systems for some lots. A local trail network is planned within the development that would connect to regional trails, according to a project narrative submitted to Valley County P&Z. Adams County has not yet received a formal proposal, but application materials list a clustered development in Adams County about 4,900 acres in size, as well as a 9,100-acre wilderness preserve, 12,900 acres of undeveloped steep terrain and about 3,500 acres of open space and buffered areas. A total number of homes proposed for the majority of the development area in Adams County was not available. Maps of the development show more proposed access roads in several areas, including the Whitetail development, to the west of the Little Ski Hill, directly south of New Meadows and along U.S. 95. Khartoum, Nov 30 : At least 12 people were killed in attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on villages in Sudan's Gezira State. The Nidaa Al-Wasat Platform, a local volunteer group, said the RSF targeted eight villages in the Al-Meheiriba area of western Gezira on Thursday, launching intensive shelling and direct attacks on residents, Xinhua news agency reported. "The number of people killed in the attacks and shelling has so far reached 12, while dozens were injured," the group said in a statement. The RSF has not commented on the allegations. Sudan has been gripped by a devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which resulted in more than 27,120 deaths and displaced over 14 million people, both within Sudan and across its borders, according to estimates by international organisations. Islamabad, Nov 30 : The protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and subsequent crackdown on party workers and Imran Khan's supporters by the Pakistan government has turned into a battle of accusations and cross-accusations. Moreover, local media reports claim that the current regime is devising a plan to impose ban on Imran-led PTI. After the security forces launched a major crackdown to disperse thousands of PTI protestors hitting the Islamabad streets on November 26, government officials claimed to have apprehended 4,185 PTI workers, who are set to face terrorism charges in country's Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC). Information Minister Atta Tarar said that the crackdown to disperse and end PTI protest in Islamabad was done with non-lethal weapons, insisting that there were zero casualties of protestors. "PTI has started a false propaganda campaign claiming that its workers were killed by shooting of security forces. I want to confirm this that no live weapons were used by the security forces to disperse the protestors. PTI is trying to falsely blame the government and trying to serve its vested interest to play dirty politics", said Information Minister Atta Tarar. "PTI claims hundreds of its workers were killed. I ask them, where are the bodies? Why isn't there any data present in the hospitals? PTI is running a false narrative that hospitals have been forced to hide the record, which against is completely false", said Atta Tarar. On the other hand, PTI leaders have accused the government of using state machinery to crush dissent and also attempting to cover-up its oppressive policies by hiding casualties. A PTI leaders claimed that at least 12 party workers were killed while hundreds others were injured. "Till now, at least 12 people were martyred during the protest. The authorities did not allow the bodies of the dead to be handed over to the families initially, and the bodies were given to the families only three days later", claimed PTI leader Sheikh Waqas Akram while speaking to the media. Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif government is gearing up to impose a ban on PTI, teaming up with the civil and military leadership to formulate a strategy to block any further attempt to storm towards the capital. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during a recent cabinet meeting, stated that PTI protest and the chaos in the capital Islamabad has tarnished Pakistan's image. "Pakistan's image has been tarnished all over. This has been the third to fourth invasion against the federal capital during the past eight months by PTI. The country's economy against witnessed a major blow as according to a conservative estimate such protests cause Rs.190 billion per day loss to the national economy", said PM Shehbaz Sharif. The statement from PM Shehbaz come at a time when a resolution to impose a ban on PTI was passed in the Balochistan provincial assembly and a similar resolution was presented before the Punjab assembly because of what was termed at PTI's anti-Pakistan activities. On the other hand, PTI has also decided to reciprocate government's ban attempt, stating that PTI would also be presenting a resolution in the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) assembly to ban the ruling political parties including Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People Party (PPP). Experts say that PTI protest and the way the leadership fled the scene including CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi, while no leadership from the rest of the country came out to join the protest; it has not only dented PTI leadership political position along with its credibility among its supporters, it has also made things more challenging and difficult for PTI founder Imran Khan, whose immediate release was on top of the demands of the PTI protest. "The coming days may be even more challenging for PTI and its leadership because after thousands of its workers arrested and nabbed, fresh cases have been lodged against Imran Khan, bushra bibi and other leaders of PTI. This would mean that Imran Khan may be spending even more time behind bars and his wife may also end him in jail. All of this is in no way any positive news for PTI or Imran Khan or even for the political future of the party", said senior political analyst Javed Siddique. Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 30 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who chaired a special meeting here on Saturday to discuss the further course in the controversial social welfare pension scheme, said strict action will be taken against all the wrongdoers. The controversy surfaced early this week when the state-run Information Kerala Mission (IKM) found out that several serving government officials and those getting other pensions were getting the Rs 1,600 monthly social welfare pension, which is given to the poor and weaker sections of society. On Friday, reports surfaced that among those who are receiving this pension is a BMW owner. The review meeting chaired by Vijayan comes a day after the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau was asked to conduct a detailed probe into the scam. State Finance Minister K.N.Balagopal and numerous top officials from various government departments that are connected with the distribution of the social welfare pension were also present at the meeting. A statement issued by Vijayanas office said the CM has promised stiff action against those who have illegally taken this pension and those who prepared the list of beneficiaries. "Those who received it will have to pay it back with interest. Action will be taken against officials who included ineligible people in the list. This cannot be seen as an error and hence, strict action will be there. From now on, the annual mustering of the pensioners will be made foolproof," it said. Since the IKM came out with a report that at least 1,458 serving government officials including gazetted officers, have been regularly receiving the Rs 1,600 monthly dole, a question that has arisen is if the state government will come out with the list of these fraudsters. According to estimates of the IKM, a sum of Rs 23 lakh has been used to pay these serving government officials, till now, this year. Among those who are currently getting the pension include school and college teachers, and employees working in the Health and other departments of the state government. In Kerala, there are around 60 lakh) people who get the monthly social welfare pension and at times, the pension goes into arrears too, since the state government exchequer is currently in dire straits. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if the probe will cover the CAG report which had earlier pointed out that the list includes over 9,000 ineligible people who have taken away Rs 39 crore in the three-year period starting from 2017. It also remains to be seen if the list of those who did the wrong will be published, as demanded by the state BJP President K.Surendran. Mumbai, Nov 30 : Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who is receiving a lot of positive response for his recently released streaming movie 'Vijay 69', feels that every experience in life counts. On Saturday, the senior actor took to his Instagram, and shared pictures of himself at different locations, and in the company of different people. He also penned a long note in the caption, as he recollected his journey of 40 years in cinema, and the struggles that he went through. He wrote, "Casa Maria, Bandra: Casa Maria on St Paul's Road is my third house in the city. This is during Saaransh (his debut film in 1984) and I was staying on the first floor". He continued, "Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, ( Bandra West). The first place I worked at when I came to Mumbai on June 3rd 1981 for a job in an acting school. Then I discovered that actually there was no building or a place or an acting school! We were conducting classes on the beach". The actor then spoke about the iconic Prithvi Theatre in the Juhu area of Mumbai. He shared, "Prithvi Theatre, Juhu : I started my life at Prithvi when I landed in Mumbai on June 3rd 1981. This is the same place where Satish Kaushik's play 'Us Par Ka Nazara' which was an adaptation of Arthur Miller's play, 'A view from the bridge'. First play with Kirron Desire Under the Elms, did Look Back In Anger, Salgirah and Kuch bhi ho sakta hai". He further mentioned, "Kalumal Estate, Juhu : this is the first one bhk flat, B23 at Kalumal Estate Juhu, that I bought. Shastri Nagar, Santacruz Linking Road Extension : The place I lived in - at Shastri Nagar Linking road extension between 82 to 83 . I lived with four people. We used to sleep on the floor and there was no fan. I can never forget those days. Kherwadi: I lived in Bandra East, Kherwadi in 1981 with four people". 'Vijay 69', produced by Yash Raj Films, is currently streaming on Netflix. Beirut, Nov 30 : Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem declared a 'great victory for the resistance', asserting that his group had thwarted Israel's efforts to eliminate Hezbollah and undermine the resistance. "We won because we prevented the enemy from ending Hezbollah and the resistance," Qassem proclaimed during his first televised speech since the ceasefire with Israel came into effect early Wednesday morning, Xinhua news agency reported. Reflecting on the Israeli ground offensive that began 64 days ago, Qassem acknowledged that the initial attacks had caused about ten days of confusion within Hezbollah. However, he emphasised that the group quickly regrouped, regained its strength, and re-established its command and control systems, eventually launching strikes on Israel's home front. Qassem described the outcome as "a great victory for the resistance over the Israeli enemy, surpassing even the victory of the July 2006 war," referencing the 34-day conflict between Hezbollah and Israel that ended with a United Nations-brokered ceasefire. On the ceasefire agreement, Qassem clarified that it "is not a treaty or a new accord, but rather a framework to implement UN Resolution 1701". He also underlined the coordination between Hezbollah and the Lebanese army in ensuring the agreement's execution. "The army will oversee security within Lebanon and along its borders, while the resistance remains strong and retains its right to self-defence," he stated. Qassem also reaffirmed Hezbollah's unwavering support for Palestine, noting that this commitment would continue through various means. The Israeli cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Lebanon, paving the way for an end to a nearly 14-month conflict tied in great part to the ongoing one in the Gaza Strip. Prayagraj, Nov 30 : Preparations for the grand Maha Kumbh 2025 are in full swing under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, as the world eyes this upcoming monumental event in Uttar Pradesh. Among the many efforts underway, the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Prayagraj is being upgraded to ensure smooth management and enhanced safety for the millions of pilgrims expected to attend Kumbh 2025. Originally established during Kumbh 2019, the ICCC played a pivotal role in the successful organisation of the event, leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as AI, chatbots, live surveillance, and CCTV monitoring. However, with Maha Kumbh 2025 poised to be even more grand and expansive, the government has initiated significant upgrades to the ICCC to accommodate the scale and ensure seamless operations. Chief Minister Adityanath, during his recent visit to Prayagraj, personally inspected the progress of the ICCC upgrade and directed officials to expedite the work. Reflecting his vision of merging heritage with development, the upgraded ICCC aims to combine state-of-the-art technology with traditional cultural practices, ensuring a secure and efficient experience for pilgrims. A government spokesperson outlined the works being done. He said the installation of 1,650 new CCTV cameras for comprehensive monitoring is ongoing and deployment of 24 APNR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras and 40 VMCD (Vehicle Monitoring and Control Devices) has been done. Additionally, he said 268 and 240 AI-based components for crowd management and vehicle tracking are being added. In more upgradation, Call Centre capacity has been increased by 20 seats for faster resolution of queries, 100 smart parking systems have been introduced for efficient vehicle management, and dedicated viewing and monitoring facilities at Arail and Jhunsi are being constructed to aid the ICCC Mela and MCR Centres. Apart from that, for monitoring of railway stations, AI-controlled CCTV cameras are being installed to manage crowds at nine railway stations; a 24/7 Helpline Service will start working soon and a dedicated 1920 helpline will commence operations on December 1 to assist pilgrims with inquiries and grievances. The ICCC upgrade is being carried out with the collaboration of top engineering institutes across the country, ensuring cutting-edge solutions are implemented. The Maha Kumbh 2025 promises to uphold the tradition of this ancient gathering while setting a benchmark in technological integration and crowd management. On Friday, a prelude program for Maha Kumbh 2025 was held at the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi, featuring Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Uttar Pradesh Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh. Shekhawat lauded the Yogi Adityanath government for its comprehensive planning for this grand cultural and spiritual gathering. He emphasized that the Uttar Pradesh government has the full support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India. Shekhawat noted that Maha Kumbh holds immense significance for India's civilization, culture, and Sanatan Dharma. He assured that extensive efforts are underway to ensure a seamless experience for all devotees. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Kolkata, Nov 30 : A Bangladeshi man, who had been staying in Kolkata with a fake Indian passport, was arrested on Saturday. The accused was identified as Selim Matabbar a.k.a Safiq Sardar, a resident of Madaripur in Bangladesh. However, in the fake passport, Matabbar identified himself as Rabi Sharma, a resident of Rajasthan. Matabbar illegally crossed the borders almost two years back and with the help of some local agents, he managed to get a fake Indian passport. "With the fake Indian identity, he also managed to get a job at a hotel located in Marquis Hotel which comes under the jurisdiction of the Park Street Police station. He had been working at the hotel since then," Kolkata Police sources said. On being informed by their sources, the cops of Park Street Police Station arrested him from the hotel. The sources said that initially after crossing the borders illegally, he resided at Bangaon near the Indo-Bangladesh international borders in the North 24 Parganas district. "He managed to get an AADHAAR card for himself and subsequently the passport. After getting the passport, he shifted to Kolkata and managed to get the hotel job," the sources added. The cops have booked him under the Foreigners' Act and on charges of forgery. The sources said that the police had received information that in Bangladesh, he was associated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Commenting on the development, BJP state president in West Bengal and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar said that under Mamata Banerjee's leadership, West Bengal has become a "haven" for illegal infiltrators, driven by her appeasement politics. "Neighbouring country's citizens infiltrate India effortlessly, securing IDs, while her government obstructs central efforts to establish Border Outposts (BOPs) and openly criticises the BSF. Does the Chief Minister intend to shield these infiltrators? After witnessing Bangladesh's plight, will she still refuse to act? She owes the nation an explanation," he added. Meanwhile, Kolkata Police has strengthened the security in front of the office of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission near Park Circus in South Kolkata, following a series of protest marches towards that office against the event of attacks and atrocities on the minority Hindus in Bangladesh. Oslo, Nov 30 : Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called for improved working conditions for foreign labourers following a fatal accident at a biogas plant on Funen Island earlier this week. Describing the incident as "deeply tragic," Frederiksen emphasised the urgent need for better safety measures in workplaces, Xinhua news agency reported. The accident, which occurred on Tuesday evening at the Flemlose Biogas Plant, approximately 200 km west of Copenhagen, claimed the lives of three workers, two from Romania and one from Belgium. Several others were seriously injured. "We need proper working conditions, not only in terms of wages but also regarding safety. It cannot be a matter of risking one's life to go to work," Frederiksen said. Preliminary investigations suggest the accident happened during work involving the plant's silo. Authorities are collaborating with relevant agencies to determine the exact cause, but no further details have been released. The Flemlose Biogas Plant, founded by three local farmers, produces up to 7 million cubic metres of gas annually for Denmark's natural gas network, according to local media reports. New Delhi, Nov 30 : BJP spokesperson Gourav Vallabh on Saturday took aim at Congress over its Maharashtra MLA Bhai Jagtap's "dog" remarks against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and said that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi "does not have faith in the Constitution" otherwise the MLA would have been expelled for using such language against the constitutional bodies. Launching a scathing attack on Congress, he said that the party is in its "winding-up stage," and that is why "no one wants to form an alliance with it." In an interview with IANS, Gourav Vallabh also talked about the Sambhal incident, the Delhi Assembly elections, AAP MLA Naresh Balyan's alleged extortion audio clip and attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. Following are the excerpts from the interview: IANS: Congress MLA Bhai Jagtap has called the Election Commission a "dog" of PM Modi. How do you see this? Gourav Vallabh: Congress leader (Rahul Gandhi), who has a childish mindset, keeps the Constitution book in his hands. In the Constitution book, the Election Commission of India is written as an independent and impartial body, while its leaders are using abusive language for it. This means that Rahul Gandhi does not have faith in the Constitution because if it was there, then a person who is using the word 'dog' for the Election Commission would have been expelled right now. However, Rahul Gandhi does not believe in the Constitution. I think their only belief is to create obstacles in the development of India and talk like brand ambassadors of those who speak against India. IANS: Do you think Congress and AAP will form an alliance for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections? Gourav Vallabh: By-elections were held in Uttar Pradesh... the SP said we do not want to form an alliance with Congress. When the elections were held in Haryana, Congress said they did not want to form an alliance. In Punjab by-elections, the AAP said they do not want to form an alliance, so this is not an alliance, this INDIA bloc's attempt to fool the people. On one hand, there is a party, whose leaders, from the Chief Minister to the Health Minister, all ended up in jail because of the liquor scam and on the other hand, there is a good, double-engine governance of the BJP. Just like in Maharashtra, the BJP will form a government with an overwhelming majority. IANS: What do you think is the reason that no other party is willing to form an alliance with such a grand party like Congress, which has ruled the nation for several years? Gourav Vallabh: Few parties formed an alliance with the Congress, be it Shiv Sena-UBT, the NCP-Sharad Pawar, or Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). In Jharkhand, Congress only got a few seats because of JMM, otherwise, there would not have been a trace of it there. Similarly, look at the result of Uddhav Thackeray aligning with Congress; he joined a party that Balasaheb Thackeray once warned against. Congress does not have policies, intentions or leadership. In the name of leadership, they have a brother, sister, mother, brother-in-law, niece, nephew, etc. There cannot be a bigger example of dynastic politics other than this. They do not have proper policies, but that of dividing the people based on caste and show the people the Constitution, asking them to follow and respect it but never do it themselves. They have such intentions that when rape was committed in Kolkata, none of their leaders went there. If they had gone there, Mamata Didi would have been upset, and the few remaining partners of the INDIA bloc would also have lost. However, if it had happened in any other state, they would have thronged there. This is why the people do not want to vote for them, and the parties do not want an alliance with them. This happened in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and will happen in Delhi also. Congress is in its winding-up stage. IANS: When there was talk of determining responsibility for election defeat, Rahul Gandhi asked Mallikarjun Kharge to "take action" considering the bad results. What do you have to say about this? Gourav Vallabh: On one hand, Congress claims there is a problem with EVMs, and yet, in the CWC meeting yesterday, they admitted that the people of the country are not voting for them. Congress should first tell whether EVM is fine or not. If EVM is faulty, then why did it not malfunction in Wayanad? It is fine in Ranchi, but it is faulty in Mumbai. There is no problem in any fault in EVM but in the leadership and policies of Congress. The party has taken up the role of becoming the spokesperson of those who try to halt the development of the country. The party has become a brand ambassador for those who talk against the nation. Congress is in a confused state of mind. IANS: A Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation was scheduled to visit Sambhal, however, they were stopped from doing so. What is your take on this? Gourav Vallabh: SP leaders should not go to Sambhal. They did not want to make any arrangements for peace. They would have added fuel to the fire. They would have made several statements there and turned different groups against each other. This is because the INDIA bloc only has one strategy -- divide and rule. This is why the police stopped them, to stop violence from escalating. IANS: The BJP has released an audio clip of AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, claiming that the leader has connections with gangsters and resorts to them for extorting money from people. What do you have to say about this? Gourav Vallabh: Look, a video is everywhere on social media; there is an audio tape of Naresh Balyan, MLA of the party, having a love for liquor (AAP), that how he is extorting weekly money from a builder, that audio tape has gone viral everywhere. Will Atishi expel this MLA from the party? Can Atishi remove the former CM, who has gone to jail in a liquor policy scam, from the Daru Premi Party? She cannot because she is the CM only in name; the powers are still practised by Arvind Kejriwal only. This is not why Delhi elected this government, and people are noticing this closely. Just as the Communist Party got wiped from most parts of India, this Daru Premi Party will have the same fate. IANS: Minorities in Bangladesh are being attacked again. What do you have to say about this? Gourav Vallabh: It is very unfortunate that any kind of attack is happening here in our neighbouring country on the basis of religion. There cannot be a more unfortunate incident than this. The Government of India and the people of India have expressed their concern about this. In the coming times, India will not tolerate the way Hindus are being attacked. And remember, whatever government is there in Bangladesh, I want to tell them that there is no Congress government here that you can attack Hindus, and they will sit silently; this is the Modi government, which will not tolerate any kind of atrocities against the Hindus. New York, Nov 30 : The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close on Saturday, bringing to an end a season that saw 11 hurricanes compared to the average seven, and death and destruction hundreds of miles from where storms came ashore on the US Gulf Coast, local media reported. Meteorologists called it a "crazy busy" season due in part to unusually warm ocean temperatures. Eight hurricanes made landfall in the United States, Bermuda, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Grenada, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting The Associated Press. In September, Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage across the southeastern US and was the deadliest storm to hit the US mainland since Katrina in 2005. More than 200 people died. North Carolina estimates the storm caused at least $48.8 billion in direct or indirect damage, with houses, drinking water systems and farms and forests destroyed. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia also sustained extensive damage. "In October, Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified, and the storm's maximum wind speeds hit a screaming 180 mph, making it one of the strongest hurricanes by wind speed ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico. The only one stronger by that measure was Hurricane Rita in 2005," said the report. The areas where Helene and Milton struck saw as much as three times their usual rainfall for September and October, the heart of the Atlantic hurricane season. For Asheville, Tampa and Orlando, the two-month period was the wettest on record, it added. By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's consumer watchdog has cleared Chinese EV maker BYD of wrongdoing over its discount practices that have prompted complaints from BYD owners and a subsequent probe by the agency, two sources familiar with the matter said. The government in July launched a probe into BYD's local distributor, Rever Automotive, after a complaint alleged they had asserted vehicle prices would rise after a discount campaign ended, but instead they cut prices further soon after -- by as much as 340,000 baht ($9,000). BYD holds a 20% stake in Rever. Such practices had misled consumers and left many feeling short-changed, buyers had said in their complaint. The probe by the Consumer Protection Board concluded that BYD's discounting did not violate advertising law, said one of the sources who has direct knowledge of the matter. "The price cuts announced coincided with actual discounts," the person said. The sources declined to be named because the information is not public yet. The Consumer Protection Board did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. The board, however, fined its local distributor Rever Automotive and one of its executives a total of 120,000 baht for a separate infraction of not disclosing the prices of giveaways, senior board official, Thitinan Singha, told Reuters. Rever and BYD did not respond to requests for comment. A customer backlash against its vehicles in Thailand, one of BYD's biggest overseas markets, comes as the auto sector is grappling with a sharp decline in consumer demand for vehicles there due to rising household debt. On Thursday, BYD announced another price reduction of its Atto 3 and Seal models by as much as 400,000 baht ($11,700). In China, BYD has asked its suppliers to cut their prices, a local media reported, in a sign that a brutal price war is set to escalate in the world's largest auto market. Most Thai customers want to be compensated with the difference from the discounted price, said senior agency official Passakorn Thapmongkol. Nuntipak Tarnvimonkarn, who bought a BYD vehicle in 2022 that has seen its sale price drop by over 400,000 baht, said that he and about ten others were planning further legal action. In an attempt to appease disgruntled owners, BYD has offered a 50,000 baht cash-back programme for new vehicle purchases and free use of its charging stations. ($1 = 34.2700 baht) (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng, Editing by Devjyot Ghoshal and Daren Butler) Ottawa, Nov 30 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said incoming US President Donald Trump's threats on tariffs should be taken seriously. "One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out," Trudeau was quoted as saying on a visit to Prince Edward Island. "There's no question about it," he said, Xinhua news agency reported. "He would be actually not just be harming Canadians, he'd actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses," Trudeau added. According to the report, the Prime Minister said that Canada can take the same approach to working with Trump as it did during his first term as President. Trudeau on Wednesday night held a virtual meeting with all 13 premiers of the country to discuss Trump's tariff threat. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland called on the premiers to make use of all of their contacts, channels, and abilities to relay important information and messages to Americans and people of influence. They agreed to continue working closely together to advocate for Canada's interests and the deep economic ties that drive prosperity on both sides of the border, across all sectors of the economy. Trump vowed on Monday to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico as soon as he takes office, saying that he will keep them in place until both countries crack down on drugs and immigrants entering the United States illegally from their territories. For the first nine months of this year, Canada exported more than $300 billion in goods to the United States, according to Statistics Canada. Guwahati, Nov 30 : Dhubri Congress MP Rakibul Hussain on Saturday accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of using the administrative machinery for "vote-rigging" in the Samaguri Assembly by-election. Talking to reporters here, Hussain said: "We have not lost in Samaguri. CM Sarma used the administrative machinery to capture booths and conducted extensive rigging in different places." The Congress MP further said: "Chief Minister Sarma now desires to get a section of religious minority votes in the 2026 Assembly polls, and this tendency might lead to BJP's loss." "I remember once the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) went for Muslim votes ignoring their traditional vote bank. This caused the ousting of AGP from power in the polls," he said. Five Assembly seats in Assam - Dholai, Behali, Samaguri, Bongaigaon and Sidli went to bypolls as the legislators in these seats were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections this year. Except for Samaguri, other four constituencies were held by BJP and its allies - Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL). The BJP has retained two constituencies - Dholai and Behali with Nihar Ranjan Das and Diganta Ghatowal comfortably winning these two constituencies in the by-election. The ruling party breached Congress bastion in Samaguri with the win of Diplu Ranjan Sarmah here. The AGP also won the Bongaigaon seat by a margin of 35,164 votes. Diptimayee Choudhury won here on AGPas ticket. Her husband and now a Lok Sabha MP from Barpeta - Phanibhusan Choudhury was a six-time MLA from Bongaigaon seat. Another ally of the BJP, UPPL also won the by-election in the Sidli Assembly constituency defeating his nearest candidate by a difference of 37,016 votes. Congress drew a blank in the bypolls despite contesting all five seats that went to by-elections. The opposition party lost its bastion in the Samaguri Assembly constituency as Rakibul Hussain's son Tanzil Hussain conceded defeat to BJP's Diplu Ranjan Sarmah. Rakibul Hussain has been representing Samaguri in the Assembly since 2001 and he vacated this seat after winning Lok Sabha polls this year. Patna, Nov 30 : Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, an Independent MP from Purnea Lok Sabha constituency, received another life threat, allegedly from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, on Saturday. The threat was reportedly conveyed via a WhatsApp message, claiming to kill Yadav within 24 hours. This development has left the Purnea MP and his supporters in shock. The sender of the message has asked Yadav to enjoy the last day of his life. In light of the threats to his life, a close friend recently gifted Yadav a bulletproof car to enhance his security. The threats seem to stem from Yadav's outspoken nature and his bold stance against organised crime, particularly the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Yadav had previously posted on social media, expressing his determination to dismantle the Lawrence Bishnoi gang's network within 24 hours if permitted by law. This statement appears to have made him a target for retaliation. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, known for its involvement in high-profile crimes, recently took responsibility for the murder of Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddiqui in Mumbai. Now, Pappu Yadav's vocal criticism of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang's activities seems to have escalated the situation, leading to continuous threats. This marks more than 20 such threats he has received so far. The latest message came from someone claiming to be a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, warning that his henchmen had reached near Yadav and they would kill him within 24 hours. In response to the escalating threats, Pappu Yadav has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting heightened security measures to safeguard his life. He has also written letters to the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to provide him security. However, neither the Centre nor the Bihar government has increased Yadav's security so far. However, authorities are expected to review his request and provide necessary security arrangements. The ongoing threats underscore the urgent need for law enforcement to address such criminal intimidation effectively. The situation has also caused personal turmoil, as his wife and Congress MP Ranjit Ranjan, had publicly distanced herself, stating, "I have nothing to do with Pappu Yadav." Bhopal, Nov 30 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav returned to India after completing his six-day UK and Germany tour on Saturday. A group of BJP leaders received him at IGI Airport in New Delhi. "Today, on returning from a foreign trip, I was given a warm welcome by party workers and colleagues at the Madhya Pradesh Bhawan in Delhi," CM Yadav said in a post on X. After reaching Bhopal, he will address the press and share his experience about his first foreign visit as Chief Minister. Upon returning to New Delhi on Friday, Yadav said his government is committed to taking Madhya Pradesh to new heights by utilising maximum support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Our aim is to work effectively and empower women, farmers, poor and youth in all these areas by giving priority to them so that the state can develop holistically. With this resolution, our foreign trip concluded with positivity," he added. Addressing the press on the last day of his industrial sponsorship-related trip in Munich, Germany on Friday, MP CM stated that his visits to the UK (United Kingdom) and Germany were not only fruitful but also offered him opportunities to understand and learn. "The aim of the visit was to create employment opportunities for the state's youth, promote industrialisation, and establish Madhya Pradesh as a strong economic power both within the country and globally," he had stated. He also informed that Germany has presented many proposals that offer Madhya Pradesh the opportunity to move forward with the belief that the state can use its traditional strengths along with the latest technologies. "It is significant for us that we have received positive feedback from Germany in sectors like agriculture, artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, education, new technology, and heavy industries," he added. He stated that his government will leave no stone unturned in taking steps to implement the technological advancements and innovations occurring in industries in the UK and Germany. "We made the best use of our time. After the visit to Germany and the UK, I can say that this trip is opening new doors of opportunity for our tech-savvy, energetic, and talented youth," Yadav added. Mumbai, Nov 30 : With MahaYuti partners yet to arrive at a consensus on the formula for Cabinet berths and allocation of ministries, the BJP on Saturday snubbed Shiv Sena, saying that the government formation talks are not held based on media reports or by making statements before electronic media. The BJP has expressed displeasure over the statements made by Shiv Sena leaders regarding allocation of the Home portfolio to the party and especially to Eknath Shinde if he decides to join the government as the deputy chief minister. "No government formation talks are held based on media reports or such discussions are not held by making statements in front of the electronic media. Whatever decisions will have to be taken, they will be made by the Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. "These three leaders will sit together and discuss and make decisions. After that, the BJP's central leadership will approve that decision. It's a very simple thing. I said something to the media or someone else said something, or a byte given to the media does not lead to discussions of government formation. The government is not formed in this manner," Maharashtra unit BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said: "Devendra Fadnavis was the deputy chief minister in the previous government, and in-charge of the home department. Now, the BJP is going to have the post of Chief Minister and if Shiv Sena is going to get the post of Deputy Chief Minister, then the party should also get the post of Home Minister." He, however, denied reports which suggested that Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is not happy with the BJP over the allocation of the Chief Ministerial post and the Home portfolio. Shirsat's statement came days after the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP after their meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, arrived at a consensus for Devendra Fadnavis to be the Chief Minister of the new MahaYuti government. This was after Shiv Sena supremo Eknath Shinde declared that he will not become a hurdle or a speed breaker but will abide by the Prime Minister Narendra Modias decision on the chief ministerial position. Meanwhile, Bawankule's fresh statement also assumes importance as the Shiv Sena is making a strong pitch for departments including Home, Urban Development, Education, Cultural Affairs, Water Supply, Health, Transport, etc. However, the BJP has dropped hints to Shiv Sena that it will not leave the home department but it is ready for talks on the allocation of other departments. Interestingly, the BJP, with 132 members in the 288-member state Assembly, is keen to hold key departments including home, revenue, energy, housing, rural development, water resources, forest, OBC welfare, tourism and general administration. On the other hand, the NCP is in favour of allocation of departments including planning and finance, cooperation, women and child welfare, food and civil supply, minority affairs, medical education and tribal development. Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were to meet on Friday to discuss various issues relating to the formula for Cabinet berths, allocation of ministries and district guardian ministers and sharing of the post of chairman and members of the various government companies and undertakings. However, the meeting was cancelled after Shinde left for his native village, Dare, in Satara district. MahaYuti sources said that the talks may take place on Monday. The BJP is expected to convene a meeting of its legislators to elect its legislature party group leader in the presence of central party observers. Thereafter, BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP will jointly stake a claim with Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan for the formation of a government in the state. Meanwhile, Shirsat said that Shinde goes to Dare whenever "he has to take a big decision". "However, the caretaker Chief Minister has clearly stated in the press conference that he will not create any obstacle in the formation of the government and Shiv Sena will abide by the decision taken by the BJP leaders,aa he said. Shirsat has rebuked the Opposition's charge that there is no government as the MahaYuti partners, despite landslide victory are unable to seal a deal on the government formation. "It seems the opposition has no idea that Eknath Shinde is a caretaker chief minister. The government is working in its own way," he said. New Delhi, Nov 30 : BJP spokesperson Gourav Vallabh on Saturday took aim at Congress over its Maharashtra MLC Bhai Jagtap's "dog" remarks against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and said that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi "does not have faith in the Constitution" otherwise the MLC would have been expelled for using such language against the constitutional bodies. Launching a scathing attack on Congress, he said that the party is in its "winding-up stage," and that is why "no one wants to form an alliance with it." In an interview with IANS, Gourav Vallabh also talked about the Sambhal incident, the Delhi Assembly elections, AAP MLA Naresh Balyan's alleged extortion audio clip and attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. Following are the excerpts from the interview: IANS: Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap has called the Election Commission a "dog" of PM Modi. How do you see this? Gourav Vallabh: Congress leader (Rahul Gandhi), who has a childish mindset, keeps the Constitution book in his hands. In the Constitution book, the Election Commission of India is written as an independent and impartial body, while its leaders are using abusive language for it. This means that Rahul Gandhi does not have faith in the Constitution because if it was there, then a person who is using the word 'dog' for the Election Commission would have been expelled right now. However, Rahul Gandhi does not believe in the Constitution. I think their only belief is to create obstacles in the development of India and talk like brand ambassadors of those who speak against India. IANS: Do you think Congress and AAP will form an alliance for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections? Gourav Vallabh: By-elections were held in Uttar Pradesh... the SP said we do not want to form an alliance with Congress. When the elections were held in Haryana, Congress said they did not want to form an alliance. In Punjab by-elections, the AAP said they do not want to form an alliance, so this is not an alliance, this INDIA bloc's attempt to fool the people. On one hand, there is a party, whose leaders, from the Chief Minister to the Health Minister, all ended up in jail because of the liquor scam and on the other hand, there is a good, double-engine governance of the BJP. Just like in Maharashtra, the BJP will form a government with an overwhelming majority. IANS: What do you think is the reason that no other party is willing to form an alliance with such a grand party like Congress, which has ruled the nation for several years? Gourav Vallabh: Few parties formed an alliance with the Congress, be it Shiv Sena-UBT, the NCP-Sharad Pawar, or Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). In Jharkhand, Congress only got a few seats because of JMM, otherwise, there would not have been a trace of it there. Similarly, look at the result of Uddhav Thackeray aligning with Congress; he joined a party that Balasaheb Thackeray once warned against. Congress does not have policies, intentions or leadership. In the name of leadership, they have a brother, sister, mother, brother-in-law, niece, nephew, etc. There cannot be a bigger example of dynastic politics other than this. They do not have proper policies, but that of dividing the people based on caste and show the people the Constitution, asking them to follow and respect it but never do it themselves. They have such intentions that when rape was committed in Kolkata, none of their leaders went there. If they had gone there, Mamata Didi would have been upset, and the few remaining partners of the INDIA bloc would also have lost. However, if it had happened in any other state, they would have thronged there. This is why the people do not want to vote for them, and the parties do not want an alliance with them. This happened in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and will happen in Delhi also. Congress is in its winding-up stage. IANS: When there was talk of determining responsibility for election defeat, Rahul Gandhi asked Mallikarjun Kharge to "take action" considering the bad results. What do you have to say about this? Gourav Vallabh: On one hand, Congress claims there is a problem with EVMs, and yet, in the CWC meeting yesterday, they admitted that the people of the country are not voting for them. Congress should first tell whether EVM is fine or not. If EVM is faulty, then why did it not malfunction in Wayanad? It is fine in Ranchi, but it is faulty in Mumbai. There is no problem in any fault in EVM but in the leadership and policies of Congress. The party has taken up the role of becoming the spokesperson of those who try to halt the development of the country. The party has become a brand ambassador for those who talk against the nation. Congress is in a confused state of mind. IANS: A Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation was scheduled to visit Sambhal, however, they were stopped from doing so. What is your take on this? Gourav Vallabh: SP leaders should not go to Sambhal. They did not want to make any arrangements for peace. They would have added fuel to the fire. They would have made several statements there and turned different groups against each other. This is because the INDIA bloc only has one strategy -- divide and rule. This is why the police stopped them, to stop violence from escalating. IANS: The BJP has released an audio clip of AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, claiming that the leader has connections with gangsters and resorts to them for extorting money from people. What do you have to say about this? Gourav Vallabh: Look, a video is everywhere on social media; there is an audio tape of Naresh Balyan, MLA of the party, having a love for liquor (AAP), that how he is extorting weekly money from a builder, that audio tape has gone viral everywhere. Will Atishi expel this MLA from the party? Can Atishi remove the former CM, who has gone to jail in a liquor policy scam, from the Daru Premi Party? She cannot because she is the CM only in name; the powers are still practised by Arvind Kejriwal only. This is not why Delhi elected this government, and people are noticing this closely. Just as the Communist Party got wiped from most parts of India, this Daru Premi Party will have the same fate. IANS: Minorities in Bangladesh are being attacked again. What do you have to say about this? Gourav Vallabh: It is very unfortunate that any kind of attack is happening here in our neighbouring country on the basis of religion. There cannot be a more unfortunate incident than this. The Government of India and the people of India have expressed their concern about this. In the coming times, India will not tolerate the way Hindus are being attacked. And remember, whatever government is there in Bangladesh, I want to tell them that there is no Congress government here that you can attack Hindus, and they will sit silently; this is the Modi government, which will not tolerate any kind of atrocities against the Hindus. New Delhi, Nov 30 : While over 2.5 million people are living with HIV in India, the country has made notable progress, and outperformed the global reduction rate, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday, ahead of World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day has been observed annually on December 1 since 1988, to raise awareness about HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) /AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and to fight the stigma attached to the disease. According to the India HIV Estimations 2023 report, more than 2.5 million people are living with HIV in India. However, the country has seen a 44 per cent reduction since 2010 -- with adult HIV prevalence recorded at 0.2 per cent and annual new HIV infections estimated at 66,400, the ministry said. "India has outperformed the global reduction rate of 39 per cent, demonstrating the success of sustained interventions. The availability of free high-quality lifelong treatment for over 16.06 lakh people living with HIV (PLHIV) through 725 ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) centers (as of June 2023) and 12.30 lakh viral load tests conducted between 20222023 reflect India's commitment to ensuring care for affected populations," the ministry said. "World AIDS Day 2024 serves as a reminder of the work that remains to be done to eliminate HIV/AIDS. Through the NACP Phase-V and its rights-based approach, India has made significant progress in prevention, treatment, and care," it added. The National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP) was launched in 1992 to tackle the disease in the country. The Global AIDS Update 2023 released by The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), also acknowledged the significant strides made by India in combating HIV/AIDS. It also lauded India for "robust legal framework and financial investments which led to a decline in new HIV cases in India". These have also facilitated the country's progress toward the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, said the report, while acknowledging India "for strengthening laws to protect the rights of vulnerable populations". The theme this year "Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!" encapsulates the collective mission to foster inclusivity, uphold human rights, and ensure equitable healthcare access. The ministry noted the importance of collaboration, the need to address structural challenges, and scaling up successful interventions, to lead the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Udupi, : Nov 30 (IANS) Days after a top wanted ultra Vikram Gowda was gunned down in an encounter in Karnataka's Udupi district, state Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on Saturday called for "Naxalism" (Maoism) should be uprooted completely. Addressing reporters in Udupi, Hebbalkar, who is also the district in charge, said that it has been the policy of the Central and state governments to eradicate Maoism. Amid discussions in favour and in opposition of encounters carried out by security forces, the minister said that in the recent encounter with Gowda, police had taken action within the framework of law. "It is the decision of the government to contain and tame Naxalism. The encounter had taken place during the combing operation. Maoist Vikram Gowda possessed weapons and he had fired on the security forces. If the police would not have fired on him, security personnel would have lost their lives," she said. The government has carried out its duties within the legal framework, Hebbalkar maintained. "We are ready to issue clarification to those who are still suspicious. There is a demand for a judicial probe. It is the discretion of the government, whether to hand over the case of the encounter of Vikram Gowda to a judicial probe," she said, adding that she will discuss the issue with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G. Parameshwara. Karnataka Police had killed one of the most wanted Maoist leaders of south India, Vikram Gowda, in an encounter in the Kabbinale forest region in Udupi district on November 18. Police forces had been keeping a vigil on Gowda, collected credible inputs about his movement, and finally launched the operation. He was being hunted for the last 20 years and though police spotted him several times and launched operations, he had always escaped. However, his three associates, who were with him managed to escape and security forces are continuing combing operations in the region. Home Minister Parameshwara had noted that the state government in its attempt had brought many Maoists to the mainstream in the Pavagada region of Tumakuru district earlier through dialogue. "These mainstreaming attempts are continuing currently as well. The state government will allow Naxals who want to surrender their weapons to lead normal lives. This process will go on. However, these incidents will occur naturally, when they try to flee the police in the forest region," he had said after the Gowda encounter. Mumbai, Nov 30 : Antonio Bartoli, Ambassador of Italy to India, on Saturday, called for respect for Hindus and all minorities in Bangladesh, joining a global outcry over recent attacks on these communities by extremist elements in the South Asian country. "Italy has always been for the full respect for all religions, especially the minorities," Bartoli told IANS. "We have always been working for the stability of this region, so, of course, we hope these can be settled," he said. The Italian diplomat's comments come at a time when India has been urging the interim Bangladesh government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities. New Delhi has asserted that it remains concerned with the increasing extremist rhetoric and incidents of violence in the country. "India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. Our position on the matter is very clear. The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the weekly media briefing. The MEA's strong reaction coincided with Bangladesh's Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) ordering a freeze on bank accounts belonging to 17 Hindus, including jailed Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, for 30 days. Das, a spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on November 25 and sent to jail by a Chittagong court a day later on charges of sedition. Hindus all over the world have been shocked by the latest incident that follows multiple attacks on the community and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. "We are concerned about the surge in extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence, and provocations. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggerations. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of all minorities," the MEA Spokesperson said on Friday. Mumbai, Nov 30 : Suspense is now over as the swearing-in of the 31st Maharashtra Chief Minister will be held on December 5 at 1 p.m. at the historic Azad Maidan near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai, BJP MLA from Colaba constituency and Speaker of the 14th state Assembly Rahul Narwekar said on Saturday. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be a major event as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, several central ministers, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states as well as its allies, are expected to attend it. Although BJP has yet to elect Devendra Fadnavis as the legislature party group leader formally, the party sources hinted that Fadnavis will take oath as the chief minister for the third time. Fadnavis had headed the BJP-led government between 2014 and 2019 and he later became chief minister with Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister for 80 hours as the government was not formed after Ajit Pawar resigned. BJP sources have ruled out the names of Union Minister Muralidhar Mohol, Chandrakant Patil, and Vinod Tawde as the chief ministeras candidates reiterating that Fadnavis will be the partyas natural choice. Narvekaras disclosure is important when BJP has yet to hold its legislatoras meeting to elect the legislature party group leader. BJP sources said that the meeting may take place on Monday in the presence of central party observers. After the legislators formally elect Fadnavis as their leader, he along with Shiv Sena and NCP will stake claim to the government formation with the state Governor CP Radhakrishnan. State Assembly elections were held on November 20 and results were announced on November 23 in which the MahaYuti got a landslide victory while the Maha Vikas Aghadi faced complete rout. BJP emerged as the single largest party winning a record 132 seats, Shiv Sena 57 and NCP 41. Although MahaYuti contested the recently held Assembly election under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the BJP has already indicated that it is not ready to leave the CMas post to Shinde but it is a natural claimant. BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP have yet to complete talks with regard to the allocation of cabinet berths, and ministerial posts. However, the MahaYuti sources said that it will be done on Monday or Tuesday. Meanwhile, state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday held an online meeting with newly elected MLAs in which he asked them about dos and donats to be followed after the formation of the government. He has asked the legislators that BJP office-bearers from all 36 districts will attend the oath-taking ceremony. In a related development, a core committee of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh took place at Nagpur on Saturday against the backdrop of a swearing-in ceremony slated for December 5. RSS and its affiliated organisations played a major role in mobilising voters in support of the BJP in the state Assembly elections. Malappuram : , Nov 30 (IANS) Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who arrived in Wayanad on Saturday for the first time after winning her first Lok Sabha poll from the Kerala constituency, said this is just the beginning and she would always be with its people, who gave her lots of love and affection. At all four places she visited, she was received by a massive crowd which has now become a regular thing, each time she has visited the constituency, right from the time she filed her nomination. At her last public reception of the day, which began with her roadshow at Edavanna, she began her address by saying that she wants to thank all from the deepest part of her heart for the love and affection that they have given her. "I have come here for two days just to go around my constituency to say thanks to all of you. No matter how many times I say thank you, I know itas not enough. You stood with my brother at his most difficult time. You gave him support and comfort. So I thank him also for trusting me and choosing me to stand here. He respects all of you deeply," Priyanka Gandhi said. "In the fight to protect our Constitution, the people of Wayanad have stood for whatas right. You have raised your voice again and again for the truth and I am proud and honoured to be your representative," she added. "I will prove to you how an MP should work for the people and I know I am going to work hard to raise your voice in parliament and at all venues. Because of the love you have given me, I will never waver on my path forward," the Congress leader stressed. "We begin this journey together, itas a journey filled with love from both sides. I have met lots of people, children, young and old and students. This is just the beginning I want to meet all of you come to your homes find out your problems and find a solution to your problems," she said. Her programme is planned in such a way that she will address a meeting at seven centres, one each in every Assembly segment of the constituency that spans the Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Wayanad districts. On Saturday, she finished going around the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts and on Sunday she will address meetings at the Wayanad, Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavady Assembly constituencies and then return to Delhi. She is being accompanied by her brother and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi who also addressed the meetings. Earlier in the day soon after arriving at the Kozhikode airport, Priyanka Gandhi told the media that she was happy to be back. "I am really happy to be back and am ready to start work for the people of Wayanad to help them to have a better life," she said. Priyanka Gandhi clinched her electoral victory in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a commanding margin of 4,10,931 votes. Incidentally, she bettered the victory margin of 3.60 lakh votes of her brother Rahul Gandhi, which he got in the April Lok Sabha polls, but fell short of his margin of 4.30 lakh votes which he won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The bypoll was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat earlier this year to retain the family's UP pocket borough of Rae Bareli. During the campaign, the primary question revolved around whether Priyanka Gandhi could surpass her brotheras record-breaking margin. Priyanka Gandhias victory marks a significant moment in her political journey, coming nearly 20 years after she first campaigned for her mother, Sonia Gandhi, in Rae Bareli and her brother in Amethi during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Her debut as an elected representative is seen as a pivotal step in solidifying the Congressa presence in Kerala and revitalising the partyas fortunes at the national level. Shimla, Nov 30 : The Shimla District Court has upheld the Municipal Court's order to demolish three floors of the Sanjauli mosque and dismissed a petition filed by the mosque committee seeking to review the decision. "Our petition has been dismissed. We argued that those who represented the mosque committee in court had no authority to do so, but the court rejected our plea. We will study the full judgment after we get it and then proceed further," Vishwa Bhushan, an advocate for the Muslim side, said. Jagat Pal, a lawyer representing the Sanjauli residents, welcomed the decision. "Their appeal had no locus standi. The Municipal Courtas order to demolish three floors of the Sanjauli mosque stands. One floor has already been demolished, and the remaining two floors will be dismantled soon," he added. However, Mohammad Latif, the mosque committee chief, expressed concerns about the demolition timeline. "We have petitioned the Municipal Court to extend the deadline for dismantling the remaining two floors due to a labour shortage. The High Court has set November 20 as the final date to complete the process, but the weather is poor. How can we do it in the given time frame?" he said. The controversy revolves around the mosqueas unauthorised expansion. Originally a single-story structure, the mosque grew into a five-story building by 2018 without requisite approvals. Local residents objected, leading the Shimla Municipal Corporation to issue its first demolition notice in 2011. The Municipal Court finally ordered the demolition of illegal three floors on October 5, 2024. The issue gained prominence when Hindu organisations protested, demanding action against other allegedly illegal mosques in Himachal Pradesh. The matter was raised in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly also, where Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh voiced support for the demolition. The Sanjauli mosque dispute escalated following an incident in Shimla's Malyana area, where a Hindu man was allegedly assaulted by six individuals who reportedly sought refuge in the mosque. This sparked protests from Hindu groups, who demanded the mosque's demolition on the grounds that it was illegally constructed. With one floor already dismantled, the legal battle continues, as the mosque committee seeks more time to comply with the courtas order. Canberra, Nov 30 : The Australian government has announced humanitarian assistance to support the Philippines' recovery from a devastating series of tropical storms. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy on Saturday committed five million Australian dollars ($3.2 million) in funding for humanitarian assistance for the Philippines, Xinhua news agency reported. The Philippines was hit by six tropical storms in a one-month span between October and November, killing hundreds of people and causing widespread displacement and damage. Australia's assistance will be delivered through humanitarian partners including the United Nations, NGOs and local organisations. Wong and Conroy said that the government's partners will work with local authorities to support those most in need with shelter, food security, health services and water sanitation and hygiene. Kolkata, Nov 30 : Four illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators were arrested from Mazdia under Krishnaganj Police Station in Nadia district in West Bengal on Saturday. The four illegal immigrants arrested have been identified as Sumi Akhtar, Iman Biswas, Shankar Biswas and Rupkumar Biswas. Sources from the state police said that although the accused were residents of four different locations in Bangladesh, they illegally crossed the porous borders in the district and started residing at a local house at Majdia faking them as Indian citizens. Based on information from their sources, the cops of Krishnaganj Police Station raided the residence on Saturday morning and nabbed the four illegal Bangladeshi residents. Later in the day, all were presented to a district court in Nadia which remanded them to police custody. Sources said that the cops are currently interrogating them to find out their real purposes for illegally crossing over to India and staying at the local place. The cops are also trying to get an idea of their local associates who helped them to come to India and stay there. They have been booked under various sections of the Foreigneras Act. In a similar case, the cops of Park Street station in Kolkata on Saturday arrested a Bangladeshi citizen Selim Matabbar aka Safiq Sardar who had been residing in Kolkata and working at a local hotel in the city with a fake Indian passport. The accused had close connections with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) when he was there. West Bengal BJP President and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said that under Mamata Banerjee's leadership, West Bengal has become a "haven" for illegal infiltrators, driven by her appeasement politics. "Neighbouring country's citizens infiltrate India effortlessly, securing IDs, while her government obstructs central efforts to establish Border Outposts (BOPs) and openly criticises the BSF. Does the Chief Minister intend to shield these infiltrators? After witnessing Bangladesh's plight, will she still refuse to act? She owes the nation an explanation," he added. New Delhi, Nov 30 : Hashtag Melodi is viral as it corresponds to a widespread sentiment and reflects the unprecedented intensity in bilateral relations between India and Italy, said Antonio Bartoli, Ambassador of Italy to India, on Saturday. "Everywhere I go, I have been told Oh Melodi. I have been told by taxi drivers and hotel concierges. It has become so deep-rooted," Bartoli told IANS. A brainchild of the Italian PM, hashtag Melodi was formed by combining the surnames of both Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Indian PM Narendra Modi. The hashtag broke the internet with over 1,280 million impressions on X over three days last year. Talking about the popularity of the Hashtag Melodi, the Ambassador said, "It has become so rooted because we are very similar in values, we are two democracies, and we give a lot of importance to family, friends, and food." Highlighting the growing relations between India and Italy, the Ambassador said, "India is on top of the agenda in discussions in Italy among companies, academia and think tanks." Reflecting on the India-Italian relations, the Ambassador said the relations between the two countries are the best "we could have" as we have a "strategic partnership" and the two Prime Ministers signed a joint action plan to give projects to the partnership, covering all the sectors including defence, space, connectivity, tourism, digital and energy transmission and people-to-people. "It is an unprecedented season in our bilateral relationship and it is thanks to the inputs the two Prime Ministers are giving," said Bartoli. "The two Prime Ministers have met five times in just two years, which speaks volumes about the chemistry between the two leaders," he said. He highlighted that there are many complementarities that have added to the chemistry between the countries. The Ambassador also hailed as historic and emotional the arrival of the Italian Navy's 92-year-old training ship Amerigo Vespucci in Mumbai. He also visited the training vessel docked at Mumbai port. The ship was open to the local public for a day. This is the third port call in India by an Italian Navy vessel in 18 months, reflecting the importance Italy gives to the Indo-Pacific region. Kolkata, Nov 30 : A day after Home Minister Amit Shah called for increased vigilance along the country's eastern border to prevent infiltration, a section of senior Border Security Force (BSF) officials said that unfenced portions of the border with Bangladesh and zero-line villages are a major hindrance in effective border management. There has been lack of initiative on the part of the government of West Bengal in relocating zero-line villages, despite offers of compensation from the Centre. "West Bengal has a lion's share of the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB). Of the total length of 4,096.7 km, West Bengal's share is 2,216.7 km. Of this, only about 81 per cent has been fenced. While it is difficult to fence the riverine portions of the border, the existence of zero-line villages is hindering fencing in most places. In West Bengal, there are nearly 360 zero-line villages with a population of over 70,000 people. Most of these villages are in the districts of Malda, Murshidabad and Cooch Behar," one of the officials said. Under a 1975 agreement with Bangladesh, fencing is allowed 150 yards behind the zero-line (the actual border). While some smaller Indian villages were fenced off and left in the 150 yards patch, the fence could not run through larger settlements. These are the villages that have now turned into a major problem as adequate troops have to be deployed on the zero-line to prevent cross-border movement, particularly after dark. "There can't be any permanent structures along the zero-line, as per the agreement, hence the BSF has to rely on patrolling. There is hardly any support from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) when it comes to the prevention of cross-border movement. As a result, infiltrators do manage to sneak into these villages, with the support of touts, and then move further inside the Indian hinterland," another official said. A West Bengal government official in Malda said that several attempts have been made to relocate such villages, but there has been strong opposition from residents. The villagers have apparently said that they do not wish to vacate their ancestral property or leave behind fertile land, even after being offered adequate compensation. "We realise that some of these villagers are involved in cross-border crimes and earn quite a lot through such activities. But, we can't evict people forcibly," the state government official said. Another BSF official said that it is far easier to manage the riverine stretches of the IBB than the zero-line villages. Despite orders against doing so, the villagers intentionally plant tall crops and have dense banana plantations close to the zero-line to enable smuggling and the movement of infiltrators. "This problem can't be solved unless the Central and state governments sit together and arrive at a decision to tackle the situation. With the goings-on in Bangladesh, infiltration is bound to increase. Strong measures need to be taken," he said. Bengaluru, Nov 30 : Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, on Saturday demanded action against Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao over the deaths of pregnant women and children, stating that the health department in the state was not functioning properly. Speaking to the media in New Delhi, she said, "In central Karnataka alone, from January onwards, there have been reports of 111 newborn deaths. In the same region, 27 mothers who underwent C-sections have also died. What is the government doing?" she asked. "Corruption, nepotism, negligence, and arrogance in the health department have resulted in the deaths of women and children in our state." She pointed out that the Lokayukta visited hospitals and reprimanded the Congress-led state government, while multiple expert teams have reported that hospitals are not functioning properly. "The situation has become so dire that people visiting hospitals fear they may not return alive," she said, adding that deaths occurring in hospitals have put Karnataka in a state of worry. The government is suppressing the maternal mortality rate in maternity hospitals, she alleged. "On one hand, we have maternal deaths, and on the other hand, newborn deaths," she added. "In Ballary, there have been five deaths. Women who underwent C-sections died due to the glucose administered to them. Reports by teams from Rajiv Gandhi University and other doctors confirm this," she said. "Despite being warned against supplying this glucose, it was still provided. Meanwhile, Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil talks about shutting down Central government-run Jan Aushadhi Kendras located in front of our hospitals. What are they trying to do? Are they planning to start some new business? Are they attempting to give tenders to some shell company?" Shobha Karandlaje asked the Congress government. She accused the state government of refusing to use the Central government's Jan Aushadhi Kendra facilities and instead calling for their tenders, indulging in corruption to make a profit. "The greed of Congress Chief Ministers and Ministers are victimising the poor in our state," she lamented. She urged Siddaramaiah to take action against Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. "It is not enough for the Chief Minister to make speeches about supporting the poor, backward classes, and Dalits. There should be genuine concern. Who will ensure justice for the families of these women and children who have died?" she asked the Congress government. She demanded an investigation into the incidents and urged the government to provide compensation to the families of the deceased women and children. "The Central government had directed banning the second batch of glucose from a specific company. Despite state government orders, how did it reach hospitals? How was it administered to these women? What is the motive behind this? Who are the directors of this company? There is no clarity about their background," Karandlaje said. She alleged that counterfeit drugs were being sold through shell companies. "This is shocking and deeply saddening," she said. She criticised the Siddaramaiah government, calling it "a merciless government of murderers". "I visited the KR Puram hospital myself. There are no adequate facilities in government hospitals. There is a shortage of medicines, surgical equipment, doctors, and even computer staff. Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao must take direct responsibility for this," she demanded the Congress government. Kolkata, Nov 30 : At least, five persons were reportedly killed and several others were injured after a tourist bus lost its balance and fell into the Teesta River near the West Bengal-Sikkim border at Rangpo on the Sikkim side. The bus was travelling from West Bengal's Siliguri to Sikkim's capital Gangtok State police sources said that till now bodies of five tourists have been detected and some others have been admitted to a local hospital under critical condition. The administrative officials apprehend the death toll might increase later. The deceased five persons are yet to be identified. The officials and staff of the state disaster management team rushed to the spot and started the rescue operations. It is learnt that the bus started from Siliguri towards Gangtok on Saturday afternoon. Eyewitnesses said that the bus suddenly fell into the river near Rangpo after the driver reportedly lost control of the steering. Two teams of Kalimpong district police from West Bengal and Sikkim Police immediately reached the spot, after getting the news of the accident. Kalimpong district magistrate Balasubramanian T also reached the spot. According to him, a total of almost 20 persons received injuries following the accident. "They have been shifted to a local hospital and they are undergoing treatment there. We have got information of some deaths also in the accident. Rescue operations are on," he added. The Kalimpong District Police Superintendent Shrijari Pandey confirmed five deaths so far. "Our immediate task is to concentrate on fast rescue operations. The injured ones are under treatment now. The investigation is on to find out how the accident happened." Sources from the state disaster management department said that the remote hilly terrain in the area where the accident happened is making the work of rescue operations a bit difficult. Bengaluru, Nov 30 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday announced the suspension of state Drug Controller Umesh for negligence in connection with the recent maternal deaths at Ballary District Hospital. Speaking to the media after chairing a high-level meeting, the Karnataka CM said that the West Bengal-based company that supplied the Ringer's Lactate solution has been blacklisted, and criminal proceedings have been ordered against the company. The government has already announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased. Instructions have also been given to recover additional compensation from the supplying company to provide for the victims' families, Siddaramaiah said. To investigate such deaths occurring in various hospitals across the state, a decision has been made to constitute an expert committee chaired by the Development Secretary, CM Siddaramaiah said. He said that four maternal deaths have been reported at Ballari District Hospital since November 11. Out of seven cases involving complications like hemodialysis, multiple organ failure, and acute kidney injury, four women succumbed. Of the remaining three patients, two have been discharged and are recovering at Ballari VIMS. A preliminary report on the incidents was obtained by forming an expert committee to investigate the deaths, he stated. All batches of Ringer's Lactate solution administered to the patients have been withdrawn, and samples used at the Ballari District Hospital have been sent for laboratory testing, he said. A high-level committee chaired by the Development Secretary will investigate similar deaths across the state, he declared. Additionally, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah instructed officials to prepare a proposal for the next Cabinet meeting to reform the drug procurement process and the Drug Control Department based on the Tamil Nadu model. CM Siddaramaiah said that directions were issued to take preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future. He instructed that after the lab report is available, all those responsible (for the recent episodes) should be identified and initiate necessary action. Disciplinary action has already been ordered against the Drug Controller. A decision was made to submit a proposal to the Central government to tighten the drug control laws further. Plans to reform the drug procurement process and the Drug Control Department following the Tamil Nadu model will be discussed in the next cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said. Immediate comprehensive reports on whether similar issues occurred elsewhere in the state due to the identified drug have been demanded, Siddaramaiah said. An expert committee chaired by the Development Secretary has been asked to submit a detailed report within a week, he said. Many of those present at the meeting expressed the need for strict action to curb the influence of the "medicine mafia". It was suggested to write to the Central government and discuss new frameworks and regulations for drug control, drawing inspiration from Tamil Nadu's model. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah emphasised the importance of taking stringent measures to prevent such incidents and ensure the safety of the people. Mumbai, Nov 30 : "The visit of 93-year-old Italian sailing vessel Amerigo Vespucci is a moment of great celebration in the growing partnership between India and Italy," said Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Mumbai, Nov 30 (IANS) "The visit of 93-year-old Italian sailing vessel Amerigo Vespucci is a moment of great celebration in the growing partnership between India and Italy," said Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The Union Minister welcomed the Italian heritage vessel's first docking at Mumbai Port Authority's India Dock and also unveiled the government's plans to construct the largest museum devoted to maritime heritage at Lothal. "The dockyard at Lothal is over 5,000 years old and given its strategic importance, the country is building the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NHMC) there. I would invite the globally acclaimed Italian museums to contribute to the endeavour," Sonowal said during an event organised to celebrate the historic docking. The Union Minister also hosted Italian Minister Adolfo Urso and Italian Ambassador to India Antonio Bartoli at the welcome ceremony of the Italian training ship (ITS) Amerigo Vespucci and termed it a celebration of growing ties between the two nations. Sarbananda Sonowal and his Italian counterparts also visited Villagiotalia, an Italian village made for the occasion and inaugurated an exhibition of Italian products. The Italian Minister as well as the Ambassador hailed the moment as historic and emotional. The ship, marking a milestone in its voyage, anchored at Mumbai port as part of its multi-nation journey that began in 2023. There are plans to cover 36 ports across 32 countries and five continents. With a crew of 250, the 'most beautiful ship' in the world because of its craftsmanship set for sail from La Spezia on July 1, 2023. Mumbai docking was the 27th stopover of its extensive journey. The ship was open to the local public for a day. This is the third port call in India by an Italian Navy vessel in 18 months, reflecting the importance Italy gives to the Indo-Pacific region. The Colorado Economic Development Commission on Thursday approved about $397,000 in tax incentives to help appeal to two companies looking to expand in or relocate to El Paso County and create more than 50 new jobs, most of them high-paying. New Delhi, Nov 30 : Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was "attacked" with water by a protestor on Saturday while he was undertaking a padyatra in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar colony. The attacker was detained by police. New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was "attacked" with water by a protestor on Saturday while he was undertaking a padyatra in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar colony. The attacker was detained by police. The attacker was identified as Ashok Jha. The reason behind the "water attack" was not clear. AAP supporters blamed BJP workers for the attack, a charge dismissed by the Delhi BJP which questioned why only Kejriwal gets targeted ahead of elections, despite enjoying a security cover. The AAP said in a social media post claiming that even a former CM of Delhi is now not secure in the city. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal visited the Panchsheel Park colony in the same Greater Kailash constituency to meet the family of 64-year-old Rohit Kumar Alagh who was murdered on Monday. After meeting the family, the AAP National Convenor said, "The family of the victim is in deep shock." Kejriwal said the murder in Panchsheel Park, which is considered one of the most posh colonies in the city, exposed that no one is safe in the city. In Delhi, elderly people like Alagh are feeling insecure and businessmen are getting extortion calls, Kejriwal said, highlighting the allegedly deteriorating law and order situation in the Capital. "There is panic in Delhi with the spurt in crime and I want to ask Union Home Minister Amit Shah to control crime. I hope things will improve in the near future," he said. The Delhi BJP condemned all forms of violent protests but described the incident of throwing water on Kejriwal as an "old wine in a new bottle". Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said elections are held across the country, and leaders participate in campaigns under varying levels of security. However, such bizarre incidents occur only with Arvind Kejriwal during every Assembly election. "Delhiites are questioning why such events always happen with Arvind Kejriwal," he said, pointing that the incident has proven correct Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva's recent prediction that the AAP convenor would orchestrate a repeat of the "slap incident" of 2019 when a man had attacked him during a road show. Mumbai, Nov 30 : In a major step into the murder probe of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique, the Mumbai Police declared gangster Anmol Bishnoi a 'wanted accused' and slapped the draconian Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against 26 others involved in the killing, here on Saturday. Police officials said that while 26 accused including three sharp shooters have been arrested, they are on the lookout for three other fugitives including Anmol Bishnoi the younger brother of jailed mafia leader Lawrence Bishnoi. "The provisions of the MCOCA, 1999, have been invoked in this (Siddique murder) case. The investigation is ongoing. As of now, 26 accused have been arrested, while three accused Anmol Bishnoi, Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, and Zishan Mohammad Akhtar -- are wanted accused in the case," police officials said on Saturday. Anmol Bishnoi, 26, who was holed up in the US, was detained last fortnight and later arrested by the local US law enforcers. He is currently cooling his heels in custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail in Iowa State. On October 12, Siddique (66), a senior NCP leader and ex-Congress Minister having close links with Bollywood and business circles, was shot dead outside his son Zeeshan Siddique's office in Bandra East, at the height of the Dassehra Day celebrations, sparking a national political furore. Initially, the Nirmal Nagar Police Station registered an FIR on the incident, and subsequently, the Crime Branch-CID also entered the investigations given the political implications ahead of the just-concluded November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections. Probing the case, the Mumbai Police have arrested 26 accused in an ongoing operation spread across several districts of the state and other states. The police had filed the case under BNS Sections 103(1), 109, 125, and 3(5), read with Sections 3, 5, 25, and 27 of the Arms Act and Sections 37 and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act (MPA), and now additional charges under MCOCA. The police have so far seized five weapons and 64 bullets from the accused, who include three sharpshooters, assigned the task of eliminating Siddique or his son Zeeshan B. Siddique. Lawyers explained that confessions made before the police under MCOCA are admissible as evidence in the court and it is difficult to retract them or secure bail. Besides the Siddique killing, the Bishnois have also been allegedly involved in the multiple death threats to Bollywood legend Salim Khan and his actor son Salman Khan, besides a firing carried out at their Bandra home on April 14. New Delhi, Nov 30 : Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Devender Yadav on Saturday visited some Mohalla Clinics during the Delhi Nyay Yatra to check on former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's so-called "model" of health care. New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Devender Yadav on Saturday visited some Mohalla Clinics during the Delhi Nyay Yatra to check on former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's so-called "model" of health care. During the visit, Yadav was shocked to find the clinics in a state of neglect, without doctors or nurses. Exposing yet another "jhoot ki revadi" (false promise of freebie) of Kejriwal, Yadav said that Kejriwal shut the well-run dispensaries established by the Congress government offering free treatment to the poor and opened Mohalla Clinics but these clinics became a gold mine of corruption for Kejriwal. Devender Yadav said that Kejriwal, who had boasted that he would open 1,000 Mohalla Clinics to provide free tests and treatment to the people, could not even create half that number of clinics in 10 years. Even the clinics he managed to set up are in ruins with no doctors or medicines. Some of them are being used by stray cattle and anti-social elements, he said. Yadav said that Kejriwal had promised that 200 tests would be conducted free of cost for poor patients through Mohalla Clinics, but lakhs of fake pathology and radiology tests were conducted on non-existent patients at the Mohalla Clinics. He alleged payments were made to private labs in the name of referrals. The Congress leader said that Kejriwal used Mohalla Clinics to swindle taxpayers' money as he had done in the liquor scam, classroom construction scam and many other illegal acts. Earlier during his yatra, the Delhi Congress President Yadav unveiled a tableau featuring a "Sheesh Mahal" (the former CM's official house in the eye of an alleged corruption case) and a gold-plated toilet seat, with a liquor bottle in front, as symbols of unprecedented corruption by Kejriwal. The tableau was unveiled before the start of the Delhi Nyay Yatra from Shastri Park in Hari Nagar Assembly in the presence of thousands of Congress workers and local residents. Yadav said that Kejriwal, who hailed to be from a humble background, lived in a small flat, drove a Wagon-R, and said that he would not accept any official bungalow, car or security, built a Rs 175 crore "Sheesh Mahal" illegally for himself, with a gold-plated commode, and travelled in luxury vehicles with security to flaunt his power. Yadav said Kejriwal did nothing for the people or for the development of the city. New Delhi, Nov 30 : MapMyIndia on Saturday announced that its CEO and Whole-Time Director, Rohan Verma, will step down to launch his own consumer business. "To fulfil his long-cherished desire to build a consumer business, Rohan Verma, CEO and Executive Director of Mapmyindia, proposed to the board to fund a new venture outside the company," Co-founder & CMD, Rakesh Verma, said in a statement given to IANS. "The proposed consumer business will complement MapmyIndia's core market strength of B2B and B2B2C, while focusing exclusively on the B2C segment," he added. The statement noted that the company's board also "approved funding of Rs 35 crore by way of Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCD)". This is in addition to an investment of Rs 10 lakh for a 10 per cent equity stake in the startup. Rohan Verma will step down from the executive role effective March 31, 2025, and will transition to a new role as a Non-Executive Director on the company's board. "MapmyIndia will continue to execute on the large opportunity in the B2B and B2B2C market spearheaded by its able and established management team under the leadership of the founders, myself and Rashmi Verma," Rakesh Verma said. This will help MapmyIndia to maintain its focus on its core B2B and B2B2C businesses while also supporting Rohan Verma's entrepreneurial ambitions. Meanwhile, MapmyIndia reported a 13.82 per cent year-on-year jump in revenue from operations to Rs 103.67 crore in Q2 FY25. However, the company also registered an 8.2 per cent drop in consolidated net profit to Rs 30.33 crore in Q2 FY25, compared to Rs 33.04 crore in Q2 FY24. Chandigarh, Nov 30 : Punjab unit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday called upon the farmers to raise their voice against the Bhagwant Mann-led state government for not disbursing them minimum support price (MSP) on paddy. In a post on X, Jakhar stated that once again, the state's farmers are at a crossroads due to the inefficient administration of the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government. He drubbed the government for its failure in awarding MSP on paddy despite the Central government having timely given Rs 44,000 crore for it. He added the farmers suffered a cut in the cost of crop from Rs 200 to Rs 350 per quintal. Calling upon the Congress to raise its voice for the underprivileged sections of society, Jakhar said despite such mayhem of non-procurement and non-lifting in the markets across the state, the Congress distanced itself from the issue. "Instead of acting like a responsible Opposition, the Congress chose to remain in stoic silence over the issue. We need someone to raise voice for the underprivileged sections of society and now is the time for farmers to raise their pitch," he said. Accusing the government of wreaking havoc in the paddy procurement season, Jakhar said that first the party usurped funds of Delhi in the form of a liquor scam, and now it was siphoning off funds of Punjab for its own purposes. Asking farmers to safeguard their own rights, he said that the aanndataa should ask Punjab government to make public the tally of amount of Rs 44,000 crore that was sent by the Centre for procurement. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced to march on foot towards Delhi on December 6. The announcement to start the march towards the national capital came after two attempts to reach Delhi by farmer groups on February 13 and February 21 were stopped by police. Farmers have been sitting at the borders of Shambhu and Khanauri since February 13. The last meeting with the government took place on February 18 and remained inconclusive. In the February 21 protest, a young farmer Shubkaran Singh lost his life at the Khanauri border, besides many others were injured during clashes between farmers and the police. Jaipur, Nov 30 : The time is ripe for us to leverage India's geographic location and help make our nation become the centre of the logistics world, Adani Group Chairman, Gautam Adani, said on Saturday. Addressing the 51st India Gem and Jewellery Awards here, Gautam Adani said that in the case of logistics, what started as a port jetty, to import coal in 1998, has gone on to become the countryas largest port business. "This business today spans a network of 15 national and 5 international ports and, thereby, allows us to expand into building a network of integrated logistic nodes," he told the gathering. These nodes now are made up of ports, rail, highways, warehouses, inland container depots, fulfilment centres, and trucking in a way no other company has ever achieved in the world. "This journey has taken us deep into the Middle East a" all the way into the Mediterranean through Israel a" and into the heart of Africa. For me, it is no more just about ports. It is now about leveraging India's geographic location and doing our part to help make our nation become the centre of the logistics world," the Adani Group Chairman noted. Likewise, what started as a single power plant in 2007, has now become not just Indiaas largest private thermal power generation company but has also allowed the Adani Group to expand into adjacencies. "This expansion has seen us become Indiaas largest private transmission company, largest private power distribution company, largest mine developer and operator, as well as the only company that successfully took up the challenge of cross-border supply of power to help a neighbouring nation," Gautam Adani told the gathering. Furthermore, it has allowed the company to move into the area of renewable energy. "Today, we are India's largest solar panel manufacturing company as well as the worldas largest single-site renewable energy facility, well on our way to generating 30 GW of power, spread over a massive single span of land of more than 500 square kilometres," the Adani Group Chairman emphasised. "Yet another example of challenging the status quo is our move into the airport business. In less than three years, we became the largest airport operator in the country. We then built our adjacencies that made us the largest airport logistics player with almost 40 per cent of Indiaas air cargo and have now undertaken the worldas largest slum redevelopment initiative, the Dharavi project," he stressed. Gautam Adani further stated that for him, Dharavi is not just about slum redevelopment. "It is about restoring dignity, creating a sustainable ecosystem, and changing the status quo for over one million residents." Chandigarh, Nov 30 : A court in Punjab's Malerkotla on Saturday sentenced Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Delhi's Mehrauli, Naresh Yadav, to two years in jail and fined Rs 11,000 in connection with the 2016 Quran sacrilege case. Chandigarh, Nov 30 (IANS) A court in Punjabas Malerkotla on Saturday sentenced Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Delhias Mehrauli, Naresh Yadav, to two years in jail and fined Rs 11,000 in connection with the 2016 Quran sacrilege case. The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Parminder Singh Grewal announced the quantum of the sentence. A day earlier, the court convicted him after a lengthy legal process. The conviction marks a significant turn in the controversial case, which has drawn political and public attention over the years. Malerkotla is a Muslim-dominated town. In March 2021, Yadav along with another accused, Nand Kishore, was acquitted by a lower court as the police failed to prove the allegations. With the recovery of torn pages of Quran from Malerkotla town on June 24, 2016, the police had initially registered a case against Vijay Kumar and two others, including Nand Kishore and Gaurav Kumar. Later the name of legislator Yadav was added on the basis of circumstantial evidence. After Yadavas 2021 acquittal, local resident Mohammad Ashraf filed a criminal appeal challenging the decision on April 19, 2021. The appeal led to review of the case that resulted in his conviction. In 2018, Yadav had sought an inquiry into a suspicious Rs 90 lakh transaction in Vijay Kumaras bank account, alleging connections with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Police had registered a case under Sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 124-A (sedition), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code in Malerkotla. The court had dropped the sedition charges in the case. Vijay Kumar, the main accused, had triggered violence and was a former RSS volunteer. New Delhi, Nov 30 : To maximise mutual understanding of drills and procedures, the Indian Army and Singapore Armed Forces on Saturday completed the three-day 13th edition of Joint Military Exercise AGNI WARRIOR (XAW-2024) in Maharashtra. The bilateral exercise between the armed forces of the two countries was organised at Field Firing Ranges, Devlali, said a statement. The exercise involved showcasing joint firepower planning, execution and use of New Generation Equipment by the Artillery arm of both armies. The three-day exercise conducted from November 28 to 30, witnessed participation by the Singapore Armed Forces contingent comprising 182 personnel from the Singapore Artillery and the Indian Army contingent comprising 114 personnel from the Regiment of Artillery. The aim of XAW-2024 was to maximise mutual understanding of drills and procedures to achieve jointness as a multinational force under the United Nations Charter. The event was witnessed by Lieutenant General Adosh Kumar, Director General of Artillery, Lieutenant General NS Sarna, Commandant, School of Artillery, and Colonel Ong Chiou Perng, Chief Artillery Officer, Singapore Armed Forces. The dignitaries appreciated the participating troops for displaying high levels of professional acumen and expertise. The exercise involved extensive joint preparation, coordination, understanding of each other's capabilities, procedures and evolution of common interface between Indian and Singapore Artillery procedures. It marked the culmination of successful training by Singapore Armed Forces troops exposing them to the intricacies of Fire Power planning. Both sides utilised niche technologies during the exercise and exchanged best practices as part of the joint training. During the last edition of the bilateral exercise in December 2022, both sides participated in a joint computer war-game as part of joint planning process. Both sides also utilised niche technology and Artillery Observation Simulators as part of joint training phase. Expert academic discussions were also conducted on modern trends in Artillery and refinement of the Artillery planning process. Indigenously manufactured Artillery guns and howitzers also participated during the final phase of the exercise in the last edition. Jaipur, Nov 30 : Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said on Saturday that the set of allegations being levelled against the conglomerate in the US was another attack on the group from which it would emerge stronger and more resilient. Addressing the 51st Indian Gems and Jewellery Award function, the Adani Group Chairman referred to the "set of allegations from the US about compliance practices at Adani Green Energy" as one of the three attacks that had taken place against the Adani Group recently. "This is not the first time we have faced such challenges. What I can tell you is that every attack makes us stronger and every obstacle becomes a stepping stone for a more resilient Adani Group," he said. "The fact is that despite a lot of the vested reporting, no one from the Adani side has been charged with any violation of the FCPA or any conspiracy to obstruct justice. Yet, in todayas world, negativity spreads faster than facts - and as we work through the legal process, I want to re-confirm our absolute commitment to world-class regulatory compliance," Gautam Adani contended. Listing the other two attacks, he said: "First - in 2010, when we were investing in a coal mine in Australia, our objective was clear: How to make India energy secure a" and replace every two tons of poor-quality Indian coal with one ton of high-quality coal from Australia? However, the resistance from NGOs was huge and lasted almost a decade." He said the opposition was so intense that the group ended up funding the entire project of $10 billion with its own equity. "While we now have a world-class operating mine in Australia and it could be seen as a great sign of our resilience, the fact is that 100 per cent equity funding took away over $30 billion of debt financing from our green energy projects," Gautam Adani said. "The next example is from January last year, just as we were getting ready to launch our Follow-on Public Offering. We faced a short-selling attack initiated from abroad. This was not a typical financial strike; it was a double hit - targeting our financial stability and pulling us into a political controversy. All of this was further amplified by certain media with vested interests. But even in the face of such adversity, our commitment to our principles remained strong," the Adani Group chief pointed out. He said that after successfully raising Rs 20,000 crore from Indiaas largest-ever FPO, the group made the extraordinary decision to return the proceeds. "We then further demonstrated our resilience by raising capital from several international sources and proactively reducing our Debt to EBITDA ratio to below 2.5 times, an unmatched metric in the global infrastructure space," he said. Gautam Adani further stated that the all-time record financial results of the group in the same year showcased its commitment to operational excellence. Not a single Indian or foreign credit rating agency downgraded the Adani Group and finally, the Supreme Courtas "affirmation of our actions validated our approach", he added. He also said that over the years, he had come to accept that the roadblocks have to be faced as the price of pioneering. "The more bold your dreams, the more the world will scrutinize you. But it is precisely in that scrutiny that you must find the courage to rise, to challenge the status quo, and to build a path where none exists. To pioneer is to embrace the unknown, to break limits, and to believe in your vision even when the world cannot yet see it," Gautam Adani asserted. Chennai, Nov 30 : Cyclone Fengal has begun making its landfall near Puducherry late on Saturday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) announced. According to the IMD, the landfall process is expected to take approximately four hours to complete. The cyclone is predicted to move west-southwestward, crossing the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, close to Puducherry. The wind speed during this event is estimated to range between 70-80 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 90 kmph over the next three to four hours. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) at Chennai had earlier said that the landfall process of the slow-moving cyclonic storm could take several hours, bringing heavy to very heavy rainfall during this time. RMC Director S. Balachandran said that Fengal "is a very dynamic cyclonic storm, constantly changing its speed of movement". He said that according to the latest ocean satellite data, the landfall process is expected to commence later on Saturday (November 30) and might take several hours for the stormas eye to fully move inland. He also said that the mesovortex of the storm is not perfectly round, making it challenging to predict the exact landfall location and the the situation was being continuously monitored, as the stormas structure changes as it approaches the coast. The Puducherry administration has sent SMS alerts to nearly 12 lakh residents, urging them to remain vigilant in light of the approaching storm. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy earlier inspected rain-affected areas to review the actions taken by the Disaster Management Department, particularly the measures to accommodate evacuees from low-lying regions in relief centres. Chennai Airport has suspended operations until 4 a.m. on December 1, due to heavy runway and taxiway inundation. Over 50 flights have been cancelled. Public transport services on East Coast Road (ECR) and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) have been temporarily halted starting Saturday afternoon. The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) has deployed three disaster relief teams for Chennai and 13 teams for other districts impacted by Cyclone Fengal. To mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall, the Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Department has established 2,229 relief centres in affected regions. Currently, 471 individuals from 164 families have been relocated to relief camps in the Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. Authorities have indicated readiness for further evacuations, if required. In a public safety advisory, the government has requested IT companies to allow employees to work from home. Residents have been strongly advised to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. Parks and beaches in Chennai and adjoining districts are closed, and the TNSDMA has urged the public to avoid visiting beaches, amusement parks, and recreational events. Greater Chennai Corporation Mayor R. Priya assured the public that the civic body was fully prepared to handle the cyclone and its associated heavy rains. Warnings have been issued against parking vehicles under trees during heavy rainfall. Several subways in Chennai, including the RBI Subway, Sundaram Point, Rangarajapuram, Palavanthangal, and Gengu Reddy subways, have been closed due to waterlogging. Light vehicles have been prohibited from using the Duraiswamy and Madley subways. Additionally, roads such as Prakasam Salai, G.P. Road, Ritherdon Road, and Alagappa Road have been temporarily shut to traffic. Earlier on Saturday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin stated that the situation is under control in Chennai and other districts experiencing heavy rainfall after reviewing the measures being taken to tackle the cyclone's impact at the State Emergency Operations Centre in Ezhilagam Complex Stalin noted that people have been moved to relief camps, where food and other essentials are being provided. He also mentioned that he held a review meeting with the Chennai Corporation Commissioner and District Collectors of Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, and Chengalpattu, who updated him on the ground situation and the ongoing relief efforts. The Chief Minister added that there has been no significant waterlogging in Chennai due to the preventive measures undertaken. You are the owner of this article. Kolkata, Nov 30 : One more monk attached to the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was arrested in Bangladesh, vice-president and spokesman of the ISKCON Kolkata, Radharaman Das claimed on Saturday. He said that the second monk of the society who has been arrested is Shyam Das. He claimed that Das went to meet monk and spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote Chinmoy Krishna Das, popularly known as Chinmoy Prabhu, who was arrested earlier this week by Bangladesh Police, at the correctional home where he is housed now. Bangladesh Police also took Shyam Das in custody, Radharaman Das claimed. He posted a picture of Shyam Das on his official X handle and questioned whether the arrested monk looked like a terrorist. "Does he look like a terrorist? #FreeISKCONMonks Bangladesh. The arrest of innocent #ISKCON brahmacharis are deeply shocking and disturbing," the comments posted on Radharaman Das' official X handle read. In another post made on his X handle, Radharaman Das claimed that another ISKCON centre at Bhairav Bangladesh has been vandalised. He also posted a video of the vandalised ISKCON centre. Earlier on Thursday, Radharaman Das claimed that the ISKCON centre in Bangladesh's Shibchar had been forcibly shut down by a group of people. He also told IANS that the reply of the Bangladesh government to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on the arrest of Chinmoy Prabhu was highly frustrating. Several protests have already been organised in Kolkata over the arrest of Chinmoy Prabhu as well as attacks and atrocities on the minority Hindus in Bangladesh. Now with the arrest of Shyam Das, the protests are likely to aggravate in the city in the coming days. Itanagar, Nov 30 : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday strongly criticised the use of deception and disturbance as a weapon, as a political strategy to keep away from debate, dialogue, discussion, and deliberation. Addressing the students at the 22nd Convocation Ceremony of Rajiv Gandhi University at Rono Hills in Arunachal Pradesh's Doimukh, the Vice President appealed to every Parliamentarian "to justify and vindicate the trust imposed by the people of Bharat". "The aspirations and dreams of people have to fructify through our positive actions," he said, and reminded Parliamentarians that the youth of the country are watching them, serving as watchdogs of democracy, and will hold them accountable. Jagdeep Dhankhar said that corruption was a big drain on young minds. "Favouritism, corruption, nepotism -- these were killing your talent. Corruption was a password for a job, for a contract, for an opportunity. It has vanished. Corruption has been neutralized from power corridors," he said. The Vice President said that there was a time when you could not find an Indian in the top global corporate, but now there is hardly any global corporate that does not have an Indian mind at the head. Reflecting on India's unprecedented rise on the global stage, he remarked, India is a country that is on the rise, when you look at the sea, when you look at the land, when you look at the sky, and when you look at space. V-P Dhankhar highlighted that India is already the fifth-largest global economy and is on its way to becoming the third-largest. Encouraging the promotion of local products, the Vice President urged citizens to support indigenous industries. He emphasised that students will be hugely contributing to the national economy if they believe in local produce. Highlighting the harmful effects of relying on imported goods like clothes, furniture, curtains, and toys, he noted, "it (import of items) snatches employment from our people who could make it". Secondly," our foreign exchange is drained (due to the import of goods) and thirdly, our entrepreneurship is blunted", the Vice President pointed out. "Don't use petrol or gas or any other natural resource just because your pocket can afford it. There has to be optimal utilisation of natural resources. You will be hugely contributing to the national economy if you believe in local products. Using imported items has many deleterious effects," Jagdeep Dhankhar said. The Vice-President reminded the students of their immense privilege to be citizens of a great nation at a time when Bharat is being recognised globally as never before. He told them: "You are extremely fortunate to be citizens of this great nation, and you are fortunate to be living in times when there is recognition of Bharat as never before." Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik, (Retd.), Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University Dr. J. Suresh Babu, Vice-Chancellor Prof. S.K. Nayak and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. Bhubaneswar, Nov 30 : The workers of Odisha Congress on Saturday staged a protest in Bhubaneswar against the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Odisha Pradesh Youth Congress and the student wing of the party on Saturday took out a rally from Congress Bhawan, the state headquarters of the party, to the Lok Seva Bhawan where the 59th All India DG/IGP conference is being held. The members and leaders of the Congress party engaged in a scuffle with police personnel when the latter tried to stop the rally at the Lower PMG Square here on Saturday. The protestors holding black balloons were shouting slogans against PM Modi and Union Home Minister Shah during the rally. Speaking to media persons, senior Congress leader Yashir Nawaz alleged that there are two laws in the state one is for the BJP leader and another for the common man. He alleged that no action has been taken yet against the Governor's son for assaulting an Odia despite several protests while the Crime Branch showed extreme promptness in arresting the brother of a senior BJD leader recently. "Since the BJP came to power, the law-and-order situation has deteriorated in the state. The BJP government is handing over various projects in the state like the Metro Railway project to the blacklisted companies," said Nawaz. He added that PM Modi is only making tall claims during his visits to the state while avoiding talk on real issues and the promises they made to people. Responding to allegations of the Congress, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said that Congress has been turning into an anti-national element. "Whenever someone in any foreign land criticises PM Modi or makes any negative remarks against the country, Congress comes out in their support and holds a protest on the issue. It is pertinent here to mention that PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, NSA Ajit Doval, chiefs of all the state police forces and other dignitaries are in Bhubaneshwar for a three-day long DG/IGP conference from November 29 to December 1. Kolkata, Nov 30 : The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal at its "Minority Gathering" programme here on Saturday underlined two key points for their opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill which has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for examination. The first objection is against the proposal in the Bill to assign the District Magistrates the survey work of the existing Waqf properties in the districts concerned. Trinamool Congress feels that such "bureaucratisation" for review of Waqf Property is "simply unacceptable". The second objection is the proposal of takeover of those assets which have been verbally declared as Waqf properties. The party claimed that "this is a deliberate attempt of divisive politics of the ruling party at the Centre". Addressing the "Minority Gathering" of the party on Saturday, Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee said that in any country, it is the responsibility of the "majority" to protect the "minority". "That is why we also do not support what is happening in Bangladesh. Just as I worship Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva, I also worship the Indian Constitution," said Banerjee, who is also a senior advocate in the Calcutta High Court. Speaking at the gathering, state Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said that the word "secular" is not there in the constitutions of Bangladesh and Pakistan. "But that word exists in the Indian Constitution. We have to respect the Constitution of our country. Our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the leading face in protecting the rights of the minorities in the state," he said. To recall, while addressing the state Assembly on the fourth day of its Winter Session on Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that the said Bill would not only destabilise the Waqf system in the country but also target a particular religion. "This Bill is against one particular religion. This Bill is against the basic spirit of equality and the right to practice any religion. That is exactly why we are opposing the Bill," the Chief Minister said. Imphal, Nov 30 : Those 10 killed in the exchange of fire with CRPF in Manipur's Jiribam district on November 11 along with two others would be laid to rest on December 5 in Churachandpur, Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (1TLF) leaders announced on Saturday. The Manipur Police earlier claimed that all 10 'militants' were killed in retaliatory firing by the CRPF after they attacked the CRPF camp and the adjoining police station at Jakuradhor village in Jiribam district's Borobekra sub-division. Two CRPF jawans also suffered injuries in the gun battle. However, the ITLF, Kuki-Zo Council and Hmar Students' Association (HSA) have been claiming that all 10 slain 'Hmar Village Volunteers' were engaged to protect the villagers. ITLF leaders told the media an emergency meeting was held on Saturday in which it was decided that the '10 martyrs', who were killed in Jiribam on November 11 and other incidents, would be laid to rest with the greatest honour and respect on December 5 in Churachandpur. The ITLF said that the postmortem reports were examined together by a forensic and legal expert. "According to the experts, the postmortem reports are satisfactory. Further legal cases will be taken up by the ITLF legal cell and HSA. The programme for condolences on December 5 will take place at Peace Ground in Tibuong," the tribal body said. It said that on the day of the burial, a massive silent rally would be taken out. "Student organisations are requested to arrange placards and banners for the rally. There will be a total shutdown on December 5, to mark the respect for our martyrs," ITLF said. Meanwhile, thousands of people on November 19 took part in a 'coffin rally' in Manipur's Churachandpur in solidarity with the 10 Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal 'Village Volunteers'. Jointly organised by various tribal organisations, thousands of men and women wearing black attire symbolically carried 10 dummy coffins to pay homage to the 10 slain 'Village Volunteers'. After the post-mortem of all 10 bodies along with two other bodies was conducted in Assam's Silchar Medical College and Hospital, the bodies were airlifted on November 16 to Churachandpur, a Kuki-Zo-Hmar inhabited district. Itanagar, Nov 30 : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said that the northeastern region of India offers something which is not available elsewhere on the planet, and the impact is being felt, while adding that last year, around 1.19 crore tourists feasted upon the pristine beauty of the region. Addressing the Special Session of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly, the Vice President said that the northeast is streaming fast into national life, and this is with respect to development. Now with 17 airports, 20 waterways, and deep digital penetration, the region is developing with pace, Vice President Dhankhar said, adding that the region's organic and natural farming offer a model for other states. "Indigenous resources like bamboo, rubber, and what kind of silk, I felt one when I went to the university (Rono Hills)," he said. Noting that there are areas that offer enormous market opportunities, the Vice President reminded of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said - be vocal for local, one-district, one-product. The Vice President said that the northeast captured the imagination, in particular in the 90s when there was formulation of a policy. He said that the Prime Minister took 'Look-East' to the next level -- a more functional level -- that could affect ground reality, be transformative, and that was aAct East policy". Jagdeep Dhankhar said that he had the opportunity as the Governor of West Bengal for three years to see fruits of that policy, and this, along with friends, Department of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the Ministry, the importance and primacy that has been given to this area is absolutely a priority for the nation. The northeastern region is bountifully gifted by nature, tribal culture, soothing people, their connectivity, crystal lakes, Himalayan peaks, to ancient monasteries, hamming with timeless chants, and I would say this place is a paradise for tourists, he said. "The focus on the northeast is transformative, it is engaging the attention of the Prime Minister and everyone and every time I come to this part of the country, or go deep into the South, we get a different kind of accord. We are one, we don't have to be one because we know each other's language, we are one because we belong to this great nation," Jagdeep Dhankhar said. New Delhi, Nov 30 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Saturday expressed grief over the murder of an Indian youth from Telangana who was shot dead at a gas station in Chicago in the US. The EAM said that the Indian Consulate was extending all possible assistance to the deceased's family. "We are shocked and deeply sad at the murder of Indian Student Nukarapu Sai Teja. We demand immediate action against the culprits. Consulate will extend all possible help to the family and friends of the victim," the Indian Consulate in Chicago posted on X. Responding to the post of Consulate General of India, EAM Jaishankar wrote on X: "Deeply grieved at this news. Our Consulate is rendering all possible assistance to the family." A youth from Telangana has been shot dead by an assailant at a gas station in Chicago in the early hours of Saturday (Indian time). Sai Teja Nukarapu (26), hailing from Khammam district, was shot in the gas station where he was working part-time. According to information reaching his family, the assailant opened fire on him after snatching money. A friend of Sai Teja informed the family about the incident. The assailant escaped after the attack. Sai Teja, who completed BBA in India, had moved to the United States just four months ago to pursue MS at Concordia University, Wisconsin. He was said to doing a part-time job at a gas station for the last few days. Sai Teja's parents N. Koteshwar Rao and Vani, who reside at Raparthi Nagar in Khammam city, were shocked on receiving the news. He was the only son of the couple. Member of Telangana Legislative Council, Madhusudan Thatha visited Sai Teja's parents at their residence and consoled them. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader said Sai Teja was not on duty when the assailants attacked him but helping a friend who had gone out on some work. The MLC told media persons that he spoke to the members of Telugu Association of North America (TANA) and sought their help in bringing the body home. The body is expected to reach India next week. A pall of gloom descended on the neighbourhood where Sai Teja's family lives. Large number of relatives and friends reached the house and consoled his parents and other family members. Locals approached Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and requested him to help the family in bringing the mortal remains of Sai Teja from the US to India. Bhubaneswar, Nov 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the top brass of police officers from across the country on Saturday held a threadbare discussion on various issues related to policing and security of the nation on the second day of the 59th DG-IG Conference here. "Had a productive first day at the DGP/IGP Conference in Bhubaneswar. Discussed various subjects on policing and security," PM Modi wrote on X and also shared photographs of the meeting. PM Modi on Saturday attended the three-day DGP conference which was inaugurated by HM Amit Shah on November 29. At the meeting, the chiefs of police forces from all states and other central security agencies are deliberating on various aspects to chalk out a roadmap to counter existing and emerging national security challenges, including LWE, Coastal Security, Narcotics, Cyber Crime and Economic Security. As per reports, the delegates will also review the progress in implementation of the new Criminal Laws and initiatives and best practices in policing in their respective states. Earlier, the Home Minister while inaugurating the event on Friday underscored the role of the security establishment in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' by the year 2047 and becoming the third-largest economy by 2027. The Home Minister had also emphasised on focusing on emerging security challenges along the Eastern border, immigration and trends in urban policing. He also called for taking initiative towards a zero-tolerance strategy plan and zero tolerance action to implement zero tolerance policy. HM Shah further added that under the leadership of PM Modi, India is building its police force as an apparatus capable of both securing the nation against new-age challenges and addressing the root causes of crime and terrorism. He noted that the DG-IG Conference serves as a knowledge-sharing platform to fortify policing in every state through collaboration. Notably, PM Modi, Home Minister Shah reached Bhubaneswar on November 29 to attend the three-day DG-IG conference from November 29 to December 1. Jaipur, Nov 30 : Rajasthan's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel on Saturday announced that the state cabinet approved a bill to prevent religious conversions through inducement, fraud, or coercion. Jaipur, Nov 30 (IANS) Rajasthanas Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel on Saturday announced that the state cabinet approved a bill to prevent religious conversions through inducement, fraud, or coercion. The bill namely the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill-2024 will be introduced in the coming Assembly session. Minister Patel noted that Rajasthan currently lacks specific legislation to address illegal conversions. Once enacted, the law will impose stringent penalties for such activities, including declaring marriages for the purpose of forced conversions invalid. Crimes under this law will be non-bailable and cognizable, aligning with similar statutes in other states. The bill was approved during a cabinet meeting which was chaired by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. Several key decisions were made to drive the state's development which included the approval of nine new policies aimed at accelerating industrial and economic growth, the establishment of the 7th State Finance Commission, ordinances for creating development authorities in Bikaner and Bharatpur, amendments to the Rajasthan Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules-2017 based on Khemraj Committee recommendations. At a press briefing, Deputy Chief Minister Premchand Bairwa and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel highlighted the newly approved policies: the Rajasthan MSME Policy, Export Promotion Policy, One District One Product Policy, Rajasthan Tourism Unit Policy, and Integrated Cluster Development Scheme. These initiatives aim to foster industrial development, establish Rajasthan as an export hub, promote local tourism, support small industries, and highlight regional crafts, handlooms, and speciality products, said ministers. Deputy CM Bairwa shared that the cabinet approved ordinances to establish development authorities in Bikaner and Bharatpur. These authorities will ensure systematic and planned development in both cities under the Bharatpur Development Authority Ordinance-2024 and the Bikaner Development Authority Ordinance-2024, he added. The cabinet also accepted the recommendations of the Khemraj Committee on resolving pay anomalies, implementing pay reforms, and enhancing promotional opportunities for state employees. Chief Minister Sharma had previously announced that these reforms would be effective from September 1, 2024. Minister Patel detailed the provisions of the Rajasthan MSME Policy-2024, designed to make MSMEs globally competitive. Key measures include a 2 per cent additional interest subsidy on loans, assistance of up to Rs 15 lakh for raising funds from SME Exchange, grants for advanced technology adoption, quality certification, and marketing efforts. To boost exports, the Rajasthan Export Promotion Policy-2024 sets a target of Rs 1.50 lakh crore in exports over the next five years. The policy provides incentives for exporters, including up to 75 per cent or Rs 3 lakh reimbursement for participation in international events, assistance for technical upgrades and certification costs and subsidies for e-commerce platform fees and documentation. Through these measures, the government aims to create a thriving industrial ecosystem and position Rajasthan as a leader in exports, tourism, and local craftsmanship, said ministers. Bhubaneswar, Nov 30 : The presence of Left-Wing Extremists in the dense forests of Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Boudh and Maoist-linked narcotics trafficking still pose a major challenge for the security forces in Odisha, a top official said on Saturday. Speaking to mediapersons here, CD Aggarwal, IG Frontier Headquarters BSF (Special Ops) Odisha, on Saturday said: "As per the latest categorisation by the Ministry of Home Affairs, as many as 38 districts in the country have been declared as Naxal-affected. Of these, seven districts in Odisha are affected by Left Wing Extremism. Around 60 to 70 red ultras are active in Odisha while seven to eight of them belong to the state." He further added that the Maoists from Odisha region mostly function as general members while Maoist groups are mostly led by cadres from Andhra Pradesh. He further added that Maoist groups in Chhattisgarh are also led by cadres from Andhra Pradesh region. Highlighting the success in combating the Maoists, Agarwal announced that the once worst-affected Koraput and Malkangiri districts are now almost free from LWE influence. Since BSF's deployment in 2010, approximately 250-300 Maoists have been neutralised in Odisha over the past 10-15 years. Speaking on the security challenges on the border with neighbouring Bangladesh, Aggarwal noted the complexities of managing the India-Bangladesh border due to the cultural and linguistic similarities between the residents of both sides of the border. However, he assured that the BSF has maintained strict vigilance and effectively countered any cross-border threats. The BSF in a press note on Saturday said that as many as three dreaded Maoists have been neutralised while 24 hardcore cadres have surrendered in the state the last year. The BSF personnel have also recovered 34 IEDs, 117 grenades and a large cache of arms and ammunition during operations against the Maoists in Odisha during last year. The sacrifice of 14 BSF officers and personnel during combating Maoists in Odisha since 2010 was also remembered on the occasion of 60th Raising day celebrations of BSF. "The BSF is committed to eradicating Naxalism from Odisha by March 2026, aligning with the vision of Union Home Minister Amit Shah," the BSF press note read. Patna, Dec 1 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said she wants a Lakhpati Didi in every village of the country, while urging the people to avail benefits of the schemes introduced by the Central government. FM Sitharaman, who is on a two-day visit to Bihar, on Saturday visited the Lalit Karpoori Stadium at Jhanjharpur in Madhubani district, as part of the Credit Outreach Programme. During the event, loans totaling Rs 1,021 crore were distributed to promote employment. The beneficiaries received their loan amount through cheques. In her address, FM Sitharaman emphasised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of transforming India into a developed nation, highlighting his special focus on Bihar's development, including specific initiatives in Darbhanga and Madhubani. "I urge citizens to leverage government schemes to enhance self-sufficiency. I also want to point out the 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme initiative aimed at empowering women in villages through financial assistance and training provided to Self Help Groups (SHGs). I want Lakhpati Didi in every village of the country," FM Sitharaman said. Additionally, she announced plans for a grand temple dedicated to Lord Ram's wife Sita at her birthplace, akin to the grandeur of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, framing it as a significant cultural resolution. The outreach programme was also held in Darbhanga on Friday, where financial aid and employment-oriented loans were similarly distributed. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed delight at the significant turnout of women at the Credit Outreach Programme held at Lalit Karpoori Stadium. She was joined by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, along with prominent leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Jha; Jhanjharpur Lok Sabha MP Rampreet Mandal; Madhubani MP Dr. Ashok Kumar Yadav; former minister and MLA Vinod Narayan Jha, MLC Ghanshyam Thakur, and MLA Sudhanshu Shekhar. The programme organised by the State Bank of India (SBI) in cooperation with other banks, featured robust security arrangements led by SP Sushil Kumar. FM Sitharaman also visited stalls showcasing Mithila paintings by women, emphasising their artistic skills and entrepreneurial potential. She lauded the region's progress after observing diverse exhibits, including one where a woman operated a heavy drone camera. FM Sitharaman praised the woman, highlighting her expertise as a testament to the empowerment efforts reaching rural areas. The Finance Minister was earlier accorded a warm welcome upon her arrival. She noted the cultural richness and innovation thriving in villages, underlining the impact of government initiatives on women and rural communities. An official said that the event reinforced the government's commitment to development, women's empowerment, and financial inclusion, reflecting the rich cultural and entrepreneurial spirit of Mithila. Jaipur, Dec 1 : Micron India delegation on Saturday met Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma at his official residence on Saturday. The delegation informed the Chief Minister about the semiconductor plant being set up in Gujarat. On this occasion, detailed discussions were held regarding providing employment opportunities to skilled engineers, technicians and operators from Rajasthan in the plant. Sharma said that the youth of Rajasthan are making a distinct identity in every field with their skills and efficiency by acquiring technical and higher education. The Chief Minister directed the officials to get Micron India to enter into an agreement with the Industrial Training Institutes of the state government so that along with the preparation of necessary training modules, the youth can also get employment opportunities in the company. The delegation members said that Micron India has plants operating in various countries of the world. Skilled youth of the state will also get excellent employment opportunities in these plants. The Chief Minister said that he is happy to know that the company wants to invest in the field of skill development in Rajasthan. On this occasion, Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Ajitabh Sharma, Principal Secretary, Chief Minister's Office, Alok Gupta, Joint Secretary, Chief Minister's Office, Siddharth Sihag, Micron India's Assembly and Test Operation Global Head, Gursharan Singh, Director and Amarinder Sidhu were present. It needs to be mentioned here that officials of several companies have been visiting Rajasthan in the wake of the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit which is scheduled to be held from December 9-12. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Rising Rajasthan Global Summit in Jaipur on December 9. Chief Minister Sharma said that the three-day event will be inaugurated by PM Modi at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC) in Sitapura. He said that the state government is engaged in mission mode to complete the preparations and arrangements. Sharma took stock of the preparations for this event here on Thursday. He reviewed various arrangements by travelling from Jaipur Airport to the venue in a bus and gave instructions to the officials. Sharma was accompanied by industry minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and a team of officials Jaipur, Des 1 : Rajasthan Police arrested a man involved in the murder of a former ABVP district secretary in Churu, from Mumbai. The accused identified as Amit Kaswan alias Mitla was carrying a Rs 15,000 reward on his head. In an attempt to evade arrest, the accused resorted to begging in Pushkar and Mumbai and was staying with beggars and sleeping among them to avoid suspicion. The police conducted extensive raids and analysed nearly 400 CCTV footage to trace his movements, eventually preparing a detailed route map that led to his capture, said officials. According to DSP Sunil Jhajharia, the victim, 28-year-old Narendra Prajapat, was brutally beaten to death with sticks and rods on November 1 near Dabla village in the Sadar police station area. The crime was allegedly committed by Amit Kaswan alias Mitla, Shubham Dhaka, and Hitesh Kumawat due to an old enmity. The murder case was filed based on a report by Prajapat's uncle. The police, aided by cyber cell data and informers, tracked down Kaswan in Maharashtra. He was arrested and brought to Churu for interrogation. DSP Jhajharia revealed that Kaswan is the main accused in the Rs 1.50 crore robbery in Jaipur and has 12 criminal cases against him. His accomplice, Hitesh Kumawat, was arrested on November 11, while efforts are ongoing to locate the third suspect, Shubham Dhaka, who remains at large. To evade arrest, Kaswan disguised himself as a beggar at the Pushkar fair and later in Mumbai. The DSP explained that a special team led by SHO Balwant Singh was formed to track him. The team conducted raids in multiple locations, including Jaipur, Sikar, Fatehpur, Jodhpur, and Nagaur, eventually leading to the accuseras arrest. Premium online access is only available tosubscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here New to PW? To set up immediate access, click here. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate Everybody talks of China as the real threat, but we aren't even building a decisive capability against Pakistan, asserts Shekhar Gupta. IMAGE: The Indian Army conducts training to validate operational concepts in the deserts of Rajasthan, November 23, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo We can start this story from the fateful night of December 9, 1971, at the peak of fighting in that war. It was fateful because this was the night INS Khukri was sunk by the Pakistani submarine PNS Hangor, becoming the only ship the Indian Navy has lost to combat. Instead of hiding, the Hangor had made its presence evident, setting up a bait. India took up the challenge and sent out a three-ship formation optimised for anti-submarine warfare to hunt for it. One ship, INS Kuthar, developed engine trouble and pulled back. The fact remains that all three had inadequate sonars. Neither the Khukri nor the Kirpan spotted the Hangor. Two torpedoes fired at the Kirpan missed. The Khukri took three hits and sank almost instantaneously. That's the reason for the high fatalities, with only 67 survivors. A tale of eternal regret, however, still hangs to this day. Though the Indian Navy was aware of Pakistan's formidable submarine force, not enough had been done to build anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities. Even in this task force optimised for ASW, the sonars were inadequate. India had had months to prepare for this war, yet when it began, an experimental sonar was being tested on the INS Khukri, in partnership with the Tata Group. Now, which country sends out a 1,200-tonne warship with a jugaad sonar under testing? It obviously didn't work. And you know what? An engineer from the Tata team working on this modification was aboard the Khukri on this mission. He became a rare civilian war casualty in action. The reason we tell this story now is to underline the jugaad chalta hai, we-are too-big-to-bother-about-a-few-setbacks approach to our defence. The virus afflicts both the political and civil services, as well as the military leadership. That's how, despite knowing for years that Pakistani submarines were its only credible naval threat, India still had such poor sonars on its anti-submarine ships. How much would it have cost to try and fill this gap? Very little. But do such small fixes have the same appeal of buying a new ship, a submarine, a squadron of aircraft, or a new set of missiles? And yet, this is how we suffer avoidable setbacks. If this wasn't bad enough, the very next day added insult to injury. The navy flung all available resources to hunt for the Hangor. One of these, a French-made Alize ASW two-engine aircraft, was shot down by a PAF F-104 loitering in ambush off the Kutch coast. Overall, the navy had a stellar outing in the war, blotted by what could have been an avoidable loss. How do we know any of this? Please check out Indian Navy 1965-1975: Transition to Triumph by Vice Admiral G M Hiranandani, published in 2000. Vice Admiral Hiranandani was the head of the naval history project. Also read Major General Ian Cardozo's The Sinking of INS Khukri: Survivors' Stories. We can pick a dozen such stories from each of our engagements, where the forces went out to fight without vital elements -- mostly to do with technology -- which could have been avoided with greater alertness and commitment. IMAGE: A Kalvari class submarine in the high sea off Mumbai. Photograph: ANI Photo We can leapfrog to Pulwama-Balakot in 2019 when PAF AMRAAMs outranged all the IAF's missiles by a long distance, except probably the French MICA, with which fewer than 10 of its Mirages had been armed by then. These had provided escort to the bombing mission over Balakot. All the MiGs and Sukhois had the same Russian R-73s and R-77s. That gap persisted until the Rafale became operational. And even now, work is on to equip the Sukhois with the swadeshi Astra to counter the AMRAAM, which the PAF has had since 2010. You can see, therefore, that the missile gap was allowed to persist for nearly a decade. It was important to tell this regrettable 1971 story, followed by the Pulwama-Balakot missile disadvantage, in detail because these are the starkest of all examples of our 'there-will-be-no-war', or 'we can handle it with our numbers, so what if there are initial casualties or setbacks' approach. In both cases, almost 50 years apart, a much larger and more potent Indian force was put at a disadvantage just because some small but vital elements were lacking. Over the past three decades, beginning with General V P Malik, we have had several chiefs say in frustration that we will fight with whatever we have. The latest to say something similar is the current air chief. Everybody talks of China as the real threat, but we aren't even building a decisive capability against Pakistan. IMAGE: An IAF Rafale fighter jet during a sortie in Jodhpur. Photograph: ANI Photo We have to understand the basics first. Before preparing for a big war, India needs clear deterrence against both likely adversaries. With China, deterrence lies in making the costs of any aggression unaffordable. For Pakistan, the deterrence has to be punitive, with no hope of face-saving retaliation. For example, after Pulwama, if Balakot was bombed, such should have been the disparity in the IAF's favour that the PAF wouldn't even dare challenge it. That's what happened during Kargil when the missile gap was in India's favour. In the case of the Indian Army, for deterrence against both adversaries, the need is for long-range artillery, armed drones and copious volumes of loitering ammunition. More smart artillery ammunition. That could be among the first list of purchases, if only a little more money becomes available. Or modern, nippier air defence for forward units, given that the skies are going to be swarming with armed drones and cruise missiles. The infantry also needs rapidly standardised gear, from small arms and protective equipment to shoes, helmets, secure communication, night vision, and modern anti-tank guided missiles. We've been buying these in hundreds, and that's neither serious nor funny. IMAGE: Border Security Force personnel patrol the Line of Control. Photograph: ANI Photo The falling IAF squadron strength will take time to address. Meanwhile, just the acquisition of three or four more each of refuellers and AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems) will greatly multiply the current force levels. In both these vital categories, we barely match the PAF, forget China. In fact, the PAF has more AEW&C aircraft than us. These do not have the same appeal as a big fighter order, but they need only a fraction of the money and would be a much faster force multiplier. The navy desperately needs the heavyweight torpedoes for its Scorpene submarines, minesweepers, swarm boats and probably a 'navalised' version of the C-295 aircraft the Tatas are building in partnership with Airbus. These will be force multipliers too, as these reduce the workload of the 12 P-8is by taking over the medium-range surveillance and ASW (eight hours of flying time) duties. Given the limited budget for acquisitions, much of the funds will be allocated to the few big capital purchases, ongoing or impending. The additional money should be utilised mostly to fill these critical gaps in the short run to build force multipliers and minimum deterrence against each adversary. And finally, how to raise the money? First, minimal increases like these, about 0.2 per cent of GDP each year, can be pretty much tweaked into our ongoing Budgets. Even an increase by 0.1 per cent of GDP, from 1.9 per cent now to 2, will bring in another Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion) for acquisitions. But if that's onerous for the finance ministry, an aggressive new round of privatisation could be carried out, with the proceeds allocated to defence. Nothing could be more public opinion friendly. By special arrangement with The Print Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Two more Hindu priests were arrested in Bangladesh, ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das claimed on Saturday. IMAGE: ISKCON monk Sri Shyam Das Prabhu. Photograph: @RadharamnDas/X Speaking to PTI, Radharamn said, "I have received information that two more ISKCON monks have been arrested by police in Bangladesh." In a post on X on Friday night, Radharamn said, "In the meantime, bad news has come: two devotees who went with prasad for Chinmaya Prabhu were arrested on their way back to the temple, and Chinmaya prabhu's secretary is also missing. Please pray for them." Earlier on Friday, Radharamn had posted, "Another Brahmachari, Sri Shyam Das Prabhu, was arrested by Chattogram Police today." "Does he look like a terrorist? #FreeISKCONMonks Bangladesh. The arrest of innocent #ISKCON brahmacharis are deeply shocking & disturbing," Radharamn posted on X on Saturday. His comments comes comes in the backdrop of unconfirmed reports of arrest of three more ISKCON monks, days after the arrest of spiritual leader Chinmay Das. Chinmay Das, who also served as a spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday while en route to Chattogram to attend a rally. He was denied bail and sent to jail on Tuesday by the Chattogram Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate Court. Historically, Hindus made up approximately 22 per cent of Bangladesh's population during the 1971 Liberation War. The Hindu population, once a substantial demographic in Bangladesh, has experienced a significant decline in recent decades, with the minority community now comprising only around 8 per cent of the country's total population. This drop is largely attributed to a combination of socio-political marginalisation, exodus and sporadic violence over the years. A slogan-shouting mob vandalised three Hindu temples on Friday in Bangladesh's Chattogram which witnessed protests and violence since a former International Society of Krishna Consciousness member was booked under sedition charges. IMAGE: VHP supporters protest against the arrest of former ISKCON monk Chinmay Prabhu in Bangladesh, in Birbhum, West Bengal, November 29, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo The attack took place around 2:30 pm in the port city's Harish Chandra Munsef Lane, where the Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the nearby Shoni Temple, and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple were targeted, news portal BDNews24.com reported. "A group of several hundred slogan-shouting people threw brickbats at the temples, damaging the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples," the news portal quoted temple authorities as saying. Kotwali police station chief Abdul Karim confirmed the attack, saying that assailants attempted to damage the temples. The police, however, said the damage to the temples was minimal after the confrontation between the two sides, with both groups throwing brickbats at each other, it added. Tapan Das, a permanent member of the Shantineshwari Main Temple management committee, told BDNews24.com, "A procession of hundreds arrived after the Juma prayers. They started shouting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans." "We did not obstruct the attackers. When the situation worsened, we called the army, who arrived quickly and helped restore order. All the temple gates were closed before noon. The miscreants arrived unprovoked and carried out the attack," BDNews24.com said further quoting him. Spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of ISKCON of Bangladesh, was arrested in connection with a sedition case on Monday and denied bail on Tuesday. It triggered protests by Hindu community members in various locations in Bangladesh, including in the capital Dhaka and Chattogram. On October 30, a sedition case was filed against 19 people, including Das, at Chattogram's Kotwali Police Station, accusing them of disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag in Chattogram's New Market area during a rally of the Hindu community. On Tuesday, New Delhi expressed concern over the leader's arrest and denial of bail, and asked Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities. The week's anti-Hindu incidents have led to a diplomatic row between the two South Asian neighbours. India on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the surge of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus as well as attacks on temples. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India has taken serious note of incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh and that it is the primary responsibility of Dhaka to protect the life and liberty of all the citizens, including minorities. On the other hand, Bangladesh on Friday expressed deep concern over the violent protest at the deputy high commission in Kolkata and urged New Delhi to ensure the safety of all its diplomatic missions in India. Your weekly local update on arts, entertainment, and life in Colorado Springs! Delivered every Thursday to your inbox. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. The next chief minister of Maharashtra will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party and there will be two deputy chief ministers from other Mahayuti constituents, Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar said here on Saturday. IMAGE: Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his two deputies Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. Photograph: @AjitPawarSpeaks/X The Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and NCP headed by Ajit Pawar, registered a resounding victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections. By winning 132 seats, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, while Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats respectively. However, government formation has been delayed and suspense over the next CM continues. Ajit Pawar was in Pune to meet 95-year-old social activist Dr Baba Adhav, who held a protest against the alleged misuse of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls. When asked who will be the chief minister of the state, Pawar said, "The state will have one chief minister from BJP and two deputies from other two parties of Mahayuti. Tentatively, the oath taking ceremony will take place on December 5. We have decided to move ahead with a strong vision." State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday evening announced that the new Mahayuti government will be sworn in at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on the evening of December 5 in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence. While there was no announcement yet on who would be the chief minister, BJP sources said Devendra Fadnavis, who has been chief minister twice and was deputy CM in the last Eknath Shinde-led government, was the frontrunner for the top post. Ajit Pawar was another deputy CM in the Shinde-led government. Heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds pounded several parts of northern Tamil Nadu on Saturday, affecting normalcy, as cyclonic storm Fengal, expected to make landfall near Puducherry later in the day, continued moving towards the coast. IMAGE: Vehicles on the road amid rainy weather ahead of cyclone Fengal, in Chennai. Photograph: ANI Photo What began as intermittent rainfall in coastal regions on the night of November 29, gradually became steady leading to inundation in several areas, including portions of the premises of government hospitals in suburban Chrompet in Chennai, and trees were uprooted in a number of places. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin reviewed the situation at the State Emergency Operations Centre with top officials and later told reporters that all precautionary measures have already been taken and camps have been set up for people of vulnerable areas and food was also being distributed to them. Also, the Chief Minister inspected a pumping station. Greater Chennai Corporation authorities said 22,000 personnel including engineers, officials and sanitary workers were on the job and a total of 1,686 motor pumps of various capacities including 25-hp and 100-hp were in use. As many as 484 tractor-mounted heavy-duty pumps and 137 pumps of 100-hp capacity have been deployed. The GCC said work was on in a 'war footing' to clear waterlogging in 134 spots and out of the 9 trees that fell, 5 have been cleared. Out of the 22 subways, traffic flow is smooth in 21 of them. The Ganesapuram subway had already been closed for tasks related to railway bridge work. Reservoirs that cater to the city's drinking water needs such as Chembarmbakkam and Poondi received copious inflow. Many residents of low-lying Madipakkam parked their cars on both sides of nearby Velachery flyover. Residents of similar vulnerable areas too parked their vehicles in safe areas. Roads were largely deserted and civic workers, police, and fire and rescue personnel, deployed in vulnerable places performed rain-related relief/rescue tasks. State-run transport corporations operated skeleton services in Chennai and nearby areas. Railway officials said EMU train services in all suburban sections in Chennai division will operate with reduced frequency until further notice. An official said that by and large, train (including express/superfast) services have not been affected, though there was some delay. Chennai Metro Rail said its services were operational without any glitches and informed public of parking areas in specific stations that were prone to inundation. Airport authorities declared suspension of all operations till 7 pm starting from 12.30 pm. Departure and arrival schedule of both domestic and international flights were affected. Some of the flights were diverted to Bengaluru and Tiruchirappalli and at least 18 flights were cancelled and 12 other flights were delayed. Chennai airport authorities said IndiGo Airlines has temporarily suspended flight operations, which will resume once the weather improves. As the sea was pretty rough, police put up barricades blocking access to noted beaches including the Marina and Mamallapuram. State-run Aavin milk supply was not affected and power supply continued to be normal in many areas. The government had already declared November 30 a holiday for educational institutions and requested IT firms to make their employees work from home. The Election Commission on Saturday asserted that all poll procedures it followed in Maharashtra were transparent and assured that it would review all legitimate concerns flagged by the Congress, which alleged serious inconsistencies. IMAGE: Polling officials collect EVMs and other election materials ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections in Nagpur. Photograph: ANI Photo In its interim response to the party, the poll authority invited a Congress delegation on December 3 to discuss concerns expressed by it. The Congress on Friday raised with the Election Commission "serious and grave inconsistencies" which it said were being revealed in the data relating to the polling and counting processes for the recently-concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls and sought an in-person hearing to present relevant evidence. In the response, the EC reiterated that the process was transparent with the involvement of candidates or their agents at every stage. The commission also assured of a review of the Congress' legitimate concerns and a written response after hearing the party's delegation in person. It asserted that a transparent electoral roll updation process was undertaken with the involvement of all political parties. Responding to the issue regarding the voter turnout data, the EC asserted that there was no discrepancy in it and the data was available with all candidates polling station-wise and is verifiable. The gap in the 5 pm polling data and the final voter turnout was due to procedural priorities, as presiding officers perform multiple statutory duties near the close of polling before updating the voter turnout data. As an additional disclosure measure, an EC press note at around 11:45 pm was introduced during the 2024 Lok Sabha election and followed subsequently during all assembly polls thereafter, the poll body told the Congress. A youth from Khammam district of Telangana was shot dead by miscreants at a gas station near Chicago in the United States where he was working, family members said on Saturday. Sai Teja Nukarapu (22) was shot at by the assailants in the early hours of Saturday Indian time, BRS MLC Madhusudan Thatha said, citing preliminary information received from the US. The MLC, who called on the parents of the victim at their residence near Khammam, said Sai Teja was not on duty when the incident happened but helping a friend who asked him to stay on for some time. The friend had gone out on some work. Sai Teja completed BBA in India and is pursuing MBA in US. One of the relatives of the victim told media persons that the deceased was doing a part-time job. It is sad to know that Sai Teja was shot dead when he stayed on at the place of work to help a friend, the relative said. The MLC said he spoke to the members of Telugu Association of North America (TANA) for help in the incident. The body is expected to reach India next week. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday appealed to the Bangladesh interim government to ensure the atrocities on the Hindus are stopped and ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das is released from jail immediately. IMAGE: A monk puts up pamphlets outside the ISKCON's headquarters in Kolkata against the arrest of ISKCON monk Chinmay Prabhu by Dhaka police. Photograph: ANI Photo RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale in a statement also appealed to the Indian government to continue its efforts to stop the atrocities on the Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and take necessary steps to build global opinion in its support "as soon as possible". "The attacks, murders, looting, arson as well as inhuman atrocities by Islamic fundamentalists on Hindus, women and all other minorities in Bangladesh are extremely worrying and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh condemns this," he said. Instead of stopping this, the present Bangladesh government and other agencies are only silent spectators, Hosabale said. "Out of helplessness, a new phase of injustice and atrocities seems to be emerging against the Hindus of Bangladesh to suppress the voice raised by them in a democratic way for self-defense," the RSS general secretary said. "It is unjust for the Bangladesh government to send ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is leading the Hindus in such peaceful demonstrations, to jail," he added Bangladesh Police earlier on Monday arrested International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area in Dhaka while he was travelling to Chittagong. "The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh appeals to the Bangladesh government to ensure that the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh stop immediately and release Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das from imprisonment," Hosabale said. "The RSS also appeals to the Indian government to continue its efforts to stop the atrocities on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and take necessary steps as soon as possible to build global opinion in its support," he added. At this crucial time, the RSS general secretary said, India and the global community and institutions should stand with the victims of Bangladesh and express their support, and demand that their respective governments make every possible effort to ensure that atrocities on the Hindus and other minorities are stopped in Bangladesh immediately. This is necessary for world peace and brotherhood, he added. A 45-year-old passenger fell to his death from an air-conditioned Uttar Pradesh roadways bus allegedly after he opened its door to spit 'pann' as the vehicle moved through the Purvanchal Expressway in Sultanpur on Saturday, police said. Photograph: ANI Photo The incident took place on the 93-km milestone of the expressway around 10.30 am when the bus was en route to Lucknow from Azamgarh. "As the bus reached near Bihi village in the Baldirai police station area, a passenger opened the door of the moving bus to spit. He lost balance and fell onto the road, resulting in his death. He had opened the door to spit 'paan'," a police official said. "The bus was stopped immediately, and Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) officials along with the police were informed," the official said. Baldirai Station House Officer (SHO) Dheeraj Kumar said that UPEIDA personnel rushed the victim to the local Community Health Centre via ambulance, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. "The deceased was identified as Ram Jiavan, a resident of Chinhat area in Lucknow. His wife, Savitri, was also travelling with him on the bus," Kumar said. He added that the bus has been taken to the police station for further investigation and the body has been sent for post-mortem. The new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra will be sworn in at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on the evening of December 5 in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence , the state Bharatiya Janata Party announced on Saturday. IMAGE: Maharashtra's care-taker Chief Minister with his deputy Devendra Fadnavis meet BJP chief JP Nadda in New Delhi. Photograph: @Dev_Fadnavis/X While there was no announcement yet on who would be the chief minister, BJP sources said Devendra Fadnavis, who has been chief minister twice and was deputy CM in the last Eknath Shinde-led government, was the frontrunner for the top post. Shinde, who is holding the charge as caretaker chief minister and who headed to his native village Dare in Satara district a day before amid speculation that he was not happy with the way the new government was shaping up, has taken ill, an aide said. He was running temperature of 105, the aide said. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at 5 pm at the Azad Maidan ground in south Mumbai, said state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule in a post on X. PM Modi will attend the ceremony, he added. Shiv Sena leader Shambhuraj Desai, who hails from Satara district, told reporters that Shinde and other party leaders returned from Delhi early Friday morning after meeting the top BJP leaders, and Shinde has had cough and cold since then. "Exertion affected him, so we advised him to take rest," said Desai. Sanjay Shirsat, a Shiv Sena leader close to Shinde, said his party must get the home portfolio. Speaking to PTI, Shirsat also claimed that attempts were made to sideline Shinde. Meanwhile, a BJP leader said a meeting will be held on December 2 to elect the BJP legislature party leader. Fadnavis was likely to get the CM post this time, he added. Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena and who was chief minister since June 2022, attended a meeting of the ruling alliance leaders with senior BJP leader Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday night. Before that, he had made it clear that any decision on the chief minister's post by the top BJP leadership would be acceptable to him. Shinde is under pressure from a group of Shiv Sena leaders who think he should not become a deputy CM, having been the chief minister for more than two years. Another group of party leaders insists that he must be part of the new government. The Mahayuti alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) retained power with a landslide victory in the assembly elections, the results of which were announced on November 23. While the simple majority figure in the 288-member House is 145, the BJP alone bagged 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and NCP with 41 seats. But the government formation was delayed as the alliance failed to evolve consensus on who would be the chief minister. Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar met BJP president J P Nadda and Union minister Shah late Thursday night to discuss the power-sharing arrangement. Though Shinde appeared to have ceded claim to the top post, indications that there were still some points of disagreements in the alliance emerged when a meeting of the allies here on Friday was put off, and he instead left for his village Dare. The Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party has already stated that Fadnavis was acceptable to it as chief minister. Elsewhere, Sanjay Raut of the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) told reporters that the "unnatural verdict" delayed the selection of the chief minister, and the differences in the ruling alliance forced Shinde to go to his village. The Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a rout in the November 20 elections, with the Congress winning 16 seats, Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) 10 seats and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) picking up 20 seats. MVA leaders including Sharad Pawar expressed solidarity with social activist Baba Adhav who launched a protest in Pune three days ago against the alleged misuse of Electronic Voting Machines in the recent elections. Power and money were misused to control the election machinery, alleged the senior Pawar. Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain also acknowledged that there is a change in the relations between the two neighbours after August 5 and said it is a reality. IMAGE: Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Photograph: ANI Photo India needs to address Bangladesh's longstanding concerns to improve bilateral ties between Dhaka and New Delhi, Hossain said adding: Bangladesh's previous (ousted) government addressed the concerns of India, but India did not address Bangladesh's concerns. Deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5 following widespread protests against her Awami League-led government over a controversial job quota system. Three days later, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, took over as the Chief Adviser of the interim government. The diplomatic row erupted between India and Bangladesh after Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday. Das, the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was denied bail and sent to jail by the Chattogram's Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court in a sedition case on Tuesday. It triggered clashes between his supporters and the security personnel that led to the killing of a lawyer. Hossain was speaking at a roundtable titled 'Bangladesh-India Relations: Expectations, Barriers and Future' organised by the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and the Department of Political Science & Sociology (PSS), North South University in Dhaka, state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) said. The Foreign Affairs Adviser acknowledged that there is a change in the relations after August 5, and said, This is reality but remained optimistic about bilateral relationship despite current diplomatic challenges. Dhaka wants to remain optimistic that we would be able to establish a good relation with India making sure that bilateral interests are protected, BSS said quoting Hossain. He emphasised the importance of a national consensus on foreign policy, saying Bangladesh could not fully capitalise its potentials due to political divisions. Following this week's anti-Hindu incidents -- including Das' arrest and attacks on Hindu temples and community members -- India on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the surge of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus as well as attacks on temples. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India has taken serious note of incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh and that it is the primary responsibility of Dhaka to protect the life and liberty of all the citizens, including minorities. On the other hand, Bangladesh on Friday expressed deep concern over the violent protest at the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and urged New Delhi to ensure the safety of all its diplomatic missions in India. Among other issues, Hossain also pointed out that there has been no progress on crucial issues between Bangladesh and India such as the Teesta water sharing agreement or the troubling problem of border killings, the BSS added. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Saturday insisted that the party must get the crucial home department in the new Maharashtra government and claimed attempts were being made to sideline caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. IMAGE: Maharashtra's caretaker CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in New Delhi, November 28, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo Talking to PTI, Shirsat said considering Shinde's positive image and the schemes he rolled out, he would have contributed more if he had gotten two and half years more as the CM. "The home department should be with the party (Shiv Sena). The department is (usually) with the deputy chief minister. It would not be right if the chief minister heads the home department," said the MLA who represents the Aurangabad West assembly seat. Devendra Fadnavis holds the home portfolio in the outgoing government. Shirsat's remarks indicate fissures that have developed among Mahayuti allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena and the NCP, who put up a stellar performance in the recently held Maharashtra state polls by winning 230 out of 288 assembly seats. BJP won 132 seats, followed by its allies Shiv Sena (57) and NCP (41). Shinde, now the caretaker chief minister, has said he will fully support the BJP leadership's decision to name the next chief minister, and would not be a hurdle. According to party sources, Shinde, who travelled to his native Dare village in Satara, is upset. The party has demanded the home department in the deliberations regarding government formation. The BJP is asking for the chief minister's post based on its numbers, and it did upset the Shiv Sena, they said. "The BJP has certainly benefited by making Shinde the face of the Mahayuti government. The BJP or the NCP were not involved (in placating) the Maratha quota agitators. It was Shinde who took it upon himself. He also gave the Maratha reservation, so the support for him increased manifold," Shirsat said. Shirsat further pointed out that while welfare schemes have existed in the past, Shinde gave them a new lease of life. He alleged that NCP chief Ajit Pawar had opposed the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme for women, but the government went ahead with the scheme, and its effect was seen in the polls. Shinde's "Common Man" image as a chief minister was more acceptable to people, and despite words like "gaddar" (traitor) used for him, he has established himself firmly after the state polls, the Shiv Sena leader said. "This has benefited the entire Mahayuti. He was the one who took out maximum rallies. Looking at this, had he got two and half years, he would have contributed more to the state," he said. The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board has claimed that a mosque on a college campus here and the land in its vicinity are Waqf properties, a charge rejected by the college administration. Photograph: Courtesy Udai Pratap College A notice was sent to the Udai Pratap College in 2018, claiming that the mosque on its campus and the college land were donated to the Waqf Board by the nawab of Tonk and therefore, the college campus is Waqf property, principal D K Singh said. "The notice came from Varanasi resident Wasim Ahmed Khan. The then secretary of the college had responded to the notice, saying the mosque was built illegally and the property of the college belonged to a trust and it could neither be bought nor sold," he added. Singh said the Waqf Board tried to build a mosque in 2022 but police stopped it after the college administration complained. The principal alleged that the mosque is stealing electricity from the college and using it illegally. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Varuna zone, C K Meena, said the dispute dates back to 2022, when the mosque's construction was stopped on the college administration's complaint. Manaur Rahman, a regular visitor to the mosque, said the Waqf Board has staked claim over the mosque and a few acres of land in front of the structure. "This mosque was the property of the nawab of Tonk. The college had given us the electricity connection following a mutual agreement between the college and the mosque administration. The college administration cut off the power connection a few days ago," he said. "We have the documents related to electricity (supply) before this. There is no dispute here but a dispute is being created unnecessarily. We have been offering namaz here for a long time," Rahman added. The Udai Pratap Autonomous College was conceptualised and created by Rajarshi Udai Pratap Singh Judeo to promote education to enrich the society with the value system of this region. Judeo founded the Hewett Kshatriya High School in Varanasi in 1909 and it was raised to the level of an intermediate college in 1921 and rechristened as Udai Pratap Intermediate College. The institution was further elevated to the level of a degree college in 1949, when it commenced undergraduate classes for Arts and Commerce. Recently, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the 115th foundation day programme of the college. Continuing a beloved tradition now in its 69th year, North American Aerospace Defense Command will again track Santa Claus' sleigh ride journey across the globe as he delivers presents to children all over the world. On Sunday, the military-run, all-volunteer tracking operation will launch its NORAD Tracks Santa website, noradsanta.org. The website features Santa's North Pole Village, including a countdown until Santa's annual Dec. 24 journey, plus games, a movie theater, holiday music, a web store and more. The website is available in nine languages, a Friday news release from NORAD states: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese and Korean. Parents can also download the official NORAD Tracks Santa smartphone app, available on the Apple App and Google Play stores. There's also NORAD Tracks Santa Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) pages, and it will be available on Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM and OnStar. Sign Up for free: Military Brief Your weekly local update on local military news and events, sent straight to your inbox. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, trackers worldwide can call 1-877-HI-NORAD for real-time updates on Santa's location from live operators, beginning 6 a.m. to midnight Mountain Time. Visitors to the NORAD Tracks Santa website can also see Santa's flight from 4 a.m. to midnight Mountain Time on Dec. 24. The annual tradition was born nearly 70 years ago when, in 1955, Sears Roebuck ran an advertisement in The Gazette with a phone number for children to call Santa. But one of the digits in the phone number was wrong. Children trying to call Santa instead reached the on-duty commander at the Continental Air Defense Command, which would later be known as NORAD. Air Force Col. Harry Shoup kindly played along and acted as Santa, and a tradition was born. NORAD is a U.S. and Canada bi-national organization that prevents air attacks against North America, responding to unknown, unwanted and unauthorized air activity near and within North American airspace. 'People's expectations were very high.' 'We felt both sides had understood each other.' 'But the removal of Article 370 triggered apprehensions within the Naga people.' Rashme Sehgal reports. IMAGE: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio meets Union Home Minister Amit A Shah, November 22, 2024. All photographs: ANI Photo With the NSCN-IM threatening a resumption of 'armed violent conflict', Home Minister Amit A Shah finally agreed to meet a delegation of the Nagaland cabinet led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his two deputy chief ministers T R Zeliang and Y Patton last week. The crux of the problem which NSCN-IM leaders have been highlighting repeatedly is their unhappiness with the present government appointed interlocutor, retired Intelligence Bureau officer K N Mishra who has been asked to speak to them after being given the status of a 'representative'. Chief Minister Rio conveyed to Shah the apprehension felt by the NSCN-IM cadre led by T Muivah, who is both their chief political negotiator as also party general secretary, when Mishra conveyed to them that 'no record was available of the Government of India competencies that were submitted by GoI interlocutor Governor of Nagaland R N Ravi' in the course of his dialogue with members of this organisation. "The GoI competencies were submitted on May 8, 2018 and they were responded to (by NSCN-IM) on January 2 2020," says Zeilang. IMAGE: Rio and his delegation with Shah, November 22, 2024. Then Nagaland governor R N Ravi was the last interlocutor for the talks but after being shifted to Tamil Nadu, the Centre downgraded the status of the talks by appointing Mishra only as a representative. The Centre has been holding negotiations with NSCN-IM since 1997 following a ceasefire agreement and went on to ink the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015. The Framework Agreement was signed by Muivah and Ravi and copies of which were exchanged in New Delhi on August 3, 2015, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then home minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit K Doval, and top NSCN-IM leaders, triggered hopes for a quick settlement of the decades-long armed conflict. The GoI also started parallel talks with the working committee of Naga National Political Groups in 2017 and signed the Agreed Position the same year. Muivah, who also claims to be prime minister of the self-styled government of the People's Republic of Nagaland, alleged that the GoI had 'deliberately betrayed' the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement by refusing to recognise and acknowledge the 'Nagalim sovereign national flag' and the 'Nagalim sovereign national constitution'. By Nagalim, the NSCN-IM refers to all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas of Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh. This demand for a separate constitution and flag had resurfaced with greater force following the Modi government's decision to abrogate Article 370 by which Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed the notional autonomy of having their own flag and constitution. But once this reversal took place, there was little likelihood of the GoI agreeing to a similar demand by any other group including the NSCN-IM demand and this is precisely what Home Minister Shah conveyed to Rio and his team. Says Zeilang, "The home minister conveyed to us that there can be only Constitution and one flag within a country and this position would not be reconsidered." Zeilang points out that both parties need to find a middle ground. He also emphasises that "the competencies of both the GoI and NSCN-IM must be discussed clause by clause in order to arrive at a middle path." IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with NSCN-IM General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah at the signing ceremony of the historic peace accord between the Government of India and the group in New Delhi in 2015. Photograph: Press Information Bureau So far, the NSCN-IM is not willing to budge from its demand of a separate flag and constitution. This group also claims they have lost their faith in Mishra and want him to be replaced by a proper interlocutor in order to ensure that the ongoing Naga political dialogue is elevated to ministerial level. Muivah and his group have repeatedly insisted that 'Nagas were not Indians, Nagas were sovereign and any settlement could be reached only on the basis of the fact that this is a settlement between two sovereigns'. Author and human rights lawyer Nandita Haksar, who was closely associated with the peace talks, points out that Muivah's stand has been that the two significant agreements signed by the NSCN-IM -- the Amsterdam Joint Communique with the Atal Behari Vajpayee government in 2002 and the Framework Agreement with the Modi government in 2015 -- officially recognised and acknowledged 'Nagalim sovereignty'. According to Muivah, the agreements also recognised that the Naga issue was a political conflict between two sovereign entities and therefore the Naga conflict was not an internal matter of India. Muivah claims that through the Framework Agreement, the two sides had agreed upon 'sharing sovereign power' in a 'new relationship'. "But the GoI had not issued any official statement on this matter up till now," Haksar points out. Sources within the NSCN-IM did not mince words when they said that they "smelled mischief was afoot" and expressed disbelief at how GoI competencies could disappear out of the blue. IMAGE: Rio and Deputy CM Yanthungo Patton call on Shah. Muivah has also been demanding a 'third party intervention' (read a neutral international body) to end the stalemate over the Framework Agreement it had signed with the GoI. The political development is not sudden but a culmination of the ambiguity that gripped the Naga talks five years ago, in 2019, when dialogue came to a halt over the two contentious issues of a separate flag and constitution for Nagalim. Several rounds ot talks held from 2022 onwards have prove inconclusive. The problem from the start was that neither the GoI nor the NSCN-IM divulged the content of the Framework Agreement leaving the Nagas and the public questioning about what the content of this final settlement was and how it would be translated on the ground. Two years after the signing of the Framework Agreement, the GoI initiated a parallel dialogue with the Naga National Political Group, a conglomeration of seven other Naga rebel groups, after the two sides signed an 'Agreed Position' in 2017. The Naga National Political Group's consistent stand has been that the states derive space to exercise sovereign powers from the Constitution of India through the Central List, the State List, and the Concurrent List. According to the Naga National Political Group working committee, the political dialogue concluded on October 21, 2019, and only the final accord remained to be signed. "So far the NSCM-IM have been adamant. I believe this problem needs an out of box solution," says Deepak Dewan, an observer and analyst on the North East. "The GOI can arrive at a conclusion with them by calling it Naga customary law and not the Constitution. They can be told they can use a flag for cultural purposes but not as a Constitutional right." "The problem is that the NSCM-IM has not disbanded its cadre which continue to operate from designated camps," adds Dewan. "We must not forget that no insurgency can survive without the support of the local people and these different groups continue to get money and manpower from the locals." "Also, earlier the interlocutor from the GoI was reporting to the PMO and not to the home ministry as has happened after Mishra's appointment," says Dewan. "When the Framework Agreement 2015 was signed, we thought everything was settled," says Neingulo Krome, secretary general, Naga People's Movement for Human Rights. "People's expectations were very high. We felt both sides had understood each other. But the removal of Article 370 triggered apprehensions within the Naga people." "The subsequent Nagaland Resolution was passed with the full approval of the GoI who had invited Naga leaders for talks. Everything is there on the record," adds Krome. "But talks have been downgraded since which is why Naga leaders have been threatening to call off the cease fire and are also asking for third party intervention." "We have received no official statement from the PMO. The doors are still open and it will all depend on what step the GoI will take. The bottom line is that the Naga leaders are not willing to talk to Mishra anymore," emphasises Krome. Muivah believes that Prime Minister Modi, who had supervised the signing of the Framework Agreement, has 'turned cool as the years keep going away otherwise what is making him go slow in implementing the FA, which is his own brainchild?' One of the reasons, Nagas believe, could be because major mineral resources, including petroleum are to be found in different parts of Nagaland. But Muivah insists these resources 'belongs to us' and nobody can be allowed to exploit them. Observers question whether anything positive can come out of these peace talks. "The only thing that can be achieved is a good economic package which will bring some real development to the Naga inhabited areas which are some of the remotest in the country," says Nandita Haksar. "There are villages where there is no electricity, no water and no toilets. A whole generation of Naga youth have left and taken jobs all over India, many returned penniless in the wake of the pandemic," Haksar adds. If the GoI does not take immediate steps to ameliorate their condition, the Naga people will get increasingly alienated from both the NSCN and the GoI. One trend visible is how young people are growing fundamentalistic in their attitudes and not willing to tolerate outsiders including minorities that are found within Naga society. The GoI can scarcely afford to allow another state in the north east to go the Manipur way which has been witnessing incessant sectarian violence for over one year now. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com US President Donald Trump said he sees a "very good chance" for peace between Ukraine and Russia after "very good and productive discussions" between US officials and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a March 14 post on his Truth Social site, Trump also said the United States had urged Russia to spare the lives of "thousands" of Ukrainian soldiers that Putin has said have been isolated by Russian troops in Russia's Kursk region. Ukraine disputes that claim. The post came just hours after the Kremlin said it was "cautiously optimistic" following a meeting late on March 13 between Putin and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. "We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end," Trump wrote. Trump added that "thousands of Ukrainian troops are completely surrounded by the Russian military, and in a very bad and vulnerable position." "I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared," he wrote. "This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II." Putin said a day earlier that a group of Ukrainian troops were "isolated" in the Kursk region, the site of a surprise incursion by Ukrainian forces last August. Responding to Trump's plea on March 14, he said the soldiers' lives would be spared if they surrendered and urged Kyiv to order them to do so. Officials in Kyiv have said that while Ukrainian forces have been slowly withdrawing in the Kursk region under heavy pressure from Russian troops, but the armed forces general staff said on March 14 that "[r]eports of the alleged 'encirclement' of Ukrainian units...in the Kursk region are false and fabricated." "There is no threat of encirclement of our units," it said in a statement on social media. Zelenskyy Challenges Putin's Motives Earlier on March 14, Putin's spokesman said there were grounds for "cautious optimism" over Trump's 30-day cease-fire proposal, which Ukraine accepted earlier this week at talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine, meanwhile, questioned Moscow's sincerity in ending the war, which is now in its fourth year since Russia's full-scale invasion on February 2022. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that Putin sent Trump a message about his cease-fire proposal after his talks with Witkoff in the Russian capital. "When Mr Witkoff brings all the information to President Trump, we will determine the timing of a conversation (between Trump and Putin). There are reasons to be cautiously optimistic," Peskov said. Putin said a day earlier that he agrees in principle with the US proposal for a temporary cease-fire with Ukraine, but added that "there are nuances," such as Western weapons deliveries to Kyiv, that he wants addressed first. The Russian leader also said any agreement should lead to long-term peace that addresses the "root" reasons for the war, an apparent reference to NATO expansion and other developments Putin claims have put Russia's security in jeopardy. In a video posted late on March 13, Zelenskyy questioned Putin's motives, saying the Russian leader was preparing to reject the proposal but was afraid to tell Trump. "That's why in Moscow they are imposing upon the idea of a cease-fire these conditions -- so that nothing happens at all, or so that it cannot happen for as long as possible," Zelenskyy said. He followed up on March 14 with a post on social media accusing the Kremlin of trying to "complicate and drag out the process." "Russia is the only party that wants the war to continue and diplomacy to break down," he said on X after a call with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, cardinal Pietro Parolin. Putin's Response To Trump's Pressure Kyiv agreed to Trump's 30-day cease-fire proposal at a meeting in Jeddah on March 11, putting the onus for peace in Moscow's lap. Putin's response threw the ball back into US hands, at least to some degree. Trump called Putin's initial reaction to peace talk developments "promising" but incomplete, though he added he hoped Russia would "do the right thing" and agree to the deal. "I think the Russians are keen not to be seen as the intransigent party as that could lead to consequences from Trump, such as sanctions. So that informed Putin's comments today," John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank, told RFE/RL. Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine a top priority since taking office for a second term less than two months ago, and is wielding US leverage to get both Kyiv and Moscow to the table. On March 13, the US administration heightened pressure on Russia by increasing restrictions on the country's oil, gas, and banking sectors. Among the measures, the Treasury Department was allowing the expiration of a 60-day exemption put in place in January by the Biden administration that let some energy transactions involving sanctioned Russian banks continue. The move would make it more difficult for other nations, especially in Europe, to buy Russian oil. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) -- which includes the United States, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan -- said they discussed imposing more sanctions on Russia and boosting support for Ukraine if the Kremlin does not agree to the cease-fire. Among the measures discussed during the March 13-14 meeting were caps on the price for Russian oil exports, they said in a joint statement. Western nations in late 2022 imposed a $60-a-barrel price cap on the export of Russian oil using Western ships or insurance. It is unclear if the G7 discussions touched on lowering the price cap. Russia's economy is heavily dependent on oil exports, which account for a third of federal budget revenues. In a joint statement following the meeting, the G7 said that "we reaffirmed our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, and its freedom, sovereignty, and independence." "We welcomed ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire, and in particular the meeting on March 11 between the US and Ukraine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," it added. Putin also said there were several unanswered questions in the proposal, such as what to do about Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region. "If we have a cease-fire, does that mean that everyone there would leave?" Putin said. "Should we release them [Ukrainian troops] after they committed crimes against the population? Or would they surrender?" Ukraine denies committing such crimes, saying it abides by humanitarian law and does not target civilians. Why Should Russia Agree To A Cease-Fire? Kyiv seized a swath of the Kursk region in a stealth incursion in August, a move seen as an effort to divert Russian forces from eastern Ukraine and use the territory as a bargaining chip in any peace talks. That strategy is now failing as Russian forces supported by North Korean troops push the Ukrainians out of Kursk. Russia has regained more than half the territory in Kursk initially captured by Ukraine. Zelenskyy told reporters on March 14 that the situation in Kursk was "obviously very difficult." Among the other concerns Putin voiced about the cease-fire proposal is whether Ukraine would use the 30-day period to mobilize and train forces or rearm with the help of the West. He also raised the question of how the nearly 2,000-kilometer front would be monitored. Zelenskyy told reporters that the front could be monitored by US satellites. Experts had warned that Putin would likely seek to drag out cease-fire talks because his forces have the upper hand on the battlefield. Aside from the advances in Kursk, Russia is gaining territory in eastern Ukraine -- albeit at high human and material costs -- due to its significant manpower advantage. However, Zelenskyy said Ukraine has stopped Russian forces at the gates of Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub in Donetsk region, after months of fighting on the outskirts of the city. Zelenskyy asserted that the incursion into Kursk forced Russia to pull forces from eastern Ukraine, giving his troops time to defend the city. Russia is seeking to capture at a minimum the entirety of the four regions of Ukraine it claims to have annexed in September 2022: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson. A cease-fire freezing the current front lines would leave them short of that goal. "One way the Russians could slow down this process without coming out directly and saying 'no', is by dragging out those technical discussions on monitoring" the cease-fire, Hardie said. "That could also give them ways to try to pin the blame back on Ukraine, by insisting on certain technical matters that Ukraine might find objectionable," he said. TBILISI -- Journalists covering large anti-government protests in Georgia say they have been deliberately targeted by security forces, with many reporting that they were beaten and required hospitalization. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in downtown Tbilisi for two consecutive nights after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the suspension of Georgia's EU integration process until 2028. Georgian police have used water cannon and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. Guram Rogava, a journalist for the local Formula TV station, reportedly suffered a broken collar bone and facial bones after being beaten by police at the November 28-29 protests. Multiple employees of TV Pirveli -- which like Formula, has aired programs critical of the government -- were also attacked. Nodar Meladze, head of news at TV Pirveli, said that Georgian security forces deliberately prevented journalists from working and attempted to shut down broadcasts. "I have been the head of news for many years, and this is the first protest where operators and journalists were treated with such cruelty," Meladze said. "'I know you are a journalist,'" he said a member of the security forces told him before they attacked him. Since Georgian Dream won 54 percent of the vote in October 26 parliamentary elections, the country has been in disarray, with the opposition and Western governments claiming the vote was tainted by widespread violations. Security forces violently dispersed protests against the result of the vote. In these latest protests, TV Pirveli journalist Anna Madivan said she experienced an allergic reaction to the water used in the water cannon. Other journalists experienced negative reactions to the water spray and said they suspected it was laced with allergens or other chemicals. 'A Deliberate Attack' Two other journalists from TV Pirveli, Davit Bichikashvili and Nanuka Kajaya, said they were attacked while conducting interviews, with Kajaya requiring medical attention after being hit with blasts from a water cannon. Davit Tsagareli, a journalist for RFE/RL's Georgian Service, was attacked while he was broadcasting live near the Rustaveli subway station in downtown Tbilisi. "I was walking on the sidewalk. I was live. At that moment, a special forces officer came out of a pharmacy and suddenly punched me in the stomach," Tsagareli said. After collapsing and struggling to breathe, Tsagareli said that another special forces officer approached him. "I was wearing an RFE/RL jacket, wearing a press badge, and it looked like I was a journalist. This was a deliberate attack," he said. Current Time cameraman George Tchumburidze was pushed off a ledge near the parliament building when covering the protests, an incident caught on camera. Multiple journalists recounted similar stories to RFE/RL's Georgian Service, accusing the authorities of beating them specifically because of their work. Many of them were hospitalized. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, a fervent critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party, condemned the "brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and media," comparing the crackdown to "Russian-style repression." Media Ombudsman, a local NGO, has called on Georgia's Special Investigation Service, a body tasked with probing the security forces and public officials, to launch an immediate investigation into the incidents, requesting they be classified under Article 154 (interference in journalistic activity) and Article 156 (prosecution) of the country's Criminal Code. The NGO has also demanded separate investigations into cases involving journalists. Georgian Prime Minister Kobakhidze, speaking at a briefing on November 29, stated that any violation of law, particularly against journalists, should be investigated. Deteriorating Relationship With Brussels Journalists covering protests have been targeted before in Georgia, leading international human rights organizations and media-advocacy NGOs to express concern about press freedom and the safety of media workers. In 2021, 53 journalists suffered injuries, including concussions, chemical burns, and broken limbs, after far-right protesters attacked a planned Pride march. While covering those events, Lekso Lashkarava, a cameraman for TV Pirveli, was brutally beaten suffering severe injuries. Several days later, Lashkarava was found dead in his home, leading to protests and outrage that police had not done enough to stop the violence. While Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023, its relationship with Brussels has deteriorated in recent months. Brussels has distanced itself from the government after the passing of controversial laws curbing LGBT rights and clamping down on NGOs and media organizations that receive a significant amount of their funding from abroad. The above photo, made in October 1996, is one of a handful held in the U.S. National Archives capturing the brief thaw in relations between Moscow and Washington that began as the U.S.S.R. neared collapse, and ended with the rise of Vladimir Putin. In December 1991, Boris Yeltsin, the president of a soon-to-be-independent Russia, detailed to U.S. Secretary of State James Baker exactly how the Kremlin's nuclear strike system would be activated for an attack. Yeltsin's surprising gesture of openness was followed by a series of concessions by both sides that would lead to thousands of nuclear warheads being removed from each country's arsenals. Russia and the United States agreed to significantly reduce the tens of thousands of nuclear weapons each country possessed, and to "de-target" others. Mutual visits to Russian and U.S. nuclear weapons facilities were planned as a way to maintain trust as the historic nuclear drawdown began. William M. Moon was the nuclear security program manager for Cooperative Threat Reduction programs in several post-Soviet countries from 1992 to 2014. He experienced the occasionally frosty thaw of the 1990s firsthand. Moon was responsible for arranging two visits by Russian generals to U.S. nuclear-warhead storage facilities. He told RFE/RL that on one of those visits, the Russian delegation members were each given personalized access passes but, inexplicably, the visitors swapped their passes among themselves. The move "generated a security violation that caused the Marine guards to draw their weapons to surround the delegation." The commander of the base was "furious," Moon said of the ID card debacle. "It became impossible for those of us in the Cooperative Threat Reduction program to invite any Russian delegations to visit additional U.S. facilities." Remembering his own visits to nuclear-warhead storage facilities in Russia, Moon told RFE/RL the missions included, "riding in vans for three or more hours with the windows blacked out." He and his team were also restricted from carrying anything metallic. "I even had my boots taken away from me because they had metal protective toes in them." Along with military visits to missile storage and launch facilities as part of treaty monitoring, the 1990s saw several goodwill exchanges by Russian and U.S. militaries. By the mid-1990s, relations between Moscow and Washington were beginning to sour over NATO's expansion eastward, and the Western alliance's increasing involvement in the Bosnian War. Andrei Kozyrev, Russia's foreign minister under Yeltsin, described his U.S. counterparts as "little Western thugs." Moon says the meetings between U.S. and Russian militaries that began in the 1990s were suspended by Washington following Russia's annexation of Ukraine in 2014. The arms-treaty-compliance inspections were halted at the onset of the COVID pandemic, and then, Moon said, "Russia refused to resume inspections." Moon says looking back at the hopefulness of the 1990s, it is deeply disturbing to me that after working so closely with the Russian Ministry of Defense for almost 20 years, including over 75 visits to Russia, that the Russians have cut off all communications and chosen to launch an unprovoked genocidal war against Ukraine. This weekend should see busy roads around Colorado Springs during post-holiday travel. Here are the major transportation and construction updates that could impact travelers in the upcoming week. Interstate 25 Southbound I-25 will be closed at Mesa Ridge Parkway starting Dec. 4 to complete work on a safety and efficiency improvement project, per the Colorado Department of Transportation. Crews will be repairing bridge joints and replacing concrete pavement panels. The closure is expected to last from 9 a.m. Dec. 4 to 5 a.m. on Dec. 5. A detour will be in place from Mesa Ridge Parkway onto the CanAm Highway, then south onto Santa Fe Avenue to reenter I-25. Bustang Bus Starting Saturday, Nov. 30, Bustang will be terminating its stop at the Tejon Park-n-Ride in South Colorado Springs. Beginning the next day, the southern terminus for Bustang service from Denver and the northern terminus for service from Pueblo will be at relocated to the Colorado Springs Downtown Terminal at 127 E. Kiowa St. Riders can also go to an alternate stop at the Woodmen Park-n-Ride at the southwest corner of I-25 and Woodmen Road Interchange. CDOT said the change would address declining ridership and safety concerns at the Tejon location. South Academy Northbound South Academy will be completely closed the night of Dec. 7 between U.S. Highway 85/87 and Milton Proby Parkway for a traffic shift to a new lane alignment. Featured Local Savings The closure is expected to begin at 7 p.m. and last until 4:30 a.m. Traffic will detour onto U.S. 85/87. More details on the detour route can be found on the CDOT website. Additionally on South Academy Boulevard, drivers should be aware of a planned closure of the northbound I-25 on-ramp from eastbound Academy for the installation of drainage pipes. The closure will be from Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. until Saturday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. Traffic will reroute by continuing east at exiting at U.S. 85/87, then turn around and travel west on South Academy Boulevard to enter I-25. Vickers Lane The city of Colorado Springs announced this week plans to reconfigure Vickers Drive between Academy and Union Boulevard starting Dec. 2. The formerly four-lane road will be reduced to 2 lanes with a widened center turn lane and bike lanes separated from the roadway with buffers. City engineer Todd Frisbie said the change would improve safety for a section of road where there have been 28 broadside crashes as well as three bicycle crashes recorded in the last decade. The city said that a broadside, also known as a T-bone crash, can often be the most dangerous type of traffic accident. Changing the lane configuration elsewhere on roads have reduced broadside accidents by 30 to 50%, according to the release. The new configuration should cut down on speeding but not greatly affect the overall drive time of the road. According to the release, the expected traffic capacity of a two-lane road with a central turning lane, 15,000 vehicles per day, is still well above the current load of Vickers Road 6,000 to 8,800 per day. "Our data shows that travel times will only see an increase of about 10 seconds, mostly due to drivers exceeding the speed limit no longer being able to pass slower vehicles, he said. Given the tradeoffs, we expect to see in accident reduction and better compliance to posted speeds limits. This is a commonsense change that helps improve safety and makes it easier to travel along the road by widening the lanes, while minimally impacting drivers. By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA The Social Democrats have had a positive day as they look set to grow their representation in the Dail. Party leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to a baby girl on polling day, is well placed to retain her seat in the highly competitive constituency of Cork South-West. The Social Democrats, founded in 2015, won six seats in the 2020 election with around three per cent of first preference votes. The exit poll after Fridays General Election put the party on 5.8 per cent, which would give them the most support of the smaller groups in the Dail. Social Democrats Wicklow candidate Jennifer Whitmore said she was feeling great as she arrived at the count centre in Greystones on Saturday. Its been a really positive result so far. Obviously, a little bit to go yet, but its looking really good, she said of tallies that put her on 14 per cent support and in line for the third of four seats in the constituency. I think even across the country its looking good for the Soc Dems. Im hearing really positive things from all the different count centres, so it looks like our six TDs will hopefully be returned, and then we could be in contention for a number of other seats as well, so its a really positive day for us. Asked whether the party would be willing to enter government formation talks with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, Ms Whitmore said: Theres still a while to go. Were in contention for a number of seats, but well wait until we get them delivered and then well be thinking about talking to the others. Deputy leader of the Social Democrats, Cian OCallaghan (centre), with party colleagues during the manifesto launch on November 19th. Photo: David Young/PA. Asked if she was worried by how support for the Green Party looks to have dropped after being a junior government partner, Ms Whitmore said small parties can often bear the brunt of being in government. I think thats why we were really clear that we set out our five deal-breakers, because we wanted to be very upfront with the public to say if we do go into government, here is what we will be able to achieve. We didnt want to over-promise, and we didnt want to give people the impression that we were going to do things that we werent going to be able to get. So we were really clear and very transparent in saying, these are the five things that we would achieve if we go in, and hopefully that will stand to us in the negotiations. She said that Ms Cairns, who became leader last March, would remain involved in the party over her maternity leave, with deputy leader Cian OCallaghan stepping in. Social Democrats leader and Cork South-West candidate Holly Cairns gave birth to a baby girl on the day of the Irish General Election. Photo: Holly Cairns/Instagram/PA. The Social Democrats were co-founded by Roisin Shortall and Catherine Murphy in July 2015 along with then-independent TD Stephen Donnelly, who later joined Fianna Fail and became health minister. Asked about the difficulty facing Mr Donnelly to keep his seat in Wicklow, Ms Whitmore said it was always going to be a dogfight for the highly contested fourth and final seat in the constituency. When I was going around on the doors, I was getting a lot of positive feedback from people. People werent really talking about other parties or mentioning other candidates. So I think it wasnt clear from that what was going to happen, but I think the fourth seat was always going to be the really messy one. Voter turnout hit almost 80% in some areas across County Roscommon before the polls closed tonight at 10 p.m.. Polling stations in Tibohine and Granlahan recorded turnouts of 76% along with Rahara. Ballinlough and Athleague booths also saw high turnouts at 70% and 69% respectively. Castlerea had just under a 60% turnout while the figure in Ballaghaderreen was significantly lower at 41%. In Roscommon, voter turnout reached just over 56%. Turnout in the Galway part of the constituency was also relatively low, averaging just under 50%. Three seats are up for grabs in Roscommon-Galway, and counting of votes will get underway in the Hyde Centre tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.. A nationwide exit poll tonight on the share of first preference votes has revealed Fine Gael and Sinn Fein are almost neck and neck on 21.1% and 21% respectively, with Fianna Fail just narrowly behind on 19.5%. The exit poll was conducted among 5,018 voters at more than 200 locations nationwide, as they left polling stations. It has a margin of error of 1.4%. The poll was carried out as a joint project between the Irish Times, RTE, TG4 and the Department of Political Science at Trinity College Dublin. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice has been praised for his tremendous vote. According to the final tallies in Roscommon-Galway, the Independent Ireland TD received 11,847 first preference votes. Cllr Laurence Fallon told the Herald that: It was a tremendous personal vote for him and he has to be congratulated, the independent councillor said. He had votes from everywhere. He also said that Deputy Claire Kerrane did exceptionally well. Martin Daly has performed very well. I have never seen an election so clear cut at this stage, Cllr Fallon said. FG Cllr Domnick Connolly praised the unbelievable vote Deputy Fitzmaurice received. He lost 3,000 or 4,000 votes in East Galway as a result of the boundary review, he said. Then he comes along again and gets over 11,000 votes. The most surprising thing about it in the Roscommon Town boxes, he was almost heading the poll. Martin Daly was neck and neck with him. He also praised his partys candidates, Senator Aisling Dolan and Dympna Daly Flynn, performance. Counting of the constituencys 124 boxes got underway here in Roscommon Galway at just after 9am this morning at the Dr Hyde Centre. Early tallies from 15 per cent of the boxes (19 boxes) from around the constituency indicate a very strong showing for SFs Claire Kerrane, with her vote significantly up or holding in the boxes that have been opened. She polled very strongly in Ballinasloe, Monksland and in her home areas in North Roscommon, picking up substantial votes in every box. Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice is also doing well. First time general election candidate Dr Martin Daly is also doing well. However, his former party colleague and now independent candidate, Senator Eugene Murphy may also be in the mix. FG Senator Aisling Dolan is also seeking votes, although it is very early days. As with everything, the transfers will be key There are three seats up for grabs in the massive predominately rural constituency, with two seating TDs, Michael Fitzmaurce (Independent Ireland) and Claire Kerrane (Sinn Fein), looking to retain their seats. Some of the early tallies: Rooskey NS, Ballaghaderreen and Roscommon Quad2 talles. Punjab News: Automobile Dealers Announce Indefinite Strike from December 9 Over ID Blocking VAHAN, a centralized government platform, facilitates vehicle registration nationwide. Amritsar, November 30, 2024: Automobile dealers across Punjab are preparing to launch an indefinite strike starting December 9, citing grievances over the Punjab governments recent decision to block over 400 Vehicle ID portals without prior notice. This marks the second such instance in recent months, causing significant disruption for automobile dealers and customers alike. The Vehicle ID portals, essential for registering new vehicles via the VAHAN e-portal system, have been non-functional for over 20 days. VAHAN, a centralized government platform, facilitates vehicle registration nationwide. Advertisement Dealers Push Back Against Government Bullying Rajiv Chopra, Chairman of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA), condemned the governments actions, calling them unjust and arbitrary. "This move by the Punjab government is causing unnecessary inconvenience to customers and tarnishing the reputation of dealerships and associated brands. If such practices persist, we may be forced to surrender registration rights altogether," Chopra stated. Impact on Customers and Revenue Chopra emphasized the challenges customers face due to the blocked portals. Buyers are now compelled to purchase vehicles from neighboring states, including Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Rajasthan. This shift not only inconveniences consumers but also leads to substantial revenue losses for Punjab, particularly in GST collections. "Punjab already charges the highest security fees for four-wheelers in the country," Chopra added. "Blocking Vehicle ID portals without warning only exacerbates the situation, harming both customers and dealerships." Advertisement Dealerships Demand Resolution FADA has issued an ultimatum to the Punjab government, urging resolution within 72 hours. As a first step, dealerships across the state will observe a token strike on December 2, 2024. If the issue remains unresolved, they plan to escalate to an indefinite strike starting December 9. Public Concerns and Way Forward Dealers have expressed concern about the public nuisance created by this issue. Customers now face delays in vehicle registrations, forcing them to approach the District Transport Offices (DTOs) or Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) directly. "We remain committed to resolving this issue amicably but will stand united against any further government bullying," Chopra stated. Advertisement The Punjab government is yet to respond to the demands, but with a strike looming, swift action will be crucial to avoid prolonged disruptions in the state's automobile sector. Two Goldy Brar Gang Members Arrested in Chandigarh Club Bomb Blast Case The arrests followed a dramatic encounter in Hisar, Haryana, during which both suspects sustained injuries. Chandigarh, November 30, 2024: In a significant breakthrough, Chandigarh Police, in collaboration with Haryana Police, apprehended two members of the notorious Goldy Brar gang in connection with the bomb blasts outside two clubs in Chandigarh's Sector 26. The arrests followed a dramatic encounter in Hisar, Haryana, during which both suspects sustained injuries. They are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Hisar under heavy police security. Advertisement The Bomb Blast Incident The blasts, which occurred outside popular clubs in Sector 26, sent shockwaves through Chandigarh, also known as "The City Beautiful." Though no casualties were reported, the incident raised serious concerns about public safety and the audacity of criminal networks operating in the region. Police Operation Following extensive investigations, authorities identified the involvement of the Goldy Brar gang, a criminal group with a history of violent crimes. Acting on intelligence inputs, Chandigarh and Haryana Police launched a joint operation that culminated in the Hisar encounter. Senior officials praised the coordinated efforts of the police teams, calling the arrests a significant step in dismantling the gangs activities. Advertisement Suspects Under Treatment The two gang members, whose identities have not yet been disclosed, were injured during the gunfight. Both are undergoing medical treatment and will be interrogated once their condition stabilizes. Further Investigation Underway Police are continuing their investigation to uncover the motive behind the bombings and to identify other members of the gang involved in the attack. Authorities are also probing potential links between the blasts and other criminal activities attributed to the Goldy Brar gang. This operation is seen as a strong message to criminal networks operating in the region, signaling that law enforcement agencies are committed to ensuring public safety. Khalistani Terrorist Arsh Dalla Granted Bail in Canada: Report Canadian police apprehended Dalla on October 28, 2024, on 11 charges, including possession of illegal weapons. Chandigarh, November 30, 2024: Arshdeep Singh Gill, alias Arsh Dalla, a Khalistani terrorist arrested in Canada last month, has reportedly been granted bail. According to a report by NDTV India, Dalla was released on a personal bond of 30,000 Canadian dollars. Details of the Arrest Advertisement Canadian police apprehended Dalla on October 28, 2024, on 11 charges, including possession of illegal weapons. The arrest marked a significant development in the crackdown on individuals involved in Khalistani separatist activities. Courts Decision The bail decision has raised questions, given the severity of the charges against Dalla. Reports indicate that the court granted bail under certain conditions, although specifics of these conditions remain undisclosed. Background Arsh Dalla is a designated terrorist under Indian law and has been linked to various terror-related activities, including promoting Khalistani propaganda and instigating violence. His arrest was hailed as a major achievement in efforts to curb separatist elements abroad. Advertisement Implications of Bail The bail decision has sparked debates about Canadas stance on individuals involved in Khalistani extremism. Indian authorities have previously expressed concerns over the presence of Khalistani elements in Canada and their influence on global security. Further developments in this case will likely influence diplomatic conversations between India and Canada, especially in the context of ongoing concerns over terrorism and extremism. How Justified Is a Ruckus Instead of a Debate in Parliament? The only exception was Constitution Day on Tuesday, which was observed as an unofficial holiday. The ongoing winter session of Parliament has been marred by disruption rather than constructive discussion. For the third consecutive day, the opposition insisted on addressing pressing issues such as the alleged Adani corruption scandal, communal violence in Sambhal, and the Manipur riots. On the other hand, the ruling party remained steadfast in prioritizing no-go motions and routine discussions, sidelining these contentious topics. This deadlock marked the fourth working day of the session that began on Monday, with both sides refusing to yield, resulting in the neglect of public-interest matters. The Business Advisory Committees of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, which meet daily to outline the legislative agenda, saw their plans derailed as neither party adhered to the agreed schedule. The only exception was Constitution Day on Tuesday, which was observed as an unofficial holiday. Advertisement The Role of Adjournment Motions An adjournment motion is a legitimate parliamentary tool, enabling parties to prioritize urgent issues over routine business. If the Speaker deems the motion inadmissible, alternative rules allow for debate requests. However, if these avenues are exhausted, parties may resort to protests, sit-ins, or noise within acceptable limits. Unfortunately, the disruptions witnessed this week crossed those limits, undermining parliamentary decorum. Governments often benefit from such chaos, avoiding scrutiny on controversial issues while portraying themselves as upholders of constitutional values. Amid the uproar, critical bills are sometimes passed without meaningful debate, enabling governments to expedite their agendas unchallenged. A Divided Opposition Frequent disruptions have also caused rifts within opposition ranks. For instance, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) expressed discontent with the Congress strategy of daily protests. The TMC argued that issues like Adani's controversy, though significant, do not warrant stalling Parliament indefinitely. Two TMC MPs criticized the Congress for what they called "hypocritical behavior," accusing it of prioritizing ceremonial functions over legislative work. Advertisement Key Issues Being Overlooked The issues at the heart of this parliamentary standoff are undeniably serious. The corruption charges filed in a U.S. federal court against Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and six other Indian corporate figures have raised concerns about Indias corporate reputation. The subsequent plunge in Adani Group shares has caused significant financial losses to Indian investors. Similarly, the communal clashes in Sambhal have created an explosive atmosphere. While the Supreme Court's stay on the Jama Masjid surveyallegedly the root cause of tensionoffers temporary relief, the situation demands parliamentary scrutiny. The Need for Constructive Dialogue The continued standoff between the ruling party and the opposition is sacrificing meaningful discussion on critical issues. Both sides must recognize that a productive debate is far more significant than disagreements over its format. Parliamentary parties must prioritize the nation's interests over political theatrics, ensuring that urgent matters receive the attention they deserve. Advertisement A robust democracy thrives on debate, not disruption. It is high time both the ruling party and the opposition uphold this principle for the greater good. THE WEEK IN REVIEW 25-29 November 2024 The Week in Review Roxana Vasile, 30.11.2024, 14:00 Elections with surprises and ruckus The organization, in Romania, in a single year, of all types of elections presidential, parliamentary, European Parliament and local, as well as three consecutive Sundays November 24, December 1 and 8 reserved for the election of the president and the Parliament represented, even if only theoretically, a real test for the authorities and society as a whole. After the first round of the presidential elections on November 24, the logistical challenges were overlaid, however, by a surprise of great proportions and a huge political and social scandal. Contrary to all predictions, in first place in the voting options of Romanians was the independent so-called sovereignist Calin Georgescu, perceived as a pro-Russian extremist, followed by the USR (opposition) candidate, Elena Lasconi. She overtook the incumbent social-democratic prime minister Marcel Ciolacu by less than 3 thousand votes, after a night of upheaveal. What followed? Prime Minister Ciolacu resigned as PSD leader, as did Nicolae Ciuca, leader of the PNL (in co-government), after he came in fifth in Romanians voting options. The Constitutional Court, which was supposed to validate the first round result on Thursday, has requested a re-verification and recount of all ballots after receiving a complaint that votes obtained by a candidate who withdrew from the race in the last stretch, had been turned over to Elena Lasconi. The Constitutional Courts decision was criticized by most of the candidates involved in the electoral competition, who warned that a possible cancellation of the November 24 election would generate tensions and instability. Meanwhile, also on Thursday, the Supreme Council for National Defense met, and found that cyber attacks had been carried out with the aim of influencing the fairness of the electoral process. At the same time, one of the candidates a statement from the SCND also states benefited from preferential treatment and massive exposure on TikTok. The Chinese-owned platform rejected the accusations that indirectly targeted Calin Georgescu, stating that most of the candidates campaigned on its platform, and those who won also campaigned on other digital platforms, as well as in traditional media. In turn, the Special Telecommunications Service reported that, for the organization of the November 24 election, proactive measures were implemented to prevent and counter cyber-security risks, and the IT systems functioned within optimal parameters. Parliamentary elections as if on mute The infernal noise after the first round of the presidential elections made the parliamentary election scheduled for December 1, on National Day, fade in importance. However, the vote of the Romanians is essential insofar as the configuration of the future legislature, as well as the formation of the Government, depends on its result. At the end of an electoral campaign until the morning of November 30, over 8,000 candidates from 31 parties and alliances and 19 national minority organizations hope to obtain the vote of the Romanians to enter Parliament. While the election in Romania takes place over a single day, Sunday, in almost 19,000 polling stations, Romanians abroad are expected to vote in 950 stations over two days: Saturday November 30 and Sunday December 1. Referendum for Bucharest Concurrently with the first round of the presidential elections on November 24, a referendum was also organized in Bucharest, desired by Mayor General Nicusor Dan. When asked whether they agreed with the General Council of the City Hall taking over the distribution of income taxes, local taxes, and duties by sectors, over 64% of Bucharest residents answered Yes. Currently, this distribution is made by the government and Parliament. Also, more than 66% of the capitals residents agreed that the General Mayor should issue all building permits. Finally, to the third question of the referendum, proposed by the PSD, over 84% of Bucharest residents answered that they agree that City Hall should finance a program to combat drug use in schools. The turnout at the referendum was almost 41%. In order to be applied, the vote must be confirmed by the legislature. Romanians and free movement Bucharest welcomed the decision of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Union, which gave a favorable opinion on the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area and with land borders starting with January 1, 2025. The decision was taken unanimously in Brussels. The agreement will go to the Justice and Home Affairs Council for approval in mid-December. On the other hand, Romania has met the visa refusal rate criterion essential for qualifying for the Visa Waiver Program, which allows visa-free travel to the United States. The US State Department published the report according to which Romania has fallen below the 3% threshold imposed by US legislation. More specifically, this year, Romanians have submitted approximately 80,000 visa applications, of which US diplomatic offices have accepted a record number of over 78,000. A new European Commission ready to begin work The new European Commission received a favorable vote from the European Parliament on Wednesday. One of the vice-presidents of the executive, also led by Ursula von der Leyen, will be Romanian Roxana Minzatu. The first initiative of the team she is part of will be the adoption of a strategic plan for the growth of the European economy and its competitiveness. In fact, Roxana Minzatu will also indirectly coordinate this area, because she will deal with social policies and the professional training of European workers. She will also be responsible for the broader spectrum of preparing society for moments of crisis, which refers not only to wars or climate catastrophes, but also to the green transition, digitalization, and social problems. The new European Commission begins its term on December 1. Skoda Kylaq Set to Rival Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, and Maruti Brezza in Sub-4m SUV Segment Skoda Auto India, which currently offers models like the Kushaq, Slavia, Kodiaq, and Superb, is gearing up to expand its presence with the all-new Kylaq, entering the competitive sub-4m SUV space. Skoda will officially open the bookings of new Kylaq from 2nd Dec, which is when they will also announce prices of all variants. As of now, Skoda has only revealed the starting price of Kylaq, which is Rs 7.89 lakh, ex-sh. Striking Design and Compact Dimensions Skoda Kylaq is positioned below Kushaq in Skodas portfolio and will be available in four variants: Classic, Signature, Signature Plus, and Prestige. Measuring 3,995mm in length, 1,975mm in width, and 1,575mm in height, it has a 2,566mm wheelbase. The ground clearance is a commendable 189mm, while the boot offers a class-leading 446 liters of space, expandable to 1,265 liters with the rear seats folded. Built on the MQB-A0-IN platform, the Kylaq shares design similarities with the Kushaq but boasts distinctive elements such as split crystalline LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, wraparound LED tail lamps, and Skodas signature butterfly grille. Other highlights include a voice-enabled single-pane sunroof, silver-finished skid plates, rugged body cladding, and 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. Customers can choose from five attractive colors: Olive Gold, Tornado Red, Carbon Steel, Brilliant Silver, and Candy White. Premium Cabin with Tech-Focused Features Inside, the Kylaq carries forward Skodas reputation for premium interiors. Its cabin is done up in a black and grey color scheme with semi-leatherette upholstery. Key features include 6-way powered ventilated front seats, a 2-spoke steering wheel, and a dual-layer dashboard. A standout feature is the 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, paired with an 8-inch driver display unit. Other convenience features include touch-based climate control, a wireless charging pad, adjustable rear AC vents, Type-C USB ports, and ambient lighting. The Kylaq also gets keyless entry, auto-dimming IRVMs, and connectivity through the MySkoda Connect suite, depending on the trim. Comprehensive Safety Package Skoda has equipped the Kylaq with over 25 active and passive safety features, including 6 airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and ISOFIX child seat mounts. Other safety measures include ABS with EBD, hill-hold assist, and a reverse parking camera with sensors. However, ADAS features are notably absent. The Kylaq is powered by the same 1.0-liter turbo-petrol engine as the Kushaq and Slavia, delivering 115 hp and 178 Nm of torque. It comes with a choice of a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox, driving the front wheels. Additionally, the Kylaq offers two drive modes: Normal and Sport, catering to different driving preferences. Kylaq Delivery Start Date Priced competitively, starting at Rs 7.89 lakh (ex-showroom), the Skoda Kylaq is set to take on well-established rivals in the sub-4m SUV segment. Official bookings open on 2nd December 2024, and deliveries are to commence from 27th January 2025. With a strong package of features, design, and competitive pricing, the Kylaq will go head-to-head with Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Brezza, Kia Sonet, Mahindra XUV3XO, Nissan Magnite, and Renault Kiger. You are here: China China's top procuratorate on Friday made arrangements to intensify the crackdown on money laundering crimes. The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) called for accurately grasping and applying the newly revised Anti-Money Laundering Law, which will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. More efforts should be made to deepen the three-year anti-money laundering campaign and punish relevant criminals in accordance with the law, the SPP said. The SPP urged efforts to improve the capability to combat money laundering crimes which involve new technologies, products or new industries. The SPP also emphasized the importance of ensuring data security and protecting personal information when handling money laundering cases. The Linear Pottery Culture (Linearbandkeramik, LBK) communities, which were the first to spread farming across large parts of Europe, showed no signs of population stratification, according to new research led by University of Vienna and Harvard University scientists. The expansion of agriculture in Central Europe took place in the 6th millennium BCE, said Dr. Pere Gelabert from the University of Vienna and colleagues. Within a few generations, farmers from the Balkan region expanded down the Danube valley into present-day France and eastward into present-day Hungary and Ukraine. The cultural traces of the farmers are homogeneous across this area, spanning thousands of km but the lack of genetic data from multiple families makes it difficult to understand whether these communities lived in social equality, or to assess which individuals were the ones who migrated across the continent. In their research, Dr. Gelabert and co-authors sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 250 LBK individuals as well as other extensive datasets. The LBK people expanded over hundreds of km in just a few generations, Dr. Gelabert said. We found distant relatives in Slovakia and others in Western Germany, more than 800 km away. In this study, we report for the first time that families at the study sites of Nitra in Slovakia and Polgar-Ferenci-hat in Hungary do not differ in terms of the foods they consumed, said Dr. Ron Pinhasi, a researcher at the University of Vienna. This suggests that the people living in these Neolithic sites were not stratified on the basis of family or biological sex, and we do not detect signs of inequality, understood as differential access to resources or space. The LBK culture came to an end around 5000 BCE, and various hypotheses have been proposed regarding its collapse. Some suggest that it was a period of social and economic crisis, often associated with episodes of widespread violence. One of the most famous events is the Massacre of Asparn-Schletz in Lower Austria, where over 100 individuals were recovered from a ditch system, the researchers said. Along with Herxheim in Germany, this site represents one of the largest known assemblages of violently killed individuals during the Early Neolithic, with skeletons showing signs of violence and multiple fractures. Our meticulous genetic study of the Asparn-Schletz individuals showed that less than 10 were genetically related, which challenges the hypothesis that the massacre represented a single population, Dr. Gelabert said. Previous anthropological studies noted a lack of young women, and the new data further confirm a complete absence of relatives. The presence of many children among the victims opens the door to multiple interpretations of this remarkable event of Neolithic violence. The findings were published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. _____ P. Gelabert et al. Social and genetic diversity in first farmers of central Europe. Nat Hum Behav, published online November 29, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41562-024-02034-z Originally published in 2023 Its that time of the year when Santa Claus helpers, Elf on the Shelf, are sent to ensure the kids are on their best behavior before Christmas. While staying at your house, an elf will consistently change its spot, quietly observing whos naughty or nice before reporting back to Santa. But dont be fooled by these little spies because they cant help but get themselves into trouble. Get your Elf on the Shelf on Amazon. Tag us at #SILive on Instagram to share your creative Elf photos with us for a chance to be featured on SILve.com and our social platforms. Over the years, Staten Islanders have shared some photo-worthy scenarios with us. Here are some highlights. Photo courtesy of Barbara. Photos courtesy of Stuart Murphy. These Lego characters tied up the Elf as his reindeer looked shocked. (Photo courtesy of Christina Deliso) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca The residents of Eger Harbor House got creative and had Carl the elf go fishing. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ortado)(Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca This elf came in like a recking ball, and never meant to fall in love. (Photo courtesy of Sherry Large)(Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Hannibal elf? (Photo courtesy of Rita Costanzo) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca From The Illuzzi & Ball Family. Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca If you want to take your elf one step further, put the chocolate on tissue and leave a funny note. (Photo courtesy of Monique Prter) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Have the kid's leave snacks for the elf. (Photo courtesy of Rose Wenzell) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Set up your elf to go fishing with Goldfish. (Photo courtesy of Misty Cooper) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photo courtesy of Sherrie Lynne. If you have games, set up your Elf and other figures to have some friendly competition. (Photo courtesy of Sanders Jessica) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca These elf's are having fun playing UNO -- who will win? (Photo courtesy of Dana Materia)( Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photo courtesy of Lorraine Pavlick. Even the Elf runs on Dunkin. Stick a small straw in coffee for the Elf -- he has a long trip back to the North Pole. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Buccellato) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photos courtesy of Stuart Murphy. Courtesy of Ildy Figueroa of New Jersey. Photo courtesy of Chuck Sommers. Operation gingerbread house is in full affect. (Photo courtesy of Joe and Tara)(Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photos courtesy of Paula Mastroguilio. Creative Elf on the Shelf ideas: Staten Island edition Photo courtesy of the Chioffe family. Have your elf leave messages for the children, making sure they are good this year. (Photo courtesy of Julie Everhart)(Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photos courtesy of Gaby Amalfitano. Even elf's can be mischievous, have your elf make photo copies as a prank. (Photo courtesy of Dawn Harris-Williams)(Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photos courtesy of Paula Mastroguilio. - These elf's are having a snowball fight with mini marshmallows -- who will win? (Photo courtesy of Linda Lee) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Have your elf make a statement. (Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Mauro) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Winter is coming and this elf is the Queen of the North(Pole). (Photo courtesy of Jenna Guzzi)(Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photo courtesy of Maria. Have a water dispenser on your refrigerator? Add your elf and a soap bar to show to the kids he's squeaky clean. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Buccellato) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photo courtesy of Katy Bucsi. Photo courtesy of Barbara. Photos courtesy of Barbara. Have your elf show some team spirit -- what team are they rooting for? (Photo courtesy of Larry Yorks) (Staten Island Advance/ Caitlin Della Rocca) Caitlin Della RoccaCaitlin Della Rocca Photo courtesy of Maria. Staten Islanders have really funny and easy ideas to share! Staten Islanders are sharing their Elf on the Shelf ideas that are perfect for the last minute! Chippy and Amanda Cavagnaro (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Staff-Shot From the Kenul family. Staff-ShotStaten Island Advance Elf on the Shelf, Cavagnaro, West Brighton, in their special home made by James and Andrew Cavagnaro, 2017 (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) Elf on the Shelf photos submitted from years past. (Advance photo) The Chung's elves on Staten Island, New Springville. (Staten Island Advance) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - A 33-year-old mother of two was recently diagnosed with breast cancer while her 3-year-old daughter battles a rare form of epilepsy -- leaving her husband, a former Staten Islander, overwhelmed by mounting medical bills. Im very healthy. I exercise. I eat healthy. Im not like this hardcore drinker. It happened to me, Kim LaRosa said. Kim, who lives in New Jersey with her husband Vincent LaRosa, a Rossville native, and their two daughters, Lily and Valentina, was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer on Oct. 3, after undergoing her first round of testing. I noticed a lump on my nipple when I was going to shower one day, Kim said. I went to my OBGYN, and he said, Oh, its a cyst, but he sent me for imaging. After her first-ever mammogram and ultrasound, both suggested benign fibroadenoma. However, the doctor at the imaging center recommended a biopsy to be certain, which Kim underwent a week later. The next day the results came in my portal in bright red lettering: Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Kim recalled. My heart just sunk. Im 33 and it doesnt run in my family. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) refers to the fact that the cancer cells lack estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors, making it negative on all three tests. It accounts for 15% of invasive breast cancers and is more common in premenopausal women under 50, according to Cleveland Clinic. Kim shared that she is part of a group chat with 12 other women, aged 26 to 35, all currently undergoing treatment for triple-negative breast cancer across the East Coast. Youre not too young. My oncologist just diagnosed a 23-year-old with the same triple negative breast cancer... no family history, she added. Unfortunately, its happening younger and younger. Do your monthly checks. If you feel something, just go get it checked and dont be naive that its not going to happen to you because, unfortunately, I felt the same way. Breast cancer rates are rising, particularly among younger women, despite a 44% decline in breast cancer death rates since 1989. From 2012 to 2021, breast cancer incidences increased 1% annually, mostly in localized and hormone receptor-positive cases, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society. Kims journey to healing Kim will be undergoing 16 weeks of chemotherapy, which includes 8 rounds of dose-dense treatment every other week. Dose-dense chemotherapy involves administering chemotherapy more frequently while maintaining the standard dosage. After chemotherapy, tissue will be tested to ensure the treatment was fully effective before proceeding with a double mastectomy. Kims first round of chemotherapy started on Nov. 1, and she will return for her third round this Friday. Kim LaRosa, 33, was diagnosed with Triple-negative breast cancer on Oct. 3. (Courtesy of Kim LaRosa)Broken Crayons Photography The first treatment, I was great. I was like, Oh, this is nothing. And then I jinxed myself, because the last treatment was really, really rough. I got very sick during treatment, and then all of last week I couldnt move from the couch, she said. Kim is using a cold cap to preserve her hair during chemotherapy. The cap circulates liquid at around 32F, causing blood vessels in the scalp to constrict, which reduces blood flow and limits the amount of chemotherapy medication that enters the hair follicle cells, helping to minimize damage to hair follicles. Im going into my third treatment and Im definitely losing hair, but its not coming out in clumps. And I could still leave the house and feel like I look somewhat normal, she said. Patients typically wear the cap 30 minutes before, during, and 90 to 120 minutes after chemotherapy. Kim shared that she will undergo reconstructive surgery by June or July, several months after her mastectomy, to allow time for breast tissue expanders to stretch the skin and provide more tissue for reconstruction or implants. Lilys story During her chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, Kim shared that the toughest challenge has been being separated from her 3-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Lily. Kim LaRosa, 33, who is battling breast cancer, poses with her 3-year-old daughter, Lily, who is undergoing treatment for a rare form of epilepsy. (Courtesy of Broken Crayons Photography)Broken Crayons Photography All of this has been happening while Lily has been in the ICU for her epilepsy, Kim said. Lily was diagnosed with drug-resistant focal epilepsy, a rare form of epilepsy defined as the failure to respond to at least two anti-seizure medications. On Dec. 11, it will mark two years since her diagnosis. Recently, Lily was in the hospital for two weeks undergoing brain surgery. It really sucked because I couldnt go to the hospital. Shes been there for two weeks, she actually comes home tonight, which is very exciting, Kim said. But for two weeks, I have not seen her because of my immune system being so weak. My doctor didnt want me to go into the hospital. The family has been in and out of the ICU, hospitals, and ERs with Lily so many times that Kim says shes lost count. And then I was diagnosed on top of that. So the medical bills are just... as you can imagine, between her and me, are insane, Kim said. Thus far, Lily has had three brain surgeries. According to the National Institute of Health, patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy are more likely to be suitable for surgery and benefit from it, particularly the removal of the tissue responsible for seizures. Those who undergo surgery earlier in life and sooner after the onset of epilepsy are more likely to experience cognitive and developmental benefits -- leading to higher cure rates and improvements in both neurodevelopment and quality of life. As her parents, our main goal is to get her to be seizure free, Kim expressed. As far as healing together, she is my inspiration. I look at her and I see everything she has been through at such a young age with a smile on her face, and that just makes me say, OK, if she can go through this with a smile on her face, I can overcome cancer and try to remain as positive as possible, Kim said. Lily, 3, has been living with drug-resistant focal epilepsy for nearly two years. She has undergone three brain surgeries thus far. (Courtesy of Kim LaRosa)Broken Crayons Photography Lilys first seizure happened when Kim was 9 months pregnant with Valentina, which is why she calls Valentina her angel baby because shes such a calm and laid-back baby. And Valentina is so little. Thank God, I dont think it really affects her... until this last hospital stay with Lily, I noticed, I guess because Im home with her, shes been asking, Wheres sissy? and she doesnt quite understand. But for the most part, thankfully, shes doing very, very well, Kim said. With Kim and Lilys health struggles, the medical bills are piling up. Lilys brain surgery in January was billed at over $1 million, with Kim sharing they had to pay a pretty penny. Kim added that, in September, Lily was hospitalized for two weeks, and the family is still battling a $275,000 bill. This month, Lily was in the hospital again for another two weeks. The whole point of the GoFundMe is to take the stress away from my husband because not only is he the sole provider, but hes also the sole caregiver now, so he has to take care of Lily and me, Kim said. The hope is that we can take the big stress off of him, which is financial. That would be amazing. Since Kims diagnosis, Vincent joined a support group for breast cancer caregivers, which Kim is grateful for. She shared that while its easy to talk to friends, they cant truly understand unless theyre living through it. Were just grateful for anything we can raise. Its really just to take a big stress off my husband, Kim said. You know men, they kind of hold it in. He doesnt let me see how hes feeling. I think hes really good at trying to stay cool and calm and collected. To support the LaRosa family as they navigate these health challenges theyve been facing, please visit their GoFundMe page at: gofundme.com/f/donate-to-the-kim-lilys-health-journey. With just six months to go until the deadline, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is urging residents to get their federally complaint Real ID or Enhanced ID cards. You will need a Real ID card or Enhanced ID card, available from the state DMV, by May 7, 2025, in order to board a domestic United States airline flight or to enter certain federal facilities, including courthouses and military bases. Time is running out to get a Real ID or Enhanced ID and you do not want to get stuck at airport security if you are not prepared, said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. Take the time now to get this taken care of so you are not scrambling at the last minute. New Yorkers are encouraged to visit a DMV office as soon as possible to get a Real ID even if their license, permit or non-driver ID is not yet due for renewal. There is no additional cost beyond the renewal fee to get a Real ID. In addition to the REAL ID, the DMV offers an Enhanced ID which meets federal Real ID standards. An Enhanced ID costs $30 extra and can be used as identification when returning to the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico and some countries in the Caribbean. A passport and certain other forms of identification will also be acceptable in order to fly domestically. Real ID cards must be obtained in person. They cannot be applied for online, over the phone or via the mail. You will receive your Real ID two weeks after applying. You should make sure you have these documents with you when visiting the DMV to get your Real ID. The DMV has issued guidance on how to avoid mistakes when applying for your Real ID. The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commissions recommendation that the federal government set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as drivers licenses and identification cards, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The law and its implementing regulations establish minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibit federal agencies from accepting for certain official purposes noncompliant drivers licenses and identification cards. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. --The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) will close several streets on Staten Island for road work next week. Work has been scheduled mainly in the Todt Hill, Lighthouse Hill, New Springville and Travis neighborhoods, according to the DOT. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Significant lake effect snow has prompted Gov. Kathy Hochul to declare a state of emergency in multiple upstate counties. With multiple feet of snow projected to fall on various parts of New York State, Hochul updated residents with the latest on developments and government response. On Friday, Hochul declared a state of emergency for Allegany, Erie, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Wyoming, and contiguous counties. In the wake of the snow, travel advisories have been issued for Jefferson, Lewis and parts of Erie counties. Hazardous to impossible travel conditions are slated to persist through Monday due to snow covered roadways. Forecast wind gusts are expected to blow the snow about and trigger power outages. Snow totals of up to 6 feet in the North Country and 4 feet in Western New York are projected. As New Yorkers face this lake effect snowstorm, I urge New Yorkers in impacted regions to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel, said Hochul. My administration is working around the clock with our state agencies and over 100 National Guard members on the ground to support local communities. Please heed travel advisories and look out for one another. Together, we will weather this storm. WINTER WEATHER UPDATE: My administration is working around the clock to respond to the snowstorm in Western New York and the North Country. Our state agencies and over 100 National Guard members are on the ground to support storm operations. Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) November 30, 2024 As of Saturday afternoon, all commercial vehicles were banned on the New York Thruway from Exit 46 to the Pennsylvania state line in both directions; the thruway remains closed to all traffic at Exit 57 westbound. Additionally, empty and tandem commercial vehicle bans remain in effect on I-86 from the Pennsylvania state line to I-390 and state route 219 from the Pennsylvania state line to I-90. Parts of the state are forecast to receive several feet of snow on top of whatever has already fallen. The lake effect snow is expected to continue into Monday, with the heaviest precipitation coming down across parts of Western New York and the North Country regions early Sunday morning. Another batch of heavier snowfall is slated to fall sometime late Sunday night into Monday. These areas are warned that snowfall rates are forecast to be around 1 to 3 inches per hour and 3 to 4 inches in the most intense snow bands. A wind shift is also expected to send that lake effect snow down into the Central New York and Mohawk Valley Regions from Sunday through Monday. Central New York residents should expect 4 to 8 inches of snow, while 3 to 5 inches are forecast for the Mohawk Valley. In a way, tariffs, sanctions and bans all boil down to one word: no. Weve just had a month of no. No-vember, you could even say. But not all noes are the same. Tariffs, sanctions and bans are designed to achieve different things. This November, the words became confused, a scrambled negation. So it is with Donald Trumps tariffs, promised during the election campaign as a way to protect American manufacturing interests in the face of competition from global trade. These promises spoke to the towns and cities gutted and citizens rendered jobless and hopeless as corporates offshored their business. They painted a picture of resurgent industry and innovation in America, leading to prosperity for working people. Trumps tariff announcement wiped billions from the Australian sharemarket. Credit: The idea of tariffs has economists in a flap. As you are sure to have heard them patiently, if condescendingly, explain by now, tariffs are really taxes on consumers in the country that imposes them. They make imported goods more expensive, lowering the overall buying power of the average punter. 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 December 1 edition of Sunday Life. See all 13 stories . Brown, the Cinderella colour in your wardrobe, is ready to go to the ball. Ignore the dated images of drudgery and dreariness the colour conjures and dive instead into evocative, rich of tones such as tan, chocolate and fawn to appreciate browns often overlooked outer beauty. Zara waistcoat, $70. Elka Collective Lumi pants, $269. Lucy Folk Pisces choker, $750. Dinosaur Designs bangles, from $55 (worn throughout). A.Emery Jalen sandals, $220 (worn throughout). Credit: Hugh Stewart Outside New York Fashion Week in September, street-style subjects chose browns over brat lime green to stand out from the crowd. The Washington Post clocked the shift away from vivid green, cool greige and navy blue: Its anti-tech. Its quiet luxury. Its brown, and its everywhere. Unlike tech-bro marle grey, brown is associated with the considered craftsmanship found in hand-tooled handbags and belts. Its the personal touch sweeping fashion after seasons that careened from bland black boxiness to distracting, in-your-face colours. The runway shows in Paris and Milan saw influential labels Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta and Courreges spin the colour wheel to tap into the earthy appeal of leathers and suede, but brown can also be a summer staple. With the right weight and cut, allowing for crucial ventilation on hot days, brown leather is the burnished weapon in your summer party arsenal. Viktoria & Woods Badlands leather dress, $890. Credit: Hugh Stewart Weve embraced the timeless appeal of brown leather, treating it as an extension of our foundational colour palette, says Margie Woods, founder of Viktoria & Woods. Its rich, earthy tones encourage wearers to confidently detour from a monochromatic wardrobe while offering the versatility to transition seamlessly from day to night. If theres one individual from history who continues to enthral billions of people across our planet its a man called Abraham. Knight of faith, king of compassion, father of nations, he inspires Jews, Christians and Muslims. He is an interfaith maestro. In view of this, when I was recently invited to the Abrahamic Peace Working Group Conference in Indonesia, especially at this time of gross tension between the monotheist faiths, it was a no-brainer that I should attend. An Islamic organisation willing to invite Jews and Muslims to come together (and interact with Christians) was a rare opportunity. It also supported my belief, based on the profound reflections of former Commonwealth chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Rabbi Menachem Froman (a pioneer of interfaith endeavours in Israel and the West Bank) that if religion today is part of the problem, it can also be part of the solution. Mevlidi-i Halil Mosque in Sanliurfa, Turkiye, where a synagogue and then a church previously stood, is next to the reputed birthplace of Abraham. Credit: Mark Daffey The Abrahamic Peace or Circles initiative is the brainchild of Dr Dino Patti Djalal, former Indonesian ambassador to Washington, who believes that addressing the problems of the world means recognising the role religion plays in them. The October 7 War, says Dino, will continue to have emotional and psychological consequences; left unchecked it can also allow religious extremism to flourish. While he is mindful that meetings like this will not change the world overnight, he is convinced that small and incremental changes can temper the dangers of extremism. The conference involved Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders and scholars from across the world, from Dubai and Jordan to London, New York and East Timor. MK: There was a woman who police in Bali had their eyes on. They knew her name, they knew she was from Thailand, and they tried to get her, but somehow mysteriously, they never did and she was never charged. There were also several other people in Australia downstream who were later charged with barely any publicity most of them from Brisbane. They went to jail for various short periods and have now been out for years and years. Fitz: In the meantime, on the ground, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were identified as the ringleaders? MK: Yes. They were a couple of boys from Homebush High, who kind of knew each other at school, but no more than that. Sukumaran really intrigues me. School references labelled him as honest, reliable, responsible, punctual, with high standards. He took part in the national maths and science competitions. He was a gold medal winner in karate. He was in the schools second grade rugby team. He gave blood in the annual school appeal. He was a volunteer for the Salvation Army Red Shield appeal. This wasnt a kid who you expected in 2015 to be shot in the dead of the night by an anonymous marksman, just because he fell in with a bad crowd and made a decision that he went to his death ruing. Myuran Sukumaran (left) and Andrew Chan pictured in 2006. They were executed by firing squad in 2015. Credit: AP Fitz: I do remember Sukumaran seemed to have, despite the extremity of his circumstances, a certain dignity, a certain courage in his public pronouncements, starting with his expression of deep remorse? MK: Yes. Both of them were incredibly apologetic. Andrew Chan actually turned to religion, and became a pastor. Before his arrest, Chan had got into some teenage trouble, and was a small-time thug in some ways. But they had both got themselves into a situation where they were sucked into a syndicate that was trafficking heroin. In jail though, even the Indonesian authorities said they were both fantastic in mentoring other people. They knew what theyd done was wrong and in their cases, it wasnt fake. It wasnt because they were facing a firing squad. They actually had time to sit in squalor and look at what theyd done. Both of them saw their families, perhaps particularly their mothers, absolutely destroyed. Imagine being told your child is going to be lined up in a field at some time without anyone there, and shot? I feel sick even saying those words. All the Bali Nine parents were hardworking. In the case of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, the parents were good people trying to give their child a better life, and theyve each had to live with the consequences of one absolutely stupid (and criminal) decision by their sons. Fitz: Speaking of stupid decisions, what about the others, like the son of the notably Christian parents, Scott Rush? Somebody must have said to him, Scott, heres the plan. But what on earth was in it for him and the others to go through customs with heroin strapped to their bodies? MK: About $5000 each. The Australian government is negotiating with Indonesia for the repatriation of the five remaining incarcerated members of the Bali Nine (from left) Martin Stephens, Si-Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Matthew Norman and Scott Rush. Credit: Composite: Nathan Perri Fitz: Thats it? Theyre risking the death sentence, on a million-dollar consignment, in return for just $5K? MK: Thats all. And in one case, Michael Czugaj this kid from Brisbane whod never been overseas, who was one of I think nine siblings he met one of the others at a nightclub in Brisbane, went home, got his passport without his parents knowing where he was, and left for Bali. A few days later his parents get a phone call, turn on the news and find out their sons been arrested for drug trafficking! He and Scott Rush knew each other at school, through sport, but not particularly well, and both of them had been in a little bit of trouble here and there, but they were young kids. And Scott Rush comes from a strong, united family. Fitz: Again, an extraordinary fate, for young men with such grounded backgrounds. MK: Exactly. But thats the point. It wasnt necessarily what kind of family they came from that put them there. I had young children myself at the time, and when I was doing the book with Cindy Wockner I became obsessed with trying to get to the bottom of why these nine? Whats to stop my own children, or anyones children one day going down the same path? In some cases, their parents loved each other so much that they still held hands while their children were sitting on death row or in court in Bali. In other cases, their parents despised each other so much that despite their kids being in this much trouble, they never even picked up the phone to each other. That broke my heart. So you cant say theyre from a good family or a bad family, or a divorced family or a together family. This was more about the kids themselves. Fitz: And did you find the unifying thread? MK: Two things Firstly, every single one of them wanted to belong, whether it was in a tiny street gang, or working with others, or on a holiday to Bali that someone promised at a nightclub in Brisbane they wanted to find this sense of belonging. And the other thread was an absolute lack of confidence. They had no confidence in themselves. I remember talking to one parent, and there was a picture of their child on the wall, and I said, Oh, they look like they were a bit sporty when they were young. And that parents response was, But they would have never made it really, look at their knobbly knees. I was quite taken back. Then they handed me a photo album of their child, and Im going through it. I said, Oh my god, that smile could light up a room. The response from the parent was,Yeah, but look at the crooked teeth. Fitz: That would break your heart! Loading MK: It did, but they werent being mean. This parent loved their child. But I got on the plane and I cried all the way back to Brisbane, thinking,How do you actually bring your child up so they know right from wrong? You cant compliment them all the time, but I think kids lean into what they learn. And I think what Briony Scott said in that fabulous interview you did with her last week is so true. Theyve got to be confident, and theyve got to be able to make decisions without wanting to fit in at any cost. And if we thought it was bad 20 years ago, social media has made that demand for girls to fit in at any cost a thousand times worse. Fitz: So on the night in question, is it fair to say that because the Australian Federal Police tipped off the Indonesian authorities, their cards were always marked and, as we say in rugby, shits was trumps on the blind? MK: I dont understand rugby, but this group almost every one of them was known to the AFP. They didnt have all the evidence, but they were tracking them. They knew where they bought their tickets, where they were headed, and why. Fitz: So heres my key question. Why not arrest them on landing in Australia? Theyre Australians, so let them face Australian justice. Beyond not spending 20 years in a hell-hole, there would have been every chance that the two men executed could have come back here, paid their dues, and gone on to live fruitful lives. Wouldnt that have been the decent thing to do? MK: I think Australians are very split on that, and I can really see both sides. But one thing many have pointed out is that we have agreements with various countries not only about drugs, but terrorism, too and we have to be careful about breaching those agreements for our own ends. Because the boot can be on the other foot at other times, and could we be expecting them to not share information with us about illegal activities in our country planned by Indonesian nationals? Loading Fitz: As a matter of interest, do you personally accept the sheer absurdity of the whole so-called war on drugs? For every massive drug bust like this, the only result is that it drives up the price on the streets to make even more fabulous profits for the puppeteers and the whole thing will go on until such times as sanity prevails and drugs are treated as a health problem, not a criminal problem. All the war on drugs does is drive the whole thing underground, where it is truly dangerous. MK: No, I dont. For the six or seven years after the Bali Nine were arrested, we talked to our children every second night over the dinner table about the importance of the law, about the influence of friendships, about getting in the wrong crowd, about making a decision that they might regret for the rest of their life. We all used these kids to teach our own kids about the perils of drugs. But I can also see how, after having paid such a long and heavy price, its time to bring them home, because the lesson in their arrest has been lost. Teenagers now have never heard of them. 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 It is wonderful to read such an outstanding article by Jacqueline Maley (Trumps dubious choices prove one thing: the boys are back in charge, November 24). In America, any article on Trump would be written off as belonging to one camp or the other and thus only read by true believers in one of the camps. We have the benefit of having someone of the quality of Jacqueline Maley able to share her considerable insights, someone who can boil down the craziness of Trumps nominations into two threads; almost all of [Trumps nominations] have been accused of sexual misconduct, just like their boss and the utter lack of relevant experience among Trumps picks. These threads combine to form a revenge module that has been mandated by the 75 million American who voted for Trump. All this comprehensively underlies what we will not look forward to in 2025. Who knows what policies will actually emerge? Bill Johnstone, Blackheath Trumps picks: Bobby Kennedy Jr for health and Elon Musk for government efficiency. Credit: Michael Howard Hands off my vote Come on Michael McGirr, surely you cant be serious (Over 65s should hand over their voting rights the young have much more to lose, November 24). The right to vote is a privilege to be treasured, a priceless obligation which should not be squandered. Our constituency represents the fabric of a vibrant society with views, ideals, values and a shared sense community, ensuring the wishes of everyone can be counted regardless of age (declaration: I am over 65). Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook The only justification for optional voting is complete ignorance of candidates and policies. The infamous donkey vote, which unfairly favours candidates at the top of the ballot paper, has no doubt determined the winner in some close contests and attempts should be made to minimise this possibility. The best solution may be a box clearly labelled on ballot papers that provides the option of an informal vote due to lack of knowledge or unconcern regarding candidates or policies. Geoff Harding, Chatswood The cheek of Michael McGirr telling me I should hand over my voting rights as I am over 65. Having withstood and ignored the pressure of males in the family when young to vote a certain way, I am certainly planning to continue to vote. Marjie Williamson, Blaxland The states schools regulator has ordered a sweeping review of the HSC disability provisions scheme as new data reveals almost 12,000 students this year lodged claims for extra help in their final exams. One in five students from private schools now apply for HSC disability provisions. Schools in Sydneys most affluent suburbs, in the north, the inner city and the east, submit the highest number of claims. Rest breaks, extra test time and having a personal exam reader or writer comprise the bulk of disability provisions, which have skyrocketed by almost 60 per cent since 2019. More than 76,000 year 12 students completed their HSC this year. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer The independent review, to be run by consultancy Urbis, will be the seventh inquiry into the scheme since 2008. It comes amid persistent concerns about the gap in claims made between private and public schools and issues around disproportionate use. Prime farmland would be protected in perpetuity from the increasing threat of urban development under a plan from government and opposition MPs to safeguard Victorian food production. Fertile and productive land around Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat is being subdivided and lost to development at an alarming rate, a committee of cross-parliamentary MPs has found. The committee has called on the state government to implement a raft of measures to protect agricultural production, including introducing voluntary legal agreements whereby landholders agree their properties will always be used for farming and appointing a minister for food who would tackle the challenges of feeding Victorias growing population. Residential development up against former farmland near Geelong. Credit: Jason South Victoria is the largest producer of dairy and sheep meat in Australia but is also a major grower of grains, pork, chicken, fruit and vegetables. However, a report from the Legislative Assemblys Environment and Planning Committee found urbanisation of farmland was bringing residents into conflict with farming activities. PHILIPSBURG:--- Yesterday, Friday, November 29th, the Justice Committee of Parliament conducted a working visit to Point Blanche Prison. The visit was part of the committees commitment to ensuring that the concerns of all citizens, including inmates, are heard. During the visit, the committee met with the Inmates Association for an open and constructive dialogue, providing inmates the opportunity to voice their concerns directly. The Inmates Association acknowledges that once you do the crime, you have to do the timebut it cannot happen under inhumane circumstances. Key issues discussed included outdated laws, inconsistencies in regulations within the Kingdom, concerns about medical well-being, and the critical importance of improved rehabilitation programs and reintegration support for inmates. Inmates emphasized that effective rehabilitation programs are essential for equipping them with the necessary skills, education, and support to successfully reenter society. Without adequate rehabilitation and reintegration assistance, the likelihood of individuals reoffending increases, affecting not only themselves but also the safety and well-being of the wider community. The committee also toured the prison facilities, including the womens section, to observe the living conditions firsthand. This provided valuable insight into the challenges faced by the prison and its inmates while awaiting the construction of a new facility.By witnessing these conditions up close, the committee gained a clearer understanding of the issues that need urgent attention. Following the visit, the committee will evaluate the information gathered to determine actionable steps within their parliamentary role. This includes assessing how to address these challenges through updated laws and policies. As co-legislators, the Justice Committee will collaborate with the Ministry of Justice to find practical solutions, with a particular focus on enhancing rehabilitation programs and reintegration support to reduce repeat offenses and promote public safety. This visit marks an important step in the committees ongoing efforts to actively address justice-related matters. The Justice Committee reaffirmed its dedication to representing all citizens of St. Martin, including inmates, and is committed to supporting a more effective and humane justice system for the benefit of all. Major Canadian media sue OpenAI in case potentially worth billions Ottawa, Nov 29 (AFP) Nov 29, 2024 Canada's biggest news organizations on Friday sued OpenAI, accusing it of using their articles without permission to help train its artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT in a case that could cost the American company billions. Media including The Globe and Mail newspaper and public broadcaster CBC accused OpenAI of breaching copyrights by "scraping large swaths of content" and profiting from the use of this content, according to a statement. This was done without the permission of or compensation for the news organizations, which are seeking Can$20,000 (US$14,700) per article they claim was illegally scraped and used to train ChatGPT. This could put the total value of the claim in the billions of dollars. "Journalism is in the public interest. OpenAI using other companies' journalism for their own commercial gain is not. It's illegal," the coalition said. An OpenAI spokesperson responded to the lawsuit saying that its chatbox is trained on publicly available data "grounded in fair use and related international copyright principles that are fair for creators and support innovation." The company also collaborates with news publishers, the spokesperson added. The lawsuit is the first by Canadian media against OpenAI. The organizations -- which also include Postmedia, The Canadian Press and Torstar, the parent of the Toronto Star newspaper, according to legal documents -- are seeking an injunction to stop the San Francisco-based company's ongoing and future "unauthorized misappropriation" of their work. "We will not stand by while tech companies steal our content," Torstar chief executive Neil Oliver reportedly wrote in a memo to staff shortly after the court documents were filed. "While we embrace the opportunities that technological innovation can bring, all participants must follow the law, and any use of our intellectual property must be on fair terms," he said. Generative artificial intelligence caught the world's attention with OpenAI's release of ChatGPT in late 2022. The technology can produce videos, pictures or written works quickly, drawing from available content to answer demands expressed in everyday language. While elating some users, it has aroused ire in authors, artists and others who believe their creations are being absorbed without them being asked or compensated. Publications such as the New York Times have filed lawsuits to defend their content, while some news organizations have opted to make licensing deals. 'Slap in the face': Chad stuns France with goodbye Paris, Nov 29 (AFP) Nov 29, 2024 Chad's announcement that it is ending military cooperation with France wrongfooted the African country's former colonial masters, adding to a series of French setbacks in the Sahel, experts said Friday. N'Djamena's statement declaring its "decision to end the accord in the field of defence" on Thursday came only hours after a visit by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, whose delegation appeared unaware the move was looming. "You could describe this as a slap in the face," said Wolfram Lacher, a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). The announcement by Chad -- the last Sahel country to host French troops -- came shortly after Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye told AFP in an interview that France should close its military bases in the West African country. "First Senegal, then Chad, within 24 hours," Lacher said. "That shows the failure of France's policy in Africa." The French government said late Friday that it "takes note" of the announcement. "France has been holding nearly two years of talks and reflection with our partners on the reconfiguration of our military presence in Africa," said foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine. "In that context, we have been in close dialogue with the Chadian authorities, who announced their desire to see this security and defence cooperation evolve." France will "pursue a dialogue in order to put this guidance into effect", he added. France has been preparing for years what it called a "reorganisation" of military relations after the forced departure of its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where regimes hostile to the ex-colonial power have taken hold. On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron's special envoy for Africa, Jean-Marie Bockel, submitted him a report on reshaping France's military presence in Africa, calling for a partnership that was to be both "renewed" and "co-created". The report "recommended a drastic reduction" of France's military presence, noted Elie Tenenbaum, at the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI). - 'Faster than the French' - But its conclusions left Chad dissatisfied, because they "failed to take into account their expectations", said Yamingue Betinbaye, a political analyst in Chad, adding it might have triggered Thursday's abrupt announcement. "Once again, the Africans moved faster than the French," said Tenenbaum, adding that their method had also handed a public relations victory to Russia, which has been expanding its influence in Africa. "Both Chad and Senegal have been intensifying contacts with Russia in recent months," Tenenbaum said. While neither country represents a strategic priority for Moscow, "it's a good way to land a blow against the French". A blow that stings all the more given that Macron and Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno had agreed only last month to "strengthen cooperation" between both countries. "A page has been turned" after years of military cooperation, said Lacher, noting that France had "saved" the current president's late father and predecessor, Idriss Deby, "several times" when he was under threat of losing power to rebel offensives. Lacher said there had been "no need whatsoever" for Chad's leader to cancel the arrangement with France, adding: "His position with Paris was comfortable." Analysts say recent events point to France's difficulties as it seeks to emerge from the deadlock created by its cancellation of the anti-jihadist contingent Barkhane in the Sahel in 2022, and as it faces a wave of anti-French sentiment on the continent. In January, Thierry Burkhard, French armed forces chief, acknowledged that France's military presence in Africa was creating "negative perceptions that end up outweighing the positive effects". France, he recommended, should allow sovereign African partner nations "to communicate about their own actions". cf-Dt-mra-dla/jh/jhb Kim, Russian minister agree to boost military ties Seoul, Nov 29 (AFP) Nov 29, 2024 Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday and agreed to boost military cooperation between the two isolated nations, state media said. Belousov's visit "would greatly contribute to bolstering up the defence capabilities of the two countries and... promoting the friendly, mutual cooperation and development of the relations between the two armies," the KCNA report said. The visit comes amid escalating tensions over the deployment of Pyongyang's troops in western Russia to help in Moscow's war against Ukraine, and Western nations lifting a long-standing ban on using their missiles to strike targets inside Russia. The West believes some 10,000 North Korean troops have been dispatched to the Kursk region in western Russia near the border with Ukraine, something neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed. According to KCNA, Kim described the decision of Western powers to allow Kyiv to strike Russia with its missiles "direct military intervention in the conflict," and added: "It is an exercise of the right to self-defence for Russia to take resolute action to make the hostile forces pay the price as it has emerged as an aggressive entity in the anti-Russia war." Russia and North Korea have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. North Korea and Russia are both under UN sanctions -- the former for its nuclear weapons programme and the latter for the Ukraine conflict. The two countries signed a strategic partnership treaty in June which was ratified recently, providing for mutual military assistance in case of an attack and cooperation in the face of Western sanctions. Experts believe that in exchange for sending troops to help Russia, Kim is eager to gain advanced technology and battle experience for his troops in return. The deployment of North Korean troops in Russia prompted Seoul to deepen security ties with Kyiv. Besides Kim, Belousov also held talks with his North Korean counterpart No Kwang Chol, in which "Belousov expressed the willingness to further expand the mutually beneficial cooperation in the complicated international situation," according to KCNA. US approves $385 million arms sales to Taiwan Washington, Nov 30 (AFP) Nov 30, 2024 The United States has approved the proposed sale of spare parts for fighter jets and radar systems as well as communications equipment to Taiwan, in deals valued at $385 million, a US agency said Friday. While Washington does not have official diplomatic relations with Taipei, it remains the island's most important backer and biggest arms supplier. The proposed sale of the F-16 and radar system parts consists of equipment in existing US military stocks and was worth an estimated $320 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement, with deliveries estimated to start in 2025. "This proposed sale serves US national, economic and security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability," the DSCA said. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's ability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16 aircraft." A separate sale involving follow-on support and equipment for a tactical communications system was worth $65 million, the DSCA said. The deals were approved by the State Department, with the DSCA providing the required notification to Congress on Friday. China insists self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and has long opposed US arms sales to the island. The sales were announced as Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te was due to leave on Saturday for a trip to three Pacific island allies, with stopovers in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam. Taiwan's defense ministry on Saturday "expressed gratitude" for the latest arms sales. The items "will help maintain the combat readiness of the Air Force's F-16 aircraft equipment and bolster our air defense," the ministry said in a statement. "Taiwan and the United States will continue to consolidate our security partnership." The foreign ministry said it was the 18th time that President Joe Biden's administration had announced arms sales to the island. Taiwan was determined to strengthen its defences in the face of China's military pressure and "grey zone harassment," it said in a statement, referring to tactics that fall short of an act of war. China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan in recent years with near-daily deployments of fighter jets and warships around the island. On Saturday, Taiwan's defense ministry said 18 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels as well as two balloons were detected in the 24 hours to 6:00 am (2200 GMT Friday). Israel military says strikes Hezbollah in southern Lebanon Jerusalem, Nov 30 (AFP) Nov 30, 2024 The Israeli military said it carried out strikes against Hezbollah on Saturday after detecting activity in southern Lebanon "that posed a threat" days into a ceasefire. The military in a statement listed four separate incidents including an Israeli air force strike on "Hezbollah terrorists identified approaching Hezbollah structures in southern Lebanon". It also said it identified "terrorist activity in a Hezbollah facility with rocket launchers" in the area of Sidon in southern Lebanon and "struck the launchers". The military also hit a vehicle that "armed operatives" loaded with "RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), boxes of ammunition, and other military equipment", it said. "During an additional incident, the (Israeli air force) conducted an intelligence-based strike on a military vehicle operating in the area of a Hezbollah rocket manufacturing site," the military said. It said it "acted during the day against activities in Lebanon that posed a threat to the State of Israel, violating the ceasefire understandings". The truce, which was intended to end more than a year of cross-border hostilities and two months of open warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, began early on Wednesday morning. As part of the terms of the deal, the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers will deploy in southern Lebanon as the Israeli army withdraws over a period of 60 days. Hezbollah is also meant to withdraw its forces north of the Litani river, approximately 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the border, and dismantle its military infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Israel has insisted on its "full military freedom of action" in Lebanon if Hezbollah violates the ceasefire agreement or attempts to rearm. It has conducted several strikes in Lebanon since Wednesday. Israeli army confirms World Central Kitchen aid worker killed , Nov 30 (AFP) Nov 30, 2024 The Israeli military confirmed that a Palestinian employee of the US charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) was killed Saturday after Gaza rescuers announced the deaths of three aid workers following an Israeli air strike. The army said in a statement that the worker was a "terrorist" who "infiltrated Israel and took part in the murderous October 7 massacre in Kibbutz Nir Oz" and "worked for the WCK organisation". Representatives from the Israeli military unit responsible for overseeing humanitarian needs in Gaza "demanded senior officials from the international community and the WCK administration to clarify the issue and order an urgent examination regarding the hiring of workers who took part in the October 7 massacre", the statement said. The charity has yet to comment on the Gaza civil defence agency's earlier statement that three Palestinian WCK workers were killed in the strike, or the allegations from the army. Earlier Saturday, civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP the bodies of "at least five dead were transported (to hospital), including the three employees of World Central Kitchen". "All three men worked for WCK and they were hit while driving in a WCK jeep in Khan Yunis," Bassal said, adding that the vehicle had been "marked with its logo clearly visible". The Israeli army, in an earlier statement, had insisted its strike in the main southern city hit "a civilian unmarked vehicle and its movement on the route was not coordinated for transporting of aid". In April, an Israeli air strike killed seven WCK staff -- an Australian, three Britons, a North American, a Palestinian and a Pole. Israel said it had been targeting a "Hamas gunman" in that strike, but the military admitted a series of "grave mistakes" and violations of its own rules of engagement. Palestinian militants' October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,207 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed 44,382 people in Gaza, according to figures from the territory's health ministry which the United Nations considers reliable. Wildlife officers are "aggressively pursuing" a coyote that attacked a 4-year-old girl in Colorado Springs on Thanksgiving Day, according to a release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The attack happened on the city's north side, near the Air Force Academy, in a neighborhood east of Monument Creek and Interstate 25, the release said. Witnesses told wildlife officers the girl was attacked when she and another child approached a coyote that was crouching behind a tree because they thought it was dog. The coyote lunged at the girl, grabbing the back of her head and injuring her before her father stopped the attack. The child stayed overnight in the hospital because of the injuries; she was released on Friday. This could have been much worse a tragedy if not for the quick action of the childs father to stop the attack, rescue his daughter and scare the coyote off, said Tim Kroening, CPWs area wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak region. Coyotes are omnivores and will eat anything, even tipping over garbage cans like bears do, he said in the release. Featured Local Savings Typically when they get aggressive, its in the spring and they are protecting a nearby den where they have pups. Or its because someone in the area is feeding them. People nearby might be leaving pet food outdoors or actively feeding by throwing them scraps of food. Thats illegal and its a problem in urban areas. Kroening said coyotes have attacked small dogs and cats for feed, and may also see pets as potential competitors for food. After learning of the attack on Friday, wildlife officers began organizing a search for the coyote. Since they won't be able to identify the exact one involved, they will kill any coyote found in the vicinity of the attack. The carcasses will be sent to a health lab to be examined for the presence of human DNA and diseases such as rabies. Officials say the attack is an important reminder for people to be alert and haze wild animals found near their homes. Deer, fox, bobcat, bears and other animals should not be comfortable around people; residents should throw rocks and yell at them to scare them away. I'm sorry, but ADHD has become a scam that is wildly overdiagnosed and an excuse for poor behaviour I'm sorry, but ADHD has become a scam that is wildly overdiagnosed The pro-Palestine protesters and counter demonstrators hurled abuse at each other as they met at Coventry Street, but the two groups were kept apart by metal barriers and a line of police officers. Gov. Jared Polis, center, shakes hands with Senate Minority Leader John Cooke after signing HB22-1326 on May 25 on the west steps of the Colorado state Capitol in Denver. You are here: China China initiated renovations of approximately 53,000 old urban residential communities in the first 10 months of 2024, data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development showed on Friday. The country plans to begin renovating a total of 54,000 residential communities this year. By the end of October, eight provincial-level regions, including Jiangsu, Shanghai and Tianjin, had begun construction on all of their planned renovation projects, the ministry said. As part of its urban renewal initiatives, China has begun renovating 258,800 old urban residential communities since 2019, benefiting 44.34 million households and about 110 million residents, Qin Haixiang, vice minister of housing and urban-rural development, told media in August. By the end of 2023, the per capita housing floor area in China's urban areas exceeded 40 square meters. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close After Russias launch last week of its Oreshnik intermediate-range missile, state-owned propaganda outlet RT aired a video graphic depicting the missiles flight times to major European capitals: 20 minutes to London and Paris, 15 minutes to Berlin and 12 minutes to Warsaw. In his most aggressive nuclear signaling since invading Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly extolled the missile in public statements, claiming that NATO has no way to intercept it and warning that Moscow could use it against Kyivs decision-making centers. The missile is nuclear-capable, but for now, Putin says, it will be armed with multiple conventional warheads. We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities, Putin warned in a Nov. 21 address, announcing the Oreshnik strike on an aerospace manufacturer in Dnipro, Ukraine. Western leaders and analysts dismissed Putins rhetoric as more Russian saber-rattling, after yet another of Moscows red lines was crossed when President Joe Biden allowed Kyiv to use the U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, to strike targets inside Russia. But Putins threat, clearly directed at Europe, comes at a critical moment, with the United States in political transition and Europe in trepidation of President-elect Donald Trumps admiration for the Russian leader and the extent to which he could scale back Washingtons commitment to NATO. Meanwhile, Russia is steadily gaining ground in eastern Ukraine, intensifying pressure on Kyivs forces as Putin rules out any compromise to end the war. Moscows use of an intermediate-range ballistic missile sends its own powerful signal about Putins determination to prevail in Ukraine, as he seeks to weaken NATO, split Europe from the United States, deter European support for Ukraine and bend Europes security architecture to Russias will. The Oreshnik - meaning hazelnut tree - poses a direct and potentially devastating threat to Europe, even if conventionally armed, according to analysts. It marks what some Western arms experts see as the opening shot in a new European arms race that could last for decades and consume billions of dollars in NATO countries and Russia, with Moscow already plowing about 40 percent of its budget into military and security forces. In a move foreshadowed months ago but timed to express displeasure over Ukraines use of ATACMS and French-British Storm Shadow missiles against Russia, Putin last week also formally lowered Russias threshold for using nuclear weapons. This deepens the ambiguity about when Russia could use nuclear weapons, as Putin seeks to foster uncertainty and amplify European security fears ahead of Trumps inauguration. Russias previous nuclear doctrine stated that it could use nuclear weapons against a conventional attack that threatened its very existence. That wording was replaced by a reference to attacks that posed a critical threat to Russian or Belarusian sovereignty or territorial integrity, as well as a provision that Moscow could launch a nuclear attack against a nonnuclear power - such as Ukraine - that is using the weapons of a nuclear power - such as the United States. The Pentagon as well as Western arms-control experts believe that the Oreshnik is not new - they say it is likely based on the RS-26 Rubezh missile, which was tested several times more than a decade ago, publicly shelved in 2018 and recently pulled out and modified. Putin ordered mass production of the Oreshnik and said many similar systems were being developed. At a Nov. 22 meeting between Putin and top military and security chiefs, Sergei Karakayev, commander of Russias strategic missile forces, said that the Oreshnik can hit targets throughout Europe and that a massed attack would be comparable to the use of nuclear weapons. Decker Eveleth, an analyst at the CNA security think tank, based in Arlington, Va., said that Russia could destroy air bases and military targets across a wide area of Europe with just a few conventionally armed Oreshniks, and that the weapons nuclear capability carries a striking nuclear threat. Oreshnik probably has the capability to carry six nuclear warheads into Europe in about 15 to 20 minutes, and due to the speed and trajectory the missile would fly on, it would be extremely difficult to intercept, he said. At the meeting with security chiefs, Putin smiled as he praised the missile, boasting that no one else in the world has such a weapon and promising state awards to the developers. His message was clear: Russia has a significant advantage over Europe in missile strike capabilities, at a time when Trumps future support for NATO is in doubt. The desired effect was certainly achieved: panic, disagreements, calls for negotiations and peace, said hawkish state television anchor Vladimir Solovyov, gloating that Russia could strike those NATO bases that are supplying the weapons which the Americans are launching from the territory of Ukraine targeting Russian territory - in Poland, Romania, Britain or wherever else. RT editor in chief Margarita Simonyan said on the same program that Russia needs to terrify Europe with the real impact of war. Until they see the fist flying toward their snout, they will not stop, she said. Alexander Graef, senior researcher at the Hamburg-based Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy, believes that Europe is at the threshold of a new missile age. In July, the United States and Germany announced plans to rotate intermediate-range U.S. missiles into Germany starting in 2026 - prompting a sharp response from Moscow - while several nations have joined a French-led project, the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA), to develop a long-range missile. We are in an arms race, and its going to develop over the next 20 years, Graef said. And so what I think is going to happen is that these different parties - Russia, states in Europe, the United States - are growing their arsenals because they dont have the numbers yet to use these weapons effectively and to destroy the many targets that are possibly there. But some doubt NATOs will to deter Russia, as Moscow seeks to exploit the divisions between states, courting Hungarys Viktor Orban, who has taken a staunchly pro-Kremlin stance. Boris Bondarev, a former Russian diplomat and an expert on arms control and global security, said NATO leaders had repeatedly faltered in the face of Putins nuclear threats, which had succeeded in deterring timely Western military deliveries to Kyiv, allowing Putin to avoid defeat. I dont think that the plans in Moscow are really to make a nuclear war. The weapon remains fear. Its first of all psychological warfare, and I think it is quite successful. This propaganda works, he said. Its essentially just a misunderstanding of how to deal with Vladimir Putin. Putin, Bondarev continued, would make no deal with Trump to end the Ukraine war unless it gave him a victory over Kyiv, shutting Ukraine out of NATO and leaving occupied Ukrainian territory in Russian hands. That would pave the way for the Russian leader to confront Europe in the future, potentially even invading one of the Baltic nations. He doesnt want to divide Ukraine. He wants to divide the world. He wants his own sphere of influence where no one, including the United States, can get into without his permission. I dont know why Americans do not see it, because if they make a deal with Putin, they will hand him this victory. The Oreshnik would have been barred under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) between the United States and the Soviet Union, which banned missiles with ranges of 310 to 3,400 miles. Trump withdrew the United States from the treaty in 2019 after long-running U.S. accusations of Russian violations. We had a treaty that prohibited this kind of missile, and that was for good reason. It was because they were deemed very destabilizing, said Francois Diaz-Maurin, associate editor for nuclear affairs at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, referring to the missiles speed, its multiple independently targeted warheads and the potential for a catastrophic misunderstanding created by its dual conventional and nuclear capabilities. Once launched, this missile gets to European capitals within 12 to 16 minutes. Its very little time to be able to react, to detect it. And then added to that is a possibility that it could have a nuclear warhead inside of several of them. It gives very little time to know whats coming at you. Even as Europe awakens to the need to protect itself and deter Russia, it cannot yet match Putin, who has geared the bulk of Russias economy to war and weapons production, he said. This new missile is actually a confirmation why Europe should actually take the lead on its own security, Diaz-Maurin said. Jasmine Walker Motupalli poses with civilians in Afghanistan's Logar province. (Jasmine Walker Motupalli) The Army veteran and Fox News Channel host who could be the countrys next defense secretary has strong views on a decade of women serving in combat positions in the U.S. military strong and negative. Im straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles, Pete Hegseth said on a podcast early this month, just days before President-elect Donald Trump nominated him for the crucial Cabinet post. It hasnt made us more effective, hasnt made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated. Thats far different from how women who have filled such roles see their achievement. These are veterans who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan during the wars there. Some were part of specialized female teams; at times, their gender enabled them to do searches and gather intelligence that their male counterparts couldnt. With thousands of women in combat units past and present, Hegseths notions as one Army veteran recently labeled them could affect many futures. The Washington Post spoke to numerous female veterans whose careers benefited from the Pentagons decision to expand the jobs they could do, including with the countrys most elite forces. While acknowledging that conversations about military readiness are always important, they called Hegseths views on what women in uniform contribute outdated, uninformed and inaccurate. Here are three of those veterans. Their remarks have been edited for clarity and length. Riane Donoho, 35, Richmond, Va. Donoho is a former Marine Corps corporal who was part of a Female Engagement Team in Afghanistan and adjunct to a male infantry unit before women could officially serve in such capacity. She now hosts The Dollhouse Institute: War Women, A[n] Historic Record. Ill just be candid with you, its a mixed bag in our community as far as how people feel. And I think that thats okay. I mean, I want people to have their own opinions, and all these women have their own personal experiences that draw them to those opinions. A lot of women, myself included, do not think that the readiness of Americas fighting force should be diminished. The standards certainly should not be diminished so we can say that women can [serve in combat positions]. I think our priority should be having a fighting force. Not all men can meet the standards. It is very, very difficult. A lot of men wont try for it; they dont meet the qualifications. And a lot of men who try for it dont make the cut. [But] the truth is, there are women who can meet those standards, and they should be celebrated. There are females who can complete infantry courses. I know women who would have been great at it if they had the opportunity 15 years ago. A couple of weeks ago, I was at Fort Liberty and there was a woman who is still active duty and in the Army, who is the first to receive her ranger job. Shes a petite little thing a total powerhouse. And there is a female Marine who graduated from infantry officer course in like 2017. There are chicks out there who can do it. I applaud them. Our team had four female Navy corpsmen. Not only did they carry their own weight, they carried the weight of medical supplies lifesaving supplies that you would need in combat. One in particular wouldnt just carry all her weight plus all her medical kit and everything else, but she would also carry a gun. You want to know that you have confidence in the person next to you, to the left and to the right of you, having the best capabilities that you could possibly have. Training, training and more training is really what prepares you for combat. So celebrate the women who can do the supreme. Jasmine Walker Motupalli, 40, Centennial, Colo. A West Point graduate and former Army major, Motupalli commanded combat units during deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan receiving a Purple Heart for injuries suffered during one of those tours. She later worked in Army intelligence at the Pentagon. As a company commander and the sole woman among 32 commanders in a light infantry brigade, I couldnt ignore the ways I stood out. Unlike my peers, who were all infantrymen, I came from an intelligence officer background an unconventional path in a combat-heavy environment. But I realized I had to lead with the strength of my differences. There was an initial assumption that women couldnt pull their weight. That assumption was quickly dispelled. We could hang with any patrols and, whats more, we were value added to any operation. We moved away from the traditional female engagement team dynamic and just fully integrated women into the formation as gunners, squad leaders, team leaders, medics, etc. This change made us more agile, approachable and impactful overall. I think if you asked men who served with women in combat roles and you took a survey, it would be a big net positive. There was at first a pushback, yes, but when you are together every day, and you watch each other try to pass physical tests, a connection is formed. And as the women proved themselves time and again in combat and leadership roles, resistance and skepticism gave way to respect and camaraderie. Inclusion strengthens military effectiveness. Hegseths statement that women shouldnt serve in combat roles stems from outdated assumptions about physical capability, cohesion and mission effectiveness. These views ignore both historical and contemporary evidence of women excelling in these roles. Thats something Hegseth would have to see to recognize. In a world where so many can discount the abuse of women, where organizations trying to close an equity gap are sued for their work, where diversity has become a dirty word, then it isnt surprising that we are now seeing rhetoric that aims to knock women down a few pegs, to undo the amazing progress weve made. There seems to be a rise in rhetoric that because you are doing well, it must mean that I am doing worse. But this has never been my belief. I believe that all ships rise with the tide. Jaclyn Jax Scott, 41, Raleigh, N.C. Scott did two rotations in Afghanistan as part of Army Special Forces teams. She was in more than 20 combat operations and received a Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge. She still serves in the Army Reserve as a chief warrant officer but spoke to The Post as a civilian, not a member of the military. In the military, you give your life not just in the literal sense but through your commitment when you sign on those dotted lines. I knew that going to war meant I could die, and I accepted that. The mission was always at the forefront of my mind, above anything else. Being a combat veteran is one of my proudest accomplishments of my life. Being a veteran is rooted deep inside me. Hegseths recent claim that women shouldnt be in combat roles reeks of ignorance and outdated thinking, ignoring the realities of modern warfare and the invaluable contributions of female operators. Women have been a cornerstone of success in unconventional and conventional operations. They have consistently proved theyre not just capable but often critical in roles where men fall short. Programs like the Armys Cultural Support Team highlight this. Female CST operators embedded with Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan and broke cultural barriers that male soldiers couldnt, gathering lifesaving intelligence. One member uncovered a hidden cellphone on a local woman during a raid, which led directly to the capture of a high-value target. Such results arent hypothetical. Theyre documented successes that would have been impossible without women on the front lines. For Hegseth to dismiss the value of female soldiers also shows a refusal to adapt to the realities of asymmetrical warfare, where diversity in skill sets often determines victory. Critics like him often lean on archaic stereotypes, but heres the reality: Women bring unparalleled advantages to the fight. They exploit implicit biases to remain undetected, engage communities to extract intelligence and navigate complex environments with nuance and empathy skills increasingly vital in modern warfare. The militarys future isnt male or female; its about who gets the job done. Women have proved time and again that they do. Leaders should stop questioning their value and instead focus on creating the conditions for all warriors to thrive. Peter Dunne, of The Avenue, Scholarstown Wood, Rathfarnham, was charged with assault, causing harm to his mother, 69, at the family home on Friday night. A 35-year-old Dublin man has been refused bail after being accused of repeatedly punching and "choking" his elderly mother with his two hands as she lay in bed. Peter Dunne, of The Avenue, Scholarstown Wood, Rathfarnham, was charged with assault, causing harm to his mother, 69, at the family home on Friday night. The accused, who said he suffered from anxiety, faced objections to bail when he appeared before Judge Michele Finan Dublin District Court on Saturday. Garda Daniel Maloney said he and his colleagues responded to a 999 call at around 10.40 pm and went to the home of Mr Dunne's elderly parents. The court heard that they met his father, 72, who was "agitated, shaking and in fear". The pensioner's 69-year-old wife had an eye injury and was bleeding and "trembling". They reported the accused had attacked his mother when she was in bed, and "he started choking her with his two hands" and punched her in the face. Garda Maloney said it was alleged that the accused "said he was going to kill her while carrying out the attack". It was claimed his father was punched four or five times while trying to save his wife, and the court heard the pensioner believed that "if he did not intervene, his son would have killed his wife". Judge Finan was told that gardai arrived, and the accused was caught red-handed at the house but became aggressive, and it took five officers to arrest him. The accused "made no reply" when charged at Tallaght Garda station. Garda Maloney added that he had been informed the accused had mental health issues, which the parents believed had got progressively worse. The investigating officer voiced witness interference concerns and added that the accused had a good physical stature compared to his elderly parents. He agreed with defence solicitor Eddie O'Connor that Mr Dunne had no prior convictions or warrants record. Mr O'Connor proposed that his client would live at a different location and undertake to stay away from his parents, but Garda Maloney stressed that no conditions would alleviate his concerns. In evidence, the accused told Judge Finan he could stay in a hostel or a hotel, but when questioned, he agreed he had not made any plans. He told the court he would not return to the house and said that he was going to visit his GP, who is treating him for anxiety. Mr Connor asked Judge Finan to fix bail with stringent conditions. However, she denied the application and remanded the accused in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Legal aid was granted to Mr Dunne, who has yet to enter a plea; he will appear again in court next week. The judge also directed that he get psychiatric attention in custody. Andrew Barry, 29, of Castle Park, Mallow Co. Cork pleaded guilty to a total of eight charges when he appeared before Judge Colm Roberts at Mallow District Court. A man who stole two packets of M&Ms from a supermarket has admitted in the District Court that he threatened to burn down the store and kill a security guard when he was stopped after committing the theft. Andrew Barry, 29, of Castle Park, Mallow Co. Cork pleaded guilty to a total of eight charges when he appeared before Judge Colm Roberts at Mallow District Court. Court presenter Inspector Paul Aherne said that on February 6, 2024 Mr Barry was observed by security staff at Dunnes Stores in Mallow on CCTV taking two pouches of M&Ms valued at 8 from a shelf in the store and putting them in his pockets. Mr Barry then left the store without paying for the items. Mr Barry was approached by staff outside the store and agreed to go back inside. When he was questioned about the alleged theft Mr Barry became aggressive and told staff he would burn down the store and threatened the security officer that he would find out where he lived and get him. Gardai were called and Mr Barry repeated the threats in the presence of a garda. The court heard that Mr Barry was also pleading guilty to five other thefts. On February 9, 2024 he admitted taking a can of Red Bull valued at 2.45 from the cooler in Herlihys Centra in Mallow and leaving without paying. On February 21, 2024 he admitted taking Red Bull and peanuts valued at 5 from Spar in Ballydahin, and on February 23, 2024 he took Red Bull and cakes valued at 8 from the same store. On February 24, 2024 Mr Barry ordered hot food from the same Spar shop and paid for it but he also took a bottle of Lucozade valued at 1.20 without paying for it. He returned to the shop later the same day and ordered more hot food which he again paid for but on that occasion he took a can of Red Bull valued at 3.45 without paying for it. The court heard that Mr Barry had 35 previous convictions including six for theft, eight for criminal damage and one for arson. Defence solicitor Charles OConnor said that Mr Barry had a very difficult upbringing and the threats made were really just utterances. He said that Mr Barry apologised for his behaviour. Judge Colm Roberts said: When you threaten to burn someone out and you have a conviction for arson it becomes a different matter. He said that Mr Barry appeared to lead a volatile lifestyle which meant he was not able to access supports that were available to him. The judge said: if he continues to live in chaos he is going to continue to commit crimes. The judge said that this was Mr Barrys last chance to get his act together and committing even the smallest theft would see him sent to prison for a number of months. For the threat to kill Andrew Barry was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years; for the threat to burn down Dunnes Stores he was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for two years to run consecutively. The theft of the M&Ms was taken into consideration and Mr Barry was also ordered to have no contact with the injured party and barred from Dunnes Stores in Mallow for two years. For the other thefts he was sentenced to a total of nine months in prison, seven consecutive and two concurrent, suspended for two years. He was also barred from entering the Spar shop for two years. Recognisance in the event of an appeal was fixed in his own bond of 500. Pervert given suspended sentence, with family said to be sickened by what he accessed online A pensioner who downloaded indecent images of children and extreme pornography involving slavery and humiliation has avoided jail. John McKenna (69), of Stewartstown Park in west Belfast, appeared at Laganside Crown Court in Belfast for sentencing on November 19. He had earlier entered guilty pleas to a total of 19 charges including 13 counts of making indecent images of children, five counts of possessing an extreme pornographic image and a single charge of possessing an indecent photograph of a child. His Honour Judge Patrick Lynch KC sentenced McKenna to one year in prison, suspended for three years, on each charge concurrently. He was also slapped with a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) which places strict conditions on his ability to access the internet and prevents him from undertaking activities which afford access to children. John McKenna Alongside this, McKenna was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and permanently barred from working with children or vulnerable adults. Sources say brazen McKenna thinks it will blow over eventually despite being disowned by former friends and family in west Belfast, some of whom felt physically sick after learning of his offending. Standing in the dock wearing a dark grey vest and trousers with a yellow and green short-sleeved shirt at a previous hearing, the bespectacled defendant said, I am, when asked if he was aware of the charges against him. According to the charge sheet, the file names of the images concerned included references to slave girl trouble for smoking, cow humiliated, masters dungeon, training slave and nipples decorated with needles. Asked if he wished to comment on the allegations at the time, he replied No. Richard Heaney (38) and brothers Owen and Richard Montgomery, both 27, appeared by videolink from police custody at Ballymena Magistrates Court. Three men have appeared in court accused of trying to kidnap a woman whose car was rammed and boxed in before she was assaulted at a garage forecourt. Richard Heaney (38) and brothers Owen and Richard Montgomery, both 27, appeared by videolink from police custody at Ballymena Magistrates Court. All three are charged with attempted kidnap of a woman on November 27, but all three also face further charges arising from the same incident. Heaney, from Ardban Avenue in Kilrea, faces further charges of robbery of the complainants coat, phone and bank card, possessing a screwdriver with intent to commit wounding, resisting police, dangerous driving, damaging the complainants car and possessing class C pregabalin. Owen Montgomery, from the Garvagh Road in Kilrea, is also charged with damaging the complainants VW T-Roc, tampering with a vehicle as well as assault and possessing cannabis and meth. Ryan Montgomery, from Coleraine Street in Kilrea, faces further charges of threatening to kill the woman and two charges of assaulting her. Heaney did not apply for bail so District Judge Peter Magill remanded him into custody to appear again on December 23. Defence counsel Gavin Cairns did lodge bail applications on behalf of the Montgomery brothers. A police officer said there were objections to the pair being freed as police feared there could be further offences or witness interference given that everyone involved lives in Kilrea. Summarising the outline of the police case, Judge Magill recounted how the alleged would-be kidnap victim called police at 4.30pm on Wednesday alleging that she and her partner were being chased in a car and that it had been rammed. She could be heard screaming and she said that efforts were being made by multiple cars to box them in, said the judge, adding that with police having been dispatched there was ramming of a police car and ramming of other cars with three officers injured. The scene then moved to a filling station on Maghera Street where the woman was attacked by numerous people, including the defendants. Judge Magill said that according to the police outline of alleged facts, there was CCTV footage of the incident where the defendants allegedly surround the car and the woman flees inside for safety but the Montgomery brothers can be seen loitering at the front door waiting for her. When she leaves, the 35-year-old is allegedly set upon by both the Montgomery brothers and she is dragged by the coat along the ground until they pin her to the car. Two cars nearby, a Vauxhall Astra and a Vauxhall Insignia, are being driven by Heaney and a fourth man, 31-year-old Leon McGlinchey. All four are arrested. McGlinchey, from Moyola Avenue in Castledawson, appeared in court yesterday charged with 11 offences including driving while unfit, dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, three charges of failing to provide a specimen of breath, driving with neither insurance nor a licence, theft of a coat and phone, criminal damage and obstructing police. He was also refused bail and remanded to December 23. Judge Magill said police had been approached by a member of the Housing Executive who claimed Heaney had told them he wanted her [the complainant] dead. During their police interviews the Montgomery brothers admitted they were there but denied there was any assault and claimed the alleged victim is a compulsive liar constantly making allegations against them. Conceding that its extremely difficult in applying for bail, Mr Cairns suggested the woman at the centre of the allegations is known to the court herself and further that theres been an overcharging in the case. Arguing that bail conditions could be put in place to address police concerns, the barrister contended the case will take months and months and months to resolve and if it even gets that far, it could easily end up as a disorderly behaviour case and may not cross the custody threshold. Judge Magill agreed the pair have limited records but he also emphasised that both men had breached bail conditions. Clearly there is something going on here between these people but there is CCTV footage of an attack on a woman in daylight, in a public place where she is dragged along the ground among other things, said the judge. This is a very serious incident, its very worrying and I cannot be satisfied that if this pair were released there would not be any further offences in relation to this woman and her partner so therefore, not only is there a risk of further offences but a concern about interference with witnesses so bail is refused. The Montgomery brothers were also remanded into custody until December 23. The drugs had arrived on a vessel from Costa Rica hidden inside a shipment of bananas From left to right: Joel McCaughey; Darren Laurie; Ian Woodward; and Kyle Davidson; Danny Laird; Michael Turner; Sam Elphick A crime gang that attempted to smuggle cocaine worth 90 million into the UK with the help of a corrupt port worker have been jailed for a total of more than 74 years. A major National Crime Agency-led operation at Sheerness Port in Kent in December 2021 involved more than 100 officers who swooped on the gang as they attempted to recover the drugs from a container. With an estimated street value of more than 90 million, the drugs had arrived on a vessel from Costa Rica hidden inside a shipment of bananas. The shipment had been arranged by gang leaders Danny Laird (41) from Buntingford in Hertfordshire, and Joel McCaughey (34) from Manchester. However, both had been the subject of a two-month surveillance operation by the NCA, whose officers watched as a series of meetings took place at pubs, cafes and service stations to organise the importation and recover the drugs. McCaughey flew to Costa Rica in late November 2021 to oversee the loading of the cocaine into a container. Text messages later found on his phone by the NCA showed he stood to make 400,000 from the drugs plot. McCaughey then arrived back in the country where he led four other members of the group as they attempted to recover the drugs. They included Darren Laurie (53) of no fixed abode, who had trained Michael Turner (57), Kyle Davidson (33) and Ian Woodward (36) all from Hertfordshire, to use a forklift truck they had purchased to move the drugs. The gang arrived at the port in two vans in the early hours of December 20, 2021. After being waved through a security checkpoint by corrupt security guard Sam Elphick (30) from Sheerness, they used the fork lift to access the container carrying the drugs. It was at this moment that armed officers from the NCA and Kent Police moved in to make the arrests. In the immediate aftermath, Laird, who was already electronically tagged for other unrelated offences, was arrested by the NCA at his home address in Buntingford. Six men were charged with conspiring to import class A drugs. All pleaded guilty, while Elphick pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an organised crime group. A judge at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday sentenced Turner to 11 years; Laurie to 12 years and four months; Davidson to 10 years; Woodward to 11 years and three months; Laird to 14 years and eight months and McCaughey to 13 years and four months. Elphick was sentenced to two years. NCA operations manager Paul Orchard said they had stopped a significant amount of drugs from reaching the streets of the UK. (We) completely dismantled this organised crime group who were using a corrupt port worker to circumvent border controls, Mr Orchard said. Sam Elphick was recruited specifically for his knowledge of Sheerness Port and the security systems. This kind of knowledge and access are like gold dust to organised crime, and it is why stopping corrupt insiders and the threat they pose are a priority for us. Dave Smith, Border Force South East Regional Director, said: Thanks to the remarkable work by NCA, Kent Police and Border Force, we stopped over 90 million worth of cocaine flooding into our communities. We are working endlessly to prevent drug smuggling, and this seizure, and others like it, sends a clear message to criminal gangs that we remain committed tackling these despicable drug supply chains. The NCA said the operation at Sheerness, which was also supported by Border Force and the port operator Peel Ports, is part of ongoing activity using Home Office Drug Strategy funding to protect the security and integrity of the UK border at ports and airports. Actor Johnny Ward tells Lynne Kelleher what life is like looking after a parent and why hes supporting Lidls charity fundraiser in support of Family Carers Ireland I would probably never refer to myself as a carer, I would just think Im a good son, says Johnny Ward as he drives to a convalescent home where his mother is recovering from major surgery. A few minutes into a chat with the former Love/Hate actor, and its evident he adores his mother Kathy, who carts him off to philosophy courses, appears in his plays and has been his biggest cheerleader throughout his acting career. In 2019, she was diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome, after the death of Johnnys father while the actor was appearing on Dancing with the Stars. Shortly afterwards Kathy had a heart attack followed by a stroke, and in the last year she had major surgery after being diagnosed with cancer. When hes not by her side Johnny worries. Its all the small things. As great as it is that we have someone looking after them, its well do they know they like butter and not marmalade? or do they know they are uncomfortable if we lift them under their armpits? Johnny with his mum Kathy who he adores Talking about the guilt carers feel when theyre away from their loved ones, the 37-year-old says: Physically youre gone but mentally, youre still there. It is really, really difficult. Given his own family situation, he didnt hesitate when asked to front Lidls new charity partnership with Family Carers Ireland to support heart of gold employees and half a million family carers across the country. I never would have considered myself a carer but when my mum became ill in 2019, I did what I thought was the right thing and moved back into the family home in Walkinstown to look after her. I consider myself very lucky to have the support of other family members and friends in providing care for mum, and I know there are others who are not as fortunate to have that sort of network, he said referring to his neighbours in Walkinstown. In real life, he is the antithesis of his most famous characters, a crazed mechanic in Fair City and the hardened criminal, Pauley, from Love/Hate. Oh Jesus, Id hope so! he says, referring to his track record for playing bad guys. Hes even playing the pantomime villain of Gaston this year. I wouldnt have it any other way, he says. When Johnny arrived on the Carrigstown set in RTE in 2005, he was told he would be playing a normal mechanic. Four months into his run, the soaps executive producer Brigie de Courcy explained the character has a dark secret before detailing the long-running storyline which saw Holloway kidnapping his friends sister Katy for 13 months. At the moment, hes behind bars, it was great to return there about three or four weeks ago for the 35-year anniversary special. But look, its a part I love playing. When it came to portraying Pauley in Love/Hate it was clear he was a very dark character from the beginning. There werent many characters that could go in and shake up Nidge and the rest of the gang, so it was amazing to have that. Lidls festive Trolley Dash He still sees Barry Keoghan, and other Love/Hate cast members. At Dancing with the Stars, they do this thing at the end where someone [sends] you best wishes. I was really surprised that Barry Keoghan, when he was filming his latest film, sent a really lovely message to me. Ill keep in contact with [the Love/Hate cast[ a good bit. I see Laurence Kinlan a good bit as well, and just emails from the rest of them. He knew Keoghan was movie star material from working with him on Mammal, a film they shot together in Luxembourg. A lot of the time you know when someones acting, you dont know when he is. Sometimes youre looking at him going, is he in character now? or is he being himself? Hes so natural. I knew hed blow up. Hes one of the worlds most famous actors and a really lovely, genuine, down-to-earth guy, who does not forget who he is. Currently preparing for his role as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast A Sammy and Buffy Adventure, Johnny feels lucky the care home where his mother is recuperating is a ten-minute drive from home and the National Stadium, where he is in pantomime rehearsals. He says his mother is adamant that he should take acting roles. She will always say Youre doing it. Earlier this summer, she went through whipple surgery where doctors took out part of her gall bladder, pancreas, intestines and a large part of the bowel to remove cancer, and then stitched it all back together. Shes just had such a rough year. Doctors have said it will be a slow and extensive recovery but she is a fighter and there are days where she is very much up and down. While the onslaught of health problems has been beyond difficult for his independent mother, she has lost none of her verve for life over the past five years. She signed me up for this philosophy course in late 2021. I said, Mum Im not doing a philosophy course. We were still doing it until she got admitted to hospital not so long ago. Were on level 5 at the moment, he laughs, shes signed me up for lots of courses like creative writing and art. When Johnny wrote a play two years ago, Kathy ended up taking part in the play. Shes mad, and she always had that incredible personality. I know there are a lot of downs with random fainting and neighbours ringing me saying, Weve just seen your mum and shes after collapsing outside the house. Thats very, very difficult but there are a lot of ups with it as well. There are over 500,000 family carers across the country, according to Family Carers Ireland, but like Johnny, many just see themselves as a parent, child, sibling or grandparent. Lidl has pledged to raise 1 million over the next three years to support the vital work of Family Carers Ireland. They provide free support services, things I was crying out for in the last five years, like counselling, emergency respite and respite provision, peer support groups, and information on rights and entitlements, says the actor. He says his wife, Brenda, who he married last year, has been incredible throughout his mothers illness. The girl is an angel. The two of them get on so well, he says. Lidls Trolley Dash charity fundraising initiative will see 181 shoppers across Ireland win a supermarket sweep-style dash around the store to bag a festive feast this Christmas. For more information go to lidl.ie/trolleydash Farmers trials over John Frog Wards death exposed divisions in Irish society Padraig Nally at his home in Cross, Co Mayo, in 2007. Photo: Tom Honan Padraig Nally outside court in Dublin during his trial in 2006. Photo: Collins Padraig Nally at his home in Cross, Co Mayo, in 2007. Photo: Tom Honan The death of Mayo farmer Padraig Nally has caused all who knew him to reflect warmly on the man but sadly on the past that coloured much of his life. Mr Nally (81), a bachelor farmer from Cross, Co Mayo, passed away following a long illness on Thursday night. Those who knew him best remember a quiet, unassuming man who worked hard on his land, cared for his animals and lived peacefully in his community. His life and legacy will for ever be a touchstone of the social division that came into sharp focus when he was acquitted of killing John Frog Ward, a violent criminal he found trespassing at his isolated farmhouse in October 2004. In November 2005, Mr Nally was sentenced to six years imprisonment for manslaughter. His conviction was later quashed after it was held the trial judge Paul Carney had misdirected the jury that it had to find him guilty of at least manslaughter owing to his admissions and evidence during the trial. During sentencing, Mr Justice Carney described it as undoubtedly the most socially divisive case Ive had to try and the most difficult case Ive had to sentence. Mr Nally went on to serve almost six months in prison before a retrial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. In December 2006, he was found not guilty of manslaughter and walked free. Padraig Nally outside court in Dublin during his trial in 2006. Photo: Collins Ward was a criminal with a capacity for violence and Mr Nally was, as one friend said, an honest, hard-working man of the soil who lived a blameless life up to that day and ever since. There was a huge national groundswell of support for Mr Nally, which left many in the Travelling community feeling further marginalised and isolated. Known as a quiet man, Mr Nallys social isolation before the tragic event was laid bare during his trials. Mr Nally, like many farmers of smallholdings in rural areas in the west of Ireland, had never married. He did not drink alcohol and he did not really socialise other than at marts. I was out of my mind for these lads calling to my house all year He was widely respected though and went gently about his way. It emerged he lived alone and he lived in fear. He had been targeted by thieves previously and was convinced he would be again. Such was his terror, he spent hours every day sitting beside a shotgun in his shed waiting for them to return. Every time he left the house, he emptied a bucket of water over the soil at his gate in order to record footprints or tyre prints of anyone who came to his property. He told gardai he became afraid and panicky and could not sleep after a new chainsaw was stolen from his farm in February 2004, eight months before the killing. He also told gardai he used to cry on Sunday nights when his sister Maureen would leave the house to return to her job in Ballina, 75km away. He became so worried about being burgled and attacked in his home that it consumed him. He intended to protect himself and his property. It was that fear that led him to take the course of action he did when he was presented with Ward emerging from his house. It was not the first time the men had encountered each other. Weeks before, Ward had called at his home and asked for directions, which Mr Nally found most peculiar. Immediately after the killing, he told gardai: I was out of my mind for these lads calling to my house all year. It ended one mans life and destroyed another Several gardai who encountered Mr Nally in the immediate aftermath of the killing cautioned him privately to stop being so open and detailed about the circumstances and his role in them until he had spoken with a solicitor. But Mr Nally spoke freely. He told the truth. It was his nature. On the day of Wards death, Mr Nally saw him emerging from the back door of his home. He recognised Ward. Mr Nally went to his shed and took a loaded shotgun and it went off. Padraig Nally at his home in Cross, Co Mayo, in 2007. Photo: Tom Honan He told gardai he was not sure if he aimed the gun or if it went off with excitement. Ward was hit on the right hip. A ferocious struggle between the pair began and Mr Nally shot him again, killing him. Paddy Rock, a friend of Mr Nallys from Mayo, spoke recently to the Irish Independent. He explained that many rallied around Mr Nally in the aftermath. The support came because he was an honest man of the soil, he said. He lived off the land all his life. He sold his produce and his sheep and calves and went about his business bothering nobody. He was a kind and helpful man to his neighbours. What Padraig did he was sorry for and I know that. Ward was a strong man and a lot younger man than Padraig. Where he found the strength to handle him I dont know, but we all think it must have been the element of fear. One of them wasnt going to be coming out of there that day. Mr Rock said he found it hard to look back on that time without feeling sadness. It ended one mans life and destroyed another, he said. Images shared on social media appeared to show a man being led off the plane in handcuffs The flight was diverted to Dublin Airport A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to divert to Dublin this week to allow for an unruly passenger to be removed. Flight DL83 was 90 minutes into its journey from Paris to Atlanta when it forced to change course toward Ireland on Wednesday. It later emerged that a man in his 30s was arrested after an incident on board, gardai told Business Insider. The Airbus A330, which had departed nearly 20 minutes late, eventually landed nearly three hours later in Atlanta. Images shared on social media appeared to show a man being led off the plane in handcuffs. According to the aviation newsletter, A2Z the fire service was standing by at Dublin Airport because the plane had to make an overweight landing. It couldn't dump fuel, given it was set to continue flying across the Atlantic. In a statement to Business Insider, Delta said the plane had to stop in Dublin to remove an "unruly customer. "Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behaviour and will work with law enforcement authorities to that end," the airline said in its statement. "We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel." Meanwhile, a stowaway was discovered on another Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris. The passenger had managed to fly from the US to France without a ticket before being discovered on the flight. A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesperson said the woman - who boarded the Delta Air Lines flight without a ticket - had managed to bypass two "identity verification" stations. The woman was caught onboard Delta Airlines flight 264 from New York's John F Kennedy International Airport to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Tuesday. A source told NBC News that upon landing in Paris, the stowaway was removed from the aircraft by police officers. Delta Air Lines said in a statement: "Nothing is of greater importance than matters of safety and security. "That's why Delta is conducting an exhaustive investigation of what may have occurred and will work collaboratively with other aviation stakeholders and law enforcement to that end." The Disabilities Resource Centre Trust is inviting Bay of Plenty residents to a community event on December 7 to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Join us to celebrate on Saturday December 7, from 10am-2pm at Mitchell Park, Richardson St Whakatane, with free entry and free activities, said Disabilities Resource Centre Trust information services co-ordinator Naomi Freeman. Freeman said the goal of the Disabilities Resource Centre Trust is to gather tangata whaikaha Maori, people with disabilities, their whanau/caregivers, and all members of our community at the event. The event will showcase disability and community support organisations, performances featuring our disability community and local artists, a kids zone, facepainting, Circabilitys Have a go circus for all abilities, interactive games and mouth-watering dishes to purchase from food vendors. Our centre is devoted to providing an accessible and responsive service for people with disabilities and the elderly, said Freeman. We aim to encourage and support them to exercise their right to live with dignity and maximum independence. We do this through information and advisory service, home care and community services. Two UK nationals will be deported for their part in a text phishing scam which plagued Kiwis with millions of fraudulent messages. But first, one of the men faces a prison sentence after being convicted on fraud offences. The pairs cybercrime operation was disrupted by Operation Cargo in February, with New Zealand Police working in partnership with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to make the arrests. Both men faced sentencing in the Auckland District Court on Tuesday. Nineteen-year-old Alvin Agyeman Acheampong was sentenced to two years imprisonment on multiple representative charges* for offending committed during the scam. His accomplice, 19-year-old Alexander Manfo was sentenced to 400 hours community service and fined $3,400. Manfo had been convicted on a representative charge of possessing goods capable of being used to facilitate crimes. Following sentencing, he was detained by Immigration New Zealand officials and will leave the country later this week. Acheampong will also be deported from New Zealand after completing his term of imprisonment. Both Police and DIA welcome the sentences in this investigation. It was one of the first occasions where Police have laid charges for what is a complex cybercrime, Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton, of the Auckland City Financial Crime Unit, says. A prison sentence sends a very clear signal to any criminal group looking to set up shop in this country, he says. New Zealand authorities are working closer than ever, and we will catch up with you. Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says the scam involves numerous text messages being sent to phones, masquerading as well-known and trusted organisations. Some victims reported losing between $10,000 - $100,000 after falling foul to the messages, when scammers gained control of their accounts. The pair were arrested at an Albert Street apartment in central Auckland when Police and DIA staff carried out a search warrant. As a result of further digital forensic investigation, we identified that in five days this pair had sent out more than 12,000 text messages to unsuspecting Kiwis, Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says. All equipment, including ten mobile phones, three Laptops, SIM cards and sim boxes, seized in February will now be destroyed. Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says: This type of scam is continuing to be a source of so much hurt and frustration for Kiwis. Police and our partner agencies remain committed to preventing and stopping this type of crime, but it pays to be vigilant at all times with text or email messages asking you to click on links. Joe Teo, Manager Digital Messaging and Systems, DIA, attributed the investigations success to both public reporting and joint industry collaboration. The inter-agency and industry collaboration at the heart of this operation demonstrates New Zealands commitment to targeting SMS scams and holding offenders to account, he says. Scams harm New Zealanders both financially and psychologically. This joint operation with DIA, Police, the TCF and NZ Banks sends a clear message to all scammers you will be caught, and you will be dealt with using the full force of the law. Road closures will be in place in Arataki on Sunday to allow for safety for hundreds of kiwi kids participating in the Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon at Arataki Park. The annual Sanitarium Wee-Bix Kids TRYathlon encourages kiwi kids of all sporting abilities, aged between 6 and 15 years, to get out and give it a TRY! Kids can enter either as an individual or as part of a team of two. The event will begin with the swim leg in the indoor pool at Baywave TECT Aquatic & Leisure Centre. The bike leg is around the streets surrounding Arataki Park, and the run leg is around Arataki Park itself. Temporary traffic management measures will be in place to support participant safety along the course route. Road closure will be in place from 5am - 2pm fpr Monowai Street, from Grenada Street to Gloucester Road, affecting access to Bedford Place, Marwood Place and Ngarimu Place. The roads will open earlier if possible. Residents will be able to enter/exit Monowai Street with assistance from onsite traffic controllers. Lane closures will be in place from 5am - 2pm for: Gloucester Road (east bound lane only from Monowai Street to Hibiscus Avenue) Grenada Street (west bound lane only from Hibiscus Avenue to Monowai Street) Hibiscus Avenue (north bound lane only from Gloucester Road to Grenada Street) A one-way system will be in place around Gloucester Road, Hibiscus Avenue and Grenada Street to ensure that resident access is maintained, and these roads will be reopened earlier if possible. Parking restrictions will be in place in and around Arataki Park from today through until 2pm tomorrow, Sunday, December 1. A less wistful, more willful heroine takes control of her destiny in Cinderella, this years holiday-season musical at Syracuse Stage, an annual event co-produced with the Syracuse University Department of Drama. This under-appreciated classic, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, is directed by Melissa Rain Anderson from a stage adaptation by Tom Briggs. Its a unicorn in the musical theater world as it was originally written for television, but Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella had an extraordinary start. Update: Late Friday night, the Thruway banned all commercial traffic in both directions from Exit 46 (Rochester - Corning - I-390) to the Pennsylvania state line until further notice. Update: As of about 7:45 p.m., the New York State Thruway has banned all commercial vehicles in both directions from Exit 46 (Rochester - Corning - I-390) to the Pennsylvania line until further notice. Below is the original story: A portion of the state Thruway, also called Interstate 90, is closed near the western border with Pennsylvania as heavy lake effect snow keeps falling Friday evening. As of about 5:30 p.m., the westbound side of the Thruway was closed from Exit 57 at Hamburg, according to the state authority. That means all drivers headed west are being forced off at Exit 57, about 60 miles from the states western border with Pennsylvania. Earlier this afternoon, the state had closed the Thruway from Exit 59 at Dunkirk, about 30 miles from the state line. The Pennsylvania side of I-90 is also closed. The Thruway is asking all motorists to avoid the Thruway west of Lackawanna. A state of emergency has been called in 11 counties in Western and Northern New York as intense and potentially dangerous bands of lake effect snow begin to move into those areas today. Here is the forecast from the National Weather Service as of about 4 p.m. Friday: Predictions for snowfall totals as of about 4 p.m. from the National Weather Service for Western and Northern New York.National Weather Service Latest models show Watertown could get as much as 70 inches through Monday. Earlier today, Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York had banned empty and tandem commercial vehicles from key roadways in Western New York, including part of the Thruway. The ban includes: DRPSREDDY BANNED Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: HYDERABAD Posts: 572 Thanked: 1,710 Times Infractions: 0/1 (5) Car companies fined for violating CAFE norms Top car makers affected are companies such as Hyundai, Kia, Honda Cars, Renault, Skoda Auto, Volkswagen India, and Nissan, whose fines run into hundreds of crores. From January this year GOI through BBE prescribed a heavy fine of Rs 25,000 per unit sold in case CO2 emissions for a companys fleet is 0-4.7 gram/km above prescribed levels. For emissions higher than 4.7g, the penalty is even stiffer at Rs 50,000 per vehicle sold. Quote: Originally Posted by Times of India The Bureau of Energy Efficiency is recommending penalties running into hundreds of crores of rupees against the companies for the violations and the carmakers will now have to do urgent course correction towards greener and less-polluting vehicles to stay within the prescribed limits While the first nine months of fiscal 2022-23 carried mild penalty levels (Rs 10,000 per day and an additional Rs 10 lakh), the new rules that came into force from January this year prescribed a heavy fine of Rs 25,000 per unit sold in case CO2 emissions for a companys fleet is 0-4.7 gram/km above prescribed levels. For emissions higher than 4.7g, the penalty is even stiffer at Rs 50,000 per vehicle sold. Quote: Originally Posted by Times of India While a section of top companies faced penalties, there were others who were well within the prescribed limit, and in fact scored much better than what was mandated for them in terms of CO2 emissions. These included top carmaker Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, MG Motor, Toyota Kirloskar, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar land Rover, Volvo Auto and FCA India Automotive. Many of these companies have got a healthy mix of CNG and hybrid vehicles and even some electrics in their total sales numbers, and thus managed to duck below their mandated CO2 emission numbers. Times of India - top carmakers face stiff penalties for violating emission norms Government plans to crack the whip. BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) has recommended the Government of India to impose heavy fines to top automobile manufacturers in Indian market for not meeting the CAFE norms layed out according to the bill named 'the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2022', which was approved by the Parliament of India in December 2022,Top car makers affected are companies such as Hyundai, Kia, Honda Cars, Renault, Skoda Auto, Volkswagen India, and Nissan, whose fines run into hundreds of crores.From January this year GOI through BBE prescribed a heavy fine of Rs 25,000 per unit sold in case CO2 emissions for a companys fleet is 0-4.7 gram/km above prescribed levels. For emissions higher than 4.7g, the penalty is even stiffer at Rs 50,000 per vehicle sold. WTF?! Google has rolled out a new "feature" on its iPhone app that essentially injects its own links to websites. They are calling this "page annotations" which detects notable names, places, and things mentioned on a webpage (likely good targets for search queries with good ad performance), highlights them, and turns them into links that load up more info from Google when tapped. The idea, Google notes in its Web Search Forums, is to let users "quickly get additional context about people, places or things without leaving the site they're on." When you tap one of the annotated terms, it opens an overlay window on top of the website showing a Google knowledge panel with more details pulled from the search engine's database. On the surface, it sounds like a handy way to get quick context while browsing. But there are those concerned about Google injecting its own links and content over the top of their websites. It's not quite as egregious as some of the other anti-competitive practices Google has been accused of, but it's another example of the search giant's dominance over the web. To be fair (but not really), Google is allowing website owners to "opt out" of the feature by filling out a form, though it notes that opt-outs can take up to 30 days to go into effect. Just Spotted! Googles New Fake Links On Websites That Take You To A New Google Search! JUST Saw This On A Search Engine Roundtable Article. It Highlights The Text And Then A New SERP Pops Up Inside The Page. This Along With Other Moves Keeps Making Me Think That They Are Doing pic.twitter.com/x9n6N57Pwn Anthony Higman (@AnthonyHigman) November 27, 2024 The move comes at a sensitive time for Google, which is facing intensifying antitrust scrutiny and calls to have its search monopoly reined in. Just recently, the US Department of Justice suggested forcing it to sell off Chrome as a potential remedy for its allegedly anti-competitive behavior. It's worth mentioning that in its initial description of this Google app feature, they vaguely state that clicking the annotated links directs users to its own search results page for that entity. However, it later clarified to Search Engine Roundtable that the annotations actually open an "app tray" overlay on the same third-party webpage without navigating the user away from the original site. If the user wants to return to the third-party content, they can simply close the app tray overlay. The underpinning technology behind Page Annotations seems similar to a new ad format Google launched earlier this year that turns webpage text into sponsored links leading to Google searches. Editor's take: In our ongoing exploration of the business of selling compute systems, we found that there is a giant blind spot in how the sales process actually works. Sales support engineers, sometimes also called Field Application Engineers, can be an incredibly valuable resource for any company selling technical products. Unfortunately, many companies fail to fully appreciate their importance. Picture this: A chip vendor has a shiny AI accelerator, but how do they actually get that into the hands of their shiny hyperscaler customer? A key part of that process is the Sales Engineer. These people go by many titles Field Solutions Engineer or Sales Support Engineer, but we have always known them as Field Application Engineers (FAE). These are engineers deeply immersed in the intricacies and configurations of the chips their company sells. They do not design the chip but help customers make the most of those chips. Editor's Note: Guest author Jonathan Goldberg is the founder of D2D Advisory, a multi-functional consulting firm. Jonathan has developed growth strategies and alliances for companies in the mobile, networking, gaming, and software industries. Getting a new chip to work is always a challenge for a customer. Spend some time building a PC, and the problem becomes obvious very quickly. Now subtract a common firmware system and 1,000 how-to YouTube videos to walk through every bug, and multiply the complexity by a few orders of magnitude. The role of Field Application Engineers is to solve those problems to provide software tools, configurations, and bug fixes that get systems up and running. Longer-term, they help customers design methods for scaling those chips into complete systems and then racks and rows of compute. This is an invaluable resource to customers and can make the difference between a busted demo and a committed purchase order. Today, every hyperscaler hardware team is bombarded by literally dozens of AI chip solutions. Everyone on the team has a friend, cousin, or former roommate pitching them on some new chip. As such, these teams are loathe to let another salesperson in the door. They do not need any more PowerPoint presentations showing all the ways some chip is 30% more power efficient or 10x better on some random benchmark. But a knowledgeable FAE who can solve actual problems is always welcome. The biggest value the FAE can bring a chip company is the fact they will always be welcome for customer visits. To say this value is not always appreciated is a major understatement. Few outsiders are even aware of the role. More problematic is that most chip companies do not fully value FAEs or really understand their role. A big part of the problem is that FAEs do not fit neatly into company org charts. There is considerable conflict within organizations. Every engineering team is chronically short-staffed, so it is painful to see talented engineers "wasted" on sales. In fairness, organizing an effective sales support team is a complicated balance. For an FAE to be effective, they need to understand the inner workings of the chip almost as well as the engineers who design the chip. The only way to achieve that is for the design engineers to spend time educating the FAEs (or at least closely document their work for later reference). That, of course, takes time away from them actually designing the chip. There is no easy way around this trade-off, and management teams just need to make the strategic calculation around FAEs' value. On the other hand, FAEs need to be motivated to direct their efforts in the right direction. Often FAEs end up getting pulled in every direction at once. Here, at least, there is a solution FAEs need to participate in sales quotas and share in commissions. For what it's worth, this is often a great career move for FAEs, positioning them to move into sales, into engineering, or often a move to the customer. We have recently been doing a lot of work around this area and on this role. While few companies have perfected it, the good news is that there is significant flexibility in how it can be approached. There may not be a single perfect way to structure this role, but companies have ample opportunity to develop a model that works best for their specific needs. This week was expensive for one of the most controversial crypto bosses in the world, with Justin Sun pledging to buy $30 million worth of World Liberty Financial (WLFI) tokens from Donald Trump and his sons. Recently, World Liberty Financial has been struggling after failing to meet its minimum sales by almost entirely, but this pledge from Sun is set to bring a payday for its owners. Moreover, Sun also made headlines because of his recent egregious purchase of a banana duct taped to a wall from Sotheby's auction, and after buying it, ate the $6.2 million fruit-transformed into an artwork. Justin Sun Buys $30M Worth of Trump's World Liberty Tokens Earlier this week, Justin Sun announced via X that he is buying $30 million worth of World Liberty tokens from Donald J. Trump, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Barron Trump's decentralized finance (DeFi) platform. Here, the controversial Chinese executive praised President-elect Trump for his actions to transform the United States as a "blockchain hub," and also said that Bitcoin's rally is thanks to him. Additionally, Sun claimed that his crypto project in the market, the TRON Network, is also sharing his support for the Trump administration's significant move towards America's renowned focus on the blockchain. In his post, Sun also mentioned Trump's famed slogan during his first term and recent campaign, leveraging TRON to "make America great again." However, this investment announcement remains unclear if the Chinese executive already made the purchase. Justin Sun Still Faces SEC Probe on Tron Cryptocurrency According to a report by Bloomberg, Sun is currently facing an SEC probe that centers on allegedly manipulating the market via endorsements which helped pump TRX coins significantly, through the help of celebrities. It was revealed by Bloomberg that Sun said that he is not asking or expecting anything in return with his $30 million investment to WLFI, but this timely investment also comes during the upcoming restructuring of the SEC, with Trump axing Commissioner Gary Gensler from his post. Additionally, Sun has not yet met with the President-elect or any of the Trump family but looks forward to meeting with one of them come next month's Bitcoin conference in Abu Dhabi. The Controversies Behind Justin Sun The Chinese businessman, Justin Sun, has been one of the most prolific names in crypto history over the past years, but he is infamously known for the many controversies surrounding his name. Last year, the SEC charged Justin Sun and eight celebrity endorsers affiliated with his three companies including Tron for fraud and securities violations involving market manipulation. Moreover, a recently acquired crypto exchange platform by Sun, the Seychelles-based Huobi Exchange, was served with a lawsuit in Singapore because of allegedly dishonoring previous listing agreements. Sun acquired Huobi back in 2021 from its original founder, Leon Li, and has since operated the platform before it faced the said complaint last year. Cryptocurrency platforms linked to Sun also faced a massive attack last year, with the infamous theft by unknown threat actors on HTX and the Heco Chain which led to it losing $115 million in total. Now, Sun is back to being the talk of the town for pledging $30 million to Trump and his sons' World Liberty Financial, amidst his massive SEC lawsuit that may or may not be linked to his purchase. Rallies mark one month since Spain's catastrophic floods Paiporta, Spain, Nov 29 (AFP) Nov 29, 2024 Angry residents protested and lit candles in memory of victims on Friday as Spain marked one month since its worst floods in a generation killed 230 people. Outrage swept the country after the October 29 catastrophe wrecked homes and businesses leaving thousands of cars piled up in muddy streets in the eastern Valencia region. Telephone alerts reached some residents when water was already raging through towns, while several municipalities went for days without state help and relied on volunteers for food, water and cleaning equipment. Church bells rang out at dusk in Paiporta, the epicentre of the disaster, at around the time the floods began. Several hundred locals, some wearing face masks, gathered near a ravine which was ravaged by the torrential rain. They left a line of candles on both sides of the ravine in memory of 45 people who died in Paiporta in the floods. "This tribute is for them, we put a candle for them so they are not forgotten," said Bea Garcia, a 43-year-old teacher. "The people continue to feel alone, the anger remains and there is also fatigue and frustration. We are all exhausted." she told AFP. At 8:11 pm (1911 GMT), the time when Valencia regional authorities issued an alert more than 12 hours after a warning by the national weather service several people played alarms on their mobile phones and chanted slogans calling for regional leader Carlos Mazon to resign or be jailed. Similar rallies were held in towns and cities across Valencia, organised by trade unions, associations and local organisations. Another protest is expected in Spain's third city Valencia on Saturday. A first demonstration on November 9 drew 130,000 furious citizens demanding Mazon step down. "We have to be extraordinarily understanding with the protests... there are still lots of people who have received nothing, so we cannot rest," Mazon told reporters on Friday, announcing the reopening of Valencia's metro on December 3. Popular outrage boiled over in Paiporta on November 3 when residents hurled mud at King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Mazon. Sanchez and Mazon were escorted away and their fleeting unity has since collapsed, with the left-wing central government and the conservative regional administration trading blame for the handling of the floods. - 'Swimming in mud' - Thousands of troops, police, firefighters and volunteers continue to clear debris, repair damage and extract mud from garages, basements and car parks in the traumatised Valencia region. "We are literally swimming in mud. The children are still out of school, things are going very slowly in the village, and we can't find solutions," Sabrina Bermejo, a 41-year-old laboratory analyst, told AFP at the rally in Paiporta as she held a candle. Spain's Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo on Thursday reeled off a dizzying list of damaged property according to insurance data, including 69,000 homes, 125,000 vehicles and 12,500 businesses. The government has scrambled to put together aid packages collectively worth 16.6 billion euros ($17.5 billion) in grants and loans to help stricken citizens. But Amparo Peris expressed the despair of many in the flood epicentre who feel "abandoned" by politicians. "We thank the volunteers, but we are very tired because this is not moving forward," the 35-year-old domestic assistant told AFP in Catarroja, where garages are still caked with mud and two piles of rusting cars greet visitors to the hard-hit town. "This is horrific... I feel powerless because they (the authorities) do nothing," added Fina Solaz, 69, as she queued to collect essential goods. Blast at Kosovo canal feeding key power plants a 'terrorist attack': PM Pristina, Nov 30 (AFP) Nov 30, 2024 An explosion on Friday damaged a canal supplying water to Kosovo's two main coal-fired power plants, Prime Minister Albin Kurti said, blaming a "terrorist attack" by neighbouring Serbia. "This is a criminal and terrorist attack aimed at damaging our critical infrastructure", Kurti told a press conference late Friday. "The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed by Serbia," he added without providing any evidence. The blast occurred near the town of Zubin Potok in the country's troubled north, damaging a canal supplying water to cooling systems at two power plants that generate most of Kosovo's electricity. Kurti gave no details about the extent of the damage, but said if it was not repaired part of Kosovo could be without electricity as soon as Saturday morning. Pictures from the scene published by local media showed water leaking heavily from one side of the reinforced canal, which runs from the Serb-majority north of Kosovo to the capital Pristina and also supplies drinking water. -'Criminal attack' - The United States strongly condemned the "attack on critical infrastructure in Kosovo", the US embassy in Pristina said in a statement on Facebook. "We are monitoring the situation closely... and have offered our full support to the government of Kosovo to ensure that those responsible for this criminal attack are identified and held accountable." Animosity between ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the end of the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a move that Serbia has refused to acknowledge. Kurti's government has for months sought to dismantle a parallel system of social services and political offices backed by Belgrade to serve Kosovo's Serbs. Friday's attack came after a series of violent incidents in northern Kosovo, including the hurling of hand grenades at a municipal building and a police station earlier this week. AFP has contacted the Serbian government for comment. Melbournes East End, at the top of Bourke Street, is undergoing a revival with the opening of Chris Lucas four-storey Maison Batard restaurant this week and several other venues preparing to open their doors. The precinct struggled to attract visitors since COVID lockdowns, but big-name hospitality groups are making significant investments in its revival. The OBrien Group is set to open Juliets Terrace in the former Jobs Warehouse building at 58 Bourke Street, and Sydney hospitality billionaire Justin Hemmes Merivale Group has bought Kantay House around the corner in Meyers Place. Chris Lucas on Friday on the terrace of his Bourke Street restaurant Maison Batard. Credit: Penny Stephens Merivale is planning a new venue in the building, which currently houses Argentinian restaurant San Telmo and pizzeria and speakeasy Pizza Pizza Pizza. Juliets Terrace is a $50 million development, which will span six different rooms in the heritage building that housed the Jobs Warehouse and has sat derelict since the dressmaking store closed in 2012. Is taking offence the new form of protest? If so, then senator Lidia Thorpe, the Green-turned-independent whose disruptions of parliament have become commonplace, could teach a masterclass in it. Under Thorpes model, the more performative the offence-taking, the better the protest. On Wednesday, the Victorian senator caused another parliamentary ruckus. It began when One Nation senator Pauline Hanson questioned the eligibility of senator Fatima Payman to sit in parliament. Payman who defected from Labor to the crossbench in July was born in Kabul, but her family fled the Taliban, and she came to Australia as a child in 2003. Lidia Thorpe and Pauline Hanson after a division in the Senate on Wednesday. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen She was made an Australian citizen in 2005, but has had trouble cancelling her Afghan citizenship because the Taliban government does not have diplomatic relations with Australia. Nonetheless, the legal advice is that Payman is eligible for parliament, having taken all reasonable steps to renounce her other citizenship. In the Senate, Payman said Hanson was vindictive, mean, nasty and that she [brought] disgrace to the human race. I am sympathetic to Paymans anger. Amman: Thousands of Syrian insurgents took over most of Aleppo on Saturday, establishing positions in the countrys largest city and controlling its airport before expanding their shock offensive to a nearby province, which has forced the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years. The Syrian army said on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) dozens of its soldiers had been killed in the major attack, led by Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels once known as the Nusra Front. HTS is designated a terrorist group by the US, Russia, Turkey and other nations. Syrian opposition supporters stand on a captured Syrian army tank in the town of Maarat al-Numan on Saturday. Credit: AP Russias Defence Ministry said its air force had carried out strikes on Syrian rebels in support of the countrys army, Russian news agencies reported. The strikes followed what was the boldest rebel assault for years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020. The swift and surprise offensive is a huge embarrassment for Assad and raised questions about his armed forces preparedness. The insurgent offensive launched from their stronghold in the countrys north-west appeared to have been planned for years. It also came at a time when Assads allies are preoccupied with their own conflicts. Contribution of tribal communities is highest in development of India Our Correspondent BILASPUR, National seminar on tribal pride organised at Atal Behari Vajpayee University (ABVU The Governor also released National Janjati Gaurav magazine and souvenir A national seminar on tribal pride was organised at Atal Behari Vajpayee University (ABVU) here Thursday evening. Governor of Madhya Pradesh Mangubhai Patel was the chief guest while Chairman of Coal Development Authority Madhya Pradesh Ramlal Raut and MLAs Amar Agrawal, Dharamlal Kaushik, Dharamjit Singh and Sushant Shukla and Registrar Shailendra Dubey were special guests of the programme presided over by Vice-Chancellor Acharya Arun Diwakar Nath Vajpayee. During the programme, the Governor also released National Janjati Gaurav magazine and souvenir. Addressing the gathering, Vice Chancellor Acharya Arun Diwakar Nath Vajpayee said that the contribution of tribal communities is highest in the development of India, but its accounting has not been done properly. He said that the tribals have done a great job in protecting the environment, our culture and our Vedic civilization. Governor of Madhya Pradesh Mangubhai Patel in his address said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased tribal pride in the whole of India. I worked in Modis cabinet for 14-years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is dedicated to the society and country. He has solved every problem even when he was Chief Minister. We have got this opportunity to know the lives of all the revolutionary tribal leaders who sacrificed their life for the country and society and wherever there are tribals one should work to give them momentum, he told. He said that tribals are the protectors of water, forest and land. Prime Minister Modi is full of tribal sensitivity. Wherever there is any scheme in tribal area the elected representatives must work on how to get the benefits for them and inform them about the governments plan, he informed. The Governor further said that sickle cell is a big problem among tribals. Both the state and central governments have made provisions of additional budget to tackle this situation. Discussing on the symptoms of this disease he said that in Chhattisgarh the government was continuously working on this campaign to ensure not even a single child is born with this problem. The central government has developed a plan to eliminate it by 2047. The child should be treated and tested for sickle cell, get proper treatment and medicines within 72 hours after presentation, he added. The programme was also addressed by MLAs Sushant Shukla, Dharmjeet Singh and Amar Agarwal. Dignitaries including Vice Chancellor of Dr CV Raman University (CVRU) Dr RP Dubey, Controller of Examinations of ABVU Dr Tarun Dhar Diwan, Dr Shreya Sahu, all the professors and officers were present in the programme. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav was speaking on last day of his industrial sponsorship-related trip in Munich, Germany Staff Reporter : Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, speaking about his visit to Germany and the UK, stated that the purpose of this trip was to create new investment opportunities for the youth of Madhya Pradesh. He said, The aim of the visit was to create employment opportunities for the States youth, promote industrialisation, and establish Madhya Pradesh as a strong economic power both within the country and globally. We made the best use of our time. After the visit to Germany and the UK, I can say that this trip is opening new doors of opportunity for our tech-savvy, energetic, and talented youth. On the last day of his industrial sponsorship-related trip in Munich, the Chief Minister addressed the local media. He mentioned that the efforts made during this visit were not only successful but also offered him opportunities to understand and learn. He congratulated his team members and the people of the state for making every moment and event of the trip a success. Chief Minister Dr Yadav highlighted that when we come together and plan well, the results are positive, and this is what we are witnessing from Germany. He emphasised that Germany is progressing, and there is an internal enthusiasm there that helps them tackle challenges. He noted that Germany is moving towards sharing its technology with other countries and building confidence for future collaborations. Chief Minister Dr Yadav shared that Germany has presented many proposals that offer Madhya Pradesh the opportunity to move forward with the belief that the state can use its traditional strengths along with the latest technologies. He added, It is significant for us that we have received positive feedback from Germany in sectors like agriculture, artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, education, new technology, and heavy industries. He explained that the state government is actively taking steps to implement the technological advancements and innovations occurring in industries in Germany. He expressed hope that this trip will open doors for new industries, technical collaborations, and employment opportunities for the state. Our goal is to establish Madhya Pradesh as a powerful industrial hub while providing employment opportunities for the states youth, he said. Chief Minister Dr Yadav noted that both Germany and the UK are economically and technically advanced nations that require a skilled workforce, and India has an abundant pool of technically proficient youth. He stated, If needed, we can overcome language barriers and work together as complementary forces to achieve our goals. CM Dr Yadav praised Prime Minister Narendra Modis tenure as being golden, stating that PM Modi is a global leader whose vision is propelling the nation forward. Under his leadership, Madhya Pradesh is advancing towards development. He also mentioned that Germany, as a friend of India, has been beneficial for the state due to strong co-ordination between the two nations leaderships. He highlighted that Germany is collaborating with Indias growing potential and Madhya Pradeshs progress in trade and industry. Chief Minister Dr Yadav reflected on the historical friendly ties between India and Germany, recalling the time of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. He mentioned that Germany understands the vast investment potential in Madhya Pradesh. The state has received numerous investment proposals from Germany in various sectors, including agriculture, AI, healthcare, semiconductors, education, new technology, and heavy industries. The Chief Minister pointed out that Germany was the first to introduce the world to the Vedas. Max Muller translated the Vedas from Sanskrit into German, sharing Indias ancient knowledge with the world. Dr Yadav noted that the German language is closest to Sanskrit. Another Digital arrest! Elderly couple duped of Rs 10.5 lakh Staff Reporter : A shocking case of cybercrime has come to light in Bhopal, where a 65-year-old doctor, Ragini Mishra, and her 67-year-old husband, Mahesh Chandra Mishra, were held digitally hostage by cyber thugs for 48 hours. The couple was rescued by the police on Friday morning after they received a complaint. According to the police, the couple, who are both doctors and reside in Regal Paradise Phase-2, were targeted by cyber thugs, who posed as CBI officials. The thugs told Ragini that her bank account was being used for money laundering and that she had received Rs 427 crore in her account from a Korean airline company. The thugs convinced Ragini that she was in trouble and that she needed to co-operate with them to clear her name. They asked her to stay at home and not to leave the house, and also asked her to keep her phone on video call with them at all times. The thugs also convinced Ragini to transfer Rs 10.50 lakh to their account as a security deposit, promising that the money would be returned to her if she was found innocent. Ragini, who was under immense pressure and fear, transferred the money to the thugs account. However, on Friday morning, Ragini became suspicious of the thugs intentions and decided to seek help from the police. She managed to send a message to her husband, who was in another room, to call the police. The police were informed, and a team of police officers was sent to the couples residence to rescue them. When the police arrived, the thugs were still on the video call with Ragini, and they refused to disconnect the call even after seeing the police. The thugs claimed that they were from a central agency and that the police should not interfere with their work. However, the police were able to rescue the couple and are now investigating the case. The police have registered a case against the cyber thugs and are trying to track them down. The couples ordeal has also raised questions about the security of online transactions and the need for banks to have more robust security measures in place to prevent such incidents. The police are urging people to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to them immediately. A complaint was received by an elderly doctor that his wife is in a state of fear. She was said to be not even coming out of her room. With that input, the police suspected a case of digital arrest. A police team was sent to their home along with the complainant and the victim was rescued. We have launched a search operation for the accused. The accused involved in such a case with an engineer has been arrested. We are gathering more information about the incident and action will be taken accordingly. Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra said while talking to press persons. Bangladesh in throes of religious fanaticism Rabid crowds gather in streets demanding ban on ISKCON Hefazat-e-Islam supporters stage a protest after Friday prayers at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, demanding an immediate ban on ISKCON in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Friday. (AP/PTI) Authorities freeze 17 ISKCON-linked bank accounts, including of priest DHAKA, THE situation in Bangladesh turned for the worse on Friday as rabid mobs demanded ban in ISKCON, and authorities ordered freezing of the bank accounts of 17 people associated with ISKCON for 30 days, including its member Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested this week on sedition charges, media reports said. The move comes after the Bangladesh High Court rejected a petition seeking a ban on International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), following the killing of a lawyer in a clash between the Hindu leaders supporters and security personnel. The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) sent these directives to different banks and financial institutions on Thursday, suspending all types of transactions related to these accounts for a month, newspaper Prothom Alo said. The financial intelligence agency under the Central Bangladesh Bank asked the banks and financial institutions to send information, including updated transaction statements of accounts related all businesses owned by these 17 individuals, within the next three working days, it said. On October 30, a sedition case was filed against 19 people, including Das, at Chattograms Kotwali Police Station, accusing them of disrespecting Bangladeshs national flag during a rally. India damns surge of extremist rhetoric; asks Desh to behave NEW DELHI, Nov 29 (PTI) INDIA on Friday said that the interim Government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the surge of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus as well as attacks on temples in the neighbouring country. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India has taken a serious note of incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh and that it is the primary responsibility of Dhaka to protect the life and liberty of all the citizens, including minorities. The primary responsibility for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests with the Government of Bangladesh, Jaishankar said, adding that the Indian high commission in Dhaka continues to monitor the situation related to minorities in that country closely. Separately, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities and hoped that the case involving arrested Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das will be dealt with in a just, fair and transparent manner. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladeshi Government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. Our position on the matter is very clear -- the interim Government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities, Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. We are concerned at the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggeration. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities, he added. Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Jaishankar said India is concerned over incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, their homes and business establishments and attacks on temples and religious places. The Government has taken a serious note of these incidents and shared its concerns with the Government of Bangladesh, he said. Reports of attacks on temples and puja mandaps also came to light during the recent Durga Puja festival in Bangladesh. The Government had expressed its serious concerns regarding the attack on a puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and theft at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira during Durga Puja 2024, the minister said. Jaishankar said following these attacks, the Bangladeshi Government had issued instructions for providing special security, including deployment of Army and border guards, to ensure peaceful Durga Puja celebrations. On the arrest of Das, who was associated with the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Jaiswal said it is Indias expectation that a fair and transparent trial will be ensured in the case. We see ISKCON as a globally well-regarded organisation with a strong record of social service, he said. Jaiswal said India has noted that the legal processes in the case are underway. We hope and expect that these processes will deal with the case in a just, fair and transparent manner, ensuring full respect for the legal rights of all concerned, he said. Das was arrested at Dhakas Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday in connection with a sedition case. It is our expectation that he will get a fair and transparent trial and his legal rights will be respected, Jaiswal said. Behavioural change among citizens must for a fillip to public transport By Sagar Mohod : In urban places, mobility is of prime importance, more particularly in India where cities are swarming with inflow of migrants as they carry with them dream of moving out of poverty and despair. With breakthrough in technology driving up the riches, everyone is aspiring to grab a pie. So as cities expand in all directions, for planners the key issue on table is how to formulate a successful strategy to meet the demand for transportation. Most importantly the growth in Tier-II and Tier-III cities like Nagpur, is prime example where Government has to keep in sync with aspirations of population. So apart from city bus service, now there is mass rapid transport system (MRTS) in place, yet there is no dip in private vehicles that are jamming the roads. What troubles the cities that are bursting at seams. Despite availability of affordable means of public transport, the citizens are still reluctant to make the switch. Is it lack of efficient public service, or status conscious people or some shortcomings that are preventing these public services from taking off? The Hitavada talked to officials of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) to understand the dynamic of challenges for urban transport system. As per norms for a population of 30 lakh about 800 buses are required in city but running public transport in itself is a loss-making business. Stating the same, Ravindra Pagey, Administrative Officer, Transport Department, NMC, pointed out that the civic body forks out Rs. 212 crore for operations of city bus service. As against this the earning from ticket fare is mere Rs. 75 crore. Thus the revenue gap is of Rs. 150 crore for maintaining the existing fleet, which the NMC has to bridge. To operate 800 buses, the civic body would be required to further infuse funds into transport fleet which will burn hole in its finances, he said. NMC is not keen on booking profit from public transport services as its more of a social welfare measure, therefore fare is also kept on lower side. Yet Pagey said picking-up Rs. 150 core tab is quite hefty and same can be cut down if passengers count increases substantially in city buses. Pagey also said several measures are planned by Transport Department to increase the passenger count, but it is not that easy. Particularly worrisome is that during afternoon hours, the city buses run empty and the only peak period is morning and evening, he added. NMC is now planning to widen its network to Nagpur Metropolitan Region as longer lead in kms may generate substantial revenue. However, the move would run into competition with Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). Now, Transport Department is also plying Aapli Buses on internal road of colonies. The experiment is on in Manish Nagar area and its showing good result. At other places, however, smaller roads create problem in plying of buses. Talking about the challenges for public transport front, Anil Kokate, Director, Strategic Planning, said biggest hurdle is bringing about behavioural change among citizens. In a city like Nagpur, people are accustomed to two wheelers, so they still prefer to take risk driving two wheelers through bustling roads rather than comfort of metro. People are not yet willing to walk even 500 metres to reach the metro station and for metro organisation changing this perception of citizens remain a formidable challenge till date, he stated. Apart from that while promoting walking, necessary pedestrian-friendly infrastructure is must to bring about change in citizens behavior. The footpaths need to free of hurdles and most importantly a covered pathway is must for city like Nagpur where temperature remains on higher side. In fact, Kokate said, Government running the public transport in itself is a national service and citizens needs to understand this. The more people using public transport automatically reduced fuel import bill, ensures citizens remains fit and healthy and there is drastic improvement in environment of that place. These three things are priceless and cannot be purchased by any amount of money and citizens must view the public transport facility as it is their lifeline, he emphasised Along side, Kokate said Maha Metro bosses are taking some steps to aggressively promote transit oriented development (ToD) as in long run it only can provide mass ridership for metro service. On financial front, the beauty about Nagpur Metro is that nearly 40 per cent of its money is coming from non fare items. At present we are generating nearly 60 per cent but in any given time, the revenue from Non Fare stream would not go down below 40 per cent, Kokate asserted. In nutshell, the main aim is to bring about behavioral change in population as it alone can ensure mass transformation of commuters, specialty two-wheeler riders, into metro travellers. China on Friday unveiled a plan to allow the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in some major cities, in a move to further open up its medical sector. The pilot work plan, released by the National Health Commission (NHC) and three other government departments, grants approval to the cities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as the island province of Hainan. A major reform resolution adopted by the Communist Party of China leadership in July highlighted telecommunications and medical services as areas that need broader opening. In an explanation of the work plan published on Friday, the NHC stated that the two sectors have high domestic market demand and strong investment interest from foreign investors. In 2023, the number of hospitals in China topped 38,000, with public hospitals accounting for less than one-third of the total. However, public hospitals accounted for 83.5 percent of the total number of patient visits nationwide, according to official data. Since 2000, China has allowed the establishment of joint-venture medical institutions with foreign investors. After more than 20 years of development, there are currently over 60 foreign-invested joint-venture medical institutions in the country. The work plan explicitly excludes traditional Chinese medicine hospitals and prohibits the foreign acquisition of public hospitals. Aiming to introduce high-level international medical resources, improve the supply of medical services, and optimize the business environment, the document specifies pilot requirements, management measures, and other related terms. The plan permits wholly foreign-owned hospitals to operate as general, specialty, and rehabilitation hospitals. It also includes restrictions. For instance, such hospitals are barred from performing medical activities with significant medical or ethical risks, such as human organ transplantation. GUEST OPINION: There are not many countries which dont have long hospital waiting lists. Australia is no different. In 2022-23 in Australia 855,500 people were added to elective surgery waiting lists an increase of 9.2% on the previous year. Unfortunately, 9.6% of patients waited more than 365 days for elective surgery, up from 6.7% the previous year. According to the latest figures (September quarter) from the Victorian Agency for Health Information, 61,500 people were on the states elective surgery list. Last year, the ABC provided some significant insights into hospital waiting lists in Australia when it analysed public specialist outpatient waiting times across the country. It showed some Australians were languishing on waiting lists for more than six years to see specialists such as neurosurgeons, ear, nose and throat surgeons, and immunologists. Thats why when reading what Celonis is doing with the NHS in the UK I needed to share it. With an annual budget of 190 billion ($AUD368 billion) and 1.3 million staff, the NHS is the second largest single-payer healthcare system in the world, and free at the point of delivery. Celonis undertook a significant program with the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) one of more than 200 Trusts which make up the NHS. Traditionally, the hospital would send patients text message reminders four days before, and then the day before their appointment. However, last-minute cancellations kept coming, and so appointments went unused and waiting lists got longer. Thanks to the Process Intelligence provided by Celonis, the Trust understood that four days was not enough time to reallocate last-minute cancellations effectively. They made a subtle adjustment. They texted 14 days prior as well as four days before the appointment. In doing so, they are successfully educating patients to cancel appointments early if something comes up, and the hospital gets more time to fill slots that become available, making a significant dent in their waiting lists. What was quite surprising to us is how quickly we could get results with Celonis, said Professor Andy Hardy, CEO of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and Deputy Chair of NHS Englands National Improvement Board The results are incredible! For a subset of patients visiting the Outpatients department, the Did Not Attend rate fell from 10% to 4.4% in just one week, avoiding 1,800 appointment cancellations. The waiting list went from 73,100 to 67,780 patients within eight weeks, a reduction of around 5,300 patients. Additionally, the Trust began to group medical appointments. With Celonis, the Trust could see that 12,000 patients followed more than one care pathway, meaning they were waiting for more than one treatment. It also observed over 18 months that 53,000 patients went to the hospital more than once in five days. If these appointments were grouped, so that patients had several appointments on the same day, hospital visits would be cut by 53%. Often, people need to see a number of different specialists, explains Professor Hardy. Now we use Celonis to help us align all their appointments on the same day, rather than having them come on multiple days. Or, as often happens, if its parents and children, siblings, husband and wife, etc., we can schedule their appointments on the same day so they don't have to make multiple trips. The third improvement was by using Celonis object-centric process mining (OCPM) capabilities to get a dynamic, three-dimensional view of its in-theatre and out-of-theatre surgery processes. With OCPM and the Process Intelligence Graph, companies connect various systems and processes to get an end-to-end digital twin of their processes and understand their business performance. In this case, the NHS Trust was able to analyse the patient journey from different angles accounting for factors like lab results, drugs administered, surgery sessions scheduled, anaesthesiologists on-call, etc. to identify the roadblocks that lead to surgery delays or last-minute cancellations. Operating theatres represent some of the hospital's most costly resources, so optimising their use is crucial, explains Professor Hardy. But more importantly, the more patients we're seeing each and every operating session, the quicker we can reduce the backlog of patients we've got. UHCW NHS Trust plans to develop other use cases to improve the patient journey in all hospital areas. The emergency department is one of them; cancer treatment pathways are another. There is no silver bullet in reducing waiting lists, but the NHS is showing that there are steps that can be taken that can have tangible results on reducing waiting lists and thus the suffering of waiting patients. Government and private healthcare providers need to start leveraging the power of Process Intelligence and AI in order to drive sustainable improvements in the longer term. Hit-and-run SUV knocks motorcyclist dead in Hudkeshwar Staff Reporter : IN YET another hit-n-run case, a 35-year-old biker was killed after being hit by a rashly-driven Land Rover Discovery SUV near Tapasya Vidyalaya on Manewada Ring Road in Hudkeshwar area in the small hours of Friday. The SUV driver sped away fearing arrest. The deceased, identified as Samuel Narendra Trivedi, was a resident of Flat No. 102, New Aakash Nagar. Samuel had gone to meet his friend in Dhantoli. While returning on his Bajaj Avenger motorcycle (MH-31/CD-3188), he was hit by a recklessly-driven Land Rover Discovery SUV (WB-20/Z-5101) around 12.30 am. Samuel fell off the bike and was seriously injured. The SUV driver sped away. Samuel was rushed to Government Medical College & Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. After recording the statement of Narendra Awsaneshwar Trivedi (70), father of the deceased, Hudkeshwar Police registered a case under Sections 106(1)(2), 125(1), 125(2), 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, read with Sections 134, 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act, against the SUV driver and launched a search for him. I.N.D.I.A. cracks ! YES, I.N.D.I. Alliance is showing obvious and clear signs of cracking. Of course, the process had started much earlier than even the Lok Sabha elections last summer. For, the man who was one of the initiators of the idea - Mr. Nitish Kumar, the feisty Chief minister of Bihar -- deserted the experiment before it was launched. In subsequent months, many cracks appeared. And the silsila continues -- manifested in the aftermath of recent wave of elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra. It is also showing up in Parliament even as the Opposition tries to block the proceedings. True, the Lok Sabha election results did give an impression that the I.N.D.I. Alliance had done well. Yes, to an extent, it did -- and reduced the individual seat-share of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). That did create certain euphoria in the Opposition camp. But then came the legislative election s that showed the I.N.D.I. Alliance its place -- scattered below the bottom-rung. The most critical reason for cracks in the I.N.D.I. Alliance is the conduct of the Congress party. In Parliament, most other constituents of the I.N.D.I. Alliance feel that the Opposition need not block the proceedings on the Congress partys agenda that has only Adani as the central point. The Trinamool Congress leaders have openly started saying that their party would love to pick up issues of genuine public interests and not fall in line with the Congress harping on the Adani issue -- which is its political agenda. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress party did not join (or, was not allowed to join) the Omar Abdullah Council of Ministers. The same history was repeated even in Jharkhand when the Congress party did not become part of the Hemant Soren Cabinet (for reasons never actually explained). Some spokespersons of the Congress did try to justify the development stating, in effect, that the party was least interested in joining the Government. But those who understand politics correctly know that the Congress party is not welcome in haloed chambers of power where Opposition parties rule. Most constituents of the I.N.D.I. Alliance are interested in keeping the Congress party out of the inner rings of power structure in States. Thus, cracks are appearing in the I.N.D.I. Alliance in Uttar Pradesh where Samajwadi Partys chieftain Mr. Akhilesh Yadav is not willing to share many seats with the Congress party, or in West Bengal where the Trinamool Congresss supremo Ms. Mamata Banerjee wants to contest the polls alone -- with no constituent of the I.N.D.I. Alliance being in tandem. And the latest hit the Congress party is experiencing is in Maharashtra where the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray -- UBT)is giving a serious thought to a strong internal proposal to take a divorce from the I.N.D.I. Alliance. Several reasons can be afforded to explain why these cracks may be appearing in the I.N.D.I. Alliance. But one of the strongest reasons was that the grouping did not have any philosophical cementing. What had driven them closer to one another was the desire to defeat Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi anyhow, somehow. When the realise that achieving that goal is next to impossible, most I.N.D.I. Alliance constituents are now moving apart -- first unofficially, and possibly officially later. But it would not be a surprise to know that in the near future, the I.N.D.I. Alliance sufferers from all these fault-lines in the near future. That will bring to end an unnatural alliance that had been cobbled together by an artificial sense of unity. With that sense of unity threatened with political defeat the I.N.D.I. Alliance stands on the brink of (an unavoidable) disaster. Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Masjid dispute: SC adjourns hearing till December 9 NEW Delhi : THE Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on a clutch of petitions pertaining to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah Masjid dispute. A Bench presided over by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna decided to post the matter for further hearing on December 9, saying that the issues raised would require a detailed hearing. The Bench, also comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar, declined to pass any interim order staying the operation of the Allahabad High Court order upholding the maintainability of civil suits filed by Hindu worshippers. The top court is examining the special leave petition filed by the Shahi Masjid Idgah Management Committee against the dismissal of their application filed under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC (Code of Civil Procedure). It had asked the mosque management committee, to examine the preliminary objection on maintainability since the impugned judgment being passed by the single-judge bench would be appealable before a division bench of the High Court. The apex court had clarified that the filing of the special leave petition before the apex court will not preclude the Allahabad High Court from hearing the suits filed by Hindu worshippers. In an order passed on August 1, the Allahabad HC had rejected the mosque committees contention that the suits filed were barred under various statutes such as the Places of Worship Act, 1991, the Limitation Act, the Specific Relief Act, the Waqf Act, and the CPC. A bench of Justice Mayank Kumar Jain had held that the suits involved mixed questions of facts and law regarding the religious character of the disputed property and would require further consideration after examining and appreciating the evidence filed and led by the parties. Multiple suits seeking various reliefs were filed in different courts of Mathura with a common claim that the Eidgah complex was built on the land believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, where a temple had existed. The top court is also seized of a plea filed by the mosque committee challenging the transfer of suits by the High Court to itself. Tripartite talks on creation of new distts in Manipur remain inconclusive IMPHAL : THE tripartite talks between the Centre, Manipur Government and the United Naga Council (UNC), over the Naga bodys demand for rollback of the arbitrary creation of seven new districts in the State, remained inconclusive on Friday, officials said. An official of the Manipur Home Department said that in the tripartite meeting, held at Senapati District Headquarters, discussions focused on the creation of seven new districts by the State Government on December 8, 2016, and UNCs demand for rollback of the creation of these districts. The representatives of the Manipur Government expressed inability to present a concrete proposal in view of certain difficulties. However, the UNC expressed strong exceptions over the State Governments non-submission of the concrete proposal and insisted that it be submitted in the next round of talk, the official said referring to the decision of the meeting. He said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and it was mutually agreed that further progress would be made by engaging in a sustained manner in order to resolve the issue politically in a time-bound manner keeping in view the previous commitments. The next round of tripartite talks would be held in the last week of January. Youre invited to take part in a workshop or a survey that is part of research about data classification for Australian industry. .Whether you intend the workshop or not we encourage you to assist our research by completing a survey on our registration page invite below. CSIROs Data61 and the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre (Aus3C) invite you to share your insights and experiences in one of our upcoming workshops or via a survey. We want you to help us develop a Voluntary Data Classification Framework (VDCF) for the Australian industry a key measure under the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy. Findings from the study will help inform the design of a Voluntary Data Classification Framework that considers the needs of, and provides benefits to Australian industry. Voluntary Data Classification Framework Workshop Dates and Times (Local Times unless Specified) Sydney - Tuesday 3rd December - 9:30am - 12:30pm Hosted at UTS, Broadway 2007 Brisbane - Wednesday 4th December - 9:30am - 12:30pm Hosted at UQ, St. Lucia 4072 Virtual - Monday 9th December - 1:30pm - 4:30pm (Syd/Melb +11:00 GMT) Melbourne - Tuesday 10th December - 9:30am - 12:30pm Hosted at NBN, Docklands 3008 Adelaide - Thursday 12th December - 1:45pm - 4:45pm Hosted at Aus3C, Lot Fourteen 5000 Dont miss out FREE WORKSHOP - REGISTER HERE also please complete survey whether your register or not Senior Trinamul Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay today urged external affairs minister S Jaishankar to provide a comprehensive update in Parliament on the Union governments stance regarding recent developments in Bangladesh. Mr Bandyopadhyay emphasised the importance of addressing issues impacting humanity in Bangladesh, echoing West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees call for fostering peace and stability in the region. Advertisement The external affairs minister must brief Parliament on the Bangladesh issue, Bandyopadhyay said. Mamata Banerjee has urged all authorities to focus on establishing humanity so that peace can prevail in both India and Bangladesh. Meanwhile, CPM Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya also commented on the situation, referencing the arrest of Swami Chinmoyananda by Bangladeshi authorities. This matter is sub judice, but under no circumstances should minorities in Bangladesh face attacks. The issue must not be politicised in India. Both countries must prioritise humanity, regardless of caste, creed, or religion, Bhattacharya stated. Advertisement In a separate development, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) announced plans to hold nationwide protests tomorrow, demanding the unconditional release of Chinmoy Krishna Das, alias Chinmoyananda, a prominent leader of Bangladeshs Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote and head of Pundarikhakhsha Dham. Senior VHP leader and chief spokesperson Vinod Bansal said, The VHP and Bajrang Dal, along with all segments of Hindu society and humanity-focused groups, will participate in these protests to protect minorities and their human rights in Bangladesh. Bansal further alleged that Islamic jihadist elements were undermining the safety of minorities in Bangladesh. Adding to the concerns, Swami Paramatmanandaji, Mahamandaleshwar of Panchayati Mahanirvani Akhada, raised alarms over reports that the bank accounts of ISKCON monks in Bangladesh had been deactivated, allegedly under orders from the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus. This is a grave humanitarian issue. The move to freeze bank accounts of monks appears aimed at starving the monks. We urge the United Nations and the Nobel Peace Prize Committee to revoke Muhammad Yunus Nobel award in light of these violations, Swami Paramatmanandaji said. ISKCONs headquarters in Mayapur, Nadia, confirmed the freezing of 17 bank accounts belonging to monks in Bangladesh. Speaking on the matter, Ramesh Das, PRO of ISKCON Mayapur, said, The ministry of external affairs has already issued a statement and we are hopeful of a peaceful resolution through high-level talks. We appreciate the solidarity shown by Sanatan Hindus and human rights activists worldwide. BJP Lok Sabha MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay, former high court Justice today expressed widespread concern, with calls for diplomatic intervention to safeguard minority rights and ensure justice for Chinmoyananda in Bangladesh. The upgraded public toilets of Kolkata Municipal Corporation are facing the challenge of theft of articles, making the civic body look for solutions to prevent it. The municipal corporation has undertaken the task of eliminating open urinals in various wards and building upgraded toilets with state-of-the-art amenities. The civic body has even targeted to build 100 such facilities under the Pathasathi programme in its limits. Advertisement According to councillor Dr Minakshi Gangopadhyay, KMC has constructed one such facility in her ward with state-of-the-art light fittings and basin. As pointed out by the councillor of ward 12, of late it has been observed that the basin is getting damaged while the expensive light fittings are being stolen. Considering the fact that the public toilets are open, it is difficult for the civic body to maintain the toilet faced with challenges of theft. Dr Gangopadhyay also recommended a maintenance file having details of the upkeep of the facility and amenities. The matter is being discussed by the department, informed the member-mayor-in-council for bustee development, Swapan Samaddar. We are putting efforts to talk to the mayor and find out a solution to the problem, he added. Advertisement Meanwhile, the KMC is all set to open a state-of-the-art community hall at ward 86. The two-story building at Vivekananda Park in Southern Avenue is slated for inauguration by the mayor. The building was earlier an abandoned office of the Kolkata Improvement Trust and was under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). According to local residents, the community hall by the KMC would be a relief as it is expected to be more affordable. As informed by the local councillor, Saurav Basu, the facility has been developed at an approximate cost of Rs 2 crore. The West Bengal government in partnership with FICCI, hosted a diplomats roundtable today in New Delhi as a prelude to the Bengal Global Business Summit 2025 (BGBS). Amit Mitra, principal chief advisor to the chief minister and finance department and Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister of state of finance and Vandana Yadav, managing director, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) took part in the meeting. The 8th edition of BGBS will be held on 5-6 February, 2025. Advertisement Meanwhile, chief minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting at Soujanya to discuss the preparedness of BGBS. Chief secretary Manoj Pant, home secretary Nandini Chakrabarti and other senior officials of the state government took part in the meeting. Advertisement In New Delhi ambassadors, high commissioners and senior diplomats representing over 42 countries took part in the roundtable meeting and showed keen interest in West Bengal as a vibrant investment destination. Addressing the meeting virtually, Mr Mitra said West Bengal is transforming into a hub for manufacturing and logistics, creating jobs and enhancing exports. With forward thinking policies and dynamic leadership, the state is shaping a robust job intensive economy. Mrs Bhattacharya said West Bengal offers seamless connectivity for international trade, abundant natural resources, robust infrastructure and a skilled workforce, making it a prime destination for investment across diverse sectors. Ms Yadav made the opening remarks while Mr P Mohangandhi, secretary, department of industry, commerce and enterprises made a presentation showcasing the investment opportunities in West Bengal. Diplomats from Europe, CIS, SAARC, Arab and Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, LAC, Oceania, North America, East and Southeast Asia shared their respective views on the possible areas of mutual collaboration to strengthen bilateral ties. BGBS will bring together policymakers, corporate leaders, business delegations, entrepreneurs, academia and think tanks from around the globe to form strategic and business alliances. This is a unique opportunity to learn about the industrial ecosystem and business friendly opportunities in West Bengal. The summit will have plenary sessions, sectoral sessions, country sessions and B2Gs and B2B meetings. In 2023, a total of 17 countries took part in BGBS. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed its first chargesheet at a special court in Kolkata in connection with the multi-crore financial irregularities matter at the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Sources aware of the development said that in the first chargesheet, former principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh and four others have been named. Advertisement The other four named in the chargesheet are Asish Pandey, Ghoshs personal bodyguard Afsar Ali, Suman Hazra and Biplab Singha. The last two individuals named are private contractors and suppliers. Advertisement Besides five individuals, three business entities engaged in the supply of products and services to the R G Kar authorities were also named in the chargesheet. However, although the chargesheet was submitted by CBI to the court on Friday, it was not officially accepted by the court authorities. This is because since Ghosh and Pandey were attached to the government as employees, the acceptance of the chargesheet by the court authorities can be done only after there is an official clearance from the state government. Sources in the know of things said that in the chargesheet, the CBI officials had given details on how Ghosh used to manipulate the tendering process of R G Kar to ensure that only contractors close to him got work-orders or contracts against hefty commissions. In the chargesheet, the investigating officials had also given details on the skyrocketing increase in the quantum of assets and properties of the accused persons, especially Ghosh, during the short period after he assumed the charge as the Principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Sources added that in the chargesheet, Ghosh has been identified as the mastermind behind the entire alleged scam. Besides making manipulations in the tendering process, the other charges in the case are getting infrastructure-related work at R G Kar done by private outsourced agencies bypassing the state public works department, smuggling bio-medical wastes from the hospital and selling the organs of the unidentified bodies brought to the hospital for autopsy purposes. Besides the financial irregularities case, the CBI is also probing Ghosh and former SHO of Tala police station Abhijit Mondal in connection with the ghastly rape and murder of a junior woman doctor of R G Kar Hospital in August this year. The main charges against Ghosh and Mondal in this case are tampering with the evidence and misleading the investigation while the initial probe was being carried out by Kolkata Police before the matter was handed over to CBI. A Class XII student of MDB DAV School in Bankura, Ayan Deogharia has successfully participated in the prestigious five-day workshop on International Air and Space Programme (IASP) 2025 from 10-14 November at Alabama in USA. He is the only Indian student to be selected by the US Space and Rocket Centre for this IASP-2025. His research work, along with a few Mexican students, has been already shortlisted for next level experiment. Advertisement A resident of nondescript Mantumra village in Chatna block of Bankura, Ayan Deogharia, a brilliant student since his childhood days comes from a humble background. While his father Kalyanashish Deogharia works in a private company, his mother Shipra is a housewife. Advertisement He stays in a rented house, continuing his studies in the private English medium school. Since his childhood he loves space studies and subjects like Bengali, history or geography doesnt attract him too much. Talking to The Statesman today he said that this is not the first project, but in 2022 he started his research work on space waste disposal. If we dont start thinking of clearing the space waste then a time will come when we will be unable to send satellites to space, he added. He had earlier participated in the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies in Dehradun in 2023 in a workshop. There he has showcased and presented his research work on space studies. After which he got a call and participated in another workshop at the National Space Convention. I have learnt a lot from this workshops and the latest five-day training in the USA will further help me to start fresh research work on space. We have developed a special material, which will be able to stay in space even during the harsh weather conditions. Let us all hope that it passes the test, he added. Ayan further added that though he went to the USA to study further in space science, but in future he wants to stay in the country and conduct research work for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). We were all very much anxious initially about how we would send our son to the USA for that five-day workshop. It was very expensive. But thanks to the corporate sponsorship from Jindal Steel and Power, Ayans dream was fulfilled and he ultimately was able to visit Alabama and participated in that workshop by NASA. After returning, he is now full of confidence and we all hope that one day he will excel in space science research work and make the country proud, added his mother Shipra Deogharia. Bankura MP Arup Chakraborty has congratulated Ayan Deogharia for his achievement and has offered support in future. The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) on Saturday signed the MoUs with six executive search leaders with the aim to enhance the selection and appointment processes for Independent Directors in Indian boardrooms, a critical step towards advancing corporate governance excellence in Indian Boardrooms. The IICA, which comes under the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs, signed the pacts with Korn Ferry, ABC Consultants, EMA Partners Limited, DHR Global, Sheffield Haworth, and Vahura. The event was presided over by Dr. Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Chairman, National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) and DG & CEO, IICA. Advertisement Dr. Pandey remarked, This MoU is an important step for the Independent Director Databank (IDDB) in facilitating the appointment of qualified Independent Directors. Collaboration with search firms of this stature will ensure that companies have access to skilled professionals, aligned with the evolving requirements of modern Boardrooms. Advertisement He also highlighted IICAs broader role in driving corporate governance excellence through capacity-building and advocacy interventions designed for Directors and CXOs of organizations. The Independent Director Databank (IDDB), mandated under the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014, serves as a repository of professionals eligible to serve as Independent Directors. Registration with the databank and completion of a proficiency assessment are mandatory for all Independent Directors under these rules. The event also saw the launch of two key governance resources developed under the School of Corporate Governance & Public Policy at IICA. The first, the IICA Note on Board Evaluation, provides an analysis of board evaluation practices, offering insights into global and Indian contexts. It examines evaluation methodologies, tools, sector-specific practices, and emerging trends, highlighting their role in strengthening corporate governance and driving organizational effectiveness. The second, the Board Evaluation Services Deck, showcases IICAs expertise in conducting corporate governance assessments and board evaluations. These evaluations, which have already benefited many leading organizations, provide actionable insights to enhance board performance, National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), organised a Manthan Shivir here to strengthen management of Eklavya Model Residential Schools. The event, which was held on Friday, brought together State Nodal Officers from 22 states across the country for a comprehensive brainstorming session, focused on strengthening the management of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs), with an emphasis on enhancing the quality of education and infrastructure for tribal students. Advertisement The Shivir, chaired by NESTS Commissioner Ajeet Kumar Srivastava, featured robust discussion on various critical aspects of tribal education. Key topics addressed included improvements in the examination system, admissions, recruitment, infrastructure development, and financial management among other items, all aimed at transforming the educational landscape for tribal students in India. Advertisement During his address, the NESTS Commissioner highlighted the inherent natural talents of tribal students in various domains such as sports, arts, culture, education, and innovation. He stressed that with collective and concerted efforts these students could reach new heights and make significant contributions in diverse fields. He also reaffirmed NESTS commitment to working closely with various bodies to improve the performance in EMRSs and facilities provided to tribal students across the country. The meeting also provided an update on the progress of the EMRSs initiative. As of now, 476 EMRSs are operational across the country, with plans to add more than 100 additional schools in the next year. This expansion will significantly increase access to quality education for deprived tribal children in remote and underserved areas. The recruitment process was another key focus, with the successful completion of the first phase of recruitment, which included posting of more than 9,000 teaching and non-teaching staff members. Discussions were also held regarding the planning and execution of the next recruitment cycle. State Nodal Officers participated actively in the Shivir, providing valuable suggestions aimed at strengthening the management of EMRSs and improving the quality of facilities available to students. These suggestions will be incorporated into future plans to ensure that tribal students have access to world-class education and the resources they need to thrive. The Manthan Shivir underscored NESTS dedication to creating an inclusive and sustainable education system for tribal students and ensuring their holistic development. BJP leaders on Saturday slammed Congress leader Bhai Jagtap for allegedly insulting the Election Commission(EC) with derogatory remarks. Talking to a news agency, its national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala hit out at Congress leader Bhai Jagtap for his alleged kutta (dog) remark for the poll panel.He accused the grand old party of insulting the constitutional institution and criticised the party for doubting the poll panel. Advertisement Insulting the constitutional institution has become the identity of Congress. This is not a coincidence, it has become a habit of Congressnow they are doubting the EC, when the election in Jharkhand, J&K, Wayanad, Karnataka and Telangana, the Election Commission is fineotherwise in Haryana and Maharashtra, become Kutta (dog)they are the one who insults the Constitution., he said. Advertisement Meanwhile, another BJP leader Kirit Somaiya filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police Commissioner and wrote a letter to the EC over Congress leader Bhai Jagtaps kutta (dog) remark regarding the poll panel. Talking to the news agency, Somaiya said, I have written to the Election Commission and also filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police Commissioner. Such a kind of insult, the humiliation of the Election Commission which is a constitutional body cant be tolerated. Action should be initiated against Bhai Pratap. Further, the BJP leader said Congress had been targeting the EC because they are scared of the local body Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections due in March 2025. In the last two days, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) everybody has been targeting the EVM and EC because everyone is scared of the local body Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections due in March 2025, the BJP leader added. Earlier, Congress leader Bhai Jagtap doubled down on his derogatory remarks against the EC amid the row over the usage of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMS) and said that the countrys democracy has been disreputed because of ECIs sycophancy. Notably, Jagtap refused to apologise over his objectionable kutta remark for the poll panel. I will not apologise at all, not even a bitIf they are working under pressure from the PM and other ministers then what I have said is right. I will not apologiseThe EC exists to further strengthen the democracy of the country, and not to serve someone. I stand by what I said. The EC should work like TN SeshanDemocracy is being disreputed because of the sycophant attitude of EC, he said. He further said that Congress brought the EVM technology because it was being used in France, and the US, but after 2009, doubts started arising over its use. Jagtap further said, Ours is the biggest democracy in the world. If any such doubt is raised, it should be answered. Several petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court on this. A decision on the same was pronounced in April 2024. It was said that VVPAT slips should be counted, if you do not want ballot paper. The petition stated that 50 per cent of the VVPATs should counted but the Supreme Court said that it should be 5 per cent but it wasnt done. The Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday asserted that corruption has been neutralised from power corridors . Addressing the students at the 22nd Convocation Ceremony of Rajiv Gandhi University at Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh, he said, Corruption was a big drain on young minds. Favouritism, corruption , nepotismthese were killing your talent. Corruption was a password for a job, for a contract, for an opportunity. It has vanished, he said.The Vice-President also appealed every parliamentarian to justify and vindicate the trust imposed by the people of India.The aspirations and dreams of people have to fructify through our positive actions, he said. Dhankhar strongly criticised the use of deception and disturbance as a weapon, as a political strategy to keep away from debate, dialogue, discussion, and deliberation. He reminded parliamentarians that the youth of the country is watching them, serving as watchdogs of democracy, and will hold them accountable. Reflecting on Indias unprecedented rise on the global stage, the Vice-President said, India is a country that is on the risewhen you look at the sea, when you look at the land, when you look at the sky, and when you look at space. He highlighted that India is already the fifth-largest global economy and is on its way to becoming the third-largest. Encouraging the promotion of local products, he urged citizens to support indigenous industries. You will be hugely contributing to the national economy if you believe in local, he said. Highlighting the harmful effects of relying on imported goods like clothes, furniture, curtains, and toys, the Vice-President said, One, employmentit snatches employment from our people who could make it. Two, our foreign exchange is drained. Three, our entrepreneurship is blunted. Dont use petrol or gas or any other natural resource just because your pocket can afford it. Noyou are trustees. There has to be optimal utilization of natural resources, he said. Advertisement Amid the controversy over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON priest and recent attacks on Hindu temples, the National Council of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has expressed deep concern over communal violence targeting Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. Terming the attacks as violations of secular principles, equality, and justice, the CPI warned that such actions pose a significant threat to the communal harmony that underpins Bangladeshs diverse society. Advertisement Highlighting the potential fallout of unchecked violence, the CPI noted that these incidents could escalate tensions and provoke adverse reactions across the borders, jeopardizing peace and stability in the region. The party emphasised the importance of maintaining communal amity for the progress and unity of both India and Bangladesh. Advertisement Rajya Sabha MP and CPI National Executive Member P Sandosh Kumar condemned the violence, urging the Bangladeshi interim government to act swiftly. We call upon the government of Bangladesh to take immediate and decisive steps to stop these incidents, protect the rights and safety of Hindus and other minority communities, and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice, he said. The CPI also targeted the ruling BJP and its communal outfits, cautioning the progressive and secular forces in India to oppose any attempts to exploit the issue to stir tensions domestically. The National Council of the CPI also calls upon all progressive and secular forces in India to oppose any attempts by the ruling party or its communal outfits to exploit the issue in Bangladesh as a pretext to stir communal tensions in our country, the Left party said. The party further called on its members and sympathizers to remain vigilant and committed to preventing communal incidents in India. Tamil Nadu is bracing for Cyclone Fengal, which is expected to make landfall this evening between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, close to Puducherry. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the cyclone will cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts as a cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 70-80 kmph, gusting up to 90 kmph. Ahead of the landfall, heavy rains have already lashed parts of the state, causing waterlogging in several areas of the Chennai district. Advertisement Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has assured citizens that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and has taken precautionary measures to mitigate potential impacts. Advertisement The weather department has warned that there will be continuous rain for the next two-three days. The Tamil Nadu government is constantly monitoring and taking precautionary measures. It has been reported that the cyclone will cross the coast tonight. Relief work is going on, and relief camps have been set up where people are being accommodated. Other districts are also being monitored continuously. There has been no incident so far, CM Stalin stated. The inclement weather has disrupted flight operations in Tamil Nadu. Multiple flights to and from Chennai were affected on Friday, with airlines issuing travel advisories. Air India informed passengers on X: Flights to and from Chennai are getting affected due to inclement weather and heavy rains. Please check your flight status before heading to the airport. IndiGo Airlines also issued a travel advisory, highlighting the impact of the weather on flights across multiple cities. The current weather conditions continue to impact flights to/from Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Tuticorin, Madurai, with Tirupati and Vishakhapatnam now also affected, read their statement on X. The Tamil Nadu government has set up relief camps to accommodate people from vulnerable areas, and teams have been deployed across districts to ensure swift response to any emergencies. Cyclone Fengal has already brought heavy rainfall to the region, and authorities have urged residents to stay indoors and follow weather updates. A day after the Congress alleged serious and grave inconsistencies in the data relating to the polling and counting processes for the recently concluded Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday assured the party to address all its legitimate concerns.The poll panel has also invited a Congress delegation at 5 pm on 3rd December to raise these issues in detail. In its response to the party memorandum submitted to it on Friday alleging arbitrary deletion of voters and subsequent additions, and inexplicable increase in voting percentages in Maharashtra Assembly polls, the EC said, At the outset, the Commission is thankful to the Congress for bringing to its notice the partys concerns about these issues. Advertisement The poll panel said it has always accorded the highest attention, to the political parties, in particular, the national and state recognised parties, which it considers as the most vital stakeholders of the electoral democracy in India.The Commission assured the Congress that it will make all efforts to address partys all legitimate concerns. Advertisement As regards the first allegation regarding addition and deletion of voters in Maharashtra, as the Congress is aware, electoral rolls are always prepared and finalised with close involvement of all political parties including yourselves. The copies of draft electoral roll published is given to political parties and the verification process involves political parties at every stage of the process, it said. The EC said it would get the issues raised by Congress examined and keep them informed of the outcome, On voting percentage data, the poll panel said, You are already aware, total votes polled at each polling booth was given by Presiding Officer, before leaving the polling station, to the authorized agents of candidates (Form 17 C Part1) at the end of polling on 20th November, the day of polling in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The presiding officer near the completion of polling at polling station performs multiple statutory responsibilities like filling up of various statutory forms, record keeping of activities in POs diary, sealing of the machines, etc. before winding up the polling at polling station. The data feeding from all polling stations into voter turnout out app, at this stage, thus takes time, the EC said. Stating that this cannot be changed, it said this number aggregates to final voter turnout which all political parties and candidates can verify. The poll panel said it will convey its detailed reply to the issues raised by the Congress at the earliest possible,. A Congress delegation is welcome to the Commission at 5 pm on 3rd December to raise these issues in detail, it added. In a major blow to the CPI-M, Bipin C Babu, a prominent leader and former Vice President of the Alappuzha District Panchayat, formally joined the BJP on Saturday. Bipin, who previously served as a CPI-M Alappuzha Area Committee member and represented the Krishnapuram division in the district panchayat, received his BJP membership from the partys National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh. Advertisement A host of senior BJP leaders welcomed him during a leadership meeting in Thiruvananthapuram. Advertisement Over his political career, Bipin has held several key positions, including District Secretary of the SFI, DYFI District President, State Committee Member, and Kerala University Senate Member. Speaking to the media, Bipin criticized the CPI-M for allegedly losing its secular values and falling under the control of communal forces. He also hinted that more CPI-M members might follow him into the BJP. Bipin denied any personal ambitions behind his decision and announced plans to resign from his district panchayat role. Bipin expressed disappointment over the treatment of senior CPI-M leader G Sudhakaran, saying it was a significant factor in his decision to leave the party. The sidelining of G Sudhakaran, one of the countrys foremost social activists and among the best ministers Kerala has seen, is deeply disheartening, he said. Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, Bipin remarked, In the last ten years, Modijis government has executed projects that have genuinely benefited common people. The National Highway project in Kerala is just one example. This convinced me to join the BJP. However, controversy surrounds Bipins personal life. Allegations of domestic violence and witchcraft practices emerged, with reports of his wife seeking medical treatment after claiming physical abuse. The BJP, which has faced recent setbacks in Kerala, including Sandeep Warriers defection to the Congress and the loss in Palakkad, welcomed Bipins entry as a morale booster. BJP State President K Surendran expressed optimism, stating that more CPI-M leaders from Alappuzha are expected to join the party soon. Taking a swipe at former BJP leader Sandeep Warrier, Surendran remarked, Sometimes, sewage must be removed to ensure clean water flows again. Meanwhile, CPI-M leader G Sudhakaran was conspicuously excluded from the partys Ambalapuzha area conference, held just a kilometer from his residence. Sudhakaran, currently a special invitee to the CPI-M district committee, has yet to comment on the developments. The 13th edition of the bilateral military exercise AGNI WARRIOR (XAW-2024) between the Indian Army and Singapore Armed Forces concluded at the Field Firing Ranges in Devlali, Maharashtra, today. The three days exercise involved 182 personnel from the Singapore Artillery and 114 personnel from the Indian Armys Regiment of Artillery. The primary objective of XAW-2024 was to enhance mutual understanding of operational drills and procedures to foster joint operations under the United Nations Charter. The exercise showcased joint firepower planning, execution, and the use of next-generation artillery equipment by both armies. Advertisement The event was attended by key dignitaries, including Lieutenant General Adosh Kumar, Director General of Artillery; Lieutenant General NS Sarna, Commandant of the School of Artillery; and Colonel Ong Chiou Perng, Chief Artillery Officer of the Singapore Armed Forces, who praised the participants for their professionalism and expertise. Advertisement The exercise emphasized joint preparation, coordination, and the evolution of common artillery interfaces, while also incorporating advanced technologies and exchanging best practices. It concluded with the successful integration of Singapore Armed Forces troops into intricate firepower planning and multinational force operations. The proposed formula suggests one minister for every five MLAs, resulting in a total of 11 ministers for the 56 MLAs in the alliance. However, the final decision on the cabinet composition is expected to be made by Chief Minister Hemant Soren in consultation with alliance partners. Advertisement There has been a discussion on the five-on-one formula, that is, one minister for five MLAs. In such a situation, the number of our ministers will increase. One cabinet will increase. We have 34 MLAs. In total, there are 56 MLAs. If we multiply 11 ministers, the count comes to 55 MLAs. This would be an ideal way to finalise the cabinet, JMM leader Manoj Pandey said on Saturday. Advertisement Pandey further clarified that the formula aligns with proportional representation and balances the coalitions demands. This is the decision of high-level officials I am just sharing the conversation that took place among us party workers. The final decision will be taken by Hemant Soren and the leaders of the INDIA Alliance, he added. The Congress, a key ally in the coalition, has reportedly adopted a balanced and restrained stance, according to Pandey. The Congress is also very balanced and restrained. Whatever conclusion will be reached, it will be unanimous, he stated. The Hemant Soren-led government, formed by the alliance of JMM, Congress, and RJD, is yet to finalize its cabinet, even after the Chief Ministers swearing-in ceremony. Notably, Soren was the only one to take the oath of office on November 28, as the allies failed to reach a consensus on ministerial berths. The JMM-led alliance has 56 MLAs. However, only the JMM (34) and Congress (16) have more than five MLAs. The RJD, with four MLAs, and the CPI (ML) (L), with two, fall short of the five-MLA threshold proposed in the formula. Tensions have escalated between the governments of Manipur and Mizoram, with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh criticizing his Mizoram counterpart Lalduhoma for allegedly fueling hatred and division through his comments on the ongoing crisis in Manipur. In a strongly-worded statement released yesterday, the Manipur government accused Lalduhoma of promoting a secessionist agenda and opposing initiatives like border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar boundary, which aims to curb illegal immigration, arms trafficking, and drug smuggling. The statement alleged that a greater agenda was at play to create a Kuki-Chin Christian nation spanning parts of Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh through illegal immigration, land acquisitions, and the establishment of autonomous councils. The Manipur government attributed this effort to foreign vested interests intending to destabilize the Northeast region. Advertisement The criticism followed Lalduhomas recent remarks, where he called Manipurs CM a liability and suggested Presidents Rule as a preferable alternative for governance in the state. He had also questioned the efficacy of border fencing, citing its failure to prevent trafficking along the Indo-Bangladesh border. The Manipur government accused Mizoram of resisting efforts to secure its border with Myanmar while claiming that Mizoram had become a favoured transit route for illegal trade. In contrast, it highlighted its own War on Drugs campaign, which it said had drastically curtailed drug trafficking in Manipur. Advertisement Rejecting allegations of anti-tribal policies, the Manipur government also stated that the crisis stemmed from the influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar whose livelihoods, tied to poppy cultivation, were disrupted by its anti-drug efforts. It also pointed to Mizorams restrictions on Myanmar nationals owning land or running businesses as evidence of shared concerns over resource pressures. The statement underscored Manipurs historical legacy, contrasting it with Mizorams status as a state carved out of Assam only a few decades ago. It accused Mizoram of attempting to push Kuki-Chin immigrants into Manipur as part of a broader Greater Mizoram agenda. Reaffirming its commitment to restoring normalcy, the Manipur government detailed its support for over 60,000 displaced people living in relief camps and its ongoing operations to recover looted arms. It warned against any attempts to destabilize the region, vowing to take strong legal action against individuals or groups pursuing secessionist goals. The statement called on Lalduhoma to address Mizorams internal issues, particularly the growing threat of the drug trade to Mizo society, rather than making unwarranted remarks on Manipurs governance. The Ministry of Defence signed a 1207.5 crore contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) today for the Short Refit and Dry Docking (SRDD) of the Indian Navys aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. Commissioned in November 2013, INS Vikramaditya is a vital component of Indias naval strength. Once the refit is completed, the carrier will rejoin the active fleet with upgraded combat capabilities, further enhancing the Navys operational readiness. Advertisement A statement from the ministry stated that the project represents a significant milestone in the development of Cochin Shipyard Limited as a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hub, supporting Indias industrial ecosystem. It involves the participation of nearly 50 MSMEs and is expected to generate employment for over 3,500 personnel, contributing significantly to the local economy. Advertisement This initiative aligns with the Government of Indias Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India vision, emphasizing self-reliance in defense capabilities. The project underscores Indias commitment to developing indigenous infrastructure and expertise for supporting its defense forces. The completion of the SRDD will not only enhance the operational life of INS Vikramaditya but also reaffirm Indias push towards greater self-sufficiency in defense manufacturing and maintenance. Even as the BJP failed to make any official announcement about who will be Maharashtras Chief Minister for the eighth day on Saturday, senior Maharashtra politicians met Dr Baba Adhav, an old respected political activist and physician, who had been on a protest fast against the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), demanding a return to paper ballot voting. Interestingly, NCP leader and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is a part of the winning BJP-backed Mahayuti was at the venue at Bhide Wada locality in Pune, requesting Dr Baba Adhav to call off his three-day old fast to save democracy and the Constitution. Advertisement Uddhav Thackeray, who leads the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Jayant Patil of Sharad Pawar-led NCP, also met Adhav and requested him to give him his fast. Advertisement At least for now, Dr Adhav has given up his fast, but he said that his agitation against EVMs will continue. Earlier on Saturday, Sharad Pawar himself who is 83, met the medico Baba Adhav who is 96 years old, who was on a protest fast against EVMs since November 28. Significantly, Sharad Pawar expressed full support to Baba Adhavs anti-EVM protest. Shortly after Baba Adhav broke his fast, politicians lost no time in using the venue to target the BJP-backed Mahayuti. Uddhav Thackeray said that a big movement will be organised against EVMs to save democracy. Today is a day to remember; Baba is always an inspiration and inspiration never grows old. Even the losers and the winners of this assembly election do not believe in this result. A spark is enough to ignite a wildfire. At this moment, Baba Adhaav is that spark. The rulers purchased Maharashtra through various schemes. EVM is a big issue because the people must understand where their votes have gone, Uddhav said. Uddhav questioned why 76 lakh votes increased during the last one hour of voting. He also made it a point to target Maharashtra caretaker CM Eknath Shinde without openly naming him. Why is there no happiness in Maharashtra despite Mahayuti getting such a monstrous majority? Why are these people going to worship in the fields instead of going to Raj Bhavan (Maharashtra Governors official residence) with their majority, Uddhav asked, targeting Eknath Shinde indirectly. Uddhav Thackeray said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP will take the anti-EVM protest movement forward. Thackeray said that Baba Adhav should withdraw his agitation for now, but such anti-EVM agitations will continue to take place all over Maharashtra. This is another fight for freedom. Dont let Adani come here, Uddhav-led Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, taking on Gautam Adani. Also at the venue of Adhavs fast was social activist Medha Patkar who said that several countries had abandoned EVMs. Nobody knows if something is being done by somebody who is sitting at the EVM control room. If there is a relationship between the political party in power and the Election Commission, and if votes are purchased when the code of conduct is in effect, there is a problem, Medha Patkar said. Patkar said that Baba Adhavs movement does not raise questions about EVMs alone, but also the implementation of the Constitution. There is so much money in the hands of a handful of people. Rahul Gandhi is not alone. Why was Baba Adhav, who fought for 94 years, inspired to sit on a fast against EVMs Patkar said at the venue. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, who recently took oath as the Wayanad MP, is set to address her constituency for the first time on Saturday after her historic victory in the just-concluded bypolls. The MP will hold a joint public meeting with her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Saturday at Mukkam in the Thiruvambadi Assembly constituency of Kozhikode district. Advertisement Priyanka Gandhi clinched her electoral victory in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a commanding margin of 4,10,931 votes. Advertisement Later in the day, receptions will be held for Priyanka Gandhi at Karulai in Nilambur, Wandoor, and Edavanna in Eranad by 2.15 P.M., 3.30 P.M. and 4.30 P.M. respectively. Priyanka Gandhi officially assumed her role as Wayanad MP amidst loud cheers and chants of Bharat Jodo from Congress supporters earlier on Thursday. Holding a booklet of the Indian Constitution, a symbolic gesture popularised by the INDIA bloc during this Parliament session, she exuded confidence as she took the oath. The bypoll was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat earlier this year. During the campaign, the primary question revolved around whether Priyanka could surpass her brothers record-breaking margin. Priyankas victory marks a significant moment in her political journey, coming nearly 20 years after she first campaigned for her mother, Sonia Gandhi, in Raebareli and her brother in Amethi during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Her debut as an elected representative is seen as a pivotal step in solidifying the Congress presence in Kerala and revitalising the partys fortunes at the national level. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday slammed the Opposition Samajwadi Party, accusing it of being the culprit behind the violence in Sambhal and terming the visit of the SP delegation to the violence-hit district a drama. Speaking to a news agency, Maurya said, The culprit of the incident that happened in Sambhal is the Samajwadi Party. Samajwadi Party has suffered a huge defeat in the by-elections. Sending a delegation is a drama, it is the politics of the vote bank. Samajwadi Party is getting wiped out, their vote bank has slipped. He further added, I would like to tell Akhilesh Yadav to take care of your party and not try to spoil the atmosphere of Sambhal or Uttar Pradesh. His remarks came shortly after the Uttar Pradesh Police stopped a delegation of the Samajwadi Party from visiting Sambhal where five people were killed during a violence that erupted over a survey of a mosque. The delegation of the Samajwadi Party, led by Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey, was scheduled to visit Sambhal today to assess the situation and meet the families of five people who were killed during the violence. The administrations action sparked sharp criticism from the SP, which accused the Yogi Adityanath government of stifling opposition voices and undermining democracy. The BJP government is murdering the Constitution and democracy! At the behest of the ruling power, the police prevented Leader of Opposition Shri Mata Prasad Pandey Ji from going to Sambhal. Highly condemnable! the SP said. Advertisement Earlier, the Samajwadi Party claimed that the police has placed its state unit president, Shyam Lal Pal, under house arrest. Advertisement Yogi government is scared of the SP delegation. At the behest of the ruling power, the police stopped Honorable State President Shri Shyam Lal Pal Ji from going to Sambhal and placed him under house arrest. The BJP government is shredding the Constitution and democracy to pieces, the party said, terming the police action highly condemnable. Wild political gossip, speculation and suspense continued because of the Maharashtra CMs name not being announced even on Saturday evening, after a week of the thumping victory of the BJP-backed Mahayuti alliance. Meanwhile, on Saturday, a team of doctors visited Maharashtra caretaker CM Eknath Shinde at his Dare village residence in Satara district of Maharashtra, to put him on saline, after he complained of high fever. Advertisement Shindes party sources said that he did not leave his residence since Friday because of fever and is reported to be resting based on the advice of his doctors. Advertisement However, this has merely served to give a huge boost to political speculation with Shindes fever being attributed to some inexplicable and strange political reasons. These speculations are centred around Shindes meeting with a senior Sharad Pawar-led NCP leader Jitendra Awhad in Mumbai on Friday, just before he left for Satara. The other source of political speculation is based on Eknath Shindes supposedly fallen face in a photograph of his Delhi meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah on Thursday, after it went viral. According to political gossip doing the rounds, in the purported photograph of the Delhi meeting with Amit Shah on Thursday, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were seen smiling, while Shindes face was fallen, indicating that he was upset with what transpired at the meeting. The fact that the BJP-backed Mahayuti is yet to officially announce the name of the Mahayutis Maharashtra CM has not helped cool down the political speculation across Maharashtra. In a related development on Friday, a former minister Deepak Kesarkar and leader of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena went to his village Dare to meet the caretaker CM. Yet, he had to return from Shindes residence after he was told that Shindes health has deteriorated and that he is sleeping. Kesarkar is reported to have left for Mumbai after his unsuccessful attempt to meet Shinde in person. Sources have indicated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will interact with BJP MLAs from Maharashtra on December 2 or December 3. On Friday, BJP State President Chandrasekhar Bawankule is said to have interacted with MLAs through videoconferencing. He has instructed BJP MLAs to attend the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, December 5, at the historic Azad Maidan ground in South Mumbai. A delegation of the Samajwadi Party, led by Pandey, was scheduled to visit Sambhal today to assess the situation and meet the families of five people who were killed during the violence. Advertisement The administrations action has sparked sharp criticism from the SP, which accused the Yogi Adityanath government of stifling opposition voices and undermining democracy. Advertisement The BJP government is murdering the Constitution and democracy! At the behest of the ruling power, the police prevented Leader of Opposition Shri Mata Prasad Pandey Ji from going to Sambhal. Highly condemnable! the SP said. Earlier, the Samajwadi Party claimed that the police has placed its state unit president, Shyam Lal Pal, under house arrest. Yogi government is scared of the SP delegation. At the behest of the ruling power, the police stopped Honorable State President Shri Shyam Lal Pal Ji from going to Sambhal and placed him under house arrest. The BJP government is shredding the Constitution and democracy to pieces, the party said, terming the police action highly condemnable. Meanwhile, the Congress, an INDIA alliance partner of the Samajwadi Party, has also questioned the state governments actions and demanded that the delegation be allowed to visit Sambhal. What is the district administration hiding? Why does the state government not want the opposition to visit Sambhal? They should allow the delegation to visit Sambhal, senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said. The SP delegations planned visit to Sambhal comes amid heightened tensions in the area, where the situation remains sensitive following last weeks violence during a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid. During the survey, a mob allegedly pelted stones at the police. Vehicles were torched as the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. According to reports, five people were killed, allegedly in police firing, during the clashes. Tripura, in consultation with the Centre, is considering suspending trade relations with Bangladesh following a surge in violence against Hindu minorities in the neighboring country. Chief Minister Manik Saha revealed this during an interaction with the media at the Agartala Press Club, signaling the gravity of the situation. Advertisement We have not finalized any decision yet, but if the atrocities persist, we may be compelled to act, said Saha, echoing similar sentiments expressed by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Advertisement Expressing deep concern, Saha pointed out that minority Hindus in Bangladesh have faced relentless violence, particularly since the waning influence of Sheikh Hasinas Awami League government. The situation is alarming, and the survival of religious minorities is at stake, he added. India has responded by intensifying security measures along the India-Bangladesh border. Saha emphasized that security forces, including the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state police, have been placed on high alert. Since the departure of Bangladeshs former prime minister, weve bolstered border security. Ive personally reviewed the situation multiple times to ensure no threat compromises our borders, he stated. The ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh has already impacted bilateral trade. According to sources from the Land Port Authority of India, trade volumes have significantly declined, with imports of coal, fish, and other commodities plummeting. Trade is now limited to essential goods. Immigration has also been restricted, with Bangladeshi nationals allowed entry into India only for medical emergencies. Despite the challenges, Tripura and Bangladesh share a historically robust trade relationship. Commerce between the two grew from RS 230.24 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 715.98 crore in 2023-24, with imports largely dominating the trade balance. Key Bangladeshi exports include fish, cement, and soft drinks, while Tripura exports items such as maize, fresh ginger, and agarbatti. India and Bangladesh have maintained close economic and cultural ties since the latters independence in 1971, supported by cooperation in trade, connectivity, and security. Tripura, geographically closest to Bangladesh, has been pivotal in facilitating this relationship. However, rising political instability and religious violence have strained these ties, prompting both state and central governments to reconsider their approach. While Tripura has yet to sever ties officially, the state government and the Centre are closely monitoring developments in Bangladesh. A final decision on trade relations will hinge on Bangladeshs efforts to protect its religious minorities and restore stability. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Saturday, expressed serious concern over the evolving environmental and ecological challenges. He underscored the Uttar Pradesh governments commitment to reducing carbon emissions and advancing environmental sustainability. Addressing the Green India Summit organized by a prominent newspaper group, the CM remarked: Over the past month, Delhi, the nations capital, has turned into a gas chamber. This alarming situation poses significant risks, particularly for the elderly and those with respiratory conditions. The government is deeply concerned, and the judiciary is taking stringent measures to address the crisis. Advertisement The CM, while addressing the issue of climate change, highlighted the shifting monsoon patterns and their impact on agriculture. He pointed out that earlier, the monsoon season typically spanned from June 15 to August 15. However, in recent years, it has extended from August 15 to October 15, significantly affecting the agricultural cycle. Advertisement The CM explained that this change is disrupting traditional sowing and harvesting timelines, causing challenges for farmers. Additionally, he noted the uneven distribution of rainfall, with some regions experiencing excessive rain and others facing drought-like conditions. Environmental disasters are a result of unplanned development and harmful human habits, he added. He further highlighted water pollution as a serious issue, stating that contaminated water is leading to an increase in health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, and stomach diseases. He mentioned that under PM Narendra Modis leadership, the Har Ghar Nal scheme is ensuring the supply of clean drinking water, helping control waterborne diseases. The Chief Minister pointed out that unplanned and unscientific development is also contributing to the problem. We set up large industries but dump their waste into rivers. By polluting our life-giving rivers, we are creating disasters for humans and wildlife, he said. He further noted that excessive use of pesticides and chemicals in farming is causing diseases to spread rapidly. Referring to Cancer Train, he explained that this train got its name because most passengers traveling on it were cancer patients. This disaster was not caused by external factors but by human actions, he remarked. The CM highlighted the UP governments commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainability. He shared that since 2017, over 16 lakh LED streetlights have been installed across the state, resulting in a reduction of 9.4 lakh tons of carbon emissions and saving Rs 968 crore. Referring to Prime Minister Modis PM Suryaghar Yojana, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged citizens to embrace solar energy by installing solar panels. This initiative not only helps individuals generate electricity for their needs but also allows them to sell surplus power, boosting renewable energy adoption. Emphasizing the states reforestation efforts, the CM revealed that 204 crore trees have been planted since 2017, increasing forest cover to 10 per cent. The government aims to expand it to 15 per cent in the next three years. Additionally, a 23,000-hectare land bank has been developed to support renewable energy projects. Addressing pollution caused by stubble burning and the use of wood or coal for cooking, CM Yogi lauded the Ujjwala Yojana, which has provided free LPG connections to 10 crore families since 2016. He explained that cooking on traditional fuels is as harmful as inhaling smoke from over 100 cigarettes. Discussing water pollution and sanitation, the Chief Minister mentioned the tragic impact of contaminated water and open defecation in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Between 1977 and 2017, encephalitis caused the deaths of 50,000 children in 38 districts. Thanks to improved sanitation and clean water supply campaigns, the disease has been brought under control in just two years, with no recent fatalities, he added. The CM stressed that environmental conservation requires collective efforts from the government, society, institutions, and citizens. He urged experts to focus on research and innovation in this area. Praising the organization of the Green Bharat Summit by a Newspaper Group, he called it a significant step toward environmental preservation. The International Criminal Courts (ICC) decision to pursue an arrest warrant for Myanmars military leader General Min Aung Hlaing is a crucial step against impunity for crimes against humanity. For too long, the atrocities committed against the Rohingya people have gone unpunished, leaving survivors in limbo and sending a message that perpetrators can evade accountability. This latest move by the ICC offers a chance to challenge that narrative, though it also highlights the enduring challenges of enforcing international justice. The 2017 military campaign against the Rohingya, described by the United Nations as a textbook case of ethnic cleansing, displaced nearly a million people. These survivors, many of whom now live in squalid refugee camps, have faced unimaginable suffering, including the destruction of villages, mass killings, and sexual violence. By targeting Myanmars top military official, the ICC is signalling that no rank or title provides immunity from accountability. This marks a significant moment, as it is the first time the court has sought action against such a high-ranking official in Myanmar. Advertisement The ICCs decision reflects years of meticulous investigation, gathering testimonies and evidence despite limited access to Myanmar and the complex political turmoil since the 2021 coup. This persistence is commendable, as it ensures that the voices of survivors and witnesses are not forgotten. Yet, while the pursuit of justice is crucial, it is also fraught with practical hurdles. Myanmar is not a party to the ICC, and its ruling military junta is unlikely to cooperate. With no enforcement mechanism of its own, the ICC relies on member states to execute arrest warrants. Advertisement This reliance exposes a key limitation of the court: its dependence on the political will of nations, many of which are reluctant to confront powerful figures. Moreover, global powers such as the United States, China, and Russia, which are not ICC members, undermine the courts universality, limiting its influence in addressing crimes of this magnitude. Despite these challenges, the ICCs actions serve an important purpose. They offer a semblance of hope to the Rohingya and other oppressed groups worldwide, reminding them that their suffering has not gone unnoticed. Symbolically, it reinforces the idea that human rights violations, no matter how systemic, cannot escape scrutiny. However, justice for the Rohingya must go beyond arrest warrants. Addressing the root causes of their plight ~ statelessness, systemic discrimination, and the lack of political will to ensure their safe return ~ requires global action. Refugee camps are not a long-term solution; sustainable efforts must prioritise rehabilitation and reintegration. The ICCs move is a bold assertion that accountability matters. While obstacles remain, the pursuit of justice, however delayed or incomplete, sends a critical message: impunity for mass atrocities is not guaranteed, and the global community stands ready to challenge it. This is a necessary step toward breaking the cycle of violence and fostering a future rooted in accountability and human dignity HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are on the rise in the Western Pacific region, reversing years of progress in the fight against the epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday. New HIV infections have risen by eight per cent and AIDS-related deaths by 10 per cent since 2019, highlighting critical gaps in prevention, testing, treatment and care services, particularly for key populations, according to the WHO regional office in Manila. Advertisement While 76 per cent of people living with HIV in the region have access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy. Experts agree that these disturbing trends show that much more needs to be done to stop the spread of HIV and prevent avoidable deaths, the UN health agency said in its media release. Advertisement The Western Pacific region faces significant challenges, with 2.3 million people living with HIV, 140,000 new infections and 53,000 deaths in 2023 alone, the WHO said, Xinhua news agency reported. Every hour, 16 people are newly infected, and six people die from HIV-related causes in the Western Pacific region, it said. The rising HIV infections and deaths in the Western Pacific region are a wake-up call. We must urgently address the barriers that prevent people, especially those in key populations and their partners, from accessing prevention, treatment, and care, said Saia Mau Piukala, WHO regional Director for the Western Pacific. Job Title: Senior Project Manager (Sudan Regional Response Pooled Fund) Organisation: Danish Refugee Council (DRC) Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About the Company: The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent, humanitarian organization working on all aspects of the refugee cause in more than 36 countries throughout the world. The aim of DRC is to protect refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) against persecution and to promote durable solutions to the problems of forced migration, on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC works in accordance with the UN Conventions on Refugees and the Code of Conduct for the ICRC and NGOs in Disaster Relief. Job Summary: This is a specialist role within DRC, specifically designed to lead internal coordination and project management for the Sudan Regional Response Pooled Fund (SRRPF). The Project Manager ensures seamless operational delivery, compliance, and quality assurance across all aspects of the fund while supporting adaptive and context-responsive programming. Key Duties and Responsibilities: The Senior Project Manager will Oversee financial management and accountability for SRRPF, ensuring compliance with donor and internal guidelines. Coordinate risk management processes and ensure the effective mitigation of identified risks. Lead internal governance frameworks, including robust mechanisms for decision-making, monitoring, and reporting. Ensure compliance with legal, ethical, and contractual obligations for SRRPF. Provide operational support to the Project Director for the successful implementation of SRRPF objectives. Collaborate with technical teams and partners to adaptively respond to shifting humanitarian and development needs. Manage internal reporting systems to facilitate information flow, track progress, and support decision-making. Act as the focal point for internal stakeholders and ensure cohesive coordination between Regional Office and HQ-level units, particularly the Fund Management Services unit in HQ. Support donor engagement processes in collaboration with the Project Director, with a focus on compliance and fund management transparency. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: At least 5 years experience in managing large, multi-stakeholder funds, preferably in complex or humanitarian settings. Strong understanding of donor requirements and compliance, including pooled fund management. Demonstrated experience in financial oversight, risk management, and governance structures. Excellent coordination and operational skills, with experience in navigating multi-country project management. Proven ability to work independently, with a clear understanding of managing and escalating risk Proven ability to propose creative solutions to challenges, and proven ability deliver results within a flexible and adaptive framework Proven capability in budget and financial management, including strong skills with spreadsheet and resource planning software Successful experience working within culturally and politically diverse teams and institutions, in a fluid and dynamic environment Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to engage diplomatically How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested applicants should apply online at the link below. Click Here Deadline: 15th December 2024 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Date Posted 2024-11-29T20:22 Valid Through 2024-12-16T00:00 Employment Type FULL_TIME Hiring Organization Danish Refugee Council Job Location Kampala, Kampala, Kampala , 0256, Uganda Related Jobs Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani on Saturday responded to the recent US indictment and allegations levied against him. "Every attack makes us stronger," said Adani adding that it is not for the first time that the Group is facing a challenge. #WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan: Addressing 51st Gem & Jewellery Awards, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani says, "...As most of you would have read less than 2 weeks back, we faced a set of allegations from the US about compliance practises at Adani Green Energy. This is not the first pic.twitter.com/LWGT0tDiBC ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 While addressing the 51st Gem and Jewellery Awards in Jaipur, the billionaire industrialist said, "As most of you would have read, less than two weeks back, we faced a set of allegations from the US about compliance practices at Adani Green Energy. This is not the first time we have faced such challenges. What I can tell you is that every attack makes us stronger and every obstacle becomes a stepping stone for a more resilient Adani Group." #WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan: Addressing 51st Gem & Jewellery Awards, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani says, "In January last year, just as we were getting ready to launch our Follow-on Public Offering. We faced a short-selling attack initiated from abroad. This was not a typical pic.twitter.com/V3XVhk0XwR ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 ALSO READ | US indictment: Adani Green Energy denies FCPA violation but confirms criminal charges "Despite a lot of the vested reporting, no one from the Adani side has been charged with any violation of the FCPA or any conspiracy to obstruct justice. Yet, in today's world, negativity spreads faster than facts - and as we work through the legal process, I want to reconfirm our absolute commitment to world-class regulatory compliance," Adani was quoted by ANI. Adani said that these challenges have defined us. "They made us tougher and give us the unshakeable belief that after every fall, we will rise again, stronger, and more resilient than before." ALSO READ | After Kenya, more countries to scrap deals with Adani Group? Gautam Adani has been charged with involvement in a plan to allegedly pay more than $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials for solar energy project contracts. Adani and his executives have also been accused of making false and misleading statements to investors and lenders in the United States regarding the company's anti-bribery commitments and practices while raising money from them. While commenting on the Adani issue, MEA spokesperson Randhi Jaiswal said that it is a legal matter involving private firms and individuals and the US Department of Justice. "The government of India was not informed in advance on the issue," he added. Businessman Raj Kundra broke his silence following an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at his and his wife, actor Shilpa Shetty's, house. On Friday, the ED conducted an investigation at the couple's Juhu residence, in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged distribution of pornography, as reported by PTI. On Saturday morning, Kundra took to his Instagram stories to address the allegations and said that he was fully cooperating with the investigation and asserted that sensationalism would not obscure the truth. He wrote: "To whom it may concern, While the media seems to have a flair for drama, let's set the record straight: I'm fully complying with the ongoing investigation that has been unfolding for the last four years. As for the claims of 'associates', 'pornography' and 'money laundering', let's just say that no amount of sensationalism will cloud the truth, in the end, justice will prevail!" Kundra further asked all media outlets to respect Shetty's privacy regarding the investigation. "A note to the media: It's unacceptable to repeatedly drag my wife's name into unrelated matters. Please respect the boundaries!!! #ED. Following Friday's raid, Shetty's lawyer, Prashant Patil, had denied that any investigation had taken place and dismissed the reports misleading. "There have been reports in the media saying that my client Mrs Shilpa Shetty Kundra has been raided by the Enforcement Directorate. These reports are not true and are misleading. As per my instructions, there is no Enforcement Directorate raid on Mrs Shilpa Shetty Kundra as she has nothing to do with any offence of whatsoever nature. However, the case in question is an ongoing investigation regarding Mr Raj Kundra and he is cooperating with the investigation for truth to come out." In 2021, a complaint was filed against Hotshots, an application owned by Kundra's company, Armsprime Media Pvt Ltd. The app lured young and aspiring actor under the false pretext of web series audition, but instead, they were coerced to film nude and semi-nude scenes. Kundra later sold the app to U.K.-based company Kenrin Pvt Ltd, and upon investiagtion, financial transations linking Kundra to the company revealed that 119 adult pornographic videos were sold for USD 1.2 million. Though he claimed to not have been directly involved in production of the adult films, Kundra was arrested in 2021 and later released on bail after spending two months in jail. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh was a complete failure after it disallowed senior SP members from visiting violence-hit Sambhal district. Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, Mata Prasad Pandey, was to visit Sambhal on Saturday with other party representatives. However, a blanket of security was thrown around Pandeys home and later around the office of the Samajwadi Party. #WATCH | Lucknow, UP: Uttar Pradesh Assembly LoP Mata Prasad Pandey says, "...We will talk to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and decide the next date for going to Sambhal. Samajwadi Party has decided that Rs 5 lakh each will be given to the people killed in the Sambhal incident. We pic.twitter.com/QMJMtFFJdK ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 Pandey said that if he had wanted to go to Sambhal, he could have done that without informing the government. However, he had, as protocol demanded, sent an application to the administration about his visit and the schedule. Last night however, Pandey received calls from the states Principal Secretary (Home) and the district magistrate of Sambhal asking him not to visit. On Friday evening, the administration also extended the prohibitory orders in place in the district since violence broke out on November 24. The prohibitory orders in place include the direction that no outsider be allowed in the district. The extended deadline is December 10 with the caveat that if not taken back on the said date, the orders shall be in force till December 31. Pandey said that the proper way to inform him was in writing and not just over telephone calls. We will discuss with other party members what steps we must take next, he said. Yadav, meanwhile, said that the prohibitory orders that the government has now imposed should have been enforced before the violence took place. There are 25 points specified in the orders issued on Friday night. These include warnings against disruption electricity and water supply in the district, use of social media to spread any kind of rumours or vitiate the atmosphere; the consumption of cigarettes, pan, tobacco in public spaces and even the flying of kites with such strings that might pose a danger to humans. The Centre has decided to form a committee to explore financial and administrative support for the first proposed housing society in Srinagar registered by a group of migrant Kashmiri Pandits. This decision follows a discussion in New Delhi between the Displaced Kashmiri Residents Housing Cooperative (DKRHC) delegation and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai. The delegation included the chairman of the society Ashok Manvita, Secretary Satish Mahaldar, and member Kamal Choudhary. They addressed concerns regarding alleged encroachments on migrant properties in Kashmir, as well as the government's policies on return and rehabilitation. According to Mahaldar, Rai appreciated the DKRHCs initiative and committed to forming a committee to provide financial support and land subsidies for the housing society. He (Rai) mentioned that they will also coordinate with the J&K government to expedite land allocation, Mahaldar told THE WEEK. We are not seeking segregation but rather resettlement in Kashmir to live peacefully with the locals. He also highlighted discussions about encroachments and forced sales of migrant Kashmiri Pandit properties. We were assured that action would be taken against any encroachments, he said. We were told there has been no evidence regarding forced property sales. The housing society will require 100 kanals (approximately 12.5 acres) of land. The initiative is based on self-financing, expecting families to contribute modestly to the costs. The society, officially registered as The DKRHC includes 11 Kashmiri Pandit families and two Sikh families, all displaced since the militancy began in 1989. This initiative represents a shift from past government-led rehabilitation models, which have faced criticism for proposing exclusive townships for the community. The focus now is on a private housing model for their settlement. To tackle encroachments and forced sales of migrant properties, the government launched an online portal in 2021 to enable migrants to report issues easily. The central government plans to collaborate with J&K authorities to address these cases. Under the Prime Ministers Development Package (2015) and the Reconstruction Plan (2008), the government has provided 5,724 jobs for Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley as of August 2024, with an additional 6,000 transit accommodations currently under construction for migrant employees. Over 62,000 Kashmiri Pandits fled the Valley during the period of militancy, leaving behind their properties. The 1997 Migrant Immovable Property Act was enacted to protect their rights and a 2010 assembly report documented the killings of 219 Kashmiri Pandits, illustrating the numerous challenges faced by this community. On Saturday, the Indian National Congress retorted to the latest statement by the Ministry of External Affairs on the US investigations over alleged bribery and fraud charges against key Adani Group members. The MEA stated that the Government of India was not part of the probe into Adani Green Energy and its directors in any manner, inviting a response from Congress, asking how it can be a part of a probe into itself. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in the Governments first official statement on the US indiction reaction, said that there has not been any communication regarding cooperation from US lawmakers or entities. This triggered a response from the opposition. The MEA spokesperson says that the Indian Government is not part of the US probe into the Adani Group. He has simply stated the obvious, remarked Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. How can this Government be part of a probe into itself? The MEA also stated that the indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani and others was a legal matter involving private firms, individuals and the US Department of Justice (DoJ). It also mentioned that the Centre was not given a heads-up about the case. We see this as a legal matter involving private firms and individuals and the US Department of Justice. Obviously, there are established procedures and legal avenues in such cases, which we believe would be followed, added Jaiswal. We have not had any conversation with the US government on it. On Wednesday, Adani Green Energy released an official statement denying any violations under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). However, it also confirmed that the directors were charged on three counts in the criminal indictment including alleged securities fraud conspiracy, alleged wire fraud conspiracy, and alleged securities fraud. Government says private entities, US says government bodies The indictment against industralist Gautam Adani and eight othersincluding his nephew Sagar Adaniwas unsealed last week in the US District Court in the Eastern District of New York. The US DoJ indicted Adani and the other key members for allegedly tricking investors by bribing Indian officials to secure solar energy projects for Adani Green Energy. In an official statement, US Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lisa H Miller clearly states that the indictment involves schemes to pay over USD 250 million in bribes to Indian government officials, to lie to investors and banks to raise billions of dollars, and to obstruct justice. This was in line with the official statement by investigating agencies too. Gautam S. Adani and seven other business executives allegedly bribed the Indian government to finance lucrative contracts designed to benefit their businesses, said James Dennehy, FBI assistant director-in-charge. The minority cell of Trinamool Congress (TMC) organised a rally to protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Kolkata on Saturday. Despite rain in the city since morning, senior party members such as Kalyan Banerjee, Firhad Hakim, Nadimul Haque and Javed Khan among others participated in the rally at Rani Rashmoni avenue. Introduced in Parliament earlier this year, the bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995 addressing challenges in regulating and managing waqf properties. Its objective is to streamline the functioning of waqf boards and enhance the effective management of these properties. Banerjee, who is a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that is currently probing the bill, addressed the rally, saying that the BJP-led central government is violating the Constitution of India with the proposed amendments. He stated, Waqf means dedication of the property to Allah. The moment I dedicate, Allah becomes the owner of the property. Article 26 of the Constitution of India guarantees [religious denominations] the freedom to manage their own religious affairs. Thus, if any religious faith is directly or indirectly attacked by any bill, it violates Article 26, the MP from Serampore added. Meanwhile, Firhad Hakim, the Mayor of Kolkata, accused the BJP government at the Centre of attempting to disturb the peace and unity between Hindus and Muslims and incite communal tensions in society. He also addressed the attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, alleging that the BJP was using these incidents as a pretext to justify targeting Muslims in India. Its the responsibility of the majority to protect minorities. What they did in Bangladesh was wrong but it doesnt mean we will do the same in India. India is a secular country, Hakim said. The Trinamool Congress has opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 from the outset. Party MPs in both Houses of Parliament have voiced their resistance to the bill. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had also formally opposed the bill in the state assembly, arguing that the proposed amendments would not only disrupt the management of waqf properties but they also undermined the country's federal structure. Amid suspense over the formation of the new government in Maharashtra, NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday asserted that the next chief minister of the state would be from the BJP. He said there would be two deputy chief ministers, one each from the NCP and the Shiv Sena. "The state will have one chief minister from BJP and two deputies from the other two parties of the Mahayuti. Tentatively, the oath-taking ceremony will take place on December 5. We have decided to move ahead with a strong vision," Pawar said while talking to reporters in Thane. Ever since the Mahayuti alliance recorded a resounding victory in the recent assembly elections, speculations have been rife on who the next chief minister will be. News agency PTI on Saturday quoted an unnamed BJP leader as saying that Devendra Fadnavis, who steered the BJPs massive victory in the poll, is the front-runner for the CM post. There has been no official word on this yet. Earlier, there were reports that outgoing chief minister Eknath Shinde was unhappy after he was denied a second term as CM though the Mahayuti faced the polls under his leadership. He, however, later cleared the air, saying he was ready to accept any decision the BJP leadership would take on the CM post. Among the Mahayuti allies, the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 122 seats, while the Shiv Sena and the NCP bagged 57 and 41 seats, respectively, in the 288-member house. Earlier, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule claimed that the new government will be sworn in on December 5. He said the swearing-in will be held at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The term of the current Maharashtra assembly ended on November 26. Asked about this, Pawar said, "This is not the first time there has been a delay... If you remember, in 1999, one month was taken for government formation." As suspense continues over the chief ministers post and the power sharing among Mahayuti allies in Maharashtra, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday claimed that the new government will be sworn in on December 5. State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the swearing-in will be held at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. . @narendramodi , . , . Chandrashekhar Bawankule (@cbawankule) November 30, 2024 Earlier, another party leader, who did not wish to be named, told PTI that former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is the front-runner for the top post. A meeting of the newly elected BJP MLAs will take place on December 2 to elect the legislative party leader, he had said. The ruling Mahayuti alliance that comprises the BJP, Eknath Shindes Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawars Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had swept the assembly elections, bagging 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi led by Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP(SP) suffered a drubbing and was reduced to just 41 seats. The BJP emerged the single largest party, pocketing 132 seats, while its allies, the Shiv Sena and the NCP, secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Fadnavis, who steered the BJPs impressive show in the politically crucial state, was tipped to become the chief minister. Soon after the election results were announced, media reports claimed a discontent in the Mahayuti bloc after Shinde, the outgoing chief minister, was reportedly refused another term at the top post. Shinde, however, dismissed those reports and claimed that he was ready to accept any decision the BJP central leadership would take on the CM post. A meeting of the Mahayuti leaders with the BJP top brass on Thursday night was expected to take crucial decisions regarding the formation of the new government, but Shinde travelled to his home town after the meeting, sparking rumours that he is unhappy over the power-sharing formula. According to reports, the two deputy CMs formula is expected to continue in the new government. Opposition questions delay The Shiv Sena (UBT), a constituent of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, has questioned the delay in government formation, and wondered whether the BJP wanted central rule in Maharashtra. "Elections were held on November 20 and the results were announced on November 23. It has been a week since then. There is no government in the state. They have got a clear mandate but they don't know who the CM will be, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey was quoted as saying by ANI. When will they start caring about the needs of the people? We are unable to understand their plan of action. In every state, they had declared the CM face on time so why are they giving such a treatment to Maharashtra? Do they want Central rule in Maharashtra?, he asked. The Manipur police arrested eight more persons in connection with attacks over the residences of ministers, legislators and at a police station during fresh bout of violence in the state. A police station was attacked demanding the release of those arrested over November 16 violence. According to police, A 20-year-old identified as Chongtham Thoicha, hailing from Kiyam Mamang Leikai in Patsoi police station area in Imphal West district, was arrested on Thursday in connection with arson at the properties of elected representatives on November 16. Seven people were arrested on Thursday for attacking Kakching police station and its personnel on November 27. The attack was carried out to demand the release of four persons arrested on November 16 for vandalising properties of an elected member," police said in a statement. A violent mob irate over the death of six hostages including women and children belonging to the Meitei community from Jiribam ransacked residences of legislators and ministers on November 16. Three bodies of hostages were recovered from the Barak river in Jiribam. Kuki militants abducted the civilians allegedly following a gunfight with security forces in Jiribam district on November 11. Ten insurgents also got killed in the exchange of fire. Over 200 people were killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis since May last year in Manipur. In fresh violence earlier this month, the protesters torched the houses of PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam at Ningthoukhong, Hiyanglam's BJP MLA Y. Radheshyam at Langmeidong Bazar, Wangjing Tentha's BJP MLA Paonam Brojen in Thoubal district and Khundrakpam's Congress MLA Thokchom Lokeshwar in Imphal East district, PTI reported. Though the mob attempted to attack the ancestral residence of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, security forces stopped them. The Mumbai police have booked all accused involved in the murder of veteran Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique under the stringent MCOC Act. The police have so far arrested 26 accused in connection with the probe and are on the lookout for three more. According to reports, Mumbai polices crime branch has invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act against all 26 accused in the case. As per the law, it will be difficult to secure bail under the harsh law and confessions made to the police under MCOCA are admissible as evidence in court. A senior Mumbai police confirmed with PTI the development. Baba Siddique (66), the Nationalist Congress Party leader was gunned down by assailants outside his son Zeeshans office in Mumbai on October 12. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack police nabbed all three shooters in the case. Police are on the lookout for key conspirators Shubham Lonkar and Zishan Mohammad Akhtar. The Bishnoi gang allegedly targeted the Maharashtra leader for his close ties with actor Salman Khan, another celebrity on the gangs hit list. Recently, Bishnois brother Anmol was arrested in the United States for his alleged role in Siddiques murder and attacks outside Salman Khans house. Police recently arrested main shooter Shivkumar Gautam from Uttar Pradesh while he was plotting to escape out of the country. Gautam told police that he was promised Rs 10 lakh for killing Siddique. According to police, Gautam managed to change his attire after the assassination and he waited outside Lilavati hospital amongst the crowd for over 30 minutes to confirm Siddiques death. Eknath Shinde is not upset; he is unwell. At least, that's what Shiv Sena says. The Maharashtra caretaker chief minister left for his native village in Satara district yesterday, thus delaying the government formation in the state. The Mahayuti alliance, of which Sena and the BJP are part of, swept the recent Maharashtra assembly polls, winning 230 of the 288 seats. But, their joy of the crushing win over the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, was soon overshadowed by internal rift in the Mahayuti over the next CM candidate and portfolios. ALSO READ: 'Sulking' Eknath Shinde sets tongues wagging amid reports that Shiv Sena sought 12 cabinet berths Though Shinde, after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had said that he will fully support BJP leadership's decision to name the next CM and would not be a hurdle in the process, his actions strongly suggest otherwise. His visit to his native village Dare put off a key meeting of the Mahayuti allies BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP on Friday. When asked about the meeting between Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar in Mumbai, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said that if the physical meeting does not take place, it can also be held through video conference. He (Shinde) is not upset. Even in Delhi, he was down with fever and cold, PTI quoted Samant as saying. #WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: On Maharashtra CM post, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant says, "...We were with Eknath Shinde till early morning. Tomorrow he will be back and it is not as if the meeting takes place physically only, they also take place through video conferencing, pic.twitter.com/P99iaTF0Ew ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2024 ALSO READ: Who is Atul Limaye, the RSS strategist who steered BJP to record win in Maharashtra elections? Meanwhile, another Shiv Sena leader, Sanjay Shirsat, told ANI that Shinde will take a big decision by this evening. He added that the name of the next Maharashtra CM will be declared by midnight and the swearing-in is likely be held on December 2. #WATCH | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat says, "Whenever Eknath Shinde thinks that he needs some time to think he goes to his native village...When he (Eknath Shinde) has to make a big decision he goes to his native village. By tomorrow pic.twitter.com/cEb5akzWrM ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2024 Shirsat, who retained his Aurangabad assembly West seat, also added that if Shinde does not accept the deputy chief minister's post, then it will be given to someone from the party. He also dismissed speculations that Shinde will be made a Union minister, saying that the caretaker CM will remain in Maharashtra politics. Eknath Shinde's meeting with Amit Shah Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis, who is the frontrunner for the post of the new CM, and NCP chief Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda late on Thursday to discuss the next government formation in Maharashtra. ALSO READ: Big move in Delhi to make Fadnavis the new Maharashtra CM The New Indian Express reported that Shinde has laid down his conditions if the BJP wanted to make Fadnavis the new CM. The BJP, it is learnt, is keen to have the top post since it won 132 seats in the elections, while the Sena won 57. According to Shinde's compromise formula, Sena must be given the home, finance and revenue portfolios. The report added that Shinde told Shah that if the three portfolios are not given, Sena will not be part of the new government, but will only extend outside support both in the state and at the Centre. Shinde is also learnt to have told Shah that he will decide who will be the deputy CM. Shah, reportedly, told Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar to meet and discuss the conditions and get back to him. The Sambhal district administration has heightened security in the Shahi Jama Masjid area and has issued orders to prohibit entry of outsiders till December 10. The district administrations orders come amidst the Samajwadi Party delegations move to visit the families of those affected by the violence. "No outsider, any social organisation or any public representative can enter into the borders of the district without seeking the permission of the competent authority till December 10," Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya said in a statement, PTI reported. #WATCH | Lucknow: Notice being served to Uttar Pradesh Assembly LoP Mata Prasad Pandey by DM Sambhal asking him not to go there in view of the law and order situation A delegation of the Samajwadi Party led by Mata Prasad Pandey was scheduled to visit Sambhal today. pic.twitter.com/gOLAbHsxne ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 A 15-member delegation of the Samajwadi Party, led by Uttar Pradesh Opposition leader Mata Prasad Pandey, is set to visit Sambhal today. Pandey said he was asked by the district magistrate and home secretary not to visit the place citing security reasons. Pandey told reporters, "The DM Sambhal had also called me up telling me that the ban on entry of outsiders has been extended till December 10. So I will now visit the party office and discuss the issue before deciding on our next action. #WATCH | Security continues to be deployed in UP's Sambhal following the stone pelting incident on November 24 over the Shahi Jama Masjid survey A Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation is likely to visit Sambhal today. Supreme Court yesterday asked the Sambhal trial court not to pic.twitter.com/74Q0QimnzB ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 The opposition leader charged the Uttar Pradesh government is trying to stop the oppositions delegation to hide its mistakes. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav slammed the state governments move and said the entire district administration in Sambhal must be suspended for their negligence. The Samajwadi Party delegation had earlier planned to visit Sambhal on November 26, however postponed the trip after the state police chief advised him not to visit then. Meanwhile, a three-member judicial commission appointed by the governor will visit Sambhal on Saturday for inquiry. Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 after a survey team visited Jama Masjid for a second time to conduct a survey as per a local courts orders. The petitioner claimed Mughal-era mosque was constructed demolishing a Hindu temple. At least four persons died and over 20 persons including police personnel suffered injuries in the clashes. The recent attacks on minorities in Bangladesh has led to a diplomatic row with India, the tremors of which are being felt in West Bengal. A city hospital said it would not treat patients from Bangladesh because of the insults they have shown towards India. The decision by JN Ray Hospital in north Kolkata's Manicktala area comes amid protests over the alleged attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh. An official of the hospital, Subhranshu Bhakt, on Friday said the decision was forced by insults meted out to the Indian flag by Bangladeshi nationals. "We have issued a notification that from today till an indefinite time we will not admit any Bangladeshi patient for treatment. This is primarily because of the insults they have shown towards India," he said. Bhakt also urged other hospitals in the city to follow suit as a mark of protest against the alleged atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh. "Seeing the tricolour being insulted, we have decided to stop treating Bangladeshis. India has played an important role in their independence but despite that, we are witnessing anti-India sentiments. We hope other hospitals will support us and take similar steps," he said. Three Hindu temples in Chattogram, Bangladesh, vandalised A mob vandalised three Hindu temples in Bangladesh's Chattogram, the epicentre of protests and violence since a former ISKCON member was booked under sedition charges. ALSO READ: Dhaka has not made any request for Sheikh Hasinas extradition yet The Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the nearby Shoni Temple, and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple were targeted by the slogan-shouting mob in the afternoon, news portal BDNews24.com reported. Tapan Das, a member of the Shantineshwari Main Temple management committee, told BDnews24.com: A procession of hundreds arrived, and started shouting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans. We did not obstruct the attackers. When the situation worsened, we called the army, who arrived quickly and helped restore order. All the temple gates were closed before noon. The miscreants arrived unprovoked and carried out the attack." ALSO READ: Unjustly arrested: Sheikh Hasina urges Bangladesh govt to urgently release Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das On October 30, a sedition case was filed against spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) of Bangladesh, and 18 others, accusing them of disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag in Chattogram's New Market area during a rally of the Hindu community. Das was arrested in connection with a sedition case on Monday and denied bail on Tuesday. ALSO READ: Bangladesh freezes bank account of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das; India calls for protection of all minorities Das's arrest triggered protests by Hindu community members in Bangladesh, including in the capital Dhaka and Chattogram. New Delhi had expressed concern over the leader's arrest and denial of bail, and asked Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities. Bangladesh, on the other hand, expressed deep concern over the violent protest at the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and urged New Delhi to ensure the safety of all its diplomatic missions in India. Much to the pride of Indias tourism and culture, the annual Hornbill Festival in Nagaland has already cemented its place in the worlds festival calendar. The symbol of Nagaland, the hornbill, with its lovely long beak, is a gorgeous bird. Sadly, one cant find too many of the species in the hilly terrains of the state any longer. However, the hornbill remains the pride of Nagaland. This year is the 25th year of the festival that carries the name of the bird and is scheduled from December 1 through December 10. It was back in 1963, on the first day of December, that Nagaland was bestowed with its current status as a state of the Indian Union. The people of Nagaland celebrate December 1 as State Day. With this ethno-cultural festival, Nagaland has, over time, become one of the most sought-after tourist hotspots in Northeast India. (File) A women from Lotha tribe performs at Hornbill Festival | Salil Bera The governments main purpose in organising the Hornbill Festival was to assemble all 18 tribes of the state and let them share each others culture, heritage, food, dance, drinks, and handicrafts. The festival site at Kisama resembles a tiny village with distinctive cottages for contingents of each tribe to inhabit. Every tribe has its own culture and language, not to mention their distinctive colourful attire. During the ten days of the festival, all tribes showcase their own cultural activities. (File) Zeliang women take break at their traditional Morung | Salil Bera One can reach the district of Dimapur, the entry point into the capital of the hornbill state, Kohima. The 70-km drive through an undulating path cutting through the hills, where clusters of smoke issued mysteriously from various points in the knolls to merge into the sky, took us to the beautiful city of Kohima. The continuous rhythmic musical chorus of ay-o, ay-o,ay-o can be heard all the way till Kohima city, 10 km away from the Kisama heritage village, where the festival is held. The music accompanies different traditional dances with weapons, which make for great tourist attractions. Visitors are always greeted by tribals sporting vibrantly coloured ethnic clothes, traditional weapons, and innocent smiles in place. Inside every dedicated cottage called Morung, you can see men and women busy cooking a wide range of bile-secreting delicacies. All this can be enjoyed with rice or fruit beer. (File) An Angami woman in front of the tribe's Morung | Salil Bera As the sun goes down a little early in winter, the festival village and the surrounding Naga hills become picturesque. An inner-line permit is mandatory to enter the state, and tourists can get it upon arrival at Dimapur airport. In a shocking offensive, Turkey-backed Syrian rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham on Friday invaded Aleppo and claimed control of "half" the territory of the city, revealed the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Around 200 people have been killed in the violence. Syria has shut the Aleppo airport and cancelled all flights on Saturday. Aleppo tonight. I'm getting flashbacks to the Taliban overrunning Afghan cities one by one. It's important to not cheer for jihadists just because Bashar al-Assad's regime is collapsing. pic.twitter.com/UspSOwj7TE (@NiohBerg) November 29, 2024 The Assad regime claimed it was fighting back and had inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. Aleppo was recaptured by the Bashar al-Assad regime in 2016 and the latest violence has once again brought the world's attention to the country that has been struggling with civil war for the past 13 years. Aleppo, the second largest city in the country, is around 350 km away from Damascus. The city was first captured by the rebels in 2012, when they claimed control of the eastern parts of Aleppo. It was recaptured by Assad forces with the support of Russia and Iran four years later. Civilians in Aleppo are celebrating tonight. Regardless of what happens next, Bashar al-Assad is an evil tyrant despised by his own people. May there be peace and freedom for all Syrians one day, from the clutches of both Khamenei and sunni fanatics.pic.twitter.com/cQBebTnnY3 (@NiohBerg) November 29, 2024 The Assad regime controls 70 per cent of the Syrian territory currently while the remaining is occupied by rebels and the US troops. Turkey also controls parts of northern areas of Syria as it considers Kurdish militia in the region as allies of Kurdish separatists within its territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a special security meeting to discuss the developments in the neighbouring Syria amid ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah. Israel is reportedly worried about strategic weapons in the possession of the Assad regime falling into the hands of militants. Iran, which backs the Assad regime, stated that it stands by Syria in combating "terrorism". Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the rebel resurgence a part of "the US-Zionist scheme". Russia, which is also allied with Assad, promised to extend military aid to thwart the rebels. Jaish al-Izza rebel brigade commander Mustafa Abdul Jaber said they could easily invade Aleppo as the city was low on manpower due to losses suffered by Iranian proxies amid Israel's war with Hezbollah. Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is once again in the news after a fresh rebel offensive in Aleppo put the government forces on the back foot. Bashar al-Assad's government troops lost significant ground to the sudden attack by HTS-led fighters, losing control of several villages and military establishments in Aleppo -- located almost 350 kilometres away from Damascus. ALSO READ | Aleppo shock offensive: Israel, Iran cautious as Syrian rebels recaptures half the city In an already volatile Middle East, reports of unrest and gunfights returning to Syria are bad news. As the country braces for the return of conflict-ridden days, the focus is back on the HTS, which was once affiliated with terror group al-Qaida. Here is what you need to know about Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which is the principal rebel fighting force behind the fresh violence in Syria. Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels The US Department of State added Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) in 2018. Traced back to the early days of the Syrian civil war, HTS is an offshoot of al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra. A HTS rebel fighter in Aleppo | AFP Hayat Tahrir al-Sham loosely translates to the Organization for the Liberation of the Levant in English. Based out of Idlib, the organisation enjoyed operational presence in Syrias Aleppo, Hama, Deraa, and Damascus during its prime. According to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), Hayat Tahrir al-Sham remains the most powerful anti-government armed group in northwest Syria. Who leads HTS? What is its take on Israel? Initially, the orgsnisation was funded by sympathisers from the Persian Gulf. Its style of taxing territories under control and effective insurgent attacks attracted more fighters to its ranks despite the presence of numerous outfits in the region. In 2017, the group guided by Salafi-jihadist ideology openly split from the al-Qaeda and is currently led by Abu Mohammed al-Golani. According to US-based Center For Strategic and International Studies, despite the split, HTS, in theory, continues to have a secret relationship with al-Qaeda and receives strategic and operational guidance from the Islamic terror organisation. Also called Muhammad al-Jawlani and Muhammad al-Julani, the 42-year-old led the al-Nusrah Front (ANF) before its merger with the HTS. On May 16, 2013, the US Department of State designated al-Jawlani as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for carrying out several terrorist attacks targeting civilians across Syria. HTS: An Islamic organization with "local" goals The major difference between HTS and al-Qaeda is the fact that unlike the latter, HTS in recent times has distanced itself from the dream of establishing an Islamic Caliphate across the world. HTS fighters have vowed to defeat Syria's Assad regime | AFP The organisation has declared its ultimate objective to be the establishment of Islamic rule in Syria and the expelling of Iranian militias from the country. The toppling of the Assad government remains the aim of "modern" HTS, CSIS says, despite Abu al-Jolani having made statements like With this spirit we will not only reach Damascus, but, Allah permitting, Jerusalem will be awaiting our arrival in the past. This indicates the Zionist ideology and the Jewish state of Israel is a sworn enemy of the HTS like most other Islamic militant groups. A rebel group that governs Syrian regions! In 2017 of the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), a body made up of independent and HTS-linked technocrats, was formed to function as the HTSs governance wing. Through the SSG, HTS administers various welfare services, delivers essential goods, and runs food aid programs. It also has a monopoly on the economy through control of al-Sham Bank and the oil sector through Watad Company. SSG has established itself as the de facto administrative authority in the territories under its purview and controls the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, through which flows the humanitarian aid on which 90% of the four million people living in northwest Syria depend, the ACLED report claims. HTS has pushed the theory that it is an independent entity that follows no organization or party, al-Qaeda or others hard in recent years. HTS leadership went to the extent of arresting al-Qaeda-linked individuals in its territories to prove its independent existence. Yet, the West has reasons to believe secret ties exist between the two groups and refuses to engage in talks with its leadership. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham today: War in Aleppo and total strength The Russian-Turkish truce of March 2020 ended Syrian government offensives against rebel factions. This gave HTS and its sworn ally al-Fath al-Mubin Operation Room to regroup. US reports show that since 2022, Syrian forces have come under constant attacks by the two groups. Sniper fire has been the common strategy of HTS fighters to target government troops in its strongholds and many lives have been lost in these frequent skirmishes. HTS jihadists are backed by several Turkish-backed groups | AFP HTS commanded the allegiance of a fighting force of between 12,000 and 15,000 militants as of October 2018. It is unknown how many new fighters were recruited ahead of the fresh offensive. It is reported that HTS is supported by several Turkish-backed factions in the recent offense. Although many of these groups dislike each other, they have come together under the 'Syrian National Army' due to their mutual hatred for Assad. After Chinmoy Krishna Das's arrest, ISKCON claimed that another Hindu priest was arrested and its centre was vandalised in Bangladesh. Does he look like a terrorist?#FreeISKCONMonks Bangladesh. The arrest of innocent #ISKCON brahmacharis are deeply shocking & disturbing. pic.twitter.com/VG6u7jlnXB Radharamn Das (@RadharamnDas) November 30, 2024 The latest development comes amid widespread protests in Bangladesh following the arrest of Krishna Das and 'targeted attacks' against Hindus. Another ISKCON center in Bhairav, Bangladesh, has been vandalized. No respite in sight. #SaveBangladeshiHindus pic.twitter.com/ut7CMRb4mn Radharamn Das (@RadharamnDas) November 30, 2024 "Does he look like a terrorist? The arrest of innocent ISKCON brahmacharis is deeply shocking and disturbing," ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharaman Das said in a post. The arrested priest was identified as Shyam Das Prabhu. Also, ISKCON has shared videos of its centre in Bangladesh vandalised by miscreants. Meanwhile, nine people were arrested in connection with the killing of a lawyer during the clash that broke out between protesters and security personnel last week in Bangladesh after the arrest of Krishna Das. A case was registered against 46 persons, mostly cleanliness workers belonging to the minority Hindu community, relating to the incident. The accused were identified by accessing the CCTV footage of the court premises. Police said one person identified as Chandan Das was the primary accused as he was seen chopping the lawyer with a sharp weapon. The hunt for the rest of the accused is ongoing, he said. Hindu monk Krishna Das was arrested on Monday on sedition charges. After denying bail, he was sent to judicial custody on Tuesday. Days after his arrest, Bangladesh authorities ordered to freeze the bank accounts of people, including Das, associated with ISKCON. Bank accounts of 17 people associated with ISKCON will be frozen for 30 days, as per the order. The Ministry of External Affairs expressed serious concern over the rising 'targeted' attacks among Hindus in Bangladesh, MEA urged the Bangladesh government to ensure the protection of all minorities. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also noted that several reports of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities have been reported since August. Over 100 protesters were arrested in Georgia amid clashes with police following the government's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union. The protests erupted in Georgia for the second straight night in a row after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the Georgian Dream Party announced the decision that the country won't pursue talks with the EU, or seek assistance till 2028. Thousands took to the streets in Georgia after the government decided it would suspend EU membership talks. pic.twitter.com/yMxqguaNDa DW News (@dwnews) November 30, 2024 Protesters clashed with police in regions including Tbilisi and the Black Sea port of Batumi. Riot police used water cannons to disperse the protesters away from the building. Georgia is truly remarkable, as is its society! It's evident in every way- no one is willing to accept a Russified Georgia, a Georgia deprived of its constitution, or a Georgia under an illegitimate government & parliament That's why so many of you are out here today- I see you pic.twitter.com/rQKulYmKPS Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) November 29, 2024 Georgian Dream's disputed victory in the country's October 26 parliamentary election has sparked massive demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of the parliament. Kobakhidze's election victory was widely seen as a referendum on Georgia's aspirations to join the EU. The opposition has said that the vote was rigged with the help of Russia, with the hope of keeping Tbilisi in its orbit. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili joined protesters on Thursday after accusing the government of declaring war on its own people. Zourabichvili urged the police not to use force against protesters. This is evident in every way no one is willing to accept a Russified Georgia, a Georgia deprived of its constitution, or a Georgia in the hands of an illegitimate government and parliament, Zourabichvili said. The government's announcement of delaying EU talks came after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that condemned last month's vote as neither free nor fair. The election represented another manifestation of Georgia's continued democratic backsliding for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible, it said. The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that it meet the bloc's recommendations. However, it had put the accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after the passage of a foreign influence law widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms. EU lawmakers urged a rerun of the parliamentary vote within a year under the supervision of an independent election administration. They also called on the EU to impose sanctions and limit formal contacts with the Georgian government. Kobakhidze denounced the insults from the EU politicians and said the European Parliament is blackmailing Georgia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that Ukrainian territory that is not under Russian control should be brought under NATO in order to end the war. The Ukrainian president told Sky News that the country did not consider the proposal before as it was never "officially" offered. He said that to put an end to the hot stage of the war, the Ukrainian territory under the government's control should be brought under NATO umbrella. He said it has be done quickly so that Ukraine can take back the remaining territory diplomatically. This is the first time Zelenskyy publicly spoke about a ceasefire scenario that leaves the Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia. He said a Nato-backed ceasefire would avoid future aggression from Moscow. Zelenskyy, however, added that any such offer should be extended within its internationally recognised border, you cant give invitation to just one part of a country. Zelenskyy said all Ukrainian territory, including Crimea that was annexed by Russia in 2014, will remain part of the country. Around 20 per cent of Ukraine, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, are occupied by Russia. Photos by ChiHon Kim () Doing almost nothing is one of the ways Ive spent recent weekends and holidays. But there is always one thing I accomplish: Satisfying my hunger. In times like these when going out for dinner isnt a smart option, frozen dumplings are an easy microwaveable meal readily available at the grocery store. Plus, there are many varieties to try, so my go-to meal never gets old. Below, Ive gathered a small list of the frozen dumplings brands I reach for when I do my pre-lazy day shopping. Give them a try! Gohyang mandu: Launched in the late 1980s by HAITAI Confectionery and Foods, this item spearheaded the frozen, ready-made dumpling industry in Korea. These are what most Koreans think of when they think of frozen dumplings. Youll find them in the freezer in green and red packaging. The unique taste of these dumplings has stayed the same for over 30 years. This classic item is stuffed with pork (13%), tofu, onion, chives, cabbage, glass noodles, sugar, sesame oil, and more. Compared to others, these dumplings tend to have thicker wrappers and the filling is a bit underwhelming. If you prefer thinner dumpling skin, this might not be your pick, but the price is what makes these popular. Bibigo mandu: Bibigo is a famous food brand in South Korea launched by food company CJ Cheil Jedang. Bibigo dumplings come in many varieties but my go-to item is the wang gyoza that has a good amount of protein (25.41%) and seven assorted vegetables. Another favorite from this company is Bibigos kimchi wang gyoza. While other companies use fermented kimchi, this brands kimchi is fresh and gives a clean taste with a pleasant texture. Pulmuone yalpi mandu: These dumplings appeared on shelves in early 2019 and have grown to become big sellers. The secret to Pulmounes success is the generous filling and chewy, delicate wrapper. At 0.7mm thick, the wrapper on these dumplings is the thinnest on the market. I love these not only because they have the most meat comparted to other brands (33.22%), but also because the filling includes a wide variety of nutrient-dense ingredients like king oyster mushroom, cabbage, onion, garlic, pumpkin, and ginger. Also, there are no sketchy ingredients hiding in here and no MSG. I highly recommend these dumplings, but please stay away from the chili dumplings from this company that are full of crazy spicy chili. Even if youre good with spicy food, youll want to be careful with these. Chungjungwon minsok sonmandu: If youre looking for average dumplings at a reasonable price, then these are for you. Theyre not bad but theyre not great. These will get you a good quantity for a good price, but dont expect quality. HongKong Banjum mandu: HongKong Banjums seafood kyoja mandu is made with pork (21.56%), chicken meat, shrimp, squid mixed with cabbage and green onions. The filling also contains oyster sauce and some flavor enhancers. If you dont mind some artificial seasoning, this is a good mid-range choice in both price and quality. Misconduct including the burgeoning scandal in the motor finance industry could cost lenders at least 25billion, the Bank of England warned. Sam Woods, the Bank's deputy governor, said it was not considered to be a risk for UK financial stability. But he warned yesterday that in the past, such misconduct 'has often been quite a significant headwind'. He added: 'We've been spending a lot of time on that issue.' Lenders continue to count the cost of a recent Court of Appeal ruling on the way car dealers sold loans to customers to finance the purchase of vehicles. In a ruling that stunned the industry, the court said it was unlawful for dealers to receive a commission from those banks without receiving the informed consent of the customer. Burgeoning scandal: Lenders continue to count the cost of a recent Court of Appeal ruling on the way car dealers sold loans to customers to finance the purchase of vehicles The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said it means many customers who took out a loan through a dealer may be owed compensation. Credit ratings agency Moody's has estimated the total industry cost could reach 30billion. Woods set out the Bank of England's response as it published its twice-yearly Financial Stability Report, which assesses the health of Britain's financial system and its ability to cope with major stresses both from the UK and globally. The report said: 'Some lenders face uncertainty over the potential for redress payments associated with certain historic commission payments.' Woods told reporters: 'We did not attempt to make a point estimate on that particular issue what we did instead was take a crude but prudent approach.' Instead, the Bank extrapolated assumptions it had made in previous 'stress tests' giving average annual costs of 5billion for 'conduct' issues and multiplied them over five years. 'That's a 25billion hit. Even while taking a hit of that size, the system still has plenty of headroom,' Woods said. 'We do not consider that issue to be a risk to financial stability. But misconduct has often been quite a significant headwind and our job is to make sure that we're capturing that appropriately in the stress testing that we do.' Lloyds Banking Group is among the lenders facing a potential major bill for compensation and has set aside 450million to cover the cost. Santander UK, meanwhile, has set aside 295million. Two smaller lenders, Close Brothers and Investec, have also revealed that they continued to face uncertainty over the impact of the scandal. Lenders involved in the court case plan to appeal. The Bank's wider assessment in yesterday's report found that 'UK household and corporate borrowers are likely to remain resilient'. That is despite growing complaints from businesses that they face being battered by Labour's Budget measures including a 25billion raid on employer National Insurance and a sharp increase in the minimum wage as well as the introduction of a raft of new workers' rights. The report did point to more general risks facing smaller businesses as well as companies saddled with large debts, including those owned by private equity firms. Asked about the negative impact of the Budget on companies, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said: 'We are not at the moment seeing any sign of an increase in corporate distress. 'But, as you would expect, we will watch very carefully to see how the effects of all of this pass through into both the corporate and the household sector.' Sky has threatened legal action if the competition watchdog approves a 15billion merger between Vodafone and Three next week. The broadcaster and mobile provider has told the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) it will be 'forced' to challenge the decision if the regulator approves the deal between the mobile giants in its current form. The merger with Three is a big test of strategy for Vodafone boss Margherita Della Valle who is trying to reduce its debts and streamline operations. Plans: Vodafone boss Margherita Della Valle Earlier this month, the CMA said it could 'allow the merger to go ahead' after Vodafone and Three's owner, Hong Kong giant CK Hutchison, agreed to a series of commitments to ease concerns that the tie-up could lead to higher bills. These included a pledge to cap their lowest-cost mobile plans at 10 for two years and invest in the roll-out of 5G internet over eight years. If the deal is approved it will make the combined entity the UK's largest mobile network operator, leapfrogging Virgin Media O2 and BT's EE. But Sky said it was 'evident' that there were still 'substantial concerns' around the deal. James Robinson at analysts Assembly Research said: 'Whether this is a genuine threat from Sky or just a last-ditch attempt at influencing the CMA is difficult to say.' Broker Peel Hunt's boss has warned that money is 'draining out' of the London stock market and added that sentiment in the City was hit by the Budget. Chief executive Steven Fine hailed a pick up in dealmaking but he sounded the alarm over the lack of new listings in London. He also noted that confidence had taken a hit, particularly on the junior market AIM, as a result of the tax raid announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves last month. Peel Hunt, meanwhile, swung to a half-year profit fuelled by a surge in dealmaking sparked by multiple mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The group posted a pre-tax profit of 1.2million for the six months to September, up from an 800,000 loss the previous year, while its revenues grew 26 per cent to 53.8million. But despite the uplift in profit, Fine warned that most of the activity driving the business was from M&A rather than new listings in London. Concern: Peel Hunt chief executive Steven Fine He noted that money had been flowing out of UK equity funds every month for the last three-and-a-half years, a situation he described as 'alarming.' 'We are busy, but our pipeline is overwhelmingly focused on mergers and acquisitions. 'That means there's going to be more public companies going private or merging. And that means you'll end up losing more [listed] companies because they're just too cheap,' Fine told the Mail. He also said that while the market had shown signs of 'improving', this had 'slowed over the summer period' and investor sentiment had been hit in the last few weeks of September 'due to concerns around the UK Budget, particularly in relation to AIM'. His comments follow a series of takeovers and de-listings over the last week which have renewed fears that the London Stock Exchange is losing its lustre and leaving listed firms open to bids or considering moves to other markets. Takeaway delivery platform Just Eat became the latest company to jump ship on Wednesday, saying it would exit London while keeping its listing in Amsterdam. Meanwhile, insurance giant Aviva has made an audacious swoop on rival Direct Line and Australian banking giant Macquarie has launched a 700million takeover bid for rubbish collector Renewi. Fine estimated that around 100 companies had been taken over or delisted from London this year which even a boom of new listings would struggle to balance out. 'If we have a bonanza of [initial public offerings] next year and we get 20 or 30 listings, that's still a shocking ratio,' he said. Peel Hunt shares remained unchanged at 108.5p at yesterday's close. Having made further steps towards a major restructuring of its business, Anglo American got support from analysts at Jefferies, who upgraded their rating for the blue-chip miner to 'buy' from 'hold'. Though there are still risks around the restructuring, which has seen Anglo American sell off its coal and platinum assets, the Jefferies analysts said a drop in the company's share price leaves the stock looking good value. The US bank's analysts said that after the restructuring is complete, Anglo American will be well-positioned to benefit from a rising copper price and a resilient iron ore price. The company should also have a strong balance sheet and robust cash flow, enabling it to deliver large capital returns. With Anglo American shares down around 15 per cent since the restructuring was unveiled in May, the Jefferies analysts also lifted their share price target for the stock to 2850p from 2500p. Anglo American's shares topped the FTSE 100 risers, up 5.4 per cent, or 129.5p, to 2520.5p. Right direction: Restructuring has seen Anglo American sell off its coal and platinum assets On the final trading session of November, the FTSE 100 index edged up 0.1 per cent, or 6.08 points, to 8287.3. Over the course of the month, the blue-chip index has gained around 2 per cent. With just one more month to go until the end of 2024, it is ahead around 6.5 per cent but remains well below the all-time peak of 8474.41 hit in May. The FTSE 250 index crept up 0.04 per cent, or 8.79 points, to 20771.57p, but was also up around 2 per cent for the month, putting it about 5 per cent higher so far this year. Broker comment was also a spur to gains for blue-chip engineer IMI, which added 3.3 per cent, or 58p, to 1820p after analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch upgraded their rating to 'buy' in a big note on the engineering sector. But FTSE 100-listed defence engineer BAE Systems dropped 4.9 per cent, or 63p, to 1227p on the back of a downgrade to 'underperform' by the Bank of America analysts. And FTSE 250-listed defence peer QinetiQ also suffered, losing 3.5 per cent, or 15p, to 415.2p as the same analysts also cut its rating to 'underperform'. Retailers were in focus on Black Friday, a key shopping date for the sector. Next shares gained 2.2 per cent, or 218p, at 10080p as analysts at Berenberg started coverage of the clothing and homewares stores group at 'buy'. But rival M&S shed 0.3 per cent, or 1p, to 382.7p as the Berenberg analysts adopted a less bullish view, starting coverage with a 'hold' rating. Elsewhere, stocks with exposure to Georgia suffered after the government of the former Soviet republic suspended moves to join the European Union, leading to violent clashes between demonstrators and riot police. Topping the FTSE 250 fallers list, TBC Bank shed 5.9 per cent, or 190p, to 3030p and Bank of Georgia dropped 6.2 per cent, or 310p, to 4685p. Among the small caps, gaming minnow Webis soared 7.1 per cent, or 0.01p, to 0.15p as it posted resilient annual results, a last hurrah after recently announcing its intention to delist from AIM to reduce costs as it seeks to grow its business in North America. Roundup report for more south side violence today . . . "The shooting happened in the 11200 block of Bristol Terrace just before 10 a.m. "A teen girl was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. A teen boy suffered injuries not considered to be life-threatening, police said." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Teen girl critically injured in shooting Friday morning in south Kansas City; teen boy also injured Two teens were injured, one critically, in a shooting Friday morning in south Kansas City, Missouri, police said. To start the weekend we take a peek at biz lady, reality star & celeb hottie Kylie whilst we check pop culture, community reporting and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Gaudy Season Of Giving Starts Mayor's Christmas Tree lit in Kansas City Hundreds, if not thousands, of people gathered outside Crown Center for the Mayor's Christmas tree lighting on Friday night. More Local Merch Debuts Black Business Market hopes for strong turnout on Small Business Saturday The Black Business market returns to the KC G.I.F.T business center this weekend. This event provides an opportunity to support small Black-owned businesses in Kansas City on Small Business Saturday. Golden Ghetto Crash This Week 2 hospitalized after car veers off road in Shawnee, hits building Shawnee Police say a driver's medical emergency led to a car crashing into a building on Wednesday afternoon near 67th Street and Lackman Road. Local Reading List Debuts Book recs: Kansas City readers and bookstore owners share their 2024 favorites Up To Date's book experts revisited classics and devoured new releases, too. Check out their recommendations from several Kansas City bookstore owners and more to add to your to-be-read list, or to gift this holiday season. Kansas City Small Biz Saturday Overview Shop Small in Kansas City Straight from KC residents and visitors, browse a long list of local stores and restaurants to keep in mind as the holiday shopping season begins. Celeb Butchery Exposed EXCLUSIVE: Celebs' Plastic Surgery Cut-Glass Jawlines Sparking Deadly Kyle Jenner Wannabe Trend for $6,000 Waking Ops to Insert Metal Into Faces Kylie Jenner wannabes are splashing $6,000 a time on potentially dangerous jaw and chin liposuction ops that can leave them scarred for life, a top surgeon has warned. MAGA Demands Loyalty Trump cabinet criticized as hodgepodge team unified only by 'absolute fealty' to him Political analysts say president-elect 'cannot resist chaos' as he preps administration across ideological spectrum Tesla Earns Advantage Elon Musk's DOGE partner Vivek Ramaswamy says they'll scrutinize $6.6 billion Biden loan to Tesla rival Rivian Critics advise the incoming Trump administration to pull the plug on 'corporate-welfare loans handed out for political reasons'. AOC After All?!? Ranking the Democrats: Here's who the party could nominate next as president Democrats are licking their wounds after Vice President Harris's defeat to President-elect Trump, but already are looking toward who might lead their party in a 2028 presidential contest. It's a fi... Holy Land War Cont'd Israel says it struck Hezbollah weapons smuggling sites along Syria-Lebanon border Meanwhile, an Israeli strike in Gaza hit a car, killing five people, Palestinian health officials said. Eastern Europe Talks Truce Zelenskyy says NATO offer for Ukraine-controlled territory could end 'hot stage' of war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says an offer of NATO membership to territory under Kyiv's control would end "the hot stage of the war" in Ukraine, but any proposal to join the military alliance should be extended to all parts of the country that fall under internationally recognized borders Trad Wife GOP?!? JD Vance seems to think he's Trump's trad wife and these 25 reactions have us cackling JD Vance needs to put the photoshop down and walk away! Cowtown Coffee Talk City Market Coffee takes on turnover with upcoming Murmuration Eatery and Cocktail Bar Murmuration Eatery & Cocktail Bar to open this winter in Kansas City's City Market. Weekend Winter Sneak Peek . . . FOX4 Forecast: First snow on the way! View today's latest video forecast for the Kansas City area in both Kansas and Missouri from the FOX4 weather team. Martin Garrix & Jex - Told You So is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home All for settlements in Gaza?: Jews on Tel Aviv streets against massacre of Palestinians Thousands of Jews Friday, November 29, 2024 hit the streets in Tel Aviv protesting against the killing of Palestinians by the Israeli occupation forces Sunday December 1, 2024 1:48 AM , ummid.com News Network Tel Aviv: Thousands of Jews Friday, November 29, 2024 hit the streets in Tel Aviv protesting against the killing of Palestinians by the Israeli occupation forces. "We're thousands of Jews and Palestinians demonstrating against the war, and unmasking the truth about it. "All the killing, the destruction, the war crimes in Gaza - this is all for the sake of Israeli settlements in Gaza?" "Security?" "Self-defense?" "Settlements?" the demonstrators asked. Happening now in Tel Aviv: we're thousands of Jews & Palestinians demonstrating against the war & unmasking the truth about it: all the killing, the destruction, the war crimes in Gaza - this is all for the sake of Israeli settlements in Gaza. Security? Self-defense? Settlements. pic.twitter.com/k655Gfoc83 Alon-Lee Green - - - - (@AlonLeeGreen) November 28, 2024 "44,000 Palestinians killed. 1,700 Israelis killed. 101 hotages." "That's we are protesting against the deaths. All these deaths. All this bloodshed." "Its for settlements, to build settlements in Gaza, to cling to power." "We're here, thousands of Jews and Palestinians saying: "Enough. End the settlments and war. Stop killing innocents. stop the war crimes", the protesters are heard saying in a video. The protesters also slammed the killings of children in Gaza. "No more child deaths. No more destroying entire cities", the protesters said. "Israel on path of ethnic cleansing in Gaza" Meanwhile, Former Israeli Defense Minister and Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon Saturday (Nov 30, 2024) said that Israels leadership, driven by far-right elements who seek to resettle Gaza, was taking the country down a path of ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, while warning that Netanyahus government was leading the nation to destruction". The path we are being dragged down is one of occupation, annexation and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, Moshe Yaalon told Democrat TV. Transfer, call it what you want, and Jewish settlements, he said. While saying this, Yaalon was referring to the idea pushed by the Israeli far-right for population transfer and voluntary migration of Palestinians from Gaza, and the reestablishment of Jewish settlements in their place, though the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has repeatedly said such actions are not the goal of the war, nor are they on the agenda, according to The Times of Israel. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Are Syrians Children of Lesser God, and Parachinar of Superior God? Be it Parachinar or Syria, the conflict is taking human lives. Human lives cant be seen differently just because you dont belong to a particular sect or you dont support that sect Saturday November 30, 2024 8:17 PM , Raqif Makhdoomi [Its high time for us to speak up for Syria and hold Bashar Al Assad responsible in the same way we are holding Netanyahu.] Lebanon after being bombarded by Israel, finally has a ceasefire and people are returning back to their homes. Some will have to reconstruct their homes, while the lucky ones will only have to renovate their homes. While the dead ones shall never return and the wounds shall never heal. But according to some reports, Israel has violated the ceasefire and has fired rockets while people were moving back to their hometowns. The Ceasefire in Lebanon has triggered Shia Sunni debates on social media. The Sunnis are calling out Bashar al Assad. The anger is being vent out because of the role of Assad in killing the Sunni population in Sriya. Bashar Al Assad - the Ruler of Syria is accused of a genocide in Syria and of which no one is talking about. Assad till now has killed 600,000 of his own people, and has dropped upwards of 70,000 barrel of bombs. Surprisingly no one is speaking of the genocide in Syria that Assad is overseeing. I see no difference between him and Benjamin Netanyahu. Both are war criminals. And there must be a case against him at International Criminal Court (ICC) as well. Because people of Syria arent of lesser mother. Presently in City of Aleppo in Syria, having a population of 2.1 million people, has been taken over by the rebels. And Assad has reportedly ran to Russia. Unfortunately, the pulpits that are roaring and mourning for Parachinar are very much silent for the people of Sriya. I call this nothing but hypocrisy. Where there are videos coming out from Parachinar, in the same way videos from Syria are there in public domain. But the people mourning for Parachinar have sealed their lips for Syria. From pulpits to social media they have left no platform where they havent spoken for Parachinar but for them, Syria doesnt exist. The Syrian civil war is going on since 2011, and ever since then, each and every Human rights violation is happening in Syria, but they refuse to speak about it. The hypocrisy is real and heart breaking. The United Nations has taken time to time note of the violations in Syria but no action has been taken. Even a leader like Hassan Nasrallah , accepted to have taken part in the Syrian conflict and justified the killings in Syria calling them Islamic Extremists. It means, and ironically, Nasrallah also believed the way the U.S. and Israel would like the world to believe. Many may find this annoying, but why not speak about the people of Syria the same way we all are speaking about Parachinar? Even though the conflict is a land dispute and there is involvement of a Iranian backed group, who have been denied citizenship to those who were part of Iranian force in Syria. Why is the Iranian government not being brave and calling back Zainebiyoun and giving them citizenship and ending the conflict forever? The Conflict in Parachinar Parachinar is a city and the capital of the Kurram district in the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Parachinar is situated on the west of Peshawar, very close to the Paktia, Logar and Nangarhar provinces of Afghanistan. With a distance of 110 kilometers from the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul, Parachinar is the closest point in Pakistan to Kabul. The city is again in news for what is being called Genocide. According to Al-Jazeera, 42 people have been killed in Kurram and more than 30 injured in an attack which took place on a van on November 21, 2024. The dead include seven women and a 7-year-old girl. Parachinar has a history of attacks and deadly violence. But the current attack is being called Shia Genocide. Is it actually a genocide? I would say a big NO. Why? Its because a land dispute cant be called genocide. The systematic ignorance to Boshera village in Upper Kurram district, where an Iranian backed militant group called Zainebiyoun, is committing Sunni genocide and no one is speaking about it. This despite the fact that the Pakistani government has officially designating, the Iran-backed Shiite militant group the Zainebiyoun Brigade, as a terrorist organization. If I ask why. You wont have an answer nor do I. A bomb blast at a vegetable market in Parachinar, in the Kurram Valley back in January 2017 in which many were killed and many injured. This was also because of a land dispute. It has no religious angle. But for some ulterior motives its being given a religious color. WHY? It must be asked to those who are trying to call it a Shia-Sunni conflict. An incident took place just because of the same land dispute and it took about four dozen lives and 200 were left injured. One must also note that the Shias of Parachinar are those who fought in Syria as part of the Iranian army but still the government of Iran denied them citizenship, why??? My Opinion Be it Parachinar or Syria, the conflict is taking human lives. Human lives cant be seen differently just because you dont belong to a particular sect or you dont support that sect. Ignoring Syria and speaking about a land dispute and trying to make it a sectarian divide, makes no sense. Are the Syrian children of lesser god or water, not blood, flows in their veins? I would like to ask all those who have maintained a criminal silence on the issue of Sriya. I am seriously amazed. How a land dispute is being called a genocide and a genocide is being ignored? Whats happening in Israel, is happening in Sriya but both are being viewed differently just because of sectarian differences. Its high time for us to speak up for Syria and hold Assad responsible in the same way we are holding Netanyahu. [The writer, Raqif Makhdoomi is a student of Law, and a Human rights activist.] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. International Day of Solidarity with Palestinians observed on Black Friday On this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which coincided with Black Friday, demonstrations took place in a number of cities around the globe Sunday December 1, 2024 0:40 AM , Phil Pasquini As Black Friday descended on San Francisco today and Christmas shoppers invaded downtown stores for the beginning of the holiday shopping season, a group of human rights and anti-war activists from RACCOON (Radical Anti-Capitalist Collective of Outrageous Noise) and CODEPINK demonstrated to mourn the continuing deaths and suffering of the children of Gaza in Israels war. On this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, similar demonstrations took place in other cities around the globe. CODEPINK organizer Cynthia Papermaster said: This gathering is to mark this day and express our deep sorrow and anger that the genocide in Gaza is continuing despite the majority of people in the U.S. wanting it to stop and wanting the U.S. to stop sending weapons that are killing innocent children. Todays demonstration took place in front of the building housing the Israeli Consulate where activists created several memorials dedicated to the memory of children killed in Israels war during the past 13 months. One memorial contained 17 pairs of childrens shoes with each pair representing 500 children of the more than an estimated 16,750 killed thus far. Behind the shoe display, blocking the entry to the building were the names and ages of some of the children killed, written on white cloth ribbons placed over a blood red banner supported by a barricade. The banners were accompanied by signs reminding passersby that the childrens deaths were paid for with U.S. tax dollars, and horrifically that one child is killed in Gaza every ten minutes. Activists also called for the U.S. to enable aid to enter Gaza, enact an arms embargo on Israel, and restore funding to UNRWA. Sidewalk chalk art called for an end to the war, for the sanctioning of Israel, and an end to arms transfers along with the occupation. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta shows its concern for Palestine through various humanitarian and educational actions for Palestinians.#ums #palestina #muhammadiyah pic.twitter.com/K4cSUhH3b2 Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (@umsofficialid) November 29, 2024 Speakers called for Netanyahus arrest as a war criminal based on the warrant recently issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) . Activists also called for peace in the region for all people. Speaking to the crowd, Steve Zeltzer, a union labor news and radio journalist, remarked on how the AFL-CIO and national unions around the world have been opposed to a boycott on shipping arms to Israel. This, even though longshoremen at many ports have refused to load arms destined to be used in the war on Gaza. One speaker, Leslie Angeline, who was in her 11th day of a solidarity hunger strike, spoke of her distress regarding the killings, destruction and starvation inflicted by Israel against the residents in Gaza. Angeline joined the hunger strike started on November 1st by the Free Youth Movement in Amman, Jordan, that has now gained global momentum with members of Veterans for Peace in Washington, DC, Doctors Against Genocide in New York and one woman who has been present outside of the White House. Angeline welcomed the arrest warrant by the ICC of Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and said that a warrant should be issued for Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for their part in the ongoing genocide. Accompanying the action, activists from RACCOON created lots of loud noise that echoed through the canyons of the Financial District bringing attention to the memorial while cars passing by used their horns to support and encourage those assembled. Report by Phil Pasquini 2024 nuzeink all rights reserved worldwide [International Day of Solidarity with Palestine, observed on November 29, commemorates the passing of UN resolution 181 in 1947. The resolution recommended the creation of independent Arab and Jewish States and a Special International Regime for the city of Jerusalem. The Palestinians have been betrayed. Except for the title, the article is published in its original.] Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. A former Chinese student in a Chicago college, who was previously convicted of espionage-related charges in the US, is now back in his homeland. The student, Ji Chaoqun, has been serving an eight-year prison sentence for providing sensitive background information on eight American citizens who are defense contractors to Chinese intelligence officials. With the recent prisoner exchange deal, China released three Americans who have been held in China for years. While Ji, along with another convicted Chinese spy, Yanjun Xu, was swapped for the Americans in a trade worked out by the White House, according to ABC 7 Chicago. Chinese Spy from Illinois Tech Swapped in Prisoner Exchange Deal of US and China In 2013, Ji set foot in the United States on a student visa. From there, he attended the Illinois Institute of Technology and enrolled in a college program for electrical engineering. Turns out, he was secretly working for China as an unregistered agent, leading to his espionage charges. His handler, Xu, was convicted of stealing trade secrets from GE Aviation and had been imprisoned for 20 years of espionage. The three other Americans detained in the crackdown were exchanged: Mark Swidan, Kai Lee, and John Leung, who all received very harsh sentences for convictions on phony charges related to possession of heroin or spying against China. The swap caught Ji's defense attorney, Damon Cheronis, off guard. He had scheduled a meeting with Ji at the federal prison in Indiana just days ago. However, the surprise motion filed by prosecutors on Wednesday revealed that Ji was being released from US custody. Cheronis said such diplomatic exchanges are common between countries and is relieved that the American detainees are reunited with their families just before Thanksgiving. Reuters reported that the US State Department had previously characterized the three Americans as wrongfully detained. But this swap is a diplomatic bargain, set against the backdrop of the State Department relaxing its travel advisory against Americans visiting China. The new advice now cautions for increased caution rather than warning of the risk of wrongful detention. The released Americans were eagerly welcomed back by their families as they were due to arrive in San Antonio, Texas. A new Oxford University chancellor has been elected recently, months after the controversial exit of its former Vice-Chancellor. The 800-year old title is now passed on to William Hague, who previously led the Conservative Party in the UK. He was elected through an online vote conducted by staff and alumni of the prestigious university. Hague will take over Chris Patten, who took the position in 2003 and was the last British governor of Hong Kong. Both are considered politically powerful by looking at their political parties before their seat. For now, Patten is still the Oxford Chancellor as Hague will formally assume the position next year to start his 10-year term. Oxford University Chancellor Title According to US News, the chancellor position at Oxford University is more than just a title. It was the earliest role, dating to the 13th century, in the history of universities. Hague's appointment is important not only due to his strong political background, but because of the respect he earned from Oxford's staff and alumni, defeating other high-profile contenders like Peter Mandelson and Elish Angiolini. His election highlights the trust the university community places in his leadership. To add to his credentials, Hague himself is an Oxford graduate and began his political career at the university and later became the leader of the Conservative Party at just 36 years old. Hague expressed deep gratitude, calling this role "the greatest honor of my life." Hague underlined the importance for Oxford's future: that what happens in the coming decade will be crucial for success in the UK. As an upcoming new chancellor of Oxford University, Hague will now assume a ceremonial role, which means he will be responsible for overseeing major events, including graduation ceremonies and will also assist in the election of the vice-chancellor who is in charge of daily university operations. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Nov, 2024) Consul General of Pakistan in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Khalid Majid on Saturday highlighted the significance of Pakistan-Saudi strong bilateral relations and recent economic developments. He expressed the hope that 2nd Investment Opportunities Summit and Smart Expo would play a significant role in further strengthening the cause. He was addressing the inaugural session of 2nd Investment Opportunities Summit and Smart Expo as keynote speaker in Jeddah, a press release said. The event was organized by Pakistan Association of Exhibition Industry. A large number of Saudi and Pakistani business community members attended the event and visited stalls of various Pakistani companies promoting medical tourism, education, real estate and hospitality industry. The consul general said that presence of 2.7 million Pakistani diaspora in the Kingdom was a true reflection of the strong bond that had been maintained and nurtured by both the nations throughout these years. Around 1.7 million Pakistani workers travelled to Saudi Arabia in the last five years, making it the top destination for Pakistani emigrants, he added. Today, the consul general said Saudi Arabia hosted one of the largest expatriate communities of Pakistanis outside of Pakistan and the invaluable work done by Pakistani workforce was one of the defining factors in Pak-Saudi economic cooperation. Khalid Majid shared that Consulate General of Pakistan has recently, established and operationalized Pakistan Investor Forum as an apex body in Jeddah. The forum was expected to vouch for interests of Pakistani investors and develop linkages with Saudi business communities. According to the data of General Statistics of Saudi Arabia, there was 22% growth in Pakistani exports to Saudi Arabia, he said, adding the positive trend was a collective effort of their businessmen and investors to enhance their share in Saudi market, and it must be retained. The consul general further said that recent visit of 130 members Saudi business delegation to Islamabad was a promising sign of the unwavering diplomatic and trade ties between the two countries. The delegations signing of 27 MOUs in various sectors showed the mutual business interest of both countries, he added. The consul general highlighted that Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) of Pakistan, a key forum in business and investment matters, accorded highest level of priority to all investors, especially from Saudi Arabia and was fully committed to providing a secure environment to all investors. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Nov, 2024) The Bhara Kahu Circle Homicide Investigation Unit (HIU) arrested a suspect, Aamir Shah, on Saturday in connection with the blind murder of Muhammad Amjad, a driver associated with the ride-hailing service Bykea. A police spokesperson told APP that the incident occurred on October 11, 2024, when Muhammad Amjad left his home in Qasimabad, Rawalpindi, around 3 p.m. for work. Worried about his long absence, his family filed a missing person report. Later, his body was found near Abu Turab Mosque in a stormwater drain area of Bhara Kahu. Muhammad Riaz, the maternal uncle of Amjad's wife, reported to the police that Amjad supported his family by working as a ride-hailing driver. He stated that Amjads motorcycle and mobile phone were missing, and unknown assailants had killed him for reasons yet to be determined. "We seek justice for Amjad and the recovery of his stolen belongings," Riaz demanded. The police promptly registered an FIR upon receiving the complaint and initiated an investigation. Officers, including ASI Mukhtar Jafri, reached the crime scene and transported the body to Polyclinic Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The initial investigation revealed a deep wound below the chest, inflicted by a sharp weapon. DIG Syed Ali Raza took immediate notice of the case and directed swift action. The police employed advanced forensic and technical methods, leading to the arrest of Aamir Shah, who later confessed to killing Amjad during a robbery. The suspect fled with the victims motorcycle and mobile phone, both of which remain under recovery efforts as the investigation continues. Inspector General of Islamabad Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and DIG Ali Raza commended the police team for apprehending the suspect. The suspect will be challaned in court based on solid evidence to ensure he receives the deserved punishment. The victims family expressed hope for a fair trial and swift justice. /APP-rzr-mkz PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Nov, 2024) The spectacular 15th Vintage and Classic Car Show attracted a large number of visitors and enthusiasts of old automobiles held at the Peshawar Services Club on Saturday. The event was organized by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) in collaboration with Classic Land Rover. The event saw the participation of vintage car enthusiasts from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar and other cities who brought their prized vehicles to showcase at the exhibition. The exhibition was attended by KPCTA Director General Tashfeen Haider as the Chief Guest while Asim Durrani from Classic Land Rover, KPCTA Events Manager Haseena Shaukat and other prominent personalities were present. A large number of visitors including families, fans and enthusiasts of vintage and classic cars turned up to the venue to enjoy the show, traditional Khattak dance and the rubab music. The car show featured a wide variety of classic and vintage cars, including Mercedes, Jaguar, Ford, Chevrolet, Mini, VW, Land Rover, Mustang, Porsche, vintage Vespa motorcycles, and other iconic vehicles from 1935 to 1980. The participants and visitors praised the organizers for arranging the thrilling event in Peshawar. The female participants also enjoyed the traditional rubab music and Khatak dance performances. After the exhibition, the participants would leave for Swabi where they would join the 12th Indus River Cross Jeep Race at the historic Hund point in Swabi at the Indus River and afterwards these vintage vehicles would travel from Swabi through Faisalabad, Rahimyar Khan, Moro, the Thar desert, and finally reach Karachi. Pristina, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Nov, 2024) Kosovo stepped up security measures around "critical" infrastructure Saturday after an explosion at a key canal feeding two of its main power plants, as neighbouring Serbia rejected accusations it had staged the blast. The explosion occurred Friday near the town of Zubin Potok in a Serb-dominated area in Kosovo's troubled north, damaging the canal supplying water to cooling systems at two coal-fired power plants that generate most of Kosovo's electricity. Prime Minister Albin Kurti called a security meeting late Friday, saying: "This is a criminal and terrorist attack aimed at damaging our critical infrastructure". "The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed by Serbia," he added without providing any evidence. The government later issued a statement echoing his allegations, saying that "initial indications suggest" the explosion had been "orchestrated by the Serbian state, which has the capacity to carry out such a criminal and terrorist attack". Kosovo also "approved additional measures to strengthen security around essential infrastructure and services, such as bridges, transformers" and other sites, it said. Serbia slapped back Saturday condemning the attack, while calling the accusation "premature" and "baseless". "Such destructive actions are unacceptable and threaten the fragile stability we are striving to maintain," Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said on X. "Serbia unequivocally demands responsibility for the perpetrators of this reckless attack," he added, while suggesting the Kosovar "regime" could be behind the blast and calling for an internationally-led investigation. The main political party representing Serbs in Kosovo, Serb List, also condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms". Pictures from the scene published by local media showed water leaking heavily from one side of the reinforced canal, which runs from the Serb-majority north of Kosovo to the capital Pristina and also supplies drinking water. However, electricity suppplies to consumers were running smoothly on Saturday morning, with authorities having found an alternative method to cooling the plants, Kosovo's Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli said. Repair work was ongoing, authorities said. (@FahadShabbir) London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Nov, 2024) London will become the first of the four main fashion weeks to ban brands featuring exotic animal skins, the British Fashion Council said on Friday. "We will not showcase any brands featuring real fur or exotic skins in their collections and ask designers to agree to these conditions as part of their application to appear at London Fashion Week," it said. London fashion week has been fur-free since 2018 but until now designers have been free to use the skins of animals such as snakes, crocodiles and alligators in their collections. It was not known if the other main fashion weeks -- Paris, New York and Milan -- would follow suit. The council said the next issue it had to consider was the use of feathers. It said it was "actively engaging with designers and the wider fashion community to discuss our approach to feathers on the catwalk". Copenhagen fashion week said earlier this year it would ban feathers from its shows from next year. Ostrich feathers are the ones most commonly used. Copenhagen has already banned exotic skins. Chinese foreign minister holds talks with Nepalese counterpart Xinhua) 10:11, November 30, 2024 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Nepalese Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Kun) CHENGDU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Nepalese Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu on Friday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the two sides have made joint efforts to promote cooperation on all fronts, make progress under the Belt and Road Initiative, and advance the building of the trans-Himalayan multi-dimensional connectivity network. China is ready to work with Nepal to embrace new prospects for the development of China-Nepal relations by taking the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties next year, he said. Arzu Rana Deuba said Nepal firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and will never allow other forces to make use of Nepal's territory to engage in any activities that oppose China and harm China's interests. The Nepalese foreign minister said that Nepal appreciates the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity, and is willing to participate in the Global Development Initiative. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) Palm Beach, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Nov, 2024) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to Florida on Friday for a dinner with Donald Trump at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago estate, as the incoming US leader promised tariffs on Canadian imports. The unannounced meeting came at the end of a week that has seen Canada as well as Mexico scramble to blunt the impact of Trump's trade threats, which experts have warned could also hit US consumers hard. A smiling Trudeau was seen exiting a hotel in West Palm Beach before arriving at Mar-a-Lago, making him the latest high-profile guest of Trump, whose impending second term -- which starts in January -- is already overshadowing the last few months of President Joe Biden's administration. Flight trackers had first spotted a jet broadcasting the prime minister's callsign making its way to the southern US state. A Canadian government source later told AFP that the two leaders were dining together. Trump caused panic among some of the biggest US trading partners on Monday when he said he would impose tariffs of 25 percent on Mexican and Canadian imports and 10 percent on goods from China. He accused the countries of not doing enough to halt the "invasion" of the United States by drugs, "in particular fentanyl," and undocumented migrants. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke with Trump by phone on Wednesday, though the two leaders' accounts of the conversation differed drastically. Trump claimed that Mexico's left-wing president had "agreed to stop migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border." Sheinbaum later said she had discussed US-supported anti-migration policies that have long been in place in Mexico. She said that after that, the talks had no longer revolved around the threat of tariff hikes, downplaying the risk of a trade war. - Billions in trade - Biden warned that same day that Trump's tariff threats could "screw up" Washington's relationships with Ottawa and Mexico City. "I think it's a counterproductive thing to do," Biden told reporters. Trudeau did not respond to questions from the media as he returned to his hotel Friday evening after meeting with Trump. But for Canada, the stakes of any new tariffs are high. More than three-quarters of Canadian exports, or Can$592.7 billion ($423 billion), went to the United States last year, and nearly two million Canadian jobs are dependent on trade. A Canadian government source told AFP that Canada is considering possible retaliatory tariffs against the United States. Some have suggested Trump's tariff threat may be bluster, or an opening salvo in future trade negotiations. But Trudeau rejected those views when he spoke with reporters earlier in Prince Edward Island province. "Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out," Trudeau said. "There's no question about it." According to the website Flightradar, the Canadian leader's plane landed at Palm Beach International Airport late Friday afternoon. Canadian public broadcaster CBC said that Trudeau's public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, was accompanying him on the trip. The U.S. ratings agency Moody's downgraded its outlook for Hungary's government debt Friday citing "institutional and governance weaknesses" and concerns its antagonistic relationship with the EU could have financial consequences. Hungary is a recipient of substantial amounts of funding from the European Union, which are conditional on meeting certain criteria, including adherence to the rule of law. The country's nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban, has clashed with Brussels on a range of issues in recent years, some of which could see it lose out on those EU funds, Moody's indicated in a note explaining its decision. "Our decision to change the outlook to negative (from stable) reflects downside risks related to the quality of Hungary's institutions and governance," Moody's analysts wrote in a note explaining their decision. What that means, they said, is that Hungary could ultimately lose out on a "substantial" amount of EU money "because it does not meet the conditions for the release of these funds." "In turn, this could lower trend GDP growth and weaken fiscal and debt metrics," they added. In the same note, Moody's affirmed Hungary's investment grade foreign- and local-currency credit rating of Baa2. Moody's said that the total EU funds allocated to Hungary were equivalent to around 3.4% of economic output per year. Given the ongoing "difficult negotiations" between Hungary and the EU, Moody's noted there were "elevated risks that Hungary will miss out on a substantial amount" of some of that funding. Georgia on Saturday said authorities arrested 107 people during a second day of protests sparked by the government's decision to delay European Union membership talks. The Black Sea nation has been rocked by turmoil since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in an October 26 parliamentary election that the pro-EU opposition said was fraudulent. The Interior Ministry said 107 people were detained for "disobedience to lawful police orders and petty hooliganism." "Throughout the night ... protesters threw various objects, including stones, pyrotechnics, glass bottles and metal items, at law enforcement officers," it said, adding that "10 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were injured." The ministry earlier said 32 police officers were wounded and 43 protestors detained on Thursday. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's statement Thursday that Georgia will not seek to open accession talks with the European Union until 2028 ignited a furious reaction from the opposition and two days of protests. He later accused the opposition and the EU ambassador to Georgia of distorting his words. He insisted membership in the bloc "by 2030" remains his "top priority." 'Resistance movement' On Friday, AFP reporters saw riot police fire water cannons and tear gas at pro-EU protesters gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi, who tossed eggs and fireworks. Clashes broke out later between protesters and police, who moved in to clear the area outside parliament, beating demonstrators, some of whom threw objects. Independent TV station Pirveli said one of its journalists was hospitalized with serious injuries. Protests were also held in other cities across Georgia on Friday, independent TV station Mtavari reported. Pro-Western opposition parties are boycotting the new parliament, while President Salome Zurabishvili has sought to annul the election results through the country's constitutional court. In a televised address to the nation on Friday evening, the pro-Western president who is at loggerheads with the ruling party said: "The resistance movement has begun. ... I stand in solidarity with it. We will remain united until Georgia achieves its goals: to return to its European path, secure new elections." 'Brutal repression' After the October vote, a group of Georgia's leading election monitors said they had evidence of a complex scheme of large-scale electoral fraud. Brussels has demanded an investigation into what it said were "serious irregularities" reported by election monitors. Georgian Dream MPs voted unanimously Thursday for Kobakhidze to continue as prime minister, even as the opposition boycotted parliament, which faces a serious legitimacy crisis. "Police actions in Tbilisi mark another punitive attack on the right to peaceful assembly," said Amnesty International. France, Britain, Ukraine, Poland, Sweden and Lithuania were among the countries to voice concern. The Council of Europe condemned what it described as "brutal repression," urging Georgia to remain "faithful to European values." In recent years, critics accused Georgian Dream in power for more than a decade of moving the country away from Europe and closer to Russia. Kosovo's Interior minister Xhelal Svecla said Saturday that police had arrested eight people after an explosion hit a canal that sends water to its two main power plants, an incident Pristina labeled a "terrorist act" by neighboring Serbia. "Somehow we managed to fix the damage, arrest the suspects and confiscate a huge arsenal of weapons," Svecla said during a live-streamed news conference. Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic denied what he said were "baseless accusations" about Belgrade's involvement in the incident, which occurred Friday around 7 p.m. (1800 GMT). Police commander Gazmend Hoxha said those arrested are suspected of inciting, organizing and even executing these recent terrorist acts and in particular the one in the canal of Iber Lepenc. Hoxha said an initial investigation had shown that between 15 and 20 kilos of explosives were used in the attack. Police raided 10 locations, confiscating more than 200 military uniforms, six shoulder-fired rocket launchers, long weapons, pistols and ammunition, he said. Police said most of the people arrested belong to the local Serb organization Civilna Zastita (Civil Protection), which the government in Kosovo has declared as a terrorist organization. Reuters was unable to contact the group. Tensions with Serbia The explosion has increased tensions between the two Balkan countries. Ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising against its rule, but Serbia has not recognized Kosovo as an independent state. Relations remain especially frayed in the north of the country where the blast occurred, and where the Serb minority refuses to recognize Kosovo's statehood and still sees Belgrade as their capital. Kosovo's Security Council, which held emergency talks early Saturday, said it had activated armed forces to prevent similar attacks. Security was already heightened after two recent attacks where hand grenades were hurled at a police station and municipality building in northern Kosovo where ethnic Serbians live. "The Security Council has approved additional measures to strengthen security around critical facilities and services such as bridges, transformer stations, antennas, lakes, canals," the council said in a statement Saturday. NATO, which has maintained a peacekeeping force in Kosovo since 1999, condemned the attack in a statement Saturday. Its personnel have provided security to the canal and the surrounding area since the blast, it said. A Reuters reporter visited the site Saturday, where silt had poured through a hole in the canal's concrete wall. Workers had installed a series of large tubes to bypass the leak. Power supplies appeared to be largely intact, but the drinking water supply was disrupted in some areas. Energy minister Artane Rizvanolli said Kosovo was coordinating with Albania's power company to provide more electricity. She said water will be trucked to affected areas. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks productive but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders' hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of "an excellent conversation." Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed "many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address." Among the issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the "Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration," fair trade deals "that do not jeopardize American Workers" and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made "a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation" of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, "will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic." The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican's social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to an official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trudeau's office said in a statement that the leaders "shared a productive wide-ranging discussion" centering on "collaboration and strengthening our relationship," adding, "As Canada's closest friend and ally, the United States is our key partner, and we are committed to working together in the interests of Canadians and Americans." Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau "weak" and "dishonest," but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the November 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking," said Daniel Beland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau said Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. "It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There's no question about it," Trudeau said. "Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business," he said. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump's team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a win for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $2.7 billion worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada's exports go to the U.S. With less than a month to go until Christmas, Santa Claus is busy preparing, but the warming climate and lack of snow in his Arctic hometown have him worried. By this time of year, the town of Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland marketed by tourism officials since the 1980s as the "real" home of Santa Claus should be white and pretty. But on a recent visit, rain poured down from a gloomy slate sky and the temperature was well above freezing, with the thermometer showing +2 degrees Celsius (35.6 degrees Fahrenheit). "My reindeer can fly, so that's no problem," said the man in the red suit and long white beard, resting his weary legs after a long day of meeting excited children and adults. But "we can see that climate change is real. And it's affecting the reindeer. It's affecting life here in the Arctic," added the man, whose employers declined to identify him by his real name. Herders say milder and more unpredictable winters have left reindeer struggling to dig up their main food, lichen. Snow and ice have melted and refrozen, burying it under layers of packed ice. The Arctic is warming faster than other parts of the world due to climate change nearly four times as fast, according to research published by Finland-based scientists in the journal Nature in 2022. Warming global temperatures, driven by humans burning fossil fuels, have been aggravating weather disasters such as floods and droughts worldwide in recent years. In Finnish Lapland, after a historically warm summer, a new November temperature record was set a few weeks ago when 11.1 C (51.98 F) was measured in the town of Utsjoki, breaking the previous record of 11.0 C (51.8 F) from 1975. Tourism boom Tourists flock to Rovaniemi from around the world to see its enchanting snowy landscapes and experience the Arctic cold. With only a few hours of daylight this time of the year, many also hope to see the spectacular colors of the Northern Lights streaking across the dark skies. Last year, the town registered a record high of more than one million overnight stays. Visitors looking to get a glimpse of Santa can meet the man himself at different locations in Rovaniemi, including the Santa Park underground theme park and the nearby Santa Claus Village. "It's super nice. It's like in the Christmas movies, super magical," said Maria Batista Torres from Tenerife in Spain, visiting the Santa Claus Village with her two young children. Glittering fairy lights illuminate rooftops and trees in the Santa Claus Village, which is open all year round. "I figured it would be much more snowy," however, said Wenguel, a visitor from the United States. "I mean, it still feels like Christmas ... but I figured it would be a little bit more Santa-like." In addition to meeting Santa Claus, visitors can pay to go snowmobiling or jump on a reindeer sleigh ride. While visiting Santa Claus Village is free, a picture taken with Santa costs a minimum of 40 euros ($42). Wishing for peace Gloomy skies aside, Santa Claus's Post Office in Santa Claus Village was bustling with activity, as red-hooded elves busily stamped cards and sorted piles of letters in the Christmas rush. "In December there can be about 30,000 letters each day," said postal elf Heidi Mustonen, who has worked here for 20 years. Over half a million letters to Santa find their way here every year, Heidi said, insisting that every letter gets opened and read thoroughly. Most of the letters were wish lists, but both children and adults also wrote to tell Santa about their personal concerns, fears, wishes and joys, with many of the envelopes containing drawings and small gifts. "This year many people have wished for peace," Heidi said. Most letters sent from Asian countries were written by young adults, with many wishing for strength to cope with their studies, she said. Letters from European countries were mostly written by children. Heidi said she loved the warm and happy atmosphere in Santa's village, but did wish for snowfall to brighten up the landscape. "We would make snow everywhere if we could. But we are just postal elves." U.S. President Joe Biden will make his first presidential trip to Africa next week, visiting Angola and making a stop in the island nation of Cabo Verde, a top White House official told VOA. Biden's visit will center around the Lobito Corridor, a 1,300-kilometer rail line that brings resources from the continents rich interior to Angolas busiest port. VOAs Philip Alexiou spoke exclusively with Frances Brown, senior director for African affairs at the National Security Council. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. VOA: How is the president feeling about this trip and what does he want to accomplish? Frances Brown, White House director for African affairs: He is excited and really looking forward to the trip. The president often talks about how it's impossible to meet today's global challenges without African leadership and African partnership, and we really see Angola as exhibit A. We are working with Angola on a few really important things. One is bolstering peace and security in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Another is growing economic opportunities in the region. A third is technological and scientific cooperation. VOA: What are the deliverables? Are they going to be substantial? Brown: You will see a lot of announcements and deliverables on the Lobito Corridor. Already the U.S. has mobilized billions of dollars toward the corridor. I think you can expect the president to engage with various components of that infrastructure effort. I think you can expect to hear more as well on the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which recently signed a compact in Zambia. And I think you'll hear a lot of new deliverables on global health security, on agribusiness, on new forms of security sector cooperation. VOA: With so many moving parts in these efforts, what level of transparency can the U.S. ensure? What kind of accountability can it offer the people in the region? Brown: This is something that's really important to the president. The Lobito Corridor is about investment, it's about infrastructure, but it's also about ensuring that it benefits communities more broadly. It's part of the broader initiative, the Partnership on Global Investment and Infrastructure, that the president has laid out. And this is really signaling how under President Biden's administration, we've gone from an aid-driven model on engagement with Africa to an investment-driven model, and how we're thinking creatively about how to demonstrate that value proposition. When we think about the Lobito Corridor, it's all about sustainable economic development; it's all about a transparent contracting process. It's about ensuring that it boosts regional trade, that it creates quality jobs and improves lives. VOA: Is President Biden going to bring up human rights issues with Angolan President Joao Lorenzo? Brown: President Biden never shies away from talking about democracy and human rights issues with counterparts. And I think that's pretty consistent with the way he's been throughout his long career in public service. VOA: Focusing now on Sudan, President Biden has called for peace. Its one of the worst crises that we've seen in a long time. The U.N. is saying it's a neglected and ignored crisis, the worst humanitarian situation in recent history. Does the administration see it that way? And what can be done? Brown: President Biden has been really outspoken on Sudan. You might have seen in his big speech at the U.N. General Assembly, he talked about the level of suffering in Sudan. He talked about how it was essential that the generals silence the guns and that we avert a wider famine. He's also been pretty forthright on calling for those who are obstructing humanitarian assistance to let that aid in. He's also talked about outside actors being an important part of this equation. This month, every member of the Security Council at the U.N., except for Russia, voted in favor of a resolution that would have further called for humanitarian assistance, protections for civilians and an end to the violence. The president has instructed his team to work this hard. Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken, in the last couple of weeks, has continued to engage regional states and other actors to press for unhindered humanitarian access. VOA: Moving on to the Sahel, a number of Francophone countries are forming new regional blocs, shifting away from the West and sort of aligning themselves with Russian mercenaries, the Wagner Group, and groups of this nature. How concerning is this to the administration? Brown: Even though there have been those changes that you've mentioned in the Sahelian states particularly Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali other West African partners, including those along the coast, have been really clear to us that they want the durability and longevity of U.S. security engagement in the region. So, we continue to work very closely on that. I'd also say more broadly that President Biden has made it really clear that he thinks it's important we continue to engage particularly with democratic partners. And on this trip that is forthcoming, the president will be stopping as well in West Africa, in Cabo Verde, which is a key democratic partner on the continent. VOA: Is there anything that the U.S. can do to counter extremism on the continent, especially since U.S. influence has been sort of downgraded since they've had to leave Niger? Brown: Its worth remembering that we don't have a military footprint in the majority of countries on the continent. And that's been the case always. We make security arrangements with host countries, with partners based on specific shared interests. And through the administration, we've worked to foster mutually beneficial security partnerships by working by, with and through African partners. So that's how we see those collaborations. VOA: Finally, the continent is very young the median age around 19 years old. And its leaders are really old. How does the U.S. leadership deal with that? Brown: Youre absolutely right. It is an extremely young continent, and it is the future. President Biden often talks about how by 2050, one in four humans on Earth will be from Africa. So that's very much guiding President Biden's engagement with the continent. I think the way the administration takes that forward is by thinking about how no challenge that we're trying to solve globally, we can solve without African partnership and African leadership. That's why we've championed African voices at the U.N. Security Council, on the boards of the international financial institutions, at the G20 we successfully got the African Union seat there. So, I think from the administration's perspective, just continuing to elevate and champion African voices so they can be part of shaping the future is how we think that's best approached. VOA: What does the president want to leave behind when he departs the continent and he winds down as president? Brown: I think the president wants to leave, first, the recognition of U.S. leadership and partnership, particularly on trade, investment and a new approach to the continent that's not defined by assistance, but instead by investment and partnership. I think he wants to leave behind his recognition that African leadership for solving some of these challenges is essential, and that's why he'll be amplifying Angola's role mediating in the Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere. And I think he wants to convey the remarkable evolution of the U.S.-Angolan partnership, which is in many ways the story of the remarkable evolution of the U.S.-African relationship over many centuries. New data released Wednesday from a Chinese government-affiliated research firm showed sales of foreign-branded smartphones, including Apples iPhone, fell 44.25% year-on-year in China in October, while overall phone sales in China have increased 1.8%, Reuters reported. The data released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology revealed sales of foreign-branded phones in China decreased to 6.22 million units last month, down from 11.149 million units a year earlier. The decrease of foreign phone sales comes in the wake of Chinese tech conglomerate Huaweis rise to the top of the phone market in China. Huawei was widely popular in Chinas smartphone market last year when it released the Mate 60 Pro, a phone with a tiny computer chip more advanced than any other chip previously made by a Chinese company. Chinese consumers have eagerly embraced Huawei's smartphones, drawn to the appeal of locally made technology an option that has swayed many who might have previously chosen iPhones. On Tuesday, the Chinese phone maker launched the next generation of the Mate 60 Pro, the Mate 70 series. The smartphone was described by Huaweis consumer group chairman Richard Yu as the smartest Mate phone, The New York Times reported. The Mate 70 series features hardware and software that are the most independent from Western influence to date. Highlights of Huaweis newest phone include artificial intelligence-enabled functions and improved photography. The phone uses an operating system of HarmonyOS, which allows the smartphones to connect with smart devices. Huaweis ability to self-supply the chips required for its hardware and software represents a notable development, following previous U.S. measures to restrict the companys access to key partners and suppliers. AI technology relies on advanced semiconductor chips, a critical resource that has received attention amid tensions between Beijing and Washington, as both countries compete to dominate the advanced technology industry. Apples iPhone 16 features AI capabilities, but these features have yet to be implemented in iPhones in China. Apple, which considers China its second-most important market, has seen its market share decrease substantially. Apple CEO Tim Cook is traveling to China this week for the third time this year to attend an industry conference. A Voice of America team visited Rocinha, Brazil's most populated favela, in an attempt to show visitors from around the world a different side of the famous hillside neighborhood, which is openly controlled by an armed group. See the full story here. Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlos founder, Tadashi Yanai, told the BBC in an exclusive interview that the company "does not use Xinjiang cotton," which is produced through forced labor. The statement quickly sparked a backlash among Chinese netizens on Friday, many of whom pledged to boycott the brand, following a similar movement against companies like H&M in 2021. See the full story here. Thousands of demonstrators protesting the Georgian government's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union rallied outside the parliament and clashed with police for a second straight night Friday. The night before, police used water cannons, pepper spray and tear gas to disperse protesters who took to the streets of Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream party announced the suspension. The interior ministry said it detained 43 people during the protests. On Friday evening, protesters again swarmed the parliament, with some trying to break the metal gates to the building. Riot police used water cannons to push them away from the building and later moved to force them farther back along Rustaveli Avenue, the city's main boulevard. Some of the protesters used garbage bins and benches to try to build barricades. Clashes between police and protesters also erupted late Friday in the Black Sea port of Batumi. Georgian Dream's disputed victory in the October 26 election, which was widely seen as a referendum on the country's aspirations to join the European Union, has sparked massive demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of the parliament. The opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia, which seeks to keep Georgia in its orbit. President Salome Zourabichvili joined protesters Thursday after accusing the government of declaring "war" on its own people. In Friday's address to the nation, Zourabichvili urged police not to use force against protesters. The Georgian president, who has a largely ceremonial role, has declared that the ruling party rigged the election with the help of Russia, Georgia's former imperial master. The government's announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that condemned last month's vote as neither free nor fair, representing yet another manifestation of the continued democratic backsliding "for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible." European election observers said October's vote took place in a divisive atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence. The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on the condition that it meet the bloc's recommendations but put its accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after the passage of a "foreign influence" law widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms. EU lawmakers urged for a rerun of the parliamentary vote within a year under thorough international supervision and by an independent election administration. They also called on the EU to impose sanctions and limit formal contacts with the Georgian government. The Georgian prime minister fired back, denouncing what he described as a "cascade of insults" from the EU politicians and declaring that "the ill-wishers of our country have turned the European Parliament into a blunt weapon of blackmail against Georgia, which is a great disgrace for the European Union." "We will continue on our path toward the European Union; however, we will not allow anyone to keep us in a constant state of blackmail and manipulation, which is utterly disrespectful to our country and society," Kobakhidze said. "We must clearly show certain European politicians and bureaucrats, who are completely devoid of European values, that they must speak to Georgia with dignity, not through blackmail and insults." Kobakhidze also said Georgia would reject any budgetary grants from the EU until the end of 2028. Critics have accused Georgian Dream established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws like those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights. The EU suspended Georgia's membership application process indefinitely in June, after parliament passed a law requiring organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as "pursuing the interest of a foreign power," similar to a Russian law used to discredit organizations critical of the government. Ghana's LGBTQ+ community faces an impossible choice in next month's general elections after the leading presidential candidates all promised to crack down on gay rights to tap into widespread anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the country. One of the first tasks the winner of the December 7 vote may face is to sign into law or veto a bill parliament passed earlier this year that includes jail time for anyone identifying as LGBTQ+. The Supreme Court is due to rule on the bill's constitutionality on December 18 after weighing legal challenges against it. The ruling party candidate, Mahamudu Bawumia, has repeatedly vowed to sign the bill. While his main challenger, former president John Dramani Mahama, has not explicitly said whether he will approve it, he has argued that Ghana must strengthen laws against LGBTQ+ activities and persons, accusing the West of promoting homosexuality in the West African nation. "These are people who are actually supposed to protect me. My vote and the rest of the community's will put them in a position of leadership," Abena told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "I feel like I do not belong." Ghana already criminalizes gay sex, but the proposed law broadens what counts as illegal activity and increases penalties, which human rights groups say will worsen the persecution of sexual and gender minorities. The bill stipulates up to five years in prison for same-sex activities, allows for the prosecution of those who identify as non-binary and punishes advocacy work, including funding programs for sexual minorities. It also includes prison terms for friends, family members and property owners who fail to report anyone perceived or identified as LGBTQ+. "The bill seeks to divide me and my family," Abena said. "Anybody who knows (my identity)within the family and does not report (me and)someone else does ... could also go to jail." 'Public psyche' The long-running debate around the bill, first introduced in 2021, has exacerbated already prevalent anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes in the religiously conservative country. An Afrobarometer survey published in 2021showed just 7% of the public in Ghana expresses tolerance for same-sex relationships. In October, religious groups took to the streets to ask for the immediate passage of the bill. Church leaders have called same-sex acts "immoral" and against "Christianity, the Ghanaian tradition and culture." "Even though it has not become law, it has seeped into the psyche of the public, which is basically homophobic, in the sense that they want the passage of the bill, and there have been increases in the level of attacks and intimidation against LGBTQ persons," said Michael Akagbor, the senior officer on human rights at the Centre for Democracy and Development Ghana. Akagbor also said the contest between political parties vying for the most anti-LGBTQ+ label had come to a draw, effectively making it a "non-election issue." But other advocates warn that LGBTQ+ individuals risk increased attacks in an already hostile environment and they and their supporters could face greater discrimination if the law passes. The law's provision criminalizing friends and family who do not report on their loved ones "has already forced many LGBTQ individuals into hiding(and)led to loss of employment, housing and even educational opportunities," said Hans Burinyuy, director of communications at LGBT+ Rights Ghana. "If the bill becomes law, professional options for openly LGBTQ-friendly educators and advocates like me may narrow, especially if more institutions adopt rigid stances in response," Burinyuy told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "For me, maintaining personal safety has now involved more caution regarding who I interact with and what information I disclose," he said. International response The European Union called the passage of the bill in February "profoundly disturbing," pointing out that it violated Ghana's constitution and its international human rights commitments. "There is also the issue of losing the donor funding if the country goes on with the bill, and that has already been communicated by the Ministry of Finance to the Ghanaian populace," said Akagbor. The Supreme Court is considering legal petitions that parliament failed to comply with procedural issues when passing the bill, including failure to assess the economic implications of the law. The court can either send it back to parliament for amendment, allow it to be passed onto the president for assent, or strike it out. For Abena, the court decision will come too late to help her decide how to cast her ballot in the general election. "I feel the country isn't safe for people like me if the first, second and third options are all using the LGBT bill to score more points," she said. "When they come into power, they are going to make sure that these persons are criminalized." With the signing of a memorandum of understanding this month, the United States, Canada and Finland are moving ahead on what military analysts see as a belated but much-needed answer to a mounting Russian and Chinese threat in the Arctic Ocean. Under the arrangement whimsically labeled the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE Pact, the three nations have agreed to share research, knowledge and capabilities in building a still unspecified number of icebreakers capable of enforcing each nation's sovereignty in an ocean that has become increasingly navigable because of climate change. While the retreat of the polar icecap is steadily opening the region for commercial traffic and mineral exploration, the ICE Pact is largely driven by concerns over the Arctic capabilities of an increasingly hostile Russia and the rapidly growing presence of China. "Up until this past summer, you would expect one Chinese research vessel in the Arctic. This past summer, there were five," said U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan at a security forum in the Canadian city of Halifax this month. "This summer they were operating in tandem surface action groups with both China and Russia, 60 to 70 miles off the coast of Alaska," Fagan added. "If we were to see that same pattern of behavior off the East or the West Coast of the [contiguous] United States, it would have the attention of the United States." Speaking at the same forum, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said his country has been watching "the activities of two particular adversaries, China and Russia, in the area, which are deeply concerning to us and, frankly, their aggression and assertions in the region are somewhat different." Blair said that in passages through the Arctic, the Russians "have not demonstrated respect to the international rules-based order and respect for other countries sovereignty and economic interests." China, he said, approaches the Arctic in two ways, the first being significant investment in critical and other infrastructure. "And the second one is through what they term scientific research. And we've seen a huge increase in their presence in the Arctic. And it's not just scientific research. They're mapping the sea floor. They're gathering intelligence," he said. Experts say Russia is far ahead of the United States and its NATO allies in icebreaker capability, largely because it has for years been developing a commercial shipping route across its Arctic coast known as the Northern Sea Route. The route is of particular interest to China as a shortcut for its lucrative trade with Europe. But Russian icebreaking is no longer limited to economic development, according to Heather Exner-Pirot, a global fellow at the Washington-based Wilson Center's Polar Institute. "Its first armed combat icebreaker, the Ivan Papanin, is in sea trials and scheduled to join Russia's Northern Fleet by the end of 2024," she wrote on the Wilson Center website in July. "And China is quickly gaining capacity, having commissioned its fourth polar-capable vessel, the Jidi, last week," added Exner-Pirot, who is also the director of energy, natural resources and environment at the Ottawa-based Macdonald-Laurier Institute. If the Western alliance hopes to match Russian and Chinese capabilities in the Arctic, it has a lot of catching up to do. While precise counts vary according to how one defines a polar-capable icebreaker, the CIA World Factbook says Russia has 18 such vessels of varying classes, part of a world-leading fleet of 46 icebreakers that includes the world's only two nuclear-powered icebreakers. It has 11 more planned or under construction, according to a chart prepared by the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy. Canada ranks second in the world with 18 total icebreakers, according to the CIA World Factbook, but only one is suitable for polar missions. The others are mostly deployed to maintain commercial shipping channels through the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes in winter. Canada has two more polar icebreakers under construction and another five planned. Finland has at least eight polar-capable icebreakers, according to most assessments, and uses them mainly to clear ice around its Baltic Sea ports. It is also regarded as the world leader in the design and construction of icebreakers but has been unable to sell them to its main customer, Russia, since that country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its expertise will be critical to the ICE Pact program. The United States has two operational polar-capable vessels, both of which are nearing the end of their lifespan, a senior administration official told Reuters earlier this year. A third vessel is being cannibalized for parts. The U.S. currently has three more polar-capable icebreakers planned and hopes to secure funding for an additional three, according to a RAND Corporation report. "While Russia has steadily expanded its world-leading fleet, and China is making significant inroads, Canada and the U.S. have let their icebreakers age and their shipbuilding capacity atrophy," Exner-Pirot wrote in her Wilson Center article. "Even with the recent resolve to reverse trend and commit billions in new dollars to icebreakers, previous neglect has led to shipbuilding programs that are frequently over time and over budget," she wrote. "The ICE Pact aims to turn the ship around." The availability of deep-water ports where the West's new icebreakers can take on provisions and fuel may be an even tougher problem to solve. "Russia also has 17 deep-water ports on that [Arctic] ocean, Canada has none, and so we need to do better," Blair said at the Halifax International Security Forum. "They also have significant additional capabilities in icebreakers and military presence in the region." Canada does hope to open a deep-water naval facility soon at Nanisivik, at the north end of Baffin Island, which would allow it to command the entrance to the Northwest Passage across Canada's Arctic. But the facility is 10 years behind schedule as a result of logistical and environmental delays. Due to escalating costs, plans for the facility were scaled back to make it operational for only four months a year rather than 12. The station is primarily intended for use as a refueling station for vessels patrolling Arctic Sea routes. It remains unclear how many new vessels will be built under the ICE Pact or how soon they will be completed, although it is expected that each of the three participants will send the work to shipyards in its own country. Finnish shipyards are said to be capable of building an icebreaker within two years, but progress in the United States and Canada has often stretched out much longer. At the Halifax forum, U.S. Admiral Fagan brushed off a mischievous suggestion that, given the rate at which the Arctic ice pack is retreating, by the time the new icebreakers are completed they may no longer be needed. "The ability to create year-round presence [in the Arctic] from a sovereignty and defense standpoint requires heavy icebreakers," she said. "It requires it now and into the foreseeable future. And so, this is not a waste there, but we need to accelerate. We need to continue the partnership." Likely most people have seen iconic footage of the Beatles performing on "The Ed Sullivan Show." But how many have seen Paul McCartney during that same U.S. trip feeding seagulls off his hotel balcony? That moment as well as George Harrison and John Lennon goofing around by exchanging their jackets are part of the Disney+ documentary "Beatles '64," an intimate look at the English band's first trip to America that uses rare and newly restored footage. It streams Friday. "It's so fun to be the fly on the wall in those really intimate moments," says Margaret Bodde, who produced alongside Martin Scorsese. "It's just this incredible gift of time and technology to be able to see it now with the decades of time stripped away so that you really feel like you're there." "Beatles '64" leans into footage of the 14-day trip filmed by documentarians Albert and David Maysles, who left behind 11 hours of the Fab Four goofing around in New York's Plaza hotel or traveling. It was restored by Park Road Post in New Zealand. "It's beautiful, although it's black and white and it's not widescreen," says director David Tedeschi. "It's like it was shot yesterday and it captures the youth of the four Beatles and the fans." The footage is augmented by interviews with the two surviving members of the band and people whose lives were impacted, including some of the women who as teens stood outside their hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of the Beatles. "It was like a crazy love," fan Vickie Brenna-Costa recalls in the documentary. "I can't really understand it now. But then, it was natural." The film shows the four heartthrobs flirting and dancing at the Peppermint Lounge disco, Harrison noodling with a Woody Guthrie riff on his guitar and tells the story of Ronnie Spector sneaking the band out a hotel back exit and up to Harlem to eat barbeque. The documentary coincides with the release of a box set of vinyl albums collecting the band's seven U.S. albums released in '64 and early '65 "Meet The Beatles!," "The Beatles' Second Album," "A Hard Day's Night" (the movie soundtrack), "Something New," "The Beatles' Story," "Beatles '65" and "The Early Beatles." They had been out of print on vinyl since 1995. The Beatles' U.S. visit in 1964 also included concerts at Carnegie Hall, a gig at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C., and a visit to Miami, where the band met Muhammad Ali. The documentary shows members of the band reading newspaper coverage of themselves. Viewers may learn that the Beatles now revered were often met with ridicule or rudeness from the older generation. At the British Embassy in New York, the four were treated as lower class, while renowned broadcaster Eric Sevareid, doing a piece for CBS, compared the reaction to the Beatles to the German measles. "You're nothing but four Elvis Presleys," one reporter told them during a press conference, to which the boys good-naturedly started gyrating as Ringo Starr screamed "It's not true!" "Why the establishment was against them is sort of a mystery to me," says Tedeschi. "I think older people believed that music would go back to the big bands." Musicians like Sananda Maitreya, Ron Isley and Smokey Robinson also discuss the Fab Four and what they took from Black music. There also are interviews with residents of Harlem, critic Joe Queennan and filmmaker David Lynch, who saw the Beatles play the Washington Coliseum. "Beatles '64" tries to explain why young people were so besotted by John, Paul, George and Ringo. Their visit came just months after the assassination of President John. F. Kennedy and Tedeschi argues Beatlemania was a salve for a nation in mourning. "Part of it is I think that the light was just off. They were depressed. Everything was dark. And 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' lit them up," says Tedeschi. As McCartney says in the documentary: "Maybe America needed something like the Beatles to lift it out of mourning and just sort of say 'Life goes on.'" Kenyan President William Ruto said Saturday that he and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will help mediate a dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia, which threatens the stability of the region. Landlocked Ethiopia, which has thousands of troops in Somalia to fight al-Qaida-linked insurgents, has fallen out with the Mogadishu government over its plans to build a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland in exchange for possible recognition of its sovereignty. Somaliland has struggled to gain international recognition, despite governing itself and enjoying comparative peace and stability since declaring independence in 1991. The spat has drawn Somalia closer to Egypt, which has quarreled with Ethiopia for years over Addis Ababa's construction of a vast hydro dam on the Nile River, and Eritrea, another of Ethiopia's foes. "Because the security of Somalia ... contributes significantly to the stability of our region and the environment for investors and businesspeople and entrepreneurs to thrive," Ruto said at a news conference. Several attempts to resolve the feud in Ankara, Turkey, failed to achieve a breakthrough. Ethiopia's government and foreign affairs spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Somalia's foreign minister could not immediately be reached by Reuters. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has told the Russian defense minister that Ukraine's use of long-range weapons is the result of direct military intervention by the United States and that Moscow is entitled to fight in self-defense, state media said Saturday. The state-run Korean Central News Agency said Kim met Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov on Friday, and it quoted the North Korean leader as saying, "The U.S. and the West made Kyiv authorities attack Russia's territory with their own long-range strike weapons." Russia should take action to make "hostile forces pay the price," Kim said. "The DPRK government, army and people will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists' moves for hegemony," KCNA quoted Kim as saying. DPRK is short for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim pledged to expand ties with Russia in all areas, including military affairs, under the comprehensive strategic partnership he signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, which includes a mutual defense agreement, KCNA said. Moscow and Pyongyang have dramatically advanced ties since their leaders held a summit in September 2023 in Russia, and the North has since shipped to Russia more than 10,000 containers of ammunition, as well as self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers, according to South Korea's spy agency. KCNA made no mention of whether Kim and Belousov discussed North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia. South Korea's spy agency has said that North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia and that they have been moved to the front lines, including the Kursk region, where Russian forces are trying to expel Ukrainian forces. Ukraine has fired U.S. ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory after the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden gave permission to use them for such an attack this month. Russia in turn unleashed attacks against Ukraine's military and energy infrastructures, saying they were made in response to the use of U.S. medium-range missiles. Belousov separately held talks with North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol and said the partnership pact signed by Kim and Putin would contribute to maintaining the balance of power in Northeast Asia. Kim personally attended a reception hosted by the defense ministry for Belousov's delegation, KCNA said. The rapid collapse of Syrian government forces inside and around the country's second-largest city, Aleppo, has caught many observers by surprise and is causing a domino effect on many parts of the country. Rebel fighters, who oppose Syrian President Bashar Assad and include those from the terrorist Jabhat al Nusra group, fired weapons Saturday inside Syria's northern economic capital of Aleppo after the withdrawal of government forces from the city. Amateur video showed rebel fighters in control of Aleppo's central Saadallah Jabari Square, in addition to Aleppo University and the city's provincial government headquarters. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV reported that Syrian government forces also withdrew from Aleppo's civilian and military airports. Abu Dhabi-based Sky News Arabia showed amateur video of rebels apparently in control of the military airport. Britain-based Syrian analyst Rami Abdulrahman, of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told Arab media that Iranian forces and their proxy militia allies have withdrawn from many positions in and around Aleppo. Abdulrahman said that Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces withdrew from the region after a drone attacked them and their allies, including Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiite militia fighters, who pulled out alongside them. Arab media reported that the entire region between Aleppo and the rebel-controlled province of Idlib had fallen and that large towns south of Aleppo on the main Aleppo-Damascus highway, including Saraqib and Maarat al-Numan, also were captured. It was not clear if other large Syrian cities would fall, but Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East studies program at the University of Oklahoma, told VOA that all eyes are now on Hama, which is Syria's fourth-largest city. Landis said he believes it is possible the capital of Damascus may fall, because government supporters are dispirited and have lost the will to fight. Despite Turkish government denials, Landis says the entire operation has "Turkish fingerprints written all over it," since "all the arms and food and money that enter Idlib come from Turkey." "I'm sure Turkey wanted to give Assad a slap in the face and bring him to the [negotiating] table, Landis said, but it's clearly set off dominoes that I don't think anyone expected [to fall]." Landis said there are several reasons for Assad's weakness, including Israel's "pulling the stuffing out of [his ally] Hezbollah" and the "relentless Israeli pounding of Syrian government positions" and those of their allies inside the country since the outset of the Gaza conflict on October 7, 2023. Syrian analysts also told Arab media that the Iran-Syria axis "has been weakened since the road from Tehran to Beirut is no longer open and arms are no longer able to reach Iran's proxy militia allies. In addition, Syrian ally Russia "has its hands tied at the moment because of its conflict with Ukraine." Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan denied that his government had any responsibility in the Syrian rebel onslaught on Aleppo. "Turkey is playing an increasing role in trying to achieve peace in the region." Russian forces reportedly pulled out of several strategic positions in the region overnight, but Russian and Syrian warplanes bombed rebel forces in Aleppo and other parts of the region, causing numerous rebel casualties, according to the Syrian military. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te arrived Saturday in Hawaii to begin a two-day transit in the U.S. as part of a trip to the South Pacific, his first since assuming office. The stopover in Hawaii and one planned for the territory of Guam have drawn fierce criticism from Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and objects to official exchanges between the self-ruled democracy and the U.S., the island's biggest backer and military provider. There were no high-ranking U.S. or Hawaii state officials to greet Lai at the Honolulu hotel where supporters cheered in Mandarin, some waving Taiwanese flags. He visited the Bishop Museum, Hawaii's leading museum of natural history and Native Hawaiian culture. Later, he was expected to attend a banquet with supporters. Lai is on a weeklong trip to visit the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau three diplomatic allies of the self-governed island in the Pacific. Though Taiwan retains strong contacts with dozens of other nations, it has only 12 formal diplomatic allies. Bishop Museum CEO Dee Jay Mailer presented Lai with a red lei hulu, or feather garland, made by master featherwork artist Kawika Lum-Nelmida. Lai gave Mailer a headdress made by Paiwan Indigenous people of Taiwan, and neck and shoulder decorative pieces made by Atayal Indigenous people, also of Taiwan. Lai's visit shows that Taiwan and the United States have a very strong relationship, said Arthur Chen, the president of the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of North America. He flew to Hawaii from his home near Dallas, Texas, to welcome the president to the United States. Chen said he understood the U.S. has its own foreign policy but he said Lai should be treated as a head of state during his stay. Taiwan and the U.S. share common values such as a belief in democracy and human rights, Chen said. "So we should help each other," he said. Lai didn't make any public remarks at his initial engagements in Hawaii, but he spoke before his departure from Taiwan. "I want to use the values of democracy, peace, and prosperity to continue to expand our cooperation with our allies, to deepen our partnership and let the world see Taiwan not just as a model of democracy, but a vital power in promoting the world's peace and stability, and prosperous development," he said at Taoyuan International Airport. It is unclear whether Lai will meet with any members of the incoming U.S. administration during his transit. President-elect Donald Trump said in an interview with Bloomberg in July that Taiwan should pay for its defense. The island has purchased billions of dollars of defense weaponry from the U.S. Trump evaded answering whether he would defend the island from Chinese military action. On Friday, the U.S. State Department said it approved the sale of $385 million in spare parts and equipment for a fleet of F-16s, as well as support for tactical communication system to Taiwan. While the U.S. is obligated to help the island defend itself under the Taiwan Relations Act, it has maintained a position of strategic ambiguity over whether it would ever get involved if Taiwan were to be invaded by China. A second Trump administration is expected to test U.S.-China relations even more than the Republican's first term, when the U.S. imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion in Chinese products. Taiwan is one of the main sources of tension in the bilateral relationship. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday if the U.S. wanted to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait, it is important for it to handle the Taiwan issue "with utmost caution, clearly opposing Taiwan independence and supporting China's peaceful reunification." She also said China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan, including visits by Taiwan's leaders to the U.S. for any reason. China also strongly objects to leading American politicians visiting the island as it views any official contact with foreign governments and Taiwan as an infringement on its claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. Washington switched its formal recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. Fifteen of Ukraine's civilian airports have been damaged since Russia invaded the country in February 2022, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was quoted as saying by local media on Saturday. Ukraine, which the state aviation service says has 20 civilian airports, has been exploring avenues to partially open its airspace. It has been closed since the start of the war. Ukrainians who want to fly abroad currently must go via road or rail to neighboring countries to catch flights. For those living in the east, the journey out of Ukraine can take a day in itself. "We conducted a risk assessment and determined the needs of the air defense forces to partially open the airspace," local news agency Ukrinform quoted Shmyhal as saying at a transportation conference. "Security issues and the military situation remain key to this decision," he said. Shmyhal said that Russia attacked Ukraine's port infrastructure nearly 60 times in the last three months, damaging or destroying nearly 300 facilities and 22 civilian vessels. A senior partner at insurance broker Marsh McLennan told Reuters earlier this month that Ukraine could reopen the airport in the western city of Lviv in 2025 if regulators deem it safe and a political decision is made. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says being admitted into NATO could end what he described as the hot phase of the war waged by Russia. In an interview with Sky News aired on November 29, Zelenskyy suggested that he would be willing to consider a ceasefire if Ukraines unoccupied territories fell under NATOs protection and the invitation to join the alliance recognized Ukraines international borders. Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has been occupying 20% of Ukrainian territory since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022. "If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelenskyy said, adding that the occupied eastern parts of the country could then be taken back "in a diplomatic way." This comes as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has criticized the billions of dollars that the United States has poured into Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion. Trump has also said he could end the war within 24 hours of retaking the White House, a statement that has been interpreted as meaning that Ukraine would have to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. Earlier this week, Trump named Keith Kellogg, a retired army lieutenant general who has long served as a top adviser to Trump on defense issues, as his nominee to be special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg has advocated telling the Ukrainians that if they don't come to the negotiating table, U.S. support would dry up, while telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that if he doesn't come to the table, the United States would give the Ukrainians "everything they need to kill you in the field." For the past several months, Russia has been battering Ukrainian cities with increasingly heavy drone, missile and glide-bomb strikes, causing casualties and damaging energy infrastructure as the cold season settles in. Earlier this month, a senior United Nations official, Rosemary DiCarlo, warned that Moscow's targeting of Ukraine's energy infrastructure could make this winter the "harshest since the start of the war" nearly three years ago. Ukraine has launched several counterattacks since the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, the top foreign supporter of Ukraine in its battle against Russia's invasion, and Kyiv's European allies authorized the use of long-range missiles against targets inside Russia. This weeks rare prisoner swap between the United States and China saw each side claim victory and accuse the other of wrongfully detaining its citizens, while Beijing has kept quiet about the identities of the returned Chinese. China confirmed the repatriation of at least three Chinese nationals convicted of espionage and other crimes in the U.S. Among them was a person whom Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, speaking at a regular briefing Thursday, described as a fugitive who fled to the U.S. many years ago. Some media reports indicated four people were returned to China. Mao did not name those who were returned and did not confirm a prisoner swap, or the release of any Americans detained in China. But media reports, including one from the Financial Times, cited unnamed U.S. government officials as saying three Americans were exchanged for three Chinese. Released Chinese Xu Yanjun Although U.S. officials have not confirmed their identities, NBC News cited unnamed U.S. officials as saying the prisoner swap included Xu Yanjun, a Chinese intelligence officer sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to steal aviation trade secrets from GE Aviation. Records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons show that Xu's status is now listed as "not in federal custody." Ji Chaoqun NBC reported that those returned to China also included Ji Chaoqun, a naturalized U.S. citizen convicted in 2022 of providing classified defense information to Chinese intelligence. Jin Shanlin The Financial Times on Thursday reported the third Chinese released was Jin Shanlin, a former doctoral student at Southern Methodist University in northern Texas, who was sentenced in 2021 for possessing and distributing child pornography, with his sentence set to end in 2027. Records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons also show Jins status as "not in federal custody." Jin's case has sparked controversy because of his crime and his family's alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The FBI testified that his family had "important political connections," The Dallas Morning News reported in 2022, raising questions about why he was chosen for the exchange over other Chinese nationals in U.S. custody. Released Americans The White House National Security Council said Wednesday in a statement that it had secured the release of three Americans it said were wrongfully detained in China, although it did not confirm a prisoner swap. Their detentions had drawn international condemnation. Mark Swidan Swidan, a Texas businessman, was arrested in 2012 in Dongguan. Despite a lack of direct evidence no drugs or incriminating records were ever found he was sentenced to death for drug trafficking but granted a reprieve in 2019. His mother, Katherine Swidan, led a tireless campaign for his release. I feared I would never see my son again, she told VOA, recounting his years in a Guangdong prison marked by overcrowding, intense heat and deteriorating health. Kai Li Li, a Chinese American businessman, was arrested in 2016 in Shanghai on charges of stealing state secrets. His family has consistently denied the allegations, calling his 10-year sentence politically motivated. We thank President [Joe] Biden for prioritizing my fathers case, said his son, Harrison Li. But we also urge the administration to stand firm against such detentions in the future. John Leung Leung, 79, a Hong Kong-based American citizen, was arrested in 2021 on espionage charges. His case saw minimal public advocacy, and his family remained largely silent throughout his detention. John Kamm, founder of the San Francisco-based rights group Dui Hua, meaning dialogue in Chinese, said his organization played a role in the prisoner swap in negotiations that took years to complete. We submitted 54 lists with Mark Swidans name to the Chinese government and received 10 responses, Kamm told VOA Mandarin Serevice. The process was arduous but ultimately effective. A spokesperson for the National Security Council hailed the release of the three Americans as a significant diplomatic achievement for Biden, emphasizing that all Americans classified as wrongfully detained Americans in China have now been brought home. While the move brought relief to the families of the freed Americans, it has sparked concerns about its implications for U.S.-China relations and the growing trend of hostage diplomacy. Kamm cautioned against declaring the issue resolved. There are at least 200 American citizens under coercive measures in China. Many face exit bans or detentions with little transparency, he said. Critics such as Peter Humphrey, a former detainee in China and a nonresident associate at Harvard Universitys Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, argue that no Americans held in China should be considered normal prisoners. He noted to VOA Mandarin that Chinas legal processes are fundamentally flawed, as prisoners do not have fair and transparent trials. "They have never had a trial where they were able to defend themselves properly and freely. They were under tremendous pressure in detention cells, and that pressure amounts to torture, Humphrey said. Humphrey called this weeks prisoner swap capitulation to hostage diplomacy and warned it could incentivize Beijing to detain more Americans. Diplomatic balancing act The prisoner exchange occurred amid strained U.S.-China relations, with both nations navigating a complex mix of strategic competition and occasional cooperation, and just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is to return to the White House promising to impose hefty tariffs on Beijing. The U.S. on Wednesday lowered its travel advisory for China from Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) to Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution), raising questions about the advisory's role in the negotiations. Kamm told VOA, The lowering of the travel warning was part of the deal, as I understand it. Humphrey expressed concerns about the change in travel advisory. China did not suddenly become safer for Americans, or any other foreigners actually, to travel to China, he told VOA. It has not become safer. Bo Gu contributed to this report. U.S. Border Patrol agents are tasked with enforcing hotly contested immigration policies as many Americans at both ends of the political spectrum look askance at the border and the agents. That's taking a mounting toll, so the agency is training more among its ranks to become chaplains and provide spiritual care for their fellow agents on and off the job. "That's a really hard thing to deal with, as things tend to flip from one side to the other, and we're still in the crossfire," said Spencer Hatch, Border Patrol assistant chief and chaplaincy program manager. Who are the Border Patrol chaplains? Unlike the police or military, which recruit faith leaders to serve as chaplains, the Border Patrol trains mostly lay agents endorsed by their faith denominations to become chaplains through a 2-week academy. Their numbers have grown to about 240 from 130 four years ago. Three times a year, an academy is held at a different Border Patrol station. About a dozen Border Patrol personnel, plus a few Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management officers, graduated from the most recent academy, held near Miami earlier this month. The program and a nonreligious, mental-health-focused peer support program were started by grassroots efforts in the 1990s. Chaplains stay in their regular jobs but are on call to assist. What do agents wrestle with? Border Patrol agents say they're motivated by the desire to protect U.S. borders from security threats, including the powerful cartels that control much of the border dynamics. They also often rescue migrants lost and dying in the harsh deserts that line the southern U.S. border. But many agents feel the American public sees them as obstacles to migrants seeking a better life in the United States. They often tell their children to say their parents do "government work" for fear of reprisals, especially in the border communities where they live. That dissonance between upholding a duty they feel proud of and getting called names for it adds an emotional toll to the already-dangerous, often isolating work the agents do. That's where the chaplains come in to help their fellow 20,000 agents cope and prevent the trauma from degenerating into family crises, addiction or even suicide. What do Border Patrol chaplains do? While most chaplains are Christian, with a smattering of Muslim and Jewish agents, they don't offer faith-specific worship and bring up religion only if the person they're helping does first. Rather, they are a comforting presence during critical moments like assisting a suicidal colleague, notifying a family their loved one was killed on the job and counseling those dealing with addiction, survivor guilt and other traumas. Those are the scenarios for which chaplains-in-training practice role-playing at the academy. They also learn about communication and family dynamics, because constant redeployments some up to nine times over 18 months during the record border crossings early in the Biden administration affect their families, too. Hatch teaches about the need to maintain both the "hypervigilance" of law enforcement and the humanitarian instinct to empathize with fellow agents as well as migrants. Many agents say they are especially affected by the plight of migrant children at the hands of smugglers. "One tries to give them support within the limits of what your work allows. I always have the biggest smile," said a newly minted chaplain, Yaira Santiago, a former schoolteacher who runs a Border Patrol migrant processing center in Southern California. By relying on their faith, their commitment to help their colleagues and their training, chaplains can make a difference. "Even in moments of uncertainty, your presence is often enough," said Matt Kiniery, an agent in El Paso, Texas, for 15 years and a graduate of the latest chaplain academy. No media source currently available The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. President Biden's historic visit to Angola focuses on a key rail corridor for transporting minerals. He emphasizes the need for stability and democracy to fuel Africa's growth engines. #BidenInAngola #AfricaGrowth WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) Voting in Namibia for a new president and parliament has been extended into the weekend by the electoral agency due to shortages of ballot papers, a move challenged by the main opposition which is alleging fraud. The southern African countrys elections management body said polling stations that should have closed on Wednesday will now close on Saturday night after some ran out of ballot papers. The opposition Independent Patriots for Change party on Friday claimed that the extension is illegal. Namibias electoral issues come as Mozambique is engulfed in violent unrest after the long-ruling Frelimo party was declared the winner of an election in October, prompting claims of vote rigging and sparking ongoing violent protests against the party. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia's 72-year-old vice president and the ruling SWAPO partys candidate for president, would become the largely desert country's first female leader if she wins. But she faces stern opposition from a youthful population seemingly frustrated by lack of opportunities in a mineral-rich country rated by the World Bank as an upper middle income country, but also one of the globes most unequal Elsie Nghikembua, chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, said many people had failed to cast their ballots due to logistical challenges. Many people were yet to vote on Friday afternoon, with long lines at polling stations visited by The Associated Press. Many remote rural polling stations were still waiting for ballot paper deliveries. Electoral officials assured voters that ballot papers were on the way, but many were doubtful. Nangombe Shitaleni, a registered voter waiting in a line at the Okandjengedi Community Center polling station, in northern Namibia, said he had failed to vote since Wednesday. He said he would give up if not served by Friday evening. I keep coming to the same place every day without being assisted. Its like you are a mad person, he said. About 1.4 million people around half the Namibian population are registered to vote to decide the president and the makeup of parliament for a five-year term. Namibia is a former German colony that came under South African control after World War I and its Black majority was later subjected to some apartheid policies. SWAPO was at the forefront of the battle for independence and has dominated politics since independence in 1990. Previous elections have largely been regarded as credible, earning the country rich in minerals such as gold and uranium the title of being one of the most stable democracies in a continent where power transfer often involves disputed elections, force or even bloodshed. SWAPO has governed Namibia and held the presidency for 34 years since independence. But there is frustration caused by high unemployment and economic hardship, especially among young people. It's a trend that has seen voters elsewhere in southern Africa this year reject parties that liberated their nations from colonial or white minority rule in favor of era-ending change to address new problems. By Mqondisi Dube GABORONE, BOTSWANA Six southern African countries have voiced disappointment with new efforts by the British Labour Party government to introduce a bill that seeks to ban the importation of wildlife trophies from Africa. Representatives from the six nations have now requested a meeting with British government officials to discuss the issue. The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill was among a list of proposed laws that went for a first reading in the House of Commons in October. The second reading is in January. The Labour Party came into power this year promising to eliminate hunting in the United Kingdom within five years. Steve Reed, the secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, introduced the bill that had collapsed under the Conservative government. Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe requested an urgent meeting with Reed. In a letter addressed to him on Monday, the countries' envoys want to know if the government will support the bill. U.K.-based Adam Hart, professor and conservation scientist at the University of Gloucestershire in England, says the reintroduction of the bill is counterproductive. "It is disappointing that the government are bringing the bill back. It is going to waste more parliamentary time," said Hart. "If it is passed, it will have no conservation benefits whatsoever as has been shown in recent analysis. No hunted species is threatened by trophy hunting. In fact, trophy hunting is instrumental in protecting the habitat and their species in many cases." The southern African countries are concerned that a group of animal welfare organizations, some from Africa, support the proposed ban. The nations argue the lobby undermines their position on hunting as the affected countries. Hart said the meeting between the nations' representatives and Reed is important. "It is also disappointing that the government doesn't seem to want to listen to nations that are much more successful than the U.K., and they are not willing to take the advice of those people or even listen to them," said Hart. "So hopefully, they will take this meeting, and they will consider what is going on in the nations that the largely populist agenda is going to affect." Conservationists opposed to animal hunts argue the killings could drive endangered species to extinction. Botswana-based conservationist Neil Fitt supports trophy hunting but says it should be done ethically. "Trophy hunting is a viable contributor to ecosystem management from financial and animal numbers point of view," said Fitt. "It is definitely a tool which is in the toolbox for management and needs to stay there, provided quotas are issued on a scientific basis. Not all have been in the recent past, and that hunting is undertaken ethically." Botswana, with the largest elephant herd in the world at more than 130,000, has been at the forefront of a campaign against efforts by the United Kingdom and other European nations to ban hunting trophies from Africa. Southern Africa is home to some of the world's largest wildlife populations, including more than 230,000 elephants. Fitt said it is up to the southern African countries to convince the U.K. and the rest of the world that trophy hunting is sustainable. "Should Britain and/or others stop the importation, to be honest, that is absolutely up to them as a sovereign state," said Fitt. "We as an independent sovereign state do not like to be told what we can do. What we need to do is demonstrate which I hope the people are trying to do the viability of it, the ethics and the sustainability for the whole environment of our country and other countries." With more than 6.4 million hunters, Europe is a major importer of hunting trophies from Africa. Bryar performing in 2007. Photo: Christina Radish/Redferns Bob Bryar, former My Chemical Romance drummer, died at the age of 44, reports TMZ. He was reportedly found dead in his home in Tennessee on Tuesday, November 26. No foul play is suspected, and the cause of death is being investigated. A spokesperson for MCR told Vulture, The band asks for your patience and understanding as they process the news of Bobs passing. Bryar joined the band in 2004, shortly after releasing Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, and replaced Matt Pelissier. He first met MCR when he was the sound engineer for The Used, and the two were on tour together. He was the bands longest-tenured drummer and worked on The Black Parade and Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys before departing from the band in 2010. After working with other bands post-MCR, he eventually left music altogether in 2014, transitioning into real estate and volunteering with animals. You gotta love Outlander, the show that continues to pump out episodes with at least three events that are so major they all easily could carry the A-plot of their own installment. It makes sense: Were headed into the final stretch of our time traveler story, so there is no time to waste. I knew what was coming in the back half of season seven (book readers, you with me?), and yet I still did not expect wed get so much of it all at once as we do in Brotherly Love. I mean, by the end of it, I was like, wait, is this the same episode where Ian died? That seems wrong. But it is right! Its true. The first six minutes of Brotherly Love are dedicated to the two pseudo-brothers and their final moments together before Ian dies. They grew up together Ian always taught to protect the lairds son and he even gets in a nice jab about Claire being 207 years older than Jamie. Before his last breath, Ian is surrounded by both Jamie and Jenny, taking their hands in his. His last words to his brother-in-law are on your left (in the novel, its on your right), which did, unfortunately, make me giggle because if you think about it, Ian was always a kind of Falcon to Jamies Captain America. Ians actual last word, however, is Jenny as he looks over at his wife one last time. RIP, my dude! Jamie tells his sister hell stay at Lallybroch as long as she needs and even invites her to come live on Frasers Ridge with him and Claire, but she turns him down. And with heavy hearts, we leave Scotland for the time being because, baby, there is some shit going down in Philadelphia. The city is currently occupied by the British Army and as winter ends, the war is just about to pick up again. Its not a great time to be in favor of American Independence in the City of Brotherly Love. Thankfully, most of the British soldiers are wildly misogynistic, so they dont give Claire even a passing glance as she and Ian pull up to Mrs. Woodcocks house. Also, it doesnt hurt that they have permission from General Burgoyne to go see Lord John and generally go about their business in the city. Claires reunion with Lord John is sweet, if full of panic. He knew she would come, and he knew shed need ether for this, so he took it upon himself to get all the supplies necessary to save his nephew Henry, who is in immense pain. She knows immediately that she needs to open this bitch up to get the remaining musket ball out of his system. In a nice little coinkydink, the surgeon who managed to get the first musket ball out of Henry happens to be Denzell Hunter yep, our Quaker friend (and Rachels brother). Hes pretty pumped to be under Claires tutelage again, and the two docs waste no time putting Henry under that sweet, sweet ether and removing the final musket ball. The surgery is a success! Thank god at least something on this show goes well the first time around. In another astounding coincidence, it turns out that Mrs. Mercy Woodcock, who has been housing Henry since back when the Continental Army had control of Philly and he was sent to her house in an injured prisoner of war situation (John didnt want to risk moving him even when the Brits took over), is the wife of someone we know. Hey, remember that tragic little story with Claire and a soldier named Walter who needed a leg amputation at Fort Ticonderoga and then eventually died of a blood clot? Mercy is the wife he was hoping to get home to in order to make amends they parted on bad terms. Colonial America is such a small world, you dont even know. Anyway, Mercy is upset to hear from Claire that Walter truly is dead but also not, like, that upset? She seemed much more concerned about Henrys well-being, if you know what I mean. For the record, I am very much on board with some Loyalist/Continentalist caretaker/invalid romancing if Outlander should go there. Soon enough, though, Mercy has another problem to worry about: Surprise! Shes a spy for the Continental Army. Again, thanks to misogyny and, in Mercys case, some additional racism, shes the perfect spy men refuse to believe she is in any way useful. A very cool time for women! One day, however, she returns from a drop-off and tells Claire that one of her partners was discovered, and shes worried shes now being followed. Claire doesnt hesitate to take the very important letter meant for George Washington to the drop-off spot. Claire Fraser is now a rebel spy; what a time! Unfortunately, she doesnt get to do anything that cool with the new gig because two decidedly terrible things happen. Gird your loins, people! Claire comes home one day from spying and finds Lord John in tears, meeting with a captain from the Royal Navy. The vibes, it must be said, are quite bleak. Its Jamie. The ship Jamie was supposedly on was lost at sea. There were no survivors. The captain has the manifest with Jamies name on it, and it is the same ship Jamie noted in his most recent letter, in which he informed Claire that he would soon be on his way to Philadelphia. We watch Claire cycle through every emotion you can think of: She is in denial, she is angry, she is heartbroken, she is violent, she is yelling, I would feel it in my heart if his had stopped, do you understand? Mine would stop, too! This absolutely devastating sentiment is met with an equally devastating one from Lord John: Perhaps it already has. Like I said, bleak. Claire retreats to her room for days. She is bereft. We relive several major Outlander moments in which Jamie and Claires lives were in peril but they survived. How could he not survive this? This montage also includes one of Jamies most tragic, romantic lines: If my last words are not I love you, you know its because I didnt have time, he once told Claire. Hearing Jamie say that line, knowing that if he really did drown and Claire does seem to be coming around to accepting that as truth that means this sentiment came to fruition is absolutely gutting. If only Claire knew that never in one million years would Outlander have one of its leads drown off-screen. (There have also been copious stories about filming the final season of Outlander, and Sam Heughan is very much there.) Its hard to get too emotional here because there is just no way Jamie is really dead. However, that doesnt mean this little twist in the plot is all for naught because what happens next is insane, and I am thrilled. Well, it turns out that Claire isnt good at everything she happens to be a resoundingly shitty spy. I mean, Mercy was out there spying for who knows how long, Claires at it for what, a week? And she gets caught. We learn this thanks to a visit from Captain Richardson he was Williams boss at one time who shows up at Lord Johns house and informs him that they have irrefutable proof Claire has been delivering letters for the Continental Army and he just wanted to make sure John and Claire werent like, hooking up or anything before he arrests her and has her hanged. Very considerate on Richardsons part, no? Lord John covers well no, he isnt hitting that, but also, she isnt home at the moment. Richardson tells him hell come back the next day. Lord John races up to Claires room and breaks through the locked door. You must marry me! He yells in her general direction. Claire responds as most women would with crazy eyes and a da fuq? (paraphrasing). Not to, like, kick a widow when shes down, but Claires knee-jerk reaction to Johns clearly pained plea is to get mad at him for suggesting such a thing. Babe, do you think hes just asking you to marry him for funsies? You know hes just not that into you, so you have to assume he has a very good reason for breaking into your room and screaming, You must marry me, in your face while looking like he could barf at any given moment. And he does have a very good reason!! The best! Well, technically, its the worst, but you get what Im saying. When Claire suggests she might welcome death, Lord John has to be very, very clear with her: It wouldnt just be Claires life on the line here. If she is arrested and hanged for being a spy, Ian, Denzell, Rachel, and Mercy would all be implicated, too. Oh baby, you know shes going to say yes! This is demented! We are living!! Some other major events take place in this episode, but do we even care at this point? Ugh, fine, it is admittedly great to watch none other than Dougal Freaking MacKenzie stroll into Geilliss home with further evidence of the fairy man for Roger, wasnt it? I could very much do without Rogers voiceovers, but getting to see Geillis and Dougal meet for the very first time in front of their future son Buck, no less is an absolute treat. It also serves a significant purpose. The evidence Dougal brings to Roger turns out to be military ID tags from World War II. However, the tags have nothing to do with Rob Cameron they belong to Rogers father, who went missing during the war. Rogers father is the fairy man trapped in 1739, not Rob. This might explain why Roger and Buck were pulled to this time when they traveled through the stones, and it all but confirms that Rob and Jem are not there. Its not great for Jem, but Roger honestly seems kind of jazzed to find his dad. We also get the big reunion between Ian and the love of his life, Rachel, in which Arch Bug attempts to make good on his promise of revenge for Ian killing his wife. It is mostly underwhelming. A lot of that might have to do with the fact that Arch Bug hardly seems to be a real threat. Sure, he is unhinged, but when he grabs Rachel in the stables and proceeds to chat her ear off for a few minutes as to why he is going to kill her in front of Ian, he just seems so frail. I know Rachel is anti-violence, but she probably couldve given the guy a nice shove and gotten away. His tussle with Ian is laughable. And yet, still, it takes William running in and shooting Arch Bug to end the whole thing for good. Man, William is going to be so bummed when he watches Rachel walk off into the sunset with Ian. The guy is down bad! Unfortunately for him, Rachels heart belongs to Ian. She calls him her wolf and apparently does not care even one little bit that he might go out and murder during the day as long as he always comes home to her. They are very in love. Old Ian would be so happy. Well, at least someone is. We are headed into chaos! Prepare yourselves! John Cummins (Fine Gael) currently has 19% of the vote in Waterford, with approximately 96% of the boxes opened. Accomplished former Waterford politician Maurice Cummins, told the News & Star he is very proud of the work his son John has done: I think hes happy with the way things are going so far. He's running at about 19% so were doing very well. His vote is up over 10% in Tramore from the previous election, probably due to the collapse of the Green Party vote. I think its as a result of all the hard work, in Waterford and Dungarvan and the work he has done with the councillors. Certainly this is a proud moment from the families point of view and all of Fine Gael within the city and county. Mr. Cummins said that it will be an interesting battle for the final seat between Shanahan and McGuinness, with Cullinane, Butler and Cummins likely to get elected. Its probably the first time fine Gael had a unified campaign in the last 40, 50 years" he added, "and everybody was behind the Fine Gael candidates and I think its paid off." General Election 2024 - Waterford Constituency That's a wrap from the Waterford Constituency - here are your new TDs! Your Waterford TDs - clockwise from top left, David Cullinane, Sinn Fein; John Cummins, Fine Gael; Conor McGuinness, Sinn Fein and Mary Butler, Fianna Fail. Thank you for staying with the Waterford News & Star for your live updates from the count centre at SETU's Cork Road Campus in Waterford city across the weekend. The Waterford News & Star team at the Waterford Count Centre at SETU for General Election 2024, from left, Adrian Flanagan, Shannon Sweeney, Mary Frances Ryan, Hugh Dooley, Darragh Murphy, and behind the lens, photographer Joe Evans Conor D. McGuinness of Sinn Fein is elected to Dail Eireann. Photo: Joe Evans 12TH COUNT: McGuinness takes 2nd Sinn Fein seat as Shanahan eliminated Matt Shanahan has lost his seat in Dail Eireann. Photo: Joe Evans 17:39pm, Sunday, December 1st Conor D. McGuinness has been elected on the 12th count in Waterford, taking the fourth and final seat in the Waterford Constituency. Outgoing Independent TD Matt Shanahan has lost his seat in Dail Eireann. A jubilant Conor McGuinness flanked by fellow TD David Cullinane as Sinn Fein takes two seats in the Waterford constituency. Photo: Joe Evans Mary Roche's transfers have been distributed as follows: D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 9,519 (+1,694) ELECTED Shanahan, Matt, Ind 8,526 (+1,340) Mary Roche of the Social Democrats speaks with Dymphna Nugent of WLR FM following her elimination on the 11th count in Waterford. 11TH COUNT: Mary Roche of Social Democrats eliminated Mary Roche of the Social Democrats pictured with her family. 16:17pm, Sunday, December 1st Ronan Cleary's transfers have been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,830 (+204) ELECTED Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 2,262 (+5) ELIMINATED Conway, Frank, Ind 1,038 (+71) ELIMINATED Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 11,159 (+440) ELECTED Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643; 669 (+26); 672 (+3); 688 (+16) ELIMINATED D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 7,825 (+411) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 798 (+103) ELIMINATED O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 2,085 (+288) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,701 (+28) ELIMINATED Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 4,887 (+254) ELIMINATED Shanahan, Matt, Ind 7,186 (+820) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED Mary Roche's transfers will now be distributed. Minister of State Mary Butler is elected, taking the third seat for Waterford, with only one seat remaining to be filled. 10TH COUNT: Mary Butler elected for Fianna Fail, Aontu's Cleary eliminated Mary Butler and her team at the Waterford count centre. 14:35pm, Sunday, December 1st John Cummins' surplus has been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,830 (+204) ELECTED Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 2,262 (+5) ELIMINATED Conway, Frank, Ind 1,038 (+71) ELIMINATED Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 11,159 (+440) ELECTED Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643; 669 (+26); 672 (+3); 688 (+16) ELIMINATED D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 7,414 (+18) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 798 (+103) ELIMINATED O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 2,085 (+288) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,701 (+28) ELIMINATED Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 4,633 (+105) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 6,366 (+52) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED Ronan Cleary's transfers will now be distributed. 9TH COUNT: John Cummins elected, returning Fine Gael's lost Waterford Dail seat John Cummins of Fine Gael is the second TD elected in Waterford. Photo: Joe Evans 13:46pm, Sunday, December 1st Sadhbh O'Neill's transfers have been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,626 (+352) Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 2,257 (+50) Conway, Frank, Ind 1,038 (+71) ELIMINATED Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 11,159 (+440) ELECTED Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643; 669 (+26); 672 (+3); 688 (+16) ELIMINATED D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 7,396 (+137) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 798 (+103) ELIMINATED O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 2,085 (+288) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,701 (+28) ELIMINATED Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 4,528 (+722) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 6,314 (+235) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED John Cummins' surplus of 428 will now be distributed. 8TH COUNT: Marc O Cathasaigh, Green Party, eliminated Marc O Cathasaigh was eliminated on the 8th count in Waterford. Photo: Joe Evans 12:10pm, Sunday, December 1st Sadhbh O'Neill's transfers have been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,274 (+170) Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 2,207 (+58) Conway, Frank, Ind 1,038 (+71) ELIMINATED Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 10,719 (+193) Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643; 669 (+26); 672 (+3); 688 (+16) ELIMINATED D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 7,259 (+136) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 798 (+103) ELIMINATED O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 2,085 (+288) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,701 (+28) ELIMINATED Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 3,806 (+590) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 6,079 (+166) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED There were 100 non-transferable votes. Green Party's Marc O Cathasaigh has been eliminated following the 8th count. 7TH COUNT: Sadhbh O'Neill, Labour, eliminated Sadhbh O'Neill, Labour candidate, was eliminated from the count on the 7th round. She is already looking towards her next campaign. Photo: Hugh Dooley 11am, Sunday, December 1st Frank Conway's transfers have been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,104 (+40) Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 2,149 (+270) Conway, Frank, Ind 1,038 (+71) ELIMINATED Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 10,526 (+44) Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643; 669 (+26); 672 (+3); 688 (+16) ELIMINATED D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 7,123 (+110) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 798 (+103) ELIMINATED O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 1,797 (+10) O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,701 (+28) ELIMINATED Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 3,216 (+32) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 5,913 (+273) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED There were 231 non-transferable votes. Independent Sadhbh O'Neill, Labour, has been eliminated following the 7th count. The General Election count so far 10:27am, Sunday, December 1st Have you missed any of the General Election counts? We've got you covered. Here's the entire election count so far. We are currently following the sixth count, which eliminated Independent candidate Frank Conway. Wondering how the final seat will be decided? Check out the transfers columns, the darker the green the more transfers the candidate has received. 6TH COUNT: Frank Conway eliminated 10:15am, Sunday, December 1st Killian Mangan's transfers have been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,064 (+21) Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 1,879 (+21) Conway, Frank, Ind 1038 (+71) ELIMINATED Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 10,482 (+29) Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643; 669 (+26); 672 (+3); 688 (+16) ELIMINATED D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 7,013 (+131) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 798 (+103) ELIMINATED O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 1,787 (+68) O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,673 (+82) Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 3,184 (+211) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 5,640 (+95) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED There were 69 non-transferable votes. Frank Conway, Independent, has been eliminated following the 6th count. Counting recommences at SETU Waterford 9:05am, Sunday December 1st Counting has recommenced at the Waterford count centre, with the results of count 6 expected mid-morning. 5TH COUNT: Killian Mangan eliminated 23:40pm, Saturday November 30th Patrick Curtin's transfers have been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,043 (+16) Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 1,858 (+36) Conway, Frank, Ind 967 (+25) Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 10,453 (+12) Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643; 669 (+26); 672 (+3); 688 (+16) ELIMINATED D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 6,882 (+147) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 798 (+103) ELIMINATED O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 1,719 (+29) O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,591 (+57) Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 2,973 (+193) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 5,545 (+30) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED There were 40 non-transferable votes. Counting will resume at 9am on Sunday morning. Election count to end tonight and resume at 9am Sunday 23:05pm, Saturday November 30th Vote counting will end today after the completion of the 5th count, following the transfer of eliminated People Before Profit - Solidarity candidate Patrick Curtin, the Returning Officer Michelle O'Connell is set to announce. The fifth count is expected to end at around 11:30pm. Both Fine Gael candidate John Cummins and Fianna Fail candidate Mary Butler are within three figures of the quota. Their campaign teams are unhappy that the counting will stretch on until tomorrow morning. Voting will continue tomorrow, Sunday, December 1, at 9am. PATRICK CURTIN, PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT, ELIMINATED 4TH COUNT: John D Walsh's transfers distributed 22:40pm, Saturday November 30th John D Walsh's transfers have been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,027 (+16) Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 1,822 (+129) Conway, Frank, Ind 942 (+171) Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 10,441 (+9) Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643; 669 (+26); 672 (+3); 688 (+16) ELIMINATED D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 6,735 (19) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 695 (+27) O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 1,690 (+4) O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,534 (+9) Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 2,780 (+10) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 5,515 (+72) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED Patrick Curtin, People Before Profit, has now been eliminated. Photo: Hugh Dooley Patrick Curtin has now been eliminated. His votes will now be distributed. There were 32 non-transferable votes. JOHN D WALSH OF IRISH PEOPLE PARTY ELIMINATED 3RD COUNT: Aaron Joyce and Mark O'Neill transfers distributed 22:00pm, Saturday November 30th Aaron Joyce and Mark O'Neill's transfers have been distributed as follows (there were 18 non-transferable votes): Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,011 (+7) Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 1,693 (+13) Conway, Frank, Ind 771 (+49) Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 10,432 (+4) Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 672 (+3) D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 6,716 (+24) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 668 (+41) O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 1686 (+3) O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,525 (+7) Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 2,770 (+5) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 5,443 (+18) Walsh, John D, Irish People 482; 485 (+3); 514 (+29) ELIMINATED John D Walsh has now been eliminated. His votes will now be distributed. John D Walsh, left, was eliminated on the third count. Photo: Joe Evans MCGUINNESS BENEFITS FROM CULLINANE SURPLUS 2ND COUNT: Cullinane surplus distributed, Aaron Joyce and Mark O'Neill eliminated David Cullinane's surplus of 1,205 votes has been distributed as follows: Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 10,004 (+42) Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 1,680 (+16) Conway, Frank, Ind 722 (+7) Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 ELECTED Cummins, John, Fine Gael 10,428 (+52) Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 669 (+26) D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 6,692 (+901) Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162; 164 (+2) ELIMINATED Mangan, Killian, Ind 627 (+7) O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 1683 (+12) O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56; 57 (+1) ELIMINATED O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,518 (+18) Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 2,765 (+48) Shanahan, Matt, Ind 5,425 (+70) Walsh, John D, Irish People 485 (+3) Conor McGuinness and supporters at Waterford count centre. Photo: Joe Evans Aaron Joyce and Mark O'Neill have now been eliminated. Their votes are now being distributed. Historic highs and historic lows Fact: Independent candidate Mark O'Neill's 56 votes amounts to the second worst General Election performance in Waterford ever, bettering only fellow Independent Francis Hennessy's result of 53 votes in 2007, 0.1% of the vote. Aaron Joyce's 162 votes puts him in 9th place in the lowest vote table. Aaron Joyce, pictured right, got 162 first preference votes. Photo: Joe Evans Cullinane 'humble and proud' to be elected on first count 19:29pm, Saturday November 30th David Cullinane has been re-elected on the first count in Waterford, with 11,936 first preference votes. Speaking to the Waterford News & Star immediately after election, Cullinane said he felt humble and proud, but that he was now looking towards getting running mate Cllr Conor McGuinness elected. Cullinane added that Sinn Fein are very much 'in the hunt' for a second seat, reports Darragh Murphy More on this report available here David Cullinane celebrates his reelection to Dail Eireann. Photo: Joe Evans First count from Waterford 18:30pm, Saturday November 30th David Cullinane of Sinn Fein has been elected on the first count in Waterford Quota: 10,731; Total Poll: 54,013; Valid Poll: 53,650; Spoiled Votes: 363; Total Electorate: 97,153 Butler, Mary, Fianna Fail 9,962 Cleary, Ronan, Aontu 1,664 Conway, Frank, Ind 715 Cullinane, David, Sinn Fein 11,936 Cummins, John, Fine Gael 10,376 Curtin, Patrick, People Before Profit - Solidarity 643 D. McGuinness, Conor, Sinn Fein 5,791 Joyce, Aaron, Ind 162 Mangan, Killian, Ind 620 O Cathasaigh, Marc, Green Party 1,671 O'Neill, Mark, Ind 56 O'Neill, Sadhbh, Labour 1,500 Roche, Mary, Social Democrats 2,717 Shanahan, Matt, Ind 5,355 Walsh, John D, Irish People 482 David Cullinane's surplus of 1,205 votes will now be distributed Waterford Constituency Returning Officer Michelle O'Connell. Photo: Joe Evans Fine Gael tallies 'very strong' - Cummins 16:55pm, Saturday November 30th Fine Gael candidate John Cummins said the tallies in Waterford look very strong but refused to celebrate until he received an official count. The final tallies indicate that Senator Cummins has received 10,203 first preference votes, in touching distance of the expected quota of roughly 10,750 votes. John Cummins Obviously we dont have an official first count so Ill be a lot happier when I see that, but the tallies look very strong. We look to be at about 19%, which is an increase from 16.5% in 2020. It would be quite a strong showing, and its a trend we see right across the entire country. I think thats down to the hard work over the last five years, not just the last five weeks. In my offices in Dungarvan and Waterford City, Lauren, Branden and Jennifer work so hard to represent the people as they come into the offices, and our fantastic team of eight councillors across the entire county do too. The Senator said: It was always the right strategy for this election to refrain from running two candidates in Waterford as the party did in 2020. Certainly at this moment in time it looks like it was the correct strategy. While running two candidates will maximise the first preference votes, you then arent guaranteed the transfers between the candidates, thats what happened in 2020, the Senator explained. I am so thankful for all my team, everybody that has helped to canvass and campaign, whether it's dropping in posters, making phonecalls or sending text messages. Everything has come together for this, what appears to be a positive result for us. Full tally revealed 14:00pm, Saturday November 30th The full tally is now in for Waterford, with all boxes opened: Shanahan and McGuinness to fight for the last seat 12:52pm, Saturday, November 30th "It's going to be a fight between Matt Shanahan and Conor McGuinness for the last seat," says Mayor of Waterford and Fianna Fail Councillor Jason Murphy. The battle between Independent candidate Matt Shanahan and Sinn Fein's Conor McGuinness is widely expected to be resolved on transfers. Waterford Mayor Jason Murphy participating in the tally at the Waterford count centre in SETU. Photo: Hugh Dooley "At the moment it's looking like Conor McGuinness is the slight favourite, Matt Shanahan is about a percentage point behind. So that is going to be interesting!" David Cullinane, Sinn Fein, with tallies of 23.7%, Mary Butler of Fianna Fail, at 18.1%, and Fine Gael's John Cummins at 19% are all expected to be elected. Waterford quota is expected to be around 10,750 12:10pm, Saturday, November 30th Early signs of the turnout in Waterford point to the election quota being around 10,750. Turnout is believed to be 54,012, with the number of spoilt ballots yet to be revealed. A four-seat constituency, this means the quota is likely to be around 10,750 but may drop slightly when spoiled ballots are counted, reports Hugh Dooley The final tally numbers mean that David Cullinane, Sinn Fein TD, is expected to be elected on the first count with 11,835 votes. Fine Gael and Fianna Fail neck and neck in Waterford 12:10pm, Saturday, November 30th 70% of the total boxes have now been opened at the count centre at SETU. Early indications show Sinn Fein with 34.43% of the tally, followed by Fine Gael at 18.96% and Fianna Fail at 18.04%. More on this report from Darragh Murphy here Sinn Fein 'in contention for second seat' - Cullinane 11:35, Saturday, November 30th Sinn Fein are confident of a good result in Waterford following strong early tally performance, says Sinn Fein candidate David Cullinane. The party believe they are in contention for a two seat result. Read more on this report from Hugh Dooley here Waterford News & Star reporter Hugh Dooley with David Cullinane Early tallies put Sinn Fein well ahead in Waterford 10.45am, Saturday November 30th Tallies are coming in from across the country, a gold result for Deputy David Cullinane in Farronshoneen in the city, taking half of the first preference votes in one box. Fine Gael's John Cummins came in second with Matt Shanahan and Mary Butler tieing in third. Mount Sion NS tallies have Cullinane flying ahead of the crowd, getting nearly half of one tally in what would be a scoop for Sinn Fein. Shanahan has topped a number of tallies in Ballygunner, with Cullinane, Butler and Cummins performing strongly alongside him. Tallies from Sacred Heart in Waterford City also reflect positively on Deputy Matt Shanahan, coming in second place, just behind Cullinane. Butler and Cummins are neck and neck in third place, reports Hugh Dooley 10.30am, Saturday November 30th Early tallies suggest Sinn Fein are well in the lead in the Waterford constituency. At over 35% of the vote, they are currently leaps and bounds ahead of Fine Gael at 18%, followed by Fianna Fail on 15%. Social Democrats are doing the best of the smaller parties at over 6%, while Independent candidates make up a large portion at 14%, reports Shannon Sweeney Turnout at almost 60% in city 20:30pm, Friday November 29th With polling stations set to close in less than two hours, here are the latest turnout percentages from across the county. Holy Cross (Tramore): 55.3% Sacred Heart: 59% St Paul's (Lisduggan) Mount Sion (City): 42.2% St Martin's Special School:57.2% St Mary's Farranshoneen: 49.5% Faithlegg:36% Butlerstown: 50.5% Passage East: 49.5% Scoil Lorcain: 46.6% Realt Na Mara (Dunmore East): 53% Killea: 50.5% St Paul's Lisduggan: 58% More to follow... reports Shannon Sweeney Latest turnout figures from Waterford polling stations 18:30pm, Friday November 29th Here are the latest turnout percentages from polling stations across Waterford, with turnout high in parts of Waterford city Holy Cross (Tramore): 36% Sacred Heart (City): 52% St Paul's Lisduggan: 47% Mount Sion (City): 28.3% Ballybeg: 34-35% St Martin's Special School (City): 40.8% Dungarvan: 38.5% Voting continues until 10pm tonight at polling stations across Waterford city and county. More to follow... reports Shannon Sweeney How much does it cost to run an election campaign in the Deise? 17:20pm, Friday November 29th Some of the costs facing General Election candidates have soared this year as some General Election candidates have reported a nearly 60% rise in the cost of election posters. Election candidate Killian Mangan spoke to Waterford News & Star about how this was affecting his campaign and revealed the details of his campaign finances, reports Hugh Dooley. Find out the full details and what major party candidates are spending on this election campaign here! Independent candidate Killian Mangan shared his campaign finances with the News & Star, giving an insight into the cost of an independents general election campaign. Graph: Hugh Dooley Strong voter turnout reported from polling stations in Waterford 17:05pm, Friday November 29th Some initial turnout numbers are available for polling stations in Waterford. Percentages are as of 3pm and stand as follows: St Mary's in Ballygunner: 26.6% Farranshoneen the youth centre: 23.3% Faithlegg: 20.6% Dunmore East: 21.1% Butlerstown: 24% Passage East: 20.6% More to follow... reports Shannon Sweeney Cllr Mary Roche congratulates Social Democrat leader Holly Cairns on birth of baby girl 15:35pm, Friday November 29th Social Democrat leader Holly Cairns has given birth to a baby girl, on none other than polling day. Waterford General Election candidate, Cllr Mary Roche, has congratulated Ms Cairns, saying: Holly DELIVERS ON ELECTION DAY. Congratulations to yourself and Barry and welcome to your beautiful daughter", reports Darragh Murphy Labour's Sadhbh O'Neill heads to the polling station 15:30pm, Friday November 29th General Election hopeful Sadhbh ONeill has been pictured on her way to vote today. The Labour candidate commented on social media: Finally! Voting day is here - we are lucky to be able to vote freely and fairly for our public representatives. Please vote Sadhbh O Neill no.1 Labour Party in Waterford", reports Darragh Murphy Cllr Conor McGuinness casts vote 15:05pm, Friday November 29th General Election candidate Cllr Conor McGuinness has cast his vote in his native An Rinn. Commenting on social media, Cllr McGuinness said: "Mo vota caite agam in Ionad Pobail na Rinne moch maidin inniu in eineacht le mo Reailtin agus mo Mheadhbh!!", reports Darragh Murphy Independent candidate Matt Shanahan has thanked those who have voted for him so far 14:15pm, Friday November 29th In a post on social media, he said: "Thank you to everyone who has already voted, canvassed, and supported me throughout this election. Your dedication and belief in our cause for #Waterford means the world. Together, I hope we can continue to push for a brighter future and make positive changes for all in #Waterford and the #SouthEast. Please #Vote1 for Matt Shanahan #WaterfordFirst #GE24" Senator John Cummins votes at former 6th class classroom 14:08pm, Friday November 29th Fine Gael Senator and General Election candidate John Cummins was spotted casting his vote in his old classroom at St Stephen's De La Salle school. Senator Cummins said it was "a unique enough experience to be casting a vote for yourself in your former 6th class classroom!" "Little did I think when I was sitting in this room as a 12-year-old lad that Id be back there 25 years later casting a vote for myself in a General Election," he said, "I dont know where the time has gone." Fine Gael candidate John Cummins voting in his former 6th class classroom. The Fine Gael candidate said he was "very grateful for the support Ive received throughout the campaign and Im hopeful that the work Ive done over the past 15 years as a politician will show in the results tomorrow. If you havent cast your vote yet, I would be grateful if you could consider me for your number 1 vote or next highest preference," reports Hugh Dooley Voting opens across Waterford 7am: Friday November 29th Voting has opened in the General Election at polling stations across Waterford city and county. Polling stations will remain open until 10pm tonight. A polling centre off O'Connell Street in Waterford city centre. Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm across Waterford. Don't forget to bring valid ID, such as a driver's licence or passport, to cast your vote. If you are registered to vote but don't have your polling card, you can still vote with valid ID as long as you are on the register at the relevant polling station. Counting of votes will commence for the Waterford constituency at 9am on Saturday, November 30. Photo: Joe Evans Counting will commence at the Cork Road campus of South East Technological University at 9am tomorrow morning, Saturday, November 30. Live count update for the Waterford Constituency Waterford How the national political landscape is taking shape National results Early signs of the turnout in Waterford point to the election quota being around 10,750. Turnout is believed to be 54,012, with the number of spoilt ballots yet to be revealed. A four-seat constituency, this means the quota is likely to be around 10,750 but may drop slightly when spoiled ballots are counted. The final tally numbers for the first count mean that David Cullinane, Sinn Fein TD, is expected to be elected on the first count with 10,839 votes. South East Technological University (SETU) in Waterford welcomed early career researchers to the third PROMOTE Project training session recently. The aim of the initiative, which involves four partner universities, is to provide guidance on career progression for female researchers at early stages in their careers. A spokesperson for SETU told Waterford News & Star that the aim was to showcase the skills and experience researchers bring to diverse sectors, both within and outside academia. Attendees at the event were also encouraged to explore a wide range of career opportunities. Dr Allison Kenneally, Vice President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at SETU, opened the session by highlighting the importance of retaining women in research. She also emphasised the transformative role of the project. Ms Kenneally encouraged participants to engage with the PROMOTE online platform and reflected on the critical role of mentorship, including peer-to-peer mentoring, throughout a research career. Insights were provided by a career panel composed of Dr Geraldine Canny, Dr Aisling O'Neill, Dr Denise McGrath, Dr Luciana Herda, and Dr Blanca Suarez-Bilbao. They discussed key topics such as identifying personal values and goals, balancing work with family life, and practical strategies for working parents. Reflecting on the event, Dr. Geraldine Canny, Head of Research at SETU, said: "The PROMOTE training session exemplifies our commitment to fostering an inclusive research environment. By equipping early career female researchers with the necessary tools and networks, we are paving the way for a more equitable and innovative research community. Dr Michael Scriney, from the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics at Dublin City University, provided an overview of the project's online platform, which offers early career researchers access to career progression resources, networking opportunities, and support. The event also featured a workshop on transferable career skills, led by SETUs HR Business Partner for Research, Eimear Fitzpatrick. The session focused on translating research skills for new sectors and crafting compelling applications. Ms Fitzpatrick shared practical advice and spoke of the importance of presenting research experience in a format that resonates with employers. The day concluded with in-person networking, interactive discussions and resource-sharing. The project is funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and supported by the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics. In addition to SETU the partner institutions involved include Maynooth University (MU), Munster Technological University (MTU), University of Limerick (UL), Dublin City University (DCU), University College Cork (UCC), and the University of Galway. The project is coordinated by Christine OSullivan, PROMOTE Project Manager at Maynooth University. The decision not to prosecute has absolutely gutted me. I think about the death every day of my life. The OSI has taken too long to do nothing and the soldiers who have stood against war crimes and the Afghan families who are still grieving deserve justice, Miller said. Loading Over the last few years, I have spent endless hours with the OSI poring over maps and giving them information about what happened. I dont doubt the OSIs integrity and thoroughness, but justice delayed is justice denied and no charges is no justice at all. The second alleged execution case that the OSI has decided not to prosecute is against another former soldier. It was exposed by the ABC and is known within special forces ranks as the village idiot killing. Miller was also one of two witnesses to this alleged war crime, which involved the suspected shooting of an unarmed disabled man as he was trying to limp away from Australian soldiers. Despite the OSI deciding not to lay charges over the Sardar and village idiot killings, its investigation into Australias most significant war crimes matters those involving disgraced war hero Ben Roberts-Smith is ongoing. While OSI investigators have privately disclosed to witnesses that they are frustrated with the delays in finalising the Roberts-Smith case, they have also signalled their intention is to charge him pending final internal and external legal advice. One witness, who spoke to this masthead on the condition of anonymity, said the OSI had told them the agency expected the Roberts-Smith case to drag through the criminal court system for years. The approach adopted by OSI detectives, largely secondees from the federal police and state police homicide squads, suggests it is seeking to not only charge Roberts-Smith with war crimes but also ancillary offences surrounding his cover-up attempts. Loading After bringing defamation proceedings against this masthead, Roberts-Smith was found by a federal court judge in 2023 to have been involved in four executions. He has appealed that judgment and a ruling by a panel of appeal judges is imminent. Roberts-Smith has kept a mostly low profile since his devastating defamation loss and recently told friends in Perth that he was moving back to Brisbane after securing a senior role for a company that manufactures outdoor equipment. The ex-soldier implicated in the death of Sardar served in a different squadron to Roberts-Smith and their alleged criminality is not related. In media interviews and testimony to the OSI, Miller described how just before his death, Sardar was in his care suffering a non-fatal gunshot wound. He had been shot through the thigh by the SAS when they first landed in his village. Miller did not witness Sardars death but believes the circumstantial evidence warranted a prosecution. Miller said the gunshot injury Sardar sustained was relatively minor, and the injuries later found on Sardars body occurred after the Afghan was removed from Millers care by his fellow Australian soldier. Dusty Miller, a member of the Special Air Service Regiment and a combat medic, served in Afghanistan in 2012 on a mission that has defined his life ever since. Credit: Evidence uncovered by the Afghan Human Rights Commission included injury marks suggesting the injured Sardar may have had his chest stomped on before his death but after he was taken from Miller. Miller was so haunted by his failure to protect Sardar that he contacted his children in Afghanistan in 2020 to apologise. I wanted to tell them that I was sorry for what happened to their father and that I should have done more, Miller said at the time. The OSI told Miller that proving that Sardars death was caused by his treatment at the hands of the soldier they suspected of murdering him, and was not caused by the original gun shot, was difficult without Sardars body being forensically examined. In a statement, the OSI said it did not comment on individuals, allegations or whether they are the subject of investigation. Australian National University international law expert, Professor Don Rothwell, said the OSIs ability to gain key evidence and testimony in Afghanistan was greatly reduced after the Taliban regained power. Rothwell said the OSI was undertaking an unprecedented investigation effort in a nation with no contemporary experience probing and prosecuting war crimes. Given the significance of the OSIs work, it is inevitable they will be adopting a conservative position as to whether they will proceed with charges given the reputational damage that would be sustained if a prosecution failed because of evidentiary weaknesses, he said. But Rothwell also said the OSI was proceeding very slowly and the public rightly expected further charges. If the work of the OSI is to ultimately encompass just one charge, that would have to be a failure, he said. Rawan Arraf, executive director of the Australian Centre for International Justice, said the decision not to prosecute the cases raised questions and concerns about the examination of war crimes allegations. The OSI must provide comprehensive reasons to the public and furnish those reasons to the courageous individuals (or their families) within the special forces who spoke up (some giving their lives in that pursuit) and Afghan victims and their communities affected by these allegations, she said. A West Australian man has been charged with murder after a woman, understood to be his mother, in her 40s was found dead in a home near Geraldton on Friday evening. Police said emergency services were called to a home on Melbourne Street in Waggrakine, north of Geraldton, at about 6.25pm. They had received reports that a serious assault had occurred there. WA Police and St John Ambulance paramedics found the woman inside with serious injuries that she later died from. London: Terminally ill patients in England and Wales will be allowed to end their own lives under strict conditions after British MPs voted to allow assisted dying laws, in one of the biggest landmark social changes in the country in decades. After an emotionally charged five-hour debate, members of the House of Commons voted by 330 to 275 on Saturday (AEDT) to support a plan that would allow doctors to help patients with less than six months to live to end their lives. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, centre, who proposed the landmark private members bill on assisted dying, meets campaigners after the vote was passed. Credit: Getty Images The decision in Westminster followed weeks of divisive public debate in Britain on a complex ethical question that transcended political affiliations and provoked sharp disagreement. Many likened the historic vote to Britains legalisation of abortion in 1967, the abolition of the death penalty in 1969 and the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2014. The new law, which must now be scrutinised in parliamentary committees with amendments likely to be put forward, would mean that only terminally ill adults who are expected to die within six months and registered with a GP for at least 12 months are eligible for assisted dying. London: Volodymyr Zelensky has said for the first time he would be willing to cede territory to Russia to end the war, in Ukraine in exchange for his country being brought under the NATO umbrella. The Ukrainian president said support from the alliance a political and military coalition of 32 countries from Europe and North America would have to be offered to unoccupied parts of the country to end the hot phase of the war, as long as the invitation acknowledged Ukraines internationally recognised borders. Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking to Sky News. Credit: SkyNews/YouTube His comments in an interview with UKs Sky News on Friday underscored increased concern in Kyiv and Europe about the direction of the war and any deal that US President-elect Donald Trump might try to broker with Moscow and Zelensky. Zelensky appeared to accept that occupied parts of eastern Ukraine would fall outside such a deal for the moment. Beirut: Insurgents breached Syrias largest city Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016, according to a war monitor and fighters, in a surprise attack that sent residents fleeing and added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars. Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport as well as all roads leading into the city on Saturday, three military sources told Reuters, as rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad said they had reached the heart of Aleppo. The advance on Aleppo followed a shock offensive launched by insurgents Wednesday, as thousands of fighters swept through villages and towns in Syrias northwestern countryside. Opposition forces take control of areas outside Aleppo, Syria. Credit: AP Residents fled neighbourhoods on the citys edge because of missiles and gunfire, according to witnesses in Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the countrys unresolved civil war, said dozens of fighters from both sides were killed. Achill councillor Paul McNamara has pledged to allocate some of his own General Municipal Allocation (GMA) to keep the public toilets in Keel open over the festive period. Cllr McNamara told last week's meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that there was "no public toilet open at all within the Achill area until you get to Achill Sound". "The toilets are closed at Keel and Keem and the mobile toilets are removed off our Blue Flag beaches when the summer season is over. "I raise this matter time and time again. The facilities are there. The public toilets are right on the campsite there in Keel and it is my belief they should be open full-time. I have had numerous calls, particularly in November with the good spell of weather, there were days of 16 and 17 degrees and a lot of day-trippers came into the village. But people could not find any place to go to the toilet. We do so much promoting the Wild Atlantic Way yet at a destination like this the toilets are not open." Cllr McNamara said the beach at Keel is "open 365 days a year" and always has people walking on it. Head of the district Seamus OMongain claimed the council could not open the public toilets in Keel on a full-time basis as it would be setting precedents across the county and the resources were not there. However, Cllr McNamara said he could not accept it was a resource issue. "We are promoting Keem Bay, our walking areas, our Blue Flag beaches on a constant basis and there is something wrong if we cant provide a facility of a toilet in an area like this. We also have planning permission for a major project through Failte Ireland to build changing rooms and toilets at Keel. If we cannot open the ones that are there now, how will we manage this? Surely we are not going to build a white elephant. Have we not a plan in place to open that new project 24/7?" Director of Services Joanne Grehan said it would be difficult to commit to opening the toilets over the Christmas period due to the pressure it would put on staff rostering. She said the new toilets and changing rooms would be open all year round. Unhappy with the lack of support for his proposal, Cllr McNamara then declared: Right, I will provide some of my GMA money to help solve the problem until the new structure is built, so that they are open from December 1. The Director of Services said she would work further with the Achill councillor in the days ahead. Reading, PA (19601) Today Mainly cloudy, mild, and mainly dry after some morning fog and drizzle taper off. . Tonight Mostly cloudy, a bit breezy, and mild; perhaps a spotty shower. Flash Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Nepalese Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu on Friday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the two sides have made joint efforts to promote cooperation on all fronts, make progress under the Belt and Road Initiative, and advance the building of the trans-Himalayan multi-dimensional connectivity network. China is ready to work with Nepal to embrace new prospects for the development of China-Nepal relations by taking the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties next year, he said. Arzu Rana Deuba said Nepal firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and will never allow other forces to make use of Nepal's territory to engage in any activities that oppose China and harm China's interests. The Nepalese foreign minister said that Nepal appreciates the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity, and is willing to participate in the Global Development Initiative. Xac minh 'than y' chua ung thu bang phuong phap 'truyen nang luong' "Than y" Nguyen Van Kien (trai) lam viec voi co quan chuc nang - Anh: Cong an cung cap Ngay 28-2, ong Nguyen Tuong Duy - chu tich UBND xa Hai Yang (huyen ak oa, Gia Lai) - cho hay ang phoi hop cac co quan chuc nang xac minh truong hop nguoi xung... An Giang lien tiep xuat hien mua trai mua Mua bat chot giua cao iem ma kh khien nguoi dn bat ngo. Theo ng Luu Van Ninh, Gim oc i Kh tuong Thuy van tinh An Giang, nguyn nhn cua hien tuong ny l do nhieu ong nhiet oi trn cao trong ieu kien La Nina ket hop cua ra pha Nam khoi khng kh lanh... The intensity of the shock wave hitting Europe because of the threat by the incoming Trump administration to impose a tariff of 10-20 percent on all its products coming into the US is indicated by a rather unusual interview given by the president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, to the Financial Times (FT) this week. Christine Lagarde, president of the ECB, speaking at the European Parliament. [AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias] Normally central bankers, as part of their desire to maintain their so-called independence, do not comment on government policies or lay out policy prescriptions. But in this case Lagarde addressed what she considered the European Union should do in response to the Trump tariff threat. The basic line of her remarks was that the response should not be retaliation but negotiations and the fact that Trump had put out a range for the tariff measures against Europe meant it was open to discussion. Ignoring the possibility this is just wishful thinking, Lagarde pressed on. Europe, she said, should employ a cheque-book strategy to deal with the Trump administration. It should offer to buy certain things from the United States, including liquified natural gas and defence equipment. The EU should signal that we are prepared to sit at the table and see how we can work together. I think this is a better scenario than a pure retaliation strategy, which can lead to a tit-for-tat process where no one really is the winner. Lagarde focused on the contrast between the threat against China and Europe. Trump had clearly announced the magnitude of the tariffs that he has in mind: 60 percent for China, 10-20 percent for the rest of the world. But he has not been very specific about the scope and the basis on which those tariffs would apply. Thats a really interesting area for clarification and better understanding. The Lagarde perspective for discussion and negotiation seems to be based, at least in part, on the conception that the tariff threat is a continuation of the agenda of the first Trump administrationa tool to be used in making agreements beneficial to the US. That may still be the case to some extent. But the tariff war now being prepared goes well beyond what was done previously and there is a definite shift in orientation. Trump has insisted that tariffs are a means of raising revenueharking back to the days of President William McKinley in the 1890s when there was no income taxas he proposes further tax cuts for corporations. They would also be aimed at compelling foreign-owned companies to operate on American soil. Asked by the FT to comment on her remarks in January that Trump was a threat to Europe, Lagarde replied: It was prescient. Just look at the debates we are having in many countries in Europe. On the longer-term outlook for Europe, she warned that tariffs will be negative for global growth. Thats always been the case. If you raise tariffs on a global basis, it reduces global GDP across the board. I find it difficult to reconcile myself with the proposal to make America great again. How do you make American great again if global demand is falling. Lagarde said she would not describe the present situation in Europe as a crisis but as an awakening. Its a big awakening. She acknowledged that the productivity gap between the US and Europe had widened over the past 30 years. We have missed the transformative impact of the first IT revolution. In the 1990s, the United States rode with it and in that particular field, we have lost competitiveness. Pressed on the point by the interviewer, who noted that in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), regarded as the driving force for economic development in the coming period, the US and China were way, way ahead. Lagarde replied: I wouldnt give up on Europe on that one. But data points to the widening gap in the AI transformation as detailed in the recent report on the state of European capitalism prepared for the European Commission by former ECB president Mario Draghi. It found that with the new digital revolution underway, Europe currently looks set to fall further behind the US. The largest European cloud operator accounts for just 2 percent of the EU market. Quantum computing is posed to be the next major innovation, but five of the top ten tech companies in terms of quantum investments are based in the USA and four in China. None are based in the EU, it said. Whatever the precise form the Trump tariff hikes take, there is no question they will lead to an intensification of the attacks on the working class now underway as seen in the wave of sackings already ripping through the manufacturing industry in Europe. In the latest news of job destruction, following the announcement of plans by VW to close three plants and sack tens of thousands, the German steel firm Thyssenkrupp aims to axe 11,000 jobs, some 40 percent of its current workforce of 27,000. The crisis is not confined to industry. With European governments confronted with rising debts, social benefits are going to come under the hammer as European capitalism, locked in a dog-eat-dog struggle for profits and markets, determines that the so-called social contract can no longer be afforded. This issue was broached, albeit in a somewhat vague manner, in the interview when Lagarde was asked to comment on a remark she made in a recent speech that Europe appeared to have agreed on a trade-off to have better social services and less animal spirits and innovation and whether this needed to be re-examined as part of Europes awakening. Lagarde began her response by saying; I think the equilibrium that we have had for a long time needs to be re-examined. After that she sought to dodge the question by raising the need to eliminate the burden of overregulation, bureaucracy and paperwork on businesses and ensure that innovation is part of the landscape. Under the social relations of capitalism, governed by the laws of profit, innovation always entails attacks on the working class. They have already begun and will intensify under conditions of deepening trade war. Some 173 climate change protesters were arrested during an attempted blockade of the worlds largest coal port in Newcastle, a working-class regional hub several hours north of Sydney. The roundup was directly presided over by the New South Wales (NSW) state Labor administration, which has collaborated closely with the federal Labor government in a broader assault on civil liberties. Police reported that a total of 156 adults and 14 children (one as young as 13) were charged last Sunday. Some 138 were charged with disruption of a major facility, and 32 for not complying with a direction from an authorised officer relating to safety. Another 3 had been charged on Saturday for refusing to obey police directions in the Harbour. If found guilty of disrupting a major facility such as ports and railways under Section 214A of the NSW Crimes Act, protesters face up to two years in prison and fines as high as $22,000. These penalties on the right to protest were passed with the support of Labor under the then-Liberal National Coalition Government in 2022. Their use by the NSW Labor government is a massive attack on democratic rights. It is a clear signal that the state, led by Labor, is seeking to abolish the right to demonstrate altogether. Rising Tide protesters use kayaks, sailboats and rafts to block a coal ship in Newcastle Organised by the climate activist group Rising Tide for the 13th consecutive year, protesters took to the water in kayaks, sailboats and rafts within an exclusion zone near the shoreline established by NSW Police. The mass arrest began on Sunday when the flotilla of protesters broke through in unison to block a coal ship. The Port Authority confirmed that shipping movements were paused for several hours due to safety concerns. Protesters demanded that the Labor government cancel all new coal and gas projects and end coal exports from Newcastle by 2030. They also demanded a 78 percent tax on coal export profits to fund the transition to renewable energy and support fossil fuel workers. Newcastle Port is the worlds largest coal export port, with more than 100 million tonnes of coal annually and roughly 2000 ship movements each year. Australia is also the world second largest coal producer behind Indonesia. Protesters pointed to alarming findings that 2023 was the hottest year on record and the role of the Labor government, which appealed to opposition to climate change in its federal election campaign of 2022, promising a 43 percent emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Not only is it insufficient compared to the rate of global warming, but Labor has since approved 28 coal and gas projects. In a follow-up protest on Wednesday, 20 Rising Tide protesters were arrested near Parliament House in Canberra for blocking a road and refusing to obey orders to disperse from police. The arrests were one of the largest in recent history, following last years blockade organised by Rising Tide which resulted in 109 detentions. Police officers were reportedly brought in from across the state with at least 5 vessels packed with officers in preparation. These events are all the more significant that they are occurring under a state and federal Labor government. In a statement, Labor Minister for the Hunter Region Yasmin Catley praised the outstanding job of NSW police and strongly condemn[ed] the protest. Prior to the protest, the police had threatened to ban it altogether. This is part of a broader onslaught. Victorian Police, acting under the direction of a Labor administration in that state as well, have confirmed in recent weeks that a total of 110 people have been arrested since a protest outside the Land Forces Defence Expo at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in September. After 89 were arrested on the spot, a further 21 people have been arrested following police interrogation of CCTV and bodycam footage. Many of those arrested after the event were done so as part of raids in their homes, including one instance of 15 officers arresting two pro-Palestine students. The arrests reflect concerns within the ruling elite over the growth of social opposition over a raft of issues, including climate change, social inequality and Australias complicity in the Israeli genocide in Gaza. Rising Tide protestival in Newcastle Some 7,000 people participated in Rising Tides 8 day protestival, of which the port blockade was a part. That reflects a developing politicisation, including among young people who were heavily represented. But Rising Tides perspective of middle-class protest politics oriented to Labor and the Greens is a bankrupt one. That was underscored by an email from the organisers after the event, complacently describing the mass arrest as one of many highlights of the week. It states that the upcoming protest in Canberra would be asking Albo (an affectionate term for Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese), when will you stop approving new coal and gas? What will it take? This is a cover for the fact that Labor is an unalloyed representative of the major corporations, including the fossil fuel conglomerates and magnates. It is sowing the illusion that endless appeals will somehow produce a change of course, despite all evidence to the contrary. The fawning attitude of the organisers to Labor was underscored by their promotion of Peter Garrett at the event. The ageing rock star won support in the 1980s for the politically critical songs of Midnight Oil. He went on to serve in a Labor government from 201013 as it increased Australias carbon emissions, while pursuing a broader agenda of militarism abroad and an offensive on the social conditions of the working class. The Greens were heavily promoted at the event and featured several major speakers, including Greens leader Adam Bandt and Senator Mehreen Faruqi. They denounced complicit governments for fuelling the climate collapse. While posturing over the environment, the social crisis and the Gaza genocide, the Greens are a capitalist party of the political establishment. They have collaborated closely with the Labor government, including by helping to ram 27 bills through parliament last Thursday, which centred on boosting the profits of the corporate elite. That collaboration was part of a broader pitch by the Greens for a coalition with Labor after the next federal election, which must be held by May. The Greens are pursuing such an alliance, knowing that as with their last coalition with Labor in 20102013, it would be dominated by the interests of the corporations, including the major polluters. The ending of the climate crisis requires a fight for socialism, which the Greens, as a capitalist party, bitterly oppose. What is needed is the independent mobilisation of the working class, in a struggle against Labor, the Greens and the entire political establishment, aimed at ending the domination of private profit over every aspect of social life. This must be part of a revolutionary struggle for world socialism. The problems confronting humanity, including war, authoritarianism and environmental catastrophe are global in scope, demanding the abolition of the whole capitalist nation-state system. *** Members of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) discussed this perspective with participants at the protesteval. The IYSSE raised the connections between the climate crisis and other manifestations of the capitalist breakdown, including the genocide and the US-led drive to war against Russia and China. Elyssa Elyssa, an artist, said, My concern about the climate crisis globally brings me here today, to the worlds largest coal port. I think climate change is a real existential threat. Im really concerned about our health on this planet; were continuing with our actions to cause harm to both the human species and other forms of life. My personal home region, the Shoalhaven, was impacted by the 2019-2020 bushfires, so Ive seen the consequences of this on the local area. Ive also been working and studying abroad, and I can see that this is a real concern for people globally. I think theres a lot of reasons why governments arent taking action, to do with capitalism and profit. I definitely feel this. Myself as an artist, what I try to do is encapsulate these ideas in a way that can embody and identify with the shocking state of things. Gemma Gemma, said, Im here because its really important to support our democracy and our right to protest. Also, as first and second for coal and gas exports globally, its really important that Australians recognise the impact were having globally as well. Sticking our head in the sand doesnt help us anyone. Were the driest continent on earth and its time we had a reality check. I grew up rurally, Ive seen the local extinction or decline of bird species from my area, and adaptation and mitigation is of extreme importance especially when it comes to things like the flooding thats happened and bushfires, we are not prepared as a country, or globally. Our Pacific Island nations are going underwater, these issues are happening globally and were part of that struggle. This doesnt just impact one place; our ecosystem is interconnected. A storm moves up from the Antarctic, its not just hanging out above Australia. To think that were separate from everyone and that the decisions we make dont matter is short-sighted and naive. We have the resources and people-power, but not enough is being done. At the global summits, at the moment, theyre looking a little bit tokenistic. Were looking at 17 million trees being put in, for example, in Southern Gippsland from Victoria, and the whole ending native forest logging but still logging really, over half of that state is still being deforested. 17 million trees is nowhere near enough, considering the amount of damage weve done. Thats a drop in the water, its a pathetic first step, really. Governments are privatising things like Sydneys water supply, which is really dangerous to our health and society, and letting multi-national developers knock down ecologically significant areas to build apartments. The community consultations are way too short, and its really not fair. On Bidens recent authorisation of Ukraine to fire long-range missiles into Russia, and the danger of nuclear war, Gemma commented: Its completely irresponsible. And if you look at Australia and our role, weve been some of the first nuclear testing sites, around Woomera. No one wants to go to war. I think were at a point of history that those who can see beyond war and a way to peace, need to be standing up and advocating for that. David North has sent this letter to the Institute of Historical Research at the School of Advanced Study, University of London, which is sponsoring on December 2 an online seminar at which Professor Aidan Beatty will be speaking on Gerry Healy and the WRP: Violence, Gender, and the Perils of Trotskyism. North has asked to be afforded time to respond to Beattys presentation. Please send statements supporting this request to ihr.reception@sas.ac.uk and forward a copy to sep@socialistequality.com * * * November 29, 2024 To the Institute of Historical Research, On 2 December 2024, the Institute of Historical Research is sponsoring an online seminar titled Gerry Healy and the WRP: Violence, Gender, and the Perils of Trotskyism. The listed speaker is Professor Aidan Beatty. As the title of the seminar clearly indicates, the scheduled seminar is not an educational event, but rather a political meeting whose explicit purpose is to attack and discredit the Trotskyist movement. Mr. Beattys recent book, The Party is Always Right: The Untold Story of Gerry Healy and British Trotskyism, is a blatant exercise in historical falsification, which violates the most elementary standards of scholarly research. It makes claims about Gerry Healys life that are demonstrably untrue. The book has been published by Pluto Press, which is controlled politically by long-time opponents of Healy. It is based on what Mr. Beatty palms off as oral history, which consists almost entirely of undocumented allegations by political opponents of Gerry Healy. Incredibly for a historian, Mr. Beatty conducted virtually no archival research in the writing of this biography. In a 234-page book that purports to cover the political career of Gerry Healy, which spanned six decades, there are only five footnoted references to the writings of his subject. The actual content of political controversies in which Healy played a central role are ignored and the relevant documents are not referenced. The World Socialist Web Site has published several reviews of Mr. Beattys book in which his falsifications of the historical record are exposed. A central claim made by Mr. Beatty on the first page of his opening chapterMost egregiously Gerry Healys well-repeated claim that he saw the Black and Tans shoot and kill his father during the War of Independence was an outright lieis entirely unsupported by any sort of written evidence and is based on nothing more than gossip. Research carried out by the WSWS conclusively establishes that Healy never claimed to have witnessed his fathers death. In fact, he never wrote or spoke about his family backgroundnot even to his daughter. Further claims made by Beattythat Healy was raised in an affluent bourgeois family and that the area of Ireland in which he spent his childhood was largely spared the violence of the rebellion and civil warhave also been shown by the WSWS to be totally false. Permit me to refer the Institute to the recent and most detailed reply to Beattys biography posted on the World Socialist Web Site: Slander vs. Biography: Aidan Beattys falsification of Gerry Healys family and childhood in a decade of rebellion and civil war, by Thomas Scripps. Mr. Scripps exposure of Beattys falsifications is based on solid archival research. Mr. Beatty does not confine his attack to Gerry Healy. Astonishingly, in what purports to be a biography of Gerry Healy, he devotes his final chapter to a denunciation of the Socialist Equality Party in the United States and of me. The latter attack is highly personalized and includes data that he seems to have mined from Ancestry.com. He includes references to my grandparents, parents and other personal information entirely unrelated to the life of Gerry Healy. What Mr. Beatty fails to include in this personalized denunciation is any reference to the extensively documented record of my political differences with Gerry Healy. This raises yet another significant issue. In Mr. Beattys acknowledgments, in which he purports to explain his motivations for writing the biography, he fails to disclose that he is a leading member of the Democratic Socialists of America, a political party in the United States that is bitterly hostile to the Socialist Equality Party, of which I am the national chairman. Moreover, for approximately five years, Mr. Beatty worked at Wayne State University in Detroit, where the Socialist Equality Party and its youth organization, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, have been conspicuously active. The DSAs efforts to suppress the presence of the SEP and IYSSE on the WSU campus included calls to the police. Thus, the first sentence of Mr. Beattys AcknowledgmentsI cant remember when I first heard of Gerry Healy, but by the very start of 2020 I had begun to gather material on him, not knowing whether it would lead to a piece of long-form journalism or an idiosyncratic academic article.is simply unbelievable. As a politically active opponent of the SEP on the campus of Wayne State University, Beatty would have most certainly been sufficiently familiar with the history of the Trotskyist movement to have heard of Gerry Healy well before he decided to write his biography. There is a further point related to the origins of Beattys biographical project. Beatty writes in his Acknowledgments: My research in Britain was funded by the Program on Jewish Studies and the World History Center at the University of Pittsburgh, who were generous enough to see the Jewish, Israeli-Palestinian and global connections of this project. Mr. Beatty fails to explain the nature of these global connections, and how he convinced these two institutions to assist in the financing of a biography devoted to the life of an Irish-born Trotskyist who spent his entire political career in Britain. Mr. Beatty has longstanding relations, spanning a decade, with organizations closely associated with the Zionist movement and the Israeli state. Given Gerry Healys well-known support for the struggle of the Palestinian national movement against the Zionist state, it is reasonable to assume that financing was provided to Beatty with the understanding that his biography would serve to discredit the Trotskyist movement. Mr. Beatty has failed to reply to the WSWSs request that he make public his applications for funding from the Program on Jewish Studies and the World History Center. Given the issues and circumstances enumerated above, I request that the Institute of Historical Research allow me to participate in the December 2 online webinar, with sufficient time to reply to Mr. Beattys presentation. The IHR, with its reputation for the promotion of scholarly research, should not be endorsing Mr. Beattys manifestly false and maliciously factional political attack on the Trotskyist movement. The IHRs obligation to allow me to respond to Mr. Beatty is all the more imperative given the fact that I am a subject of his attack. The lateness of this request should not be given as an excuse to deny it. We received no official notification of the planned online seminar, and only learned of it within the last 48 hours. In any event, the nature of an online event presents no specific organizational obstacle to the granting of my request. I look forward to your reply, David North This years COP29 climate summit, hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan, is the latest in a series of meetings in which the worlds capitalist governments made a pretense of putting forward a solution to the ongoing and accelerating worldwide ecological crisis caused by climate change. Instead, the summit again demonstrated the impossibility of fighting global warming within the confines of the capitalist system. People walk outside the venue for the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Saturday, November 23, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. [AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool] The toll of climate change, especially in the past 15 years, has been immense. A World Economic Forum report estimates that since 2009, the cost of extreme weather events alone was about $143 billion a year, a number which continues to rise as more and more such events occur. Damage from this years hurricane season is currently estimated at a record-breaking $500 billion. The more powerful hurricanes, longer droughts, intense heat waves, frigid winter storms and other forms of extreme weather are estimated by the World Meteorological Association to cause hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. And a UN report published for COP29 estimates that, each year, weather-related disasters cause at least 22 million people to be forcibly displaced from their homes. The International Displacement Monitoring Centre estimates that by 2050, there will be more than 1.2 billion such climate refugees worldwide. Decreased agricultural yields caused by global warming threaten more than 821 million people with starvation by the end of the decade and could make regions unlivable for up to 3.2 billion men, women and children who currently reside in the areas most impacted by climate change. Any serious effort to solve these issues would involve: The scientifically planned global restructuring of the worlds energy industry to transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy A transformation on the same scale of logistics and agriculture to predict and adapt to current and future dangers posed by climate change The rapid and massive expansion of public transportation over further developments of cars and other forms of private transit The implementation of a worldwide plan to ensure full public access to high quality utilities Instead, COP29 embraced the same policy that has been adapted since such climate talks began in 1995: The subordination of Earths environment and the lives of those impacted to the corporate and economic demands of the United States and the other major capitalist powers. The most concrete result from the summit was a commitment of $300 billion a year by 2035 from developed to developing countries and island nations to offset the already disastrous impacts climate change is having on the populations of those countries. The claim is that these funds will help countries to protect their people and economies and climate disasters. The entire framework is absurd. The money itself is a paltry sum compared to what is needed to actually fight climate change; estimates from the journal Nature indicate that at least $10 trillion will be needed each year by 2035. Moreover, like every other climate agreement, nothing is enforceable or guaranteed. The United States in particular is well known for either backing out of climate deals, such as what Trump did with the Paris Accords in 2017, or not joining them in the first place, as when Clinton did not send the Kyoto Protocols to Congress for ratification in 1998. And while much was made in the corporate press and by the pseudo-left of Biden rejoining the Paris Accords in 2021, Bidens real policy aim has been world war. Ever since the US and NATO provoked Russia to attack Ukraine in 2022, all pretenses of fighting climate change have been dropped in favor of policies to prop up the transportation of American liquefied natural gas exports to Europe over the resources coming from Russia. This includes the bombing of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany, an act of political and ecological terror. The US military itself is a massive polluter. A 2019 report from Boston University noted that the wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Syria have released at least 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere since 2001. And that enormous figure, which is more than many countries, is only a third of the total greenhouse gas emissions emitted by the Pentagons global operations. The situation will only be exacerbated under Donald Trump, who has again vowed to withdraw the US from the Paris Accords. Trump has nominated Chris Wright, CEO of the fracking company Liberty Energy and staunch supporter of fossil fuels, for energy secretary. The fact that climate change is not merely ignored but actively speeded up is another example of the adoption of a policy of mass death. Similar to the response of the worlds ruling elites to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, every effort to seriously address the crisis is thwarted, while the basic problem, the continued emission of greenhouse gases into Earths atmosphere, is accelerated. As scientists have warned for decades, the consequences are and will continue to be disastrous. Along with extreme weather, the global melting of ice caps and glaciers threatens to drown every coastal city and island community, which together encompass somewhere between one-third and one-half of the worlds population. In addition, the accelerating warming has destabilized essentially every ecosystem, initiating a mass extinction event on a scale which has not been witnessed on Earth for tens of millions of years. What was expressed at COP29 is the fact that these summits are subordinated to capitalism, the division of the world into rival nation-states, each of which defends its own national corporate and geopolitical interests. The fight against climate change is fundamentally a class question. The devastating impact of the climate crisisextreme weather, rising sea levels, population displacement, food insecurity, and diseasefalls overwhelmingly on the working class and the oppressed masses worldwide. It is also the working class, united across all borders in the process of global production, whose objective interests lie in abolishing the capitalist nation-state system that drives environmental destruction. Resolving the climate crisis requires a direct assault on the wealth and power of the capitalist oligarchs who control the energy giants, financial institutions, and major corporations. An emergency response to the unfolding catastrophe must begin with the expropriation of these industries under the democratic control of the working class. The trillions of dollars currently hoarded by the ruling elite must be redirected to produce energy sustainably, develop public transportation, and invest in the technologies needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change. This is not a utopian vision but a necessary and realistic solution to the crisis. The technologies needed to stop climate change already exist. What is required is the removal of the capitalist barriers that subjugate science and production to profit. The Socialist Equality Party calls on workers and youth to take up this fight. The resolution of the climate crisis demands the revolutionary transformation of society. Only the socialist reorganization of global economic and social life, based on scientific planning and the abolition of private profit, can secure a future for humanity and the planet. The working class must act decisivelythis is not only a fight against climate change but for the survival of all life on Earth. Self-declared fascist Calin Georgescu, running as an independent candidate for president, gestures while delivering a speech to the media in Izvorani, Romania, Tuesday, November 26, 2024, after making it to the December 8 election runoff. [AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda] A first round of the presidential election was held in Romania on November 24. Calin Georgescu, an avowed fascist running as an independent, produced an electoral upset and came in first place with over 22 percent of the votes. He will be joined in the runoff by Elena Lasconi of the opposition liberal USR (Save Romania Union). The candidates of the two traditional ruling parties, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and National Liberal Party (PNL) who have governed Romania in a Grand Coalition since 2021, were eliminated. The election has triggered an intense political crisis in Romanias ruling establishment. Pre-election polls showed a comfortable win for the Social Democrats and a slew of candidates vying for the runoff spot, while Georgescu polled only fifth place in the days before the election. The leadership of both the PSD and PNL have been sacked, as the two parties brace for general elections on December 1, which are expected to place several far-right parties in the legislature. Georgescu was virtually unknown to the wider public before the elections. He had been associated with the fascist Alliance for the Unity of Romania Party (AUR) but was expelled, as his open glorifications of Nazis and war criminals interfered with AUR attempts to dress up its image and get votes. Georgescus campaign openly violated election regulations. He declared zero campaign expenses and failed to add election markings to his videos. In the days after the elections, multiple press outlets received an email containing photos purporting to show Georgescu in the company of his close entourage. It includes two former Romanian secret service chiefs, as well as Adrian Thiess, a media mogul tied to the Trump staff, who had recently organized Trump Jr.s trip to Hungary. Far-right commentators have talked about a near-future visit to Romania by Robert Kennedy Jr., the anti-science hack nominated by Trump to head the US Department of Health, ostensibly to promote his book The Real Anthony Fauci, with a forward by Georgescu. Georgescu is himself a well-known figure within the fascistic swamp of COVID denialism. The countrys Supreme Defense Council was summoned by the countrys outgoing president, Klaus Iohannis, on Thursday. It issued a report that found cyberattacks with the purpose of influencing the correctness of the electoral process. The report issued unsubstantiated allegations that the election result was due to state and non-state actors, especially the Russian Federation, who has a growing interest to influence Romanian societys public agenda and social cohesion. The Special Telecommunication Service (STS), part of Romanias overgrown internal spying apparatus, issued a statement denying the existence of cyberattacks. A similar report had been issued by the Romanian Information Service (SRI) prior to the elections, after Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu accused candidates of using troll farms. The Supreme Court has ordered a vote recount and given itself until December 2 to take a decision on whether to cancel the election result outright. The official campaign against Georgescu, focused solely on technical-legal issues, serves to obscure the social and political issues involved. It is driven not by any aversion for his far-right views, many of which are shared by his rivals, but more by his criticisms of NATO and the Ukraine war. Politico noted: Georgescus success has triggered alarm as Romania has in recent years been viewed as one of the EUs more reliable members in Central and Eastern Europe when it comes to rule of law and securitywith a major NATO base on the Black Sea. The election result is first of all an indictment of the Romanian ruling establishment, who came to believe their own lies about a pro-war national consensus. Georgescu, who made criticism of the war the focus of his campaign, centered on Telegram and TikTok, built an audience among workers and youth who could find no progressive outlet for their concerns. An important political role of this campaign is to amalgamate opposition to war with Georgescus fascist sympathies. The ruling capitalist parties suppress opposition by falsely arguing that all opposition is necessarily fascist. The ongoing COVID pandemic has led to the near-collapse of the healthcare system. In the summer, revelations of mass deaths in a public hospital led to the framing of two doctors by prosecutors and the media for murder. The case against them has since been dismissed by a judge, but this ongoing social murder is continuing unabated. Romania is heavily involved in the imperialist war against Russia in Ukraine, which risks turning into a direct conflict between nuclear armed states. As a Black Sea state bordering Ukraine, Romania would undoubtedly suffer heavily in any expansion of the war. Yet any deviation from the official pro-war line is denounced as the result of Russian interference. The pro-war official consensus is backed by pseudo-left groups like the Socialist Action Group (GAS), which denounce Russian imperialism. The global cost of living crisis has been compounded by austerity measures demanded by the EU Recovery and Resilience Plan as well as ballooning defense spending. A recent pension cut deprived many elderly workers, notably in mining and nuclear sectors, of cost-of-living adjustments. 2025 is expected to bring new rounds of austerity in Romania. The policies of war and austerity have degraded the bourgeois democratic norms, such as they were after the Stalinist regimes restoration of capitalism in the 1990s. The ruling establishment, with the post-Stalinist PSD at its head, swung towards the far right, adopting extreme forms of nationalism, irredentism, and COVID denialism. Fascist parties like the Alliance for the unity of Romanians (AUR) and the SOS Romania Party were staffed by PSD apparatchiks, Stalinists, academics and union bureaucrats. A report published in November by the Romanian site PressOne highlights the AURs dominant political position in the Jiu Valley mining region. Demoralization and confusion prevail among the remaining miners, after suffering decades of defeats and closures at the hand of the state and the unions. A revolving door of Stalinists, union bureaucrats and local politicians forms the basis of AURs activities in many deindustrialized regions. One such example is Nicu Bunoaica, a mining union leader and former associate of the pseudo-left Association for the emancipation of workers (AEM) who ran as an AUR candidate in local elections earlier this year. The elevation of a fascist admirer of interwar Romanias Iron Guard to the highest office appears to be a less shocking bolt from the blue as it has been described in the media. Similar to other far-right leaders elected in recent years, Georgescu is first of all the expression of the ruling class increasingly open abandonment of democratic norms, under conditions of global war and intensifying working class resistance. The main responsibility for the rise of the far right lies with the nominal left political forces, who have adapted to nationalism and have surrendered any resistance to war. Georgescu himself is the product of the former Stalinist ruling establishment. He followed the path of his mentors, Sergiu Celac and Mircea Malitza, who enjoyed careers in the Stalinist regimes diplomatic corps and remained influential after capitalist restoration. Georgescu has links to the Malthusian Club of Rome think tank and has been promoted by PSD leaders in the foreign policy establishment as an expert on sustainable development. During the pandemic, he became a leading promoter of quack medicine and opponent of health measures. Georgescus opposition to war is, however, a complete fraud. He has called for the reintroduction of the military draft. His criticism of the Ukraine war is merely raised from the standpoint that it undermines the economic and geostrategic interests of Romanian capitalism. Irans bourgeois-clerical regime is making overtures to the incoming Trump administration, in the hopes that it can strike a peace deal with the billionaire fascist. When he was last in the White House, Trump scuttled the Iran nuclear deal, waged economic war on Iran, and brought the US and Iran to the brink of war with the illegal drone strike assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Qasem Soleimani. Tehran is signaling its readiness to bargain with Trump, even as he makes clear that he intends to deal with Iran even more ruthlessly than during his first term, and that he will do so working in the closest concert with Israel, which is already waging war against Iran in all but name. Iranians attend an annual rally in front of the former US Embassy in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, marking the 45th anniversary of Iranian students' takeover of the embassy, after Washington gave refuge to the deposed Shah. [AP Photo/Vahid Salemi] Meanwhile, the principal European imperialist powers, angered by Irans supplying of Russia with armaments to fight the Ukraine war, and anxious to placate Trump and pursue their own predatory ambitions in the Middle East, are intensifying pressure on Iran. During the 14 months of the Gaza genocide, Israel has struck out against Iran and its allies across the region with increasing brazenness and violence, violating one Iranian red line after another. Its ability to do so has been entirely bound up with US imperialist supportpolitical, materiel, logistical, and financial. Within days of the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Biden administration deployed two aircraft carrier groups and a nuclear-armed submarine to the region to menace Iran. On three subsequent occasions, the Pentagon undertook massive military mobilizations to provide Israel with an air shield to protect it from Iranian drones and missiles, and signal that it stands ready to act on its longstanding and constantly revised plans for all-out war with Iran. After several days of intense debate within the Iranian regime, Tehran vowed that it would respond forcefully to Israels October 26 air attack on multiple Iranian targets, including missile production facilities. We have never left an aggression unanswered in 40 years, declared an IRGC leader. However, everything indicates that following Trumps November 5 election victory there was a reappraisal. Plans to retaliate against Israel in demonstrable fashion and with the stated aim of restoring deterrence were shelved or at the very least put on hold, after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei bowed to pressure from countervailing voices. Even as Israel has targeted IRGC personnel across the region, assassinated the political head of Hamas while an honoured guest in Tehran, and twice carried out air strikes on Iran, a significant faction of the Islamic Republics leadership has been militating for rapprochement with Israels US and European imperialist sponsors. They argue that Iran can only get relief from the US-led economic sanctions that have strangled its economy, and access to vitally needed investments and technology if Tehran integrates itself into an imperialist dominated Middle East. Left unsaid is that they see reconciliation with the US and EU powers as providing the best conditions for a restructuring of Iranian socio-economic life to eliminate what little remains of the social concessions made to working people in the immediate aftermath of the 1979 revolution that overthrew the US-backed Shah. The current Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, elected in a special election last June following his predecessors death in a helicopter crash, has persisted in his appeals to the Europeans, and now Trump, to work with Tehran in ensuring order and stability across the Middle East, even as he has been forced to admit that all Irans overtures to date have been rebuffed. Tehran has employed multiple means to indicate its eagerness for talks with Trump. Senior officials have publicly declared that they believe they can negotiate with Trump, notwithstanding his previous belligerent opposition to Iran and his staffing the senior military-security and foreign policy posts in his incoming administration with notorious anti-Iran war hawks. On November 11, Trumps billionaire whisperer-in-chief and the worlds richest man, Elon Musk, met with Irans ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, for over an hour. The New York Times reported that it was told by an Iranian Foreign Ministry representative that Ambassador Iravani told Musk he should obtain sanctions exemptions from the Treasury and bring some of his businesses to Tehran. Irans moderate and reform press, that is the media outlets closest to those elements in the regime arguing for rapprochement with the imperialist powers, greeted the news of the Musk meeting with unbridled enthusiasm. Blinded by their own fear and selfish class interests, many treated it as a diplomatic master strike. Three days later, in what is a stark indication of the extreme crisis within the regime and the fraught relations between its rival factions, Irans Foreign Ministry announced that there had been no meeting between Ambassador Iravani and Musk. In a further and far more substantive signal to Washington that Tehran is anxious to deescalate, as a prelude to redefining its relations with the imperialist powers, Iran pressured Hezbollah to agree to a 60-day truce with Israel on terms dictated by the Biden administration and largely favorable to its Zionist ally. According to press reports, Hezbollah reversed its stance on withdrawing its forces between the Litani River and the Israeli-Lebanese border shortly after the arrival in Beirut of Ali Larijani, a senior Islamic Republic insider, who is an IRGC veteran and long served as the Speaker of Irans parliament. The truce agreement calls for Hezbollah to withdraw from all territory south of the Litani River ceding heavily fortified positions from which it successfully repelled Israels ground invasion, much as it had done in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. Iran has publicly endorsed the truce agreement, including Hezbollahs dropping of its demand that an end to the fighting in Lebanon and Hezbollah missile and drone attacks on Israel be tied to a cessation of Israels genocidal war on the people of Gaza. As in Gaza, Israel, with the full support of the US, carried out monstrous war crimes in its invasion of Lebanon, slaughtered thousands of Lebanese civilians, and decimated the political and military leadership of Hezbollah, a communo-nationalist movement with deep roots in Lebanons historically oppressed Shia community. No sooner did the truce come into effect, than Israel carried out a wave of fresh attacks on Gaza. Iran reportedly provided Hezbollah with assurances that it will help it rearm in exchange for it agreeing to the 60-day truce, whose expire date coincides conveniently with Trumps formal assumption of the US presidency. But this is dependent on Irans ability to maintain an arms-supply corridor through Iraq and Syria that the Israelis, with the support of US forces, including those occupying south-eastern Syria, are intent on eliminating. According to the BBC, under the terms of the US brokered and supervised truce, the Biden administration has provided Israel with a letter authorizing it to renew its war on Hezbollah if it looks to be preparing an attack. Increased European imperialist pressure on Iran The principal European powers, meanwhile, have opened a new front against Iran. Last weekend Britain, France and Germany spearheaded the adoption of a motion at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) censuring Tehran for not cooperating with IAEA inspectors and otherwise violating the Iran nuclear accord that Trump torpedoed in 2018. The motion requires the IAEA to prepare a comprehensive report within three months on Irans compliance with the nuclear accord. The drafting of such a report is viewed as the necessary diplomatic first-step in initiating a campaign for the snap-back re-imposition in full of punishing UN economic sanctions against Iran. According to Iran, the IAEA head director general, Rafael Grossi, had assured them he would be able to stave off adoption of the censure motion, but the European powers would have none of it as they were determined to intensify pressure on Iran. In an interview with the Guardian published Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, a strong supporter of Tehrans overtures to the western imperialist powers, warned that there is growing sentiment in Iran for overturning the Islamic Republics oft-stated disavowal of any intention to develop and deploy nuclear weapons. Noting that the imperialist powers have repeatedly moved the goal posts in the nuclear talks to place additional demands on Iran, while economically strangling it, Araghchi said, So I can tell you, quite frankly, that there is this debate going on in Iran, and mostly among the elites even among the ordinary people whether we should change this policy or not, whether we should change our nuclear doctrine, as some say, or not, because it has proved insufficient in practice. He warned that if European countries were to re-impose sanctions on Iran at the UN Security Council, then they [will] have convinced everybody in Iran that, yes, your doctrine has been wrong. For the first time in two years, a senior Iranian diplomat met with representatives of the European powers that are signatories to the Iran nuclear accord Britain, France, Germany and the EU in Vienna on Friday. But a tense exchange Thursday at a preparatory meeting further indicated that the talks will go nowhere unless Tehran signals its readiness to make massive concessions. Following Thursdays meeting, EU foreign affairs diplomat Enrique More arrogantly tweeted that there had been a frank exchange... on Irans military support to Russia that has to stop, the nuclear issue that needs a diplomatic solution, regional tensions (important to avoid further escalation from all sides) and human rights. The Mideast war and the crushing US sanctions on Irans economy have further intensified the crisis of the Islamic Republic and exacerbated the longstanding and deep fractures within its ruling elite. The Iranian bourgeoisie and its representatives in the Shia clerical-political establishment find themselves caught between Washingtons drive to assert unbridled imperialist hegemony over the region, with the assistance of its Israeli attack dog, and a restive working class that is balking at their attempts to place all the burdens of the confrontation with imperialism on working people. Striving solely to increase their own possibilities for exploitation, the Iranian national bourgeoisie is organically incapable of making any progressive appeal to the workers and oppressed toilers of the region, Persian, Kurd, Turkish, Arab and Jewish, to unite in a struggle against imperialism, and for national and social equality for all. The past 14 months have seen massive protests in all the imperialist countries against the crimes of Israel and its US sponsor, but Tehran with its sectarian Shia populist ideology is neither interested in nor capable of appealing to the working class of the West. Instead, the Iranian regime oscillates between pleas for a reactionary bargain with imperialism, at the expense of the Iranian masses and the Palestinian people, and military threats. The regimes brinkmanship over its civilian nuclear program has only served to cause confusion among working people globally. Were it ever to act on its threat to reverse its nuclear doctrine, it would only provide a pretext for Israel and the imperialist powers to launch a catastrophic war. In the Middle East, as around the world, the struggle against imperialism and the developing global war is entirely dependent on the struggle to mobilize the working class on a socialist internationalist program uniting the toiling masses behind it in opposition to capitalism and the reactionary nation-state system in which it is embedded. On Friday, half a million workers across Italy went on a one-day nationwide strike. The strike, called by several unions in response to mounting pressure from the rank and file, reflects broad working class opposition to the austerity policies and deepening social inequality overseen by fascist Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Workers in Rome hold a banner reading "Wrong budget law, general strike" as they gather during a public and private sectors' national strike called by the labor unions to protest the government's budget law, Friday, November 29, 2024. [AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia] Many sections of workers participated in the strike action, and protest marches were held in dozens of cities. Public transport was affected in numerous cities, as bus, subway and tramway drivers walked off the job. Baggage handlers at the Milan and Venice airports went on strike, as did WizzAir Malta pilots and cabin crews. Public schools were significantly impacted as teachers struck to demand better funding and to oppose austerity measures. Stellantis workers struck in Naples, as did workers at the Fincantieri shipbuilders and auto parts maker Marelli. Italian workers oppose the Meloni governments 2025 budget, which includes massive cuts to all social programs but increases the military budget by 2 billion, bringing it to a record 32 billion. This aligns the Meloni government with NATOs spending objectives amid its war with Russia in Ukraine. Proposed across-the-board five percent cuts would devastate Italys public healthcare system, already teetering on the brink of collapse due to underfunding and staffing shortages. The same would apply to education, transportation and other essential services. Public sector workers are being offered a paltry 6 percent wage increase over three years, against a cumulative increase in essential living costs since 2021 estimated at 16 percent. Furthermore, pensions are set to rise by a tiny 3 per month, while the Fornero Law raising the retirement age remains in force. Workers also protested increasingly perilous working conditions leading to deaths on the job, dubbed by workers as workplace homicides. Moreover, the governments draconian Security Decree 1660 has introduced harsh penalties against various forms of protest and dissent, aimed at workers in general and immigrants in particular. Against the strike and its impact on public transport, far-right Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini threatened to invoke minimum service requirements, which seek to curtail the right to strike inscribed in Article 40 of the Italian Constitution. These measures are part of an escalating, global class war waged by the capitalist ruling elites on the workers that is provoking mounting opposition. The bourgeoisies savage movement to the right is epitomized by Melonis close ties with the cabal around fascist US President-elect Donald Trump, which is preparing a staggering $2 trillion austerity program against US workers to be overseen by the worlds richest man, billionaire Elon Musk. In recent months Elon Musk, appointed by Trump to head the new Department of Government Efficiency, has publicly praised Meloni as authentic, honest, and thoughtful. Meloni, in turn, called Musk a precious genius. Musk has expressed interest in expanding his businesses in Italy, including Starlink satellite internet services and building a Tesla manufacturing facility, in return for tax cuts. Massive budgetary attacks are similarly being prepared against the working class across Europe. In October, Britains Labour government adopted an austerity budget imposing 40 billion in spending cuts. Now, the French government is teetering on the verge of collapse over its budget, as the ruling class demands more military spending and spending cuts beyond the 60 billion the budget proposes. The main political obstacle to a political counteroffensive of the working class against these threats are the bankrupt pro-capitalist parties and labor bureaucracies, linked to Stalinism, that seek to tie the working class to capitalism and subordinate it to austerity and imperialist war. This is the role played in Italy by the successor of the Stalinist Italian Communist Party (PCI) after its self-dissolution in 1991, the Democratic Party (PD). The PD now has a decades-long history of attacking the workers. After World War II, the Italian bourgeoisie was compelled to grant labor laws and social benefits offering significant protections for workers. The Italian working class had organized mass strikes and armed uprisings against Mussolinis fascist regime, and while the PCI blocked a socialist revolution, the capitalist class for a time had to make social concessions. But in the decades since the 1991 Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union, successive PD-led governments systematically rolled back these gains. The much-hated 2014 Jobs Act, implemented by then-PD Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, undermined job security by easing restrictions on dismissals and facilitating precarious employment. Now, current PD leader Elly Schlein is criticizing Meloni but at the same time endorsing further austerity reforms, declaring: We stand with workers who demand dignity and justice. However, we must approach reforms responsibly to ensure long-term stability. The PD, like the Stalinist CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour) union bureaucracy and the social-democratic UIL (Italian Labour Union) bureaucracy, works to channel mounting working class anger into politically manageable avenues compatible with capitalist rule. Even facing Meloni, whose Brothers of Italy party descends directly from Mussolinis Fascist Party, the bureaucracies bend over backwards to maintain social peace and stabilize capitalism. At the strike yesterday, Maurizio Landini, the secretary-general of CGIL, called for collaboration and dialogue with the Meloni government, stating: This government must listen to the streets and open a serious dialogue with the trade unions to build a better future for all. Significantly, the transport unions limited the strike to 3 or 4 hours (depending on location), while exempting rail workers from the strike altogether and guaranteeing service in compliance with an Ordinance of the Minister of Transportation. For workers, Melonis government represents a dangerous convergence of far-right nationalism, austerity and militarism. In its two years, it has aggressively pursued anti-immigrant policies, attacked democratic rights and participated in NATOs imperialist wars. This is part of a broader global trend, where capitalist governments exploit economic crises to impose authoritarian measures and deepen inequality despite growing militancy and opposition among workers. The general strike in Italy occurs in this international context. Earlier this month workers in Greece held a general strike to demand higher pay and end year of austerity. In the Netherlands, tens of thousands have taken to the streets to oppose education austerity. In Argentina, university students and workers have mobilized against fascist President Javier Mileis budget cuts. In the United States, strikes by autoworkers, teachers and healthcare workers signal a growing rejection of capitalist exploitation. Workers globally are increasingly aware that their struggles are interconnected. In Italy, workers are adamantly opposed to Melonis complicity in war and genocide. Widespread outrage was on display at the strike against the governments unconditional support for Israels onslaught on Gaza, its defense of war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu, and Italys participation in NATOs proxy war against Russia. Workers participating in the strike shouted, No to War, Yes to Jobs! and Stop Funding Genocide! The war with Russia and the Gaza genocide, like the onslaught against the social and democratic rights of the working class across the imperialist centers of North America and Europe, can only be fought by an international mobilization of the working class. To wage such a struggle, workers must overcome the limitations imposed by the labor bureaucracies and bourgeois parties and the nationalist perspective they promote. Forces like the PD and its allied union bureaucracies are longstanding tools of Italian capitalism and are being pulled rapidly to the right. Independent rank-and-file committees are being formed in multiple industries and countries. Building the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) offers workers a way forward for organizing independently on an international scale and waging a revolutionary struggle for socialism against the capitalist oligarchy. Tens of thousands of supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan converged on Islamabad from locations across Pakistan this week. They were met by a massive deployment of riot police with shoot-to-kill orders from the Pakistani army, which has held the Islamist-populist prime minister in prison for over a year. Arriving in Islamabad, protesters found Pakistans capital in a state of siege. Schools and shops were closed, Internet was cut off in much of the city, and 20,000 riot police used containers to blockade major streets. Violent clashes erupted when protesters tried to reach D Chow (Democracy Square) at the center of the capitals government district, with riot police initially firing rubber bullets and tear gas. By Tuesday night, however, a massacre was underway, as Pakistani security forces opened fire on crowds of protesters. Videos have now appeared on social media, despite the Pakistani states Internet cut-off, showing protesters fleeing in the streets amid the sound of machine gun fire, leaving behind charred vehicles and large pools of blood. A viral video showed military police pushing a protester who was praying off a tall shipping container, reportedly to his death. Pakistani authorities brazenly denied that a massacre had taken place, manifestly hoping that massive Internet shutdowns would censor reports of the massacre. Islamabad police chief Ali Rizvi denied that live ammunition had been used on Tuesday but confirmed making 600 arrests that day. By now, press reports Pakistani police have arrested over 1,000 people. The office of Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, asked about reports that live ammunition had been used against the protests, issued a lying denial. It stated: As of now, no death has been reported, and the claims circulating regarding any such incidents are baseless and unverified. This was because the Pakistani army was suppressing reports of the massacre it had carried out and trying to make it impossible to verify what reports had emerged. By now, however, the censorship is collapsing, as evidence floods social media that the army and Naqvis office oversaw the murder of dozens or hundreds of people. Healthcare workers have confirmed Pakistani officials are censoring medical records. At least seven have died and four are in critical condition in the hospital. Eight more have been admitted to the hospital with bullet wounds, one Islamabad doctor in told the Guardian on Wednesday. All record of dead and injured have been confiscated by authorities. We are not allowed to talk. Senior government officials are visiting the hospital to hide the records. Officials of Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI, Pakistan Movement for Justice) party have given estimates of the number of dead ranging from six to over 200. Reports make clear the working class backgrounds of many of the victims. Pakistans liberal Dawn newspaper wrote, Mubeen Aurangzebone of the men named by [PTI official] Salman Akram Rajawas buried in his native village Jandar Bari in UC Phalkot, Abbottabad. Another victim, identified only as Qadira father of seven who worked as a daily wage labourer in Lahorewas interred in his native village of Soban Gali in UC Sherwan. On Wednesday, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller issued a statement washing his hands of the massacre. Presenting the Pakistani armys conduct as maintaining law and order, Miller said: We call on protesters to demonstrate peacefully and refrain from violence, and at the same time, we call on Pakistani authorities to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and to ensure respect for Pakistans laws and constitution as they work to maintain law and order. The massacre was carried out by the Pakistani army, but it has the fingerprints of Washington and its European allies all over it. Khan is in prison as a result of an imperialist vendetta after he fell afoul of US-NATO war plans against Russia and China. Khan is a bourgeois politician who, in power, imposed IMF austerity programs against the working class. However, he tried purchase Russian oil and gas and to develop trade relations with neighboring China through Beijings Belt and Road Initiative. When Khan visited Moscow shortly after the Russia-Ukraine war began and rejected calls from US and European officials to cut ties to Moscow, asking if Pakistanis are their slaves, the imperialist powers marked him for removal. Khan was ousted barely a month later, in a no-confidence vote on April 10, 2022. In August 2023, anonymous Pakistani officers leaked a diplomatic note, or cypher, recording how US State Department official Donald Lu warned officials at the Pakistani embassy in Washington that the Biden administration viewed Khans removal as non-negotiable. The cable quotes Lu: people here and in Europe are quite concerned about why Pakistan is taking such an aggressively neutral position (on Ukraine), if such a position is even possible. It does not seem such a neutral stand to us. Lu said the US National Security Council believed it was quite clear that this is the Prime Ministers policy. Lu indicated Washington would not forgive Pakistan if it did not oust Khan: I think if the no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister succeeds, all will be forgiven in Washington because the Russia visit is being looked at as a decision by the Prime Minister. Otherwise I think it will be tough going ahead. In conclusion, Lu stressed that Khans overture to Moscow had seriously damaged US-Pakistani relations and the no-confidence vote against Khan was key: I would argue that it has already created a dent in the relationship from our perspective Let us wait for a few days to see whether the political situation changes, which would mean that we would not have a big disagreement about this issue and the dent would go away very quickly. Otherwise, we will have to confront this issue head on and decide how to manage it. The US State Department refused to address reports on the cypher for eight months. Finally, this March, Miller issued a brief, absurd denial that the cypher showed any US pressure to oust Khan: Nothing in these purported comments shows the United States taking a position on who the leader of Pakistan should be. After Khans ouster, Pakistan accepted a new, shattering IMF austerity package raising taxes and energy costs, as the new Pakistani government ended Russian energy purchases. This devastated living conditions for workers and rural oppressed in Pakistan. Poverty rates doubled to 40 percent. Last month, a World Bank report concluded poverty will remain at least that high through 2026. Pakistans economic collapse, Khans arrest in May 2023, and the blatant rigging of the February 2024 elections in favor of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) government have provoked explosive popular opposition. Khan and the PTI, for their part, represent factions of the Pakistani bourgeoisie and political establishment desperate to control mass anger. They have repeatedly called off protests they had scheduled in to preserve national unity and prevent a movement in the working class against imperialism and its agents in the Pakistani bourgeoisie. Indeed, Khan canceled the first protest he called against his own removal, the May 2022 Azadi March, warning of workers hatred of military police. The hatred against police had already intensified and seeing me [at D-Chowk] would have further stoked the sentiments of my workers, he said. I was 100 per cent sure that bullets will be fired. People from our side were also ready as some of them were carrying pistols. It would have led to further hatred against the police and the army and caused divisions within the country. This week, the PTI again called off protests, to cool off mass anger after the massacre. It tweeted: In view of the governments brutality and the governments plan to turn the capital into a slaughterhouse for unarmed citizens, [we] announce the suspension of the peaceful protest for the time being. Working class opposition to IMF austerity, war with Russia, and the murderous US-backed Pakistani dictatorship must be hardened, based on a socialist and internationalist perspective. The struggle against the Pakistani military regime to defend living conditions and obtain basic democratic rights requires the building of an international movement in the working class, against US-NATO imperialist war and the diktat of finance capital, and for socialism. In the wake of Kamala Harriss presidential defeat and the Democrats loss of control of the Senate and failure to regain a majority in the House, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, with the support of Jacobin and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), is advancing a new electoral trap aimed at keeping workers and youth tied to the Democratic Party. President Joe Biden with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, after Biden delivered remarks on lowering the cost of prescription drugs, October 22, 2024, in Concord, New Hampshire. [AP Photo/Steven Senne] Keenly aware that millions of workers and students are alienated from both big business parties and the capitalist system they represent, Sanders and other Democratic Party operatives are attempting to prevent a revolutionary movement from below by sowing illusions in ruling class-approved independent working class campaigns. To this end, in multiple social media posts and interviews, including with The Nations John Nichols this past week, Sanders has effusively praised former union bureaucrat Dan Osborns 2024 independent campaign for the US Senate as the future. In The Nation interview, headlined Bernie Sanders: We Need More Working-Class Candidates to Challenge Both Parties, Sanders declared: I think that what Dan Osborn did should be looked at as a model for the future. He took on both political parties. He took on the corporate world. He ran as a strong trade unionist. Without party support, getting heavily outspent, he got through to working-class people all over Nebraska. It was an extraordinary campaign and it tells me that the American people are sick and tired of seeing the rich getting richer. They think billionaires dominate both political parties. They want real change, and Dans campaign raised those issues in a very significant way. Asked by Nichols if he was talking about creating a third-party, or creating a new political grouping the nominally independent senator from Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, responded, Not right now, no. He added: What I am saying is that, building off of Osborns campaign where people can run in the Democratic primary and win, thats fine. Where it is more advantageous to run as an independent, outside of the Democratic primary process, we should do that, as well. The last thing the democratic socialist senator from Vermont wants is for workers and youth to break with the Democratic Party and bourgeois politics. This is why Sanders rejects building a third party and instead promotes nominally independent candidates to dragoon workers and youth back into the orbit of the Democrats. Sanders presents Osborn as a champion of the working class in opposition to both the Democrats and Republicans, when the reality is the opposite. Prior to running for Senate, Osborn was the president of Local 50G of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) in Omaha, Nebraska. Throughout his Senate campaign, Osborn touted his stint as a union bureaucrat to posture as a friend of the working class. However, Osborn used his role not to fight for the workers against the corporation, but to strangle their struggle and impose a pro-company sellout. During the 2021 Kelloggs strike, Osborn waged a national chauvinist campaign to keep striking workers in the US isolated from their class brothers and sisters internationally. In a broadside against Mexican workers, Osborn said in an interview at the time: A lot of Americans probably dont have too much issue with the Nike or Under Armor hats being made elsewhere, or even our vehicles, but when they start manufacturing our food down where they are out of the FDA control and OSHA control, I have a huge problem with that. In a preview of his anti-immigrant Senate run, he campaigned for a boycott of made-in-Mexico Nabisco products. After the workers had struck for 77 days, Osborn helped Kelloggs push through a contract betrayal that expanded the hated two-tier wage and benefits system and led to the closure of the Omaha plant and destruction of 550 jobs. The Democrats failed to field a candidate and Osborn only narrowly lost his Senate race against incumbent Republican Deb Fischer. In the course of his campaign, Osborn never once pointed out Trumps fascist politics or condemned him for having tried to overturn the 2020 election. Instead, Osborn solidarized himself with Trump and claimed Fischer stabbed Donald Trump in the back for calling on Trump to drop out of the presidential race in 2016. During and following his campaign, Osborn pledged to work with Trump to secure the border, including through the completion of Trumps border wall. Screenshot from Osborn ad promising to Secure the Border with Trump. [Photo: AdImpact] There is nothing working class about supporting Trumps fascist border policies and attacks on immigrants. But Osborns hatred of the working class, and of socialism, does not end there. In an interview with a Nebraska libertarian earlier this year, the ex-union bureaucrat touted his support for the US proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, framing it as the ultimate expression of America First in the fight against communism. Osborn declared, Sending aid to Ukraine is America First. And let me explain, its America First because, first of all, we dont have our troops over there. He added, so I just want to be clear, we are fighting a proxy war, you know, and we kind of got the best of both worlds right now. And I think the Russian aggression and communism has to be stopped. While Osborn might not be aware that the USSR collapsed over 33 years ago, he still retains his anti-socialist politics from when he proudly served in the US Navy and US Army National Guard. In addition to Sanders, those endorsing Osborns anti-communist, anti-immigrant, pro-bureaucracy campaign include Jacobin founder Bhaskar Sunkara and elements of the trade union bureaucracy, such as United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain and Dustin Guastella, director of operations for Teamsters Local 623. In a November 22 article published in the Guardian, Sunkara and Guastella praised Osborns ideas and his class background, which, they wrote, was key to his being able to deliver a credible populist appeal. Sunkara and Guastella called on the nationalist labor bureaucracies to recruit talented candidates and work with organizations like Osborns to get these candidates the funds they need to win elections. The organization to which Sunkara and Guastella were referring is Osborns political action committee (PAC), known as the Working Class Heroes Fund. The PAC, which allows anonymous donors, raised nearly $8 million by mid-October, according to the Nebraska Examiner, which noted that Osborn benefited from roughly $20 million in outside spending on his behalf during the campaign. The about section on the Working Class Heroes Fund website explains that the purpose of the PAC is provide money for politicians to get elected and unite the working class across party lines. In other words, to forge pro-imperialist national unity. Reflecting the nationalist and proto-fascist politics of Osborn, the fund notes that it will be supporting working class candidates, particularly patriots who have served their country. There is nothing working class, progressive or left-wing about any of this. That Sanders and the pseudo-left are backing this right-wing trap is an expression of their complete bankruptcy and that of the capitalist system they defend. More than 1,500 workers at four Woolworths warehouses in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) are maintaining an indefinite strike that began on November 21. Workers at a fifth facility, owned by Lineage, which almost exclusively supplies the supermarket chain, have also been on strike since November 22. In addition, workers at Woolworths Heathwood Chilled and Frozen Distribution Centre (HCFDC) in Queensland walked off the job for 24 hours yesterday. Striking Woolworths warehouse workers in Heathwood, Brisbane [Photo: United Workers Union] The industrial action is over workers demand for real pay rises in new enterprise agreements and an end to the companys punitive and dangerous performance monitoring Framework. Woolworths, which is Australias largest private-sector employer and which reported a net profit last year of $1.71 billion, has offered workers nominal annual pay rises of just 3 to 4 percent. The continuation of the strike into its second week reflects the determination of workers to fight. But to do so will require a rebellion against the United Workers Union (UWU) bureaucracy, which has been working towards a sell-out deal since even before workers walked off the job. In the days leading up to the strike, UWU secretary Tim Kennedy stated publicly that Woolworths would only need to increase its meagre pay rise offer by 1 to 1.5 percent per annum. In other words, workers demands for annual pay rises of 1012 percent were abandoned before the strike began. This is also expressed in a UWU petition addressed to Woolworths CEO Amanda Bardwell, which does not mention wages at all. Instead, the petition plaintively calls on Bardwell to meet with [union members] and hear their stories about the Framework. Under this Framework, Woolworths establishes benchmarks of how long it should take to pick items from the warehouse shelves and then workers must complete their tasks within the set time to achieve a rating of 100 percent. Anything less than 100 percent is considered failure and workers are then counselled and may be disciplined. For the many casuals employed in Woolworths warehouses, that could mean termination. At the end of each shift, workers scores are posted on screens for all to see, to try and humiliate them into compliance. This is intended to pressure workers to the maximum, drive up productivity and enable the company to slash jobs without reducing output. Working conditions, safety, and the brutal measures imposed to extract ever-greater productivity and profits from workers is a major concern for workers at Woolworths, Lineage, and more broadly in the warehousing industry. But workers should not have to pay for humane working conditions through real pay cuts. The UWUs singular focus on the Framework, to the exclusion of discussing wages, is a clear sign that such a concession is being prepared. According to a November 28 article in Red Flag, Woolworths offered workers at the Erskine Park, Sydney, facility a reduced Framework, in which mandatory performance requirements were lowered from 100 percent to 75 or 85 percent. Given that what constitutes 100 percent is ever-changing and entirely in the hands of management, such a change would be essentially meaningless. While this was resoundingly rejected by workers, it illustrates the nature of the negotiations that are taking place behind closed doors. What management and the UWU bureaucracy are seeking to determine is how much of a nominal change to the hated Framework is needed before workers will grudgingly accept it. But the insatiable demand for speed-ups, close monitoring of workers and harsh disciplining of those seen as not measuring up did not begin with the introduction of the Framework. These are the basic methods of industrial capitalism, in operation for more than a century and exacerbated since the 1970s by the globalisation of production, computerisation and, increasingly, artificial intelligence driven systems. The UWU postures as an opponent of the widely hated Framework, not because the bureaucracy opposes managements ever-increasing productivity demands, but because the automated character of the system threatens to cut it out of the process of imposing them, as all the unions have done for decades. This means that these methods can only be ended, and decent pay and conditions for warehouse workers won, through a struggle against capitalism itself. This is the perspective fought for by the Socialist Equality Party and this is one reason that the UWU officialdom is going to great lengths to prevent striking workers from speaking to SEP campaigners at the pickets. The UWUs hostility to the SEP is also based on the partys exposures of the unions rotten history of betraying and selling out workers in one major dispute after another, and its call for workers to draw the necessary conclusion from this historythat workers need to take matters into their own hands. The latest example was at the Heathwood facility yesterday, where UWU officials immediately tried unsuccessfully to stop workers taking World Socialist Web Site articles and talking to SEP supporters. A UWU organiser declared: These are our people. They have decided not to speak to you, so leave. Officials stood in front of the team, seeking to block any discussion. A young worker nevertheless gave comments to the WSWS, before he was interrupted deliberately when UWU officials suddenly called a meeting of the workers at the picket. Its ridiculous that a billion dollar company cant scrape enough to offer us a fair deal, he said. They are spending thousands of dollars on security and moving products around, for what? Some workers at the Heathwood facility had read the WSWS previously. One commented on the fact that top UWU and other officials sit as board members on one of Woolworths biggest shareholders, Australian Super Pty Ltd, giving the union leaders a vested interest in driving up investment returns and hence corporate profits. The worker recalled that it was the Hawke and Keating Labor governments of 1983 to 1997 that set up the compulsory superannuation system. Under this scheme, workers real wages have been cut in favour of supposed employer contributions into these joint employer-union investment funds, pouring billions of dollars into the share market. Workers were much worse off as a result, he said. Another worker said the flat rate at the warehouse was just $33 an hour, which is not enough to live on for workers with young families. He said a recent survey found that many people in Australia were even skipping meals. By contrast to the anti-democratic actions of UWU officials to try to stop workers discussing with the WSWS team, the same officials welcomed the presence of half a dozen members or supporters of the pseudo-left Socialist Alternative (SA) which defends the pro-business trade union apparatuses. When challenged to take a stand against the UWUs political censorship, these SA representatives refused to do so. Instead, they declared their support for the attempted ban on any discussion with the WSWS team. Likewise given the red-carpet treatment by the UWU at the Sydney and Melbourne facilities this week were numerous Labor MPs, as well as Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) secretary Sally McManus and President Michele ONeil. ACTU Secretary Sally McManus addresses media at Woolworths Erskine Park [Photo: United Workers Union] Speaking at Erskine Park yesterday, McManus offered nothing but empty platitudes, telling workers, I just want to say on behalf of every union that we are behind you. The fact is that neither the ACTU nor any union has done a thing for striking Woolworths workers. No other section of workers has been mobilised to back their fight. This includes the tens of thousands of other warehouse workers covered by the UWU, including at more than a dozen other Woolworths facilities around the country, whose continued labour is ensuring that disruption to the companys operations and profits is kept to a minimum. The Labor government has overseen the worst hit to working-class living conditions since the 1950s, with workers purchasing power declining by about 9 percent over the past three years. The ACTU, having enforced this crisis through sell-out enterprise agreements in every industry sector, are now echoing Labors fraudulent claims of real wage growth. In an ad campaign launched recently under the banner Dont Risk Dutton [the federal Liberal opposition leader], McManus declares We must defend what we have won. Conscious of growing hostility to the federal government, Labor is not mentioned by name, but the message is clear. This should come as no surprisethe ACTU, like the UWU, is an integral part of the Labor Party and its pro-business governments. The UWUs fraudulent promotion of these figures as allies of striking Woolworths workersand the SEP as their enemiesmust be seen as a stark warning. To avoid yet another sell-out, striking Woolworths workers need to take matters out of the hands of the UWU bureaucracy. That means the establishment of independent rank-and-file committees, controlled by workers themselves. Such committees can make a powerful appeal to Woolworths workers across the country for joint action, and to Coles workers and warehouse workers more broadly, who are all under assault. They must formulate demands that reflect the needs of workers themselves, not what the union officials and management say is possible. Workers must not be forced to pay for their safety and job security through real wage cuts! Above all, what is required is a unified struggle based on a new political perspectivethe fight for a workers governments, to implement socialist policies. Woolworths and Coles, along with other major corporations and banks, must be placed under public ownership and democratic workers control. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Miguel A. Padrinan from Pexels Remarkable progress has been made against the HIV epidemic in the last two decades. However, a loss of momentum in fighting HIV across the globe threatens to undermine the strides that have been made. There is a crisis in sustainability as the urgency surrounding funding for the HIV response dwindles. This despite the disease claiming a life every minute in 2022. An estimated 39.9 million people globally were living with HIV in 2023. Of these, 9.2 million did not have access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment and 630,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses. These are not merely statistics. Each life lost to HIV is a life too many. Sub-Saharan Africa, home to 65% of the people living with HIV globally, has been the hardest hit by the HIV epidemic. Global social solidarity has enabled a response. Between 2001 and 2023, African countries expanded access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy, reduced AIDS-related deaths and witnessed significant declines in annual new HIV infections, particularly in eastern and southern Africa (59% reduction) and west and central Africa (46% reduction). We have been public health policymakers and practitioners for decades. We write here under the auspices of the Africa HIV Control Working Group, an institution that seeks sustainable ways of eliminating HIV as a public health concern in Africa. We look at what has been achieved so far and ways to make sure the fight against HIV does not lose momentum. What progress has Africa made? Political commitment, prioritized funding and innovative technologies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have proven to be effective tools in efforts to advance the HIV response. To date, 95% of people with HIV in seven eastern and southern African countries are receiving antiretroviral treatment (Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe). Of these Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe have met the targets for HIV testing (95% tested), treatment (95% of those tested on treatment) and viral suppression (95% of those on treatment who don't show the virus). Eight more are on track, but many others will require sustained support to reach these goals. All need to have the resources to sustain these gains. Despite these achievements, we are seeing increases in HIV infection rates in countries in north Africa which are also facing substantial funding shortages. Unwavering commitment, innovative solutions Solutions to the HIV crisis exist. Through shared expertise and technologies Africa can scale up the use of HIV prevention tools like PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis drugs) and the dapivirine vaginal ring. But using the existing tools will not be enough to end HIV. Dedicated investment in new, game-changing tools like vaccines and long-acting prevention and treatment will be critical. Strategic investments in African-led research and development are also important, as is local and regional manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. The COVID-19 pandemic showed the importance of local production. About 95% of medicines used in Africa are imported. The continent produces only 3% of medicines used globally. While Africa's contribution to global publications on HIV increased from 5.1% in 1986 to 31.3% in 2020, this is still low relative to the burden of HIV in Africa. Done together, shared expertise and dedicated investment could offer a more effective approach to combating HIV in Africa. However, this requires financial and political commitments from governments, donors, civil society and the private sector. Donor priorities In 2022, funding for low- and middle-income countries to fight HIV amounted to US$20.8 billion. This is a far cry from the US$29.3 billion needed by 2025 for a sustainable response to HIV. Africa's fight against HIV, long reliant on external funding that often tends to focus on donor priorities rather than country contexts, must be reimagined as the global landscape shifts. We suggest the solutions lie in innovative public-private-philanthropic funding models that incorporate strategic taxes, diaspora bonds, co-financing, grants, loans and restructured debt. In addition, African countries should move more rapidly to local and regional production of commodities. They should pool resources to procure commodities and share risks. The Global Fund's shift towards supporting country-led initiatives also exemplifies how African countries can achieve sovereignty in their HIV responses. Aligning funding with national priorities can help to make health outcomes reflect the needs and aspirations of Africa's communities. Debt-for-health swaps could be another viable strategy. Creditors would forgive a portion of a country's debt in exchange for commitments to invest the equivalent amount in health initiatives. The need for self-reliance South Africa's remarkable journey in increasing domestic funding for HIV programs shows what's possible. With contributions from the fiscus towards fighting HIV ranging from 69% to 77% between 2017 and 2020, the country has demonstrated that self-reliance in health financing is possible. Rwanda's innovative strategies, including free access to antiretroviral therapy and extensive testing campaigns, offer a roadmap for nations seeking to enhance their HIV interventions. Zimbabwe's HIV/AIDS levy, a 3% tax on corporate profits and personal incomes, is another example. These countries are proof that a sustainable response to the HIV epidemic is a political and financial choice. What Africa needs now are the commitments and actions that will get us firmly started on this path. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. If you're a regular coffee drinker, you may already have a favorite roast -- the one you hunt down every time you're in a specialty grocery store or the house blend of your favorite local roaster. But how much do you actually know about your favorite coffee beans? Is your preferred bag a blend or a single origin if it's the latter, which country is it from? What altitude was it grown at, and how was it processed? Becoming intimately familiar with the role these factors play in determining how a coffee tastes will help you get a sense of what to expect from your coffee. To start, the country your single-origin coffee was sourced from can give you a hint as to what it will taste like. Different countries' coffee farms operate at different altitudes, which affects how "wild" a brew tastes -- higher altitudes will give a more acidic taste, while lower altitudes will brew a mellower cup. Whether the beans are arabica or robusta will also play a role in its taste. A good way to start getting introduced to the complex flavors of various countries' coffee is to do a coffee tasting via a cupping, but it's a good idea to be educated on the characteristics of coffee from different countries before you go into a tasting. As a barista with over a decade of coffee experience, I'll guide you through some of the absolute best origin countries for coffee and what to expect from each. Read more: 31 Popular Coffee Brands, Ranked Colombia Top-down view of hills covered in coffee plants in Colombia - Dc_colombia/Getty Images Colombia is one of the top producers of coffee beans, producing over 760,000 metric tons of coffee per year. Colombia simply has an incredible climate for coffee growth -- its temperatures are consistently above freezing, it boasts highly fertile volcanic soil, and the region gets ample rainfall. Colombian coffee beans will be grown at different altitudes depending on which part of the country they're farmed in. Northern Colombia hosts farms at higher altitudes, which will lead to a wilder, more acidic flavor, while Southern Colombian beans are typically grown at lower altitudes for a more balanced, versatile flavor profile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colombian beans are popular not only because they're very available but also because they're typically grown from arabica plants (a specialty coffee plant that tends to boast more nuanced flavor profiles than its robusta counterpart) and because they're widely palatable. Colombian coffees can showcase a wide variety of tasting notes depending on which region of the country they're sourced from, with flavor profiles ranging from grounded, deep chocolate, caramel, and nuts to bright, fruity tasting notes. I always find Colombian coffees to have a fuller body and boast a great depth of flavor in a cup. Whereas some other countries that I'll discuss later often boast sharp tasting notes that sit at the tip of your tongue, Colombian coffees tend toward a rich mouthfeel that will leave you tasting the coffee long after it has been swallowed. Mexico Trees behind coffee plants on coffee farm in Mexico - Laura Jacome/Shutterstock Admittedly, I'm relatively new to getting to know the delicious beans Mexico has to offer; however, the few single-origin Mexican coffees I have tried surprised me with their unique flavor profiles that are distinct from other Central and South American coffee beans. Like Colombia, many Mexican coffee beans are grown in fertile volcanic soil, and though much of Mexico's beans are grown at relatively lower altitudes, its high-altitude coffee beans are the most notable ones produced by the country. Mexican coffees grown at higher altitudes can be delicate and sweet, but what really strikes me about them are the spicy, smoky notes they tend to have. Several Mexican coffees I've had recently taste like they were grown in close proximity to a campfire, and they hit the tongue with a certain sharpness reminiscent of subtle spices like clove and cardamom. When hunting down a single-origin Mexico coffee to try for yourself, look for one grown in the mountainous Chiapas region, Oaxaca, Pluma, or Veracruz. Coffees grown in other lower-altitude regions of the country likely won't boast as nuanced of a flavor profile but are still fine choices if you want a mellower cup that will hold up well to some creamer. Ethiopia Ethiopian coffee cherries drying on raised beds outside - Eric Isselee/Shutterstock Now, onto my longtime favorite coffee-origin country: Ethiopia. Coffee has long been a part of Ethiopia's agricultural scene, and for good reason -- coffee trees grow naturally in the country and never need to be introduced to its soil. Ethiopia boasts high altitudes that provide an ideal environment for coffee growth and lend the coffee an incredibly bright, sometimes almost tea-like body with fruity and flowery flavors. I've had many a cup of Ethiopian coffee that also looked like tea after it's brewed, with a deep amber-red coloring and a slightly transparent body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my opinion, you can't go wrong with a single-origin Ethiopian coffee; however, I do recommend trying one that's been naturally processed at least once. As opposed to wet processing, where the coffee cherry is washed off of the bean, natural processing lets the coffee cherry dry until it can be picked off the bean, thus imparting a fruitier, almost tangy flavor to the bean. I'd recommend drinking most single-origin Ethiopian coffee black. Not only can cream completely overwhelm the delicate cup, but if the coffee is acidic enough, the cream will separate and start to look slightly curdled in the cup (if you ever pour fresh cream into a cup of coffee and see specks float on top, this is probably what's happening). If you're ever able to drink Ethiopian coffee in its country of origin, be sure to brush up on Ethiopian coffee etiquette before your tasting. Kenya Coffee plants on coffee farm in Kenya - Speedbird76/Shutterstock Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another favorite coffee country of mine is Kenya (and yes, I do tend to be partial to African coffee). Though Kenyan coffee beans can vary widely depending on where they're grown -- after all, it is a large country -- the beans are typically known for being high-grown beans, meaning they're grown at a relatively high altitude (in Kenya, between 1,400 to 2,000 meters above sea level). Because Kenyan farms are relatively small compared to other coffee farms, it can be hard to ethically source Kenyan coffee beans, as that would require roasters to know (or have a middleman who knows) individual farmers. If you can find a Kenyan roast that boasts a knowledge of its coffee farm and sources directly from it, that's your most ethical bet. Kenyan coffees are similar to Ethiopian coffees in that they tend to have a fruit-forward flavor profile, but where Ethiopian coffees are bright, floral, and sharp, Kenyan coffees often have a deeper, almost wine-like taste to them. Each cup will boast a greater fullness and more depth of flavor than Ethiopian beans, which isn't to call them better -- you'll simply have to try each for yourself to decide which you prefer. You're likely to taste some juicy berry notes along with possible hints of stone fruit and citrus, and it's unlikely to see chocolate or caramel-tasting notes on a bag of light-roasted, high-grown Kenyan coffee. Burundi Burundi flag sticking up in pile of roasted coffee beans - BERMIX STUDIO/Shutterstock In my opinion, Burundi is a tragically overlooked coffee-origin country, in part because its coffee economy is still growing and doesn't possess the longevity of some of its neighboring African countries. Nevertheless, it deserves a shoutout because not only does it produce delicious coffee beans but also because coffee farming has provided a way for the country's economy to rebuild after its tumultuous history. Like other African coffees, the relatively high altitudes at which many of Burundi's beans are grown give the coffee a more acidic, wild flavor profile. Where Ethiopia's beans lean toward floral and Kenya's are often deeply juicy, Burundi's beans can embody all of the above and even throw some wild citrus flavor notes into the mix. Expect a juicy cup that may be a bit lighter than Kenyan coffee. The Burundi beans I've tried have been incredibly vibrant and strike a nice balance between Kenyan and Ethiopian beans -- they have an incredibly full flavor that retains some of the vivid, bright interest a good Ethiopian brings to the table. To get a taste of everything Burundi beans have to offer, look for a bag sourced at a higher altitude, between 1,700 to 2,000 meters above sea level. Rwanda Woman harvesting coffee cherries on Rwandan coffee farm - Ilene Perlman/Shutterstock Coffee farming in Rwanda was severely disrupted by the country's devastating genocide in 1994, and it took many years and a substantial amount of aid to get the country's coffee market back off the ground. Like the other African coffees on this list, Rwandan coffees are grown at high altitudes and, therefore, have a bright and full flavor profile that showcases acidic berry and citrus notes. Rwandan coffees often have similar flavor profiles to Burundi beans, though the two origins boast slightly different characteristics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rwandan coffees vary depending on which region they're grown in, but they'll often carry full fruity flavor notes that can be reminiscent of apples and berries. Some Rwandan coffees I've had also show off some bright spice notes like cinnamon, giving them a slightly deeper flavor profile than you might find in an Ethiopian or Burundi coffee bean. The highest altitude beans come from the country's Kizi Rift and Virunga regions, so if you find bags that mention having been grown in these regions specifically, know you're in for a bright, juicy, acidic, and fruity cup of joe. Brazil Coffee farmer tossing green beans on sieve in Brazil - Benjamin Lowy/Getty Images Now, Brazil is quite the departure from the African coffee beans I've introduced because the country's landscape is wildly different. Unlike the previous African regions and Colombia, most of Brazil's coffee farms operate at lower elevations. Brazil's elevation and climate (with pretty consistent temperatures year-round) lends itself well to the production of both arabica and robusta beans; in fact, Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, making about 2.68 million metric tons of coffee per year. Because Brazilian beans aren't characterized by the interesting bright, fruity notes of some of the world's other coffee producers, they're frequently used for darker roasts suitable to a rich, bold espresso. Personally, I'm of the opinion that roasting too dark makes it hard to taste any nuances of a bean. This is fine if you're going for a full-bodied espresso that takes a backseat against steamed milk and house-made flavors, but not as pleasant if you want a black cup that will impart a variety of tasting notes. Brazilian beans I've tried as a black cup tend to have caramel and chocolate-tasting notes, sometimes with a little honeyed sweetness at the end and frequently boasting a nutty profile. When buying a bag of Brazilian beans, look for one with a light to medium roast and make a pour-over. Try it black first, though this cup would hold up well to cream. Honduras Coffee plants under trees on coffee farm in Honduras - Robert_ford/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Honduras' coffee farmers have worked incredibly hard and endured countless challenges to build the country up to be Central America's top coffee producer. Having withstood natural disasters and economic crises, the country's Instituto Hondureno del Cafe (IHCAFE) helped revive and strengthen the country's coffee economy. Though I haven't had many coffees from Honduras, the ones I've tried stand pleasantly on their own next to some Central American counterparts. Honduras' coffee is grown at a variety of elevations; thus, each will have varying flavor profiles depending on its region of origin. I've often found strong vanilla-tasting notes in cups of Honduran coffee, and they also usually taste like stone fruit and even show hints of citrus when grown at higher elevations. You're likely to find both Honduran and Brazilian coffees in blends, as each bean's profile works well with other beans to create a balanced cup; however, if you want to try Honduran coffee on its own, I recommend looking for a bean grown in the Montecillos region, which will often show off a sweeter fruit profile; or the Copan region, whose low-grown beans will produce a rich, chocolatey cup that could be a good base for any home coffee concoction. Costa Rica Coffee plants on coffee farm in Costa Rica - 2tamsalu/Getty Images Costa Rica is home to fertile volcanic soil and a pretty stable yearly climate structure, both of which have helped cement the country as a renowned coffee producer. It's hard to consolidate Costa Rican coffee into one simple description, as the country has eight main growing regions, all of which have varying conditions that will produce differing cups of coffee. Though the country mostly produces high-grown coffee, you won't find beans grown at over 1,700 meters above sea level here, so don't worry about getting a poignantly acidic cup from Costa Rican beans. Rather, many Costa Rican coffees produce a relatively full-bodied cup with stone fruit notes. You won't get as heavy as a cup as you would with a Brazilian bean; instead, you'll find a body similar to that of a Colombian coffee, with darker notes of vanilla, chocolate, and stone fruit rather than the bright, fruity notes that Colombian coffees can exhibit. In my experience, the black Costa Rican coffee that has stuck with me can have a certain potent flavor that lingers without overwhelming the tastebuds. Its dark, fruity notes contrast with the chocolate often present to produce a cup that will take you on a journey from the beginning to the end of your sip. If you want to try some of the best beans the country has to offer, look for beans grown in the Tarrazu region the coffee beans are considered among the absolute best in the world. Guatemala Farmer harvesting coffee cherries on coffee farm in Guatemala - SALMONNEGRO-STOCK/Shutterstock Coffee beans are Guatemala's largest export product, and the country produces over 245,000 metric tons of (mostly arabica) coffee per year. Its abundant rainfall and mineral-rich volcanic soils are the perfect environment for the coffee bean to thrive; as such, Guatemala is another country with a wide variety of growing regions, so no two Guatemalan coffees will taste exactly alike. However, there are a few tasting notes that you'd likely be able to apply to any cup of Guatemalan coffee, regardless of its region of origin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guatemalan beans tend to produce a moderately acidic, full-bodied cup, and you'll likely find a sweetness akin to caramel or toffee in your cup. Guatemalan beans are a safe bet if you want a balanced cup (that's neither too acidic nor too bitter) that showcases sweet, spicy, and occasionally deep floral-tasting notes. Guatemalan coffee will be a bit heavier than other Central American coffees, but not in a bad way -- it will merely boast a fuller mouthfeel than its counterparts. If you want to taste some truly wild Guatemalan coffee, see if you can find some Geisha varietal beans from Acatenango. You'll get a smooth, floral cup that may be a bit lighter in body than your standard Guatemalan coffee but will showcase a ton of flavor. Indonesia Close up of coffee plant with coffee cherries in Bali, Indonesia - Eric Lafforgue/art In All Of Us/Getty Images Indonesia produces an incredibly bold bean that takes a sharp left turn from some of the other beans I've discussed. Though I'm partial to a juicy cup of coffee with fruity notes and a light to medium fullness, I had to highlight at least one origin country that offers something drastically different -- and different doesn't mean "bad" by any means. Rather, Indonesian coffee may be a bit divisive. Those who want a dark, smoky, rich flavor profile will love it, while others could be turned off by its intensity. When tasting Indonesian coffee, expect a very full-bodied cup, but don't take full-bodied to mean bitter. Your coffee shouldn't be unpalatable; instead, you should taste spicy, smoky earthiness in your cup of Indonesian coffee with dark chocolatey notes at the end. The intense notes of this rich, strong cup can hold up to (and even be further accentuated by) a dark roast. It also provides a wonderful slate for consumers to add rich flavors of their own. Hints of sweetness from homemade syrup won't overwhelm your Indonesian coffee, especially if you choose a syrup with vanilla and some spices that could complement and elevate the earthy flavor of Indonesian beans. If you want a truly authentic experience, you could always try your hand at making the Indonesian kopi kothok, a brewing method that boils coffee and sugar together. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Greenhill Humane Society Sweet Pea is a 13-year-old domestic shorthair mix cat with orange fur and plenty of love to give. She is described by staff at the Greenhill Humane Society as the ultimate lap cat and enjoys nothing more than cuddling with her favorite person. Sweet Pea would make the perfect companion to a family looking for a couch companion to keep them company. When not cuddling, she loves to chomp down on her food, play with toys, and be brushed. Sweet Pea wants to be the only pet in the home so she can receive all the attention she deserves. She would love access to an enclosed patio where she can enjoy some safe and secure outdoor time. She is also spayed, microchipped, and up to date on vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenhill Humane Society is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 88530 Green Hill Rd in Eugene. For more information call (541) 689.1503 or visit www.green-hill.org. Oregon Coast Humane Society Grover is a 6-year-old cat available for adoption at the Oregon Coast Humane Society. Grover is a 6-year-old cat described as a "purr machine." He arrived as a stray at the Oregon Coast Humane Society and is FIV positive. This means he needs to be an indoor-only cat and live with other peaceful cats in the home. If you're interested in Grover, come meet him at 2840 Rhododendron Drive in Florence, Oregon, or complete an adoption application online at www.oregoncoasthumanesociety.org. Got questions? Call 541-997-4277. Cat Rescue and Adoption Network Laney is a 7-month-old cat available for adoption at the Cat Rescue and Adoption Network in Lane County. Laney is a 7-month-old female gray tabby tuxedo cat who is curious and independent. She would do well in a home with someone who is ok with her doing her own thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laney also enjoys being played with, talked to, and allowed to hang out with her people. She is spayed, vaccinated, microchipped, and is negative for FIV and FeLV. You can meet Laney at Petsmart in North Eugene (across from Costco). For more info, please call 541-225-4955 option 1, or visit CatRescues.org. Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@registerguard.com. This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Three cats among other animals available for adoption in Lane County Nov. 29EAST LYME The former Girl Scout camp overlooking Pattagansett Lake is set to become a haven for artists. Kristi Holohan, an East Lyme-based visual artist who recently founded the Pattagansett Art Center with fellow creative William Potvin, sees the 64-acre site as a place where artists can escape the hustle and bustle of daily life to focus on their craft and well-being. She said the transformation of existing rustic amenities into workshop space, a writers' den, artists' studio, gallery space, high-end tent camping and a sculpture trail could be complete by 2027 if all goes according to plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal will get a public hearing in front of the Zoning Commission on Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. A narrative submitted to the commission said the property will be leased to the center by owners Jennifer and Damian Firmenich. Holohan said Jennifer Firmenich, who is Potvin's sister, is a former Girl Scout who felt a connection to the property when she purchased it for $1.2 million in 2023. Former owner John Drabik had purchased it from the Girl Scouts of Connecticut almost three years prior for $843,146. The camp served girls for more than 80 summers before it closed in 2020. The Girl Scouts organization since then has gone on to cull its holdings of 13 summer camps to six, citing a portfolio that had become too expensive to maintain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holohan noted there were multiple proposals for the site since the Girl Scouts moved out, including a 9-house subdivision that didn't come to fruition. "This is meant to be," she said. "With the nostalgia and our connections, we are going to save as many of the buildings as possible and renovate them." She said a partnership with Pollinator Pathways East Lyme, Connecticut College, the FRESH New London food justice organization and the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District will bring in volunteers to develop sustainable native landscapes. Holohan said Potvin, who is focused on the facilities upgrades while she concentrates on the administrative side of things, has been busy cleaning up the site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pattagansett Lake Association President Mick Byrne in a letter of support to the Zoning Commission expressed the 68-member association's strong support for the plan. "Their presentation described minimal changes to be made to the property beyond a general cleanup of the grounds, which have been in some decay for several years, and only restoration and upgrades to the existing buildings on the property," he wrote. Byrne described the arts center as a welcome addition to the waterfront community. Art in community Holohan said Potvin's career has taken him across the country and around the globe as part of the music festival circuit, where his role involves building and then breaking down temporary art installations. The skill set will be evident in the proposed sculpture trail that will blend the center's focus on immersive art and the environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holohan's experience includes leadership of a nonprofit arts collective in California's Bay Area that bolstered the arts through education, exhibitions and popular street festivals. "We're kind of combining our two powers," she said. The center's leadership is currently in the process of incorporating as a nonprofit entity and a land trust, according to Holohan. The official designations will help preserve the site and allow the group to apply for private, state and federal grants to support its programs. Holohan and Potvin currently operate from New London's Garde Arts Center, which serves as the fledgling group's fiscal sponsor. The arrangement provides needed expertise, office space and access to donations while the duo works to become recognized as a nonprofit organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garde Arts Center Executive Director Steve Sigel in a letter of support for the zoning application welcomed the new enterprise to an artistic community built on partnerships. "PAC's thoughtful incorporation of the camp's former traditions exemplifies their respectful and thoughtful understanding of and commitment to this region," he said. "They will be a welcome colleague and a wonderful addition to the rich fabric of cultural institutions in Southeastern Connecticut." e.regan@theday.com Kate Middleton shared a heartfelt message for Addiction Awareness Week, calling for compassion and kindness for those struggling with addiction. She highlighted that addiction is a serious mental health condition and urged empathy, stating that recovery is possible. The princess, a long-time advocate for addiction awareness, has supported organizations like Action on Addiction and the Forward Trust. Kate Middleton is set to represent the King during the State Visit of the Amir of Qatar, marking her first major public engagement since chemotherapy. Kate Middleton Urges Empathy And Kindness In Support Of Addiction Awareness Week MEGA As part of her role as Patron of the Forward Trust, in honor of Addiction Awareness Week, Kate shared a heartfelt message of support for individuals struggling with addiction, highlighting the importance of compassion and understanding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her statement, the Princess of Wales stressed the importance of "simple acts of kindness," noting that it is crucial not to judge or criticize those affected, recognizing that addiction is a "serious mental health condition." She said: "It has been heartening to see that progress is still being made to end the stigma surrounding those battling addiction. For too long, many have suffered in silence, harboring feelings of shame and guilt about their condition, despite their vulnerability." "Everyone suffering from addiction is another human being with a story of their own, which many of us don't understand or see," Kate noted, per the Daily Mail. "It is not our place to judge or criticize; we must take the time to sit by someone's side, learning the values of love and empathy." "Being a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen, these simple acts of kindness are crucial in breaking down the misunderstandings that so many face," the princess concluded. The Princess Of Wales Says Addiction Is 'Not A Choice' MEGA In her statement, Kate emphasized that addiction is "not a choice" and that no one is immune to its impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She urged for greater empathy and understanding, adding: "By acting with humility and compassion, we can all make a difference and support those who are suffering." The mom of three also acknowledged the vital work of charities across the country, which help guide individuals and families through the most challenging times. However, she pointed out that these organizations cannot do it alone, adding: "It is up to each and every one of us to change the way we think about and consider the many people coping with addiction. Because recovery is possible." Supporting individuals struggling with addiction has always been a priority for Kate, and she has consistently championed Addiction Awareness Week, dedicating her time and efforts to raise awareness and offer her support to those affected. Kate Middleton's Continued Commitment To Addiction Awareness And Support MEGA From the start of her royal journey, Kate has always called for support for people battling with an addiction. One of the first charities she became involved with as a patron was Action on Addiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, since 2021, she has served as a patron for the Forward Trust, an organization that offers support through services such as an online chat for those battling addiction, as well as addressing other critical social issues like homelessness, unemployment, and criminal justice involvement. Last year, she visited a prison in Surrey as part of her continued commitment to addiction awareness. During her visit, Kate shadowed a family on a regular visit and participated in the usual security procedures, including being checked by sniffer dogs. While there, she also learned more about the Forward Trust's rehabilitation efforts, including the Stepping Stones program, which helps individuals maintain their recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. The Princess's Return To Public Duty: Representing The King At Qatar State Visit MEGA Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Next week, Kate will step into the public eye for the first time since taking a break earlier this year to prioritize her health. Alongside Prince William, she will represent the King during the State Visit of the Amir of Qatar. They will greet the Amir and his wife at their London residence and accompany them to Horse Guards for an official welcome ceremony. This event marks Kate's next major engagement since revealing on September 9 that she had completed her course of chemotherapy. Kate Middleton Is A 'Vital Piece Of The Royal Family' MEGA Earlier, she joined the royal family for her first significant public appearances following her health announcement, participating in the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on November 9 and the Cenotaph Service on Remembrance Sunday, November 10 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith shared with People Magazine that Kate's return is symbolically and practically important for the monarchy. "She is clearly a vital piece of the royal family, really important both symbolically and in reality as a future Queen," Smith said. "It was good that people saw her. You can't say she is back ... but she is coming back." ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Some shoppers here in the Metro headed to big box stores in search of good deals this Black Friday. Some others opted for a different experience with unique gift ideas. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival got underway in the morning at the Manuel Lujan building at Expo New Mexico. The event featured original products from craftsmen and artisans from across the country. Organizers said the offerings up for sale arent the kinds of things you can just pick up in stores. The event continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and again Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10, but kids get in free. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Starbucks has opened a new coffee shop in South Korea, where customers can sip their lattes and view a quiet North Korean mountain village in the distance. On Friday (November 28), the American chain opened its newest location in an observatory at Aegibong Peace Ecopark near the city of Gimpo about 31 miles northwest of Seoul, South Korea, and less than a mile from North Korean territory. However, customers must pass a military checkpoint before entering the observatory, which overlooks North Koreas Songaksan mountain, according to The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials from the South Korean city of Gimpo explained that opening the Starbucks was part of efforts to develop its border facilities as a tourist destination, saying the coffee shop symbolizes robust security on the Korean Peninsula through the presence of this iconic capitalist brand. The observatory is one of the main attractions at Aegibong park, which was built on a hill that was a fierce battle site during the Korean War. The website describes the park as a symbolic place representing peace and harmony. Visitors at the Starbucks can not only catch a glimpse of North Korea, but also the Jogang River that runs between the observatory and the border town of Kaepung in the North. Starbucks opens new location at Aegibong Peace Ecopark near the city of Gimpo, less than a mile from North Korean territory (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) I wish I could share this tasty coffee with the people in North Korea, Baek Hea-soon, a 48-year-old Gimpo resident, told Reuters at the Starbucks opening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of 2024, there are nearly 2,000 Starbucks coffee shops across South Korea, according to SCK Company, which operates Starbucks in the country through a licensing deal. Gimpo and other South Korean border cities like Paju have been trying to develop their border sites as tourist assets, even as tensions grow between the war-divided Koreas. Customers must pass a military checkpoint before entering the observatory (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been trying to raise pressure on South Korea and threatening to attack his rival with nuclear weapons if provoked. North Korea has also engaged in psychological and electronic warfare against South Korea, such as flying trash-laden balloons into the South and disrupting GPS signals from border areas near the Souths biggest airport. Kaephung county is believed to be one of the possible sites from where North Korea has launched the thousands of balloons over several months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Koreas military said Friday that the North flew dozens more balloons overnight and that some trash and leaflets landed around the capital Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province. Additional reporting from AP Regent Seven Seas Cruises is rolling out its biggest Black Friday promotion yet, offering travelers the chance to explore the world for up to 40% off. The sale includes more than 70 voyages departing between January and December 2025, spanning destinations from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and beyond. But thats not all book your suite by November 30, and youll also receive up to $1,000 in onboard credit, perfect for indulging in spa treatments, fine dining upgrades, or incredible shore excursions. Where can you sail with Regent Seven Seas? marchsirawit / Adobe stock The Black Friday sale opens up a world of possibilities, with discounted voyages spanning Africa, Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and New England, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South America, the South Pacific, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One standout journey is the Beauty at the End of the World voyage aboard the Seven Seas Mariner. This 22-day expedition sails from Rio de Janeiro to Valparaiso, stopping at incredible destinations like Montevideo, the lively capital of Uruguay, and Stanley in the Falkland Islands. While in Stanley, you can explore the charming city or visit the nearby Grave Cove penguin colony for a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounter. On the Seven Seas Explorer, you can embark on an 18-night adventure from Tokyo to Vancouver. This itinerary showcases several Japanese cities before crossing the Pacific Ocean to Alaska. Highlights include a stop in Sitka, Alaska a stunning coastal city known for its dramatic scenery and storied history. The cruise concludes with a scenic trip through the Inside Passage, leading to Vancouver. Other enticing options include: 16 nights from Miami to New York 14 nights from London to Amsterdam 12 nights from Athens to Barcelona Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With these incredible itineraries, theres something for every traveler seeking adventure and luxury. But dont wait too long the sale ends on November 30. The post Today is the last day to save on Regent Seven Seas cruises: 40% off sailings and up to $1,000 onboard credit for Black Friday appeared first on The Manual. A massive gold discovery in central China has the potential to reshape the nation's gold reserves and contribute significantly to global supply. The Geological Bureau of Hunan has claimed that Chinese geologists have identified more than 40 gold veins, with reserves of 300 tonnes, at a depth of 2,000 meters (6500 feet) beneath the Wangu goldfield in Pingjiang County. The total gold reserve at the site, extending to a depth of 3,000 meters (9800 feet), is estimated to exceed 1,000 tonnes. This massive reserve is valued at approximately 600 billion yuan (approximately $83 billion). Discovery reveals visible gold in rock cores A gold vein is a geological feature where gold accumulates within cracks in underground rock. These veins are formed by hydrothermal processes, where hot, mineral-rich fluids travel through fissures in the Earths crust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chen Rulin, an ore-prospecting expert at the bureau, noted that many drilled rock cores revealed visible gold, with one tonne of ore from the 2,000-meter range containing up to 138 grams of gold. Liu Yongjun, the bureaus vice head, highlighted the use of new ore prospecting technologies, such as 3D geological modeling, at the Wangu goldfield. Drilling around the sites periphery has also uncovered promising prospects, Liu added. The Hunan Provincial Geological Institute has classified the discovery as a "massive" gold reserve, with the institute emphasizing that the find is "significant in enhancing the country's resource security. China leads global gold production In 2022, Chinas gold mining production reached 403 tonnes. The Wangu goldfield is one of China's key mining hubs, contributing to the nation's position as the world's leading gold producer, accounting for about 10% of global production in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, over 100 million yuan ($13 million) have been invested in the area for mineral exploration since 2020, the South China Morning Post reported. China is a global leader in mining, particularly in the production of precious metals used in next-generation batteries and electronics. Additionally, China leads the world in exporting mining technology, pioneering innovations to reduce carbon emissions in the mining process. However, despite its substantial gold production, Chinas consumption surpasses its mining capacity, resulting in significant imports from countries such as Australia and South Africa. While global gold prices rose following the announcement of the discovery, the long-term outlook remains uncertain due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, which continue to create instability in global markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the end of 2023, it is estimated that a total of 234,332 tonnes of gold have been mined throughout history, according to the World Gold Council. The majority of this gold extraction has occurred after 1950. Beyond its monetary value and aesthetic appeal, gold plays a vital role in numerous technological advancements. Its unique properties, such as excellent electrical conductivity and resistance to corrosion, make it indispensable in electronics, aerospace, and even medical applications. As technology continues to evolve, gold's importance in facilitating innovation is likely to remain paramount. BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) One horse was killed, and seven others were injured following a horrific accident Friday night in which a local horseback riding center said its trailer was T-boned. Two people who were transporting the trailer also sustained serious injuries, with one requiring surgery, according to Florida Beach Horses, a horseback riding center in Bradenton. Woman searching for phone on side of I-4, fatally struck by vehicle Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The horses had finished up their beach rides for the day and were traveling on State Route 70 when the crash happened. The force from the collision reportedly caused the trailer to flip, killing a horse named Hoss and resulting in multiple fractures and other serious injuries to the remaining horses. In a social media post Saturday, the riding center said its horse, Sparkles, was in the hospital with two major injuries to her back legs and fractures on both sides of her head. Medical bills for her alone had already reached $10,000. We are so devastated and have absolutely no words for any of this, Florida Beach Horses wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organization has since started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover the costs of veterinary care, medical bills for the injured individuals, a burial for Hoss, and other associated expenses. As of Saturday morning, over $16,000 had been raised. The emotional and financial toll of this tragedy is overwhelming. Veterinary care for the injured horses, surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical treatment, Florida Beach Horses wrote on GoFundMe. Additionally, the individuals injured in the accident are facing hospital bills, surgical costs, and extended recovery time, which will affect their ability to work and provide for their families. According to the horseback riding centers website, many of its horses are rescues that come from a variety of different environments all over the country. The organization also cares for a few retired horses. News Channel 8 has reached out to the Florida Highway Patrol for more information on the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Stay up to date on the latest from News Channel 8 on-air and on the go with the free WFLA News Channel 8 mobile app. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) One person was hospitalized after a shooting at a Southeast Portland bar early Saturday morning, authorities said. Just before 4 a.m., officers responded to the 11200 block of Southeast Division on reports of a shooting. On arrival, they found one person had been shot. Canby man suffers medical event prior to car crash in Salem, dies The victim was taken to the hospital by ambulance with what police believe to be non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any possible suspects had left the scene before police arrived and no arrests have been made, officials say. As police say there may have been witnesses, they are encouraging anyone with information to come forward. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. HARRISON TWP., Ohio (WDTN) More than nine years ago, a man was gunned down in Harrison Township, but his killer has never been caught. On October 30, 2015, Montgomery County Sheriffs deputies got a call for a shooting an apartment complex at 3840 Briar Place near West Nottingham Road. In the hallway of the complex, they found 30-year-old Kevin Hinesman fatally shot. When we spoke with the neighbors, all they heard was a shot and they heard some running out the door, says Sgt. Isaiah Kellar with the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office. Through our investigation, we were able to determine that it was a black truck that was parked out in the roadway here, and an unknown suspect had ran out right after that shot was fired, got into the truck and left the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kevins mother, Renee West is still looking for closure. We still want justice to be done, though. We really want justice, just some type of closure as to know why, why this happened. Weve been dealing with it for so long, and I think its time for some answers for us, states Renee. Miami Valley Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. This was a heinous act for no reason. And this man lost his life, says Sgt. Kellar. If you know anything, please let us let them know. Let someone know right away. Three years ago, prior to Kevins death, his sister passed away. She was very ill and passed away quickly. Three years later, I had to deal with the fact that Kevin was shot and killed. So its been a toll on me. Those are my only two children. Theyre no longer here. And its been a toll on me, tears up Renee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have any information that could help, call Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP. You can remain anonymous. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Police said a 28-year-old man and a 23-year-old man got into a fight around 11 a.m. Both men fled the scene and later checked into Rhode Island Hospital. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A 12-year-old boy was arrested in Eastern Washington after police say he drove a stolen car 161 miles across the state, later leading deputies on a chase Wednesday morning. According to the Grant County Sheriffs Office, police in Issaquah informed them that the boy had stolen his grandfathers car and was likely headed to Moses Lake. Brothers identified as victims in Barbur Boulevard crash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies went to search for the car and found it parked in the 900 block of Lowry Street in Moses Lake. The boy then led deputies on a police chase, which ended when a deputy used a PIT maneuver to stop the stolen car. Nobody was injured in this incident, police said. The boy was arrested and lodged in the Chelan County Juvenile Justice Center on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle and felony eluding. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) 2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. We remember and honor those 168 who lost their lives on April 19, 1995, when a bomb went off in front of the Murrah building in downtown Oklahoma City. 168 Days to remember those lost in the OKC bombing: Kimberly Ruth Burgess. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. We want to remember Kimberly Ruth Burgess, while honoring those who survived and thanking those changed forever. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Authorities in Maine are offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person who shot a domestic dog on a hiking trail. At approximately 11 a.m. Friday, three people were walking their dogs on a marked trail in the Knights Pond Preserve in North Yarmouth when one of their dogs was shot, approximately 20 feet ahead of them, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Details about the dogs condition or the dogs breed were not released on Friday. The Maine Operation Game Thief is offering the $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible in the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This atrocious, negligent shooting is both heinous and inexcusable, and is aggravated by the cowardly act of the shooter fleeing the scene, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Judy Camuso said in a statement. The incomprehensible and appalling act of one individual tarnishes the reputation of all of Maines 230,000 hunters. We all are outraged by this atrocity, Camuso said. Authorities described the shooter as a man in his 30s, with dark hair and scruffy facial hair. He was wearing a blaze orange vest, a blaze orange hat, and camouflage pants. The owners of the dog had a brief encounter with him, but the suspect quickly fled the scene. A man matching this description was seen leaving the area in a dark-colored, full-size pickup truck, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Maine Warden Service is seeking any information regarding the shooter and the truck. Anyone who lives in the area of Henry Road and Edna Lane are asked to look at their security cameras and Ring cameras for possible footage of the truck fleeing the area a little after 11 a.m. Friday. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Maine Warden Service at 207-624-7076, or contact Operation Game Thief at 1-800-ALERT-US. The Maine Warden Service is also urging the shooter to call 207-624-7076 and turn himself in. North Yarmouth is a small town north of Portland, in the Lewiston-Auburn metropolitan area. The population was 4,072 at the 2020 Census. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW DENVER (KDVR) Aurora police responded to the 18000 block of East Kepner Place on Friday evening for a reported shooting and identified two victims in the incident. According to an Aurora Police Department public information officer, the shooting was reported at about 6:15 p.m. The residential area is near Buckley Space Force Base. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox One shooting victim was found on scene and transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. A second victim self-transported to a local urgent care before he was transported to a hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One victim was 20, and the other was 18 years old, but the agency did not say which was suffering life-threatening injuries. Police said both had gunshot wounds and said they appeared to be related, but later clarified that the pairs relationship is unknown. The investigation has only just begun, but detectives said they did not believe there are any outstanding suspects in the case. No arrests have been made in the shooting. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. During the American Revolution, French aristocrat Marquis de Lafayette, still a teenager, became a hero after he was injured fighting for the Continental Army against the British. He even served alongside General George Washington during Valley Forge in 1777 and the Battle at Yorktown in Virginia in 1781. Years later, when the famous Frenchman was 67, he returned to the country where he shed his blood on the battlefield for a tour of several states. In Beaufort, he was greeted with a 13-gun salute and reportedly stood on the steps of the Verdier House, which still stands today on Bay Street, greeting townspeople. Two centuries after he stepped foot in the states second oldest city, Beaufort residents are still starstruck by Lafayette and theyre preparing to welcome his return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lafayette interpreter and U.S. Army veteran Mark Schneider will reenact Lafayettes visit on March 18, the same day Lafayette arrived in Beaufort in 1825. For 25 years, Schneider has worked at Colonial Williamsburg portraying the French aristocrat who arrived in America at age 19 to help lead the battle for independence. A procession through downtown will culminate with a colonial ball in the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park reminiscent of the ball held for Lafayette when he arrived in Beaufort 200 years ago. The reenactment is one of the several events that the Historic Beaufort Foundation and others are planning to mark the 200th anniversary of Lafayettes Lowcountry visit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cynthia Jenkins, HBFs executive director, calls the anniversary a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see history come alive. Marquis de Lafayette visited Beaufort in 1825. Lafayettes visit 200 years ago has always been revered by Beaufortonians as one of the most important events in the citys history, Jenkins said in a news release. Lise Sundrla, HBFs assistant director, noted that Lafayette commanded the troops in the decisive siege of Yorktown in 1781, the final major battle that secured American independence, and he is remembered as a Hero of the Nation, Sundrla said. We started our research and preparations almost two years ago, knowing it would take our full community to pull together a commemoration worthy of Lafayettes return 200 years later, Sundrla said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lafayette, who died in 1834, was born in France to a wealthy noble family. When he was 2, his father was killed in battle against the English. Resentment over his fathers death reportedly inspired a 19-year-old Lafayette to join the side of the Americans in their fight against the British in the War of Independence where his exploits on the battlefield helped him to become Americas favorite fighting Frenchman. In August 1824, Lafayette began his Farewell Tour of the Nation in Staten Island, N.Y. At the time, he was the last surviving major general of the American Revolutionary War. His tour included 24 states, ending Sept. 6, 1825, in Washington, DC. where he celebrated his 68th birthday at a White House banquet with President John Adams. His stops in South Carolina included Cheraw, Camden, Columbia, Izzards Plantation north of Charleston, Charleston and Edisto before concluding in Beaufort, where he arrived to a 13-gun salute by the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery and mounted officers from the St. Lukes Guard. Carriages then carried Lafayette and his family through a triumphal arch for a welcome address by the Beaufort mayor. Shortly after, a reception and ball ran into the early morning hours. Though little documentation exists, historic anecdotes persist that Lafayette greeted Beaufort townspeople from the steps of the Verdier House on Bay Street, according to HBF. The not-for-profit, created to protect the citys historic sites, plans to erect a marker in front of the Verdier House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 200-year anniversary of Lafayettes visit to Beaufort reminds us of how long Beaufort and the Lowcountry have been an important feature in the history of the United States, Beaufort Mayor Phil Cromer said. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A 21-year-old man was critically injured in an accidental shooting in Salt Lake City Friday night, according to Salt Lake City Police. At around 5:20 p.m. on Nov. 29, police responded to a shooting near Indiana Avenue and Emery Street. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a 21-year-old man with a gunshot wound and provided him with medical care. They also secured the firearm involved and other evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When can you turn on your holiday lights in Utah? Laws vary by location Based on the preliminary investigation, police believe the man and his friend were outside manipulating the firearm, according to a press release from SLCPD. The suspect, who is also a 21-year-old man, is accused of inadvertently firing the gun, wounding his friend. The suspect told officers he did not intend to shoot his friend. Paramedics reportedly took the victim to the hospital in critical but stable condition. His injuries are not considered life-threatening, police said. Officers booked the suspect into Salt Lake County Jail on charges of reckless endangerment and unlawful discharge of a firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Properly securing and handling firearms should always be a priority, SLCPD stated in a press release. Safe storage and responsible handling practices can significantly minimize the chances of theft, unintentional death, injury, or damage caused by improper storage, use, or handling of firearms. Here are some tips for safe firearm storage and safe firearm handling practices, provided by SLCPD: Use secure storage methods, such as keyed locks, combination locks, lockboxes, or firearm safes. Store keys or combinations in a location inaccessible to children or unauthorized users. Keep ammunition in a separate, securely locked container. Equip firearms with safety devices like trigger locks or cable locks for added protection. Community members can get free cable locks at the Public Safety Building, located at 475 South 300 East, Monday Friday, 7 a.m. 5 p.m., holidays excluded. Always treat every firearm as if it is loaded, even when you believe it is not. Properly, safely, and intentionally clear your firearm. If someone else is present, communicate, verbally, to make sure they are aware of your actions and can help verify that the firearm has been properly cleared, if able. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Never point a firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot. Be aware of your target, what lies beyond it, and any potential hazards. Even with the firearm pointed down, a discharge can cause property damage, injury, or death. This is why its important to always know where the muzzle is pointed and what is near the muzzle. No further information is available at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. (WWTI) New York State Police said they made a DWI arrest on Nov. 28 in Gouverneur. Troopers arrested Tyler Bates, age 33, of Gouverneur, NY for DWI: previous conviction and obstruction of government administration 2nd. According to Troopers on Nov. 28 at about 12:13 a.m. they said they saw a 2007 Chevrolet vehicle violate a vehicle and traffic law. The Troopers initiated a traffic stop on the Chevrolet. The driver then pulled into a driveway and the operator exited the vehicle immediately, said Troopers. The Troopers approached the operator and started interviewing him. They said this led to the driver attempting to flee on foot. The Trooper was able to catch and detain the driver. The driver was identified as Bates, according to Troopers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bates was arrested and transported to SP Gouverneur. At the station, Bates refused SFSTs but provided a breath sample, resulting in a positive breath test of .17% BAC, according to Troopers. Troopers stated that due to having previous convictions, Bates was arraigned in the Town of Gouverneur Court, where he was remanded to St. Lawrence County Jail without bail. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com. ELKIN, N.C. (WGHP) Four families have been displaced after an early-morning apartment fire Saturday, the State Road Volunteer Fire Department reports. At 4:22 a.m., the SRVFD and four other fire departments responded to a structure fire at 4:22 a.m and contained it to the buildings attic area. The fire was cleared by 9:58 a.m. Four building units were damaged, and half of the buildings roof is gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American Red Cross is assisting those affected by the fire. No injuries to residents or firefighters were reported. The Surry County fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. Nov. 29NEW LONDON A Maine-based developer involved in several downtown revitalization projects hopes to construct dozens of new apartments above a State Street office building with the help of state grant funding, city documents show. The City Council on Monday will discuss Mayor Michael Passero's request to apply for "no more than" $1 million in the next round of state Community Investment Fund (CIF) monies that are dispersed annually for eligible economic development projects. The grant, which does not require any matching funds from High Tide, would support the developer's plan to build 40 new apartments half of which would be set aside for lower income tenants at 208 State St. That location, the former home of a Frontier Communications call center, was bought by High Tide in August for $825,000, property records show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The street-level floor of the 51-year-old structure and its underground parking spaces have been leased to The Day newspaper, with staff expected to move into the building soon. The proposed apartments would be built above the existing office space. High Tide Capital principal Dash Davidson could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday. Felix Reyes, the city's director of planning and economic development, said Friday that High Tide, in addition to the CIF grant, will likely pursue other state revenue streams, including through the state Department of Housing (DOH). "Even though that State Street building is historic it's more than 50 years old it's not eligible for the kind of historic tax credits High Tide has used in redeveloping other properties," Reyes said. "And those DOH funds do require a certain number of apartments to be set aside as affordable." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High Tide in January finalized its purchase of The Day Publishing Co. headquarters at 47 Eugene O'Neill Drive for $1.875 million. The state Bond Commission in October allotted $1.2 million to The Day Devco LLC, a subsidiary of High Tide Capital, to help refurbish the 117-year-old newspaper building. The state money will help pay for facade and window repairs, energy system upgrades and roof work ahead of the building's proposed transformation into a residential and commercial complex, state documents show. The city's application for the Frontier building will be discussed the same week as another State Street apartment-building proposal comes before city officials. The Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday will hold a public hearing on The Eastern Connecticut Housing Opportunities (ECHO) group's plan to build a $30 million, 46-unit apartment complex at 66 Union St., the former location of the First Congregational Church. The church's steeple collapsed in January, requiring an emergency demolition of the structure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All those new apartments would be a help, but won't put a dent in our housing need," Passero said. "What we need are more of those 500-unit developments. But every little bit helps." High Tide, which specializes in the renovation of historic buildings, in June announced the completion of The Riverbank, a multi-million-dollar project that includes 32 mixed-income apartments, a rooftop deck and three retail locations at 137, 133 and 123 Bank St. Tox Brewery, an existing city business, expanded and reopened at 123 Bank St. earlier this month. The firm in 2022 opened the Manwaring Building at 225 State St. as supplementary Connecticut College housing after investing millions in its historic rehabilitation. In September, High Tide paid $1.75 million for the Citizens Bank building at 63 Eugene O'Neill Drive. The council will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall to discuss the state grant application. j.penney@theday.com JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) A house exploded early Saturday in Missouri's capital city, injuring six people, including three critically, fire officials said. The explosion happened at 2:44 a.m., according to a statement from the Jefferson City Fire Department. The cause of the explosion was under investigation. The home was so damaged that it took more than three hours for the fire department's Special Operations Rescue Team to reach all the victims in the debris, the statement said. Three of the home's occupants were listed in critical condition, and three were in stable condition. Two pets also were rescued from the home, the department said. The Kuwaiti-Polish Archaeological Mission (KPAM) has discovered a rare figurine (which mirrors statues from the Mesopotamian Ubaid culture) and evidence of local pottery production at Bahra 1. It is a prehistoric site in the Al-Subiyah desert of Northern Kuwait. Bahra 1 dates back to approximately 5500 BCE. It is one of the oldest and largest known settlements in the Arabian Peninsula. Researchers have been banking on Bahra 1 since 2009 as a research subject. The site covers at least 180 by 50 meters (590 x 164 ft). It includes over ten multi-room buildings near a rocky hill, as per data. The current excavations showcase Bahra 1 as an important site that helps us understand the cultural exchanges between Arabian Neolithic societies and the Ubaid culture, which spread from Mesopotamia to a vast territory, from Anatolia to the Arabian Peninsula. Rare figurines and pottery reveal Bahra 1's cultural significance According to the experts, the figurine is remarkable. It features a crafted clay head, an elongated skull, slanting eyes, and a flat nose. They add that although researchers have discovered figurines like these in Mesopotamia, this is the first in a Gulf region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prof Piotr Bielinski, one of the head researchers noted in a press statement that the presence of the figurine raises intriguing questions about its purpose and the symbolic, or possibly ritualistic, value it held for the people of this ancient community. Regarding the evidence of pottery production, the researchers revealed the existence of two different kinds of pottery at the site. These were Ubaid, most likely imported from Mesopotamia, and Coarse Red Ware (CRW). The latter is mostly produced locally in the Gulf area. Additionally, the Bahra 1 site also featured an unfired clay vessel. Similar findings and scientific analysis conducted under the direction of Prof. Anna Smogorzewska identifies Bahra 1 as one of the oldest known pottery sites in the Gulf. Assistant Secretary-General for the Antiquities and Museums Sector at the NCCAL Mohammed bin Reda "described these findings as a testament to the settlements role in early cultural and industrial development, as per Archaeology News. Pottery uncovers environmental and cultural links at Bahra 1 Apart from these discoveries, local pottery production site has offered insights into the region's environmental history too. These can be explored through archaeobotanical analysis. The reason is that chaff (small fragments of the plants) are mostly added to clay during vessel making. The press statement shared that these organic remains were embedded in the clay of Ubaid ware and CRW pottery. Local red pottery. Courtesy: University of Warsaw This season, archaeobotany specialists Dr. Roman Hovsepyan and Prof. Aldona Mueller-Bieniek analyzed selected pottery fragments to uncover plant traces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As per them, it could reveal details about the local flora of the mid-6th millennium BCE. Initial studies have identified traces of wild plants, especially reeds, in locally produced pottery, while remains of cultivated plants, such as barley and wheat, have been detected in imported Ubaid ware, explained Dr. Hovsepyan in the statement. KPAM's work at Bahra 1 aims to explore links between Arabian Neolithic and Ubaid cultures. It also plans to strengthen Polish-Kuwaiti heritage cooperation. Bin Reda noted that these discoveries at Bahra 1 illuminate the complex cultural and economic networks of the Ubaid period. It also helps highlight the significance of early human settlements in shaping regional history, as per Reda.. 36,718 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? 36,718 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? Nov. 29Restoration of the historic Abyssinian Meeting House will resume early next year, thanks to a $1.7 million federal appropriation received in early 2022 that was intended to finish a project started more than 25 years ago. But after nearly three years of planning, designing and getting permits to complete the preservation project in Portland's East End, the cost has increased to $2.6 million and will require additional fundraising by volunteers. The Housing and Urban Development appropriation came at an opportune time, after Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 rallied interest in finally completing the restoration project and brought in $400,000 in donations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That was the shot in the arm we needed," said Pamela Cummings, president of the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian, a group of volunteers that has worked to restore the 196-year-old former Black church for nearly three decades. But the grant heightened federal, state and municipal scrutiny of a project that's been done piecemeal as fundraising allowed, from shoring up the stone foundation to refurbishing the post-and-beam roof supports. The final phase now calls for building a two-story, 1,000-square-foot addition to the rear of the Abyssinian that will house a stairwell, elevator and two bathrooms on each floor that meet current building and safety codes. The upgrades will allow the building to be used as a community center suitable for historical exhibits, educational programs and other public events. The project recently got necessary historic preservation and building permits from the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The project had been designed but never fully permitted, so we had to meet current codes," said project engineer Eric Dube, a principal of Trillium Engineering Group in Yarmouth. Construction will start after the committee hires a contractor and finalizes other project requirements, likely in the first quarter of 2025, Dube said. After paying contractors and other expenses, the committee has $200,000 left from Black Lives Matter donations, Cumming said. It will soon launch a campaign to raise $700,000 in additional donations and grants to fill the gap between the $1.7 million federal appropriation and the $2.6 million estimated final cost. "We're still here, we're still working hard and we're thankful to the community for supporting us," Cumming said. "Now, we can finally see the end." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Built in 1828, the Abyssinian is the nation's third-oldest meetinghouse constructed by an African-American congregation, after churches in Boston and Nantucket. The Cummings family, headed by Pam Cummings' father, Leonard, has led the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian since the city sold the boarded-up, fire-damaged, tax-delinquent building to the restoration group for $250 in 1998. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and recognized as a northern hub of the Underground Railroad and the anti-slavery movement. In 2013, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the Abyssinian as one of the most endangered historic places in the United States. In 1826, six free Black men Reuben Ruby, Caleb Jonson, Clemant Tomson, Job Wentworth, Christopher Manuel and John Sigs published a letter in a Portland newspaper announcing their plan to build a church for the Black community. They said they no longer wanted to be relegated to the balconies and back pews of Portland's white houses of worship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Pardon our misapprehensions, if they be such," the men wrote, "(but) we have sometimes thought our attendance was not desired." The Abyssinian thrived through the 1800s as the religious, educational and cultural heart of Portland's Black community. But church membership suffered after a terrible storm sank the SS Portland during a return trip from Boston in 1898. At least 194 people died when the steamship went down, including 19 crew members who attended the Abyssinian. Two of them were church trustees. The congregation never recovered, and the church eventually closed. It was sold and converted into a tenement that was pretty much uninhabitable by the time the restoration committee acquired it. Previous improvements included demolishing apartments that were built within the former church and replacing siding, roofing, windows and doors with historically accurate materials and designs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SMRT Architects & Engineers of Portland is one of the latest firms to provide services free of charge, including updated architect's renderings and a virtual tour of the building. It was meaningful work for Jessica Johnson, an associate principal at SMRT. "It has so much history," Johnson said. "And I'll be honest, I didn't even know where the Abyssinian was, and it's just a couple blocks from us." Committee members still hope to complete the restoration before the Abyssinian's 200th anniversary in 2028. They also hope community members who have supported the project in the past will help again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've been blessed," said Deborah Khadraoui, founder and member of the restoration committee. "I'm a woman of faith, and we couldn't have done any of this without being blessed." Copy the Story Link TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) Mexican immigration authorities have broken up two small migrant caravans headed to the U.S. border, activists said Saturday. Some migrants were bused to cities in southern Mexico, and others were offered transit papers. The action comes a week after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to slap 25% tariffs on Mexican products unless the country does more to stem the flow of migrants to the U.S. border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Trump wrote that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had agreed to stop unauthorized migration across the border into the United States. Sheinbaum wrote on her social media accounts the same day that migrants and caravans are taken care of before they reach the border. Migrant rights activist Luis Garcia Villagran said the breaking-up of the two caravans appeared to be part of an agreement between the president of Mexico and the president of the United States. The first of the caravans started out from the southern Mexico city of Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala, on Nov. 5, the day Trump was elected. At its height it had about 2,500 people. In almost four weeks of walking, it had gone about 270 miles (430 kilometers) to Tehuantepec in the state of Oaxaca. In Tehuantepec, Mexican immigration officials offered the tired migrants free bus rides to other cities in southern or central Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They took some of us to Acapulco, others to Morelia, and others from our group to Oaxaca city, said Barbara Rodriguez, an opposition supporter who left her native Venezuela after that country's contested presidential elections earlier this year. Rodriguez said by telephone she later caught a bus on her own to Mexico City. In a statement Saturday, the National Immigration Institute said the migrants voluntary accepted bus rides to various areas where there is medical assistance and where their migratory status will be reviewed, and said upon accepting (the rides), they said they no longer wanted to face the risks along their way. The second caravan of about 1,500 migrants set out on Nov. 20 and made it about 140 miles (225 kilometers) to the town of Tonala, in Chiapas state. There, authorities offered a sort of transit visa that allows travel across Mexico for 20 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum has said she is confident that a tariff war with the United States can be averted. But her statement the day after she held a phone call with Trump did not make clear who had offered what. Apart from the much larger first caravans in 2018 and 2019 which were provided buses to ride part of the way north no caravan has ever reached the U.S. border walking or hitchhiking in any cohesive way, though some individual members have made it. For years, migrant caravans have often been blocked, harassed or prevented from hitching rides by Mexican police and immigration agents. They have also frequently been rounded up or returned to areas near the Guatemalan border. ___ Follow AP migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) -The Syrian army said on Saturday dozens of its soldiers had been killed in a major attack led by Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels who swept into the city of Aleppo, forcing the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years. Russia's Defence Ministry said its air force had carried out strikes on Syrian rebels in support of the country's army, Russian news agencies reported. The strikes followed what was the boldest rebel assault for years in a civil war where front lines had largely been frozen since 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, once known as the Nusra Front, is designated a terrorist group by the U.S., Russia, Turkey and other states. Assad is a close Moscow ally. In Washington, the White House National Security Council said it was closely monitoring the situation and had been in contact with regional capitals over the last 48 hours. NSC spokesperson Sean Savett said Syria's refusal to engage in a political process and its reliance on Russia and Iran had "created the conditions now unfolding, including the collapse of Assad regime lines in northwest Syria." Savett said the U.S. had nothing to do with the offensive led by "a designated terrorist organization" and "urged de-escalation ... and a serious and credible political process" under the 2015 U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254, which laid out the steps for a ceasefire and political transition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced many millions, has ground on since 2011 with no formal end, although most major fighting halted years ago after Iran and Russia helped Assad's government win control of most land and all major cities. Aleppo had been firmly held by the government since a 2016 victory there, one of the war's major turning points, when Russian-backed Syrian forces besieged and laid waste to rebel-held eastern areas of what had been the country's largest city. "I am a son of Aleppo, and was displaced from it eight years ago, in 2016. Thank God we just returned. It is an indescribable feeling," said Ali Jumaa, a rebel fighter, in television footage filmed inside the city. Acknowledging the rebel advance, the Syrian army command said insurgents had entered much of Aleppo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the army said it was preparing a counterattack, airstrikes targeted rebel gatherings and convoys in the city, the pro-Damascus newspaper al-Watan reported. One strike caused casualties in Aleppo's Basel square, a resident told Reuters. The state-run Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of the Enemy Parties in Syria said missile and bomb strikes against the rebels had targeted "militant concentrations, command posts, depots, and artillery positions" in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. It claimed about 300 rebel fighters had been killed. Images filmed on Saturday showed people posing for photos on a toppled statue of Bassil al-Assad, late brother of the president. Fighters zipped around the city in trucks and milled around in the streets. A man waved a Syrian opposition flag as he stood near Aleppo's historic citadel. The Syrian military command said militants had attacked in large numbers and from multiple directions, prompting "our armed forces to carry out a redeployment operation aimed at strengthening the defence lines in order to absorb the attack, preserve the lives of civilians and soldiers". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rebels also took control of Aleppo airport, according to a statement by their operations room and a security source. Two rebel sources also said the insurgents had captured the city of Maraat al Numan in Idlib province, bringing all of that area under their control. The fighting revives the long-simmering Syrian conflict as the wider region is roiled by wars in Gaza and Lebanon, where a truce between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday. With Assad backed by Russia and Iran, and Turkey supporting some of the rebels in the northwest where it maintains troops, the offensive has brought into focus the conflict's knotted geopolitics. Fighting in the northwest had largely abated since Turkey and Russia reached a de-escalation agreement in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RUSSIAN, TURKISH MINISTERS TALK Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, discussing the situation in Syria, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. "Both sides expressed serious concerns at the dangerous development of the situation," the ministry said. They agreed it was necessary to coordinate joint actions to stabilise the situation in the country. Turkish security officials had said on Thursday that Ankara had prevented operations which opposition groups wanted to organise, in order to avoid further tensions in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Lavrov in a phone call that the rebel attacks were part of an Israeli-U.S. plan to destabilise the region, Iranian state media said. The Syrian Civil Defense, a rescue service operating in opposition-held parts of Syria, said in a post on X that Syrian government and Russian aircraft carried out airstrikes on residential neighbourhoods in rebel-held Idlib, killing four civilians and wounding six others. Two Syrian military sources said Russia has promised Damascus extra military aid that would start arriving in the next 72 hours. The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which spearhead the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces that control much of northeastern and eastern Syria and have long had a foothold in Aleppo, widened their control in the city as government troops left, a senior YPG source said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza rebel brigade, said the rebels' speedy advance had been helped by a lack of Iran-backed manpower to support the government in the broader Aleppo province. Iran's regional allies have suffered a series of blows at the hands of Israel as the Gaza war has expanded through the Middle East. The opposition fighters have said the campaign was in response to stepped-up strikes in recent weeks against civilians by the Russian and Syrian air forces on areas of Idlib province, and to preempt any attacks by the Syrian army. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman, Adam Makary and Menna Alaa El Din in Cairo, Ece Toksabay in Ankara, Felix Light in Tbilisi and Simon Lewis and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Tom Perry and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Frances Kerry, Peter Graff, Nick Zieminski, Rod Nickel and Daniel Wallis) Thirty-nine percent of Russians believe that "the use of nuclear weapons could be justified" during Russia's war in Ukraine, Alexey Levinson, chief of the sociocultural research department at the Russian independent polling organization Levada Center, said at a conference on Nov. 29. Levinson cited a poll conducted by the Levada Center in November. The poll results haven't been published yet. According to this and previous polls, the number of people supporting Russia's potential use of nuclear weapons has grown incrementally over the past months, as Russia has further escalated its nuclear blackmail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, President Vladimir Putin approved the country's updated nuclear doctrine and threatened more attacks after the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile "Oreshnik" designed for nuclear weapons on Ukraine on Nov. 21. Russia has repeatedly issued nuclear threats against Ukraine and the West since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but the threats have failed to materialize. However, Putin's talks of a potential nuclear strike "gradually lead to an increase in the proportion of (Russians) who believe it is acceptable, in fact, morally justified," Levinson said during the conference. According to the Levada Center polls, the percentage of Russians opposed to using nuclear weapons dropped from 52% in June to 45% in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polls conducted by the Levada Center throughout the war have found a consistent and overwhelming majority of Russians support Putin and believe the country is on the right path as it continues to wage a war of aggression against Ukraine. Read also: Dont overreact Oreshnik missile isnt as new as Russia claims, experts say Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (The Hill) Thousands of Amazon workers around the world went on strike Friday, demanding more pay and better working conditions during one of the retail giants busiest weekends of the year. The strike, dubbed Make Amazon Pay, has planned demonstrations in more than 20 countries including the United States, and the protests are slated to last through Cyber Monday. Heres what you need to know: Why are some Amazon workers on strike? The strike, organized by the UNI Global Union and Progressive International, seeks to hold Amazon accountable for labour abuses, environmental degradation and threats to democracy, the union federation said in a statement this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amazons relentless pursuit of profit comes at a cost to workers, the environment and democracy, Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union, said in a statement. [Amazon founder Jeff] Bezoss company has spent untold millions to stop workers from organizing, but the strikes and protests happening around the world show that workers desire for justice for union representation cant be stopped, Hoffman added. The demonstrations are asking Amazon to pay workers fairly, commit to environmental sustainability and respect workers right to join unions, the organization said. Ahead of Fridays strike, the union also questioned Amazons influence on democracies, citing reports the company underreported its millions in lobbying expenditures in Europe or about the e-commerce giants challenges to the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amazon workers have become increasingly vocal over labor and financial concerns in recent years as online retail sales continue to skyrocket. E-commerce now outpaces traditional retail growth, according to numerous studies. Online shoppers in the U.S. spent more than $6 billion this year on Thanksgiving, when many of the holiday sales began, Salesforce said. What Amazon is saying Amazon pushed back on the groups accusations, claiming the global union is being intentionally misleading and continues to promote a false narrative. The fact is at Amazon we provide great pay, great benefits, and great opportunitiesall from day one. Weve created more than 1.5 million jobs around the world, and counting, and we provide a modern, safe, and engaging workplace whether you work in an office or at one of our operations buildings, Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, Amazon announced a $2.2 billion investment to increase pay for fulfillment and transportation employees in the U.S., raising the base wage for employees to more than $22 per hour or $29 per hour when including the value of elected benefits. These benefits include health, vision and dental insurance, a 401(k) with 50 percent company match and up to 20 weeks paid leave, the company said. The strike is a global effort While Amazon is based in the United States, challenges against its labor practices are unfolding across six continents. In India, an estimated 200 warehouse workers and delivery drivers gathered in the capital of New Delhi on Friday, The Associated Press reported. The workers were seen under a Make Amazon Pay banner, while some wore masks of Bezos, AP added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amazon was sent a notice from Indias National Human Rights Commission in June 2023 after local media reported workers were forced to work without breaks during the hot summer season, the AP said. Amazon India denied the charge. Workers from the U.S., United Kingdom, France, Italy and Nepal also joined walkouts in various warehouses in Germany. Images and videos posted by UNI showed dozens of protestors holding Make Amazon Pay banners while walking through the streets of Germany. Similar demonstrations took place in France, Bangladesh, Australia, London and the United States, among other nations, the union said on the social platform X. A spokesperson for UNI Global Union estimated thousands of workers are involved in strikes, though a specific number was not provided. More than 30 unions, environmental organizations and civil society groups are part of the effort. Cyber weekend strike now in 5th year This years Make Amazon Pay Day is the fifth year demonstrations have been held over the holiday weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first event was launched in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic as Amazon saw record profits resulting from a surge of online shopping. The movement has expanded across dozens of unions, activists and allied organizations with each year, the union said. Amazon faces scrutiny in Washington This weekends movement echoes similar fights happening on Capitol Hill targeting Amazon. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has spearheaded several of these efforts. Earlier this year, he released an investigative report ahead of the companys Prime Day sale that found nearly half of its on-site workers were injured during the same event in 2019. Sanders said it was an example of the type of corporate greed Americans are sick and tired of. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amazon and the NLRB have also repeatedly clashed in recent years, and the federal agency has accused the company of having policies that make it more difficult for workers to organize and retaliate against those who do. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Mike Sfraga, then chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, speaks on April 10, 2024, at the Arctic Encounter Symposium in Anchorage. He later became U.S. ambassador-at-large for Arctic Affairs. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Earlier this month, a crowd gathered at a Fairbanks venue to celebrate the confirmation of U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs Mike Sfraga an Alaskan and the first-ever person to hold the newly created position. Mike Sfraga, chairman of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission and a scientist with experience at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, has been chosen to be the nations first Arctic ambassador-at-large. (Photo provided by U.S. Arctic Research Commission) Sfragas confirmation was a priority of Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who pushed for the creation of the Arctic ambassador post and was seen personally lobbying her colleagues on the Senate floor during the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It took more than a year after Sfragas nomination for the U.S. Senate to confirm him, amid opposition from some Republicans. But now, not even three months in, he may soon be out of a job. Sfraga was appointed by President Joe Biden, and its typical for politically appointed ambassadors to resign their posts during presidential transitions; others, like those serving as ambassadors to Kenya and South Africa, have already announced their departures. Sfraga, a geographer who has also worked at a think tank and University of Alaska Fairbanks, has not publicly made such an announcement. A spokesperson for Sfraga declined to comment, as did a spokesperson for Murkowski. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said in a brief interview that Sfragas fate is likely up to Donald Trump. The tradition is, when a new administration comes in, most ambassadors, they just resign or step down, said Sullivan, who missed Sfragas confirmation vote due to a trip to the United Nations. But I have no idea. I truly dont. Sfragas nomination faced close scrutiny from some Republicans, who criticized his links to Russia and China. Republican U.S. Sen. James Risch of Idaho, the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said Sfraga had spoken at one Russian government-sponsored conference headlined by Vladimir Putin and also at a panel sponsored by a sanctioned, state-owned Russian energy company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sfraga, at a Senate hearing, called Russia half of the Arctic and said that because the region is a small community, you must engage. Indeed, at one of those conferences, President Putin did provide a keynote address, he said. But I had no interaction with President Putin at all. Among those voting against Sfragas confirmation was the man who would be his new boss, Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, whom Trump has chosen to be the new Secretary of State. Many of Sfragas friends and allies are hoping to see him remain on the job. Fran Ulmer, a former Alaska lieutenant governor who served with Sfraga on the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, said Sfraga has spent many years working on Arctic issues and science, and establishing relationships with officials from other nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has a kind of credibility with them that would help the U.S. when it comes to pursuing a particular Arctic agenda, she said. Those relationships matter, and those relationships dont happen overnight they happen over years. So, it would be to the next administrations advantage to have someone in there who has that kind of credibility but also those connections. Another friend of Sfragas, Mark Myers, a federal government veteran who is a former head of the U.S. Geological Survey, said that if you were to bet, the bet would be against him. But has some strong support, added Myers. Myers said the Fairbanks celebration of Sfragas confirmation drew dozens of people, including some from Alaskas university system and the military and even Murkowski, who teleconferenced in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At his core, he is our neighbor, our friend and he is just so important, Murkowski told the audience, according to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Nathaniel Herz welcomes tips at natherz@gmail.com or (907) 793-0312. This article was originally published in Northern Journal, a newsletter from Herz. Subscribe at this link. Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and X. As the world and its soldiers went over the top and straight into mechanized warfare, the horrors of large-caliber machine guns and artillery warfare ushered in a new age of gruesome deaths and horrific injuries. World War I claimed the lives of 8 million men, with another 21 million wounded. An estimated 60,500 British soldiers suffered head or eye injuries, according to a 2011 article in the British Journal Social History of Medicine. The numbers among French and German casualties of war were no doubt similar. Beyond physical disfigurement, the maiming of a generation of men left many with deep psychological wounds as well. (Library of Congress) The effect on a man who must go through life, an object of horror to himself as well as to others, is beyond description, wrote Dr. Fred Albee, an American surgeon working in France It is a fairly common experience for the maladjusted person to feel like a stranger to his world. It must be unmitigated hell to feel like a stranger to yourself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet with the help of Anna Coleman Ladd, an American socialite and sculptor turned Red Cross volunteer, some soldiers were once again able to face themselves and the world. Brought to France through her husband and appointed to direct the Childrens Bureau of the American Red Cross in Toul during the war, Ladd drew on her talents as a sculptor she specialized in decorative fountains to found the Studio for Portrait Masks in Paris in late 1917. Inspired by British sculptor Francis Derwent Wood, who, in March 1916, started making masks for disfigured British soldiers, Ladd wondered if she could replicate something similar in France. With plastic surgery still in its infancy, only so much could be done to repair destroyed jaws and missing noses, mouths and eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One man who came to us had been wounded 2 1/ 2 years before and had never been home, according to a 1919 report from Ladds studio. He did not want his mother to see how badly he looked. (Library of Congress) Patients who found their way to Ladds studio were treated to immense attention and care. A single mask created by Ladd required a month of detail. The mask itself would be fashioned of galvanized copper one thirty-second of an inch thick or as a lady visitor to Ladds studio remarked, the thinness of a visiting card, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. Depending upon whether it covered the entire face, or as was often the case, only the upper or lower half, the mask weighed between four and nine ounces and was generally held on by spectacles. Calling the men her brave faceless ones, Ladd often worked with pre-injury photos to model her plaster cast as closely to the patients original appearance as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The real difficulty lay in finding the right paint that had staying power oil paint chipped too easily and matched the color of the skin. Ladd found success in using a hard enamel that was easily washable and that, when painted on, had a dull, flesh-like finish. According to the Smithsonian, Ladd painted the mask while the man himself was wearing it so as to match skin tones as closely as possible. (Library of Congress) Skin hues, which look bright on a dull day, show pallid and gray in bright sunshine, and somehow an average has to be struck, wrote Grace Harper, the chief of the Bureau for the Reeducation of Mutiles. The artist has to pitch her tone for both bright and cloudy weather and has to imitate the bluish tinge of shaven cheeks. By the end of 1919 Ladd and her four assistants were able to produce 185 masks for disfigured French soldiers. And while that number seemingly pales in comparison to the staggering number of wounded, the impact among those 185 was monumental. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, housed at the Smithsonian are a number of ephemera, photographs and letters of Ladds. Largely written in French, the sculptor received countless letters from men who were once grim casualties of war. I owe you great gratitude ... for I wear and will always ... wear the marvelous device that you created, one soldier wrote. Thanks to you I can live again. Thanks to you I havent buried myself in the depths of a hospital for the disabled. Another reads, Thanks to you, I will have a home. The woman I love no longer finds me repulsive, as she had a right to do. ... She will be my wife. This story was originally published on HistoryNet.com. A whistleblower has said anti-Semitism at the BBC has become normalised and accused the broadcaster of failing to take seriously repeated claims of anti-Semitic behaviour and attitudes within the organisation. The experienced member of staff, who is Jewish, said they had been forced to endure anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli comments on a near-daily basis, only for their concerns to be dismissed by managers. Writing anonymously for The Telegraph, they said: Anti-Semitism exists in the newsrooms of Britains public service broadcaster. It has done for years, and it is alive and well today, refuelled by the events of Oct 7 and after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have experienced it first hand, too much, in my career at the corporation, both before and since the Hamas attacks. Their claims come after Jay Rayner, who last week resigned as The Observers restaurant critic, accused its sister title The Guardian of employing anti-Semites and its editor of lacking the courage to take them on. The Guardian said it took the allegations seriously and had a zero-tolerance approach to anti-Semitism. Referring to the papers response, the whistleblower said: Ive heard those kinds of platitudes before, namely from my own employer, the BBC. They also accuse Tim Davie, the BBCs director general, of failing to get a grip on the problem of anti-Semitism within the corporation, despite his emailing all staff in February to say there was no place for racist abuse of any kind within the BBC. The whistleblower accuses Tim Davie, the BBCs director general, of failing to get a grip on the problem of anti-Semitism within the corporation - Royal Television Society The whistleblower, who has asked for their identity not to be revealed for fear of being marked out, writes: For Jewish staff, the experience of anti-Semitism and Israel bashing is a daily one and Tim Daviess statement rings hollow. Actions speak louder than words, and sadly when it comes to anti-Semitism or anti-Zionism at the BBC, its actions practically are mute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The whistleblower, who has worked at the BBC for a number of years, said the problem had grown worse since the conflict in Gaza following Hamass Oct 7 attack on Israel, in which 1,200 Jews were killed and 251 people were taken hostage. The BBC staffer said: There have been multiple cases of staff comfortably expressing odious views about Zionists, Israel, genocide and Jews on social media, happily with their names on public display. Some have been mentioned in the media, many more have not been publicised and are currently being investigated by HR. The Telegraph has previously reported that BBC presenters and correspondents have been accused of posting toxic and anti-Israel content about the Gaza conflict on social media. In September, Danny Cohen, the BBCs director of television from 2013 to 2015, published a report claiming the corporations institutionally hostile coverage of Israel has made Britain unsafe for Jews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The whistleblower said anti-Israel attitudes which many argue are a cover for anti-Semitic views appeared to be widespread within the BBC even before the Oct 7 attacks. They said: During a particularly bad spate of terrorist attacks in Israel, a colleague who knew I was Jewish and Zionist gleefully said to me: Mark my words, this will be the beginning of the end of Israel. On another occasion, I overheard a senior reporter tell an editor: Israel is an apartheid state. Its a fact. . . Israel, of course, is no such thing, and as a Jew to hear it said with conviction at such a level of seniority is deeply offensive, stomach-churning. Deeply concerned More than 200 Jewish employees across the organisation co-signed a letter to the BBC board in August expressing very serious concerns about anti-Jewish racism at the corporation, along with evidential documentation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr Samir Shah, the BBC chair, responded by accepting that on a small number of occasions, staff conduct has fallen below expectations, but dismissed the signatories call for a formal investigation. A BBC spokesman said: We are deeply concerned to read this article about the experiences of a member of staff; its unacceptable that anyone should face this in their workplace. We deplore anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination or harassment. We urge the writer to discuss this with their manager, or if they feel unable to do so, to contact our confidential bullying and harassment helpline or use our whistleblowing service so that these issues can be investigated and addressed, and the staff member can receive the appropriate support. Anti-Semitism is alive and well today By a BBC whistleblower Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like many other Jewish people in the media in this country, I read with dismay about the resignation of restaurant critic Jay Rayner from Guardian newspapers because of what he said were anti-Semitic staff. I also read with a sense of tedium the Guardians boilerplate response: We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously [we have] a zero-tolerance approach to anti-Semitism Ive heard those kinds of platitudes before, namely from my own employer, the BBC. The fact of the matter is: Rayners experience is not unique to the Guardian. Anti-Semitism exists in the newsrooms of Britains public service broadcaster. It has done for years, and it is alive and well today, refuelled by the events of Oct 7 and after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have experienced it first hand, too much, in my career at the corporation, both before and since the Hamas attacks. Here are some examples of what I personally encountered in what can be considered normal times pre-Oct 7. During a particularly bad spate of terrorist attacks in Israel, a colleague who knew I was Jewish and Zionist gleefully said to me: Mark my words, this will be the beginning of the end of Israel. On another occasion, I overheard a senior reporter tell an editor: Israel is an apartheid state. Its a fact. The editor accepted the statement without so much as a raised eyebrow. Israel, of course, is no such thing, and as a Jew to hear it said with conviction at such a level of seniority is deeply offensive, stomach-churning. Could I have said something? Possibly but I did not want to mark myself out. When the chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, wrote a letter in The Times warning about the perils to Britains Jewish community of the then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister, I witnessed a news producer turn to another and declare openly: The chief rabbi is a pal of Boris. Its all part of a plot to smear Corbyn, like he could have been talking about the weather. The other person reacted to this anti-Semitic conspiracy theory with a blase mmm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On another occasion, a colleague mentioned that they were going on a reporting trip to Israel, to which another, sat on the same group of desks as me, replied: You mean Palestine. The first colleague just laughed. You mean Palestine is said only by those who reject the existence of the Jewish state. Everybody knew I was Jewish but no one cared, even though that kind of statement means erasing my identity. How have we reached a point where someone felt so relaxed at the BBC as to feel able to make an anti-Semitic political point out loud? On yet another occasion, while at the coffee station with a journalist, they felt the need to say to my face: My sympathies lie with the Palestinians. I dont even recall having a discussion leading up to it but it was in effect throwing down a gauntlet, a kind of squaring up to a Jew in the office as if to say: Israel is simply wrong and I feel so strongly about it that Im letting you know. Would anyone say to an Indian colleague: My sympathies lie with Pakistan, or vice-versa? Of course not, it would be unthinkable. These are just some of the incidents that have happened to me directly and all these occurred before Oct 7. I am not even including the severest examples here, because to do so could risk identifying myself. This may not seem much to ordinary readers, who might consider such remarks as normal office banter, but if you take just the examples given here and imagine if each case was offensive to black people, or Muslims, or gay people, or women well, suddenly, it takes on a different feel. And the harshest thing about these kinds of comments? Its the fact that none provoked any reaction other than indifference. No you shouldnt say that, nor Im not sure thats the right thing to say in front of a Jewish person. Not even awkward embarrassment. Nope. Nothing. Because at the BBC, these kinds of expressions have become normalised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, one might argue: But these are just individuals, its not collective. Indeed but now take what has happened since Oct 7. There have been multiple cases of staff comfortably expressing odious views about Zionists, Israel, genocide and Jews on social media, happily with their names on public display. Some have been mentioned in the media, many more have not been publicised and are currently being investigated by HR. Of course, the BBC, with its own template response, will say it takes all such cases seriously and has robust procedures for dealing with this kind of misconduct. It is true that, in February of this year, after an employee wrote horrific anti-Semitic posts on Facebook before being sacked, Tim Davie, the director general, issued an all-staff email declaring: Sadly in recent weeks we have been alerted to some anti-Semitic behaviour by people who worked with us. I want to be clear that there can be no place at the BBC for racist abuse of any kind, whether towards our Jewish colleagues or indeed colleagues from any background or belief. Any form of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or racist abuse is abhorrent, and we will always act whenever it occurs. But then why is an on-screen presenter who was twice investigated (the BBC never discloses whether a complaint has even been upheld against an individual, let alone what kind of sanction it might have decided was appropriate) for posting streams of anti-Israel likes and comments, including an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, still on air as if nothing ever happened? And why is the piece of analysis on the Israel-Palestinian conflict written by a then BBC Academy lecturer who was found to have just a month later endorsed a post that declared, The IDF should not exist. The state of Israel should not exist still online, as if it is an impartial, informative piece of proper journalism? And why is the BBC not in the least bit bothered that a member of staff who works for the BBCs charity arm, which includes Children in Need and Red Nose Day, lamenting on an all-staff communications network that a Palestinian man had allegedly died in the hands of Zionist Israeli soldiers in this genocide? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To regain the confidence of Jewish employees, a start would be for the BBC board to issue a clear directive to staff that using the term Zionist negatively in the workplace is unacceptable but that would risk uproar. Instead, the BBCs response to this grotesque display of anti-Semitism was: We dont think a single deleted post on an internal messaging tool made by one person in an organisation of over 17,000 people usefully demonstrates anything about the BBC, except that we require everyone to follow the mandatory standards in our code of conduct. What that PR line did not reveal was that this post had actually remained there for four days, had been liked by four other members of staff, and had been viewed by more than 3,000 others not one of whom objected or raised a complaint. It was only removed after it was noticed by a Jewish member of staff. Three thousand out of 17,000 staff suddenly tip the scales. What it did reveal though is that the BBC does not have zero tolerance for anti-Semitism. It has more of a lackadaisical policy, otherwise in each of these cases the offenders would have been fired. Just this summer, over 200 Jewish employees across the BBC co-signed a letter to the board expressing very serious concerns about anti-Jewish racism at the corporation, along with evidential documentation. The response of Dr Samir Shah, the BBC chair, was to accept that on a small number of occasions, staff conduct has fallen below expectations, but dismissed the signatories call for a formal investigation. In other words, nothing to see here, youre overreacting. For Jewish staff, the experience of anti-Semitism and Israel bashing is a daily one and Tim Daviess statement rings hollow. Actions speak louder than words, and sadly when it comes to anti-Semitism or anti-Zionism at the BBC, its actions practically are mute. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Two suspects in an armed carjacking fled from the stolen vehicle after it was stopped by New Berlin police officers around 4 p.m. Friday and remain at large. A New Berlin Police Department news release said the vehicle fled from officers near South Sunny Slope Road and West Fieldpointe Drive. A squad car then made contact with the vehicle, successfully forcing it to a stop at Cardinal Crest and Wilson Drive in the city of Brookfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least two suspects who are not yet in custody then fled from the vehicle, the release said. No officers were injured. The case is under active investigation, according to police. This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Suspects in armed carjacking at large after police chase in New Berlin The rapid advance of Syrian rebels into Aleppo has proved a grievous blow to Bashar al-Assads vile regime. Radical Islamist and Kurdish forces have mounted separate assaults that have pushed Syrian army forces back, with speculation that the assault could press on into major cities. It is clear that the situation is extremely fragile, and that Syria could easily extend into extreme chaos. Assad is a monster, but the Islamist rebels are no friends of the West. While a great deal of focus is on these dynamics and the involvement of Russian forces backing the Assad government with reports of airstrikes around Aleppo perhaps just as significant is the damage dealt to Irans ambitions in the Middle East. It seems increasingly likely that the barbaric October 7 assault, far from signalling the beginning of a new era of Iranian strength, was instead the high-water mark for Iranian influence in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past year Tehran has had to watch its Hamas allies in Gaza be dealt defeat after defeat, and its Hezbollah proxies in Lebanon be decimated. Irans own assaults upon Israel produced minimal effects, and invited in return airstrikes which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated struck Tehrans nuclear programme. It is clear that the regimes great gambit has failed. The current disorder in Syria appears to be directly downstream of decisions taken after October 7, with Iran-backed militias launching attacks on US-bases in turn resulting in US airstrikes on Iranian positions in Syria, and the barrage of Hezbollah rockets into Israel triggering an eventual Israeli ground-assault into Lebanon. This weakening of Assads allies and their positions within his countries appears to have opened the door to the current offensive, and the prospect of what could be a significant loss of power for Damascus. It is clear that Tehran badly miscalculated its decision to escalate its conflict with Israel and the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the regime has managed to win some victories in the propaganda war successfully persuading many young, Left-wing people in the West that it is Israel that is the aggressor in this conflict in a sickening perversion of the truth it has suffered humiliation on the battlefield, and strategic goals it has worked towards for years have been torn to shreds in a matter of months. The result appears to be the implosion of Irans dream of regional domination. The Syrian regime has been greatly weakened after Iran exerted enormous effort to stabilise it; Tehrans proxies in Lebanon have been devastated; Hamas has been all-but neutralised as an effective force. There is a golden opportunity for the West to finish the job of shattering Irans malign regional influence for an extended period. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Since 2010, the day after Black Friday has been known as Small Business Saturday, a day to celebrate local business owners in your community. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is one of many people getting out on Saturday and supporting small businesses. The mayor took a tour around several of Atlantas small businesses and the city chronicled it by posting it on social media. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Dickens started the morning by paying a visit to JBs Record Lounge on Oak Street SW in the Historic West End. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor stayed in the Historic West End and then went to Afrocentric Network on Lee Street SW. After that, the mayor went to The Victorian Plants + Coffee on Glenwood Avenue SE in the East Atlanta Village. Once he grabbed coffee, the mayor grabbed a bite at The Pub @ EAV on Flat Shoals Avenue SE in the East Atlanta Village. The mayor stuck around the East Atlanta Village and visited the Healing U Wellness Boutique on Flat Shoals Avenue SE. Next, he visited vegan and vegetarian store Sevananda on Moreland Ave. NE in Little Five Points. Dickens wrapped up at clothing store Stuff We Wanna Say on Moreland Ave. NE in Little Five Points. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youre looking to support small businesses in your area, visit shopsmall.com, which redirects to a page on the American Express website. You can click the find shops button and type in your location, and local small businesses will show up on a map. According to American Express website, they are credited with starting Small Business Saturday. Since it began, they say more than $200 billion has been spent at local businesses. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Flash Guests pose for a group photo at the entrance of the "UAE-China Art Community" exhibition in Beijing, Nov. 28, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in China] The UAE-China Friendship Festival commenced in Beijing on Nov. 28, 2024, marking 40 years of partnership and cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and the People's Republic of China. Small gifts showcased at the UAE-China Friendship Festival in Beijing, Nov. 28, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn] The event features a series of activities aimed at celebrating this diplomatic milestone, enhancing mutual understanding and strengthening connections between the Emirati and Chinese people. Emirati chocolates on display at the UAE-China Friendship Festival in Beijing, Nov. 28, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn] An Emirati perfume vendor provides a Chinese visitor with the chance to smell Emirati fragrances at the UAE-China Friendship Festival in Beijing, Nov. 28, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn] As part of the festival, visitors can explore the UAE-China Market, which presents traditional crafts from both nations. Guests have the opportunity to experience a variety of Emirati heritage products through workshops led by artisans, with participation from Chinese visitors. An Emirati woman weaves a traditional handicraft using palm fronds at the UAE-China Friendship Festival in Beijing, Nov. 28, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn] A Chinese woman demonstrates traditional Chinese embroidery at the UAE-China Friendship Festival in Beijing, Nov. 28, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn] The festival also includes live performances inspired by folklore from both countries. Handicraft booths are set up throughout the venue, showcasing handmade products by Emirati and Chinese artists, providing visitors the chance to engage with both nations' cultures. An Emirati woman preparing to apply henna on a visitor's hand, with the final decorative patterns symbolizing happiness and peace, at the UAE-China Friendship Festival in Beijing on Nov. 28, 2024. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]. Diplomatic relations between the UAE and China were established in 1984. Over the next four decades, the two countries have enhanced their cooperation across various fields, including trade, education, technology and clean energy. Currently, this partnership continues to grow as both nations aim to achieve progress and prosperity on the global stage. The UAE-China Friendship Festival provides an opportunity for visitors to celebrate this enduring partnership and to explore shared values that connect both countries. Marchers walk through the French Quarter in New Orleans for Transgender Day of Visibility on Friday, March 31, 2023. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) Congress has a long list of pressing priorities including funding the federal government to prevent a shutdown that it is likely to put off until 2025. One new item packed on that to-do list: legislation introduced by GOP Rep. Nancy Mace to ban transgender women from womens restrooms, and transgender men from mens restrooms, on any federal property. This report was originally published by The 19th. The Illuminator is a founding member of The 19th News Network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The South Carolina lawmaker proposed this bill after launching a campaign to remove newly-elected Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware from womens restrooms on Capitol Hill. After House Speaker Mike Johnson announced a rule that effectively matched her initial proposal, Mace expanded her proposed bill to restrict the ability of all trans Americans to use restrooms, locker rooms or changing rooms on federal property across the country. If passed into law, how would such a bill be enforced, and what would be the consequences? And what is the atmosphere like right now for transgender lobbyists and advocates who work on the Hill? The 19th spoke with multiple experts to find out. Where would such a law apply? Such a far-reaching law would mean widespread discrimination against all transgender people, experts say, although Maces rhetoric has singled out trans women. It would have the potential to expose trans and nonbinary people to harassment and discrimination at national parks, courthouses, IRS buildings like taxpayer assistance centers, Social Security Administration offices, and some post offices and Native American lands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If enforceable, this federal ban would exclude trans people from spaces that are meant to be among the most accessible to Americans, said Kelly Dittmar, an associate professor of political science at Rutgers-Camden University and the director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). I would assume in this case, were talking about Smithsonians and other federal buildings, museums, landmarks, things that should be accessible to the population in part because they are government funded or run, she said. The language in Maces proposed bill would restrict bathroom access in any building, land, or other real property owned, leased, or occupied by any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States (including the Department of Defense and the United States Postal Service), or any other instrumentality wholly owned by the United States, or by any department or agency of the District of Columbia or any territory or possession of the United States. As the Washington Post reports, this proposal would likely impact the public libraries, recreation centers, and public schools of Washington, D.C. which is home to a large population of LGBTQ+ residents and is slated to host World Pride in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX How likely is it that this ban will become law? Maces bill is unlikely to advance until the new Congress is sworn in this January, as the Senate is currently adjourned until December 2, and members are preoccupied with major defense and agricultural measures. When and if this bill does come into play, it would have to overcome a potential filibuster by Senate Democrats, despite Republicans holding a majority in each chamber. It is also unclear how much support Mace holds for this bill among Republicans. How would this law be enforced? There are no details in Maces proposal about how nationwide restrictions on trans Americans bathroom use would be enforced, and her office did not respond to a request for comment. To understand what such a ban would look like in practice, experts point to state bathroom bans that have percolated, and largely failed to become law, since 2015. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These state bathroom bans provide few, if any details about how they would be enforced because they dont need to private citizens are often meant to be the enforcers, said Logan Casey, director of policy research at the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit that tracks LGBTQ+ legislation. The way that the laws are de facto enforced is often through the emboldening of private individuals to police other peoples bathroom use, he said. Theres no written enforcement because the proponents of these bills know that just by talking about this, let alone enacting these laws, that they are emboldening individual people themselves to enforce these bathroom bans. A recent example that takes this formula to an extreme can be seen in Odessa, Texas. A new expansion of the West Texas towns ordinance allows individual citizens to sue transgender people caught using bathrooms that match their gender identity and seek no less than $10,000 in damages, per the Texas Tribune. Deputizing private citizens to enforce this kind of law enables high rates of harassment and violence against transgender people as well as cisgender people, Casey said, particularly women who do not conform to traditional ideas of femininity. Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, D-Del., who will become the first openly transgender member of Congress, poses for a photograph after joining other congressional freshmen of the 119th Congress for a group photograph on the steps of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol Building on Nov. 15, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Whats going on at Capitol Hill? Are trans people banned from bathrooms there? All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms are reserved for individuals of that biological sex, Johnson said in a statement on Wednesday. The policy appears to apply to all transgender people working at the Hill or simply visiting the building complex. Johnsons office did not respond to a request for comment confirming this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnsons statement also does not explain how the new policy will be enforced. Maces original bill proposed that the House sergeant-at-arms would enforce a bathroom ban, but Johnsons announcement made no such reference. His office did not respond to a request for comment on the new rule. Without any clarity on enforcement, trans lobbyists and advocates like Caius Willingham, a senior policy analyst at Advocates for Trans Equality, are forced to wait and see whether they will be policed for trying to do their jobs and what the consequences of noncompliance could be. Unlike members of Congress, these employees dont have access to private facilities and when working on the Hill, alternative options are few and far between. The Capitol grounds are massive. Some buildings dont even have a single, single-occupancy bathroom. So practically, if Im going to spend the day on the Hill meeting with legislators and staff, which is core to my job, I may have to be strategic about what bathrooms I use, he said. I might have to run outside, to find a restroom outside the Capitol building. The broader implications of a federal bathroom ban would essentially extend this ban to all of D.C., he said, considering how many people work in federal buildings. Is this legal? Within the courts, there has been a split in opinions: Last year, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Florida policy banning transgender students from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. However, in 2021, the Supreme Court handed a win to trans advocates by keeping in place a 4th U.S. Circuit Court decision that found a Virginia bathroom ban unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the country, two states Utah and Florida ban trans people from using bathrooms and facilities that match their gender identity in all government-owned buildings, K-12 schools, and colleges, according to the Movement Advancement Project. Breaking that law is a criminal offense in Utah and Florida. Seven other states have passed laws restricting trans Americans bathroom usage only in K-12 schools. Article I of the Constitution gives Congress broad jurisdiction over its own internal rules and procedures. But Maces proposed federal bathroom ban could run afoul of recent Supreme Court precedent, said Barbara Comstock, a former Republican congresswoman from Virginia. The majority opinion In the Supreme Courts 2020 decision in Bostock vs. Clayton County, authored by conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, ruled that discrimination on the basis of sexuality or gender identity constitutes unconstitutional sex discrimination. I dont think theyve looked at this in light of the law whatsoever, Comstock said. So I think this is just an embarrassing stunt which does raise attention to the challenges and discrimination faced by transgender Americans. Who is actually endangered by trans people using the bathroom? Research shows that trans people, not cisgender people, are actually the ones who experience violence and discrimination when using the restroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found that many trans people avoid public restrooms out of fear of how they may be treated. 26 percent of over 27,000 respondents said that in the previous year, they had been denied access to restrooms, had their presence in a restroom questioned, or were verbally harassed, physically attacked or sexually assaulted in a restroom. Research from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, in 2018 found that expanding non-discrimination laws to include transgender people does not affect the number or frequency of criminal incidents in restrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms. While Mace and other Republican lawmakers have claimed that banning trans women from womens restrooms will protect women, empirical evidence does not show that including trans people actually leads to safety or privacy incidents. Willingham said that when he worked in the House as a legislative assistant to Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington from 2021 to 2023, his identity as a transgender person was never made an issue. He watched as members of Congress would share transphobic rhetoric at hearings and floor debates and then treat him, an actual trans person, with respect. It was a jarring experience. Its really frustrating to see things go backwards in Congress, he said. My experience working even across the aisle was extremely positive. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Day after day, Richard Kopszywa shrimped from his old wooden boat named Linda K, and carefully repaired it so the vessel still ran after decades. He used to tell me, If I cant shrimp or if I cant get out on the water, I think I will probably just die, his wife, Shelley Kopszywa, said. It was in his veins. Now, his family is grieving after authorities found Kopszywa near Deer Island last week, two days after his wife reported him missing and the Coast Guard found the Linda K empty, five miles from shore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They do not know what happened. But his family knows that Kopszywa, 75, was working on the boat in the harbor and that he no longer shrimped alone as he aged. They know he left Saturday morning for the Linda K, as he always did, with a flip phone to call his wife. He was a very safe fisherman, she said, and she thought maybe he ran out of minutes or misplaced his phone. She spent a restless night waiting and hoping, and on Sunday she went to the harbor. She did not see the boat. The Coast Guard scoured more than 1,000 miles of the Mississippi Sound, searching for clues through tide patterns, radar and their own eyes. They stopped looking after 37 hours, and the tragic news came Tuesday: A paddleboarder found Kopszywa between Deer Island and Biloxi. Kopszywa is in the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museums Hall of Fame. He owned and was captain of the Linda K, the oldest Biloxi Lugger boat still running. His grandfather came to Biloxi from Poland and started to fish, and family members became fishermen too. Kopszywas father bought the Linda K more than seven decades ago, and Kopszywa started fishing at four years old. The Linda K, pictured in a Sun Herald archive photo, was built in 1928 and bought by the Kopszywa family in 1947. It is made of Louisiana cypress and is the oldest Biloxi Lugger still running. What mattered most to him was faith, family and fishing, his loved ones said. He grew up on the Linda-K and learned the trade, attended St. Theresa Catholic School on the north shore of the Biloxi Bay and graduated from DIberville High School. He went to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and learned how to be a carpenter. He stopped fishing only briefly, when as a young man, he traveled with an group of evangelicals and met his wife of 46 years, Shelley. They married in 1978 and had three children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The people who loved him say he was kind and gentle, tender-hearted and teasing. He had a loving sense of humor, his daughter, Jennifer, said. Kopszywa would help in a heartbeat and was so handy that his wife never took her car to a mechanic. Their backyard is full of tools and fishing supplies. He also worked in carpentry and at Chevron. But his family said later in life, he returned to what he loved best. He always wanted to take his grandsons fishing, and was teaching them how to throw a net. He spent every day but Sunday carefully restoring and repairing his boat. They talked about trying to sell it and even put a sign up. He took it down the next day. I just cant do it, Shelley Kopszywa recalled him saying. The boat was built in 1928. It survived Hurricanes Camille and Katrina. The family took it out on holidays, and Shelley Kopszywa went out with her husband many times. Once, a few Fourth of Julys ago, a sudden squall struck the boat. Kopszywa, seasoned at sea, threw a life jacket at his wife as water crashed up the back of the boat, she recalled. They made it to shore. Fishing goes back generations in the Kopszywa family, and Richard Kopszywa began fishing at four years old. Before his death, he took his grandsons fishing and was teaching them how to throw a net. That was the first time I ever saw him kind of nervous, Shelley Kopszywa said, because he was protecting me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boat survived Katrina only because the mast of another sunken vessel kept it afloat, the family said. Now, it is beached on Deer Island. The family is determined to save it again. Shelley Kopszywa said she believes her husband died doing what he loved, so she is at peace. His family has endless good memories: Whenever he got frustrated or aggravated, he always said he was sorry. He kept a list on the refrigerator of people who had done something nice and who he wanted to bring shrimp. His family said always worked in his same boat clothes, no matter that they had holes and paint stains from restorations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kopszywa was humble, his wife said, and probably would not have liked all this attention. But she loves him too much to listen. He was the kind of man who helped her down the steps, she said, and always opened the door for her. Full of grace, she said. Tech insiders say Biden is leaving a strong foundation for high-tech industry, boosting broadband access, setting a foundation for AI regulation, and encouraging chip manufacturing. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images) As hes poised to leave office in two months, President Joe Biden will leave a legacy of proactive, nuanced and effective tech policy strategy behind him, technologists across different sectors told States Newsroom. Bidens term was bookended by major issues in the tech world. When he took office in early 2021, he was faced with an economy and workforce that was struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, and longstanding issues with a digital divide across the country. As he prepares to exit the White House, federal agencies are working to incorporate the principles from the 2023 AI Bill of Rights, on evolving technologies that will undoubtedly continue changing American life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though he was unable to get federal regulations on AI passed through Congress, Bidens goal was to bring tech access to all Americans, while safeguarding against potential harms, the technologists said. I think everything that he does is foundational, said Suriel Arellano, a longtime consultant and author on digital transformation whos based in Los Angeles. So it definitely sets the stage for long term innovation and regulation. The digital divide For Arellano, Bidens attempt to bring internet access to all families stands out as a lasting piece of the presidents legacy. Broadband internet for work, healthcare and education was a part of Bidens 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, especially targeting people in rural areas. Biden earmarked $65 billion toward the project, which was dolled out to states and federal departments to establish or improve the physical infrastructure to support internet access. As of September, more than 2.4 million previously unserved homes and businesses have been connected to the internet, and $50 billion has been given to grant programs that support these goals across the states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arellano said he thinks theres still work to do with the physical broadband infrastructure before that promise is realized I think that should have come first, he said. But I think as a legacy, I think breaching the digital divide is actually one of the strong maybe not the strongest, but I would say its definitely a strong legacy that he leaves, Arellano said. Shaping the U.S. conversation about AI During Bidens presidency, practical and responsible application of artificial intelligence became a major part of the tech conversation. The 2023 AI Bill of Rights created the White House AI Council, the creation of a framework for federal agencies to follow relating to privacy protection and a list of guidelines for securing AI workers, for navigating the effects on the labor market and for ensuring equity in AI use, among others. The guidelines put forth by the administration are subtle, and not likely to be felt by the average consumer, said Austin-based Alex Shahrestani, an attorney and managing partner at Promise Legal, which specializes in tech and regulatory policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was something thats very light touch and essentially sets up the groundwork to introduce a regulatory framework for AI providers without it being something that theyre really going to push back on, Shahrestani said. In recent months, some federal agencies have released their guidelines called for by the AI Bill of Rights, including the Department of Labor, and The Office of Management and Budget, which outlines how the government will go about responsible acquisition of AI. It may not seem like these guidelines would affect the average consumer, Shahrestani said, but government contractors are likely to be larger companies that already have a significant commercial footprint. It sets up these companies to then follow these procedures in other contexts, so whether thats B2B or direct-to-consumer applications, thats like more of a trickle down sort of approach, he said. Sheena Franklin, D.C.-based founder of Kept Health and previously a lobbyist, said Biden emphasized the ethical use and development of AI, and set a tone of fostering public trust and preventing harm with the AI Bill of Rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Franklin and Shahrestani agreed its possible that President-elect Donald Trump could repeal some of Bidens executive orders on AI, but they see the Bill of Rights as a fairly light approach to regulating it. It was a really nuanced and effective approach, Shahrestani said. Theres some inertia building, right? Like a snowball rolling down the hill. Were early days for the snowball, but it just got started and it will only grow to be a bigger one. The CHIPS act Bidens CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which aimed to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing, supply chains and the innovation economy with a $53 billion investment, is a major piece of his legacy, Franklin said. The bill centered on worker and community investments, and prioritized small businesses and underrepresented communities, with a goal of economic growth in the U.S., and especially in communities that needed support. Two years after the bill was signed, the federal government, in partnership with American companies, has provided funding for semiconductor manufacturing projects that created more than 100,000 jobs and workforce development programs. The U.S. is on track to produce 30% of the worlds semiconductor chips in 2032, up from 10% today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was really trying to position the U.S. as a global leader when it came to technology, because that industry is going to continue to grow, Franklin said. Its hard to quantify what the lasting impact of the CHIPS act will be, but one immediate factor is computing, Shahrestani said. The AI models being developed right now have infinite abilities, he said, but the computing power had previously held the industry back. Being able to provide more compute through better chips, and more sophisticated hardware is going to be a big part of what provides, and what is behind the best AI technologies, Shahrestani said. Accountability for Big Tech Many in the Big Tech community see Bidens AI Bill of Rights, and its data privacy inclusions, as well as the Justice Departments monopoly lawsuits against tech giants like Apple and Google, as hampering innovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arellano is optimistic about the technological advances and innovation that the U.S. may see under a less regulation-focused Trump presidency, but he cautions that some regulations may be needed for privacy protections. My concern is always on the public side, you know, putting the dog on a leash, and making sure that our regulations are there in place to protect the people, he said. Franklin predicts that if Biden attempts any last-minute tech policy before he leaves office, it will probably be to pursue further antitrust cases. It would align with his goal of fostering competition between startups and small businesses and reinforce his legacy of safeguarding consumer interests, she said. When she considered how to describe Bidens tech legacy, Franklin said she nearly used the word strength, though she said he ultimately could have done a little bit more for tech regulation. But she landed on two words: thoughtful and proactive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meaning, hes thinking about everybodys concerns, Franklin said. Not just thinking about the Big Tech and not just thinking about the consumers, right? Like there has to be a balance there. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Black-footed ferrets have been reintroduced to the Arizona landscape for the first time in almost 30 years, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department. In collaboration with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's national conservation program for ferrets, 10 of the small critters were released in the Aubrey Valley area, about an hour west of Flagstaff, according to Game and Fish in a news release. The ferrets were reintroduced only after scientists were able to combat the sylvatic plague, described by Game and Fish as one of the biggest threats to black-footed ferrets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We couldnt begin to re-establish this population without understanding the ferret die-off, wrote Holly Hicks, the state agency's senior small mammal management specialist in the news release. The bacterial disease also impacted the ferret's main prey, Gunnison's prairie dogs, which damaged the entire ecosystem for the animals, in part leading to a decline of more than 100 ferrets in Arizona since the early 2000s. Now were targeting the fleas that transmit plague between the prairie dogs and ferrets ... Were treating the prairie dogs with the same active ingredient thats in dog and cat flea medicine," Hicks wrote. Four black-footed ferret kits from the Phoenix Zoo. All of the newly introduced ferrets were bred in captivity across the country, including at the Phoenix Zoo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ferrets learned how to hunt and survive in the wild at a Colorado facility before being vaccinated and released into the wild. The ferrets were also chipped, just like cats and dogs, so they could be studied in the future. Game and Fish planned to do controlled releases of ferrets for the next three years in the fall and spring and collect data to further understand ways to control the sylvatic plague. Ferrets were previously released in September in the same area. 'Little vampires': Wildlife agencies release 10 black-footed ferrets in northern Arizona This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Game and Fish uses science to reintroduce ferrets to Arizona Nov. 29WATERFORD The Crystal Mall experienced an electrical problem on the busiest shopping day of the year Friday that forced some of its stores to shut down for hours, with no word from management on when the situation would be back to normal. "Of all the days to lose power," said Arthur Caporale of Uncasville, who was out shopping with neighbor Colleen Pinckney. "This place is cursed. It's just one thing after another." Caporale pointed to the fact that all of the escalators at the mall were not operating, and the only elevator had a sign saying it was temporarily out of service. In addition, there are only two restaurants still operating at the mall, and the crowds are thinner than ever with this being the first time in its history there were no anchor stores operating during the holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JC Penney was the last of the anchor stores to close, shutting its doors for the last time shortly after the last holiday season. Ashon Avent, a Norwich resident who owns T-shirt World, said he had hoped to open his shop by the morning but as of 2:30 in the afternoon he still didn't have power. This would have been one of the busiest days of the year at the custom t-shirt shop, he said. "It was a bad day to lose power," added Kylie Lamourine, a sales associate at Forever 21. Lamourine said the shop was expecting to do about $2,000 in sales on Black Friday, the biggest in-person day for shopping in the United States throughout the year and the traditional start of the Christmas gift-buying season. But Forever 21 didn't have enough power to run its registers and take credit cards, so shoppers were being advised to come back again to take advantage of Black Friday sales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hat shop Lids was open, but manager Billy Kersteter said he could take only cash, not credit cards. "I made the mistake of thinking this year would be a smooth Black Friday," Kersteter said. "Normally it's personnel issues or something that is one of our hurdles to deal with But this year we covered all those bases and now it's technology, right?" Kersteter said early on Black Friday is pretty quiet these days at the mall, and usually picks up as the day goes along. But this year it was eerily quiet in the morning as Spencer's Gifts, F.Y.E. and other shops that did manage to open were darker than usual because of the outage. Managers at shops such as Talbot's and Finish Line were surprised there was an outage because they had no such problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I did speak to somebody from mall management who said Eversource is here," Kersteter said at about 9:30 a.m. Friday. "They believe they've identified which transformer is down. So I'm slightly hopeful, but emphasis on slightly." As of 2:30 p.m., power had yet to be restored. A call and email to mall management elicited no response. A Froyo franchise as the mall printed out an explanation of why his shop was closed, saying "Temporarily closed due to a power outage. Mall management has not given us an update." The shop owner, who identified himself only as Mike A, said he was disappointed that mall management had not been providing him updates on the situation and would likely be asking management to refund his December rent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I wish I knew even if it wasn't getting fixed because at least then I could go home," he said. Shoppers at the mall were surprised by the lack of traffic at a place that once not long ago was teeming with Black Friday sales, and where shopping began at midnight on Thanksgiving. But online shopping has largely driven smaller malls into oblivion, and customers were worried about the future. "It's like walking into a lost, forgotten city," said Carlos Carrion, a New London resident who was waiting for his phone to be fixed. The Uncasville shopper Pinckney remembered the days when people would swarm the mall to fight over the latest Cabbage Patch Kids offering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her friend Caporale, who often comes to the mall to exercise, said he noticed the last of the mall's functioning escalators finally stopped working earlier in the week. "This week has definitely been a Black Friday week for them," he said. l.howard@theday.com Discount hunters searching for Black Friday deals have officially kicked off the holiday shopping season. Consumers are forecasted to break spending records in 2024, with the average person expected to spend a little over $1,000, up 14% from last year, according to data from RetailMeNot. "Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the two biggest shopping days of the year," Salesforce director of consumer insights Caila Schwartz told "CBS Mornings." "And actually, we're seeing that Black Friday is the top digital shopping day. So no longer Cyber Monday, but Black Friday." Changes in shopping habits aren't exclusive to the digital marketplace's takeover of Black Friday. Both digitally and at brick-and-mortar stores, holiday discounts are being offered earlier. Placer.ai, a company that tracks foot traffic, said October in-store visits for shopping centers, superstores and other popular retailers were up 3.4% compared to stats from before the pandemic in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ethan Chernofsky, senior vice president of marketing for Placer.ai, said the role of the store has changed. "It is not just about what I can convince a consumer to buy within the four walls of the store," Chernofsky told "CBS Mornings." "Even if they just go into the store to try on the product and then make the purchase online, that's fantastic. And it's really important for retailers to be focused on the larger picture." With that in mind, Kohl's put on a Black Friday sweepstakes for the first 200 shoppers at each of its locations and J.C. Penney did a snow globe giveaway in stores while supplies lasted. Target, meanwhile, is offering two exclusive releases in stores only for Black Friday: Taylor Swift's official "Eras" tour book and her "Tortured Poets Department" album with four bonus songs. But what's on peoples' lists this year? Deloitte Consumer Insights and the National Retail Federation say 54% of shoppers are looking for clothes, 44% are stuffing stockings with gift cards and 36% are putting toys under their Christmas trees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steep discounts will also be seen on electronics and other tech products. And 4 in 10 shoppers are planning to gift loved ones an experience like a cruise. Tips for holiday shopping For consumers like Jessica Holley, an Arkansas mother of three, finding ways to make her dollar go further is paramount on Black Friday. "Budgeting is very important to me," Holley said. "Being a stay-at-home mom, having little children, I feel like if I can save money, that's more money in our pocket. That's able to stretch further." To ensure you're making the most of the lowest prices of the year, search for additional coupons and price history online, leverage cash back through apps or your credit card rewards and remember, you can price match at many stores throughout the holiday season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Retailers are gonna be pulling out all the tricks to get people to shop and spend more because they have fewer days to capture consumer dollars," Independent shopping expert Andrea Woroch said. Ex-Army recruiter flees state with 17-year-old girlfriend after estranged wife's murder Watch: Sen. Elissa Slotkin refutes Trump's speech to Congress in Democratic rebuttal Ukraine responds to Trump's intelligence-sharing pause Concerns raised about Gregg Wallaces inappropriate behaviour on a BBC show were ignored, a former producer has claimed. A member of staff who previously worked on MasterChef and another BBC programme has alleged that the presenter undressed in front of colleagues and made inappropriate sexual jokes in front of the crew, as well as people who appeared on the television shows. Georgia Harding, worked on MasterChef in junior roles between 2014 and 2015 and latterly Eat Well For Less as an assistant producer, is the first member of the production staff to have openly spoken out over the presenters behaviour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she raised concerns about the way he treated contributors on Eat Well For Less, but there appeared to be an acceptance of his behaviour and that nothing was done. It was like Oh thats Gregg, she said. She alleged that the presenter appeared too close to some contestants on set and that he spoke about sex a lot and would get changed on set even though he had a changing room. He would show off his muscles from having a Personal Trainer, it made us feel uncomfortable, she said. The former producer of Eat Well For Less claimed that some staff members had been made to feel uncomfortable by Wallace - BBC The Telegraph has also spoken to a woman who appeared on Eat Well For Less who alleged that Wallace behaved in a manner towards her and staff on the set which made her uncomfortable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman said that Wallace was too close to her and made inappropriate comments about sex. She also alleged that on one occasion, he asked her and others why they were not laughing at one of his jokes and said they should be because he was the talent. The revelations are the latest to hit the television presenter who has stepped back from his high-profile MasterChef presenter role after the BBC began an inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct. The inquiry began after a woman told her story to The Telegraph and made a formal complaint to the broadcaster about incidents that took place over a decade ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Telegraph understands that the complaint against Wallace being investigated involves a former member of the production team, who has claimed that the presenter held her head and thrust his body towards her, mimicking a sex act, when she was kneeling down cleaning a mark off his trousers. Reporters have spoken to one person who is said to have witnessed the alleged incident and understands they have also spoken to the BBC. The Telegraph has been investigating allegations concerning Wallaces behaviour for more than four months and contacted the BBC two weeks ago for comment. The Telegraph has spoken to more than 20 people who have alleged inappropriate behaviour by the TV presenter on MasterChef, with other former staff also making allegations about other BBC programmes. GreggWallace/Instagram Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, it emerged that three different women had accused the celebrity of groping. The Sun reported how one former contestant alleged that Wallace had groped her while she was cooking on the show. She told the newspaper that she moved away and claimed he later said you stupid cow to her when she scalded her hand. The woman who has asked to remain anonymous said that she let the presenter know she was disgusted, but that she had her card marked for not seeing it as banter. According to the newspaper, another woman claimed that the presenter made lewd remarks to her in a pub and touched her bottom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A third woman Celebrity MasterChef contestant, Emma Kennedy - claimed that she had seen the presenter grope a camera assistant during a photoshoot in 2012. Representatives of Wallace have previously told BBC News that allegations that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature are entirely false. Eat Well for Less was made by production company, RFD. The firm is now part of Banijay UK. The production company said they could not comment on individual allegations while an investigation into accusations about the presenters behaviour is ongoing. The company, who also make MasterChef for the BBC, have previously said they are conducting an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. As we reach October 2024, Bluesky Social has attracted a robust following of 23 million users, driven by recent policy upheavals at X and the drama surrounding the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Despite X-formerly-Twitter boasting around 300 million active users, its popularity has waned due to persistent issues like trolling and hate speech, particularly after Elon Musk's acquisition in April 2022. This has led to a mass migration to alternatives like Bluesky and Threads, the only platforms so far to match the growing demand for a better social media experience. This article will focus on Bluesky Social and explore how it has captured and captivated an expanding audience with its user-centric approach in an industry long dominated by the exploitation of user data and ad-centric models. We'll cover everything you need to know about Bluesky, including insights into the platform's structure, detailed guidance, privacy policies, revenue models, who has migrated to it, and how competitors have reacted. Inside the decentralized social media Bluesky Bluesky Social, a decentralized social network, has rapidly expanded its user base, largely driven by an influx from North America and the UK. Bluesky's user numbers have climbed to nearly 15 million worldwide, up from 9 million in September. This surge is attributed to various factors, including dissatisfaction with X (formerly Twitter). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The site was boosted as academics, journalists, and left-leaning politicians abandoned X, whose billionaire owner is a prominent supporter of the president-elect," according to a report by The Financial Times. The platform also saw a significant boost from fans of Taylor Swift, who migrated en masse following the 2024 U.S. presidential election, further fueling Bluesky's growth. Origin and development Conceived by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Bluesky was launched as an independent initiative in 2021, distinct from the changes at X initiated by Elon Musk. Dorsey introduced the project in 2019 to create a decentralized standard for social media. Although he funded the initiative and oversaw its early development, Dorsey stepped back, and as of May 2024, he is no longer on the companys board. Leadership has since passed to CEO Jay Graber, who previously worked on the cryptocurrency Zcash and founded the event-planning platform Happening. Technological framework and user control Bluesky operates on the AT Protocol, an open-source framework developed in-house, which supports a federated network design. This innovative protocol enables developers to create independent social apps that integrate seamlessly with Bluesky, allowing users to transfer their data, followers, and handles across platforms. This system offers algorithmic choice and facilitates community-specific moderation, enhancing user control over what they see and share. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The platform's user-centric approach is a response to the market's demand for greater personal data control, which has become increasingly important following the introduction of paid subscriptions and blue tick payments by X under Elon Musk's leadership. Blueskys philosophy emphasizes giving users the freedom to choose and move freely across platforms without the constraints of centralized algorithms. Privacy and Innovation The platform has declared its commitment to not using user data to train generative AI tools, which sharply contrasts with new terms of service at X that permit such practices. Bluesky's approach to privacy and innovation has resonated well in markets like Japan, where its user base on Android quintupled in the 12 months leading up to October 2024, driven more by its functionality and privacy features than political events. How to Use Bluesky Signing up and setting up your profile Upon signing up on Bluesky, users can create a handle, such as @username.bsky.social, and choose a display name that appears more prominently in bold text. Users can customize their handle using a domain they own, for instance, @username.website.com. Each profile includes familiar features such as a profile picture, background, biography, metrics, and follower counts. Profile feeds are split into two sections: posts and posts & replies, mirroring the structure used by X. Creating and interacting with posts Bluesky's interface is intuitive, especially for former X users. Posts can be created by clicking a large, blue "New Post" button, marked with a pen-and-paper icon, and can include up to 300 characters of text along with photos and videos. Posts can be interacted with through replies, retweets, and likes. Users can manage interactions via a three-dot menu, offering options to report, share, or copy posts. The platform recently introduced an update where post replies are sorted by "hotness," prioritizing liked and recent responses. Navigating the Platform The main feed, or "Home" timeline, displays updates from followed users. Bluesky has replaced its original "Whats Hot" feed with a more personalized "Discover" feed, similar to the "For You" page on TikTok or X, showcasing trending content from across the network based on your interactions. Additionally, the "Discover" tab in the apps navigation offers continuous suggestions on who to follow and highlights the latest posts from across Bluesky. Finding relevant content For users looking to dive into relevant content quickly, Bluesky offers a "Starter Pack" featurecurated lists of users and custom feeds based on interests, which can be followed to enhance content discovery right from the start. Users can also create and customize their lists and feeds based on topics or keywords, like "Portland Sports" or pizza-related content, accessible through a control panel on the left side of the interface. Messaging and post-visibility Bluesky introduced direct messaging in May. To send a DM, click the chat icon at the bottom on mobile or in the sidebar on desktop. Search for the user, type your message, and hit send. Note that DMs arent yet end-to-end encrypted, but encryption is planned for the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an open network, all Bluesky posts are public by default. Users seeking privacy must block individuals to restrict access to their posts. This setup allows for open dialogue while giving users control over their personal space. Customization and Control In May 2023, Bluesky introduced "custom feeds," allowing users to tailor their content discovery via various algorithms. These feeds can be pinned for quick access, reflecting Blueskys commitment to customizable user experiences. Further supporting developer involvement, the AT Protocol Grants initiated in March 2024 aim to encourage the creation of unique tools like SkyFeed, which enables personalized feed creation, enhancing the platform's versatility and user engagement. Bluesky's Verification, Moderation, and Enhanced Security Verification: Bluesky takes a decentralized approach to user verification, diverging from platforms like X and Meta, which rely on pay-for-verification models. Bluesky verifies accounts using custom domain names (e.g., @nytimes.com) to ensure authenticity and address impersonation issues. Looking ahead, Bluesky plans to allow multiple trusted entities like universities or community groups to verify users, emphasizing user choice and flexibility and moving away from centralized verification control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Content Moderation: Bluesky has developed advanced automated tooling to identify and flag content that violates its Community Guidelines effectively. Recent updates have introduced features like warnings for users about misleading links and improved lists for user moderation, enhancing users' ability to manage their interactions. The platform has been proactive in addressing the surge in user numbers and specific challenges, such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). To tackle this, Bluesky is significantly expanding its moderation team and has integrated third-party tools like the Safer reporting tool by Thorn. In 2023, there were two confirmed cases of CSAM on the network, but on a single day in November 2024, eight cases were confirmed. Additionally, on November 15, 2024, Bluesky reported receiving 3,000 reports per hour, a stark increase from the total of 360,000 reports received throughout the entire previous year. Moreover, the introduction of the Ozone tool in March 2024 allows users to create and manage their independent moderation services. This tool grants users unprecedented control over their social media environment, further solidifying Blueskys commitment to maintaining a safe and user-driven platform. Security Measures: In October 2023, Bluesky implemented email verification to improve account security significantly. However, challenges remain in preventing unauthorized third-party access to user data. Notably, Daniel van Strien, a machine learning librarian at AI firm Hugging Face, accessed 1 million public posts from Bluesky via its Firehose API for machine learning research. Although the dataset was later removed from the public repository following the controversy, this incident highlights the public nature of posts on Bluesky and emphasizes the existing challenges in data privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bluesky also offers opt-out features to limit posts from broader internet exposure and is now developing consent mechanisms to allow users to control how their data is used externally more effectively. These measures are part of Blueskys continued efforts to enhance user privacy and protect personal information from misuse. Who's Migrated to Bluesky? Bluesky has attracted diverse users, including Hollywood celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Stiller, Lizzo, and Mark Hamill. Political figures such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and notable personalities like Mark Cuban, Dril, and Weird Al Yankovic have also made the switch. News organizations like Bloomberg, The Washington Post, and TechCrunch have established a presence on the platform. Additionally, since August 2024, Bluesky has been open to heads of state joining the platform. The platform has also become a new home for various professional and civic entities, including legal professionals like Helen Burness, Jason Plant, and Alex Smith, and charities such as Sense, Trussell, and Children First. Numerous NYC officials and agencies have transitioned to Bluesky, further broadening its user base. How Does Bluesky Make Money? Bluesky aims to sustain its network without relying on traditional advertising. On July 5, 2023, the platform announced additional seed funding and a paid service offering custom domains for users seeking unique handles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November 2024, Bluesky raised a $15 million Series A round to develop a subscription service offering premium features such as higher-quality video uploads and profile customizations. This subscription model is designed to avoid the "pay to win" strategies employed by platforms like X, ensuring that Bluesky remains free from the necessity of selling user data for ads. Bluesky stirring up trouble for X and Meta While Threads boasts a significant user base of about 275 million monthly users, the sense that Bluesky's smaller yet rapidly growing user base engages more intensively becomes apparent, particularly post-election. Elon Musks introduction of a feature on X that allows users to hide engagement metrics such as likes and shares has been met with skepticism, with some suggesting it aims to mask a decline in platform activity. Meanwhile, Meta is once again taking cues from successful competitors; Instagram Stories was inspired by Snapchat, and Reels by TikTok. This time, Meta emulates Bluesky's "Starter Packs," which help users curate their feeds based on interests. As Bluesky's community grows, it faces the ongoing challenges of ensuring robust security, effective moderation, and strict compliance. Despite these hurdles, Bluesky's dedication to prioritizing user interests and not selling user data, in contrast to the ad-driven models typical of major social media platforms, may well provide it with a strategic advantage in a market ripe for change. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) Illinois American Water has issued a boil order for the Village of Fisher effective immediately on Saturday. Customers are being advised to bring their tap water to a rolling boil for five minutes before using the water for drinking or cooking. Despite this, Illinois American Water said the water is safe for bathing, washing and other common uses. UPDATE: Part of University Ave. down to one lane following water main break Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The systemwide boil order was put into effect as a result of a water main break near the water treatment plant. The order is being issued in accordance with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) water regulations. When water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch in any part of a communitys distribution center, a boil order must be issued as a precaution to protect residents. Illinois American Water said customers will be notified when the boil order is lifted. For additional details or a map of the impacted water service area, visit Illinois American Waters Alerts webpage. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. SAO PAULO (AP) Brazil's Federal Police in late November formally accused far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others of planning a coup to keep him in office. The agency described a multi-step scheme, substantiated by evidence and testimony, in an 884-page report. The plan included systematically sowing distrust of the electoral system among the populace, drafting a decree to give the plot a veneer of legal basis, pressuring top military brass to go along with the plan, and inciting a riot in the capital. Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet will now decide whether to formally charge the accused parties, toss the investigation or request more testimony to understand each persons participation in different parts of the alleged plot before deciding who stands trial on which counts. Bolsonaro and his main allies have denied any wrongdoing or involvement and accuse the authorities of political persecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is a breakdown of the plan's key elements as laid out in the report and how they are supposedly connected. Sowing doubt about Brazils voting system Police allege that efforts to disseminate fake news about Brazils electronic voting system began in 2019, Bolsonaros first year in office, but were conducted more strategically and intensively as his 2022 reelection bid drew near. Police say so-called digital militias comprised of thousands of social media accounts linked to pro-Bolsonaro propaganda, as well as other prominent right-wing influencers and politicians, spread propaganda claiming the voting system could be tampered with. Bolsonaro also openly expressed admiration for Brazils military dictatorship (1964-1985), which he claimed saved the country from communism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The narrative of an impending illegitimate election defeat helped Bolsonaro rally tens of thousands of supporters to multiple street demonstrations and also muster many to set up camp outside military barracks and headquarters to pressure leaders. Three months before the election, Bolsonaro invited dozens of diplomats to the presidential palace for a nationally televised meeting in which he presented supposed vulnerabilities of the voting system, without providing any evidence. Following Bolsonaros loss in 2022 to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bolsonaro's Liberal Party questioned results at the country's top electoral court, arguing voting devices made in specific years could have permitted fraud. The electoral court swiftly dismissed the claims. They spread false studies on the vulnerabilities of the electronic voting machines through the Liberal Party, in an attempt to create a factual basis for a presidential decree that would set the coup in motion, the report says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A draft decree to set the coup in motion In January 2023, Brazilian police found a draft decree in the home of Bolsonaros former justice minister Anderson Torres. It was one of many versions drafted either at the far-right leader's behest or with his knowledge, police say. The former president presented the document, unsigned, to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces on Dec. 7, seeking their support. Investigators say the draft decree shows Bolsonaro and his allies sought to create a committee to probe alleged fraud and crimes in the October 2022 vote, so they could later suspend the powers of the nations top electoral court and possibly convene a new election. The navys commander was ready to comply with the decree, but army and air force leaders objected to any plan that would prevent Lula's inauguration, the report said. Those refusals are why the plan did not go ahead, according to witnesses who spoke to investigators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many legal experts including say evidence that former president presented the draft to military leaders and supported for different versions of the document are very damaging. (The goal) was to unduly intervene in elections," said Luiz Henrique Machado, a law professor at the IDP university in the capital Brasilia. "In Brazil, it is the electoral prosecutors' office and the top electoral court that have the final word about electoral legislation. In an interview with website UOL published Thursday, Bolsonaro said he discussed with military leaders moves including decreeing a state of emergency and other exceptional measures that would have suspended the rule of law for the public good. He said such measures are provided for by the constitution, so there is nothing unseemly about evaluating those options. "What is being said is absurd. For my part, there has never been any discussion of a coup, Bolsonaro told journalists in Brasilia on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plan to assassinate the president-elect On Nov. 19, Brazil's Federal Police arrested four army special operations officers and a federal police officer accused of plotting in 2022 to assassinate Lula, vice-president-elect Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The arrested men were all mentioned in a police report that was unsealed later. The assassination plan sought to leave Bolsonaro's ticket as the only remaining valid one in the 2022 runoff, police say. As for de Moraes, he led a five-year probe into fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices, which has led some far-right allies and supporters being barred from social media and even imprisoned. In early 2023, he presided over the nations top electoral court when it declared Bolsonaro ineligible for office until 2030 over abuse of power related to a meeting he convened with foreign ambassadors to spread lies about the voting system. Gen. Walter Braga Netto, Bolsonaros 2022 running mate and former defense minister, greenlit the assassination plan at a meeting with the plotters inside his home, investigators added. Federal Police portray the retired general as one of the plot's leaders, also involved in pressuring military leaders to sign onto the coup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Braga Netto said in a statement on Tuesday that he never plotted a coup. He added that several of the documents seized from one of his aides, including writings, drafts and media reports were "preparatory material to answer media requests and to prepare for testimony in congressional hearings. The police report contains no indication that any attempt to assassinate Lula or Alckmin was put into motion. However, investigators found messages and documents indicating that the plotters were monitoring and following de Moraes at the time. Police said they found evidence that retired Brig. Gen. Mario Fernandes, one of the officers arrested who had been serving as interim general secretary of the presidency, also visited the protest camps outside military installations, including at the army headquarters in Brasilia. Investigators said they have evidence that he gave instructions and financial support to the protesters. Jan. 8 uprising Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal Police linked Bolsonaro and some of his top ministers to the Jan. 8, 2023 riot in which supporters of the former president, many of whom had been camped outside army headquarters for months, ransacked the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace in Brasilia. The protesters had pleaded for the armed forces to keep the leftist leader out of office and their uprising which came after Lula was sworn in was an attempt to force military intervention and oust the new president, police say. The riot appears in the report as one of several other actions to pressure the army commander to join the coup detat. Police also say that Brig. Gen. Fernandes sent a message in November 2022 to Gen. Marco Antonio Freire Gomes, then the Army's commander, discussing the need for a triggering event for a coup. Defendants, including Bolsonaro, have argued that the riot was an isolated event, and many legal experts have noted that the report's evidence of a connection between it and a broader plot is tenuous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is clear that the alleged coup plotters had contacts with people camped outside military barracks, people who were there on Jan. 8. But how much of that contact was transformed into planning, coordination, stimulus for those people to take public buildings that day? That is to be debated, it is going to be discussed in the process and the collection of more evidence, said Joao Pedro Padua, a professor of criminal law proceedings at the Universidade Federal Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro. Bolsonaro left for the United States days before Lulas inauguration on Jan. 1, 2023 and stayed there three months, keeping a low profile. The police report alleges he was avoiding possible imprisonment related to the coup plot and awaiting the fallout from the uprising. ___ Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro. ___ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) The Special Olympics Texas athletes are coming to Wichita Falls to host a beneficial event that will inspire a great cause. A Breakfast with Champions will be held at The Forum on December 12, 2024, from 8 to 9 a.m. YMCAs Gobble Wobble a tradition for many Wichita Falls families This fundraising event gives these athletes exposure and a chance to share their experiences with the Special Olympics Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also brings inspiration, networking, and learning to Wichita Falls, hoping that the community will support this non-profits great cause. On the morning of the event, guest speakers from the community, like Mayor Tim Short, will speak, followed by testimonials from athletes and volunteers on what the movement means to them. This is a free event that the whole community is invited to, although monetary donations are always welcome. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or just want more information about the event, contact Kyle Thompson at kthompson@sotx.org. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. When, at PMQs this week, a Labour MP named Tahir Ali asked Sir Keir Starmer to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions, the Prime Minister did not stand up for free speech and the right to blaspheme. Instead, he promised to tackle hatred... including, of course, Islamophobia in all of its forms. Critics of Sir Keir, we reported, believe that his response has opened the door to an Islamophobia law. Personally, though, I think these critics are wrong. After all, Sir Keir doesnt need to create an Islamophobia law. Because weve already got one. Not on the statute books, perhaps. But we seem to have one in practice enforced by those mysterious figures the BBC likes to call community leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Think of what happened to the religious studies teacher in Batley, West Yorkshire, who showed his class a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad. The subsequent protests were so ferocious that he was forced into hiding which is where he remains today, almost four years later. And lets not forget that last year in Wakefield also West Yorkshire an autistic 14-year-old schoolboy received death threats after he accidentally caused very slight damage to a copy of the Koran. At a hastily convened meeting at the local mosque, his mother begged for forgiveness, while a policeman thanked the imam profusely for the tolerance and understanding shown. Why would Sir Keir need to bring in a law, therefore, when perceived Islamophobia is dealt with so swiftly as it is? Its not easy being green A surprising new front has opened up in the war against racism. The British Board of Film Classification has ruled that Wicked, in cinemas now, contains depictions of discrimination because characters mock a witch for having green skin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think we should be grateful to the BBFC for this important intervention. Such scenes could be upsetting for green-skinned viewers. For all we know, Shrek and Princess Fiona are planning a family trip to the cinema this weekend. And of course the Incredible Hulk could get very angry. Then again, he always does. Anyway, the BBFCs ruling may yet have wider ramifications. Take Halloween costumes: zombies, Frankensteins monsters and so on. In our efforts to be more sensitive towards the green community, will greenface soon be deemed as offensive as blackface? The latter is now considered to be totally inexcusable. I know this, because I recently started rewatching That Mitchell and Webb Look (BBC Two, 2006-10). And, at the start of one episode, I was startled to see a newly added warning which read: This episode reflects standards and attitudes of its time which viewers may find offensive. Really? This wasnt a 1970s stand-up routine by Bernard Manning. It was a Bafta-winning Noughties sketch show by David Mitchell and Robert Webb, two Cambridge-educated, middle-class BBC comedians with impeccably liberal views. What crime against political correctness could they possibly have committed? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within two minutes, I had my answer. During a sketch about a historical re-enactment society, some white characters blacked up. Yet the sketch itself wasnt racist. It was the opposite. It concluded with the characters swiftly realising, and explicitly stating, that blacking up is offensive and wrong (Its racist. Very, very racist). Indeed, this was, quite plainly, the whole point of the sketch. Evidently, though, its been decided that a warning must be added anyway, in case viewers these days are too stupid to get it. Is Santa Right-wing? According to reports, the French are suffering a dire shortage of shopping centre Santas. I suggest that they recruit some from Britain. Weve got plenty of Santas going spare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mainly because we keep sacking them for being too Right-wing. In Rotherham, a 70-year-old man who volunteers as Santa for a local charity has been informed that his services are no longer required, after he publicly accused Labour of cancelling Christmas. Meanwhile, in Blackpool, a 78-year-old man who volunteers as Santa for a community group has also been dropped because, he claims, of his support for Tommy Robinson. To be clear, the two men expressed their views in their own time not while dressed as Santa. They havent been telling children that they wont get any presents this year unless they vote for Reform, or explaining that being a good little boy or girl entails campaigning to leave the ECHR. At any rate, if they still wish to play Santa, I urge them to apply for the many vacancies in France. I doubt the French would consider them too Right-wing. Especially after this years French elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the same, I do think its worth reflecting on whether its appropriate for Santa to be Right-wing. And, all things considered, Im afraid I think it isnt. Given that Santa is old, white and male, as well as a business owner, people may assume that hes a natural conservative. They may also suspect that he bases his business in the Finnish region of Lapland in order to take advantage of Finlands enticingly low rates of corporation tax. None the less, he approves of lavish handouts, insists on free movement, and only children believe in him. So he must be a socialist. Way of the World is a twice-weekly satirical look at the headlines aiming to mock the absurdities of the modern world. It is published at 7am every Tuesday and Saturday Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A 62-year-old woman was struck and killed in the City of Buffalo on Thursday night by an alleged drunk driver, the Buffalo Police Department announced. Niyonna Cunningham, 23, of Buffalo has been charged with second-degree vehicular manslaughter and two counts of driving while intoxicated. Around 10 p.m., officers responded to an accident at Genesee Street and Bailey Avenue and allegedly found a pedestrian in the road. The victim was taken to ECMC, where she was pronounced dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After allegedly failing field sobriety tests, Cunningham was placed into custody. A 1-year-old was in Cunninghams vehicle at the time of the accident, police said. The victims name has not yet been announced. Latest Local News *** Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. By Stefano Bernabei and Gavin Jones ROME (Reuters) - Global warming, drought and plant disease pose a growing threat to agriculture in Italy's arid south, but a startup founded by a former telecoms manager believes it has found a solution: Opuntia Ficus, better known as the cactus pear. Andrea Ortenzi saw the plant's potential 20 years ago when working for Telecom Italia in Brazil, where it is widely used as animal feed. On returning to Italy he began looking at ways to turn his intuition into a business opportunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He and four friends founded their company, called Wakonda, in 2021, and began buying land to plant the crop in the southern Puglia region where the traditionally dominant olive trees had been ravaged by an insect-borne disease called Xylella. The damage from the plant disease has been compounded by recurring droughts and extreme weather in the last few years all over Italy's southern mainland and islands, hitting crops from grapes to citrus fruits. Ortenzi is convinced the hardy and versatile cactus pear, otherwise called the prickly pear or, in Italy, the Indian fig, can be a highly profitable solution yielding a raft of products such as soft drinks, flour, animal feed and biofuel. The Italian businessman is far from alone in seeing the potential of the plant, whose cultivation is expanding in hot and dry regions around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As an industry, cactus pear production is growing rather quickly, especially for fodder use and as a source of biofuel," said Makiko Taguchi, agricultural officer at the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation headquartered in Rome. MULTIPLE USES The cactus produces a tasty fruit eaten in much of Latin America and the Mediterranean, while in Mexico the flat green pads that form the arms of the cactus, are used in cooking. In Tunisia, where it covers around 12% of cultivated land, second only to olive trees, the cactus pear is a major source of income for thousands, particularly women who harvest and sell the fruit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Brazil, which has the world's largest production, it is mainly cultivated in the north-east for fodder, while Peru and Chile use it to extract a red dye known as Cochineal, used in food and cosmetic production. Sportswear group Adidas and carmaker Toyota have recently shown interest in using the cactus to produce plant-based leather sourced mainly from Mexico. The cactus pear is not yet included in the FAO's agricultural output statistics, but Taguchi cited the rapid expansion of CactusNet, a contact network of cactus researchers and businesses worldwide which she coordinates. The FAO launched the group online in 2015 with 69 members. It now has 933 members in 82 countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plant, native to desert areas of south and north America, thrives in the increasingly arid conditions of Italy's south, and needs ten times less water than maize, a comparable crop whose byproducts also include animal feed and methane. So far Wakonda, an American Indian word meaning nature's omnipresent creative force, has planted just 10 hectares of cactus with 40,000 plants per hectare, but Ortenzi plans to plant 300 hectares by the end of 2025, and he is thinking big. Of the roughly 100,000 hectares of olive trees destroyed by Xylella in southern Puglia, only 30,000 will be replanted in the same way, he told Reuters in an interview. "Potentially 70,000 could be planted with prickly pears," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the long run the possibilities could be even greater, Ortenzi said, considering more than a million hectares of arable land have been abandoned in Italy in recent decades as climate change has made it more difficult to produce traditional crops. WAKONDA'S MODEL Wakonda's business model discards the fruit and focuses instead on the prickly pads, which are pressed to yield a juice used for a highly nutritious, low-calorie energy drink. The dried out pads are then processed to produce a light flour for the food industry or a high-protein animal feed. Wakonda's circular, ecological production system also includes "biodigester" tanks in which the waste from the output cycle is transformed into methane gas used as a bio-fuel either on site or sold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company, which now has 37 shareholders, is in contact with mayors, firms and universities to develop its products. Under Ortenzi's business plan, rather than buying up land to plant the cactus, Wakonda aims to persuade farmers of its potential and then licence out to them, in return for royalties, all the equipment and know-how required to exploit it. "The land remains yours, you convert it to prickly pears and I guarantee to buy all your output for at least 15 years," Ortenzi said. (Editing by Alexandra Hudson) California state officials have suspended a companys sales of raw milk to retailers amid ongoing concerns about bird flu. Raw milk sales by Raw Farm, located in Fresno, was blocked from distributing its raw dairy products as of Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reported. However, their products already on shelves can still be sold, according to the newspaper. The California Department of Food and Agriculture are now investigating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All Raw Farm operations are currently under quarantine, from herds to bottled product, which means that all raw milk product distribution is suspended, a spokesperson for the department said in a statement to The Independent. The Independent has contacted Raw Farm for comment. On Sunday the states Department of Public Health warned residents against drinking the batch of cream top, whole raw milk from Fresno Countys Raw Farm LLC and advised consumers to return the product to where it was purchased. Raw Farm LLC has issued a voluntary recall of the affected lot code 20241109. A Raw Farm batch bottled on November 9 was also recalled, the Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sales suspension comes amid contradictory bird flu test results this month. County public health officials were finding bird flu in raw milk bought at stores, while state officials werent finding the virus in bulk tests, the Times reports. A new round of tests on Raw Farm products turned up positive Wednesday, and officials suspended sales. Raw Farm owner Mark McAfee told the Times that his cows are indeed infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus. He said he wasnt aware of it until this week, however, because the cows are so healthy that they dont show the classic signs or symptoms. The Fresno County-based Raw Farm issued a voluntary recall of a batch of raw milk this month (California Department of Public Health) The sales suspension comes as human cases of dangerous H5N1 bird flu have risen across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there were 55 cases across seven states as of Friday. The majority of the cases are in California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency reported the first avian influenza H5 virus infection in a child in the US last week. The childs condition is still unclear. The uptick in bird flu comes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trumps pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, continues to tout the consumption of raw milk. Kennedy has pledged that what he characterized as the aggressive suppression of raw milk is about to end and revealed he drinks raw milk. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a proponent of raw milk (AFP via Getty Images) Scientists have warned in recent days that the virus may be more widespread than previously believed. We are in a soup of virus. I mean, theres virus everywhere around us at this point, Dr. Marcela Uhart, a wildlife veterinarian with the University of Cal-Davis One Health Institute, said earlier this month. This virus is circulating left and right in mammals and in birds, as far as we can tell, some of them are not showing any signs of disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The virus is spread to humans via several pathways. Farm workers can inhale infected particles, pick up germs from sick animals and other surfaces and then touch their faces and eyes. Consumers can also get it by drinking raw cows milk. Those who have had no contact with infected poultry or other sources of contamination are likely at very low risk of infection. No infections have been reported from eating properly cooked poultry or poultry products or proper handling of poultry meat. With reporting from Julia Musto (Bloomberg) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday as the two leaders discussed trade, the border and fentanyl, subjects of the incoming US leaders tariff threat on its neighbor. Most Read from Bloomberg Trudeau and Trump spoke on a wide range of issues over dinner at Mar-a-Lago that lasted roughly three hours, two officials familiar with the meeting said. They included defense, NATO, Ukraine and China, the people said, declining to be identified as the information isnt public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two leaders also discussed several pipeline projects, including the Keystone XL line the Biden administration killed, and icebreakers, the people said. Trudeau landed in West Palm Beach, Florida, earlier Friday evening. The meeting was attended by top Trump officials, including his incoming National Security Adviser Mike Waltz; Howard Lutnick, his pick for commerce secretary; Doug Burgum, his pick for interior secretary; and David McCormick and Dina Powell, respectively the newly elected senator for Pennsylvania and a senior Trump aide from his first term, the people said. Trump earlier this week vowed to hit Canada and Mexico as well as China with additional tariffs, casting the levies as necessary to secure US borders, a top concern of voters in Novembers presidential election. The president-elect said he would impose additional 10% tariffs on goods from China and 25% tariffs on all products from Mexico and Canada if they failed to act. The two leaders were also joined at dinner by Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc whose portfolio includes border security as well as Trudeaus chief of staff, Katie Telford, a person familiar with the matter said earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for both sides did not immediately respond to a request for a public comment outside of regular business hours. Trumps first specific vow to curb global trade flows since his election has roiled markets. His threats, which he made on his Truth Social network, sent the Canadian dollar falling. That evening, Trudeau contacted the president-elect in a phone call to discuss border security and trade, according to a government official with knowledge of the matter. The prime minister pointed out that the number of migrants who cross the countrys border into the US is minuscule compared to those who make their way from Mexico, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Canadian officials in recent days have also been quick to insist that they are working closely with the US to combat the flow of fentanyl a deadly synthetic opioid that has sparked a public health crisis in the US. The volume of fentanyl seized at the Mexican border since the beginning of 2022 is about 1,000 times greater than what has been captured at the Canadian border, according to US Customs and Border Protection data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier: Trumps Opening Salvo on Tariffs Revisits First-Term Playbook Still, Trudeau is under pressure at home to step up border security and defense spending to assuage Trumps concerns. Ontarios Doug Ford, the leader of Canadas most populous province, said after a meeting of the premiers and prime minister that he has been pushing Trudeau for months to show that Canada will work to address US economic and security worries. Trudeau was the first Group of Seven leader to have a face-to-face meeting with Trump since the US election. The symbolism of Trudeau going down to Palm Beach on bended knee to say Please dont is very, very powerful, said Fen Hampson, professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stakes are enormously high and Trudeau has to deliver on this, Hampson said. Otherwise, its going to be seen by Canadians as a failed mission, because we all know why hes going down there and its not to baste the turkey for Trump. Canada and the US have one of the worlds largest bilateral trading relationships, worth more than $900 billion a year, and its the largest external supplier of crude oil to the US, pumping millions of barrels a day to refineries in the Midwest and elsewhere. Economists see Mexico and Canada taking the biggest economic hit if Trump follows through on his pledge for broad tariffs against US imports. Trump has made tariffs a centerpiece of his economic agenda, vowing to use them across the board against both US allies and adversaries to extract concessions and force businesses to reshore manufacturing jobs. Mainstream economists have warned that the levies threaten to raise prices for consumers, would fail to raise the revenue he is predicting and are poised to reduce or redirect trade flows. Tariffs on Mexico and Canada also threaten to reignite a trade feud from Trumps first term in office, when he forced the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rebranded trade pact, dubbed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, allows for duty-free trade across a wide range of sectors, while changing the regulations for a variety of industries including auto manufacturing. --With assistance from Derek Decloet, Randy Thanthong-Knight, Thomas Seal and Laura Dhillon Kane. (Updates with meeting agenda from first paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Trump vowed to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico on his first day in office. Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau warned tariffs will harm both Canadian and American consumers and industries. Trudeau said he and Trump will "work together as we previously did." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to President-elect Donald Trump's Monday vow to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico on day one in office. Trudeau, who's been Canada's prime minister since 2015, told reporters in Prince Edward Island, Canada, that Trump's expected action will have consequences not just on Canadians but also on American consumers, according to the Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business," Trudeau said. After a phone call earlier in the week to discuss the plans, Trudeau also made his way to West Palm Beach on Friday to meet with Trump, sources told Bloomberg. Trump plans to impose 25% tariffs on goods coming from the northern and southern neighbors of the US. He said it's a direct response to the inflow of immigrants and narcotics coming into the country illegally from Canada and Mexico, he said. Canada and the US worked together during Trump's first presidency when re-negotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump threatened to use tariffs then as well. His threat of tariffs on imports from Mexico led to an expansion of the Migrant Protection Protocols program across the US-Mexico border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trudeau noted that the two have been able to come to an agreement in the past. "We can work together as we did previously," Trudeau said. While Canada has yet to impose any tariffs of its own, a senior official told AP that it is looking into introducing retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the US. "We're going to work together to meet some of the concerns," Trudeau said. "But ultimately it is through lots of real constructive conversations with President Trump that I am going to have, that will keep us moving forward on the right track for all Canadians." Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has already said that her country would impose tariffs on the US if Trump goes through with his plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum said during a press conference this week that "one tariff will be followed by another, and so on, until we put joint ventures at risk." As previously reported by Business Insider, Canada was the top export destination for 32 states in 2016. According to the Toronto Region Board of Trade, about 77% of Canada's exports go to the US. Read the original article on Business Insider Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Florida just days after the president-elect threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods. In a post on TruthSocial Saturday afternoon, Trump called the conversation "very productive" and said the two leaders "discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada." "I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship! Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families," the president-elect added in his post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trudeau posted a photo of him and Trump Saturday afternoon, thanking the president-elect for meeting with him. "Thanks for dinner last night, President Trump. I look forward to the work we can do together, again," Trudeau said on X. On Saturday morning, Trudeau said he had had an excellent conversation with Trump. The Canadian leader walked out of the hotel in West Palm where he had spent the night when reporters asked whether the two had discussed tariffs. Trudeaus plane landed Friday evening at Palm Beach International Airport, which is used by Trump when he travels to his Mar-a-Lago estate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pictures posted on social media late Friday evening by Pennsylvania senator-elect David McCormick and Donald Trump Jr.s fiance Kimberly Guilfoyle showed Trump and Trudeau sitting side by side at a dinner table, accompanied by other guests including North Dakota governor Doug Burgum. A Mar-a-Lago trip was not included in the Canadian leaders public itinerary for Friday. Trump office was not immediately available for comment. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously spoke with Trump on the phone about the president-elect's tariff plan earlier this week. The two men spoke on the phone earlier this week after Trump announced his tariff plan. Trudeau said that the pair had a "good call" and talked about "some of the challenges that we can work on together." Trump said last week on Truth Social that one of his first executive orders would be to hit Mexico and Canada with a blanket 25% tariff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country! Trump said in the post. President Joe Biden criticized Trumps announcement, saying the comments were counterproductive. I hope he rethinks it, and I think its a counterproductive thing to do, Biden said, responding to a reporters question about his reaction. Mexico and Canada are the second and third top suppliers of goods to the U.S., according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, accounting for nearly 30% of trade volumes. Canada sends about 75% of its total exports to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vehicles, dairy, paper products, and building supplies such as wood that would be affected. The U.S. imports the most goods from China. Trump has frequently promised to implement more tariffs during his campaign, especially on China. Some economists have criticized the possibility of steep tariffs, arguing that the cost would ultimately be passed on to consumers. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville was critical of Vice President Harriss campaign this week, saying unfathomable spending could hurt the Democratic brand and lead to regular audits. The resistance is going to have trouble raising money. These fundraisers are burnt, Carville said during a Thanksgiving Day episode of Politics War Room. Theyre really pissed now, and the damage that the 2024 campaign has done, that the damage that this decade has done to the Democratic brand is almost unfathomable, almost unfathomable, he added. Carvilles comments come as Harriss campaign spending has come under scrutiny in the aftermath of her loss to President-elect Trump in the general election earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The campaign raised nearly $1.5 billion, Harris told donors and the Democratic National Committees (DNC) finance directors during a call Tuesday. Despite the fundraising, reports have emerged that the campaign has a debt of $20 million, claims they have denied. The DNC is set to hold its leadership elections in February, less than two weeks after Trump is inaugurated. During the recent podcast, Carville noted that people had asked him to throw his hat in the ring, though he suggested a bid wasnt on his to-do list. Still, he said the campaigns finances will most likely be audited amid concerns. I would say the policy, number one, is were going to audit everything. Were going to audit the campaign, Carville said Thursday, while specifically pointing to a pro-Harris super PAC. Were going to audit Future Forward. Were going to audit the DNC so people can know. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Im telling you, without complete transparency, the campaign we think raised a billion and a half dollars. OK, we know that Future Forward, the last we saw, was $900 million, so we can assume that they got to a billion before election, the strategist continued. Thats two and a half freaking billion dollars. He added, Does anybody have any idea where that money went? I mean, I have some places I [can] start looking. Carville, who served as a senior adviser to former President Clinton, said during Thursdays interview that the amount of money and the amount of lobbyists that were involved in this campaign is staggering. While he predicted that Harris would win the 2024 contest, he said earlier this week that it was a very troubling election for Democrats. A day later, Carville said the party needs to reevaluate how voters consume media so they can better retain voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In remarks to the press following her call with donors earlier this week, Harris chose to share optimism instead of focus on the financial questions. I just have to remind you: Dont you ever let anybody take your power from you. You have the same power that you did before Nov. 5, and you have the same purpose that you did, and you have the same ability to engage and inspire, Harris said in a clip of the remarks shared by the Democratic Party on the social platform X. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Researchers from the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), led by Dr. Woohyun Kim, have developed an innovative nickel-cobalt composite catalyst that significantly improves the production of turquoise hydrogen, a cleaner alternative to conventional hydrogen production methods. This advancement allows hydrogen to be generated at temperatures 300C lower than traditional thermal methane cracking processes, increasing productivity by an impressive 50%. The research, published in the November issue of the esteemed journal Fuel Processing Technology, highlights this catalytic process's dual benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It efficiently produces hydrogen and generates carbon nanotubes, a valuable byproduct used in various applications, including electrode materials for solar cells and batteries. Nickel-cobalt catalyst Turquoise hydrogen is produced by thermally decomposing methane (CH) into hydrogen and solid carbon without emitting carbon dioxide during production. This technology is essential in raising environmental concerns since it offers a cleaner approach than the more common gray hydrogen technology, which releases greenhouse gases. In 2021, the South Korean government unveiled the "First Hydrogen Economy Implementation Plan," targeting a domestic supply of 28 million tons of clean hydrogen by 2050. The focus on developing sustainable hydrogen production methods is gaining momentum, particularly in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the promise of turquoise hydrogen, its commercialization has faced challenges, primarily due to the high temperatures required for the production reactiontypically around 900Cand the limited applications for the resulting solid carbon. Existing nickel- and iron-based catalysts need more activity at lower temperatures, hindering efficiency and feasibility. To address these issues, Dr. Kim and his team experimented with adding cobalt to a nickel-based catalyst. Their research revealed that 8% nickel and 2% cobalt composition maximized hydrogen production efficiency while allowing the reaction to occur at a much lower temperature of 600C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new catalyst demonstrated over 50% greater hydrogen productivity than earlier models, based on initial activity tests conducted in the first 30 minutes. Notably, this catalyst's active phase lasts significantly longerapproximately 150 minutes, compared to 90 minutes for previous variants. This impressive durability means it can sustain hydrogen production for longer, making it a promising solution for industrial applications. Boosts yield by 50% Additionally, the emergence of carbon nanotubes on the catalyst's surface after the reaction signifies successful hydrogen production and presents an opportunity for creating high-value carbon materials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These nanotubes can be utilized in various sectors, enhancing the economic viability of the hydrogen production process. In comments on the research, Dr. Kim remarked, This study marks a significant milestone, enabling simultaneous hydrogen and carbon nanotube production, thus achieving economic efficiency and productivity. He further emphasized the teams commitment to advancing mass production techniques using this catalyst, ongoing performance evaluations, and developing essential technologies for reaction systems. KIER's findings showcase a viable pathway toward generating cleaner hydrogena crucial element in achieving global carbon neutralityand underline the potential for innovative solutions that can support sustainable energy systems in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The implications of this research extend beyond laboratory success, promising real-world applications that align with South Koreas ambitious clean energy goals. As the world shifts toward cleaner energy solutions, advancements like these in turquoise hydrogen technology are vital in ensuring a sustainable future. Progressive media personality Cenk Uygur signaled optimism following President-elect Trumps win in the 2024 presidential election, saying his enemy was the establishment, which was defeated. Ive been trying to figure out why Im more optimistic now than I was before the election, even though I was so against the guy who won, Uygur wrote Friday in a post on social platform X. I know now. MAGA is not my mortal enemy (and neither is the extreme left), he continued, referring to Trumps Mage America Great Again campaign motto. My mortal enemy is the establishment. And they have been defeated! The Young Turks host added that its not just that the establishment candidate lost, its that their media is mortally wounded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The source of their strength was not insipid politicians like Mitch McConnell and Joe Biden. The source of their strength was their propaganda machine the mainstream media, he wrote. Uygur, who said he disagreed with the majority of Trumps agenda, has been openly critical of the Democratic Party on a host of issues, including a perceived delay in calling on President Biden to drop his reelection bid since last year. [Biden] is not going to win, Uygur said in October last year when announcing his primary bid, nearly a year before Democrats pressured Biden to withdraw following a disastrous debate with Trump. It should not have been me, it should have been somebody else, but unfortunately it was not anyone else. The former 2024 presidential candidate, who dropped his long-shot bid in early March, also condemned Colorado and Maines decision to prevent Trump from appearing on the states ballots earlier this year, arguing that we should support democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently, he has offered his endorsement of Trumps pick for Labor secretary, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), who was backed by Teamsters President Sean OBrien and has strong support from unions. Now, online media is strong enough that their oppressive monopoly on the American mind has been broken, he wrote Friday on X. Now, were in the jungle. They hate that! I love it! This uncontrolled marketplace of ideas is where Im home. Id rather be in the populist woods than an establishment prison, Uygur added. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. STEELTON, Pa. (WHTM) Food deserts areas where access to fresh, healthy food is limited have become a growing concern across the nation. One local community in central Pennsylvania is now drawing national attention for its efforts to combat this issue. In the boroughs of Steelton and Highspire, a lack of supermarkets has made it difficult for residents to access fresh produce, said Mick Iskric, Jr., superintendent of the Steelton-Highspire School District. Iskric said the area where many residents lack their own cars to drive to supermarkets elsewhere is classified as a food desert, where many community members struggle to obtain healthy food. Being able to provide them fresh fruits and vegetables right here, within walking distance, is a direct benefit to our communities, he said. The Steelton-Highspire School District, Harrisburg University, and Phoenix Contact, a technology company with U.S. headquarters in Middletown, have teamed up to address the issue. Together, they are working to not only provide high-tech, high-quality food but also build a workforce capable of sustaining the solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mentoring event connects girls with potential careers in public safety A major part of this initiative is an aquaponics and hydroponics greenhouse, which the school district has operated for more than a decade. While the greenhouse itself is not a new addition, the collaborative efforts surrounding it are receiving significant attention through a new documentary titled Growing Tomorrow. The film highlights the inequities in food access across the country and showcases how this partnership is addressing the challenge in Steelton and Highspire. Joe Tetreault, a research scientist at Harrisburg University, emphasized the importance of the project in fostering food security. This initiative really highlights how theres inequity in food access in a lot of regions in the country, he said. Beyond addressing the immediate food needs, the project also serves an educational purpose. High school students in the district are able to take dual enrollment courses, gaining hands-on experience in aquaponics and hydroponics while working in the greenhouse. The program, funded through federal grants, allows students to learn valuable skills without any cost to them. Our students are able to do dual enrollment courses in the classroom and also work in our greenhouse, said Iskric. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This initiative also has an eye toward the future. Phoenix Contacts Matt Austad explained that the company is not only interested in the projects viability as a business solution but also the positive impact it has on the community. The incredible good that it does for the communities beyond thats what stood out to me, he said. Shippensburg, some other Pennsylvania schools to offer admission without application Students as young as fourth grade will also be involved through the Think Bigger program, an initiative led by Phoenix Contact in partnership with the Capital Area Intermediate Unit. This program will offer STEM lessons designed to inspire the next generation of workers to continue addressing food security issues. For Harrisburg Universitys Rachel Fogle, the project represents an unprecedented effort by a university to support the regions food security. To have a university thats essentially backing that positive impact on food security in the region is really unheard of, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through this collaboration, the Steelton-Highspire School District, Harrisburg University, and Phoenix Contact are not only combating food insecurity but also setting the stage for a sustainable solution that could inspire other communities facing similar challenges. Get daily news, weather, breaking news and alerts straight to your inbox! Sign up for the abc27 newsletters here As the program grows, the hope is that it will continue to provide fresh food and educational opportunities, laying the groundwork for a stronger, healthier future for Steelton and Highspire. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Chagos pour British! they chanted, in the melodious creole of their ancestral archipelago. And any watching Brit could hardly fail to be moved. They were gathered outside our High Commission in Mauritius, a crowd of exiled Chagossians protesting against Labours handover of their islands. Simply by speaking those words, they were risking ten years in prison. In 2021, Mauritius made it a criminal offence to misrepresent the sovereignty of Mauritius over any part of its territory, a law aimed more or less explicitly at the Chagossian diaspora. Chagossians are by no means alone in opposing Labours surrender. British voters dislike it. The incoming US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, says it poses a serious threat to our national security interests. Even the new Mauritian government, elected three weeks ago, is unconvinced. It has ordered an independent review into the proposed terms. Why, then, is Sir Keir Starmer in such a rush? Why is his National Security adviser, Jonathan Powell, flying from Mauritius to Washington in an attempt to stitch everything up before Donald Trumps inauguration? Why is he offering Mauritius colossal sums to take the territory? (If anything, Mauritius should be handing back, with six decades of compound interest, the 3 million that it was paid for renouncing its claim in 1965.) The answer lies in Labours obsession with identity politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although some Mauritians were irredentists from the start, few showed much interest until 15 or so years ago. After all, the Chagos Islands were more than 1300 miles away. The first post-independence prime minister, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, explained that Mauritius had been happy to sell its rights to a portion of our territory of which very few people knew, which is very far from here, and which we had never visited. Only much later, as Mauritiuss diplomatic and commercial relations with China deepened, did it press its claim in earnest. By presenting its case in anti-colonial terms, Mauritius was able to drum up support from several countries in the Global South and, in 2019, to win an advisory opinion from the International Criminal Court. Its argument was based on the idea that Britain had had no right to detach one colony from another a bizarre notion which would also mean that St Kitts could claim Anguilla, Jamaica the Turks and Caicos Islands, India Burma and so on. But Mauritius knew what buttons to press with woke officials. It hired a British KC, Philippe Sands, to argue its case. Sands, a co-founder of Matrix Chambers, is an old colleague of Starmers, and the two men share a fervent belief in the righteousness of human rights lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Might Starmer be doing his old buddy a favour? In the House of Commons, James Cleverly asked whether the two lawyers had had any unminuted discussions on the question of Mauritiuss claim. The minister, a decent fellow called Stephen Doughty, was too honest to deny it, replying: We have engaged with a wide range of partners in these discussions. Whatever the explanation, I have a feeling that Starmer forgot about the Chagossians. He saw the handover in decolonise terms. His instinct was to side with the poorer country against the richer and the ex-colony against Britain. But he cant even get wokery right. In his eagerness to appease Mauritius, Starmer overlooked the genuinely injured party, namely the Chagossians, displaced by the then Labour government in 1967 to make room for the military base on Diego Garcia. Perhaps 1,700 Chagossians were removed from the islands. That number has grown in exile to 10,000 of whom the biggest contingent, some 3,500, are in Crawley, next to Gatwick Airport where they originally landed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I used to represent Crawley as an MEP, and had some dealings with them. Some wanted to return, others wanted all Chagossians to be allowed to settle in Britain (there are also diaspora communities in Mauritius and the Seychelles). None wanted to be Mauritian. Two weeks ago, I spoke at a rally of 500 Chagossians at Hackneys Round Chapel. They waved British Indian Ocean Territory flags, proclaimed their loyalty to the Crown and demanded to be heard. I dont want to out-woke Labour here, but the actual victims are the people who lost their homes, not some distant island republic with an aggressive territorial claim against them. There is now an opportunity to make good the injustice. The previous Mauritian government had announced that it intended to settle the outer atolls. It was not going to confine that right to Chagossians, whom it regards as so many Mauritians. Any Mauritian would be allowed to settle there. Ministers were talking excitedly of hotels and commercial fishing (Britain has until now maintained the seas around the Chagos Islands as a marine conservation area). Since Britain was happy to hand the territory away on that understanding, I dont believe it is credible any more to deny a right of return to the outer islands not Diego Garcia and its base to Chagossians. Not all these atolls are viable, but some are accessible by seaplane from the Maldives. With the premium that the super-rich give to seclusion and exclusivity, who is to say that they might not house luxury resorts? Perhaps local people might buy fares on the military flights that connect Diego Garcia to Singapore. Those flights do not carry only soldiers, but also civilian contractors, the police who maintain our sovereignty and, from time to time, the British Commissioner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Falkland Islands took off economically after the 1982 war, partly because Britain no longer hung back from exercising its fishing and energy rights, but mainly because islanders were now able to buy tickets on the regular RAF flights to Brize Norton. A similar deal in the Chagos Islands would require the collaboration of the US military, which operates the Singapore link. But there is every reason to believe that the incoming American administration would see the return of a pro-British population to the territory as a further guarantee of their bases security. Inhabited islands would be harder for a future government to abandon. This episode has been calamitous for Labour, exposing its ignorance, pusillanimity and incompetence. We were assured by sophisticated mandarins that Britain was swapping hard power for soft, but that is not how diplomacy works. The rest of the world saw, not high-mindedness, but feebleness. As soon as the deal was announced, they lined up to make their own claims against Britain. The Commonwealth summit in Samoa became a whinge-fest about reparations. (Reparations, to be clear, not from the African countries which took slaves, but from Britain which poured its blood and treasure into extirpating the slave trade.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need a different approach. Instead of constantly apologising, we should defend our interests like anyone else. Other governments are free to back the Mauritian claim or, indeed, to demand cash from the country that freed the slaves. But we should make clear that we regard such behaviour as unfriendly, and draw up our response accordingly, on everything from foreign aid to visas. If that is too muscular for our present ministers, let me instead appeal to their sense of restitution. The people at the centre of this row have not been asked. So ask them. Make any deal subject to a consultative referendum among Chagossians. I just voted for William Hague to be Chancellor of Oxford in an online poll that spanned five continents. Such elections are logistically feasible. You first ask people to verify their right to vote and then let them exercise it. If Chagossians accept the deal, fine. But if they reject it, Britain should let them return home under the Union flag. We would thereby secure our base, shore up the Atlantic alliance, save ourselves a lot of money and reassure the nervous populations of Gibraltar, the Falklands and every other overseas territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More important, we would be behaving in a way that is moral rather than moralising. We would put actual virtue ahead of virtue signalling. We would right an old wrong. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. (Bloomberg) -- President-elect Donald Trump said hell nominate Charles Kushner as US ambassador to France, offering a prime diplomatic post to his son-in-laws father and a real estate developer he once pardoned. Most Read from Bloomberg He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests, Trump said in a statement Saturday on his Truth Social network. Together, we will strengthen Americas partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kushner is the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to the president-elects daughter Ivanka Trump, and who served in Trumps first term as a senior adviser to the president. The elder Kushner founded the real estate firm Kushner Cos. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison after pleading guilty to assisting in the filing of false tax returns, retaliating against a witness and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. Trump pardoned Kushner in 2020 during his first term in the White House. Kushner was prosecuted by Chris Christie, then a US attorney in New Jersey, who later became the states governor and an adviser to Trump. Christie and Trump later fell out and the former governor ran unsuccessfully against him for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. The elder Kushner was a co-host of a fundraiser for Trump in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his first term, Trumps ambassador to France was businesswoman Jamie McCourt. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. After doubling funding this year to improve its early childhood centers, the Cherokee Nation has completed the first of seven rehabilitated child care facilities. The tribal nation cut the ribbon last week for a newly constructed $7.3 million location in Nowata and has upgrades planned for six other centers in eastern Oklahoma. The facility will provide services in early childhood education, health and parent involvement for low-income families with children age 3 and younger, tribal leaders announced. The Cherokee Nation increased funding from $40 million to $80 million earlier this year to replace or renovate its aging child care centers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tribe will upgrade Head Start locations in Tahlequah, Jay, Stilwell, Salina, Kenwood and Pryors MidAmerica Industrial Park. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. at the "Wisdom of the Nations" luncheon presented by Oklahoma Watch at Oklahoma City Community College Oct. 31, 2024. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council also approved a separate $77 million budget to construct new child development centers in locations where such services are scarce. Those projects include a new $25 million center in Catoosa, one of the tribes largest workforce areas with its Hard Rock Hotel & Casino nearby. The Cherokee Nations Head Start programs currently serve 900 children. Head Start is a federally funded initiative through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services assisting children from low-income households from birth through age 5. These programs focus on early learning, childhood development, health and family wellbeing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tribal nation has provided Head Start centers since 1978. Hoskin said the program has improved the welfare of thousands of Cherokee families. This investment coupled with our ongoing work to provide more quality, affordable child care across the reservation helps ensure our youngest of Cherokees who rely on us for early learning have all the tools they need to continue thriving, Hoskin said in a statement. The Verna D. Thompson Early Childhood Education Act is the vehicle for the $80 million rehabilitation initiative. The Cherokee legislation, which first passed in 2021, is named after the tribes longtime Head Start director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Verna has been the cornerstone of these early childhood learning opportunities for decades and were excited to see how our Head Start centers take these efforts to the next level in the years to come, Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. 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: Cherokee Nation upgrading head start centers in eastern Oklahoma CHEYENNE Many Cheyenne residents criticized a proposed ordinance that would ban oversized vehicles from public roadways as government overreach, but it passed its second reading by City Council members Monday night. The ordinance, which is co-sponsored by council member Michelle Aldrich, would amend an existing city ordinances list of nuisance vehicles banned from public roadways to include RVs, horse trailers, campers or others that exceed 25 feet in length, 7 feet in width or 9 feet in height (amended from 8 feet). Cheyenne resident Lee Filer, the first of many to testify against the amendment, criticized it as government overreach. He argued owners of these vehicles help pay for city roads and services and shouldnt be burdened with the task of finding storage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These vehicles are registered. They pay for their plates at the county, just like everyone else does, Filer said. Several residents spelled out problems with storing their vehicles on a lot, with top concerns centered around monthly storage fees, limited space within the city and security issues. One Cheyenne resident said he had access to storage on F.E. Warren Air Force Base, but it would cost him $500 a year. Im on a fixed income, he said. I dont know if too many of you ever thought about that. Local small business owner Jon Puls said he is still paying off the mortgage on his new company and owns multiple large vehicles near his home. Finding the money to put them all in storage would run him out of business, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I cant afford to store my vehicles, because the storage rate would be ridiculous, Puls said. How many business owners are you going to put out of business by doing this ordinance? Cheyenne resident Gary Everett said many RV owners prefer to keep their vehicles close to home, where its easier to keep an eye on their property and stored belongings. This sense of security is particularly important for those of us who specifically chose to reside in the areas that allow RV parking, valuing the freedom and flexibility it provides, Everett said. If this ordinance is passed, the implications of not having adequate storage options for RVs could be serious, leading to frustration and potential noncompliance among residents who rely on these vehicles for their lifestyle. However, not everyone who testified was against the ordinance. One Cheyenne mother said some of the residential streets are narrow, and large campers and RVs parked up on the sidewalk create dangerous blind spots for drivers and kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said children use these sidewalks every day, to walk to school and play in their yards. Many of these campers obstruct paths, with running cable cords and steps propped over the walkway, and also make it difficult for small people to look around for cars. Im probably the only person in the room that wholeheartedly supports this, she said. Theres a lot of parents like me that also feel this way, and a lot of parents who dont own RVs because they cant afford them, because theyre paying day care right now, but I want you to think about the 1-foot-tall people and the 3-foot-tall people like my kids. Response from council Council members Richard Johnson and Aldrich said this has been a No. 1 complaint brought to them by their constituents for years. Aldrich said this issue needed more conversation, and she encouraged people in favor of the ordinance to testify at the citys next Committee of the Whole meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would hope that people who are in favor of this would turn out in the same numbers of people who have spoken against it this evening, Aldrich said. Councilman Ken Esquibel argued this is also a matter of safety. Large vehicles parked on narrow streets obstruct the path of emergency vehicles, he said. When you call 911 and your spouse is having a heart attack, every second matters, Esquibel said. We want those emergency vehicles to be able to get to you. Councilman Pete Laybourn, who has voted against the ordinance from the start, said he has yet to hear an explanation on how it would be enforced. The city is still waiting to tow abandoned cars off the streets, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its obvious from the amendments that are being made here tonight that this ordinance is not ready, Laybourn said. This is something that we should quit trying to tweak and go to a more comprehensive and intelligent discussion. Councilman Jeff White said he was concerned with the availability of staff and space to tow vehicles that violated the ordinance. He said these were questions he wanted to see answered, but he still voted in support of the ordinance change. New amendments Johnson proposed an amendment, based on public comment, that would allow oversized vehicles to park on city streets during the summer, similar to a city ordinance in Casper, and a start date of Sept. 7, 2025, for purposes of educating the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few City Council members said they believed this was a good compromise, but later voted against it after constituents argued this did nothing to solve the issue. Filer and other members of the public said most RV storage lots require people to pay for the entire year to reserve a spot. Regardless of the amendments that you put to this, youre still putting a constraint on entrepreneurs, Puls said. Johnsons amendment failed, but two others were put in place. City Council member Mark Rinne successfully added an amendment to expand the 8-foot height provision to 9 feet, which he said would accommodate newer van models. Aldrich also successfully added an exemption to the proposal for accessible vehicles compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Council members voted to forward the ordinance on its second reading, with no votes from Laybourn and Councilman Bryan Cook. The amendment will be considered for final approval or disapproval by the Committee of the Whole on Wednesday. CHICAGO Chicagos winter parking ban goes into effect this weekend. The city says the ban avoids a repeat of Chicagos history of preventing emergency vehicles from passing through during snowstorms. Still, residents relying on some impacted streets for overnight parking say the ban has caught them off guard. I was not aware it was happening, Logan Square resident Brendan ONeill said. I completely forgot it was a thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sunday, Dec. 1 marks the start of Chicagos winter overnight parking ban, which stays in effect through April 1. The parking ban is enforced regardless of snow on the ground from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. Chicago Bears fire head coach Matt Eberflus Ive witnessed cars towed up and down the block like crazy, Logan Square resident Randy Sinclair told WGN News. Ive witnessed people run from the bar having to chase their car down the street. The parking ban affects Milwaukee Avenue, but Sinclair and residents of Logan Apartments in Logan Square neighborhood said they feel the bans signage is not clear enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an inconvenience to everyone that lives in this building, Sinclair said. In a Friday release, the Department of Streets and Sanitation said the ban ensures public safety. In part, it said, Having this consistent rule for overnight parking allows snow removal crews to plan and execute their operations more effectively, and we ask residents and visitors to please follow the posted parking restriction signs so critical routes can be fully salted and plowed during winter weather events. Additionally, the Department of Streets and Sanitation relayed that crews have posted flyers on cars parked along the affected routes all week. They say all the routes have permanently posted signage of the ban that points out the two events that would cause it to go into effect. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Violators of the parking ban will be towed and face a minimum $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket, and a $25 storage fee per 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 WGN-TV. BANGKOK (AP) A court in Beijing on Friday sentenced a prominent Chinese journalist to seven in years in prison for espionage, his family said. Dong Yuyu, a commentator and editor, was taken away by police while meeting a Japanese diplomat at a restaurant in February 2022. He has been in police custody since then. The Beijing Number 2 Intermediate People's Court read the verdict but did not share a copy with Dong's lawyers or family. No announcement was available on the court's website or its Weibo account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The verdict named then-Japanese ambassador Hideo Tarumi and Shanghai-based chief diplomat Masaru Okada as agents belonging to an espionage organization, according the family's statement. Dong had served as the deputy head of the editorial department at Guangming Daily, one of the five major state-owned papers in China. The paper was once considered more liberal than other state-backed papers. Dong also contributed to the Chinese edition of the New York Times. In his published writings, including essays as well as opinion articles, Dong had voiced his support for constitutional democracy and political reform, which later were considered to be against the stance of the Communist Party. He had contacts with foreign diplomats, scholars and other journalists as part of his decades-long career and counted Tarumi, the ambassador, as a friend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, his family said he knew he was always watched by state security, and therefore sought to be as open as possible while meeting his Japanese or American contacts. With Yuyus conviction, every Chinese citizen, when dealing with the Japanese embassy or perhaps any other foreign embassy and diplomat will be expected to know that the Chinese government may consider those embassies to be espionage organizations, said the family in a statement. Every sensible Chinese citizen should be appalled by this reasoning. The U.S. Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, condemned Dong's conviction. Punishing Dong for exercising his freedom of speech and the press, guaranteed by the PRCs constitution for all its citizens, is unjust. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A Christmas tree lot in Dayton is spreading more than just Christmas cheer, its spreading hope for families in Dayton. Good Shepherd Ministries sets up its tree lot every year on the corner of East Third Street and Bates Street to provide Christmas to families of people recovering from addiction. Grande Illumination returns to Dayton with increased security We break that stigma by giving back to the community, Robert Cecil, a house manager for Good Shepherd Ministries, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tree lot has around 100 Douglas fir trees for people to pick from with sizes ranging from three to nine feet, along with Christmas greenery, hot chocolate and visits with Santa. This year, the money will be used to help 10 families in need by providing toys for the children, delivered by Sober Santa to their homes. This is just more than just Christmas trees, this is giving hope to families in need, Cecil said. That thats what this is all about. This just helps bring the community closer. It shows that, you know, that there is people out there who actually care. Funds raised also help support Good Shepherd Ministries mission. The non-profit runs several recovery houses for men and other programs to help people recover and re-enter after addiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our slogan is help us, help others. And thats what were doing, Cecil said. The tree lot is located at 1115 East Third Street in Dayton. It will be open daily from now until December 20. Hours are from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. On December 13, 20 and 21 there will be a live nativity scene from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a petting zoo, hot chocolate and photos with Santa. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. The Civil Service has been accused of holding lengthy emotional check-ins at the start of meetings as part of a HR well-being drive. Meetings at the Cabinet Office would start with a lengthy emotional check-in conducted for psychological safety, Pamela Dow, a former civil servant, has revealed in an article about the human resources industry for the New Statesman. Officials at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) also discussed their feelings at the start of meetings under a policy championed by a former permanent secretary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Dow wrote in her article for the New Statesman this week that she hadnt paid much attention to HR before joining the Cabinet Office in 2020 and noting its influence and size. She said: Why did every internal meeting start with a lengthy emotional check-in? For psychological safety. Where are people learning about that, and similarly subjective concepts? In acquiring vocational credentials from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and other HR representative bodies, and attending their courses. Separately, Clare Moriarty, now the chief executive of Citizens Advice, told Defra staff in 2016 that she wanted people to bring their whole selves to work and so had brought in the practice of emotional check-ins. Insiders insisted Ms Moriarty had been speaking in a personal capacity, despite her role as the departments most senior civil servant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a government blog post at the time, she wrote: Ive introduced the practice of check-in. Every meeting and workshop starts with each person sharing one thing thats on their mind in their work life, and one in their personal life. It helps us to know how other people are feeling. A government spokesman said that emotional check-ins before meetings are not, and has never been, civil service policy. The CIPD said HR was a vital profession and added it had become common practice in many businesses for line managers to ask their staff how they are feeling at the start of a team meeting. A spokesman added: This is a personal choice for managers and is not something required through CIPDs credentials or standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The practice has sparked irritation in Whitehall. One former civil servant pointed out that those going through serious hardship will not want to share what theyre going through in a team meeting. A person commented on Ms Moriartys blog post that they prefer to separate work life from my private life and suspected that her stance reflects the latest trans-Atlantic management fad thats come to the Civil Services attention. Another civil servant wrote that they didnt understand the point of doing this when there are still some managers who show little evidence of having any humanity whatsoever. They also questioned whether exposing vulnerability at work could be exploited or do more harm than good for those who like to separate work and home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What about colleagues who manage to compartmentalise their personal and work lives, come to work, do a good job but would simply crumble at the thought of having to open up in the workspace about very challenging personal issues? they said. The person added that they didnt see the point of leaving personal events such as a divorce hanging in the ether of a meeting, especially if its followed by another seven such disclosures. It is not known how many meetings Defra held this way. Ms Dow, who left the Cabinet Office in 2022 to set up educational initiative Civic Future, said that the Cabinet Office should reduce its 1,000-strong so-called Government People Group, and its 65m wage bill, to set the standard for the rest of Whitehall. The Civil Service has come under fire in recent years for wasting taxpayer resources on ridiculous wellness and diversity courses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials in the Government Legal Department (GLD), which provides advice across Whitehall, were accused of wasting money on diversity training in 2022 after it emerged that they were told to imagine an elderly Japanese gay grandfather in an empathy class. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Clinica Sierra Vista will host a fair offering free community resources and education for World AIDS Day on Monday at Compassion Corner. The goal of the fair is to promote awareness and prevention of HIV and AIDS in the community. The fair will offer free community resources, free haircuts by Johnnys Barber Co. and free food boxes prepared by Community Action Partnership of Kern Food Bank. According to Clinica Sierra Vista, the number of HIV infections in Kern County has risen about 31% from 2018 to 2022. The Community Resource and Education Fair will take place Monday at Compassion Corner, located at the corner of 22nd and L streets. With some close races coming out of this year's general election, it's possible one of them could see a recount. In most of the races in this year's general election there's a clear winner, separated by hundreds if not thousands of votes, but there's still at least one major race that's too close to call. The race for Kern County District 5 Supervisor has been too close to call for almost two weeks after challenger Kimberly Salas overtook incumbent Supervisor Leticia Perez by 43 votes as ballots continued to be counted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Salas' thin lead didn't last, and according to the most recent update from the Kern County Elections Division, Perez is once again ahead, this time by 124 votes. According to the Elections Division, there are 495 ballots left to be processed and more than 2,000 waiting to be cured, and official results are due to the state on Dec. 6. Once that happens, any registered voter has five days to request a recount in a specific race and for a specific precinct. Recount requests for statewide candidates or ballot measures must be made to the California Secretary of State's office, but local races such as the District 5 race must be made to the county elections office. "The (recount) process begins seven days after the request and is conducted publicly, allowing for transparency," said Aimee Espinoza, Kern County's auditor-controller-county clerk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Wednesday letter, Espinoza said while recounts are rare and often do not result in a significant change, they are essential for ensuring confidence in the accuracy of close races. "A recount request can be made by any registered voter within five days after the completion of the official canvass, which occurs once the elections official certifies the results," Espinoza said. Voters requesting a recount are responsible for covering the associated costs, which are determined by the election's official. More information about fees and filing is available from the Elections Division. According to the Secretary of State's office, after receiving a request for a recount, county elections official must first verify the person requesting the recount is a registered voter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The recount must begin within seven days of the request, but it can't start until elections officials have notified in person or by mail all parties involved with the race in question, such as candidates or ballot measure proponents. At least one day before the recount begins, officials must post a notice detailing when and where the recount will be conducted, as well as the daily schedule. Recounts must be conducted daily not including weekends and holidays for a minimum of six hours each day until completed. "Recount costs vary by county. Before the recount can begin, the voter or campaign committee represented by the voter requesting the recount must provide the money requested by the county elections official to pay for the cost of the first days recount work. This procedure is repeated for each day the recount continues," the Secretary of State's office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2022 recount of the results for the District 16 race between state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, and Republican challenger David Shepard found no change in Kern County's results but did result in a slight change overall. The recount resulted in a 13-vote deficit for the Republican challenger, after initially losing by 20 votes, The Californian reported at the time. There were just under 137,000 votes cast. The 2022 race for Senate District 16 was one of the closest in state history. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans current views on the legality of euthanasia, a procedure in which a physician intentionally acts to end the life of a patient, are similar to what they have been during the past decade. Just over seven in 10 Americans, 71%, believe doctors should be allowed by law to end the patients life by some painless means if the patient and his or her family request it. At the same time, doctor-assisted suicide -- a term used to describe patients ending their own lives with the aid of a physician -- garners slightly less but still majority support. Sixty-six percent of Americans believe doctors should be allowed by law to assist the patient to commit suicide for terminal patients living in severe pain who request it. Although both readings are consistent with support over the past decade, slightly fewer Americans between 1996 and 2014 thought doctor-assisted suicide should be legal. During that time, an average of 58% of Americans were in favor, compared with an average of 65% since 2014. Support for doctor-assisted suicide has risen from the trend low of 51% just in the past decade, while support for euthanasia has varied only modestly over the past three decades. ###Embeddable### Gallup first asked about doctor-assisted suicide in 1996 but has asked about doctors ending a patients life through painless means since 1947. In that earliest poll, 37% of Americans were in support, with the record low of 36% recorded three years later in 1950. When Gallup next polled on the issue in 1973, 53% of Americans were in favor, after which stronger majorities have remained in agreement. Most U.S. subgroups are somewhat more inclined to support doctors ending patients lives through painless means than to agree with doctors assisting patients in dying by suicide. Among the exceptions are Democrats and women, who are about equally likely to say both euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide should be legal. Democrats (79%) are more likely than Republicans (61%) or independents (72%) to favor legal euthanasia. Slim Majority Views Doctor-Assisted Suicide as Moral Separately, Gallup tracks Americans views on the morality of doctor-assisted suicide as part of a larger list of social issues. Gallup has not asked about the morality of legalized euthanasia. Americans feelings on the morality of doctor-assisted suicide are more mixed than their views on its legality, with a slim majority (53%) agreeing that the procedure is morally acceptable and 40% calling it morally wrong. More than half of Americans have considered doctor-assisted suicide as morally acceptable since 2014, whereas from 2001 to 2013, this sentiment was generally at or below 50%. ###Embeddable### Religiosity has the most significant impact on ones perceptions of morality regarding this question. Sixty-seven percent of those who seldom or never attend religious services say doctor-assisted suicide is morally acceptable, compared with 29% of those who attend services weekly; 66% of the most religious Americans believe doctor-assisted suicide is morally wrong. ###Embeddable### Consistent with their opposition to doctor-assisted suicide, dedicated religious service attendees tend to maintain conservative views on a range of moral issues related to human life, such as viewing abortion (69%), stem-cell research with human embryos (52%) and destroying human embryos created by IVF (54%) as morally wrong. However, the majority (55%) view the death penalty as morally acceptable. Adults who do not have a religious affiliation or who do not identify with a specific faith (77%), Democrats (69%), and college graduates (67%) are the most inclined to believe that doctor-assisted suicide is morally acceptable. By contrast, along with weekly churchgoers, Republicans (38%) and adults with no college education (41%) are among the subgroups of Americans least likely to hold this view. Notably, Americans in regions allowing doctor-assisted suicide are also among the most likely to say it is moral. Sixty-six percent of residents in the West and 57% of Americans in the East say doctor-assisted suicide is morally acceptable. All states currently offering end-of-life options are in these regions, with the majority in the West. No states in the South offer doctor-assisted suicide, and only 39% of residents of that region say its a morally acceptable procedure. An outlier is the Midwest, in which 60% of residents say doctor-assisted suicide is moral, although no Midwestern states allow the procedure. ###Embeddable### Bottom Line Americans offer majority support for end-of-life options for terminal patients that involve human intervention, but they are slightly more likely to agree with euthanasia procedures over doctor-assisted suicide. Doctor-assisted suicide consistently receives slightly lower support, likely because suicide carries social and religious stigma. This is also reflected in the finding that only 22% of Americans believe suicide is morally acceptable. At the same time, the public is more evenly divided on the morality of doctor-assisted suicide. This parallels Gallups finding that Americans increasingly embrace individual choice-making while still holding negative judgments about the state of U.S. morality. Doctor-assisted suicide is legal in 11 U.S. jurisdictions under stringent requirements. No states currently allow euthanasia, but physicians are ethically allowed to withdraw life-sustaining treatment for a terminal patient should current interventions not facilitate the patients quality of life. With most Americans in support of euthanasia, this makes end-of-life options a complicated concern in legal and medical communities and raises a myriad of questions regarding medical ethics for lawmakers. To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on X @Gallup. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. View complete question responses and trends (PDF download). ###Embeddable### Conservative commentator Scott Jennings is the newest member of the The Los Angeles Times editorial board. Its true Ive accepted @DrPatSoonShiong invitation to join the editorial board of the @latimes, Jennings announced in a post on the social platform X on Friday. I plan to represent those Americans who believe they are often ignored or even ridiculed in legacy media and applaud Dr. Soon-Shiongs move to bring balance to the editorial board, he added in the post, saying that his other obligations wont be affected by the new role. Scott Jennings, a national political analyst and consultant, addresses state business leaders at the Mississippi Economic Councils annual Hobnob Mississippi in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Jenningss announcement comes as Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong said he was looking to balance opinion pieces in the publication through new recruits, like popular conservative voices. This followed the publications controversial decision not to endorse a candidate in this years presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon-Shiong had suggested that having someone like Scott Jennings on the board would be beneficial. I think its important for us to differentiate the editorial board is responsible for these opinions on these voices. So, right now, we dont have an editorial board if we are truly honest about ourselves that are balanced. And so, Ive gotten beaten up about fair and balance, Soon-Shion said in October. So, Im looking for people like Scott Jennings, Soon-Shiong added. Jennings called Soon-Shiongs desire to balance opinion pieces ground-breaking. I approach my commentary jobs by starting with the truth and then providing my honest opinion based on my conservative values and experience. I think Dr Soon-Shiong is doing something important and groundbreaking and am honored he asked me to play a role in that, Jennings wrote on the post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. When a woman on a Holland America Line cruise ship was in medical distress on Friday, members of the U.S. Coast Guard sprang into action for a dramatic rescue. The incident took place at about 7:12 a.m. Friday, according to the Coast Guard. A 66-year-old woman aboard the Koningsdam was experiencing stroke symptoms when the crew requested a medevac. A woman was evacuated from a cruise ship off the coast of California after experiencing stroke symptoms on Friday, Nov. 29. (U.S. Coast Guard) The ship was about 280 miles south of the United State-Mexico maritime boundary at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two air crews, from San Diego and Sacramento, launched to evacuate the woman. When they arrived at the cruise ship, crews worked to lift the woman onto a helicopter. Woman with meth in her boot was transporting it for sale: LASD She was transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla in San Diego, where she remains in stable condition. Her identity was not revealed. Rescues like this are exactly what our crews train for, said Lt. Brady Stepan, pilot, Air Station San Diego. Through coordination from the command center and outstanding support from our C-27 cover aircraft crew, we were able to get the patient to higher-level care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nov. 29Pittsburg County Commissioners heard a second round of opposition toward wind turbines from a noticeably smaller crowd. "I vehemently oppose," said Chade Nash, of Longtown. She said she's representing her neighborhood with Peggy Davis who also said, "I vehemently oppose." Davis also said with turbines' size she's afraid medical flight transports will not be able to assist an area where one will be located. Joseph Smietanksi, of Carlton Landing, said Eufaula's tourism generates $32 million in revenue and welcomes approximately 2 million visitors annually. He said a 720-foot wind turbine will be visible from the lake and visitors will find a lake that isn't surrounded by turbines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement {span id="docs-internal-guid-287b7885-7fff-df5f-351d-d1b78606e98c"}{span id="docs-internal-guid-287b7885-7fff-df5f-351d-d1b78606e98c"}"Eufaula's tourism economy will collapse," Smietanski said.{/span}{/span} The height of the proposed turbines is somewhere between Oklahoma City's two tallest buildings. The BOK Tower is 667 feet tall and Devon Energy Center is 844 feet tall. According to the County Commissioners Office, land records and the memorandum of leases are to an Invenergy Wind Development LLC, which is an American-based multinational power generation development and operations company located in Chicago. The McAlester News-Capital has reached out to Invenergy without reply. As well as Bradley Fitzgerald and Aaron Hacker associated with the company names listed on the letters submitted by the commissioners that include Red Earth Energy, Inc. and Firefly Energy Holding, LLC without reply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Loggan Winn returned to speak to the commissioners once again to follow up with a possible solution. Unlike those who spoke during Public Comments, Winn was noted as an agenda item to address the board and actually discuss what is available at the county level. Commission Chairman/District 3 Commissioner Ross Selman said, "We can't keep them out." He said that the commissioners will be ready for when they request road permits. Vice-Chairman/District 1 Commissioner Charlie Rogers said, "We can't afford to fight a trillion-dollar company." He said as far as he knows, he hasn't heard of anyone attempting to ask residents to sign any lease agreements for wind turbines in his district, but knows there are wind turbines in Blanco. Nov. 29Haywood County Commissioner Terry Ramey is on a crusade to find warm places for flood survivors to stay this winter, even if it means suspending housing rules designed to ensure safety. It's a thorny issue, but he's determined something needs to happen quickly. "I just want people warm. I don't care what it takes," said Ramey in a Wednesday interview. "We've never had anything like this thing (Helene) before, and I'm trying to work with the state to try to get this worked out. I was elected to look after these people. FEMA has had two months to get trailers in here, and they haven't done it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's a man and his two boys, one 8 and one 10, who are sleeping under a tarp next to their flooded home," Ramey said. "We're better than this. I'm really worried about the kids and the old people." The problem is about to compound. The Federal Emergency Management Agency temporary housing vouchers for rent and motel stays are about to run out. At a recent meeting, county commissioners were told 150 Haywood families participated in the program one that would give them time to figure out a longer-term solution. That program was set to expire Dec. 3, but has been pushed back to Dec. 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In instances such as this, FEMA has temporary living units it can bring into an area, but it's been two months since the flood, and Haywood has received two units. Ramey was part of a video put out by Tennessee social media influencer John Ward with the Appalachian Channel titled: "Tiny Homes for Helene victims NOT ALLOWED in Haywood: Will County Commissioners Be Heroes or Zeroes?" The video urges viewers to call the county commissioners and county manager's office demanding action. As of midday Friday, the video had more than 165,000 views on YouTube. Ramey said he intended to blast it out from the statehouse to the White House. While the title of the video indicated the focus was on the insulated storage units built by volunteers, midway through, Ward veered off to another idea he seemingly came up with on the spot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea was to bring campers to the fairgrounds arena for the winter. Ward pressed the others on the video, including Ramey, to concur. Ramey stated he agreed and pointed out that he was only one of five votes and is pursuing multiple avenues to help flood survivors get out of the cold for winter. He has worked with Canton Wesleyan Church, where members and volunteers worked with a contractor who scoured the state building codes and came up with a temporary building design called the "Rustic Cabin." The units had a door, window, an external heating source, safety features and were insulated. Five units were crafted mostly as sleeping units where people could still remain on their property, explained Pastor Amanda Fowler. The structures were intended to hold beds where those in the cold could stay warm at night and when the temperatures dipped too low for comfort. "We saw the need for housing for some people in tents who literally had nothing," Fowler said. "We were trying to meet the immediate need." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some tent residents were offered FEMA housing vouchers but found the nearest available motel was out of state, she said. "How can people who work do that?" she asked. Those building the rustic cabins expected the structures would fall under the "primitive shelter" codes. Instead, the small buildings were to be designated as dwellings, and all dwellings have to meet residential building codes. Before receiving county pushback, the group had built five units, but now has no way to use them for the intended purpose. Haywood County Development Services Director Garron Bradish said he had never seen the design or the structure but said building codes require tiny homes to include a bathroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ramey wants the rules suspended during the flood emergency. "The sheriff in another county is escorting the mission sheds to be delivered to people who were damaged by the storm," Ramey wrote in a Thanksgiving Day email. "The sheds are safe and warm, but do not meet the high standards of the codes. We are only asking for the codes to be lifted temporarily to keep our citizens safe and warm until FEMA or the insurance companies can help them." Ramey said he intends to bring the issue up at the county commissioners meeting at 9 a.m. Monday. He does expect pushback from his appearance in Ward's video, given the fact that the county released statements addressing the video over the Thanksgiving holiday (see related story). The commissioner said he believes the video has been effective both in galvanizing the county and drawing in additional offers of assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I know I'm a horse's rear end, and I don't care," Ramey said. "I'm gonna take care of my people." However, he added, the video was not his idea. "I ain't no durn star," he said. In fact, Ramey's appearance in the video came about somewhat accidentally. Ramey was contacted by New Covenant Church Pastor Blake Stanberry, wondering if Ramey had land to put a fifth-wheel camper on for a flood victim who had five grandchildren and two daughters living with her before the flood. But Ramey ran up against a town rule forbidding RVs and campers unless they're placed on same property that was flooded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These volunteer people were even going to pay to have water and sewer hooked up," Ramey said. "In my opinion, whoever is controlling this don't care about our people. That's what started every bit of this." Later, Ward showed up at Ramey's home with a camera, Ramey he said, to look the site he had offered for the camper. Then Ramey was asked to go accompany Ward to the Smoky Mountain Event Center, where the influencer wanted to see the small shelters. After looking at the site, Ward said he wanted to shoot a video, because he had an idea, Ramey said. He did not know what the suggestion would be before the camera rolled, he added. Not that Ramey is opposed to the idea of allowing RVs and campers at the event center as temporary housing. "They keep coming up with different excuses, but the FEMA vouchers are going to run out," he said. "... If they've not been able to get it done in two months, how can we get it done overnight? It's going to hit 16 degrees this weekend. A camper is the coldest thing in the world. You'll need an awful lot of propane. One of these tiny sheds, you can heat with a candle." The Emory University community was told to shelter in place for a few hours on Saturday morning. Emory police say that just after 8:15 a.m., they were alerted to a possible armed robbery at the CVS in Emory Point, an apartment and retail complex near the universitys campus. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The CVS is located on Avenue Place just off Clifton Road NE. Officers asked everyone to avoid the area as they searched for the people potentially involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emory police, Atlanta police and DeKalb police searched the area for suspects, but didnt find anyone. TRENDING STORIES: Just before 10:15 a.m., the shelter-in-place order was lifted, officials said. We know that incidents like these can be upsetting and stressful. Please remember that Emory has a variety of resources available to support you, Emory Police Chief Burt Buchtinec said in a statement. Our top priority will always be the safety and security of the Emory community. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Our current Congress still has more work to do, so you can help get some important climate legislation across the finish line. The legislation is called the Energy Permitting Reform Act (EPRA). Its important for climate because it addresses a major bottleneck to the distribution of electricity from where its produced to where its needed: the approval of new transmission lines. By connecting different regions and sources of electricity production, transmission lines also make the grid system more resilient, preventing blackouts during periods of high demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The permitting process for energy infrastructure must satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Protect Act (NEPA), a law passed in 1969 to protect the environment from reckless development. NEPA has been remarkably effective in doing that, but it has also been abused by those opposed to projects with little environmental impact but are ultimately abandoned if the review process takes too long. As a consequence of such abuse, approval of transmission lines can take more than ten years, delaying or effectively blocking the addition of badly needed power sources to the grid and improvements to the reliability of the entire grid. Of the 1480 gigawatts of U.S. solar and wind power projects proposed between 2000 and 2017, only 21% (14% of potential capacity) had been completed and connected to the grid by 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That makes it difficult to meet the increasing power demands of data centers, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and electrification of transportation and heating systems for households, businesses, organizations and government. The EPRA would reduce the window for filing lawsuits against approved projects from six years to 150 days, sets a time limit for an agency response to a court decision, and requires courts to prioritize energy and mineral cases. The environment is still protected; EPRA would simply limit the extent to which NEPA can be used to delay energy projects that have no substantial environmental impacts. In addition, the EPRA would require transmission operators to include inter-regional transmission in their planning, and would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the authority to permit interstate electrical transmission lines and to charge the costs of new transmission lines in proportion to their benefits. These changes will lead to more electrical transmission lines getting built sooner vital to connecting energy projects to where power is needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The EPRA has been introduced in the U.S. Senate, and in August it passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support by a vote of 15 to 4. But neither the full Senate nor the House has voted on the bill. Why such bipartisan support? Because EPRAs acceleration of the NEPA approval process benefits both powerlines and pipelines. Democrats get what they want (faster installation of solar farms, wind farms, geothermal plants and power lines), and Republicans get what they want (faster approval of pipelines and gas terminals). Some Democrats have opposed EPRA because they fear it will increase the production of oil and gas. But the U.S. is already energy independent, and the vast majority of energy infrastructure awaiting approval is for carbon free electricity production and distribution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If that electricity is used to displace internal combustion vehicles and gas furnaces, demand for oil and gas will decline, regardless of the availability of new pipelines and terminals. Consequently, EPRA is estimated to reduce total U.S. carbon emissions between 2030 and 2050 by about 10%. Thats a lot for bill with little cost to taxpayers or consumers. Why not just wait until the next Congress? While it could pass EPRA, it is expected to focus on passing partisan legislation through budget reconciliation, which can only pass legislation that involves the budget. EPRA simply changes NEPA rules. And if Congress did pass EPRA through bipartisan procedures, President Trump would veto it, as he opposes wind turbines. Can the current lame duck Congress pass EPRA? The success in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is encouraging. Senator Cantwell serves on the committee and voted for EPRA after failing to add amendments that would prohibit oil and gas leasing on the outer continental shelf. Our Representative Dan Newhouse often says he embraces an all-of-the-above energy strategy; EPRA would be an opportunity to prove it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To ensure passage of EPRA, I urge you to write to our Members of Congress now, using the templates at bit.ly/energyreformact. Climate scientist Steve Ghan leads the Tri-Cities chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby. The construction of fortifications in Zaporizhzhia and nearby settlements is nearly finished, regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said on Nov. 30. Ukraine has been building heavy fortifications near the city of Zaporizhzhia in preparations for a potential Russian offensive in the region. "We are completing the next stage of fortification construction. ... The multi-level defense of Zaporizhzhia and nearby settlements is almost complete," Fedorov said via Telegram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fedorov said the designs for the fortifications have been "significantly improved" compared to previous versions and that the modernized defenses are particularly adept at repelling drone attacks. Fedorov's announcement comes after warnings from Kyiv of a possible Russian push in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 25 that Ukraine is tracking Russian troop movement in the southern region, and has observed "existing threats." Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Southern Command, said on Nov. 11 that Russia could launch a renewed offensive on Zaporizhzhia Oblast "any day." Russia has also begun deploying assault groups to frontline positions in region, Voloshyn said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia is also carrying out intense attacks in multiple sections of the eastern front, with attempts to break through Ukraine's defenses in Donetsk Oblast toward the towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. Russia is currently advancing at its fastest rate since 2022, according to analysts from the independent Russian outlet Agentstvo. Read also: Once liberated Kupiansk braces for worst as Russian troops approach, and future Western support looks uncertain Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. SAN DIEGO (KUSI) A man who had slept at the Ocean Beach Pier for years finally had the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving with a roof over his head after moving into permanent supportive housing earlier this month. To open up my eyes and see a roof over my head, I count my blessings and Im very humbled by the whole experience, said Vic Arreguin, one of the thirteen new residents The Shores at North Beach in Ocean Beach. Watch Dan Plantes report for KUSI in the player above. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BusinessWire India Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], November 30: Volvo signs MoU with Amrita University and Thapar Institute to build a stronger industry-academia engagement and enhance the engineering industry readiness. Furthering its commitment to bridge the gap between academia and industry, Volvo Group India Pvt. Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with Amrita University and Thapar Institute for engineering students in mechanical, electrical, electronics and computer science streams. The collaboration will see the introduction of a specialized credit course that is designed to mentor graduates and postgraduates, preparing them to become industry-ready automotive engineers. The MoU signing ceremony, formalizing this collaborative effort, saw the participation of Mr. Kamal Bali, Managing Director of Volvo Group India, and Representatives of Universities, symbolizing a commitment to academic excellence and industry collaboration. The cornerstone of this collaboration is the introduction of a two- to four-semester-long credit program focusing on industry-specific subjects. The Volvo Group will actively support this initiative by training faculty members, sending industry experts as trainers, sharing the use cases/industrial problem statements for projects, conducting guest lectures, participating in co-teaching of the subjects, Tech Demo Centre, Joint Publications, Joint research initiatives, and higher studies for Volvo employees. To promote diversity in the automotive industry, Volvo Group will offer scholarships to female students in these programs. This collaboration ensures students gain hands-on experience with the tools and technologies used by the Volvo Group, preparing them to contribute to real-world projects from day one. It also provides Volvo Group with access to top talent through internships and pre-placement offers, minimizing competition during campus recruitment. The partnership fosters joint research, giving Volvo Group employees access to cutting-edge knowledge and enabling them to tackle industry challenges. Additionally, this association will support higher education of Volvo employees, offering opportunities to develop their expertise further and contribute to academic publications. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kamal Bali, Managing Director of Volvo Group India, said, "We are committed to fostering an environment where education and industry can intersect, paving the way for sustainable advancements. This collaboration is a vital step in shaping the future of our industry. By working closely with top universities, we ensure that students receive the training and exposure needed to excel in the rapidly evolving automotive sector. At the same time, Volvo Group gains access to the brightest minds, who will help drive our innovation and growth in the years to come. Through this partnership, we not only aim to develop cutting-edge solutions but also cultivate a talent pool that is well-equipped to tackle the challenges." The partnership underscores Volvo Group's ongoing commitment to education and fostering long-term industry-academic collaboration. Through this initiative, the company aims to enhance the academic experience of students while providing them with the tools and opportunities to launch successful careers in the automotive industry. By bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, this collaboration will equip students with essential skills and insights needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving market. Journalists who would like further information, please contact: Paul Abraham, Head of Media Relations, Volvo Group, +91 97312 22700, paul.abraham@volvo.com The Volvo Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs 105,000 people, has production facilities in 18 countries and sells its products in more than 190 markets. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Photo by Catherine McQueen/Getty Images. The owners of a Prince Georges County investment firm have been fined $17.2 million and banned from offering investment or security services in the state after running the operation in a manner that court documents said was similar to a Ponzi scheme. How much of that fine will actually be recovered is unclear: The consent order in the case said the penalties would be deferred pending the outcome of bankruptcy filings by the two companies involved, Prosperity Partners Inc. and Prosperity Medical and Health LLC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case was brought by the Maryland Securities Division against the companies and Mathias Bama, Valentine Bama and Hilaire Leunkam, who operated the companies. It said the companies solicited investments that promised a return of 6% a month, for an annual return of 72%, at which time investors could ask for a return of their principal or could reinvest their funds. The companies attracted $28.9 million in investments, mostly from Cameroonian and Nigerian communities, court documents show. They said early investors appear to have received just under $12.4 million in payments on their investments. But the state said none of the money was put toward investments that would produce a 6% monthly return. Respondents appeared to be paying monthly interest payments to investors out of those investors own invested capital, or out of funds from later investors the way payments to investors are made in a Ponzi scheme, court documents show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investors were not told that the officials were paying themselves a 5% commission out of the invested funds, or salaries ultimately ranging from $75 to 150 an hour. Several family members also received hourly pay and the officers made more than $2 million in uncategorized expenses from June 2019 to December 2021. Bama also used investment funds to buy a 2022 Infiniti, documents show. When Marylanders give their hard-earned money to companies, they trust that it will be protected and used wisely. Investments are made with the hope of a better future, and companies that put hardworking families futures at risk will be held accountable, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement announcing the court decree. We will continue to protect Maryland investors by holding fraudsters accountable. Nonprofit Covenant House Georgia held their 13th annual Sleep Out campaign and raised close to $1 million. Sleep Out is a peer-to-peer fundraising event in which our participants help transform the lives of young people experiencing homelessness, the nonprofit said about the event. The annual fundraiser was held on Nov. 21 in Atlanta and had more than 150 community and business leaders participate in the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Covenant House Georgia hosts the Sleep Out each year as a fundraiser to fuel their efforts of supporting Atlanta homeless and at-risk youth. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Participating in the Covenant House Georgia Sleep Out is truly one of the most humbling, inspiring, and moving nights of my year. This event provides a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength of the young people who face homelessness and unimaginable challenges, Ed Welsh, Chief People Officer at Ovme said. Having been part of this incredible experience for the past seven years, I can confidently say it continues to impact me deeply every single time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Welsh also said the Sleep Out is about showing Atlanta youth theyre not alone and standing with them in solidarity, listening to their stories and having a night of compassion. While the Sleep Out itself has ended, with a $888,285 fundraising amount, donations are still being accepted through Dec. 31. Their final goal to reach for this year is $970,000. For those interested in dating to the Sleep Out campaign for 2024, head online here. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] (COLORADO SPRINGS) Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Southeast Region reported that CPW officers and other agencies are partnering in an aggressive hunt for a coyote that attacked a 4-year-old girl on Thanksgiving Day in northern Colorado Springs. According to CPW, officers are investigating the attack, which occurred in the late afternoon on Thursday, Nov. 28, near I-25, east of the Monument Creek neighborhood, just south of the Air Force Academy. Witnesses say that the girl was attacked when she and another child, thinking that the coyote was a dog, approached it while it was crouching behind a tree. The coyote lunged at the girl and grabbed the back of her head, inflicting serious injuries. The girl was taken to the hospital and released on the following day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This could have been much worse a tragedy if not for the quick action of the childs father to stop the attack, rescue his daughter, and scare the coyote off, said Tim Kroening, CPWs Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region. CPW was informed of the attack on Friday, Nov. 29, and immediately began organizing the search. Coyotes live across Colorado and adapt well to urban areas, where they find shelter and easy meals, and can become territorial over those areas. Like most wildlife, coyotes are naturally afraid of people but can become bold and aggressive if they are sick, hungry, or protecting their young. Coyotes are omnivores and will eat anything, even tipping over garbage cans like bears do, Kroening said. Typically when they get aggressive, its in the spring and they are protecting a nearby den where they have pups. Or its because someone in the area is feeding them. People nearby might be leaving pet food outdoors or actively feeding by throwing them scraps of food. Thats illegal and its a problem in urban areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its impossible for CPW and its partners to identify the exact coyote that attacked the little girl, so it is necessary for the agency to lethally remove any coyote it can find in the area of the attack. The bodies of the coyotes will be sent to a health lab to be examined for the presence of human DNA and tested for diseases like rabies. As CPW searches for the coyote, the agency urges people to be vigilant over the safety of their children and pets when living among wildlife. CPW offers important tips for people to protect them and keep coyotes wild and afraid of humans. We dont know yet what brought the coyote into the yard with this child, Kroening said. But its an important reminder to everyone to be alert and haze wild animals away from their homes and neighborhoods Dont let them get comfortable around people. If you see them, throw rocks at them, yell at them. And if you notice aggressive behavior, call us immediately. Kroening expects the search operation to continue for several days and asks for the publics cooperation and understanding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A crash involving multiple vehicles, including a semi, briefly shut down I-270s southbound lanes through the west side of Columbus. An Ohio Department of Transportation camera showed the semi had jackknifed into the western wall of the highway. The agency said all southbound lanes past I-70 were closed due to the crash. Multiple emergency vehicles are at the scene, and while the semi remained in place, traffic began trickling past as of 9:30 p.m. (Courtesy Photo/Ohio Department of Transportation) A Columbus business lost nearly $500,000. Then, investigators checked Paypal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Franklin County Sheriffs Office told NBC4 that besides the semi, the crash involved between five and seven other cars. Ice on the bridge past I-70 on I-270 southbound caused the crashes, and resulted in two people being taken to hospitals in stable condition. The sheriffs office said multiple tow trucks had to come to the scene to help with the cars that crashed, and ODOT crews salted the bridge. Similar crashes happened a week prior, a few miles away on the opposite side of I-270. In the northbound lanes running through Hilliard, two back-to-back crashes on Saturday resulted in the death of 36-year-old Haley Ziverts. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Felonies The following people were booked into the Lee County-Tupelo Adult Jail in connection with felony charges ending Wednesday at 11 a.m. Jordan A. Campbell, 23, of Fulton, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriffs Office, possession of methamphetamine. Mason Gray, 39, no address listed, was arrested by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, DOC warrant. Jeremy A. Johnson, 42, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, violation of probation, public intoxication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashley N. Justice, 26, of Belden, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, trafficking of THC, two counts of no insurance, driving with a license suspended, speeding, no seat belt. Courtland A. Long, 25, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, possession of a Schedule II drug. Gabrella Marie-Kaytlen Smith, 32, of Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, violation of probation. Lee County Sheriffs Office The following reports were filed Wednesday by the Lee County Sheriffs Office. A County Road 1970, Mantachie, woman said someone hit and damaged her county-issued garbage can. She needed a police report in order to get a new one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Drive 1197, Mooreville, woman said around 6:30 p.m. her neighbor started shooting a gun. She immediately went inside. She heard a loud thump and the sound of something hitting a plastic watering can on her front porch. After the shooting stopped, she found a bullet on her porch. There was a mark on the house siding matching the bullet. A Drive 1289, Mooreville, man said people drive up his street every night after 10 p.m. People walk down the road at all hours and they look to be on drugs. He said deputies could sit in his driveway if they would help with the drug problem. A Euclatubba Road man said his security camera picked up a male walking toward his shop around 11:15 p.m. When he started turning on house lights, the suspect walked back down the driveway and left the property. A Euclatubba Road man said overnight, someone entered his unlocked Jeep Cherokee and stole his speaker enclosure, the speaker and a 1,000-watt Pioneer amplifier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A County Road 601, Guntown, man said someone entered his unlocked pickup overnight and stole a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol and $100 in cash. There was no damage done to the vehicle and he had no suspects. A Highway 178, Mooreville, woman said for the last two or three months, she has been hearing a woman screaming in the woods behind her house. It sounds like she is screaming Mom and also just screaming. Deputies drove through the area but did not find a female in distress. Anyone with information on any of these reports is urged to call the Lee County Sheriff's Office at 841-9041, the Tupelo Police Department at 841-6491 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Mississippi at (800) 773-TIPS or download the P3 Tip App and leave an anonymous tip that way. Lauri Volkert has always had a passion for fire service. She was just 16 years old when she started as a volunteer firefighter at North Coventry Volunteer Fire Department. Volkert followed her father Bills footsteps as a volunteer firefighter and now has worked her way up to one of the most prominent fire service positions in the state, becoming the state fire marshal for Connecticut beginning on Dec. 2. Volkert, who grew up in Coventry, said she fell in love with firefighting at a young age. She attended the University of New Haven and earned a degree in fire services administration. She did an internship in Windsor, was later hired as a fire inspector and was promoted to Windsor fire marshal in 2023. In all, she served just shy of 16 years in Windsor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im looking forward to being able to use what I learned here in Windsor about building strategic partnerships and expanding that across the state, Volkert said. I want to be a support to local fire marshals and come up with more tools in the toolbox to help them be even more effective. Among her duties in Windsor were construction inspections and building inspections. She was also the fire prevention lead and has run the social media accounts in the office. Lauri has been a great ambassador for not only fire prevention but fire service in general, said Windsor Town Manager Peter Souza. Its fantastic shes able to move up to this level and have more influence on a statewide basis. This is a fantastic opportunity for Lauri to continue her impactful work in the area of fire prevention and community risk reduction on a statewide basis, Souza added. Im grateful for all of the work that she has done for the Town of Windsor and our residents and business. She has really been a leader within the state and has been recognized nationally for her efforts. Shes a star and its great the state was able to keep her here in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volkert said one of the favorite parts of her work in Windsor was making special connections with the public and using social media to get the word out about fire safety, including changing smoke detectors. She would speak to Windsor students from preschool to fifth grade annually and would speak to high school shop classes. She also did different presentations with various community groups. At the local level I enjoy teaching at schools and telling them to get low and go outside when they hear a smoke alarm, Volkert said. The Office of the State Fire Marshal is responsible for enforcing codes, standards and regulations to reduce the harm associated with fires, explosions and mechanical failures. Volkert applied for the post about two months ago and found out she had gotten the job last month. The office also works with the Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit, which investigates the cause and origin of fires and arson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volkert will be taking over for William Abbott, who is retiring in December after serving the last 11 years as the state fire marshal and 19 total years in state service. They are big shoes to fill, Volkert said. He served the state well, and I look forward to joining that great team that he created. Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Michelle Gilman said Volkert has developed great relationships with the fire community statewide and that will help in her new role. She is someone that not only can work with our fire chiefs and our fire marshals statewide, but she will also be a statewide partner with the fire service community across the state on fire code enforcement on risk reduction initiatives and also to be a voice for our office. She will be great for us on all of those issues, Gilman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volkert is also making history in her new job. She will be the first female to ever be the state fire marshal. I have had the privilege of working with many fabulous and fierce women in the fire service and so while I am proud to be the first, I am confident I will not be the last, Volkert said. Its really exciting to recognize Lauri as the first woman for this role, Gilman added. I think every time we do that, we are breaking barriers, we are breaking ceilings across our state. Its a commitment the governor shares as well through his appointments across our state workforce. We are proud to be a part of that effort. MIDLAND/ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) Chef Alejandro Barrientos and Curb Side Bistro celebrated Thanksgiving this week by serving more than 3,000 meals to Midland and Odessa residents in need. In Midland, team members, volunteers, partners, and donors were able to serve 1,450 plates of food. The Odessa location was able to serve 1,840 meals to local residents, marking what the restaurant said is its largest event to date. None of this is possible without the support from our amazing community and the blessings from above, the restaurant said on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Curb Side Bistro is located at 607 North Colorado Street in Midland and 3816 Andrews Highway in Odessa. You can learn more about the restaurant and Barrientos on the Curb Side Bistro Facebook page 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 Yourbasin. Sergei Melikov, Head of Dagestan [a federal subject of the Russian Federation], has reported an attempted drone attack on facilities in Kaspiysk on 30 November. Makhachkala Airport has suspended operations. Source: Sergei Melikov, Head of Dagestan; Russian Defence Ministry Quote from Melikov: "Early reports indicate another unsuccessful attempt to attack facilities in Kaspiysk using an unmanned aerial vehicle. There are no reports of damage or casualties as of now." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: News agencies report that operations at Makhachkala Airport have been suspended due to the UAV threat, with a Kovyor (Carpet) plan being activated. [The Kovyor plan is an airport operational safety procedure for airport services and personnel when an unidentified object appears in the sky ed.] Russia claimed that the attack on the night of 29-30 November was carried out by 11 Ukrainian drones. As usual, Russian officials claimed that all 11 UAVs were downed: eight over Belgorod Oblast and three over the Black Sea. Local authorities have not provided any information about damage as of now. Support UP or become our patron! VMPL New Delhi [India], November 30: 'Rajadhiraaj: Love. Life. Leela.' -- the world's first musical on Krishna's journey -- receives a grand reception on its opening night in New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Auditorium, setting the stage for an unforgettable run of shows. The auditorium, packed with an enthusiastic audience, bureaucrats and renowned influential figures of the city was joined by Bollywood celebrities, Shahid Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar, adding an extra touch of glamour to the evening. Conceptualized and brought to life by the visionary Dhanraj Nathwani, the show enchanted the audience with an unprecedented portrayal of the magnanimity and grace of Krishna, enveloping the venue in a wave of emotions. The grand musical theatrical that arrived in Delhi, after a stellar run at Mumbai's Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre's (NMACC) Grand Theatre, will continue to enthral the audience in the national capital until December 8. Executive Producer Bhoomi Nathwani presents the musical masterpiece, which seamlessly blends rich storytelling, stunning visuals, and soul-stirring live music in a way that has never been showcased before. The timeless leelas of Krishna's journey have been peened down by renowned screenwriter Shri Padma Awardee Prasoon Joshi and directed by seasoned musical theatre expert Shruti Sharma. From Vrindavan to Mathura and Vraj to Dwarka, over 180 artists have brought this musical to life with their electrifying performances. The 20 original soundtracks by Sachin-Jigar, blending Western symphonic elements from Budapest with Indian classical music, enhance the production's allure. Omung Kumar's intricate production design, and the mesmerizing choreography of Bertwin D'Souza and Shampa Gopikrishna, make the show visually striking and truly immersive. The show is creatively produced by Parthiv Gohil and Viral Rachh, both seasoned veterans in music and theatre, while National Award-winning writer Raam Mori has meticulously contributed to the project's in-depth story research. Celebrated costume designer Neeta Lulla, known for her work in iconic Indian films, has designed over 1,800 bespoke custom-made costumes to bring mythical characters to life. (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) A Queens woman allegedly stabbed her elderly mom to death in a Thanksgiving Eve attack on Long Island and eerily claimed that she never had a mother after her arrest, according to cops and a report. Diana Bekatoros, 51, is accused of knifing 84-year-old Josephine Bekatoros multiple times just after 9 p.m. Wednesday inside the older womans home on the tree-lined Carman Court in Dix Hills, Suffolk County cops and prosecutors said. Diana Bekatoros, 51, is accused of stabbing her 84-year-old mother Josephine Bekatoros to death. Anu Annam /Facebook I never had a mother, the arrested woman, seen with her hands shackled, told a Newsday photographer outside the Fourth Precinct stationhouse in Hauppage Thursday when asked if she had stabbed her mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Are you my mother? she bizarrely added, according to the report. I dont even know what you are talking about, Bekatoros reportedly replied when questioned a second time. The slain womans husband Dennis Bekatoros had gone to his room to watch TV after sharing a family dinner Wednesday night and stepped out to find his mortally wounded wife on the floor and called 911, News 12 reported. Diana Bekatoros was later arrested at her home on Center Boulevard in Long Island City. She was charged with second-degree murder and ordered held without bail during her Thanksgiving Day arraignment, according to cops and prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge pointed out that Bekatoros was smiling inappropriately at this serious charge and ordered a psychiatric evaluation during the hearing, according to News 12. Bekatoros pleaded not guilty, records show. The elderly couples home is one of around seven on a quiet roundabout block, about a minute walk from a cemetery. Bekatoros at her arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Nov. 28, 2024. James Carbone/Newsday All of the homes are on large properties with three-bay garages and inground pools. A neighbor who lives across the street described the deadly domestic violence as shocking and completely unexpected. To be honest, Im just really sad, the woman, who declined to give her name, told The Post Friday. I knew [Josephine] and she was a very good lady. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said that Diana used to visit the home occasionally. Ive met her daughter once or twice, the woman added. She seemed to be a nice person but we never know what goes on. Neighbor Helene Glodowski, 74, told Newsday that the deadly stabbing also left her shocked. I cant believe it, added Glodowski, who said she had lived across from Josephine and Dennis Bekatoros since 1989. Diana used to live with her parents as well and despite moving out about 15 years ago, appeared to have a mother-daughter friends relationship with her mom, Glodowski said. The Thanksgiving Eve murder took place at Josephine Bekatoros Dix Hills home. Desheania Andrews/NY Post Josephine and Dennis had a small dog, and a son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter who now live in Nassau County, Glodowski told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couples granddaughter, Mia, told The Post that her father, Peter, is doing as well as anyone would be doing in this situation. But Peter was not home Friday afternoon and Mia said she didnt want to speak on his behalf. Josephine was always meticulously dressed and very careful with her appearance, Glodowski said. She was a lovely lady, the neighbor told Newsday. It seemed like she got along with everyone. Bekatoros assigned defense counsel, Daniel Russo, said he couldnt comment to The Post Friday, as he had not yet met with his client. Ana Laura Martinez Aranda just wants to be with her mother. The two of them came to Texas in 2023 after their application for asylum was accepted. Martinez, 45, has protected her mother, Olga Aranda Guzman from gunshots in Mexico and from homelessness in Texas. Now, she just wants the two of them to have their own bedroom at an apartment in Austin while her mother is still alive, she said. Aranda, 62, is currently in hospice care for renal failure and congestive heart failure. Recently, she's been in the hospital, but is home and not doing well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aranda's grandson, Joseph Martinez is living with her and Ana Martinez, who is also Joseph Martinez's aunt. The 20-year-old is trying to support them with his $15-an-hour salary from a burger restaurant while Ana Martinez takes care of her mother full-time. But Joseph Martinez's paycheck doesn't stretch far. The Martinez Aranda family is part of the Austin American-Statesman's Season for Caring program, which highlights the needs of a dozen families in our community and the nonprofit organizations that are serving them. The family was nominated by Hospice Austin. Samantha Martinez, left, and Ana Laura Martinez Aranda, right, care for Olga Aranda Guzman. Aranda Guzman has been in a hospital bed in the living room. Ana Martinez has been unable to work while she is her mother's primary caregiver. Her mother has end-stage kidney failure. All they have are a few clothes, some pots and pans, and Ana Martinez's 2007 car that needs work. They have bounced between friends' and relatives' apartments. They are now planning to move into an apartment in December with Joseph Martinez's mother and brother. Ana Martinez and her mother will have their own room, Joseph Martinez can share another room with his brother, and his mother and other relatives can share the third bedroom. They have been struggling for months to get to this point. For a few days, Ana Martinez was living with her mother out of a car in Austin while changing her mother's catheter and diapers, she said. They also lived with another relative but there were problems with rats, including one that bit Aranda, Ana Martinez said. They stayed in a hotel temporarily that a church paid for, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then she met a woman at a bus stop, and they became friends and decided to get an apartment together, said Ana Martinez. She said she and her mother and Joseph Martinez all stayed in one bedroom in the apartment. She and her mother had their own beds while Joseph Martinez slept on the floor between them. Olga Aranda Guzman was close to dying in October but pulled through. She remains on hospice care. Read more: Learn how the Statesman's Season for Caring program has been changing lives since 1999 As her mother's health was failing rapidly and she had stopped eating and talking, said Ana Martinez. Aranda wanted to be near relatives, so they moved again to the Northeast Austin apartment of a niece where they stayed in the living room with Aranda in a hospital bed and Ana Martinez and Joseph Martinez sleeping right by her on couches. Aranda's health has had its ups and downs. In October, she was given days to live by a hospice nurse. Then she rallied. Ana Martinez said. "It's because of a miracle of God and many people were praying for her," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, though, Aranda's health began to fail again, and they are not sure how much longer she will have. "I'm doing my job because I'm the daughter and I love her. I don't care if I can't sleep at night or can't eat. I don't care nothing about it. I just want to see her better and not suffering," Ana Martinez said. What the family needs the most is help with rent for this new apartment. "My mother needs privacy," Ana Martinez said. The family also needs all the things to set up a new home, including bunk beds, sheets, pillows, blankets and comforters; a sleeper sofa, tables and lamps; kitchen supplies, including dishes, silverware, cups, pots and pans, and small appliances; a washer and dryer; and a television. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To find out more about the family or give an item on their wish list, contact Hospice Austin, 512-342-4726, hospiceaustin.org. Statesman Season for Caring logo About Season for Caring The Statesman will be sharing the stories of all 12 Season for Caring families throughout the holiday season. Find more stories and information at statesman.com/seasonforcaring. All donations are being matched up to $500,000 by the Sheth family through Christmas Day. You can donate online or use the coupon on Page 2B and mail it to Austin Community Foundation, c/o Statesman Season for Caring, 4315 Guadalupe St., Suite 300, Austin, TX 78751. Make checks payable to Statesman Season for Caring. Use the form below or click here: https://statesmansfc.kimbia.com/statesmanseasonforcaring This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Hospice Austin Season for Caring family moving into new apartment BOONEVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) Kentucky State Police is investigating after an infant was found on an embankment in Owsley County. According to a news release, Kentucky State Police received a 911 call around 10:30 a.m. on Friday, after a woman was taken to the hospital for a possible miscarriage. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the hospital, the couple told police the infant was still at the home on Lewis Lane in Booneville, per police. According to the release, detectives responded to the home and found an unresponsive infant over an embankment outside of the house. The child was pronounced dead by the Owsley County Coroner before being transported to the Medical Examiners Office in Frankfort. The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Eight aging buildings in Columbia Park, including those at the long defunct west-end campground, will be demolished by Christmas. After decades of supporting recreational activities along the 5-mile shoreline of the Columbia River, some of the structures in recent years had become a site for illegal activities and homeless campers. Theyre kind of an attracted nuisance, said Nick Farline, Kennewicks parks, recreation and facilities director. The project was deemed as high importance for both the city and U.S. Army Corps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns Columbia Park and leases it to the city to maintain. The city has poured money into revitalizing the east end of the park, including refurbishing the Playground of Dreams and working on plans with the Corps to build a 3-acre dog park. But some park buildings are decrepit and havent been used for programs in decades, said Farline. C. Watts Trucking and Excavation began tearing down three buildings this week, starting first with the largest and most prominent the older parks and recreation headquarters at the Edison Street entrance to the park, off Highway 240. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The building served as a maintenance storage area for years, including a place to park the J&S Dreamland Express that memorializes a fallen Washington State Patrol trooper. The 90-foot train, which runs on tires rather than tracks and carries thousands of kids and families on tours of Kennewicks shoreline every summer, had to find a new place to park when the city condemned the building as structurally unsafe in 2018. Next, crews will destroy the nearby ASA Softball Building and Atomic Ducks clubhouse buildings. Then, they will head west to tackle five buildings in the old campground. A ninth structure planned for removal is an old gazebo in Layton Park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The demolition is expected to cost about $117,000 and should finish by Dec. 20, said the parks departments projects coordinator Rochelle Strader. An excavator razes the old parks headquarters building near Edison Street in Columbia Park in Kennewick. She said crews had to remove or contain asbestos in some cases before the walls came down. The Columbia Park Trail roadway is expected to remain open during the work and the demolition sites will be fenced off, she said. Columbia Park campground The now overgrown campground area on the west end of the 400-acre park opened in the 1960s and operated until 2003. City officials shut it down after deciding it would be too expensive to replace its failing septic system. The winding, narrow asphalt roadway is now popular with hikers and bikers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, a homeless man reportedly dropped a lighter inside one of the vacant campground buildings, setting it ablaze and the fire spread. City staff spent time boarding up the entrances again to the structures to prevent squatters from getting in. The old structures being torn down include an office, shower and three restrooms. The former Columbia Park campground opened in the 1960s and operated until 2003. Its located in the west end of the park between Highway 240 and the Columbia River. City leaders shut it down because an aging septic system made was too costly to fix and too risky to continue running. Atomic Ducks Dive Club The Atomic Ducks Dive Club known for finding sunken treasures and its underwater pumpkin-carving contests occupied one of the two cinder block buildings east of Edison for 30 years. The club was established in the 1960s and is among the oldest dive clubs in the U.S., according to Tri-City Herald archives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The building served as a meeting space up until around 2002, when members moved out because of the growing cost of the utilities and insurance. Atomic Ducks had a unique agreement with the city which allowed it to use the building rent-free in exchange for dive services to cleanup areas. At Layton Park, the gazebo at 523 South Date Street is in poor structural shape and will be demolished, Farline said. He said there are no plans to replace the structure, which hasnt been used much in recent years. The gazebo in Layton Park at 324 E. Sixth Ave. in Kennewick is scheduled for demotion. Advertisement Advertisement OXFORD Just days before the capital murder trial of a Grenada man accused of killing an Ole Miss student two years ago is set to start, the defense filed a motion to dismiss the indictment on a technicality. Defense attorney Kevin Horan filed the motion digitally just before 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, arguing that the March 2023 indictment against Sheldon Timothy Herrington is defective. The move could delay or derail the trial set to begin next week. In the motion, Horan says that the indictment is defective because it does not list the section of the state code for kidnapping, the underlying felony that makes it a capital case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For someone to be charged with capital murder, and therefore face the possibility of the death penalty, the killing must have been committed at the same time as another felony. The indictment accuses Herrington of killing Jimmie Jay Lee while he was engaged in the commission of the crime of kidnapping. The indictment lists the section of the Mississippi Code for capital murder but does not list the code section for kidnapping. As a result of the failure to include the statute for kidnapping, the indictment in this matter is substantively defective and fails to comply with the requirements set forth in the Mississippi Rules of Criminal Procedure, Horan wrote. He added that the indictment also substantively fails to meet the requirements for capital murder indictments according to the Mississippi Supreme Court. He cites a 2014 ruling that says the underlying felony must be identified along with the section and subsection of the state code. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Herringtons trial is scheduled to begin Monday Dec. 2 with Circuit Judge Kelly Luther, prosecutors and defense attorneys traveling to a yet to be disclosed Mississippi county to begin the process of selecting 12 jurors and two alternates. The jury would be bussed back to Lafayette County where they will be sequestered for the length of the trial. Instead, Judge Luther will have to take up this motion before the case, and jury selection, can proceed. Herrington, 23, is accused of killing Lee, 20, two summers ago to keep their alleged sexual relationship a secret. The case has attracted widespread attention, forcing the court to go outside the region to find an impartial jury that has not heard about it. Lee was last seen leaving his west Oxford apartment on July 8, 2022 but his body has never been found. Lee was very active on social media but went silent the day he disappeared. Authorities believe the silence shows Lee is dead. Herrington has been free on a $250,000 bond since December 2022. Several Democratic lawmakers, their families, and law enforcement personnel were reportedly victims of bomb threats and swatting incidents as part of a flurry of harassment directed at elected officials. A spokesperson for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Friday that the threats were all signed with MAGA at the conclusion of the message. According to the spokesperson, the harassment ranged from detailed threats of a pipe bomb placed in mailboxes to swatting. Jeffries called for maximum protection for all members and their families moving forward in the statement. The FBI is reportedly investigating the incidents with state and local partners, and no devices have been found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Jeffries spokesperson did not name the targeted Democrats, Connecticut Reps Rosa DeLauro, Jahana Hayes, and Jim Himes claimed they received bomb threats in separate statements on Thursday. Rhode Island Rep. Seth Magaziner revealed Friday that he and his family were also targeted in a bomb threat at their home. We are safe and there was no evidence of a bomb on the property, he said. Fellow Rhode Islander Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse received a menacing threat similar to those made against other Democrats on Thanksgiving, according to his office. News of Democratic lawmakers weathering violent harassment comes days after several picks for Donald Trumps incoming administration were also targeted with violent, unAmerican threats, including New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, nominee for EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, agriculture secretary nominee Brooke Rollins, and defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the president-elects team declined to provide in-depth information on the threats, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt commended law enforcements response. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action, she said in a statement. Lawmakers have experienced a rising number of security incidents in recent years. The slew of bomb threats against members of Congress is reportedly becoming all too familiar, as lawmakers have experienced a rising number of security incidents in recent years. I think honestly its become part of what we all deal with death threats [and] protests are far more common than many realize, a senior House Democrat told Axios. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One House Republican told Axios that this was their worst week of death threats ever. Threats against members of Congress have rocketed from 902 Capitol Police threat assessment cases in 2016 to more than 8,000 in 2023. Despite law enforcement deeming each of the recent threats non-credible, Tennessee Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen said he is not optimistic that well turn the corner anytime soon. Lawmakers, he said need to be careful and concerned about violence against public officials as disrespect for public officials and civic institutions has grown in the last eight years. Democrats are looking to the governors of blue states as both a line of defense against the incoming Trump administration and a promising bench for the party in 2028. Governors are seen as leading the charge of Democratic resistance as the GOP gets ready to take control of Congress and the White House next year: California Gov. Gavin Newsoms office promised to Trump-proof state laws, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has pledged to be a warrior against controversial policies. And the blue-state leaders are also topping early lists of potential 2028 contenders, including names that were floated earlier this year as possible picks to join Vice President Harris on the 2024 ticket, such as Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Democratic governors wont just be the focus of progress and protection in Trumps second term, said Democratic strategist Maria Cardona. They will be the ones that are going to show Americans the path forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats will effectively be locked out of D.C. next year, Cardona said, when President-elect Trump returns to the Oval Office and Republicans get the edge in both chambers of Congress. That has put Democratic-led states in the spotlight as a last stand against Republican policies, with Trump pledging mass deportations and regulatory rollbacks. Governors and their state attorneys general played a key role in pushing back through political and legal battles during Trumps first term and several have spoken out since Election Day to stress theyre ready to take a stand against his second stint in the Oval Office. Pritzker and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) this month launched Governors Safeguarding Democracy, a nonpartisan initiative to foster collaboration among state leaders as the nation faces increasing threats against American democracy. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) have both staunchly said theyd drag their heels on Trumps deportation plans. Trumps first term made it clear just how important these offices are, Pennsylvania-based Democratic strategist Mike Mikus said of governors and state attorneys general. And what weve seen is the emergence of quite a few political stars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California, a liberal stronghold led by Newsom, is expected to lead the Democratic charge. After Trumps win this month, Newsom called for a special legislative session to protect progressive policies and sounded alarm that the freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack, promising we wont sit idle while drawing Trumps ire on Truth Social. That to me, sounds a lot like a candidate thats trying to win a Democratic nomination, Michigan-based Democratic strategist Adrian Hemond said of Newsom. The moves by some governors to take a vocal stance against Trump in their states come as several, including Newsom, are suspected of national ambitions. And for those who may be considering a future presidential run, readying defenses against the incoming administration could help showcase their political skills and build their profile. Thats the sort of behavior that excites partisans, Hemond said. The governors that strike a little bit more moderate tone are probably the least likely to be successful in a presidential primary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom, Whitmer and Shapiro were floated as potential running mates for Harriss fast-tracked bid before the vice president settled on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D). They became top voices for her campaign, and are now among several Democrats named in chatter about who could potentially take the partys torch in 2028. Thats not necessarily to say that every single one of those Democratic governors are going to jump into the 2028 wave. But it makes sense that they are kind of looking forward and looking at the possibility, because it is wide open at the moment, save for whatever Vice President Harris wants to do, Cardona said. Harris could try again for president in 2028, and polling hints shes an early favorite to do so. Some in the party, though, suggest she could also run for California governor in 2026, when Newsom reaches his term limit in the Golden State. Also among the early rumblings are figures holding other titles, such as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg or Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new Emerson College poll found Harris as Democrats top pick for 2028, followed by Newsom, Buttigieg, Whitmer and Shapiro. Another recent poll from Puck News/Echelon Insights found similar results, with Harris, Newsom, Shapiro, Walz and Buttigieg in the top five. Governors have a few advantages in terms of scaling up for a national campaign. They dont have to take bad votes as part of a legislative body and by definition they are outside of D.C. actors, said Democratic strategist Joel Payne. And when you look at where Democrats are politically, its no surprise that many of the rumored candidates to lead the party going forward are governors, Payne said. Several high-profile governors such as Shapiro, Whitmer and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) won their seats in presidential battleground states. And once candidates are in the executive office, it acts as what Cardona called a sort of training ground for the presidency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another Democratic strategist said it would be smart for the party to give governors a good look after losses in two of the last three presidential elections suggest the bench weve had isnt really working. I think governors offer a fresh approach to the party and theyre not so insulated. Theyre in their states talking to real folks because they have to, the strategist said. Still, some are skeptical that even a high-profile Democratic governor would ultimately get the 2028 nod. Hemond noted that some of these governors may be the subject of 2028 whispers just because theyre the ones in office as the party starts to soul-search after the election 1 and a lot can change over the course of the next four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons said the party has good Democratic governors, pointing to former President Clinton, who served as the governor of Arkansas. They have executive experience. Theyre not D.C. insiders. So on paper, it makes a lot of sense to have people like Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom and [Maryland Gov.] Wes Moore on the list. But thats just not how Democratic primaries have worked. Clinton was the most recent Democrat to jump from a governors mansion into the White House. Since then, senators have been the flavor of the time, Simmons said. Still, Simmons countered, everything is up for grabs right now. This is not an era of normalcy. The 2028 election is years away, but Democrats are already taking stock of their potential contenders as they assess the 2024 damage and ready for Trump to take office and as Republicans look to build on this years wins in the coming elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State-level figures will also be important in helping Democrats regroup after this cycle saw Trump make inroads against Harris in blue states, narrowing the margins he saw against Biden four years earlier. I think some of how these governors position themselves in the first 18 months of the Trump administration is going to tell us a lot, Hemond said. Amie Parnes contributed reporting. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Police claim James Toliver Craig tried to get the inmate to kill the detective once in May and June 2023 and again in October 2024 Christopher Oquendo for the DailyMail.com James Craig James Craig The Colorado dentist suspected of poisoning his wife in order to start a new life" with a Texas-based orthodontist has also been accused of trying to have a detective killed, PEOPLE confirms. A week after the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office announced new charges against James Toliver Craig, a spokesperson for the Aurora Police Department told CBS News and NBC News that James, 46, allegedly attempted to have an Aurora police detective, who was investigating his wife Angela Craigs death, killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police claim that James, who is being held at the Arapahoe County Detention Center, tried to get a fellow jail inmate to commit the crime once in May and June 2023 and again last month, per the outlets. Related: Dentist Accused of Killing Wife by Poisoning Her Protein Shakes Faces New Charges, as His Attorneys Withdraw from Case The 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office announced in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Nov. 22 that James was charged with solicitation to commit murder in the first degree and solicitation to commit perjury in the first degree. He also was charged with first-degree murder in connection with his wifes death last year, to which he pleaded not guilty. A day prior to the district attorneys announcement of the new charges, James' attorneys withdrew from the case after citing a "professional conflict and other reasons," according to CBS News and NBC News. This delayed Craigs trial, which was scheduled to start on Nov. 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James is accused of poisoning his wife, and was arrested in March 2023 in connection with her death. An arrest affidavit from the Aurora Police Department obtained by PEOPLE claims that James slipped potassium cyanide and arsenic into his wifes pre-workout shake beginning the morning of March 6. 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. Angela, who was 43 years old at the time, had complained of feeling faint and dizzy. She was then subsequently admitted in and out of the hospital until she died on March 15. An investigation into Angela's death revealed that James had allegedly researched "undetectable poisons" and purchased potassium cyanide and arsenic, which caused symptoms including loss of consciousness and seizures. Those symptoms were the same ones Angela was experiencing up until the day she died, per the arrest affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Dentist Accused of Poisoning Wife's Protein Shakes Allegedly Wanted to Start 'New Life' with Orthodontist Police also said that James had been in communication with a fellow dental professional in Austin, Texas, via email in "what appears to be a sexually intimate relationship." The affidavit said it appeared as though James was flying this woman into Denver while his wife and the mother of his children was dying in the hospital. A person close to Angela also told police that the couple had been experiencing marital problems for years and that James allegedly had a history of cheating and an addiction to pornography, according to the arrest affidavit. The next hearing for James' case is scheduled for Dec. 16, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office. 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. DENVER (KDVR) Denver police officers responded to areas along Federal Boulevard three times on Friday for incidents that occurred between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Person injured in crash The Denver Police Department first reported at about 2:16 p.m. that officers were responding to a traffic crash with serious injuries that involved two motorists at the intersection of South Federal Boulevard and West Illif Avenue. The agency said one person was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. The area is near Compass Academy and the Abraham High School. Its part of Denvers Harvey Park neighborhood, bordering on the College View South Platte neighborhood. 1 taken to hospital after shooting Then, officers were called to North Federal Boulevard for a shooting. The incident was reported in the 4700 block of North Federal, and one person was transported to the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox The area is near the roadways intersection with Interstate 70 and Rocky Mountain Lake and is part of Denvers Sunnyside neighborhood, near the border with the Berkeley neighborhood. The agency did not know how serious the injuries were, but officers were investigating and working to develop suspect information. FOX31 crews went to the scene and found that a Conoco gas station had been taped off by the Denver Police Department. A shooting on Federal Boulevard occurred near this Conoco gas station. (KDVR) Vehicle-pedestrian crash reported At about 4:11 p.m., officers were called to a traffic crash in the area of South Federal Boulevard and Louisiana Avenue, which is in Denvers Ruby Hill neighborhood, near the border of the Mar Lee neighborhood. The agency said that the crash involved a vehicle and a pedestrian, and one person was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. Police advised motorists to expect delays in the area, and find an alternate route if possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. VMPL New Delhi [India], November 30: Producer- Actor Prabhleen Sandhu of Almighty Motion Picture, who was recently seen in Hansal Mehta's critically acclaimed film The Buckingham Murders', has acquired one of the most successful bestseller books 'The Kidney Scam - True Story of Busting India's Biggest Human Organ Trafficking Scam' by authors Kiran Nirvan. "The story of the Kidney Scam is that of resilience and courage to face powerful evil even when you're only a common man. Busting nation's biggest human organ trafficking scam is not just another story. The society needs to be told of such courageous stories to shake them out of slumber. That's why we wrote it." said Kiran Nirvan, whose earlier best-selling books were 'The Kargil Girl' & '21 Kesaris'. Three young medical college students find a poor rickshaw puller with a raw wound in the middle of the road. Little did they know, they were on the verge of unearthing one of India's biggest kidney scams. In a bid to help the poor victims, Kirti, Rahul and Gurkirat reach out to their college authorities, leading doctors, and even politicians. When there is no hope of support from any of them, they finally get help from a daring lawyer. With threats to their life, evidences vanishing and danger looming large on their families, will they have the courage to fight till the end? Will a dutiful cop help them through the ordeal? THE KIDNEY SCAM brings out gruesome, chilling details of cold-blooded crimes that rocked Punjab and spread over to the entire world. Witness the nail-biting chase that led to the busting of one of nation's biggest human organ trade scams. "It is one of the most relevant, important and also scary story of recent times which is based on true events. We at Almighty Motion Picture are excited to acquire this important book. Soon the development will start on the story," said Prabhleen Sandhu. The Kidney Scam book is published by Srishti Publications and has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 on Good Reads & 4.4 out of 5 on Amazon. (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) A veteran detective who once landed in hot water for disguising himself as a deputy and sneaking into Mens Central Jail has resigned from the South Pasadena Police Department amid recent allegations that he repeatedly gave a Nazi-like salute last year during a training lecture hosted by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, according to a news release and internal records. City police officials announced Mark Lillienfelds decision to step down on Wednesday, hours after The Times first reported on the Sheriffs Departments probe into the 2023 allegations that ultimately saddled him with a Do Not Rehire designation. As documented in a 40-page internal affairs report released by the Sheriff's Department earlier this month, the probe found Lillienfeld had violated an equality policy while delivering a lecture at a May 2023 homicide investigator training session. The report said one of the officers who attended a Black woman from the Los Angeles Police Department accused Lillienfeld of making several inappropriate comments, once referring to Asian officers as Chinamen and later saying that she and another Black officer in the class would be the most likely suspects if anyone jumped him in the parking lot afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of the lecture, Lillienfeld had already retired from the Sheriffs Department and was working as an outside vendor. State records show he began working as a detective for South Pasadena earlier this year. The City of South Pasadena and its Police Department takes this report seriously, and in no way does the department condone this type of behavior from any officer in its department, the South Pasadena news release said last week. The officer in question submitted his resignation, which Police Chief Brian Solinsky accepted. Also last week, the Sheriffs Department said it would not hire Lillienfeld as an instructor for future classes. Meanwhile, the California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training which oversees law enforcement training standards statewide said in a statement that it had only recently learned of the allegations and that it currently approves instructors based on information submitted by local agencies, but does not have a means to remove them. The Commission met last week and discussed this regulatory matter and are planning to make changes so that in the future we do have the ability to remove instructors such as this, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Lillienfeld did not respond to a request for comment on Saturday, his attorney, Tom Yu, said last week that the allegations were "completely baseless." He said that because Lillienfeld had already retired, he had "no standing to appeal or grieve the one-sided investigation. In 2008, internal affairs records show Lillienfeld was reprimanded for referring to a woman as a broad and repeatedly using profanity during a different training lecture. Following his retirement in 2016, he began working as an investigator for the Los Angeles County district attorneys office, where he was later caught on camera posing as a deputy in order to sneak contraband fast food to an inmate at Mens Central Jail. Afterward, he was temporarily banned from the county jails . In 2019, he returned to the Sheriffs Department to join then-Sheriff Alex Villanuevas controversial public corruption squad, a shadowy unit accused of targeting the sheriffs critics including oversight officials, county leaders and a former Times reporter who had received a leaked list of problem deputies . Lillienfeld left the department again in January 2023 after Villanueva lost reelection and has since said the incident at Mens Central Jail was part of a plan to overturn a wrongful conviction by winning the trust of the real killer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint that led to the Do Not Rehire designation stemmed from a two-week homicide investigator course that attracted about 30 officers and deputies from departments across Southern California. The Sheriffs Department redacted all of their names in its 40-page report, as well as the name of the Los Angeles police officer whose concerns spurred the investigation. Throughout the entire lecture, Subject Lillienfeld was rude, condescending, unprofessional, and made inappropriate comments to several students in the class, investigators wrote in a summary of their interview with the Los Angeles officer. They said the officer told them she believed Lillienfeld targeted Asian and Black students with off-color jokes, once calling the only two Asian students Chinamen and repeatedly making fun of a womans name. The officer also told investigators Lillienfeld talked a lot of crap about the Los Angeles Police Department and how its investigations were messed up. During the lecture, the report says, Lillienfeld also clicked his heels together and extended one of his arms out like Hitler, while saying something that sounded like hike or height. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Los Angeles police officer said she thought Lillienfeld might have been doing it as a joke but that it seemed inappropriate because it looked like something white supremacist groups do, according to the report. At the end of the class, she alleged, Lillienfeld apologized to her and the other Black woman a Menifee Police Department officer and thanked them for letting him make fun of them. Then, she told investigators, Lillienfeld allegedly told class participants that if they saw him outside in the parking lot with two bullets in the back of his head, they should look to the two Black women as the suspects. The Menifee police officer told investigators that she remembered Lillienfeld was funny, but that she didnt feel singled out by his jokes. Though she told investigators she remembered hearing Lillienfelds comments about the Black women jumping him, she said she wasnt offended. She also said she didnt remember seeing him give a Nazi salute. When internal affairs investigators interviewed the other officers and deputies in the class, most said they didnt recall seeing anything inappropriate. Some said Lillienfeld was funny or spoke highly of his lecture. One a La Verne police officer whose name was also redacted said Lillienfeld repeatedly did a weird thing during class in which he would click his heels together and throw up his arm in a way the officer described as a Nazi salute. At one point, Lillienfeld said Sieg Heil as he made the gesture, according to what the officer told investigators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer said he thought Lillienfeld did the Nazi-like salute while trying to make a point regarding one of the investigations he taught, but he couldnt remember the specifics. After the class ended, the Los Angeles police officer detailed her concerns in her class evaluation, which sparked the internal investigation. When investigators tried to interview Lillienfeld in April, the file says, he asked several questions about the case before refusing to do the interview. This year, after the internal affairs investigation concluded, the department confirmed that it placed a Do Not Rehire designation in Lillienfelds file. Hours after The Times story published on Wednesday, Hans Johnson a member of the countys Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission sent an email to South Pasadena officials expressing his concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why is someone with such red flags of disqualifying misconduct now on staff with the South Pas. Police Department? Johnson wrote, according to a copy of his email shared with The Times. Is South Pasadena P.D. so strapped for staff that it fails to thoroughly review the background of detectives it hires, or worse, detects such red flags but ignores them? Its not clear how many others reached out with similar concerns, but in its news release last week the South Pasadena Police Department said it had received many calls and messages about the matter. I want to make clear that our police department does not tolerate racism or unacceptable epithets of any kind from any member of our organization, Solinsky wrote in the release. Such acts are not in keeping with our values and the expectations that our City Council and our residents have from members of our police force. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate who won a Roseville area House seat earlier this month is asking a judge to throw out his Republican opponents election challenge that claims he does not live in the district. In filings this week in Ramsey County District Court, Curtis Johnson, who won the election in House District 40B by 65% of the vote, argues his Republican opponent Paul Wikstrom unreasonably delayed his investigation of his residency and failed to bring the issues to the Courts attention prior to the election. Johnson also filed evidence to support his residency at a Roseville apartment in the district including documents from the property manager showing he resided in a different unit from the one Wikstroms campaign had surveilled and claimed was unoccupied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 20, Wikstrom filed a lawsuit challenging Johnsons victory, claiming his opponent does not reside in the 450-square foot Roseville studio apartment he listed on his candidate paperwork and that Johnson still resides outside the district in his five-bedroom house in Little Canada. Minnesotas state Constitution requires legislative candidates to live in their district for six months before an election to be eligible to run. Wikstrom, of Shoreview, is asking a judge to nullify the results of the Nov. 5 election before the start of the 2025 legislative session and is asking for a special election. The challenge could affect the balance of power in the soon-to-be tied Minnesota House, where DFLers and Republicans won 67 seats in this years election leaving questions about who will control the chambers agenda. Residency claims During the campaign, Wikstrom claimed that by the time he had enough evidence to file a challenge to Johnsons residency claims it was too close to the election to mount an effective challenge. At the time, he wouldnt say whether he would file a challenge after the election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson and Wikstrom were running for a seat held by outgoing DFL Rep. Jaime Becker-Finn of Roseville. District 40B includes Roseville and parts of Shoreview. Johnson, a member of the Roseville School Board, has owned a house with his wife in Little Canada since 2017, and says he got an apartment at Rosedale Estates in District 40B in March. The apartment complex is on Rice Street in Roseville, about a mile and a half southwest of his familys home. Johnson has denied Wikstroms allegations in the past though did not weigh in on the lawsuit this week. In a statement, DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman said she doubted Wikstroms challenge will prevail. Curtis Johnson is a resident of District 40B and the election contest filed by Republicans is without merit, she said. We expect the case to be dismissed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson hasnt listed his Little Canada home for sale, though hes said he and his wife plan to do so and started talking to a real estate agent earlier this year. In an earlier statement, Johnson said he got an apartment as they searched for a new house in the district. New context Johnsons response to Wikstroms lawsuit attempts to poke holes in claims disputing his residency. While surveillance by Wikstroms campaign showed Johnsons primary vehicle parked in the driveway at the house every morning and evening on weekdays between Sept. 16 and Oct. 14, Johnson, in a sworn statement, said he often visited the house in the morning to see his wife and walk his dogs and in the evening for dinner. Johnson also submitted a copy of a letter from the property manager affirming he had temporarily moved to a different apartment unit and that his utilities were being billed through the manager rather than an individual meter due to construction at the complex. He also claimed the apartment has two windows facing the kitchen, that he didnt turn on the light in that room when he came home late at night, and that other lights in the apartment wouldnt be visible from the outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of the election, Wikstrom volunteers conducted a surveillance campaign on Johnsons house and apartment, taking notes, pictures and video. Wikstrom volunteers said there were never lights on at the apartment listed as Johnsons address and that there were no electrical utility hookups or internet service. On Oct. 29, a Wikstrom campaign volunteer pointed a smartphone camera underneath the crack at the bottom of the apartments door, revealing no furniture inside. But in a sworn statement, Johnson said the manager moved him to a new unit after sewage had flooded from his bathroom on Oct. 10. He said he didnt set up internet at the apartment because he usually works from an office or a coffee shop. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 3, before Judge Leonardo Castro in Ramsey County District Court. Related Articles As they sweep across northern Syria, the advancing rebels are posing fundamental questions not just for the regime of Bashar al-Assad, but for watching neighbours and Western leaders. The civil war of 2011 to 2016 pitted Iran and Russia, on Assads side, against the US and Turkey, who both weighed in behind the efforts to overthrow the Syrian dictator. Ankara and Washington have diverging interests: Turkeys president Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to secure his countrys border with Syria, and eventually return hundreds of thousands of refugees. The US initially sought to back the rebels against the brutality of Assad, but has left a rump military force in the nation to clamp down on any resurgence of the Islamic State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the eyes of the departing Joe Biden administration elsewhere, Turkeys role is perhaps the most critical. It has acted as a protector of the rebel-held region of Idlib, engaging in low-level military operations against the Assad regime while seeking to limit the influence of the Kurdish-led rebel group, the Syrian Democratic Forces, in line with Mr Erdogans crackdown on the Kurdish opposition within Turkey. Many of the rebel groups that have joined the push by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) are backed by Turkey. But it is unlikely that Ankara anticipated the breadth and potential ramifications of the assault. Officials called it a limited offensive on Friday, something that looks almost comically wide of the mark as rebels fan out across Syria. Vandalised poster of Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo - MAHMOUD HASSANO/REUTERS Turkeys caution is understandable, though. If HTS becomes entrenched in Aleppo and the regime launches a counter-attack supported by Russian airpower, it could trigger a new wave of refugees toward Turkeys borders, undermining years of work to push migrants in the opposite direction. Even if HTS succeeds in holding the territory, and beats back Assads army, trouble could await. As a governing force, the jihadist group may find itself at odds with the population of west Aleppo and other cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This region, unlike others under HTS control, has historically been more aligned with the Syrian government. HTS will have to reconcile its hardline ideology with the needs of at least two million more people, most of whom are deeply wary of its leadership. If this gap widens, HTS risks becoming an occupation force in the eyes of the local population, another possible trigger of migratory waves. Rebels celebrate their success in Maaret al-Numan, in Idlib - ABDULAZIZ KETAZ/AFP Under Mr Biden, the US has taken a passive approach to Syria, leaving critical decisions to the next administration as it deals with wars in Ukraine and Israel. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who Washington backed heavily in the fight against the Islamic State, remain vulnerable. Any withdrawal or redeployment of SDF fighters from key areas could create an opportunity for Isis to regroup, especially around and in the Badiya region. This resurgence could directly threaten the roughly 900 US troops in Syria, who critics argue should no longer be in the country anyway. Even in the dying days of his term, Mr Biden cannot afford to continue with his hands-off policy. He has quietly loosened pressure on the Assad regime, objecting to bi-partisan legislation that would have extended sanctions against Gulf Arab nations aiding the dictators rehabilitation, which has progressed slowly but steadily over recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Assads forces return to their military tactics of bombing hospitals and massacring civilians, as appears likely, he must step up the pressure once more. Its decision time for Joe Biden - JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES While there is no interest for the US to intervene in the fighting between the Turkish-backed armed groups and Assads forces, the priority for the US troops should be to support their Kurdish allies in maintaining control over the North East and preventing ISIS from re-emerging there. When the dust settles, one question will remain above all: who will fill the vacuum left by the weakening of the Iranian axis and Russias distraction with the war in Ukraine? Can the US or Turkey do much to influence events, when the key actor is a jihadist group both have designated to be a terrorist entity? The answer will shape not just Syria but the broader Middle East for years to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ibrahim Al-Assil is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and a professional lecturer in political science at George Washington University Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. EAST VILLAGE By the last call on Friday night, restaurant owners who have had dining sheds on New York City streets since 2020 are required to remove them. If they dont, they face serious fines. More Local News The demolition requirement is not sitting well with many restaurant owners, who say that its impacting their businesses and their employees. Some neighbors have complained about the temporary structures, while others, including some customers, say that its a loss to street life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sami Oueslati is the manager of Supper Restaurant. Its demolished shed sits in front of the East Second Street eatery, waiting to be hauled away. Oueslati looks on in disbelief. Were gonna lose more customers, gonna lose more space, its very sad, he said, in front of his restaurant, as he looked over the remnants of the dining shed. At least between $15,000 to $20,000 it cost us to build it, you know? he said. Under regulations created by an agreement among Mayor Eric Adams, the New York City Council, and business groups, the sheds have to be off the streets between November 29 and April 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the spring, summer, and fall, restaurants will need a permit to have a sidewalk shed, which will be smaller than many that have been built on city streets. The sheds are only allowed to be 40 feet long at the most and can only be one of four different city-approved prefabricated structures that are easy to set up and take down. While some customers and neighbors have expressed regret over seeing the sheds go, the temporary structures were also the target of complaints. They ranged from the sheds being eyesores to them attracting rats and other vermin. At Ali Baba restaurant in Midtown, demolition on its dining shed was underway Friday morning. Manager Lisa Mayisoglu said that the restaurant is complying with the law, but that law reduces dining space for which shed hired staff. I dont know what Im going to do with my employees, Mayisoglu said in an interview. We had extra employees. Unfortunately, were going to have to let go of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The penalty for having a shed after November 29 is $500 for the first offense. The second offense is $1,000. At their peak, there were about 12,000 permitted dining sheds in the city, according to city records. The number of restaurants that have applied to have sheds under the new rules is just under 3,000. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. CHEYENNE Wyomings small group of Democratic legislators say theyre willing and ready to build relationships with members of the new Legislature, but remain uncertain as to how those relationships will materialize in the upcoming 2025 general session. As the minority party, Democratic lawmakers say they have long worked hand in hand with their Republican colleagues to find common ground on legislation. During their caucus at the state Capitol on Sunday, Democratic Party lawmakers said they anticipate a challenging session next year, unsure of how their working relationships will go with the slew of new, incoming lawmakers who ran on a more conservative platform. The Wyoming Freedom Caucus, a group of hardline Republicans, gained control of the House of Representatives in the general election, and a majority of its allies held their seats in the upper chamber. All four leadership positions in the House were filled by members aligned with the far-right group during the Republican caucus in Casper, the previous day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cautiously optimistic Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie, said he doesnt doubt that Democrats face a unique set of challenges, but he also doesnt want to assume that the new Legislature will burn the place down. Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie If they do start burning things down, were the firemen, Chestek said. And we need to be the voice for a lot of constituencies in Wyoming who would be hurt by the system being burned to the ground. But I dont want to assume that this may happen. Minority Floor Leader Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, said the Democrats have worked diligently with their Republican colleagues to prevent bad legislation and damage from happening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the first time in his 14 years of legislative service, however, that he doesnt see any clear paths to protect the state, Rothfuss said. Legislative work in the upcoming session is going to require diligence and open communication with the public, he said. What my mind is on is protecting people of the state from this institution, while also protecting the institution itself, Rothfuss said. And we have challenges. Minority Whip Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, said Democrats managed to achieve great things during the 2024 budget session, such as passing pay increases for public school teachers and public employees, despite being the minority voice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know what the future holds for us, she said. But I do know that if harm is caused in the state of Wyoming, it will be our job to articulate it and to tell that story, so that people at home understand what is happening. Rothfuss sole Democratic colleague in the Senate, Minority Whip Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, shared a more optimistic attitude. The Democratic Party has always been effective in communicating its ideals with leadership in the upper chamber, Gierau said, and he doesnt anticipate this new slate of Senate leaders to be any different. Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, was nominated last Saturday to be the next Senate president; Sen. Salazar, R-Riverton, is the nominee for Senate vice president; and Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne is slated to be majority floor leader in the upper chamber. We push our ideas, because this is a battle of bad ideas, Gierau said. We know ours are better, and so we just have to communicate that. Minority Caucus Chair Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, said every member chose to run because they felt called to serve their community. Understanding how they want to help their constituents is part of the working-relationship process, she said. Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie Whether you call it a strategy or just relationship building, I think that will help inform me, and our caucus, (to understand) how we build support for ideas that benefit that members community and our community and the state, Sherwood said. Working with the Democrats The Democratic Party has long been the minority group in the Equality States governing body, but they face a new, more conservative atmosphere for the upcoming session, with a Freedom Caucus majority in the House and several allies in the Senate. Im kind of struck by the gravity of the shift were going to see in the Legislature, Provenza said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Republican lawmakers who had served in the Legislature for nearly a decade, or longer, lost their primary election races to their Freedom Caucus-endorsed opponents and Wyomings capital city was no exception. Two of Cheyennes longest-serving Republican legislators, Reps. Dan Zwonitzer and Dave Zwonitzer, lost their House District races to Ann Lucas and Steve Johnson, two legislative newcomers whose campaigns were endorsed by the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. Provenza noted that when the Wyoming Freedom Caucus was the minority group in the House, they treated the Legislature like an election. They ran bills. They took the forced votes so that they could send mailers to our districts and to their fellow Republican districts, Provenza said. Republican lawmakers previously told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that several bills that seemed to uphold conservative values, such as parental rights in education, contained gotcha amendments, as Rep. Tom Walters, R-Casper, who lost his re-election campaign this year, described it. Walters said several bills pushed by House Freedom Caucus members were used as campaign fodder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre misleading what the vote was really about in so many instances, and that never used to be the case, Walters said. Open members of the Freedom Caucus interviewed by the WTE denied any knowledge or use of this tactic. Minority Floor Leader Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, said several Republican newcomers in the Legislature who ousted the incumbent in House district races ran on a platform criticizing Republicans for working with the Democrats. The question for him was whether these new members would continue to ice out their Democratic colleagues. Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a very new chamber we are going to be the experienced leaders, Yin said. I look forward to us both getting to know all of the new members that come in the chamber, as well as being a source of information. Meeting Wyomings needs Laramie County had the lowest voter-turnout in a primary election in more than a decade this fall, and this trend was reflected across the state. Provenza said less than 30% of Wyoming voters elected members who represent more than 90% of the Legislature. Her goal is to meet the voters where theyre at, and understand what their issues are, but its difficult when so few voiced who they wanted to represent them. What our voter turnout demonstrated is that people are not inspired by their elected leaders, Provenza said. Theyre not inspired by their government, and they feel unheard by their government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic Party did gain one new member of the Legislature following the general election, bringing the total of Democratic lawmakers up to eight, with two members in the Senate and now six in the House. The small but mighty group of Democrats, as Sherwood put it, met at the state Capitols Historic Supreme Court Chamber on Sunday afternoon to re-elect members into legislative leadership positions. With no opposition in the race, all of the Democrats held onto leadership roles in their respective chambers. In the upper chamber, Gierau is the minority whip, a position hes had since 2019, and Rothfuss is the minority floor leader, a post hes held since 2013. On the House side, Provenza serves as minority whip, Yin is minority floor leader and Sherwood is the minority caucus chair. Convicted real estate professional Charles Kushner has been nominated as the U.S. ambassador to France by President-elect Donald Trump. The selection comes four years after the businessman was pardoned in the Republican politicians final days in office. Trending Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donald described his daughters father-in-law as a tremendous business leader, philanthropist [and] dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate presenting our Country [and] its interests in his announcement posted to Truth Social on Saturday (Nov. 30). This marks the first relative to receive a role in the forthcoming administration. In 2020, the nominee pleaded guilty to 18 felonies, including tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign donations. He was sentenced to two years but only served 14 in an Alabama facility. The development magnate hired and instructed a prostitute to record herself seducing his brother-in-law William Schulder in a motel. The tapes were then revealed to Charles sister. Prosecutors said that he was motivated by revenge after learning Schulder, who is also a former business partner, was cooperating with a federal investigation into his alleged illegal political donations. Charles is well-connected to the soon-to-be first family via his son Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, Donalds eldest daughter. Jared and Ivanka served as senior advisors when the divisive political figure helmed the White House from 2016 to 2020. Both have reportedly expressed disinterest in assuming cabinet roles following the Jan. 20, 2025, inauguration, though Jared is thought to be an unofficial advisor on Middle East policy, according to Business Insider. Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, [and] 14 grandchildren. His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, [and] the Abraham Accords, the announcement continued. Together, we will strengthen Americas partnership with France, our oldest ally, [and] one of our greatest! penned Donald. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The embattled leader returned to the White House for the first time since leaving office to meet with President Joe Biden about ensuring a smooth transition of power earlier this month. With only weeks left before the nations highest office and Congress become GOP-lead, several of Donalds cabinet nominations have come under scrutiny amid reports his team is bypassing FBI background checks. Many of the picks require confirmation from the Senate; however, several news reports purport that he has yet to sign a memorandum with the Department of Justice that will ensure proper security clearances are handled. You Might Also Like Among those President-elect Donald Trump has put forth to lead his cabinet during his second administration is a relatively unknown political figure with ties to the Californias Central Valley. On Friday, Trump announced the nomination of Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (ROre.) to head the U.S. Department of Labor, the entity that administers federal labor laws on things like working conditions, hourly wages and overtime pay, employment discrimination and unemployment insurance. Chavez-DeRemer grew up in Hanford and attended Hanford High School, graduating in 1986. Its also where she met her husband, according to her official bio. Chavez-DeRener also worked as a substitute teacher in Hanford for several years in the 1990s, after graduating from Fresno State with a bachelors degree in business administration-management. She eventually relocated to Oregon and started a medical company with her husband, an anesthesiologist. From city council to congress Her political career started in the Portland suburb of Happy Valley in the 2000s. She worked on the citys parks committee before being elected to city council, where she served from 2005-2010, including three years as council president. In 2011, she became the mayor of Happy Valley. She served until 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, she broke barriers as one of the first Latinas, and the first Republican woman, to be elected to congress from Oregon. She served in the states 5th Congressional District for just one term, before losing her reelection (narrowly) to Democrat Janelle Bynum earlier this month. In a statement conceding the race, Chavez-DeRemer wrote: I hope Ms. Bynum will follow the example I have set over the past two years and serve as a pragmatic, thoughtful and bipartisan leader who will work with the Trump administration to address housing affordability, improve public safety and secure the border. A clear record on workers rights, organized labor Chavez-DeRemers nomination was a surprise to many, given her record on workers rights and organized labor issues and the fact she was supported by Teamsters president Sean OBrien. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, or Teamsters union, includes 1.3 million workers across the country, across most occupations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an op-ed last week, OBrien wrote: Rep. Lori. Chavez-DeRemer is the exact type of champion for the American worker that Republicans should get behind if they are serious about becoming the working-class party. Chavez-DeRemer co-sponsored another piece of legislation that would protect public-sector workers from having their Social Security benefits docked because of government pension benefits. That proposal was unable to garner GOP support. Similarly, Chavez-DeRemer endorsed the PRO Act, which would make it easier to unionize on a federal level. That bill passed the House during President Joe Bidens first two years in office, when Democrats controlled the chamber, but was unable to get enough Republican support to avoid a filibuster in the Senate. Chavez-DeRemer was one of three Republicans who voted for the bill. Still, some labor organizations are fearful of a Trump administration, regardless of whos running the labor department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement following the nomination, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said despite Chavez-DeRemers pro-labor record in Congress, Donald Trump is the President-elect of the United States not Rep. Chavez-DeRemer and it remains to be seen what she will be permitted to do as Secretary of Labor in an administration with a dramatically anti-worker agenda. Despite having distanced himself from Project 2025 during his campaign, President-elect Trump has put forward several cabinet nominees with strong ties to Project 2025. That 900-page document has proposals that would strip overtime pay, eliminate the right to organize, and weaken health and safety standards. The AFL-CIO will work with anyone who wants to do right by workers, but we will reject and defeat any attempt to roll back the rights and protections that working people have won with decades of blood, sweat, and tears. You can stand with working people, or you can stand with Project 2025, but you cant stand with both. Chavez-DeRemer must still be confirmed by the Republican led Senate, after Trump takes office and formally sends his nominations to Capitol Hill. Associated Press reporter Bill Barrow contributed to this story. Dozens of people have been killed in the latest Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian reports on Saturday. Eight people were killed in an Israeli airstrike near the southern city of Khan Younis, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported, citing medical sources. In addition, five Palestinians were killed in an attack on a car near the city. They were said to include three employees of the aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The organization did not initially comment on the report. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they had attacked a terrorist at the location who had been involved in the massacre by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war. According to the military, it was investigating reports that the man could have been a WCK employee. WAFA reported 14 further deaths in Israeli attacks in Gaza City in the north of the strip. The IDF said it was investigating the reports, which could not be independently verified. CAIRO (Reuters) - Dozens of people were killed or wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a multi-storey house in northern Gaza on Saturday, medics and Gaza emergency services said, although the Israeli military said it was not aware of any attack in the area. Gaza's emergency services said the strike hit a residential area in Tal Al-Zaatar and that many casualties were believed to be trapped under the rubble. The Israeli military said it was unaware of any strike in that area, but was looking into the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military, which began its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the militant group's attack on southern Israeli communities in October 2023, has said its latest operations in northern Gaza were meant to prevent militants regrouping and waging attacks from those areas. An Israeli soldier was killed in combat in northern Gaza on Saturday, the military said. (Reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi; Editing by Frances Kerry and Alexander Smith) VMPL Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 30: DEVI Sansthan, India's leading advocate for foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), hosted the transformative "Leadership Circle" on November 28-29 in Lucknow. This two-day event brought together policymakers, corporate representatives, and grassroots organizations from 19 states from Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, etc and union territories like Puducherry to address regional challenges and accelerate progress towards the ambitious NIPUN Bharat goals. Ashish Kohli, Director of Elementary Education, Himachal Pradesh, inaugurated the event. Avanish Kumar Awasthi, Advisor to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh who was the Chief Guest on day 2 shared, "I am delighted to be here at the CMS campus, recognized as one of the largest schooling systems in the world. It is inspiring to see representatives from 19 states gathered for this important cause. For any country to achieve success, two critical pillars must be prioritized: improving learning outcomes and equipping youth with essential skills. During my interactions with representatives from various states, I was impressed by the dedication and insights shared. My message to all of you is to document your success stories, derive meaningful data, and share your results. Foundational literacy and numeracy must reach every block in the country. While you are working diligently in your respective states, the journey ahead is vast and challenging. By incorporating the feedback from CMS and implementing the ALfA pedagogy, we can collectively strengthen foundational learning and education. Together, these efforts will not only fortify our educational framework but also empower future generations to thrive and contribute to the nation's progress." The summit featured an exceptional lineup of attendees, including prominent policymakers such as Ms. Sufeena Bano, Director of Elementary Education Office, Baramulla, J&K; Tassaduq Hussain Mir, Director of Elementary Education, Srinagar, J&K; Ramesh Prasad Lakher, District Program Coordinator (BSA), Samagra Shiksha, Madhya Pradesh; and Mohd Amzad, FLN District Program Lead, Telangana, among others. Together, they explored innovative strategies to accelerate foundational literacy and numeracy, with a focus on regional adaptations and sustainable solutions. The Leadership Circle emphasized the need for strong foundational learning systems through evidence-based approaches like DEVI Sansthan's ALfA pedagogy (Accelerated Learning for All), which has proven transformative in enhancing learning outcomes for underserved children, dropouts, and adults seeking literacy. Discussions highlighted regional challenges, such as infrastructure gaps in Kashmir and rural literacy disparities, underscoring the importance of tailored solutions to accelerate FLN outcomes. Policymakers stressed the value of paired learning and joyful teaching to sustain engagement and results. DEVI Sansthan's impactful collaborations with governments, NGOs, and corporates, including successful FLN programs in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Mizoram and adult literacy initiatives in Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, were celebrated as scalable models for nationwide replication. Ashish Kohli, Director of Elementary Education, Himachal Pradesh, shared, "Under the guidance of the Honourable Educational Minister of HP, we implemented ALfA pedagogy in two blocks with remarkable success. Encouraged by the results, we are now expanding to remote areas. We also plan to integrate ALfA pedagogy into Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) training to equip future teachers with this transformative approach." Dr. Sunita Gandhi, Founder of DEVI Sansthan, reaffirmed the organization's commitment to foundational education, stating, "Accelerating foundational literacy and numeracy is the cornerstone of global growth. This summit brought together leaders from 19 states, creating a shared vision to ensure every child builds a strong foundation for learning and thrives in school and beyond." Tassaduq Hussain Mir, Director of School Education, Jammu & Kashmir, noted, "I am heartened by the efforts of DEVI Sansthan to bring about this paradigm shift in educational pedagogy. Events like these are critical for transforming FLN systems nationwide and aligning our educational goals with global standards." "One of the critical challenges we face in Uttar Pradesh is the high teacher-pupil ratio, particularly in rural areas. While we strive to ensure quality education, an imbalance in this ratio often hinders personalized attention and learning outcomes. Collaborative efforts like the Leadership Circle provide us with innovative strategies and scalable solutions to bridge this gap and strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy across the state", a teacher from Barabanki (UP) voiced. "The success of foundational literacy lies in the synergy between the child, teacher, and mother. By involving mothers actively in the ALfA program alongside teachers, we aim to create a triangle of support that fosters a nurturing and impactful learning environment. This holistic approach ensures that learning extends beyond the classroom and strengthens the child's foundation for lifelong education", a Delhi-based educationist voiced. The Leadership Circle concluded with the creation of a collaborative roadmap to fast-track FLN progress in alignment with NIPUN Bharat. Attendees left equipped with evidence-based tools and renewed commitments to strengthen foundational education across their states. As DEVI Sansthan expands its reach, its ALfA pedagogy continues to empower children, women, and underserved communities, setting a benchmark for literacy efforts in India. Through partnerships and innovation, the organization remains dedicated to building a brighter future for every learner in the country. About DEVI Sansthan DEVI Sansthan (Dignity Education Vision International), established in 1992 and based in Lucknow, is a nonprofit organization committed to accelerating foundational literacy and numeracy for children and adults. By partnering with governments, NGOs, schools, and corporations, DEVI Sansthan delivers effective and holistic education solutions to underserved communities. (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) JAKARTA - More than 110 Rohingya refugees came ashore in Indonesia's Aceh province on Saturday after their boat nearly sank, officials from the U.N. refugee agency and local government said, as growing numbers arrive by sea in the Southeast Asian country. The mainly Muslim Rohingya, who are originally from Myanmar and constitute the world's largest stateless population, usually escape poor conditions in refugee camps on rickety boats to Thailand or Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia between October and April, when the seas are calmer. About 400 Rohingya arrived by boat last month in Aceh and North Sumatra province. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mostly women and children, the Rohingya who landed on Saturday were brought ashore after their boat ran into difficulties, an official from the East Aceh regional government, Syamsul Bahri, was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara. "They were rescued by fishermen because the boat they were on allegedly sustained some damage and nearly sank," Syamsul said. Faisal Rahman, a UNHCR official, said a total of 116 refugees came ashore in East Aceh's Birem Bayeun district. Almost 1 million Rohingya are living in camps in Bangladesh in what U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has called "the biggest humanitarian refugee camp in the world". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Buddhist-majority Myanmar they are regarded as foreign interlopers from South Asia and are denied citizenship and subjected to abuse. More than 2,000 Rohingya arrived in Indonesia last year, UNHCR data showed, more than the combined total of arrivals in the previous four years. Indonesia, which is not a signatory of the U.N. refugee convention, has said it has no capacity to accommodate refugees, and some Rohingya have faced hostility in the country as locals become frustrated by the increase in arrivals. (Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Helen Popper) Nov. 30As students, staff, and faculty at Danville Area Community College head home to enjoy their winter break, Dr. Randy Fletcher will step into his new role as interim President of the college. Fletcher is replacing Dr. Stephen Nacco who retired on Oct. 24. Nacco's last day at the college will be Dec. 13. For Fletcher, the move is a homecoming. The Oakwood native taught Developmental English and Composition courses at DACC beginning in 1996 while he worked on completing his Masters degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I feel very honored," Fletcher said. "DACC holds a special place in my heart. It's where I began my career." Fletcher, 55, became the college's first Coordinator of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, serving under Dr. Alice Jacobs from 1999 to 2003. He then served as the Dean of Academic Services under Dave Kietzmann from 2003-2008 while also working as the college librarian. In 2008, Fletcher's career path took him away from DACC when he accepted a position as Dean at Parkland College, a role he kept until 2015. Having completed his Doctorate in Educational Policy, Organization and Leadership from U of I that same year, Fletcher later accepted a position as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Joliet Junior College in 2016, serving in that role until 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the COVID-19 outbreak, Fletcher said it felt like it was time for a change, so he and his family, including his wife and three children, headed south to Satellite Beach, Florida, where Fletcher served as Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, Chief Learning Officer, and Provost of Eastern Florida State College a position he held until June of this year. Since then, Fletcher has been working as a consultant while he searched for the opportunity to serve as a college president, something he always hoped would take him back home to DACC, he said. When Greg Wolfe, new Chair of the Board of Trustees at DACC, reached out to him to weigh his interest in serving as interim president after Nacco's retirement, Fletcher said it was perfect timing. "I was humbled and very excited to accept the position. It has been one of my career goals to serve as president at DACC," Fletcher said. "It's an ever-changing socio-economic region, East Central Illinois, but DACC is an institution that remains very constant." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the last 16 years, Fletcher's experience working outside of Vermilion County has given him a fresh perspective, one he hopes will aid him as he steps into his new role at DACC. As for his plans when he hits the ground running on Monday, Dec. 16, Fletcher said it's all about listening and learning. "It's really important as an incoming leader, and especially for a President, to listen, to meet with all of the students, faculty and staff, as well as community members and business and civic organizations, and just listen and learn," Fletcher said. "I've been gone for 16 years, so it's important just to learn about where Danville is presently, not only in terms of their academic offerings, but the services they provide to students," Fletcher said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is especially interested in speaking with industry leaders to "make sure that there's no skills gaps with those that we train and those that we educate as they move into the workplace, ensuring that that they have work-ready skills when they leave our programs." From there, Fletcher plans to study and implement the strategic planning goals the college set out to accomplish by 2025, and then to begin developing new goals for the next 3-5 years. When his interim contract ends in April, Fletcher has every hope that the college will extend him an offer to serve as the next permanent president a role he hopes to hold throughout the rest of his career. "The Board will hold evaluation meetings throughout the 6-month interim, so it will be up to them to decide if they move toward offering me a permanent contract," Fletcher said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fletcher and his wife plan to keep their home in Florida during the interim, with Fletcher coming home to stay with family in the Oakwood area while his wife splits her time between here and Florida, where their three adult children live. "I was born and raised in Vermilion County. I am fiercely loyal to Vermilion County," Fletcher said. "I want to be present and engaged with both the college and the community, and I want to be a trusted steward of the institution." A beloved St. Paul pub was damaged by fire and thousands of residents lost power overnight when a driver reportedly crashed into a transformer. Patrick McGovern's Pub on West Seventh Street confirmed in an early morning Facebook post that its distinctive corner "turret" caught on fire "after a careless driver hit a transformer and fled the scene last night." Images from Minnesota Department of Transportation cameras show the turret well alight in the early hours of the morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MnDOT, via @NikoLeMieux on Twitter In the aftermath of the incident, the Xcel Energy outage map showed there were more than 13,000 customers in the St. Paul area without power, mostly in the West Seventh, West Side and Summit Hill neighborhoods. As of 7:30 a.m., power has been restored to the majority of those households, with just 124 customers still affected. Big power outage reported in parts of Saint Paul, sounds like it may have been caused by a car crash. pic.twitter.com/Uw7s6NhElR Markie Kelly (@MarcTwinCities) November 30, 2024 McGovern's Pub says that nobody was injured in the fire, and that it will post an update when it has more information about the damage. "For those that have reached out to help, we appreciate you!" the business added. In a statement, St. Paul Police Department says that the crash actually happened several blocks away from McGovern's, at Irvine Avenue and Ramsey Street, where the driver rolled their vehicle into several power lines, causing a transformer to catch fire, and leaving several live wires on the street when responders arrived at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around the same time, police received a report of a live power line down at West Seventh and Chestnut Avenue, next to McGovern's, with a Good Samaritan using his vehicle to block the road to stop anyone from coming into contact with it. Police requested Xcel Energy shut down the power in the area so the downed wires at both scenes could be safely moved. "Xcel Energy and Saint Paul Fire will need to weigh in on this, but a theory is that this crash is believed to have caused a power line to come down in the area of W. 7th Street and Chestnut Street near McGovern's," the department said. "The driver was not located and it is unknown if they were injured or if anyone else was in the vehicle at the time of the crash," St. Paul PD said. "The investigation into who was driving and the circumstances leading to the crash is ongoing." Patrick McGovern's Pub Google Streetview Related: Another chance of snow in Minnesota this week? A man was hospitalized for serious injuries after he crashed into a traffic signal pole in Orange County early morning Friday, police say. Irvine Police posted a photo on Instagram that shows the traffic signal pole sticking out almost halfway through the car. In the caption, the police department says the crash happened at 1:03 a.m. on Friday at the intersection of Modjeska and Still Night roads in Irvine. A photo posted by the Irvine Police Departments Instagram account shows a traffic signal pole sticking out almost halfway through a car involved in a single-vehicle crash. November 2024. We rapidly responded to the scene with our Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) partners, writes Irvine PD. They quickly rescued the driver from the vehicle and transported him to the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department says the driver was seriously injured. Our thoughts are with him during his recovery, the Instagram caption adds. Irvine Police did not provide an update on the drivers status as of Friday evening. Details are limited and police did not identify the driver nor offer any further information as to what caused the crash. Irvine Police asked anyone with information about the crash to contact the department at jbalos@cityofirvine.org. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Depending on where you live, you might be heading back to the voting booth. Early voting begins Monday, Dec. 2 and runs through Tuesday, Dec. 10, including Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7 and 8. Election Day is Saturday, Dec. 14. In the City of El Paso, the mayor and five City Council seats are being contested in the runoff, after no one in those races secured a majority of the vote during the general election on Nov. 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the mayors race, businessman and political newcomer Renard Johnson and city Rep. for District 1 Brian Kennedy emerged from an eight-person field to succeed incumbent Oscar Leeser. Leeser is barred by term limits from seeking another term. Here is a breakdown of the City Council races: In District 1, school administrator Monica Reyes is facing Alejandra Ale Chavez, a former restaurant owner. They are running to serve the unexpired term of Kennedy, who is having to resign his seat on the City Council to run for mayor. In District 3, Deanna Maldonado-Rocha is facing off with Jose Rodriguez. They are vying to succeed incumbent Cassandra Hernandez, who served two terms and ran for mayor. Maldonado-Rocha is a capacity analyst in the health-care industry and Rodriguez is a Realtor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In District 4, incumbent Joe Chief Molinar is in a runoff with challenger Cynthia Boyar Trejo. Molinar is finishing his first term in office. Boyar Trejo is a first-time candidate and a business owner. In District 5, Ivan Nino, the chief of staff for city Rep. Isabel Salcido, is facing off with Amanda Cunningham, a social services worker and consultant. They are seeking to fill the unexpired term of Salcido, who is having to vacate her seat on the council after running unsuccessfully for mayor. In District 7, Lily Limon, a retired educator and former city representative, is facing Chris Hernandez, who is currently serving as a trustee on the Ysleta Independent School Board. They are vying to succeed Henry Rivera, who is finishing up his second term on council and couldnt run for re-election. Also in the runoff is Municipal Court No. 4 pitting incumbent judge and attorney Lauren Ferris against attorney Samuel Flores. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Socorro, Irene Rojas and Enrique Cisneros are in a runoff for City Council District 4. Incumbent Yvonne Colon-Villalobos was defeated on Nov. 5, but neither Cisneros nor Rojas were able to secure a majority of the vote. You can click here to find an early voting location near you and their hours of operation. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. ARUSHA, Tanzania (AP) East African heads of state made another push for peace in eastern Congo on Saturday but its prospects remained bleak following a regional summit that was marked by the Congolese president's absence and an early departure of his Rwandan counterpart. A communique read at the end of the closed-door meeting of the East African Community in Arusha, Tanzania, only stated the need to combine regional and broader peace initiatives for sustainable peace in eastern Congo. Violence has reemerged in one of the world's most protracted conflicts in eastern Congo, where Congos government accused the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group of ethnic cleansing in mineral-rich areas close to Rwanda's border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rwandan President Paul Kagame left shortly after the closed-door meeting in Arusha. There was no official explanation for Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi's absence at the summit. Congo alleges that Rwanda has been involved in war crimes in the east, and U.S. and U.N. experts accuse it of giving military backing to M23. Rwanda denies the claim, but in February admitted that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a buildup of Congolese forces near the border. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo. A July truce brokered by the United States and Angola has reduced the fighting between Rwandan and Congolese forces, but fighting between M23 and other militias continues. Other leaders at the summit were Presidents Salva Kiir of South Sudan, Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, William Ruto of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia. Burundi was represented by its vice president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ruto was elected as the new chairperson of the EAC Summit, succeeding Kiir. Our focus must be on increasing competitiveness, promoting value-added production and boosting intra-regional trade to create jobs and transform our economies, Ruto said. He also urged member states to remain committed to the timely disbursement of statutory contributions to sustain the blocs operations. Nov. 29A preschool teacher at a Tijeras day care has been charged in the rape of a 5-year-old in an investigation that lasted almost a year. Michael Kimball, 32, who worked at NM Early Learning Academy, is charged with criminal sexual penetration in the December 2023 case. The school could not be reached Friday, and it is unclear if he is still employed there. "It's important to remember that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. There is always more to the story than what appears this early in a case," District Defender Dennica Torres, with the Law Offices of the Public Defender, said in a statement about the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Samantha Kimball, Kimball's wife, told the Journal that "the accusations are completely false." " During the investigation, Michael Kimball told Bernalillo County deputies that the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department had investigated allegations made against him "four years ago" when he worked at La Petite Academy day care in Albuquerque, according to court records. A man's DNA was found on the underwear of the girl who accused Kimball of assault but there was not enough DNA to determine who it came from. A CYFD spokeswoman did not respond to a message seeking comment and clarification on the prior allegations against Kimball. Samantha Kimball told the Journal "that was also a false allegation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimball was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Monday. Prosecutors filed a motion to keep Michael Kimball behind bars until trial, saying he "should not be allowed anywhere near children of any age." The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office began investigating the case in December 2023, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. A woman told deputies her daughter told her "Mr. Mike," identified as Kimball, a teacher at her preschool, had raped her more than a month earlier, according to deputies. The mother said she hadn't come forward sooner because "she was afraid to speak about it and brought up past trauma she had faced when she lived in Honduras." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mother gave deputies the daughter's underwear from the day of the alleged rape, the complaint states. The child told deputies the incident happened in the library of the preschool. NM Learning Academy leadership told deputies that Kimball had started working at the school in July 2023 and they had not been aware of any past "complaints or concerns," according to deputies. The preschool administrators said the girl had stopped coming to school in November, a month before the abuse was reported. Kimball told deputies he never touched the girl "or any other student in that manner," the complaint states. When asked, he told deputies the only reason his DNA would be on the girl's underwear was if he handed her a fresh pair if she had an accident but Kimball couldn't recall any accidents. Deputies found no documented accidents or related underwear changes for the child in the preschool's records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimball told deputies "there was a CYFD investigation conducted four years ago where he was the alleged perpetrator," according to deputies. Kimball didn't go into specifics of that case, which occurred while he worked at La Petite, but told deputies "he was cleared" through the investigation. On Dec. 15, deputies sent the girl's underwear to be tested for DNA. No more is documented in the complaint until September of this year, when BCSO received results that male DNA had been found in the underwear, the complaint states. It is unclear why it took almost a year to get DNA results back and a BCSO spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment and clarification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The BCSO detective wrote in the complaint that the 5-year-old's consistent retelling of the alleged abuse in three different settings, weeks apart, "lends credibility to the truth of the statement." "It is difficult for children as young as five years old to make a consistent statement over time that is untruthful," according to deputies. Nov. 30The protection of Indiana's wetlands has diminished in the past four years although our lawmakers tend to hide that trend. For example, during the last session the Indiana Legislature passed a bill that expanded an existing program that offers a voluntary incentive for preserving a wetland. That's a good concept that lowers property taxes for owners of those wetlands. However, that program is voluntary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not voluntary was a House bill, signed into law, that reduced the number of wetlands protected by the state. The move encourages construction on those sites. Hoosiers have seen a 75% decrease in acres devoted to wetlands since 2021, according to the Hoosier Environmental Council. Those lands have rarely had their environmental functions replaced. Indiana has long been in need of a comprehensive water policy, one that looks long-range into future water supplies. This has proved critical as the state moves ahead with a massive district in Boone County devoted to industries that require millions of gallons daily in an area with a dearth of rivers. Also to that point, the White River Alliance gave the local White River watershed an "F" in the category of wetland change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All this follows a 2022 report by the Environmental Integrity Project that found Indiana at the top of the list for having the most total miles of rivers and streams classified as impaired (or unusable) for swimming and recreation involving water contact. Wetlands collect excess stormwater, reducing the threat of flooding. They store up to 1.5 million gallons of water per acre. And wetlands purify water while providing habitats for animals. Indiana has indeed benefited from the guidelines of the federal Clean Water Act rules attacking pollution but there are wide gaps that work against Hoosiers. Management of Indiana's use of water hasn't been comprehensively updated in more than a decade. And, at best, the 2010 set of best conservation practices were far from complete and not mandatory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A good conservation program must include ongoing audits of water use, a prioritization of ways to reuse sources, industrial safeguards against pollution and creation of a plan to prevent water shortages. If the task is too cumbersome for our current state legislators, then they should begin tackling ways to protect our critical wetland resources. Wisconsin voters line up outside of a Milwaukee polling place on Nov. 5. Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde is one of the Republican politicians who sowed doubt about the integrity of this years election. (Andy Manis/Getty Images) President-elect Donald Trump may have quieted his lies about widespread voter fraud after his win earlier this month, but the impact of his effort to cast doubt on the integrity of American elections lingers on. Although this post-election period has been markedly calmer than the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, there were isolated flare-ups of Republican candidates borrowing a page from Trumps playbook to claim that unsatisfactory election results were illegitimate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Wisconsin, Republican U.S. Senate challenger Eric Hovde spread unsubstantiated rumors about last-minute absentee ballots in Milwaukee that he said flipped the outcome of the race. Though he conceded to incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin nearly two weeks after the election, his rhetoric helped stoke a spike in online conspiracy theories. The Milwaukee Election Commission disputed his claims, saying they lack any merit. In North Carolina, Republican state Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters last week he feared that the vote-counting process for a state Supreme Court seat was rigged for Democrats. Karen Brinson Bell, the head of the State Board of Elections, skewered Berger for his comments, saying they could inspire violence. And in Arizona, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, who has spent two years disputing her defeat in the 2022 governors race, hasnt acknowledged her Senate loss. While she thanked her supporters in a video posted to X, the platform formerly called Twitter, she stopped short of conceding to Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego. Republicans disinformation campaigns have caused Americans confidence in elections to plummet and exposed local election officials to threats and harassment, and some observers worry about a return of the GOPs destructive rhetoric the next time they lose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to turn this rhetoric down, said Jay Young, senior director of voting and democracy for Common Cause, a voting rights group. There cannot be this continued attack on this institution. Still, many politicians who either denied the 2020 election results or criticized their local voting processes won election. In Arizona, for example, voters chose state Rep. Justin Heap, a Republican, to lead the election office in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and the largest jurisdiction in the critical swing state. Heap ran on a voter confidence platform and suggested at a Trump rally that Maricopas election office is a national laughingstock. Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to oversee the U.S. Department of Justice. Bondi, a Republican, served as an attorney for Trump while he disputed the results in 2020. She could use her position as U.S. attorney general to prosecute election officials involved in that election, as Trump promised in an X post in September. While the rhetoric around stolen elections has been somewhat muted among the GOP ranks since Trumps victory, conservatives attempted to flip the election denial script on Democrats in at least one race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to turn this rhetoric down. Jay Young, Common Causes senior director of voting and democracy In Pennsylvania, Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey refused to concede defeat until last Thursday, two weeks after The Associated Press called the race for Republican challenger David McCormick. Casey lost by fewer than 16,000 votes, less than half a percentage point. Casey said he wanted to see the results of an automatic recount and various court cases filed on his behalf, but Republicans jumped on his refusal to bow out quickly. Last week, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who resisted pressure from Trump in 2020 to find votes after he lost the state, lambasted Casey for not conceding the Senate race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Election denialism needs to end, now, Raffensperger wrote in a statement. We are a country of laws and principles, not of men and personalities. Do your job! Follow the law. Accept election results or lose your country. Even as Republicans mostly toned down their rhetoric this year, some left-wing social media accounts repeated a debunked conspiracy theory that Starlink, the internet provider owned by billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk, changed vote counts. Those posts, however, arent comparable to GOP election denialism, according to the University of Washingtons Center for an Informed Public, which fights strategic misinformation. While the claims are similar, the rumoring dynamics on the left are markedly different due to the lack of endorsement or amplification by left-leaning influencers, candidates, or party elites, the center posted last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young, of Common Cause, said its clear that election disinformation of any kind has a devastating impact on the local officials tasked with administering the vote. Threats to election workers continued even after Election Day. Bomb threats were called into election offices in California, Minnesota, Oregon and other states, forcing evacuations as workers were tallying ballots. But this was just a slice of the onslaught many officials faced over the past four years. Local election officials need the resources to beef up the way they fight disinformation and physical attacks, Young said. We should be doing better by them, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and X. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Wisconsin voters line up outside of a Milwaukee polling place on Nov. 5. Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde is one of the Republican politicians who sowed doubt about the integrity of this years election. (Andy Manis/Getty Images) President-elect Donald Trump may have quieted his lies about widespread voter fraud after his win earlier this month, but the impact of his effort to cast doubt on the integrity of American elections lingers on. Although this post-election period has been markedly calmer than the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, there were isolated flare-ups of Republican candidates borrowing a page from Trumps playbook to claim that unsatisfactory election results were illegitimate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Wisconsin, Republican U.S. Senate challenger Eric Hovde spread unsubstantiated rumors about last-minute absentee ballots in Milwaukee that he said flipped the outcome of the race. Though he conceded to incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin nearly two weeks after the election, his rhetoric helped stoke a spike in online conspiracy theories. The Milwaukee Election Commission disputed his claims, saying they lack any merit. In North Carolina, Republican state Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters last week he feared that the vote-counting process for a state Supreme Court seat was rigged for Democrats. Karen Brinson Bell, the head of the State Board of Elections, skewered Berger for his comments, saying they could inspire violence. And in Arizona, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, who has spent two years disputing her defeat in the 2022 governors race, hasnt acknowledged her Senate loss. While she thanked her supporters in a video posted to X, the platform formerly called Twitter, she stopped short of conceding to Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego. Republicans disinformation campaigns have caused Americans confidence in elections to plummet and exposed local election officials to threats and harassment, and some observers worry about a return of the GOPs destructive rhetoric the next time they lose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to turn this rhetoric down, said Jay Young, senior director of voting and democracy for Common Cause, a voting rights group. There cannot be this continued attack on this institution. Still, many politicians who either denied the 2020 election results or criticized their local voting processes won election. In Arizona, for example, voters chose state Rep. Justin Heap, a Republican, to lead the election office in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and the largest jurisdiction in the critical swing state. Heap ran on a voter confidence platform and suggested at a Trump rally that Maricopas election office is a national laughingstock. Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to oversee the U.S. Department of Justice. Bondi, a Republican, served as an attorney for Trump while he disputed the results in 2020. She could use her position as U.S. attorney general to prosecute election officials involved in that election, as Trump promised in an X post in September. While the rhetoric around stolen elections has been somewhat muted among the GOP ranks since Trumps victory, conservatives attempted to flip the election denial script on Democrats in at least one race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to turn this rhetoric down. Jay Young, Common Causes senior director of voting and democracy In Pennsylvania, Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey refused to concede defeat until last Thursday, two weeks after The Associated Press called the race for Republican challenger David McCormick. Casey lost by fewer than 16,000 votes, less than half a percentage point. Casey said he wanted to see the results of an automatic recount and various court cases filed on his behalf, but Republicans jumped on his refusal to bow out quickly. Last week, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who resisted pressure from Trump in 2020 to find votes after he lost the state, lambasted Casey for not conceding the Senate race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Election denialism needs to end, now, Raffensperger wrote in a statement. We are a country of laws and principles, not of men and personalities. Do your job! Follow the law. Accept election results or lose your country. Even as Republicans mostly toned down their rhetoric this year, some left-wing social media accounts repeated a debunked conspiracy theory that Starlink, the internet provider owned by billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk, changed vote counts. Those posts, however, arent comparable to GOP election denialism, according to the University of Washingtons Center for an Informed Public, which fights strategic misinformation. While the claims are similar, the rumoring dynamics on the left are markedly different due to the lack of endorsement or amplification by left-leaning influencers, candidates, or party elites, the center posted last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young, of Common Cause, said its clear that election disinformation of any kind has a devastating impact on the local officials tasked with administering the vote. Threats to election workers continued even after Election Day. Bomb threats were called into election offices in California, Minnesota, Oregon and other states, forcing evacuations as workers were tallying ballots. But this was just a slice of the onslaught many officials faced over the past four years. Local election officials need the resources to beef up the way they fight disinformation and physical attacks, Young said. We should be doing better by them, he said. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and X. Union Finance and Corporate Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday encouraged women to come out and take advantage of the Union Government's programs. Addressing a gathering during her Credit Outreach Program in Madhubani today, she said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been putting emphasis on creating 'Lakhpati Didis' in every village, and banks are giving support to make the initiative successful. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji says that there should be Lakhpati Didi in every village of the country. For that, whatever work has to be done by the banks, they are doing it. Financial assistance and training are being given to women through every self-help group (SHG). Due to our training, women have been able to earn a lot. I request you all to come forward and participate in schemes which are being brought to you by the banks," she said, addressing the gathering in Hindi. Sitharaman on Friday handed over sanction letters from banks to beneficiaries under various Central Government schemes during the Credit Outreach Programme in Madhubani, Bihar. Loans worth Rs 1,121 crore were disbursed during the credit outreach to more than 50,000 beneficiaries, Nirmala Sitharaman's office said in a post on social media X. The schemes under which the sanction letters have been issued include PM MUDRA, PMEGP, Kisan Credit Card (Crop), KCC (Animal Husbandry & Fisheries), Stand Up India, PM-SVANidhi, PM Vishwakarma, Retail, MSMEs, SHGs, Agricultural Loans, etc., as per the post. The Union Finance Minister, during the Credit Outreach Programme, distributed copies of the Constitution of India in Maithili and Sanskrit languages--which were released recently on Samvidhan Diwas--to various people during the Credit Outreach Programme in Madhubani, Bihar. Sitharaman also visited the stalls and interacted with the stall owners, who have benefited from various schemes of the central and state governments during the program. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Member of Parliament Sanjay Kumar Jha participated in the event. On Friday, Sitharaman chaired a credit outreach program in Darbhanga, Bihar. During the program, loans worth Rs 1,388 crore were distributed to 49,137 beneficiaries by various banks, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Finance. Sitharaman, along with other dignitaries, visited around 25 stalls showcasing various local products and handicrafts created by entrepreneurs financed by banks and NABARD. (ANI) Wisconsin voters line up outside of a Milwaukee polling place on Nov. 5, 2024. (Andy Manis/Getty Images) President-elect Donald Trump may have quieted his lies about widespread voter fraud after his win earlier this month, but the impact of his effort to cast doubt on the integrity of American elections lingers on. Although this post-election period has been markedly calmer than the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, there were isolated flare-ups of Republican candidates borrowing a page from Trumps playbook to claim that unsatisfactory election results were illegitimate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Wisconsin, Republican U.S. Senate challenger Eric Hovde spread unsubstantiated rumors about last-minute absentee ballots in Milwaukee that he said flipped the outcome of the race. Though he conceded to incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin nearly two weeks after the election, his rhetoric helped stoke a spike in online conspiracy theories. The Milwaukee Election Commission disputed his claims, saying they lack any merit. In North Carolina, Republican state Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters last week he feared that the vote-counting process for a state Supreme Court seat was rigged for Democrats. Karen Brinson Bell, the head of the State Board of Elections, skewered Berger for his comments, saying they could inspire violence. And in Arizona, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, who has spent two years disputing her defeat in the 2022 governors race, hasnt acknowledged her Senate loss. While she thanked her supporters in a video posted to X, the platform formerly called Twitter, she stopped short of conceding to Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego. Republicans disinformation campaigns have caused Americans confidence in elections to plummet and exposed local election officials to threats and harassment, and some observers worry about a return of the GOPs destructive rhetoric the next time they lose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to turn this rhetoric down, said Jay Young, senior director of voting and democracy for Common Cause, a voting rights group. There cannot be this continued attack on this institution. Still, many politicians who either denied the 2020 election results or criticized their local voting processes won election. In Arizona, for example, voters chose state Rep. Justin Heap, a Republican, to lead the election office in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and the largest jurisdiction in the critical swing state. Heap ran on a voter confidence platform and suggested at a Trump rally that Maricopas election office is a national laughingstock. Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to oversee the U.S. Department of Justice. Bondi, a Republican, served as an attorney for Trump while he disputed the results in 2020. She could use her position as U.S. attorney general to prosecute election officials involved in that election, as Trump promised in an X post in September. While the rhetoric around stolen elections has been somewhat muted among the GOP ranks since Trumps victory, conservatives attempted to flip the election denial script on Democrats in at least one race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to turn this rhetoric down. Jay Young, Common Cause In Pennsylvania, Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey refused to concede defeat until last Thursday, two weeks after The Associated Press called the race for Republican challenger David McCormick. Casey lost by fewer than 16,000 votes, less than half a percentage point. Casey said he wanted to see the results of an automatic recount and various court cases filed on his behalf, but Republicans jumped on his refusal to bow out quickly. Last week, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who resisted pressure from Trump in 2020 to find votes after he lost the state, lambasted Casey for not conceding the Senate race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Election denialism needs to end, now, Raffensperger wrote in a statement. We are a country of laws and principles, not of men and personalities. Do your job! Follow the law. Accept election results or lose your country. Even as Republicans mostly toned down their rhetoric this year, some left-wing social media accounts repeated a debunked conspiracy theory that Starlink, the internet provider owned by billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk, changed vote counts. Those posts, however, arent comparable to GOP election denialism, according to the University of Washingtons Center for an Informed Public, which fights strategic misinformation. While the claims are similar, the rumoring dynamics on the left are markedly different due to the lack of endorsement or amplification by left-leaning influencers, candidates, or party elites, the center posted last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young, of Common Cause, said its clear that election disinformation of any kind has a devastating impact on the local officials tasked with administering the vote. Threats to election workers continued even after Election Day. Bomb threats were called into election offices in California, Minnesota, Oregon and other states, forcing evacuations as workers were tallying ballots. But this was just a slice of the onslaught many officials faced over the past four years. Local election officials need the resources to beef up the way they fight disinformation and physical attacks, Young said. We should be doing better by them, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE This report was first published by Stateline, part of the States Newsroom nonprofit news network. Its supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and X. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has long promised to make humanity interplanetary by establishing a permanent outpost on Mars. With the help of his space company's gigantic Starship rocket, the mercurial entrepreneur wants to ensure the "long-term survival of consciousness" by ferrying a million settlers to permanent residency on the Red Planet by 2050. But his lofty plans for a highly risky space colony over 100 million miles away from home could be doomed from the start. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As biologist and author Kelly Weinersmith and her husband, cartoon artist Zach Weinersmith, detail in their painstakingly researched 2023 book "A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?" the planet is a terrible choice for a settlement. In fact, they predict, the effort could rapidly devolve into a drawn-out and extremely expensive humanitarian disaster of epic proportions. In a new interview with CNN, the pair elaborated on their newfound skepticism. "The more we got into it by year two out of the four-year research process, we were like, OK, theres a lot of stuff we dont know that we still need to figure out," Kelly told the broadcaster. "And if we do this soon, it could be an ethical catastrophe." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No way that you could scale up to a million people on Mars without something catastrophic happening," she continued, "either in terms of it turns out we cant have babies up there, and moms and babies are dying or getting cancer." "If you want to do this, its got to be the slow work of generations to build up to a point where we could be self-sustaining on Mars," she added. In the short-term, however, the Red Planet could prove a great place for "lots of research," according to Kelly. "Maybe in our lifetime, well see people land on Mars, do some exploration and come home, that could happen, but I dont think were going to have babies on Mars," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reproduction in particular could be a major problem due to the planet's immense amount of space radiation exposure. The effects of microgravity in space or just 38 percent of Earth's gravity on the surface of Mars could also be a major complicating factor. "We were just surprised by how many problems we thought we had a handle on," Kelly told CNN. "But it turns out that we have very little relevant data for how adults will do, let alone how having babies would work out." The authors' concerns closely echo other experts who have criticized Musk's plans for colonizing Mars. Beyond political, technological, and ethical questions, it could end up being prohibitively expensive, even for the richest man in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then there are the existential threats we're facing back on Earth, like an environmental crisis that's being actively worsened by Musk's many businesses. During a March event, former president Barack Obama slammed the plans of Silicon Valley "tycoons, many of whom are building spaceships" that could get humans to Mars," as quoted by Agence France-Presse. "But when I hear some of the people talk about the plan to colonize Mars because the Earth environment may become so degraded that it becomes unliveable, I look at them like, what are you talking about?" he said at the time. "Even after a nuclear war, Earth would be more liveable than Mars, even if we didn't do anything about [climate change] it would still have oxygen as far as we can tell, Mars does not," Obama added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In short, is Mars really the best place to call our next home away from home? To Musk, it's about the "excitement and adventure," as he said during a virtual Mars conference in 2020. And those willing to turn a blind eye to his deeply twisted worldview will have to literally put their lives on the line to see his vision for a Mars colony through. "Not for the faint of heart," he added at the time. "Good chance youll die. And its going to be tough, tough going, but itll be pretty glorious if it works out." More on Mars: NASA Mars Rover Exploring Spiderweb-Like Patterns on Mars UPDATE: The man was located safely, according to police. ST. LOUIS The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has issued an Endangered Silver Advisory for an 82-year-old man Friday. The advisory is the man who went to warm up his vehicle just before 1 p.m. According to police, he suffers from dementia and frequent memory issues and does not have his phone or wallet with him. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. ENGLEWOOD, Ohio (WDTN) A road in Englewood is closed until further notice after a car crash Saturday morning. The Englewood Police Department reports Union Boulevard between Gateway Drive and I-70 is closed indefinitely due to hazards in the roadway. Teens uninjured after car crashes, catches fire Police say a car crash caused damaged after a vehicle severed a power pole and hit another pole as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please use an alternate travel route, a post on social media says. It is unknown when the road is expected to reopen. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. California residents were issued evacuation warnings after a fire that began on Thanksgiving Day engulfed hundreds of acres. The Canyon Crest Fire, located south of Hwy 60, near Canyon Crest Drive in Riverside County, ignited at 8 p.m. on November 28. By Friday, it had scorched 254 acres. A large augmentation of fire engines, crews, bulldozers and night flying-water dropping helicopters assisted in the suppression of the fire yesterday, a news release from Cal Fire stated. Resources worked on containment throughout the night in challenging terrain with light flashy fuels and east blowing winds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials issued evacuation warnings for parts of Riverside County, including North of 60 Fwy, East of County Village Road and south of Riverside/San Bernardino County Line and West of Sierra Ave. On Friday afternoon, Cal Fire announced the warnings had been lifted for Jurupa Valley. The fire is 15 percent contained. Firefighters will remain on-scene throughout the night to continue to strengthen containment lines, the agency announced. Riverside County Fire is investigating the incident. Its not clear what caused the blaze but fire officials wrote on Thursday that they were responding to a vegetation fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flames interrupted Thanksgiving meals. Cindy Gonzalez told Fox 11: Its really frightening that in a second everything could be gone. She and her family were about to sit down to Thanksgiving dinner when they received the evacuation notice. We had already set the timer for dinner and [then] we didnt even have an appetite, Gonzalez told the outlet. We were loading the car, getting our papers ready. It was really scary. She continued: On a day everyone was with their family, were really appreciative of the firefighters, said Gonzalez. Residents were encouraged to pack up their belongings in case the fire reached their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We got home and got our pets, because they were alone, Alyssa Delarosa said. We already had our meal and everything, but it kind of ruined the mood. Approximately 213 firefighters and 37 fire engines are battling the fire. Nov. 30More than 100 Maine families have avoided losing their homes this month thanks to a new statewide program designed to prevent evictions. But MaineHousing's eviction prevention program has proven more popular than anticipated, and there are more than 1,200 families in line for help and another 200 on a waiting list. All are hoping for their share of a rapidly dwindling pile of money. Victoria Morales, executive director of the Quality Housing Coalition, said the agency knew the need was great, but that the extent was even more than expected. The Quality Housing Coalition is the program administrator, meaning the nonprofit is charged with receiving the applications, processing them based on eligibility and passing them along to MaineHousing, which makes the payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're receiving 200 calls a day," Morales said. "We knew we're in a housing crisis, we know we need supply, we know we have high point-in-time (homelessness) counts, we know we have a high risk of evictions but I don't think any of us appreciated how many of us are in need of this kind of support and housing debt relief." A 'LIFE-CHANGING' DIFFERENCE The one-year pilot program provides up to $800 a month in rent relief and a one-time payment to catch up on back rent, paid directly to the person's landlord. The $18 million program is designed to target Mainers most vulnerable for eviction those making less than 60% of the area median income and paying less than 125% of fair market rent for the area in which they live. They cannot be living in subsidized housing or using a federal housing voucher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Portland, that includes an individual making less than $49,749, or $70,980 for a family of four, according to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. MaineHousing lists "fair market" rent in the Portland metro area as $1,563 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,011 for a two-bedroom, including utilities. Fair market means that 40% of standard-quality rental units are rented for less money. Real estate company Zillow, meanwhile, lists the average rent as $1,963 for a one-bedroom and $2,500 for a two-bedroom, not expressly including utilities. Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, pushed for the program's inclusion in the budget and said this spring that the $800 is enough money to make a "life-changing" difference for many Mainers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A $300 or $400 subsidy would be really helpful for somebody, but for people with really low incomes, that would not be enough to keep them housed," he said at the time. PAYING OFF HOUSING DEBT The state has received more than 1,200 applications, with approximately 200 more on the waitlist. More than $525,000 has been distributed to landlords, and $15.8 million of the $18 million is spoken for. Just 49 applications have been disqualified or withdrawn. Applications have come from all 16 counties, with the highest numbers originating from Cumberland, Penobscot, Androscoggin and York counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Statewide, families on average have received $756 per month on top of an additional payment of $4,834 in back rent. In Portland, where only 76 applications have been submitted, the average monthly payment is $800, with just shy of $6,000 in back rent paid. The money is limited and won't be enough to address everyone's needs, but Morales anticipates helping more than 1,000 families. The first payments went out the last week of October, and within three weeks, people were joining the waitlist. For the roughly 40% of renters who can't afford their housing, the payment of their housing debt makes room for meeting other needs, like car repairs or family expenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Having that extra cash can really help people move to that next stage in their life," Morales said. MORE FUNDING NEEDED MaineHousing wasn't surprised by the demand, spokesperson Scott Thistle said. The popularity only underscores a need that goes beyond a one-time infusion of $18 million. "The uptake on this just shows how incredibly difficult it would be to sustain a program like this with only state funding," he said, adding that whether there can be other rounds is a decision for the Legislature. Aside from the immediate goal of keeping about 3,000 adults and children housed over the winter, the program also aims to help housing advocates learn more about the people it's helping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What's really important is to learn about how folks get in this situation," Thistle said, "to try to help us inform policies going forward that can help prevent that." The housing agencies will check in with recipients in six months to see how they're doing and if they're still eligible. They will complete a housing survey to gauge what the program has done so far and if and how they're planning to avoid housing insecurity in the future, though Morales noted that they're not blaming the recipients for their circumstances. "We do have a statewide housing crisis," she said. EVICTION FILINGS TRENDING DOWN Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eviction filings are down so far this year compared to previous years. In the first nine months of the year, there were 3,517 eviction filings (which are not the same as evictions) compared to the same period last year, when there were 4,579. Experts are divided on why the numbers are trending down when the housing crisis seems to only be worsening. Some say that it's a sign things are improving, while others argue that last year was the anomaly evictions rose when the pandemic-related eviction moratoriums expired, so the decrease in 2024 showed things returning to normal. There were 3,989 filings in 2019, before the pandemic-era stays on evictions. It's too soon to say what impact the program may have on eviction filings for 2024 and 2025, but Morales said keeping people housed can only mean good things. "Our economy just can't survive and our businesses just can't survive if the people working there (and) their children are going to lose their housing," she said. Copy the Story Link Scott Gottlieb, who served as Food and Drug Administration commissioner during Donald Trumps first term, is seriously alarmed at the president-elects intention to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy is a vocal skeptic of vaccines and other mainstream public health measures. His stated intentions include removing all fluoride from public drinking water, undermining vaccination efforts and gutting the FDA, an agency under the HHS umbrella. If RFK follows through on his intentions and I believe he will, and I believe he can it will cost lives in this country, Gottlieb said Friday on CNBCs Squawk Box. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre going to see measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates go down, he said, citing research that suggests just a 5% drop in measles vaccinations would likely have an outsized impact and lead to large measles outbreaks. For every 1,000 cases of measles that occur in children, there will be one death, Gottlieb said. And we are not good in this country at diagnosing and treating measles. If you look at the outbreak in Ohio, 30% of the kids were hospitalized, you look at the outbreak in Minnesota, 20% were hospitalized. Trumps former FDA commissioner on RFK Jr and vaccines today. If he follows through on his intentions it will cost lives, said @ScottGottliebMD. Gottlieb laid out several scenarios linked to the effect of falling vaccination rates, such as a rise in child measles deaths. pic.twitter.com/kUKH49Vuth Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) November 29, 2024 (Ohio had a measles outbreak in 2022; Minnesota has had one this year.) Weve lost the ability to diagnose it because doctors arent accustomed to seeing it, Gottlieb said of measles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not sure how people really understand how Kennedys intentions are going to translate into policy, and how serious he is, he added on CNBC. Gottlieb said that he has personally had conversations with Republican senators who will be in charge of confirming Kennedy to the top HHS post. Theres skepticism in the Republican caucus more than, I think, the press is reporting right now, he said, before giving some examples. Theres going to be [agriculture] state senators that are concerned about his impact on food prices. Theres going to be pro-lifers who are concerned about his positions on abortion. Theres going to be a number of pro-public-health-minded senators who have deep concerns about his positions on vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gottlieb also gave examples of potentially devastating actions Kennedy could take with ease, including replacing seasoned officials with handpicked candidates and frustrating the ability of states to use federal funding meant for childhood vaccinations. Trumps pick to run the FDA, Martin Makary, aligns with Kennedy on several topics, such as his concern about the influence of pharmaceutical companies on government policy. Theres a lot of things [Trump officials] could do Day 1, very easily, administratively, and I dont think theres a thing Congress can do, Gottlieb said. Gottlieb is on the board of Pfizer, the drugmaker behind one of the most widely-used COVID-19 vaccines. Asked if that influences his stance on shots for kids an area of particular concern for Kennedy Gottlieb said Pfizer did not make pediatric vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pfizers not in that market, he said. Related... A former Trump administration official thinks Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) could make a formidable candidate for president, warning Republicans not to underestimate her. Monica Crowley, former assistant secretary of public affairs at the Treasury Department, discussed the progressive lawmakers capabilities Friday night on Fox News The Ingraham Angle. Guest host Lisa Boothe first noted how Ocasio-Cortez asked constituents who voted for her but not for Vice President Kamala Harris why they did so. Some mentioned the economy, a need for change, and the war in Gaza, as well as the feeling that Ocasio-Cortez and Donald Trump dont represent the establishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She did this Instagram thing where she reached out to her voters and split-ticket voters for Trump, asking them why they split the ticket, and a lot of them said they like her accessibility. Shes doing these Instagram Lives, and we saw that with Donald Trump as wellbeing willing to sit down with Joe Rogan, going on X, doing these three-hour interviews, Boothe said. Is it fair to rule her out, or is there something there for her? she asked Crowley. Ocasio-Cortez has tremendous grassroots support, Crowley responded, adding that the congresswoman was an early adopter of social media and that she has continued to connect directly with voters. Crowley framed the 2024 election as the country doing away with wokeness and said she doubted that in four years time the populace would reverse course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, she continued, just a word of warning to the Republicans, to my party: Do not underestimate AOC. Shes young, shes vibrant, shes attractive. I think shes wrong on everything, but she does have real grassroots support, and all of the energy and activism in the Democratic Party remains with the revolutionary left, of which she is a part. So, Crowley concluded, every time the Republicans have underestimated the Democrats, we ended up with Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. So, lets not do it again in four years. Canned salmon are the unlikely heroes of an accidental back-of-the-pantry natural history museum, with decades of Alaskan marine ecology preserved in brine and tin. Parasites can tell us a lot about an ecosystem, because they're usually up in the business of several species. But unless they cause some major problem to humans, historically we haven't paid them much attention. That's a problem for parasite ecologists, like Natalie Mastick and Chelsea Wood from the University of Washington, who had been searching for a way to retroactively track the effects parasites had on Pacific Northwestern marine mammals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So when Wood got a call from Seattle's Seafood Products Association, asking if she'd be interested in taking boxes of dusty old expired cans of salmon dating back to the 1970s off their hands, her answer was, unequivocally, yes. The cans had been set aside for decades as part of the association's quality control process, but in the hands of the ecologists, they became an archive of excellently preserved specimens; not of salmon, but of worms. While the idea of worms in your canned fish is a bit stomach-turning, these roughly 0.4-inch (1-centimeter) long marine parasites, anisakids, are harmless to humans when killed during the canning process. "Everyone assumes that worms in your salmon is a sign that things have gone awry," said Wood when the research was published this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But the anisakid life cycle integrates many components of the food web. I see their presence as a signal that the fish on your plate came from a healthy ecosystem." An anisakid worm (circled in red) in a canned salmon fillet. (Natalie Mastick/University of Washington) Anisakids enter the food web when they are eaten by krill, which in turn are eaten by larger species. This is how anisakids end up in the salmon, and eventually, the intestines of marine mammals, where the worms complete their life cycle by reproducing. Their eggs are excreted into the ocean by the mammal, and the cycle begins again. "If a host is not present marine mammals, for example anisakids can't complete their life cycle and their numbers will drop," said Wood, the paper's senior author. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 178 tin cans in the 'archive' contained four different salmon species caught in the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay across a 42-year period (19792021), including 42 cans of chum (Oncorhynchus keta), 22 coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), 62 pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), and 52 sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka). Although the techniques used to preserve the salmon do not, thankfully, keep the worms in pristine condition, the researchers were able to dissect the filets and calculate the number of worms per gram of salmon. A highly degraded anisakid found in canned salmon. ( Natalie Mastick/University of Washington They found worms had increased over time in chum and pink salmon, but not in sockeye or coho. "Seeing their numbers rise over time, as we did with pink and chum salmon, indicates that these parasites were able to find all the right hosts and reproduce," said Mastick, the paper's lead author. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That could indicate a stable or recovering ecosystem, with enough of the right hosts for anisakids." The distribution of canned salmon samples available for each salmon species in each decade. (Mastick et al., Ecology and Evolution, 2024) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it's harder to explain the stable levels of worms in coho and sockeye, especially since the canning process made it difficult to identify the specific species of anisakid. "Though we are confident in our identification to the family level, we could not identify the [anisakids] we detected at the species level," the authors write, "So it is possible that parasites of an increasing species tend to infect pink and chum salmon, while parasites of a stable species tend to infect coho and sockeye." Mastick and colleagues think this novel approach dusty old cans turned ecological archive could fuel many more scientific discoveries. It seems they've opened quite a can of worms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This research was published in Ecology and Evolution. An earlier version of this article was published in April 2024. Related News PRISTINA (Reuters) -An explosion on Friday evening damaged a canal in northern Kosovo supplying water to two coal-fired power plants that generate nearly all of the country's electricity, Prime Minister Albin Kurti said, blaming what he called "a terrorist act" by neighbouring Serbia. There were no immediate reports of injuries and the cause of the blast, which also impacted drinking water supplies, was not clear. Serbian officials did not respond to requests for comment, and Reuters found no immediate evidence of Belgrade's involvement. "This is a criminal and terrorist attack with the aim to destroy our critical infrastructure," Kurti said in a televised address. He said that some of the country could be without power if the problem is not fixed by morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a sign of ethnic tensions between the two Balkan countries, Kurti echoed Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani by blaming Serbian criminal gangs without providing proof. Earlier on Friday, Kosovo police announced increased security measures after two recent attacks where hand grenades were hurled at a police station and municipality building in northern Kosovo where ethnic Serbians live. It was not clear if the incidents were linked. Local media showed pictures of part of the canal destroyed and leaking water and a heavy police presence at the site. Faruk Mujka, the head of water company Ibar-Lepenci, told local news portal Kallxo that an explosive device was thrown into the canal and damaged the wall of a bridge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the water supply, which also feeds drinking water to the capital Pristina, must be halted to fix the problem as soon as possible since it was the main channel for supplying Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK), the country's main power provider. Independence for ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo came in 2008, almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising against Serbian rule. However tensions persist, mainly in the north where the Serb minority refuses to recognise Kosovo's statehood and still sees Belgrade as their capital. The EU's Kosovo ambassador, Aivo Orav, condemned the attack that he said was already "depriving considerable parts of Kosovo from water supply". (Reporting by Fatos Bytyci, writing by Lefteris Papadimas and Edward McAllister, editing by Deepa Babington and Diane Craft) You are here: World Flash Cambodian People's Party (CPP) President and Senate President Samdech Techo Hun Sen will pay an official goodwill visit to China from Dec. 2 to 4. Hun Sen's visit is at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Hu Zhaoming, spokesperson for the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said Saturday. NewsVoir Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 30: Sambhv Steel Tubes Limited, one of the key manufacturers of electric resistance welded ("ERW") steel pipes and structural tubes (hollow section) in India in terms of the installed capacity as of March 31, 2024 (Source: CRISIL Report), has participated in METEC India 2024 - one of the premier regional events for the metal industry happening from November 27 to November 29, 2024, at the Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai, India. SAMBHV Steel Tubes Limited showcased its wide range of products at the exhibition, including Mild steel coils, Stainless steel coils, GP coils, steel door frames, ERW Pipes and Tubes, Pre-Galvanised (GP) pipes, CRFH Pipes. The company has designed an engaging and visually striking stall at the event, providing an immersive experience for visitors to explore its product range and innovative capabilities. The company has a single-location backward-integrated manufacturing facility for ERW steel pipes and tubes, spanning the entire value chain--from raw materials to finished products. Commenting on the company's participation at the exhibition, Vikas Goyal, CEO & MD Sambhv Steel Tubes Limited, said, "METEC India provided us with a platform to explore the advancements in the global market and engage directly with customers and suppliers for strategic discussion and negotiations. The event has opened up opportunities to connect, engage in meaningful dialogue, and drive business growth. A well-curated program featuring exhibition showcases, competitions, technical conferences, and live demonstrations has created a dynamic environment that fosters networking and collaboration." METEC India serves as a platform for the metal industry in Maharashtra, offering opportunities to explore global market trends and engage directly with suppliers and customers for strategic negotiations. The exhibition features exhibitors from various countries, showcasing innovations and expertise. Attracting visitors from diverse industries, including cable and wire manufacturing, automotive components, electrical, construction, equipment manufacturing, amongst others. METEC India serves as a vibrant hub for professionals to connect, share insights, and seize new opportunities across multiple sectors. The return of the international exhibition and conference to Mumbai after two years was eagerly awaited by the Indian metal industry. The Exhibition offered a diverse and enriching experience each day. Day 1 featured the Tube India conference, co-organised by International Tube Association (India Chapter), focusing on "Emerging Opportunities for a Sustainable Future in the Tube & Pipe Industries." Day 2 featured Wire India hosting a technical conference, co-organised by Steel & Metallurgy, addressing "Process Innovation & Application Initiatives towards a Clean, Green, and Efficient Wire & Cable Industry in India." Day 3 delved into "VISION 2047 - 500 MT Steel Production - Initiative Towards Decarbonisation in the Indian Steel Industry," showcasing incremental growth over the years. METEC India 2024 has given a wonderful opportunity to the company for showcasing its products to an audience from various countries. According to CRISIL Report, Sambhv Steel Tubes Limited is the only company in India with a single location backward integrated manufacturing facility for ERW steel pipes and tubes with presence across the value chain as of March 31, 2024. The Company is one of the two players in India manufacturing ERW steel pipes and tubes (along with hollow section pipes and tubes) using narrow-width HR coil, as of March 31, 2024. It is the only player in India to manufacture narrow-width HR coil with backward integration capability, as of March 31, 2024. The Company's backward integration processes allow it to manufacture a range of finished products including ERW black pipes and tubes (hollow section) and galvanized iron ("GI") pipes, using intermediate products such as sponge iron, blooms/slabs and hot rolled ("HR") coil which are manufactured in-house. Disclaimer SAMBHV STEEL TUBES LIMITED is proposing, subject to, receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to undertake an initial public offer of its Equity Shares and has fled the DRHP dated September 30, 2024 with the SEBI. The DRHP is available on the website of the Company at www.sambhv.com, website of SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in, websites of the Stock Exchanges at www.bseindia.com and www.nseindia.com and the BRLMs, i.e. Nuvama Wealth Management Limited and Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Limited at www.nuvama.com and www.motilaloswalgroup.com, respectively. Any Potential investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk. For details, potential investors should refer to the Red Herring Prospectus which may be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the future including the section titled "Risk Factors". Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP filed with the SEBI in making any investment decision. This announcement does not constitute an offer of the Equity Shares for sale in any jurisdiction, including the United States, and the Equity Shares may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the US Securities Act of 1933 or an exemption from registration. Any public offering of the Equity Shares to be made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from the Company and that will contain detailed information about the Company and management, as well as financial statements. However, the Equity Shares are not being offered or sold in the United States. CRISIL Market Intelligence & Analytics (CRISIL MI&A), a division of CRISIL Limited, provides independent research, consulting, risk solutions, and data & analytics to its clients. CRISIL MI&A operates independently of CRISIL's other divisions and subsidiaries, including, CRISIL Ratings Limited. CRISIL MI&A's informed insights and opinions on the economy, industry, capital markets and companies drive impactful decisions for clients across diverse sectors and geographies. CRISIL MI&A's strong benchmarking capabilities, granular grasp of sectors, proprietary analytical frameworks and risk management solutions backed by deep understanding of technology integration, makes it the partner of choice for public & private organisations, multi-lateral agencies, investors and governments for over three decades. For the preparation of the CRISIL Report, CRISIL MI&A has relied on third party data and information obtained from sources which in its opinion are considered reliable. Any forward-looking statements contained in the CRISIL Report are based on certain assumptions, which in its opinion are true as on the date of the CRISIL Report and could fluctuate due to changes in factors underlying such assumptions or events that cannot be reasonably foreseen. CRISIL Report does not consist of any investment advice and nothing contained in this report should be construed as a recommendation to invest/disinvest in any entity. The CRISIL Report is prepared for use in the Offer Documents to be filed by the Company with the RoC, SEBI and the Stock Exchanges in India. (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) PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) A powerful explosion damaged a water canal and temporarily cut water and power supplies to Kosovos cities, the prime minister said Saturday, blaming groups supported by Serbia. At least eight people were arrested. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the blast on Friday in Vrage, 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of capital Pristina, disrupted the supply of water to some cities and major power plants. It followed two other explosions in previous days on buildings of a police station and local authorities in the same area in the north of the country, mostly populated by the ethnic Serb minority. About 15 to 20 kilograms (30 to 45 pounds) of explosives were used to damage the critical infrastructure, according to Kosovo police chief Gazmend Hoxha. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kurti blamed official Belgrade and its criminal structures led by Milan Radoicic, supported by Serb institutions and Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic. Radoicic, a politician and wealthy businessman with ties to Serbias ruling populist party and Vucic, was among 45 people charged in Kosovo in connection with a gunfight last year in which a Kosovar police officer was killed following an incursion by heavily armed Serb gunmen. Only three Serbs have been arrested and the others are at large, including Radoicic, who Pristina says is protected by Belgrade. Kosovo police have detained eight people suspected of being part of the attack, according to Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A big cache of weaponry, ammunition, military and police uniforms, cash and other items were confiscated at 10 locations in the north. Serbia Foreign Minister Marko uric condemned Friday's explosion but also criticized Kurtis ethnonationalist regime rushing to point fingers at Belgrade without evidence. We believe that such premature accusations are a deliberate diversion, uric said. These baseless allegations undermine efforts for constructive dialogue and serve only to escalate tensions in an already delicate situation. The European Union and the United States strongly denounced the explosion and demanded that the perpetrators are brought to justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell spoke on the phone with Kurti to condemn the despicable act of sabotage on Kosovos critical civilian infrastructure and he called "on all stakeholders to cooperate fully with the Kosovo authorities. The U.S. Embassy in Pristina said that these violent actions have no place in a democratic society, and those responsible for these criminal attacks against the legitimate authorities of the Republic of Kosovo should be held accountable. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, who canceled a trip to Brunei because of the incidents, met with diplomatic representatives of Western powers and the EU to express her concern that such attacks aim not only at destabilizing Kosovo but also represent a serious threat to the stability of the whole region. Kosovo-Serbia relations remain tense despite efforts by the international community to normalize them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kosovo was a Serbian province until NATOs 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. Kosovo proclaimed independence in 2008 which is not recognized by Belgrade. Brussels and Washington are urging both sides to implement agreements that Vucic and Kurti reached in February and March last year. They include a commitment by Kosovo to establish an Association of the Serb-Majority Municipalities. Serbia is also expected to deliver on the de facto recognition of Kosovo, which Belgrade still considers its province. The NATO-led international peacekeepers known as KFOR have increased their presence in Kosovo after last years tensions. KFOR has been providing security to the water pipe and to the surrounding areas since Friday night, according to a statement. ___ Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Dusan Stojanovic contributed to this report from Belgrade, Serbia. ___ Follow Semini at https://x.com/lsemini The family of a New York couple who vanished decades ago confirmed that remains found in a Georgia pond belonged to them. Charles and Catherine Romer were declared missing in April 1980 after a trip to Brunswick. The case had gone cold for 44 years until last week when a car was found submerged in a pond. Inside, investigators found human remains. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Thursday, the Romers family confirmed to WABC in New York that the remains and car belonged to Charles and Catherine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are deeply saddened and equally relieved that our grandparents Charles and Catherine Romers 44-year mystery disappearance has been solved. While this discovery brings closure, it still has been very emotional. Sadly, Charles Romer Jr, Jim Romer and Frank Heller are not with us to share this momentous turn of events and to know their parents will finally be laid to rest in peace. We want to express our gratitude to Glynn County Police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Sunshine State Sonar for their time dedication and expertise. A special appreciation and thanks goes out to Jason Souhrada Myrtle Beach, SC. Jason pinpointed the exact location. TRENDING STORIES: According to The New York Times, on April 8, 1980, the couple arrived at the Holiday Inn in Brunswick, registered as guests, unpacked in their room and disappeared. A motel attendant reported three days later that the room had not been occupied, and the police began a search. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The car was never found, although one police report said it was seen heading south an hour after the couple registered. They were last heard from in a telephone call to one of their sons on Easter Sunday, April 6, 1980, as they prepared to leave a Miami Beach hotel to drive their 1979 Lincoln home. Last Friday, a Sunshine State Sonar Team found a Lincoln Continental that matched the Romers. Investigators and the Camden County Dive Team then found remains, which the family confirmed on Thursday. Christine Seaman Heller, Catherines granddaughter, told WABC that it was difficult for their family to think about what happened to the couple. That was all we were consumed about until, you know, today, Seaman Heller said. I was talking about it yesterday with a friend of mine because its always been such a mystery. So, it would be so wonderful to find out, just have some peace. You know maybe it wasnt a horrible ending, maybe it was just an accident. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The family of a New York couple who vanished without a trace in 1980 until their remains were found last week says theyre glad to have answers to the cold case. Charles and Catherine Romer were declared missing in April 1980 after a trip to Brunswick. The case had gone cold for 44 years until last week when a car was found submerged in a pond. Inside, investigators found human remains. All the investigations, and everything, psychics and police they worked so hard, they thought it was foul play, said Christine Seaman Heller, Catherine Romers granddaughter. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Heller says she and the rest of her family thought this was a day that would never come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until a Florida-based dive team alerted law enforcement to the pond last week, no one had any idea what happened to the Charles and Catherine Romer since 1980. Inside the lake, they found a car, believed to be a Lincoln Continental, similar to the car the couple was believed to be driving when they vanished. The wealthy couple was returning home to Scarsdale, New York from a Florida vacation when they disappeared. They were last seen carrying their belongings into a Brunswick hotel room. Their items were found, but they were nowhere to be seen. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Romer family says the mystery has consumed them, but they are glad to finally have some answers. That is all we were consumed about until today, Heller said. It has always been such a mystery, so it would be so wonderful to find out, to just have some peace and maybe it wasnt a horrible ending and it was just an accident. Investigators say they arent clear if the pond has been searched in the 44 years since the couple disappeared. The family says they are glad to have answers, but it is still an emotional time. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Two piles of clothes and three Star Wars collectible plates are all John Huff said he has left. Thats everything I have left on this planet, he said. The first three that my mother ever bought me. I had about 30, and theyre really scorched but at least they survived. Flames tore through his house along Route 88 in Allenport in Washington County the night before Thanksgiving. >> Fire destroys 1 home, badly damages another in Washington County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I cant think of a worse time, Huff said. My car was totaled because it was in the alley next to it. It melted. The tires exploded. The fire then spread to his sister and brother-in-laws home next door badly damaging the roof and attic. My sisters cat was saved, said Huff. Somebody gave us a cat carrier. My fathers urns were saved by the firemen up there. Huffs grateful no one was hurt. He was at his sisters house moments beforehand when a stranger driving by told them to get out. Twenty minutes later, some stranger that just stopped was beating on her door saying the house was on fire, Huff said. To whoever this person was and the person that gave the boots, thank you so much. Standing outside in the rain that night was very cold. Thank you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Stockdale Fire Chief said the fire started in the kitchen. He believes it was accidental. Huffs home is a total loss and needs to be torn down. His sister and brother-in-laws house was left with a gaping hole and water damage so the couple cant live there until its fixed. But neither home had insurance. The family set up a GoFundMe to help them rebuild. I work as a waiter with a tip job, said Huff. For now, the three of them are staying with their mother and stepdad in a two-bedroom house in White Hall. Its actually a bedroom and office and theres now five adults living here, Huff said. Weve just been sleeping on air mattresses. One is in the dining room. One is in the other bedroom, and I sleep on the couch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It may be a bit crammed and a tragic start to the holiday season, but Huff is thankful. My mother is the best person in the world, he said. Shes always looked out and tried to help. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. To help the family, click here. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A new federal grant will provide the Wake County school system with up to $14.1 million to expand mental health services at schools, such as providing more therapy to students. Wake Countys is among 23 grants recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to support school-based mental health programs. Wake school leaders say the new grant will help them with their goal of trying to have a mental health provider available at all 200 schools by the end of the 2025-26 school year. Supporting student mental health is essential to our mission of helping every child reach their full potential, says Michele Woodson, Wakes assistant superintendent for student support services, said in a news release. This grant will allow us to build on our ongoing efforts to make sure all students have ready access to counseling and other services that will help them thrive inside and outside of the classroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wake Superintendent Robert Taylor said at this weeks school board meeting that the district should be proud to have received the grant. He noted that Wake was the only North Carolina recipient. Mental health concerns among students The grant comes at a time of mounting concerns about mental health challenges faced by youth people. Statewide results from the 2023 North Carolina Youth Behavior Risk Survey showed: 39% of high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless. 18% of high school students seriously considered suicide. 37% of gay, lesbian or bisexual high school students seriously considered suicide in the past year. Thats compared to 13% for heterosexual students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 16% of high school students made a plan for a suicide attempt during the past 12 months. 10% of high school students attempted suicide in the past 12 months. The numbers are better than the 2021 survey but are still a source of concern. Grant will pay for 20 new therapists Amid the concerns about student mental health, Wake County created a school-based mental health pilot program to provide services directly to students. Sixty-one schools now offer mental health services, both in-person counseling and teletherapy. The new grant will help Wake expand its efforts by allowing it to create 27 new positions over the next five years. The new positions are: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twenty therapists to provide direct services to students; Three instructional assistants to support students anywhere in the district who are experiencing acute mental health crises; Two school social worker positions to support operations of the expanded school-based mental health program; One clinical supervisor to oversee therapists and clinical programs; One program manager for all mental health services. Wake says the grant will also fund increased training for licensed mental health staff and for those pursuing a license.. It will also pay for a records management system to track all services related to the grant. Grant dangerous or excellent news? The terms for the grant call for it to be paid out over five years. Wake would get $2.8 million in the first year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But some conservative critics are urging the incoming Trump administration to eliminate the grant. Groups such as Moms for Liberty says school-based clinics are dangerous because they allow schools to provide services to students without the knowledge of parents. There is nothing better for self esteem and mental health than achieving excellence!! Michele Morrow posted Tuesday on X, previously called Twitter. Time to focus on discipline, perseverance, and scholastics, WCPSS! Raise the bar of expectation and our students will rise to the occasion STOP using our children for social, political and pharmaceutical experiments! School is for scholastics, not healthcare! Morrow unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Wake school board in 2022. More recently, she lost in the race for state superintendent of public instruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Chris Rice, a school psychologist in Wake County, said the grant is excellent news. Im sure no MAGA/conservative will be upset about providing mental and behavioral health supports to students (since they always scream theyre worried about the students MH) ... Right? Rice posted Tuesday on X. The Gulf of Mexico invaded thousands of homes on Floridas west coast this year, and many will have to be gutted and rebuilt higher some a full story off the ground. The process makes communities safer the next time a storm comes aground, but its expensive and painful for the people who have to foot the bill, often without much financial help from the government. Sidestepping that decades-old state and federal rule comes with pricey consequences, as Fort Myers Beach residents discovered last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMA announced that starting next year, Fort Myers Beach residents will no longer get a 25% discount on their flood insurance an average increase of about $300 per resident because FEMA found that rebuilding efforts from previous storms werent good enough. And if the town makes any future mistakes in the rebuilding process from this years double whammy of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, residents could lose federal flood insurance altogether. The National Flood Insurance Program provides nearly every flood insurance policy in the state of Florida, and flood insurance is required for any property with a mortgage in a flood zone. Without the NFIP, future development would come with huge hurdles. FEMA will continue to provide technical assistance to Fort Myers Beach to meet the required program standards and end probation as soon as practicable, a FEMA spokesperson told the Miami Herald in an emailed statement. Workers and friends of Bella Mozzarella cleaned up the pizza and grill after Hurricane Milton made its way onshore in Ft. Myers Beach on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Two years after Hurricane Ian devastated the small barrier island of Fort Myers Beach, killing 14 people and leaving almost every home and business in ruins, the lives of residents and shopkeepers who heeded warnings to get out as another powerful storm approached were spared. The 2024 hurricane season was another above-average one, with record-breaking activity in July with destructive Hurricane Beryl, which hit Texas, and three hurricane landfalls in Florida: Category 1 Hurricane Debby in August, Category 4 Hurricane Helene in September and Category 3 Hurricane Milton just two weeks later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement November 30 marks the official end of another battering hurricane season and the start of yet another off-season of frantic rebuilding. All three landfalls in the Sunshine State caused flooding that will force thousands of Floridians to raze and rebuild their homes, thanks to a rule enshrined in both federal and state law. The 50% rule requires homes with damage exceeding half the value of their home to be torn down and rebuilt to the newest standards. Its a city planners dream, a force that ensures the new wave of homes built after a hurricane is more likely to survive the next one. READ MORE: On borrowed time. Why coastal Florida keeps rebuilding after storms like Hurricane Ian But for residents, it can be a nightmare. After every storm, residents protest the high costs of reconstruction that often force people to sell, not stay. After Hurricane Ian, Cape Coral and Lee County tried to help residents get around the rule after intense public pushback. And after Milton, some residents in the Sunny Shores neighborhood in Manatee County started a petition to find an exemption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts say what happened in Fort Myers Beach is a warning for other governments just beginning the burdensome and lengthy rebuilding process. As the floodplain manager for a community, part of your job is to protect the residents from themselves, said Del Schwalls, a Florida-based floodplain management consultant. You have to fight the mindset of itll never happen to me, itll never happen again. At some point in time, youve got to stop throwing good money after bad. A town on probation This spring, FEMA dinged five southwest Florida communities for issues with rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Ian: Unincorporated Lee County, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and Fort Myers Beach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal agency said, at first, that the municipalities didnt keep track of which homes needed to be razed and rebuilt and allowed some residents to rebuild with no permits. That meant homes were being built too low, leaving them in the path of future storm flooding. Officials protested, calling FEMA a villain in this nightmare. Eight months later, four out of five of those communities were found to be mostly in compliance with the rule. FEMA accepted the reports they filed with plans to fix the issues the agency found and their commitments to rebuild better in the future. All of them get to keep their hard-won discounts on federal flood insurance. All except for Fort Myers Beach. FEMA said the town still has not proved that all newly built or repaired homes in flood zones follow all the rules, that the town isnt doing a good job of policing properties that arent following those rules and Fort Myers Beach has not demolished any properties that were built in flood zones without permission. READ MORE: Southwest Florida may keep flood insurance discounts after all as FEMA reevaluates In a letter, FEMA officials said the punishment was a $50 fine for each flood insurance policy opened or renewed in the future, a loss of the 25% discount all residents enjoyed and at least a two-year probation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fort Myers Beach officials had no comment for the Miami Herald on the agencys decision. Schwalls, who served as floodplain consultant to Lee County and Bonita Springs, said improper rebuilding after a storm is a statewide problem and he wasnt surprised that FEMA found issues to correct in all five communities. When you audit any community after a horrific hurricane like Ian youre going to find mistakes, he said. Someone is substantially damaged but does repairs without a permit, that happens. Its not that the city permitted that work, its that they didnt catch it. But communities are supposed to catch that. Wrecked ships on San Carlos Island at Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Ian, on Oct. 26. However, he has noticed that FEMA has taken a stronger interest in recent years in making sure communities are following the rules about reconstruction after storms, potentially as a reaction to the increased tempo of disasters with massive repair bills. And they found plenty of problems in Southwest Florida, especially in Fort Myers Beach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schwalls said he expects more communities in the future to continue to try to challenge the 50% rule as climate change makes worse storms more likely. But he thinks the rule is here to stay, at least if communities want to continue to enjoy heavily subsidized flood insurance from the federal government. It used to be a voluntary rule. Now its in the Florida building code. If every community dropped out of the NFIP youd still have to do it, he said. There is no way out of it. Santos has announced the completion of the Angore project in the Hela Province of Papua New Guinea. The project is set to deliver up to 350mscf/d of gas. This development is expected to support stable, long-term production for the LNG project, unlocking a one trillion cubic feet natural gas resource. The Angore project has shown strong performance since its initiation, with two wells successfully commissioned and connected. Santos managing director and CEO Kevin Gallagher said: The start-up of Angore is one of a number of PNG [Papua New Guinea] highlights in 2024 for Santos and our joint venture partners ExxonMobil, Kumul Petroleum Holdings, Mineral Resources Development Company and JX Nippon. The supply of associated gas from Kutubu through optimisation of the central processing facility is also exceeding expectations with 16 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas accelerated so far this year. Alongside Angore, associated gas from Agogo and Moran could contribute an additional 125mscf/d, Gallagher added. The final investment decision on the projects is due by 2026. Drilling is also under way at the Hides Footwall exploration well, which could potentially add another 160mscf/d. In addition, front-end engineering for Papua LNG is progressing, leveraging a substantial gas resource base in PNG's Eastern Highlands Province. This region is strategically located near LNG production and export infrastructure, enhancing operational efficiencies. Since production commenced in April 2014, the PNG LNG project has delivered more than 83 million tonnes (mt) of LNG to Asian customers, including long-term offtakers CPC, JERA, Osaka Gas and Sinopec. With an investment exceeding $19bn (K75.84bn), the project marked its tenth year of production in 2024, consistently surpassing its nameplate capacity of 6.9mt per annum by 30%. Over the years, PNG LNG has generated more than $7bn for PNG through taxes, royalties, distributions and development levy payments. PNG LNG is recognised for its relatively low greenhouse gas emissions intensity, ranking among the top quartile of LNG producers globally. "Santos starts up Angore project in Hela Province, Papua New Guinea" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 30: In a significant step toward promoting sustainable agriculture and preserving India's indigenous cattle breeds, Dr. Dinesh Shahra, the renowned philanthropist and founder of the Dinesh Shahra Foundation (DSF), visited Gau Shakti cow camps in Poochakad Periya and Bajakudlu Perla villages, Kerala. The Gau Shakti initiative, a collaboration between DSF and Ramchandrapura Mattha under the guidance of Shankaracharya Raghveshwar Bharati Ji, emphasizes the pivotal role of cows, cattle, and bulls in fostering ecological balance and sustainable living. Dr. Shahra was joined by Meera Rajda, DSF Head, and Dr. Krishnamurthy, Project Head from Ramchandrapura Mattha. Both expressed their gratitude for DSF's dedication to this cause and lauded Shankaracharya Ji's visionary leadership in championing the welfare of indigenous cattle. "Cows and bulls are the backbone of Indian agrarian society, contributing in ways that transcend generations," Dr. Shahra remarked during the event. Highlighting the multifaceted benefits of cattle, he emphasized how even aging cows play a crucial role by providing organic manure, biogas, and fostering a spiritual aura that promotes positivity and harmony. Dr. Shahra praised the innovative efforts of Vishnu Sharma's Musical Gaushala, where cows are nurtured with classical music, showcasing a harmonious blend of culture and care. As part of the camp's activities, Dr. Shahra actively participated in Gau Puja, tree plantation drives, and explored the creative use of cow dung for eco-friendly products such as diyas. These practices not only promote sustainability but also reduce environmental impact. Concluding his visit, Dr. Shahra reaffirmed his commitment to the Gau Shakti initiative, reiterating the importance of preserving indigenous cattle for a sustainable future. He expressed gratitude for the guidance and blessings of Shankaracharya Raghveshwar Bharati Ji, whose unwavering support continues to inspire the movement. Through DSF's Gau Shakti initiative, Dr. Dinesh Shahra remains steadfast in his mission to integrate traditional wisdom with modern sustainability practices, ensuring a harmonious coexistence with nature. (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) Firefighters in White County responded to a 911 call on Friday shortly after 2 pm. A caller reported black smoke and flames coming from the side of Phoenix Crane Service on Highway 129 South in Cleveland, Georgia. Firefighters with the White County Fire Department and Cleveland Fire Department responded, as well as White County EMS, and deputies from the White County Sheriffs Office. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] When they arrived, firefighters found a large truck on fire on the side of the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire spread to the building next to it. Firefighters quickly knocked down the blaze and checked the nearby building to extinguish hotspots and prevent it from reigniting. The building was unoccupied and no injuries were reported. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A firefighter was injured when he fell through a set of stairs while battling a fire Friday morning at the historic Western Baptist Bible College building in Kansas City, a fire department spokesman said. Firefighters responded to the fire around 9 a.m. at the three-story vacant building at 2119 Tracy Ave., said Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins with the Kansas City Fire Department. Arriving firefighters reported smoke coming from the third floor and made an interior attack on the fire, which included searching the building for anyone inside. Hopkins said command at the fire ordered a second alarm about 9:15 a.m. to bring additional firefighters and equipment to help fight the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters used five hoses to bring the fire under control. The injured firefighter was taken to a hospital, where he was stable and in good condition, Hopkins said. No other injuries were reported. Fire officials ordered Kansas Citys dangerous buildings to inspect the damage to the building. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Western Baptist Bible College, recognized as the oldest Christian institution west of the Mississippi founded exclusively by Blacks, owns the building that was designed and built in 1900 for the Gillis Orphans Home. The college, which has trained generations of Black ministers and lay people, bought the property in the late 1920s. The college currently uses space near East 27th Street and Prospect Avenue, and has plans to renovate the vacant building and add 35 town homes. The rehabilitation project, known as the District Row Development, earlier this year received $750,000 from Kansas City. In honor of recently passed Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson, Gov. Brian Kemp ordered flags across the state to be flown at half-staff on Saturday. Thompson died at age 59 after a battle with stage IV pancreatic cancer. He announced his diagnosis in March. Before working as the head of the Georgia Department of Labor, beginning in January 2023, Thompson was a member of the U.S. Army National Guard and served 10 years in the Georgia State Senate. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kemps executive order to fly the flags at half-staff said Thomposns work ethic, integrity and legislative experience were all used by the commissioner to serve Georgia workers and employers with transparency, responsiveness and fiscal responsibility. As a result, Kemp wrote that it is fitting and proper to remember and honor Bruce Thompsons service to the State of Georgia by lowering flags on all State buildings and grounds to half-staff on Saturday. The commissioner will be laid to rest on Saturday and a memorial service will be held in Cartersville. According to Dignity Memorial, Thompsons family will hold a service at the Church at Liberty Square at 1 p.m., followed by a celebration of life at 3 p.m. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] "For him to be taken away like this, trust me, its very hard," the man's wife said WPLG Local 10/YouTube A photo of police cars outside the apartment building where the 71-year-old man was shot. A photo of police cars outside the apartment building where the 71-year-old man was shot. A Florida grandfather is dead after an alleged altercation about music with his neighbor on Thanksgiving, authorities said. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that Hureleyon McLean was shot and killed in Lauderdale Lakes on Thursday, Nov. 28, and his neighbor was detained by police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the release, deputies arrived on the scene around 3:30 p.m. local time, when they found McLean, 71, suffering from a gunshot wound." He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said its initial investigation found that McLean was shot during an altercation with his neighbor who authorities did not identify. The neighbor in the incident cooperated with detectives and claimed during an interview that he shot his neighbor out of self-defense," police said. The incident is currently under investigation by the Broward County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Unit detectives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once the investigation is complete, police said the case will be presented to the Broward County State Attorney's Office to determine if criminal charges will be filed. Hureleyons wife, Rose McLean, told WSVN-TV, WPLG-TV and The New York Post that she and her husband had been celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends when the incident happened. She said their neighbor, who was in an apartment one floor below theirs, approached them to complain that their music was too loud. He came up there to ring the doorbell and leave a message, Rose said to WSVN-TV, detailing that her husband then went downstairs to talk with the neighbor, before she said she heard a gunshot. 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 was just standing, looking at me with his gun in his hand," Rose told the outlet. And I go up to him and say, Why did you shoot my husband? Why? And he said to me, if I didnt shut my mouth, he would shoot me too." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rose said that Hureleyon, a father of two grown sons and a grandfather, worked as a bus driver for a private company. Anywhere he is, Im always with him. Were like a team together. For him to be taken away like this, trust me, its very hard, Rose told WSVN-TV and the Post. A Florida man, who has been connected to a 1978 horrendous double homicide in West Springfield, will be arraigned on Monday, December 2nd. Timothy Joley, 71, of Clearwater, Florida has been connected to the double murder of 18-year-old Theresa Marcoux and 20-year-old Mark Harnish. On the morning of Nov. 19, 1978, an officer discovered a green Dodge pickup truck with a damaged window parked in a roadway rest area. Blood in and around the truck led the officer to a nearby guardrail, where Marcoux and Harnishs bullet-riddled bodies were found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A bloody print was found at the scene, and nearly 5 decades later, an anonymous tip came in linking Joley to the double murder. Joley will be extradited back to Massachusetts for his arraignment at the Hampden Hall of Justice in Springfield, Massachusetts. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW In Florida, anyone who meets the age requirement, has a traditional high school diploma or passed the GED exam, is eligible to apply as a substitute teacher. And military training will also let you in. The days when substitutes needed a college degree to teach are long gone. And with the growing teacher shortage, more substitutes will likely be needed. So, substituting, in many cases, will be a full-time job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is more difficult news for public education: Linda McMahon, a former pro-wrestling executive, appears to be President-elect Donald Trumps nominee to head the nations Department of Education. This department was founded to protect and improve public education. McMahon believes in charter schools, parochial schools and private schools. She has supported taking taxpayer school dollars away from public schools and putting them in the hands of private operators. By alluding to the bankruptcy of the public school system, the incoming administration will claim that public schools are a disaster and that private and privately run schools will save us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As executive director of the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library in Fort Lauderdale, one of the nations leading gay archives in America, I believe we need a revitalization of public education, the best way to combat prejudice and hate and the depleting pool of talent needed to survive the 21st Century and beyond successfully. Education is the way to combat people who scapegoat those who are different; those who espouse hate and anger. Without a robust educational system, how do we fight these destructive behaviors and habits that hurt our social fabric, economy and quality of life? We do it by improving the education system, encouraging curiosity, engagement, reading, creativity, all the things we lose when anger and fear are our primary motivators. Florida has been a proving ground for just how destructive hate can be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government has used hateful language and legislation to divide the public. It has divided the state; it has hurt children and families, and it has made enemies where there once were neighbors. The attacks on teachers, schools, books, libraries, films and children have been fierce. In 2023, Florida enacted a record six expressly anti-LGBTQ+ bills into law, more than the last seven years combined. This year, six anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in Florida; only two passed. This is evidence of a constant reframing of the First Amendment to the Constitution, practically reinventing it to politicize the very notion of free speech, freedom of religion, and freedom to think. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More and more hateful and uninformed language is used across all borders and boundaries. It is not the prerogative of one group, but the staple of many. It comes from people in leadership positions and from those on line in the grocery store, dimming the light on a civil society. This Thanksgiving weekend, we have a window of opportunity to smile, extend our hands in friendship and address issues of shared concern, like flooded roadways and failing bridges. We can join together to fix our public schools without defunding them and find ways to build stronger neighborhoods and relationships with our neighbors. Smile more, listen better, offer to help without expectations. Making a better community is not rocket science, but it does take intentional actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let us get back to doing the modern equivalent of hanging clothes on the line and talking over the fence, taking time away from the telephone screen and taking a walk with the person who lives down the street. Say hello and hold the door for a stranger, and do not cast blame; accept responsibility. Say, thank you to those who work towards making this a better place to live and work and join them. Robert Kesten is executive director of the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library (https://stonewall-museum.org/) Former Biden White House aide Meghan Hays said the Harris-Walz campaign is unfairly pinning blame on the media for its loss in the presidential election. Hays, who served as White House director of of message planning from January 2021 until August 2022, was responding to remarks from Harris campaign Chair Jen OMalley Dillon on the Pod Save America podcast earlier this week. OMalley Dillon said the narrative that Vice President Harris was afraid of doing more interviews early in her brief campaign was completely bulls, and criticized the journalists whom the vice president eventually did sit down with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We would do an interview, and Stephanies point, the questions were small and processy and about like she said, before Stephanie Cutter, a senior adviser on the Harris campaign, cut in. Dumb, Cutter said of the interview questions. Hays, during a Friday Fox News appearance highlighted by Grabien, said the narrative started for a reason. She did not do an interview for the first 30-some days. I think that the media latched on to that, and then when they did ask her questions, it was more about why she wasnt doing the interviews, Hays said. But that, again, youre playing into the narrative there, so I do think they missed the mark on this. I do think they could have had more of a local media strategy; they could have had more interviews that they did do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OMalley Dillon added on the podcast that their frustration with the media raised fundamental quotes about how campaigns are covered. They were not informing a voter who was trying to listen to learn more or to understand, she said. And Im not here to say that that, you know, the whole system was focused on us incorrectly. Im just saying, like, again, of the things we need to explore as we move forward as a campaign and as a country, that does a disservice to voters, she continued. Hays advised the campaign and its allies against playing the blame game. So I dont necessarily think that this blame game is set in the right direction either, but I understand that they are in a spot where they have to explain why they lost, so I understand why they have to blame somebody, I guess, Hays said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cutter also noted during the podcast how much Harriss inability to break away from President Biden proved problematic, in retrospect. She said the vice president, out of loyalty and tradition, was unwilling to be seen as publicly criticizing the president. So our focus was, lets look to the future. Lets describe her and her approach to things. Lets use policies, future-looking policies to demonstrate that difference, Cutter said. But in the end, you know, weve all seen the data. Its too many people thought that youd be a continuation. Which on the economy was, you know, the incumbent killer. Exit polls show Harris lost voters whose top issues were the economy and immigration. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NewsVoir Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 30: Galgotias University inaugurated a three-day 12th International Conference on Library and Information Science. During the event, the Chief Guest, Shri Yogendra Upadhyay, Higher Education Minister of Uttar Pradesh, emphasized the significance of education in nurturing morality and imparting knowledge and wisdom. He stated, "The primary foundation of education is to instill good values and strengthen our understanding through technology. I urge students and youth of our country to master modern technologies and establish new milestones for the welfare of the world. Always remember that hard work, reflection, and contemplation yield immense rewards." The Chief Guest commended Galgotias University for its excellent infrastructure, smart classrooms, cleanliness, and well-functioning laboratories in various departments. He praised the university for providing students with a platform for holistic development. He further lauded Chancellor Shri Suneel Galgotia for revolutionizing the education sector by offering affordable and high-quality education. Shri Upadhyay also appreciated CEO Dr. Dhruv Galgotia for playing a pivotal role in creating a world-class and student-centric education system at the university. Highlighting the Indian government's ONOS (One Nation, One Subscription) initiative, he described it as a significant step forward. The conference has attracted over 300 participants from countries like France, Germany, the UK, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh. A total of 84 research papers will be presented during the event. The conference is being organized in collaboration with Gautam Buddha University and with the support of the Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. In his address, Chancellor Shri Suneel Galgotia remarked that libraries are the heart of any institution and a vital part of the education system. He highlighted the conference's alignment with India's Make in India and Digital India initiatives. Discussions during the conference will cover topics like the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Blockchain Technology, Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data Analytics, Innovation and Knowledge Management, and Research Data Management in library services. These sessions aim to provide students and participants with opportunities to learn cutting-edge technologies and establish new benchmarks in their respective fields. (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) It was a not-so-merry message. Former Republican Congressman David Jolly ripped Democrats on MSNBC Friday specifically the networks Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for giving President-elect Donald Trump parity to traditional American values. Jolly took issue with Scarborough and Brezinski, who came under fire after meeting with Trump, 78, at his palatial Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida two weeks ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont just say were going to give equity to Donald Trump, which some people are doing in the Democratic Party, in media, among the electorate, Jolly pontificated on Deadline: White House, according to a clip shared by Mediaite. Former Congressman David Jolly ripped MSNBCs Morning Joe hosts. MSNBC Theyre saying, I just give up. Were going to give him equity. Were going to give him parity to traditional American values, Jolly continued. No, thats absolutely wrong. You cant do that. Forgive me for saying this. You cant go to Mar-a-Lago. You cant do it, Jolly said in an overt repudiation of the Morning Joe hosts attempt to mend fences after being harsh critics of the twice-elected Trump. Thats going to get me in trouble, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jolly went on to assert that resistance politics were the only way forward for Democrats who know they are right but simply lost the presidential election. The only answer is to double down in holding Donald Trump and his allies accountable and double down on trying to present a democracy that represents all people, even in a losing environment, he insisted. Scarborough and Brzezinski met with the presidential-elect after years of criticizing him. MSNBC The married Scarborough and Brzezinski had a personal sit-down with The Don at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month after years of unending and oftentimes deranged criticisms of the once and future president. The pair were roundly criticized including by Donald Trump Jr. for appearing to kiss the ring, and their ratings fell even deeper into the tank after word reached MSNBC viewers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the Morning Joe hosts stood firm and presented their actions as a necessary step forward for the sake of public discourse. Five years of political warfare has deeply divided Washington and the country. We have been as clear as we now how in expressing our deep concerns about President Trumps actions and words in the coarsening of public debate, Brzezinski said after their visit. Jolly took issue with Scarborough and Brezinski going to Mar-a-Lago. PA Images via Getty Images MSNBC viewership has dropped after Trump won the election. Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for nearly 80 million Americans, election denialism, public trials, Jan. 6 were not as important as the issues that moved them to send Donald Trump back to the White House with their vote, she continued. Joe and I realize its time to do something different and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but also talking with him. Viewership has dropped off a cliff for not only Morning Joe but all of left-leaning MSNBC since Trumps historic win with even the networks most popular Rachel Maddow Show losing 40% of its audience. Jolly is a regular MSNBC guest who served as a Republican representative in the House for Floridas 13th District from 2014 to 2017. He lost his seat to Democrat Charlie Crist in 2016. Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas predicted Saturday that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza is unlikely before President Biden departs the White House early next year. Approximating zero, the likelihood of that happening, Pinkas told NewsNations Hena Doba in an interview on Morning in America, adding, Im sorry to say that. Look, President Biden has been persistent and adamant for over a year, asking for a ceasefire and more than once said that Israel exhausted the military usefulness of the operation, he continued. Now he has 50 days before he leaves office on the 20th of January, approximately 50 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pinkas said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a vested interest in delaying a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Instead, the former diplomat added, Netanyahu will likely hold out for when President-elect Trump takes office. When he does, hed like to present it as some kind of a good gesture of goodwill to his buddy buddy, Donald Trump. His comments come just days after Netanyahu announced his war cabinet approved a pause in fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon. President Biden celebrated the deal, which was brokered by the U.S. and France, saying he would soon make a new push for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Trumps national security team was also briefed on details of the agreement, which has left the region on edge. Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza so the hostages be released and the end of the war without Hamas in power, that becomes possible, Biden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), an ally of the president-elect, said Trump wants a ceasefire in Gaza and the hostage deal done before enters the Oval Office. Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire that includes a hostage deal. He wants to see it happening now, Graham told Axios following his second trip to the Middle East in November. Pinkas, on Saturday, signaled Netanyahu could start manipulating Trump if the ceasefire is not reached before Biden exits. Prime Minister Netanyahu is going to try and cajole President Trump, and even manipulate him, as he always does, he told Doba. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The diplomat suggested the Israeli leader would tell the president-elect: There is a ceasefire already, [it] hasnt been announced because there are small scale operations, intelligence-driven incursions and Mr. President, bear with me. Whatever plans you have with the Middle East, theyd be better off and have a higher likelihood of happening if Hamas is removed.' He also suggested that even if a ceasefire were reached, Hamas will not be removed. That hasnt happened, and that wont happen unless Israel occupies the entire Gaza Strip, which, to the best of my knowledge, Israel has no intentions of doing, Pinkas said. NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group which also owns The Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Newly elected Manatee County commissioners have voted to dismiss a legal claim for nearly $250,000 against a former official who challenged the boards controversial rollback of local wetland protections. After several heated hearings, the Manatee County Commission voted to remove local rules designed to protect wetlands from development in October 2023. The rule change was backed by a regional developer interest group and opposed by environmental groups and a large crowd of residents. Joe McClash, a former Manatee County commissioner of over 20 years, filed a petition in Floridas administrative court to challenge the boards decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as the case progressed, it became apparent that a newly passed Florida law could saddle McClash with all of the countys legal fees even if his case resulted in the county restoring the wetland protections. In hopes of avoiding the fees, McClash voluntarily dismissed the case before hearings began. But county attorneys argued that McClashs dismissal of the case made the county the prevailing party. They proceeded to seek over $247,000 in legal fees against McClash. Commissioners Jason Bearden and George Kruse moved to drop the countys claims against McClash in September, but their motion failed 4-2. The countys case against McClash remained open until last week, and a judge may have ultimately ruled that McClash had to pay the countys legal bill in full or in part. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But after the recent election brought several new board members with different philosophies onto the Manatee County Commission, officials stepped in before that could happen. Residents urge commission to drop legal case The question of whether to continue pursuing legal fees against McClash was the first one put to newly elected commissioners during a Land Use Meeting on Thursday. New Commissioners Carol Felts, Robert McCann, Tal Siddique and returning Commissioner Kruse were sworn in before the meeting began, joining previously elected Commissioners Bearden, Mike Rahn and Amanda Ballard on the dais. During public comment, McClash asked the new board to drop the nearly quarter-of-a-million dollar claim against him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the challenge was more than warranted, especially in light of the action that youre taking to restore what my challenge was about, McClash said. He was referring to the boards decision in September to begin the process of restoring the local wetland protections. That move came after two commissioners who pushed to remove the protections were voted out in the August primary. Four other public commenters spoke in support of dropping the legal claims against McClash, including Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Abbey Tyrna. Pursuing attorneys fees from Mr. McClash, particularly when he voluntarily dismissed this case ... seems contrary to the spirit of fairness and open dialogue that we hope to maintain in Manatee County, Tyrna said. As Commissioner Kruse rightly noted, just because the state gives you the authority to seek fees does not mean that youre obligated to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If that isnt the epitome of bullying and trying to silence the citizens of this county by breaking them legally and financially, I dont know what is, said Manatee County resident Glen Gibellina. This should have been dismissed a long time ago. He was just trying to do what was right for the citizens of our county that was your job originally to do. McClash requested that the board consider one of two options: waiving all of the attorneys fees or accepting a reduced settlement of $1,960. Former commissioner Joe McClash addresses the board during a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. Manatee officials debate dropping legal claim in wetlands case Commissioner Bearden opened debate on the issue, once again arguing for the case to be dropped. But Commissioner Rahn argued that the board had a responsibility to the public and the attorneys office to see the case through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just dont see a public purpose in waving attorneys fees, Rahn said. Our County Attorneys Office goes out there and does a lot of hard work. I think we let the judge do their work and at that point, if there wants to be negotiation between Mr. McClash and the County Attorneys Office for what those fees are, I think they can have that opportunity. But I think we do have a fiduciary responsibility that if were sued and we prevail that we have the opportunity to collect our fees, Rahn added. I think looking out for the best interest of the public and fiduciary responsibility should have been discussed at the time of the wetland decision, not at the time of going after a citizen, Kruse replied. I dont agree with just going after citizens. I think they should have a right to come after their government if they feel their government is overstepping. And this is a case where it is. Kruse also expressed concern that continuing the case would waste more time and money. Asked for input on the case, Deputy County Attorney Christopher DeCarlo said the dispute could extend into 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Ballard argued that the new commissioners should have more time to be briefed on the case before making a decision. Commissioner Siddique agreed and said he would prefer the board to address the underlying policy on wetland buffers before making a decision on legal matters. I dont feel comfortable necessarily settling until weve actually made a policy decision, Sidique said. But other new commissioners said they were ready to act. Felts and McCann said they felt confident in dismissing the case. Bearden made a motion to dismiss all legal claims against McClash with prejudice. It was seconded by Kruse and passed 6-1, with Commissioner Rahn dissenting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case was officially closed on Nov. 22, according to court records. Critics say new Florida law is threat to fair government While McClash was ultimately freed from the responsibility of the attorneys fees thanks to the leniency of the board, the case could have easily gone the other way. Open government advocates fear that the new Florida law used against McClash will stifle other citizens and groups who want to challenge actions taken by local government. Passed in 2023, the legislation was nicknamed the sprawl bill by critics because it makes it harder for citizens to challenge developer-friendly initiatives. It allows local governments and developers to recoup attorney fees from citizens who challenge Comprehensive Plan amendments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its long been in the First Amendment that citizens have the right to question what their government is doing, Michael Barfield, public access director for the Florida Center for Government Accountability, previously told the Herald. This law takes away that ability. It is weaponizing the law to prevent citizens from challenging government rolling over for developers. In the Manatee County case, the rollback of local wetland protections was proposed by the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association, a developer interest group, in a behind-the-scenes meeting with county officials, the Herald previously reported. The group has since changed its name to the Suncoast Builders Association. Public opinion voiced during hearings was almost unanimous against making the changes, but the board passed them 6-1. McClashs legal challenge argued that commissioners had violated the countys rules by failing to prove that the changes were in the public interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the potential financial fallout from continuing the case forced him to withdraw, McClash previously told the Herald. Its an absolute elimination of any citizen challenges, McClash previously told the Herald. Draconian would be one word for it. Its designed to stifle free speech, Manatee County resident Charlene Kow said about the law during public comment. Its a dressed-up way to basically crush the opposition using wealthy and powerful entities such as the government versus a private individual or a group of individuals who just dont have the money to face people down in court. Citizens should always have the right to redress their government without going bankrupt for it. Nov. 29Former Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan is suing the city of Espanola, a former police chief and several former officers, accusing them of conspiring against him during criminal proceedings that resulted in his conviction in 2021 for aiding a felon and intimidating a witness. Lujan was released from prison in 2023 after serving 18 months. He had been accused of helping his friend, former Espanola City Councilor Phillip Chacon, evade police in 2017 after Chacon had led officers on a chase. He also was convicted of intimidating then-Deputy Cody Lattin by directing him not to tell anyone. The former sheriff's complaint alleges Lattin, who was working at the Espanola Police Department during the 2021 trial, perjured himself by giving false testimony at the behest of former Police Chief Roger Jimenez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jimenez was "upset and retaliatory" because Lujan had spoken at a City Council meeting in opposition to his appointment as chief, according to Lujan's lawsuit. "Lattin was facing claims against him which threatened the loss of his officer certification," the suit alleges. He "changed his under-oath testimony" in exchange for Jimenez writing a letter on his behalf to what was then the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy Board. The complaint also names former Espanola police Officer Ernest Saucedo as a defendant, alleging Saucedo lied when he testified he was with another officer at the time of the pursuit and that Chacon had tried to ram their police vehicle. "In fact he was not in the same vehicle or present at the alleged pursuit," according to Lujan's lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint filed last week in state District Court accuses Jimenez and the city of failing to train, supervise and investigate officers' behavior, depriving Lujan of his right to due process and other civil rights under the state constitution. Lujan seeks an unspecified amount of actual and punitive damages plus legal costs. According to the complaint, Lattin originally testified he didn't know if Lujan knew while helping Chacon leave his home after the chase that Chacon was wanted in connection with a felony charge. Lattin later changed his story, testifying Lujan knew about the felony allegations and intimidated him into feeling as if he couldn't say anything about what he had witnessed because Lujan was his boss, the lawsuit says. The city of Espanola did not respond to requests for comment Friday. Jimenez could not be reached for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saucedo and Lattin did not respond to messages seeking comment. According to the complaint, Lujan tried to raise these issues during both of his trials the second one in 2021 resulting in his convictions was held after an initial one ended with a hung jury. However, he was threatened with incarceration if he attempted to file complaints against the officers or pursue perjury charges against Lattin while he was still on trial, his lawsuit states. The lawsuit says the prohibition on filing complaints against the officers also made it impossible for the former sheriff to defend himself in a related case, in which he was charged with three counts of resisting, evading or obstructing and officer after he arrived drunk at a SWAT standoff at Chacon's home and refused officers' commands to leave. Lujan pleaded guilty to those charges. Lujan said in a phone interview Friday he had filed a report with New Mexico State Police regarding the officers' alleged perjury after he got out of prison and was told it had been forwarded to the New Mexico Department of Justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former sheriff maintained his innocence Friday, saying he was wrongly convicted in part due to the officers' false testimony against him and limits placed on him by the court to combat the perjury. Lujan appealed his case after his release. The New Mexico Court of Appeals upheld his convictions in August. Lattin was working for the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office as recently as August, according to online court files. However, it was unclear Friday whether he is still employed by the force. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office didn't reply to an email seeking comment. Nov. 29A former Topsham drama teacher will plead guilty to four federal counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to an agreement filed Wednesday. Henry Eichman, 64, is already serving a 10-year sentence in state prison after pleading guilty to several charges in Sagadahoc County Superior Court in 2018, related to his sexual abuse of eight children over three years. Eichman entered an Alford plea then, meaning he denied the allegations but admitted there was enough evidence to lead to a conviction at trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His new federal charges stem from the discovery in 2022 of videos and images in which Eichman can be seen sexually abusing minors, according to records filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maine. Eichman is agreeing to a 20-year sentence, which will begin after his current sentence. His earliest release date from state prison is Aug. 7, 2026, according to the U.S. attorney's office website. He is also waiving his right to appeal his conviction and any sentence greater than 20 years. "The parties agree to recommend that the Court find that the Defendant has accepted responsibility for the offenses of conviction," the agreement states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal is still subject to a judge's approval. Eichman has a scheduled plea hearing on Dec. 10 at the U.S. District Court in Portland. Police say they found more than 500 videos and images of child sexual abuse material on several devices that belonged to Eichman, according to court records. Those devices, including two laptops and multiple hard drives, were found under a kayak on the property of a landscaping company in Brunswick where Eichman had previously worked. Another employee found them and alerted local police when he realized there were videos of Eichman sexually abusing children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The videos described by prosecutors depict the abuse of four minors from 2014 to 2015. Eichman can often be seen starting the recording and participating in the abuse, prosecutors said. They were also familiar with Eichman's home in the background from a police search of his residence in 2016. Copy the Story Link MONROE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) Officials with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency are investigating after a crash on Black Friday killed a man from Frisco City. State Troopers say 20-year-old Joshua Simpson was killed when his pickup truck left the roadway, hit a ditch and tree and caught fire. The crash happened at about 11 on Friday morning on Monroe County Route 8 near Tower Road. The crash was about 17 miles southwest of Monroeville. Troopers didnt say what may have caused the crash. The news release says Simpsons vehicle was the only vehicle involved in the incident. ALEAs Highway Patrol says they will continue to investigate the incident. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. On the weekend, we present some of the top stories and headlines from all across Connecticut. You can also find your local Patch and catch up on those stories by clicking here. "Firefighters attempted an aggressive fire attack however their efforts were thwarted by dangerous fire conditions and structural collapse," fire officials said. "In addition, a vehicle drove over the water supply hose, damaging the line, which completely stopped the flow of water for several minutes.">>>Read More. A meteorologist announced she will be coming to a Connecticut weather team that has had several recent changes.>>>Read More. He comes home to Connecticut after a seven-year stint in Colorado.>>>Read More. So when Clyde's family cat Geraldine was stolen from the property, the culprit was on camera. The owners of the Mill, whose Facebook has tens of thousands of followers, created a post to not only alert the person who took the cat, but to ask the public for its support.>>>Read More. A Happy Tail: A man was reunited with his missing dog for the first time in 18 months on Thanksgiving, the animal control said.>>>Read More. He then filed false personal income tax returns that failed to report a total of more than $1.4 million in business income, which resulted in a loss to the IRS of $499,289, according to federal authorities.>>>Read More. A former Democratic mayor of Connecticut's capital city in the 1980s and a New England civil rights pioneer has died, according to state officials.>>>Read More. Other top stories: The Patch community platform serves communities all across Connecticut in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, Hartford, Tolland, and Litchfield counties. Thank you for reading. Frying Turkey Leads To Massive Fire, Destroys Mansion: CT News originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch The biking and hiking trails on Galbraith Mountain will be closed Dec. 4-6 for a managed bow hunt to control the local deer population. The overpopulation of deer on the mountain is attracting predators such as mountain lions to the area, and the deer are also feeding on young cedar saplings, costing the tree farms that own the mountain, Galbraith Tree Farm and Polygon Financial 05 to lose over $100,000, according to a news release from Janicki Logging Co. The logging company is owned by Rob Janicki, who also owns the Galbraith Tree Farm. The hunt will be managed by the Galbraith Tree Farm and the Janicki Logging Co. by limiting and vetting the hunters participating, closing the mountain for safety and limiting the hunt to bows, which have a much shorter range than firearms and limit the risk of a missed shot flying into a residential area, spokesman Peter Wheeler with Galbraith Tree Farm and Janiki Logging Co. told The Herald. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three-day closure will affect all trails on the mountain, which will be marked with signage, according to the news release. This hunt is essential for mitigating cedar losses that threaten the sustainability of our reforestation efforts, Wheeler said in the news release. We are committed to maintaining a healthy forest, and this trial marks our first step in exploring effective solutions to protect new growth while balancing wildlife populations. The outcomes of this hunt will guide our future approach to game management. The hunters are limited to 10 people, who have already been selected, Wheeler told The Herald. Each hunter has a valid hunting license and archery deer tag. The participants are required to harvest all edible parts of any animal they hunt, per Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations. Hunters also are required to take all inedible parts as well by the Galbraith Tree Farm/Janicki Logging Co. to dispose of properly themselves, as the goal is to limit the chance of attracting predators/scavengers to the mountain, Wheeler said. GALENA, Kan. Boots were on the ground today in Galena, and in the hands of police officers. Actually, not so much boots as they were stockings. For a 2nd-straight year, members of the Galena Police Department, which included those who are part of the departments reserve program, volunteered their time for a few hours at the intersection of 7th and Main. They were taking donations for what will benefit some less fortunate children this Christmas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This event raised a little more than $3,000 last year. So, it was somethin that the city, some city workers had thought up as a good way to raise money for this event, and do some shopping to buy these toys for the kids, so, were just continuing that, said Noble Dobkins, Galena Police Chief. Those toys will be purchased soon and then dispersed to families before Christmas. Todays grand total, by the way $2,545.07. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. NewsVoir Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 30: Phillips Additive is proud to announce its collaboration with Tata IIS, a premier institution established under a Public-Private partnership between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the Tata Group, dedicated to enhancing skill development and technical training in India. This partnership marks a significant step forward in advancing Additive Manufacturing (AM) training and infrastructure, supporting the Government's mission to develop a skilled workforce. As part of this initiative, Phillips Additive has played a key role in establishing the Additive Manufacturing division at Tata IIS. The institute has acquired state-of-the-art 3D printing solutions including the Formlabs SLA & SLS and Markforged FDM Printing solutions in both Mumbai and Ahmedabad., Phillips Additive has also been instrumental in setting up the AM lab infrastructure, ensuring seamless integration of the advanced technologies and training efforts. The Additive Manufacturing Lab was successfully launched alongside the inauguration of IIS Mumbai by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in October 2024. The establishment of this facility is expected to have a substantial impact on the manufacturing sector by addressing the growing demand for skilled professionals in additive manufacturing, a rapidly transformative technology. Phillips Additive collaboration with Tata IIS represents a robust, strategic partnership. Throughout this process, Phillips has supported Tata IIS to operationalize their additive skill development centres with hardware, software, training and support with course curriculum and Train the Trainer programs. The association with Tata IIS is a key contract for Phillips Additive, highlighting the company's commitment to delivering world-class additive manufacturing solutions. By equipping students and industry professionals with the knowledge and skills required to fully utilize additive manufacturing, this partnership aims to unlock new opportunities in the manufacturing sector and reinforces Phillips' position as a leader in the Additive Manufacturing landscape, both in India and globally. Commenting on the association, Anuj Budhiraja, Vice-President, Phillips Additive says, "Phillips Additive is honoured to collaborate with the Tata IIS in advancing Additive Manufacturing education in India. This partnership exemplifies our commitment to supporting the nation's skill development and fostering a future-ready workforce. By equipping Tata IIS with world-class 3D printing technology and dedicated training support, we aim to inspire and prepare the next generation of manufacturing professionals. Together, we're paving the way for innovation in the industry, ensuring that students and professionals have the skills and tools needed to meet the evolving demands of the global manufacturing landscape." M. Nidhi Goyal, Executive Vice-President, - Tata IIS added, "Tata IIS is committed to enabling the workforce with cutting edge skills in future technologies. Additive Manufacturing is a rapidly growing transformative technology that holds potential for the manufacturing landscape, and we are delighted to partner with Phillips Additive to advance skilling and awareness for this transformative technology in India. This collaboration will provide students and professionals with hands-on experience using state-of-the-art 3D printing equipment. Together, we are committed to developing skilled professionals who will drive innovation in India's manufacturing sector. Through such collaborations, Tata IIS remains dedicated to empowering our young and growing workforce and to supporting India's growth in manufacturing." Phillips Machine Tools India is a 100% owned subsidiary of Phillips Corporation, USA. For more than 60 years, the federal government, private sector industry, and education leaders have trusted the experts at Phillips to solve their most significant manufacturing challenges. We aim to create legendary value for the manufacturing community by unlocking solutions to propel capabilities, profitability, and productivity. Phillips represents a robust combination of equipment, applications expertise, and well-suited services to meet the growing range of present and future manufacturing application requirements. Learn more about Phillips at: phillipscorp.com/india/phillips-additive. Tata Indian Institute of Skills (Tata IIS) is a new initiative by the Tata Group which aims to provide world-class skilling to the nation's youth. Incorporated as a Section-8 company by the Tata Trusts, Tata IIS continues the Tata Group's legacy of building premier institutions like IISc, TISS, and TIFR. Tata IIS, in partnership with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, is setting up Indian Institute of Skills Mumbai and Indian Institute of Skills Ahmedabad. These Institutes will create benchmarks in quality training and address the need for skilled manpower for current and future industry requirements. Manufacturing will be a special area of focus for IIS Mumbai and IIS Ahmedabad. (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) A Georgia woman and her son are recovering after being stabbed during a fight with another woman. LaGrange police say they were called to Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center on Saturday morning to speak with a woman who had been stabbed. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] She told police she saw her son being attacked by a woman named Tanya McKay, so she got between them to try and break it up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats when she says McKay started attacking her and stabbed her in the arms. Her injuries were described as minor. Her son had injuries on his head and arms. He told police that McKay had cut him overnight. TRENDING STORIES: When police spoke with McKay, she admitted to attacking the womans son. McKay was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] (Bloomberg) -- Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili vowed to stay in office and defy the ruling partys plan to replace her, saying the October parliamentary elections were illegitimate. Most Read from Bloomberg There is no legitimate parliament therefore there is no legitimate president or inauguration. This is why I am staying as your president, Zourabichvili said in televised address on Saturday after a second night of clashes between protesters and police in the capital, Tbilisi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia, saying the ruling Georgian Dream partys various anti-democratic actions violated the mechanisms core principles. Georgian Dreams rejection of possible closer ties with Europe makes the country more vulnerable to the Kremlin, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. Zourabichvili, whose post is largely ceremonial, has encouraged protests against what she called a Russian special operation seeking to restore Moscows influence and thwarting Georgias goal of joining the European Union and NATO. On Saturday, she said shes the only independent and legitimate institution remaining in the country. Georgian police and special forces cleared protesters and barricades from the main street of Tbilisi after clashes sparked by the ruling partys announcement this week that it will delay talks on European Union membership until 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said early Saturday that 107 people had been detained. At least 13 reporters have been injured, it said earlier. The total number of people held isnt clear, according to the Georgian Young Lawyers Association. The special investigation service said it has started a probe into law enforcement officers who prevented reporters from doing their jobs. While Zourabichvili laid responsibility for the escalation of violence on the leadership of law enforcement forces, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a member of the ruling party, blamed radicals and their foreign chiefs for the clashes at a press conference on Saturday. We call on foreign entities to cease encouraging violent and unfounded protests that foster anti-European sentiments in Georgian society, he said. Georgia is a state with strong institutions that is steadily advancing on the path to European integration. Kobakhidze said a repetition of the Ukrainian Maidan, a reference to protests in Kyiv in 2013 when then-President Viktor Yanukovych declined to sign an association agreement with EU and was toppled by popular protests, wasnt possible in Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling Georgian Dream party this week chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former soccer player and current lawmaker, to be their presidential candidate in the Dec. 14 election to replace pro-Europe Zourabichvili. The president will be chosen by the countrys Electoral College consisting of 300 people, including all members of parliament, under constitutional changes taking effect this year. The protesters said they plan fresh demonstrations on Saturday night at new places in Georgian capital. Georgian Dream, which was founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, won the October parliamentary elections to extend its 12-year rule by four more years, according to the Central Election Commission. Opposition lawmakers who back a pro-European charter are boycotting the new parliament, alleging fraud in the vote. Weeks of rallies followed the election, with law enforcement twice breaking up an opposition camp in the center of Tbilisi. Opposition blocs had called on supporters to protest again on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgia applied to join the EU in 2022, along with Ukraine and Moldova, but hasnt yet formally agreed to open the years-long process of negotiating membership. --With assistance from Yuliya Fedorinova. (Updates with US suspending strategic partnership in third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported the detention of 107 people at a rally near the parliament building. Source: SOVA, a Georgian news outlet, as reported by European Pravda Details: The ministry said that most of the detainees "put up verbal and physical resistance to the police". "People on Rustaveli Avenue threw various items, stones, pyrotechnics, glass bottles and iron items at law enforcement officers. As a result of the protesters' actions, 10 police officers were injured. They remain in a medical facility. One policeman has burns on various parts of his body," the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ministry said that despite numerous appeals, people gathered near the parliament caused damage to the infrastructure of the Tbilisi municipality and individuals, set fire to various things and wires, erected barricades, damaged the entrance gates and video surveillance cameras of the Interior Ministry. "To restore law and order, officers used special assets provided for by law. Under Articles 166 and 173 of the Administrative Code, 107 people were detained for disobeying a police officers order and disorderly conduct," the Interior Ministry said in a written statement. Background: On Thursday, 28 November, Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream party confirmed that Tbilisi would not be negotiating EU membership "until the end of 2028". His statement came after the European Parliament adopted a resolution not to recognise the outcome of the recent elections. Several Georgian ministries have already criticised this decision. President Salome Zourabichvili later stated that the ruling party had declared war on its own people. That evening, a large demonstration took place under the walls of the parliament in Tbilisi and there were clashes with the police. Protesters were brutally dispersed with water cannons and tear gas. The security forces used physical violence against people, including journalists and their equipment. The protest continued on Friday evening, and police again used violence against the protesters. Support UP or become our patron! Police patrolling Germany's borders detected 6,889 attempted unauthorized entries in October, Germany's Federal Police said in a press release on Friday. The figure is very similar to the number of people stopped in September. From March to August, the number was between 7,000 and 7,800 each month, according to the Federal Police, and lower in January (6,906) and February (5,998). Whether the decline in the past two months has anything to do with the Germany Interior Ministry's decision to expand border checks to all of Germany's land borders in mid-September to limit irregular migration remains to be seen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police had previously been conducting checks along Germany's borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland, officially on a temporary basis. The checks at the land borders with Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are new. Germany and all of its neighbours are members of the Schengen Area, which normally means people can cross borders without any need for visas or checks. Schengen rules allow countries to reinstitute checks on a temporary basis. The German border controls are limited to six months, but can be renewed. Controls along Germany's border with Austria, for example, were first instituted on a temporary basis in 2015 but have remained continuously in place since then. According to a statement, the Federal Police have registered a total of 71,181 people crossing the border illegally so far this year. In the same period last year, there were 112,201 people. People attempting to enter the country without permission are generally sent back, although if they claim asylum then they can remain in Germany until their case is decided. Asylum seekers are generally taken to a reception facility. The investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022 is making progress, according to Germany's top prosecutor. "We have succeeded in identifying two suspects. In my view, this is a success that was not necessarily to be expected at the start," Public Prosecutor General Jens Rommel told the Spiegel newspaper on Saturday. However, much remains to be done, Rommel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The identity of other people involved, the motivation behind the offence and, in particular, the question of possible state control of the operation are the subject of ongoing investigations," he stated. Commenting about possible Ukrainian involvement and the aim of the sabotage, Rommel said that the investigation was based on the fact that there was damage to the gas pipelines, which formed an important part of the German gas supply. "This was a major attack on our country's energy supply that was capable of destabilizing the local economy and society - regardless of any political classification." In September 2022, the two gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 were damaged by several explosions recorded near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly afterwards, four leaks were discovered in three of the four Nord Stream pipeline strands. Russian natural gas previously flowed to Germany through Nord Stream 1. Nord Stream 2 was not yet in operation due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent political tensions. There has been intense and varied speculation about the perpetrators and masterminds behind the incidents. In mid-August, it became known that Rommel's office was looking for a Ukrainian who had allegedly fled from Poland to his home country. He has not yet been caught. The investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022 is making progress, according to Germany's top prosecutor. "We have succeeded in identifying two suspects. In my view, this is a success that was not necessarily to be expected at the start," Public Prosecutor General Jens Rommel told the Spiegel newspaper on Saturday. However, much remains to be done, Rommel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The identity of other people involved, the motivation behind the offence and, in particular, the question of possible state control of the operation are the subject of ongoing investigations," he stated. Commenting about possible Ukrainian involvement and the aim of the sabotage, Rommel said that the investigation was based on the fact that there was damage to the gas pipelines, which formed an important part of the German gas supply. "This was a major attack on our country's energy supply that was capable of destabilizing the local economy and society - regardless of any political classification." In September 2022, the two gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 were damaged by several explosions recorded near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly afterwards, four leaks were discovered in three of the four Nord Stream pipeline strands. Russian natural gas previously flowed to Germany through Nord Stream 1. Nord Stream 2 was not yet in operation due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent political tensions. There has been intense and varied speculation about the perpetrators and masterminds behind the incidents. In mid-August, it became known that Rommel's office was looking for a Ukrainian who had allegedly fled from Poland to his home country. He has not yet been caught. According to the prosecutor, the overall threat situation in Germany is serious but not overwhelmingly so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are living in troubled times. The dangers to our free and democratic basic order are manifold, they come from within, from outside and extend into everyday life in society," Rommel said, citing attacks this year by suspected terrorists in the cities of Mannheim and Solingen. "Security authorities are making considerable efforts to ward off these dangers," the prosecutor said. According to Rommel, politically motivated crime has recently increased across the board: "It has increased significantly more on the right than on the left, but even more so with Islamist terrorism." "I therefore find it difficult to prioritise them," he added. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been officially nominated as the candidate for his Social Democrats (SPD) in the German city of Potsdam, near Berlin, ahead of elections set to be held in February. Scholz received 93% of votes from party members in his constituency in the eastern state of Brandenburg. The chancellor won the constituency in the last election in 2021 with 34% of the vote, defeating his Annalena Baerbock from the Greens, whom Scholz later appointed foreign minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baerbock and Scholz are set to face off again in the constituency in February's vote for the Bundestag, Germany's lower house. Scholz also secured his party's nomination as candidate for chancellor this week. More than two dozen restaurants and bars in the greater Tacoma area have joined together for the inaugural Pierce County Dine and Donate Food Drive now through Dec. 7, which supports Puyallup Food Bank. The sixth annual Hoppy Holiday Food Drive, with 11 participating local breweries and taprooms, also runs through the weekend, wrapping up Dec. 3. This event and Lakewoods Dec. 5 Fallen Officer food drive benefits Emergency Food Network. An estimated 1 in 10 people in Pierce County are food insecure, according to the nonprofit food bank network Feeding America. The ratio increases to 1 in 6 for children, and local hunger organizations have noticed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency Food Network CEO Michelle Douglas told The News Tribune last year that staff and volunteers would typically see some families visit a food pickup site a few times a year. Those visits had increased to almost weekly in some cases, she said. PIERCE COUNTY DINE & DONATE The Pierce County Dine and Donate drive was organized by Serve Reserves, a startup that offers a staffing, recruiting and networking platform for hospitality businesses. Founders Jen Selvaggia and Hayden Gienger have worked in the industry for decades. They sent feelers out to their network, said Selvaggia this week, and then knocked on doors to find additional takers. All told, 27 businesses in five cities have set up donation boxes. Some are offering specials and events this weekend to draw support. There are also posters at each location, where guests can scan a QR code to donate tax-deductible funds directly to the food bank. Despite all the struggles over the last several years, the community as a whole is still community-minded happy to join forces for a great cause, Selvaggia said in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Side Piece Kitchen in South Tacoma, co-owner Hailey Hernandez called on the brunch restaurants nearly 40,000 Instagram followers to fill their box to the brim. Growing up, especially during the recession, my family utilized food banks. Food banks are absolutely incredible, and theyre a necessary and very important resource that are funded and fueled by our community to be able to support our community, she said in a post on Monday. I want to have so many donations that we are tripping over them. I want to lose the dining room! Side Piece Kitchen is one of nearly 30 participating restaurants in the inaugural Pierce County Dine & Donate Food Drive. Customers who leave a donation this week might get a discount on a slice of cheesecake (limited availability). Known for top-tier biscuits and decadent cheesecakes, the restaurant is offering a discount on cheesecake slices to customers who donate certain items including shelf-stable protein, grains, nut butters, canned soups with pull tops and baby food. Items needed reach beyond food into essential toiletries and other household items such as dish soap, laundry detergent pods and toilet paper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in Tacoma, participating businesses extend from Sixth Ave to downtown and the Thea Foss Waterway. Others have joined in Puyallup, Sumner, Bonney Lake and Lake Tapps. Downtown: Campfire Coffee, APIZZA Little Italy, Rock The Dock Pub and Grill Sixth Ave: West End Pub, Half Pint Pizza and Pub, Backyard, Triple Knock, OMalleys Lakewood: The Penalty Box, The Tilted Rock Puyallup: Wicked Pie, The Coaster, Perrys Cocktail Bar, The Forum, TK Irish Pub, Mazatlan Sumner: 410 Pub Action Sports, Copper Coins Drinkery, Purdys Public House, Log Cabin Pub, Aversanos, Eternal Soul Bowl, Hometown Charm Cafe Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bonney Lake: Georges BLT Lake Tapps: Island Lodge by Al Lago Learn more at theservereserves.com/2024-pierce-county-dine-and-donate. HOPPY HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE You can also drop non-perishables into donation boxes at select breweries, cideries and taprooms around Tacoma and Puyallup. Tacoma-based real estate agents Catie and John Douville created this food drive in 2019. After their fifth year in 2023, the event has provided more than 20,000 pounds of goods to Emergency Food Network, which works with numerous area food banks and nonprofits. The couple had done small-scale fundraisers in the past, but their own appreciation for local breweries led them to learn that many businesses want to support such causes but dont always have the staff or marketing capacity to make it happen. Having an external organizing force really helps, they told The News Tribune last year. Emergency Food Network CEO Michelle Douglas, far left, speaks at the 2022 weigh-in party at Peaks & Pints in Tacoma for the Hoppy Holiday Food Drive, now in its sixth year. Taproom owner Ron Swarner (second from left) joins event organizers Catie and John Douville. Participating venues in Tacoma include Peaks and Pints, E9 Brewing Co. (both the taproom and Firehouse), Incline Cider House, Narrows Brewing, Camp Colvos, Sig Brewing Co. (both downtown and South Tacoma Way), 7 Seas Brewing (also in Gig Harbor), and North 47 Brewing Co. in Browns Point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Puyallup, visit Cockrell Cider and Fierce County Cider to support their bins. This event has a friendly competitive edge: The business with the most donations wins the annual custom tap handle. Theres also a final hurrah on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3, at Peaks and Pints in the Proctor District, with raffle drawings for brewery swag and last-minute donation opportunities. Learn more at hoppyholidayfooddrive.com. LAKEWOOD FALLEN OFFICER FOOD & BLOOD DRIVE The 15th annual Lakewood Police Department Fallen Officer Food Drive to benefit Emergency Food Network and blood drive to support Bloodworks NW is Dec. 5. The event runs from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Lakewood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to the parking lot across from the police station, 9401 Lakewood Drive SW. People who cant make the event can drop off donations at these local businesses Dec. 2-9: Blue Steele Coffee, 11401 Steele St. S. Classy Chassis Car Wash and Detail, 7432 Custer Road Lakewood Classic Coffee, 7609 Custer Road University Place Classic Coffee, 4828 Bridgeport Way W. Lakewood Police Department, 9401 Lakewood Dr. SW Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main St. SW The blood drive is Dec. 5 at the station from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment only. Sign up online with Sponsor Code 4109. Those wishing to make a monetary donation can donate on the Emergency Food Network website here. In the notes section please list the Lakewood Police Fallen Officer Food Drive. NewsVoir Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 30: L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF), one of the leading Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC), is proud to announce the completion of 30 years of trusted excellence. It was started in 1994; the Company has established itself as a diversified retail NBFC. LTF was publicly listed on BSE and NSE in 2011. LTF leads in three Product Finance segments namely, Rural Business Finance, Farm Equipment Finance, and Two-wheeler Finance. This success is attributed to the Company's strong pan-India retail franchise, with a distribution network reaching around 2 lakh villages through more than 1,900 rural meeting centers and over 167 urban branches, supported by over 13,200 distribution points developed over the last decade. LTF serves a substantial customer base of over 2.5 crore individuals, employing effective cross-selling and up-selling strategies to enhance customer engagement and deliver tailored financial solutions. As of the second quarter of the current financial year, its customer portfolio is evenly split, with 47% in rural areas and 53% in urban areas. LTF has more than 35,000 employees and is present in 20 states and two union territories. LTF offers 100% paperless journey and digital loan disbursals across urban and rural areas. Speaking on the occasion, Sudipta Roy, Managing Director & CEO at LTF said, "At LTF we have leveraged digital transformation to create seamless and accessible financial solutions for our customers, whether they reside in urban centres or remote villages. As we look forward, our focus will be more granular, refreshing the product category, enhancing compliance structure, operations, culture building, etc. We are excited to continue our mission of enhancing financial accessibility and literacy while consistently pushing the boundaries of customer experience." As of the second quarter, LTF recorded a Profit After Tax of Rs. 696 Crore (Consolidated), up 17% Year-on-Year (YoY). The retail book stood at Rs. 88,975 Crore, reflecting a YoY growth of 28%. Also, the Company has recorded quarterly retail disbursements of Rs. 15,092 Crore, up 12% YoY. LTF holds an 'AAA' rating from CRISIL, ICRA, CARE, and India Ratings, highlighting its strong financial stability and creditworthiness. Additionally, it is classified as an upper-layer NBFC according to the RBI classification. LTF has also been honoured as a Great Place to Work in 2024. Through its CSR initiatives focused on Digital and Financial Inclusion, LTF has reached over 46 lakh community members through more than 2,000 Digital Sakhis. L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF) (www.ltfs.com), formerly known as L&T Finance Holdings Ltd., (LTFH) is a leading Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), offering a range of financial products and services. Headquartered in Mumbai, the Company has been rated 'AAA' - the highest credit rating for NBFCs - by four leading rating agencies. It has also received leadership scores and ratings by global and national Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) rating providers for its sustainability performance. The Company has been certified as a Great Place To Work and has also won many prestigious awards for its flagship CSR project - "Digital Sakhi"- which focuses on women's empowerment and digital and financial inclusion. Under Right to Win, being in the 'right businesses' has helped the Company become one of the leading financiers in key Retail products. The Company is focused on creating a top-class, digitally enabled, Retail finance company as part of the Lakshya 2026 plan. The goal is to move the emphasis from product focus to customer focus and establish a robust Retail portfolio with quality assets, thus creating a Fintech@Scale while keeping ESG at the core. Fintech@Scale is one of the pillars of the Company's strategic roadmap - Lakshya 2026. The Company has around 2.5 Crore customer database, which is being leveraged to cross-sell, up-sell, and identify new customers. For more information: X , Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube. (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) Flame Canada. GOP Rep. Mike Lawler evoked the South Park movies anti-Canuck anthem Friday to blast state Sen. Liz Kruegers proposal for New York to join Canada in light of Donald Trump returning to the White House. The Hudson Valley congressman posted a cheeky tweet in response to the Manhattan Democrats recent public musings about New York and other progressive states seceding from the US in the aftermath of Trumps election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Apparently @LizKrueger has never watched South Park, he wrote, along with a GIF from the 1999 films Blame Canada song. No Liz, were not all progressive and we dont want to become part of Canada. Feel free to move to Saskatchewan. In the meantime, fix New Yorks disastrous budget $61b increase in state spending over the last 4 years Rep. Mike Lawler blasted New York state Sen. Liz Kruegers secessionist fantasies. The Washington Post via Getty Images Lawler evoked the 1999 South Park movies anti-Canuck anthem Blame Canada to mock Krueger. Last week, Krueger painted an apocalyptic vision of the US under Trump to a cadre of reporters in Albany. She told them she wants New York and other northeast states, along with California and some Pacific Northwest states, to join Canada in an effort to outnumber and overtake the far north. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My backup plans arent so legal, but seem more and more reasonable, she said. If you add up the people, then we can take over Canada, because then I think we would have more population than Canada, which I havent pointed out to the Canadian ambassador yet, just for the record. Shhh, keep it quiet until we get there and then we can just take over. It will be perfect, she said to chuckles from reporters. Krueger acknowledged ahead of the election that she was in touch with her Canadian counterparts about secession in the event Trump won office. The plot of South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut hinges on joyless, politically correct parents getting outraged over a fart-filled Canadian television show corrupting their children. State Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) has repeatedly proposed that New York secede and join Canada. AP Their fury leads to the showstopper Blame Canada, in which they lyrically and misguidedly scapegoat the USs northern neighbor for turning their kids into foul mouths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The South Park television show has also laid satirical sights on The Great White North, notably during a 2015 episode in which a character proposes to build a wall on the US-Canada border to stop illegal immigration, much like Trump wanted for Mexico. When asked by The Post what South Park plot he was referencing, Lawler told The Post: Blame Canada. Its meant to speak to the absurdity of her comments, he said. And to say, Americans dont want to be Canadians. AUTHORS NOTE: This story contains details from court documents that include child sex abuse material. Discretion is advised before reading. If you know or suspect that any child under the age of 18 is being abused sexually, please call the Texas Child Abuse Hotline at 1 (800) 252-5400. YOUNG COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) A man is facing multiple charges related to possessing child pornography after tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led to his arrest the day before Thanksgiving. LOCAL CRIME: Cleaning lady charged with theft over $300,000 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement William Michael Bahl, II, 54, was booked into the Young County Jail on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, on the following charges: Possession of Child Pornography, More Than 50 Depictions (x2) First-degree felony Possession of Child Pornography, Child Younger Than 10 Second-degree felony Possession with Intent to Promote Child Pornography Second-degree felony If convicted, Bahl faces up to life in prison for each of the two first-degree felony charges and up to 20 years behind bars for each of the two second-degree felony charges. Dan Birbeck, Chief of Police with the Olney Police Department, said Bahl resides in Graham but was arrested in Olney, where the offenses were initiated and where he is employed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the arrest affidavit, a detective with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Olney Police Department reviewed two cyber tips received in two months by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child pornography. The detective said on Aug. 22, 2024, Kik Messenger reported a user sent three videos of child pornography. Then, on Oct. 14, 2024, Kik Messenger reported the same user sent four videos of child pornography and/or bestiality to another user. LOCAL NEWS: Single-vehicle pin-in crash on Kemp involving two children According to the affidavit, the detective was able to identify Bahl as the Kik user who sent videos of child pornography by linking the IP addresses used to upload the videos with the MAC address of his phone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said a search warrant was obtained on Nov. 12 for all electronic devices belonging to Bahl. The Olney Police Department, along with the Graham Police Department, executed the warrant at around 5:15 p.m. the same day at Bahls residence in Graham. The detective said Bahl answered the door and identified himself. When he was asked if he had his cell phone on his person, he told detectives he didnt, but a pat-down revealed that his cell phone was in his back pocket. According to the affidavit, Chief Birbeck to Bahl that the warrant involved crimes against children, and Bahl then asked who had turned him in. The affidavit said a search warrant to access the digital contents of the devices seized from Bahls home was signed the next day, on Nov. 13, and the Irving Police Department assisted with a forensic examination of the cell phone on Nov. 18. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LOCAL NEWS: Attempt to serve child porn warrant leads to pursuit, death of suspect Authorities said a search of the data retrieved from the phone revealed multiple videos and images of child pornography in the phones internal storage, with three videos described in graphic detail depicting adults engaging in sex acts with pre-pubescent children. According to the affidavit, police said they also found evidence from the forensic examination of the phone that Bahl had uploaded a photo containing child pornography to Kik Messenger. A records check on Bahl revealed he was arrested in 2016 for providing alcohol to a minor. It is unknown at this time if he was ever indicted or convicted of that charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to jail records, Bahl was released on Nov. 28 after posting his bonds totaling $600,000. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The city of Dayton kicked off the holiday season with the annual Grande Illumination, drawing thousands into downtown for a festive evening Friday. While the festivities were fun for those attending, Daytons top priority was safety and security. With the tree lit up in Courthouse Square and a parade traversing the streets, people from all over the Miami Valley arrived to share a sense of holiday cheer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a large crowd gathering for the tree lighting and parade, the Dayton Police Department knew they had to be vigilant to keep everyone safe. Weve adjusted our staffing for this because of the event that happened two years ago, said Maj. Christopher Malson, DPD. Weve increased our surveillance. Weve learned from what happened two years ago. In 2022, DPD says a juvenile fired a single shot into the air during the parade. Nobody was injured, but the parade was cancelled for safety reasons. Since then, DPD has increased their presence at the event, with more foot patrols, cruisers, traffic personnel and more. 2 NEWS spoke with attendees, who say theyre pleased with the increased security at the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its good that there are more here, keeps it more secure, said Debbie Wilson, attendee. The Dayton Grande Illumination has been in the works since January, and its all hands on deck for the start of the holidays. Over 60 organizations were present at the Grande Illumination, bringing all sorts of activities and excitement. The increased security allows many to be able to enjoy the festivities. We feel like its more secure, were able to have fun, said Suly Wilson, attendee. Theyre doing an amazing job, said Pamela Lynch, attendee. I dont think theres anything they can do better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dayton police say theyre prepared to handle whatever is thrown at them during this event. Alongside security, one of DPDs top concerns for Friday was weather they wanted to ensure that people were aware of the forecast in order to prevent hypothermia and frostbite. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. In our latest episode, we sit down with Gediminas Guoba, a leading expert in drone technology from Lithuania and CEO of Granta Autonomy. We explore how Granta Autonomy drones are revolutionizing modern warfare, delving into their development, applications, and the ethical considerations they entail. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0tC8x99oOnTGHrqpIXQuVR?si=dUC7_F83QemagpPwXxvxng Also, check out our educational platform, IE Academy. From drone user to builder Im an engineer with over 20 years of experience across software, hardware, and aerodynamics, Gediminas explained to IE. As the head of Granta Autonomy, he combines deep technical expertise with practical field knowledge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been operating drones for the last 10 years, including reconnaissance missions behind enemy lines, he added. This hands-on approach has been critical to the companys success. Gediminas has tested drones in Ukraine, gaining first-hand insights into what works and what doesnt in one of the most challenging environments imaginable. Who is Granta Autonomy? Unlike many drone manufacturers that rely on off-the-shelf components, Granta Autonomy designs and develops critical systems in-house. Were not just another drone platform company that integrates third-party components. We focus on critical components like data links, inertial systems, and gimbals, Gediminas explained. One of their standout innovations is a jamming-resistant data link. Weve developed and tested data links that are resilient to jamming, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We proved their effectiveness against Russian jammers on the frontlines in Ukraine, he explained. This capability stems from a decade of research into Russian electronic warfare systems, enabling Granta Autonomy to stay one step ahead. The company has also designed compact, advanced gimbalscritical for ensuring stable imaging in combat conditions. We started developing gimbals in 2017 because there were no suitable options on the market for our small UAVs, Gediminas noted. This gave us deep expertise in mechanics, electronics, and sensor integration, he added. Drone designs honed on the battlefield Granta Autonomy began sending drones to Ukraine in March 2022, just weeks after the war started. Initially, we relied on operator feedback to refine our designs, Gediminas shared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it wasnt until we went to the frontlines that we fully understood what was needed, he added. This, he explained to us, has proved transformative. Testing in real combat environments, with continuous bombing, jamming, and spoofing, allowed us to develop products that perform in the harshest conditions, he said. This hands-on experience led to the widespread adoption of drones by the Ukrainian military. However, operating in such environments isnt without challenges. Friendly fire incidents, also called blue-on-blue situations, are a significant concern. No one else shot down as many of our drones as our troops, Gediminas explained. Ukraine: the crucible of drone evolution Drone technology has advanced at an unprecedented pace in Ukraine, with feedback from operators driving rapid innovation. When we started, our fixed-wing UAVs had a range of 12 kilometers, Gediminas recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, even FPV drones can reach 2025 kilometers, and fixed-wing UAVs are expected to cover at least 30 kilometers, he added. These advancements have pushed the boundaries of what drones can achieve. Ukrainian innovations have doubled the range of drones in just two years, Gediminas said. In 2022, 30 kilometers was impressive. Were talking about 70, 80, or even 90 kilometers, he told us. Granta Autonomys FPV drones, known as Mosquito, are equipped with terminal guidance systems. If you lose control, the drone can autonomously lock onto a target and complete the mission, Gediminas explained. Its like fire-and-forget for the final stage, he added. The ethics of drone warfare As drone technology advances, ethical concerns around autonomy and decision-making grow. The scariest thing for me is the idea of drones deciding whether a target is valid, Gediminas said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if we avoid going down that path, it doesnt mean other countries will do the sale, he said. This lack of global consensus is particularly concerning given Gediminas proximity to Russia. Living next to Russia, we know they will do whatever it takes to ensure victory, even if it means disregarding human lives, he warned. Drone beyond Ukraine The conflict in Ukraine has underscored the strategic importance of drones in modern warfare. Drones have expanded the capabilities of artillery and fundamentally changed the battlefield, Gediminas said. FPV drones are now used against individual targets, showing just how cost-effective theyve become, he told us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The implications extend beyond Ukraine. For Lithuania and other Baltic states, this is a wake-up call, Gediminas noted. Were just 24 hours away from the frontlines, so we need to be prepared, he added. Granta Autonomys contributions are part of a broader shift in military doctrine. Countries are realizing they need to develop and manufacture drones domestically, Gediminas said. This isnt just about defense; its about securing technological independence, he said. Beyond the battlefield While Granta Autonomy focuses on military applications, many innovations have civilian potential. Our jamming-resistant data links could be adapted for law enforcement or disaster response, Gediminas said. Their reconnaissance drones have already been used for border patrol and search-and-rescue missions. The fact that our technology works in combat proves it can handle even the most demanding civilian scenarios, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gediminas sees drones playing an even more significant role in military operations. At some point, human soldiers may become obsolete on the battlefield, he predicted. But you still need boots on the ground to hold territory, he said. Gediminas also believes that drones will continue to evolve into specialized roles. Fixed-wing UAVs will handle long-range, strategic targets, while FPV drones will dominate close-range operations, he added. Lithuanias growing defense ecosystem The war in Ukraine has catalyzed growth in Lithuanias defense sector. Before 2022, there were no venture capital funds supporting defense, Gediminas said. Now, were seeing new companies, motivated engineers, and increased investment in defense technologies, he explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This shift reflects Lithuanias strategic priorities as a Baltic state on NATOs eastern flank. For us, working on defense isnt just a job; its necessary, Gediminas said. We need to ensure were ready for whatever comes next, he added. Granta Autonomys journey from Lithuania to the frontlines of Ukraine offers a compelling glimpse into the future of drone technology. Through innovation, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence, the company is not only reshaping modern warfare but also setting the stage for a new era of defense technology. This is the best time to develop drones. The challenges of today are shaping the solutions of tomorrow, he concluded. MCCOLL, S.C. (WBTW) The town of McColl has had its fair share of issues the past few weeks, first losing all of its officers and police chief due to resignations before its mayor was killed in a head-on crash in Darlington County. Mayor George Garner died in the wreck on Tuesday, and some in the town are still coming to grips with the loss. Approaching his second term, from those News13 talked to, Garner was beloved by many that he served. Robert Dial works for the town of McColl and knew Garner. They were friends for years, and Dial wants others to know who Garner was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Great man, he said. He would give the shirt right off his back for you. I know a lot of rumors [going] around saying this and that and others, and some may be true, some may be false. But like I said, no ones perfect, we all go through our troubles, our trials. We go through our odds and ends. Dial said Garner loved the town of McColl and wanted to make things better for it. From the day he came in, he wanted change until the day he deceased. He wanted better, he wanted more for this town, Dial said. Even when we would get together on weekends, [when] nothing was involving the town, thats what the talk was about. What can I do? Even asking people around town what I can do to make it better for everyone. Dial said he visited Garners family and wants people to know that the family should be respected in their time of grief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre trying to move forward, theyre trying to stay positive for the best, he said. I think McColls going to continue to move forward. Since his death, News13 learned Garner was part of an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, who have yet to say what the investigation centered on. News13 reached out to McColl Town Council members, but did not get a response. Interim Mayor Brian Blue, who is out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday, asked for continued prayers for the town and the Garner family. Garners funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Tuesday at McColl Church of God. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * * * Eric Cooper is a multimedia journalist at News13. He joined the team in September 2024 and covers stories in the Pee Dee. He is a native of Cades in Williamsburg County and a proud graduate of Kingstree Senior High School and Benedict College. You can read more of his work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. This new declaration could help nations across the globe battle the effects of climate change. At the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, representatives from 56 Commonwealth nations came together to announce the Apia Ocean Declaration, which will help "protect the ocean in the face of severe climate, pollution and overexploitation," according to the Associated Press. The 56 Commonwealth nations are mainly small island nations, like Samoa, Malta, and Barbados. They're particularly threatened by rising sea levels, a result of climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement shared by the AP, Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa said the declaration must become "a line in the sand" to better protect our oceans and encourage greater responsibility. The AP reported the Apia Ocean Declaration will be "protecting 30% of oceans and restoring degraded marine ecosystems by 2030, and urgently finalizing the Global Plastics Treaty. It also calls for ratifying the high-seas biodiversity treaty, developing coastal climate adaptation plans, and strengthening support for sustainable blue economies." The declaration draws inspiration from preexisting initiatives, like 30x30 and the Global Plastics Treaty. The 30x30 goal was set by nations aiming to conserve 30% of their land and sea by 2030 a great first step towards preserving our planet. The Global Plastics Treaty is a global initiative to place stricter standards on plastic quality and production. Another recent treaty by the Group of Seven the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, and Japan aims to phase out carbon-polluting coal power plants by 2035. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Declarations and treaties like these address big problems for our planet, like rising sea levels and deforestation, millions of tons of plastic in landfills and waterways, and unchecked planet-warming emissions. Members of the Commonwealth of Nations celebrated their collective efforts toward conservation, and have more planet-saving plans in mind. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind Patricia Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, said the declaration "sets the standard for forthcoming international meetings, generating momentum for ocean protection as we head towards COP29 in Azerbaijan in November, and next year's UN Ocean Conference," per AP. 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. This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). On the banks of the Mandovi river estuary and still known to many by its English name, Panjim Goas regional capital dates to around the 11th century. Yet its defining period was four centuries of Portuguese rule, which only ended in 1961 and whose influence endures. Despite being the major hub for Indias palm-fringed southwestern sunshine state, Panaji remains walkable and unhurried, which has encouraged a wave of younger Indians to relocate here in recent years, bringing new energy to the citys art, music and food scenes. Following the opening of a second international airport (Manohar) in December 2022, its also easier to visit than ever. Exploring the jumble of streets in the Fontainhas district Panajis Latin Quarter is an activity in itself. Peeling off from Rua 31 de Janeiro, the area is lined with brightly painted houses and vibrant street art. Fuel up on pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts) at Goan-Portuguese Bakery Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro, in operation since 1930, and check out the Indian contemporary art at Gitanjali Gallery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fontainhas area is also where youll find Panajis best artisan and locally owned shops. The Good Life Goa, a second-floor emporium beside the Ourem river, has a huge selection of clothes, homeware and art, all handmade in India. Pioneering Goa-born fashion line No Nasties shop is worth seeking out for its colourful 100%-organic cotton clothing. Heading west from the Fontainhas district, the towering Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is a majestic spectacle. Its bright white exterior, stacked like layers of an elaborate wedding cake, is especially striking when lit up at night. Five minutes walk from here, on the banks of the Mandovi river, the Goa State Museum is an essential visit for understanding the states dual-culture and complex backstory. Located in the former Secretariat building, it charts history via carvings, paintings and other objects. More of Goas Portuguese heritage can be found nearby at the Galeria Azulejos de Goa, which displays an extensive selection of hand-painted Portuguese tiles in one of Panajis heritage homes. While it functions as a shop, its just as interesting for a snoop. Just down the road is Mario Gallery, dedicated to one of Indias most-loved cartoonists, Mario Miranda, who lived in Goa for much of his life. Some of his best works are on display here, with original pieces and prints available to buy. To the south of Fontainhas, at the top of a hill in the central neighbourhood of Altinho, is Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts. In its palm-fringed courtyard, Cafe Bodega is a restful spot for everything from shakshuka breakfasts to miso chicken lunches or simply drop by for cake. While in the area, climb the neighbouring hill to admire the citys most impressive Hindu shrine, the Maruti Temple. Dedicated to the monkey god Hanuman, the towering burnt-orange structure offers sweeping views of the city below. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For an Indian meal, seek out a fish thali a selection of traditional dishes served on a platter. Kokni Kanteen, a relaxed and low-lit restaurant near Panajis historic Mahalaxmi Temple, serves an excellent example featuring fried fish and two fish curries. Goas relaxed alcohol laws have spawned a lively bar scene. Come evening, return to Fontainhas for a drink at Josephs a longstanding hole-in-the-wall that serves the local liquor feni, made from coconuts or cashews. A few doors down, Antonio 31 offers creative cocktails with Goan-style small plates such as crispy aubergine with roasted lentils. Close to the Maruti Temple, a 15-minute walk away, theres also the innovative For The Record Vinyl Bar. Panajis estuarine surroundings are a good antidote to a big night out; head for the mangroves and paddy fields of the Chorao and Divar inland islands, or stroll the beaches at Candolim or Miramar. The latter is just a 10-minute drive from Panaji; en route, stop for snacks at Padaria Prazeres, easily spotted thanks to its canary-yellow facade. Published in the December 2024 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only). A shooting at a shopping mall in Little Rock, Arkansas, sparked chaos among the crowds of customers searching for Black Friday deals. The shoppers were reportedly evacuated from the premises of the citys Park Plaza Mall after gunfire broke out around midday, raising concern about the possibility of an active-shooter situation. Police received a call about an active aggressor at the citys Park Plaza Mall at 1:45 p.m., according to police logs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Daily Mail reported , that shots were exchanged between two people who knew each other, in a store. Three people were injured during the incident, and their conditions are currently unknown. Police spokesperson Mark Edwards confirmed to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that the shooting was an isolated incident. I havent heard of any fatalities, he said. Ive heard maybe a couple of non-life-threatening injuries, but nothing fatal. Gun violence in any form or at any time is unacceptable. Todays shooting at Park Plaza Mall recklessly put lives at risk. My thanks to the @LRPolice and first responders who helped protect our residents and guests. Full statement below: pic.twitter.com/wd46WNoubf Frank Scott, Jr. (@FrankScottJr) November 29, 2024 The mayor of Little Rock, Frank Scott Jr., responded to the Black Friday shooting on X. The careless, senseless and criminal actions of two individuals today jeopardized the lives and safety of residents and visitors. We are praying for the victims of this incident, and are hopeful that they make a full recovery, he wrote in a statement. Gun violence is unacceptable at any time or in any place. We trust those responsible for this will be held fully accountable for their dangerous and reckless decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added, We are grateful to our law enforcement officers, first responders, mall security and employees, and everyone who acted quickly to ensure safety and protect others. Park Plaza Mall said in a statement to KARK 4 News that it would remain closed for the rest of Black Friday. Our hearts go out to the individuals affected in this incident, along with their loved ones, the statement said. The safety and wellbeing of our guests and the community remains our top priority, and we are fully cooperating with law enforcement in their ongoing investigation. Park Plaza will be closed for the remainder of the day. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) Habitat for Humanity of Horry County was among several charities recently honored with a prestigious state award recognizing significant contributions to the well-being of South Carolinians. The Myrtle Beach-based nonprofit has served 170 families since 1990 and in 2023 completed five homes, according to its annual report. The agency has also been active in the Dominican Republic, last year contributing $27,000 to its Habitat branch. The Secretary of States Angel Award is bestowed to 10 charities a year. Recipients must use at least 80% of their contributions for program services, demonstrate financial transparency and comply with the states Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The award was presented to Habitat for Humanity of Horry County on Nov. 20 in Columbia. We are proud of our long legacy of exceptional governance and stewardship. Our board and administration continue to expand what is possible to designate resources effectively to serve hardworking Horry County families in need of access to homeownership and housing solutions, board president Sarah Moniz said in a statement. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. OAK PARK, Ill. A Chicago man described as a habitual criminal has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Fridays shooting death of a village police detective. Jerell Thomas, 37, also faces charges of attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. Authorities allege Thomas shot Det. Allan Reddins as the detective responded to a call about a person leaving a Chase bank location with a gun. Public memorial being planned for slain Oak Park detective Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oak Park detective killed, offender injured in shooting Reddins was shot on the left side of his body and passed away at Loyola University Medical Center. His death was the first of an on-duty officer in the community in 86 years. Thomas remains at Loyola University Medical Center with a leg injury. No bond hearing has been set while Thomas is being treated at the hospital. Jerell Thomas Det. Allan Reddins In releasing information about the charges, an Oak Park spokesperson described Thomas as a habitual criminal with a previous history of multiple arrests for aggravated battery to a police officer, domestic battery, battery and resisting a police officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Oak Park Police Department at 708-386-3800 or dial 911. Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation may also leave an anonymous tip online, or by calling 708-434-1636. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NewsVoir Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 30: The localities around Vandalur are witnessing rapid growth in real estate, driven by significant developments in the IT sector and an enhanced road network. Among these, the nearby locality of Mannivakkam stands out as a prime beneficiary. Strategically situated at the node of Vandalur, Mannivakkam enjoys direct connectivity to major road networks such as GST Road, Outer Ring Road (ORR), Chennai Bypass Road, and the Vandalur-Kelambakkam Link Road, ensuring seamless travel in all directions. Additionally, the locality offers access to all major transit modes, including air, rail, and road, making it highly accessible. This advantageous location, coupled with ongoing infrastructure projects and proximity to key employment hubs, is fueling Mannivakkam's rapid development. Infrastructure Transforming the Landscape Vandalur is home to the Kilambakkam Bus Terminus, one of South India's largest transit hubs, which enhances intercity and interstate travel. The upcoming metro line to Kilambakkam will further improve connectivity to Chennai's central business districts and IT corridors. Whereas, Manivakkam benefits from seamless access to ORR and the Oragadam-Vandalur Corridor, ensuring smooth travel to Bengaluru and other employment and industrial hubs. Located near Perungalathur, it is close to Shriram Gateway IT SEZ, Accenture, Capgemini and Infosys, as well as MEPZ in Tambaram and the Oragadam Industrial Belt, which hosts global giants like Renault-Nissan and Apollo Tyres. New IT Parks: A Game Changer The announcement of new IT parks in Vandalur, Mannivakkam, and Malayambakkam along the Outer Ring Road is set to redefine the real estate market. Combined with already established IT hubs near the proximal Perungalathur like ZOHO, Accenture and Capgemini, these developments are expected to generate significant employment opportunities, driving demand for residents in the region. Affordable and Balanced Living Compared to the city's core areas, localities near Vandalur, such as Mannivakkam and Otteri Extension, offer cost-effective housing options with excellent appreciation potential, while providing the same benefits as central urban locations. These areas strike a perfect balance between urban conveniences and green, serene surroundings, making them increasingly sought after for a well-rounded lifestyle. Landmarks like the Arignar Anna Zoological Park and reputed schools, colleges, hospitals, and shopping centers are another benefit of family-friendly appeal. Vasanth, an IT professional working near Vandalur, "I recently moved to Mannivakkam, and though I was initially skeptical, I now realize I have access to all the conveniences of city living. From the airport, railway network, and bus station to the metro, everything is within reach. Being located on GST Road allows me to travel effortlessly to all parts of the city, including the parallel ECR-OMR stretch. It truly feels like I'm living in the heart of Chennai." The Hub of Opportunities Mannivakkam are poised for significant growth, offering a range of real estate options such as residential plots, plotted communities - the new age investing in plots that offer world-class amenities within a secured community, apartments and villas. The strategic location, affordability, and proximity to key employment hubs, coupled with robust infrastructure and excellent connectivity, make them thriving real estate destinations. With growing IT and industrial developments, these areas present a perfect blend of accessibility, quality living, and future growth potential, making them ideal for both homebuyers, working professionals and investors. (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) HONOLULU (KHON2) The biggest shopping weekend is officially here. Millions of Americans are projected to spend billions of dollars over the next few days and Hawaii is no exception. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Black Friday is finally here and so are the crowds and lines. The wait to get into Lexbreezy Hawaii at Pearlridge was up to two hours. We got doorbusters, good deals, bags, outfits, aloha wear, said Chelsea Maialoha, an Aiea resident who waited two hours to enter, then shopped at Lexbreezy for an hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biggest shopping day about to get brighter with big deals We prepare all year for this, said Lexy Akiona, Lexbreezy Hawaii. So this is the biggest day of retail. We have to stack our stores. We have new releases, doorbusters, we bring it all out for Black Friday. Analysts predict shoppers will spend an average of $650 just this weekend starting on Black Friday and ending on Cyber Monday. I think its a make-it-or-break-it time of year, said Jess Akamine, HIC manager. So I feel like its super important for us. Its like the last part of the year to make sure we get everything all good. So far, so good, said Kealii Cabral, Miniso area manager the chains first store in Hawaii. Honestly its been pretty exciting the amount of foot traffic thats popped up, Im just really happy that its going well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the reason, shoppers arent just looking for gifts. Are these presents or is this stuff for you? Mostly presents, but shopping for them too family that came with me, said Charlotte Nitahara, Kapolei resident. Most of them are gifts, said Maialoha. A few for me. But yeah, most are gifts. Theyre shopping for themselves for sure haha, said Akamine. Nothing wrong with that though right? Yeah, nothing wrong with that. But I wanna say 90% of the sales are shopping for themselves. There are more than 200 stores here at Pearlridge and about 60% of them are locally owned and operated. Management said that is a big number for a mall of this size. And supporting local is extremely important. The Better Business Bureau said for every dollar spent at a local store, close to 70 cents stays right here in the local community. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You I think its super important to support local, said Nitahara. If we support local, we help more families that are able to make it in the economy, so super important. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were just grateful, said Akiona. Grateful to be here, grateful for all the support. 99 percent of our customers are kamaaina. Local. So to see that support for us really means so so much and if you can get out there and support local this weekend, thats what its all 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 KHON2. ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) HEB has partnered with Meals on Wheels Odessa to celebrate by delivering more than 700 holidays meals to homebound neighbors, as part of the annual HEB Feast of Sharing celebration. HEB and community members will be passing out warm, holiday cheer to fellow Texans in Odessa. Distribution is scheduled to begin at 9:30 on Wednesday, December 4. According to a release, HEBs Feast of Sharing regularly serves more than 340,000 meals each year in 34 cities throughout Texas and Mexico. Since 989, more than 375,000 volunteers have helped serve more than four million meals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich likened Donald Trump to heroes of ancient epics in a fawning interview with Fox Newss Kellyanne Conway. During a stop by "Hannity" on Friday, Gingrich rationalized Meta CEO Mark Zuckerbergs meeting with Trump as a sign that the Facebook boss understood the president-elect's special place in the world. I think the only way you can begin to understand this is to take Trump totally outside of normal American politics and recognize that he's a mythic figure, Gingrich told Conway. Hes like some of the people who come out of the Viking sagas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Trumps earliest GOP backers, Gingrich added that the president-elect survived a shooting and bested Kamala Harris because he was a "genuine, historic leader." The former speaker claimed the tech billionaire and other powerful figures embrace of Trump was a sign of a cultural change that you see maybe twice in a century. Some, including The New York Times's Maggie Haberman, saw the Meta CEOs Wednesday trip to kiss the ring at Mar-A-Lago as an indication that big tech figures are cozier to Trump than during his first term. As with a number of industries, but certainly the tech industry, a lot of people coming to Trump and not the other way around, Haberman said in a CNN interview on Wednesday night. Mar-A-Lago, the center of Trumps transition, has hosted former Trump critics like Zuckerberg, MSNBCs Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in recent weeks. The Shiite Lebanese militia Hezbollah is set to commemorate on Saturday its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by an Israeli strike on the milita's headquarters on September 27. The event will be held in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of the Iran-backed group. The ceremony, titled Light from Light, has been announced for 5:45 pm local time (1545 GMT). Hezbollah supporters are expected to gather at the sacred site of martyrdom the former location of the organization's headquarters in the Haret Hreik district, which seems already to have become a kind of shrine. In Shiite Islam, the theme of martyrdom plays a central role. Israel, following the escalation of conflicts with Hezbollah, carried out numerous airstrikes on the stronghold of the Shiite militia in the south of the Lebanese capital. Only a few days ago, both sides agreed on a ceasefire. During the spring of 2023, a Hialeah man with the username Dear_Road6737 conversed with others on the social media platform Reddit about engaging in sexually explicit conduct with children, federal authorities say. After obtaining a search warrant, the FBI reviewed numerous conversations from the mans Reddit account showing he told others that he groomed them and got pleasure from inflicting pain on children. The FBIs later search of his cell phone revealed that Edward Cordovez uploaded into a Reddit group chat at least eight images depicting toddler- and infant-aged children engaging in sexual intercourse, according to court records. The search also revealed videos that the man made of himself engaged in sex with young children on different occasions since May 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cordovez, 37, was charged in Miami federal court with four counts of producing material involving the sexual exploitation of minors and with distributing visual representations of the sexual abuse of minors and possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Cordovez, represented by the federal public defenders office, pleaded guilty to all six counts in the indictment on Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Robert Scola. He faces 30 years or more in prison at his sentencing on Feb. 18, 2025, according to court records. On four occasions between May 2023 and June 2024, Cordovez coerced two children into having sex with him while he produced videos, according to a factual statement filed with his guilty plea. During the search of his Hialeah home on June 6, 2024, FBI agents found a Samsung Galaxy A5 4 cellular phone inside his pocket. After he waived his Miranda rights, agents interviewed him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He admitted to using Reddit to have conversations about, and to upload and download images depicting, children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, according to the statement. The defendant also admitted to possessing on his cell phone visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Also, Cordovez showed the agents that he stored those images within a password-protected phone application that resembled a calculator but was, in fact, a photo gallery, the statement says. Inside the application were thousands of images and videos, many of which depicted prepubescent children, toddlers, or infants engaging in sexually explicit conduct. At the end of the interview, FBI agents arrested him. Since June, he has been held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami. HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) A Holland family was left confused and upset after one of their family holiday items was stolen off their porch earlier this week. Mark Micheli and his family had their Christmas tree stolen off their front porch just after midnight on Monday morning, they told News 8. On some level its violating. On another, its absurd, he said. I just felt sad and bummed about it. He and his family had talked about when they were going to set up their Christmas decorations, Micheli said. In order to surprise their two children, they brought the tree up from their basement and left it outside on the porch, still in its bag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors share what it takes to put on holiday lights show Just hours after it was put on the porch, the tree was taken. It was all caught on their home security camera. The alleged thief wearing a blue hoodie and carrying what appears to be an Amazon package is seen walking up the steps of the Micheli familys porch, before snagging the tree bag and walking away. Watch the security camera footage in the player below. Micheli noticed the tree was gone the next day. While the family celebrated what they were grateful for on Thanksgiving, he said it did put a damper on the holiday season. We have just paused for a minute to collect ourselves, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre still deciding whether theyll buy a new fake tree or get a real tree this year, though theyd love to get the tree back. Its a family tree, it was given to me by my parents, Micheli said. The intention was to have it for a long time. More than anything we would just love to have the tree back, no questions asked. Micheli said it was just like The Grinch story. Where to see holiday lights in West Michigan this December I just read The Grinch to my son like two nights before and I was like, this is ripped from the pages of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. I joked with people I feel like Cindy Lou Who, he said. Its certainly not in keeping with the holiday spirit of course. But also it just seemed like a really heavy, awkward thing to steal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Micheli said that the situation doesnt make him feel unsafe, but it did open his eyes to being more aware of their surroundings. Youre certainly a little more vigilant, he said. I try to have a lot of compassion for the individual. News 8 reached out to the Holland Department of Public Safety regarding the incident and has not yet heard back. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. (FOX40.COM) A man was arrested after he allegedly tried to break into a home before leading several law enforcement agencies on a pursuit through the Sacramento area Friday. Around 3 p.m., the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office responded to a call about a man breaking into a house on the 7200 block of Chandler Drive in South Sacramento. Deputies said the homeowner was inside the residence during the alleged break-in and shot at him. The suspect reportedly fled to a neighbors house, gained entry, stole a car from that neighbors garage, and led deputies on a pursuit down Highway 99. U.S. Highway 50 traffic shift scheduled in Northern California to last until 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies said the chase came to an end when the suspect crashed into a ditch. The suspect was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment before being arrested. His alleged charges are pending. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. (NewsNation) The end of the COVID-19 pandemic doesnt appear to have hindered the rise in the number of families choosing to homeschool their children, according to a new study. The study found that 90% of states that report homeschooling enrollment found increases for the 2023 to 2024 academic year. In Louisiana, for example, the state saw a steady increase in homeschooling before the pandemic that continued afterward. The growth trend ranges from 8% in Wyoming to nearly 70% in Rhode Island. Cyber Monday 2024 Deals Top Cyber Week deals still live Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Top gifts under $100 Best stocking stuffers BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Canadian news publishers sue OpenAI over alleged copyright infringement This is something thats occurring all across the country. Its not a red state, blue state issue, said Johns Hopkins University professor Dr. Angela Watson. So were really looking to dig into what exactly is causing not only families not to return to the traditional public schools. While reasons vary, parents of children with special needs are increasingly opting for homeschooling. Families with students whose needs may not be met in the traditional public setting they are choosing homeschooling, Watson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watson pointed to a growing community of homeschooling parents and advances in technology that have made the practice a little easier in recent years. Watch: Colorado officer uses kids bike during pursuit The old homeschooling community had to be really dedicated because there wasnt a lot of support for them, Watson said. Now, though, we see all kinds of technologies and artificial intelligence and curriculum companies marketing and tailoring things specifically for the homeschool community. So thats something that has been very different. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Robots are taking over multiple industries, easing tasks with greater accuracy while reducing the workload for humans. From warehouses to hospitals, robots are speeding tasks up more effectively. Now, Honda has unveiled a robot designed to provide support and companionship to children undergoing extended hospital stays. Called Haru, the AI-powered robot was introduced at the Virgen del Rocio University Hospital (HUVR) in Seville, Spain. Developed by Honda Research Institute Japan Co., Ltd. (HRI-JP), Haru was designed to be a social robot that makes people smile through expressive communication and forms empathetic relationships with people. As a compact desk-top robot with a total height of 30cm (12 inches), Haru can be placed on a table to engage in conversations with people. Haru obtains biometric information of users Honda explains that Haru obtains users' biometric information, such as facial expressions and voice tones, through its built-in camera and microphones. This information is then analyzed to assess the user's emotional state, enabling Haru to respond with appropriate empathy and emotional support. Moreover, Haru can also be linked to a wristwatch-type wearable sensor worn by the user, allowing for even more detailed analysis of the users conditions, according to the company. Honda maintains that as a robot, Haru does not have any human attributes, such as gender, race, or nationality, and is always capable of communicating from a neutral perspective. It enables the robot to effectively facilitate communication beyond generational and cultural differences, especially in group communication. Haru communicates with children HUVR has integrated Haru into its initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being of children undergoing long-term cancer treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The robot has been assisting the hospitals neuropsychologists in conducting emotional and cognitive assessments. Using AI technology, Haru communicates with children and assists neuropsychologists in conducting emotional and cognitive assessments. Due to the amount of time the assessment takes, there is a limit to the number of assessments the neuropsychologists can conduct each year: the number had been limited to 510 per year, including follow-up consultations until now. With the introduction of Haru, the number of assessments the hospital can conduct each year is expected to increase to as many as 4,500, according to a press release. Haru supports intellectual, physical rehabilitation programs The company maintains that Haru has been supporting intellectual and physical rehabilitation programs provided to young patients at the hospital. Haru learns the rehabilitation programs and can guide the children through the process while engaging them in conversation. The demonstration experiment showed that 95% of children were more actively engaged in rehabilitation while receiving guidance from Haru, compared to conventional human guides. We have been conducting joint research with HRI-JP for several years now, and gained wonderful results. We have identified that Haru holds great potential in bringing happiness to children," said Virgen del Rocio University Hospital in Seville (HUVR) in a statement. Typically, technologies used in hospitals focus on medical treatments or physical well-being. However, Haru demonstrates a unique ability to positively influence the psychological well-being of our young patients, contributing to a more positive atmosphere throughout the hospital. "The support that Haru provides, enabling children under hospital care to feel more happiness and connection with others, is unique only to Haru and offers valuable benefits not found in traditional medical care. We believe that Haru is a groundbreaking presence that creates an environment where young patients can enjoy their time here at our hospital," added HUVR in a statement. In an adorable photo posted Hailey alongside her husband Justin Bieber smiled as she "cradled their baby boy Jack Blues Bieber, 3 months, on a family outing". She shared a series of pictures from the month of November and wrote in the caption, "November aka the best month of the year," reported E! News. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC98__SyrmM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Justin and Hailey announced the birth of their first child on their social media accounts. Taking to his Instagram handle, Justin wrote, "WELCOME HOME JACK BLUES BIEBER." Hailey also shared the same photo to her Instagram Stories soon afterward with the child's name and a teddy bear and blue heart emoji. Pattie Mallette, Justin's mom, tweeted, "CONGRATULATIONS @justinbieber & Hailey. I LOVE YOU FOREVER BABY JACK!!" The couple first revealed that they were expecting a child in May 2024, announcing the good news on Instagram. A representative for Hailey shared that the model was just over six months pregnant at the time. The couple tied the knot in September 2018 in a New York City courthouse just two months after getting engaged. They later celebrated with a larger ceremony in front of family and friends, exchanging vows and Tiffany wedding bands as the sun set in Bluffton, South Carolina. (ANI) Nov. 30A Hoopeston man who was licensed to work as a child welfare specialist has been denied bail for a second time after being indicted by a grand jury Nov. 22 on 12 counts of Child Pornography Possession and Dissemination of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Connor Gilonske, age 24, was approved for his license for placement/permanency work with Lutheran Social Services on July 24, just five days before Illinois State Police began an investigation of Gilonske following a cyper tip. Illinois State Police agents began their investigation July 29. According to the probable cause affidavit, during a search of Gilonske's home, police found at least 12 "computer files" that contained video or images of children under the age of 13 being sexually abused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monday, Nov. 25, Gilonske appeared for an arraignment hearing remotely by video in Courtroom 4B from the Vermilion County Public Safety Building, where he has been held without bond since his arrest on Nov. 7. His attorney, Jeff Cisco, told the Court Gilonske waived his right to a formal reading of the charges against him and requested a trial by jury. Cisco also entered a plea of not guilty for his client. Cisco then asked the court to consider pretrial release for his client. He said Gilonske would reside at the home of his mother and stepfather, who had disconnected their internet. Gilonske had concerns about his physical health at the public safety building, Cisco said, stating his client takes medication for high blood pressure and is on oxygen when he sleeps. Cisco told the Court that Gilonske said he is not getting the proper care or dosage of his medication during his detention. "He does not pose a threat to any person and he is not a flight risk," Cisco said. State's Attorney First Assistant Tom O'Connor disagreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He has shown he can evade police, he had been doing so for months and even years leading up to his arrest," he said. "His behavior that led to the probable cause that led to his arrest shows he does not care about rules or regulations." Associate Judge Mark Goodwin denied Cisco's requests, citing the seriousness of Gilonske's offenses. Cisco filed a Motion for Fitness and Sanity Evaluation on Nov. 25. The Court, in its discretion, may order an evaluation by a qualified expert appointed to examine Gilonske. That expert will determine his mental capability of "fitness for trial, to plead, or to be sentenced." According to Gilonske's LinkedIn account, he studied at Liberty University with the "intentions of getting licensed as an Elementary Education teacher." He stated he received a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from the university in May 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under his work experience, he cites a position as a Child Welfare Specialist with Lutheran Social Services of Illinois beginning in May 2024, and as an unassigned case manager with CASA of Vermilion and Edgar Counties from August 2022-May 2024. Gilonske noted on his LinkedIn page that he was seeking a district license in the Church of the Nazarene and served on the board of the Hoopeston Nazarene Church as the youth ministries president and head of discipleship. Rev. Scott Whalen, the District Superintendent of the Chicago Central District of the Church of the Nazarene which the Hoopeston church is affiliated, stated, "We are aware of the current court case regarding Connor Gilonske. He was relieved of all church responsibilities immediately following his arrest." Gilonske's next court appearance is a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Jan. 7, at 10:30 a.m. in Courtroom 4B. A Motions hearing will be conducted Dec. 12, at 2:15 p.m., in Courtroom 4B. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anonymous tips of child sexual abuse material can also be reported through the CyberTip line at www.cybertipline.com. To keep kids safe online, learn more at https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/onlinesafe/. For resources for survivors of sexual abuse visit https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/csam-resources. Charges are not evidence against a defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) The Hope Shop by Hands Producing Hope plans to close the Government Street location in December. The Hope Shop, located at 3115 Government St., released a statement on its social media page about the closing. We have loved having a stand alone brick and mortar the past 4.5 years and all that it has done to cultivate community and make shopping ethically more accessible in Baton Rouge. But it is sadly not financially sustainable for us to keep it open. We tried for as long as we could, but the sales simply arent there. And in order for our organization as a whole to survive, we have to make this pivot. The Hope Shop via Instagram Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the shops website, most of the items featured on the website are made by HPH artisans, while others are a curated selection of ethically made goods from around the world. The shop offers apparel, shoes, accessories, home goods, jewelry, gifts and paper goods. City Roots Coffee Bar opens second location in Baton Rouge. See where The shop also sells fair-trade goods at permanent pop-ups at Light House Coffee, Mustard Seed Creamery and Local Supply. According to a social media post, before the shops closure, they will have three to four weeks to reduce inventory by over 75%. Many items we have will not be restocked, so come get them while you can, said The Hope Shop in a social media post. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com. Hundreds of supporters of the Iran-allied Hezbollah militia gathered in a southern Beirut suburb on Saturday near the site where Hassan Nasrallah, the group's former leader, was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike more than two months ago. Clad in black and waving Hezbollah flags, a crowd assembled around the large crater in the Haret Hreik district of the Lebanese capital where Nasrallah was killed on September 27. Some were reading verses from the Koran, the holy book of the Islamic faith. Others were carrying candles and chanting: "We will still follow your path." An official public funeral has yet to be set for the movement's long-time leader. Pro-Iranian Hezbollah supporters gather during a memorial ceremony held at the site where assassinated party leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli massive airstrike in Beirut southern suburb. Marwan Naamani/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Oksana Markarova, Ukraines Ambassador to the US, has reported that the US capital, Washington, DC, has held a commemoration of Ukrainian children killed in the Russo-Ukrainian war. Six hundred teddy bears with the names of children whose lives were taken by Russia were placed near the Washington Monument on 29 November. Source: Markarova on Facebook; Embassy of Ukraine in the USA Details: The toys were purchased through donations, including from American children. Photo: Markarova on Facebook Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event also included a prayer for the young Ukrainians who were injured or illegally deported as a result of Russia's actions. Quote from the Embassy: "Together, we send a powerful message: the lives and futures of our children are worth every effort to protect." Photo: Markarova on Facebook More details: Oksana Markarova believes that in order to do this, the world should continue to make efforts to end the war as soon as possible. In her opinion, this will be facilitated by Ukraine receiving more weapons, strengthening sanctions against Russia and bringing those responsible for crimes against humanity to justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon the commemorations completion, the plushies will be given to children in Ukrainian orphanages and hospitals, and to charitable organisations. "While we are fighting for freedom and peace for Ukrainian children, we must continue to give them joy, give them gifts, see their eyes shine and see how glad and happy they are," Markarova added. Background: Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Human Rights Commissioner, said that as of September 2024, 575 Ukrainian children had been killed by Russian troops since the start of the full-scale invasion, and another 1,609 had sustained injuries. The results of a sociological survey conducted in August 2024 showed that 99% of children in Ukraine were directly affected by combat actions. The study showed that this experience makes children around the world feel more anxious about many aspects of life than their peers who have not been exposed to it. This is particularly true for feelings of danger at home (78%), concerns about body image (42%), the number of friends (39%), and feelings of danger outside the home (35%). Support UP or become our patron! CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WCMH) A 58-year-old man from Illinois died Friday evening after a crash on a Ross County roadway. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said that Western Springs, Illinois resident Slavisa Jovanovic was driving a Mercedes west on U.S. Route 35 just after 10:15 p.m. After driving off the right side of the road, Jovanovics Mercedes crashed into a tree. One critically injured in west Columbus shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. GLEN CARBON, Ill. A Metro East pet owner is grieving and urging others to stay vigilant after her beloved dog tragically died from cardiac arrest after suspected fentanyl exposure. Katie Kuehnel says her nine-year-old dog Max, a Cocker Spaniel and Terrier mix, died on Nov. 16 after a bizarre situation. On that morning, she let Max run around her fenced backyard unsupervised. When she checked on him a short time later, she noticed something was wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Max suddenly had difficulty moving around and was found with pale gums. He was rushed to an animal hospital, where he received immediate treatment. Despite several tests, procedures, and life-saving efforts, his condition did not show significant improvement in adequate time, and he was ultimately euthanized. According to veterinary documents that Kuehnel shared with FOX 2, Max exhibited an unusually fast heart rate, difficulty breathing, and a decreased awareness of his surroundings. Documents also noted several episodes in which his heart rate would drop significantly and that he was unresponsive to certain medications. While Max was hospitalized, Kuehnel informed staff about drug concerns in her neighborhood. According to documents, the hospital staff had ruled out all major suspects as to what may have caused Maxs complications, but acknowledged some sort of drug toxicity would possibly fit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX 2 recently reached out for clarification on the documents, but the animal hospital declined to comment. A Metro East pet owner is grieving and urging others to stay vigilant after her beloved dog Max tragically died from cardiac arrest after suspected fentanyl exposure. (Photo courtesy: Katie Kuehnel) A Metro East pet owner is grieving and urging others to stay vigilant after her beloved dog Max tragically died from cardiac arrest after suspected fentanyl exposure. (Photo courtesy: Katie Kuehnel) A Metro East pet owner is grieving and urging others to stay vigilant after her beloved dog Max tragically died from cardiac arrest after suspected fentanyl exposure. (Photo courtesy: Katie Kuehnel) Fence between sidewalk and Katie Kuehnels yard (Photos provided by: Katie Kuehnel) Fence between sidewalk and Katie Kuehnels yard. This photo shows a small gap where the shirt previously poked through the fence. (Photos provided by: Katie Kuehnel) Fence between sidewalk and Katie Kuehnels yard. This photo shows the approximate spot where the shirt peaked into her backyard. (Photos provided by: Katie Kuehnel) While recalling Maxs situation, Kuehnel told FOX 2 that a wooden fence separates her backyard from the sidewalk. She recalled noticing a shirt that poked through a small gap in the fence and partially peeked into the backyard. She first noticed the shirt while leaving her house to rush Max to the animal hospital. Kuehnel believes Max likely sniffed the shirt that went through the fence line and began showing unusual symptoms shortly after that, suspecting that the tragedy stemmed from traces of fentanyl on the shirt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One day after Max was euthanized, Kuehnel took to social media to share an emotional plea to fellow pet owners. I would like to make all pet owners in the area aware of this increasing problem in our community and surrounding areas. Please keep a close eye on your fur babies and dont let them (or yourself) touch any strange objects that shouldnt be in your yard, she said via Facebook. According to a 2020 National Library of Medicine article, citing data from a comprehensive PLOS ONE journal study, around 5,200 cases of opioid exposure in the United States were reported to the Animal Poison Control Center between 2006 and 2014. That marks an average of around 600 cases similar to Maxs per year, based on data from the last time such figures were available. Research also indicated that smaller dogs were at greater risk of drug poisoning due to their size and likeliness to be curious about their surroundings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kuehnel remembers Max as a friendly pet who enjoyed the company of others and traveling. She hopes her message will raise awareness about the dangers of drug exposure and help other pet owners avoid similar tragedies. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Nov. 29DIXON As people gear up for seasonal shopping events, the Illinois Department of Revenue reminds shoppers to keep a watchful eye for potential online threats. "Throughout the year, IDOR, members of the Internal Revenue Service and other state tax administrators all work together to safeguard taxpayers' personal information," IDOR Director David Harris said. "This time of year, as holiday shopping begins and Black Friday and Cyber Monday online sales tend to hit record highs, there is often an increased risk of cybercriminals taking advantage of unsuspecting shoppers." The IDOR offers the following tips to keep shoppers' personal information safe from online thieves: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Avoid sharing too much personal information online, including addresses, birthdates, bank account information and Social Security numbers. * Use strong passwords that are easy to remember and hard to guess. Using a password manager to store passwords also can help. * Use additional safety features for online accounts, such as enabling multifactor authentication and installing security software such as firewalls and antivirus programs. * Be wary of phishing emails and other online scams that use fake promotional offers, shipping notifications designed to look legitimate and trick shoppers into sharing sensitive information such as credit card numbers, or prompts to install malware onto personal devices. This also comes in the form of fake websites designed to imitate popular online retailers and text message scams. * Credit cards typically offer additional protection when shopping online and should be used over debit cards, which are directly linked to bank accounts, when possible. Shoppers should regularly check their accounts for any strange or unauthorized transactions, and report any suspicious activity to their financial institution immediately. Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor is currently in the national capital. A while ago on Saturday, she attended 'Rajadhiraj: Love, Life, Leela' show at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Auditorium. Before entering the venue, she spoke with ANI and expressed her excitement. She said, "The cold weather in Delhi is very pleasant... I am very excited to watch this musical play based on Lord Krishna. I could not watch it in Mumbai so I had to come to Delhi to watch it..." https://x.com/ANI/status/1862872701221904484 Conceptualized by visionary creator Dhanraj Nathwani, the musical made its debut in Delhi on Friday, The opening night witnessed the starry presence of Shahid Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar. Actor Shahid Kapoor, too, shared his experience saying, "It's a great opportunity to watch it in Delhi. Everything about Him motivates us as those are the idols we grew up and all the qualities are special. He is also a little naughty, that's a good quality. You should always keep the child and there are other things as well. We are nobody to talk about it but feelings that matter. The show was done spectacularly.." Dedicated to the life and leelas of Shri Krishna, Rajadhiraaj: Love. Life. Leela offered a soul-stirring portrayal of Shri Krishna's magnanimity, grace, and timeless teachings. Executive Producer Bhoomi Nathwani presented the musical masterpiece. The timeless leelas of Krishna's journey have been peened down by renowned screenwriter Prasoon Joshi and directed by seasoned musical theatre expert Shruti Sharma. The show is creatively produced by Parthiv Gohil and Viral Rachh, both seasoned veterans in music and theatre, while National Award-winning writer Raam Mori has meticulously contributed to the project's in-depth story research. Celebrated costume designer Neeta Lulla, known for her work in iconic Indian films, has designed over 1,800 bespoke custom-made costumes to bring mythical characters to life. From Vrindavan to Mathura and Vraj to Dwarka, over 180 artists have brought this musical to life with their electrifying performances. The 20 original soundtracks by Sachin-Jigar, blending Western symphonic elements from Budapest with Indian classical music, enhance the production's allure. The grand musical theatrical that arrived in Delhi, after a stellar run at Mumbai's Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre's (NMACC) Grand Theatre, will continue to enthral the audience in the national capital until December 8. (ANI) Our leader forever was a slogan one often saw in Syria during the era of President Hafez al-Assad, father of todays Syrian president. The prospect that the dour, stern Syrian leader would live forever was a source of dark humor for many of my Syrian friends when I lived and worked in Aleppo in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Hafez al-Assad died in June 2000. He wasnt immortal after all. His regime, however, lives on under the leadership of his son Bashar al-Assad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were moments when the Bashar regimes survival looked in doubt. When the so-called Arab Spring rolled across the region in 2011, toppling autocrats in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, and mass protests broke out in Yemen, Bahrain and Syria, some began to write epitaphs for the Assad dynasty. But Syrias allies Iran, Lebanons Hezbollah and Russia came to the rescue. For the past few years the struggle in Syria between a corrupt, brutal regime in Damascus and a divided, often extreme opposition seemed frozen in place. Once shunned by his fellow Arab autocrats, Bashar al-Assad was gradually regaining the dubious respectability Arab regimes afford one another. Syria's late President Hafez al-Assad waves from his car to cheering crowds in the streets of Damascus on the occasion of the 16th anniversary of the movement that brought him to power on November 16, 1987. - Ali Jarekji/Reuters Was the nightmare of the Syrian civil war coming to an end? Had Bashar al-Assad won? Certainly, that was the assumption of many, despite the fact that large parts of Syria were controlled by a US-backed Kurdish militia and Turkish-supported Sunni factions; that Hezbollah, Iran and Russia propped up the regime; that the US controlled areas in eastern Syria; that Israel conducted air strikes whenever and wherever it saw fit; and that ISIS, though defeated, still managed to launch hit-and-run attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That the government in Damascus was still standing after all that seemed an accomplishment in itself. Yet it was an illusion of regime victory, suddenly shattered this week after the opposition, led by the once al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra rebranded as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched an offensive out of Idlib province and in just 72 hours managed to storm all the way to the center of Aleppo. By Saturday evening, Syrian accounts on social media were buzzing about government forces collapsing across the northern part of the country, with rebels advancing on the central city of Hama. It was there, in early 1982, that Bashars father had his army and intelligence services slaughter thousands of his opponents, ending an uprising led by the Muslim Brotherhood. Why, in the span of just a few days, has the dam broken? A Syrian opposition flag above a market square in central Aleppo on November 30, 2024. - Muhammad Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty Images The obvious explanation is that Syrias key allies Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah are all under pressure and let their guard down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah which played a key role in bolstering the regime during the darkest days of the civil war pulled most of its troops back home after October 7, 2023, to fight Israel, which has subsequently killed most of the groups senior leadership. Russia also played a key role in shoring up the government in Damascus after it dispatched troops and warplanes to Syria in September 2015. Yet now Moscows top priority is the war in Ukraine. And, finally, Irans advisers and bases in Syria have been under frequent attack by Israel over the last year. Beyond all this, there is the basic reality of longevity. The Assad dynasty has been in power for 53 years, since 1971. While its mere survival is an accomplishment, it has little else to show for it. Endemic corruption and mismanagement were a burden on the economy even before the civil war broke out in 2011. Since then, life for the average Syrian has gone from bad to worse. The war has left hundreds of thousands dead, while millions more have been either internally displaced for driven into exile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Time and time again since 1971 the Assad dynasty has survived internal and external challenges and lived to fight another day. Yet nothing, not regimes, not leaders, lasts forever. Everything eventually comes to an end. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Indianapolis police are investigating the death of a man who was found shot on the city's east side Friday. Homicide detectives were called just after 11:30 a.m. to the 2100 block of Braeburn E Drive, a few miles east of the I-465 loop, and found the man with gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced dead on the scene, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The Marion County Coroner's Office will determine the exact manner and cause of death and will release the man's identity after relatives are notified. No other information is available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information about the incident can contact IMPD Homicide Det. Larry Craciunoiu at (317) 327-3475 or at Larry.Cracunoiu@indy.gov. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous can also call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477. Contact IndyStar reporter Kristine Phillips at (317) 444-3026 or at kphillips@indystar.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IMPD investigating death of man who was found shot on east side (Reuters) - Italy is in talks with India to enhance collaboration on port infrastructure and the shipbuilding and yacht manufacturing sectors, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday, citing Industry Minister Adolfo Urso. The talks encompass broader areas, including space exploration, the report added, citing an interview with Urso on the sidelines of an event in Mumbai. (Reporting by Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru; Editing by Jan Harvey) Its late at night, and a stranger walking down an alley sees your family dog sleeping on the porch inside your fenced yard. The stranger softly calls the dog over and begins to pet him. While checking to see if anyone is watching, he opens the gate, clips a leash to your dogs collar and leads him away, never to be seen again. The next morning, your family is distraught; when a neighbors video surveillance reveals that your dog was stolen, you feel deeply violated. While the emotions described are implied, the circumstances are not: Reports suggest that dog thefts are on the rise in the U.S.. Losing a pet can be devastating, and its a crime that has repercussions that go far beyond the animals financial value. Many dog owners view their dogs as members of their family; a 2020 study found that the loss of a pet can have a similar emotional impact to the loss of a loved one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As criminologists, we wanted to better understand dognapping and dognappers, while pointing to some ways pet owners can keep their four-legged friends out of harms way. Working with criminal justice researcher J. Mitchell Miller, we studied 82 incidents of dog thefts captured on surveillance cameras and posted online. Breaking down the footage In the videos we analyzed, about half of thefts seemed to involve a single perpetrator operating alone. Around 38% appeared to involve two perpetrators, while 9% involved three or more people working together. The thefts appeared to usually involve some planning and strategy. In our sample, nearly 38% of thieves used vehicles to transport the stolen pets, approximately 3% used bicycles, and 50% fled on foot. Three incidents involved the use of violence such as shoving the owner and around 15% of the thefts included some form of force, such as breaking into a property. In roughly 37% of the cases, the thieves were able to hide the animal using bags, clothing or other methods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thieves sometimes deployed distraction techniques. In one case, two thieves distracted a pet store clerk while the other snatched a puppy from a display kennel by the front door. The vast majority of incidents 74% involved the theft of a single animal, and these were usually small dogs. According to the American Kennel Club, certain breeds, such as French bulldogs and Yorkshire terriers, make more attractive targets; theyre relatively small, and they tend to sell for higher prices than other breeds. Interestingly, only a handful of dogs nipped or barked as they were being whisked away. Over half appeared calm during the incident, while around 33% acted friendly toward the thieves. About 68% of the thefts happened during the day, and 60% occurred indoors; those that occurred inside tended to happen in pet stores, rather than peoples homes. When the dognappings happened outside, the dogs were usually snatched from peoples front yards, where the pets could be seen from the street. Punishment that doesnt fit the crime There are several reasons why someone might steal a dog. Some people do it to simply make a quick buck a practice known as pet flipping or to extract a ransom from the owner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others have grander visions, targeting highly valued purebreeds, such as rottweilers and chow chows, to start a breeding operation. Then there are those who steal pets for dogfighting rings, while some thieves simply want a dog for themselves and dont want to pay for one or go through the process of adoption. Recent reports indicate that pet theft is on the rise. One clear indicator is an increase in the number of social media posts detailing lost or stolen pets. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this trend: The demand for pets exploded during lockdowns, and dog prices surged on the secondary market. Compounding matters is a legal system that, in our view, often fails to adequately address the gravity of this crime. Many jurisdictions treat pet theft similarly to property theft. As a result, many pets even some purebreds could be valued at less than $1,000, which usually results in relatively lenient penalties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A thief who comes onto your property and steals your dog and sells it to someone else would likely receive the same punishment as someone who took your bike. Needless to say, viewing and valuing a dog no differently than other possessions overlooks the deep emotional attachment between pets and their owners. Defensive measures There are some preventive steps that dog owners and pet shop owners can take. Many thefts happened where pets were easily accessible and visible to passersby, such as front yards or near the exit of pet stores. Something as simple as a higher fence could better protect dogs. Microchipping pets and using GPS collars can make stolen pets easier to recover and less attractive to thieves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, stricter laws and harsher penalties for pet theft could further deter criminals. While there is no database on the number of stolen pets, each pet that is kept safe means one less devastating loss for a family. 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: Ben Stickle, Middle Tennessee State University and Brenda Vose, University of North Florida Read more: 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. All that can be seen in the dead of the Ukrainian night are the red lights of the Vampire. In a secret underground location, the drones operators, code-named Artist and Aviator, wait until a radio crackles with the order to attack. They race to make final adjustments to the lethal device before its propellers roar to life and it takes off into the sky. In just 15 minutes, they fly it to the target a squad of Russian soldiers hiding in a shattered house on the Kharkiv front line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Vampire which Moscows soldiers call Baba Yaga after the child-devouring witch of folklore who flies by night drops the anti-tank mine it had carried across no-mans land. Artist and Aviator watch their screen. A cloud of smoke surges upwards. Then it clears to reveal the Vampires latest victims: a pile of bloody, mangled corpses. Some say that in Khartiia we dont fight as much, but thats because we do the groundwork 24/7 surveillance and intelligence to spot enemies and uncover their routes, says Volodymyr, a soldier in Ukraines 13th Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard. If we can take them out from a distance, why should we come closer? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Vampire is one of the first mass-produced drones used by the Ukrainian army to carry out strikes without risking the lives of its soldiers, who are heavily outnumbered by Moscows forces. The development of the drone, which carries a thermal-imaging camera to identify its targets, marked an early sign of the ingenuity of Kyivs engineers, who adapted a simple agricultural tool into one of the cheapest, most effective weapons of the war. A drone manufactured outside Ukraine but customised in the underground lab to meet the demands of the military - Fermin Torrano Now those same engineers are in a technical race against their rivals in Vladimir Putins army to create more, and even deadlier, drones that can evade the raft of electronic jamming systems that disrupt their flight. Last week, it was revealed that Ukraine had learnt how to hack into the Shahed drones that have plagued its cities, and redirect them back towards Russia or Belarus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Often, the development of Ukraines drone improvements is pushed from the ground up at the brigade level, where the need for advancements is most pressing. Kyivs military still lacks a formal state programme to standardise the breakthroughs made by the mini-Beaverbrooks at work across the front line. At the beginning, we relied totally on commercial drones, but we started our own production line this spring, explains Istek, an engineer with the Khartiia Brigade. The initiative came from the brigades leadership. They had a clear vision save the lives of our people. And theres no simpler and more effective way than improving technology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an underground laboratory in southern Ukraine, engineers work frantically to repair and refashion a huge variety of drones. The centre is led by Oleksandr, a 40-year-old electrician when the war began. He enlisted when Russian forces ravaged his home region of Chernihiv, ending up in an artillery unit. A unit commander there thought to make use of the skills Oleksander had learnt over his career, and asked him to try to extend the flight time of the drones used by the squad. He did, attaching two batteries to the mainframe that boosted its range by 50 per cent. Other requests followed swiftly: to improve antennas, shield pilots and make the drones themselves more hardy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brigade began to recruit other soldiers with similar experience to Oleksandr, forming an unmanned systems battalion. I brought out artillery, infantry, mortar people and I told them, Do you want to be useful? Come with me, lets help the brigade, Oleksandr told The Telegraph. Soldier adds a mine to the feared Baby Yaga - FERMIN TORRANO In the bunker, he now works incessantly to remodel commercial drones, dragon drones (which spray molten thermite at their targets) and Vampires, among a host of other winged systems. 3-D printers work through the night to make small parts needed for the tweaks his team develops. Drone pilots are a key part of the process both making requests for improvements and being trained in how to use the latest ingenious tweak. When I have a new invention, I call the pilot and tell him to test it. I want him to bring me ideas on how to improve it, how to make it simpler, and things like that, Oleksandr says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pilots dont know much about technology, and most of us here dont fly in real combat situations. Smooth communication is key. Without feedback, the technology cant develop. Ukrainian soldier prepares ammunition for the Vovchansk front line - FERMIN TORRANO Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Oleksandrs team is Archie, a 26-year-old former First Person View (FPV) drone operator with the 31st Mechanised Brigade, who trains both pilots and engineers in the innovations. Well never have more soldiers than Russia or 1,000 tanks for every offensive. I believe well win this war because we have brilliant minds developing new technology, he says. Last week, the United States urged Ukraine to drop its conscription age to 18, with an unnamed official saying that manpower was the armys most critical challenge as Russias forces advance across the eastern front and in Kursk, the Russian region where Kyivs army has carved out a precarious foothold. In April, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, reduced the age limit from 27 to 25, but has resisted easing it further in an effort to protect young lives. Ukrainian soldiers test drones at an innovation and repair centre - FERMIN TORRANO A source in his office said that it was pointless sending teenagers into battle when the West had not made good on delivering the full range of equipment and weaponry they need to survive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Oleskandrs laboratory, many engineers believe technological advances can make up for the comparative lack of recruits. In a year, maybe a little more, well see a front line without soldiers just robots and pilots at a distance. It wont be the same, Oleksandr predicts. In time, artificial intelligence will allow drones to identify targets and fire off their weapons without the need for operators like Artist and Aviator. For now, Oleskandrs dream machine is something more prosaic a drone that eliminates bureaucracy, he says, drawing a laugh from the 31st Brigade. You wouldnt believe the paperwork I have to fill out every time we lose a drone. Without it, wed already be the best. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The International Criminal Court (ICC) lost any vestige of legitimacy it may have had by issuing its recent arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As France and other countries have since made clear, the arrest warrant is improper, extra-jurisdictional and illegitimate. The warrant is not only entirely without merit on the evidence, but the very issuance of it was an abasement of the court itself. The ICC cannot survive this episode. It is a ship that has deliberately set a course for the rocks and it is now holed below the waterline. It should be allowed to sink without a trace. It looks like the Trump administration will deliver a fatal blow to the ICC, and in my view they would be right to do so. Rather like the League of Nations after World War One, there is no point funding an institution that doesnt work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a former Attorney General I take the view that there are several reasons for this. First, any country which is not a member of the court is simply not bound by it. Israel and the US have never ratified it, ironically largely because they feared bias. But by issuing this warrant the court has chosen to ignore that inconvenient fact as far as Israel is concerned and has usurped authority to itself. Its like being forced to follow the dress code of a nightclub when you have no intention of going inside. What next? The UK being bound by a treaty it too hasnt signed? Perhaps someone will next want to compel the UK to adhere to the North America Free Trade Agreement even though we havent signed it. But lets set aside that little inconvenient truth, after all the ICC did. The second problem for the ICC is that even a country which has signed up to the Court can only be pursued by the ICC if that country is unable or unwilling to deal with any credible allegations itself. Israel has a robust and fair legal system, their courts regularly strike down their own governments decisions. An Arab Israeli Supreme Court judge has even sat in judgment on the countrys Jewish prime minister. But the ICC have refused to accept this inconvenient truth as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is then a third problem the ICC has ignored. It is merely the small point about a Head of Government like Prime Minister Netanyahu having diplomatic immunity. Its a principle that has been in existence in British statute law since 1709 but the concept was known in antiquity; Herodotus wrote of it. But the ICC just ignores that too. There are of course plenty of people who are unconvinced with these legal process arguments, (although I always found at the criminal bar that process arguments were universally admired by those who benefited). The problem that even fierce partisans cannot surmount is that the ICC simply doesnt have evidence to justify its action. Even if one chooses to ignore the jurisdiction issues surely the evidence has to be considered. In the case of the Netanyahu warrant however, the ICCs analysis wouldnt stand up to the scrutiny of a sixth form student on their lunch break. This is because the truth is that the Israelis have conducted their defensive military actions to a precision that far exceeds anything seen before, as Professor John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point Military Academy has pointed out. Their actions have been of greater precision than even the UK and US in recent conflicts. Issuing an arrest warrant against Netanyahu without jurisdiction or evidence has defiled the court. There are many individuals, in Iran and Syria for example, who deserve the attentions of international law, but a democratically-elected Israeli Prime Minister defending his country from consistent attack from multiple quarters is not one of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incumbent Biden Administration in the US and the incoming Trump administration, despite their considerable differences, are both outraged. As well they might be- because US leaders could be next. Other Western leaders are equally appalled by this action. No doubt they recognise it as a form of lawfare, which is what it is. This Labour government meanwhile are happy to blindly follow anything any international body tells them. But they need to start to examine these international bodies and their operations much more closely. In the UK we are rightly used to accepting without question the orders of our own courts, because we have known for centuries that we can trust our legal process and our judiciary. The same does not invariably apply to international courts. Labour blindly kow-towing to an advisory body to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is another example of this absurdity. Many of these international bodies fall well below acceptable standards in their operations, judgments and competence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nowadays we hear a great deal about The Rule of Law. But the Rule of Law doesnt mean blindly following the edicts of bodies who may be possessed of as much legal standing as a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. And anyway, the rule of law works both ways. Yes, countries are expected to adhere to basic principles of fairness and justice, but so are the institutions that seek to administer that justice. If those institutions are not going to follow their own rules and procedures then they cannot expect to be allowed to hold others to account. Sir Michael Ellis served as Attorney General for England and Wales Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Iran and Russia voiced support for Syria on Saturday during a major attack by rebel groups, Iranian state media reported. Iran's Abbas Araqchi told Russia's Sergei Lavrov in a phone call that the attacks were part of an Israeli-U.S. plan to destabilise the region, state media said. According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry about the call, both sides "expressed extreme concern about the dangerous escalation of the situation in Syria due to the terrorist offensive by armed groups in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ministers agreed on the need to intensify joint efforts aimed at stabilising the situation in Syria. Earlier on Saturday, Russia's Lavrov spoke on the matter with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Toby Chopra) By Padraic Halpin and Graham Fahy DUBLIN (Reuters) -Ireland's two large centre-right parties looked set to be returned to power after an election on Friday, but will likely need at least one smaller partner to secure a majority, raising questions over the stability of the next government. That could result in prolonged negotiations or an unstable coalition ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, whose pledge to slash corporate tax and impose tariffs poses a threat to Ireland's economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governing parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fail were on 20.5% and 21.9% of first-preference votes respectively, according to a tally by Virgin Media News, with left-wing Sinn Fein on 19.1%. With the two ruling out a deal with Sinn Fein, the main question was how close to the 88 seats needed for a majority the centre-right parties can get, and whether they would need one or two more coalition parties to get over the line. "Clearly there is a route there to government," Fianna Fail's leader and deputy prime minister, Micheal Martin, told state broadcaster RTE when asked about a deal with Fine Gael and another party. "But a lot will depend ... on how many seats the respective parties get." Prime Minister Simon Harris said he saw a path to a government, with a possible "leadership role" for his party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's likely now, I believe, it will be possible to work to form a stable, centrist government," he told Newstalk Radio. Fianna Fail could get as many as 48 seats and Fine Gael 39, leaving them on the cusp of 88 seats, former Trinity College Dublin political science professor Michael Gallagher told RTE, citing vote tallies. The most obvious candidates as coalition partners would be centre-left parties Labour and the Social Democrats, who Gallagher said could take eight seats each. A clear picture of final seat numbers under Ireland's complex proportional representation system was not expected until Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current junior coalition party, the Greens, were in danger of losing all 12 of their seats, their leader Roderic O'Gorman said. GIVEAWAY Harris called the election on the heels of a 10.5 billion euro ($11 billion) giveaway budget that began to put cash into voters' pockets during the campaign, largesse made possible by billions of euros of multinational corporate tax revenues. However, a series of missteps, culminating last weekend in a viral clip of Harris walking away from an exasperated care worker, cost his Fine Gael party its pre-election lead. Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army, appeared on course to lead the next government a year ago but suffered a slide in support, in part due to anger among its working-class base at relatively liberal immigration policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, former rivals that have between them led every government since the foundation of the state almost a century ago, agreed to share the role of prime minister during the last government, switching halfway through the five-year term. A similar arrangement appears likely this time. In a potential shock, Gerard Hutch, who was named in a court case last year as the head of a family involved in crime, was in fourth place in the Dublin Central constituency and well positioned to take a seat Hutch said in a recent podcast that he had a number of convictions for robbery as a younger man. He has not been convicted of any other crime more recently and in a rare 2008 interview with RTE, he denied being the leader of a crime gang. Hutch campaigned on the high level of homelessness and deprivation in his inner city constituency and for tougher policies on migration. (Writing by Conor Humphries and Padraic Halpin; Editing by Clelia Oziel, Helen Popper and Alexander Smith) Actor Arjun Kapoor on Saturday evening attended the musical show 'Rajadhiraj: Love, Life, Leela' in Delhi. He even spoke with the media and expressed his happiness about attending the show. Arjun said, " I'm very, very proud as an Indian that we're able to bring a world-class show and celebrate the culture that we are born and brought up in. As far as I understand, such a show should reach every corner of India. Delhi is just the beginning. I believe that we will get love in Delhi, without a doubt." Conceptualized by visionary creator Dhanraj Nathwani, the musical made its debut in Delhi on Friday, The opening night witnessed the starry presence of Shahid Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar. Actor Shahid Kapoor, too, shared his experience saying, "It's a great opportunity to watch it in Delhi. Everything about Him motivates us as those are the idols we grew up and all the qualities are special. He is also a little naughty, that's a good quality. You should always keep the child and there are other things as well. We are nobody to talk about it but feelings that matter. The show was done spectacularly.." Dedicated to the life and leelas of Shri Krishna, Rajadhiraaj: Love. Life. Leela offered a soul-stirring portrayal of Shri Krishna's magnanimity, grace, and timeless teachings. Executive Producer Bhoomi Nathwani presented the musical masterpiece. The timeless leelas of Krishna's journey have been peened down by renowned screenwriter Prasoon Joshi and directed by seasoned musical theatre expert Shruti Sharma. The show is creatively produced by Parthiv Gohil and Viral Rachh, both seasoned veterans in music and theatre, while National Award-winning writer Raam Mori has meticulously contributed to the project's in-depth story research. Celebrated costume designer Neeta Lulla, known for her work in iconic Indian films, has designed over 1,800 bespoke custom-made costumes to bring mythical characters to life. From Vrindavan to Mathura and Vraj to Dwarka, over 180 artists have brought this musical to life with their electrifying performances. The 20 original soundtracks by Sachin-Jigar, blending Western symphonic elements from Budapest with Indian classical music, enhance the production's allure. The grand musical theatrical that arrived in Delhi, after a stellar run at Mumbai's Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre's (NMACC) Grand Theatre, will continue to enthral the audience in the national capital until December 8. (ANI) (Bloomberg) -- Irish Prime Minister Simon Harriss Fine Gael party is locked in a virtual dead heat with Sinn Fein in the general election, suggesting his decision to go to the country early didnt yield the advantage he predicted. Most Read from Bloomberg Fine Gael won 21% of first-preference votes in Fridays election, the official exit poll showed. Sinn Fein won 21.1%, while Fianna Fail, Fine Gaels coalition partner, was on 19.5.%. The poll had a margin of error of 1.4%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even so, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail going back into government is still the most likely outcome both have ruled out working with Sinn Fein. Almost half of respondents in the exit poll said they want the two centrist parties to lead another government. But a tight race is not ideal for Harris, especially if he emerges with less support than his rival. The premier called the vote early it wasnt due to be held until March to try to capitalize on Fine Gaels surge in support since he became Taoiseach in April. It was dubbed the Harris hop in the media, and the 38-year-old made his campaign slogan new energy, even though as a former health minister he was not new to government. A giveaway budget and what appeared to be a slide in support for Sinn Fein made it seem the optimal time to seek a new mandate. Its a key moment. Whoever forms the next government will enjoy a budget surplus and soaring tax receipts from US firms including Apple Inc. operating there. What to do with Irelands billions has been a key focus of the election, with parties competing on spending ideas even as the re-election of Donald Trump in the US and his threat of trade tariffs injected a sense of caution. But Harriss election campaign was beset with slip-ups, the worst a viral video of him walking away from a disability care worker and dismissing her view that the government wasnt doing enough. Harris later apologized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Based on the exit poll, Fine Gaels support has slumped significantly in recent weeks. An Irish Times survey in September before the election announcement showed Fine Gael at 27%, Sinn Fein at 20% and Fianna Fail at 19%. Worryingly for Harris, the exit poll also shows the premier trailing his two main rivals on the question of who should be next Taoiseach. Only 27% said they want the Fine Gael leader leading the country, while 35% said they would like Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and 34% preferred Sinn Feins Mary Lou McDonald. McDonalds strength comes from her support among young people, and that gels with the exit poll showing housing and homelessness were the biggest issues for voters, followed by the cost of living. Data published on election day showed homelessness in Ireland reached a record figure of almost 15,000. Sinn Feins rise under McDonald has shaken up Irish politics since she took over from Gerry Adams as president in 2018, its first leader unconnected to the era of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. Its left-leaning economic agenda appealed to voters struggling with a housing shortage and rising inflation. At the start of the year, Sinn Fein was far ahead in the polls and appeared on course to form a government for the first time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it was also a roller-coaster year for Sinn Fein, which struggled to adapt its message to growing concerns in Ireland about rising immigration and the pressure it was putting on housing and public services. The partys lackluster performance in local and European votes in June played into Harriss thinking on the timing of the general election. The exit poll suggests McDonald has stabilized Sinn Feins support with major implications for Irish politics. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael led every government since the state was formed 100 years ago, and while that looks set to continue, Sinn Feins emergence as a third major party is changing the dynamic. The wider picture here is that were seeing further fragmentation within the Irish political system, across many smaller parties and indeed with many independents, Jack Chambers, finance minister and Fianna Fails deputy leader, told RTE after the exit poll was released. For now, a repeat of 2020 when Sinn Fein narrowly won the popular vote but Fine Gael and Fianna Fail formed the government still looks likely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet the exit poll gives Harris plenty to worry about. Irelands electoral system, a version of proportional representation with voters ranking preferred candidates, parties need to win 88 seats for a majority in the 174-seat Dail, or parliament. But no party fielded enough candidates to reach that threshold on its own, while the overall picture can change once second- and third-choice votes start to impact the makeup of parliament. The risk for Harris is that Fianna Fail leapfrogs Fine Gael in seats. That, coupled with Harris polling lower than Martin personally, would likely affect who has the upper hand in coalition negotiations, which could take weeks. Vote counting began at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with a clearer picture likely to emerge by the afternoon or later. Its also not clear who Fine Gael and Fianna Fail would bring in to the coalition if, as expected, they fall short of a majority together. Their coalition partner last time, the Greens, are expected to have fewer seats this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the two incumbent centrist parties, the support of a smaller center-left group would be ideal. According to the exit poll, the Social Democrats are on 5.8%, Labour at 5% and the Green Party at 4%. The exit poll is based on over 5,000 interviews conducted immediately after people voted at polling stations across 43 constituencies across the country. (Updates with more details from exit poll from third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Israel on Saturday said it killed an aid worker accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks, as Palestinian sources reported dozens killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza. The incident saw five people killed in an attack on a car near the southern city of Khan Younis, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. They were said to include three employees of the aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK). The charity said it was "heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they had been monitoring a suspected militant based on "credible information regarding his real-time location." It added that Israel had repeatedly urged aid organizations to disclose the names of local staff to prevent terrorists from exploiting the humanitarian sector for cover. The man targeted in the strike was allegedly involved in the massacre by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war. The IDF statement provided no information on the other people killed in the attack. In April, seven WCK employees were killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip. At the time, the Israeli military admitted "serious failure." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the latest incident, WCK said it "had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7th Hamas attack." It also confirmed it was "pausing operations in Gaza." Elsewhere on Saturday, WAFA reported that eight people were killed in a further Israeli airstrike near Khan Younis, citing medical sources. Meanwhile, in the north of the coastal strip, WAFA reported 14 further deaths in Israeli attacks in Gaza City. The IDF said it was investigating the reports, which could not be independently verified. Israeli military jets hit alleged Hezbollah weapons smuggling sites near the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, according to officials, who allege the Lebanese militant group violated a ceasefire agreement. The Israeli Air Force said the fighter jet attack took place early Saturday following the identification of the cross-border transfer of weapons from Syria to Lebanon. They said the activity in the region constituted a threat to Israel and a violation of the ceasefire that took effect earlier this week. The attack comes shortly after Syrian rebels made significant advancements against President Bashar al-Assad and breached the city of Allepo in a surprise offensive, putting the regions stability in more peril. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The truce between Israel and Hezbollah was brokered by the U.S. and France. It put a temporary halt to over a year of consistent fighting between the two sides since the Israel-Hamas war began in Gaza. Terms of the pause in fighting required Israeli forces to slowly withdraw service members from southern Lebanon while Hezbollah retreated further north. Lebanese security forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces were put in charge of patrolling the area in southern Lebanon. The ceasefire, however, still permits Israels military to act in case of a direct threat. Israeli militarys raid of a vehicle in Lebanons village of Majdal Zone injured three people, including a seven-year-old, Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah jumped into the conflict with Israel last year in support of Hamas, after the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 Israelis and taking some 250 hostages. In response, Israels military operation in Gaza has killed over 44,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The tally does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. In recent months, the Israel-Hezbollah conflict has escalated, with the Israeli military killing many of the Lebanese militant groups top officials, including leader Hassan Nasrallah and launching a ground invasion in October. Over 3,700 people have been killed in the fighting, according to Lebanese health ministry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Nidal al-Mughrabi, Adam Makary and Menna AlaaElDin CAIRO (Reuters) - Two aid workers were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Saturday, with Israel saying it had killed a militant who took part in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and who it said was employed by a U.S.-based charity. The first was a World Central Kitchen member, who was hit in a vehicle in Khan Younis in Southern Gaza. The Israeli military said that he had taken part in the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel and was under surveillance but did not offer any evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters could not independently verify whether he took part in the attack last year. The family of the man, Ahed Azmi Qdeih, said the Israeli allegations were false and meant to justify his unlawful killing. They said he was an engineer who dedicated his life to charitable work. World Central Kitchen confirmed the airstrike and said it had no knowledge about an employee involved in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. "We are heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza," it said in a statement posted on X. "World Central Kitchen had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7th Hamas attack." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charity group said it was pausing operations in Gaza, adding that it was working with incomplete information and was urgently seeking more details. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that three employees of the charity were killed in the strike, with medics saying a total of five people were killed. Hamas did not immediately comment. Later in the day, international aid agency Save the Children also said in a statement that a 39-year-old staffer, who it identified as Ahmad Faisal Isleem Al-Qadi, was killed in an airstrike in Khan Younis. It was unclear if the two men were killed in the same strike. Israel has not immediately commented on Save the Children's statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are not strong enough words to express the grief and outrage we feel at the loss of Ahmad in an Israeli airstrike. He was a valued member of our team and loved by all who met him," Inger Ashing, the Save the Children chief executive, said in the statement. In another attack in Khan Younis, medics said at least nine Palestinians were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a car near a crowd receiving flour, a vehicle that was used by security personnel tasked with overseeing aid deliveries into Gaza. The Israeli military says that it does not target civilians and accuses Hamas of operating from civilian facilities and using Gaza's population as human shields, which the group denies. At least 32 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across the enclave overnight and into Saturday, Gaza medics said, including seven killed in a strike on a house in central Gaza City, according to Gaza officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NEW CEASEFIRE EFFORTS Meanwhile leaders of Hamas were expected to arrive in Cairo on Saturday for ceasefire talks with Egyptian officials, days after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon, two officials of the group told Reuters. The visit is the first since the United States announced earlier this week it would revive efforts in collaboration with Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza. The Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian security officials to explore ways to reach a ceasefire deal with Israel that could secure the release of hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Progress before now has been limited in a series of on-off talks over months. Hamas is seeking an agreement that would end the war while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the war will end only when Hamas is eradicated. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 44,382 people and displaced nearly all of the enclave's population at least once, Gaza officials say. Vast swathes of Gaza lie in ruins. The conflict was triggered more than 13 months ago when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities, killing about 1,200 people and abducting over 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials. (Reporting by Nidal Al Mughrabi, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Adam Makary, Menna Alaa and Hatem Maher in Cairo and Emily Rose and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Additional reporting by Lucia Mutikani in Washington; Editing by Toby Chopra, Frances Kerry and Diane Craft) DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) An Israeli airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip on Saturday killed five people, including employees of World Central Kitchen. The charity said it was urgently seeking more details after Israel's military said it targeted a WCK worker who was part of the Hamas attack that sparked the war. WCK said it was heartbroken and it had no knowledge anyone in the car had alleged ties to the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, adding it was working with incomplete information. It said it was pausing operations in Gaza. It had suspended work earlier this year after an Israeli strike killed seven of its workers. The Israeli military in a statement said the alleged Oct. 7 attacker took part in the assault on the kibbutz of Nir Oz, and it asked senior officials from the international community" and the WCK to clarify how he had come to work for the charity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family of the man named by Israel, Ahed Azmi Qdeih, rejected the allegations as false accusations, and confirmed in a statement he had worked with the charity. Israel named him as Hazmi Kadih. The strike highlighted the dangerous work of delivering aid in Gaza, where the war has displaced much of the 2.3 million population and caused widespread hunger. At Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, a woman held up an employee badge bearing the WCK logo and the word contractor. Belongings burned phones, a watch and stickers with the WCK logo lay on the floor. Nazmi Ahmed said his nephew worked for WCK for the past year. He said he was driving to the charity's kitchens and warehouses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, he went out as usual to work ... and was targeted without prior warning and without any reason, Ahmed said. In April, a strike on a WCK aid convoy killed seven workers three British citizens, Polish and Australian nationals, a Canadian-American dual national and a Palestinian. The Israeli military called it a mistake. That strike prompted an international outcry. Another Palestinian WCK worker was killed in August by shrapnel from an Israeli airstrike, the group said. Another Israeli airstrike Saturday hit a car near a food distribution point in Khan Younis, killing 13 people, including children. Nasser hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies. They were distributing aid, vegetables, and we saw the missile landing, witness Rami Al-Sori said. A woman sat on the ground and wept. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Save the Children said a local employee was killed in one of the Khan Younis airstrikes while returning from a mosque. And the director of Kamal Adwan hospital reported a strike in Tal al Zaatar in Beit Lahiya in the north where Israeli forces are operating, and estimated based on witness accounts that well over 100 dead were under the rubble. He said the area remained inaccessible. Hamas releases new hostage video On Saturday, Hamas released a video of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander. Speaking under duress, Alexander referred to being held for 420 days and mentioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus recent $5 million offer for the hostages return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prime minister is supposed to protect his soldiers and citizens, and you abandoned us, Alexander said. Netanyahus office said that he spoke with Alexanders family after the release of the brutal psychological warfare video that held an important and exciting sign of life. (Netanyahu) reassured me and promised that now, after reaching an arrangement in Lebanon, conditions are right to free you all and bring you home, Alexanders mother, Yael, told demonstrators in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening. A statement from U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett called the hostage video a cruel reminder of Hamass terror against citizens of multiple countries, including our own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The war in Gaza would stop tomorrow and the suffering of Gazans would end immediately and would have ended months ago if Hamas agreed to release the hostages, it said. Israels retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who dont distinguish between civilians and combatants in their count but say over half the dead were women and children. Ceasefire appears to hold Efforts for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have faltered. But the U.S.- and France-brokered deal for Lebanon appears to be holding since Wednesday. On Saturday, Israel's military said that it struck sites used to smuggle weapons from Syria to Lebanon after the ceasefire took effect. There was no immediate comment from Syrian authorities or Hezbollah. Israeli aircraft have struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon several times, citing truce violations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel's strike in Syria came as insurgents breached its largest city, Aleppo, bringing fresh uncertainty to the region. The truce between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah calls for an initial two-month ceasefire in which the militants should withdraw north of Lebanon's Litani River and Israeli forces should return to their side of the border. Many Lebanese, some of the 1.2 million displaced, streamed home despite warnings by the Israeli and Lebanese militaries to avoid certain areas. Day by day, we will return to our normal lives, said Mustafa Badawi, a cafe owner in Tyre. The toll of conflicts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lebanons state-run National News Agency said an Israeli drone strike on Rub Thalatheen village killed two people and wounded two others, and another hit a car in Majdal Zoun village. Lebanons Health Ministry said three were wounded, including a 7-year-old child. Israel's military said it had been operating to distance suspects in the region, without elaborating. Israel says it reserves the right to strike against any perceived violations. Israel seeks to ensure that tens of thousands of displaced Israelis return home. But they have been apprehensive. No, it will not be like before, said one Israeli evacuee, Lavie Eini. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, in solidarity with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Israel and Hezbollah kept up cross-border fire until Israel escalated with an attack that detonated hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah. It then launched an intense aerial bombardment that killed Hezbollah leaders including Hassan Nasrallah, and a ground invasion in October. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel, over half of them civilians, as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon. Hamas October 2023 attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took around 250 hostage. ___ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tia Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Bassem Mroue reported from Beirut. Mohammad Jahjouh contributed to this report from Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war World Central Kitchen has suspended its humanitarian work in Gaza after an Israeli air strike on the organization's vehicles killed three aid workers on Saturday. Al Jazeera reports that the airstrike on the WCK-marked vehicle killed three aid workers and two others in Khan Younis, a city in the south of Gaza. We are heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, the organization shared in a statement. World Central Kitchen is pausing operations in Gaza at this time. Our hearts are with our colleagues and their families in this unimaginable moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military claimed that one member of the WCK convoy killed on Saturday had participated in the October 7 attacks on Israel. "Earlier today, the IDF struck a vehicle with a terrorist, Hazmi Kadih, who took part in invading Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 massacre. Kadih was monitored by IDF intelligence for a while and was struck following credible information regarding his real-time location," the Israel Defense Forces shared in an English-language post to X. World Central Kitchen pushed back on that idea in their statement. World Central Kitchen had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7th Hamas attack, they shared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The strike comes just months after an April bombing killed seven WCK aid workers delivering food to Palestinians. The route had been cleared by the Israeli military in advance. However, Israeli drones targeted the groups convoy and struck it with three missiles. The attack was condemned by the international community, including US President Joe Biden and chef and WCK founder Jose Andres. These are peopleangelsI served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia. They are not facelessthey are not nameless. Andres said at the time. The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. Israel dismissed two officers over that incident. An Israeli airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip has killed five people, including employees of charity organization World Central Kitchen. The strike, which took place Saturday morning, occurred after Israels military said it targeted a World Central Kitchen worker who had been part Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023. We are heartbroken to share that a vehicle carrying World Central Kitchen colleagues was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, World Central Kitchen said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. At this time, we are working with incomplete information and are urgently seeking more details. World Central Kitchen had no knowledge that any individual in the vehicle had alleged ties to the October 7th Hamas attack. The organization added, World Central Kitchen is pausing operations in Gaza at this time. Our hearts are with our colleagues and their families in this unimaginable moment. WCK did not confirm the names of those killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli Defense Forces shared their own statement on social media, noting, Earlier today, the IDF struck a vehicle with a terrorist, Hazmi Kadih, who took part in invading Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 massacre. Kadih was monitored by IDF intelligence for a while and was struck following credible information regarding his real-time location. They said that Kadih worked for WCK and that the charity had been asked to clarify the issue and order an urgent examination regarding the hiring of workers who took part in the October 7 massacre and terrorist attacks against the State of Israel. World Central Kitchen previously paused its operations in Gaza earlier this year when seven of its aid workers were killed in an Israeli strike. The strikes targeted three vehicles marked with WCK logos. All three vehicles were carrying civilians; they were marked as WCK vehicles; and their movements were in full compliance with Israeli authorities, who were aware of their itinerary, route, and humanitarian mission, the group wrote in a statement at the time. An independent investigation is the only way to determine the truth of what happened, ensure transparency and accountability for those responsible, and prevent future attacks on humanitarian aid workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with Reuters, WCK founder and chef Jose Andres said that the WCK workers were targeted deliberately, nonstop, until everybody was dead in this convoy. He continued, This was not just a bad-luck situation where oops, we dropped the bomb in the wrong place Even if we were not in coordination with the [Israel Defense Forces], no democratic country and no military can be targeting civilians and humanitarians. Israeli subsequently fired two officers it charged with having misidentified the WCK convoy. IDF admitted in a statement that the forces targeted the three WCK vehicles based on the misclassification of the event and misidentification of the vehicles as having Hamas operatives inside them, with the resulting strike leading to the deaths of seven innocent humanitarian aid workers. They added, The strikes on the three vehicles were carried out in serious violation of the commands and IDF Standard Operating Procedures. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. An Israeli airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip on Saturday killed five people including employees of World Central Kitchen, and the charity said it was urgently seeking more details after Israels military said it targeted a WCK worker who had been part of the Hamas attack that sparked the war. WCK in an email said it was heartbroken by the airstrike and that it had no knowledge anyone in the car had alleged ties to the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, saying it was working with incomplete information. It said it was pausing operations in Gaza. The charitys aid delivery efforts in Gaza were temporarily suspended earlier this year after an Israeli strike killed seven of its workers, most of them foreigners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli military in a statement said the alleged Oct. 7 attacker had worked with WCK and it asked senior officials from the international community and the WCK administration to clarify how that had come about. The violence in Gaza raged even as a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to be holding, despite sporadic episodes that have tested its fragility. Israel on Saturday struck what it said were Hezbollah weapons smuggling sites along Syrias border with Lebanon. The strike on the vehicle was the latest in what aid agencies have described as the dangerous work of delivering aid in Gaza, where the war has sparked a humanitarian crisis that has displaced much of the territorys 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger. World Central Kitchen provides meals to people in need following natural disasters or to those enduring conflict. Its teams have often served as a lifeline for people in Gaza who have struggled to feed themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palestinian health official Muneer Alboursh confirmed the strike, and an aid worker in Gaza confirmed that three killed were workers with the WCK. The aid worker spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak with the media. At Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, a woman held up an employee badge bearing the WCK logo, the word contractor and the name of a man said to have been killed in the strike. Belongings burned phones, a watch and stickers with the WCK logo lay splayed on the hospital floor. Nazmi Ahmed said his nephew worked for WCK for the past year. He said he was driving to the charitys kitchens and warehouses. Today, he went out as usual to work ... and was targeted without prior warning and without any reason, Ahmed said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, a strike on a WCK aid convoy killed seven workers three British citizens, Polish and Australian nationals, a Canadian-American dual national and a Palestinian. The Israeli military called the strike a mistake. That strike prompted an international outcry and the brief suspension of aid to Gaza by several aid groups, including WCK. Another Palestinian WCK worker was killed in August by shrapnel from an Israeli airstrike, the group said. Another Israeli airstrike Saturday hit a car near a food distribution point in Khan Younis, killing 13 people including children gathering to receive aid. Nasser hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies. Ceasefire appears to hold Efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have faltered repeatedly. But the U.S.- and France-brokered deal for Lebanon appears to be holding after it took effect on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, Israels military said it struck sites that had been used to smuggle weapons from Syria to Lebanon after the ceasefire took effect, which the military called a violation. There was no immediate comment from Syrian authorities, Hezbollah or activists monitoring the conflict there. Israeli aircraft have struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, citing ceasefire violations, several times since the truce began. The Israeli strike in Syria came as insurgents there breached the countrys largest city, Aleppo, in a shock offensive that added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars. The truce between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah calls for an initial two-month ceasefire in which the militants are to withdraw north of Lebanons Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. Many Lebanese, some of the 1.2 million displaced, were streaming south to their homes, despite warnings by the Israeli and Lebanese militaries to stay away from certain areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Day by day, we will return to our normal lives, said Mustafa Badawi, a cafe owner in Tyre. New strikes inside Lebanon Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone strike on the village of Rub Thalatheen killed two people and wounded two others. It said another drone strike hit a car in the southern village of Majdal Zoun, and Lebanons Health Ministry said three were wounded, including a 7-year-old. Israels military said earlier Saturday that its forces, who remain in southern Lebanon until they withdraw gradually over the 60-day ceasefire period, had been operating to distance suspects in the region, without elaborating. Israel says it reserves the right to strike against any perceived violations. Israel has made returning the tens of thousands of displaced Israelis home the goal of the war with Hezbollah. But Israelis have been apprehensive about returning home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, in solidarity with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and its assault on southern Israel the day before. Israel and Hezbollah kept up cross-border fire for nearly a year until Israel escalated its fight with an attack that detonated hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah fighters. It then launched an intense aerial bombardment campaign that killed many Hezbollah leaders including Hassan Nasrallah, and launched a ground invasion in early October. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon during the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel over half of them civilians as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon. The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took some 250 hostage. Israels retaliatory offensive has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants in their count but say more than half the dead were women and children. As Cyclone Fengal approaches the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, many coastal areas have experienced changes in weather, including high tides and rainfall, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported. According to the IMD, Cyclone Fengal is expected to hit the coastal area tomorrow evening. The weather department has issued warnings for North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts. The IMD stated that the cyclonic storm Fengal, located over the southwest Bay of Bengal, moved north-northwestward at a speed of 7 km/h during the past six hours. As of 11:30 PM IST on November 29, it was centered over the same region near latitude 11.8N and longitude 81.7E, about 360 km north of Trincomalee, 230 km east-northeast of Nagapattinam, 210 km east of Puducherry, and 210 km southeast of Chennai. The cyclone is likely to continue moving west-northwestward and cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, near Puducherry, as a cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 70-80 km/h, gusting to 90 km/h, during the afternoon of November 30. Earlier, as Cyclone Fengal is expected to make landfall on Saturday evening, the Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre of Chennai, Dr. S. Balachandran, said on Friday that the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu would be most affected. Dr. Balachandran told ANI, "Mostly coastal districts, with the crossing point between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram near Puducherry, will experience more impact. There will be wind and rainfall. Today, wind speeds reached 50-60 km/h, gusting to 70 km/h. Between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, there will be extremely heavy rainfall, and at many places, there will be scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall." Meanwhile, Srinuvas, the Director of the Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre in Andhra Pradesh, said they had issued a warning for "extremely heavy rainfall" in the districts of Nellore, Tirupati, and Chittoor for the next 24 hours. He added, "...The cyclone is likely to move northwest and intensify into a cyclonic storm. In the next six hours, it is expected to move northwestward and cross the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast. Cyclone alerts have been issued for the adjoining districts of Tamil Nadu. We have issued an extremely heavy rainfall warning for the districts of Nellore, Tirupati, and Chittoor for the next 24 hours." Cyclone Fengal is expected to make landfall on the Tamil Nadu coast on Saturday evening, and a red alert has been issued for various parts of the southern states in anticipation of incessant rainfall, according to the IMD on Friday. Meanwhile, the Puducherry Fisheries Department has issued an advisory for fishermen, urging them not to venture into the sea as Cyclone Fengal approaches. The advisory also instructed fishermen to move their boats and equipment to higher ground to prevent damage. Cyclone Fengal is expected to bring heavy rainfall, strong winds, and possible flooding to Tamil Nadu''s coastal regions. Authorities have urged residents in low-lying and coastal areas to remain vigilant and follow safety advisories. (ANI) Israel's potent air defenses are increasingly threatened by low-flying drones. Two retired Israeli generals say it needs new defenses against this "low sky" layer. Israel pioneered targeting air defenses with drones in a stunning victory four decades ago. Israel's air and missile defense system is arguably the best in the world, having proven this year it can down Iranian ballistic missiles and Hamas-fired rockets. Its Iron Dome is the epitome of this success and is only one of many systems. But while these can protect Israeli cities, they have an increasingly glaring problem they can't protect themselves from low-flying drones, two retired Israeli brigadier generals warn. "We have to defend our air defense," wrote Eran Ortal and Ran Kochav in a blog for the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Defense at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ortal and Kochav fear that enemy drones could knock out air defense systems such as the vaunted Iron Dome, enabling ballistic missiles, manned aircraft and artillery rockets to strike Israel without being intercepted. "The Israeli Air Force does continue to rule the skies, but under the noses of the advanced fighter jets, a new air layer has been created." The authors call this the "low sky" layer. "The enemy has found a loophole here. The Air Force (and, within it, the air defense corps) is required to defend against the combined and coordinated threats of missiles, unmanned aircraft systems and rockets." Over the past year, Israel's air and missile system has achieved remarkable success against a range of projectiles launched by Iran, Hamas and other Iranian proxies, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, artillery rockets and mortar shells. For example, Israel with the assistance of the US, Britain and other nations reportedly intercepted 99% of some 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and large attack drones launched by Iran in April 2024. However, Israel has struggled against small exploding drones launched by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia in Lebanon. More than a hundred Israeli soldiers and civilians have been killed or wounded by these UAVs, including 67 who were wounded when a drone hit a building in northern Israel in October. Still, the situation is a far cry from the Ukraine war, where hordes of small drones have rendered battlefield maneuver almost impossible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, Ortal and Kochav worry that Israeli air defenses were designed in the pre-drone era, when the threat to Israel came from aircraft and ballistic missiles, a critique that also applies to Western- and Russian-made systems. "This array was built over the years under the premise of Israeli air superiority. The air defense itself was not supposed to be hunted." "The enemy is able to penetrate deep into Israel and engage the air defense system in one lane while other aircraft take advantage of the diversion and penetrate in another, more covert lane. It can identify targets and strike immediately using armed or suicide UAS. Above all, it strives to locate, endanger, and destroy key elements of the air defense system itself." Israel relies on a multilayer defense system, with long-range Arrow interceptors targeting ballistic missiles above the Earth's atmosphere, the medium-range David's Sling handling ballistic and cruise missiles about 10 miles high, and the short-range Iron Dome stopping cruise missiles, short-range rockets and artillery and mortar shells at low altitude. All depend on the production and reloading of missiles adequate to the threat. The problem is that these three systems can't protect each other. "The degree of mutual assistance and protection between the layers is relatively limited," Ortal and Kochav wrote. To optimize the allocation of a limited supply of interceptor missiles, "each tier was designed to deal with a specific type of missile or rocket. Iron Dome can't really assist Arrow batteries or support their missions. This limitation is equally true among the other layers." Air defenses like the Iron Dome may need to become more mobile and concealed, Eran Ortal and Ran Kochav argue. AP Photo/Ariel Schalit Nor are Israel's air defenses built for survivability, such as creating decoy missile batteries and radars to protect the real ones or frequently relocating systems. "The degree of mobility, protection and hiding ability of the Israeli air defense system is inadequate. Unlike similar systems in the world, our air defense system was not built with synchronization as a critical goal." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their solution? The creation of a fourth layer focused on point protection of the radar, missile launchers and troops that operate them against rockets and drones that have penetrated the first three layers. Air defenses must be camouflaged and should be mobile enough to change location before the enemy can target them. Ironically, Israel itself was one of the pioneers of using drones to suppress air defenses. Stung by heavy losses from Soviet-made surface-to-air missiles in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel used drones in during the 1982 Lebanon War. By using unmanned aerial vehicles that mimicked manned aircraft, Israel lured Syrian air defense radars into coming online so they could be destroyed by anti-radiation missiles. The Israeli Air Force destroyed 29 out of 30 anti-aircraft missile batteries in the Bekaa Valley without loss and downed more than 60 Syrian aircraft. Israel's Air Force became so dominant that the ground forces discarded their tactical anti-aircraft weapons (though the IDF recently reactivated the M61 Vulcan gatling cannon for counter-UAV defense on the northern border). Meanwhile, the IDF's air defense corps switched its focus from anti-aircraft to missile defense. "The working assumption was, and remains to this day, that Israel's Air Force rules the skies," wrote Ortal and Kochav. "The job of air defense, therefore, is to focus on missiles and rockets. This assumption is no longer valid." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. Read the original article on Business Insider When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: NASA/ MIRI/ NIRCam/ Giuseppe, et al 2024/ EWOCS Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have taken a deep drive into a highly intriguing and massive young stellar cluster in the Milky Way. It's called Westerlund 1. Located around 12,000 light years from Earth, Westerlund 1 is also the closest supermassive star cluster to us. Supermassive star clusters like Westerlund 1 are groupings of stars that contain masses equivalent to tens of thousands of suns. In these superclusters, the processes that favor star-forming environments and boost the births of stars and planets are extremely efficient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At over 6.6 light-years wide, Westerlund 1 has a mass the same as around 63,000 suns. Hosting the largest and most compact population of monster stars in the Milky Way, with hundreds of very massive stars packed in a relatively small region, Westerlund 1 is a tantalizing target for astronomers aiming to better understand a range of stellar phenomena and the evolution of planetary systems. The new image and associated findings regarding Westerlund 1 were delivered by the Extended Westerlund 1 and 2 Open Clusters Survey (EWOCS). "We pushed our detection limit down to the brown dwarfs of the cluster, which are the smallest stars that can form!" EWOCS team leader Mario Giuseppe Guarcello of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory in Italy told Space.com. "Thus, we will be able to determine the true content of the cluster and to measure properties such as the mass distribution of its stars." The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) also offers detailed and deep observations taken in infrared wavelengths of light that can be used to highlight young stars still surrounded by planet-birthing protoplanetary disks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These may be forming planets right now," Guarcello continued. "All this will allow us, for the first time, to determine the impact of the starburst environment on the products of star formation and the process of planet formation." Westerlund 1 is one wonderland for astronomers EWOCS not only works with observations from the JWST, but also with data from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), NASA's Chandra X-ray Space Telescope, and more, to study Westerlund 1 as well as the slightly more diminutive supercluster Westerlund 2. "Westerlund 1 hosts the largest and most compact population of massive stars we know in the galaxy, with hundreds of very massive stars packed in a very small region, almost all of them being in close binary systems," Guarcello said. "In such cases, the star-forming environment is dominated by energetic radiation [UV and X-rays] and high-speed, high-energy particles, which regulate star and planet formation." A range of different conditions in galaxies can determine the rate at which stars form. As an example, epochs of intense star birth, known as "starburst periods," can be triggered when galaxies collide to cause an influx of gas and dust, which are the building blocks of new stars. "In these cases, the typical star-forming environment takes the form of very massive and supermassive star-forming regions," Guarcello said. Such instances were more common in the early and turbulent universe when galactic collisions were more likely to occur. Formation rates have been quenched in the Milky Way because it's a "modern" galaxy, meaning starburst regions are few and far between. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Milky Way today hosts only a few supermassive clusters, with less than ten known," Guarcello continued. "These few regions are crucially important because they allow us to study star- and planet-forming conditions which are typical of starburst galaxies in the early universe and to extend our knowledge of star and planet formation to the most extreme and energetic star-forming environments we know of." That is what makes the study of Westerlund 1, one such region, so important. Hubble stuns once again with an image of a super star cluster called Westerlund 1. A massive star resides here, dwarfing Earth's sun handily. Superclusters are often obscured by clouds of gas and dust between stars in the Milky Way and are usually buried in dense star fields. That means studying these sites of intense star formation, especially when investigating lower-mass stars in the region, requires a powerful telescope with a large light-gathering area that can capture infrared light, which, as briefly touched on, is capable of slipping through dense clouds of interstellar matter. Visible light cannot do that. That's why the EWOCS team turned to the JWST and its main tools, the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). Though Westerlund 1 has been studied by many other telescopes, including Hubble, the JWST still provided Guarcello and colleagues with some unexpected results. "The main surprises arrived from the MIRI images, that unveiled a dense and structured nebulosity [gas and dust] all around and within the cluster," the researcher said. "Such nebulosity can hardly be a remnant of the parental cloud from which the cluster formed about 5 million years ago." The protoplanetary disk around the infant star PDS 70 which may contain a third planet This is because young clusters with a moderate population of massive stars create large cavities in their clouds over the course of less than one million years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Westerlund 1 hosts the most massive star population known in a galactic cluster, and it is at least 5 million years old, so it should have cleaned up all its clouds," Guarcello said. "In the MIRI images, we think we are witnessing the accumulation of intracluster material from the gas and dust ejected by the most massive stars of the clusters during their final stages of evolution, and the interaction between the winds produced by different types of massive stars." Guarcello added that the MIRI images also revealed peculiar outflows and shells around the most evolved massive stars in Westerlund 1. Related Stories: Stephan's Quintet: 'It's a Wonderful Life' and a wonderful James Webb Space Telescope image! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientists find galaxy supercluster as massive as 26 quadrillion suns The James Webb Space Telescope may have found some of the very 1st stars "In the next two to three years, we will publish most of the EWOCS science," Guarcello said. The researcher explained that the next release will be a study of the hot intracluster gas in the cluster, studied by means of the diffuse emission in X-rays. The EWOCS team will then release an analysis of high-energy phenomena happening in some of the compact objects in Westerlund 1 as well as calculate the mass distribution of low-mass stars in the cluster. The researchers also intend to analyze the disk-bearing population of the cluster, and conduct a study of outflows around the most evolved stars in the region, namely red supergiants and yellow hypergiants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That is just to mention a few. All these studies will be possible not only thanks to JWST but also other great observatories such as Chandra in X-rays, ALMA and Hubble," Guarcello concluded. "Besides these, the analysis of the observations of Westerlund 2, a slightly less massive but younger cluster than Westerlund 1, is at a good stage, and we will start publishing those results soon." The team's research has been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics and is available as a preprint on the repository site arXiv. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) office denounced the recent bomb threats against several Connecticut Democrats as unacceptable and maintained House Democrats will not be intimidated from carrying out their jobs. America is a democracy. Threats of violence against elected officials are unacceptable, unconscionable and have no place in a civilized society, his office said in a statement Friday. All perpetrators of political violence directed at any party must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Multiple members of the Connecticut congressional delegation confirmed they were targeted by bomb threats on their homes on Thanksgiving Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrats targeted included Reps. Jim Himes, John B. Larson, Jahana Hayes and Joe Courtney, and Sen. Chris Murphy, according to their offices or local law enforcement. Jeffries office revealed the incidents ranged from threats of a pipe bomb placed in mailboxes to swatting, each of which were signed with MAGA at the end of the message. MAGA refers to the Make America Great Again movement behind President-elect Trump, but it was not immediately clear what the messages were referring to. When reached for further comment, U.S. Capitol Police said it could not provide more details about the incidents. The minority leaders office and Connecticut State Police directed The Hill to local law enforcement agencies, which did not immediately respond to inquiries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No devices were found following investigations by local and state enforcement. Jeffries office said House Democrats will not be deterred or intimidated from their jobs by violent threats and that his office is in communications with the sergeant-at-arms office. It is imperative that Congress provide maximum protection for all Members and their families moving forward, it added. A White House spokesperson confirmed President Biden was briefed on the incidents Thursday, and the FBI said it was aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees and that it was working with our law enforcement partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the week, several of Trumps appointees and nominees were also targeted by bomb threats, including current Republican House lawmakers Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), whom Trump named ambassador to the United Nations, and Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Ore.), his choice for Labor secretary. Updated: 8:42 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Joe Rogan has claimed that a media psy-op is responsible for creating a negative image of Donald Trump that has distorted peoples perceptions of the president-elect. The MMA commentator and popular podcast host noted an apparent shift in media treatment of the President-elect dating to a time before his first presidential term. "The Joe Rogan Experience" is one of the worlds most popular podcasts, with a listenership of roughly 11 million per episode. Rogan is seen as having been one of the key players in the 2024 election, having made a last-minute endorsement of Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rogan has previously spoken out about the loss of credibility of so-called legacy media, TV broadcasters and other traditional publication platforms, which, he says, has led to an alienation of lifelong liberal voters. Speaking on an episode of his podcast on Thursday, Rogan discussed the abrupt shift in tone toward Trump, noting prior episodes of The View and a 2000 endorsement from Oprah Winfrey, who had told him he would make a good candidate for president. Joe Rogan claims a media psy-op is responsible for people having a negative view of President-elect Donald Trump (AP) "What we saw is the greatest media psy-op in history, he said. "What youre seeing with Trump, regardless of his flaws, is a massive concentrated psy-op. Theyve distorted who he is to the point where most people think that way. Most people think that way. Theyve had narratives." The term psy-op is an abbreviated version of psychological operation a military operation usually aimed at influencing the enemys state of mind through non-combative means. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rogan went on to highlight comments about illegal immigrants made by Trumps former presidential challenger Hillary Clinton in 2008, which he described as wild Maga-type s***. In an episode of his podcast on Thursday, Joe Rogan claimed that the abrupt media treatment of Donald Trump was a media psy-op (The Joe Rogan Experience) "2008 Hillary Clinton was more MAGA than Trump, he said. But how about that? More MAGA than Trump. Its all a f****** illusion. Its all a f****** illusion. All of them, when convenient, have said the exact same things." Rogan then argued that the 2024 election was the first in which legacy media had been overshadowed by alternate outlets, including podcasts such as his own. "They had control of the media up until now. This election was the first time they didnt really have control of the media anymore," Rogan argued. "Because of us, because of podcasts. Because of social media, because of X." This is an adapted excerpt from the Nov. 25 episode of "The ReidOut." Over the last decade, Hungary, a small central European nation, has become a favorite of right-wing politicians, former Fox News hosts and, of course, President-elect Donald Trump. Thats largely because of one man: Hungarys authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. As Trumps second term quickly approaches, one former member of the Hungarian parliament, Gabor Scheiring, is sounding the alarm over the inspiration the president-elect could take from Hungarys leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps goal this time is to remake the American government to enhance his power, Scheiring warns in a new piece for Politico Magazine. He isnt the first modern right-wing populist to attempt this he is following a playbook pioneered by Viktor Orban. When Orban came to power in 2010, some of his first acts took aim at the independence of Hungarys judiciary and news media. Orban rewrote the countrys constitution to force senior judges to retire and set up a new court system overseen directly by his government. He consolidated control over the media. According to experts, 90% of all media in Hungary is now directly or indirectly controlled by Fidesz, Orbans party. Orban and his allies have also tightened their grip over Hungarys electoral system. Theyve changed laws to rig the system in his favor and keep him in power in perpetuity. Much like the American right, Orban has gone out of his way to stoke division by spreading fear about racial diversity and demonizing immigrants. Hes even embraced the far-right concept of replacement theory and warned against race mixing in Europe. Orban has blocked asylum-seekers from entering Hungary and referred to Middle Eastern refugees as Muslim invaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes offered tax breaks and subsidies to boost the Hungarian birth rate for a future without immigration. Orban and his party have also passed laws prioritizing patriotic education, tightened control over Hungarys state universities and passed laws banning LGBTQ+ content in schools and on childrens television. Sound familiar? Orban has also openly cultivated a relationship with the Republican Party here in the United States. Hes hosted events for the Conservative Political Action Conference in Budapest and was the keynote speaker at a CPAC conference in Texas in 2022. Its an authoritarian lovefest that goes both ways. Trump, Tucker Carlson, who even hosted a week of shows from Hungary before leaving Fox News, and Vice President-elect JD Vance are just a few on the American right whove sung Orbans praises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reality is, Orbans Hungary is very much a cautionary tale for Americans. As we prepare to face our own budding autocrat, we should heed the lessons of someone who lived through Orbans power grab. As Scheiring writes: Hungarys key lesson is you dont protect democracy by talking about democracy you protect democracy by protecting people. Only a democracy that works for the people is sustainable. Allison Detzel contributed. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com (Reuters) -U.S. lender JPMorgan Chase agreed on Friday to drop its lawsuit against Tesla that accused the electric vehicle maker of "flagrantly" breaching a contract between the two companies in 2014 relating to warrants Tesla sold to the bank. The move to drop the lawsuit was announced in a one-page court filing by both companies in a Manhattan court, where they said they will drop their claims against each other. Bloomberg News reported the settlement earlier on Friday. Neither company disclosed settlement terms, according to the court filings. Tesla did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. "JPMorgan and Tesla have decided to enter into a new commercial relationship and settle the outstanding disputes between the companies," a JPMorgan spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday. "This is a good outcome for all and we look forward to working together," the spokesperson added. JPMorgan sued Tesla in November 2021, seeking $162.2 million, alleging that Tesla breached a 2014 contract related to stock warrants it sold to the bank, and which the bank believes became more valuable because of a 2018 tweet by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Warrants give the holder the right to buy a company's stock at a set "strike" price and date. Musk's Aug. 7, 2018 tweet that he might take Tesla private at $420 per share and had "funding secured," and his subsequent announcement 17 days later that he was abandoning the plan, created significant volatility in the share price, the bank said. On both occasions, JPMorgan adjusted the strike price "to maintain the same fair market value" as prior to the tweets, the bank said. JPMorgan said it was obligated to reprice the warrants after Musk's tweet, and that a subsequent 10-fold increase in Tesla's stock price required that company to make payments, which it had not done. Tesla countersued JPMorgan in January 2023, accusing the bank of seeking a "windfall" when it repriced the warrants. Musk, who bought Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, agreed in a 2018 deal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to get pre-approval from a Tesla lawyer for some tweets. (Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Nupur Anand in New York, Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Deepa Babington) In a Friday development in the Karen Read murder case, Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone has denied special prosecutor Hank Brennans request for phone records from Karen Reads parents. Judge Cannone denies prosecution request for Karen Reads parents phone records. #boston25 pic.twitter.com/vWVpTLH89j Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) November 30, 2024 Judge Cannoe denied that request, stating Despite the derailed arguments articulated in the supporting memorandum and an oral argument, the affidavit in support of the motion is insufficient on its face and fails to meet the requirements of Lampron and Mass. R. Crim. P. 13 (a)(2). This comes after the case returned to court earlier this week when the prosecution and defense presented several motions in preparation for Reads retrial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the arguments Brennan presented to Cannone was his request to view Reads parents, William and Janet, phone records. Brennan has stated the importance of what the phone records possess. In a court filing, prosecutors argued that Janet Reads phone records must be made available to use as potential impeachment evidence depending on the testimony of William Read. Reads defense has already called this a fishing expedition and an inappropriate attempt to invade privacy. Judge Cannone has slated Reads retrial for January 2025. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW OXFORD The capital murder trial of a Grenada man accused of killing an Ole Miss student two years ago will begin Monday, Dec. 2, with jury selection. Opening statements and witness testimony inside the historic Lafayette County Courthouse are expected to begin until later in the week. Circuit Judge Kelly Luther, prosecutors, defense attorneys and defendant Sheldon Timothy Herrington will travel to a yet to be disclosed Mississippi county to select 12 jurors and two alternates. Those 14 men and women will then be bussed back to Lafayette County, where they will be sequestered for the length of the trial, which could last two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Herrington, 23, of Grenada, is accused of killing Jimmie Jay Lee, 20, two summers ago to keep their sexual relationship a secret. Because of the titillating nature of the case, it has attracted widespread attention. In fact, Dateline NBC will cover the trial. Defense attorney Kevin Horan argued that pretrial attention to the case made it impossible to get an impartial jury in Lafayette County and asked for a change of venue. In August, Judge Luther said the trial would be held in Lafayette County but with a jury from outside the region. The process of winnowing a 100-person jury pool down to 14 takes most of a day for a regular trial. Jury selection for a capital murder trial, where a persons life is on the line, takes longer. Because of this arduous process, opening arguments in Oxford wont start until Tuesday at the soonest and more likely Wednesday. Lee was last seen leaving his west Oxford apartment on July 8, 2022, before 6 a.m. That same afternoon, his car was towed away from the Molly Barr Trails apartment complex, which is about three miles away on the north side of town. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Herrington has been accused of strangling Lee and then disposing of the body. Video surveillance shows Herrington running from the apartment complex where Lees car was later found. He was picked up by a friend at a nearby gas station. Later that morning, Herrington drove a box truck to his parents house in Grenada. While Lees body has not been found, law enforcement officials say he was very active on social media and called his mother six times a day. He went silent the day he disappeared. Authorities believe the silence shows Lee is dead. Lees parents had their son declared legally dead in October. Herrington was originally arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The grand jury indicted him in March 2023 on the charge of capital murder, with kidnapping being the underlying felony. He has been free on a $250,000 bond since December 2022. "As the foggy weather sets in, drone intrusion attempts on the Punjab border from across the border have witnessed an increase. However, the BSF's formidable wall of sharp vigilance and deployment of technical countermeasures on the order proves to be a true drone hunter. The observant BSF troops knocked down and seized two Pakistani drones with heroin consignment," the release said on Friday. According to the release, one drone (DJI Mavic 3 Classic) along with one packet of suspected heroin (560 grams) was recovered by the BSF troops while patrolling ahead of the border fence at about 12:15 pm, from a farming field near the village Mahawa in the Amritsar district. Another drone (DJI Mavic 3 Classic) along with one packet of suspected heroin (572 grams) was recovered during a joint search with Punjab police from a farming field ahead of the border fence at about 02:34 pm, adjacent to village- Dal of district Tarn Taran, the release added. Both drones are presumed to have crashed due to the activation of technical countermeasures deployed on the border. The keen observation and diligent efforts of BSF troops successfully thwarted the illicit drone intrusions from across the border, the release added. (ANI) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived at Mar-a-Lago for an unannounced dinner with Donald Trump after the president-elect threatened Canada with a hefty tariff, according to two people familiar with the meeting granted anonymity to discuss the plans. He is the first G7 leader to visit the resort since the U.S. election. Trudeau is accompanied by Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc who is in charge of border security. Trudeau headed to Florida after an unrelated press conference in the Prince Edward Island province, in which he touted his relationship with Trump. Trudeau said he looks forward to lots of great conversations with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, it is through lots of constructive, real conversations with President Trump that Im going to have that will keep us moving forward on the right track for all Canadians, he said Friday, although he did not indicate a meeting was imminent. Dining alongside Trudeau, Trump and LeBlanc at a table in Mar-a-Lago were: Katie Telford, Trudeaus chief of staff; Sen.-elect Dave McCormick and his wife, former deputy national security adviser Dina Powell; Gov. Doug Burgum, Trumps nominee to be Interior secretary, and his wife; Howard Lutnick, Trumps nominee to be Commerce secretary, and his wife; and incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz and his wife, said one of the people familiar with the meeting. The president-elect got all of Canadas attention on Monday when he announced on Truth Social that his Day 1 to-do list included slapping 25 percent tariffs on Canada. Trump conditioned the tariffs on Canada securing its border with the United States. When he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out, Trudeau said Friday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He would be actually not just harming Canadians who work so well with the United States, the prime minister continued. He [would] actually be raising prices for American citizens as well, and hurting American industry and businesses. Its a message that Trudeaus top ministers spent the past year sharing with anyone south of the border whod listen. Trudeau has a complicated relationship with the president-elect. During Trumps first term, the prime minister and his team successfully renegotiated NAFTA and maintained something of a working relationship with the White House. But Trump has also called Trudeau two-faced and a far-left lunatic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the hours after Trumps Truth Social message posted on Monday, the prime minister managed to get the incoming president on the horn a point his ministers kept coming back to this week in the panic that the tariff threat created. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland insisted that the Liberals could be trusted to deal with Trump since theyd done it before. On Wednesday, she championed Trudeaus record. He was an effective partner for Barack Obama. He was an effective partner for President Trump. He was an effective partner for President Biden, who is still president, she said. I have every confidence that he will be absolutely effective in dealing with President-elect Trump. The murders of several older women went unnoticed for years until the killer made a mistake that led police right to him. From 2016 to 2018, over 20 women were killed in their Texas retirement homes. Because all the victims were older than 70 years old, police assumed they died of natural causes, but something more sinister was actually occurring right under everyones nose. Mary Bartel was a resident at the Preston Place Retirement Community in Plano, Texas, according to PEOPLE. The 91-year-old woman was comfortable in her daily routine until one day, she got a knock at her door. I opened the door and I saw this man with his green rubber gloves on, she told authorities. I tried to push back but Im 91-years-old and he is young and muscular. And he just said, Dont fight me. Just get on the bed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man then began smothering Bartel with a pillow. I felt as though I could not breathe, she said. I thought I would die. I am not afraid to die, but I didnt want to die that way. But she would live to tell her story. Although the man attempted to kill her, Bartel was luckily still alive just unconscious. The suspect, who thought Bartel was dead, proceeded to steal her jewelry before fleeing the retirement complex. Eventually, Bartels friend came looking for her after she failed to show up at their exercise class. Eventually, Bartel was taken to the hospital and gave a statement to police, and thats when everything began to click for authorities. Before the attack on Bartel, six older women died in the same retirement home, reported PEOPLE, but this particular attack began raising suspicions as another older woman was killed the same day Bartel was attacked. An investigation into these deaths found the victims were also missing jewelry, and after stumbling across a license plate, police found a name: Billy Chemirmir, a former health care worker originally from Kenya. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 20, 2018, police apprehended Chemirmir after witnessing him handle a red wooden jewelry box which belonged to 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris, another one of his victims, according to AP News. Because of Chemirmirs work as a former health care worker, police say he targeted elderly women living in upscale senior living facilities. He would rob and kill his victims allegedly dressed as a maintenance worker or a health care worker. He was charged with 22 counts of murder although he was only tried and convicted for two of them. Chemirmir was found guilty on two separate counts of murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2022, but one year into serving his sentence, Chemirmir was reportedly killed by another inmate, according to AP News. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. NAIROBI (Reuters) -Kenyan President William Ruto said on Saturday he and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni would help mediate between Ethiopia and Somalia in a dispute that threatens to destabilise the Horn of Africa region. Landlocked Ethiopia, which has thousands of troops in Somalia to fight al Qaeda-linked insurgents, has angered the Mogadishu government with its plan to build a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland. Somaliland, which in exchange for the port could gain possible recognition as an independent nation from Ethiopia, has struggled to gain international recognition despite governing itself and enjoying comparative peace and stability since declaring independence in 1991. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spat has drawn Somalia closer to Egypt, which has quarrelled with Ethiopia for years over Addis Ababa's construction of a vast hydro dam on the Nile River, and Eritrea, another of Ethiopia's foes. "Because the security of Somalia ... contributes significantly to the stability of our region, and the environment for investors and business people and entrepreneurs to thrive," Ruto told a press conference at a regional heads of state summit. Several attempts to resolve the feud in Ankara, Turkey, have failed to make a breakthrough. The office of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a statement that Mohamud had met Ruto and Museveni on the sidelines of the summit, but it did not make reference to a potential mediation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Somalia's foreign minister, told Reuters previous resolutions by regional leaders had fallen on deaf ears in Addis Ababa, but he had confidence ongoing mediation efforts by Turkey would be fruitful. Ethiopia's government and foreign affairs spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Hereward Holland, Abdi Shekih, Humphrey Malalo and Dawit Endeshaw;Writing by Hereward Holland;Editing by Clelia Oziel and Helen Popper) The Ukrainian military on Saturday reported heavy fighting along the front lines in the eastern Donbass region as Russia continued to launch attacks. Fierce clashes were reported in the key areas of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove, which are the focal point of the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine. A breakthrough would pave the way for the Russian forces to advance towards the strategic cities of Dnipro and Zaporizhzhya. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Ukrainian military experts say the front in the Donbass region has stabilized after Kiev deployed reinforcements to the area. In total, the General Staff in Kiev recorded 153 engagements along the front lines. Syrian rebels against the countrys President Bashar Al-Assad advanced toward one of the largest cities in the country the first time since 2016 following a shock offensive launched by insurgents on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported on Friday. The advances into Aleppo were led by various rebel factions including the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), The New York Times reported. The incursions on Wednesday mostly affected Syrias northwestern countryside as residents fled neighborhoods and dozens of fighters from both sides were killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as reported by AP. Much of the towns and villages in Aleppos northern province, which were impacted by the advances, were controlled by al-Assads government, backed by both Iran and Russia since 2016, Reuters said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though, AP reported that government forces or their allies did not appear to bring significant pushback following the recent incursions. Instead, reports described them as melting away. Experts said the incursions show vulnerabilities in the Syrian governments forces and increasing capabilities from opposition, The New York Times said. CNN reported on Friday that the rebels have captured roughly 60 towns and villages that were controlled by government forces. Fridays incursion came after an artillery shell hit Aleppo Universitys student housing earlier in the day and killed four people, Syrias state news agency reported, per CNN. The day before, at least 15 people, including women and children, were killed and three dozen more were injured following airstrikes and shelling in areas of Aleppo and Idlib that are rebel-held, according to a volunteer rescue group, CNN reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The beginning of the offensive, which began on Wednesday, reawakened a conflict that has been largely dormant since March 2020 when Russia and Turkey mediated a ceasefire in northern Syria, CNN reported. The advancements come amid Syrias civil war, which began during the 2011 Arab Spring when the regime attempted to prevent a pro-democracy uprising against al-Assad. The rebel group Free Syrian Army emerged against government forces. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LA GRANDE The La Grande City Council has a packed agenda for its final meeting of 2024. Councilors will hold a public hearing to allow residents to weigh in on the annexation of 17 properties from the urban growth boundary into city limits during their regular meeting on Wednesday, Dec 4. Annexing properties from the urban growth boundary moved up the citys priority list recently due to long-range planning projects around future housing, commercial and industrial land needs, and demand for city sewer and water services, according to Community Development Director Mike Boquist. The council directed staff to create a three-phase annexation plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phase one was completed in January and brought 25 properties with consent-to-annex agreements into city limits. Phase two wrapped up in August and annexed 50 islands on the north side of La Grande. These properties were within the urban growth boundary, but were surrounded by city limits. While many of the properties received water or sewer services from the city, they did not have signed consent-to-annex agreements. Oregon law provides cities with a simplified mechanism to annex these urban growth boundary islands into city limits without requiring a signed consent-to-annex agreement or sending the matter to voters. The third and final phase of annexation shifts the focus to islands on the south side of the city. Boquist said that these properties have access to and benefit from many city services, but are not currently connected to city water or sewer services. The proposed annexations have been grouped in four areas. (The area can be seen in the graphic below, which is also available in the meeting agenda.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Annexation phase 3 - all zones The La Grande City Council on Wednesday will hold the first public hearing to discuss the annexation of 17 properties from the urban growth boundary into city limits. The city is considering annexing four areas, which have been highlighted on this map. Residents will have another opportunity to voice their opinions during the second public hearing during the council's first regular session meeting of 2025. Councilors will then vote on whether to annex the properties. If the council votes in favor, state law requires the city to establish an effective date for the annexation that is between three and 10 years for properties zoned for residential use. Staff members are recommending a three-year delay for these properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ARPA funds After allocating $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds two years ago, ARPA decisions are back on the agenda. In October 2022, the council passed a resolution to use the majority of the money on road projects, but also earmarked $250,000 as gap funding to help complete the Union County Fairgrounds water and wastewater infrastructure project. The council also decided at the time that if any of the $250,000 was not required for the fairground project then those funds would be reallocated to street projects. Passed in 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act allocated $1.9 trillion to boost economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession. The money must be committed to projects by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later, City Manager Robert Strope proposed allocating just over $119,000 of Transient Lodging Tax revenues to replace the budgeted ARPA funds for the fairgrounds project. This was supported by the La Grande Budget Committee and adopted by the council. The council also plans to waive fees associated with improvements at the fairgrounds to match the originally committed $250,000 in funding. These decisions freed up the $250,000 to be allocated to street projects. Strope said that in the last year the city identified an increased need in funding for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. The council will consider passing a resolution that would reallocate the $250,000 to the proposed sidewalk projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, councilors will consider giving Strope the authority to award bids and execute contracts related to ARPA street projects. The city is soliciting bids for asphaltic concrete and paving to complete the projects on Monroe Avenue, 12th Street, N Avenue and Walnut Street. While Strope anticipates that the results of the bidding process will be available by the Dec. 4 meeting, he said that should the bid results be delayed, the motions are written to give him the authority to award the bids and commit the funds prior to the end of the year. Other agenda items Three other public hearings are on the agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Councilors will consider approving a new procurement ordinance, as well as amending the code of ordinances to change the enforcement foreclosure provisions and sale of surplus real property definitions. The council has also received an appeal of a decision by the Landmarks Commission. LA SALLE COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD) The La Salle County Sheriffs Office responded to multiple crashes over the last two days, with two resulting in deaths. The first crash occurred at approximately 11:34 a.m. on Thursday near the intersection of Illinois Route 170 & N 19th Road, Deputy William Norman said. The two-vehicle rollover crash resulted in several deaths after three were transported to a Morris Hospital via EMS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Normal woman identified as victim of deadly crash A second crash occurred at approximately 1:13 p.m. on Friday near the intersection of Illinois Route 23 & N 32nd Road. The crash sent four to Ottawa Hospital by EMS and one dead. Both of these crashes remain under investigation by the ISP Accident Reconstruction Team and LaSalle County Sheriffs Office. A third two-vehicle crash occurred near the intersection of Illinois Route 251 & N 33rd Road at 2 p.m. on Friday. This crash sent two people to local hospitals with unknown injuries. This incident remains under investigation by the La Salle County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WMBD has reached out to the ISP and the Grundy County Coroner for additional information. This story will be updated when more information becomes available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. Labour could exploit a legislative loophole that would allow the Elgin Marbles to be returned to Greece. The British Museum and other major institutions are barred by law from giving away the contents of their collections. However, clauses in the Charities Act 2022 had the unintended effect of allowing museums to dispose of artefacts if there was a moral obligation for doing so. Tory ministers failed to fully close this loophole before the general election, and the Labour Government could exploit these clauses to allow the handover of the Elgin Marbles to Greece. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Telegraph understands that Labour politicians are currently examining the loophole and considering all options. Sources have indicated that Sir Keir Starmers Government has not yet agreed a definite position on whether controversial artefacts should be retained or returned. This is a marked departure from the previous Tory stance of persistent refusal to change their stance on returning contentious artefacts. If ministers choose to push the relevant loophole into law, the ball would be in the court of the British Museum board, led by George Osborne, its chairman, who would be free to make a moral argument for repatriation if they saw fit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Osborne has led negotiations with Greek ministers over the Marbles since 2022, and has previously declared that there is a deal to be done that would end the row over the 2,500-year-old Athenian artworks. View of the Eastern Portico of the Parthenon from which Lord Elgin, Greece argues, stole the set of Marbles - Getty Images News of the loophole may be welcome to Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek prime minister, who is rumoured to be travelling to London in December. Mr Mitsotakis and Greek leaders for the last 150 years has insisted that Lord Elgin, a British aristocrat, stole the set of Marbles from the Acropolis in the early 19th century. They were then bought by the government and given to the British Museum. The items sought by Greece comprise statues, sections of frieze, and marble plaques which once decorated the Parthenon, a 50ft-tall temple to the goddess Athena. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The main stumbling block for the Greek government and those in favour of repatriating these artworks is the British Museum Act 1963, which ensures the museums collection items cannot simply be given away. Greece has been offered a loan deal in recent years to solve the lengthy dispute, but any such deal would require legal recognition of the British Museums right of ownership. This is a red line for Greek negotiators, who maintain that the Marbles were stolen. Tweaking or repealing the British Museum Act remained the only solution, but the Tory government refused to contemplate changing the law, and the stalemate continued. However, The Telegraph reported in 2022 that the pending Charities Act contained clauses that would allow institutions to dispose of property if board members could reasonably be regarded as being under a moral obligation to take the action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Returning allegedly stolen artefacts could be presented as a reasonable moral case for repatriations, pro-Greek campaigners argued. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, the then Tory arts minster, spotted the danger and blocked the clauses passing into law when the rest of the Act was given Royal Assent. These clauses were effectively held back and needed to be separately brought into law by a statutory instrument, a piece of legislation intended to tweak acts without the need for new ones. More than half of these are never scrutinised, and they can be speedily voted through by a single Parliamentary committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lord Parkinson tried to ensure that a Tory statutory instrument to bring the troublesome clauses into law would neuter them, and specifically block the British Museum from using the moral case for handing over assets. However, the Tory defeat in the election has meant that no statutory instrument was introduced, and so drafted exemptions for the British Museum never took effect the clauses are not yet law, and the loophole is still waiting to be exploited. Labour ministers would have to bring the clauses into law without exemptions for the British Museum, after which it could be free to legally hand over the Marbles. The Elgin Marbles have been housed at the British Museum since 1817 - Getty Images/Chris Ware All options are being considered by the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), it is understood, and the Government has not arrived at a position on the repatriation of artefacts like the Elgin Marbles and the Benin Bronzes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colleagues have claimed Sir Keir wants a solution to the Marbles row, and Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, spoke earlier this year of working with Greece to find a resolution to what has been a very long-running dispute. Earlier this year, DCMS stated that there were no plans to change the law that would permit a permanent move of the Parthenon sculptures. This stock response was also used under the Tory government, and has typically referred to the British Museum Act, not the Charities Act 2022 now under consideration. Mr Osborne has been seeking a solution to the Marbles through negotiations with representatives of the Greek government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sources in Greece have suggested that progress is slow, as any deal resembling anything other than permanent transfer of the Parthenon sculptures will be unacceptable. The British Museum has recently sought to take the heat out of repatriation rows with long-term loan deals, and this year returned gold to the Asante king Osei Tutu II. DCMS has been connected for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Bengaluru Police arrested 21-year-old Aarav Hanoy in connection with the murder of Assam vlogger Maya Gogoi, whose body was found in a service apartment, police said. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), Aarav was arrested outside Karnataka on Friday. This follows the registration of a murder case at the Indira Nagar Police Station in Bengaluru on Tuesday, against Aarav for allegedly stabbing Maya. The case has been registered under sections 103 and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), police said, adding that Aarav Hanoy is from Kerala. According to the police, Aarav works as a student counsellor for a private education firm in HSR Layout, Bengaluru. DCP Bengaluru D. Devaraja informed that the incident took place at the Royal Living service apartment in Indira Nagar, where the body of the deceased, Maya Gogoi, was found after two days. "The incident occurred at the Royal Living in Indira Nagar, where they were staying. We received information about a foul smell. Our officers and the forensic team visited the site and discovered the body of a woman. After examination, a murder case was registered at the Indira Nagar Police Station. We checked the CCTV footage and saw a man, Aarav Hanoy (21) from Kerala's Kannur, and a woman, Maya Gogoi (19) from Assam's Guwahati, checking in at 12:28 PM on November 23. The man left the room on November 26 at 8:30 AM," DCP Bengaluru D. Devaraja told reporters. The top official said the deceased woman had been stabbed in the chest and had multiple injuries. The 19-year-old was also working as a counsellor in the Koramangala area. "We found a nylon cable and a knife in the room as well. We will learn more details after arresting the accused," the DCP added. (ANI) A senior Labour MP was targeted by a barrage of racist and sexist online abuse from supporters of Elon Musk after demanding that the billionaire give evidence to Parliament. Chi Onwurah, the chairman of the Commons science, innovation and technology committee, said she had been the subject of targeted attacks from supporters of Mr Musk after saying she would call him to testify about the role of his social network X, formerly Twitter, in the summer riots. She said she had received horrible tweets trying to combine misogyny and racism, which has prompted her to frequently take time away from Mr Musks social media platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its something that youve got to be aware of with regard to all engagement, Ms Onwurah said. Its not just a question of engaging with Elon Musk, but one is always aware that the online response can be horrendous. Sometimes you have to come offline. I choose to come offline for a couple of hours or a couple of days. Musk: UK MPs will be summoned to the US Ms Onwurah is among a cohort of MPs who have joined Bluesky, the rapidly growing rival to X, in recent days. However, unlike others, she said she would not quit Mr Musks platform altogether. Last week, she said she would invite Mr Musk to give evidence to a committee inquiry examining the role that algorithms played in promoting misinformation during the Southport riots but has ruled out a formal summons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Musk has responded by saying that UK MPs will be summoned to the United States of America to explain their censorship and threats to American citizens. Chi Onwurah: Its not just a question of engaging with Musk. One is always aware that the online response can be horrendous - Jessica Taylor/via Reuters MPs are calling for Mr Musk to give evidence after he was accused of stoking unrest earlier this summer by saying that civil war [in the UK] is inevitable. During the riots, X was seen as playing a role in spreading misinformation, alongside other channels such as Telegram. Ms Onwurah said the committee would write to Mr Musk and X, the social network he paid $44bn (35bn) for two years ago, in the coming days. The inquiry will also ask representatives from Meta and Google to give evidence about the role algorithms play in amplifying misinformation, as well as ways that artificial intelligence could increase the risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Musk has been highly critical of the Labour Government, and this week backed a petition demanding a new general election saying: The people of Britain have had enough of a tyrannical police state. The people of Britain have had enough of a tyrannical police state https://t.co/0PtR5qQOKw Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 24, 2024 He is the platforms most popular user, with over 206m followers. X, which was contacted for comment, previously said that it had actioned thousands of posts related to the summer riots. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. UPDATE: All lanes open after crash involving Border Patrol in Upper Valley UPDATE: All lanes at Artcraft East and West at Upper Valley are now open after the crash, according to TxDOT. ORIGINAL: EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Traffic is being impacted after a crash in El Pasos Upper Valley involving the U.S. Border Patrol, fire dispatch said on Friday, Nov. 29. Video courtesy to KTSM viewer Alejandra Perez According to dispatch, the crash happened minutes before 2:45 p.m. at the intersection of Artcraft Road and Upper Valley Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dispatch said there is no transports yet and they confirmed Border Patrol was at the scene. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) said that the left lane of Artcraft East and West at Upper Valley will be closed until further notice. This is a developing story and will be updating you once we learn more. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting in the San Fernando Valley that occurred late Friday night. According to an LAPD media release, officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon investigation around 11:15 p.m. in the 10400 block of Sepulveda Boulevard in the Mission Hills neighborhood. Officers arrived and found that Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics were already treating a male victim who had suffered a single gunshot wound to the lower torso. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries despite life saving measures, LAPD said. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. 7 people involved in downtown Los Angeles rollover crash, 3 critical Detectives canvassed the scene for witnesses and video evidence, police stated. The investigation revealed that a lone male suspect walked up to the victim in the rear parking lot of a retail location. The suspect shot the male victim and fled the area. As of 11 a.m. Saturday, the suspect remains outstanding. Anyone who has information surrounding the fatal shooting is asked to contact LAPD Operations Valley Bureau by calling 818-374-9550. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During non-business hours and on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-527-3247. To remain anonymous, call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477) or visit their 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 KTLA. Nov. 30The Lapwai School District will be building a new Career Technical Education Center to expand carpentry and fabrication programs. The district received $1,278,843 in grant funding from the Idaho Career Ready Student Funds, $51,000 in material donations from R M Steel in Caldwell and $20,000 in Nez Perce Tribe Local Education Program Funds. The district reached out to RM Steel, an industry partner with the school, who later made a donation, according to Superintendent David Aiken. The building will be behind Lapwai Middle High School next to the current career technical building. Plans for the building's design are still ongoing and the next meeting is in December. The school board and the Nez Perce Tribe will have input on the design. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Piiwapayatat," Nez Perce for "helping each other," was selected as the project name because it shows the collaboration and support the schools receive from the tribe and Lapwai community, according to an email from Aiken. Arnzen Building Construction and Castellaw Kom Architects are the design-build team for the project. The same group was used for the 2011 Lapwai Middle High School gym. Daily headlines, straight to your inboxRead it online first and stay up-to-date, delivered daily at 7 AM "We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with them again," said Aiken in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current career and technical education building has carpentry, welding and fabrications, which are large-scale welding projects with construction elements. However, the equipment is in a tight space with a high number of students, according to the email. The new facility will expand carpentry and fabrication instruction with a long-term goal of automotive technology. Welding will remain in the current agricultural building behind the high school as it already has ventilation for welding. The new building will have two sections with garage door access on each end. One side will be for carpentry and the other for fabrication. The fabrication side will also include room for automotive technology. The school district is located on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation and educates the largest population of Nez Perce students in the world. The district has collaborated with the tribe in other areas of career and technical education with the Tribal Employment Rights Office Program. Through the Baker Technical Institute, Lapwai High School students can earn heavy highway construction certifications, according to the email. Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A Las Vegas teacher is upset with administrators, accusing them of not properly addressing a sewage leak in a classroom used by a hundred students. Christian Prada documented the spillage that happened at Kenny Guinn Middle School in several videos he shared with 8 News Now. Its like, why do I live in a world where its okay to make children have to learn in an environment that is a biohazard? Prada said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prada said he first noticed the leak on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and began recording the mess on Oct. 31. So, this is the room. This is the classroom where sewage leaked through the wall, Prada said. The leak reportedly occurred on the other side of the wall of Pradas classroom where there was a restroom. Prada said it took two days before administrators presented him with a possible solution to deal with the urine smell: industrial fans to dry the rug. I open the door. The door had been closed. The whole hallway, everyone, was like whats going on? It smelled like there was urine all over the entire school, Prada said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He reached out to 8 News Now after not getting anywhere with administrators at Guinn Middle School. I feel like, Im in the upside down [world] because its one of those things that, were asking children not to have to learn in urine. Why is that such a big ask? Prada said. Prada teaches about 100 children who are English Language Learners at Guinn MS. He exhausted every avenue in getting the issue properly resolved, including reaching out to the Clark County Education Association. Im second language. My mother is from Spain, my father is from Colombia. I always tell my kids, I am one of you. I learned English at CCSD. And I just dont know why as a whole they feel we deserve the worst, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prada provided 8 News Now with an email exchange between him and Guinn MS Principal Erin Rolfe dated Nov. 21. She wanted him in the classroom by Nov. 25. The school temporarily moved him and his student to a small theater while the urine dried. Prada responded that same day writing, My concerns were not addressed as you refused to explain to me how the biohazard was properly cleaned. In a cell phone video dated Nov. 18, Prada recorded an update of his classroom. The carpet has not been removed. The wall was not removed. Nothing was replaced. All they did was put some fans on it and let it dry for weeks, Prada said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called out sick on Nov. 25. Is this how admin would treat their own offices? Would they simply let the urine dry? Or would the very next day we see that wall being removed and we would see that carpet being changed? Prada said. Prada said the sewage spill has led to health troubles, causing him to go on medical leave from the Clark County School District until next year. 8 News Now reached out to the Clark County School District for comment. Their offices were closed for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Massachusetts lawmakers proposed a generational ban on nicotine product sales. The state previously raised the legal age for tobacco purchases to 21 in 2018. Similar bans exist in other parts of Massachusetts. A group of lawmakers in Massachusetts are attempting to outlaw young people from buying nicotine products with a proposal that will, in time, prevent everyone from buying them. Not only would the new proposal prohibit anyone under the legal age of 21 from purchasing tobacco products, it would ensure that anyone born after a certain year wouldn't be able to buy them either, as first reported by the Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We all know the devastating health effects of nicotine and tobacco products, especially on our youth who are targeted by Big Tobacco," Democratic Sen. Jason Lewis said in a post on X on Tuesday. Lewis and others plan to file the Nicotine-Free Generation bill at the start of 2025. Massachusetts has already taken on tobacco products recently and won. In 2018, the state raised the legal age to buy tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes, to 21. The Bay State would be the first state to adopt a ban of this kind. This generational ban is somewhat unique nationally but has already taken place within the state. Brookline, Massachusetts, a town five miles outside Boston, put in place a similar ban in 2020 anyone born after January 1, 2000, is unable to ever purchase tobacco products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was challenged, but courts upheld the ban in early 2024. Nearby Massachusetts towns, such as Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and Winchester, followed Brookline's playbook and also placed generational bans on tobacco products. In the US, California is trying to ban the purchase of tobacco products by 2073. New Zealand was the first country to impose a generational ban, but the country repealed that ban this year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly nine out of 10 adults who smoke cigarettes daily tried smoking by the age of 18. Lewis said that this proposed ban would be aimed at the youth in an attempt to protect them from the health concerns of tobacco products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This bill will not take away the right to purchase nicotine and tobacco products from anyone who is already legally able to do so," he said. "Rather, this legislation will protect future generations from nicotine addiction and the resulting health harms." Read the original article on Business Insider Nov. 29A 9-year-old boy suffered physical restraint and food restrictions and was secluded in his room during a 2022 stay at a Los Lunas center for children with mental and behavioral health issues, a new lawsuit alleges. The suit, filed in state District Court in Santa Fe earlier this month, alleges staff at the privately run Sandhill Center abused and neglected children, including the boy, who is now 11. The center was understaffed and more interested in the profits from enrollment, and the state Children, Youth and Families Department, which licensed and oversaw the center, was aware of issues at Sandhill and allowed the abuse to happen, the suit alleges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a written statement provided to The New Mexican, the parents of the child, whose lawyer did not disclose their names to protect their child's privacy, said the trauma their child had suffered caused the family "immense distress and heartache." "We ... are devastated and horrified by the treatment our child endured under their care," said the parents, who live in Castle Rock, Colo., according to the suit. "Over the course of our time with the center, we witnessed and learned of alarming instances of neglect, inappropriate behavior, and outright harm that no child should ever experience." The parents are calling for reparations for damages caused by Sandhill staff and for any employees responsible to be removed, as well as training on child safety, care and behavior management and communication on how the center aims to address its issues. In an email, CYFD spokesperson Jessica Preston said the agency had not yet been served with the suit and had not been able to review the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It would be premature to comment at this time. Once the department has had an opportunity to review the claims, we will respond appropriately," she wrote. Efforts by The New Mexican to reach the Sandhill Center on Wednesday were unsuccessful. The plaintiffs' attorney, Adam Flores, said the suit was similar to others in which CYFD licensed understaffed agencies accused of abuse of children in its custody and reflected a lack of accountability for such facilities. The suit says the Oregon operator of Sandhill, Wilderness Training and Consulting LLC which does business as Family Help and Wellness has a history of litigation across the country over allegations of abuse of children in its facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "CYFD was aware of these awful child restraint practices, and knew that this was happening at Sandhill," Flores said in an interview. "[CYFD] had directed Sandhill to change its restraint practices but allowed Sandhill to keep operating without any other apparent oversight, and the child was injured." CYFD knew about issues at Sandhill, the lawsuit states, citing a November 2022 report finding the center was not in compliance with several regulations or state statutes, particularly with regard to its procedures for physically restraining and secluding children. The state agency had documented a pattern of dangerous restraints being placed on children while lying prone, restraining children as a deescalation tactic and using restraints when they weren't needed. "Employees of Defendant Sandhill engaged in the use of physical restraint of children in the absence of the need for emergency intervention, because there was no indication that the children posed a risk of imminent danger to themselves or others," the lawsuit says. CYFD directed the center to stop, according to the suit, but "inexplicably allowed Sandhill to continue the practices for at least the next 60 days." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boy entered Sandhill in mid-November 2022 to receive treatment for mental health and behavioral issues, according to the suit. CYFD, the suit says, was already aware of the "abusive conditions" at the center. Once inside, the complaint says, the 9-year-old was secluded from the outside world and his parents. He stayed for about six weeks. During that time, he suffered "repeated instances of physical and emotional abuse by employees," including while he was at Del Rio Academy, a school on the Sandhill campus, the complaint alleges. He was physically restrained at least nine times, and Sandhill employees restricted his food and forced him to exercise, according to the suit. At one point, the suit alleges, he was kept in his room for 10 days and not allowed to leave except once, when a Sandhill employee said the boy was "too comfortable" in his room and forced him to stay outside in the cold and run laps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the boy's stay at the center finally ended and his parents picked him up, they found he had "severe physical injuries" including bruises all over his body and significant weight loss. He was also in shock and unresponsive from the trauma, the suit said. "No child deserves to experience harm, neglect, or mistreatment in a place that is meant to be a refuge for growth and learning," the family wrote in their statement. Esteban Candelaria is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. He covers child welfare and the state Children, Youth and Families Department. Learn more about Report for America at reportforamerica.org. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Attorneys for the State Bar of Nevada want to introduce so-called prior bad acts of Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones in its efforts to confiscate his law license for deleting text messages related to a land deal near Red Rock National Park and then trying to conceal his conduct and mislead the courts, documents first obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators reveal. Jones, the documents say, improperly deleted text messages from his phone in an effort to hide communications with then-commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Steve Sisolak with regard to a decades-long dispute between the county and a developer, Gypsum Resources. The county settled with Gypsum, in part because of Jones role as counsel for neighbors opposing the deal, for $80 million in June. The threat of losing in court with more than $2 billion on the line forced the county toward resolving the litigation, the county manager told commissioners at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a recording of a lengthy public hearing from Nov. 21, also first obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators, the assistant bar counsel and Jones attorney argued whether the panel determining whether to forbid or perhaps suspend Jones from the practice of law in Nevada should consider his misconduct in a 2010 case when he represented Las Vegas Sands against claims it wrongfully terminated one of its top executives. Clearly in this case this evidence would be very relevant to show aggravating circumstances of dishonesty, self-motive, pattern misconduct, multiple offenses, James Sweetin, assistant bar counsel, said at the hearing. The state bars motion to allow the panel to consider misrepresentations Jones made in the 2010 Sands case rehashes certain misrepresentations Jones made under oath to the presiding Clark County District Court judge. The motion says Jones admitted to making those misrepresentations, which centered around whether he reviewed certain critical documents. Ultimately, the court fined Jones clients, the Sands, $25,000 in 2012 and an additional $250,000 in 2015. Both of these cases, the prior case as well as this case, involved acts of basically dishonesty perpetrated upon the upon the court, Sweetin argued. And respondent [Jones] does not even contest the relevance of this evidence in his opposition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones attorney, Rob Bare, argued the panel should conduct its own hearing with regard to the Sands case. I can present evidence and I can show you what really happened in this scenario, Bare said, noting that the alternative would be to piece it together from the decade-old District Court records. Bare also said the judge in the Sands case, Elizabeth Betsy Gonzalez, would have penalized Jones personally for the alleged dishonesty. I guarantee you if some lawyer came in there and lied straight out to her and committed illegal conduct in front of her, the bars going to know about it, Bare said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gonzalez retired from the bench in 2021, her biography page on an alternative dispute resolution firm says. Bare was also a District Court judge until 2021, having begun his tenure in 2011. He also served as the states bar counsel for 17 years, according to information readily available from the Clark County Bar Assocations website. The bar wants to admit the details of the Sands case to bolster its argument that he should be disbarred for his role in the Gypsum case. His conduct in this willful planning and perpetration of a lie upon the court on that prior occasion is very probative in this case, Sweetin argued. Now to show that these text messages were not deleted by mistake or an instance of respondent, not just having a memory of deleting these things. Jones had previously argued, among other things, that he did not remember deleting the texts related to Gypsum. A federal magistrate judge in April 2023, however, disagreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Jones deleted his texts for the improper use of attempting to prevent discovery of his conduct and the deal giving him time to make good on a campaign promise to kill Gypsums Property development, the magistrate judge, Elayna Youchah, wrote. Jones and Sisolak won their elections in November 2018 for county commissioner and governor, respectively. Jones attorney admits his client the sitting county commissioner for District F committed some wrongdoing. This panel has to determine at the time that Justin deleted the texts and yes, he deleted the texts, Bare argued. Did he act negligently? Did he act knowingly or did he act intentionally? The panel has to determine that. The attorney overseeing the hearing, known as the panel chair, seemed to indicate that he would conduct a hearing on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A scheduling order from Friday Nov. 22 shows a related hearing scheduled on Jan. 14. It also lists a three-day formal hearing beginning March 11, 2025. That hearing, should it go forward at that time, will ultimately result in the panels decision on how, if at all, to penalize Jones. A felony bribery offense Bare, Jones attorney, and the bar counsel, Daniel Hooge, also argued whether the court should consider the federal magistrate judges findings with regard to the deleted text messages. The state bar does not want to relitigate the issue, and Jones attorney said the original federal proceedings were not substantial enough to have bearing on the disbarment hearing. We are going to retain an expert regarding the allegation that essentially alleges that Justin committed a felony bribery offense, Bare said at the hearing. He said the panel should make its own decision and not follow the federal courts sanctions order written by the Youchah, the federal magistrate, because it did not address Jones standing with the bar. She was not convened as a disciplinary judge, Bare argued with regard to the state bars motion for summary judgment. That was not a disciplinary court that Justin Jones was in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hooge, the bar counsel, disagreed. Her order was very, very thorough, Hooge argued. I will note also that she held evidentiary hearings on this matter. Mr. Jones did participate both as a county commissioner but also as an individual. He had his own counsel that he hired to represent him throughout the process. He submitted affidavits. He was heavily involved in the process. The panel chair told the parties he would decide these motions shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season mercifully ended this weekend, bringing to a close one of the most fraught and damaging episodes in Tampa Bays history. Residents and businesses will need years to pick up the pieces, but in the meantime, theres something to learn from every hurricane season, and this one provides a rash of lessons for next time. Hurricane Debby hit Floridas Big Bend region Aug. 5 as a Category 1 hurricane, wiping out hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of sand from Pinellas beaches and causing extensive flooding in the southeastern Hillsborough communities of Lithia and Riverview. Helene, an enormous system that made landfall Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane near Perry, pushed ashore record storm surge across the region, in some places reaching 7 feet above the ground. Barely two weeks later, on Oct. 9, Milton roared into Sarasota County as a Category 3 storm, lashing Tampa Bay with unprecedented rain that totaled 18 inches in some areas, in what officials called a one-in-1,000-year deluge. The storms made a lasting scar on families, businesses, public infrastructure and Floridas natural landscape. They also provided some valuable lessons for a state in hurricane alley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forget the track. None of these storms made a direct hit on Pinellas, Hillsborough or Pasco counties, but they impacted millions across the greater bay area, nonetheless. Debby passed Tampa Bay as a tropical storm and made landfall about 167 miles to the north, but feeder bands lashed the region, washing out roads and inundating homes. Helene made landfall near Perry, about 193 miles away, but still brought life-threatening storm surge and flooding to the region. Milton roared ashore in Siesta Key, about 67 miles south, but still brought damaging winds and 18 inches of rain to some areas across the region, toppling trees, destroying roofs and flooding homes that had never taken on water before. Tracks are important, but hurricanes have wide impacts beyond the storms strong center, and residents need to be prepared. Just leave. The best forecasting equipment and emergency preparedness mean nothing if residents in harms way dont listen when authorities instruct them to evacuate. Sure, leaving ones home causes anxiety and disruption, and many residents have difficulty evacuating, whether because they lack the financial means or face challenging responsibilities with family members, pets or work. But some holdouts choose to act as Florida Man to prove their native bona fides. More than a dozen residents in the Tampa Bay region lost their lives during Hurricane Helene; eleven were in evacuation Zone A. Police and firefighters also had to rescue more than 1,000 people that night across our three-county region. Ignoring an evacuation order is not only plain dumb, but it endangers the lives of first responders. If youre told to leave, leave. Never stop learning. Floridians are getting better at appreciating the dual threats of wind and water and the growing risk of inland flooding. To that point, the after-action review being undertaken in Hillsborough County could provide helpful guidance for the entire region. The county has commissioned an independent review of what went right and wrong during this years hurricanes. The probe came in response to the public outcry over widespread flooding after Hurricane Milton. An outside consultant will examine the impacts this hurricane season across Hillsborough and its three cities, with an eye toward shaping smarter planning, preparedness and infrastructure spending decisions. The effort will also involve regional water managers to put Tampa Bays flood plains and drainage problems in a larger perspective. This smart collaboration was a long time coming. This busy season showed the need for Tampa Bay to improve both preparedness and recovery efforts. Everybody from mayors and first responders to average citizens must play a part. Thats our best defense for 2025 and beyond, which will be on us soon enough. To the editor: President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on products imported from Mexico will seriously disrupt the Mexican economy, which could result in layoffs and higher unemployment there. That situation could increase the flow of migrants from Mexico seeking employment in the U.S.. Ironically, these same migrants could probably find work in the factories and farms whose workers will be deported under Trump's proposed mass-deportation policy. Talk about a vicious cycle. Noel Johnson, Glendale Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement .. To the editor: "Mexico, Canada and China react to Trumps comments, they and economists wonder if he is serious" this subheadline evokes a line from the movie "Patton," where before a great battle, the general yells at his subordinates that if they don't succeed, "let no man come back alive!" Someone responds: "You know General, sometimes the men don't know when you're acting." The general responds that its not important for them to know, "it's only important for me to know." It isnt beyond speculation that Trump uses that strategy when he negotiates with other entities, be they country leaders, politicians or the media. Marcus Kourtjian, Northridge This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The 32nd meeting of the State Managing Committee of Ex-Servicemen was held at Raj Bhavan, Shillong. Meghalaya Governor CH Vijayashankar presided over the meeting, which brought together key stakeholders to discuss matters concerning the welfare and empowerment of ex-servicemen in the state, a press release said. The meeting, held on Friday, was also attended by Col Gautam Kumar Rai (Retd), Director of Sainik Welfare, Meghalaya; Air Marshal Surat Singh AVSM, VM, VSM, AOC-in-C Eastern Air Command; Brigadier P. Bhardwaj; Distinguished Officers; War Veterans; and Veer Naris. Following the meeting, the Governor interacted with War Veterans, Veer Naris, and Gallantry Award winners, expressing his deep gratitude for their sacrifices and unparalleled service to the nation. During the interaction, Vijayashankar emphasized the state's commitment to supporting the ex-servicemen community through initiatives that ensure their dignity, well-being, and active participation in society. He assured them that the doors of Raj Bhavan were always open for them. The event concluded with a lunch hosted at Raj Bhavan in honor of the War Veterans, Veer Naris, and Gallantry Award winners. This meeting underscored the Governor's dedication to recognizing and supporting ex-servicemen, reaffirming the state's respect and gratitude for their service to the nation. Meanwhile, on Sunday, General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, who was on a five-day visit to Nepal, attended an 'Ex-Servicemen Rally' and interacted with veterans and veer naris of the Army in Pokhara, Nepal. General Dwivedi also attended the event at the Pension Paying Office in Pokhara on Saturday, according to a statement from the Indian Army. During the event, the Chief of Army Staff also felicitated veterans, veer naris, and Gallantry awardees of the army. He emphasized the unyielding bond between the Nepalese veterans and the Indian Army and lauded their contributions to society in all fields. (ANI) Nov. 30More Maine communities are adopting individual plans to take control of their climate future by cutting carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy use and taking steps to prepare for the impacts of climate change. Each community views its particular climate situation as unique. Some have done vulnerability assessments to prove it, identifying specific public buildings, neighborhoods, attractions and businesses most at risk in the climate of the future. The leaders of five Maine towns Biddeford, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Kittery and Saco gathered last week at a sustainability conference at the University of New England to discuss their path to adopting a local climate plan. The Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission guided their journey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since passing a climate plan last year, Biddeford has proposed an ordinance to allow solar development and created electric vehicle charging stations. It will soon start work on beach nourishment strategies, and also craft a tree ordinance to provide the shade needed to make downtown walkable. "I'm really proud of our process," said Biddeford Development and Sustainability Director Brad Favreau. "Our climate action plan was created by hundreds of regular folks not particularly trained in any one aspect of climate or environment. It's amazing to me what regular folks can do when they feel passionate." Favreau agreed to staff the climate action committee because he got "hooked" on environmental issues as a child in the 1970s growing up on Woodsy the Owl public service announcements on TV. "You know the ones, 'Give a hoot! Don't pollute!' " Favreau said. "They really marked me." Saco just passed its climate action plan last month, but it had already been working on transit-related climate proposals through its master transportation plan, Assistant City Planner Shannon Chisholm said. Her tip for towns just starting out: Build upon what you've already done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Compared to other Maine communities, Saco is lucky to have almost $21 million in a mix of grants to fund its current slate of climate projects, including a new jetty and beach replenishment at Camp Ellis, sewer plant upgrades and elevating a coastal road. It is applying for more to write its open space plan. "There's not enough money out there to fund the work needed to get ready for what's coming," Chisholm said. Not all climate action must be expensive, though, she said. Updating the landscaping ordinance to promote the use of native plants, or building an urban green space ordinance to encourage downtown pocket parks and green spaces all things Saco is doing may sound small, but they add up, Chisholm said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest challenge is learning to balance the need for urgent action to adapt to a rapidly warming climate with the need for a deliberative public process. "Government is not known to be super nimble, but you need to make time for the public," Chisholm said. Seven "regular citizens" formed the task force that guided the Kennebunkport climate action plan to unanimous passage last July. The task force worked to balance members' needs for easy early wins to build momentum with their desire to pursue difficult but effective starting goals. The group settled on an emission reduction strategy, a homeowner outreach campaign to promote home weatherization and electricity use reduction, and a long-awaited streamlining of the municipal ordinances that govern homeowner response to sea level rise and other climate disasters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Don't give up," said Kennebunk selectwoman Lisa Pratt, a liaison to the climate action task force that passed its plan in March. "At first, no one is going to show up ... but we kept on meeting. We were among the last of the group to get our plan done, but we used what we learned and it really helped us." Some communities, like Portland-South Portland, York and an 11-town coalition in the Bangor region, hired consultants, collected local data and developed detailed climate action proposals like Maine's state government did for the just-finished state climate plan, Maine Won't Wait 2.0. Others conduct self-assessments to create a list of easy resilience projects, like installing energy-efficient lights in public buildings or adopting an anti-idling ordinance. This often leads to enrollment in Maine's Community Resilience Partnership, which qualifies them for bigger grants to do larger climate projects. RESILIENCE PARTNERSHIP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Janet Mills established the partnership in 2021 to assist local communities with projects to bolster resilience to climate effects and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More than 225 communities are now enrolled. She wants to enroll 80% of Maine cities and towns, or about 138 more communities, by 2030. The partnership program has awarded more than $9 million to Maine towns, cities, tribal governments and regional groups since 2021. The latest grant round is open until mid-December, with another nearly $8 million in state and federal funds available. With Maine facing a $1 billion deficit in its next budget and President-elect Donald Trump threatening to claw back unspent federal climate dollars, some communities are rushing to enact plans to apply for the last big climate grants remaining. Others that can are preparing to go it alone. "All evidence suggests federal support for climate action is on the chopping block," said Cameron Wake, head of Kittery's climate action committee. "Now more than ever, states, municipalities and businesses need to provide bold leadership. We have laid a really strong foundation, and yet we need to do more." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, not every community has the funds, staff capacity, or community expertise to create a local climate action plan. The Maine Municipal Association supports the sentiment of local control but says small, rural, cash-strapped towns can't plan for climate change impacts as well as wealthy towns and the state. "The state's experience with climate action planning is not easily replicated in every municipality," the MMA wrote in its February 2022 legislative bulletin. "Local governments cannot commit to the process the same level of funding, capacity and coordination that the state can." Copy the Story Link GREENVILLE, N.C (WNCT) From laundry detergent to your new favorite sweater, businesses across Eastern N.C. had deals on Small Business Saturday. Gives us opportunity to show Greenville what we have accomplished throughout the entire year, what weve worked so hard for, and to just show our support to the local community that supports us all throughout the year, Assistant Store Manager at Shimmer Boutique Alianna Jordan said. Its a way to encourage people to shop local during the holiday season. Coopers Cup in Winterville had deals on Saturday, but also shelved more than 50 vendors in the shop that also participated in Small Business Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, our vendors are all local to Eastern North Carolina. They sell anything from jewelry to apparel to candles to therapy, Social Media and Event Coordinator at Coopers Cup Lia Justice said. We also have kids stuff. We have crocheted animals and 3D animals and the important part is theyre part of our business. So, its not just their business and our business. We kind of merge into one. So, whoever walks through that door could either support us just as the coffee shop or them as a local vendor. People in the community said they enjoy supporting these small businesses. It gives them a chance to shine and bring the people in. And guess what? Itll follow suit after that forever, just about. So, its a good thing that we do have these companies starting up, Shopper Tony Gallardo said. Thats what I say, you know, and having the willingness to start these companies out especially when youll hear their growing exponentially. A small business is very small and it doesnt get the attention that it deserves, so everyone that supports us during this season, during the holiday season and all throughout the year, we really appreciate it, Jordan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deals dont just stop there as some businesses are going all weekend with their deals and Cyber Monday is just around the corner. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Tesla investor Ross Gerber doesn't think Elon Musk's ties to Donald Trump will benefit the EV maker. The longtime Tesla bull thinks the car company has a number of problems to sort through. Gerber says Tesla stock should be trading around $200, about 40% lower than current levels. Elon Musk spent immense money and energy helping Donald Trump retake the White House, but the Tesla CEO's new political influence may not do much to boost the fortunes of his carmaker, one of the company's longtime backers said. Ross Gerber, a Tesla bull and the president of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management, thinks the electric vehicle maker is facing big challenges, even as optimism about Musk's ties to Trump has excited investors and sparked a sharp rally in Tesla stock since the election. Traders are hopeful that Musk's close ties to the president-elect which ultimately landed the Tesla CEO a new government role could sway important policy decisions in favor of Tesla. Advertisement Advertisement But that doesn't solve the problems Tesla has been struggling with for years, Gerber said, pointing to concerns surrounding the success of Tesla's car business, and whether its new ride-hailing platform or artificial intelligence projects will amount to much. In Gerber's view, Tesla shares should be trading around $200, implying 40% downside from the stock's closing price of $338.23 on Tuesday. Gerber said his fund, which began cutting its stake in Tesla in late 2023, continues to sell the stock in small amounts, keeping Tesla's concentration in its portfolio to just 2%. The fund sold nearly 16,000 shares in the third quarter, though the total value of its remaining stake rose to $71 million, regulatory filings show. "We're still selling it," Gerber told Business Insider. "I used to have a 10%, 12%, even 20% stake in Tesla at some point in my life where it was like, Tesla was taking us to the moon kind of thing. And I just think its best days are behind it." Advertisement Advertisement It's worth noting that Tesla handily beat third-quarter earnings estimates, soothing some investor concerns after a tough start to the year. Countering Gerber's views, some also see Musk's new political influence as a big win for his companies. "The biggest winner from a Trump White House remains Tesla and Musk which made a strategic big bet on Trump that will pay major dividends for years to come," Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives wrote following the election. Skeptical of the tech Gerber believes Tesla's technology has plateaued in recent years, and Musk's ties to Washington won't help that. He pointed to issues with Tesla's full self-driving technology, which he's been using nearly every day for the last three years. "So the ultimate reality for full self-driving is it doesn't work, and the precision isn't good. And vision-only systems have flaws that I don't think Elon wants to admit." Advertisement Advertisement Gerber thinks the tech issues will persist, partly because Musk looks poised to devote more of his time to his role in the Department of Government Efficiency. Beginning with the acquisition of X, Gerber, in recent years, has been a vocal critic of what he sees as Musk's neglect of his core companies, primarily Tesla. "He doesn't work at Tesla. I mean, let's be real, "Gerber said. We all know where Elon is right now, and he's at Mar-a-Lago. So he hasn't worked at Tesla for a long time." Gerber is also concerned about some of the projects within the company. He pointed to Tesla's ride-hailing platform, which will be competing with more established companies like Uber and Waymo. Advertisement Advertisement "Why does it deserve this premium?" he said of the stock. "I get that Elon is now vice president of the United States, but that doesn't necessarily help Tesla." Trump's transition team has signaled that it would end the $7,500 tax credit for EVsa move that Musk supportsbut even that's unlikely to be a bullish catalyst for the company, Gerber said. Musk has said that repealing the tax credit would be more harmful to Tesla's rivals, but Gerber's firm has estimated that Tesla sales could drop around 25% if the tax credit was no longer available. That would be "devastating" to Tesla's business, he said, given that the company has already slashed prices on some of its models in the face of uncertain EV demand in recent years. "If the EV tax credit goes, that would be an extreme negative I would have to react to," Gerber said, adding that it was his biggest concern at the moment. Advertisement Advertisement Previously, Gerber told BI he would consider completely closing his position in Tesla by the end of the year if its business didn't improve, or if Musk didn't refocus his attention on his companies. Gerber has since adjusted his view and said he would continue to hold Tesla as a small investment in his portfolio, mostly out of bullishness on EVs in general. "Certainly if you want to get out of Tesla, it's a great opportunity," Gerber said, later adding that he was in "wait-and-see" mode. "And if you're a buyer of Tesla, boy, you're paying a lot for hope." Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider A For Sale sign is seen on March 19 in Austin, Texas. Policymakers are watching for indications of what President-elect Donald Trump plans to do to ease housing costs next year after an election where voters were laser-focused on the economy. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Americans hand over a huge chunk of their paycheck for a roof over their heads. Policymakers are looking out for indications of what President-elect Donald Trump plans to do to ease housing costs next year after an election where voters were laser-focused on the economy. Housing accounted for 32.9% of consumers spending in 2023, making it the largest share of consumer expenditures, according to the most recently available data Bureau of Labor Statistics. And that was an increase of 5.7% from 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, many Americans still struggle to find affordable housing, whether they choose to rent or buy a home. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Theres a lot economists and housing advocates still dont know about what to expect from a second Trump term. Its unclear which campaign promises will find their way into administrative rules or legislation, even with a Republican trifecta the GOP will control the White House and both chambers of Congress. But policy experts, researchers and economic analysts are looking at Trumps record, his recent remarks on housing, and Project 2025 the conservative Heritage Foundations 900-page plan to overhaul the executive branch for a glimpse of what may lie ahead. Tariffs and the cost of building homes Trump has spoken frequently of his proposed 60% tariff on goods from China, which he has said would create more manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Tariffs could be as high as 20% on goods from other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But housing economists and other experts say that could be bad news for building more affordable housing. Selma Hepp, chief economist for CoreLogic, a financial services company, said tariffs are one of her main concerns about the effects of a second Trump term. One of the biggest concerns is not just lumber [costs], but the overall cost of materials, which have been going up, Hepp said. Construction material prices have risen 38.8% since February 2020, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of October Producer Price Index data. Kurt Paulsen, professor of urban planning in the department of planning and landscape architecture at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said building costs are already high from tariffs on Canadian lumber that Trump first imposed and that the Biden administration kept and increased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It used to be in construction that you would get a bid from a contractor or a subcontractor or supplier and it would be good for 60 days. Now, the bids are good for like five days because you dont know where prices are going to be, he said. Immigration policy and its effect on construction labor Trump tweeted on Nov. 18 that he is planning to use the declaration of a national emergency as part of his mass deportation plan. Besides disrupting lives, Trumps plan could have effects on what it costs to build housing, Hepp said. There is the cost of labor as well, if we do indeed have all these deportations. Thats a big, big concern, she said. A large share of labor in the construction industry obviously comes from immigrants. That is a huge issue for new construction and particularly new construction as it relates to affordable housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foreign-born construction workers made up 3 million of the 11.9 million people who work in the construction industry in 2023, according to the latest American Community Survey data. Trumps not in my backyard rhetoric The former president hasnt always been clear on where he stands with zoning regulations and making way for more affordable housing in a wide variety of neighborhoods. In a July Bloomberg interview, Trump spoke critically of zoning regulations and said that they drive up housing costs. But Trump also has a record of tending toward a not in my backyard, or NIMBY, approach to housing that maintained some of these zoning regulations. The Trump administration moved to roll back an Obama-era regulation that tied HUD funding to assessing and reducing housing discrimination in neighborhoods. Hell talk about reducing regulations on developers, but hell also use this NIMBYism talking about protecting suburbs from low-income housing and you really cant have it both ways, said Sarah Saadian, senior vice president of public policy and field organizing at the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paulsen said Project 2025 embraces a pushback against anti-NIMBY approaches to expand multi-family housing. What I read in the Project 2025 documents is a clear statement that says every local community and neighborhood should be able to choose the housing it wants to accept or not. The challenge of that is that if every community in every neighborhood can veto housing, then we just dont get enough housing and prices go up and prices and rents go up, he said. A more punitive approach to homelessness Last year, homelessness rose to its highest level recorded since the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development began collecting this information in 2007. The ending of pandemic safety nets that gave some households better financial stability and a lack of affordable housing supply contributed to the number of unhoused people, the report explained. Trump has been outspoken on his view that homeless people should be off our streets. The president-elect has also proposed putting unhoused people with mental health issues into mental institutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a movement that I think is largely reflected in Project 2025 that says, actually, cities need more coercive policy tools to enforce public order and to require that someone whos camping take a shelter placement even if they dont want it, Paulsen said. Saadian said that given the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which makes it easier to criminalize unhoused populations for sleeping outside, shes worried about a changing political environment where policies that prioritize stable housing over policing fall out of favor. I think all of that just shows a culture shift in the political dynamic here that were definitely worried about, she said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The two men inside a stolen vehicle that led police on a high-speed chase throughout Los Angeles have been identified and charged with multiple crimes. Simi Valley Police Department officials confirmed that an officer located a stolen vehicle somewhere in the city around 7:45 p.m. Friday; the exact location was not disclosed. Authorities also stated that the officer initially began following the vehicle because they thought the driver was operating it under the influence. They later confirmed that the vehicle was stolen out of San Diego. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vehicle entered the 118 Freeway towards Los Angeles and fled at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, Simi Valley police said. 7 people involved in downtown Los Angeles rollover crash, 3 critical After crossing into L.A., an LAPD airship joined the pursuit and tracked the stolen car into West Hollywood while SVPD officers stopped pursuing. The suspects eventually made their way to the 101 Freeway and exited in Silver Lake around 8 p.m., according to preliminary information. About 15 minutes later, both occupants got out and fled in different directions. Officers in pursuit of a possible DUI suspect, believed to be driving a black Chevy Camaro in Los Angeles. November 2024. (KTLA) A possible DUI suspect and their passenger are seen running through residences in East Hollywood after foot bailing from a car chase. November 2024. (KTLA) A possible DUI and stolen car suspect is seen running through residences in East Hollywood after foot bailing from a car chase. November 2024. (KTLA) A possible DUI and stolen car suspect is seen running through residences in East Hollywood after foot bailing from a car chase. November 2024. (KTLA) One of the suspects, said to be the passenger in the vehicle, was detained almost immediately, police said. The second suspect, the driver of the vehicle, was observed from Sky5 throwing what appeared to be a cell phone over a fence and into a backyard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were later detained following a brief search in the area of Edgemont Street and Melrose Avenue in East Hollywood, officials said. Initial reports indicated that the driver was found hiding in a dumpster, but that information was not confirmed by police. Israeli strike in Gaza allegedly kills workers with World Central Kitchen charity In an update issued shortly before midnight Saturday, the Simi Valley Police Department identified the driver as 20-year-old Ronnie Ray Moore of Corona and the passenger as 21-year-old Jason Yanez Guzman of San Diego. They were both arrested for various charges including, but not limited to, reckless driving, felony evading and driving a stolen vehicle, SVPD said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No injuries to officers, innocent bystanders or the suspects were reported. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. It rocked his world. A metal-detecting man was floored to realize the rock he uncovered and believed to be gold was actually from space. Incredibly dense for its size at almost 40 pounds, finder Dave Hole of Australia was convinced it must have contained a nugget of the precious metal. However, not even a mighty swing of his sledgehammer could put a dent in the rock. A metal detector found a rock that he thought contained gold. It actually was from space. Museums Victoria / Rodney Start Hole told The Syndey Morning Herald he thought, What the hell is this thing? at the time of his 2015 find. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After taking his rock to the Melbourne Museum for analysis, it became clear this was no Earthly object. Geologists Dermot Henry (left) and Bill Birch realized the rock was from outer space. Museums Victoria / Rodney Start Instead, Hole discovered a roughly 4.6 billion-year-old meteorite, which the experts determined in 2019. Youre looking right back to the formation of the solar system here, geologist Dermot Henry told the outlet. He detailed that the rock classified in a scientific paper as an H5 ordinary chondrite has a sculpted, dimpled look that took shape after breaking through Earths atmosphere. It is now nicknamed the Maryborough meteorite after the town Hole had uncovered the otherworldly mass. Henry says it likely only came to Earth a mere 200 years ago or less. This particular meteorite most probably comes out of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and its been nudged out of there by some asteroids smashing into each other, then one day it smashes into Earth, Henry told Channel 10 News, according to Science Alert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And its discoverer recognizes he struck gold from a certain point of view. It was just potluck, mate. A billion to one bigger, a trillion to one, said Hole. Got more chance of being struck by lightning twice. Originally appeared on E! Online Luz Cuevas didn't believe her daughter was dead. On the night of Dec. 15, 1997, a fire broke out in the Philadelphia home she shared with Pedro Vera and their daughter Delimar Vera, who was 10 days old. And within minutes, her baby was gone. Luz said in interviews years later that she told first responders she went to get the infant out of her crib and she wasn't there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the official fire report stated, per the Philadelphia Inquirer: "DOA 1 female approximately 1 week old." No death certificate was ever issued for Delimar because no remains were found, according to authorities. But investigators chalked it up to the force of the blaze, which the fire report noted was caused by "electrical wires; improper use of homemade extension cord." The medical examiner's office concluded that the infant had "been completely consumed by the fire." Luz, however, suspected that someone had taken her daughter. More from E! Online Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She told the Associated Press in 2004 that the police and firefighters said "maybe it was my nerves." But Luz never stopped believing that her daughter was alive. And it turned out she was right. Jeff Fusco/Getty Images How did Luz Cuevas find out her daughter was alive? On Jan. 24, 2004, Luz was at a child's birthday party thrown by a relative on Pedro's side of the family, when she saw a little girl who stopped her in her tracks. "I looked at her. She walked in front of me," Luz told Philadelphia's NBC 10 in March 2004. "She looked at me. I looked at her. I said to my sister, 'That is my daughter. She got my daughter.' My sister said, 'You have to take it easy. You need proof. We have to find proof.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like a true crime aficionado, she pretended to spot gum in the girl's hair and snipped five strands from her head, which she wrapped in a napkin and put in a plastic bag. "Because of TV," Luz told the AP, "I knew they needed hair for the DNA." What really happened to Delimar Vera? Carolyn was visiting Pedro and Luz's home on the night of Dec. 15, 1997, when she took Delimar out of her crib and set the fire in the girl's bedroom to cover her tracks, police said after her arrest. Luz said in pretrial testimony, per the Tampa Bay Times, that Carolyn had gone upstairs to use the bathroom. About 10 minutes after she came back down, Luz heard a loud pop from the second floor. When she ran upstairs, Luz said, smoke and flames were coming from Delimar's room. She said she saw that the baby's crib was empty and the window was wide open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Puerto Rican-born Luz told reporters in 2004 that, speaking in Spanish, she tried to tell the firefighters that her daughter wasn't in her room but no one listened. She then went to the office of her local state representative, Angel Cruz, for help. The legislator was admittedly skeptical of her story. "Not that I didn't believe her," he told the New York Times in 2004. "It was just a little bit difficult to digest.'" But after an hour-long conversation, he was swayed by what he called her "mother intuition" and contacted Philadelphia police on her behalf. They got in touch with authorities in New Jerseywhere the child was living with the woman she thought was her motherand they got the DNA testing underway. Jeff Fusco/Getty Images On March 1, 2004, Luz found out that the girl from the party was, in fact, Delimar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I screamed, I felt so happy," Luz told NBC 10. "I don't know what to say. Cry? You know, because I was in shock when they say, 'It's your daughter.'" The next day, Carolyn Correaa cousin of Pedro's by marriageturned herself into Philadelphia police and was charged with kidnapping, arson, assault, concealing the whereabouts of a child and interfering with the custody of a child. What really happened to Delimar Vera? Carolyn was visiting Pedro and Luz's home on the night of Dec. 15, 1997, when she took Delimar out of her crib and set the fire in the girl's bedroom to cover her tracks, police said after her arrest. Luz said in pretrial testimony, per the Tampa Bay Times, that Carolyn had gone upstairs to use the bathroom. About 10 minutes after she came back down, Luz heard a loud pop from the second floor. When she ran upstairs, Luz said, smoke and flames were coming from Delimar's room. She said she saw that the baby's crib was empty and the window was wide open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Puerto Rican-born Luz told reporters in 2004 that, speaking in Spanish, she tried to tell the firefighters that her daughter wasn't in her room but no one listened. State Rep. Cruz said on Good Morning America at the time that there may have been a language barrier that prevented the first responders from fully understanding her. Vincent Heeney, the fire marshal in 1997 but since retired, told the Philadelphia Daily News in 2004 that Luz spoke to Spanish-speaking firefighters that night and she said that her daughter was in the room but smoke had prevented her from going in. (A lawsuit Luz filed against the city of Philadelphia and multiple officials, including Heeny and the medical examiner, in which she alleged her family's right to due process was violated, was dismissed in 2006.) State Rep. Cruz said on Good Morning America at the time that there may have been a language barrier that prevented the first responders from fully understanding her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vincent Heeney, the fire marshal in 1997 but since retired, told the Philadelphia Daily News in 2004 that Luz spoke to Spanish-speaking firefighters that night and she said that her daughter was in the room but smoke had prevented her from going in. (A lawsuit Luz filed against the city of Philadelphia and multiple officials, including Heeny and the medical examiner, in which she alleged her family's right to due process was violated, was dismissed in 2006.) Meanwhile, Carolyn had renamed the child Aaliyah (after the pop star) Hernandez and was raising the girl as her own barely 15 miles away in Willingboro, N.J. While living with Carolyn, the girl went to private school and was getting modeling and acting jobs, appearing in a toy commercial and on an episode of Blue's Clues. But after Luz found Delimar, members of the Vera family said they had suspected that the girl wasn't really Carolyn's child. Miguel Rajmil/EPA/Shutterstock "It's a crazy storyjust like a movie," cousin Alison Vera told New Jersey's Courier Post. "We told my cousin Pedro about it, but nothing ever happened. Nothing was done. I don't know why." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pedro said Carolyn introduced Aaliyah to him at the same 2004 birthday party where Luz made the connection. "I got the feeling that was my daughter because she looked like me," he told NBC 10. "A lot of years, I think she's dead." When did Luz Cuevas get her daughter Delimar back? Luz and Pedro were awarded legal custody of their daughter on March 5, 2004, per the AP, and three days later Luz picked up Delimar from a state family services office in Burlington County, N.J. (By then, the mother of two boys from a previous relationship also shared a 4-year-old son with Pedro, but they were no longer together.) Luz's attorney Alexander Murphy Jr. told the AP at the time that his client was "taking a very private approach" to the reunion, explaining, "It's been exhausting for her and for everyone, and she just wants to be able to focus completely on her daughter." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Carolyn's attorney Jeffrey C. Zucker, per the Los Angeles Times, Delimar screamed when child welfare authorities picked her up from the lawyer's office and took her away from the woman she knew as her mom. But Luz's attorney Anthony Cianfrani said that, when Delimar was reunited with her biological mother and father after a court hearing, she perched under a table and popped out to yell "Surprise!" "And after that," the lawyer said, "it kept getting better. It went really well. Miguel Rajmil/EPA/Shutterstock Luz said that she was working on her English, as that was the only language her daughter grew up with, and that she'd start off still using Aaliyah as a nickname. "Little by little, I will call her Delimar," Luz said. "Her real name is Delimar. Back at her house, a beaming Luz told reporters through an open window that she was "very happy," while Delimar said, "I feel like I'm at my real home." Asked what she planned to do, the 6-year-old said, "I'm going to get pizza and play with my brothers." Luz's lawyer said a few months later that Delimar was out of the acting and modeling business for the time being, telling the Tampa Bay Times, "Luz wants her to sever ties with the New Jersey life and is just committed to doing whatever is necessary to make the transition go well." Miguel Rajmil/EPA/Shutterstock What happened to Carolyn Correa? After her March 2004 arrest, Carolyn's bail was set at $1 million and, a month later, she was still in jail. "There are facts in this case that change every time you go to look at them and they don't make sense," her lawyer Zucker told the Philadelphia Daily News in April 2004. "So either someone is hiding something or someone is lying. But the truth has yet to come out and we hope to get to that." But ultimately Carolyn pleaded no contest to kidnapping, interference of child custody and conspiracy in February 2005, according to Fox News. At a sentencing hearing that September, her attorneys maintained that she had suffered from a psychotic condition that caused her to believe she was pregnant and she truly thought Delimar was hers. In a brief statement, Carolyn apologized for "the confusion" and told the judge that the girl's father, Pedro, had given her the baby. "I loved her as my own," she said. "I truly believed she was mine." Judge Pamela Dembe, calling the defendant's actions "truly monstrous," sentenced her to nine to 30 years in prison. And because she never admitted wrongdoing, the judge said, per the Philadelphia Daily News, "I don't truly have the sense that Ms. Correa has fully accepted the responsibility for what she's done." The judge also acknowledged in court that if Carolyn had an accomplice, that person remained unknown. Investigators believed she had help removing Delimar from the house, but prosecutors had said there wasn't evidence to file charges against anyone else. "We're happy now. We got our daughter back," Pedro said after court, per Fox News. As for what Carolyn had said about him in court, he said, those are "crazy things that she's talking about." In a 2005 jailhouse interview, Carolyn said she was "a loving person," not the monster she was painted to be. "If I could do something for you, I'd do it," she told the Daily News. "I could have two soups in my binsand even though I know I have to eat tomorrowI'd give away that soup." Carolyn, now 63, was paroled in March 2013, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections' inmate locator. David Livingston/Getty Images Where is Delimar Vera now? While the story of what happened to Delimar as a baby has been told time and again, including in the 2008 Lifetime movie Little Girl Lost, only recently has she spoken out about her entire complicated journey. "When I got to the party, we were all hanging out downstairs, and thats when I saw my mother for the first time," Delimar, now 26, recalled of seeing Luz for the first time in the 2024 Fremantle docuseries The Hand That Robbed the Cradle. "I just thought, 'Oh, my god, look at this beautiful woman.' I just gravitated towards her, I dont know why. I was just so intrigued." The woman "kept smiling at me and we kept looking at each other," she continued. "Of course, I didnt know in that moment that we had any relation to one another." Delimar remembered the woman pulling hair out of her head, but then Carolyn rushed her out of the party. "I remember being home with Carolyn," Delimar said in the series, "and her telling me, 'There's this bad woman that wants to take you away from us, and I told her, 'I'm not going to [let her] do that.'" Delimar Vera, Luz Cuevas, Judy Reyes, Jillian Bruno (Angela Weiss/WireImage)0 At the time, she was "a sassy kid," Delimar told The Guardian ahead of the series' Nov. 4 premiere in the U.K. (where it was released as Back From The Dead: Who Kidnapped Me?). "It's mind-blowing to think that the bad lady that Carolyn was talking about was actually my real mother." Living as Aaliyah, she had a pretty big extended family, she recalled, and "Carolyn is the one I remember least. I think trauma has a way of blocking certain people out of your life." Moving back in with her real mom wasn't easy, she acknowledged, and she "hated" the name Delimar at first. "For a really long time, I almost thought this new life was temporary," she told the publication. "I had one photo of me with my old siblings on a beach and I'd look at it and think, 'Oh, Im going to go back and see them again.' The media images showed me and my new family hugging and kissing. The public response was, 'Let's take photos!' 'Lets do movies! but there was no support, no therapy, no resources." By the time she was 12, she and Luz weren't getting along, Delimar continued. "I started to spiral and fall into a depressionbut in my mums culture, those kind of emotions dont exist," she said. "You suck it up and keep on moving." She tried staying with her dad, she said, but they fought and she spent her 15th birthday in a group home. She got odd jobs and bounced from place to place, but by 19 she was living with an abusive boyfriend, feeling that she was "unworthy, undeserving of certain things." When she was 20, however, she left the toxic relationship and started getting her life together. "Something shifted, and I think I just got sick of myself," Delimar said. "I was sick of feeling sorry for myself, of being a victim." Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock She met her future husband, Isaiah Robinson, in 2018 and she's stepmom to his now-11-year-old son. "My experience has definitely made me more protective of my family," Delimar said in the docuseries. "And I have post-traumatic stress disorder, so meeting my husband, I had to unlearn a lot of things that were actually trauma responses. Navigating that and maintaining a healthy relationship was a learning curve because you can get triggered. But hes been with me through it all." They live in Philadelphia, where "I spend most of my days working from home with my dog and my cat," she told The Guardian. "Sometimes I forget that all of this happened." Her dad lives in Puerto Rico, but "he calls me and we'll chat for an hour," Delimar said, while her brothers are her "best friends." And she and mom Luz spend holidays together and will talk multiple times a week. "We have the same laugh, the same mannerisms," Delimar said in the series. "We have a beautiful relationship." A Malibu man who briefly barricaded himself in his home after allegedly firing at Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies was arrested Friday afternoon. The Sheriff's Department received a call about shots fired in the Carbon Canyon neighborhood of Malibu just before 2 p.m. Friday, said Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff's station watch commander Lt. Ronald Klumpp. Located in the hills at the eastern edge of Malibu, Carbon Canyon offers sweeping views of the coast below a narrow strip of sand nicknamed Billionaire's Beach, where sand-seekers have long battled the titan-of-industry homeowners for access to the public right of way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies arrived at the scene in the 22000 block of Carbon Mesa Road about 10 minutes after the initial call, and "the suspect fired rounds in their direction, narrowly missing one deputy," Klumpp said. After the shots were fired, the suspect briefly barricaded himself in a home on the property where he lived, Klumpp said. A sheriff's helicopter arrived and repeatedly advised the suspect over a loudspeaker to surrender, the lieutenant said. "After a brief period, he safely walked outside, put his gun down and surrendered to deputies without incident," Klumpp said. The suspect has not been publicly identified. The suspect is expected to be booked on three counts of attempted murder on a peace officer, Klumpp said. The suspect was taken to a local hospital before being booked and treated for a "superficial wound," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm not sure how it occurred. It occurred on his own accord, inside his home," Klumpp said, adding that the injuries had been addressed. The suspect's motivations were unknown. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A federal grand jury has indicted a Pennsylvania man on multiple charges accusing him of sexually exploiting a 13-year-old in Columbus. Dustin Combs, 30, faces five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and five counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. After meeting the 13-year-old girl online, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Ohio said he made multiple trips to Columbus to see her. Federal court records do not share the specifics of how Combs met the girl online. But they do accuse him of engaging in sex acts with the 13-year-old at various Columbus area hotels. During the five meetups from July 2023 to April 2024, the indictment document also accused him of filming the sexual acts with the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, Combs could face a minimum of 15 years in prison, or a maximum of 30 years. The traveling charges also carry the risk of up to 30 years in prison. As part of the indictment, the 30-year-old was also ordered to surrender his iPhone and two laptops to authorities. At an arraignment hearing on Nov. 22, Combs pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges. He has a pretrial conference scheduled for Jan. 10, followed by a jury trial Jan. 21. Until then, a judge ordered that Combs remain in federal custody. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan conducted an inspection at Kakinada Port to investigate the illegal transportation of rice. During his visit, he examined 1,064 tons of rice sacks loaded onto a barge that were allegedly intended for illegal export to West African countries. State Minister for Civil Supplies Nadendla Manohar provided details about the ongoing issue of illegal rice transportation from the port. "I came to Kakinada port to check the illegal smuggling of PDS rice. A scam Which became rampant in the last regime and it's still continuing. This port looks like free for all. No accountability," Kalyan posted on X. He further wrote, "From the anchorage port... there is no supervision. How are the district administration and Kakinada Port Authority allowing this to happen? This requires a thorough probe." A few days ago, under the supervision of Kakinada District Collector Shan Mohan, officials intercepted Stella L Panama, a ship 9 nautical miles off the coast, carrying 640 tons of rice ready for transport. Pawan Kalyan visited the site to inspect the seized shipment. Recently, under the leadership of the Civil Supplies Corporation Chairman, Thota Sudhir, officials halted illegal rice shipments and secured them at the port. Expressing serious displeasure, Kalyan questioned how such large-scale rice smuggling could occur undetected at Kakinada Port. He lashed out at officials, stating that illegal transportation is only stopped when public representatives intervene. He demanded accountability and action. Kalyan also issued stern directives for stringent measures against all those involved in the illegal transportation of ration rice, emphasizing that no one is above the law. "Today it's PDS rice smuggling and tomorrow it can be import of explosives or RDX. Will criminals stop with rice smuggling? We have a precedent of Mumbai blasts and terrorist attacks. And erstwhile East Godavari district has all key installations like ONGC and KG Basin; so, in the interest of Nation, we will take stringent measures," Kalyan wrote on X. He also confronted district and port officials, questioning their inaction and lapses that allowed ration rice to be smuggled out of the port unnoticed.(ANI) A man who briefly barricaded himself inside a home in Malibu after he allegedly fired at Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department deputies surrendered peacefully Friday afternoon. The deputies were responding to an earlier report of several gunshots heard on the 22000 block of Carbon Mesa Road around 1:50 p.m. According to an LASD spokesperson, the suspect opened fire on the deputies and then barricaded himself inside the home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deputies were uninjured, officials said. A man barricaded himself inside a Malibu home after allegedly firing on LASD deputies on Nov. 29, 2024. (KTLA) A man barricaded himself inside a Malibu home after allegedly firing on LASD deputies on Nov. 29, 2024. (KTLA) A man barricaded himself inside a Malibu home after allegedly firing on LASD deputies on Nov. 29, 2024. (KTLA) A Sheriffs Department SWAT team was called to the scene to assist with the ongoing law enforcement operation. Video from Sky5 showed a large police presence staging along Carbon Mesa Road, which was closed off to traffic. Residents in the neighborhood were being urged to stay indoors with windows and doors locked while law enforcement tried to bring the incident to a peaceful conclusion. Around 3:50 p.m., officials said the man exited the home with his hands up and surrendered to law enforcement. He was taken into custody; he has not been identified as this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. A man was fatally shot on a Green Line light rail train as it approached the Hamline Avenue station in St. Paul at about 8:30 p.m. Friday, according to Metro Transit. Officials said Metro Transit Police responded to a shooting reported onboard the westbound train and discovered the victim suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died. Police were actively searching for a suspect late Friday night. Metro Transit Police are leading the investigation with support from the St. Paul Police and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No other information was immediately available Friday night. Related Articles PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) The Prince Georges County Police Department (PGPD) said a man was shot and killed in Upper Marlboro overnight on Saturday. Man hurt after crashing into embankment in Montgomery County At about 12:45 a.m., police were sent to the 9600 block of Lottsford Court for the sound of gunshots. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a man shot. He died there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation is ongoing. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. A man is recovering from injuries after he was shot Saturday morning. Jacksonville police were called to an area hospital at about 3 a.m. regarding a person shot, a Jacksonville Sheriffs Office news release states. Officers arrived and located a 20-year-old male in his mid 20s suffering from a single gunshot wound. His injury was not life-threatening, the news release states. The initial investigation revealed the victim was leaving a business at the 6300 block of Philips Highway when he shot by an unknown person, the news release states. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call JSO at (904) 630-0500 or at jsocrimetips@jaxsheriff.org. You can also stay anonymous and contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. EL CAJON, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) A man was killed in a stabbing Thursday in El Cajon, authorities said. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. in the 500 block of North Mollison Avenue, Sgt. Brandon Stanley with the El Cajon Police Department said in a news release Friday. When first responders arrived at the scene, they found a man with a life-threatening stab wound. MS-13 gang member arrested at San Diego border Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim, identified as a 28-year-old of El Cajon, was taken to a hospital where he died due to his injuries, according to law enforcement. Authorities took two adults in for questioning, however, there are no outstanding suspects at this time, police said. If anyone has information regarding the stabbing, they are asked to contact the El Cajon Police Department at 619-579-3311, or stay anonymous through Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or online at sdcrimestoppers.org. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (ABC4) A man suffered serious burns and was flown to the hospital in critical condition after a crash in Taylorsville early Saturday morning, according to Taylorsville Police. At around 1:40 a.m. on Nov. 30, a male driver was heading eastbound on 5400 South at a high rate of speed when he reportedly struck a concrete barrier and crossed over the median. Two people involved in separate medical incidents at Snowbird Courtesy of Taylorsville Police Courtesy of Taylorsville Police Courtesy of Taylorsville Police Courtesy of Taylorsville Police After crossing the median, the man hit a large power pole, struck a business sign, and crashed into a McDonalds near 3900 West. The vehicle caught fire, police said, and the man was ejected upon crashing into the McDonalds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man was taken to the University of Utah Burn Center with life-threatening injuries. His identity has not been released at this time. No further information is currently available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Mayor Eric Adams reminded city workers this week not to accept gifts and favors raising eyebrows as he stands accused of illegally doing just that. Municipal employees are not allowed to accept gifts or tips for doing their jobs, gifts from their subordinates that exceed $10 or offers and free attendance to holiday parties or sponsored events from entities theyre doing business with outside the city, per the memo, shared with The Post by a city Department of Education staffer. The email from Adams, the city Department of Investigation and the Conflicts of Interest Board usually goes out with nearly identical wording as standard good government practice to all city staffers annually around the holiday season, a City Hall spokesperson told The Post Friday night. City educators are fuming after receiving a reminder not to accept gifts or favors from the Mayor calling it the height of hypocrisy amid Hizzoners legal woes. John Lamparski/NurPhoto/Shutterstock But for some, the missive read more like an April Fools joke or article from satirical site The Onion in light of the mayors historic indictment in September accusing him of accepting bribes in the form of luxury travel in exchange for doing favors for foreign governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact that he, along with a majority of his cabinet, is either going to be indicted or has resigned for alleged criminal acts and then he has the audacity to remind teachers not to accept a gift, because of ethical impropriety, is just the Gods of irony at work, Forest Hills High School teacher Adam Bergstein told The Post. Others found the email less amusing. Im still fuming over his (Adams) nerve to school me on the ethics and legalities of accepting holiday gifts and favors, said another city educator, who asked to remain anonymous. The email gets sent out to all city staffers annually around the holiday season. Helayne Seidman The email struck a particular nerve with yet another teacher who pointed to it as a reason the mayor should be stripped of his control over the countrys largest public school system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It seems ironic that, amidst the mayors current legal troubles, an email is being sent at the start of the holiday season prohibiting students and families from expressing gratitude to teachers, the Queens teacher, who did not want to be named, said. This is yet another reason why the NYC public school system should not be under mayoral control. Adams has pleaded not guilty to the five-count indictment charging him with bribery and corruption and vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Nov. 30OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma House Democratic Representative Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, is the first woman to serve House District 72. McCane is a longtime educator with 14 years of service to the Tulsa community. "I have worked closely with students, families, teachers, and administrators, witnessing firsthand how effective policies can transform those classrooms and communities," McCane said. "Throughout my career, I focused on ensuring that all students, regardless of their identity, beliefs, or background, have access to the tools and support they need to succeed." McCane was awarded Support Employee of the Year at Edison Middle School in 2012-2013 and Teacher of the Year at McLain High School in 2020-2021. This year, she was also awarded Teacher of the Year at Traice Academy High School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McCane says she will use her experience in public education and community engagement to inspire her service to Oklahomans within the legislature. McCane believes religion should be kept out of public school curriculum and that every student deserves to feel safe enough to express their own personal religious beliefs or lack thereof. "I'm committed to advocating for policies that prioritize high quality education, support and retain our educators, and ensure every student can thrive," McCane said. "My goal is to build an education system that empowers students and families, supports teachers, and strengthens Oklahoma's future." McCane is a vocal advocate for public education, LGBTQ+ students, teachers' rights, and marginalized communities. She actively works to engage her community in conversations around how the Oklahoma legislature can best serve the State of Oklahoma and all Oklahomans. The second edition of the Crime Literature Festival of India (CLFI) kicked off at the Hyatt Centric, Dehradun, bringing together an extraordinary mix of authors, filmmakers, law enforcement professionals, and journalists. According to an official statement, this free-to-attend event, running from November 29 to December 1, offers on-the-spot registration, making it accessible to all who wish to explore the powerful intersections of crime, literature, and justice. The festival's opening ceremony was graced by Mata Mangla Ji and Bhole Ji Maharaj, founders of The Hans Foundation, alongside acclaimed filmmaker Prakash Jha. Jha, whose cinematic works like Gangaajal and Aashram have redefined the depiction of societal issues, shared how storytelling can foster meaningful change. "Crime literature and cinema offer lenses through which society can better understand the dynamics of crime and justice," Jha remarked. Festival Chairman Ashok Kumar, former DGP of Uttarakhand and credited as the driving force behind the festival, emphasized its broader mission. "This event is not merely a celebration of storytelling; it's a movement to educate, inspire, and create a more aware society," Kumar stated. The three-day event is supported by key partners, including The Hans Foundation, Uttarakhand Film Development Council (UFDC), Uttarakhand Government Undertaking, and the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES). Their collaboration ensures the festival is both an intellectual and cultural experience that reaches a wide audience. Day one's sessions spotlighted Prakash Jha and his reflections on societal narratives in cinema. Upcoming highlights include Kavita Kaushik and Avinash Singh Tomar on day two, followed by Anubhav Sinha's session on the closing day. Esteemed personalities like authors Kiran Manral and Richa Mukherjee, journalists Gargi Rawat, Nidhi Kulpati, and Shams Tahir Khan, and film personalities Akash Khurana and Karan Oberoi, will add depth and diversity to the event's discussions. Attendees will also witness powerful sessions on pressing issues like cybercrime, crimes against women, and the psychological factors influencing criminal behavior. The festival uniquely bridges literature, cinema, and lived experiences, featuring dynamic sessions led by Karnal Singh, former ED Chief, Neeraj Kumar, former Commissioner of Police, Delhi, OP Singh, former DGP of Uttar Pradesh, and Major General Sabharwal. The festival will see participation from various schools, colleges, and universities. Notable highlights include the felicitation of students for their contributions to short story and film competitions, showcasing young talent addressing crime-related themes. The Lifetime Achievement Award will honor Surender Mohan Pathak, a pioneer of Hindi crime literature with nearly 300 novels to his name. Festival Director Aloke Lal, former DGP, author, and celebrated artist, further highlighted the festival's vision: "CLFI is a confluence of creativity and reality, designed to provoke dialogue and inspire change." (ANI) MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD. (DC News Now) The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) said it will honor Rosa Parks by placing special interior bus cards inside 400 Ride On Buses throughout December. A designated seat in each bus will also pay tribute to Parks and her historic act of courage. On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks committed an act of bravery by refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parks lost her job and experienced harassment but became a leader in the fight to end racial segregation. Maryland DOT MTA merch includes holiday sweater, argyle socks What she did inspired the local Black community, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The boycott started on Dec. 1 and lasted over a year. During this year, the Black community experienced a lot of difficulties, especially because many depended on buses to get to around The boycott came to an end when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional. Parks role highlighted racism in the public transit system and ignited change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Park did highlighted the importance of transportation equity and how it is a right for everyone, no matter the color oft their skin. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Five months of Labour government has drawn Elon Musks attention for all the wrong reasons. During the riots this summer, the worlds richest man claimed that civil war in Britain was inevitable and attacked Sir Keir Starmer when police pursued individuals for posts on his social network, X. Mr Musk was then excluded from Labours investment summit, a decision that looked increasingly self-defeating after the Tesla billionaire attached himself to Donald Trumps sweep to power. Last week, the stakes were raised again. MPs on the science, innovation and technology committee said they would call Mr Musk to Parliament to testify about Xs role in the riots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Musk, in characteristic fashion, shot back, promising that the MPs will be summoned to the United States of America to explain their censorship and threats to American citizens. The odds of him assenting to a public grilling in Westminster seem slim at best. Mr Musks one-time fondness for Britain now seems to have deteriorated into an irredeemable state of conflict. They will be summoned to the United States of America to explain their censorship and threats to American citizens Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 20, 2024 Caught in the middle of Mr Musks battle with Britain is Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP and chairman of the Commons science committee. Ms Onwurah has received a volley of online abuse in the week since announcing her committees inquiry. I wish the internet was a pleasant environment all the time, Ms Onwurah said as she scrolled through her phone to demonstrate examples of posts filled with misogynistic slurs from anonymous accounts. But its not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the backlash, her resolve remains. This is a genuine invitation to share his views and thoughts. Its not a summons and its not a witch hunt, she said of the Mr Musk invitation. Its a really important technical and social subject and he is well placed to talk about it. She will be writing to X as well as the billionaire personally in the next week to invite him to the committee. She has ruled out a formal demand, of the sort Rupert Murdoch was served with in 2011 before his eventual appearance in front of the culture committee. However, Ms Onwurah said her committees 11 members would be happy to travel to Texas (or perhaps Mar-a-Lago) to meet Mr Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes a hugely influential person. [He is] someone whom I think I disagree with on a number of areas. But one of the really important roles of the committee is to be fearless in looking for evidence. Elon Musk claimed that Britain had become a tyrannical police state - Carlos Barria/Reuters Ms Onwurahs intervention last week came at a delicate time. Commentators such as Lord Mandelson, who served as Tony Blairs business secretary, have suggested that antagonising Mr Musk is unhelpful to Labour, especially given his proximity to the president-elect. No 10 itself has been conspicuously reluctant to respond to Mr Musks comments lately. In the summer, Sir Keirs spokesman said that the billionaires claim about civil war had no justification, but his jibe this week that the UK had become a tyrannical police state went unchallenged. Ms Onwurah, who was Labours shadow science minister until the election but missed out on a post in government, said it was not her role to worry about government diplomacy and insists the committee is independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are not diplomats and absolutely not trying to be, she said. I dont think understanding and policymaking is furthered through gratuitous insults; I do think that you need to be able to fearlessly call out racism or prejudice, or attacks on my constituents, our country. We need to engage, but certainly not be afraid to criticise. X has been criticised for failing to stamp out racism under Mr Musks ownership, though the companys chief executive Linda Yaccarino has insisted that it is firmly opposed to discrimination. MPs have been itching to grill Mr Musk. Dawn Butler, Ms Onwurahs rival to chair the committee, had also promised to invite him to testify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attempt to interview Mr Musk is part of a wider inquiry assessing the role algorithms and artificial intelligence played in spreading misinformation that led to the summer riots. After the fatal stabbing of three children at a dance class in Southport, false information about the attacker, including the claim that he was an asylum seeker, quickly spread. Ofcom later determined that there was a clear connection between social media and the violent disorder. We talk about online harms, Ms Onwurah said. But the sight of bricks going through police stations in Sunderland ... and asylum seekers shivering, afraid of being burnt in their centres and under attack from a raging mob. Those are very real harms. She said MPs on the committee would request access to the underlying recommendation feeds that power X, as well as apps like TikTok, to see what type of fuel theyre putting in. Regulators are also likely to be asked whether online safety laws that will start to be enforced next year are fit for purpose. The role that algorithms and AI played in spreading misinformation that led to the summer riots is being investigated - Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Europe If Mr Musk were to appear, a hearing could take any turn. The chairman has the right to ask the first question, so what would she ask? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Onwurah would press Mr Musk to clarify if his professed free speech absolutism has any limits, arguing that even Americas free speech laws have exceptions. How does he see misinformation, and the trade-off with freedom of expression? she said. Obviously, their laws are somewhat different from ours. But one of the things I would like to put to him is that it was the US Supreme Court which ruled that you cannot shout fire in a crowded theatre, even though, obviously, the US has much stronger protections for freedom of speech than we have. In my view, it seems like the X algorithm is amplifying and automating those shouts of fire in a crowded theatre, on a global scale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She suggested that Mr Musk did, in fact, have limits, pointing to the fact X conceded to Brazilian authorities in order to reverse a ban in the country. It has also placated advertisers who had fled the service due to concerns about content moderation. Theres a realisation that actually maybe, you know, free-speech absolutism is not the right business model, she said. Mr Musks recent appointment to run Donald Trumps Department of Government Efficiency appears to add another complication to any attempt to subject him to a committee grilling, although Ms Onwurah said his position as an adviser should avoid any diplomatic hurdles. Does she really think the billionaire will turn up? Hes not a predictable person. But I would hope he would see it as an engaging challenge. And I know hes not afraid of challenges. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. LOS ANGELES (NewsNation) A man found dead after following a fire at a Hollywood Hills home was a member of the wealthy Rothschild banking family, according to multiple reports. The Los Angeles Times, citing neighbors, said William Rothschild was found dead Wednesday in the Laurel Canyon home. ABC7 in Los Angeles, citing the Los Angeles Fire Department, reports it took 45 firefighters and 33 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bitcoin is surging: Could it take over? A real estate listing service cited by The Times described the home as an 825-square-foot, two-bedroom property worth about $1 million. The prominent banking family originated in Frankfurt, Germany, with a documented history beginning in the 16th century. The Rothschild family possessed the largest private fortune in the world in the 19th century. While the familys wealth waned in the 20th century, they still have interests in financial services, real estate, mining, energy and agriculture. The fire is being investigated by the Los Angeles Police and Fire Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Like tens of thousands of Lebanons displaced, Hussein Mallah headed to the southern suburbs of Beirut at the break of dawn on Wednesday. The truce between Hezbollah and Israel had just begun, ending a two-month war. Mallah says he took to repairing his home and businesses almost immediately. My 24/7 bakery is going to be open for business tonight, said Mallah on Friday, his chest widening and his voice bursting with triumph. Behind him, five employees, decked out in the bakerys red and white uniform, were refitting the countertops at the storefront. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was the third day of an increasingly uneasy ceasefire. The Israeli military had just issued an order demanding that Lebanese inhabitants of the countrys southern-most villages refrain from returning to their homes. The nascent agreement is in its most fragile state. In the 60-day aftermath of the deal, Israel will withdraw its forces as the Lebanese army ramps up its presence in south Lebanon to ensure that the area is free of Hezbollahs arms. But a complete absence of trust between the two sides officially enemy states means that the phased unfolding of the deal could fall apart at any moment, with both sides already accusing the other of violating the ceasefire agreement. There have been a number of reports of Israeli forces on the Lebanese side of the border firing at people and villages, while Israel claims it has observed Hezbollah regrouping. Im optimistic, said Mallah, counting his prayer beads with one hand. Even if the ceasefire collapses, well just do the whole thing all over again. I was raised this way and Ill always be this way. Nothing can break our spirits. In Beirut's southern suburbs, shards of glass crack underfoot and rubble falls from above as people clear wreckage from balconies. - Muhammad Darwish/CNN Traffic jams have returned to Hadi Nasrallah Avenue in Lebanons capital, the southern suburbs main boulevard named after the son of late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. It cuts through the dense urban area where barely any building has been spared the damage wrought by two months of Israels near nightly airstrikes here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is Hezbollahs seat of power where around one million people live, most of whom heeded Israels evacuation orders. Shards of glass crack underfoot and rubble falls from above as people sweep away the damage from their flats, lobbing detritus off balconies. A gathering crops up around a pickup truck loaded with speakers blaring Hezbollah anthems. A handful of people carry posters of Nasrallah, who was killed in a massive Israeli airstrike just over two months ago, and who has not yet had a public funeral. The mood is somber, but defiant. Hezbollahs leaders appear to hope for a repeat of 2006 when the fiery Nasrallah addressed large crowds with rousing speeches, and when a ceasefire with a formidable Israeli military was accepted by Hezbollah supporters as a divine victory. On Friday, Nasrallahs successor Secretary-General Naim Qassem used similar language. We are victorious because we prevented the enemy from destroying Hezbollah, said Qassem, the elderly cleric who was Nasrallahs long-time deputy, but lacks his predecessors charisma and fiery oration. This is a victory because the resistance persisted and continues to persist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are several parallels between the two all-out wars that raged between Hezbollah and Israel. The same agreement that ended the 2006 war was used by Lebanese officials to bring about a ceasefire more than two decades later. As in 2006, Israels current leaders vowed, but failed, to destroy Hezbollah. And the current rush of displaced people returning to their damaged and destroyed towns and neighborhoods is a mirror image of those emotional scenes from the aftermath of the previous war. But the differences are also stark. Israel has decimated Hezbollahs top military brass and Nasrallahs absence is acutely felt. Hezbollah has also made some major concessions, reneging on a promise to only cease its rocket fire on Israels northern-most territory after Israel ended its ongoing, devastating offensive in Gaza. It has also agreed to a rigorous enforcement of the 2006 agreement, which stipulated that Hezbollahs forces retreat to around 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Israel-Lebanon frontier. And trouble is brewing at home. Inside Lebanon, there is a widely held belief that Hezbollah has emerged from this war as a shell of its former self, which may cause long-festering domestic tensions to flare. Still, Hezbollahs robust support base console themselves by reminding themselves that things could always have been worse, and that they were spared the fate of the Palestinians in Gaza. They also argue that the militant group, complete with its ballistic and medium-range missiles, remains one of the best-armed non-state actors in the world. Marwa, 25, speaks to CNN from her badly damaged home in the southern suburbs of Beirut following two months of displacement. - Muhammad Darwish/CNN The war was longer than wed hoped it would be, but in the end we were victorious and thats all that matters, said 25-year-old Marwa from her badly damaged home in the southern suburbs of Beirut. She said that she stepped into her home after two months of displacement not knowing how extensive the damage would be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I couldnt even tell you how difficult it was to see my home covered in broken glass, to see my memories ripped apart, she said, her eyes welling up with tears. Weve been working nonstop, just so we can be able to have a coffee at home. When we first got home, we were shocked Barely anything was left untouched, she said, her eyes welling up with tears. I hoped to be able come back home after all that time. And then I found that I couldnt stay But its ok. Its all material stuff. It can all be replaced. Others are less lucky. Umm Hussein, 41, stayed put as she watched throngs of returnees on the television screen. Unlike most of the displaced, she had already seen photographs of her home in the south of Beirut. An Israeli airstrike had destroyed it. Throughout this war, I was patient with my displacement, said Umm Hussein on the day the ceasefire went into effect. But today, I watch these scenes and I feel like a prisoner. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Update: On Sunday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Jaime Mendoza was located and taken into custody. He will face multiple felony charges and is set to be booked into the Clark County Detention Center, police said. The officer involved in the shooting was identified as Officer Marcos Gomez, 33. He has been employed with LVMPD since 2021. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Metro police arrested a man who they said was armed and dangerous after he allegedly fired at officers during a police chase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday around 10:26 p.m., Metro police located a vehicle that matched the description of a suspect vehicle that was involved in a violent felony crime, near Christy Lane and Bonanza Road. As officers attempted to stop the vehicle, it fled at a high rate of speed. Police eventually lost sight of the suspects car. Police located the vehicle again near North Las Vegas Boulevard and Owens Avenue where the vehicle crashed and the suspect ran from it. Officers chased after the suspect during which the suspect shot at officers causing one officer to fire his gun. Officers then took cover and lost sight of the suspect. Jaime Mendoza, 54, fired at officers during a foot chase is armed, dangerous, and on the loose, police said.(LVMPD) That suspect was later identified as Jaime Mendoza, 54. He is considered armed and dangerous. Police believe he may have been injured in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Michael Moore has warned Democrats that the partys continued support of supplying arms to Israel could cost them more elections. What better way to celebrate losing the November 5th election than by continuing to ignore the will of the American people who oppose Israels war on Gaza, the filmmaker wrote in a Substack post on Saturday. Gaza. Nothing says to the public we hear you better than the Democratic Party announcing that were going to kill even more children in Palestine now with your/our American tax dollars. Moores scathing critique of his own political party comes after more than 30 Democratic senators this week voted against resolutions that would have blocked arms being exported to Israel. The PEACE resolution was introduced by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and aimed to narrow the scope of U.S. support for Israels war efforts in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore dubbed the Democratic lawmakers who opposed the resolution, including Pennsylvanias Sen. John Fetterman and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, genocide arms dealers. Those who voted in support, he commended for having the courage to say no. Democratic senators should know better. And their behavior in supporting this aggression will only cost them more elections, Moore wrote. Voters under 45 and people of color combined (making up nearly half the electorate), have no interest in war and would rather our government spend our money on our schools, our elderly, and our broken health care system. Time to cut Bibi off. A longtime critic of Democrats support of Israel, Moore helped organize an effort that led to 100,000 people in Michigan casting protest votes against President Joe Biden in the state primary. Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, he urged Kamala Harris to use her leverage as vice president to demand that Biden broker a ceasefire, and withhold military aid from Israel. Filmmaker Michael Moore weighed the U.S.s ongoing support for Israel amid its war with Hamas in Gaza, suggesting that if Democrats continue to support the Jewish State, more elections will be lost. Democratic senators should know better. And their behavior in supporting this aggression will only cost them more elections, Moore wrote in his Substack article on Saturday. Voters under 45 and people of color combined (making up nearly half the electorate), have no interest in war and would rather our government spend our money on our schools, our elderly, and our broken health care system. Time to cut Bibi off, he said, using the nickname for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His remarks come after Vice President Harris was defeated earlier this month in the presidential election by President-elect Trump, losing all seven battleground states. Republicans captured the majority in the Senate and were able to retain a slim majority in the House. Harris was heavily criticized on the trail for refusing to break with Biden on the war and propose tougher action on Israel, despite a growing conflict that angered voters on the left who want Israel out of Gaza and Lebanon. Moore has previously cautioned Democrats about their support for Israel and that it might backfire on them come Election Day. After Israel recovered the dead bodies of six hostages in early September, Moore wrote in his newsletter that Netanyahu played President Biden like a sucker. Despite ridiculing the senators that helped defeat three resolutions sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that would have blocked sales of some offensive weapons to Israels military, the activist praised the 19 upper-chamber lawmakers who voted to support the initiative. The move showcased that there is some resistance to Israels handling of the offensive in Gaza that has killed over 44,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The tally does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But something amazing happened exactly 10 days ago: 19 Democratic and Independent Senators stood up for the first time and voted to STOP the sending of three shipments of American weapons to Israel, Moore wrote in his recent post. It was a never-before rebuke to warn Netanyahu that millions of Americans have had enough of his slaughter of innocent civilians, he added. Of course, to Netanyahu, Palestinians are not innocent because, well, they dont exist. Biden on Tuesday signaled that his administration would make a renewed push to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The remarks came as Washington and France brokered a temporary pause in fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza so the hostages be released and the end of the war without Hamas in power, that becomes possible, Biden said Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire in Lebanon has gotten off to a rocky start, however, as both sides have accused the other of violating the terms. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Today, Michiganders unite to honor the four beautiful young souls we lost three years ago in the heartbreaking tragedy at Oxford High School. Justin, Madisyn, Tate, and Hana were taken from us too soon. So many students, teachers, and loved ones in the community continue to struggle because of all that happened that day. The road to recovery and peace is long and hard. But Michiganders will continue to stand by the people of Oxford and wrap our arms around this community. Michiganders always look out for their friends, neighbors, and fellow citizensits what we do best. Now more than ever, let us continue to honor the memories of those we have lost and build out of our grief a resolve to protect our children, our families, and our communities. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkeys president, has said that the rebel advance into Syria will aid the voluntary return of migrants from within his country. Opposition forces launched a surprise attack on Syria on Wednesday, stunning Bashar al-Assads regime and reigniting a conflict that has largely been stagnant for years. Its lightning offensive has resulted in the rebels taking control of most of Aleppo, Syrias second largest city, and key locations including Aleppos airport, the central square and the citadel. Anti-government fighters brandish their guns as they ride a vehicle in Syrias northern city of Aleppo on Saturday - OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP Mr Erdogan whose military presence in the north-west was key to preserving a ceasefire in the Idlib region said he is encouraging voluntary returns to the embattled country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the security environment strengthens in Syria, the pace of returns will accelerate, he said at an event in Istanbul on Friday. Turkey has taken in more refugees from Syria than any other country, and currently hosts approximately three million people. Anti-refugee sentiment in Turkey has intensified in recent years, fuelled by economic hardship and political rhetoric. In July, anti-Syrian refugee riots resulted in more than 470 arrests across several Turkish cities. Amid growing resentment, last year Mr Erdogan said he would repatriate one million Syrian refugees, and has been building new housing in rebel-held north-west Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Turkey has also been accused of coercing thousands into signing declarations of voluntary return human rights observers say that Syria remains unsafe for refugees. Earlier this month, Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister, said that the Syrian population in Turkey had fallen to 2,935,742 a sharp decline from the 2021 peak of 3,737,369. Human rights organisations say the reduction is not solely due to voluntary returns or irregular migration to Europe, as the Turkish government claims, but also widespread forced deportations. Deportation practices disguised as voluntary returns have become a common tactic, said one rights advocate speaking to the BBC Turkish Service. Mr Erdoggan, who once called Mr Assad a butcher, has more recently changed diplomatic course and reopened channels, driven by his goals of securing refugee returns. Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, meeting with Syrian army personnel on frontlines of al-Habit town in Idleb countryside, Syria - SANA HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX However, Turkeys foreign ministry has said the operation named Countering Aggression was a response to a series of recent government attacks on rebel-held Idlib in violation of de-escalation agreements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idlib is the last remaining opposition stronghold and is home to more than four million people. The enclave is mostly controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), but Turkish-backed rebel factions operating are also based there. Analysts say that Ankara wants to preserve its influence in the north-west to prevent regime offensives that could push hundreds of thousands of Syrians across the border. While Turkey has officially designated HTS a terror group, officials believe it has no desire to carry out attacks outside of Syria, according to the Crisis Group think tank. Those handling relations with the organisation feel it is useful in containing the threat from other transnational jihadist groups, including remnants in Syria and Al-Qaeda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oncu Keceli, the Turkish ministry of foreign affairs spokesman, said that Turkey is committed to maintaining calm in Idlib and adjacent areas along the border with Syria. We have warned on various international platforms that the recent attacks on Idlib have reached a level that undermines the spirit and implementation of the Astana agreements and that there have been large civilian casualties, Mr Keceli said. It is of utmost importance for Turkey that yet another and greater instability is avoided and that civilians are not harmed. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the all-India conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police in Bhubaneswar for two days starting from Saturday. According to the Prime Minister's Office, the three-day conference, being held from November 29 to December 1, will include deliberations on critical components of national security, including counterterrorism, left-wing extremism, coastal security, new criminal laws, and narcotics, among others. During the next two days of the Conference, top brass of police leadership of the country would chalk out a roadmap to counter existing and emerging national security challenges, including LWE, Coastal Security, Narcotics, Cyber Crime and Economic Security. The conference will provide an interactive platform for senior police professionals and security administrators in the country to freely discuss and debate diverse national security-related issues, as well as various operational, infrastructural and welfare-related problems faced by the police in India. The progress in implementation of the new Criminal Laws and initiatives and best practices in policing would also be reviewed during the next two days. The Prime Minister has always demonstrated a deep interest in the DGP Conference. "This year, some unique features have also been added to the conference. The entire day is being effectively utilised, starting with yoga sessions, business sessions, break-out sessions and thematic dining tables. This will also provide senior police officials with a valuable opportunity to present their perspectives and suggestions on critical policing and internal security matters that impact the country to the Prime Minister," it added. The Prime Minister has encouraged the annual DGsP/IGsP Conference to be organised all across the country since 2014. The conference has been held in Guwahati (Assam), Rann of Kachchh (Gujarat), Hyderabad (Telangana), Tekanpur (Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh), Statue of Unity (Kevadiya, Gujarat), Pune (Maharashtra), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), New Delhi and Jaipur (Rajasthan). Continuing with this tradition, the 59th DGsP/IGsP Conference 2024 is being organised in Bhubaneswar (Odisha). The conference will be attended by the Union Home Minister, Principal Secretary to the PM, National Security Adviser, Ministers of State (Home Affairs), DGP of States/UTs and Chiefs of Central Police Organisations among others. (ANI) (WJW) A 20-year-old hiker who had been missing for weeks was found alive in the wilderness of British Columbia, the Royal Canadian Mountain Police confirmed on Wednesday. Sam Benastick was first reported missing back on Oct. 19. As reported by CBC News and other media outlets, the hiker didnt return from what was supposed to be a 10-day camping trip. He took his dirt bike and planned to hike and fish in the Redfern-Keily Provincial Park, but his family grew concerned when he didnt check in after 10 days, his sister stated on a GoFundMe page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our family is devastated and is determined to find him, she said on the fundraiser, which gathered more than $42,000. This led to an extensive search for the hiker, which was made up of rescue teams, park rangers and volunteers. According to Royal Canadian Mountain Police, two people walking along the Redfern Lake trail spotted a man heading toward them around 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 26. CBC reported he was carrying two walking sticks and had a cut-up sleeping bag wrapped around his legs. Investigators say he was taken to the hospital, where police confirmed the man to be Benastick. Benastick told investigators he stayed in his car for a couple of days before setting up camp by a creek for 10 to 15 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then moved down the valley, and built a camp and shelter in a dried-out creek bed, the Royal Canadian Mountain Police said in a press release. He then made his way to where he flagged down the two men and was taken to safety. Benastick spent 50 days surviving in sometimes frigid temperatures. At times, CBC reported, temperatures in the area dropped four degrees below zero. In the press release, investigators thanked everyone who took part to the search. Finding Sam alive is the absolute best outcome. After all the time he was missing, it was feared that this was would not be the outcome , Corporal Madonna Saunderson said in the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Editors note: This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Three weeks after a Hawaii woman vanished in Los Angeles, her family is vowing to continue the search into the puzzling disappearance amid unsettling text messages. Hannah Kobayashi, 30, was last heard from Nov. 11 after she had missed a connecting flight from Maui to New York City at Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8, her family said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 24, her father, who had been trying to find his daughter, was found dead near the LA airport by apparent suicide, police said. Surveillance videos have shown her at a mall and train station in Los Angeles, and odd messages and online payments since then have only added to the mystery behind her disappearance. On Tuesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said police determined Kobayashi intentionally missed her flight. Our hearts go out to the Kobayashi family during this unimaginable time of grief, McDonnell said in a Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners meeting. We remain fully committed to locating Hannah and supporting the family as they navigate their way through this tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LAPD didn't return USA TODAY's request for further updates on the investigation on Friday. USA TODAY also reached out to an organization representing the family. Heres what we know: Hannah Kobayashi is seen on a security camera in Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 8, 2024. Who is Hannah Kobayashi? Kobayashi is described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, according to an LAPD description. She has brown hair, hazel eyes and freckles on her face and normally wears glasses. She has a tattoo of a heart with a knife on her right forearm. Friends described her as creative and entrepreneurial, and as an aspiring photographer, CNN reported. She was planning to go to New York to visit an aunt, and she was also going to take photos at a concert in Brooklyn in mid-November, her family told the news outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kobayashi was on the same New York-bound flight as her ex-boyfriend. They kept the tickets because they couldnt get a refund and planned to go their separate ways after landing in New York, Kobayashis sister told the Los Angeles Times. CNN reported the ex-boyfriend made the connecting flight, but she didnt. What did Kobayashi do after missing the flight? A day after missing her flight, the LA Times reported Kobayashi went to a bookstore at The Grove shopping mall, in Los Angeles Fairfax District. Her aunt told the newspaper she sent a photo of a book to a relative. Using data from the photo, family later went to that bookstore and confirmed she had been there and that she filled out a newsletter form. She also sent two payments on Venmo to two people her family didnt recognize, CNN reported. Police have said she remained active on Instagram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 10, she was identified in a promotional video for a LeBron James Nike event at The Grove. She also posted a photo of the event on her Instagram, her last public post, in which she tagged the LA Times. Concerning text messages before disappearance The family began receiving concerning text messages after Kobayashi missed her flight, family and police said. The messages were out of character from Kobayashi, her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, told USA TODAY. These included odd phrases and a lack of emojis. In the messages, Kobayashi said she didnt feel safe, CNN reported. She texted that someone sought to steal her money and identity. In another text, CNN reported she wrote she was tricked into giving away all her funds. For someone I thought I loved, a follow-up message said. CBS reported one of her messages said she had finished a very intense spiritual awakening and said she was headed back to the airport but that she might need some help getting there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last day her family made contact with her was Nov. 11. In screenshots of text messages shared with USA TODAY, Kobayashi said she was on her way to the airport. "I have a safe passage" and "Will keep you posted," she said, later adding "Matrix style." In follow-up messages, she said, "I'm safe", "Love you", "Don't worry", "For the good of all", I will keep you posted", "Promise" and "Call you soon." On Nov. 11, surveillance cameras showed Kobayashi at LAX but she never boarded a flight. Some time after 4:30 p.m., she spoke to an American Airlines agent, Pidgeon said. Her phone was last turned on at LAX around then. Where was Kobayshi last seen? That night, CCTV footage captured Kobayashi in downtown LA. She was at the Pico Metro light-rail station, near Crypto.com Arena, with an unidentified person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 12, Kobayashis family said they filed a missing person report. The LAPD announced her as a missing person on Nov. 15. The search for Kobayashi has garnered widespread attention online and in Los Angeles, and volunteers have organized groups to search the streets for her. Days later, police found her father, Ryan Kobayashi, dead in a parking lot near LAX on Nov. 24. Ryan had been searching for nearly two weeks for his daughter around Los Angeles. The family confirmed he had died by suicide. McDonnell, the police chief, said preliminary findings indicate it was a suicide. Pidgeon told USA TODAY that recent weeks were already difficult before learning about her brother-in-law's sudden death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He just died of a broken heart," Pidgeon said. "Being on the streets and seeing what the possibilities of where his daughter could be. No sleep. The speculating rumors that are going around. It just took a toll on him." Anyone with information on Kobayashi's whereabouts is asked to call Los Angeles police at 1-877-527-3247 or The Rad Movement at 619-904-0840. Contributing: Anthony Robledo and James Powel (This story was updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hannah Kobayashi search continues three weeks after missing LAX flight Nov. 29The Minnesota Department of Transportation is hosting public meetings at four locations around the state this December to seek public input that will help guide the vision for the updated Minnesota State Rail Plan. Minnesotans can also provide feedback online. The Minnesota State Rail Plan addresses a variety of topics important to the future of rail, including economic development, safety improvements and future rail system development and investment. Those wishing to learn more about the Minnesota State Rail Plan and provide input to help guide the new Vision and Action Plan are encouraged to attend one of these upcoming meetings: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duluth: Lake Superior Railroad Museum, 506 W Michigan St., Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 4 6 p.m. Rochester: Rochester Public Library, 101 2nd St. SE, Thursday, Dec. 5 from 4 6 p.m. Moorhead: Moorhead Public Library, 118 5th St. S., Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 4 6 p.m. Twin Cities Metro Area: Union Depot, 214 4th St. E. in St. Paul, Thursday, Dec. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon The meetings are informal, and attendees may arrive any time. Informational displays and handouts will be available, and MnDOT and State Rail Plan representatives will be on hand to answer questions. Anyone can also provide feedback online through our Minnesota State Rail Plan project website, here you can also sign up for email updates and learn more about the project. To request an ASL or foreign language interpreter or other reasonable accommodation, call Janet Miller at 651-366-4720 or 1-800-657-3774 (Greater Minnesota); 711 or 1-800-627-3529 (Minnesota Relay). You may also send an email to janet.rae.miller@state.mn.us. Please request at least one week in advance. Syrian rebels have captured at least 11 villages in the countryside around Hama, where Syrian government forces were stationed, a war monitor reported on Saturday. "What we are witnessing in Syria now is a total collapse of government troops," Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Righs, told dpa. Abdel Rahman said the rebels have also managed to take control of Aleppo's international airport, after earlier reports that Kurdish forces had taken the airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The assault towards the western region of Hama comes amid a collective offensive by rebel groups, led by the Islamist militant organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has captured parts of the key northern city of Aleppo. Abdel Rahman also said that Syrian government troops were seen leaving the city of Hama. However, a military source in the Syrian Defence Ministry denied reports about the withdrawal of the Syrian military from Hama. "We confirm that our armed forces units are stationed in their positions in the northern and eastern countryside of Hama Governorate," the source told dpa. Abdel Rahman questioned: "Where are Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad's allies Iran and Russia?" Syrian armed opposition fighters control the city of Maarat al-Numan after seizing control of most parts of Idlib. Anas Alkharboutli/dpa A Monrovia man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after being convicted earlier this year of child abuse, assault and child neglect. Christopher Kraft, 46, was convicted in September of first- and second-degree assault, second-degree child abuse and neglect of a child, according to a news release from the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office. Upon his release, he will serve four years of supervised probation with certain conditions, including having no contact with the child he was convicted of abusing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His sentencing was on Tuesday. On March 3, Frederick County Sheriff's Office deputies spoke with a child who said Kraft had struck their face and ear with his hand, as well as stepped on their stomach while he was wearing shoes. Kraft had also threatened to "smash" the child, according to charging documents. He was arrested on March 3 and held at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center. He was charged in an indictment with first-degree assault, second-degree child abuse, reckless endangerment, intoxicated endangerment, child neglect, and two counts of second-degree assault. The Frederick County Public Defender's Office, which represented Kraft, did not respond to a request for comment Friday. Europe is bracing for another energy crisis this winter, teeing up a high-stakes early test of how a newly inaugurated Trump administration will attempt to balance efforts to reset relations with Russia against the needs of U.S. allies seeking fuel to stay warm during whats forecast to be an unusually cold season. On Jan. 1, 2025, the Russian state-owned gas giant Gazproms long-standing contract to ship fuel to Europe via Ukraines pipelines expires. With no renewal deal in sight as Moscow intensifies its assault on its neighbor and the U.S. ratchets up sanctions on Russias gas business, Gazprom is now planning for the total end of sales to Europe transiting through Ukraine next year. The breakup has already begun. This week, Gazprom completely cut off shipments of gas to Austria for the first time in 50 years over a payment dispute. Unless Kyiv brokers an eleventh-hour deal to keep Russian gas flowing through Ukraine, Slovakia is expected to face major shortages in January, drawing supplies away from fellow European Union countries right as winter drives up demand. With Germany already burning through gas supplies to make up for the lost power from the nuclear plants it shuttered two years ago, Europe is increasingly relying on costly imports of liquefied natural gas to make it through winter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Few places will feel the pinch as much as Moldova, one of Europes poorest nations and the one its own leaders have described as the most vulnerable country in Europe to Russian energy blackmail. Russias invasion in 2022 sent shockwaves through the tiny former Soviet republic landlocked between Romania and Ukraine. Like Ukraine, Moldovas government is attempting to embrace the West and ultimately join the EU. But as in Ukraine and Georgia, Moscow has maintained some control in Moldova by propping up pro-Russia separatist forces in a breakaway province. Russia has maintained a military base in the mountainous sliver of a region on Moldovas eastern border called Transnistria since the 1990s and provided the unrecognized government in the regional capital of Tiraspol with gas so cheap its practically free. Gazprom is also the co-owner of the gas utility that serves all of Moldova and has threatened repeatedly over the last three decades since independence to cut off supplies amid disputes. A woman walks past the Operational Group of Russian Forces headquarters in Tiraspol, the capital of the breakaway region of Transnistria, a disputed territory unrecognized by the international community, in Moldova, Nov. 1, 2021. via Associated Press Over the last three years, the country almost quit buying Russian gas for heating, instead purchasing fuel on the market and shipping it into Moldova via Romanian pipelines. Moldova approved new transmission lines to Romania, too, clearing the way to buy more surplus nuclear power from its EU neighbor. The government in Chisinau even built some solar panels, boosting the limited supply of renewable power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During an interview with HuffPost earlier this month on the sidelines of the WebSummit tech conference in Lisbon, Portugal, Dumitru Alaiba, the deputy prime minister in charge of economic development, said Moldova was no longer dependent on Russia for gas. Three years ago, we were the most vulnerable country on the continent in terms of energy blackmail from Russia, Alaiba claimed. In three years, we have succeeded to essentially decouple our gas supply from Russia. Over the next two weeks, however, members of Alaibas own administration ended up rushing to St. Petersburg for emergency meetings with Gazproms chief executive about how to increase the supply of gas from Russia, warning that looming shortages threatened a humanitarian catastrophe. Thats because Moldova still relies on Transnistrias biggest power station for roughly 70% of its electricity supplies and that plant depends on heavily subsidized Russian gas delivered through Ukraines pipelines. Chisinau has managed to pay for higher-priced gas shipped through Romania over the last three years, but now Moldova will be competing with Austria and other Central European powers for shipments via the EUs pipeline network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barring an unlikely last-minute deal with Ukraine to keep gas flowing, there are few good options for avoiding a supply crunch. European proposals earlier this year for a deal to swap Russian gas shipped via Ukraine with gas from Azerbaijan ignored that the Central Asian nation does not have sufficient additional supplies in the short term to replace Russian gas volumes, a recent study from Columbia Universitys Center on Global Energy Policy found. Plus, virtually every pipeline route from Azerbaijan cuts through Russia or through war-torn territory Moscow controls in Ukraines east, raising doubts as to whether the damaged infrastructure could safely transit fuel even with the Kremlins reluctant blessing. Moldova's current pro-EU president, Maia Sandu, casts her vote for the presidential election at a polling station in Chisinau on Nov. 3, 2024. DANIEL MIHAILESCU via Getty Images Gas speculators could also buy shipments of gas at the Russian border and cut a separate deal to channel that supply through Ukraine. But those types of high-risk, short-term deals require a lot of upfront cash. Brokering those kinds of contracts could cost even more since the U.S. levied new sanctions on Gazproms in-house bank this month, forcing anyone looking to buy a shipment of fuel from the Russian gas giant to first obtain special permission from Washington. Its unclear how the incoming Trump administration will handle a crisis analysts expect to continue past the Republican president-elects Jan. 20 inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration aggressively sanctioned Russias gas industry, successfully stymieing the Kremlins efforts to open a new facility to export liquefied natural gas the version of the methane-based fuel super-chilled to a liquid form for more efficient transportation in the Arctic. Despite a failed Democratic attempt to pause permitting on new U.S. LNG terminals that Republicans roundly criticized, Biden oversaw higher levels of oil and gas production than at any point during Trumps previous term, vaulting the U.S. to the top spot as the worlds top LNG exporter. Trumps promise to swiftly bring about a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv, and his public praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, have been widely interpreted as a sign the Republican will champion the more radical, antiwar faction in his party that wants to end American support for arming Ukraine. By picking Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as his nominee for secretary of state, however, Trump selected a potential top diplomat who has consistently wanted to punish Russia for its aggression in Ukraine but has come to believe that a negotiated settlement between Moscow and Kyiv is the only realistic way to end the war, according to a recent analysis by Harvard Universitys Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies. One clear contrast in foreign policy may be the Trump administrations expected skepticism of foreign aid without what Republicans deem a clear U.S. interest. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the Biden administration has nearly doubled its aid to Moldova, giving close to $1 billion in funding for projects like the new transmission lines to Romanias electrical grid. The money, part of a cumulative $2.6 billion Washington granted Chisinau over the past three decades, served the Biden White Houses dual goals of weaning Moldova off Russian energy and slashing carbon emissions by redirecting the countrys electricity demand from a gas plant to a nuclear-powered system in Romania, a NATO ally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysts say that Trump is likely to end that support. If Moldova wants to save itself with a Trump administration coming on, its going to have to rethink its entire approach to many things and soon, said Suriya Jayanti, a lawyer and former U.S. diplomat who has worked on renewable and nuclear energy projects in Ukraine and Moldova. With Moldova, I dont see what the clear U.S. interest is from a Trump White House perspective, she added. The Russia-is-pure-evil logic doesnt seem to hold in his world, and that was the only real logic to supporting Moldova, especially to the extent we have been. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moldova is now preparing for difficult times, said Tatiana Mitrova, a research fellow at Columbias Center on Global Energy Policy who coauthored the report this summer on the barriers to replacing Russian pipeline gas with fuel from Azerbaijan. Moldovagaz the countrys monopoly gas utility, which is a joint venture between Gazprom, the Moldovan government and the Transnistrian administration asked regulators for permission this week to hike consumer natural gas prices by 40% to raise money for what are expected to be more expensive supply contracts. But those deals would likely only secure more gas for Moldovas pipeline network not for Transnistria or the Moldovan towns on the regional border that depend entirely on electricity produced in the breakaway province with Russian gas. Plans to buy more electricity from its EU border may not prove as solid as before, either, now that a far-right, pro-Russia candidate has won in the first round of Romanias presidential elections. Such a situation of interruption of the gas supplies would not be simply a crisis, said Oleg Serebrian, the deputy prime minister in charge of Moldovas relations with Transnistria, according to the countrys state news agency. I dare to say that it would actually be a humanitarian catastrophe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitrova echoed that concern. There are lots of unknowns, but for Moldova, Im afraid, its going to be a very difficult winter, she said. Thats why there are claims its catastrophic. I share those fears. Its really going to be very difficult. Alaiba admitted that the last three years showed him you cannot really make a U-turn with an entire energy system. But he said the half of Europe that once saw Russia as a reliable gas supplier has now come to understand what Moldovans have experienced for three decades as the Kremlin routinely threatened to cut off gas during political disputes. The process of decoupling is neither cheap nor happens overnight, he said. While breaking free from Transnistrias grip on Moldovas electricity supply is not technically possible at the moment, he said theres no turning back from his countrys westward trajectory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the start of this century, Moldova sold 70% of its goods to Russia. Now, that same percentage of exports heads westward into Europe and North America. Record plum exports vaulted Moldova to the No. 3 spot worldwide last year making the country Europes undisputed top seller of the succulent stone fruit. Construction of the transmission lines to Romania, Alaiba said, is already underway. You have to have a necessary degree of resilience and independence in order to ensure the long-term stability of your economy, and being dependent on one country that is prone to using the relationship as your one supplier has caused us to waste three decades, Alaiba said. Let that be the lesson from Moldova. Related... The mother of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander says she has been assured by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that conditions are ripe for a hostage deal, just hours after Hamas released a video of her son begging the Israeli leader and US President-elect Donald Trump for his release. Yael Alexander, whose son Edan was kidnapped by militants on October 7 last year, said she was shaken by the video as she spoke in front of thousands at a rally on Saturday night at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where families of the hostages have been gathering every week for months to call on the government to bring them home. Earlier on Saturday, Hamas released a propaganda video showing Alexander pleading with Netanyahu and Trump not to forget him and to do whatever they can to free the remaining hostages in Gaza. While Hamas has released similar videos in the past, this was the first Alexander has appeared in. His family has consented to the medias release of the video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edans mother told the crowd in Tel Aviv she had been contacted by the Israeli leader following the release of the video. My Edan, my love, we miss you so much. I want to tell you that following your request, about an hour ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called me. He strengthened me and assured me that now, after the deal in Lebanon, the conditions are ripe to release you and bring you home, she said. She was referring to a 60-day ceasefire agreement that went into effect between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon on Wednesday. The families of the hostages are hopeful that following the ceasefire in Lebanon, a deal can finally be made to bring their loved ones home from Gaza. Hamas releases propaganda video of hostage Edan Alexander - Hamas Her son Edan appears to be under duress in the video as he states that he has been held captive for more than 420 days. Saturday marks 421 days since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes one year after 100 hostages were released in a short-lived hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas last November. CNN cant independently confirm when the video was recorded but Alexander acknowledges that Trump has been elected as US president as he calls on him to use US-influence to bring the hostages home and criticizes the Biden administration. Please do not make the mistake Biden has been doing, he says in the video. Alexander also says he does not want to end up dead like my fellow USA citizen, Hersh a reference to American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg Polin, who was killed in Hamas captivity in August. The Israeli prime minister confirmed he had spoken with Alexanders family Saturday following what his office called the publication of the brutal psychological warfare video in which an important and exciting sign of life was received from Edan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu said he felt the familys agony and that Israel is working with determination and in every way to return them home, along with all the abductees who are in the hands of the enemy. A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, Sean Savett, described the video as a cruel reminder of Hamas terror against citizens of multiple countries, including our own and said it had been in touch with Edans family. The spokesperson said Hamas was to blame for refusing so far to do a deal to release the hostages. However, he added that a deal was on the table now and that as (President Joe Biden) said last week, we have a critical opportunity to conclude the deal to release the hostages, stop the war, and surge humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Yael Alexander, whose son Edan was kidnapped by militants on October 7 last year. - Paulina Patimer The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also reacted to the video shortly after its release, saying it was shocking but adding that it was definite proof that despite all the rumors there are living hostages and they are suffering greatly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One year after the first and only deal, its clear to everyone: returning the hostages is only possible through a deal. After more than 420 days of continuous abuse, starvation, and darkness, the urgency of bringing home all 101 hostages cannot be overstated. As time runs out, we urge both current and incoming US administrations to exhaust every possible option and leverage every form of pressure the hostages lives hang by a thread, it added. At the end of the video Alexander speaks to his parents and grandparents saying, Every day that passes, the pain increases inside me. I miss you very much. Everyday, everyday, I pray to see you soon. Please be strong. It is only a matter of time until this nightmare ends. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com New York, New Jersey, and Delaware are facing federal lawsuits after being accused of violating the Endangered Species Act by allowing commercial fisheries to kill Atlantic sturgeon without the proper permits. What's happening? According to The Seattle Times, the lawsuits were filed by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Hudson Riverkeeper, two nonprofit environmental organizations in the northeast United States. The groups are accusing the states of putting the prehistoric fish in unnecessary danger since fishing operations are inadvertently catching sturgeon while fishing for other species in the area. Atlantic sturgeon in the Hudson and Delaware Rivers have been classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 2012, but they're facing more threats than ever before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, Delaware Riverkeeper leader Maya van Rossum said during a news conference that Atlantic sturgeon in the rivers could be "wiped from the face of the Earth," per the Times. Since the late 1800s, overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution have pushed the sturgeon to the brink of extinction, with the population in the Delaware River declining by an estimated 99%, per a U.S. Geological Survey study. Rossum told the Times that fewer than 250 spawning adults remain in the river, though it once thrived with nearly 200,000 females. "Despite the endangered species listing, our Hudson River sturgeon population has not seen improvement," Tracy Brown, president of Hudson Riverkeeper, told the Times. "It is, quite frankly, disgraceful that so little progress has been made toward recovery." Why is the disappearing sturgeon important? Atlantic sturgeon are crucial to the economic and cultural stability of fishing communities. If they're wiped out, many people could lose their livelihoods and be forced to find other work. In addition, sturgeon are bottom-feeders that eat smaller species, such as crustaceans and mollusks, helping to keep the food web balanced, per the Chesapeake Bay Program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If commercial fisheries keep catching the sturgeon unintentionally, it could disrupt the economy and the ecosystems in the Hudson and Delaware Rivers. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind What's being done to protect the sturgeon? According to the Times, the organizations that filed the lawsuits are urging the states to adhere to the Endangered Species Act so the sturgeon populations can make a comeback. Across the pond in Sweden, conservation efforts have brought Atlantic sturgeon back to the Gota Alv after the species disappeared in the late 19th century because of pollution and overfishing. As individuals, we can help by ensuring our seafood is sustainably sourced, eating more plant-based foods which helps to reduce harmful agricultural pollution and getting involved with local conservation efforts to benefit other species. 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. BANGKOK (Reuters) - Myanmar's navy opened fire on a group of Thai fishing vessels on Saturday, causing one fisherman to drown, and detained 31 crew members from one of the boats, a spokesperson for Thailand's Defence Ministry said. Two of 15 Thai fishing vessels were fired at after they operated 4-5.7 nautical miles (7.4-10.6 km) inside Myanmar's territorial waters, spokesperson Thanatip Sawangsang said in a statement. Three fishermen jumped into the water during the incident, one of whom drowned while two were rescued by the Thai navy, Thanatip said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the boats, with 31 fishermen on board, was detained by Myanmar's navy during the encounter, Thanatip said, adding that the Thai navy was in negotiations to secure their release. Myanmar's ruling junta did not immediately respond to a telephone request for comment. A spokesperson for the Thai Foreign Ministry, Nikorndej Balankura, said the ministry was also coordinating with authorities in Myanmar to seek the fishermen's release and evaluating whether any violations of international law had taken place. The fishery department in Thailand's southern Ranong province, which shares a maritime border with Myanmar, urged Thai fishing vessels to be careful when traveling near the boundary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Myanmar has been in crisis since 2021 when the military seized power, toppling an elected government and sparking an armed rebellion by crushing protests with lethal force. Rebels have mounted unprecedented attacks, seizing control of border areas and making inroads into the country's formerly peaceful heartlands. Thailand's army last week played down local media reports of heightened tensions on the land border with Myanmar in an area where there is a longstanding dispute with the controlling ethnic armed group, saying the reports were exaggerated. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Helen Popper) North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has assured Russia's Defence Minister Andrei Belousov of his continued support for Russia's war against Ukraine during Belousov's visit to Pyongyang. Kim was quoted by North Korean state media on Saturday as saying that the Western powers, led by the United States, had "made Kiev authorities attack Russia's territory with their own long-range strike weapons." He described it as "their direct military intervention in the conflict" which means Russia is only exercising its right to self-defence and is entitled "to take resolute action to make the hostile forces pay the price." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Korea "will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists' moves for hegemony," the report stated. Previously, Belousov also met his North Korean counterpart No Kwang Chol and, according to the state-run Russian news agency TASS, emphasized that military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang would be expanded. Both countries have this year ratified a comprehensive security agreement that includes a mutual defence pact. According to estimates from South Korea and the US, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia. Some are said to have already been involved in skirmishes around the Russian border region of Kursk, which Ukrainians control in response to Moscow's offensive war. The number of North Korean soldiers could rise to as many as 100,000, warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Additionally, according to information from Seoul, Pyongyang is also said to have supplied Moscow with heavy artillery such as self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers. Giving a boost to market linkages for agri-horti producers of Arunachal Pradesh, the state government launched 'Mission Arun Himveer' with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) and the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), North East Frontier, in presence of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Under the MoU signed on Friday, the state government will supply fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry products to the ITBP procured from local farmers, Self Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organisations and farmer cooperatives, through the APAMB. This follows the first such understanding made between the state government and the Indian Army in August 2022. Till date, around 400 tons of fruits and vegetables worth Rs 72 lakhs were lifted by LAMPS from indigenous farmers for supply to the Indian Army. The Mission aims to achieve the short-term goals of the Marketing Board in providing ready-made markets from far-flung villages and circles with low marketable surplus and creating a vibrant economy besides solving employment issues across the state. Chief Minister Pema Khandu congratulated APAMB for the initiative and expressed optimism that with ITBP agreeing to purchase produce locally produced, the issue of the limited market of local farmers will be resolved to a huge extent. Expressing gratitude to the ITBP for accepting the state government's proposal, he said that Mission Arun Himveer would have a far reaching impact on accelerating 'reverse migration' of people, who have left their villages to towns and cities. "We have enough land and weather, suited for all kinds of horticulture and agriculture products. However, people were not taking an interest in farming due to a lack of a market. Such initiatives will surely encourage people to take up farming," Arunachal Pradesh CM said. He said that the initiative would not only double farmers' income but also create a friendly relationship between people in the border region and ITBP forces. "The Mission will also cater to the prevailing demand for marketing of Agri-Horti produces from the border districts under the Vibrant Village Programme," he said. Khandu viewed the rural economy as the backbone of the state's economy and termed women as the backbone of the rural economy. He informed that with the state government's efforts, more than one lakh women were today involved in running SHGs across the state. As per the agreement, ITBP can procure directly from farmers and payment would be made by APAMB out of the revolving fund of Rs 4 crore granted by the state government on behalf of ITBP. The amount will be then reimbursed to the Board after reconciliation by ITBP. Under the Mission, 100% of the funds will go directly to the farmers and APAMB envisages that more than Rs 10 crore of business will be done in a year. The MoU was signed by APAMB CEO Okit Palling and ITBP NE Frontier Inspector General, Akun Sabharwal. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, the Chief Secretary, officers from agri and allied departments and senior ITBP officials. Agriculture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu also attended virtually. Deputy Commissioners, district officials, farmers and SHG, FPO and cooperative society members joined the event virtually from their respective districts. To mark the initiative, exchanging of agricultural produce was made between ITBP and farmers at Jang (Tawang), Ziro (Lower Subansiri), Aalo (West Siang), Tuting (Upper Siang) and Tezu (Lohit). (ANI) NEW YORK, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- New vending machines have been cropping up around the country as innovative public health tools to combat overdose deaths from fentanyl -- a potent synthetic opioid, or painkiller, that can be extremely addictive. The vending machines dispense naloxone, also known as Narcan, an overdose reversal medication that first responders have administered for years to save lives. The machines do this at no cost to the users and without requiring a prescription, providing vital access for high-risk individuals who want to keep their addiction private, experts say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of these machines are funded through health departments or local governments and supported by federal and private grants. "Stigma surrounding drug use can be a significant barrier for people accessing services and overdose prevention resources," said Sean Allen, an associate professor in the Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. "Misconceptions about substance use and negative stereotypes can prevent people from seeking help," he said. In addition to naloxone, public health vending machines often contain a variety of supplies, such as sterile injection equipment, condoms, first-aid kits and pregnancy tests, Allen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Amid the ongoing addiction and overdose crisis, public health vending machines are an important evidence-based tool for communities to consider," he said, while cautioning that "there is no silver bullet" to preventing deaths related to substance abuse. Naloxone in nasal and injectable forms, obtained from one public health vending machine outside the HIV/AIDS nonprofit organization Caracole in Hamilton County, Ohio, led to the reversal of more than 3,000 overdoses since February 2021, said Daniel Arendt, an assistant professor of pharmacy practice and administrative sciences at the University of Cincinnati's James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. "We also ask users about their experiences using the materials," said Arendt, who has tracked this data. "For instance, many of our users take fentanyl test strips, and about 50% of the time, when fentanyl is detected, users either lower their dose or discard the substance." According to his research, the machines' success depends largely on location. Placement in high-traffic areas, hours of operation, if indoors, and the variety of products play a role, as well as accessibility on foot or via public transport, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raising awareness is equally important, Arendt noted. "We have also seen usage grow overtime as people in the community begin to trust the machine more and recognize that it isn't a trap set up by police or something," he said. "That increased relationship with the community itself and building that trust is instrumental in having a successful program." One recent public health vending machine rollout came in Wayne County, situated along the Detroit River in Michigan. It has recorded the most overdose fatalities of any county in the state, with 4 out of 5 deaths driven by fentanyl, said Dr. Avani Sheth, chief medical officer at county's Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services. Plans exist to deploy 100 public health vending machines throughout the county's 43 municipalities in a variety of locations that include local government sites, civic centers, libraries, churches, substance use treatment providers, marijuana retailers, housing and social services organizations, Sheth said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are in the early phase of rollout, with placement of 26 machines and newsstand-style devices," she said of the dispensers, which also contain test strips for fentanyl and xylazine, a sedative commonly used by veterinarians and increasingly linked to overdoses. Since Sept. 1, the machines have distributed more than 1,000 naloxone nasal spray kits and more than 500 test strip packets, she said. The public health vending machines have been branded "Well Wayne Stations." Expenses are covered by national opioid settlement funds and support from the American Rescue Plan Act, with costs estimated at $3.6 million over four years, Sheth said. "As with many challenging public health issues, this is not meant to be a panacea solution," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The overdose crisis is complex, unique to each community, with many interconnected factors like mental health, trauma, unmet social needs and a contaminated, dangerous drug supply. It necessitates a combination of strategies that work in concert to maximize impact, with this intervention being an essential component." Since the 2017 launch of vending machines to dispense free naloxone and test strips, an increase in reversed overdoses has occurred through Trac-B Exchange, a Las Vegas-based harm-reduction project under the nonprofit organization Impact Exchange, said Rick Reich, the executive director. Twelve vending machines are in use, mainly in Las Vegas and Reno, and also one in a rural area. Another 15 are scheduled to be installed, Reich said. Anyone at least 18 years old and with an ID can sign up for a vending machine card at the center or online. Participants receive a pin number for accessing injectable or nasal naloxone, pregnancy tests, safe sex kits, hygiene kits, first-aid kits and sharps containers, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In general, vending machines, don't discriminate or judge -- they just spit the product you select to the hopper for you to pick up," Reich said, adding that "a lot has to do with the privacy the vending machines afford." The feedback has generally been positive, with complaints arising when machines have been emptied of products that people want. The center can't restock them quickly enough sometimes due to high demand, he said. Since 2023, more than 6,000 naloxone kits have been dispensed via vending machines through the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, according to its communications specialist, Anita Lightfoot. "Research has shown that opioid overdose death rates are reduced in communities where naloxone is distributed," Lightfoot said. "Naloxone vending machines are an innovative way to increase access to this life-saving medicine." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added that "our goal is to saturate the community with naloxone, especially among those who are at high risk of witnessing or experiencing an overdose. These vending machines are a key element in this effort." Overdoses from opioids, including fentanyl, are common in hospital emergency departments, "and naloxone is the treatment of choice," said Dr. Robert Frolichstein, president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and a practicing physician in San Antonio. "It is very effective," Frolichstein said. "When a patient overdoses on opioids, it takes away their respiratory drive -- need to breathe. Naloxone reverses this and they begin breathing on their own." Thailand is sending almost 1,000 highly endangered tortoises and lemurs home to Madagascar in a landmark victory against animal trafficking, with the first batch on its way on Saturday. The repatriation is the largest ever between the two countries, according to Thai officials. Thai police recovered 1,117 animals, eight of which had died, during an anti-trafficking operation in the southern Thai province of Chumphon in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among them were spider tortoises, radiated tortoises, ring-tailed lemurs and brown lemurs, all listed among the worlds most endangered animals under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). These species are highly sought-after in Asia as exotic pets, though replicating their natural habitat is extremely difficult, often putting their life at risk. Some of the animals seized in May have since died due to poor health caused by a lack of food and water when they were smuggled to Thailand. Some also failed to adapt to the new environment. Thai authorities held an official ceremony in the capital Bangkok on Wednesday to hand over the animals to Madagascan officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A total of 961 live animals will be sent back on three flights operated by Qatar Airways starting Saturday. Ring-tailed lemurs munch on their food. - Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Dr. Chalermchai Sri-on, Thailands minister of natural resources and environment, said the repatriation shows Thailands commitment to combating illegal wildlife trafficking as well as prioritizing the welfare of seized species. Attapol Charoenchansa, director of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, told CNN he expected the operations would have a deterrent effect. Rescued tortoises in their habitat. - Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation By conducting operations like this and broadcasting them globally, it shows that there are arrests and exchanges happening, making people worldwide aware that possessing these animals is not right, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some might think that if they have the money, they can buy and collect them, but thats not the case. UK-based conservation group Traffic said in a statement that the repatriation was a true testament to the power of international collaboration in addressing the wildlife trafficking crisis. Illegal trades in timber and wildlife have been identified as the second-largest threat to Madagascars rich biodiversity, the group said in a 2023 report. Thailand is the largest importer of wildlife from Madagascar in Southeast Asia, a region that plays a vital role in the trade and re-exporting of some of Madagascars most threatened species, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between 1975 and 2019, Thailand directly and indirectly exported almost 35,000 animals or their products from Madagascar, according to the report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Netflix and steal. Techsperts are warning Netflix subscribers about a very large cyber scam in which criminals hijack important financial info by sending people bogus messages. These SMS scare campaigns targeting Netflix customers have become ubiquitous and never stop, but they vary in size and scope, warned security firm Bitdefender, per tech site Cybernews. The latest digital scheme, which began in September but is still prevalent, cybercriminals send fake SMS texts warning Netflix subscribers of issues with their accounts. These scams work by creating a sense of urgency that requires immediate action, Bitdefender warned. Andres Serna stock.adobe.com NETFLIX : There was an issue processing your payment. To keep your services active, please sign in and confirm your details at :https://account-details[.]com, reads one such alert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another common bootleg message warns customers of a so-called failed payment. Those messages include links to phishing websites designed to collect the login credentials, personal information, and credit card details, per Bitdefender. The sensitive info is commandeered and then sold on the digital black market. Minerva Studio stock.adobe.com The commandeered credentials then end up on the dark web, where theyre sold to various clandestine rings. The message masquerade, which spans 23 countries including the United States, is facilitated by the fact that Netflix doesnt have two-factor authentication safeguards. Rather, the streaming platform relies solely on user names and passwords, making the site susceptible to spearphishing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The scams work by creating a sense of urgency that requires immediate action, per the techsperts, who add that losing access to Netflix because of a missed payment might fit the definition of an emergency for a lot of people. Fortunately, its easy for customers to spot these digital infiltrators. For one, Netflix never contacts its customers through text, as large firms dont send customers links that require verification. To avoid getting fooled by bad actors, Bitdefender urges customers to refrain from opening suspicious links and to manually type in websites instead of clicking links without vetting them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, the digital Trojan horses dont always appear as a phishy-looking text message they could even already be on your phone. Earlier this week, Cybersecurity company McAfee identified 15 malicious apps that have been downloaded onto at least 8 million Android phones and further warned about the significant global increase of predatory loan apps. Even though Endicott College students are on Thanksgiving break, theyre still stepping up to help Jeremy Coles family days. The 49-year old Endicott College Police sergeant was killed while driving home early Thanksgiving morning by a wrong way driver heading south on I-95 in Newbury. Police pronounced Cole dead on scene. The driver, a man in his 40s from southeastern Massachusetts, was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. Hes expected to face charges to be announced at a later date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students were stunned to receive the news from the school this holiday. I didnt think it was real when I first saw it, said Ben Fridlington, a student at Endicott. Its not going to ever be the same without him there. Deanna Federico, another senior at Endicott College added, I just dropped my phone and started crying. Both told Boston 25 Cole was an active member of the community, and a friendly face across campus. Federico is a student officer for Endicott College and worked shifts alongside Cole. He had a loud booming voice, so you knew when he was in a room, she explained. From home in NH, Fridlington decided to start a GoFundMe for the fellow NH natives family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He explained, Soon it started getting shared more and outside of our friend group and into the rest of the whole school. From there, it spiraled to where its at now. The GoFundMe (Fundraiser for Laura Cole by Benjamin Fridlington : Support for the Family of Jeremy Cole after Tragic Loss) is nearing $40,000 for Coles family. Federico finished, I know a lot of students are like, Im not ready to go back to school where J Cole isnt there. The school announced in a letter that all students and faculty are invited to the Center at 9 am for coffee and tea to process the tragic loss. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW HONOLULU (KHON2) The 83rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor is right around the corner. To commemorate the somber, yet historic event, the Hawaii State Archives are helping shed light on the event and honor the war dead. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The Pacific War Memorial Commission will share planning documents and maps with the public, showing the plans to build five World War II memorials for military members killed in battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New exhibit shares kamaaina experience of Pearl Harbor attack According to officials, even Elvis Presley contributed to the cause, after holding a concert at Pearl Harbor to raise $52,000. In the end, only two out of the five memorials were built. The attack on Pearl Harbor killed more than 2,400 men, women and children. Department of Accounting and General Services director Keith Regan explained the documents are a testament to the communitys desire to honor those who fought and died for the country. Its important we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is our privilege as a state and as a community to have the responsibility for honoring their bravery. These are the heroes who brought us lasting peace in the Pacific. Keith Regan, Department of Accounting and General Services director Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initiative hopes to showcase the importance of each military member involved in the Pearl Harbor attack. It was all about the individuals and making sure they were never forgotten, and that their sacrifice is understood today, explained Adam Jansen, Hawaii State Archivist. The public can all seven boxes of documents at the State Archives in their Downtown Honolulu office. For more information, visit the Hawaii State Archivess website. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. People participate in a Puerto Rican Day parade in New York City. Multiracial cultures such as Puerto Rican and Dominican may pose problems for new proposed Census Bureau survey formats that ask about race and Hispanic status separately. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images) The U.S. Census Bureau and a growing number of states are starting to gather more detailed information about Americans race and ethnicity, a change some advocates of the process say will allow people to choose identities that more closely reflect how they see themselves. Crunching and sorting through those specific details known as data disaggregation will help illuminate disparities in areas such as housing and health outcomes that could be hidden within large racial and ethnic categories. But some experts say the details also might make it harder for Black people from multiracial countries to identify themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Racial data gleaned from the census is important because local, state, tribal and federal governments use it to guide certain civil rights policies and in planning and funding government programs that provide funds or services for specific groups, according to the Census Bureau. The form will have checkboxes for main categories current census groupings include Asian, Black, African American and White, among others followed by more specific checkboxes. Under Asian, for example, might be Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean or Japanese. And then there will be an empty box for people to write in more specific subgroups. Collecting more detail by allowing free-form answers, for example, will make it possible for people to identify themselves as part of more racial and ethnic subgroups such as Sardinian (an autonomous region within Italy) instead of simply Italian and include alternative names for certain groups, such as writing Schitsuumsh, the ancient language for Coeur DAlene Tribe. And the Census Bureau will for the first time include Middle Eastern/North African as a separate racial/ethnic category for respondents with that heritage. Until now, Middle Eastern people who did not choose a race were treated as a subcategory under white, based on a 1944 court ruling intended to protect Arab immigrants from racist laws banning U.S. citizenship for nonwhite immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under new federal guidelines approved in March, the bureau also will give people the option to check no race at all if they identify as Hispanic or Middle Eastern/North African. The Census Bureau already has decided to use more open-ended questions in both the 2027 American Community Survey and the nations 2030 census. But the agency is seeking public comment on the way write-in responses will be categorized. The bureau wants to hear how people are likely to identify themselves, said Merarys Rios-Vargas, chief of the bureaus Ethnicity and Ancestry Branch, Population Division, in a recent webinar. The agency also is interested in whether there are missing or incorrect entries in its proposed list of possible responses. Its about peoples lives Nancy Lopez, a University of New Mexico sociology professor, said she and other experts in Black Hispanic culture think the census should have a visual race or street race question, so people can communicate how others see them as well as how they identify themselves. The answer might be Black or a yet-unrecognized racial category such as brown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A separate question on race as a visual status helps illuminate the kind of things we are interested in discrimination in housing, discrimination in employment, discrimination in education and accessing health care in public spaces, said Lopez, who is the daughter of Dominican immigrants and a co-founder of the universitys Institute for the Study of Race & Social Justice. Its about peoples lives, its about the future, its about children, its about access to opportunities and its about fairness, she added, noting that even if the federal government doesnt add such questions to surveys and the decennial census, state and universities can still do it on their own as they collect data for health care, student enrollment and other topics. The NALEO Educational Fund, an organization representing Latino elected and appointed officials, supports the decision to make a race choice optional for Hispanics. Many Latinos did not see themselves in any of the categories for their racial identity, said Rosalind Gold, NALEOs chief public policy officer. Theres a large number of Latinos who feel that identifying as Latino is both their racial and ethnic identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gold said NALEO understands the concern some have that failing to require a race designation will obscure racial information on Black Hispanics. But her group argues that the census can get what it needs by educating the public on how to respond and by including prompts on the questionnaires to guide race choices. Black Hispanic people often see themselves as having a single racial and ethnic identity, according to several experts in Hispanic identity who spoke at a Census Bureau National Advisory Committee meeting Nov. 7. They conceptualize themselves as belonging to one [group], said Nicholas Vargas, an associate professor of ethnic studies at the University of California, Berkeley, speaking at the committee meeting. They check Black and they check Dominican and dont want to be counted as two or more, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, Rachel Marks, an adviser for the Census Bureau on race and ethnicity, said the bureau will consider that issue and other feedback on how people want to be represented before making a final decision on survey details. Its about peoples lives, its about the future, its about children, its about access to opportunities and its about fairness. Nancy Lopez, University of New Mexico sociology professor The bureau may recognize a term, Afro-Latino, that could be used to indicate both Black race and Hispanic ethnicity, according to a proposed code list from the agency, as well as Blaxican for Black Mexican and Blasian for Black Asian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of civil rights groups, called the more detailed questions a step forward but also suggested more guidance on the forms to ensure people are categorized the way they want to be. In its comment on the changes, the group noted that in 2020, some people who wrote in British under the Black checkbox were categorized as partly white even if they didnt mean that. The group also said it is concerned about a conflation of the concepts of race and ethnicity, and it asked for more research to make sure people understand how to respond. State actions Some states are acting on their own to gather more detailed data about identity. New Jersey is among the latest states to pass a law requiring more detailed race and ethnic data collection for state records such as health data and school enrollment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A similar bill in Michigan would require state agencies that gather information to offer multiracial and Middle Eastern or North African as choices; the bill remains in committee. And advocates in Oregon, which already has a law requiring detailed ethnic data collection, are asking the state for more details on Asian subgroups who face education challenges. A December 2023 report by The Leadership Conference Education Fund identified 13 other states with laws requiring more detailed state data on ethnic and racial groups, including laws passed last year in Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts and Nevada. The states of California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington already had such laws, the group found. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and X. Nov. 29The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will host two public workshops regarding the next phase of Niagara Scenic Parkway removal. The two meetings, one from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Niagara Falls Amtrak Station and another from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Red Brick Schoolhouse gym in the Village of Lewiston will inform the public on the status of Phase 3 of removal, going six miles from Findlay Drive in Niagara Falls to Center Street in Lewiston. Both meetings will have a formal presentation followed by informal conversation and a review of the proposed concepts with project staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first scoping meeting for phase 3 happened this past February, where three options were presented for converting parts of the parkway into nature trails. Two options feature the former southbound lane being converted into a multi-purpose trail and the northbound lane being converted into a new road, one of them featuring roundabouts, with the third option featuring the removal of both parkway lanes. The parkway, originally known as the Robert Moses Parkway, was completed back in 1962, with the state officially announcing its removal back in 2013. Traffic data from 2023 had shown the parkway on this section was seeing less traffic than in nearby neighborhoods. The first two phases of parkway removal replaced a mile-long section along the Niagara River and Niagara Falls State Park with a park road and a two-mile section between Main Street and Whirlpool State Park with walking trails, a two-lane road, and gorge overlooks. This phase was allocated $1.5 million for scoping from the Niagara River Greenway Fund Standing Committee. Other partner agencies include USA Niagara Development Corporation, Empire State Development, the New York Power Authority, the Federal Highway Administration, and the state Department of Transportation. Western District of State Parks Capital Facilities Manager Mark Mistretta previously told the Gazette that they will not know which option to go with or reconstruction costs until mid-2025. Kids will soon be able to get treated by specialists in cardiology, neurology and orthopedics from Nicklaus Childrens Health System through Broward Health to bolster care for children in central and northern Broward. Nicklaus Childrens Health System is set to become the pediatric provider of Broward Healths Salah Foundation Childrens Hospital next year as part of a recently approved affiliation agreement. The childrens hospital is part of the Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale and also offers services through Broward Health Coral Springs. This is is all about access to high quality pediatric health care close to home, said Matthew Love, president and CEO of Nicklaus Childrens Health System. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicklaus Childrens provides care to nearly half a million pediatric patients a year, many of whose families rely on Medicaid, the federal-state medical insurance program for low-income families. It runs one of the top pediatric hospitals in Florida with more than a dozen outpatient and urgent care centers across the region. Broward Health is one of the 10 largest public health systems in the country with five hospitals and more than 50 health centers and physician practices in the county. The CEOs for Broward Health and Nicklaus Childrens, in a joint interview with the Miami Herald, explained that one of the initiatives key missions is to improve access to primary and specialty care for kids in Broward, the second most populous county in Florida. Were changing the healthcare landscape for the better of our patients and these children here around the community, said Shane Strum, president and CEO of Broward Health and interim CEO of Memorial Healthcare System, the countys other public safety net hospital system. Shane Strum, president and CEO of Broward Health and interim CEO of Memorial Healthcare System. What the Broward Health-Nicklaus Childrens collab means for patients More than 1.9 million people live in Broward County and nearly 21% of the population are kids under 18, census data shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there are several hospitals in the county, only two provide specialized care to children. One is the childrens hospital at Broward Health, the public hospital network that covers central and northern Broward. The other is Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital in Hollywood, part of Memorial Regional Healthcare System, the public hospital network for southern Broward. Broward Healthsays about 16% of pediatric patients must leave the county to seek specialized care. Miami-Dade County has Nicklaus Childrens Hospital, Baptist Childrens Hospital and Holtz Childrens Hospital, which is one of the largest childrens hospitals in the Southeast United States and part of Miami-Dades public hospital system, Jackson Health System. No kid should ever have to leave Broward County or Miami-Dade County or Florida for care, Love said. Matthew A. Love, president and CEO of Nicklaus Childrens Health System. By late 2025, Nicklaus specialists will care for children at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, which provides medical services to adults and children and is considered to have one of the busiest ERs in the country. Nicklaus doctors will also be moving into Broward Health Coral Springs, which caters to a growing population of children and young families in surrounding neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affiliation will also make it easier for doctors to share information between the two hospital systems, according to the hospital executives. A Broward child might undergo surgery at Nicklaus Childrens Hospital near South Miami, for example, and be able to see their Nicklaus doctor for follow-up appointments at one of the Broward Health locations. Similarly, it will be easier for doctors at both hospital systems to review and manage a patients treatment. READ MORE: Hospital within a hospital. Nicklaus Childrens opens new surgery hub with special tech Broward Health served more than 70,000 pediatric patients during the 2024 fiscal year, which ended in June. The affiliation is also expected to create more jobs, research and graduate medical education opportunities, which could help attract more doctors, nurses and other medical staff during a time when the country is facing a healthcare worker shortage and fewer doctors are studying pediatrics. Nicklaus Childrens, which runs the only freestanding pediatric hospital in South Florida, also collaborates with Baptist Health South Florida. Nicklaus specialists provide pediatric emergency care at Baptist Hospital and at Homestead Hospital in Miami-Dade County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Nicklaus-Broward Health collaboration, the boards of both hospital systems approved the affiliation agreement in November, with the transition expected to begin in early 2025 and be completed by end of year. We changed the direction of pediatric health care in South Florida in a way that has not been done in the past, said Love, the Nicklaus CEO. CLINTON, N.J. When Kevin Mass came to Clinton, NJ, he didnt just want to open a candy shop. He wanted to create a safe place for kids in the community. More Local News I love the town very much, said Mass, owner of Candy Lane On Main. I used to visit off and on throughout the years, always wanted to live here. Its Black Friday, and instead of spending the day at big box stores, customers support small businesses on Main Street like his. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some in Clinton say its not just about avoiding the lines, the crowds, and the traffic; they want to shop small every day, not just on Small Business Saturday. I know that theres cheaper options out there in regards to Walmart or Amazon or things like that, but its a whole different experience, said Mass. Damon Johnston is visiting from Nashville. Hes a small business owner himself, running a cafe and gift shop in the Music City. Its important, especially in todays climate, said Johnston. Obviously we all do the big box stores and its important but small businesses were out there doing our best to earn a living and we need our local people to support the businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think people enjoy the fact that we scour the earth for the most interesting items, said Meredith Hyland, Owner of Fourchette. Its not kind of commercia. Its all small business owners who care about our customers. We welcome them with hugs and chocolate-covered nuts, and its just a pleasant experience. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. In the waning days of its supermajority, the Republican-dominated North Carolina legislature is attempting to push through legislation, disguised as a hurricane relief bill, in an overt attempt to strip power from the newly-elected Democratic governor and attorney general before they take office next year. Although the legislation is most overtly an attempt to shore up Republican power before the new term, the 132-page bill also includes provisions that would radically restructure the way that elections are run throughout the entire state. These election changes, according to election experts and election administrators, will make it more difficult for election workers to carry out their responsibilities during the next election. Putting aside that there is clearly an effort to bypass the voters, this is a radical restructuring of core election responsibilities in the state, David Becker, the executive director and founder of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research, explained in an interview with TPM. Not just the state board level, at the county board level. Every single county in the state and the state board would see a complete reconfiguration with new personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 382 places a number of new burdens on election officials. For one, it compresses the timeframe for counting of provisional ballots into a short three-day window a process that, under current law, takes ten days to complete. In a letter to lawmakers expressing her concerns about the legislation shared with TPM, Sara LaVere, director of the Brunswick County Board of Elections and President of the North Carolina Association of Directors of Elections, wrote that this new compressed timeline is not feasible for our office and risks compromising the accuracy and thoroughness of our work. To ensure the accuracy of our recommendations to the Board of Elections, our staff needs more time than the proposed three-day window allows, she added. Condensing this process could lead to errors, jeopardizing the integrity of the election and voter confidence in the process. The measure also shortens the window that voters have to cure ballots giving voters until noon on Friday after Election Day to fix their ballots if they made a mistake, instead of the six-day window that the law currently allows for. The bill also compresses the amount of time officials have to count absentee ballots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats just going to put tremendous pressures on election officials and voters, obviously very likely lead to valid votes, not counted, and just significant strains on election offices and their staffs, Becker told TPM. Other state-level election officials have expressed concerns about being left in the dark about the bill, as well. Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections said in a statement on the legislation, shared with TPM: State Board staff were not consulted about this significant piece of legislation that transfers authority of the State Board of Elections and makes substantial administrative changes that may make it impossible for the county boards of elections to adequately ensure every eligible ballot cast is counted, especially in high turnout elections. And, perhaps most notably, the bill gives the newly elected Republican state auditor Dave Boliek, instead of the newly-elected Democratic governor, authority over the states five-member election board. No other state gives the state auditor this type of authority over elections. Its no coincidence that Boliek is the first Republican since 2009 to hold the state auditor position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although current-Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the bill on Tuesday, the legislature, which holds its veto-proof supermajority until December 31, is expected to override the veto before that point. In some ways this situation is not dissimilar to the one that played out with the Republican-controlled Georgia state election board just a few short months before the presidential election. The MAGA-dominated Georgia election board attempted, unsuccessfully, to implement a series of new rules that would have given the board the power to potentially delay election certification and sow seeds of chaos into the election system. The changes that are being proposed in North Carolina, however, have more far-reaching implications, experts told TPM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Georgia was a rainstorm, this is a category five hurricane, Becker said. Becker pointed out that in Georgia, unlike in North Carolina, there was no attempt to bypass the regular legislative process. Not only is SB 382 a clear attempt to bypass the voters, it will also completely reconfigure election administration in every county throughout the state. It is a complete recipe for disaster, Becker said. Cyclone ''Fengal'' is expected to make landfall in the evening, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has advised the fishermen not to venture into the sea due to the high waves and turbulent conditions. Chennai witnessed incessant heavy to moderate rainfall from last night till this morning, which has caused rough sea conditions with strong winds. The government authorities advised the public not to visit beaches in the metropolis, including Marina Beach, Pattinapakkam and Edward Elliot Beach. The tourist spots in Puducherry have been closed as a precautionary measure, owing to the cyclone Fengal. According to the IMD, the cyclone will hit the coastal areas of north Tamil Nadu today evening and a red alert was issued yesterday for various parts of southern states including the south Andhra Pradesh coastal areas. Due to the cyclone Fengal''s impact, many coastal areas witnessed changes in weather with gusty winds and rains. The cyclone ''Fengal'' over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of seven kilometres per hour during the past six hours, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Tamil Nadu''s Chennai. The regional centre further informed that intense rain spells over North Tamil Nadu coastal districts are likely to continue in the coming hours. "The Cyclonic Storm ''FENGAL'' over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 07 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centred at 0230 hours IST of today, the 30th November 2024 over the same region near latitude 11.9N and longitude 81.5E, about 370 km north of Trincomalee, 210 km northeast of Nagappattinam, 180 km east of Puducherry and 190 km southeast of Chennai," the regional meteorological centre posted on X. The cyclone is likely to cross north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coats between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram (near Puducherry), the RMC in Chennai said. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu''s Ranipet district and its surrounding areas have been receiving moderate rainfall since last night. The cold winds have been blowing in Ranipet district since yesterday morning. The Walajapet and various surrounding areas of the Ranipet district have been witnessing continuous moderate rainfall since last night. After warnings issued by the IMD regarding heavy rainfall, a holiday has been declared for 9 districts. Earlier, the Kanchipuram district administration announced a holiday for Saturday in schools and colleges. This order was issued for all educational institutions, including private ones, in the district on November 30. (ANI) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that his country will "invariably support" Russias war in Ukraine during a meeting with Russias defense chief, North Korean state media reported Nov. 30. A Russian military delegation, led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, arrived in North Korea on Nov. 29. The visit has raised international concerns over deepening ties between the two nations, particularly following North Koreas deployment of thousands of troops to Russia last month. The Korean Central News Agency said that Kim and Belousov reached "a satisfactory consensus" on strengthening their strategic partnership and safeguarding each nations sovereignty, security interests, and international justice amid evolving global security challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim emphasized that North Korea "will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists moves for hegemony," according to KCNA. North Korea has framed Russias invasion of Ukraine as a defensive measure against what both Moscow and Pyongyang describe as NATOs "reckless" expansion and U.S.-led efforts to undermine Russias global standing. Read also: North Korea has given Russia more than 100 ballistic missiles, 5 million artillery shells, Ukraine says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. During a meeting with Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged that his country would "invariably support" Russias war against Ukraine. Source: Associated Press with reference to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) Details: A Russian military delegation, led by Belousov, arrived in North Korea on 29 November as cooperation between the two nations intensifies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim and Belousov reached 'a satisfactory consensus' on boosting strategic partnership and defending each countrys sovereignty, security interests and international justice in the face of the rapidly-changing international security environments." Details: Kim stated that North Korea "will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists moves for hegemony". North Korea has supported Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, describing it as a defensive response to what both Moscow and Pyongyang call the "reckless" eastward expansion of NATO and US-led efforts to undermine Russias status as a powerful state. Background: On 11 September, The New York Times reported that Russia had received new Hwasong-11 ballistic missiles from North Korea, which were used for strikes on Kyiv this summer. The Hwasong-11 has a range of about 700 km and can carry either nuclear or conventional warheads. In November, reports emerged that North Korea was significantly expanding a key ballistic missile production facility, supplying weapons used by Russia in its war against Ukraine. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that more than 11,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in Russia's Kursk Oblast and they have already participated in combat against Ukraines defence forces. Support UP or become our patron! SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) Police in North Macedonia have arrested a Macedonian national suspected of intending to join the Russian army and fight in Ukraine, according to the country's Interior Ministry. It is the first case of a Macedonian national facing the specific charge. The man, identified only by his initials as J.K., was arrested late on Friday and the investigative judge has ordered him placed under house arrest for 30 days. The man was charged with participating in a foreign army, police, paramilitary or parapolice formation. If convicted, he faces a minimum 3-year sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ministry said the suspect had been in online contact with a person who had introduced himself as tasked by the Russian army to recruit soldiers for a compensation of 3,000 euros. Willing to join a newly formed detachment, the suspect flew to Moscow in October. When he returned to North Macedonia a week later the suspect was interrogated upon arrival at Skopje airport. Police said he told interrogators that he was to sign a contract for work in the Russian army and be taken to a training camp where he would be trained to fight in Ukraine. Police said they raided the suspects home late on Friday and seized documentation. As a NATO member since 2020, North Macedonia has imposed sanctions on the Russian Federation. The previous leftist government donated military equipment to Ukraine. NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio (WJW) A North Ridgeville City Schools employee was indicted on several charges after she was arrested in early November, accused of stalking a man she used to date. I-TEAM: Suspect detained, weapon recovered, after 2 shot in Parma According to court records in Cuyahoga County, Hannah Freeman was indicted on charges of menacing by stalking, burglary, theft; aggravated theft, theft of drugs and identity fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the Fox 8 I-Team previously reported, a report from Westlake Police showed officers responded to Lee Burneson Middle School around 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 7. A Westlake High School teacher told police that there was a woman in his vehicle at the school who had followed him home the day before and broke into his vehicle. According to the report, when officers arrived on scene, they found Freeman in her own vehicle. She told police that she was invited there by the man who called police. He also reportedly told police he did not invite her and shared details of how the two used to date. According to the report, the man documented multiple incidents of being followed by Freeman at his home and at different properties of the Westlake City School District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Armed suspect, 15, fatally shot by Akron officer Freeman was arrested on a charge of menacing by stalking. Westlake police say they also have a criminal complaint on Freeman by the same man for theft charges. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) Another local government in New Mexico has made it illegal to stand on narrow medians, where speeds and traffic are high. Its really intended to address public safety, said Erin Callahan, Deputy Village Administrator for the Village of Los Lunas. For years, New Mexico has ranked as a state with one of the highest rates of pedestrian-related deaths. Now, with a newly approved ordinance earlier this month, the Village of Los Lunas joins other cities in the state looking to improve that statistic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly before we brought the ordinance to council, we had a fatal pedestrian-related accident on one of our main roads, Callahan said. The ordinance now makes it illegal to stand on medians for an extended period that are less than 4 feet in diameter and on streets that have speeds greater than 30 mph. The ordinance also allows authorities to enforce the new law. In the past, officers could only request a person to leave the median. There are some medians in the village that, due to their narrow width and volume of traffic thats going past themtheyre really just not safe, Callahan explained. Village leaders said authorities will now give a warning for the first infraction. That penalty changes to a $25 fine for the second violation, $50 for the third, and $50-$100 for the time after that. It would be up to the officer to decide if the person has stayed on the median for too long. However, there are exceptions. Such as someone making repairs to their vehicle, if someone stops due to an injury, or is legally crossing but stops for a short time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is intended to address public safety, and it is not intended as a limitation on any First Amendment, Callahan added. We tried to make sure that we could come up with any legitimate reason that someone has to be on a median or a short amount of time. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Vyacheslav Prokofyev / Pool / AFP / Getty Images It may be "innocently" called Oreshnik "hazel tree" but the Kremlin's latest hypersonic ballistic missile is "one of its most dangerous", said James Kilner in The Daily Telegraph. Russian forces test-fired it for the first time in combat last Thursday. It flew from Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea at more than ten times the speed of sound to hit targets in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, where its multiple warheads rained down "in deadly synchronisation". Coming days after Ukraine's forces had fired American and British missiles into Russian territory for the first time, the Oreshnik was a warning, specifically to Britain. Vladimir Putin boasted that the missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, had been designed for a "decisive" strike on the UK. He warned that Russia's enemies should "seriously think" about their actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is how big wars start," said Simon Jenkins in The Guardian. Nato nations are "playing with fire" by recklessly escalating the conflict. The exact circumstances in which Putin would use nuclear weapons are impossible to gauge. But calling his bluff is unwise: he is "an isolated dictator devoid of scruple and subject to unpredictable moods". Don't be fooled, said Dominic Lawson in The Sunday Times. "We have been here before, many, many times." The Centre for Strategic and International Studies calculates that Russian officials have threatened to use nuclear weapons more than 200 times since the invasion started in February 2022. The West has crossed a series of "red lines" since then supplying arms, tanks, missiles, fighter jets without incident. In late 2022, Washington did believe the Kremlin was seriously considering using battlefield nuclear weapons, when Russia was suffering major defeats in Kharkiv. The CIA director, William Burns, was sent to explain to Vladimir Putin how the US would respond. China also stepped in and Putin duly backed down. The risk may be small, said Christopher McCallion and Ben Friedman on UnHerd, but even the low probability of a nuclear war should surely "be given a wide berth". Besides, while the dangers of using Western missiles against Russia are large, "the security pay-off is tiny". They will do little to turn the tide of the war. So why are we taking the chance? "Like many Russia-watchers", I believe the nuclear threats are empty "bluster", said Edward Lucas in the Daily Mail. But Britain is already under attack: there have been mysterious blazes in factories and military installations, and devastating cyberattacks on hospitals. "This will now escalate." It's worth remembering that it's not the West escalating this war, said James Nixey in The Guardian. Nato nations have been cautious, "drip-feeding" just enough weapons to keep Ukrainian efforts alive. It's Russia that is escalating: pulverising civilian targets in Ukraine, deploying Iranian drones and North Korean troops. If the West had responded forcefully long ago, "fewer Ukrainians would have died". NEW YORK (PIX11) Over 200,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since the spring of 2022. President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a platform that included the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. Now, New York City Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Ken Genalo joins PIX on Politics to discuss the latest developments with the migrant crisis. Watch the video player for the full interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. An Adams administration staffer whose mission includes fostering unity and bridging cultural divides, is under fire for ripping down an Israeli hostage poster and then allegedly assaulting an outraged eyewitness, The Post has learned. Nallah Sutherland, a special event coordinator for the Mayors Office of Special Projects and Community Events, was spotted earlier this month tearing down the poster from an Upper East Side light pole, ripping it up and dumping it in a trash bin, according to video posted online by the social media platform Jews of NY and nonprofit StopAntisemetism. Its an appalling act of antisemitism, said the nonprofits founder Liora Rez, who demanded Adams immediately fire Sutherland. Nallah Sutherland, a special event coordinator for the NYC Mayors Office of Special Projects and Community Events, is under fire for ripping down an Israeli hostage poster in Manhattan on Nov. 2 and then allegedly assaulting the person filming her doing it. instagram @stop_antisemitism But Sutherland, 25, only got a slap on the wrist by her bosses who merely required her to take multicultural training and added a disciplinary note to her permanent work file, a City Hall source told The Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Footage of the Nov. 2 incident at the corner of York Ave and East 84th Street begins with Sutherland tearing off the poster and tossing it in the trash. Is there a reason youre taking those down? asks an eyewitness about the poster, part of a public art campaign to raise awareness of Israeli and American hostages taken captive by Hamas during its Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack on the Jewish state. Sutherland, 25, only got a slap on the wrist by her bosses after they learned she ripped down the Israeli poster. She was merely required her to take multicultural training and had a disciplinary note added to her permanent work file, a City Hall source told The Post. instagram @stop_antisemitism Those were hostages. They were taken by terrorists, adds the eyewitness, according to the 20-second clip he recorded. Sutherland then walks toward the man and swipes his phone with her right hand, briefly knocking it out of focus, the video shows. Sutherland walks away after being accused of assaulting man filming her with smart phone. instagram @stop_antisemitism Thats assault actually. You know that, right? the man responds to Sutherland, who smirks and walks away, the video shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sutherland began working for Adams a staunch Israel supporter in 2023. She earns $61,135-a-year helping plan celebrations he hosts at Gracie Mansion and at other sites to honor the diverse citys many ethnic groups, records show. Shes part of a team whose job is to bridge cultural divides and support key city initiatives that help provide a source of strength, unity, and resilience to New Yorkers across all communities within the five boroughs and beyond, according to her offices website. Liora Rez, founder of the nonprofit StopAntisemitism, called Sutherlands actions an appalling act of antisemitism and demanded she be fired. Courtesy of Liora Rez Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May, the office organized a Jewish heritage celebration hosted by Adams at Gracie Mansion. The guest speakers included Shoshan Haran, who along with her daughter and two grandchildren, were taken hostage by Hamas and released 50 days later. Its extremely hypocritical that someone who supports the murder of anyone still has a job, much less in a department that plays a vital role in our citys diversity efforts despite the fact that she cannot tolerate innocent Jews who were kidnapped by Hamas, said Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (R-Brooklyn) after being told about Sutherlands action. Decisive action must be taken to purge this disgusting pro-jihadist sentiment from city government once and for all, added Vernikov, who is Jewish. The eyewitness, who is Jewish and didnt report the incident to authorities, wants to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution considering antisemitism cases are soaring statewide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a sad state of affairs when the victim doesnt have trust in the NYPD or soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to properly investigate hate crimes, said Rez. Theres no trust in the authorities to keep the victim safe. Yoav Davis, an activist and founder of Jews of NY, was stunned that Sutherland is keeping her job. Limor Garfinkle City Hall first leaned about the incident weeks ago when a tipster recognized Sutherland after watching the video posted on StopAntisemitisms social media accounts, said a source. The same multicultural training Sutherland received will also now be mandatory for all Mayors Office of Special Projects and Community Events staff to prevent similar hateful behavior in the future, said the City Hall source. Sutherland is a junior staffer who doesnt directly communicate with Adams as part of her duties, added the source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Adams has been clear that hate has no place in our city, and the same if not higher standard should be held for our citys more than 300,000 employees, the Mayors Office said. That is why disciplinary action was taken immediately after learning about this incident a few weeks ago. Sutherland did not return messages. Yoav Davis, an activist and founder of Jews of NY, was stunned that Sutherland is keeping her job. It is especially disturbing to learn that an individual employed by the mayors office particularly in a position meant to celebrate the citys diversity is directly connected to this culture of hate, he said. Additional reporting by Khristina Narizhnaya. During his visit, he will attend key events in Doimukh and Itanagar. According to the Vice President's Secretariat, during his visit, the Vice-President will be the Chief Guest at the 22nd Convocation Ceremony of the Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh. The Vice-President will also address the Special Assembly Session of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly at Itanagar during his visit. Earlier on November 26, Vice President Dhankhar attended 64th convocation of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) at AIIMS Jodhpur. Addressing the convocation, Dhankar highlighted the direct relation between the health of an individual, the productivity of the individual, and the overall health of the society during an event at AIIMS Jodhpur. "Health is paramount and a priority concern, as good health is not only necessary for an individual, not for our pursuits, but for the good health of the society," he said. "That broadly is also your theme. Friends, having good health is directly related to your productivity, as I said. If you are not healthy, your productivity will not be optimal. Rather than helping others, you might be seeking other's help," he further said. Dhankhar expressed concern over the commercialisation and ethical dilution in the medical profession. The Vice President urged the industry leaders to support the manufacturing of medical equipment in India. (ANI) Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host who has been named as President-elect Donald Trumps choice for defense secretary, is facing fresh controversy this week after The New York Times published a 2018 email in which his mother accused him of being an abuser of women. According to the Times, Hegseths mother, Penelope Hegseth, sent the email in April 2018, three months before his divorce decree was issued. In the email, she expressed dismay at her sons treatment of his then-wife, Samantha Hegseth, calling his behavior despicable and abusive and telling him to get some help and take an honest look at yourself. She wrote: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You are an abuser of women that is the ugly truth and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth. I am not a saint, far from it.. so dont throw that in my face,. but your abuse over the years to women (dishonesty, sleeping around, betrayal, debasing, belittling) needs to be called out. ... Its time for someone (I wish it was a strong man) to stand up to your abusive behavior and call it out, especially against women. The Times said it obtained a copy of the email from someone with ties to the Hegseth family. Penelope Hegseth told the news outlet that she sent the email in anger during her sons divorce and that she immediately followed up with another email to apologize. She also disavowed her first email, saying her accusations are not true and that her son is a good father, husband. Hegseth did not immediately provide the Times with a copy of the follow-up email. (Neither MSNBC nor NBC News has obtained a copy of either email.) Pete Hegseths lawyer declined to comment, but Trumps transition team provided a statement, saying it was shameful but not surprising that the NYT is publishing a story about one out of context snippet from an illegally obtained private conversation between a mother and her son. The report about his mothers scathing rebuke adds another layer of controversy to Pete Hegseths expected nomination for secretary of defense. His lack of experience in a prominent leadership role among other reasons has raised alarm among Democrats. Since Trump announced Hegseth as his pick, the former Fox News hosts history of controversial comments has resurfaced, and a 2017 sexual assault investigation against him has come to light. (No charges were filed against Hegseth in the investigation, and he has maintained that the encounter was consensual.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseths confirmation will likely come down to Senate Republicans, who have a slim majority in the next Congress. Although several of them have expressed somewhat half-hearted support for Hegseth, his confirmation appears far from certain. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com CHICAGO An Oak Park police detective was killed Friday morning by a gunman who was seen leaving a bank, marking the first killing of an officer in the line of duty in the near west suburb in 86 years, officials said. Detective Allan Reddins, a five-year veteran of the department, was shot in his left side shortly after 9 a.m. while responding to a call of a person armed with a gun who was seen leaving a Chase Bank branch, according to Oak Park police Chief Shatonya Johnson. Johnson said Reddins along with several other responding officers ordered the suspect to show his hands, but he instead brandished a firearm and opened fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reddins, 40, was transported to Loyola University Medical Center in critical condition and died of his injuries at approximately 10:10 a.m., Johnson said. Were hurting right now, Johnson said at a news conference Friday evening. Im hurting. His family is hurting. The suspect was shot in the leg during the confrontation and was treated at the scene before being transported to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was in custody Friday night, police said. Johnson said the investigation was ongoing and she did not take any questions about what led up to the shooting. Asked for more details about the alleged gunman, Johnson said she didnt want to give him any more air time on the news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reddins, of Chicago, joined the Oak Park force in 2019 after a stint with Metra police and quickly established himself as a natural leader, Johnson said. He was promoted to investigations in 2022 and closed several substantial cases in his time as a detective, she said. He would always take the extra step to say what else, and that is huge, the chief said. I thought he would make a phenomenal field training officer as well, and was looking forward to him becoming a sergeant. Reddins was a devoted family man and leaves behind his mother and siblings and a 19-year-old son, Johnson said. We had so many conversations about his mother, said Johnson, who described Reddins son as a bright young man with a bright future ahead of him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reddins death marks the first line of duty death for the Oak Park Police Department since 1938. She said the 86-member force was in mourning. We have a very close-knit police department, Johnson said, adding that many officers who were home celebrating the holiday came in to offer help, and a sergeant was able to pick Reddins mother up and drive her to the hospital. He had a whole community there at the hospital, Johnson said. We wrap our arms around each other. This is the worst day for any chief of police. Johnson also said shed heard from leaders of other departments around the area, offering assistance and condolences, including Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling. Funeral information will be posted on the Oak Park village website, Johnson said. Nov. 29Seeing the need for respiratory therapists in the community, Odessa College is preparing to revive its respiratory therapy program starting in August 2025. Pending accreditation approval, OC will start its first class in August 2025. Students who want to enroll will be required to complete pre-requisite courses. Students will be in the program for two years and be based in Odessa, serving counties in the West Texas region. Graduates will be eligible for national credentials and State of Texas Respiratory Care Practitioner licensing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The respiratory care program is pending national and programmatic accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). Tiffany Gomez, director of clinical education, is heading the program. The program director is Robert Vega. Gomez came on board about a month ago. OC had a respiratory care program some years ago, but it closed. But Medical Center Hospital and Odessa College came to an agreement that a program was needed again. "We oversee the students as they progress through the program and how to become practitioners in the clinical setting," Gomez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program is meant to teach them about all the equipment and patient care. Students will be able to hone their skills at the Medical Center Health System Simulation Hospital in the Wood Health Sciences Building. "We expose them to the practice, basically by training them in the classroom and at the hospital as well. We also have our lab simulations here to prepare them before we even step foot in the hospital. We want to make sure that they can perform procedures on mannequins ... and are comfortable with that, before they actually go perform on a real human. We want to get all the butterflies out of them, all the jitters and make sure that they're confident when they walk in there because the patient is scared when you say the word student." Applications will open in May, but Gomez said they are conducting interviews for potential students interested to the program. The idea is to give students a roadmap of the prerequisites and what to expect from the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first year, they plan to take 15 students. Once they get through the first year, Gomez said maybe they will grow by two each year. She added that they want to have slow growth to ensure that the program has a high pass rate and a good success rate. They also want to make sure that the curriculum is built and developed so all students can be successful and pass the national exam. They will have a state license wherever they live, but the exam is national. "We are doing Zoom meetings. ... Our advisors are doing a very good job at reaching out to some of the health science students that are taking basic courses and exposing them to the fact that we have a new program so that they can start thinking about if they want to do health care ... Not very many people know about respiratory (care). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They understand that there's asthma and they understand that there's COPD, but they don't really understand that there's one person that is focused on treating that. There's nursing, but nursing can help with asthma, or nursing can help manage someone who's smoking, but they're not specialists in the lungs. They consider our profession a specialty, because we do focus so much on just the lungs," Gomez said. Respiratory care is focused more on cardiopulmonary heart and lungs together. Students will learn how to diagnose and assist pulmonologists. "No one really knew about the career up until COVID. Once COVID came it exploded and that was because there was such a great shortage and a need for respiratory," Gomez said. Starting out, it will just be Gomez and Vega, but they will expand to clinic instructors to monitor students. There will be nine clinical sites, Gomez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's going to be a very competitive program to enter," she added. Gomez got her prerequisites at Odessa College. She was going for nursing, but realized it wasn't for her. She still wanted to be in health care, though. At the time, she had a family member in a respiratory care program at Midland College. Her family member told Gomez about what she was learning and Gomez thought it was interesting. Gomez applied and was accepted. The next day, she was performing CPR on a mannequin. "I was terrified, because I thought to myself, this is just too much. This is too intense. Second day was class, and I'm on this mannequin giving it breaths ... After that, I realized I wasn't afraid. I was actually more intrigued, you know, and so it just kept going. As the program continued, I was learning more and more, and I just enjoyed every bit of it," Gomez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She started at Midland Memorial Hospital as a respiratory therapist and was there for six years. While she was there, she went back to school for a bachelor's degree in organizational management (from Midland College). "I also worked at Encompass rehab, because I wanted a different feel for not just critical care. Then during COVID, I transitioned to Medical Center for a little while, got exposed to that hospital, and then went back to school for my master's at UTPB and I did my master's in business administration with the certification of public health from UT Houston, Health Houston," Gomez said. She did that because she knew at some point she would want to be at the administrative level. Gomez figured that if that didn't work out, she could transition to something else. "But I kept the certification in public health because it was also interesting to me, because it really incorporates the diseases in your community, how people eat, your expectancy of life, depending on your race, you really learn about that. Being a respiratory therapist, I could use that knowledge when I'm teaching my patients about not smoking, not vaping, about how diabetes can affect different things, just really more knowledge to help understand the profession and the disease process that they go through with things like lung cancer, or a lot of the genetic diseases," Gomez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She's also planning to get a doctorate from Abilene Christian University, possibly in educational leadership with a focus on healthcare education. Gomez said she is glad to be helping to restart the respiratory care program. "I'm very grateful, first of all, because I feel like this is an opportunity that not everyone gets, especially because a lot of the programs are already established, and they've been established for years. ... But I also feel that it's a lot of responsibility. There are a lot of eyes looking at me; a lot of pressure as far as the success of the program; our curriculum; seeing how the students respond to it, and how their test scores come about," she said. Two Ohio police officers are on paid administrative leave after one of them shot and killed a 15-year-old boy they say was armed with a loaded gun Thanksgiving night, according to our CBS affiliate WOIO-19. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The shooting occurred at East Avenue and Vernon Odom Boulevard in Akron after 11 p.m. on Thursday. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Akron police, two officers were sitting in a marked cruiser working on a report when they heard gunshots. The officers got out of the cruiser to investigate and saw the teenager who allegedly had a loaded gun, according to a previous News Center 7 report. WOIO-19 reports that the Summit County Medical Examiner identified the teen as Jazmir Tucker of Maple Heights. One of the officers fired their weapon and hit Tucker. This officer is a 5-year veteran of the department, police said. Officers administered first aid until medics arrived and took him to a hospital, where he later died. Akron Mayor Shammas Malik issued a statement about the shooting that killed Tucker, according to WOIO-19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, November 28th, shortly after 11pm, an officer involved shooting occurred here in Akron which has left 15-year-old Jazmir Tucker deceased. Every loss of life is a tragedy, and to lose a young life is heartbreaking. My condolences are with Jazmirs loved ones tonight. My thoughts are also with our Akron police officers and their families. There is currently limited information available as the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) will conduct an independent investigation. I believe the BCI investigation will provide a full understanding of the incident. I ask our community to reserve judgment until more facts are shared, knowing that it is a difficult thing to ask in situations like this. The city will be releasing body worn camera footage within the next week in order to provide transparency into this incident. Shammas Malik, Mayor of Akron The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is investigating this officer-involved shooting. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be submitted to the Ohio Attorney Generals Office before the Summit County Grand Jury. The Office of Professional Standards and Accountability will conduct a separate internal investigation, according to Akron police. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Officers arrested a possible DUI and stolen vehicle suspect following a Friday evening pursuit in Los Angeles, police confirmed to KTLA. According to the Simi Valley Police Department, an officer started following the car around 7:45 p.m. when they suspected the driver was operating the vehicle under the influence. While following the car, police confirmed that it was a stolen vehicle out of San Diego. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer who was following the car tried to pull it over, but the driver took off, initiating the pursuit. The chase moved onto a nearby freeway, and the Los Angeles Police Department soon assisted with an airship. LAPD continued to follow the car, eventually making its way into the West Hollywood area. Officers in pursuit of a possible DUI suspect, believed to be driving a black Chevy Camaro in Los Angeles. November 2024. (KTLA) A possible DUI suspect and their passenger are seen running through residences in East Hollywood after foot bailing from a car chase. November 2024. (KTLA) A possible DUI suspect and their passenger are seen running through residences in East Hollywood after foot bailing from a car chase. November 2024. (KTLA) A possible DUI and stolen car suspect is seen running through residences in East Hollywood after foot bailing from a car chase. November 2024. (KTLA) A possible DUI and stolen car suspect is seen running through residences in East Hollywood after foot bailing from a car chase. November 2024. (KTLA) Details are limited, but the suspect was believed to be driving a black Chevy Camaro southbound on the 101 Freeway before they exited in Silver Lake just after 8 p.m. The driver and passenger ran out of the car at around 8:15 p.m. and fled in separate directions. An LAPD airship stayed overhead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say one suspect, the passenger, was detained almost immediately. The driver went into the backyard of a residence after Sky5 observed them throw what looked like a cell phone over the fence into another yard. Police say the driver was later detained following a brief search in the area of Edgemont Street and Melrose Avenue in East Hollywood. Initial reports said the driver was eventually found hiding in a dumpster, but police did not immediately confirm this detail. Police did say that there was suspicion that the two subjects were burglary suspects, as Simi Valley had a residential burglary shortly before the pursuit, but so far there is no connection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simi Valley Police did not immediately reveal the identity of either suspect. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. An Ohio man was arrested after allegedly attacking a pregnant woman and forcing her to stay in a bedroom, according to our CBS affiliate WTOL-11 TV. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Luis Bahena, 29, of Toledo, was arrested at a house in the 2600 block of Idaho Street Wednesday morning. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police responded to the house after the victims family members reported that she was being held against her will, according to the police report. Upon arrival, offers were not able to get the victim to come to the door, so they forced entry and arrested Bahena. WTOL-11 reports that police said Bahena forced the victim to stay in the bedroom when he was not home. He is also accused of placing a camera in the bedroom to monitor her. The arrest document indicates that Bahena allegedly attacked the victim with a belt, leaving visible injuries. Police described the houses conditions as uninhabitable in the report, adding that there was no running water. Three small children were found inside, according to WTOL-11. Bahena is facing abduction and domestic violence charges. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) Officials with the Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office announced on Friday that one person has been arrested and two more are wanted following the conclusion of a financial review that found alleged misconduct from former employees. According to the OPSO, the former employees are suspected of separate schemes to defraud the sheriffs office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two dead, one critically injured in Lafourche parish crash The man, who was fired before being arrested, has been identified as Kenneth Aaron Lawson. He is accused of creating a fake business called Williams James Assoc. LLC, to misappropriate more than $75,000 in federal grant funds for personal use. Kenneth Aaron Lawson (Courtesy: Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office) Lawson was arrested on Nov. 29 and has been booked into the Orleans Justice Center on felony charges that include theft, bank fraud, government benefits fraud and public contract fraud. The OPSO is reportedly also investigating a separate instance that involves the misappropriation of over $90,000 from the OPSO Inmate Trust Fund. Its believed that the scheme was achieved by falsifying journal entries and issuing unauthorized check disbursements to conceal cash discrepancies in former resident inmate accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The individuals involved in the second incident face felony charges that include theft more than $25,000, monetary instrument abuse, obstruction of justice, injuring and filing false public records, malfeasance in office and public contract fraud. Seat Belts Look Good On You! campaign promoting safe driving for Bayou Classic This investigation is reportedly part of the OPSO making efforts to strengthen its financial oversight. Steps that have been made in this effort include the implementation of a cashless system, partnership with banking institutions, updated authorization and verification procedures, segregation of employee duties and plans for improved automation through technology. The OPSOs Commercial Crime Insurance will reportedly also reimburse any former jail residents who were impacted by the financial crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Findings from the ongoing investigations will be shared with the public. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) One person is in critical condition after a shooting early Saturday morning in the Far West side of Columbus. A police dispatcher said officers went to the 5200 block of Turnbury Creek Lane near Hilliard around 1:30 a.m. after reports of a shooting. One person was found with a gunshot wound and taken to a hospital in critical condition. Crash with semi, multiple cars briefly shuts I-270 south down Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No further details are known at this time. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. A person has died after being shot on board a Green Line light rail train in St. Paul Friday evening. Metro Transit PD says that the shooting was reported around 8:30 p.m. on a westbound Green Line train as it approached Hamline Avenue Station. When officers arrived at the station, they found the victim a male suffering from gunshot wounds. Photo by Tony Webster via Flickr. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he then died. No other injuries have been reported, and police are "actively searching" for a suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting is being investigated by Metro Transit PD, with help from St. Paul PD and the Minnesota BCA. Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcements latest version of events, and may be subject to change. The two people were allegedly waiting for another operative near the Gharinda area of Amritsar district, to be handed over the weapon consignment, when the counterintelligence unit apprehended them. The officials seized eight weapons from the accused. "In a major blow to illegal arms smuggling networks, Counter Intelligence, Amritsar apprehends 2 persons from Nurpur Padhri, near Gharinda, Amritsar while they were waiting for another operative to handover the weapon consignment smuggled from Pakistan," Punjab's Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav said in a post on X. The officials recovered four Glock Pistols (Austrian made), two 9mm Pistols (Turkish Made) two 2 X-Shot Zigana .30 bore pistols, and 10 rounds of ammunition. The police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Arms Act. Further investigation into the matter is ongoing to establish any further potential links. "FIR under Arms Act registered at State Special Operations Cell (#SSOC), Amritsar and Investigations on-going to establish backward & forward linkages," the post by the Punjab DIG said. Punjab Police also reiterated their commitment to dismantling the network of organised crime and ensuring public safety. (ANI) UPDATE 12.2.2024 Authorities have identified the victim as, Timothy Emmanuel Brown. According to police, Brown arrived at the residence and was confronted by occupants once they exited the home. One of those occupants police confirm was 21-year-old Ladarius Crutchfield who fired rounds at Brown during the altercation. Brown was struck by the gunfire and transported to an area hospital where he died, according to police. 21-year-old Ladarius Crutchfield, Image courtesy Oklahoma Police Department Authorities confirm the investigation is in the early stages. Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Tip-Line at 405/297-1200. ORIGINAL STORY OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) One person is dead and another is in custody after a Thanksgiving gathering took a violent turn in southeast Oklahoma City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just after 2 a.m., Oklahoma City Police responded to call about someone shooting into a home near Southeast 44th Street and Sunnylane Road. When officers arrived, they found one victim who had been shot. The victim was taken to the hospital and later died. Investigators spent the day collecting evidence, speaking to witnesses at the home and escorting others downtown to police headquarters downtown. Police say one person has been arrested in connection to the shooting. Their identity has not been released, but police say they were born in 2000. OKCPD says more arrests could follow as the investigation continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mom recounts moments son was shot and killed followed by manhunt for suspect Its just kind of scary because things happen around here. My daughter is afraid for me to live over here, but really that much hasnt happened since Ive been living here, said Shelby Nuckols, a neighbor. As for the motive, its still unclear. Police say around a dozen people were at the home for the gathering, another group arrived that wasnt invited and what happened next, ended in gunfire. OKCPD believes this was an isolated event and that there is no threat to the public. Additional information is expected to be released on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nov. 29Santa Fe and New Mexico State Police officers used K-9s and drones to search for three suspects accused of an armed robbery at a south-side Speedway on Thanksgiving Day. They arrested a man and a woman Thursday after the truck they were traveling in crashed into another vehicle and a home, but one suspect remained at large Friday, Santa Fe police said in a news release. Miriah King, 24, and Geronimo Vigil, 37, who were both arrested, face several charges in the incident late Thursday morning at a Speedway gas station on Rodeo Road, near the intersection with Richards Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vigil is charged with robbery, aggravated assault, reckless driving, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and resisting arrest, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court. King faces charges of robbery and resisting arrest. They were both booked into the Santa Fe County jail Thursday evening. Officers were dispatched to the Speedway around 11 a.m. Thursday in response to a panic alarm, according to the news release. They were told a man wearing a mask had robbed the store at gunpoint and drove off in a Dodge Ram. Police began searching for the pickup. An officer attempted to pull over a truck on Beckner Road, but the driver did not stop, according to the news release. Police chased the truck across the city's south side, as the driver headed into oncoming traffic and eventually crashed into a parked vehicle and a home on Dail Circle off Calle Po Ae Pi, the release states. After the truck crashed, three people got out and ran off, police said. After a search using dogs and drones with the help of state police, they found King and Vigil, the release states. Police have not identified another man they believe fled from the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police alleged surveillance video provided by Speedway confirmed Vigil was the man who had robbed the store at gunpoint. Court records detailing the circumstances of the robbery were not publicly available online Friday. It is unclear how much cash the two are accused of stealing and whether it was recovered. Vigil faces previous charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles, aggravated fleeing from police and resisting arrest from a grand jury indictment filed in September. He was arrested on those charges in July and was released after a judge's ruling in August against prosecutors' motion seeking to keep him detained until his trial. King, whose address is in Albuquerque, faced a charge of residential burglary in 2021 in Bernalillo County, but the charge was dismissed by prosecutors. Police ask anyone with more information about the third suspect to call detectives at 505-428-3710. For an Ontario bride-to-be, the Canada Post strike means no wedding flowers on her big day. Katherine Edwards, a resident of Midland, Ont., is set to get married on Dec. 7, but may have to do so without the main decor she'd planned for her wedding. That's because the artificial flowers she ordered are stuck in the mail due to the national postal strike. Some 55,000 postal workers, represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), have been on strike since Nov. 15. The union has said it is asking for fair wages, improved working conditions, the right to retire with dignity, and expansion of services at the post office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview on Friday, Edwards said she ordered the flowers from a Virginia-based seller on the e-commerce platform Etsy months ago. "They were the ones my mom had picked out before she passed away so they were very important to me. That's why I had ordered them so soon," Edwards said. "It was my way of having her there with me." The flowers were due to arrive on Nov. 13 before the strike started, Edwards said. They appear to have been sent to a Canada Post processing facility in Barrie but have not moved since, she added. Edwards said she works in Barrie and her workplace is a five-minute drive from the facility, but she has been told she cannot pick them up. If the flowers are delivered after the strike ends, they will be of no use, she said. wedding bouquet 2 Edwards said she ordered these flowers from a Virginia-based seller on the e-commerce platform Etsy months ago. Her mom helped choose the flowers before she died, she said. (Etsy/LushDesignFlowers) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edwards told CBC News she contacted Canada Post on Instagram chat, but was told it couldn't do anything for her and it ended the chat. She said she went to a Canada Post outlet in a Shoppers Drug Mart, but was again told that nothing could be done. Edwards said she has called Canada Post customer relations repeatedly to try to get her flowers but to no avail. She said she's been told that parcels need to be sorted before they are delivered. Now, whoever answers just hangs up on her, she said. She was also told there are no pickup locations available, she said. 'We did what we had to do': workers' union Mark Lubinski, president of CUPW's Toronto local, said the union had no choice but to strike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lubinski said while people are waiting for important parcels that contain such things as passports or wedding flowers, union members are fighting for job security and fair wages. He said members need a living wage and are living paycheque to paycheque. "We are very empathetic to our customers that have mail stuck in the postal system, but it's something that Canada Post is responsible for," he said. Canada Post workers hold a rally at a Scarborough mail facility on Nov. 25, 2024. Canada Post workers hold a rally at a Scarborough mail facility on Nov. 25, 2024. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) Lubinski said Canada Post is not negotiating at the bargaining table. "We belong to a union and we had the right to strike and we went on strike. We were given no choice," he said. "We did what we had to do." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that picking up a parcel at a processing facility would involve crossing the picket line and it's something that is not allowed. Canada Post itself has shut down operations, he said. "It's just not possible to go to your postal station, your postal plant, to pick up the mail. There's no one inside there." Canada Post says it 'sympathizes' with situation Valerie Chartrand, spokesperson for Canada Post, said in an email on Friday that the corporation understands Edwards's plight. "This is a difficult situation and we sympathize, but unfortunately CUPW's decision to launch a national strike means we're not able to process or deliver items," Chartrand said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any mail and parcels have been "secured" and will be delivered on a "first-in, first-out" basis when operations resume, she added. "However, the national strike will continue to impact service to Canadians well after the strike activity ends." Chartrand said the corporation is "considering its options to move negotiations forward with greater urgency and remains committed to negotiating new collective agreements." Meanwhile, Edwards says while the lack of flowers won't ruin her wedding, they were going to be a big part of it. "I'm not going to have my bouquet. My soon-to-be husband is not going to have his boutonniere," she said. "I get that they are a corporation and I'm just one person, but you'd think they would have a little heart and try to at least help." Denzel Washington, who steals the show in "Gladiator II" with his depiction of Macrinus, a gladiator-turned-arms and slave trader with political aspirations, has always been at his best when hes playing characters who wrestle with moral questions and personal shortcomings. Weve seen it in movies like He Got Game (1998), Malcolm X (1992), The Hurricane (1999) and Fences (2016). He won the Oscar for best actor for playing the equally righteous and sadistic LAPD Detective Alonzo Harris in Training Day (2001). Throughout a career spanning 50 movies, Washington shines in roles like Macrinus, in which he makes it hard for viewers to figure out whether hes a good guy were supposed to be cheering or a bad guy were supposed to condemn. Perhaps hes drawn to these roles because he knows that when he was growing up in Mount Vernon, New York, it would have been hard for people who saw him to figure out whether he was a good guy or bad guy, a hero or a villain. Washington describes for Ryan DAgostino at Esquire a story of his life that includes sweet boyhood experiences like playing live music with friends, mimicking the walks of older neighborhood boys and excitedly watching the construction of a Boys Club (now a Boys & Girls Club) and then joining it. But there are darker moments, too, like running for shelter when a friends brother is about to commit a murder and Washingtons dealing drugs and shooting up himself. Despite testing well in school, Washington tells DAgostino, I had one foot in the streets. I cant remember if I was already selling drugs at that point. (Yeahhh, well ... sometimes you do what youre around.) Then, referring to his friends who would eventually serve decades in prison, Washington says: I was doing everything Frank and Mitch were doing. Throwing rocks at the penitentiary, as they call it. I was throwing rocks at the penitentiary at thirteen. I stopped going to school much, so they sat down with my mother, said, Look, you need to get him out. Said I showed potential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washingtons first-person account of his childhood is reminiscent of James Baldwins Letter From a Region of My Mind, in which he describes fearing a future life of crime that he could see more clearly than any other. Things could have spiraled for Washington like they did for his closest friends if his mother hadnt sent him away to what he calls a little private, semi-military school in upstate New York. One of the biggest takeaways from Washingtons interview is that there is more to him than meets the eye. He plays heroes but insists he isnt one. It follows, then, that he can play bad guys convincingly but hes not a bad guy even if hes done things that would get him labeled as bad throughout his life. As Macrinus, Washington delivers his lines and flashes that smile as only he can, playing a character who we know from the beginning is sketchy. But Macrinus disdain for the bloodthirsty regime that held him as a slave is somewhat noble. In portraying the villain with redeeming qualities, Washington blurs the line between what counts as virtue and what counts as vice. Again, Washington excels at portraying these sorts of characters who cannot be painted with too broad a stroke, ones who are basically honorable but fall short or ones who are mostly bad but show flashes of heroism. Even in the darkest stories, he told the magazine, Im looking for the light. The writer Reginald Dwayne Betts has argued that his life and, indeed, nobodys life should be reduced to his criminal record and incarceration. We can see that Washington feels the same way in the way he talks about his boyhood friends and associates. However long and menacing their rap sheets, their brushes with the law still tell only partial stories about who they are. One lesson from Gladiator II is that when faced with grim circumstances or immense threat, or when filled with vengeful rage or tempted by great wealth or power, many of us might find our morals lacking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was in Mount Vernon not long ago and I ran into Frank, Washington tells the magazine. No kidding. Somebody yelled over to me, Yo, D, you know Frank lives right here? Look, I got a picture of the two of uswere the same age but it doesnt look like it. Look at that broken body of his. ... I always take care of Frank. He knows when he sees me, I hit him off. He didnt have a chance, man. Washington recognizes that despite getting into armed robbery and all kinds of stuff, Frank served his time and is as deserving of friendship and care as anyone else. Frank, who Washington says didn't have a mother or father and was staying with another friend, didnt have much of a chance, but Washington did. He found his way to acting through the Boys Club and eventually threw himself into the craft at Fordham University. Even as his career took off, he explains, he was at times consumed with bitterness, drinking too much and not always present at home. Thats not the Denzel Washington his fans have imagined him to be, but it is the Denzel Washington whose internal complexities and vices have allowed him to breathe life into the characters we love. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com This article was originally published in Idaho Capital Sun. In the last four years, more than 500 young people from every region of Idaho have enrolled in and many completed Federally Registered Apprenticeships for occupations as varied as teachers aide, welder, personal trainer and medical assistant. Idaho Business for Educations Youth Apprenticeship Program has been a key player in helping employers, school districts, training providers and young people from 16 to 24 years of age expand opportunities to grow Idahos workforce through apprenticeship. Education is at a Crossroads: Help Us Illuminate the Path Forward. Donate to The 74 In Idaho, we are hoping to increase the percentage of high school graduates who go on to some form of higher education (including the military). Although apprenticeship is not explicitly included in this goal, it can be a life-changing alternative to young people looking for innovative ways to enter meaningful careers that pay well and provide challenge and opportunity. And it often includes more traditional training that is very much a part of the states go on effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Indiana Banking Apprenticeships and Academy to Break the Mold for U.S. Training During National Apprenticeship Week (Nov. 17-23) Idaho Business for Education wants to recognize and celebrate entering its fifth year of supporting youth apprenticeship. It started in 2020 when IBE and the Idaho Workforce Development Council were awarded a four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to establish, grow, support and sustain youth apprenticeship. It continues with a new grant from the IWDC to expand this work through 2026. Why are IBE and IWDC so passionate about youth apprenticeship? Apprenticeship has a proven track record of helping workers and employers by providing on-the-job training, classroom-type instruction, mentorship, and a clear career path. Apprenticeship helps businesses (and nonprofit employers) attract and retain top talent at a time when the labor market is more competitive than ever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Apprenticeship creates partnerships between schools and employers, connecting students as young as 16 to real jobs that lead to meaningful careers. Our grant provides eligible youth apprentices up to $750 per year to cover related costs, such as equipment, clothing, supplies or even the expenses to drive to and from work. For many young people, this is a game-changing service that means the difference between being able to enter the workforce or not. Related California Wine Region Growing Futures By Turning Vineyards Into Classrooms The program can connect with other programs, such as Idaho LAUNCH, the new program that pays for up to 80 percent of eligible graduating high school seniors for post-secondary tuition and fees. This can be part of an approved youth apprenticeship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho has received national recognition for this program and has lots of highlights to celebrate. In Soda Springs, the high school has both sponsored its own apprenticeships for teachers aides and other opportunities and collaborated with local employers to establish apprenticeships around the region, with over 70 apprentices placed to date. Elsewhere, the Nez Perce Tribe has partnered with IBE to create unique and sustainable opportunities for over 50 of its young people in a variety of fields. Large employers such as St. Lukes Health System and Micron are significant participants in apprenticeship in the Treasure Valley. Idaho Central Credit Union partners with high schools across the state using branches right in the schools, placing 65 apprentices to date. There are many more dozens more. Each example tells its own story, with unique opportunities to expand the states workforce, introduce young people to new opportunities, and open doors for coursework and technical certifications. Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com. Follow Idaho Capital Sun on Facebook and X. Democrats who campaigned on the need for joy and saving democracy are strikingly unjoyful about the results of the democratic process in 2024. Before the election, slips like the one of President Joe Biden calling Trump supporters garbage were immediately denied or deflected. But once voters had given the Republicans control of both houses of Congress, the popular vote and the White House, leading Democratic figures and celebrities have dropped all pretense of civility. They are now being open about their contempt for voters, calling them f-ing morons and arrogant, ignorant adolescents. After calling for Americans to come together for Kamala Harris, MSNBCs Joy Reid sent out a heart-warming holiday message to those who voted for the GOP to make your own dinner, MAGA. Make your own sandwiches, wipe your own tears. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those not wallowing in Reids anger are increasingly voicing themes of isolation, insurrection and secession. For years, the contempt for Trump voters has been open and obvious in much of the media. The Lets Go Brandon movement captured the lunacy of the press and politicians simply denying what citizens could see, hear and experience for themselves. When asked for answers on issues like the economy and immigration, Harris paraded an army of celebrities to tell the public how to vote shiny objects that they thought would be enough for shallow American voters. They were wrong. Now that the public has made its choice, leading figures are condemning the majority of voters as a mix of misogynists, self-haters and fascists. Whoopi Goldberg, 69, even joined the 4B sex strike against men. Others seem to be morphing into exactly what they said Trump would become as president: isolationist and insurrectionist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some have responded to the losses by retreating further into echo chambers protected from opposing views. Many dumped X in favor of BlueSky, a new social media safe space for liberals who fear being triggered by opposing views. Notably, censorship advocates such as Nina Jankowisz have fled to BlueSky. The site is portrayed as a return to the good old days when liberals controlled all of the social media and maintained a massive censorship and blacklisting system over political discourse. New York Times tech reporter Kevin Roose wrote a column last week that offered the familiar I can breathe again account: After an hour or so of scrolling through Bluesky the other night, I felt something I havent felt on social media in a long time: free. It is the ultimate irony. This election shocked many on the left precisely because they were writing and commenting on each other within their hardened media and political silos. They are unlikely to improve themselves by receding further into that safe space to rave about the fing morons who make up the majority of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Democratic politicians have moved beyond the chest-pounding of leaders like Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) to pledges of more direct obstruction or inflammatory rhetoric. Denver mayor Mike Johnson (D) declared that he was preparing the Mile-High City for its Tiananmen Square moment to fight the federal government in any attempt to deport unlawful migrants. Johnson warned that he would have not only Denver police stationed at the county line to keep [ICE] out but also 50,000 Denverites. Not long ago, Democrats were calling similar protests an insurrection. Johnson later walked back his remarks but insisted that his city would fight federal efforts to enforce the immigration laws. Rather than such trench warfare, most Democratic governors and mayors are simply pledging not to cooperate with federal authorities, which is a lawful choice. The concern, however, is how others will react to the overheated rhetoric for months that this will be our last election and that Trump is the new Hitler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such rage rhetoric gives people license to say and do things they would not ordinarily say or do. Leaders calling on citizens to fight ICE and the fascists can easily inspire violence, as we have seen in past years. Indeed, that was the very premise of the criminal case against Trump supported by many of these same leaders, alleging that his calls to fight against certification was a call for insurrection. Some liberals are very publicly fleeing the country. Sharon Stone (who called American voters uneducated) is reportedly off to Canada. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are off to a mansion in Cotswolds in England. Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman is also reportedly exploring a departure from the country after his millions of dollars failed to produce a victory for Kamala Harris. Some, however, want to take part of the country with them. New York State Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Upper East Side) has received praise for her call for New York to join Canada. Where Alexandre Dumas believed that Nothing succeeds like success, some believe that, after losing an election, nothing succeeds quite like secession. Krueger previously sought to block Trump from the ballot in the name of protecting democracy. That would have barred the 45 percent of New Yorkers who voted for the president-elect, but those voters would find themselves either Canadians or refugees under her proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Krueger suggested that secession simply makes sense when the majority of the country disagrees with you. She believes New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont could form a new Canadian province. I got back some unofficial responses and heard this is probably sellable in Ottawa, she said. And look, if we were Europe, in the length of time weve been a nation, for Canada, if we were European countries, our borders would have moved around 20 times by now, right? She explained that this is all just thinking outside of the box. The box that she and other liberals find themselves in is called democracy, and they dont like it. Just for the record, the last time people thought outside the box and seceded, we got a war with roughly 700,000 people killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, assuming New Yorkers can get used to milk in a bag and cheese curds as a snack, there may be an obvious appeal for the left in the True North. Formerly strong and free, Canada has become a nightmare for free speech with the ever-expanding criminalization of political speech. One professor, who said that Trumps plans to combat censorship has left many frightened, said that if free speech protections are restored, I will be on a plane [out of America]. For New York Times reporters and officials alike, they will be able to breathe again in the controlled, regulated air of censorship countries like Canada. The only challenge for our displaced and disgruntled diaspora will be that Canadians tend to be nice. Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Last week, President-elect Donald Trump promised to elevate Brendan Carr from commissioner to chair of the Federal Communications Commission, calling Carr a warrior for free speech. Nothing could be further from the truth. In a cringeworthy campaign to appeal to Trump, Carr has seized on Trumps threats to penalize broadcasters for fact-checking him or giving airtime to his political opponents. Following through on these threats would almost certainly violate the First Amendment. Yet even the threat alone is chilling a government official vowing to punish the presidents opponents for exercising their fundamental rights. Carr has shown that he is willing to break with longstanding and bipartisan FCC precedent to punish Trumps detractors. The FCC traditionally avoids regulating broadcast radio and television content except in extremely narrow circumstances, such as indecency. During a September hearing in the House of Representatives, Carr declined to speak out against Trumps suggestion that ABC should lose its broadcast licenses because two of its journalists fact-checked him during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. In October, Carr attacked NBC after Harris appeared on Saturday Night Live, wrongly calling it a clear and blatant effort to evade the equal time rule all while NBC did indeed give Trump equal time that same weekend. Carr suggested on a subsequent Fox News appearance that the FCC should keep every remedy on the table, including revocation of NBCs broadcast licenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That same month, he blasted CBS for airing an edited interview with Harris during 60 Minutes, suggesting that CBS stations may be in violation of the FCCs seldom-invoked news-distortion policy. Carr says he will look into the news distortion angle as part of the FCCs review of the Skydance-Paramount merger (Paramount is CBSs parent company). Carr hasnt just flirted with violating the First Amendment rights of companies the FCC has clear authority to regulate he plans to extend his crusade to entities the agency has no mandate to oversee. In a chapter he wrote for Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations authoritarian roadmap for a conservative administration, Carr argued for a dramatic expansion of the FCCs authority so it can regulate the speech of social-media platforms. In addition to banning TikTok, Carr wants to strip social-media companies of their rights to moderate content, which would force them to host toxic racism, misogyny and other forms of hatred that are unpopular with advertisers and the public alike. So much for small-government conservatism. Carrs overreach extends even beyond social-media platforms to independent nonprofits and journalists. Under the guise of dismantling the censorship cartel, Carr recently penned a letter to major social-media platforms like Facebook and Google to pressure them to stop working with NewsGuard, a nonpartisan organization with investors, advisors and leadership across the political spectrum that helps people find reliable news and information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, FCC commissioners and even agency chairs dont get to invent their own job descriptions, no matter what Carrs bizarre ideas might suggest. The FCC is an independent agency created by Congress, and its power is limited to what Congress has delegated. As of now, Carr has no jurisdiction to go after social-media companies or nonprofit fact checkers. As a sitting FCC commissioner, Carr doesnt require Senate confirmation to become chair. That means he wont face a panel of senators who might urge him to put the public interest and freedom of speech ahead of his allegiance to the incoming president. Once Trump takes office in January, Carr will be made chair and will be able to set the agencys agenda. In light of the threats he poses, its urgent that Congress provide oversight and demand that Carr commit to protecting free speech and the public interest. And anyone who cares about free speech whether from inside or outside of government should speak out against Carrs plans to undermine it. As an FCC commissioner, Carr took an oath to uphold the Constitution. He owes that to the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jessica J. Gonzalez is co-CEO of the nonpartisan media-advocacy group Free Press. She is an attorney who has practiced before the Federal Communications Commission for the past two decades. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Police in the South Caucasus republic of Georgia reported on Saturday that 107 people were arrested during protests the previous night in the capital Tbilisi alone. "Despite repeated appeals by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the action on (the main street) Rustaveli Prospekt in front of the Georgian parliament building repeatedly exceeded the norms set by the law for assemblies and rallies," the ministry said. Demonstrators had thrown stones at police officers, built barricades and burnt objects, according to the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The protests were said to be the largest in recent weeks following the disputed victory of the ruling Georgian Dream party in October's parliamentary elections. Opposition over the allegedly fraudulent results gained fresh impetus following the government's suspension on Thursday of accession talks with the EU. According to surveys, the majority of the population is in favour of joining the EU, a goal which is enshrined in the constitution. Tens of thousands of people reportedly took to the streets in Tbilisi, with more protests taking place in other cities in the Black Sea republic. The police reported that 10 officers were injured during the clashes, one of whom is still in hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The authorities did not provide any information on the number of injured demonstrators after police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. After severe criticism - including from Brussels - of the election process and the government's increasingly authoritarian course, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze declared that EU accession talks would be suspended until 2028. Georgian Dream views Brussels' criticism as interference and blackmail, while the opposition fears that turning away from Europe will give Russia more influence in Georgia again. By Charlotte Greenfield ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Pakistani court approved bail for a journalist arrested this week after investigating claims of casualties in a protest march, his lawyer said on Saturday. Matiullah Jan, a critic of military influence in Pakistani politics, was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court in the capital Islamabad in a terrorism and narcotics case, his lawyer, Imaan Mazari, said in a text message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He should be home by this evening," Mazari said. Jan was picked up off the street on Wednesday night while investigating claims of casualties in a protest march demanding the release of jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to a colleague and his lawyer. The Committee to Protect Journalists had expressed "grave alarm" over Jan's "abduction", demanding his immediate release. Hours before being picked up, Jan had appeared on television casting doubt over the government's denial that live ammunition had been used when security forces dispersed the protest and that any protesters had been killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government has repeatedly denied using deadly force against protesters. Police and the information ministry have not responded to request for comment on Jan's detention. Thousands of supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party this week stormed Islamabad. The government said they had killed four security officers. The PTI said hundreds of protesters had been shot, and between eight and 40 killed. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by William Mallard) At least 120 people have been killed in Israeli military attacks in the Gaza Strip since Thursday night, according to Palestinian reports on Friday. Palestinian medics told dpa that about 25 people were killed in northern Gaza, with an additional 20 fatalities reported in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central region. Civil defence sources also reported 75 deaths in Beit Lahia, a town in northern Gaza. The figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians and cannot be independently verified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), when contacted, stated that it needed the precise geographic coordinates of the attacks to comment further. Such details are rarely available due to the widespread destruction. The Gaza conflict began on October 7 last year when attackers from the Palestinian militant Islamist movement Hamas and other extremist groups based in Gaza carried out massacres in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage. At least 44,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority. West Bank gunman injures four IDF soldiers In the West Bank, a gunman opened fire on a bus at the Gitti Avisar junction near an Israeli settlement, lightly injuring four IDF soldiers and causing damage, the army said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The IDF said it "eliminated the terrorist at the scene," while Hamas' military arm said the attacker was a Hamas member. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah reported that a Palestinian man was dead. Palestinians have been carrying out more and more attacks in Israel and the occupied West Bank for some time. At the same time, there has been a sharp increase in violence by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mata Prasad Pandey on Saturday morning informed that the district magistrate (DM) of Sambhal called him over the phone and asked him not to visit the district amid the ongoing tensions in the area. He said that a written notice should be given to him as per the rules, saying that he cannot go to Sambhal. "They (administration) should have given me a notice as per the rules that I cannot go there, but no written notice was given. They only talk on the telephone. They deployed the police. The Justice Commission is going there, media people are going there, will there be any unrest if we go there? This government is deliberately stopping us to hide all its work," Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey told ANI. The senior SP leader informed that the Sambhal DM asked him not to come till December 10. Pandey said that he will decide after going to the party office. "If I had to visit, I would have gone. But we sent the program. Sanjay Prasad (Secretary) told me to not visit (Sambhal), saying that the situation could change there. The Sambhal District Magistrate (DM) called me and asked me not to come there till December 10. I will go to the party office and decide what to do next," Mata Prasad Pandey said. Reacting to the remarks made by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, the senior SP leader said that they don't provoke anyone. "We do not provoke anyone. The language that incites is used by Keshav Prasad Maurya ji. If the press can visit there, how will people get incited if I say the same thing? They should have given me a notice, but without any notice, they deployed police outside my residence. We will go to the party office and decide," Prasad said. A 12-member delegation from the Samajwadi Party was scheduled to visit the affected area today. LoP Pandey said that they will go there to see the "atrocities caused by the Police." "We will also meet the family members of the youth who lost their lives in the incident. Do Police ever take responsibility for their actions? ...These days Police keep both illegal weapons and the govt issued weapons. The Police use the other (illegal) weapon to fire," Pandey said. Earlier, SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav also launched an attack against the administration in the stone pelting incident in Sambhal and alleged that the administration had deliberately created unrest. Meanwhile, opposition members are keen to raise the issue in the House and have targeted the Yogi Adityanath government over the violence. The survey was part of a legal process following a petition filed by senior advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who claimed the mosque was originally a temple. (ANI) CLEVELAND (WJW) With snow already piling up, and more expected by the time the weekend is over, several parking bans are in effect for communities in the snow belt. You can find the parking bans that have been issued below: Travel restricted in parts of Ashtabula County GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE: The snow ban ordinance is in effect for Geneva-on-the-Lake It automatically applied when 2 inches of snow has fallen. According to a village police, residents need to move their vehicles from city street or risk a ticket or a tow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CONNEAUT: Conneauts snow ban parking ordinance is in effect. If possible, residents are asked to remove their vehicles from the road. Its not clear how long the ban will remain in effect. RICHMOND HEIGHTS: The parking ban in Richmond Heights is in effect until 11 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1. Vehicles are prohibited from parking on all city streets during the parking ban. According to the Richmond Heights Police Department, vehicles found parked on the streets during the parking ban are subject to be towed. MENTOR: A snow emergency and street parking ban is in effect in Mentor until further notice, according to the citys police department. No parking is permitted on any city street. Residents are asked to remove their cars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MENTOR-ON-THE-LAKE: The snow ban is in effect for residents of Mentor-on-the-Lake. The citys police department is asking for all vehicles to be moved off the city streets. Its not clear how long the ben will stay in effect. Lake Effect Snow Warning extended for some counties PAINESVILLE: The parking ban in Painesville is in effect and is expected to last throughout the weekend. When there is 2 inches of snow on the ground, the city enforces the parking ban meaning no cars are permitted to park on the street. A Lake Effect Snow Warning has been extended until 7 a.m. Tuesday for Ashtabula and Lake Counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect for Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties from Sunday afternoon through Monday at 7 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Germany's troubled Social Democratic Party (SPD) launched its general election campaign on Saturday, pledging to fight its way back to the top following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz' three-party coalition government earlier in November. "The Social Democrats are standing together, but above all, the Social Democrats are highly motivated for this election campaign," party leader Lars Klingbeil said at the opening of a campaign conference at the SPD's Berlin headquarters on Saturday. "85 days, it's going to be a tough ride. It will challenge us," Klingbeil added, referring to what promises to be a tense race to the early parliamentary elections expected to be held on February 23. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And if there's one thing the SPD can do, it's fight: we're a party for catching up, and we're going to show that over the next 85 days," Klingbeil said. Around 500 constituency candidates and their teams were taking part in the event, which was dubbed the Election Victory Conference. The incumbent and candidate for chancellor, Olaf Scholz, was due to give his first major campaign speech at the meeting. His candidacy for chancellor still has to be confirmed at a party conference on January 11, although this is considered a formality. Scholz's government coalition collapsed after he fired ex-finance minister Christian Lindner of the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) on November 6 after months of bitter disagreements over budget plans for 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDP then withdrew from the government, reducing Scholz's coalition to a minority government with the Greens. Scholz has announced a confidence vote in December, which is expected to pave the way for an early election in February. Recent polls have given the centre-right opposition CDU/CSU alliance a large lead over Scholz's SPD, which has little time to make up lost ground in a turbulent year. In European Parliament elections in June, the SPD saw their worst result in a nationwide election in more than 130 years at 13.9%. PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WHTM) A Pennsylvania restaurant was ordered to pay $184,000 in back wages, damages, and penalties after an investigation found they withheld tips. The U.S. Department of Labor says Sly Fox Brewing Company in Pittsburgh unlawfully kept a portion of the tips earned by workers, allowing managers to participate in the restaurants tip pool. Allowing managers to participate in the tip pool is a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Labor says the investigation focused on Sly Fox Pittsburgh Taphouse and Sly Fox Pittsburgh Brewery. The company also operates pubs in Berks, Montgomery, and Chester counties. The restaurant was ordered to pay $84,710 in owed wages, pay civil penalties of $15,435, and pay $84,710 in liquidated damages. Restaurant workers often make low wages and depend on every dollar earned, including tips, to help support themselves and their families, said Wage and Hour District Director John DuMont in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Restaurant employers must ensure that tipped employees receive their full pay, in compliance with the federal law. This legal action recovers the workers hard-earned wages and sends a message to other restaurant employers that violations come at a cost, said Philadelphia Regional Solicitor of Labor Samantha N. Thomas. The U.S. Department of Labor is prepared to use every tool available, including litigation, to prevent employers from depriving workers of their wages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Penelope Hegseth, mother of former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, wrote a heated email calling him an abuser of women in the midst of his 2018 divorce proceedings, according to The New York Times a revelation that comes as Hegseth gears up for confirmation hearings to become President-elect Donald Trumps secretary of defense. The Times said the Penelope Hegseth copied Samantha Hegseth, Petes second wife, on the message at the time it was sent. The outlet received a copy from another person with ties to the family. In the message, Penelope Hegseth wrote that she had to speak up after listening to the way you made Samantha feel today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You are an abuser of women that is the ugly truth and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego, she wrote. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth. Around 400 words of the message were published in the Times, with one sentence redacted for privacy reasons. Penelope Hegseth told the Times that she quickly regretted the email, and sent a follow-up to apologize to her son. She told the paper that publishing the email was disgusting, a sentiment that was echoed by Trumps communications director, Steven Cheung, who called it despicable. Pete Hegseth has been married three times and has fielded numerous accusations of infidelity; he and Samantha share three sons between them. He married a Fox News colleague, Jennifer Rauchet, in 2019, after she had a child by him in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For you to try to label [Samantha] as unstable for your own advantage is despicable and abusive. Is there any sense of decency left in you? Hegseths mother asked in 2018. I dont want to debate with you. You twist and abuse everything I say anyway. But On behalf of all the women (and I know its many) you have abused in some way, I say get some help and take an honest look at yourself, Penelope Hegseth wrote. Pete Hegseths nomination this month, despite his lack of senior military leadership experience he served in the Army National Guard in the rank of major shocked Washington. And a 2017 sexual assault allegation revealed in the lead-up to his confirmation hearings may cast further doubt on his fitness for office. A woman told police that she believed Hegseth drugged and raped her at a Republican womens conference in Monterey, California, although no charges were ever filed and he denies that the sexual encounter was nonconsensual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth paid the woman a settlement to keep quiet about the allegation out of fear for his Fox News gig, his lawyer said, per the Times. After Trump said he wanted Hegseth to lead the entire U.S. military, Fox News contributor Leslie Marshall spoke up to criticize her colleagues history of alleged misconduct, noting that infidelity is a crime under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. You cant lead an entire organization and all these people if you cant lead by example, Marshall said. A handful of Republican senators have expressed concerns with Hegseths character. Its a pretty big problem, given that we have, you know, we have a sexual assault problem in our military, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said earlier this month. Related... Nov. 29The Public Service Company of New Mexico is seeking approval for new renewable and gas generation projects that, the utility says, will meet projections for higher electricity demand in the years to come. The integrated resource plan PNM filed recently requests approval for three new solar and battery storage projects as well as an extension of a contract with a natural gas power plant for more than 10 years. PNM calculates the additions would make the generation portfolio of the state's largest electric utility 77% carbon-free by 2028. The plan will require approval by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, which PNM has requested by August 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The need for additional power to serve growing customer needs is clear," PNM President and CEO Don Tarry said in a news release. "This plan specifically calls for energy investments in the Farmington area as part our commitment to continue supporting the region's economy, while ensuring the ongoing transition to carbon-free energy for all of our customers by 2040." The utility requested approval of contracts for two proposed four-hour battery storage facilities in Bernalillo County called Corazon and the Sun Lasso Storage each of which are projected to store and provide 150 megawatts of power beginning in late 2027 and early 2028. PNM also requested approval to develop a $252 million, utility-owned facility in the Four Corners region called the Sunbelt Project, which would produce 100 MW of solar power and up to 50 MW of battery storage. The utility hopes to bring the project on line by the end of 2027. The utility also has a power purchase agreement for 167 MW with Valencia Power Plant a gas-fired generating station in Belen that it has requested to extend from May 2028 until 2039. PNM's proposed Sunbelt Project would place more generation resources back in the Four Corners region, which has been racked financially by the loss of the San Juan Generating Station, a coal-fired plant that was shut down as part of the state's effort to transition to carbon-free energy. The utility noted the project would be located in the Central Consolidated School District, where officials have expressed a dire need for more tax revenue in the wake of the shuttered coal plant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico's Energy Transition Act in 2019 provided financial instruments to soften the blow of closing the state's two coal plants; the law also required utilities to propose and develop 450 megawatts of "replacement resources" that provide jobs and tax revenue in the same school districts as shuttered coal plants. So far, PNM has developed only 300 MW in the district due to the failure of a solar and storage project called Rockmont that defaulted before it could be developed. Earlier this year, 15 state legislators told the state Supreme Court PNM was violating the Energy Transition Act by placing new battery and solar resources in Albuquerque while it still hadn't developed "replacement resources" in the Central Consolidated School District. PNM executive Henry Monroy said in testimony filed with the new plan that a larger battery storage option in the Sunbelt Project would fulfill the resource capacity called for by the law. PNM's plan does not include mention of Rancho Viejo Solar, a proposed solar and battery storage project south of Santa Fe that has faced intense pushback from nearby residents. Although the global energy company AES initially expressed plans for the project to begin operation in 2026, the estimated date has been steadily pushed back amid a battle that has spilled into the courts. A few days after filing the 2028 resources plan, PNM settled with a dozen trade groups, consumer and environmental advocates, top employers and state government oversight staff on a pending rate case, agreeing to seek a lower rate increase than the utility initially requested from regulators earlier this year. While the utility requested an increase in March that would hike average monthly residential bills by more than $23 by April 2026, the settlement would raise bills by almost $10 a month over the same period instead. The rate case settlement which came as a result of negotiation meetings between the parties that took place in October and November requires approval from the state's three Public Regulation commissioners before it can go into effect, but it could potentially sidestep weeks of lengthy hearings in the rate case. DANVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) The Danville Police Department (DPD) asks for help finding a missing woman. Law enforcement in Danville posted on Facebook on Saturday that officers asked the community for help finding 53-year-old Jennifer R. Hawkins of Danville. Man hurt in Winchester Road shooting Jennifers husband told FOX 56 that she was last seen on Tuesday after being discharged from Baptist Health Lexington. She was reported missing on Wednesday after not showing up at work or coming home. (Danville Police Department) (Danville Police Department) Jennifer was last seen wearing navy blue scrubs. She is 5 feet 7 inches tall. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information that might help find Jennifer is asked to call the Danville 911 Centers non-emergency number at (859) 238-1220 and ask to speak with the on-duty supervisor, or text a tip to (859) 516-5566. This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 56 News 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 FOX 56 News. RICHMOND, R.I. (WPRI) Rhode Island State Police have released the name of a woman who died after a rollover crash Wednesday on I-95 in Richmond. BACKGROUND: 1 dead, 1 seriously injured in Richmond rollover crash The woman was identified as 64-year-old Sheila White of South Hampton, New York. She was pronounced dead at Kent Hospital. Police said around 2 p.m. a vehicle in the right lane near Exit 7 was rear-ended by another that was speeding. Both vehicles then swerved and rolled over into the woods, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police are asking anyone with information to contact the Hope Valley Barracks by calling (401)-444-1068. NEXT: Bomb threats made to Rep. Magaziner and Sen. Whitehouse Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. About 800 feet of six-gauge copper wire, valued at $3,200, was found stolen from a property in Mahanoy Twp., according to state police at Frackville. Police said that someone stole the wire from light posts being constructed on the 100 block of Logistics Drive. The wire belonged to ARC Electrical Construction, Hazleton. The theft occurred sometime between Sept. 24 and Nov. 9, police said. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact state police at Frackville at 570-874-5300. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man suffers minor injuries in crash A tractor-trailer driver veered off a roadway in East Union Twp. and hit a guardrail after he experienced a medical emergency, state police at Frackville said. Police said Jason A. Dillow, 41, of Mount Carmel, was traveling north on Main Boulevard near the intersection of Swanks Grove Road when he went off the right side of the roadway. Dillows Mack truck sustained disabling damage to its 1 oclock position, and the truck and its attached trailer were towed from the scene, police said. Dillow was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-East to be treated for the suspected medical emergency, and PennDOT was notified of the guardrail damage, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Items stolen from vehicle A 35-year-old McAdoo man reported two items stolen from his motor vehicle, according to state police at Frackville. Police on Nov. 16 responded to a call for the theft of a Spyderco knife, valued at $200, and a Glock 23 pistol, valued at $499. Anyone with information is encouraged to call state police at Frackville at 570-874-5300. Tools stolen from East Brunswick home A 39-year-old New Ringgold man was charged by state police in connection with a theft reported at a property in the 200 block of Ridge Road in East Brunswick Twp. Police said the man entered the property without permission and stole three tools: a Dewalt 14-inch dual bevel miter saw, valued at $600; a Bostitch metal connector nailer, $200; and a Bostitch trim nail, $200. In a news release, police listed a 29-year-old man and an 83-year-old woman, both from New Ringgold, as victims. CM Yadav was on a visit to the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany from November 24 to November 30, with the aim of attracting investments through engagements with industrialists, business leaders, and government representatives in both nations. Earlier on Friday, the CM visited the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart as part of his Germany tour to attract investments for the state. CM Yadav signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the state museum to enhance knowledge sharing and exchange of resources to facilitate fossils found in Madhya Pradesh. This partnership will help to optimise the resources and learnings which will help study, preserve the finds and showcase in a scientific manner. CM Yadav's visit to Germany focuses on engaging with industrialists, business leaders, and government representatives from both nations to promote investment opportunities in Madhya Pradesh. In the UK, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister announced that the state government had received investment proposals amounting to nearly Rs 60,000 crore. Before departing for Germany, he highlighted the significance of the trip in fostering international collaboration and attracting investments. During his visit, the Chief Minister toured the campus of WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group). He remarked, "Over 30,000 students study here. We aim to conduct research activities and leverage this knowledge not only for industrial advancement but also for societal benefit. I also interacted with Indian students and students from Madhya Pradesh. Students from all over the world are coming here to learn." (ANI) HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) A man was arrested after police say he pretended to be a federal agent at an Evansville bar. An affidavit obtained by Eyewitness News says Samuel Kinyanjui was kicked out of a bar early Friday morning. It goes on to say that the bar denied Kinyanjui entry after he tried to get back in the bar. This is when police say he told security he was a federal agent, and he needed to be in the bar. Police say that when they arrived, they detained Kinyanjui. A kitchen knife was found in his cars passenger seat. Samuel Kinyanjuis charges Samuel Kinyanjui (Courtesy of the Vanderburgh County Jail) Intimidation Theft Impersonating a public servant Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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). OAK PARK, Ill. (CBS) Charges have been filed against a Chicago man in the deadly shooting of an Oak Park detective, according to the village. Jerell Thomas, 37, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the line-of-duty death of Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins. He was also charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. Jerell Thomas, 37, has been charged in the deadly shooting of Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins. / Credit: Oak Park Police The shooting happened Friday morning while responding to a report of a man with a gun leaving a bank. The suspect, later identified as Thomas, also was shot by police and has been taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson said Detective Allan Reddins, 40, had been with the Oak Park Police Department since May 2019. He was the first Oak Park officer killed in the line of duty since 1938. "This is the worst day of any chief of police," Johnson said. "Our police department, we're hurting right now. I'm hurting. His family is hurting. Please keep us in your prayers." Around 9 a.m., Reddins responded to a call of a man with a gun leaving the Chase Bank in the 1000 block of Lake Street, according to Johnson. Reddins and other officers came across the suspect in the 800 block of Lake Street, and told the man to show them his hands. The gunman brandished a handgun and shot Reddins in the left side. Officers returned fire, shooting the suspect in the leg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reddins was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead at 10:10 a.m. The suspect also was being treated at Loyola. The shooting caught people in Oak Park off guard and left bullet holes in the windows at the village's main library, which was closed to the public after the shooting. A witness said she was at the UPS store nearby when she heard someone storm out of a store and then heard what sounded like gunshots. "I knew it was gunshots. I didn't want to believe that," she said. Nicholas Gradishar said he was walking to a friend's house nearby when he heard gunshots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I get down after I hear the shots, and then I come to the library to see it littered with cops," he said. Gradishar said he saw police take the suspect into custody after he'd been shot. "They were checking his pockets. They found a little handgun, but off to the side, there was an ARP with a flashlight. So I don't know which one he used to shoot at the cops, but he had multiple guns on him," he said. Gradishar recorded footage of the suspect on the ground with a gun nearby. Moments later, parademics took him away on a stretcher. "Nothing happens up here. You may find a fight or so, but nothing like this will ever happen here. So it's wild," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A police procession took Reddins' body from the hospital to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office Friday afternoon. Dozens of police officers and firefighters from Chicago, Oak Park, and other suburbs stood at attention and saluted as the ambulance arrived and Reddins' body was escorted inside. Johnson said Reddins leaves behind a 19-year-old son, along with his mother and siblings. The chief described him as a "natural-born leader, devoted father," saying she personally conducted Reddins' background check before hiring him as an officer in 2019. "I quickly identified that he had a talent that was needed here," she said. "He closed substantial cases and helped us to resolve countless incidents. He was a natural," Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before joining the Oak Park Police Department, Reddins also served with the Metra Police Department. He had been a detective in Oak Park since 2022. "I thought he would make a phenomenal field training officer as well, and I was looking very much forward to him becoming a sergeant. He was just a natural leader," Johnson said. "He would always take the extra step, go the extra step, and that's huge, to say what else can be done?" Johnson declined to say if the shooting was captured on video but said Oak Park officers are equipped with body cameras. Thomas is considered a habitual criminal by investigators with a previous history of multiple arrests for aggravated battery to a police officer, domestic battery, battery, and resisting a police officer. His first court appearance on the murder charges has not yet been set, as he remained in the hospital on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Information on Reddins' funeral arrangements will be posted on the Oak Park village website once they have been made. The Oak Park Police station was draped with black and purple bunting on Saturday, a memorial to the fallen officer installed after his death. Missing hiker found after nearly six weeks in the Canadian wilderness Ted Turner's nature preserves: A carefully curated "Heaven on Earth" War in Ukraine pushes women into new roles Los Angeles police officers responded to a spurious bomb threat at former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Brentwood mansion on Thanksgiving morning before giving the all-clear. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department was not able to confirm that the department responded to Schwarzenegger's house but said there was a call regarding a suspicious package around 10:30 a.m. Thursday on the same block of the tony Brentwood neighborhood where the movie star and former Mr. Universe lives. "It was determined there was no evidence of any explosives," LAPD Officer Kevin Terzes said of the police response. The bomb threat was first reported by TMZ, which characterized it as a "swatting" incident, in which perpetrators initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a victim under false pretenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Terzes was not able to provide any information about who placed the call. Schwarzenegger's spokesperson declined to comment. Schwarzenegger was at the gym during the incident, according to someone with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly. Schwarzenegger has long lived in Brentwood and made headlines last year when he took it upon himself to repair some potholes in the neighborhood an action that was not sanctioned by the city, which countered that at least one of the now-filled potholes was a service trench meant to be used for permitted work by Southern California Gas Co. He was elected governor in 2003 after the recall of then-Gov. Gray Davis, serving two terms and at times commuting by private jet between Brentwood and Sacremento. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. Police in University Park are searching for an armed suspect. Police said the department received a call at around noon Friday from another police department saying a suspect fled to an area in the 700 block of Red Oak Lane and barricaded themselves inside a building. Oak Park detective killed, offender injured in shooting University Park police officers and other agencies were sent to the area, as well as a SWAT team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, police said there did not appear to be a barricade situation. No injuries or property damage was noted and there is no danger to the public, according to police. Investigators said all police personnel have since vacated the building in question and an investigation is ongoing. No other information was released. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sauk Village Police Department at 708-758-1331. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. DENVER (KDVR) A man was arrested after he allegedly rammed into the back of another vehicle in a road rage incident before eluding law enforcement in Fort Collins late Friday. Fort Collins Police Services said in a press release that the incident started around 11:30 p.m. when a caller told dispatchers that they were being followed in a possible road rage incident. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The caller said they were being followed by a dark Ford F-150 with Wyoming license plates. The dispatcher told them to drive toward the Fort Collins Police Services building. Police said that while the driver was heading toward the police services building, the suspect rammed them from behind and continued following. Officers with FCPS found the vehicles on Zeigler Road. Police initiated a traffic stop, but the suspect driving the truck disregarded the traffic stop and fled northbound on Timberline Road, police said. Not long after that, the truck was spotted going north on Interstate 25 by the Larimer County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver eluded deputies and drove east on County Road 64 at speeds in excess of 100 mph, and at one point during the pursuit, rammed a deputys patrol car, FCPS said. As the driver approached County Road 102 and County Road 19, police said the vehicle went off the road and crashed into an agricultural field. The driver, identified as Jimmy Whitver, 52, was taken to a hospital for evaluation and was released a short time later. He was arrested by FCPS and booked on charges including: Attempted Second Degree Assault (6 counts) Driving Under the Influence (1 count) Vehicular Eluding (1 count) Second Degree Criminal Trespass on Agriculture Land (1 count) Criminal Mischief (1 count) Harassment, Following in a Public Place (1 count) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitver was booked into the Larimer County Jail. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. For some time, the ground has been shifting in Kyiv as Ukraine braces for a potential Trump presidency and his much-touted promise of a ceasefire within 24 hours of taking office on 20 January 2025. Senior figures, including Ukraines former commander of its armed forces and Ambassador to Britain, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, have openly suggested that reclaiming all of Ukraines territory may no longer be feasible in the short-term given the current level of Western support. They foresee a future in which some of the battle will be fought more diplomatically than militarily, with the land being returned in some latter political negotiation when Ukraine is more secure. That may be true. Either way, for the first time, President Zelensky has indicated in an interview with Sky News that he might be prepared to cede some land to Russia in exchange for a NATO umbrella for protection. This echoes ideas put forward by his friend and former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a recent interview on The Telegraphs Ukraine: The Latest podcast. Johnson proposed that the UK should lead NATO forces to secure peace with boots on the ground, deterring further Russian aggression. Under this scenario, Ukraine would not yet be part of NATO but would benefit from its protection. This would open the door for full NATO membership in, say, 20 years an idea also suggested by Trump and give Zelensky, along with future Ukrainian governments, the chance to diplomatically pursue the return of Russian-occupied territory from a position of relative strength. Even Putin might find this palatable, as it would ensure Ukraine remains outside NATO during his lifetime, thus protecting his ego. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clearly, Kyiv is preparing to make some concessions ahead of Trumps potential ascendancy. Trumps special envoy, General Kellogg, has spoken of negotiations that freeze current frontlines, with Kyiv needing to be open to dialogue in order to maintain ongoing military support from the US and NATO. They are preparing for the worst. But and it is a big one all hinges on one major assumption: that Moscow is willing to talk. Russia has not abandoned its maximalist objectives, and it is conceivable that Putin will opt to continue fighting while Kyiv shows a willingness to negotiate. That would when this make all this talk of territorial concessions meaningless in the long run, as it would underscore how it is the Kremlin that seeks to keep fighting whatever the cost, not the Ukrainian government. Eventually, the West might realise it has to fully back Zelensky: something that should have been obvious years ago. That could change everything, making all of this talk of concessions and negotiations totally void. Also bear in mind that Ukraine still has a foothold on Russian territory in Kursk. Perhaps Zelensky only means he would be willing to give that up in order to find a pathway to peace? Not the whole of those eastern parts of the country where Putins forces sow misery and destruction. Another positive for the Ukrainians is that Putin is not only preoccupied with Ukraine now. Syrian rebels are closing in on Aleppo something theyve been unable to achieve in over a decade of conflict. I spent significant time in Syria during that period, witnessing the horrors, including chemical weapons attacks that killed over 300,000 civilians. This week, Russian forces in northwest Syria were routed, and Putin could be forced to reinforce his troops there to protect his Mediterranean port of Tartus, which could now be at risk. Meanwhile, Iran another key Russian ally has been humiliated into a ceasefire through its proxy Hezbollah after escalating conflict with Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Putin losing 2,000 soldiers a day in Kursk, losing control of northwest Syria, and facing a humiliated Iran, the conditions may be ripe for a ceasefire. The spectre of nuclear threats from Russia seems increasingly hollow, unbacked by Chinas refusal to support any escalation. There is now a realistic chance for peace, and potentially an unexpected Ukrainian victory if the US and NATO commit fully to military support once they see that Putin has no interest in talks. So watch this space. Russia cannot sustain this war indefinitely. The big question now is: who will emerge as the master strategist to end this illegal war? Trump, Putin, or Zelensky? The balance of power is delicate, but with NATO behind Trump, they may hold the winning hand. Let us hope they have the savvy and resolve to play it at the right moment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Tupelo Honey in Station Square has been closed for a month. Channel 11 has learned the Allegheny County Health Department shut them down after inspectors found multiple violations, from pest control concerns to plumbing and food temperature issues. Shoppers passing Station Square on Black Friday saw a closed for renovations sign on the door at Tupelo Honey. Workers say the popular restaurant closed after a diner ran from the restaurant after a mouse ran past her table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She saw the mouse and she ran out of the restaurant. I think it was a girls 16th birthday, her mom ran out because she was scared of mice, an employee told Channel 11. We got the report from the health department that shows eight violations, two of them high-risk: food temperatures and date marking of food. There were also issues considered low-risk, cleaning and sanitization, plumbing, toxic items, contamination, floors and pest management. Tupelo Honey was cited for nests and rodent droppings and gaps underneath the double doors leading outdoors. Inspectors say they were initially unsuccessful in contacting Station Square management and eventually did relay concerns about inadequate pest control in common areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone is extremely upset, we are confused we dont know what to do, the employee said. The worker who wanted to remain anonymous said the company has continued paying them $15 an hour for the same number of hours worked the week they closed, minus any tips, but they were told that ends this week. Now I did speak to Tupelo Honey management in North Carolina today. They said the real issue is this is a very old, historic building and there are structural concerns, that is what they are working on. Channel 11 reached out to Station Square management. They are gone for the holiday weekend and will be back on Monday. At this time, there is no exact date for the restaurant to reopen. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW After concluding his six-day visit to the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday thanked the party leaders and workers for the warm welcome in the national capital and said that the government effort is to take Madhya Pradesh to new dimensions of development. "I thank the leaders and workers for the warm welcome. Under the leadership of PM Modi, our effort is to take Madhya Pradesh to new dimensions of development by taking everyone along," Mohan Yadav told reporters. MP CM received a warm welcome at Madhya Pradesh Bhavan, in the national capital after concluding his six-day visit to the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany. CM Yadav was on a visit to the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany from November 24 to November 30, with the aim of attracting investments through engagements with industrialists, business leaders, and government representatives in both nations. Earlier on Friday, the CM visited the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart as part of his Germany tour to attract investments for the state. CM Yadav signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the state museum to enhance knowledge sharing and exchange of resources to facilitate fossils found in Madhya Pradesh. In the UK, the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister announced that the state government had received investment proposals amounting to nearly Rs 60,000 crore. Before departing for Germany, he highlighted the significance of the trip in fostering international collaboration and attracting investments. During his visit, the Chief Minister toured the campus of WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group). He remarked, "Over 30,000 students study here. We aim to conduct research activities and leverage this knowledge not only for industrial advancement but also for societal benefit. I also interacted with Indian students and students from Madhya Pradesh. Students from all over the world are coming here to learn." (ANI) Two people, including a secretary at Portage High School, died and a third was injured in a shooting after what police are calling a domestic disturbance Friday night at a Portage home. The Porter County Coroners Office has identified the deceased as Brandy Manville, 46, a secretary at Portage High School, and her husband, Charles, 45. Police have confirmed that the third victim was the couples adult daughter. In a statement to the Portage High School community released on Saturday, the district described Brandy Manville as someone who always gave a welcoming smile to all visitors to the main office, offering many of our students a listening ear and words of encouragement each day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school district said that counseling services will be available for students and staff, and principals will provide instructions on Monday morning for accessing the services. Portage Police Chief Mike Candiano confirmed the couples daughter was transported to a Chicago hospital for treatment of her injuries, which police said were life-threatening. Mayor Austin Bonta shared in a social media post on Saturday that she was alive and stable. According to a Friday night release from Portage Police, officers responded at 7:41 p.m. to the 6300 block of Monument Avenue for a report of a domestic disturbance. As the first responding units approached the home, police said, they heard several gunshots from inside the residence. Officers entered the home and confirmed there were two deceased adults inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said officers did not discharge their weapons during the call and they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the community. The shooting is still under investigation. The Porter County Coroners Office would like to extend our condolences to all the family and loved ones of the victims involved in this senseless tragedy, Coroner Cyndi Dykes said in a release. Children can express grief in a variety of ways, the district said in its statement, and the best way families can respond to a grieving child is to listen to them and reassure them that their feelings are valid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our school community is deeply saddened and impacted by this tragedy as Mrs. Manville touched the lives of so many of our students and staff. Our hearts are with her family and everyone grieving this loss, the district said. alavalley@chicagotribune.com PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Next week, Portland City Council will discuss filing a formal complaint against AFSCME alleging union members violated their contracts by picketing twice this fall. AFSCME, which represents over 1,000 state, county and city employees across the metro area, is one of three unions currently in negotiations with the city as most bureaus are set to face budget cuts in the coming year. Portland police holiday walking patrols return for second year in a row Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the first planned picket in early October, the city claimed they told the union leaders their current contract prohibited members from picketing or striking before its expiration on Dec. 31. However, the city said the union went ahead and marched outside a Portland Water Bureau facility in North Portland. After the city sent a letter of warning to the union, another picket was held on Nov. 4 outside Portland Police Bureaus central precinct. Four days later, the city filed a grievance against AFSCME. If City Council votes Wednesday to pursue a formal response, the City Attorneys Office will then file an unfair labor practice complaint with the Oregon Employment Relations Board, a City of Portland spokesperson said. KOIN 6 News also reached out to AFSCME for comment. They havent provided a comment yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, contract negotiations will continue, with mediation scheduled for Dec. 12. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Power engineers have restored the power supply to 342,654 consumers who were left without electricity due to hostilities over the past 24 hours. Source: press service for Ukraine's Energy Ministry Details: The Energy Ministry is urging consumers to use electricity sparingly. Additionally, one of the two power lines supplying the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was severed due to Russian bombardments. The plant is now operating with a single connection to the power grid. Repair efforts by power engineers are already underway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For the day, electricity imports from Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and Moldova are projected to total 11,747 MWh, with a combined capacity of 1,165 MW," the press service reported. Background: On Saturday, 30 November, rolling blackout schedules will be in effect for household consumers from 08:00 to 22:00 and for businesses until 23:00. Support UP or become our patron! Abortion rights supporters march in Denver in the wake of a leaked Supreme Court opinion that indicated justices would overturn Roe v. Wade, May 7, 2022. (Kevin Mohatt for Colorado Newsline) Private health insurance carriers providing coverage in Colorado will have to fully cover abortion care starting in January 2025 under a law the Colorado Legislature passed in 2023. Senate Bill 23-189 requires private health insurance plans to fully cover the cost of abortions starting in 2025. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill into law as part of a package of abortion-related protections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law also requires insurance plans to cover medication abortions, contraception, vasectomies and treatment of sexually transmitted infections without copays. There is an exception for employers for whom abortion is against religious beliefs. The law also included an exception for government employers, but that could change following Colorado voters approval of Amendment 79, which enshrines the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution and will allow state and local government employers to cover abortion care, too. The amendment wont affect implementation of the 2023 law, but abortion rights advocates want to see Colorado lawmakers pass legislation requiring similar coverage for public employees and Medicaid recipients when the General Assembly convenes next year. Kiera Hatton Sena, policy director of the Colorado-based reproductive rights group Cobalt, said there is no other medical procedure that insurers do not cover solely based on ideological means, and SB-189s requirements show that reproductive health care is health care. Everybody should have access to the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare, and so what this really does is it levels the playing field so that reproductive healthcare isnt something only for the wealthy and people with means, Hatton Sena said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX State Sen. Lisa Cutter, a Littleton Democrat who sponsored the bill, said the law will close gaps related to access not only for abortion, but for STI treatment and family planning, too. We feel really strongly that reproductive healthcare is just an essential part of any primary and preventative care, Cutter said. That has remained out of reach for many Coloradans, and so this bill is just aiming to address that. Jack Teter, regional director of government affairs for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, noted that the law also makes it so that someone doesnt need to meet their deductible to have abortion care covered. He estimated more than one million Coloradans will now have abortion care fully covered under the new law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of people go through the entire year without meeting their deductible, and so even though a lot of people maybe had insurance coverage for abortion care in theory, in practice, that coverage would have very rarely kicked in, Teter said. All insurance plans regulated by the Colorado Division of Insurance will fully cover abortion. The bill included language requiring individual and small group insurance to cover abortion, so long as the state got approval from the federal government to do so. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services gave the state that approval in July. Teter said people who work for large companies might have health insurance regulated by the federal government, so the new policy would not apply to them. A health insurance card should have CODOI written on it if it is regulated by the state, Teter said. Members of the Colorado House of Representatives work on the last day of the 2024 Legislative Session May 8, 2024 at the Colorado Capitol. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) Not something that people plan on State Rep. Lorena Garcia, an Adams County Democrat and another SB-189 sponsor, said its important that people no longer need to purchase an additional rider if they want to have abortion covered by their health insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Who looks at insurance and says, Oh, I might get an abortion, Im going to get an abortion rider? Garcia said. No one does that, because its not something that people plan on. Its a big difference because abortion care is something that many people end up needing Its the same thing as, no one plans to have a heart attack, but sometimes they do. Im excited that were finally seeing implementation of a reduction in economic barriers to abortion care, Garcia added. Teter said 93% of the patients PPRM has served in Colorado so far in 2024 paid out of pocket for abortion care, even though the organization accepts most insurance carriers. That includes people whose insurance does not cover abortion, public employees whose insurance does not cover abortion, and people who dont have any health insurance. To be able to use insurance is going to be a game-changer for our patients, especially those who have to worry about making ends meet and have to decide between groceries or rent and accessing the care that they need, Teter said. We pay our premiums every month, and we count on our health when insurance to be there for us when we need access to healthcare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Insurance coverage for abortion care will also mean less people in need of financial assistance to access abortion, Teter said, so abortion funds can direct more of their funding to people traveling from out of state or who dont have insurance. Public funding ban for abortion gone Teter said PPRMs top priority going into the 2025 legislative session is to implement insurance coverage for Medicaid recipients and public employees. Garcia said she absolutely sees the Legislature pursuing such legislation as part of Amendment 79s implementation in 2025. Hatton Sena said the earliest she would expect to see public coverage would be on July 1, 2025, though it could take longer given the tight budget the state will be working under next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knowing that we are in a difficult budget year, I think we have to just acknowledge that it may need to be spread over two years, but definitely no further, Hatton Sena said. The voters were so clear that they wanted this, so I do think it should be a priority for the state legislature. Though Republican President-elect Donald Trump said he would not support a federal abortion ban on the campaign trail, there is still concern over how his administration will target abortion access given a Republican trifecta in Washington D.C. Anti-abortion activist groups want to end other federal and state protections while vastly expanding restrictions on reproductive health care. Even though Colorado secured the right to an abortion in its Constitution, a federal abortion ban would override state protections. Theres lots of different horrible ways that they could approach the question of how they want to use the federal government to restrict or ban access to abortion care, Teter said about the incoming Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hatton Sena said theres no way to predict what Trump and the federal government might do, but that abortion access was wildly popular across the country in the election. I say bring it, Garcia said. Cutter said Colorado officials will continue to do everything we can to protect access to abortion in the state. That is a personal freedom, she said. And protecting that access to reproductive healthcare, and abortion care specifically, saves lives. This story originally appeared in the Colorado Newsline, a sister publication of the Florida Phoenix. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Israel supporters confronted pro-Palestine marchers brandishing signs comparing the Gaza conflict to the Holocaust on Saturday. Counter-protesters from Stop Hate UK gathered near Londons Piccadilly Circus along the route of the National Demonstration for Palestine, urging those taking part to stop supporting terror. Police kept the two sides apart as the Palestine march made its way towards Whitehall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the main march passed the counter-protesters, one man draped in the flag of Israel chanted: If you want to free Palestine free Palestine from Hamas. Free Lebanon from Hezbollah. Free the Middle East from the Iranian regime! Among the pro-Palestine crowds were a number of placards comparing the Israeli offensive in Gaza with the Holocaust of the Jews under the Nazis. One read: 1st Holocaust: The Germans humiliated, mistreated and murdered vast numbers of Jews. 2nd Holocaust: The Zionists have mistreated, injured and killed countless Palestinians. The abused have become the abusers. Another hand-drawn placard described Zionism as a cancer that had to be removed before it engulfs the whole of the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such signs and placards have been condemned as anti-Semitic for minimising the unique nature of the Holocaust and playing on anti-Jewish tropes. A protester held a sign comparing the Gaza conflict to the Holocaust One man was seen holding a cardboard sign with the image of a red triangle widely interpreted as a show of support for Hamas, which uses the symbol to indicate Israeli military targets, such as tanks, just before they are struck. The thousands-strong pro-Palestine march was briefly blocked at Piccadilly Circus when a group of counter-protesters holding a banner ran into the middle of the road. They were pushed out of the way by police after a brief struggle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scotland Yard warned that its officers would not tolerate any displays of support for Hamas and Lebanese militants Hezbollah, both proscribed terrorist organisations. A man holds a cardboard sign with the image of a red triangle widely interpreted as a show of support for Hamas - Stop Hate UK/X Offences include chanting slogans, wearing clothing and displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos that express support for those groups. At one stage, a police officer was filmed speaking to pro-Israel counter-protesters about the banners they were holding. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which helped organise the march, has said Britain is complicit in what it describes as Israels genocide and apartheid of Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The demonstration follows the agreement on Tuesday night of a 60-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah, backed by Iran, to suspend hostilities, with both sides withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Counter-protesters hold up signs showing some of those still being held by Hamas in Gaza, more than a year on from the Oct 7 attacks - Stop Hate UK/X The Metropolitan Police said the two protests coincided with one of the busiest shopping weekends in the lead-up to Christmas. Hyde Parks Winter Wonderland is also being held nearby. Speaking before the start of the protests, Jon Savell, a deputy assistant commissioner for the Met, said: We have been in regular discussions with the PSC, counter-protesters Stop the Hate, as well as faith and community groups particularly the Jewish community who we know continue to be impacted by protests residents, and businesses. We expect this weekend to be very busy with many people shopping during the Black Friday sales, and visiting the capital ahead of the festive period, including Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, which is nearby. We have worked with organisers to seek to minimise disruption and balance the right to protest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers will be highly visible along the protest route and wider area to ensure the events take place safely and will deal with any offences. A pro-Palestine activist makes the shape of a triangle with her fingers - Stop Hate UK/X Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Met posted on X later on Saturday afternoon that the PSC march had passed the Stop The Hate counter-protest without incident. The counter-protesters held up signs showing some of those still being held by Hamas in Gaza, more than a year on from the October 7 attacks on Israel, which killed more than 1,200 people and led to 251 being taken hostage. As the march passed the group, one pro-Palestine activist made the shape of a triangle with her fingers. Stop Hate UK said: The hate marchers like to taunt us with inverted triangles. They do this with impunity, knowing that the Metropolitan Police will do nothing about it. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Roofers are among some 36 million workers who would be protected by a set of national regulations about laboring on days when temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. (Rodrigo Galdos for Fault Lines | Al Jazeera English) On a sweltering afternoon in July 2020, Belinda Ramones got a call that her brother was in the hospital. The call was from a woman at the Florida landscaping business that he had joined that week, the Davey Tree Expert Co., Ramones said. By the time she arrived, she said, My brother was swollen up from hands to toes. Two days later, her brother, Jose Leandro-Barrera, died at age 45 with acute kidney failure caused by heatstroke, according to a report from the Hillsborough County medical examiner. His temperature in the ambulance had been 108 F, said the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It described the circumstances preceding his death, as recorded by a nurse. At the jobsite, Leandro-Barrera had advised his supervisor that he was not feeling well, and the supervisor told him to sit in a vehicle until he felt better. While there, he urinated himself, had seizure like activity and became unresponsive. Employee suffers from heat exhaustion while doing landscaping, said an investigation into the incident from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The agency issued a $9,639 fine to the Davey Tree Expert Co. The company did not respond to requests for comment. Without national regulations on preventing heat-related illness and death, OSHA has difficulty, in general, protecting workers before its too late, said Paloma Renteria, a Department of Labor spokesperson. Laborers have suffered as summers have grown progressively hotter with climate change. But health policy and occupational health researchers say that worker deaths are not inevitable. Employers can save lives by providing ample water and breaks and building in time for new workers to adjust to extreme heat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the logic behind proposed national rules that President Joe Biden set in motion in 2021, aiming to protect an estimated 36 million workers exposed to extreme heat. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts about 480 worker deaths from heat exposure each year, on average. But these are vast underestimates, according to OSHA, because heat stress is an underlying factor often unaccounted for in medical records. The advocacy organization Public Citizen estimates that as many as 2,000 U.S. workers die of heat annually, based on extrapolations from heat injury data. Both estimates are upsetting, said Linda McCauley, dean of the nursing school at Emory University and an occupational health researcher. No one should go to work expecting that they might die, she said. The proposed rules a heat standard from OSHA reaches a milestone Dec. 30, when the public comment period closes. But its unlikely to be finalized before Biden leaves office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vice President Kamala Harris would likely carry the heat rules forward if she wins the presidency next month, said Jordan Barab, who was OSHAs deputy assistant secretary during the Obama administration. She advanced heat regulations in California in 2020. Should Donald Trump win, the rules would stall, Barab predicts. In general, Republicans have opposed workplace safety regulations over the past 20 years, saying they are costly to businesses and consumers. And during the first Trump administration, the number of OSHA inspectors tasked with monitoring workplace safety hit an all-time low across the agencys 48-year history. Workplace inspections regarding heat stress dropped by half on Trumps watch, according to an analysis by the National Employment Law Project. OSHAs rules would require employers to provide ample, cool drinking water, and shade or air conditioning for breaks, when temperatures exceed 80 degrees. Above 90 degrees, employers would need to provide paid 15-minute breaks every two hours. Two additional aspects of the standard confront overlooked problems that contribute to heat deaths at work. More than 70% of workers who die of heat do so within their first week on the job. And delayed medical care is a common theme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to stop telling people who complain of being about to pass out to go sit in the car or take a break, McCauley said. Rest breaks are needed to prevent the problem, but once someone has symptoms, they need help fast. The proposed rules require employers to allow new workers time to acclimate to high temperatures and to institute protocols, like a buddy system, so that workers get rapid medical care as soon as they show signs of heat illness, like dizziness, confusion, and cramps. By the time an emergency medical team arrived to help one laborer in July 2021, he had stopped breathing, according to one Department of Labor press release. A supervisor at the ecological restoration company EarthBalance had seen him earlier that day, it said, and he was sweating heavily, his hands were trembling, and he seemed confused, He rested. Only 30 minutes later, the supervisor returned to the man finding him unresponsive. That evening, Gilberto Macario-Gimenez died at the hospital, said a medical examiner case report. It noted the decedent had overheated and attributed his death to heart disease and hypertension. Heat can exacerbate those conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OSHA investigated the situation. It fined EarthBalance $9,216, finding that the employer failed to ensure that a person adequately trained to provide first aid to employees [was] working in an area where there was no infirmary. EarthBalance did not respond to requests for comment. OSHA has received at least 12,980 comments on its proposals posted to the federal register. One woman wrote about her cousin who died while clearing shrubs for a rancher in Texas when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees: He was only 34. There was no water or rest breaks. After the comment period ends in December, OSHA will hold a public hearing, incorporate changes, and finalize the rule. If Harris is president, Barab said, the agency may finish the process by 2026. For the rule to work, Congress would need to fund OSHA adequately, so that it can hire staffers to teach employers how to implement the standards, and enough investigators to enforce them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several industry groups have opposed the standard or requested changes. A single temperature threshold isnt fair when climates and jobs vary widely, in addition to workers abilities to tolerate heat, wrote the Associated General Contractors of America in an online statement this year. Some Republican lawmakers have called the rule government overreach. Rick Roth, a Republican Florida state representative, told Al Jazeera that workers are pushing for paid breaks because they dont want to work so hard. If they didnt feel safe, they could change jobs. Go work for somebody else, he said. Critics also say that the regulations will cost employers. But a UCLA analysis of workers compensation claims in California suggests that a national heat standard saves money overall. The study estimated the cost of heat-related injuries between $750 million and $1.25 billion a year in California alone, including medical bills, lost wages, and disability claims. Because six states have varying sets of rules to reduce heat-related illness California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington researchers and union representatives have been able to see where policies need strengthening. One issue with enforcement is that OSHA largely relies on employees to report hazards. One study found that just 14% of nearly 600 farmworkers surveyed in California knew about acclimatization and how much water they needed when temperatures were high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Florida doesnt have specific heat regulations, Dominique OConnor of the Farmworker Association of Florida said the biggest obstacle in ensuring occupational safety is that workers are afraid of getting fired for filing a complaint with OSHA. This is especially true for farmworkers with H-2A visas, which permit noncitizens to fill temporary jobs. Because these workers depend on their employers not only to remain in the country but often for transportation and housing, retaliation from employers would be life-altering. This summer we talked with H-2A workers who were only given dirty water on the job, she said. They were told to just pretend it was coffee. Leaders in several Republican-led states are likely to push back against the federal standard if its issued. Last April, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis approved legislation that blocks local governments from requiring employers to offer workers water and shade when temperatures rise. And the Supreme Courts decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine this year may embolden employers to challenge OSHAs ability to enforce the rules. For decades, the Chevron doctrine had required courts to defer to expertise at regulatory agencies when interpreting regulations, but the high courts ruling ended that. We are in uncharted territory, Barab said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeremy Young, senior producer at Fault Lines on Al Jazeera English, contributed to this report. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. A protest is taking place in Tbilisi, near the building of a public broadcaster, in response to the ruling Georgian Dream party's decision to abandon negotiations on joining the European Union. Source: European Pravda, citing Georgian news outlet Sova Details: Protesters are demanding that the public broadcaster provide airtime for their cause and cover the violence that occurred during the rallies. Protesters near the public broadcasters building Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photo: TV Pirveli "The fact that the media should be free is no longer a question in democratic states. Article 78, which was once sought by Georgian society, is enshrined in the Constitution," one protester said. The protest also gathered near the Tbilisi State University. Students came to the university building with photos of the people injured during a recent violent crackdown. Students near the Tbilisi State University Photo: TV Pirveli The students plan to join the protest later at the Georgian parliament building. A protest is also taking place in Batumi, where protesters blocked the central Gamsakhurdia Avenue. Protesters in Batumi Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photo: TV Pirveli Background: On Thursday, 28 November, Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream party confirmed that Tbilisi would not be negotiating EU membership "until the end of 2028". Several Georgian ministries have already criticised this decision. President Salome Zourabichvili later stated that the ruling party had declared war on its own people. On the evening of Thursday, a large demonstration took place under the walls of the parliament in Tbilisi and there were clashes with the police. Protesters were brutally dispersed with water cannons and tear gas. The security forces used physical violence against people, including journalists and their equipment. The protest continued on Friday evening, and police again resorted to violence against the protesters. Support UP or become our patron! OAK PARK, Ill. Officials in this western suburb on Saturday said theyre discussing plans for a public memorial to honor a detective killed in the line of duty a day earlier. The Village of Oak Park and the Oak Park Police Department thank the community for the outpouring of condolences for Detective Allan Reddins and support for the men and women of the Oak Park Police Department, village officials posted on social media. Reddins, 40, passed away Friday morning at Loyola University Medical Center after being shot while responding to a call on the 800 block of Lake Street. He was the first officer killed in the line of duty in the community in 86 years. Oak Park detective killed, offender injured in shooting Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Habitual criminal charged with felony murder in Oak Park detectives shooting death Its a good community here and Im just sorry to see this happen. Nobody should die at work, said resident Russell Hall. Hall brought flowers to a small memorial thats developed near where Reddins was shot. The men didnt know each other, but Hall said the police department has shown him and his family a kindness they havent experienced in other communities. Police chief Shatonya Johnson called Reddins a natural-born leader, a devoted father and loving son. She said Reddins went beyond the call of duty and that she was looking forward to him becoming a sergeant so he could continue to help others in the community and in the force. The work that he did here was so impactful, she said. Det. Allan Reddins Reddins lived in Chicago but proudly served the Oak Park community since May 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its just so tragic, said Jerry Sterling, an Oak Park resident of nearly 20 years. Sterling expressed anger and sadness over the tragedy but also pride in knowing that someone like Reddins had the communitys back. He wanted to come here. He wanted to be an officer here and it just, he just didnt deserve that, you know, nobody does. He certainly didnt, Sterling said. Prior to joining Oak Park police, Reddins served for nearly three years as an officer with the Metra Police Department. All of us at Metra are deeply saddened by the line of duty death of Oak Park Det. Allan Reddins, who was highly regarded when he worked as an officer with the Metra Police Department and will always be considered part of the Metra family, a spokesperson said in a statement. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and Oak Park colleagues and we will do all we can to assist them at this difficult time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The person suspected of shooting Reddins is in police custody. Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Oak Park Police Department at 708-386-3800 or dial 911. Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation may also leave an anonymous tip online, or by calling 708-434-1636. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Pete Hegseth, the man tapped by Donald Trump to become Defense Secretary, has come under fire from Democrats and other liberal pundits after he was branded as an abuser of women by his own mother. A report from The New York Times featured a 2018 email to the former Fox News anchor from Penelope Hegseth, where she said she had no respect for her son and that he needed take an honest look at yourself. The Times reported that in an interview on Friday, Penelope Hegseth had backtracked on the comments and said she had sent her son an immediate follow-up email, apologizing for what she had said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But social media commentators were quick to react to the report, with former Democratic Representative Bakari Sellers writing: This letter from Pete Hesgeths mom iswhoa. MAGA will turn a blind eye but this is something. Pundits rip Pete Hegseth after his own mom calls him an abuser of women in a 2018 email. His mom has now walked back those comments and backed her son as he looks to be confirmed as Defense Secretary (REUTERS) Man Pete Hegseths mom thinks hes a real piece of s***, wrote attorney Andrew Fleischman. Author James Surowiecki added: "Hegseth was already unqualified to be Defense Secretary, simply because he has zero experience running a large organization. His history with women (as set out by his mom) also makes him totally unsuited to run a department with hundreds of thousands of female employees. Political commentator Wonder how Republicans are going to spin this statement from Pete Hegseths OWN MOTHER, said commentator Brian Tyler Cohen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her email Penelope Hegseth accused her son of routinely mistreating women for years, though said she still loved him. On behalf of all the women (and I know its many) you have abused in some way, I say get some help and take an honest look at yourself, she wrote. This letter from Pete Hesgeths mom iswhoa. MAGA will turn a blind eye but this is something. https://t.co/RYEQtSVweG pic.twitter.com/qZwnWiaMni Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) November 30, 2024 The email went on: I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth. In her Friday interview with The Times Hegseth said she had sent the email in anger, with emotion at a time when he and his wife were going through a very difficult divorce. Man Pete Hegseth's mom thinks he's a real piece of shit. pic.twitter.com/EO3lXXbwTC Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) November 30, 2024 Following the report, conservatives also condemned The Times for publishing the exchange. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York Times is publishing a 6 year old private email between a mother & her son. This is despicably low on so many levels, wrote Republican author Sean Parnell. Families have issues. All the time. To make those issues public for the sole purpose of tanking a nomination is evil. Period. Pete has children. They will read this. Their friends will read it. It is irresponsible as hell to even publish such a thing. Democrats dont have to deal with this BS. Its sickening. Hegseth has also previously been criticized for his attitude towards female military members, having previously said: It hasnt made us more effective, hasnt made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated. The Supreme Court has taken strong exception to suppression of facts by one of the woman petitioners seeking remission and asked her to explain her conduct. A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and AG Masih observed that petitioner woman has not brought notice to the top court about an order of Delhi High Court on his plea. One of the convicts while seeking remission and had suppressed facts to the top court that she had approached the Delhi High Court for similar relief but didn't disclose it to the top court. Additional Solicitor General Rajkumar Bhaskar Thakare, had shown the top court the two orders passed by the High Court of Delhi on the woman plea for same relief. ASG Thakare told the top court that Delhi HC by its first order dated 16th October, 2024 granted time of two weeks to the petitioner to surrender with liberty to the petitioner to apply for parole. As the top court was not aware of the Delhi HC order, it granted extension of time to petitioner to surrender and with the help of the apex court order dated 21st October, the petitioner got extension from the Delhi HC. "Order dated 16th October, 2024 passed by the Delhi High Court was not brought to our notice when we issued notice on 21st October, 2024 and granted extension of time to the petitioner to surrender," the top court said. "On 16th October, 2024, the Delhi High Court without granting any interim relief had granted time of two weeks to the petitioner to surrender. If the order dated 16th October, 2024 would have been brought to notice of this Court on 21st October, 2024, the order passed by this Court would not have been passed. There is something further to it," the top court said. "Thereafter, the High Court extended the time granted to the petitioner till 8th November, 2024. After 21st October, 2024, the petition is listed today. Even today, the petitioner has not pointed out to this Court the fact that a writ petition for same relief was filed in the Delhi High Court in which the aforesaid two orders were passed," the top court said. "The orders are placed on record by ASG. Prima facie, it appears to us that a stringent action will have to be taken against the petitioner for suppression of facts including the action under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. We, therefore, issue notice to the petitioner calling upon the petitioner to explain her conduct." "The notice is made returnable on December 16 , 2024. We direct the Delhi State Legal Services Authority to appoint an Advocate to espouse the cause of the petitioner. The Advocate so appointed shall be permitted to meet the petitioner in prison. The Advocate will explain to the petitioner the position in which she has landed. The Advocate appointed shall file an affidavit of the petitioner before this Court explaining her conduct. She must disclose on whose advice she filed two proceedings. If the petitioner does not surrender by tomorrow i.e. November 30, 2024, we direct the State Police to immediately take her into custody," the top court said. (ANI) Russian President Vladimir Putin has provided more details on the "Oreshnik" missile. The hypersonic ballistic missile was first used by Russia in Ukraine in November. Putin said the missile's destructive elements hit temperatures of more than 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Russian President Vladimir Putin shared more details on Russia's "Oreshnik" missile during a state visit to Kazakhstan. Russia first used the Oreshnik missile in Ukraine last week, striking a munitions factory in Dnipro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin said at the time that his forces had tested "a non-nuclear hypersonic ballistic missile," named the Oreshnik, in response to Ukraine's use of US and UK-supplied long-range weapons. Speaking to the media in Kazakhstan on Thursday, Putin detailed some more of the Oreshnik's characteristics. Putin called the missile a "high-precision and high-power weapon" and said that it was "not equipped with a nuclear explosive device, thus they do not cause environmental contamination." He added that the destructive elements inside the missile's warheads hit temperatures of over 4,000 degrees Celsius (more than 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The damage is substantial," he continued. "Everything at the centre is reduced to ash, breaking down into its elemental components, and objects located at a depth of three or four, possibly even more, floors below are affected." Putin also reiterated that the Oreshnik could be as powerful as a nuclear strike if multiple were fired at once. The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) said on Friday that the Oreshnik was likely a variant of the Rubezh RS-26 ballistic missile a solid-fueled, road-mobile ballistic missile. The ministry said that the missile's payload observed in the strike on Dnipro was "six groups of six warheads," which it said travel at hypersonic speeds before impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The missile's potential range is particularly important and has already attracted a great deal of expert commentary. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Missile Defense Project lists the Rubezh RS-26 as having a range of up to 5,800 km (around 3,600 miles), meaning it could strike targets across Europe and the UK. Former Australian Army Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan said Russia's use of a missile with such a potential range was a clear message to the West, writing on X: "Putin isn't only messaging Washington D.C. here." "This is a message to Europe, not only about their support for Ukraine, but also about Russia's capacity and willingness to influence policy related to defence and security well beyond Ukraine," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have reported that the capabilities of the Russian state-of-the-art Oreshnik missile are nothing new, and its use will not lead to further escalation in the war. Source: ISW Details: The report notes that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin's efforts to highlight the missile's technical characteristics are part of a broader information campaign. The ISW is convinced that the focus on the missile's range and payload, comparing its destructive capabilities to those of a meteor, is intended to intimidate Ukraine and the West and to dissuade Kyiv from further strikes on Russian territory with Western systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "Even Putin's threat of strikes on decision-making centers in Kyiv rings emptyRussian forces regularly strike civilian and critical infrastructure in the city of Kyiv with drones and nuclear-capable missiles." More details: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy summed up this fact on 29 November in response to Putin's statements at the CSTO Security Council meeting in Kazakhstan, saying that "Putin wants to add thousands more to the thousands of missiles that have already hit Ukraine". Reuters, citing five sources close to US intelligence, noted on 27 November that the 21 November Oreshnik strike did not change US intelligence assessments that the Kremlin is unlikely to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, even in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with Western weapons. Quote: "Putin's constant flaunting of the Oreshnik and Russian missile capabilities therefore remains part of the Kremlin's reflexive control information operation and is unlikely to presage the development of particularly novel Russian deep strike capabilities." To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 29 November: Russian ruler Vladimir Putin continues to laud the technical specifications of the recently launched Oreshnik ballistic missile and threaten additional Oreshnik strikes against Ukraine as part of an intensified Russian reflexive control campaign aimed at forcing the West and Ukraine into self-deterrence. There is nothing particularly novel about the capabilities of the Oreshnik missile, and US and Ukrainian officials indicated that the Oreshnik missile does not portend a Russian escalation in the war. Putin's constant flaunting of the Oreshnik and Russian missile capabilities therefore remains part of the Kremlin's reflexive control information operation and is unlikely to presage the development of particularly novel Russian deep strike capabilities. The Russian military is considering establishing a separate service branch for unmanned systems, likely as part of the Russian Ministry of Defence's (MoD) in a belated effort to catch up to the establishment of the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) in February 2024. Russian forces conducted a large series of drone and missile strikes against Ukraines energy grid and major defense industrial facilities on the nights of 27-28 and 28-29 November. Ukrainian forces conducted a series of strikes against four Russian air defence systems and radars in occupied Ukraine and two oil depots in Russia on 28 and 29 November. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov made an unannounced visit to Pyongyang, North Korea on 29 November amid intensifying Russian-North Korean cooperation. Support UP or become our patron! TYLER, Texas (KETK) The Tyler Police Department said that one person was injured in a shooting on Queen Street on Friday night. 2 dead after Nacogdoches County truck crash According to Tyler PD public relations officer Andy Erbaugh, one person was shot in the arm at around 9:15 p.m. in the 900 block of Queen Street. Erbaugh said the injury was non-life-threatening and that the shooting wasnt random. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tyler PD detectives are currently trying to determine what happened, according to Erbaugh. No information on a suspect has been released. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. NORTH CAROLINA (WGHP) Some teenage crime is on the rise, Piedmont Triad police say. According to a video posted to X by the Greensboro Police Department, these crimes include armed robberies, serious assault or shooting into occupied homes. These are not childish acts, one officer in the video says. In December 2019, the Raise the Age law became effective; however, in June of this year, a part of the law changed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starting December 1, a new state law will go into effect, charging 16 and 17-year-olds who were charged with class A through E felonies as adults immediately. With the new law in effect, 16 and 17-year-olds who were previously charged in adult court may have their cases removed to juvenile court jurisdiction. Additionally, 13, 14 and 15-year-olds may be moved from adult criminal court to juvenile delinquency court. 16 and 17-year-olds charged with an F through I felony offense and non-motor vehicle misdemeanor offenses will still be processed in juvenile delinquency court. Nothing changes for all other youth charged with felony offenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. Editors Note: Corrected start time of the rally outside Rockrimmon Library. (COLORADO SPRINGS) The Save Rockrimmon Library group will hold a Not Saying Goodbye rally at the Rockrimmon Library on Saturday, Nov. 30, the day before the library is set to close its doors. Organizers encourage attendees of the rally to utilize the librarys serviceschildrens areas, bookshelves, computers, and moreand to thank the library staff for their dedication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE: City Council members react to Rockrimmon Library closure Attendees will also make signs in the meeting room ahead of a peaceful protest outside the library at noon. Organizers welcome attendees to bring sign-making supplies. The rally begins at 10:30 a.m. outside the Rockrimmon Library, 832 Village Center Dr. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Help your elders with Medicare enrollment "Honor your elders for they have wisdom to teach that we have not learned yet." Native American proverb As we emerge from our nation's dedicated day of Thanksgiving, our family dinner table would not be the same without our parents and grandparents, those who are seasoned with time. We are currently in the annual enrollment period for Medicare, with a looming Dec. 7 deadline hence the tsunamis of commercials and spam calls targeting our 65-years-and-older population. The information regarding Medicare comes in the form of a 200-plus page information guide. All of the data flooding may be too much for you and especially your older loved ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a family and community, we must help our elders to navigate what could be a confusing and tedious process. If family assistance is not possible, find a local independent licensed insurance agents to ensure the best medical benefit package based on the needs of the insurer. Most local licensed independent insurance agents represent multiple insurance companies, which enable Medicare-eligible elders the opportunity to make decisions based on their needs. You may also get direction from Medicare by calling 800-633-4227 or from the Oklahoma Department of Insurance, 405-521-2828. Theresa Hinman, Norman More: Medicare Advantage is a huge disadvantage for my rural hospital | Opinion HB 4156 would demonize the Latino population House Bill 4156 will make it acceptable for law enforcement to racially profile Latino people of Oklahoma. It is unacceptable how much America loves to benefit from immigrants but will continue to make them feel inferior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma is still fighting as of September 2024 to challenge HB 4156. This law is to allow law enforcement to arrest people who came to the U.S. illegally, which causes a lot of anxiety for the Latino population. The way that immigration is handled in the U.S. makes it seem that everyone who came into this country without legal permission is a criminal, and it demonizes a population that often is not able to advocate for themselves because of the language barrier. As a child of parents who speak a limited amount of English, there is this fear that my parents and many others who do not speak English will be put in a situation where they wont be able to defend themselves after being profiled and detained for being a suspect as someone without legal permission to be here. The National Institute of Justice funded a study in Texas that shows that native born U.S. citizens face more arrests for violent, drug-related, and property crimes than those who entered the country illegally. This is relevant data to look into because Texas is one of the states that makes contact with the border as well as housing one of the largest percentages of immigrants in the U.S. with their population making up about 39% of the Texan population. We need to put a stop to the madness that says all immigrants are dangerous and put this country at risk. A lot of immigrants who entered the country illegally have been here for decades, paying taxes and contributing to our society and economy. America always finds a way to demonize this population instead of acknowledging their contribution to society. I urge Oklahomans to educate themselves on their language and prejudices against immigrants who do not yet have legal authority to be here because it creates such a division in this country and opens spaces for bills like HB 4156 to be created and corrupted by those who are enforcing it. Mariela Gomez, Oklahoma City Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: 'I'm afraid.' OKC Latino community speaks on election, immigration, their concerns DDS is fulfilling its pledge to help Oklahoma families Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) recently announced it has reduced the wait for Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) from 13 years to just two. We were one of those families who were on the 13-year waitlist, so we truly understand how monumental this achievement is. When my son, Julian, was born in 1998, he was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Later, as a teenager, he was also diagnosed with autism. Julian is non-verbal, and he needs a full-time caregiver. As a single mother with other children, I needed to work full-time, so I made the difficult decision to place him in the care home where I was employed. Fortunately, I was able to see him every day, but it wasnt the same as having Julian at home with our family. Finally, in 2023, Julians name came up on the DDS list, and he was approved to begin receiving services. I was able to bring him back into our family home and employ my partner, Warren, as his full-time caregiver. Warren is more like a father to Julian, and they have an incredibly special relationship. Knowing Julian is home and getting one-on-one attention while Im working is a true blessing. Being on services also allows Julian to attend occupational and physical therapy. His quality of life is dramatically improved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we first attended one of the regional family meetings and learned the Legislature had provided funding to end the waitlist, it was like the rain stopped, and the sun came out. DDS really came through for us, and theyve fulfilled their promise to help Oklahoma families. Tonya Henley, Crescent More: Election, Oklahoma education were top Viewpoints in November Walters should pay for Trump Bibles Ryan Walters needs to reimburse the taxpayers of Oklahoma for spending money for Trump Bibles. Our teachers need a raise, not Walters' so-called profile. Since we are 48th in the country for education, he should work on that instead of playing the blame game. Jan Dixon, Noble This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Opposition to HB 4156, support for vets and the disabled | Letters Opposition fighters have seized control of most parts of Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, after launching a massive surprise offensive against the government forces, a war monitor reported on Saturday. An alliance of rebel factions led by the Islamist militant organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has advanced deep into Aleppo and now controls the majority of the northern city, including government buildings and prisons, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The city's governor and security commanders withdrew from the city centre, while government forces fled to a suburb, according to the Britain-based watchdog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian military said the large number of insurgents involved in the multi-front offensive had prompted government forces to redeploy and prepare for a counter-attack. In the statement, the military confirmed that "terrorist" groups had been able to penetrate large parts of Aleppo. "Our armed forces have fought against them fierce battles along fronts stretching for more than 100 kilometres to stop their advance," the military said, adding that dozens of its soldiers were killed in the fighting. Fighting broke out in north-western Syria on Wednesday pitting the opposition alliance against government forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the withdrawal of government forces and allied paramilitaries, Kurdish militias, which are not part of the Islamist-led opposition alliance, have taken control of Aleppo's airport and two towns on Aleppo's suburbs, according to the observatory. The airport has been closed since Friday. The current fighting has displaced at least 50,000 people, the watchdog estimated. In an attempt to hamper the rebels' advance, Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, unleashed overnight airstrikes on Aleppo for the first time since 2016, the observatory said. Mustapha Bakour, spokesman for Jaish al-Izza, a faction participating in the rebel attack on Aleppo, said the opposition fighters are currently in the final stages of combing through the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He told dpa that the advance had been swift because the rebels prepared well for the attack and Iran-backed militias loyal to the Syrian government had withdrawn. "The Iranian militias escaped from their posts and left Syrian forces alone," he said. The rebels' offensive marks a significant escalation in Syria's civil war, which has raged since 2011 and had recently seen relatively stable front lines. HTS is considered one of the most powerful armed militias in north-western Syria. The opposition assault is considered the largest by rebels on Aleppo since 2016 when they were ousted from the eastern areas of the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fighting has resulted so far in a total of 301 deaths, including 28 civilians, the observatory reported. Opposition factions said the offensive was a response to recent artillery shelling by government forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, which targeted civilian areas. The Syrian president, with the help of his allies Russia and Iran, has managed to regain control of about two-thirds of the country from rebels in the past years. Idlib, southwest of Aleppo, is the last rebel stronghold in war-torn Syria. As public health advocates and politicians who support vaccines and other long-standing public health interventions face the possibility of conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leading the Department of Health and Human Services, they may find an unlikely source of assistance to block some of Kennedys most unsupported ideas: the Supreme Court. In mid-2024, the Supreme Courts conservative supermajority overturned its 40-year-old finding in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, a precedent that had largely given specific government agencies (and experts working for them) the authority to interpret rules, regulations and guidance they were charged with implementing. In doing so, the court shifted the power to approve or deny changes in the regulatory landscape away from the agencies ones like the Food and Drug Administration, Federal Trade Commission, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and toward the judiciary. That may make it harder for Kennedy, known for his strident opposition to vaccines and his promotion of false or exaggerated notions related to medicine and health, to easily change how the many subagencies and regulatory bodies within HHS treat vaccines, prescription drugs and scientific research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The end of Chevron deference does offer an opportunity to challenge bad regulations, said Dr. Reshma Ramachandran, a physician and associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine, in reference to the legal precedent. And we expect theres a high likelihood in the incoming administration theres going to be regulations that are very concerning and antithetical to public health. They cant just rely on the fact that they will be able to interpret the statute however they like. Public health advocates are alarmed by President-elect Donald Trumps choice of Kennedy to lead HHS due to his fringe views on health issues. Kennedy has suggested that theres no vaccine that is safe and effective, HIV may not be the cause of AIDS, chemicals in the environment could be causing gender dysphoria in children, antidepressants may be linked to mass shootings, and COVID-19 could be ethnically targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people while largely sparing people who are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese. There is no evidence to back up any of these claims. After ending his independent bid for the presidency, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., pictured here at right, endorsed Republican Donald Trump. Trump later selected Kennedy to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images How these views inform actions he might take at HHS is yet unknown. But, if he is successfully confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy could direct the agency to issue new rules, regulations and guidance governing everything from vaccines and regulatory standards to authorizations for prescription drugs and medical devices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is, unless the recent Supreme Court ruling on Chevron deference throws a wrench in the works. The precedent had previously created a two-step process by which courts judged the appropriateness of government agencies interpretations of their statutory authority to issue regulations. It did not provide a universal deference, but a limited deference to these agency interpretations of often vague or ambiguous legislative grants of authority. So the agencies had a lot of leeway in issuing regulations and what they were allowed to do, but the courts were allowed to double-check that those interpretations were backed up by laws passed in Congress. But with the case Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the Supreme Courts six conservatives reversed that, overruling Chevron deference and stating that courts would now exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority, as courts had the special competence to provide answers on statutory ambiguities. Agency interpretations may now persuade courts, but courts no longer owe them any kind of deference. In short, the courts have more power to approve or reject regulatory decisions made by agencies when the law is ambiguous about an agencys regulatory authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public health advocates argue that courts cannot be the best judges of the interpretations needed to regulate highly technical aspects of science and medicine because they lack the expertise of the scientists, doctors and researchers who make these decisions. Liberal Justice Elena Kagan made this exact point in her dissent, noting that the FDA, which is governed by HHS, has to decide what constitutes a protein for certain regulatory actions. When does an alpha amino acid polymer qualify as such a protein? Must it have a specific, defined sequence of amino acids? Kagan wrote, citing a 2020 case that dealt with this exact question. These seemingly minute decisions can have significant impacts for pharmaceutical and medical device companies in determining how their products are regulated, but the new uncertainty makes enforcing regulation much riskier: Without deference for their rulemaking decisions, health and science agencies are likely to face far more litigation than before. In mid-2024, the Supreme Court's conservative supermajority overturned a 40-year-old precedent that provided significant deference to agencies in their interpretations of statutes granting them authority to issue regulations. Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images Since Chevron has fallen, agencies are much more cautious in putting forward rules and regulations, Ramachandran said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And while this may be a hindrance to science-based public health rules, it could also act as a brake on any attempt by Kennedy to change how HHS treats vaccines, prescription drugs or other public health measures. On vaccines, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for Kennedy to revoke an authorization for a vaccine. He has said he wont do that, but if he did, it would trigger a fierce fight within HHS and litigation in the courts. He could, alternatively, try to issue new regulations or guidance related to vaccines whether for future vaccine approval, coverage of vaccines under Medicare and Medicaid, labeling related to alleged vaccine harms, or guidance for medical professionals on vaccine distribution. He could say were going to revise these regulations now and go through the whole rulemaking process to do that, Ramachandran said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same goes for regulatory approvals for drugs, including those that Kennedy has said were suppressed by the government like hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin and psychedelics. He could change what uses these drugs are approved for or grant approval for drugs like the psychedelic MDMA, which was just rejected by the FDA in August. But all of these things would face bigger hurdles in the courts with the end of Chevron deference. This is particularly true for long-established regulatory actions like vaccine approvals, or standards of guidance that have significant agency and court precedents backing them up, Ramachandran said. Examples already abound where HHS regulations, guidance and pricing for services covered by Medicare and Medicaid are being challenged under the new standard. In a lawsuit filed in July, Texas cited the Loper Bright decision in its challenge to HHS rules requiring certain health care providers to dispense contraceptives to minors without parental consent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) brought suit with Catholic doctors and hospitals in May to challenge HHS nondiscrimination rules that applied to sexual orientation and gender identity. Courts in Texas and Mississippi cited the Loper Bright case when they blocked the rules from going into effect. On Nov. 5, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case brought by hospitals that challenges a new HHS rule governing compensation to hospitals that see a large number of low-income patients known as disproportionate-share hospital payments for not paying them enough. Previous attempts to challenge the HHS rule failed in lower courts under the old Chevron deference standard, but now may succeed thanks to the high courts decision in the Loper Bright case. HHS is also the subject of a lawsuit that Texas filed prior to the reversal of the Chevron decision, arguing that agency guidance to hospitals stating that they can provide emergency abortion care, even in states with strict abortion bans, should not be afforded deference under the precedent. The Supreme Court temporarily allowed emergency abortions to be performed in Idaho in a 6-3 decision issued back in June. The case out of Texas tackles the same issue, but is now continuing after the Loper Bright decision. With Chevron deference now gone, the emergency abortion guidance could face an even harder time in the courts. Kennedy, pictured here in 2008, has long been a critic of vaccines, embracing discredited scientific theories about their dangers. Brendan Hoffman via Getty Images The same is likely to be true of any new rule or guidance that Kennedy would approve on vaccines or prescription drugs. That includes any labeling requirements involving warnings or other consumer information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawsuits over these changes could come from any number of sources vaccine makers, hospitals, doctors or public health advocates. But the end of Chevron deference places power in the hands of the judges who hear these cases, stoking fears that partisan or ideological opinions may outweigh scientific ones. People who still have faith in an ideal functioning judiciary will hope that a judge discerning the text and the purpose of a statute that governs HHS can independently evaluate whether an action taken by RFK Jr. really is in line with what the statute says, said Andrew Twinamatsiko, a director of the Center for Health Policy and the Law at the ONeill Institute in Washington. Increasingly ideological or partisan opinions from Trump-appointed judges, particularly concentrated in regional arenas like the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, may undermine that faith. For example, a decision by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk removing both new and long-standing approvals for the use of the drug mifepristone to perform abortions ignored actual scientific research, instead relying on a blog run by an anti-abortion organization as evidence. The Supreme Court rejected Kacsmaryks decision when it found that the anti-abortion groups bringing the case did not have legal standing to sue. Three GOP-led states, however, are now pursuing a similar lawsuit in the lower courts. This case brought the publics attention to the issue of judge shopping, and the machinations carried out by litigants seeking a particular outcome to make sure their case ends up in front of a sympathetic judge. When you have a decision RFK has made that you might not like, you might not want to go to the 5th Circuit, Twinamatsiko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While that may be true for public health advocates and companies with an interest in protecting science-based vaccine rules and regulations, other interests may find the 5th Circuit a good venue for post-Chevron regulatory challenges for some of Kennedys positions that align with public health. Kennedy isnt a conservative. Hes a former Democrat with diagonal views running across the plane of ideologies, from liberal to libertarian to pure conspiratorial. His thoughts on chemical pollution, synthetic food ingredients and corporate influence over food and drug regulators align with those of liberals. But any efforts to regulate food additives like synthetic dyes would almost certainly face legal challenges from the food, agriculture and chemical industries under the post-Chevron rules. Stopping vast changes to the regulatory landscape is what the Supreme Courts conservatives had in mind when they ended the deference that the Chevron ruling provided agencies in the past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During arguments in the Loper Bright case, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that Chevron deference ushers in shocks to the system every four or eight years when a new administration comes in. Ending agency deference was meant to prevent such significant changes. That could very well trip up Kennedys plans for vast changes to the entire regulatory framework for public health policy. And it will take not four years, but barely a year for this shock to the system to begin playing out. VALENCIA, Spain (AP) Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched on Saturday in the streets of Valencia a month after devastating floods to demand the resignation of the regional officials who bungled the emergency response. The protest was the second major march of its kind asking for Valencia regional president Carlos Mazon to step down. He has refused to do so while making changes to his Cabinet and appointing a retired general to lead the cleanup effort. Many citizens and flood survivors are angry for what they consider the negligent or inept handling of the flash floods that created major flooding on Oct. 29-30. At least 230 people died, while thousands of homes and vehicles were destroyed or ruined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mazons administration didn't issue flood alerts to peoples cellphones until flooding had already started in some areas. Saturdays march culminated with people playing the shrill alert they received on their phones in unison. Authorities were then overwhelmed with the scope of the damage and took days to scale up rescue and recovery efforts. The cleanup of the layers of mud left by the rushing waters continues. The Delhi High Court has recently requested the CBI to appoint a senior officer to monitor the investigation of RAU's IAS Study circle case. Father of a deceased student Nevin Dalvin moved to the High Court earlier seeking direction to change the Investigation officer. His plea was dismissed by the trial court. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma passed an order on November 27 on the petition moved by Dalvin Suresh and said, "In order to balance the rights, Director CBI is requested to appoint a senior officer to have regular monitoring of the investigation being conducted by the CBI. I consider that no further directions are required to be passed in the present petition." "This Court hopes and trusts that CBI will keep the faith of the petitioner. The Court is conscious of the fact that the complainant or the petitioner in the present case may have some genuine concerns," Justice Sharma added. The High Court said that however before parting, the Court considers the the order passed by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, that the application of the petitioner was dismissed on the ground that since, under Section 156(3), no direction can be given to the CBI to register an FIR and conduct investigation, the Court of the learned Metropolitan Magistrate cannot monitor the investigation. "This Court considers that this observation of the learned MM may not be in accordance with the law. It is correct that learned MM cannot direct the CBI to the registration of the FIR. However, once the CBI has registered the case and conducting an investigation, the concerned Court of learned MM will have all the power to monitor the investigation in accordance with the law and established principles as laid down by the judgments of the constitutional bench," the High court said. This petition was filed by the complainant/petitioner challenging the order of September 20, 2024 passed by the Additional Chief judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Rouse Avenue Courts, New Delhi in whereby the request for change of the case IO for proper investigation by CBI and appointing an officer not below the rank of Inspector General was dismissed. Advocate Abhijit Anand, counsel for the petitioner submits that IO has not conducted a free and fair investigation, which is a fundamental right of the petitioner. He also submitted that even the directions of the Division Bench of this court had not been followed. It was further submitted that even the building site plan has not been seized, nor has the CCTV Footage been seized. The counsel also invited the attention of various deficiencies in the investigation. He submitted that since the investigation is not being conducted in a free and fair manner, the investigation officer may be changed. On the other hand, the CBI stated by the CBI that the investigation was done in a free and fair manner by following due process of law. The investigation is already being monitored by the Secretary, CVC, pursuant to the Directions of the Division Bench of this Court. It was also stated that the CBI has already submitted two status reports in sealed cover containing the developments of the investigation before the Division Bench. It was further submitted that the CBI has an established system of thorough supervision and close monitoring of investigation of cases by senior level officers and the investigation of this Case is also being closely monitored by senior officers of CBI. (ANI) In a long-running case, the Florida Supreme Court agreed to a public reprimand and 60-day suspension for a Seminole County judge because of events that took place in 2022. An investigative panel of the Florida Qualifications Commission in 2022 recommended similar discipline for Seminole County Judge Wayne Culver. But the Supreme Court rejected a proposed settlement and ordered the Judicial Qualifications Commission to hold a full hearing on the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission found that Culver violated several canons of judicial conduct by engaging in abusive and intemperate behavior during two separate court proceedings in February 2022, Wednesdays ruling said. As an example, Culver yelled at a man who had entered his courtroom. Sir, Im doing something here. Could you shut up and sit down, Culver said. The man, a defendant named Kevin Newton who was waiting to appear before Culver, said he was trying to find a seat. Culver responded with profanity and threatened to hold Newton in contempt of court. Judge Culver admitted shocking himself by his use of profanity, and that members of the public would rightly be appalled, a document filed by the commission at the Supreme Court said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judges are required to conduct themselves with integrity; to be patient, dignified, and courteous toward others in official settings; and to be faithful to and maintain professional competence in the law. It is self-evident that Judge Culvers profane outburst violated judicial canons, Wednesdays ruling said. The ruling also addressed the issue of appropriate discipline. Viewed in the abstract, Judge Culvers behavior toward Mr. Newton was so unacceptable, and so potentially corrosive of public confidence in the judiciary, as to render Judge Culver a candidate for removal from the bench. But here the commission heard mitigating evidence that it described as overwhelming, said the ruling shared by Chief Justice Carlos Muniz and Justices Charles Canady, Jorge Labarga, John Couriel, Jamie Grosshans, Renatha Francis and Meredith Sasso. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commissions evidence showed that Culvers actions occurred during a brief period in which he experienced intense personal pressure and loss while caring for his dying father, the ruling said. Numerous people, including the state attorney, a public defender and other judges, testified on Culvers behalf. In addition, Culver voluntarily received mental-health counseling for the past two years and he has been remorseful and cooperative throughout the disciplinary process, according to Wednesdays decision. The ruling pointed to the commissions finding that Culver is genuinely contrite, has learned from this experience, and continues to be effective as a judge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judges misconduct was aberrational, situational and attributable to stressful personal problems, the commission found. And the commission was persuaded that Judge Culvers misconduct is unlikely to recur. We do not see grounds to deviate from the Commissions recommendations that Judge Culver be suspended for 60 days without pay and publicly reprimanded, the courts ruling said. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A report from Climate Action Against Disinformation has detailed the role of big tech companies like Meta, YouTube, and X, formerly known as Twitter in spreading falsehoods about climate science and renewable energy. It does not make for encouraging reading. What's happening? Summarized by TechInformed, the CAAD report found that big tech platforms are amplifying misinformation via accounts that boast hundreds of thousands of followers. It also noted a common theme of "wokewashing," in which accounts demonstrating climate skepticism use human rights concerns to make a case against renewable technologies, electric vehicles, and other green initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As TechInformed summarized, the report found that misinformation surrounding renewable technologies includes claims that they are expensive, unreliable, and environmentally harmful. Conspiracy theories are also being pushed, which suggest the move to greener policies by international governments is a form of social control. One case study detailed that content on YouTube, X, and elsewhere falsely claimed that wildfires in Greece, Canada, and the Amazon were started intentionally, with "direct energy weapons" and land acquisition by the rich among the theories posited for why these burning events began. Advertising by dirty energy companies on social media was another area of concern, allowing these huge organizations to push false information to a large audience about their efforts to implement the use of renewable energy or to reduce planet-warming pollution. Why is this misinformation concerning? Misinformation can spread rapidly via social media platforms because of slow efforts or no efforts at all to censor false statements, misleading advertising, and conspiracy theories. These tech companies allow people and partisan organizations to amass large followings and spread lies with minimal checks or repercussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to the climate, this is especially problematic, as the world continues to heat up because of human-caused pollution. This warming leads to extreme weather conditions becoming stronger, longer, and more common, and it's putting various populations in increasing danger. "It is virtually certain that 2024 will be the hottest year on record, and extreme weather has again wreaked havoc around the world," Kate Cell, a Union of Concerned Scientists member, told TechInformed. Do you think misinformation is a major problem in America today? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind "As this report shows, the fossil fuel industry and its political allies are wielding climate disinformation to maintain their profits and lock the world's people into an increasingly dangerous future." What's being done about media misinformation? "While the world meets to try to keep the Paris Agreement promise, the fossil fuel industry pollutes the information ecosystem to cloud our minds," CAAD Intelligence Unit Coordinator Sean Buchan said, per TechInformed. "A fossil fuel ad ban is imperative to protect public health and accelerate climate action." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It remains to be seen whether tech companies will heed this call, which some liken to many countries' strict regulations or bans surrounding tobacco advertising due to the product's harmful health impact. However, the CAAD raised awareness about a crucial way to prevent the spread of misinformation and help us take greater steps to a cleaner, greener, and safer planet. We can also make a difference by being mindful of our online practices and the platforms we choose to use and by validating the sources of information being pushed on the internet. 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. It would be a mistake for the Republican Party to downplay Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a presidential candidate in 2028, said former Trump administration official Monica Crowley on The Ingraham Angle Friday night. Do not underestimate AOC. Shes young, shes vibrant, shes attractive, Crowley warned. I think shes wrong on everything, but she does have real grassroots support. And all of the energy and activism in the Democrat party remains with the revolutionary left, of which she is a part. So, every time the Republicans have underestimated the Democrats, we ended up with Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. So, lets not do it again in four years, Crowley concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crowley was joined by Democratic pollster Doug Schoen, who earlier in the segment disagreed that Ocasio-Cortez is a viable candidate for the party. If she runs, it will be a disaster. We lost a couple of members of the squad, fortunately, in primaries this year, most Democrats dont want extreme left wing politics, he said. Instead, the party should focus on shifting to the center on cultural issues and fiscal issues Schoen added, and be more fiscally disciplined and AOC represents the opposite. I think if she runs, it would be a disaster for the party, and I think her chance of getting nominated would be nil, he said. You can watch the exchange in the video above. The post Republican Commentator Warns: Do Not Underestimate AOC as 2028 Candidate | Video appeared first on TheWrap. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) With a major snowstorm hitting areas of Western New York, Buffalo Bishop Michael Fisher said that affected parishioners are excused from attending Mass this weekend. Fisher has encouraged those with livestream capabilities to livestream Mass instead. Many areas, especially in the Southern Tier of Western New York will experience heavy snowfall and drifting snow along with high winds, cold temperatures, and possible power outages, Fisher said in a statement. These conditions are dangerous and can be life-threatening. Please respect the travel advisories in our communities. In light of these dangerous conditions, no one should put themselves, or others, at risk. Catholics in communities affected by heavy snowfall and dangerous travel conditions are dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass this weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I ask those parishes who have livestream capabilities to livestream their weekend Masses, Fisher continued. If your community has travel restrictions or dangerous weather conditions, do not attempt to attend Mass in person. Use the livestream technology to spiritually connect with others in prayer. Also, please check on neighbors who may be in need. Please join me in praying for all those serving our communities during this storm. The lake-effect snowstorm has hit the Southern Tier, and its expected to continue throughout the weekend. Stay up to date on our latest forecast here. Latest Local News *** Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. A Tennessee cryptocurrency mining facility is facing blowback as residents worry about its impacts. What's happening? Memphis Light, Gas, and Water entered an agreement with Merkle Standard to provide 45 megawatts of electricity every 30 minutes during off-peak hours for the data center, the Institute for Public Service Reporting said. Despite Merkle's marketing itself as community-oriented and low-carbon, the institute reported, its "business practices are not consistent with the Memphis area's Climate Action Plan." "Every municipality in our country needs to be thinking about how they want to deal with data centers," Memphis City Council member Jeff Warren said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's the second supercomputer project in South Memphis after Elon Musk's xAI venture. Both have been criticized for contributing pollution to an already industrialized area. NPR reported that city officials were unaware xAI was coming to the city and that the company violated environmental regulations during construction. It will use 150 megawatts as well as 1 million gallons of water per day. Locals worry that a second data center makes for a growing trend, and the institute noted that the crypto industry is growing in the South, where regulations are favorable. "Our concerns are regarding how this facility will be powered," Memphis Community Against Pollution President KeShaun Pearson told Fox13 Memphis about the mining operation. "We're also concerned with how these computers will be cooled. Will they use our years-old and aged-to-perfection aquifer water that should be used for our families? What is the solution there, and how much will it accelerate the ecological devastation?" Why is this important? In South Memphis, cancer rates are four times higher than the national average, life expectancy is 10 years lower than it is in other areas of the city, and asthma is more prevalent than elsewhere, according to NPR, citing other sources. The historically Black neighborhoods in the area suffer the effects of poor air quality created by a decommissioned coal plant, a steel mill, an oil refinery, a wastewater facility, a power plant, and now xAI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Merkle facility is about 15 miles away from downtown on the southeast side of the city, not far from the Mississippi state line. "Artificial intelligence may be a cutting-edge technology," Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney Amanda Garcia told NPR. "But it's imposing the same kinds of pollution burdens on communities that industrial sources have been for the past 100 years." Do you think our power grid needs to be upgraded? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind What's being done about the crypto mining operation? MLGW said it was not allowed to deny a request for service "if there is capacity and no impact on existing customers." But Musk has said that xAI has experienced "power fluctuation issues" and that "the electrical system freaks out about" its use of 10-to-20-megawatt spurts. The institute also reported that utilities have had to expand to meet data center needs and then have been left holding the bag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Data and reports available from other areas of the United States that have opened themselves up to this sort of development would suggest that caution is warranted," city officials said. There are similar outcries against the industry elsewhere, including in Uruguay, which is in the midst of a drought, and these companies that have set up camp could implement technical advances, including a liquid cooling breakthrough. Otherwise, Pearson and others will continue to use their voices to push back. 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. DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) A retired battalion chief for Decatur Fire & Rescue passed away Wednesday. According to Decatur Fire & Rescue, Dusty Ladd Cheatham, 52, of Trinity passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 27 in Trinity. Download the WHNT News 19 App to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WHNT News 19 newsletters to have news sent to your inbox. The fire department said Cheatham had a distinguished career of over 31 years of fire service, serving Caddo-Midway Fire and Rescue, Lawrence County EMS and Decatur Fire & Rescue where he retired as battalion chief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decatur Fire and Rescue said the memorial service for Cheatham will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 at Westmeade Baptist Church with Rev. Justin McAlpin officiating. The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the church. Guestbook is available here. Instead of flowers, Decatur Fire and Rescue said donations can be made to Brothers for Life or Alabama First Responder Peer Support. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's choice to head the U.S. health department, will be in Romania next week to meet Calin Georgescu, the surprise far-right winner in the first round of a presidential election, a Romanian television station said. Georgescu finished first in last Sunday's vote, and secured a place in a run-off scheduled for Dec. 8, in a win that could upend politics in Romania and undermine its pro-Western stance. However, the election result has been challenged at Romania's top court, which ordered a recount of all the votes cast last Sunday. The court will decide on Monday whether to annul the first round. Romania also holds a parliamentary election on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy will be in Bucharest next week to launch his book on the coronavirus pandemic, with a preface written by Georgescu, private television station Realitatea said in a statement. Kennedy is an environmentalist who has spread misinformation about vaccines. "Realitatea is a media partner of the year-end meeting between the future Health Secretary in Donald Trump's government and the surprise winner of the presidential vote," Realitatea said in a statement. It added the televised discussion will take place on Dec. 5. A spokesperson for Kennedy, and representatives of Republican Trump's transition team, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Georgescu told Realitatea earlier this week that Kennedy might come to Bucharest. On Saturday, his communications team neither denied nor confirmed the meeting. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Additional reporting by Tim Reid in West Palm Beach, Florida.; Editing by Frances Kerry) The Upper West Side has devolved into a Wild West atmosphere where anything goes, terrified crime victims and neighbors begging for more cops told The Post. Criminals are more emboldened than ever in the ritzy nabe with robberies soaring over 30% compared to last year and carjackers so brazen they flashed their guns without concern on consecutive Sundays in broad daylight. I have never felt so scared in this neighborhood the way I feel now, one of the carjacking victims told The Post this week. Criminals are more emboldened than ever in the Upper West Side. New York Post The woman, who wished to remain anonymous for fear for her safety, had just parked her $245,000 2024 Mercedes G Wagon at West 83rd and Broadway on Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. when two men who pulled up alongside her in a grey Acura and pointed big and dark grey guns at her chest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Give me your fing purse! Wheres the fing keys? the men barked at the woman, 44, who has worked at a nearby hair salon for the last 20 years. I was so scaredI was screaming so much, she recalled. Cops later found the Mercedes in The Bronx and returned it, according to the woman, who also said the thieves had unsuccessfully tried to remove the computer from the dashboard, causing nearly $50,000 worth of damage. I am not doing very goodevery person who passes by me with a mask, I start shaking. Its so scary, said the still-terrified woman. Carjackers with a nearly identical MO struck again a week later. An 81-year-old woman was sucker-punched while walking on West 66th Street. via FOX5 New York Jenny Zhou was putting into her $100,000 BMW X7 outside of her Riverside Boulevard building on Nov. 24 at around noon when the creeps approached in the same Acura. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a Good Samaritan tried to intervene, the men again flashed a gun, she said. I was in shock, I was so scared, Zhou, 57, told The Post about the Sunday ordeal. I would never expect this to happen in such a great residential area. Hansel Esparragoza was arrested in the sucker-punch attack against the 81-year-old woman. James Keivom Zhous car hasnt been found and no arrests have been made in either case. Cops are investigating the possibility that the perps are the same in both incidents. The carjackers and other shameless criminals are emboldened by the lack of prosecution for anything in New York City, a veteran NYPD detective said. Theyre also doing it in broad daylight so theyre not even caring whos around. [Manhattan District Attorney Alvin] Bragg is going to have to step up and do something, the detective added. Joshua Zinberg is accused of slashing a tourist on the Upper West Side. Steven Hirsch Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far this year, the NYPDs 20th Precinct, which encompasses the neighborhood up to West 86th Street, has seen 31% more robberies, 14% more felony assaults, 31% more burglaries and 6% more grand larcenies compared to the same time period in 2023. Overall, major crime is up 6%, the data show. And recent, random violence an 81-year-old woman was sucker-punched while walking on West 66th Street and a 55-year-old Danish tourist was randomly stabbed on West 86th Street has neighbors on edge. So much so that many in the famously liberal neighborhood which reportedly donated the most dough to Kamala Harriss presidential campaign in the five boroughs are imploring the NYPD for more law enforcement. Surveillance video shows the knife-wielding man in the attack against a Danish tourist. NYPost I think people think that theyre careful, and maybe they dont go out that much after dark but now, thats not any guarantee that something isnt going to happen to you in the middle of the day, with or without a gun, said Katina Ellison, a 50-year UWS resident and co-founder of the West 71st Street Block Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The block association created a 10-point proposal to reduce crime after shots rang out around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 at West 71st Street and Broadway, injuring two teenagers. More cops are at the top of their list. We just definitely need more police on foot on an ongoing basis, spread out over more of the area, Ellison explained. Papa, 51, had just returned home to his West 71st Street apartment from trick-or-treating with his five-year-old daughter when the shots were fired. I dont understand, why arent there police officers here? Papa said. Its disheartening. Nov. 30ROCHESTER The Rochester Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that happened overnight in northwest Rochester. According to a news release from RPD, officers were dispatched around 1 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, to a house on the 4100 block of Manor Woods Drive Northwest "where a man was shot." "Lifesaving measures were provided, but the man died at the scene," the release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email to the Post Bulletin on Saturday night, RPD's Amanda Grayson said "a man at the house called 911 to report he shot a man who had entered the house and assaulted him. The man who called 911 was taken into custody, questioned by detectives and released." She also confirmed the two individuals knew each other. There were no other injuries, and there is no known threat to the public, according to RPD. "This is an open, active investigation, and we will provide more information when we can," the release said. This is the third shooting RPD is investigating in less than two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, Nov. 25, a woman was found with a non-life-threatening bullet wound at a residence on the 5100 block of 51st Street Northwest, RPD reported. A release said no suspects were in custody in that case. On Thursday, Nov. 21, officers were dispatched near 10th Street Southeast and First Avenue Southeast for a fatal shooting. A release from the RPD said the shooting did "not appear to be random." A release said no suspects were in custody in that case. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) issued a statement calling for an immediate halt to the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. The RSS condemned the attacks, killings, looting, arson, and inhumane acts against Hindus and other minorities in the country by Islamic extremists, describing the situation as deeply alarming. The statement criticized the current Bangladesh government and its agencies for remaining silent and failing to take action against these attacks. The RSS expressed concern over the rising oppression and injustice faced by Hindus, particularly in the wake of peaceful demonstrations led by the Hindu community to protect themselves. These protests, which are a democratic response to violence, are being met with increasing repression. In particular, the RSS condemned the unjust imprisonment of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who has been leading peaceful protests on behalf of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. The arrest of a religious leader who is advocating for the rights of Hindus is seen as a violation of justice. The RSS has appealed to the Bangladesh government to ensure the immediate cessation of violence against Hindus and to release Chinmoy Krishna Das from prison. Furthermore, the RSS urged the Indian government to continue its efforts to prevent the persecution of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and to take swift action to build global support for the cause. At this critical juncture, the RSS called on India and the global community to stand in solidarity with the victims in Bangladesh, urging their respective governments to take every possible measure to end these atrocities, in the interest of world peace and brotherhood. Meanwhile, expressing concern over the rise of "extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation", Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday that India has consistently and strongly raised the issue of targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities with Bangladesh government. While addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Bangladesh's interim government to take steps for protection of minorities. Jaiswal said, "India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. We made our position very clear as far as the situation of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh is concerned. The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. We are concerned about the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggerations. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities and safeguarding their interests." The MEA spokesperson called ISKCON a "globally well-regarded organisation with a strong record of social service. He expressed hope that legal processes will be dealt with in a fair, just and transparent manner. (ANI) At its board of directors meeting on Nov. 18, Rock Island County Board Chairman Richard Quijas Brunk was elected to a two-year term as president of the Illinois Association of County Board Members & Commissioners, according to a news release. With staff based in Springfield, the association is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that assists the states counties in providing effective county governance to the people of Illinois. IACBMs membership includes 90 of the 102 counties in the State of Illinois, and offers the full spectrum of association services education programs, legislative representation, leadership and networking opportunities, research assistance, insurance coverage, purchasing programs, and publications that keep counties well-informed about local government issues. The Illinois Association of County Board Members & Commissioners is a tremendous organization that does great work assisting counties all over the state in serving their constituents, said Brunk. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this organization for the next two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nov. 30Rogers County will receive an additional $289,173 grant from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. That brings the county to a total of $578,346 it can spend to bankroll a mental health resource app, a juvenile diversion specialist for Rogers County Youth Services and two GRAND Mental Health personnel in the county jail. County spokesperson Diana Dickinson said Monday the county originally applied for the mental health grant for Fiscal Year 2024, which ended July 1. Dickinson said the state allowed the county to amend its contract to pick up the county's Fiscal Year 2025 allocation as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the county must use the FY 25 funds for the same purposes for which it agreed to use the FY 24 funds. But since the county will only have to pay to develop the Better Together mental health app once, Dickinson said the county will have some excess money to spend. The Rogers County Commissioners hosted Tulsa web developer Inhouse Web Services, a candidate to develop the app, at their Oct. 22 meeting. Inhouse quoted the cost of designing, creating and launching the app at about $20,000. "Chances are [the excess is] going to be used for a project manager and to increase funding for first responders' [mental health crisis] training," Dickinson said. Rogers County Youth Services may now start constructing its new building off South 4130 Road, following the commissioners' Monday meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commissioners approved a special exception to the plat where RCYS plans to build. Brittany Senters, deputy director of the Rogers County Planning Commission, said the tract is zoned agricultural, and RCYS must obtain the exception so it can provide medical outpatient services. The commissioners gave RCYS $800,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to kickstart the project. District 2 Commissioner Steve Hendrix said Herb McSpadden, the organization's executive director, needs help with additional funding for the new building. "Youth Services is really doing something here," said District 1 Commissioner Dan DeLozier. "...This is going to be a good thing when it's done." The commissioners also entered into an agreement with Patsy Myers, a northern Rogers County property owner, to enter her property to remove a tree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The reason we're having to get on the property is to keep the tree from falling on a fence," DeLozier said. "They just built a new fence right inside an old, rotten tree, so we're going to take this tree out to keep it from falling." The commissioners took no action after entering executive session to confidentially discuss a pending investigation, claim or action. Nov. 29A Thanksgiving storm knocked out power to more than 70,000 homes and businesses across Maine, but that number dropped significantly throughout Friday and into Saturday morning. About 14,700 Central Maine Power and Versant Power customers were still without electricity at about 8 a.m. Saturday. The storm, which rolled into the state Thursday morning, brought rain throughout the day to much of southern Maine before switching to snow later in the afternoon everywhere except the immediate coastline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 52,000 CMP customers were without power at 7:30 a.m. Friday, but that number dropped steadily throughout the morning. By late Friday night, about 14,300 customers were without power, according to the company's online outage list, and by Saturday morning, about 10,700 outages remained. Hardest hit was Somerset County, where more than 13,000 customers were without power to start Friday. CMP reported 9,400 outages in Kennebec County, 6,700 in Androscoggin, 6,700 in Oxford, 6,300 in Penobscot and 4,600 in Franklin as of Friday morning. Source: Central Maine Power Versant Power, which serves northern and eastern Maine, reported more than 18,000 outages Friday morning, primarily in the greater Bangor region. By Saturday morning, outages had dropped to about 4,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A full complement of internal crews and contracts are responding to outages from last night's snowstorm. Crews are prioritizing public safety issues like downed lines and then will work to make repairs that will restore the most customers at a time," Versant said in a midday update Friday. Versant officials said restoration work in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties was expected to continue into Saturday, with service in Aroostook, Hancock and Washington counties expected to be restored by the end of Friday. As of Saturday morning, Versant's online outage tracker showed about 3,100 outages in Penobscot County and 800 in Piscataquis; only a few dozen outages remained in Aroostook, Hancock and Washington counties. On Thursday, power outages ticked up steadily throughout the afternoon as snow piled up in inland areas. There were fewer than 100 households across the state without power at 2:30 p.m. but nearly 17,000 at 7 p.m., according to CMP's and Versant's websites. Oxford and Somerset counties saw the bulk of those outages, while the coastal counties remained mostly untouched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters had warned that the combination of Thursday evening's wet, heavy snow and gusty winds expected to pick up later that night could be a recipe for downed power lines. In an update posted on social media Friday morning, CMP said crews were finding fallen trees that need to be removed before power can be restored. "After working through the night, we've restored more than 33,000 customers and more than 100 crews will continue working today," the update read. "Please give our crews plenty of room to work roadside. Driving conditions may continue to be dangerous, especially during morning hours." The highest snow total reported to the National Weather Service was 15 inches in Brighton Plantation in Somerset County. Franklin County also saw significant snow accumulation, with 12.5 inches reported in Rangeley and 10 inches in Farmington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Oxford County, snowfall totals include 11.5 inches in Bethel, 10.3 inches in Brownfield and 12 inches in Hartford. Snow totals in Androscoggin County varied widely, from 9 inches in Turner to 2 inches in Lewiston. Closer to the coast, towns like Windham and Cumberland reported about an inch of snow accumulation. Just a trace of snow was reported at the Portland International Jetport. Copy the Story Link (Bloomberg) -- A Japan-inspired strategy of seeking to boost shareholder returns, corporate governance and market valuations is spreading like a wildfire across Asia. Most Read from Bloomberg From Seoul to New Delhi, governments and regulators are hurrying to implement their own versions of Japans decade-long program of structural reforms that helped drive its benchmark index to a record high this year. While these initiatives vary, they are often collectively referred by the term coined by South Korea: Value Up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The timing looks to be fortuitous for investors: Donald Trumps election victory this month and his adversarial trade policies threaten to undermine Asias economic growth and corporate earnings. There are already some signs value up can counter this threat. When I present to my clients, I tell them that there are five great themes in Asia and one of them is corporate reforms to enhance shareholder returns, said Sat Duhra, a fund manager at Janus Henderson Investors in Singapore, who manages $1 billion. This is one factor that can help Asian markets. The swelling tide of value up can be traced back to Japans effort to improve corporate governance that began more than a decade ago. Despite a lack of success early on, investors began to take notice from 2022 when Tokyo Stock Exchange started to pressure companies to boost shareholders returns via a range of measures. Two years later, Japanese firms are returning more cash to investors. They have also boosted the number of women on boards, become more open to working with activist investors, and unwound some of their cross-shareholdings. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average climbed to a record in March, finally shaking off three decades of inertia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Korea unveiled its own Corporate Value Up Program in February this year, aiming to emulate Japans success and also counter whats known as the Korea discount where its companies have lower valuations than their global peers. Chinese regulators released guidelines this month to enhance corporate valuations, while Indian authorities directed state-owned enterprises to boost dividends. Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are all reported to be considering similar initiatives. The reforms are a timely initiative from the regulators, said Vikas Pershad, a fund manager at M&G Investments Singapore Ltd. This is a good example of how more regulation can be helpful, and I am optimistic, he said, adding that he had made this a talking point with his clients. The need for some sort of sea change in how Asian companies treat shareholder returns appears obvious in retrospect. The MSCI Asia gauge has climbed 30% since the end of November 2014, but that pales beside the 190% surge in the S&P 500 Index over the same period. One example of successful corporate reform in Asia that aligns with the value up approach can be found in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis efforts to revamp state-owned enterprises. Since being introduced in 2019, these reforms have led to increased dividend payouts and higher earnings. They have also boosted SOEs share of Indias overall market capitalization to near the highest level in six years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in the region, the early results of value up look less impressive. Koreas benchmark Kospi index has dropped more than 7% this year even as the authorities have introduced a number of new measures to enhance shareholder returns. The Korea Value-up Index which tracks best-practice companies on criteria such as their capital efficiency has fallen about 5% since it was introduced two months ago. Some markets can make this work, but in others it just wont be a driver to get inflows, Janus Hendersons Duhra said. In terms of some of the smaller countries, its sort of clutching at straws. Just because markets have not been doing as well as some others, they say: Lets try and find a way of getting investors interested. Still, some fund managers see opportunities in the value-up trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its very important of investors to notice and to look for those opportunities because after we talk about macro, its about companies delivering on earnings and improving returns, said Vicki Chi, a money manager for Asian equities at Robeco in Hong Kong. We are very actively seeking and continuing to position for these opportunities in our portfolios. In Singapore, where a government task force has been appointed to review ways to boost market valuations, SGMC Capital Pte is optimistic about the potential long-term rewards for value up programs. The Straits Times Index has gained more than 15% this year, outperforming the regional Asian benchmark and putting it near a record high. These initiatives can help unlock hidden value, said Mohit Mirpuri, a fund manager at SGMC Capital. Encouraging companies to narrow the price-to-book gap signals a stronger commitment to market efficiency and investor trust. --With assistance from Winnie Hsu, Ram Anand, John Cheng and Joy Lee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed on Saturday the escalating situation in Syria with his counterparts from Iran and Turkey, according to the Russian state-run news agency TASS. According to the statement, "the ministers agreed with the need to make more active joint efforts aimed at stabilizing the situation in Syria." The Foreign Ministry added that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria would be "resolutely supported." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Moscow's military intervention in the Syrian civil war in 2015, trilateral talks began between Russia, Iran and Turkey, which led to the development of the Astana process named after the first meeting in the capital of Kazakhstan. Moscow and Tehran support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Ankara supports parts of the opposition. In recent years, the troika has moved from military to political issues in Syria. Syrian armed opposition fighters control the city of Maarat al-Numan after seizing control of most parts of Idlib. Anas Alkharboutli/dpa Syrian authorities have closed Aleppo airport as well as all roads leading to the city on Saturday as opposition forces reached the city. Source: Reuters with reference to its sources Details: Opposition fighters led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham made a surprise mop-up operation of government-held settlements this week and reached Aleppo nearly a decade after being pushed out by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies in 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two military sources said Russia has promised Damascus additional military assistance to thwart the rebels, adding that new equipment will start arriving within the next 72 hours. Reuters also writes that the Syrian army has received an order to safely withdraw from the main areas of the city that have been overrun by rebels. Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a rebel commander, said that their rapid advance was helped by a shortage of government manpower, typically backed by Iran. Opposition fighters said the campaign was a response to the intensification of Russian and Syrian air attacks on civilians in rebel-held Idlib in recent weeks, as well as an attempt to prevent any attacks by the Syrian army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opposition sources with ties to Turkish intelligence said that Turkiye, which supports the rebels, had given the green light for the offensive. However, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said that Turkiye wanted to avoid greater instability in the region and warned that the recent attacks undermine de-escalation agreements. Support UP or become our patron! MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Defence Ministry said its air force had carried out strikes on Syrian rebels in support of the country's army, Russian news agencies reported on Saturday, amid an advance by forces opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The strikes in support of Assad, a close Moscow ally, followed what was the boldest rebel assault for years in a civil war where frontlines had largely been frozen since 2020. The state-run Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of the Enemy Parties in Syria said the missile and bomb strikes had targeted "militant concentrations, command posts, depots, and artillery positions" in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. It added that about 300 rebel fighters had been killed in the attacks. (Writing by Felix Light and Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Alexander Smith and Helen Popper) A Russian missile attack killed four people and injured 21 on Saturday evening in the village of Tsarychanka in the Dniprovskyi district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Source: Serhii Lysak, the Head of Dnipro Oblast Military Administration on Telegram; Ukraine's Air Force; Volodymyr Zelenskyys evening address Quote from Serhii Lysak: "Three fires broke out as a result of an enemy attack on the Dniprovskyi district. A shop, an apartment building and a house caught fire. Rescue workers are containing the fire. There may be victims". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: At 17:26, the Air Force reported that a missile was targeting Dnipro. Media reported that an explosion rocked the city. Updated: At 19:33, Lysak said that three people were killed and 19 injured in the Dniprovskyi district. As for now, there is one child among the injured. The boy, 11, is in the hospital in moderate condition. The rest of the injured were also hospitalised. Six of them are in serious condition. At 19:50, Lysak said that the number of injured had increased to 21, eight of whom were in serious condition. They have penetrating wounds, internal injuries, and fractures. Later, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that four people had been killed in the village of Tsarychanka in Dnipro Oblast as a result of a Russian missile strike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Zelenskyy: "A rescue operation is underway in Dnipro Oblast after the missile attack. Civilian buildings were damaged: a residential building and a shop in the village of Tsarychanka. At this time, it is known that this Russian strike killed four people. My condolences." Support UP or become our patron! Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Russia attacked the Dniprovskyi district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on the evening of Nov. 30, killing four people and injuring at least 24 others. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia targeted the village of Tsarychanka with a missile strike, killing four civilians. "And so almost every day Ukraine defends itself against this absolutely inhuman pressure," Zelensky said on Telegram after the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The injured victims include an 11-year-old boy, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said. He is being treated in the hospital, along with the rest of the wounded. Eighteen people are in hospitals, seven of them in serious condition, Lysak reported at 7:30 a.m. local time on Dec.1. Explosions occurred in the Dniprovskyi district in the evening, igniting three fires in the area, the governor said. A shop, an apartment building, and a home caught fire following the attack. Authorities have not disclosed details regarding the identities of the other victims. Ukraine's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is regularly targeted by Russian attacks. Russia on Nov. 21 targeted both the regional capital of Dnipro and the region's second-largest city, Kryvyi Rih, with large-scale attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attack on Dnipro involved an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), referred to by Russia as "Oreshnik," which marked an escalation in Russia's aerial attacks. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Zelensky suggests ending hot phase of war in exchange for NATO membership without occupied territories Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) charged Russian Colonel-General Yevgeny Nikiforov in absentia for ordering a missile strike on a Chernihiv theater that killed seven people and wounded 200 in August 2023, the SBU announced on Nov. 30. The SBU charged Nikiforov, the commander of the West grouping of troops in the Russian Armed Forces, with "violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder." Nearly 143,000 war crimes allegedly committed by Russian forces since 2022, including strikes against civilian infrastructure and killing of civilians, are currently under investigation in Ukraine. While Ukrainian authorities are pushing for an international tribunal, bringing alleged Russian war criminals to trial for these crimes remains almost impossible during the ongoing war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nikiforov ordered the missile strike on the Taras Shevchenko Chernihiv Regional Academic Music and Drama Theater that took place on Aug. 19, 2023, according to the SBU. Russian forces launched an Iskander-M cruise missile from Kursk Oblast in Russia. Seven people were killed, including a six-year-old child, and over 200 wounded. The large number of casualties is due to the theater's location in the city center and the timing of the attack which occurred in the daytime on a weekend. The explosion from the strike also damaged apartment buildings, administrative buildings, and cars. As of November 2024, Ukraine had charged 730 people and convicted 137 for committing war crimes in Ukraine, according to the Prosecutor General's Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Its excruciating Ukrainians describe surviving Russian attacks that cost them health, loved ones, and homes Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The three-day exercise conducted from November 28 to November 30, witnessed participation by the Singapore Armed Forces contingent comprising 182 personnel from the Singapore Artillery and the Indian Army contingent comprising 114 personnel from the Regiment of Artillery, the Indian Army said. The aim of XAW-2024 was to maximise mutual understanding of drills and procedures to achieve jointness as a multinational force under the United Nations Charter. "This Artillery exercise has enhanced defence cooperation, interoperability and mutual understanding between the Indian Army and the Singapore Armed Forces, SAF. Strengthening ties, enhancing capabilities," ADG PI- Indian Army posted on X. The exercise showcased joint firepower planning, execution and use of New Generation Equipment by the Artillery of both Armies. The event was witnessed by Lieutenant General Adosh Kumar, Director General of Artillery, Lieutenant General NS Sarna, Commandant, of the School of Artillery, and Colonel Ong Chiou Perng, Chief Artillery Officer, of Singapore Armed Forces. The dignitaries appreciated the participating troops for displaying high levels of professional acumen and expertise. The Exercise involved extensive joint preparation, coordination, understanding of each other's capabilities, procedures and evolution of a common interface between Indian and Singapore Artillery procedures. It marked the culmination of successful training by Singapore Armed Forces troops exposing them to the intricacies of firepower planning. Both sides utilised niche technologies during the exercise and exchanged best practices as part of the joint training. (ANI) Russian authorities have launched an online course for teachers aimed at forming a "traditional Russian identity" in children who were illegally displaced from Ukraine. Source: Russian media outlet Verstka Details: The outlet noted that the course programme includes nine thematic blocks, of which more than five hours are devoted to the so-called "neo-Nazism" in Ukraine. Teachers will also be taught to "identify opposition-minded children" and those who, in their opinion, may be prone to be "recruited" by foreign intelligence services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The course description states that teachers should "instil in the minds of children the readiness to live under the conditions of the West's hybrid war with Russia", but do so not with a "straightforward approach", but with the help of "soft influence so that a person begins to perceive your point of view as his or her own". Quote: "A separate block of the course is devoted to working with children of Ukrainian refugees and with children studying in schools in the historical territories of Russia [occupied cities of Ukraine ed.]. Lecturer Alexei Lavrentiev, the head of the Movement of the First in Kherson Oblast, suggests not only providing them with psychological assistance, but also re-forming their identity, or rather even returning them to their traditional Russian identity." [The Movement of the First ("Dvizheniye Pervykh") is a youth movement in Russian created in December 2022 on the initiative of Russian leader Vladimir Putin - ed.] Details: The outlet stressed that the re-education programme was developed by the Russian Ministry of Education. One of the methodological guides for school teachers states that children from Ukraine should acquire "socially significant skills" that Russian children have. It is suggested that the reason for the resettlement from Ukraine should be explained by the "complication of geopolitical circumstances". According to the course materials, children should develop a "Russian identity" during their school years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: In early March, the media reported that the Russian authorities had developed a whole system of "re-education" of children abducted from Ukraine. The documents state that Russian teachers are tasked with "reorienting and establishing the Russian identity of the younger generation of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics [non-recognised state formation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts ed.], Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts". Russian teachers are encouraged to tell deported children that their parents are dead, even if there is no specific information about this. Support UP or become our patron! As Russian forces advance in the Donetsk region of Ukraine at the fastest rate since the early days of their wide-scale invasion, they have moved to the city of Kurakhove and are about two kilometres from one of the country's oldest thermal power plants. Not long after the Kurakhove coal-fired power station opened in 1941, workers were forced to hurriedly disassemble part of it, in a bid to move critical infrastructure to the east before the Nazis swept in and occupied the area. This past spring and summer, as Russia's military edged closer, hundreds of workers gathered at the site again to take what they could and transport the equipment to thermal plants in the west that were in desperate need of spare parts after waves of Russian attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Basically we cannibalized Kurakhove," said Pavlo Bilodid, who works in international communications at DTEK, Ukraine's largest private provider of power. "It was a solution to save the equipment from further attacks and to deliver it to other thermal power plants in Ukraine." The Kurakhove plant, which started operatin gin 1941, is one of Ukraine's oldest. The Kurakhove plant, which started operating in 1941, is one of Ukraine's oldest. During the Second World War, workers disassembled part of it, in a bid to move critical infrastructure to the east before the Nazis swept in and occupied the area. (Serhii Korovayny) Waves of attacks Since March of this year, Ukraine's energy grid has endured 11 major attacks by Russia. The most recent was early Thursday morning, when nearly 200 drones and missiles targeted sites across the country, leaving more than a million people without power in the immediate aftermath. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With temperatures plunging as winter sets in, there is the threat of widespread power outages if long cold snaps are accompanied by more waves of major attacks. Throughout the war, which began when Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022, nearly half of Ukraine's power-generating capacity has been destroyed, forcing energy workers to make repairs and continue operations under constant threat. In July 2023, three workers at the Kurakhove plant were killed when a roof collapsed, which Ukrainian authorities blamed on months of Russian attacks. For the more than 600 workers employed at the facility, the ever-present danger ramped up again dramatically in December 2023, when the plant's director at the time, Anatoliy Borichevskiy, said that it came under heavy Russian shelling nearly every day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When Russians saw the smoke from the chimney, which meant the plant started working, they started to shell immediately," he said. "The situation was quite tense." Anatoliy Borichevskiy was the director of the Kurakhove Power Plant, but is now pictured here a another energy site, where he works. The specific location is not being disclosed for security reasons. Anatoliy Borichevskiy, who was the director of the Kurakhove power plant, is pictured at another energy site where he now works. The specific location is not being disclosed for security reasons. (Serhii Korovayny) The decision to dismantle During a Zoom interview with CBC News, Borichevskiy consulted his black notebook and said that between Dec. 5, 2023 and Jan. 17, 2024, the plant came under shelling 38 times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When sirens rang out, some workers would race to the shelter, but others had to stay and keep running the control room. For more than a month, he said, it was a dismal cycle as crews tried to quickly make repairs, only to see the plant hit again. Workers fix a thermal power plant damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, at an undisclosed location in Ukraine November 28, 2024. Crews work at fixing a thermal power plant damaged by a Russian missile strike, at an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Thursday. (Glen Granich/Reuters) That changed in March, when the Russian military destroyed a railway bridge that made it impossible to transport coal to the power plant. With invading troops about seven kilometres away, it was too dangerous and made no sense to try to repair the line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At that point, the discussion was no longer about fixing the plant but about salvaging what they could. Borichevskiy said he vividly recalled the day he met with managers at the site and told them everyone was now going to be tasked with disassembling part of the plant. They would be removing critical equipment, including generators and transformers that were badly needed elsewhere including the five other thermal power plants run by DTEK, which had come under Russian attacks. "It was hard," said Borichevskiy, who worked at the plant since 1992, when he was first hired as an electrician. "Everyone understood that we would not be able to work anymore. The front line was approaching. It would not settle quietly." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As extra crews were brought in to get to work, the looming issue became how to move the equipment which in some cases weighed a few hundreds tonnes without being able to use the rail line. A burnt rail car sits at the site of the Kurakhove plant in Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A burnt rail car sits at the site of the Kurakhove plant in Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine. (Serhii Korovayny) Everything would have to be hoisted on trucks, which meant bridges needed to be surveyed to make sure they could bear the weight, and then strengthened if they couldn't. Trucks and tractors were brought in to move out the equipment, as arrangements were made to evacuate the workers and employ them at other energy sites in Ukraine. Russian forces close in The city of Kurakhove, which grew in the shadow of the Soviet-era plant, had 18,000 residents before February 2022. Over recent weeks as the Russians grew closer, those who remained in the city left and were evacuated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Borichevskiy relocated in August, but as many as 100 workers remained at the facility until November. Last week, Ukrainian officials said the plant came under shelling again, causing destruction to its cooling towers. Military analysts and Russian pro-war bloggers say that troops are now in Kurakhove. Russia's Defence Ministry says it has taken control of the settlement of Nova Illinka, which is one kilometre away, on the opposite bank of the reservoir from Kurakhove. "The place is half-ruined," said Borichevskiy, who was born and raised in the city. "Everything there is very sad. I don't know what will happen next. How will people be able to live there, when everything is half crumbled?" A police officer assists a civilian woman during an evacuation from outskirts of the Kurakhove town, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine September 16, 2024 A police officer helps a woman as she evacuates from her home on the outskirts of Kurakhove, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, on Sept. 16. (Reuters) The race to repair The focus for DTEK now, along with the rest of Ukraine's energy operators, is to protect the remaining energy grid and try to minimize the amount of time that large swaths of the country are plunged into darkness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of July, 90 per cent of DTEK's generating capacity was destroyed. Since then, crews worked to rebuild 60 per cent of it, but then came an attack on Nov. 17, which killed at least 11 people and inflicted more damage to the grid. The U.S. government and European Commission recently announced they would be giving $112 million US to the private company to purchase equipment, including transformers, to help restore capacity. A view shows a part of Russian missile at a thermal power plant damaged by Russian missile strike in an undisclosed location of Ukraine, in an undisclosed location of Ukraine November 28, 2024. Part of a Russian missile is shown at a thermal power plant damaged by a Russian missile strike at an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Thursday. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters) The managing director of the Kyiv-based Energy Industry Research Center, Oleksandr Kharchenko, said throughout the war, efforts have been made to fortify energy facilities, particularly substations that frequently come under attack. Work is underway to erect structures made of concrete and steel around them in an effort to protect against drones and missiles. While Ukrainian cities are undergoing power outages because there isn't enough capacity or reserves, Kharchenko said, overall the system has responded to Russia's attacks and will manage through the winter ahead. A worker at the Kurakhove power plant works to disassemble and move critical parts earlier this year after the plant could not longer operate. A worker at the Kurakhove power plant works to disassemble and move critical parts earlier this year after the plant could not longer operate. (Serhii Korovayny) "The Ukrainian energy system has huge challenges, but it is fighting them," he said in an interview with CBC News. "I don't feel that we will have something like an apocalypse or a huge technological disaster." While communities routinely have planned power outages, many residents say they have adapted by running generators and stocking up on battery packs to charge devices. What is unpredictable, Kharchenko said, is how cold it will get this winter: If temperatures plunge to 10 or 15 C for more than a week, it looks like across Ukraine, there would need to be power outages on average for at least eight hours a day. The Russians have attacked the Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on the night of 29-30 November with kamikaze drones and artillery, killing a man and damaging houses and power lines. Source: Mykola Lukashuk, Chairman of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Council, on Telegram Quote: "A tragic night for the Nikopol district. A 38-year-old man was killed in his home due to an enemy attack on the district centre [the city of Nikopol]." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The Russians also targeted the Chervonohryhorivka and Pokrovske hromadas with drones and artillery. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] The attacks caused a fire and also damaged seven houses, four outbuildings, power lines and infrastructure. Background: Russian forces attacked Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on 19 November, injuring a 46-year-old woman. Support UP or become our patron! Russian troops shelled Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast with artillery on the morning of 30 November, killing two people. Source: Donetsk Oblast Military Administration; Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office Details: In addition to the two deaths, three people are known to have been injured. The prosecutor's office clarified that a 65-year-old woman was killed by the first strike in a garden near her home. An hour later, the residential area was again targeted by Russian troops. Two local women, 35 and 37, were injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly afterwards, the Russians struck again. The attack killed a woman, 56, and injured a man, 51. A house, a car and a shop were damaged. People are being urged to leave because of the danger. Support UP or become our patron! (FOX40.COM) A pedestrian woman was killed after being hit by a drunk driver on Friday night, according to the Sacramento Police Department. Around 8 p.m. on Friday, SPD responded to Northgate Boulevard and Turnstone Drive for reports of a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a woman suffering from serious injuries. SPD said it provided emergency medical aid to the victim until the Sacramento Fire Department arrived. Despite those efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Homeowner shoots at alleged burglar before police chase through Sacramento area Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After an investigation, SPD concluded that a 50-year-old driver was responsible for the crash. He was also found to be driving under the influence. The man was arrested and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail. This recent collision, resulting in the arrest of the driver for DUI-related charges, and the death of a pedestrian, is a heartbreaking reminder of the real and tragic consequences of impaired driving, SPD said in a statement. This was a preventable event that has dramatically impacted the lives of many people. We urge everyone to make responsible choices, designate a driver, use ride-sharing services, or seek alternative transportation. The safety and the lives of our community depends on each of us doing our part. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. SALTILLO By this time next year, Saltillo should be in possession of its first stand-alone fire station. The nearly $2 million fire station on Turner Industrial Park Road has been put out for bids. The first advertising went out last week and the bid opening is set for Jan. 9, 2025. It is a 300-day construction contract so it should be completed by November 2025, said Pryor Morrow architect William Dexter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The design features a storm shelter for employees inside the concrete engine bay. The office and living areas are metal stud construction. The exterior has brick up 3 feet on the outside to tie the fire station in with other buildings in the area. Inside, the departments pride and support of the high school will be on full display. The accent walls inside the living areas will be Saltillo blue, as will the tile in the kitchen, said Mayor Copey Grantham. And there is the blue fire truck, which is very popular in the community. The big question is will the construction bids come in within the citys tight $1.9 million budget? The bulk of that money comes from a $1.5 million allocation from the state legislature, so Grantham has named the station in honor of Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann. Another $100,000 came from federal COVID-19 relief finds. The Saltillo Board of Aldermen has approved up to $300,000 in general obligation bonds to cover the remainder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have two alternates in the bids to try to keep the price at $1.9 million the circular drive and a sprinkler system, Grantham said. The drive makes the station look complete and more professional. Plus, youre not having to turn around in the middle of the road to back into the bay. The circular drive is estimated at $200,000. It would allow the fire trucks to drive behind the station and enter through the back of the engine bay, preventing the need to back the engine into the bay. The dirt work is in the base bid, allowing the city to add the secondary drive at a later date, if needed. The fire suppression sprinklers cost about $75,000 but require a 6-inch water supply line. There is only a 4-inch line serving the area at the moment. The $800,000 cost to upgrade the water main would derail the project. Grantham hopes to get the sprinkler system installed and use future grant money to enlarge the water line. Since the construction business is normally slow in the winter, officials are hoping for several competitive bids to keep the project within budget. If the bids do go over the budget by a small amount, Grantham is willing to go back to his board to ask to increase the bond amount to get the alternates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we wait, the price is only going to go up. Plus there are ways to get more money, Grantham said. There are a lot of grant opportunities we can look at. The scale of the fire station has been trimmed several times since it was proposed more than a year ago. Increases in construction costs forced the project to be downsized from the original 10,000 square feet to around 4,000 square feet. The original plan called for three large double bays. The new plans only have two smaller bays, but they are designed to be able to accommodate the ladder truck the department will need in the near future. The redesign has one administrative office to be shared by the chief, deputy chief and shift captain. There are two bedrooms that each sleep three. That will accommodate the switch in the future from a volunteer force to paid fire fighters on three shifts. There are also two separate bathrooms, which will be needed if the department ever has a female firefighter, Grantham said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the summer of 2001, the Saltillo Fire Department has been housed in a 58,000-square-foot former furniture factory, along with city administration and courts, as well as the water, police and public works departments. That building is 50 years old and no longer suits the needs of the fire department. The Saltillo Fire Department is a hybrid, with a handful of full-time employees augmented by up to 30 volunteer firefighters. In recent years, the number of full-time employees has grown to six and allows at least one to be on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The department has held a Class 6 rating from the Mississippi State Rating Bureau since 2017. To drop to a Class 5 rating, one of the things the city would have to do is staff all three shifts with at least three firefighters. Convicted FTX fraudster Sam Bankman-Frieds former on-again, off-again girlfriend will serve less prison time than her original sentence, according to a report. Caroline Ellison, who ran Bankman-Frieds Alameda Research cryptocurrency hedge fund, reported to Danbury Federal Correctional Institute in Connecticut on Nov. 7 to begin serving a two-year sentence after she pleaded guilty to wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering linked to the collapse of FTX. But Federal Bureau of Prisons records indicate that her release date is scheduled for July 20, 2026 or three months short of two years, according to Business Insider. Caroline Ellison, former girlfriend of Sam Bankman-Fried, had three months shaved off her two-year prison sentence. Steven Hirsch The Post has sought comment from Ellisons lawyer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, then-President Donald Trump signed into law the First Step Act, which allows incarcerated individuals to earn time off their sentence for good behavior. Every incarcerated individual earns Good Conduct Time (GCT), which is projected on their release date, a federal prison official told Business Insider. Those serving time will be eligible to earn up to 54 days of GCT time for each year of the sentence imposed by the court, according to the spokesperson. In accordance with federal law, the Bureau of Prisons continues to pro-rate the amount of GCT earned for the final year of service of the sentence, the spokesman said. Ellison reported to the Danbury Federal Correctional Institute in Connecticut on Nov. 7 to begin serving her sentence. AP Ellison, 30, was sentenced in September after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors who oversaw the Bankman-Fried case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During trial, Ellison testified that she and Bankman-Fried used Alameda Research to invest billions of dollars worth of customer deposits into risky bets. Ellisons attorneys asked US District Judge Lewis Kaplan to not give her any prison time, citing her cooperation. Ellison broke down in tears while testifying at Bankman-Frieds fraud trial in Manhattan on Oct. 11, 2023. REUTERS But Kaplan told Ellison at her sentencing hearing that for it to be a case this serious, to be a literal get-out-of-jail-free card I cannot see a way to it. Kaplan said Ellisons cooperation was very, very substantial and remarkable. But he said a prison sentence was necessary because she had participated in what might be the greatest financial fraud ever perpetrated in this country and probably anywhere else or at least close to it. Sam Bankman-Fried, 32, is jailed at a Brooklyn federal facility while appealing his conviction. REUTERS Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im deeply ashamed with what Ive done, she said at the sentencing hearing, fighting through tears to say she was so so sorry to everyone she had harmed directly or indirectly. Bankman-Fried, 32, remains jailed at the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after appealing his conviction. With Post Wires Nov. 30A Sanford man who previously lived in Mebane east of Burlington was charged in Lee County with indecent liberties, a felony. John Francis Barnhart, 57, was arrested Nov. 20 and posted a $150,000 bond the next day when his wife, Cassandra Barnhart, put up real property, according to eCourts. Barnhart was convicted of indecent liberties in Alamance County following a jury trial in July. He subsequently appealed that decision on July 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Andrew Hanford sentenced Barnhart to 19 to 32 months in the North Carolina Department of Corrections and ordered him to serve six months in jail within three years. He was also ordered to pay $375 in court costs and to register as a sex offender. He was given credit for a day in jail. The offense dates for the Alamance County case ranged from Nov. 25, 2016 to Oct. 1, 2018. The alleged offense date in the Lee County case is Oct. 20, 2023. The victim in the Alamance County case and the alleged victim in the Lee County case were both younger than 16, according to court documents. There was also an alleged third victim, according to a court document in the Alamance County case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to eCourts, Barnhart was also charged with sexual battery and two counts of assault on a female in Alamance County stemming from Oct. 6, 2018. Those three charges were dismissed on Jan. 8, 2020 because the prosecution could not locate the victim. Barnhart was found not guilty by a judge for a separate charge of assault on a female stemming from Oct. 6, 2018. According to a court document from the Alamance County case in which he was found guilty, Barnhart said he was unemployed and relied on his wife's income. His criminal record includes convictions for contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, aggravated assault and failure to appear, all from Florida, ranging from 2000 to 2022. Barnhart also was convicted of property theft of less than $500 in Texas in 1996. SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) The Santa Fe Police Department said they arrested two armed robbery suspects after they fled from police on Thanksgiving Day. Officers responded to the Speedway Convenience Store, located at 3900 Rodeo Road, in reference to a panic alarm around 11:02 a.m. Officers learned the business was robbed at gunpoint by a male suspect wearing a mask. The male fled the location in a silver Dodge Ram. CABQ to stop contracting group after misuse of housing voucher funds Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers located the Dodge Ram on Beckner Road and initiated a traffic stop near Wellness Way. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop, and a vehicle pursuit was initiated, police said. During the pursuit, the driver drove on the wrong side of the road, drove the vehicle into a yard, and crashed into an unoccupied vehicle parked on the property, according to police. The three suspects exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Officers searched the area with a K9 team and quickly apprehended Mariah King, 24. Additional officers, including New Mexico State Police Officers, arrived to search for the other suspects. Geronimo Vigil, 37, of Santa Fe, was found hiding in a shed and was arrested. The suspect remains at large, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vigil was charged with robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, receiving/transferring a stolen motor vehicle, resisting, evading, or obstructing a law enforcement officer, criminal damage to property, tampering with evidence, and leaving the scene of an accident. He was also booked on three outstanding arrest warrants: two felony offenses and one misdemeanor. King was charged with conspiracy (robbery) and resisting, evading, or obstructing a law enforcement officer. If you have any information on the third suspect that was involved in the robbery, contact Santa Fe Police at 505 428-3710. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Saturday congratulated Muskan Raghuvanshi, on becoming the youngest mountaineer of Madhya Pradesh to scale Africa's highest peak Kilimanjaro. https://x.com/JM_Scindia/status/1862729151515353428?t=s3KOXIcw33nULgCUEjqmFg&s=19 Taking on X, Jyotiraditya Scindia congratulated the mountaineer for commendable achievement. "After conquering Australia's highest mountain Kosciusko, Ashoknagar's daughter Muskan Raghuvanshi has once again made the state and the country proud by hoisting the Indian flag on Africa's highest peak Kilimanjaro. Muskan has become the youngest mountaineer in the state to achieve this double success. Congratulations from every Indian for this achievement," he posted on X. MP CM Mohan Yadav also congratulated Muskan for her achievements, "The Indian tricolor is fluttering proudly on the top of the African continent... Muskan Raghuvanshi, daughter of Ashoknagar in the state, has made the entire country including Madhya Pradesh proud by hoisting the Indian flag on Kilimanjaro, the highest peak of the African continent. Muskan, blessings and best wishes for your happy, successful and bright future." Muskan of Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar has now become the youngest mountaineer from Madhya Pradesh to achieve this remarkable feat. Additionally, Narendra Yadav, the leader of the 'Mission Possible' organization, has played a significant role in making this campaign successful. With the support of Union Minister and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, another remarkable individual is bringing glory to Madhya Pradesh both nationally and internationally. On Independence Day on August 15, 2024, she conquered Mount Kosciuszko of Australia. Muskan Raghuvanshi had previously requested financial assistance from Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in July to help her climb Mount Kosciuszko, the highest peak in Australia. In response, the Union Minister promptly provided the necessary financial support. As a result, on August 15, 2024, Muskan successfully achieved her goal and hoisted the Indian flag at Australia's highest and coldest peak. During that momentous occasion, she displayed a placard featuring a picture and name of Scindia. Speaking to the media, Muskan shared that her next goal is to conquer Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, for which she continues to receive support from Union Minister Scindia. She also expressed her gratitude for his assistance during her endeavours. (ANI) Germanys embattled Chancellor Olaf Scholz kicked off his election campaign by attacking his conservative rival as a hothead who would play Russian roulette with Moscow. Under Mr Scholz, Germany has become the second-biggest arms supplier to Ukraine, but has refused to send Kyiv long-range missiles that could strike deep inside Russia. Three months ahead of the vote, he said rival Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democrats, who is current frontrunner, wants to present the nuclear power Russia with an ultimatum ... that if Putin does not do what Germany wants then from tomorrow onwards German missiles will be fired deep into Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All I can say is: be careful with Germanys security, you dont play Russian roulette, said Mr Scholz, who is campaigning under the label of peace chancellor. Mr Scholz also condemned Germanys pro-Russian far-right and far-left parties who would seek a graveyard-like peace under Moscows terms. It came as Volodymyr Zelensky replaced the commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraines Armed Forces, pledging to significantly increase combat capability of the army. General Mykhailo Drapatyi has succeeded Oleksandr Pavliuk, who has served in the position since February 2024, while Oleh Apostol has also been appointed as deputy commander-in-chief of Ukraines Armed Forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Zelensky did not explain the reasons for the reshuffle, but stated the need to significantly increase the combat capability of our army, ensure the quality of training of military personnel and introduce innovative approaches to personnel management in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The reshuffle comes at a critical time for Ukraine, with Mr Zelensky yesterday saying that he was willing to cede territory to Russia to end the war for the first time. The Ukrainian president said his country could give up land temporarily in exchange for a Nato umbrella over the territory Ukraine still holds. He added that after a ceasefire was agreed, Kyiv could diplomatically negotiate the return of the territory in the east that is currently under Russian control. 05:17 PM GMT Thats all for today Thank you for following our live coverage. The key developments were: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Germanys embattled Chancellor Olaf Scholz kicked off his election campaign by attacking his conservative rival as a hothead who would play Russian roulette with Moscow. Former UK ambassador to Russia, Sir Tony Brenton, said Volodymyr Zelensky is playing a very sophisticated game in calling for Ukrainian-controlled territories to come under the Nato umbrella. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed his country will invariably support Russias war in Ukraine as he met Russias defence chief, the Norths state media reported Saturday. Fifteen of Ukraines civilian airports have been damaged since Russia invaded the country in February 2022, Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal said on Saturday. Russian and Syrian warplanes targeted insurgents in Aleppo on Saturday, as rebels continue their lightning offensive. Polands prime minister Donald Tusk travelled to his countrys border with the Russian region of Kaliningrad to inspect progress in the construction of military fortifications along the eastern frontier, calling it an investment in peace. Georgia said 107 people were arrested during a second day of protests sparked by the governments decision to delay European Union membership talks amid a post-election crisis. 04:19 PM GMT Pictures of the day North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian defence minister Andrei Belousov watch a performance welcoming a Russian military delegation in Pyongyang yesterday - Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP A Ukrainian soldier smokes a cigarette in a shelter in Donetsk Oblast - Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images The farewell ceremony of Ukrainian serviceman Pavlo Vedybida in Kyiv - SERGEY DOLZHENKO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 04:12 PM GMT Almost 40pc of Russians think nuclear strike on Ukraine is justified, Russian sociologist says Thirty-nine per cent of Russians believe that the use of nuclear weapons could be justified during Russias war in Ukraine, said Alexey Levinson, chief of the sociocultural research department at the Russian independent polling organisation Levada Centre, reported by the Kyiv Independent. Mr Levinson cited a poll conducted by the Levada Centre in November, the results of which have not yet been published. According to the Levada Centre polls, the percentage of Russians opposed to using nuclear weapons dropped from 52 per cent in June to 45 per cent in November. 03:34 PM GMT Ukraine says war has damaged most of its civilian airports Fifteen of Ukraines civilian airports have been damaged since Russia invaded the country in February 2022, Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal said on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine, which the state aviation service says has 20 civilian airports, has been exploring avenues to partially open its airspace. It has been completely closed since the start of the war. Ukrainians who want to fly abroad currently have to go via road or rail to neighbouring countries to catch flights. For those living in the east, the journey out of Ukraine can take a day in itself. 03:18 PM GMT Zelensky replaces ground forces commander amid fresh peace push Ukrainian soldiers prepare a mortar shell - Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Volodymyr Zelensky has replaced the commander of the ground forces, pledging to significantly increase combat capability of the army. General Mykhailo Drapatyi has replaced Oleksandr Pavliuk, who had served in the position since February 2024, while Oleh Apostol has also been appointed as deputy commander-in-chief of Ukraines Armed Forces. Mr Zelensky did not explain the reasons for the reshuffle, but stated the need to significantly increase the combat capability of our army, ensure the quality of training of military personnel and introduce innovative approaches to personnel management in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Gen Drapatyi played a key role in the liberation of Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast in 2014, and has headed the Kharkiv operational grouping of troops since this May and Luhansk operational and tactical group of forces since September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reshuffle comes at a critical time for Ukraine, with Mr Zelensky yesterday saying that he was willing to cede territory to Russia to end the war for the first time. The Ukrainian president said his country could give up land temporarily in exchange for a Nato umbrella over the territory Ukraine still holds. He added that after a ceasefire was agreed, Kyiv could diplomatically negotiate the return of the territory in the east that is currently under Russian control. 01:41 PM GMT Ukraine destroys 3 Russian radar systems in Crimea, says military intelligence Ukraine destroyed three Russian high-value radar stations in Russian-occupied Crimea yesterday, Ukraines military intelligence agency has said. The radars include two 48Y6-K1 Podlet systems worth $5 million each and one Kasta-2E2 radar, estimated to cost around $30 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Kasta and Podlet are modern mobile radar systems designed to detect air targets at low and extremely low altitudes. 12:43 PM GMT Russia provides Syria with military support during insurgent attack in Aleppo Russian and Syrian warplanes targeted insurgents in Aleppo on Saturday, according to Reuters, as rebels continue their lightning offensive. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow regarded the rebel attack as a violation of Syrias sovereignty. We are in favour of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible, he said. The Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue service operating in opposition-held parts of Syria, said in a post on X that Syrian government and Russian aircraft carried out airstrikes on residential neighbourhoods, a gas station and a school in rebel-held Idlib, killing four civilians and wounding six others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two Syrian military sources said Russia has promised Damascus extra military aid that would start arriving in the next 72 hours. 11:53 AM GMT Zelensky playing very sophisticated game, says former UK ambassador to Russia Former UK Ambassador to Russia Sir Tony Brenton discusses Volodymyr Zelenskyy's suggestion a ceasefire deal could be struck if Ukrainian territory he controls could be taken "under the NATO umbrella". Full interview: https://t.co/v10zgjsGAL Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/aawhNF5gnu Sky News (@SkyNews) November 30, 2024 Former UK ambassador to Russia, Sir Tony Brenton, said Volodymyr Zelensky is playing a very sophisticated game in calling for Ukrainian-controlled territories to come under the Nato umbrella. He knows that [Donald] Trump is about to descend on him and on Russia. He is already arranging to have something to offer Trump on Trumps mission to bring the war to an end, Mr Brenton said in an interview on Sky News. What he is suggesting in many ways is bringing us much closer to the obvious target area which is a freeze in the fighting where the lines actually currently are and then an eventual negotiation about who retains which bit of territory and then security guarantees for Ukraine in the course of that ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he added that Mr Zelensky had also made quite a major concession in stating he is prepared to see a ceasefire and then negotiate the return of Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. Putin will see this as a concession by Zelensky. He will say to himself ah, they are feeling weak, I can press for more. That is a danger as we go into this, Mr Brenton said. 11:18 AM GMT Polands prime minister visits defensive fortifications on border with Russia Mr Tusk stands next to a map of north-eastern Poland during a briefing before his inspection of the first completed section of fortifications East Shield - WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images Polands prime minister Donald Tusk travelled Saturday to his countrys border with the Russian region of Kaliningrad to inspect progress in the construction of military fortifications along the eastern frontier, calling it an investment in peace. Mr Tusks visit comes a month before Poland is to take over the rotating presidency of the 27-member European Union. Polish officials say their priority is to urge Europeans to improve defences at a time of Russian aggression and with change coming soon in Washington. The better the Polish border is guarded, the more difficult it is to access for those with bad intentions, Mr Tusk said near the village of Dabrowka. Everything we are doing here and we will also be doing this on the border with Belarus and Ukraine is to deter and discourage a potential aggressor, which is why it is truly an investment in peace, Mr Tusk added. We will spend billions of zlotys on this, but right now the whole of Europe is observing these investments and our actions with great satisfaction and will support them if necessary. Poland aims to spend 4.7 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence next year, making it one of Natos leaders in defence spending. 10:44 AM GMT Georgia arrests 107 more people as pro-EU protests continue Georgia on Saturday said 107 people were arrested during a second day of protests sparked by the governments decision to delay European Union membership talks amid a post-election crisis. The Black Sea nation has been rocked by turmoil since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in a October 26 parliamentary election that the pro-EU opposition said was fraudulent. The interior ministry said 107 people were detained for disobedience to lawful police orders and petty hooliganism. Demonstrators use firecrackers against police early Saturday - AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze A protester waves an European Union flag - AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze Georgia on Saturday said 107 people were arrested during a second day of protests sparked by the governments decision to delay European Union membership talks amid a post-election crisis. The Black Sea nation has been rocked by turmoil since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in a October 26 parliamentary election that the pro-EU opposition said was fraudulent. The interior ministry said 107 people were detained for disobedience to lawful police orders and petty hooliganism. 10:20 AM GMT Police in Moscow raid bars over LGBT propaganda Police in Moscow raided multiple bars early Saturday and arrested the director of a gay travel agency under laws criminalising LGBT propaganda, state media reported. The raids came on the one year anniversary of Russias Supreme Court outlawing the international LGBT movement, paving the way for arrests and prosecutions of the countrys already repressed LGBTQ community. Russian security forces raided at least three bars and nightclubs overnight as part of measures to combat LGBT propaganda, the state TASS news agency reported. The Kremlin has ramped up conservative rhetoric since launching its military assault on Ukraine almost three years ago, casting the conflict as a battleground against the West and its values. 09:54 AM GMT ICYMI: Zelensky suggests war could end if unoccupied Ukraine comes under Nato Credit: Sky News President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that the parts of Ukraine under his control should be taken under the Nato umbrella to try and stop the hot phase of the war. He added that after a ceasefire was agreed, Kyiv could diplomatically negotiate the return of the territory in the east that is currently under Russian control. If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under [the] Nato umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control, Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News. Thats what we need to do fast, and then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically, he added. The comments represent a considerable shift in his position. Kyiv has previously said it would continue to fight Russia until Ukraine was returned to its internationally recognised borders, which include the four regions annexed by Vladimir Putin in 2022, as well as Crimea. 09:48 AM GMT UK spy chief says Russia behind staggeringly reckless sabotage in Europe Britains foreign spy chief has accused Russia of waging a staggeringly reckless campaign of sabotage in Europe. Richard Moore, head of Britains Secret Intelligence Service known as MI6, said that any softening in support for Ukraine against Russias 2022 full-scale invasion would embolden Russian president Vladimir Putin and his allies. In what appeared a message to incoming US president Donald Trumps administration and some European allies that have questioned continued support for Ukraine in the grinding war, Mr Moore argued that Europe and its transatlantic partners must hold firm in the face of what he said was growing aggression. We have recently uncovered a staggeringly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage in Europe, even as Putin and his acolytes resort to nuclear sabre-rattling to sow fear about the consequences of aiding Ukraine, he said in a speech in Paris. Read more 09:44 AM GMT North Korea promises Russia unwavering support North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed his country will invariably support Russias war in Ukraine as he met Russias defence chief, the Norths state media reported Saturday. A Russia military delegation led by defence minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday, amid growing international concern about the two countries expanding cooperation after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia last month. The official Korean Central News Agency said that the pair reached a satisfactory consensus on boosting strategic partnership and defending each countrys sovereignty, security interests and international justice in the face of the rapidly-changing international security environments. Mr Kim said that North Korea will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists moves for hegemony, KCNA added. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized opposition leader Friedrich Merz for proposing that Berlin send Russia an ultimatum about possible deliveries of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. According to Tagesschau, Scholz made the statement at his party conference in Berlin. "All I can say is: be careful! You don't play Russian roulette with Germany's security," Scholz said, claiming that Merz wants to give Russia, a nuclear power, an ultimatum about possible transfers of long-range Taurus missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz's statement comes as Germany faces political turmoil, with opposition criticising the Chancellor's consistent refusal to send German-made Tauruses to Ukraine. During the conference, Scholz emphasized the importance of a calm and measured approach, according to the report. When it comes to questions of war and peace, cooler heads are needed, Scholz said. He promised to remain "steadfast and level-headed." Scholz also stressed that real negotiations on a possible peace plan should not take place "over the head of Ukraine." Merz, the parliamentary leader and chancellor candidate of the center-right CDU/CSU party, has previously spoken in support of sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(Russian President Vladimir Putin) should be told that if he does not stop bombing civilians in Ukraine within 24 hours, Germany should send Taurus missiles to destroy the supply lines that the regime uses to harm the civilian population of Ukraine," he told Bundestag on Oct. 16. Merz is currently the candidate poised to unseat social democrat Scholz in the federal parliamentary elections, which could be held as early as February 2025 due to the collapse of Germany's government coalition in November. Kyiv has repeatedly asked Berlin, Ukraine's main European backer, to supply Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers significantly farther than other Western long-range missiles. Scholz has consistenly refused to budge on Taurus missile transfers, even as other Western allies, including France, the U.K., and the U.S., eventually sent their own long-range weapons to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Media: EU parliament speaker calls for sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday said he currently opposes banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). He said domestic intelligence services should continue to monitor the party and collect material but warned that authorities must be "very careful with a ban procedure." "The worst thing would be a procedure that you apply for that lasts several years (...) and then it might go wrong in the end," Scholz said at a constituency meeting in the city of Potsdam, near Berlin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under German law, either the parliament or the government can apply to the Federal Constitutional Court for a ban on a specific party. Earlier this month, a group of more than 100 lawmakers from various parties in the Bundestag - Germany's lower house - submitted an application for a ban procedure. It remains to be seen whether the measure can win a majority. Most recently, 17 constitutional law experts wrote to the Bundestag's internal affairs and legal committees, expressing the view that a ban procedure would have a chance of success. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has criticised Friedrich Merz, the leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), for pursuing a highly risky approach to supporting Ukraine, particularly concerning the potential delivery of long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv. Source: German TV news service Tagesschau, citing Scholz, as reported by European Pravda Details: At a party conference in Berlin, Scholz said that Merz wants to give Russia, a nuclear power, an ultimatum on possible Taurus missile deliveries to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I can only say: be careful! You can't play Russian roulette with Germany's security," the German chancellor said. He noted that "when it comes to matters of war and peace, you need a cool head". Scholz himself added that he remained "firm and balanced", and German citizens could count on this. Background: In October, Merz suggested that Chancellor Olaf Scholz issue an ultimatum to Putin and discuss its content with his European counterparts. "He [Putin] must be told: if he does not stop bombing civilians in Ukraine within 24 hours, then Germany must send Taurus missiles to destroy the supply routes this regime is using to harm Ukraines civilian population," Merz stressed at the time. Germany, under Olaf Scholz's leadership, has consistently declined to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles, despite the UK, France, and the US having provided Kyiv with long-range weaponry. Support UP or become our patron! A species of wolf in Ethiopia has been filmed unexpectedly licking flowers, suggesting the carnivores could perform the role of giant, ground-bound bees. As the fuzzy red wolves slink from bloom to bloom, lapping at the flower's sweet stickiness, their white snouts are painted yellow by the red hot poker flower's pollen. So Oxford University ecologist Sandra Lai and team suspect these otherwise strict meat eaters may be spreading that pollen from one Kniphofia foliosa plant to another, making the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) the first example of a large, carnivoran pollinator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Wolves were observed foraging for nectar on K. foliosa flowers, which deposited a relatively large amount of pollen on their muzzles, suggesting they could contribute to pollination," the team writes in their paper, explaining more research is needed to confirm successful pollination. The video provided in Supplementary Information from the very interesting paper by Lai and co-authors in Ecology, showing potential pollination by Ethiopian wolves of Kniphofia foliosa! Read it here: esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ @pollinet.bsky.social [image or embed] FLOWer Lab (@flowerlab.bsky.social) Nov 21, 2024 at 9:41 PM If they are contributing to flower fertilization, the endangered wolves would join an exclusive but adorable group of non-flying mammals that pollinate plants. Examples of what is referred to as therophily include rodents, primates, elephant shrews and honey possums (Tarsipes rostratus) the only entirely nectarivorous mammal that isn't a bat. Over years of field work, Lai and colleagues noted the wolves' occasional penchant for sugar. To investigate further, they tracked six different wolves from different packs across four days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I first became aware of the nectar of the Ethiopian red hot poker when I saw children of shepherds in the Bale Mountains licking the flowers," explains University of Oxford conservation biologist Claudio Sillero. "In no time, I had a taste of it myself the nectar was pleasantly sweet." During the study the team observed one individual wolf visit up to 30 flowers in a single foray. Flowers that rely on mammal pollination tend to be robust or have special adaptations, and the red hot poker is no exception. Its blooms, known as racemes, clump around heads that can grow on a stalk that reaches up to a meter (about 3 feet) from the ground. Almost 90 percent of Earth's flowering plants depend on animals for pollination, and these findings suggest the role of lesser known pollinators may be larger than we realized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most mammals involved in pollination are typically small to medium sized and usually arboreal like bats or sugar gliders. The few other meat-eating mammals that are known to dine on nectar are small-bodied species like civet or racoon relatives, making the fox-colored wolf stand out. A honey possum, the only known entirely nectarivorous non-flying mammal. (Oxford Scientific/The Image Bank/Getty Images) With fewer than 500 individuals in the wild, the Ethiopian wolf is Africa's most endangered carnivore. Like many of Earth's most endangered species, this unique wolf is a specialized feeder, dining mostly on specific rodents found in the mountainous regions of Africa, presumably followed by a flowery dessert as a treat. Just like its primary prey, the wolf is also only found over seven mountain ranges, isolated above altitudes of 3,000 meters. Genetics suggests these wolves are a remnant ancestral group of a line of canids that eventually became Gray wolves. The team are keen to confirm whether pollination in fact takes place, and explore if there's any evidence of co-evolution between this unusual pair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These findings highlight just how much we still have to learn about one of the world's most-threatened carnivores," says Lai. This research was published in Ecology. Related News Photons are massless quantum particles that form light. They travel at incredible speeds and interact with various forms of matter. The emission of photons from atoms and molecules can lead to an unlimited number of interactions and possibilities. A new study from the University of Birmingham (UoB) researchers presents a model that explains the interaction between photons and their emitter. Using the calculations from their model, the study authors also created a visual representation of a photon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our calculations enabled us to convert a seemingly insolvable problem into something that can be computed. And, almost as a by-product of the model, we were able to produce this image of a photon, something that hasnt been seen before in physics, Dr. Benjamin Yuen, first author of the study and a professor at UoB, said. The significance of photons in the quantum world In 1905, Albert Einstein first proposed that light is also made of particles, and in 1926, American chemist Gilbert Newton Lewis coined the term photon for such particles. Even after 100 years, scientists still dont know how a photon actually looks and interacts with different elements of our environment. This is because these particles travel at the speed of light and dont have a fixed position or a trajectory. While scientists have developed techniques to observe and manipulate photons, such as through experiments involving light detectors or using advanced equipment like high-speed cameras and particle accelerators these methods only measure or visualize the effects of photons rather than the photons themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, understanding a photon's geometry, shape, and interactions with matter is crucial to gaining deeper insights into the science that governs the quantum world. For instance, a photon's wave-particle duality governs how it interacts with matter, enabling phenomena like absorption, emission, and scattering. Similarly, an idea about their shape could enhance the precision of quantum technologies such as quantum photonics, communication, and cryptography. What promise does the new model hold? The mathematical model from the UoB team employs pseudomode expansion, a technique in quantum optics that simplifies studying how light interacts with matter in complex environments, like photonic crystals. Instead of modeling the whole environment in detail, this approach uses a few simplified modes (pseudomodes) to represent the environments main effects on the system. This makes the analysis easier while still capturing the important interactions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The model successfully explains the interaction between photons and different quantum emitters (QEs), such as atoms, quantum dots (nanometers-scale particles that act like artificial atoms), and fluorescent molecules. However, it doesnt stop here; it also sheds light on both the near-field and far-field energies resulting from such interaction. This work helps us to increase our understanding of the energy exchange between light and matter, and secondly to better understand how light radiates into its nearby and distant surroundings, Yuen said. Lots of this information had previously been thought of as just noise - but theres so much information within it that we can now make sense of, and make use of. By understanding this, we set the foundations to be able to engineer light-matter interactions for future applications, such as better sensors, improved photovoltaic energy cells, or quantum computing, he concluded. The study is published in the journal Physical Review Letters. A 3,650-square-foot corner mega loft in San Franciscos famous SoMa district is the result of a renovation combining three units, and the home and work space is now on the market for $3.2 million. The condominium is part of a building originally constructed in 1924 by the prominent Cowell family of San Francisco to house San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, according to Christies International Real Estate. A category III contributory landmark, the Blindcraft Building sits on historic property that was reclaimed from tidal marshland, the company said in a news release. The buildings exterior features a striking Gothic-inspired terra cotta entrance on Howard Street. Inside the remarkable live/work space, the sellers have enjoyed their fair share of entertaining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We hosted a lot of parties in this loft as its a great place to entertain, seller Mark Choey, a prominent real estate entrepreneur and technology innovator, said in a statement. We would gather to watch the costumed runners of Bay to Breakers run past on Howard Street. We also hosted White Elephant holiday and gingerbread house/cookie making parties, family gatherings, birthdays and New Years Eve celebrations where we had a big balloon drop from the mezzanine to the living room down below. The mega loft is the result of a renovation combining three units in a SoMa district building in San Francisco. The sensational corner loft began as three separate units before being transformed into a luxurious modern home of four bedrooms and three bathrooms, 13-foot ceilings, exposed concrete and expansive steel-paned windows that let in an abundance of natural light all while retaining some historic charm. Lauren Geremia of San Francisco-based Geremia Design gets the credit for the remodel, according to Christies International Real Estate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of what makes this home extraordinary is that it is a corner unit with extra-large windows, so it gets incredible sun all day long. said co-listing agent Chris Lim of Christies International Real Estate. Its a very welcoming space and visitors always remark on how open and airy it feels. Boundless possibilities Choey created the environment to foster a lifestyle centered around innovation and creativity, according to Christies International. The home is located at 1097 Howard Street - 201, 202, 203. This residence feels boundless in its possibilities flexible for residential living, a family compound, or a creative office space with private living accommodations, the property listing states. This is the creative, sexy and unique space you have been waiting for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Known as Lighthouse Lofts, the building was converted into a condominium project in 1998. Its been home to such San Francisco luminaries as Michael and Xochi Birch, co-founders of social networking website Bebo and exclusive social club The Battery, and acclaimed painter and sculptor Klari Reis. The Blindcraft Building offers a mega loft for sale for $3.2 million in San Francisco. Loft 201 and 202 span 2,633 square feet of open living space, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an enclosed office and multiple nooks that could be used for work stations. Theres an impressive great room, corner windows and white epoxy floors. A chefs kitchen is outfitted with high-end Bosch, Bertazzoni and Fisher-Paykel appliances, custom cabinetry and an artsy ceramic backsplash. Loft 203 is a 1,056-square-foot residence that contains one bedroom, one bathroom and a stylish kitchen. Bamboo flooring and exposed concrete showcase the industrial-chic design. The boutique building, served by an elevator, offers amenities that include a rooftop deck with a barbecue space and a private storage unit. Perfect lighting Friends would tell us that the lighting was perfect in the loft for taking photos, Choey said. The first owner of the unit, when it was converted to condos, was a photographer and he used the main space as his photography studio. The current office was his dark room. He was the one who left the ficus plant which has now grown several feet tall and is a permanent resident in the unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A former California governor was familiar with the Blindcraft Building back in the 1930s. San Francisco Association for the Blinds services included manufacturing and selling furniture, baskets and brooms made by blind and visually impaired workers under the Blindcraft brand, teaching braille and providing counseling, according to a historical account provided with Christies International Real Estate marketing materials. James Rolph, the California governor from 1931-1934 known as Sunny Jim, issued a proclamation about Blindcraft in 1932: I know of only one appeal that strikes me harder than Help the Blind. That is Blindcrafts appeal Help the Blind to Help Themselves. I have known the work of this institution for many years and have always been glad to give it any personal or official endorsement within my power. South of Market, or SoMa, is a cultural hub of museums, restaurants and nightlife, as well as home to several high-tech company headquarters. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) hit Elon Musk for suggesting in a post on his social platform X on Wednesday that retired Army Lt. Col Alexander Vindman committed treason and will pay after the former Trump impeachment witness accused the tech billionaire and close Trump ally of being unwittingly used by Russia. Message to Elon MuskThe Vindman family embodies patriotism and public service. You know nothing about either, Kaine wrote in a post on X on Friday with a link to The Hills reporting on the situation. Vindman replied to Kaines post, saying, Thank you! Thank you very much, Senator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has contacted X for comment from Musk. The back-and-forth on social media between Musk and Vindman began on Wednesday, when the tech mogul threatened Vindman, in response to a recent interview, in which Vindman said Musk was Russian leader Vladimir Putins type. Clearly Putin has a type. He likes narcissists and egomaniacs that he knows as a case officer can easily pander to manipulate, to do his dirty work, Vindman said in the late October interview, which circulated among X users this week. Russia has been using different levers whether thats corruption networks, in this case, its influencers like Donald Trump, like Elon Musk, to kind of sow discord. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Musk had been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vindman is on the payroll of Ukranian oligarchs and has committed treason against the United States, Musk wrote on his social media platform X earlier this week. He also said that Vindman, who played a central role in the first impeachment of then-President Trump, will pay the appropriate penalty. In a response on X, Vindman said Musks comments were false and completely unfounded accusations, and maintained that he had never taken money from Ukrainian oligarchs. Musks remarks vowing a penalty come as Trump has faced scrutiny over his repeated vows to take revenge on his perceived enemies once he returns to the Oval Office. Critics have sounded the alarm over the former presidents promise as they worry a second Trump term will lack some of the guardrails that existed during his first term. Musk has become a close ally of Trump and a regular presence alongside the president-elect during the transition, most recently spending Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nov. 30We're in the Medicare open-enrollment season, and I strongly advise patients signing up for Medicare to avoid Part C Medicare Advantage programs (MAPs). Rather, I recommend "traditional" Medicare, with a Part B supplemental policy and a Part D prescription plan. The majority of Medicare patients opt into MAPs, considering them more affordable with lower premiums. They are also enticed by those added benefits like pharmacy, hearing, vision, dental and gym memberships. But MAPs may have more co-pays and deductibles and limit patient choice and autonomy. One is generally restricted to their network doctors, hospitals, clinics and pharmacies. In traditional Medicare, there are no provider networks, and one is free to obtain care anywhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MAPs are notorious for substantial use of prior approval and subsequent denials for medical services. Advanced imaging, costly medications, and admission to facility-based rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities and long-term acute care hospitals are examples. MAPs' primary goal is profit. The federal government pays more to these plans than it would expend in traditional Medicare costs ($27 billion more in 2023). Nevertheless, Congress anticipated that risk-based contracting with MAPs would result in more cost-effective care and reduced governmental costs. Unfortunately, most cost savings from MAPs are returned to the insurance companies in profits rather than in savings to the government or patients. A big part of "cost-effective care" is denial of services. My wife has an MAP plan. She recently underwent an extensive orthopedic surgery. She was advised that recovery would take a year. The surgeon wasn't exaggerating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her surgeon assumed insurance would approve a rehabilitation hospital on discharge. The MAP denied it. We alternatively requested rehab in a nursing home. Denied. The MAP said her rehabilitation could be met with a "lesser level of care," meaning intermittent home physical therapy. Multiple appeals failed. We opted to self-pay several thousand dollars for the nursing home with physical therapy. The facility's physician told us that if she had returned directly home from the hospital, it would have been a disaster. The MAP said she was doing so well with post-op physical therapy in the hospital, that she did not qualify for facility-based rehabilitation. The nursing home physical therapist told us how it really works: Either the patient doesn't do well enough or does too well to qualify. Either way, care is denied. The Kaiser Family Foundation issued a recent analysis that found MAPs denied 3.4 million prior-authorization requests in 2022 (denial rates do vary among the MAPs). KFF also reports these denials create barriers and delays in care that double the risk for adverse outcomes including life-threatening events, permanent disability and death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Health and Human Services was circumspect that MAP denials are used to increase profits, prompting a 2022 study from its Office of the Inspector General. It commonly found prior-authorization denials for services that would have been covered by traditional Medicare. The report concluded that there were "...widespread and persistent problems related to inappropriate denials of services and provider payments ... even though the requests met Medicare coverage and billing rules." Congress is considering legislation, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services passed regulations to contain the out-of-control prior-authorization process. What effects they may have are uncertain. If you have common straight-forward health conditions you may never experience problems with MAPs. But if you ever have an unusual illness or the need for rehabilitation, high-intensity care or other expensive services, be wary of MAPs. Dr. Richard Feldman is an Indianapolis family physician and was Indiana's state health commissioner from 1997 to 2001. Contact him at richarddfeldman@gmail.com. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari criticised the Uttar Pradesh government after the police allegedly stopped a delegation of the Samajwadi Party from visiting the violence-hit Sambhal on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Tiwari asked, "What is the district administration hiding? Why does the state government not want the opposition to visit Sambhal? They should allow the delegation to visit Sambhal." "A Samajwadi Party leader said that the opposition, of whatever party will help with calming down the area, and instill confidence in the region. But the delegation has been asked to stop and we will stop, we just want to cooperate, not confrontation," the Congress leader said. A Samajwadi Party delegation was scheduled to visit the Sambhal area today, however the delegation was allegedly denied permission by the district administration. "We do not provoke anyone. The language that incites is used by Keshav Prasad Maurya ji. If the press can visit there, how will people get incited if I say the same thing? They should have given me a notice, but without any notice, they deployed police outside my residence. We will go to the party office and decide," Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey told ANI. Pandey said earlier that he got a call from the Sambhal District Magistrate to not visit the area. "They (administration) should have given me a notice as per the rules that I cannot go there, but no written notice was given. They only talk on the telephone. They deployed the police. The Justice Commission is going there, media people are going there, will there be any unrest if we go there? This government is deliberately stopping us to hide all its work," the UP LoP added. The senior SP leader said that the Sambhal DM asked him not to come till December 10.Tensions in Sambhal have remained tense since clashes on November 19, after a court-ordered ASI survey of the Jama Masjid. Security is still heightened in the area on Saturday. The survey followed a petition filed by some persons in the local court, claiming that the site of the mosque was previously a Harihar temple. (ANI) CAIRO (Reuters) - An Israeli strike on a car wounded three people, including a seven-year-old child, on Saturday in the south Lebanon village of Majdal Zoun, the Lebanese Health Ministry said in a statement. Later on Saturday, another person was injured in a separate Israeli strike on Al Bisariya, which lies near the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, the ministry said. The Israeli military said it had attacked a Hezbollah facility in Sidon that housed rocket launchers for the armed group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It added that it had also hit a vehicle in southern Lebanon loaded with rocket-propelled grenades, ammunition and military equipment as part of its actions against ceasefire violations. A truce came into effect on Wednesday, but both sides have accused each other of breaching a ceasefire that aims to halt over a year of fighting. (Reporting by Maya Al Gebeily and Menna Alaa; Editing by Toby Chopra and Helen Popper) DENVER (KDVR) The Commerce City Police Department is searching for the person who threw a dog out the window of their moving car on Nov. 23, breaking the canines spine. Police said that a good Samaritan witnessed the incident at about 7:45 p.m. at the intersection of East 64th Avenue and Monaco Street almost a week ago. The witness tried to help the dog before police arrived on scene. Officers transported him to an emergency veterinarians office, where they learned the dogs spine was broken. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is sickening and heart-wrenching and we desperately need your help, the police department said on Facebook. CPW shares monthly wolf movement as 26 organizations petition for no more releases Because the dog was in pain and unable to move, he was euthanized. The person or people responsible for this terrible act face felony aggravated animal cruelty charges, the police department posted to Facebook. Please, if you can, help us find them. The Commerce City Police Department shared this photo of a dog thrown from a car window on Nov. 23, resulting in a broken spine and leading to euthanasia. The Commerce City Police Department shared this photo of a dog thrown from a car window on Nov. 23, resulting in a broken spine and leading to euthanasia. In a comment response, the agency said the witness was so jarred from seeing the dog thrown out the window that they were unable to get a car description or a plate number. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, surveillance footage recovered from a nearby business shows the incident in just in the corner of the video footage, making it impossible to tell which vehicle the dog had been thrown from, as there was traffic at the time. Bryon Taylor with the National Dog Rescue Network, said that abuse to dogs often gets the same response. 4 children among 8 transported from Thanksgiving afternoon crash on 120th Avenue Completely outraged when you see things like this, Taylor told Nieto. Dogs cant protect themselves; they need humans to be responsible for domesticating them, in the first place. So, when something like this happens, especially in Colorado, you know people who are up in arms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A man on social media spoke with FOX31s Greg Nieto, saying the dogs name was Rambo. He also told Nieto that the 12-year-old dog was last seen on family property. That was before the dogs disappearance and the realization on social media that Rambo was dead. When the people are found (who did this), I would hate to be them, Taylor said. Just because there are a lot of dog owners in Colorado who are outraged, right now, hearing a story like 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 FOX31 Denver. Silicon Valley has a long history with psychedelics, and some of its leaders have partaken. Apple cofounder Steve Jobs and OpenAI's Sam Altman have talked publicly about their experiences. Google cofounder Sergey Brin has reportedly used magic mushrooms and funded a startup for psychedelic treatments. Some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley have dabbled in psychedelics. The psychedelic movement isn't limited to the most successful tech moguls in Silicon Valley. A rising number of entrepreneurs and executives are turning to psychedelics like LSD, ayahuasca, and MDMA to find inspiration in their professional lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While psychedelics haven't reached mainstream status, they're gaining popularity in certain circles. Startups focused on psychedelics are also drawing increasing interest and investment from prominent figures, including startup accelerators like Y Combinator and billionaires such as Peter Thiel. Here's what we know about the Big Tech billionaires and founders who have dabbled with psychedelic drugs or similar substances. Steve Jobs Steve Jobs spent his early 20s searching for the meaning of life through LSD. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs didn't shy away from speaking about his experiences with LSD. The entrepreneur spent his early 20s searching for the meaning of life through meditation, traveling, and, sometimes, LSD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I came of age at a magical time," Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson. The billionaire described taking LSD as a "profound experience" and one of the most important things in his life. "It reinforced my sense of what was important creating great things instead of making money, putting things back into the stream of history and of human consciousness as much as I could," Jobs said. In the two-year period between 1972 and 1974, Jobs used LSD 10 to 15 times before he stopped for good, according to a questionnaire he filled out in 1988 for government security clearance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sam Altman OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he's had "life-changing" psychedelic experiences. JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images OpenAI cofounder and CEO Sam Altman said in a September podcast appearance on "Life in Seven Songs," that doing psychedelics was one of the most transformative experiences of his life. The billionaire said he used to be a "very anxious, unhappy person" and now feels "calm." "If you had told me that, like, one weekend-long retreat in Mexico was going to significantly change that, I would have said absolutely not," Altman said in the podcast. "And it really did." While the CEO said he had used psychedelics at Burning Man, he said those experiences had been rare and less impactful. He said the "life-changing" experiences have been ones where he travels for the experience and takes psychedelics with a guide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Altman has invested in a number of medical startups, including one focused on psychedelics. The billionaire served as the board chairman of a startup called Journey Colab that aims to help people suffering from addiction with the development and application of clinical psychedelic drugs for therapy. Sergey Brin Sergey Brin reportedly consumes magic mushrooms. Lionel Hahn/Getty Images Google cofounder Sergey Brin has reportedly consumed psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, according to a Wall Street Journal report. While Brin hasn't confirmed his usage publicly and didn't respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, the cofounder previously attended Burning Man with Eric Schmidt to see if Schmidt had it in him to be Google's CEO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cofounder has also funds into a nonprofit investment firm called Catalyst4, which has pledged $15 million to Soneira, a startup studying the effects of a hallucinogenic mental health treatment. Elon Musk Tesla CEO Elon Musk has spoken about the benefits of psychedelics but hasn't publicly confirmed he's used them. Steve Granitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk hasn't spoken about personally using psychedelics, but The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that the billionaire has used LSD and magic mushrooms, among other illegal drugs. Musk is also a frequent attendee at Burning Man. One of his friends once told The New York Times that he's been on "mild exploratory journeys" with Musk. The Tesla CEO has publicly discussed the benefits of psychedelics, including in a response to a tweet from Altman on the subject. Musk told Don Lemon in an interview in March that he used "a small amount" of Ketamine about once every other week, and sometimes goes several weeks without using it. Ketamine is classified as a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects. It has been increasingly used as a depression treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk said he used ketamine when he was in a "negative chemical state," such as depression, and considers it a better option than SSRIs. When asked if he abused the drug, Musk told Lemon he doesn't think so. "If you use too much ketamine, you can't really get work done, and I have a lot of work," Musk said in the interview. Read the original article on Business Insider DENVER (KDVR) Aurora police responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash Friday evening near Interstate 225 and Parker Road. An Aurora Police Department public information officer told FOX31 that the driver was the only person in the car and had serious injuries from the crash. 2 victims found in Aurora shooting; no outstanding suspects The officer said that currently, the agency is not sure of any contributing factors leading up to the crash. A tow truck clears the wreckage of a single-vehicle rollover crash on I-225 on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (Colorado Department of Transportation) A tow truck clears the wreckage of a single-vehicle rollover crash on I-225 on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (KDVR) According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, I-225 southbound was closed for over an hour while crews cleared the crash. Police closed lanes between Iliff Avenue and Parker Road while clearing the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of 9:20 p.m., the road was clear. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A sniffer dog that can detect diseased trees has been trained by the Government in a bid to save Britains woodlands from infection. Ivor, a black six-year-old cocker spaniel and labrador cross, has been trained to smell the disease Phytophthora ramorum. Ramorum is a fungus-like microorganism that affects more than 100 different plant species and spreads in water to infect and destroy trees. Signs of infection include bleeding cankers, blackened needles and wilted twigs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Funding from Defra helped retrain Ivor, which was a water leak detection dog, for a pioneering role as the UKs first homegrown plant disease sniffer dog. It is the first detection dog in the UK for plant diseases and more dogs are being trained to sniff out plant-killing pathogens and pests, including the eight-teethed spruce bark beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer beetle. Experts focused on ramorum because it affects a large amount of commercially valuable trees in the UK, such as larch and sweet chestnuts. UK officials are hoping Ivor will be able to prevent any oak-killing strains from taking root in the British oak population. Ivor has been trained to smell the disease Phytophthora ramorum - Sara Porter Ivors owners at Canine Assisted Pest Eradication partnered with Forestry Research to retrain the leak-detection animal to identify the scents of tree disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ivor had a 100 per cent success rate in laboratory tests where the pathogen was mixed with sterilised water and 89 per cent in more challenging tests with mucky water from a pond. Ivor has had a 100 per cent success rate in lab tests - Sara Porter Prof Nicola Spence, the UKs chief plant health officer, said: Its part of a family of destructive pathogens. Phytophthora actually means plant destroyer in Greek. Theyre not funghi, theyre water moulds, and they cause extensive damage and can kill more than 150 plant and tree species. She said the plant arrived in the UK around 20 years ago and various policies were successful in slowing down its spread and eradicating the disease from traded plants. Part of the issue is detecting it and diagnosing it so we wanted to explore the possibility of using a detector dog because Phytophthora ramorum can be found in Woodland settings and nurseries, she said. Were looking for it at border control posts and a range of settings and we thought maybe detector dogs could help us with that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prof Spence added: In a woodland, there is grass, trees, other dogs, dog walkers, rabbits, squirrels and many other smells. Its a bit like training a truffle hound and getting them to find the truffle and not get distracted with everything else. This will be done by putting the disease into a pet toy, like a Kong, and placing it on or near certain trees before tasking Ivor with tracking it down. The funghi is looked for at border control and detector dogs may come in handy - Sara Porter Detector dogs have been used for plant diseases once before in the UK, with some Austrian animals helping tackle an outbreak of the Asian longhorn beetle in Kent in 2012. Heather Dun, a forest research pathologist who helped train Ivor, said she was amazed by how quick the Spanador was able to learn the smell of the disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had a series of pots laid out to sniff and he was amazingly quick. We made it easy in the beginning and then made it harder to avoid him getting discouraged. His reward was his little squeaky ball he has a very good nose. A vile containing larvae from the diseased tree - Sara Porter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ivor was specifically chosen by Luke Jones, the director of Canine Assisted Pest Eradication which owned Ivor, for his temperament and ability to be easily trained. Hes really, really nice. Hes so gentle. Hell come up and hell just, like, lick your fingers a little bit, Ms Dun said. He was previously trained to detect water leaks out of burst pipes, and Luke decided Ivor had the right temperament to be retrained because you can really only train them to do one thing at a time, otherwise they get a little bit confused. Mr Jones said: We believe that innovation drives progress. Were passionate about discovering the potential of detection dogs who are one of natures super-computers. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Social media has become an almost-important part of everyones life, especially kids. Be it tweens or teens, most children spend hours on social media, using the platforms to connect with their friends or post content. However, as parents, we all know excessive use of social media can have detrimental effects on kids mental health. It can also hamper their physical development. Children tend to get less and less active as they spend more time on their gadgets. In light of this, the government of Australia has taken a historic step that many parents highly appreciate. The Australian government has passed a bill to ban social media for children under 16, effective in 12 months. Australia becomes first country to pass a bill banning social media for kids under 16 Social media may have its perks. However, there are several downsides to it as well, especially when it comes to kids. They tend to share way too much of their private lives on the platforms or get influenced almost immediately. It not only hampers their decision-making skills but also makes them easy targets for online bullying and prying. Moreover, it hampers their social skills and personal relationships. Thus, it is no surprise many are left concerned about their kids usage of social media. While some countries are working on tackling this issue, Australia has made a bold decision that is being applauded by parents around the world. According to Reuters, the Australian government has now banned kids under 16 from using social media platforms. The move comes after its parliament passed the historic bill on Thursday, November 28. The worlds strictest law targeting Big Tech has brought much relief to parents. They finally see some hope to help regulate their childrens usage of social media platforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ban, which will not take effect for at least 12 months, wont allow minors to use various popular social media platforms, like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and X (formerly Twitter). If not followed through, these tech giants will be liable for fines of about 50 million Australian dollars (49.5 million Australian dollars, to be precise, which is about $32 million) for failing to prevent the younger generation from accessing the platforms. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved the legislation by 102 votes to 13. The following day, the bill was passed by the Senate with 34 votes to 19. Australias prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is part of the crowd that is really pleased with this move. The ban protects children from the harms of social media and supports the parents who were worried about the same. We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs, Albanese stated. He noted that the bill will now position Australia to lead the world in the safety of young people. Australia gives social media platforms a year to figure things out before they are fined With this bill, the government of Australia has now given the social media platforms one year to figure out how they can implement the ban before they get fined millions. Discussing the ban, Albanese further elaborated, Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them. However, not everyone is happy with the bill. Meta Platforms, which owns Instagram and Facebook, said that it was concerned about the process. The tech giant blamed the government for having rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spokesperson added, The task now turns to ensuring there is productive consultation on all rules associated with the Bill to ensure a technically feasible outcome. They also emphasized that they need to ensure the burden isnt shifted to moms and dads. Snapchats parent company, Snap, has also raised concerns. However, the company said that they will engage closely with the Government and the eSafety Commissioner during the 12-month implementation period. They are aiming to work on a solution that provides the user with a balance of privacy, safety, and practicality. The bill has also garnered mixed reactions from parents. Most welcomed the bold move with open arms. They are happy that their kids will no longer be hooked to their screens and doomscroll through social media. However, some parents are looking forward to seeing how the ban will be implemented and if it will be done properly. Only time will tell how this landmark decision will impact the children and their overall development. The post Social Media Is Now Banned for Children Under 16 in Australia appeared first on Momtastic. Not just the GOP A recent sound off stated the Mississippi legislature has been controlled by Republicans for decades. Research shows that in 2012, for the first time since reconstruction, Republicans took control of the state Legislature. Whatever issues Mississippi has cannot be blamed solely on Republicans. We had a choice Whether folks like it or not, there was a clear choice between Republican and Democrat, between conservative and liberal and between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. America made its choice. Popular vote. Electoral vote. It was all the same. Be patient Monday morning, I was honked at by a no-turn-signal driver who wanted to go right from the left lane, as I properly turned onto the I-10-West on-ramp. I predict there will be many such incidents, maybe even crashes, as we adjust to the new traffic flow pattern. Put your brain in Drive before putting your transmission in Drive. Get over it Donald Trump has had four years to produce evidence of election fraud in 2020. With a huge stable of lawyers and enough cash to hire the best detectives in the country, we have yet to see one credible shred of evidence. Sixty lawsuits failed and now he has vowed to use every resource of the DOJ to investigate the big lie for the next four years, which will accomplish nothing. We deserve a president who will focus on the real issues and not a personal vendetta over a bruised ego. Thats odd Its ironic that the very man who is going to ban porn as per his adherence to the 2025 project playbook treated us and the world to his very own pornographic performance at a rally less than a month ago. Enough already A gracious winner would take down his Trump campaign sign. No pardon President Biden should not pardon Donald Trump. He had his day in court. If he was innocent he should have presented a defense rather than no coment or I dont recall or I plead the Fifth. Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com. HONOLULU (KHON2) The long-awaited childrens playground at Kolowalu Park reopened on Wednesday, Nov. 27, allowing keiki in the Ala Moana and Kakaako area to burn off their energy before Thanksgiving day. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news City officials announced the parks temporary closure in mid-August to prepare for the updated state-of-the-art playground design. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parks upgrades aimed to serve a greater range of ages and abilities, creating a playspace where every keiki can play and interact together. Hawaii holiday cheer coming to a street near you According to HCDA executive director Craig Nakamoto, the new space creates opportunities for keiki to use their imagination, discover and learn social skills while having fun outside in the fresh air. He expressed his appreciation to the HCDA staff and contractor, Inspired Play Hawaii, for creating Oahus first inclusive playground in the heart of Kakaako. Officials said the playground services all keiki, from those who use mobility devices to those with sensory, communication and emotional regulation challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When designing this project, we envisioned a space for every childaccommodating a full spectrum of abilities and needs. The sensory play panels throughout the play area offer unique ways for kids to engagewhether through sound, sight, motion, or touch. These elements and more open new possibilities for connection and play, ensuring every child feels welcomed and supported. Danielle Sagum, Inspired Play Hawaii owner and operator Earlier this year, the City also installed new benches, picnic tables and adult fitness equipment on the makai side of the park. Check out more news from around Hawaii Crews will continue to work on the opening of a new dog park on the mauka side of the park, designed with a Hawaiian sense of place. Its set to open in early 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday questioned on why the Sambhal issue and Adani issue despite being serious were not taken up for discussion in the Parliament. Addressing the media, Raut said "Sambhal incident and Adani issue are very serious but we are not being allowed to raise the issues in the Parliament, then what kind of democracy is left? When we stand up with the leader of Opposition to raise questions, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are made to adjourn in two seconds. Why is the government so scared of discussions?" Notably, both houses of the Parliament were adjourned till December, failing to o conduct substantial business amid continuous sloganeering by opposition MPs in both Houses for the fourth straight day. Earlier, Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram had said that he hoped the government would allow the opposition to raise issues of importance. "I hope the government is large-hearted and allows the opposition the space to raise issues of importance. It's incumbent that the government finds a way in which the opposition can have its say and the government can have its way. The government is in a position to give and the government must give..." Chidambaram told ANI. Parliament proceedings have been stalled since the beginning of the Winter Session amid protests by opposition parties over the Adani issue and violence in Manipur and Sambhal.. Before adjourning, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed the Opposition. "This cannot be appreciated. We have become a laughing stock, and parliament disruptions are in public distaste. We are creating a very bad precedent. Our actions are not public-centric. We are getting into irrelevance. Rule 267 is being weaponised as a tool of disruption, the Rajya Sabha Chairman said. The Chairman expressed his deep anguish and profound regret at the disruption in the normal business of the House. Opposition members have been continuously pushing to have a discussion on the floor on the Adani issue, Sambhal violence and the Manipur situation, raising slogans in the Parliament. The first session of the winter Parliament commenced on November 25, with both Houses getting adjourned fairly early due to disruptions. The winter session will go on till December 20. (ANI) The reporter before a 13-hour flight between Washington, DC, and Ethiopia. Monica Humphries/Business Insider I got my first travel credit card before a 33-hour journey between Denver and Zanzibar, Tanzania. The Capital One Venture X card has a $395 annual fee but comes with lounge access. After one long travel day, I felt like the credit card fee was worth it. When I landed in Tanzania, fellow travelers, lodge staff, and safari guides were amazed I had traveled all the way from Colorado. They were even more stunned when I mentioned that the trip took over 30 hours. I was shocked, too. While I've crossed oceans and continents to reach destinations like Japan and New Zealand, getting to Tanzania was an entirely new feat. It was my longest travel day yet, with three layovers and four flights. I bought a new travel pillow, downloaded podcasts and shows, and wore comfy outfits. But the best thing I did to prepare was get a travel credit card. My credit card came with airport lounge access For years, I thought travel lounges were exclusive places for rich, first-class travelers. My first lounge experience was with a business-class ticket to New Zealand, where I spent a seven-hour layover filled with the comforts of prosecco, ramen, and comfy seating. It initially felt like a luxury I couldn't afford, but after some quick girl math, I realized that gaining airport lounge access is much more affordable than I originally thought. I eyed my travel credit card options and ultimately settled on the Capital One Venture X card. Not only would the card give me access to Capital One lounges, but I also get an annual Priority Pass membership, including 1,700 lounges worldwide. The card's annual fee is $395. One perk is a $300 travel credit. Since I travel often and know I'll use the credit, I felt I needed to justify a $95 fee instead of $395. The Etihad lounge at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Monica Humphries/Business Insider I ate $100 worth of food on my trip to Tanzania My 33-hour journey started with a flight to Washington Dulles International Airport. Once I landed, I had a five-hour layover before my next long-haul flight. When I arrived, I opened my Priority Pass app and looked at nearby lounges. I had three to choose from and ended up at the Etihad Airways Lounge. Without the card, entrance into the lounge would have cost $75. I had a breakfast spread of smoked salmon, bao buns, pastries, coffee, and access to a full bar. I also had comfy seating much nicer than the leather benches at my gate. If I had purchased a similar breakfast of coffee, food, and a morning mimosa, it would've cost at least $50. Bistro Atelier, a restaurant at the same airport, for instance, charges $19 for salmon benedict and $14 for a mimosa, which doesn't include taxes, tips, or the coffee I had in the lounge. Nov. 30ROCHESTER After years of adjustments to find the best time for students to begin their day, Rochester Public Schools has landed on a solution that while imperfect seems finally to be a step in the right direction. This fall marked the implementation of new bell times for the district. It was the culmination of a years-long process to try to accommodate the preferred schedules for both elementary schools and secondary schools, while still leaving enough wiggle room for the buses that have to transport both sets of students. "There has been a longstanding effort to get start times just right, both educationally, operationally and financially in Rochester Public Schools," Superintendent Kent Pekel said. "We think we made a huge step forward." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, elementary students begin their day at 7:55 a.m., middle school students at 8:35, and high school students at 8:50 a.m. (Before, middle schools and high schools both started at 8:10 a.m., and elementary schools at 9:25 a.m.) The process of getting from "before" to "after" was no small feat. While the issue ostensibly revolved around what time schools start their day, it especially hinged on the district's ability to re-orchestrate its transportation system and even rewrite its rules about which schools families were allowed to attend. Of the roughly 17,500 students enrolled in Rochester Public Schools, more than 10,000 of them ride the bus. So, twice a day, more than 120 buses crisscross 218 square miles to get students to and from school. Before new routes went into effect, the fleet of school bus drivers would cover nearly 7,000 miles a day, amounting to 1.2 million miles a year. It was a puzzle on par with Rubik's Cube. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It meant that in order to establish new start times, the bus routes had to be reconfigured and then reconfigured again, as the district experienced the uncertainty of whether schools would be closed in the face of financial shortfalls. A $10 million contribution from Mayo Clinic allowed the district to avoid that fate. In addition to the new start times themselves, it also was the first year that families didn't need an exception to enroll their elementary students in any school they wanted rather than having to attend the school associated with their address. If a school had the space available, and a family was willing to transport their student, they could enroll wherever they wanted. The district branded the change as its "attendance options redesign." However, since district leaders weren't sure how many families were going to take advantage of that option, it added another layer of complexity in regard to planning for the routes. "You have to build the bones of the route, and then you time it to see if it will actually work," Jeffrey Kappers, transportation manager for RPS, said about drawing the bus route schedule. "The software does a lot, but it's still a pretty big process." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The balancing act of getting elementary students to school at one time and secondary students to school at another time was complicated by the district-wide option schools, meaning those that have alternative features and that draw students from around the district rather than from a defined attendance boundary. They include the Spanish immersion program, which is now housed out of Riverside Central Elementary; Lincoln K-8 on Highway 14, which is the district's only combined elementary-middle school; Longfellow Elementary, which operates on an alternative calendar; Franklin Montessori; and Washington Elementary, which uses a "core knowledge sequence" curriculum. Previously, the district would transport students to those district-wide-option schools from anywhere in the district. resulting in some students taking multiple buses a day to get from, for example, Oronoco to Franklin Montessori in south Rochester. In order to implement new start times, the district had to re-evaluate the extent to which it was able to transport students to the district-wide-option schools from anywhere within Rochester Public Schools' coverage area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike before, the district has now given each of the district-wide schools a boundary. And, they would transport students from within that designated area to a DWO school. If a family wanted to attend a DWO school, they could drive their student to a point in that designated area, for the student to ride the bus the rest of the way. So how have families responded to those changes RPS made in the name of implementing the new start times? How many have opted to attend a different school in the city than the one associated with their address? Has the now-limited transportation to the district-wide-option schools impacted their enrollment? According to RPS data, 1,485 elementary students are being "self-transported" to a district-wide-option school. Additionally, 948 elementary students are using self-transportation to attend a non-DWO school. That means that a third of the elementary students in Rochester Public Schools are relying on their own transportation rather than riding a bus to school. During an overview of the changes at a November School Board meeting, the district did not include information about the extent to which those numbers differed from before RPS implemented its attendance redesign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leading up to this year, families experienced a bit of whiplash as the district tried to find the best solution. In January 2021, RPS announced that middle school and high school students would begin at 8:20 a.m., and that elementary students would begin at 9:35 a.m. That resulted in substantial discontent from the city's elementary schools, with 97% of the elementary school staff members disapproving of the schedule. Later on, in May 2022, the district tweaked start times by a mere 10 minutes in an effort to at least move the ball a little in the right direction. The School Board first approved the current start times in the summer of 2023, more than a year before they were scheduled to go into effect, at the start of the 2024-25 year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Longfellow Elementary parent Chrissy Misso said she appreciates the fact that students now have extra time for extracurriculars before dinner. "As a piano/violin/ukulele teacher, I appreciate my students being able to focus more since they aren't drifting at the end of classes," she wrote. "I'm also able to be done earlier in the evening, which is good for my sleep too!" Even though RPS has finally seemed to land on a general model it can stick with, it's not without its own challenges, for parents and for district staff. Part of the issue for families has been child care between the time that school ends and the time when parents get home. To help provide a buffer system, the district has increased the number of slots available for school-age child care by more than 300. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that hasn't alleviated the issue entirely. Longfellow Elementary parent Emily Gillaspey Blain said that even though she thinks the change in start times was a "good move" overall, it meant their family lost access to busing and had to use after-school care three days a week. "It's not necessarily ideal financially, but our daughter loves it!!" Gillaspey Blain wrote about the changes. The changes have also meant that the district has a tighter window to get students where they have to be. Rather than a 30-minute difference between the start and end times for middle school and high school students, there's now 15 minutes. Which suggests there may be further tweaks to come. "We're working on the issues that we've identified," Pekel said. "I personally don't think we have found the perfect transportation structure for Rochester." Nov. 29A driver accused of traveling the wrong way through several towns on Interstate 395 Friday morning swerved to avoid an approaching state police cruiser before he was finally stopped and charged with impaired driving in Waterford, police said. At 1:13 a.m., state police received several 911 calls reporting a wrong-way driver traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-395 in the area of Exit 11 in Norwich. A trooper spotted the vehicle, driven by David Valcin, 36, of Mattapan, Mass., near Exit 6 in Montville heading directly toward him, state police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trooper attempted to stop the oncoming silver Ford Focus, but Valcin swerved around the cruiser and continued the wrong way on the highway. Another trooper stationed near Exit 2 in Waterford used a cruiser spotlight to gain Valcin's attention as he allegedly tried to evade the trooper. The trooper was able to block and stop the car, though Valcin unsuccessfully tried to reverse his vehicle when the trooper approached him. Valcin told police he was unfamiliar with the area and was relying on GPS for directions. A female passenger told police she repeatedly warned Valcin he was driving the wrong way. Police said Valcin failed a field sobriety test and was charged with reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and driving the wrong way on a divided highway. Valcin, who was unable to post a $2,500 bond, was scheduled to be arraigned Friday in New London Superior Court. A California police oversight agency suspended the peace officer certification of a Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy this month, weeks after court records show he was arrested in Long Beach on suspicion of driving into a wall while intoxicated and seriously injuring another man. Justin Cham, then a 25-year deputy working in the Special Operations Division, pleaded not guilty in September and was released on his own recognizance, according to jail and court records. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said this week that he separated from the agency later that month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are committed to ensuring that all employees adhere to department policies and maintain professionalism the community expects and deserves, the department said in an emailed statement. When individuals violate department guidelines or the law, they are held accountable. Cham could not immediately be reached for comment, and an attorney listed on his criminal case did not respond to an emailed request. According to the Long Beach Police Department, just before 11 p.m. on Sept. 18, officers responded to a traffic collision at Pacific Coast Highway and Bellflower Boulevard, where they found a wrecked vehicle. Police said it appeared the vehicle had been headed north on Pacific Coast Highway when the driver lost control and hit a wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The passenger, identified in court records as Abelardo Balderas, had injuries on the lower half of his body, though authorities did not specify what they were. He was taken to a hospital, according to the police department The man behind the wheel whom police identified as 48-year-old Cham was taken to Long Beach city Jail for booking. On Sept. 20, he pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of drunken driving. Prosecutors alleged in a criminal complaint that he had a blood alcohol-content of over .15%. The legal limit for drivers over 21 is 0.08%. He's due back in court in January. Two months after Cham's arrest, the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training temporarily suspended his peace officer certification effective Nov. 13, citing the pending criminal proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several dozen Los Angeles sheriffs deputies have had their certifications suspended or revoked by the state though that wasnt an option until recently. The 2021 law that first created a mechanism for the state to decertify police and deputies took effect only last year. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Former State Senator Karen Tallian, who served in the legislature for 16 years, said the news about sexual harassment allegations against State Senator Greg Taylor wasnt a surprise to her. Anything that was in the paper was not news to me, and thats all Im going to say about that, said Tallian, of Ogden Dunes. Former State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, who is one of four women suing former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill for battery, said she was extremely disappointed when she read the news about the allegations against Taylor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nothing has changed, even after we came forward, said Reardon, who is from Munster. I was very disappointed that nothing substantive has ever changed to create a safe space at the statehouse. Reardon, who left state politics, said sexual harassment in the statehouse has led to a talent drain for Indiana when talented, bright, amazing women have to leave government and sometimes the state because of this abuse. Three women accusing Taylor, D-Indianapolis, of sexual harassment since he was elected in 2008, according to an Indianapolis Star story published Nov. 18. According to the Star, the accusations span eight years and involve two instances of unwanted physical contact and a sustained romantic pursuit of an intern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legislative leaders were aware of at least one of the allegations, which was formally reported, but it wasnt released to the public when Taylor was voted Senate Minority Leader in 2020, according to the Indianapolis Star. A few hours after the article was published, the Senate Democratic caucus met to elect its leadership team for the 2025 legislative session and reelected Taylor as leader. Senator Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, was elected as assistant minority leader and Senator Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, was elected as caucus chair, according to a press release. Pol previously said his vote, which occurs under secret ballot, was for Hunley to be the leader. He joined Hunley as well as senators J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, and Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, as the four senators who voted for Hunley. The caucus, which has 10 members, voted 6-4 to elect Taylor, Pol said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend, has faced allegations of sending unwanted texts and voicemails to an employee of his plumbing business, as well as making inappropriate comments about her body and even showing up at her home, according to a Star report in April. He paid an $8,000 settlement to the victim after she filed a complaint with the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. Niezgodski voted to retain Taylor. Tallian said the allegations against Taylor prove the culture of sexual harassment at the statehouse is still there, though some improvements have been made in the wake of allegations against Hill. I cant say that its all fixed, Tallian said. Four women, including Reardon, accused Hill of inappropriately touching them while celebrating the end of the 2018 legislative session at AJs Lounge, an Indianapolis bar. After news broke about Hill, Tallian said the legislature decided to appoint one woman from each caucus a Democrat and a Republican from the House and Senate to create a written policy for sexual harassment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tallian said she was the Democrat woman appointed to help create the policy. They spent a lot of time creating the policy, but they couldnt reach an agreement on how to discipline an elected official accused of sexual harassment, she said. No one person can say, alright, youre fired. Its not like that. These people have been elected, Tallian said. Tallian said legislators need to do something to make staffers and fellow elected officials comfortable to report sexual harassment allegations. Reardon said she agreed. Current legislators should work toward implementing some workforce changes, Reardon said, which include an independent human resources structures, clear and independent reporting paths and preemptive training and resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislature needs to allow for immediate investigations into any sexual harassment or abuse and consequences for the accused especially when they admit that theyve done wrong, Reardon said. Democrats and Republicans both have to take a hard look at their behavior. We cannot be known at the statehouse for an abusive workplace. We should be known as policymakers, who change peoples lives for the better, Reardon said. The National Womens Defense League conducted a study of all statehouses in the country and found at least 359 incidents of sexual harassment committed by 130 state lawmakers since 2013, according to a November 2023 report. No state has created a holistic, equitable and effective system that meaningfully prevents abuse from happening, protects and supports survivors of abuse, rectifies the offenders behavior expediently or holds violators accountable consistently, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report, which was created after researchers analyzed media reports and other public records, found that of those targeted, 45% were statehouse employees 11% of whom were interns 17% were lobbyists, 13% were fellow lawmakers and 3% were journalists, according to the report. The remaining 22% of survivors were put in an other category, according to the report. Of the 130 lawmakers identified, 54% were Republican and 46% were Democrats, according to the report. When considering gender, 96% were men and 4% were women, according to the report. While only 68% of legislators were men, 96% of the accused were men, making it a disproportionately male problem, according to the report. Reardon said sexual harassment has been disproportionately a man problem that disproportionately affects women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Men have to figure out how to evolve and work with women and not lure their power over them, Reardon said. It becomes a womans problem created by men. State legislators create their own workplace policies and enforce those policies, which means the public rarely hears about instances of sexual harassment and what was done to address the situation, according to the report. The report found that in 55% of the incidents identified, legislatures decided not to take action against the accused lawmaker. Another 32% of the officials identified were censured in some form, like losing a position of leadership, according to the report. In the remaining instances, 9% of lawmakers were cleared of wrongdoing and 4% of lawmakers were expelled, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, of lawmakers accused of sexual harassment, 88% won reelection and 12% lost reelection, according to the report. Moving forward, states should make more effort to combat sexual harassment as well as become more transparent about sexual harassment, according to the report. After looking at most publicly available data, it is clear that these incidents are not simply one offs or a single bad apple but rather indicative of structural failure, according to the report. If we fail to acknowledge the lack of policies and protections currently in place, the scourge of sexual harassment will continue, limiting the professional opportunities of workers. akukulka@post-trib.com The U.S. Navy is transforming a costly flub into a potent weapon with the first shipborne hypersonic weapon, which is being retrofitted aboard the first of its three stealthy destroyers. The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. It was a costly blunder. But the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of them by making them into a hypersonic platform, said Bryan Clark, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the U.S. military to hasten their production. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added maneuverability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defense department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon had previously acknowledged the weapon's development, it had not recognized its testing. One of the U.S. programs in development and planned for the Zumwalt is the Conventional Prompt Strike." It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a $7.5 billion warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an Advanced Gun System with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155 mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was canceled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost between $800,000 and $1 million. Despite the stain on its reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers remain the Navys most advanced surface warship in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimize radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The Zumwalt arrived at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in August 2023 and was removed from the water for the complex work of integrating the new weapon system. It is due to be undocked this week in preparation for the next round of tests and its return to the fleet, shipyard spokeswoman Kimberly Aguillard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A U.S. hypersonic weapon was successfully tested over the summer and development of the missiles is continuing. The Navy wants to begin testing the system aboard the Zumwalt in 2027 or 2028, according to the Navy. The U.S. weapon system will come at a steep price. It would cost nearly $18 billion to buy 300 of the weapons and maintain them over 20 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Critics say there is too little bang for the buck. This particular missile costs more than a dozen tanks. All it gets you is a precise non-nuclear explosion, some place far far away. Is it really worth the money? The answer is most of the time the missile costs much more than any target you can destroy with it, said Loren Thompson, a longtime military analyst in Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But they provide the capability for Navy vessels to strike an enemy from a distance of thousands of kilometers outside the range of most enemy weapons and there is no effective defense against them, said retired Navy Rear Adm. Ray Spicer, CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute, an independent forum focusing on national security issues, and former commander of an aircraft carrier strike force. Conventional missiles that cost less arent much of a bargain if they are unable to reach their targets, Spicer said, adding the U.S. military really has no choice but to pursue them. The adversary has them. We never want to be outdone, he said. The U.S. is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to U.S. national security with survivable and lethal capabilities, said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defense department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages, he said. CLARKSBURG, W.Va. Here are some of the top stories this week on the WBOY 12News Facebook page. UHC is the first West Virginia hospital to use a new technology to detect cancer during surgery. A Clarksburg church is selling its 12,000 square-foot building built by its members more than a century ago. Milan Puskar Stadium will undergo a turf redesign for the 2025 season. Harrison County Commission purchased a reusable 20-foot Christmas tree that will cost nearly $18,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The annual Celebration of Lights has returned to Fairmonts Morris Park. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 woman who snuck onto a Delta Air Lines flight from New York City to Paris without a boarding pass last week was removed from a return flight Saturday after creating a disturbance prior to takeoff. CBS News has confirmed that the stowaway created a disruption Saturday on Delta Flight No. 265, bound from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport. She was removed by French law enforcement, causing a delay of more than two hours before the flight's eventual departure. She remained in French custody, CBS News learned, and was still in Paris as of Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A person familiar with the matter told CBS News Tuesday that the woman was basically "in limbo" at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. French authorities had escorted her to the plane but were not traveling with her. She became disruptive while on board and police were called to remove her. Although her name has not been released by authorities, two people familiar with the matter identified the woman to CBS News Saturday as 57-year-old Svetlana Dali. The woman has a driver's license showing she is a Philadelphia resident. She is in the U.S. on a green card, according to a person familiar who did not immediately know what her native country was. The French Ministry of the Interior identified her as a Russian national. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation initially unfolded on Nov. 26, when the woman boarded Delta Flight No. 265 from JFK Airport to Paris without a boarding pass. The flight was not sold out, and she was discovered when a flight attendant became concerned that the woman was making frequent and lengthy visits to various lavatories aboard the Boeing 767-400ER, according to a source familiar with the incident. French police came aboard the plane after it landed and took her into custody. At this time, U.S. federal authorities do not plan to charge her with a federal crime, one person familiar with the matter told CBS News. She may, however, face state criminal charges in New York, possibly a state count of criminal trespassing. Passenger Rob Jackson, who shot video of French authorities coming onto the plane after it landed in Paris, told CBS News he noticed the flight attendants behaving oddly as the flight was descending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I heard them saying, like, we have a passenger who we think was hiding in the lavatory during takeoff," Jackson said. "She does not have a seat. She did not have a boarding pass. And basically, she's a stowaway." A Transportation Security Administration source told CBS News that the woman went through an advanced imaging technology body scanner at a checkpoint in JFK Airport after somehow appearing to evade the document and ID check portion of the TSA process. Her bags were also scanned for prohibited items before she went to the gate and snuck onto the flight, the source said. On Tuesday, the TSA confirmed to CBS News that airport security video showed the woman using a group of passengers to bypass the ID check in JFK Airport and enter the TSA checkpoint. The video showed her using the group to slip past a TSA officer while they were getting their own IDs checked, the TSA said. She then went through a body scanner, the TSA said, but her bag was flagged during screening because it contained two bottles of water. She discarded the water and continued to the gate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The video has been reviewed by law enforcement and the TSA. A TSA spokesperson previously confirmed in a statement that the woman "without a boarding pass was physically screened without any prohibited items" and then "bypassed two identity verification and boarding status stations and boarded the aircraft." After getting through TSA security, it's unclear how exactly the woman boarded the plane without showing a boarding pass or passport to Delta staff. French law enforcement and the TSA are separately investigating. The woman could be subject to a civil penalty or fine for bypassing the document check process. Senate Republicans hedge on Pete Hegseth support after latest controversy Extended interview: Selena Gomez Early details on shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO, search for gunman BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) A new study revealed that Louisiana is among the top U.S. states that spend the most on college education. EssayHub, an essay writing service, looked at data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the United States Census Bureau to discover the total expenditure on higher education in each state in 2022, according to a news release. Its no mystery that the cost of a college education in the United States is incredibly high compared to other countries. Its interesting that the majority of the top ten states are found on the East side of the U.S., said EssayHub. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Louisiana ranked 10th on the list with a higher education expenditure of $1,361 per person with a bachelors degree or higher. According to the study, in 2022, Louisiana spent $2.3 billion and had a population of 1,717,379 people holding a bachelors degree or higher. Where does Baton Rouge rank in the most-livable metro areas in the US? Check out the top 10 U.S. states that spend the most on college education, according to the study from EssayHub. Connecticut New Jersey Illinois New Hampshire Pennsylvania Mississippi Delaware and Michigan Alaska Rhode Island Louisiana Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com. Amid the chaos over Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation being stopped by the police from visiting Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai on Saturday informed that his party's delegation was also visiting the violence-affected district in the state on December 2. The Congress leader further said that everyone should stand up against the oppression and injustice happening. "Everyone should stand up against wherever oppression and injustice is happening. Congress delegation will be visiting Sambhal on 2nd December because they (the district administration) had put restrictions till December 1. I am not aware of the further developments. We will leave around 9:00 AM from the party office. We will apprise the national leadership of Congress about the incident which was deliberately done by the police and state government," UP Congress president Ajay Rai told ANI. His reaction comes after the Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation including MLAs and MPs was stopped by the Uttar Pradesh Police from visiting Sambhal. Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party (SP) President Shyam Lal Pal on Saturday was put under house arrest, the official handle of SP claimed on X. The SP condemned the actions of the UP Police while accusing the state government of "disgracing" the Constitution and democracy. "Yogi government is afraid of SP delegation! On the orders of the government, the police prevented the honourable state president Shri Shyam Lal Pal ji from coming to Sambhal and put him under house arrest. The BJP government is tearing apart the constitution and democracy. Highly condemnable," the Samajwadi Party posted on X. Earlier in the day, SP leader Mata Prasad Pandey was also stopped by the police from visiting Sambhal amid heavy police deployment outside his residence. SP leaders Zia Ur Rehman Barq and Harendra Malik were also stopped by the UP police while they were travelling to Sambhal from New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Friday asked Uttar Pradesh to ensure "harmony and peace" in Sambhal and directed the trial court there not to proceed in the suit against the Jama Masjid till the petition filed by the Masjid Committee against the survey order is listed in the High Court. A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed that the report of the advocate commissioner, who surveyed the mosque, should be kept in a sealed cover and should not be opened in the meantime. Tensions in Sambhal had been simmering since the local court ordered a survey of the mosque on November 19. Opposing the court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid people clashed with police, resulting in the deaths of four persons. The survey followed a petition filed by some persons in the local court, claiming that the site of the mosque was previously a Harihar temple. (ANI) PARAMARIBO (Reuters) - Suriname's Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin on Friday said he had summoned the ambassador of neighboring Guyana to protest plans by the government in Georgetown to build an airstrip in the Tigri Area, as well as a school in Surinamese territory. The presence of Guyanese in the Tigri Area - a region also known as the New River Triangle which the two countries dispute control over - violates agreements made in 1970, Ramdin said. Guyana's government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Ank Kuipers in Paramaribi; Additional reporting by Kemol King in Georgetown; Writing by Oliver Griffin) When picturing signs of dementia to look for, the first ones that come to mind may be memory loss, struggling to think of the right word and having difficulty problem-solving. You may have also heard about how dementia can cause a loss of smell and even falling. Unfortunately, those arent the only signs of dementia, and there's at least one that you literally may not even be able to see yourself. Related: The Unexpected Early Dementia Sign You Might Miss, According to Neurologists The Surprising Sign of Dementia You Might Miss, According to Neurologists According to research and a neurologist, theres another sign thats more surprising, and hard to notice: involuntary eye movements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dementia affects the brain, which can affect bodily functions and lead to a loss of motor control. One of the earliest signs is involuntary eye movements, known as saccades, according to researchers working to detect the disease with a special earpiece. Eye movements are an important window into how the brain is functioning, says Dr. Meredith Bock, MD, a board-certified neurologist and chief medical officer at Remo Health. For people with Alzheimers, their eye motor control functions may be impacted due to a decline in the brain areas that govern eye movements. She also notes that saccades are one of the earliest signs of neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative illness can cause increased delays and imprecision in saccades, she says. They can also cause saccadic intrusions into the smooth pursuit, where the normally smooth movements of the eyes following an object in motion become more ratchet-y. These patients may also have challenges with visual searching and reading, she adds, or move their whole head instead of just their eyes to look at something. Related: This Seemingly Harmless Condition May Be Linked With Dementia, According to Study What Those Involuntary Eye Movements Entail Given these movements are small and rapidand given eye movement happens frequently on purposethis sign isn't super easy to spot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In most cases, only a trained professional, like a neurologist, would notice, Dr. Bock says. Thats not always the case, however. The severity can vary greatly, she continues, and other factors are at play. Some people may have noticeable signs because they are slow to look at something or lose track of a moving object," she adds. SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week Other Conditions That Can Cause Involuntary Eye Movements Involuntary eye movements arent a clear sign someone has dementia, and many conditions can cause this symptom. According to Dr. Bock, involuntary eye movements can indicate problems in the central nervous system (such as the brain and spinal cord) or the peripheral nervous system (such as nerves, muscles, and the junction between the nerve and muscles). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More specific causes she mentions include progressive supranuclear palsy, nystagmus, strokes, tumors, antiepileptic medications, myasthenia gravis and more. Related: Eating This Daily May Reduce Your Dementia Risk, According to Doctors What to Do If You Notice Involuntary Eye Movements If you suspect something is wrong with your eyes or a loved one's, Dr. Bock encourages consulting with a physician. If this happens suddenly, it could be an emergency, like a stroke, she adds. While it might be a symptom related to dementia, there are other underlying causes that require medical attention, so its best to rule out other potential causes for this condition. Up Next: Related: The Simple, At-Home Test for Early Dementia Detection Sources SOUTH JORDAN, Utah (ABC4) Officials are searching for a man who is accused of stealing from a grocery store and trying to harm an employee with his car before fleeing the scene. According to Officer Becker with the South Jordan Police Department, a man entered a Harmons Grocery store in South Jordan on the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 29. The suspect entered the store with reusable bags, and reportedly concealed several items as he walked through the store. 3 SUU students arrested for stealing refrigerators from on-campus loading dock Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Becker told ABC4.com that the man paid for some items while hiding the rest, and then attempted to leave the store. However, he was stopped by loss prevention employees on his way out. The man reportedly exited the store, got into his car, and attempted to harm an employee with his car as she was trying to get his license plate number. Loss prevention employees are told to not put themselves in harms way. Becker said the employee was treated on the scene after receiving minor injuries. Becker also said this was an isolated incident and that there is no threat to the general public. Officials have positively identified the man, but are still looking for him after the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No further information is available. Sorina Trauntvein 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 ABC4 Utah. (KRON) The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is looking for a suspect tied to a stabbing on Thanksgiving night that left one person critically injured. Chimney fire contained in Inner Richmond: SFFD SFPD said officers responded to the 100 block of 1st St. at 8:52 p.m. Thursday for a report of a stabbing. SFPD confirmed officers found a victim at the scene who was suffering from apparent stab wounds. They were taken to a nearby hospital for life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said they detained a man at Market and Battery Streets who matched the description of the suspect, but later determined he was not connected to the stabbing. He was arrested after it was discovered that he was wanted for outstanding warrants. Investigators said there have not yet been any arrests made in the stabbing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Sweden has sent a formal request for China to cooperate with its investigations into the severing of two undersea data cables on the Baltic Sea bed. The cables were severed on 17 and 18 November when a Chinese ship, Yi Peng Three, was speculated to be sailing in the area. China, responding to Swedens request, said it stands ready to uncover the truth while denying any involvement in suspected sabotage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said it will work with the concerned nations to find out how the two undersea cables were damaged. Swedish president Ulf Kristersson said on Thursday that Stockholm is seeking clarity from Beijing on how the two fibre optic cables were damaged. Today I can tell you that we have additionally sent a formal request to work together with Swedish authorities to get clarity about what has happened, he said during a press conference after a security meeting of government leaders of the Baltic Sea region. We expect China will choose to work together as we have requested. China willing to maintain communication on submarine infrastructure security (REUTERS) The two cables in question are the Arelion cable, linking Sweden to Lithuania, and the C-Lion 1 cable that runs between Finland and Germany. They are part of network infrastructure that facilitates international communication by providing high-speed data connections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to data from ship tracking websites, theYi Peng Three disembarked from Ust-Luga post, west of St Petersburg in Russia, on 15 November. The vessel was tracked sailing over the cables around the time the cables were severed on 17 and 18 November. Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng Three is anchored near the city of Granaa in Jutland, Denmark, on 20 November 2024 (AP) The next day the ship was anchored in the Kattegat Strait, a passage between Sweden and Denmark, and was being monitored by multiple vessels, including from the Danish navy. According to a Wall Street Journal report, it is suspected the crew on the Chinese ship deliberately severed the cables by dragging its anchor through the seabed for more than 100 miles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polish prime minister Donald Tusk expressed full solidarity and full support for Sweden as it acts in the interest of all countries in the Baltic region. Finnish, Swedish and German authorities have launched investigations into the rupture of the two cables. Germanys defence minister claimed the damage appeared to have been an act of sabotage, although there is no evidence thus far. The cable between Sweden and Lithuania, which is owned by a Swedish company, was damaged on 17 November, a Swedish prosecutor said. The cable between Finland and Germany, located south of the Sweden-Lithuania cable, was damaged a number of hours later. Both damage sites are located within the Swedish economic zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tensions have escalated in the Baltic Sea since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The period of war has seen a number of incidents involving damage to undersea infrastructure costing billions of euros to countries in the region. Seven months into the invasion in 2020, undersea explosions damaged Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines which carried natural gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. One investigation into the explosions reported in August that they were carried out by a Ukrainian sabotage team, but Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky denied the accusation. In October 2023, an undersea telecommunications cable between Estonia and Sweden was damaged. The Syrian authorities announced on Saturday a "temporary troop withdrawal" from the city of Aleppo in the country's northwest to prepare a counterattack against the rebels. Source: Reuters Details: The military said the withdrawal is part of an effort to regroup before reinforcements arrive to launch a counterattack. They also added that dozens of soldiers have been killed or injured in fierce fighting with rebels in Aleppo and the province of Idlib over the past few days. Background: Reuters sources reported that the Syrian army had received an order to "safely withdraw" from the main rebel-held areas of Aleppo. Syrian authorities closed the Aleppo airport as well as all roads leading to the city on Saturday as rebels reached the city. Sources say Russia has promised Damascus additional military aid to stop the rebels, and new equipment is to arrive within the next 72 hours. Support UP or become our patron! Syrias rebels seized most of Aleppo on Saturday as their sweeping advance ousted Russian forces from at least three military bases around the city. Opposition fighters raced through Aleppo, Hama and Idlib provinces in a lightning advance that has stunned Bashar al-Assads regime. By Saturday night, the rebels had entered the city of Hama in one of the most significant crises for the Syrian government in the countrys 13 years of civil war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fighters broke through government lines in the west and pushed deep into Syrias second-largest city of Aleppo on Friday night, appearing in photographs outside the city centres medieval citadel. I am a son of Aleppo and was displaced from it eight years ago, in 2016. Thank God we just returned. It is an indescribable feeling, said Ali Jumaa, a rebel fighter, in television footage filmed inside the city. The Syrian army on Saturday admitted that rebels had captured large parts of the city, and said regime forces had staged a temporary withdrawal to prepare a counter-offensive. Dozens of towns and villages changed hands in the advance, and several Syrian military bases fell or were abandoned, including sites which had been used by Russian forces fighting to keep Assads regime in power since 2015. As the rebel offensive accelerated, Russian forces were reported to have withdrawn from their base in the Al-Suqaylabiyah area in the northern Hama countryside, and also to have left Hama air base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday night, the Russian general in charge of its forces in Syria, Sergei Kissel, was sacked, according to pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Rybar. Rebels also took Kuweires airbase east of Aleppo, which houses a military flying institute and is reported to have housed Russian troops and electronic warfare units. Sergei Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, on Saturday held urgent talks by phone with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, discussing the situation in Syria. Both sides expressed serious concerns at the dangerous development of the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic in connection with the military escalation in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces, the ministry said. Fighter raises Hayat Tahrir al-Sham flag on statue of Assads brother - ANAS ALKHARBOUTLI/AVALON Analysts predicted Assads forces could be forced from the entirety of Aleppo and Hama provinces by the end of the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles Lister, of the Middle East Institute think tank, said the rapid developments were quite literally an earthquake within the 14 years of Syrias crisis. Assad is looking more vulnerable than ever. An absolute collapse, he added. Russian planes were also accused of killing at least 20 people in Aleppo in an air strike on a roundabout where rebels had toppled a statue of Assads late brother, Bassel al-Assad. X/ Thomas Ven Linge The offensive led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group and its allies has reignited front lines which had been largely static for more than four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the group swept into Aleppo from the west, the rival Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), moved into the city from the east and took control of Aleppos international airport, after Syrian regime forces left. However, by Saturday afternoon, the SDF, which has received significant US backing to fight Islamic State militants, was said to have handed the airport over to the other rebels. One fighter posted a video of himself on a tour of the facility, offering the good news to our brothers in the liberated areas. On Saturday, rebels also released a video saying they had captured the Abu al-Duhur air base, about 28 miles south of Aleppo. The air base changed hands and was destroyed earlier in the civil war. It has been held by the Syrian government since 2018. Rebels ride motorcycle over picture of Bashar al-Assad in central Aleppo - AAREF WATAD/AFP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The offensive has gathered momentum after apparently facing little organised resistance from the Syrian government forces, who had melted away, according to monitors. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has lent heavy support to Assad since 2015 and Russian air power was pivotal to the Syrian governments success in regaining control of its major cities during the civil war. Russias port on the Syrian coast, at Tartus, is critical to its operations in the Mediterranean and in Libya, where Moscow is backing the military strongman Gen Khalifa Haftar. Jalel Harchaoui, of the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said: While Im not predicting Russia will abandon Tartus or Latakia, the proximity of Suqaylabiyah, less than 100km from Tartus, must be noted here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any potential loss by Moscow of these ports would reshape the fate of the Haftar family. Opposition forces enter Aleppo - JUMA MOHAMMAD/IMAGESLIVE via ZUMA PRESS WIRE/SHUTTERSTOCK Russias extremely pleasant and comfortable circumstances in Libya have been logistically anchored in its secure bases in Syria. If this Syrian foundation were to falter, Moscow would become compelled to view its Libyan engagement as less natural and more costly. Rebel groups were ousted from Aleppo in 2016 with the help of Russian air power and Iranian forces, after a brutal four-year siege. Inside Aleppo, schools and government offices were closed as most people stayed indoors, according to Sham FM radio, a pro-government station. Bakeries were open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social media posts purported to show the rebels outside the citys citadel, and cellphone videos showed them talking with residents they visited at home, seeking to reassure them they will cause no harm. X/ @ThomasVLinge The Syrian military said its withdrawal from Aleppo is a temporary measure and (the military central command and armed forces) will work to guarantee the security and peace of all our people in Aleppo. Abdulkafi Alhamdo, a teacher who fled Aleppo in 2016 and returned on Friday night after hearing the insurgents were inside, told Associated Press he had mixed feelings of pain, sadness and old memories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: As I entered Aleppo, I kept telling myself this is impossible! How did this happen? He said he strolled through the city at night, visiting the citadel, where the insurgents raised their flags, a major square and the university of Aleppo, as well as the last spot he was in before he was forced to leave for the countryside. A rebel fighter said he had returned to the city for the first time in 13 years, when his older brother was killed at the start of the war. Mohammad Al Abdo said: God willing, the rest of Aleppo province will be liberated from government forces. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Opposition fighters have seized control of most parts of Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, after launching a massive surprise offensive against the government forces, a war monitor reported on Saturday. An alliance of rebel factions led by the Islamist militant organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has advanced deep into Aleppo and now controls the majority of the city, including government buildings and prisons, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The city's governor and security commanders withdrew from the city centre, while government forces fled to a suburb, according to the Britain-based watchdog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an attempt to hamper the militants' advance, Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, unleashed overnight airstrikes on the city for the first time since 2016, the observatory said. The rebels' offensive marks a significant escalation in Syria's civil war, which has raged since 2011 and had recently seen relatively stable front lines. HTS is considered one of the most powerful armed militias in north-western Syria. Fighting broke out in north-western Syria on Wednesday pitting the opposition alliance against government forces, and forcing around 14,000 people to leave their homes, according to the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The opposition assault is considered the largest by rebels on Aleppo since 2016 when they were ousted from the eastern areas of the city. The fighting has resulted so far in a total of 301 deaths, including 28 civilians, the observatory reported. Opposition factions announced the offensive on Wednesday and said it was a response to recent artillery shelling by government forces loyal to al-Assad, which targeted civilian areas. The Syrian president, with the help of his allies Russia and Iran, has managed to regain control of about two-thirds of the country from rebels in the past years. Idlib, southwest of Aleppo, is the last rebel stronghold in war-torn Syria. Syrian opposition forces have taken control of much of the countrys second-largest city Aleppo after a lightning advance that killed dozens of government soldiers in a major challenge to President Bashar al-Assad. A rebel alliance launched a surprise attack this week, sweeping eastward through villages outside the city and reigniting a conflict that had been largely static for years. It is the first time Syrian rebels have set foot in Aleppo since government forces regained control during the civil war in 2016. By Saturday morning, rebel fighters had taken control of large swathes of the city, according to footage geolocated by CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian army tacitly acknowledged its forces were in retreat, saying large numbers of terrorists had forced it to implement a redeployment operation. It said reinforcements were on the way and government forces were preparing for a counteroffensive. Rebel fighters have been seen at key locations, with one video showing armed men waving an opposition flag and yelling God is great in Arabic at a central square. Another clip shows rebels at the citys citadel, which is also in central Aleppo. At least one man in the clip is armed, as he says: We are the first to arrive and the first to conquer. The rebels also claim to have taken the citys airport, about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) east of the city center. Imagery captured inside the airport and verified by CNN shows camo-clad fighters inside the main terminal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only exception appears to be the northeastern part of the city, where a few neighborhoods remain under the control of government forces and Iranian militia allies. The rebel forces have declared a 24-hour curfew to begin at 5 p.m. local time Saturday, which they said was to ensure the safety of the residents of the city and to secure private and public property from tampering or harm. Syrias defense ministry said dozens of soldiers have been killed in the Aleppo offensive. Rebel fighters prepare to topple the equestrian statue of Bassel-al-Assad, the older brother of President Bashar al-Assad. - Muhammad Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty Images It appears the advancing rebels met little resistance from the Syrian army, with several residents inside Aleppo telling CNN that there has been minimal fighting in the citys urban areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to the rebel advance, the Russian air force launched an aerial offensive against Syrian armed opposition forces in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, Russian state media reported. On Saturday, the Syrian Defense Ministry confirmed that Russian and Syrian warplanes had carried out strikes targeting what it claimed were terrorist gatherings, movements and supply lines in and around Aleppo. Activists and journalists in Aleppo and Idlib told CNN that Russian warplanes had carried out at least 10 strikes on rebel positions in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib since Wednesday. A Syrian airstrike near al Basil roundabout in Aleppo on Saturday also resulted in casualties, journalists told CNN, citing health workers in the city. CNN cannot independently confirm the specific attacks or casualties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video from the west of the city showed multiple casualties after an airstrike Saturday. Its not known whether a Syrian or Russian aircraft carried out the strike. The video showed at least seven bodies as well as people with severe burns. Kurdish forces have also expanded their control of some neighborhoods of Aleppo, residents said. Prior to this weeks attack they held two Kurdish neighborhoods but have now moved into areas that the Syrian regime used to control. The Kurdish militia, known as the YPG, has a history of conflict with other rebel groups in northern Syria. There has already been one clash Saturday between members of the rebel alliance and Kurdish fighters inside the city, according to video analyzed by CNN. Part of the rebel coalition says it now intends to launch an offensive against the Kurdish groups holding parts of northern Aleppo province. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Losing Aleppo marks a significant setback for Assads forces. Once Syrias largest city by population and its economic capital, it is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Aleppo was also the main rebel stronghold until Assad took it over in 2016. With the rebels regaining a foothold there again, they are no longer cornered in Idlib, which could potentially trigger a domino effect. Rebels lay out their goals The rebels are part of a newly formed coalition called the Military Operations Command, which includes a broad spectrum of opposition fighters including Islamist factions and moderate groups once backed by the US. The coalition was announced Wednesday ahead of the attack on Aleppo and said it was responding to escalating attacks from the Syrian government and Iranian militias. But the timing is also critical, with Syrias key backer Russia focusing on Ukraine and its other major ally, Iran, on the back foot from Israeli attacks on it and its proxy network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The offensive is the first major flare-up in years between the Syrian opposition and the regime of President Assad, who has ruled the war-torn country since 2000. Syrias civil war began during the 2011 Arab Spring as the regime suppressed a pro-democracy uprising against Assad. The country plunged into a full-scale civil war as a rebel force was formed, known as the Free Syrian Army, to combat government troops. Since the 2020 ceasefire agreement, the conflict has remained largely dormant, with low-level clashes between the rebels and Assads regime. More than 300,000 civilians have been killed in more than a decade of war, according to the United Nations, and millions of people have been displaced across the region. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Opposition fighters have seized control of most of Syria's second-largest city Aleppo after launching a surprise offensive against government forces, a war monitor reported on Saturday, as an airstrike reportedly killed 16 people and wounded 20. An alliance of rebel factions led by the Islamist militant organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has advanced deep into Aleppo and now controls the majority of the northern city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The city's governor and security commanders withdrew from the city centre, while government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to a suburb, according to the Britain-based watchdog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian military said the large number of insurgents involved in the surprise multi-front offensive had prompted government forces to redeploy and prepare for a counter-attack. In the statement, the military confirmed that "terrorist" groups had been able to penetrate large parts of Aleppo, home to more than 2 million people. "Our armed forces have fought fierce battles along fronts stretching for more than 100 kilometres to stop their advance," the military said, adding that dozens of its soldiers were killed in the fighting. Fighting broke out in north-western Syria on Wednesday, pitting the opposition alliance against government forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rebels' offensive marks a significant escalation in Syria's civil war, which has raged since 2011 and had recently seen relatively stagnant front lines. At least 16 killed on Saturday in airstrike on Aleppo At least 16 people were killed in an airstrike on central Aleppo on Saturday, the Syrian war monitor reported. Some 20 others were reportedly injured in the strike on a roundabout, the first in the city centre since the rebels entered Aleppo. The incident was "a horrific massacre committed by warplanes, likely Russian," the watchdog reported. The latest strike followed overnight bombings, which the observatory said were the first by Russia on Aleppo since 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current fighting has killed at least 327 people and displaced at least 50,000 others, it estimated. Some former residents of Aleppo have returned to the city since the advance of the rebel groups. Abdulkafi Alhamdo, an activist and a teacher who fled Aleppo in 2016, told dpa: "I entered Aleppo on Friday for the first time. I never believed we will be back." "I cannot tell you the feeling of happiness," he added. Rebel advance boosted by retreat of Iran-backed militias Mustapha Bakour, spokesman for Jaish al-Izza, a faction participating in the rebel attack on Aleppo, said the opposition fighters are currently in the final stages of combing through the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He told dpa that the advance had been swift because the rebels prepared well for the attack and Iran-backed militias loyal to the Syrian government had withdrawn. "The Iranian militias escaped from their posts and left Syrian forces alone," he said. HTS is considered one of the most powerful armed militias in north-western Syria. The opposition assault is considered the largest by rebels on Aleppo since 2016 when they were ousted from the eastern areas of the city. Opposition factions said the offensive was a response to recent artillery shelling by government forces loyal to al-Assad, which targeted civilian areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian president, with the help of his allies Russia and Iran, has managed to regain control of about two-thirds of the country from rebels in the past years. Idlib, south-west of Aleppo, is the last rebel stronghold in war-torn Syria. All eyes on Russia's reaction According to one expert, the success of the collective offensive by the Syrian rebel groups on Aleppo depends largely on Moscow's reaction. Without substantial Russian air support, al-Assad's government forces will probably not be able to recapture Aleppo, Heiko Wimmen from the think tank International Crisis Group told dpa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this case, the rebels could possibly even make further territorial gains. However, Wimmen does not believe that Russia will let al-Assad fall. The Kremlin has invested too much in the Syrian president for that to happen, he noted. Expert: Rebels exploit regional turmoil According to Wimmen, the timing of the offensive may be connected to events in Lebanon. Iran-backed militias, key supporters of al-Assad alongside Russia, have recently been weakened by their indirect involvement in the Gaza war and subsequent Israeli attacks on Iran-linked targets, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. The rebels appear to have seized this moment as a strategic opportunity, Wimmen noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The power vacuum in Aleppo has also provided opportunities for Kurdish forces, meanwhile. Following the withdrawal of government forces, Kurdish militias, which are not part of the Islamist-led opposition alliance, took control of Aleppo's airport and two towns on Aleppo's suburbs, according to the war monitor. The airport has been closed since Friday. Members of the Syrian armed opposition forces pose for a photo as they rest their feet on the bust of a statue of former Syrian President Hafez al-Asad in Abdullah al-Jabri Square after seizing control of most parts of Aleppo, Syria's second largest city. Anas Alkharboutli/dpa According to the Kerala CMO, the decision was made during a special meeting convened to address this issue. The CM stated that disciplinary action would be initiated against those involved, and the amount fraudulently received would be recovered with interest. Officials who facilitated such irregularities will also face action. Additionally, even non-government employees illegally claiming pensions will not be spared. The Chief Minister emphasized the need for reforms, including annual mustering to verify eligibility, introducing facial authentication systems, mandatory income certificates, and Aadhaar seeding. He pointed out that claiming benefits after joining government service is not a mere oversight but a serious lapse. Instructions were also given to local self-government institutions to evaluate the eligibility of welfare pension beneficiaries and for the Finance Department to continue its investigations into the matter. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, Additional Chief Secretary of Finance Dr. A. Jayathilak, Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister K.M. Abraham, Principal Director of Local Self-Government Department V. Sambasiva Rao, and IKM Executive Director Dr. Santosh Babu. Earlier on November 22, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that the state government was set to establish and construct state-of-the-art workplaces in smaller towns. He said that the construction of first centre would begin tomorrow in Kottarakkara.CM Vijayan called the initiative "Work Near Home" and said that its was an attempt to "revolutionise" remote work opportunities. He expressed that this vision highlights Kerala's vision for sustainable and inclusive development. The initiative aims to bridge the urban-rural divide and strengthen the knowledge economy, he added. "Kerala is set to revolutionise remote work opportunities with the 'Work Near Home' initiative, providing state-of-the-art workspaces in smaller towns. Construction of the first centre begins tomorrow in Kottarakkara, set to be completed by March 2025. This initiative underscores Kerala's vision for sustainable, inclusive development that bridges the urban-rural divide and strengthens the knowledge economy," Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted on X. (ANI) Syrian rebels swept into the northwestern city of Aleppo on Nov. 30, launching a major attack that forced the army to redeploy, the Syrian army reported. Russia has promised Damascus additional military assistance that is expected to arrive in the next 72 hours, two sources in the Syrian military told Reuters. The attack marks a new stage in a largely frozen conflict, since government forces backed by Russia and Iran pushed rebels out of Aleppo eight years ago. The front lines in the conflict between anti-government rebels and the army of dictator Bashar al-Assad have been mostly frozen since 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rebels launched the shock offensive from areas of northwestern Syria that remain outside of Assad's control. In response to advancing rebel forces, the Russian air force on Nov. 29 carried out an aerial attack against Aleppo and bordering Idlib province, Russian state media reported. The attacks against Idlib reportedly killed four civilians and injured 25 others, including eight children, according to the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, a rescue service working in opposition-held areas of Syria. The Syrian government and Russian warplanes again targeted residential neighborhoods of Aleppo with strikes on Nov. 30, the Syrian Civil Defense said in a post on X. The Syrian military claimed the strikes kept the rebels from establishing fixed positions in Aleppo, although the state army was still forced to withdraw. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The army is now carrying out "a redeployment operation aimed at strengthening the defense lines in order to absorb the attack, preserve the lives of civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counterattack," the Syrian military command said. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the insurgent attack in remarks on Nov. 29. "We are in favor of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible," he said. Moscow deployed its troops to Syria in 2015, providing support to the Assad regime against multiple anti-government forces. Damascus has been supportive of the Kremlin during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian forces operating in Syria have been accused by the U.N. and other organizations of committing war crimes in the country, including the intentional bombing of hospitals and the usage of "double-tap" attacks, a tactic Russia has repeated in Ukraine. Read also: NGO alleges Russia bombed Syrian hospital in new UN complaint Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. BEIRUT (AP) Thousands of Syrian insurgents took over most of Aleppo on Saturday, establishing positions in the country's largest city and controlling its airport before expanding their shock offensive to a nearby province. They faced little to no resistance from government troops, according to fighters and activists. A war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the insurgents led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized control of Aleppo International airport, the first international airport to be controlled by insurgents. The fighters claimed they seized the airport and posted pictures from there. Thousands of fighters also moved on, facing almost no opposition from government forces, to seize towns and villages in northern Hama, a province where they had a presence before being expelled by government troops in 2016. They claimed Saturday evening to have entered the city of Hama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A huge embarrassment for Assad The swift and surprise offensive is a huge embarrassment for Syria's President Bashar Assad and raises questions about his armed forces' preparedness. The insurgent offensive launched from their stronghold in the country's northwest appeared to have been planned for years. It also comes at a time when Assad's allies were preoccupied with their own conflicts. In his first public comments since the start of the offensive, released by the state news agency Saturday evening, Assad said Syria will continue to "defend its stability and territorial integrity against terrorists and their supporters. He added that Syria is able to defeat them no matter how much their attacks intensify. Turkey, a main backer of Syrian opposition groups, said its diplomatic efforts had failed to stop government attacks on opposition-held areas in recent weeks, which were in violation of a de-escalation agreement sponsored by Russia, Iran and Ankara. Turkish security officials said a limited offensive by the rebels was planned to stop government attacks and allow civilians to return, but the offensive expanded as Syrian government forces began to retreat from their positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The insurgents, led by the Salafi jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and including Turkey-backed fighters, launched their shock offensive on Wednesday. They first staged a two-pronged attack in Aleppo and the Idlib countryside, entering Aleppo two days later and securing a strategic town that lies on the highway that links Syria's largest city to the capital and the coast. By Saturday evening, they seized at least four towns in the central Hama province and claimed to have entered the provincial capital. The insurgents staged an attempt to reclaim areas they controlled in Hama in 2017 but failed. Preparing a counterattack Syrias armed forces said in a statement Saturday that to absorb the large attack on Aleppo and save lives, it redeployed troops and equipment and was preparing a counterattack. The statement acknowledged that insurgents entered large parts of the city but said they have not established bases or checkpoints. Later on Saturday, the armed forces sought to dispel what it said were lies in reference to reports about its forces retreating or defecting, saying the general command was carrying out its duties in combatting terrorist organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The return of the insurgents to Aleppo was their first since 2016, following a grueling military campaign in which Assad's forces were backed by Russia, Iran and its allied groups. The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against Assads rule turned into an all-out war. After appearing to be losing control of the country to the rebels, the Aleppo battle secured Assads hold on strategic areas of Syria, with opposition factions and their foreign backers controlling areas on the periphery. The lightning offensive threatened to reignite the country's civil war, which had been largely in a stalemate for years. Late on Friday, witnesses said two airstrikes hit the edge of Aleppo city, targeting insurgent reinforcements and falling near residential areas. The Observatory said 20 fighters were killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Insurgents were filmed outside police headquarters, in the city center, and outside the Aleppo citadel, the medieval palace in the old city center, and one of the largest in the world. They tore down posters of Assad, stepping on some and burning others. The push into Aleppo followed weeks of simmering low-level violence, including government attacks on opposition-held areas. The offensive came as Iran-linked groups, primarily Lebanons Hezbollah, which has backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battles at home. A ceasefire in Hezbollahs two-month war with Israel took effect Wednesday, the same day that Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days. Insurgents raise flags over the Aleppo citadel Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking from the heart of the city in Saadallah Aljabri square, opposition fighter Mohammad Al Abdo said it was his first time back in Aleppo in 13 years, when his older brother was killed at the start of the war. God willing, the rest of Aleppo province will be liberated" from government forces, he said. There was light traffic in the city center on Saturday. Opposition fighters fired in the air in celebration but there was no sign of clashes or government troops present. Journalists in the city filmed soldiers captured by the insurgents and the bodies of others killed in battle. Abdulkafi Alhamdo, a teacher who fled Aleppo in 2016 and returned Friday night after hearing the insurgents were inside, described mixed feelings of pain, sadness and old memories." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As I entered Aleppo, I kept telling myself this is impossible. How did this happen? Alhamdo said he strolled through the city at night visiting the Aleppo citadel, where the insurgents raised their flags, a major square and the university of Aleppo, as well as the last spot he was in before he was forced to leave for the countryside. I walked in (the empty) streets of Aleppo, shouting, People, people of Aleppo. We are your sons, he told The Associated Press in a series of messages. City's hospitals are full Aleppo residents reported hearing clashes and gunfire but most stayed indoors. Some fled the fighting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schools and government offices were closed Saturday as most people stayed indoors, according to Sham FM radio, a pro-government station. Bakeries were open. Witnesses said the insurgents deployed security forces around the city to prevent any acts of violence or looting. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Friday Aleppo's two key public hospitals were reportedly full of patients while many private facilities closed. In social media posts, the insurgents were pictured outside of the citadel, the medieval palace in the old city center, and one of the largest in the world. In cellphone videos, they recorded themselves having conversations with residents they visited at home, seeking to reassure them they will cause no harm. The Syrian Kurdish-led administration in the country's east said nearly 3,000 people, most of them students, had arrived in their region after fleeing the fighting in Aleppo, which has a sizeable Kurdish population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State media reported that a number of terrorists," including sleeper cells, infiltrated parts of the city. Government troops chased them and arrested a number who posed for pictures near city landmarks, they said. On a state TV morning show Saturday, commentators said army reinforcements and Russias assistance would repel the terrorist groups, blaming Turkey for supporting the insurgents push into Aleppo and Idlib provinces. Russias state news agency Tass quoted Oleg Ignasyuk, a Russian Defense Ministry official coordinating in Syria, as saying that Russian warplanes targeted and killed 200 militants who had launched the offensive in the northwest on Friday. It provided no further details. ___ Associated Press writer Albert Aji in Damascus contributed to this report. At least 16 people were killed in an airstrike on central Aleppo on Saturday, a war monitor reported, amid renewed fighting in war-torn Syria. Some 20 others were reportedly injured in the strike on a roundabout, the first in the city centre since rebels entered Aleppo this week. The incident was "a horrific massacre committed by warplanes, likely Russian," the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 327 have been killed since November 27, the observatory said, when an alliance of insurgents led by the Islamist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive against government forces in north-western Syria. The rebels have taken large parts of Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city. A general view of Aleppo city after the armed opposition forces took control of the city Anas Alkharboutli/dpa By Angie Teo, Ann Wang and David Brunnstrom (Reuters) -Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te began a two-day U.S. stopover in Hawaii on Saturday as part of a Pacific tour after declaring his democratically governed island a key force for promoting global peace and stability. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory and opposes any foreign interactions or visits by the island's leaders, has been stepping up military pressure against Taiwan, including two rounds of war games this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China views Lai as a dangerous separatist and on Friday urged Washington to exercise "utmost caution" in its relations with Taiwan. Security sources have told Reuters that Beijing may hold more military exercises to coincide with Lai's Pacific tour, which will also include a stopover in Guam, a U.S. territory. It is Lai's first foreign trip since taking office in May. After Hawaii, he will go to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 countries that retain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei and a part of the world where China has been exerting stronger influence. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Lai said: "Thank you to the U.S. government for upholding the principles of safety, dignity, comfort and convenience for helping the smooth process of this trip." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hawaii Governor Josh Green said in a statement after he, the mayor of Honolulu and the city's police chief greeted Lai on the tarmac of Honolulu airport, and that the meeting was a "momentous occasion," highlighting Hawaii's shared values of resilience and collaboration with Taiwan. Green later hosted Lai for an emergency management briefing to discuss handling natural disasters, he added. Ingrid Larson, Washington office managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the body that serves as the unofficial U.S. embassy in Taiwan, was also at the airport to welcome Lai. Laura Rosenberger, chair of the institute, posted on X that "Ingrid Larson and the great community of Hawaii are excited to greet you!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan's official Central News Agency said the welcome exceeded those of past visits. "President Lai's transit was the first time that he was received at the airport, and a red carpet was rolled and flowers were presented, which was the highest level of courtesy ever, different from the past mode of entry into the terminal; and the level of the reception also exceeded previous norms," CNA said. Asked about this, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said: "The transit is private and unofficial and squarely within precedent." Later on Saturday, Lai will visit the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, which marks the resting place of some of those killed during the 1941 Japanese attack that brought the U.S. into World War Two, CNA said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'BEGINNING OF NEW ERA' Taiwan presidents often make use of what are officially only stopovers in the United States to meet friendly U.S. politicians and give speeches. Such stopovers are typically on visits to far-flung allies in the Pacific, Latin America or the Caribbean. "This trip is the beginning of a new era of value-based diplomacy," Lai said. "Democracy, prosperity and peace are the expectations of the people of Taiwan, and they are also the values that I, as president, must actively promote." He said he would "continue to expand cooperation and deepen our partnership with our allies and friends based on the values of democracy, peace and prosperity, so that the world can see that Taiwan is not only a model of democracy, but also a key force in promoting global peace, stability, and prosperity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hawaii and Guam are home to major U.S. military bases. A few hours before Lai's departure, the United States announced a new arms sale package for Taiwan, of spare parts for F-16 jets and radars for an estimated $385 million. While it has only unofficial relations with Taiwan and follows a "one-China" policy under which it recognizes Beijing diplomatically, the U.S. government is obliged by law to supply the island with the means to defend itself. The State Department said it saw no justification for what it called a private, routine and unofficial transit by Lai to be used by China as a pretext for provocation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims and says it has a right to engage with the world and for its leaders to travel abroad. (Reporting by Angie Teo and Ann Wang and David Brunnstrom; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Kim Coghill, Rod Nickel and William Mallard) Taiwan President Lai Ching-te departed Taipei on Saturday for what is his first overseas trip to the allies of the self-governing island country, with stopovers planned in the US. Lai's seven-day trip will see him visit partners in the South Pacific, including the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau. On his way there, he is scheduled to make a stopover in Hawaii, where he will spend two nights, followed by a stopover in the US territory of Guam in the West Pacific on December 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'd like to thank the US government for adhering to the principles of safety, dignity, comfort, and convenience in facilitating the success of this trip," Lai said upon his departure from Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport. Lai added that he hopes that the trip will help further enhance exchanges with Taiwan's three long-standing allies, to deepen democratic ties and promote environmental sustainability. Beijing condemned Lai's trip on Thursday, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressing its opposition to official interactions between the United States and Taiwan and rejecting any visits by Taiwanese leaders to the US. Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that it has received formal notification from the US government that the administration has informed Congress of two proposed arms sales to Taiwan, valued at approximately $385 million. One sale, valued at $320 million, involves critical components and logistical support for F-16 aircraft and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems. The second sale, worth $65 million, covers sustained maintenance for tactical area communication systems, according to a statement from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Friday. The US, Taiwan's most important backer, is legally bound to support the island democracy's defence capabilities due to the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act. HONOLULU (AP) Taiwan's president Lai Ching-te arrived Saturday in Hawaii to begin a two-day transit in the U.S. as part of a trip to the South Pacific, his first since assuming office. The stopover in Hawaii and one planned for the territory of Guam have drawn fierce criticism from Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and objects to official exchanges between the self-ruled democracy and the U.S., the island's biggest backer and military provider. There were no high-ranking U.S. or Hawaii state officials to greet Lai at the Honolulu hotel where supporters cheered in Mandarin, some waving Taiwanese flags. He visited Hawaii's leading museum of natural history and Native Hawaiian culture, Bishop Museum. Later, he was expected to attend a banquet with supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, Lai held a 20-minute phone talk with former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to Taiwan's official Central News Agency. The two discussed China's military threats toward Taiwan among other things, according to presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo. In 2022, China held military drills around Taiwan in response to a visit to the island by Pelosi, then in office. Lai is on a weeklong trip to visit the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau three diplomatic allies of the self-governed island in the Pacific. Though Taiwan retains strong contacts with dozens of other nations, it has only 12 formal diplomatic allies. Bishop Museum CEO Dee Jay Mailer presented Lai with a red lei hulu, or feather garland, made by master featherwork artist Kawika Lum-Nelmida. Lai gave Mailer a headdress, made by Paiwan Indigenous people of Taiwan, and neck and shoulder decorative pieces made by Atayal Indigenous people, also of Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lai's visit shows that Taiwan and the United States have a very strong relationship, said Arthur Chen, the president of the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of North America. He flew to Hawaii from his home near Dallas to welcome the president to the U.S. Chen said he understood the U.S. has its own foreign policy but he said Lai should be treated as a head of state during his stay. Taiwan and the U.S. share common values like a belief in democracy and human rights, Chen said. So we should help each other, he said. Lai didn't make any public remarks at his initial engagements in Hawaii, but spoke before his departure from Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to use the values of democracy, peace, and prosperity to continue to expand our cooperation with our allies, to deepen our partnership and let the world see Taiwan not just as a model of democracy, but a vital power in promoting the world's peace and stability, and prosperous development," he said at Taoyuan International Airport. It is unclear whether Lai will meet with any members of the incoming U.S. administration during his transit. President-elect Donald Trump said in an interview with Bloomberg in July that Taiwan should pay for its defense. The island has purchased billions of dollars of defense weaponry from the U.S. Trump evaded answering whether he would defend the island from Chinese military action. On Friday, the U.S. State Department said it approved the sale of $385 million in spare parts and equipment for a fleet of F-16s, as well as support for tactical communication system to Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the U.S. is obligated to help the island defend itself under the Taiwan Relations Act, it has maintained a position of strategic ambiguity over whether it would ever get involved if Taiwan were to be invaded by China. A second Trump administration is expected to test U.S.-China relations even more than the Republicans first term, when the U.S. imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion in Chinese products. Taiwan is one of the main sources of tension in the bilateral relationship. China's Foreign Ministry said Sunday it strongly condemned" U.S. support for Lai's visit and had lodged a complaint with the U.S. It also condemned the weapons sale Friday, which it said severely violated China's sovereignty and safety and interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China will closely monitor the situation's development, and take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity," according to the statement. When former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen went to the U.S. last year as part of a transit to Latin America, it drew vocal opposition from China. Tsai met with the former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy at the time. Tsai visited Hawaii in 2019. The Chinese military also launched drills around Taiwan last year as a stern warning over what it called collusion between separatists and foreign forces days after Lai, then Taiwans vice president, stopped over in the U.S. China also strongly objects to leading American politicians visiting the island as it views any official contact with foreign governments and Taiwan as an infringement on its claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. Washington switched its formal recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. ___ Wu reported from Bangkok. CROSSVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating after a man, who was armed with a handgun, was fatally shot by Cumberland County Sheriffs Office deputies, according to the TBI. The incident that led to the shooting happened early Saturday morning at a home in the 100 block of Scott Creek Road in Crossville. Man in Bean Station injured in shooting with officer, TBI reports Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The TBI released that deputies responded to the home because of a report that shots had been fired. In the driveway, they encountered a man, identified as Rodolfo Daniel Lima, 22, who was armed with a handgun. Although the deputies gave several commands for Lima to drop his weapon, he refused to comply and then fired at the responding officers, the TBI stated. The release explains that then, at least one deputy fired at Lima, striking and killing him. No law enforcement officers were injured in the shooting. Knoxville installing retractable traffic barriers around Market Square to boost pedestrian safety This is a developing story. Download the WATE 6 News app or sign up for our email alerts for updates. The TBI was requested to investigate the circumstances leading up to the shooting by the 13th Judicial District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway. The TBIs agents act only as fact finders and will turn over what they discover to the district attorney, who will determine if the officers actions were justified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. BJP leader and Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Speaker, Vasudev Devnani urged not to "politicise" the issue of a suit claiming Shiva temple within Ajmer Sharif Dargah. Speaking to ANI, on Saturday, he stated that the matter remains in court, and the decision is also pending there. "This dispute is still in the court. The court has just issued notices. After that, the court will decide and whatever it says about the survey, everyone should follow it... I urge everyone not to politicise this matter.... Many centres of faith have indeed been tampered with in the last 1100-1200 years. Let the court decide on those centres..." On the recent claims to mosques across the country, the Ajmer Dargah chief said, "What did (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat say in 2022? 'How long will you look for a shivling in every mosque'? The same was done inside Samhal. The consequences were that five innocent people lost their lives. Out of the five dead, two were the lone breadwinners." "How big is this setback (to their families)? They (authorities) do not have any remorse for it," he said. Earlier, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Owaisi questioned the conduct of lower courts, implying that the Places of Worship Act was being ignored. The governance of Modi and RSS was weakening the brotherhood and rule of law in the country, he said, adding that they will have to answer for this. Earlier on Wednesday, a local court in Ajmer directed that notice be issued to three parties in a civil suit that claims that there is a Shiva temple in the dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, the plaintiff's advocate said. Advocate Yogesh Siroja told reporters in Ajmer that the suit was heard in the court of Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel. "The concerned parties have been issued notices; one is the Dargah Committee, the ASI, and the third is the Ministry of Minority Affairs. I am a descendant of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, but I have not been made party to it... We are in touch with our legal team," he said. Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, criticised the rise in incidents where various groups are staking claim to mosques and dargahs. (ANI) PARMA, Ohio (WJW) The FOX 8 I-Team has learned two people were shot and one possible suspect was detained overnight in Parma. According to a Saturday press release from Parma police, officers were dispatched to the area of West Ridgewood Dr. just west of Ridge Rd. for a report of shots fired with possible injuries. Armed suspect, 15, fatally shot by Akron officer Dispatch then received a call from from of the victims saying both he and his cousin had been shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the release, one victim, a 19-year-old, was shot in the arm. His cousin, an 18-year-old had been shot in the thigh. Both victims were taken to the hospital. The victims were walking on the north side of W. Ridgewood Dr. as the suspect was walking on the south side of W. Ridgewood Dr. the release said. The suspect began yelling at the victims shortly before firing three shots at them. Their injuries are not life-threatening. While officers were checking the area, they found three spent 9mm shell casings, the release said. As they collected evidence and witness statements, officers were able to get detailed description of the suspect who was located a short time later at an RTA Transit Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers also located a loaded 9mm handgun along the path between the shooting and the RTA Transit Center where the suspect was arrested. According to police, the suspect is a 23-year-old man from Cleveland. Shots fired during family gathering on Thanksgiving: Report According to Parma Municipal Court officials, the suspect was arraigned Saturday and Judge Timothy Gilligan set bond at $1million. The preliminary hearing is set for Monday morning. According to police, the victims did not know the suspect and the shootings appeared to be unprovoked. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. GREENACRES, Fla. (WFLA) A 13-year-old girl saved her entire family by jumping into action after their mobile home caught fire in Greenacres Friday morning. Valerie Morales awoke to the smell of smoke around 10:30 a.m. at their home in the Colonial Estates Mobile Home Park off Lake Worth Road. Father murdered 5-year-old son then killed himself, Hillsborough deputies say We were sleeping, me and my little sister, the 13-year-old told NBC affiliate WPTV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her 8-year-old sister also detected the strange smell. When they opened their bedroom door, the two girls saw a thick cloud of smoke billowing toward them. It appeared to be coming from the back of the home. I ran to my parents room, Valerie said. And I yelled at them to get out because there was fire and smoke. She then dialed 911 as she, her sister, uncle, parents and pets escaped. The family mostly made it out unharmed. However, Greenacres Fire Rescue told WPTV that Valerie and her sister were treated on scene for possible smoke inhalation. Most of their belongings were destroyed, and their home was left unlivable. Neighbors came by to the comfort the family afterward, with Valerie telling WPTV shes just glad everyones OK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to officials, the Red Cross and neighbors plan to help the family recover. Investigators believe the blaze may have been caused by a faulty electrical wire in the back of the mobile home. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Tehran on Saturday strongly condemned an attack on the Iranian consulate general in Aleppo after a rebel alliance captured parts of the Syrian city. "We will take legal action against this act of terror," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai. The consul general and his staff were not injured in the attack and are doing well, the spokesman said, as reported on the ministry's website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran, Syria's most important ally after Russia, has significantly expanded its military influence in recent years, establishing a land corridor through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon. Syria remains a critical part of Iran's Middle East strategy. According to the ISNA news agency, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to visit Damascus on Sunday to discuss the situation in Aleppo with his Syrian counterpart. He will then travel to Ankara, where the ongoing Syrian civil war will also be on the agenda. For the second evening in a row, large crowds of demonstrators gathered in Georgia to protest the government's decision to halt talks toward joining the European Union. Tens of thousands gathered in the capital Tbilisi and other observers confirmed that there were significantly more demonstrators on the streets than on Thursday evening. Pro-EU rallies were also reported from Batumi, Sugdidi and other cities in Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police in Tbilisi once again came out in force and attempted to forcibly clear the demonstrators from Rustaveli Avenue, the main street. They used water cannons and tear gas multiple times. Eyewitnesses reported injuries and dozens of arrests. The demonstrators constructed improvised barricades and defended themselves with fireworks. Media reports also indicated arrests in Batumi. Georgia's conservative-nationalist prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced on Thursday that Georgia would not negotiate EU accession until the end of 2028. On Friday, Kobakhidze told the media that Georgia remained committed to the goal of European integration but contended the country would not allow itself to be blackmailed by the European Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the country's pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, in a television address, called for a repeat of the parliamentary election held at the end of October, amid allegations of manipulation. "It is obvious that no one wants a Russianized Georgia, a Georgia deprived of its constitution, or a Georgia in the hands of an illegitimate government," she said. Staff at Georgia's Defence Ministry and Foreign Ministry also publicly expressed criticism of the decision on Friday, and a group of judges expressed opposition to the move. Georgia's goal of joining the EU is laid down in the country's constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employees at the Defence Ministry said that integration into the EU and the Atlantic security regime are the only option to strengthen the country's security and consolidate its sovereignty, and are the main priority of foreign and security policy. Meanwhile, according to media reports, more than 100 Foreign Ministry employees wrote in a position paper that abandoning accession negotiations until 2028 was not in line with the country's strategic interests. Otar Berdsenishvili, the Georgian ambassador to Bulgaria, announced in a post on X on Friday that he had submitted his resignation. Protests are also taking place at educational institutions. Five universities in Tbilisi temporarily suspended teaching due to the demonstrations. Tesla's plant in Austin, Texas has been leaking huge amounts of hazardous wastewater into the city's sewer, violating local environmental guidelines. As detailed in public records obtained by the Wall Street Journal, the Elon Musk-led company also allowed a massive casting furnace to spew toxins into the air after its door refused to shut. These environmental problems continued to be a problem for months. While Tesla bosses were aware of them, they forced employees to come up with short-term fixes, according to the report, all in an effort to avoid slowing down production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The news once again highlights Musk's disregard for environmental regulations. Now that he's aligned himself with president-elect Donald Trump, Musk has vowed to "delete the mountain of choking regulations that do not serve the greater good" as part of his so-called "Department of Government Efficiency," or DOGE. In short, Tesla's egregious environmental shortcomings underscore the conflict of interest as the mercurial CEO attempts to dismantle the environmental rules by which his companies currently have to abide. It also marks a turning point for a billionaire who once was seen as a pioneer in renewable energy and an ally of environmental causes. According to the WSJ, Tesla's factory in Fremont, California has gotten more warnings for air pollution rule violations than almost any other car plant in the state. Over just the past five years, the factory violated air pollution permits 112 times and failed to address shortcomings with equipment designed to minimize emissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile in Austin, employees were afraid to speak up over environmental concerns, citing fears of being fired. "Tesla repeatedly asked me to lie to the government so that they could operate without paying for proper environmental controls," one environmental compliance staffer said, according to a 2024 memo obtained by the WSJ. The EPA's criminal-enforcement division has since opened an inquiry into the staffer's allegations. While production was ramping up at the Texas factory, a massive six-acre pond of wastewater was slowly being directed into Austin's sewer system, without Tesla ever getting permission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During rainstorms, Tesla even dumped chemicals into the nearby Colorado River, turning it an alarming shade of brown. After the unnamed environmental compliance staffer refused a Tesla executive's request to lobby Austin's water regulator to downplay its frequent violations of chemical limits, the staffer was abruptly fired. It's a sad reality for a company that was once hailed as popularizing the answer to gas-guzzling combustion engines. In his 2006 "Master Plan," Musk promised to help "expedite the move from a mine-and-burn hydrocarbon economy towards a solar electric economy, which I believe to be the primary, but not exclusive, sustainable solution." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any references to the plan were quietly deleted from Tesla's website in August highlighting the EV maker and its CEO's newfound disregard for the environment and the rules that were created to protect it. More on Tesla: Tesla Deletes Elon Musk's "Master Plan" The fire started in the family's garage before entering their house, authorities confirmed Copperas Cove Fire Department Facebook Copperas Cove Fire Department truck. Copperas Cove Fire Department truck. A Texas father has died and leaves behind eight other family members after a house fire broke out at their residence on Thanksgiving. George Freeman died in a fire at his familys home in Copperas Cove during the early hours of Thursday, Nov. 28, the Copperas Cove Fire Department said in a press release shared on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency services were initially called about the blaze around 4:33 a.m. local time, per the release. The fire department arrived to find fire and smoke emitting from the front and garage side of the property, as they were told that one resident was still in the house and was unaccounted for," the release said. Upon entry, responding firefighters initiated a search for the resident while simultaneous work was performed to extinguish the fire in the home's garage, the fire department wrote. Google Maps George Freeman's house in Texas. George Freeman's house in Texas. "The home was heavily charged with smoke, which caused a complete loss of visibility. After a short search, firefighters eventually found the resident and immediately removed him from the residence," they continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freeman, 61, was not breathing, nor did he have a pulse at the time he was rescued, according to the release. Despite life-saving measures made in an attempt to revive Freeman, he died at the scene, authorities confirmed. Freeman lived at the residence with his wife and their seven children, all of whom were able to exit the property safely. They are currently receiving aid from the American Red Cross. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Copperas Cove Fire Department confirmed that the fire started in the garage before entering the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [The fire] directly damaged the garage, dining room, kitchen, and living room. The rest of the home sustained smoke damage, they said, per the release. According to the release, it took approximately 30 minutes for the fire to be contained. An investigation is currently being conducted by the Fire Marshal. A Cave Creek father shot and killed his son during a fight on Thanksgiving Day, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. At around 5:20 p.m., deputies responded to reports of a "domestic dispute" near 54th Street and Azure Hills Drive in Cave Creek, according to Sgt. Calbert Gillett in an email interview. It was during that fight that Michael Walton, 80, shot and killed his son Brett, 53, according to Gillett. Brett was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Friday afternoon, no arrests had been made, but homicide detectives investigated Walton as the primary suspect, added Gillett. Anyone with information about the shooting can provide MCSO a tip at602-876-TIPS (8477) or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO (837-8456) for Spanish. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Son shot, killed in dispute with father in Cave Creek on Thanksgiving At least nine Democratic members of Congress said they received bomb threats to their homes on Thanksgiving or the day after, after similar threats were made against some of President-elect Donald Trumps Cabinet picks earlier in the week. Those targeted were Sen. Chris Murphy and Reps. Jim Himes, Jahana Hayes, Joe Courtney, John Larson and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut; Rep. Seth Magaziner and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island; and Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts. In a statement on Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., condemned the threats, which he said ranged from detailed threats of a pipe bomb placed in mailboxes to swatting, all signed with MAGA at the conclusion of the message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Threats of violence against elected officials are unacceptable, unconscionable and have no place in a civilized society, Jeffries added. He also called for Congress to provide maximum protection to House Democrats and their families. The incidents have increased concerns about potential violence amid deep political polarization. Threats against public officials have been on the rise over the past decade, fueled in part by partisan attacks by politicians themselves. Earlier in the week, several Republicans who have been named to Trumps Cabinet said they were targeted by bomb threats and swatting attacks, which usually involve a false 911 report of an emergency to elicit an aggressive, sometimes deadly police response to a location. The FBI said it is investigating those incidents. The agency has not publicly commented on the threats against Democrats. However, President Joe Biden told reporters on Friday that his administration is working with the FBI on those cases, NBC News reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has also condemned the violent threats, calling it dangerous and insane behavior. Regardless of what party you belong to, your political opponents are not your enemies, Johnson wrote in a post on X. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com During the meeting held on Friday, Pramod Boro highlighted the active and spirited participation of the youth from the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in recruitment rallies and other initiatives organized by the Indian Armed Forces. Further, the BTC Chief submitted a memorandum to the Defence Minister, proposing the creation of a special regiment named the "Territorial Army Home and Hearth Battalion" for BTR. He stated that this initiative would offer a dedicated platform for the region's youth to join the defence forces and contribute to the nation's security. "The proposal aims to inspire greater participation while fostering a deep sense of patriotism and national pride among the youth of BTR," Pramod Boro said. The Defence Minister appreciated the commitment of the BTR government to encouraging the region's youth and assured due consideration of the proposal. The meeting marks a significant step toward fostering the region's integration with national defence initiatives. (ANI) Nov. 29A Thanksgiving storm knocked out power to more than 70,000 homes and businesses across Maine. The storm, which rolled into the state Thursday morning, brought rain throughout the day to much of southern Maine before switching to snow later in the afternoon everywhere except the immediate coastline. More than 52,000 CMP customers were without power at 7:30 a.m. Friday, but that number of outages dropped steadily throughout the morning. By 5 p.m., about 23,700 customers were without power, according to the company's online outage list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hardest hit is Somerset County, where more than 13,000 customers were without power to start the day. CMP reported 9,400 outages in Kennebec County, 6,700 in Androscoggin, 4,600 in Franklin, 6,700 in Oxford County and 6,300 in Penobscot County Friday morning. Source: Central Maine Power Versant Power, which serves northern and eastern Maine, reported more than 18,000 outages Friday morning, primarily in the greater Bangor region. By 5 p.m. outages had dropped to about 9,000. "A full complement of internal crews and contracts are responding to outages from last night's snowstorm. Crews are prioritizing public safety issues like downed lines and then will work to make repairs that will restore the most customers at a time," the company said in a mid-day update. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Versant officials said restoration work in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties is expected to continue into Saturday. Service in Aroostook, Hancock and Washington counties is expected to be restored by the end of Friday. On Thursday, power outages ticked up steadily throughout the afternoon as snow piled up in inland areas. There were fewer than 100 households across the state without power at 2:30 p.m., but nearly 17,000 at 7 p.m., according to CMP's and Versant's websites. Oxford and Somerset counties saw the bulk of those outages, while the coastal counties remained mostly untouched. Forecasters had warned that the combination of Thursday evening's wet, heavy snow and the gusty winds expected to pick up later in the night could be a recipe for downed power lines. In an update posted on social media Friday morning, CMP said crews were finding fallen trees that need to be removed before power can be restored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "After working through the night, we've restored more than 33,000 customers and more than 100 crews will continue working today," the update read. "Please give our crews plenty of room to work roadside. Driving conditions may continue to be dangerous, especially during morning hours." The highest snow total reported to the National Weather Service was 15 inches in Brighton Plantation in Somerset County. Franklin County also saw significant snow accumulation, with 12.5 inches reported in Rangeley and 10 inches in Farmington. In Oxford County, snow fall totals include 11.5 inches in Bethel, 10.3 inches in Brownfield and 12 inches in Hartford. Snow totals in Androscoggin County varied widely, from 9 inches in Turner to 2 inches in Lewiston. Closer to the coast, towns like Windham and Cumberland reported about an inch of snow accumulation. Just a trace of snow was reported at the Portland International Jetport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the storm died down over night, the wind gusts ramped up. The weather service warned that wind gusts would approach 40 mph along the coast, which could lead to an elevated power outage risk. This story will be updated. Copy the Story Link Thousands of mainly women in Israel blocked an access road to the Israeli parliament or Knesset as they demonstrated on Friday for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to a story in the Jerusalem Post. There have been weekly demonstrations demanding the hostages be released, but these normally occur on Saturday evening, after the Jewish holy day of Shabbat is over. The Friday protests were organized by a group called Shift 101 that has been holding sit-in shifts across the road from the Knesset since Monday, the paper said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are organizing various shifts throughout the week to put pressure on the government to get the hostages out of Gaza. Some 250 were taken on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian Islamist Hamas militia and others invaded Israel and killed 1,200. According to estimates, about half of the approximately 100 remaining hostages are still alive. "We, mothers and family members of hostages and hostages, call on mothers and fathers, women and men from all over the country to unite beyond disputes and polarization and join us for the most important cause of all - to contribute to the return of the hostages. We have hope," a statement quoted in the paper said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reliant on his far-right and ultra-religious coalition partners for his political survival, who are against a deal with Hamas. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department has arrested two teenagers and a 45-year-old man on suspicion of manufacturing unregistered handguns and automatic rifles. After a months-long investigation, deputies arrested two 17-year-olds on Nov. 27 in Thousand Oaks and served a warrant to search their car and a residence in the Santa Rosa Valley, according to the sheriff's office. As part of the operation, detectives seized 19 illegal or unlawfully possessed firearms as well as related components and a "significant amount" of ammunition, the office said in a Friday news release. Evidence was found linking a relative of the two teenagers, a 45-year-old man, to several pistols recovered, and he was also arrested. The identities of the three suspects were not disclosed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While detectives are actively investigating the motive behind the suspects possession of the seized firearms, there is currently no evidence of a broader threat to public safety," the sheriff's news release said. The investigation began in May after investigators with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations intercepted internationally shipped packages addressed to one of the 17-year-olds living at a residence in Santa Rosa Valley. The packages held unserialized counterfeit parts used in certain pistols and parts that can convert semiautomatic rifles into fully automatic machine guns, according to the sheriff's office. Several of these parts being imported into the U.S. from other countries, that was the catalyst for this investigation, said detective Joshua Janca. After the devices were turned over to detectives, they launched a criminal investigation. Over the course of the next several months, that 17-year old allegedly attempted to have more packages of firearm parts shipped to his address, which were also intercepted by federal authorities. Six counterfeit parts and two machine gun conversion devices were seized in those months, the sheriff's office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 17-year old was arrested on suspicion of attempted unlawful transfer of a firearm, attempted possession of a firearm by a minor, attempted illegal possession of a machine gun, attempted unlawful conversion of a machine gun and carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle. The second 17-year old was arrested on suspicion of resisting obstructing or delaying an officer, unlawful transfer of a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. The male relative was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime and the unlawful transfer of a firearm. Detectives with the Ventura County Sheriff's Gun Violence Reduction Program led the investigation. The operation to seize the weapons was jointly handled by members of the sheriff office's SWAT team as well as Oxnard and Ventura police departments. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SAINT CLAIR Tim Holden retired as chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board when his term expired on Nov. 21, the PLCB reported. A former Schuylkill county sheriff and U.S. congressman, Holden, 68, chaired the board for 11 years. I want to commend Tim Holden, not just for his work on the PLCB, but for his lifetime of honorable and dignified service to the people of Pennsylvania and the country, Gov. Josh Shapiro said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor named Darrell Clarke, a former Philadelphia City Council president, to succeed Holden. Clarke was appointed to a four-year term on the board in July. Over 11 years, Holden served on the PLCB under three governors Tom Corbett, Tom Wolf and Shapiro. Corbett appointed him to the board in 2013, and Wolf named him chairman in 2015. His subsequent appointments were unanimously confirmed by the state Senate. Reached at his Saint Clair home, Holden said revenues raised by the state-run agency rose from $80 million to $185 million a year during his term as chairman. Formed in 1933, the year Prohibition ended, the PLCB has raised $20.3 billion in revenues to support schools, law enforcement, public safety initiatives and health and human service programs in its 91 years, according to a PLCB news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most important development in his tenure, Holden said, was the ability of the board to negotiate prices with suppliers of liquor and wine to its roughly 600 Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores. Another major development was the state legislatures adoption of Act 39, which allows the sale of wine in grocery stores. The stores, however, have to purchase the wine from the PCLB, he said. Holden is the third Schuylkill County resident to chair the board. Former state representative James A. Goodman, Mahanoy City, was chairman in 1992-1995. And former Judge John E. Jones III, Orwigsburg, chaired the board from 1995 to 2002. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a public service career that spanned nearly 40 years, Holden served as Schuylkill County Sheriff from 1985-1993. A Democrat, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2013, and was dean of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation during the 112th Congress. Saint Clair Mayor Richard E. Tomko said Holden worked hard at being a public servant. Im very proud of his service, he said. He gave 110%. Tomko, a retired teacher, had Holden in an American Government class at Saint Clair High School. He loved history and government, Tomko said. You could see it in him every day. Holden continued the spirit of what Tomko said was a political dynasty of sorts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His maternal great-grandfather, John Siney, formed the Workingmans Benevolent Association, an early labor union, in 1868. His grandfather, John J. Holden, was superintendent of the Saint Clair electric light department. And his father, Joseph Socks Holden, was a Schuylkill County Commissioner. As Philadelphia City Council budget chairman, Clarke oversaw the adoption of the citys nearly $6 billion annual budget. He supported initiatives to increase affordable housing, reduce poverty and increase public safety. The PLCB licenses about 20,000 alcohol products retailers and handlers. It provides financial support to the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement and the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question youd like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Will it ever be possible for time travel to occur? Alana C., age 12, Queens, New York Have you ever dreamed of traveling through time, like characters do in science fiction movies? For centuries, the concept of time travel has captivated peoples imaginations. Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time, just like you move between different places. In movies, you might have seen characters using special machines, magical devices or even hopping into a futuristic car to travel backward or forward in time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But is this just a fun idea for movies, or could it really happen? The question of whether time is reversible remains one of the biggest unresolved questions in science. If the universe follows the laws of thermodynamics, it may not be possible. The second law of thermodynamics states that things in the universe can either remain the same or become more disordered over time. Its a bit like saying you cant unscramble eggs once theyve been cooked. According to this law, the universe can never go back exactly to how it was before. Time can only go forward, like a one-way street. Time is relative However, physicist Albert Einsteins theory of special relativity suggests that time passes at different rates for different people. Someone speeding along on a spaceship moving close to the speed of light 671 million miles per hour! will experience time slower than a person on Earth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People have yet to build spaceships that can move at speeds anywhere near as fast as light, but astronauts who visit the International Space Station orbit around the Earth at speeds close to 17,500 mph. Astronaut Scott Kelly has spent 520 days at the International Space Station, and as a result has aged a little more slowly than his twin brother and fellow astronaut Mark Kelly. Scott used to be 6 minutes younger than his twin brother. Now, because Scott was traveling so much faster than Mark and for so many days, he is 6 minutes and 5 milliseconds younger. Some scientists are exploring other ideas that could theoretically allow time travel. One concept involves wormholes, or hypothetical tunnels in space that could create shortcuts for journeys across the universe. If someone could build a wormhole and then figure out a way to move one end at close to the speed of light like the hypothetical spaceship mentioned above the moving end would age more slowly than the stationary end. Someone who entered the moving end and exited the wormhole through the stationary end would come out in their past. However, wormholes remain theoretical: Scientists have yet to spot one. It also looks like it would be incredibly challenging to send humans through a wormhole space tunnel. Paradoxes and failed dinner parties There are also paradoxes associated with time travel. The famous grandfather paradox is a hypothetical problem that could arise if someone traveled back in time and accidentally prevented their grandparents from meeting. This would create a paradox where you were never born, which raises the question: How could you have traveled back in time in the first place? Its a mind-boggling puzzle that adds to the mystery of time travel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Famously, physicist Stephen Hawking tested the possibility of time travel by throwing a dinner party where invitations noting the date, time and coordinates were not sent out until after it had happened. His hope was that his invitation would be read by someone living in the future, who had capabilities to travel back in time. But no one showed up. As he pointed out: The best evidence we have that time travel is not possible, and never will be, is that we have not been invaded by hordes of tourists from the future. Telescopes are time machines Interestingly, astrophysicists armed with powerful telescopes possess a unique form of time travel. As they peer into the vast expanse of the cosmos, they gaze into the past universe. Light from all galaxies and stars takes time to travel, and these beams of light carry information from the distant past. When astrophysicists observe a star or a galaxy through a telescope, they are not seeing it as it is in the present, but as it existed when the light began its journey to Earth millions to billions of years ago. NASAs newest space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, is peering at galaxies that were formed at the very beginning of the Big Bang, about 13.7 billion years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While we arent likely to have time machines like the ones in movies anytime soon, scientists are actively researching and exploring new ideas. But for now, well have to enjoy the idea of time travel in our favorite books, movies and dreams. Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question youd like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. And since curiosity has no age limit adults, let us know what youre wondering, too. We wont be able to answer every question, but we will do our best. 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: Adi Foord, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Adi Foord 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. Bob Gable, of Frankfort, a longtime leader in the Republican Party in Kentucky who ran for governor twice and was credited with helping grow the party into the majority it has in the state today, died Friday at Baptist Health Lexington, according to an obituary. He was 90. His efforts built the foundation for todays Republican majority, House Speaker David Osborne said in a statement. An engineer by training, Bob brought a strategic, detail-driven approach to everything he did. While a successful businessman, he shared his time and talents selflessly and approached both public services and politics with an indomitable spirit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gable served as chairman of the state Republican Party from 1986 to 1994 and ran for governor in 1975 and 1995. In 1975, he ran against Democratic incumbent Gov. Julian Carroll, who had been lieutenant governor and moved into the governors office in December 1974, when then-Gov. Wendell Ford resigned to serve in the U.S Senate. Gables loss to Carroll was by a wide margin that set a record at the time, according to A New History of Kentucky. In his 1995 bid for governor, he failed to secure the GOP nomination in the race against Larry Forgy, who in turn lost to Paul Patton. Gable was state parks commissioner from 1967 to 1970 under Gov. Louie Nunn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1972, he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for U.S. senator, losing to Nunn in a race that ultimately went to Democrat Walter Dee Huddleston. Bob Gable U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell issued a statement calling Gable a dear friend and a titanic figure in the Kentucky Republican Party. I trace my earliest memories in Kentucky politics right back to Bob, as do many others in my home state, he wrote. When he was named Chair of the Republican Party of Kentucky in 1986, our party held only one statewide seat and reportedly only had a net worth of $300. Needless to say, much in our party and the Commonwealth has changed since then largely thanks to Bobs unflappable focus and the groundwork he laid during his decades of service. Elaine and I share our condolences with the entire Gable family along with our gratitude for Bobs lifelong work to bring conservative principles to Kentucky. Former Republican National Committee chairman and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said Gable played a key role in advancing conservative principles and supporting the Reagan Revolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From my early days in politics as a staffer through my days at the Reagan White House and my 4 years at RNC, I always knew I could count on Bobs wisdom, integrity, and love for this country, Barbour said in a statement. He was one of those people who made you better just by working alongside of him. We have lost a great patriot, a true leader and Ive lost a good friend. Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers offered condolences to Gables family, referring to him as a great man and great Kentuckian. Bob Gable was the original Republican Party chairman and a leader when there were few Kentucky Republicans, Stivers said in a statement. In fact, Bob gave me my first contribution when I decided to get into politics. Gables obituary said he was a pro-choice advocate, an unusual position in Kentuckys Republican circles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gable was born in New York City and grew up in Oregon and Arizona. He was a 1956 graduate of Stanford University and a Navy veteran. He and his wife of 58 years, Emily Brinton Thompson Gable, settled in Kentucky, in the Stearns community, where Gable ran the Stearns Coal and Lumber Co., which was formed by his grandfather in 1902, according to his obituary. Under his leadership, The Stearns Company diversified into real estate development, including projects like the Hyatt Regency in Lexington, the obituary stated. However, the economic challenges of the 1980s led to the companys eventual restructuring. Gable was also an advocate for education and the arts, having served as president of the National Committee for the Performing Arts, a member of the Presidents Committee for the Performing Arts at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and as chairman of the Kentucky Arts Council, among other positions, according to his obituary. Gable is survived by three children and two grandchildren. Upon the passing of Bob Gable, former Republican Party of Kentucky chairman. #kyga25 pic.twitter.com/fTFxtiozdt KY Senate Majority (@KYSenateGOP) November 30, 2024 Bob Gable was *relentless* in his efforts to build and grow the modern GOP in Kentucky. And he was a great mentor to many aspiring candidates and pols (including me) RIP pic.twitter.com/JfP3XZLUkU Dan Bayens (@danbayens) November 30, 2024 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bob Gable was a kind and generous man who loved his party and state. I was fortunate to meet him at his home and talk at length about Kentucky politics during my first campaign. I wore a Bob Gable for Governor button when attending Frankfort GOP events to give him a chuckle. RIP. https://t.co/o1ea042ETD Sec. Michael Adams (R-KY) (@Adams4SecState) November 30, 2024 House Speaker @reposborne issued the following statement regarding the death of former Chair of the Republican Party of Kentucky, Bob Gable pic.twitter.com/866EcqmJT0 KY House Republicans (@KYHouseGOP) November 30, 2024 Herald-Leader staff writer Bill Estep contributed to this report. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated 'Ahmedabad International Book Festival-2024' at the Ahmedabad Riverfront Event Center, Paldi on Saturday, as per a release. According to the release, CM Patel purchased several books, including Mother of Democracy - India, Ved Kalpataru, Samuhik Hit Ka Deep Jale (Mann Ki Baat @100), and Exam Warriors by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through digital payment. The CM also presented Exam Warriors to children and awarded 'Panch Vachan for a Prosperous India' certificates to students from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation schools. The event was organized by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and the National Book Trust. It is significant to note that with the vision of nurturing intellectual competence in the next generation and strengthening society through the promotion of reading and literature, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat and current PM, Narendra Modi, launched 'Vanche Gujarat' Abhiyan. Aligning with this initiative, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has organised the "Ahmedabad National Book Fair" for the past 12 years. Each edition of the fair has garnered an exceptional response from book lovers and literature enthusiasts across Gujarat, including Ahmedabad. To elevate Ahmedabad's heritage on the global stage of literature and book publishing, the 'Ahmedabad International Book Festival' will be held from November 30 to December 8 at the Riverfront Event Center, Paldi, under the Vanche Gujarat 2.0 initiative. With the collaboration of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and the National Book Trust, the Ahmedabad National Book Fair is being rebranded for the first time as the 'Ahmedabad International Book Festival'. With over 100 literary programs, more than 300 publisher stalls, and books from over 1,000 publishers, the festival will be a key destination for book lovers and literature enthusiasts from across Gujarat and beyond. It will also feature engaging attractions like the Author Forum, Pragya Shibir, Gyan Ganga, Rangmanch, and Abhikalp, offering a rich cultural experience for all visitors. The Ahmedabad International Book Festival will host speakers from countries including Spain, Sri Lanka, Poland, Denmark, Scotland, Singapore, UAE, and celebrated Gujarati authors. Renowned dignitaries such as Padma Raghuvir Chaudhary, Padma Kumarpal Desai, Padma Jagdish Trivedi, Padma Shahbuddin Rathod, Monika Halan, Ram Mori, EV Ramakrishnan, Saurabh Bajaj, William Dalrymple, Guillermo Rodriguez Martin, Monica Kovalesco-Sumovska, and Matt Johnson will share insights on a range of literary topics. (ANI) A Tren de Aragua goon arrested in a major New York City drug and gun bust had been ordered deported by an immigration judge in February months before he allegedly took part in an armed Aurora, Colorado apartment invasion, The Post has learned. Edison Pena Angulo, 25, one of 15 suspected members of the Venezuelan migrant gang nabbed Wednesday, had illegally crossed the US border in 2023 but was turned loose because of overcrowded ICE facilities, sources revealed. Once free, Angulo apparently linked up with Denyeer Aramillo Meneses, 23, who likewise had entered the US illegally and got freed because of overcrowding. Meneses is now also a suspect in the caught-on-video Aurora burglary, sources said. Edison Pena Angulo, 25, had been ordered deported before allegedly taking part in a wild Colorado apartment takeover, sources said. The Venezuelan pairs path took them from Colorado where theyre wanted on warrants, along with four other men in the armed takeover to the Bronx, where a dragnet of NYPD cops and US Homeland Security Investigation agents busted them early Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reason why Angulo wasnt deported despite the judges February order remained unclear, as did whether he actually showed up to immigration court, sources said. The Tren de Aragua takedown sprang from a six-month investigation into the violent gangs crimes, including a drug ring running from the Bronx to lower Manhattan, sources said. So far, sources have only confirmed to The Post that Angulo and Meneses are also linked to the Aurora apartment brouhaha. Members of the violent TdA prison gang have taken over apartment buildings in the city, turning them into violent, crime-ridden headquarters. Both men were arrested during their time in Colorado for unrelated crimes, sources said. Angulo was nabbed in March by Westminster police for shoplifting, while Meneses faced a burglary rap in August, according to sources., Two suspected Tren de Aragua members busted in New York City Wednesday also allegedly took part in the Aurora apartment takeover. Edward Romero Since the Bronx bust, sources have confirmed the identities of four other Tren de Aragua members who were rounded up. At least two have allegedly run afoul of local law enforcement during their short time in the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NYPD cops arrested Jhonkennedy Bravo-Castro, 27, on larceny and resisting arrest charges Nov. 16, before he was released pending prosecution, sources said. He had been apprehended by Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas in February this year and processed for expedited removal from the US, according to sources. An immigration judge in Aurora, Colorado, in April ordered Bravo-Castro deported, but for reasons that remain unclear he remained in the US, sources said. Carlos Chivico Medina, 24, was also arrested by NYPD cops in September 2023 on suspicion of larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, sources said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bronx bust also ensnared Carlos Medina Rodriguez, 26, and Angel Jose Hernandez Hernandez, 21, sources told The Post. The Bronx bust this week netted a small arsenal. Acquired by the NYPost. The group allegedly peddled a variety of drugs including heroin, fake weed and the synthetic drug Tussi and dabbled in credit card fraud and violence, sources have told The Post. Cops also found an arsenal of semi-automatic weapons during the raid, including three assault rifles, sources said. The federal indictment against the Tren de Aragua suspects remained sealed as of Friday. Both Angulo and Meneses are in custody at Orange County Correctional Facility, sources said. Krys and Chris Dukes believe themselves and many of their neighbors in the Trinity Hills subdivision are being treated unfairly by the United States Postal Service because of a mail carriers personal view about dogs. Residents on three streets in the neighborhood recently received letters from USPS informing them they would be required to install curbside mailboxes by the end of November because of concerns about dogs in the neighborhood. But the Dukes say there has never been an issue with dogs in the neighborhood to the point theyve never heard of a single incident and that unfair demands are being made to accommodate their mail carriers unfounded fears. I feel that the mail carrier is scared of dogs in general, from what Ive been told by (local USPS supervisor) Miss Terri Clouse, Krys Dukes said. I feel like he is lying on animals. We have never gotten anything saying hes been attacked, any kind of evidence of the sort. I feel like hes lying on animals that are inside their homes. Hes scared of dogs, and he just doesnt want to deliver the mail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors, if their door is open and he sees a dog, he just walks past. In my opinion, I feel hes just terrified of dogs. While the letters received from USPS on or around Nov. 15 caught many of their neighbors by surprise, the Dukes have been dealing with the issue since the summer. They first became aware of the situation when their mail started being withheld on July 18 and then they received a stack of mail on July 23, with a note that the mail hadnt been delivered because of a broken gate on the backyard fence and the Dukes dog, a Bouvier des Flandres, posed a threat by looking out their front door. The Dukes said the mail was delivered on July 23 because their dog was at the groomer that day and not looking out the door. Weve never had an issue in the neighborhood with him getting out and chasing anyone, anything like that, Krys Dukes said. Neighborhood kids come over, in our house, in our backyard with him. He doesnt even jump on our screen door, he just stands there and barks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Dukeses were confident they were in the right, they say they tried to be accommodating, to the point they spent $1,000 to fix the gate, which had been broken since they moved into the house more than six years ago. He somehow knew it was broken, so I did that for him, even though weve been here almost seven years and no mailman has ever complained about that gate being open, Chris Dukes said. That gate will stay open during the day because we have a cat that lives in the backyard, thats where hes fed. To what point is the mailman going to dictate what we have to spend and do with our property? The Dukeses also tried to alleviate the concern with their dog being at their door, with them keeping it closed in the morning when the mail route usually reaches their house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We all have to keep our front doors shut down now; being told we have to do it in our own homes, which is kind of unfair, Chris Dukes said. A neighbor leaves a window open so the dogs sit in the window, but if their dogs are sitting in the window, he wont deliver the mail, walks right by. He started this route probably eight months ago, and we never had a problem until he started. Now, in a sense, were being dictated to with this. The Dukeses had hoped the actions they had taken had largely resolved the situation. Thats why they were shocked upon receiving the letter. It was disbelief, because with us dealing with Terri, I thought this was taken care of, Krys Dukes said. Well keep our door shut. I dont like it, but we will. Then it got to be we will re-do our fence. I didnt start to feel harassed until the police officer across the street got his mail withheld, and he got a stack of his mail Oct. 12. Same situation as ours. Then when we got the letter in the mail, I was like, this has gone too far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Krys Dukes said she would have been concerned about the situation if she had only received the letter without having had the past interactions. This would be a completely different situation if I was a homeowner who had just gotten that letter and thought, Oh my gosh, there are dogs running wild, the mailman must have gotten hurt, and well have to put a mailbox out, she said. But thats not how it is. We know hes a liar, because he lied on our dog. I wish more people who had gotten their mail withheld, on those dates, would go back and look at security camera footage. Somebody will have proof if it happened. The post office is taking his word for it, catering to him, but its all on lies. Krys Dukes said the disparity in how other deliverymen react to her dog, as opposed to her mailman, is telling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We get UPS, we get FedEx, we get Amazon almost every day, she said. They sit (packages) right (by the door), and nobody says a word when the door is open. We have never had an issue with a mailman before now. The Dukeses say USPS asking for curbside mailboxes, for whatever the reason, is a flawed plan. Residents can get an exemption from the curbside boxes if there are utility lines in the median by the curb, which the Dukeses have had clearly marked in front of their house, and say is the norm for the neighborhood. If a major utility runs down the median of the yard, the full length, then you could be exempt, and ours does, he said. The gas line runs the opposite side of the whole street, and the water line runs this side. Technically, if everyone would speak their mind, the whole neighborhood is exempt. The Dukeses also say curbside mailboxes will create a traffic hazard, with many people already parking on the street and it also being the main back outlet of the neighborhood to get to Highway 54. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Dukeses arent sure how the situation will play out, but Chris Dukes said one thing is for certain there wont be a curbside mailbox in front of his house. Im not going to let someone dictate what I do with my own home because (a mailman) is scared of dogs, he said. If thats the case, he needs to find a new job. Ill get a P.O. box. Our dog barks at leaves. If it moves, he barks. But hes a gentle giant. Thats when she asked us to keep our door shut from 9 a.m. to noon while hes on his route, and weve done that. But now theres this. Krys Dukes said the burden being placed on families also shouldnt be overlooked. Weve already tried to accommodate this mail carrier over $1,000, and now youre coming at us, saying, Hey family of five with three children, Christmas is coming, but youre going to have to spend $100 to $200 to put a mailbox out there because this mailman wants to lie, Krys Dukes said. Weve already tried to accommodate this man on lies. If he wouldnt have lied, this would be a totally different situation. But now my question is, how many other pets has he lied on? Amid threats from the president-elect to impose tariffs on Canadian imports, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Friday. Trudeau flew to Palm Beach to visit Trump at his so-called "winter White House," seeking to avoid the stiff tariffs that Trump has promised to enact via executive order on his first day in office. Trump alleges that Canada and Mexico are allowing undocumented immigrants and drugs to pour over their borders into the United States and intends to use the tariffs as a form of punishment for failing to stem the supposed movement of people and narcotics. "As one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders. This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!" he wrote on Truth Social earlier this week. "Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States is a massive trading partner with Canada, receiving nearly all of the country's crude oil exports in 2023. An unnamed source who spoke to the Associated Press said that Trudeau plans to have dinner with Trump, hoping to talk him down from 25% tariffs. President Joe Biden also cautioned Trump against his planned tariffs, telling reporters on Thanksgiving that the move was "counterproductive." "We have an unusual situation in America. Were surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and two allies: Mexico and Canada. And the last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships," he shared from Massachusetts. "I hope they reconsider." Parliamentary votes on matters of conscience cross party lines and are rooted in ideas of non-political philosophy that MPs can rarely exhibit, as with the assisted dying Bill debate on Friday. It was curious that four Conservative MPs who supported that Bill Alicia Kearns, the shadow home affairs minister, Neil Shastri-Hurst, a doctor and barrister, Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, and Victoria Atkins, the shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs also voted three days earlier to restrict progressively the age at which people can legally buy cigarettes and vapes, allegedly to wipe out smoking. Of course it will do nothing of the sort, any more than penal taxation of tobacco products has. There is the impossibility of accurately telling someones age; and, as for decades, illegal supplies will be smuggled from Europe and sold to anyone who wants them. But did our philosophers ask themselves this: if as Conservatives they applied their consciences in a way that allowed them to support legalised assisted death, should they prevent people slowly killing themselves over decades by smoking tobacco? Some will argue that in the first case people are in pain with horrible terminal illnesses. But life itself is a terminal illness. If you are going to allow people help from medical professionals to kill themselves when life becomes unbearable, why should they not, when old enough to vote or to die in the service of the King, be allowed to start killing themselves then, given no one apart from the educationally sub-normal can be under the impression that smoking does not damage your health? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One cannot dictate matters of conscience, and these four MPs were perfectly within their rights to support assisted dying. But there is a profound, and deeply illiberal, contradiction in their determination to stop people whose minds, undisturbed by the misery of pain and serious suffering, are clear enough to choose to accelerate their progress to the grave by smoking. (For the avoidance of doubt: I write as one who has never smoked anything in his life.) But then other Conservative MPs over the decades have revealed moral confusion over legislation affecting the lives of their fellow Britons. In any number of debates from the 1950s onwards, some of those who actively supported abortion, and quite a liberal policy on abortion at that, also actively opposed capital punishment. They were quite prepared to sanction the killing of healthy, innocent, unborn children whose only crime was to be conceived, while preventing the killing, after a fair trial by jury, of vicious murderers who had killed premeditatedly, often for gain or for sexual gratification. (For the avoidance of doubt again: I write as a lifelong atheist.) The philosophical conflict these four MPs have exposed within themselves follows in that more established tradition. One is unlikely ever to construct a political party in this or any other democracy where, whatever the moral considerations, everyone thinks consistently and logically about them. What both Bills last week had in common, outside their considerable moral dimension, was a deeper interference by the state in the lives of individuals. Mrs Badenoch, as Leader of the Opposition, set what many Conservatives would consider the correct example by voting against the two Bills. It is not so much rolling back the state as bulldozing it back that must underpin the Conservatives preparation for their next spell in government both out of necessity and to atone for their abject failure to do it in their 14 benighted years of power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who voted for either measure, let alone both, should reflect deeply on where precisely such aggrandising of the state and lengthening of its tentacles may lead. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Donald Trump has appointed Charles Kushner, his son-in-laws father, to be the US ambassador to France. The president-elect, 78, pardoned Mr Kushner, who in 2006 served a prison sentence for tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign donations, at the end of his first administration. Chris Christie, a former New Jersey governor, described Mr Kushners case as one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes he ever prosecuted as a US attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Announcing the appointment, Mr Trump said the property developer, 70, was a tremendous business leader, philanthropist and dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our country and its interests. He referenced Mr Kushners son, Jared, his former White House adviser, but did not mention that he is married to his daughter Ivanka. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at an election night watch party in West Palm Beach, Florida - Evan Vucci/AP Photo Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their four children, and 14 grandchildren, he wrote on Truth Social. He added: His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform and the Abraham Accords. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together, we will strengthen Americas partnership with France, our oldest ally, and one of our greatest! The appointment underscores Mr Trumps commitment to filling his administration with loyalists and close allies. Mr Trump pardoned Mr Kushner as part of an 11th-hour clemency spree during the final days of his first presidency, with the White House citing Mr Kushners charitable work since he completed his 2006 prison sentence. Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner - Win McNamee/Getty Images North America Mr Kushner pleaded guilty to 16 counts of tax evasion, one count of retaliating against a federal witness and another count of lying to the Federal Election Commission in 2005. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Part of the case involved the real estate developer hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law William Schulder, who was cooperating with a federal investigation against him. He filmed the encounter and sent the footage to his wife, Esther. The Schulders took the videotape to the prosecutors who tracked down the woman. In 2019, Mr Christie, a former presidential candidate, called it one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes he had ever prosecuted. Jared, 43, previously described the deep impact his fathers imprisonment had on him. He was in his early 20s and a law and business school student in the mid-2000s when his father was sentenced and suddenly found himself having to run the familys businesses while shuttling back and forth on weekends to see his father in Alabama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When youre on the other side of the system, you feel so helpless, Mr Kushner said in 2018. I felt like I was on this side of the system, so how can I try to do whatever I can do to try to be helpful to the people who are going through it and deserve a second chance. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. (Bloomberg) -- It would take years, if ever, for Mexico to accomplish what incoming US President Donald Trump is demanding to avoid tariffs: stemming the flow of migrants and drugs over the border. Most Read from Bloomberg Thats why Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaums efforts to avoid a full-blown trade war might be more about doing enough for both sides to claim success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even a quick phone call two days after Trump threatened 25% tariffs against his southern neighbor seemed to change the tone: Trump said on social media that the Mexican president agreed to stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately. Sheinbaum, meanwhile, assured her constituents that she touted to Trump Mexicos existing approach to migration, which she stressed respects human rights, and that a new deal to collaborate would avoid new tariffs, without providing specifics. The whole exchange was reminiscent of Trumps first term, when he threatened to send troops to shut down the border and then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador responded by sending the national guard to help apprehend migrants. The move had a limited immediate effect, but sent a strong image that proved enough to at least avert tariffs of up to 25% on all imports from Mexico. Trumps threats have a dual objective, said Palmira Tapia, a political scientist currently working for the government of the State of Mexico. The US president-elect, she said, is simultaneously seeking to appeal to his constituents and strengthen his hand in talks on migration, drugs and trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum also faces two challenges: She now must find a way to appease Trump to avoid tariffs that could hit 11% of Mexicos gross domestic product, while also avoiding the perception at home, and in the White House that she will easily bend to demands from up north. Shes talking to Trump, but shes also talking to the Mexican public. It has to do with giving a dignified response before her voters, but at the same time trying to stop Trump, said Catalina Perez Correa, a researcher at the Supreme Courts Center for Constitutional Studies. Shes saying, Im not going to let myself be stepped on by Trump. Shes saving face in front of the Mexican public. Migration Reality Mexico has long been a stomping ground for the US when it comes to migration policy. Its been tasked under successive US presidents with beefing up its border security, increasing highway checkpoints and removing migrants from freight trains they often board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though migration rose far beyond the 2019 levels in the years after Lopez Obradors show of militarizing the border, Mexico has remained an at-times willing partner, accepting most of the millions of migrants who were quickly turned away from the US border during the pandemic. But it hasnt always been eager to help: The Biden administration often viewed AMLO, as the former president was known, as needing frequent reminders of its expectations for him on enforcement. In 2023, Biden cabinet officials even visited AMLO in Mexico City just days after Christmas to urge him to do more as a record number of migrants reached the border. Under pressure from the White House during the US election, Mexico helped it decrease border crossings by 65% over an 11-month period starting in December 2023. To do so, Mexican authorities have been detaining migrants in the north of the country and busing them south. There, they are forced to wait until they get an official appointment to apply for asylum in the US which can take months, if it ever happens at all. Its all resulted in more than double the number of apprehensions of undocumented migrants between January and August compared with a year earlier, although Mexico has deported few. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts have said thats creating a humanitarian crisis in some of the southern cities where migrants are shipped off to. Its also ratcheting up tensions with some locals, who argue that there arent enough jobs or resources to accommodate the newcomers. What theyre doing now in Mexico is militarization of the border, said Perez Correa. To further reduce border crossings into the US, Mexico could either carry out mass deportations or offer more opportunities to migrants in its territory. Both scenarios seem unrealistic. Simply increasing deportations would go against Lopez Obradors policy which Sheinbaum inherited of trying to address the problems in their origin countries that pushed them to leave, and it would be an expense for Mexico. After Sheinbaums call with Trump, she reiterated her government offers migrants options for international protection in its territory or voluntary or assisted return to their countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second option doesnt seem feasible either: Most people want to go to the US, where they expect to have higher-paying jobs, more family or community support, and greater safety than in Mexico. Chemical Diversions Deaths related to fentanyl the cheap, synthetic opioid have reached epidemic levels in the US. Thats why reining in the flow of the drug was on Trumps list of demands. Should recent history be any indication, intervention is never simple. The US arrest of a Mexican alleged drug leader has led to prolonged shootouts in recent months. And in any case, some academics argue simply confiscating more drugs means traffickers learn to produce more, to meet US demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, Mexico has worked to improve its technical capabilities to detect illicit substances at its ports, especially precursor chemicals and fentanyl. The Navy has provided material and personnel to all ports for the fulfillment of these tasks, the personnel have the necessary training to be able to detect these substances, said Captain Jose Barradas in an interview at the Manzanillo port, in the state of Colima. All merchandise that arrives is prone to review under strict security protocols. Sheinbaum also picked former Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch to lead a new national security strategy, a move that was read inside Mexico as a signal of her willingness to increase enforcement in areas where the previous administration had been more hands-off. Theres more that could be done but it would be hard. Trying to seize these substances at ports is insufficient because synthetic drugs tend to be very small, making them more difficult to detect than traditional drugs, said Victoria Dittmar, researcher at Insight Crime. Those who produce them often innovate with their recipes and use new chemicals that are not illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexico can open collaboration paths with the private sector, with the chemical industry, because they know perfectly well its supply chains and the vulnerable areas where there could be diversions, she said. This collaboration is essential. Mexico can also work to identify intermediaries that connect fentanyl producers with chemical suppliers abroad and in the country, people who work in certain companies and are authorized to divert these substances, according to Dittmar. Still, the main weakness is not putting demand reduction as a priority, to prevent overdose deaths, Dittmar said. Its a shared responsibility. Its not just the fault of Mexico, the US or Canada, but its an issue that affects the entire North American region. A senior Mexican official said that the countrys actions to address drug trafficking have moved the nation in the direction of the fentanyl crackdown that Trump is demanding. The official cited a new law that will allow for coordinated intelligence efforts that is due to be implemented next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement History Repeats Its plausible that in the medium-term Trump will lower the intensity of his threats because a trade war would be the worst case scenario for both countries, said Tapia, the political scientist. But until then, she said, Sheinbaum is on trial as to how well she will do relative to her predecessor, who had a respectful relationship with Trump and often praised him. One strategy that Sheinbaum could pursue: Finding ways to give Trump the appearance of political victory. That was part of the rationale behind AMLOs deployment of the National Guard a move Trump still talks about now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We got thousands of Mexicans patrolling our border free of charge, he boasted at a recent event about his relationship with AMLO. Hes a socialist, Trump said. But these are minor details. --With assistance from Eric Martin, Carolina Millan and Ramsey Al-Rikabi. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Russell Vought, one of the chief architects of Project 2025 a conservative blueprint for the next presidency is no fan of the federal government that President-elect Donald Trump will soon lead. He believes "woke" civil servants and "so-called expert authorities" wield illegitimate power to block conservative White House directives from deep within federal agencies, and wants Trump to "bend or break" that bureaucracy to his will, he wrote in the second chapter of the Project 2025 playbook. Vought is a vocal proponent of a plan known as Schedule F, under which Trump would fire thousands of career civil servants with extensive experience in their fields and replace them with his own political loyalists, and of Christian nationalism, which would see American governance aligned with Christian teachings. Both are core tenets of Project 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout his campaign, Trump adamantly disavowed Project 2025, even though its policies overlapped with his and some of its authors worked in his first administration. He castigated anyone who suggested the blueprint, which polls showed was deeply unpopular among voters, represented his aims for the presidency. But last week, the president-elect nominated Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget, which oversees the White House budget and its policy agenda across the federal government. Read more: Project 2025, GOP platform blast California, teeing up critiques of Biden stand-ins Trump called Vought, who held the same role during his first term, an "aggressive cost cutter and deregulator" who "knows exactly how to dismantle the Deep State and end Weaponized Government." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nomination was one of several Trump has made since his election that have called into question his claims on the campaign trail that Project 2025 was not his playbook and held no sway over him or his plans for a second term. He selected Tom Homan, a Project 2025 contributor and former visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, the conservative organization behind the blueprint, as his "border czar." Trump named Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner also linked to Project 2025, as his deputy chief of staff for policy. Both also served in the first Trump administration. He also named Brendan Carr to serve on the Federal Communications Commission. Carr wrote a chapter of Project 2025 on the FCC, which regulates U.S. internet access and TV and radio networks, and has echoed Trump's claims that news broadcasters have engaged in political bias against Trump. Trump named John Ratcliffe as his pick for CIA director and Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada. Both are Project 2025 contributors. It has also been reported that the Trump transition team is filling lower-level government spots using a Project 2025 database of conservative candidates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the campaign Trump said that he knew "nothing about" Project 2025 and that he found some of its ideas "absolutely ridiculous and abysmal." In response to news in July that Project 2025's director, Paul Dans, was leaving his post, Trump campaign managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles whom the president-elect has since named his chief of staff issued a statement saying that "reports of Project 2025's demise would be greatly welcomed." Asked about Trump's selection of several people with Project 2025 connections to serve in his administration, Trump transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt responded with a statement, saying Trump "never had anything to do with Project 2025." "This has always been a lie pushed by the Democrats and the legacy media, but clearly the American people did not buy it because they overwhelmingly voted for President Trump to implement the promises that he made on the campaign trail," Leavitt wrote. "All of President Trump's cabinet nominees and appointments are whole-heartedly committed to President Trump's agenda, not the agenda of outside groups." Leavitt too has ties to Project 2025, having appeared in a training video for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to calling for much greater power in the hands of the president, Project 2025 calls for less federal intervention in certain areas including through the elimination of the Department of Education. It calls for much stricter immigration enforcement and mass deportations a policy priority of Trump's as well and rails against environmental protections, calling for the demolition of key environmental agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service. It calls for tougher restrictions on abortion and for the federal government to collect data on women who seek an abortion, and backs a slew of measures that would strip rights from LGBTQ+ people. For Trump's critics, his selections make it clear that his disavowal of the conservative playbook was nothing more than a campaign ploy to pacify voters who viewed the plan as too far to the right. It's an argument many were making before the election as well. Read more: Project 2025 plan calls for demolition of NOAA and National Weather Service Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are many of us who tried to sound the alarm bell before the election," when voters still had the power to keep such a plan from coming to fruition, said Ben Olinsky, senior vice president of structural reform and governance at the liberal Center for American Progress. Now, he said, he expects many of the more "draconian pieces" of Project 2025 to start being implemented given the nominees Trump has put forward. That includes Vought's plan to eviscerate the career civil service, the core of American government, by doing away with merit-based staffing in favor of loyalty-based appointments, Olinsky said. "We know what happened before there was a merit-based civil service. There was cronyism in American government, and we can look back through history and see that kind of graft and cronyism," Olinsky said. Filling the government with Trump loyalists will clear the way for more policies of Project 2025 to be implemented without resistance, Olinsky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olinsky said the Supreme Court and the Republican-controlled House have already proved they are not willing to stand up to Trump. There are "still some institutionalists" in the Senate soon to be controlled by Republicans, as well who could leverage their power to push back, he said, but it is not clear that they will. Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has signaled that he may be willing to do so: According to reports from his home state, he said at a local Chamber of Commerce event Tuesday that all presidents try to push policy through executive action, and that Congress sometimes will have to put the brakes on. In the end, Olinsky said, real resistance might come only once Americans start realizing that Trump's new government, stripped of all of its experts, is failing them in serious ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They do care about their Social Security checks being delivered. They do care about the nation being defended properly. They care that, when they turn on the faucet, they will drink water that won't sicken them and their kids," Olinsky said. "And that's what requires expertise." Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox three times per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Ismail Shakil and Tim Reid OTTAWA (Reuters) -U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he discussed the border, trade and energy in a "very productive" meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid fears of a trade war. Trudeau paid an unannounced visit to Florida on Friday evening and had dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence, days after Republican Trump pledged to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports after he is sworn in as president in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That pledge has raised fears of a trade war between the U.S. and two of its biggest trading partners. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum warned this week that Trump's tariff plan would have dire consequences for both countries and suggested possible retaliation. Trump wants to use tariffs as a tool to get Mexico and Canada to help stem the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S., particularly the deadly opioid fentanyl, and also migrants crossing illegally into the U.S. "We discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families," he added. Trudeau, in a post on social media X on Saturday, said he looked forward to the two working together. "Thanks for dinner last night, President Trump. I look forward to the work we can do together, again," Trudeau said. The prime minister's office did not respond to a request for comment about the meeting. A Canadian government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that it was a positive, wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours. On Friday, Trudeau said at a news conference in Canada he was taking the possible tariffs seriously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out," he said. Many economists have warned Trump's plan to impose tariffs on imports will increase costs for U.S. consumers. Trump has said tariffs on trading partners will help protect U.S. manufacturers and boost domestic job growth. In a separate post, Trump called on the so-called BRICS countries to commit to not creating a new currency or supporting another currency over the U.S. dollar. If those countries do so they will face "100% tariffs", Trump said. BRICS refers to original members of the intergovernmental group of economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. "We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy," Trump wrote. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa and Tim Reid in West Palm Beach, Florida; Additional reporting by David LjunggrenEditing by Nick Zieminski, Rod Nickel and Deepa Babington) President-elect Donald Trump had dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday evening at Mar-a-Lago. The meeting came just days after Trump promised massive hikes in tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada starting on the first day of his administration, specifically calling for a 25% tariff on all products sent to the US. As Trudeau left a hotel in West Palm Beach on Saturday, he said his dinner with the president-elect the night before was an excellent conversation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He did not stop to take further shouted questions about whether the two discussed tariffs or how hes feeling about his relationship with the US president-elect. Trump said Saturday that he and Trudeau had a very productive meeting and discussed a range of topics, including fentanyl crossing the border and the massive trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada. I just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, Trump wrote on Truth Social. We discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada. During an unrelated Friday morning news conference, Trudeau said he looks forward to having lots of great conversations with Trump and that the two will work together to meet some of the concerns and respond to some of the issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. Theres no question about it, Trudeau said Friday. Our responsibility is to point out that in this way he would be actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States; hed actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses. Some of Trumps Cabinet picks attended the dinner with Trudeau Friday evening, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum whom Trump has asked to serve as Interior secretary and his wife, Kathryn. Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, Trumps national security adviser pick, and Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick, his Commerce secretary pick, were also at the table with their spouses. Trudeaus chief of staff, Katie Telford, and Canadian Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc were also in attendance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadas Global News was first to report the list of who would be attending the dinner. Trumps promised tariffs Trumps punishing tariffs, if enacted, could wreak havoc on Americas supply chains and industries reliant on goods from the countrys closest trading partners. CNN previously reported that after the president-elects announcement, Trump and Trudeau had a brief call that was focused on border security and trade. A senior Canadian government source characterized the call as productive and told CNN that the two promised to stay in touch in the days to come. President-elect Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau - Getty Images During Trumps first administration, the US and Canada at times had a rocky relationship, particularly on the issue of trade. Trump used tariffs against Canada during negotiations over replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many US imports from Canada and Mexico are exempted from tariffs because of the USMCA trade agreement among the three nations that Trump pushed for during his first administration. Its not clear how Trump would plan to implement the proposed tariffs without violating the USMCA. Earlier this week, Trump spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for the first time following Trumps tariff announcement, but they have offered conflicting statements about the call. Trump said Wednesday that Sheinbaum agreed to shut down the US-Mexico border, but Sheinbaum on Thursday denied doing so. Sheinbaum has also suggested that Mexico would retaliate with counter-tariffs if Trump went through with his threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has faced backlash over his tariff proposal in the recent days, including from President Joe Biden, who called it counterproductive and warned it could begin to screw up the US relationships with Canada and Mexico. This story has been updated with additional reporting. CNNs Paula Newton, Kim Berryman, Kaanita Iyer and Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com After the Congress Working Committee (CWC) accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of "partisan functioning," party leader Harish Rawat on Saturday said the Election Commission, which is the pillar of democracy, is now under scrutiny. Speaking to ANI, Rawat said that the Congress did not lose the elections solely due to internal shortcomings but also due to an "invisible power" influencing the results. "The party chief (Mallikarjun Kharge) has clearly stated that we need to take corrective steps. However, it was also highlighted that our defeat was not just due to our own weaknesses but because of an invisible power at play. How can 70 lakh votes be cast within an hour? It's impossible. The Election Commission is the strength of democracy, but now there are questions being raised about its credibility--not just by Congress but by the common people as well," he said. On Friday, Congress alleged that the "integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised" and pledged to launch a "national movement" to address these concerns. "The Congress Working Committee (CWC) believes that the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections, a constitutional mandate, are being seriously questioned due to the partisan functioning of the Election Commission. Growing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will address these public concerns through a national movement," the party stated. The Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a significant setback in the recently concluded Maharashtra state elections, securing only 16 seats out of 288 assembly constituencies. Its ally, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), won 20 seats, while the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction managed just 10 seats. Meanwhile, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance emerged victorious, winning 132 seats. Its allies, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal also alleged electoral malpractices in the Haryana Assembly elections, claiming these influenced the outcome. "The CWC noted that the party's performance in Haryana was contrary to expectations. The Congress should have convincingly formed the government, but it didn't. Electoral malpractices played a role in influencing the result, which have been overlooked," Venugopal said. In Haryana, Congress suffered another defeat, with the BJP securing a third consecutive term by winning 48 seats in the 90-member assembly, while Congress managed only 37 seats. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also questioned the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming they have made the electoral process suspicious. (ANI) President-elect Trump confirmed his Friday meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling the conversation productive. I just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where we discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada, he wrote Saturday on Truth Social. I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China, he continued. Too much death and hardship! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump added that Trudeau made a commitment to work with the U.S. to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families. Other topics discussed, per the post, were energy, trade and the Arctic. All are vital issues that I will be addressing on my first days back in Office, and before, he concluded in the post. The Canadian leader thanked Trump for the visit in a post on social platform X Saturday afternoon. Thanks for dinner last night, President Trump. I look forward to the work we can do together, again, Trudeau wrote, paired with a photo of the two. The two also spoke on Tuesday, a day after Trump threatened a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, as well as a steeper tariff on products coming from China, in an effort to crack down on the movement of migrants and drugs, like fentanyl, into the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trudeau said the conversation was good after the phone call, signaling optimism when it comes to working with the president-elect when hes inaugurated in January. This is something that we can do, laying out the facts, moving forward in constructive ways, the prime minister said at the time. This is a relationship that we know takes a certain amount of working on, and thats what well do. Ahead of his trip to Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trudeau said he would make sure Canada remained on the right track. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also spoke with Trump following his tariff threat. While she too said the conversation was productive, she pushed back earlier this week on the president-elects claim that Mexico agreed to shut its border with the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We reiterate that Mexicos position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples, she wrote late Wednesday on X. Sheinbaum has also threatened to hit the incoming Trump administration with her own tariffs if his threat is executed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President-elect Trump may need to rely on acting secretaries to fill out his Cabinet as a number of key nominations draw significant concern from key GOP senators. When Senate confirmations are in limbo, especially if there is pushback from lawmakers, presidents can slip nominees into acting roles for at least 210 days. Trump did so across more than 20 Cabinet-level jobs in his first term. Trumps picks like Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for Health and Human Services secretary, among others, are sure to face some opposition from Senate Republicans. Hegseth, Kennedy, and Linda McMahon, the president-elects pick for Education secretary, all are expected to field questions from senators over allegations of sexual misconduct or enabling sexual abuse. Trumps original pick for attorney general, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), dropped out of the confirmation process just over a week after being named amid allegations of having sex with minors, which he has denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senators will question other nominees, like Gabbard, over if theyre qualified for the role or have any conflicts of interests. By February 2020, acting secretaries under the Trump administration served a total of 2,736 combined days, across 22 Cabinet-level jobs, according to a Washington Post analysis. During his first four years in office, Trump had acting officials serve more than three times as much as former President Obama had during his eight years in office. Under Obama, there were 2,202 combined days in which acting officials served. I could foresee a situation where he definitely does that, given that he has a record of doing it. one former Trump administration official said. I mean, Chad Wolf was there for how long? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official was referring to Wolfs extended stint as acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which lasted 14 months. Some lawmakers pointed in his direction as a prime example of why they are worried at the prospect of acting officials taking the helm of some departments and agencies because Wolf was unable to carry out parts of Trumps immigration plans. A federal judge in late 2020 invalidated his decision to limit work permits via the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for migrants illegally brought to the U.S. when they were children because Wolf did not have the legal authority to make such a move as acting secretary, rather than being confirmed by the Senate. Always a concern for that now, one Senate Republican told The Hill. Biden had several acting, [and] acting cannot make some decisions. The most glaring example of Trumps penchant for relying on acting heads centered around the Office of Management and Budget where Russell Vought served as acting director for a year and a half before winning full Senate confirmation. He served in that role while then-OMB Director Mick Mulvaney took on the role of acting White House chief of staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also relied on acting secretaries for sizable stretches elsewhere in his Cabinet. Patrick Shanahan became the longest-serving acting head of the Pentagon with his six-month tenure. Some took on big tasks, like Trumps last acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller who made a trip to Afghanistan in December 2020 while the Trump administration was working to reduce the U.S. military forces in the country following Trumps election defeat that year. Former Environmental Protection Agency Administer Andrew Wheeler eventually won full confirmation to lead the agency, but not before having the acting label attached for eight months. However, sources are indicating that Trump world and the transition team is more prepared for this go-around and not moving as haphazardly as 2017. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), a top Trump ally on Capitol Hill, said that the plan currently involves stacking departments and agencies to ensure that those underneath a potential acting secretary can keep them up and running effectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre going to see people that may be entering an agency that hasnt been there before, but the deputy secretary is going to be more experienced [and] more seasoned, Mullin said. Thats why youre going to see it stacked. Acting roles fall under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which means they are subject to its time limitations and can only run an agency for so long before needing Senate confirmation. Once a vacancy occurs, an acting official is able to serve for 210 days or nearly seven months in the role, with that timeline potentially expanding depending on the fate of a Senate confirmation process. If a nominee is rejected, the acting official may serve in the role for an additional 210 days, with the clock resetting while another nominee is under consideration. President Bidens acting labor secretary Julie Su, who was serving as deputy secretary before former Secretary Marty Walsh left the top post, was unable to win full Senate confirmation to succeed Walsh after moderate lawmakers refused to back her nomination, which also garnered universal GOP opposition. This has left her in her current posture throughout the remainder of the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She has been able to serve as acting secretary indefinitely though because she was already confirmed by the Senate for her role as deputy secretary, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said last year. Despite his history, some predict Trump wont rely on acting secretaries, given the GOP-control of the Senate by a three-vote margin. Presidents have generally only resorted to recess appointments and acting leaders after their own party has lost control of the Senate and theyre politically stuck, said Bruce Mehlman, a GOP lobbyist and former official under President George W. Bush. I suspect president-elect Trump intends to get his nominees confirmed by the GOP Senate. On top of that, selecting nominees that are sure to face tough confirmation fights brings their own challenges to the overall administration and can serve as a distraction from other top properties of the incoming president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second former administration official during Trumps first term warned that spending political capital to help controversial nominees puts the Trump agenda at risk. This is also related to the apparent bad decision to kick 2025 appropriations until next year with a CR. This will further complicate the confirmation process and take time and energy away from President Trumps real agenda, the second ex-official said. As in combat, conservation of resources should be a top concern. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Two former US Senate counsels are urging President-elect Donald Trump and officials not to avoid FBI checks for incoming cabinet picks. The former officials made the suggestion in a New York Times op-ed published on Friday. Some officials have suggested allowing private investigators to vet high-level nominees instead of the FBI, while some Republicans are balking at the idea, The Hill reported. Without nominees being scrutinized by the FBI, the danger is that neither lawmakers nor the public would know whether they are trustworthy or have issues that could compromise their ability to do the job or their loyalty to the United States,the former counsels Noah Bookbinder, who served as counsel for Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2005 to 2013, and Gregg Nunziata, who served as a counsel for the GOP members of the committee from 2005 to 2008 wrote in the newspaper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of last week, Trumps team had not signed the necessary documents that would allow the Department of Justice to conduct background checks on the nominees, according to The Hill. Efforts to bypass FBI background checks and even Senate confirmation itself via mass recess appointments, made by the president when the Senate is not in session, never would have flown with past iterations of the Judiciary Committee, regardless of which party was in charge, the men wrote. The Senate shouldnt stand for it now. It has been suggested that Trump may try to avoid FBI checks for his cabinet appointees (Getty Images) Shortly after winning the election, Trump advocated for recess appointments to get his picks in sooner than usual by foregoing Senate confirmation, a process that typically involves congressional hearings. If successful, Trump could set off a constitutional crisis. In our time working on the Judiciary Committee, we reviewed hundreds of nominations. Many nominees, like many Americans, had minor issues isolated drug use, fights, bad employment experiences but most of those incidents, while not ideal, never rose to the level of further investigation, wrote Bookbinder and Nunziata. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several of Trumps picks have come under scrutiny. Shortly after he won the election, Trump announced Fox News Host Pete Hegseth as his pick for secretary of defense and then-Florida congressman Matt Gaetz as his pick for US attorney general. Both of the men have faced sexual misconduct allegations. Gaetz has been accused of having sex with a minor in 2017 and Hegseth has been accused of assaulting a woman that same year. Both men deny the allegations and any accusations of wrongdoing. Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration last week. The writers concluded by urging officials to force the nominees to undergo the background check process before confirmation continues. At a time when there are fewer and fewer meaningful checks on presidential power, the need for rigorous Senate consideration of nominees is all the more important. Without it, the president and his appointees could run roughshod over the government and over Americans lives with no one challenging them, the pair wrote. Donald Trump named Jared Kushners father Charles as his ambassador to France Saturday. Trump announced the decision on Truth Social, where he wrote, I am pleased to nominate Charles Kushner, of New Jersey, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to France. He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests. Charlie is the Founder & Chairman of Kushner Companies, one of the largest & most successful privately held Real Estate firms in the Nation. He was recognized as New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, & served as a Commissioner, & Chairman, of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, as well as on the Boards of our top institutions, including NYU, Trump added. Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren. His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords. Together, we will strengthen Americas partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump previously issued a full pardon to Charles Kushner in 2020. In 2005, Kushner was convicted of making illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced to two years in prison at the Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama. The case was described by Chris Christie, who oversaw the proceedings, as one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, after Charles Kushner learned his brother-in-law was cooperating with authorities, he hired a sex worker to meet his brother-in-law in a motel room with a hidden camera. Charles then sent the recording to his own sister. Trumps pardon was announced Dec. 23, 2020. The White House explained, President Trump granted a full pardon to Charles Kushner. Former United States Attorney for the District of Utah Brett Tolman and the American Conservative Unions Matt Schlapp and David Safavian support a pardon of Mr. Kushner. Since completing his sentence in 2006, Mr. Kushner has been devoted to important philanthropic organizations and causes, such as Saint Barnabas Medical Center and United Cerebral Palsy. This record of reform and charity overshadows Mr. Kushners conviction and 2-year sentence for preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation, and making false statements to the FEC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles Kushner has made significant donations to Trumps presidential campaigns. His relationship to the president-elect was not referenced in the pardon. The post Trump Names Jared Kushners Father Ambassador to France appeared first on TheWrap. President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday that he was pleased to nominate Charles Kushner to serve as U.S. Ambassador to France in his upcoming administration. Charlie is the Founder & Chairman of Kushner Companies, one of the largest & most successful privately held Real Estate firms in the Nation, wrote Trump in a Truth Social post. Kushner is also the father of Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, married to Ivanka, and was pardoned by the president-elect in 2020 after he was convicted on federal charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together, we will strengthen Americas partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest!, added Trump. Kushners nomination, which must be confirmed by the Senate, comes on the heels of his son Jared announcing that he had no plans to serve in Trumps next administration. In 2005, Kushner pled guilty to 16 counts of tax evasion, retaliating against a federal witness and lying to the Federal Election Commission. He served 14 months at Federal Prison Camp in Montgomery, Alabama, before he was sent to a halfway house in Newark, New Jersey. The Daily Beast Podcast episodes are released every Thursday. Like and download on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. And click here for email updates as each new episode drops. A former member of Donald Trumps administration has warned fellow Republicans not to underestimate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as the liberal congresswoman is touted as a possible contender to lead the Democratic party. Speaking on Fox News on Friday, Monica Crowley, a former public affairs official in the Treasury Department during the first Trump administration, said AOC had real grassroots support through her early adoption of social media. The Democratic congresswoman, 35, is known for her leftist stance on multiple issues. In the ongoing aftermath of the partys historic defeat on November 5, many insiders have reportedly floated her name to lead the Democrats into 2028. Monica Crowley (right) has warned her fellow members of the Republican party not to underestimate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, after the New York congresswomans name has been floated as a possible contender to lead the Democrats in 2028 (Fox News The Ingraham Angle) Party members have been impressed with her ability to cut through the BS and tell it like it is, as one Democratic strategist told The Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crowley said that, though she believed AOC to be wrong on everything, the New York congresswoman was an early adopter of social media so shes connecting directly to voters. Just a word of warning to the Republicans, to my party: Do not underestimate AOC. Shes young, shes vibrant, shes attractive, Crowley said. I think shes wrong on everything, but she does have real grassroots support. And all of the energy and activism in the Democrat party remains with the revolutionary left, of which she is a part. Ocasio-Cortez has reportedly been touted as a contender to lead the Democrats in 2028 (Getty Images) However, not all agree with Crowleys assessment, even with the Democratic party. Political analyst Doug Schoen speaking on the same segment said the choice of AOC as leader could be a disaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Democrats dont want extreme left wing politics, Schoen said. I believe the Democratic Party needs to move to the center on cultural issues and on fiscal issues and be more fiscally disciplined. AOC represents the opposite, and I think if she runs, it would be a disaster for the party, and I think her chance of getting nominated would be nil. Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to pardon a vast swath of supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But his silence on the matter since winning the election has begun unsettling some fervent allies awaiting even the slightest signal from Trump about how he intends to turn his campaign rhetoric into reality. Federal judges overseeing Jan. 6 cases have been left to guess at Trumps plans. As a result, they have allowed nearly all cases to proceed, saying Trumps clemency plans are merely speculative. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have brought a handful of new Jan. 6 felony cases since Election Day, and theyve argued repeatedly against efforts by defendants to delay their cases to await Trumps inauguration. The Justice Department has charged more than 1,500 people for their roles in the riot. Throughout the 2024 campaign, Trump repeatedly said he would pardon many of them. But he left the specifics unclear, and never said whether he might leave in place some prosecutions, particularly against people who assaulted police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now that hes president-elect, his failure to say more has begun nagging at some of his die-hard supporters, who have engaged in a public guessing game on X about Trumps intentions. [H]onestly people have suffered for 4 years and many are still in flux and terrified. A word of reassurance from the top would go a long way for people, wrote Brandon Straka, a prominent Trump ally who spent three months in home detention after pleading guilty to Jan. 6 misdemeanors. The silence on the issue just exacerbates the victims anxiety. Hopefully some kind of messaging comes soon. Adding to the anxiety expressed by some Jan. 6 defendants is a statement from Trumps transition team that hinted at a far more limited approach than the sweeping pardons that many in Trumps base have demanded. "President Trump will make pardon decisions on a case-by-case basis, incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meaning of case-by-case has morphed into a raging debate among Jan. 6 defendants and their allies. It is just a phrase. Case by case, It isn't a policy, or a strategy, or anything, wrote Suzzanne Monk, a longtime advocate for Jan. 6 defendants. It is a catch phrase the media is using to push the only some will be pardoned narrative. In addition to the controversy over Trumps clemency plans, Jan. 6 defendants have also been puzzling over whether his pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, will be a reliable ally in shutting down the four-year criminal investigation into the attack on the Capitol, which disrupted the certification of Joe Bidens 2020 victory. John Lauro, one of Trumps personal lawyers, said in a recent interview with an advocate for Jan. 6 defendants that he has been close to Bondi for 35 years but has not discussed her views on the riot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know she will take this issue very seriously, Lauro said in the interview with Julie Kelly. Knowing her like I do, she will ensure every person in the criminal justice system has been dealt with fairly and justly. At times during the 2024 campaign, Trump suggested he would pardon virtually all Jan. 6 defendants, including those who assaulted police. At others, he has said he might not pardon those who got out of control. A spokesperson for Trump declined to address the concerns cropping up among Jan. 6 defendants, instead pointing POLITICO to Trumps comments during the campaign. The spokesperson, Steven Cheung, did not respond to requests for clarification about the scope of potential pardons by Trump. Trump reportedly considered a blanket pardon for those who stormed the Capitol in the final two weeks of his first term. But he ultimately opted against it. A federal judge Trump appointed during his first term recently criticized the notion that Trump might reconsider such a broad pardon in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other side of the ledger, two Trump allies in Congress Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) issued new calls this week for Trump to issue blanket pardons. Kelly, who has spoken with Trump and congressional Republicans about concerns with Jan. 6 prosecutions, has similarly called for a blanket pardon to address what she calls a blanket denial of the due process rights of Jan. 6 protesters. Kelly suggested that Trumps public silence belies an enormous amount of advocacy behind the scenes, but she said there are also political sensitivities about the notion of pardoning those with assault charges even though she believes many such pardons would be justified. Compounding the concern among some supporters is Trumps failed and short-lived bid to appoint former Florida lawmaker Matt Gaetz as attorney general. Gaetz has been among the most vocal figures in Washington calling for pardons for Jan. 6 defendants, and his selection was seen as a harbinger of Trumps plan to take the most aggressive approach possible. But Gaetz withdrew his name from contention after many Republicans questioned whether the scandal-plagued lawmaker could get confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi, Trumps new pick to lead the Justice Department, has said nothing publicly about Jan. 6, the perpetrators of the Capitol attack or whether she agrees with Trumps view of the riot. Monk, who is leading an effort called the J6 Pardon Project, has told allies she is working to open lines of communication with Bondi. In the meantime, Jan. 6 defendants and allies have continued hoping and speculating. We are literally holding our breath over here, hoping that my husband is under this pardon, said one ally, Kari Hoffman, who said her husband, Luke Hoffman, is in jail on bogus assault charges and called Trump a smart man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Cowboys for Trump head Couy Griffin, one of the first Jan. 6 defendants to go to trial, emphasized that Trump is responsible for the huge crowd assembling in Washington that day. The only reason that myself and a million others like me were in DC on January 6th is because@realDonaldTrump called us there. As the sitting President Donald Trump specifically told us that China had stolen the election, Griffin wrote. Now we sit on the edge of our seats in suspense as we pray to be relieved and rectified, Griffin added, calling the riot the greatest ENTRAPMENT in American history. President-elect Trumps choice for special envoy to the Russia-Ukraine war, Keith Kellogg, has offered fairly detailed proposals for ending the war that began almost three years ago. Trump has promised to end the war within a day of returning to the White House, and last week tapped Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who served as chief of staff on Trumps National Security Council, to lead that effort. In a research report co-written by Kellogg last May for the America First Policy Institute (AMFI), he called the war an avoidable tragedy caused in part by President Bidens incompetence as a world leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden Administrations risk-averse pattern in the armament of Ukraine coupled with a failure in diplomacy with Russia has prolonged the war in Ukraine, which now finds itself in a war of attrition with Russia, he wrote at the time. Bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties, Kellogg wrote in the report. The president-elect has said the war never would have started if he had remained in the White House, but has offered few specifics on how he intends to resolve it upon returning to power in January. Controversially, Kellogg has said that further U.S. aid to Ukraine should be conditional on Ukraines willingness to participate in peace talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to join these discussions, Kellogg recommended the president and other NATO leaders offer to delay Ukraines membership in the alliance in exchange for a peace deal with security guarantees. The Biden administration has not publicly pressured Ukraine into peace talks, but has been criticized for being too careful in giving Ukraine weapons systems necessary to push back Russia. The U.S. has not supported Ukraines immediate ascension into NATO, but has joined the alliance in committing to its eventual addition. Kellogg, like Trump, places a priority on keeping U.S. troops out of unnecessary and unending wars, while still projecting military strength. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It means working in alliances and with partners to promote regional security while requiring alliance members and allies to carry their full weight in defending security in the region, Kellogg wrote in the AMFI report. Kellogg has criticized the large amounts of money and weaponry aid given to Ukraine over the past two years, arguing in the report that it has depleted U.S. military supplies, its defense industrial base and risked the countrys military readiness. Advocating against sending arms and money to a stalemate, Kellogg said a formal U.S. policy is needed to bring the war to an end. This includes a policy to see a ceasefire and negotiated settlement of the Ukraine conflict. The United States would continue to arm Ukraine and strengthen its defenses to ensure Russia will make no further advances and will not attack again after a ceasefire or peace agreement, he suggested in the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has chosen New York real estate developer Charles Kushner to be his Ambassador to France, calling him a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker in a social media post. Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren, Trump wrote. His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords. Together, we will strengthen Americas partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest! All U.S. ambassador nominees must be confirmed by the Senate. If confirmed, Kushner would take over the role from Denise Campbell Bauer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 70-year-old business mogul is the founder of private real estate firm Kushner Companies and was also an attorney. His son Jared Kushner is married to Trumps daughter Ivanka and was a senior adviser to Trump during his first term. In 2005, the elder Kushner was convicted by a federal jury of making illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion and witness tampering. Former New Jersey governor and federal prosecutor Chris Christie brought the charges against Kushner, calling it one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes he ever prosecuted. Kushner served two years in prison before returning to his real estate business. Trump pardoned Kushner in 2020, just one month before the end of his first term. Frances relationship with the U.S. is particularly important on issues like trade and security, amid fears that Trump may pull the U.S. out of the NATO military alliance. Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney contributed reporting. Amid the ongoing dispute surrounding the Ajmer Dargah and a lawsuit claiming a Shiva temple exists within Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Rajasthan Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham stated that the petition is now in court, and the state government will follow whatever decision the court makes. While speaking to ANI, the Rajasthan Minister, Jawahar Singh Bedham said that Congress has always divided people by doing appeasement politics. "Congress has always divided people by doing appeasement politics. Our aim is to preserve the cultural identity. The state moves on the path of development. The petition has gone to court. Whatever decision will be taken by the court the state government will follow it," he said. Rajasthan Minister further addressed the issue of cow smuggling in the state, emphasising that strict actions are being taken to curb cow smuggling in the state. "After our government came to power in Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma had given strict instruction that any crime whether it is cow smuggling, paper leak mafia, or exploiting women and dalits would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken. Strict action has been taken against cow smugglers and such cases are almost going to be over. When anyone tries to break the law our police will take strict action. Strict action would be taken against any offenders," Bedham added. This statement follows after a Rajasthan court accepted a petition submitted by the Hindu Sena, which claims that Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a Shiva temple. Earlier, BJP leader and Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Speaker, Vasudev Devnani urged not to "politicise" the issue of a suit claiming Shiva temple within Ajmer Sharif Dargah. Speaking to ANI, on Saturday, he stated that the matter remains in court, and the decision is pending. He said, "This dispute is still in the court. The court has just issued notices. After that, the court will decide and whatever it says about the survey, everyone should follow it... I urge everyone not to politicise this matter... Many centres of faith have indeed been tampered with in the last 1100-1200 years. Let the court decide on those centres..." Regarding recent claims about mosques across the country, the Ajmer Dargah chief said, "What did (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat say in 2022? 'How long will you look for a shivling in every mosque'? The same was done inside Samhal. The consequences were that five innocent people lost their lives. Out of the five dead, two were the lone breadwinners." "How big is this setback (to their families)? They (authorities) do not have any remorse for it." On Wednesday, a local court in Ajmer directed that notice be issued to three parties in a civil suit that claims that there is a Shiva temple in the Dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, according to the plaintiff's advocate. (ANI) Donald Trump has selected his son-in-law Jared Kushners father, Charles Kushner, to serve as the next US ambassador to France, the president-elect announced Saturday. I am pleased to nominate Charles Kushner, of New Jersey, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to France. He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. The president-elect also noted the connection to Jared Kushner, who is married to Trumps daughter Ivanka. His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords, Trump wrote in his post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles Kushner, a real estate developer, was pardoned by Trump in 2020 following a 2005 conviction on federal charges. Chris Christie, who led the case as the US attorney for New Jersey, said in 2019 that Kushner committed one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes he had prosecuted. Kushner, who was under investigation at the time for making illegal campaign contributions, targeted his brother-in-law, William Schulder, a former employee turned witness for federal prosecutors in their case against the Democratic donor. As part of the plot, Kushner hired a prostitute to lure Schulder into having sex in a motel as a hidden camera rolled. A tape of the encounter was then sent to Kushners sister and Schulders wife. Ultimately, the intimidation stunt failed, and the woman turned on Kushner. Kushner pleaded guilty in 2005 to 16 counts of tax evasion, one count of retaliating against a federal witness and another count of lying to the Federal Election Commission. He was sentenced to two years in prison. Trumps announcement comes as Jared Kushner has said he doesnt plan on serving in the president-elects second administration. Kushner said at an event in Miami in February that hes been very clear in his desire to focus on his private equity firm at this phase in his life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kushner, however, is seen as being pivotal to the incoming administrations Middle East efforts, even though he is not likely to take a formal job within it, regional diplomats and Trump allies told CNN earlier this month. Since Trump left office in 2021, Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, have moved to Miami and largely exited politics. Kushner founded an investment fund, Affinity Partners, shortly after leaving Washington with major backing from sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf. During Trumps first tenure, Kushners fingerprints were on many, if not all, of the administrations agenda items, including immigration, relations with China, the Middle East and the White Houses coronavirus response. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Gregory Krieg, Kevin Liptak, Kylie Atwood and Ali Main contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Donald Trump plans to increase tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. The incoming chair of the New Democrat Coalition, Rep. Brad Schneider, joins The Weekend to discuss the Democrats fight ahead as Trumps tariff plan stirs troubles for the U.S. and its allies. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said that President-elect Trump wants to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal before inauguration day on Jan. 20, Axios reported on Friday. Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire that includes a hostage deal. He wants to see it happening now, Graham told Axios. I want people in Israel and in the region to know that Trump is focused on the hostages issue. He wants the killing to stop and the fighting to end, the senator added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grahams comments come after he returned from his second trip to the Middle East this month, and days after President Biden announced a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Isreal and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trumps transition team received briefings on the Lebanon ceasefire deal, which follows nearly 14 months of intensive rocket fire, airstrikes and an Israeli ground invasion into southern Lebanon. Amos Hochstein, Bidens lead negotiator on the ceasefire, led two briefings with Trumps national security team on the tenants of the deal which was announced on Tuesday and U.S. commitments including providing oversight of implementation. Trump has said Israel needs to finish the war quickly, though as with the Russia-Ukraine war has offered few specifics on his plans to end the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What I said very plainly is get it over with, and lets get back to peace and stop killing people, Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt in April. They have to get it done. Get it over with, and get it over with fast, because we have to, you have to get back to normalcy and peace. The Biden administration has made various efforts to bring an end to fighting in Gaza, arguing that Hamas leader Yayha Sinwars death last month offered a path to ending the fighting. Trump is widely seen as the favored U.S. counterpart for Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused of stifling international talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire deal in exchange for Hamas releasing some 100 hostages it took during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Graham also told Axios that Trump needs to reach a negotiation in Gaza before turning to other key foreign policy focuses, like a regional alliance against Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday that he intends to nominate Charles Kushner, his son-in-law Jared Kushners billionaire father, to be the next U.S. ambassador to France. Trump had pardoned the elder Kushner, a real estate scion, in the waning days of his first term for a mid-2000s felony conviction that landed Kushner in prison for more than a year. He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, saying Kushner would help strengthen Americas partnership with France, our oldest Ally, & one of our greatest! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump noted Kushners 1999 New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year title from the company Ernst & Young, along with other accomplishments that predated his legal downfall. Trump did not mention that Kushner donated$1 million in support of his successful 2024 White House bid. Following his conviction, Kushner, who had been a lawyer, was disbarred in three states: New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The charges revolved around tax evasion, illegal campaign finance contributions and retaliation against a witness his brother-in-law, who was cooperating with authorities. (Kushner tried to seduce him by hiring a sex worker and filming the resulting encounter; he later apologized.) Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren, Trump wrote. His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords. Jared Kushner married Trumps elder daughter, Ivanka Trump, in 2009. While the pair held key advisory positions in the first Trump administration, they are not expected to take part in the second. According to Forbes, the Kushner family is worth an estimated $7.1 billion, with real estate holdings that include Kushner Companies properties and those held by individual family members. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday he intends to nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner, father of Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trumps eldest daughter, Ivanka. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the mans wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, had sought. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trumps transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushners offenses one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. ___ Tucker reported from Newtown, Pennsylvania. President-elect Donald Trump is said to be hoping to secure an Israel-Gaza ceasefire before he takes office. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina confirmed the incoming presidents position in an Axios interview. Graham advises Trump on foreign policy and has just returned from a trip to the Middle East, where he met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Graham says Trump wants a deal to free the hostages and end the war as soon as possible, preferably before he takes office, Axios reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire that includes a hostage deal, Graham told Axios. He wants to see it happening now. I want people in Israel and in the region to know that Trump is focused on the hostages issue. He wants the killing to stop and the fighting to end. There are currently 101 hostages in Gaza, including seven American citizens. However, it is not known how many are still alive. President Joe Biden has declared his intentions to secure a deal before he leaves office but little to no recent progress suggests Trump could wind up steering the operation. Graham has advised Trump on foreign issues (AP) Its important the former president quickly reaches a deal, Graham said, so Trump can focus on other matters at hand like Israel-Saudi normalization and the regional alliance against Iran. Graham has objected to proposals for an indefinite Israeli occupation of Gaza, the outlet reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has claimed that with Trumps re-election, the country has an opportunity for voluntary immigration out of Palestine that could deplete the Palestinian population. To that, Graham said: I think he should talk to Trump and hear what he wants. If you havent spoken to him, I wouldnt put words in his mouth. Still, he added that a peace deal would not include a reoccupation of Gaza. The best insurance policy against Hamas is not an Israeli reoccupation of Gaza but a reform in the Palestinian society. The only ones who can do that are the Arab countries, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senator said he believes a ceasefire will be easily accomplished with Trump at the helm because world leaders fear him. If you are a bad guy and you are not afraid of Trump then you are also a dumb guy, he continued. Bad and dumb guys dont last long. In a phone call on Tuesday, Biden told Netanyahu he wants to reach a deal after the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. Netanyahu told the president he wants to try, Axios wrote. Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokesperson, told the outlet The American people trust him to lead our country and bring stability and peace back to the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he returns to the White House, he will take the necessary action to do just that. A Hamas delegation is heading to Cairo to discuss ideas for a hostage and ceasefire deal with Egyptian officials. Tulsa Mayor-elect Monroe Nichols has set an assertive course for his first 100 days in office, focusing on what he sees as the citys most pressing issues: homelessness, crime, and infrastructure. Nichols, who will assume office on Dec. 2, told The Frontier in an interview that eliminating homeless camps is a top priority. Homelessness in Tulsa County rose by 33% from 2021 to 2024, according to an annual count that identified 1,389 people without stable housing. My focus early is on getting bed space from an emergency and transitional standpoint, getting that up quick, making sure we have services online, and then working on decommissioning encampments, Nichols said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He cited evidence from Houston and Denver indicating that about 90% of homeless individuals will accept services if provided with suitable housing options after police have announced their encampments are being cleared. In Tulsa, 44% of people experiencing homelessness said a lack of affordable housing was a key factor in their situation. Outreach workers in other cities like San Francisco report that a majority of individuals decline alternative housing, often due to substance abuse challenges. Nichols said he has already begun conversations with housing officials to explore the use of properties, including hotels, to temporarily house those living on Tulsas streets. He says he is targeting an initial $4 million per-year investment of city dollars to house 300 people currently sleeping outdoors in the city, with a broader $10 million plan to scale up services and support. I want to make sure people arent sleeping outside, Nichols said. And I will say, for all the compassionate reasons why, there are some public safety reasons, too. In addition to reducing homelessness, Nichols says he intends to lower crime by using data-driven policing to target repeat offenders and crime hotspots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A small minority of folks are connected to a large body of crime. You see that with auto theft rings [and] violent crime, Nichols said. We need to do a really good job of deploying our resources to hotspots, places where we know we get calls at the times we know we get them. He also highlighted Tulsas rising sexual assault rate and said he will leverage the citys existing labs to address a rape kit backlog. FBI data shows reports of rape in Tulsa surged after the pandemic and have remained elevated, while homicides, robberies and property crimes have declined over the past decade. Roads and infrastructure are another priority. Nichols said he is already working on plans with city budget officials and will announce the details of projects that will begin right out of the gate in the coming weeks. The Frontier is a nonprofit newsroom that produces fearless journalism with impact in Oklahoma. Read more at www.readfrontier.org. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Homelessness, crime, infrastructure on new Tulsa mayor's checklist Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the United Nations is no longer an effective tool for global governance and should be reformed. Source: Ukrinform news agency, citing Erdogan, as reported by European Pravda Details: Erdogan believes that this reform should take place rapidly. "One of the key outcomes of World War II, which claimed millions of lives, was the establishment of the United Nations a broad platform designed to unite nations, both large and small. But can we continue to rely on the UN in its current form? No, we cannot. The UN requires a comprehensive reform," Erdogan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also added that the fate of countries "cannot be left in the hands of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council". Background: Earlier, Finland's President Alexander Stubb proposed expanding the UN Security Council, abolishing single-state veto powers, and suspending members involved in "illegal wars," citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an example. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda also expressed his belief in the need to reform the UN Security Council amid Russia's war against Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! Two people were killed and three others injured in a Russian drone attack on the Dniprovskyi district of the city of Kherson on Saturday, 30 November. Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration; Kherson Oblast Military Administration Details: At 16:05, Prokudin reported that a Kherson resident had been killed in the Russian drone attack on the Dniprovskyi district. A man, 46, sustained fatal injuries and died instantly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 17:24, Prokudin noted that another person had been killed in the Russian drone strike on the Dniprovskyi district. A woman, 48, sustained fatal injuries. Earlier, Kherson Oblast Military Administration reported that Russian forces had dropped explosives from a drone on civilians in Kherson's Dniprovskyi district at about 08:00 on Saturday. Three people sustained blast injuries and contusions: a woman, 50, and men, 46 and 52. Previously: On Saturday morning, the Russian military struck a bus stop in the settlement of Antonivka, a few kilometres from Kherson, leaving a civilian dead and another person injured. Support UP or become our patron! Defending government initiatives, Fadnavis stated that, according to data released by the Centre, Maharashtra is the only state that has recently witnessed a rise in its water table. "We cannot put an end to farmers' suicides until we resolve water issues. Maharashtra has consistently faced a 50 per cent water deficit, and water conservation is the only solution to this crisis," Fadnavis said. "In 2020, the central government produced a water table report that painted a very alarming picture. The water table had declined in all states across India, except Maharashtra, where it had risen. I believe the credit for this goes to the BJS, Aamir Khan's Paani Foundation, and Nana Patekar's Naam Foundation," he added. Farmers' suicides remain a significant concern in Maharashtra. During the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls, farmers expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of adequate support from government authorities. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, Maharashtra accounted for 37.6 per cent of all farmer suicides in the country in 2022. (ANI) For pollsters hoping to accurately forecast an election with Donald Trump at the top of the ticket, the third time may have been the charm but it was still somewhat unsatisfactory. Opinion researchers swung and missed in 2016 and 2020, systematically underestimating Trumps level of support. But in 2024, the polls corrected and both popular vote and swing state results landed within the margin of error for aggregate predictions. Pollsters argue that they finally cracked the challenge of pinning down Trump voters, an elusive segment of the polling population that has caused polls to veer off the mark in previous election cycles when Trump was on the ticket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past, we have had a lot of Trump supporters who have simply refused to answer our questions, said GOP pollster Whit Ayres. We call, I'm from the New York Times or The LA Times or The Washington Post, and I'm doing a survey, and they go, Well, to hell with you, click. This is not to say there werent flubs. Most notably, gold standard pollster Ann Selzer, who is legendary in the industry for being right, ending her long relationship with the Des Moines Register this year after her firm released a poll a few days before Election Day showing Vice President Kamala Harris beating Trump by 3 points in Iowa. The polls results were met with both shock and skepticism: even Harris campaign warned against reading too much into the results. Trump ultimately trounced Harris in Iowa by over 13 points. Since 2016, when the polls predicted a landslide victory for Hillary Clinton, pollsters have faced issues with undercounting Trumps base, a challenge unique to elections with Trump running, since polling was relatively accurate in the 2018 and 2022 midterms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turnout is typically higher in presidential election years especially among those in Trumps base who tend to distrust institutions and can be difficult to survey. The very same Trump voters who don't trust experts, don't trust the media, don't trust science also don't trust pollsters, said Democratic pollster Paul Maslin. And we found in several states that simply, they were opting out. In order to correct course, researchers this year jumped through a lot of hoops, Ayres said, in order to reach greater numbers of Trump voters and more accurately predict the outcome. They adjusted modeling of the likely electorate, weighted more heavily certain demographic groups, and adjusted their outreach strategy to non-college-educated voters, who tend to lean Republican. That manifested in final polling aggregates showing five of the swing states in a dead heat, with Trump having comfortable leads in Arizona and Nevada. The polls also accurately forecasted Trumps strength with white voters and Harris softness with Black and Latino men, which contributed to Trumps decisive victory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president-elect ended up sweeping all of the battlegrounds, an outcome pollsters attributed to undecided voters splitting unevenly and perhaps surprisingly toward Trump. If you look at the past, undecideds tended to not favor Republicans, said GOP pollster Brent Buchanan. This year, Trump benefited from undecideds. The results on election night, while not outside of what pollsters predicted, were still surprising in their sweep. In the lead-up to Nov. 5, many journalists and pundits braced for a long, drawn out process that would take days to resolve due to the closeness of the polls in swing states. Although the final vote counts were within poll aggregates margin of error across the battleground states, they still tended to undercount his support by about 3 points. That could be because Trump benefited from voters who made their decision at the last minute, after the final surveys were conducted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the final week of the campaign, Trumps campaign notched a coveted endorsement from Joe Rogan, to which Maslin attributed Trumps last-minute surge. Buchanans models showed Trump up by 3 points among voters who made their choice in the last week of the election. Pollsters have largely blamed Trump as the variable driving inaccuracies in 2016 and 2020. It's a Trump issue, not a Republican issue, said Ayres, who has four decades of GOP polling experience. Looking toward 2028 the first presidential election without Trump in a dozen years Eyres predicted we can reasonably expect whatever problems we had getting Trump voters to go away. Others werent so sure. It's not like, Oh, great, fine, polling was pretty good this time we can put this to bed, Maslin said. No, of course not. It's an ongoing question. It will continue to be, and it should be. DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) One man and one teen lost their lives in a triple shooting in Danville this past Wednesday. On Nov. 27, a shooting occurred in the 1900 block of E Main St. at around 2:45 p.m. The initial reports were that one victim was found on scene, two were transported to local hospitals by personal vehicles and that there was no status on the condition of the victims. In cooperation with Vermilion County Coroner Jane McFadden, the Danville Police Department is releasing that two of the people involved in the shooting are now deceased. 33-year-old Keith G. Stone of Danville and a 17-year-old juvenile were both killed in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Water main break causes University Ave. to ice over in Urbana A third victim who was also involved has been released from the hospital. According to McFadden, autopsies are currently pending. Illinois State Police assisted Danville PD in processing the crime scene and gathering evidence. Danville PD continues to work with leads and gather more evidence. The department said the need for the public to reach out with information about this situation is crucial. A lot of the information already gathered has been through members of the community. The department is asking anyone that can provide more information to contact them at 217-431-2250. People can also leave tips anonymously to Vermilion County Crime Stoppers at vccrimestoppers.org, on the P3 app or by calling 217-446-8477. Crime Stoppers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. GRUNDY COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD) A Father and son have been identified as those killed in a roll-over crash in LaSalle County. Daniel Wilson, 57, and Drew Wilson, 24, of Pontiac, were pronounced dead shortly after they arrived at Morris Hospital. The crash occurred at approximately 11:34 a.m. on Thursday, near the intersection of Illinois Route 170 & N 19th Road, said John Callahan, the Grundy County Coroner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daniel Wilson was driving the vehicle with his son in it, headed northbound on Illinois Route 170 as the vehicle approached the intersection with North 19 Road, when a vehicle headed westbound struck the Wilsons vehicle, Callahan said. The wreck made both vehicles travel and rest in the northwest corner of the intersection, he said. The crash remains under investigation. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. Ukrainian air defenses shot down eight out of 10 Russian drones launched overnight on Nov. 30, Ukraine's Air Force reported. Russia targeted Ukraine with Iranian-designed Shahed drones and an unspecified type of drone launched from the Russian oblasts of Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, according to the Air Force. The drones were downed over Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipro, and Kherson oblasts, the Air Force said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia has launched drone attacks against Ukraine daily in the past couple of months in what experts said was a tactic to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses ahead of larger-scale strikes targeting energy infrastructure ahead of winter. On Nov. 28, Russia launched more than 180 drones and missiles at Ukraine, striking a "massive blow" at Ukraine's power grid, according to the energy minister. No casualties were reported in relation to the overnight drone attack. Over the past day, at least two people were killed and six injured due to other attacks launched by Russia, local authorities reported. At least one person was killed and six others were wounded in Kherson Oblast over the past day, according to the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Kharkiv Oblast, one man was killed in an aviation bomb attack on Kupiansk district, according to the regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov. According to the Air Force, Ukraine has detected a total of almost 1 million aerial targets in its airspace since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The number includes more than 175,000 cases of airplane detection, 100,000 helicopters, 57,000 drones, and more than 13,000 missiles of various types. Read also: Its excruciating Ukrainians describe surviving Russian attacks that cost them health, loved ones, and homes Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Fresh Ukrainian troops are being redeployed to the heavily threatened front-line regions of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove, while Ukraine's president said he could agree to a ceasefire if NATO agrees to protect areas under Ukrainian control. The new deployments are in response to the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine, Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced on Friday. They are tasked with thwarting the enemys broader plans, "which go far beyond these front line sections," Syrskyi stated on Facebook. Pokrovsk and Kurakhove, on the western edge of the Donbass mining and industrial region, are seeing the fiercest battles, the General Staff's Friday report revealed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond them stretches a vast steppe landscape leading to the Dnipro River. A Russian breakthrough here could pave the way to key cities such as Dnipro and Zaporizhzhya. Ukraine has been defending against Russias large-scale invasion for more than two and a half years. Zelensky proposes phased NATO protection On the diplomatic front, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine could agree to a ceasefire with Russia if NATO extends its protection to the parts of the country controlled by Ukraine. "If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelensky said in an interview on Friday with the British TV channel Sky News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We need to do it fast. And then on the [occupied] territory of Ukraine, Ukraine can get them back in a diplomatic way." A NATO invitation would still need to be extended to the whole of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, he said. His country's constitution does not allow recognition of Russian-occupied territories. Scholz reiterates support German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again assured Zelensky of Germany's solidarity in a telephone call on Friday. "We will continue our military support for Ukraine in close coordination with our European and international partners," Scholz said in a post of X after the call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the phone call, Zelensky thanked Scholz for Germany's help and support, particularly with air defence weapons, in a post on his Telegram channel. He said Scholz informed him of the chancellor's recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky wrote that peace "can only be achieved through strength." He had previously criticized the Scholz-Putin phone call. Russian defence minister in North Korea Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, meanwhile, reaffirmed the good relations between his country and North Korea at a meeting with his counterpart No Kwang Chol in Pyongyang. The Russian state news agency TASS reported on Friday that Belousov had stated cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang in the military field is actively expanding. The two recently signed a strategic partnership treaty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pyongyang is said not only to have supplied Moscow with artillery ammunition and missiles, but also to have sent more than 10,000 soldiers to the war zone on Russia's border with Ukraine. General: Ukraine energy at risk German Major General Christian Freuding, the military chief coordinator of the German Ukraine Aid organization, sees the energy supply in Ukraine as being increasingly at risk due to targeted Russian attacks. Freuding also made it clear that he does not expect the early winter weather in the combat zones to provide much relief for the country's defenders. The effects of the so-called mud season before the onset of hard frost had "not been as severe" in the Donbass region as in the past two winters, he said in a Bundeswehr video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further deliveries of spare parts and generators are needed, as is material support for the Ukrainian military. He mentioned equipping newly formed units, as well as air defence and anti-aircraft defence. "The will of the Ukrainian population and the Ukrainian military to win this war remains unbroken. But of course there is exhaustion," said Freuding. Bodies of soldiers exchanged The bodies of 502 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the fight against the Russian invasion were returned by Russian on Friday as part of an exchange mediated by the International Red Cross. Most were killed in Ukraine, according to the Coordination Staff for Prisoner of War Matters, but 17 were killed in Russia, where Ukrain had advanced in the border region of Kursk. According to Russian media reports, Russia received the bodies of 48 Russian soldiers in return. Air defence has downed eight Russian drones on the night of 29-30 November. Source: Ukraines Air Force Details: The Russians launched a total of 10 attack drones from Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. As a result of the combat efforts, eight Russian drones were downed over Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson oblasts. One drone disappeared from radar and another flew toward temporarily occupied territory. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that F-16 fighter jets had effectively destroyed seven cruise missiles that were heading toward civilian targets overnight. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with British channel Sky News Details: Zelenskyy said that despite the limited number of F-16s Ukraine currently has, their effectiveness in combating Russian air threats is high. Quote: "How do F-16s work today? Very good. Excellent, mostly. We have a very [small] number of F-16s. What do they do now? They destroyed seven cruise missiles two nights ago. Seven missiles that [targeted] civilian infrastructure." Background: On 20 November, the Netherlands announced the delivery of the last two F-16 fighter jets to a training centre at the Romanian air base of Fatesti. Support UP or become our patron! Ukraine's ambassador to Germany is hoping that Russia's war against Ukraine will be a topic in the upcoming parliamentary elections and warned against drawing red lines over support for his country. "Action is needed today more than ever. And that is what I expect from the democratic parties in this election campaign," Oleksii Makeiev said in an interview with dpa published on Saturday. "I believe it is wrong to draw red lines around oneself and not in front of the enemy and the aggressor." Taurus controversy an election issue? Support for Ukraine is contentious among the parties represented in the lower house of parliament or Bundestag. While the Social Democrats (SPD) of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Greens, the pro-business Free Democrats and the conservative CDU/CSU are committed to large-scale arms deliveries, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the new populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) party and The Left are against it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, there are also differences among the parties supporting Ukraine aid. The SPD's Scholz opposes the delivery of the Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometres. The other three main parties, the Greens, the FDP and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) support the deliveries. Makeiev urged that Ukraine be supported without restrictions in its defensive struggle against Russia. "All restrictions that have existed for almost three years must be lifted," he said, adding that "Russia will not be stopped by talks or diplomacy alone." Makeiev criticizes Scholz's call with Putin The ambassador also criticized the chancellor's telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in mid-November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If such talks are followed by airstrikes every time on the second day, then please no," he said. Scholz had spoken with Putin on November 15 for the first time in nearly two years. Shortly afterwards, the Russian armed forces intensified their attacks on Ukraine. "We have seen that Russia and Putin do not rely on discussions but rather on severe actions," the ambassador said, saying Scholz had also recognized this. Russia must now be forced by "hard facts" to withdraw from Ukraine, Makeiev said. Ukraine's ambassador to Germany is hoping that Russia's war against Ukraine will be a topic in the upcoming parliamentary elections and warned against drawing red lines over support for his country. "Action is needed today more than ever. And that is what I expect from the democratic parties in this election campaign," Oleksii Makeiev said in an interview with dpa published on Saturday. "I believe it is wrong to draw red lines around oneself and not in front of the enemy and the aggressor." Taurus controversy an election issue? Support for Ukraine is contentious among the parties represented in the lower house of parliament or Bundestag. While the Social Democrats (SPD) of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Greens, the pro-business Free Democrats and the conservative CDU/CSU are committed to large-scale arms deliveries, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the new populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) party and The Left are against it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, there are also differences among the parties supporting Ukraine aid. The SPD's Scholz opposes the delivery of the Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometres. The other three main parties, the Greens, the FDP and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) support the deliveries. Makeiev urged that Ukraine be supported without restrictions in its defensive struggle against Russia. "All restrictions that have existed for almost three years must be lifted," he said, adding that "Russia will not be stopped by talks or diplomacy alone." Oleksii Makeiev, Ukraines Ambassador to Germany, would like the Russian war against Ukraine to be a topic of the election campaign in Germany but has warned against drawing red lines in assistance to Kyiv. Source: ZDF with reference to Makeievs interview with dpa Details: Makeiev expects the German democratic parties to take more active steps to support Ukraine. Quote from Makeiev: "Today, more than ever, we need action. And this is what I expect from the democratic parties in this election campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe that it is wrong to draw red lines around ourselves, but not in front of the enemy and aggressor." Background: Earlier, Robert Habeck, German Vice Chancellor, Minister of Economy and co-leader of the Greens, criticised Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his reluctance to provide Ukraine with long-range Taurus cruise missiles and expressed regret that decisions on new weapons had been made "always too late" in the past. The Taurus debate has emerged again after the US authorised Ukraine to carry out strikes on Russia with long-range weapons and Germany is approaching early elections. Friedrich Merz, the leader of the largest opposition party, the CDU, who has a good chance of becoming the next chancellor, is in favour of the Taurus transfer. The CDUs coalition partners are also in favour of the decision, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz insists that he will not do so. Also, more than 60% of Germans are against providing Ukraine with Taurus. Support UP or become our patron! According to officials, the accident occured near Andheri on Saturday afternoon. The bus was coming from Siliguri and going to Gangtok. "Four people were killed and their bodies have been recovered and sent for post-mortem examination," Kalimpong SP Shrihari Pandey said. A few others were also injured in the accident and have been admitted to a hospital, he added. Further details are awaited. (ANI) Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has visited the front line and held working meetings on the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts in Donetsk Oblast. Source: Syrskyi on Telegram Details: Reportedly, the purpose of the trip was to communicate personally with commanders, solve problems, and provide comprehensive assistance. Quote from Syrskyi: "They demonstrate innovative and technological superiority over the enemy on the battlefield. Their skills in defending Ukraine are recognised both by the citizens of our country and internationally by our partners and allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I awarded the servicemen of the 414th Separate Unmanned Attack Aerial Systems Regiment also known as Madyars Birds [named after its founder and commander, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi ed.]. I am convinced that the soldiers of Madyars Birds will continue to apply innovative approaches and share best practices with other Ukrainian soldiers in order to defeat Russian occupiers!" Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian poet, prose writer, and screenwriter Myroslav Herasymovych was killed in action on Nov. 25 in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, according to his brothers Facebook post. Herasymovych, born in Lutsk on 29 November 1967, died just days before his 57th birthday. He was a graduate of the Taras Shevchenko National University's Faculty of Journalism. "In the battle with Russia, my brother, Myroslav, gave away his life in the city of Avdiivka, his brother Taras Kulyk shared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 100 Ukrainian artists have been killed since 2022, according to the writers association PEN Ukraine. Read also: UNESCO condemns recent Russian attack on historic center of Odesa Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Tristan Ahtone Grist Across the globe, Indigenous peoples looking to protect their land, resources, and culture from green energy projects are turning to the same multifaceted entity to help them: the United Nations. The international arena makes sense. With little recourse in the courts systems of the countries that colonized them, the U.N. provides an important legal pathway, especially when it comes to development projects in Indigenous homelands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This dynamic has become increasingly visible in the Nordic nations, where a public reputation for respecting human rights has clashed with those countries treatment of Indigenous Sami peoples: In Norway, the government has had to pay millions for violating the rights of Sami reindeer herders by illegally building a massive onshore wind park, while in Sweden, a proposed iron mine threatens to upend Sami protections of a UNESCO world heritage site that is also critical to supporting traditional culture and livelihoods. And just last week, two different U.N. committees found that Finland violated the rights of the Sami by granting mineral exploration permits in Finnish Sapmi the homelands of the Sami peoples that cross Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The decisions, released by the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child and the U.N. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, found that Finland violated the rights of the Sami, specifically their right to culture and land, by granting exploration permits without conducting an impact assessment or securing the communitys free, prior, and informed consent, or FPIC an international legal statute that requires states to cooperate with Indigenous peoples when adopting legislation, or undertaking projects, that could affect their rights. The case was brought to the U.N. by three Sami sisters, aged 13, 15 and 16 at the time of the first filing in 2021 after the Geological Survey of Finland, a government agency, applied for permits to explore for gold, copper, and iron in Sami reindeer herding areas. In the years since, applications to survey for transition minerals like nickel, copper, and cobalt have also been filed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three sisters are members of a reindeer herding family from the Kova-Labba Siida, a traditional reindeer herding village. Siidas make up a larger herding cooperative and are critical units when it comes to collective decision-making in the area. According to the sisters and the Sami Parliament the representative body for Sami peoples in Finland while the states geological agency met with that reindeer herding cooperative to discuss the permits, they did not meet with members of the siida, effectively sidestepping traditional governance structures. On Thursday, those arguments were endorsed by the U.N., with experts writing: The granting of the permit despite their consistent opposition and in the absence of impact assessment, infringes their right to preserve their identity as Sami. Grist spoke with Nakkalajarvi about what the recent findings could mean for Indigenous rights and climate change. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Q. It seems pretty clear that the state would not have received the free, prior, and informed consent of the community to begin these mining projects. However, if they were to at least engage in good faith, what should they have been doing? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A. Finnish law stipulates that authorities should do an impact assessment and do it properly. But weve seen for over 10 years, maybe 15, that the authorities are not doing it, and thats one of the issues at the center of these cases as well: Its been the assessment of the Sami parliament in Finland for a long time that proper impact assessments are systematically not conducted for mining projects. Perhaps also theres limited capability on the authorities side to do them effectively: They dont understand Sami culture, especially reindeer herding. Another issue is that although the authorities claim that they have conducted an FPIC process and they have heard from, for example, the reindeer herding cooperative, it is not enough, especially where traditional Sami reindeer herding is practiced. Traditional reindeer herding is a way of organizing work and is a way of making decisions. It is based on these siida units, which are family units usually, and are smaller units than the reindeer herding cooperatives. Finlands laws fail to recognize those traditional structures and they fail to listen to the siidas and their participants. The result is that Finland is now violating Indigenous rights and International human rights conventions and one of the recent U.N. decisions says that FPIC should reach all the way to the siida level, that under international law it should be done that way. That is great because for decades weve been trying to get our traditional Sami reindeer herding recognized in Finnish legislation, and perhaps this will help in that effort. Q. You say that authorities may not be culturally competent to handle these impact assessments. What, for example, would they see if they engaged more fully with communities and took a more comprehensive approach? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A. Were talking about an Indigenous culture that has a strong connection to the land. Its not just a livelihood, everything is connected to everything: Our livelihoods carry our family languages, our culture, our customs. In one of the decisions, it was described that the children in question are learning our handicrafts, joiking, which is our singing tradition, and these traditions also in turn carry the traditional knowledge of our livelihoods. Everything is so holistically connected that you should have this kind of review when you make an impact assessment, and I think this is the capability that unfortunately is lacking on the authorities side. Hopefully these findings will help them to understand, first of all, that FPIC is real and you have to do it, and that in an Indigenous culture it is truly holistic and you have to consider different perspectives and speak to the relevant units. This is actually a recurring theme, for example, when weve been speaking with the Finnish military. Now that Finland is part of NATO and we have seen NATO military exercises here in the north, the military struggles to understand who they need to speak with and negotiate with. Its not enough to speak with the reindeer herding cooperative. While they are very much like an administrative umbrella organization, the real work and real decisions are made in the siida units. Its our way of organizing and its a centuries-old system thats alive in our reindeer herding communities, but the authorities fail to recognize it. Q. The complaint makes clear that while these projects are linked to the green transition, they also compound the effects of climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A. We are suffering from the impacts of climate change here. Everything is changing so fast: Our winters are changing, our summers are changing, and temperatures are rising three to four times faster than the global average. But we also suffer from the mitigation efforts, the so-called green transition, which means that nation-states are trying to open mines and build windmills in our territories. Its a double burden, especially on our traditional livelihoods, not just reindeer herding. Its fishing, hunting, handicrafts gathering; they all suffer from climate change and then we suffer from the large-scale industrial projects that are imposed on us. We think that this is wrong because our actions have done little to cause climate change, and in contrast, weve been trying to preserve and safeguard our lands for the next generations. It feels ironic that now that the Western world has failed to look over its environment and its nature, they then turn their eyes to our air, our land, and our territory that weve been protecting for centuries and we pay the price. Q. What are the next steps in this process? A. We just got these decisions so we are analyzing what it means, but one of the actions that we hope the state parties will take from this is that FPIC needs to be respected and implemented in all decision-making that concerns mining legislation, the associated agencies, and in the courts. Were also looking into the required changes to Finnish legislation because one of the decisions says that Finland should start an amendment of legislation to recognize Sami collective land rights. So I think these decisions are huge, they are really landmark decisions here in Finland and can have a big impact. Maybe this opens the eyes of the authorities and the government and parliament to understand what FPIC really means. Q. But because U.N. decisions are essentially impossible to enforce, the next steps require a government thats open to engaging with these decisions? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A. Yes, thats correct. When we start analyzing these decisions and exploring what other immediate actions we can push for, well need to look at the wider, more long-term impacts, and whether there are some changes that are needed to mining legislation, or if its more a question of the various bodies and authorities to actually start implementing FPIC in accordance with existing law. But we have very good connections to the Finnish government. In the last administration we had Sanna-Marins left-wing government and they were very friendly to many of our causes and open to support many of our objectives but in reality, it was very difficult to push improvements. Our efforts now are proceeding very well under this current conservative government. We are looking at movement and some improvement, but its going to be interesting to see what the lawyers say when they have had time to think about these new decisions. Q. What are the wider implications of these decisions for Indigenous peoples outside of Finland? A. I think these cases and the decisions really shed light to the very basic things that we have always known: that Indigenous peoples have inherent rights. Weve always had them. We will have them after the nation-states fail, and we have to remember that we have to defend those rights, court by court and case by case, and show the world that these rights are real and that there are certain processes that need to be respected. Nation-states need to learn what those rights mean, what FPIC is, that it is real, and it has to be respected and implemented. We hope that all of these cases inspire other Indigenous peoples and perhaps also provide hope that you should never give up: Always seek the next opportunity where you can take your case and seek help. We are, of course, very, very grateful for all the help and support from the international community and other Indigenous peoples in this fight, and we feel that were not alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ill also say another thing about these cases: These are very special because Indigenous children and youngsters are at the center of them. I think they illustrate the crux of our thinking: that these lands are not just for our generation to enjoy and deplete, but that we have to think about the next generations and their opportunities to live off these lands and continue our traditions and continue our traditional livelihoods. Maybe this is also an eye-opener that it is the Committee on the Rights of the Child that has taken a very strong stand on these issues. Our children are part of reindeer work as soon as they can walk, they come and take part in it and help and learn, and this is the way we pass on our traditions, and this is why we have preserved these lands. They learn the same principle that its not just for them but for the generations to come. So in this case, these are very special decisions and I admire the Sami families who were so courageous and dared to go into these processes because theyre very uncertain and take a lot of time and a lot of work. Im very, very proud of our people for doing this. On the other hand, its really heartbreaking to think that our youth have to spend so much time defending the environment and working on climate change issues, for example in the Fosen case, and in these particular decisions these are indeed children who are the complainants. We adults should be taking responsibility. But its amazing that our children and our young people really understand the severity of the situation that many of the adults fail to see, so we need to listen to them. One of the decisions said that as part of the FPIC processes, governments should also listen to children and young people, and I think thats a very promising direction because they live with the future consequences of climate change. So Im a bit conflicted on a personal level: I think that we adults should be doing the work and carrying the responsibility, but then on the other hand, we have to listen to what our children and youngsters say because they understand everything so much better than many of us. Q. Do you think there will be implications for companies hoping to come to Sampi for future development projects? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A. We hope that these cases send a clear message to companies looking to develop in or conduct explorations in the Sami homeland. Because our rights are so strong here and because they will face mobilization if they come here, hopefully they will conclude that it wont pay off to be here. Its quite a huge reputational risk to your company, especially if you are claiming to be sustainable and if youre claiming to develop or support the green transition. So I think that these companies are also kind of calculating having to go to the courts and what getting these kinds of decisions from the U.N. treaty bodies would do to their brands and to their reputations. How can you talk about sustainability if you end up violating human rights? Sustainability is an empty word if you dont respect and implement Indigenous rights here in our homelands. There are plenty of big cruise ships that will take you to top Mediterranean destinations but smaller vessels are offering new options to visit more intimate islands. Star Clippers has added seven new ports to its summer 2026 schedule, giving cruise passengers access to sites that cruise ships rarely visit. The brand operates tall ships complete with sails, dedicated to the clipper ships that once dominated the seas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than holding thousands of passengers, its fleet transports a couple of hundred, providing a small ship experience and giving access to smaller islands that larger ships cant reach. Star Flyer, which has capacity for up to 166 passengers and 74 crew, will visit the ancient city of Ouranoupolis in the Greek Halkidiki region during a Greek islands sailing in June 2026. Passengers can explore an abandoned 12th-century monastery and the ruins of the Agios Nikolaos church. A seven-night sailing on Star Flyer departing from Athens throughout summer 2026 starts at 1,683 per person. Meanwhile Royal Clipper, which caters for 227 guests, will visit Pesaro in Italy as a tender port in September 2026, giving cruisers the opportunity for day trips to San Marino one of the smallest countries in the world as well as the Unesco-recognised town of Urbino. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other new ports include Sibenik in Croatia, Gythio in Greece and Crotone, Monopoli and Barletta in Italy. Prices for a three-night cruise on Royal Clipper departing from Rome on 9 September 2026 start from 788 per person. Fay McCormack, general manager of Star Clippers UK, said: We are delighted to offer seven new ports of call within our summer 2026 programme. For over 30 years our unique tall-ships have allowed guests to explore smaller, intimate destinations and we are thrilled to continue offering incredible new ports to visit. If you want an even smaller ship experience and have a big budget, micro cruise brand Secret Atlas, which travels with just 12 guests, has launched two new Arctic expeditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Passengers can sail with photographer and TV personality Amos Nachoun on a 15-day Summer Svalbard Wildlife Tour that departs from Longyearbyen on 13 June 2025 and follows the wildlife such as whales and polar bears along the west coast of Spitsbergen. Prices start from 19,500 per person. Secret Atlas also offers a 14-day Northeast Greenland National Park Micro Cruise, departing on 27 August to explore the stunning Scoresbysund fjord system. Prices start from 15,500 per person but include a return charter flight to Constable Point, airport dinner and one night in an Iceland hotel on return. Nov. 29CROOKSTON, Minn. The inaugural lecture in a new University of Minnesota Crookston series honoring a key agriculture figure in Minnesota will focus on geopolitics and its intersection with agriculture. The goal is to discuss how those in rural communities can work together to push the field forward. U of M Crookston Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause wants the event to show people how changes in geopolitics can impact local and nationwide agriculture. "When something happens, it affects other sectors across the United States," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Changing Geopolitical Landscape and Opportunities for Agriculture" will be the inaugural lecture for the series, scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Bede Ballroom on the U of M Crookston campus. The lecture series, which will encourage interaction and collaboration between people in the agriculture ecosystem, will start with a conversation about co-creating new ideas to advance agriculture and rural communities, a press release announcing the event said. It will feature a tribute to its namesake, Bob Bergland, by USDA Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack. Bergland was a Minnesota House of Representatives member from 1971 to 1977 and United States secretary of agriculture from 1977 to 1981. He also served as an official of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Science for the Department of Agriculture from 1963 to 1968 and, while a representative, served on subcommittees for conservation and credit, and livestock, grains, dairy and poultry. Bergland died in 2018 and is the namesake for U of M Crookston's laboratory building. "The Bergland family is very honored and proud to have this lecture series named after him," Diane Dahl, Bergland's daughter, said in the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lecture will be provided by Jacob Shapiro, head of Geopolitics and Macro Research at Bespoke a multi-family office serving families and entrepreneurs and host of "The Jacob Shapiro Podcast," which focuses on interviews about geopolitics, agriculture, technology and other fields. "I've heard him speak, and it's just absolutely fascinating," Holz-Clause said. Following Shapiro's lecture will be a breakout discussion about the future of the agriculture ecosystem. Those interested in attending the lecture can RSVP to Chris Winjum at cwinjum@umn.edu or by calling 218-281-8343 by Monday, Dec. 2. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of spare parts for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan for an estimated $385 million, the Pentagon said on Friday, a day before Taiwan President Lai Ching-te starts a sensitive Pacific trip. The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to the constant anger of Beijing. Democratically governed Taiwan rejects China's claims of sovereignty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China has been stepping up military pressure against Taiwan, including two rounds of war games this year, and security sources have told Reuters that Beijing may hold more to coincide with Lai's tour of the Pacific, which includes stopovers in Hawaii and Guam, a U.S. territory. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the sale consisted of $320 million in spare parts and support for F-16 fighters and Active Electronically Scanned Array Radars and related equipment. The State Department also approved the potential sale to Taiwan of improved mobile subscriber equipment and support for an estimated $65 million, the Pentagon said. The principal contractor for the $65 million sale is General Dynamics. Taiwan's defense ministry said it expected the sales to "take effect" within a month and that the equipment will help maintain the F-16 fleet's readiness and "build up a credible defense force". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Taiwan and the United States will continue to strengthen their security partnership and work together to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region," it said in a statement. Last month, the United States announced a potential $2 billion arms sale package to Taiwan, including the delivery for the first time to the island of an advanced air defense missile system battle tested in Ukraine. Lai leaves for Hawaii on Saturday on what is officially a stopover on the way to Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 countries that still to have formal diplomatic ties with Taipei. He will also stop over in Guam. Hawaii and Guam are home to major U.S. military bases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China on Friday urged the United States to exercise "utmost caution" in its relations with Taiwan. The State Department said it saw no justification for what it called a private, routine and unofficial transit by Lai to be used as a pretext for provocation. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Caitlin Webber, William Mallard and Kim Coghill) The United States has suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia following the Georgian Dream party's decision to suspend the country's EU accession process. Source: US State Department statement Quote: "The decision by Georgian Dream to suspend Georgias EU accession process goes against the promise to the Georgian people enshrined in their constitution to pursue full integration into the European Union and NATO. By suspending Georgias EU accession process, Georgian Dream has rejected the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin... Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgian Dreams various anti-democratic actions have violated the core tenets of our U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership, which was based on shared values and commitments to democracy, rule of law, civil society, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and anti-corruption efforts. As a result, the United States has suspended this mechanism." Details: The statement said that the Georgian people overwhelmingly support integration with Europe. The United States condemned "the excessive use of force by police against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights to assembly and expression, including their freedom to peacefully protest". The United States called on "all sides to ensure protests remain peaceful". "We reiterate our call to the Georgian government to return to its Euro-Atlantic path, transparently investigate all parliamentary election irregularities, and repeal anti-democratic laws that limit freedoms of assembly and expression," the State Department said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: On Thursday, 28 November, Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream party confirmed that Tbilisi would not be negotiating EU membership "until the end of 2028". Several Georgian ministries have already criticised this decision. President Salome Zourabichvili later stated that the ruling party had declared war on its own people. On the evening of Thursday, a large demonstration took place under the walls of the parliament in Tbilisi and there were clashes with the police. Protesters were brutally dispersed with water cannons and tear gas. The protest continued on Friday evening, and police again resorted to violence against the protesters. On Saturday, protests resumed in Georgia against the decision of the Georgian Dream to abandon negotiations on joining the European Union. The protests are taking place at several locations in Tbilisi, including near the Georgian parliament and the building of the Georgian public broadcaster. In addition to Tbilisi, protests are taking place in Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi and Telavi, with demonstrations planned in Kvareli and Gurjaani. Support UP or become our patron! The United States suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia on Saturday, condemning the countrys decision to pause its efforts toward accession to the European Union amid unprecedented protests against the move. The decision by Georgian Dream to suspend Georgias EU accession process goes against the promise to the Georgian people enshrined in their constitution to pursue full integration into the European Union and NATO, the State Department wrote in a statement. By suspending Georgias EU accession process, Georgian Dream has rejected the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the suspension of EU accession negotiations on Thursday after the European Parliament criticized the countrys recent election as neither free nor fair. Thousands of protesters poured onto the streets in the days since, with sources on the ground telling POLITICO that part of the Georgian parliament building had caught on fire Saturday night. Georgian police have been quick to clamp down, using water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray to quell demonstrations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its statement, the State Department condemned the excessive use of force by police, noting that the Georgian people overwhelmingly support integration with Europe. Georgian media also reported on Saturday that Georgian ambassador to the U.S. David Zalkaliani resigned from his post. Zalkaliani has served as the country's U.S. ambassador since April 2022. Tensions in Georgia have escalated since the Moscow-aligned Georgian Dream party claimed victory in the countrys Oct. 26 election a victory that opposition parties have contested, alleging election fraud. While according to some polls, nearly 80 percent of Georgians support EU membership, the government has increasingly moved to align itself with Russia, further estranging itself from the Western alliance. EU leaders put Georgias membership process on hold on Oct. 30, saying the country had gone backwards in light of its recent election. Georgia was granted candidate status by the EU last year, paving the way for the South Caucasus country to join the bloc. However, its application was suspended after lawmakers from the ruling Georgian Dream Party in May voted through a Russian-style law that would brand Western-backed NGOs as foreign agents, and introduced a sweeping crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Georgian Dream lawmakers it says are responsible for backsliding on democracy and for a heavy-handed crackdown on protesters during widespread protests over the summer. A USC student was one of three people killed in a Tesla Cybertruck crash early Wednesday in Piedmont, the university confirmed Saturday. USC provided no additional details about the student, Soren Dixon, who was in the vehicle with three others that crashed into a tree and was engulfed in flames. Piedmont Police Capt. Chris Monahan said that the Tesla jumped the curb, struck a cement wall, and then wedged in between the wall and a tree. Police said speed was likely a factor in the single-vehicle crash but that their investigation is continuing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The California Highway Patrol is handling the investigation. Dixons Linkedin page described him as a biological science major at USC who had graduated from Piedmont High School. The identities of the two others who died have yet to be released by authorities; they also were reported to be fellow graduates of Piedmont Highs Class of 2023. A memorial is displayed for victims of a Tesla Cybertruck crash in Piedmont, Calif., on Friday. (Santiago Mejia / San Francisco Chronicle via AP) Samantha Miller, the mother of a fourth occupant in the Tesla who was pulled from the vehicle by another driver, told CBS News in the San Francisco Bay Area that the two other crash victims were Jack Nelson and Krysta Tsukahara, college students in Colorado and Georgia, respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller told CBS News that her 20-year-old son Jordan Miller was back in surgery on Friday. His mother couldnt be reached Saturday. Mohahan said on Saturday that the fourth person who was injured in the crash was in critical condition but stable. Jennifer Hawn, superintendent of Piedmont Unified School District, said in a statement that school officials were stunned and saddened by the news. At this point in time, we are not able to release information about who was affected by the accident beyond the fact that the students graduated in 2023; however, the loss of young lives is a profound tragedy, made even more difficult during the holiday season," Hawn said. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones affected by this tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Piedmont Police Chief Jeremy Bowers said that dispatchers got an iPhone alert from a passenger in the Cybertruck about 3:10 that morning. The Tesla had been in a crash and was engulfed in flames by the time police officers arrived at the scene, according to Bowers. Bowers said then that we dont know the cause of the collision and during the holiday season, our hearts go out to the families that are going to have to deal with this tragedy. Bowers wasnt immediately available for comment Saturday, nor was the principal of Piedmont High School or Piedmonts mayor, Jen Cavenaugh. On Thursday, Cavenaugh attended Piedmonts annual Turkey Trot and called on community members to remember the three high school graduates killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These things aren't supposed to happen in our community," she said. "We don't get a practice ground for this, and there's no rulebook for how we show up today. I went to bed last night thinking the words might come today for what to say. It turned out there are no words that will bring these kids back to us." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Arvind Kejriwal, along with Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, visited the family of a man who was stabbed to death in their house in the Panchsheel Park area on Saturday. Speaking to the media, Kejriwal stated that the victim's family is in deep shock as the motive behind the incident remains unclear. "Senior citizens across Delhi are in distress, and businessmen are receiving extortion calls. Shootouts are happening in the city. Crime is rampant in Delhi. I want to ask Amit Shah--when will you take action against this? Since he became Home Minister, the situation in Delhi has gone from bad to worse," the AAP chief said. Saurabh Bharadwaj, who accompanied Kejriwal during the visit, highlighted the gruesome nature of the crime, stating that the victim had been stabbed 22 times. "One of the posh areas of South Delhi, Panchsheel Park, witnessed a brutal murder in which a man was stabbed 22 times in his own home. This incident has created an atmosphere of terror in the entire locality. A few days ago, a gym owner in the Greater Kailash area was shot dead. Today, Arvind Kejriwal met with the affected families, who are deeply shaken. Home Minister Amit Shah needs to take strict measures, and urgent steps are required to address the justice system," Bharadwaj said. The 64-year-old man was found dead in his Panchsheel Park home on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party MPs staged a protest on Friday within the Parliament premises, alleging a worsening law and order situation in the national capital. The protest was led by AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and other party members. Separately, on Thursday, an explosion was reported in Delhi's Prashant Vihar area. Fire tenders were rushed to the site, and teams from the National Security Guard (NSG), Delhi Police Crime Branch, Special Cell, and Bomb Disposal Squad also arrived. A high alert was sounded across the national capital following the blast. (ANI) COLLINSVILLE, Ill. The State Park Volunteer Fire Department in Collinsville, Illinois, is searching for answers after its fire station was vandalized. Investigators suspect the vandalism happened around 4 a.m. Saturday morning. Officials with the department say a suspect broke multiple windows and damaged a door. The department expressed gratitude to the sheriffs office for their quick response, which helped prevent more damage from happening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Saturday, no arrests have been made and no charges have been formally filed in connection with this 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 FOX 2. Theres this fantasy that assisted dying means you take a magic potion and drift away like Sleeping Beauty. The reality is that people who are being given medical aid in dying sometimes take a long time to pass and have horrible reactions to the medication. Many deaths, like those described in the debate, involved rare and unpredictable symptoms that would not be prevented by introducing an assisted dying law. The Commons debate on assisted dying yesterday was remarkably calm - a departure from what we usually see. But the arguments for and against the Bill were deadened as a result. It felt as though being solemn, unemotional, and polite reduced serious engagement on the safety of a law that will allow people to be helped by doctors to die. As a nurse with decades of experience and emeritus professor of dementia studies, it left me with the feeling that this could leave vulnerable people in an increasingly vulnerable situation. Members of Parliament did not mention the rare and unpredictable symptoms that occur with assisted dying when sharing awful stories. If people werent afraid about horrific end-of-life care before, of course they would be after five hours of being bombarded with tales of patients vomiting up faeces and dying in terror. Some of those cases could have been managed better clinically, but rest assured many of them would not be solved with this law as drafted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether you agree or not with state-sanctioned killing, there is a fundamental problem here: the bill, as it stands, is unlikely to be a solution to the situations legislators fear. The law wont help them, and will create risk for others I shared the collective sadness to hear the MPs relate stories of constituents who describe terrible dying experiences. Bereaved friends and families never want anything like that ever happening again to anyone. The problem is that this law will not and never would have prevented many of those experiences, because it requires two things. The person must have a six month prognosis of death, and mental capacity. Many patients who are at risk of the type of bad death described wont have either of those. They wont fit the criteria. So the law wont help them, and will create risk for others. Some of the people who could be affected are those I work with. I worry about people with dementia in the future. I take part in a monthly group of dementia carers, addressing the issues that bother people with dementia, and their families. Even if assisted suicide came up in discussion, which has never happened, it would not be a solution to the problems presented by and to someone with dementia at the end of life. The family often hate to see the person being so vulnerable and changed, and even say the person would hate to be like that, and would wish to have died before it happened, but the proposed law would not be able to be used for that sort of case. I worry too that the risk to older people of mission creep is easily ignored or dismissed by promises that this Bill has the best safeguards in the world. The legislators need to look at where this has already gone wrong abroad. In the Netherlands, voluntary euthanasia was introduced in 2002. It carried the assurance that doctors would end a patients life in a way that puts them first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a well-documented 2017 case of a woman, who had previously consented to being euthanised if she developed dementia, resisting the process when the day came. Because the doctor got her family to hold her down while she administered fatal drugs, the case was taken to court in a landmark trial. The doctor was cleared of any wrongdoing. This was surely not the intent of the original law, but the value of life to a person with dementia and the need for their consent was thereby judged to be zero, even if they were trying to stay alive at the time of their death. Could a right to die morph into a duty to die The emotional burden many at the latter stages of their lives feel is important to consider. Could a right to die morph into a duty to die, when the financial burden of late-life care weighs so heavily on many older people who want to leave a legacy to their family? Many conditions, from renal failure to diabetes, would be terminal if people stopped taking their medication. With this new law, patients might be overwhelmed with guilt, feeling as though spending thousands on a care home each week is a waste of money that would be better off given to their grandchild. Would they then be more inclined to stop taking their medication to be told they have six months to live, and get out of the way? One of the issues thats really concerning about the legislation is the total absence of a requirement to talk to family or friends. The Bill as it stands now also leaves room for mental health problems to influence decisions. It is not unusual for people with chronic conditions to have periods of depression from which they recover. For a time, they feel their family would be better off without them, but with their encouragement and mental health support they change their mind. As the decision under the Bill would be made without psychiatric or social assessment or family consultation, bad decisions will be made. Dying alone without family support in Switzerland was cited in the Commons as a tragedy. Under the Bill, dying without family support might just happen in Swindon, courtesy of the NHS. I dont see much less tragedy in that. Though I have reservations about state-sanctioned killing, there are deaths that I have witnessed as a nurse that I personally want to avoid by any means. But I would be more comfortable if as a country we were devising clinical or legal guidelines about specific diseases, rather than saying anyone with a terminal illness is eligible for assisted dying. That descriptor is too vague. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know there are very many people who think were living longer than we should, and the evidence that they produce to justify that feeling is the fact that the majority of the state spend in anybodys life is in their last couple of years, between hospital admissions, medical interventions and all the rest of it. There are some people who really believe that its wasted money, because the quality and length of life you get for that amount would be better spent somewhere else in a different way. But this is just a value judgment, that somebodys life is not worth as much as another persons, and whose is that to make? If this Bill does become a path that we follow, we will have to be really careful and really specific about what assisted dying means, in a way that the current wording isnt. The danger is that we may end up having something dangerous that we didnt think we were asking for. As told to Charlotte Lytton Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Customers in Greece and Rochester reported having cell service problems Saturday afternoon. According to Verizon officials around 4 p.m., the issue has since been resolved. News 8 heard from several customers outside the Verizon store on West Ridge Road in Greece on Saturday. Some people told News 8 that their service started having trouble Friday night. I couldnt call out. I couldnt call my son, said Roxanne Ross. It just said beep, beep and that was it and snapped right off, and your screen came back up with numbers, the number pad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when she asked the representatives inside what was going on? They just said that there was something happening in the Greece area and thats what was wrong with the phones. Ross said though it was confusing, the store was able to correct the issue fairly quickly. Its still unclear how many people have been dealing with issues, or if these problems are unique to Verizon. News 8 reached out to Verizon for a statement via phone and email. Officials did not elaborate on what the issue was, but stated, We are aware of an issue that impacted some Verizon customers in the Rochester area Saturday morning. Technicians quickly identified and resolved it and service has been restored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite this statement, some people are still reporting issues with cell service. News 8 reached back out to see if representatives can offer any additional information. Crews battling fire in Canandaigua News 8 also reached out to Greece police. The department has yet to respond. This is a developing story. Check back later for more details. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. A veteran NYPD lieutenant turned podcaster claims the department refused to give Christian men exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate because a DEI commissioner wanted to put more women on the force. John Macari, who co-hosts the New Yorks Finest: Retired & Unfiltered Podcast, said he had to choose between his Christian faith and his job because of policies put forth by the citys now disgraced COVID czar Jay Varma and former NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Equity and Inclusion, Tanya Meisenholder. Meisenholder once said in a podcast that more than 10% of NYPD employees are knuckle draggers, which Macari claimed is a discriminatory term for men. The former cop says he was forced to choose between his faith and his job. Paul Martinka The two were responsible for [Macari] being told that he either had to get vaccinated or be terminated. This was not done to female officers, trans-sexual officers, and those officers of no faith, Macari alleged in a $10 million Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Living as a devout and God-fearing Christian kept him from being vaccinated, Macari contended in court papers. Macari said he left the NYPD in February 2022 after 18 years on the job. He suffered severe emotional distress including anxiety and bouts of depression when he was forced to choose between violating the sanctity of his body and his soul through the illegal and forceful coercion and staying on the job that he loved, he said in the legal filing. Meisenholders personal effort to increase the number of women in American police departments, known as the 30X30 Initiative, gave her a strong interest in changing the accommodation process and keeping male police officers out of work while granting female officers the same accommodation just to help foster her discriminatory results, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She left the NYPD in August 2023 after 16 years, and now serves as the Director of Gender Equity, Policing Project for New York Universitys School of Law, according to LinkedIn. Earlier this year Macari proclaimed department brass warned the rank-and-file not to listen to his show, which is often critical of the NYPDs bureaucracy. The NYPD declined comment on the lawsuit. Varma could not be reached. Meisenholder did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. CLINTON, Utah (ABC4) The victims of Thanksgiving mornings fatal shooting in Clinton have been identified, according to Clinton Police. The two victims are identified as Keith Miller, 40, and Jacob Pluim, 35. At around 1 a.m. on Nov. 28, police responded to reports of a shooting inside of a residence in the area of 2600 West 2250 North. PREVIOUSLY: Two men killed in early hours of Thanksgiving morning in Clinton Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon arrival, officers found Miller and Pluim inside with gunshot wounds. While police have not released who the deceased individual was inside the residence, one of the two was deceased at the residence while the other was flown to a hospital and later declared deceased. At this time there is no ongoing threat to the public, Clinton Police said in a statement. Our sincere condolences to the families of those involved or affected by this incident. All parties are cooperating in the ongoing investigation. No further information is available at this time. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Artist rendering of Voyager 1 in space. | Credit: NASA NASA has confirmed that one of its greatest ever missions, Voyager 1, is back in business with communications restored following an incident in October that had led to the veteran spacefarer losing its voice. Now 47 years old, Voyager 1 is 15.4 billion miles (24.9 billion kilometers) from Earth , a distance that grows greater with every passing second. With the power supply from its decaying plutonium dwindling, only four of its instruments remain operational and surprisingly so, given they are now all working at temperatures lower than they were originally designed for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, when engineers commanded Voyager 1 to switch on one of its heaters to give the instruments a gentle thermal massage, a safety feature was tripped because of low power levels. The spacecraft's fault protection system monitors how much energy Voyager 1 has left, and if it deems there to be too little energy for the probe to continue operating, it automatically switches off non-essential systems. It seems that the heater was using too much energy, but the problem was that all the non-essential systems had been switched off long ago to conserve what little power remained, so the fault protection system took it upon itself to switch off the main X-band transmitter and activate the lower-power S-band transmitter instead. Because of the great distance between Voyager 1 and Earth, however, transmissions on the S-band antenna could not be heard by NASA's Deep Space Network , meaning that Voyager 1 had effectively fallen silent. NASA engineers were able to resolve the problem early in November, and X-band communication resumed on Nov. 18, with the spacecraft once again returning data from its four remaining instruments: the Low-Energy Charged Particle Experiment, the Cosmic-Ray Telescope the Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer and the Plasma Waves Experiment. Related: NASA shuts off Voyager 2 science instrument as power dwindles It's not the first time Voyager 1 has experienced communication problems; the spacecraft has certainly been showing its age. In 2022 and 2023, Voyager 1 began returning garbled telemetry, the latter issue taking until the summer of 2024 to resolve . And in 2023, its twin Voyager 2 experienced a period of communications difficulties . This latest problem just exemplifies how fragile the spacecraft and their subsystems really are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, this should not come as a surprise. Both Voyager 1 and 2 are considered quite elderly now, and it doesn't help that they are the farthest spacecraft from home, traversing a cold, dark environment. Like you might worry about an elderly relative, every slight stumble that the Voyager probes make is alarming. And yet, the two Voyager spacecraft seem to be outlasting predictions that they would have succumbed to low power levels by now. Their remaining instruments keep operating as they explore the depths of the outermost solar system beyond the Kuiper Belt, although Voyager 2 was forced to switch off its Plasma Science instrument in September the first instrument on either spacecraft to have been switched off in 16 years. And, as each spacecraft loses 4 watts of energy per year from its total energy budget as the decaying plutonium in their on-board radioisotope thermoelectric generator begins to ebb their lifespan will ultimately be curtailed. If they can reach their half centuries, which is looking promising, it would be a magnificent achievement. The two Voyagers may now be old and require constant TLC, but they are true trailblazers. Having launched mere weeks apart in 1977, they have explored the outer solar system, discovered a wealth of detail about Jupiter and Saturn 's moons, including the intricacies of Io 's volcanoes, visited some planets for the first and still the only time ( Uranus and Neptune ), passed clean through the Kuiper Belt and exited the sun 's heliosphere , entering interstellar space . Yet, when they do eventually succumb to the night, the Voyagers won't stop. They'll continue ploughing their lone furrows as they begin long orbits around the galaxy. Their story is just beginning. Nov. 29A Vermont man faces multiple charges after crashing into a New Hampshire state trooper's vehicle during a Thanksgiving snowstorm on Interstate 89. Daniel Poroj, 22, of Shelburne, Vermont, was summoned to appear in Hillsborough District Court on March 18, 2025, following the incident on Thursday. State police said a trooper was assisting a disabled vehicle in the southbound breakdown lane near Sutton when Poroj's 2009 black Honda Accord, allegedly traveling too fast for the conditions, slid on snow and struck the marked cruiser. The vehicle, unable to stop, then hit a Department of Transportation pickup truck, State Police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both the trooper and Poroj were treated for minor injuries at New London Hospital. Poroj is charged with operating without a valid license, negligent driving, operating an unregistered vehicle, violating the "Move Over" law, and driving too fast for road conditions. The New Hampshire State Police reminded drivers to slow down, move over, and give wide berth to emergency vehicles on highways. Violators face fines of $75 for a first offense and $250 for subsequent offenses within 12 months. State police were assisted at the scene by New London police and fire departments, Sutton Fire Department, and state transportation officials. The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Surat Police has arrested Mohammad Hamim Abdul Fakir (32), a Bangladeshi national, for possessing multiple fake documents and entering India through an agent about seven years ago. According to the Surat police, Mohammad Hamim Abdul Fakir, who is originally from Khulna district of Bangladesh. During interrogation, the accused told the police that he had come to India via West Bengal through an agent about seven years ago. The accused then said that he travelled to Surat after obtaining fake documents in Kolkata. The Surat Police said that the police had found fake a Aadhaar card, a PAN card, a Bangladesh national ID card, a Bangladeshi Nikah card and many other documents from the accused. The accused is being interrogated by the police to identify who helped him enter India and to trace the agent who orchestrated his travel from Bangladesh. Recently, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a man for allegedly sharing the details about the movement of Coast Guard ships with a Pakistani agent, officials said. According to police, the accused, identified as Deepesh Gohel, used to get Rs 200 per day from a Pakistani agent, Sahima. The accused came into contact with the Pakistani agent through Facebook seven months ago. "Gujarat ATS has registered an espionage case. An accused named Deepesh Gohel has been arrested. He worked near the Okha JT for the last three years. He welded the ships in Okha. Seven months ago, he added a Pakistani friend on Facebook named Sahima," SP K Siddharth told ANI. He added that the accused shared sensitive information and said the accused got Rs 42,000 from the agent. "They exchanged numbers, and he came to know that Sahima works in the Pakistan Navy. She asked for the names, details, and movement of the Coast Guard ships stationed in Okha JT... They made a deal of Rs. 200/day. In the last 7 months, bank transactions worth Rs. 42,000 took place... He knew that providing such information was prohibited...," he said. "A case has been registered under sections 61 and 148 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal conspiracy against the state. He has been arrested...," he added. (ANI) SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Thousands are expected to gather in downtown Sioux Falls on Friday for the 32nd Annual Sioux Falls Parade of Lights. Heres all you need to know about the parade, grand marshal and options to watch if you cant attend. The parade will start near 13th Street and Phillips Avenue and head north to 5th Street and Phillips Avenue. East and west thoroughfares in that area will be closed during the event. SFPD are encouraging drivers to use 14th Street to bypass the parade area if travelling east or west past downtown. Police say road closures will begin at 6:45 PM, excluding the small staging area near 13th Street and Phillips Avenue, which begins at 5:15 PM which doesnt impact 10th or 11th St travel there). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is to be no parking on Phillips during the event after 6:45 PM. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) The Waterbury Police Department is seeking the publics help in identifying a suspect in a burglary on Nov. 22 on Chase Avenue. The department said that the incident happened during the overnight hours at a commercial building. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BATH, N.Y. (WETM) A Waterloo man was arrested early on Wednesday morning after police say he broke into the Bath Ambulance building and was found hanging out of a second-story window. James L. Dyer, 38, was arrested after police investigated a report about a man breaking into Bath Ambulance, located at 110 E. Steuben St., while people were inside on Nov. 27. According to the Village of Bath Police Department, all personnel had evacuated from the building by the time officers arrived at around 2:46 a.m. The personnel told officers that the man, who was later identified as Dyer, broke a glass window on the buildings front door to get inside. Police say Dyer was then seen hanging out of a second-story bathroom window, and officers told him to go back inside to leave the building through a safer route. Instead of returning inside, Dyer allegedly got on the buildings roof and refused to cooperate with police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dansville man arrested, allegedly made terroristic threats against Steuben County government Personnel from the Bath Fire Department escorted Dyer off the roof after a brief standoff, according to the police department. He was transported to Ira Davenport Hospital to be treated for self-sustained injuries after being taken into police custody. Dyer was charged with second-degree burglary (a class C felony) and criminal mischief (a class D felony). After he was released from the hospital, Dyer was taken to the Steuben County Jail to wait for his charges to be read in court. Dyer has since been released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Steuben County Sheriffs Office, the Bath Fire Department, and Bath Ambulance assisted the Bath Police Department with this incident. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IS STILL UP FOR WYOMING COUNTY THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS HEAVY SNOW FALLS EAST OF LAKE ERIE. Snowfall rates 2-3 per hour within lake-effect snow bands will meander south of Buffalo and across the Tug Hill throughout the rest of Sunday. There will be areas that see over two feet of snow within the heaviest snow bands. This may include Orchard Park, where the Bills play tonight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BILLS BURIED? How much snow will fall in Orchard Park this weekend? As for Sunday in Rochester, you can expect mostly sunny and windy conditions as temperatures get into the low to mid 30s for highs. The snowband off Lake Erie wont persist indefinitely. Currently positioned slightly north of due east, it will gradually shift southward and lose intensity by Sunday afternoon. However, before dissipating, it is expected to deliver another foot or more of snow along the Lake Erie coastline. 8-Day Forecast As winds shift from west to northwest, lake-effect snow from Lake Ontario will begin to impact the lakeshore. For Rochester, this means the first measurable snowfall is anticipated late Sunday night, though the exact timing remains uncertain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rochesters snowfall remains uncertain, but current projections suggest about an inch by Monday morning. This will contribute to the snowfall totals in higher elevations as snow showers shift southward. The region is entering a pattern of cold air, strong winds, and persistent lake-effect snow. Monday afternoon will bring additional lake-effect snow showers, while Tuesdays snow will be more concentrated in the morning. By Wednesday, an Alberta Clippera fast-moving low-pressure system from Canadawill move into the Great Lakes, resulting in a more widespread snow event across Western New York, with higher elevations seeing the greatest impact. Given the unpredictable nature of lake-effect snow, exact snowfall totals remain difficult to forecast, so tune into News 8 throughout the rest of your weekend for the latest weather forecast. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. Western allies provided enough aid to fully equip only 2.5 out of the 10 Ukrainian brigades that Ukraine had requested support for, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News published on Nov. 29. "Just equip the brigades," Zelensky said in response to the question on what NATO or the U.S. could do to help tackle Ukraine's manpower shortages. The statement follows media reports suggesting that Washington is urging Ukraine to lower its minimum mobilization age from 25 to 18 in an effort to replenish military ranks. Kyiv said that Ukraines mobilization strategy is regularly discussed with allies but dismissed suggestions of tension over the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the interview with Sky News, Zelensky said that if the West doesn't provide enough aid, Ukraine will "never have enough resources." "How do you want me just to mobilize young guys, [as] they don't know where to go in which brigade, with which weapon they will fight?" he added. "They speak about mobilization, but the real problem [is] with 10 brigades which our partners didn't equip." Zelensky said that he had asked the U.S. and Europe to help equip the Ukrainian brigades over a year ago. He cited bureaucracy and allies' other priorities as reasons why the aid hasn't been fully provided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky also said the control over the situation in the east of Ukraine is solely dependant on these brigades. In the interview on July 4, Zelensky said that 14 Ukrainian brigades were underarmed as the Western aid was arriving too slowly. Ukraine has been steadily losing ground in the east the past months, as Russia has ramped up assaults in multiple areas. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Saturday marks three years since four students were killed in a shooting at Oxford High School. Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Tate Myre, 16, Justin Shilling, 17, and Hana St. Juliana, 14, were killed in the shooting. Six other students and a teacher were hurt in the shooting. Photographs of four students Hana St. Juliana, 14, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Tate Myre, 16 and Justin Shilling, 17 sit among boquets of flowers, teddy bears and other personal items left at the memorial site on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 outside Oxford High School in Oxford, Mich., after a 15-year-old allegedly killed these four classmates, and injured seven others in a shooting inside the northern Oakland County school one week earlier. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP) On Saturday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement: Today, Michiganders unite to honor the four beautiful young souls we lost three years ago in the heartbreaking tragedy at Oxford High School. Justin, Madisyn, Tate, and Hana were taken from us too soon. So many students, teachers, and loved ones in the community continue to struggle because of all that happened that day. The road to recovery and peace is long and hard. But Michiganders will continue to stand by the people of Oxford and wrap our arms around this community. Michiganders always look out for their friends, neighbors, and fellow citizensits what we do best. Now more than ever, let us continue to honor the memories of those we have lost and build out of our grief a resolve to protect our children, our families, and our communities. A statement released by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oxford victims families call for further investigation; AG says she tried Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist released the following statement: As we mark three years since the heartbreak and shock of the tragedy in Oxford, we honor and grieve the lost, comfort the wounded, and care for all those whose lives were irreversibly changed on that day. My family, and the entire state of Michigan, continues to send our love and prayers to the people of Oxford. School should be a place of learning and opportunitynot fear. Let us stand with students, families, and friends who are still grieving this loss and keep working together to keep our communities safe. A statement released by Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist The shooter, Ethan Crumbley, was 15 at the time of the shooting. At age 17, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He is appealing that sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were also convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the shooting and were sentenced to 10 years in prison. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. To enjoy snow, Phoenix residents usually drive a few hours north to Flagstaff or look to snow-capped mountains ringing the Valley. But either in hope or dread, desert dwellers often wonder why it doesnt snow much in Americas hottest city. Temperatures can drop in Phoenix, but snow that sticks to the ground is exceedingly rare. We can absolutely have snow come into the Phoenix area, said Erinanne Saffell, Arizonas state climatologist. You can see snow. You can put your tongue out and catch it, but its not necessarily measurable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it is possible, residents shouldnt count on a white Christmas this year, and snowbirds can safely leave their shovels at home. Heres everything to know about snow in Phoenix: Outlook: A weaker La Nina is expected this winter. What does that mean for Arizona? Can it snow in Phoenix? Snow is possible in Phoenix, but snow that sticks and accumulates on the ground is rare. As the climate changes and the city continues to warm from urban development, snow will become even less common. Temperatures in the air and on the ground are the main factors for snow in the desert. To have snow in Phoenix, it has to be cold enough on the ground for us to measure it, so thats the big kicker there, Saffell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, if youre in the higher elevations around the Phoenix metro area if youre on South Mountain or the southern hills you can absolutely have that snow stick. The air also may not get cold enough during the winter for snowflakes to form if water droplets cant freeze in the clouds. It is based on temperature, and we are seeing temperatures have increased in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Saffell said. That urban heat island effect is what makes the nighttime temperatures warmer. An urban heat island occurs when infrastructure in metropolitan areas, like buildings and roads absorbs and re-emits the sun's heat, making the temperature warmer than in nearby rural areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Less snow is absolutely one of the impacts were seeing from the urban heat island, she added. Holiday trends: What's the weather like on Thanksgiving? Mild and dry, except in years when it's not When has it snowed in Phoenix in the past? Although snow in Phoenix is rare, it has stuck to the city streets a few times in recorded history. Theres been traces throughout our period of record. Its just a trace, which is less than a hundredth of an inch, Saffell said. Its just a very small amount, and having it measured is the big deal. A trace is a small amount of snow that falls but is too little to be measured using standard methods, less than 0.1 of an inch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most recent significant snowfall was on Dec. 6, 1998, when Sky Harbor Airport recorded 0.22 of an inch of precipitation and a trace of snow on the ground. The greatest amount of snow measured at Sky Harbor was 1 inch on Jan. 20, 1933 and Jan. 21 and 22, 1937. It has measurably snowed only a handful of other times in central Phoenix since 1900: March 12, 1917: 0.2 of an inch Nov. 28, 1919: 0.1 of an inch Feb. 2, 1939: 0.5 of an inch Dec. 11, 1985: 0.1 of an inch Dec. 21 and 22, 1990: 0.4 of an inch But on the outskirts of the city at the higher elevations, snow falls and sticks more frequently, as recently as this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A snow and hail storm hit north Scottsdale on Jan. 7, 2024, dusting the ground with just enough to build mini snowmen. The further north you go in the Phoenix metro, the chances of seeing accumulating snow go up quite a bit due to the higher elevations, said Alex Young, lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service Phoenix. If snow does stick around the edges, it usually doesnt last long before warmer temperatures or rain wash it away. Dry in the desert: What will it take to end 3 decades of drought in Arizona? Could it snow this year? Even if the weather cools in time for the holidays and temperatures are averaging above normal through Thanksgiving this year is unlikely to break the streak of snowless winters in central Phoenix. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Southwest will likely see a warmer and drier winter than normal. The National Weather Service has issued a La Nina watch, a climatological condition linked to changes in ocean and atmospheric temperatures. During La Nina winters, many parts of the U.S. tend to experience drier and warmer conditions. There is a 57% chance La Nina will emerge by the end of the year, decreasing snow chances across the state. Even outside natural climatological events like La Nina, snow will become less likely in the coming winters due to climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snow used to be a once in a 30-year occurrence, Young said. With how things are going with the warming climate, the likelihood of that is less than a once in a 30-year chance. Hayleigh Evans writes about extreme weather and related topics for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email her with story tips at hayleigh.evans@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Snow has fallen in Phoenix; it's rare and almost never stays From aiding disaster rescue to playing badminton and dancing, robots are redefining possibilities. Tech enthusiasts explore the cutting-edge world of robotics at regional science centres across Gujarat, discovering how innovation is shaping the future. Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad is a state-driven initiative to foster curiosity and promote scientific awareness. This vibrant hub features interactive exhibits, live demos, and immersive experiences for all ages. Key attractions include the robotics gallery, energy park, hall of science, IMAX 3D theatre, and fish tunnel, offering hands-on learning in robotics, space, and environmental science. Gujarat Science City is crucial in advancing science education and innovation. Dr Narottam Sahoo, advisor and member secretary, Gujarat Council on Science & Technology said, "When Narendra Modi ji was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he clearly identified science, technology, and innovation as key drivers for development. To achieve this, Gujarat Science City was developed, where scientific temperament will be nurtured, starting with children and extending to community members, women in villages, and rural labourers. This has become a hub for fostering such an environment. Now, it has become the best science centre in the world". To promote science, the Gujarat government has launched an initiative to establish District Science Centers across the state. Currently, 33 centres are operational under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Four regional centres in Pattan, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, and Rajkot are seeing significant footfall, with four more under construction in Vadodara, Surat, Jamnagar, and Junagadh. These centres are enhancing students' skills and preparing them for national and international competitions, fostering a culture of innovation and scientific excellence. Bhavesh Joshi, a visitor and student said, "I learned that robots can be fun and fascinating. I also learned how space works and had a great experience with robots at Science City. Robots, technology, space, and science are all amazing fields. I want to become an astronomer when I grow up". Another student visitor, Krishnavi said, "By coming here, I learned many things about science. In the Robotics Gallery, I got to know the history of robots. We went to the Hall of Science, where we saw the mechanism of rockets". Nature Parks at Science Centres provide an eco-friendly space focused on environmental conservation. They feature dinosaur displays, allowing visitors to explore the prehistoric world. The parks also raise awareness about biodiversity, climate change, and environmental protection, offering a peaceful, educational experience for all ages. These initiatives at Gujarat's Regional Science Centres are transforming science education, bridging the gap between theory and practice, and fostering a scientifically enlightened society. (ANI) Folks continue to ask about the new Fairview Heights restaurant located at the former site of Agostinos Restaurant & Bar. Jack Henrys was slated to open in September at 130 Ludwig Drive. Obviously, that did not happen, and two months later folks are still waiting. And wondering. I do have an update. Owner Dawn Goodwin-Malone said in a phone interview that Jack Henrys was put on the back burner pending needed repairs to the roof, a freezer and a cooler, all of which are required before shell be able to pass a commercial occupancy inspection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this time Goodwin-Malone is getting ready to open another location in Rome, Iowa, which opens on Thanksgiving Day. For now, well have to wait a bit longer for the new eatery and all it will offer. Ill share new info as it comes my way. About the location Prior to this year, 130 Ludwig Drive was the site of three other restaurants: (WFRV) A 28-year-old Wisconsin man was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for engaging in sexual acts with teenage girls in exchange for vapes, cigarettes, and food. Ulysses Keys, 28, of Milwaukee, was sentenced to 59 years in prison, 88 years of extended supervision, a lifetime on the sex offender registry, and fined $2,500 after a jury found him guilty of several counts related to the sexual assault of a child, according to a release from the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Child Protective Services called after search warrant in Waupun finds evidence of prescription med dealing, 2 arrested Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Milwaukee County jury found Keys guilty of four counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child, two counts of child exploitation, one count of repeated sexual assault of the same child, and three counts of possession of child pornography. This sentence shows that those who commit heinous crimes against children face a long time behind bars, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said. Thank you to the investigators and prosecutors who worked to hold the defendant responsible for the serious crimes he was convicted of. According to a criminal complaint, Keys communicated with several girls between the ages of 13 and 15 on Snapchat when he was 24 and 25. The complaint says Keys exchanged inappropriate photos with minors using the app. He also met with some of them and engaged in inappropriate acts in exchange for vapes, cigarettes, and fast food. Keys reportedly recorded several of these encounters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I appreciate the investigative work of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators and the prosecution of this matter through jury trial by Assistant District Attorney Ken Olstinski, Milwaukee County Chief Deputy District Attorney Kent Lovern said. Their combined efforts secured a significant conviction that enhances the safety of our community. Man rescued from roof, cat dies during Thanksgiving house fire in Chilton The case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Whitefish Bay Police Department. It was prosecuted by the Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office. If you or someone you know has information on potential child exploitation, reports can be made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. A woman is facing felony charges after incidents spanning over a week involving shootings, assault, and a police pursuit throughout north county. According to the North County Police Cooperative, 32-year-old Terricca Miller went to a friends house in the Velda Village Hills neighborhood on Nov. 20 and knocked on a door with a gun. When the friend did not answer the door, Miller went to her car and fired a pistol into the air as well as inside the home, shattering glass on the front door and damaging a nearby vehicle. A doorbell camera captured the incident. Over a week later, on Nov. 28, police say Miller was involved in a shooting in the 4200 block of Rosewood and Peyton Lane in the Pine Lawn neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later on Nov. 28, Miller was gambling at a gas station with an AR-15 next to her. An individual stole it, and Miller was unable to retrieve it. She became angry with the gas station attendant for not intervening, then proceeded to get another gun from her car before going back inside. Miller grabbed the attendant, hitting him repeatedly with the gun and threatening to kill him. Surveillance video also captured the interaction. Hours after the altercation at the gas station, Miller returned with her boyfriend. Another shooting occurred, and she left driving a blue truck. Police discovered the truck, which was wanted for the prior shootings. Miller continued to speed away, leading to a pursuit. It lasted for 45 minutes, reaching speeds over 100 mph at times. According to court documents, she narrowly missed several other vehicles and a Metro bus. The chase ended in the City of St. Louis, where those inside the vehicle jumped out, causing severe injuries. After the truck stalled, Miller was taken into custody. Police found the same handgun used at the gas station inside her purse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller is facing charges for three counts of unlawful use of a weapon, fourth-degree assault, and aggravated fleeing a stop. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Police are investigating after a woman was found fatally shot in Hollywood Friday night. Los Angeles police responded to reports of a shooting in the 6000 block of Barton Avenue shortly before 4 p.m. Arriving officers found an injured woman with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are investigating after a woman was found shot to death in Hollywood on Nov. 29, 2024. (KTLA) Police are investigating after a woman was found shot to death in Hollywood on Nov. 29, 2024. (KTLA) Police are investigating after a woman was found shot to death in Hollywood on Nov. 29, 2024. (KTLA) Police are investigating after a woman was found shot to death in Hollywood on Nov. 29, 2024. (KTLA) Details on the case are limited. The events leading up to the shooting were not released as detectives continue investigating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were still discovering some of the more important facts of the case, an LAPD spokesperson said. Id like to tell the community that were working hard to make sure that theres no further threat to them. We do believe this is an isolated incident and we dont believe there is no further threat to the community. Its unclear how many suspects may have been involved. No arrests have been made as detectives work on developing leads. The victims identity was not released. Authorities confirmed no other bystanders were found injured in the area. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. A woman shot and killed her husband before taking her own life in a Hallandale Beach murder-suicide Wednesday in a criminal mystery that has roots in the Balkans, according to police. At about 12:30 a.m. Hallandale Beach Police arrived at 1830 South Ocean Dr., a high-rise oceanfront condo, after receiving multiple alerts from ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system. There, they found 34-year-old Pajtim Krasniqi and 27-year-old Sabrina Krasniqi, a couple with roots in Albania and Kosovo on the Balkan Peninsula, both dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Advising that both people are down on the balcony, a dispatcher could be heard saying over Broadcastify, a police scanner, on Wednesday. Female on her back, one male on his face on the balcony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple lived in unit 4508, according to the Broadcastify audio transmission. Police say Sabrina shot her husband multiple times before turning the gun on herself. Authorities did not release any more details. Pajtims sister called it a vicious and senseless murder in a Facebook post. My Thanksgiving Eve wasnt spent with my husband and children. It wasnt spent with friends. It was spent with police officers, detectives and news reports talking about the vicious and senseless murder of my youngest brother by his wife, wrote Albana Krasniqi Munrett on Facebook. Marina Dedivanovic wrote on Facebook she knew Pajtim and regarded him as a caring man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I knew your brother, she wrote. Met him once in 2016. Then saw he moved into the beach club, and we would run into him always at the gym and pool. He was truly the sweetest, most gentle soul, and my husband and I are in complete shock over this. I pray for you and your family to find peace at some point. Hallandale Beach police said in a statement Friday, The HBPD extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones impacted by this heartbreaking event. The Balkans include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. Miami Herald staff writer David Goodhue contributed to this report. A Ukrainian court has sentenced a 43-year-old woman to 15 years in prison for aiding Russian military operations and attempting to flee to Russia. The woman, originally from Donetsk, relocated to Kyiv and later rented an apartment in Zhytomyr Oblast after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. According to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), the woman made contact with Russia's defense intelligence agency (GRU) via social media, offering to serve as an informant. She also used her personal account on the banned Odnoklasniki platform to praise Wagner Group militants and justify their crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once recruited by the GRU, the woman was assigned an operational alias and given instructions to gather intelligence on Ukrainian military infrastructure, specifically the locations of repair bases for heavy weapons. She transferred the information to her Russian handlers via encrypted messenger chats and email. Authorities arrested the woman in August 2023 while she was preparing to flee to Russia. The SBU uncovered plans for her to be "evacuated" through third countries by the GRU. The court convicted her of treason during martial law and for justifying Russian aggression while glorifying its participants. Read also: SBU exposes corruption scheme by two Ukrainian army logistics officers Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A woman was sentenced on Wednesday for an assault on her 18-month-old daughter at a family gathering in Warrenton last year. Kayla M. Marlow, 22, pleaded guilty except for insanity in Clatsop County Circuit Court to assault in the first degree and was placed in the custody of the Oregon State Hospital. Marlow will remain there for up to 20 years, with credit for 633 days already served. Marlow, while visiting family for a birthday party in March 2023, had gone into a bathroom to change her baby. Prosecutor Sarah Shepherd said that when Marlows mother and grandmother noticed she had been gone for a while and the baby was crying excessively, they rushed to the door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They eventually get the bathroom door open, see a lot of blood and find that Ms. Marlow has attempted to slit the wrists of the 18-month-old baby, she told the court. She had some superficial wounds on her wrists as well, but the primary injury was to the baby. Marlow told law enforcement that she had slit her babys wrists and begun to slit her own because she believed the world was going to end. After her arrest, Marlow was evaluated by a doctor and found to be suffering from schizophrenia. I literally thought that there was going to be an earthquake if I didnt do what I did, she told the court during her sentencing. So it wasnt out of hate, it wasnt out of, you know, anything negative. I love my daughter. I really I tried to help her in my own way, in my head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Kirk Wintermute said Oregon State Hospital would be the best place for Marlow to ensure everybodys safety. I know schizophrenia, especially, can be a really terrifying thing for people, and it can make them do things that they would never do, he said. It can really change the way your brain works in really scary ways. And I know its scary for you, its obviously scary for the family as well, and Im just glad that shes OK, because it could have been much worse. Im glad it wasnt, but obviously this is something we need to keep a close eye on, and hopefully they can figure out some way to get you the right balance of medications and therapy. And you know, you can still be successful in life with a diagnosis like this, but it takes a lot of work. The Oregon Psychiatric Security Review Board will determine when Marlow can be released. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Saturday stated that the caretaker Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde will make a significant decision by Sunday. When asked about the allotment of ministries to allies, Shirsat stated that everything would be clarified by Monday evening. "According to me, whenever Eknath Shinde thinks that he needs some time to think he goes to his native village. By tomorrow evening, he will take a big decision. It can be anything, a political decision.... Everything will be cleared by Monday evening... The oath-taking ceremony should be held before the 5th of December as we have preparations in this manner..." Shirsat told ANI. Eknath Shinde had travelled to his native village in Satara district on Friday. Earlier, on Thursday night, Maharashtra caretaker CM Eknath Shinde, along with Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Ajit Pawar and other Mahayuti leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in the national capital. After the meeting with Amit Shah and JP Nadda, Eknath Shinde described the meeting as "good and positive", adding that another meeting will be conducted, which is expected to yield a decision for the Chief Minister face. "The meeting was good and positive. This was the first meeting. We had a discussion with Amit Shah and JP Nadda...There will be another meeting of the Mahayuti. In this meeting, a decision will be taken about who will be the Chief Minister. The meeting will be held in Mumbai," he said. The leaders gathered to deliberate on the formation of the new government in Maharashtra. Fadnavis asserted that the Mahayuti alliance had no internal differences and that a decision on the Chief Minister would be made soon after consultations with all the leaders. Speaking to the media, Devendra Fadnavis said, "In our Mahayuti alliance, there has never been a difference of opinion. We have always made decisions collectively. Before the elections, we announced that the decision regarding the Chief Minister's post would be taken collectively after the results. A few people had doubts, but Eknath Shinde ji has clarified those today. We will soon meet our leaders and finalise the decision." Meanwhile, Shirsat also reacted to Sharad Pawar's allegations that power and money were "misused" during the assembly elections and said that it's not right to make such a statement after losing the elections. In a sharp retort, Shirsat alleged that it is Sharad Pawar who has used muscle power and money power the most in politics. Sanjay Shirsat said, "It is not right for a big leader like Sharad Pawar to make such a statement. Sharad Pawar has used muscle power and money power the most in politics. It is not right to make such a statement after losing the election..." The Maharashtra Assembly election results were declared on November 23, with BJP-led Mahayuti alliance storming back to power with a landslide majority. The ruling alliance, however, is yet to finalise its Chief Minister face. The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Maharashtra Assembly, while its allies--the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar--won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. (ANI) Nov. 29More than 3 million volunteers in more than 4,500 participation locations will come together to recognize National Wreaths Across American Day. The national non-profit will meet Saturday, Dec. 14, at 11 a.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery in McAlester to remember honor, teach about the nation's fallen soldiers and honor their service, as well as teach the next generation about the value of freedom. According to WAA, the goal is to ensure that the individuals who served to protect the freedoms of our country never be forgotten and to bring the community together in patriotic commemoration. Therefore, ceremonial wreaths for each of our nation's services will be placed at the Unknown Soldier Memorial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Event sponsors of this year's event are City of McAlester, Kilihoti Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Mason District #27 of the Scottish Rite Society, McAlester's Veterans Community, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, and Scout Troop #404. Sponsoring a veteran's wreath for $17 is a personal gift of gratitude and remembrance for someone who served this country so that we can be free, according to WAA. Anyone can purchase a sponsorship to honor their loved one(s) during the ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery, or at one of the participating locations they may be buried. Sponsorships can be completed online at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. "We are forever grateful for the thousands of supporters who dedicated their time, energy, and resources to fulfilling our mission all year long," said Karen Worcester, the executive director of WAA. "These individuals and their communities know the value of remembering the fallen, honoring those who currently serve and teaching the next generation about the sacrifices for our freedom every day, and because of their continued support, Wreaths Across America continues to grow and touch new people each year." For more information, to donate, or to volunteer, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. For more information about the event, contact Rachael Wilson at 207-230-4599 or at rwilson@wreathsacrossamerica.org. CHEYENNE Following an audit from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, the Wyoming Office of the Attorney Generals Division of Victim Services was found to have $93,696 in unsupported pass-through entity expenditures. While these funds are being reviewed, the Wyoming DVS maintains that the funds were not misused in any way; they simply lacked documentation needed to demonstrate the use of those funds. Were very good stewards of our funding. It goes for all intended purposes. The majority of all of our federal awards are passed through directly to service providers across the state, Wyoming DVS Deputy Director Megan Hughes told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. ... We really do our best to be good stewards of the funding. This was just an instance of us not fully recognizing what type of subrecipient we were giving this funding to. We wholeheartedly believe that they had good intentions and that everything they applied the funding toward was allowable, and we know that well be able to get this documentation together and provide it to OJP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The audit accessed two grants totaling $5.2 million awarded to the Division of Victim Services in Cheyenne. As of January 2024, OJP had reimbursed Wyoming DVS $3,026,002. In this case, these funds were intended to be used for civil legal services for victims of domestic violence, which Hughes maintained they were used for. These grants were awarded from the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). As a state administering agency, the Wyoming DVS is responsible for administering the CVF victim assistance program, according to the audit. Hughes said federal funds arent used to support positions within the Division of Victim Services. They are largely passed through to service providers or boots on the ground to provide advocacy services and resources to victims of crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DVS has thorough monitoring policies and processes in place to ensure that all of the funding is used for its intended purposes, according to Hughes. Additionally, they have a thorough application review process and a thorough annual budget review process. While the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that the Wyoming DVS used its victim assistance funds to enhance victim services in Wyoming, the audit identified deficiencies related to Wyoming DVSs recordkeeping for priority area funding requirements and its subrecipient monitoring, as well as $93,696 in unsupported pass-through entity expenditures, according to a news release. DVS acknowledges the lack of supporting documentation for these expenditures, but believes that all of the expenditures in question were allowable costs, Wyoming DVS stated in a response included in the audit. DVS is actively working with the pass-through entity to obtain source documentation and believe that most, if not all, of these questioned costs will be supported. DVS requests the opportunity to provide additional documentation and discuss resolution of this recommendation with OJP as appropriate. Remedying the $93,696 was one of three recommendations in the audit. The other two were to enhance risk assessment policies and procedures, specifically rating risks to reflect specific factors that often lead to risk of noncompliance, and to implement policies and procedures that maintain documentation of DVSs methodology to allocate the minimum of 10% of total grant funds to priority funding program areas as required by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) guidelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The finding isnt so much that we didnt meet the priority areas, because we do meet our priority areas above and beyond every year, Hughes said. It was that we dont have documents like a written policy and procedure for how were tracking that and ensuring that we meet those. DVS is actively developing policy and a method for ensuring that those priority allocations are met at the beginning of each fiscal year. Additionally, they are obtaining documentation to prove the use of the funds and implementing a more effective, weighed risk assessment, and plan to revise the annual subgrantee risk assessment forms by Jan. 1. DVS also will inform and educate its subgrantees about the new risk assessment, before completing the new risk assessment process for the next subaward period, according to the audit. Wyoming has the nations lowest state population and is federally designated as rural, even though it is the 10th-largest state in the nation geographically. This puts the Wyoming DVS in a unique position to serve those in the federally defined underserved rural community in the majority of its work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DVS uses the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Implementation Plan process to identify and assess the needs of underserved and marginalized populations across the state, according to the report. In Fiscal Year 2022, the VAWA Implementation Planning Committee included representatives of people with disabilities, LGBTQ+, veterans, Eastern Shoshone, Northern Arapaho, elderly, people with mental health disorders, students and young adults, LatinX and faith communities. Ultimately, the committee identified 13 underserved populations, which DVS used to guide spending on underserved communities. Those 13 underserved populations included people who live in rural or remote areas. Wyomings sparse population and large geographic area make the state unique in that each county is designated as rural under federal funding guidelines, DVS wrote in a response to the audit. Every victim served with VOCA funding in Wyoming is considered rural and thus underserved. While there is no requirement that State Administering Agencies periodically reconcile actual expenditures charged to each grant, a review of both the 2023 and 2024 annual reports confirms that underserved violent crime accounted for 28% and 23% of all reported victimizations, respectively. DVS acknowledged that even though they do serve several underserved victims, there are discrepancies in the Draft Audit Report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DVS will be revising internal policies and procedures to track priority funding allocations at the beginning of each subaward performance period. DVS maintains that all priority categories are regularly met for each VOCA grant award that DVS receives, the agency said in a response to the audit. We will coordinate with the Wyoming DVS to obtain a copy of its written policies and procedures, developed and implemented, to ensure that its methodology for allocating at least 10% of the total grant funds to priority funding program areas, as required by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), is documented; and the supporting documentation is maintained for future auditing purposes, according to an OJP Memorandum. Audits of Victims of Crime Act funds are routine, according to Stephanie Logan, communications director/spokesperson for U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OJP will work with the Wyoming DVS to remedy the $93,696 in unsupported pass-through entity expenditures as appropriate. In the event that newly provided documentation doesnt prove that the funds were used for allowable expenses, the DVS would have to request that funding back from the subrecipient, and then they would pay the VOCA grant back. NEW YORK (PIX11) With the holiday shopping season underway, there is an expanded free tool New Yorkers can use to combat those pesky porch pirates. The city is setting up more free and secure lockers. New Yorkers can send packages to them using an app, access their orders, and even process returns. More Local News We have porch pirates here, said James Jones, standing near a sidewalk locker set up in Bed-Stuy. You could order something from Amazon, and you go out looking for your package, it says your package is there, and its gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the summer, the Citys Department of Transportation teamed up with GoLocker to pilot a program called LockerNYC. Using a smartphone, New Yorkers have already processed more than 5,000 orders securely through curbside lockers. Now, the program is expanding to 19 locations around the city, although PIX11 News found at least two in Brooklyn that had yet to be set up. The city says they will come online next week. The holiday season is already stressful enough. LockerNYC is here to make sure your package lands in the right hands, your hands, said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. The DOT estimates that 80% of New Yorkers have at least one order delivered every single week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 24% have up to four orders delivered each week. For more on LockerNYC, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. More than 4 million people across five states were under winter storm alerts on Sunday as heavy lake-effect snow continued to bury the Great Lakes region, prompting emergency declarations and the deployment of National Guard troops to rescue stranded motorists. Another day of intense lake-effect snow bands was occurring Sunday, especially in western New York, which has already received more than 40 inches of snow since Thursday and is expecting up to 24 more inches on Sunday into Monday. Parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin were under winter alerts as of Sunday. Buffalo area expecting more snow A lake-effect snow warning remained in place on Sunday from Cleveland, Ohio, to Buffalo, New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Saturday that 11 counties, including the Buffalo area in Erie County, are in a state of emergency. PHOTO: Snow forecast through Monday. (ABC News) Hochul said on Sunday that more heavy snowfall is forecast for western and central New York through Sunday night and into Monday, adding that the snow could fall at rates of up to 4 inches per hour. Snowfall totals showed Barns Corner in New York's Lewis County had received 45 inches of snow from the Arctic outbreak by Sunday morning, while Cattaraugus County's Perrysburg recorded 37.6 inches and Lewis County's Copenhagen received 36.5 inches. Hochul said an additional 1 to 2 feet of snow is possible in western New York, with the greatest accumulation over northern Chautauqua and south-central Erie counties. She said an additional 2 to 3 feet of snow is possible in the North Country with the greatest accumulation from northern Tug Hill to near Watertown. PHOTO: Snow falls on Highmark Stadium and surrounding parking lots in Orchard Park, NY., Nov. 30, 2024. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) Lake-effect snow is common this time of year as colder air moves over the relatively warm water of the lakes, leading to extremely localized bands of heavy snowfall for an extended period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "An intense lake effect band across Watertown and Jefferson county will continue to produce 3-4 inches per hour rates today," the National Weather Service in Buffalo said Sunday in a social media post. Shovelers called to clear Highmark Stadium for Bills-49ers game At Highmark Stadium in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park, the Buffalo Bills are preparing to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night, and the snow cleanup has been a grueling effort after more than 18 inches of snow has already fallen and more is forecast for the 8:20 p.m. kickoff. PHOTO: Winter alerts, today into tonight. (ABC News) There was so much snow that the Bills put out a call for shovelers to help remove the snow before game time, offering $20 an hour plus food and hot beverages. MORE: Cold blast brings major lake-effect snow to several states Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As New Yorkers face the ongoing impacts of lake-effect snow, first responders are working around the clock to ensure the safety of our communities," Hochul said. "With tonight's kickoff in our sights, we are doing everything we can to clear roads, assess damage, and provide state and local partners with the resources they need." Travel advisories were issued for Jefferson and Lewis counties, and portions of Erie County. PHOTO: A person clears the snow from the sidewalk in Lowville, N.Y., on Nov. 30, 2024. (Cara Anna/AP) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochul said lake-effect snow will start to enter central New York and parts of the Mohawk Valley region on Sunday afternoon and into Monday. Between 4 to 10 inches of snow is forecast for central New York and 3 to 5 inches in the Mohawk Valley region. The state's Department of Transportation banned empty and tandem commercial vehicles on I-86 from the Pennsylvania state line to I-390 and on State Route 219 from the Pennsylvania state line to I-90. PHOTO: Winter alerts through Monday. (ABC News) In addition to the National Guard members, Hochul said extra personnel have been deployed to help with possible power and road emergencies. Pennsylvania National Guard deployed to rescue stranded drivers In Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro also issued a disaster emergency proclamation and deployed National Guard troops to Erie County, Pennsylvania, to rescue stranded motorists. The Pennsylvania State Police responded to more than 200 traffic incidents between Friday and Saturday alone, Shapiro said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Buffalo's deadly blizzard by the numbers: What made the storm so historic "At the county's request, I've called in the Pennsylvania National Guard who are now on the ground to help any stranded drivers and make sure emergency responders can get to folks who need them," Shapiro said in a statement. Erie County, Pennsylvania, Executive Brenton Davis said the local disaster emergency will stay in effect until the middle of this week. Davis said county buildings, including courthouses, in Erie County will be closed on Monday and Tuesday and that officials are advising school districts to remain closed, as well. He said residents should minimize travel. PHOTO: In this image released by the New York Department of Transportation, a plow clears snow from a road in New York. (New York Department of Transportation) Counties in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania have recorded huge snowfall totals since Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaylord, Michigan, picked up 24.8 inches of snow Friday, marking its single snowiest calendar day on record and shattering its previous record of 17 inches on March 9, 1942. 4 million under winter storm alerts as snow buries Buffalo, rest of Great Lakes region originally appeared on abcnews.go.com (NewsNation) A top New York Democrat isnt satisfied with the presidential election outcome. Her solution? Join Canada. State Sen. Liz Krueger, whose district includes Manhattan, floated the idea that the Empire State should secede from the United States and become a province of Canada to protest President-elect Donald Trumps policies on things like mass deportation. Its not unreasonable to think outside of the box, Krueger said to Politico this month. Cyber Monday 2024 Deals Top Cyber Week deals still live Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Top gifts under $100 Best stocking stuffers BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. She first proposed secession in September before the election was decided. I thought I would suggest to Canada that instead of us all trying to illegally cross the border at night without them noticing, which is pretty hard because theres a lot of us, that they should instead agree to let us be the southeast province, a new province of Canada, Krueger said in an interview with news outlet City & State New York. Democratic lawmakers from Connecticut report Thanksgiving bomb threats against their homes Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, along with New York, would combine into a great new province as the southeast province of Canada, Krueger said, though she admitted she had not received agreement from the other states leaders. Krueger, who is the chairwoman of the state Senate Finance Committee, also proposed holding back federal taxes a more likely occurrence than becoming a Canadian province. Were talking a lot of money, Krueger said to Politico in November of the $85 billion federal aid in jeopardy under Trump, who has vowed to cut federal spending. Were talking money we couldnt possibly replace unless we started sending the feds a lot less money. Forty-four percent of voters, or about 3.4 million people, in New York cast their ballot for Trump in the 2024 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. The mother of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trumps pick to lead the Department of Defense, sent an email to her son in 2018 that sharply criticized his treatment of women, The New York Times reported Friday. Penelope Hegseth told her son in the email that there are many women whom he has abused in some way and encouraged him to get some help, according to the email published by The Times. The emails partial publication comes as Pete Hegseth, a veteran and former Fox News host with no prior government experience, is expected to face a tough Senate confirmation process, including questions about a sexual assault allegation from October 2017. No charges were filed against Hegseth related to the incident, and he has denied the accusation, claiming the sexual encounter was consensual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to The Times report, Penelope Hegseth wrote, I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth. Penelope Hegseth on Friday told The New York Times that she wrote the email in anger, with emotion and that she had immediately apologized in a separate email. She went on to defend her son, saying her own characterization of his treatment of women in the 2018 email has never been true. CNN has reached out to Penelope Hegseth for comment. An attorney for Pete Hegseth declined to comment. Penelope Hegseth sent the email to her son on April 30, 2018, according to The Times report around six months after the alleged assault. The email was sent in connection with her sons divorce from his second wife, The Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steven Cheung, Trumps communications director, said in a statement shared with CNN on Saturday that Penelope Hegseths email is an out-of-context snippet. The New York Times and other outlets are despicable for using an out-of-context snippet of an illegally-obtained private email exchange between a mother and her son that does not accurately reflect the entirety of the conversation, Cheung said. In subsequent emails, Mrs. Hegseth expressed regret for her emotional message and apologized. CNN has previously reported that a woman accused Pete Hegseth of sexually assaulting her in the early morning hours of October 8, 2017, in Monterey, California, where Hegseth had a speaking engagement the night before. The accuser told police that Hegseth physically blocked her from leaving a hotel room, took her phone and then sexually assaulted her. Years later, Hegseth paid the accuser in a settlement agreement that included a confidentiality clause, his attorney Timothy Parlatore told CNN in a statement earlier this month. Parlatore said Hegseth settled because it was during the Me Too movement and he didnt want to lose his job at Fox News if the accusation became public. The statement did not share how much the accuser was paid as part of the settlement, although Parlatore said it was a significantly reduced amount. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the allegation surfaced earlier this month, Hegseth told Republicans on a prayer call that the battle is just beginning as he faces skepticism around his confirmation. During the call, Hegseth said that his family has received an outpouring of support since Trump announced the pick, adding: Thats the reason why we can endure the attacks and the onslaughts. Trumps allies have defended Hegseth, with Sen. Markwayne Mullin who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which would hold confirmation hearings for Hegseth telling CNNs Dana Bash that he absolutely believes Hegseths side of the story and that the allegation doesnt prevent Pete from going forward with this. Mullin underscored that Hegseth was not charged with any wrongdoing and said that the police report on the incident supports Hegseths version of the encounter on October 8. CNNs Alayna Treene, Kaitlan Collins, Casey Tolan, Scott Glover and Sara Murray contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Hansens disease, also called leprosy, is treatable today and thats partly thanks to a curious tree and the work of a pioneering young scientist in the 1920s. Centuries prior to her discovery, sufferers had no remedy for leprosys debilitating symptoms or its social stigma. This young scientist, Alice Ball, laid fundamental groundwork for the first effective leprosy treatment globally. But her legacy still prompts conversations about the marginalization of women and people of color in science today. As a bioethicist and historian of medicine, Ive studied Balls contributions to medicine, and Im pleased to see her receive increasing recognition for her work, especially on a disease that remains stigmatized. Who was Alice Ball? Alice Augusta Ball, born in Seattle, Washington, in 1892, became the first woman and first African American to earn a masters degree in science from the College of Hawaii in 1915, after completing her studies in pharmaceutical chemistry the year prior. Alice Augusta Ball, who came up with The Ball Method, a treatment for leprosy that didnt come with unmanageable side effects. After she finished her masters degree, the college hired her as a research chemist and instructor, and she became the first African American with that title in the chemistry department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Impressed by her masters thesis on the chemistry of the kava plant, Dr. Harry Hollmann with the Leprosy Investigation Station of the U.S. Public Health Service in Hawaii recruited Ball. At the time, leprosy was a major public health issue in Hawaii. Doctors now understand that leprosy, also called Hansens disease, is minimally contagious. But in 1865, the fear and stigma associated with leprosy led authorities in Hawaii to implement a mandatory segregation policy, which ultimately isolated those with the disease on a remote peninsula on the island of Molokai. In 1910, over 600 leprosy sufferers were living in Molokai. This policy overwhelmingly affected Native Hawaiians, who accounted for over 90% of all those exiled to Molokai. The significance of chaulmoogra oil Doctors had attempted to use nearly every remedy imaginable to treat leprosy, even experimenting with dangerous substances such as arsenic and strychnine. But the lone consistently effective treatment was chaulmoogra oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chaulmoogra oil is derived from the seeds of the chaulmoogra tree. Health practitioners in India and Burma had been using this oil for centuries as a treatment for various skin diseases. But there were limitations with the treatment, and it had only marginal effects on leprosy. The oil is very thick and sticky, which makes it hard to rub into the skin. The drug is also notoriously bitter, and patients who ingested it would often start vomiting. Some physicians experimented with injections of the oil, but this produced painful pustules. CC BY Dr. Isabel Kerr, a European missionary, administering to a patient a chaulmoogra oil treatment in 1915, prior to the invention of the Ball Method. George McGlashan Kerr The Ball Method If researchers could harness chaulmoogras curative potential without the nasty side effects, the trees seeds could revolutionize leprosy treatment. So, Hollmann turned to Ball. In a 1922 article, Hollmann documents how the 23-year-old Ball discovered how to chemically adapt chaulmoogra into an injection that had none of the side effects. The Ball Method, as Hollmann called her discovery, transformed chaulmoogra oil into the most effective treatment for leprosy until the introduction of sulfones in the late 1940s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1920, the Ball Method successfully treated 78 patients in Honolulu. A year later, it treated 94 more, with the Public Health Service noting that the morale of all the patients drastically improved. For the first time, there was hope for a cure. Tragically, Ball did not have the opportunity to revel in this achievement, as she passed away within a year at only 24, likely from exposure to chlorine gas in the lab. Balls legacy, lost and found Balls death meant she didnt have the opportunity to publish her research. Arthur Dean, chair of the College of Hawaiis chemistry department, took over the project. Dean mass-produced the treatment and published a series of articles on chaulmoogra oil. He renamed Balls method the Dean Method, and he never credited Ball for her work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Balls other colleagues did attempt to protect Balls legacy. A 1920 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association praises the Ball Method, while Hollmann clearly credits Ball in his own 1922 article. Ball is described at length in a 1922 article in volume 15, issue 5, of Current History, an academic publication on international affairs. That feature is excerpted in a June 1941 issue of Carter G. Woodsons Negro History Bulletin, referring to Balls achievement and untimely death. Joseph Dutton, a well-regarded religious volunteer at the leprosy settlements on Molokai, further referenced Balls work in a 1932 memoir broadly published for a popular audience. Historians such as Paul Wermager later prompted a modern reckoning with Balls poor treatment by Dean and others, ensuring that Ball received proper credit for her work. Following Wermagers and others work, the University of Hawaii honored Ball in 2000 with a bronze plaque, affixed to the last remaining chaulmoogra tree on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine added Balls name to the outside of its building. Balls story was even featured in a 2020 short film, The Ball Method. The Ball Method represents both a scientific achievement and a history of marginalization. A young woman of color pioneered a medical treatment for a highly stigmatizing disease that disproportionately affected an already disenfranchised Indigenous population. In 2022, then-Gov. David Ige declared Feb. 28 Alice Augusta Ball Day in Hawaii. It was only fitting that the ceremony took place on the Manoa campus in the shade of the chaulmoogra tree. 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: Mark M. Lambert, Des Moines University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Mark M. Lambert 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. WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Communities are coming together to spread joy and support local causes this holiday season. The annual Yuletree Jubilee in West Springfield is known for bringing the community together for a good cause during this festive time of year. The Red Thread Network for Arts has been hosting its Yuletree Jubilee for 8 years now in hopes of raising money for artists in the city. This year, they have over 20 holiday trees on display at the West Springfield Public Library Community Room, each one decorated by a local business or organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Visitors have the chance to win one of these trees through a raffle with all proceeds going towards supporting art programs. Founder of Red Thread Jane Barrientos told 22News, Creativity is good not only for mental health but for kids ability to think. They need to be able to think outside the box, even to do math. So if you arent encouraging it, then you dont get the expansion of their thinking patterns. And I think art is a really good way to do that. From now until December 8th, people can purchase raffle tickets for $10 each and choose which trees they want to try and win. Raffle Viewing Hours: Friday Sunday: 10 AM to 4 PM Monday Thursday: 10AM to 8PM Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, the Red Thread Network for Arts will be drawing the lucky winners of the trees at 4PM. 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. Ukraine could agree to a ceasefire with Russia if NATO extends its protection to the parts of the country controlled by Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday. "If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelensky said in an interview with the British TV channel Sky News. "We need to do it fast. And then on the [occupied] territory of Ukraine, Ukraine can get them back in a diplomatic way." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said this plan hadn't before been considered because no one had suggested it to Ukraine officially. A NATO invitation would still need to be extended to the whole of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, he said. His country's constitution does not allow recognition of Russian-occupied territories. Ukraine needs a guarantee that Putin doesn't return The president recently hinted in a speech in parliament in Kiev that Ukraine might not need to militarily recapture all occupied territories and could leave this to a future diplomatic solution. The demand for an immediate NATO invitation is part of his so-called victory plan, which he presented in the autumn in Washington, Berlin, and other capitals. However, the United States and Germany - top supporters of Ukraine and important NATO nations - are blocking a fast track for Ukraine into the Western defence alliance. The plans known so far from President-elect Donald Trump also do not foresee a NATO membership for Ukraine. Russia categorically rejects having Ukraine in NATO. Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he might be willing to cede Russian-occupied portions of Ukraine to Russia in exchange for NATO membership for the rest of Ukraine. Offering NATO membership to Ukraine could end the war's "hot phase" if NATO recognized Ukraine's internationally established borders, Zelensky told Sky News in an interview Friday. The membership would have to include Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine to give Ukrainian officials more leverage to negotiate a cease-fire and eventually end to the war using diplomacy, Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelensky told Sky News. Zelensky suggested Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine would remain under Russian control while negotiating a "diplomatic way" to end the war begun when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. A cease-fire would be required to stop Russia from taking more Ukrainian territory with NATO helping protect the unoccupied areas of Ukraine, Zelensky said. Without NATO protection, Zelensky suggested Putin and Russian forces "will come back" to capture more Ukrainian territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no formal offer from NATO to make Ukraine a member state, though. "Ukraine has never considered such a proposal because no one has officially offered it to us," Zelensky said. Zelensky told Sky News he wants to work with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to ensure the United States remains Ukraine's "biggest supporter." "I want to work with him directly because there are different voices from people around him," Zelensky said. "That's why we need not to [let] anybody around to destroy our communication." Zelensky told Sky News he and Trump met in September when Zelensky was in New York City, and said they had a "warm, good, constructive" talk and they need to prepare for more meetings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also spoke by phone after Trump was elected president in November. Zelensky previously said he would not cede any territory to Russia and Ukraine could not be stopped from becoming the newest member of NATO. Ukrainian membership in NATO requires a unanimous vote of all 32 member states, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte earlier this week said Ukraine does not have a strong position from which to negotiate an end to the war. Trump has said he intends to end the war in Ukraine after taking office in January. Puducherry District Collector A. Kulothungan stated that the district administration has implemented comprehensive measures to prepare for Cyclone Fengal. "The landfall process is expected around 7 pm today. The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to address the impact of Cyclone Fengal," Kulothungan told ANI. "The war room is operational, and relief centres have been established with all necessary arrangements in place. Warning messages have been disseminated, and approximately 4,000 government officials are on duty," he added. Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre MD K.V.S. Srinivas reported that the cyclone is currently situated 120 km northeast of Puducherry and 110 km southeast of Chennai. "The cyclone is positioned 120 km northeast of Puducherry and 110 km southeast of Chennai. It is expected to move westward across the northern Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast between Mahabalipuram and Karaikal this evening, with wind speeds reaching 70-80 kmph," Srinivas told ANI. Heavy rainfall due to the cyclone has resulted in waterlogging in several parts of Chennai. Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has deployed teams across all Phase 2 project sites to monitor Cyclone Fengal and address related flooding issues. "Heavy rains have caused waterlogging in Karapakkam. Our teams are on the ground, using high-powered 100 hp and 40 hp pumps to remove water. The situation is gradually coming under control. Officials and teams are stationed at all Phase 2 project sites to monitor and tackle flooding caused by Cyclone Fengal," CMRL stated on Twitter. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that Cyclonic Storm Fengal will cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram on Saturday evening, with wind speeds of 70-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph. According to the IMD, the cyclone, located over the southwest Bay of Bengal, is moving west-northwestwards at 10 kmph. It is currently centred near latitude 12.3N and longitude 80.7E, approximately 100 km east-northeast of Puducherry and 100 km southeast of Chennai. "It is likely to move westwards and make landfall between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, near Puducherry, as a cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 70-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph, this evening. A possible slowdown in its movement may occur as it nears the coast. Continuous monitoring is underway," the IMD stated. The IMD also warned of wind speeds ranging from 70-90 kmph during landfall in areas between Tiruvallur and Mayiladuthurai. Coastal districts from Tiruvallur to Nagapattinam are likely to experience wind speeds of 50-70 kmph on Sunday. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall has affected several parts of Tamil Nadu as the cyclone approaches. In Chennai, waterlogged roads were seen in areas such as New Washermanpet, the Gemini Flyover, and Mount Road, leading to slow traffic and challenges for vehicles, including cars and two-wheelers. (ANI) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested this week that NATO welcoming Ukraine into the alliance could halt the hot stage of the war, while Russia would temporarily keep the territory it overtook. If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control, Zelensky said in an interview Friday with SkyNews. We need to do it fast. And then on the [occupied] territory of Ukraine, Ukraine can get them back in a diplomatic way, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in early July during a summit in Washington, NATO said Ukraine was on an irreversible path to join the military alliance. You cant give an invitation to just one part of a country, Zelensky said in the interview. Why? Because thus you would recognize that Ukraine is only that territory of Ukraine and the other one is Russia. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said this week that Ukraine is not in a strong position to start negotiating the end of the war that has been raging in Eastern Europe for nearly three years. In order to be entered into the organization, however, Ukraine would need a green light from all 32 members. Zelensky said in the recent interview that a truce was necessary to guarantee that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will not come back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian leader noted that he will also need to work with President-elect Trump to ensure that Kyiv continues to have its biggest backer: the U.S. Trump repeatedly said on the campaign trail that he would end the conflict once he is back in the White House. I want to work with him directly because there are different voices from people around him. And thats why we need not to [allow] anybody around to destroy our communication, he told SkyNews. Zelensky and Trump met in September to discuss plans that could bring an end to the war. The two also spoke after the president-elect won the 2024 election. Were going to work very much with both parties to try and get this settled, the president-elect told reporters after the meeting earlier this year. We have a very good relationship, and I also have a very good relationship as you know with President Putin. And I think if we win, I think were going to get it resolved very quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, Trump tapped retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg to be his special envoy to the Russia-Ukraine war when he returns to the White House in January. Kellogg, who recently issued a detailed proposal to end the conflict, said in the past that more aid to Ukraine should depend on Kyivs willingness to be part of peace talks. Bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties, Kellogg wrote in a research report for the America First Policy Institute (AMFI). Ukraine has already started asking NATO members to give the war-torn country an invitation to join the alliance, Reuters reported. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has asked the member nations to issue the invitation at the foreign ministers upcoming meeting in Brussels, set to begin on Dec. 3, according to a letter reviewed by the international news wire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he wants to work directly with US President-elect Donald Trump and is open to his ideas, highlighting Kyivs eagerness to keep its most important ally onside as Russia intensifies its attacks. Of course we will work with Trump. I want to work with him directly, Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News released Friday, adding that he did not want people around Trump to destroy their communication. I want to share with him ideas and I want to hear from him his ideas, he added. The United States is the single largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine and Kyiv is keenly aware that it needs to stay on Trumps good side to secure future support. According to the US Department of State, the government has contributed $64.1 billion to Ukraines war effort since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky characterized his conversations with Trump during a visit to New York in September as warm, good, constructive. He said the discussions were an important first step, but that more detailed talks would be needed until we will have a real plan where Ukraine is strong. Zelensky noted that his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, would travel to the US as soon as possible for meetings, including with Trumps pick to be special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg. Kellogg favors a ceasefire and peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, which would include security guarantees for Ukraine to protect against future Russian invasions. Zelensky told Sky News that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not ready to negotiate, however. He doesnt want to stop the war, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian leader added that he would like Trump to succeed and for the US to play one of the most crucial parts in ending the war. Prior to winning the election, Trump repeatedly claimed that the Russia-Ukraine war would not have started if he had been president. He also vowed to end the war, sometimes even claiming he would stop the years-long conflict before taking office. In July, he said he could settle the conflict in one day, without offering further details. NATO membership Zelenskys comments come as the scale and severity of the conflict escalates, as Moscow makes increasing use of non-nuclear ballistic missiles. More than one million Ukrainian households were left without power Thursday following a widespread attack on critical energy infrastructure. On Friday, Putin threatened to strike Ukraine again. He also praised Trump, describing him as an intelligent and experienced politician capable of finding solutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the interview with Sky News, Zelensky stressed that Ukraines US and European allies needed to better equip a greater number of its soldiers and provide more fighter jets. The countrys eastern front, where Moscow is fast advancing, depends on the number of equipped brigades and air defense, he added. He also addressed widely reported calls by US officials to drop Ukraines minimum conscription age from 25 to 18 to address a critical shortage of manpower. I want to ask our partners to do their part of the job and we will do our part of the job, he said. Asked by Sky News whether Ukraine would consider ceding some territory to Russia in exchange for NATO membership, Zelensky said that such a solution could in theory help to end the war but that it would run counter to Ukraines constitution. The invitation (to join NATO) must be given to Ukraine within its internationally recognized border. You cant give an invitation to just one part of the country You have no right to recognize the occupied territory as territory of Russia, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky has long called for Ukraines unconditional accession to NATO, but it is highly unlikely that the country will be admitted to the military alliance before the war ends. During the interview, Zelensky reiterated his position that NATO membership was currently the only path to victory. He admitted that he was afraid Ukraine might lose the war, and particularly the independence of its people. If we will be alone, we will lose, he said. Maria Kostenko contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested a way the "hot phase" of the war in Ukraine could end. It would include unoccupied parts of Ukraine coming "under the NATO umbrella." Zelenskyy has long rejected the idea of ceding land to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that the "hot phase" of the Russia-Ukraine war could end if unoccupied parts of Ukraine came "under the NATO umbrella." In an interview with Sky News' chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay published on Friday, Zelenskyy said: "If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we should take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That's what we need to do fast. And then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically," he said, adding that no such offer had been made. But Zelenskyy stressed that NATO membership would need to be offered to Ukraine as a whole, within its internationally recognized borders. "You can't give invitation to just one part of a country," he said. "Why? Because thus you would recognize that Ukraine is only that territory of Ukraine, and the other one is Russia." He also said any cease-fire would need to guarantee that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not come back to try to take further Ukrainian land, which he said would happen if NATO did not "immediately" cover the parts of Ukraine that would remain under Kyiv's control in the proposed plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy has long rejected the idea of ceding land to end the war. In October, he outlined a victory plan for the war that included a refusal to concede territory to Russia and an invitation to join NATO, which he called "the first and very important point." Earlier in the year, Zelenskyy also dismissed Donald Trump's reported secret plan to end the war by ceding territory to Russia as "primitive." "If the deal is that we just give up our territories, and that's the idea behind it, then it's a very primitive idea," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Axel Springer media outlets. "I think if he really has a formula and an approach on how to end the war quickly. I need very strong arguments. I don't need a fantastic idea. I need a real idea because people's lives are at stake." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some reports have suggested that a "West German model" has been discussed as a means of offering NATO membership to Ukraine. Such a plan could see NATO membership offered to a divided country. No formal proposal has been made. Read the original article on Business Insider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine had requested equipment for 10 military brigades to counter Russian aggression, but Western partners had fully equipped only two and a half brigades. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Sky News Details: Zelenskyy said Ukraines problem lies in equipping its military with weapons and equipment, not in the number of soldiers available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "They [partners] speak about mobilisation, but the real problem is with 10 brigades which our partners didn't equip. I asked them very much, more than one year ago, that we need to equip these brigades. We made this solution with the United States and with European allies and for today Europe and the United States [have fully] equipped two and a half brigades." Details: Zelenskyy pointed to "some bureaucracy, some decisions, some don't think that this is the priority" as reasons for this situation, adding that "it's always the same way during this war". Quote: "Somebody asked me, and I don't want to tell you the position of some leaders in Europe [with such opinions] about mobilisation and etc., that you need younger [people] and etc., and I said, What do you want? Do you just want [them] to die without your weapons?" Details: Zelenskyy emphasised that decisions about the number of troops in Ukraine are made with the aim of preserving as many lives as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If in European or American offices there is an idea that we need to do something differently about the draft age, I want to just ask our partners to do their part of the job and we will deal with our part of the job," Zelenskyy stressed. Background: On 28 November, Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, confirmed that discussions with Western partners have included the topic of lowering the conscription age. Recently, a Biden administration official told the media that the US is encouraging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its armed forces, partly by revising mobilisation laws to allow conscription from the age of 18. On 19 November, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted that while Ukraine has received substantial American military aid, it still faces challenges on the battlefield, citing mobilisation issues as a key factor. Support UP or become our patron! Darren Stanley Arquette, also known as Darren Stanley Harris, in a mugshot from the Washington State Department of Corrections. If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. As Navy Day 2024 approaches on December 4, the Indian Navy is set to conduct an 'Operational Demonstration' off the coast of Puri in Odisha as part of the Navy Day celebrations, according to a press release. The release states: "In an exciting celebration of Navy Day 2024, the Indian Navy will perform a spectacular Operational Demonstration off the coast of Puri, Odisha, showcasing the strength and versatility of its naval fleet. This event is not only a tribute to India's rich maritime heritage but also an opportunity for the general public to witness first-hand the world of naval operations, a realm often hidden from public view." The demonstration will showcase the Indian Navy's strength and versatility, offering spectators a rare glimpse into the operational capabilities of India's maritime force. Highlights will include coordinated ship manoeuvres, mock rescues, and dynamic displays by naval helicopters, fighter jets, and patrol aircraft. The event will also provide an insight into the complex skills and rigorous training required to safeguard India's maritime interests. During the event, Indian-built ships such as Delhi-class destroyers, Shivalik-class frigates, Kamorta-class ships, Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), as well as HAL-manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) will be on display. The release further states: "For most of our citizens, the activities of the Indian Navy remain out of sight, limited to news reports or ceremonial parades. The nature of naval operations, often conducted in the vast expanse of the high seas, means the general public rarely gets a chance to see the Indian Navy's powerful ships, cutting-edge equipment, or tactical manoeuvres. This year's demonstration off Puri brings the Navy's prowess closer to the people and offers an up-close experience of naval activities. Spectators will witness thrilling displays of coordinated ship manoeuvres, mock rescues, and operations by naval helicopters, fighter jets, and patrol aircraft, providing an insight into the complex skills and training required to secure our maritime interests." The event is also a tribute to Odisha's maritime legacy. Odisha, historically renowned for its ancient sea trade routes, was a hub of maritime activities and is celebrated annually during Bali Jatra (Bali Yatra) in Cuttack. The release explains: "This event off Puri is a fitting tribute to Odisha's maritime legacy. Known for its ancient sea trade routes, Odisha's connection to the ocean runs deep, with historic voyages by the Sadhabas (Odia mariners) to Southeast Asia, which to this day is commemorated annually as Bali Jatra in the historic city of Cuttack. This ancient heritage will be rejuvenated as modern Indian naval warships manoeuvre off the coastline, symbolising a continuum of maritime traditions from ancient times to today." It adds: "This demonstration is also a powerful showcase of India's advances in indigenous defence capabilities. Indian-built ships such as the Delhi-class destroyers, Shivalik-class frigates, Kamorta-class ships, Naval OPVs, and HAL-manufactured ALHs, which embody the nation's progress in naval engineering and self-reliance, will be on display." (ANI) Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh over party leaders not being able to visit Sambhal, which had seen violence, and said that imposing restrictions "is a failure" of administration. He said restrictions should have been imposed on those who incited violence and raised provocative slogans . "Imposing restrictions is a failure of the BJP government's governance, administration and its management. If the government had earlier restricted those who dreamed of causing riots and made people raise frenzied slogans, then the atmosphere of harmony and peace in Sambhal would not have been spoiled," Akhilesh Yadav posted on X. Yadav also said that strict action should be taken against officials of Sambhal administration. "Just like BJP changes the entire cabinet, the entire administration in Sambhal from top to bottom should be suspended over allegations of negligence. Cases should be filed for murder...The BJP has been defeated," the former UP Chief Minister added. Samajwadi Party leader Mata Prasad Pandey on said on Saturday that Sambhal District Magistrate called him over the phone and asked him not to visit the district. "The Justice Commission is going there, media people are going there, will there be any unrest if we go there? This government is deliberately stopping us to hide all its work," Pandey, who is Leader of Opposition in state assembly, told ANI. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday asked Uttar Pradesh to ensure "harmony and peace" in Sambhal and directed the trial court there not to proceed in the suit against the Jama Masjid till the petition filed by the Masjid Committee against the survey order is listed in the High Court. A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed that the report of the advocate commissioner, who conducted the survey of the mosque, should be kept in a sealed cover and should not be opened in the meantime. "Peace and harmony have to be maintained. We don't want anything to happen... We have to be absolutely, totally neutral and ensure nothing wrong is done," said the bench. Tensions in Sambhal had been simmering since the local court ordered a survey of the mosque on November 19. Opposing the court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid people clashed with police, resulting in the deaths of four persons. The survey followed a petition in the local court claiming that the site of the mosque was previously a Harihar temple. (ANI) Delhi Police on Saturday detained a bus marshal for throwing a liquid, which the police said was water on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during his padyatra (walk on foot). Kejriwal was conducting his padyatra in Delhi's Greater Kailash area when the incident happened. As per the police, the AAP Chief was shaking hands with the public when a person namely Ashok Jha attempted to throw "water" on Arvind Kejriwal, but he was immediately caught as the police staff was nearby along with ropes. "The said attempt was foiled and the person was detained. The alleged person is serving as a Bus Marshal at Khanpur Depot. Further examination of the person is in progress to find out the reasons behind this act," the police said. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi claimed that the accused was a BJP worker. "Today in broad daylight, a BJP worker attacked Arvind Kejriwal ji. The BJP is feeling very nervous about losing the Delhi elections for the third time. Delhi people will take revenge for such cheap acts. Last time they got eight seats, this time Delhi people will give zero seats to BJP," she said. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann termed the incident as "shameful". "The attack on Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi's Greater Kailash is very shameful. Ever since Kejriwal ji has started asking BJP questions about Delhi's law and order and people's safety, BJP has been completely baffled. This attack is the result of that frenzy. This is the third attack on him in 35 days. Whenever the BJP fails in its responsible work, it starts to adopt ways of fighting and fighting," CM Mann said. Reacting to it, Congress leader Udit Raj said, "Nothing can be said, whether it is organised or not. I believe the public is upset. Two people in this country lie a lot, one is PM Modi and the other is Arvind Kejriwal. He made false promises but did not work for the people." Earlier today, Arvind Kejriwal, along with Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, visited the family of a man who was stabbed to death in their house in the Panchsheel Park area on Saturday. Speaking to the media, Kejriwal stated that the victim's family is in deep shock as the motive behind the incident remains unclear. "Senior citizens across Delhi are in distress, and businessmen are receiving extortion calls. Shootouts are happening in the city. Crime is rampant in Delhi. I want to ask Amit Shah--when will you take action against this? Since he became Home Minister, the situation in Delhi has gone from bad to worse," the AAP chief said. (ANI) The Congress party is facing a peculiar problem after the Maharashtra poll defeat - how to balance the Hindu and Muslim cards. During the Maharashtra assembly election, the BJP accused the Congress of bowing down to the demands of the All India Ulema Board and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. The BJP alleged that the Congress accepted 10 demands of the Board which included banning RSS and granting reservation to Muslims. This aided momentum to the 'Batenge to Katenge' slogan already propagated by the saffron party leaders. The icing on the cake for the BJP was 'Ladki Bahin Yojana'. While the Congress party allegedly tried to unite the Muslim voters, the BJP managed to unite the Hindus and it reflected big in the election results. In the recently concluded Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi, while Rahul Gandhi asked for action against responsible persons, Mallikarjun Kharge hinted at 'tough decisions'. The Congress leaders agreed that the Maharashtra defeat holds a message for the party and it needs to be analysed thoroughly. The Congress party is now looking to find a middle path where they can talk about minorities' welfare while not upsetting or sending a wrong message to the Hindu voters. Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi had not fielded any Muslim candidate in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha polls. The Muslim voters taught the Congress a lesson in the assembly elections with the grand old party winning just 13 of the 38 seats where Muslim voters hold an influence. Amid this, the Congress is facing a fresh challenge in Telangana. With Muslims comprising over 12% of Telanganas populationnearly half of whom reside in Hyderabadthe Revanth Reddy government faces mounting pressure to address grievances and avoid further erosion of its minority support, which is now shifting towards regional parties like All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. The Congress government is reportedly also under scrutiny over undelivered promises such as increasing the minority welfare budget and implementing a subsidy scheme for minority youth. The proposed Musi Riverfront development project has alarmed residents, as it threatens to displace thousands of families, many of whom belong to the Muslim community. The opposition BRS has capitalized on this, promising free legal aid to affected residents, further putting Congress on the defensive. Opposition parties, particularly the BJP and BRS, are using these issues to weaken Congresss position. While the BJP sees Telangana as a potential foothold in the south, the BRS is positioning itself as a more effective advocate for Muslim interests, claiming to have done more for the community during its tenure. In Telangana, the Congress government currently has no Muslim MLAs in the assembly. There is growing speculation about whether the Congress should send a strong signal to Muslim voters in Telangana by appointing a Muslim MLC and offering them a ministerial position. This move could be a strategic step, especially with two significant electionsDelhi and Biharon the horizon next year. Rahul Gandhi In Wayanad: Congress leader and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani on bribery charges by the US Department of Justice. Gandhi said that the Prime Minister will not indict Adani. Echoing Congress call for action against the Indian billionaire, the senior party MP said that PM Modi wants Adani to be treated differently despite being indicted in the United States. Rahul Gandhi, who was in Wayanad today along with his sister and newly elected Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, was speaking at a public rally. "In the Lok Sabha, we are fighting a political ideology. We are talking about feelings, emotion, affection, love... they talk about hatred, anger, division, and violence. The Constitution says that all people should be treated equally. Prime Minister Modi says Adani is going to be treated differently than every other Indian. PM Modi says it doesn't matter if Adani has been indicted in the United States or has been called a criminal in the United States. In India, we will not indict him," he said. While addressing the public rally, Gandhi asserted that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is a new member of the Parliament of Wayanad. He further stated that it was the feeling inside the hearts of the people of Wayanad that brought her to this position. "I was in Parliament when my sister came for the first time. She is your new member of Parliament. Five years ago, you elected me as your member of parliament, and I thought to myself while she was taking her oath how she had arrived at this point. Five years ago, I took my oath in the old and impressive Parliament House, but we both took our oaths and made the same pledge. And I realized it was the feeling inside the hearts of the people of Wayanad that brought her to this position," Rahul Gandhi said, addressing a public meeting in Kerala's Wayanad. He further said that in Parliament he and Priyanka are sitting as individuals, but actually more than an individual, they both have feelings in the hearts of the people of Wayanad. "When we are sitting in Parliament, we have to realize that, of course, we are individuals. Priyanka is an individual, and Rahul is an individual taking an oath, but actually more than an individual we are feeling in the hearts of the people of Wayanad. The people of Wayanad have put trust in us, put belief in us, and said to us that you please go to the Parliament of India and represent this feeling in the Parliament. So, the most important thing for us is that we are representing the feeling that has sent us there," he added. Continuing his attack on the Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha LoP said that he is confident that they will defeat the ideology of the Bharatiya Janata Party. "They have the entire government at their disposal. They have the media at their disposal. Money, intelligence agencies, CBI, ED, IT, and we don't have any of that. We just have the feeling of the people. It is surprising to me that the feeling of the people wins every single time. I am confident that we will defeat the ideology of the BJP," he added. He also paid tribute to the victims of Mundakkai and Chooralmala who died in the landslide in Wayanad. "I would like to start by paying tribute to the victims of Mundakkai and Chooralmala. We all stand by the people who have lost family members, and property and have suffered. While I was on my way here, we were discussing what we could do for those who suffered as a result of the tragedy," he said. The Lok Sabha LoP accused Prime Minister Modi of being reluctant to help victims of Wayanad landslides. "The Indian Constitution mandates fair treatment of all people, regions, and states. Yet PM Modi declares that despite the tragedy Wayanad has faced, he will not provide the support they deserve. In this atmosphere, the feelings of millions of people have given us the confidence that protects us. Unfortunately, since we are not in government, we cannot take the same actions as the ruling government. Therefore, every member of the Congress party and UDF should put pressure on the government to help the victims. We also remember the spirit of the people who were victims of the tragedy, and we acknowledge how the people of Kerala came together to support the people of Wayanad," he added. On July 30, the state of Kerala was hit with a landslide, the deadliest one in the state, killing more than 300 people and destroying scores of houses and other buildings. The people were affected in Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas. The Congress General Secretary took oath as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha earlier on November 28 while holding a copy of the Constitution. Priyanka was seen wearing a Kerala Kasavu saree as she took the oath as the representative from the southern state. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra secured the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 4,10,931 votes, defeating Sathyan Mokeri of the Communist Party of India (CPI). The Wayanad seat was vacated by her brother Rahul Gandhi, who previously represented Wayanad but shifted to Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh after being elected to the Lok Sabha from there during this year's general elections. (With ANI Inputs) Baba Siddique Murder Case: In the latest updates in the Baba Siddique murder case, Mumbai Police on Saturday invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Baba Siddique, an Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, was shot dead by three assailants near his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique's, office in Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar on October 12. So far, 26 accused have been arrested in the case, while 3 more people are wanted by the authorities. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the NCP leader's murder. The Mumbai Police investigation into the murder case has revealed that prime suspect Akashdeep Gill, arrested in Punjab, used a labourer's mobile hotspot to communicate with key conspirators, including mastermind Anmol Bishnoi, police said. Gill was identified as the logistics coordinator in the murder plot orchestrated by notorious gangster Anmol Bishnoi. "In a significant development in the Baba Siddique murder case, Akashdeep Gill, arrested from Fazilka, Punjab, disclosed during interrogation how he communicated with key conspirators using a labourer's mobile hotspot. This method was employed to evade police detection," the Mumbai Crime Branch said, as quoted by news agency ANI. "Gill admitted to using the hotspot of a labourer named Balwinder, allowing him to appear offline and avoid tracking. The Crime Branch is currently searching for Gill's mobile phone, which may hold vital evidence related to the case. Gill has been identified as a crucial logistical coordinator for the murder plot orchestrated by gangster Anmol Bishnoi," they said. On November 12, a local court in Mumbai sent Shiva Kumar, one of the accused and shooter in the Baba Siddiqui murder case, along with four other accused, to police custody. Shiva Kumar and four other accused were arrested by a joint team of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and the Mumbai Crime Branch from the Nanpara area of Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich on November 10. NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead by three assailants near his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique's, office in Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar on October 12. (With ANI Inputs) Another Hindu priest has been arrested in Chattogram, just days after the detention of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das. The arrested priest, identified as Shyam Das Prabhu, is reported to have visited Chinmoy Krishna Das in jail before being detained. According to the media reports, Shyam Das Prabhu was arrested without any official warrant. On Saturday, reports confirmed the arrest of Shyam Das Prabhu, a member of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The monk, who was actively involved in spiritual and community work, had reportedly gone to meet Chinmoy Krishna Das at the prison where he has been held since his arrest earlier in the week. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has expressed deep concern over the arrests of both priests. Radharamn Das, Vice President and Spokesperson of ISKCON Kolkata, shared updates on the situation through social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He confirmed the arrest of Shyam Das Prabhu, stating: "Another Brahmachari Sri Shyam Das Prabhu was arrested by Chattogram Police today." Arrest Of Chinmoy Krishna Das The recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON member, has sparked a series of protests. On Monday, the prominent Hindu priest was arrested in connection with a sedition case. Despite appeals for his release, he was denied bail on Tuesday, further stoking unrest. The case is reportedly related to his involvement with certain religious activities that the authorities claim violated national security laws. Chinmoy Krishna Das's arrest has attracted widespread criticism from human rights groups and religious organizations, with many accusing the Bangladesh government of suppressing religious freedom, especially targeting the Hindu community. The arrests of these two prominent Hindu priests have led to a wave of protests both within Bangladesh and internationally. Human rights groups, as well as religious and political leaders, have condemned the actions of the Bangladeshi authorities. There are increasing calls for the release of the arrested priests and a fair trial process. The CBI on Friday filed a chargesheet in connection with the RG Kar Hospital financial irregularities in which it has named former principal of the medical establishment Sandip Ghosh as the prime accused, an official said. The Special CBI court at Alipore here, however, did not accept the chargesheet as the official approval required to file a chargesheet against any state government employee was not available, he said. In the 100-odd page chargesheet, the central probe agency has also named four others who were arrested for alleged involvement in the irregularities, he said. "Apart from Ghosh (who has been suspended), the chargesheet includes the names of the other four arrested accused - Biplab Singh, Afsar Ali, Suman Hazra and Ashish Pandey. The CBI has also attached at least 1,000 pages of documents in support of their investigation of the case," the officer told PTI. Another official said: "The West Bengal government needs to approve a chargesheet that has the name of its employee before it is submitted in the court. In this case, the approval has not yet come. Both Ghosh and Pandey are doctors of the state-run hospital. The chargesheet was filed almost three months after Ghosh was arrested on September 2 in connection with the financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which grabbed national headlines after the body of an on-duty medic was found in the seminar room in August. It has been alleged that the financial fraud was underway at the hospital for over three years. During this period, tenders were rigged while purchasing medical equipment for the hospital, and Ghosh allegedly helped his close associates to bag the tenders. Ghosh was suspended 26 days after the doctors body medic was found. On August 23, the Calcutta High Court ordered transfer of the probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital from the state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The direction came in response to a petition by former deputy superintendent of the medical facility, Dr Akhtar Ali, who prayed for a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into multiple counts of alleged financial misconduct at the state-run hospital during Ghosh's tenure as principal. In his plea before the high court, Ali accused Ghosh of illegal sale of unclaimed corpses, trafficking of biomedical waste and passing tenders in lieu of commission paid by medicine and medical equipment suppliers. Cyclone Fengal: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Red Alert for parts of southern states as cyclone Fengal is expected to hit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts. Authorities have warned of heavy rainfall and urged precautionary measures in vulnerable regions. Tamil Nadu, South Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and interior Karnataka are the regions expected to witness heavy to extreme rainfall. The government has advised people to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary. The cyclone is moving west-northwest and is likely to make landfall between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram near Puducherry on Saturday afternoon. It is expected to hit as a cyclonic storm with wind speeding up to 70-80 km/h, with gusts reaching to 90 km/h, according to weather officials. Coastal districts, especially around the landfall point between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, are expected to face the most impact. Extremely heavy rainfall is likely between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, with scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall expected in several areas. Cyclonic Storm 'Fengal' over Southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 11.8N and longitude 81.7E, about 210 km southeast of Chennai. To move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram close to Puducherry as a cyclonic storm pic.twitter.com/iJ4blYKHkj ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2024 Ananda Das, Head of the Cyclonic Division at the IMD, confirmed the cyclone's intensification. As per the latest observation, it has turned into a cyclonic storm. It will intensify slightly more and then make landfall, he told ANI. The landfall is tomorrow evening on the coast of Tamil Nadu, Das added. Cyclone Fengal Tracker For Puducherry, Tamil Nadu: Latest Updates The IMD reported that Cyclone Fengal, currently over the southwest Bay of Bengal, has been moving slowly north-northwest at 7 km/h in the past six hours. As of 11:30 PM on November 29, the cyclone was located about 360 km north of Trincomalee, 230 km east-northeast of Nagapattinam, 210 km east of Puducherry, and 210 km southeast of Chennai. It continues to approach the Tamil Nadu coast. Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors as Cyclone Fengal is expected to make landfall near Puducherry on Saturday afternoon. Schools and colleges here will remain closed on Saturday, officials announced. IndiGo Airlines has issued an advisory regarding the adverse weather conditions in Tamil Nadu, stating that flights to and from Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Tuticorin, and Madurai are currently impacted. The airlines informed via post on X that flights to and from Tirupati and Visakhapatnam are also affected due to the ongoing weather disruptions. The Puducherry Fisheries Department has warned fishermen against venturing into the sea. Fishermen have also been instructed to move their boats and equipment to higher ground to avoid damage from the storm. Authorities have deployed boats, generators, motor pumps, and other essential equipment in key districts, including Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Chengalpattu, and Chennai. NDRF and state disaster teams are on standby in these areas to handle emergencies. For Tamil Nadu, heavy rains are expected in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur districts. Schools and colleges in these areas will remain closed on Saturday, along with Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, and Mayiladuthurai districts, which are also expected to face strong winds and heavy rainfall. A total of 471 people from 164 families have been moved to six relief centers in Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts as a precautionary measure. IT companies in Tamil Nadu have been advised to allow employees to work from home, while public transport on East Coast Road (ECR) and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) will be suspended on Saturday afternoon. The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNDMA) has urged people to stay away from beaches, amusement parks, and public events. Residents in coastal and low-lying areas are advised to stay alert and follow safety guidelines. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) warned against standing or parking vehicles under trees during heavy rains. To manage the situation, the GCC has deployed 28,000 workers to assist with rain relief efforts, with an extra 10 workers assigned to each of the 200 wards to handle rain-related issues. These workers will assist with food distribution and rescue operations. Volunteers have also been mobilized to stay in constant contact with the civic body. Additionally, 36 boats are on standby for emergency use. (With ANI, PTI, IANS inputs) Cyclone Fengal Updates: Cyclone Fengal began making landfall near the Puducherry coast and it is likely that the cyclonic storm will cross the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the next three hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday. Speaking to news agency PTI, S. Balachandran, Additional Director General at the IMD-Regional Meteorological Centre said that the landfall process started around 5:30 pm on November 30. He further stated that the landfall was near the Puducherry area, and it would take roughly 4 hours to complete. He also mentioned that further updates would be provided as more information becomes available. In an update at 7:35 pm, the IMD stated that the cyclones spiral bands had already reached land. The storm is expected to continue moving west-southwestward, crossing the northern Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, near Puducherry. It is projected to maintain wind speeds of 70-80 km/h, with gusts reaching 90 km/h during the next 3 to 4 hours. Here are the key updates of the Cyclone: 1.At the time of the update, the cyclone was about 40 km from the coast, located 50 km south-southeast of Mahabalipuram, 60 km east-northeast of Puducherry, and 90 km south of Chennai, the IMD added. 2. Chennai Airport Closed: Due to the adverse weather conditions, including strong crosswinds, Chennai Airport authorities have announced an extension of the closure of operations until 4 AM on December 1st. Flight operations to and from the city have been significantly impacted. 3. Suburban Train Disruptions: Southern Railway has announced that fewer suburban trains will be running throughout the day due to the severe weather. Passengers are advised to check train schedules for updates and travel cautiously. 4. Heavy Rainfall Across Several Districts: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for heavy to very heavy rainfall in multiple districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Kallakurichi, and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, as well as Puducherry. Areas near the coast are expected to experience the heaviest rainfall. 5. Red and Orange Alerts Issued: A red alert has been issued for districts such as Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, and Cuddalore, along with Puducherry. An orange alert is in place for several other districts, including Ranipet, Vellore, Thanjavur, and Karaikal, indicating the severity of the weather. 6. School and College Closures: In response to the cyclone's impact, schools and colleges across several affected districts, including Chennai and Puducherry, have been closed for the day to ensure safety. Local authorities are taking precautionary measures to protect citizens from the storms impact. 7. Emergency Preparedness: Authorities have prepped essential equipment such as boats, generators, and tree-cutting tools to tackle the potential effects of the cyclone. Additionally, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and state disaster response units have been deployed in vulnerable districts to assist with rescue and relief efforts. 8. Fishermen Warned of Rough Seas: Fishermen along the coast have been advised to avoid venturing into the sea due to rough seas and high winds. All fishing activities have been temporarily halted, and boats are being moved to safer, higher grounds to minimize damage. 9. Impact on Coastal Areas: Coastal districts are expected to bear the brunt of Cyclone Fengal's effects. The combination of strong winds and high tides could result in significant coastal erosion and flooding in the affected areas. 10. Continued Monitoring and Alerts: Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, with updates being provided regularly. The public is urged to stay indoors and adhere to all safety advisories issued by local government bodies and the IMD. A contentious issue has surfaced in Sambhal regarding whether the land of the Jama Masjid was once a Hindu temple. In today's episode of DNA, Zee News has presented the irrefutable evidence suggesting that the Jama Masjid was constructed over an ancient Hindu temple, as evidenced by the findings from a recent survey. When Zee News reporters hit the ground to investigate, startling revelations came to light that will force many people, who claim the area to be only a mosque, to rethink their stance. Threats to Legal Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain In the ongoing Sambhal case, a troubling development has emerged: threats are being made against Vishnu Shankar Jain, a lawyer representing the Hindu side of the mosque-temple dispute. His role in the case has made him a target, and disturbing messages indicate a serious threat to his life. This raises questions about the motivations behind such threats. Could they be aimed at derailing the case, or is there a more sinister agenda at play? Vishnu Shankar Jain: Targeted for Exposing the Truth? Vishnu Shankar Jain has been at the forefront of legal battles related to Hindu religious sites, including the Ram Mandir-Babri case, Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi case, and others. Recently, in Sambhal, Jain has been accused by certain quarters of inciting violence during the mosque survey, despite evidence to the contrary. CCTV footage clearly shows the attackers, not Jain, responsible for the violence, yet Jain has been targeted on social media, with claims that he incited the riots. In an exclusive interview, Jain refuted these accusations and suggested that the threats against him are aimed at silencing the truth and derailing the case. His response raises some critical questions: Is there a truth about the Jama Masjid in Sambhal that some groups want to suppress? Why is Vishnu Shankar Jain being targeted? The Ground Reality of the Sambhal Riots The recent riots in Sambhal have seen the active involvement of violent mobs. CCTV footage from November 24 shows masked individuals throwing stones in narrow lanes, an act fueled by a provocative figure who is seen encouraging the crowd. This individual, dressed in white with a black shawl and cap, repeatedly gestures for the mob to advance and escalate their actions. This footage has led to the identification of key figures responsible for inciting violence. Following the riots, the police came under scrutiny for their actions, with accusations that they fired indiscriminately on a Muslim crowd. However, further investigation, including more video evidence, suggests that the police were simply maintaining order and did not act as recklessly as some critics have claimed. New Claims of Ancient Temple Artifacts in Sambhal In addition to the mosque-temple dispute, new claims have surfaced about ancient Hindu temple artifacts found in Sambhal. Archaeologists claim that remnants of the Hindu temple of Lord Vishnu, including idols and relics from the Gupta period, have been discovered. These claims support the theory that the Jama Masjid in Sambhal was built over an ancient temple. Atul Mishra, an archaeologist from Sambhal, and his family have collected these artifacts over the years, including a statue of Lord Vishnu and a relic resembling the Vishnu chakra. Mishra argues that these findings, combined with historical records, suggest that the Jama Masjid site was once home to the Harirh Temple, which was demolished to construct the mosque. ASIs Allegations Against Jama Masjid Committee Another intriguing angle to the dispute involves the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). ASI has filed an affidavit in the Sambhal court accusing the Jama Masjid management of obstructing archaeological inspections. Despite the Jama Masjid being a protected monument since 1920, ASI officials claim that they have been denied access to carry out necessary preservation work. In recent inspections, ASI found alterations to the mosque structure that they believe were made to hide its original temple-like foundation. This raises the question: Why is the Jama Masjid committee interfering with ASIs work? Are they trying to cover up evidence that could reveal the truth about the mosques origins? Amid the apprehensions expressed by the Congress concerning the voting percentage in Maharashtra elections, the Election Commission has invited a Congress delegation to meet it on December 3. The ECI noted that a transparent process is followed with the involvement of candidates and their agents at every stage of the voting process. The grand old party had also raised some apprehensions about the EVM process after the Haryana assembly polls. The poll panel has said it will review all legitimate concerns of Congress and provide a written response after hearing the party's delegation. In its interim response to Congress, the ECI reaffirmed that there is a transparent process with the involvement of candidates or their agents at every stage. In its interim response, the poll body also reiterated that there is a transparent electoral roll updation process with the involvement of political parties. The Commission has still assured Congress of further review of all its legitimate concerns, the officials said. Responding to the issue raised by Congress pertaining to the voter turnout data, the poll body asserted that there is no discrepancy in voter turnout data, which is available with all candidates polling station-wise and is verifiable. "The gap in 5 PM polling data and final voter turnout is due to procedural priorities, as presiding officers perform multiple statutory duties near the close of the poll before updating voter turnout data. As an additional disclosure measure, the ECI press note, at around 11:45 pm, was thus introduced during the 2024 general elections and followed subsequently during all assembly elections thereafter," the poll panel said. On Friday, the Congress lashed out at the Election Commission and alleged that the "integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised." The issue was discussed at the Congress Working Committee meeting, and the party said it will launch a "national movement." "The Congress Working Committee (CWC) believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission. Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take up these public concerns as a national movement," the Congress statement said. Speaking to the media, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that "electoral malpractices" also influenced the result of the Haryana Assembly election. "The CWC also acknowledged that the party's performance in Haryana has been contrary to all expectations. The INC should have formed the government in the state by a convincing margin, but it didn't. However, there have been electoral malpractices that influenced the result in the state, which have been overlooked," he alleged. He said that the CWC accepted the party's performance in Maharashtra; that was "unexplainable and shocking," and it appears to be a clear case of "targeted manipulation." Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole also wrote to the ECI seeking to know how voter turnout increased by 7.83 percentage points after the official polling time had ended. "Doubts are being raised from many levels on the 7.83 percent increase in votes. Looking at the vote figures announced by the Election Commission, there must have been long queues at the polling stations after 5 p.m. on the day of voting. In how many constituencies in the state were there long queues of voters after 5 pm?" Patole said his letter to the apex poll body. He further demanded that the Election Commission announce "evidence," including video footage. "According to the official figures released by the Election Commission, 65.2% of voting was done till 11.30 pm on November 20. The official figures released on the next day, i.e., on November 21 at 3 pm, were 66.05 percent. Where did the 1.03 percent discrepancy in the figures officially released by the Election Commission itself come from? How did a whopping nine lakh ninetynine thousand and three hundred and fifty-nine votes increase in a single day?" he asked. (With ANI Inputs) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel gifted 52 development projects worth Rs 120 crores for the Anand district, including the foundation stone laying of 39 projects valued at Rs 90 crores and the inauguration of 13 projects worth Rs 30 crores, a release said on Saturday. As per the release, the event was held in Sojitra, the Karmabhoomi of Sardar Patel, the architect of United India, and the birthplace of visionary educationist Shree Bhaikaka. Paying tribute to Sardar Patel and Shree Bhaikaka, the Chief Minister praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for setting a global standard for development, highlighting Gujarat's visionary, large-scale growth. He emphasized that the state has fostered a pro-people governance work culture through these impactful development initiatives. In the same context, the CM remarked that the foundation laid by PM Modi for Gujarat's growth, through a development-focused work culture during his tenure as Chief Minister, has transformed the state into a role model and growth engine for the nation's development, added the press statement. Paying tribute to the late Bhai Kaka, the architect of Vallabh Vidyanagar's educational legacy, CM Patel inaugurated the newly built Shree Bhaikaka Government Commerce College in Sojitra, constructed at a cost of Rs 14.85 crore. CM stated that the PM has consistently focused on the development of all sectors by prioritizing education and fostering cultural growth. Aligning with this vision, the state government is advancing holistic development, with a strong focus on education. Reflecting the Prime Minister's vision for a green and clean future, the Chief Minister further emphasized that Gujarat is advancing while ensuring environmental sustainability, read the statement. CM emphasized that Gujarat has witnessed a Vikas Kranti (development revolution) in key sectors such as urban development, public infrastructure, and healthcare. Under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, the state now proudly hosts 103 universities and 2,800 colleges, providing ample opportunities for higher education to its youth. Bhupendra Patel also praised Shree Bhaikaka for establishing a strong foundation of knowledge and education in Charotar, turning Vallabh Vidyanagar into a prominent centre of learning. Reflecting on the region's revolutionary history, he noted that following the independence movement led by Sardar Patel, Charotar became the epicentre of the world's largest cooperative movement through Shwet Kranti (White Revolution) and Vidya Kranti (Educational Revolution) led by Bhaikaka. Today, under the Prime Minister's leadership, Charotar is witnessing the Vikas Kranti (development revolution). The CM stated that 'Swachhta Hi Seva' campaign, inspired by the Prime Minister, is gaining momentum. Under 'Vay Vandana Yojana' designed to ensure quality healthcare for the common man, Ayushman Cards are being issued to citizens aged 70 and above. The Chief Minister emphasized that by following the Prime Minister's vision of 'Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas, and Sauno Prayas', the state is progressing towards the holistic development of society. The government is committed to enhancing citizens' well-being and improving the Ease of Living by continuing its tradition of development-focused initiatives. The Chief Minister reiterated the Prime Minister's call for global collaboration during the country's Amrit Kaal, urging continued service towards building a Viksit Bharat@2047 and realizing the vision of a Viksit Gujarat for a Viksit Bharat. On this occasion, the Chief Minister applauded Padma Bhushan Dr. Tejas Patel as a pride of Gujarat, Charotar, and the nation. Padma Bhushan Dr Tejas Patel, a prominent cardiologist, conveyed heartfelt gratitude for the honour bestowed upon him in his birthplace. Reflecting on Charotar's significant contribution to the freedom movement, he acknowledged the pivotal roles of Sardar Patel, the architect of a united India, and Bhaikaka, a promoter of education. He conveyed his gratitude for those who shaped his life and fondly recalled his childhood memories. Dr Tejas Patel mentioned that the people of Charotar will always have a special place in his heart and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the citizens of this region, including Sojitra. In the beginning, Sojitra MLA Vipul Patel welcomed everyone and stated that the inauguration and foundation stone laying of development projects worth over Rs 30 crore in Sojitra taluka would lead to holistic progress in the area. He also announced plans to beautify Kanelav Lake in Tarapur taluka with an Rs 80 crore investment and outlined other upcoming development initiatives for both Sojitra and Tarapur talukas. The Chief Minister distributed Ayushman cards to the beneficiaries of the Vay Vandana Yojana and honoured Padma Bhushan Dr. Tejas Patel, the distinguished cardiologist. An MOU was signed between Anand District Panchayat and Bharat Biogas Energy Ltd. in the Chief Minister's presence under the Nirmal Gujarat initiative to produce biogas and fertilizers and ensure the scientific disposal of animal dung in 39 villages of Umreth taluka. At the Chintan Shibir in Somnath, the Chief Minister awarded Rs 51,000 to Praveen Chaudhary for being recognized as the Best District Development Officer during his tenure in Junagadh. This amount was dedicated to Anganwadi children. Under the state's 'Tera Tuj Ko Arpan' Yojana, the Anand Police Department successfully returned stolen and lost property worth Rs31 lakh to its rightful owners. The Chief Minister also flagged off 25 e-rickshaws for door-to-door waste collection, a project supported by Power Grid Corporation India Limited's corporate social responsibility initiatives. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Collector Praveen Chaudhary, added the release. (ANI) Chennai: Heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds pounded several parts of northern Tamil Nadu on Saturday, affecting normalcy, as cyclonic storm Fengal, expected to make landfall near Puducherry later in the day, continued moving towards the coast. What began as intermittent rainfall in coastal regions on the night of November 29, gradually became steady leading to water logging in several areas and many residents of low-lying Madipakkam parked their vehicles on both sides of nearby Velachery flyover. Residents of similar vulnerable areas too parked their vehicles in safe areas. Roads were largely deserted and civic workers, police, and fire and rescue personnel were deployed in all vulnerable places. Departure and arrival schedule of flights were affected to some extent. Chennai Metro Rail said its services were operational without any glitches and informed public of parking areas in specific stations that were prone to inundation. State-run transport corporations operated skeleton services in Chennai and nearby areas. As the sea was pretty rough, police put up barricades blocking access to noted beaches including the Marina and Mamallapuram. State-run Aavin milk supply was not affected and power supply continued to be normal in most areas. The government had already declared November 30 a holiday for educational institutions and requested IT firms to make their employees work from home. Kerala Lottery Results Saturday 30-11-2024 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "KARUNYA KR-682" Lucky Draw Result today Karunya Kr-682, November 30, 2024. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2024 for "Karunya KR-682" will feature 12 series, with changes in series possible each week. A total of 108 lakh tickets are available for purchase weekly. The ticket prices may vary. Check the Karunya KR-682 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 80 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Karunya KR-682 results today. Kerala Lottery Result 30-11-2024 Nov: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA KR-682 Draw LUCKY NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKHS IS: KC 429654 LUCKY NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 5 LAKHS IS: KD 674527 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 Lakh ARE: KA 348977 KB 923763 KC 895041 KD 933293 KE 259831 KF 913957 KG 985616 KH 915147 KJ 999580 KK 155010 KL 103572 KM 303533 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE: KA 429654 KB 429654 KD 429654 KE 429654 KF 429654 KG 429654 KH 429654 KJ 429654 KK 429654 KL 429654 KM 429654 (For The Tickets Ending with The Following Numbers below) LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: 0370 0394 1476 1921 3042 3244 3424 4570 5576 6072 6532 7362 7808 8089 8219 8990 9197 9792 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 2,000 ARE: 0143 1130 1188 1412 3169 4220 4359 4656 4849 8920 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE: 0979 1261 1821 2498 2812 3284 3367 5172 6368 6673 7926 8470 9306 9906 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: 0294 0313 0399 0559 0671 0693 0765 1136 1227 1257 1314 1319 1329 1405 1449 1493 1689 1725 1784 1929 2164 2413 2494 2506 2564 2631 3038 3261 3469 3951 4154 4163 4217 4296 4767 4788 4970 4994 5218 5405 5438 5515 5553 5688 5994 6130 6241 6564 6666 6710 6765 7561 7601 7723 7746 7794 7815 7976 8075 8294 8369 8432 8441 8444 8451 8554 8675 8804 8912 9230 9429 9464 9565 9586 9587 9711 9716 9777 9794 9990 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: 0017 0116 0267 0443 0564 0572 0905 0909 1080 1096 1127 1157 1306 1325 1455 1519 1620 1654 1766 1785 1869 2000 2019 2027 2042 2106 2150 2200 2230 2244 2257 2261 2433 2663 3144 3230 3279 3324 3347 3906 4068 4129 4135 4319 4537 4722 4763 5008 5046 5092 5110 5176 5230 5267 5373 5485 5575 5614 5645 5695 5703 5888 6047 6050 6136 6165 6246 6254 6269 6478 6480 6567 6596 6630 6669 6746 6751 6760 6783 6946 7068 7072 7102 7137 7166 7172 7225 7272 7302 7321 7488 7515 7560 7586 7608 7645 7695 7713 7730 7866 7986 8060 8144 8260 8374 8413 8453 8460 8680 8836 8888 8956 9018 9133 9239 9240 9401 9436 9604 9650 9663 9701 9814 9913 KERALA LOTTERY RESULT 30-11-2024 November TODAY: KARUNYA KR-682 LOTTERY PRIZE DETAILS 1st Prize: Rs 80 Lakhs 2nd Prize: Rs. 5 lakhs 3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh 4th Prize: Rs. 5,000 5th Prize: Rs. 2,000 6th Prize: Rs. 1,000 7th Prize: Rs. 500 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 the lottery in any way.) Gondia: The death toll in a bus accident in Maharastra's Gondia district on Friday has gone up to 11 after three more people succumbed to their injuries, with 34 others injured, police said. The accident occurred on Friday afternoon near Bindravana Tola village, along the Gondia-Arjuni road, when a Maharashtra State Transport bus overturned. The bus, travelling from Nagpur to Gondia, had over 40 passengers on board at the time of the incident. Initially, eight passengers were reported dead. However, the toll later increased to eleven. "34 people have been injured, and 11 have died. Treatment of those injured in the accident is underway. One of the deceased was from Nagpur, another from Chandrapur, a few from Bhandara, and some from Gondia," said Gondia District Collector Prajit Nair told ANI. Following the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. "Distressed by the loss of lives in the bus mishap in Gondia, Maharashtra. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM Narendra Modi," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a post on X. Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also issued an order for immediate medical care for the injured. "A State transport Shivshahi bus overturned in a horrific accident. Eight bodies have been recovered from the site of the incident, and the death toll is expected to increase. Information about the situation was taken from the local administration. Instructions have been issued for immediate and proper treatment of the injured," Maharashtra CMO said in a statement. Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister in the outgoing Maharashtra government also offered his condolences to the bereaved family members. "It is very unfortunate that a Shivshahi bus met with an unfortunate accident near Sadak Arjun in Gondia district in which some passengers died. I pay my heartfelt respects to the deceased. We share the grief of their families," Fadnavis wrote in a post on X. Amid brewing speculation regarding the leadership of Maharashtra's next government, NCP leader Ajit Pawar has stated that the next Chief Minister will be from the Bhartiya Janata Party. Pawar's statement on Saturday comes at a time when discussions regarding government formation in the state have been delayed, leaving the final outcome unclear. Ajit Pawar said that the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) would share the Deputy Chief Minister positions. According to media reports, Pawar clarified that this decision was made during a meeting of the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). He also pointed out that such delays in government formation were not unprecedented, citing the example of 1999 when it took a month for the government to be formed. Oath-Taking Ceremony Set For December 5 In a related development, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced that the swearing-in ceremony for the new government is scheduled for December 5, 2024, at 5 PM at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. While the identity of the Chief Minister has not been officially revealed, Bawankule assured that the event would be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he described as "the pride of the world." The announcement of the oath ceremony follows the cancellation of a key meeting for government formation that had been planned for Friday. Caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's sudden visit to his village in Satara district caused a delay in discussions over the distribution of portfolios. Mahayuti Alliance Wins Major Victory in Maharashtra Elections The Mahayuti alliance emerged victorious in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, securing a total of 230 out of 288 seats. The BJP led with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and the NCP with 41. This significant win has positioned the alliance to form the next state government. Abuja: At least 27 people died and more than 100, mostly women, were missing on Friday, after a boat transporting them to a food market capsized along the River Niger in northern Nigeria, authorities said. About 200 passengers were on the boat that was going from the state of Kogi to neighbouring state of Niger when it capsized, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency spokesman Ibrahim Audu told The Associated Press. Rescuers managed to pull 27 bodies from the river by Friday evening while local divers were still searching for others, according to Sandra Musa, spokeswoman for the Kogi state emergency services. No survivor was found about 12 hours after the incident occurred, she added. Authorities have not confirmed what caused the sinking but local media suggested the boat may have been overloaded. Overcrowding on boats is common in remote parts of Nigeria where the lack of good roads leaves many with no alternative routes. According to Justin Uwazuruonye, who is in charge of Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency operations in the state, rescuers had trouble finding the location of the capsizing for hours after Friday's tragedy struck. Such deadly incidents are increasingly becoming a source of concern in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, as authorities struggle to enforce safety measures and regulations for water transportation. Most of the accidents have been attributed to overcrowding and the lack of maintenance of the boats, often built locally to accommodate as many passengers as possible in defiance of safety measures. Also, authorities have not been able to enforce the use of life jackets on such trips, often because of lack of availability or cost. In a shocking raid, Bengal Police uncovered a stash of Californium, a rare and dangerously radioactive chemical at a TMC leader Amrita Ekkas husband Francis Ekkas residence in Darjeeling's Naxalbari. The substance valued at Rs 17 crore per gram is typically used in high-security fields like nuclear reactors. The search was conducted in a joint operation of the Bengal police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Friday. Ekka has been arrested and is currently under investigation. The search team has also recovered sensitive (Defence Research and Development Organization) DRDO documents from his residence. "We found several confidential DRDO documents and a large quantity of radioactive Californium in his possession. The accused person failed to give any clear answer as to why those materials were with him," a police officer told PTI. The availability of this highly sensitive substance and confidential documents has raised serious concerns about his links with the underworld network or involvement in a larger scheme to jeopardize national security. Police have charged the accused with smuggling sensitive DRDO documents and radioactive materials, an officer confirmed. "He may have links to foreign organisations. He is being interrogated," the officer said. The house where the radioactive materials were recovered has been sealed, he added. Border Security Force (BSF) IG Ashok Yadav on Saturday highlighted concern over rising attempts by terrorists to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir. He said that foreign terrorists pose a serious challenge to security establishments. Speaking during 60th Raising Day celebrations, Yadav said that terrorists avoid internal communication, which is a huge challenge to security forces, and in order to face this challenge, security forces have chalked out a new strategy. The Border Security Force (BSF) celebrated its 60th Raising Day at the Frontier Headquarters in Srinagar. BSF, the frontline force of the country, was raised on December 1, 1965, with primary responsibility to safeguard the international border. Later, with the passage of time, it was deployed to safeguard LoC in Kashmir. The BSF today, on 60th raising day, held a grand get-together at BSF headquarters in the Humhama area of district Budgam. ADGP BSF Satish S Khandar was the chief guest. He witnessed the BSF Dog Squad and other abilities of soldiers. Besides this, a cultural program and barakhana were organized on the BSF Raising Day for the veterans of the force and all personnel posted at the Frontier Headquarters. During the celebrations, BSF IG Ashok Yadav said that December 1 is a very important day for us. December 1, 1965 BSF force was made every year. We celebrate this day, and the commitment we have made for the country reinforces that. During the event, IG Frontier also threw light on the situation in Forward areas and situation in Kashmir. Terrorists have cut down on communications among themselves, which is posing a huge challenge to the security forces in tracking them down, Yadav said. Winter has started, and before winter there are chances of infiltration, vulnerable gaps are filled up, and army plans are made to counter every attempt, he further stated. From intelligence agencies we get inputs that people are on launching pads; around 130-150 terrorists are present there, but we have plans to foil their attempts, he added. "Terrorists always make attempts to strengthen their security protocol. They do less communication, but we act on them and who are their supporters and crib on them. Yadav said. As we control the security situation, the terrorists come up with new strategies, and success is that jointly we have made local recruitment very low, but yes, foreign terrorists presence is there, and their strategy is that they do less communication and dont come in habitats, and they can hide for longer periods. Its a challenge, but security forces have made their plans to counter that, he said. I can say of Kashmir valley that 15-16 local terrorists and 50-60 foreign terrorists are active in Kashmir as per intelligence input of security forces, he added. Uber has partnered with the Shikara Union of Dal Lake to launch a new online booking service for tourists, offering a more convenient way to reserve Shikara rides ahead of their visit. This service allows tourists to book their rides up to 15 days in advance with fixed government-set rates and a scheduled time slot. By providing transparency and eliminating the need for bargaining, Uber Shikara aims to offer a seamless and secure experience for visitors, benefiting both tourists and service providers. Ruchika Tomar, Director of Communications at Uber, shared, "No trip to Kashmir is complete without a Shikara ride. With Uber Shikara, we are using technology to help tourists plan their visit better. Uber is used globally, and since tourists come from all over the world, this feature ensures they wont have to haggle over prices, and they will know the exact time of their ride." Uber has collaborated with the Shikara Union, incorporating the union's government-approved rate card into the app, ensuring transparency for tourists. Shikara operators are also pleased with the initiative, as they will have better visibility of their daily bookings and will receive the government-set rates. Moreover, Uber will not charge any commission for these bookings, making it a favorable arrangement for Shikara operators. Wali Mohammad Bhat, President of the J&K Shikara Union, expressed his support for the collaboration, saying, "This is the first time weve tied up with Uber for online bookings. We are happy that its based on government rates, with no bargaining involved. Its a win-win for everyone, and we wont have to pay any commission to Uber." Kashmir has experienced a significant rise in tourism this year, with an influx of both domestic and international visitors, which has boosted the local economy. Many Shikara owners and houseboat operators have benefitted from this increase in visitors, particularly in Dal Lake. Tourists visiting the lake have praised the new online booking system for its convenience. Ruchi Chapra, a tourist from Jammu, commented, "Its great to experience a Shikara ride, especially in the cold. The online booking service will help tourists pre-book rides for themselves and their families, making it hassle-free and boosting the local economy." Rajiv Pathak, a tourist from Punjab, added, "We are enjoying our Shikara ride. Early booking will make the tour smoother, and it will benefit everyone involved." According to the Tourism Department, more than 28 million tourists, including 35,254 international visitors, have visited Kashmir between January 1 and November 30, 2024. The strong flow of both domestic and international tourists has provided a much-needed economic boost to the region. Maharashtra CM Suspense: Efforts to form a new government in Maharashtra are gaining momentum, with the oath-taking ceremony expected on December 5 at either Azad Maidan or Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai, according to a senior BJP leader. However, the saffron party has not yet finalised the Chief Ministerial (CM) candidate. A key Mahayuti meeting scheduled on Friday was put off. The delay has fueled speculation about the potential for a surprise candidate. Amit Shah Meets Mahayuti Leaders In Delhi Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with Mahayuti leaders in Delhi on Thursday. Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar attended the meeting. Sources say the next CM will likely come from the BJP faction, but no official announcement was made. Reports also suggested the possibility of two deputy Chief Ministers in Maharashtra government. Devendra Fadnavis' Return as CM Still Unclear After the BJP's victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Devendra Fadnaviss name emerged as a strong contender for CM. However, no official confirmation has been given. Even after the meeting with Amit Shah, there was no clarity on his candidacy. This has led to discussions about whether the BJP may introduce a new face for the CM position. BJPs History of Surprising CM Selections In the 2014 Assembly elections, despite other potential candidates like Eknath Khadse and Gopinath Munde, the BJP surprised many by choosing Devendra Fadnavis as CM. When Uddhav Thackeray's government collapsed, Fadnavis was expected to return as CM, but the party instead selected Eknath Shinde, making Fadnavis Deputy CM. The BJPs history of surprising CM choices raises the question: If not Fadnavis, then who? Chandrashekhar Bawankule Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule is also being considered for CM. A four-time MLA from Kamthi, Bawankule previously served as Energy and Excise Minister until 2014. He is seen as a close ally of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and hails from the significant OBC Teli community in Vidarbha. Though he was denied a ticket in 2019, his appointment as BJP president in 2022 signals his growing influence. Murlidhar Mohol Along with Fadnavis and Bawankule, Murlidhar Mohols name has surfaced as a potential CM candidate. Elected to the Lok Sabha in 2024, Mohol quickly gained prominence with a position in the Modi cabinet. Having started his political career with the BJP nearly 30 years ago, Mohol has also served as Pune's Mayor, further boosting his credentials. In the recently concluded elections for the 288-member assembly, the BJP secured 132 seats, while its allies, Shiv Sena and NCP, won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Mumbai: Businessman Raj Kundra penned a note on Instagram requesting media personnel not to drag his wife and actor Shilpa Shetty's name amid the alleged Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at his house. He wrote, "To whom it may concern, While the media seems to have a flair for drama, let's set the record straight: I'm fully complying with the ongoing investigation that has been unfolding for the last four years. As for the claims of 'associates', 'pornography' and 'money laundering', let's just say that no amount of sensationalism will cloud the truth, in the end, justice will prevail." "It's unacceptable to repeatedly drag my wife's name into unrelated matters. Please respect the boundaries," he added. The ED's investigation is linked to allegations surrounding the distribution of adult films. Earlier, Shilpa's lawyer issued a statement, saying she has "nothing to do with any offence." In a statement, advocate Prashant Patil called the reports "misleading." "There have been reports in the media saying that my client Mrs Shilpa Shetty Kundra has been raided by the Enforcement Directorate. These reports are not true and are misleading. As per my instructions, there is no Enforcement Directorate raid on Mrs Shilpa Shetty Kundra as she has nothing to do with any offence of whatsoever nature," the statement read. Patil also mentioned the case in question is an ongoing probe regarding Raj Kundra, and that he has been cooperating with the authorities." However, the case in question is an ongoing investigation regarding Mr Raj Kundra and he is cooperating with the investigation for truth to come out," he mentioned. The lawyer also requested media personnel to refrain from using pictures and videos of Shilpa while mentioning the case in the reports. "Would request the electronic and print media to refrain from using the videos , pictures and name of Mrs Shilpa Shetty Kundra as she has nothing to do with the case . Strict cognisance shall be taken against irresponsible journalism wherein the pictures or videos of Mrs Shilpa Shetty Kundra are shared on this matter," the statement concluded. Congress leader Bhai Jagtap on Saturday responded strongly to BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who had filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police Commissioner over Jagtap's derogatory remarks about the Election Commission (EC). Defending his comments, the Congress leader emphasised that he was speaking on behalf of the people of Maharashtra. While speaking to ANI, Bhai Jagtap said that this is the same Kirit Somaiya who used to roam around with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and warn against it. "This is the same Kirit Somaiya who used to roam around with EVMs and warn against it. What happened now? Our democracy and constitution have given me the right to speak. Not the Prime Minister, BJP or RSS. I am speaking on behalf of the people of Maharashtra. I don't have any regret," he said. Earlier on Saturday, Kirit Somaiya filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police Commissioner and wrote a letter to the Election Commission over Congress leader Bhai Jagtap's "kutta" (dog) remark directed at the EC. Speaking to ANI, Somaiya said, "I have written to the Election Commission and also filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police Commissioner. Such a kind of insult, the humiliation of the Election Commission which is a constitutional body can't be tolerated. Action should be initiated against Bhai Pratap." BJP leader Somaiya further claimed that Congress was targeting the Election Commission due to fears surrounding the upcoming Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections in March 2025. "In the last two days, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) everybody has been targeting the EVM and Election Commission because everyone is scared of the local body Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections due in March 2025," he added. Notably, Jagtap refused to apologise over his objectionable "kutta" remark for the Election Commission. "I will not apologise at all, not even a bit...If they are working under pressure from the PM and other ministers then what I have said is right. I will not apologise...Election Commission exists to further strengthen the democracy of the country, and not to serve someone. I stand by what I said. The Election Commission should work like TN Seshan...Democracy is being disreputed because of the sycophant attitude of EC," he said. He further said that Congress brought the EVM technology because it was being used in France, and the US, but after 2009, doubts started arising over its use. Jagtap further said, "Ours is the biggest democracy in the world. If any such doubt is raised, it should be answered. Several petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court on this. A decision on the same was pronounced in April 2024. It was said that VVPAT slips should be counted, if you do not want Ballot paper. The petition stated that 50 per cent of the VVPATs should counted but the Supreme Court said that it should be 5 per cent but it wasn't done." (ANI) Amidst ongoing religious tensions in Bangladesh, a mob shouting slogans vandalised three temples on Friday in Chattogram which has witnessed the protest and unrest in the region after the arrest of former ISKCON member under sedition charges. The attack occurred around 2:30 pm in Harish Chandra Munsef Lane, located in the port city, where the Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the nearby Shoni Temple and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple were targeted, PTI reported citing news portal BDNews24.com. "A group of several hundred slogan-shouting people threw brickbats at the temples, damaging the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples," temple authorities said, as per the PTI reports. Abdul Karim, the chief of Kotwali Police Station, confirmed the attack, stating that the assailants attempted to damage the temples. However, police said that the damage to the temples was minimal following a confrontation between the two groups during which both sides threw brickbats at each other. A procession of hundreds arrived after the Juma prayers. They started shouting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans, said Tapan Das, a permanent member of the Shantineshwari Main Temple management committee. We did not obstruct the attackers. When the situation worsened, we called the army, who arrived quickly and helped restore order. All the temple gates were closed before noon. The miscreants arrived unprovoked and carried out the attack," further told BDNews24.com, PTI reported. Earlier, Spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, was arrested in connection with a sedition case and later his bail was also denied which activated the protest by Hindu community in various locations in Bangladesh, including in the capital Dhaka and Chattogram. (With PTI Inputs) An Israeli fighter jet struck a portable medium-range rocket launcher in southern Lebanon, according to a statement issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The statement said the strike was carried out as "terrorist activity and movement of a Hezbollah portable rocket launcher were identified in southern Lebanon," Xinhua news agency reported. The attack came despite the entry into force of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon since early Wednesday, paving the way for an end to their nearly 14-month-long fighting. The statement noted that the IDF troops are deployed in southern Lebanon, working to remove any threat that endangers Israel and constitutes a violation of the ceasefire. Earlier on Friday, the IDF warned residents of 63 villages in southern Lebanon not to return to their homes until further notice. Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the IDF, posted on social media platform X a map highlighting the restricted area, where these villages are located, warning that anyone entering this area would be exposed to danger. The area, roughly 120 km long and 3 km wide, extends from Naqoura in the west to Shebaa in the east. Israel's security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, starting early Wednesday. According to the ceasefire deal, the Lebanese army will take control of southern border areas over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw, and civilians will return home. According to the fire official, the fire broke out at the Rajshekhar Reddy cotton bales godown this afternoon. The fire official further added there were no casualties reported in the fire incident. Six fire tenders have been deployed to the scene to douse the blaze. (ANI) Amid a tussle within the Mahayuti over the Chief Minister post, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Ajit Pawar on Saturday cleared the air and said that it has been decided in the meeting that the CM will be from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the remaining two parties will have Deputy Chief Ministers. Speaking to the media, Pawar said, "During the meeting (Delhi meeting of Mahayuti leader) it was decided that Mahayuti will form the government with CM from BJP and the remaining two parties will have DCMs." "This is not the first time there has been a delay... If you remember, in 1999, one month was taken for government formation," he further added. Earlier, on Thursday night, Maharashtra's caretaker CM Eknath Shinde, along with Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Ajit Pawar, and other Mahayuti leaders, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in the national capital. This comes after reports on Friday suggested that caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was "upset" and had travelled to his native village amid the delay in forming the government. However, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant dismissed these claims, clarifying that Shinde would return soon and that the next cabinet would be finalised shortly. Earlier today, Eknath Shinde's family doctor said that he has been suffering from fever and a throat infection for the past two days. The doctor mentioned that a team of three to four doctors is treating Eknath Shinde in his native village in Satara district, Maharashtra. RM Patre, Shinde's family doctor, told ANI, "He is doing fine now. He has been experiencing fever, body pain, throat infection, and cold for the past two days. We have administered antibiotics. A team of three to four doctors is attending to him." Meanwhile, amid suspense over the announcement of the Chief Ministerial candidate in Maharashtra, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced on Saturday that the oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government will take place on December 5. The ceremony is scheduled to be held at 5 pm at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Bawankule added that the event will be conducted in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a post on X, Bawankule wrote, "The oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra will be held in the presence of the pride of the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 5 PM at Azad Maidan, Mumbai." (ANI) Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya presided over the 236th meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), EPF in New Delhi on Saturday. Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Labour & Employment and Vice-chairperson of CBT, EPFO; Sumita Dawra, Secretary (Labour & Employment) and Co-vice chairperson of CBT, EPFO and Ramesh Krishnamurthi, Central Provident Fund Commissioner and Member Secretary, were also present. It was informed to the Board about major initiatives taken by EPFO since the last meeting of CBT. It was informed that the limit for auto claims settlement facility has also been extended to Rs. 1 lakh from Rs. 50,000 which has also been extended to advances for housing, marriage and education. In this Financial Year, 1.15 crore claims have been settled in auto mode. The Board appreciated the fact that the rejection ratio has come down to 14 per cent in November 2024. As per a Ministry release, 'During the Financial Year 2023-24, EPFO settled 4.45 crore claims for an amount of Rs.1.82 lakh crore. In the current FY, 3.83 crore claims have already been settled for more than Rs.1.57 lakh crore. 'With the implementation of the CITES 2.01 project, EPFO is upgrading both hardware and software. Under project 2.01 newer version of the operating system is being deployed which will result in the simplification of the claim settlement process. Newer software module will enable UAN based accounting resulting in one member, one account system thereby reducing hassles for members in claim settlement," the Ministry said. The ministry further added that continuing with the reform agenda many path-breaking decisions were taken by the board during the CBT meeting. The major decisions taken by the Board in the meeting include: CBT approved a significant amendment to paragraph 60(2)(b) of the EPF Scheme, 1952. As per existing provisions, for the claim settled by the 24th of the month, interest is paid only up to the end of the preceding month. Now, the interest will be paid to the member up to the date of settlement. This will result in financial benefit to the members and reduce the grievances. Till now, interest-bearing claims are not processed between the 25th and the end of each month to avoid loss of interest to the members. After this decision, these claims will be processed for the entire month leading to reduced pendency, timely settlement and optimized utilization of resources. It reflects EPFO's commitment to efficient, transparent, and member-focused service delivery. CBT was apprised that the first pilot of the Centralized Pension Payment System (CPPS) was successfully completed in October 2024 in Karnal, Jammu and Srinagar. The second pilot was taken up in November 2024 in 20 additional Regional Offices in which Rs. 195 crore have already been disbursed for 8.3 lakh pensioners. CPPS is set to be implemented as part of the EPFO's IT modernization project, CITES 2.01, with a target operational date of January 1, 2025. It will benefit more than 78 lakh EPS pensioners of EPFO which includes streamlined pension disbursement across India, allowing pensioners to access their pension from any bank or branch nationwide, expediting claim processing and eliminating the need for bank visits for verifications or undertaking submissions. CBT ratified the extension of EDLI benefits vide GSR 299(E) dated 28.04.2021 with retrospective effect from 28.04.2024. This will provide a minimum benefit of Rs 2.5 lakhs and a maximum benefit of up to Rs. 7 lakhs. The proposal, supported by actuarial valuation indicating a surplus of Rs 6,385.74 crore has been approved to ensure uninterrupted benefits to EPF members. The Board approved the 71st Annual Report of EPFO for the year 2023-24 with the recommendation to place it before the Parliament through the Central Government. CBT approved a proposal for simplification of the criteria for empanelment of banks for centralised collection of EPF contributions. It will now include all agency banks listed with RBI. Additionally, the CBT has also approved the empanelment of other Scheduled Commercial Banks that are not RBI Agency Banks but have a minimum of 0.2% of total EPFO collection. This criterion has been relaxed from the earlier 0.5 per cent. This initiative will enhance both the Ease of Doing Business and the Ease of Providing Service. Collections through empanelled banks are received on a T+1 basis to EPFO, while collections through the aggregator mode (for banks not empanelled with EPFO) are received on a T+2 basis. This step would result in hassle-free services to establishments and simplify the name validation exercise of bank accounts of EPF members. CBT recommended the EPFO Amnesty Scheme 2024 to the Central Government. The initiative is designed to encourage employers to voluntarily disclose and rectify past non-compliance or under-compliance without facing penalties or legal repercussions. A simple online declaration from employers will be sufficient to avail of the scheme benefits. By providing a limited window for voluntary compliance, the scheme aims to extend social security benefits to more employees, rebuild trust with employers, and promote the formalization of the workforce. The scheme was welcomed unanimously by the CBT. This amnesty scheme will support the implementation of the Employment Linked Incentive Scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2024-25, to foster employment generation and incentivize the formalization of jobs in the economy. It is expected that several small establishments (under the MSME sector or otherwise) may wish to avail of the benefits under the ELI Scheme but would be worried about enrolling under EPFO. This Amnesty Scheme would provide the confidence to such employers to enrol without any fear or additional financial burden, the ministry said. CBT approved a Redemption Policy for ETF investments in CPSE and Bharat 22 to generate income for the EPF Scheme's 'Interest Account.' The policy mandates a minimum five-year holding, returns exceeding government securities, and performance above the CPSE and Bharat 22 indices. CBT approved the guidelines for investment in Units issued by Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) sponsored Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs)/ Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India and falling under Category V(b) and V(d) of the pattern of investment. The minutes of the 235th CBT meeting held on 10th February 2024 were also placed for confirmation of the Board. Further, minutes of the meetings of sub-committees of CBT i.e. (i) Finance & Audit Committee (ii) Investment Committee (ii) Pension & EDLI Implementation Committee and (iv) Exempted Establishments Committee were placed before the Board for information. Policy for Compassionate Appointment in EPFO, 2024 was approved by the CBT. The eligibility criteria and cut-off for admissibility points for compassionate appointments have been relaxed. It will bring relief to the dependents and wards of many employees of EPFO, who had unfortunately died in harness. CBT has approved the proposal regarding the grant of the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) Scheme to Social Security Assistants (SSAs). It acknowledges the need to provide fair and timely career progression opportunities to SSAs, which will strengthen the overall administrative efficiency of the organization. This decision will benefit more than 2350 SSAs of EPFO. EDLI Manual and Pension Manual were ratified by CBT, the ministry added. (ANI) Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday conducted an inspection of the slab track system for the bullet train project at Kim village in Surat, Gujarat. Following the inspection, the Railways Minister emphasised the importance of the slab in the bullet train project, highlighting the skilled work with high precision is being done here in the manufacturing facility. "Slab is the most important part of the bullet train project... The world's largest slab manufacturing facility, based on Japanese technology, is here in Kim Village in Surat. High precision and highly skilled work is being done here in this facility. Testing and quality checks are also of very high standards. Earlier we brought equipment from Japan but now manufacturing has started in India. This facility will also help in future construction projects," Vaishnaw told reporters. Meanwhile, a state-of-the-art track slab manufacturing factory has been established near Surat to support India's first bullet train project. This factory marks a major milestone in the development of the country's high-speed rail infrastructure, an official release said on Saturday. The factory is designed to produce high-capacity ballastless track slabs using advanced Shinkansen technology, the release added. Located in Kim Village, the project site ensures efficient logistics for the bullet train construction and timely delivery of track slabs. As per the information mentioned in the release, the pre-cast reinforced concrete track slabs are typically 2,200 mm wide, 4,900 mm long, and 190 mm thick, with each slab weighing approximately 3.9 tons. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project spans a 508-kilometer corridor and is set to transform high-speed rail travel in India. The bullet train will connect two of the country's largest economic hubs, with a top speed of 320 km/h. After the completion of the corridor, the distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will be reduced to about two hours, down from the current six-hour journey by conventional rail. Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is a key government initiative expected to usher in a new era of safety, speed, and service for the people and help Indian Railways become an international leader in scale, speed and skill. The MAHSR project passes through high growth rate States of Gujarat and Maharashtra connecting business centres of Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad. The sanctioned cost of the MAHSR project is Rs 1,08,000 crore. (ANI) Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Saturday held a pivotal dialogue with a diverse array of stakeholders from Assam's tea industry, including representatives from producer associations, labour unions, and consumer associations and during the discussion, stakeholders presented the numerous challenges currently plaguing the tea industry. The Union Minister assured to resolve the issues faced by the tea industry. The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry also assured funding support to the Tocklai Tea Research Institute of the Tea Research Association (TRA). At the stakeholders' meeting for the tea industry held in Guwahati on Saturday, Union Minister of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the financial crisis faced by the Tocklai Tea Research Institute of the Tea Research Association (TRA). The issue was brought to attention by Joydeep Phukan, Secretary of TRA Tocklai, who highlighted that reduced contributions from the tea industry (by 50%) and the capping of funds by the Tea Board have hindered the institute's ability to meet statutory obligations for employees and retired scientists. Assam Chief Minister Sarma acknowledged the significant contributions of the 114-year-old institute to the Assam tea industry despite its financial challenges. While the Government of Assam has provided some support, he urged the Commerce Ministry to enhance its allocation to Tocklai. In response, Piyush Goyal assured that his Ministry would address the issue and work towards a permanent solution to the institute's financial problems. He also suggested exploring funding support for Tocklai through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives by companies like Hindustan Unilever Ltd. and Tata Consumer Products Ltd. Additionally, the Union Commerce Minister announced that the requirement of a 50% margin for upgrading Tocklai's laboratory would be waived by the Ministry. The Union Minister suggested a roadmap to make India the Tea Capital of the world by Innovative & sustainable farming practices, Product diversification to benefit small producers, Boosting exports & incomes with organic, premium tea, Skilling youth and supporting startups for greater global trade and Tea tourism for rural development. In his address, Assam Chief Minister Dr Sarma underscored that the tea industry is not merely an economic sector, but a lifeblood of Assam, directly involving approximately 40 lakh individuals. He emphasized the substantial influence of the industry's prosperity on the state's economy. The Chief Minister acknowledged the considerable challenges confronting Assam's tea industry and underscored the importance of a collaborative, unified approach to resolve these issues. He highlighted the central government's commitment through the Prime Minister's Tea Workers Scheme, which has earmarked a substantial Rs 1,000 crore for the welfare of tea workers. Of this, approximately Rs 400 crore have been allocated to Assam, to be used for improving the health and education of the state's tea workforce. Dr Sarma expressed his appreciation to the Central Minister for facilitating this support. He also thanked Minister Goyal for adopting a positive approach towards addressing the issues raised by the stakeholders in the tea industry. The interactive session was attended bythe Minister of Industries & Commerce etc. Bimal Borah, Minister for Welfare of Tea Tribes etc. Sanjoy Kishan, Joint Secretary of the Department of Commerce Kesang Y Sherpa, GOI, Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota, Deputy Chairman of Tea Board India Saurav Pahari, and other dignitaries. As Cyclone Fengal began making landfall, Puducherry and several parts of Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rain and gusty winds, disrupting road and air services and affecting normal life. "The Cyclonic Storm 'FENGAL' [pronounced as FEINJAL] over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-southwestwards at a speed of 7 kmph over the past six hours and was centred at 1730 IST today, 30th November 2024, over the southwest Bay of Bengal, off the north Tamil Nadu coast near latitude 12.2N and longitude 80.3E. It was located approximately 40 km from the coast, 50 km south-southeast of Mahabalipuram, 60 km east-northeast of Puducherry, and 90 km south of Chennai," the IMD stated in a post on X. "Latest observations indicate that the forward sector of the cyclone's spiral bands has entered land. The storm is expected to move west-southwestwards, crossing the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, close to Puducherry, as a cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 70-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph, within the next 3 to 4 hours," the post updated at 7:30 pm added. Authorities in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu reviewed the situation and implemented precautionary measures. Puducherry District Collector A. Kulothungan stated that the district administration had taken comprehensive steps to prepare for Cyclone Fengal. "The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to address the impact of Cyclone Fengal," Kulothungan told ANI. "The war room is operational, and relief centres have been established with all necessary arrangements in place. Warning messages have been disseminated, and approximately 4,000 government officials are on duty," he added. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin assessed the preparedness and precautionary measures. He also visited the Chennai State Operation Center, accompanied by state ministers KN Nehru and KKSSR Ramachandran. The Chief Minister interacted with the District Collectors of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and other districts via video conferencing to evaluate on-ground conditions. He assured the public that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and implementing necessary measures. Addressing the media, CM Stalin said the government had been conducting continuous inspections and taking steps to mitigate the impact. "The MET Department has warned of continuous rainfall for the next two to three days. The Tamil Nadu government has been conducting inspections and taking precautionary measures. We have received information that the cyclonic storm will cross the coast tonight. The Chennai Corporation Commissioner has been in touch with the District Collectors of Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and other districts to assess the field conditions. Relief work is underway, and relief camps have been set up to accommodate affected people," CM Stalin said. Due to Cyclone Fengal, Chennai Airport authorities decided to extend the closure of operations until 4 am on 1st December. "A team of senior officials is closely monitoring the situation to facilitate the earliest resumption of operations as meteorological conditions improve. A WebEx meeting was conducted on 30th November 2024 at 1630 hrs, involving all stakeholders and officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD)," Chennai Airport said in a post on X. "During the meeting, IMD provided updates indicating that the landfall is expected around 2030 hrs, with prevailing weather conditions likely to persist until 2330 hrs. Following consultations with AAI Headquarters and considering feedback from stakeholders, it has been decided to extend the closure of operations through a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) until 0400 IST on 1st December 2024. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines regarding their flights," the post added. Earlier in the day, authorities announced that airport operations would be closed from 12:30 pm to 7 pm today. This has now been extended. Due to the heavy rains in Chennai caused by Cyclone Fengal, the Southern Railway announced changes in train services. The Dr. MGR Chennai Central-Jolarpettai Yelagiri Express (Train No. 16089), scheduled to depart from Dr. MGR Chennai Central at 17:55 hours today, has been fully cancelled. The Gorakhpur-Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli) Raptisagar Express (Train No. 12511), which departed from Gorakhpur at 06:35 hours on November 29, will be diverted via Korukkupet and Perambur, skipping its scheduled stop at Dr. MGR Chennai Central. The train will have an additional stoppage at Perambur, with timings of 23:30 (arrival) and 23:35 (departure), Southern Railway said in a press release. The Dhanbad-Alappuzha Express (Train No. 13351), which departed from Dhanbad at 11:35 hours on November 29, will also be diverted via Korukkupet and Perambur, skipping its scheduled stop at Dr. MGR Chennai Central. The train will have an additional stoppage at Perambur, with timings of 23:50 (arrival) and 23:55 (departure). Passengers are advised to check with railway authorities for further updates and to plan their journeys accordingly. (ANI) Amid the ongoing dispute surrounding the Ajmer Dargah and a lawsuit claiming a Shiva temple exists within Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Hindu Sena president and petitioner Vishnu Gupta on Saturday claimed that he has been receiving death threat calls after filing his petition. He said that he had received two death threat calls, one from Canada and another from India and the caller threatened to kill him. However, he stated that he wouldn't be intimidated by such threats. The petitioner again claimed that there is a temple of Lord Shiva at the place of Ajmer Sharif Dargah and they will take it back through a legal battle. In a self-made video, Vishnu Gupta said, "I Vishnu Gupta, the national president of Hindu Sena. I am the one who has filed the Ajmer Dargah petition in the district court. I have received two death threat calls. One call was from Canada which said you have made a huge mistake after filing this case, now you will be beheaded for this. The second call was from India, giving similar threats. I have registered a case in this regard at the Barakhamba Police Station, Delhi. I want to say that such threats can't intimidate us. We are just asking for our legal rights... We also don't want to hurt anybody's sentiments; we are just asking for our rights... Ajmer Dargah is a temple of the Mahadev Shiv, and we will take it back through a legal battle. A notice has been sent to all parties and a survey will be started soon." He conveyed that he has registered a complaint in this matter at the Barakhamba Police Station in New Delhi. Earlier on Saturday, Rajasthan Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham stated that the petition is now in court, and the state government will follow whatever decision the court makes. While speaking to ANI, the Rajasthan Minister, Jawahar Singh Bedham said that Congress has always divided people by doing appeasement politics. "Congress has always divided people by doing appeasement politics. Our aim is to preserve the cultural identity. The state moves on the path of development. The petition has gone to court. Whatever decision will be taken by the court the state government will follow it," he said. Rajasthan Minister further addressed the issue of cow smuggling in the state, emphasising that strict actions are being taken to curb cow smuggling in the state. "After our government came to power in Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma had given strict instruction that any crime whether it is cow smuggling, paper leak mafia, or exploiting women and dalits would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken. Strict action has been taken against cow smugglers and such cases are almost going to be over. When anyone tries to break the law our police will take strict action. Strict action would be taken against any offenders," Bedham added. This statement follows after a Rajasthan court accepted a petition submitted by the Hindu Sena, which claims that Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a Shiva temple. On Wednesday, a local court in Ajmer directed that notice be issued to three parties in a civil suit that claims that there is a Shiva temple in the Dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, according to the plaintiff's advocate. (ANI) Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday visited the training unit of Plasser India situated near the Gatishakti Vishwavidyalaya in Gujarat's Vadodara. The firm is known for designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art machines for track maintenance, track laying, and track renewal. Highlighting the importance of this Plasser unit near Vadodara that was built in 2019, Union Minister Vaishnaw said that almost all complex track maintenance machines in the world are made here. "PM Narendra Modi started a very big movement of Make in India. The Plasser factory near Vadodara is a very important factory. It was built in 2019 and today all the most complex track maintenance machines in the world are made here. Today, this Austrian company has its biggest plant in the world in India, so exports also take place from here. This plant is also connected with Gatishakti Vishwavidyalaya..." Vaishnaw told reporters after his visit. Earlier in June, Indian Railways' Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) Vadodara entered into collaboration with Nokia, Plasser India and Jacobs to strengthen the partnership between industry and academia. These three MoUs were signed at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi. These MoUs were signed in the presence of Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics and IT who is also the First Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya. Jaya Varma Sinha, the Chairperson and CEO, Railway Board and senior officials of the Railway Board were also present on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that he was glad that GSV has emerged as an institution at par with IITs in the country in such a short time. MoU with Plasser India will provide opportunity to collaborate in the area of Track technology, promote industry experience and training for members of each party; Explore joint research opportunities in the transport and rail sector; Provide internship and placement opportunities for the students of GSV. With tremendous growth in the transportation & logistics sector as well as telecommunication sector, along with recent focus on semiconductor manufacturing in India, these MoUs are expected to create manpower for significant employment opportunities. Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) Vadodara was established in 2022, for creating best in class manpower and talent for the entire transportation and logistics sectors. (ANI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel addressed the second convocation of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, which was established under the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Vadodara. During the convocation, 239 students were awarded degrees in various disciplines, in the presence of Union Railway Minister and Chancellor of the University, Ashwini Vaishnaw, a release said on Saturday, an official statement said. On this occasion, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel urged the young graduates of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, beginning their careers in the Amrit Kaal of Azadi (an era of independence), to play a pivotal role in building Viksit Bharat@2047. He further stated that a new chapter is about to begin in the lives of students entering the transport and logistics sector today. Guiding the graduates, the Chief Minister emphasized that wherever they work in the future, their success will be determined by the contributions they make to society and the nation through hard work, discipline, and good intentions. The Chief Minister highlighted that Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, established under the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a significant step toward fostering a competitive business ecosystem by strengthening logistics services and supporting the planned development of the transport and logistics sector across the country. He mentioned that Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is the only world-class institution in the country offering a range of specialized courses in Rail Engineering, Bridges and Tunnels, Aviation, Metro Rail, Ports, and Logistics. The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the university will play a pivotal role in providing valuable career opportunities for the youth in this emerging sector of the new era. CM Patel further emphasized that the Prime Minister has introduced several initiatives, such as the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and the National Logistics Policy, to enhance multi-modal connectivity and strengthen the transport and logistics sector. Through the National Logistics Master Plan, the Prime Minister aims to reduce the average global transportation time for goods. The Chief Minister also highlighted the remarkable development of modern infrastructure, including road networks, rail networks, port facilities, and airports across the country, all under the guidance of PM Modi. He announced that the state government will allocate 31 hectares of land for the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya campus. Speaking about the collaboration between the state government and the university, the Chief Minister noted that the partnership in utilizing the expertise of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya for preparing TPI and DPRs for state development projects is mutually beneficial for both the government and the university. He also expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister and Railway Minister for establishing a world-class institution like Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in Gujarat. Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that, due to the visionary leadership and unwavering determination of PM Modi, the university is now operational in Vadodara, offering courses that meet the needs of external industrial sectors. He further mentioned that the Tata Airbus plant has become operational in Vadodara, and Airbus will require approximately 15,000 engineers in the near future. With this in mind, Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya has collaborated with Airbus to design a curriculum tailored to their needs, ensuring that the education provided in the classroom is directly applicable to the industrial sector. The Railway Minister reiterated that PM Modi's vision was to establish a world-class educational institution focused on transportation and logistics, and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is realizing that vision. He added that the talent nurtured by this institution will infuse fresh energy into the country's development. Discussing the ongoing developments under the leadership of PM Modi, the Railway Minister highlighted the rapid progress in constructing metro systems, bullet trains, highways, and bridges. He also noted that courses have been designed to address the human resource needs of the semiconductor industry. The Railway Minister expressed confidence that Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in Vadodara will become one of the top universities in the country and wished the students success in their promising careers. Four gold medalist students were awarded degrees by the dignitaries. During the event, Dr Hemang Joshi, a court member and Member of Parliament of the university, delivered the keynote address and conferred degrees upon the students. Vice-Chancellor Manoj Chaudhary delivered the welcome address and highlighted the institution's academic progress. The ceremony was attended by the university's Registrar, officials from various Central and State Government departments, as well as local representatives. (ANI) According to police, the arrested accused has been identified as Mohammad Hamim Abdul Fakir (32). A fake Aadhaar card, PAN card, Bangladesh National ID card, Bangladeshi Nikah card and many other documents were seized from the accused's possession, they said. Officials said that the accused is being interrogated by the police to identify who helped him enter India and to trace the agent who orchestrated his travel from Bangladesh. Fakir is originally from the Khulna district of Bangladesh. During interrogation, the accused told the police that he had come to India via West Bengal through an agent about seven years ago. The accused then said that he travelled to Surat after obtaining fake documents in Kolkata, they added. Earlier, Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a man for allegedly sharing the details about the movement of Coast Guard ships with a Pakistani agent, officials said. According to police, the accused, identified as Deepesh Gohel, used to get Rs 200 per day from a Pakistani agent, Sahima. (ANI) The camps, conducted in partnership with district hospitals, featured a dedicated team comprising Army doctors, lady doctors, a gynaecologist, and blood testing facilities. Attendees received detailed health check-ups and essential medications. Over the two days, more than 813 people of all age groups benefited from the camps. The Army continues to support local communities by providing timely assistance and aid, contributing to healthier and safer surroundings. The camps were organised at T Kananphai village in Siden, Churachandpur, on November 29, and at the Community Hall Saiton Bazaar, Bishnupur district, on November 30. Earlier, Assam Rifles organised multiple Mega Medical Camps to support communities dealing with conflict, displacement, and a fragile healthcare system. The initiative received an overwhelming response, directly benefiting approximately 6,750 people during the three-day camps held across various districts of the state. The Mega Medical Camps not only addressed the pressing medical needs of thousands but also provided hope, healing, and humanity to people in distress, the press release further stated. As part of this dynamic initiative, Assam Rifles collaborated with 19 specialist doctors from Maharashtra and Karnataka under the aegis of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to deliver much-needed medical aid, beginning on November 18, 2024. (ANI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini criticised the incident in which a liquid was thrown at former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Convener Arvind Kejriwal, calling it "unfortunate" and underlining that such incidents should not occur. "He should fulfil the promises he made to the people of the state. Such an incident is unfortunate. This should not have happened," the Haryana CM said. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari dismissed AAP's allegation that the attacker, who threw liquid at Kejriwal during his 'padayatra', was a BJP worker. Tiwari claimed that Kejriwal orchestrates such incidents himself, alleging that he has "fallen in the eyes of Delhi." "The BJP is not involved in such cheap tactics... We condemn this... I think Arvind Kejriwal does these conspiracies himself because he has fallen in the eyes of Delhi... Someone may have expressed their anger on the streets, we have nothing to do with it," Tiwari said. The BJP MP further urged the public to punish Kejriwal through democratic means, such as voting, and demanded an inquiry to determine if Kejriwal staged the attack himself. "I appeal to the people that if they want to punish a criminal like Arvind Kejriwal, they should do that with votes... They can do anything to gain sympathy... Everyone should stay alert. They can even get themselves shot. They are drama kings... We want an inquiry to see if Arvind Kejriwal got this done himself," Tiwari said. The Delhi Police have detained the accused and are questioning him to determine the motive behind the act. Meanwhile, Kejriwal on Saturday criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah after being attacked by a bus marshal during his 'padayatra'. Kejriwal accused Shah of failing to address crime in Delhi, instead allegedly targeting him. In a post on X, Kejriwal wrote, "Amit Shah Ji, what will happen by stopping me? Stop crime in Delhi. Will crime in Delhi decrease by stopping me? Will open shootouts in Delhi stop? Will the women of Delhi become safe? Will the traders of Delhi be secure?" According to police, the AAP Chief was shaking hands with the public when a bus marshal, identified as Ashok Jha, attempted to throw "water" at him. The police immediately apprehended the individual at the scene. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi claimed the attacker was a BJP worker. "In broad daylight, a BJP worker attacked Arvind Kejriwal ji. The BJP is nervous about losing the Delhi elections for the third consecutive time. Delhi's people will not tolerate such tactics. Last time, the BJP won eight seats; this time, they'll get none," Atishi declared. (ANI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, on Saturday, asserted that the primary goal of the TDP-led NDA Government is to develop the state by creating wealth and benefiting the poor. The Chief Minister visited the house of the widowed pensioner Palthuru Rudramma and handed over a Rs 4,000 pension at Indiramma Colony in Nemakallu village, Bommanahalli mandal. Later, Naidu had the darshan of Lord Anjaneya at the local temple after interacting with the colony residents. Addressing the local public, the CM promised to transform Rayalaseema into a horticulture hub, adding that special funds would be allocated for Rayadurgam municipality after formulating an action plan for the overall development of the area. Naidu stated that public services will be linked to technology to offer better services to people via mobile phones. Recalling the "atrocious rule" of the past five years, which caused significant suffering in the state, Naidu promised to take stern measures to ensure that there would be no land grab, and no sand or ganja mafia would operate anywhere in the state. Free solar panels will be supplied to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) under the PM Surya Ghar scheme to enable them to generate power not only for their use but also to earn some money by selling surplus power. Naidu added that if beneficiaries do not receive their pension for one or two months for any reason, the total amount will be paid to them in the following month. The Chief Minister also promised to take necessary steps to prevent the Rayadurgam area from turning into a desert. The state government will take full responsibility for completing the Jeedipalli and Bhiravani Tippa projects, Chandrababu declared, using the Nemakallu Praja Vedika as a platform. He said that in the coming days, he will speak to the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes over the phone and if there is any delay in the payment of the pension serious action will be taken against those responsible for the delay. The Minister for Finance, Payyavula Kesav, local MLA and Government Whip, Kalva Srinivasulu, MP Ambika Lakshminarayana, and the district officials were present on the occasion. (ANI) The Indian Navy is in Mauritius for the 15th edition of the annual training program between India and Mauritius aimed at enhancing interoperability between the Indian and Mauritian Armed Forces. The Spokesperson of the Indian Navy shared the details on X. According to them, the Indian Navy Marine Commando and Diving Mobile Training Team (MTT) are in Mauritius for the 15th edition of the Special Forces and Diving Refresher Camp. The post noted that the program is 'tailor-made' to enhance interoperability between the two Armed Forces. "The MTT will train the Mauritius Police Force towards enhancing their capability to undertake Maritime Special Operations & Salvage at Sea", the post said. https://x.com/indiannavy/status/1862486813467635981 India has close, longstanding relations with Mauritius. Mauritius was one of the few important countries with which independent India established diplomatic relations in 1948, even before Mauritius gained independence. The leadership of the two countries enjoys a high level of trust and mutual understanding, which is reflected in the continued high-level political engagement. These ties have resulted in uniquely close cooperation in maritime security, development partnerships, capacity-building, and cooperation in international fora, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in its statement. The close bonds are also evident in the numerous India-assisted development projects across Mauritius. India's influence in the country is highlighted by institutions such as the Indian Cultural Centre, the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, and the World Hindi Secretariat. These initiatives continue to strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties between the two nations. Mauritius recently held elections, with Navin Ramgoolam achieving a historic victory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated Navin Ramgoolam on his electoral success. In his message, PM Modi expressed his eagerness to work closely with Ramgoolam to further strengthen their "unique partnership." "Had a warm conversation with my friend @Ramgoolam_Dr, congratulating him on his historic electoral victory. I wished him great success in leading Mauritius and extended an invitation to visit India. Look forward to working closely together to strengthen our special and unique partnership," he wrote in a post on X. (ANI) Cairo [Egypt], November 30 (ANI/WAM): Mohammed Ahmed Al Yamahi, President of the Arab Parliament, emphasised that solidarity with the Palestinian people must be reflected in international responsibility in its legal, humanitarian, and ethical dimensions. He called on the international community, free nations, regional and international parliaments, and human rights organisations to shoulder their responsibilities regarding the ongoing situation in Palestine and take concrete, serious steps to end the suffering of its people. In a statement issued today on the occasion of the 47th International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, observed on 29th November each year, Al Yamah urged United Nations member states to translate their solidarity into practical measures, including full international recognition of the State of Palestine. He called on countries that have not yet recognised Palestine to do so. Al Yamah affirmed that the path to security, peace, and stability in the region and the world lies in resolving the Palestinian issue based on international legitimacy, calling for an immediate halt to aggression, a ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to violations in the West Bank. (ANI/WAM) Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, inaugurated the 3rd ASEAN-India Music Festival on Friday in Delhi. In his address to the audience, Minister Margherita said, "Music is a universal language that inspires, heals, and connects us. Today's event is very special because we have an opportunity to hear music from a region with which we share deep civilization bonds. We share language, literature, cultural practices, stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata, Jatakas, Buddhism, art, architecture and even festivals". He told the audience that 2024 marks a decade of India's Act East Policy, which was announced by Prime Minister Modi in 2014 at the ASEAN-India Summit. "The Indian Music Festival was announced by the Honourable Prime Minister at the 21st ASEAN Summit held on 10th October 24 in Vientiane, Laos PDR as a part of the 10-point programme for strengthening amongst ASEAN countries and India", the Minister added. The event was attended by top officials, including the Ambassadors of ASEAN member countries. MoS Margherita also shared details of the Music Festival on X, saying, "Inaugurated the 3rd ASEAN-India Music Festival today, organised to mark 10 years of the Act East Policy. Also witnessed incredible performances by bands from the ASEAN region & India. The festival builds on the civilisational connect with ASEAN countries." https://x.com/PmargheritaBJP/status/1862516361291079965 India and ASEAN have seen various high-level interactions in recent times. In October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Laos to participate in the 21st India-ASEAN Summit. During the Summit, PM Modi had called the 21st century the "Asian century" and noted that India-ASEAN ties were critical to guiding Asia's future. More recently, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered the keynote address at the 8th Roundtable of the ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks in early November. "India and ASEAN are major demographies whose emerging demands can not only support each other but become larger productive forces in the international economy. Our collaboration can also be crucial in addressing contemporary challenges," he had said. Jaishankar further expressed great confidence in the India-ASEAN ties and highlighted that the deep cultural and civilizational connect between the two regions had resulted in fruitful cooperation and a strong foundation for a deeper partnership benefitting our people. (ANI) Supporters of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), gathered outside Pakistan's embassy in Washington, DC, and offered funeral prayers for those killed in Islamabad. In a post on X, PTI's US Chapter shared details of the event: "Dr. @SHABAZGIL, along with @johnnybashir, led Pakistani-Americans in gathering outside the Pakistani embassy in Washington, DC, to offer funeral prayers in absentia for their countrymen massacred in Islamabad. We will never forget the sacrifices of the martyrs of democracy nor forgive those responsible for the atrocity. #IslamabadMassacre" https://x.com/PTIOfficialUSA/status/1862609147709034637 Members of the Pakistani diaspora have taken to the streets globally to show support for the incarcerated former Prime Minister Khan. Earlier on Monday, supporters of PTI rallied in the Canadian city of Mississauga, in support of Imran Khan's #FinalCall, joining over 60 locations worldwide in simultaneous protests against "Pakistan's authoritarian regime." The PTI also hailed Imran Khan, calling him a figure who continues to inspire and mobilise the nation despite being confined to a prison cell Sharing a post on X, the PTI wrote: "The captain, the leader, the philanthropist, the educationist, the mentor, the idol, and the legend who while being confined in a 6x8 prison cell, has not only gotten the rogue, fascist regime petrified enough into shutting down an entire country, but also massively mobilized an entire nation, not only inside the country, but all around the globe! Such is the power of the man, such is the power of his words, such is the power of his ideology! His name is Imran Khan Niazi and he has won." PTI's protests demanding the release of Imran Khan turned violent on Tuesday, leading to the deaths of four security personnel and two PTI supporters, Dawn reported. The protests escalated into clashes with security forces at Islamabad's D-Chowk, where protesters were met with intense tear gas. (ANI) The Pakistan government has decided to take strict action against the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its leaders. This decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in response to the PTI's recent march on Islamabad that turned violent, Dawn reported. The government has labelled the PTI as a party of "anarchists and saboteurs" and plans to register cases against PTI leaders, including Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. The cases are related to the killing of security personnel and the attack on the federal capital during the PTI's march. The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, federal ministers, Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir and senior security officials, aimed to strengthen institutions and prevent future "anti-state protests," as per The Dawn. Further, the Pakistan PM also established a task force headed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The task force will identify the people who were involved in the violent protest. Other members of the force are Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and officials of security departments. According to an official press release issued by the Prime Minister's Office, "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif established a task force under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi to identify the people involved in spreading chaos and violence in Islamabad earlier this week and take strict action against them." The premier also decided to set up a Federal Riot-Control Force to prevent future attempts to spread chaos and violence in the country. The force will be provided with professional training and necessary equipment, on the lines of international standards. According to The Dawn, the meeting also decided to set up the Federal Forensic Lab in which modern technology will be used to investigate and collect evidence of such incidents. The three-day-long Islamabad protest began on November 24. Notably, the PTI supporters marched from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into Islamabad. Their protest had three demands: reclaiming the party's "stolen mandate" from the February elections, the release of political prisoners including Imran Khan and the reversal of the 'constitutional amendment' granting the government control over judicial appointments, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI) Pakistani forces have launched a series of raids across Balochistan, resulting in the forced disappearance of over 50 individuals. The operations have been carried out in Turbat, Dera Bugti, Sui, Barkhan, and Kalat, with dozens of detentions reported, according to The Balochistan Post. The latest raid took place on Thursday morning in Turbat, where Pakistani forces stormed a residential area and detained multiple individuals. Among those who have disappeared are Zafar s/o Mohammad Rahim, Rahim Jan s/o Zafar, and Mohammad Kareem s/o Bahram. Five guests at Zafar's guest house were also taken, with one identified as Jabbar and the others remaining unidentified. According to reports, other individuals were also detained during the operation, but further details are awaited, The Balochistan Post reported. Two individuals were abducted by Pakistani forces in Dera Bugti, Balochistan, on Wednesday night. Dangla, son of Haji Moj Bugti, was taken from Mohammad Colony, along with Pir Mohammad, son of Pano Bugti, and Ismail, son of Lalu Bugti. This marks the third time Pir Mohammad has been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces, with previous abductions involving severe torture before his release. The repeated abductions have raised concerns about the safety and well-being of individuals in Balochistan, particularly those who have been targeted by Pakistani forces in the past, as per The Balochistan Post. Reports of forced disappearances have emerged from Barkhan and Kalat. In Barkhan, Rashid Ahmad Khetran, son of Master Gul Mohammad Jan Bughio, was abducted on November 27 while travelling from Dera Ghazi Khan to Barkhan. His current whereabouts remain unknown. In Kalat's Iskalku area, Pakistani forces allegedly forcibly disappeared Syed Hussain Shah, the father of missing Syed Akhtar Shah. The region has been under siege for two days, with reports of over 40 individuals detained. Local residents have been subjected to raids, harassment, and confinement within their homes. The situation remains tense, with concerns growing about the safety and well-being of those detained. However, due to the network shutdowns, further information about those detained is still pending. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has called on human rights organizations to intervene for the release of the forcibly disappeared. As enforced disappearances across continue unabated, the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), a human rights group advocating for an end to enforced disappearances in Balochistan and for the safe release of the thousands of Baloch missing persons, completed the 5650th day of protest on Thursday in Quetta. The elderly mother of the missing Rashid Hussain Baloch visited the camp to express solidarity with the families of the missing persons. Speaking at the camp, she said that she has been knocking on doors of justice for years for her son's safe release. She said that the institutions of this country are unwilling to dispense justice as per the constitution. She appealed to the human rights groups to raise voices for her son's safe release. (ANI) As speculations are rife about possible imposition of governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday warned the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) cannot be "intimidated" by such actions, Geo News reported. His remarks came as tensions have been rising following the crackdown against PTI protesters in Islamabad. While speaking to reporters outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in Peshawar, he said, "Imposition of governor's rule or emergency cannot hold us back," according to Geo News report. His remarks come a day after Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah stated that the federal cabinet in its meeting held talks on the option of imposing governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, there was no consensus on the issue and the matter was deferred for further discussion. Sanaullah made the remarks in response to a question during the Geo News programme 'Capital Talk' on Thursday. He said the matter was discussed during the cabinet meeting as resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being used for holding violent protests and marching on Islamabad. Pakistan's federal minister Amir Muqam made the suggestion, seeking stringent action against Imran Khan's party, during the federal cabinet's session that was support by most of the members, Geo News reported, citing sources. Ali Amin Gandapur has been leading the PTI's protests seeking the release of "political prisoners" including former Pakistan PM Imran Khan, which resulted in unrest in Islamabad and adjoining cities, facing criticism from the ruling coalition over the alleged use of state machinery. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Gandapur announced that they stand by PTI's ideology and asked the federal government to fulfil its desire of imposing governor's rule. In his address at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly floor, Ali Amin Gandapur slammed the authorities for firing at "peaceful" protesters who have been marching for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan. Rejecting government's denial of direct firing at protesters, he said bullets were fired at PTI protesters at Chungi No 26. He further said, "We have been targeted several times [...] firing was carried out at China Chowk and D-Chowk also." He stressed the need to bring a revolution "to save our generations", demanding the "immediate" release of Imran Khan. His remarks come at a time when nearly 1,000 PTI workers, as per the party's claim, were arrested by security personnel in the late-night crackdown against the crowd that had gathered in Islamabad's D-Chowk as part of their "do-or-die" protest to demand release of Imran Khan, who has been in prison for over a year, Geo News reported. Imran Khan (72), 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 and un-Islamic marriage case. PTI has claimed that hundreds of protesters were shot and has caused casualties ranging from eight to 40. However, the government has rejected PTI's claim of direct firing and has ruled out any fatalities during the action to disperse the protesters. (ANI) The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has opposed the idea of imposing a ban on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and has called on the government to take measures for mainstreaming the opposition party, Dawn reported. The PPP, which is an ally of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), expressed its opposition to the idea of proscribing PTI, after a resolution was submitted to the Punjab Assembly, seeking a ban on Imran Khan-founded party. Punjab PPP general secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza said, "We are not in favour of banning the PTI or sidelining it. Rather, the government should take the initiative to bring the PTI into the national mainstream," according to Dawn report. While addressing a press conference on Friday, he said, "There has been no discussion with us regarding proscribing the PTI. When they (the government) contact us, we will take a decision considering the entire context." He further said that the government must engage with PTI through a fresh dialogue rather than taking such negative measures. Murtaza stressed that while the situation was not ideal in Islamabad. However, he called it important for the nation to get rid of discord. He slammed Ali Amin Gandapur for storming Islamabad with Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi instead of addressing the sufferings of people in Kurram Agency and Parachinar, where dozens of people were killed in clashes that erupted between two groups. He said that Bushra Bibi's control of PTI during the protest march demonstrated dynasty politics in Imran Khan's party. The PTI, with a support from its government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has repeatedly held march in Islamabad. At least five security personnel were killed and scores of others were injured in the recent incident that ended after an operation clean-up by the law enforcers during the night between November 26 and 27. The federal government has been discussing the option of imposing governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Meanwhile, PML-N Member of Provincial Assembly Uzma Kardar has submitted a resolution with the Punjab Assembly, calling for a ban on PTI. The resolution has criticised the PTI for riots on May 9 last year and again carrying out acts of violence in Islamabad this week, according to Dawn report. It said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur using state machinery and other resources marched in Islamabad twice, violating the orders of Islamabad High Court, disallowing the protest, which resulted in financial damage worth Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 190 billion on a daily basis to Pakistan. The resolutions said that the 'fitna' party caused chaos every time some international event was taking place in Pakistan, including Shanghai Cooperation Summit and visit of Belarus President, to block foreign investment here. It called for imposing a ban on PTI by the federal government to save Pakistan from further damage. On Thursday, the Balochistan Assembly adopted a resolution, seeking a ban on PTI. The motion, accusing PTI of causing unrest and targeting state institutions like May 9, 2023 was tabled by the PML-N parliamentarhy leader in the house Saleem Khan Khoso. The resolution was signed by PPP parliamentary leader Mir Sadiq Umrani and had the support of other allies, including Awami National Party, Dawn reported. Meanwhile, former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani has called for initiating a political dialogue and added that banning a political party was no solution. (ANI) U.S. nursing home industry wants Trump to rescind staffing mandate: NYT Xinhua) 10:54, November 30, 2024 NEW YORK, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- With President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House, the U.S. nursing home industry is ramping up pressure to kill a government-set mandate that they employ a minimum number of nurses before it takes effect to leave thousands of residents in homes too short-staffed to provide proper care, reported The New York Times (NYT) on Friday. COVID-19's rampage killed over 172,000 nursing home residents. Then came the staffing regulation in April that requires nursing homes to have registered nurses on site around the clock -- something that the industry has endorsed -- and to maintain minimum numbers of nurses and aides. Four of five homes would have to increase staffing. The requirements would be phased in, starting in May 2026. The nursing home industry has been marshaling opposition for months to overrule the Joe Biden administration's mandate. Two industry groups, the American Health Care Association and LeadingAge, have sued to overturn the regulation, and 20 Republican state attorneys general have filed their own challenge, according to the report. Consumer advocates, industry officials and independent researchers agree that the incoming administration is likely to rescind the rule, given the first Trump administration's "patients over paperwork" campaign to remove "unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome health regulations on hospitals and other healthcare providers." Even before the election, many experts and activists had doubts that the rule would be effectively enforced, given the poor results in states that have imposed their own minimums. "Staffing is everything in terms of nursing-home quality," noted the report. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) As the war in Sudan enters its second year with no clear resolution in sight, there are real fears that an escalation of hostilities between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will further aggravate the humanitarian situation in Sudan. Speaking to Christian Daily International, the General Secretary of the Sudan Evangelical Alliance, Rafat Samir notes that Sudanese Christians have long been ignored and neglected in humanitarian relief increasing their vulnerability. Members of the evangelical churches are not among the groups accepted by the two warring parties due to their political and ethnic differences, said Samir who suggested that Christianity is seen as a Western import with spy charges often used against Christians. The Sudan Evangelical Alliance and local church leaders revealed critical shortages in food, clean water, medical supplies, and educational materials where most Christians were located in the IDP camps and inside the war zones. The Alliance has highlighted that the worlds attention has been focussed on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East while the crisis in Sudan has often been underreported. Conflict, violence and displacement in Sudan has been a mainstay since the Darfur crisis in 2003. The country hosted 1 million refugees - the second highest refugee population in Africa - mostly coming from various conflicts in South Sudan and Tigray in Northern Ethiopia. After long-time Sudan ruler Omar al Bashir was ousted in 2019, there was some hope of a return to civilian rule, but the situation worsened instead. Amid the conflict, the country over the years has been impacted by severe weather conditions contributing to droughts and food insecurity. Tom Perriello, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan travelled to the African country for the first time on 18 November to push for an increase in the flow of aid to millions of people in need and an end to a devastating war. The visit was seen by many as a possible catalyst to at the least ensure access to aid. According to a State Department statement, Perriello discussed "the need to cease fighting, enable unhindered humanitarian access, including through localized pauses in the fighting to allow for the delivery of emergency relief supplies, and commit to a civilian government." On November 22, the UN's World Food Programme announced it had scaled-up its food aid operations across Sudan, reaching millions of people in the countrys most needy and isolated conflict areas. Over 700 trucks carrying about 17,500 tonnes of food were dispatched from the port of Sudan, enough to feed 1.5 million for a month. WFP Regional Director for East Africa Laurent Bukera said the organisation has been pushing to reach isolated conflict regions to turn the tide of famine in one of the worlds worst hunger crises. Despite the inroads in the distribution of food, the U.N. says more than 25 million people are in dire need of aid in the country. The numbers are even more staggering when taking into account that the estimated population of Sudan is 50 million people. Sudan is, once again, becoming a nightmare of mass ethnic violence. The suffering is growing by the day, with almost 25 million people now requiring humanitarian assistance. They are enduring a nightmare of violence, hunger, collapsed infrastructure, displacement and extreme weather, said Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General in remarks to the UN Security Council in October. The UN Secretary-General further points out that Sudan is also the largest displacement crisis in the world, with more than 11 million people fleeing since April last year. Noting that nearly three million have crossed into neighbouring countries with thousands battling extreme weather and climate change impacts. Reports suggest that Western actors, like mercenaries from the Sahel region - often holding anti-Christian sentiment - and others have joined the war further worsening the situation the minority christian community is likely to face. However, in a move strongly condemned by the UK and US, Russia vetoed a draft UK-backed UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Sudan on November 11. Russia says the UK was interfering in Sudanese affairs without involving Sudan itself while the British Foreign Secretary David Lammy termed the veto a "disgrace". All other 14 Security Council member states voted in favour of the draft, but the veto meant the resolution did not pass. According to the World Watch list, an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution, Sudan was a good news story. Apostasy was no longer illegal, and more leniency around freedom of religion was brought in by the transitional government. However, in 2024 Sudan has moved up several places on the World Watch List to 8th: evidence that believers are now more vulnerable after the breakout of a civil war in April 2023. Sweden has formally requested China to cooperate with a probe into suspected sabotage over the sudden disruption of two submarine internet cables in the Baltic Sea earlier this month, as tracking data linked a Chinese ship to the incidents, CNN reported. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said, "Sweden has sent a formal request to China to cooperate with Swedish authorities in order to create clarity on what has happened," CNN reported. He stated that Sweden has asked Chinese authorities to send the ship to Swedish waters to aid its investigation. It is pertinent to mention here that the vessel is currently anchored in international waters in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden. The two cables - one named Arelion, which connects Finland and Germany, and the other named C-Lion 1 linking Sweden to Lithuania were cut within 24 hours of each other November 17 and 18. The incident took place just weeks after the US warned that Russia was likely to target critical undersea infrastructure. At the time, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius had stated that "no one believes that the cables were accidentally damaged," CNN reported. Last week, the Swedish Prosecution Authority announced that the country's National Unit against International and Organized Crime had initiated a preliminary probe into suspected sabotage over the cut cables. Moreover, Finland's National Bureau of Investigation announced that it had initiated a probe. Vessel tracking data from Kpler has revealed that a Chinese bulk carrier had crossed the two undersea communications cables around the time when each of the cable was reported cut. The vessel, named Yi Pen 3, was sailing out of the Baltic Sea after a stop in the port of Vistino, Russia. According to the tracking data, the vessel crossed other undersea infrastructure in the Baltic, including four gas and oil pipelines, a power line and another telecommunications cable which was under construction, according to CNN report. When asked regarding the ship during the press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said he was "not aware of the situation" and added that Chinese ships "abide by relevant laws and regulations." (ANI) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) has said that 18 Chinese military aircraft, seven naval vessels and one official ship was detected operating around the island until 6 am (local time) on Saturday. According to Taiwan's MND, seven of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In response, Taiwan deployed coastal-based missiles and aircraft to monitor the situation. In a post on X, Taiwan's MND stated, "18 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 7 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." Notably, the latest Chinese military action is part of tensions between Taiwan and China, with frequent military activity by Beijing around the island. Taiwan has been governed independently since 1949. However, China considers Taiwan part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary. In response to Chinese military incursion, Taiwan has stepped up security along its maritime borders. On Thursday, Taiwan's armed forces conducted a comprehensive air defense drill as China reportedly prepares for its third large-scale military exercise, Joint Sword-2024C, near Taiwan. The drill, which involved air, naval, and missile defense units, was conducted to strengthen readiness against potential aerial and missile threats, according to Taiwan News report. The Air Force Command stated that the exercise took place from 5 am to 7 am, deploying fighter jets, naval vessels, and air defence missile systems. Aircraft like the Indigenous Defence Fighter (IDF), Mirage 2000, F-16, and C-130 transport planes were utilised, along with ground-based air defence missile units. Recently, Taiwanese President, Lai Ching-te attended the completion ceremony for the #ROCN Shuei-Sing Barracks. The base will serve as the new home for the Taiwanese Navy Underwater Operations Unit and enhance its training capabilities. (ANI) The United States has strongly condemned China's sentencing of veteran journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in prison on alleged "espionage" charges. In a press statement by the US State Department, "The United States condemns China's November 29 unjust sentencing of journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in prison for alleged "espionage." His arrest and today's sentencing highlight China's failure to live up to its commitments under international law and its own constitutional guarantees to all its citizens, which include the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press." Further, the US has expressed its support for Dong and his family, calling for his immediate and unconditional release. "We celebrate Dong's work as a veteran journalist and editor, as well as his contributions to US-China people-to-people ties, including as a Harvard University Nieman Fellow. We stand by Dong and his family and call for his immediate and unconditional release," the statement added. On Friday, a Chinese court sentenced a high-ranking editor and columnist for a major Communist Party newspaper to seven years in prison on espionage charges, The New York Times reported. His family said it was punishment for past writings that were critical of the government, as well as a warning to Chinese citizens against engaging with foreigners. Veteran Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu, 62 was arrested in February 2022, while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat in Beijing, marking the beginning of a lengthy detention, as per The New York Times. As a journalist, Dong regularly met with foreign diplomats and journalists as part of his job. He was also a prolific writer, expressing support for the rule of law and constitutional democracy, ideas that the ruling Communist Party says it supports but in reality has suppressed. Some of his writing criticized the party's selective version of Chinese history, which downplays its role in dark periods like the Cultural Revolution. According to The New York Times, such critiques were once common among Chinese intellectuals. But since China's current leader, Xi Jinping, took power in 2012, the party has eliminated virtually all space for dissenting views and urged suspicion of foreigners, in the name of national security. Last year, China broadened its already expansive definition of espionage, and the state security agency called for a "whole-of-society mobilization" against spies. Members of Dong's family released a statement on Friday calling his conviction and sentence a "grave injustice," not only to Dong but "to every freethinking Chinese journalist and every ordinary Chinese committed to friendly engagement with the world." "Yuyu is being persecuted for the independence he has demonstrated during a lifetime spent as a journalist," the statement continued. "Yuyu will now be known as a traitor in his own country, instead of being recognized as someone who always fought for a better Chinese society." According to his family, after Dong was detained in 2022, he was held incommunicado for six months before being formally arrested, and he did not stand trial until July 2023. The court then repeatedly delayed his verdict and sentencing. (ANI) The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has confirmed the repeated presence of three Chinese Maritime Scientific Research Vessels (MSRVs) within and near the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), raising concerns about potential unauthorized operations in the country's waters. The vessels, named Xiang Yang Hong 3, Jia Geng, and Xiang Yang Hong 10, were first spotted on November 17, 2024, 257 nautical miles northeast of Santa Ana, Cagayan. Although this location lies outside the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile EEZ, further monitoring showed that they later entered Philippine waters the Manila Times reported. The PCG noted that these vessels had entered the EEZ before November 17. On November 14, they were spotted near Davao Oriental, and on November 20, they were detected off Siargao Island. As of the latest PCG reports, the vessels are now located 211 nautical miles east of Siargao Island. The PCG has not received any official communication from the vessels about their presence, raising concerns about adherence to international maritime regulations. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which both the Philippines and China have signed, research vessels are required to obtain prior approval before conducting any activities within another country's EEZ. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is working closely with the PCG to determine the nature and purpose of the vessels' activities. In recent years, the presence of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters has been reported multiple times, often heightening tensions between the two countries. The PCG stated that it will keep monitoring the vessels' movements and provide further updates. Meanwhile, the DFA has not yet commented on whether it will lodge a formal diplomatic protest. The dispute centres around the South China Sea's strategic and resource-rich waters, which are claimed in part or in whole by several countries, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei. Tensions between the Maila and Beijing have heightened significantly, with conflict centres around conflicting territorial claims. China asserts dominance over almost the entire sea based on its "nine-dash line," while the Philippines relies on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to justify its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). (ANI) The sister of the missing Diljaan Baloch has initiated an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in Awaran, demanding his safe return. Diljaan Baloch was allegedly taken into custody by Pakistani security forces at his home in Awaran on June 12, 2024. His whereabouts have been unknown ever since the Balochistan Post reported. Protests for his recovery started on November 18, when family members and local residents blocked the main roads in Awaran. Although the road blockades were eventually cleared after authorities gave assurances, a sit-in outside the Deputy Commissioner's office has remained ongoing. According to the report, during a press conference at the protest site, Diljaan's sister declared her hunger strike, voicing her frustration over what she called unfulfilled promises from authorities and local leaders. "We have waited too long for answers. This hunger strike is our final hope," she stated. Protesters are calling for Diljaan's immediate release and the dismissal of charges brought against demonstrators in previous protests. "If any harm befalls us during this protest, the district administration will be held responsible," the family stated. Meanwhile, the rights organisation Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) has launched a social media campaign on X to raise awareness about Diljaan's enforced disappearance and express solidarity with his family. The campaign is scheduled for Sunday, December 1, from 8 PM to midnight. In a statement, BVJ said, "This is an initiative to amplify the voices of the oppressed and reinforce the demand for justice for Diljaan and his family." The organisation highlighted that the family has been protesting for more than 12 days, referencing a previous sit-in on October 3, 2024, which lasted four days. That protest ended after local authorities promised the issue would be resolved within ten days, but no progress was made, leading the family to restart their sit-in on November 18. BVJ also condemned the alleged harassment of the family during their protests. "This campaign is designed to raise public awareness about the suffering of victims of enforced disappearances and to show solidarity with the oppressed," the statement read. (ANI) Chairman of the Muslim Students' Organisation of India, Shujaat Ali Quadri on Saturday expressed concerns over the interim government's inability to safeguard minority groups in Bangladesh and stated that the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has failed to "protect the minorities, especially Hindus." Speaking to ANI, Quadri stated, "The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has been failed to protect the minorities, especially Hindus, and also the other sects like Ahmadiyyas, Sufis, Barelvis and even Christians." "We have seen in the news that several temples have been destroyed. The targeted killing of Hindus and Sufi Barelvi leaders has been carried out. So, I think the government led by Muhammad Yunus has been failed to protect the minorities." he added. Further, Quadri warned that the volatile situation in Bangladesh poses a significant threat to regional security, particularly in India, South Asia, and Asia. "The forces that are working in Bangladesh are now very radical, very fundamental in nature. Even we have seen the news that Hizb ut-Tahrir an Islamic fundamentalist political organisation, which is now very active in Bangladesh. So, this is very disperting news for the regional security of India, South Asia, Asia and other countries. Even the seven Indian states are very connected and connected to Bangladesh. So if there are any changes, any volatile situation is carrying in Bangladesh that will affect India's internal security," Quadri told ANI. Quadri has condemned the demand to ban ISKCON, stating that it is an "inappropriate act" by fundamentalist groups who are allegedly backed by Pakistan and its government. "ISKCON is a humanitarian and social NGO working worldwide. ISKCON is a very prestigious institution that is working across the world providing food, relief and other humanitarian assistance to needy people," he said. "Even we have seen the last flood that was in Bangladesh. The ISKCON members distributed a lot of assistance to the Muslims beyond the religion, caste and creed. So it is very unfortunate that people then some people are demanding to ban this con in Bangladesh. I think this is an inappropriate act, doing by some fundamentalist that is on the behest of Pakistan and their government," he added. Highlighting the situation in Bangladesh, Quadri noted that the "situation is very dangerous and concerning. " "The news that is coming from Bangladesh is very concerning, especially the atrocities going on, among minorities, especially Hindus. And also the atrocities are being carried out against the Sufis, Barelvis and their mosques, their dargahs, several temples and Sufi Khanqaq Dargah has been destroyed by the fundamentalist goons of Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam. The situation is very dangerous and concerning," he said. Quadri's comments come amid growing concerns about the safety and well-being of minority communities in Bangladesh. The country has witnessed a surge in violent attacks against Hindus and other minority groups, prompting calls for greater protection and support. The situation in Bangladesh has been marked by increasing violence against minority communities, with temples, being destroyed after the arrest of a former priest Chinmoy Krishna Das. The international community has expressed concern over the situation, with India's Ministry of External Affairs stating that it is "concerned" about the safety and security of Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh. Earlier, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Bangladesh's interim government to take steps for the protection of minorities. On the situation of minorities in Bangladesh, Jaiswal said, "India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. We made our position very clear as far as the situation of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh is concerned. The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities." "We are concerned about the surge of extremist rhetoric, and increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggerations. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities and safeguarding their interests," he added. (ANI) The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has granted bail to senior journalist Matiullah Jan, who was arrested after an alleged confrontation with police at a security checkpoint in Pakistan's Islamabad, Pakistan-based ARY News reported. ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra on Saturday approved Jan's bail plea against surety bonds worth Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 10,000 each and directed authorities to release the journalist. Earlier, Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the two-day physical remand of Matiullah Jan. Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued the orders and asked authorities to consider Matiullah Jan in judicial custody. Earlier, the physical remand of Jan was challenged in Islamabad High Court (IHC). According to details, journalist's lawyer Imaan Mazari had filed the plea, challenging the verdict of the ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra. On Friday, the Anti-Terrorism Court sent senior journalist Matiullah Jan on a two-day physical remand in a case filed in Margalla police station, as reported by ARY News. According to the details, the ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra announced the reserved verdict where the police had requested a 30-day physical remand of Matiullah Jan. However, the court approved two-day physical remand of journalist. Jan was arrested in Islamabad and a case was registered against him at the Margalla police station, ARY News reported. According to the FIR, the driver allegedly tried to run over law enforcer who signalled him to stop the car. The driver reportedly drove the vehicle towards the personnel, putting their lives at risk. The personnel managed to stop the vehicle by placing a barrier on the route. Matiullah Jan's name is mentioned in the case and the FIR stated that the journalist was on drugs as ice was recovered from the car's seat. The case against Jan includes charges of attempted murder and other serious offence, ARY News reported. Following his arrest, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for release of Matiullah Jan. In a statement, CPJ said, "Pakistan authorities must immediately and unconditionally release senior journalist Matiullah Jan and stop harassing him for his journalistic work." Expressing displeasure over his arrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ's Asia program coordinator, Beh Lih Yi said, "CPJ is dismayed by the arrest of Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan following his coverage of protests in Islamabad. The Pakistani authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Jan and ensure that journalists are not subjected to retaliation for their reporting." Similarly, human rights organisation Amnesty International took to X to demand release of Jan and called charges against him "politically motivated." https://x.com/HRCP87/status/1862005488398864666 Amnesty International called Jan's "arbitrary detention" on "trumped up charges" "an affront on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom", Dawn reported. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has urged Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to intervene in the matter and secure immediate release of Jan, according to Dawn report. In a statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari condemned his arrest.The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan demanded Jan's "immediate and unconditional release." (ANI) Awami National Party (ANP) President Aimal Wali Khan has called for imposing a ban on any political party that causes violence, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Dawn reported. While addressing a press conference along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi at the ANP central secretariat in Wali Bagh on Friday, Khan said that Imran Khan-founded party has been working in an undemocratic and nonpolitical manner since its formation and it has always encouraged people to behave in a violent manner. He called for taking strict action against political parties and organisations that took the law into their own hands and caused violence, like PTI and Tehreek-i-Labbaik. Aimal Wali Khan said that members of ANP in the Balochistan Assembly backed a resolution calling for a ban on the PTI. He called PTI a "waste that should be disposed of" and added that the state had imposed PTI on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the past 12 years but such decisions did not give good results, according to Dawn report. Aimal Wali Khan said that governor's rule has not given solution to the problems faced by the people. He said, "The governor won't resolve key issues in a single day, so the governor's rule is no solution," adding that authorities have not contacted ANP's leadership on the matter. He described "deteriorating law and order" situation in the province a major problem and spoke about violent incidents in Kurram tribal district. He stated that people of entire Pashtun nation were sad due to the loss of lives in the violence that erupted in Kurram, Dawn reported. Calling terrorism a serious issue, ANP President said, "Terrorism is a serious issue in our province, so we all have to sit together to find its solution. Our province is burning in the fire of terrorism but certain elements are using it to serve their ends." He stated that his party will continue to support people's rights. He stressed that the current unrest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was part of a conspiracy aimed to push the entire Pakhtun region into a new conflict. He stated, "This issue has gone beyond the scope of the National Action Plan" and called on state institutions to "wake up" for corrective measures. Aimal Wali Khan warned that the law and order situation would worsen in the coming days and would be more precarious than in the past. He also expressed support for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's right to its resources and stressed that the right is mentioned in the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Earlier, Faisal Karim Kundi held a meeting with the ANP president and invited him to a multiparty conference scheduled to be held at the Governor's House in Peshawar on December 5 to discuss the law and order situation in the province. Speaking to reporters, Kundi called PTI founder Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi the de facto chief minister of the province. He said that all PTI leaders from the Punjab province have taken refuge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to Dawn report. He accused Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of inciting unrest in Islamabad instead of "extinguishing fire in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa." (ANI) Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Mohammed Touhid Hossain on Saturday said that the country's relation with India has changed since Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced out of power on August 5 of this year. "After August 5, relations with India have been changed and this is the reality," said Md. Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs Advisor (Minister) to the Bangladesh interim government in a seminar at North South University, a private university in Dhaka. Hossain emphasized that Bangladesh have to build a relationship with India "in view of this reality." "It is in view of this reality that we have to build and continue our relationship with India. I believe India will understand how to take forward relations with Bangladesh under the changed circumstances," Hossain said. A student-led movement ousted Bangladesh's then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, after weeks of protests and clashes that killed over 600 people. Hasina, 76, fled to India on August 5 and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed. "The previous government (of Bangladesh) tried its best to remove India's concerns. We also had some concerns. Problems are happening because our problems are not being addressed," Touhid said, without elaborating. He further remained optimistic to establish good relationship with India and said that Bangladesh "will not cause harm to anyone." "We would like to be optimistic that we can establish a good relationship so that the interests of both parties are protected. We will not be a cause harm to anyone. We want no one to be cause us harm", Bangladesh Adviser said. The Foreign Affairs Adviser blamed India media for exaggerating and urged Bangladesh media to be objective in providing news on the relations with India. On Friday, India expressed concern over the rise of "extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation" in Bangladesh. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India has consistently and strongly raised the issue of targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities with Bangladesh government. While addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Bangladesh's interim government to take steps for protection of minorities. On situation of minorities in Bangladesh, Jaiswal said, "India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. We made our position very clear as far as the situation of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh is concerned. The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. We are concerned about the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggerations. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities and safeguarding their interests." The situation has been tense in Bangladesh since spiritual preacher Chinmoy Krishna Das was charged with sedition for allegedly hoisting a saffron flag above Bangladesh's national flag in Chittagong on October 25. Following Das arrest, a lawyer was killed during clashes between police and alleged followers of the spiritual guru in the Chattogram Court Building area on November 27. (ANI) Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday warned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying "nobody will be allowed to disturb the country's peace," as reported by The Express Tribune. Regarding PTI's protest in the country, demanding the release of its leader Imran Khan, Tarar said that an anti-riot force is being raised to tackle PTI's protest in the country, demanding the release of its leader Imran Khan. In a televised remark, the information minister informed that there will be a speedy trial of the arrested violent protesters, and they will be brought to justice through effective prosecution, the Express Tribune reported. Tarar accused PTI of spreading a false narrative of violence by security personnel at the protest site leading to death of the party supporters. He said the party has failed to produce even a single video of firing. He pointed out that PIMS and Polyclinic hospitals have clearly stated that they have not received any bodies. Earlier, Awami National Party (ANP) President Aimal Wali Khan has called for imposing a ban on any political party that causes violence, including PTI, Dawn reported. While addressing a press conference along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi at the ANP central secretariat in Wali Bagh on Friday, Khan said that Imran Khan-founded party has been working in an undemocratic and nonpolitical manner since its formation and it has always encouraged people to behave in a violent manner. He called for taking strict action against political parties and organisations that took the law into their own hands and caused violence, like PTI and Tehreek-i-Labbaik. Aimal Wali Khan said that members of ANP in the Balochistan Assembly backed a resolution calling for a ban on the PTI. He called PTI a "waste that should be disposed of" and added that the state had imposed PTI on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the past 12 years but such decisions did not give good results, Dawn reported. Aimal Wali Khan said that the governor's rule has not given a solution to the problems faced by the people. He said, "The governor won't resolve key issues in a single day, so the governor's rule is no solution," adding that authorities have not contacted ANP's leadership on the matter. (ANI) The World Evangelical Alliances (WEA) announcement to hold its General Assembly (GA) next year in Seoul continues to stir up strong reactions among church groups in the proposed host country with the Christian Council of Korea (CCK) issuing a third statement calling for the plans to be put on hold due to controversies and the risk of creating further division. In addition to reemphasizing the ongoing concerns surrounding two key leaders in the WEA, the head of the association of 61 denominations that was formerly WEAs national member Alliance highlighted the responses by representatives of other church groups whom the organizing committee portrayed as supporters but who have subsequently publicly denied endorsing the plans and distanced themselves from the WEA. The situation surrounding the 2025 WEA General Assembly eerily mirrors the events of the 2013 [World Council of Churches] Assembly. When concerns and objections are raised, the response seems to consist solely of evasive rhetoric and excuses, while no accountability is taken for the division and confusion caused to the Korean church, CCKs President Rev. Seo-young Jung wrote in the statement (in Korean; English translation of the full statement below) released on Friday (Nov. 22). The previous week, on Nov. 15, a thanksgiving service was held to mark the launch of the Organizing Committee for the 2025 WEA Seoul General Assembly, co-chaired by Rev. Junghyun John Oh from SaRang Church and Rev. Younghoon Lee from Yoido Full Gospel Church, as previously reported by Christian Daily International. Already in the days leading up to the event, different groups issued statements calling for the GA to be put on hold until their questions about the WEAs stance with other faiths and perceived liberal courtship with ecumenical bodies are addressed. In its third statement, CCK reiterates its previously raised concerns about WEA Executive Chair Goodwill Shana regarding allegations he may be part of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) but now points to newly emerging uncertainties in Shanas theological background. He said he graduated from Antioch Bible College in Columbus, Ohio, USA, but it is difficult to find a school with that name in Ohio, but there is only Antioch College in Yellow Springs, the statement says. But this is a liberal university that supports LGBTQ people. In addition, he only has an honorary doctorate and does not have a formal doctorate. CCK also questions why the host church SaRang invited Shana to preach but then pulled back: In September, Sarang invited Shana to preach but later canceled the event. This decision hints that the church was aware of the suspicions regarding Shanas ties to the New Apostolic Reformation CCK also reiterated concerns regarding John Langlois and his status as WEA International Council member emeritus. John E. Langlois, a lifelong member of the WEA International Council (despite such a position not being stipulated in WEAs bylaws), is now revealed as a key figure in the current controversy. According to WEAs regulations, members of the International Council (IC) are limited to two terms, with mandatory retirement before re-election. Yet Langlois has served far beyond this limit, violating WEAs own rules. He must resign immediately to ensure transparency in WEAs governance, the CCK statement continues. Regarding the earlier raised concerns about Langlois son describing his father among others as a narcissist, CCK added: Mental health professionals note that narcissists exhibit traits like control, boundary violations, hypocrisy, and avoidance of accountabilitytraits clearly reflected in Langloiss lifetime role, decision-making power, and secrecy within WEA. Finally, CCK criticized the organizing committees false endorsements during the Seoul GA thanksgiving service. At the time, a press conference purported that both the HapDong denomination, which SaRang Church belongs to, and the former president of the Council of Presbyterian Churches in Korea supported the launch event, something that both later publicly denied. CCK calls for WEA to put the plans on hold until all concerns are clarified and Korean churches can reevaluate if they want to hold the GA in Seoul. The WEA, Shana and Langlois have yet to comment on any of the issues raised by CCK and others. Read the full translated statement below: WEA General Assembly Cannot Be Trusted Without Cancellation and Verification - John Langlois, Goodwill Shana Must Resign Immediately - All Suspicion Must Be Cleared, and WEA General Assembly Must Be Reconsidered from Scratch The situation surrounding the 2024 WEA General Assembly eerily mirrors the events of the 2013 WCC Assembly. When concerns and objections are raised, the response seems to consist solely of evasive rhetoric and excuses, while no accountability is taken for the division and confusion caused to the Korean church. Attempting to deflect with false explanations is bad enough, but seeking government funding under the guise of an international event would be utterly shocking. Public funds, derived from church members offerings and taxpayers money, cannot be allocated to an event that is predicted to create severe divisions within the Korean church. The National Assembly, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, and relevant budgetary authorities must immediately reject any budget proposals related to WEA. Furthermore, church councils must thoroughly monitor financial expenditures to avoid being accused of financially supporting individuals suspected of heretical tendencies. Concerns about Goodwill Shanas association with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) were raised in a previous statement, and the findings from domestic and international heresy experts will soon be announced. Additionally, Shanas theological background is riddled with uncertainties. He claimed to have graduated from Antioch Bible College in Columbus, Ohio; however, no such school can be located in Ohio, except for Antioch College in Yellow Springsa liberal university known for supporting LGBTQ rights. Moreover, Shana possesses only an honorary doctorate and does not hold a formal doctoral degree. In September, SaRang Church invited Shana to preach but later canceled the event. This decision hints that the church was aware of the suspicions regarding Shanas ties to the New Apostolic Reformation. Pastor Oh Jung-hyun must clarify why he ignored or concealed these heresy-related issues while advancing discussions on the WEA General Assembly. John E. Langlois, a lifelong member of the WEA International Council (despite such a position not being stipulated in WEAs bylaws), is now revealed as a key figure in the current controversy. According to WEAs regulations, members of the International Council (IC) are limited to two terms, with mandatory retirement before re-election. Yet Langlois has served far beyond this limit, violating WEAs own rules. He must resign immediately to ensure transparency in WEAs governance. Adding to the controversy, Langloiss own son, Mark Langlois, accused his father of extreme abuse, stating he didnt even want to share his last name. Mark described his father as a narcissist who destroyed their family and created what he termed a cult-like family. Mental health professionals note that narcissists exhibit traits like control, boundary violations, hypocrisy, and avoidance of accountabilitytraits clearly reflected in Langloiss lifetime role, decision-making power, and secrecy within WEA. False announcements from the preparatory committee regarding the participation of Korean church leaders in the WEA are also problematic. The organizing committee claimed during a press conference that WEAs relationship with the General Assembly of Presbyterian Churches in Korea (GAPCK) [HapDong], to which Pastor Junghyun Oh belongs, was unproblematic. However, GAPCK has officially deferred its stance, citing diverse opinions within the denomination. Similarly, the committee asserted that former chairman Hwan Chun of the Council of Presbyterian Churches in Korea would actively participate, yet Chun publicly stated, I cannot cooperate with WEA. Do not mention my name in connection with WEA. These inaccuracies show that the committee has been misleading the public and stirring unnecessary discord among church leaders. Until all suspicions surrounding WEA are fully resolved, the planned 2025 General Assembly must be canceled. Proceeding without cancellation makes any investigation seem predetermined and tailored to justify a conclusion. This is reminiscent of past experiences with the WCC Assembly and Lausanne Conference, where claims of being different this time were merely excuses to mislead the Korean church. Only after resolving all suspicions can the Korean church reevaluate from the ground up whether it truly wishes to host the WEA General Assembly. November 22, 2024 Christian Council of Korea President: Rev. Seo-young Jung Ajman [UAE], November 30 (ANI/WAM): Marwan Hussein Al Shaali, Member of Ajman Chamber's Board of Directors, participated in the 13th Arab-Hellenic Economic Forum held in Athens, Greece. The forum aimed to enhance economic cooperation, increase the volume of Arab-Hellenic investments, and explore partnership opportunities, with a focus on developing mutual investments in the energy and construction sectors. The forum was attended by officials and representatives from government and economic institutions of Arab countries and Greece, along with leaders of companies, entrepreneurs, experts, and specialists in the fields of energy, construction, and related sectors. Al Shaali commended the UAE-Greece relations, emphasising the mutual commitment of both countries to diversifying areas of cooperation, increasing bilateral trade, and promoting mutual investments. He reiterated Ajman Chamber's commitment to enhancing and expanding cooperation with Greece and organising future forums between the business communities of Ajman and Greece to support the growth of trade and mutual investments. Al Shaali also emphasised the importance of the forum as a strategic platform for strengthening Arab-Hellenic economic relations, particularly highlighting the energy and construction sectors as some of the fastest-growing and most impactful in promoting sustainable economic development and increasing joint investment opportunities. He noted that these sectors hold strategic significance in the UAE, particularly in Ajman, stressing that the emirate offers an ideal environment for investment growth in both sectors. This is due to Ajman's strategic location and advanced infrastructure, which supports the aspirations of investors and entrepreneurs. Al Shaali further pointed out that the real estate, building, and construction sectors contributed 29 per cent to the GDP of Ajman in 2023. The forum focused on a series of sessions covering a range of topics, including "Successive Changes and Opportunities for Traditional Energy Alternatives," "Electrical Interconnection Projects," "Capabilities and Investment Opportunities in Energy," "Green Energy Project Map," "Clean Energy," "Infrastructure and Construction Projects," "Opportunities for Cooperation in Energy and Infrastructure Projects," "Sustainability, Innovation, and Smart Technology in City Development and Future Cities," as well as "Green Buildings and Construction Industry Technologies." On the sidelines of the forum, Al Shaali held a series of bilateral meetings with Greek officials and representatives from Arab countries participating in the forum. The discussions centred on ways to enhance joint cooperation, expand investment opportunities in the energy and construction sectors, and explore possibilities for organising future bilateral forums. (ANI/WAM) The Diamer district in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) is grappling with corruption, as powerful mafias funnel crores of rupees into their pockets under the guise of educational reforms, Markhor Times reported. The education system, which should foster learning and development, has instead become a breeding ground for fraud. Every year, large sums of public funds are allocated in the name of "educational emergencies" or so-called reforms. However, the reality is far from what is promised. The ground-level situation is grim. Students in Diamer, particularly at Girls Degree College Chilas, face severe hardships as there is a lack of basic amenities like clean drinking water and proper sanitation, Markhor Times reported. The college continues to operate under these dire conditions, yet funds meant for its improvement are siphoned off by corrupt officials. Sharing their experience, one student said, "The condition of our washroom is appalling. There is no cleaner to maintain it, and we can't stand in there for even a minute due to the unbearable stench." Another student highlighted the lack of water and sanitation facilities. The student said, "There is no water connection in the entire girls' degree college, and no one is addressing the issue. Garbage is scattered everywhere. I don't know how the girls manage to cope with this. People claim that Diamer's people don't want to study, but how can we when the conditions are this bad? I appeal to the authorities to look into this matter." Despite the hardships faced by students and staff, those responsible for these failures continue to profit, while the promises of educational upliftment remain an empty facade. The ongoing issues in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) underscore broader concerns regarding infrastructure and basic services, reflecting the region's longstanding challenges since its disputed occupation by Pakistan. The persistent problems faced by the residents, including frequent power outages, inadequate educational facilities, and high unemployment rates, contribute to a growing sense of frustration and discontent among the local population. (ANI) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday attended the launch of Indian historian Vikram Sampath's book 'Tipu Sultan: The Saga of the Mysore Interregnum' at the Indian Habitat Centre here in Delhi. Jaishankar described Tipu Sultan as a "very complex figure in history," highlighting both his resistance to British colonial control and the controversial aspects of his rule. Speaking at the event, Jaishankar said, "Tipu Sultan is actually a very, very complex figure in history. On the one hand, he has the reputation as a key figure who resisted the British colonial control over India, and it is a fact that his defeat and death can be considered a turning point when it came to the fate of peninsular India." However, Jaishankar also noted the "adverse" effects of Tipu Sultan's rule in the Mysore region. "At the same time, he evokes strong adverse sentiments even today in many regions, some in Mysore itself," he added. Jaishankar further emphasized that Indian history has focused more on Tipu Sultan's battles with the British, and "underplaying" or "neglecting" other aspects of his rule. "Contemporary history writing, certainly at the national level, has focused largely on the former, and underplaying, if not neglecting the later. Let's be honest, this was not an accident," he said. Asserting that History is complicated, Jaishankar said that "cherry-picking of facts" in the case of Tipu Sultan has led to the advancement of a "political narrative". "Histroy, in all societies, is complicated, and politics indulges in cherry-picking the facts. This has happened in the case of Tipu Sultan. By highlighting the Tipu-English binary, to the exclusion of a more complicated reality, a particular narrative has been advanced over the years," he said. Jaishankar reaffirmed that under PM Modi's government, India has seen the emergence of alternative perspectives. "In the last 10 years, the changes in our political dispensation have led to the emergence of alternative perspectives. We are no longer prisoners of a vote bank, nor it is politically incorrect to bring out inconvenient truth," he added. Speaking further about the book, Jaishankar said, "As someone from the diplomatic world, I was really struck by info and insights which are provided in this volume on Tipu Sultan. We in India have tendered to mainly study post-independence foreign policy -- perhaps this too was a conscious choice. But the fact is that many of our kingdoms and states forayed into international affairs in previous centuries in pursuance of thier particular interests, and some, by the way, continued to do so even till independence. The interaction of Tipu's missionary with their French and English counterparts is really fascinating." Jaishankar concluded by saying that open-minded scholarship and genuine debate are central to India's evolution as a pluralistic society and vibrant democracy. (ANI) ISKCON Kolkata on Saturday alleged that Bangladesh authorities have arrested two monks, Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari, and the secretary of Chinmoy Krishna Das. Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata Radha Raman said that the monks were arrested on Friday by the police while on their way to home after meeting Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested on the charges of sedition on November 25. Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata, Radha Raman said, "On November 29, when Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari were returning after meeting Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu, they were arrested by the police. We are also getting information that the secretary of Chinmoy Krishna Das has also been arrested," Radha Raman said in a self-made video. He further claimed that rioters also vandalised ISKCON centre in Bangladesh. "Rioters have also vandalised an ISKCON centre in Bangladesh. Such incidents are not coming to a stop and we are feeling helpless," he said. Raman further urged ISKCON followers and devotees to pray for the minorities in Bangladesh. "I urge all followers and devotees across the world to visit their nearest ISKCON temples and pray for the minorities of Bangladesh. God is our last resort," The situation has been tense in Bangladesh since spiritual preacher Chinmoy Krishna Das was charged with sedition for allegedly hoisting a saffron flag above Bangladesh's national flag in Chittagong on October 25. Following Das arrest, a lawyer was killed during clashes between police and alleged followers of the spiritual guru in the Chattogram Court Building area on November 27. On Friday, India expressed concern over the rise of "extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation" in Bangladesh. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India has consistently and strongly raised the issue of targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities with Bangladesh government. While addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Bangladesh's interim government to take steps for protection of minorities. On situation of minorities in Bangladesh, Jaiswal said, "India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. We made our position very clear as far as the situation of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh is concerned. The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. We are concerned about the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggerations. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities and safeguarding their interests." (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], November 30 (ANI/TPS); For Amichay Gross, co-founder and executive chairman of MARINE EDGE, attending the COP29 climate conference in Baku was a very positive experience. "One of the things we witnessed is how much support the people from those countries have for Israel and how much they believe in our cause and the benefit we bring to the world, even though we don't always hear that from world leaders," Gross told the Press Service of Israel. "There was a lot of traffic from all around the world, including people from Turkey, Egypt, and other countries that you would think might hesitate to approach Israelis, but they didn't, and it was wonderful," Gross continued. Another likely reason for the global enthusiasm for MARINE EDGE, one of 20 select Israeli climate-tech companies chosen to showcase Israeli innovation at COP29 on the world stage, is their technological innovation. "Our technology aims to reduce the amount of fuel that cargo ships burn and the amount of CO2 they emit," Gross said. The overall effect would be significantly less fuel burned during shipping, a smaller carbon footprint, and lower operating costs for shipping companies. "All the merchant ships in the world, and there are over 80,000 of them, emit more than a billion tons of CO2 each year. That means saving even 1/10 of that is significant." That is where the technology of the Haifa-based startup comes into play. Their innovation, a Machine Learning-based regenerative power managing mechanism, can be fitted onto ships, resulting in "up to 15% reduction of fuel consumption per mile," Gross told TPS-IL. (ANI/TPS) Following the US' criticism on the sentence of veteran journalist Dong Yuyu, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Saturday said the sentence was in accordance with law. As per Global Times, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, "China upholds the rule of law and Chinese judicial authorities handle cases in strict accordance with law. "Those who violate laws will certainly be brought to account in accordance with law," she added On Friday, a Chinese court sentenced a high-ranking editor and columnist of a major Communist Party newspaper to seven years in prison on espionage charges, The New York Times reported. In a press statement by the US State Department, "The United States condemns China's November 29 unjust sentencing of journalist Dong Yuyu to seven years in prison for alleged "espionage." His arrest and today's sentencing highlight China's failure to live up to its commitments under international law and its own constitutional guarantees to all its citizens, which include the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press." Further, the US has expressed its support for Dong and his family, calling for his immediate and unconditional release. "We celebrate Dong's work as a veteran journalist and editor, as well as his contributions to US-China people-to-people ties, including as a Harvard University Nieman Fellow. We stand by Dong and his family and call for his immediate and unconditional release," the statement added. Earlier Dong's family said it was punishment for past writings that were critical of the government, as well as a warning to Chinese citizens against engaging with foreigners. Veteran Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu, 62, was arrested in February 2022, while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat in Beijing, marking the beginning of a lengthy detention, as per The New York Times. (ANI) The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Southeast Asia, Saima Wazed, along with WHO, called for global commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS on the occasion of "World AIDS Day" on Sunday, under the theme "Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!" This theme highlights the need for accessible, rights-based healthcare for individuals living with HIV. In a statement, Wazed underlined that the WHO urged global leaders and citizens to address inequalities that continue to hinder progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals target of ending AIDS by 2030. She noted that the WHO stressed the importance of ensuring that people living with HIV have access to the necessary healthcare without facing stigma or discrimination. The organisation also emphasised the need for a rights-based approach to healthcare that respects the dignity and autonomy of individuals, particularly those at heightened risk. "A rights-based approach is not just a strategy; it is a commitment to uphold the dignity, health, and autonomy of every individual, especially those with vulnerabilities and are most at-risk. We must boldly tackle the stigma and discrimination that stand as formidable barriers to accessing prevention, treatment, and care," the statement read. According to the statement, in the WHO South-East Asia Region, approximately 3.9 million people are living with HIV, representing 10 per cent of the global burden. In 2023, 78 per cent of people living with HIV in the region knew their status, 66 per cent were receiving antiretroviral treatment, and 64 per cent achieved viral suppression. Despite progress, the region faces challenges in addressing the needs of marginalised groups, such as men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and transgender individuals, who experience higher rates of HIV and face barriers to accessing care. WHO also highlighted the situation of children and adolescents living with HIV. In the Southeast Asia Region, approximately 80,000 children and adolescents are living with HIV, mostly due to mother-to-child transmission. WHO's 'triple elimination' initiative, which aims to eliminate vertical transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B, is a key strategy to prevent new infections among this population. Countries like the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand have already achieved success in eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, the statement added. New HIV infections among young people remain a concern, with nearly half of new cases occurring among individuals aged 15-24. WHO identified gaps in education about HIV transmission and prevention, noting that fewer than 25 per cent of young people in the region understand how HIV is transmitted. WHO welcomed the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration on Adolescent-Responsive Health Systems by Southeast Asian countries, which commits to building health systems that meet the needs of young people affected by HIV. Technological advancements were also noted as a tool to improve access to HIV care. Mobile health apps, online counselling, and virtual support groups can help provide services to populations who may not have easy access to traditional healthcare. WHO also emphasised the importance of biomedical tools, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and long-acting antiretroviral treatments, in reducing HIV transmission. The statement added that WHO's Southeast Asia Region remains focused on achieving the '95-95-95' goals: diagnosing 95 per cent of people living with HIV, ensuring 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive treatment, and ensuring 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression. WHO reiterated the need for continued collaboration among governments, healthcare providers, and international organizations to meet these targets. On World AIDS Day 2024, WHO reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that every person living with HIV has the opportunity to live a healthy life with access to necessary care and support. Wazed also called for collective action to address the barriers that prevent people from accessing HIV services and to uphold the rights of those affected by HIV/AIDS. (ANI) The Consulate General of India in Chicago expressed shock and sorrow over the reported murder of Indian student Nukarapu Sai Teja from Telangana, who was killed outside a store in Chicago on Friday. In a statement on the social media platform X, the consulate called for immediate action against the perpetrators and assured that all possible assistance would be provided to the victim's family and friends. "We are shocked and deeply sad at the murder of Indian Student Nukarapu Sai Teja. We demand immediate action against the culprits. Consulate will extend all possible help to the family and friends of the victim," the consulate stated. According to the victim's uncle, Talluri Srujan, the incident occurred on Friday at 6:00 pm (local time). Sai Teja, who had moved to the United States for higher studies, was shot by two African American suspects, Srujan added. Teja was pursuing an MBA at Concordia University in Chicago after completing his BBA and had also taken a part-time job there. "Yesterday, at 6:00 pm, according to American timings, Sai Teja was murdered by gunfire by African Americans in Chicago City. This is a very sad thing for me. He went to the US on June 15 after completing his BBA in Hyderabad. He went to study for an MBA at Concordia University and also joined a part-time job in Chicago," Srujan said while speaking to ANI. On the day of the incident, Sai Teja had gone to a store. While at the cash counter, the robbers entered the store and demanded money. After Teja complied and handed over the cash, the suspects reportedly shot him outside the store, according to the victim's uncle. "At his usual time, Teja went to the store. When he was at the cash counter, some dacoits entered the store and demanded money. Sai Teja handed over the money, but they were not satisfied... They took the cash and shot Sai Teja outside the store," he added. Teja's uncle expressed concern, urging the Telangana State Government and the Indian Embassy to ensure the safety and welfare of Indian students in the US. He highlighted the growing number of Indian students travelling to the US and called for measures to address the situation. Srujan added that the current conditions were unacceptable for students living abroad. "This is a major problem for us and our family. We demand that the Telangana State Government and Central Government act, as so many Indian students are going to America to serve their country. But the present conditions are very sad. These conditions are not acceptable. The Indian Embassy and Telangana State Government should take care of Indian students," he said. (ANI) Ground beef, carrots, and more are subject to recall. Whether its due to bacteria or undeclared allergens, its important to be aware of foods that could mean danger if you consume them. These are this weeks recalls to know, from carrots to ground beef. Sugar Foods Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Strips Santa Fe Style On Nov. 22, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall for these crunchy salad additions due to undeclared wheat. The issue was reported on Nov. 19 by a consumer who said that the pouch labeled as tortilla strips was actually filled with crispy onions, which contain wheat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No illnesses have yet been reported, but the FDA warns that people with a wheat allergy or sensitivity could risk a serious or even life-threatening reaction to the product. Consumers who have purchased products with a UPC Code 7 87359 17504 6 and "Best By" date of June 20, 2025 should either discard the product or return it to their place of purchase. Yu Shang Food Chicken, Beef, and Pork Products This Spartanburg, South Carolina-based company has recalled 72,240 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken, beef, and pork that were linked to an ongoing Listeria outbreak. If youve brought home a product from Yu Shang Food manufactured before Oct. 28, 2024, it is part of the recall. Nearly 30 different products are included. Look for the establishment number P-46684 or EST. M46684 on the USDA inspection label. The Listeria associated with these ready-to-eat meats has caused serious illness and even death in four states, including California, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York. If you have these products in your home, throw them away or return them to where you purchased them. If you have further questions, contact Yu Shang plant manager Ling Li at ling16099@yahoo.com or 864-310-6313. Great Value Cinnamon Rolls and Great Value Cheese Danishes A Class II recall has been announced for baked goods from Walmarts in-house brand due to possible foreign material contamination. Pieces of plastic were found in both cinnamon rolls and cheese danishes produced by The J.M. Smucker Company, LLC for the superstore chain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have purchased Great Value Cheese Danishes (UPC 078742201177) with the lot # L092525200 269X or Great Value Cinnamon Rolls (UPC 078742201160) with the # L092525200 269X, dispose of the pastries, or return them to Walmart with a receipt for a refund. Grimmway Farms Organic Carrots Close to 40 illnesses have been reported, including 15 hospitalizations and one death, due to E. coli infections related to consuming organic carrots in recent weeks. Stores that carried the infected produce include Aldi, Costco, Kroger, Publix, Target, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Wegmans, and Whole Foods. The carrots were available for purchase from Aug. 14 through Oct. 23 and were sold both as whole carrots and baby carrots, as well as in a multi-pack of Whole Foods Market Organic Carrots & Celery. Though the carrots are no longer available for purchase in stores, the FDA urges consumers who may have them in their homes to not only discard them, but to clean and disinfect any surfaces they may have touched. For more information, contact Grimmway Farms customer service at 1-800-301-3101, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, or visit www.grimmway.com. Fabalish Kickin Carrot Falafel Bites Fabalish, a company based in Carlstadt, New Jersey, is concerned about the carrots in their spicy falafel bites. Though no illnesses have been reported so far, the company is recalling the product due to potential E. coli contamination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These products were sold through the Fabalish website and have the lot code 260925 on the packages side flap. If your box of falafel bites is a match, the company asks that you discard them and send a photo to orders@fabalish for a full refund. Wolverine Packing Co. Ground Beef Products E. coli could also be present in ground beef produced by this Detroit, Michigan company and sold to restaurants around the country. The FDA has reported a Class I recall of 167,277 pounds of ground beef products. That includes both fresh meat with a use by date of 11/14/2024 and frozen beef with the production date of 10 22 24, all have the establishment number EST. 2574B. According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the issue was discovered when a group of people suffering from E. coli in Minnesota all reported that theyd consumed ground beef before they got sick. Working with the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health, the FSIS confirmed the link between the ground beef from Wolverine Packing Co. and the infected consumers. The FSIS says that its particularly concerned about meat still in freezers at restaurants. It instructs anyone to throw away affected products or return them to their place of purchase. In 2015, Russia waged its largest military campaign outside its borders since the Cold War, launching a sweeping air war to rescue Bashar al-Assads crumbling regime in Syria. Back then, Syrian rebels were closing in on the regimes strongholds, even as Assad leaned heavily on Iran and Hezbollah for support in the years prior. Moscows intervention turned the tide, culminating in the recapture of the largest Syrian city of Aleppo and a fragile stability that has largely held since. Until now. This week, Syrian rebels mounted a stunning assault on regime positions in Aleppo and Idlib, unravelling nearly five years of hard-won stalemates in the north. Those frontlines, painstakingly secured by Russian firepower, now look perilously fluid. The assault raises urgent questions about the Assad regimes durability and its allies ability to rescue it this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The challenges facing Assad and his backers in Russia and Iran are unprecedented. Moscow is bogged down in Ukraine, where a reinvigorated US-backed campaign has given Kyiv the green light to strike inside Russian territory. Iran, meanwhile, is grappling with a relentless Israeli campaign that has targeted its military networks and weakened its grip on Syria. The stakes couldnt be higher. The Assad regime faces a crisis that echoes the darkest days of the war, but with one stark difference: this time, the regime looks even weaker, and its allies are unable to come to its rescue. Years of economic collapse, internal fragmentation and the rise of unchecked militias have left Assad severely weakened. In many ways, the regime is now a hollow version of the one Russia and Iran fought to save in 2015. By contrast, the rebels appear more disciplined and unified than ever. Under the command of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham a former al-Qaeda affiliate that has since severed ties with the group, and even all but rooted it out opposition forces have evolved into a well-organised military machine, better equipped to sustain a long fight. The regime, ironically, now looks more fragmented and chaotic than the rebels it once dismissed as disorganised insurgents. Anti-government fighters brandish guns as they drive through Aleppo - OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images The timing of this rebel campaign couldnt be worse for Assads allies. Russia, stretched thin by its grinding war in Ukraine, is unlikely to redeploy significant forces to Syria. Its support, if it comes at all, will likely focus on safeguarding its naval bases along the Mediterranean and securing strategic areas in the Assad heartlands. In short: Russia will protect its interests, not Assads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran, once the regimes lifeline, is also under pressure. A relentless Israeli bombing campaign has decimated its military infrastructure in Syria, complicating Tehrans ability to intervene on a large scale. While Iran is unlikely to abandon Assad entirely, its role may shift to fortifying key corridors like the one connecting Damascus to the coast and the land bridge linking Iraq and Lebanon rather than reversing rebel gains across the map. Opposition forces in Syria advance within 1km of Aleppo's outer neighbourhoods Meanwhile, the ripple effects of this renewed conflict could destabilise Syrias broader diplomatic landscape. Assad was on the verge of a breakthrough, with Gulf states normalising relations with Damascus and lobbying Washington to ease sanctions. That momentum now hangs in the balance. For the United States, this shifting reality could force a rethink of its Syria policy. Washington has long oscillated between tacitly tolerating Assads rule and supporting a fragmented status quo, where Kurdish forces control the north-east and rebels hold out in the north-west. But a new possibility is emerging: pushing Assads regime to retreat further, creating conditions for refugees to return and reshaping Syrias political map yet again. Idlib residents celebrate the control of several districts of Aleppo by jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies - MUHAMMAD HAJ KADOUR/AFP/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rebels gains, while significant, are unlikely to dislodge Assad from his core territories in Damascus and the coastal heartland. Yet the mere fact that these frontlines are shifting is a reminder that Syrias war is far from over, and that the fragile order Russia and Iran worked so hard to impose is now under serious strain. The weeks ahead will reveal whether Assads allies can patch together another rescue, or if Syrias long-frozen conflict is about to thaw in ways that could reshape the Levant and the wider region for years to come. Hassan Hassan is the founder and editor in chief of New Lines Magazine, an American-Syrian analyst, and co-author of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Australia has enacted a law banning children under 16 from social media, putting in place one of the worlds strictest measures against internet use for minors. The new legislation has sparked a fierce discussion in the country over possible impacts on child safety, online freedom, censorship and tech policies. The Social Media Minimum Age Bill, cleared after a heated debate in parliament, requires platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to block under-16 users or risk fines of up to $49.5m AUD (25.7m). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A trial of enforcement methods is set for January, with the ban coming into full force within a year. The law was championed by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who presented it as a necessary measure to protect children from the harmful effects of excessive social media use. Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them, he said. Were making sure that mums and dads can have that different conversation today and in future days. The ban is absolute, unlike similar measures in EU countries where minors may still access social media with parental permission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics claim the law was rushed without due scrutiny, but proponents see it as a critical step towards safeguarding young people. A student poses with her mobile showing her social media applications in Melbourne (Reuters) Why the ban? There is growing evidence linking social media use to declining mental health, particularly among teenagers. Pushing for the law, Mr Albanese highlighted specific risks such as body image issues for girls and exposure to misogynistic content for boys. The campaign leading up to the introduction of the bill saw testimonies from parents who have lost children to bullying driven by social media, strengthening public support. A national survey indicated that 77 per cent of Australians backed the legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Media platforms, including Rupert Murdochs News Corp, ran campaigns like Let Them Be Kids to galvanise support for the law. But public reaction to the passage of the law has been deeply divided. Some Australians see the new law as a much-needed intervention. I think thats a great idea because social media for kids is not really appropriate, Sydney resident Francesca Sambas said, they can look at things they shouldnt. But many regard it as an overreach. I am feeling very angry. I feel that this government has taken democracy and thrown it out the window, Shon Klose, 58, another Sydney resident, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social media companies have criticised the Australian ban arguing that it may push children towards online spaces that are far less regulated. A TikTok spokesperson said the rushed legislation ignored the advice of experts. Its entirely likely the ban could see young people pushed to darker corners of the internet where no community guidelines, safety tools, or protections exist, they said. Australia Senate committee backs bill to ban social media for children (Reuters) How does the Australian law compare globally? United Kingdom has no plan currently to introduce similar restrictions, but digital minister Peter Kyle has said that everything is on the table when it comes to ensuring online safety. He has commissioned a study to examine the impact of smartphone and social media use, particularly on children. Mr Kyle has also highlighted that Ofcom, the UKs communications regulator, must prioritise government concerns like safety by design, transparency, and accountability while enforcing the Online Safety Act starting next year. The law, passed in 2023, sets stricter standards for social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and TikTok, including the enforcement of age-appropriate restrictions. Norway has proposed raising the age at which children can independently consent to social media terms from 13 to 15. The government has also announced a plan to introduce a legal minimum age for social media use. It is not clear when such a law might be presented to the parliament. Government data shows that half of Norways nine-year-olds use some form of social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EU legislation mandates that parental consent is required for tech companies to process personal data of children under the age of 16. Member states have the discretion to lower this limit to 13. France passed legislation last year requiring social media platforms to secure parental consent before allowing children under 15 to create accounts online, but technical challenges have delayed its enforcement. Earlier this year, a panel commissioned by president Emmanuel Macron recommended stricter measures like banning mobiles for children under 11 and internet-enabled devices for those under 13. It remains unclear when or if the recommendations will be adopted. Germany allows children aged 13 to 16 to use social media only with parental consent. There is no plan for further restrictions, even though child protection advocates argue that existing rules need better enforcement. Belgium enacted a law in 2018 requiring children to be at least 13 years old to create social media accounts without parental permission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Netherlands does not have legislation setting a minimum age for social media use. However, mobile devices will be banned in classrooms from January 2024 to minimise distractions. Exceptions apply for digital lessons, disabilities, or medical needs. Italy requires children under 14 to have parental consent for creating social media accounts. No parental consent is required after the children turn 14. Anthony Albanese gestures during a press conference in Canberra on 29 November 2024 (AP) Implications for privacy, freedom and tech scrutiny The legislation has drawn criticism from privacy advocates who warn of heightened data collection risks. The Australian Human Rights Commission raised concerns about potential infringement on young peoples rights to participate in society. Platforms may require users to upload identification documents, paving the way for digital surveillance, cautioned Sunita Bose, managing director of Digital Industry Group, which represents major social media firms. A last-minute amendment now requires platforms to provide alternative verification methods. Internationally, the ban could strain Australias relations with the US, where Elon Musk, owner of X, called it a backdoor way to control access to the internet by all Australians. Challenges in enforcement Implementing the ban poses significant hurdles. Critics argue that the government has yet to clarify how platforms should verify users ages without compromising privacy. The exemption of platforms like YouTube, widely used in schools, further complicates enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some experts fear tech-savvy teens will bypass restrictions. It will only create a generation of young people who will be more technologically literate in bypassing these walls, said Sydney student Enie Lam, 16. Parental hopes and concerns Parents groups have largely applauded the initiative, with anti-bullying advocate Ali Halkic stating, Putting an age limit and giving control back to the parents is a starting point. But many young Australians worry about losing their vital online communities. LGBTQIA and migrant teenagers, in particular, depend on social media for support and self-expression. Critics warn that the ban could inadvertently isolate these vulnerable groups. Additional reporting by agencies PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Spokespeople for Rhode Island Congressman Seth Magaziner and U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said their elected official received bomb threats on Thursday. In a statement, Magaziner said, I was recently notified of a bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home. We are safe and there was no evidence of a bomb on the property. Magaziner also thanked Providence police for their effective response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Magaziner said the threat was sent Thursday via email to an account belonging to a Providence City Hall employee thats not frequently used. The threat was discovered Friday morning, according to the spokesperson. A spokesperson for U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said the senator received a similar threat to the ones made against other Democrats on Thanksgiving. Whitehouses spokesperson added that the senator is grateful for the quick all-clear response by the Newport Police. NEXT: Providence police investigating shooting and stabbing incident Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe Now Nesi's Notes Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. The US conservative political commentator Candace Owens was refused a visa to enter New Zealand for a speaking engagement because she had been banned from another country, immigration officials said Thursday. News of the ruling came weeks after neighboring Australia also rejected her visa request, citing remarks in which she denied Nazi medical experimentation on Jews in concentration camps during World War II. Owens is scheduled to speak at a series of events in several Australian cities and in Auckland, New Zealand, in February and March next year. Candace Owens gestures to the crowd as she speaks at the Convention of the Right in Paris on Sept. 28, 2019. AP Tickets remain on sale and there is no acknowledgement on the promoters website that she has been refused entry to both countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commentator, who has more than 3 million followers on YouTube, is accused by her detractors of promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitism and has ignited firestorms with her remarks opposing Black Lives Matter, feminism, vaccines and immigration. In March, Owens said she had parted ways with the Daily Wire, on which she had hosted an online talk show since 2021, after clashes with its founders over her remarks about Jews and her opposition to US military support for Israel. She was widely criticized for comments in a YouTube video in July that minimized the Holocaust. Owens had promised Australian and New Zealand audiences a discussion of free speech and her Christian faith when she announced the speaking tour in August. Owens sits on set of Candace on April 19, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Getty Images But Australian officials banned her from the country in October, with Immigration Minister Tony Burke telling reporters Owens has the capacity to incite discord in almost every direction, citing her remarks about the Holocaust and about Muslims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Australias national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else, Burke said. Australian Jewish groups had urged officials to bar her from the country. New Zealand officials did not refer to Owens political views in a statement on Thursday. Owens had promised Australian and New Zealand audiences a discussion of free speech and her Christian faith when she announced the speaking tour in August. Getty Images She was refused an entertainers work permit for New Zealand on the ground that visas legally cannot be granted to those who have been excluded from another country, said Jock Gilray, a spokesperson for the immigration agency. The Australia-based promoter, Rocksman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Australia has warned travelers against drinking spirits made by a Laos distiller, following the deaths of six foreign tourists from suspected methanol poisoning in the Southeast Asian country. The updated travel advice published Friday cited serious safety concerns over Laos Tiger-branded vodka and whisky in the wake of a mass poisoning earlier this month in the northern town of Vang Vieng, a popular backpacker destination. Lao authorities have issued an order prohibiting the sale and consumption of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to their concerns about these products being a health risk, the Australian advisory said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Be alert to the potential risks particularly with spirit-based drinks including cocktails. No reports of Laos apparent ban on the Tiger-branded spirits have been published in the countrys English-language state media. Warnings about the potentially fatal consequences of drinking tainted alcohol following the poisonings have come from foreign governments to their own citizens, not from Laos authorities. Laos, an opaque communist state, tightly controls its media and remained silent on the deaths for more than a week before issuing its first statement. More than two weeks later, details surrounding the tourists deaths and how they became ill including how widespread the poisonings are remain scant, frustrating families and fellow travelers trying to piece together what happened in Vang Vieng. Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19; Danish nationals Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21; US citizen James Louis Hutson, 57; and British lawyer Simone White, 28, died from suspected methanol poisoning after drinking alcohol in Vang Vieng. Bianca Jones (left) and Holly Bowles (right), both 19-year-old Australian nationals whose bodies returned to Melbourne on November 26, 2024. - Facebook Earlier this week, eight Vietnamese staff members of a backpacker hostel where at least five of the victims had stayed were detained by local authorities, according to the state-affiliated Laotian Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the investigation has focused on reports the tourists were offered free shots of alcohol at the Nana Backpacker Hostel. The hostel manager and owner, who are also Vietnamese, were previously detained for questioning by police, according to the Associated Press. The manager had earlier said the two Australian women joined more than 100 guests for free shots at the hostel before leaving for a night out, but he denied that other guests had reported any issue, AP reported. With little information forthcoming from Laos authorities, some travelers in Vang Vieng and friends of those who died have taken it upon themselves to investigate. One, who asked not to be named, told CNN they had conducted an independent survey of travelers who also fell ill or were hospitalized after suspected methanol poisoning. Many respondents described getting sick after drinking at multiple bars or hostels around the town. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN cannot independently verify these reports or the survey results. Laos Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky are a brand of locally produced spirits that are cheap to buy and often used in mixed drinks and cocktails. The brand does not appear to have a public website and the vodka label says it is distilled, blended and bottled in Laos. Methanol is an alcohol chemical commonly used in industrial solvents, cleaning products and fuel, though it can be added to alcoholic drinks either inadvertently through traditional brewing methods or deliberately to boost the volume of alcoholic drinks usually in the pursuit of profit. Just small amounts of methanol can cause blindness, nausea and vomiting, while drinking as little as 30 milliliters (1 ounce) can be lethal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If not treated, fatality rates are reported to be 20% to 40%, depending on the concentration of the methanol and the amount ingested, according to medical charity Doctors Without Borders, which tracks cases of methanol poisoning globally. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com International reactions continued on Wednesday as long-displaced residents of southern Lebanon began their return home after the ceasefire deal between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group. Thousands of displaced people poured back into the Lebanese city of Tyre, including the Lebanese Army, local reports say. Their return followed the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on Wednesday, potentially ending more than a year of cross-border fighting in southern Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US and France-brokered deal, approved by Israel late on Tuesday, calls for an initial two-month halt to fighting and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon. On the other hand, Israeli troops are obliged to return to their side of the border. Displaced residents sit in traffic as they return to their villages after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Awali, southern Lebanon, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Ph - Mohammed Zaatari/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved On Wednesday, France underlined its role in the agreement with foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, saying the agreement wouldnt have been possible without Paris' special relationship with Lebanon. It is true that the United States has a privileged relationship with Israel. But with Lebanon, its France that has very old ties, very close ties, said Jean-Noel Barrot. It would not have been possible to envisage a ceasefire in Lebanon without France being involved on the front line, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was "long overdue". Speaking at the British Parliament's House of Commons, Starmer said the ceasefire demonstrates that "diplomacy can succeed even in the most challenging of circumstances." "We must seize this opportunity to build trust, de-escalate tensions, and push for a wider ceasefire," Starmer added. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning hailed the progress and called on parties to further work concertedly to promote a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related For many across the Middle East, the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire came as a relief the first major sign of progress in the region since war began more than a year ago. US President Joe Biden has said he will "make another push" to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. Biden wrote on X that the push will see to the release of hostages and an end to the war without Hamas in power." Related What the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire entails The ceasefire agreement offers both sides Israel and Hezbollah an escape from hostilities that have driven more than 1.2 million Lebanese and 50,000 Israelis from their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Lebanese officials, more than 3,700 people have been killed by Israel's intense bombing campaign, many of them civilians. On the Israeli side, over 130 people have been killed, local reports say. While the Israel-Hezbollah deal could significantly calm the tensions that have inflamed the region, there are concerns over the deal's ability to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since the Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people. Hezbollah, which began firing scores of rockets into Israel the following day in support of Hamas, previously said it would keep fighting until there was a stop to the war in Gaza. With the new ceasefire, it has backed away from that pledge, in effect leaving Hamas isolated and fighting a war alone. Israel has said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire agreement. "We will respond forcefully to any violation with the US' full understanding," Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to again rearm itself, we will defend ourselves." For now, calm is expected to return to southern Lebanon, which has been plagued by intense fighting and displacement of residents after the war escalated in September, when Israel began its massive airstrikes and deployed its troops into the region. Two days after the November election, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey touted a court victory against a federal immigration rule to aid migrants married to U.S. citizens, a decision that came in a lawsuit filed by Bailey, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and 13 other Republican states. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had created a crisis at the southern border, Bailey said. The rule was an example of the Biden administration inventing an unlawful program out of thin air, Kobach added. But Bailey and Kobach wont have the Biden administration around to attack much longer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After spending years suing Biden and federal agencies under his control, the Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Kansas will enter a new era on Jan. 20, 2025, when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The two state officials are almost certain to abandon their adversarial posture in favor of a supporting, even cheerleading, role. As Bailey and Kobach reposition themselves as allies of the new administration, they may turn their legal firepower elsewhere. Democratic-leaning localities are likely to find themselves further scrutinized if they take action that upsets Republicans, predict experts who have watched how state attorneys general offices operate. The coming federal transfer of power marks the first time Bailey and Kobach have been state attorneys general while their party controlled the White House. Both men took office in January 2023; Kobach after winning election and Bailey after Missouri Gov. Mike Parson chose him to fill a vacancy. Both officials have forged ties to Trump. During the first Trump administration, Kobach co-led a White House commission that tried unsuccessfully to locate voter fraud while Bailey was reportedly on the short list recently for U.S. attorney general before Trump selected former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz and, later, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even as Kobach has kept a lower profile compared to Bailey, both officials have sued the Biden administration repeatedly over the past two years. They have led lawsuits, as well as signed onto legal challenges with other Republican state attorneys general. Key court battles included alleging the Biden administration violated the First Amendment by urging social media companies to take down posts and ban social media accounts, a case the U.S. Supreme Court tossed, and successfully challenging Bidens efforts to forgive student loan debt. Once Trump takes office, the flood of litigation is expected to dry up or at least slow to a trickle. I think Andrew will do what needs to be done. I just think its much less likely to need to be done with Trump in the White House than it would be with Biden in the White House, said Missouri state Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Lees Summit Republican. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey More and more lawsuits While state attorneys general have traditionally been associated with law enforcement and consumer protection, politically-charged lawsuits seeking to block federal rules and programs have taken on an increasingly central role in recent decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigration rules, environmental regulations and protections for LGBTQ individuals have all been at the center of legal fights between state attorneys general and the federal government. The number of multi-state lawsuits against the federal administration has exploded over the past eight years, according to a database maintained by Paul Nolette, a professor who has studied state attorneys general and is the director of Marquette Universitys Les Aspin Center for Government. The Trump administration faced 160 lawsuits and the Biden administration faced 137. The Obama administration over two terms was only sued 80 times. President George W. Bushs administration also experienced a similarly meager 76 lawsuits. Despite the overall growth in litigation, the database shows just how sharply Kansas and Missouris approach shifted depending on which party controlled the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas participated as a plaintiff in 43 lawsuits against the Biden administration, while Missouri participated in 56, according to the database. Danedri Herbert, a spokesperson for Kobach, said the Kansas Attorney Generals Office was on more than 29 cases and is leading or co-leading nine cases. A Bailey spokesperson didnt respond to questions for this story. By contrast, Kansas and Missouri were plaintiffs in just two lawsuits total against the Trump administration, according to the database. One of those lawsuits was an attack on the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obamas signature health care law. The lions share of this activity is going to be coming from Democratic AGs against the Trump administration, Nolette said in an interview, previewing the next four years. Still, some Republican attorneys general potentially including Kobach and Bailey may file fresh lawsuits in the first few weeks of the Trump administration, Nolette said. Those challenges will be aimed at overturning rules and regulations put in place by the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked whether Kobach anticipates many of the current cases will become moot in the coming months, Herbert said its unclear. For instance, Kobach is fighting Title IX regulations advanced by the Biden administration to provide protections to transgender students. President Trump has said he will end Bidens changes to Title IX on day one, Herbert wrote in an email. Well continue litigating until the Trump administration publishes a proposed Title IX rule that rescinds Bidens Title IX rule. Bailey and Kobach are both already attempting to restrict access to medication abortion, the most commonly-used form of abortion nationally, through a federal lawsuit. The U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that a group of doctors didnt have standing to challenge FDA approval of mifepristone, a common abortion drug. The state attorneys general are now attempting to prohibit mifepristones use after seven weeks of pregnancy instead of 10 and require three in-person doctor visits. The request would reinstate requirements that were in effect before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration relaxed them in 2016 and 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Biden administration fought the previous lawsuit, its unclear what position the Trump administration will take in response to the new complaint. In some instances, courts offer a faster path to tossing out rules than going through the formal federal rule-writing process, Nolette said. If state attorneys general receive a favorable court ruling, the Trump administration can simply decline to defend the challenged rule. But those friendly challenges will still only represent a small fraction of the litigation that a Harris administration would have faced. Instead, Nolette and others expect Republican state attorneys general to pay more attention to actions by local governments. President Donald Trump, left, and Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state, on Nov. 20, 2016, at the clubhouse of Trump International Golf Club, in Bedminster Township, N.J. Focus on local officials Bailey, in particular, has been willing to take local officials to court or at the very least publicly fight them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve seen a lot of battles, both with Bailey and before, between localities and the state, Nolette said. I think Missouri may be only second to Texas in terms of the sheer quantity of those sorts of challenges. In April, Bailey accused Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas of offering an open invitation for illegal aliens to come to Missouri after Lucas on social media linked to an article in which he said that the Kansas City economy would benefit from workers seeking asylum or other legal status in the U.S. but who are stuck in crowded shelters in cities such as New York awaiting work permits or other documentation. Lucas also emphasized that he was talking about persons who are lawfully present, with lawful work permits, and the lawful ability to come to our community. Bailey issued a vague legal threat in a letter to Lucas, arguing that his previous comments regarding Kansas City welcoming migrant workers were wildly irresponsible. The Missouri attorney general ultimately took no further action against Lucas, but the attacks generated days of headlines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More recently, Bailey promised to sue Jackson County over a new ordinance that restricts the possession and purchase of guns by individuals 21 and younger. The ordinance, which the Jackson County Legislature enacted over the veto of County Executive Frank White, marked the culmination of an effort to pass local gun-related restrictions following the Chiefs Super Bowl rally shooting in February. The right to keep and bear arms is inalienable, Bailey said in a statement. To that end, I will be filing suit against Jackson County for their illegal attempt to violate Missourians Second Amendment rights. Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca said in a statement that he was glad the issue had Baileys attention, saying that as for his tenure thus far, he has gotten to avoid the countless juvenile victims and perpetrators of gun violence. Cierpiot cited the new ordinance as an example of the kind of action Bailey will take in the coming years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think Andrew would push back wherever it needs to be pushed back. But the way things are playing out, its going to be much more likely to be local than it is going to be federal, Cierpiot said. In Kansas, Kobach was a vocal critic of illegal immigration long before becoming state attorney general. Michael Smith, a political science professor at Emporia State University who has studied Kobach, said he expects him to fight any efforts by municipalities to adopt sanctuary city policies. What I would guess with Kobach is, he will work to raise his national profile, that he will continue to be very much a conservative activist, Smith said. He may go ahead and put immigration back on the agenda, maybe get the states involved in deportations in some way. Kobachs litigation unit Kobach campaigned on setting up an operation inside the Kansas Attorney Generals Office to sue the Biden administration. After he took office, Kobach established a special litigation unit that its website says is dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of Kansans. Kansas state Rep. Susan Humphries, a Wichita Republican who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said Kobachs legal battles with the federal government over the past two years had been a good use of state resources. The cases the state attorney general weighed in on had a direct impact on Kansas, she said. So I dont feel like its been just toss it up to the wind and see what happens, Humphries said. I feel like it has a purpose. But Trumps victory is raising questions about the future of the unit. A special committee of the Kansas Legislature is exploring the creation of a regulatory sandbox program designed to entice businesses to test new products and services without initially coming under full regulatory scrutiny. During a committee meeting in November, lawmakers discussed what role the Kansas Attorney Generals Office would potentially play. Robert Hutchison, deputy attorney general for the offices civil division, told lawmakers the Kansas Attorney Generals Office would prefer not to administer the program. Given staffing within the office, the responsibilities would be a burden, he indicated. Herbert, the Kobach spokesperson, told The Star that three attorneys are currently assigned to the office. She didnt answer a question about whether their roles would change after Trump takes office but noted that they also work on other high-profile cases, such as defending a Kansas law that defines man and woman based upon sex assigned at birth. Kansas state Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat, asked Hutchison about the offices workload. I can assure you all of our attorneys are occupied very much full-time with what theyre doing, Hutchison responded. Carmichael replied that the attorney general files a lot of litigation against the Biden administration. Left unsaid was that Biden will soon be out of office. In an interview, Carmichael said he expects Kobach to retain the lawyers within the litigation unit but that they will be redirected to something political in nature. People need to keep an eye on Kris because I think hes prone to do these sorts of things, Carmichael said, particularly if theres a TV camera nearby. A former childcare worker in Australia has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing almost 70 children over the period of two decades. Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, was sentenced on Friday by the Brisbane District Court after he pleaded guilty to 307 sex offences committed over 20 years. Judge Paul Smith said the scale and the nature of the crimes were "depraved" and "horrendous", adding that "significant harm" had been caused by Griffith, "and significant harm will continue to be caused". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This was very serious, offending in terms of length and scale. The victims were very vulnerable, and there was a significant breach of trust," Judge Smith added, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The judge said there was a high risk of Griffith re-offending if he was released into the community. The accused will have a non-parole period of 27 years and won't be eligible to apply until 2049. Griffith, dubbed as "one of Australia's worst paedophiles" appeared emotionless during his second day of sentencing at the district court. Several people reportedly screamed at Griffith in the courtroom as the judge handed his sentence. The charges against Griffith included 28 counts of rape, 190 of indecent treatment, and 67 of creating child exploitation material. The crimes were committed against about 70 children, many of them under 12, at childcare centres in Australia and Italy between 2003 and 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Griffith was arrested in August 2022 after investigators linked him to disturbing content found on the dark web. He was charged with more than 1,400 crimes, including multiple counts of rape, after additional child abuse material was found on his electronic devices. The number of charges was significantly reduced earlier this year and additional charges were dropped on Monday, leaving him facing 307 offences. The court was told last week that Griffith was diagnosed with a "paedophilic disorder" and was assessed as having "a high level of sexual deviance". Investigators found thousands of photographs and videos of abuse that were filmed by him and uploaded onto the dark web. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A parent of one of the survivors recalled the horrific moment they were told their daughter had been sexually abused. They initially thought that police were contacting them about a separate incident at the daycare centre, but they were instead asked to identify their child from a photo. We see people going in and I think this happened to my child in that room, the survivors mother said, referring to the daycare centre. Its a room of horrors. Her father said it was hard to believe how someone could get away with something like that for so long. As she grows up, well deal with that as it comes but its going to be something we deal with through our lives now, the childs father said. It was good that he pleaded guilty and we can move on to the next step now. If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call the NSPCC free of charge on 0800 1111. You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331. Taken in isolation, they could just about be explained away as coincidences freak accidents, one-off attacks, unfortunate infrastructure failures. The DHL cargo plane that crashed on Monday as it approached Vilnius airport. The recent bomb scares that have hobbled London, from Euston Square and Gatwick Airport to the US Embassy. The drones spotted circling near US Air Force bases in the UK. The explosion at a weapons manufacturing facility in Wales in April. The telecommunications cables severed in the Baltic Sea earlier this month. The many arson attacks, including on a Ukrainian-owned business in Leyton, East London, in March. The successful attempts to interfere with Czech rail operators. The ransomware attack on an NHS provider in June. The television satellites disrupted and damaged, causing changes to programming across Europe. The defector gunned down in Spain in February. The assassination attempt on the chief executive of a German arms manufacturer. Yet isolated is not what they were. Nor are the dozens of other worrying incidents that could be grouped with them. Taken together, the conclusion becomes unavoidable: that over the last 12 months, as the West has continued to support Ukraines war efforts, Russia has dramatically escalated its acts of sabotage across Europe and beyond, sowing a greater sense of instability on the continent than at any time since the Cold War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Use the map below to explore the full list of recent acts of sabotage and violence across Europe. The security services have sounded the alarm already. We should expect to see continued acts of aggression here at home, MI5 director general Ken McCallum said in a speech last month. The GRU [Russias military intelligence service] in particular is on a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets: weve seen arson, sabotage and more. Dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness. It is, he said, a concerted campaign that requires a strong and sustained response. This week, Bruno Kahl, the head of Germanys foreign intelligence service, said Russian hybrid measures only increase the risk that Nato will eventually consider invoking its mutual defence clause [Article 5]. And in a joint speech with his French counterpart on Friday, Sir Richard Moore, the chief of MI6 known as C spoke of the morally bankrupt axis of aggression overseen by Vladimir Putin. We have recently uncovered a staggeringly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage in Europe, even as Putin and his acolytes resort to nuclear sabre-rattling, to sow fear about the consequences of aiding Ukraine, and challenge Western resolve in so doing, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, our security British, French, European and transatlantic will be jeopardised, Sir Richard added of the prospect of Putin reducing Ukraine to a vassal state. The cost of supporting Ukraine is well known, but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely higher. A controlled explosion was carried out after a suspicious package was seen close to the US embassy last week - Paul Grover for the Telegraph An escalation in terms of what theyre achieving Now, as 2024 draws to a close, barely a day passes without a new headline to add to the pile of potential Russian attacks or interference, causing experts all over the world to call for an even greater level of political and public attention to be paid to the threat even if not every crime is proved. Russia may not be responsible for absolutely every aggressive move it is alleged to make on the global stage, but nor does it need to be. It feels like an escalation in terms of what theyre achieving, and its hard not to draw a line between that and the even greater level of aid were sending to Ukraine, says Jonathan Hall KC, the UK Governments independent reviewer of terrorism legislation. In March this year, Putin started talking more about the war, not special military operation, and you can imagine that if he regards it as a war now, then when you have people helping Ukraine, theres an even greater degree of hostility between them and us now, too. The fact people now half-jokingly say, ah, its the Russians whenever a power-cut occurs in Western Europe is telling. Its tempting to say they win both ways, isnt it? Because if its not them, they can project this image of being ultra-capable, Hall adds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Viljar Lubi, the Estonian Ambassador to the UK, has seen all this before. There is an old saying in Russian politics, that they like to create controlled chaos, he says. But chaos cannot be controlled, they flatter themselves. This is a war of narratives, though, a war of values and beliefs, and this is something we need to talk about much more. Hybrid warfare is not always visible, but actually it is a major war already. While many acts have indeed been committed in the so-called grey zone of war that unclear space that exists between direct conflict and peace in international relations dozens of incidents are perfectly visible. Not least the many literal fires started across Europe this year, including in East London. Last week, Jack Reeves, 23, a Croydon man who was involved in the arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked business in Leyton in March, pleaded guilty to an offence under the National Security Act of obtaining a material benefit from a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors have linked the case to Russia. Reeves became one of the first to be arrested, charged and convicted using the powers brought in under the Act, which was introduced last year in response to the threat of hostile activity from states targeting the UK. The fire at a warehouse in Leyton in March has been linked to Russia - X (Formerly Twitter) A month before, another man involved, Dylan Earl, 20, from Elmesthorpe in Leicestershire, admitted preparatory conduct and aggravated arson in relation to the fire. In previous court hearings, Earl was accused of carrying out the act on behalf of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, which operates under the direction of the Kremlin. Russia is willing to consider causing mass-casualty events in Europe It is far from the only fire indirectly started by Russia on European soil this year. In July, Western security officials said Russia was responsible for sending two incendiary devices to DHL logistics hubs in Germany and the UK as part of a wider campaign to ignite blazes aboard aircraft. When a DHL plane crashed near Vilnius last week, then, people inevitably started to draw conclusions, even if the Lithuanian government has since said a technical issue was likely to blame. The wreckage of the DHL cargo plane following its crash near the Vilnius International Airport - AFP/Getty Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its impossible to tell how widespread this is, because we only see what comes to light and some of what comes to light is by accident. Some countries are very keen to keep a lid on it, says Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, and the author of Who Will Defend Europe?. We ought to be concerned that Russia is willing to consider causing mass-casualty events in Europe, as evidenced by the airliner plot. That was the one element missing in the campaigns of murder sabotage in previous decades. And thats a worry. As is so often the case in modern geopolitics, pundits panic about what will happen next, while historians quietly gesture to the past. The academic and historian Calder Walton, the author of Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West, points to a long, long track record and playbook here that Putin, as a former KGB intelligence officer, knows full well. He will have been trained in the dark arts of sabotage in the KGB, he says. In the Cold War, the KGB had an entire department focusing on sabotage operations that would take place when World War Three broke out between the Soviet Union and the West. This was all in the physical, real-world domain: blowing up railway tracks, deploying poison gas canisters in the London Underground And this isnt peculiar to Russia, by the way, sabotage is an inherent tactic in warfare, but Russia does have a particular, lets say, fetish for it. Putin will have been trained in the dark arts of sabotage in the KGB, says Calder Walton - PBS The KGB was renowned for its active measures, which ranged from espionage and propaganda to sabotage and assassination, all of which has continued in various forms in the Putin era. Some plans have a particular echo. Operation Cedar, for example, was a Cold War KGB plot to seriously disrupt the US and Canadas power supply by destroying hydroelectric dams, oil pipelines and bombing the Port of New York. It took more than 10 years of preparation but, for reasons unknown, was seemingly aborted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brazen assassination attempts in more recent years not least those of Alexander Litvinenko and Sergei Skripal, both in public on British soil illustrate how Russia has continued to act with impunity overseas. But the nature of those operations has evolved since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in late February 2022, when Russian tanks rolled over the border. Whereas previously it was Russias own military officers that were roaming the continent in murder gangs, now two things have happened: one, all of those GRU goons are busy behind the lines, and two, theyve been detected and evicted from their European countries, Giles says. That means theyve gone to this new strategy of recruiting locally. Proxies, organised crime groups, disaffected people in the target countries. On the one hand, that means its easier for the defensive services to detect them. On the other, the Russians only need a very low success rate to achieve their goals. The Leyton fire is potentially one such example. But, according to Giles, that begs a lot of questions. We dont know who recruited them, how, and what the motivation was, and that has been apparently very carefully kept under wraps by the British authorities for reasons that we can only guess at. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent report by academics at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) identified the same shift: that in the gig-economy era, the Kremlin can outsource its aggression to anybody in want of a payday and willing to risk drawing the attention of the security services. The benefits of putting more and more layers between Russia and the eventual perpetrator are obvious when it comes to plausible deniability, as well as the sheer scale and speed of the work, but so are the basic economics of the deal. As the Rusi report pointed out, arson and assassination were paid at a rate of several hundred dollars, an extremely low figure given the nature of the work, while other stunts, including painting 250 Star of David symbols on walls in Paris in 2023, were priced at as little as 53 per person. It appears that just as in other areas of the gig economy, the benefits generally accrue to the employer. In the case of Russian intelligence services, the costs are so low that they are incomparable to either a full-time intelligence officer or running an agent, the report said. Were at an acute stage in the crisis The extraordinary range of tactics allegedly used by Russia against the West from cyber attacks to election interference, basic criminal damage to even paying right-wing influencers in the US to spread anti-Ukraine propaganda is so vast that there is no obvious solution to it. A sensible way to start, though, is to listen to the East. Political leadership, to some extent, is in denial of this problem, so the first step is to recognise that Russia is in a secret war against the West, and that they have already got to the violent stage of that war, says Oleksandr V Danylyuk, an associate fellow at Rusi and former Chief Advisor to the Minister of Defence and Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service in Ukraine. Oleksandr V Danylyuk: Political leadership, to some extent, is in denial of this problem... Russia is in a secret war against the West - Bloomberg Its super-important to create an international platform similar to the one established during the War on Terror, focused on Islamic terrorism in Europe. A central hub to counter Russian subversion against the EU and Nato countries should be established as soon as possible. Also, you can be more proactive in collecting evidence from within those radical groups and organised crime groups. Were at an acute stage in the crisis already, so there needs to be extra measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The error would be to fail to take measures fast enough, or at all, because we in the West are so stunned by the audacity of Russia. It does feel as if states are more off the hook, in the sense that they are showing far less self-restraint, says Jonathan Hall. The two most egregious attacks on the UK the Litvinenko and Salisbury attacks were so unrestrained its almost unbelievable. I still find it staggering. He has identified a shift, however. What you can certainly say is that intelligence agencies here [in Britain] are talking a lot about state threats in a way that they didnt before, and theyre talking about pivoting resources away from terrorism. Asked whether Russian sabotage is now a greater threat than Islamist terrorism, he demurs. Its a good question, but no, because I dont feel as if the public perceives it as a bigger issue. That sounds slightly circular, but the point of terrorism is to make people frightened, and people are still frightened about Islamist terrorism, and theyre not so frightened of the state threat. Though that, I suspect, is to some extent because of ignorance. Of course, the direction of the Wests response is largely led by the whims of the incoming US president. On Thursday, Donald Trump announced Keith Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired US army lieutenant general, as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, as he embarks on making good a promise to end the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN! Trump wrote on Truth Social. Bringing peace to the region was a key campaign pledge, though quite how he plans to achieve that, besides through strength, remains a closely guarded secret. We shouldnt shy away from using force if necessary Maybe thats exactly the thing, says Lubi. We all want peace, but we shouldnt shy away from using force if necessary. I dont have a good answer to what that looks like, but we have our legal mechanisms as well, we have our sanctions, and we have to be visible: if Russian warships are there, ours are there as well. It has to be balanced, but we cannot let our adversary gain the crown while we take too long to react. Lubi is another who stresses the importance of international alliance. We need to take things seriously, and with unity how we can jointly do it, between the UK and EU and Nato. We are all in this, jointly, because this isnt against an individual country, its [against] all of us the West. The alternative to peace, and the consequences of not responding quickly enough to Russias aggression, may yet be unchecked escalation to the point of a full attack. Walton is cautious to second guess Putin, as we dont know, and maybe Putin doesnt know, what his overall strategy is. Still, he can identify chilling echoes of 1914, [that] were kind of sleep-walking into a global conflict here. Preparing for the big one is a classic time when sabotage would be used. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giles is in less doubt. If you disregard some of the more random ones, then the core of this, the reconnaissance and the preparations for attacks on logistics and communications across Europe, and on emergency preparedness if theres a theme that brings this together its one we identified as far back as 2019: Russia looking at ways it can prepare for an overt assault on Europe and preventing its disaster response, he says. Weve been ticking off the list ever since. Little by little, day by day, Russia is testing the Wests patience. The question now is whether were going to do anything about it. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Abu Mohammad al-Jolani says his days with al-Qaeda are over As Syrian rebels bore down on the city of Aleppo, their communication channels published photos of a bearded man in military clothing directing the offensive. For the man sitting with subordinates at banks of telephones, the surprise push apparently marked the most electrifying chapter yet in a career as one of the Syrian civil wars most significant, but also most disputed and enigmatic leaders. As head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani leads the main rebel group in north-west Syria, controlling about half of Idlib province and parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Latakia and Hama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This territory is home to nearly three million displaced people and is the main opposition enclave to Bashar al-Assads government. Here he has attempted to cultivate the image of a community-oriented civic leader protecting residents while delivering public services. Yet to the American government and others, he is also a designated terrorist with a $10m (7.9m) bounty on his head because of his past as an al-Qaeda extremist. Rebel forces take control of areas outside Aleppo - Ghaith Alsayed/AP Jolani, whose real name is Ahmed Hussein al Shara, joined al-Qaeda after moving to Iraq in 2003 to fight against American forces. He spent several years in US military prisons, before returning to Syria in 2011 to set up the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front, when the civil war erupted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the following years, he split firstly with his former allies in Islamic State and then later with al-Qaeda, before consolidating other factions into HTS in 2017. In nearly a decade of rifts, mergers and rebranding, he has attempted to portray himself as a pragmatist who has put his time with al-Qaeda a long way behind him. HTS fighters set light to a picture of president Bashar al-Assad in Zarbah, south of Aleppo - AAREF WATAD/AFP Since the split, Jolani has said he has abandoned al-Qaedas goals of global jihad and is now only focused only on ousting Mr Assad and delivering Islamic governance in Syria. In 2021, he told US broadcaster PBS: Our involvement with al-Qaeda in the past was an era, and it ended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And even at that time when we were with al-Qaeda, we were against external attacks and its completely against our policies to carry out external operations from Syria to target European or American people. This was not part of our calculations at all, and we did not do it at all. In the interview, he said the designation of HTS as a terrorist group was unfair and political. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In areas under HTS control, the group has a technocratic administrative arm called the Salvation Government, to manage general services, the economy, health, education and internal security. Jolani has said governance should be Islamic but not according to the standards of Islamic State or even Saudi Arabia. The group has not banned smoking or compelled women to cover their faces. The morality police had also stopped patrolling the streets by January 2022, the Washington Post reported. He has also reportedly reached out to Christians and Druze living in the enclave. Rebels led by the Islamist militant group HTS drive thrrough al-Rashideen with weaponry - MAHMOUD HASANO/Reuters Yet for all HTS attempts to portray its softer side, it has also been ruthless in asserting its dominance and squeezing out rivals, analysts say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are widespread reports which Jolani denied to PBS that detainees have been tortured. Human rights organisations could come and inspect the prisons or take a tour,he said. As his troops stormed through Aleppo, Jolani issued a statement instructing them not to frighten children, cut down trees, or instil fear in our people of other sects. Last year the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies said: Beyond the messaging campaign, there have been some substantive signs of moderation within the group, including limiting the power of the so-called morality police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite any moves towards religious moderation, HTS has shown limited tolerance for political dissent, reacting swiftly and harshly to any protests or civilian complaints. Today, HTS is more recognisable as an authoritarian statelet than the transnational Islamist militia it once was. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A bird's-eye-view of the Yucatan Peninsula has revealed a massive 4,000-year-old fishery in Belize's largest inland wetland. The long, zigzagging network of human-made canals and ponds re-engineers the watery landscape into what some researchers describe as a massive fish trap, covering 42 square kilometers (16 square miles) in total. Excavations on the ground have provided several radiocarbon dates for the channels, which suggest they were in use from about 2000 BCE until 200 CE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Belize is the home of the earliest Maya settlements, but these fish traps were built at least 700 years before this civilization's rise to prominence in the region. "The early dates for the canals surprised us initially because we all assumed these massive constructions were built by the ancient Maya living in the nearby city centers," says anthropologist Eleanor Harrison-Buck from the University of New Hampshire. "However, after running numerous radiocarbon dates, it became clear they were built much earlier." Harrison-Buck and her colleagues working on the Belize River East Archaeology project argue these channels are part of the first large-scale prehistoric fish-trapping facility recorded in Central America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were probably built by Late Archaic hunter-gatherer-fisher groups, possibly as a response to long-term drought. Researchers estimate the traps once caught enough fish to feed 15,000 people for a whole year. If true, this supports emerging evidence that suggests the Maya civilization was initially built on a feast of fishes, not necessarily a surplus of maize, as other scientists have hypothesized. "For Mesoamerica in general, we tend to regard agricultural production as the engine of civilization, but this study tells us that it wasn't just agriculture it was also potential mass harvesting of aquatic species," explains Harrison-Buck. Like other researchers working on the Yucatan, Harrison-Buck's team has recently started using aerial surveys to peer through dense vegetation or hard-to-access areas. Their focus is on the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (CTWS), which has hosted nearly 10,000 years of continuous human occupation, along with several other locations in the Maya Lowlands, including the New River, Rio Hondo, and the Candelaria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When lagoons in these aquatic environments dry out, the shore hosts marshy grasslands, and the subtle earthen channels built into the clay-rich soil are "barely discernible", researchers say. Some are only 20 centimeters (8 inches) deep. With drone footage and Google Earth satellite imagery, however, the pattern is more easily observed. Satellite imagery includes (A) a contemporary fishery in Zambia, Africa; (B) an ancient fishery in the Bolivian Amazon; and (C) the ancient fishery in the Western Lagoon, CTWS, Belize (all images courtesy of Google Earth). (Harrison-Buck et al., Seasonal floodplain landscapes with earthen fish weirs that resemble those in Belize.Satellite imagery includes (A) a contemporary fishery in Zambia, Africa; (B) an ancient fishery in the Bolivian Amazon; and (C) the ancient fishery in the Western Lagoon, CTWS, Belize (all images courtesy of Google Earth). (Harrison-Buck et al., Science Advances , 2024) Previous studies have interpreted these channels as dams or water catchments for wetland agriculture. But scientists have found no pollen from maize crops, nor any agricultural fields with ditches or drains at these sites. The waterways are reminiscent of pre-Columbian fish-traps built to the south, in the Bolivian Amazon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each year, during the wet season, flood cycles inundate Belize's wetlands and lagoons, providing a good place for fish to spawn. During the dry season, however, these human-built channels divert receding waters into pools, dragging aquatic life into a confined space. Map of Western Lagoon in the CTWS showing linear channels and ponds. (Harrison-Buck et al., Science Advances , 2024) To this day, locals say these ponds still concentrate fish when flood waters subside. Because much of the region is protected from harvesting, however, most fish are left to rot as the pools slowly evaporate. Some scientists hypothesize that an abundance of storable food is what first led hunter-gatherer societies to form settlements around important resources. Drying, salting, and smoking an estimated million kilograms of fish each year would have easily supported a large, sedentary society living in and around the CTWS, argue Harrison-Buck and colleagues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Further investigations are necessary to clarify this full history," they conclude. The study was published in Science Advances. Related News Support Us Your Support will ensure EPWs financial viability and sustainability. The EPW produces independent and public-spirited scholarship and analyses of contemporary affairs every week. EPW is one of the few publications that keep alive the spirit of intellectual inquiry in the Indian media. Often described as a publication with a social conscience, EPW has never shied away from taking strong editorial positions. Our publication is free from political pressure, or commercial interests. Our editorial independence is our pride. We rely on your support to continue the endeavour of highlighting the challenges faced by the disadvantaged, writings from the margins, and scholarship on the most pertinent issues that concern contemporary Indian society. Every contribution is valuable for our future. No place on Earth has the exact conditions we see on Mars. Scientists believe the Red Planet once had rivers with flowing water. Today, though, the planets surface is an arid wasteland with an atmosphere 100 times thinner than ours. Still, some regions of Earth can serve as an approximate representation of Mars extreme environment. Perhaps the closest analog to Mars on Earth is the Atacama Desert in Chile. It is the driest nonpolar desert on Earth, and it experiences almost no rain. One scientist, Dr. Dirk Schulze-Makuch, a professor of planetary habitability and astrobiology at the Technical University Berlin, has studied microbial life in the desert for years. He believes what he has learned could have massive implications in the search for alien life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, Schulze-Makuch believes NASA may have already detected life on Mars with its Viking landers in the 1970s. As microbial life in the Atacama Desert dies when exposed to too much water, the space agency may have killed this life with its liquid water life detection experiments. In other words, in trying to find life on Mars, NASA may have obliterated it instead. Not all hope is lost, however. According to Schulze-Makuch, this hypothesis points to a new avenue of investigation: NASA should look for landing sites with hygroscopic salts, as these allow microbes to attain water in extreme deserts, he told Interesting Engineering in an interview. Searching for signs of Martian life All life on Earth requires water to survive. And yet, over millions of years, microbial life in the hyperarid region of the Atacama Desert has adapted to life with almost no water. They live in salt crusts and undergo prolonged periods of dormancy. To survive, they rely largely on hygroscopic salts, which attract and absorb water from the surrounding atmosphere. This gives the microbes access to relatively concentrated amounts of water in an otherwise dry landscape. The incredible adaptability of these microbes also known as extremophiles shows the resilience of life on Earth. It also poses important questions about the search for alien life on Mars. A selfie captured by NASA's Perseverance rover earlier this year. The Perseverance rover is searching for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet. Source: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS To date, NASA has focused its investigations on ancient waterways on Mars. The Perseverance rover, for example, touched down on the ancient Jezero lakebed, in 2021. Since that time, it has been collecting samples of Martian soil and leaving them for future missions to return to Earth. The space agency, and the global scientific community, hopes those samples will contain signs of ancient microbial life. Follow the salts to find alien life According to Schulze-Makuch, however, we should be focusing on salts rather than water. On such an arid planet surface, microbes are more likely to exhibit the behavior they do in the Atacama Desert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Technical University Berlin professor, who has also served as a faculty fellow at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, said his research into the Atacama Desert guided his recent work. It helped him understand how microbes survive in the most extreme desert where it hardly ever rains and how these organisms can survive even without any precipitation which you wouldnt have on Mars either. Mars is even more extreme but those extremophiles in the Atacama show us how survival is still possible, he continued. The Atacama Desert serves as an analog to Mars on Earth. In this picture, captured in 2019, a NASA scientist prepares a rover experiment to test technology that would one day be used on Mars. Source: NASA In an article published in the journal Nature Astronomy, titled "We may be looking for Martian life in the wrong place," Schulze-Makuch highlights his belief that NASA should re-focus its search on salt-rich regions of Mars. He argues the space agency should hone in on regions rich in hygroscopic salts, such as table salt (NaCl), KCL, chlorates, and also perchlorates. In his article, he highlights the Red Planets Southern Highlands as a potential landing site. Impressively, Schulze-Makuch also goes a step further than suggesting a new avenue of research for NASA. He believes we should reassess old findings made by the space agencys Viking landers. Based on what we know today, the landers may have already discovered microbial alien life in the 70s. Did NASA's Viking landers already find Martian life? NASAs Viking program sent two identical probes, Viking 1 and Viking 2, to Mars. Both of these consisted of an orbiter to take photographs of the planet, and a lander to conduct experiments on its surface. The orbiters also served as communication relays to send data from those experiments back to Earth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once they reached their destination in 1976, the two landers began their extensive investigations. One day, they reported a potential positive detection of microbial life in one of their soil samples. Today, most scientists believe those readings were false positives, possibly caused by organics that attached to the landers during assembly on Earth. In the best-case scenario, they would say the results are inconclusive. An artist's illustration of one of the Viking orbiters releasing its lander as it reaches Mars. This release occurred around the high point of Viking's orbit. Source: Wikimedia According to Schulze-Makuch, these readings may have another explanation that could be explained by research into microbial life in the Atacama Desert. When one region in the Atacama was flooded, it killed about 80 percent of the bacteria which were adapted to extreme dryness conditions, he told IE, as shown in a 2018 study. And it wouldnt take so much water to kill cells within a single soil sample. In fact, according to Schulze-Makuch too much application of water during [Vikings] life detection experiments would have drowned Martian life adapted to extreme dryness. Re-assessing the Viking programs findings NASAs Viking experiments were conducted under the assumption that life requires liquid water to survive. However, the scientific community didnt have the same insight into extremophiles that it does today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the Viking missions, the global scientific community also had less knowledge of the Martian environment. The Viking life detection experiments were largely inspired by culturing techniques used to identify microbes in scientific laboratories on Earth. Typically, this would involve adding water to samples to search for signs of microbial life. According to Schulze-Makuch, the scientific community should re-assess all three of Vikings biology experiments: the Gas Exchange Experiment (GEX), the Labeled Release (LR), and the Pyrolytic Release (PR). The gas exchange experiment [in particular] I still cant really make much sense of [and] it and would need re-evaluation, Schulze-Makuch explained. But really, all experiments should be re-evaluated, since we now have 50 years later a much better understanding of Martian environments. Schulze-Makuch views are undoubtedly controversial as they go against the scientific consensus regarding the Viking experiments. Still, the scientist claims he has received encouragement from his peers. I havent faced much criticism at all, he explained, More like encouragement that we should test this hypothesis. Not that there is proof of life on Mars, but if there is life on Mars, then it could survive in this way. In a devastating two-month war, Israel decisively defeated Hezbollah, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah and dismantling the groups entire organizational structure and leadership. This war, which began on Oct. 8, 2023 when Hezbollah announced attacks on Israel to support Gaza, has left thousands dead, tens of thousands injured and over 100,000 homes and businesses destroyed. The conflict ended with a ceasefire between Israel and Iran brokered by the U.S. and Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, rubber-stamped by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and backed by American guarantees to Israel. Yet this agreement is no cause for celebration. As I argued in my previous opinion pieces, the war exposed Hezbollahs vulnerabilities and destroyed its hold on Lebanon. But what will follow, and what should the next administration and Congress do to guard U.S. interests and help the Lebanese? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire deals winners are clear, and the Lebanese people are not among them. Winners 1. Israel: Israel emerges as the clear military victor, having dismantled the leadership of Hezbollah and forced its complete withdrawal from all of southern Lebanon not just south of the Litani River. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won security for northern Israel and operational control over southern Lebanon for the next 60 days. Then the deal allows Israel to act preemptively in the south of Lebanon if future threats emerge. For Israelis, the war means stability and a return home after months of displacement. 2. The Biden administration: For President Joe Biden, the ceasefire offers a foreign policy victory as his term nears its end. By brokering U.S. guarantees to Israel and facilitating a truce, Biden can claim credit for de-escalating tensions in a volatile region. This achievement bolsters his diplomatic legacy, even as Lebanon bears the brunt of the consequences, since the deal did not lift Irans political meddling in Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 3. Iran: Hezbollahs backer has sacrificed the group to secure its broader strategic goals. Allowing Hezbollahs collapse in southern Lebanon positions Tehran for potential nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration. While this may appear as a setback for Irans regional influence, it demonstrates Tehrans willingness to trade tactical losses for long-term gains. And, as mentioned above, Iran maintains its meddling in Lebanon, but not on the Israeli border. 4. Nabih Berri: With Hezbollahs military and political power decimated, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri has emerged as the de facto Shia leader in Lebanon. Berri has taken control of what is left of Hezbollah, consolidating his grip on Lebanons political machinery. This deal cements his role as a kingmaker, ensuring his continued dominance over the next presidential election and government formation processes. Losers 1. The Lebanese people: The true victims of this conflict are the Lebanese people. Thousands are dead, tens of thousands injured and hundreds of thousands displaced. Southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut and the villages of the Bekaa Valley are devastated, with homes, businesses and infrastructure destroyed. For a population already crushed by years of economic collapse, the war has deepened their suffering and left them with little hope for recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2. Lebanon as a nation: The agreement entrenches Lebanons political dysfunction, leaving the countrys sovereignty further eroded. Berri and his allies the ruling clique, including Prime Minister Mikati have emerged stronger, while Lebanon itself remains trapped in a cycle of corruption and stagnation. With Berri controlling the selection of the next president and government, the prospects for reform and progress are dim. As I have always argued, the Lebanese people must act if they hope to inspire international support. The U.S. and the Arab world will not intervene meaningfully unless the Lebanese themselves demonstrate the political will to break free from entrenched corruption and sectarianism. Sovereign members of parliament and their supporters must take to the streets and the parliament once more, demanding immediate presidential elections. They must work to sever Berri and his regime from controlling the political process. For the next American administration and Congress, the path forward requires concrete action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, support the Lebanese Armed Forces, which is the last credible institution in Lebanon. It must be strengthened to maintain order and counterbalance both Hezbollahs remnants and Berris growing influence. Second, sanction Speaker Berri and his network. Berris corruption is notorious. The U.S. has already sanctioned his right-hand man, former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, and now it must extend those sanctions to Berri himself, his family and his allies, including the prime minister. Allowing them to maintain unchecked control would be a death sentence for Lebanese democracy and American interests. Third, reject the army-people-resistance formula. The narrative that Hezbollahs military is integral to Lebanons defense must be demolished. Any attempt to revive this framework under Berris control would perpetuate Lebanons instability. The Israel-Hezbollah deal is not a triumph of diplomacy but a devastating chapter for Lebanon. Israel and Iran emerge with strategic gains, while Lebanon lies shattered, its people left to suffer under the weight of destruction and entrenched corruption. If the Lebanese people do not rise to reclaim their sovereignty and demand accountability, the cycle of despair will only deepen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The time for action is now on the streets, in parliament and in the face of those who would destroy what remains of Lebanons future. And action is needed in Washington, with funding and equipment for the Lebanese Army along with sanctioning the corrupt Lebanese ruling class. David Ramadan, Ed.D. is a Lebanese-American who was elected and served in the Virginia House of Delegates. He is a professor of practice at the Schar School at George Mason University and a scholar at the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The head of MI6 has said a staggeringly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage has been uncovered in Europe. Speaking at the British embassy in Paris, Sir Richard Moore said Russia was trying to sow fear about the consequences of aiding Ukraine and challenge Western resolve in so doing. It comes after a DHL plane crash in Lithuania on Monday which officials suspect was a hybrid attack meaning aggressive actions short of actual war, such as sabotage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plane was flying from Leipzig to Lithuania when it crashed in Vilnius, killing one crew member and leaving three others injured. Marywilska 44 shopping centre in Warsaw is destroyed by a massive fire. Russian involvement is suspected - Dariusz Borowicz/Reuters Earlier this year, incendiary devices caused fires at DHL facilities in Leipzig, Germany, and in Birmingham. Russia is suspected of being behind the incidents. Suspicions were also raised about a massive fire that destroyed Warsaws largest shopping centre in May. It is likely that Russia was involved, Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, said at the time. Germany blamed sabotage for the severing of two undersea internet cables last week. Boris Pistorius, the defence minister, said that nobody believes these cables were accidentally severed after the Finnish owner of the C-Lion1 data cable announced that it had been cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his speech, Sir Richard said: We have recently uncovered a staggeringly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage in Europe, even as Putin and his acolytes resort to nuclear sabre-rattling. Such activity and rhetoric is dangerous and beyond irresponsible. A CCTV image of the moment the DHL cargo plane crashed in Lithuania. Below, part of the engine of the craft is seen on the ground - Michael Sohn/AP; Lukas Balandis/Reuters DHL cargo plane wreckage Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Italy, Germanys Annalena Baerbock referred to the DHL cargo plane crash, saying: Our Lithuanian partners must now seriously ask ourselves whether this was an accident or another hybrid incident that shows what volatile times we are living in in the middle of Europe. Giving the inaugural Entente Cordiale lecture alongside his opposite number in the French external intelligence agency, Sir Richard said that in his 37-year career, he had never seen the world in a more dangerous state. The impact on Europe our shared European home could hardly be more serious, he warned. If Putin is allowed to succeed in reducing Ukraine to a vassal state, he will not stop there. Our security British, French and transatlantic will be jeopardised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cost of supporting Ukraine is well-known, but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely higher. If Putin succeeds, China would weigh the implications, North Korea would be emboldened and Iran would be still more dangerous. Our democracy is our strength, MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore said as he warned of Russian subterfuge - British Embassy Paris via AP Nicolas Lerner, the head of the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), Frances MI6 equivalent, warned the current situation in Europe could be the turning point in our common history. Marking 120 years of the Entente Cordiale which, although not a formal alliance, ended centuries of conflict between the UK and France and set the path for a stronger Anglo-French relationship, Mr Lerner sought to remind those who would doubt or contest the binding links between our two countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France and Great Britain are standing side by side in all the major crises shaking our planet, he said. Sir Richard, who goes by the title C meaning Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) or MI6 said: SIS and DGSE intelligence has been critical to calibrating risk and informing the decisions of our respective governments so they can navigate successfully Putins mix of bluster and aggression. He said Putin was jeopardising Russias future through continuing his catastrophic conflict in Ukraine, highlighting the transactional nature of the relationship between Moscow, Beijing, Tehran and Pyongyang. There is no real trust or respect, he warned. Its roots are shallow [and] there are limits to the partnership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia should avoid the classic error of the authoritarian state, which confuses the splendidly irreverent clash and thunder of democracy with weakness and irresolution. Our democracy is our strength. Sir Richard also said British spies were taking covert action against Russia to defeat Vladimir Putin and likened intelligence activity today in Ukraine to the secret war fought in the Second World War against Nazi Germany. We cherish our heritage of covert action, which we keep alive today in helping Ukraine resist the Russian invasion, he said. Highlighting the vital partnerships between the UK, France and America, Sir Richard said the allies collective strengths will outmatch and outlast Putins morally bankrupt axis of aggression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In only a brief nod to the impending inauguration of Donald Trump as 57th US president, on Jan 20, Sir Richard said he had worked successfully with the first Trump administration, and look forward to doing so again. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A judge has denied rapper and producer Sean "Diddy" Combs' request to be released on bail ahead of his trial for federal sex trafficking charges. Combs' lawyers had asked he be released on $50 million bond, saying he would stay in a three-bedroom apartment on New York's Upper East Side and pay the cost to have private security monitor him around the clock. District Judge Arun Subramanian denied the request, ruling, "The Court finds that the government has shown by clear and convincing evidence that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subramanian concluded that "there is compelling evidence of Combs's propensity for violence" and that if released while awaiting trial, "there is evidence supporting a serious risk of witness tampering." Combs was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky at the time ordered Combs be held without bail, but the rapper's legal team has filed several requests to have him released since then. They have all been denied. Combs is being held at a detention center across the East River from Manhattan in Brooklyn, New York, according to online records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Combs is accused of using his business empire as a criminal enterprise to conceal his alleged abuse of women at events Combs referred to as "Freak Offs." "The 'Freak Offs' sometimes lasted days at a time, involved multiple commercial sex workers and often involved a variety of narcotics, such as ketamine, ecstasy and GHB, which Combs distributed to the victims to keep them obedient and compliant," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, of the Southern District of New York, told reporters last month. Combs has denied any wrongdoing. One of his attoneys, Marc Agnifilo, said last month, "We're going to fight this case with everything we have, as is he, and eventually, he's going to be shown to be innocent." His trial is scheduled for May 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ex-Army recruiter flees state with 17-year-old girlfriend after estranged wife's murder Watch: Sen. Elissa Slotkin refutes Trump's speech to Congress in Democratic rebuttal Ukraine responds to Trump's intelligence-sharing pause The News US President-elect Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum offered seemingly contradictory accounts of their telephone conversation on the subject of migration. She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border, Trump claimed in a post online after the talks, prompting Sheinbaum to write: We reiterate that Mexicos position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples. The conversation came after Trumps pledges to ramp up tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China earlier this week, a move Sheinbaum warned could destroy 400,000 US jobs. A chart showing trade in billions of dollars between Mexico, Canada and China with the US by year. SIGNALS Trumps tariff threats could be a negotiating ploy over immigration Sources: Reuters, CNN Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps tariff threats could be more of a negotiating tactic than an actual intended policy, one analyst told Reuters, geared to achieve goals largely unrelated to trade. During Trumps first term, tariff warnings ultimately resulted in Mexico giving into his flagship remain in Mexico immigration policy, which forced migrants to stay in the country while their applications were being processed in the US, CNN wrote. Pushing for more aggressive trade policies now will also help Trump build leverage heading into 2026 when the US-Mexico-Canada free trade deal he created in 2018 is up for renegotiations, the outlet noted. Tariff warnings are a blast from the past Sources: The Guardian, The Associated Press, Financial Times Trumps threatened 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports bring back bitter memories of a trade war during his previous presidency, The Guardian wrote. The impacts back then were barely noticeable in the overall economy, wrote The Associated Press, but the scale of tariffs is expected to be much larger this time. Trumps tariff threats have already prompted Canadas prime minister to call an emergency domestic meeting, while the European Central Banks chief urged the continents leaders to buy more US products in a bid to placate the incoming president. The Houthis have spent the past year menacing key shipping lanes with missiles and drones. The US-led military response has been unable to effectively stop the rebels from attacking ships. A more aggressive approach is unlikely putting the conflict at an impasse. On a blue sky day last November, a helicopter carrying Houthi gunmen descended on a commercial shipping vessel in the Red Sea. The rebels jumped out, seized control of the ship, and took the crew hostage. They're still in captivity in Yemen. The dramatic hijacking of the Galaxy Leader, which was captured on video, catapulted the Houthis into the global limelight. In the year since, the rebels have menaced key Middle East shipping routes with missiles and drones, disrupting maritime trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American military has led a Western naval coalition into battle against the Houthis to curb their relentless attacks, but a year of intense combat has brought the US no closer to ending the threat posed by the rebels and, for now, a more aggressive approach doesn't appear to be the desired course. "We're not looking for a military solution in Yemen at this particular time," US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking told Business Insider in a recent interview. He said that chasing such an outcome could bring more devastation to a country shattered by years of war. "To pursue that would subject Yemen to more years of death and destruction and military conflict," he explained, arguing that "it is essential to consider the impact on Yemeni civilians, on the impact on Yemen's economy and infrastructure, the ability to move supplies in, the ability for commercial goods to get into Yemen." That restrained approach to the ongoing Houthi crisis leaves the US military engaged in combat operations without a clear path to victory. 'The threat still persists' The Houthis have launched more than 130 attacks targeting military and civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in a campaign that the Iran-backed rebels claim is connected to the Israel-Hamas war. They have struck a number of commercial ships, sinking two of them and hijacking one (the Galaxy Leader), and killed four sailors. Footage released by the Houthis shows an explosion on a commercial vessel during an attack. The rebels have employed a variety of weapons, including anti-ship missiles, drones, and uncrewed naval vessels. Photo by Houthi Media Center via Getty Images Merchant shipping through the Red Sea normally accounts for as much as 15% of global maritime trade, the US Defense Intelligence Agency said in a report earlier this year. However, the ongoing Houthi attacks have caused a notable decline in activity along that critical route, forcing ships to make longer and more expensive trips around Africa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US warships and aircraft operating in the region have routinely been tasked with intercepting Houthi missiles and drones in defense of key shipping lanes. The military has also carried out airstrikes against the rebels in Yemen, targeting their weapons, launchers, and other facilities. The Pentagon has said that these efforts are intended to degrade the Houthis' capabilities, but the rebels still retain the ability to target ships. This month alone, for instance, they have launched attacks on a commercial vessel and several American destroyers, though they have yet to score a hit on a warship. Analysts at the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank said last month that even though Houthi strikes against commercial ships have declined, the response which includes American, British, and Israeli strikes over the past year has been insufficient. "The threat still persists, and there doesn't seem to be much abating that," retired Gen. Joseph Votel, who oversaw military operations in the Middle East in the 2010s as the commander of US Central Command, told BI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said that US military operations "have been clearly focused on trying to defend ourselves and going after launch sites, production sites, storage sites, maybe some command and control sites but none of that seems to be deterring the Houthis at all." Limited options Some analysts have said the US should consider a more aggressive response to the Houthis, including greater efforts to cut the flow of weapons and capabilities from Iran. Brian Carter, the Middle East portfolio manager at the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project, wrote in an analysis earlier this month that "allowing the Houthis to protract their gradual escalation campaign is a much more dangerous policy choice for the US in the long run than a more decisive military effort would have been." The Navy admiral overseeing naval operations in the Middle East has said that military action alone won't be enough to stop the rebels. "The solution is not going to come at the end of a weapon system," Vice Adm. George Wikoff, who leads US Naval Forces Central Command, stressed at a think tank event in August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A diplomatic solution, however, remains unclear. The Houthis have tied their actions to the Gaza war, but it remains to be seen if a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas pushes them to stop their attacks. The rebels did not adhere to a pause in fighting last fall. An F/A-18E Super Hornet prepares to launch off the flight deck of the Eisenhower. The Nimitz-class carrier has led the bulk of the military's counter-Houthi operations. US Navy photo With no apparent end in sight, the conflict has raised real concerns about sustainability. Over the past year, the Navy has fired off hundreds of munitions in its Middle East operations, costing over $1.8 billion and draining the Pentagon of key missiles that are expensive to procure. Votel, now a distinguished senior fellow on national security at the Middle East Institute think tank, said that the US can continue to send warships into the fight, but the conflict is impacting other priorities within the Pentagon's national security strategy, such as China's growing military capabilities. There are no indications that US naval activity is set to wind down. Officials stress that Washington will continue to act against the Houthis to stop their attacks. Even as some warships left the Middle East earlier this month, other vessels have already moved in to take their place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are committed to ensuring the freedom of navigation, ensure that ships are able to pass through in the Red Sea," said Lenderking, the US envoy. "Of course, much of international commerce that flows through the Red Sea has adjusted toward alternatives," he added. "But we think the fact that a non-state actor is aggressing the international community in this manner is not something that we or the international community should abide by." But, for now, it's unclear what will make it stop. Read the original article on Business Insider Volodymyr Zelenskys suggestion that Ukraine could temporarily cede territory to Russia in exchange for joining Nato would mark a major concession to Vladimir Putin, the UKs former ambassador to Russia has said. In a significant development on the route to a potential ceasefire after 33 months of conflict, the Ukrainian president indicated for the first time that Kyiv could accept Russian control over some of its territory in order to end the hot phase of the war. With Moscow appearing to ramp up its push for territory in Ukraines east ahead of Donald Trumps return to the White House in January, Mr Zelensky told Sky News that peace could be struck if territory he controls is taken under the Nato umbrella, allowing him to negotiate the return of the rest later in a diplomatic way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Praising Mr Zelensky for playing a very sophisticated game, Sir Tony Brenton who served as ambassador to Russia between 2004 and 2008 told the broadcaster: He knows that Trump is about to descend on him and on Russia. He is already arranging to have something to offer Trump. What he is suggesting in many ways is bringing us much closer to the obvious target area, which is a freeze in the fighting where the lines actually currently are, and then an eventual negotiation about who retains which bit of territory, and then security guarantees for Ukraine in the course of that ceasefire. Warning that Nato membership for Ukraine is frankly going to be very, very difficult, Sir Tony said that Mr Zelenskys statement that he is prepared to see a ceasefire and then negotiate the return of Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine over the longer term would be viewed by Mr Putin as a concession. That is actually quite a major concession, because the longer term could be a very long time indeed, he said, adding: [Putin] will say to himself, Ah, they are feeling weak, I can press for more. That is a danger if we go into this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Russian president is currently keeping his cards very close to his chest in terms of his views on how to end the conflict, which he believes he is winning, said Sir Tony. Moscows troops have been making steady gains in Ukraines east but at a cost of incurring potentially record casualties. Zelensky has suggested that the parts of Ukraine under his control should be taken under the Nato umbrella (Sky News) Concurring with this view, James Nixey, of the Chatham House think tank, warned that any part of Ukraine being in Nato would be unacceptable to Mr Putin. After all, it is, for him, an abhorrence. Putin doesnt want a pause anyway he believes hes on the brink of an historic and strategic victory, kindly deal-sealed by Donald Trump, Mr Nixey told The Independent. But if such a deal were to be struck, both Kyiv and its allies would be able to present it as a victory in securing a free democratic Ukraine linked to the West, Sir Tony said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In further remarks to Sky News, the UKs former representative to Nato, Sir Adam Thomson, said Mr Zelensky appeared to be preparing domestic audiences for compromises, while making opening moves in a likely extended negotiation with Mr Trump over which line to take with the Kremlin. Hes moving Ukraine to a much more realistic position still not necessarily an achievable one, but more realistic, said Sir Adam, adding that around three-quarters of Natos members believe membership for Kyiv would be the least bad outcome, in the sense of being the least expensive and the most stable. US president-elect Donald Trump has claimed he could end the war in Ukraine in a day (AFP via Getty Images) Were such a deal to be struck, it would require Nato troops including from Britain to defend Ukraines borders, including its northern border with Belarus, said Mr Nixey, adding: Whether Nato is fully prepared for this eventuality is open to question. Throughout the conflict, Mr Zelensky has never said he would cede any occupied Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which Russia occupied in February 2014. In September 2022, Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of four Ukrainian regions Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia despite not controlling all of those territories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet war analysts say Russia has been gaining territory in recent weeks on Ukraines eastern front at the fastest pace since the early days of the war, as both Moscow and Kyiv look ahead to Mr Trumps return in January. The US president-elect has claimed he could end the war in a day. Historian Dr Mark Galeotti, author of Forged in War: A Military History of Russia, said Mr Zelenskys comments in part likely reflect the unfolding political and military realities, as the Russians continue to advance and Donald Trump's shadow looms over everything. But I think it may also be Zelensky's attempt to, in effect, call the Wests bluff, Dr Galeotti told The Independent. Actually getting all Natos 32 members to agree to a quick membership would be very difficult, but in effect he is asking, If not the Article 5 security guarantee, what else could be offered? Mr Zelenskys ex-foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said earlier this week it was inconceivable that he could sign a deal surrendering territory, telling Politico: The Russians keep the Donbas, they keep Crimea, no Nato membership. Can Zelensky sign? He cannot because of the constitution. And because it will be the end of Zelensky politically. Last month, Mr Zelensky unveiled his victory plan, which calls for Ukraines unconditional accession to Nato, a refusal to trade Ukraines territories currently occupied by Russian forces, and the continuation of the Ukrainian incursion into Russias Kursk region. As populations around the world age, the importance of effective retirement systems has never been clearer. The U.S. retirement system, characterized by a mix of social security benefits, employer-sponsored plans, and individual savings accounts, is often scrutinized for its structure and effectiveness. This article explores the current state of the U.S. retirement system and compares it with leading models from around the globe. To learn more about U.S Retirement, please tap into this additional resource. The Structure of the U.S. Retirement System The U.S. retirement system is multifaceted, primarily composed of three pillars: Social Security : Established in 1935, Social Security provides a safety net for retirees, funded through payroll taxes. While it plays a crucial role in poverty alleviation among older adults, many experts argue that it is not sufficient to fully support a comfortable retirement. Employer-Sponsored Plans : These include defined benefit plans (pensions) and defined contribution plans (like 401(k)s). While the prevalence of 401(k) plans has risen, pension plans are becoming less common, shifting the burden of retirement savings onto individuals. Individual Savings : This encompasses various personal savings accounts, including IRAs and Roth IRAs, which allow for tax-advantaged growth. Despite their importance, many Americans struggle to save adequately for retirement due to rising living costs and insufficient financial literacy. Global Comparisons When assessing the U.S. retirement system, its essential to consider how it stacks up against other countries. Several nations have developed systems that provide greater security for retirees. 1. The Nordic Model Countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Norway are often lauded for their robust retirement systems. These nations employ a comprehensive approach that includes universal basic pensions, mandatory employer contributions, and strong welfare states. For example, Swedens system combines a pay-as-you-go structure with a funded component, ensuring that retirees receive substantial benefits regardless of their employment history. This results in lower poverty rates among the elderly compared to the U.S. 2. The Netherlands The Dutch retirement system is also noteworthy, featuring a three-tiered structure similar to the U.S. but with significant differences in execution. The first tier is a universal state pension, providing a basic income. The second tier consists of occupational pensions, mandatory for most employees, which are typically well-funded and well-managed. The third tier encourages individual savings. This combination results in one of the highest retirement income replacement rates in the world, significantly exceeding that of the U.S. 3. Australias Superannuation Australias approach to retirement savings through its Superannuation system is another model worth examining. Since 1992, employers have been required to contribute a minimum percentage of an employees salary to a retirement fund. This system has led to high participation rates and substantial savings among Australians, significantly enhancing retirement security. In contrast, U.S. reliance on voluntary participation in 401(k) plans often leaves many workers without adequate retirement savings. Challenges Facing the U.S. Retirement System Despite its strengths, the U.S. retirement system faces several challenges: 1. Low Savings Rates Many Americans are not saving enough for retirement. According to various studies, a significant percentage of the workforce has no retirement savings at all. This is particularly concerning for low- and middle-income workers, who often lack access to employer-sponsored plans or financial education. 2. Inequality in Retirement Income The U.S. system also suffers from inequality, where wealthier individuals tend to have significantly more resources in retirement compared to lower-income workers. This disparity is exacerbated by factors such as job stability, educational attainment, and access to financial planning. 3. Rising Living Costs With healthcare costs soaring and pensions dwindling, retirees in the U.S. face a growing financial burden. Many find themselves working longer or returning to the workforce to make ends meet, a trend that highlights the inadequacies of the current system. The Role of Financial Fiduciaries Amidst these challenges, seeking advice from a financial fiduciary can be a valuable step for individuals aiming to navigate the complexities of retirement planning. Unlike other financial advisors, fiduciaries are legally obligated to act in their clients best interests, ensuring that recommendations are tailored to individual needs and circumstances. Benefits of Consulting a Fiduciary Personalized Financial Strategies : A fiduciary can help clients create tailored retirement plans that consider their unique financial situations, risk tolerance, and retirement goals. Holistic Planning : Fiduciaries often provide comprehensive financial planning, encompassing investment management, tax strategies, and estate planning, which can enhance overall retirement readiness. Navigating Complexities : With the intricacies of U.S. retirement accounts and tax implications, fiduciaries can simplify the process, helping clients make informed decisions. Accountability and Trust : Since fiduciaries are held to a higher standard of care, clients can feel more secure in their financial decisions, knowing they have professional guidance focused on their best interests. Innovations and Future Directions To improve the U.S. retirement landscape, several innovative approaches are being discussed: 1. Auto-Enrollments and Escalation Implementing automatic enrollment in retirement plans, along with automatic contribution escalations, could increase participation rates significantly. Countries like the U.K. have seen success with this model, leading to higher savings rates. 2. Universal Basic Pension Some advocates propose a universal basic pension, ensuring that all citizens receive a minimal level of income in retirement, similar to the systems in Nordic countries. This could provide a safety net and reduce poverty rates among the elderly. 3. Enhanced Financial Literacy Programs Investing in financial education for all age groups can empower individuals to make better retirement planning decisions. Increased literacy could lead to more effective personal savings strategies and greater utilization of available retirement tools. Conclusion While the U.S. retirement system has foundational elements that support millions of Americans, it lags behind many countries in terms of comprehensive security and adequacy. Learning from global models can provide valuable insights and inspire necessary reforms. Furthermore, seeking guidance from financial fiduciaries can empower individuals to make informed decisions and enhance their retirement prospects. As the demographic landscape continues to shift, addressing these challenges will be crucial for ensuring that future generations can retire with dignity and financial stability. Frances Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (L) and Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki (R) walk to attend a meeting at the Headquarters of the Africa Union (AU) in Addis Ababa on November 29, 2024. (Photo by Amanuel Sileshi / AFP) France on Saturday began the return of some 3,500 archaeological artifacts to Ethiopia, which Paris held since the 1980s for study. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot handed over two prehistoric stone axes, called bifaces, and a stone cutter to Ethiopias Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa, during a visit to the national museum in Addis Ababa. The tools are samples of nearly 3,500 artifacts from the excavations that were carried out on the Melka Kunture site, a cluster of prehistoric sites south of the capital that were excavated under the direction of a late French researcher, Barrot said. France and Ethiopia hold a longstanding bilateral agreement on cooperating in the fields of archaeology and paleontology. The artifacts, currently stored at the French embassy in Addis Ababa, will be delivered in their entirety to the Ethiopian Heritage Directorate on Tuesday. This is a handover, not a restitution, in that thes objects have never been part of French public collections, Laurent Serrano, culture advisor at the French embassy, told AFP. These artifacts, which date back between 1 and 2 million years, were found during excavations carried out over several decades at a site near the Ethiopian capital, he added. Zimbabwean farmers embrace unconventional agricultural methods as climate challenges persist, finding unexpected success in black soldier fly cultivation. This innovative approach transforms community perspectives on insect farming while providing sustainable solutions for livestock feed production. The initiative, supported by international development agencies, demonstrates remarkable economic benefits for participating farmers. Production costs decrease significantly, offering substantial relief for rural poultry farmers previously struggling with expensive commercial feed alternatives. Scientific validation from agricultural institutions confirms the superior protein content of these larvae compared to traditional feed sources. The black soldier fly, originating from tropical South America, produces larvae capable of processing substantial quantities of organic waste into valuable agricultural resources. This agricultural innovation addresses multiple challenges simultaneously, combining waste management solutions with sustainable feed production. The approach generates environmental benefits while creating economic opportunities for rural communities affected by climate variability. Commercial success stories emerge across African nations, with similar programs showing positive results in Uganda, Nigeria, and Kenya. Government institutions actively promote this sustainable farming method, recognizing its potential for agricultural resilience and economic development. Academic partnerships strengthen implementation through technical support and breeding programs. Educational institutions provide crucial research backing and practical training, helping overcome initial cultural resistance through demonstrated results. The transformation represents significant progress in agricultural adaptation, particularly notable in regions facing recurring drought conditions. This innovative approach creates new pathways for sustainable farming while addressing crucial environmental and economic challenges within Zimbabwean agricultural communities. Known for his patriotism, resilience and bravery, fighter jet pilot Ali Najab has died at the age of 81, leaving a book that recounts the horrors of the proxy war that has been waged by Algeria on Morocco since 1975. Najab spent 25 years in a jail in the Algerian territory administered by the Polisario militias after his jet was downed. He was released in 2003 and has since then dedicated his life to defending Moroccos sacred cause: territorial integrity. Najab fell captive to the Polisario separatist militias and endured 25 years in a jail in a territory that has been abandoned by Algeria to the separatist militias. He recounted all sorts of degrading treatment suffered by Moroccan prisoners of war by the Polisario militias in his book 25 years in the Tindouf prisons. Najab spoke on behalf of the tortured Moroccan heroes who have defended Moroccos unity and territorial integrity in a proxy war imposed on Morocco by Algeria. Najab has dedicated his life since his release to highlight the sacrifices of all the martyrs who had given their lives to defend Morocco. He died leaving a legacy, a book, interviews and conferences to remind the younger generation of Moroccans that the retrieval of the Sahara came on the back of sacrifices, abnegation, and bravery of Moroccan soldiers facing a proxy enemy in the battlefield. A group of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) denounced the arbitrary arrest of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal on Nov.16 in Algiers and demanded his immediate release. In a plenary session, the MEPs called for the immediate release of Sansal, whose arrest was confirmed in a diatribe by Algerian official media who indulged in prejudice calling the writer a traitor or of Moroccan origins and a spokesman for France and the Zionists. In a rare cohesion and message of unity, the MEPs backed the right of Sansal to free speech and condemned the deteriorating human rights in Algeria. The Algerian government is so weak to arrest someone who criticized it like Sansal, Francois-Xavier Bellamy (EPP) said. Raphael Glucksmann, the leader of the Socialists and Place Publique, said Algeria is on the footsteps of authoritarian regime who persecute intellectuals. The Algerian regime is motivated by its hatred of France () and behaves like a rogue state, ready to do anything to exert diplomatic pressure, said Marion Marechal, from the European Conservatives and Reformists group, who described the arrest of Sansal as a hostage-taking that does not say its name. Marie Toussaint, of the Greens, said the freedom of writers is the barometer for the peoples freedom, adding that when a writer is imprisoned, an entire nation is imprisoned, deprived of its thought, its ability to dream, to question, to evolve. High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell had also condemned Sansals arrest as a clear attack against freedom of expression, denounced the repression of freedom of speech in Algeria, and called on Algerian authorities to release immediately the Franco-Algerian writer. In a speech delivered on his behalf at the EU Parliament, Borrell said the circumstances of the arrest and detention of Boualem raise many questions and concerns. If this accusation were based exclusively on opinions expressed publicly by Boualem Sansal, it would represent a clear attack against freedom of expression, said Mr. Borrell, urging the Algerian judicial authorities to address all these issues, which are clearly related to the rule of law and respect for human rights. The housing developer that cut down a bald eagle nest in Auburn has reaffirmed that the company was issued a permit and said that recent changes to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit requirements has caused some "confusion" with the public. "Hughston Homes continues to be fully cooperative with both the City of Auburn and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to address confusion around the permitted removal of an unoccupied eagles nest within a developing neighborhood. We are committed to being good neighbors and responsible stewards of the natural resources in the Auburn community, and that begins with a transparent understanding of what is lawfully permitted by modern conservation standards," said Tyler Findley, acquisition and entitlement manager with Hughston Homes. Hughston Homes is a housing developer that has recently come under fire for the removal of a bald eagle nest in the Heritage Ridge development, which is located near North College Street and the Auburn Universitys E.W. Shell Fisheries Center. The removal is under investigation from FWS. Ahead of a planned community meeting that would discuss the nest removal, Hughston Homes released a statement and said it intends to address "confusion" around the removal and what is legally allowed under FWS permits. Findley urged any Auburn resident with questions or concerns to reach out to Hughston Homes at info@hughstonhomes.com. The removal remains under investigation by FWS. You can submit tips to FWS's wildlife crimes line at Wildlife Crime Tips | FWS.gov, or 1-800-344-9453. Bald Eagles are no longer endangered In an email sent to the Opelika-Auburn News on Tuesday, Hughston Homes said that activities affecting bald eagles are regulated by FWS according to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Further more, Hughston Homes said that since bald eagles are no longer an endangered species, FWS created new permits and relaxed some of the requirements around those permits. "Because these federal regulations were only recently finalized in May 2024, we believe confusion with outdated regulations has resulted in confusion for our neighbors in the community of Auburn," according to an email from Amisha Purgerson with Hughston Homes. According to the FWS website, bald eagles were considered threatened with extinction in 1940, which led to the Bald Eagle Protection Act. Golden eagles were added in an amendment to the act in 1962. By 1995, FWS announced that bald eagles in the lower 48 states had recovered to the point where those populations previously considered endangered could be reclassified to the less critical category of threatened. By 2007, FWS estimated there were at least 9,789 nesting pairs of bald eagles in the contiguous United States, which FWS called a remarkable population rebound. According to the FWS website, on June 28, 2007, FWS announced the recovery of the bald eagle population and the species' removal from the list of threatened and endangered species. That population recovery has continued. FWS said that based on bald eagle population data in the lower 48 states from 2018 to 2019, population estimates total 316,700 individuals, including 71,467 breeding pairs. Hughston Homes said there were other nests available for the pair of eagles Hughston Homes' reiterated that their biologist determined the removed nest was an alternate nest and said that there were other nests available for the eagles' use. "The Heritage Ridge development has been fully assessed with utmost care, including seeking information from neighboring residents as to the location of the bald eagle nest. Our biologist determined that this was an alternate nest for the bald eagle pair, meaning that there were no eggs, eaglets or fledglings present and other nests were available for the eagles use," according to an email from Amisha Purgerson with Hughston Homes. Hughston Homes said its biologist applied for a bald eagle nest take permit and that the application included compensatory mitigation to compensate for any impact to the eagles. That payment was for $35,000 to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Division, according to FWS. The permit was approved by FWS. FWS said that the permit issued to Hughston Homes states that a nest cannot be removed if viable eggs or young are present. The permittee was responsible for confirming the nest was empty of eggs or young before taking it down, FWS said. "The expectation was that the eagle pair would build a new nest further away from the planned development. An Auburn University Raptor Center study has documented the resilience of bald eagles in establishing new nests," Purgerson's email said. Community still frustrated, investigation still ongoing The statement from Hughston Homes came less than two hours before Ward 3 Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem of the Auburn City Council Beth Witten held a Ward 3 meeting that was open to everyone and featured a heavy discussion of the eagles, Jim and Pam. Witten has been critical of Hughston Homes throughout this, and has said that Findley said Hughston Homes would meet with her and Auburn Mayor Ron Anders to discuss the nest on Nov. 18, but then the tree was cut down on Nov. 15. Witten said she hoped to discuss purchasing the property during that Nov. 18 meeting. "There's a lot that's transpired, there's a lot that's currently holding in investigative situations and legal situations that really create obstacles for that conversation. I never say nothing is off the table," Witten said when asked about the possibility of still purchasing the property. Witten invited Andrew Hopkins, assistant director of raptor training and education with the Auburn University Raptor Center to the meeting, and he responded to people's concerns and answered questions about eagles and their habits. "There's no telling. They can literally go to Florida if they wanted to. There's nothing that's going to keep them here," Hopkins said when asked if Jim and Pam would rebuild their nest. "I have heard from birders that they have started rebuilding the nest. I don't exactly know where, but there is also research that shows that they can have a nest ready to go within four days." During the meeting, when addressing concerns from residents on Hughston Homes moving forward with the Heritage Ridge Development, Witten said that nothing has been proven that Hughston Homes did anything wrong. A Lee County grand jury has determined that no charges will be brought against the Lee County sheriff's deputies who shot and killed South Carolina resident Lucius Benjamin Gibbs in June 2023 during a traffic stop near Highway 280, according to the Lee County District Attorney's Office. The decision came in July following an investigation from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's State Bureau of Investigations. When the Opelika-Auburn News filed a request requesting all public records regarding the case, the DA's office declined to share body and dash camera footage but released still shots from those videos and limited records, including a final disposition report. In that report, Lee County District Attorney Jessica Ventiere cited relevant Alabama law to the case, including 13A-3-27(b) Code of Alabama. "A peace officer is justified in using deadly physical force upon another person when and to the extent that he reasonably believes is necessary in order ... to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of deadly physical force," Ventiere stated in the report. Ventiere said in accordance with Darby v. State, 383 So3d 691, 702 (Ala.Crim.App. 2023) the actions of the officer should be evaluated from the perspective of a reasonable police officer in the same situation. This is the latest development in the story that involved several members of the Gibbs family coming to Lee County to hold a press conference in front of the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The Gibbs family called for law enforcement to release any video related to the case during a press conference with leaders of the Racial Justice Network and South Carolina State Representative Marvin Pendarvis. The Opelika-Auburn News recently filed a public records request with the Lee County District Attorney's Office for any records, including any police footage in this case. The Opelika-Auburn News received a response to that request from Ventiere's office in September. DA declines to share body camera footage In the response, Ventiere cited 12-21-3.1 of the Code of Alabama and said law enforcement investigative reports and related investigative material are not public records. In this case, Ventiere offered what she called a limited disclosure, which included the following records: a toxicology report, a pathology report, a letter from the medical examiner, a firearms analysis report, a firearms database report and the final disposition report. In that report, Ventiere included still shots of body camera and dashcam footage from the deputies on the night Gibbs was killed. Ventiere said the use of still shots is to balance between answering the questions that the public has and still protecting or maintaining the privilege of those involved. She said she hopes the still shots is something that can be consistently provided and expected in cases like this. She also added she is in favor of still shots because she said in the cases of officer-involved shootings, it is a terrible event that has taken place. "Footage of something like that, I just feel like can be really emotional for folks and kind of hard for them to see," Ventiere said. "Number two, when it's been reviewed by a grand jury, a no bill has been returned. That means that no criminal action has been committed...that's one of those things where you're trying to respect the parties that are all involved...you're trying to be as respectful as you can, both to the person who died and to law enforcement which have been found not to have committed a crime." Ventiere said the still shots are the best balance she can find. "I also understand the public's interest in making sure that law enforcement is acting appropriately. So that's why I'm more in favor of the still shots, because I think that it is a compromise that kind of works within that privilege in protecting all of the privacy concerns, the respect concerns, the dignities concerns, and not violating or putting people in the public eye that have done no wrong," Ventiere said. Eight years ago, law enforcement released footage in a similar case. When Bennie Tignor was shot and killed by police in 2015, the grand jury eventually cleared the officer involved of any wrongdoing in 2016. Less than a week after that decision was handed down by the grand jury, the DA's Office released the dashcam footage. Ventiere said she could not speak for a previous District Attorney. She said she is just trying to create consistency with the final disposition reports, which she intends to make available after grand jury decisions in other cases like this. Medical examiner's letter The letter from the medical examiner in the death of Lucius Gibbs. "When events like this happen and when critical incidents involving law enforcement happen, it is the worst nightmare for all of law enforcement. Nobody wants this to happen ever and unfortunately, it does happen," Ventiere said. "I understand the public's interest in wanting to know what happened, but I think it needs to be strongly understood that this is a worst case scenario that nobody wants ever." On June 9, 2023, Lee County 911 received a call from a man reporting a possible drunk driver on U.S. Hwy 280, according to the final disposition report. According to the report, the caller reported a white pickup truck sped past him and nearly hit him. The truck then slowed to approximately 5 miles per hour and drove off into a ditch, the report said. According to the report, the caller also reported hearing a loud noise that the caller said sounded like gun fire, but he was not certain. The names of the responding deputies were not included in the response to the records request, so terms like Deputy A were used to identify the deputies and their actions. According to the report, Deputy A responded to the area of U.S. Hwy 280 at mile marker 124 driving a marked patrol unit and flashing blue lights. The deputy located a truck with South Carolina plates off the roadway, down an embankment, and resting in a thicket of shrubs and small trees, the report said. The final disposition report said that the truck was later determined to have been stolen from Georgia. As Deputy A approached the vehicle on the drivers side, there was loud music playing and the windows were darkly tinted, according to the report. When Deputy A shined his flashlight into the drivers side window, Gibbs appeared to have passed out, the report said. The report said that Deputy A then immediately saw an A-R style rifle next to Gibbs toward the passenger side. This lead Deputy A to run back to his patrol unit and called for backup, according to the report. Dispatch relayed the tag on the white Ford truck returned to a Lucius Gibbs; however, the tag was assigned to a 2004 Econoline van, according to the report. Deputy A remained in his vehicle until Deputy B arrived in a marked patrol car with flashing blue lights, the report noted. In June 2023, law enforcement at the time said that after the second deputy arrived, they saw the truck start backing out of the ditch. The first final disposition report provided by Ventiere had no mention of this event during the incident. When asked by the Opelika-Auburn News about this, Ventiere responded with a revised final disposition report. "I wanted to make sure the answer to your question is in the correct chronological context. Therefore, I have attached a revised copy of the final disposition with still images and discussion regarding your question about the trucks movements," Ventiere said in an email on Oct. 9. According to the revised report, while waiting for the arrival of Deputy B, Deputy A could see the brake lights and reverse lights on the truck. The report said that it appeared the driver was trying to reverse out of the ditch; however, the truck remained stuck. Deputy A remained in his vehicle until Deputy B arrived. Deputy B was also in a marked patrol car with flashing blue lights. Deputies attempted to make contact with Gibbs From his patrol unit, Deputy A used his public announcement system and called out to Gibbs to put the truck in park and step out with hands up, the report said. Deputy A repeated the instructions several times, according to the report. When Gibbs did not respond, Deputies A and B began to approach the vehicle on the passenger side. However, the tint on the windows and tall roadside plants prevented deputies from clearly seeing Gibbs and required that they go to the drivers side of the truck, according to the report. The deputies walked to the drivers side of the vehicle, stopping near the rear drivers side door, according to the report. At this point, the music was off and there was no noise coming from inside the truck, so Deputy A loudly called out to the driver, instructing him to open the door and put both hands outside the truck, the report said. According to the report, Deputy A repeated these instructions. The report said that Gibbs opened the door and put his left hand out of the truck. This was followed by a gunshot from inside the truck, according to the report. The deputies fired on the vehicle, radioed shots fired, retreated to their units, and called for Hwy 280 traffic to be blocked, according to the report. They waited for additional backup to arrive, the report said. Deputy C arrived on scene and the three deputies reproached the truck, the report said. According to the report, deputies found the Gibbs in the drivers seat and found a handgun in Gibbs' right hand in his lap. Law enforcement found two firearms in the vehicle: a Springfield Armory XD-9 handgun in Gibbs' right hand and a G Force Arms GFY-1 semi-automatic shotgun with extended magazine on the center console. Both weapons found in the car were immediately collected, the report said. Gibbs was transported to East Alabama Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, the report said. Gibbs was reported missing before the police shooting According to the report, Gibbs sustained two gunshot wounds. One entered the front of the neck and exited the back of the neck. The DA's report said that it believed that the wound was self-inflicted. That wound was not instantly fatal, according to the report. A second gunshot wound entered Gibbs' back, and it is believed this wound was a result of officer fire, the report said. This wound was fatal according to the report. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the back and the manner of death in this case is homicide, according to the report. Gibbs' vehicle was transported to a secure location and seven 9mm Luger caliber cartridge cases were found in the vehicle during a search, the report said. According to the report, the cases found in the vehicle were determined to have been fired from the Springfield pistol recovered in Gibbs' right hand. The report said that during the investigation it was determined that Gibbs' family had reported him missing from Charleston, South Carolina. The report also said that the truck Gibbs was driving with a switched tag had been stolen out of Georgia. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones declined to release the names of the deputies involved. "In any situation, we would not release names of individuals when no criminal act has occurred," Jones said. 'We choose our policy, and of course, make the decision not to release names that could possibly result in a situation where they might be subject to targeted negative actions, and not only them, but their family as well." Family still looking for answers and body camera footage Elder James Johnson, the CEO and founder of the Racial Justice Network, and Jeanette Gibbs, the widow of Lucius Gibbs, spoke with the Opelika-Auburn News on Oct. 4. Johnson said he was not surprised by the decision from the grand jury because he does not expect members of law enforcement in Alabama to face criminal charges for killing Black men. He hopes that with the investigation from ALEA and the DA now complete, the family will be able see the body camera footage. "Hopefully that Lee County would release the body cams now and the dash cam that the family can make a decision for themselves on how far they want to go with this," he said. "We'd like to see, and they would like to see what happened to their loved one." Johnson said that Jeanette was very disappointed with the decision because she still has not seen any footage or evidence. "We should have a body cam," she said. "Just to see what happened. And just to get peace with what happened, just for us to know exactly what happened." Johnson and Jeanette both questioned the release of the still shots as opposed to full body camera footage. Johnson said that he believes still shots will not show the whole picture and instead is a one-sided story. Russian gas giant Gazprom is cutting its planned investments for next year by 7% compared to 2024 levels as more natural gas flows out of Russia are now headed to China instead of Europe. Gazproms investment is now geared toward developing gas fields and processing facilities in eastern Russia and the Yamal peninsula, as the Russian firm is pivoting to supplying more gas to China than to Europe, which was its main export market until the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Gazprom cutting off supply to many European countries. Russian gas sales in China are rising as Gazprom is ramping up capacity via a major pipeline. But another similarly large-scale pipeline project appears to have stalled due to disagreements between Russia and China about the price. It is unclear when a second major pipeline will raise supply to China as much as to offset Gazproms falling gas sales in Europe. The Russian giant is now prioritizing developments that would boost supply to China while preparing for an end to gas deliveries to Europe via the Ukraine route. Accordingly, investments next year will focus on the expansion of the capacity of the Power of Siberia pipeline to China, among others. For 2025, Gazprom is now budgeting investments of $14.1 billion (1.524 trillion Russian rubles). This would be 7% lower than the investments for 2024, which the company has recently raised to $15.2 billion, or 1.642 trillion Russian rubles. Related: Argentina's Vaca Muerta Shale Set to Hit 1 Million Bpd by 2030 The firms management committee approved the budget and investment plans for next year, and these are yet to be approved by the board of directors of the holding company, Gazprom said this week. The approved financial plan will ensure that Gazprom's obligations are fully covered without a deficit, it said in a statement carried by Russian news agency TASS. Decisions on borrowing under the program will be made on the basis of market conditions, liquidity and the company's financing needs. Over the past year, Gazprom has been booking losses amid falling gas sales in Europe. For 2023, the Russian gas giant booked its first annual loss in more than two decades. European sales are likely to plummet further in 2025, as Gazprom itself is assuming that it will not be sending gas to Europe via Ukraine after December 31, 2024, when the current transit deal expires. Gazprom is assuming in its internal planning for 2025 that it will not be sending natural gas to Europe via Ukraine as of January 1, a source with knowledge of the Russian gas giants plans told Reuters this week. Gazproms management has yet to approve the plan for next year, but its base-case scenario is that there would be no flows via Ukraine to Europe, according to Reuterss anonymous source. Russias exports to Europe and Turkey, excluding ex-Soviet countries, are expected to fall by one-fifth next year to just below 39 billion cubic meters (bcm) due to the end of the Ukrainian transit deal. That would be down from more than 49 bcm of Russian exports to Europe and Turkey expected for 2024. With most European markets closed, Gazprom now looks to Chinaan enormous market where gas demand is expected to keep rising in the foreseeable future. China has now become a larger export market for Russias gas than Europe, and Gazprom plans to boost its supply via Power of Siberia. Last month, a senior Gazprom executive said that the companys gas supplies to China this year would exceed planned contract volumes by 1 bcm. But a significant boost to supply that would more than double the current flows with a new pipeline, Power of Siberia 2, looks further away than it did last year. Russia appears to be struggling to convince China to take on more pipeline gas. Beijing is not committing to the massive new pipeline project to import Russian pipeline gas unless its favorable for the worlds second-largest economy. Despite Russian assurances, the proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which is planned to pass through Mongolia, is nowhere near a concrete commitment from China on the price and volumes at which the Russian gas would be imported. Moreover, Mongolia has left the pipeline plan out of its five-year investment program, which suggests that Power of Siberia 2 is unlikely to see the light of day this decade. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Mexicos recently elected President Claudia Sheinbaum was just named as one of the 100 most influential climate leaders in business for 2024 by Time magazine. With a PhD in energy engineering and extensive experience rolling out renewable energy projects as mayor of Mexico City, there are high hopes that she will be the one to put Mexico on track for a green transition. However, many expect Sheinbaum to follow in the footsteps of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), who led the Morena political party for the last six years and focused heavily on the nationalization of Mexican energy and strongly backed oil and gas. As an academic, Sheinbaum contributed to two major reports for the U.N.s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Then, as mayor of Mexico City, she launched the citys first electric bus fleet and developed one of the worlds biggest urban solar projects at the Centro de Abasto wholesale market. She has often stated her commitment to renewable energy, in contrast to her predecessor who rarely mentioned the terms sustainability or renewable energy in his speeches. During her inaugural speech in October, Sheinbaum pledged to continue to support the indebted state-owned oil company Pemex while also implementing a state-led plan for an energy transition. We all need strong, public state energy companies that guarantee clean energy at low prices to current and future generations, she said. Earlier in the year, Sheinbaum stated plans to spend at least $13.6 billion on renewables including developing Mexicos wind and solar energy capacity and modernizing five hydroelectric plants, as well as announced a goal of achieving 45 percent clean energy by 2030, from 24 percent in 2023. In November, Mexicos government unveiled its new National Electricity Strategy, part of the National Energy Plan, which includes $23.4 billion in investment to support the state-owned national electricity company CFE in adding 13 GW of capacity sourced from both fossil fuels and renewable energy. The funding will contribute towards generation, transmission, and distribution projects. The government also established rules to allow private companies to add up to an additional 9.6 GW from renewable sources by 2030. The new framework permits 46 percent of electricity generation to come from private investments, marking a shift away from AMLOs strict energy nationalization strategy. While the plan allows for an increased role from the private sector, the government stated that CFE was rescued from privatisation under the AMLO administration, increasing its electricity generation share from 38 percent in 2018 to 54 percent in 2024, through $20 billion in investment and the acquisition of 13 Iberdrola plants, adding 8,639 MW of capacity. While the new national strategy has provided an optimistic outlook for the energy sector, Mexicos 2025 budget proposal is aimed at reducing the current deficit by cutting spending across several sectors. Environmental spending has been reduced by 39 percent, while public spending for Pemex has been decreased by 7.5 percent. Although the government is expected to transfer $6.69 billion to Pemex in 2025 to help the severely indebted company meet its debt and loan repayments. Pemex has become known as the worlds most indebted oil company, owing around $120 billion in total. In November, Mexico announced a plan to simplify the tax payment system for Pemex, by merging three existing taxes into one. Sheinbaum stated, We have to fix Pemex, and the new plan would seek to cut inefficiencies, diversify energy sources and pay down debt while protecting output levels. Meanwhile, the new director of Pemex, Victor Rodriguez, has been tasked with reducing the companys costs by $2.44 billion. The government aims to help Pemex increase estimated oil reserves, boost natural gas production to 5 billion cubic feet per day, and maintain hydrocarbon production at 1.8 million bpd. Although this aim is far less than ALMOs previous target of 2.6 million bpd. Sheinbaum has publicly discussed the 2013 energy reform from then President Enrique Pena Nieto, which aimed for an output of 3 million bpd. She stated, That is environmentally impossible It is better to promote efficiency and renewable sources. In addition, experts suggest that the once oil-rich Latin American country now has only around ten years of oil left at its current rate of production, unless it launches fracking operations or conducts deepwater exploration. While Sheinbaum intends to continue backing Pemex, she has also announced plans to expand Mexicos renewable energy output. The third and fourth phases of the 1 GW Puerto Penasco solar plant in Sonora set to be the largest solar farm in Latin America are expected to be completed during her six-year term in office, in addition to several other wind and solar projects in the north of Mexico. However, the cap on the capacity that private companies are permitted to add could deter investors from tapping into Mexicos extensive renewable energy potential. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com 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: Teachers in the study described exhaustion and emotional problems due to their compassion fatigue. Credit: Liza Summer/ Pexels, CC BY Teachers' jobs involve more than just teaching the required curriculum. A significant part of their role includes providing emotional support to their students And with many students facing mental health challenges and experiencing trauma, meeting these emotional needs has become increasingly difficult. My research investigates compassion fatigue among Australian teachers. This conditionwhich involves a reduced ability to empathize with otherscan develop when people face ongoing emotional and psychological strain. How is compassion fatigue impacting our teachers? And what can be done to address it? What is compassion fatigue? Compassion fatigue is a term for the physical, emotional and psychological impact of helping others who are under stress or experiencing trauma. While this condition is commonly associated with health care workers, first responders and psychologists, teachers are also at risk. Compassion fatigue involves two related conditions: burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, de-personalization and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Secondary traumatic stress mirrors symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It occurs when teachers hear about or witness their students' trauma and begin to experience symptoms like emotional numbing, intrusive thoughts or avoidance behaviors. What is happening in Australian schools? Children with trauma and poor mental health make up a significant part of Australian classrooms. A 2023 Australian Bureau of Statistics study found 38.8% of 16- to 24-year-olds had experienced a mental disorder within the last 12 months, an increase on previous studies. That same year, a Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne survey revealed one in three children between eight and 13 experienced symptoms of a mental health problem. The Australian Child Maltreatment Study also found 40% of young Australians aged 1624 had experienced more than one type of abuse, such as physical violence or neglect. Other research shows during 2019 and 2020 about 3% of Australian children received child protection services. Managing outbursts and trauma This means teachers are regularly managing emotional and behavioral crises in classrooms. This might include student meltdowns, violent outbursts or other disruptive behaviors. Teachers are also exposed to their students' traumatic experiences while trying to provide support. Research shows these interactions significantly contribute to stress and anxiety among educators. Australian research has highlighted how compassion fatigue, burnout and secondary traumatic stress are significant factors pushing teachers out of the profession. These issues don't just impact teachers, they also affect students. When teachers are highly stressed, research shows students are more likely to behave poorly in the classroom and record lower academic performance. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. My research In early 2023, I surveyed 1,612 Australian teachers to understand how compassion fatigue affects their emotional well-being. I also conducted interviews with 57 teachers later in the year to gain deeper insights in a study, which is yet to be published. Teachers in my study worked across the country, though most were from Queensland primary schools. More than 93% of respondents were women. I found 73.9% of respondents had moderate-to-high levels of burnout when compared to the general population, while 71.5% were exhibiting signs of secondary traumatic stress. These results align with findings from other research. For example, a 2024 study on Victorian teachers reported similar rates. While additional research is needed to fully understand the scope of this problem in different types of schools and different locations, these findings suggest compassion fatigue and related issues are affecting a significant proportion of Australian teachers. 'Extreme and very real' Teachers who had compassion fatigue, spoke about how their emotional state was deeply influenced by the emotional needs and behaviors of their students. As one teacher told us: "The students that I am caring for at the moment are a very hard cohort. My compassion fatigue is extreme and very real at the moment. I am exhausted." Another teacher noted how they could gauge how the day would go, based on the mood of their students. "When they're struggling, I find it hard to keep my own emotions in check." One teacher explained the difficulty of managing student behavior while dealing with emotional exhaustion: "When behavior blows up, which it does several times a day, I just don't know if I have the energy to respond compassionately." 'It's frustrating' Teachers described a tension between providing emotional support to students and needing to teach the required curriculum and meet administrative responsibilities. "It's frustrating knowing what the students need emotionally, but the curriculum and administrative demands don't leave room for that kind of support." This also reflects a broader issue for teacherswho increasingly note how the pressure to constantly provide data about what they are doing limits their ability to focus on their students in general. Impossible to switch off Because of the intensity of the issues they encounter, teachers find it difficult to leave their work at work. As one interviewee told us: "The emotional load from school often follows me home. I find it hard to stop thinking about my students, even when I'm supposed to be relaxing." Some teachers also feel like they should not be relaxing (out-of-hours) when their students need help. "It's hard to focus on self-care when I know my students are struggling. I feel guilty taking time for myself when I should be helping them." What can we do? Supporting teachers who experience compassion fatigue requires a combination of three things. Trauma-informed training: this can equip teachers with strategies to address trauma in their classrooms while also protecting their own mental health. Studies have shown trauma-informed approaches can improve teacher resilience and reduce burnout. Mental health support: teachers should have access to counseling services and peer networks where they can share their experiences and receive guidance. Programs like "reflective circles," which offer structured opportunities to process emotional challenges, have been shown to be particularly effective in reducing stress and improving well-being for teachers. Systemic changes: schools can reduce workloads, offer better administrative support and recognize the emotional labor involved in teaching. Research shows these changes help teachers manage their stress and enhance "compassion satisfaction." This is the opposite of compassion fatigue and is the rewarding feeling of making a difference in students' lives. Understanding the toll of compassion fatigue and supporting teachers' well-being ensures they can continue providing essential care and guidance to students. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Edvin Richardson from Pexels Months after an alarmist review from NASA's Office of the Inspector General, hundreds of construction workers seem out to prove their critics wrong as progress picks up steam on the Artemis program's mobile launcher 2, the platform atop which future versions of the powerful Space Launch System rocket will launch. Taking shape on a patch of concrete at KSC just north of the massive Vehicle Assembly Building, ML2's steel structure is part of NASA's current battle plan to support SLS launches beginning with Artemis IV currently on schedule for late 2028. NASA OIG audits have warned of rising costs and growing delays for all facets of the Artemis program, and its future, including the Artemis II crewed flight planned for next year and the Artemis III moon landing in 2026, could be redefined by the direction of the incoming Trump administration. "Our marching orders haven't changed, and we can't really speculate what the new administration is going to do," said Darrell Foster, the ML2 project executive with NASA's Exploration Ground Systems based at KSC. "We know what our priorities are right now. We know what our mission is right now, and we're staying focused on that." The lead contractor for the structure is Bechtel National Inc., headquartered in Reston, Virginia, but founded in San Francisco in 1898. The company has worked on massive projects over the years, including the Hoover Dam and the Channel Tunnel that connects England to France. The NASA contract, though, prompts a sense of pride in its employees. "ML2 is an iconic project. It's a signature project for Bechtel," said David Leeth, the company's deputy project manager for ML2. "We're proud of all the projects that we have. I've been on a lot of Bechtel projects, but this is space. This is something that's really unique, and it's right up at the top." The project, which was initially a $383 million contract awarded in 2019, had an original delivery date of 2023. The OIG audit released in August said the costs had already nearly tripled to more than $1 billion with the delivery date pushed to no later than November 2026. "That's our goal. We do have incentives in the contract, they're objective milestone-based incentives that vary with the date," Foster said. Once Bechtel hands off, NASA's EGS will have about a year to go through testing, including rollouts to KSC's Launch Pad 39-B and back to the VAB, before teams would need to begin stacking the SLS rocket atop the ML2 inside the VAB in time to make the target launch date. So even with nearly two years out from planned liftoff, the timeline is tight. The audit, moreover, had projected a dire warning about the project ballooning to a cost of $2.7 billion and delivery delays until 2029, but both NASA project officials and Bechtel officials took issue with the assessment, and their dissents were included in the audit. "COVID definitely had an impact, and we've made adjustments accordingly on that, I would say, over the past year," said Foster. "The cost and schedule is stabilized quite a bit, and we're gaining momentum on the project." The pandemic raised costs and stretched timelines across all of NASA's major projects. The tower already stands at 80 feet, while just a few miles away at KSC are five of the seven modular steel blockseach 40 feet tall and at least 400,000 poundsready to grow it even further toward its eventual 377-foot-tall height. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "The total project is (about) 63% complete," said Leeth. "That's everybodyengineering, procurement, construction, and we started construction in August, and we're on track to meet the November 2026or betterfinish date." The major progress since construction began falls in line with what both NASA and Bechtel have pointed out is the company's strength, actually getting its hands dirty with the work. It's a fact they said was not adequately considered in the OIG audit. "The best way to burn down cost and schedule risk is to get work done and complete work in a timely manner," Foster said. More than 300 what the team calls craft workers, such as welders, iron workers, carpenters and electricians, are already working night and day on the project, a number that is expected to grow to 600. "Bechtel has worked very closely with the labor unions to make sure that we've got adequate labor on site and that those numbers are increasing over the next few months," Foster said. "Because as we hit the peak of this project, it's almost like climbing a mountain, and we're kind of on the uphill still, but when we get to topping out the tower, we'll probably be at peak labor." The hands-on labor is making strides at multiple work sites both on and off KSC property, but especially putting together the stackable modules housed under massive canopies in KSC's industrial area. "The mod yard, we call it, enables us to do work in parallel, so we can get the structural steel erectedthe secondary steel, the floors and all of that, and start putting inwe call it the gutsthe mechanical, electrical, utilitiesall of that," Leeth said. The first of those final seven modules will be placed before the end of the year, with the help of a crane that will reach more than 500 feet tall. Meanwhile, nearly 78% of the steel for the whole project is already on site, Leeth said. "We have a goal to have it all on site by the end of March of next year, and we're tracking to that currently," he said, also noting he thinks the audit didn't take into account just how much material Bechtel already had in hand. "Every single item is on order in some fashion, and that greatly reduced our cost risk for ongoing procurement activities," Leeth said. Mike Costas, the general manager over the Defense and Space segment at Bechtel, pointed out the audit also focused on leadership changes on the project, but from his business' point of view, that's normal for his industry. "Construction is different than manufacturing," he said. "We have leaders that are really gifted at shaping the project, up front and the design phase of the job. Then you start transitioning to the folks that are responsible for executing the job." And inherent in construction could be a more chaotic organization at the outset, much different to manufacturing, which is where he spent a good portion of his career before coming to Bechtel. "I spent all those years working in manufacturing, and when I came to work, every day then I went to the same office building, went to the same office. The factory was attached to the office. I knew all those people who worked at the factorythe machinists, the welders, all that stuff, and then all the suppliers were pretty much the same," he explained. In construction, though, the offices are in different regional locations with different suppliers, a diverse and evolving workforce with different sourced commodities coming from all over the world. "The site conditions are different. The communities are different. Everything about it is different, and so manufacturing, very well controlled, sterile environment. Construction, complete opposite," he said. That said, Bechtel has what Costas said are its core processes in training and communication, which translate down to the people chosen to help complete the job. "Then we have these functional organizations that are constantly arcing in and checking everything: check, check, check, check, check," he said. "So we built a lot of rigor and discipline in that, and we will not bid on a job that we can't be successful." And safety remains not as many companies would claim as a No. 1 priority, but instead, it's a core value embedded in the company's culture, he said. "Having that kind of mantra extends into the work that we do," he said. "The people that are working on the mobile launcher right now understand the work they do will provide a safe environment for our astronauts in the future. Their personal safety carries into the flight safety capabilities that we're building for our astronauts. There's no daylight between any of any of those things." As far as delivering for its customer, Costas said timelines and costs remain on target. "We've got completion in sight now," he said. Mobile launcher 1, which took a beating from the Artemis I flight in 2022, was originally constructed for the defunct Constellation program under President George W. Bush in the early 2000s. It sat unused for a year adjacent to the VAB before it was modified to support the first three Artemis missions, using the Block 1 version of the SLS rocket. Artemis IV will use what is known as the Block 1B, a version of SLS that will have the power to send up to 84,000 pounds to the moon, nearly 25,000 pounds more than Block 1. The bigger rocket design was the reason ML2 needed to be constructed, which will end up being taller and wider than ML1. The complexity in developing ML2, which will integrate more than 50 systems that work at the launch pad and the VAB, grew during the design phase after the launch of Artemis I. Among the changes were more durable requirements after seeing what the SLS did to the ML1 on launch, which produced more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust on liftoff generating temperatures above 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. The team working on ML2 say they hope to one day see it in action. "We're targeting that September '28 launch date, and we're going to do everything we can to get there. Bechtel's got their timeline. We've got some testing we've got to do in between," Foster said about the time between construction completion and stacking of SLS. "Right now, everything fits." Costas said he's proud of the work being invested in the project. "Many people that work in the space program are amazing. People are hard working, and they're passionate about this work. They changed the world," he said. "I've been around a whole bunch of firsts. I look forward to Artemis IV launching off this launch platform, and I know their team is doing everything in their power to make sure it's done safely." A big question mark with the Artemis program will be whether Congress keeps funding all of its various parts, especially with the specter of SpaceX founder Elon Musk potentially driving part of Trump's future space plans more toward his Starship project. For now, though, plans push forward for SLS, the Orion spacecraft and the ML2, and remain the nation's official roadmap for deep-space human exploration. "The moon-to-Mars exploration approach hasn't changed, and so until that does, we're going to keep marching forward," Foster said. 2024 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A Georgia mother was recently arrested for reckless endangerment after her 10-year-old son was seen walking outside alone. The warrant for her arrest claimed she "willingly and knowingly" endangered her son's safety. The boy had walked less than one mile into town to visit the local dollar store. Despite the boy's evident ability to navigate public spaces independently, a passerby perceived his presence on the street as alarming and called the police. This incident illustrates the damaging effects of "safetyism," a societal anxiety that wrongly assumes children should not be out on their own. Such perceptions not only curtail children's independence but also perpetuate unnecessary interventions that undermine the ability of parents to make decisions for their own family. A focus on safetyism ignores the absence of child-friendly infrastructure in many of our towns and cities. For example, many suburban neighborhoods in North America lack sidewalks and other pedestrian infrastructure. In the Georgia incident, the road the boy walked along did not have a sidewalk, meaning he had to walk on the shoulder. This lack of space exacerbates fears of children being in public spaces alone. How did we reach a point where parents now risk arrest if their children are seen outside alone? Rise of safetyism My research focuses on how public spaces can be better designed for children. As societies change, their understanding of childhood changes. The way children were treated 50 years ago differs from what they are experiencing now. Likewise, perceptions of what is safe to do and what is not have also changed over time. Spontaneous outdoor play is a vital way for children to explore, grow and understand their environment. Yet, urban and suburban design often stifles this natural inclination. These environments usually confine children's play to parks and playgrounds while leaving broader public spaces off-limits. Historically, attitudes toward children in public spaces have been shaped by industrialization, rapid urbanization and the growth of suburbs. Early playgrounds emerged during the child-saving movement of the 1980s, aiming to protect children from street dangers. However, these heavily supervised, segregated spaces reflected societal biases, dividing children by race, gender and class. Activities prepared boys for leadership, girls for motherhood, and marginalized children for labor. Architects and planners like Aldo van Eyck have challenged these restrictive notions, advocating for adventure playgrounds and child-friendly urban spaces. Their work emphasizes unstructured play that promotes children's agency. Despite these efforts, the rise of safetyism in recent decades has eroded children's independence. Fears of busy traffic and stranger dangers have led caregivers to limit children's exposure to the outdoors. This "bubble-wrapped generation," as education professor Karen Malone describes, experiences childhood within narrowly defined boundaries, chauffeured between organized activities. This overprotection deprives children of opportunities to develop resilience. Car-dependence also contributes to the very risks it seeks to prevent. For instance, traffic congestion caused by parental drop-offs near schools increases accident risks. Meanwhile, children shielded from navigating public spaces may lack the skills to handle unexpected situations, such as how to seek help when lost. The Georgia incident starkly illustrates how societal attitudes perpetuate these cycles. The passerby's decision to involve the police reflects a broader societal discomfort with children's presence in public spaces. Addressing this issue requires both cultural and infrastructural change. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Child-friendly cities It is time for a new child-saving movement. Cities like Barcelona and Copenhagen offer inspiring examples of child-friendly design that challenge these anxieties. The walkability of these cities contributes to children's overall skill development. Integrating playful elements along walkable pathways further advances opportunities to explore and develop a sense of safety and belonging. These opportunities normalize children being in public spaces, countering the harmful perceptions that fuel safetyism. Implementing traffic-calming measures is another way to foster safer pedestrian movements around the neighborhood. Among these measures are lowering speed limits around the residential buildings, adding more intersections with signals and mid-block crosswalks especially along the longer and curved streets. Walkability can also be improved by implementing soft edges along pathways. As opposed to hard physical boundaries such as fences, incorporating soft edges, such as green buffers ensure the safety of children and pedestrians while still enabling them to freely navigate space and engage in playful activities. Moreover, the creation of intergenerational public spaces must be prioritized over creating age-specific spaces, such as the common fenced playgrounds. First, being in these spaces encourages a sense of shared responsibility, thus improving children's agency. Second, they foster a sense of community among all, which eventually improves parental perceptions of safety. Third, intergenerational spaces allow caregivers to socialize while children play. This opportunity is an important time-out for the caregivers, while still being able to supervise their kids. Children's well-being is a barometer for the health of our societies and cities. To create inclusive, sustainable communities, we must challenge the restrictive boundaries that confine children's experiences and see their independence as a threat. By designing child-friendly public spaces we can nurture future generations who are better equipped to navigate our world. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Authorities capture main suspect in shoot up of home of PDC commander Playa del Carmen, Q.R. The main suspect in the recent shoot up of the home of a Playa del Carmen commander has been arrested. On Friday, Federal Ministerial Police arrested 27 year old Jose Luis N, alias El Rappi, who is originally from Chetumal. Jose Luis N is credited with being the head hitmen for criminal group La Chapiza in the northern part of the state. He is known to use the name El Rappi, mimicking the motorcycle food delivery company, as a public disguise for his circulating gang members. Jose Luis N was taken into custody Friday afternoon and transferred to Cancun for the November 25 bullet attack against the home of the Municipal Undersecretary of Citizen Security William B. Municipal Preventive Police and agents from the office of the General Attorney assisted with the arrest. When being taken into custody, police are reported to have located approximately one and a half kilos of cocaine and a 9-millimeter caliber pistol with a loaded magazine. CFE complaints continue without residential solutions Chetumal, Q. R. A local deputy has expressed frustration at the lack of CFE attention being given to citizen complaints, especially in the south. Deputy Angel Alvarez Cervera of the Quintana Roo Congress expressed his frustration at the lack of willingness of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) to address citizen complaints. According to the legislator, it took more than two months for the superintendent of the state-owned company, Manuel Castaneda, to agree to a meeting to address the complaints. To date, the only solution offered by the electric company will be old pole replacement in the Emiliano Zapata ejido of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Those poles that support the electric lines are reported to be decades old. Work will also be done in the town of Dos Aguadas located on the border between Quintana Roo and Campeche, where residents are facing not only power failures, but a lack of water to their homes since the water pumps rely on power. After months of complaints, CFE did reconfigure lines in Chetumal. CFE has requested the support of rural communities to clean the vegetation areas under the transmission lines, noting that 80 percent of the electricial problems are vegetation related. The company says the removal of vegetation should be finished by the end of the year, however, the infrastructure repairs will not be made until sometime in 2025. Earlier this week, personnel did recalibrate a medium-voltage line on Francisco I. Madero Avenue in Chetumal after months of residential complaints. Ritz-Carlton cruise ship Ilma makes first appearance at Isla Cozumel Cozumel, Q.R. Cruise ship Ilma of the NextGen Cruises made its first visit to the island of Cozumel. The vessel docked the island Friday at 6:00 a.m. Vagner Elbiorn Vega, the General Director of the Quintana Roo Port Authority (Apiqroo), welcomed the crew and passengers of the luxury ship. As part of the official ceremony, the traditional exchange of plaques was carried out, a symbol of collaboration and strengthening of ties between Cozumel and the NextGen Cruises company. This majestic luxury cruise ship, under the Maltese flag and operated by NextGen Cruises Ltd of the Ritz-Carlton brand, arrived at 6:00 a.m. from Fort Lauderdale, bound for Belize. Ilma, whose name means water in Maltese, stands out in the cruise industry for offering the highest ratio of space per guest. At 240 metres long and with a maximum capacity of 448 passengers, Ilma represents the next generation of luxury at sea. During their stay, cruise passengers had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty, culture and hospitality that make Cozumel one of the most outstanding tourist destinations in the Caribbean. The arrival of this cruise ship reflects the continued commitment of the Cozumel port authorities to offer quality services, guaranteeing a safe and memorable experience for national and international visitors. Upon entering the Rainforest Cafe, I was greeted by a talking tree that rattled off a slew of plant-related factoids. Pumped-in fog and canned thunder rang out, as a hostess led me through an aquarium archway to our table. I was seated across from a giant, mushroom-topped bar, beside a chest-pounding ape. The Amazonian wonderland was housed within an unassuming suburban mall in Edison, New Jerseyand I was struck by how little had changed since I was a kid. The only difference being that I was now old enough to order a Mongoose Mai Tai. Sure, some of the awe can be chalked up to nostalgia. Its a powerful signifier of childhood for a generation of middle class, eco-conscious millennials, like myself, who once thought saving the Earth was as easy as sharing a bowl of Python Pasta. But the appeal goes beyond that, transcending fond adolescent memoriesespecially for Gen Zers who never got to experience it the first time around. The Rainforest Cafe has undergone a major cultural reassessment recently. For example, early this year, an April Fools Day tweet from the Empire State Buildings official account teased an exciting dining opportunity: New York Citys most iconic building would now be home to the worlds highest Rainforest Cafe. While astute commenters werent fooled by the posts date, they were disappointed they couldnt feast on jungle steak alongside animatronic gorillas. Given the overwhelming response, both the restaurant and the famed skyscraper granted the internets wish six months later and a Rainforest Cafe pop-up opened on the rooftop of the Empire State Building for one weekend, making their mascot Ozzie the orangutan one of the first apes to grace the building since King Kong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BREAKING: We're excited to announce the launch of the World's Highest Rainforest Cafe right here at the Empire State Building Check out our inaugural menu here: https://t.co/jDm0g3t7ca pic.twitter.com/QBPmQaJay9 Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) April 1, 2024 Advertisement On TikTok, creators reenact the thrill that only a talking tree and canned thunder can bring, oohing and ahhing in mock terror as lights flash amid the faux greenery. Perhaps, though, a viral tweet summed it up best: rainforest cafe understood that humans need to feel fear while eating a wedge salad. People are still fascinated and eager to return to, or at least engage with, a restaurant that essentially doubles as a middle school birthday party fever dream. In 2022, YouTubers Eddy Burback and Ted Nivison documented their cross-country road trip to every Rainforest Cafe in North America. Only in their mid-20s at the time, the filmmakers werent even alive when the first Rainforest Cafe was built in 1994. The journey was one fueled by an audacious premise, deep friendship, and way too many servings of safari friesand viewers were hooked, resulting in over 10 million views. Its a bit of a paradox that one of the most 90s places on Earth is a preordained internet sensation. But ultimately Rainforest Cafes virality is an outgrowth of its design. A rare holdover from the Clinton administration that predated the react-video industrial complex and yet was built entirely for it. Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps somewhat predictably, the story of Rainforest Cafe began as a fever dream. Steven Schussler, an ad man turned entrepreneur whose schemes often bordered on the Wonka-esque, told me he pitched the restaurant in the early 90s by using his life savings to turn his house into the faux biome of his dreams. Yes, this included piped-in thunderstorms, 3,700 extension cords, and even live tortoises and baboons. Every weekend, he gave tours of his home to potential investors hoping to find backing for his dream project. Advertisement Advertisement He garnered a viral amount of attention from annoyed neighbors, local media, and even the DEA, who raided his property on suspicions of growing marijuana after racking up what Schussler told me was the highest electric bill in the state. Still, it took four years for the restaurant to finally find funding, with the first restaurant opening in 1994 in Minnesotas Mall of America. Advertisement What he did was set a precedent in experiential eating that was tailor-made for an iteration of the internet that didnt exist yet. Its an astonishing undertaking that even Schussler himself marvels at. Advertisement Everything and everybody bet against me, he said. Every night I would look in the mirror and cry and laugh. You gotta have stamina, determination, fortitude. You gotta be able to lose some friends. It took a lifetime from me. The Bear but its set in a rainforest cafe The Northman Defender (@herekdeckman) March 8, 2024 Advertisement But, with only 16 locations remaining in North America (Schussler sold Rainforest Cafe to Landrys Inc. in 2000), it is becoming as endangered as the actual rainforest. In some regards, it still was very much a product of its time, firmly entrenched in Planet Hollywood excess and hyper-thematic gimmickry. It was destined to thrive during the novelty eatery boom of the 1990s. From the supermodel-endorsed Fashion Cafe, to the ESPN Zone to Hulk Hogans Pastamania, this was an era in which no pop culture niche went unchained from a dining experience. Advertisement But even among its competitors, something about Rainforest Cafe stood out. Other restaurants like the Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood relied on an aura of and proximity to celebrity to attract customers. Walls draped with movie props, signed jerseys, and autographed guitars were the main draw. In a presocial media era, eating alongside Indiana Jones whip or the steering wheel from Titanic was about as close as you could get to your favorite cinematic heroes and heartthrobs. Advertisement It was the last gasp of a time when the divide between consumer and star was not only hyper-delineated but also rarely crossed. Thirty years later, with direct access to your favorite celebritys inner monologue just a click away, not many are pining to eat a bowl of spaghetti a booth away from Slashs top hat, let alone embarking on a cross-country road trip to the last few remaining Hard Rock Cafes. Advertisement Advertisement Prior to its acquisition, Rainforest Cafe actually had live uncaged, tropical birds, a feat that required Schussler to develop an entirely new HVAC system to abide by health and safety standards. (Who wants to look at birds behind glass? Nobody, Schussler explained.) Its this unprecedented access to novelty and the exotic, that he prized above all else. Not just looking at spectacle, but being immersed in it. In this regard, Rainforest was a progenitor of the current model of experiential eateries: pop-ups that serve not only as visually dazzling, Instagram-worthy installations but interactive experiences in which the consumer plays an active role. Its no surprise that digital natives would be drawn to a space that predicted the immersive, braggable, and content-ready food spaces theyre so accustomed to. Advertisement Related From Slate The Very Hardcore History of the Tamest Drink Imaginable Read More Rainforest Cafe was always more than a place for a meal. It was a place for adventure. And it was one of the first eateries to actively promise an escape with a side of fries. Its not so different from how places like the Museum of Ice Cream, which markets itself as a magical playspace with unlimited ice cream. Candytopia, which has popped up in cities as disparate as Scottsdale, Arizona, and Bloomington, Minnesota, follows the rules of Rainforest Cafes playbook with its sickly sweet brand of sensory immersion. Advertisement The significance lies beyond the visual appeal of these experiences though. Its how they translate to valuable social currency online. As the likes accrue, its hard not to be envious, or at least intrigued, by influencers splayed atop a lollipop swing on TikTok. These are selfie stations, built for social posturing, with an incidental snack. These spaces allow consumers to be (or at least act as) the celebrity, centering the self as lifestyle influencer, just like Schussler imagined himself 30 years ago. The Rainforest Cafe resonates 30 years later because it functions in much the same way, and arguably it always has, allowing the consumer to create infinite content in a novel environment, topped with a smattering of eco-saviorism. A backdrop built for social performativity. There is little difference between the exaggerated terror of a thunderstorm react video or the staged awe on display while romping around in a ball pit of sprinkles. The emotional impetus may differ but the artifice remains the same. Advertisement Thats not to say these experiences lack any joy or self-awareness. When Ted Nivison made it to the top of the Empire State Building pop-up, the restaurant posted an Instagram reel of his celebratory embrace with their mascot Cha! Cha! the tree frog with the caption Our boy came home. A true victory for the Youtuber himself, the brand, and the internet alike. Its unbelievable, Schlusser said of the restaurants virality. There are a thousand lessons were still learning from the Rainforest Cafe. But it should come as no surprise that the restaurant has memed itself back to life. As the sparklers flared out from my chocolate volcano cake amid a menagerie of jungle creatures, just as I first experienced decades ago, I realized something: The ingredients for its viral success were always there to begin with. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-arrives-in-florida-to-meet-trump---reports-1121046329.html Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Arrives in Florida to Meet Trump - Reports Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Arrives in Florida to Meet Trump - Reports Sputnik International Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has arrived in the US state of Florida to meet with US presidential election winner Donald Trump, Canadian media report, citing sources. 2024-11-30T05:41+0000 2024-11-30T05:41+0000 2024-11-30T05:41+0000 americas donald trump us justin trudeau canada florida china mexico https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/07/11/1097399207_0:191:2963:1857_1920x0_80_0_0_cc762bea1a48b9b16d904d7ffdb5bcc2.jpg Justin Trudeau landed at Palm Beach International Airport on Friday evening for a private meeting with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence, according to media reports.According to one publication, Trudeau will discuss with Trump the possible imposition of tariffs on goods from Canada by a future US administration, as well as issues related to migration. According to the report, the meeting will also include Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Trump transition committee co-chair Howard Lutnick, and Trump's nominee for US Secretary of the Interior, billionaire Doug Bergam.Trump has repeatedly said he intends to raise tariffs on products from China and other countries. Earlier this week, he promised to raise tariffs on goods from China by 10%. In addition, Trump said he would sign an executive order to impose a 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada from January 20, after his inauguration. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241109/will-trump-clash-with-musk-over-ev-tariffs-1120831478.html americas canada china mexico Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International canadian prime minister justin trudeau, us presidential election winner donald trump, us presidential election https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/germany-identifies-2-suspects-in-nord-stream-gas-pipelines-bombing---prosecutor-general-1121051071.html Germany Identifies 2 Suspects in Nord Stream Gas Pipelines Bombing - Prosecutor General Germany Identifies 2 Suspects in Nord Stream Gas Pipelines Bombing - Prosecutor General Sputnik International German investigators have identified two suspects in the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, Federal Public Prosecutor General Jens Rommel said on Saturday. 2024-11-30T13:33+0000 2024-11-30T13:33+0000 2024-11-30T13:33+0000 nord stream sabotage germany russia baltic sea nord stream nord stream pipeline nord stream 2 https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/1d/1101347558_0:63:1200:738_1920x0_80_0_0_92adc02f32428ca312139dddc359fd1c.jpg "Yes, we are making progress in the investigation. We have managed to identify two suspects. In my opinion, this is a success that we did not initially expect," Rommel told German news website Der Spiegel. The German prosecutor general's office still has a lot of work to detect the remaining suspects and their motives for committing the crime, Rommel said. The issue of possible state control over the operation is the subject of the ongoing investigation, he added.The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, built to deliver gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, were hit by explosions in September 2022. Russia considers the explosions of the two pipelines an act of international terrorism. There are no official results of the investigation yet, but Pulitzer Prize-winning US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published a report in February 2023, alleging that the explosions had been organized by the United States with the support of Norway. Washington has denied any involvement in the incident. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241120/dog-ate-my-nord-stream-german-media-doubles-down-on-ukrainian-connection-claim-1120945151.html germany russia baltic sea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International nord stream gas pipelines bombing, german investigators, attack on the nord stream pipelines https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/hamas-accuses-israel-of-using-banned-weapons-in-gaza-strip-demands-intl-inquiry-1121052908.html Hamas Accuses Israel of Using Banned Weapons in Gaza Strip, Demands Int'l Inquiry Hamas Accuses Israel of Using Banned Weapons in Gaza Strip, Demands Int'l Inquiry Sputnik International The Palestinian movement Hamas on Saturday accused Israel of using internationally banned weapons in the Gaza Strip and called for the international community and the United Nations to form an investigation committee. 2024-11-30T16:54+0000 2024-11-30T16:54+0000 2024-11-30T16:54+0000 world israel middle east gaza strip hamas palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0a/06/1120438288_0:74:2256:1343_1920x0_80_0_0_4872189bcdfdebd00f219b18dd50203a.jpg "The horrific testimonies from citizens and doctors in the northern Gaza Strip... as well as the confirmation of cases of shelling that vaporized bodies, indicate the use of internationally banned weapons by the [Israeli] occupation army," Hamas said in a statement. On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. In addition, Hamas fighters infiltrated the border areas, opened fire on the military and civilians and took hostages. Israeli authorities say that about 1,200 people were killed during the raid. In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241015/israeli-army-uses-detained-palestinians-as-human-shields-in-life-threatening-gaza-missions---report-1120554971.html israel gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International hamas, israel, gaza strip, israel-hamas conflict, palestine-israel conflict, gaza war https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/iceland-to-hold-snap-parliamentary-polls-on-saturday-1121047178.html Iceland to Hold Snap Parliamentary Polls on Saturday Iceland to Hold Snap Parliamentary Polls on Saturday Sputnik International Iceland will vote in snap parliamentary elections on Saturday to elect the Nordic countrys 63-seat parliament. 2024-11-30T05:54+0000 2024-11-30T05:54+0000 2024-11-30T05:54+0000 world iceland social democrats parliamentary elections parliament https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101941/73/1019417356_0:187:2000:1312_1920x0_80_0_0_091c9f4e14e1ed7c20764a4b9ac0ba19.jpg Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson called the snap election after dissolving the coalition government of the conservative Independence Party, the center-right Progressive Party and the leftist Greens in October, citing strong disagreements over migration policy. The latest Maskina poll on voting preferences put Social Democrats ahead with 20.4%, followed by the Liberal Reform Party (Renewal) at 19.2%, the Independence Party at 14.5%, the Center Party at 11.6%, the Peoples Party at 10.8%, the Progressive Party at 7.8%, and the Greens at 3.7%. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231115/thousands-of-small-quakes-rattle-iceland-overnight-as-experts-warn-volcanic-eruption-imminent-1114991226.html iceland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International snap parliamentary polls, iceland, 63-seat parliament https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/israeli-air-force-attacks-military-facilities-in-syria-near-lebanese-border---idf-1121049738.html Israeli Air Force Attacks Military Facilities in Syria Near Lebanese Border - IDF Israeli Air Force Attacks Military Facilities in Syria Near Lebanese Border - IDF Sputnik International The Israeli air force (IAF) has attacked military facilities in Syria near the Lebanese border that were allegedly used to smuggle weapons to Lebanese-based movement Hezbollah, which violates the current ceasefire agreement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday. 2024-11-30T11:22+0000 2024-11-30T11:22+0000 2024-11-30T11:22+0000 military benjamin netanyahu israel syria israel defense forces (idf) israel-lebanon tensions middle east lebanon israeli air force (iaf) hezbollah https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/08/0e/1119762524_0:218:3254:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_626feccc083703d3c7a37f383689718c.jpg "Earlier today, the IAF conducted an intelligence-based strike on military infrastructure sites adjacent to border crossings between Syria and Lebanon that were actively used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons from Syria into Lebanon," the IDF said on Telegram. The IDF will continue to act to remove any threat to Israel that "violates the understandings of the ceasefire agreement," the military also said. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect in the early hours of Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that the ceasefire was needed to focus on the alleged Iranian threat and isolate Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that Israel would resume hostilities if Hezbollah violated the truce. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241125/israel-strikes-four-bridges-in-homs-province-central-syria---reports-1121001572.html israel syria lebanon Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International israeli air force attack, military facilities in syria, israel defense forces https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/netanyahu-needs-war-cant-be-trusted-to-stick-to-lebanon-ceasefire---mohammad-marandi-1121052727.html Netanyahu Needs War, Cant Be Trusted to Stick to Lebanon Ceasefire - Mohammad Marandi Netanyahu Needs War, Cant Be Trusted to Stick to Lebanon Ceasefire - Mohammad Marandi Sputnik International Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced this week that hes ordered the military to prepare for the resumption of an intense war in Lebanon if Hezbollah violated the freshly-reached ceasefire deal. Sputnik asked one of the Middle Easts most prolific international affairs observers what this could mean for the region. 2024-11-30T17:22+0000 2024-11-30T17:22+0000 2024-11-30T17:22+0000 analysis mohammad marandi middle east benjamin netanyahu joe biden israel lebanon hezbollah https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0b/16/1120959111_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_0572f6317206a935f82ac4114994ed8f.jpg Netanyahu needs war, and he only accepted a ceasefire under a great deal of pressure. So no one has faith in the Israelis. The Israelis have always violated commitments, political analyst and Tehran University Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi told Sputnik, commenting on the Israeli PMs threats to resume the Lebanon conflict.After all, [Israel] is carrying out a holocaust in Gaza, a regime that carries out the holocaust and continues to do so in front of the eyes of the world after 14 months is not a regime that can be trusted for anything, Marandi said.Linking the Lebanon ceasefire to the crisis in neighboring Syria, where jihadist militants attacked the strategic city of Aleppo this week, Marandi characterized Netanyahus threats, combined with the terrorist advance, as attempts to pressure the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance anti-US, anti-Israel alliance, but assured that in the end the terrorists will be pushed back in the north and Israel kept at bay in the south.It's highly likely that the regional forces looking to destabilize Syria "would like to see a breakdown of the ceasefire so that [their] al-Qaeda*-affiliated terrorists in the north could have a better chance of making progress, Marandi suggested.* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241129/terrorist-offensive-in-aleppo-reeks-of-us-and-israeli-involvement---expert-1121043639.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/hamas-accuses-israel-of-using-banned-weapons-in-gaza-strip-demands-intl-inquiry-1121052908.html israel lebanon Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov will lebanon ceasefire hold, will netanyahu honor lebanon ceasefire, will war in lebanon resume, does netanyahu need war https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/norways-military-aid-to-ukraine-rises-to-over-15bln-in-2024---russian-ambassador-1121047620.html Norway's Military Aid to Ukraine Rises to Over $1.5Bln in 2024 - Russian Ambassador Norway's Military Aid to Ukraine Rises to Over $1.5Bln in 2024 - Russian Ambassador Sputnik International Norwegian military aid to Kiev has increased simultaneously with Western efforts to prolong and escalate the Ukraine conflict to more than $1.5 billion in 2024, Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolai Korchunov told Sputnik. 2024-11-30T07:16+0000 2024-11-30T07:16+0000 2024-11-30T07:16+0000 world norway arctic russia norwegian military aid financial aid aid foreign aid https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0b/1e/1121047460_0:143:3135:1906_1920x0_80_0_0_6f4f139784d3373edeab84ca352c18df.jpg "The intensity of Norway's military pumping of the Kiev regime is increasing to the pace of Western efforts to prolong and escalate the Ukrainian conflict from less than $500 million in 2022 to more than $1.5 billion this year. The total amount of Norwegian military assistance to the Ukrainian armed forces today is about $3 billion," Korchunov said. At the same time, Norway, together with the United Kingdom, heads a coalition for naval assistance to Ukraine, the diplomat also said, adding that Norwegian instructors are also actively involved in the training of Ukrainian formations both in Norway and in other Western countries.Norway's arms stocks for the supply to the Ukrainian armed forces are nearly depleted, and the role of purchasing new weapons from the local and Western military-industrial complex is increasing, Nikolai Korchunov said.The diplomat added that Norway's participation in the West's "doomed attempts to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia" narrows the space for normal bilateral interaction between the two neighboring countries to a minimum.Moscow does not rule out that Western countries will resume Arctic cooperation with Russia, but it is too early to talk about it, Russian Ambassador said.The lack of a comprehensive all-Arctic dialogue affects the effectiveness of existing decision-making mechanisms by the Arctic states, the diplomat also said, adding that the issue concerns non-military issues relevant to the Arctic region. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240612/norway-to-provide-ukraine-with-257mln-in-aid-for-air-defense-measures---defense-ministry-1118912957.html norway arctic russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International norwegian military aid to kiev, ukraine rises, russian ambassador, ukraine conflict https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/russia-strikes-warehouse-containing-atacms-storm-shadow-missiles---pro-russian-underground-network-1121047781.html Russia Strikes Warehouse Containing ATACMS, Storm Shadow Missiles - Pro-Russian Underground Network Russia Strikes Warehouse Containing ATACMS, Storm Shadow Missiles - Pro-Russian Underground Network Sputnik International On Thursday, a strike was carried out near the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa region on a railway train carrying ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles that had arrived in Ukraine from Romania, pro-Russian resistance coordinator Sergei Lebedev told Sputnik. 2024-11-30T08:42+0000 2024-11-30T08:42+0000 2024-11-30T08:42+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine sergei lebedev russia kiev russian defense ministry army tactical missile system (atacms) kursk nato joe biden https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0a/02/1120387513_0:0:1733:975_1920x0_80_0_0_a67db64e3ec08eaac39d045342bad4fe.jpg On Thursday, a strike was carried out near the Odessa region port of Chernomorsk on a railway train carrying ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles that had arrived in Ukraine from Romania, pro-Russian resistance coordinator Sergei Lebedev told Sputnik.Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder confirmed that the Biden administration has authorized Kiev to use long-range US-supplied missiles such as ATACMS to strike deep into Russian territory. He said that the attacks have been focused on Russia's western Kursk region.Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had struck targets in the Kursk and Bryansk regions on November 19 using ATACMS missiles and UK-supplied Storm Shadows. He also stated that Russia successfully test-fired an Oreshnik ballistic missile on November 21, hitting a Ukrainian defense industry complex in the city of Dnepropetrovsk. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241129/russian-specialists-destroy-300-atacms-submunitions-in-kursk-region-in-past-day-1121039325.html ukraine russia kiev Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian forces hit, atacms and storm shadow missiles, odessa region https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/russian-defense-ministers-visit-to-north-korea-key-statements-1121046657.html Russian Defense Ministers Visit to North Korea: Key Statements Russian Defense Ministers Visit to North Korea: Key Statements Sputnik International Key takeaways from Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov's visit to North Korea. 2024-11-30T08:48+0000 2024-11-30T08:48+0000 2024-11-30T08:48+0000 world russia north korea andrei belousov kim jong un vladimir putin korean central news agency (kcna) ukraine https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0b/1e/1121046480_0:176:2562:1617_1920x0_80_0_0_4c0f2646c56f7f04706daacdb97127a5.jpg Andrei Belousov, Russias defense chief, has held a number of bilateral meetings with North Korea's military and political leadership during his visit to the country. Highlights From Belousovs Meeting With Kim Jong-un: Ratification of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Russia and North Korea reaffirms their commitment to the extensive development of allied relations, Belousov said. Kim Jong-un denounced Ukraines strikes inside Russian territory using Western long-range weapons as "direct military intervention in the conflict."Russias recent retaliatory strike on Ukraine was described as a "timely and effective measure" to warn the US, West, and Ukraine of "the seriousness of the situation and Russia's willingness for harsh countermeasures," KCNA reported.Highlights From Belousovs Meeting with the North Korean Defense Minister: Talks "will serve to further strengthen the Russian-Korean strategic partnership in the field of defense," Belousov said. North Korea supports Russia's military operation in Ukraine which is a "just struggle to protect the country's sovereign rights and security interests," the North Korean Defense Minister said, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). https://sputnikglobe.com/20241129/russia-n-korea-partnership-deal-aims-to-reduce-new-war-risk-in-northeast-asia---belousov-1121039821.html russia north korea ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Russia's Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on an official visit Sputnik International Russia's Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on an official visit. 2024-11-30T08:48+0000 true PT0M50S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko belousov north korea, visit of russian defense minister to north korea, what did belousov discuss with north korean defense minister no kwang chol, what did andrei belousov discuss with north korean leader kim jong un, russia- north korea partnership, russia-north korea cooperation, russia drpk agreement, russia-korea security framework https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/russian-deputy-foreign-minister-uae-ambassador-discuss-middle-east-north-africa---moscow-1121046112.html Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, UAE Ambassador Discuss Middle East, North Africa - Moscow Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, UAE Ambassador Discuss Middle East, North Africa - Moscow Sputnik International Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin discussed with Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Moscow Mohammed Ahmed Al Jaber the situation in the Middle East, as well as in North Africa, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 2024-11-30T04:36+0000 2024-11-30T04:36+0000 2024-11-30T04:36+0000 world sergey vershinin russian foreign ministry the united nations (un) russia cooperation https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0b/1e/1121045951_0:156:3085:1891_1920x0_80_0_0_41d6970830ca6aa6922d4ff096c2a48c.jpg "The conversation focused on the issue of strengthening Russian-Emirati cooperation at the UN, including on issues on the agenda of its Security Council. The sides considered the situation in the Middle East and North Africa with an emphasis on the hot spots - Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, the situation in Yemen, Libya. Special attention was paid to the current situation on the ground in Sudan," the ministry said. The parties reaffirmed the mutual commitment to further close coordination in the spirit of strategic partnership on issues on the global agenda. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241129/uae-aims-to-strengthen-partnership-with-russia---ambassador-1121038165.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian deputy foreign minister, united arab emirates, mohammed ahmed al jaber, e east, as well as in north africa, the https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/russian-deputy-prime-visits-niger-discusses-cooperation-in-fuel-energy-sector-1121045802.html Russian Deputy Prime Visits Niger, Discusses Cooperation in Fuel, Energy Sector Russian Deputy Prime Visits Niger, Discusses Cooperation in Fuel, Energy Sector Sputnik International Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak visited Niger and discussed the opportunities of developing practical cooperation in energy, agriculture, infrastructure projects, geological exploration and development of mineral reserves, the cabinet said in a statement. 2024-11-30T04:32+0000 2024-11-30T04:32+0000 2024-11-30T04:32+0000 world alexander novak russia niger burkina faso https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/103066/92/1030669208_0:219:2863:1829_1920x0_80_0_0_c5b51f1e741bccf5a43f40f856cc0a8d.jpg "In the capital of Niger, Niamey, Alexander Novak met with the Prime Minister of the Transitional Period of the Republic of Niger, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, and also held talks with the head of the Republic of Niger, President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, Abdourahmane Tchiani. It was noted that the countries consider each other important partners. During the meetings, the opportunities of developing practical cooperation in the fields of energy, agriculture, infrastructure projects, geological exploration and development of mineral reserves were discussed," the statement said. The second Russia-Africa summit, which took place in St. Petersburg in the summer of 2023 with the participation of the Russian President and leaders of African states, gave new impetus to cooperation between Russia and African partners - today, joint projects of regional significance aimed at improving the quality of life of people, including access to electricity, development of transport infrastructure are being actively developed, Novak said.Russia has the potential to build solar power plants in Burkina Faso, where there is a shortage of electricity, Alexander Novak said.Novak paid working visits to Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.He expressed hope that cooperation will develop in various spheres. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240924/burkina-faso-announces-intention-to-join-brics-1120269168.html russia niger burkina faso Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian deputy prime minister alexander novak, visits niger, developing practical cooperation in energy, agriculture, infrastructure projects, Trump's tariff threat should be taken seriously: Trudeau Xinhua) 10:55, November 30, 2024 OTTAWA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday incoming U.S. President Donald Trump's threats on tariffs should be taken seriously. "One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out," Trudeau was quoted as saying in Prince Edward Island. "There's no question about it." "He would be actually not just be harming Canadians, he'd actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses," said Trudeau. According to the report, the prime minister said that Canada can take the same approach to working with Trump as it did during his first term as president. Trudeau on Wednesday night held a virtual meeting with all 13 premiers to discuss Trump's tariff threat. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland called on the premiers to make use of all of their contacts, channels, and abilities to relay important information and messages to Americans and people of influence. They agreed to continue working closely together to advocate for Canada's interests and the deep economic ties that drive prosperity on both sides of the border, across all sectors of the economy. Trump vowed on Monday to impose a 25 percent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico as soon as he takes office, saying that he will keep them in place until both countries crack down on drugs and immigrants entering the United States illegally from their territories. For the first nine months of this year, Canada exported more than 300 billion U.S. dollars in goods to the United States, according to Statistics Canada. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) A federal judge in San Antonio recently granted Whataburgers motion to dismiss a proposed class-action lawsuit brought by a former employee who alleged the companys retirement plan had suffered millions of dollars in losses as a result of its breaches of fiduciary duties. Shown is the Whataburger on Brook Hollow Boulevard near U.S. 281 in San Antonio area. Mike Sutter / Staff Whataburgers 401(k) retirement plan had about $236 million in assets at the end of last year. A judge recently dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit over the plan. Shown is a single-patty Whataburger. Mike Sutter / Staff Editors note: This story has been updated to report a notice of appeal has been filed. Whataburger has convinced a judge to toss a proposed class-action lawsuit brought by a former employee in San Antonio who alleged the companys retirement plan had suffered millions of dollars in losses as a result of breaches of fiduciary duties. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez this month agreed with Whataburgers argument that plaintiff Miguel Esquivel didnt have standing to bring the lawsuit because, when his employment ended in 2023, he signed a separation and release agreement that included a promise not to sue the company. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whataburger is pleased with the judges decision, a company spokesman said in an email. Rodriguez dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled if, for instance, another plaintiff takes Esquivels place. A lawyer for Esquivel didnt respond to an email seeking comment, but a notice of appeal was filed Dec. 9. The suit was similar to others that have been filed around the country in recent years against companies accused of breaching their fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA, of 1974. In San Antonio, H-E-B, Zachry Group and Southwest Research Institute have been sued. The case against H-E-B has been pending for more than five years, while the Zachry and SwRI cases settled. Whataburgers 401(k) retirement plan had almost $236 million in assets and about 10,200 participants with account balances as of the end of last year, the restaurant chain said in a recent federal filing. The plan has ranked among the top 0.9% of all U.S. defined contribution plans by total assets, the lawsuit said. In such plans, employees contribute to their retirement and, generally, a portion of their contribution is matched by the employer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Esquivel accused Whataburger Restaurants LLC, its board, the committee that administers the 401(k) plan, and various unnamed members of the board and committee of failing to appropriately monitor the plans investments. That resulted in the retention of unsuitable investments in the Plan instead of prudent alternative investments that were readily available at all times, Esquivel alleged. The lawsuit singled out two mutual funds the MainStay Winslow Large Cap Group Fund Class R1 and the Janus Henderson Triton Fund Class T that allegedly trailed their benchmarks in performance. Whataburger countered that Esquivel cherry-picked a few alleged comparators that the two funds underperformed against. It added that the plan has offered 19 investments since 2018. The company bristled at Esquivels allegations in its June motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It generously contributes millions of dollars to this Plan, and the Plans participants can select from an array of investment options to help save for retirement, Whataburger said. According to the Plaintiff, that was not enough. Specifically, of the nineteen investment options the Plan has offered throughout the putative class period, a single Plaintiff now alleges that two investments sometimes underperformed by modest amounts over limited time-periods, the company said with emphasis. From this, Plaintiff asks the Court to infer that Whataburger breached its fiduciary duty under ERISA. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/russian-forces-destroy-key-ukrainian-military-and-energy-infrastructure-1121049159.html Russian Forces Destroy Key Ukrainian Military and Energy Infrastructure Russian Forces Destroy Key Ukrainian Military and Energy Infrastructure Sputnik International Russian forces have struck the infrastructure of Ukrainian military airfields, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported. 2024-11-30T11:29+0000 2024-11-30T11:29+0000 2024-11-30T11:33+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russian armed forces ukrainian armed forces ministry of defense ukraine russia m113 hmmwv https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0b/1e/1121049395_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a07d04ed3d32cca234ed7a338820bea7.jpg "Using unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops, and artillery, Russian Armed Forces inflicted damage on military airfield infrastructure, energy facilities supporting Ukraines military-industrial complex, as well as concentrations of enemy personnel and military equipment in 132 areas," the MoD said.Air defense systems downed a long-range Neptune cruise missile, a HIMARS rocket and 45 fixed-wing UAVs.Russian troop groupings continue combat operations. The total losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for the day across all fronts exceeded 1,500 personnel.Other DevelopmentsTsentr battlegroup: Over the previous 24 hours, the Tsentr battlegroup repelled 11 counterattacks by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine lost over 510 soldiers, an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), and several US-made armored vehicles, including M113 and M1117 armored personnel carriers (APCs). Russian forces also secured more advantageous positions, defeating Ukrainian units from the 154th mechanized brigade, 59th motorized infantry, 68th rifle, 38th marine, 116th territorial defense and 14th national guard brigades. In total, Ukrainian losses included four vehicles, two 152mm artillery pieces and other heavy weapons.Yug battlegroup: The Yug battlegroup advanced its front-line position and repelled a Ukrainian attack, resulting in the loss of up to 345 Ukrainian troops, a tank and several vehicles. Russian forces defeated Ukrainian units from the 23rd, 28th mechanized, 81st airborne, 79th assault, 10th mountain assault brigades and 24th Aidar battalion. The group also destroyed a field ammunition depot and inflicted additional losses on Ukrainian forces, including an M113 APC and a HMMWV armored car and several artillery pieces.Vostok battlegroup: In the Vostok zone, Russian forces continued to make headway against Ukrainian defenses, dealing significant losses to Ukrainian forces from the 32nd mechanized brigade, 120th and 241st territorial defense brigades. The total losses for Ukraine amounted to up to 50 soldiers, one IFV and two 152mm D-20 howitzers. Russian units made steady progress in the Donetsk People's Republic, further destabilizing Ukrainian positions in the region.Zapad battlegroup: The Zapad battlegroup inflicted heavy casualties on Ukrainian troops in several areas of Kharkov, Lugansk, and Donetsk regions. Ukrainian forces lost up to 505 soldiers and several key pieces of military equipment, including tanks, vehicles and artillery. In addition, the battlegroups forces successfully repelled six counterattacks by Ukrainian assault groups, while also destroying two radio-electronic warfare stations and an ammunition depot. Key targets were Ukrainian brigades from the 67th mechanized, 241st territorial defense and 1st and 27th national guard brigades.Sever battlegroup: The Sever battlegroup continued its offensive in the Kharkov region, inflicting losses on Ukrainian forces in Liptsy, Kazachya Lopan and Slatino. Ukrainian losses included over 30 soldiers, four vehicles and a 122mm D-30 howitzer. Russian forces also destroyed an electronic warfare station and three ammunition depots in the area, further weakening Ukrainian positions and disrupting their logistical capabilities.Dnepr battlegroup: The Dnepr battlegroup dealt significant blows to Ukrainian forces in Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, resulting in the loss of up to 70 Ukrainian soldiers, an armored fighting vehicle and an electronic warfare station. Ukrainian formations from the 141st infantry, 124th and 126th territorial defense brigades suffered losses. Russian forces also neutralized several Ukrainian vehicles and a key radio-electronic warfare station, further reducing Ukrainian operational capabilities in the region. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241129/russian-forces-liberate-two-key-settlements-in-donetsk-region-and-advance-westward-1121041337.html ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian special military operation, ukraine, ukrainian crisis, ukrainian conflict, war in ukraine, russian armed forces, ukrainian military infrastructure, ukrainian energy infrastructure https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/switzerlands-parliament-will-never-agree-to-nato-membership--swiss-senator-1121049257.html Switzerland's Parliament Will Never Agree to NATO Membership Swiss Senator Switzerland's Parliament Will Never Agree to NATO Membership Swiss Senator Sputnik International The population and parliament of Switzerland will never agree to join NATO in the current state of affairs in the world, Swiss senator from the largest party in the country's parliament, the Democratic Union of the Center, Mauro Poggia, told Sputnik. 2024-11-30T10:15+0000 2024-11-30T10:15+0000 2024-11-30T10:15+0000 world switzerland russia moscow nato european union (eu) europe https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104655/31/1046553190_0:146:3122:1902_1920x0_80_0_0_90e3b61515cf01e7caaca14ed465fc47.jpg "The parliament will never agree to Switzerland joining NATO, just like the population in the current situation in the world. If the war came closer to Swiss territory, everything could be different," he said. Switzerland was forced to join the EU sanctions against Russia because otherwise it would have also become a target of sanctions by European countries, Swiss senator Mauro Poggia said.Switzerland is not a member of the EU or NATO, but Bern has joined almost all European sanctions against Russia since February 24, 2022. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230816/switzerland-aligns-itself-with-eus-11th-package-of-sanctions-against-russia-1112645024.html switzerland russia moscow Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International parliament of switzerland, democratic union of the center, join nato https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/terrorist-infiltration-in-aleppo-syrian-military-readies-reinforcements-1121049583.html Terrorist Infiltration in Aleppo: Syrian Military Readies Reinforcements Terrorist Infiltration in Aleppo: Syrian Military Readies Reinforcements Sputnik International Terrorist groups have penetrated many areas of the Syrian city of Aleppo, the Syrian armed forces command said on Saturday, adding that the Syrian military is continuing to strike at the terrorist positions and is expecting the arrival of reinforcement. 2024-11-30T10:50+0000 2024-11-30T10:50+0000 2024-11-30T10:50+0000 world aleppo syria middle east russia terrorists terrorism https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/1c/1115863143_0:0:3172:1785_1920x0_80_0_0_d0dc1c4bd087df56d8c4c9f293b6a029.jpg "In light of the large flow of terrorists across the northern borders and the strengthening of their military and technical support, terrorist groups have entered many areas of the city of Aleppo in recent hours," the statement read. The terrorists are unable to fortify strongholds in the city due to the continuing strikes launched by the Syrian military, the statement also said. The Syrian forces are expecting the arrival of reinforcements and their deployment in all areas of combat operations, the statement added.Dozens of Syrian soldiers have been killed in recent days in combat operations against terrorist groups in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, the Syrian Armed Forces Command said, adding that the army has regrouped to save civilian lives and prepare for a counterattack.The terrorist influx and multiple fronts of clashes "prompted the Syrian armed forces to redeploy to strengthen defense lines in order to save the lives of civilians and soldiers and prepare for a counteroffensive."*a terrorist organization banned in Russia https://sputnikglobe.com/20241129/syrian-army-eliminates-hundreds-of-terrorists-in-idlib-and-aleppo-including-foreign-mercenaries-1121043453.html aleppo syria russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International terrorist groups, syrian armed forces, syrian military, terrorist positions https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/ugly-truth-of-ukraines-criminal-use-of-chemical-weapons-1121050741.html Ugly Truth of Ukraines Criminal Use of Chemical Weapons Ugly Truth of Ukraines Criminal Use of Chemical Weapons Sputnik International Warnings about Ukraines use of toxic chemicals against Russias Armed Forces are being ignored by the West, noted Vladimir Tarabrin, Russias permanent representative to the OPCW. 2024-11-30T14:00+0000 2024-11-30T14:00+0000 2024-11-30T14:00+0000 world ukraine russia organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons (opcw) chemical weapons toxic chemicals chemical weapons convention organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons (opcw) centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) kursk https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/05/1a/1095788670_0:61:1280:781_1920x0_80_0_0_e396608d19ae538353d84ddbf267c4b6.jpg November 30 marks the Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare, which is observed annually by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). This commemoration throws into focus how warnings about Ukraines use of toxic chemicals against Russias Armed Forces are being ignored by the West. Instead, fabricated allegations are being peddled against Moscow, noted Vladimir Tarabrin, Russias permanent representative to the OPCW.Russian Diplomat on Kievs CrimesRussia has sufficient expertise to identify facts of chemical weapons use in the zone of its special military operation in Ukraine. It is conducting investigations as required by OPCW provisions. Unlike the unfounded accusations concocted by Ukraine and its Western patrons, Russia operates exclusively with verified facts. Cases of Ukrainian Use of Chemical WeaponsUkraine covertly used DM-105 chemical munitions under the guise of smoke shells in the city of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk region in August, revealed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of Russias Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops. More than 400 cases of the use of chemicals such as BZ, prussic acid, chlorine cyanide, and riot-control chemical agents have been recorded in Ukraine since 2022. Tests of wipe-samples from chemical equipment found in a lab near Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) revealed it had been producing 3 kg of toxic substances per day. Ready-to-use agents containing a toxic mixture based on thallium nitrate were found in a cache seized from Ukrainian troops in August 2024. Groundwork for Using Chemical Weapons: Washington boosted efforts to develop bioagents capable of selectively targeting specific ethnic groups, the Russian Defense Ministry said in August. Ukraine procured hundreds of tons of toxic chemical precursors scheduled by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), according to the ministry. The US Pentagon, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and American biotech firms have been funding potentially illegal biological research in Ukraine in violation of international treaties. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/ukraine-mulling-dirty-bomb-use-false-flag-chemical-provocations-with-us-help---russias-mod-1119926381.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240708/west-eyes-false-flag-chemical-weapon-accusation-against-russia-overlooks-ukraines-violations-1119291874.html ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko chemical weapons in ukraine, ukrainians use chemical weapons, kiev producing chemical weapons, proofs of chemical weapons use, ukraine and us are violating chemical and biological weapons' treaties, do ukraine armed forces use toxic chemicals against civilians, why is us developing bioagents, is us working on bioagents to selectively target ethnic groups, chemical and biological defense, wmd, us and ukraine violating international treaties banning chemical, biological weapons, ukraine is mulling dirty bomb https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/ukraines-kuleba-says-biden-cannot-discuss-kievs-nato-membership-nukes-1121045385.html Biden Cannot Discuss Ukraine's NATO Membership, Nukes - Former Ukrainian FM Biden Cannot Discuss Ukraine's NATO Membership, Nukes - Former Ukrainian FM Sputnik International Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that incumbent US President Joe Biden thinks in terms of the Cold War and therefore cannot discuss Ukraine's possible accession to NATO and the issue of nuclear weapons. 2024-11-30T01:32+0000 2024-11-30T01:32+0000 2024-11-30T05:54+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine dmytro kuleba joe biden ukraine financial times nato nuclear weapons us arms for ukraine military aid nato expansion https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/05/10/1095550996_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_27ebf5b271158b5a25aa8439c076484a.jpg "His [Biden's] mind was shaped in the cold war logic ... You do not talk about Nato membership for Ukraine with him. Do not talk about nukes to him. Because these are the things that trigger him," Kuleba said in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper published on Friday. He also believed that Ukraine is lucky that Biden was elected US president in 2022, otherwise the situation for Kiev would have been much worse. When asked by a journalist about why, in his opinion, Western allies were not in a hurry to supply weapons to Ukraine, Kuleba replied that this was usually the most difficult question. Last week, The New York Times reported that some US and European officials were allegedly proposing the return of nuclear weapons to Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that discussions about the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons in Ukraine are irresponsible, and this is said by those who have a poor understanding of reality. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241128/biden-will-not-be-able-to-spend-all-ukraine-aid-money-by-end-of-term---reports-1121027534.html ukraine kiev Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International will ukraine join nato, ukraine accession to nato, will ukraine get nuclear weapons, will us send nukes to ukraine, ukraine go nuclear, will nato deploy nuclear weapons in ukraine, dmytro kuleba, https://sputnikglobe.com/20241130/zelensky-complains-about-unfulfilled-promises-of-west-1121046921.html Zelensky Complains About Unfulfilled Promises of West Zelensky Complains About Unfulfilled Promises of West Sputnik International Volodymyr Zelensky has complained about the failure of Ukraine's partners to meet demands to equip military brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. 2024-11-30T06:39+0000 2024-11-30T06:39+0000 2024-11-30T06:39+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine volodymyr zelensky ukraine russia ukrainian armed forces ukrainian foreign ministry ukraine crisis kiev https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/09/03/1119994078_0:159:3077:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_87098cafaf32797e823440cc8ec97a7e.jpg In an interview with Sky News, Volodymyr Zelensky said that the US and European countries had promised to equip 10 military brigades for Ukraine. Zelensky noted the need to train military brigades given the shortage of troops in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.Zelensky went on to grumble about the bureaucracy of the Kiev regime's sponsors, adding that "some bureaucracy, some decisions, some don't think is the priority."On November 9, Ukrainian lawmaker Solomiia Bobrovska said that women aged 18-25 in Ukraine should receive basic military training on an equal footing with men, otherwise they should join military departments in universities to obtain the status of military conscripts.Ukraine announced martial law and general mobilization after Russia launched its special military operation in February 2022. The law prohibits Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country. Media reported on Wednesday, citing a senior White House official, that the United States had urged Ukraine to lower the minimum age for military conscription from 25 to 18. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi confirmed such discussions. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241123/media-reveals-number-of-men-ukraine-may-mobilize-1120972217.html ukraine russia kiev Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International volodymyr zelensky, ukrainian armed forces, equip military brigades UPDATED, Dec. 10, 2024, 10:15 am: Corrects percentages of "frontloaded" school tax discounts for sample properties. *** School property tax debates past, present and yet to come will once again haunt the states elected officials in the new 109th Legislature. One of western Nebraskas five state senators will push for millions of dollars in extra tax relief after the Unicamerals summer special session frontloaded a 30% K-12 school income tax credit onto Decembers 2024-25 property tax bills. Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering cites a State Capitol argument whether doing so deprived property owners of their 2023-24 income tax credit. Gov. Jim Pillen, who failed to win enough support for sweeping tax changes in the extra session, meanwhile renewed his efforts with a 2024 School Property Tax Report released Nov. 8. It included data on 2024-25 K-12 districts aid and property tax requests. Lowering the former typically boosts the latter, it said. Senators need to seek predictability of aid given to school districts, it added, to allow Nebraska to have sustained property tax reductions for the first time in its history. 30% which year? Star-Herald analyses found mixed pictures on both questions for western Nebraska property owners, at least regarding the 2024-25 tax bills theyll get in the mail next month. A formula provided by state budget officials shows the K-12 income tax credits which thousands of Nebraskans never claimed will refund 30% of all property owners eligible 2023-24 school taxes as a second direct discount on 2024-25 property tax bills. But it wont equal a 30% break on their latest school taxes for the three Scotts Bluff County agricultural operations and two of the three Scottsbluff-Gering area homes the paper tracks each budget season. Why? Its mostly because LB 34s K-12 school tax credit will continue to run one year behind, as the income tax credit did from its debut in 2020. It also excludes the schools portions of the older but smaller 2023-24 Property Tax Credit Fund break also taken off December tax bills and the homestead exemptions some homeowners receive, said Lee Will, director of the state Department of Administrative Services. Those factors yield effective 2024-25 school tax discounts of 27.8% for a ranch southeast of Lyman and farms with mixed soil types northwest of Mitchell and southwest and southeast of Melbeta. The same 27.8% percentage applies for the Star-Herald's three sample homes in Scottsbluffs Westmoor neighborhood (Home 1), Gerings Legion Park neighborhood (Home 2) and east Terrytown (Home 3). The picture is more complicated for Home 3, which has received a homestead exemption since 2019. The Nebraska Taxes Online website wont report parcels 2024 homestead exemption status until final tax bills are sent out. If the Terrytown homes full exemption was renewed for 2024, that most likely will again mostly cancel out the homes tax bill before other state tax credits are applied. Missing year? A trio of term-limited lawmakers, including Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, contend that property owners are being shortchanged by the school income tax credits transition to a direct discount. LB 34 dealt them a missing year of tax relief, the lawmakers argued, if they paid their 2023 school taxes during 2024. Hardin said hell introduce a bill to make up the perceived shortfall. We took the 2023 monies and flipped them end for end and said well get them in 2024, he said. But LB 34 didnt deprive any property owner of a 2023 school tax break, countered North Platte Sen. Mike Jacobson. Instead of claiming it when they do 2024 income taxes after New Years, he said, theyll get it before Christmas off the top of their 2024 property taxes. In fact, Jacobson added, Nebraskans who paid their 2023 property taxes last December can get both the 2023 K-12 income tax credit if they claim it and the direct 2023 discount next month. We told people its not that anybody lost out, said Jacobson, who hopes to join the Revenue Committee in 2025. Its that some people double-dipped. Even if there were a missing year, he said, its highly unlikely the Legislature can find $560.7 million the amount allocated for K-12 income tax credits for 2023 on top of the $750 million for the new direct discount. The Legislatures Tax Rate Review Committee told senators Wednesday that the states budget balance by 2026-27 could be more than $432 million below its legal minimum reserve if lawmakers make no changes. If anybody thinks a bills going to pass the Legislature that will cost $500 million to make people whole, thats not going to happen, Jacobson said. Aid drop = tax boost? The same cloud hangs over Pillens renewed call for even higher property tax relief, acknowledged as Nebraskas largest single budget item in the governors Nov. 8 report. It lauded the 244 school districts for holding statewide growth in their 2024-25 property tax requests to 2.8% the slowest pace this century. Senators slapped a basic 3% lid last year on how much K-12 districts can charge. But four fast-growing metro-area districts Lincoln, Millard, Papillion-La Vista and Gretna accounted for 82% of the $76.1 million in school property tax growth over 2023-24, the report said. Those four also lost a combined $56.3 million in state aid. The aid formula founded in 1990 has become a large reason as to why some local school districts continue to need to increase local taxes, the report said. The correlation between school-aid cuts and higher tax requests didnt hold up universally, according to the Star-Heralds analysis of Pillens report. Four of the Panhandles 20 districts Gering, Morrill, Bayard and South Platte both absorbed state-aid cuts and raised their tax requests by more than the 2.8% statewide average. Bayards situation was specifically referenced in Pillens report. But six others, including Scottsbluff, Mitchell and Minatare, held their tax-request growth below the average despite losing ground in state aid. Scottsbluff Public Schools 2024 school aid fell by 0.6%, but the district slashed its 2024-25 property tax request by 15.5%. The school board voted in June to pay off its Bluffs Middle School renovation bonds five years early. Pillens report acknowledged that state-aid levels dont explain all K-12 tax increases. They could be due to a loss in state aid increasing needs in the community or simply from overspending, it said. Stuart Simpson, who will retire in June as North Plattes executive director of finance, said the aid formula is meant to adjust for each districts unique circumstances. It steers equalization aid to districts with educational needs that cost more than their resources, mainly property taxes. But Simpson said its how the school-aid formula measures needs largely student populations, family incomes and families for whom English isnt their first language that so often frustrates taxpayers and lawmakers. You cant compare North Platte to Scottsbluff or Lexington or Alliance or McCook, he said. The formula is trying to address the needs of school districts compared with the economic development in the community. If the Legislature pushes down the property taxes with more dollars, theyll push more into equalization aid to support a school district, said Simpson, who became Alliances school finance director the year the current aid formula was founded. But how can you do it when you have a shortfall? San Antonio police Chief William McManus, from left, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Jaime Esparza, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales, and Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar gather on Jan. 10 after a news conference about the problem of stolen guns. William Luther/San Antonio Express-News Federal officials are urging San Antonio residents to refrain from storing their firearms inside their vehicles to combat gun thefts this holiday season. In San Antonio, nearly 2,300 firearms were stolen from vehicles in 2024, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Western District of Texas. The year before, thieves stole more than 3,100 firearms from vehicles. Retail parking lots are hot spots for burglaries where thieves can break into a vehicle, steal a gun, and take off within 15 seconds. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Furthermore, statistics show that car burglars target trucks and vehicles that display military or law enforcement affiliation as well as firearm ownership. ALSO READ: 3 more arrested in human smuggling case that left a man dead Alexander Testa, assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at the Houston School of Public Health, said San Antonio ranks fifth in the nation for firearm thefts, according to his studies. Alexander Testa, an assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. His research examines firearm violence and firearm theft. Courtesy of Alexander Testa Testa studied data surrounding firearm thefts from vehicles as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods a nationwide commitment to reduce gun and gang crime in America, according to the DOJ. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Even locked cars and compartments are highly susceptible to break-ins, making firearms left in vehicles prime targets for theft, Testa said. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza said it takes no time for thieves to steal a gun from your car while you are out shopping this holiday season. That same gun, which was lawfully yours, is likely to be sold for profit and used in a violent crime even killing a law enforcement officer or an innocent child. Do not make these despicable acts any easier for criminals. Store your firearms properly and avoid becoming a victim of gun theft, Esparza said. Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, and San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus are also urging local residents to take precautions with firearms. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gonzales said each stolen firearm represents a potential weapon for criminals. "Preventing gun theft starts with responsible ownership by securing your firearms, please keep them out of the wrong hands and protect the lives of your family and neighbors this holiday season," Gonzales said. Salazar and McManus emphasize responsibility. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It is incumbent upon every firearm owner to be cognizant of where weapons are kept at all times, Salazar said. San Antonio police said the man was riding his black 2024 Yamaha YZF motorcycle around 2:30 a.m. in the 19200 block of Hardy Oak Boulevard, near Loop 1604. He was taking a curve when he struck the median, lost control and hit a stone pillar, according to a police report. Nicholas Hernandez, 24, was charged with murder in connection to the road rage death of Julie Butcher, 31, on Nov. 8. Butcher was a mother of four. Bexar County Sheriff's Office A 24-year-old man has been accused of shooting and killing a woman in a road rage incident. Nicholas Hernandez has been charged with murder in the death of Julie Marie Butcher, 31. He was arrested after an anonymous tip to law enforcement. Butcher, a mother of four, was the general manager at a Papa Johns restaurant in New Braunfels. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Nov. 8, San Antonio police responded to the 6200 block of Interstate 35 and Rittiman Road for a shooting. Arriving officers found Butcher with a gunshot wound to the head while inside a crashed SUV that had rolled over into the bottom of a ditch, according to an arrest affidavit. A witness who observed the incident told police that the driver of a blue and silver sedan shot at Butcher before driving away on Rittiman Road. Police also obtained surveillance footage that showed the sedan leaving the scene after the shooting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Two days after the shooting, police received an anonymous tip that said that Nick Hernandez confessed to a close friend that he shot Butcher while driving his Volkswagen Jetta. Investigators identified the man described from the tip as Nicholas Hernandez. A witness told police Hernandez called her around the time of the shooting, stating that he had been involved in a road rage incident, the affidavit states. Investigators confirmed the call and text exchange using phone records. On Nov. 15, multiple witnesses were contacted by police to provide statements Advertisement Article continues below this ad A second witness stated that Hernandez told them that he was involved in a road rage incident where he shot at a car that rolled into a ditch, according to the affidavit. A third witness stated that Hernandez contacted him on the night of the shooting and asked him to dispose of two 9 mm shell casings that were in his Volkswagen Jetta. On Nov. 22, investigators received Hernandezs phone records that showed him in the area during and after the shooting. Hernandez was booked into the Bexar County jail on Thursday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad His bail is set at $250,000, court records show. A GoFundMe for Butcher's funeral expenses and her children has so far raised over $7,800. Julie was known not only for her hard work but also for her selflessness, always placing the needs of others first, the GoFundMe states. A transgender pride flag flies during a rally for transgender rights held outside the Texas Governors Mansion in 2022. Josie Norris / San Antonio Express-News WASHINGTON After outperforming Kamala Harris in South Texas on Election Day despite being vastly outspent by Republicans, U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, has a message to his fellow Democrats in Congress. Actually, he has a few of them. No. 1: Dont tell him how to handle his business, hes going to represent his district the way he knows is best. And No. 2: Clean up your own act. In a recent interview with The Texas Tribune, the four-term Democratic congressman, with a penchant for going rogue, took a shiv to the Democratic playbook. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said the partys fixation on abortion this cycle was lazy and out of touch with his majority-Catholic district. He urged the party to, in some cases, soften its defenses of transgender rights, even if that means voting against the Democratic base. He said Democrats had insufficiently attacked Republicans on economic issues. And he said the Democrats were plagued with incompetence in gauging the driving issues for voters in districts like his. Their messaging is off. I also believe their polling is off. Democratic polling has been consistently off beyond the margin of error for the last two or three cycles, Gonzalez said in his Capitol Hill office. Its incompetence, at the end of the day. I think they need to get rid of people. U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen. Office of Vicente Gonzalez / Office of Vicente Gonzalez Gonzalez won his competitive South Texas district which runs from the Mexican border in Brownsville to Corpus Christi along the Gulf Coast by less than 3 percentage points this year, fending off Republicans biggest offensive effort in the state. He outperformed Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to President Donald Trump in every county in his district. Gonzalez is one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, at times voting with Republicans on issues related to energy and the border. He caused House Democratic leadership headaches as he pushed back on President Joe Bidens climate and infrastructure agenda before eventually supporting the legislation, citing concerns it would negatively impact his districts energy interests. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gonzalez said his ability to see the social conservatism of his district and knowing when to break from the national party helped preserve his place in Congress. I told the entire caucus, dont ever try to whip me again because I know my district better than anybody in this room, Gonzalez said. Having me 97% of the timhttps://www.texastribune.org/e is better than having my opponent 100% of the time. We need to give that leeway, especially to frontline members. Nobody knows our districts better than us. Republicans poured millions of dollars into supporting their candidate, former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, this cycle, viewing Gonzalezs proclivity for off-color comments including comparing Latino Trump supporters to Jews for Hitler in March as a major vulnerability. The race was among the most expensive U.S. House races in Texas this year. Flores, who previously represented the district for a few months in 2022 after winning a special election, spent over $5.7 million in the race as of mid-October. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the House Majority PAC, the partys two biggest outside spending groups for House races, spent over $1 million with ads supporting Gonzalez. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But Gonzalez has serious issue with the way both groups operated in his district. Neither group responded to requests for comment. Gonzalez said it was an error to focus so heavily on abortion in a region that is overwhelmingly Catholic. He said the strategy showed congressional Democrats dont know the region and they get lazy about it, leaning on the issue because it was salient in the 2022 midterms. Abortion was a central issue in TV ads aired in his district to help him by national Democrats, which Gonzalez said was out of touch with voters more concerned about the rising cost of living. The ad was hitting my opponent on abortion in an 80% Catholic community. Somebody needs to get fired for that, Gonzalez said. Whoever was the decision maker to do that in South Texas should be gone, because they clearly don't know the district. Gonzalez saw some room for abortion to be an effective element to a winning strategy, but he said the messaging should be targeted on digital platforms to young women rather than blasted on television ads. Gonzalez still went after Flores on abortion when the two shared a debate stage in October. Gonzalez said Democrats focused too much on TV ads generally in Texas and should have spent more time door knocking and talking to voters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gonzalez also lamented that Democrats dont have a winning strategy to counter anti-trans attacks that Republicans used through the latter part of the cycle. The National Republican Congressional Committee and Sen. Ted Cruzs reelection campaign both poured money into ads attacking Democrats as wanting to use taxpayer money to fund gender transitions for children and to allow boys to play in girls sports. Democrats and LGBTQ+ rights activists denounced the ads as spreading dangerous misinformation about trans youth. Gonzalez was among the few Democrats to tackle the ads head on, issuing his own counter ad rebuffing the Republicans claims, saying he never supported tax-funded sex changes. He said more Democrats should feel comfortable following his lead, even if it leads to pushback from the progressive base. I think we need to protect every community in America, Gonzalez said. But there are issues that I don't agree with, like boys and girls bathrooms, or boys competing in girls sports, and I think we should be outspoken about it. I don't think Democrats should have to hide from a message like that. Gonzalez has supported pro-trans legislation in the past, voting in 2021 for the Equality Act, which would protect trans people from discrimination. Republicans are poised to continue their attacks on transgender rights, emboldened by voter response to their ads nationwide. And Democrats are already being confronted with the issue as the first transgender member of Congress, Rep.-elect Sarah McBride of Delaware, is set to be sworn in in January. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina introduced a bill that would ban McBride from using the womens bathrooms or locker rooms in the Capitol complex. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When asked if he would vote for Maces bill, Gonzalez said: That's a very, very tough conversation that needs to be had by Democrats. And I think at the end of the day, we got to vote our district and vote what we really believe. And I don't believe that boys should be in girls' bathrooms. He did not specify how he would vote on the bill. McBride has agreed not to use womens restrooms and stressed she does not want her gender to become a distraction. All members of Congress have private bathrooms. She did not respond to a request for comment on Gonzalezs remarks. Gonzalez said Democrats should have invested in attack ads targeting Republican candidates who want to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Title I funding for schools in low-income communities, as Republicans have cast Democrats as supporting measures to defund the police. South Texas Republicans deny they want to cut funding for the programs. Gonzalez also suggested he was not impressed with Democrat Michelle Vallejo's campaign, who challenged U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz in the 15th Congressional District. She lost both in 2022 and 2024, by double digits despite support from the DCCC and investment from the House Majority PAC. She ran in 2022 on a progressive platform, focusing on reproductive rights and expanding access to health care. She moderated her tune this cycle, but was unable to close or even shrink the gap. Gonzalez said the district needs a moderate Democrat to win. It's a tough district, especially for somebody who initially campaigned as a progressive. It's kind of hard to turn the clock back, Gonzalez said. Still, Vallejo made positive strides. She outperformed Harris in her district by seven percentage points. Vallejo declined to comment. Gonzalez formerly represented the 15th Congressional District for six years before switching to the 34th district in 2022 following redistricting. Then-DCCC Chair Sean Patrick Maloney preferred Gonzalez, a well-funded incumbent, stay in the more competitive 15th District to give Democrats a better shot at holding onto all of their South Texas seats, Gonzalez said. But Gonzalez defended the move, saying his home was drawn into the new 34th district and he had to prioritize his own race. Gonzalez is optimistic that Democrats can continue holding on to South Texas despite the heavy investment from Republicans, saying Republicans have a low quality of candidate, including Flores and De La Cruz. De La Cruz, who outperformed Trump in her district, shot back at Gonzalezs comments in a statement. Its funny hed say that, considering I chased him out of this district and hes underperformed in the last three elections, De La Cruz said. He can focus on pettiness Ill keep picking up his slack and delivering results for South Texas. Gonzalez called Flores victory in a 2022 special election a fluke, saying she got elected solely because Republicans poured millions of dollars into a special election that national Democrats did not pay much attention to. Rhyma Castillo is a trending reporter for the Express-News and a member of its Digital Go Team. She can be reached at rhyma.castillo@express-news.net. A native of San Antonio and a Texas A&M University graduate, she is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience. She has reported on politics, immigration, climate change, gun violence, and workers rights. Additionally, she excels in lifestyle and entertainment writing, covering music, television, video games, technology, and relationships. In her free time, she enjoys painting, drawing, cooking, hiking, climbing, gardening, playing video games, cuddling with her cats, and making music with her band. As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to gain momentum, Kyiv faces a big threat from within its own country. According to the Associated Press, desertion is severely depleting the Ukrainian military's manpower. This comes at a critical point in the ongoing war with Russia as Vladimir Putin threatened to target decision-making centers in Ukraine's capital using the country's newly developed ballistic missile. This crisis could also place Kyiv at a significant disadvantage during any potential ceasefire negotiations. "We do not rule out the use of Oreshnik against the military, military-industrial facilities or decision-making centers, including in Kyiv," Putin said at a press conference in Kazakhstan on Thursday. He said the weapon was "comparable in strength to a nuclear strike" if used several times on one location. "The kinetic impact is powerful, like a meteorite falling," Putin said. "We know in history what meteorites have fallen where, and what the consequences were. Sometimes it was enough for whole lakes to form." Amidst extreme shortages, tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiersexhausted and demoralizedhave deserted their front-line positions, slipping into anonymity, as reported by soldiers, legal experts, and Ukrainian officials, the AP reported Friday. Entire units have fled their posts, weakening defensive lines and contributing to further territorial losses, according to military leaders and personnel. Some troops take medical leave and never return, burdened by the psychological scars of war and disheartened by grim chances of victory. Others engage in conflicts with commanders, refusing to follow orders, even during active combat. "This problem is critical," said Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Kyiv-based military analyst, told AP. "This is the third year of war, and this problem will only grow." Since Russia's invasion in February 2022, more than 100,000 soldiers have been charged under Ukraine's desertion laws, according to the General Prosecutor's Office. Nearly half of these desertions have occurred in the past year, following Kyiv's aggressive and controversial mobilization effort, which government officials and military commanders admit has largely been ineffective. Meanwhile, Russia launched over 100 drones at Ukraine overnight into Friday, resulting in one fatality and injuring eight others, Agence France Presse reported, citing officials. This drone attack followed a missile strike the previous day, in which approximately 90 missiles were fired at Ukraine, leaving over a million people without power. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to Florida on Friday for a dinner with Donald Trump at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago estate, as the incoming US leader promised tariffs on Canadian imports. The unannounced meeting came at the end of a week that has seen Canada as well as Mexico scramble to blunt the impact of Trump's trade threats, which experts have warned could also hit US consumers hard. A smiling Trudeau was seen exiting a hotel in West Palm Beach before arriving at Mar-a-Lago, making him the latest high-profile guest of Trump, whose impending second term -- which starts in January -- is already overshadowing the last few months of President Joe Biden's administration. Flight trackers had first spotted a jet broadcasting the prime minister's callsign making its way to the southern US state. A Canadian government source later told AFP that the two leaders were dining together. Trump caused panic among some of the biggest US trading partners on Monday when he said he would impose tariffs of 25 percent on Mexican and Canadian imports and 10 percent on goods from China. He accused the countries of not doing enough to halt the "invasion" of the United States by drugs, "in particular fentanyl," and undocumented migrants. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke with Trump by phone on Wednesday, though the two leaders' accounts of the conversation differed drastically. Trump claimed that Mexico's left-wing president had "agreed to stop migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border." Sheinbaum later said she had discussed US-supported anti-migration policies that have long been in place in Mexico. She said that after that, the talks had no longer revolved around the threat of tariff hikes, downplaying the risk of a trade war. Biden warned that same day that Trump's tariff threats could "screw up" Washington's relationships with Ottawa and Mexico City. "I think it's a counterproductive thing to do," Biden told reporters. Trudeau did not respond to questions from the media as he returned to his hotel Friday evening after meeting with Trump. But for Canada, the stakes of any new tariffs are high. More than three-quarters of Canadian exports, or Can$592.7 billion ($423 billion), went to the United States last year, and nearly two million Canadian jobs are dependent on trade. A Canadian government source told AFP that Canada is considering possible retaliatory tariffs against the United States. Some have suggested Trump's tariff threat may be bluster, or an opening salvo in future trade negotiations. But Trudeau rejected those views when he spoke with reporters earlier in Prince Edward Island province. "Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out," Trudeau said. "There's no question about it." According to the website Flightradar, the Canadian leader's plane landed at Palm Beach International Airport late Friday afternoon. Canadian public broadcaster CBC said that Trudeau's public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, was accompanying him on the trip. Private giant Vingroup to build electric vehicle factory in central Vietnam By Minh Hue Sat, November 30, 2024 | 10:33 am GMT+7 The central province of Ha Tinh on Friday gave in-principle approval to a VND7.3 trillion ($288 million) EV plant project, invested by Vinhomes - a subsidiary of Vietnams private conglomerate Vingroup, in Ky Anh town. A corner of the Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ha Tinh province, central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of VietNamNet. The decision was made during a meeting of the provincial Party Committee. Accordingly, the Ha Tinh Economic Zone Authority is tasked with reviewing the project details and ensuring all legal requirements are met before official approval. In its proposal submitted to the committee, Vinhomes said it intends to develop the plant on a 362,000-square-meter site in the Vung Ang Economic Zone. The first phase, set for completion by June 2026, will have an annual production capacity of 200,000 vehicles. The second phase, slated for post-2026, aims to double production to 400,000 vehicles annually. This new facility adds to Vingroups growing investment footprint in Ha Tinh. In 2021, the group opened its VinES electric vehicle battery factory in the Vung Ang EZ, covering nearly 13 hectares, and began supplying batteries for the VF6 electric vehicle model in mid-2023. Vingroup is also planning further investments in a seaport and logistics facility with VND40 trillion ($1.58 billion), and the Ky Ninh resort complex in the Vung Ang EZ. Local authorities expect the factory will not only drive the growth of the green industry but also contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with global sustainable development trends. It is also anticipated to enhance Ha Tinhs image in the eyes of domestic and international investors, laying foundations for attracting high-value projects. The project is expected to spark significant economic activity in the region, with potential growth in logistics, material supply, and commercial services. It will also contribute to the development of an integrated industrial ecosystem, including components and battery production, creating a modern network of EV factories within the Vung Ang EZ. The 22,000-hectare EZ was established in 2006 and currently hosts 151 investment projects. These include 94 domestic projects with total registered capital of VND59.8 trillion ($2.36 billion) and 57 foreign-invested ones worth over $13.5 billion, generating nearly 20,000 local jobs. Notable projects include Taiwanese heavyweight Formosas Son Duong steel and port complex, with an initial investment of over $10 billion, and the $1.2 billion Vung Ang I thermal power plant. Ha Tinh aims to further develop the Vung Ang EZ into a multi-functional economic hub, with metallurgy, energy, logistics, and seaport services as key sectors. Vietnam requires e-commerce platforms to pay taxes on behalf of selllers starting 2025 By Lan Do Sat, November 30, 2024 | 1:53 pm GMT+7 Starting January 1, 2025, e-commerce and digital platforms will be required to declare and pay taxes on behalf of sellers operating on their platforms, according to Vietnam's amended Law on Tax Administration. On Friday, the country's parliament, the National Assembly, passed nine amendments to the law with nearly 93% of the vote. Under the revised law, both domestic and foreign e-commerce platforms and digital service providers must deduct and pay taxes on behalf of their sellers and declare the deducted tax amounts. If a seller is not eligible for tax deduction and payment by the platform, the seller must directly register, declare, and pay taxes. The government will issue detailed guidelines on the procedures and responsibilities for tax declaration and payment. E-shopping has become increasingly popular in Vietnam in recent years. Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Additionally, international suppliers operating on e-commerce and digital platforms, like Facebook, Apple, TikTok and Google must either directly register and pay taxes in Vietnam or appoint an authorized representative to do so. Addressing concerns raised during discussions, Le Quang Manh, Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee, noted that some had opposed the removal of the phrase "no permanent establishment in Vietnam" for foreign suppliers, saying it might be inappropriate. However, the Ministry of Finance defended the change, stating it aligned with international trends and would ensure fairer tax management. It argued that the amendment would provide a legal framework for tax authorities to compel foreign suppliers to register and pay taxes through the Electronic Information Portal for Foreign Suppliers, reducing tax losses in the e-commerce and digital sectors. Currently, sellers on platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop are responsible for self-declaring and paying taxes. The platforms are only required to provide seller information to tax authorities. Since the launch of the Electronic Information Portal in March 2022, 102 foreign suppliers, including Meta (Facebook), Google, TikTok, and Netflix, have registered and paid over VND18.6 trillion ($734 million) in taxes. Vietnamese authorities have deducted and paid an additional VND 4.05 trillion ($160 million) on behalf of suppliers. For domestic e-commerce platforms, tax collection began this year, with Hanoi alone collecting VND35 trillion ($1.38 billion) by early November. The newly passed law also introduces penalties for independent auditors. Violators, whether individuals or organizations, may face administrative sanctions, criminal prosecution, or state-imposed measures, depending on the severity of the violation. Compensation for damages will also be required as stipulated by law. The maximum fine for auditing violations is VND2 billion ($78,906) for organizations and VND1 billion ($39,453) for individuals, with a five-year statute of limitations. The government will issue detailed regulations regarding these sanctions. During earlier discussions, there were suggestions to increase the maximum fine to twice the current level and shorten the statute of limitations to two years due to a shortage of auditors relative to market demand. However, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly determined that the maximum fines would apply only to serious violations, short of criminal prosecution. The government has been tasked with assessing the impact and outlining specific penalties in a forthcoming decree. (TBTCO) - Ngay 15/3, tai Tru so Trung uong ang, Tong Bi thu To Lam, Truong Tieu ban Van kien ai hoi XIV cua ang a chu tri hop Tieu ban Van kien, cho y kien vao du thao Bao cao Chinh tri do To Bien tap xay dung tren co so tiep thu y kien cua Hoi nghi Trung uong 10 va y kien chi ao cua ong chi Tong Bi thu tai cac cuoc hop voi Thuong truc cac Tieu ban ai hoi XIV cua ang, e trinh Bo Chinh tri, Ban Chap hanh Trung uong ang tai Hoi nghi Trung uong 11. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Georgia on Saturday said 107 people were arrested during a second night of protests sparked by the government's decision to delay European Union membership talks amid a post-election crisis. The Black Sea nation has been rocked by turmoil since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in a October 26 parliamentary election that the pro-EU opposition said was fraudulent. The interior ministry said 107 people were detained for "disobedience to lawful police orders and petty hooliganism." "Throughout the night... protesters threw various objects, including stones, pyrotechnics, glass bottles, and metal items, at law enforcement officers," it said, adding that "10 employees of the ministry of internal affairs were injured." The ministry had said that 32 police officers were wounded and 43 protestors detained on Thursday. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's statement Thursday that Georgia will not seek to open accession talks with the European Union until 2028 ignited a furious reaction from the opposition and two days of protests. He later accused the opposition and the EU ambassador to Georgia of distorting his words, and insisted membership in the bloc "by 2030" remains his "top priority." On Friday, AFP reporters saw riot police fire water cannon and tear gas at pro-EU protesters gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi, who tossed eggs and fireworks. Clashes broke out later between protesters and police, who moved in to clear the area outside parliament, beating demonstrators, some of whom threw objects. "I extend my gratitude to the minister of internal affairs and every police officer who yesterday defended Georgia's constitutional order and safeguarded the nation's sovereignty and independence," Kobakhidze told a news conference on Saturday. Georgia's special investigation service said it had opened a probe into "allegations of abuse of official authority through violence by law enforcement officers against protesters and media representatives." Independent TV station Pirveli said one of its journalists was hospitalised with serious injuries. Protests were also held in other cities across Georgia on Friday, independent TV station Mtavari reported. Hundreds of public servants, including from the ministries of foreign affairs, defence, and education, as well as a number of judges issued joint statements protesting Kobakhidze's decision to delay EU accession talks. Some 160 Georgian diplomats have criticised the move as contradicting the constitution and leading the country "into international isolation." More than a hundred schools and universities suspended academic activities in protest. Pro-Western opposition parties are boycotting the new parliament, while President Salome Zurabishvili has sought to annul the election results through the country's constitutional court. In a televised address to the nation on Friday evening, the pro-Western president -- at loggerheads with the ruling party -- said: "The resistance movement has begun... I stand in solidarity with it." "We will remain united until Georgia achieves its goals: to return to its European path, secure new elections." After the October vote, a group of Georgia's leading election monitors said they had evidence of a complex scheme of large-scale electoral fraud. Brussels has demanded an investigation into what it said were "serious (electoral) irregularities" reported by election monitors. Georgian Dream MPs voted unanimously Thursday for Kobakhidze to continue as prime minister, even as the opposition boycotted parliament, which faces a serious legitimacy crisis. "Police actions in Tbilisi mark another punitive attack on the right to peaceful assembly," said Amnesty International. France, Britain, Ukraine, Poland, Sweden and Lithuania were among the countries to voice concern. The Council of Europe condemned what it described as "brutal repression", urging Georgia to remain "faithful to European values." "What is happening in Georgia mirrors the tragedy of Venezuela: mass election theft and an anti-constitutional power grab," Venezuela's exiled opposition leader, Leoplodo Lopez, said on social media. "Do not let Georgia follow Venezuela's path. Stand with the Georgian people. The time to act is now," he said addressing western leaders, including the US President Joe Biden. In recent years, critics accuse Georgian Dream -- in power for more than a decade -- of having moved the country away from Europe and closer to Russia. Khaleeji Bank has been appointed as the exclusive receiving bank for the upcoming initial public offering (IPO) of Al Abraaj Restaurants Group. The offering, managed by SICO, will launch on Sunday (November 24, 2024) and will run for two weeks until December 8, 2024. The bank will provide all necessary facilities for submitting IPO applications, including technical support and guidance to ensure a smooth and efficient experience for all applicants. This IPO represents a significant step in supporting the growth of the restaurant sector in Bahrain and strengthens Khaleeji Banks role as a key partner in the Bahraini financial market, committed to supporting local businesses. Community partnerships Maitham Abdulhameed, Head of Business Development at Khaleeji Bank, stated: We are delighted to be part of this important IPO. At Khaleeji Bank, we value community partnerships, and our collaboration with SICO and Al Abraaj Restaurants Group reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of the Bahraini economy and enhancing the status of the financial market. Ameera Al Abbasi, Head of Retail Banking, added: We are committed to providing a seamless and efficient experience for our clients. We are pleased to be the exclusive receiving bank for this offering, providing our support and expertise throughout the IPO process to ensure a positive experience for all participants. We invite interested parties to visit any of our branches located at the Bahrain Financial Harbour, Sanad and Lulu Hypermarket in Hidd, or to easily book an appointment through the 'Skiplino' app for their convenience. Wissam Haddad, Group Head of Investment Banking at SICO, said: We are pleased to collaborate partner with Khaleeji Bank as the receiving bank for the Al Abraaj Restaurants Groups IPO. Investors can submit their applications at its strategically located branches. This fruitful collaboration highlights underscores our shared commitment to providing delivering accessible and effective financial services that meet the aspirations of bothcater to the needs of individual and institutional investors. Strategic step Hamad Rashid Hilal Issa, Chairman of Al Abraaj Restaurants Group, commented: We are excited about this partnership with Khaleeji Bank and SICO for this IPO, which represents a strategic step to support the efforts to drive growth in the restaurant and hospitality sector. We are optimistic about the support from Khaleeji Bank and SICO, which will undoubtedly help us achieve our expansion goals and enhance our position in both local and regional markets. Al Abraaj Restaurants Group was established in Bahrain in 1987 and is a leading company in the restaurant and hospitality sector, managing 16 brands across 37 physical locations and 22 cloud kitchens, employing around 1,200 staff. Its portfolio includes some of the most renowned restaurants such as Al Abraaj, Bindaira, NuAsia, Lumee, YaSalam, Otto, San Carlo Cicchetti, MazMiz, LaRo and Sangam, all known for offering unique dining experiences that cater to diverse tastes in Bahrain. The group also holds five franchise rights, three of which are in key cities in Saudi Arabia: Khobar, Jeddah and Riyadh. As part of its serious expansion efforts in Bahrain, Al Abraaj Group will launch new concept restaurants in the Avenues Mall Bahrain expansion project, Al Liwaan in Hamala, and City Centre Bahrain, in addition to completing its plans for direct presence in the Saudi market along with its franchise restaurants in the kingdom.--TradeArabia News Service India-based KEC International, a global infrastructure major with expertise in engineering, procurement and construction services, has announced that it has secured a new contract to build a 400kV overhead transmission line (OHTL) in Oman. Confirming the contract win, KEC, a company owned by Indian business conglomerate RPG Group, said this new Middle East order comes close on the heels of its recent contract wins from Saudi Arabia and UAE. For the Oman project, its scope of work includes design, supply and installation, testing as well as commissioning of the 400 kV transmission lines, said the company in a statement. The business has also secured supply of towers, hardware and poles in Americas, an order for Metro Overhead Electrification (OHE) works in the technologically enabled segment in India, it added. On the new order, Managing Director and CEO Vimal Kejriwal said: "We are pleased with the various orders secured across our business verticals. The order in Oman along with the previous orders from Saudi Arabia and UAE, has further strengthened our leadership position in the Middle East." "Our civil business has diversified its customer base with the addition of reputed clients in the industrial segment. We are particularly encouraged by the Indian Railway order in the technologically enabled segment of metros, which is a key focus area for us," stated Kejriwal. With these new orders, our year-to-date order intake stands at Rs146 billion, reflecting a healthy growth of 50% compared to last year," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Dubai masterdeveloper Emaar Properties has announced the completion of a striking facade lighting upgrade for Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. This dynamic RGBW lighting system, integrating cutting-edge technology with the buildings architectural artistry, will debut during the UAEs Eid Al Etihad celebrations tomorrow (December 1) and set the stage for Burj Khalifas 15th anniversary on January 4. According to Emaar, the upgrade transforms the iconic facade into a stunning visual spectacle, offering a wide spectrum of vibrant colours and effects, enhancing the guest experience while reinforcing Dubai's status as a global leader in innovation and design excellence. The process was carefully co-ordinated, with a six-month mock-up testing to ensure seamless integration. The upgraded system features dynamic RGBW technology, replacing static lights with colour-changing, addressable fixtures to create complex lighting effects. Without compromising Burj Khalifas sleek design, the system can create dynamic lighting scenes, from festive displays to everyday illuminations, complementing the towers media screen and adapting to various occasions and celebrations. Ahmad Al Matrooshi, the Executive Director at Emaar Properties, said: "Burj Khalifa has always stood as a beacon of what is possible when vision meets innovation. This lighting overhaul is a testament to our continuous pursuit of excellence and a tribute to the UAEs spirit of progress." "As we unveil this stunning upgrade during Eid Al Etihad celebrations and approach the towers 15th anniversary, this transformation marks a new chapter in its legacy, reaffirming Dubai as a city of boundless ambition," he stated. He pointed out that the lighting system not only enhances Burj Khalifas visual presence but also strengthens its position as a global icon of architectural brilliance and a symbol of modern design innovation. By perfectly blending technology with artistry, this project sets a new benchmark for architectural lighting and promises to inspire future projects worldwide, he added.-TradeArabia News Service WHITE candles were yesterday placed on the side of the road in Sennon Village Number Three, Siparia, where the severed head of 59-year-old Joanne Estick was found in a bag on Thursday. Estick, a mother of one and grandmother of three, was last seen in the village earlier this week. A senior police officer of the South Western Police Division said they are yet to officially confirm that the head is that of Estick without the rest of the human remains. Claire Hao is a reporter at the Houston Chronicle covering the Texas power grid, the clean energy transition and other electricity-related topics. Claire previously spent a year on the climate and environment team of the San Francisco Chronicle. She has written for the news desks of Bloomberg Law and the Chicago Tribune as well as for the editorial board of the Washington Post. Claire graduated from the University of Michigan. Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today While Novembers general election produced few surprises in Oklahoma, it did create some interesting numbers especially in Tulsa County, and more specifically in the city of Tulsa. These numbers had little effect on state results, let alone national. Republican Donald Trump won about two-thirds of the statewide vote, just as he did in 2016 and 2020, and carried all 77 counties, just as every Republican candidate beginning in 2004 has done. Tulsa County voted for Trump, just as it has for every Republican presidential candidate for 88 years. But a curious thing is happening in Tulsa County: While the number of registered Democrats and their share of the electorate has declined over the last 20 years, their presidential candidates votes have gone up. In 2024, Kamala Harris 41.3% was the highest percentage for a Democratic presidential candidate in Tulsa County in 60 years. And, while the number although not the share of registered Republicans continues to rise, the GOP vote has actually dropped a little. In 2004, Republican President George W. Bush received 163,452 votes in Tulsa County, the most ever for a presidential candidate. That was 64.4% of the total. At the time, Tulsa County had 174,873 registered Republicans, or about half the countys total voters and about the same share it has now. Four years later, in 2008, Republican John McCain received 158,363, or 62%. Since then, Republicans have not topped McCains total, much less Bushs, even though the number of registered Republicans in the county has risen by 18,000 over the past 20 years. For this years general election, Tulsa County registered a record 192,658 Republicans. It also registered a record 87,099 independents and 4,090 Libertarians and a record total of 402,547. But Democratic registration was 118,700 the fewest in at least 30 years and probably much longer. Democrats share of registration sank from 39.2% in 2008 to 29.5% for the latest election. And yet, the Democrat share of Tulsa Countys presidential vote rose to 41.3% in 2024, up slightly from 2020 and up from 35.6% in 2004, when the county had 20,000 more registered Democrats. Kamala Harris, with that smaller party base, received 10,000 more votes than Barack Obama did in 2008. Four years ago, Democrat Joe Bidens 108,996 votes were almost 10,000 more than any Democrat had ever gotten in Tulsa County. This year Harris received about 3,000 fewer votes than Biden did then, but her share of the vote was higher because total ballots counted were down by almost 10,000. Donald Trump, with about 16,000 more registered Republicans in Tulsa County than John McCain did, received 13,000 fewer votes this year. These are subtle shifts, but they may be related to trends that have frustrated local Republicans. Since 2004, the GOP has lost three state House seats and a Senate seat in the city of Tulsa. From 2016-22 a Democrat held a Senate seat based in Owasso. Although city of Tulsa elections are nonpartisan, it is no secret that the top two finishers in this years mayoral election were Democrats. The Tulsa City Council is center-left, despite GOP efforts to make party affiliation an issue. A Democrat came much closer than almost anyone expected to winning a Tulsa County commissioner race. Since at least 1992, Oklahoma Democrats have feared presidential election years because they generally meant down-ballot losses. But in Tulsa County, that might no longer be the case. This year, Democratic state Rep. Melissa Provenzanos margin in her southeast Tulsa district one of the most competitive in the state since her first victory in 2018 actually went up from two years ago. Another Democrat, state Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, held the seat she first won two years ago with about the same share of the vote. Rep. Amanda Swope did not even get an opponent in a Brookside-based district that Democrat Denise Brewer flipped in 2018. In the Senate, Democrat incumbent Jo Anna Dossett increased her margin after winning a first term in 2020 against the statewide and national run of play, albeit in a redrawn district more favorable to Democrats. One unusual element of these comparisons is Trumps appearance on the ballot in three straight elections. That hasnt happened since Franklin Roosevelts four straight in 1932-44. Trump has been consistent through that run, getting 58.4% in Tulsa County in 2016 and 56.5% in both 2020 and 2024. Still, those are the lowest percentages for a Republican since 1996, when third-party candidate Ross Perot pulled around 9% as Republican Bob Dole finished with 53.6%s to President Bill Clintons 37.1%. Four years earlier, Perots 20% was a factor in holding President George H.W. Bush under 50% in Tulsa County. The percentage of Oklahoma and Tulsa County voters registered as independent or with a third party is far higher than it was when Perot disrupted the traditional voting patterns in the 1990s. In Tulsa County, Libertarians and independents are approaching one-fourth of all registered voters. But they give no evidence of rallying around an alternative to the major parties. The combined Tulsa County vote for independent and Libertarian candidates has actually gone down in the last two presidential elections. So the independents impact on Tulsa County elections is difficult to gauge. Perhaps theyre voting more Democrat or Republican. Or perhaps voters are registering as Republicans so they can participate in agenda-defining GOP primaries and then crossing over in general elections. Maybe the parties have changed. Maybe the electorate has changed. Or perhaps the recent run has something to do with the names at the top of the GOP tickets. Barring changes to the U.S. and Oklahoma constitutions, those names will change in 2026 and 2028. Perhaps that will offer some clues as to whether Tulsa Countys curious trends continue or fall back into familiar patterns. The Tulsa World is where your story lives JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa takes over the G20 presidency on Sunday, the first African country to lead the forum, though its focus on issues such as inclusive growth and climate change risks bumping up against the hard reality of trade wars and diplomatic tensions. Coming a year after the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20, South Africa's turn at the helm is seen as an opportunity to push for progress on policy areas crucial to the continent's development. President Cyril Ramaphosa has cited inclusive economic growth, food security, climate change and artificial intelligence as priorities, with details expected next week. South Africa is the fourth emerging market in a row to assume the G20 presidency, which rotates annually, after Indonesia, India and Brazil, and Ramaphosa has said his country would seek to build on the work of those predecessors. The United States will take over in December 2025 under the leadership of Donald Trump, whose incoming administration has threatened to introduce restrictive trade tariffs on nations including Canada, Mexico and China, raising fears of trade wars. Trump has also largely rejected the scientific consensus on the impact of human activity on climate change and vowed to dismantle climate-related policies he will inherit from President Joe Biden. "It will be important for South Africa to ensure that it consolidates positions of the Global South and hands over to the U.S. a solid legacy on issues to avoid the U.S. and Global North diluting or undermining the whole agenda of the Global South," said David Monyae, director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg. Polarized world The G20, which includes 19 sovereign nations as well as the European Union and African Union, was established to bolster global economic cooperation. It represents 85% of the global economy, 75% of world trade and 67% of the global population. However, with members such as the United States, China and Russia in open confrontation over trade and wars in Ukraine, the Middle East and elsewhere, global polarisation complicates the G20's stated mission. The International Monetary Fund and rating agencies have warned that increasingly protectionist trade policies were a threat to global growth and could hit emerging market economies the hardest. Laura Rubidge, foreign policy researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said the G20 presidency would give South Africa a chance to advocate for more effective reforms. She said progress on issues such as sovereign debt, the IMF's Common Framework and improving the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement mechanism could help further Ramaphosa's inclusive growth objective. Passengers can pay to use the priority lane service for faster and more convenient security screening at Da Nang International Airport in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, starting next year. Da Nang International Airport announced on Saturday that starting January 1, 2025, it will begin charging a service fee for access to the priority lane at the security screening point in Terminal T1. It will be the first airport in Vietnam to implement this service. The service fee will apply to commercially important persons (CIP) of Vietnamese airlines, business class passengers (or equivalent) of international airlines, and loyalty program members of Vietnamese airlines who are eligible to use the priority lane for security screening. Phan Kieu Hung, director of Da Nang International Airport, explained that the priority lane will be clearly marked with directional signs, and security personnel will be equipped with specialized machinery to ensure separate screening in line with regulations. Previously, Da Nang International Airport informed domestic airlines of the new service fee, priced at VND100,000 (US$3.95) per passenger, excluding value-added tax. Children under two years old are exempt from the fee, while children aged 2-12 receive a 50-percent discount, Hung told the news site VnExpress on November 22. Hung clarified that the priority lane service is a non-aviation service and will not impact the capacity or quality of air transport services, nor will it alter the aviation security process. Currently, all airports in Vietnam provide priority lanes for high-ranking officials, Heroic Vietnamese Mothers a solemn title given to women whose husbands and children made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, people with meritorious services to the Vietnamese Revolution, as well as the elderly, children, people with disabilities, and pregnant women. Statistics show that the demand for priority lanes at Da Nang International Airport is rising, with about 300 passengers using the service daily during peak periods. Since the beginning of this year, Da Nang International Airport has served over 13.4 million passengers, including more than 6.2 million international travelers and over 7.2 million domestic passengers, generating revenue exceeding VND1.615 trillion ($63.72 million), according to VnExpress. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ben Thanh underground station - the largest station on metro line No. 1 - has been completed after years of construction, marking a significant milestone for the launch of Ho Chi Minh Citys first metro line into commercial operation. The station is strategically located in the heart of District 1, serving as a key transit hub for metro line No. 1 while also connecting with future metro lines No. 2, 3A, and 4. With a modern, multifunctional design, the station features four underground levels, reaching a depth of approximately 32 meters. It spans 236 meters in length and 60 meters in width. A platform of Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thu Dung / Tuoi Tre The first floor houses the main lobby, ticket counters, and control gates. The second floor is dedicated to the train platforms, equipped with a state-of-the-art rail system. The remaining two floors are reserved for technical facilities, commercial spaces, and passenger amenities. A worker stands at the access gate to the platforms of Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thu Dung / Tuoi Tre Recent observations by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper confirm that Ben Thanh underground station is ready for commercial operation, promising a modern and convenient experience for both residents and tourists. Ho Chi Minh Citys metro line No. 1 is 19.7 kilometers long and stretches from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Long Binh Depot in Thu Duc City. It includes 2.6 kilometers of underground urban rail link, 17.1 kilometers of elevated track, and carries a price tag of VND43.7 trillion ($1.7 billion). The lotus-shaped skylight at Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre The line has a total of 17 trains, each capable of accommodating 930 passengers, including 147 sitting and 783 standing. Construction on the metro line began in 2012. A worker cleans a glass railing at Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thu Dung / Tuoi Tre A reporter watches a ticket vending machine at Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre The lotus-shaped skylight is seen from above Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre A worker walks down the stairs at Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre Seats at Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thu Dung / Tuoi Tre Workers complete final touches at Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre A worker cleans the first floor of Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre A technical area above Ben Thanh underground station on metro line No. 1 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thu Dung / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Due to concerns over droughts and saline intrusion, localities in the Mekong Delta are rushing to develop freshwater reservoirs. The provinces which have been most proactive in building reservoirs include Tien Giang, Ben Tre, and Tra Vinh. Since the end of November, downpours have lessened and heat waves have moved into the region, signaling an upcoming drought. In Ben Tre Provinces Ba Tri District, laborers are working tirelessly on the Lac Dia reservoir project. According to Nguyen Van Dien, director of Ben Tre Provinces agricultural and rural development project management board, the project broke ground in late 2022 and is expected to be finished in 2025. Enough of the reservoir has so far been completed that it will be able to meet water storage demands this year. Ben Tre authorities developed the first reservoir in Ba Tri District in 2017 in response to the 2015-16 drought season which led to saltwater intrusion across Ben Tre Province. Ba Tri District suffered the biggest loss due to its proximity to the sea. Ben Tre later spent VND85 billion (US$3.3 million) building its first fresh water reservoir on the Lap Canal. The reservoir, which has a capacity of over 800,000 cubic meters of water, was designed to serve the daily activities for some 20,000 residents and production on over 13,000 hectares of agricultural land. It was the first and largest freshwater reservoir in the Mekong Delta. In 2022, the administration in Ben Tre started work on the Lac Dia reservoir, which would span 124 hectares and carry a price tag of over VND352 billion ($13.9 million). Once finished, Ba Tri Districts reservoirs will be capable of storing more than three million cubic meters of water. Other provinces follow the trend At the recent ground-breaking ceremony for a reservoir along the Lang The River in Cang Long District, Tra Vinh Province, Nguyen Trung Hoang, vice-chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said the project was expected to ensure water security for local production, daily life, industries, and services in the province. The project, which will boast a capacity of over 10 million cubic meters, carries an estimated investment of VND1.33 trillion ($52.5 million) price tag, including VND1.189 trillion ($46.8 million) sourced from the provinces budget and some VND141 billion ($5.6 million) from state coffers. The project was scheduled for completion by April 2026. Tra Vinh Province in southern Vietnam has broken ground on the Lang The reservoir with a price tag of over VND1.33 trillion ($52.5 million). Photo: Mau Truong / Tuoi Tre Meanwhile, Tien Giang Province has proposed developing freshwater reservoirs in Go Cong Tay District, Go Cong City, Go Cong Dong District, and Tan Phu Dong District, said Nguyen Duc Thinh, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The province encountered a shortage of water for daily activities and production during the 2024 dry season. The southernmost province of Ca Mau has also put a reservoir in U Minh District into use. The 3.8-million-cubic-meter reservoir carried a price tag of VND248 billion ($9.8 million). The reservoir is expected to provide freshwater to 11,000 households in U Minh and Tran Van Thoi Districts and store water for fighting forest fires and supporting agricultural production. Long An Province has submitted a plan to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to build a VND700 billion ($27.6 million), 140-hectare freshwater reservoir in its Dong Thap Muoi area. If approved, the reservoir will serve nearly 5,000 hectares of production and aid in fighting forest fires. An Giang Province has also proposed a freshwater storage system worth some VND3.2 trillion ($126.3 million). The 3,000-hectare project will be able to store around 94.53 million cubic meters of water to serve 30,000 hectares of farmland in An Giang Province, Kien Giang Province, and Can Tho City. According to Nguyen Huu Thien, building freshwater reservoirs can aid coastal provinces in times of drought, but technical issues should be taken into account during the development of such reservoirs to insure they arent affected by saltwater intrusion. Provinces should weigh the pros and cons of centralized large reservoirs versus scattered smaller reservoirs, as large ones are favorable in terms of management and water treatment plant installation, but the distance from these reservoirs to users is long, which raises the price of the water used. They should also calculate the volume of water lost through surface evaporation and soil seepage. Water for daily life and production should be separated clearly as water for production does not meet safety standards for daily activities, the expert added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The administration of southern Vietnams Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province has directed local police to investigate the suspected food poisoning after consuming banh mi from a bakery in the provinces Vung Tau City, following the death of one among nearly 380 victims. Dang Minh Thong, deputy chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, on Friday evening said that the authorities had just convened an urgent meeting to deal with the mass food poisoning case allegedly caused by banh mi, with first hospitalizations recorded on Wednesday morning. The provincial authorities have directed local police to probe the mass food poisoning case and strictly handle it in accordance with prevailing regulations, Thong said. The bakery, C.B., located on Nguyen An Ninh Street in the citys Ward 7, has been temporarily shut down pending the results of the investigation, and health workers have taken samples of banh mi and other foods from the establishment for testing. As of Saturday afternoon, the total number of patients with food poisoning symptoms taken to health facilities in the province had amounted to 379, the health department reported. All the affected patients exhibited the same symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue after eating banh mi at C.B. One of these victims, Tran Van R., 71, who lived in a rented house in Vung Tau, died on Thursday evening. R. was taken to Ba Ria Hospital at 7:45 am on the same day in a state of vomiting and diarrhea after eating banh mi from C.B. on Wednesday morning, the department said. Doctors visit a patient with suspected banh mi food poisoning at Vung Tau Hospital in Vung Tau City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Dong Ha / Tuoi Tre After doctors diagnosed the man with sepsis, severe digestive infection, and acute kidney injury, the patient was treated with intravenous infusions, antibiotics, aspirin, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). At 4:10 pm on November 28, the patient suddenly turned purple, and he had unmeasurable blood pressure and pulse. Despite treatment efforts by doctors, the patients conditions got worse, and his relatives asked for the hospital's approval to bring him home at 9:30 pm on the same evening. The man was reported to have died later. This is considered the largest-ever food poisoning case in the province, the department said. Authorities, including police and related agencies, are now working to trace the sources of C.B.'s bread, pork, pork roll, and other ingredients. Inspectors visited C.B. on Wednesday morning, but the establishments owner failed to provide the necessary paperwork, including documents verifying the origin of the ingredients. In recent times, many food poisoning cases due to banh mi have occurred in Vietnam. The latest case happened in southern Dong Thap Province in August, affecting 149 victims. Another case occurred in May in Dong Nai Provinces Long Khanh City, also in the southern region, involving 568 sufferers, one of whom a five-year-old boy died a month later. One more case, with 313 victims including 103 foreigners, was recorded in Hoi An, a tourist city in central Quang Nam Province in September 2023. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Online Friday 2024, the biggest virtual shopping event of the year in Vietnam, has started since November 29, offering opportunities of online shopping for 60 hours on e-commerce platforms nationwide. The Ministry of Industry and Trade on Friday evening conducted an opening ceremony for Online Friday 2024, scheduled from 0:00 am on Friday to 12:00 pm on Sunday, as part of the National E-Commerce Week that has commenced since Monday. The 60-hour event aims to boost domestic product sales and enhance the online shopping experience for Vietnamese consumers, according to the ministrys E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency, the events organizer. As the biggest online shopping event of this year, the event demonstrates the strong progress of Vietnamese goods in the e-commerce era. Accordingly, it will focus on promoting sales of high-quality made-in-Vietnam products, and supporting the export of domestic products via e-commerce channels. The Online Friday programs have been introduced on shopping websites and apps, featuring thousands of discounted products from Vietnamese businesses. The event is participated by more than 30 departments of industry and trade and businesses across the country, along with content creators and operators on digital platforms, which are closely connected with brands and businesses to introduce and promote specialties nationwide. Among prominent activities in the event will be livestream sessions conducted by some enterprises to feature Vietnamese products on online platforms, thereby facilitating consumers to purchase them across diverse distribution channels. The Online Friday is also aimed at promoting cashless payments, ensuring secure transactions, and enhancing consumer trust in e-commerce platforms, the website said. Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan said that the agency always encourages Vietnamese businesses and brands to more and more participate in the e-commerce market, contributing to the development of the countrys digital economy. To make the annual Online Friday a success, the ministry has requested all enterprises involved to meet the requirements of clear origin and authenticity of the product, thereby gaining trust of consumers during online shipping. All discount and sale promotion programs during the event will be closely monitored to ensure legitimate interests of buyers, the official added. The National E-Commerce Week including Online Friday is one of the annual activities to implement the National E-commerce Development Program for the period 2021-25 approved by the government, with an aim to build a healthy, competitive and sustainable e-commerce market in Vietnam, the ministry said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Remains of 43 Chinese martyrs in Korean War buried in homeland Xinhua) 11:09, November 30, 2024 Guards of honor escort the caskets of the fallen Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs during a burial ceremony at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Nov. 29, 2024. The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were laid to rest on Friday in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Li Gang) SHENYANG, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were laid to rest on Friday in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. The remains of the fallen soldiers were brought back to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) aboard a Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force Y-20 transport aircraft on Thursday. The burial ceremony began at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang at 10 a.m. With the national anthem playing, the guards of honor carrying the caskets of the fallen martyrs entered the cemetery. More than 300 people, including representatives from central and local authorities, the military, and relatives of CPV martyrs, attended the ceremony. Since 2014, China and the ROK, in accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, have completed 11 consecutive handovers of the remains of 981 CPV martyrs who died in the ROK. About 74 years ago, the CPV crossed the Yalu River and fought alongside the army and civilians of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. After an arduous fight that lasted almost three years, the CPV eventually won the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. More than 197,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the war. Guards of honor escort the caskets of the fallen Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs during a burial ceremony at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Nov. 29, 2024. The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were laid to rest on Friday in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. Since 2014, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), in accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, have completed 11 consecutive handovers of the remains of 981 CPV martyrs who died in the ROK. About 74 years ago, the CPV crossed the Yalu River and fought alongside the army and civilians of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. After an arduous fight that lasted almost three years, the CPV eventually won the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. More than 197,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the war. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Soldiers fire a gun salute during a burial ceremony for the remains of the fallen Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Nov. 29, 2024. The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were laid to rest on Friday in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. Since 2014, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), in accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, have completed 11 consecutive handovers of the remains of 981 CPV martyrs who died in the ROK. About 74 years ago, the CPV crossed the Yalu River and fought alongside the army and civilians of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. After an arduous fight that lasted almost three years, the CPV eventually won the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. More than 197,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the war. (Photo by Han Qiyang/Xinhua) Guards of honor escort the caskets of the fallen Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs during a burial ceremony at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Nov. 29, 2024. The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were laid to rest on Friday in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. Since 2014, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), in accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, have completed 11 consecutive handovers of the remains of 981 CPV martyrs who died in the ROK. About 74 years ago, the CPV crossed the Yalu River and fought alongside the army and civilians of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. After an arduous fight that lasted almost three years, the CPV eventually won the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. More than 197,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the war. (Photo by Han Qiyang/Xinhua) Guards of honor carrying the caskets of the fallen Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs enter the cemetery during a burial ceremony at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Nov. 29, 2024. The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were laid to rest on Friday in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. Since 2014, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), in accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, have completed 11 consecutive handovers of the remains of 981 CPV martyrs who died in the ROK. About 74 years ago, the CPV crossed the Yalu River and fought alongside the army and civilians of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. After an arduous fight that lasted almost three years, the CPV eventually won the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. More than 197,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the war. (Xinhua/Li Jie) (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) A native of Beaumont, J.C. Reid graduated from the University of Southern California after studying architecture and spent his early career as an architect in New York City. He returned to Texas in 1995, retiring from architecture but creating his own Internet business in Houston. As his business became self-sustaining, he began traveling Houston and the world to pursue his passion: eating barbecue. He began blogging about food and barbecue for the Houston Chronicle in 2010 and founded the Houston Barbecue Project in 2011 to document barbecue eateries throughout the area. Just last year, Reid and others founded the Houston Barbecue Festival to showcase mom-and-pop barbecue joints in the city. The 2014 event drew 2,000 guests to sample meats from 20 restaurants. You can view more of J.C.'s work at jcreidtx.com. Long An Province in southern Vietnam is making bold strides in improving its healthcare system, focusing on modernizing infrastructure and enhancing the quality of medical personnel. In tandem with these investments, the province's healthcare sector is spearheading a robust digital transformation, aiming to optimize services and streamline patient care. Increasing beds, equipment, doctors for district-level medical centers A new 125-bed inpatient facility, costing VND50 billion (US$2 million), is under construction at the medical center in Tan Hung, a border district in the Dong Thap Muoi area which is furthest from the provinces downtown area. Since its establishment in 2005 and a significant upgrade in 2015, the center currently operates with 240 beds. According to Dr. Nguyen Van Del, the center's director, the addition of the new facility will bring the total capacity to 345 beds, enhancing healthcare services for the border district. Dr. Del noted that the medical center is now equipped with advanced medical devices, including CT scanners, echocardiogram machines, vascular ultrasound systems, gastrointestinal endoscopes, laparoscopic equipment, and automated analyzers for biochemistry and hematology. All 12 medical stations across Tan Hung District have been upgraded with modern facilities that meet national healthcare standards, significantly improving the districts capacity to deliver quality medical care. With these modern medical devices, local residents receive better healthcare and save on travel costs to higher-level hospitals, according to Dr. Del. To support such improvements, more medical staff have been assigned to the districts healthcare units. Tan Hung now has 68 doctors, achieving a ratio of 14 doctors per 10,000 residents, which ensures more accessible and comprehensive care for the community. They include two master's degree holders. Eighteen doctors are working in the 12 medical stations. Huynh Minh Phuc, director of the Long An Department of Health, said that the province's public healthcare system comprises 27 units, including the Long An General Hospital, which has been upgraded to a grade-I facility. The system also features 15 district-level medical centers and 188 commune-level medical stations, all equipped with modern facilities and enhanced staffing. In 2024, the department is supporting 128 doctors in pursuing postgraduate education, further strengthening the provinces healthcare workforce, Phuc added. Positive results of digital transformation Phuc said that Long Ans healthcare sector has made significant progress in digital transformation. Officials now have access to computers, enabling more efficient task management, while the province has consistently upgraded its IT infrastructure. The Department of Health integrates its operations with the provinces digital database and platforms. A total of 240 vaccination sites have declared compliance with vaccination standards and actively update data on the national immunization portal, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of vaccination management. Phuc noted that Long An effectively uses software to manage hospitals, medical stations, staff, and the issuance of pharmaceutical practice certificates. Since 2023, all public medical centers under the Department of Health have adopted non-cash payment methods, such as credit cards and QR codes. Particularly, since March 2023, residents have been able to access healthcare services using chip-based ID cards, streamlining procedures and improving service efficiency. Currently, 95.93 percent of Long An residents have digital health records. Since 2023, hospitals and medical centers in the province have shared essential documents like health check-up certificates for driver's licenses, birth notices, and death notices. The Department of Health is also rolling out a plan to use biometric data and automated kiosks for medical check-ups and treatment at all public hospitals and medical centers, aiming to provide more efficiency and patient convenience. The Department of Health has piloted its biometric-based medical check-up system at the Ben Luc District Medical Center to speed up services and reduce waiting times, according to Phuc. Long An is set to purchase 89 hemodialysis machines and other medical equipment valued at VND75 billion ($3 million) for healthcare units across the province in 2024-25, bettering medical care for residents. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Military Hospital 103 and the 108 Military Central Hospital have cooperated to collect and transplant organs from a 20-year-old man, who was declared brain-dead following a severe traffic accident. A doctor from the 108 Military Central Hospital in Hanoi said on Friday that the hospital had helped the Military Hospital 103 retrieve seven organs, including a heart, a liver, a lung, two kidneys, and two corneas on Wednesday from a brain-dead man whose family decided to donate his organs to needy patients. After admitting the man for emergency treatment following a severe traffic incident, the Military Hospital 103 in Hanoi diagnosed him with a traumatic brain injury. Despite medical efforts, the man fell into a coma and was pronounced brain dead. His family then made the courageous decision to donate his organs in order to save patients in need. The Military Hospital 103 then contacted the 108 Military Central Hospital for aid in transplanting the mans organs. Therefore, the 108 Military Central Hospital on Wednesday afternoon sent some experts to the Military Hospital 103 to support with organ retrieval and transplants. The donors liver and two kidneys were transplanted into patients at the Military Hospital 103. Meanwhile, the donated heart was given to a patient at the Hue Central Hospital in Thua Thien-Hue Province, central Vietnam. A lung from the young man was used to save a patient at the National Lung Hospital in Hanoi. The recipients of each of the mans organs are showing positive recovery. The patient, who underwent a liver transplant, is now conscious and able to speak normally. This was the third liver transplant that 108 Military Central Hospital has supported the Military Hospital 103 under a liver transplant technique transfer contract. Until now, the 108 Military Central Hospital has performed over 250 liver transplants, 500 kidney transplants, two heart transplants, four lung transplants, and four limb transplants. The hospital carries out 50 transplants a year, and aims to raise the number to 100 per year in the near future. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Viet Nam now exports 14 kinds of farm produce to China; however those are mainly raw goods. To sell agricultural products directly to Chinese consumers, Vietnamese companies are advised to focus on improving product label design and packaging. Le Thu Lua, chief representative of Sunwah Group in Ha Noi - a company that has been operating in Viet Nam for 50 years, spoke to Viet Nam News reporter To Nhu about how to improve exports. How do you evaluate Vietnamese agricultural products, compared to those in other countries, including China? Each product has its own strengths and characteristics. Vietnamese products have their origin and freshness. They are also typical products of the tropical region. In particular, Viet Nam's famous products such as durian, coconut and other fruits are all strong and can be exported fresh to the Chinese market. Meanwhile, products from other countries, for example from China's Henan Province, are mainly instant, processed ones with various different flavours. This is the regional difference that we can fully take advantage of to promote trade activities between the two sides. The quality of Vietnamese farm produce has currently improved significantly and has made a good impression in the eyes of international customers. The Chinese market and consumers have given special recognition to the quality of these products. However, there remains room for Vietnamese firms to improve their agricultural products such as diversifying the products' packaging and label design to suit the criteria and requirements of this important market. Therefore, in the future, Sunwah Group and partners in China will cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre to provide advice as well as give new directions for agricultural products, especially in processing, manufacturing and packaging to meet the market needs. What farm products in Viet Nam will Sunwah continue to export to China? Currently, we are focusing on some products, including coffee, dried fruit products, along with some for herbal medicine. They are Viet Nam's strong agricultural products. We will concentrate on promoting these products in the Chinese market. A virtual booth selling Vietnamese agricultural products on e-commerce platforms and social networks in China has been launched recently. How do you evaluate this move? This is a very important channel to promote agricultural trade between Viet Nam and China. China is a very large importer of Viet Nam's farm produce. It now accounts for a fairly high proportion of Viet Nam's total agricultural import and export turnover. Thus, the launch of the Vietnamese agricultural products on the digital platform in China is a new step in the journey of promoting Vietnamese goods exported through e-commerce to the Chinese market. Currently, e-commerce holds an extremely large market share in China. The consumption trends of the Chinese are shifting, so when we capture this market share, it will also mark a new turning point in the story of Viet Nam's farm produce exports. As a bridge connecting Vietnamese farm produce to the Chinese market, what recommendations do you have for Vietnamese businesses to be able to export more products to this market? When working with businesses, the most important thing I think is that they must improve the products' packaging. The packaging of Vietnamese agricultural products is too simple, which may be acceptable to consumers in Viet Nam and other countries rather than Chinese ones. However, in the Chinese market, they have very special preferences, so Vietnamese businesses need to improve the product label image, as well as increase cultural recognition with specific images of Viet Nam. Vietnamese businesses also need to diversify the taste of their products to suit the market. Mostly in the Chinese market, consumer culture and taste will be more inclined towards strong flavours than the tastes of Vietnamese consumers. In addition, businesses should also engage deeply in e-commerce, improve the corporate governance system to be more professional, as well as have a specialised personnel team instead of just one team in charge of all export markets. Because the Chinese market is unique, with separate language and cultural barriers, if we do not have a specialised staff dedicated to this market and understand what it needs, it will be very difficult to develop quickly and strongly. So label product design is considered a weakness of Vietnamese farm produce. What are the necessary criteria for a package that can attract customers? On product label and packaging, in addition to basic product information, as well as customs requirements for packaging such as having a secondary label, the colour images on the label also need to be improved and diversified with more colours. In addition to expressing the product itself, the packaging should also express the culture and identity of the Vietnamese people. Chinese products are usually colourfully packaged, with many eye-catching images as Chinese firms have paid effective attention to packaging design. I think that Vietnamese businesses can do the same way. They can team up with designers who can provide unique and specific ideas to make Vietnamese product packaging more eye-catching and easily attract Chinese consumers. Each product will require a different specific label design. One packaging design cannot be used for all products. It is necessary to understand the nature, competitiveness and advantages of the export products to make attractive packaging. VNS Trade promotion has significantly contributed to the robust growth of Viet Nam's agricultural, forestry and fishery exports, with a total value at US$51.74 billion in the first 10 months of this year, up 20.2 per cent year-on-year. Nguyen Minh Tien, director of the Centre for Agricultural Trade Promotion (Agritrade) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, speaks to Viet Nam News reporter To Nhu about the sector's successes and the future of trade promotion for farm produce. How do you evaluate the agricultural sector's achievement and goods export this year? The agricultural sector has been a bright spot in Viet Nams economic landscape, consistently surpassing many targets. Vietnamese agricultural, forestry, and fishery products are now exported to over 200 countries and territories, with a total value of $53.5 billion in 2023. Despite global challenges such as regional conflicts and rising input costs, the sector maintained its momentum in 2024. In the first 10 months alone, export value reached $51.74 billion, driven by agricultural restructuring, market diversification, and new trade protocols with China. We expect export value to surpass $62 billion by the end of this year, setting a new record for the sector. This growth is attributed to the country's diverse range of agricultural products, especially fruits, vegetables and spices, alongside its stable economic growth and participation in multiple free trade agreements. Trade promotion activities have played a crucial role in introducing Vietnamese farm produce to the global market, helping us achieve these remarkable results. China is Viet Nam's largest market for agricultural exports. How has Agritrade facilitated trade promotion for this market? China has been Viet Nams largest trading partner for years, and our bilateral trade relationship continues to deepen. Agritrade serves as a bridge connecting Vietnamese agricultural enterprises with major Chinese buyers. Notably, on August 19, Viet Nam signed three protocols with Chinas General Administration of Customs, facilitating the export of frozen durian, fresh coconut, and crocodile products. This agreement diversifies Viet Nams agricultural exports to China and helps remove trade barriers for other agricultural, forestry and fishery products. Agritrade partnered with Sunwah Group Hong Kong to establish Vietnamese farm produce booths on Chinese e-commerce platforms and social media. This initiative enhances market access for Vietnamese goods in China. The official launch of these booths took place on November 20, marking a significant step forward in trade promotion efforts. Additionally, Agritrade organised the Viet Nam-China Business Trade Conference on the same day, as part of the 24th International Agricultural Exhibition (AgroViet 2024). This event provided Vietnamese enterprises with opportunities to showcase their products and explore partnerships with Chinese businesses. Trade promotion is key to boosting export growth. What are Agritrade's plans for the future? With the agricultural restructuring process nearing completion, trade promotion efforts will align with trends in green and organic agriculture, as well as the circular economy. Domestically, Agritrade will continue to host trade fairs and conferences to connect Vietnamese businesses with international partners. Internationally, we will focus on key markets such as the Middle East, Japan, South Korea, and China. Agritrade has so far this year participated in four fairs in China. Moving forward, we plan to expand the presence of Vietnamese booths at trade events in this market, which offers immense potential for export growth. Following recent agreements with China to open the market for key products like frozen durian, fresh coconut and crocodile products, we anticipate significant breakthroughs in 2025. We also aim to increase the value of Vietnamese farm produce in export markets like China and the EU. To achieve this, Vietnamese businesses should invest in improving their processing technologies and capacity for agricultural, forestry and fishery products. How does Agritrade support businesses in using new technologies and enhancing product value? One of our key priorities is introducing Vietnamese enterprises to advanced machinery, equipment, and technology from other countries. This includes technology from China, which can help local businesses enhance processing efficiency and produce high-value products that meet export market demands. Trade promotion programmes not only showcase Vietnamese agricultural products, including items under the One Commune, One Product (OCOP) programme, but also provide opportunities for technology transfer. By integrating new technologies, local businesses can create innovative products in line with global consumption trends. For example, improved processing methods can increase product value and ensure compliance with stringent standards in export markets, expanding opportunities for Vietnamese agricultural sector. What long-term strategies are in place to sustain export growth? Agritrade is committed to supporting businesses in both domestic and international markets through targeted trade promotion activities. We will continue inviting foreign enterprises to participate in conferences and fairs, facilitating direct connections with Vietnamese suppliers. Moreover, we will focus on diversifying export markets, improving the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods, and ensuring they meet international standards. By promoting sustainability and technological advancement, Viet Nams agricultural sector will remain resilient and continue its upward trajectory in the global market. These efforts aim to build on Viet Nams strong foundation in agricultural exports, ensuring sustained growth and long-term success for the sector. VNS Who or what inspires your passion for Vietnamese ethnic art and culture? My journey into Vietnamese ethnic art and culture began during a volunteer trip to Hoa Binh in early 2023. Meeting and speaking with residents of ethnic minority villages deeply impacted me. I realised how little I knew about their unique art, cultural identities, and heritages despite living in the same country. It felt as though we were separated by an invisible cultural divide. A pivotal moment for me was meeting Hanoi sculptor Dinh Cong Dat, whose passion for preserving traditional art and craftsmanship was truly inspiring. Our conversations ignited my curiosity, particularly his sharing of Vietnamese proverbs and idioms that reflect the essence of traditional crafts. For instance, his insights into traditional silk-making reimagined its relevance for both old and modern communities. This encounter motivated me to delve deeper into the world of ethnic art and culture, setting me on a journey of learning and appreciation. Tran Thai Uyen, a dedicated student at the High School for Gifted Students, Hanoi National University of Education What motivated you to set up a social project linking ethnic art to community support? I feel fortunate to have grown up in a loving and supportive family, which has instilled in me a strong sense of gratitude and a desire to give back. I aim to align my passions with meaningful contributions to society. The intricate process of silk-making, with its rich cultural symbolism, inspired me to connect cultural preservation with social impact. This led me to design a silk scarf project to support children undergoing chemotherapy. Collaborating with a local artist and a traditional craftsman, I created over 100 silk artworks that were gifted to young cancer patients. These scarves are not just symbols of beauty; they represent resilience and compassion. By blending ethnic embroidery with modern design, I sought to honour traditional craftsmanship while also addressing a contemporary challenge. Why do you think ethnic minority art and crafts resonate with communities? Ethnic minority art and traditional crafts carry timeless beauty and vibrant cultural values. Each stitch and pattern reflects generations of stories, traditions, and artistic mastery. When people interact with these handcrafted pieces, they sense the dedication, love, and authenticity behind them. This emotional connection transcends aesthetics, reminding us of our shared humanity and the importance of preserving cultural identities in an ever-changing world. I have been influenced by my teachers, friends, and the people Ive met during charity projects who share my commitment to cultural preservation and social impact. To spread this passion, I use storytelling to share the experiences that inspired my journey and the stories behind each cultural artifact I work with. Through my silk scarf project for cancer patients, I hope to demonstrate how traditional crafts can coexist with and enrich modern life. The project began in the summer of 2023 during a charity trip to Tuyen Quang with the Bright Tomorrow Fund, which supports cancer patients. Seeing the joy on the faces of the recipients was a transformative moment. It showed me how a simple gesture can bring confidence and hope to someone in need. Along the way, I learned the intricacies of silk-making, strengthened my design skills, and connected with artisans and community leaders. The project also inspired my friends and classmates to join in, turning it into a collective effort and highlighting the power of community and persistence. This experience has shaped my aspiration to pursue a college degree in Public Health, where I hope to contribute to improving the quality of life and mental wellbeing of cancer patients. What challenges have you faced in encouraging others to share your love for traditional ethnic culture? One major challenge was overcoming the perception that traditional culture is outdated or irrelevant in todays fast-paced world. Many of my peers initially struggled to see the connection between preserving ethnic embroidery and addressing modern challenges. To address this, I focused on tangible outcomes, such as using silk scarves as cultural tributes while supporting cancer patients. Earning trust and support also required patience, clear communication, and delivering consistent results. By achieving small successes, I was able to inspire others to join the effort and see the value of blending traditional culture with meaningful social impact. What has been the key to your success? For me, effort is the foundation of success. While good fortune may provide a head start, turning ideas into reality and sustaining it requires hard work and perseverance. I started with no prior knowledge of silk-making or design, and I had to work tirelessly to learn the basics. Persuading friends to support and join the project was another uphill task. Late nights perfecting designs and overcoming my shyness to seek guidance on traditional art and culture were crucial steps in building the project. Good fortune acts as a catalyst, but effort ensures long-term, sustainable results. The journey taught me that dedication and persistence are key to creating impactful projects that bring meaningful change to communities. Vietnamese silk, brocade fashion show held in Russia Over 70 creations by designer Minh Hanh were recently introduced at a silk and brocade fashion show in Moscow, Russia. It was the third time the designer had introduced her collections in Russia. The return of silk masks Together with her 8-year-old daughter, Nguyen My Tra, a journalist from the National radio bradcaster Voice of Vietnam (VOV), created unique silk masks made from traditional Vietnamese silk. Lyle Lovett Michael Wilson When Lyle Lovett performs Family Reserve a 30-year-old song about family and one friend no longer among the living he admits to having allowed songwriting needs to supersede his journalism degree. Lovetts Uncle Eugene who opens the song in an ambulance screaming down Main Street in Tomball actually died on Oct. 2, 1980. For the sake of meter and slant rhyme, Lovetts song sends Uncle Eugene to the next plane in 1981. Family Reserve has long been a Lovett staple in concert for good reason. Its an accounting of the departed, but also deftly serves as a celebration of them. Three decades later, similar thematic rudiments beguile Lovett, the writer. This month, he released a new album, his first in a decade. 12th of June does the things Lovetts albums do well. The musicianship is impeccable. The stylistic breadth is varied yet cohesive. The lyrics enjoy the same detail-oriented care he invests in his other interests: boots, hats, shirts, photography, horses, geography. So 12th of June feels familiar. Lyle Lovett Michael Wilson And yet not. When Lovett says my songs are rarely fiction and states hes the character in tunes that date back to his days performing in College Station in the 1970s and at Anderson Fair in the 1980s, the Klein native might sound like hes offering a magicians misdirection. The public record offers no evidence he ever busted up a wedding by shooting a bride and groom. He exhibits too much affinity for family to pry a gold tooth from his dying grandmothers mouth. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More Information Lyle Lovett and His Large Band When: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 27 Where: Smart Financial Centre, 18111 Lexington, Sugar Land Details: $59.50-$99.50; 281-207-6278, smartfinancialcentre.com With this approach in mind, 12th of June plays like a modification of his process rather than a pivot. Or rather, hes taken his reportage and turned it inside out. In my mind, some of my earlier songs were the work of somebody imagining what life could be like, looking ahead, he says. You imagine how the reality of these emotions plays out. But now, with age and experience, I feel like I have the ability to write from an emotional standpoint about the way things play out. The title track among Lovetts loveliest songs exemplifies this subtle evolution. 12th of June teems with celebration of new life, the result of Lovett and his wife, April Kimble, becoming parents of twins five years ago. Its also a song about death, set in part by a San Jacinto County cemetery where departed ancestors on Lovetts paternal side have been buried for well more than a century. Life and death and place. 12th of June is a song lifetimes in the making. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tending to the past Come this way, Lovett says. I want to show you the branch He pulls back some tree limbs and leads the way into a thicket. There had been a misunderstanding on my part about the song 12th of June. Hearing it live a few years ago, I thought Lovett sang by the banks of the San Jacinto. I took that to mean the bifurcated river, thinking the two forks of the San Jacinto in some way represented the connection of family new and old, present and past. Turns out the line was, by the branch at San Jacinto. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Having been corrected, I set eyes upon the branch, a large, dry ravine that runs by Lovett Cemetery on the outskirts of Sam Houston National Forest. With its ragged contours, the spaces allure to an adventurous child is undeniable. To adult eyes, it prompts different intrigue borne of an acute awareness of time the years it took water to cut its contours and the ways its surrounding greenery sprung from seedlings to tall trees. The song 12th of June presents the arrival of Lovetts children five years ago with deep affection. But its narrator also finds such celebratory beginnings as a prompt for contemplation about endings. By picturing his own funeral, Lovett offers an unblinkered take on both the joys and anxieties of parenthood. Lyle Lovett Michael Wilson By the branch of San Jacinto, sing for me a happy tune, Lovett sings. The song functions brilliantly on paper, but the harmonies on its chorus give it wings. These days, family members congregate once a year at Lovett Cemetery. Some travel less than a mile. Some, like Lovett, drive a short spell from Klein, where his family lives in a simple white house that once belonged to his maternal grandparents. Cousin Russell Jeffcoat and his wife drove up from Sugar Land. One family trekked from Tennessee. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The spread is admirable: A path of covered dishes rests upon long folding tables set end to end. The family members whove been around longer Lovett is 64 recall when this sort of assembly occurred with greater frequency. In those days, the social element was secondary to the task of landscaping. Adults and kids alike would tend to the graves as well as the surrounding plot of land. Natures incremental encroachment was regularly kept at arms length. Funds were set aside to hire professional landscapers, leaving the gathering to be one of celebration and remembrance. At this years event, Lovett had a photographer/videographer on hand to capture images of the living by the headstones of their ancestors. Only family can find its way into the space, though Jeffcoat says the cemeterys original occupant wasnt connected to the Lovett family tree. He says a man passing through the region in the mid-1800s died, and William Lovett buried him on his land, a heartening story aligned with grateful dead mythology about doing well by strangers. Pants, dancing, life, death That Lovetts grandson, Lovetts father, William Pearce Lovett, passed away in 1999. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If a feeling like jealousy can prompt the actions of L.A. County, surely the push and pull of relationships between parents and children leave a different impression upon the psyche. Lovett wrote You Were Always There for his father, a transparent song informed by mourning that he released on his 2003 album My Baby Dont Tolerate. In some ways, 12th of June (the album) feels like an outgrowth of that song. Make no mistake, he says, to one degree or another, all the original songs on this record were inspired by my children. The glow of parenthood typically gets all the ink. But with the arrival of the kids, a countdown begins to that point at which they go on without us. Days are thus spent enjoying the company as Lovett clearly has with his children. Two other 12th of June songs very clearly bear the stamp of a new father entertaining his children. Pants Is Overrated predates the pandemic, a toddlers disinclination to follow sartorial decorum. Heard after a period of prolonged quarantine, the song sounds almost prescient. Are We Dancing arose from quiet time at home singing to daughter Ella as an infant. The song plays dreamily and effortless, which may be why it sounds so much like an American pop standard from the 1940s. Lovett calls it something like a snapshot of an eternal moment. Lyle Lovett Michael Wilson But 12th of June (the song) works both brighter and darker corners. Lovetts sense of humor has long prevented him from dwelling at the foot of the void like some of his heroes and contemporaries. Nevertheless, his affinity for craftsmen luthiers, leatherworkers, milliners, songwriters by nature can create a foggy fatalism. Such practitioners arent always replaced by apprentices, and their trades can degrade generationally through modernity. Nestled inside the notes of the album is an In-Memory-Of list that is fairly long. But consider a decade has passed since Lovett last put out an album. The list includes friends, family, mentors, collaborators and travelers. There are those who vouched for Lovett as a young songwriter, such folks as Nanci Griffith and Guy and Susanna Clark; the master guitar maker Bill Collings. Architecture professor Joe Mashburn. The math cant be simply chalked onto a blackboard. But we are a curious sum of our genetic selves and those with whom we keep company. Family ties Having been writing songs for nearly 50 years and having been a recording artist for close to 40, Lovett who hits the road again this summer and plays Smart Financial Centre Aug. 27 bristles at some of the shorthand attached to his work as a musician. Hed be content to see descriptors like oddball and quirky retired. Im a regular guy who plays music that reflects the music he grew up around, he says. The Houston region cant help but be found all over 12th of June, the citys storied musical history led to a side of his being the same as the genetic material that passed along from those in the cemetery. A more traditional person you wont find, he says, referencing his home, which belonged to his maternal grandparents. His mother is a neighbor to one side; his uncle a neighbor on the other. These are another side of the family reserve: Kleins rather than the Lovetts buried near the branch descendants of Adam Klein, a German immigrant who settled in the area in 1848. Im grateful for the life Ive had, Lovett says. The way I was brought up, the people who raised me. I try to reflect that in general. His stage presence is so fluid today that its difficult to imagine a time he describes as being so uncomfortable as a storyteller standing before crowds in College Station or Houston playing songs that are now beloved. Over the years, I feel like Ive been given permission to be myself, he says. One of the worst things in the world, Id imagine, would be to assume a character trying to appeal to an audience. Ive always tried to be myself on stage. With the songwriting, he had greater clarity. But years of doing the work have wiped away any opacity. Which led him to a song that tells a story about a father, his wife and their two children. The song isnt long, but decades run through it. So to my father and my mother, he sings, And to our fathers long before/There are those who walk above us/wholl remember that we were/they will remember that we were. A Medal of Honor recipients family in Waco is sharing his legacy of duty to the country in a new book also containing accounts of his courageous battles during the Vietnam War. U.S. Army Col. Robert Howard served five tours of duty in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Much of Howards duty while deployed overseas involved highly classified operations in places like Laos and Cambodia, where U.S. military personnel were not officially sanctioned to operate, as well as in North Vietnam. President Richard Nixon presented Howards Medal of Honor to him in a White House ceremony March 2, 1971, for heroic and gallant actions under enemy fire to rescue wounded comrades, while wounded himself, and repelling an enemy force outnumbering them about eight to one. Howard enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1956, at 17, and retired as a full colonel after 36 years of service in 1992. He died in Waco Dec. 23, 2009, at the age of 70. Howards daughter, Melissa Gentsch, and her husband, retired Waco Assistant Police Chief Frank Gentsch, said the family has been careful over the years about who they want to tell Howards story. The work of Stephen L. Moore convinced them he was up to the task, and his new book, Beyond the Call of Duty: The Life of Colonel Robert Howard, Americas Most Decorated Green Beret, will be released Tuesday. Moore and Melissa Gentsch will appear at a book signing from 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 8 at Fabled Bookshop and Cafe, 215 S. Fourth St. Melissa Gentsch said it is important for her fathers life to be told accurately and in context. Howard would not have wanted his story told for his own personal aggrandizement, or to glorify himself, Gentsch said. Her father would have wanted his life shared so people, particularly those in the military and those who want to serve their country, can understand what was done, what may need to be done again, and what will be required of them to accomplish these things, she said. Howard was nominated for the Medal of Honor three times during a 13-month interval from December 1967 to December 1968. It was the third nomination for which he received the nations highest military honor. One of the others was downgraded and processed as a Distinguished Service Cross, the highest decoration from the U.S. Army, Moore said. In the action for which he became a Medal of Honor recipient, Howard was a platoon sergeant. After insertion by helicopter, Howard and his platoon came under fire by approximately two companies of enemy combatants, about eight times the number of troops Howard was with. Early in the engagement, Howard and his platoon leader were both wounded, Howard losing the ability to walk and his platoon leader unconscious. Howard crawled around and administered first aid to his fellow soldiers and rallied the platoon to fight off the enemy formations. Howard was wounded again during the engagement but continued to direct the fire of this troops repulsing the enemy enough for rescue helicopters to return and take them back to base and take the wounded for medical treatment. As Melissa Gentsch tells it, her father regained the ability to walk and to run after medical treatment. Howard used to take her running with him when he was a captain and a major, years after he received the Medal of Honor, she said. Both Melissa and Frank Gentsch believed Moore could tell her fathers life as it should be told. They were convinced after reading Moores 2018 book Uncommon Valor which recounts the formation and combat actions of her fathers covert operations military organization, the MACV-SOG, or Studies and Observations Group under Military Assistance Command Vietnam. MACV-SOG was a covert military organization made up of Army Special Forces, informally known as Green Berets, along with Navy SEALs and special operators of other military branches. The book of Howards life came about because Moore attended a number of special forces reunions with one of his uncles, Moore said in phone interview last week. Moore met the men who served in MACV-SOG and other covert units and gained access to certain official military records of their missions. In Uncommon Valor, he tells the account of the unit. Among the troops in MACV-SOG, Howard and four others became recipients of the Medal of Honor, Moore said. Howard also received eight Purple Hearts for wounds in combat and more than 40 additional awards and decorations including the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star and four Bronze Stars. Moore said that after writing the story of MACV-SOG, he also wanted to recount Howards life. Beyond the Call of Duty tells how Howards grandmother raised him in Opelika, Alabama, and vividly recounts his service and his life before and after the battle for which he received the Medal of Honor. The book also traces Howards path after the Vietnam War, training soldiers, his last battle against the disease that finally took him and his burial in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, in a section normally reserved for dignitaries. The Gentsches have had several writers contact them over the years about telling Howards story. Several of the other writers had other things they wanted to attempt to prove in telling Howards life, Frank Gentsch said. Neither Melissa nor Frank thought the other writers would do justice to Howards story. After reading Uncommon Valor, they knew Moore would tell Howards life properly. They knew Moore would recount Howards life truthfully and with respect and honor to what Howard and the troops who served and fought alongside him accomplished. Moore and Melissa Gentsch will sign copies of Beyond the Call of Duty and talk about Howards life and service on Dec. 8 at Fabled Bookshop. The book will be published in paperback, digital and audio formats on Tuesday. Double honour for adrenaline packed adventure company in Llangollen This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 30th, 2024 A hairy adventure company has been hailed as one of the stars of the regions tourism industry. Bearded Men Adventures in Llangollen was among the big winners at the Go North Wales Tourism Awards. The event organised by North Wales Tourism celebrates the dedication, skill and achievements of the regions tourism and hospitality industry. This year the ceremony at Venue Cymru in Llandudno was hosted by former BBC journalist Sian Lloyd, who hails from Wrexham, and the headline sponsor once again was Harlech Foodservice which supplies many of the regions hotels, guest houses and restaurants. Most of the winners will go forward to the National Tourism Awards for Wales next March, hosted by Visit Wales. Bearded Men Adventures, whose adrenaline-fuelled activities include white water rafting, canoeing across the world famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and axe throwing, picked up two gongs. The company, which describes itself as the Hairiest Adventure Company in North Wales, won the Go Activity or Experience award while 18 year old team member Hugh Owen was named as the Rising Star in the Tourism and Hospitality Category. Hugh said winning the Rising Star awards was an unbelievable start to his dream job. From the age of 16 he set his sights on a career which would allow him to share his love for nature and adventure with others. Hugh, who comes from Wrexham, said: Its too crazy for words really. Ive known for a while that outdoor pursuits and tourism were the fields Id love to work in and now that pathway is evolving in front of me. Its also such a great time to be involved in the tourism sector in North Wales. Theres so much happening in Wrexham and the surrounding area these days, all the publicity which has come from the success of Wrexham FC since it was taken over by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Its created such potential for the region, its too exciting for words really. Theres such a buzz around the whole region and its great to be with a such a dynamic company which is right at the heart of things and brimming over with energy. Hugh said he also wanted to thank his parents Anna Mottershead and Aled Owen for supporting his dream to work in the world of outdoor pursuits. Bearded Men Adventures trailblazers Hugh Luckock and Jason Rickwood said they were overjoyed to scoop the award for being for best company in the business of providing high octane fun for thrill seekers. Jason said: Its fantastic to be rewarded for doing what we love and offering our customers a safe way to take part in adventures that they also love, it doesnt get better than that. He said the award would be a positive boost as they promote new offerings in the Bearded Men catalogue including stays at the newly named Without a Paddle hotel they have just opened in the heart of Llangollen. According to head judge, Jim Jones, the chief executive of North Wales Tourism, Adam Williams was an irrepressible force of nature. It was a sentiment echoed by David Cattrall, the Managing Director of headline sponsors Harlech Foodservice. He said: The impact of Covid and its aftermath have made things very difficult for everybody and tourism and hospitality is one of the sectors that has suffered the most in terms of economic impact. But as the awards have shown tonight we are a resilient lot thanks to an army of heroes who work on the front line in this important sector. It is important that we continue to celebrate our many achievements and there are reasons to be optimistic about the future. Wrexham residents asked to shape policing budget through Council Tax survey This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 30th, 2024 Members of the public are being asked to have their say on how much they would be willing to pay through their Council Tax for policing in the region over the next financial year. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin has launched his annual consultation to help determine how much residents are prepared to contribute for policing in the next financial year. Around half the money for the police budget in North Wales comes from the UK Government and the rest comes from Council Tax. The amount people pay in their Council Tax depends on the precept levied by Police and Crime Commissioners. To maintain a standstill budget without cuts, an increase of approximately 23 per year (44p per week) is expected to be implemented. Following the closing of the survey, the results will be studied and Andy Dunbobbin will make a proposal on the level of precept to the Police and Crime Panel at a meeting on 27 January 2025. The amount paid by people will then change in April, at the start of the coming financial year 2025/26. According to Mr Dunbobbin there is no option in the survey for no increase in Council Tax as there is a requirement in law to set a balanced budget for policing, which means an increase of some kind must happen. He added that he is conscious of current pressures on household budgets and is keen to know what level of council tax increase residents would support through his survey. The force has already made savings that are worth 45 million per year since 2010. I would urge everyone who pays Council Tax or Business Rates to take part in my survey, said Mr Dunbobbin. A well-funded police force is better equipped to face the pressures we see today in terms of crime and I pledge that I will hold the Chief Constable and the force to account to ensure the money you pay is invested effectively and with the welfare and service of the people of North Wales at heart. I also know that many people have taken part in other consultations of mine this year, such as on my Police and Crime Plan, as well as voting in the various elections we have seen in 2024. However, I want everyones voice to be heard in my precept survey, as everybodys voice counts. We are living in difficult economic times and I know any increase, however small, will be difficult for many people to countenance. With this in mind, if you find it difficult to afford to pay your Council Tax bill, help may be available. I would urge anyone experiencing this to contact their billing authority for details of any discounts they may be eligible for, or for information about their Council Tax reduction scheme. In addition to funding policing, Council Tax contributions support vital services such as victim assistance and offender rehabilitation. Programs like DASU and RASASC help victims of domestic abuse and violence, while initiatives like Checkpoint Cymru address the root causes of offending, including mental health and substance misuse. The survey is fully bilingual and accessible in Welsh, English, and Easy Read formats. Representatives from the PCCs office will also engage with the public at various locations throughout the survey period. Residents are encouraged to participate and shape the future of policing in North Wales. The consultation launched on 25 November 2024 and will on 20 December 2024. Residents can fill in the survey via the following links: Welsh: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/praesept24_schth English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/opcc_precept24 To receive a paper copy by post to complete, contact the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in the following ways: Email: OPCC@northwales.police.uk Phone: 01492 805486 Post: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner North Wales, Police Headquarters. Glan y Don, Colwyn Bay, LL29 8AW Vietnam partnership secures college place in equality and diversity award finals This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 30th, 2024 Coleg Cambrias commitment to inclusivity, equality and diversity has seen it again reach the finals of a prestigious national awards. The college based in Wrexham, Deeside, Llysfasi and Northop will contest the British Council Award for Excellence in International Work category at the Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Awards. Cambria was commended for its work in education on the international stage; the accolade relates to a visit by Level 2 and Level 3 Health and Social Care students to Vietnam last year, where they spent two weeks with women at a social support centre and students at local primary schools, delivering workshops on conversational English and the Welsh language. The trip was organised by Lisa Radcliffe, Assistant Principal for Technical Studies at Deeside, in partnership with Challenges Abroad, which delivers and leads ethical adventures for young people all over the world, with funding provided by the UK Government Department of Educations Turing Scheme. Lisa said the incredible opportunity will lead to a long-standing relationship between the college and the communities they visited in areas including Ho Chi Minh and Mekong Delta. Reflecting on the experience, she said: Cambria was the first college to participate on the Challenges Abroad Vietnam pilot programme, so it was a huge privilege. Our time there, especially at the womens centre, was a real life lesson. This programme will continue to develop and introduce vital life skills to help these women become more independent and hopefully go on and have families and careers of their own. For the learners it was very emotional but also built their confidence and showed them another side to health and social care. She added: To be a finalist in the AoC Beacon Awards is a real honour and reinforces our determination and commitment to providing our learners with opportunities on the international stage while continuing to support and forge new partnerships with communities the world over. Cambrias Chief Executive Yana Williams said the colleges focus on diversity and inclusivity is a key priority for both staff and learners and said: To once again be recognised by the AoC is an honour, this was an incredible and eye-opening experience for our students and staff and paves the way for further projects and placements with our global partners. All nominees will now be visited by independent assessors before the winners are announced at a ceremony next March. Gary Clark is the weekly nature columnist for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. He also publishes feature articles in state and national magazines and has written four books: "Texas Wildlife Portfolio," "Texas Gulf Coast Impressions," "Backroads of the Texas Hill Country" and "Enjoying Big Bend National Park." Gary is also a contributing author in the book, "Pride of Place: A Contemporary Anthology of Texas Nature Writing." He has won eight Lone Star College writing awards and is the recipient of the Houston Audubon Society 2004 Excellence in Media Award and the Citizens' Environmental Coalition 2010 Synergy Media Award for Environmental Reporting. Gary is professor of business and developmental studies at Lone Star College--North Harris. In 32 years at the college, Gary has served as vice president of instruction; dean of Business, Social and Behavioral Sciences; associate dean of Natural Sciences; professor of marketing; professor of developmental writing; and Faculty Senate president. He is a recipient of the Teacher Excellence Award. Gary has been active in the birding community for more than 30 years. He founded the Piney Woods Wildlife Society in 1982 and the Texas Coast Rare Bird Alert in 1983. He served as president of the Houston Audubon Society 1989-1991 and purchased the North American Rare Bird Alert for Houston Audubon in 1990. He was vice president of the Board of Directors for the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory 2001-2008. He currently sits on the Board of Advisors for the Houston Audubon Society and Gulf Coast Bird Observatory. He is also a member of the American Mensa Society. Wrexham graduates convert city centre shop into contemporary art space This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 30th, 2024 A new arts and cultural hub curated by two Wrexham University Art graduates has opened up in the run up to Christmas, giving community members access to contemporary art, free community events, and interactive workshops. Chloe Goodwin and Ryan Saunders, who studied Fine Art at the University, have taken over the former Asda Living store on Island Green in Wrexham to open Hypha Studios and The Dispensary between now and Tuesday, December 10. The residency, spearheaded by Chloe and Ryan and sponsored by Wrexham University, is centred around a major exhibition, featuring both local, national and international emerging artists. Featuring a variety of art forms, including paintings, ceramics, printmaking and performing arts. Throughout the month, it will also feature a host of free interactive workshops, artist talks, and live performances, making art engaging and accessible for members of the community. Day-to-day Chloe and Ryan are currently co-curators of the Dispensary Gallery a curatorial platform that moves from space to space, depending on availability and location. Hypha Studios are a national organisation, who act as a mediator between landowners and artists, breaking down traditional barriers to collaboration, in order to make short-term lets feasible for landlords and accessible to artists. Chloe said: We are delighted to have officially opened up this incredible space to the public, featuring an array of different art forms, with a strong emphasis on emerging artists work. We cant thank Hypha Studios enough for providing this fantastic opportunity. When we found out we had been selected following their open call, of course we were delighted but we knew we had a lot to get done in a short space of time. We had just 40 days to put this show on but thankfully weve made it happen. We were blown away with the response to our call to artists and have thoughtfully curated 104 pieces of art from 55 emerging artists, some of whom are local, while others are from Brighton, Birmingham and even as far away as Bulgaria and Italy. Ryan said: The response to our show since opening has been phenomenal on opening night, we welcomed 190 people through the door, which was amazing. Its important to say that none of this would be possible without the talented artists, that put themselves and their work forward to support this space, as well as Hypha Studios their commitment to ensuring that artists have space to thrive, experiment, and connect has been invaluable, and their belief in the power of grassroots spaces is deeply appreciated. We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to Wrexham University School of Art for the immense support we have consistently been given, both as students and now as alumni and a special shout out to Paul Jones, former Programme Leader for Fine Art who has recently left the University. He has been an enormous driver in our journey as artists and curators. Camilla Cole, CEO of Hypha Studios, added: Working in Island Green in Wrexham is an exciting opportunity to find and support North Wales best emerging creatives with free exhibition spaces in the heart of where they live and work. The scale of this 15,000 square foot opportunity is huge and has pulled in art lovers locally and from afar. After a call out we partnered with the brilliant Dispensary to launch a quest for artists to submit their work all welcome! Hypha Studios and The Dispensary is open to the public Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 10am-3pm in the former Asda Living store on Island Green in Wrexham, until Tuesday, December 10. There will be a final evening viewing that Tuesday between 5pm-7pm. K tc x vung bin tai x Tam Quang, huyen Tuong Duong (Nghe An). Anh: TTXVN phat Chap cnh nhung uoc mo Tai Nghe An hien c 2 m hnh K tc x vng bin do cc on Bin phng trien khai, o au at tai x Tam Quang (Tuong Duong) v Truong Trung hoc co......[Nhieu Hon...] 2025-02-25 The Coast Guard interdicted three lanchas and seized approximately 2,200 pounds of illegally caught fish in federal waters off southern Texas, Sunday. US Coast Guard Mexican fishermen off the Texas coast were forced to give up more than 2,000 pounds of fish when U.S. Coast Guard accused them catching the fish illegally on the U.S. side. Boat crews from the Coast Guard Station on South Padre Island, along with Corpus Christi watch standers and aircrews, spotted and stopped 19 fishermen on three lanchas a 20-30-feet-long, slender boat in federal waters, north of Maritime Boundary Line. The seizure yielded a whopping 2,200 pounds of red snapper, along with fishing gear and high flyer fishing poles on the ship, Coast Guard officials said in a news release. The men were detained, taken ashore and transferred to U.S Customs and Border Protection personnel for further processing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In Texas, red snapper fishing season re-opened Nov. 18 in federal waters for vessels with federal for-hire permits. The previous season for private recreational anglers in federal waters, which closed Sep. 6, had a bag limit of 2 fish per person daily and a size limit of 16 in minimum. Myron Strambler was accused of beating his wife of three years, Alicia Strambler, to death. Houston Chronicle A 36-year-old Houston man and convicted sex offender was charged with murder Thursday after his wife was found deceased at the Moonlight Inn in north Houston, according to court records. Myron Strambler was accused of beating his wife of three years, Alicia Strambler, to death by allegedly hitting her with an unspecified object and slamming her head against a wall, court records claimed. Police told OnScene TV reporters Myron Strambler was standing on the balcony outside the motel wearing a shirt covered in blood when they arrived at the scene, and allegedly admitted to assaulting Alicia Strambler. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The pair have two children together and were married in 2021, according to a marriage license filed with the Harris County Clerk. It's not the first time Myron Strambler has been accused of family violence. Shortly following his marriage, he pleaded guilty to assaulting Alicia Strambler in December of 2022. According to charging documents, Myron Strambler assaulted Alicia Strambler at his home after he found money in her purse. He was sentenced to three days in jail and 12 months community supervision, which he was released from in May 2024, according to court documents. Myron Strambler was also convicted in November 2009 of sexually assaulting a child in Brazoria County, and was sentenced to 54 months in jail. Myron Strambler's bail has been set a $250,000. His next expected court appearance is scheduled for Monday. A judge ordered Myron Strambler undergo screening for mental health and intellectual disabilities at the Harris County Jail. The caretaker of a 4-year-old girl was arrested Friday after she allegedly beat the child for months on end, according to authorities and court documents. Houston Chronicle A woman was arrested Friday after she allegedly beat a 4-year-old girl in her care to the point where the child is "unlikely to survive" her injuries, court documents indicate Tameria Barnett, 30, was charged with serious bodily injury to a child after she allegedly beat the girl with her hands, a belt and a cord, documents show. The child has since been transported to Texas Children's Hospital, where she is in critical condition, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "My heart breaks for this precious little girl. She allegedly was beat daily for months," Gonzalez said in a post on X. "The HCSO Homicide Unit began an investigation due to the serious, life-threatening nature of the injuries. It was learned the child had been in the care of Tameria Barnett since September." Arrest update: on Tuesday, 11/26/24, @HCSOTexas units responded to a hospital, in reference to an injury to a child case. The child, Londlyn Anthony 4 yrs old, was found to have signs of abuse. The child was transferred to Texas Childrens Hospital in serious 1/4 pic.twitter.com/aZL6pluJaC Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) November 29, 2024 The 4-year-old was in Barnett's care after her mother, who is a friend of Barnett's, was incarcerated, Gonzalez said. The child's father had also not seen her since September, he said. Barnett's bail was set at $100,000, and she is expected to appear in court Tuesday, according to court documents. She remained in custody at the Harris County Jail as of Friday evening. Houston Police Department officers on Friday were investigating the deaths of a mother and her toddler daughter who were found in a west Houston apartment. Houston Chronicle Houston Police Department officers on Friday were investigating the deaths of a mother and her toddler daughter who were found in a west Houston apartment. According to Jodi Silva, department spokesperson, around 2:45 a.m. officers were flagged down by a family member of the mother. Officers entered the third-floor apartment at 12360 Richmond Ave. and found the mother and child deceased, Silva said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ENTITIES DISMISSED FROM LAWSUIT: Gonzalez, Harris County dismissed from lawsuit accusing deputies of causing woman's miscarriage Silva said a male inside the apartment was questioned by officers. ABC 13 Houston reported the man was identified as a person of interest by police. Authorities had not released information regarding the cause of death of the mother and child, nor their connection to the man inside the apartment, as of Friday afternoon. According to ABC 13, police said they're not looking for anyone else connected with the two deaths. Federal Bank recognizes that marriage is not just about traditions and celebrationsit's also about building a secure financial future together. Federal Bank has launched its new campaign, #RishtaBhiPakkaFutureBhiPakka www.federalbank.co.in/ rishtabhipakka-futurebhipakka . This initiative goes beyond traditional wedding celebrations to empower couples with financial wisdom, ensuring that as they seal their relationship, they also secure their financial future together. With more than 10 million weddings taking place annually in India,recognizes that marriage is not just about traditions and celebrationsit's also about building a secure financial future together. Federal Bank has launched its new campaign, #This initiative goes beyond traditional wedding celebrations to empower couples with financial wisdom, ensuring that as they seal their relationship, they also secure their financial future together. The Bank has strategically combined its savings and deposits products for this campaign, recognizing these as elementary building blocks for financial well-being. The comprehensive offering includes high-yield savings accounts paired with flexible deposit schemes, designed specifically to help couples build a strong financial foundation together. The Bank is celebrating the event by engaging in various celebratory activities at a wedding themed stage set up at Omaxe Mall near Chandni Chowk, New Delhi from Friday, 29th November 2024 to Friday, 13 the December 2024. A bell-ringing ceremony for bride and grooms with families, photo opportunities in wedding attire in the presence of dancers and a guitarist dedicating songs to couples will add to the wedding vibes. This unique concept is designed to resonate with the essence of Indian weddings, where every promise and bond is meant to last a lifetime. Federal Bank toasts to a bond built on trust, safety, and assurance. Commenting on the celebration, MVS Murthy, CMO of the bank said, "Marriage in India is not just a union of two individuals but a lifelong commitment of trust and shared dreams. With #RishtaBhiPakkaFutureBhiPakka, Federal Bank celebrates this sacred bond while empowering couples to build their financial future together. By combining our savings and deposits offerings, we're providing newlyweds with the essential tools they need for financial stability. Our research shows that the first year of marriage is crucial for establishing strong financial habits, and we're here to guide couples through this journey. Just as a strong relationship needs nurturing, a secure financial future needs planning and Federal Bank stands committed to being a trusted partner in both." In addition to the mall activity, roadshow at key locations such as Chandni Chowk, Vasant Vihar, Pitampura, Paschim Vihar, Nehru Place, Noida, and Gurugram is planned over the next five days, starting from Omaxe Chowk Mall. The roadshow will also be extended to 18 Federal Bank branches in the city to celebrate the essence of the campaign. The roadshow was flagged off by Mr. Sasidharan C M (VP & Zonal Head - New Delhi) and Ms. Alpna Gupta (VP & Regional Head - New Delhi Central) in the presence of customers and bank officials on 29th Nov, 2024. Federal Bank invites everyone to join in celebrating this joyous season to make their Future Pakka while their Rishta is made Pakka. The 8th edition of the MOBEXX Summit 2024, held in Delhi on November 27, brought together thought leaders and innovators to explore the transformative role of mobile devices in todays digital-first era. As mobile technology continues to dominate consumer interactions, the summit delved into pivotal themes shaping the future of mobile marketing. From AI-driven personalization to 5G-enhanced user experiences, privacy-centric marketing strategies, and the emergence of new platforms, the event highlighted how brands can leverage these advancements to foster deeper consumer connections and achieve exponential growth. A panel discussion on Building Brand Loyalty through Personalized Mobile Experiences brought together a stellar panel of industry leaders to discuss how the mobile landscape in India has evolved, transforming consumer engagement and brand experiences. The session was chaired by Prashant Puri, CEO and Co-Founder, AdLift, and distinguished panelists included: Ashish Tiwari, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit Avi Kumar, Chief Marketing Officer, Ferns N Petals Neelima Burra, Chief Strategy Transformation and Marketing Officer, Luminous Power Technologies India today boasts 650 million smartphone users, doubling from 300 million in just three years, with a growth rate of 15% annually. This exponential rise in smartphone adoption has redefined the mobile experience as a critical touchpoint for brands. Heres a closer look at the insights shared by the panelists. Kicking off the discussion, Prashant Puri highlighted the staggering growth of mobile users in India and its implications for businesses. In the last five years, Indias smartphone user base has doubled, reaching 650 million. With this, mobile has become the primary screen for consumers, and brands have a unique opportunity to leverage this platform for highly personalized engagements, he noted. He also emphasized the evolving role of mobile devices. Mobile is no longer just a channel; its the cornerstone of how brands connect with their consumers. It influences not just transactions, but also their daily lives, offering opportunities for hyper-personalized, meaningful interactions. Ashish Tiwari highlighted three primary drivers behind the surge in mobile adoption: ubiquitous network connectivity, affordable device costs, and increasing computing needs. He reflected on how India, despite being a late entrant to the mobile revolution, has leapfrogged in terms of innovation and integration. Mobile is no longer just a communication device its an individuals digital and financial identity. With the JAM stack (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile), India has created a unique ecosystem. For marketers, this generates an unparalleled data trail, enabling hyper-personalized engagement, said Tiwari. He emphasized how mobile-first approaches have revolutionized industries like personal finance. At Home Credit, we onboard customers with just two documents Aadhaar and PAN through a mobile application. What earlier took 15 days now takes only 6-8 minutes, thanks to mobile and data integration. According to Avi Kumar, mobile phones have transcended their role as a mere transactional tool, becoming deeply embedded in consumers daily lives. A marketers job is to be where the consumer is and today, the consumer spends most of their time on their mobile phone, he said. He shared how mobile enables hyper-personalized experiences, citing examples from Ferns N Petals. On special occasions like Girlfriends Day, we remind our users with relevant notifications, making our brand a part of their emotional journey. This level of personalization is possible because a mobile phone is inherently personal. Kumar also noted the shift in consumer behaviour. Five years ago, people hesitated to complete transactions on mobile. Today, with seamless integrations like UPI and intuitive app experiences, mobile conversions have surpassed desktop for many categories. Impulse purchases have also increased, driven by social media and mobile content consumption. Neelima Burra discussed how technological advancements, particularly AI and omnichannel integration, have enhanced mobile experiences. AI, once thought to be confined to desktops, is now seamlessly integrated into mobile platforms. This has made interactions more personalized and contextualized, she noted. She emphasized the rise of a true omnichannel experience. With mobile phones supporting payment gateways and app-based solutions, consumers can now seamlessly navigate between online and offline worlds. For instance, in the solar and power solutions industry, mobile apps allow users to monitor their energy consumption in real-time, bridging the gap between hardware and software. Burra also highlighted the shift towards solutions as a service. What was once a hardware-focused industry is now driven by app-enabled services. Mobile integration has made this transition possible. The panel unanimously agreed that mobile experiences have become indispensable for building brand loyalty. As mobile technology continues to evolve, the integration of AI, data analytics, and seamless omnichannel solutions will drive even greater personalization and convenience for consumers. Summarizing the discussion, Prashant Puri said, Brands today must recognize that mobile is more than a medium it is the primary interface shaping consumer interactions and experiences. By harnessing the potential of mobile, brands can create meaningful, lasting connections that go beyond transactions. Indias mobile revolution has only just begun, and as these leaders demonstrated, brands that embrace its potential are poised to stay ahead in the race for consumer loyalty. These are edited excerpts. For the complete panel discussion, please watch below: https://www.youtube.com/live/qh4Dn3tbRLE Also Read: Data-driven marketing: the key to unlocking consumer insights and ROI Times Network Digital hosted the Times Drive Green Conclave & Awards 2024 in New Delhi. The landmark event brought together automobile manufacturers, industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to honour winners across 20+ categories and explore transformative solutions in the electric mobility and sustainability sectors. At the event, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, unveiled the newly upgraded TimesDrive.in, a next-generation digital automotive platform featuring cutting-edge innovations like personalized recommendations powered by Generative AI and NLP, vehicle-buying assistance, doorstep test drives, a smart travel companion, and flexible financing options, empowering consumers to make informed decisions. Alongside delivering unmatched coverage of the Indian and global automotive industries, TimesDrive.in offers a section dedicated to alternate fuel vehicles with Times Drive Green, a pioneering initiative championing sustainable mobility. With in-depth news, expert insights, and intuitive tools, Times Drive Green educates and inspires consumers to embrace eco-friendly mobility solutions, shaping a cleaner, greener future. Delivering the special address at the Times Drive Green Conclave and Awards 2024, Chief Guest, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, "India is the fastest-growing economy in the world and our mission is to make India Atmanirbhar Bharatand pursue sustainable development. With the transport sector accounting for 40% of air pollution and annual fossil fuel imports worth 22 lakh crores, transitioning to alternatives like biofuels is essential. CNG-powered vehicles are gaining popularity in regions like Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, with over 400 bio-CNG projects underway. I have supported the transition to electric and biofuels for tractors, as this shift is crucial for reducing pollution and saving costs. Several companies are working on electric tractors, as CNG-powered tractors are becoming popular. Biofuels like ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, and hydrogen are the fuels of the future. Emphasizing on the rapidly growing automobile industry, he further added, Indian automobile industry, valued at 22 lakh crores surpassed Japan to become the third-largest in the world. We aim to make India the number one automobile industry globally in the next five years. This key sector, Indias top exporter and largest GST contributor, has generated 4.5 crore jobs. Coupled with alternative fuels like bio-CNG and hydrogen, the industry's growth will reduce pollution and fossil fuel imports, boosting India's economy. Initiatives like municipal waste-to-bio-CNG projects, including in Nagpur, showcase the potential of a green economy to drive sustainability, create jobs, boost exports, and make India Atmanirbhar Bharat. This green drive is key to making India stronger, not just economically, but in our commitment to sustainable progress. Rohit Chadda, COO and President - Digital, Times Network said, TimesDrive.in is the future of automobile ownership providing users latest news, reviews, and the best deals on cars and bikes. With an AI-powered smart assistant offering personalised buying recommendations, travel tips, and on-road support, the platform is going to make users journeys smarter and safer. The Times Drive Green Conclave & Awards 2024 winners are: CATEGORY WINNER NAME EV CEO of the Year K Vijaya Kumar, Greaves Electric Mobility Fastest growing EV Brand of the Year Ampere Nexus Business Impact through Social Media Apollo Tyres Most innovative EV technology MG BAAS Best Motor Insurance Company of the Year Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Luxury EV SUV of the year Mercedes EQS 580 EV Car of the Year MG Windsor EV Sedan of the Year BYD Seal Luxury EV Sedan of the Year BMW i5 M60 Compact EV of the Year Tata Punch Best Design EV Two Wheeler Oben Rorr EZ EV Bike of the Year Ultraviolette F 77 mach 2 Best User Experience in an EV Mercedez EQA EV Startup of the Year E Motorad EV Manufacturer of the Year Tata Passenger Electric Mobility(TPEM) Best Alternative Fuel Car of the year Maruti Swift CNG Best Alternative Fuel Two Wheeler of the year Bajaj Freedom CNG Best Battery Technology BYD Green Initiative towards Sustainable Mobilty Citroen Luxury 6 Seater SUV of the Year Kia EV9 Best Electric Commercial Vehicle EULER In the digital era, publishers and content creators have emerged as influential voices, shaping perceptions and driving awareness across industries. Times Drive recognizes creators in the auto sector as key players in making green mobility accessible and relatable and will collaborate with them to take their content to a larger audience through its multiple platforms. Times Drive Green Conclave & Awards 2024 awarded the top auto creators, celebrating their role in inspiring change and championing the future of mobility. The Times Drive Green Conclave & Awards 2024 (Auto Creator) Winners are: CATEGORY WINNER NAME Upcoming Auto Creator Arsh Jolly Popular Auto Creator in North Dayakaran Singh Dhaliwal People Choice Award for Auto Influencer in North Vivek Saini Fastest Growing Youtuber MD Danish People Choice Award for Travel and Auto Vikash Dayal Family Drive Content Creator Gagan Modi In-Depth Motorcycle Content Creator Harish Solanki Long-form Auto Content Creator Vishal Ahlawat Female Travel Creator On Two Wheels Nupur Kalra Driving Tips And Tricks Creator Tushar Bhalla Extreme Superbike Creator Karamjeet Singh Superbike Speed Creator Atharva The successful conclave highlighted a shared commitment to advancing sustainable mobility and set the stage for celebrating trailblazers in India's green mobility revolution. Also Read: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to Deliver Keynote at Times Drive Green Conclave 2024 Myntra, Indias leading fashion e-commerce platform, successfully hosted its annual brand gala meet, Myntra Tech Threads 2024. The day-long event, themed Trends in Real Life, showcased the seamless intersection of fashion and technology, bringing together industry leaders, renowned brands, and creative minds to explore the future of fashion in the digital age. With a star-studded lineup of speakers and performances, Myntra Tech Threads 2024 was an unforgettable celebration of the brands, innovations, and trends defining the future of fashion. Popular humorists Abish Mathew and Sumukhi Suresh hosted the event, setting the tone with their witty and engaging emcee duties. Speaking on the event, Sharon Pais, Chief Business Officer, Myntra, said, This years theme, Trends in Real Life, is a reflection of our deep understanding of the modern consumerincluding Gen Z, who are not just adopting trends but are actively shaping them. We are grateful to all our brand partners for being one of the central pillars in our journey of shaping the trends for India. Myntra Tech Threads has been a fantastic platform to showcase how fashion and technology are converging, creating experiences that are not only innovative but also meaningful. Key Highlights from Myntra TechThreads 2024 CEO address and Myntras strategic focus - The event kicked off with an insightful address by Nandita Sinha, CEO of Myntra, who emphasized the companys relentless commitment to expanding fashion possibilities for India. She highlighted Myntras focus on empowering Gen Z consumers who are not only shaping fashion trends but are also driving the adoption of cutting-edge technologies like AI styling and virtual try-ons. Myntra's Chief Business Officer Sharon Pais, Chief Marketing Officer Sunder Balasubramanian, and Chief Product Technology Officer Raghu Krishnananda followed with an insightful discussion on outlining the companys strategic focus, indexing on the pivotal role of technology in fashion innovation and trend discovery. The event celebrated the contributions of the 9700 brands while also recognizing the best-performing brands of 2024 across various categories on Myntra. This is a testament to our joint commitment to building fashion, beauty and lifestyle on the back of technology for India. One of the most anticipated segments of the day was the panel discussion with brands. The session brought together an esteemed group of fashion industry leaders, including Vishak Kumar, CEO of Madura Fashion and Lifestyle and Business Head of Aditya Birla Group, Sidhant Keshwani, Founder and CEO, Libas, Neelendra Singh, Managing Director of Adidas India, Aman Gupta, Co-founder and CMO of boAt, Manish Poddar, CEO of House of Rare, Helena Kuylenstierna, Director of H&M India and was moderated by Nandita Sinha, CEO of Myntra. The panel discussed pivotal topics such as the evolving dynamics of global vs. Indian fashion markets and trends shaping the Indian fashion landscape. The evening concluded with a stunning fashion show by House of Pataudi, featuring their exclusive Bhu Mandal collection. The show, blending couture with cosmic elements, took guests on a journey through the earth, sun, moon, and stars. In a regal blue sherwani, Saif Ali Khan stole the spotlight as the showstopper, sharing insights about the House of Pataudis collections. Myntra Tech Threads 2024 was more than just any brand summit; it was a true testament to the powerful collaboration of brands, innovators, and industry leaders who are pushing the boundaries of whats possible in fashion, beauty and lifestyle in India. Also Read: SEO Trends Moving into 2025 A Madison County woman has died after a car crash Friday morning. Tara KC, 52, of Huntsville was killed when her car was hit by a vehicle about a mile outside of Huntsville. KC was driving a 2015 Honda Civic and was struck by a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander driven by Shicoya L. Stevens, 32, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in a statement Friday. KC was pronounced deceased at the scene. Stevens was also injured and transported to Huntsville Hospital for medical treatment, the agency said. The accident happened at the intersection of Alabama 53 and Kelly Spring Road at about 8:25.a.m. on Friday, according to the agency. An investigation is underway. Shoppers in the Galleria Mall on Black Friday, the official start of the holiday shopping season, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022 in Houston, TX. Michael Wyke/Contributor Small Business Saturday is an opportunity for shoppers to support some of Houston's 100,000 small businesses during the holiday season. Here are some benefits of the marketing event created by American Express on the Saturday after Thanksgiving: Texas has 3.1 million small businesses, and more than half of small businesses, 56%, believe this year's Small Business Saturday is more important than ever for their company, LawnStarter, a lawn service in Harris County, said in a news release. Small businesses employ about 14% of the Houston region's workforce in 2019 nearly 400,000 people, according to the governor's office and Understanding Houston. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Small businesses thrive in Houston and are vital to our regional economy. Make sure to support your favorite small businesses in Greater Houston on this Small Business Saturday! #SmallBusinessSaturday#Houston pic.twitter.com/sSEbteRCUu Understanding Houston (@UnderstandHOU) November 26, 2022 Projections from American Express indicate that holiday retail sales will be at an all-time high in 2022. This holiday season, consumers are estimated to spend up to $960.4 billion, with up to $224.31 billion targeted for online purchases. American Express predicts that $0.67 of every dollar spent at a small company stays in the local community. This has the potential to increase sales during the 2022 holiday season, in the aftermath of the pandemic 78% of small businesses believe that holiday sales will affect their ability to remain open in 2022. Over 51 million people participated in Small Business Saturday in 2021, creating a record $20 billion in reported spending, up from $12 million in 2020. 'Show your local support' Some Houston-area small businesses posted on social media expressing their appreciation for their loyal customers over the years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "We can't let Small Business Saturday pass by without acknowledging the love and support our community has shown us through the years," Corona Paint and Body said in a tweet. "Thank you so much for choosing us for all of your auto body needs, Houston!" We can't let Small Business Saturday pass by without acknowledging the love and support our community has shown us through the years. Thank you so much for choosing us for all of your auto body needs, Houston! #SmallBusinessSaturday pic.twitter.com/W0xeuVuogK Corona Paint and Body (@CoronaPandB) November 26, 2022 "We can't let Small Business Saturday pass by without acknowledging the love and support our community has shown us through the years," Express Laundry Center & Washateria said in a tweet. "Thank you so much for choosing us for all of your laundry needs, Houston! #SmallBusinessSaturday" We can't let Small Business Saturday pass by without acknowledging the love and support our community has shown us through the years. Thank you so much for choosing us for all of your laundry needs, Houston! #SmallBusinessSaturday pic.twitter.com/sfyDphoNPy Express Laundry Center & Washateria (@expresslaundry) November 26, 2022 "The small businesses of Houston add so much to our community every day," Air Integrity HVAC said in a tweet. "Show your local support this Small Business Saturday and always!" Advertisement Article continues below this ad An Alabama woman made history 70 years ago Saturday when she survived a close encounter with a piece of falling space debris. Ann Hodges, 34, was napping on her couch in Oak Grove, near Sylacauga, on Nov. 30, 1954, when she was struck in the thigh by a meteorite that had crashed through her roof and ricocheted off her radio set. Observers in Talladega County that day reported seeing a fireball in the sky and hearing an explosion, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama. The citys police chief and mayor were summoned to Hodges house, where they took possession of the space rock. Ann Hodges holds the meteorite that fell through her roof and hit her in Oak Grove. (Alabama Museum of Natural History)Alabama Museum of Natural History Hodges became the center of a short-lived media storm as the first person known to have survived being struck by a meteorite. She appeared on the popular quiz show Ive Got a Secret. Life magazine published a brief article with a photo of her injury under the headline, A big bruiser from the sky. The object was turned over to the Air Force and then the Smithsonian Institution before returning to Alabama, where it was the subject of a legal struggle between Ann and Hewlett Hodges -- her spouse -- and their landlord over who owned it. The case was settled, with the 8.5 lbs. meteorite going into Ann Hodges possession. She donated it to the Alabama Museum of Natural History at the University of Alabama, where it is on permanent display. Hodges did not ask for or receive any profit from her donation, according to a 2022 University of Alabama article. She died in 1972. The meteorite is believed to be 4.5 billion years old and likely broke off from an asteroid orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter before taking its plunge to Earth. Image: Public domain. The myth of Laocoon is tragic. In vain, he warned his countrymen in Troy against opening the gate to the colossal wooden horse left behind by Greek invaders. However, he was blinded by the gods who then had him killed by giant sea serpents. So, it is not as if it has not been foretold. As a matter of fact, it has been the subject of countless essays, speeches, and novels. We cannot plead ignorance. In retrospect, the Rivers of Blood speech by British Member of Parliament Enoch Powell, a modern Laocoon, on April 20, 1968, ranks as a milestone. It marked a historical break with the politely restrained, purely observational attitude to large-scale immigration. The thing is that Powell and others with allegiance to Western civilization had a premonition of danger: they clearly saw a disaster in the making. Unless drastic measures were taken to prevent it, chances were that it would unfold in the near future, deeply affecting the lives of their own children and grandchildren. Back then, when there was yet time to reverse the course of events, warnings went largely unheeded; they were ridiculed, trivialized, or ignored. As the West was subsequently overrun by migrants from Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, however, the political conflict intensified and without further ado absorbed the revolutionary, sentimental-manipulative elements of traditional class struggle. Socialists without a credible cause in the postmodern world were thrilled to identify a new underclass of oppressed who could replace the white workers of the past. Showing signs of self-conscious individualism and aspiring to the middle class of society, the latter ungratefully as it was perceived tended to renounce their well-meaners and self-appointed guardians. Inarticulate, illiterate Third-World proletarians, by contrast, provided social activists with the perfect material for fake solidarity, purposeful manipulation, and violent social upheaval. Accordingly, socialists felt strongly encouraged to revise opportunistically update their narrative. Like destitute orphans after the collapse of the Soviet Union, they threw their violent cadres into the struggle for the Third World, demanding (a) atonement for the injustices of colonialism/racism, (b) open borders, and (3) relativistic tolerance of non-Western values (e.g. intolerant creeds) as imported by endless waves of migrants. So far, warnings against the destruction of the West, whose relative success is due to the workings of Judeo-Christian institutions rather than natural resources (e.g. oil), have been arrogantly dismissed as the politically biased exaggerations of conservatives, if not right-wing radicals. With the self-righteous conviction of a revolutionary tribunal, progressive elites have been clamping down on public expressions of concern, accusing the presumptuous of bigotry, racism, or xenophobia. Thus, for a long time, Westerners turned their backs on the ominous events to avoid ridicule and defamation. Now, we are here, in the middle of it. In the dark land of Dystopia. We have arrived in the future. Europe is burning. The disaster has occurred exactly as foretold. Those who once ridiculed the warnings and the people who had the courage to step forward and alert their countrymen refuse to take responsibility but persist in their treachery, telling other lies about how we should embrace diversity, be confident, and conform to the realities of a world changed beyond recognition. We are exhorted to go global in earnest and sacrifice our prosperity, welfare, and culture to accommodate all those who approach our borders from near and far. In suburbs all over Western Europe, belligerent members of immigrant communities have taken control whether they patrol the streets as short-tempered, reckless gangsters, harassing civilians and authority persons alike, or solemnly preach their religious claim to supremacy and disdain for infidels in their houses of worship. The enemy is already in our midst. That is the tragedy of our time. Yet, half of us are not even willing to admit it. As clarified by archaeological studies, the ancient city of Troy, located on the southern bank of the Hellespont, was repeatedly destroyed by invaders and rebuilt. In our time, the enemy that threatens us with annihilation has never encamped outside the gates of our cities, allowing us to prepare for battle. Tragically, we have been thoughtless and let it in ourselves a long time ago. We have been partly outwitted. However, some have also committed treason against the rest of us. At any rate, we are divided and vulnerable to outside attacks. Deep in the West, the thousand Trojan horses of our enemy have been driven into position. Thus, it is not about a single horse as in the Aeneid (i.e. an epic by Roman poet Virgil), but infinitely many horses: roughly speaking, a horse for each and every city. For a long time, the features of the fake animals have been blindly worshiped by post-Christian pagans of the West in much the same way that Israelites worshiped the golden calf while waiting for Moses. Hypocrites to the core, the aberrant worshipers of our time also refuse to endure the absence of God, whom they themselves have denied, and are constantly in search of idols (e.g. Lenin, Stalin, and Mao). However, the veil of mystery is being lifted now. The Trojan horses are cracking. In outrageous numbers, enemy invaders are spilling out of their arseholes. The damage to the West is conspicuous everywhere. Both gangsters and anti-Western protesters of foreign origin signal that they own the West. The social order is tottering. Ordinary people are robbed, shops looted, and cars ignited. If it occurs to anybody to protest against the deranged, supremacist behavior of the invaders, they are immediately condemned by the secular clergy of progressives. If the Trojan horses were originally stabled in the suburbs, the invaders emerging from their bellies have already spread to society at large. As a result, neither women nor men visibly belonging to Western civilization can really feel safe anywhere. No sooner have they professed Christianity or declared themselves atheists than the invaders categorize them as inferior and indulge the impulse to dominate them. The public space, where Westerners have loved to linger since antiquity, engaging in polemics, shopping for groceries or simply enjoying a family stroll, is now ravaged by the invaders. Peace and security are gone. Instead, a state of war prevails. Neither police nor courts, formerly pillars of a high-trust society, are capable of protecting anybody against the vagaries of stray barbarians. True enough, civilization has failed to put up a defense and is heading for dissolution. No matter how woke, tolerant, and soft-spoken in political debates a person might be, it does not save his skin if he is cornered on his own in the wrong place at the wrong time. As it stands, wearing Christian or Jewish symbols in the open is tantamount to challenging fate. Sad to say, the well-organized, anti-Semitic riots taking place in Amsterdam a few weeks ago bring to mind the pogroms of tsarist Russia. The enemy is marching in our streets. Our ancestral home in the West has been invaded and colonized by enemies from outside Trojan horse invaders. Impatient to share in the unimaginable prosperity created by others, they have arrived at the invitation of those socialist idolaters who hate the West and strive to harm it whatever it takes. The disaster is complete. We really should have listened to the Laocoon of our time, the late Enoch Powell, and burned the Trojan horses in time. Now, however, the West (Europe) has been taken. Those, who remain, will pay the price for the cunning of the enemy and the primary betrayal on the part of their own countrymen. In the Aeneid, Greek soldiers jump out of the wooden horse at night and open the city gate for the rest of the invading army. Likewise, migrant invaders of the West have become so numerous by now that they can blackmail incumbent governments and cause the borders to be opened for even more migrants. Insofar as the West has been in conflict with itself all along, the decision about the willful collapse of civilization has been characterized by ambivalence. Now, however, the suicide seems to be a reality. In Europe, at least, there is no turning back. Theres a scene near the end of the Tom Clancy book The Sum of All Fears in which U.S. scientists examine radioactive fallout from a nuclear detonation on U.S. soil and are able to identify the facility that processed the uranium that powered the bomb. As it turns out the facility was in the USA. Hold that thought. The recent announcement from Russia that they had launched a hypersonic missile against Ukraine reminded me of some sketchy incidents that occurred during the Obama administration. The first was in Geneva in 2009 when then-secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov a button with the word Reset written on it, along with the Russian Cyrillic version of the word. The button was of the type that is used in factories to trigger an emergency equipment stop. It turns out that the Russian word was misspelled and that it actually said overload. Clinton and Lavrov had a good laugh about it and rumor has it that the button is now on permanent display in a Russian museum as a symbol of American foolishness. Fast forward to 2010. The FBI gathered evidence that Russian nuclear energy officials were engaged in bribery, extortion, and kickbacks to gain a foothold in Americas nuclear energy dealings. Knowing this, the Obama administration nevertheless approved the Rosatom/Uranium One deal which gave Russia control over 20% of U.S. uranium resources. Who was Secretary of State at the time? Thats right. Hillary Clinton. Evidently there was nothing illegal about the deal. But who got the short end of the stick? Not so coincidentally, Russian energy officials had channeled millions of dollars to the U.S., which benefitted the Clintons charitable foundations at the same time that Hillary was serving on a committee that granted favorable decisions to Moscow. Fast forward again. A Russian donor to the Clinton Foundation (seems like a theme) named Viktor Vekselberg was working on project called the Skolkovo Innovation Center, aka The Skolkovo Project. This was supposed to be the Russian equivalent of Silicon Valley. Building on their Reset with Russia, the U.S. State Department lobbied U.S. investment partners to help the Russian State Investment Fund identify American tech companies worthy of Russian investment. They attracted firms such as Google, Intel, and Cisco and many more who made major financial contributions to Skolkovo. By 2012 Skolkovo had 28 Key Partners from Russia, America and Europe. And what do you know? Of those 28 key partners, 17 made financial commitments to the Clinton Foundation, totaling tens of millions of dollars, or they sponsored speeches by Bill Clinton. In one of those, Bill Clinton received $500,000 for a 90-minute speech in Moscow from Renaissance Capital, a Russian investment bank with ties to Uranium One. Renaissance Capital executives just so happened to contribute $145 million to the Clinton Foundation. As it turns out, the Skolkovo Project was involved in defense-related work, including -- wait for it -- hypersonic missile technology. An FBI spokesperson is on the record stating that, The [Skolkovo] foundation may be a means for the Russian government to access our nations sensitive or classified research development facilities and dual-use technologies with military and commercial application. The U.S. Army Foreign Military Studies Program at Fort Leavenworth issued a report in 2013 about Skolkovo saying that it was A vehicle for worldwide technology transfer to Russia in the areas of information technology, biomedicine, energy, satellite and space technology, and nuclear technology. Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds of Mach 5, or 3,710 mph. Some of them are maneuverable, which means that not only are they going incredibly fast, theyre evasive. Theyre capable of carrying various payloads such as non-explosive loads, conventional explosives, or nuclear warheads. Even a non-explosive payload impacting at over 3,000 mph is going to leave a mark. Stopping a hypersonic missile poses unique challenges, and the U.S. is busily working on techniques to do just that, from missiles to directed energy weapons. All of this raises two questions in my mind. First, why should Russia, or any nation for that matter, go to the trouble of spying on American research labs and attempt to steal their intellectual property if theyll simply hand it over in exchange for cash? The second is, God forbid that if the U.S. or one of our allies is nuked, will the bomb be fueled by U.S. uranium and carried in a missile whose technology was delivered to our enemy by a former Secretary of State? Image: AT via Magic Studio Strange, isnt it, how some people can light up a room? And then there are those who enter like a soggy dishrag, wringing out all vitality and joy until even the pumpkin pie wants to surrender. John Steinbeck nailed it: Such people spread a grayness in the air about them. These days, that grayness comes accessorized with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate and a handy list of reasons why your Thanksgiving dinner was actually an act of oppression. Yes, the militant lefts DEI-industrial complex was working overtime this year, turning one of Americas most beloved holidays into yet another guilt-ridden funeral dirge. If you thought Thanksgiving was about gratitude, family, and an unreasonable amount of carbs, think again. To the self-appointed cultural scolds, its a festival of colonialist horror, complete with settler narratives and erasure of Indigenous voices. (Also, if you enjoyed the Macys parade, congratulationsyoure probably complicit in capitalism, fossil fuel use, and, despite the best efforts of Hamas-aligned militants, upholding a cherished American tradition.) The Post-Thanksgiving Guilt Tour This year, campuses across the country invited us to reimagine Thanksgiving as something called a Day of Mourning. At the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the Center for Inclusion and Diversity led this charge, encouraging participants to reflect on the holidays problematic origins. Caltech urged students to reject traditional narratives in favor of honoring Indigenous and Native communities. (Because nothing says happy holiday like guilt.) Not to be outdone, the University of Oregon hosted a Nov. 21 event titled Thanks But No Thanks-giving: Decolonizing an American Holiday. The event description proclaimed that Thanksgiving is, at its core, a celebration of the ongoing genocide against native peoples and cultures across the globe. Apparently, gratitude for turkey and pie is just a thinly veiled excuse for complicity in atrocities who knew? For parents of younger children, the radicals have gone a step further, offering a Decolonizing Thanksgiving Toolkit complete with sample complaint letters to send to schools griping over traditional Thanksgiving activities. You knew there had to be a cottage industry for this tripe, right? Naturally, if youre a consumer of this high-level sophistry, youll need expert guidance on how to grouse about it effectively. Heaven forbid a child learn about gratitude, community, or the story of Squanto (a.k.a., Tisquantum), a Patuxet who helped early settlers survive and whose efforts were central to the peaceful first Thanksgiving. Indeed, these soul-draining zealots, in their mad quest to cancel anything tied to our nations history and lore only to replace it with a Marxist critique of victimization and patriarchy reveal themselves as the 21st-century equivalent of the Puritans they claim to despise. Like a modern-day Salem witch trial, their moral crusade spares no tradition, no matter how joyous or unifying, branding gratitude itself as the heresy of privilege. But wait will Squanto be canceled now, too? He was part of the Wampanoag Confederacy (a word that will no doubt trigger some), a group of over 50 tribes, yet he dared to collaborate with settlers. Surely, in todays hyper-purist climate, even a figure like Squanto cant escape scrutiny for helping ensure the survival of early colonists. After all, nuance and historical context have no place in the woke crusade against joy. How We Got Here Thanksgiving used to be one of the few remaining holidays that everyone could enjoy. It wasnt about politics, protest, or posturing it was about food, family, and, lets face it, an excuse to wear sweatpants at least for some. Sure, the history is complicated what part of history isnt? But the modern celebration is less about the Pilgrims and more about gratitude and connection. But for the DEI crowd, thats not good enough. Their entire enterprise depends on finding new ways to feel aggrieved. Without perpetual grievance, the whole thing collapses faster than a bad souffle. So, they dig up the darkest parts of history, strip them of context, and slap a guilt trip on your turkey. And the language! You arent enjoying a meal anymore; youre engaging with the legacy of settler-colonial oppression. Your cousin isnt just saying grace; hes reenacting centuries of structural violence. This kind of overwrought academic nonsense is designed to make ordinary Americans feel like theyve wandered onto the set of a bad campus satire or worse, a dystopian movie where joy is outlawed. Moving On from the Grievance Binge Fringe Heres the thing: Most Americans are fed up with this shtick. They just want to enjoy their holidays without being made to feel like villains. We know the past isnt perfect. We know history is messy. But we also know that wallowing in perpetual guilt isnt fixing anything. At some point, the DEI-industrial complex is going to have to realize that Americans dont take kindly to being lectured over their mashed potatoes by those who, as Steinbeck put it, can drain off energy and joy, can suck pleasure dry and get no sustenance from it. Thanksgiving deserves better than being turned into an angst-ridden guilt trip orchestrated by these 21st-century Cromwells. Gratitude isnt a zero-sum game. Being thankful for what we have doesnt erase anyone elses struggles. And sharing a meal with family and friends isnt a moral failing. Quite the opposite: Its a celebration of the very humanity that connects us all. Next year, lets do Thanksgiving the old-fashioned way extra gravy, no guilt. Or better yet, tell them to pass the stuffing and hold the sermon or, if youre south of the Mason-Dixon Line, pass the dressing, not the diatribe. And perhaps the leftists should have stopped their deconstruction derby before it crashed into the tradition of allowing the winner of a political partys presidential primaries to stand for election in the fall. Wait too soon? Heres the thing: Americans love their Thanksgiving dinner whether its stuffing or dressing unapologetically joyous, carb-filled, and tradition-rich. And no amount of grievance-fueled Binge Fringe theatrics will shove that joy off the table. Until next year, keep your stuffing, your gratitude, and your freedom intact and tell the scolds to stuff it. Charlton Allen is an attorney and former Chief Executive Officer and Chief Judicial Officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder and editor of The American Salient and the host of The Modern Federalist podcast. For the record, he prefers dressing over stuffing. Image: Library of Congress, via Picryl // no known restrictions on publication In The ICC is not the venue to hold Israel to account (11/25/24), it seems that The Washington Post, in its lead editorial, is finally recognizing that global bodies unfairly single out Israel for opprobrium. But the Post cant quite pull the trigger. In the editorial, the Post properly notes that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has used chemical weapons and waged a war of ethnic cleansing, killing over 500,000. Myanmar dictator Hlaing has waged a brutal war and conducted ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya minority, affecting hundreds of thousands. In Sudan, a new potential genocide threatens the Darfur region. In the last 20 years, millions have been killed. With that, even the Post thinks its ridiculous that the ICC chose to target Israel by planning to arrest Israeli prime minister Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant. But the Post cant get through an editorial or article without bashing Israel. One would think, with skyrocketing attacks against Israelis and Jews worldwide, the Post would show a little perspective when criticizing Jews, because words have power and are used as ammunition by Jew-haters. But the Post opposes Israels counteroffensive in Gaza, and much of the editorial is imbued with that bias. The commentary even includes falsehoods sloppy errors for a once great newspaper. For example, the editorial distorts and outright lies in this description: to be sure, far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed and maimed in Israels 13-month-long war against Hamas: 44,000 have died, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. According to the relevant metrics, Israel has prosecuted the most humane urban war in history. Its civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio breaks records for civilian protection in wartime. It is always a tragedy when civilians die in war, but there has yet to be a war where civilians havent died that is sadly par for the course. Israel has shown unprecedented care for civilians despite the fact that civilians participated in the massacre of Jews on Oct. 7 by sending texts, dropping flyers, and pinging houses to help civilians avoid upcoming attacks. The warnings signal Hamas as well, allowing them to escape. Israel has provided humanitarian escape corridors and provided civilians with hundreds of thousands of tons of food. Of course, supporters of Palestinians have been howling about famine in Gaza for over a year. There have been no credible reports of starvation, but The Washington Post parrots the claims anyway. Food deliveries have been stolen by Hamas and sold at exorbitant fees to Gazans. To the extent those crimes have caused a food shortage, the Post should gripe about Hamas, not Israel. Most importantly, Washington Post editors, its not Israels 13-month-long war against Hamas. Its Hamass war against Israel. Hamas started it and could have ended it at any time by laying down their arms and returning the hostages. How can the Post objectively call the aggressor the victim? If they cant get this basic fact correct, they have no business writing about the Middle East at all. The Post proceeds to state that The Israeli military says it has killed 17,000 militants; though its basis for that is unclear. It is telling that the Post never questions the accuracy of casualty figures from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry by saying the basis for that is unclear. Does it matter at all to the Post, in its assessment of accuracy, that Israel is an accountable democracy, whereas Hamas is a terrorist organization with a history of spreading disinformation? On numerous occasions, the Gaza Health Ministry has announced a death count immediately after an explosion, which is clearly not believable to anyone but mainstream media sources like the Post. For example, after an explosion hit the courtyard of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, the Gaza Health Ministry knew within minutes that 471 people were killed and 342 injured, according to Human Rights Watch. According to media watchdog group CAMERA, AFP cited a senior European intelligence official who estimated the death toll as only 10-50 people. Moreover, the reports out of Gaza erroneously called the incident an Israeli bombing when it was really an errant missile from Islamic Jihad. The information coming out of Gaza has been false time and again, but the Post still gives deference to the terrorist regime rather than Israel. Lastly, the title itself on the surface appears to defend Israel but, in reality, manipulates the thought. The Post wrote, The ICC is not the venue to hold Israel to account. The ICC is certainly an invalid venue to litigate the war. But why does the Post assume that Israel must be held to account? The editorial should highlight the virtues and skills of the Israeli Defense Forces, which protect even civilians exploited by Hamas as human shields. Not in any urban war has a civilian population been so well protected by enemy forces. Israel should be lauded in this editorial but that wont occur as long as The Washington Post clings to its apparent grudge against the Jewish state. A grudge at best the oldest hatred at worst. Dr. Michael Berenhaus is a freelance activist who works to combat anti-Israel bias in the media. He has been widely published in news sources such as The Economist, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Image: Daniel X. O'Neil via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. A common teaching tool among professional firearms instructors is the three threes: gunfights take place within three yards, take three seconds, and no more than three rounds are fired. As a means of focusing students minds on the realities that when things go bad, they go bad fast, and one must be prepared for that, its a useful idea, but does it represent the truth? That depends on to whose statistics one refers, also whether the gunfights involve citizens or on-duty policer officers. In 2021, Chris Baker at Lucky Gunner provided pertinent details. Decades ago the FBI was a primary source of law enforcement wisdom. That hasnt been true for a long time, as I recently noted in FBI Credibility? Consider this from the FBIs 2019 Uniform Crime Report: Graphic: You Tube Screeshot, Chris Baker About 65% of officers were killed within approximately 3 yards. Oddly, more were killed at more than 50 feetnearly 17 yards--than from 21-50 feet. The three threes are holding up pretty well thus far. Consider this from the LAPD from 2010 and 2012: Graphic: You Tube Screeshot, Chris Baker Only 12% met the three threes rule, and a surprising 34.5% were at 46 to more than 60 feet. For most people, cops included, handgun accuracy approaching and exceeding 20 yards is iffy indeed. Consider these NYPD stats from 2014-2019: Graphic: You Tube Screeshot, Chris Baker A full 50% were within the three threes rule, but the way longer distances are recorded isnt very helpful. What these stats dont tell is whether the involved officers also shot their attackers, how many rounds were exchanged, or anything about the incidents. Nor do they tell us how many rounds entirely missed or how many hit innocents, which is common in the NYPD. No article can cover every related topic, but most Americans dont know the police tend not to be good shots. Most arent gun guys and girls, qualifications are once a year at best, have generous passing standardsmost allow 30% completely missing the targetand officers can shoot as often as necessary to make that weak standard. In agencies overwhelmed by DEI, the situation is even worse, and there are many cases where officers and bad guys have emptied their guns at each other at touching range to no effect. But what about citizen gunfights? For example, John Correia from the Active Self Protection YouTube channel has watched thousands of gunfight videos and hes mentioned the three to seven yard range as the most common. Claude Werner (aka The Tactical Professor) did an analysis of several years worth of stories from the Armed Citizen column in The American Rifleman. His summary on distance was that the majority of the incidents were slightly in excess of arms length. Again, the three threes apparently hold up, but theres an inherent problem. There is no single, scientifically oriented, database on citizen shootings, which is why Correia and Werner were forced to rely on anecdotes. This might be more accurate and credible: The best resource that Im aware of that has actual numbers I can put on a neat little graph for you rather than general impressions comes from Tom Givens of Rangemaster Firearms Training. Tom has been teaching defensive shooting classes for several decades. He keeps a database of all of his past students who have been involved in shootings. The best place to find his most recent commentary on those events is in his book Concealed Carry Class. So far, there have been 67 incidents with shots fired involving his former students. Three of those students were killed because they were unarmed at the time of the attack. The other 64 fought back and survived. Only three had minor injuries and none of them were convicted of any wrongdoing. Graphic: You Tube Screeshot, Chris Baker These stats are very different from the previous sources, and Baker suggests that most of these involved crimes like armed robbery or sexual assault, which tend to be close range encounters. Baker also notes Givens students might be presumed to be more experienced and well trained than most. People without such training might be expected to react more slowly, shortening the range to two yards or less. What lessons can we learn from these admittedly limited statistics? We might revise the threes rule to around three yards+. We dont know the duration of these incidents, the accuracy of the anecdotes, nor the numbers of rounds fired. Experience suggests three rounds is in the ballpark, but that applies to the innocent shooter. More may be fired by bad guys. By all means, practice to shoot from three yards, but always work for smoothness because smooth is fast and accuracy is final. Also practice at greater ranges and carry as many rounds as you reasonably can. No one can know when theyll need a handgun, nor how many rounds theyll need. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. The United Kingdom has just followed Canada down the Orwellian path to euthanasia. This is the moment when (inevitably) a statist government outs itself as a death cult. Of course, thats never how statists explain what theyre doing. Nothing more perfectly shows this than my best recollection of an NPR segment broadcast in 2001 when the Netherlands embraced euthanasia. The host approvingly interviewed a Dutch policymaker who explained why euthanasia was a good idea in the Netherlands while it would be a terrible idea in America. The secret to the Netherlands euthanasia, he said, was socialized medicine. According to him, in America, where medical costs could bankrupt families, those with terminal illnesses could be actively or passively coerced into turning to euthanasia to save their familys finances. His underlying assumption was that, while family members would happily off granny to save money or get an inheritance, a civilized European government would never do that. Instead, in its grand beneficence, it would humanely treat all and, impliedly, never force death upon the unwilling. Image by AI Of course, the opposite is true. Families operate on love and, even if not so loving, on the Biblical mandates to value human life and honor our parents. Governments have a different algorithm: Money and power. When the government runs out of money, only the powerful survive. A government does not love its citizens. Their value lies in the benefits they give to the government, whether through labor or their personal wealth. Theres an old story that perfectly illustrates the statist approach...if you understand that the father in this narrative is the bureaucrat, while the boy is the loving relative: Long ago in China, a boy coming home from school met up with his father, who was carrying on his back a basket holding the boys grandfather. Oh, father, asked the boy, where are you taking Honorable Grandfather? The father signaled that the boy should come closer and then whispered in his ear, Im taking grandfather up to the waterfall. If I throw him over the edge suddenly, death will greet him so quickly, it will be painless. Aghast, the boy asked, Why would you do that to Honorable Grandfather? Because I must, his father whispered back. Honorable grandfather is too old to help in the field or around the house. Instead, he just sits in the corner, eating our food, drinking our tea, and requiring us to care for his needs. A quick, painless death will be better for everyone. The son nodded sagely upon hearing his fathers words. Then, as he turned to continue the walk home, the boy reminded his father of one thing. Dear father, please make sure to bring the basket back because Ill need it for you one day. The accuracy of that storythat the government will jettison people who have no valueis vividly illustrated in Canada, which embraced euthanasia a few years ago, ostensibly to provide a painless way out for people in the end stage of terminal illnesses. The fact that modern pain management is superb doesnt factor into this calculation because that same pain management is also expensive. And so we get to the Canadian reality, which is that people who need wheelchair ramps are encouraged to euthanize themselves. Its cheaper. Even The Jacobin, a hard-left publication, has figured out that Canadas Medical Assistance in Dying program is being used as a cheap alternative to welfare. (I urge you to read the essay because the author, David Moscrop, has done his research, and the statistics are stomach-churning.) Theres also a distinct air of licensed serial killing to the whole thing. A doctor named Ellen Wiebe has killed over 400 patientshalf her practiceall with state sanction. You wont be surprised to learn that the other half of her practice is abortion and contraception. She speaks in glowing terms of the pleasure of killing, although she paints it in humanitarian language. Im not calling Wiebe a serial killer, of course, but shes got a higher body count than Ted Bundy. Euthanasia is where socialized medicine goes to die...but first, it kills everyone in its clutches. The reality is that modern medicine is expensive because its moved far behind a doctors black bag with a few sharp and pointed implements and bottles full of medicines the doctor compounded himself. Now, its high-tech equipment, pharmaceutical magic, and huge, heavily staffed offices and hospitals. In this medical environment, there are only two ways to bring prices down: the free market and rationing. As these statist systems lose money (and they invariably do), the rationing gets more aggressive. Thats whats happening in England. The mismanaged system (mismanaged in part because so many benefits are going to the millions of immigrants who never paid into the system) is going bankrupt. That leaves one alternative, which is brute force rationing by killing users: The British Parliament has voted in favor of a bill permitting doctors to help patients kill themselves. In a 330-275 vote, the UK Parliament advanced proposed highly controversial assisted dying legislation, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that allows doctors to euthanize their patients under certain conditions. There will now be a third reading. The outcome of the vote was unclear beforehand, as the bill was highly contested and faced opposition across party lines. The vote was considered a matter of conscience, meaning that MPs were not expected to vote alongside their partys position. Former Conservative leader Rishi Sunak voted for the measure whereas the new leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, voted against it. The bill, first introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, allows adults who are estimated to have less than six months to live the option to kill themselves with the help of doctors. According to the proposed legislation, two doctors and one judge need to approve each case. As always, this is ostensibly about letting the terminally ill choose an easy way out. And, as always, we know where this will end: Death as a mandate to save the state money. Americans must resist socialized medicine with every fiber of their beings. And if Donald Trump is smart, he will work on laws and draft regulations that make it easier for the free market to operate within the medical field. Otherwise, its not an exaggeration to say that we are doomed...or at least, were doomed if we go to the doctor with something eminently treatable but too expensive for a socialized system. Donald Trump has spoken often about initiating mass deportation of illegal immigrants, starting with the most dangerous criminals. The devil is in the details. Im learning the code words of the lunatic left-wing fringe. Any partisan change to the law that they make is benignly labeled reform. So Ill call mine reform. I humbly suggest the following immigration reform package. Theres an enormous amount of work to be done, by law enforcement (particularly Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and by our immigration court system. Not the least of the causes is that the illegals, and their American-born minor children, now make up almost 10% of Americas population; and since theyre living here, they have constitutional rights. It will take a lot of people to get that amount of work done in an acceptable time frame. Graphic: X Screenshot (A) Hire 100,000 GOP lawyers as immigration court judges. Finding 100,000 GOP lawyers who will give up their lucrative law practices for two years at a mere $140,000 per year will be hard, but it has to be done. (B) Rent large, unused office and commercial spaces in cities where clusters of these GOP lawyers live. Renovate them as temporary immigration courts. Hire 300,000 GOP paralegals as their law clerks. There need to be corresponding increases in ICE and Border patrol personnel and equipment. (C) Mail out notices to the last reported addresses of every illegal immigrant or migrant who was granted legal status by Team Biden/Harris. Their immigration court dates, which were scheduled for some time in 2027 or 2029 due to immigration court backlogs, are being moved up to the second half of 2025. If they dont show up (and about 95% wont), issue federal arrest warrants. (D) Cut off all federal funding, except for national security and border security, for every Democrat Party/Deep State (DP/DS) jurisdiction that continues to refuse cooperation with ICE. That includes education money even student financial aid for every college in the sanctuary jurisdiction. This will force them to comply. (E) Then deport every illegal or fraudulently legalized migrant. All of them. This will be the biggest deportation operation in history. We need to follow the example set by our ally, Kuwait. In 1990, the Palestinian leadership enthusiastically endorsed Iraqs invasion of Kuwait. Kuwaits population at that time was about 17% Palestinian refugees. Some of them supported the invasion, but many didnt. This support, or opposition, by Palestinians in Kuwait didnt matter. Their leaders had, while ensconced in a luxury hotel in Qatar, spoken for them. The Emir of Kuwait heard their leaders. Kuwait was liberated in February 1991. By June 1991, nearly every Palestinian in Kuwait was expelled. According to a Yale/MIT study, there were up to 22 million illegals in America at that time. Since then, Team Biden/Harris opened the floodgates for 11 million more. That makes 33 million just under 10% of our population. If Kuwait can deport 17% of the population, we can deport 10% and protect their constitutional rights in the process. They can take their children with them. It wont be the first time a natural-born US citizen is raised in another country. Ted Cruz was raised in Canada; Barack Obama was raised for years in Indonesia. (F) Whenever we deport an illegal to his home country, its easy for him to return. One illegal, who murdered a family of five in Texas, had already been deported five times. Look up cases of murderers who were illegals: so many were previously deported its tiresome to read. Tack on a mandatory ten-year minimum sentence for anybody who gets deported and then returns illegally and theres the entire immigration reform package. Jim Davis is an IT specialist and paralegal. You can find him as RealProfessor219 on Rumble. I am not sure how I got on the email list for the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), but the most recent from communications director Cat Knarr is entitled LANDBACK from Turtle Island to Palestine. If you havent heard of Turtle Island, it is leftspeak for the purportedly occupied United States, just as the same people say Israel is occupying Palestine. Knarr explains, Every fourth Thursday of November, Indigenous peoples who are native to Turtle Island otherwise known as the settler colonial United States spend their day fasting and mourning. Knarr is of Palestinian and Colombian descent and therefore not an indigenous Native North American. Perhaps she should walk her own talk and go back to either Colombia or Palestine to avoid occupying Turtle Island. Knarr is not the only Palestine-supporter to refer to North America as Turtle Island. We need look no farther than Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who writes, From Turtle Island to Palestine, water is a human right. As Tlaib also is anything but a Native American, she should also walk her talk by moving back to where she or her ancestors came from. The bottom line is that USCPR has made it clear that its agenda is not just about Israel; it is also about the United States, which it defines as a settler colonialist entity. In case USCPR hasnt noticed or doesnt care, by the way, all Native Americans have been U.S. citizens for a hundred years, and therefore have the same rights as every other citizen. Native Americans have served in both the House and Senate. I will now ask USCPR to come up with a list of Christians and Jews who have served in the governance of Palestine. I wont hold my breath waiting for a response. That Aint Settler Colonialism, Mate; This is Settler Colonialism Also, if USCPR is going to lie to me, I wish it would respect my intelligence by telling halfway believable lies. Jews have been indigenous to Israel for thousands of years. Persians, Greeks, and Romans showed up in that region later; Antioch in Syria is named for Antiochus, one of Alexander the Greats generals. Alexandria in Egypt is, of course, named for Alexander. Only well into the seventh century did settler colonialists from the Arabian Peninsula swarm into the Middle East to subjugate the indigenous inhabitants i.e., the Palestinians are themselves occupiers and settler colonialists. In the sixteenth century, Turkish settler colonialists they were originally from Central Asia subjugated the Arabs. As Recep Erdogan continues to allow himself to make noises about Israel, its necessary to remind the entire world that he and his people are illegally occupying Anatolia, which formerly belonged to the Greeks, and also Constantinople, which rightfully belongs to Greece, regardless of how frequently Erdogan calls it Istanbul. USCPRs definition of the United States as a settler colonialist nation, the same definition its camp uses to foment hatred of Israel and Jews, should meanwhile make it clear that Israels enemies are our enemies as well just as we learned the hard way in late 1941 that the enemies of the United Kingdom were also enemies of the United States. The Axis back then consisted of Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Fascist Italy, and Communist Russia. The last was not formally an Axis member, but it colluded with Germany to invade Poland and changed sides only when attacked by Germany. Then it took over the countries the Nazis had tried to take over (Poland and Czechoslovakia) and even more that is, Stalin took over where Hitler left off. Todays Axis of evil consists of Russia, Communist China, Iran, and North Korea, and Iran is pulling a lot of the strings in the Middle East. We must therefore regard Iran, along with its puppets and tentacles like Hamas, Hezballah, the Houthis, and South Africa, as de facto if not de jure enemies of the United States, and entities like USCPR and Students for Justice in Palestine as water-carriers and enablers for the enemies in question. Accuse the Other Side of What Yours Is Guilty Of I also found this item on USCPRs website: Action Toolkit: Theres No Pride in Apartheid! Meanwhile, Ive seen Zionists spew racist hate against us, wishing violent harm on queer Palestinians. The Israeli apartheid state surveils, blackmails, and harasses our queer Palestinian people. I see a lot of rainbow flags in this Tel Aviv gay pride march, and no LGBT people are being harmed by the police or anybody else. Perhaps LGBT people for Palestine should try that in Gaza and see what happens to them. The USCPR web page does stipulate that there is anti-LGBT discrimination in Palestine, for which it blames the British and the Israelis. Gaza has had autonomy since 2005 and has had plenty of time to clean up its act even if this is true, but it has chosen not to do so. USCPR: Destroy Your Career for Our Cause About half a year ago, USCPR organizing and advocacy director Iman Abid asked me to sign a letter to encourage State Department employees to resign from their jobs in protest of a nonexistent genocide in Gaza. The only attempted genocide took place on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attempted to carry out the words of its charter and, having sowed the wind, reaped the whirlwind. USCPR writes, The very least State Department officials can do is be willing to make the same sacrifice for the sake of human rights and the 2.3 million Palestinians living through genocide at this very moment. This is typical of leftist organizations whose position is that sacrifices must be made for the Cause, as long as the sacrifices are made by others never by themselves. The bearded old men in Gaza who tell impressionable teenage boys that, if they die in battle against the infidels, they will get one-on-one meetings with Allah and seventy-two willing virgins never seem to be in a big hurry themselves. Black Lives Matter proclaimed similarly that looting is a form of reparations, but when those who acted on this found their lives messed up with felony records, BLM was nowhere to be found to provide legal or other assistance. USCPR wants federal career employees to throw away years or decades of seniority and hard work for the Cause. In Jerry Pournelles Prince of Mercenaries, the protagonist finds himself sentenced to exile off-planet after being caught up in a riot in which extremists known as Lampburners attack the police and then flee the scene while the police take out their anger on peaceful demonstrators. This is simply more of the same thing: professional troublemakers start something and leave relatively innocent people to hold the bag. The BDS movement, meanwhile, asks and even demands that businesses and universities blow up their reputations, just like suicide bombers who blow themselves up, for the Cause. There is now bipartisan, and I stress bipartisan, support for legislation that would pull federal support from universities that join the BDS movement. Lawmakers want to yank federal financial aid from colleges that divest from Israel. When Donald Trump takes office on January 20, things will get far worse for them very quickly, so they need to learn that allowing oneself to be caught up in incitement or extremism from USCPR, SJP, Jewish Voice for Peace, and similar entities is a bad idea. Civis Americanus is the pen name of a contributor who remembers the lessons of history and wants to ensure that our country never needs to learn those lessons again the hard way. The author is remaining anonymous due to the likely prospect of being subjected to cancel culture for exposing the Big Lie behind Black Lives Matter. Image via Pexels. Soon, well hear little or nothing about Joe Biden. Since he dropped out of the race and annointed Kamala Harris, he has been rapidly fading until hes nearly transparent. After January 20, expect the media to completely lose interest in him, and without his legion of handlers and apologists, his tragic final descent into dementia will progress apace. It should go without saying anyone so suffering should be afforded every kindness in their remaining time, but Biden was denied that by his, and his familys, ambition and greed. Another mysterious fading, and likely temporary, disappearance is Antifa. Black Lives Matter has long been exposed as a money-grubbing scam, and with the impending death of DEI, CRT and wokeness in general, were not likely to hear a great deal more from them. But anarchistic nihilists like Antifa dont vanish. They hide under rocks until they sense the opportunity to destroy. So why didnt they reprise the 2020 Summer of love when Trump won? David Reaboi wonders the same thing: Using a strategically-timed news-hook from former Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly, Harris stared gravely into the camera outside her residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory, warning that her opponent was no longer simply a threat to democracy but, as a Hitlerian-Nazi-Fascist, was openly dedicated to its destruction. The setting, too, was significant: rather than simply reaching down into the rhetorical gutter at a campaign stop, she was using the trappings of her role as vice president to make an official pronouncement on a rival domestic political leader, using language usually reserved for foreign enemies with whom we are at war. The bloody result of a Trump victory, Harris and her media surrogates assured us, was certain. Wait a minute: didnt Harris congratulate Hitler on his victory? Didnt Joe Biden do the same and get photographed with Jill and Hitler, all grinning widely? Didnt even Mika and Morning Joe make a Mar A Lago pilgrimage to kiss Hitlers ring? What gives? Why didnt blue cities burn? All this gathered momentum and intensity in the press until, on the evening of November 5, our sacred democracy simply ended. Donald Trump won the electoral college and the popular vote by wide margins, and his party was in control of every branch of the Federal government. The people had spoken with a clear and resounding voice. If youd been following the speeches of Vice President Harris, youd assume that what they wanted was Nazi Germany. Reaboi, mentioning Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and George Floyd, suggests Antifa and others will come out to violently protest deportations. Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/cs) having learned how and when to exploit a more than willing media for political advantage. Hes too kind. Graphic: Twitter Screenshot D/s/cs believe theyre in control of their Antifa creation. They never were. Antifa and all the other opportunistic anti-American rioters, looters and allied barbaric criminals have always hated any sort of government authority. They ally with D/s/cs for personal advantage and enrichment and to advance the revolution. Should they ever seize power, D/s/cs heads will be lopped off with all the rest. Thanks for all your financial support, comrade suckers! When they sense advantage, Antifa will be back, but this time theyll be joined by thousands of foreign terrorists let into the country by Bidens handlers. Thousands of members of the Chinese military and intelligence will join in, but not in pedestrian street protests. Theyll sabotage water and power systems, do cyber warfare and targeted assassinations. Theyll probably also engage in biowarfare. You dont think Covid was just an honest mistake, do you? Antifas money will continue to come from America-hating billionaires, foundations and NGOs fueled with taxpayer dollars, but theyll be getting money, and weapons, from our foreign enemies long established and waiting in America. Graphic: Twitter Screenshot Will D/s/c politicians have a role? Of course, but they wont have the control they imagine. Theyll give orders, and the barbarian hordes will appear to obey, but the only real goal theyll share is the destruction of Donald Trump and America. Donald Trumps influence is already being felt. Even some blue city officials are making noises about becoming fiscally responsible and are praising law and order. For a prophetic glimpse of this possible future, pick up a copy of Kurt Schlichters The Attack. It provides a sobering, and all too probable, look at what our enemies, foreign and domestic, have in store for America. Among Schlichters predictions is terror attacks by foreign enemies, joined by American anarchists, many coming from our elite universities. He also predicts such attacks will cause America to get serious about handing out final justice to terrorists. This too may become a certainty if blood surpassing the 9-11 death toll runs in Americas streets. Perhaps renewed American confidence will deter what seems inevitable? Well find out soon. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. John Lomax V is a breaking news reporter for the Houston Chronicle. A recent graduate of the University of Houston and a lifelong resident of the city, John is passionate about government watchdog reporting and driven by the mission of digging deep to find out information people want to know. He is the son of renowned Houston journalist John Nova Lomax, who wrote for numerous publications and was a former senior editor at Texas Monthly. Everyone with a room-temperature IQ knows that MSNBC is home to lunatics, vicious anti-Trumpers, and anti-American moonbats who soothe their hate-filled shattered souls by operating according to Saul Alinskys prescriptions for destroying America as founded. Alinskys book, Rules for Radicals, was dedicated to Lucifer which is certainly a clue to his determined goal. MSNBC is the current incarnation of Alinskys prescriptions. Hillary was, of course, their mentor. The witchy women of ABCs The View are their apostles. Like MSNBC, their job is to inflame their mind-numbed audience against any and all persons with unacceptable views. Like Joy Reid, they spew endless vitriol against all things conservative old-fashioned values and anything remotely Christian, patriotic, or generally decent. Joy Reid is very possibly the most racist, bigoted, angry, and hostile person ever to have a voice on cable TV, with the possible exception of Lawrence ODonnell and Keith Olbermann. No one watches either of them or cares an iota about their rantings unless they are equally insane. Joy Reid is the queen of the most vitriolic hate and rage against all white people. She is not, and never will be, an agent of change for good. Like Obama, she is an agent of racial division of the most toxic kind. One can only feel very sorry for her children and husband if she is married, for that degree of venom can and does do terrible damage to those within its reach. So, the question remains: why does an American cable news outlet promote such a person, a woman who only does harm to everyone who hears her and succumbs to her extreme loathing of all things truly American? She is not alone in this pit of hell of her own making. MSNBC is home to a number of them; the odious cretin Al Sharpton is another. And who the hell is Donny Deutsch? A failed son of an advertising magnate who has no viable opinions on anything. Then there is the execrable Joe and Mika, two wanna-be swells who will go to any lengths to promote themselves. After eight years of smearing Trump with every conceivable invective they could come up with, they asked for lunch with the president-elect. How embarrassing is that? They grovel. Trump must have enjoyed that. Why did he agree to host them for lunch? So the rest of us could enjoy the schadenfreude of their humiliation. They are well and truly pathetic. That Joe Biden loved their program explains just about everything about why his presidency has been such a disaster. If the rest of Bidens cabinet members and their staffs were also MSNBC addicts, it explains why they were all so shocked by Trumps resounding victory. They seemingly had no idea there were other, more reliable news sources available to them. Instead, they opted to be gaslit by a truly despicable cable outlet that pretended to do news but verifiably set out to indoctrinate. But then ABC considers The View to be a news program when it is merely the ranting of an ignorant cabal of radical women who think they are relevant. They could not be more irrelevant. CNN and MSNBC have had dismal viewerships for years. Neither one can touch the ratings of Joe Rogan, Tucker Carlson, Charlie Kirk, Megyn Kelly, etc. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of alternative, conservative sites and podcasts with more fans than MSNBC has ever enjoyed. CNN and MSNBCs ratings have tanked from low to minimal since the election. Their viewers may have realized that MSNBC is a crank outlet. It has long gaslighted its audience. Twenty-four hours a day, it sells lies about Trump most assuredly, and about the disaster that has been Bidens economy and his foreign policy. Their hosts -- from Rachel Maddow to Chris Hayes to Ari Melber and more -- have one agenda, one agenda only: Destroy Trump! But they didnt. Their virulence, along with the Democrats wholly ill-conceived lawfare (that is, their attempt to ruin him in the courts with made-up charges and compliant judges), pretty much guaranteed Trumps election victory. The American people are so much smarter than our self-appointed elites. Sharon Stone and Alec Baldwin are nothing more than ugly Americans. What other kind of person maligns her or his country while abroad? That would be really ungrateful people, arrogant beyond belief. That these two minor celebs think theyre special and that anyone cares what they think is hilarious. As many others have noted, with Trumps victory, the country dodged a bullet. A Kamala Harris presidency would have meant the further Stalinization of the U.S. with increased government control over all our lives, increased censorship, more lawfare perpetrated upon political opponents, and an endless invasion of migrants from third-world nations. MSNBC has for years and years been the advance team for the hate-American crowd. Their demise, if on the horizon, will be a welcome reprieve for all the patriots who love America and want their country back. Image: Mayaluk, via Wikimedia Commons // CC0 1.0 universal public domain dedication The protracted process of counting votes in Irelands General Election will begin on Saturday morning as an exit poll put the three main parties virtually neck and neck. Sinn Fein held 21.1% of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of current coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively, according to the Ipsos B&A Exit Poll commissioned by RTE, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin. It puts the two largest parties in the current coalition, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, on a combined 40.5%. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris accompanied by his wife Caoimhe and children Cillian and Saoirse as he casts his vote at Delgany National School, Co Wicklow (Niall Carson/PA) Counting begins at 9am and could last days due to Irelands complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. It means the voting slips need to be counted several times an undertaking which can last days. The final results will immediately kick-start government formation speculation amid the suggestion of the exit poll that more than three parties may be needed to form a majority. While the exit poll is indicative of the support base for the political parties, the final results will be determined by transfer votes a key part of PR-STV. The exit polls examination of voters second preferences put Fianna Fail and Fine Gael at 20% each, with Sinn Fein at 17%. The inconclusive results mean that all eyes will now turn to the potential search for coalition partners. Elsewhere, the exit poll showed: Social Democrats (5.8%), Labour (5%), Greens (4%), Aontu (3.6%), People Before Profit-Solidarity (3.1%), and Independent Ireland (2.2%). Independents and other candidates were on 14.6%. There is a margin of error of 1.4%. Matt Carthy, Sinn Feins director of elections, hailed his partys phenomenal performance as a significant turnaround from the partys disappointing showing in Junes local and European elections. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald casts her vote at the Deaf Village in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) While refusing to be drawn on potential government formation, Mr Carthy said previous exit polls understated Sinn Feins performance by more than 2%. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers cautioned that the three-way race was within the margin of error of 1.4%. Mr Chambers told RTE News: Were clearly in the mix with the other two parties. On the same broadcast, Fine Gael representative Damien English said the result was a very solid performance and predicted the party will return 37-38 seats. Eighteen of the partys 35 incumbents are not contesting the General Election, with incumbency historically considered an important factor in Irish politics. The results of the exit poll suggest the arithmetic to form a majority may prove tricky, with the countrys several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockeying for a place in government possibly in a coalition made up of four parties. The leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have consistently ruled out entering into a future coalition with Sinn Fein, citing substantial differences on policy. Mr Chambers said nothing has changed in regard to Fianna Fails position of ruling out a coalition with Sinn Fein. Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin (Jacob King/PA) Mr English said it was too early for government formation talks but noted that Sinn Feins figures are well down from highs of more than 30% seen previously. As such, Sinn Fein faces a much more challenging route to forming a government. However, long-held and seemingly insurmountable political differences have eroded as recently as 2020 when the general election also delivered an inconclusive result. It was in that instance that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Irelands Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power for the outgoing coalition after similar pledges against forming coalitions had been made prior to the final results. The Greens joined the coalition as a junior partner. In that election, Sinn Fein won the popular vote but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government. This time around, party leader Mary Lou McDonald fielded many more candidates in a vow not to repeat past mistakes, as she urged voters to elect a government of change without Fine Gael or Fianna Fail. There are a total of 174 seats in the countrys parliament to be filled more than ever before. As the Ceann Comhairle the speaker of the house is automatically returned, 173 seats will be filled in the counting process. Green leader Roderic OGorman, third left, and party candidates (Brian Lawless/PA) More than 3.6 million people were registered to vote in the election to pick their representatives across 43 constituencies, in a campaign that has focused on the countrys housing crisis, the response to a dramatic increase in immigration, and economic management for the cost of living as well as potential future trade shocks. Prior to the exit poll, Green Party leader Roderic OGorman said his government partners will be looking for an easier life in a future government, and warned that this could result in right-wing independents or small populist parties padding out the numbers. Lewis Hamilton insisted it is not a question in my mind that I definitely still have it after he qualified sixth for the penultimate round of his Mercedes career. Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari next season, raised question marks about his future in Formula One when he claimed he is not fast anymore at this weekends Qatar Grand Prix. The seven-time world champions comments arrived after he qualified only seventh for the sprint race 0.399 sec slower than George Russell in the other Mercedes in Doha on Friday night. Lewis Hamilton will line up from sixth place for the Qatar Grand Prix (Altaf Qadri/AP) Hamilton made up one place to finish sixth in the 19-lap dash to the flag, and then was sixth again this time even further behind Russell with the gap standing at 0.436 sec in qualifying for Sundays main event. The 39-year-old, whose 104 poles ensures he is the greatest one-lap performer the sport has ever seen, has now been beaten by Russell in 23 of the 29 qualifying sessions this season. And although Hamilton admitted he is now looking forward to the end of his career with the team which has carried him to six of his record-equalling seven world titles, he added: I know Ive still got it. Its just the car wont go faster. But I definitely know Ive got it. It is not a question in my mind. Attempting to explain his comments 24 hours previously, Hamilton said: I am slow, about half-a-second off my team-mate in the same car. Another day, another impressive Quali performance Great effort out there, GR pic.twitter.com/jwYUngVdZH Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 30, 2024 Asked if he was referring to this weekend, Hamilton replied: No, it has been all year. And why is he slow? I dont know, replied Hamilton. It is not possible to change it. With Hamilton struggling, Russell, a winner in Las Vegas, put his Mercedes on the front row, initially second to Max Verstappen after the newly-crowned four-time world champion looked to have claimed his first pole position since the Austrian Grand Prix, exactly five months ago. Verstappen started sixth and finished only eighth in the earlier sprint race won by Oscar Piastri as McLaren edged closer to their first constructors title in 26 years. But the Dutch driver returned to form in qualifying for the main event, only to later be penalised one place for impeding Russell as both drivers geared up for their final laps, giving top spot to the Mercedes man. Lando Norris, who handed victory to team-mate Piastriz in the sprint with McLaren securing a one-two finish to move 30 points clear of Ferrari took third. Piastri finished fourth to ensure both McLarens will start ahead of Ferrari. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz qualified fifth and seventh respectively for the Italian team. Norris controlled the sprint before moving aside for Piastri at the final corner the British driver returning the favour after they traded positions in Sao Paulo. Then Norris still harboured ambitions of claiming the drivers crown. But, with the individual title off the table, Norris sole focus is on delivering a ninth crown for McLaren to put them level with Williams in second place. Ferrari lead the way with 16 titles, but the Italians are also in a drought with their last triumph back in 2008. Norris aborted both his first and second laps in Q3 and then did not have the speed to match Verstappen and Russell. MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES POLE IN QATAR! Unbelievably, his first pole since the Austrian Grand Prix in June!#F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/iY5iTnPPd8 Formula 1 (@F1) November 30, 2024 However, it remains advantage McLaren and they will secure the constructors crown on Sunday with one round remaining if they outscore Ferrari by 15 points. Verstappen has won in just one of his 12 previous appearances and would not have expected to even be in the fight for pole. It is a crazy turnaround, said Verstappen. I didnt expect that. Well done to the team for giving me a car that is more connected. We changed some bits on the car, but I never thought it would make such a swing in performance. That is encouraging and I hope it continues into the race. There will be a highly visible police presence in London this weekend with a pro-Palestine march and counter-protest set to clash with Christmas festivities. Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) demonstrators will march from Park Lane to Whitehall on Saturday afternoon, in their 21st protest since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023. Counter-protesters from Stop the Hate will gather on Coventry Street near Piccadilly Circus, on the route of the PSC procession, to urge the marchers to stop supporting terror. | This Saturday, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign will hold a protest in Central London. Our job is to balance the lawful right to protest against the impact of these events on communities & businesses. https://t.co/UfkhiKGseH | The key event conditions are below: Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) November 29, 2024 It comes as the Metropolitan Police issued another warning that Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanese militants Hezbollah are proscribed terror organisations and that expressing support for them is a criminal offence. This includes chanting, wearing clothing and displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos. Scotland Yard said it expects the weekend to be one of the busiest shopping weeks before Christmas, with Hyde Parks Winter Wonderland also occurring nearby. The force would not say how many protesters it expects to take to the streets, but said previous demonstrations have seen significant numbers. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jon Savell, who is leading the policing operation, said: Ahead of the weekend we have been in regular discussions with the PSC, counter-protesters Stop the Hate, as well as faith and community groups particularly the Jewish community who we know continue to be impacted by protests residents, and businesses. We expect this weekend to be very busy with many people shopping during the Black Friday sales, and visiting the capital ahead of the festive period, including Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park which is nearby. We have worked with organisers to seek to minimise disruption and balance the right to protest. Officers will be highly visible along the protest route and wider area to ensure the events take place safely and will deal with any offences. PSC speeches will occur in Whitehall, and the assembly must finish by 4.30pm. The advocacy group, which has been at the forefront of organising pro-Palestine marches across the country, is demanding an end to British complicity in Israels genocide and apartheid of Gaza. It comes after a truce between Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah to suspend hostilities for 60 days was announced on Tuesday night, with both sides withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Last week, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister and Hamass military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza. The UK would respect the process set out under domestic legislation when it comes to the arrest warrant, Downing Street said. A famous and historic letter in support of Scottish hero William Wallace has been put on display on St Andrews Day. More than 250 people turned up to see the fragile document which was only on display for five hours to protect it from too much daylight. The letter from the King of France to his agents at the papal court in Rome, is known as the Wallace letter of recommendation, and turned up among other historic documents in the Tower of London in the 19th century. The letter dates from 1300, three years after Wallace and Andrew Moray led the Scots to victory over the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The letter was written in Latin script (Chris Watt/PA Wire). In 1300, Wallace and other Scottish knights were in France, possibly seeking support from the French king for the restoration of the Scottish monarchy as part of the resistance against King Edward I of England. The French monarchs letter urged allies to support Wallace in those things which he has to transact. The document was last displayed in 2018 and is kept out of the light for years at a time to preserve it for future generations. The National Records of Scotland, which runs the national archive at General Register House in Edinburgh, put the fragile fragment of parchment on display for five hours only. The letter was last on display in 2018 (Chris Watt Photography/PA Wire) There is no evidence that Wallace ever reached Rome and five years later, he was captured by the English, taken to London and executed. Archivist Jocelyn Grant said: It was a pleasure to put this rare document on show, alongside two tapestries inspired by it, and the so-called Lubeck letter. It was nice to see so many people take advantage of one of the few opportunities to see this document in-person; as well as the tapestries. Skilled weavers from the Dovecot studios created them in 2012, and this is the first time they have been on display since then. Books that are frequently listed on banned book lists photographed in the Houston Chronicle photo studio, Tuesday, July 19, 2022, in Houston. Books include Ghost Boys, All Boys Aren't Blue, Gender Queer, the Hate U Give, Lawn Boy, This Book is Gay, Anne Frank graphic novel, And Tango Makes Three, The Glass Castle and Drama. Mark Mulligan/Staff photographer Katy ISD in November banned 14 new books, many of which bear familiar titles in circulation for decades. Among the newly banned books are Wicked, Slaughterhouse-Five, and The Handmaids Tale. A non-fiction elementary-level book about mammals was also banned. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The district declined to explain why the books were banned, a representative instead emailed a link to the districts EFB local policy. Book bans across Katy ISD have been on a sharp rise since 2021. According to the district website, eight books were banned in 2021. Four were banned in 2022 and 18 were banned in 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Katy ISDs increase in book banning is not unique, however. Book banning as a whole has been on the rise across both the state and country. Heres what to know about the book-banning trend. The top 10 banned titles Each year the American Library Association tallies book bans across the country and compiles a list of the most frequently banned books alongside a brief tag for the reason behind the ban. According to the ALA, these are the most frequently banned books in 2023. Gender Queer, by Maia Kobabe Advertisement Article continues below this ad All Boys Arent Blue, by George M. Johnson This Book is Gay, by Juno Dawson The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky Flamer, by Mike Curato The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison Advertisement Article continues below this ad Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, by Jesse Andrews Tricks, by Ellen Hopkins Let's Talk About It, by Erika Moen Sold, by Patricia McCormick Six of these titles are banned in Katy ISD. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Book banning is on the rise, but not from parents Katy ISDs surge in banned books is in keeping with a larger trend across the U.S. There has been about a 200% increase in banned books nationwide, according to data from PEN America, a nonprofit organization that advocates for open access to literature. The numbers are rising, the ALA notes, but not because parents are complaining. Calls for the censorship of literature titles now come primarily from conservative political movements. Prior to 2020, the vast majority of challenges to library books and resources were brought by a single parent who sought to remove or restrict access to a book their child was reading, according to the ALA. Recent censorship data are evidence of a growing, well-organized, conservative political movement, the goals of which include removing books about race, history, gender identity, sexuality and reproductive health from America's public and school libraries that do not meet their approval. Texas is third in the nation for book banning Texas has the third highest number of banned books across its districts in 2024 at 538 as of Nov. 1, according to data from PEN America. An artists sketch of DB Cooper, who hijacked a plane and then jumped out with $200,000 in 1971. Photograph: Bettmann/Bettmann Archive It is one of the biggest mysteries in US criminal history: just what happened to DB Cooper, the man who hijacked an airplane before leaping out in mid-air with $200,000 in cash? Now, more than 50 years later, the infamous crime may have been solved, after a pair of siblings came forward to claim they had found the parachute used in the hijacking, in their mothers shed, and that Cooper was their father. Chante and Rick McCoy III say their father, Richard McCoy Jr, was the man who identified himself as Dan Cooper when he boarded a Northwest Orient Airlines jetliner from Portland to Seattle in November 1971. Cooper, or perhaps McCoy, proceeded to order a bourbon and soda before handing a note to a flight attendant that said he had a bomb in his briefcase. Miss, I have a bomb and would like you to sit by me, the note said. When the plane arrived in Seattle, Cooper collected $200,000 in ransom money, along with four parachutes, and released the passengers. He then ordered the flight crew to head for Mexico City, via Reno, Nevada, but 30 minutes after takeoff, Cooper jumped out of the airplane somewhere over south-west Washington. The hijacking baffled the FBI, who spent 45 years investigating before officially closing the case in 2016. It also caught the attention of amateur sleuths, particularly after about $5,800 of the ransom money was found near Vancouver, Washington, in 1980. In November, Dan Gryder, a retired pilot who has spent 20 years investigating the case, told the Cowboy State Daily that the FBI was re-investigating the Cooper case, after the discovery of the parachute in the McCoys mothers shed. That rig is literally one in a billion, Gryder said of the parachute, according to the Cowboy State Daily. He said FBI agents had visited the property of the McCoys mother, Karen, who died in 2020, last year. Agents searched every nook and cranny, according to Gryder, and the McCoys handed over the parachute. Gryder released two videos in 2021 and 2022 on his YouTube channel Probable Cause, documenting the McCoys claims. In Gryders latest video, published on 18 November, he claims the FBI effectively re-opened its investigation after contacting him in late 2023. Gryder claims that the FBI, which is in possession of the McCoy parachute, is now searching for a positive DNA connection between McCoys DNA, and the Cooper DNA left on board the aircraft. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The suggestion that Richard McCoy may have hijacked the Northwest Orient Airlines is not as outrageous as it may seem. McCoy, a former military helicopter pilot who served in the Vietnam war, was among a number of suspects investigated by the FBI after he hijacked a plane on 7 April 1972, leaping out of the aircraft with $500,000 cash, over Provo, Utah. McCoy was arrested two days later and sentenced to 45 years in prison, but he escaped in 1974 after three months on the run he was killed by an FBI agent. Perhaps McCoy died hiding the secret of the DB Cooper hijacking with him and 50 years on, the truth may finally have come to light. Former Australian journalist Peter Greste spent 400 days in an Egyptian jail. Dfat has been accused of poorly managing cases of Australian citizens wrongfully detained overseas. Photograph: EGYPT/REUTERS Australia needs a specialist envoy dedicated to freeing its citizens arbitrarily detained by rogue nations, a senate committee inquiry has recommended. The practice of hostage diplomacy is an increasing threat, the senate committee found, and Australians should be specifically warned that authoritarian regimes in some countries naming China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Mali and Myanmar arbitrarily detain Australian citizens. The report from a five-month inquiry into the wrongful detention of Australian citizens overseas, tabled in parliament late this week, found the department of foreign affairs and trades regime for managing cases of wrongful detention was inconsistent and inadequate, and frequently unfair. Related: Australia financially assisting some citizens to leave Lebanon as Israel launches ground incursion While recognising that government officials require some degree of flexibility to be able to negotiate the return of an Australian citizen, it is clear that there is a concerning lack of consistency and fairness in determining whether someone has been wrongfully detained, and therefore what level of consular support they receive. The report, from the senates foreign affairs, defence and trade references committee, was, in parts, scathing of Dfats handling of hostage diplomacy cases. Flexibility is too often a cover for incoherence and subjectivity. Dfat told the committee it placed a very high priority on supporting Australians and their families in cases of wrongful detention, and had a clear focus on resolving the case and ensuring the detainees welfare. But the report said evidence put before the committee detailed significant shortcomings in Dfats current management of wrongful detention cases. Submitters informed the committee that while individual Dfat officials often undertook commendable work, current departmental operational policies impeded case resolution and were not conducive to effective, compassionate communication with detainees and their families. The report recommended Australia establish a dedicated Special Envoy for Wrongfully Detained Australians, resourced with its own office and expert staff. The office would lead the management of cases of wrongfully detained Australians overseas, with dedicated family liaison contacts, and coordination between those detained, their families, and legal representatives. The office would also provide: a greater level of ongoing support for victims of wrongful detention post-release, including medical support and counselling, and assistance navigating legal and administrative issues created by a wrongful conviction. Related: Coalition to help pass bill that would see Australia pay third countries to take unlawful non-citizens The committee report cited the USs special presidential envoy for hostage affairs established by former US president Barack Obama in 2015 as well as Canadas newly installed senior official for hostage affairs as a stronger response to the practice of hostage diplomacy, and a better way of managing complex detention cases. The senate committee found Australians overseas were at increasing risk of being arbitrarily taken hostage by foreign governments seeking to leverage their detention for political, financial or diplomatic purposes. Through no fault of their own, some find themselves used as pawns and bargaining chips in geopolitical games, purely by virtue of their Australian citizenship, its report said. Beyond the geopolitics, the human cost is immense, the report argued. Being wrongly detained is a terrifying, isolating, and dehumanising experience, with those held often suffering inhumane treatment and human rights violations. They are denied any semblance of justice, unable to access help, and cut off from their families and the rest of the world. They often face the hopeless prospect of indefinite detention and are totally reliant on the efforts of their government to secure their release. In public hearings, the committee heard from high-profile Australians who had been arbitrarily detained, including Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was detained in Iran for 804 days, Prof Peter Greste, held in Egypt for 400 days, and Cheng Lei, detained in China for more than three years. All have since been freed and returned to Australia. Also freed in recent years have been Prof Sean Turnell (detained in Myanmar), Chau Van Kham (Vietnam) and Ken Elliott (Burkina Faso). But a number of Australians, including Yang Hengjun (China), Robert Pether (Iraq), and Mo Munshi (Mongolia), remain imprisoned or held overseas by arbitrary travel bans. Moore-Gilbert, speaking on behalf of the Australian Wrongful and Arbitrary Detention Alliance (Awada) urged the Australian government to adopt all 18 of the committees recommendations in full and to ensure a special envoy is speedily appointed. Moore-Gilbert told the Guardian the establishment of a properly resourced envoy would revolutionise the way wrongful detention cases are handled, assisting not only the detained person, but their family back home. Knowing that one person is responsible in government, that this is the person tasked with getting your loved one out, would make an enormous difference. Former Whitehall source said, Russia is actively promoting the case for Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Islands - Contributor/Getty Images Britain was warned of Russian attempts to encourage Mauritian claims to the Chagos Islands, The Telegraph can reveal. Government officials and ministers were told President Vladimir Putins officials attempted to stir up support among Mauritian politicians for a claim over the Chagos Islands as a way of undermining British interests, according to a source familiar with the discussions. Russia is doing more than supporting Mauritius they are actively promoting the case for Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, a former Whitehall source said. They dont give a monkeys about Mauritius thats not what its about for them. What this is all about is ways they can undermine us and make us look weaker. Everyone who needed to know was made aware of this. They have had the warnings, there is no question, and they have chosen not to take them seriously. They added: It is absolutely extraordinary that the Government has not taken two and two and made a very obvious four. Foreign Office sources have told The Telegraph that they were well aware of the tactics that malign actors have deployed in relation to the Chagos deal. But they added that these were taken into full consideration when the treaty was being negotiated and are why we ensured robust security provisions in the treaty. British Chagossians demonstrate in Westminster asking for the right to determine their own future - Dan Kitwood The Prime Minister is seeking to sign off a treaty to hand control of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius before Donald Trump becomes US president on Jan 20. The agreement would see the UK give up its claim not just on more than 60 islands including Diego Garcia, where the military base is located, but also the surrounding ocean. The UK argues its deal would safeguard Diego Garcia because the land would be leased to Britain for 99 years. However, critics have questioned that argument. Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, said that Russian influence on the Chagos Islands giveaway fits their playbook precisely. He said: Bear in mind that Russia sees themselves as in a state of war with the West. They are exploiting and opening up new issues and problems for the West. This fits that type of activity. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank has noted that Russia carried out significant diplomatic legwork to ensure Mauritius had support for its legal claim to the Chagos Islands. Russia saw this issue as a way of imposing costs on the UK, and it seems to have succeeded, they said. Ed Arnold, senior research fellow for European security at RUSI said this fits with the wider Russian aims to supplant the rules-based national order. The rough intent is to destabilise and embarrass the West. He added: The worry is that this deal benefits China so in this case it might be that the Kremlin is actually doing Beijing a favour by acting on their behalf. Tom Tugendhat, a former security minister, said: This deal demonstrates that this Government simply does not believe in the devil and does not believe in the reality of the threats we face today. China, Russia and many other countries around the world are actively trying to undermine our position and to undermine the strength of Western powers. What they are doing is harmful and relinquishing territory like the Chagos Islands on spurious legal grounds weakens the UK and our allies. Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian MP in Zelenskys party who is chair of the committee on foreign policy and inter-parliamentary relations, said: Its very typical for Russia to undermine global order and to sow chaos in the world, including the UK. The UK is supporting the rule of law and Ukraine, which makes the UK Russias enemy. Therefore Russia is using each opportunity to undermine stability and the UK interests. An FCDO spokesperson said: Our primary goal throughout negotiations was to protect the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, which plays a crucial role in regional and international security. We would not have signed off an agreement that compromised any of our security interests or those of the US and our allies and partners. Donald Trump shakes hands with Russia's President Vladimir Putin Donald Trumps looming inauguration bodes poorly for vital Western security interests, and Ukraine in particular. Trumps hostility to NATO is palpable, and his feelings about Ukraine follow close behind. After January 20, US military and economic assistance will likely drop significantly, and negotiations with Russia begin quickly. In turn, European financial support for Ukraine will diminish, as EU members rush to revive now-defunct commercial ties with Moscow. Despite contrary press reports, Trump has not yet spoken to Vladimir Putin. When they do, Trumps desire to put this Biden war behind him could, at worst, mean capitulation to maximalist Russian demands. After all, if assisting Ukraines defence against unprovoked aggression is unimportant to Washington, why worry about Kyivs terms of surrender? In fact, core America national interests remain. Since 1945, European peace and stability have been vital to advancing US economic and political security. The ripple effects of perceived American and NATO failure in Europes centre will embolden Beijing to act aggressively toward Taiwan and the East China Sea; the South China Sea; and along its land borders. These arent abstract, diaphanous worries at the periphery of our interests, but hard threats to US physical security, trade, travel and communications globally. Biden put these interests at risk by bungling implementation of nearly three years of aid to Kyiv. He never developed a winning strategy. His administration helped create the current battlefield gridlock, deterred by constant but idle Kremlin threats of a wider war. Parcelling out weapons only after long public debates prevented their most effective use. Biden failed to explain clearly Russias threat to key Western interests, thereby fanning the belief there are no such interests, and abetting the Trump-inspired isolationism spreading nationally. What to do? Aiding Ukraine is in NATOs vital interest. That interest does not diminish because of persistent Biden administration poor performance. Do we ignore the continuing reality that Russias aggression threatens Alliance security? Does Ukraine simply give way to Trumpian capitulationism? Certainly not. In the coming negotiations, certain points are essential to any potential agreement. The following suggestions, which are hardly my preferred outcome, are the absolute minimum we must obtain. They are only indicative, not exhaustive, and certainly not NATOs opening position. Any agreement must be explicitly provisional to keep Ukraines future open. Moscow will treat any deal that way regardless. For the Kremlin, nothing is permanent until its empire is fully restored, by their lights. Putin needs time to restore Russias military capabilities, and believing any commitment to forswear future aggression against Ukraine is dreaming. A ceasefire along existing military frontlines during negotiations may be inevitable. Nonetheless, we should insist that any ultimate agreement explicitly state that the lines eventually drawn have no political import whatever, but merely reflect existing military dispositions. Russia may later disregard such disclaimers, but such claims must be rendered clearly invalid in advance. Similarly, the agreement should not create demilitarised zones between Ukrainian and Russian forces inside Ukraine, or along the two countries formal border elsewhere. The surest way for a ceasefire line to become a permanent border is to make it half-a-mile wide, extending endlessly through contested territory. A DMZ inures solely to Moscows benefit. Deployments of UN peacekeepers have an unhappy history of freezing the status quo, not helping to resolve the underlying conflict. Consider the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) which has partitioned the island since 1964. The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has patrolled the Golan Heights since 1974, and may last forever, but did not prevent Israel from annexing the Golan. The list goes on. In Ukraine, a disengagement force could mean permanent cession of twenty percent of Ukraine to Russia. The problem is not mitigated if the peacekeepers are under NATO rather than UN auspices. It is not the quality of the military that makes a difference, but the intentions of the parties to the conflict. Does anyone doubt what Russias long-term aims are? Or Ukraines for that matter? My guess is that the Kremlin wont agree to NATO peacekeepers anyway, at least not unless augmented by thousands of North Korean troops. Finally, Ukraine should not be constrained in its future options to join or cooperate with NATO. Whats left of Ukraine will still be a sovereign country, striving for representative government, and free to pick its allies on its own. We should not acquiesce in enforced neutralisation, what in the Cold War was called Finlandisation. Even Finland turned out not to like it, finally joining NATO in 2023. And if some hardy nations want to provide security guarantees to Free Ukraine, they should be able to do so, not subject to Russian vetoes. Soon to be cast adrift by President-elect Trump, Ukraines likely future is bleak. Lets not make it worse by a feckless peace deal. John Bolton served as the United States National Security Advisor There has been an extraordinary increase in police drawing their Tasers from their holsters, and experts are concerned officers may be resorting to Tasers too quickly. Composite: Bianca de Marchi/AAP Roberto Curti was having a bad LSD trip when he stole two packets of Tim Tams from a Sydney convenience store in 2012. After a witness called police, the operator mistakenly logged it as an armed robbery. A coroner would later describe the police officers response as like schoolboys in Lord of the Flies. The 21-year-old from Brazil died after police shot him with a Taser up to 14 times, hit him with batons and pepper-sprayed him at close range. The case put a spotlight on use of force by the New South Wales police. Since then, more safeguards have been added into the procedures, including outlines of exceptional circumstances in which a Taser shouldnt be used. This week, another case has brought significant attention to police use of Tasers after Kristian White was convicted of manslaughter of Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old who was carrying a steak knife when he fatally shot her with a Taser. The number of incidents where police have shot somebody with a Taser has remained relatively steady over the past two years. But there has been an extraordinary increase in police drawing their Tasers from their holsters, and experts are concerned officers may be resorting to Tasers too quickly. Related: Kristian White has been convicted over a 95-year-olds death. Experts say it serves as a powerful warning The number of times police have drawn their Tasers from their holsters has increased by 57% over the past two years and by 16% on average annually over the last five years. Between July 2021 and June 2022, NSW police fired their Tasers 240 times and pulled a Taser from their holster 707 times. Over the same period two years later, police shot a Taser 290 times and drew it 1,542 times. The data, now published by the states Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, offers a rare insight into Taser use by an Australian police force. Until recently, according to Emma Ryan, an expert in Tasers at Deakin University, only the ACT released public reporting of Taser use by police. A/Prof Terry Goldsworthy, who worked as a police officer for 28 years in Queensland, said the increase in police drawing their Tasers from their holsters was extraordinary. Its something that would be driven by system or culture, not individuals, he says. The risk of a lethal outcome Now a criminology academic at Bond University, Goldsworthy suspects the increase in police drawing their Tasers, but not firing them, may be due to officers drawing it in circumstances they should not be. Pulling it out and then not using it, that to me is also a red flag, he says. [Tasers] are not meant to be used for passive, non-compliant subjects who exhibit non-threatening behaviour. My guess would be theyre presenting them in situations where they perhaps know they shouldnt be and theyre maybe a bit more reticent to use them. When Tasers were introduced in Australia in the early 2000s, they were pitched as a non-lethal replacement for firearms. But Goldsworthy says their use has far supplanted the use of firearms and he argues Tasers are not a non-lethal use of force. It has far and beyond supplanted the use of firearms. Its used in much more marginal circumstances where you would never consider using a firearm, he says. It isnt non-lethal. Its less than lethal. Theres a clear difference in between those two terms. One is suggesting non-lethal, that you wont die from a Taser. Less than lethal means that theres less chance of you dying. When police deploy them all and present them, they should be in the back of mind that it could be a lethal outcome. A NSW police spokesperson said Taser use, like the use of any police power, is subject to strict oversight and that police are required to adhere to the Law Enforcement Act. They also said all Taser deployments, including where they are drawn but not discharged, are reviewed. If police breach the procedure, they may be subject to remedial training departmental action or dealt with as a complaint. De-escalation tactics are dependent on the situation confronting officers, which is why officers are highly trained in a number of methods, the spokesperson said. Reaching for the Taser After Curti was killed, the coroner recommended police consider imposing limitations on the use of Tasers in certain circumstances. Officers are now advised that Tasers should not be used in exceptional circumstances, including against a person who was handcuffed, a woman suspected of being pregnant, elderly or disabled persons and children or a person with small body mass. That was quite a significant case, says Sam Lee, a supervising solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre. It did create some change, but it does feel like police are slipping back into reaching for the Taser instead of reaching for de-escalation strategies. During Whites manslaughter trial, Sr Sgt William Watt who is employed by NSW police to train officers on firearms told the court White had met the standard operating procedures but had not met the exceptional circumstances, on which the court heard White had received very little training. Related: Police officer who shot Clare Nowland with a Taser would have only done so if it was lawful, defence tells jury Watt said officers at the police academy now receive more training following reviews and recommendations by oversight bodies. The morning after he shot Nowland, who moved with the aid of a walking frame, with a Taser, White reportedly told another police officer: Ive had a look and, supposedly, we arent meant to Tase elderly people but, in the circumstance, I needed to. When White appeared in the witness box during the trial, he said: At the police academy we are taught any person with a knife is a danger, he told the court. White was asked: Did you consider it would result in her dying? No, White said. Im upset and devastated by it. I never intended for her to be injured by it at all. I accept Tasers cause an injury but Ive never seen it cause a serious injury. A need for change? In the hours after White was convicted on Wednesday, the police commissioner, Karen Webb, said the police force had reviewed its Taser policy in the wake of the incident and no updates were made. Lee says the force needs to do more to monitor police training to ensure it is sinking in. A policy and procedure is only as good as the people that know it, she says. Lee says there can be an impatience among police to just get the job done. She says that could be more of an issue amid a NSW police officer shortage, as drawing a Taser to get someone to comply can be much quicker than other de-escalation tactics. The solicitor says police turning to Tasers rather than other de-escalatory tactics can become an issue in mental health responses where police have a tactical response to situations, rather than from a health framework. Matthew Morgan, an expert in policing at the Australian Catholic University, says he is not a fan of Tasers for the same reasons. It just wrecks any kind of therapeutic alliance between police and people in those states of crises, he says. However, Morgan says, police are being placed in a position where they are the default first mental health responders but have little training in negotiating. I want to see negotiators delivering more training to police and verbal de-escalation skills to better equip them to use those skills and those crisis situations, so theyre not going to use the force options, he says. Lee says: Theres individual responsibility there, but this should be an opportunity for NSW police to look at any systemic failings and to address them. Kim Leadbeater, centre, put forward the controversial legislation as a private members Bill - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph Doctors and medical charities are calling for safeguards to be inserted in the assisted dying Bill to ensure urgent improvements in palliative care services. They say such improvements are vital to avoid terminally ill people feeling as if they have no real choice but to take their own lives. Following the success of the second reading of Kim Leadbeaters bill in the Commons, the hospice sector is calling for the Government to develop an urgent strategy to improve palliative care services, which it says are in a perilous state. The Marie Curie cancer care charity said it was vital that the Bill was amended to include a clause aimed at securing urgent improvements to palliative and end-of-life care. The Telegraph understands that calls for such an amendment are also backed by Hospice UK, a charity that represents more than 200 hospices. Hospice UK is understood to have told the Department of Health and Social Care that hospices in England need 110 million in urgent funding to stave off cutbacks. James Sanderson, the chief executive of bereavement charity Sue Ryder, appeared to support the demands from Marie Curie and Hospice UK, saying: Ahead of the vote on assisted dying, the health secretary recognised the need to strengthen end of life care, and the Prime Minister said he would invest in it regardless of the result. The government cannot now backtrack. It must fix end-of-life care. MPs on both sides of the debate agree that more is needed to improve end-of-life care. These include Layla Moran, who supported the Bill at its second reading on Friday, and Diane Abbott, who did not. I am very worried that vulnerable people will get swept up in the assisted dying route, when actually what they really need is access to hospice care and proper end-of-life care, Ms Abbott told Radio 4s Today programme on Saturday. Opponents of assisted dying staged a protest outside the Commons before last weeks vote - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph During the parliamentary debate on Friday, Ms Moran called on Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, to put firm commitments on palliative care on the table. Critics of the Bill say that it obliges the Health Secretary to provide a complete assisted dying service, but no comparable demand is made when it comes to palliative care, which is currently only 30 per cent government-funded. It is widely believed that the hospice sector took a neutral position on the issue of assisted dying to ensure a seat at the table when it came to negotiating funding. This gamble may have paid off, but it means ministers may now have to decide how to spread limited funds between hospice care and the assisted dying service. The Telegraph understands that at the same time as being lobbied by hospice charities to make amendments, Bill committee members are expected to come under pressure from the British Medical Association (BMA) to remove any legal obligation on medical practitioners to refer patients for assisted dying, and perhaps even to separate out the controversial practice from the NHS entirely. The BMA will lobby policymakers to make sure the assisted dying law includes an opt-in model so that only doctors who positively choose to participate can do so, it is understood. They will also call for a right for doctors to refuse to participate without having to give any reason, and for there to be no duty to raise assisted dying with patients. The BMA is also set to put forward the case that any model should be separate from current NHS services, with a team of specialist doctors, and suggests basing this on the Jersey assisted dying service. Under legislation going through Jerseys States Assembly, the islands assisted dying service will oversee the process, as part of Jerseys Health and Community Services Department. Dr Andrew Green, the BMA medical ethics committee chair, said: The BMA is neutral on the issue of assisted dying that is, we do not support or oppose a change in the law. However, we have continued to discuss a number of key issues that would need addressing given the impact on doctors, their patients and their working lives if the law were to change. These include the need for an opt-in system so that doctors choose whether or not to participate, the right for doctors to decline to participate in any part of the process, and the protection from abuse and discrimination for healthcare workers. John Swinney was booed as he arrived at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh for Alex Salmonds memorial service - Jane Barlow/PA John Swinney was booed and called a traitor at a memorial service for Alex Salmond on Saturday. Shouts of traitor and shame on you were directed at Mr Swinney, Scotlands First Minister, as he arrived at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Mr Swinney faced further cries of traitor as he left the cathedral after the service and got into his ministerial limousine. Hundreds of Saltire-waving supporters chanted Mr Salmonds name and applauded him from behind a barricade across the street. The shouts at the cathedral appeared to emanate from supporters of Mr Salmonds Alba Party, which he formed after leaving the SNP amid allegations of sexual misconduct. He was later cleared of all charges in a criminal trial. Mr Salmond alleged at the time there was a conspiracy among senior SNP figures close to Nicola Sturgeon to imprison him, which she has vigorously denied. At the time of his death, the former first minister was seeking significant damages and compensation for loss of earnings from the Scottish Government, totalling a reported 3 million. The shouts appear to come from supporters of Alex Salmonds Alba Party, which he formed after leaving the SNP - Jane Barlow/PA Mr Salmond, who was first minister for seven years and led the independence campaign in the 2014 referendum, died of a heart attack aged 69 last month. He passed away while attending a conference in North Macedonia. A private family funeral was held near his home in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, on Oct 29. More than 500 people from across the political spectrum attended the St Andrews Day memorial service, including Gordon Brown, a former prime minister, and Sir David Davis, a Tory grandee. The service was led by the Reverend Dr George J Whyte, a former principal clerk to the general assembly of the Church of Scotland and chaplain to the King. More than 500 people attend the St Andrews Day memorial service, including former prime minister Gordon Brown - Jeff Mitchell/PA Moira, Mr Salmonds widow, was also among those who heard performances by The Proclaimers of their nationalist anthem Cap in Hand and Dougie MacLeans folk ballad Caledonia. Mr Swinney and Kate Forbes, the Deputy First Minister, attended on behalf of the SNP and the Scottish Government. However, Ms Sturgeon, Mr Salmonds former protegee and successor, was not present. It is understood Ms Sturgeon was not invited and instead attended the funeral of the comedian Janey Godley in Glasgow. However, she told BBC Scotland that her thoughts are with Alexs family and friends today. She described it as a very sad day for them but one that I hope will allow them to remember Alec in the way they want to. Moira, Alex Salmonds wife, attends the funeral with his niece who says his family will continue his legacy - Jeff Mitchell/PA Duncan Hamilton, one of Mr Salmonds closest advisors, told the service that Mr Salmonds success in raising the SNP from the fourth party in Scotland to complete dominance had been both spectacular and unrivalled. However, Mr Hamilton said Mr Salmond had made strategic mistakes and the most obvious was resigning as first minister after losing the independence referendum, when he handed power over to Ms Sturgeon. I think that if there is one thing in his political career he would have changed, it would have been that. And I wonder how different Scotland might be today, Mr Hamilton said. Although he did not directly criticise Ms Sturgeon, he said Mr Salmond was the most successful first minister Scotland has ever had. Memorial attendees hear performances from The Proclaimers and Dougie MacLean - Jeff Mitchell/PA But he said it was one of the great ironies that Mr Salmond, while being the foremost nationalist of his day, had been shaped by the House of Commons. Mr Hamilton said he had learned to take a political punch, and return it with interest and admitted that the tributes paid to Mr Salmond by Westminster figures such as the Prime Minister would have meant a lot to him. Recalling how Mr Salmond had led the SNP to power at Holyrood in 2007, he said: That government remains, for many Scots, the best government of the devolution era. Kenny MacAskill, who was justice secretary in Mr Salmonds SNP government and later defected to the Alba Party, said independence was his guiding light, his north star. Duncan Hamilton calls Alex Salmond the most successful first minister Scotland has ever had - David Cheskin/PA He referred to Mr Salmonds final social media post on X, formerly Twitter, in which he criticised Mr Swinney for taking part in Sir Keir Starmers new Council of the Nations and Regions. Mr Salmond said: John should have politely declined the meeting with the words Scotland is a country not a county. In an attack on Mr Swinney, Mr MacAskill said Mr Salmond had been lambasting those demeaning our land and chastising those supinely allowing it to happen. Calling on his fellow nationalists to redouble their efforts to gain independence in the wake of Mr Salmonds death, Mr MacAskill said that those of us who share his dream must conclude that journey on his behalf. Thats the legacy hed expect and the duty we owe him. Christina Hendry, Mr Salmonds niece, told the service that his death was a loss that his family would never get over. But as a family, we will endeavour to continue his lifes work and the things left unfinished, she said. He instilled in us a strength and it is with that strength that we will continue. Continue his legacy and continue his ambition for the independence of our nation. During Donald Trumps first administration, he and Mr Trudeau had, at times, a strained relationship. - NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP Justin Trudeau flew to Florida to have dinner with Donald Trump and several of his cabinet nominees after the president-elect threatened to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods. The Canadian prime minister was pictured smiling as he sat between Mr Trump and Howard Lutnick, Mr Trumps pick for commerce secretary, in the dining room at Mar-a-Lago. The unplanned meeting came days after Mr Trump vowed to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all goods imported into the US from Mexico and Canada on the first day of his administration. Mr Trudeau, 52, warned earlier on Friday that when the Republican leader makes threats, he intends to follow them through. One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. Theres no question about it, Mr Trudeau said. Our responsibility is to point out that, in this way, he would be, actually, not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States; he would actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses, he added. Mr Trudeau has said that the tariff threats would harm bot Americans and Canadian citizens and businesses - Brandon Bell/Getty Images Mr Trudeau said he looks forward to having lots of great conversations with Mr Trump and that the two will work together to meet some of the concerns and respond to some of the issues. Any hit to the Canadian economy would add to Mr Trudeaus woes at a time when his popularity has sunk, in part due to a slowing economy and a surge in the cost of living over the past few years. Mr Trudeaus public itinerary did not list a scheduled visit to Florida. As he left his hotel in West Palm Beach on Saturday morning, the Liberal Party leader told reporters: It was an excellent conversation. During Mr Trumps first administration, he and Mr Trudeau had, at times, a strained relationship. When Mr Trump imposed tariffs against Canada during negotiations over replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement, Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs of its own, implementing billions of new duties against the US. Mr Trump said he had a very productive meeting with Mr Trudeau during which they discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address including fentanyl, illegal immigration, trade, energy and the Arctic. Too much death and hardship! Writing on Truth Social, he added: I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our citizens become victims to the scourge of this drug epidemic, caused mainly by the drug cartels, and fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship! Prime minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of US families. Mr Trump said he would be working to address the issues on his first days back in office, and before. Among those at Friday nights dinner was Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota and Mr Trumps choice for interior secretary, and his wife. Mike Waltz, Mr Trumps nomination for national security adviser, and his wife were also there, as was Mr Lutnick and his partner. They were joined by Dave McCormick, who won the Pennsylvania senate race, who shared a picture of the table on X saying he was honoured to have dinner with Mr Trump. Mr Trump also spoke with Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico, following the tariff announcement. The president-elect said Ms Sheinbaum had agreed to shut down the US-Mexico border, a claim Ms Sheinbaum later denied. Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau in 2017. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Donald Trump said he had a productive meeting with Justin Trudeau after the Canadian prime minister paid a surprise trip to his Mar-a-Lago estate amid fears about Trumps promised tariffs. Trudeau became the first G7 leader to meet with Trump before his second term amid widespread fears in Canada and many other parts of the world that Trumps trade policy will cause widespread economic chaos. But Trump also seemed to double down on the threat, which he has frequently linked to trying to encourage other countries to combat drug smuggling into the US. I just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where we discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the US has with Canada, Trump said in a statement posted to Truth Social, his social media platform. Trudeau and a handful of top advisers flew to Florida amid expectations that Trump will impose a 25% surcharge on Canadian products that could have a devastating impact on Canadian energy, auto and manufacturing exports. The meeting over dinner between Trudeau and Trump, US cabinet nominees and Canadian officials, lasted over three hours and was described by a senior Canadian official to the Toronto Star as a positive, wide-ranging discussion. Honored to have dinner with @realDonaldTrump and to celebrate two big wins in PA! Ready to join him in Washington to shake things up and fight for every single Pennsylvanian! pic.twitter.com/uKap3kkUkx Dave McCormick (@DaveMcCormickPA) November 30, 2024 Trump added: I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship! Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families. Leaving a Florida hotel in West Palm Beach on Saturday, Trudeau said: It was an excellent conversation. The face-to-face meeting came at Trudeaus suggestion, according to the Canadian official, and had not been disclosed to the Ottawa press corps, which only found out about Trudeaus trip when flight-tracking software detected the prime ministers plane was in the air. The two leaders discussed trade; border security; fentanyl; defense matters, including Nato; and Ukraine, along with China, energy issues and pipelines, including those that feed Canadian oil and gas into the US. Over a dinner that reportedly included a dish called Mary Trumps Meat Loaf, the pair also discussed next years G7 meeting, which Trudeau will host in Kananaskis, Alberta seven years after Trump abruptly left the 2018 G7 at Charlevoix, Quebec, amid a US-Canadian dispute over American steel and aluminum tariffs. The Pennsylvania senator-elect Dave McCormick posted a photo to the social media platform X late Friday showing Trudeau sitting beside Trump. Others in the picture included Howard Lutnick, Trumps nominee for commerce secretary; Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota, the pick for interior secretary; and the US representative Mike Waltz of Florida, the pick for national security adviser. Canadian officials included the public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, responsible for border security, and Trudeaus chief of staff, Katie Telford. Canadas ambassador to Washington, Kirsten Hillman, and Trudeaus deputy chief of staff, Brian Clow, were also at the dinner. Related: Mexican president claims no potential tariff war with US after call with Trump LeBlanc said Canada was prepared to beef up border security, with more money for technology, drones and more Mounties and border guards on the 49th parallel. Earlier on Friday, Trudeau told reporters that he looked forward to having lots of great conversations with Trump and that the two would work together to meet some of the concerns and respond to some of the issues. Trudeau also said that it was important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. Theres no question about it. Our responsibility is to point out that in this way, he would actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, he would actually be raising prices for American citizens as well, and hurting American industry and businesses. But some observers were less than impressed. The symbolism of Trudeau going down to Palm Beach on bended knee to say Please dont is very, very powerful, Fen Hampson, professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, told Bloomberg. The stakes are enormously high and Trudeau has to deliver on this, Hampson said. Otherwise, its going to be seen by Canadians as a failed mission, because we all know why hes going down there and its not to baste the turkey for Trump. The scramble to defuse Trumps tariff threats has also pre-occupied the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, in recent days. On Thursday, Sheinbaum said she had had a very kind phone conversation with Trump in which they discussed immigration and fentanyl. She said the conversation meant there will not be a potential tariff war between the US and Mexico. But the two leaders differed on Trumps claim in a post on Truth Social that Sheinbaum had agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border. The Mexican president later said she had not. Each person has their own way of communicating, but I can assure you, I guarantee you, that we never additionally, we would be incapable of doing so proposed that we would close the border in the north [of Mexico], or in the south of the United States. It has never been our idea and, of course, we are not in agreement with that. Sheinbaum said the pair had not discussed tariffs but their conversation reassured her that no tit-for-tat tariff battle would be necessary. Trump also expanded on his economic message on tariffs to other global leaders on Saturday, threatening Brics countries an acronym that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa with 100% tariffs if they acted on discussions to drop the dollar as their reserve currency. The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump said the US would require a commitment from Brics nations a geopolitical alliance that now also includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs. Richard Glover is stepping down from the ABC Sydney Drive slot to spend more time with his family. Photograph: Walkley Foundation/Adam Hollingworth In the competitive world of talk radio Richard Glover is the great survivor who stayed on top and chose the manner of his exit after almost three decades on ABC radio. The former Sydney Morning Herald journalist has owned the Drive slot in Sydney for 26 of his 28 years on the ABC, offering listeners a mix of hard news, insightful interviews and what he says is the silly and stupid that makes up the life of a city. Related: ABC inboxes flooded with fan abuse after Kim Williams criticism of Joe Rogan | Weekly Beast Explaining his approach to journalism to ABC Afternoons host James Valentine, Glover said he was no Kate McClymont the Sydney Morning Heralds chief investigative reporter but rather someone who attempted to bring listeners an eclectic mix of stories that revealed the beauty and joy in the everyday. I try to express the breadth of a place like Sydney, he said in a final chat with Valentine, which closed the show. And Sydney is a place where terrible things happen The challenge is always, OK, weve got all that stuff, so how do we bring some light into it? Glover, now 66, announced last month that he had hogged the microphone for long enough and was stepping down to spend more time with his three grand children and write another book. He used his final days on air to support his ABC colleagues, Mornings presenter Sarah Macdonald and NSW Weekend Mornings host Simon Marnie, who have been unceremoniously dumped by the ABCs director of audio, Ben Latimer. Chatting to Marnie ahead of his final weekend shows, Glover said the decision was baffling. A live audience made up of family, Drive regular guests and loyal listeners crammed into a TV studio in Ultimo to watch the final TGIF, a signature Friday show Glover created in 1998 to bring the magic of variety to radio. Are you going to laugh at any old rubbish? Glover asked the studio audience in the countdown to TGIF during the news headlines. There was live music from the Backsliders with Dom Turner and Rob Hirst and one of Glovers two sons, Joe, on harmonica and a trio of comedians Tommy Dean, Alex Lee and Tahir Bilgic, looking at the news of the week. After Glovers signature News from Nowhere segment, which this week celebrated being a grandparent, Dean, who has been part of TGIF forever, roasted Glovers corny style. I love that you resorted to the things that Ive always loved the most about the News From Nowhere, an endless supply of sentimentality, Dean said. And yet, even within that generational love letter, you still had to reference Proust, you elite literary wanker. Glover largely remained on top of the talk ratings for the 26 years he spent on Drive, all the while pumping out books and writing a regular column for the Herald. Earlier on the show he took calls from Sydneysiders who had enjoyed spending the afternoon with him on Drive, some weeping at the thought it had come to an end. Thank you Richard for being my afternoon friend for so long, Judy Barlow wrote on the ABC Sydney Facebook page where the show was livestreamed. Even the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, called to say thank you. You listen, you engage, you challenge and you are a serious journo where, at times unfortunately, I think theres a lot of just yelling in the media, rather than actually seeking information and having a genuine conversation, Albanese said. I just really wanted to say thank you. China's rural road development propels rural revitalization Xinhua) 11:22, November 30, 2024 An aerial drone photo taken on July 25, 2024 shows rural roads connecting fields and villages in Pengyang County, Guyuan City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua) * China has made notable achievements in rural road construction over the past 10 years, with increased total length, rising technical standards and better accessibility. * China has shared its development experience and helped construct rural road infrastructure in other developing countries over the years, contributing substantially to poverty reduction, people's well-being and sustainable global development. * With its rural transport infrastructure entering the high-quality development stage, China now plans to launch a fresh round of rural road upgrades. BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China has steadily promoted the development of rural transport infrastructure over the past decade, facilitating rural revitalization and contributing to global development. China has already put in place a rural transport infrastructure network, where county roads connect rural and urban areas, township roads crisscross, and village roads facilitate travel between households and farmland, according to a white paper released by China's State Council Information Office on Friday. The white paper, titled "China's Rural Roads in the New Era," stated that the total length of rural roads in China had reached 4.6 million km by the end of 2023, an increase of 21.7 percent over 2013, enough to circle the equator 115 times. China's rural roads constitute the most extensive transport infrastructure in the country and serve a significant majority of the population. These roads serve as primary transportation channels for rural residents, playing a crucial role in enhancing their well-being and living conditions. They are also instrumental in advancing the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. According to the white paper, China has made notable achievements in rural road construction over the past 10 years, with increased total length, rising technical standards and better accessibility. China's State Council Information Office releases a white paper, titled "China's Rural Roads in the New Era," at a press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Pan Xu) Data showed that graded rural roads in the country amounted to 4.45 million km, with its share in total rural roads up 11.9 percentage points over the past decade. Meanwhile, paved roads have been built in about 30,000 towns and townships and over 500,000 administrative villages. China has intensified financial support for rural roads, with a total of 4.3 trillion yuan (about 598 billion U.S. dollars) invested in rural road fixed assets over the past 10 years, Vice Minister of Transport Li Yang told a press conference Friday. "The country has gradually established a funding mechanism for rural road development, primarily relying on public finance investment and complemented by multiple channels," Li said. In particular, Li highlighted China's efforts to accelerate the integration of rural passenger transport, freight transport, and mail delivery. He noted that this approach has linked rural road construction with tourism, ecological development and economic growth, effectively boosting farmers' incomes. Data from the white paper showed that by the end of 2023, local authorities had built 1,267 county-level delivery centers, making use of passenger and freight hubs, mail and delivery processing sites, the storage and logistics facilities of supply and marketing cooperatives, and e-commerce warehouses. An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 6, 2023 shows rural roads in Xigaze City, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) While stepping up efforts to improve rural road infrastructure, China has also shared its development experience and helped construct rural road infrastructure in other developing countries. This has substantially contributed to poverty reduction, people's well-being and sustainable global development, the white paper said. The country has established the Global Sustainable Transport Innovation and Knowledge Center as a platform for cooperation and exchanges and for sharing China's experience in rural road development with the international community, according to the white paper. Since 2018, China has supported 24 developing countries including Cambodia, Serbia, Rwanda, Namibia, Vanuatu and Niger in highway and bridge construction and maintenance, helping them improve their transport infrastructure. With its rural transport infrastructure entering the high-quality development stage, China now plans to launch a fresh round of rural road upgrades, according to Li. China will further strengthen rural road construction to promote the industrial upgrading and integrated development of transport infrastructure with sectors like tourism, as part of efforts to advance comprehensive rural revitalization, Li said. He said transport services will also see improvements, with measures put in place to optimize logistics services and enhance the integrated development of passenger, freight, and postal services in rural areas. Measures will be taken to encourage more people to work on rural road construction and maintenance projects, create more job opportunities, and improve the sense of gain, happiness and security among farmers, Li said. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) Thumbs down: Turkey Leg Hut closed after a bankruptcy court granted its landlord permission to terminate the bankrupt restaurants lease. This might come as a surprise to those who only casually follow Houstons food scene. Since 2017, crowds have lined up around the block outside the Third Ward restaurant. The place offered the dizzying trinity of Creole maximalist food (turkey leg doused in shrimp Alfredo, anyone?); top-grade celebrity sightings (Megan Thee Stallion, Snoop Dogg, James Harden); and drama, drama, drama as the three founding partners two of whom were married when the business started very publicly parted ways. Now, as the final twists and turns play out in court, only the acrimony remains. Thumbs twiddled: In billboard-afflicted Houston, it takes a lot to get drivers attention but a sign on I-69 North, between Westpark and Chimney Rock, gobsmacked commuters. There, after all these years, was the old crooked-E logo of Enron, once Houstons pride and joy. Then, of course, the move-fast-and-break-things high-tech conglomerate collapsed in a wave of scandal on November 28, 2001 a breathtaking crash of a size never before seen in the U.S., and one that took many of its employees life savings with it. And now? Were back, the billboard declares. Lets talk. Smaller type lists a social account that doesnt seem to have fired up yet. Obviously, its a bid for attention but for what? The smartypantses on Reddits r/wallstreetbets floated a semi-serious theory: Enron, they cracked, would be a great name for a new cryptocurrency. Thumbs down: Remember when Elon Musk was an environmental hero, the EV pioneer leading the way to a greener future, the guy who said that Teslas corporate mission was to protect life on Earth? A Wall Street Journal investigation shows that in 2022, Musks Tesla factory in Austin one of the biggest car factories in the world dumped toxins into the air and the Colorado River for months because of a malfunctioning furnace door, and exposed workers on the factory floor to temperatures as high as 100 degrees. Now, of course, Musk is set to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, where hell attempt to cut all sorts of federal budgets including, perhaps, the money that funds that pesky Environmental Protection Agency. Thumbs down: To protect students from school shootings, the state of Texas has already pushed to arm teachers and school guards. Now a bill filed by Rep. Ryan Guillen would add drones bearing pepper spray or Tasers. Theres no word on how schools could protect such a weapon from being commandeered by hackers; or how, in the chaos of a shooting, the drone pilot could distinguish between a gun-carrying good guy and a gun-carrying bad guy. Mithril Defense, a drone-selling company apparently gearing up to cash in on this new market, is apparently named after a magic metal from Lord of the Rings. Shouldnt they have picked something more dystopian? Thumbs down: Speaking of dystopias: Among the 14 books banned by Katy ISD since the beginning of the school year is A Handmaids Tale, a 1985 novel about a repressive totalitarian theocracy. Maybe they don't teach irony in Katy. Thumbs up: But hey! Theres a cute baby elephant in town. After Chron.com posted a video of the Houston Zoos newborn Asian elephant, Kirby, Instagram users fretted about her round, red-rimmed eyes. Why does it look like someone stuck googly eyes on it? one asked. Only a few days old and already shes seen the horrors, said another. Never fear, people: Elephants are born with their eyes wide-open like that, maybe because it helps them to keep up with the herd. Little Kirby now a mere 314 pounds will grow out of it soon. Canadas prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and Mexicos president, Claudia Sheinbaum. Photograph: AP Stone-faced as he stared into a gaggle of cameras on Tuesday, the leader of Canadas largest province laid bare how it feels to be Americas northern neighbour and closest ally this week. Its like a family member stabbing you right in the heart, said Ontarios premier, Doug Ford. A day before, president-elect Donald Trump had pledged hefty tariffs on Mexico and Canada, the USs two largest trading partners. Its the biggest threat weve ever seen Its unfortunate. Its very, very hurtful. For both Mexico and Canada, whose economic successes are enmeshed in their multibillion-dollar trade relationships with the United States, the forecasted chaos and disruption of a second Trump term has arrived. And the first salvo from Trump has already forced leaders from Mexico and Canada to revisit their relationship with the US and with each other. Related: What are tariffs and how do they work explained in 30 seconds Both have maxims to describe living in the shadow of the worlds largest economic and military superpower, which sees nearly $2tn worth of goods and services pass through its two land borders. Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant, the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau told then US president Richard Nixon. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt. For Mexicans, it is the words of the 19th-century dictator Porfirio Diaz: Poor Mexico: so far from God, so close to the United States. The vagaries of the relationship were tested again this week when Trump threatened in a social media post to apply devastating levies of 25% on all goods and services from both countries, and to keep them in place until such time as drugs, in particular fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country! Although in 2018 the US, Canada and Mexico renegotiated the Nafta trade pact that Trump had long blamed for gutting US manufacturing, the three countries still have deeply intertwined supply chains especially an automotive industry that spans the continent making a levy of that magnitude potentially devastating to all. In Canada, Trumps demands have left the government scrambling to make sense of the threat and how seriously to take it. Good-faith negotiator is not usually a descriptor of Donald Trump. He loves to disrupt it. He loves to divide and conquer, said Colin Robertson, a former senior Canadian diplomat who has had numerous postings in the US. Trump is determined to truly make his mark. Last time he was disorganized. This time, hes certainly started off demonstrating a high degree of organization. Even before Trumps announcement, the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and a handful of provincial premiers had mused openly about cutting Mexico out of future trade talks, instead pivoting towards a Canada-US trade pact a move that Mexicos lead negotiator called a betrayal. On Wednesday, Trudeau held an emergency meeting with all 10 premiers to push a Team Canada approach to the confrontation, pledging hours later to invest more in border security a nod to Trumps criticism of Canadas patrolling of its border. A challenge for Canada is a need to approach Trump with skepticism, but also to take the threats seriously, says Robertson, adding that Canadas trade relationship with the US is immensely lopsided. The reality is, we need them. Theyre big, were small. Still, Trumps demands are perverse, but unfortunately predictable, says Roland Paris, director of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa and former foreign affairs adviser to Trudeau. He notes that only a sliver of the fentanyl entering the US comes from Canada, a figure so small the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) does not even mention Canada in a report from 2020. As for migrants entering the US, Canadas federal minister says yearly interceptions are similar to a significant weekend at the Mexico border. This is [Trumps] modus operandi, said Paris. Hes not wasting any time throwing Americas principal trading partners off balance, before he even enters office. Ottawas efforts to smooth things over with Trump are also hampered by domestic politics. Trudeau remains immensely unpopular in polls, and the rival Conservatives have cast the prime minister as weak and ill-equipped to both preserve what Nixon called Canadas special relationship with the US and to face off against a mercurial president. Paris imagines the prime ministers cabinet, especially veterans of bruising negotiations with Trump during his first term, as determined to manage relations with a country that for decades has remained a staunch ally. He says years of close work has produced a significant overlap in policy goals for the two nations, including skepticism of China and a need to secure critical mineral and energy supply chains. Canada is going to need resolve, patience and the most far-reaching advocacy campaign this country has ever conducted in the United States, he said. But everybody knows that Trump is so unpredictable that theres no saying what he might do this time. Related: Mexican president claims no potential tariff war with US after call with Trump For Mexico, which has long borne the brunt of Trumps ire, Mondays tariff threat comes amid already tense relations, including a reform to elect almost all judges by popular vote that has drawn sharp criticism from the US. At the same time, the arrest in July of two top Sinaloa cartel bosses in Texas, a move that surprised Mexican officials, has triggered a bloody gang war that the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, blames on the US. On Wednesday, Sheinbaum spoke with Trump, a conversation which the US president-elect characterised as wonderful after he claimed the Mexican president pledged to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border. Sheinbaum later gently clarified that she wouldnt close the border, but that the call was very kind and had convinced her that no tariffs would happen. Martha Barcena, a former Mexican ambassador to the US, said the spectre of mass deportations has kicked off panic in the Mexican community living in the US, while the Trumps tariff suggestion would mean the end of the USMCA. How can you hit your partners in a free trade agreement with tariffs 25% higher than what you put on the rest of the world? Its crazy, she said. What was his ceiling is now his floor, she said of his previous negotiating position on trade. The lesson? Never yield to a bully. Alejandro Celorio Alcantara, a Mexican diplomat who oversaw migration when Trump first came to power, says the bombast of the next US president can be easier to work with than more traditional allies. The Biden administration is a little more diplomatic, but this can actually make the discussion more complicated, because you dont know what the terms of negotiation are, he said. Maybe its just my style of negotiation. Its simpler when its more open. They put the cards on the table: This is what we want. Then you can respond. Both Mexico and Canada have scores of diplomats already experienced with Trump, but both sides also expressed concern that many of the key figures in Trumps first term, who acted as a check on the presidents whim-based policy decisions, will be absent from the second administration, replaced by loyalists and idealogues who will do whatever he says. Still, for Mexican officials, there is a glimmer of hope that those in positions of power are more reasonable when theyre not in the media spotlight. Alcantara noted that border czar Tom Homan, who recently pledged to carry out a mass deportation, is known for his controversial positions, but if you take the facts to him and explain them, he understands. He has a certain discourse in the media thats very aggressive, but when you sit down together, you can talk. For Mexico and Canada, a recognition that their fates remain tied to the US has forced them to redouble their efforts, not to reconsider their relationship. In the end, we need to bet on a strong North America, said Alcantara. Its simple: make North America great again. As a region, not just the United States. Harry Seager, 34, bought the smooth snack at a service station on the way to a car show in Birmingham - Harry Seager A man who found a Mars bar without its signature chocolate swirl has received 2 compensation and an apology over the incident. Harry Seager, 34, caused an online storm earlier this month when he posted his discovery on the Dull Mens Facebook page after buying the snack at a service stop on the way to a car show in Birmingham. He contacted Mars Wrigley UK to ask whether the smooth bar was a new addition to the popular chocolate product which has been made in Slough since 1932. Mars Wrigley UK has now apologised and paid 2 compensation to Mr Seager over the incident. Mr Seager was surprised to receive the gift voucher, saying: The only reason I emailed [Mars] was because I was interested in what might have caused it to happen. That is all I wanted to know and they kept side-lining that question, he told the BBC. I think 2 is great. It will be two free Mars bars. Maybe they could have sent me more but Im not being ungrateful. I think its amazing after everything thats happened that I got the 2 voucher. Earlier this month, the company admitted the smooth bar had slipped through its production process and the famous swirl was not being removed from its iconic product. Chocolate waterfall Mr Seager said a few people who used to work at Mars factories commented on the Facebook page that all bars are meant to go through a machine called an enrober, which is like a [chocolate] waterfall. Apparently they get blown with air along the top as it comes out of that waterfall. Apparently, theres meant to be somebody at the end who removes the ones which havent been hit by air. A Mars Wrigley UK spokesperson confirmed the smooth Mars bar was a mistake. With over 2.5 million Mars Bars produced daily at our Slough factory it seems this has slipped through without its signature flourish, the spokesperson said. While we cant reveal all the secrets behind our product line, we can promise fans that these smooth Mars Bars are a rare find and the classic swirl isnt going away. illustration showing map of Europe Taken in isolation, they could just about be explained away as coincidences freak accidents, one-off attacks, unfortunate infrastructure failures. The DHL cargo plane that crashed on Monday as it approached Vilnius airport. The recent bomb scares that have hobbled London, from Euston Square and Gatwick Airport to the US Embassy. The drones spotted circling near US Air Force bases in the UK. The explosion at a weapons manufacturing facility in Wales in April. The telecommunications cables severed in the Baltic Sea earlier this month. The many arson attacks, including on a Ukrainian-owned business in Leyton, East London, in March. The successful attempts to interfere with Czech rail operators. The ransomware attack on an NHS provider in June. The television satellites disrupted and damaged, causing changes to programming across Europe. The defector gunned down in Spain in February. The assassination attempt on the chief executive of a German arms manufacturer. Yet isolated is not what they were. Nor are the dozens of other worrying incidents that could be grouped with them. Taken together, the conclusion becomes unavoidable: that over the last 12 months, as the West has continued to support Ukraines war efforts, Russia has dramatically escalated its acts of sabotage across Europe and beyond, sowing a greater sense of instability on the continent than at any time since the Cold War. Use the map below to explore the full list of recent acts of sabotage and violence across Europe. The security services have sounded the alarm already. We should expect to see continued acts of aggression here at home, MI5 director general Ken McCallum said in a speech last month. The GRU [Russias military intelligence service] in particular is on a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets: weve seen arson, sabotage and more. Dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness. It is, he said, a concerted campaign that requires a strong and sustained response. This week, Bruno Kahl, the head of Germanys foreign intelligence service, said Russian hybrid measures only increase the risk that Nato will eventually consider invoking its mutual defence clause [Article 5]. And in a joint speech with his French counterpart on Friday, Sir Richard Moore, the chief of MI6 known as C spoke of the morally bankrupt axis of aggression overseen by Vladimir Putin. We have recently uncovered a staggeringly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage in Europe, even as Putin and his acolytes resort to nuclear sabre-rattling, to sow fear about the consequences of aiding Ukraine, and challenge Western resolve in so doing, he said. But, our security British, French, European and transatlantic will be jeopardised, Sir Richard added of the prospect of Putin reducing Ukraine to a vassal state. The cost of supporting Ukraine is well known, but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely higher. A controlled explosion was carried out after a suspicious package was seen close to the US embassy last week - Paul Grover for the Telegraph An escalation in terms of what theyre achieving Now, as 2024 draws to a close, barely a day passes without a new headline to add to the pile of potential Russian attacks or interference, causing experts all over the world to call for an even greater level of political and public attention to be paid to the threat even if not every crime is proved. Russia may not be responsible for absolutely every aggressive move it is alleged to make on the global stage, but nor does it need to be. It feels like an escalation in terms of what theyre achieving, and its hard not to draw a line between that and the even greater level of aid were sending to Ukraine, says Jonathan Hall KC, the UK Governments independent reviewer of terrorism legislation. In March this year, Putin started talking more about the war, not special military operation, and you can imagine that if he regards it as a war now, then when you have people helping Ukraine, theres an even greater degree of hostility between them and us now, too. The fact people now half-jokingly say, ah, its the Russians whenever a power-cut occurs in Western Europe is telling. Its tempting to say they win both ways, isnt it? Because if its not them, they can project this image of being ultra-capable, Hall adds. Viljar Lubi, the Estonian Ambassador to the UK, has seen all this before. There is an old saying in Russian politics, that they like to create controlled chaos, he says. But chaos cannot be controlled, they flatter themselves. This is a war of narratives, though, a war of values and beliefs, and this is something we need to talk about much more. Hybrid warfare is not always visible, but actually it is a major war already. While many acts have indeed been committed in the so-called grey zone of war that unclear space that exists between direct conflict and peace in international relations dozens of incidents are perfectly visible. Not least the many literal fires started across Europe this year, including in East London. Last week, Jack Reeves, 23, a Croydon man who was involved in the arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked business in Leyton in March, pleaded guilty to an offence under the National Security Act of obtaining a material benefit from a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors have linked the case to Russia. Reeves became one of the first to be arrested, charged and convicted using the powers brought in under the Act, which was introduced last year in response to the threat of hostile activity from states targeting the UK. The fire at a warehouse in Leyton in March has been linked to Russia - X (Formerly Twitter) A month before, another man involved, Dylan Earl, 20, from Elmesthorpe in Leicestershire, admitted preparatory conduct and aggravated arson in relation to the fire. In previous court hearings, Earl was accused of carrying out the act on behalf of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, which operates under the direction of the Kremlin. Russia is willing to consider causing mass-casualty events in Europe It is far from the only fire indirectly started by Russia on European soil this year. In July, Western security officials said Russia was responsible for sending two incendiary devices to DHL logistics hubs in Germany and the UK as part of a wider campaign to ignite blazes aboard aircraft. When a DHL plane crashed near Vilnius last week, then, people inevitably started to draw conclusions, even if the Lithuanian government has since said a technical issue was likely to blame. The wreckage of the DHL cargo plane following its crash near the Vilnius International Airport - AFP/Getty Its impossible to tell how widespread this is, because we only see what comes to light and some of what comes to light is by accident. Some countries are very keen to keep a lid on it, says Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, and the author of Who Will Defend Europe?. We ought to be concerned that Russia is willing to consider causing mass-casualty events in Europe, as evidenced by the airliner plot. That was the one element missing in the campaigns of murder sabotage in previous decades. And thats a worry. As is so often the case in modern geopolitics, pundits panic about what will happen next, while historians quietly gesture to the past. The academic and historian Calder Walton, the author of Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West, points to a long, long track record and playbook here that Putin, as a former KGB intelligence officer, knows full well. He will have been trained in the dark arts of sabotage in the KGB, he says. In the Cold War, the KGB had an entire department focusing on sabotage operations that would take place when World War Three broke out between the Soviet Union and the West. This was all in the physical, real-world domain: blowing up railway tracks, deploying poison gas canisters in the London Underground And this isnt peculiar to Russia, by the way, sabotage is an inherent tactic in warfare, but Russia does have a particular, lets say, fetish for it. Putin will have been trained in the dark arts of sabotage in the KGB, says Calder Walton - PBS The KGB was renowned for its active measures, which ranged from espionage and propaganda to sabotage and assassination, all of which has continued in various forms in the Putin era. Some plans have a particular echo. Operation Cedar, for example, was a Cold War KGB plot to seriously disrupt the US and Canadas power supply by destroying hydroelectric dams, oil pipelines and bombing the Port of New York. It took more than 10 years of preparation but, for reasons unknown, was seemingly aborted. Brazen assassination attempts in more recent years not least those of Alexander Litvinenko and Sergei Skripal, both in public on British soil illustrate how Russia has continued to act with impunity overseas. But the nature of those operations has evolved since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in late February 2022, when Russian tanks rolled over the border. Whereas previously it was Russias own military officers that were roaming the continent in murder gangs, now two things have happened: one, all of those GRU goons are busy behind the lines, and two, theyve been detected and evicted from their European countries, Giles says. That means theyve gone to this new strategy of recruiting locally. Proxies, organised crime groups, disaffected people in the target countries. On the one hand, that means its easier for the defensive services to detect them. On the other, the Russians only need a very low success rate to achieve their goals. The Leyton fire is potentially one such example. But, according to Giles, that begs a lot of questions. We dont know who recruited them, how, and what the motivation was, and that has been apparently very carefully kept under wraps by the British authorities for reasons that we can only guess at. A recent report by academics at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) identified the same shift: that in the gig-economy era, the Kremlin can outsource its aggression to anybody in want of a payday and willing to risk drawing the attention of the security services. The benefits of putting more and more layers between Russia and the eventual perpetrator are obvious when it comes to plausible deniability, as well as the sheer scale and speed of the work, but so are the basic economics of the deal. As the Rusi report pointed out, arson and assassination were paid at a rate of several hundred dollars, an extremely low figure given the nature of the work, while other stunts, including painting 250 Star of David symbols on walls in Paris in 2023, were priced at as little as 53 per person. It appears that just as in other areas of the gig economy, the benefits generally accrue to the employer. In the case of Russian intelligence services, the costs are so low that they are incomparable to either a full-time intelligence officer or running an agent, the report said. Were at an acute stage in the crisis The extraordinary range of tactics allegedly used by Russia against the West from cyber attacks to election interference, basic criminal damage to even paying right-wing influencers in the US to spread anti-Ukraine propaganda is so vast that there is no obvious solution to it. A sensible way to start, though, is to listen to the East. Political leadership, to some extent, is in denial of this problem, so the first step is to recognise that Russia is in a secret war against the West, and that they have already got to the violent stage of that war, says Oleksandr V Danylyuk, an associate fellow at Rusi and former Chief Advisor to the Minister of Defence and Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service in Ukraine. Oleksandr V Danylyuk: Political leadership, to some extent, is in denial of this problem... Russia is in a secret war against the West - Bloomberg Its super-important to create an international platform similar to the one established during the War on Terror, focused on Islamic terrorism in Europe. A central hub to counter Russian subversion against the EU and Nato countries should be established as soon as possible. Also, you can be more proactive in collecting evidence from within those radical groups and organised crime groups. Were at an acute stage in the crisis already, so there needs to be extra measures. The error would be to fail to take measures fast enough, or at all, because we in the West are so stunned by the audacity of Russia. It does feel as if states are more off the hook, in the sense that they are showing far less self-restraint, says Jonathan Hall. The two most egregious attacks on the UK the Litvinenko and Salisbury attacks were so unrestrained its almost unbelievable. I still find it staggering. He has identified a shift, however. What you can certainly say is that intelligence agencies here [in Britain] are talking a lot about state threats in a way that they didnt before, and theyre talking about pivoting resources away from terrorism. Asked whether Russian sabotage is now a greater threat than Islamist terrorism, he demurs. Its a good question, but no, because I dont feel as if the public perceives it as a bigger issue. That sounds slightly circular, but the point of terrorism is to make people frightened, and people are still frightened about Islamist terrorism, and theyre not so frightened of the state threat. Though that, I suspect, is to some extent because of ignorance. Of course, the direction of the Wests response is largely led by the whims of the incoming US president. On Thursday, Donald Trump announced Keith Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired US army lieutenant general, as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, as he embarks on making good a promise to end the war. Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN! Trump wrote on Truth Social. Bringing peace to the region was a key campaign pledge, though quite how he plans to achieve that, besides through strength, remains a closely guarded secret. We shouldnt shy away from using force if necessary Maybe thats exactly the thing, says Lubi. We all want peace, but we shouldnt shy away from using force if necessary. I dont have a good answer to what that looks like, but we have our legal mechanisms as well, we have our sanctions, and we have to be visible: if Russian warships are there, ours are there as well. It has to be balanced, but we cannot let our adversary gain the crown while we take too long to react. Lubi is another who stresses the importance of international alliance. We need to take things seriously, and with unity how we can jointly do it, between the UK and EU and Nato. We are all in this, jointly, because this isnt against an individual country, its [against] all of us the West. The alternative to peace, and the consequences of not responding quickly enough to Russias aggression, may yet be unchecked escalation to the point of a full attack. Walton is cautious to second guess Putin, as we dont know, and maybe Putin doesnt know, what his overall strategy is. Still, he can identify chilling echoes of 1914, [that] were kind of sleep-walking into a global conflict here. Preparing for the big one is a classic time when sabotage would be used. Giles is in less doubt. If you disregard some of the more random ones, then the core of this, the reconnaissance and the preparations for attacks on logistics and communications across Europe, and on emergency preparedness if theres a theme that brings this together its one we identified as far back as 2019: Russia looking at ways it can prepare for an overt assault on Europe and preventing its disaster response, he says. Weve been ticking off the list ever since. Little by little, day by day, Russia is testing the Wests patience. The question now is whether were going to do anything about it. Nigel Farage At his press conference last week, Nigel Farage was asked the broadcast medias favourite question: how could he expect his party to have electoral success if it deliberately stood outside the sacrosanct Centre Ground of politics? He laughed which was probably the right response since his party has clearly demonstrated its potential for serious electoral impact. But then he gave the wrong answer. There isnt just one centre ground, he said, there are two. It was obvious what he meant: there was the centre ground that is sanctified by the Left-liberal establishment, which accepts all the shibboleths and prohibitions that are now the official rules of social and political life. (You know what they are. I wont bore you with a list.) And then there is the centre ground on which most real people stand which sees many of those rules as absurd, irrational or positively dangerous. But that isnt the case. There are not two competing locations vying for the right to be the natural home of rational public opinion which is what centre ground is generally understood to mean. In truth, there can be no consensus of the reasonable because that whole vocabulary has been discarded. Rationality itself is now unfashionable: the idealistic tradition of moderate, fair-minded consideration of both sides of an argument, allowing the best possible solutions to emerge from an exchange of opinions, is now effectively finished. The philosophical model adopted by most Western democracies since the middle of the last century involved adapting to changing conditions and attitudes by gradually amending the programme of government in ways that were thought appropriate to the times. Even quite radical societal changes like abortion reform or the legalising of homosexuality were introduced without civil unrest or disorder because the presiding governments had made accurate judgements about the boundaries of yes the electoral centre ground. Well, forget all that. We dont have arguments anymore, let alone rules-based orderly debate. We have hate fests in which the clashing sides believe that their mission is to silence their opponents and would-be interlocutors sometimes in the most permanent way conceivable judging by the proliferation of death threats. It is important to recognise that the absence of anything that could be recognisable as a centre ground (or even as several competing ones) is not accidental: it is the result of a quite deliberate dismantling of the principle that used to be the foundation of our political system. The right to present an alternative view and the moral obligation to take into account the views of others was what distinguished free peoples from enslaved ones. In their place we have enmity, suspicion and a sense of abandonment by what should be the agencies of justice, as well as the weaponising of language itself. Words that were once mainstays in the preservation of liberty have changed their meanings completely. Liberal now means illiberal: intolerant of any deviation from dogma even when it defies scientific fact. That great American favourite progressive, now means repressive: demanding the extirpation of any views which contradict the imposed radical orthodoxy. As we are reminded constantly by endless further episodes in this Inquisition, careers can be destroyed, livelihoods terminated and most depressingly dissident voices simply intimidated into cautionary silence. And all in the name of what is being described as a new centrist consensus. There are the beginnings of hope, of course: the first tentative signs that this grotesque hegemony may be imploding. Forbidden words are being uttered out loud and some of the banished are being rehabilitated at least in the arena of commerce where reality, in the form of consumer choice, still has some bite. This may turn out to be the end of it, but before we get too smug and complacent, it is very important that we examine what just happened. If we did not, in the end, lose a grip permanently on our most treasured values, we came damn close to it. There will be a time for the academic dissertations and the popular books by public intellectuals examining the temporary insanity that nearly brought down democratic freedoms. But there is an urgent task that needs to be undertaken immediately because this is still too close to call. First we have to be clear that this thing which, for some bizarre reason, was allowed to run amok this presumed tyranny over words and thoughts was not politics at all. It was a cultural nervous breakdown. Words that once had perfectly comprehensible meanings (like crime) were turned into coded ambiguities (non-crime hate incident) which were to be enforceable by the police even though, by definition, they were not criminal. Why are we wasting time talking about this? It is nonsensical. If a crime is committed, or suspected, that is the business of the police and the courts. If a non-crime (which is to say, no crime) has been committed, then it is not a matter for the police and the courts. No distinction is more important in a free country than that between crime and not-crime. There was a time when everybody in his right mind understood this. When exactly did that understanding break down? Maybe this is a symptom of a civilisation in decline: a defiant flight of belligerent, self-indulgent fantasy that can only take control in a decadent, exhausted culture. The decency and tolerance of the discussion about assisted dying has been startling precisely because it is now so unusual. The Left-liberal axis which presumes to take such commanding power of social relations today is much more drastic and fundamental than the Marxist Left which tried to subvert the West when the contest was about economics. Those old school Communists would not have suggested that men could become women. They were busy arguing about the ownership of the means of production, not the biological facts of the human condition. Perhaps this was the inevitable end of secularism. Losing the authority of revealed religion and the moral authority that goes with it, may be too great a deprivation for human conscience to bear and so the agnostic society had to create its own kind of moral absolutism to fill the vacuum. Pete Hegseth was accused by a woman of rape n 2017, although no charges were brought - Instagram The man chosen to be Donald Trumps defence secretary has come under further pressure over his private life after the emergence of an email from his mother calling him an abuser of women. In the email to Pete Hegseth from his mother Penelope, she accused him of lying, cheating, sleeping around and using women for his own power and ego. The email, sent at the time of Mr Hegseths divorce from his second wife in 2018, also describes the father of seven as despicable and abusive in his treatment of women. Get some help On behalf of all the women (and I know its many) you have abused in some way, I say...get some help and take an honest look at yourself, Mrs Hegseth wrote. Its time for someone (I wish it was a strong man) to stand up to your abusive behaviour and call it out, especially against women. We still love you, but we are broken by your behaviour and lack of character. Republicans criticised the New York Times for publishing the private correspondence, with both Mrs Hegseth and the Trump campaign calling the decision to do so disgusting. Mrs Hegseth told the newspaper that she had written the email at a turbulent time in the familys private life and insisted her son was a good father and husband. Pete Hegseth interviewing Donald Trump for Fox at the White House in 2017 - Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Mr Hegseth, 44, is one of Mr Trumps more controversial cabinet picks because of allegations of sexual assault, and because of his lack of experience at the top level of the US defence establishment. An officer with the Minnesota National Guard, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, he is best known as a former news presenter on Fox News, the conservative broadcaster. In a country where Christian morality still plays a central role in public life, he is due to be grilled on his alleged infidelity at a Senate confirmation hearing at the US Senate next year. Moral codes in the US army are so strict that active-duty service members can be put on trial on adultery charges in front of a military court, a fact that has led critics to claim that Mr Hegseth does not have the requisite character to run the defence department. His second marriage broke down after he got a co-worker pregnant. She later became his third wife and they remain together today. A woman also filed a rape claim against him in 2017, although no charges were ever brought. Mr Hegseth has said the encounter was consensual. Aside from concerns about his private life, Democrats in the Senate have expressed concerns about whether a TV anchor would have the experience to manage one of the largest bureaucracies in the federal government. Mr Hegseth is not the first Trump pick to come under scrutiny over accusations of sexual misconduct. Matt Gaetz, Mr Trumps initial nominee to run the Justice Department, is under investigation over allegations that he paid for sex with a minor, leading to outrage from within the department he had been named to oversee. Mr Gaetz, who denies the allegation, withdrew from consideration for the role due to the scrutiny. The Rev Cayce Ramey has said he is dedicated to undoing the effects of white supremacy in Gods Church - The Washington Post via Getty Images A priest could be defrocked after holding a communion strike to protest his churchs historical links to the slave trade and white supremacy. The Rev Cayce Ramey stood down as the rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Alexandria, Virginia in December 2022 after the Diocese of Virginia began disciplinary proceedings against him for carrying out a Eucharistic fast. Mr Ramey, who is himself white, has claimed he is an Episcopal priest tasked with interrupting normative white supremacy in the Church. He is alleged to have neglected his core duties and disregarded the doctrine, discipline and worship of the church by carrying out his years-long protest, according to the Episcopal News Service (ENS). A disciplinary panel endorsed his removal in May 2024, a decision Mr Ramey has appealed to the Court of Review, which is expected to give its decision in the coming days. If he loses he will likely be punished with deposition or removal from the priesthood. Mr Ramey has been barred from performing any priestly duties or serving on any diocesan bodies by E Mark Stevenson, the Virginia Bishop. While some of Mr Rameys peers are said to agree with his views about the Churchs legacy, they have taken umbrage with his weaponising the Eucharist to protest racial injustice. Mr Ramey preaching at All Saints Episcopal Church in 2021, the year he began his Eucharist fast I believe that the white church knows our siblings have something against us, so we must act, Mr Ramey wrote in a February 2023 letter to one of the diocesan committees. I believe we can find repentance and reconciliation through the justice and mercy of God if we prioritise our relationship with our BIPOC [Black, indigenous, and people of color] siblings. He added: The purpose of a fast is always to bring change, healing, justice, humility and hope. I continue to long for the day I can return to the altar to celebrate in reconciled life with my siblings. Mr Ramey, a father-of-two, claims he became interested in the Episcopal church while serving as a communications director in the US Marine Corps. Battlefield promotion During a deployment to Iraq he says he was given a battlefield promotion to Lay Eucharistic Minister during Sunday worship service at Saddam Husseins palace. After he returned, he joined the Virginia Theological Seminary in 2009 where he took a course on The History of the Black Church at Howard University School of Divinity and served as a seminarian-intern at the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, Washington, DC, a historically black church. On his website Racial Heresy, which he claims is a ministry dedicated to undoing the effects of white supremacy in Gods Church, he says his experiences shattered my concept of church and transformed my understanding of life outside of my privileged white male heterosexual cisgender existence. Mr Ramey was ordained in 2012 and in 2014 was called as a rector at All Saints in Alexandria. All Saints Episcopal Church in Alexandria, Virginia where Mr Ramey stood down as rector in 2022 - Allison Robbert/The Washington Post via Getty Images He also describes visiting Cape Coast Castle Ghana in 2016, where he says the chapel is built above the male slave dungeon. He claims he then discovered his parishs property was donated by an enslaver and that 19 people were enslaved by the people who owned the land. The altar upon which I consecrated bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ sits atop land saturated with the bodies, blood, sweat, and toil of people enslaved, just like at Cape Coast Castle, he wrote. In February 2021 he emailed then Virginia Bishop Suffragan Susan Goff, saying he was wrestling with advocating for a voluntary fast from receiving the Eucharist. Mr Ramey wrote: I am more and more convinced that our Eucharistic theology, born and bred in the white supremacy of our country, requires fundamental undoing and redoing and that we must recognise the reality in which we already exist, that of broken communion. Mr Ramey began his fast in June 2021 and he has not received or distributed communion since then, apart from to celebrate Holy Eucharist on Easter, according to ENS. Sin of white supremacy and racism In January 2022 Ms Goff wrote to Mr Ramey raising concerns about his decision not to provide the sacrament for other people. He refused to end his fast when confronted by Ms Goff. The sin of white supremacy and racism must first be healed and reconciled before Eucharist has a context, Ms Goff claimed Mr Ramey told her. Ms Goff then contacted the dioceses Title IV intake officer to initiate a disciplinary case against Mr Ramey. Mr Stevenson took over from Ms Goff as the Diocese of Virginia on 3 December 2022. Mr Ramey resigned from All Saints the following day. On 7 December Mr Stevenson issued a restriction on Mr Rameys ministry. Mr Ramey says his parish was never deprived of communion because joint services with multiple priests were held in light of the Covid pandemic. Mr Ramey told ENS his Eucharistic fast and his related racial justice work were fundamental to the ministry of the priesthood. He said: The Holy Spirit called me to action in the midst of this priestly ministry. His fast, he added, was a recognition of our role in historic and ongoing violence of white supremacy. The Telegraph has contacted Mr Ramey and the Diocese of Virginia for comment. While I have always wanted kids, that choice has become tinged with a level of despair and anger that I didnt have two years ago. Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images Chris Peterson wasnt surprised that Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. But he was surprised by how quickly he and his wife started asking one another: should we try to have another baby before a possible nationwide abortion ban takes effect? Or should we give up on having a second child? Peterson and his wife, who live in North Carolina, are thousands of dollars in debt because their first child needed to spend weeks in the hospital after being born prematurely. They had wanted to pay off that debt and wait a few years before having a second baby. But now, reproductive rights are again in the balance Trump has said he would veto a nationwide abortion ban, but his allies are emboldened to push through more restrictions. Peterson is terrified of what is to come, and that his wife might not be able to get the medical care she needs if they decide to conceive again. Related: Americans stockpile abortion pills and hormones ahead of reproductive apocalypse under Trump We should be happy thinking about expanding our family, said Peterson, who is, like his wife, in his late 30s. We shouldnt be worried that were going to have medical complications and I might end up being a single father. Peterson is not the only American who, in the weeks after the US election, is rethinking plans around having children. On 6 November, the number of people booking vasectomy appointments at Planned Parenthood health centers spiked by 1,200%, IUD appointments by more than 760% and birth control implant appointments by 350%, according to a statement provided to the Guardian by Planned Parenthood. Traffic to Planned Parenthoods webpages on tubal ligation, vasectomies and IUDs has also surged by more than 1,000% for each. After the election, the Guardian heard from dozens of people in the US reconsidering whether to have children. Most pointed to fears over the future of reproductive healthcare, the economy and the climate in explaining their concerns. Since Trump won, Ive decided not to have more children and have destroyed my remaining embryos just in case the government gets any crazy ideas about them I hesitate to bring more children into a world with an uncertain ecological future, assuming that the incoming administration pulls out of the Paris climate accord and ceases to support green energy transition, a 34-year-old Minnesota mother of one wrote to the Guardian in response to a callout inviting readers to share their thoughts about post-election family planning. Trump pulled the US out of the historic agreement during his first administration; doing so again which Trump has promised to do could cripple the it, according to the UN secretary general. We have two children and I have desperately wanted a third but now I am fearful of being able to get adequate care if I get pregnant, wrote another woman who lives in Louisiana. I cant risk leaving my two children behind if [I] die because I cant get adequate care here. It feels like a dystopian novel, and yet here we are. These worries are not necessarily new. In 2023, a Pew Research Center survey found that 47% of 18- to 49-year-old US adults say they are unlikely to ever have kids a steep jump from 2018, when 37% said the same. Of the people who are unlikely to have kids, 38% said concerns about the state of the world were a major part of their decision-making. Roughly a quarter pointed to fears about the environment. Working in disaster relief, Catherine regularly sees the effects of the climate crisis up close. Im in Washington DC right now and flowers are blooming. Its November. This should not be happening, she said in an interview. While I have always wanted kids, that choice has become tinged with a level of despair and anger that I didnt have two years ago. She continued: Why would I bring a child into this world that is dying? Earlier this year, Catherine got a copper IUD, which can block pregnancy for more than a decade. Like developed countries around the world, the United States is in the midst of a fertility slump. In 2023, the US fertility rate fell by 3% and reached a historic low. But this decline is not evenly distributed across the political spectrum. After Trump won the presidency in 2016, births in Republican-leaning counties rose sharply compared to those that leaned Democratic. Today, Democrats are likelier than Republicans to be childfree a trend that, the Washington Post has hypothesized, is likely also related to the rightward drift of big-family white Protestants. That the outcome of the 2024 election has spurred such fear and hesitation around having children is apt not only are US political parties on diverging paths when it comes to babies, but the election itself was in many ways a referendum on families and fertility. While Kamala Harris made support for abortion rights a key plank in her platform, Donald Trump promised baby booms and pledged to give people baby bonuses. Trumps vice-president-elect, JD Vance, has built his political brand on pronatalism, a movement that urges people to have babies to benefit the greater good. Vance has a track record of deriding childless cat ladies and raising the alarm about the US fertility rate. We want more babies because children are good, Vance once said. And we believe children are good, because we are not sociopaths. M, a Texan mother of three who asked to go by her first initial because she feels stigmatized for voting for Trump, hopes that Trumps victory will improve the economy to the point that she and her husband can afford to have a fourth child. We want to be able to dream of having a family the way we want to, on our terms Ruth I still have a child in childcare now like daycare and just seeing those costs rise year after year since 2020, its been really hard for our family to consider having another baby, M said. The possibility of that being alleviated through better economic policy or even just those costs being taken away somewhere else whether its groceries or utilities to whatever it is that really makes it possible for us to consider having another kid. M, who opposes abortion, feels confident that she would be able to get adequate care if she had a miscarriage. (Since Roe v Wade fell, at least three women have died in Texas after doctors reportedly delayed treating them for miscarriages or gave them inadequate miscarriage care.) The climate crisis worries M less than making sure her kids have access to clean water and healthy, chemical-free food. Related: Tracking abortion laws across the United States Not everyone reconsidering having kids has totally ruled it out. N, a 26-year-old from New York, is for now only delaying her plans to have kids until after Trump leaves office. (She asked to go by her first initial because she previously had an abortion.) Ruth, who has a newborn at home and is married to an undocumented person, fears abortion bans and her husband being deported but still wants to keep the conversation about having a second kid alive. We want to be able to dream of having a family the way we want to, on our terms, said Ruth, who lives in Florida and asked to be identified by her middle name due to her husbands immigration status. My husband being an immigrant we feel that it shouldnt foreclose our options to build a family. We have just as much of a right to build a family on our terms as anyone else. No sooner had Jean-Noel Barrot (L) , Frances foreign minister, left Chad for Paris than the African country announced it was ending its military ties with its former colonial power - AFP/Amanuel Sileshi On Thursday night, Frances foreign minister left Chad confident about its ongoing military relationship with its last strategic partner in the Sahel. Yet shortly after Jean-Noel Barrot took off for Paris from the capital NDjamena, a Facebook message flashed up announcing Chads decision to end the accord in the field of defence. Chads shock announcement to end its military ties with its former colonial power will likely result in the exit of some 1,000 French troops currently stationed in the country to help in its fight against jihadists and various rebel groups. Compounding the humiliation, the move came just hours after Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegals president, announced that France should close its military bases in the West African country as part of its drive to regain full sovereignty. The twin blows have left Emmanuel Macron reeling. Hamstrung at home after calling snap elections that saw him lose his already tenuous grip on parliament, the embattled French president is now more or less confined to playing the international statesman. Even here he is now on the back foot. You could describe this as a slap in the face, said Wolfram Lacher, a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). First Senegal, then Chad, within 24 hours, said Mr Lacher. That shows the failure of Frances policy in Africa, he added, pointing out that French troops were also recently ejected from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where regimes hostile to the ex-colonial power have taken hold. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegals president, announced that France should close its military bases in the West African country - AFP/Ludovic Marin Frances inability to foresee the coups prompted a rare dressing down last year by Mr Macron of the DGSE, the French equivalent of MI6, whose head Bernard Emie was fired soon afterwards. Caroline Roussy of the French Institute for Strategic and International Affairs said the image of yet more troop withdrawals risked proving disastrous for Frances image. This will weigh on morale, she commented. The ensuing silence from the Quai dOrsay, the French foreign ministry, spoke volumes. After hours of frantic talks, the French government finally said late on Friday it takes note of the announcement and will pursue a dialogue on continued security and defence cooperation. Part of the problem boils down to Mr Macrons personality, say observers. He has been accused of irking African leaders with a paternalistic tone, lightning visits and chummy backslapping of older statesmen seen as a slight in their countries. Some accuse the president of seeking to have his cake and eat it by declaring Francafrique the countrys close and murky ties with various African dictatorships and democracies during the Cold War over while continuing to throw Frances military weight around in the region by maintaining troops there. In truth, France has been preparing for years what it called a reorganisation of military relations and seeking a greater European role. A man cycles past a World War I memorial honouring the brotherhood between Senegal and France, a bond that is seemingly weakening with every year - AFP On Monday, Jean-Marie Bockel, Mr Macrons special envoy for Africa, handed him a report on reshaping Frances military presence in the continent. It recommends a drastic reduction of Frances military presence in Senegal, Gabon, the Ivory Coast and Chad. France had, however, aimed to maintain a lower-profile military presence across the region, including its base near NDjamena to keep direct access to the airport, say officials. This is clearly not what the French had planned for and not how they would have wanted this to play out, said Will Brown, senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Chad, like other former French colonies in the region, has seen protests against Frances continued presence amid accusations Paris supports the regime of President Mahamat Deby after backing Idriss Deby Itno, his autocratic father, for decades. While French flags were burned, Russian ones were waved. Indeed, anti-French sentiment has been whipped up by massive Russian disinformation campaigns. Data from Bloom, a French start-up that works on social media analysis, show a drastic surge in the reach of pro-Kremlin media and Russian paid influencers in Chad recently. France was going to massively step down its military presence in Africa anyway. The question is to what extent is France going to own this and claim the narrative in a deeply toxic informational space against armies of Russian trolls?, asked Mr Brown. Both Chad and Senegal have been intensifying contacts with Russia in recent months. Outside actors like Russia will see this as a win. It opens up the field more for them, Mr Brown said. Frances military presence in Africa is set to undergo a large reshaping - AFP/Thomas Coex That said, the goalposts were already moving as the area becomes an Axis Mundi for a multipolar world as players from China and Russia to Turkey and UAE enter the fray. Hungary, meanwhile, is sending 200 troops to Chad. Viktor Orbans son Gaspar is reportedly heavily involved. With legislative elections next month, France is an easy target and President Debys camp is hoping to reap political dividends from anti-French rhetoric, said Ms Roussy. Africans are showing that the cursor has changed, that they are the ones who choose their partners. As Frances image is bad, the change is taking place to its detriment. As he digests the latest African setback abroad, Mr Macron faces rising woes back home. The fragile minority government of Michel Barnier, the EUs former chief Brexit negotiator who Mr Macron appointed prime minister in September, could fall next week over the budget, which seeks to squeeze 60 billion in savings through tax hikes and spending cuts. Marine Le Pens populist National Rally, RN, whose tacit support Mr Barnier needs to survive a likely no-confidence motion, has given him until Monday to accede to its demands. Failure to do so could see RN back the Left in ousting the cabinet on Wednesday. Mr Barnier has already dropped plans to raise electricity taxes but the Le Pen camp is insisting on more concessions. If the government falls, there are growing opposition calls for Mr Macron to resign to break the political deadlock, a move he has categorically ruled out so far. In a moment of welcome respite, the French president played master of ceremonies on Friday in unveiling the interior of the restored Notre-Dame cathedral to the world five years after it was ravaged by fire. In a message replete with political overtones, Mr Macron told a crowd of 1,300 craftsmen and donors that he hoped the Gothic masterpieces re-opening on Dec 8 would act as a shock of hope. That would, at least, make a change from the series of more nasty surprises that may well come to tarnish the legacy of his time in the Elysee. Sophie Trudeau is determined not to put pressure on her three children to enter politics - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images North America Sophie Gregoire Trudeau has learnt to cut ties and not cling to relationships after the break-up of her marriage to the prime minister of Canada. In an interview with The Telegraph, the former first lady said mental health techniques had helped her to deal with her 2023 separation from Justin Trudeau. Ive trained my brain to deal with uncertainty, she said. I learned to cut ties and not cling too much to life, to others, to relationships. Ms Trudeau, 49, said she had done a lot of self-regulation in addition to her work as a yoga and meditation teacher. She met Mr Trudeau when the pair were just schoolchildren and reconnected in 2002 after their paths crossed at a charity event. Over the 18 years of their marriage, they had three children, Xavier James, 17, Ella-Grace, 15, and Hadrien, 10. Sophie Trudeau says viewing separation as failure is emotional immaturity and leaves a traumatic emotional legacy to children Referring to the break-up, she said: I have to say we are really lucky to be in a respectful open communication which is key. In the podcast, which is tied to her 2024 book Closer Together, Ms Trudeau redefined heartbreak and the notion that marriage is success, separation is failure, divorce is failure. And the guilt that we carry, that if we dont keep that identity that we are clinging to, that we fail. But when we feel this way, not only do we show emotional immaturity, but we leave a traumatic emotional legacy to kids who should not have to wear this, she added Ms Trudeau now runs online Living Room sessions, which broadcast personal reflections and interviews with mental health luminaries such as Gabor Mate. Each session costs $259 (145) on Ms Trudeaus website, and includes tips on healing trauma and maintaining healthy relationships. Speaking at the Reykjavik Global Forum in Iceland, Ms Trudeau said she never really felt like the first lady. Ive been Sophie all along, and I never believed that I was a first lady. Ive lived my life as me, and I adapted to different situations, she said. I started as a reporter before I met my husband. And I was a mental health advocate before I met him. In Closer Together, a memoir that doubles as a mental health guide, she detailed her battle with an eating disorder during her school years. She writes that she was fearful of the impact of breaking the mould and speaking out about bulimia so early on in her television career. I had come out in Quebec to share my story about my own eating disorders, which was a risk because nobody was really talking about eating disorders, she said. I didnt know what was going to happen the next day. Many ways to serve On being asked by The Telegraph if she would go into politics, Ms Trudeau demurred. I believe you can be in service to fellow human beings in many different ways, she said. And politics is not the only way. As I said I will be serving in my own way. Theres no yes or no. I will continue to serve in the best way that I can. There are many ways to serve. Mr Trudeau denied reports that he had extramarital affairs in a 2014 interview following the release of his memoir Common Ground. Questioned about his denial in an interview the following year, Ms Trudeau said the couple had been through hardship. The Trudeau family has a tradition of being involved in politics, with the current Canadian Prime Ministers father also holding office between 1968 to 1979 and 1980 to 1984. But Sophie is determined not to put pressure on her children to follow suit. Sophie Trudeau wants to celebrate the authentic nature of her kids instead of pressuring them to enter politics - Money Sharma/AFP I dont think about that at all, she said. Ms Trudeau added she does not think about whether their children will follow in his footsteps. I kind of think the opposite of that. I think as parents we have to celebrate the authentic nature of our kids and try not to put the pressure on them that the world already puts [on them], whether you are children of political figures or not. Mr Trudeaus political career is at a low ebb, with 57 per cent of respondents to a recent poll believing he should quit as Prime Minister. The rising cost of living, as well as high rent and house prices, have driven dissatisfaction with his Liberal Party government, which now stands at 27 per cent in the polls, below the rival Conservatives on 41 per cent. Islamist rebels once exiled to a mountainous pocket of the Syrian countryside now roam the streets of central Aleppo, taking pictures below its ancient citadel and tearing down symbols of President Bashar al-Assads rule. The surprise offensive in which insurgents seized territory across north-western Syria appears to have dramatically shifted the balance of power in Aleppo, the countrys second largest city, and marks the most serious challenge to Assads control in years. On Saturday night, images emerged of fighters pushing deep into Syrian government-controlled territory towards the city of Hama, including Kafr Nabl, a town once seen as symbolic for its opposition to Assad. Within hours, video showed insurgents in the centre of Hama. Syrias state news agency, Sana, quoted military sources denying reports of a rebel advance in Hama, adding our armed forces have a reinforced defensive line. Sana said government forces were repelling insurgent advances with the help of Russian aircraft, while opposition networks reported air strikes in the Idlib countryside. Fighters from the militant Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized much of Aleppo less than a day earlier in a sudden rout of Syrian army forces. A reporter with the opposition television channel Aleppo Today showed uniformed militants in an empty central plaza. Footage showed people tearing down a statue of Bassel al-Assad, the brother of Syrias ruler, to the sound of celebratory gunfire. Turkeys Anadolu news agency said Syrian forces withdrew from several key locations including the civilian airport, closing it as insurgents closed in. Forces spearheaded by HTS also seized an important military base to the south while taking control of Saraqib, a strategic location on the highway to the capital Damascus. Turkish-backed Syrian rebels launched their own operation against Kurdish militants and Syrian government forces in an effort to seize a military airport to the east of Aleppo, as swaths of territory rapidly fell under rebel control. The sweeping offensive appeared to surprise forces loyal to Assad as well as his longtime backers in Moscow and Tehran. In a late-night phone call with the Emirati president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Assad stressed that Syria will continue to defend its stability and territorial integrity. He added that Damascus is capable of beating back the advance with the help of its allies. The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, is expected in Damascus on Sunday before travelling to Turkey, while Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the situation in Syria with his Turkish counterpart Hakkan Fidan in a phone call. Irans Tasnim news agency said the Syrian military continued to battle insurgents in Aleppo, amid reports of both Russian and Syrian airstrikes around the city. The militants appeared to enter Aleppo with ease, in total contrast to the fierce street battles for control of every block that engulfed the ancient urban centre 12 years ago. No one expected Aleppo to be taken, which means there were no real defensive lines within the city. Once they got there it seems like it was all open, said Jerome Drevon of the International Crisis Group. Drevon pointed to the insurgents years-long efforts to formalise and hone their forces, allowing them to overwhelm far less organised Syrian government fighters. I think the regime didnt expect such a quick move, the operation started just a few days ago, he said. The Syrian military said the overwhelming number of fighters and the multiplicity of battlefronts prompted our armed forces to carry out a redeployment operation aimed at strengthening the defence lines in order to absorb the attack, preserve the lives of civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counterattack. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, called the situation in Aleppo an attack on Syrian sovereignty, adding: We are in favour of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area. What began in 2011 as a popular uprising calling for Assads overthrow later transformed into a bloody civil war, with the battle for control of Aleppo at its heart. Syrian regime forces seized control of the city in 2016, with the aid of Russian air power and Iranian ground forces. As he fought for control of the country, Assad also freed jihadi fighters from the countrys prisons, transforming the uprising against him. The sudden insurgent victory in Aleppo symbolised a dramatic shift in control of key urban centres in Syria, and an unexpected challenge to its president, who had long been seen as having crushed the uprising. Assads fractured control of the country had appeared secure enough that his former regional foes, notably Saudi Arabia, had begun to re-establish diplomatic relations with Damascus. Turkish officials, who had also discussed normalising relations with Assad, despite supporting rebel forces, denied any involvement in the Aleppo offensive. We will not take any action that could cause a wave of migration, the foreign minister, Fidan, said amid reports from the UN that fighting had internally displaced 14,000 people in days. The insurgents sudden success quickly drew questions about their ability to hold territory, and what an expanded fiefdom led by HTSs leader known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani could look like. Jolani was designated by the US State Department as a terrorist in 2013 and retains a $10m bounty on his head, but has de facto ruled Idlib province for several years. Related: Syrian rebels enter Aleppo three days into surprise offensive While the militants in Idlib have attempted to demonstrate their ability to govern, they have also stood accused of crushing dissent while relying heavily on dwindling international aid to meet civilians needs. As fighters stormed Aleppo, humanitarians like Sudipta Kumar of Actionaid warned many were suffering in Idlib. Thousands of families now face a freezing winter without anywhere to live, she said. Sam Heller, an analyst at the Century Foundation, said the insurgents ability to hold on to their territorial gains depended on whether Damascus and its allies were able to mount a counter-attack. Certainly some areas in the Aleppo countryside could be difficult for HTS and their allies to hold on to if they come under really withering air strikes or artillery fire, he said. Insurgent rule inside Aleppo itself, he added, could prove far more difficult for Assad and his allies to repel in the long term. Its not clear what kind of capabilities Damascus is now able to bring to bear and mobilise from elsewhere in Syria, also critically how much capacity Russia now has in Syria, given its current involvement in Ukraine which has diverted some of their forces to that front. Drevon doubted that Jolani and his allies would be willing to cede power to a conventional governing authority. The militants were more likely to focus on expanding the field of battle for now, he said, adding: They have been waiting for this battle for a long time. Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley testifies before the Senate Committee on the Budget at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The hearing was entitled "Social Security Forever: Delivering Benefits and Protecting Retirement Security." (Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images/TNS) Anna Rose Layden/TNS Despite all the talk about Donald Trump being a unique political figure in American history, theres one way in which he has behaved like every other politician on the stump: Hes promised not to lay a hand on Social Security. With more than 67 million Americans collecting stipends now and hundreds of millions more counting on benefits for their retirement, any threat to the systems benefits sends a shudder through the nations workers. Thats why a promise not to cut benefits has become embedded into American politics for most of the programs nine decades of existence. But that hasnt eliminated the threat of benefit cuts, chiefly from Republicans. Social Securitys internal workings are so recondite and poorly understood by average voters that numerous possible ways of imposing benefit cuts or otherwise harming the program are hiding in plain sight. Trump mentioned some during his recent presidential campaign and attempted others during his last term. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trumps fellow Republicans have alluded to yet others. In March, the House GOP caucus released a budget proposal that would eviscerate Social Security. The caucus members groused about how Social Security has expanded since it was originally signed into law by Franklin Roosevelt in 1935, through the addition of disability benefits, dependents and survivors benefits, and the incorporation of automatic cost-of-living adjustments. Predictably, they dont mention who was responsible for these changes: Disability was added in 1956, under Dwight Eisenhower; cost-of-living adjustments were enacted in 1972, under Richard Nixon, and went into effect in 1975, under Gerald Ford. All three presidents were Republicans. The committee called for modest adjustments to the retirement age for future retirees to account for increases in life expectancy, raising the retirement age to 69 from the current standard of 67 for new retirees. Thats a benefit cut, and one that would hit low-income and Black Americans harder than others. Heres the bottom line: It would be folly to be complacent about what the current political majority might do to Social Security. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theres a very serious worry on the horizon, Social Security Commissioner Martin OMalley told Al Sharpton on MSNBC last weekend, because Donald Trumps policies would seriously reduce the fiscal health of Social Security. Theres a lot of talk among people around him about all sorts of gimmicks. (OMalley is leaving the commissioners post to run for the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee.) OMalley is backed up by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a hive of conservative budget hawks. Trumps campaign proposals, the CRFB calculated in October, could cost Social Securitys cash reserves $1.3 trillion to $2.75 trillion over 10 years, hastening the exhaustion of its trust funds by three years, to 2031. That would provoke a cut in benefits of as much as 33% if Congress fails to act in the interim, the committee reckoned pointing to Trumps proposals to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits, imposing across-the-board tariffs on imported goods and deporting millions of immigrants. Lets take a look at the proposal Trump aired during the campaign to eliminate the federal income tax on Social Security benefits. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thats a crowd-pleaser after all, who doesnt love lower taxes? It certainly would mean more take-home pay for those paying tax on their benefits, which is almost everyone except the lowest-income Americans. But it would erode the systems fiscal stability at a crucial time. Trump couldnt cut these taxes without congressional consent. Social Security benefits are taxed on a progressive scale. Typically, , couples with combined income of $25,000 to $34,000 are taxed on 50% of their benefits; those with more than $44,000 pay tax on up to 85% of their benefits. (For individuals, the first threshold is $25,000 to $34,000.) Combined income is defined as taxpayers' adjusted gross income, plus their nontaxable interest earnings and half of their Social Security benefits. Eliminating the tax on benefits, therefore, could put as much as $4,200 a year back in the pockets of an average benefit-collecting household. Those taxes, however, are paid back to the Social Security and Medicare systems. For Social Security, which receives the tax on the first 50% of benefits, theyre vital to the programs revenue stream $50.7 billion, or 3.75% of all revenues, in 2023. Benefit taxation is projected to yield about $133 billion annually by 2033, accounting for more than 6.5% of the programs income. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There are only two ways to keep Social Security whole reduce benefits or increase the payroll tax that provides the largest chunk of income. Taxpayers would have to pay one way or another. And the joy of having more take-home pay now would evaporate when the bills start coming due. During his first term, Trump and his acolytes took aim at Social Securitys disability insurance program, a favorite target of conservative Republicans. During an appearance on the CBS program Face the Nation in 2017, Trumps budget director, Mick Mulvaney, led the charge. Do you really think that Social Security disability insurance is part of what people think of when they think of Social Security? Mulvaney asked the moderator, John Dickerson. I dont think so. Its the fastest-growing program. It grew tremendously under President Obama. Its a very wasteful program, and we want to try and fix that. Dickerson did not push back. President Dwight Eisenhower, a Republican, had added disability coverage to Social Security in 1956, six decades earlier. Not only was disability not the fastest-growing program, it had been shrinking falling from a peak of 11 million beneficiaries, including disabled workers and their dependents, in 2013, to 10.4 million when Mulvaney was speaking; the rolls would continue to decline, falling to about 8.5 million in 2023. As for the assertion that disability was wasteful, the truth was that the disability error rate, which counts both overpayments and underpayments to beneficiaries, was well below 1% of all benefits, then-Acting Social Security Commissioner Carolyn Colvin advised Congress in 2012. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trump advanced the attack on disability through his 2020 budget, which aimed to cut disability benefits by $70 billion over a decade. Mulvaney even bragged about hoodwinking Trump into violating his promise not to cut Social Security by telling him the cuts would be in disability insurance without revealing that disability insurance is part of Social Security. Republicans consistently slander disability recipients as malingerers and layabouts. Thats based on the groundless notion that disability is easy to apply for and receive. The disability certification process is long and difficult. Applicants must show that they have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from earning even $1,550 a month, or $18,600 a year, on their own. The approval process can take months, and even after appeals, only about 40% of applicants end up with benefits. Whats important about the attacks on disability in Trumps first term is that claims tend to rise along with the unemployment rate. The reason is that as job opportunities decline in general, the jobs available to the disabled become especially scarce. When desk jobs disappear and all thats left are laborers' positions, the opportunities for the physically and mentally challenged become only more limited. That could be a factor if Trumps economic policies, such as his intention to jack up tariffs on all imported goods, produce a recession. If that happens, keep your eye on the palaver about disability; its almost certain to experience a resurgence. One tried-and-true method of undermining Social Security is starving the program of administrative resources, a GOP hobby horse for years. Social Security, today, is serving more customers than ever before with staffing levels Congress has reduced to 50-year lows, OMalley told the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month. The consequences have included wait times on the programs 800 number that ballooned to nearly an hour, OMalley said. Of the average 7 million clients who called the number every month for advice or assistance, 4 million hung up in frustration after waiting far too long. The backlog of initial disability determinations reached a near-record of 1.2 million applicants awaiting a decision, some for more than a year. The program estimated that about 30,000 applicants died in 2023 while awaiting decisions. The crisis in customer service matters because it erodes public confidence that the program will be there for them when their turn comes to claim benefits. Then theres Trumps threat to deport as many as 11 million undocumented immigrants. An estimated 8.3 million unauthorized residents are actually part of the U.S. labor force. Social Securitys dirty little secret is that those who are working are actually improving the programs fiscal health. Thats because they often submit falsified Social Security numbers to employers, so payroll taxes are withheld from their earnings but because they dont have legal Social Security numbers they can never collect benefits. Furthermore, the mass deportations Trump has promised is likely to debilitate local and state economies. With the laborers needed to pick crops and build houses disappearing, those industries could stagnate, throwing native-born jobholders out of work. Less money will be coming into Social Securitys coffers. The overall loss to the program could be $300 billion to $1 trillion over a decade, the CRFB estimated. The most dire prospect for Social Security in the coming term may be indifference to its future. Under a Democratic administration and with Democratic majorities in Congress, the prospects were good for the advancement of proposals to broaden and expand Social Security benefits. Will anything like that happen in Trumps next term? OMalley tried to be judicious during his MSNBC appearance, but his opinion was clear: Im not sure, he said, that this administration is going to be in the business of strengthening and protecting Social Security. Anti-government fighters pose for a picture in front of the landmark Aleppo citadel - Abdulaziz Ketaz Syrian rebels reached the heart of the city of Aleppo on Friday night in a lightning advance that threatened the regime of Bashar Al-Assad. The push by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group had reached the citadel of Syrias second city as government forces melted away. Video clips shared on social media showed fighters and vehicles advancing into the Aleppo throughout the day, and by early morning local time were celebrating their apparent capture of the city home to 2 million people. Syrian opposition forces outside the Aleppo citadel. https://t.co/02OQCDI90m pic.twitter.com/OPuov3B6Br Faytuks News (@Faytuks) November 29, 2024 Barely 48 hours after their offensive reignited frontlines that had been static for more than four years, the rebels had dealt Assad and his army a seismic blow. As of Friday night, rebels were in control of more than half of the city, according to monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. No rebel fighters have entered Aleppo since it was recaptured by regime forces with Russian help in 2016. Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that rebel forces were entering the city without any significant pushback from regime forces. Credit: Sentdefender/X On Friday, the rebels said they had captured 31 Russian tanks from the government, 20 BMP armoured personnel carriers and a dozen 122mm artillery pieces. The first two days of the offensive had killed 255 people, according to the observatory, including 24 civilians. Before breaching the outskirts of Aleppo, the rebels had claimed to have wrested more than 50 towns and villages in north and northwestern Syria from government control, in the biggest advances made by anti-government factions in years. By Friday morning, there was heavy fighting in the Al-Rashidin neighbourhood on the western edge of Aleppo. The observatory said the offensive had entered the edges of citys Al-Hamdaniya and New Aleppo neighbourhoods after rebels carried out twin suicide attacks with two booby-trapped cars. A rebel commander issued a voice message calling on inhabitants to cooperate with the advancing forces. One video clip purported to show rebel forces reaching a statue of Assads late brother, Bassel al-Assad, at the eastern edge of the New Aleppo district, and taking down the regime flag. Russians and troops loyal to the Russian-backed Syrian dictator Assad continue to retreat in northern Syria as rebels push into Aleppo, Syria's second largest city. Here, rebels have seized a massive depot of Russian weapons, ammunition, and military equipment. The rebels are pic.twitter.com/mdGMmhq0KF KyivPost (@KyivPost) November 29, 2024 Another clip showed rebels driving a tank near Aleppo international stadium. As well as tanks and armour, clips claimed to show rebels had also captured hand-held anti-aircraft missiles. Rebels pledged to protect churches, Christians and their freedoms, urging minorities to stay at home and live normally after liberation. Fighters also advanced on the town of Saraqab, in northwestern Idlib province, a strategic area that would secure supply lines to Aleppo. Damascus was reinforcing Aleppo to try to stem the advance. Opposition forces inside #Aleppo city have captured a whole stock of MANPADS. Sources tell me more tanks, BMPs, anti-tank guided missiles & more have been seized in multiple weapons stores left behind by fleeing #Assad regime forces. pic.twitter.com/eCYD2wUJp8 Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) November 29, 2024 Aid groups said the fighting has displaced thousands of families, and forced some services to be suspended. The opposition fighters said their offensive will allow the return of thousands of displaced people who were forced to flee government bombardment in recent weeks. State media said rebels had shelled a university student residence in Aleppo, killing four civilians. The HTS group said it had launched the assault in response to weeks of regime attacks on the rebel-held enclave in northwestern Syria. Turkey, which has backed Syrian opposition groups, failed in its diplomatic efforts to prevent the government attacks, which were seen as a violation of a 2019 agreement sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran to freeze the line of the conflict. Credit: Clashreport/X Turkish security officials said the rebels had originally intended a limited offensive toward Aleppo, from where attacks targeting civilians originated. However, the offensive expanded as Syrian government forces began retreating from their positions, the officials said. The aim of the offensive was to re-establish the boundaries of the de-escalation zone, according to Turkish officials. Aleppo was the site of some of the Syrian civil wars most destructive fighting as rebel groups and the Assad regime spent four years fighting for control of its streets. The rebels were cut off and surrendered in 2016 in return for amnesty and the evacuation of civilians. One resident, who gave his name as Sarmad, said he could hear the sounds of missiles and artillery shelling around the clock. Were scared that war will break out and well be displaced from our homes again. Russia, one of Assads staunchest backers, said it wanted the Syrian government to restore constitutional order in the Aleppo region as soon as possible. Celebrations in Saraqib after the liberation of the city. pic.twitter.com/G9HWDH8UOK Clash Report (@clashreport) November 29, 2024 Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said Moscow regarded the rebel attack as a violation of Syrias sovereignty and wanted the authorities to act fast to regain control. He said: As for the situation around Aleppo, it is an attack on Syrian sovereignty and we are in favour of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible. Abbas Araghchi, Irans foreign minister, described the attacks in Syria as a plot orchestrated by the US and the Zionist regime following the regimes defeat in Lebanon and Palestine. He also told his Syrian counterpart in a phone call that Tehran pledged continued support for the government, nation and army of Syria. @ThomasVLinge/X Israels conflict with Assads allies Iran and Hezbollah had in recent months appeared to destabilise the long-standing Syrian front lines, experts said. Pro-regime militias had been increasing their attacks, trying to deter the rebels because Israel had been weakening Hezbollah and Iran. For two months, the only sounds in Nabatieh were the buzzing of an Israeli drone overhead and the dull thump of distant airstrikes. The day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect, the drone was gone and southern Lebanons second largest city was filled with the sound of hammering and the clang of excavator buckets lifting rubble from blocked streets. We started repairs this morning, why would we wait? We have to stand on our own two feet, said Wafiq Jaber, the owner of al-Sharq sweet shop in Nabatieh, on Thursday. He had watched six weeks earlier on his wifi-enabled cameras as Israeli bombs fell on one building after another until suddenly the footage cut and he knew his shop had been hit. Jaber directed workers as he spoke, pointing to growing piles of glass and twisted metal, the remains of his shop. Four of the six branches of his business in Lebanon had been damaged by Israeli strikes. He estimated he had lost about 1.5m in the last two months alone. He did not expect help in rebuilding from the Lebanese government, which even before the war had been on the brink of bankruptcy and unable to provide basic services. We have got used to the fact that the state doesnt have the capacities to help us. We already have private generators, someone is on the way to bring us water. We dont need anything from the state, just stability, Jaber said. Related: Hezbollah keeping hands on trigger amid fragile ceasefire with Israel Nabatieh was the hardest-hit major city in southern Lebanon in Israels aerial campaign, which intensified on 23 September following nearly a year of clashes across the border beginning on 8 October 2023, the day after the Hamas attack on southern Israel, with the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah firing on Israeli positions. The citys main commercial thoroughfare bears the scars of war. Every storefront is ruined and the recently cleared street was sandwiched between 5 metre-tall walls of rubble that used to be shopping centres. The scene was similar in other major cities and towns in southern Lebanon. In total, the past 13 months of fighting has cost Lebanon 6.7bn, the World Bank estimates. Months of Israeli bombing has destroyed key infrastructure in southern Lebanon, leaving much of the region without electricity, water and mobile phone service. Hezbollah officials have said they will compensate everyone whose property was damaged in the fighting, in cooperation with the state, but a concrete reconstruction plan has yet to surface. In Nabatieh, the government is in the beginning stages of a repair plan but officials say it will be a slow process. We will need some time days before we can clear the streets. Its dangerous work because there could be unexploded bombs in the rubble, said Ali Fkeeh, an official from the ministry of public works who was overseeing the work of the excavators. Related: All of this is to displace people: Nabatieh reels from Israeli attacks on Lebanon A member of the municipal government said they were not sure how long repairs would take as the scale of the destruction was overwhelming and they had not yet been able to assess damages. The municipal building itself was struck multiple times over the last two months, killing the mayor and 10 other members of the administration and decimating its resources. Hussein Jaber, an engineer working with the local government, said: Everyone in the municipality is gone and it is slowing us down considerably in the assessment process. The municipality cant fund anything. We dont even have a building left our vaults have been burned. We cant help anyone in this situation. Shop owners in Nabatieh said they had not been offered assistance by the state or local government, and the cost of rebuilding their homes and businesses would be too great to bear alone. No one has come and spoken with us, all that were doing is personal efforts, said Hassan Baalbeki, the owner of a pharmacy, gesturing to his shop that had been destroyed six weeks earlier when an Israeli strike hit a restaurant across the street. Baalbeki estimated he lost about 400,000 worth of products in the strike, not accounting for structural damage. I cant handle this financial burden. I will fix the store and see what we will do. Hopefully we can reopen next month, Baalbeki said. The durability of the recently signed ceasefire deal is tenuous: Israel carried out an airstrike north of the Litani River on what it said was a Hezbollah missile facility on Thursday, in an area where the group is allowed to operate under the terms of the truce. The Lebanese army, which the ceasefire agreement envisages supplying 10,000 troops to police the truce, said this was a violation of the deal and said it would raise the matter with interlocutors. Despite the looming risk of the conflict reopening, the residents of Nabatieh are rebuilding a process they are grimly familiar with. Jaber said he had factored the possibility of a further war involving Israel into his financial planning after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah conflict. I opened two branches in two safer areas so that there would be something to keep me going if a war happened again, he said. There is a heavy police presence in central London as a pro-Palestine march and counter-protest are held in the midst of Christmas shopping and Winter Wonderland festivities. Bemused Christmas shoppers took photos as the streets around Piccadilly Circus in central London were flooded with pro-Palestine demonstrators. Counter-protesters from Stop the Hate gathered on Coventry Street near Piccadilly Circus, on the route of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) march, to urge the marchers to stop supporting terror. The pro-Palestine protesters and counter demonstrators hurled abuse at each other as they met at Coventry Street, but the two groups were kept apart by metal barriers and a line of police officers. The Metropolitan Police have warned that expressing support for Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanese militants Hezbollah is a criminal offence, because both are proscribed terror organisations. Offences include chanting slogans, wearing clothing and displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos that express support for those groups. People take part in a Palestine Solidarity Campaign rally in central London (James Manning/PA) The pro-Palestine march was also blocked at Piccadilly Circus when a group of men holding a banner ran into the middle of the road. They were pushed out of the way by police after a brief struggle. However, the Met posted on X later in the afternoon that the PSC march had passed the Stop The Hate counter-protest without incident. Scotland Yard said they expect it to be one of the busiest shopping weekends before Christmas. Hyde Parks Winter Wonderland is also being held nearby. The demonstration follows the agreement on Tuesday night of a 60-day truce between Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah to suspend hostilities (James Manning/PA) PSC speeches will take place in in Whitehall and the assembly must finish by 4.30pm. The group, which has been at the forefront of organising pro-Palestine marches across the country, is demanding an end to British complicity in Israels genocide and apartheid of Gaza. The demonstration follows the agreement on Tuesday night of a 60-day truce between Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah to suspend hostilities, with both sides withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Last week, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister, and Hamass military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza. The UK would respect the process set out under domestic legislation when it comes to the arrest warrant, Downing Street said. Zayn Malik has paid tribute on stage to Liam Payne in his former One Direction bandmates hometown of Wolverhampton, saying he hopes the late star sees his gig. The singer, 31, had kicked off his Stairway To The Sky tour in Leedss O2 Academy, with an on-stage blue screen message which read: Liam Payne 1993-2024. Love you bro with a pink heart. However, he has not appeared to directly speak about Payne, who died aged 31 in Argentina last month, during the tour. Liam Payne died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, according to local officials (Ian West/PA) According to social media videos, Malik told the University of Wolverhampton venue The Halls: Ive been doing something, at the end of the show, every night, and its been dedicated to my brother Liam Payne. Rest in peace. I hope youre seeing this, were in your hometown tonight, Wolverhampton, this is for you, Liam. Malik rescheduled his tours original opening dates in Edinburgh due to Paynes funeral, which was also attended by his fellow One Direction stars Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan. He left One Direction in 2015 before the group went on indefinite hiatus in 2016, with the members all going on to pursue their own solo careers. Following the death of Payne, Malik said he never got to thank his fellow bandmate for supporting him through some of the most difficult times in his life. I lost a brother when you left us and cant explain to you what Id give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly, he added in a statement shared to Instagram. I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever. There is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated. I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are. Love you, bro. Payne previously postponed the US leg of his Stairway To The Sky tour over the heartbreaking loss of Payne. An investigation has been launched into Paynes death by Argentinian prosecutors and three people have been charged in connection with the incident. Payne died on October 16 of multiple traumas and internal and external haemorrhage after falling from a third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, a post-mortem examination report said. Malik will next perform at Manchester on Saturday, before heading to Leeds and Newcastle. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Florida just days after the president-elect threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods. In a post on TruthSocial Saturday afternoon, Trump called the conversation "very productive" and said the two leaders "discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada." "I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship! Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families," the president-elect added in his post. Trudeau posted a photo of him and Trump Saturday afternoon, thanking the president-elect for meeting with him. "Thanks for dinner last night, President Trump. I look forward to the work we can do together, again," Trudeau said on X. On Saturday morning, Trudeau said he had had an excellent conversation with Trump. The Canadian leader walked out of the hotel in West Palm where he had spent the night when reporters asked whether the two had discussed tariffs. Trudeaus plane landed Friday evening at Palm Beach International Airport, which is used by Trump when he travels to his Mar-a-Lago estate. Pictures posted on social media late Friday evening by Pennsylvania senator-elect David McCormick and Donald Trump Jr.s fiance Kimberly Guilfoyle showed Trump and Trudeau sitting side by side at a dinner table, accompanied by other guests including North Dakota governor Doug Burgum. A Mar-a-Lago trip was not included in the Canadian leaders public itinerary for Friday. Trump office was not immediately available for comment. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously spoke with Trump on the phone about the president-elect's tariff plan earlier this week. The two men spoke on the phone earlier this week after Trump announced his tariff plan. Trudeau said that the pair had a "good call" and talked about "some of the challenges that we can work on together." Trump said last week on Truth Social that one of his first executive orders would be to hit Mexico and Canada with a blanket 25% tariff. This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country! Trump said in the post. President Joe Biden criticized Trumps announcement, saying the comments were counterproductive. I hope he rethinks it, and I think its a counterproductive thing to do, Biden said, responding to a reporters question about his reaction. Mexico and Canada are the second and third top suppliers of goods to the U.S., according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, accounting for nearly 30% of trade volumes. Canada sends about 75% of its total exports to the U.S. The vehicles, dairy, paper products, and building supplies such as wood that would be affected. The U.S. imports the most goods from China. Trump has frequently promised to implement more tariffs during his campaign, especially on China. Some economists have criticized the possibility of steep tariffs, arguing that the cost would ultimately be passed on to consumers. New charges filed against a Colorado dentist accused of fatally poisoning his wifes protein shakes focus on his alleged efforts to kill a detective involved in the case, authorities said. A spokesman for the Aurora Police Department confirmed the accuracy of a report from NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver about the solicitation to commit first-degree murder charge filed last week against James Craig, 46. Craig was previously arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the March 18, 2023, death of his wife of 23 years, Angela Craig, 43. He has pleaded not guilty to that charge. Citing a professional conflict, Craigs lawyer withdrew from the case just before prosecutors filed the solicitation charge last week. It wasnt immediately clear if Craig has a new attorney to speak on his behalf about the new charges, which also include solicitation to commit perjury. According to records obtained by KUSA, Craig was in jail twice with the man he allegedly sought to have murder the detective, once in May and June 2023 and again last month. The inmate has not been accused of any crimes in connection with the Craig case, the station reported. Citing multiple sources familiar with the investigation, the station reported that the detective who was the target of the alleged plot worked on the investigation into Angela Craigs death. The police spokesman declined to provide additional details to NBC News about the allegations. Angela and James Craig. Authorities previously accused James Craig of dosing his wifes drink with cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a medication found in eye drops. She first became sick in early March 2023 and was admitted to a hospital on March 15 with a severe headache and dizziness. Angela Craig later died after experiencing a severe seizure, authorities said in James Craigs arrest warrant. Investigators initially believed her death was a result of poisoning by arsenic and cyanide, according to the arrest warrant. But the county coroner later attributed it to a combination of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline. Authorities have pointed to Craigs internet search history, which showed he sought information on whether arsenic was detectable in an autopsy. They also pointed to his online purchases: Weeks before his wifes death, Craig ordered potassium cyanide from Amazon and had it delivered to his dental practice, the warrant shows. When James Craigs business partner learned of the purchase, he flagged it as suspicious to a nurse at the facility where Angela Craig was hospitalized. There was no medical reason to buy cyanide for a dental practice, he told the nurse, according to the warrant. The nurse, a mandatory reporter, then contacted authorities. When the business partner confronted James Craig about it, he initially denied buying the cyanide but later said his wife asked him to order it, according to the warrant. At a court hearing last year, Craigs defense lawyer said there was no direct evidence showing his client poisoned his wifes drink. That lawyer withdrew last week on the day jury selection was supposed to begin in Craigs trial. The lawyer partly attributed his withdrawal to a belief that his client persists in a course of action involving the lawyers services that the lawyer reasonably believes is criminal or fraudulent, KUSA reported. Jury selection has been indefinitely postponed, the station reported. LYNN, Massachusetts Mark Callahan has voted Democratic in nearly every presidential election he can remember. Until this year. Callahan, 67, cast his ballot for President-elect Donald Trump because of concerns about rising costs of living and fears that Democratic leaders didnt have a plan to fix the economy. A longtime resident of Lynn, a suburb just four miles north of the liberal enclave of Boston, Callahan said he isnt sure whether Trumps policy proposals will lower prices at the pump, or in the grocery aisle. But hes hopeful the former president will at least make a change. Everything was too expensive. What we had wasnt working, Callahan said, as he stood on a cracked sidewalk lining a row of local take-out restaurants and convenience stores in the suburbs downtown. President Donald J. Trump talks to members of the press about the investigation before boarding Air Force 1 at Palm Beach International Airport as he leaves West Palm Beach for Washington Sunday afternoon March 24, 2019. [LANNIS WATERS/palmbeachpost.com] As the dust of the 2024 election settles, the rightward bent of voters like Callahan in historically liberal-leaning states has laid bare the sweeping nature of the Democratic Partys problems with its once trusty base of working-class voters. Those challenges, felt predominately in the blue wall states of Wisconsin, Michigan in Pennsylvania after the 2016 election, have now emerged in hundreds of former union and Democratic strongholds across the country, even in places like deep-blue Massachusetts. A bright blue crystal ball Massachusetts is one of the most liberal states in the country. In 1972, it was the only state that voted for Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern over Republican Richard Nixon. The last time the state voted for a Republican presidential candidate was in 1984 for Ronald Reagan. The state overwhelmingly voted for the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, again in this years election. Yet it also experienced one of the most profound rightward shifts of any state in the country, largely driven by a rise in new Trump voters across working-class communities and a drop in Democratic turnout. Garrett Dash Nelson, a historical geographer who focuses on the relationship between community structures and political ideology, analyzed the election results and U.S. Census demographic data for Massachusetts municipalities to better understand which communities lurched more conservative. Democratic Presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a campaign speech at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 29, 2024. No matter what method he used to define class, the results were similar. Massachusetts saw a pattern that happened all across the country, said Dash Nelson, the head curator at the Leventhal Map & Education Center at Boston Public Library. The reality is that the pattern of Republican gains being concentrated primarily in working class, oftentimes diverse working-class municipalities, holds up. Communities with a higher percentage of people in service occupations, lower median household incomes, and less education generally saw a larger uptick in votes for Trump than more wealthy, white-collar areas. Lawrence, a former mill town with deep connections to the labor movement, saw the most defined shift out of any city in Massachusetts, with a whopping 46% rise in Trump votes. It is 80% Latino. The citys median household income is $53,977 nearly half the states overall median income of about $100,000. Springfield, a city in southwestern Massachusetts, saw a 16% jump to Trump. More than 25% of people in the city work in typically blue-collar service occupations, including hospitality jobs at the MGM casino in the area. Lynn saw a more than 11% increase in support for Trump. Roughly 15% of people in the 101,000-person city have a college degree, significantly less than the 48% of people across the whole state who hold a bachelors degree or higher. Economic woes Jim Gigliello, 48, and Curran Bennett, 28, said they were relieved when Trump won the election. As the pair unloaded a dresser from the back of their pickup truck and finished out their last maintenance job of the week on a recent Friday afternoon, they admitted that they had been nervous about what would happen after the 2024 election. It just didn't seem like any of the politicians had anything that would benefit us, said Curran, who lives in Malden, Massachusetts but often works in Lynn. The working-class people, Gigliello added on. They just forgot about us. Gigliello, who lives in Revere, Massachusetts, said he hadnt voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since the 1990s when he supported former President Bill Clinton. But for the last few decades, Gigliello said he felt like Democratic leaders had become too focused on talking about social issues, rather than dealing with larger issues like the economy. It's a refrain Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., who represents Lynn and its neighboring communities in Northeastern Massachusetts has heard again and again over the last several years. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., speaks to the USA TODAY Editorial Board about his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president on July 10, 2019. After the 2024 election, Moulton has blamed Democratsa widespread losses in part on his partyas approach to debates about trans students participating in youth sports. The feeling is that Republicans are focused more on the urgent challenges people face, said Moulton, referring to issues like immigration and the economy. In the immediate days after the election, Moulton told the New York Times that he believed Democrats had leaned too far into culture war and identity politics issues. He received backlash from some in his party for saying that he would be nervous about transgender women athletes playing on the same team as his two daughters. Moulton has argued that response has proved his point. A lot of Democrats have taken on an incredibly condescending tone and treated everybody who disagrees with them as not only wrong, but as bad people, he said. We've got to do a lot less preaching and a lot more listening. Republicans in the state have also taken notice, and are trying to capitalize on concerns. Jennifer Nassour, the former chair of the Massachusetts GOP, said shes hopeful that Republicans in the state legislature can build off the recent rightward shift in the state. We need to be cognizant of the fact that, you know, voters are looking for specific things and identity politics isnt it, Nassour said. It's a big tent approach. And if we can continue on that path there's really great opportunities for Republicans come 2026. Growing disillusionment Massachusetts saw a rise in conservative-leaning Trump voters, but it also saw a drop in Democratic turnout in the 2024 election. George Markos, 65, was among those who opted not to vote. Markos, the owner of Brothers Deli in Lynn, was visiting his home country of Greece during the election and did not cast an absentee ballot. A former Democrat, Markos said he no longer belongs to either party. He doesnt believe national politics make much of an impact on his life. When asked how he felt about Trump winning the election, Markos bat his hand. Wont change my life, he said. Moulton believes building trust with voters like Markos who have become disillusioned with the party and politics in general is key to winning back working-class communities. There is a simmering distrust among many Americans of the Democratic Party, he said. Even if they like our policies better, they just don't trust us to take America's challenges seriously enough. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Democrats lost the white working-class to Trump in Massachusetts Edward Snowden, NSA whistleblower and U.S. defence contractor analyst, in hotel room during an interview with The Guardian, June 6, 2013 Deep state whistleblower Edward Snowden may be getting a new lease on life. The famous fugitive, who has been living in Russia since 2013 after leaking classified National Security Agency documents showing the US was engaged in a massive surveillance program, has been a cause celebre among left-wing and free speech activists, but has received a chillier reception from Republicans. But Snowden has some powerful allies in President-elect Trumps cabinet, insiders told The Post. NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has been living in exile in Russia since 2013. REUTERS Trumps pick for director of national intelligence, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, co-sponsored a resolution in September 2020 calling on the United States to drop all charges against Snowden. A person close to Gabbard told The Post clemency for Snowden issue remained important to her and that she would likely push for that in Trumps second term. I certainly think if asked that that is the direction she would push, the insider said. Tulsi Gabbard has emerged as one of Snowdens closest allies in the Trump administration. Zuffa LLC Gabbard co-sponsored the bill with Florida GOP congressman Matt Gaetz, who Trump nominated to be attorney general Though Gaetz was forced to withdraw, he is still expected to retain influence in Trump world. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do! Trump said in a Truth Social post after Gaetz withdrew. Another apparent Snowden ally is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the presumptive health and human service secretary, who told the Libertarian National Convention in May that he was going to pardon Edward Snowden. A month before he promised to build a statue to Snowden. Gabbard co-sponsored a resolution with Matt Gaetz calling on the United States to drop all charges against Snowden. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Reps for Kennedy did not respond to request for comment from The Post. Vice President Elect J.D. Vance has not taken any public positions on Snowden, but people close to him said they expected him to be sympathetic to the whistleblowers situation. Course correcting the deep state and intelligence community that has a lack of safeguards and oversights and transparency is something he would want, a person close to Vance said. Another apparent Snowden ally is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. AP Trump was almost there on the issue in the closing days of his first term. In late 2020, the president was strongly considering a pardon for Snowden. The issue faced blowback from Trumps top lieutenants including then-Attorney General Bill Barr and then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who believed Snowdens action were criminal and harmed national security. Neither is expected to return to roles of influence in Trumps second term. Ed Snowden is a whistleblower who exposed the crimes of others, yet hes the one whos been punished while the criminals remain in power. Its hard to think of a more grotesque injustice. Anyone who argues against his pardon is your enemy, said Tucker Carlson, a close ally of President Trump. Team Trump did not respond to request for comment from The Post. Snowden through his attorney, Ben Wizner said: This is exactly the kind of case that the pardon power was created for. He broke the law in the public interest, for love of country, and hes paid a price. He does not belong in exile. A Florida grandfather preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family and friends was shot to death by his neighbor inside a gated community as the two argued over loud music. Hureleyon McLean, 72, was gunned down just after 3:30 p.m. in the Somerset Drive apartments in Lauderdale Lakes on Thursday, according to the Broward County Sheriffs Office. McLean had gone down to talk with the suspected shooter, who lives in the unit below his apartment, after the man reportedly complained about the grandfathers music being too loud. Hureleyon McLean was gunned killed by a neighbor in the Lauderdale Lakes apartments on Nov. 28, 2024. 7 News Miami Police said an altercation broke out and the unnamed suspect pulled out a gun and fired the fatal round. He was playing his music, and the guy said he was playing it too loud, McLeans wife, Rose told NBC South Florida. So my husband, he went down to him. The grieving wife said she was unaware her husband had gone downstairs but knew something was wrong when she heard a single gunshot. I heard the gunshot, boom, and I just fly to the door. I see my husband lying face down in the blood, she told WSVN. Rose McLean claimed the alleged killer didnt show remorse for the shooting and threatened her life if she didnt stop talking. He wasnt sorry. He was just standing, looking at me with his gun in his hand the same way, she told the outlet. And I go up to him and say, Why did you shoot my husband? Why? And he said to me, If I didnt shut my mouth, he would shoot me, too. The shooting took place just after 3:30 p.m. in the Somerset Drive apartments in Lauderdale Lakes on Thursday. NBC 6 News McLeans family and friends take part in a prayer circle outside the apartment after the shooting. NBC 6 News McLean, a private bus driver, was a father of two sons and a grandfather. Anywhere he is, Im always with him. Were like a team together. For him to be taken away like this, trust me, its very hard, said Rose. McLeans pastor, Tracy McCloud led a prayer circle with the victims family and friends outside the apartment as they waited for police to update them on what led up to the shooting. Rose McLean says she was unaware her husband went downstairs until she heard the gunshot. NBC 6 News Its crazy how mankind has gotten to a place where we dont honor life like we should honor, McCloud, told the outlet. Who would have thought something tragic like this would happen? Lauderdale Lakes is located 32 miles north of downtown Miami. The suspected shooter remained at the scene and was cooperative when he was detained and interviewed by police. McLeans family and friends take part in a prayer circle outside the apartment after the shooting. NBC 6 News He claimed self-defense in the shooting, police said. Officials said the case will be handed over to the Broward County State Attorneys Office after the investigation to determine if charges would be filed. Ben Nelson and Adam Weinberger decided to elope next month after Trump was re-elected. Ben Nelson and Adam Weinbergers last-minute decision to elope next month was made in the heat of the moment, not only in the name of love. After being together more than three years, they were already scheduled to marry next October. But things changed, they said, once Donald Trump was re-elected. We kind of decided that we would take a step back and do what we think is necessary for our lives, not necessarily what our first choice was, Weinberger, 31, a veterinarian, said. They are one of many gay couples in recent weeks who are rushing to get married, start fertility treatments and take other measures out of fear that some of their rights might be rescinded during a second Trump administration. This is not what equality looks like, Nelson, 32, who is in photography school, said. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the United States since the Supreme Courts 2015 landmark ruling, Obergefell v. Hodges, which made state bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Before then, 37 states and U.S. territories had already legalized marriage equality. Nelson and Weinberger, who live in a New Jersey suburb, got engaged last year after three years of dating. But some gay couples say they fear that after it overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, unraveling half a century of legal precedent, the Supreme Court will rescind their right to marry next. Those concerns were stoked in 2020 when Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito issued blistering rebukes of Obergefell and signaled that they would be open to reversing it. Thomas again expressed an interest in overturning Obergefell in his concurring opinion in the decision to overturn Roe. Mary Bonauto, who argued on behalf of same-sex couples in Obergefell and now serves as the civil rights project director at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, or GLAD, dismissed the idea that the same-sex marriage ruling will be overturned. I understand that there are things about these times that introduce a lot of uncertainty in peoples lives. I understand that, she added. But right now, and certainly for the foreseeable future, marriage equality is not one of the things that would change. While fear among some gay and lesbian couples is real, its unclear if the incoming Trump administration has the appetite to roll back the legalization of same-sex marriage. Trump himself has not indicated that he intends to do so. Allies of the former and incoming president point to his Cabinet picks including Scott Bessent, who is gay and married, for treasury secretary and the same-sex weddings hosted at Mar-a-Lago, Trumps resort in Palm Beach, Florida, in recent years. The GOP also removed language that had been in its platform for decades that explicitly defined marriage as being between one man and one woman. Olio is an LGBTQ-friendly wedding venue in Peabody, Mass. But during his first administration, Trump did enact policies that advocates say harmed LGBTQ people as a whole and particularly transgender Americans. He banned transgender Americans from enlisting in the U.S. military and ended some discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in school and in health care settings. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to reinstate a ban on trans people from enlisting in the military, abolish gender-affirming care for transgender minors which he has repeatedly described as child abuse and child sexual mutilation and roll back Title IX protections for transgender students on Day One. The people quoted in this story are sadly mistaken and have fallen for the fear mongering from the media, which seeks to divide Americans based on identity politics, Karoline Leavitt, Trumps spokesperson and incoming press secretary, said in an email. President Trump will be a president for ALL Americans and wants to unify our country through success. When pressed on whether the president plans to roll back legalized marriage for same-sex couples, Leavitt said: That was never a campaign promise that he made. Bonauto pointed to safeguards lawmakers have put in place to protect same-sex marriage in the event that the high court decides to rescind Obergefell. Sarah Narcus, the owner of Olio. Congress and the Biden administration enacted the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act in 2022 to codify federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages under federal law. Several states have also taken up measures in recent years to protect same-sex marriage, either by enshrining the right into state constitutions or by striking down defunct laws that once prohibited same-sex marriage. Nonetheless, concern among same-sex couples remains. Michael Kaye, 32, who works for a dating app conglomerate in New York City , spent the weekend after the election on the phone with attorneys and people who work on Capitol Hill and in the LGBTQ nonprofit space, asking them whether he and his fiance should get married before their scheduled wedding date in June. The pair are strongly considering eloping before Inauguration Day, Kaye said. It just feels like we took a step backwards and that fear is resurfacing, Kaye said. And it might be a different fear than I felt like when I was in middle school or in high school, but I just feel like there is this fear again around the queer experience. Narcus said she was overwhelmed by the number of inquiries from same-sex couples looking to get married quickly. After hearing from concerned clients, some wedding venues, photographers and planners have begun offering free or discounted services to same-sex couples before Inauguration Day. In the days after Trumps win, Massachusetts-based wedding photographer Lindsey Michelle started compiling a list of wedding vendors in the New England-area offering free or discounted services to LGBTQ couples. The number of participating businesses in the New England-area swelled to over 116 within days of posting about the effort on Instagram. Were all just numb and in disbelief that here we are again Trump is entering the White House. How the hell did we even get here? Michelle, who identifies as queer, said. Anger is put into positive things, and hopefully this is one of those things. One of the businesses on Michelles list is Olio, a sprawling wedding venue in Peabody, Massachusetts, just north of Boston. Sarah Narcus, who co-owns the venue with her mother, said she was overwhelmed by the amount of inquiries from same-sex couples looking to get married quickly. My hope is that folks who are in marginalized communities, whether it be LGBTQIA or noncitizens or people who are concerned about their right to marry, know that there is a larger community of allies who are watching out for them, Narcus, who is straight, said. Nelson and Weinberger fear that Trump or the Supreme Court could overturn their right to marry. Same-sex marriage is not gay couples sole concern about their rights upon Trumps return to the White House. Matt Woodruff, 35, and his boyfriend are worried that a second Trump administration may infringe upon their ability to become parents. Woodruff, an entrepreneur who lives in New York City, said that he can easily see a scenario in which a second Trump administration blocks same-sex couples from accessing IVF benefits or adopting children. In recent weeks, he and his partner met with a fertility center over Zoom to get preliminary information about IVF. Why should whos sitting in the White House affect my life plans and my timing for really personal choices that only affect me? Woodruff said. Its very frustrating. Brandi and daughter Caroline Wulf look over a jewelry display at Estella on Small Business Saturday. Photo made Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 Kim Brent/Beaumont Enterprise Kim Brent Since its founding in 2010 by American Express, Small Business Saturday has emerged as a major event for holiday shoppers who want to support their community. In fact, a survey showed that customers spent an average of $14.3 billion annually with small, independent businesses, a strong indication of how the day is growing into a major shopping tradition. The reason so many people are shopping on Small Business Saturday is simpleit works! Numerous studies have shown the benefit of spending with locally-owned business instead of out of the area vendors. Local shops typically invest far more into their community by using local vendors, employing local people and keeping their profits close to home instead of shipping them to out-of-town headquarters. Small Business Saturday, designated as Nov. 30 this year, creates positive results in tax revenue that supports the services and infrastructure in our own communities. When you shop local instead of traveling out of town, you are guaranteed sales taxes collected will be spent on improving our local area by funding things like roads, sidewalks, police officers and firefighters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Smart Reasons to Shop Local Boost the local economy Strong focus on customer service Major public benefit Local jobs Assists non-profits Saves valuable time If the trend continues, Small Business Saturday will only get bigger and significantly impact business across the nation. As you prepare your holiday shopping list, remember, small businesses are open and ready to serve you. Mary Poole Advertisement Article continues below this ad Interim President/CEO New data from satellites has provided further evidence that the deaths of hundreds of endangered Botswanan elephants were the result of climate change. A new analysis found that the mass die-off in 2020 was likely tied to toxic algae in watering holes. The blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, had exploded after the region experienced a very wet year followed by a very dry one, British researchers said Thursday. Botswana is home to a third of all African elephants, and this unprecedented die-off within their largest remaining population underlines the escalating concerns surrounding the impact of drought and climate change on the Okavango Delta, one of the most important ecosystems in the world, Davide Lomeo, a PhD student at Kings College London, said in a statement. An aerial view shows endangered African elephants in Botswanas Okavango Dela. The delta was also where the dead elephants were first spotted in 2020. The mass die-off of hundreds of the animals is tied to impacts from climate change (Getty Images/iStock) Lomeo was the lead author of the research published in the journal Science of The Total Environment. The authors analyzed the satellite data, looking at the relationship between the locations of the deceased elephants and 3,000 surrounding waterholes. The waterholes that were near the elephants showed elevated levels of algae and multiple bloom events that year, especially during the period between May and June when the elephants were first spotted. Elephant bodies that were decayed were more scattered than those that had died later in the months-long die-off, indicating that the mysterious deaths were different from typical elephant mortality patterns. After drinking, the elephants died within about 88 hours of exposure. We identified 20 waterholes near fresh carcasses that experienced increased algal bloom events in 2020 compared to the previous three years combined. These waterholes also exhibited the highest average algal biomass of the period 2015 2023, said Davide. The elephants were first spotted in Botswanas Okavango Delta. While toxins produced by the algae were a suspected cause, samples could not be collected at the time because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the deaths of elephants in neighboring Zimbabwe had been tied to septicemia, also known as blood poisoning. The authors say their findings all but confirm toxic algae as the cause of the die-off, and warn theres a heightened risk going forward. Shifting from the very dry 2019 to the extremely wet 2020 may have promoted the unprecedented algal growth. Such extremes will become more likely due to the impacts of human-caused climate change. Higher water temperatures driven by climate change and the increased runoff of nutrients carried by rainwater into waterways can result in conditions favorable for algal blooms, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. While not all blooms are harmful, some cyanobacteria can produce cyanotoxins that can cause serious illness or death in animals. A herd of African elephants stand in a shallow river in Botswana, Africa. There are now just around 415,000 African elephants left on Earth (Getty Images/iStock) Southern Africa is projected to become drier and hotter under climate changes and, as a result, waterholes across this region will likely be drier for more months of the year, Davide said. Our findings point to the potential negative effects on water quantity and quality, and the catastrophic repercussions on animals, this could have. African elephants are endangered, and their natural habitats are fragmented. Found in central and eastern Africa, those that venture outside of protected borders are likely to be killed by poachers or come into conflict with other humans, despite an international ban on the ivory trade passed in 1989. The herbivores once roamed freely from the south Sahara Desert to northern South Africa. There are approximately 415,000 African elephants left in the world. The World Wildlife Foundation said that, in 2016, experts estimated their population had fallen by 111,000 over the course of a decade. An illegal migrant gotaway and accused killer flashed a sinister smile as US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Chicago prepared him to board a deportation flight back to his home country of Honduras, where he is wanted for murder. ICE officers arrested Edwin Fernando Figueroa-Martinez, 35, who snuck into the US as a gotaway at an unknown place and time, in Lyons, Illinois, in August, the agency said Friday. Edwin Fernando Figueroa-Martinez, 35, flashes a smile in a photo taken by ICE before he was deported. ICE Figueroa-Martinez was flown back to Honduras on Monday, when he was turned over to local authorities without incident, said ICE. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Chicago Field Office Director Sam Olson emphasized that the agency has a duty to protect communities across the US, in a statement. We will do everything within our authority to locate, arrest, and detain those noncitizens that attempt to hide within our nation from being held responsible for crimes in their country of origin, said Olson. During the last four years of the Biden administration, more than 1.7 million migrants are known to have snuck across the border as migrant gotaways who successfully evaded arrest. The number is likely much more, but are undetected by cameras along the border because the Biden administration has failed to fix 30% of the broken detectors. Tracking them down will now become a major challenge for the incoming Trump administration, which has promised to deport millions of illegal migrants. Migrants attempt to cross the border where the state of Texas built a barbed wire fence. AFP via Getty Images Incoming border czar Tom Homan says the mass deportation initiative will first prioritize the arrests and removals of migrant criminals. He recently told The Post that the incoming admin will pressure sanctuary cities to comply. If they dont, he said, they will file lawsuits and withhold federal funding. If that doesnt work, they will flood those cities with ICE officers, who will be waiting outside local jails for illegal migrants to be released. Our leader forever was a slogan one often saw in Syria during the era of President Hafez al-Assad, father of todays Syrian president. The prospect that the dour, stern Syrian leader would live forever was a source of dark humor for many of my Syrian friends when I lived and worked in Aleppo in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Hafez al-Assad died in June 2000. He wasnt immortal after all. His regime, however, lives on under the leadership of his son Bashar al-Assad. There were moments when the Bashar regimes survival looked in doubt. When the so-called Arab Spring rolled across the region in 2011, toppling autocrats in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, and mass protests broke out in Yemen, Bahrain and Syria, some began to write epitaphs for the Assad dynasty. But Syrias allies Iran, Lebanons Hezbollah and Russia came to the rescue. For the past few years the struggle in Syria between a corrupt, brutal regime in Damascus and a divided, often extreme opposition seemed frozen in place. Once shunned by his fellow Arab autocrats, Bashar al-Assad was gradually regaining the dubious respectability Arab regimes afford one another. Syria's late President Hafez al-Assad waves from his car to cheering crowds in the streets of Damascus on the occasion of the 16th anniversary of the movement that brought him to power on November 16, 1987. - Ali Jarekji/Reuters Was the nightmare of the Syrian civil war coming to an end? Had Bashar al-Assad won? Certainly, that was the assumption of many, despite the fact that large parts of Syria were controlled by a US-backed Kurdish militia and Turkish-supported Sunni factions; that Hezbollah, Iran and Russia propped up the regime; that the US controlled areas in eastern Syria; that Israel conducted air strikes whenever and wherever it saw fit; and that ISIS, though defeated, still managed to launch hit-and-run attacks. That the government in Damascus was still standing after all that seemed an accomplishment in itself. Yet it was an illusion of regime victory, suddenly shattered this week after the opposition, led by the once al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra rebranded as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched an offensive out of Idlib province and in just 72 hours managed to storm all the way to the center of Aleppo. By Saturday evening, Syrian accounts on social media were buzzing about government forces collapsing across the northern part of the country, with rebels advancing on the central city of Hama. It was there, in early 1982, that Bashars father had his army and intelligence services slaughter thousands of his opponents, ending an uprising led by the Muslim Brotherhood. Why, in the span of just a few days, has the dam broken? A Syrian opposition flag above a market square in central Aleppo on November 30, 2024. - Muhammad Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty Images The obvious explanation is that Syrias key allies Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah are all under pressure and let their guard down. Hezbollah which played a key role in bolstering the regime during the darkest days of the civil war pulled most of its troops back home after October 7, 2023, to fight Israel, which has subsequently killed most of the groups senior leadership. Russia also played a key role in shoring up the government in Damascus after it dispatched troops and warplanes to Syria in September 2015. Yet now Moscows top priority is the war in Ukraine. And, finally, Irans advisers and bases in Syria have been under frequent attack by Israel over the last year. Beyond all this, there is the basic reality of longevity. The Assad dynasty has been in power for 53 years, since 1971. While its mere survival is an accomplishment, it has little else to show for it. Endemic corruption and mismanagement were a burden on the economy even before the civil war broke out in 2011. Since then, life for the average Syrian has gone from bad to worse. The war has left hundreds of thousands dead, while millions more have been either internally displaced for driven into exile. Time and time again since 1971 the Assad dynasty has survived internal and external challenges and lived to fight another day. Yet nothing, not regimes, not leaders, lasts forever. Everything eventually comes to an end. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A heavy band of snow is developing along Lake Erie, blasting areas between Cleveland and Buffalo with intense winter weather. Lake effect snow warnings are in place in parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Forecasters say a band of 2-4 feet of snow will develop just south of Buffalo over the next few days. While Buffalo itself is expected to get less than a foot of snow, Dunkirk, New York is expected to get up to 4 feet. In Ohio, Cleveland itself is expected to top out at 6-8 inches of snow, but areas just 50 miles northeast of the city are projected to get over a foot of snow. A widespread band of 2-4 feet with locally heavier amounts of snow is also expected to develop further north along New York's shore with Lake Ontario. The National Weather Service is forecasting over 5 feet of snow in Watertown, New York, which is not far from Lake Ontario. On Friday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for 11 counties. As lake effect snow moves into parts of Western New York, Central New York and the North Country, we are monitoring the situation closely and mobilizing resources to respond, Hochul said. Alongside our partners in local government, we are taking every step necessary to protect New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. Disruptions to holiday travel The snow is falling amid the busiest Thanksgiving travel weekend on record. The snow has forced officials to close Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania, cutting off road travel between Buffalo and Cleveland. The heavy snow is also causing disruptions on Interstates 79 and 86 near Lake Erie. RELATED STORY | 'Leave your shoes on': Thanksgiving travelers share their biggest pet peeves Interstate 81 through New York remains open, as of Saturday morning, but travel has been slowed in the region. Although road travel has been slowed, airports in Cleveland and Buffalo have not reported any flight cancellations associated with the snowstorm. Snow to also impact Ohio Valley The Great Lakes region is not the only area to get heavy snow. A band of moderate snow will sweep across the U.S., from Kansas to West Virginia. A winter weather advisory is in place for much of the Ohio Valley as a widespread area will get 1-3 inches of snow this weekend. RELATED STORY | Transportation officials expecting busiest holiday travel season yet Areas under the advisory include Kansas City, St. Louis, Louisville, Kentucky, an Charleston, West Virginia. Jamie Dimon and Donald Trump at the White House in 2017. (Andrew HarrerBloomberg/Getty Images) Jamie Dimon hasnt spoken with Donald Trump for at least the last several months, a source close to the JPMorgan CEO told Fortune. A report Friday in the New York Post, which said the two have been in communication for months via secret back channels, is not accurate, according to the source. The Trump transition team didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Sources close to Trump told the Post that conversations began before the election and continued afterward, focusing on plans for spending cuts, bank regulation, taxes, and trade. Earlier this month, Trump ruled out a role for Dimon in his administration amid speculation that the Wall Street giant could be considered for Treasury secretary. I respect Jamie Dimon, of JPMorgan Chase, greatly, but he will not be invited to be a part of the Trump Administration. I thank Jamie for his outstanding service to our Country! Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Nov. 14. During a conference later that day, Dimon responded that he had no interest in serving in the Trump administration, noting, I havent had a boss in 25 years, and Im not about ready to start. That came a month after Trumps Truth Social account posted a screenshot falsely claiming Dimon endorsed him for president, prompting JPMorgan to flatly deny it. Trump later said he didnt know anything about the post, explaining that someone else put it up. Dimon didnt endorse either Trump or Kamala Harris in the presidential election, though his wife campaigned for Harris. Still, the president-elects supporters have pointed to some favorable remarks from Dimon, such as his praise in January, when he said Trump was kind of right about NATO, kind of right on immigration. He grew the economy quite well. Trade tax reform worked. He was right about some of China. Dimon also said earlier this month that Trump is not against trade, adding that his tariff plans will get people to the table. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com If you're feeling uneasy about the future of Social Security right now, you're not alone. A whopping 87% of U.S. adults say they're concerned about the program, according to a 2024 poll from Gallup, with 43% of that group saying they worry "a great deal" about it. Furthermore, 43% of retirees believe their benefits will be cut in the future, while 47% of nonretired adults worry that Social Security won't be able to pay them a benefit at all once they retire. It's no secret that Social Security is on shaky footing, and the current political climate could create more uncertainty around its future. While the problem may not be as dire as some might believe, there's still good reason to be cautious going forward. Here's what you need to know. U.S. Capitol building with Social Security cards in the background. Image source: Getty Images. The biggest problem plaguing Social Security Social Security is a complex program, and one of the more confusing aspects is the financial state of its trust funds: the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) fund (which covers retirement benefits) and the Disability Insurance (DI) fund (covering disability benefits). Normally, Social Security's income sources -- primarily payroll taxes -- should be enough to fully fund benefits. The cash coming in from taxes is paid out to current beneficiaries, and future generations of workers will fund future retirees' and workers with disabilities' payments. However, in recent years, the program's income hasn't been enough to fully fund benefits. There are a slew of reasons behind this, from older adults living much longer lifespans (collecting more years' worth of benefits than previous generations) to a declining birth rate in the U.S. (with fewer workers paying into the system). Because Social Security's expenses exceed its income, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has been pulling money from the trust funds to bridge the gap. This strategy has avoided benefit cuts in the short term, but both the OASI and DI funds are expected to run out by 2035, according to the SSA Board of Trustees' latest estimates. Can lawmakers solve the problem? The good news is that Social Security isn't going bankrupt, and as long as workers continue paying payroll taxes, there will always be at least some money to pay out in benefits. That said, if nothing happens between now and 2035, the trust funds will eventually run out. Social Security would need to rely solely on its income sources to pay out benefits, and according to the Board of Trustees' projections, that income will only be enough to cover around 83% of future payments. There's also a chance the problem could worsen between now and then. President-elect Donald Trump has already promised to eliminate federal taxes on Social Security benefits, as well as taxes on tips and overtime pay. He has also suggested eliminating federal income tax altogether. While tax cuts could put more money into the pockets of many Americans, it will also slash Social Security's biggest income source. Without taxes, the SSA will not only have to pull more money from the trust funds in the short term (causing them to run out even faster), but once those funds are depleted, there will be even less cash to pay out in benefits (resulting in steeper cuts down the road). It's unclear right now whether these proposed tax cuts will happen, and there are other solutions on the table -- such as increasing taxes for workers earning more than $400,000 per year, raising the full retirement age for retirees, and reducing benefits for high earners. Should you be worried right now? Nobody can say for certain what will happen between now and 2035. It's likely that lawmakers will come up with some sort of solution before widespread benefit cuts become a reality, and any plans to eliminate federal taxes will almost surely face hurdles in Congress. That said, if you're going to be relying on Social Security in retirement, it's wise to start coming up with a backup plan now. That could mean working a few years longer than planned to beef up your savings, or, if you can swing it, continuing to work at least part time in retirement. You could also try picking up a source of passive income to help replace Social Security in your budget. At the very least, staying informed about these issues can help you plan more effectively. Social Security's future may be up in the air right now, but by staying updated and having a backup plan ready, you can better protect your finances going forward. The $ 22,924 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $22,924 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Authorities in Laos have reportedly banned the sale and consumption of a vodka and whisky brand after six tourists died from suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng earlier this month. An Australia travel advisory published on Friday said the Southeast Asian country has banned Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky. Lao authorities have issued an order prohibiting the sale and consumption of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to concerns about these products being a health risk, the advisory said. Be alert to the potential risks, particularly with spirit-based drinks including cocktails. The English-language state media of Laos has not reported on the apparent ban so far. Advisories about the potentially deadly risk of drinking tainted alcohol following the poisonings have been issued by foreign governments to their citizens, rather than by Lao authorities. The Laos government earlier said it was profoundly saddened by the deaths of the foreign tourists from alleged methanol poisoning and pledged to prosecute those responsible. Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19; Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21; American James Louis Hutson, 57; and British lawyer Simone White, 28, died after consuming alcohol in Vang Vieng. The manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel who allegedly gave free shots of Lao vodka to about 100 guests has been detained, though he has denied the alcohol was contaminated, according to the Associated Press. Methanol is a toxic alcohol that is used industrially as a solvent, pesticide, and alternative fuel source, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can cause serious illness if consumed. Several countries, including Australia and the UK, have issued warnings to travellers about the dangers of consuming unlicensed alcohol in Laos. The UK has advised tourists to consume alcoholic beverages only from licenced stores and exercise caution with drinks offered for free or when purchasing spirit-based beverages. According to CNN, Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky are locally produced Lao spirits, known for their low cost and frequent use in mixed drinks and cocktails. The brand does not seem to have a public website, and the vodka label states it is distilled, blended, and bottled in Laos. Vanya Gaberova (left), Katrin Ivanova and Tihomir Ivanov deny spying charges (Elizabeth Cook/PA) Three Bulgarians were paid significant sums of money to spy on targets including journalists, political dissidents, and a US military base as part of a sophisticated Russian spy ring operating from Britain, a court has heard. Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, are standing trial accused of conspiring with a Russian agent to carry out high level espionage which included following targets on planes and discussions over whether to use the two women as sexual bait. The Old Bailey heard members of the spy ring were sophisticated and carried out surveillance on individuals and places, creating false identities and using advanced technology to acquire information. Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said they obtained imagery and compiled detailed reports on their targets, which included a journalist who investigated the 2018 Salisbury Novichok attack, and former Kazakh politician, the court heard. They were tasked to gather information about prominent individuals whose activities were of obvious interest to the Russian state, often because they were dissidents who had fled Russia for their own safety, Ms Morgan said. Court sketch of Bulgarian national Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev (PA Archive) The prosecution alleges their activity caused obvious and inevitable prejudice to the safety and interests of the UK. Opening the case against the trio on Thursday, Ms Morgan said their activities mostly took the form of surveillance operations, following people around and finding out information about their whereabouts, which was reported back to the Russian state. The jury heard two other members of the alleged ring, Orlin Roussev and Biser Dzhambazo, have already pleaded guilty to the espionage charges. However Ms Ivanova, Ms Gaberova, and Mr Ivanchev deny the charge of conspiracy to spy between 30 August 2020 and 8 February 2023. Ms Ivanova has denied a second charge of possession of false identity documents with improper intention under section 4 of the Identity Documents Act 2010. The spying activities allegedly included locations in London, Vienna, Valencia, Montenegro and Stuttgart. At the time, Mr Ivanchev was living in Acton, west London, Ms Ivanova was living in Harrow, north-west London, and Ms Gaberova in Euston, north London. Court sketch of Bulgarian national Vanya Gaberova (PA Archive) Ms Morgan said messages showed they acted as a team, led by Mr Roussev, who received instructions from a Russian agent called Jan Marsalek who communicated under the alias Rupert Ticz. The spy ring is accused of carrying out operations on six different targets. Each one of the defendants is accused of playing a role in at least two of the operations. This activity was, as you will see, extremely risky for them personally. At any moment they could have been caught by the authorities, Ms Morgan told the jury. They were in positions of proximity to targets, following them on aircraft, even envisaging the possibility of direct contact with targets, for example by the female defendants being used as a honey trap, as sexual bait to capture information from the targets. Surveillance targets included journalist Christo Grozev, who investigated the 2018 Salisbury Novichok attack and the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny as part of his work for Bellingcat, the jury heard. As a result of his investigations he was placed on a wanted list by the Russian Interior Ministry. In messages exchanged between Mr Roussev and the Russian agent between July and September 2021, they discussed surveillance of the journalist, robbing his laptop, kidnapping or killing him and infiltrating Bellingcat, Ms Morgan said. The ring also targeted Russian dissident and founder of media outlet The Insider, Roman Dobrokhotov, the court heard. Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Bulgarian national Katrin Ivanova (PA Archive) Other alleged operations included surveillance of former politician Bergey Ryskaliyev, who fled Kazakhstan for the UK, and a false protest plot at the Kazakhstan embassy. Ms Morgan said the targeting of the political dissident in November 2021 would have helped cultivate relations between Russia and Kazakhstan. The fifth operation concerned Patch Barracks, a US military airbase in Stuttgart, Germany, in 2022. At the time, the defendants believed the base was being used to train Ukrainian soldiers, it was alleged. The sixth operation targeted Russian lawyer Kirill Kachur, designated a foreign agent by Russia in November 2023, when he was spending time in Montenegro between September 2021 and January 2022. Ms Morgan said the ring used law enforcement grade equipment and was in possession of recording devices, signal jammers, GPS trackers, 11 drones and three telephone eavesdropping devices known as ISMI-grabbers. They also had 221 mobile phones, 258 hard drives, 495 SIM cards, 91 bank cards and 75 passports or identity documents. The trial, scheduled to last until February, continues. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of spare parts for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan for an estimated $385 million, the Pentagon said on Friday, a day before Taiwan President Lai Ching-te starts a sensitive Pacific trip. The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to the constant anger of Beijing. Democratically governed Taiwan rejects China's claims of sovereignty. China has been stepping up military pressure against Taiwan, including two rounds of war games this year, and security sources have told Reuters that Beijing may hold more to coincide with Lai's tour of the Pacific, which includes stopovers in Hawaii and Guam, a U.S. territory. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the sale consisted of $320 million in spare parts and support for F-16 fighters and Active Electronically Scanned Array Radars and related equipment. The State Department also approved the potential sale to Taiwan of improved mobile subscriber equipment and support for an estimated $65 million, the Pentagon said. The principal contractor for the $65 million sale is General Dynamics. Taiwan's defense ministry said it expected the sales to "take effect" within a month and that the equipment will help maintain the F-16 fleet's readiness and "build up a credible defense force". "Taiwan and the United States will continue to strengthen their security partnership and work together to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region," it said in a statement. Last month, the United States announced a potential $2 billion arms sale package to Taiwan, including the delivery for the first time to the island of an advanced air defense missile system battle tested in Ukraine. Lai leaves for Hawaii on Saturday on what is officially a stopover on the way to Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 countries that still to have formal diplomatic ties with Taipei. He will also stop over in Guam. Hawaii and Guam are home to major U.S. military bases. China on Friday urged the United States to exercise "utmost caution" in its relations with Taiwan. The State Department said it saw no justification for what it called a private, routine and unofficial transit by Lai to be used as a pretext for provocation. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Caitlin Webber, William Mallard and Kim Coghill) The 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards were held on November 29 at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, to honor achievements in South Korean cinema. Presented by popular actors Han Ji-min and Lee Je-hoon, the ceremony honored the year's best films and performances. The night was dominated by Exhuma, which picked up four awards including Best Director for Jang Jae-hyun. 12.12: The Day was another big winner and claimed three awards, including Best Actor for Hwang Jung-min. Below is the full list of winners: Best Film: 12.12: The Day 12.12: The Day Best Director: Jang Jae-hyun, Exhuma Jang Jae-hyun, Exhuma Best Actor: Hwang Jung-min, 12.12: The Day Hwang Jung-min, 12.12: The Day Best Actress: Kim Go-eun, Exhuma Kim Go-eun, Exhuma Best Supporting Actor: Jung Hae-in, I, the Executioner Jung Hae-in, I, the Executioner Best Supporting Actress: Lee Sang-hee, My Name Is Loh Kiwan Lee Sang-hee, My Name Is Loh Kiwan Best New Actor: Noh Sang-hyun, Love in the Big City Noh Sang-hyun, Love in the Big City Best New Actress: Park Joo-hyun, Drive Park Joo-hyun, Drive Best New Director: Cho Hyun-chul, The Dream Songs Cho Hyun-chul, The Dream Songs Best Screenplay: Jung Mi-young, Cho Hyun-chul, The Dream Songs Jung Mi-young, Cho Hyun-chul, The Dream Songs Best Editing: Kim Sang-bum, 12.12: The Day Kim Sang-bum, 12.12: The Day Best Cinematography and Lighting: Lee Mo-gae, Lee Sung-hwan, Exhuma Lee Mo-gae, Lee Sung-hwan, Exhuma Best Art Direction: Seo Sung-gyeong, Exhuma Seo Sung-gyeong, Exhuma Best Music: Primary, Love in the Big City Primary, Love in the Big City Technical Award: Yoo Sang-seob (Stunt), I, the Executioner Yoo Sang-seob (Stunt), I, the Executioner Popular Star Award: Koo Kyo-hwan, Jung Hae-in, Lim Ji-yeon, Tang Wei Koo Kyo-hwan, Jung Hae-in, Lim Ji-yeon, Tang Wei Audience Choice Award for Most Popular Film: 12.12: The Day It was an arts festival of an evening, recognizing the talents of filmmakers and actors who have graced the screens and built the fabric of Korean cinema over the years. A Pentagon-funded study relied on old data to conclude extremism isnt a major problem in the U.S. military, according to a new analysis. Meanwhile, incoming President Trump reportedly plans to sign an executive order removing thousands of trans service members from the military. And body camera footage shows locals in Columbus, OH, fought back when neo-Nazis came to town. Its the week in extremism, from USA TODAY. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies in front of the House Armed Services Committee in Washington on Feb 29, 2024. Pentagon report on military extremism relied on old data Over the last few years, USA TODAY has closely followed the Pentagons approach to tackling extremism in the armed forces. In 2021, weeks after the Jan. 6 insurrection, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a big push to weed extremists out of the military, but as USA TODAY reported, that push largely fell apart in the years that followed. A big part of the anti-extremism effort was the release of a report commissioned by Austin seeking to show how bad the militarys extremism problem really is. That report, which was finally released just under a year ago, offered scant new data on the problem and concluded extremism was vanishingly rare in the armed forces. But a new analysis this week from the Associated Press concludes the report was based on old data that underplayed the extent of the militarys extremism problem. While the focus on extremism was decried as a witch hunt and a false narrative by Congressional Republicans and conservative commentators, the AP found that the study, Prohibited Extremist Activities in the U.S. Department of Defense conducted by the Institute for Defense Analyses, relied on old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence that pointed to the opposite conclusion. According to the AP: the IDA reports authors did not use newer data that was offered to it, and instead based one of its foundational conclusions on Jan. 6 arrest figures that were more than two years out of date by the time of the reports public release. When the Pentagon report was released last year, USA TODAY sought interviews with the Institute for Defense Analysis numerous times. The agency declined all requests. Neither the institute, nor the Pentagon, has responded to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act almost a year ago. Th AP analysis found the report grossly undercounted the number of military and veterans arrested for the Jan. 6 attack and provided a misleading picture of the severity of the growing problem Pete Hegseth, who Trump has nominated as defense secretary, was removed from a National Guard assignment to President Joe Bidens 2021 inauguration because of concerns about possible extremist ties. Trump plans to remove trans people from the military (again) Incoming president Trump reportedly plans to sign an executive order in his first days in office that would remove trans people from serving in the US military, according to a story from Britains The Times newspaper this week. The executive order would reportedly effectively ban trans people serving in the military and would also medically discharge thousands of serving trans people in the armed forces. It would also lead to a ban on trans people joining the military and would come at a time when almost all branches of the American armed forces are failing to meet recruitment targets., The Times reports. The Trump campaign pushed back on The Times reporting, which cites unidentified sources. These unnamed sources are speculating and have no idea what they are actually talking about, Karoline Leavitt, the Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman, told The Times. No decisions on this issue have been made. No policy should ever be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump or his authorised spokespeople. Trump previously barred transgender service members in 2019, a policy that was quickly reversed by Biden and was subject to numerous lawsuits. Columbus police detain a group of neo-Nazis in the back of a U-Haul following a march in the Short North on Nov. 16. Neo-Nazis in Ohio were covered in pepper spray A report this week from USA TODAY Networks The Columbus Dispatch reveals new details about a short march by a small group of neo-Nazis in Columbus two weeks ago. Police body cam video shows the neo-Nazis, who carried swastika flags and shouted racist slogans, were confronted by local people who demanded they remove their masks. One of the officers noted the men were covered in pepper spray, the Dispatch reports. The neo-Nazis, wearing black and red clothing and carrying black flags with red swastikas, told police they were giving up their display because they were under attack. Later, in the back of a rented U-Haul, the men complained of being persecuted because of their beliefs and asked officers to let them put their hands down because they were losing circulation. The men were ultimately not charged, despite one carrying a knife and another a sidearm, because they were not the aggressors in a fight that broke out, the Dispatch reports. Statistic of the week: 12,711 Thats how many people live in Jackson County, Tennessee, northeast of Nashville, which is where a Christian Nationalist group plans to build a community based on their extremist beliefs. Thats according to a new investigation by NewsChannel Five in Nashville. According to the report: NewsChannel 5's three-month investigation reviewing hours of podcasts and poring over hundreds of social media posts found that their views are not so different from the ideas espoused by the neo-Nazis and other white supremacists seen marching down Nashville streets in the past year, although they dress up their controversial notions with intellectual buzz words and call it Christian. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pentagon extremism study on armed forces used old, flawed data OAK PARK, Ill. (CBS) Charges have been filed against a Chicago man in the deadly shooting of an Oak Park detective, according to the village. Jerell Thomas, 37, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the line-of-duty death of Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins. He was also charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. Jerell Thomas, 37, has been charged in the deadly shooting of Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins. / Credit: Oak Park Police The shooting happened Friday morning while responding to a report of a man with a gun leaving a bank. The suspect, later identified as Thomas, also was shot by police and has been taken into custody. Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson said Detective Allan Reddins, 40, had been with the Oak Park Police Department since May 2019. He was the first Oak Park officer killed in the line of duty since 1938. "This is the worst day of any chief of police," Johnson said. "Our police department, we're hurting right now. I'm hurting. His family is hurting. Please keep us in your prayers." Around 9 a.m., Reddins responded to a call of a man with a gun leaving the Chase Bank in the 1000 block of Lake Street, according to Johnson. Reddins and other officers came across the suspect in the 800 block of Lake Street, and told the man to show them his hands. The gunman brandished a handgun and shot Reddins in the left side. Officers returned fire, shooting the suspect in the leg. Reddins was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead at 10:10 a.m. The suspect also was being treated at Loyola. The shooting caught people in Oak Park off guard and left bullet holes in the windows at the village's main library, which was closed to the public after the shooting. A witness said she was at the UPS store nearby when she heard someone storm out of a store and then heard what sounded like gunshots. "I knew it was gunshots. I didn't want to believe that," she said. Nicholas Gradishar said he was walking to a friend's house nearby when he heard gunshots. "I get down after I hear the shots, and then I come to the library to see it littered with cops," he said. Gradishar said he saw police take the suspect into custody after he'd been shot. "They were checking his pockets. They found a little handgun, but off to the side, there was an ARP with a flashlight. So I don't know which one he used to shoot at the cops, but he had multiple guns on him," he said. Gradishar recorded footage of the suspect on the ground with a gun nearby. Moments later, parademics took him away on a stretcher. "Nothing happens up here. You may find a fight or so, but nothing like this will ever happen here. So it's wild," he said. A police procession took Reddins' body from the hospital to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office Friday afternoon. Dozens of police officers and firefighters from Chicago, Oak Park, and other suburbs stood at attention and saluted as the ambulance arrived and Reddins' body was escorted inside. Johnson said Reddins leaves behind a 19-year-old son, along with his mother and siblings. The chief described him as a "natural-born leader, devoted father," saying she personally conducted Reddins' background check before hiring him as an officer in 2019. "I quickly identified that he had a talent that was needed here," she said. "He closed substantial cases and helped us to resolve countless incidents. He was a natural," Before joining the Oak Park Police Department, Reddins also served with the Metra Police Department. He had been a detective in Oak Park since 2022. "I thought he would make a phenomenal field training officer as well, and I was looking very much forward to him becoming a sergeant. He was just a natural leader," Johnson said. "He would always take the extra step, go the extra step, and that's huge, to say what else can be done?" Johnson declined to say if the shooting was captured on video but said Oak Park officers are equipped with body cameras. Thomas is considered a habitual criminal by investigators with a previous history of multiple arrests for aggravated battery to a police officer, domestic battery, battery, and resisting a police officer. His first court appearance on the murder charges has not yet been set, as he remained in the hospital on Saturday. Information on Reddins' funeral arrangements will be posted on the Oak Park village website once they have been made. The Oak Park Police station was draped with black and purple bunting on Saturday, a memorial to the fallen officer installed after his death. Missing hiker found after nearly six weeks in the Canadian wilderness Ted Turner's nature preserves: A carefully curated "Heaven on Earth" War in Ukraine pushes women into new roles For fans of science fiction, "quantum" is the go-to explanation for unbelievable phenomena, such as time travel or teleportation. Marvel took the practice to a new level in the 2023 film "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," in which the title characters are accidentally sucked into the Quantum Realm "a reality where all concepts of time and space become irrelevant as you shrink for all eternity," according to the fictional Dr. Hank Pym. It's true that principles of quantum mechanics the interactions and behavior of tiny subatomic particles sound like something from a movie. But quantum science has been the subject of serious study at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for decades, and East Tennessee is emerging as a leader in quantum networking that uses subatomic particles to securely move information. ORNL works on four quantum areas: computing, materials, networking and sensing. Quantum computing takes advantage of processes like superposition and entanglement (more on those in a bit) to solve massive problems that classical computers struggle with. These computers show special promise for optimization problems, such as which chemical compounds are best for treating certain diseases, and they offer a lower security risk. But quantum is tricky for people who don't work in labs to understand because the interactions between the tiniest particles on Earth don't follow the physical laws that govern the world we live in. "We live in the classical world. When we push something, it falls down. Quantum works differently," Kate Evans, director of the lab's Office of Institutional Strategic Planning, told Knox News. Anytime you have something in science thats not easily tangible, its hard to explain." Superposition, a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics, is the observation that particles can exist in multiple states at once. Quantum entanglement, perhaps the most fictional sounding and famous quantum process, occurs when two particles are correlated across distance. When two photons (the smallest units of light) are entangled, whatever scientists do to one is observable in the other. They are not communicating with each other, but they are correlated even across a galaxy. Quantum physicists at ORNL can create entangled photons and move them through their research network of 300 kilometers of cables, said Shaun Gleason, director of Science-Security Initiative Integration in the lab directors office. You would have to be a quantum physicist to use our network, but it has tremendous capabilities to advance the frontiers of quantum science and quantum networking, Gleason said. Its a very well controlled, tunable environment. The lab has one of the world's longest research quantum networks and is one of five Department of Energy quantum centers. East Tennessee is also unique thanks to the lab's partnership with EPB in Chattanooga on the nation's first commercially available quantum network. Scientists say the network, made of commercially available components, is a crucial step toward the ultimate goal of building a "quantum internet." ORNL hosts first Southeastern Quantum Conference Whereas classical computers use bits either a one or zero as the smallest units of information, quantum computers use qubits. Qubits are not binary; they can be a one, a zero or anything in between. That makes quantum computers very powerful, even though existing systems are mostly small prototypes. Scientists across the world are working to integrate quantum computers with classical computers, and ORNL will soon catch up: The lab could have a quantum computer sometime in the next six months to a year, Gleason said. In ORNL's quantum labs, physicists create entangled photon pairs and send them across a network of cables to test their ability to carry information. The lab hosted the first Southeastern Quantum Conference in October. One benefit of quantum computers is security. Hackers cannot tap into quantum computers without essentially destroying the information they are seeking, Gleason said. It's basically impossible to tap into a quantum network like you would a classical network and eavesdrop and sort of steal or peel off some of that information and decode what's being moved across the network, Gleason said. That makes the computers ideal for national security applications, and the U.S. government is already an early adopter of the technology. The tech could one day make it into personal technology like laptops and phones, though classical computers aren't going away. The internet is interwoven in our daily lives, said Marcel Demarteau, director of ORNL's physics division and co-chair of the Southeastern Quantum Conference. I think in a similar way, the whole quantum computing and quantum network will be an integral part. We will not give it a second thought. ORNL hosted the first Southeastern Quantum Conference on Oct. 28-30, bringing a select group of leading quantum scientists from around the world to Knoxville. The event showed that scientists across the globe are moving further beyond the theoretical, said Evans, the conference co-chair. Now, were moving beyond discovery to a full understanding and then to control," Evans said. We do think theres a potential for quantum sciences to be revolutionary." Knoxville Chamber's 2030 Protocol wants quantum network To achieve a quantum network capable of functioning like the internet, scientists will have to extend the networks of cables across larger distances. The Knoxville Chamber created a strategy called The 2030 Protocol to prepare the city for an economic future shaped by computing. The plan calls for the lab's quantum network to be connected to the Pellissippi Corporate Center and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. To meet workforce needs of a computing-based economy, the chamber's plan calls on UT and Pellissippi State Community College to drastically increase the number of students enrolled in engineering and computer science programs. "We've got a foot in the door to be a leader in quantum," Mike Odom, president and CEO of the Knoxville Chamber, told Knox News. Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What is quantum? Knoxville emerges as hub for computing, network tech The remains of a World War II airman were identified 80 years after his plane was shot down during a bombing mission in Germany, military officials said this week. In the spring of 1944, U.S. Army Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sanford G. Roy, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was assigned to the 732nd Bombardment Squadron in the European Theater, according to a news release from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Roy and several other airmen were aboard the B-24H Liberator "Little Joe" on a bombing mission to Brunswick, Germany on April 8. The plane was shot down by German forces and other airmen flying near the aircraft did not report seeing any crew members exiting "Little Joe" before it crashed. His name was engraved on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery. Though military members saw the incident, the crash site could not be located during the war. The remains of Roy and eight other crew members were listed as unaccounted for after the war. In 1946, the American Graves Registration Command began investigating bomber losses like the one that Roy died in in the region. Those efforts still failed to find any crash or burial sites associated with the crew of Little Joe. The crew of Little Joe, with Sanford G. Roy circled in red. / Credit: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency An independent research group finally shed new insight into the crash in 2015. The Missing Allied Air Crew Research Team contacted historians from the DPAA to inform them of a possible crash site near Wistedt, Germany. The DPAA conducted interviews with local residents, which led to the realization that there had been two crash sites, but only one had been examined and had remains recovered from it during the war. DPAA investigators found the second crash site and recovered various pieces of wreckage and possible human remains. Those remains were transferred to the DPAA's laboratory, but no identifications could be made. Between 2021 and 2023, the agency conducted more research at the crash site, including excavation and recovery of more remains. By the end of November 2023, all evidence from the crash site had been transferred to the DPAA laboratory. Sanford G. Roy. / Credit: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Scientists used anthropological and dental analysis, as well as DNA analysis, to identify the remains. One set of remains from the crash site were identified as those of Staff Sergeant Ralph L. Mourer. Another set of remains was identified as Roy's. Roy's surviving family has been informed of his identification. He will be buried in his hometown on April 8, 2025, the 81st anniversary of his loss. A rosette has been carved next to his name on the Walls of the Missing to indicate that he has been identified. Former Navy secretary says Trump's Defense Secretary pick will make the military "weaker" Chicago Bears fire Matt Eberflus as head coach and more from NFL Week 13 Assessing Trump's Cabinet picks, what to anticipate for his 2nd term U.S. President-elect Donald Trump wearing a red hat, watching the SpaceX Starship rocket's sixth test flight launch in Brownsville, Texas on November 19, 2024. A foursome of Republican lawmakers could overpower the GOPs 53-47 majority in the Senate and stymie President Trumps legislative agenda should they choose to vote as a bloc, insiders told The Post. The group which reportedly teamed up to nix Florida Rep. Matt Gaetzs nomination for attorney general includes Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who despite being shoved aside as leader of Senate Republicans after a series of freezing incidents last year, will remain a force in the chamber until at least 2027. I think McConnell is in kind of a petulant mood and has been on a jihad against his own party for three years. So its potentially a big problem, said one GOP Senate insider. President-elect Trump will face off against some familiar opponents in his own party in the Senate. via REUTERS McConnell, 82, usually delivered on Trumps legislative agenda during his first term in office, but the two have been at odds on some issues, including Ukraine. The same insider also noted that as incoming chair of the appropriations defense subcommittee, McConnell will be able to shove in Ukraine funding into any spending bill he wants. As majority leader, McConnell often clashed with Trump. After the 2020 election, he called him stupid and a despicable human being. Trump never shy about returning fire has long derided the most powerful Senate Republican as an old broken down crow. McConnell has at least for now offered an olive branch. Im going to do everything I can to help the new administration be successful, he said shortly after Trumps decisive election win. A McConnell rep declined to comment. Trump could also face resistance from a pair of moderate GOP women Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Both are longtime institutions of the chamber with strong domestic constituencies and owe little to Trump or his brand. Sen. Mitch McConnell is Trumps greatest Senate adversary. Getty Images Both women voted to impeach Trump in the aftermath of the January 6 riot at the capital, and cast decisive votes which prevented Trump from repealing Obamacare in 2017. And both women joined with McConnell to sink Gaetzs Attorney General nomination. Trump actively backed a primary against Murkowski in 2022, which failed. Collins is in Maine, she is in a very difficult reelection because she is in a state which voted seven points for Kamala Harris and she is notoriously independent in how she acts. Murkowski is in a conservative state but just doesnt seem to like Donald Trump. Shes just a thorn in his side for absolutely no reason, said GOP strategist Ryan Girdusky. A second GOP insider said he expected the two are going to be difficult. Maine Sen. Susan Collins has to be careful given that she represents a heavily Democratic state. AP Rounding out the four is Utahs incoming Sen. John Curtis, a moderate Republicans in the mold of Trump arch-nemesis, former Beehive State Sen. Mitt Romney. While in Congress, Curtis was a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus putting him a collision course with Trump, who is a known climate-skeptic. Trump also endorsed his primary opponent, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, Curtis received the enthusiastic backing of Romney. Im not going to give him an unconditional yes to anything he wants, Curtis warned during a primary debate in June. Reps for Collins, Murkowski and Curtis did not respond to request for comment from The Post. The actress is mom to daughters Poet and Jagger, and sons Lyric and Story Leon Bennett/Getty Soleil Moon Frye Soleil Moon Frye's son had the perfect way to embarrass his mom in public. At the Back to School panel at Rhode Island Comic Con on Nov. 2, the actress, 48, spoke about her time on the show Punky Brewster, noting that when her 10-year-old son Lyric watched the show for the first time, he had a hilarious reaction to seeing his mom on screen. "My 10-year-old, when he finally learned about Punky, he was watching old episodes," Frye, who played the titular character in the popular show, shared. "Then his favorite thing to do was to call me 'Punky' when we would go out." "And he would literally call me 'Punky' all the time and I'd be like, 'Oh my god, people are going to think that I'm making my kids call me 'Punky' so I'd be recognized or something. Anyway, there was no stopping him." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Soleil Moon Frye/Instagram Soleil Moon Frye and her kids Story and Lyric Related: Soleil Moon Frye Raves About Daughter Organizing Anti-Gun Violence Rally: 'Came from Her Heart' Frye is mom to daughters Poet, 19, and Jagger, 16, and sons Lyric and Story, 8, whom she shares with ex-husband Jason Goldberg, The two split in 2020 after 22 years of marriage. In 2022, Frye shared with PEOPLE about how proud she is of her two daughters as they attended the CORE Gala in Los Angeles. "They are amazing, they're so their own individuals and I couldn't be more proud of them. They have such strong heads on their shoulders, so I feel very proud of them," Frye said. "I can't take all the credit though, because they teach me more about myself than I could have ever imagined." She said she felt like "the luckiest person in the world" after watching Jagger graduate eighth grade. "It's a pretty massive, monumental moment," Frye said. Frye also expressed her pride in seeing her daughters taking initiative, adding: "My daughter Jagger, watching this incredible, beautiful piece that she just did on voting rights. It's just exquisite to see them growing into such amazing people that are also so philanthropic." Syrian opposition forces have taken control of much of the countrys second-largest city Aleppo after a lightning advance that killed dozens of government soldiers in a major challenge to President Bashar al-Assad. A rebel alliance launched a surprise attack this week, sweeping eastward through villages outside the city and reigniting a conflict that had been largely static for years. It is the first time Syrian rebels have set foot in Aleppo since government forces regained control during the civil war in 2016. By Saturday morning, rebel fighters had taken control of large swathes of the city, according to footage geolocated by CNN. The Syrian army tacitly acknowledged its forces were in retreat, saying large numbers of terrorists had forced it to implement a redeployment operation. It said reinforcements were on the way and government forces were preparing for a counteroffensive. Rebel fighters have been seen at key locations, with one video showing armed men waving an opposition flag and yelling God is great in Arabic at a central square. Another clip shows rebels at the citys citadel, which is also in central Aleppo. At least one man in the clip is armed, as he says: We are the first to arrive and the first to conquer. The rebels also claim to have taken the citys airport, about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) east of the city center. Imagery captured inside the airport and verified by CNN shows camo-clad fighters inside the main terminal. The only exception appears to be the northeastern part of the city, where a few neighborhoods remain under the control of government forces and Iranian militia allies. The rebel forces have declared a 24-hour curfew to begin at 5 p.m. local time Saturday, which they said was to ensure the safety of the residents of the city and to secure private and public property from tampering or harm. Syrias defense ministry said dozens of soldiers have been killed in the Aleppo offensive. Rebel fighters prepare to topple the equestrian statue of Bassel-al-Assad, the older brother of President Bashar al-Assad. - Muhammad Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty Images It appears the advancing rebels met little resistance from the Syrian army, with several residents inside Aleppo telling CNN that there has been minimal fighting in the citys urban areas. In response to the rebel advance, the Russian air force launched an aerial offensive against Syrian armed opposition forces in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, Russian state media reported. On Saturday, the Syrian Defense Ministry confirmed that Russian and Syrian warplanes had carried out strikes targeting what it claimed were terrorist gatherings, movements and supply lines in and around Aleppo. Activists and journalists in Aleppo and Idlib told CNN that Russian warplanes had carried out at least 10 strikes on rebel positions in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib since Wednesday. A Syrian airstrike near al Basil roundabout in Aleppo on Saturday also resulted in casualties, journalists told CNN, citing health workers in the city. CNN cannot independently confirm the specific attacks or casualties. Video from the west of the city showed multiple casualties after an airstrike Saturday. Its not known whether a Syrian or Russian aircraft carried out the strike. The video showed at least seven bodies as well as people with severe burns. Kurdish forces have also expanded their control of some neighborhoods of Aleppo, residents said. Prior to this weeks attack they held two Kurdish neighborhoods but have now moved into areas that the Syrian regime used to control. The Kurdish militia, known as the YPG, has a history of conflict with other rebel groups in northern Syria. There has already been one clash Saturday between members of the rebel alliance and Kurdish fighters inside the city, according to video analyzed by CNN. Part of the rebel coalition says it now intends to launch an offensive against the Kurdish groups holding parts of northern Aleppo province. Losing Aleppo marks a significant setback for Assads forces. Once Syrias largest city by population and its economic capital, it is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Aleppo was also the main rebel stronghold until Assad took it over in 2016. With the rebels regaining a foothold there again, they are no longer cornered in Idlib, which could potentially trigger a domino effect. Rebels lay out their goals The rebels are part of a newly formed coalition called the Military Operations Command, which includes a broad spectrum of opposition fighters including Islamist factions and moderate groups once backed by the US. The coalition was announced Wednesday ahead of the attack on Aleppo and said it was responding to escalating attacks from the Syrian government and Iranian militias. But the timing is also critical, with Syrias key backer Russia focusing on Ukraine and its other major ally, Iran, on the back foot from Israeli attacks on it and its proxy network. The offensive is the first major flare-up in years between the Syrian opposition and the regime of President Assad, who has ruled the war-torn country since 2000. Syrias civil war began during the 2011 Arab Spring as the regime suppressed a pro-democracy uprising against Assad. The country plunged into a full-scale civil war as a rebel force was formed, known as the Free Syrian Army, to combat government troops. Since the 2020 ceasefire agreement, the conflict has remained largely dormant, with low-level clashes between the rebels and Assads regime. More than 300,000 civilians have been killed in more than a decade of war, according to the United Nations, and millions of people have been displaced across the region. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Catherine Guziejka is accused of abusing six toddlers in Texas. A Texas daycare worker was arrested for allegedly kicking at least six toddlers whod been left in her care over 100 times. Investigators were first alerted to Catherine Guziejkas alleged abuse by one of the victims parents. The father was told about the abuse at Punkin Doodles Day Care in Lindaleby another staffer, who had seen video of some of the incidents. Detectives from the Smith County Sheriffs Office are still reviewing surveillance footage from the daycare as they build a case against Guziejka, 44. Catherine Guziejka is accused of abusing six toddlers at a Texas daycare. Smith County Jail Records The sheriff claimed Guziejka was caught on film kicking the six children on 134 separate occasions. Guziejka remains in custody since her arrest Oct. 30 on six counts of injury to a child with the intent to cause bodily harm. The kicks were dealt over the course of several months between July and October. In one portion of the footage, Guziejka kicked a defenseless boy, 2, in his lower back while he was laying on the floor. Other toddlers were yanked from beds during naptime and dragged by their arms to a changing table. The daycare has since been sold to a new owner, who plans a total rebrand. Facebook/Lindale Punkin' Doodles She also is accused of punishing some of the toddlers by standing on their hands. Guziejka first began working at the daycare in September 2023. She was fired after the daycares owner learned of the abuse. The daycare was since sold to a new owner, who plans to rebrand the business. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, on Friday raised concerns about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s agenda for the Department of Health and Human Services. I think if RFK follows through on his intentions, and I believe he will, and I believe he can, it will cost lives in this country, Gottlieb told CNBC, referring to Kennedy, whom President-elect Donald Trump has said he will nominate for health secretary. Youre going to see measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates go down, Gottlieb, who led the FDA under Trumps first administration, added. And like I said, if we lose another 5%, which could happen the next year or two, we will see large measles outbreaks. For every 1,000 cases of measles that occur in children, there will be one death. And we are not good in this country at diagnosing and treating measles. If hes confirmed as HHS secretary, Kennedys role would include oversight of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the FDA, the agency in charge of reviewing and approving new vaccines. Gottlieb referenced Kennedys long history of vaccine skepticism, which has included false claims that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine can cause autism. Its a theory thats been routinely debunked and originated with a discredited 1990s study led by a researcher who later lost his medical license. According to the CDC, to date, the studies continue to show that vaccines are not associated with [autism spectrum disorder].Kennedy has also cast doubt on the effectiveness of the Covid vaccines, which health experts say are overwhelmingly safe. In a 2021 meeting with Louisiana state legislators, Kennedy baselessly called the coronavirus vaccine the deadliest vaccine ever made. In the days after Trump was projected to take back the White House, Kennedy told NBC News that he would not seek to unilaterally ban vaccines. If vaccines are working for somebody, Im not going to take them away. People ought to have choice, and that choice ought to be informed by the best information, he said. So Im going to make sure scientific safety studies and efficacy are out there, and people can make individual assessments about whether that product is going to be good for them. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, is President-elect Donald Trumps pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Gottlieb also alluded to some of Kennedys other controversial ideas as reasons why some Republican senators may be reluctant to vote to confirm him in January, including his position on abortion. I think that theres skepticism in the Republican caucus more than I think the press is reporting right now, Gottlieb said. Theres going to be [agricultural] state senators that are concerned about his impact on food prices. Theres going to be principled pro-lifers who are concerned about his positions on abortion, and theres going to be a number of public health-minded senators who have deep concerns about his position on vaccines, the former FDA commissioner added. Gottlieb also pushed back on the idea that Kennedy wouldnt impose drastic changes to health policy in the U.S., saying, Im not so sure that people really understand how Kennedys intention is going to translate into policy and how serious he is. To prove his point, Gottlieb referenced something one of Kennedys advisers, Del Bigtree, said in November: Bobby didnt get dragged through the mud for over a decade just so he could compromise his values once he finally got inside the castle. Gottlieb added that while he doesnt speak for the president-elect, he was confident that Trump doesnt share Kennedys beliefs about vaccines. I talked to President Trump about vaccines in my first term, Gottlieb said. I dont think that these policy efforts reflect his views as well. I dont think the president wants to see a resurgence of measles, wants to see a resurgence of whooping cough in this country God forbid we have cases of polio in this country. He does not want to see that. Representatives for the Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Gottliebs remarks. New York State Sen. James Skoufis (D) launched his run to chair the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Saturday, in a bid to rebuild the party following widespread losses on Election Night earlier this month. In speaking with a lot of DNC members and the broader Democratic Party, we are looking for a fresh perspective, Skoufis, 37, said in an interview with The Hill. I think I bring a healthy mix of a track record of knowing how to win over the past 12 years but also being that younger, fresher perspective. Skoufis has served in the upper chamber of the New York State Legislature since 2023. Prior to being elected to the state Senate, her was an assemblyman in the lower chamber after being elected in 2012. He was the youngest member elected to the body at the age of 25. The bid for DNC chair marks Skoufiss first foray into the national political arena. We have, many times over, had a DNC chair whos been a DC beltway guy or whos been a longtime party operative or comes from machine politics, Skoufis said. I dont come from any of those places and I think thats a good thing. The New York lawmaker joins former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley (D) and Minnesota Democratic Party chair and Democratic National Committee vice chair Ken Martin in the race to replace current chair Jaime Harrison. A number of names have been floated as potential contenders including U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler and political strategist Chuck Rocha. Skoufiss bid comes after Democrats experienced losses across the board in the general election earlier this month. In addition to winning all seven swing states and becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote since 2004, President-elect Trump also made inroads in solidly blue states like New York. Trump lost the Empire State to Vice President Harris by just over 11 points, a marked improvement from 2020 when he lost the state to President Biden by over 23 points. Skoufis won reelection in the competitive 42nd state Senate district, located in the Hudson Valley. He noted that Trump has won his district, most recently by a 12 percent margin. If you look at my race this year compared to two years ago, some of my biggest gains were not in communities that I necessarily won outright, he said. But instead of losing red, rural terf by 40 points, I may have lost them by only 15 points this time. The state lawmaker said that in order to get back on track, Democrats need to meet people where they are and stop speaking in overly academic terms. Some of our candidates come off running for university chancellor instead of running for public office, Skoufis told The Hill. If someone believes in a strong border as I do, they should not be labeled as racist by elements of our party. If someone voted for Donald Trump, we should not be condescendingly telling them that they voted against their own best interests, he continued. We need to stop telling people the economy is doing swimmingly well when they go to the grocery store and see front and center for the past number of years that it is absolutely not. Its not rocket science, Skoufis added in the interview. Its being normal. Its not speaking academic, weird terms. Its meeting people where they are. Its not sending people 700 texts asking people to chip in five dollars over the course of a three week span leading up to the election. The election for the new party chair and other leadership positions within the DNC is slated to be held on Feb.1, during the partys winter meeting at National Harbour, Md. Additionally, the party will host four forums, both in person and virtual, for the candidates to make their cases to the sitting committee members. The DNCs Rules and Bylaws Committee is set to meet on Dec. 12 to come up with a process for selecting Democratic Party officers. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Things could've gotten serious real fast at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards at KBS Hall on Friday night, but thankfully, Lee Byung Hun was there with his charm and humor to break the ice. The actor was there to help ease the mood after Jung Woo Sung apologized for a recent personal matter. Lee, who took home last year's Best Actor trophy for "Concrete Utopia," also had the honor of presenting with actress Park Bo Young. Lee Byung Hun and Park Bo young as award presenters at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards pic.twitter.com/LckS0A5lfy byungster (@hundailyy) November 29, 2024 Lee and Park kicked off the ceremony with some humor, with Lee thanking Park in advance for her praise during the film's promotional run. He playfully recalled that his performance was such a revelation that she said that it was like "changing his eyes entirely." Park praised Lee's professionalism in return. "His eyes changed in just secondsit was incredible. That's what being a true actor is about," she said, as quoted by Kbizoom. Things became even more tense and emotional when Jung Woo Sung took the stage and apologized to the audience for his recent extramarital child scandal. Jung Woo Sung addressing the audience at the '45th Blue Dragon Film Awards' saying he will take responsibility and shoulder the criticism over the illegitimate child controversy https://t.co/NMiKInVaz3 pic.twitter.com/PYbnrk74Uq allkpop (@allkpop) November 29, 2024 His comments loomed over the event, which was confounded by noob emcees Han Ji Min and Lee Je Hoon. But Lee Byung Hun appeased the conflict soon enough. When announcing the award for Best Actor, he joked that he would be taking it home before going on to name Hwang Jung Min as the recipient for "12.12: The Day." His humorous take made the attendees laugh and restored a celebratory atmosphere. Today's news: Calcutta hospital suspends treatment for Bangladeshi patients in retaliation to violence against Hindus; Taiwan President Lai visiting his Pacific Island allies against Chinese pressure; A document signed by over 1400 Korean Catholic priests calls for Yoon's resignation; Baidu is granted a licence to test self-driving vehicles in Hong Kong. SYRIA Rebel forces in Syria took control of a large part of the city of Aleppo: in the offensive launched two days ago by Idilib, more than 300 people were killed, including about 20 civilians. During the night, Russia launched air raids on the city: it is the first time this has happened since 2016, when the Syrian army recaptured Aleppo forcing Bashar al Assad's opponents to leave the city. The airport and all roads leading into the city have been closed, military sources told the Reuters news agency. INDIA-BANGLADESH The JN Ray Hospital in Kolkata announced on Friday the indefinite suspension of treatment for Bangladeshi patients. The decision comes in response to the alleged violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and insults to the Indian flag by Bangladeshi citizens that have exacerbated tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Three more attacks against Hindu temples were reported in Chattogram yesterday. TAIWAN-OCEANIA Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te leaves today for a visit to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three small Pacific states with a combined population of just 62,000, but representing a quarter of the dozen states that maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan despite pressure from China. Lai will also spend two nights in Hawaii and stay a day in Guam, a US island territory in the Pacific. In the meantime, the US administration has approved a new military supply to Taiwan: we are talking about spare parts for fighter jets, radar systems and communications equipment, worth USD 385 million. SOUTH KOREA A group of more than 1,400 Catholic priests in South Korea, including the Archbishop of Gwangju Msgr Ok Hyun-jin and four other bishops, have published a document calling for the resignation of President Yoon Suk Yeol. We cannot ignore the fierce outcry of the people, they write. President Yoon has failed to fulfil the Constitution, protect the nation, promote peaceful unification and improve the welfare of the people. It is time to hold him accountable'. HONG KONG-CHINA Chinese company Baidu has obtained a licence to test self-driving vehicles in Hong Kong with its Apollo robotaxi service, expanding its presence outside mainland China. The licence will allow it to conduct trials with 10 vehicles in North Lantau and will be valid from 9 December 2024 to 8 December 2029. In the first phase, it will only be possible to run one self-driving car at a time on certain stretches of road. GEORGIA The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabisvili, said that the Georgian Dream party has declared war on its own people, carrying out a coup against the constitution, taking the country permanently from Europe to Russia. The illegitimate government in Tbilisi intends to eliminate the past and destroy the future of the country. RUSSIA Russia's space agency Roskosmos has cancelled plans for a Russian astronauts' trip to the Moon due to a lack of funds, preventing the preparation of super-powerful rocket boosters, director Oleg Gorskov told the Congress of Young Scholars on The Cosmos and the Future: Will Space Become the Locomotive of Russian Technological Development? Syrias army confirmed on Saturday that the rebels seized large parts of Aleppo. It said it has withdrawn its troops from Aleppo temporarily to prepare a counteroffensive. This escalation made it impossible for the Armenian humanitarian demining and medical team, which has been conducting its mission in the Aleppo region since 2019, to continue its activities, read a statement released by the Defense Ministry in Yerevan earlier in the day. In light of these developments, a decision was made to temporarily suspend the teams operations in Aleppo, the statement said, adding that the Armenian military personnel were flown back to Armenia the previous night. Yerevan deployed, with Russias support and encouragement, more than 80 demining specialists, army medics and other servicemen tasked with protecting them to the Aleppo region in 2019, prompting criticism from the United States. It did not end this humanitarian mission during and after the 2020 war with Azerbaijan that resulted in grave security challenges to Armenia. Armenia was one of the few countries that did not cut ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime and maintained functioning diplomatic missions in Damascus and Aleppo throughout the civil war. An estimated 80,000 ethnic Armenians, most of them descendants of survivors of the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey, lived in Syria before the outbreak of its bloody civil war in 2011. At least half of them reportedly fled the country during the fighting. Thousands took refuge in Armenia. Most Syrian Armenians lived in Aleppo. It is not clear who many of them remained there just before the latest escalation. In a statement released on Friday, the leadership of the local Armenian community urged its members to stay at home and not succumb to panic. As of Saturday afternoon, the Armenian government did not say whether it will try to help the remaining Aleppo Armenians flee to other parts of Syria or Armenia. The rebel offensive was launched from Syrias northern Idlib province where Turkey has for years had military presence and sponsored militant groups fighting against Syrian government forces. According to Armenian officials, Ankara recruited thousands of Syrian mercenaries in Idlib and sent to them to fight on Azerbaijans side in the Nagorno-Karabakh war that broke out in September 2020. The Armenian claims were backed by France and, implicitly, Russia. Also, multiple reports by Western media quoted members of Islamist groups in the rebel-held province as saying in September and October 2020 that they are deploying to Azerbaijan in coordination with the Turkish government. Turkey and Azerbaijan denied the presence of any foreign mercenaries in the Azerbaijani army ranks. Two Syrian men were captured by Karabakh Armenian forces during the fighting. An Armenian court sentenced them to life imprisonment in May 2021. 30 November 2024 20:19 (UTC+04:00) by Qaiser Nawab | AzerNEWS The operationalization of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage at COP29 represents a historic turning point in global climate policy. This long-awaited development marks a significant achievement for developing countries, small island states, and vulnerable communities across the globe who have been disproportionately affected by the intensifying impacts of climate change. Spearheaded under the leadership of Azerbaijans COP29 Presidency, this milestone reflects a global commitment to addressing the inequities of climate change impacts while fostering hope for more inclusive, effective solutions. The journey to the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund began during COP27 in Egypt, where nations reached a groundbreaking agreement to establish a mechanism for compensating countries most affected by climate-induced disasters. However, the promise of this fund was met with skepticism, as many questioned whether political will and financial pledges would translate into concrete action. COP28, held in the United Arab Emirates, laid the groundwork for the Fund's operational launch, demonstrating the commitment of global leaders to move beyond rhetoric and take actionable steps. Yet, it was not until COP29, under the meticulous guidance of Azerbaijans Presidency and the visionary leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, that the Fund was fully operationalized. This involved securing agreements with the World Bank and designating the Philippines as the host country for the Fund's secretariata testament to the collaborative efforts of nations determined to combat the escalating climate crisis. The Loss and Damage Fund is more than just a financial instrument; it symbolizes the recognition of historical injustices faced by vulnerable nations. Developed countries, which have contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions, are finally being held accountable for their role in global warming. The Fund serves as a mechanism to transfer financial resources from wealthier nations to those bearing the brunt of climate-induced disasters, such as hurricanes, flooding, and droughts. As of now, the Fund has received pledges totaling over $730 milliona promising start but far from what is required to meet the growing needs of affected nations. The appointment of Ibrahima Cheikh Diong as the Funds Executive Director further underscores the seriousness of this initiative. His leadership, combined with a robust governance structure, ensures that the Fund will be managed transparently and effectively. The urgency of the Funds operationalization becomes clear when examining the increasing frequency and severity of climate disasters. The devastating floods in Pakistan in 2022 offer a harrowing example. With nearly one-third of the country submerged, millions were displaced, and the economic losses exceeded $30 billion. Pakistan, despite contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, faced catastrophic consequences of a crisis it did not create. Similarly, recent hurricanes in the United States, a developed nation, have revealed the universal vulnerability to climate-induced disasters. Storm surges, extreme rainfall, and infrastructural damages in Florida and Louisiana highlight that no country, regardless of its economic status, is immune to the wrath of nature. These events underscore the importance of a unified global response to climate challenges, making the Loss and Damage Fund a cornerstone of international cooperation. Under the COP29 Presidency, Azerbaijan has demonstrated remarkable leadership in advancing the global climate agenda. President Ilham Aliyevs emphasis on addressing the challenges faced by small island states and least-developed countries reflects a commitment to inclusivity and equity. Azerbaijans proactive role in hosting the Fund's third Board meeting in Baku and facilitating critical agreements with the World Bank and other stakeholders highlights its determination to ensure the Funds success. Azerbaijans leadership also extends to fostering partnerships and encouraging nations to increase their financial contributions to the Fund. While $730 million is a commendable start, the scale of climate-induced losses and damages requires a much larger pool of resources. Countries must view their pledges not as acts of charity but as investments in global stability and sustainability. The operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund paves the way for financing climate resilience projects beginning in 2025. This includes rebuilding infrastructure destroyed by disasters, supporting displaced communities, and strengthening adaptive capacities in vulnerable regions. For instance, in flood-prone countries like Pakistan, the Fund could be instrumental in constructing resilient housing, improving early warning systems, and enhancing disaster preparedness. Similarly, small island states grappling with rising sea levels could use the Funds resources to invest in seawalls, mangrove restoration, and community relocation plans. The Fund also provides an opportunity for innovative financing mechanisms. By collaborating with private sector entities, governments, and multilateral organizations, the Fund can leverage additional resources to meet its objectives. Initiatives like green bonds and climate insurance schemes can complement the Fund's efforts, ensuring a more comprehensive approach to addressing loss and damage. While the operationalization of the Fund is a significant achievement, it is not without challenges. The first and foremost concern is the adequacy of financial resources. Developing countries have estimated that their annual loss and damage costs will exceed $290 billion by 2030. The current pledges, while a step in the right direction, fall far short of this figure. Another challenge lies in ensuring the equitable distribution of funds. Transparent governance mechanisms must be in place to prioritize the most vulnerable communities and prevent misallocation of resources. The involvement of civil society organizations and local stakeholders in decision-making processes is essential to maintaining accountability. Lastly, the success of the Fund hinges on sustained political will. Climate negotiations are often marred by delays and disagreements, and the Loss and Damage Fund is no exception. Continuous advocacy, particularly by developing countries and climate activists, will be crucial in keeping the momentum alive. The operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP29 is a beacon of hope for nations grappling with the devastating impacts of climate change. It represents a collective acknowledgment that those least responsible for the climate crisis must not bear its consequences alone. However, this is only the beginning. The international community must work tirelessly to ensure that the Fund fulfills its purpose. This includes increasing financial contributions, streamlining its operations, and fostering global partnerships to address the root causes of climate vulnerability. For countries like Pakistan, which have experienced firsthand the destructive power of climate disasters, the Fund offers a lifeline. It is a chance to rebuild, adapt, and secure a more sustainable future. For developed nations, it is an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity and moral responsibility in the face of a shared global challenge. In the words of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, The era of global boiling has arrived. The operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund is a vital step toward mitigating its consequences. Let us seize this moment to build a more just, resilient, and inclusive world for generations to come. The views and opinions expressed by guest columnists in their op-eds may differ from and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff. 30 November 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Back in August, Azerbaijan decided to officially exclude the Zangazur Corridor issue from the peace treaty talks with Armenia, shifting the focus to the next stage of discussions. The project, which has long been a point of contention, has raised various concerns, with Iran arguing that it would violate its borders and Armenia proposing an alternative "Crossroads of Peace" project. However, this initiative would require the agreement of both Azerbaijan and Turkiye to hold any meaningful significance. The matter has now gained renewed attention, particularly in Turkiye, where Transport Minister Uraloglu announced the launch of a historic project passing through Zangazur, and the Turkish Investment Fund is focusing on projects aimed at developing the Middle Corridor and Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Economic expert Dr. Kerem Karabulut of Ataturk University shared his insights with Azernews to illuminate the future prospects of the Zangazur Corridor. Dr. Karabulut explained that the exclusion of the Zangazur Corridor from the peace talks is not due to a lack of interest from Azerbaijan or Turkiye, but rather as a strategic move to ensure long-term stability and development of the project: "The fact that the Zangazur Corridor is excluded from the peace talks is not because Azerbaijan or Turkiye do not care about it, but because the talks should start as soon as possible and preparations for the future should be completed. One of these preparations is to ensure that the Zangazur Corridor is a stable, secure and economic development project that will operate in the long term." He emphasized that a solid agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia is crucial for the corridors success: "Signing a solid agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia regarding the opening of this Corridor will ensure that the stated goals are realized. A solid agreement also requires the inclusion of Russia, Turkiye and Iran in the process along with Azerbaijan and Armenia." Dr. Karabulut further suggested that regional cooperation, particularly through railway connections, will be key to the projects success. He mentioned the potential for establishing railway links between Turkiye and Iran, which would bolster trade and improve socio-economic relations: "For this, in the efforts to convince Iran, the necessity of establishing various railway connections between Turkiye and Iran with the interaction of the corridor to be opened should be emphasized. For example, it should be explained that an extension of the Kars-Igdr-Nakhchivan Railway can be connected to Tabriz and even Ashgabat via Julfa. It should also be explained that this connection will increase Irans trade potential by connecting it to Trabzon via Erzurum." Dr. Karabulut also pointed out that Turkiye is ready to move forward with the Kars-Igdr-Nakhchivan Railway, which will create an intercontinental connection once the corridor is operational. However, he stressed that Armenias role in facilitating the corridors opening is pivotal for Turkiye to open its borders with Armenia: "With the opening of the corridor, Turkiye will immediately build the Kars-Igdr-Nakhchivan Railway, which it has completed preparations for, and thus, in a sense, an intercontinental connection will be established. However, in order for these expectations to come true, Armenia must facilitate the opening of the Zangazur Corridor. Otherwise, peace can be signed, but it will not be possible for Armenia to achieve economic stability. Because one of the preconditions for Turkiye to open its border gates with Armenia is the opening of the Zangezur Corridor." Dr. Karabulut concluded that while there are significant challenges ahead, the opening of the corridor remains a necessity for all involved countries: "Turkiye can ensure the opening of the Corridor by explaining all these issues to Armenia and especially by doing this through Russia. Because the opening of the Corridor will primarily benefit Armenia. Later, it will benefit Russia, Iran, and other neighbouring and connected countries. Since it also benefits European countries and China, it can be said to be a common 'world corridor' in a sense. The other two countries that may be a problem are the US and France. They will want to prevent this by putting pressure on the Armenian administration. However, the Armenian administration is making statements that it will not bow to this pressure. Pashinyans moderate statements towards Turkiye show this. In short, the opening of the Corridor, whether it is included in the talks or not, is a path that has become a necessity for all countries. It can be said that it will be opened, albeit with a delay." Public outrage has sparked over private messages sent by South Korean actors Lee Byung Hun and Jung Woosung. Texts passed between Lee Byung Hun and Lee Ji Yeon said to have praised "Lee" as a name "too beautiful" - and discussed the romantic prospects of their forthcoming meeting. LBH: What's for dinner? LJY: What do you like? LBH: You. LBH: Is it going to be romantic tomorrow? LJY: Perhaps. LJY: Are you still filming??? LBH: Why not? LBH: It must be nice to be able to choose. They are shipped with a flirty tone, with Lee Byung Hun asking what kind of dinner she wants and also mentioning his upcoming date with Lee Ji Yeon, which happens to be her birthday. "LBH: We're seeing each other tomorrow, right? LBH: Will it be romantic? LJY: We'll see how you do. LBH: I'll be good. LJY: This is your brain map. LBH: There's tomorrow, you, romantic, and success in my head. LJY: What do you mean by success? LBH: It means whether or not I'll succeed romantically. LJY: Did you know it's my birthday this week? LBH: Then we'll celebrate it tomorrow together. LBH: I hope you'll keep the secret. LJY: Don't worry. LBH: I really looked forward to this. LBH: When can I see you tomorrow? LJY: My mom's coming." CR: Allkpop On the other hand, Jung Woo Sung's recent social media activity has caught a lot of flak. In a short language, Jung said that it is anger hard to meet people, saying, "I'm angry that it's so hard to greet you." This wasn't the best time for his comments since there is a lot of facepalming being done these days about how celebs have acted lately. JWS: It's bad "JWS: I'm angry OP: Excuse me...? JWS: I'm angry that it's so hard to greet you and I'm angry that I'm only seeing your feed - Ah! But this is in real time - Nice to meet you OP: You shocked me...! JWS: - I'm sorry OP: no worries, it's an honor for me JWS: I'm shocked that you believed me - And I'm honored... - This message took me courage to send.... Thank you" The public reaction has been fast and brutal. There have been many comments slamming both actors that this type of behavior is unacceptable, even more so when someone is going through difficulties. Another tweeted: "You're telling me he did that whilst his wife was pregnant?!!" underlining an increasing annoyance with what are viewed as double standards in the showbiz world. With the ongoing discussions on social media, several fans have expressed their discontentment, with some commenting about how incidents like these only "show how crumbling of celebrity culture". One wrote, "Just imagine how much this happens with male celebrities," suggesting that this is likely the tip of an iceberg. Here are other comments from online community forum Pannchoa: 30 November 2024 16:10 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more In recent weeks, Tbilisi has once again become the center of political unrest, with protesters taking to the streets, challenging the results of the parliamentary elections. Behind these protests lies a deeper, orchestrated strategyone that mirrors the destabilizing tactics used in Ukraine over a decade ago. The West, leveraging a network of NGOs, media channels, and extreme ideological movements, has been actively seeking to mold Georgia into a pliable geopolitical pawn. At the core of the Western strategy is a covert campaign designed to shape public opinion, destabilize the government, and ultimately influence the countrys political trajectory. The West, primarily through the funding of NGOs, has systematically supported organizations that serve as proxies for its own geopolitical interests. These groupscomprising activists from the LGBT community, extreme liberal right-wing factions, and other ideologically driven entitiesare skillfully mobilized to provoke civil unrest and destabilize Georgian society. Today, these forces are not only disregarding Georgia's historical narratives, national pride, and territorial integrity but are actively replacing them with foreign ideologies. The nation's past struggles and the recovery of lost territories have taken a back seat in political discourse, drowned out by Western-driven agendas. The Georgian people, once united by their heritage and common cause, now find themselves divided by external forces who prioritize issues such as LGBT rights and progressive liberal ideologies over their national interests. Echoes of Ukraine: A Repeat of 2014? What is unfolding in Georgia today bears a striking resemblance to the events that led to Ukraine's 2014 revolution. The protests, initially sparked by electoral grievances, have quickly escalated into violent street confrontations, with clashes between demonstrators and police forces. Reports suggest the presence of foreign saboteurs, many of whom have traveled from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and the Baltic states. These provocateurs, possibly armed, aim to escalate the situation to the point where violence and bloodshed become the defining feature of the protests. The fear is that these foreign agents will turn the tide of protests into a bloody confrontation, blaming the Georgian government in the process, and ultimately destabilizing the entire region. Such a scenarioof staged violence leading to international condemnationis eerily similar to the strategy employed in Ukraine in 2014. That year, external actors used social media, NGO influence, and ideological rhetoric to push a destabilizing agenda that eventually culminated in the overthrow of the democratically elected government, triggering a prolonged and bloody conflict. The Wests role in Ukraines descent into war is undeniable, and now, Georgia seems poised to follow the same dangerous path. Western Diplomats: Agents of Division The EU Ambassador to Georgia, along with other Western diplomats, has come under scrutiny for acting as surrogates for foreign interests, meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. Their rhetoric, at times hostile and interventionist, seeks to undermine the authority of Georgias government, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the election results. The West accuses Russia and China of engaging in hybrid wars and interference, yet it conveniently overlooks its own role in fueling instability within Georgia, a nation that has consistently held democratic elections and maintained a relatively stable political environment. President Salome Zourabichvili, a former French citizen with deep ties to Western powers, has been portrayed as an agent of the West, particularly of President Macrons policies. Her actions, alongside the support of Western-funded NGOs, raise questions about the extent to which foreign powers are exerting influence over Georgia's political landscape. The danger is clear: Georgia is being caught in the crossfire of a geopolitical struggle, with its internal stability used as leverage for external gains. For Azerbaijan, the ongoing unrest in Georgia is more than just a domestic issue. It is a regional one with far-reaching implications. Azerbaijan has long pursued a policy of political pragmatism, seeking to maintain its sovereignty while protecting the stability of the South Caucasus. The instability in Georgiafueled by Western interferencepresents a significant threat to the regions security and prosperity. Azerbaijan, which has actively cut off the influence of Western-funded NGOs and their destabilizing activities, views the situation in Georgia with concern. The potential for civil war, territorial fragmentation, and foreign military involvement looms large. In this context, Azerbaijan has remained steadfast in its belief that foreign powers should not interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign nations. The Georgian people, like their neighbors in Azerbaijan, must navigate the challenges of external pressure while safeguarding their national interests and ensuring a peaceful and prosperous future. As protests in Tbilisi continue to unfold, Georgia must remain vigilant against the forces working to exploit its vulnerabilities.The Georgian people are now understanding what the true intentions of the West and its supporters are and are seriously resisting it. The Wests strategy, which seeks to impose foreign agendas through NGOs and ideological manipulation, is clear. However, if Georgia is not careful, it risks becoming another victim of the Wests destabilizing playbook, following in the footsteps of Ukraine. It is crucial for the Georgian people to resist these external pressures, reaffirm their national identity, and work toward a future free from foreign interference. The stakes are highnot only for Georgia but for the entire region. The Wests plan for Georgia is one of division and instability, and the only way forward is for Georgia to remain steadfast, united, and focused on its own future. 30 November 2024 10:06 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Head of the State Tax Service (STS) under the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, and President of the Intra-European Organization of Tax Administrations (IOTA), Orkhan Nazarli, held a videoconference with Catherine Westling Palm, Director General of the Swedish Tax Agency, Azernews reports. According to information released by the STS, the meeting highlighted the successful development of bilateral economic relations between Azerbaijan and Sweden across various sectors, including taxation. Both parties emphasized the importance of this dialogue for exploring further cooperation opportunities and expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved through strengthened mutual relations. Discussions centered on the objectives set during Azerbaijans presidency of IOTA. Nazarli and Palm exchanged proposals aimed at enhancing IOTAs operations in line with long-term strategic goals and sustainable principles. Key topics included supporting the organizations initiatives, expanding financial opportunities, and implementing effective mechanisms to achieve these aims. The meeting also considered ways to improve collaboration between the STS and the Swedish Tax Agency under the IOTA framework. Discussions explored priority areas for joint activities, efforts to advance international relations among tax authorities, and potential projects for future cooperation. This dialogue underlines Azerbaijans commitment to fostering global partnerships in the field of taxation while strengthening its role within IOTA. 30 November 2024 10:29 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Azerbaijans non-oil sector continues to thrive, with significant growth in exports to key markets like Russia, Turkiye, and Georgia. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 30 November 2024 12:23 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Samira Musayeva, deputy head of the State Tax Service under Azerbaijan's Ministry of Economy, held a videoconference with Angela McDonald, deputy chief executive officer of the UK Tax and Customs Administration (HMRC), to discuss enhancing collaboration in tax administration, Azernews reports. The meeting highlighted the progress achieved through strengthened ties between the two institutions, focusing on strategic goals, reforms for a sustainable economy, and improving the tax environment. Key topics included cooperation on initiatives identified during Azerbaijan's presidency of the Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrations (IOTA) and mechanisms for joint projects. Discussions also addressed information exchange in taxation, internship programs, and bilateral and multilateral cooperation formats. Both sides underscored the importance of joint efforts to boost transparency in the global tax environment, foster effective partnerships, and combat tax evasion. 30 November 2024 16:58 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia from January to October 2024 declined slightly compared to previous year Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 30 November 2024 14:17 (UTC+04:00) During a conference on "The Impact of Climate Change on the Development of Agriculture" in Nakhchivan, Sarvan Jafarov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, highlighted that 15% of the countrys territory faces drought risks, while 6% is threatened by desertification, Azernews reports. The event, organized by the Ministries of Agriculture of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, focused on the challenges posed by global climate change. Jafarov emphasized that global climate change is observed with a decrease in precipitation and an increase in water shortage. This creates serious difficulties for the agricultural sector and stressed that in many cases, the development of agriculture in our country depends on improving water supply. He added that in order to increase crop production, existing water, land, and climate resources should be used more efficiently, measures should be taken to adapt to climate change, and effective use of modern water supply technologies should be ensured. Samir Seyidahmadli, Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Nakhchivan, added that global warming and droughts are negatively impacting agriculture and food security. He emphasized that agriculture is the basis of the Nakhchivan economy, and therefore, environmental protection, increasing greenery, and efficient use of water resources are priority issues for the autonomous republic. Vugar Karimov, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, mentioned that Azerbaijans climate change-related challenges include a 0.9-degree increase in average annual temperature and a 4% decrease in precipitation over the past 30 years. He noted that addressing climate change and biodiversity loss requires comprehensive action. The conference also featured discussions on sustainable agriculture and the role of international cooperation, with notable contributions from representatives of the United Nations, Turkeys Ministry of Agriculture, and Azerbaijans rural womens association. 30 November 2024 15:28 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani media outlets devoted significant attention to the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), producing a wealth of content across various platforms, Azernews reports. During the two-week summit, media organizations created a vast repository of materials, with 60 percent of daily news focusing on COP29. News agencies, online portals, and print entities collectively generated around 60,000 media links on the event, including coverage in Azerbaijani, Russian, and English. The summit's coverage was supported by teams of journalists and photojournalists who conducted interviews, documented meetings, and provided detailed reports. Recognizing the potential for misinformation, Azerbaijani media presented verified information in multiple languages to counter external manipulations. Social media platforms also played a pivotal role, with over 10 million user interactions observed during the summit. Dedicated COP29 sections were established on news websites to ensure accessibility, while Azerbaijani television channels prioritized the event by deploying more than 60 film crews. Nationwide television channels produced over 5,000 materials, including special reports, live coverage, and expert discussions. Audience engagement peaked, with daily viewership averaging over 5 million people during the event. Even after the conclusion of COP29, Azerbaijani media continues to spotlight the summit's historic decisions and outcomes, underlining its significance in the global climate agenda. 30 November 2024 17:57 (UTC+04:00) The MEDays forum, held in Tangier under the patronage of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, concluded with participation from over 6,000 representatives across more than 100 countries, Azernews reports. Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev joined a panel discussion titled "Global Governance in Times of Crisis: Rebuilding Multilateralism for a Multipolar World." In his remarks, Rzayev emphasized Azerbaijans active role in promoting peace and cooperation, particularly during its tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and its leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement over the past four years. Highlighting the achievements of the COP29 conference recently hosted in Baku, Rzayev discussed the landmark climate financing agreement that allocates $300 billion annually for climate initiatives until 2035. He noted the significant impact this funding could have on global warming and supporting developing countries affected by climate change. The panel also featured notable speakers such as Asia Bensaleh Al-Alawi, Ambassador of Morocco, Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium, and other distinguished political leaders from Finland, Romania, and the Czech Republic. The forum included contributions from heads of state, Nobel laureates, and over 250 high-level speakers, underscoring the global effort to address pressing international challenges. 30 November 2024 21:21 (UTC+04:00) As part of the Year of Solidarity for a Green World, Azerbaijans embassy in Brazil organized a tree planting campaign titled "From Baku to Belem" on November 28 in a city park in Brasilia, Azernews reports. The event saw the planting of 29 white and purple ipe trees, symbolizing COP29, which Azerbaijan hosted earlier this year. Ambassador of Azerbaijan, alongside Senator Nelson Trace, co-chair of the Brazil-Azerbaijan interparliamentary friendship group, and Janara Braga, head of the Brazilian Minister of Tourisms cabinet, highlighted the campaigns significance in promoting decarbonization, combating climate change, and inspiring future generations. The speeches also stressed the mutual benefits of Azerbaijan-Brazil cooperation and the critical roles of COP29 and the upcoming COP30 in Belem in addressing global climate challenges. The event attracted representatives from the diplomatic corps, including ambassadors and officials from Kazakhstan, Belarus, Oman, and others, as well as members of Brazils Federal Senate, government, and city park administration. 30 November 2024 11:59 (UTC+04:00) A protest held on Rustaveli Avenue near the Georgian parliament building on November 29-30 resulted in injuries to 10 police officers and the detention of 107 individuals, Azernews reports. The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reported that despite repeated appeals from law enforcement representatives, the rally participants violated laws regulating gatherings and demonstrations. Protesters resisted the police and engaged in violent actions, throwing stones, pyrotechnics, glass bottles, and metal objects at officers. One officer remains hospitalized with burns sustained during the unrest. The protest also caused significant damage to municipal and private property, including the parliaments protective barriers, entrance doors, security cameras, and city infrastructure. Demonstrators reportedly burned objects, set up barricades, and ignored police warnings. The MIA stated that officers employed legally authorized measures to restore order, leading to the detention of 107 people for disobeying police and engaging in petty hooliganism. Authorities emphasized the need to maintain public order and prevent further escalation. 30 November 2024 18:57 (UTC+04:00) The Syrian military has withdrawn from several strategic points in Aleppo, Azernews reports via Anadolu Agency. According to local sources, they include the Aleppo International Airport and the industrial zone. The report claims the Kurdish militant group People's Defense Units (YPG) has taken over the positions abandoned by the Syrian forces. In addition to Aleppo, the Syrian military has also pulled out of the towns of Nubbul and Zahra and the Tel Hasil and Tel Arn regions, the report said. **** The rebels have pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed Syrian government since Wednesday, the same day a fragile ceasefire took effect in neighbouring Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah group, a Damascus ally, after two months of all-out war, Azernews reports via foreign media. "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions... took control of most of the city and government centres and prisons", said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. HTS, a jihadist alliance led by Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, controls swathes of the Idlib region, in Syria's northwest, as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces. Overnight, Russian "warplanes launched raids on areas of Aleppo city for the first time since 2016", added the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria. It raised the death toll in days of clashes to 311 -- 183 from HTS and allied Turkish-backed factions, 100 soldiers and pro-government forces, as well as 28 civilians. State media reported that four civilians were killed when HTS shelled a student residence in Aleppo, a city of around two million people that was Syria's pre-war manufacturing hub. Iran-backed militias have a heavy presence in the Aleppo region after providing crucial ground support when the Syrian army -- backed by Russian air power -- recaptured rebel-held areas of the city in 2016. 30 November 2024 22:55 (UTC+04:00) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed that NATO membership could encompass the parts of Ukraine currently under Kyiv's control to halt the "hot phase" of the war, provided the alliance first recognizes Ukraine's full territory within its internationally recognized borders, Azernews reports via sources. In an interview with Sky News, Zelensky emphasized that NATO guarantees are crucial for lasting peace, dismissing ceasefire proposals as ineffective without mechanisms to prevent further Russian aggression. He stated, You can't give an invitation to just one part of a country... it would recognize the other part as Russia. Although reports have surfaced of Western discussions around a "West German model" of divided NATO membership, no formal proposals have been presented. Meanwhile, Zelensky expressed openness to hearing ideas from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, whose advisors have floated plans for a ceasefire conditioned on peace talks and bolstered Ukrainian defenses to deter future Russian advances. Zelensky remains firm: Without NATO, its not real independence for Ukraine because [Putin] will come back. However, Moscows recent attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and ongoing aggression suggest NATO involvement remains a distant prospect. Ukrainians, enduring another harsh winter, face an uncertain path toward peace. As police start to arrest ordinary citizens and even media figures for criticism of politicians, a poll by major German pollster INSA shows that 74% of Germans are now reluctant to discuss politics for fear of criminal repercussions. That is not, however, stopping the main leftwing parties, the center-left Social Democrats and the far left Green Party from proposing an even harsher crackdown on free speech with harsher penalties. Social Democrat leaders are proposing to toughen the laws against insulting politicians, which can already carry a three year prison sentence by increasing sentences, expanding the scope of what can be prosecuted, and making prosecution easier. The Green Party is calling for censorship of social media. Two recent cases have particularly caught the public's attention. A 64 year old pensioiner was recently arrested for a social media post calling the Economics Minister, who is from the Green Party an "imbecile" after the German economy is in the toilet under his leadership. The editor in chief of the conservative news site Deutschland Kurier was heavily fined and still could be jailed for a meme showing the Social Democrat Minister of the Interior holding a sign saying "I hate freedom of expression" after she unconstitutionally sent dozens of masked policemen on a raid to close down a conservative magazine, an action later declated illegal by the courts which reinstated the magazine. In the three years since the law has come into force, 1,300 German citizens have been criminally charged with insulting politicians. https://rmx.news/article/three-quarters-of-germans-believe-fear-of-repercussion-is-silencing-free-speech/ https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/cant-take-a-joke-german-social-democrats-seek-harsher-penalties-for-insults/ https://rmx.news/article/free-speech-crackdown-expect-more-house-raids-as-germanys-left-moves-to-supercharge-law-on-insulting-politicians/ America can be thankful that anti-free speech politicians Harris and Walz failed to win the presidency, or we would be facing the same suppression of free speech. In Germany the "Social Democrats" are behaving much like a party from the last century that also used "socialist" in their name, the National Socialist German Workers Party, better known as the Nazis. Leftwing fascism is a huge threat to freedom in Germany today. By Sarah Wagner writing for American Faith Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreessen told Joe Rogan that the Biden administration has weaponized financial institutions to debank entities politically opposed to the White Houses agenda. We have this thing called the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, CFPB, which was the its sort of Elizabeth Warrens personal agency that she gets to control, Andreessen said. And its an independent agency that just gets to run and do whatever it wants, right? And if you read the Constitution, like, there is no such thing as an independent agency. And yet there it is. Basically, it terrorizes financial institutions, he explained. Prevent new competition, new startups that want to compete with the big banks just by terrorizing anybody who tries to do anything new in financial services. When Rogan asked for an example, Andreessen said, Debanking. This is where a lot of the debanking comes from, is these agencies. So, debanking is when you as either a person or your company are literally kicked out of the banking system. My partner, Bens father, has been debanked. For having the wrong politics. For saying, unacceptable things under current banking regulations. Under current banking regulations, after all the reforms of the last 20 years, theres now a category called a politically exposed person, he continued. PEP. And if you are a PEP, you are required by financial regulators to kick them out of your bank. Youre not allowed to have them. He noted that he has not heard of a single instance of anyone on the Left getting debanked, adding, You get kicked out of your bank account. You get kicked out of the you cant do credit card transactions. This is where the government and the companies get intertwined, Andreessen further explained. And back to your fascism point, which is theres a constitutional amendment that says the government cant restrict your speech, but theres no constitutional amendment that says the government cant debank you, right? And so, if they cant do the one thing, they do the other thing. And then they dont have to debank you. They just have to put pressure on the private company banks to do it. And then the private company banks do it because theyre expected to. But the government gets to say, We didnt do it. It was the private company that did it. Its this sleight of hand that happens, so basically, its a privatized sanctions regime that lets bureaucrats do to American citizens the same thing that we do to Iran, just kick you out of the financial system, he added. And so, this has been happening to all the crypto entrepreneurs in the last four years. This has been happening to a lot of the fintech entrepreneurs, anybody trying to start any kind of new banking service because theyre trying to protect the big banks. Andreessen went on to explain that process began under Operation Truck Point, where the Obama administration started to debank legal marijuana businesses, escort businesses, and then gun shops, just like your gun manufacturers. And just like youre done, youre out of the banking system. Under the Biden administration, Andreessen said, debanking extended to tech founders, crypto founders, and then just generally political opponents. Weve had like 30 founders debanked in the last four years, he stated. This is one of the reasons why we ended up supporting Trump. Its like we just cant live in this world. Interview Festive creation features over 3,000 sweets and starlit ceiling inside In a holiday feat thats as sweet as it is grand, this gingerbread house stands as the largest on the island of Ireland, but sadly its a feast for the eyes only. The aroma of sweets isnt just in the air, its in the foundations of the giant creation at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast. Made up of 1,100 individual gingerbread tiles baked freshly in the hotels kitchen, the titanic house includes a wooden roof and chimney standing over two metres tall. It features an assortment of over 3,000 sweets decorated across the construction, however the glue holding all the treats together means that visitors will have to resist taking a bite. From start to finish, it takes five full days, from the assembly of the walls to the attachment of the 3,000 jelly babies and candy canes, explained deputy manager Matthew Poole. This idea evolved in different stages. It used to have no roof at one point. We start baking around October time and it takes 1,100 gingerbread tiles attached by hand with a team of five. Santa outside the gingerbread house Watch: Belfast Hotel unveils life-sized gingerbread house The hotel continues to hold the bragging rights for the largest gingerbread house on the island of Ireland an accolade which Mr Poole says has yet to be contested. Inside, the roof is peppered with lights to resemble a starry night as well as a fireplace and a chair for Santa to give out presents to all the boys and girls on his list. Santa will get a list of names for all the kids hes meeting, checking it twice, before handing out an assortment of presents and sweets. Mr Poole added: Weve been in communication with all our guests so that we can get all the names and ages of the children coming so Santa can go out shopping in advance and get all the presents. The Christmas tradition for the gingerbread house started six years ago when the hotels general manager was inspired during a trip to America. This is six years in the making. It started with the general manager and his inspiration from his time in the States. He wanted to create something that is a real surprise and delight for the kids and adults. The newest additions to this years project includes the roof, a fence, a Christmas tree and the starlit ceiling inside. The gingerbread is the biggest house on the the island of Ireland, we havent been contested so were sticking with those bragging rights. Each year, it has evolved, Mr Poole said. Hotel deputy manager Matthew Poole with Santa With the final touches added, the gingerbread house will feature a working train set snaking around the structure and a collection of presents inside. Guests from far and wide can enjoy Christmas festivities and food throughout the month including a meet and greet from Santa. As the Belfast Telegraph visited the house, Father Christmas popped out of his grotto to wish everyone a happy holiday this year. Happy Christmas everyone! Im really looking forward to seeing everyone starting this Sunday. Ho-ho-ho. The BBC breached one of the conditions of its operating licence by cutting news programmes on Radio Foyle, according to communications regulator Ofcom. Colum Eastwood MP has said the Ofcom finding is a clear demonstration that the North West isnt a priority for BBC Northern Ireland. Ofcom said the BBC had broadcast 300 fewer hours of news and current affairs on Radio Foyle in 2023/24 than it was required to. In 2023, the BBC cut its two-hour breakfast show on Radio Foyle down to 30 minutes as part of a number of schedule and programme changes. The decision provoked a number of protests from the public and politicians in Derry. In early 2024 the breakfast show replacement programme named North West Today was extended to an hour but still an hour shorter than the original morning show. Ofcom said the BBC had informed it that the cuts meant it had "breached its BBC Radio Foyle news and current affairs condition". The operating licence condition requires the BBC to broadcast at least 1,043 hours of news and current affairs programmes (including repeats) on Radio Foyle. In June 2024, the Ofcom report said, the BBC told the regulator it had not met that quota. "In this case, the BBC has missed its quota by 300 hours, achieving only 71% of the required level of output," Ofcom said. The details of the breach are contained in an Ofcom report into the BBC's performance in 2024. BBC said it will be requesting that the regulator amends the operating licence to reflect changes to Radio Foyles output. Foyle MP Mr Eastwood said that the decision to seek changes to the license rather than providing the required news content is a clear demonstration that the North West isnt a priority for BBC Northern Ireland. Colum Eastwood MP said: When the BBC first announced its plan to cut programming at Radio Foyle, communities in the North West were rightly angry. The decision ignored the unique political, cultural and news environment that exists here, it undermined hardworking staff and it diminished the entire station. It was, and remains, a bad call. Our cross-party, cross-community campaign to resist the cuts was successful in saving elements of news programming but we were clear that the reduction in news content was a disservice to BBC staff, license fee payers and people who rely on public service broadcasting from Radio Foyle. The finding from Ofcom that the BBC breached its operating license by slashing news content in the North West is damning, it damages the credibility of BBC Northern Ireland as a broadcaster and it is deeply embarrassing for senior management. People in the North West deserve first class public service broadcasting from the BBC. We have talented journalists, producers, researchers and broadcasters who can deliver it. Its enormously disappointing that we arent a priority for BBC Northern Ireland. The UK's communications regulator publishes annual reports into how the BBC is meeting the needs of viewers and listeners. When imposing the cuts at Foyle in 2023, the BBC said it was committed to Foyle as a production centre for local and regional content. The publicly funded corporation also said it would affect many different people within BBCNI. At the time BBC Radio Foyle had around 28 workers at its offices, while more than 600 staff are based in its headquarters in Belfast. According to the regulator's report, the BBC blamed "an internal miscommunication" which meant it "incorrectly believed it would still be able to meet its quota for this condition". "We consider that the quotas included in the Operating Licence are required to ensure the BBC continues to deliver content that reaches and serves all audiences," Ofcom said. "This is particularly the case where the quotas are intended to reach and serve specific audience groups, such as in this instance, where Radio Foyle serves audiences in the North West of Northern Ireland," it continued. "Non-compliance with these quotas is a potentially serious matter." A spokesperson for BBC Northern Ireland said: We shortened the duration of our weekday news programme, re-directing editorial effort towards enhanced digital news output from/about the North West. And our Foyle newsroom has become an integrated part of the BBCs region-wide news operation, delivering benefits for audiences and the service that we provide. We announced these changes in November 2022 and they were the subject of significant discussion. Ofcom approval hadnt been sought at the time. We set out this mistake clearly in the BBCs Annual Report and Accounts in July 2024. "We will be requesting that Ofcom amends the operating licence to reflect changes to Foyles output. The regulator said that it would assess the changes when it received the BBC's request and then decide what action to take about the breach of the quota. Coca-Cola has announced when its iconic Christmas truck will be stopping off in Belfast over the festive season. The world-famous brand has said it is bringing Santas spirit to the public with its iconic CocaCola Christmas truck. Why not bring your loved ones and embrace your inner Santa? Visit us for a magical evening full of laughter, fun activities and a free CocaCola, it soft drinks giant has said. Starting out in Dublin on November 30, it will travel north to Custom House Square in Belfast on Sunday 1 December, before moving on to Cork and Limerick. Coca Cola previously said the much-loved festive tour will this year support FareShare, the UKs biggest charity fighting hunger and food waste, and for every person that attends the equivalent of a meal will be donated on their behalf. Coca-Cola aims to donate the equivalent of up to a total of one million meals this festive season. This year, the Coca-Cola Truck Tour focuses on the campaign message The World Needs More Santas and the tour will encourage visitors to embrace their inner Santa and share an act of kindness with others during the festive season. Under a canopy of twinkling lights and festive music, visitors will be able to enjoy festive games, participate in a lucky dip with the chance to win exclusive Coca-Cola merchandise and experience a festive food truck that will serve up seasonal tastes alongside a cold Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Florence Wheatley, Marketing Manager for Coca-Cola Great Britain Coca-Cola, said: Coca-Cola has and remains synonymous with Christmas, with many people eagerly awaiting the Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour and Holidays Are Coming advert to create a little festive magic. This year, were delighted to continue our relationship with FareShare to support its mission to reduce hunger and surplus food waste. We hope that every person that attends the Truck Tour not only experiences the magic of Coca-Cola Christmas, but also supports FareShare, knowing that the equivalent of a meal has been donated on their behalf, acting as a little moment of kindness to ensure that thousands of people across the country enjoy a more meaningful Christmas. Coca-Cola Christmas Truck (stock image). News Catch Up: Friday 29th November Supporters of Dignity in Dying listen outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster to the result of the vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Pic: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire Kim Leadbeater joins supporters in Parliament Square in London after hearing the result of the vote in Parliament for her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Pic: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire Labour MP Kim Leadbeater among supporters of Dignity in Dying, celebrating hearing the result of the vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, outside the Houses of Parliament. Pic: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire People take part in a demonstration at Old Palace Yard in Westminster to oppose the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Pic: Yui Mok/PA Wire Religious leaders in Northern Ireland expressed deep disappointment, sadness and regret that assisted dying could be legalised in England and Wales. A majority of MPs, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, supported a bill that would allow terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of less than six months to end their lives. Amid emotional scenes in the Commons, politicians on both sides of the debate made impassioned arguments for and against what has been described as a major social reform. Encouraging or assisting suicide is currently against the law in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. MPs voted 330 to 275 a majority of 55 to approve Kim Leadbeaters Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at second reading. Fifteen members of the Cabinet, including the PM, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, voted for the Bill. Meanwhile eight voted against, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Women and Equalities minister Anneliese Dodds. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak voted in support, while Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch voted against. Nine of Northern Irelands 11 sitting MPs voted against the bill. Only SDLP MP Colum Eastwood backed it. The bill has not yet reached the stage of becoming law but will now move on to further parliamentary scrutiny. Any future change will not come into force in Northern Ireland as it is a devolved matter. Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Dr Richard Murray, and the churchs council for public affairs, Rev Daniel Kane, said it was a watershed moment for society. We have consistently affirmed the importance and innate dignity of every human life from conception to death as precious and a gift from God, they said. The preservation, protection, and dignity of human life are moral and precious values that cannot, and should not, be altered by legislative change. This mornings vote is a watershed moment for the UK, both culturally and spiritually, which has shifted the value that society places on life itself. Supporters of Dignity in Dying listen outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster to the result of the vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Pic: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire The Church of Ireland said it does not accept legislating for assisted suicide is the best way to help those suffering. The only inevitability of such legislation seems to be its progressively widening scope, it said. Instead, our governments should work to ensure the best possible palliative care is available to all regardless of their location or financial situation, so that no-one need to fear suffering in death. There were poignant scenes in the Commons as the debate unfolded over five hours. DUP MP Carla Lockhart told the Commons about her late father Kenneth, who died in June last year after battling cancer. Terminally ill for five years with a painful and aggressive cancer, yet a faith that sustained him and a health service that sought to support, care, comfort and preserve his life, she said. Consultants and medical staff who went over and above to ensure that he got every opportunity to see his family, and particularly his grandchildren, grow up. Did I want to see my dad suffer? Absolutely not, but equally those difficult times provided us with an opportunity to care for and express a love for a person whose life we valued. The root of my conviction is this life in all its forms is of inherent worth and value, and while I have come to that conclusion partly because of my faith like everyone across the House, I have listened carefully to the evidence in coming to my conclusion on the danger this bill represents. Kim Leadbeater joins supporters in Parliament Square in London after hearing the result of the vote in Parliament for her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Pic: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire Speaking after the vote, Ms Lockhart said it represents another step towards the nation changing how we view and value the lives of the our fellow citizens. Opposition and pro-change campaigners had gathered outside Parliament from early yesterday, and supporters of the bill wept and hugged each other outside as the news of the vote came through. Meanwhile, one of the bills most high-profile supporters, Dame Esther Rantzen, said she is absolutely thrilled with the result. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who put forward the bill, has said a new law would give society a much better approach towards end of life and said there is plenty of time to get this right in the face of concerns it is being rushed through. While Mr Eastwood voted in favour, SDLP leader Claire Hanna abstained. Alliances Sorcha Eastwood, UUP MP Robin Swann, TUV leader Jim Allister and independent unionist Alex Easton all voted against the bill. The DUPs five MPs Gavin Robinson, Ms Lockhart, Gregory Campbell, Sammy Wilson and Jim Shannon also voted against. Sinn Feins seven MPs did not vote due to the partys Westminster abstention policy. Ms Leadbeater has said it would likely be a further two years from then for an assisted dying service to be in place. Namibia, known for its vast wildlife reserves and rich biodiversity, has faced one of its worst droughts in decades. In response, the government has initiated a controversial wildlife cull, allowing hunting over 850 animals, including elephants, zebras, buffaloes, and antelopes. This 'cruel' measure addresses the extreme drought conditions that have left animals and humans in rural areas struggling for survival. The Namibian government has emphasized that the cull aims to provide meat for its rural population, where food and water shortages are acute due to the severe drought conditions. Namibia's Extreme Drought The drought has gripped Namibia and parts of southern Africa, causing water and food shortages for wildlife and local communities. The Namibian Ministry of Environment has justified the mass cull by stating that it will prevent animals from dying of thirst and reduce the risk of human-wildlife conflict, as animals are increasingly encroaching on settlements in search of water. By culling the animals, the government believes they are alleviating pressure on dwindling resources, and the meat from these animals is being distributed to rural communities in dire need. Over 150 animals have been culled, resulting in about 57 tons of meat distributed across affected regions. Backlash from Environmentalists However, animal rights organizations and environmentalists are outraged by the decision. Groups like the Elephant-Human Relations Aid (EHRA) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) argue that this is the largest mass cull in Namibia's history, criticizing the lack of proper environmental assessment of its long-term impact on wildlife tourism and ecosystems. EHRA has accused the government of allowing trophy hunters to profit from the situation, raising concerns that some animals are being killed not solely for survival but for sport. These groups have called for alternative solutions, such as improved water management or enhanced coexistence strategies between humans and wildlife. They also believe that the cull is politically motivated during an election year when Namibia's ruling party is under pressure to maintain its rural voter base. As Namibia battles this severe drought, the debate over the ethical and environmental impact of the cull continues, highlighting the broader challenge of balancing human needs and wildlife conservation in the face of extreme climate events. A rally 'in support of loyalist areas' and marking the 12th anniversary of the flag protest. Picture By: Pacemaker Press A rally 'in support of loyalist areas' and marking the 12th anniversary of the flag protest. Picture By: Pacemaker Press A rally 'in support of loyalist areas' and marking the 12th anniversary of the flag protest. Picture By: Pacemaker Press A rally 'in support of loyalist areas' and marking the 12th anniversary of the flag protest has been held outside the City Hall Christmas Market. Posters advertising the event were displayed in loyalist areas of the city ahead of the weekend. Attendees gathered at Sandy Row Orange Hall at 12.30pm on Saturday before parading to the City Hall where the Christmas Market was packed with seasonal shoppers and revellers. A rally 'in support of loyalist areas' and marking the 12th anniversary of the flag protest. Picture By: Pacemaker Press An application on the Parades Commission website says around 100 people are expected to participate in the parade to City Hall, led by a single band, Ulster First Flute. The application puts the expected number of parade supporters at 30. A rally 'in support of loyalist areas' and marking the 12th anniversary of the flag protest. Picture By: Pacemaker Press The parade first made its way to the currently closed Boyne Bridge for a 'short stop' to protest the dismantling of the bridge as part of Translink's huge Belfast Central Station transport hub plans. The parade then proceeded to City Hall via Great Victoria Street, College Square East, Wellington Place and Donegall Square North for the rally at 2pm. Sinn Fein (21.1%), Fine Gael (21%) and Fianna Fail (19.5%) are virtually neck-and-neck in terms of first preference votes in the Irish General Election, according to an exit poll. The Ipsos B&A Exit Poll was commissioned by RTE, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin and results came after polls closed at 10pm. It puts the two largest parties in the current coalition, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, on a combined 40.5%. Sinn Feins Matt Carthy (Liam McBurney/PA) While the exit poll is indicative of the support base for the political parties, the final results will be determined by transfer votes a key part of Irelands complex electoral system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV). The exit polls examination of voters second preferences put Fianna Fail and Fine Gael at 20% each, with Sinn Fein at 17%. The inconclusive results mean that all eyes will now turn to the potential search for coalition partners. Elsewhere, the exit poll showed: Social Democrats (5.8%), Labour (5%), Greens (4%), Aontu (3.6%), People Before Profit-Solidarity (3.1%), and Independent Ireland (2.2%). Independents and other candidates were on 14.6%. There is a margin of error of 1.4%. Matt Carthy, Sinn Feins director of elections, hailed his partys performance as a significant turnaround from the partys disappointing showing in Junes local and European elections. When you consider where we would have been coming out of the local and European elections, I have to say its a phenomenal result, Mr Carthy told RTE. He added: We do recall that in 2020 the exit poll actually undershot Sinn Fein to the tune of 2%-plus. So if that was to transpire tomorrow morning, there is every chance that Sinn Fein will emerge from these elections as the largest political party. Mr Carthy would not be drawn on what the exit poll might mean for coalition formation. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers said there is a three-way race to see who will become the largest party. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers (Brian Lawless/PA) Asked if he was disappointed at his partys third-place ranking, Mr Chambers noted that the differences were within the margin of error. He said the results suggested further fragmentation in Irish politics. Mr Chambers told RTE News: Were clearly in the mix with the other two parties. On the same broadcast, Fine Gael representative Damien English said the result was a very solid performance and predicted the party will return 37-38 seats. Eighteen of the partys 35 incumbents are not contesting the General Election, with incumbency historically considered an important factor in Irish politics. Mr English told RTE News: So its a very positive, solid result. Im still hoping we might go a little bit more than 21% I expect we might. Fine Gael candidate Damien English (Damien Storan/PA) The results of the exit poll suggest the arithmetic to form a majority may prove tricky, with the countrys several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockeying for a place in government possibly in a coalition made up of four parties. The leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have consistently ruled out entering into a future coalition with Sinn Fein, citing substantial differences on policy. Mr Chambers said nothing has changed in regard to Fianna Fails position of ruling out a coalition with Sinn Fein. Mr English said it was too early for government formation talks but noted that Sinn Feins figures are well down from highs of more than 30% seen previously. As such, Sinn Fein faces a much more challenging route to forming a government. However, long-held and seemingly insurmountable political differences have eroded as recently as 2020 when the general election also delivered an inconclusive result. It was in that instance that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Irelands Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power for the outgoing coalition after similar pledges against forming coalitions had been made prior to the final results. The Greens joined the coalition as a junior partner. In that election, Sinn Fein won the popular vote but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government. This time around, party leader Mary Lou McDonald fielded many more candidates in a vow not to repeat past mistakes, as she urged voters to elect a government of change without Fine Gael or Fianna Fail. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald casts her vote at Deaf Village in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) In Fridays General election, the polls opened at 7am and closed at 10pm, with a total of 174 seats in the countrys parliament to be filled more than ever before. More than 3.6 million people were registered to vote in the election to pick their representatives across 43 constituencies, in a campaign that has focused on the countrys housing crisis, the response to a dramatic increase in immigration, and economic management for the cost of living as well as potential future trade shocks. The closing of polls ends a lacklustre three-week campaign that seemed to fail to ignite a surge of enthusiasm among the public, after the election was officially called by Mr Harris on November 8. That decision was ultimately his prerogative, and occurred while Fine Gael was enjoying a lift in the polls after he took over as leader from Leo Varadkar earlier this year. It also came at a time when Sinn Fein was beset by a string of controversies in the preceding weeks including former party members writing job references for a colleague who was later convicted of child sex crimes. But the exit poll suggested that the parties fortunes may have shifted. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris accompanied by his wife Caoimhe and children Cillian and Saoirse as he casts his vote at Delgany National School (Niall Carson/PA) One key flashpoint in the campaign arose out of Donald Trumps presidential election victory in the US, which brought heightened concern around what his proposals for corporation tax and tariffs could mean for Ireland. As such, the scale of Sinn Feins spending proposals have been dubbed as irresponsible by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, who have argued that Ireland needs to prepare for potential trade shocks with more prudent financial management. But the campaigning tactic has been derided as project fear and desperate scaremongering by critics. At the same time, a Sinn Fein pledge to instigate an independent review into Irish national broadcaster RTEs coverage of Gaza and other international conflicts was met with criticism by the partys opponents, and the National Union of Journalists. Meanwhile, Fine Gaels campaign has been plagued with several controversies which the Taoiseach has been unable to shake. These include a much-criticised encounter in which Mr Harris was accused of dismissing the concerns of a disability care worker at a supermarket, a video of another party candidate involved in a fight outside a pub, and an endorsement of a Fine Gael minister by Ryanair boss Michael OLeary that suggested teachers should not run the country. The party of Mr Martin a former teacher also faced criticism over its proposals to decriminalise cannabis for personal use. Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, accompanied by his family, casts his vote at St Anthonys Boys School, Beechwood Park, Cork (Jacob King/PA) Fianna Fails approach to drug use formed part of a wider row on handling the justice portfolio, which has come into sharp relief in the context of 2023s Dublin riots and a perception that the capital is unsafe. Some party figures were accused of sexism over their criticism of Justice Minister Helen McEntee, Fine Gaels deputy leader. After the 2020 election, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail relied on the Green Party as a junior partner to secure the coalitions majority. Mr OGorman said it looks likely his government partners will be returned to power, but cautioned they could seek an easier life over the next five years. He said this could result in right-wing independents or small populist parties padding out the numbers. The final results will immediately kick-start government formation speculation amid the suggestion of the exit poll that more than three parties will be needed to get over the line. The protracted process of counting ballots by hand will begin on Saturday. As Ireland uses a system of proportional representation where candidates are ranked by preference, the voting slips need to be counted several times an undertaking which can last days. The Mauritian prime minister has asked for an independent review of the Chagos Islands deal with the UK, according to parliamentary records. According to the Mauritian parliament Hansard record, the new prime minister Navin Ramgoolam said during a session on Friday: I wish to inform the House that I have asked for an independent review of the confidential draft agreement agreed so far. The deal to cede sovereignty over the archipelago to the Mauritian government was announced earlier this year and officials have said itsecures the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. Under the terms of the deal, the UK-US military presence on the island is expected to run for 99 years with an option to renew, with Britain paying a regular annual sum of money. Mr Ramgoolam, a critic of the deal before he took office, reportedly expressed continued reservations after a meeting with the UKs national security adviser Jonathan Powell on Monday. Mr Ramgoolam who has been prime minister of Mauritius twice before was elected earlier this month, and told his parliament that contents of the negotiations between Mauritius and the United Kingdom during the past two years were unknown to the new government. Earlier this week, Sir Keir Starmer defended the deal as a good deal. The Prime Minister told a press conference on Thursday: The Chagos deal is a good deal. It secures the base thats in the vital interests of the US and the UK. And we are already engaging with the new administration in Mauritius as to how we take that forward. There has also been criticism reported from the incoming Trump administration in the US. The president-elects pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, warned in October that the agreement posed a serious threat to US national security by handing over the islands to a country allied with China. Officials are understood to be confident that the agreement is in both sides interests, and the Prime Ministers official spokesman said earlier this week that we have always said that we look forward to engaging with the new Mauritian government and thats exactly what were doing in order to progress the deal. Justin Trudeau briefly speaks to the media as he walks through the lobby of a hotel in Palm Beach, Florida (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home on Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Mr Trump called the talks productive but signalled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders hastily arranged dinner on Friday night at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Mr Trudeau spoke of an excellent conversation but offered no details. Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post later on Saturday that they discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address. Canadas Justin Trudeau met Donald Trump during his first erm as president in 2020 (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) For issues in need of such co-operation, Mr Trump cited fentanyl and the drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration; fair trade deals that do not jeopardise American Workers; and the US trade deficit with its ally to the north. Mr Trump asserted that the prime minister had made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbours. The US, he said, will no longer sit idly by as our citizens become victims to the scourge of this drug epidemic. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. US customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the US Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Mr Trump on the telephone, said on Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Mr Trump said he and Mr Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. An official cited defence, Ukraine, Nato, China, the Middle East, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau weak and dishonest, but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the November 5 election. Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states. Nearly 2.7 billion US dollars (2.1 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of US crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of US electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminium and uranium to the US and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canadas exports go to the US. Justin Trudeau at the Delta Hotel by Marriott in Florida (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with US President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Mr Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Mr Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they do not stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. A person familiar with the details called it a positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours. The official said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defence, Ukraine, Natro, China and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year. Justin Trudeau is the first leader from the G7 countries to visit Mr Trump since the November 5 election (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Although Mr Trump once called Trudeau weak and dishonest during his first term, ties between the two countries have remained among the closest in the world. Mr Trudeau is the first leader from the G7 countries to visit Mr Trump since the November 5 election. A smiling Mr Trudeau declined to comment as he returned to his West Palm Beach hotel late on Friday. Were going to work together to meet some of the concerns, Mr Trudeau told reporters in Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. He said Mr Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now he is talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island. It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. Theres no question about it, Mr Trudeau said. Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business, he added. Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Mr Trumps team negotiated during his initial term. Mr Trudeau said they were able to successfully re-negotiate the deal, which he calls a win win for both countries. Mr Trump made the tariff threat on Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though the numbers at the Canadian border pale in comparison with the southern border. The US Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024. Mr Trump also railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border are few in comparison to the Mexican border. A jury has found that Conor McGregor assaulted Nikita Hand and has awarded her almost 250,000 in damages in civil rape case It was a court case that captivated the attention of the global media, becoming a touchstone for conversations about justice, power and consent across Ireland. One week on from the verdict in Ms Hands civil rape case against Dublin man Conor McGregor, the MMA fighters career is in freefall. Products associated with McGregor have been removed from shelves, murals have been whitewashed over and marches have taken place in solidarity with victim Ms Hand. A number of large retailers in Ireland have announced the withdrawal of products linked to the MMA fighter from stores this week. Musgrave, the owner of SuperValu and Centra, was the first to announce Proper No. Twelve whiskey and Forged Irish Stout would be withdrawn from its stores. This was followed by Tesco, Spar owners BWG Foods and the Barry Group, which operates Costcutter and Carry Out off-licences. But how is he responding to this backlash, and what next for the man who once had it all? Fionnan Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent legal affairs editor Shane Phelan and Irish Independent special correspondent Catherine Fegan, to discuss the fallout for McGregor following his civil rape case loss. Belfast pensioner paedophile who viewed extreme porn is spared jail Pervert given suspended sentence, with family said to be sickened by what he accessed online John McKenna outside court John Toner Sat 30 Nov 2024 at 15:27 A pensioner who downloaded indecent images of children and extreme pornography involving slavery and humiliation has avoided jail. Married Translink manager branded a coward over abuse of his mistress Judge scathing of train boss fined over controlling conduct towards woman he was having affair with Robert McKeown outside court John Toner Sat 30 Nov 2024 at 17:24 A veteran railway employee and board game enthusiast has been convicted of a despicable campaign of domestic abuse against his mistress. When shopping for toys, parents often want to find fun and affordable options for their kids. This is especially true today when the cost of living and housing is high. Websites like Temu and Shein sell toys that can seem like great deals. In fact, they offer a wide range of colorful and exciting toys at low prices. But before you add toys to your cart, it's important to think about safety. Not all toys meet the same safety standards. Here's everything parents need to know before ordering from these online platforms. What is Temu and Shein? Temu and Shein are popular e-commerce and online shopping websites that sell many different products at affordable prices. Many items on the platforms are priced under $50. That, in addition to constant promotions, discounts, and flash deals, makes Temu and Shein some of the top go-to platforms for parents and individuals looking for cheap items. These websites ship items from different countries and often carry everything from stuffed animals to puzzles and art supplies. Why Should Parents Be Wary of Imported Toys? A new report from the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) indicated that toys purchased online are often shipped directly to the buyer from the seller. This means the contents of the package are unlikely to get inspected before it reaches your doorstep. This, in turn, means the toys may not meet safety standards. In fact, a recent investigation by an Australian consumer advocacy organization tested 15 toys and novelty items sold by Temu. All products failed to meet at least one Australian safety standard requirement. They also had unsafe battery compartments that failed to secure button and coin batteries, which can cause severe injuries or death if ingested by children. There have also been reports of lead and cadmium in baby clothes, pacifiers, and toys sold on Shein. Additionally, toys sold by online retailers are not subject to the same laws as those offered in brick-and-mortar stores. Furthermore, online retailers can sell recalled toys online, per a separate report. "There's a reason those companies sell a toy for $4 when the exact same toy would cost $25 in the United States," Deirdre Cummings, consumer program director for MASSPIRG Education Fund, told Parents. Weapons and other evidence found at the home of a Williamstown man should be excluded from the case because of the way the police search was handled, according to a defense attorney. FORT WORTH, TEXAS The estate of U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob "Jake" Galliher, a Pittsfield airman killed in a V-22 Osprey crash a year ago, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against its manufacturers. The lawsuit was filed at U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Fort Worth on Friday the one-year anniversary of the Nov. 29, 2023, crash that killed Galliher, a 2017 Taconic High School graduate, and seven other airmen off the coast of Japan. The civil action seeks damages from Bell Textron and Boeing, which jointly manufactured the V-22, and Universal Stainless, which produced the metal alloy used in the aircraft's gearbox. The suit was filed on behalf of Gallihers estate his widow, Ivy Galliher, and the couples two young children in Texas, as Bell Textron is headquartered in Fort Worth, where the aircraft was manufactured. The lawsuit alleges that Bell and/or Boeing failed to use proper care in manufacturing the aircraft by using a metal alloy that it knew or should have known had design defects that would cause the gearbox to disintegrate, leading to a catastrophic failure. Those risks were so well-known that "the risk of one of them disintegrating was obvious," the complaint alleges. Calls and emails to Boeing, Bell Textron and Universal Stainless seeking comment on the lawsuit were not returned by press time Friday. Alice Forbes, a Massachusetts-based attorney representing the Galliher estate, said Ivy Galliher was brave to file the lawsuit on the one-year anniversary of her husbands death. It feels like it gives some meaning to do it today, Forbes told The Eagle of the timing. They very much want for no other family to go through what theyve gone through. The bottom line is these planes are clearly unsafe and they continue to fly and the family doesnt want to be contacted by another family to be sharing their experiences, Forbes said. They feel its a matter of time until the aircraft fails again, she said. The V-22 Osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but can rotate its propellers forward and cruise like an airplane. But the aircraft has a tortured history of fatal crashes. Multiple internal and media reports have cited problems with its transmission and the metal alloys used to make the pinions for its gearbox and the continued failure to fix the problem despite years of evidence and loss of life. U.S. Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal recently penned a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III requesting to keep the V-22 grounded. According to the letter, the aircraft has been involved in 21 major accidents since 1992, resulting in 64 deaths. A spike in incidents over the last five years shows that the V-22 is putting our servicemembers at high risk of danger, Warren said in a statement released to The Eagle earlier this week. To protect our servicemembers, DoD needs to ground this aircraft and be transparent about the problems plaguing this aircraft and its plan to address the root causes of the Ospreys significant safety issues. The Department of Defense grounded its fleet of V-22s following the crash that killed Jake Galliher and seven fellow crew members. According to the lawsuit, Galliher, a specialist in Mandarin Chinese assigned the the 43rd Intelligence Squadron, was specifically requested for the mission and otherwise would have been on paternity leave. The couple's newborn son was just weeks old when the crash happened; his older brother was 2 years old. In the letter to the Department of Defense, Warren, Markey and Neal cited two Air Force reports documenting a long list of institutional and manufacturing issues with the aircraft, made by Textron Bell and Boeing one an accident report, the other an internal safety report, which has been obtained by media covering aviation and the defense industry. The lawmakers also pointed to a lack of communication between the Air Force and Naval Air Systems Command, which oversees the V-22 program, including failing to share safety information adequately information that could have helped reduce risk and save lives. In March, the Marine Corps allowed the V-22 to return to limited service so long as it was flown within 30 miles of an airfield. The Air Force has been returning the aircraft to active service since September. In their letter, Markey, Warren and Neal said the V-22 should not be deployed again until the platforms significant deficiencies are fully addressed. According to the lawsuit, Universal Stainless facility in Dunkirk, N.Y., has been plagued by quality control problems a fact known to Bell and Boeing. Those problems include the inclusion of aluminum oxide and manganese sulfide in the alloy, making it more brittle and prone to chipping under stress, and the continued use of aging and outdated factory equipment. Since her husband's death, Ivy Galliher established the Jake Galliher Foundation, which provides scholarships and awards "ensuring that Jakes legacy of bravery, dedication and kindness lives on." She and her mother-in-law, Kim Krautter, also opened a business in Lanesborough, Jake's Java, paying tribute to Galliher and his fallen comrades. Ivy Galliher also wrote an essay for Newsweek in September, titled "Widow: Ground this military plane before more people die." In it, she recalled the awful moment she learned her husband had been killed, and her anger that the V-22 Osprey was being returned to service before its flaws were fully corrected. "Though not released to the public, the [Safety Inspection Board] report 'found that the high-speed gear that failed' ... because of a single crack 'was similar to those seen on seven previous failures in low-speed planetary pinion gears.' Seven," Ivy wrote in Newsweek. "I struggle to understand how this finding is compatible with the determination that Ospreys are 'safe.'" The money flowed from the federal government to the state so farmers could be paid for food to be delivered to food banks and meal kitchens. Now that's over. GREAT BARRINGTON Fire officials say they "fully expect" and have seen steam and fog stemming from remaining hot spots in the Butternut Fire area. "This is expected and you do not need to be alarmed," the Great Barrington Fire Department wrote in their evening update on Thanksgiving Day. "The fire is controlled." Remaining hot spots from the wildfire, which has burned 1,650 acres across East Mountain, are cooling down with the help of rain and snow "Todays rain and snow so far is just shy of 1 inch this is beneficial," the department wrote. On Friday morning, officials reported that patrols "will continue through the day today observing and reporting how the fire responded to the rain that was received over the last day." They do not, they said, "expect to have firefighters in the woods [Friday] and ask that the public continue to stay clear of the area." The area continues to be dangerous, "especially with the rain and snow, combined with the fact that the fire dramatically changed conditions on the ground in and around its footprint." The wildfire was started by human activity, fire officials say, sometime the night of Nov. 18. amid a severe drought. It continued to burn across the mountain and by Wednesday had crossed the ridge into Sheffield. Firefighters kept multiple neighborhoods safe by establishing a break line by digging and clearing vegetation around the perimeter of the fire. Town officials declared a state of emergency, and officials began monitoring air quality as smoke traveled across the county. Police are investigating who might have caused it. On Thanksgiving, firefighters again expressed gratitude for the community outpouring of support. "Thank you to all that have been boots on the ground, contributed or supported our efforts, held down the home-front while family members were out working this incident," reads an update from the fire department, "and to the employers that supported their workers while they were giving back to the community." Health Ministry signs MoU with Banaras Hindu University and Ministry of Education to support Institute of Medical Sciences November 30, 2024 | Saturday | News To enhance availability of affordable state-of-the-art secondary and tertiary healthcare services Union Health Ministry has entered into a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Ministry of Education to provide enhanced funding and technical support to Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), BHU. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) enables provision of grant in aid to IMS, BHU by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on the lines of new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The provision of grant to IMS BHU by MoHFW will enhance the availability of affordable state-of-the-art secondary and tertiary health care services to the people of the region. It will contribute significantly in reducing referrals by enhancing delivery of clinical care services. This will result not only in increased patient experience and satisfaction but is expected to notably reduce out of pocket expenditure on patient care. Union Health Ministry has from time to time been providing support to IMS, BHU under various schemes for establishment of new facilities and upgradation of existing ones. Considering the excellence of IMS BHU and its potential to further improve the quality of health care services, need was felt for providing enhanced support to enable it to deliver healthcare services of highest standards. "'It is hard being a Green, as Kermit the Frog used to say," according to Deputy Leader of the Green Party, Senator Roisin Garvey when asked to comment this evening on the poor General Election poll performance by the Green Party today. Speaking at the count centre at Treacy's West County hotel in Ennis, Co Clare, after posing for photos with the extended Garvey clan, the Inagh native said: When you are the smallest party in Government you get a kicking and we got a kicking today. Advertisement She said: I am not surprised. I think we were brave to go in as Coalition partners and what happened today has happened historically. Senator Garvey went on: "It is traditional in Irish politics that a small party with two other parties will get blamed and Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were happy for that to happen. I am not surprised that it happened to us." Senator Garvey said: It was our third term in government - for the first time ever, we brought down carbon emissions, we halved the price of public transport and started a retrofit programme - I am very proud of what we achieved. She said: The Green are not going to go anywhere. Climate change is not going to go away as an agenda issue. Advertisement On her own performance, Senator Garvey said that six per cent of the first preference vote is pretty good for a Green in Clare. She said: I am very pleased with how I have done. However, Senator Garvey conceded that the gap between herself and Sinn Fein candidate, Donna McGettigan was too big to make up. She said: "I will do well on transfers but I dont think I will do well enough. I cannot see myself passing her out. 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The man, 54, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared at Dublin District Court on Saturday following a Garda investigation into two incidents at the same apartment complex in south Dublin on October 27th and 20th last. Advertisement He is accused of carrying out two sexual assaults. Objecting to bail, Garda Eoin Holland said the accused, a foreign national, was a flight risk. The court heard the accused, who has yet to enter a plea, recently came to Ireland with his wife to visit family members. It was alleged that on October 27th, a woman living in the complex was sitting in the communal area at around 3pm and was approached by the suspect, who spoke to her in his language. The court heard that the suspect then grabbed her by the face and started kissing her. Advertisement She tried to leave, but it was claimed that he grabbed her by the cheeks and kissed her again. She managed to leave and went outside, where he followed her. Garda Holland told the court that one week earlier, the other woman was in the communal area at 1pm getting a cup of coffee when she was approached from the right-hand side. The court was told: "He went to shake her hand and then straight away grabbed her by the back of the neck and started licking the side of the face and sticking his tongue in the corner of her mouth." The court heard that she pleaded with him to stop and tried to push him off when he grabbed her right breast and crotch area; she pushed him off her, but he grabbed her hand and put it on his crotch before she got away. Advertisement Judge Finan heard both incidents were on good quality CCTV, and neither woman was known by the suspect, who was arrested on Friday at a relative's address in Dublin. Questioned by defence barrister Kevin McCrave, the garda agreed the man had been staying with relatives in south Dublin. He agreed that the man, who did not address the court, had no prior convictions in Ireland but added that gardai were awaiting a response from Interpol on whether he had a criminal record abroad. Mr McCrave, instructed by solicitor Niall O'Connor, submitted that he had to enunciate his client's presumption of innocence, giving rise to a presumption in favour of bail. Advertisement Judge Finan held that the objections based on flight risk were well founded but noted further defence submissions that a surety could be offered to alleviate the court's concerns. Counsel said his client's son in Ireland was in employment and could try to stand bail. Election 2024 Election Results Hub: Live count updates from all... Read More Judge Finan said it would have to be substantial and then set the surety at 25,000 with a bail person yet to be approved. Once taken up, the accused must surrender his travel documents, not leave Dublin or go near the alleged crime scene and victims, not contact them, and sign on twice daily at a garda station. The defendant, who listened to the proceedings with the aid of an interpreter, did not address the court and has still to enter a plea. He was granted legal aid, remanded in custody with consent to bail and will appear again on December 5th. Thousands of demonstrators protesting the Georgian governments decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union rallied outside the parliament and clashed with police outside parliament for a second straight night on Friday. The night before, police used water cannons, pepper spray and tear gas to disperse protesters who took to the streets in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream party announced the suspension. Advertisement The interior ministry said it detained 43 people during the protests. Protesters pour into the streets following Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidzes announcement (Zurab Tsertsvadze/AP) On Friday evening, protesters again swarmed the parliament, with some trying to break the metal gates to the building. Riot police used water cannons to drive them back and later moved to push some of the demonstrators away from the area. Georgian Dreams disputed victory in the October 26 election, which was widely seen as a referendum on the countrys aspirations to join the European Union, has sparked massive demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of the parliament. Advertisement The opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia seeking to keep Georgia in its orbit. President Salome Zourabichvili joined protesters on Thursday after accusing the government of declaring war on its own people. In Fridays address to the nation, Ms Zourabichvili urged police not to use force against protesters. Protesters pour into the streets following the countrys ruling party suspended negotiations to join the European Union until 2028 (Zurab Tsertsvadze/AP) The Georgian president, who has a largely ceremonial role, has declared that the ruling party rigged the election with the help of Russia, Georgias former imperial master. Advertisement The governments announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that condemned last months vote as neither free nor fair, representing yet another manifestation of the continued democratic backsliding for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible. European election observers said Octobers vote took place in a divisive atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence. The EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 on condition that it meet the blocs recommendations, but put its accession on hold and cut financial support earlier this year after the passage of a foreign influence law widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms. EU legislators urged for a re-run of the parliamentary vote within a year under thorough international supervision and by an independent election administration. Advertisement They also called on the EU to impose sanctions and limit formal contacts with the Georgian government. Paramedics treat a protester after clashes with police (Zurab Tsertsvadze/AP) The Georgian prime minister fired back, denouncing what he described as a cascade of insults from the EU politicians and declaring that the ill-wishers of our country have turned the European Parliament into a blunt weapon of blackmail against Georgia, which is a great disgrace for the European Union. We will continue on our path toward the European Union; however, we will not allow anyone to keep us in a constant state of blackmail and manipulation, which is utterly disrespectful to our country and society, Mr Kobakhidze said. We must clearly show certain European politicians and bureaucrats, who are completely devoid of European values, that they must speak to Georgia with dignity, not through blackmail and insults. Advertisement Mr Kobakhidze also said Georgia would reject any budgetary grants from the EU until the end of 2028. Critics have accused Georgian Dream established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights. The EU suspended Georgias membership application process indefinitely in June, after parliament passed a law requiring organisations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as pursuing the interest of a foreign power, similar to a Russian law used to discredit organisations critical of the government. Icelanders have voted to elect a new parliament after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call an early election. All polling stations managed to open despite fierce weather in the sub-Arctic nation that left roads in many areas blocked by snow. Advertisement Ballot counting began after polls closed at 10pm local time, with results expected early Sunday. This is Icelands sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. People have been casting their ballot in the Iceland election (Marco Di Marco/AP) Opinion polls suggested the country could be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Mr Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. Advertisement My expectation is like, something new (is) going to happen, hopefully, said Horour Guojonsson, voting in the capital, Reykjavik. We always have had these old parties taking care of things. I hope we see the light now to come in with a younger people, new ideas. Iceland, a nation of about 400,000 people, is proud of its democratic traditions, describing itself as arguably the worlds oldest parliamentary democracy. The islands parliament, the Althingi, was founded in 930 by the Norsemen who settled the country. More than 100 demonstrators were arrested overnight in Georgia as protesters clashed with police following the governments decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union, the countrys interior ministry said on Saturday. It was the second straight night of protests after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the countrys ruling Georgian Dream party announced the decision the previous day. Advertisement Demonstrators faced off against police late on Friday in a number of major Georgian cities, including the capital, Tbilisi, and the Black Sea port of Batumi. The Associated Press saw protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the countrys parliament building. A demonstrator holds a Georgian national flag outside the parliaments building in Tbilisi (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze) Riot police used water cannons to push protesters away from the building and later moved to force them farther back along Rustaveli Avenue, the citys main street. Police also used heavy force against members of the media and used loudspeakers to shout profanities and insults at the crowds. Advertisement Georgian Dreams disputed victory in the countrys October 26 parliamentary election, which was widely seen as a referendum on Georgias aspirations to join the European Union, has sparked massive demonstrations and led to an opposition boycott of the parliament. The opposition has said that the vote was rigged with the help of Russia, Georgias former imperial master, with Moscow hoping to keep Tbilisi in its orbit. Georgian president, Salome Zourabichvili, joined protesters on Thursday after accusing the government of declaring war on its own people. In an address to the nation on Friday, she urged police not to use force against protesters. Mr Kobakhidze, the prime minister, characterized the protests on Saturday as violent demonstrations. He said that unspecified foreign entities wished to see the Ukrainisation of Georgia with a Maidan-style scenario a reference to Ukraines 2014 Maidan revolution. Advertisement Mr Kobakhidze also said that Georgia remained committed to European integration. The governments announcement that it was suspending negotiations to join the EU came hours after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that condemned last months vote as neither free nor fair. It said the election represented another manifestation of Georgias continued democratic backsliding for which the ruling Georgian Dream party is fully responsible. Polands Prime Minister Donald Tusk has visited his countrys border with the Russian region of Kaliningrad to inspect progress on the construction of military fortifications along the eastern frontier, calling it an investment in peace. Mr Tusks visit on Saturday comes a month before Poland is to take over the rotating presidency of the 27-member European Union. Advertisement Polish officials say their priority is to urge Europeans to strengthen defences at a time of Russian aggression and with change coming soon in Washington. Some European leaders are concerned that the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump might be less committed to Europes defence. Mr Tusk also proposed this week that Poland and the Nordic and Baltic countries carry out joint navy patrols in the strategically important Baltic Sea, after the suspected sabotage of undersea data cables. Polands government and army began building the system dubbed East Shield this year. Advertisement It will eventually include approximately 500 miles along the Polish borders with Russia and Belarus, at a time when western officials accuse Russia of waging hybrid attacks against the West that include sabotage, the weaponisation of migration, disinformation and other hostile measures. The better the Polish border is guarded, the more difficult it is to access for those with bad intentions, Mr Tusk said at a news conference near the village of Dabrowka as he stood in front of concrete anti-tank barriers. Poland has been at the mercy of aggressive neighbours for centuries and has become a leading European voice for security at a time when France and Germany are weakened by internal political problems. Poland aims to spend 4.7% of its gross domestic product on defence next year, making it one of Natos leaders in defence spending. Advertisement Mr Tusks government estimates that the strategic military project will cost at least 10 billion zlotys (1.96 billion). Polands borders with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are the easternmost external borders of both the European Union and Nato. Mr Tusk said he expected the East Shield to eventually be expanded to protect the small Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Everything we are doing here, and we will also be doing this on the border with Belarus and Ukraine, is to deter and discourage a potential aggressor, which is why it is truly an investment in peace, Mr Tusk said. Advertisement We will spend billions of zlotys on this, but right now the whole of Europe is observing these investments and our actions with great satisfaction and will support them if necessary. He did not elaborate on his plans for reinforcing the border with Ukraine, a close ally. Along the frontier, anti-tank barriers known as hedgehogs will be integrated with natural barriers like ditches. Mr Tusk said parts of the project are not visible to the naked eye, but it is nonetheless the largest project of its nature in Europe since the end of the Second World War. Advertisement The plans also include the construction of threat reconnaissance and detection systems, forward bases, logistics hubs, warehouses and the deployment of anti-drone systems, the state news agency PAP reported. Thousands of Syrian insurgents fanned out inside Aleppo in vehicles with improvised armour and pickup trucks, deploying to landmarks such as the old citadel on Saturday, a day after they entered Syrias largest city facing little resistance from government troops, according to residents and fighters. Witnesses said two airstrikes on the citys edge late on Friday targeted insurgent reinforcements and hit near residential areas. A war monitor said 20 fighters were killed. Advertisement Syrias armed forces said in a statement on Saturday that to absorb the large attack on Aleppo and save lives, it has redeployed and is preparing for a counterattack. The statement acknowledged that insurgents entered large parts of the city but said they have not established bases or checkpoints. Syrian opposition fighters burn government Syrian flags for the cameras next to Aleppos old city (Ghaith Alsayed/AP) Insurgents were filmed outside police headquarters, in the city centre, and outside the Aleppo citadel. They tore down posters of Syrian President Bashar Assad, stepping on some and burning others. The surprise takeover is a huge embarrassment for Mr Assad, who managed to regain total control of the city in 2016, after expelling insurgents and thousands of civilians from its eastern neighbourhoods after a gruelling military campaign in which his forces were backed by Russia, Iran and its allied groups. Advertisement Aleppo has not been attacked by opposition forces since then. The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against Mr Assads rule turned into an all-out war. The push into Aleppo followed weeks of simmering low-level violence, including government attacks on opposition-held areas. Turkey, which has backed Syrian opposition groups, failed in its diplomatic efforts to prevent the Syrian government attacks, which were seen as a violation of a 2019 agreement sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran to freeze the line of the conflict. Syrian opposition fighters patrol the streets of Aleppo (Ghaith Alsayed/AP) The offensive came as Iran-linked groups, primarily Lebanons Hezbollah, which has backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battles at home. Advertisement A ceasefire in Hezbollahs two-month war with Israel took effect Wednesday, the day the Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days. Schools and government offices were closed Saturday as most people stayed indoors, according to Sham FM radio, a pro-government station. Bakeries were open. Witnesses said the insurgents deployed security forces around the city to prevent any acts of violence or looting. In social media posta, the insurgents were pictured outside Aleppo Citadel, the medieval palace in the old city centre, and one of the largest in the world. In phone videos, they recorded themselves speaking to residents they visited at home, seeking to reassure them they will cause no harm. Advertisement On a state TV morning show on Saturday, commentators said army reinforcements and Russias assistance will repel the terrorist groups, blaming Turkey for supporting the insurgents push into Aleppo and Idlib provinces. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home on Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Mr Trump called the talks productive but signalled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. Advertisement After the leaders hastily arranged dinner on Friday night at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Mr Trudeau spoke of an excellent conversation but offered no details. Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post later on Saturday that they discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address. Canadas Justin Trudeau met Donald Trump during his first erm as president in 2020 (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) For issues in need of such co-operation, Mr Trump cited fentanyl and the drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration; fair trade deals that do not jeopardise American Workers; and the US trade deficit with its ally to the north. Mr Trump asserted that the prime minister had made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbours. Advertisement The US, he said, will no longer sit idly by as our citizens become victims to the scourge of this drug epidemic. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. US customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the US Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Advertisement Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Mr Trump on the telephone, said on Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Mr Trump said he and Mr Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. An official cited defence, Ukraine, Nato, China, the Middle East, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau weak and dishonest, but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the November 5 election. Advertisement Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states. Nearly 2.7 billion US dollars (2.1 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of US crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of US electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminium and uranium to the US and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canadas exports go to the US. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with US President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Mr Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Mr Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they do not stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. Advertisement He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. A person familiar with the details called it a positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours. The official said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defence, Ukraine, Natro, China and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year. Justin Trudeau is the first leader from the G7 countries to visit Mr Trump since the November 5 election (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Although Mr Trump once called Trudeau weak and dishonest during his first term, ties between the two countries have remained among the closest in the world. Advertisement Mr Trudeau is the first leader from the G7 countries to visit Mr Trump since the November 5 election. A smiling Mr Trudeau declined to comment as he returned to his West Palm Beach hotel late on Friday. Were going to work together to meet some of the concerns, Mr Trudeau told reporters in Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. He said Mr Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now he is talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island. Advertisement It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. Theres no question about it, Mr Trudeau said. Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business, he added. Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Mr Trumps team negotiated during his initial term. Mr Trudeau said they were able to successfully re-negotiate the deal, which he calls a win win for both countries. Advertisement Mr Trump made the tariff threat on Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though the numbers at the Canadian border pale in comparison with the southern border. The US Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024. Mr Trump also railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border are few in comparison to the Mexican border. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner, father of Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Mr Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker. Advertisement Mr Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former senior Trump adviser who is married to Trumps eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Mr Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was co-operating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Mr Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the mans wife, prosecutors said. Advertisement Mr Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the US attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, had sought. Mr Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Mr Trumps transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushners offences one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was US attorney. Mr Trump and the elder Mr Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. Volodymyr Zelenskiy has suggested that Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the Nato umbrella to try and stop the hot stage of the war with Russia. Speaking to Sky News, the Ukrainian leader said that such a proposal has never been considered by Ukraine because it has never officially been offered. Advertisement Speaking via a translation transmitted by Sky News, Mr Zelenskiy said: If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under Nato umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control. Volodymyr Zelenskiy is greeted by Sir Keir Starmer as he arrives in Downing Street ahead of meetings with the Prime Minister and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte (Jonathan Brady/PA) Thats what we need to do fast, and then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically. This proposal has never been considered by Ukraine because no one has ever offered that to us officially. In the same interview, Mr Zelenskiy also said that any invitation should be given within its internationally recognised border, you cant give invitation to just one part of a country. Advertisement Last month Mr Zelenskiy revealed a victory plan. The Associated Press reported that the plan to win his countrys fight against Russias invasion could bring peace next year, he said, but it contains a step that some crucial western allies have so far refused to countenance: inviting Ukraine to join Nato before the war ends. The interview comes in the same week that Russian drone and missile attacks have hit civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, leaving more than a million people without heat and power in freezing temperatures. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer discussed the attacks with Mr Zelenskiy in a call on Thursday. Advertisement Downing Street said the leaders discussed the egregious Russian missile strike in the early hours of this morning, which had deprived more than a million people of heat, light and electricity. The Prime Minister described the systemic attacks on Ukraines energy sector as depraved, No 10 said. Following reports that a fresh consignment of Storm Shadow missiles have been sent to Kyiv, Mr Zelenskiy said in his call with Sir Keir we discussed advancing our defence cooperation and strengthening Ukraines long-range capabilities. China expands multi-entry permits for HK, Macao for neighboring city residents Xinhua) 11:31, November 30, 2024 BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday announced new policies enabling residents of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in Guangdong, the economic powerhouse province, to make more frequent visits to neighboring Hong Kong and Macao. The measures are seen as the country's latest efforts to enhance mobility and foster deeper integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. According to a statement from the Exit and Entry Administration, starting Dec. 1, 2024, permanent residents of Shenzhen and holders of residence permits in the city will be eligible to apply for multi-entry permits to Hong Kong. The permits allow unlimited visits to the city within a year, with each stay capped at seven days. From Jan. 1, 2025, permanent residents of Zhuhai City will be able to apply for a "one trip per week" permit for Macao. Under the policy, they can visit Macao once per calendar week, with a maximum stay of seven days per trip. Also starting Jan. 1, 2025, permanent residents and residence permit holders in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin will be eligible to apply for multi-entry permits to Macao, enabling unrestricted visits for up to seven days per stay within a one-year validity period. The Greater Bay Area, encompassing China's two special administrative regions and nine cities in Guangdong, is home to around 86 million people. It serves as a hub for innovation, finance and trade, maintaining dynamic connections to global markets. Last year, the region's total economic output matched that of Canada. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) A western Sydney community was left horrified and heartbroken on Saturday after the bodies of two people who ran a local burger shop for more than 20 years were discovered in what police described as a confronting scene. A family member of the couple raised the alarm about 9.40am on Saturday morning and police arrived to find the bodies of a man and woman with significant injuries in Buzzy Bees Burger House, on Oxford Street in Cambridge Park. The deceased pair were married couple Hoa Tek Chiem, 69, and Heang Kim Gau, 68, Nine News reported. Police, ambulances and helicopters swamped the area surrounding the strip of shops on Saturday morning as locals some of them decades-long customers of Buzzy Bees watched detectives and forensic police enter the store. The national body tasked to carry out the eradication of fire ants in Australia has responded to claims officers were arrested for planting fire ants. In a statement on Friday, the National Fire Ant Eradication Program called the allegations false and unfounded. Our team works tirelessly to protect our community from fire ants, they said. Fire ants pose a huge threat to outdoor living, tourism, agriculture and native ecosystems. Credit: Barry Rice/Supplied Moving fire ants is illegal, and such reckless claims only serve to spread misinformation and disinformation about the important work we are doing. Japan is seeking to capitalise on its rapidly deepening quasi alliance with Australia as it competes with Germany in a fierce battle to win a $10 billion contract to build 11 frigates for the Australian navy. Defence Minister Richard Marles this week officially announced that Japans Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Germanys Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) have been shortlisted for the lucrative general purpose frigate contract, knocking out rival bids from Spain and South Korea. The government is considering a bid by Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to sell its Mogami 30FFM frigate to Australia Both sides are waging an intense lobbying battle to win the tender, with TKMS promoting its MEKO A200 frigate as the most trustworthy and reliable choice while Mitsubishi hopes the blossoming Japan-Australia strategic relationship will give it an edge over its European competitor. The Japanese Cabinet Office on Thursday released a document approving the sale of Mogami-class frigates to Australia in what would be a landmark deal for Japan. Problem gamblers can choose to be excluded from gaming venues, whose facial recognition software will alert security if those on the self-exclusion register attempt to enter a casino or gaming establishment. In most cases, people who sign on to self-exclusion registers in Victoria are warned their data could be used for facial recognition. But as states across Australia have sought to strengthen protections around pokies venues and tackle organised crime, they have encountered challenges on the use of facial-recognition technology. New South Wales Attorney-General Michael Daley this month said he was committed to the use of facial-recognition technology but warned there was a way to go in how it should be used. We must make sure that the technology works and that its implementation protects peoples privacy, he said in parliament. With cybercrime and a range of other things, we all worry that the more data these systems collect the more is put at risk of being stolen. Australian Privacy Foundation immediate past chair David Vaile said the spread of cheap internet-connected technology increased the risk of personal information being exposed, particularly if it wasnt regularly updated with security upgrades. Loading All the attacker needs is a tiny, hairline crack to get through, and what the defender needs to do is have 100 per cent perfect perimeter security, which is impossible, he said. The business model of the attackers has proven very successful, so theyve grown in 20 to 30 years. Vaile said the use of different technology across each venue made it almost impossible for people walking through the door to judge whether the facial recognition technology in use was safe. Retailer Bunnings this month was found by the national regulator to have breached Australias privacy laws with its use of facial-recognition technology, a finding it has sought to review. Following this, the Office of the Australia Information Commissioner (OAIC) issued guidance about how businesses should approach the issue. The office said it was up to organisations to justify that the collection was necessary in the first place and that they should take reasonable steps to identify risks for how information was used, stored, destroyed and de-identified. The fact that FRT is available, convenient or desirable should not be relied on to establish that it is necessary to collect the information, the OAIC guidance said. An OAIC spokesperson said the onus is on organisations to reassess their own practices and ensure they comply with our guidance. Victorian Information Commissioner Sean Morrison told a parliamentary hearing last week that his office had concerns about potential breaches because government agencies were failing to enforce privacy laws when outsourcing work. The expectation there is that when agencies are contracting with the provider that they pass on all of the [privacy and security] requirements to those agencies the access to information privacy or information security. And we dont believe thats happening now, Morrison told the hearing. Morrison said his office was aware of several data breaches that did not result in investigations, and that agencies were not reporting breaches due to fears they would be investigated. There were also a couple of other breaches that we are aware of that we didnt do investigations on but where, again, the volume of information that was [taken] was much higher than it should have been. Victorias Privacy and Data Protection Deputy Commissioner, Rachel Dixon, would not provide further information about these breaches when asked by The Age, but said: [OVIC] cannot investigate where it does not have jurisdiction over the organisation or type of information impacted. In 2022, tens of thousand Victorians had sensitive personal information exposed after a ransomware attack on a state government contractor, Datatime. Datatime held several contracts with six different state departments spanning decades. Dixon launched an investigation into the breach. The report, handed down in May this year, found Datatime had troves of public-sector data dating back to as early as 2003, including sensitive personal information like medical records and family histories. It was an organisation that was contractually required by several government agencies to delete the data that they were collecting within a matter of months, Dixon said at last weeks parliamentary hearing. The report also found that along with other cybersecurity issues, Datatime and the two departments it held contracts with at the time of the breach were unclear on their obligations to destroy and de-identify government data. Dixon was unable to complete her investigation as the company entered voluntary administration. Under OVIC guidelines, government agencies are supposed to bind all third-party providers to comply with laws which govern the handling of personal information and public sector data. The information watchdog is currently consulting agencies as it develops a new set of guidelines. Without enforcing these privacy obligations to contractors, there is little recourse if a privacy breach occurs, said Dixon. As the political atmosphere heats up in Karnataka over the disenfranchisement of Muslims demand by Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami, the Karnataka Police on Saturday issued summons to the Vokkaliga seer asking him to appear before it for questioning on December 2. The summons to the seer come amid a warning by the BJP of consequences if the powerful Vokkaliga seer is troubled for his statement seeking disenfranchisement of Muslims. The Upparpet police who earlier booked the FIR against the seer have asked him to appear before them at 11 A.M. on December 2. The move is likely to trigger a controversy and confrontation between the BJP and the Congress government in the state. Karnataka Police slapped an FIR on Friday against Swami for his controversial remark demanding disenfranchisement of Muslims in India on a police complaint lodged by one Syed Abbas in this regard. Swami heads the Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt and the statements were made at a protest on Tuesday in Bengaluru, organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a farmers organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to condemn the Waqf Boards notices to farmers. Swami stated, Politicians indulge in vote bank politics and appeasement of Muslims. Hence, Muslims should be deprived of exercising their voting powers. This should be done and the end of vote bank politics would help the progress of the country. Swami said that in Pakistan, people of other religions, barring the Muslim majority, do not have the power to vote and added that if this is adopted in India, Muslims will keep to themselves and there will be peace in the country. Everyone can live in peace, he stated. The filing of the FIR against him had taken a serious political turn with a Karnataka BJP delegation visiting him on Friday and warning of serious consequences if he was booked by the police. The police have lodged an FIR under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the seer. The complaint stated that the statement by the seer was provocative and threatens to disturb communal harmony in society. The BJP delegations visit to the powerful Vokkaliga seer was headed by Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and former Deputy CM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan. Ashoka issued a strong warning to the Karnataka government stating that, The Congress partys hatred toward Vokkaligas is disgraceful. If the government dares to target Swamiji, the entire Vokkaliga community will rise against it. If the Congress government attempts to take action against Vokkaliga seer Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami, the head of the Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasamsthana Mutt, the entire Vokkaliga community will rise in protest. By Cillian Sherlock, Grainne Ni Aodha and Claudia Savage, PA Polls have closed in the general election after a quick campaign that focused on the countrys most pressing issues. Turnout tipped across 40 per cent in some areas by 6pm amid fears that harsh winds and heavy rain may deter some voters. The leaders of all the main political parties cast their votes, except for the head of the Social Democrats Holly Cairns who gave birth to a baby girl on polling day. The Cork South-West candidate posted a picture of her cradling her daughter on Instagram with the caption: Shes here. Holly Cairns was unable to vote after giving birth to her baby daughter (Holly Cairns via Instagram/PA) Current Taoiseach Simon Harris said he expects a fascinating couple of days after he submitted his ballot minutes after polling stations opened. Speaking after voting on Friday, Mr Harris said that the make-up and stability of the next government could be decided by where transfer votes go a key part of the complex electoral system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV). The Fine Gael leader arrived at the polling station in Co Wicklow just before 7.30am with his wife Caoimhe and their children, Saoirse (5) and Cillian (3). Im feeling really hopeful, hopeful in terms of the election, but hopeful for the future of our country, he said. The three main parties Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein were considered to be near neck-and-neck rivals coming into polling day, with turnout expected to be another crucial factor. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris casts his vote at Delgany National School, Co Wicklow. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Tanaiste Micheal Martin urged people to brave the wet and windy weather to attend their local polling station: I encourage people to vote its a key part of our democracy. After voting in the suburbs of Cork city with his wife Mary, his daughter Aoibhe, and his sons Micheal Aodh and Cillian, the Fianna Fail leader said his party had run a positive campaign in a close-fought race as he argued for the formation of a coherent, stable government. Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin casts his vote at St Anthonys Boys National School, Beechwood Park, Ballinlough, Cork. Photo: Jacob King/PA Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Fein leader, said it was decision day after she voted in Cabra, Dublin. She said it was a particularly significant election for younger people as she urged people to vote. I just want to encourage everybody to come out and make their mark on what can be, in my belief, a really significant, in fact, a historic day where we can elect a new government for change, she said. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina cast their votes at their local polling station in the Phoenix Park as the leaders of smaller parties also came out early to vote. President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina cast their votes at St Marys Hospital, Phoenix Park, Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Green leader Roderic OGorman, People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett, and Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan were among those who voted in Co Dublin. Meanwhile, Independent Ireland founder Michael Collins voted in Co Cork and Aontu leader Peadar Toibin cast his vote in Navan. The polls opened at 7am and will close at 10pm, with a total of 174 seats in the Dail to be filled more than ever before. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald casts her vote at Deaf Village Ireland on the Navan Road in Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA More than 3 million registered voters will pick their representatives across 43 constituencies, in a campaign that has focused on the housing crisis, the response to a dramatic increase in immigration, and economic management for the cost of living as well as potential future trade shocks. After the 2020 general election delivered an inconclusive result, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of the Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power. Sinn Fein won the popular vote in 2020 but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government. An exit poll at 10pm will provide the first sense of what the next government may look like. The arithmetic to form a majority could prove tricky though, with the countrys several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockeying for a place in government. It will end a lacklustre three-week campaign that seemed to fail to ignite a surge of enthusiasm among the public, after the election was officially called by Mr Harris on November 8th. That decision was ultimately his prerogative, and occurred while Fine Gael was enjoying a lift in the polls after he took over as leader from Leo Varadkar earlier this year. It also came at a time when Sinn Fein was beset by a string of controversies in the preceding weeks including former party members writing job references for a colleague who was later convicted of child sex crimes. But opinions polls suggested that the parties fortunes may have since shifted. Mr Martin, Ms McDonald and Mr Harris (left to right) during the final leaders debate. Photo: Niall Carson/PA One key flashpoint in the campaign arose out of Donald Trumps presidential election victory in the US, which brought heightened concern around what his proposals for corporation tax and tariffs could mean for Ireland. As such, the scale of Sinn Feins spending proposals have been dubbed as irresponsible by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, who have argued that the country needs to prepare for potential trade shocks with more prudent financial management. But the campaigning tactic has been derided as project fear and desperate scaremongering by critics. At the same time, a Sinn Fein pledge to instigate an independent review into national broadcaster RTEs coverage of Gaza and other international conflicts was met with criticism by the partys opponents, and the National Union of Journalists. The polls opened at 7am and will close at 10pm. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Meanwhile, Fine Gaels campaign has been plagued with several controversies which the Taoiseach has been unable to shake. These include a much-criticised encounter in which Mr Harris was accused of dismissing the concerns of a disability care worker at a supermarket, a video of another party candidate involved in a fight outside a pub, and an endorsement of a Fine Gael minister by Ryanair boss Michael OLeary that suggested teachers should not run the country. The party of Mr Martin a former teacher also faced criticism over its proposals to decriminalise cannabis for personal use. Fianna Fails approach to drug use formed part of a wider row on handling the justice portfolio, which has come into sharp relief in the context of 2023s Dublin riots and a perception that the capital is unsafe. Some party figures were accused of sexism over their criticism of Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, Fine Gaels deputy leader. Green Party leader Roderic OGorman. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA After the 2020 election, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail relied on the Green Party as a junior partner to secure the coalitions majority. Mr OGorman said it looks likely his government partners will be returned to power, but cautioned they could seek an easier life over the next five years. He said this could result in right-wing independents or small populist parties padding out the numbers. The final results will immediately kick-start government formation speculation amid the possibility that more than three parties will be needed to get over the line. The protracted process of counting ballots by hand will begin on Saturday. As the State uses a system of proportional representation where candidates are ranked by preference, the voting slips need to be counted several times an undertaking which can last days. TWO PEOPLE who pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in a public place were ordered to pay a donation to charity, in lieu of being convicted and fined, when they appeared before Carlow District Court last week. Tommy Kerrigan, 48 Ferrybank Apartments, Graiguecullen and Chloe Lacey, Brookview Court, Tallaght, Dublin 24 both pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in a public place on 28 August and 27 August respectively. Inspector Conor Nolan told the court that gardai were called to the Ferrybank Apartments on 27 August, where they found 24-year-old Ms Lacey in an intoxicated state, that she was arrested for her own safety and brought to Carlow Garda Station. Insp Nolan continued that a while later, Mr Kerrigan (28) arrived at the garda station, also drunk, and that he refused to leave. The court heard that they had no previous convictions. Judge Catherine Hayden ordered both defendants to pay a 200 donation to Cians Kennels, which is a charity that unites sick children with their pets while theyre in hospital. She said that if the money is paid in four weeks that she would give them the benefit of the Probation Act. Cyclone Fengal: Chennai Airport temporarily halts operations The Chennai International Airport has temporarily shut down operations due to heavy rains as Cyclone Fengal approaches landfall. IndiGo Airlines announced that no flights would arrive or depart during this period which will continue till 1 P.M. on Saturday. An Indigo source told IANS that operations had been suspended due to adverse weather conditions. An IndiGo flight from Abu Dhabi, scheduled to land at 8:10 AM, was diverted to Bengaluru, while an Air India Express flight to Singapore was canceled due to technical issues. SriLankan Airlines also canceled its flight from Chennai to Colombo, which was set to depart at 9:40 AM. Passengers at Terminal 2 will be accommodated in hotels temporarily. Chennai and its surrounding areas are experiencing heavy to very heavy rainfall caused by the effects of Cyclone Fengal. Cyclone Fengal is expected to make landfall on Saturday evening between Karaikal and Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram). As of now, the cyclone is 150 km east of Puducherry, 140 km southeast of Chennai, 210 km northeast of Nagapattinam and 400 km north of Trincomalee. The cyclone is likely to move westward and cross the northern Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast near Puducherry as a cyclonic storm, with wind speeds of 70-80 kmph, gusting up to 90 kmph, according to the weather department. Meanwhile, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has reported water stagnation in 12 subways across the city. The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) has urged residents to avoid visiting beaches, amusement parks, and recreational events. Parks and beaches in Chennai and adjoining districts will remain closed today. GCC Mayor R. Priya has assured the public that the civic body is fully prepared to handle the cyclone and the heavy rains associated with it. Specific warnings have been issued against standing or parking vehicles under trees during heavy rains. The GCC has deployed 28,000 workers for rain relief operations. Additionally, 10 extra workers have been assigned to each of the 200 wards to address rain-related complaints, assist in food distribution, and carry out rescue operations. Volunteers have been mobilised to maintain communication with the civic body, and 36 boats are on standby for emergencies. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Chennai and neighbouring districts for November 30, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. Heavy rains continue to batter Tamil Nadus Delta districts, including Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam. District Collectors have urged the public to avoid entering water bodies for bathing, washing clothes, or swimming. Parents are advised to keep children away from waterlogged areas and ensure they do not stand under trees or in open spaces during thunderstorms. Several low-lying areas, including Sebastian Nagar and Sivasakthi Nagar in Velankanni, as well as Valliammai Nagar and Gomathi Nagar in Nagore, have reported flooding after significant amounts of rainfall. A 24-hour control room with a toll-free helpline (04365-1077) has been set up to address rain-related emergencies. Coastal and Marine Precautions: Coastal areas are witnessing rough seas. In Nagapattinams Vedaranyam, waves are receding, while in Cuddalore, sea waves are rising over 10 feet, compared to the usual two feet. Coastal areas such as Thazhanguda, Devanampattinam, Singarathoppu, and Sothikuppam have been affected. Fishermen have been advised to stay ashore, and all mechanised and motorised boats remain docked. The Cuddalore Port has raised Cyclone Warning Signal Number 3 due to strong winds and heavy rains. Emergency Preparedness: In Cuddalore district, 270 personnel, including swimmers, have been deployed across 16 fire stations. Rescue teams are equipped with boats, safety gear, ropes, wood-cutting machines, and generator-powered lights for emergencies. The district administration has established 28 cyclone shelters, 14 multi-purpose safety centers, 191 temporary relief camps and teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force (TNDRF), consisting of 30 and 25 personnel respectively, are on standby. All departments, including revenue, rural development, highways, electricity, public works, fire services, and police, have been instructed to implement precautionary measures. The Laken Riley murder trial revealed much about the Athens, Ga. Soros funded DA (Federalist 11/7/24). Its true, Deborah Gonzalez is an attorney, but one with zero background in criminal law when she was elected. Since then the district has been dubbed the Western Circuit Circus with too many disasters to list in this post (11Alive 2/13/23). It was her office that was tasked with prosecuting the murder case of the young Georgia nursing student violently killed while jogging. That office was allotted a budget providing 17 prosecutors but as of February 2023, she only had five. In her two years in office, 11Alive Atlanta confirmed at least 35 came and left reinforcing the circus moniker. Gonzalez finally prosecuted her first case in January, 2023. Governor Brian Kemp pointed out she had not ever achieved a conviction in any criminal case tried before a jury in her time in office (YahooNews 11/23/24). She also had to contend with a lawsuit for allegedly ordering an employee to destroy records (11Alive 6/9/23). Gonzalez lost in the recent election as did a number of Soros funded prosecutors. Tribute should be given to 11Alive Atlanta and others for bringing her record to public attention. So the end of this circus may be in sight. Ralph Miller * * * Mr. Miller's letter repeats the totally unfounded allegations of George Soros and campaign spending. He cites an opinion, not factual reporting, by Brianna Lyman, in The Federalist.com on 11/7/2024. While Soros has donated to the Democratic Party, the allegations are that Mr. Soros made an informed decision of contributing directly to a politicians campaign. If so, that would mean personal, direct contributions to thousands of candidates across the country. Perhaps, Im equally as accurate when I say that Kim Jong Un donated to Marsha Blackburns or MTGs campaigns. Nevertheless, will someone please explain how that politician, Ms. Deborah Gonzalez, an Athens-Clarke County, Ga. Georgia District Attorney, came to know Mr. Soros directly, and he willingly agreed to contribute directly to her re-election campaign? Especially since his name does not appear among the list of contributors for the 2024 re-election campaign of Ms. Gonzalez (transparencyusa.org: search for contributors to Deborah Gonzalez D.A.) In his letter, Mr. Miller also condemns Ms. Gonzalez because she had no criminal prosecutorial experience prior to being elected. Her lack of experience resulted in alleged incompetence and multiple failures while in office. Nevertheless, since Ms. Gonzalez did not win re-election, Mr. Millers criticism is irrelevant. If Mr. Miller is critical of inexperience in government, Id like to know why doesnt he sound the clarion call of the inexperience of Trump Cabinet nominees? After a diligent search, I did not find where the nominees below have any experience to justify being nominated. Each is a glaring and hideous example of either inexperience for the post for which each is nominated, a possible quid pro quo, or both. Elon Musk, the nominee for an entirely new governmental position, has given Republicans $133+ million. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary, is an environment lawyer (somewhat of a plus) but is an anti-vaccine promoter. He pushes conspiracy theories relating vaccines and autism as well as fluoride in water being inherently bad. He has never held any public office, elected or appointed. Linda McMahon, the "First Lady" of "professional wrestling" and nominee for Secretary of Education. She was chairman of Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, and has donated large amounts of money to him. She has no, zero, zip, nada experience in the operation of public education. Her only experience with public education was as a publicly educated student, and degree in French from Eastern Carolina U. John Phelan, a financier, a major Trump donor and the chairman of a private investment firm in Florida. He has no known military background. Charles Kushner, father of Jared Kushner and father-in-law of Ivanka, the nominee for Ambassador to France. He, like Trump, is a convicted felon. Sixteen counts of tax evasion, and a single count of retaliating against a federal witness and one of lying to the Federal Election Commission in a case that became a lasting source of embarrassment for the family. As part of his plea deal, Mr. Kushner admitted to hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, a witness in a federal campaign finance investigation, and sending a videotape of the encounter to his sister. Kushner served two years in prison, and was pardoned by Trump during Trumps first term. Ill close with a couple of New Testament passages as suggested reading for Mr. Miller and those in agreement with him: John 8:7-11 and Matthew 7:35. Joe Warren Warren Jones Hardy entered into the presence of his Lord and Savior and was reunited with his beloved Shirley on November 28, 2024. Warren was born on July 15, 1929, in Chattanooga to J. Homer and Beth Crowley Hardy. He grew up in North Chattanooga, attended Normal Park Elementary and North Chattanooga Junior High. He was involved in Scouting and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Chattanooga City High School and went on to study mechanical engineering at Purdue University where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Upon graduation he returned to Chattanooga and worked at American Lava Corporation where he met his soon to be bride, Shirley Kennedy. They dated while Shirley finished her studies at Carson Newman and, upon her graduation, married June 2, 1956. They built their custom home in North Chattanooga themselves. Warren left American Lava to assume ownership of Chattanooga Belting, an industrial supplier. To support the extensive travel needs associated with clientele located all over the eastern half of the country, he and Shirley obtained their private pilot's licenses. Warren was named Jaycees Young Man of the Year in 1964 and was named chairman of the Industrial Development Committee. He sold Chattanooga Belting and, in 1968, became a licensed professional engineer, licensed in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. He went to work at Derthick and Henley Architects where he was made a partner and was responsible for the mechanical design of many prominent buildings in and around Chattanooga including the Chattanooga Public Library, The Hunter Museum, Memorial Hospital, several buildings on the UTC campus, the TVA Chattanooga Office Complex, and Finley Stadium and the Vanderbilt University Library in Nashville. He was named Engineer of the Year by the Chattanooga Engineers Club in 1987. Upon retirement, he and Shirley traveled extensively, visiting Hawaii and Alaska to complete visiting all 50 states, Australia and New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Germany, and an especially memorable trip with members of First Presbyterian Church to Turkey and Greece to visit the sites of the seven churches mentioned in the second chapter of the book of Revelation. His first love, however, was traveling with Shirley and spending time in their Airstream trailer, especially on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mount Pisgah. Warren was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, where he was an elder, Chattanooga Rotary Club, Chattanooga Engineers Club, American Society of Mechanical, National Society of Professional Engineers, American Society of Heating Refrigerations and Air Conditioning Engineers, and the Southern Industrial Distributors Association. He enjoyed many pastimes and pursuits including traveling, hiking and camping, photography, woodworking, boating, and fishing. Warren was preceded in death by his parents, J. Homer and Beth Crowley Hardy, sister Mary Zelia King, nephew Douglas King, and his wife of 66 years, Shirley Kennedy Hardy. He is survived by his daughters Jan Hardy Fanslow (Robert) and Kay Baker (David), grandchildren Caroline Helton(Nick), David Hardy Baker (Ella), and great grandson Walker Gates Baker. The family would like to thank the staff at the Lantern at Morning Point, Hixson and special friend Sarah Lundy. Private graveside services will be held at Forest Hill Cemtery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga World Missions fund in Warrens memory. Arrangements are entrusted to Lane Funeral Home Ashland Terrace, www.Lanefh.com, 423 877-3524. Akhilesh Yadav After the 15-member Samajwadi Party (SP) delegation was stopped from going to Sambhal on Saturday, party chief Akhilesh Yadav lambasted the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, calling the ban a "failure" of its governance and administration. Heavy police security was deployed outside Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mata Prasad Pandey's house in Lucknow ahead of the 15-member Samajwadi Party delegation's visit to Sambhal. On the instructions of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, a 15-member delegation was to visit Sambhal on Saturday. Formed under the leadership of Mata Prasad Pandey, the delegation's job was to collect detailed information about the incident. A report was to be prepared and submitted to the SP National President. However, before the leaders could leave Pandey's residence for Sambhal, the security officials stopped them. The leaders then decided to go to the party's office in Lucknow, however, they were not allowed to leave the residence. Yadav slammed the UP government and said that the "BJP has lost." Taking to X, the SP chief wrote, "Imposing a ban is a failure of the BJP government's governance, administration and government management. If the government had imposed such a ban earlier on those who dreamed of causing riots and made people raise frenzied slogans, the atmosphere of harmony and peace in Sambhal would not have been spoiled." "Just like the BJP changes the entire Cabinet at once, similarly, the entire administrative board from top to bottom in Sambhal should be suspended and dismissed for negligence and charged with conspiracy. Strict action should be taken against them, and a case should also be filed against them for murder," he wrote, adding again that the "BJP has lost." At the same time, the Samajwadi Party wrote on its X handle, "Yogi government scared of SP delegation! At the behest of the government, the police prevented the honourable state President Shyam Lal Pal from leaving the house and placed him under house arrest." "The BJP government is tearing the Constitution and democracy to shreds. Totally reprehensible!" the post read. Apart from Mata Prasad Pandey, the delegation includes Legislative Council leader Lal Bihari Yadav, state president Shyam Lal Pal and other MLAs, MLCs and other prominent officials. Home News 3 Christians subjected to physical, psychological torture in Iran Three Christians in Iran were tortured before their release on bail on Nov. 17 amid charges of propagating religion contrary to Islam, a religious rights group reported. Jahangir Alikhani, Hamed Malamiri and Gholam Eshaghi were arrested by agents from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in September and detained for nearly two months before their release, according to rights group Article 18. Jahangir, Hamed and Gholam were reportedly subjected to physical as well as psychological torture during prolonged interrogations and asked to write letters renouncing their Christian faith and expressing remorse for their actions in order to secure their release, Article 18 reported. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The three Christians originally had been arrested last Christmas, along with 17 others, by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Noshahr and nearby Chalus, the group stated. Later released, the three Christians were re-arrested in September and in October were summoned to the prosecutors office along with nine others to face charges of propagating a religion contrary to Islam and collaborating with foreign governments, according to Article 18. They were then summoned to appear at the 1st Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Nowshahr on Nov. 10, but the hearing was adjourned as not every defendant including the three detained was present, the group reported. The indictment stated that the Christians were charged under amended Article 500 of the penal code that already has resulted in long prison sentences for several Christians; the law has been labelled a full-on attack on religious freedom, according to Article 18. They have identified themselves as Christian during their defense, Prosecutor Mohammad Reza-Ebrahimi wrote in the indictment, according to Article 18. And this is supported by the messages exchanged in their phones, as well as through the Gospels and other Christian literature found in their possession. The prosecutor stated that the 12 were criminally liable for having set up groups to teach the Christian religion, the group reported. The Islamic Republic of Iran claims to protect the rights of Christians as one of three recognized religious minorities, but converts are not treated as Christians and continue to be arrested on account of their religious identity, as clearly shown in this latest indictment, Article 18 stated. One of the 12 Christians charged in October with propagating a religion contrary to Islam and collaborating with foreign governments, 40-year-old Javad Amini, was arrested by IRGC agents on the same day that the three others won bail on Nov. 17, the rights group stated. Amini was arrested along with his uncle, who is not believed to be connected to the case. Sources told Article18 that IRGC vehicles surrounded Aminis car and eventually took him and his uncle to a detention center in Sari. The agents confiscated Javads keys from him and let themselves into his home, without knocking, terrifying his wife and 10-year-old daughter, Article 18 reported. His wife was also later interrogated. The U.N. last week passed a resolution calling on Iran to stop monitoring people based on their religion and to release all religious practitioners imprisoned for their membership in or activities on behalf of a minority religious group and to ensure that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, including the freedom to have, to change or to adopt a religion or belief of their choice, in accordance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 18 reported. The widespread and rampant persecution of Christians and other religious minorities was noted this month by the son of the former Shah of Iran, deposed in 1979. Saying his country was once a bastion of religious liberty before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Reza Pahlavi said in a Nov. 19 post on X that Iranian Christians, along with Jews and the Bahai, have seen their leaders detained, forced to flee the country and sometimes killed. Today the persecution continues, and Iranian Christians, especially Christian converts, are deprived of even the most basic rights, including access to churches, Pahlavi wrote. Christians are routinely imprisoned for their beliefs, facing absurd charges of acts against national security and collaboration and espionage for enemy states. Despite such daunting challenges, Pahlavi said Christians remain resilient in faith and courage, though their struggle is far from over, and they need the support of the global Christian community more than ever. Pahlavi, who founded the Iranian exile umbrella group National Council of Iran and is now based in Great Falls, Virginia, stated that he had hope that an end to the regime in Iran would result in a new era of religious freedom in Iran. A free and democratic Iran will once again embrace the diversity of faiths and beliefs that have been a part of our nations rich history for millennia, he stated. Christians, Jews, Bahais, Zoroastrians and Muslims can once again live together in harmony, free to practice their religions without fear of persecution. Pahlavi was writing following his interview with EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) Global Catholic Network, where he commented on religious minorities lack of opportunities and discrimination in Iran. He called for establishment of a secular democracy that would embrace separation of religion and state. Iran ranked ninth on Christian support organization Open Doors 2024 World Watch List (WWL) of the 50 countries where it's most difficult to be a Christian. The WWL report noted the growing involvement of the IRGC in conducting raids on house churches, and a higher incidence of acts of violence committed during arrests and interrogations. Home News Biden Education Dept. accused of forcing woke agenda on Christian schools The United States Department of Education is being accused of unjustly targeting Christian colleges and universities, allegedly to advance a woke agenda. The American Principles Project, a conservative think-tank, published a report earlier this month that cites the departments Office of Enforcement actions against Christian schools. According to the report, although Christian colleges and universities have fewer than 10% of students in the U.S., they make up around 70% of the penalties imposed by the Office of Enforcement. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Additionally, over the past 10 years, while the average fine against public and private academic institutions that violated federal law on campus crime was around $228,571, the average fine against a Christian school was $815,000. The report also took issue with the record fines recently imposed on Grand Canyon University and Liberty University, two prominent Evangelical Christian academic institutions. According to the APP, when the department issued punitive fines on Michigan State University and Penn State University for high-profile abuse scandals, they were several million dollars less. APP Policy Director Jon Schweppe, author of the report, said in a statement released on Nov. 18 that he believed this was an example of the Biden administration weaponizing every part of the federal government to target their opponents. As our report details, the Biden-Harris Department of Education has been engaged in a long-running scheme to punish Christian colleges that are ideologically opposed to the lefts agenda. The unfair targeting of these institutions has been egregious, and it needs to stop immediately, stated Schweppe. The Christian Post reached out to the Department of Education, with a department spokesperson emailing a statement on Friday denying the allegations in the APP report. A schools religious affiliation or nonprofit status has absolutely no bearing on our oversight and enforcement actions, the spokesperson stated. Our top priority is protecting safety and academic opportunity for all students at institutions of higher education. The data in the APP report itself pushes a false narrative by distorting information released publicly by the Department. The APP report comes as President-elect Donald Trump has expressed an interest in downsizing or even closing down the Education Department once he takes office next year. We want federal education dollars to follow the student, rather than propping up a bloated and radical bureaucracy in Washington, D.C., Trump said in October, as quoted by USA Today. We want to close the federal Department of Education. U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., introduced a bill to abolish the Education Department, although it requires a supermajority of the Senate to pass. Home News TD Jakes files defamation lawsuit against man who accused him of sexual assault A day after suffering "a slight health incident" while preaching on Sunday, Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House megachurch in Dallas, Texas, filed a defamation lawsuit against former-pastor-turned-registered sex offender Duane Youngblood, who alleged he was sexually assaulted by Jakes when he was a teenager some 40 years ago. "The underlying story in this case depicts a carefully planned effort by a convicted criminal, and those acting in concert with him, to rewrite history in order to deflect blame and accountability for his own reprehensible and criminal conduct and to publicly smear a renowned and eminently respected religious leader in a blatant and explicit attempt to extort him for millions of dollars," lawyers for Jakes wrote in the 20-page lawsuit filed in the Western District Court in Pennsylvania in which they detailed Youngblood's history of abusing minors since at least 2002. Jake's lawyers noted that Youngblood was first arrested on charges of sexual assault and corruption of minors and other charges while he served as a pastor of a church in Homestead. In that case, Youngblood was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old in 2002 while counseling the boy. The teen sought counseling from Youngblood because a cousin had molested him, according to a police affidavit. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Youngblood, who is on parole under the supervision of Pennsylvania's Department of Parole, was also charged with inappropriately touching two teenage victims while he was counseling them between 2009 and 2011. In one instance, he reportedly engaged the victim on about 25 occasions. "On all occasions, Youngblood has pleaded guilty and admitted to his heinous crimes," the lawsuit notes. Jakes' lawyers noted that despite his background, Youngblood has conspired with others to extort Jakes, and the aim of the renowned pastor's lawsuit is to stop the conspiracy and the pain it is causing Jakes. "This lawsuit is intended to bring that scheme to a halt, to end the extreme emotional, physical, and spiritual toll Defendants' conduct has caused Bishop Jakes, to set the record straight so the world understands the patent falsity of the accusations, and to restore Bishop Jakes's reputation," they note. Jakes, 67, filed the lawsuit against the 58-year-old Youngblood, who claimed in interviews with internet personality Larry Reid on his "Larry Reid Live" show on Oct. 28 and Nov. 3 that Jakes assaulted him when he was about 18 or 19 years old. Youngblood claimed to Reid that he had been talking with Jakes for about two hours at the home of an older adult clergywoman, where he was staying during a local church revival approximately 40 years ago when Jakes tried to kiss him. "After sitting there and having this long discourse with him, I finally looked at my watch, and I'm like, 'Oh my goodness, I got to go. I got to get this car back to my mother. She's gonna kill me.' So I said to bishop, 'I got to get up,'" Youngblood recalled. "And I got up from the table, he got up from the table, he walked around toward the way I had to exit quicker than I got over there, and when I started to walk past him, he pulled me to himself, wrapped his arms around me, and tried to kiss me. And in that moment, I literally died." The morning after the encounter, Youngblood alleges Jakes called his home and intimated that he wanted him to become a local sex partner. "My mother answers the phone, and she says to me, 'Duane, it's Elder Jakes.' Jakes and I get on that phone and when I get on that telephone, I can hear water. He is sitting in a bathtub, and in that thing, he says to me, without any hesitation, 'there's three things I need you to do. The first one is, when I come to Pittsburgh, you're going to be the only person I sleep with. The second one is you can't sleep with anybody else because I don't want to give my wife anything. And thirdly, I will take care of you the rest of your life," Youngblood, who is now a registered sex offender due to his past abuse of minors, claimed during his interview with Reid. Days after making those allegations public, Jakes' attorneys said an attorney representing Youngblood sent a demand letter to Jakes on Nov. 24 demanding $6 million "to 'resolve this matter quickly and privately;' otherwise, Youngblood would bring a lawsuit against Bishop Jakes for sexual assault and harassment." Jakes' lawyers, who noted that the interviews went viral, said Youngblood's allegation caused the megachurch pastor millions of dollars in reputational harm and hurt his physical health. "Youngblood's lies have put in jeopardy the critical philanthropic missions Bishop Jakes spearheads and has likely impaired significantly the benefits that the recipients of such efforts receive. And Youngblood's intentional and malicious lies have taken a substantial emotional and physical toll on Bishop Jakes," the lawsuit alleges. "On November 24 the day before he filed this action Bishop Jakes suffered a medical crisis on stage in the middle of his Sunday service in front of his entire church." The legal filing further noted that, despite his claims, Youngblood is not a victim. "Bishop Jakes believes with all his heart that actual victims of sexual abuse should be treated with the utmost respect, kindness, empathy, and sympathy and that true perpetrators of such abuse should be held accountable for their actions. But that is not the case here," the lawsuit reads. "Youngblood has used and abused the might of social media and the legal process to revictimize those he preyed on and harmed and to make knowingly false accusations for his own personal and financial gain. Men like Youngblood must be held accountable for their abuse of the system and for setting back those with legitimate and real allegations of sexual abuse." Asked about Jakes' lawsuit Wednesday, Youngblood's attorney, Tyrone A. Blackburn, quoted Matthew 7:15-16. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves," he wrote in a statement to The Christian Post. "You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? T.D. Jakes chickens have finally come home to roost. Stay tuned." Home News TD Jakes says health incident couldve been fatal if it werent for Gods intervention Bishop T.D. Jakes has credited divine intervention for averting a potentially fatal health incident that occurred during his sermon last Sunday. I give thanks unto the Lord that I did not have a stroke, Jakes said in a statement. The 67-year-old pastor of The Potters House megachurch revealed the health scare while addressing his congregation and followers on social media, attributing his recovery to both God and the swift response of medical professionals. A special thank you to God and the medical professionals in our city whose speed and expertise were beyond exceptional, he wrote in a post on X Wednesday that included a video of him expressing gratitude. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Jakes said he intends to rest and recuperate, acknowledging the importance of taking time to honor the Sabbath. I owe it to my amazing family and church members to rest and ruminate as He restores me towards His service. As God calls us to honor the Sabbath, Im reminded that rest is not a weakness it is a divine gift, he wrote. He added, While I continue to be strengthened by His grace, I stand in awe of my family and the tremendous leadership team that surrounds me. Together, we press forward, steadfast in the work the Lord has set before us. Ive heard from friends from the global community who expressed Gods love in ways that were astonishing! Gods faithfulness was unmistakable to all those present. Jakes suffered a slight health incident after praying Psalm 19:14 during his Sunday morning service, according to his church. During todays service, Bishop T.D. Jakes experienced a slight health incident and received immediate medical attention following his powerful hour-long message. Bishop Jakes is stable and under the care of medical professionals, The Potters House of Dallas said in a statement on Facebook. The entire Potters House family is grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from the community. Thank you for your understanding and continued prayers. A video clip of the health incident posted on YouTube showed Jakes sharing how much he loved preaching and wasnt tired of his job before experiencing a medical problem on stage. It was a pleasure. I still love to preach. I aint tired of preaching. I miss you. I miss you, Jakes told the congregation. Have you ever gone to a hospital to visit somebody and you thought you was going to encourage them, and they encourage you? That's what preaching is. Like you think you're giving out something, you're getting back more than you gave. I love you, he said as his hand appeared to tremble. He then prayed Psalm 19:14. Jakes message came amid a turbulent period, as he filed a defamation lawsuit the day after his health incident. The lawsuit, lodged against former pastor and convicted sex offender Duane Youngblood, alleges that Youngblood made defamatory accusations regarding events purported to have occurred about 40 years ago. According to legal documents, Jakes attorneys stated that Youngbloods allegations were part of an orchestrated scheme aimed at tarnishing Jakes reputation and extorting millions of dollars from the church leader. Youngblood, who previously served as a pastor in Homestead, Pennsylvania, was arrested on multiple charges related to the sexual abuse of minors dating back to 2002. His history of misconduct was detailed in the lawsuit filed by Jakes, which described Youngblood as a convicted criminal involved in a carefully planned effort to deflect blame for his own actions while attempting to extort Jakes. Home News 'Violent, un-American': Trump Cabinet picks targeted with bomb threats Several of President-elect Donald Trumps Cabinet picks have been targeted with bomb threats and swatting incidents, the FBI has said. Law enforcement responded swiftly to ensure the safety of the affected individuals, with Trumps team expressing gratitude for their actions, according to media reports. Trumps spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed in a statement that multiple members of the incoming administration were targeted on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. These attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting. In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action, ABC News quoted Leavitt as saying. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Swatting involves hoax calls that report serious crimes or dangerous situations to prompt a heavy police response, which can endanger not only those targeted but also law enforcement officers. According to Leavitt, the threats directed at the officials were violent, un-American and involved endangering both the lives of the targeted individuals and their families. Among those affected was U.S. Rep Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Trumps nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. According to a statement shared on X by her office, Stefanik, her husband and their 3-year-old son were driving to Saratoga County from Washington, D.C., for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence. New York state, county law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism, the statement read. Lee Zeldin, the former congressman Trump has tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, said a pipe bomb threat was made against his home. A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message, Zeldin stated in a public post. My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as this situation develops. We are thankful for the swift actions taken by local officers to keep our family, neighbors, and local community secure. Brooke Rollins, Trumps pick for agriculture secretary, also reported being the subject of a threat on Wednesday morning. This morning, we learned that a threat was issued against our home and family, Rollins wrote on X. Thanks to the swift efforts by the @fortworthpd, we were unharmed and quickly returned home. Pete Hegseth, Trumps choice for defense secretary, described the threat his family faced in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. This morning, a police officer arrived at our home where our seven children were still sleeping, Hegseth wrote on X. The officer notified my wife and I that they had received a credible pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family. We are all safe and the threat has been cleared. Scott Turner, Trumps nominee for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said his home had also been targeted by a bomb threat. He said in a statement he would not be deterred by these incidents. U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., who was selected for labor secretary, similarly reported a pipe bomb threat against her residence. She confirmed that her family was safe and expressed her commitment to moving forward despite the attempt to intimidate her. The FBI released a statement acknowledging the threats, noting that numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents were targeting individuals connected to the incoming administration. President Joe Biden condemned the threats targeting members of Trumps team, with a White House spokesperson noting that the Biden administration was closely monitoring the situation and was in touch with federal law enforcement. Authorities also confirmed additional incidents involving Trumps former nominee for attorney general, Matt Gaetz. According to the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office, a bomb threat was made referencing Gaetzs supposed mailbox in Niceville, Florida, according to The Washington Post. The sheriffs office confirmed that Gaetz does not live at the targeted address, but one of his relatives does. Law enforcement investigated the area and reported finding no explosive devices. The Goodlettsville Police Department, where defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth resides, responded to threats there as well, with the FBI taking the lead in the investigation. Similar incidents occurred across the country, as reported by multiple law enforcement agencies and sources close to the transition team. Some of the threats came with explicit political messages, such as the one reportedly directed at Lee Zeldin, which referenced the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Home Opinion Like father, like son: RFK Jr. making powerful enemies Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been no stranger to controversy, and as President-elect Donald Trumps pick for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, he continues to make waves. By accepting this role, RFK Jr. has drawn the ire of many high-powered profiteers, putting a significant target on his back. His commitment to cleaning up the agencies overseen by HHS places him at odds with the plans of the deep state, requiring tremendous courage, especially given his familys history of assassination. The HHS Secretary wields considerable influence, appointing directors to key health agencies like the FDA and CDC. This is far from a ceremonial position it is one of immense responsibility. The corruption and potential criminality embedded in these organizations have long been shielded by the deep state, but RFK Jr. represents a threat to this shadowy network. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe As Proverbs 28:4 reminds us: Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them. The backlash from state-run media, pundits, and bureaucrats against Kennedys potential nomination only underscores the significance of his mission to shine light into the darkness of these institutions. In 2023, lobbying by various industries reached a record $4.2 billion, with the pharmaceutical and health products sector at the forefront. Big Pharma remains the largest lobbyist in Washington, influencing lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. For RFK Jr., the battle for transparency and reform will not be easy, but his commitment to justice and truth is reminiscent of the biblical call to hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate (Amos 5:15). Where Does RFK Jr. stand on abortion? RFK Jr.s stance on abortion remains nuanced. While he has expressed conflicting views, his focus is on Making America Healthy Again (MAHA), not on championing abortion rights. As a Catholic, he likely recognizes the humanity of unborn children and the risks many of todays health crises pose to babies. However, his political messaging has been muddied by his outreach to Democrat donors. Surrounded by pro-abortion advocates throughout his life, Kennedy may not yet fully embrace a pro-life perspective. However, his openness to new ideas is notable. In a recent interview on The Joe Polish Show, he admitted that he once held contempt for Donald Trump due to media propaganda but now views Trump as a great leader. As RFK Jr. immerses himself in the Trump administration, the pro-life discussions he encounters could deeply impact him. Like the seeds of righteousness sown in fertile soil (Hosea 10:12), these conversations may shift his perspective from a right to choose mindset to a right to life conviction. His daily practice of prayer and meditation, rooted in his 12-step recovery journey, provides fertile ground for this transformation. RFK Jr. has long been critical of the FDA, particularly its cozy ties to pharmaceutical companies. He is committed to investigating abuses within the agency, including its handling of chemical abortion pills (RU-486). The FDA approved these drugs despite significant risks to womens health. Regulations were relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing pills to be prescribed without an in-person exam. This opened the door to dangerous misuse, including coercion in cases of sex trafficking. Women are often left to deal with incomplete abortions, hemorrhaging, and toxicity, resulting in emergency room visits. RFK Jr.s advocacy for public health extends to addressing these abuses. As Psalm 82:3 exhorts: Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. His leadership could bring much-needed reform to protect vulnerable women and unborn children. Kennedys background in environmental advocacy positions him uniquely to address the environmental impact of chemical abortion drugs. The Guttmacher Institute reported that 63% of U.S. abortions in 2024 were chemical. These drugs have been detected in water systems, raising concerns about contamination. Groups like Students for Life of America are calling for legal action to prohibit chemical abortion drugs under the Federal Clean Water Act. Kennedys expertise in environmental law could lead to significant progress on this front, further aligning his work with biblical stewardship principles such as The earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24:1). A leader at a crossroads RFK Jr. has the opportunity to become a champion for both environmental and public health. Should he learn about the ethical concerns surrounding NIH fetal tissue research or the full extent of abortions harm, his pro-life transformation could deepen. This moment in history offers a chance for RFK Jr. to pursue righteousness in the face of opposition. Proverbs 21:15 reminds us: When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers. By taking a stand against corruption and advocating for life, RFK Jr. could leave a legacy of justice and healing. Like his father, RFK Jr. travels the less traveled streets, shattering stereotypes and advocating for the rights of others, rather than living a complacent life of Camelot royalty. Home Opinion Make America Godly Again: The MAGA America needs now In the early morning hours of November 6, 2024, Donald J. Trump won the popular vote and surpassed the necessary 270 electoral votes to be elected the 47th President of the United States in one of the greatest political comebacks in American history. Trump joins Grover Cleveland as one of only two U.S. presidents to be elected to non-consecutive terms. Little did Trump know during his successful initial presidential bid in 2016 that his political slogan Make America Great Again, or MAGA for short, would stick in the American psyche and take on a life of its own. MAGA quickly morphed from catchy campaign mantra to national political mega-movement. It gave voice to a wide swath of the American populace who shared a perception that their nations exceptionalism and greatness was in real-time decline and that bold change was needed to right the ship. In four short words, MAGA also encapsulated the promised return of a nostalgic America past a shining city on a hill as President Ronald Reagan called it one whose core values of family, faith, and freedom elevated it among the nations. In less than one century between the 1898 Treaty of Paris and the end of the Cold War in late 1991, the United States of America would leapfrog over all other nations and claim the number one spot as the global superpower. Capitalizing on its fortuitous opportunity to advance on the world stage after helping win back-to-back world wars and the Cold War that followed, America distinguished itself as the worlds largest economic, militaristic, academic, and cultural tour de force. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Looking back, each victory now appears as but another rung in the ladder that contributed to the U.S.A.s ascent. But what, exactly, made America great in the first place? It is reasonable to believe that something deeper, more profound built into the very foundation of the nation and woven into the very fabric of its national tapestry pre-dated its outward meteoric rise. The enduring effect of a founding faith As a fledgling would-be nation in the late 18th century, the worlds current superpower was then anything but. She was hungry for freedom and brave enough to liberate herself from the colonizing imperialism of the British Empire to secure it. But beneath the collective resolve that drove the 13 American colonies to break free from the British Crown and forge a new government against all odds, there was humility. The leaders of the American Revolution were needy in all the right ways, acknowledging first and foremost their necessity for God, His divine intervention, and the transformational power of Christianity to influence and inform the new nation being built. It was none other than the Father of America, George Washington, who said, The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary... and that to the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian. Put simply, Washington believed a nations success was contingent upon the endowment of Gods favor and protection and that every patriots highest glory should be to exemplify Christlikeness. Washingtons sentiment is echoed by one Founder after another. Succeeding Washington in the presidency, founder John Adams said, The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. Patriot and creator of the first American dictionary Noah Webster concurred. Every civil government is based upon some religion or philosophy of life, he said. In America, the foundational religion was Christianity. And it was sown in the hearts of Americans through the home and private and public schools for centuries. Our liberty, growth, and prosperity were the result of a Biblical philosophy of life. Our continued freedom and success are dependent on our educating the youth of America in the principles of Christianity. Was this the Founders recipe for success? Recognizing the transformational influence of Christianity, they stamped the inherent wisdom and goodness of Gods law onto her birth certificate, conforming her for good. The Founders recognized that Gods goodness at work within a nations boundaries would enable her to be great. This was the observation of early 19th-century British ministers Andrew Reed and James Matheson. In 1835, they published a book about their goodwill trip to sister churches in the United States. In it, they wrote, America will be great if America is good. If not, her greatness will vanish away like a morning cloud. Time to re-tether the next generation Its not hard to see how far America has drifted. The nation finds itself increasingly untethered from its Judeo-Christian moorings of biblical truth, law, morality, and righteousness. Whether it's voting to protect deadly abortion rights in 10 state constitutions post-Roe or watching other states, like California and Minnesota, strip parental rights and validate the destructive tenets of false gender ideology among youth, the House of America is not only divided against itself but it is divided against the precepts of the Christian faith that has anchored it for almost 250 years. Nowhere is this untethering more evident than in the next generation. According to a Barna group study, only about 3 in 10 or 29% of Gen Z believe that abortion is morally wrong. Additionally, nearly a third of all Gen Z adults identify as LGBT, outpacing older generations by a significant margin, according to a 2023 report by PRRI, a nonprofit that conducts research on religion, values, and public policy. This rejection of Gods design and His love for those He made in His image is further evidence of the Great Untethering of America. In a November 9, 2024, YouTube endorsement of the God Bless the U.S.A Bible, President-elect Donald Trump said, Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country and we have to bring them back and bring them back fast . . . thats why this country is going haywire. We need to bring Christianity back into our lives and back into what will be again a great nation. America must learn from the story of Israel and heed the same commands God gave to His Chosen People. In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Moses instructs Israel and says, And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children . . . God understands a nation is but one generation away from not knowing Him or His ways. God also knows that a nations prosperity and greatness tempts it to forget Him. As Deuteronomy 6: 11-12 says, ...and when you eat and are full, take care lest you forget the Lord. America, your greatness is because of His goodness. Now is the time to Make America Godly Again one nation, under God, re-tethered to His will, His way. Its the MAGA we all need. Home News Christian man wins right to correct religion on ID card after being victim of falsified conversion to Islam LAHORE, Pakistan A judge in Pakistan has overturned a verdict that denied a Christian mans effort to correct his name and religion on his national identity card after he was a victim of fake conversion to Islam, his attorney said. Ahmad Saeed, additional district judge of Pattoki Tehsil, Kasur District, Punjab Province, on Nov. 16 overturned the verdict of Pattoki Civil Judge Mian Usman Tariq, who had ruled that 24-year-old Sufyan Masih could not revert to Christianity after converting to Islam, said the Christians attorney, Sumera Shafique. Attorney Shafique said the civil judge had failed to assess the merits of her clients case, apparently under fear of backlash from Islamists. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The civil judges order was surprising, given the fact that none of the witnesses, including the cleric, Hafiz Abdul Waheed, who allegedly prepared the fake Islamic conversion certificate, and the two Muslim men who proclaimed to have witnessed the alleged conversion, appeared in court to record their statements despite repeated notices, Shafique told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Masih had definitively affirmed his Christian faith and had reiterated that declaration in his statement to the district judge, she added. He told the judge that Asif Ali, the brick kiln owner where Masih worked, had registered his name in the NADRA record as Muhammad Sufyan and his religion as Islam in a bid to enslave him. Being an illiterate person, Masih failed to read the form filled by the data entry operator on the directives of his employer, Shafique said, noting that Masih had put his thumbprint on the form in ignorance. In the May 18 ruling that has now been overturned, Judge Tariq had said, Islam teaches that everyone is Muslim at birth, but [that] the parents and society cause one to deviate from the straight path. Therefore, when someone accepts Islam, he is considered to revert to his original condition. He added that, at the same time, Islam prohibits the use of force to convert anyone. Shafique said the verdict overturning the May 18 ruling would be helpful in similar suits in civil courts. There are several cases in which the religion of Christians has been intentionally or mistakenly registered as Muslim in the national database, she said. A large number of the Christian population in Pakistan is unable to read or write, which is why they often tend to overlook the religion section in the form. NADRA officials are also responsible for the plight of impoverished petitioners as they do not follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in such matters, Shafique said. NADRA data operators are bound to obtain an undertaking from applicants at the time of registering their alleged conversion, but they are not implementing the procedure, she emphasized. According to NADRAs CNIC (Computerized National Identify Card) registration policy, any mistake by applicants to state their religion correctly due to illiteracy may be handled in office fault category. In Masihs case, however, NADRA claimed that his name and religion could not be changed because at the time of registration he had verified his religion as Islam on the official form. NADRA asserted that according to official policy, a Muslim cannot change his religious designation in the CNIC to any other religion, whereas people who convert to Islam from other faiths can get their CNICs amended. Tehmina Arora, director of advocacy for Asia of legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, said the lower courts failure to recognize Sufyans religious identity was a violation of both national and international laws. We welcome the Pattoki District courts decision to protect Sufyan Masihs right to live out his faith as a Christian, Arora told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. This case highlights how Christians in Pakistan face discrimination at various levels. ADF International has supported Masihs counsel in representing the impoverished Christian as well as raising awareness on this issue at global forums. Elaborating on the challenges Christians face due to incorrect identity cards, Arora said that a simple typographical error in the religion category on the identity cards can be used to prevent Christians from freely practicing their faith. It also hinders their ability to apply for employment due to lack of valid identification documents, she added. Article 20 of Pakistans Constitution allows citizens the right to profess, practice and propagate their religion. This freedom is also assured in Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which establishes that in those states in which ethnic religious or linguistic minorities exist, people belonging to such minorities have the right in community with other members of their group to enjoy their own culture to profess and practice their own religion or use their own language. Similarly, the 1992 United Nations declaration further establishes that persons belonging to minority groups have the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion and to use their own language in private and in public freely, without any interference or any form of discrimination and provides for the effective participation of minorities in cultural, religious, social, economic, and public life, as well as in decision, making processes on matters affecting them. Apostasy is considered a sin punishable by death under most schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Although there is no specific law in Pakistan to deny Muslims their right to change religion, apostasy may be punished under Section 295-A of the countrys blasphemy statutes, which imposes up to two years of prison for outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens. Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year. This article was originally published at Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News Many California cities, including San Francisco, offer their homeless residents one-way bus tickets to other places. How do these programs really work? Jungho Kim/CalMatters Mayor London Breed, the outgoing mayor of San Francisco, made waves recently with a major policy shift: Before providing a shelter bed or any other services, city workers must first offer every homeless person they encounter a bus or train ticket to somewhere else. But while San Francisco has gotten an outsized amount of attention for putting its busing program at the forefront of its homelessness strategy, other California cities and nonprofits continue to quietly send small numbers of unhoused people all over the country. At least one new program is set to start early next year. For an unhoused person who wants to move in with family in another city or state, or who got stuck somewhere after a job or housing prospect fell through and needs help getting home, these types of programs can be a game changer. But some activists worry they can be used coercively to move unhoused people out of sight instead of helping them. And once someone is bused away, its hard to tell what happens to them whether they successfully reunite with family or become homeless on another citys sidewalks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In general, the ability to travel back to a place where you have a home is really important and can be a lifesaving service, in fact, and can help to reunite families, said Niki Jones, executive director of the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness. When done in good faith, it can be an important and powerful intervention. Many programs do some homework before sending their clients off on a bus, but the amount of effort they put in varies. One nonprofit serving homeless young people in Los Angeles has a therapist call the clients family in the destination city, to make sure the client is going into a safe, welcoming environment. One of San Franciscos relocation programs requires the client only to have a vague connection to their destination city. These programs are garnering attention at a time when city leaders are facing pressure from all sides, including from Gov. Gavin Newsom, to get rid of homeless encampments, but lack the resources to give everyone a home or shelter bed. Buying someone a one-way ticket out of town is a much cheaper alternative. But the number of people who can benefit from these programs tends to be small. Data from throughout California consistently shows that most people who are homeless are from the county theyre in. And homelessness, addiction and other traumas have marred many peoples relationships, leaving them with no one to help them in another city. San Francisco offers bus tickets before shelter Shortly after beginning an aggressive crackdown on tent encampments in San Francisco, Breed ordered all city agencies to offer and incentivize the citys busing program before other services. Those who decline any help may be at risk of being arrested for illegally camping in a public place. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Providing free bus tickets to unhoused people is nothing new in San Francisco, which has been offering some form of this program for about two decades, said Emily Cohen, deputy director of communications and legislative affairs for the citys Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. But usage declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel was restricted, and it didnt pick back up, she said. The mayors directive was intended to fix that, she said. The increased emphasis on busing also comes as the demographics of San Franciscos homeless population are shifting. This year, 41% of the people surveyed in San Franciscos point in time count reported they were living in another city or state when they lost their housing. Thats up from 29% two years ago. There are definitely an increasing number of people who are experiencing homelessness in San Francisco who arent originally from San Francisco, Cohen said. San Francisco offers three programs to help unhoused people relocate outside of the city. Journey Home, begun in September 2023, has the lowest barrier to entry. While other programs require clients to work with a case manager on a detailed plan to find and hold onto housing when they arrive in their new city, Journey Home requires only that someone be healthy enough to travel and prove they have some connection to their destination city. That proof could be a phone call to a friend or relative in the city, a receipt showing the client once got food stamps there, or an ID with an address in that city. Clients do not need to prove they have housing in the destination city, and the whole process, from intake to sitting on a bus, can take a day or two. Since July 2022, San Francisco has relocated a total of 1,039 unhoused clients via Journey Home and other programs, according to city data. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The number of clients relocated via Journey Home spiked in August of this year (the month Breed issued her order) 25 people were moved, up from nine the month before. The city relocated another 32 people through other programs. That same month, the city placed 120 people from encampments into shelters, and another 429 people on the street declined help, according to the city. While Lukas Illa, a human rights organizer with the San Francisco-based Coalition on Homelessness, supports programs that help unhoused people who want to relocate, hes skeptical of Journey Home. The choice to leave San Francisco should be the unhoused persons to freely make, he said. And he says thats not the case when police, who have the power to cite and arrest people, offer bus tickets as a first resort. Journey Home needs to be so deliberate and to really center the agency and the autonomy of the person it is offered to, and not used as a cudgel to threaten arrest or jail time, Illa said. Cohen said no one is being forced to leave San Francisco. The intention is to facilitate connections with loved ones and home communities, if that is a safe and healthy option for you, she said. But no one is required to take that option. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Other cities that use homeless busing programs San Jose has budgeted $200,000 to launch a relocation program called Homeward Bound, which is expected to start in February. That money can go toward a clients bus or plane ticket, or to help with utility bills or other expenses for the friend or family member taking them in. The city will make sure clients have friends or family to help them in their destination city, but staff members are still ironing out the specifics, said Tasha Dean, spokesperson for Mayor Matt Mahan. Reconnecting people living on the streets with family members or loved ones who want to care for them is just common sense, Mahan said in a statement. Its the least expensive, most impactful program we could launch. Sacramento County also offers those services, but they arent widely used, said county spokesperson Janna Haynes. During the 2022-23 fiscal year, 17 people used the countys Return to Residency program to leave the county. That program has since dissolved, and now social workers in various county programs offer the service on a case-by-case basis. The city of Los Angeles doesnt run a busing program, but multiple nonprofits within the city offer similar services. People Assisting the Homeless, or PATH, helped 313 clients reunite with family in the last fiscal year, and a little more than half of those clients left Los Angeles County. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Safe Place for Youth also helps young people reunite with friends and family outside Los Angeles. Cities and nonprofits in other states also run busing programs and sometimes send people to California. Haven for Hope, which operates a large homeless shelter and service center in San Antonio, gave about 60 people one-way bus tickets out of the city last year, said Alberto Rodriguez, vice president of operations. Before it sends a client on their way, Haven for Hope calls the family or friend they are going to live with and confirms the client can stay there, Rodriguez said. Were never just going to send someone back to homelessness in another city or another state, in the same way we dont want other cities or other states to send their homeless clients to San Antonio without connecting with us, he said. Where do people who are bused end up? Of the 151 people relocated from San Francisco since August, at least 29 went to other cities within California. At least another 12 went to Texas, six went to Florida and seven went to Georgia. Due to a data processing error, the city couldnt provide information on where 34 people went. Its harder to tell what happens to those people once they reach their destination. San Francisco only recently started requiring staff to check in with clients 90 days after they leave, but staff often cant get a hold of them in their new city, Cohen said. The city didnt provide data on the outcomes of those 90-day calls, which started in July, in time for publication. About 15% of people who left San Francisco through the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housings relocation program between July 2022 and July 2023 ended up back in San Francisco, using the citys homeless services, within a year. Cohen called that an 85% success rate, despite that even though someone didnt return to San Francisco, they might have ended up homeless in their new city. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently implementing the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions Programme that require the services of a National Consultant to conduct the Final Evaluation of the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions Programme, under Vacancy Announcement Qu24/02985. Deadline for submission of proposals: 13 December 2024 (GMT +3) For details regarding the competition and submission requirements, please visit the page: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_negotiation.cfm?nego_id=28448 Alte articole de la acest autor: Muttville founder Sherri Franklin sits on a couch with senior dogs at the San Francisco shelter. The beloved senior dog rescue organization underwent a major redesign by celebrity designer and dog lover Ken Fulk. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Volunteers and staff visit senior dogs at Muttville in San Francisco. Unlike a stereotypical animal shelter, the dogs are not kept in cages here. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle The lounge at Muttville senior dog shelter in San Francisco was made to feel more like a home than anything you might associate with a traditional shelter, said its designer, Ken Fulk. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Visitor Sarah Cahill lounges with senior dogs at Muttville in San Francisco. The beloved senior dog rescue organization underwent a major redesign by celebrity designer and dog lover Ken Fulk. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle A visitor holds the senior dog Knick Knack at Muttville in San Francisco. The rescue organization accepts dogs ages 7 and older from shelters throughout the Bay Area. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle The new Muttville, San Franciscos one-of-a-kind senior dog rescue center, is a world designed with four-legged friends in mind. The first-floor adoption center at 750 Florida St. resembles a canine version of a European coffeehouse or cafe, with its striped awnings and decorative floral ironwork, but with a dozen small dogs sprawled out on Victorian-style settees. Poodles, terriers and a variety of mixes move freely in the open space, but you dont hear the click-click of paws due to the acoustically absorbent floors. With its playful colors, cozy seating and floor-to-ceiling windows, Muttville, which opened its new space over the summer, doesnt look like a stereotypical animal shelter. There are no cages or crates. Dogs have areas they can go for quiet time when overstimulated, but for the most part, the senior canines snuggle or socialize with the volunteers, staff and visitors. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Visitors, staff and dogs socialize in the lounge at Muttville. The San Francisco senior dog rescue organization moved to this new space this summer, with design nods to the city, including rainbow-painted adoption rooms that are meant to be reminiscent of Alamo Squares famous Painted Ladies houses. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Its a complete serotonin blast, said Josh Harris, a longtime supporter of the organization and owner of the nearby cocktail hot spot Trick Dog. You feel bright and happy vibes while youre there. Harris, who hosted a Halloween fundraiser for Muttville at his bar, also adopted Joey, a bulldog mix, from the organization. Sherri Franklin, the founder and chief executive of Muttville, said that in the multiyear process of creating the space with Tannerhecht Architecture, builder Dome Construction and interior designer Ken Fulk, it was important that it not only be welcoming and functional, but that it pay tribute to San Francisco. Martha, a senior dog, sits on a chair in the lounge at Muttvilles new home. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Remember Hound Gentlemens Clothier downtown? Franklin asked, referring to the 46-year-old Financial District store that closed in 2019. They were taking the sign down, and our architect was driving by and asked, Can I have that for Muttville? Advertisement Article continues below this ad The sign now hangs above the Hound Lounge coffee area on the second floor of the building. Muttville began in Franklins home in 2007 before moving to a building leased from the San Francisco SPCA on Alabama Street in 2012. It opened in its new headquarters in August. Franklin started the organization after learning that older dogs in traditional shelters faced a much lower chance of adoption, and has eschewed the use of cages since the programs inception. Foster Gwyneth Williams cuddles a senior dog named Jagger at Muttville. So far, the canine rescue organization has permanently homed more than 12,400 dogs. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Muttville accepts dogs age 7 and up from shelters throughout the Bay Area. In addition to providing full medical evaluations and care, dogs are also groomed on-site and resocialized. In addition to placing dogs with foster families, it has so far permanently homed more than 12,400 canines. I want to be the model of the future, said Franklin, cuddling a since-adopted Chihuahua mix named Tank. Part of that model involves making Muttville a central hub in its corner of the Mission. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The new facility was a five-year, $30 million undertaking involving the purchase of three adjacent buildings for $15 million and a further $15 million in renovations. The funds were raised from private donors including philanthropist Dede Wilsey, who sponsored the pet grooming Glam Shampoochery; the Rachael Ray Foundation, which sponsored one of the adoption center rooms; Grace Kase and Harry Tsujimoto, for whom the adoption center is named; hedge fund founder Jeffrey Ubben; and Bird School of Music co-founder Laurie Ubben. Muttvilles grooming room called the Glam Shampoochery was funded by philanthropist Dede Wilsey. Dog-themed details abound in the space, decorated and furnished by San Francisco designer and Saint Josephs Arts Society founder Ken Fulk. Both Wilsey and Fulk are noted dog lovers. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle The increase in square footage allows for additions such as a full veterinary clinic and outdoor space, and provides room for more dogs. Since moving into the space on Aug. 25, Muttville has been able to accept 47 more dogs than in its former home during the same months the previous year. This year, the organization projects that it will have saved 1,230 dogs who would probably have been euthanized. More Information Muttville: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. 750 Florida St., S.F. 415-272-4172. https://muttville.org Fulk, the founder of St. Josephs Arts Society, is known for his work with celebrity clients including Pharrell Williams and Gigi Hadid, and was an early supporter of Franklins mission. The owner of four dogs, Fulk donated his design services and raided his warehouses to donate much of the headquarters furniture, adapting pieces to make them more pet-friendly. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More than anything, I was driven by Sherris idea of how people would use and interact with the space, Fulk said. It had to feel more like a home than anything you might associate with a traditional shelter. In addition to practical considerations like installing easy-to-clean rolled linoleum floors and soundproofing the building, touches of San Francisco in the design details were key for Fulk and Franklin. Debra Walkers mural at Muttville references San Francsiscos bygone Playland at the Beach and the Doggie Diner restaurants, which root the new facility in the story of the city. The senior dog rescue organization opened in a new home in August with interiors by celebrity designer Ken Fulk. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle The rainbow-painted adoption rooms are meant to be reminiscent of Alamo Squares famous Painted Ladies houses, while a mural outside by San Francisco artist Debra Walker includes nods to the bygone amusement park Playland-at-the-Beach and the famous Doggie Diner heads from the long-gone fast-food chain. A winding path outside has been christened Molly Sues Lombark Street in homage to the citys famed crooked lane. Many of the rooms also feature dog-themed wallpaper and paintings of dogs. One of the qualities Fulk and Franklin are most proud of is how conducive the new Muttville is to hosting events such as classes, movie screenings and introductions between humans and dogs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I described Muttville and the way Sherri has disrupted the idea of adoption as like a dating app for older dogs, Fulk said. This was about designing a space where people could fall in love. A winding outdoor path at the senior dog rescue organization Muttville called Molly Sues Lombark Street was named after the famous crooked San Francisco lane. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle The new complex has also been a welcome addition to the community, neighbors said. Elise Boivin and her husband, Dan, live in the building adjacent to Muttville and said the organization went out of its way to connect to the community when it moved in. I think Muttville has always been that way, but they can be even more community-focused now with their new space thats bigger and conducive to hosting a larger number of people, Boivin said. Its a creative neighborhood, and the entire Muttville model is very creative. Sherri shifted the conversation around senior dogs from a negative tone to something thats incredibly positive. Boivin and her husband have adopted two dogs from Muttville, including their current 11-year-old Lhasa apso-Maltese mix, Ginger. Visitor Sarah Cahill cuddles senior dogs at Muttville. The new building at 750 Florida St. is more conducive to drop-ins from neighbors to play with dogs, with floor-to-ceiling windows enticing people to stop in. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Jennifer Nickless, a special education teacher who works in the San Francisco Unified School Districts Access program, has placed two students with Muttville as weekly volunteers and said the new space has been an asset to their experience there. This is a place where they can walk the dogs, get some job skills and life skills caring for animals. Its therapeutic for them to be able to make bonds with these creatures, Nickless said. I think anyone who walks in there the first time will feel joy. Drop-ins and visits from neighbors are encouraged, Franklin said, whether they are looking to adopt or foster or not. A Tesla Cybertruck is on display at a Tesla showroom. A Cybertruck crash on Wednesday left three people dead and one injured in Piedmont, an incident that is being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Richard Vogel/Associated Press The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday it is looking into the Tesla Cybertruck crash in Piedmont that killed three people and injured a fourth when the vehicle slammed into a tree and retaining wall and burst into flames. NHTSA is aware of the crash and is gathering information from the manufacturer and law enforcement, the agency said in a statement. The federal agency investigates crashes involving electric vehicles with self-driving features the Cybertruck is one such vehicle, although officials have not said whether the vehicles driver assistance features were engaged at the time of the fatal crash. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The NHTSA also investigates safety defects in motor vehicles in the U.S. and writes and enforces vehicle safety standards while working to reduce deaths and injuries from motor vehicles on American roadways. The incident is the second known fatal crash in the U.S. in which a Cybertruck veered off the road and burst into flames for unknown reasons. In August, the driver of a Cybertruck died after the vehicle veered off the road, hit concrete and erupted in flames near Baytown, Texas, a city that is about 30 minutes outside Houston, according to reporting from KHOU 11. After the crash, the NHTSA sought information about that incident, but did not open an investigation, the agency said. Since Tesla began selling Cybertrucks last year, the vehicle has been the subject of several recalls and three investigations, according to the NHTSA. Earlier this month, more than 2,400 Cybertruck vehicles were recalled because a fault in the drive inverter may cause the wheels to lose driving power, the NHTSA said. In September, more than 27,000 trucks were recalled to fix an issue regarding a delayed rearview camera image, which the NHTSA said may increase the risk of a crash. Other recalls have involved issues with the trucks trunk bed, a trapped accelerator pedal, front windshield wiper failure and incorrect font sizes on warning lights, according to the NHTSA. In October, the NHTSA said it opened an investigation into the Cybetrucks full self-driving feature, an advanced driver assistance system, after four crashes in which the system when engaged did not react appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions. Cybertruck drivers have filed 19 complaints with the NHTSA about problems they say they had with the vehicles. One Cybertruck owner told the NHTSA that as they drove on a Highway 24 onramp in Oakland, the passenger side door inexplicably swung open and the door latch came unhinged while a baby rode in a car seat on that side. The owner said the door had to be held closed on the drive home. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. The Piedmont crash occurred around 3:10 a.m. Wednesday in a residential part of the city at Hampton Road and King Avenue. Officers who responded to an alert about the crash found the Cybertruck engulfed in flames and saw someone pulling a victim out of the vehicle. All four occupants of the Cybertruck were sophomores in college who graduated from Piedmont High School. They were home for Thanksgiving at the time of the wreck. On Friday, Samantha Miller identified the surviving victim the one pulled from the burning truck as her 20-year-old son, Jordan. Miller also identified the three deceased victims as Jack Nelson, Soren Dixon and Krysta Tsukahara. The cause of the solo crash remains under investigation by authorities. Capt. Chris Monahan of the Piedmont Police Department told the Chronicle on Friday that authorities believe the truck, which was likely speeding, jumped a curb, struck a cement wall and got stuck between the wall and a tree. The California Highway Patrol seized the Cybertruck to investigate for possible mechanical failure, according to Monahan. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When Anna-Marie Ortiz started her cleaning business, she didn't waste time searching for the "perfect" strategy or waiting for the ideal moment. "I think people spend too much time over-preparing buying courses, watching videos or waiting to feel ready," the 30-year-old tells CNBC Make It. "Just go out there and do it, make it happen." That mindset helped Ortiz grow Cool Aunt Cleaners, her Portland, Oregon-based cleaning business, from a side hustle into a full-time operation generating an average of $10,000 a month as of September 2024. Though she left behind a higher-paying job, she says the independence and flexibility of being her own boss has been worth it. Becoming an entrepreneur Ortiz's interest in entrepreneurship began in her 20s, when she left college to work at startups in Kansas. Over several years, she earned what she calls an "untraditional four-year degree in business," gaining practical skills in sales, marketing and project management. In 2020, inspired by watching businesses grow from the ground up, Ortiz partnered with a high school friend to open a plant shop. The pandemic forced the business to pivot to online sales, and it ultimately closed in early 2021. Anna-Marie Ortiz in Portland, Oregon. Matt Wolcott | CNBC Make It Though the plant store failed, Ortiz didn't lose her desire to run her own business. By 2022, after relocating to Portland and working remotely for a startup, she began exploring new ideas. She wanted to pursue a service-based business that didn't involve managing inventory or high overhead costs. Cleaning stood out as the perfect fit. "It's a tried and true service that's been around forever," Ortiz says. With her last $2,000 in savings, she purchased supplies, built a website and designed a logo, determined to build a "seven-figure" business. Leaving a fintech job to run the business full-time Ortiz embraced the challenges of starting without a perfect plan. Over time, she adjusted her pricing strategy and shifted her focus to smaller condos near downtown Portland, finding them more profitable than residential neighborhoods with single-family homes. By November 2023, Ortiz was able to leave her $60,000-a-year fintech job to run Cool Aunt Cleaners full-time. Today, the business is projected to earn over $100,000 in revenue in 2024, serving 15 to 20 recurring clients. Anna-Marie Ortiz cleaning an apartment. Matt Wolcott | CNBC Make It Fighters enter the Rashidin district on the outskirts of Aleppo on their motorbikes with smoke billowing in the background during fighting on November 29, 2024, as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadists and allied factions continue their offensive in the Aleppo province against government forces. Thousands of Syrian insurgents fanned out inside Aleppo in vehicles with improvised armor and pickups, deploying to landmarks such as the old citadel on Saturday, a day after they entered Syria's largest city facing little resistance from government troops, according to residents and fighters. Witnesses said two airstrikes on the city's edge late Friday targeted insurgent reinforcements and hit near residential areas. A war monitor said 20 fighters were killed. Syria's armed forces said in a statement Saturday that to absorb the large attack on Aleppo and save lives, it has redeployed and is preparing for a counterattack. The statement acknowledged that insurgents entered large parts of the city but said they have not established bases or checkpoints. Insurgents were filmed outside police headquarters, in the city center, and outside the Aleppo Citadel. They tore down posters of Syrian President Bashar Assad, stepping on some and burning others. The surprise takeover is a huge embarrassment for Assad, who managed to regain total control of the city in 2016, after expelling insurgents and thousands of civilians from its eastern neighborhoods following a grueling military campaign in which his forces were backed by Russia, Iran and its allied groups. Aleppo has not been attacked by opposition forces since then. The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against Assad's rule turned into an all-out war. The push into Aleppo followed weeks of simmering low-level violence, including government attacks on opposition-held areas. Turkey, which has backed Syrian opposition groups, failed in its diplomatic efforts to prevent the Syrian government attacks, which were seen as a violation of a 2019 agreement sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran to freeze the line of the conflict. The offensive came as Iran-linked groups, primarily Lebanon's Hezbollah, which has backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battles at home. A ceasefire in Hezbollah's two-month war with Israel took effect Wednesday, the day the Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days. The unoccupied space-facing port on the International Space Station's Harmony module is pictured several hours before the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft would relocate there after undocking from Harmony's forward port. "AI systems may be susceptible to unique types of cyberattacks, such as adversarial attacks, where malicious inputs are designed to deceive the AI into making incorrect decisions or predictions," Lonstein said. AI could also enable adversaries to "carry out sophisticated espionage or sabotage operations against space systems, potentially altering mission parameters or stealing sensitive information," he added. Data poisoning, where attackers feed corrupted data to AI models, is one example of what could go wrong, Kaczmarek said. Another threat, he said, is model inversion, where adversaries reverse-engineer AI models to extract sensitive information, potentially compromising mission integrity. If compromised, AI systems could be used to interfere with or take control of strategically important national space missions. For example, NASA is using AI to target scientific specimens for planetary rovers. However, reduced human oversight could make these missions more prone to unexplained and potentially calamitous cyberattacks, said Sylvester Kaczmarek, chief technology officer at OrbiSky Systems, which specializes in the integration of AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and edge computing in aerospace applications. The integration of artificial intelligence into space projects has heightened the risk of sophisticated cyber attacks orchestrated by state actors and individual hackers. AI integration into space exploration allows more decision-making with less human oversight. Critical space infrastructure is susceptible to threats across three key segments: in space, on the ground segment and within the communication links between the two. A break in one can be a cascading failure for all, said Wayne Lonstein, co-founder and CEO at VFT Solutions, and co-author of Cyber-Human Systems, Space Technologies, and Threats. "In many ways, the threats to critical infrastructure on Earth can cause vulnerabilities in space," Lonstein said. "Internet, power, spoofing and so many other vectors that can cause havoc in space," he added. "There are unique constraints to operating in space where you do not have physical access to spacecraft for repairs or updates after launch," said William Russell, director of contracting and national security acquisitions at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. "The consequences of malicious cyber activities include loss of mission data, decreased lifespan or capability of space systems or constellations, or the control of space vehicles." Spacecraft, satellites, and space-based systems all face cybersecurity threats that are becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous. With interconnected technologies controlling everything from navigation to anti-ballistic missiles, a security breach could have catastrophic consequences. In the race to conquer the cosmos, the greatest challenge to space exploration might be the vastness of the unknown, but that distance from planet Earth isn't dissuading the invisible hands of cybercriminals aiming to sabotage missions from thousands of miles below. The Quetzal-1 CubeSat is seen as it deploys from the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer aboard the International Space Station. Worse yet, AI can be weaponized used to develop advanced space-based weapons or counter-space technologies that could disrupt or destroy satellites and other space assets. The U.S. government is tightening up the integrity and security of AI systems in space. The 2023 Cyberspace Solarium Commission report stressed the importance of designating outer space as a critical infrastructure sector, urging enhanced cybersecurity protocols for satellite operators. Lonstein recommends rigorous testing of AI systems in simulated space conditions before deployment, and redundancy as a way to safeguard against an unexpected breach. "Implement redundant systems to ensure that if one AI component fails, others can take over, thus maintaining mission integrity and functionality," he said. Use of strict access controls, authentication, and error correction mechanisms can further ensure that AI systems operate with accurate information. There are reactive measures for when even these defenses have been breached, through the design of AI systems with fail-safe mechanisms that can revert to a "safe state" or "default mode" in the event of a malfunction or unexpected behavior, Lonstein said. Manual override is important, too. "Ensure that ground control can manually override or intervene in AI decision- making, when necessary, providing an additional layer of safety," he added. U.S.-China competition The rivalry between the U.S. and China includes the new battleground of space. As both nations ramp up their space ambitions and militarized capabilities beyond Earth's atmosphere, the threat of cyberattacks targeting critical orbital assets has become an increasingly pressing concern. "The competition between the U.S. and China, with Russia as a secondary player, heightens the risk of cyberattacks as these nations seek to gain technological superiority," Kaczmarek said. Though they don't garner as much attention in the mainstream press as consumer, crypto or even nation-state hacks against key U.S. private and government infrastructure on the ground, notable cyberattacks have targeted critical space-based technologies in recent years. With the U.S., China, Russia and India intensifying their push for space dominance, the stakes have never been higher. There were repeated cyberattacks this year on Japan's space agency JAXA. In 2022, there were hacks on SpaceX's Starlink satellite system, which Elon Musk attributed to Russia after the satellites were supplied to Ukraine. In August 2023, the U.S. government issued a warning that Russian and Chinese spies were aiming to steal sensitive technology and data from U.S. space companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin. China has been implicated in numerous cyber-espionage campaigns dating back as far as a decade, such as the 2014 breach of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather systems, jeopardizing space-based environmental monitoring. "Nations like China and Russia target U.S. space assets to disrupt operations or steal intellectual property, potentially leading to compromised missions and a loss of technological edge," Kaczmarek said. Space-based systems increasingly support critical infrastructure back on Earth, and any cyberattacks on these systems could undermine national security and economic interests. Last year, the U.S. government let hackers break into a government satellite as a way to test vulnerabilities that could be exploited by the Chinese. That came amid growing concerns at the highest levels of the government that China is attempting to "deny, exploit or hijack" enemy satellites revelations that became public in the leak of classified documents by U.S. Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira in 2023. "The ongoing space race and the associated technologies will continue to be impacted by Viasat-like cyberattacks," said GAO's Russell, referring to a 2022 cyberattack against the satellite company attributed by U.S. and U.K. intelligence to Russia as part of its war against Ukraine. Big Tech's space-based cloud Private companies and the government will need to use all the cybersecurity tools at their disposal, including encryption, intrusion detection systems, and collaboration with government agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for intelligence sharing and coordinated defense. "These collaborations can also involve developing cybersecurity frameworks specifically tailored to space systems," Kaczmarek said. At the same time, Silicon Valley-based tech companies have been making rapid advancements in the field of cybersecurity, including those designed to secure space technologies. Companies like Microsoft , Amazon , Google , and Nvidia are increasingly being enlisted by the U.S. Space Force and Department of Defense for their specialized resources and advanced cyber capabilities. Notably, Microsoft is a founding member of the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center and has been an active participant since its formation several years ago. "Microsoft has partnered with the U.S. Space Force to support their growth as a fully digital service, bringing the latest technologies to ensure Space Force Guardians are prepared for space-based conflicts," said a Microsoft spokesperson via email. As part of the $19.8 million contract, Microsoft provides its Azure cloud computing infrastructure, simulations, augmented reality, and data management tools to support and secure a wide range of Space Force missions. "Microsoft is playing a key role in defending against cyber threats in space," the spokesperson wrote. Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services and defense contractor General Dynamics also offer cloud infrastructure for storing and processing vast amounts of data generated by satellites and space missions. Nvidia 's powerful GPUs can be used for processing and analyzing satellite imagery and data. According to Lonstein, the chipmaker's AI chips can enhance image processing, anomaly detection, and predictive analytics for space missions. But there is a limit to reliance on technology in space operations as a safety benefit rather than added layer of risk. "High dependency on automated systems can lead to catastrophic failures if those systems malfunction or encounter unexpected scenarios," Lonstein said. A single point of failure could compromise the entire mission. Moreover, extensive use of technology could be detrimental to human operators' skills and knowledge, which might atrophy if not regularly exercised. "This could lead to challenges in manual operation during emergencies or system failures," Lonstein added. Congratulations to Mr Balasubramanian for winning the US$ 1 million (8.5 crore rupees) lucky draw, shopping at the iconic Mustafa Center @mustafacentresg in Singapore. Crorepati dreams do come true in SG ????????. ???????? HC Wonghttps://t.co/JtgHWMZVMu Singapore in India (@SGinIndia) November 30, 2024 An Indian-origin man in Singapore became an overnight millionaire after he was announced the winner of a lucky draw, bagging the grand prize of $1 million (roughly 8.45 crore). The lucky man, Balasubramanian Chithambaram, clinched the top prize after he purchased a gold chain for his wife from a jewellery store three months ago.The shop, named Mustafa Jewellery, which held the contest, declared him as the winner of the lucky contest last Sunday."What an unforgettable day at Mustafa Jewellerys Million Dollar Event! On 24th November, we witnessed history being made as the grand winner of USD 1,000,000 was revealed amidst cheers and excitement," the store captioned the post in which it shared a video capturing the major highlights from the event."Thank you to everyone who joined us. Keep sparkling and stay tuned for Mustafa Jewellery in 2025," it added. In another post , it said, "Congratulations to our Grand Lucky Draw Winner! After 14 incredible months of hosting monthly lucky draws, the day weve all been waiting for is finally here. We are thrilled to announce our Grand Lucky Draw winner, who takes home an unbelievable USD 1,000,000!"To be eligible to participate in the lucky draw, the customers were required to spend more than 15,786 on jewellery. During his visit to the store, Chithambaram bought ornaments worth around 3.7 lakh for his wife.After winning the prize money, Chithambaram said he was feeling blessed, adding it was also his father's fourth death anniversary. He added that he now plans to donate a portion of the prize money to the community as a token of gratitude.As the news about Chithambaram winning the lucky draw went viral, it also caught the attention of the Singapore High Commission in India which posted a congratulatory message for him."Congratulations to Mr Balasubramanian for winning the US$ 1 million (8.5 crore rupees) lucky draw, shopping at the iconic Mustafa Center @mustafacentresg in Singapore. Crorepati dreams do come true in SG," read the post on its official X handle. Nissan Motor Co. Chief Financial Officer Stephen Ma is set to step down from his position, people with knowledge of the matter said, marking yet another executive change at a challenging time for the Japanese carmaker.Its not clear whether Ma may be demoted or leave the company, said one person, asking not to be identified because the move hasnt been announced. The change, which comes 17 months after Ashwani Gupta left as Nissans chief operating officer, follows an announcement last month that it will eliminate 9,000 jobs and cut a fifth of its manufacturing capacity.As a result, Chief Executive Officer Makoto Uchida will be left as the sole top-level C-suite executive at a time when Nissan has drawn the attention of one of the most influential activist investors in Japan, Effissimo Capital Management Pte. Although five years have passed since the dramatic arrest and ouster of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, the carmaker remains mired in management upheaval.Ma declined to comment, as did a spokesperson for Nissan.An outdated lineup, elevated spending on sales incentives and a lack of hybrids in North America have led the Japanese carmaker to slash jobs and production. Nissan now sees its operating income at 150 billion ($1 billion) for the fiscal year ending in March, down 70% from its prior forecast.Ma joined Nissan in 1996 in North America and worked in financial roles in China and Japan before being promoted to CFO in December of 2019, alongside Uchida and Gupta. Jun Seki, who was also made co-COO at the time, departed quickly thereafter.Nissans market capitalization, which stands at about 1.5 trillion, has been shrinking since peaking at almost 6 trillion in 2015. Its now Japans fifth-largest carmaker as measured by market value after Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Suzuki Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp.Nissan announced last month that Guillaume Cartier would be promoted to chief performance officer as of December 1. Bottles of raw milk are displayed for sale at a store in Temecula (Riverside County) in May. The California Department of Food and Agriculture has ordered Raw Farm to halt distribution of its cream top whole milk. JoNel Aleccia/Associated Press Californias largest raw milk producer confirmed Friday that it has temporarily stopped distributing milk to retailers and quarantined its herds in Fresno and Kern counties after testing showed some cows may be infected with bird flu. Mark McAfee, Raw Farms CEO and founder, said that although no cows showed influenza symptoms, a state lab had detected low levels of the virus in its milk this week. The California Department of Food and Agriculture on Thursday ordered the company to halt distribution of its cream top whole milk, he said. McAfee said consumers can still buy raw milk in California; however, at least for a while, it wont be our brand. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We will return, but I dont know when, McAfee said. Raw Farm can continue selling its cheeses and stores can sell certain batches of milk that remain on the shelves, according to the company. State agriculture officials didnt respond to requests for comment on Friday. An outbreak of bird flu has been sweeping through dairy farms across the country since March, infecting cows and raising concerns about transmission to people. Most milk is pasteurized, which kills viruses and remains safe to drink. Raw milk isnt pasteurized. McAfee said his farms are having our turn with the virus and he expects his farms will attain herd immunity in the coming weeks. Concerns about the presence of bird flu in Raw Farm milk emerged about one week ago after the state health department officials reported bird flu virus had been detected in the companys products. Raw Farm issued two voluntary recalls for specific batches of cream top whole milk with best by dates of Nov. 27 and Dec. 7. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Santa Clara Countys public health lab randomly tested raw milk from samples taken from stores and detected the virus, health officials said. Raw Farm cows swallow special devices that remain in their guts and transmit real-time information such as their temperature, McAfee said. He said none are showing signs of illness such as a fever or dehydration, which suggests to him that there are asymptomatic carriers in his herds. Ive been looking at our cows and everybody is happy and healthy, McAfee said. Raw Farm has 1,800 milking cows at its two farms in Fresno and Kern counties and produces about 80,000 gallons of milk a day, he said. San Francisco police are investigating a separate stabbing and armed robbery that occurred at the same Mission District location Friday. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle 2022 San Francisco police are investigating a fatal stabbing and an armed robbery that occurred separately Friday at the same spot of the Mission District. Officers responded to a stabbing at Mission and Sycamore streets shortly before 6:30 a.m. Friday, according to the San Francisco Police Department. The victim was declared dead after being taken to a hospital. Shortly before midnight Friday, officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at the same location, which is on Mission between 17th and 18th streets. A man told police he was robbed after two people exited a vehicle and pointed a gun at him. The robbers then fled in the vehicle, police said. The victim wasnt injured, and police provided no details on what was stolen. Advertisement Article continues below this ad No arrests have been made in the stabbing or the robbery. Chinese-built bridge project in Cambodia starts underwater work Xinhua) 11:32, November 30, 2024 KANDAL, Cambodia, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese-built bridge project across Mekong River in Cambodia on Friday started underwater work here in the southeastern part of the capital Phnom Penh. The 1.6-kilometer-long concrete bridge, along with a 2.1-kilometer-long connecting road, will be built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the construction is expected to be completed in 48 months. Speaking at the event, So Victor, secretary of state of the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said the bridge will be beneficial to Cambodia's infrastructure development, contributing to promoting economic growth and enhancing regional connectivity. CRBC Cambodia Office's executive general manager Wu Jinhai said the project is another fruit of Cambodia-China cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and is a new testament to iron-clad friendship and diamond hexagon cooperation between the two countries. He said the CRBC will actively promote a green development approach and develop a quality-based green model project. The bridge project links Kean Svay and Lvea Aem districts in Kandal province. Locals were delighted to see the construction work started, saying that it will improve the efficiency of people's travel, saving them both time and money. "This bridge project is very important for common people as well as civil servants to travel and to communicate with each other," Sok Khna, a 53-year-old resident in Kean Svay district, told Xinhua. "More importantly, people will be able to travel across the bridge for free of charge, contributing to reducing poverty," he added. Khna said currently, people travel across the river by ferry, costing them both time and money. "For ferry services, it costs 1,000 riel (0.25 U.S. dollars) for a motorcycle and 10,000 riel (2.5 U.S. dollars) for a car, and it takes about half an hour to cross the river," he said. Khat Vichara, a 21-year-old resident in Kean Svay district, said "When this bridge is constructed, it will surely provide a lot of advantages to me and other passengers, facilitating our travel, reducing our expense, and saving our time." (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Liu Ning) Attraros sampler from Attraros Thai Eatery in Oakland. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle If I had to nominate one category of food in the Bay Area for a biggest year award, itd be Thai cuisine, no contest. It felt like a new spot sprouted up every month I counted more than 10 new openings. Kicking off the year strong was superb brunch spot Tanzies in Berkeley. Saneh Bangkok in Pleasant Hill focused on a specific Thai breakfast favorite: crab omelets. Then, in San Francisco, came a spot with Japanese influences and a Thai Californian fine dining restaurant, followed by a soup specialist in Santa Rosa and a dessert shop in Berkeley. With this cohort marking a new spike in Bay Area Thai cooking, I want to take a moment to share my favorite dishes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sampler platter from Attraros Thai Eatery Located next door to Old Oaklands Swan Market, Attraros Thai Eatery brings heaps of casual, fun-to-eat dishes. Look no further than the sampler platter ($18). Presented in a basket, the dish is a collection of savory confections: nutty, pork tapioca balls; citrus-topped minced pork; fried pork balls coated with vermicelli threads; fried dumplings that look like medieval coin purses; and leafy wraps of dried shrimp, lime and peppers. The collection is jazzy in texture and freeform in flavor a nice distillation of what the Oakland restaurant brings to the proverbial table. 542 Ninth St., Suite B, Oakland. attrarosoak.com Khao pad mun nuer, short rib fried rice, topped with soy cured egg yolk at Khao Tiew in San Francisco. Minh Connors/The Chronicle Short rib fried rice with soy-cured egg from Khao Tiew When Khao Tiew landed in West Portal, it took San Francisco by surprise with a remixed take on appetizers, some of which are inspired by Japan. The latter notion is best encapsulated by the beef tallow fried rice ($25), where each individual grain emits a commanding beefy essence, further felt by a crown of melty short rib and a fudgy soy sauce-cured egg yolk. This dish nods to modern restaurants in Thailand that incorporate Japanese-style beef into their cooking. I can already envision a future where Khao Tiews beefy rice replaces pad Thai as the American favorite. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 272 Claremont Blvd., San Francisco. khaotiew.square.site Sai oua croquettes from Nua Thai Kitchen in Oakland. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle Sai oua croquettes from Nua Thai Kitchen From the owners of Wawa Thai Kitchen in Oakland comes Nua Thai Kitchen, an easygoing Oakland restaurant with colorful wallpaper. Excellent snacks are Nuas original contribution to the larger scene, like fried calamari dusted with tom yum seasoning or, better yet, sai oua croquettes ($13.95). The latter comes with three pudgy, craggy sausage pucks, which have a delectable crunch and potent, pungent flavors. The side of sweet chile sauce is adequate, but I recommend you ask for prik nam pla, a condiment thats spicy (birds eye peppers), salty (fish sauce) and sour (lime). That sauce might be the best version I've had in the Bay Area and makes everything taste sharper. 4133 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. nuathaikitchen.com Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hat Yai-style fried chicken from Rosa La Moon in Berkeley. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle Hat Yai fried chicken and corn pudding from Rose La Moon Thai Food & Desserts Despite there being an abundance of Thai fried chicken in the Bay Area, few make Hat Yai-style fried chicken ($10.95) like new casual spot Rosa La Moon Thai Food & Desserts in Berkeley. Part of what makes the birds so crunchy here is a thin, seasoned rice flour batter, which, incidentally, also acts as the marinade. The chicken is fried until wood brown and topped with fried shallots for extra crunch and savoriness. It comes with a side of sweet chile sauce, but I suggest opting for the hot prik nam pla ($1.50) or tangy, herby seafood sauce ($1.50). Dessert is also a clear focus; try the coconut corn pudding, where the kernels add pops of sweetness. 2228 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. roselamoon.com Eggs with sai oua from Tanzies Cafe in Berkeley. Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle Sai oua with omelet from Tanzies Cafe There are few joys as great as proper Northern Thai sausage, and the one at Berkeleys cozy brunch hotspot Tanzies Cafe is incredible. It has a coarse grind, giving it a pleasant chew and bounce, and fierce pungent, herby and spicy flavors. Its amazing on its own ($8), but you should order it paired with lava eggs ($22), a runny, open-faced omelet with a knotted center. This egg and sausage coupling puts most American breakfast plates to shame. Be sure to try the dreamy Thai beignets, too. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Beware the law of unintended consequences. A year ago, I wrote in support of assisted dying, touched by the arguments put forward by Dame Esther Rantzen and haunted by the memories of friends who had suffered miserable, prolonged deaths trapped by incurable disease. Now, as the House of Commons approves the first step towards enshrining that process in law, I find myself worrying that those of us who found ourselves that side of the debate have made a terrible mistake. That what started out as a legitimate and heartfelt desire to help minimise the suffering of the terminally ill has become an opportunity to promote their swift and convenient removal. That, as Vincent Nichols, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, has succinctly put it: 'The right to die will become a duty to die.' It's not that I object to the principle. I still believe that there are times when it is more humane to assist a person's passing than to prolong their suffering just to keep them alive. But that is not what this Bill will achieve. If and when it finally passes into law, it will effectively enshrine state-sanctioned euthanasia. It will institutionalise the process of dying, making it a matter for the authorities in a way that could potentially lead to all kinds of abuse. It will change who we are as a country, from a nation that believes fundamentally in the sanctity of life to one that, well, doesn't. To be clear, under the current proposals, 'mentally competent' adults with fewer than six months to live and who express a 'clear, settled and informed' wish to die may ask for assistance in doing so. Already I see problems there. For a start, give me a precise definition of 'mentally competent'. Secondly, do doctors ever really know how long a person has left to live? Stories abound of people who have survived well beyond the odds. A year ago, Sarah Vine was touched by arguments put forward by Dame Esther Rantzen in support of assisted dying Protesters hold placards and gather outside the Houses of Parliament to demonstrate their opposition to assisted dying How can anyone know a person's allotted time with certainty? Either way, assuming two doctors and a High Court judge agree, the patient would be given 'an approved substance' with which to end their life. This would have to be self-administered a feat that would be impossible for patients suffering from some of the cruellest and most tortuous terminal illnesses, such as motor neurone disease, which is invariably fatal and traps the alert mind in a physical cage. Arguably these are some of the patients who would benefit most from this legislation and yet they would be excluded. There are all sorts of other pitfalls. The doctors involved do not have to have known the patient for any length of time. Therefore, theoretically a medic who had only just familiarised themselves with a patient's case could be trusted to make an informed decision both on their mental state and their remaining lifespan a situation that presents ample opportunity for misunderstanding or, worse, abuse. As for the judges, there is no requirement for them to interview the patient themselves, or any of their relatives: they will rule purely on the say-so of the doctors. And as the matter will be dealt with by the family courts notoriously secretive there is additional scope for problems to arise there. What's more, there is no right of appeal for relatives. This for me is a really big red flag. If we look at one of the greatest medical scandals of the past few years, that is to say the indoctrination of thousands of children and young adults by a section of the medical community motivated by a rigid gender ideology, it is all too clear how isolating patients from their loved ones might lead to catastrophic errors of judgment. If the experience of the Tavistock clinic and the Cass Report has taught us anything, it's that dogma and medicine can be very dangerous bedfellows. My fear is that the same thing will happen here. That under the tried and tested 'be kind' banner, we are at risk of passing legislation whose consequences will prove the opposite of kind. Vincent Nichols, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, has said: 'The right to die will become a duty to die' We have already seen in countries like Holland how seemingly well-meaning changes to the law have led to alarming mission creep. Assisted suicide was introduced in the Netherlands as far back as 2002, initially for patients whose suffering was deemed 'unbearable with no prospect of improvement'. Over the first five years, such annual deaths among the Dutch averaged about 1,900. But by 2023, as the definition of 'unbearable' grew ever wider, it had risen to 9,068 more than 5 per cent of all deaths. They ranged from young people suffering from depression and autism to the elderly who felt they had become a burden on their families. Last November, a Bill was introduced giving over-75s the option of medical euthanasia if they simply felt they had 'completed life'. That, to me, is chilling. If I thought this Labour administration had any sympathy for the elderly, I wouldn't be so worried. But, thanks to the heartless removal of the winter fuel allowance and other measures in the recent Budget, it's clear that the current government despises old people and regards them as second-class citizens. It doesn't take a big leap of imagination to envisage a similar situation such as the one in Holland happening here. Already the elderly receive a poorer quality of care on the NHS as a result of QALYs (quality adjusted life years, i.e. the criteria by which a patient is judged a worthwhile use of funds in the context of treatment). How much more attractive will be the prospect of them removing themselves entirely from the economic equation through assisted dying? In the context of 'protecting our NHS', it could be seen as doing one's patriotic duty. And we know how the elderly like to do their duty. There are also, as far as I can tell, no safeguards in place to ensure that people aren't led to their deaths by coercive control. When people become very ill, they can also become vulnerable mentally and it's all too easy for the immoral and the unscrupulous to take advantage. I don't just mean self-interested family members but political administrations such as this one. I simply don't trust them to get this right, given how much they've already got wrong and given how ideologically stubborn, not to mention incompetent, they have shown themselves to be. At the end of the day, if you are wealthy, well-connected and well-loved, you will be insulated from the pitfalls of this Bill. But if you are poor, marginalised, lonely or vulnerable, it could, in its current form, prove very detrimental indeed. A doleful day ended with this inexperienced Commons voting, 330 to 275, for assisted dying. It would be the State providing that assistance. Judges and doctors would become the Grim Reapers willing midwives. A new priestly caste of the wigged and white-gowned. The vote, soon after two oclock, was heard in silence. No cheers. Even the supporters of this private members Bill realised it was a daunting moment. One of those backers, flush-faced Andrew Mitchell (Con, Sutton Coldfield), had earlier claimed the Bill was a very modest and controlled proposal. The discernible gulp in the chamber when Speaker Hoyle announced the result showed it was anything but that. In the words of one of the Bills opponents, Danny Kruger (Con, E Wilts), the Rubicon was a very small stream. Yet once it was crossed, everything changed. The way to dusty death began at 9.30am, the Commons for once packed on a Friday and 160 MPs seeking to speak. Kim Leadbeater! cried Sir Lindsay Hoyle as he invited the Bills backbench sponsor to open. She is the sister of the late Jo Cox, the MP murdered in 2016. One way or another Ms Leadbeater (Lab, Batley & Spen) will have a sombre political legacy. A weirdly chirpy customer. She delivered her speech fast, almost gabbling. Shades of Jimmy Clitheroe. So, back to palliative care! she chirruped, as if encouraging a class of schoolgirls to resume their game of netball. She gassed away, insisting there were extra, extra layers of safeguarding. She promised periods of reflection built in to the assisted-dying process. This was the language of insurance sales, of washing-machine warranties. Kim Leadbeater the Labour MP who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, speaks to supporters and the meida following the vote Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, reacts after the bill was passed in Parliament Square in London Kim Leadbeater MP walks to meet supporters of assisted dying outside Parliament as MPs in the House of Commons voted by a majority of 55 in favour of the bill Mr Kruger led backbench opposition. He lost the vote but won the arguments. Wera Hobhouse (Lib Dem, Bath) presumed he was a doctor and you could see why, for his tone was measured and calm. Had I been on my sickbed yesterday I would have wanted Kruger signing my notes rather than blurty, whizzo, lets-have-a-luverly-demise Leadbeater. There was no discernible party divide. The only generalisations one might venture: MPs from ethnic-minority seats and those of a more Old Labour background were against, while younger, more middle-class members seemed keener on the pill. A rare moment of rancour came when Mr Kruger used the word suicide and Cat Eccles (Lab, Stourbridge) called that offensive language. Mr Kruger patiently explained that the Act of Parliament this Bill hoped to alter happened to contain suicide in its title. There was also perhaps a teaspoon of sarcasm when Alistair Strathern (Lab, Hitchin) said he was deeply intrigued by Mr Krugers certainty in opposition. This was unmerited. Mr Kruger was plainly as racked by difficulties as any decent soul would be. But Mr Strathern is an ambitious fellow so we must allow him to speak a little nonsense now and again. Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, greets supporters following the vote Kim Leadbeater, who introduced the Assisted Dying Bill, reacts after the bill was passed Alicia Kearns (Con, Rutland & Stamford) spoke of the Tory tradition of choice. Diane Abbott (Lab, Hackney N and Stoke Newington) recalled that the Commons ignored opinion polling to ban the death penalty. The State should not be involved in taking a life, she said. It was a good principle in 1969 and it remains a good principle today. Ms Abbott was a mesmerising figure as she stood unsteadily by the gangway, iPad shaking in her hands, her words emerging only with deliberation and a certain effort. We had tears, not least from that sturdy presence of Dame Meg Hillier (Lab, Hackney S and Shoreditch) as she recalled how her daughter survived a terrible illness. A Lib Dem woman festooned in badges spoke of my own family death journey. Terrible things are sometimes done to the English language yet it survives. But the moment I gave up on Ms Leadbeater was when she used holistic a second time. No word is surer evidence of weakness in a parliamentary argument. When Home Secretary Yvette Cooper learnt of Thursday's immigration figures which covered the Tories' final year in power she was in Erbil, in Kurdish Iraq, signing a new cross-border security agreement. And, according to one official, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. 'I thought the line had gone dead,' the aide told me. 'There was just a stunned silence. We genuinely had no idea the number was going to basically hit a million.' Cooper's shock was shared across Westminster. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp had been so confident the new Office for National Statistics estimates would show a dramatic fall he had spent the morning touring TV studios, boasting about how Labour would try to take credit for the figures, when they were really the product of policy decisions taken by his own party. And to be fair to him, Philp was right. The Tories are, indeed, responsible. For what we now know is the greatest domestic policy betrayal in post-war British political history. Let's return to where this whole tawdry saga began. That febrile summer of 2016 when the British people were presented with the following solemn entreaty. 'The only way to take back control of immigration is to Vote Leave on June 23,' Boris Johnson told the nation. 'Last year, 270,000 people came to this country from the EU and net migration was 184,000. That means we are adding a population the size of Oxford to the UK every year just from EU migration.' Yvette Cooper in Erbil, in Kurdish Iraq, signing a new cross-border security agreement with the country's minister of interior Abdul Amir al-Shimmari He concluded with a dark warning. 'If you vote "In" on June 23, you are kissing goodbye permanently to control of immigration. You are voting for the current situation not only to continue but to get worse.' The people believed him. Sick of being ignored, and belittled and dismissed as racists, they put their faith in those who assured them this time their voice really would be heard. They were finally going to be allowed to 'take back control'. They grudgingly believed Theresa May, too, when she replaced David Cameron and pledged to cut migration to 'tens of thousands'. They certainly believed Johnson when he returned triumphantly to Downing Street to 'Get Brexit Done' and 'make our own laws and control our own borders'. They even gave Rishi Sunak a hearing admittedly more in hope than expectation when he said: 'Since I became Prime Minister, net migration has fallen ten per cent. The plan is working. Let's stick with it.' It was a lie. Actually, not 'a' lie. But the biggest lie ever perpetuated on Britain. Because, in truth, behind all the bold words and tub-thumping rhetoric, what were our politicians Tory politicians actually doing? They were allowing migration numbers to soar. Not to the 184,000 Johnson claimed was unsustainable in 2016. Not even to the staggering 700,000 we were told migration had peaked at in November 2023. But more than 900,000 new net arrivals. What's more, during that period, those Tory ministers weren't just trotting out their puerile promises to take an iron grip of our borders. They were simultaneously lecturing and hectoring and berating anyone they claimed was standing in the way of their heroic struggle to get migration under control. Liberal lawyers. Activist judges. Foreign courts. Just about anyone who looked French. Yet, what did we learn on Thursday? That there isn't a lawyer or judge in this country, or anywhere across Europe, who has done more to undermine public faith in the British migration system than our own Ministers of the Crown. Because this tsunami of migration entirely legal migration didn't happen by accident. It was the product of a series of wholly deliberate policy choices. The scrapping of the Resident Labour Market Test that made employers prove they had attempted to employ British workers. The decision not to uprate the salary threshold for low-skilled migrants. The lifting of visa caps in low-paid sectors such as social care. A succession of Tory governments didn't lose control of migration. They knowingly and willingly flung open the doors. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp (pictured with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch) had been confident the new ONS estimates would show a dramatic fall, Dan Hodges writes So now, having blustered, bleated and deflected on to everyone but themselves, the Conservative Party is going to reap the whirlwind. One that will initially tear through Kemi Badenoch and her Shadow Cabinet. Over the past few months, a battle has raged over how to define Sir Keir Starmer's electoral inheritance. Labour have claimed they took power only to find a cavernous black hole in the nation's finances. The Tories have tried to rebut the charge, accusing Starmer of deceiving voters, and seeking excuses for his deceit. That fight is now over. No one can seriously contest the scale of the immigration black hole left for Starmer and Yvette Cooper. And that will now colour every other area of the debate. 'We are having to clear up the Tories' mess,' Starmer will charge. And who will be able to counter him? Then there is the long shadow being cast from Clacton. The fundamental dilemma facing the Conservatives' new leader was how to reunite the Right. Well, on Thursday she obtained her answer. She can't. The fracture between the Tory party and its Red Wall supporters was created by the perception they were betrayed over immigration. And that perception has been permanently cemented. 'On behalf of the Conservative Party, it is right that I, as new leader, accept responsibility and say truthfully we got it wrong,' Badenoch admitted last week, before pledging a Tory government would put a new cap on visas. She needn't have wasted her breath. No one will take seriously anything a member of the previous Tory administration says about immigration for years perhaps decades. It's Nigel Farage and his Reform party who will now receive a hearing from disillusioned Conservative voters. But the impact of the Great Tory Immigration Betrayal goes far deeper. There are good arguments for the benefits of migration. There are equally good arguments against them. Yet what every politician of every party knows is that there is one thing you simply cannot do. Which is stoke up rhetoric about the perils of migration, then fail to put in place the policies to tackle it. That is precisely what the last government did in a manner that bordered on the criminally negligent. And now, every community, in every corner of the country, is dealing with the consequences. Some have said last week's shocking migration figures symbolise the failure of Britain's political class. They don't. They symbolise a grotesque, shameful, utterly unprecedented Tory failure. Kemi Badenoch and her colleagues will be lucky if they are ever forgiven for it. Melania Trump has made no secret of looking to the past for inspiration, and to one stylish predecessor in particular. Starting as she meant to go on, Melania channeled Jackie Kennedy for her husband 2017 Inauguration her debut appearance as First Lady with an eye-catching Ralph Lauren ensemble in baby blue. Echoes of Jackie have continued ever since, and not just in Melania's choice of tight-waisted, classically tailored outfits. For when she returns to the White House in a few weeks' time, Melania will do so in a blaze of luxurious jewelry, just like her glamorous forerunner. True, the two women differ in their choice of gem: where understated Jackie preferred pearls, Melania does diamonds and does them well. They scream money and power, after all and Mrs Trump has both in truckloads. Melania's most famous piece is probably her Graff engagement ring with its huge emerald-cut 15-carat diamond, gifted to her by Donald in 2004 and estimated to be worth some $2 million. Even that massive diamond ring was surpassed by an anniversary gift ten years later. Here, Melania is seen wearing the newer ring, with its giant stone on full display, in her official portrait as First Lady in 2017. Starting as she meant to go on, Melania famously channeled Jackie Kennedy with an eye-catching Ralph Lauren ensemble in baby blue for her husband's 2017 Inauguration, her opening appearance as First Lady. The most famous piece in Melania's collection is her Graff engagement ring, with its huge emerald-cut 15-carat diamond, gifted to her in 2004 by Donald and estimated to be worth some $2 million today. One member of the Trump entourage is said to have joked that friends and colleagues have to 'put sunglasses on', so blinding is the flawless solitaire. In 2020, Donald Trump raised eyebrows, and possibly hackles, by suggesting he'd received a 50 per cent reduction on the ring, testament, presumably, to The Apprentice star's prodigious bargaining powers. It's not known what Melania thought of that claim, but it seems unlikely to be true. Graff, one of the most exclusive jewelers in the world, does not offer discounts. But even that magnificent ring was outshone a decade later when, in 2015, Trump gave Melania another piece by Graff to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. This second ring, said to have been worth $3 million at the time of purchase and $4 million today features an enormous 25-carat, 'D-flawless' (the highest grade of purity) diamond. Melania can be seen wearing it in her first official portrait as First Lady in 2017 although, at the time, she was criticized for appearing to strategically position the giant rock toward the lens. Donald Trump also turned to Graff for his wife's 13-carat wedding band, featuring 15 emerald-cut diamonds. When Melania wears her larger 10th anniversary ring, she has been known to move the wedding band to the fourth finger of her right hand, defying convention but displaying it more clearly. As for earrings, they are not something Melania is known for. But she did wear a memorable pair of Van Cleef & Arpels princess-cut diamond studs for Trump's 2017 Inauguration and at the Freedom Inaugural Ball in Washington that followed. That same year, she received a set of pearl earrings from Akie Abe, wife of Japan's then-Prime Minister, during a visit to the flagship Tokyo store of Mikimoto jewelry. Japan is famous for the quality of its pearl jewelry. the Van Cleef studs were seen once again in June 2019 when, on a state visit to Great Britain, she met King Charles, then Prince of Wales, and his wife Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall. If Melania seemed determined to fulfil her White House role in style as well as substance, it was Jackie Kennedy who most defined her fashion. Jackie's signature pearls were quite a contrast with the pink-tinged 1950s flamboyance of her predecessor, Mamie, wife of the 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jackie's three-strand necklace was her most recognizable and classy piece, yet it was actually strung with pearls that were neither natural nor cultured, but faux. If Melania seemed determined to fulfil her White House role in style as well as substance, it was Jackie Kennedy who most defined her fashion. In this famous image, Jackie's son John Jr. pulls at a strand of her pearl necklace. She had plenty of gemstone jewelry, too, including the Diamond Sunburst Brooch (worn in her hair here) bought at Wartski in London, once famous as the main dealer in Imperial Russian Faberge Eggs. Jackie's most recognizable piece of jewelry is the her famous three-strand necklace, yet it was strung with pearls which were neither natural nor cultured, but faux. First Lady Finery Not every occupant of the White House goes for traditional gemstones. Michelle Obama liked Tom Binns's statement necklaces made from strands of beaded rhinestones, such as the collar and cuff (above) worn to meet Queen Elizabeth in 2015. Michelle was known for enormous chandelier earrings, including vintage pieces by Miriam Haskell. And who can forget that fine gold chain spelling 'VOTE' in 2020? Jill Biden prefers pearls. Her portrait for the White House website, for example, shows her with a pearl bar brooch and Mizuki pearl earings. Dr Biden also goes for light-hearted jewelry, such as a necklace with 'MAMA' spelled out in diamonds. Advertisement Worn on innumerable occasions and featured in a famous photo of a baby JFK Jr pulling on a strand the necklace was one she'd bought herself in New York's Bergdorf Goodman department store for $35 ($400 today). The piece later sold for $211,500 at Sotheby's. Jackie's extensive collection of costume jewelry (including many pieces by American designer Kenneth Lane) sold for 61 times its presale estimate at the same auction in 1996. She had plenty of natural gemstone jewelry, too, including the Diamond Sunburst Brooch bought at Wartski in London, once famous as the main dealer in Imperial Russian Faberge Eggs. Jackie had been out shopping with her sister, Lee Radziwill, following a 1961 State Dinner at Buckingham Palace when she spotted a fabulous $50,000 diamond brooch in a shop window. She couldn't afford to buy it then so politely asked Kenneth Snowman, the distinguished painter and chairman of Wartski, if he would hold it for her while she got the money together. He agreed. Returning to the United States, Jackie sold diamond leaf brooches that were given to her as a wedding gift by her parents-in-law (she did, though, have replicas made) and bought what we now know as the Sunburst Brooch. Jackie loved the piece, often wearing it in her hair in lieu of a formal tiara including at a 1962 State Dinner in honor of the Shah of Iran. It had been suggested that his wife, the Empress, would be bringing 'every major gem from the Royal Vaults' for the occasion, hoping to outshine the First Lady. The Empress duly arrived at the White House wearing the magnificent Persian Seven Emerald Tiara, plus a matching emerald and diamond necklace, and a bracelet made by America's own diamond king, Harry Winston. Jackie's response showed considerable sangfroid: she abandoned the large items of jewelry she'd borrowed for the evening from Harry Winston, as it happened turning instead to a simple pair of pearl earrings and the Sunburst Brooch placed in a 'brioche' hairdo. Really though, it was Elizabeth, wife of fifth President James Monroe (1817-1825), who first introduced fabulous jewelry to the White House. In 1794, Monroe was appointed Ambassador to France, where he bought his wife a spectacular neo-classical tiara with large 21 oval-cut and 36 smaller round-cut amethysts set in a delicate filigree of gold. It would have conferred huge status. Later, when Monroe was Ambassador to Great Britain, the couple were invited to Paris for Napoleon's 1804 Coronation. Tiaras were de rigueur. This amethyst and gold tiara in a neo-classical style was purchased by President James Monroe for his wife Elizabeth in France. The top crescent holds 21 oval amethysts. It was a far cry from the modest jewelry of the early First Ladies. Martha Washington, for example, had a notable collections of paste jewels (although such pieces were highly regarded in America at the time). When they married in 1759, George Washington gave his bride a necklace set with 'emerine', a substance made to replicate emeralds. Martha's favorite gemstones were garnets and there are several examples at the Washington's preserved Mount Vernon home in Virginia, including a necklace, a pair of earrings and a ring set with garnets bought in 1764, from Benjamin Gurdon in London. Like many wealthy colonial women, Martha also had many pieces of seed pearl jewelry made of tiny stones threaded on white horsehair. Halfway between South America and New Zealand is a small piece of British territory with just 50 residents, no paved roads, no sewage system and no landline phones. While it might sound like an idyllic tropical island to some, the volcanic island of Pitcairn has a very dark history - which has now been explored in the Wondery podcast The Pitcairn Trials. It all began in 1996, when police officer Peter George from Kent was asked to investigate an alleged serious crime on the island, the rape of a 10-year-old child. However as he began to look into the case, he uncovered horrific stories of sexual abuse from several girls on the island. One brave former resident, Glenda, who now lives in England after fleeing the island when she was 19, opened up about her own terrifying childhood, including rape at the hands of the island's Mayor and other men. When UK police officers investigated further they learnt that almost every man on the island was accused of child sexual abuse or rape. At 1,300 miles southeast of Tahiti, Pitcairn is far from easy to get to and is too rocky for an airstrip. It can be reached by flying to an outer Tahitian island and then taking a 36-hour boat ride, where travellers are ferried to the island's tiny harbour on longboats. Recalling arriving on the island, Peter, from Tonbridge, said: 'There's a church, there's a community hall, a post office. We were staying at the mission house, which was where the pastor and his family had been staying. They'd been taken off the island as a result of the allegation.' Peter spoke to the suspect in the case, Sean Christian, a 19-year-old local boy, who lived with his father Steve and his mother Olive. Former resident of Pitcairn, Britain's smallest colony, (pictured) recalls being raped at the hands of the island's Mayor Peter said: 'He readily admitted that he'd had sex with this girl. You know, we'd put a rape allegation to him. He said, ''I've had sex with her far more times than that. Five or six''. She was 11, but had reached the age of 12 by now.' Under British law, it is considered statutory rape for an adult to have sex with an individual under 16. The law states: 'Whether or not the child consented to this act is irrelevant.' However Peter explained that the 19-year-old acted more like a child than your average UK teenager, even asking his parents could he go out to play. Bizarrely, the age of consent on the island had been 12 years old. Peter revealed that the accused 19-year-old claimed the pair were in a relationship and had been exchanging 'love letters.' The officer added: 'So I went with him on his quad bike back to his house. And he took me into his bedroom. He opened up his bedroom drawer. And there were five or six letters from this particular girl outlining how they're having a relationship.' The young girl was sneaking out of her bedroom window at night to meet up with Sean - without her parents' knowledge. They only discovered their daughter's involvement with an adult when they went into their daughter's room one night to discover her bed was empty. After they sent out a search party for her, she finally arrived home - and claimed she had been raped. The suspect in question was the son of the island's mayor Steve Christian. At the time of the accusation, Pitcairn's police officer was away from the island. Pitcairn Island Mayor Steve Christian, centre, and Public Defender Paul Dacre (right) arrive at the sex abuse trial on Pitcairn Island in 2004 Pitcairn is not easy to get to, it's 1,300 miles southeast of Tahiti, and is too rocky for an airstrip It all began in 1996, when police officer Peter George, (pictured) from Kent, was asked to investigate an alleged serious crime on the island, the rape of a 10-year-old child, however it was uncovered that this was a common experience for all girls Peter admitted that he didn't really know what to do because there was no real legal system on Pitcairn, so he sought advice from the UK. He said: 'The advice was to caution him for underage sex. And that's what we did, caution him for underage sex.' After the case was considered closed, Peter went back to Kent to resume his normal duties, however he recommended that there should be some sort of independent policing on the island to stop further crimes. Peter reported this to the British Foreign Office in London and they sent a report onto the British High Commission in New Zealand, and the Deputy High Commissioner. Upon Peter's recommendation, another Kent Police officer, Gail Cox, travelled to Pitcairn for three months where she established laws for the islanders. She established the definition of domestic violence and extended it to include general violence, verbal abuse and she introduced an arms code, licence book and safety code. Gail reported the residents of Pitcairn seemed confused by an age of consent; as she had proposed changing it from 12 to 16. However the new sentencing structure for crimes was equally bizarre - raping a 16-year-old meant two years behind bars, but two men having consensual sex under the age of 21 meant life in prison. Adamstown is the capital and only settlement of the Pitcairn Islands, the only British Overseas Territory that is located in the southern Pacific Ocean The community hall pictured on Pitcairn Island The island is reached by flying to an outer Tahitian island and then taking a 36-hour boat ride, then travellers are ferried to the island's tiny harbour on longboats The island is full of dense, rocky woodland. As of January 2020, Adamstown has a population of 47, which is the entire population of the Pitcairn Islands The small adventist church of Adamastown, Pitcairn island The detective was concerned if they locked up every man on the island the trade would stop as the locals relied on men to 'run the longboats, to trade with the ships and load and unload' Elsewhere, Gail had built a training programme for a local island police officer, a woman called Marelda Warren. Even though things seemed to be moving in the right direction, the floodgates opened when two more girls came forward with rape allegations from when they were 11 years old. The girls claimed that Ricky Quinn, a visitor to the island, who'd been there for a few months visiting his step-grandmother, attacked them. The mother of one of the girls found out about the incident and called for police officer Gail, who had returned to the island for another three month stint. Ricky was found guilty on one charge of unlawful carnal knowledge of a child. He was found not guilty of the same charge against a different child and he was deported the next day. It was during this case that years of secrecy began to crumble, with many women on the island coming forward to say that, for years, girls as young as 10 had been sexually assaulted and raped. Detective Peter George and his colleague Robert Vincent were tasked with investigating the third sexual assault case which involved two suspects, the mayor's sons Randy and Sean Christian. They were no longer living on the island, but Peter travelled to Norfolk Island via Auckland, New Zealand, to interview them. The brothers denied all allegations and insisted they were innocent. After struggling to find proof in the case against Randy and Sean, the detectives returned to New Zealand looking for more evidence. Leon Salt, the Ireland Commissioner for Pitcairn, suggested they speak to a woman from Pitcairn who had recently moved to Auckland and knew the girl making the allegations. When they interviewed her, she claimed that every girl on Pitcairn was sexually assaulted by the time they turned 10 years old. This shocking statement suggested widespread abuse on the island, and the detectives took a detailed statement from her the next day. According to Peter, the woman didn't explicitly say it happened to her, but implied it was a common experience for all girls. In 2000, Peter had returned home to Kent and discussed his findings with the British Foreign Office. Speaking on the podcast he recalled: 'We recommended that we needed to obviously investigate this, and they agreed that we should. 'I don't think there was hardly a family that wasn't involved in it in some way. What was happening was that the daughter of one particular male on the island was a victim, but he was also offending against somebody else.' Peter and Robert went back out to the island to investigate alongside New Zealand police officer, Karen Vaughan, a specialist in investigating child sexual abuse. They drew up a list and were looking at a potential 30 or 40 women who had previously lived on the island between 1980 and the present day. Many who grew up on the island left as they got older; some for travel, others for job opportunities - and some fled. The team, known as Operation Unique, started tracking down the women, showing up on their doorsteps unannounced to try get a clearer picture of what was going on on the island. Glenda, who grew up on Pitcairn, spoke to the team about her terrifying experience of sexual assault when she was just three-years-old. Bravely recalling her experience on the podcast, Glenda said: 'I was three, mum and dad had gone off, I don't know who they'd gone to visit. I was left with my grandfather. Dave Brown, who pled guilty to some counts, three of indecently assaulting two 15-year-old girls when he was in his mid-30s 'And I woke up, I thought I was dreaming, and my body was rocking, literally rocking. And I, young as I was, I thought, what's going on? And there was this guy trying to...it wasn't a family member. It wasn't family. It was another guy on the island. 'He was an older guy. I didn't tell Mum and Dad, but he came back the second night, and I screamed, and I screamed, and I screamed, and Grandad came. I said, I just want Mum and Dad. 'I want Mum and Dad. I want Mum and Dad. And they came home. I was still crying, still upset. I was dreading him coming back, but I think with Grandad coming down the stairs, like he did, that put him off coming back. So that was my first.' Glenda explained that it was a trusting island where everyone left their doors and windows open and everybody knew everybody. However that wasn't the only assault Glenda experienced. She also recalled a brutal gang rape by Pitcairn's mayor Steve Christian and other men when she was just 10 years old. Breaking down in tears, she said: 'He raped me, and he tried to get the other boys to do the same.' Glenda said: 'Sex on the island is when somebody grabs you and you just go along with it, and you let them do what they want to you because you don't want to get hurt. That's all you associate sex with on Pitcairn, violence.' Glenda, who left Pitcairn when she was 19 and now lives in England, said she was even abused for years by her male school teacher, saying he tried to rape her one school day. Peter said some of the island men confessed when they were questioned, however others denied it. He said: 'Well, their attitude was very poor towards women. I mean, one in particular, we interviewed him off the island, and his attitude was, 'well, what are we going to do about these b******?' That was his words.' Operation Unique considered how to move forward with a trial against the perpetrators but they had a few concerns. Peter said: 'You couldn't possibly hold trials on Pitcairn, not at that time, because there was no legal system there. One of the magistrates was a suspect, so what do you do? Everyone was a suspect, every male, really.' The detective was also concerned if they locked up every man on the island the trade would stop as the locals relied on men to 'run the longboats, to trade with the ships and load and unload.' After much debate UK government officials agreed that if the effects of prosecution meant that a community on Pitcairn would cease to exist then, so be it, and voluntary depopulation should be looked at. What started as 30 alleged perpetrators was whittled down to 16. Some of the accused had died; while police hadn't been able to gather enough evidence in some cases and in others, complainants withdrew their evidence because of pressure from other islanders. The British Diplomatic Service had given the newly appointed Pitcairn Public Prosecutor Simon Moore the right to prosecute. Simon had visited the island previously to understand the community. He'd been through the case files and in April 2003, he returned to Pitcairn with his final decision. In total, it was 21 charges of rape, 41 for indecent assault, and two for gross indecency, The trial took place on Pitcairn in September 2004. Lawyers, judges, media, and officials from the UK government descended on the small island for the trials, doubling it population. Nine men had been charged in total. Two were going to be tried at a later date, because they lived off the island, leaving seven men to be tried there and then. Dennis Christian, a local postmaster, pleaded guilty to three counts - two of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child when he was between 16 and 19, and the sexual assault of a 12-year-old when he was 27. Randy Christian was found guilty of eight counts in total, including gagging and raping an 11-year-old with his brother Sean Dave Brown also pleaded guilty to three counts of indecently assaulting two 15-year-old girls when he was in his mid-30s. However Brown was also facing trial for 12 other counts relating to indecent assault and unlawful intercourse with children. One of them was 13 years old when he was 35. Terry Young faced eight counts, including indecent assault of a girl under the age of 13 and raping a 12-year-old. Randy Christian, one of Steve's sons, faced 15 charges, including raping a girl when she was 10 and he was 20, and raping and then assisting his brother, Sean, who lived off the island now, of raping an 11-year-old. Finally, the mayor Steve Christian faced six charges of rape. Four of those related to Glenda. The first count related to Glenda when she was between 11 and 12, and he was between 14 or 15. She told the court that Steve pushed her to the ground, raped her, and encouraged others with him to do the same as they all laughed at her. Glenda managed to get free and ran home, her mother saw her trying to dispose of her underwear. When she asked what happened, Glenda replied, 'nothing'. She also alleged her mother called her a 'liar'. The second attack on Glenda came when she was 14 or 15 while Steve was 16 or 17. He pushed her into a shed before church and raped her, telling her, 'don't say anything, nobody's going to believe you'. Because of the rape, she was late for church and as punishment, her father beat her. During the third and fourth counts of rape, Steve pulled Glenda onto his motorbike and took her off to an area known as the Flatland. He pushed her to the ground and again raped her. The seventh man on trial was Steve's father-in-law Len Brown, who faced two charges of raping Glenda when she was 18, and he was 46. The defence tried to portray the women as 'unreliable and liars', calling one girl in her 20s who recounted a rape when she was 10 years old as 'a woman scorned.' On October 24, the men were brought back to the pitcairn Courthouse for the verdict. Steve Christians son, Randy, was sentenced to six years for four rapes and five indecent assaults. Len Brown, then 78, was convicted of two rapes and sentenced to two years. His son, Dave, was convicted of nine indecent assaults and sentenced to community service. Dennis Christian, then 49, was convicted of one indecent assault and two sexual assaults he pleaded guilty to at trial. He was sentenced to community service. Terry Young was convicted of one rape and six indecent assaults, he was imprisoned for five years. Jay Warren, the islands magistrate, was found innocent of indecent assault. Inside the church were residents would go every day to say prayer Peter said: 'It meant the victims were believed and it was justice for them. We knew they weren't going to get really long sentences, but it was just the fact that they were convicted was all important to us.' Four men, including Pitcairn's former mayor Steve Christian, were sentenced to prison for two to six years, meaning that almost half of the island's male population were locked up. Two others were given non-custodial sentences in 2004 for raping underage girls. In 2008 Peter and Robert received an MBE at Buckingham Palace for helping to bring the Pitcairn abusers to justice. At the time Peter told BBC South East: 'Every single Pitcairn girl that we knocked on the door of, disclosed to us they had been the victim of sexual abuse, ranging from a more minor perhaps indecent assault, but many to really serious, nasty child rapes. 'The island magistrate, the island mayor, leaders of the council, became involved in it. Many of the victims' fathers were offenders with other victims.' 'Obviously I'm very proud and very pleased to have been awarded this. This is something I never dreamt of having. 'But to me the real heroes of this are the victims who have been brave enough to stand up and give evidence.' It's the everyday kitchen essential that most people don't think particularly hard about before adding to their shopping basket. But in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis, butter appears to have become a status symbol in itself. And bog-standard brands aren't going to cut it among foodies on TikTok and Instagram. In May, All Things Butter - a brand set up by celebrity chef Thomas Straker boasting 100,000 followers on Instagram - managed to secure 2.2m of investment just six months after its launch thanks to its huge popularity among young consumers. The huge show of support came after the brand - which specialises in flavoured butters, including garlic and herb, chilli, cinnamon bun and chocolate - sold 100,000 packs in their first 10 weeks. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the uniquely flavoured butters are priced on the higher end of the scale - typically retailing for around the 3.15 mark. Over the past six months, their butters have also set TikTok alight - with videos of foodies raving about the flavours amassing hundreds of thousands of views, having successfully launched in ASDA, Ocado and Sainsbury's. And like any brand with a cult following, All Things Butter have also come out with a range of merchandise, including a 24 t-shirt and 9 branded socks. Pictured: All Things Butter's Garlic and Herb and Chilli varieties, which are on sale in Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Ocado Pictured: the best-selling Japanese thriller Butter, which has been nominated as Waterstones' Book of the Year Meanwhile, The New York Times named Kerrygold - the Kardashian's preferred brand - the 'butteriest butter' earlier this month, describing how unwrapping a block is an 'almost transcendent' experience. The hysteria around the otherwise ordinary dairy product comes as the best-selling Japanese thriller Butter, which has been nominated as Waterstones' Book of the Year, has taken the UK by storm. The novel by Asako Yuzuki follows a journalist who tries to gain an exclusive interview with an imprisoned serial killer, who fantasises about one day getting to taste high-quality French butter again. Here FEMAIL reveals how Britain is going mad for butter in the midst of the cost of living crisis. 'Aspirational' marketing Earlier this month, brand and marketing consultant Miranda Shanahan posted a TikTok detailing how All Things Butter has created huge interest in this otherwise ordinary category. In her viral TikTok, the expert explained: 'We're now living in a world where butter is a status symbol [...] here's how I think they did it. 'First of all, they have applied an aspirational brand narrative to a commodity product. 'Through great design, content, storytelling, they've elevated a staple into something that's fun, creative and desirable.' In May, All Things Butter - a brand set up by celebrity chef Thomas Straker boasting 100,000 followers on Instagram - managed to secure 2.2m of investment just six months after its launch thanks to its huge popularity among young consumers In May, All Things Butter - a brand set up by celebrity chef Thomas Straker boasting 100,000 followers on Instagram - managed to secure 2.2m of investment just six months after its launch thanks to its huge popularity among young consumers However, the expert also noticed the flavoured butters have launched in the ideal climate - where younger customers are looking for 'little treats' Looking at some of the flavours, Miranda added: 'In essence, butter has become another little treat for us to treat ourselves with.' Currently, there are over 105m posts on TikTok using the hashtag #littletreat - making it a lucrative means of targeting consumers. What's more, food industry experts have argued there is a revolution happening in UK butter aisles thanks to this marketing aimed at younger people. Speaking to The Grocer earlier this year, Hamish Renton, MD of food consultancy HRA Global, said: 'Theres a bit of a revolution happening within culinary butters. And it's growing really fast.' Meanwhile, Rich Clothier, MD of Wyke Farms, argued consumers are trying to match their 'aspirational' butters to more expensive bread, which they may have bought as a TikTok-approved 'little treat'. The expert said: 'If youre going to spend more on artisan bread then you want a really nice butter to put on it. 'Its similar to gin & tonic. If youre going to buy a nice gin you want to put it with a nice tonic.' Butter shortages Like with anything in history, the more expensive something is, the more social status it has as a result. TikToker FredsKitchens showed his 22,900 followers how to grate Kerrygold butter - which was named the New York Times' 'butteriest butter' earlier this year - on toast The Grocer reports Country Life's Salted and Unsalted butters are both up by 13 per cent in Sainsbury's - leading to annual price increase of 24 per cent. Stock image In the past month, the price of butter has risen as much as 20 per cent in some supermarkets. The Grocer reports Country Life's Salted and Unsalted butters are both up by 13 per cent in Sainsbury's - leading to annual price increase of 24 per cent. Meanwhile, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl's own-brand butters have all increased by 5.6 per cent - jumping from 1.79 to 1.89. In Waitrose, All Things Butter's Garlic and Herb offering jumped a staggering 20 per cent this month. Economist Harvir Dhillon told the publication: 'Tight supplies of milk and cream, due to adverse weather conditions, have led to wholesale butter prices soaring, currently 60 per cent higher than a year ago.' Moaning about the price increase on X, one user wrote: 'Lurpak is considered a luxury nowadays.' Another added: 'Kerrygold is a luxury item for most families.' The UK's shortages come as Russian supermarkets have been forced to lock butter away after the price of a block increased by 25 per cent over the past year. A report from Russia's central bank read: 'Prices for dairy products, especially butter, continued to rise faster in September. Increased cost pressures continued to pass through to prices for this category of goods.' Popularity of Butter thriller Pictured: Butter author Asako Yuzuki, who won the breakthrough author award at the Books Are My Bag Awards earlier this year In the book, suspected serial killer Manako Kaji - an amateur chef with a taste for luxury - tells her female interviewer: 'There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.' The thriller Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder was originally published in Japan back in 2017, where it became an instant bestseller. The crime thriller, which is loosely based on the story of the Konkatsu Killer, was published in the UK in February - and won the breakthrough author award at the Books Are My Bag Awards. What's more, the international bestseller - which is set during a butter shortage - is also in this year's top 20 translated fiction titles, according to The Guardian. In the book, suspected serial killer Manako Kaji - an amateur chef with a taste for luxury - tells her female interviewer: 'There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.' During their first meeting, the prisoner demands Rika, a journalist who desperately wants to get an exclusive interview with her, try Echire butter, which can retail for up to 8. She tells the reporter: 'When I'm eating good butter, I feel somehow as though I am falling [...] that same feeling as when the lift plunges towards the ground floor. 'The body plummets, starting from the very tip of the tongue.' The month after Butter was published in the UK, Waitrose reported a 20 per cent increase in sales of spreadable butter, The Times reports. Marking a change in attitudes towards full-fat dairy products, Marks and Spencer announced whole milk would be their cafes' default option when making coffees in February. An American man who met his wife on a Filipino dating app revealed the awkward questions asked by family members after he paid $20,000 to start a life in the US together. Evan and Stephanie were both on a Filipino dating app, and after she changed her location to America, the pair matched. 'So after downloading all of the American dating apps I decided to download a Filipino dating app just to see what's out there,' he explained on Truly's Love Don't Judge. Evan soon matched with Stephanie and, after just three-and-half weeks of talking, he knew she was the one for him. '[After] getting to know the most beautiful and funny girl I decided to book my flight to go see her,' he explained. 'I'd say I spent about $5,000 each trip so about $15,000 for the three trips I took.' Stephanie added: 'The moment he landed in the Philippines he asked me to be [his] girlfriend and we became official.' Stephanie said people often assume she is a maid, as she does all the 'cooking, cleaning and washing but it's just normal household chores.' 'When people say Stephanie is my maid I don't take it personally because I know that we are both happy and we have a good thing going between the two of us,' Evan added. Evan and Stephanie were both on a Filipino dating app, and after she changed her location to America, the pair matched Whilst they're in love, many people can't help but judge their relationship. 'People judge my relationship because I'm from the Philippines and my husband spent $20,000 to bring me here in the United States,' Stephanie admitted. Evan's mom had her reservations when he first went to the Philippines to see Stephanie. 'I did have concerns especially the first visit. You were going very far away and you're the foreigner and you look like a foreigner and you're going to a country to meet a woman that you don't know that well,' Evan's mom, Susan, said. She did question why the couple got married so quickly, as they had a secret elopement in June, and admitted she wondered how compatible they really were. However, after seeing them together she changed her mind, telling Stephanie there was one particular moment she knew they were truly in love. 'I have to tell you that I haven't told you,' Susan told Stephanie. 'Before when you got off the plane and you were waiting for him and you saw him you were just so excited.' She continued: 'I was in tears and it was just so genuine and and that really kind of locked it in knowing how much you cared.' 'People judge my relationship because I'm from the Philippines and my husband spent $20,000 to bring me here in the United States,' Stephanie admitted Stephanie said people often assume she is a maid, as she does all the 'cooking, cleaning and washing but it's just normal household chores' He also said he's often told he's dating someone out of his league, but they make fun of some of the comments they receive about their relationship The couple face critical comments, such as 'why you could not find someone in US.' 'She going to milk your money dry boy yeah did you pay for this one?' added another. 'Bro imported a slave he found a housekeeper,' another had written. Evan also said he's often told he's dating someone out of his league, but they make fun of some of the comments they receive about their relationship. 'We play into it a little bit and get interaction that way,' Evan shared. The happy husband gushed that his wife has made him a 'much better person,' in a lot of ways. 'She's gotten me out of my shell usually I'm introverted and she's the extrovert,' he said fondly. 'She's a helped me be more social and enjoy life,' he said. Stephanie agreed, affectionally crediting her husband for changing her life. 'Aside from him bringing me here, that really changed my whole life, I feel more confident with myself,' she happily said. Dear Bel, Sixty years ago, while serving in the Royal Navy, I met my current wife and got engaged. Unfortunately, I had to take my ship to Gibraltar for a long refit, which meant remaining there for 18 months. In time I got the inevitable 'Dear John' letter and that was that. We each married different partners but much later I divorced and she was widowed. We always wondered what happened to each other and got in contact six years ago. After a whirlwind romance we married. Sadly, about 18 months ago, my wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I did my best for her, even though it was difficult hauling her scooter/wheelchair in and out of the car boot at 80. I had little or no thanks from her family for what I was doing for their mother, let alone help. I soldiered on but even the Macmillan nurses, friends and family worried that it was wearing me down. They asked: 'Who is looking after you?' to which I replied: 'ME!' After a serious altercation I felt I could no longer carry on living at home. I got a flat but still carried on doing what was necessary for her. But as time went by I felt I couldn't carry on much longer. I'm not well having had a triple heart bypass 20 years ago and I also have chronic inflammation of the joints. So I decided to stop and told my wife her family would have to fill the void but suspected they wouldn't either because they are working or cannot be bothered. It's not that I don't care, Bel, because I do. It's stressing me out, worrying who is looking after her. And, obviously, the answer is nobody. Then I'm getting messages that she's lonely, which is understandable. The worry isn't helping me at all. It will eventually wear me down, if it hasn't done so already. My wife feels that just taking her out for a drive now and again wouldn't do any harm. Well it wouldn't but I know it won't be long before I'm back where I was before and in the meantime her family does nothing, or very little at all, simply because she won't ask them but instead puts the pressure on me. What are your thoughts? Thomas Bel Mooney replies: My first response is that this is a sad, sad tale and I feel great pity for your poor wife. I also feel very sorry for you, finding yourself in this difficult position. Sixty years ago the two of you fell in love but your long absence meant that the relationship ended. It was not your wish but you got on with your life. Those of a romantic disposition can think it delightful and touching when elderly people find each other after a long passage of time and rekindle their lost love. And indeed it is but your seemingly rather unemotional email reveals the problems that can befall even a loving couple when age and illness get in the way. To put it bluntly, no matter how much you loved her during that 'whirlwind romance' you did not sign up to become your wife's carer. Who does? Your mention of hauling the wheelchair in and out of the car boot brings home the stress and exhaustion. It's not your fault, nor (of course) is it hers. Many people in a similar situation will recognise your frustration at the lack of help from your wife's family but, at the same time, there are those who may decry your decision to leave after that very big row. It must have been a great shock to her; just so awful to find yourself alone and helpless. But here it's vital to avoid judgment; nobody can know what it was like for you or the context of your terrible argument. Of course her family should have rallied around and most certainly should now. I understand your resentment that your presence as her husband got them off the hook. Might it be that you never got on with them? Quote of the week The mind is active, only in so far as it understands, and only to the same extent can it be said absolutely to act virtuously. The minds absolute virtue is therefore to understand. From Ethics by Baruch Spinoza (Jewish Dutch philosopher, 1632-1677) Advertisement Did they resent you marrying their mother? Are you able to speak civilly to her adult children and see what can be worked out? Surely this is the only way forward? It touches my heart that she is almost pleading with you to take her out in the car. Please try to relent and do so. This is a sick woman you loved dearly twice in your life and in her distress she really needs you. She must be so sad, so afraid and so bereft. Of course you need help in looking after her, so I'm wondering if somebody could act as a mediator between you and your wife's family. That is necessary and urgent, because in your current mood I worry you might alienate them. You mention Macmillan nurses . . . can you not seek advice there from professionals you have met while caring for your wife? That wonderful charity has a support line (0808 304 8558, seven days a week, 8am to 8pm; free to call from landlines and mobiles within the UK) where you can also seek help. Ideally your wife would have a carer visit every day and take the weight off your back. Many people find local authority care arrangements lacking (too short visits, changing carers etc) but you could try that route or seek private help if you can afford it. This is where yes your wife's family should certainly help, as well as being in regular touch in person, not by text. I just hope and pray you can help your wife through this time of trial and that she understands what you have gone through, too. You both need holding up. Please make up. I cant bear hosting my selfish ex-partner Dear Bel, I've been reading your column for years and value your advice to others. My problem is my ex the father of my 35-year-old daughter, who is about to make us grandparents. He never supported us emotionally, financially or indeed in any way. He is selfish and manipulative. I don't have much to do with him but he has always been in our daughter's life and she loves him. He lives in Devon with his current partner and we live in London. My daughter asked if I can host him and his partner when they visit after she gives birth. I don't want him in my house. My daughter has a one-bedroom flat. I would like to help her by saying, 'Yes they can stay at mine' but I couldn't bear him here for two days or more. He claims he can't afford a Premier Inn, yet he eats organic food, drinks alcohol and smokes weed. I have zero respect for him. His partner is a nice lady. My daughter knows how manipulative he is and he did stuff no regular dad would do e.g. introducing her to new lovers while still living with old ones. If I don't host them, he will put on our daughter, who'll have a new baby in a one-bedroom flat. Please advise me. Linda Bel Mooney replies: It makes me glad to know you are a regular reader and value my advice. Thank you! But that being the case, you must be used to my favourite tone when replying to readers. What is it? What do you think, Linda? I think I'd say something like 'reasonable' and 'conciliatory' with a whole lot of realism in there, too. Before I apply that attitude to your problem, let me admit that this approach isn't always popular. I'll give you two examples, both from lovely readers not used to disagreeing with me! Jean addressed the issue in the letter about a family quarrel and Christmas. She asks: 'Why should the daughter be pressured by the mother and told to put up with her brother for the family . . . if he is not willing to make amends, then he deserves to spend Christmas alone.' Then, bothered by my answer to a letter about an unfaithful husband, Colin writes: 'My wife and I were both surprised by your ambivalence towards the complete and utter b*****d otherwise known as 'B'. . . the tone of your response seemed to dismiss [his wife's] feelings of betrayal. . .' He said more, all intelligent and civilised, but I want to explain to both that my answer to the perennial 'why on earth should he/she tolerate/forgive?' question, is simply that somebody has to otherwise there is no hope of any harmony, ever. It's not a question of who is in the right. It's a matter of one person being big enough, brave enough, determined enough to make things all right. Or at least try to. So here you are faced with this dilemma: please your daughter or act on your old dislike of her father? Grit your teeth and bear the company of that man for two days or make life harder for your daughter? I have no doubt what I'd do. I'd make the self-indulgent scrounger 'welcome' (even if insincere) for my daughter's sake and even make a good fist of celebrating the state of new grandparenthood you both share. I'd book the couple a table for supper somewhere near your home so you don't have to feed them (apart from breakfast) and show warmth to the 'nice' partner who has nothing to do with your old conflicts. That's all. A new baby is a wondrous thing. So I suggest you let that special bit of stardust settle over your fractured family for a couple of days. In case anybody asks 'why should you?' I reply: 'For the greater good.' And finally... Dont be put off by tales of therapy It was so interesting to read about Pete Townshends long battle with what he calls chemical depression. Recently, The Who guitarist revealed that he wakes up with suicidal thoughts, but finds that a cup of tea, a couple of digestive biscuits and writing a journal can all give him the lift he needs. In a newspaper interview the rock legend was frank about old attempts to seek help through therapy. He said that after three years of therapy he realised that the woman counselling me had only said about three words and that he was just listening to myself. So he turned his back on doctors. This interested me greatly, because regular readers will know that (like most people doing this job) I do suggest various forms of therapy from time to time. Im no expert: for real knowledge dont miss the excellent Monday column by the Mails Dr Max Pemberton, who works full-time as a psychiatrist in the National Health Service. However I do have a little personal experience. Twice in my life, at times of great stress, I tried psychotherapy but it was no help. Both times I stopped after a short while and I felt quite sorry for one kindly lady because she was clearly out of her depth with me. I think they were the wrong people. But Ive been impressed by learning about cognitive behavioural therapy, which looks at how thoughts affect feelings, which in turn affect behaviour. This is a focused look at the present, finding out whats wrong, what you want to change and how to do it. In shorthand, the process is Hope Choice Control. So if youre in distress, please dont be put off by Pete Townshends experience because remember, we are all different, with varied needs. Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley. Every year, thousands of students get wait-listed by University of California schools. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle The Summit Cafe, at UC Santa Barbara. Acceptance rates of applicants who are wait-listed varies from year to year at different UC campuses. Erick Madrid/Special to the Chronicle Students sit on the lawn near Royce Hall at UCLA, in the Westwood section of Los Angeles. Jae C. Hong/Associated Press 2019 Its the news no UC applicant wants to hear from their dream school. Getting wait-listed isnt as rough as getting rejected. Still, for thousands of high school seniors, learning theyre on the waiting list for one or more University of California schools can be a blow. The application deadline for the 2025-26 school year was Dec. 2. And now its decision time: The UCs notify students in March via email and the UC application portal whether theyve been accepted, rejected or wait-listed. Notifications are already underway, though timing varies by school. Advertisement Article continues below this ad UC officials say students who get wait-listed at their top choice in the nine-campus system should move forward with a backup option. College counselors recommend students commit to a school theyve been admitted to by the enrollment deadline, even if its at another UC. Students can always change their mind though they would forfeit any deposit youd put down at another school. So whats your next move if you or your child are one of the wait-listed students left in admissions limbo? Heres what experts recommend. Opt in and follow instructions According to a UC fact sheet, only students who are denied admission can appeal the decision and since a waitlist offer isnt a final admissions decision, wait-listed students arent eligible for the appeals process. Advertisement Article continues below this ad So if youre offered a place on the waitlist, the main thing to do and in many cases the only thing is to opt in to affirm your spot. Then wait. Some of the UCs may ask for updated transcripts or additional information on academics, extracurriculars or any extenuating circumstances. Some allow students to send a letter or statement indicating their interest. As admissions have ballooned, fewer campuses have accepted those kinds of letters, said David Reynaldo, the director of college counseling service College Zoom. Last year, he said, only UCLA and UC Davis permitted wait-listed students to send letters. There are two mistaken perceptions about the waitlist that college counselors hear about from students, said Irena Smith, a former independent college counselor and author of The Golden Ticket: A Life in College Admissions Essays. UC Santa Barbara, with the iconic Storke Tower in the background. Schools in the University of California system will let students know in March via email and the UC application portal whether theyve been accepted, rejected or wait-listed. Erick Madrid/Special to the Chronicle One is that theres horse-trading happening between the UCs that if you get into UCLA, it means you wont get into Berkeley, for instance. But that isnt the case, she said. The schools operate and make admissions decisions independently. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The other is that students should go above and beyond to show their interest to get off the waitlist. If the school didnt ask you for a letter, it doesnt want a letter. Admissions officers dont want you to email professors to make a case on your behalf, or for you to send unprompted letters of recommendation from your high school teachers. They definitely dont want you to show up in person at the admissions office. Theres a very fine line between showing interest and being annoying, said Dan Lee, the cofounder of Solomon Admissions Consulting. He said at some private colleges in the Northeast, it might be worth trying to go the extra mile to show how interested you are, but that thats more likely to harm than help your chances at a UC. If you are permitted to send a statement or letter, Lee said, use that space to emphasize your interest (if its your first-choice school, say so), lean into what makes you unique (any skill or background factor that helps you stand out) and talk about why youre a great fit for that specific school (the professors you want to learn from, any campus activities you plan to participate in). Students walk outside UC Davis Student Community Center. Andri Tambunan/Special to the Chronicle When will I know if I made it off the waitlist? When colleges admit students, they know not every single one of them will choose to enroll. Reynaldo described it as an over/under bet that theyll admit enough students to get a full class. But in many years, that bet is off. UCs may start admitting students off the waitlist as early as late March or April if an insufficient percentage of admitted students are registering. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But most waitlist decisions will begin to happen after the May 1 Statement of Intent to Register deadline for applicants who were accepted in the first round. Some students may hear as late as July. The official recommendation from the UCs is for students to register at a college that has accepted them whether thats a UC or another school by that May 1 deadline to ensure they will begin their studies in the fall. The waitlists are not ranked. Admissions officers look for students who would round out the class, Smith said. That could mean more math majors, or first-generation college students, or people who play a musical instrument theres no way to know what theyll be looking for. The student union at UC Santa Cruz. UC officials say students who get wait-listed at their top choice in the nine-campus system should move forward with a backup option. Nic Coury/Special to the Chronicle There is no way to get updates on the UC waitlist. The only update you can receive is whether or not youve made it off the waitlist, and youll be notified when that happens, anytime between May and July. If you get accepted off the waitlist at a UC campus and decide to enroll there, youll need to notify the school where you already enrolled before the deadline. The UCs dont allow you to transfer your $250 deposit between schools, so youll lose the money you put down to secure your initial spot. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If you are not accepted by the end of the waitlist process, UC says that some campuses may consider an appeal though officials caution that very few students are admitted based on appeals. So what are your odds of getting accepted off the waitlist? Once again, it can vary dramatically from year to year and from campus to campus. The Christmas season is well and truly under way, with glittering lights decorating houses and streets - and advent calendars just hours from being opened. But in London, there's one adorable event that has kicked off the holiday period with style - the Rescue Dogs of London Christmas Jumper Parade. If you're heading to the capital today, you may have spotted dozens of stylish pups in their very best Christmas attire - some in holiday jumpers, and some inspired by Santa Claus. The Christmas Jumper Parade, organised by the Rescue Dogs of London, saw dogs of all shapes and sizes gather at St Jamess Park in their best red and green ensembles. A very smart pug dressed up like a Christmas elf for the occasion, while a family of beautifully-groomed poodles wore matching knitted red jumpers and scarves. One French bulldog donned a Christmas beret, paired with a quilted pink jacket - which featured a number of festive red bows. There were even pups in tiny Santa hats, and some whose Christmas outfits featured glittering tulle skirts. The dogs and their owners met at St Jamess Park near Horse Guards Parade on Saturday, before heading on a stroll past some of London's most iconic landmarks. A family of very stylish poodles took part in the Christmas Jumper Parade in matching outfits These two tiny pups wore matching Santa Claus outfits - with sparkling tulle skirts Rescue Dogs of London said the walk was in support of 'two amazing dog rescues'. The charity said: 'Starting at St Jamess Park opposite Horse Guards Parade, well stroll down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace and walk through Green Park, where well finish the parade. 'After the parade, you can pop across to the dog-friendly and stylish Athenaeum Hotel for complimentary refreshments to warm up.' Rescue Dogs of London said the walk was in support of 'two amazing dog rescues' The dogs and their owners met at St Jamess Park near Horse Guards Parade on Saturday, before heading on a stroll past some of London's most iconic landmarks Tickets for the event were 10 a piece, with proceeds going to support pooches in need at Hungary Hearts Dog Rescue and ZEM Rescues Dog owners also joined in the fun, wearing very festive jumpers for the Christmas walk There were prizes given to the most stylish pups, with each dog heading home with a goodie bag stuffed full of treats Tickets for the event were 10 a piece, with proceeds going to support pooches in need at Hungary Hearts Dog Rescue and ZEM Rescues. There were also prizes given to the most stylish pups, with each dog heading home with a goodie bag stuffed full of treats. A photographer was also standing by to take festive pictures of the snappy dressers. Prince Andrew appeared in a jovial mood as he headed out for his early morning ride around the Windsor estate today. The Duke of York, 64, was wrapped up warm as he enjoyed his typical Saturday morning outing - and it seemed to go much more smoothly than a few days ago. Last Monday, the royal nearly took a nasty tumble after his horse was spooked during another morning ride through the Windsor estate. Dramatic images captured the moment the Duke of York's picturesque ride took a turn for the worst when his black mare begun showing signs of distress. But today was a much calmer affair, with Prince Andrew photographed smiling while travelling around the vast estate. He wrapped up warm in a thick, grey jacket, and was accompanied by a groom. The pair chatted as they made their way through the Windsor estate, a far cry from near disaster last Monday, when he was almost thrown from his horse. The feisty animal threw its head in the air and thrashed around, appearing to catch the prince by surprise and knock him off balance, leaving him clinging to the reins. Prince Andrew appeared in a jovial mood as he headed out for his early morning ride around the Windsor estate this morning After a nerve-racking few minutes spent grappling with the mare the King's brother - who is a skilled horseman - was able to calm the frightened animal by leaning back and stabilising himself. The prince was then able to continue on his way. Prince Andrew has been keeping a low profile since his infamous Newsnight interview in 2019 and has only been seen in public a handful of times. Andrew was pilloried for his TV performance because of a lack of contrition for his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his failure to express sympathy for the dozens of women Epstein trafficked and abused over three decades. The bombshell interview saw Emily Maitlis grill the Duke on the sex allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre. His alibis for not having sex with Virginia three times, including being in Woking's Pizza Express, have also been widely ridiculed by the public. The Duke of York, 64, was wrapped up warm as he enjoyed his typical Saturday morning outing today - and it seemed to go much more smoothly than earlier this month The 63-year-old is no longer a working royal, despite pictures of him at a Balmoral church service last year indicating the Windsors were welcoming him back into the fold. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline at the time that the photographs of Prince Andrew travelling to church with the Waleses were 'clearly intended to send a message of family unity'. But he insisted it was not a sign Andrew could return to public duties in any form. It has been a dramatic fall from grace for a man, who, as a Royal Navy veteran of 22 years once commanded the respect of a nation. Prince Andrew nearly took a nasty tumble after his horse was spooked on his ride through Windsor estate on Monday last week Dramatic images capture the moment the Duke of York's picturesque ride took a turn for the worst when his black mare became distressed He has since given up his HRH titles and had his honorary military roles stripped by the Queen, being denied the right to wear his military uniform on a number of occasions, including as he followed his mother's coffin. Andrew quit his role as a trade envoy when pictures emerged of him walking in New York's Central Park with American financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in 2010. Images also surfaced of the Prince with his arm around Virginia Giuffre, who claimed that Epstein employed her as a masseuse but exploited her. Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing and settle the case Ms Giuffre brought against him without admitting liability. A doctor has warned people about common prescription and over-the-counter drugs that could raise their risk of cancer. The disease, which is the second leading cause of death in the US, kills around 600,000 Americans every year, but around 40 percent of cases of the disease can be prevented through lifestyle changes. There are some factors such as smoking and drinking, being active and maintaining a healthy weight that can increase the risk of cancer but so can some medication. Dr Yalda Safai, a psychiatrist based in New York, revealed to DailyMail.com the five drugs that she said people needed to be aware could cause cancer. She reiterated that no one should stop taking a prescription medication before talking to their doctor and highlighted that any risks and benefits should be discussed with your doctor. 'With every medicine, you have to balance the risks vs the benefits,' she said. 'Those are different for different people depending on underlying conditions and family history.' The first drug on her list were birth control pills, some of which contain man-made forms of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Prescribed to more than one in ten women every year, they work by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg helping to prevent a pregnancy. Dr Yalda Safai, a psychiatrist based in the US, revealed the drugs that she said could raise someone's risk of cancer But the artificial rise in hormone levels that they cause can also lead to damaging mutations in cells, said Dr Safai, raising the risk of certain cancers like breast cancer. 'The pills do increase the risk of breast cancer,' she told DailyMail.com, 'but they also lower the risk of other cancers such as ovarian cancer.' A 2013 study warned that regular use of birth control was linked to an eight percent higher risk of breast cancer, while a 2017 study involving 1.8million women said those using the drugs had a 20 percent higher risk of the cancer than those who never used them. Dr Safai said that despite these large numbers it was important to note that it was an uncommon effect of taking the pill. She said those considering taking birth control should also be aware of their family history of cancers, and speak with their doctor before using them if someone in the family had previously had breast cancer. The drug may also reduce the risk of ovarian cancer because it reduces the number of times a woman ovulates, or releases an egg, and therefore reduces exposure to hormones that can cause DNA mutations. The second drug on her list were over-the-counter own-brand cold medications sold by CVS, Walmart, Target and Walgreens. Earlier this year it was revealed that generic versions of the cold medicine Mucinex contained the cancer chemical Benzene. Some generic versions use a more cost-effective powder to achieve the drugs extended-release benefits that contains benzene unlike the name-brand cold medicine. The drugs were both over-the-counter and prescription medications and were commonly used The FDA has said that the ingredient will be phased out of use in pharmaceuticals by 2025, but this deadline was extended to 2026 following complaints from the industry. Dr Safai told DailyMail.com that benzene is a group one carcinogen, and has previously been linked to blood cancers like leukemia. The substance has also been found in some hand sanitizers and shampoos, as well as dry shampoos which caused alarm in October 2022. The EPA, CDC and American Cancer Society all say online that benzene exposure raises someone's risk of developing cancer. Your browser does not support iframes. Next, Dr Safai pointed to the over-the-counter drug ranitidine, brand name Zantac an anti-heart burn drug that could raise someone's risk of cancer. It was widely available to purchase until 2020, when an investigation revealed the drug contained high levels of a contaminant called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). NDMA is a chemical that studies have previously shown raises the risk of developing cancer in the liver, stomach, bladder and prostate when exposed to high doses. An investigation found that while NDMA levels were within permissible limits when the drug left the factory, they quickly rose within weeks of the drug reaching shelves. Zantac was recalled in 2020 and is no longer available for sale in the US, but Dr Safai included them in her list because Zantac may still be lurking in some people's medicine cabinets. 'I still have stuff in my medicine cabinet from five years ago,' she said, 'so yeah, it 100 percent could still be in people's cupboards.' Also on the list was Zantac, pictured above, which was recalled in 2020 over cancer risks. But Dr Safai said it could still be lurking in people's medicine cabinets She said instead of Zantac people could use Pepsin, which is also available over-the-counter and does not contain NDMA. The fourth substance included in Dr Safai's list was supplements in general. Dr Safai said: 'These are the most concerning really, because there is no testing and no regulation so we don't know what is in them and what the long-term effects might be. 'Big studies have been done in the past on supplements like melatonin, for example, which is available over-the-counter and says it can help someone fall asleep. 'These studies found that what was actually in these supplements was very different to what they said was in them on the marketing material. Because they are not regulated they can effectively do whatever they want.' She added: 'I always tell my patients not to take supplements unless they absolutely have to because you just don't know what's in it.' Asked which supplements she would be most concerned about, she said the list was broad and wide-ranging and pointed to previous cases of contaminants been detected. These include the supplement maker BlackOxygen, which was barred from the market in 2021 after testing showed that its fulvic acid supplements were actually laced with high levels of lead and arsenic, two metals linked to cancer. It was also sued by four people in Georgia. In 2022, non-profit Clean Label Project screened 134 protein powders for 130 types of toxins and found that many contained heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercurcy. Estimates suggest that about 59million Americans use some type of vitamin or supplement regularly, spending an average of $510 annually on the substance. Among supplements to be recalled were Black Oxygen tablets, which were found to contain heavy metals like lead and arsenic The final drug that Dr Safai added to her list was hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Prescribed to millions of women every year, it is used to help reduce symptoms of the menopause such as hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness by boosting levels of estrogen and progesterone. But, like with birth control pills, this can also raise a woman's risk of suffering from certain types of cancer. Dr Ashwin Sharma, the medical communications manager at ZipHealth and MedExpress, added to DailyMail.com: 'HRT, often prescribed for menopause symptoms, has been associated with a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. 'However, it is also linked to a reduced risk of other cancers, such as esophageal cancer. This underscores the importance of considering both risks and benefits when evaluating any treatment.' He added: 'Understanding how risks are presented is also crucial. For example, a "20 percent increase in relative risk" may sound alarming, but the actual change in absolute numbers is often minimal. 'To illustrate, an increase from 1 case in 10,000 to 1.2 cases in 10,000 represents a statistically small rise that might not significantly impact most individuals.' The doctors said people should check with their primary care physician before they stop using any medication they have been recommended or prescribed. Parenthood will become harder for thousands of NSW residents as an Australian-first scheme to help boost fertility rates will be scaled back in a matter of months. The Fertility Treatment Rebate was introduced by the Coalition in January 2023, and has provided more than 14,000 women in NSW with a one-off $2000 cash payment for IVF treatment. The NSW Labor government has now announced it is widely reducing who is eligible for the rebate because it was costing them too much. 'The previous government established the program in January 2023, right before the election campaign, the real tragedy is they didn't put any money into it,' NSW Premier Chris Minns said. 'We looked at the scheme, we thought it was genuinely worthwhile ... but the number of people that applied for the scheme was far beyond what the government could afford.' It will now be means tested and applicants will now only be eligible if they have Family Tax Benefit or hold a Health Care Card or collectively earn less than $116,000 per year. 'That's the equivalent of $58,000 per person - about $25,000 less than the starting salary of a teacher,' Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said. 'This is a cruel, distressing blow for the thousands of women and their partners who were relying on this subsidy to support their dreams of having a family,' Mr Speakman said. A single round of IVF can cost up anywhere from $6000 to $12,000, depending on the treatment required and the individual's type of insurance coverage. The Minns government will tighten the criteria for a NSW government IVF rebate scheme The treatment program had already provided more than 14,000 women with cash payments which would go towards IVF treatment Opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane blasted the amendment, saying it could have 'potentially life-changing consequences for thousands of hopeful parents'. 'Chris Minns is now asking many women to make an impossible choice - pay the household bills or pursue their dream to have a baby,' she said. National fertility clinic Adora Fertility said the changes add 'just another hurdle for those trying to make their dreams of becoming parents a reality'. 'Our goal is to give every Australian the option to access affordable fertility treatments,' chief executive Vanessa Ferguson said. 'With the minimum wage in Australia just under $50k a year, eligibility for the rebate will be restricted to low and middle-income earners and as we know infertility can affect anyone. In NSW, one in seven couples face fertility issues, with one in 16 children conceived and born through IVF In addition to the changes in eligibility, the NSW government announced it would more than double the funding for the Fertility Treatment Rebate. According to NSW Health Minister Ryan Park, the initial $24m in funding for the fertility treatment was increased after the 'previous government ... ran out of funds after being oversubscribed within less than the planned four years'. 'This is already an incredibly challenging and costly experience for these families, so the rebate will help to take some of the financial burden away from eligible recipients,' Mr Park said. 'The NSW government's $52.2m investment in fertility support is part of the NSW government's $130.9m Family Start Package which aims to help families across NSW with cost-of-living pressures. In June, the NSW government announced it would be doubling its funding for fertility support for low and middle-income earners and scaling back eligibility for the one-off rebate. 'The NSW government is committed to easing cost-of-living pressures by helping low-to-middle income people who are trying to start or grow their families. 'This is already an incredibly challenging and costly experience for these families, so the rebate will help to take some of the financial burden away from eligible recipients. 'By introducing an income eligibility test, it ensures the rebate can continue and goes to those families who are most in need of financial support.' Mr Park confirmed the NSW government would continue monitoring the rebate's uptake. There'll be a new look on Capitol Hill in January when the Trump Administration officially takes office. Many in Donald Trump's inner circle appear to have gone under the plastic surgeons knife, creating what is now being dubbed the 'Mar-a-Lago' face. Defined by copious use of Botox, a Miami-bronze tan, puffy lips and silky smooth skin, plastic surgeons told DailyMail.com it was giving Trumpland an almost 'plastic' and 'Real Housewives' look. Some have suggested that the shift in the appearance of Trump's closest aides could be down to a desire to please the President-elect, who has been accused of having a preference for attractive subordinates. Dr Anthony Youn, a plastic surgeon in Michigan, said: 'It's something you'd see in Real Housewives stars, a combination of Botox and filler... that are mildly to moderately overdone. 'They don't look distorted necessarily, but they also don't look like they used to. It is definitely a plastic look, maybe a Kardashian look.' He said MAGA stars like Lara Trump, who is married to Trump's third child Eric, have undergone the biggest facial transformations. Others included Matt Gaetz, who was nominated to be Attorney General for nine days before withdrawing in disgrace, and Kimberly Guilfoyle, who has been engaged to Trump's eldest child Donald Trump Jr. since 2020. There is also speculation that Lara Trump has received fillers in her cheeks and lips and a nose job, or rhinoplasty Kristi Noem, 52, a Republican congresswoman from South Dakota who has been nominated to be Homeland Security secretary, was reported to have got her teeth straightened in March ahead of her push for a top job in Trump's cabinet. 'It's all about her appeal to an audience of one,' Republican strategist Ron Bonjean told the New York Times at the time. 'The whole teeth thing almost looks like it was done for Trump to see. She is showing him she works well in front of the camera, that she has that star power he wants onstage with him, while fitting into the mode of women in the Trump universe.' But Dr Youn suggests, however, that the shift in the appearance of the MAGA set is part of a wider trend. 'The calling card for being wealthy used to be expensive bags to show off,' he said, 'but now it has almost become an expensive face we are seeing it in younger people too'. According to the Atlantic Trump is not a fan of plastic surgery and often finds the procedures appalling. They reported: 'Trump, who is generally appalled by plastic surgery, was disgusted to learn about the apparent extent of Loomer's facial alterations.' Pictured above is Matt Gaetz who turned heads when he appeared at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday because of his over-arched eyebrows. He is pictured on the left in 2018 Kimberly Guilfoyle faced speculation that she had received plastic surgery most recently after she appeared at the Republican National Convention The effect appears to extend to the men in Trumpland as well, with Matt Gaetz, 42 former attorney general nominee suggested to have had Botox in his forehead. He appeared with arched eyebrows and a wrinkle-free complexion at the Republican National Convention in July, which plastic surgeons were quick to say was due to having too much Botox. 'Matt is clearly one of those people who is getting too much Botox,' Dr Corey Maas, a plastic surgeon in San Francisco, said. 'If you can't raise your eyebrows even a little, it looks odd and expresionless'. Your browser does not support iframes. 'In some ways, it is worse to have this in men, because you can get to a point where the eyebrows drop below the rim of the eyes which can make you look evil frankly.' Plastic surgeons said Lara Trump, 42, had likely had Botox in her forehead as well as filler into her lips and cheeks, which have become plumper over time. They also noted her skin was much smoother, suggesting use of lasers they said, and that it had now taken on a more bronzed hue. And on Kimberly Guilfoyle, 55, Dr Joel Kopelman a plastic surgeon in New York City said she had likely had too much Botox which had caused asymmetry in her face. Kristi Noem, who has now been nominated to lead the Department of Homeland Security, is pictured above in 2011 and again in November this year Pictured above is former Republican chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who has faced accusations that she has received filler. She is yet to appear at the Republican National Convention 'Overuse or misplacement of Botox can weaken the wrong muscles, leading to these outcomes of brow ptosis (dropping) and possibly some asymmetry around her mouth,' he said. 'Additionally, while fillers can create volume and lift, excessive use can lead to an overfilled or puffy appearance.' He added: 'Her cheeks and lips appear to have been augmented significantly, possibly crossing the line into 'too much', which can make the results less natural.' Trump's daughter Ivanka is also heavily rumored to have had plastic surgery. MPs today took a critical step in making assisted dying a reality in England. The House of Commons voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill which, if enacted into law, will give patients with less than six months to live the right to seek euthanasia from a medical team. While passed, the bill still needs to go through various amendments and more votes in both the Commons and the Lords, and even if this goes smoothly it could be years before it actually comes into practice. Debate about the controversial bill continues, including specific concerns on how accurately medics assess how long the terminally ill have to live. Experts have told MailOnline that estimating survival isn't an exact science. In fact, some have compared the reliability of a prognosis to that of weather forecasts. Generally speaking, the closer a patient is to death the more accurate medics' predictions become. This is because certain biological signals, such as a patient's blood pressure, appetite and lucidity as well as heavy doses of drugs like painkillers can give medics a decent idea of if they have days or even mere hours left. Debate about the controversial bill continues, and specific concerns on how exactly, and accurately, medics assess how long the terminally ill have to live have been raised. Stock image But when it comes to longer periods, the situation can become more complicated and therefore uncertain. Estimates vary by study. Some suggest medics get it broadly right 50 per cent of the time, others suggest it's as little as a third of the time. Professor Karol Sikora, a retired oncologist and former director of the World Health Organisation cancer programme, told this website the estimates medics give when patients ask how long they have left are based on population averages from other patients. These calculations take into account the specific disease a patient has, their age and how serious a condition is. This means an older person with multiple tumours will most likely die sooner than a younger one even at the same stage of cancer. One important factor to remember is these estimates are based on averages, which means exceptions apply on both ends of the scale, some will die sooner than the estimate and others will defy the odds and persist for far longer. Professor Sikora added the reliability of these estimates can naturally vary depending on the how common or rare the condition is. 'Of course you can get it wrong,' Professor Sikora said. MPs have voted 330 to 275 in favour of assisted dying, although we won't know if the Bill becomes a law until at least next year. 'It's a total inexact science.' Other experts agree. Professor Paddy Stone, former head of the Marie Curie palliative care research department at University College London, said there was no estimation method reliable enough to act as a safeguard for assisted dying. 'My research demonstrates that there is no reliable way to identify patients with less than six or twelve months to live...at least, no method that would be reliable enough to act as any sort of safeguard for the proposed assisted dying legislation,' he told the Financial Times. Professor Irene Higginson, an expert in palliative care at Kings College London, added: 'All the studies from this country and others show that estimating six months left to live is extremely difficult and not that accurate.' 'The science isnt that well developed and Im not sure it could be, because individuals vary so much'. Experts cite studies like one in 2023 on almost 100,000 patients that show medics were right nearly three out of four times on estimating if patient would die within a fortnight. They were even more accurate, right four out of five times, when it came to if a patient would live more than year. But the middle period, if a patient had 'weeks' or 'months' left was far trickier, medics only got this right a third of the time. In total, 236 Labour MPs supported the Bill alongside 23 Tories, 61 Liberal Democrats, and three Reform UK MPs Another estimate, calculated by The Telegraph, found that on 7,000 occasions medics were right on predicting if a patient would survive six months just less than half the time. Uncertainty on estimates raises concerns that patients who might otherwise live for longer could die earlier if they opt for an assisted death. Commenting on the data Professor Katherine Sleeman, a palliative care expert at King's, said 'estimating how long someone has left to live is notoriously difficult.' She added: 'If a persons estimated prognosis will be key to determining whether they are eligible for assisted dying, MPs need to carefully consider how this estimate will be made, by whom, and what the likely error rate will be.' Professor Sikora added that another, less scientific factor, he had seen throughout his career was that some patients defy the odds with a specific goal in mind. 'They want to live for some specific reason for example, their daughter is getting married,' he said. He recalled one patient in such circumstances who had a survival estimate of mere weeks. 'His daughter was getting married in two months' time and he just wanted to go to the wedding,' he said. 'He made it to the wedding and died on the following Sunday. Which was fantastic for him as it was against all odds.' Announcing a flagship health policy in 2008, the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown claimed that the way the NHS diagnosed and treated deadly diseases was set for a 'transformation'. He promised that, from 2009, everyone aged 40 to 74 would be offered an NHS health check to spot the early signs of an array of serious conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and Alzheimer's. The check, later nicknamed the midlife MOT, would be offered every five years and carried out by a GP or nurse. At the time, the Government claimed catching these diseases early would prevent thousands of hospitalisations and deaths every year. More than 16 years on, the high hopes of the health check scheme have not been achieved. Heart disease cases are at an all-time high, killing more than 170,000 Britons every year. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes has doubled since 2008, with more than five million now living with the life-threatening condition. Kidney disease cases have also doubled over that period and are expected to continue rising it's predicted that treating this condition alone could cost the NHS upwards of 13 billion a year by the end of this decade. These are all conditions which are considered preventable if caught early. And while experts say this rise in debilitating diseases is, in part, due to poor lifestyle habits and an ageing population, one thing is clear: the NHS health check has failed. Retired surgeon Phil Hollow calls on those between 40 and 74 to get the vital health check-up Last month, the National Audit Office published a damning report which concluded that fewer than half of those eligible for the midlife MOT are taking up the offer. At the time, doctors blamed the public's 'lack of engagement' with the scheme for the poor attendance figures, and accused patients of simply 'not turning up' to appointments. But a Mail on Sunday investigation has learned that not only have thousands of patients not been invited for their midlife MOT many have never even heard of it. It's a fact! Leicester has the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the UK, with nearly one in ten people diagnosed. Advertisement Last week, our GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon wrote that she was 'astonished' people do not show up for their health check because 'it's such an easy thing to do'. In response we received hundreds of emails and letters from readers who complained they had never been offered one. One 73-year-old from Sussex said she has never received an invitation for the health screening and was now desperately trying to get one booked before she became too old to be eligible. Another woman, 67, said she learned about the midlife MOT only two years ago. When she then asked her GP if she could have one, she was told it was not available. And one 43-year-old man from London said he had been trying for several years to get the health check. When he was finally offered one, it revealed that he had dangerously high blood pressure. However, NHS insiders claim that GPs are not to blame for this crisis. Instead, they argue the fault lies with local councils which are now responsible for organising them. This newspaper has uncovered the shocking extent to which local bureaucrats are endangering lives. We have identified 12 councils in England and Wales that have provided health checks to less than ten per cent of residents over the past five years, meaning millions are going without one. We have also discovered that some councils have abandoned the scheme altogether. These authorities are now offering the health check only to 'high risk' groups. Another council has denied that the midlife MOT is its duty at all. Shockingly, not one council in the past five years has met its responsibility to invite 100 per cent of eligible residents for the health check. Experts have accused councils of putting lives at risk and are calling on the Government to step in to fix the crisis. Shockingly, not one council in the past five years has met its responsibility to invite 100 per cent of eligible residents for the health check 'The system is not effective money is being thrown out the window and thousands of preventable deaths will be missed as a result,' says Professor Francesco Cappuccio, an expert in cardiovascular health at Warwick University. 'This is a big problem. With local authorities not carrying out these tests, health inequalities will worsen and the burden of disease will be greater on patients, and it will all end up costing more for the health service down the line.' So what does the health check involve? And how can you get one? The check is offered to anyone in England and Wales aged between 40 and 74 who does not have an underlying health condition. Until 2017, over-18s in Scotland were offered a similar check, known as Keep Well Clinics, however the funding was eventually pulled. Northern Ireland has never offered such a scheme. During the appointment, a GP or nurse will check blood pressure, weight, cholesterol and calculate diabetes risk. These measurements can give a good indication of the risk of developing life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks and strokes. A study by the University of Oxford, which analysed 140,000 people of whom 48,000 had a health check, concluded the appointment can cut the risk of death or diagnosis of heart disease by nearly a quarter, meaning the scheme has saved thousands of lives. Until 2013, GP surgeries were tasked with inviting their patients for the midlife MOT. At the time, about 90 per cent of eligible people were invited. However, due to worries that organising the scheme was creating too much work for GPs, the Government decided that it should be up to local councils to organise the check-ups. In theory, councils identify the eligible patients and send invites every five years. Crucially, councils are also meant to commission GPs and nurses to carry out the midlife MOT, which means they have to find clinicians and pay them. Experts argue that the policy change has been an unmitigated disaster. The latest figures suggest that about 60 per cent of those who are eligible are offered a health check but this hides the poor performances of certain councils. Sefton Council in Merseyside has managed to provide check-ups to only three per cent of residents. NHS data suggests that the area has the highest rate of heart failure in the country. Other poor-performing councils include East Riding of Yorkshire, at four per cent, Wokingham in Berkshire, at five per cent, Enfield in North London at six per cent, and Sheffield at eight per cent. When Sheffield Council was approached for comment, it claimed it was an issue for 'the NHS and not the city council'. Some experts suggest that local councils are unable to organise the checks because they are not getting enough funding from the Government. 'For many councils, NHS health checks are a key part of their health improvement programmes,' says David Fothergill from the Local Government Association. 'However since 2015, the public health grant has been reduced by 858 million, limiting councils' ability to fund these crucial services.' Not all local councils are failing, though. Newham Council in east London has provided a health check to 80 per cent of its eligible residents thanks to a tracking system, created in partnership with Queen Mary University and which all local GPs use, which identifies eligible patients. It's a fact! The healthiest area is believed to be Elmbridge in Surrey, where nearly 90 per cent of people are in good health'. Advertisement 'This digital approach, in combination with getting all of our GPs on board, has enabled us to get these results and improve thousands of lives,' says Simon Reid, who runs the programme. While councils are failing to invite eligible people, many people who are offered one do not take it up. Government figures suggest of those who are offered a test, 44 per cent do not book an appointment. However, experts say that if the Government spent more money raising awareness of the benefits of the scheme, many more people would come forwards. 'The whole idea of the check ups is that we find worrying things early,' says Prof Kausik Ray, cardiologist and public health expert at Imperial College London. 'Heart disease does not happen overnight, and there are steps we can take to protect patients from complications if we can find them before they get sick. So it is really concerning that people are not getting the check-up.' Retired surgeon Philip Hollows, 66, from Nottingham, is one of those who regrets ignoring his invitation. 'It is very easy to ignore yourself and think you are healthy,' Dr Hollows says, 'but these things can turn around and bite you' The doctor says he was 'too busy' to go for his check-up when he had the opportunity in 2018 he also felt fit and healthy, enjoyed hiking and staying active. But three years later he suffered a heart attack, and during his stay in hospital was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 'How on earth did I let that happen? I am a doctor,' he says, adding that he only ever received one invite, 'certainly not every five years'. 'It is very easy to ignore yourself and think you are healthy,' he says, 'but these things can turn around and bite you. 'I don't know if having the check would have affected my outcome, but it may have done and that's a hard lesson to learn. 'In life, you need to look after yourself and take some responsibility. So you should really make a point of asking for the check-up.' Campaigners are now calling on the Government to take action to fix the system. 'The Government has an opportunity to think more radically about how we can better detect and prevent cardiovascular disease,' says John Maingay, director of policy and influencing at the British Heart Foundation. 'This could help countless more people to live longer, healthier lives, while simultaneously boosting the economy.' Former civil servant Diane Reeve, 73, has been trying to get an appointment for months after her husband had to have a triple heart bypass. She says: 'I have never been invited for a check-up, but my husband's condition focused my mind so I sought one out.' She first tried her GP, who said no, then the NHS directly, followed by her local council but was still unable to get one. 'It has been really disappointing that I have not been able to get an appointment, and it really shouldn't take this much effort to get one,' she adds. She was told by Lincolnshire County Council that her GP surgery, Hawthorn Medical Practice, 'does not currently hold a [health check] contract with the council' and so she wouldn't be able to get an appointment. Less than two miles away, patients at another GP surgery, Beacon Medical Practice, are offered the health check. Data shows the council has signed up only half of the local GP practices to the health check scheme. After The Mail on Sunday approached Lincolnshire County Council for comment, a spokesman said: 'Under future arrangements we will be able to offer NHS health checks to everyone eligible.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'We recognise that there is more to do to improve this programme. 'This Government is committed to taking action on preventable, deadly diseases. We have begun to pilot comprehensive heart health checks in workplaces, and we are developing a digital version of the check to provide an even more accessible and convenient service for people.' I have suffered with a itchy skin problem for years, but recently it has got much worse on my buttocks and torso. A few years ago I was diagnosed with papular urticaria and given various creams and tablets, but with no success. Could the fact I smoke be to blame? Dr Ellie replies: Urticaria is a rash that can be very distressing to live with. The symptoms are similar to hives the itchy skin reaction. But while hives, which are typically triggered by a food allergy or an insect bite, will fade within a few days at most, people with urticaria suffer for months, even years. In most cases the cause is unclear, though it is thought to be linked to the immune system mistakenly going into overdrive. Anti-allergy medicines called antihistamines are usually prescribed, as well as steroid tablets. Both can reduce the itchy sensation and calm the red rash, but cannot cure it. Urticaria is a rash that can be very distressing to live with, Dr Ellie Cannon writes Steroids can be taken in short bursts only, as long-term use can raise the risk of severe conditions such as the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. However, in severe cases a dermatologist may decide the benefit of a low-dose daily steroid tablet outweighs the associated risks. Another urticaria medicine is montelukast. This tablet is usually given to asthma patients to calm their immune system, but studies show it is also effective for urticaria. There is also an anti-itching salve called menthol aqueous cream which many urticaria patients swear by. Smoking is not believed to be a trigger for the condition. However, along with caffeine and alcohol, it can make the symptoms worse. Im 82 and recently had a mini-stroke. A scan showed the arteries in my neck had thickened so very little blood was getting through to my brain. However, I was told an operation was too risky. Now Im worried I could soon have a full-blown stroke. What should I do? Dr Ellie replies: A mini-stroke is where the blood supply to the brain is temporarily blocked. In contrast to a stroke, which causes brain damage, most people who experience a mini-stroke will not suffer any lasting issues. One common cause of both a stroke and mini-stroke is when arteries in the neck, the carotids, become blocked. Patients are usually given a percentage of how blocked they are anything over 50 per cent is significant. The blockage can build up over time, as the lining of the arteries thickens, but is also hastened by high levels of cholesterol. In most cases the best way to combat this problem is medication, such as blood-thinning tablets to prevent clots, blood pressure medicine and statins to reduce cholesterol. In some cases, surgery to open up the carotid arteries may be considered if the blood vessels are dangerously blocked. This might involve removing the inner lining known as a carotid endarterectomy or widening the artery by inserting a tube, called a stent. However, this will be carried out only if the surgeon believes it is more likely to benefit the patient than harm them. Life-threatening complications become more likely the older and sicker the patient is. Its important anyone who has been told they are not eligible for surgery speaks as soon as possible to a GP or cardiologist about what medicines they should be taking instead. For nearly a year Ive had severe neck and back pain. Im told I have cervical spondylosis and apparently the only thing to treat it is physiotherapy and this hasnt helped one bit. What would you recommend? Dr Ellie replies: Cervical spondylosis is a painful arthritis condition caused by inflammation of the spine in the neck. It can be agonising and patients may also find it difficult to move their neck. All the evidence suggests that physiotherapy is important in treating this condition it cannot be cured, but regular exercise can lessen the pain and improve mobility in the region. While it is normal to feel that physiotherapy is having no effect, I would urge anyone who feels like this to stick with it, as its benefits are measured in months, not weeks. And there is no reason why patients should not take pain relief to lessen their suffering. Doctors will usually start by prescribing a strong dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen. In some cases, codeine, a mild opioid, might be offered, but this should be taken sparingly as it can be addictive. Other treatment options include prescription anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen or etoricoxib. Antidepressants, including amitriptyline and nortriptyline, can also be prescribed at low doses to help relieve pain and improve sleep. Patients may also want to try non-pharmaceutical options such as heat pads. These are all options that can be discussed with a GP. Should assisted dying be for the 'tired-of-life'? Journalist Dame Esther Rantzen has been a prominent campaigner for legalising assisted dying In the debate over legalising assisted dying, I feel there is a group of people who have not been heard those who are just tired of life. And last week, on the academic site The Conversation, a particularly bleak research paper was published which highlighted some of the reasons a significant number of elderly people do not want to go on, including chronic pain, lack of mobility and loneliness. I see these patients often in my surgery. They are not suicidal or depressed, but believe life is burdensome and would give it up if offered an easy, painless way out. However, the Bill currently in Parliament, and backed by journalist Esther Rantzen (pictured), would apply only to people who have less than six months to live. Should we not also consider offering people in their twilight years the chance to die at a time and place of their choosing? Is this something you would consider? Please write to me at DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk and let me know your thoughts. Are people fighting with pans or over them? Over. Shame. I had visions of sensible ladies going seven rounds with their heavy-bottoms. Gladiators for the Aga-classes? Exactly! No, this is more of a brand allegiance thing. Clockwise from right: Le Creuset in Volcanic; Gwyneth and Brooklyn with their hot pots. What are my options? You need to decide, in the war between cast-iron pans, whether youre in Camp Le Creuset or Team Alternative Casserole. Im not bothered. Well, you should be. Why? Because its an issue dividing the nation. How do you know this? Since the Le Creuset riots of early November (when a flash sale in Andover produced mobs that had to be dispersed by police), journalists cant stop reviewing casserole dishes. That must be exhausting for them. Yes, theyve really been putting in the hours at their gas rings; rhapsodising over lid fit and average heating time. Fascinating. Well, dont you want to know which brand these expert pan-elists (sorry) recommend? Er Of course you do. The Times likes Le Creuset (305) but gave Robert Dyas (27.99) the same 5/5 score in a beef-stew test. I thought you said they had to pick a side. No, I said you had to pick a side. Last months casserole queues OK then, Robert Dyas. Not so hasty, says The Independent have you factored in le chic of Le Creuset? Le Creuset is chic? Gen Z thinks so. It has got behind it to the extent that the brand now has 1.3 million Instagram followers, while TikTok devotees, use the hashtag #LeCreuSlay to brag about purchases. The youth loves orange Le Creuset? You mean volcanic. No, they are leaving that shade for older shoppers like you. A young person might go with colours such as shell pink or teal. I refuse to believe that Gen Z is intimately acquainted with the Le Creuset colour chart. Then youre out of touch with the casserole zeitgeist. Babe, wake up, the Le Creuset colour guide just dropped is representative of the sort of remarks on X. So I should go with Le Creuset, then? Only if you dont mind looking common, warns The Spectator because the brand has now become so ubiquitous that it could end up seeming really chav like Burberry. This is very confusing. Strap in, then, because another Times story suggests that those with proper money wouldnt be seen with anything other than a Staub (339) on their cast-iron pan shelf. When you say those with proper money you mean Gwyneth Paltrow who showed hers to Architectural Digest when they visited her home in Montecito, California. So Staub is the Rolls-Royce of the pan world? Nearly; a Finex casserole at 415 makes even more of a statement. That statement being Check me out with my 7kg dish bet you couldnt lift a full one off a low oven shelf. Who owns a Finex? Brooklyn Beckham. OK, Im not Brooklyn Beckham and Im not spending more than 50 quid. Then the casserole critics generally agree that theres one dupe that stands out from the crowd. Go on Habitats 45 version (cast iron fear not) complete with lid ridges that look very like Le Creusets. And is it orange volcanic? Perfectly. Aldi has also brought back its cast-iron dupe range in response to the hysteria. That sounds promising. Available in sensible green, blue and orange, it is oven safe up to 250C and suitable for all hob types. At 24.99, youll be lucky to get one before they sell out. Just a fleeting retail opportunity, then? Think of it as a flash in the pan. Its Friday lunchtime and Im perched on a bar stool sipping champagne. Underneath the marble ledge, my handbag swings from a hook handed to me on arrival, although the groomed lady opposite has placed her Chanel flap bag showily on the counter. And what am I eating with my fizz? Oysters, you think? Caviar? No, a sausage roll, because this is the pop-up Greggs Champagne Bar. Here in Newcastle the bakery chains home at the Fenwick Food Hall it is de rigueur to accessorise your fizz with a savoury pastry (cut diagonally, because everyone knows thats the aspirational way to serve carbohydrates). Nigella is the face of this years Christmas TV ad campaign Thought Greggs was too down-market for you? The retailer is inviting you to think again. If a champagne bar doesnt do it for you, then maybe Nigella Lawson as the face of its Christmas TV ad campaign will dislodge your pastry-based prejudices. A rapturous riot of flavour and succulent filling, she purrs at the camera, creamy sauce, the flakiest of flaky pastries. Theres a yawning chasm between this image and the bloke on the building site resting his Greggs breakfast on his beer gut. Its a chasm currently filled with peppercorn aioli and harissa coconut yogurt (both on todays menu). You may wonder whether there is much of an appetite for middle-class Greggs, but manager Andy tells me the champagne bar has been heaving since it opened and looks set to do brisk business until it closes at the end of this month. The cheapest champagne costs 15 but theres also a coupe of Cristal on the menu. What have we learned here? That the sort of person who will pay 75 for a single drink is apparently fine with being seen in a Greggs bar. The original bakery, 1973 Neither is this a random pop-up. Last year, Fenwick hosted a Greggs bistro, where dishes included a steak bake with truffled dauphinoise potatoes. This was just as eagerly received. One guy came wearing a full Greggs-branded outfit, says Andy, recalling the Primark x Greggs clothing collaboration that sold out two years ago. Of course, throwing Cristal at your product and having Nigella smoulder over it are not going to change much on their own this strategy of broadening its appeal is something the company has been pursuing for a few years now. Notably, it has gone after a more health-conscious customer who would previously have balked at spoiling the line of their Lululemon leggings with a sausage, bean and cheese melt (465 calories, since youre asking). Retail analyst Clive Black of Shore Capital cites the launch of Greggs vegan sausage roll in 2019 as a pivotal point in its metamorphosis. These days it sells falafels. Enough said. Todays flagship pop-up has a lot more sparkle Youd think, then, that as Greggs becomes upwardly mobile, its prices would follow, but this hasnt happened. It appears the middle classes have lost their appetite for being overcharged for food. Kate Calvert, head of retail research at investment bank Investec, believes the stigma of searching for value is rapidly disappearing, and it is this emergent Lidl-class shopper who is helping bolster the companys profits (1.93 billion of revenue in the past year). Greggs has always stuck to its heritage in terms of offering good value, she says. And the more the government taxes the middle class [so] the middle class is disappearing because everyone is seeking out value. At Newcastle station I notice that an americano at AMT Coffee will set you back 3.75. At Greggs its 1.45. So whats next for the retailer? It is branching out not just socially but also geographically. Not so many years ago you could demonstrate the UKs North/South divide using a map of where Pret ended and Greggs began. Now it has penetrated London and has grand expansion plans afoot, including more outlets in service stations, airports and train stations, as well as late-night city-centre stores like the one in Londons Leicester Square, which operates until 11pm daily. Sausage rollneck: the Greggs x Primark jumper In fact, so powerful is the brand becoming that its now the third biggest coffee seller in the UK, behind Costa and McDonalds. Greggs is also going after the market share of restaurant chains that traditionally attract the dinner-time crowd, putting chicken goujons, potato wedges and pizza on the menu. Back in the companys Northern heartland of Newcastle, however, Ive been joined at the bar by Susie and her partner John. Theyve come from York specially to visit the Champagne Bar. Susie organised the trip as a surprise date for John several months ago, and hes very pleased with her choice. You cant get better than champagne and a pastry, he says. Thats got to be the poshest steak bake Ive ever had. JOURNEY THROUGH THE PASTRY 1951 John Gregg opens his first shop on Newcastles Gosforth High Street, making and selling fresh bread. 1964 Johns son Ian Gregg takes over the family business. 1974 The first Greggs Outlet is opened, where food is sold at a lower price for those struggling to make ends meet. There are now 35 across the UK. 1984 Greggs floats on the London Stock Exchange with a 15 million market value. 1994 Northern-based Greggs expands by acquiring Bakers Oven, a chain with outlets mainly located in the South. 1999 The first steak bake is made in Scotland. 2009 The festive bake is launched. 2017 The first Greggs drive-through launches in Manchester. 2022 Greggs launches a popular 11-piece clothing line in 60 Primark stores nationwide. 2024 Greggs collaborates with contemporary British designer Dion Kitson on a sellout jewellery line (right) and opens its 2,500th shop. After years of planning, noise suppressers are expected to be installed on the Golden Gate Bridge in 2025. The devices are intended to reduce on the noise the bridge can make in high winds. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2019 A team of top engineers has worked for years to muffle a high-pitched whine that emanates from the Golden Gate Bridge drowning out car radios and battering eardrums in the nearby Presidio neighborhood. In a few months the bridges eerie song may finally be silenced, once crews implement a noise-canceling design crafted by the worlds leading minds in bridge acoustics and aerodynamics. While theyve toiled away, San Franciscans have been subjected to a sustained vibrato wail that recurs whenever the wind cranks up, wafting from the Golden Gate over the bay and into the city, resonating as far away as Bernal Heights. To many, it became a distinct San Francisco soundtrack. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its unsettling, said Kyle Mizokami, who frequently heard the dissonant moan through the windows of his old condominium near Ocean Beach. He recently moved a mile south, to a dead zone that the sound seemingly cant reach. But it still plays in his mind, redolent of a science fiction film, right before something bad is about to happen. Motorists and residents first noticed the hum in 2020, after a retrofit in which crews replaced wide slats on the bridges western handrail with narrower, vertical slats. Although this renovation intended to make the bridge safer in fierce winds, it also turned the structure into a giant aeolian harp. When the wind hits it at certain angles and higher speeds, it makes a loud noise, said Denis Mulligan, general manager of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, explaining the phenomenon in a recent interview. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On the first windy day that spring, the bridge made a shrill cry, like a ghost whistling through the harp-string suspension cables. Or the soundtrack to a moon landing. Or the opening oooom of a Gregorian chant album. People made audio recordings on cellphones and posted them on social media. Some found the music enchanting, while others could not stand the incessant drone. It intensified during winter storms, when winds thrashed the rails and caused them to thrum. Pretty soon, the only thing louder than the bridge itself was the cacophony of complaints about it. Officials at the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District tapped a group of experts in Canada to study the problem that year. By 2021, they came up with a solution. At a glance, the idea seemed simple: tiny clips with rubber sleeves, placed at the edges of each slat on the west railing. By breaking up the flow of air through the rail, these clips would minimize vibrations and make the sound virtually inaudible, district officials promised. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But the logistics were complicated. Engineers went out in brutal winds to take sound camera measurements from the spans walkway. They built a full-scale replica of the rail for wind-tunnel testing. They analyzed 110 different combinations of wind speed and direction, according to an explainer published on the districts website. And they waited for a contractor to finish painting the west rail, a final component of another high-profile project: the new Golden Gate suicide nets. Manufacturing clips and rubber sleeves for 12,000 slats cost $450,000. The clips had to be ordered from a factory in Colorado, said bridge district spokesperson Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz. The rubber inserts were simpler to produce, he added, explaining that they required only cutting existing rubber pieces to the right length and thickness. Bridge ironworkers will install both parts next year, Mulligan said. Mizokami said that, like many San Francisco residents, he wont miss the howling at all. Others feel differently. Domi Frideger first heard the sound while driving across the span from Marin to San Francisco in the midst of an atmospheric river. As he plowed through a thick fog and sheets of rain, the wind-lashed bridge began howling in the background. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Awestruck, Frideger rolled down the windows and told his girlfriend to pick up her phone and start recording a video. It was pulsating, it was deafening, Frideger said in an interview. It kind of demonstrates how extreme of an environment the bridge exists in that it has to endure the gnarliest conditions every single day. He and his girlfriend posted their footage to social media, where it went viral. Nate Mercereau, a guitarist based in Los Angeles, said he was riveted when he first stumbled on audio clips of the bridges sound in 2021. Days later, he drove up to San Francisco to record a duet album with the Golden Gate, using a guitar synthesizer with a slide to match the bridges tuning. It reminded me of Tibetan singing bowls, Mercereau said. He found the bridge dynamic and musical, though he understands why its music would wear on people. Advertisement Article continues below this ad My favourite drink as a child was Irn-Bru. Its terrific: orange, fizzy and with a slight metallic taste. I grew up in the 1960s, so there was never any fuss about how sugary it is. On a Saturday night, my dad would go to the fish and chip shop and bring back heaps of food and a big bottle of Irn-Bru. Its a Scottish delicacy. Coca-Cola is the biggest-selling soft drink worldwide, but in Scotland, its Irn-Bru. In the morning I always drink tea. I usually wake up before my wife Miranda, so Ill nip downstairs and make us both a cup of breakfast tea. Later in the day, Ill have a large coffee from our local Starbucks in Edinburgh. I switch up my order: sometimes its a black americano, but Im also partial to a flat white. My first taste of alcohol was as a young kid on New Years Eve. In Scotland, some relative like your uncle or cousin always gives you a little taste at Hogmanay parties as an initiation. The first place I got alcohol for myself was in a bar called Goth, short for Gothenburg, where I grew up in Bowhill. Id drink this dark, syrupy beer called McEwans, which I dont think Ive had since I was 17. Drinking bordeaux at sunset is one of Ians happiest memories My most memorable drink was in a vineyard in the South of France. My wife and I met while studying in Edinburgh, and the summer after we graduated, we stayed in a place called Chateau Brandeau. That was where I was introduced to Bordeaux wine. It was a beautiful place. After working all day on the vineyard, wed sit and drink a bottle as we watched the sunset. The most famous person Ive shared a drink with was the late Anthony Bourdain. Not many people know this, but before being a famous TV chef he wrote a couple crime novels. He came to Edinburgh to give a talk, and his publisher asked me to interview him. Afterwards, I took him to my local pub, The Oxford Bar [also the favourite pub of Rankins Inspector Rebus]. He loved the place, and we shared a few beers and whiskies. Laphroaig whisky has been a favourite tipple If Ive had a stressful day, Im partial to a Scotch malt whisky. So long as I dont mix it with anything, I dont get a hangover. Id recommend Laphroaig, which is strong and powerful, and Highland Park, which is made on Orkney and is smoother and subtler. The best place to drink whisky in Edinburgh is The Bow Bar, a charming, old-fashioned joint in the touristy part of town. If I could have a drink with anyone, Id pick Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Hes one of my favourite writers and also an Edinburgh man. But I have another motivation: Id try to get him squiffy so hed reveal a secret to me. The story is when he wrote Jekyll and Hyde he showed it to his wife who didnt like what hed written. So he burnt the manuscript and started again from scratch. I want to ask if it happened, and if so, what was in that original version she hated so much? The worst drink Ive had was in the Dordogne in France. My wife and I lived there for a few years in the 1990s and had to visit an agent to arrange our car and home insurance. He was a tobacco farmer and when you sealed the insurance deal, he insisted you drink some of his tobacco-leaf liqueur. It had a nasty taste that stayed at the back of my throat for hours. At my funeral, Id like Louis Roederer Cristal champagne to be served. I bought it when my first son Jack was born in 1992. It was horribly expensive, and we didnt have much money, but I thought Id push the boat out. I dont drink it often, but it always brings back memories of when Jack was born, so it would be a special sendoff for me. Ian Rankins new Rebus novel Midnight and Blue is published by Orion, 25. To order a copy for 21.25 until 15 december, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. free UK delivery on orders over 25. Not my best week. Last Thursday, Nics palomino horse, Jac, was put to sleep. He was 30, unable to swallow his feed, graze or even drink water, and was diagnosed with a tumour in his mouth. Hed lived with us for 15 years. Nic had rescued him, sight unseen, as his owner said she was going to have him shot because of his fear of cows. Our feeling was, well, just dont show him any cows. When he was unloaded at my farm on Exmoor, we noticed a scar on his neck: a previous owners boyfriend had stabbed him in a fit of jealousy. The vast majority of horses lead such miserable lives. My horse, Swirly, loved him. She knew he was going blind and would call him, go back to fetch him if he became confused, before touching noses to reassure him. She was like a giant guide dog. He in turn adored her, following her slavishly, the equine equivalent of David 1.0. Swirly has been very quiet, confused without him, but yesterday she cantered off for the first time. We now have just two horses: my Swirly and Nics 30-year-old horse, Quincy. We are already worrying about what to do when Quincy passes; Swirly is half his age. She cant be on her own. We are going to scatter Jacs ashes on the next sunny day; I will scatter my ponies ashes alongside him. Benji and Dream have been sitting in huge wooden boxes in my office, but I think theyd prefer to be unfettered in the paddock, under a tree. So much loss. As my friend Isobel emailed me, Time marches on and takes all those we love. It has been a stressful week work-wise as well (I keep wailing to Nic, I should be retired! But I dont have a pension!), so I was looking forward to meeting the German for a drink in a twinkly bar on Friday night. Some normality. I asked where hed like to go, but he told me to choose. Damn. I wanted to be able to judge him on his decision. I told him Id be staying at Soho House again (I used my Mr & Mrs Smith voucher worth 400, so only had to fork out an extra 140; food not included), so he said he would meet me there in the bar. He said he was looking forward to leaving his woes behind for the evening. What woes? But then, on Thursday afternoon, just as I was packing my Victoria Beckham bodycon and Myla thong, he cancelled. I want to give you a heads up. I have just come out of root canal number two and hope by the morning I am feeling OK. Im on antibiotics and in a lot of pain. This time around, my ardour has dampened rather with the passage of time, distance, silences. And so, despite losing my Mr & Mrs Smith voucher, I reply, Oh no! Poor you! How painful! We can do next week if you prefer. Him: I would really prefer next week if possible. But I have another proposal for you. I will send you later when I get home. Well, now my interest is piqued. I text: What is your proposal? Marriage? He replies, Marriage. Smiley face. The weekend away I owe you. Will suggest a time and a place and you can decide if it sounds OK. Me: I am sure it will be amazing. A weekend in bed. (Im much bolder when not emotionally invested and can no longer picture his face or remember what it felt like to run my fingers through his thick thatch of long, salt and pepper hair.) Him: No, a weekend sightseeing. You are so naughty. Me: If you are not in a good place for a relationship, I understand. We can just meet up in hotel rooms for sex. Him: No, I really want both. Me: Well, now I cant wait. * * * * Its the day before our rearranged rendezvous in Soho. I suggested a quick drink: I dont want him to think Im a complete pushover. I am worried he will cancel again. Oh, dear god. I have just got a text. At 4.30pm. How are you? Soho House, same place, yes? What time? JONES MOANS... What Liz loathes this week You call the salon for an appointment, and they say, Who does your hair? I have no idea! They then ask, When would you like to come in? Wednesday at 1pm? I can do Thursday at 10am. Gaah! Have you seen the trailer for the new Bridget Jones film? She has mind-blowing sex with a 29-year-old and doesnt contract cystitis. Now this would have been more realistic: Ow! Ow! Oh no, Im incontinent! Shed be mainlining cranberry juice. When the Hertfordshire town of Harpenden gets its promised banking hub a temporary one in the town hall could open before the year is out it will be largely down to the tireless effort of longstanding community bank campaigner Derek French. A resident of the town, and a former executive with NatWest, he called for community-style branches (multi-banks within one retail space) long before they came on the scene. He was campaigning for them back in the late 1990s when banks first started culling their branches. In 2000, I vividly remember Derek tipping me off about Barclays' decision to shut 172 branches on one single day a story that we splashed with in Financial Mail on Sunday. Derek, now 84, saw the writing on the wall for individual branches in towns long before anyone else and argued for banks to share services under one roof rather than leave communities bankless. Eventually, the banks and consumer groups took heed of what French was saying; an organisation called Cash Access UK was set up to oversee the one-stop bank revolution, and banking hubs were launched on our high streets. They're not as comprehensive as Derek would have liked (banking services are pretty basic and access to personal advice is limited), but they are better than no bank at all. We should have 100 bank hubs up and running before the year is out with another 70 in the pipeline. But more will be needed as a new wave of branch closures hits the country in the new year another blow for high streets, already reeling from the National Insurance hikes announced in the Budget. Labour has made a commitment to have 350 hubs in place before 2029. Glory days: The bank in Harpenden (top) that is now a Gail's (above) Derek says the decline of the bank branch is so ferocious that hubs are now coming to towns that most residents would assume are either affluent or big enough to support at least one bank. He calls it the 'Gail's moment'. On Friday, Derek told me: 'For many, the presence of a Gail's bakery and coffee shop indicates a town's affluence. It has a positive impact on local house prices in the same way that the presence of a Waitrose store has. So far, towns with a Gail's in situ have had no need for a hub because at least one bank remains on the high street.' But that's changing. Derek says Harpenden will become the first town with a Gail's to have a banking hub. Other Gail's towns, he says, will follow suit as they lose their last bank and gain a hub. Gail's occupies the premises of the old NatWest branch. 'There is always a buzz there when I visit,' says Derek. 'The vault door is still in place and it's quite nice to sit and have a coffee in the old strong room.' Five other banks once graced Harpenden's streets. Their premises are now homes to a wine shop, an optician's, a pharmacy, and another coffee shop. The old Barclays branch will be turned into a mix of flats and retail units. Derek says: 'After having at least one bank in the town since 1887, Harpenden has lost a significant influence on the business and personal lives of its 32,000-strong community. The jury is out on whether the town is better for the loss of all its banks and the gain of a hub, and yet more coffee shops.' Gail's is a card-only business. Says it all really. Why we must unite to back winter fuel payments Hats off to union Unite for requesting a judicial review into Rachel Reeves' inexplicable decision in July to take the winter fuel payment away from ten million pensioners, many of them financially straitened. It wants the crass decision overturned and rightly so. The annual payment, 200 for pensioners under the age of 80 and 300 for those aged 80 and over, would have been paid either this month or next and come in handy for many of them, given the recent sharp drop in temperature. Yet only those in receipt of pension credit and some other benefits will now get the payment. Like some charities (Age UK), the National Pensioners Convention, Baroness Ros Altmann and both the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday, Unite campaigned against this cruel decision from the word go. I even stood among its vociferous members outside the Houses of Parliament in early October to protest against the curtailment of the payment. So far, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has stood firm. Petitions against the winter fuel payment cut have been ignored, as have passionate letters delivered to Number 11 Downing Street urging a rethink (including one written by my fair hand). Sharon Graham, Unite's firebrand boss, says 'picking the pockets of pensioners is wrong at every level'. She's dead right and I hope the review forces Ms Reeves to have a rethink. I bet Labour raise taxes yet again Looking ahead: Chancellor Rachel Reeves Are there more tax rises coming? Or was October's 40 billion Budget tax grab the end of Labour's tax hit on businesses, charities and our personal wealth? According to the Chancellor, the answers are respectively 'no' and 'yes'. But the Prime Minister isn't so sure. Last Wednesday, in the House of Commons, he refused to 'write the next five years of Budgets' when challenged by a spiky Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Opposition. For what it's worth, I would bet my last pound on Labour jacking up taxes again between now and 2029. Why? Its recipe for reviving this country's fortunes taxing private enterprises to the hilt while pouring billions of pounds into inefficient public services and the pockets of public sector workers is based on kindergarten economics. When the wheels fall off, as they surely will, it will be us poor taxpayers who will pick up the bill. That permanent home on the Algarve is looking more attractive by the day. A Christmas cash boost With our attention drifting towards Christmas and presents to get loved ones, don't rule out gifting money, especially if you think inheritance tax (IHT) may become an issue in the future. As a result of Rachel Reeves's horrible Budget at the end of October ('rebuild?' Pull the other one), gifting now makes more sense than ever. This is because a more draconian IHT regime, especially with regard to the inclusion of unused pension funds within the IHT net from 2027, is coming over the hill at a fair rate of knots. There are various gifting exemptions you can use take a look at gov.uk/inheritance-tax/gifts but the one I like is the small gifts one. This allows you to make gifts to as many children, grandchildren and friends as you wish and can afford. The only stipulation is that the total gifts you make to each individual in the current tax year must not exceed 250. Just a wee thought before the bells start jingling for Christmas. Europe has to cuddle up to Trump. That was the big message from Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, last week. She said in an interview with the Financial Times that Europe's politicians should co-operate with his plans for tariffs, buying more from the US, rather than try to retaliate. It was, she said, 'a chequebook strategy'. Follow the money. The brutal truth is the European economy is no shape to fight a trade war with America, so its best option is to appease the new administration. The European Commission is developing plans to buy more US agricultural products, co-operate on defence procurement and so on. This is in sharp contrast to its attitude towards trade with the UK in the Brexit negotiations. The task for our new Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, is to use the fact that we are not part of the EU to our advantage. How can he do so? Five points: First, he should be aware there will be no special favours from America. It is lesson we have learnt time and time again. Even during the warmest period of our relations during and just after the Second World War, that was true. It was a huge shock to the new Labour Government in 1945 that Lend-Lease, which kept us going in the War, was ended abruptly after Japan surrendered. We only managed to pay off the loan that replaced it in 2006. It is a transactional relationship, as always. Next, that is fine. We can be useful to the US and must identify what we want in return. An obvious area is trade in services. The US and UK are the largest and second largest exporters of services, but we are shut out of Europe. After Brexit, US financial institutions were forced to shift people to Paris and Milan, albeit in far smaller numbers than predicted. That is ridiculous. We both need open access to Europe for financial and other services. Getting close: Donald Trump Third, we can co-operate even more closely on defence. BAE is the sixth largest defence contractor in the world the top five all being American, the next five being either Chinese or Russian. Rolls-Royce and Babcock are smaller but significant. This uncertain world will have to spend more on security, and we are reliable supporters of the US in ways that Continental contractors have not always been. Fourth, there have been a string of detailed trade agreements signed by the previous Government with US states, including Washington (main base of Boeing), Indiana, Florida and Texas. This approach began when it became clear that an overarching US-UK trade deal was going to be too hard. They are not substitutes for a wider agreement, which may open up now Joe Biden will no longer be there as a block, but meanwhile they are a useful half-way house. Reynolds needs to press on with them. Finally, we need to differentiate ourselves from the Continent. We are not France, which is having a tough time trying to get its austerity budget through. We are not Germany, which pressed on with the second Baltic Sea gas pipeline from Russia despite Trump's previous administration's efforts to stop it. We are not Italy, the only G7 country to join China's 'belt and road' initiative. Although it withdrew a year ago, when Giorgia Meloni's new government realised Beijing was not the cosy friend it purported to be. None of this is to suggest that the UK should abandon its efforts to improve trade relations with Europe. It is just to say we too should adopt a cheque-book strategy. If they want to sell us more stuff what do they offer in return? A final point. The new US commerce secretary will be Howard Lutnick, head of Cantor Fitzgerald, whose offices were destroyed in the Twin Towers attack in 2001. He only escaped as he was late that morning, dropping his son off for his first day at kindergarten. He rebuilt the firm thanks in large part to the London office, which kept trading. No special favours, but he knows how important an ally the UK can be. Amanda Blanc needs to raise her bid for insurer Direct Line by 'several hundred million pounds' if the Aviva boss is to secure control of its rival, founder Sir Peter Wood says. Speaking to The Mail on Sunday from his Palm Beach mansion in Florida, near to Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago, he also expressed frustration at Direct Line losing its way. 'I made it the world's most efficient insurance company', he said, describing how he eliminated the middleman in the form of the insurance broker. 'It's sad it's been run so badly. After I left, the HR department multiplied ten times. It didn't develop a female brand, multi-car or multi-family policies, and just seemed to go backwards.' Wood says staying off comparison websites was a mistake, adding: 'They should have made Direct Line a premier product, where people answer the phone immediately, and you got an individual giving you personal attention.' Swoop: Aviva boss Amanda Blanc bid 3.3billion for Direct Line He expressed sympathy for chief executive Adam Winslow's effort to turn it around, saying: 'He is trying to do a good job, but it's a three or four-year job.' On Thursday, Direct Line rejected Aviva's 3.3billion bid, whereby shareholders would receive 1.12p a share in cash and 0.28 of a new Aviva share for every Direct Line share held. A wealthy American lawyer whose lifestyle features private jets, beachside properties and snazzy yachts is among the predatory legal eagles trying to cash in on Britain's growing car finance scandal. Harris Pogust, 61, a veteran of the US legal scene, has boasted online of his sprawling mansion, which includes a pool, gym and wine cellar. His firm, London-based Pogust Goodhead (PG), provides him and his British partner, Thomas Goodhead, the means to live in luxury thanks to the cut the firm takes from compensation rulings on big cases, which can run into hundreds of millions of pounds. The firm told The Mail on Sunday that 60,467 of its clients from previous cases had been brought on board for a car loan case. When it wins class actions, it pockets up to 50 per cent of the victims' money for itself. But consumer experts say motorists can make their own claim and keep 100 per cent of any payout. New Jersey-born Pogust frequently flaunts his wealth on Instagram, including a post last month showcasing his six-bedroom, eight-bathroom home. His wife's social media features pictures of Pogust and their dog on a private jet and snaps on board yachts. Fishing for business: Harris Pogust shows off his catch online Goodhead is a barrister educated at both Oxford and Cambridge who co-founded the firm with Pogust in 2018. It is locked in a high-profile battle in London's High Court with Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP over the Samarco dam disaster in Brazil, which killed 19 people and contaminated waterways and land spanning several villages in 2015. The class action is estimated to be worth 36billion. PG will reportedly receive up to 30 per cent for individuals and firms. But Brazil's former ambassador to the UK, Rubens Barbosa, accused the firm of encouraging hundreds of thousands of claimants to reject a 24billion settlement scheme in favour of continuing action in the High Court, which they have no guarantee of winning. A PG spokesman said: 'Pogust Goodhead is representing 620,000 victims whose lives have been devastated we make no excuses for using the means at our disposal to try to level a massively uneven playing field against some of the largest, most powerful and well-resourced companies in the world.' The firm itself is looking to save on costs as it spends millions on its legal crusades, including plans to cut about 20 per cent of its staff with up to 50 job losses at its London office, according to reports. The Court of Appeal ruled last month that commissions paid to car dealers may be unlawful if they were not flagged to customers. Firms implicated include Close Brothers, one of the UK's oldest merchant banks, as well as Lloyds and Santander. Britain's big DIY investment platforms have been accused by politicians of a 'Kafkaesque distortion' of consumer rules. The allegations centre on the treatment of investment trusts large, stock market-listed firms which buy a range of assets, including shares, property and infrastructure. The trusts scored a victory this year when the Government scrapped old EU rules which made them seem more costly to investors than was the case. But despite this, Baroness Ros Altmann has accused investment platforms, including the UK's largest, Hargreaves Lansdown, of forcing investment trusts to continue obeying the old rules or risk being kicked off their websites. 'Kafkaesque distortion': The allegations centre on investment trusts large, stock market-listed firms which buy a range of assets, including shares, property and infrastructure Altmann, a former pensions minister, said the platforms were 'putting themselves above the law' and using 'self-interest to deny customers access to undervalued investments'. She added: 'Threatening to bar access to retail investors, unless a company acquiesces to providing misleading or false information, is a Kafkaesque distortion of consumer duty.' She was backed by Lib Dem Baroness Sharon Bowles, who said investment trusts were 'bullied into providing conflicting and confusing information' to investors. Hargreaves Lansdown was approached for comment. Mica Miller's family is furious a scammer kept $10,000 from fundraisers set up in her memory to feed a booze addiction and save her house. Mica, 30, was found dead in Lumbee River State Park in North Carolina on April 27 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She took her own life days after serving her husband John Paul Miller, 44, with divorce papers, and police ruled her death a suicide. As her family grappled with the tragedy, a group of seemingly well-wishing women donated items to an online auction set up by Susan Lynn Nelson. It sold handmade craft, promising to send all proceeds to Mica's grieving family, and an Etsy page sold T-shirts and other Mica-themed items. But instead, Nelson kept the cash for herself, spending the money on booze, groceries, and keeping her house out of foreclosure. She eventually confessed in a TikTok video to taking about $10,000 raised by the four auctions, a keychain sale, and an Etsy page that has since been deleted. Nelson admitted her actions were 'absolutely vile' and confessed to the 'things that I've done that've been pretty s****y'. Mica Miller, 30, was found dead in Lumbee River State Park in North Carolina on April 27 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Susan Lynn Nelson (left) admitted during a group TikTok call (pictured) to stealing the proceeds of an Etsy auction of donated craft items that was supposed to raise money for Mica's family 'Yes I have an issue and I am seeking treatment. I'm outpatient right now,' she said. 'I didn't have the money, I had used the money to my personal situation. I'm here to own up to my mistakes, I've got issues that I am seeking help for... there's a habit, yes,' she said. Nelson set up the auction through the popular TikTok group So Called Mess, where she was the 'bookkeeper', without the family's knowledge. Cassie Gainey Mincey, from Loris, South Carolina, who runs the group, said the rest of its leadership had no involvement in Nelson's fundraiser. 'I lied to them, I made them feel like I have everything under control, when in reality I did not,' Nelson said of the other group leaders. Nelson initially claimed she stole the money because her house was facing foreclosure, but eventually admitted to also blowing it on her addictions. Mincey added: 'I want to make it clear that every fundraiser was Sue's idea and every single thing that was done as far as fundraising went only to Sue's accounts. 'She admitted that she spent the money on sex work and alcohol. She first tried to claim it was for her home but then confessed and said that it was not that.' Nelson told DailyMail.com she never hired prostitutes, and had no idea where that accusation came from - which prompted awkward conversations with her 17-year-old daughter. Instead, she portrayed herself as starting out with good intentions and never planning to scam anyone. But as her debts rose, she started spending it - thinking she would be able to pay it back in time and no one would ever know. 'I would never have gone into this with the intent of doing anything like this. It was just one thing after another after another I fell into it,' she said. 'I'm a functional alcoholic, that's been something that I've struggled with my whole life. 'It doesn't mean I'm drunk all the time, you know, I wasn't down here drunk on the floor, spending thousands of dollars every day. 'But I did spend the money on personal things and bills or whatever. I've been struggling financially because of my business. 'I just assumed that I would be able to recoup it.' Nelson said the debacle got her fired from her job, trashed the reputation of her marketing business, and humiliated her in her small-town Richmond Hill, Georgia. 'My kids are receiving hate messages and I don't wanna go out in public right now,' she said. Nelson said she drastically underestimated the time and upfront costs it would take to run the Etsy page and auctions. 'I got overwhelmed. Making the items, shipping the items, being online all day. It was a lot,' she said. Mica took her own life days after serving her husband John Paul Miller, 44, with divorce papers, and police ruled her death a suicide Nelson first ran a sale of dozens of handmade, customized resin keychains, bracelets, earrings, and other craft items she created herself. Then there were four auctions in June and July that sold more of these craft items, plus other goods donated by herself and others, including furniture, $200 brand new Nike shoes, and a crocheted blanket. The Etsy store ran in the background, but had high costs both due to the platform and using third-party companies to print the T-shirts. Nelson said Etsy didn't send all the proceeds for three months because it was a new page, putting her out of pocket to pay the costs. She said all up about $10,000 was raised, from which fees and shipping costs would be subtracted, along with $1,500 in refunds to disgruntled buyers that she promised to cover herself. She also owed about $2,000 to other So Called Mess moderators who loaned her money to help cover the 90-day Etsy delay. 'I worked tirelessly to facilitate fundraising for the family of my familiar, including setting up systems to and for them to manage future efforts,' she said. 'Any unintentional mistakes I've made were never malicious and I'm taking steps to ensure all funds are accounted for and deliver to the family. 'The experience has been incredibly challenging, but my focus remains on resolving these situations and protecting my family's well being.' Nelson also rebuffed claims of police involvement, saying 'there's been no police at my door, there's been no FBI at my door'. Mica's sister Abigail Francis said she first learned of the fundraiser on July 20, and asked Nelson for details of the donations. 'I asked for spreadsheets to make sure those who paid for items were receiving them since this group has up to 30 members in all different states,' she wrote in a Facebook post explaining the situation. Abigail received a spreadsheet with names of buyers, how much they paid, and other details - but said the numbers didn't add up. The spreadsheet claimed $11,228.39 was raised. The costs were listed as $6,250.36. When Abigail queried the huge cost, Nelson's web of lies began to unravel. Mincey, in live TikTok videos that were hours long, explained they initially believed Nelson's explanations about the missing cash. 'Every time we would reach out to her we would get lies from her about situations and we believed her,' she said. 'We believed everything that she said and so we did defend her and I do apologize for that.' Nelson even concocted a fake letter from an accountant showing a check was sent to Mica's family - when in fact none was sent at all. But the date on the forged document was wrong, and she finally confessed when they pushed her about it. 'We finally got her on a call and she admitted that she never sent the money, and that she spent the money,' Mincey said. Mica's sister Abigail received a spreadsheet (pictured) with names of buyers, how much they paid, and other details - but said the numbers didn't add up Mincey said the group kept what happened quiet until going public as they tried to refund anyone who paid for auctioned items and didn't receive them. 'It's been hell, it's been an absolute f**king nightmare... we were throwing up, I was sobbing, bawling - we were in total shock,' she said. Nelson said in the TikTok she had a cash offer for her house that would close the following Friday, which would use to pay off what she owed Mica's family. But she told DailyMail.com she later decided against the fire-sale offer. Instead, she managed to restructure her loans to buy her enough time to sell the house for what it was worth, and it would be listed next week. Nelson bought the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Richmond Hill, Georgia, for $164,117 in November 2019 and refinanced in three times in four years. Property records showed a foreclosure auction of Nelson's home set for October 10 was cancelled. It is estimated to be worth $293,000. Abigail wrote that she was not satisfied with how the situation was handled, and that the family had only received $180 as of October 6. 'These people used Mica's name to gain profit and we cannot be more disappointed,' she wrote. 'We truly do not believe there is a way to track on our end how much money was collected, transferred, or stolen. 'The family had no idea what was going on but are truly upset with the actions of this incident. 'We did not plan on making a statement pertaining to this but since the group made it public we feel the need to clarify what's been going on as we do not condone what has happened on the live stream.' Mincey, in an emotional TikTok video, insisted the group had no idea about the scam until Nelson confessed to Mica's family on September 24. 'That was the day that we all found out that we were scammed... we had been lied to, we had been used, we were a wreck that day,' she said. 'I was so upset and distraught by it all... that someone we had trusted betrayed us so badly. 'The family has people in their ears who do not have good intentions.' Mica shot herself in the head in April, which led to a wave of allegations of abuse in the weeks later. Authorities have not indicated any connection between Miller and his wife's suicide Mica and Miller initially split on September 20 2023, before the divorce was dismissed on February 13. Later that same month Miller filed against his wife for separate support and maintenance in a motion withdrawn March 11. But on April 15, just 12 days before she was found dead, Mica filed for divorce once more and sought a no contact order against her husband. They split for the second time on February 6. Autopsy results, including a muzzle imprint and gunpowder residue on her head, later confirmed she took her own life, and found no drugs or alcohol in her blood. However, Miller is accused in court documents of grooming Mica for years before they wed, committing her to hospital to steal her car, and cheating on his first wife with underage churchgoers. DailyMail.com previously revealed how she accused him of posting a nude photograph of her on Facebook just weeks before her death. Miller has since admitted to the malicious act and even claimed he tried to make amends telling NewsNation the act was 'evil'. Later on March 14 and March 26 Mica reported that she had found a tracking device on her car, after discovering it attached by magnets under the chassis. Another police report over the alleged theft of her silver Honda Accord shows the breakdown of their marriage dating back to February 2023. 'When the complainant was discharged from the hospital, hospital staff informed her that her husband picked up her purse and her keys,' the report states. 'The complainant believed that her husband fraudulently initiated her involuntary hospitalization and 'stole' her care while she was in the hospital.' On April 15, just 12 days before she was found dead, Mica filed for divorce once more and sought a no contact order against her husband. They split for the second time on February 6 The most salacious claim in Mica's police reports was that Miller, who is 14 years older than her, 'groomed' her since she was 10, before they married in 2017. 'The complainant stated that she has known her husband since she was ten-years-old and that he 'groomed' her while she worked for him at Solid Rock Church until they were married,' the report added. Miller's lawyer Russel Long said this 'couldn't be farther from the truth. She moved to Myrtle Beach at the age of 15, was married to another man at the age of 18 and divorced at the age of 21'. 'It has come to light that Mica Miller struggled with mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder, which, when not properly managed, led to paranoid episodes and self-destructive behavior,' he said. Long claimed 'some reports made by her in the recent past are nonsensical' in reference to her claims recorded in police documents. Long added that Mica's death being ruled a suicide by police 'completely exonerates Pastor Miller of any wrongdoing'. Mica's sister Sierra Francis told NewsNation she probably meant Miller groomed her since 2010, as her sister told her it began when she was 14 or 15. Sierra, despite being one of Miller's strongest accusers, reached a shock settlement with him in July to allow him to manage his late wife's estate. Miller stunned his congregants when, after a service in which he had laughed and appeared entirely at ease, he announced that his wife had died. Miller was charged with third-degree assault and battery earlier this month after allegedly attacking a 'Justice for Mica' protester FBI agents raid the Myrtle Beach home of John Paul Miller on November 1, six months after his wife Mica killed herself The pastor, who has a criminal record including multiple counts of aggravated assault and battery to which he pleaded guilty, told his congregation that her death was 'self-induced'. 'You all know she wasn't well mentally and that she needed her medicine and it was hard to get to her,' he said. Miller was charged with third-degree assault and battery earlier this month after allegedly attacking a 'Justice for Mica' protester. A witness captured footage of the incident, showing a woman, Sandra Karon, chasing him in a parking lot and harassing him. She screamed at him as he ran away, and he turned back and confronted her, shouting back: 'What did you say? You walked right up to me.' Miller allegedly squared up to her and tapped her on her hat with his phone, resulting in the assault charges. The assault charge was unrelated to an FBI raid on Miller's home days earlier, the reason for which is still unclear. The phone rings in Kim Byers kitchen. Its 7.30am on May 10, 1994, and shes making breakfast for the family before school - a regular busy Tuesday morning. But today is not like other days. Today, Kim's father is calling to give her the news shes been waiting 14 years to hear. Hes gone,' her dad says. 'Gacys dead. Kim was just 16 when John Wayne Gacy lured her friend Rob Piest from the Illinois pharmacy where they both worked, before murdering him, then dumping him in the Des Plaines River. Kim was the last person to see Rob alive and, aged just 17, was a key witness in the case against Gacy She was the last person to see Rob, 15, alive, and the evidence Kim provided, as key witness at his trial, was enough to secure the death penalty. The notorious serial killer spent 14 years on Death Row. When, finally, he was dead, it felt like the closing of a huge book. Kim turned her back to the living room where her daughters were watching Sesame Street, and melted to the floor, sobbing quietly: Hes gone. Why are you crying, Mommy? Little Courtney had wandered from her spot in front of the TV and crawled on to her lap, and was now dabbing at her mom's tears. Courtney Lund O'Neil remembers the moment clearly, as Kim repeated a lesson that was drilled into her for as long as she could remember: this world is not safe; danger lurks around every corner. In life, always be careful,' she told her daughter. 'There are bad men out there. If a man pulls up in a van and offers you a ride or a popsicle or to see his puppies, you do not go. Never go. If he takes you anyway, you fight. You scream. You never give up. If he says he will kill your parents if you scream out, scream. Gacy raped, tortured, and killed at least 33 young men, burying many of them underneath his ranch-style house in Norwood Park township, near Chicago. Rob Piest was just 15 when he was lured to his death by John Wayne Gacy The film receipt from Nisson Pharmacy placed Rob at Gacy's house, and helped convict the killer Gacy's grinning mugshot - he was found guilty of murdering 33 boys and young men Kims proximity to the case - she had accidentally bumped up against Gacy in the pharmacy, looked into his dark eyes before he drove her friend to his death - changed her forever. In her new book, Postmortem: What Survives the John Wayne Gacy Murders, Courtney says: What haunts my mother will also come to haunt me. As she grew up, she was increasingly curious about her moms remarkable link to this case that made headlines around the world: the Killer Clown who would regularly dress as Pogo at local parties, and gained infamy for his sinister clown paintings. So, when Courtney herself became a mother, Kim presented her with the diaries she wrote as a teenager and young woman. I read it and was changed, she writes. When I think about the mothers, I think about my own motherhood. All the unknowns, both beautiful and painful, Im yet to hold... I wonder how any of the parents survived the experience of losing a son. I dont know how anyone truly could. The day after Rob disappeared, Kim wrote in her diary: 'He never came back to the store and he never went home. Rob would never run away, he had no reason to' 'I can just imagine Rob lying out in some empty forest alive but unable to move crying for help with no one answering him' Kim wanted to know about her moms remarkable link to this case that made headlines around the world: the Killer Clown who would regularly dress as Pogo at local parties When Gacy finally gave a statement to police, he denied even talking to Rob The diary entries - while irregularly written - reveal in haunting detail a teenage Kim's innermost thoughts and fears, starting the day after her friend's disappearance December 12, 1978 'Today was an absolutely miserable day. It started out good. I got up at 9.00 and took a bath. Then I got a phone call from a youth officer he [Rob] never came back to the store and he never went home. Rob would never run away, he had no reason to. And this guy Gacy claims he never talked to Rob. I cant believe Rob would have lied to us. But someone is obviously lying. 'I held my cool for the whole day. But right before we were supposed to leave for the meet I was talking to Mr Tanner (school counselor) and I just started crying. I feel so scared, worried and helpless. I can just imagine Rob lying out in some empty forest alive but unable to move crying for help with no one answering him. It is just not fair Rob never did anything wrong to anyone. 'I pray he has just run off somewhere and is at least safe! Kerry will call me and let me know any new news. I cant talk about it anymore my heart is being ripped apart. By the way we lost our meet.' December 13, 1978 'Well, no word about Rob yet. I feel worse and worse as time goes on. Its the not knowing thats ripping me apart. I called Ken [Rob's brother] at 2.30. He said they have Gacy under surveillance. Tailed him and then lost him after 2 blocks I could do better than that. I had a really morbid dream last night (had it twice). We found Rob in a trunk of a beat-up old gold car. Any significance?????' Early that morning, Gacy had reluctantly given a statement to the police. Unaware that Kim had seen him talking with Rob, he denied he'd had anything to do with him. Strangely, he was covered in thick mud - which cops would eventually learn was a result of pushing his car out of sludge near the river after dumping Rob's body. Kim didn't know any of this at the time, of course, but perhaps her dream did have some significance after all? The next day, she went to school as usual, but was chilled to learn of her growing role in the case against the prime suspect. Cops had obtained a search warrant for Gacy's house, and placed an officer outside the Byers' home as protection. 'If she witnessed what she said she witnessed, she could be in danger,' writes Courtney. 'Someone working with Gacy could potentially cause her harm. Come after her.' December 14, 1978 'Well, still no sign of Rob... I was still depressed. Cried twice They (police) have a theory! I hope they find him soon. Also, they put the case up to the Grand Jury he says Im the key witness. Im scared, say they come after me?!! Yuck.' The moment cops entered Gacy's house, the were hit with the smell of decay. They left that first search with no body, but with enough evidence to ensure Gacy remained in their sights. 'Authorities found creepy oddities: the strange Tiki-style bar, the gallery wall of clown paintings, a hallway that looked like it was out of a haunted house, with bizarre yellow and brown zigzag lines on the walls, and then, a trap door that accessed a crawl space,' writes Courtney. Kims (left) proximity to the case changed her forever. Her daughter Courtney (right) was similarly haunted by the murders 'Still no sign of Rob,' Kim wrote in her diary. 'I was still depressed. Cried twice They (police) have a theory! I hope they find him soon' Gacy covers his face as he's led into the courtroom in December 1978 As police searched below his house, they recovered the bodies of 29 boys and young men 'They found startling mementos a Maine West High School class ring; a 6mm pistol; handcuffs and keys; an identification card that was not Gacys. A film receipt.' That film receipt was from Nisson Pharmacy, with the serial number 36119. Kim had put it in the pocket of Rob's blue puffer jacket when she borrowed it on the day he went missing. December 18, 1978 'Mondays, yuck. Got up, took a shower, Mom took me to school. Was called into the office to speak with Mr Adams [the youth officer assigned to the case] and another detective. They found a pendant I cant remember if Rob had one on. I wish Rob would show up. I have a strange feeling something will happen tomorrow call it womens intuition But first of all, the film stub I put in Robs coat pocket Monday is number 36119, the 19th (the film is not back yet) is tomorrow.' December 19, 1978 'Well, I guess my hunches were right. I came home after school to get something to eat before I went shopping, The phone rang. They asked me questions about the film slip. My guess is that they found it. Will pray for Rob.' The receipt proved Rob was at Gacy's house - and was enough to justify a second search warrant. With Gacy under arrest for weed possession, police descended on the property - focusing their attention on that eerie crawl space that smelled of death. December 22, 1978 'Mom came in and told me they found lots of bodies in Gacys house and he is now leading them on a search for Robs Gacy has confessed to 20 murders. They have not yet found Robs body. He said he dumped it into the Des Plaines River over the Kankakee Bridge thats far and wide. What sent them back for the 2nd search of the house was my film slip. They found it in Gacys garbage can and did not realize that it came from Rob.' Christmas came and went, but there was little to celebrate. By December 28, the body count had hit 21 at Gacys house, and there were still more places to search. Rob was not recovered until the river started to unfreeze in the spring. As bluebells emerged from the hard ground along the bank of the Des Plaines River, a crane operator spotted a body floating by Dresden Lock. April 9, 1979 'They found Rob today in Morris where the Des Plaines River meets the Illinois... Autopsy will be tomorrow (Tues). Dental something will be Thursday. Funeral is not planned yet but will be soon. Will stay home part of the day tomorrow. I need some time for myself.' The following year, Gacy stood trial for the murder of 33 young men and boys. His youngest victims were 14, the eldest just 21. As expected, Kim was a key witness. As she stood in the courtroom, willing the man who had cold-bloodedly raped and murdered her friend, to meet her eyes, Gacy refused to look up. 'Kim thought he was a coward for not looking.' On March 12, 1980, it took a jury less than two hours to find him guilty. He was sentenced to death, but remained on Death Row for 14 years. 'Just as an earthquake destroys a town or city or small country,' writes Courtney, 'murder has an epicenter, where and when the devastation took place, and its aftershocks reverberate. 'With murder, the aftershocks dont ever go away. Over the next decade, American media tabloids, YouTubers, streaming services, sensational cable television, literature, film, documentaries would aid in making Gacy a cult killer. 'The victims stories surfaced rarely; those whose lives were forever altered by the murders; the mothers and fathers who mourned; the ones who loved the young men Gacy killed for his pleasure. For decades, these other stories became buried by the buzz and loudness of Gacy still so very alive, even after his final breath.' After multiple appeals, he was eventually executed by lethal injection early on May 10, 1994. 'Gacy, now in his fifties, and no longer the thirtysomething-year-old murderer posing as an ambitious businessman, was set to be executed after midnight,' writes Courtney. 'In his final hours he didnt seem worried; he still proclaimed his innocence; and he also talked about the Chicago Cubs to the guards. His last meal was fried shrimp, fried chicken, French fries, and strawberries.' Outside demonstrators sang the song by Steam, Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, while others chanted 'Strap down the clown!' 'Gacy was first injected with sodium thiopental, which put him to sleep,' writes Courtney. Some of Gacy's victims. As of 2023, five or six of the young men he murdered are still unidentified 'But an error occurred: a clog in the IV line delayed the second injection. Gacy lay there, about to enter the in between, while technicians prepared his execution. 'About ten to 20 minutes later, the clog was cleared and the second drug, pancuronium bromide, entered Gacys bloodstream. 'The third and final drug, potassium chloride, stopped the beating of Gacys heart. In the first hour of May 10, 1994, at 12.58am, the monster was dead.' For Kim, her overwhelming sense was one of relief. 'Finally, that guy is dead.' But for other families, there would be no peace. At the time of his death, eight of Gacy's victims remained unidentified. As DNA technology advanced, authorities reopened the case and, on November 29, 2011, the first unknown victim was given a name: William George Bundy, a 19-year-old diver and gymnast. 'Some victims are still unnamed,' writes Courtney. 'The most recent one identified was Francis Wayne Alexander in 2021. In 2023, according to the Cook County Sheriffs Office, five remain unidentified, after being buried on June 12, 1981. 'However, as of 2023, there is still current debate around Michael Marinos identification as Victim No 14. According to his mother, still living, there was not a positive DNA match after his body was exhumed. So perhaps that number is six. 'Either way, those mothers lived most of their lives without ever knowing what happened to their children.' Postmortem: What Survives the John Wayne Gacy Murders by Courtney Lund O'Neil is published by Citadel on December 24 Shattered skulls, pulped heads and being skinned alive are just some of the nightmare injuries humans have had to endure after coming face-to-face with a bear. People have proven repeatedly that their strength is no match for the predator's, with many walking away from their encounters with broken limbs, missing teeth, and fractured bones. While some incidents have taken place in the privacy of the animal's natural habitat, several beasts have unleashed their fury in front of horrified children at circuses and zoos as they bring their victims to the brink of death. Parents, children, and the elderly, have been left haunted beyond imagination following their run-ins with the furry mammals. Although bear attacks on humans are rare but they can be particularly savage, with the predators having up to 42 teeth that help them tear apart meat. And it appears no place is safe, with brutal surprise attacks from the carnivores springing up all over the globe. From being tossed around in the jaws of a polar bear, to having your nose and upper lip torn from the face, MailOnline has taken a look into some of the most horrific bear attacks reported around the world. These are the stories in which the people involved have miraculously managed to walk away from the maulings alive, and lived to tell the tale. Bear attacks on humans are rare but can be particularly savage, with reports from around the globe revealing people have lost limbs and broken bones due to the ferocity of their attacks Black bear vs Black belt In 2022, a climber was forced to use his martial arts skills to fight off an enraged bear on top of a Japanese mountain. In nail-biting footage, the climber can be heard screaming as the black bear lunged at him repeatedly on a rock face on Japan's Mount Futago. Fearing for his life, the man lashed out at the snarling beast, using his fists and feet to strike it until it gave up and ran away. The unnamed climber believed the mother bear was defending her cub and that he had invaded her territory. The footage ends with the bear going to a bush with her cub while the climber, terrified, checks that it is not going to return. The terrifying interaction happened earlier this month on Mount Futago in Japan. Footage shows the animal charging at him while he was clinging onto a rockface The bear lunged at him as she was defending her cub and even though he punched, kicked and screamed and fought it off, it came back Woman with trousers down mauled by polar bear Back in 2011, a woman in the village of Yanranay Chan, northern Russian, was attacked by a polar bear. The woman, identified only as Lyudmila, was spotted with her jeans around her ankles hanging her head over a wooden walkway in a backstreet, while a polar bear lurks around the corner. She appears to be getting up when the bear leaps at her suddenly, springing its surprise attack on the oblivious woman. The carnivore then tosses Lyudmila around like a rag doll, and even throws her into the air as she desperately attempts to free herself from the vicious bear. In dramatic footage of the incident, locals can be heard yelling at the predator in attempt to scare it away. It is thought Lyudmila managed to escape alive after one onlooker threw an object towards the bear, scaring it away from a second assault. The hungry bear then retreated back into the building behind it as the terrified woman slowly clambered to her feet. She stumbled forward with her trousers still around her ankles, making no attempt to pull them up in fear the polar bear would strike again. A woman identified only as Lyudmila, was spotted with her jeans around her ankles hanging her head over a wooden walkway in a backstreet in northern Russian while a polar bear lurks around the corner The terrifying incident took place in 2011 in the village of Yanranay Chan The bear leaps at her suddenly before tossing the woman around like a rag doll, and even throwing her into the air at one point It is thought Lyudmila managed to escape with her life after one onlooker threw an object towards the bear, scaring it away from a second assault Lyudmila appeared relatively unscathed in the footage as she walked away from the scene in a fairly leisurely manner given the circumstances. According to VostokMedia Lyudmila was later taken to hospital where she was treated for non-life threatening cuts. The bear was later found and killed. It is believed the woman had thrown the polar bear a chicken bone and was moving forward to give it more when it attacked. But some online commentators at the time wondered whether the woman was drunk and throwing up at the beginning of the video, or indeed urinating. Performing circus bear Back in July 2021, a performing brown bear attacked a female trainer in front of horrified children and their families at a circus in Russia. Footage recorded by a spectator shows the wild animal - dressed in a hat and pink glittering scarf - suddenly clawing at the blonde woman during a performance in Berezovsky, in the Kemerovo region. The bear can be seen swiping at the trainer and holding onto her foot and ankle before it is grabbed by the neck and pulled away by two male performers. The shocking incident at the Harlequin Travelling Circus took place just metres away from children and their parents - who had no barriers or fencing protecting them from the beast. A brown bear attacked a female trainer during a travelling circus performance on July 17, 2021 in the town of Berezovsky, Kemerovo region, Russia The bear clawed at the woman as horrified parents and children watched on during the circus act The video clip then shows how despite the female trainer appearing to have fallen over in pain, the bear is made to continue performing tricks with her. The animal then makes another attack before it is pulled away yet again. According to reports at the time there was even a third attack, however the video that was shared online did not continue long enough to show it. Miraculously, the woman was not believed to have sought medical treatment following the incident. The circus is known for dressing bears in human clothes - with some wearing tutus - and 'prides itself on humane training of the animals'. The Harlequin Travelling Circus later denied there had been an attack, despite the video evidence. A spokesman told Mash Siberia at the time: 'There was no incident whatsoever. 'Simply speaking, bears are now in mating season'. The trainer was dragged to the floor as the bear grabbed her foot while other staff attempted to pull the predator off her Child stalked down Italian hill A 12-year-old boy came face-to-face with a huge bear while hiking with some adults in the Brenta Dolomites, northern Italy. Terrifying footage captured the child walking slowly down a hill while his family instructed him on how to navigate the dangerous situation. According to local reports, the boy, named Alessandro, asked his family to begin filming the dramatic scene when he spotted the bear in the greenery. In the dramatic clip, the predator can be seen standing on its hind legs several times as it menacingly approached the young boy. Alessandro's mother can be heard in the video instructing him to make his way slowly down the grassy hill as the bear crawled out of the trees behind him. The boy's uncle told local newspaper La Stampa at the time that the brave child remained calm even as other members of the family were left terrified by the huge bear. 'We had left home only a little while before. In the mountains there were some other people but it was otherwise silent,' he said. 'Alessandro walked a few meters ahead of us in order to collect stuff and at one point we saw him coming out from the woods and being followed by the bear. Obviously we were terrified but he was calm.' Speaking about the incident, Alessandro said, 'It was important to leave quickly but without making the bear feel it was in danger. I did not look it in the eye and the bear understood I was not its enemy.' Alessandro, 12, was filmed being stalked by a brown bear in Italy The brave child made his way down the grassy slope as the bear followed on behind His mother could be heard guiding him away from the predator The boy's uncle told local newspaper La Stampa at the time that the brave child remained calm even as other members of the family were left terrified by the huge bear Rollerskating bear finally flips Earlier this year, a circus bear attacked its trainer in front of screaming children after he forcefully made the animal perform. The roller-skating bear, a female called Dzhema, was being forced to perform tricks at the ironically named 'Happiness Show' at Mash Circus, Obnisk, Russia, on June 1. Shocking footage captured by an audience member shows Dzhema leaping towards her cruel trainer while his back is to her. Seeking her revenge, the bear charges towards Krasov until she strikes him, dragging him down onto the ground as he struggles to control the predator. Waving his hands dramatically in front of him proved to be a useless method of getting Dzhema away from him as she held her position on top of him while the audience members dashed from their seats in panic. Circus trainer Oleg Krasov was seen in footage dragging female bear Dzhema to her hind legs after she had been sitting on a chair After pulling her across the circus floor on her rollerskates, Krasov walked away before the bear launched her revenge attack Parents rushed their screaming children from the arena while horrified circus workers dash onto the stage in an effort to tame the angered bear as she towered over Krasov. According to local reports, Krasov survived the surprise attack without any serious injury. Circus management later tried to pass off the attack as 'normal'. They said in a statement: 'She did not hurt him at all. She was actually playing with him. 'These are her normal actions. She loves him.' Tossed around in a zoo enclosure In November 2009, a 25-year-old man jumped in to a bear enclosure at Switzerland's 20million Bern Bear Park. Prowling around in its enclosure, the 40st brown bear quickly pounced, grabbing the man and dragging him across the enclosure like a rag doll. Standing on its hind legs as it attacked, the towering predator clamped its jaws around the man's shoulders with the helpless victim no match for the beast's strength. Astonishing images showed the man bleeding from the head, arms and left hand as he was tossed this way and that - all while emergency services scrambled into action But in a twist of fate, it was the bear that ended up fighting for its life - shot by police in order to save the man's life. He on the other hand, miraculously survived the ordeal, suffering non life-threatening injuries. Dramatic photographs show the moment that Finn, the four-year-old European brown bear, realised he had an uninvited guest in the enclosure. The bear quickly pounced on the man and used his paws to hold him tightly to the ground. The unnamed 25-year-old man pictured in the jaws of the bear at the zoo in Bern The terrifying attack unfolded at Bern Bear Park in Switzerland on a Saturday afternoon in November 2009 The bear pinned the man that had jumped into his enclosure to the ground in November 2009 In another photo, one of the bear's front limbs can be seen wrapped around the man's torso as he also held him in its jaws. Briton Sam Brookes, who was visiting the park with his girlfriend when the attack happened, said: 'I looked in after I heard people screaming. 'The bear was standing over him and throwing him back and forth. 'Some yelled, 'Get stones' to throw at the bear. I think most people had an awful shock. I can still see it when I close my eyes.' The man, who had mental health issues, had been waiting on the wall above the enclosure for around 10 minutes before he jumped around 13ft down into the pit. The delay had given worried park officials enough time to call the police. They arrived, armed with 9mm 'fragmentation' ammunition which splinters on impact, just seconds before the man jumped into the danger zone. As the bear's jaws and teeth sank into the man's body, the police officers had to act fast. They said they were left with no other option but to open fire and hit the bear with a single bullet to the chest. The man was quickly pounced on the bear and used its paws to hold him tightly to the ground The man is seen lying on the floor of the enclosure during the bear attack Dramatic photographs taken by a visitor captured the moment the brown bear realised he had an uninvited guest in his enclosure Finn, lying tranquillised under medical observation in his enclosure in Bern Police, paramedics and zookeepers rushed into the enclosure and the man was quickly taken away on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance. He was treated in hospital for severe head and leg injuries, and his condition was said at the time to be 'comfortable'. Meanwhile the bear's condition was deemed critical by vets treating him at the park, according to local reports from the time. The vets chose not to remove the bullet splinters but instead treated him with antibiotics and he responded well. Brutal ranch attack Allena Hansen was thrashed by a bear on her California ranch in July 2008, and as a result she had to undergo dozens of surgeries and spent years in rehabilitation recovering from the savage attack. During the horror attack, Hansen lost 14 teeth and had her ears and nose bitten off by the predator. She had been walking her pets in Kern County when she suffered the horrifying ordeal. A 150-pound bear jumped up on her, forcing her to the ground before mauling her, ripping through her skin and leaving her for dead. Luckily her pet dogs, stood by her side during the attack, and their barking eventually scared off the animal as she plunged her thumbnail into its eye, allowing her to escape. Allena Hansen had been walking her pets in Kern County in July 2008 before she was attacked by a 150-pound bear She then managed to walk back to her car and eventually caught sight of her severe injuries. In a desperate attempt to save her life, she drove four miles to the nearest fire station for medical attention where she was then airlifted to the UCLA Medical Centre. Hansen underwent 10 hours of surgery to patch up her face, and surgeons even found an indentation in her bone where the bear had clawed to the bone. 'When the bear attacked me it just grabbed me by the ears and bit into my face and took me down,' Hansen told the Independent in 2020. 'So basically my face was ripped off. 'At the time I didn't have many options,' she added. 'It was either lie there and bleed out or get the hell out of there, so I left.' During the horror attack, Hansen lost 14 teeth and had her ears and nose bitten off by the predator Nose ripped from face Lee Brooke, an American hunter, had his nose and mouth ripped off by a grizzly bear while on a hunting trip in Wyoming in October 2016. He was approaching an elk he shot when a 420lbs female bear attacked him from behind, ripping off half his face and knocking him unconscious. Brooke woke to feel her sniffing at his cheek. 'I could feel the whiskers,' he told Fox31 Denver, a the time of the attack. Blinded by blood soaking his eyes, the hunter managed to grab a steak knife from his pocket and stab the bear in the head, just inches from her deadly jaws. Following the retaliation, the bear retreated which gave him the chance to escape. Badly mutilated and bleeding heavily, he screamed into the woods for help. He said that he did not know if he would survive the attack, but was determined to live to see his wife Martha again. Brooke had been separated from his hunting party, but hearing his cries, his brother-in-law George Neal found him. Lee Brooke was on a hunting trip in Wyoming in the US in October 2016 when a bear took off his nose It took seven hours for Brooke to be found before he was rushed to hospital and put in a medically induced coma for one month Brooke, who is a keen hunter, pictured before the accident took place with his wife Martha He also retrieved his severed nose and upper lip before helping him down the mountain where they could find phone reception and called for help. The wounded man was rushed to hospital where he was put in a medically induced coma for one month at the Swedish Burn and Reconstructive Unit in Colorado. Hours of surgery kept him alive and doctors were incredibly able to attach his nose to his arm to keep the cells alive. The nose then began regrowing above his right wrist which was later reattached to Brooke's face. He spent three months having long, complicated surgeries, including one which lasted for 24 hours. Much of his current face was produced through delicate procedures using skin grafts from his right leg. Bones in Brooke's face were partially constructed with leg bone and he now has many metal plates and screws in his head. He then spent two months in rehab exercising, learning how to eat again and overcoming physiological trauma. 'We didn't just fix his body, we really wanted to make sure that he recovered mentally,' surgeon Lily Daniali told Fox at the time. Brooke can no longer control tears, a good portion of his face is gone, and he depends on a tracheal tube to tell his story. 'I should've bled to death right there,' he told friends who helped pay for his medical bills. 'I should've drowned on my blood.' Doctors attached Brooke's nose to his arm, pictured, with the help of leeches, after his brother-in-law found it on the ground during the attack Brooke said what got him through the ordeal was his determination to see his wife Martha again (pictured right) Brooke can no longer control tears, a good portion of his face is gone, and he depends on a tracheal tube to tell his story Gnawed on by polar bear at a zoo In Spring 2009, the buzz of excitement at Berlin Zoo was abruptly interrupted by cries of panic and a loud splash as something dropped into the moat within the polar bear enclosure. To the shock of onlookers that was the sound of a 32-year-old woman who was now inside the exhibit and swimming towards the polar bears. It was feeding time and the bears drew huge crowds as eager spectators gathered around the enclosure to catch a glimpse of the arctic beasts. However - so dangerous are the predators - that even zookeepers don't enter the paddock during this time. But one woman scaled the three foot perimeter wall and jumped into the icy water below. While most of the bears were too distracted by their meal one of the bears did spot the enclosure's visitor and made its way towards her before lunging in the woman's direction. Incredible photographs captured the bear as it pounced on the woman, biting the back of her neck, with the pain of the predator's bite visible on her contorted face As the woman tries to escape her predicament one of the bear's pulls her back into the water Incredible photographs captured the bear as it pounced on the woman, biting the back of her neck, with the pain of the predator's bite visible on her contorted face. Witnesses, including families with small children, were shocked to see what was unfolding in front of their eyes with many believing they were about to see a person mauled to death. Thankfully before a tragedy could occur the woman started a frantic rush to escape the enclosure. At a steep wall separating the bears from the viewing public she was met by zoo keepers who desperately flung life rings towards the woman while others threw meat and prodded the bears to leave the woman alone. Zoo biologist Heiner Klos told German press at the time that the incident could have turned out 'even more terrible.' He added: 'our alarm system worked. Otherwise things would have turned out badly for the bear.' The polar bears were not punished for the attack. A police spokesperson in 2009 told Der Spiegel: 'The woman jumped in there carelessly and must logically expect that adult polar bears do such things.' At a steep wall separating the bears from the viewing public she was met by zoo keepers who desperately flung life rings towards the woman while others threw meat and prodded the bears to leave the woman alone The unnamed woman was rushed to a nearby hospital with wounds to her arms, hips, back and legs but according to zookeepers she was lucky to escape with her life Dangled from bear's jaws In September 2024, a 20-year-old archery hunter was tossed around by a 530-pound grizzly bear but miraculously survived the savage attack after he and his friend blasted the beast with 24 bullets. Riley Hill, 20, was hunting elk in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, west of Henrys Lake in Island Park, Idaho, when the grizzly charged on all fours out of nowhere. Hill managed to shoot the bear in the face and shoulder region three times before it clamped its teeth into his arm, puncturing his skin and bone, and started flinging him around. 'It was lifting me off the ground and then slamming me back on the ground,' Hill told East Idaho News. 'It was like playing tug of war with your dog, but he was playing it with my arm and ripping it apart.' Riley Hill, pictured with his injured arm after the attack, said the bear was 'lifting me off the ground and then slamming me back on the ground. It was like playing tug of war with your dog, but he was playing it with my arm and ripping it apart' Hill, 20, (right) wwas airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Hospital where he received 40 staples and numerous stitches. He is pictured with Braxton Meyers, (left) who was with him during the attack The 530lb grizzly bear that charged at a pair of archery hunters in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and sunk its teeth into one's arm, puncturing the hunter's skin and bone. The bear died after the duo shot it 24 times Braxton Meyers, who was hunting with Hill, fired several shots at the 20-year-old male grizzly while it flung his friend from side-to-side. Hill alleged he could 'feel the bullets hitting the bear through my arm'. Although Hill was not struck by the gunfire, he claims that he could feel the 'repercussion from the bullets hitting the bear'. He also recalled how several bullets came within 'two to three inches' of his head. The pair shot 24 bear bullets at the grizzly before successfully bringing it down. Meyers tried to tend to Hill's wounds, wrapping a shirt around his arm and using their belts to make two tourniquets. He then called 911 and requested an ambulance or helicopter. The duo, accompanied by another friend, hiked out of the woods and back to their vehicle in hopes of putting themselves in a place where they could be rescued. Hill was ultimately airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Hospital where he received 40 staples and numerous stitches. He was released from the hospital, but doctors estimated it would take at least two months for his arm to heal. Bear tears chunk from man's armpit Niaphum Promratee, 36, had been with four friends in August when he visited a temple that houses boars and a bear in rural Phetchabun province, Thailand. The man had been leaning against a wall that was surrounding the enclosure while dangling bowls of rice on ropes to the creature. Horrifying footage captured the moment Promratee was dragged in to the enclosure when the bear, named Bing, stood up on its legs and pulled him towards the ground. The ferocious beast managed to knock the man unconscious before biting a chunk from his armpit. His friends hit the bear with poles and threw cold water at it, to no avail. The enraged animal continued to bite and scratch Promratee for almost a minute before it started dragging him across the dusty enclosure. One of Naiphum's group ran into the enclosure and battered the bear in its cage with a pole while friends focused on a rescue. Emergency services arrived just after 11am local time and rushed the bloodied man to hospital, where he spent time recovering. Naiphum's visit to a Thai monastery took a turn for the worse when Bing the bear attacked Naiphum was pulled down into the enclosure and mauled by the 250kg predator As he lay bleeding, Naiphum's group tried to scare the bear off with a large metal pole Naiphum is quickly helped away from the scene after the group distracted Bing the bear Naiphum was helpless to get up as the bear dragged him around the enclosure with ease Double mother bear mauling Todd Orr was hiking near Ennis, Montana, in 2016 when he spotted a grizzly bear and her cubs on the trail in an open meadow. He tried to yell at her, hoping she would realise he was a human and turn back in fear. The knifemaker, who was 50-years-old at the time, also attempted to repel her with bear spray, but his efforts were in vain. Orr ended up with his face in the dirt with his arms wrapped around his neck, in a desperate bid to protect himself from the ferocious jaws of the grizzly. 'She was on top of me biting my arms, shoulders and backpack. The force of each bite was like a sledge hammer with teeth,' Orr wrote in a Facebook post, just days after he survived the mauling. 'She would stop for a few seconds and then bite again. Over and over. After a couple minutes, but what seemed an eternity, she disappeared.' Orr managed to get to his feet and headed back towards his truck, which was parked three miles away from where he was attacked. He checked his injuries and noticed several puncture wounds on his arms and shoulder. But after five to ten minutes of thinking he was safe, Orr heard the bear again. 'She either followed me back down the trail or cut through the trees and randomly came out on the trail right behind me, whatever the case, she was instantly on me again,' he wrote. Knifemaker Todd Orr survived a horrific bear attack in 2016 while hiking near Ennis, Montana After surviving the double attack, Orr spent eight hours in the hospital getting x-rays and stitches. He had a five-inch gap on his head (pictured) Wondering whether he'd survive a second attack, Orr once again put his arms around his neck, and kept his face tight against the ground. The bear sank her teeth into his forearm until they hit the bone when he heard a crunch, and he realised the bite had rendered his writs and fingers unusable. 'The sudden pain made me flinch and gasp for breath. The sound triggered a frenzy of bites to my shoulder and upper back,' he wrote. Orr stayed silent whole the bear continued biting him. He felt a gash open above his ear and blood trickling onto his face and eyes. 'I thought this was the end. She would eventually hit an artery in my neck and I would bleed out in the trail... But I knew that moving would trigger more bites so a laid motionless hoping it would end,' he wrote. The bear finally stopped biting and stood on top of him, crushing him. Orr didn't dare move and the bear finally went away. He tried to grab his pistol in case the bear was still nearby but he couldn't see due to the blood in his eyes. But he couldn't find the pistol and realised the gun had landed five feet away from him during the attack. Orr escaped the double attack with numerous wounds on his arms, shoulders and face (pictured) He rushed to grab his belongings and started making his way down the trail one last time, in disbelief that he had survived two attacks. Orr made it to hospital, where he spent eight hours getting stitches on the puncture wounds and tears to his arms and shoulders. An x-ray showed he had a chipped bone in his forearm. Orr had a five-inch gap on his head, which has left a scar, but just a day after the double mauling, he posted: 'Not my best day, but I'm alive'. (From left) San Francisco Department of Public Works employees Melvin Scott, Frederico Diaz, David (no last name given) and William Starks rake up illegally dumped trash from streets in the Bayview district of San Francisco Monday, June 5, 2023. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Last year, as San Francisco weathered a post-pandemic deluge of trash on its streets, the city promised it would act. Data and other information compiled by the Chronicle show that it has but its not yet clear whether its making the problem any better. The city vowed to put more money towards street cleaning, ramp up enforcement after it fell during the pandemic, and finally, after years of delays, deploy cameras in hard-hit areas to catch illegal dumpers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Since then, the city has followed up on some of those efforts. Over the last year, the Department of Public Works restaffed its enforcement team, whose six employees had all been redirected during the pandemic, said Rachel Gordon, a spokesperson for the department. As of June this year, the team had returned to five members. Citations for illegal dumping which includes piling garbage bags in and next to city garbage cans, abandoning furniture or car parts and general litter are beginning to increase, according to city data. After plummeting during the pandemic, Public Works employees have more than doubled the number of enforcement actions theyve taken related to illegal dumping, including citations, notices of violation (which are warning letters) and other outreach. Employees took 4,750 such actions between July 2022 and June 2023. Between July 2023 and June 2024, that number had jumped up to 11,300. The majority of those actions in the last year were classified as outreach, which includes explaining illegal dumping violations that business owners or residents might not realize arent allowed, like putting an extra bag of trash by your collection can. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gordon explained that this kind of outreach is the main priority of the enforcement team. But, she said, theyll issue citations and fines when necessary. And citations and notices of violation both increased notably as well though both are still less than half of what they were in 2019. Fines for dumping can reach up to $1,000 per act, per day for repeat offenders. Gordon also said that the department has installed eight of the ten moveable license plate cameras it promised in 2020, but that its still training staff on use and adjusting them to make sure they are set on the correct locations, so they are not a part of enforcement yet. Its unclear how much of a dent that enforcement is making, because the precise amount of complaints about illegal dumping in recent years is difficult to track. San Franciscos 311 data includes automated alerts from sensors in around a third of the citys trash cans. Those sensors create a 311 request when a trash can is 80% full to prevent overflowing, but the data doesnt distinguish those automated alerts from calls that citizens make about dumping near trash cans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Still, compared to last year, the number of illegal dumping complaints has decreased. By the end of October last year, complaints about illegal dumping, including the alerts from sensors, made up about 45% of all 311 complaints. That number dropped to 41% by the end of October this year, though that figure is still higher than it was in previous years. When complaints about overflowing trash cans are excluded, overall calls about dumping are down further. After peaking at 38% in 2022, the share of such 311 complaints dropped to 34% last year and again to 32% this year the same as before the pandemic. Gordon said that, while its still early, she hopes the increased outreach and enforcement will help curb the problem, which has long been an issue in cities all over the country, particularly during and after the pandemic. And a 2019 case study on illegal dumping hotspots in Oakland found that enforcement through both officers and cameras was a crucial part of addressing the issue, alongside community-based organizing and education. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Still, the problem is far from solved. Ryen Motzek, a small business owner in the Mission, which the Chronicle reported last week had the highest number of complaints about abandoned furniture, said he still sees illegal dumping, from mattresses to piles of cardboard next to trash cans, every day in the neighborhood. And complaints alone dont tell the whole story about illegal dumping. The Bayview, for example, has had fewer total trash-related complaints over the last five years than the Mission, but city employees know that some pockets of the neighborhood are frequent dumping grounds, Gordon said. As a result, the city runs proactive illegal dumping clean-ups five days a week in the neighborhood accounting for instances that might not show up in 311 data. Gordon said this is one area where she hopes the cameras might be more helpful while the city cleans up illegal dumping in the Bayview, the cameras could help catch the scofflaws, she said. We dont want people using our city as a giant trash can, Gordon said. Were always looking for new ways to prevent that. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A picturesque Tennessee county is being taken over by Christian nationalists who are seeking to create a community of 'European-derived peoples' in a bid to bring America back to its pre-Civil Rights days. Podcasters Andrew Isker and C. Jay Engel want to build a Christian community in tiny Jackson County, located 90 minutes outside of Nashville, where immigrants - even naturalized ones - could be kicked out and women made submissive. 'It's like a [Joseph] Stalin thing, we need Christian nationalism in one state,' Engel said in an October episode of the Contra Mundum podcast. The pair are recruiting 'like-minded Christians and patriots in Tennessee' to join their community of 'Heritage Americans,' who they believe are the only ones with the right to own homeland in the country. 'When I say Heritage American, this is what I mean: Those who are ethno-culturally tied to the ethos and spirit of the United States prior to its definitional transformation into a Propositional Nation after World War II,' he wrote in an X post in May. 'This therefore includes the type of people that came here during the Ellis Island generation, even if that was a significant sociopolitical mistake. We are also the product of our mistakes as a nation. 'It affirms, however, the domination and pre-eminence of the European-derived peoples, their institutions, and their way of life,' he continued. 'Heritage America is centered around the experiences and norms of Anglo-Protestants. 'It was their customs, their instincts, their priorities, their norms, their struggles, their perspectives, that set the tone and vision of Heritage America.' Podcasters Andrew Isker and C. Jay Engel want to build a Christian community in tiny Jackson County, located 90 minutes outside of Nashville, where immigrants - even naturalized ones - will be kicked out and women will be submissive The men (pictured) believe that only Heritage American deserve to own land, largely referring to white men. They also said 'blacks of the Old South' and Native Americans can also be included as long as they do not have an 'instinct' to 'leverage their experience for the purpose of political guilt in our time' His definition of Heritage Americans also includes 'blacks of the Old South' and 'integrated Native Americans,' as long as they do not have an 'instinct' to 'leverage their experience for the purpose of political guilt in our time,' he said. The podcasters' effort to plant a flag in Jackson County is being aided by two real estate companies, New Founding and RidgeRunner, which have pledged to build a community with 'people who share your values.' 'America is going to need a Protestant [Francisco] Franco,' New Founding partner Josh Abbotoy posted on social media, referring to the Catholic Spanish dictator who ruled between 1939 and 1975, according to News Channel 5 Nashville. Abbotoy purchased 500 acres on the Macon-Jackson County line. An associated corporation bought 100 acres near downtown Gainesboro, as well as an office building where Isker and Engel are setting up a podcast studio, the outlet reported. Engel often posts pictures on social media of old Norman Rockwell images of white people. 'I would imagine, in most of those Norman Rockwell pictures, there aren't any depictions of people who look like me,' Chris Williamson, a black pastor in Nashville, told News Channel 5. In one post, Engel, a former Californian, wrote alongside pictures of white people: 'We used to be an actual country with an actual culture.' Williamson said he was 'repulsed' to learn that 'people would think of me and people who look like me in such degrading ways.' The men also believe the Civil Rights Movement 'ruined everything,' and are recruiting 'like-minded Christians and patriots in Tennessee' to join their community of Heritage Americans Their project is being helped by two real estate companies, New Founding and RidgeRunner, which promise to build a community with 'people who share your values' Engel and Isker deny that they are racist, despite stating on their podcast that 'all of our heroes were way more racist than we're allowed to be today.' Instead, they say the 'very concept of racism was literally a creation of communists.' The men have denounced Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, with Engel saying in a social media post: 'You cannot have both MLK and Heritage America.' Isker has argued on X that civil rights should go 'back to the states.' For Black History Month, Engel decided to celebrate 'Heritage History Month' and praised white supremacist Sam Francis as someone 'who either shaped or defended our European and American heritage.' Francis argued in his writings that whites could 'dictate a solution to the racial problem tomorrow' by 'imposing fertility controls on non-whites' and he wanted 'uncompromising assertion of white will,' according to News Channel 5. Engel wrote on his X account that 'Peoples like Indians, or South East Asians or Ecuadorians or immigrated Africans are the least capable of fitting in and should be sent home immediately.' He also expressed distrust for Vivek Ramaswamy - who was recently nominated to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency with Elon Musk under Trump - because he was Indian. 'I wish we had someone a Heritage American that was as passionate about, you know, our people,' Engel said. Franklin Community Church Pastor Kevin Riggs isn't falling for the men's vision: 'At the end of the day, it's the same tired ideology of white supremacy,' he said Nashville Pastor Chris Williamson was 'repulsed' to learn that 'people would think of me and people who look like me in such degrading ways.' Isker also expressed ideas that anyone foreign-born granted citizenship since 1965 should have to go under a 'review' process that includes investigating if they have worked for 'left causes.' 'Deported for anti-Heritage American activities,' he wrote, according to News Channel 5. The men also believe the Civil Rights Movement 'ruined everything,' the outlet reported. However, Engel and Isker dismiss their opinions as jokes, with Engel saying: 'You get in trouble for having fun,' according to News Channel 5, which spent months scouring their social media pages and podcast. 'So, they are defining my legacy, my entire legacy really on slavery,' Williamson, the Nashville pastor, said. 'I stay - even though I was brought here against my will and treated horrible through chattel slavery for nearly 250 years, but that's my heritage. 'Really, you want to keep me in that place of inferior status with you. I'm okay as long as I stay in line and accept how you define me. But these days of white men defining black people, they're not happening anymore.' Franklin Community Church Pastor Kevin Riggs isn't falling for the men's vision, saying their mission and values constitute white supremacy. 'It doesn't matter whether you are a Christian. It doesn't matter whether you are an atheist. It doesn't matter if you are a Buddhist. It doesn't matter what, you are going to be forced to live by this narrow interpretation of Christian principles,' he told News Channel 5. 'If you strip it all down, they're saying the same thing - they are just saying it in a way that may be more acceptable to people. At the end of the day, it's the same tired ideology of white supremacy.' The men have denounced Martin Luther King Jr. (pictured in casket) and the Civil Rights Movement, with Engel saying in a social media post : 'You cannot have both MLK and Heritage America' Critics say their community is white supremacy that keep white men in power (pictured: neo-Nazis in Nashville) The podcasters' discrimination also extends to women, especially those who are college-educated. 'People who call me racist are innately incapable of comprehending the extent to which I detest the specific impact of college-educated white women on the culture of the world around me,' Engel wrote in one post. He called women 'obnoxious and emotional,' especially those who work, and celebrated never having had a female boss. Engel also encouraged men to 'propagandize your wife' and to train her 'to like the things you do,' according to News Channel 5. Isker has echoed similar statements, saying: 'You can have either women's liberation or civilization, not both.' 'No one can give me an argument why universal suffrage is good,' he wrote. 'I think it's politically best to have conservatives in power. And blacks and women vote liberal more often than white men,' Engel agreed. They also reject Jews and said there is only 'Christians and unbelievers,' News Channel 5 reported. Engel has also claimed that the LGBT+ community shouldn't be employed until they 'work on not being gay' and that journalists are 'barely human.' 'We will tear off liberal scales from their eyes and radicalize Main Street,' he said, according to News Channel 5. They hope to expand to other towns and eventually gain political power that rivals that of big cities. A major supermarket chain is looking to step up its competition with budget provider Aldi after opting to slash the prices of 222 products in its smaller convenience stores. The move by one of the UK's most popular outlets comes in the wake of a finding by consumer behaviour company Circana. It found that customers are currently paying an average of 10% more for the same item in smaller convenience-style shops than they are in main supermarkets. A similar path has also been trodden by fellow consumer company Which?, with the brand having campaigned at length on the issue of price disparity. Research from Which? showed that shopping at a convenience store versus a large supermarket could add a whopping 800 onto your food each year. A major supermarket chain is looking to step up its competition with budget provider Aldi The move by one of the UK's most popular outlets comes in the wake of a finding by consumer behaviour company Circana (File image) Now, Tesco has announced the introduction of an Aldi-price match scheme at its smaller Express stores. Tesco CEO Kevin Murphy said: [The] round of price cuts on more than 200 lines in our Express stores underlines our commitment to offering great value to Tesco customers. Whether you are picking up coffee and milk for the office or a loaf of bread and a tin of soup on the way home, our Express stores offer both convenience and great value. Revealed in September, the research from Which? showed that shoppers who buy their food at local branches of the major supermarkets could be paying up to a fifth more than at the larger stores. Which? compared the cost of 42 grocery items at convenience chains Morrisons Daily, Sainsbury's Local and Tesco Express against prices at their full-size supermarkets. It found the biggest price difference was at Morrisons Daily, where shoppers paid 21 per cent more on average. Which? found that while Sainsbury's and Tesco had less variation in prices, Nectar members could still be paying an average of 14 per cent more at Sainsbury's Local, while Clubcard holders could be charged 11 per cent more at Tesco Express. Despite Tesco Express stores offering Clubcard prices, a pack of six Mr Kipling Bakewell Slices was 2.32 on average at Tesco Express but 1.50 at Tesco supermarkets - a 54 per cent difference. Tesco has announced the introduction of an Aldi-price match scheme at its smaller Express stores A 500g bag of own-label fusilli was 31% or 20p cheaper at a larger Sainsbury's supermarket at 65p instead of 85p. A medium white Hovis loaf cost 12% more at both Sainsbury's Local and Tesco Express, and 14% more at Morrisons Daily. In total, the basket of 42 groceries averaged around 11 more at Sainsbury's Local and 10 more at Tesco Express for loyalty scheme members compared to their prices at the larger stores, adding up to more than 500 over a year. Two pints of own brand semi-skimmed milk cost eight per cent more at all three supermarket convenience stores - with or without a loyalty card. Which? retail editor Ele Clark said: 'Unfortunately, many people are without easy access to transport or online deliveries which leaves them reliant on smaller nearby stores. 'Convenience stores may often be easier to travel to and handy for shoppers who need to stock up on a few essentials, but people who have to use them regularly will be spending significantly more over the course of a year than those with access to larger supermarkets. 'Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Tesco have committed to offer a broader range of budget and lower-priced ranges in their convenience stores as a result of Which? campaigning, but this latest research shows that more can still be done to increase the range of affordable product options for those consumers who rely on convenience stores.' The internet sleuth who sparked a fresh FBI investigation into infamous hijacker DB Cooper with the bombshell discovery of a secret parachute has revealed how all the clues now point to just one person. The hijacker, whose identity has remained a mystery for over five decades, commandeered a Boeing 727 at Seattle-Tacoma airport on November 24, 1971. He held its crew and passengers hostage with a bomb threat and eventually made off with $200,000 in cash - the equivalent of $1.2 million today. After leaping out the plane over dense Pacific Northwest woodland, the enigma vanished. The only real evidence left behind was a $1.49 clip-on-tie. For years the authorities have sought answers and Youtube investigator Dan Gryder told DailyMail.com that the FBI is taking his new find very seriously and conducting DNA tests. The breakthrough came when the children of one of very few suspects - Richard Floyd McCoy Jr. - confessed to Gryder that their parents were behind the crime. The FBI had previously ruled out McCoy as a suspect because he 'did not match the physical descriptions of Cooper provided by two flight attendants'. Yet just months after the initial incident, McCoy was convicted of an eerily similar hijacking. A man, whose real identity remains a mystery, hijacked a Boeing 727 at Seattle-Tacoma airport on November 24, 1971 and held its crew and passengers hostage with a bomb threat Richard McCoy Jr. (pictured) was convicted of an eerily similar hijacking just a few months after the Cooper case On April 7, 1972, McCoy commandeered United Airlines Flight 855, another Boeing 727, en route from Newark, New Jersey, to Los Angeles, California. He demanded $500,000 in cash and parachuted out the plane as soon as he had the money. He was arrested after the FBI received a tip from a concerned citizen. McCoy was later sentenced to 45 years in prison for the heist, but later broke out of the maximum security with three other prisoners. Two inmates were caught within days but McCoy evaded arrest for three months. When the authorities finally tracked him down in 1974, he was shot by agents inside his Virginia Beach home. Amateur investigator Dan Gryder said FBI agents contacted him after watching his documentary series, which included a video of him discovering a military-grade parachute rig in a storage house on the McCoy family property in North Carolina. Speaking with DailyMail.com, here Gryder lays out all the explosive evidence he has found that connects McCoy with the elusive DB Cooper. The case has long stumped investigators, however, YouTube star Dan Gryder revealed the FBI has been looking his newest discoveries that point to McCoy (pictured) Cooper demanded $200,000 cash - the equivalent of $1.2 million today - however much of it disintegrated during his jump Cooper also asked for four chutes. Pictured: the canvas bag that contained one of the parachutes Cooper was wearing a black J.C. Penney tie (pictured), which he removed before jumping, and investigators say has DNA on it Family Heirlooms McCoy's children - Chante and Richard III 'Rick' McCoy - had always suspected their father may have been DB Cooper but had refrained from coming forward until their mother died as they believed she was complicit in the crime. When she passed away they reached out to Gryder to tell their story. The YouTuber said he discovered what he believes to be the parachute and rig used by Cooper while visiting the McCoy family's North Carolina property in July 2022. 'We stumbled upon this happenstance, which caused us to have access to this building, and we went up in that building and we looked around it,' he told the DailyMail.com. 'We didn't find [the rig] quickly. It took me and two other people like four hours. We all discovered that together, equally, and completely random.' Another crucial piece of evidence is a logbook that aligned with Cooper's hijacking over Oregon as well as the Utah hijacking McCoy was convicted of that took place months later. What stands out is that McCoy had a test jump on September 1971, two months before the Cooper heist, and again on March 1972, one month before the Utah hijacking. Gryder explained that the North Carolina farm was owned by McCoy's mother and she had kept those items in memory of her son. 'She was kind of a hoarder of emotional things, pictures, letters, scrapbooks. This was her prized son. She was very proud of Richard Floyd McCoy. She knew full well that he did two hijacking. Those rigs and those artifacts became treasured family heirlooms,' he said. McCoy's grave is on the property and his headstone lists his military accomplishments including his experience with parachuting - implying he was capable of making the jump on November 24, 1971. Gryder discovered what he believes to be the Cooper parachute in the storage house on the McCoy family property in North Carolina Another crucial piece of evidence is a logbook (pictured) that aligned with Cooper's hijacking over Oregon as well as the Utah hijacking McCoy was convicted of McCoy's grave is on the property and his headstone lists his military accomplishments including his experience with parachuting Parachute modifications Cooper's hijacking demands had included that the authorities give him four parachutes, which were supplied by a local skydiving center. Gryder explained that the parachute found in the McCoy's storage unit has the same unique alterations as the chutes in the Cooper hijacking. These had been documented by Earl Cossey, who provided them to the skydiving center before the 1971 crime. Gryder said the parachute started as a military grade 'bailout rig' that had been sold to Cossey though the civilian military surplus system. Cossey then modified it to make it a sport rig for the skydiving center. These same alternations were found on the chute found in the McCoy house. 'It was born in life as a military bailout rig. Without all these other accessories. Somebody took it and modified it made it a little bigger, moved the ripcord handle, cut the straps, installed the D-rings. That's what makes this parachute one in a billion,' Gryder said. The modifications include sewn-on webbing and the installation of D-rings on the front - hooks that would have been ideal to carry a heavy load like a bag full of money. However, the bag that Cooper received lacked the clasps needed to hook them into place. Investigators believe Cooper lost all of the money in the jump, and a fraction of the cash later found by authorities had disintegrated. 'I have been a skydive for my whole life, and I've seen lots and lots of bailout rigs. I've never seen anybody hack one to this extent and attempt to convert it over to what it ended up being. It's a Frankenstein,' Gryder said. Gryder explained the parachute has the unique alterations the chutes had in the Utah hijacking that have been documented by Earl Cossey, who owned and provided them before the crime Questionable alibi When McCoy was on trial for the Utah hijacking and investigators attempted to link him to the Cooper case, his sister-in-law Denise Burns provided him with an alibi. Burns said McCoy and his wife were at home during the time of the Cooper hijacking, and according to Gryder, the judge was unhappy with the FBI's alleged illegal search of McCoy's home during the Utah investigation. However, when Gryder interviewed Burns she recanted her alibi for McCoy and his wife for November 24, 1971. 'So when it came down to Denise's alibi versus what else had happened, and all that kind of stuff. They simply didn't want to touch it. They did not want to even go there. They were going to be satisfied with some kind of a prison sentence for the second one, and that's all that's all they could get,' he said. 'Now, after all this time, I took Denise's recording of her in her voice at her home, and she's aware that statute of limitations is over and there's nothing that can come back on her, she told the truth. 'She said, no, Richard and Karen were gone. They told me that they were going to California, and she was the babysitter for three or four days during Thanksgiving of 1971.' Once his demands were met and transferred onto the plane, Cooper had the crew take off before he jumped out FBI Search When contacted by DailyMail.com, the FBI deferred to their July 2016 statement that they will no longer actively investigate the case. However, Gryder said FBI agents contacted him after watching his first two videos, one of which showed him discovering the parachute He claimed FBI agents met with him and Rick to take the harness and parachute into evidence and said they also were interested in the logbook. The YouTuber also filmed dozens of agents descending on the North Carolina property to continue their search. Rick has also provided DNA samples to the FBI, but the agency has yet to provide an official update. 'Finding the parachute is not conclusive, it's not going to solve it, that's all circumstantial. What the FBI is going to have to have is solid DNA, and that is the path,' Gryder said. 'Their entire goal is a positive DNA lock, and that's the end towards which they are working.' Gryder told DailyMail.com there are parts of Rick's DNA that lined up 'perfectly' with that of DB Cooper, possibly indicating a partial match of a relative. He added that investigators are now seeking to exhume the body for further testing in a bombshell revelation. 'All [the McCoy children] were able to tell us is that there's DNA markers that are present, and they have X amount of those that line up perfectly like Swiss cheese models where all the holes in the Swiss cheese eventually line up, but they need more of those markers, and where they have fallen down is the difference between the son's DNA and the necktie versus actual Richard Floyd Mccoy,' he said. 'Undisputable DNA, which would give them more of those markers, is what is what they're looking for. That that's where they were at on the thing. And that's how come they've requested to exhume the body, which is a huge deal.' Gryder said FBI agents contacted him after watching his video that shows him discovering the rig The YouTuber filmed dozens of agents descending on the North Carolina property to search Other theories Although many people believe that McCoy is the culprit behind the infamous case, other suspects have previously been identified by other investigators. Notably, true crime investigator Eric Ulis made a Freedom of Information Act request with the FBI to access any DNA profiles found on the clip-on tie left behind by Cooper denied. Ulis believes the mystery hijacker is engineer Vince Petersen from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He claimed this theory is based on evidence left on the tie that matched materials from the plant where Petersen worked. Gryder said he has considered other theories, but argued that they are all missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. 'None of those other theories made any sense, they were all missing clear motivation like the McCoy's had,' he said. 'McCoy had a grudge, and he was financially in a bind. He had served two terms in Vietnam. He came back, and as a Vietnam vet, he couldn't get a job. 'Yet he had a wife and two kids he's supposed to support the rest of his life, but he was left with no good options.' President Joe Biden is under pressure to exonerate Ethel Rosenberg over her role in the 1950s atomic espionage case, amid fresh evidence that she knew about her husband's spying but was not herself involved. Lori Clune, a California State University, Fresno history professor, has added her voice to a campaign led by the Rosenbergs' sons Robert and Michael Meeropol that Biden clear Ethel's name before he steps down in January. It follows the release of documents that cast further doubt on the case against Ethel, who along with her husband, Julius, was executed in 1953 after being convicted of plotting to steal nuclear secrets for the Soviet Union. 'I now believe that a presidential exoneration is appropriate and necessary because it will correct the view that Ethel was an active spy,' Clune wrote in The Conversation this week. 'It will address the serious flaws in her trial and conviction. And it will set right the historical record.' The White House did not answer DailyMail.com's request for comment. The couple maintained their innocence until they were put to death at New York's Sing Sing Prison. Their sons, who took the name of their adopted parents, have worked for decades to establish that their mother was falsely implicated in spying. Ethel Rosenberg, 34, talks to reporters at her home after her husband, Julius, 32, was arrested on espionage charges Clearing their name: Robert and Michael Meeropol, pictured at the White House in 2016, want President Joe Biden to exonerate their mother Ethel Rosenberg Historians have long regarded Julius as a Soviet spy. But doubts over Ethel's role have simmered for years, dividing those who side with the Meeropols, and say she was blameless, and others who say there's evidence she was involved in the sensational spy network. The case against Ethel grew weaker in September, with the release of a declassified memo from a Cold War-era US government codebreaker who concluded that she knew about her husband's activities but 'did not engage in the work herself.' The Meeropol brothers say the previously unreported memo from August 1950 is a smoking gun, and want Biden to go beyond a pardon and issue a formal proclamation saying Ethel was wrongly convicted and executed. The handwritten memo from Meredith Gardner, a national security linguist and codebreaker, cites decrypted Soviet communications in concluding that Ethel knew about Julius' espionage work 'but that due to ill health she did not engage in the work herself.' It was written more than a week after Ethel's arrest her husband was arrested a month earlier summarizing what was known about a Soviet spy ring operating in the US covering the development of atomic weapons. It refers to Julius, who worked as a civil engineer, by his Soviet code names first 'Antenna' and later 'Liberal' and characterizes him as a recruiting agent for Soviet intelligence. In a separate paragraph about 'Mrs. Julius Rosenberg,' Gardner describes a decoded message as saying Ethel was a 'party member' and 'devoted wife' who knew of her husband's work but was not involved. Ethel went on trial with her husband months after the memo was written despite Gardner's assessment, which the Meeropols say had likely been available to federal investigators and prosecutors. The Meeropols obtained the memo via a Freedom of Information Act request made in July 2022. Robert, 77, said in September that its release was a capstone of decades of work to clear his mom's name. 'Both the KGB and the NSA ended up agreeing that Ethel was not a spy,' he told AP. The ill-fated Rosenberg couple steal a kiss in the back of a prison van after their arraignment Ten-year-old Michael Rosenberg pats his younger brother, Robert, six, and tries his best to comfort him, as the youngsters ride away from Sing Sing prison after visiting their convicted parents prior to their execution Julius Rosenberg (right) was doubtless spying for the Soviets, but the case against his wife Ethel Rosenberg has grown weaker over the years 'And so we have a situation in which a mother of two young children was executed as a master atomic spy when she wasn't a spy at all.' As young boys, the brothers famously visited the White House in 1953 in a failed bid to get then-president Dwight Eisenhower to prevent executions that would leave them orphaned. The memo was just the latest release that Ethel's supporters say casts doubt on her criminal conviction and the narrative of her as a spy. They highlight the fact that Ethel, unlike her husband, did not have a codename. Another memo from Gardner also states Ethel did 'not work,' a presumed reference to spying. In a 2001 television interview, Ethel's brother, David Greenglass, said he'd lied on the stand about his sister to assure leniency for himself and keep his wife out of prison so she could care for their two children. A fellow communist sympathizer, Greenglass was indicted as a co-conspirator and served 10 years in prison. In 2015, secret grand jury testimony from Greenglass was unsealed that contradicted damaging statements he made during the Rosenbergs' trial that helped secure their convictions. At trial, Greenglass said he'd given the Rosenbergs research data he obtained as an Army machinist about the US atomic program, and that he recalled seeing his sister typing up notes for the Soviets. But in his grand jury testimony, which a judge unsealed after Greenglass' 2014 death, he never implicated Ethel, saying that he 'never spoke' to her about spying. In her article this week, California scholar Clune said the case against Ethel had eroded over the years. Michael and Robert, the two sons of executed spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, took the name of their adopted parents Anne and Abel Meeropol Sophie Rosenberg, mother of Julius, pictured in 1954 in New York with her grandsons Michael (right) and Robert, eight months after the execution of their parents Robert and Michael went to the White House days before their parents died (boys above in 1953 with a rabbi and Julius' mother) to ask President Eisenhower if he could cancel Ethel's execution Gone: Ethel and her husband Julius were executed for their crimes on June 19, 1953, put to death in the electric chair at Sing Sing Correctional Facility Robert Meeropol, left, and Michael Meeropol appear on television in June 1978 as their campaign continued The Rosenbergs' trial was 'riddled with problems such as perjured testimony and an incompetent defense team,' she wrote, while its judge appeared to be in cahoots with prosecutors. FBI investigators knew Ethel was 'not an active spy' and she was only arrested 'as leverage to pressure Julius to name his dozen or so collaborators,' Clune added. Ethel's execution was a 'morally repugnant miscarriage of justice,' she wrote. 'That's why a presidential pardon by Biden, who is now contemplating his end-of-term pardon list, would not be sufficient redress,' added Clune. 'A pardon forgives someone for a crime they committed. Ethel Rosenberg did not commit the crime for which she was convicted, so it's the US government that should beg forgiveness from Ethel's descendants.' Clune has softened her stance against Ethel over the years, but other historians maintain she knew about her husband and was active enough in his spy ring to merit scrutiny and even blame. Harvey Klehr, a retired Emory University historian, said the memo did not change his mind that Ethel conspired in espionage even if she did not spy herself or have access to classified files. Mark Kramer of Harvard University said the interpretation of the Russian communication was debatable, and that other documents still detail 'damning evidence' of Ethel's involvement. She was part of the Soviet operation even 'if she was not directly participating in the way Julius Rosenberg was,' Kramer said. Among the witnesses who lined up to accuse Lucy Letby of killing babies in her care during her first trial last year, few were as influential as the group of consultants who had worked alongside the nurse in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Indeed, they were so formidable that they became known as the 'Gang of Four'. Thanks, in large part, to their testimony, Letby is now serving 15 whole-life terms for seven murders and eight attempted murders even though no one ever saw her harm a baby. All the evidence against Letby is circumstantial and, as the science behind it has come under question, attention has sharply shifted from the accused to the accusers. And that includes the 'Gang of Four': Ravi Jayaram, Stephen Brearey, John Gibbs and another medic known only as 'Dr B'. Dr B has been less easy to pin down than the others for the simple reason that she was the only one to enjoy anonymity as a result of a court order. I understand that astoundingly, given that her evidence helped send a young woman to prison for the rest of her days, Dr B was granted this status because she had been the consultant in charge when a baby died at the hospital in 2014. A subsequent inquest recorded a verdict of 'death by misadventure', pointing to a litany of failings that took place on her watch. Faced with a premature baby desperately in need of oxygen, Dr B negligently inserted a breathing tube down the poor baby's gullet instead of his windpipe. No fewer than five warning signs that she and her team had made a fatal mistake were ignored and, because of their lack of proper care, Noah Robinson, who had been born three months prematurely, died. Worse still, this information was withheld from the jury that convicted Letby in her first trial. For unknown reasons it has also not been raised at the ongoing Thirlwall public inquiry into the tragic series of deaths at the hospital, which began in September. Lucy Letby was sentenced to murder and attempted murder. She is serving 15 whole-life terms I believe this to be an insult to open justice. And this omission is all the more significant because Dr B's evidence in Letby's trial was described by one reporter covering the proceedings as 'a defining moment'. 'Even though her face was hidden by a screen and her voice a harrowed whisper, those in court could sense that this was a defining point in the Lucy Letby trial,' he wrote. 'Dr B was describing the moment a newborn triplet had died in agony and entirely without reason just 24 hours after his brother. As she watched the boys' father lying crumpled on the floor, the paediatrician silently backed his desperate plea to have his one surviving son taken away from the Countess of Chester Hospital. 'Because in that moment she saw that, despite her own skill, dedication and professionalism, she was powerless against the 'mortal danger' posed by the murderous nurse she was unwittingly standing next to. 'Even though I didn't beg,' she told the court, 'in my heart I just wanted the baby to leave because I knew that was the only way he was going to live.' But at the time Letby was working in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, it was a highly dysfunctional environment. A supposedly sterile intensive care unit had killer bacteria in its taps and sinks and was run by consultants who conducted just two scheduled ward rounds per week rather than two per day. As we shall see, they made mistake after mistake inside a failing and broken NHS. Yes, Letby has been found guilty by two juries. But is it possible that this very unhappy ship, not its most hard-working nurse, was the real serial killer? To help answer that question, let's look in detail at the track record of Dr B. In 2014 a year before Letby started her alleged killing spree - Noah Robinson, whose parents lived in Upton, Chester, was delivered by Caesarean section on March 20 after his mother Melanie developed potentially fatal pre-eclampsia. He weighed just 1 lb 7 oz. While Noah was very premature, he would have had a good chance of living had he been treated properly, according to an inquest held the following year. Dr Ravi Jayaram was part of the 'Gang of Four' that accused Letby Senior consultant Dr John Gibbs was another member of the 'Gang of Four' Dr Stephen Brearey also gave evidence against Letby in court An expert paediatrician told the hearing: 'Taking all things into consideration, I would have been hopeful for his survival.' Two doctors were responsible for baby Noah's care: a junior registrar and the consultant, Dr B. Junior doctors are responsible for the bulk of the day-to-day medical care but the consultant is, of course, the boss. Noah's problems began when the registrar mistakenly inserted the breathing tube down his gullet, or oesophagus, rather than his trachea. When the baby showed little sign of improving, Dr B decided to reinsert the breathing tube herself but made the same error as her underling. She placed it not in Noah's windpipe but in his oesophagus. Instead of channelling life-giving oxygen to the baby's lungs, the tube was put in a passageway that led to the stomach. For a variety of reasons, five warning signs were then ignored after this error. X-rays showed the tube was in the wrong place but doctors failed to notice this and take the appropriate action. Noah's tummy was swollen owing to the insertion of the breathing tube but no one questioned why. An alarm on the ventilator machine sounded but, instead of establishing what had triggered it, staff assumed it was faulty. When a capnograph, a machine that measures the amount of carbon dioxide in a patient's exhaled air, detected nothing, it, too, was wrongly assumed to be faulty. Finally, a 'flow-loop' on the ventilator that recorded oxygen going in and carbon dioxide coming out was not logged - but no action was taken. Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg soberly told the inquest: 'There were considerable signs [the breathing tube was in the wrong place] and I find it surprising these signs were not realised.' The coroner was especially critical of Dr B for having assumed that the carbon dioxide monitor, the capnograph, was somehow faulty. 'That seems to be an extraordinary assumption,' he said. 'Shouldn't the first assumption be the tube is in the wrong place or that's a strong possibility? It's like flying an aeroplane and seeing the oil gauge come on and you assume the gauge must be wrong, rather than the oil pressure is low.' The coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure, 'the unintended consequences of an intended event', primarily oesophageal intubation. In plain English: putting the breathing tube down the gullet, not the trachea. After the inquest, Noah's mother Melanie said: 'We put our trust in the doctors to look after Noah, but they didn't do what they were supposed to. We feel terribly let down by the NHS. It is good that there is a police investigation and the hospital has gone to them voluntarily.' However, that police investigation came to nothing. My colleague Edward Abel Smith and I have been crowdfunding a podcast series, Was There Ever A Crime? The Trials Of Lucy Letby. And we have been joined by Cleuci de Oliveira, who was a researcher for a brilliantly forensic, 13,000-word New Yorker article on Letby's case that was published in May. The tragic death of Baby Noah is outlined in episode two of our podcast, The Deluded, named after the rock band led by Dr B's fellow consultant, Dr Ravi Jayaram. We had received a tip that the consultant involved in the death of Baby Noah had been Dr B but we had no proof. So, last month we wrote to the four consultants, the Countess of Chester Hospital, Cheshire Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) asking them if they agreed that it was in the public interest to know if one of the doctors involved in the death of Baby Noah had herself gone on to accuse Letby of murder. None of the doctors replied, while the Countess of Chester Hospital, Cheshire Police and the CPS sent us formulaic responses saying that Letby had been convicted by two juries but made no attempt to answer our question. At the time Letby was working in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, it was a highly dysfunctional environment, writes John Sweeney Cheshire Police certainly knew that one of the doctors had been involved, of course, because that was the force that had conducted the investigation into the death of Baby Noah. And so did the consultants. And so did the hospital. When Lucy Letby was first accused by the 'Gang of Four' of being a baby killer in 2016, before she was charged by the police, she launched a grievance procedure against some of her accusers. During that process, hospital managers interviewed Eirian Powell, the neonatal unit's manager. I have obtained a transcript of that interview. One telling passage reads as follows: 'Powell: 'Doctor B accidentally killed a baby once. Insulation [sic I believe this is a typo and the word actually used was 'intubation'] is very difficult. Nursing staff were supportive. There was evidence in that case but yet Dr B was not suspended. And now, SB [Dr Stephen Brearey] has 'gut instinct' and wants LL suspended.'' What is striking is that the Dr B 'killed a baby' note has never seen the light of day until now. Astonishingly, at no point was it brought up by either the prosecution or the defence during Letby's two trials. Meanwhile, the Thirlwall Inquiry, set up to examine the circumstances surrounding the Letby case, published pages one, two and four of the Powell interview but, crucially, not page three, which contained the bombshell reference to Dr B killing a baby. I think we deserve to know why. The missing page in the sequence gives the impression that the Thirlwall Inquiry itself is part of the cover-up. If so, it is a shameful waste of public money. A spokesman said yesterday: 'The Inquiry only publishes material which has been shown on screen to a witness when they are giving evidence.' Dr B was also the consultant in charge of the cases of Babies O and P, two of a set of triplets, who were found at Letby's first trial to be two of her seven murder victims. The jury was told that the triplets were born 'in good condition'. In fact, the triplets shared the same placenta during their mother's pregnancy: they were 'monochorionic', which made them five times more likely to die than a typical baby. Babies O and P were also being treated in the Countess of Chester, which had raw sewage in its sinks. On Day 85 of Letby's first trial, the jury heard a statement from the mother of Babies O and P, which included one particularly disturbing observation: 'Dr B was coughing and spluttering into her hands, then going outside for a smoke. I never saw her wash her hands, which I thought was unacceptable.' After any baby's death, it is good practice for the NHS to draw up a 'Root Cause Analysis' setting out what went wrong. We have obtained the Root Cause Analysis for Baby O's death, which raised the following highly serious contributory factors in relation to Dr B: 'Members of the paediatric medical team omitted to keep contemporaneous records or indeed, in some instances, any form of documentation whatsoever. No documentation of the request for commencement of antibiotic therapy. 'Consultant assistance with intubation not documented. On call team not present on neonatal unit despite infant requiring intensive care, resulting in delay in commencement of neonatal care at immediate deterioration. Consultant not present on unit until 39 minutes following crash call for assistance, despite events occurring in daytime hours.' Dr B's apparent failure to respond promptly to this crash call appears to have been symptomatic of a more general malaise. When, the next day, Baby P also started to deteriorate, Dr B's response disturbed her colleagues. This emerged when Letby was asked by her barrister at her first trial how Dr B was coping with a second baby fading on her watch: 'Letby: 'She was becoming increasingly agitated and quite stressed about things. She was regularly leaving the unit to go and have a cigarette, which she often does when she's stressed.' 'Q: So she'd go outside the building and then come back in?' 'A: Yes.' 'Q: You are saying she was stressed, how are you feeling?' 'A: The same: we were all very anxious, particularly in view of what had happened to [Baby O] the day before.' 'Q: And I don't mean to be indelicate, but what were you anxious about?' 'A: That there didn't seem to be any clear plan from the doctors. Nobody seemed to know what was happening and very much just wanted the transport team to come and offer their expertise.' Edward and I have written to Dr B asking her effectively if it is true that, while looking after seriously ill babies, she neglected her own personal hygiene, missed a crash call and may have contributed to the death of a baby through a lack of proper care. We have received no reply. Letby's great failing, perhaps, was to put her trust in the original legal team at her first trial, who called just one defence witness: a plumber. He was the hospital maintenance man, Lorenzo Mansutti, who spoke about tackling 'foul water' including human faeces in the Chester hospital's maternity wing and adjoining neonatal unit on a weekly basis. The plumber was a good witness but he did not explain to the jury the significance of the raw sewage in the taps in the unit in the way that, say, a professor of public health would have done. It later turned out that the plumbing was riddled with the killer bacteria pseudomonas, which only underlines the hospital's dysfunctionality. In addition to the Countess of Chester consultants, the prosecution fielded no fewer than six doctors, who all gave evidence pointing to Letby as a serial killer. Its star witness was Dr Dewi Evans, a retired paediatrician who has come under fire in the wake of the trial often from people far better qualified than him to assess Letby's guilt or innocence. Professor Colin Morley, who believes Letby is the victim of a monstrous miscarriage of justice, has written more than 300 papers on neonatology, a medical speciality that focuses on the care of newborn infants, especially those who are premature or sick. Dr Evans has published none at all. I have served as a juror. I remember being worried about sending someone to prison by mistake. But doctors suggesting that there was a killer nurse at work? That would have impressed me. If I were one of the jurors who found Lucy Letby guilty again and again, only then to discover that one of the doctors who accused her had been involved in the death of a baby in controversial circumstances and whose gross incompetence had been covered up: that would make me feel sick to the bottom of my heart. Was There Ever A Crime? The Trials Of Lucy Letby is reported by John Sweeney and Edward Abel Smith and is available wherever you get your podcasts. It has hardly been the most auspicious of starts for Dr Philip Nitschke, the controversial Australian on a mission to revolutionise the way we die. His futuristic suicide pod the Sarco (short for sarcophagus), dubbed 'the Tesla of euthanasia', has been confiscated by police. And one of his closest associates is still being held in custody while the circumstances surrounding the death of their first 'customer' continues to be investigated. Yet the man known as 'Dr Death' for his chilling invention is far from deterred by these setbacks. In his first extensive interview since the Sarco's maiden voyage, not only does he reveal that a Sarco mark three is now in production, he says that the lessons learnt from the death of the 64-year-old American woman in Switzerland have helped improve the design. And after Parliament yesterday passed the Assisted Dying Bill (although it will have to cross serveral more Parliamentary hurdles before it becomes law), Dr Nitschke now foresees the day when he will bring his controversial capsule to the UK, with the Lake District mooted as the perfect location for people to end their lives. 'I'm very pleased that it's gone in favour,' Dr Nitschke told the Mail yesterday. 'It's a very good development. 'What has to happen now is hopefully a workable piece of legislation emerges. 'In terms of the actual legalities under the new law, if you decide to go and die in the Lake District, I suppose I don't know what the law would say,' he told the Mail this week. 'I suppose it's entirely up to you if you want to sit looking at the lake or whether you want to be in your own little bedsit in South London. The device is certainly portable. You can take it to where you can put it and climb in.' The Sarco pod used by the unnamed American woman (pictured with her back to the camera) Dr Philip Nitschke, 77, who designed the futuristic suicide pod Sarco (short for sarcophagus) This is the first time Dr Nitschke, 77, has spoken at length to a British newspaper since his colleague and head of The Last Resort, Florian Willet, was arrested and taken into custody in the wake of Sarco's debut two months ago. Willet remains in prison in Schaffhausen near the Swiss border with Germany, where inmates spend 23 hours a day in solitary confinement. What Dr Nitschke has to say about this is striking, not least because he insists the Swiss authorities have not asked for nor, as far as he knows, seen video footage recorded of the Sarco in use. If true, this is perplexing given a recording should provide a visual and audio record of what happened. Also curious is Dr Nitschke's assertion about the 'strangulation' marks reportedly found on the neck of the woman who died inside the capsule; he says if such marks existed then the most likely explanation is that they were caused when the woman was removed from the Sarco by Swiss authorities, after her death was reported by Florian Willet. The forthright Australian is, he says, 'extremely annoyed', at what he terms 'an extreme over-reaction by the Swiss authorities to a person who has behaved in every way in accordance with Swiss law'. 'There's still no autopsy report,' he says. 'And we're just stuck in some hopeless kind of limbo. 'In terms of the actions of the prosecutor, there seems to be almost nothing happening. They don't seem to have responded to our offer to go to Switzerland to be questioned. So they don't seem to want to talk to me, and I can't seem to do anything to get them to release Florian.' The events that put the 47-year-old lawyer, economist and assisted dying campaigner Willet behind bars unfolded in September when the unnamed mother-of-two from the American midwest travelled to Switzerland to die. Her reason for choosing this path? She is said to have been suffering from a severe immune disorder that left her in great pain. In a final brief interview, having flown first to Germany, she said of her impending death: 'I think it is going to be amazing.' Her dealings with The Last Resort leading up to her demise, she said, had been 'wonderful', 'easy'. The aftermath, of course, has been anything but. Switzerland was the obvious choice of departure point as one of the few countries where assisted dying is legal, provided there is no 'external assistance' and those who help them to die do not do so for any 'self-serving motive'. Dr Nitschke's colleague and head of The Last Resort, Florian Willet, was arrested after Sarco's debut two months ago Dr Nitschke lives in the Netherlands with his wife Fiona Stewart (pictured), a director of The Last Resort Thus, the pod was transported from Dr Nitschke's workshop in the Netherlands to remote woodland near the village of Merishausen, in the northern canton of Schaffhausen. It was here, on September 23, that the woman opened the pod using an access code and climbed in, settling herself down on a thin mat with a cushion at her head. Next came a series of questions to confirm she knew what she was doing. There was reportedly no hesitation in pressing the activation button that flooded the sealed chamber with nitrogen, starving her of oxygen. 'She was very committed,' says Dr Nitschke. 'This was a person who, after climbing in, straight away pressed the button. She could have sat there for three hours thinking about it, but she immediately pressed the button.' Dr Nitschke notably wasn't present when the death took place. Instead, he 'observed' remotely. What happened is still being probed. According to Willet, who was present, her death was 'peaceful, fast and dignified' and everything went 'according to plan'. But footage seen by Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, taken by cameras both inside and outside the capsule, would seem to tell a different story. A graphic description of what took place has emerged: the moment she climbed inside at 3.50pm; the piercing alarm at 4.01pm, thought to have been caused by the heart rate monitor; the moment Willet told Nitschke (who was watching on video link from Germany): 'She's still alive Philip.' It was only after 30 tense minutes that Florian said: 'She really looks dead,' at which point he called the police. Dr Nitschke, who lives in the Netherlands with his wife Fiona Stewart, a director of The Last Resort, insists this was as 'peaceful' as it was intended to be. But as Sarco's most prominent champion, questions have been raised as to why he wasn't present at the time the pod was deployed. He denies that his departure had anything to do with legal risk. 'I had a conference that I was supposed to be speaking to, quite a big conference in Budapest,' he says. 'I had spent two days installing the device and then I had very little time to get back to Amsterdam to get the stuff I needed to get to Budapest, so I set off straight after it was installed and I was in Germany on my way to Amsterdam [when the Sarco pod was used]. 'As it was, I still didn't have enough time and damn nearly missed my presentation. 'The idea was that I would make the device workable and available to the Last Resort and they would make all the decisions, and they did.' His office in Haarlem outside Amsterdam, where his right-to-die advocacy group Exit International is based, was raided by Dutch police, at the request of the Swiss authorities. But no further action has been taken. 'It's ludicrous and absolute rubbish,' he declares to suggest any foul play. He elaborated further on a podcast with his wife this week, when he said: 'We've got documentary evidence for everything. We've got film showing that she walked in, climbed into the Sarco unassisted. We saw video film of her pressing the button. 'We've got the trace of the oxygen level inside the capsule, so we know exactly when it reached 0.5 per cent. We also know when she lost consciousness and we have a good estimate because of a cardiac alarm when she died. Dr Nitschke now foresees the day when he will bring his controversial capsule to the UK, with the Lake District mooted as the perfect location for people to end their lives 'So we have all that material. The outside of the capsule was being recorded, the inside of the capsule was being video recorded. She was not interfered with, touched or, in other words, had anything other than the fact that she herself was in an environment that was incompatible with life and she died peacefully.' He bristles at what's happened to his colleague. 'The fact that the authorities were prepared to arrest him and keep him in prison for nine weeks, but also to arrest our lawyers and a photographer, smacks of a hysterical over-reaction on the part of the authorities,' he says. 'We still don't know what's driven that extreme reaction. Obviously there are some powerful people who don't like the idea of the Sarco. We're offering a free service and democratising the process and I guess that may have upset some people.' Despite all this, work on a new Sarco continues apace. 'It's being printed right now,' says Dr Nitschke. 'We've made a number of improvements it's a much better version.' In a chilling admission, he reveals he has modified the design due to the lessons learnt in Switzerland, which takes us back to those curious marks spotted on the American woman's neck. 'She climbed in unassisted and the capsule was not opened [after she died] and the police rung. So if there was any external injury it must have been done after the police turned up and opened the capsule,' he asserts. The new design, he says, will take this into account. 'It's going to have a much bigger opening canopy,' he explains. 'One of the possible suggestions is that to try to get a dead person out of the existing one is quite difficult and that may have caused some sort of injury. It's easy enough if you're alive, but if you're dead it's not that easy for someone else to drag you out. 'The new one will have much more of a total opening, so it will be much easier to get into and out of.' The ongoing investigation and furore surrounding events in September have also not diminished interest in the capsule. Dr Nitschke says that although applications have been paused for the time being, there has been a flood of emails to The Last Resort. Of the 380 applications he had already received from around the globe, 23 are from Britons. Among them is ex-RAF engineer Peter Scott and his wife Christine, both in their 80s, who signed up to be the first couple to use a double suicide pod after Christine was diagnosed with vascular dementia. 'I don't know if we'll be able to use it in Switzerland depending on how the Swiss move, but one of the Dutch assisted dying organisations here have made an arrangement to see if they can make use of the device where they have a joint purchase,' he adds. 'They are currently exploring their position in Dutch law.' As for the UK, Dr Nitschke welcomed yesterday's historic vote, which saw MPs decide in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill. What does this mean for the use of the Sarco over here? 'That remains unresolved. We need to commission some legal opinion about that,' he says. 'But my understanding at this stage on a superficial level it looks like there's no problem. 'So now it's a matter of trying to make sure that is the case and then, if that is the situation, it's a matter of finding someone who wants to use the Sarco and then meet the other requirements to put it in place. Dr Nitschke says if the Bill did eventually pass into British law, 'we would certainly make the device available for use in the UK'. Should the Sarco get the green light, he believes there will be no shortage in demand. 'We've got lots of applications. We've contacted them all, and these are people who were originally planning to come to Switzerland to use it. 'But a number of people from the UK now, if of course it were able to be used in the UK, they would certainly not wish to be making a trip to Switzerland.' Where exactly would the Sarco be deployed? Somewhere 'beautiful' like the Lake District, he says. 'For people who have got that choice of picking the day and the time... it is the most important day of your life, presumably the day you die. 'If you want to be overlooking the lakes or the mountains or looking at whatever, there's no reason why they shouldn't be accommodated. Certainly, the Sarco can do that.' But doesn't this all sound a little too public? 'You certainly don't want passing bushwalkers or strollers,' he admits. A private forest, now that's a good place, Dr Nitschke says, insisting that he, too, would 'enthusiastically' use the machine. 'The idea is that people should pick their own place. We find that people really do want to have a choice.' And if this chilling new reality does indeed come to pass, Dr Nitschke will be only to happy to provide the means. The Left-leaning Guardian newspaper is renowned for its high-mindedness, as well as for its conviction that it is more virtuous than the rest of us. On the whole, it looks down on Tories. It's not very keen on capitalism, despite sitting on a cash mountain worth a whopping 1.3billion. This huge sum is the result of canny investments first made over 40 years ago. Yet the Guardian Media Group (GMG) is adept at losing money. In most years over the past two decades it has shed tens of millions of pounds. Losses in the year to March were 36.5million. This is the background to an almighty row involving a luxury yacht, an alleged 'sweetheart deal' and hundreds of angry journalists threatening what would be the first strike at the newspaper for over 50 years. GMG's bosses want to get rid of the Observer, the venerable Sunday newspaper it acquired in 1993, which is historically less stridently Left-wing than the Guardian. Journalists on both papers are questioning the need for the sale, since the Observer officially makes a modest amount of money, its profit in its most recent financial year being 3.4million. More than that, many of them are highly sceptical about the intended purchaser of the Observer a small, loss-making and obscure company called Tortoise Media, which they doubt has the financial resources or know-how to run the Sunday title. Shemara (pictured) is not strictly a yacht since it is powered by two Rolls-Royce engines BBC Director of News and Current Affairs, James Harding walks outside the Midland Hotel on the first day of the Conservative Party annual conference in 2017 Pictured: Guardian Media Group's (GMG) chief executive, Anna Bateson To say that staff at the remarkably swanky headquarters of the Guardian and the Observer in London's King's Cross are seething with rage would be an understatement. Some have suggested that Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief of both newspapers, may have to resign. A similar fate could await GMG's chief executive, Anna Bateson. This is where the luxury yacht comes in. Shemara is not strictly a yacht since it is powered by two Rolls-Royce engines. Built in 1938, she was refurbished in 2014, and belongs to the telecoms magnifico, Sir Charles Dunstone. The boat can accommodate 12 guests in six cabins, attended by a crew of 16. It was in 2017 that the aforementioned Anna Bateson, who was not then working for GMG, was a guest of Sir Charles's on Shemara, along with her husband. Also present was an amiable and clever journalist called James Harding. Harding was about to step down as director of news at the BBC, where he had been for three years, having previously been editor of the Times. After leaving the Beeb, he co-founded Tortoise Media, an online publisher, and became its editor. There is nothing wrong about journalists holidaying on superyachts owned by multi-millionaires although some would view such largesse as potentially compromising and therefore unwise. The point is only that Ms Bateson and James Harding are old friends. They have been in the same ski party in the French ski resort of Val d'Isere. Just over two months ago, journalists on the Guardian and Observer were flabbergasted to learn that GMG had entered exclusive negotiations with Tortoise Media to offload the Sunday newspaper. The news came 'out of the blue', one senior executive tells me. 'There was no warning.' A general view of the Guardian Newspaper offices on August 21, 2013 in London Visitors walk through the lobby of the Kings Place development, which houses the editorial offices of the Guardian and Observer newspapers in 2014 Staff were incredulous when they learned a few weeks later that Anna Bateson was a long-standing pal of the editor of the media company with which GMG was discussing the sale of the Observer. Guardian Media Group subsequently declared that Ms Bateson had been candid during its deliberations about her friendship with Mr Harding. All the same, many staff think it strange that a small company such as Tortoise Media, which has no track record whatsoever as a newspaper publisher, should have been given pole position in talks that were for a time secret, and remain exclusive. When newspapers go up for sale, their owners usually seek to attract several bidders in order to get the best price. That is what is happening with the Daily Telegraph, which is still on the block, and it was the case with the Spectator magazine, recently sold for 100million. GMG's behaviour seems particularly odd in view of the declared interest of another, so far unidentified, suitor in buying the Observer. Yesterday, it emerged that renewable energy tycoon Dale Vince is also circling the paper. Why not invite as much interest as possible if you insist on selling the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, first published in 1791, whose pages have been adorned by writers such as George Orwell and the brilliant theatre critic, Kenneth Tynan? Journalists on the Guardian and Observer are up in arms about what many of them regard as a sweetheart deal, with more than nine in ten members of their National Union of Journalists chapel having voted for two 48-hour strikes, the first due to take place next Wednesday and Thursday. Five former Observer editors plus Alan Rusbridger, an ex-editor-in-chief, have weighed in with a letter opposing the deal with Tortoise. More than 70 prominent cultural figures have signed a letter decrying the proposed sale as a 'betrayal' of liberal journalism, which would be 'disastrous'. Signatories include writers Robert Harris and Michael Frayn (both of whom worked for the Observer), Right-leaning playwright Tom Stoppard, and actor Ralph Fiennes. Five former Observer editors plus Alan Rusbridger (pictured), an ex-editor-in-chief, have weighed in with a letter opposing the deal with Tortoise Ralph Fiennes attends the 'Conclave' red carpet during the 19th Rome Film Festival at Auditorium Parco Della Musica on October 26 Are some of the journalists and even their supporters being a little precious? Possibly. One can't forget how Trump's recent election victory spurred editor-in-chief Katharine Viner to email her staff offering counselling after 'an extraordinary, devastating moment in the history of the United States'. She evidently thinks they are sensitive souls. It is also undoubtedly the case that other gripes lurk behind the threatened strike. A document produced by journalists openly admits as much, citing 'left-over anger about the pay deal, excessive executive pay, standards of governance, the global strategy, the mediocre quality of [the] senior editorial group... amongst other things'. Nor should we ignore Jay Rayner, who has just resigned from the Observer after 25 years as its restaurant critic. Rayner, who is Jewish, accuses the Guardian of employing anti-Semites, and Katharine Viner of lacking the courage to take them on. All in all, the Guardian doesn't seem a very happy place. There has been endless agonising about slavery after it was discovered that the paper's early 19th-century founder, John Edward Taylor, had tenuous links with the slave trade. The paper has also been torn apart by arguments over 'trans rights'. Two prominent female journalists have left in recent years, after accusing it, and by implication Ms Viner, of censoring discussions about gender identity. Katharine Viner, it should be said, has turned out to be more woke and more Left-wing in her nearly ten years at the helm than her serpentine predecessor, Alan Rusbridger. The row over the Observer is the latest episode in a collective nervous breakdown. There's no denying that some of the journalists opposed to the sale to Tortoise sound a bit hysterical. But the fact remains that they are largely in the right. They cite a front-page article in the Guardian after it had bought the Observer. Hugo Young, the then chairman of the Scott Trust which oversees the GMG, was quoted as saying: 'The Trust's safeguards will be fully extended to the Observer, which will be edited independently of the Guardian, and retain its separate character.' The undertaking that the Observer would enjoy the same rights and protection as the Guardian was reiterated by Carolyn McCall, chief executive of GMG, more than a decade later. Journalists are also justified in questioning the ability of Tortoise Media to run a Sunday newspaper. In its short life, the tiny company has never made a profit, though it claims now to be breaking even. In 2022, the most recent year for which it has filed figures, it reported losses of 4.6million. An arrangement of Guardian newspapers is photographed in an office in London on January 26, 2016 Not even the biggest publishers with the deepest pockets would contemplate running a stand-alone Sunday title in the modern age since the costs of such an operation are too high and the prospective revenues too meagre. Yet Harding, who is admittedly an experienced and knowledgeable journalist, believes he can succeed with a paper that is selling less than a quarter of what it did at the beginning of the century. He has pledged to invest 25million in it over the next five years. One plausible theory is that he intends to turn the Observer into a news magazine with smaller overheads than a newspaper, perhaps similar in format to the American publication Atlantic Monthly. Yet this has struggled to make a profit in recent years even after building up a large online readership. Journalists on the Guardian and Observer are asking: why take the risk? GMG has 1.3billion in the bank. One can argue about whether the Observer is really making a small amount of money or whether, once its share of GMG's persistent losses are taken into account, it may be losing a little. In any event, the sums are minuscule. The question is: Why does GMG wish to break historic undertakings, antagonise its staff, and damage its reputation won by getting rid of a newspaper that adds lustre to the group and isn't causing it any discernible trouble? It is mystifying. Ironically enough, GMG doesn't appear to have much faith in its own strategy since, according to a report in the Financial Times, it might undertake to buy back the Observer if it fails under its new ownership. This doesn't imply enormous confidence in James Harding's plan. Last week, the board of Guardian Media Group is believed to have agreed in principle that the sale of the Observer to Tortoise should go ahead subject to the final approval of the Scott Trust. This august 12-person body met five days ago. It is chaired by Norwegian businessman Ole Jacob Sunde, who has a background in publishing. Katharine Viner is a member, though Anna Bateson is not. Another member is David Olusoga, the academic and television presenter, who has been the mainspring of the Guardian's angst about its tangential historic links with slavery. Some journalists are concerned that Olusoga has appeared numerous times with James Harding at events organised by Tortoise Media. Monday's meeting of the Scott Trust lasted longer than usual and didn't rubberstamp the deal approved by GMG. Clearly members of the Trust are alive to the reputational damage that the sale to Tortoise would entail. A further meeting is expected imminently. One political consideration is that if the Scott Trust were to go against the board of GMG and reject the sale, that would put Katharine Viner and Anna Bateson in an extremely awkward position. They would surely have to resign. The Scott Trust is the custodian of the Guardian's soul. And the Guardian, as we know, loves to occupy the moral high ground, where it is quick to chastise the shabby compromises and expedient arrangements of lesser mortals. Will the Scott Trust respect its undertakings and defend the Observer, as it is honour bound to do? Or will it side with its executives and their sweetheart deal, and consign the world's oldest Sunday newspaper to probable oblivion? Sir Keir Starmer was facing serious questions about his political judgment last night after he forced out his Transport Secretary over a criminal conviction he had known about for four years. Louise Haigh dramatically resigned from the Cabinet yesterday morning, saying that she did not want to become a 'distraction' following media revelations that she had pleaded guilty to a fraud charge a decade ago. But Whitehall sources said she had been left with no option but to quit after the Prime Minister called her on Thursday night to say he had lost confidence in her and aides warned she would face a sleaze investigation if she tried to cling on. No 10 said that 'new information' had emerged about Ms Haigh's past. But allies of the MP insisted she had made a 'full disclosure' to Sir Keir when he first asked her to join his top team in 2020 while in opposition. Courts minister Heidi Alexander, a former transport adviser to London mayor Sadiq Khan, was yesterday appointed as Ms Haigh's replacement as Transport Secretary. She is best known for overseeing the introduction of the hated Ulez low emission zone in the capital but also had a major hand in the vastly delayed and over-budget Crossrail line across London. Last night the PM was under mounting pressure to come clean on exactly what he knew about Ms Haigh's conviction and why he chose to appoint her to a sensitive role in which she would have oversight on aspects of policing. In a letter to the PM, shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart urged him to 'set out precisely what you knew about the former transport secretary's conviction and when you knew it'. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and then shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh during a visit to the Hitachi rail manufacturing plant in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham in April Sir Keir and Ms Haigh pictured together at an election event in December 2019 Pictured: Ms Haigh's letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Mr Burghart also asked Sir Keir if he had passed on his knowledge of Ms Haigh's past conviction to the Cabinet Office team responsible for vetting her appointment. And he was asked to explain how 'if you did not see it as a disqualifying factor then, why has it become so today?' Tory party chairman Nigel Huddleston said Ms Haigh had 'done the right thing' by quitting, but added: 'She said the Prime Minister was aware of her fraud conviction, which raises questions as to why he appointed her to Cabinet with responsibility for a 30billion budget? Keir Starmer needs to explain his own poor judgment to the British public.' Ms Haigh's downfall followed media reports on Thursday that she had pleaded guilty to a fraud offence in 2014 after wrongly telling police her work phone had been stolen in a mugging in London. In a statement she said she discovered the phone at home 'some time later' after being issued a new work phone but failed to tell the police or her employer, the insurance firm Aviva. She subsequently lost her job there. One report yesterday claimed that she had been seeking a phone upgrade from work an allegation dismissed as 'absolute nonsense' by an ally. The 37-year-old Sheffield Heeley MP said it had been 'a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain'. She said her solicitor had advised her not to comment during a police interview and to plead guilty in court. A report yesterday said Aviva had called in the police following the disappearance of several work phones. Aviva declined to comment. It is understood the offence was 'fraud by false representation' and that the conviction is now spent. In her resignation letter to the PM, Ms Haigh said: 'As you know, I was mugged in London in 2013. As a 24-year-old woman the experience was terrifying.' Louise Haigh is seen outside 10 Downing Street following a cabinet meeting on October 29 Haigh served as a special constable in Lambeth with the Metropolitan Police between 2009 and 2011 She set out her version of events, before adding: 'I should have immediately informed my employer and not doing so straight away was a mistake. I appreciate that whatever the facts of the matter this issue will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government.' Sir Keir's curt response ran to just 60 words. A friend of Ms Haigh yesterday said she had disclosed details of her offence to Sir Keir 'in full' in 2020 before taking up her first Shadow Cabinet role as Northern Ireland spokesman. 'She considers she made a full disclosure and he then went on to promote her several times,' the source said. Allies believe the Left-winger was forced out following clashes over the rail unions and her criticism of P&O for its controversial 'fire and rehire tactics', which almost caused the firm's owner to boycott last month's international investment summit. 'He [Sir Keir] knew about the offence, he just didn't want to expend any political capital trying to save her when it came to light,' said one source. But Downing Street suggested that she had failed to give Sir Keir the full picture. A spokesman for the PM said: 'Following further information emerging, the Prime Minister has accepted Louise Haigh's resignation.' The spokesman refused to say what the PM had been told in 2020 or what 'new information' had come to light. He also refused to comment on why the PM had chosen to appoint a minister with a fraud conviction to his Cabinet. No 10 also suggested Ms Haigh had failed to disclose the conviction during the vetting process that accompanied her appointment to the Cabinet in July. The PM's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney is said to have told her she would face an investigation under the ministerial code section on 'honesty and transparency' if she tried to fight on. Ms Haigh then agreed to resign during a call with the PM. The Questions the PM must answer What did Keir Starmer know and when? Allies of Louise Haigh said she had disclosed details of the incident, including her conviction, to Sir Keir 'in full' when he appointed her to his Shadow Cabinet in 2020 as Northern Ireland spokesman. He then promoted her, first to transport spokesman and then, after Labour's election win, to Transport Secretary. No 10 refused to say exactly what the PM had been told, saying only that she had resigned after 'further information' emerged. Was he told the full truth in 2020? If not, which aspects were overlooked? What, if any, further information came to light and why did it change the PM's view of Ms Haigh's fitness for the job? Why did he appoint someone with a criminal conviction? No 10 yesterday refused a dozen times to say why the PM had picked her for a series of roles that involved close work with the police. Why did the PM choose to put a minister who admitted giving a false account to the police in a role where she would be effectively in charge of the British Transport Police? What happened to vetting? All Cabinet ministers are required to go through an intensive vetting process. Downing Street suggested that Ms Haigh may not have fully declared the incident as part of the process. Did she tell officials about the conviction? Given that Sir Keir appears to have known about the conviction for years, did he inform the Cabinet Office of it when he appointed her? Did her friendship with the PM's then chief of staff Sue Gray ease the process? Did the Cabinet Office raise concerns about her and if so, how did the PM respond? What occurred to Ms Haigh? Ms Haigh says she was mugged in London in 2013 and told police her work phone was among the items stolen. She admits she did not inform the police when, after she had been issued with a new work phone, she found her old one at home. She is understood to have pleaded guilty to committing fraud by false representation in 2014 on the advice of her lawyer. What is the truth of the incident in 2013? What did Keir Starmer know about it? What efforts did he make to establish the facts before appointing her to the Cabinet? Why was she sacked? Officially, Ms Haigh resigned from her role yesterday to avoid becoming a 'distraction' from the work of government. But No 10 also offered two different explanations for her departure which suggested she had been forced out first, that she did not tell Sir Keir the full story in 2020 and, second, that she may have failed to disclose aspects of it to officials on her appointment, making it a potential breach of the ministerial code. Are there any more 'law-breakers' in the Cabinet? Downing Street refused to say if other ministers had criminal convictions in their pasts. Sir Keir savaged Boris Johnson after he was fined 50 over Partygate, saying 'you can't be a law-maker and a law-breaker'. He now appears to have said this in full knowledge that at least one member of his Shadow Cabinet had a conviction. Gregg Wallace has been accused of groping three different woman in bombshell new claims against the BBC presenter, as former MasterChef winner Emma Kennedy reveals she reported him 12 years ago. One former contestant, who wished to remain anonymous, has today accused Wallace of groping her while she was cooking on the set of the show. He also allegedly shouted 'You stupid cow' when she turned on the tap incorrectly and scalded her hand. The woman claims she let Wallace know she was disgusted by his actions, but said she 'had her card marked' for not seeing it as banter. She told The Sun that Wallace came up behind her as she stood at the kitchen counter and put his hands on her hips before pressing into her. 'I made an 'Eww' sound and stepped forward,' she said. 'It was my instant reaction. But it set his mangy on edge and he moved on without saying anything.' When the woman burned her hand under the hot tap, it was at that moment, she claimed, Wallace decided to be an 'absolute b*****d. 'It was awful. He offered no assistance. I wanted to cry,' she told The Sun. The woman claimed Wallace was also appalling in the way he treated the show's staff, pushing a camerawoman and shouting 'Get out of my f****ng face'. The contestant said she didn't make a complaint about Wallace's behaviour at the time because she 'didn't see the point' because 'they won't do anything'. Gregg Wallace (pictured on MasterChef) stepped down from the TV programme on Thursday amid a probe into his behaviour Former Celebrity Masterchef winner Emma Kennedy revealed she reported Wallace 12 years ago after she allegedly witnessed him grope a camera assistant during a photoshoot for the 2012 finals The BBC has said that it will take the issues raised about Wallace 'seriously' Another woman claimed Wallace told her in a pub that she aroused him and that he made sexually inappropriate comments and squeezed her bum. The then 27-year-old met Wallace at the Ideal Home Show in London and said it was one of her first roles as an events planner. She then bumped into him at the pub where he struck up a conversation with her and allegedly told her he couldn't look her in the eyes because he was aroused. The next day, the woman said she met Wallace's now ex-wife Heidi Brown, who was 'really sweet', but when Wallace came over the woman said his demeanour changed. She told The Sun: 'He said, 'Do I know you?', like he was pretending he didn't know to justify his behaviour. The whole thing was grim and not acceptable.' The woman did not make a complaint because she said she feared repercussions. A third allegation came from Celebrity MasterChef winner Emma Kennedy who claimed she first reported Wallace's behaviour 12 years ago, after she allegedly witnessed him grope a camera assistant during a photoshoot for the 2012 finals. Wallace stepped down from the TV programme on Thursday amid a probe into his behaviour. Ms Kennedy, 57, claimed the PR team who worked for MasterChef were aware of Wallace's behaviour and worried it was only a matter of time before it became public. Emma Kennedy (far left) claimed the PR team who worked for MasterChef were aware of Wallace's (middle right) behaviour and worried it was only a matter of time before it became public One former contestant, who wished to remain anonymous, has today accused Wallace of groping her while she was cooking on the set of the show The actress and comedian told The Sun: 'They knew then. They knew before then and they've known since.' A total of 13 people, including Kirsty Wark, complained about Wallace's conduct while working with him over a 17-year period across five shows, from 2005 to 2022, the BBC revealed. The presenter was accused of taking his top off in front of a female worker saying he wanted to 'give her a fashion show' and talking about his sex life to others, including telling one female colleague he wasn't wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans. Ms Walk claimed that on two occasions Wallace told stories and jokes of a 'sexualised nature' in front of contestants and crew while filming Celebrity MasterChef in 2011. She said his gags and comments were 'really, really in the wrong place'. The BBC presenter also allegedly made 'racist' remarks about an Asian MasterChef contestant on the show. According to a former staff member who worked on the production, Wallace would make the inappropriate remarks just after the contestant walked off the set. They told the Telegraph, Wallace would regularly make the 'very offensive' comments in front of the filming team, but that they felt unable to report them at the time due to their junior position. A total of 13 people, including Kirsty Wark, complained about Wallace's conduct while working with him over a 17-year period across five shows, from 2005 to 2022, the BBC revealed Wallace on MasterChef with co-host John Torode. A re-emerged clip from the 2013 series showed Wallace making a 'innuendo-laden remark' at contestant Katy Brand The 'racist' remarks included allegedly making 'Kung Fu noises' and saying 'me so horny' while on set filming a series. It was previously reported by the Times back in May last year that he had also allegedly offended female staff members at the Nestle UK factory in York with comments about their weight during a 'friendly' conversation. And in another instance of inappropriate behaviour, a shocking video re-emerged of Wallace approaching 2013 MasterChef contestant Katy Brand in the kitchen and remarking he would 'munch the living daylights out of her little tart'. Reacting to the resurfaced video of Wallace's tart comment, Brand called the encounter 'awkward' and recalled her immediate 'shock and disbelief' at the 'crass and idiotic joke'. 'I took it as an innuendo-laden remark at the time, and I still see it that way now,' she said. Other inappropriate TV moments involving Wallace included a bizarre remark about 'salty balls' in a MasterChef contestant's underwhelming starter in 2023. He told Diya Kotecha-Lodhia: 'I found those balls really quite salty.' In 2015 while tasting a female contestant's dessert, Wallace declared: 'I want to take my shirt off and dive in!' Celebrities that have now come out to complain about the presenter's conduct include Rod Stewart and Ulrika Jonsson. Bosses at the corporation are said to have hauled the MasterChef co-host into a meeting in 2018 following allegations of 'inappropriate sexual comments' and told him to 'change his behaviour' The grocer turned broadcaster has insisted that it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature Following Gregg's departure, Rod Stewart released a statement to Instagram branding him a 'tubby bully' Repeats of MasterChef have allegedly now been removed by Channel 5 and - in a humorous twist - replaced by a documentary on Gregg's the high street bakers. The grocer turned broadcaster has insisted that it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. MailOnline revealed on Friday afternoon that some of Wallace's friends blamed his conduct on a secret autism condition. They said that despite never having been diagnosed, Wallace displays 'all the classic symptoms' including his 'lighter filter on the subject of sex' and 'inability to read the room'. The friend said: 'Gregg carries many of the autistic symptoms, the people who know him best have been saying it for years. ''He has a light filter when it comes to sex which is common in people on the spectrum. In the modern world of TV where you can't just dismiss some of his actions as banter.' They added: 'Sometimes he doesn't interpret facial expressions and tones of voice clearly, therefore can't decipher how a person is reacting to what he's saying. The 60-year-old managed a brief smile as he walked from his car back to his 1.2m Kent farmhouse Wallace quit BBC show Inside The Factory in March last year after allegations that he had been 'rude towards staff' and spoke to them in a 'derogatory manner, especially to women' 'But there's denying he's good honest bloke.' On Friday night, a Downing Street spokesperson said the allegations around Wallace's conduct were 'deeply concerning'. The spokesperson said: 'It's right that a thorough investigation is conducted, but this of course is one for the BBC and you will have seen their statement saying that they 'take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place'. 'While that process is underway it wouldn't be right for me to comment. I believe the BBC is currently undertaking a workplace culture review to deliver clear and timely recommendations, and it's essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously.' A BBC spokesman said: 'We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated. 'Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.' MailOnline has contacted Gregg Wallace's representatives for comment. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fueled speculation that she will embark on a run for president in 2028. The leftist Congresswoman has been a polarizing figure ever since she upset powerful establishment Democrat Joe Crowley in a primary in 2018, winning a seat in the House at just 29 years old. The 2028 election - which Donald Trump has said he will not run in, leaving both parties with open primaries - will be the first one where Ocasio-Cortez can legally run, as the Constitution states you must be 35. A new story from The Hill suggests that AOC would be among the potential 2028 Democrat contenders, who include Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Gretchen Whitmer, JB Pritzker, Josh Shapiro and Gavin Newsom. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz added fuel to the fire, writing: 'Alex has told people shes running in 2028 since 2019.' Though the Congresswoman has made no public indications she will run, multiple sources told the site she would be a top candidate. 'She's somebody who can cut through the noise and doesn't talk like Washington,' said one party insider. Another, however, is skeptical that the 'Squad' penchant for rabble-rousing against fellow Democrats could play in a primary. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fueled speculation that she will embark on a run for president in 2028 Former Congressman Matt Gaetz added fuel to the fire, writing: 'Alex has told people shes running in 2028 since 2019' 'She and the 'squad' started pushing too hard, too fast. D.C. doesn't work that way. And our party doesn't work that way. We need to get back to the basics.' On social media, several left-wing activists and pundits expressed their own skepticism that Ocasio-Cortez - who would be the furthest left Democrat to run for president since mentor Bernie Sanders' failed runs - could pull it off. 'I like AOC, but would be so much better for the Left to run, say, a labor leader with the potential for a wide, 'cross-partisan' working-class appeal than an already polarizing left-wing elected from a deep blue district,' said Bhaskar Sunkara, author of The Socialist Manifesto. Lefty podcaster Matthew Sitman wrote: 'My honest opinion is that if AOC runs for president in 2028 shes going to get absolutely smoked, and itll be interpreted as a punctuation mark on the beating back of the left Democrats have successfully undertaken after Bernie gave them a scare.' Others based their skepticism about how Ocasio-Cortez operates among the powerful in DC as a member of the House. 'AOC polls around 4% rn against other potentially Democratic primary candidates which isnt great bc she has huge name recognition,' wrote comedian Kate Willett. 'She could change that by running an anti establishment Bernie 16 style campaign but shes likely too conciliatory to power to do that.' 'AOC has the skill to be a real contender,' said Oscar nominated writer and journalist David Sirota. A new story suggests that AOC would be among the potential 2028 Democrat contenders, who include Harris On social media, several left-wing activists and pundits expressed their own skepticism that Ocasio-Cortez - who would be the furthest left Democrat to run for president since mentor Bernie Sanders' failed runs - could pull it off 'But if she surrounds herself with the same DC lifers who ran Dem campaigns into the ground, always counsel being nice to the establishment & always have their eye on their next DC gigs, then she'll probably lose.' 'Iron Law Of Democratic Politics: Someone genuinely challenging the status quo cannot "nice" their way to victory. They will never win the Dem nomination unless they rip it out of the cold dead hands of the establishment - and DC careerists will never run a campaign like that,' he added. Ocasio-Cortez has been somewhat quiet since Harris' loss, after she spent much of the year backing Joe Biden to stay in the race, even after his disaster debate performance in June. She eventually backed Harris. The leading member of the House Democrats' progressive 'Squad' said in the days after the election the U.S. is entering a political period that will have consequences 'for the rest of our lives.' 'We find ourselves I believe in a time where there are lets say peers in history of massive movements of people that mobilize to protect one another in times of fascism and authoritarianism. And this is the era that we are poised to enter,' AOC said. AOC spoke about what everyone experienced with the election before giving her grim take on what's ahead. 'Donald Trump has talked about turning the military on U.S. citizens that he deems his domestic political enemies. Authoritarians and people that he associates closely with and strongmen aboard in regimes like that, it's not uncommon to jail political dissidents or legislative opponents,' the congresswoman said. 'This is the world that we very realistically may be entering,' she added. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is considered a contender to run in 2028 himself Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer may also throw her hat into the ring After finally ditching Biden, AOC was a close ally of Harris and hit the campaign trail for her with fellow Democratic lawmakers across battleground states during the election season. The congresswoman said a lot of what happens next hinges on who controls the House, which has yet to be determined with a number of races that need to be called. 'If Democrats control that House, that gives a slight ledge to resist and prevent some of the worst legislative proposals from going through,' she said. The 35-year-old also said outside the government, people need to take action to educate themselves on how the government works in what she called a very challenging and difficult time and spent the next few months preparing. The congresswoman said 'no one has a crystal ball' as to whether Trump will do what he claims he would do, but she argued that when he says he is going to do something 'believe him.' She pointed out that Trump's campaign press secretary confirmed that the president-elect remains committed to his promise of mass deportations of immigrants in the country illegally if he is elected. The 35-year-old claimed she was not around to sugar-coat the reality, but people can choose to build, fight and support each other. 'We cannot give up,' she said. The New Yorker during her remarks rejected finger pointing and argued anyone who is doing that has 'lost the forest for the trees.' 'There are a lot of different factors that have gotten to this moment,' she said. She said what is going to be most important in this time is rejecting sectarianism and the party needs to be united. Ocasio-Cortez said they have had a huge setback with the election 'because the fascists won a lot of working class support' and said there needs to be analysis, but she urged people not to remain divided over small differences. AOC noted she has personal experience with this and spoke about her first bid for Congress in 2018. She pointed out that she went from being a waitress straight to being a congresswoman. She said her own path to get there was by running not against a Republican but a Democrat who she did not believe was focused on families like hers. The congresswoman said what she saw was a Democrat who was only running against Trump and didn't have a vision that spoke to her and her reality. A crime reporter was targeted by a convicted hit man who tried to have him killed to end his coverage for a Canadian news outlet. Montreal-based La Presse said this week that investigative journalist Daniel Renaud was the subject of a $100,000 contract that convicted killer Frederick Silva issued in 2021. Silva was convicted of three murders but is believed to have been involved in upwards of 65 murder contracts, and is understood by Canadian authorities to have been deep in the criminal underworld for decades. During his 2021 trial for several murders and an attempted murder, Renaud found himself in Silva's sights due to his reporting on the case. La Presse said Friday that Silva offered a $100,000 contract to have Renaud killed, which was uncovered after the outlet read Silva's confessions after he became a police informant. Although the hit was never carried out, the revelation sent shockwaves through Canada's political and journalistic scenes, reports The Globe and Mail. Quebec Premier Francois Legault told the outlet in response: 'It doesnt make sense that in Quebec we are not in a movie that in Quebec theres a contract that was placed on a journalists head because he did his job.' Renaud was defiant following the revelations of a plot against his life, telling La Presse: 'We must continue to cover organized crime in Quebec, to shine a light on this clandestine part of society.' Canadian journalist Daniel Renaud was revealed this week to have been the target of a $100,000 contract on his life issued by a convicted hitman Convicted hitman-turned-police informant Frederick Silva confessed to placing the hit on Renaud's head, one of over 65 murder contracts Canadian authorities suspect him of being involved in Canadian authorities reportedly attempted to get Silva to become an informant the day after he was convicted of murder due to his close ties to organized crime, however the gangster refused. He then changed his mind weeks later, and by February 2024 he police were looking into up to 65 murder contracts he was allegedly a part of, according to La Journal De Montreal. As an informant, Silva agreed to delve into his criminal past for detectives, and La Presse said Friday that it discovered the contract against Renaud after trawling through the evidence Silva gave to cops. His plot was allegedly to have a killer lure Renaud to a secluded area under the guise of giving him information about a gang shooting, where he would be gunned down. The outlet said Silva kept the contract on Renaud's life open for two months, but closed the $100,000 offer to move onto 'more important issues.' Silva, seen in surveillance footage shown at his murder trial, became a police informant after he was convicted, leading to the revelation of the hit he took out against Renaud Eric-Pierre Champagne, president of Quebecs professional journalists association, said the case shocked him and reminded him of a notably 2000 case where a reporter was shot under similar circumstances. The reporter, Michel Auger, was shot in the back several times in the parking lot of the Journal de Montreal, and although he survived, the attempted assassination rocked the Canadian journalistic world. Champagne said in response to the latest allegations against Silva: 'We believed perhaps wrongly that it was over. But finally we see that maybe it isnt the case.' Some leading Canadians likened the case to that of journalist Michel Auger (pictured), who was shot in the back several times in the parking lot of the Journal de Montreal in 2000 in an assassination attempt A number of leading Canadian politicians spoke out in response, with Quebec Premier Francois Legault saying: 'It doesnt make sense that in Quebec... theres a contract that was placed on a journalists head because he did his job' A number of leading Canadian journalists and politicians have spoken out in response to the plot, with Liberal MP Marwah Rizqy, who was the target of death threats in the past, condemning it as a terrifying development. 'Imagine when you and your family dont feel safe to do your own work, when your work is not only relevant, its necessary for a healthy democracy,' she said. 'If there are no more checks and balances, if theres no one left to ask questions, then we can turn off the lights.' Canadian Education Minister Bernard Drainville recalled that Renaud had been a guest on his show when he previously worked in radio. 'If this journalist, who is very rigorous, had his life threatened you cant help but think of other journalists who investigate crime. 'I find this very concerning for our democracy,' he added as he questioned whether there should be better standards of public protection for journalists. The boss of a Sydney construction firm has been ordered to pay his secretary tens of thousands of dollars after he threatened her employment to 'extort' her into sex when she rejected him. Axe Construction director Richard Aubertin sexually harassed his office administrator Sonata Trakimaite from October 2020 through to December that year, the Federal Court ruled on November 8. Aubertin and Ms Trakimaite first met in a Sydney bar in April 2016 before he offered her casual work at his business based in Double Bay in August 2020. Ms Trakimaite claimed to her friend, Anais de Caires, she felt 'forced' to have sex with her boss on October 31, 2020 because if she did not she would lose her job, court documents, reported by The Australian, reveal. The pair then entered into a sexual relationship in the weeks that followed. By December 24 she was pregnant with his child and Aubertin was calling her 'crazy' while trying to convince her to abort the baby after she refused to do so. Aubertin let her know that she no longer had a job and demanded she return the office keys on December 30 'Your now on your own I want nothing to do with this bulls*** good keep out of my life f*** off,' Aubertin texted at the time, the court heard. Axe Construction director Richard Aubertin was ordered to pay $25,000 to his former employee Sonata Trakimaite after he 'extorted' her for sex Judge Robert Cameron found that Aubertin's business was vicariously liable for his actions and that Ms Trakimaite's 'employment appears to have ended as an implicit consequence of the end of the personal relationship'. Aubertin is the sole director of Axe Construction and his duties included running the operations of the business and employing and managing staff. Judge Cameron said Aubertin had taken advantage of Ms Trakimaite's 'vulnerable' circumstances as she considered her employment to be unstable and as she was working multiple jobs at the time. According to her friend Ms de Caires' deposition, Ms Trakimaite said, 'Richard ... forced me to have sex with him. 'He told me that if I didn't have sex with him that I didn't have a job anymore.' Ms Trakimaite and Ms de Caire had known each other for three years and worked together at The Men's Gallery which is a gentleman's club in the city. Ms Trakimaite also said she had been promised 'a career and a pay rise' by Aubertin when she started working for him which she thought would be lost if the sex stopped. The judge ruled that Ms Trakimaite was a victim of sexual harassment and that she did not have sex with Aubertin 'because she wanted to, but because she felt she had to'. Ms Trakimaite met Aubertin in a Sydney bar in 2016 before starting to work for him in 2020 at his business where they soon after began a sexual relationship When Ms Trakimaite and Aubertin first met they exchanged contact details and stayed loosely in touch until she began working for him. Aubertin first sent Ms Trakimaite a text asking if he could 'come over for cuddles' which she rejected giving the excuse she was 'a bit dead' after a gym workout. 'Your going to regret saying no to me tomorrow ha,' Aubertin texted. 'You will punish me,' Ms Trakimaite replied. The court heard that this kind of 'playful banter' was common in the beginning of their relationship until Ms Trakimaite said she felt pressured into sex on October 31. Ms Trakimaite was driving home from a study course when Aubertin asked if she was free, asking if she would 'like a little French in you tonight'. After rejecting that advance in favour of getting some rest before her waitress shift later that night Aubertin said 'there are plenty of b****** in Sydney babe'. 'Are you angry on me that I'm not coming. I need to rest before work,' Ms Trakimaite replied. 'I'm telling you never disrespect me never good night,' Aubertin texted back. Ms Trakimaite told a co-worker that she was 'forced' to have sex with her boss and that she feared losing her job during a conversation the pair had on October 31, 2020 Ms Trakimaite asked Aubertin if he was upset and called him immediately after receiving the text, the court heard. In that call Aubertin told her that she was 'finished' and hung up. Judge Cameron said in his judgement that this was a crucial moment for Ms Trakimaite in understanding that her job was on the line if she did not have sex with her boss. 'Ms Trakimaite's evidence was that, given their conversation and Mr Aubertin hanging up on her, she believed that if she did not do what Mr Aubertin wanted he would dismiss her,' the judgment read. 'She said in cross-examination that it was clear to her that Mr Aubertin had not been speaking about their personal relationship but about her employment. She considered that it was a threat that if she did not go to Mr Aubertin's house she would lose her job. 'She said that this exchange was qualitatively different from text messages bantering about sex that they had exchanged a month earlier.' Ms Trakimaite did end up going over to Aubertin's home after the phone call so as to not leave him upset. Despite her telling him that she was not 'comfortable' with the situation and even after she continued pleading with Aubertin to stop he continued undressing her, court documents state. 'As he was lifting my top off I felt scared because I had said no many times to him but he just kept going,' she told the court. Following on from that incident Ms Trakimaite said she continued the sexual relationship as she was 'afraid' that any changes to it would cost her her job. The pair had sex again on November 19, this time unprotected, and roughly a month later pregnancy tests showed that Ms Trakimaite was pregnant with his child. Heated arguments ensued when Ms Trakimaite informed Aubertin about the situation and told him that she did not want to get an abortion. At first Aubertin was supportive of the idea and even suggested she move in with him so the two could get married and start building 'a life together' until Ms Trakimaite learned that he was dating one of her close friends at the time which caused her to become angry. 'Sonata don't ever talk to me like that your on your own I want you to abort this baby your crazy,' he texted days after finding out about the pregnancy. Throughout the rest of December and into the New Year Ms Trakimaite claimed Aubertin ended her employment, showed up at her house demanding she return the office keys, asked for proof of pregnancy and eventually offered her money for the abortion. Aubertin wholly denied the accusations against him and insisted their relationship had been 'consensual and voluntary' for its entirety. The court heard that because of all the drama Aubertin had been 'constantly in a state of confusion and worry due to Ms Trakimaite's difficult behaviour'. Ms Trakimaite and Aubertin had unprotected sex on November 19, 2020, and she became pregnant a month later. At first Aubertin was supportive of keeping the child before he eventually demand she get an abortion, told her she was on her own and called her 'crazy' on December 30 Aubertin told the court that he and Ms Trakimaite faced some language and cultural barriers because of her Lithuanian background as English was her second language. He said that any misunderstandings about the terms of their relationship was caused by a confusion stemming from their cultural or language differences. Concerning the text he sent on October 31, which to Ms Trakimaite fundamentally changed the way she looked at their relationship, Aubertin said he was intoxicated. 'Ms Trakimaite was playing hard to get which made me question whether she was really interested in me at all or just wasting my time,' he said. In their text exchange Ms Trakimaite had initially declined to go over to Aubertin's house but proposed the pair go out to dinner at 6.30pm instead. 'I want to you cum over to my place and I f*** you like crazy tonight I miss all of you now baby girl I'm so wanting you,' Aubertin replied. Aubertin insisted on this occasion that Ms Trakimaite's employment was not in jeopardy and that he wanted to discuss his concerns about working together and having a sexual relationship. Judge Cameron ruled that he did not believe that Ms Trakimaite lost her job because of the pregnancy but indeed as a result of the termination of the pair's sexual relationship. Ms Trakimaite was awarded $25,000 in damages for Aubertin's 'ugly and selfish' behaviour, the judge told the court. Aubertin told the Australian that he found the ruling to be 'disgraceful'. READ MORE: Ukraine President hints at ceasefire deal with Russia The crew of the HMNZS Manawanui didn't realise autopilot was engaged as it crashed into a Samoan reef, a military Court of Inquiry has found. New Zealand's worst peacetime maritime accident occurred in October when the ship sunk off the coast in bad weather, with all 75 crew making it to shore in a dangerous overnight evacuation. Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding ordered the probe, which found a 'series of human errors' behind the $NZ147 million ($A133 million) ship's loss. 'The crew did not realise Manawanui remained in autopilot and, as a consequence, mistakenly believed its failure to respond to direction changes was the result of a thruster control failure,' Rear Amdl Golding said. 'Having mistakenly assessed a thruster control failure, standard procedures should have prompted ship's crew to check that the ship was under manual control rather than in autopilot. 'This check did not occur. Remaining in autopilot resulted in the ship maintaining a course toward land, until grounding and eventually stranding.' HMNZS Manawanui hit a reef near Samoa, caught fire and sunk in New Zealand's worst peacetime navy sinking Divers survey the area around the sunken ship near the southern coast of Upulo, Samoa The Royal New Zealand Navy ship the HMNZS Manawanui (right) in front of HMNZS Otago during a training exercise in 2020 The finding is part of a preliminary report into the matter, with the Court of Inquiry to continue into 2025. The vessel ran aground on October 5 while undertaking surveying work, with Commander Yvonne Gray, the ship's captain, ordering an evacuation half an hour later. It took around five hours for the crew to make it to shore in life rafts and inflatable boats, assisted by local seafaring Samoans who became aware of the distress. The ship caught fire and sank early on the morning of October 6. Rear Adml Golding said he took responsibility for the crash, and he had ordered audits across the navy fleet of eight vessels. NZ's naval forces were already under intense pressure, with attrition grounding up to four of the ships in recent times, and government-ordered belt-tightening. The blunder prompted Prime Minister Chris Luxon to apologise to Samoa, a former colony of New Zealand's which it has a history of mistreating, and organise a salvage operation. Members of the New Zealand Defence Force on shore in Samoa after being rescued New Zealand pursues a 'soft power' approach in the Pacific, often partnering with nations like Somoa and Tonga in military exercises (pictured Lieutenant Commander Tala Mafile'o of the Royal Tongan Navy presents NZ Navy Commander Yvonne Gray with a carved wooden bowl as a memento of the RNZN's participation in the 50th Anniversary Fleet Review) The ship on fire before it sank on October 6 which sparked the evacuation on everyone on board The police officer who put an end to terrorist Man Monis' siege of Sydney's Lindt Cafe in 2014 can finally reveal his true identity after the courts lifted a suppression order on Friday. For nearly ten years, the public knew Ben Besant only as 'Officer A', and he was restricted from showing his face and telling his story. After a nine-year NSW Supreme Court Battle backed by Seven's Spotlight, Mr Besant has won his 'dignity' back. 'I'm never one to walk away from a fight, and I have been fighting for a long time to have my name returned to me,' he told the program airing on Sunday. NSW Police Tactical Operations hero Mr Besant led the final tactical assault on Monis in December 2014 and fired the shots which took down the terrorist. The courts suppressed Mr Besant's name for his protection, meaning he could never reveal what happened during Monis' tense final moments in the Lindt Cafe building. But the suppression order worsened Mr Besant's post traumatic stress disorder and he claimed it cost him his career and his marriage. 'It's become such a big issue for me to be able to get my name back,' he said. Ben Besant is now allowed to reveal his identity as the officer that took down Lindt cafe terrorist Man Haron Monis Mr Besant and his tactical squad stormed the cafe to free hostages of Monis' terrifying 17-hour siege Mr Besant told the Sunday Telegraph he felt relieved after years living in the shadows. 'I have not only been given my name back, but my dignity and my higher purpose in life,' he said. 'This is a victory not just for me but for our first responders and military personnel. 'It means we can have a real discussion about PTSD and what has to be done to keep first responders well and in work.' Two years ago, Mr Besant gave traumatic details of the siege, including how Sydney barrister Katrina Dawson went limp and died in his arms. Bullet fragments pierced her body as police officers stormed the building. Mr Besant wants to use his released identity to assist other first responders with their PTSD after the events of 2014 He said the lifted order returned his 'higher purpose' to him as he can talk openly about PTSD Mr Besant and the tactical Alpha team rushed the front entrance of the building at 2.13am on December 16, 2014, after Monis fatally shot cafe manager Tori Johnson. Monis was armed with a pump action shotgun and threatened to use a 'backpack bomb' during the 17-hour siege. Mr Besant's team bravely broke into the cafe, killing Monis and putting an end to his horrifying siege. The tactical officer said he wanted to look other first responders grappling with PTSD in the eye and show them there is a way past the incident. But in the coronial inquiry into the deaths of the day, his identity was blocked for his own protection. The state coroner had told him she had no power to revoke the order even after nine years. Mr Besant turned to the NSW Attorney-General and local MP Paul Scully, who promised to work with the legal power on the matter. With the bureaucratic nightmare ended on Friday, Mr Besant can now focus on helping other Australian officers and service members. He thanked the Channel Seven team, literary agents Dr Rob Goodfellow and Peter O'Neill, and Special Legal Counsel Richard Keegan for their support. A man who forged an unbreakable bond with a grandmother who accidentally invited him to Thanksgiving dinner have spent their first holiday apart in nine years as she is currently battling cancer. Wanda Dench, 67, and Jamal Hinton, 25, from Arizona, became unlikely friends after she texted the then-teenager in 2016 thinking he was her grandson, a mistake that changed both of their lives for the better. But in a heartbreaking post to social media in October, Dench explained she had been diagnosed with breast cancer after coming down with bronchitis. The treatment has left Dench immunocompromised meaning the pair were unable to meet up as they have done since 2016. Instead, the pair met up over Instagram Live as Hinton and Dench chatted while he passed his phone around to members of his family who wished her 'Happy Thanksgiving'. 'I just recently finished up with chemotherapy, so I'm not 100 percent yet,' Dench explained as she answered viewers questions. 'And I live about two hours away from where Jamal lives. And so we decided that this year would be best for my health if I stayed at home. 'I was looking so forward to meeting his family and having turkey with everybody, but we have to accept things the way they are, and I'm sure next year is going to be so much better.' Wanda Dench, 67, and Jamal Hinton, 25, became unlikely friends after she texted the then-teenager in 2016 thinking he was her grandson, a mistake that changed both of their lives for the better This year, the pair had to meet online instead of in person after Dench was diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment leaving her immunocompromised Hinton explained how she discovered her cancer following a routine checkup. 'I had a CT scan to check out my lungs. That's when a mass in my breast was detected,' she said. 'I am [and] have been currently going through chemotherapy. My family and friends quickly came to my aid and have supported me through everything.' Dench also added that cancer does not run in her family and that all of her previous mammograms had come back as negative. She how when she turned 65 in 2022 she assumed she would not have to get them anymore, adding: 'But I was wrong'. Dench added that she has learned 'a lot of life's lessons through it all', stressing that 'just because you may be older, you still have a life to live.' Hinton and Dench's chance meeting happened after she texted him to ask him if he was coming to Thanksgiving dinner at her house, thinking she was reaching out to her grandson. They pair soon realized that she had texted the wrong person, but Hinton, who was 17 at the time, jokingly asked if he could 'still get a plate tho?' 'Of course you can, that's what grandmas do, feed everyone', Dench quickly replied. It is the first time in nine years the pair have been unable to get together on Thanksgiving Day Hinton was just 17 when Dench accidentally sent him a text message thinking he was her grandson in 2016 Hinton explained that she had texted the wrong person, but he then asked if he could 'still get a plate tho?' They spent Thanksgiving together for the first time that year When Hinton showed up for dinner that year, she hugged him immediately, and until this year the pair had spent every Thanksgiving together since. Speaking to Today in 2021, Hinton shared that he was surprised when Dench said he could join her family's celebrations, but he decided to roll with it. 'Yes, there was a huge amount of hesitation because it was all just a joke,' he recalled. 'I was in math class. I was taking a test. And I was just like, 'Hey, why not?' 'I'm just an outgoing person. I like to meet new people and then she said, 'Yes,' and I was just starstruck, basically.' They became unlikely friends after she texted him and invited him to Thanksgiving in 2016. The then-teen ended up going to her celebration and has continued to do so every year since Hinton ended up going to Dench's celebration, and he had continued to do so every year since until this year Dench, who in a previous interview claimed she wasn't a fan of Thanksgiving, previously admitted that she had actually wanted to cancel their holiday dinner in 2016, but the universe had other plans Ironically, Dench isn't a fan of Thanksgiving, and she admitted on the morning show she had actually wanted to cancel their holiday plans that year. 'I was tired of putting on the feast every year, so I asked my husband if we could just skip Thanksgiving that year and go off and have a mini-vacation or something,' she said. 'But little did I know that's not what the universe had planned for me.' Dench and Hinton plan regular visits year-round, and during the pandemic, he and his girlfriend, Mikaela, would leave her food outside her door. It was a difficult time for the widow, who lost her beloved husband, Lonnie, to COVID-19 on April 5, 2020, just days after he contracted the virus. For her first Thanksgiving without her husband, she hosted an early dinner attended by Hinton and Mikaela, as well as her daughter and her grandson. Hinton's girlfriend, Mikaela, also spends Thanksgiving with them, and they both became close to Dench's husband, Lonnie, who died of COVID in April 2020 For Dench's first Thanksgiving without her husband in 2020, she hosted an early dinner attended by Hinton and Mikaela, as well as her daughter and her grandson In December 2021, just a week after they spent their sixth holiday together, it was announced that a movie inspired by their story was in development at Netflix 'I told her the cameras and the fame, everything could stop tomorrow, and nothing's changing between us,' Hinton told the Today show last year. 'He's in my heart for life,' Dench agreed A framed photo of Lonnie was placed on the dinner table as they paid tribute to him during the gathering. In December 2021, just a week after they spent their sixth holiday together, it was announced that a movie inspired by their story was in development at Netflix. Although the film has yet to drop, the streamer says the movie will highlight their deep friendship, despite their differences, and their unlikely connection, all thanks to the text mix-up. 'I told her the cameras and the fame, everything could stop tomorrow, and nothing's changing between us,' Hinton said during a 2021 interview. 'Absolutely,' Dench agreed. 'He's in my heart for life.' When Hinton started a new car painting and tinting business, he put Dench on his advertising billboard. When Hinton started a new car painting and tinting business last year, he put Dench on his advertising billboard in honor of their enduring friendship Hinton and Dench announced they had become business partners with the launch of their mineral water company, BlackMP, in 2022 Last year the duo most teamed up to compete for $250,000 as contestants on the TBS game show The Cube 'He's literally changed my life,' Dench said of Hinton in a 2021 interview He was also there for her when she got her first tattoo, vowing that they would get 'matching tattoos next.' 'I've always told her whatever I'm doing, she's a part of, no matter what it is,' he said. In 2022, Hinton and Dench announced they had become business partners with the launch of their mineral water company, BlackMP. They also teamed up to compete for $250,000 as contestants on the TBS game show The Cube. During an appearance on the Today show, Dench shared how Hinton taught her how to be 'open to friendships [even] when you think you have nothing in common when somebody.' 'He's literally changed my life,' she said. Jewish children were left cowering after teenage thugs pelted their London bus with rocks and rubbish, before storming onto the vehicle and yelling 'f*** Israel', as police confirmed they are investigating a 'potential hate crime'. Students at Jews' Free School (JFS) in Kenton, north London, were travelling home on two buses, operated by Uno, when the incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon. As the buses made a stop in High Street, Edgware, a large group of teenagers from another school began throwing 'big heavy rocks' at one of the vehicles, one witness told Jewish Chronicle. Four teenagers then boarded one of the buses, swearing and making antisemitic remarks towards the Jewish students. A witness revealed: 'They were also swearing at us, saying, 'F*ck Israel, nobody likes you. F*ck off you b*tches.' Another youngster who was involved in the incident said some of the children ran off the bus to escape the attack, while others cowered under their seats. They were 'completely terrified', they said, adding that the thugs were seen filming the incident on their phones. It is understood the bus driver, who was 'a temporary driver', did not immediately report the incident and it was a parent of one of the children affected who subsequently called the police. Jewish children were left cowering after teenage thugs pelted their London bus with rocks and rubbish, before storming onto the vehicle and yelling 'f*** Israel '. Pictured: A bus similar to the one that was attacked (file pic) Met Police said today: 'Officers in Barnet are investigating a potential hate crime after a school bus was targeted on High Street, Edgware. 'Stones were thrown at the bus before a group of other students got on and made antisemitic remarks towards those on board. 'Officers from the safer transport team have spoken to the victims involved, as well as their parents, and enquiries are ongoing. Superintendent Lorraine Busby-McVey, in charge of neighbourhood policing in Barnet, said: 'This was a distressing incident for those on the bus and the behaviour of the individuals responsible is completely unacceptable. 'There is no place for hate crime either here or across the rest of London, and a thorough investigation is underway.' The police added there have been no arrests so far. In a statement, Transport for London (TfL) said it was 'deeply concerned' by news of the incident and is supporting the police investigation. It said: 'No-one should ever have to fear or experience abuse when using our network. As the buses made a stop in High Street, Edgware, a large group of teenagers from another school began throwing 'big heavy rocks' at one of the vehicles. Pictured: High Street, Edgware 'We take a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of hate crime, and work with the police to pursue anyone who is abusive to our customers or staff. 'Alongside the bus operator, Uno, we are supporting the police with their investigation and are supplying footage from the CCTV cameras, which all buses are equipped with. 'We encourage anyone who experienced or witnessed this incident to contact the police.' On Thursday, JFS sent an email to parents advising that it was aware of the incident and had spoken to Uno, as well as the school attended by the alleged perpetrators. The email, which has been seen by MailOnline, said: 'The local schools have been extremely cooperative, where previous incidents have been concerned, and this should be no different. 'We are in touch with the school involved and the police are also investigating the incident separately. 'Going forward, we have spoken with the bus company, and should there be any further incidents, the police will be called immediately. 'On this occasion, there was a temporary driver. Their normal team has been driving the school buses for the last twenty years and do everything they can to keep your children safe.' A 16-year-old Jewish girl was pelted with bottles and suffered injuries to her head and face in a 'deliberate and violent' attack in Stamford Hill, north London on Monday night Police have launched an investigation into a potential hate crime relating to the incident in Stamford Hill on Monday A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said: 'It is only right that this alleged incident is now being properly investigated. However, one must ask why were police not called at the time? 'The simple truth is that our streets are increasingly unsafe for British Jews and their children. Is it any wonder that 69% of British Jews now hide visible signs of their Judaism in public?' CAA noted that the latest incident comes just a few days after a 16-year-old Jewish girl was pelted with bottles and suffered injuries to her head and face in a 'deliberate and violent' attack in Stamford Hill, north London. The teenager was with a group of schoolgirls walking to a rehearsal on Monday evening when several glass bottles were allegedly thrown by a man on a balcony at Woodberry Down Estate in Stamford Hill. A video posted by Shomrim, a Jewish neighbourhood watch group which has described the incident as antisemitic and 'abhorrent', shows an array of glass shards on the ground alongside what appears to be broken plates. In a statement on X, Shomrim posted a video of the scene, which is close to a girls' school, and said the street had been 'covered in shattered glass following an antisemitic attack on Orthodox Jewish schoolchildren.' It added: 'The sheer volume of glass scattered across the area resembles the aftermath of a riot. The force and distance of the thrown glass bottles reveal the deliberate and violent nature of this act. 'These young children were targeted simply for their visibly Jewish identity.' Following the incident, the youngster was rushed to Royal London Hospital by Hatzola Ambulance volunteers, where her injuries were assessed as 'non-life changing'. Jewish charity Community Security Trust (CST) said there has been a surge in antisemitic incidents in the UK over the last year. Latest figures show 5,583 incidents were recorded between October 7 last year and September 30. The figure is three times that of the previous 12-month period, which saw 1,830 incidents recorded in total. CST, which monitors antisemitism and provides security for the Jewish community in Britain, said most incidents took the form of abusive behaviour (4,583), while others involved threats (401) or assault (302). One incident of what it described as extreme violence was recorded. The majority of incidents were recorded in London (3,167), while 729 were recorded in Manchester and 642 in West Yorkshire. The husband of missing Texas realtor Suzanne Simpson showed 'no emotion' in the days after her disappearance, new court documents reveal. Brad Simpson, 53, was allegedly indifferent when he reported his wife of 22 years and mother of his two children disappeared seven weeks ago. He was charged on November 7 with her murder despite her body not being found. Detectives said in a newly unsealed arrest affidavit that his chilling behavior was a factor in them believing Brad 'intentionally and knowingly caused the death' of his wife on October 6 in San Antonio. His emotionless response to the episode continued three days after she was officially recognized as missing, when Brad was initially charged with assault causing bodily injury, family violence and unlawful restraint. The affidavit alleged he 'did not appear surprised at the time of his arrest' nor 'question' why he was apprehended. When interviewed by a Texas Ranger, Brad appeared 'unconcerned about his wife being missing and showed little to no emotion,' the ranger noted per the affidavit, also observing he had several scratches and lacerations on his hands and arms. It comes weeks after the final known image of Suzanne surfaced from the day she vanished, showing her walking through her exclusive Texas country club. Hours later, she was said to have been seen ranning from the mansion she shared with her husband, with police alleging she was the victim of domestic violence. Brad Simpson, 53, was allegedly indifferent to the news that his wife of 22 years and mother of his two children disappeared seven weeks ago, before he was charged with her murder Suzanne Simpson, 51, disappeared on October 6 after a neighbor says they saw her fleeing from her husband during a fight Texas authorities said that Brad was initially cooperative with police, but alleged he has given conflicting stories when pressed for details over his wife's disappearance. He initially claimed he last saw her at 11pm on October 6, hours after the picture at the country club was taken. At another point he claimed he last saw her at around 6:30am on October 7, shortly before he said he dropped one of their children off at school. He claimed to detectives that he 'peeked into a separate room and observed his wife asleep' that morning. When investigators searched through his phone, they reportedly found he had 'engaged in a series of complete shutdowns' starting at 11:09pm on October 6, and ending the next day. He was allegedly going further than turning his phone off, and instead put it on 'Lock Down' mode, which his arrest affidavit notes is classed by the FBI as 'done by a person who wants to avoid detection.' Suzanne was pictured alone at an exclusive, members-only club on the night she vanished A neighbor claimed to see the couple in a violent fight at their Olmos Park family home (pictured), worth an estimated $1.5million A neighbor claimed that shortly before that first 11pm shut down, they witnessed Brad and Suzanne in the midst of a heated argument in their garage, and were 'physically struggling' with each other. At some point, they said Suzanne 'was attempting to get away from Mr. Simpson's grasp as he tried to pull her downward', and he then chased after her when she ran away, per the affidavit. The neighbor claimed they heard screams from a wooded area, before Brad re-emerged around an hour later and drove off in his truck. The new affidavit also said the couple's five-year-old child was questioned by a school counselor, and the child claimed on the night of October 6 Brad 'pushed her mother against the wall, hit (physically) her mother on the face and hurt her mother's elbow inside their residence.' Brad also allegedly 'turned off her mother's phone because they were fighting.' Police released a photo of Simpson's black pickup truck, which he was seen traveling in following his argument with Suzanne Although Suzanne's body has not been found, Texas investigators say they believe she is dead as they charged her husband with murder Authorities said they believe Suzanne died that night and have seen no evidence she is alive based on cellphone records, financial records, family, friends and co-workers, reports Fox News. Brad's brother Barton Simpson previously told the outlet: 'It is heartbreaking, but it brings our family some peace to know that authorities have gathered sufficient evidence to feel confident in moving forward with charges. 'This also helps us come to terms with the reality that Suzanne is no longer with us, allowing us to begin the difficult grieving process and focus on rebuilding our lives, especially for the sake of the children and our extended family.' Investigations are ongoing, and according to My San Antonio, local law enforcement has expanded its search to include other Simpson family properties. Simpson and his family have an extensive real estate portfolio throughout San Antonio and broader Texas. A thorough investigation of the four bed, five bath Olmos Park family home, worth an estimated $1.5million, has already taken place. But Villegas said authorities are in the process of obtaining further search warrants to expand that search to a handful of other properties linked to the family, the publication reported. Kim Leadbeater has admitted that there is still 'a lot of work to do' on the assisted dying bill, hours after MPs voted to legalise it. The historic vote on Friday saw a 55-strong majority of 330 MPs vote in favour of the proposed legislation which aims to allow adults with less than six months to live to end their lives. It was the first parliamentary hurdle the Terminally Ill Adults had to pass before being ratified into law in both England and Wales. The bill proved deeply divisive amongst the House of Commons benches with schisms emerging in both the Labour and Conservative camps. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer voted in favour of the proposed legislation, although his deputy Angela Rayner and Health Secretary Wes Streeting opposed it. Similarly in the Tory ranks, newly elected leader Kemi Badenoch voted down the bill, with her predecessor Rishi Sunak supporting it. The bill was passed at the second reading, but a number of vocal dissenters vowed to fight on against the result. This has lead to questions being raised over whether there was a suitable majority for the actual text of the bill, a notion which Kim Leadbeater, who brought the bill before the House, was quick to dismiss. Your browser does not support iframes. The assisted dying bill was brought to the House of Commons floor by Spen Valley MP Kim Leadbeater The major political parties were internally divided on the bill, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer seeing eight cabinet members oppose the bill he supported Similar splits emerged in the Conservative ranks, with leader Kemi Badenoch opposing the legislation whilst her predecessor Rishi Sunak voted in favour of the bill passing In total, 235 Labour MPs supported the Bill alongside 23 Tories, 61 Liberal Democrats, and three Reform UK MPs Speaking on BBC Newsnight on Friday, the Spen Valley MP told the programme that whilst there was 'absolutely still a lot of work to do', that she was 'very happy' with its current state. Leadbetter did go on to add that she respected the need for the full and proper parliamentary process to be undertaken, stating: 'But if people feel there are slight changes that we need to make and amendments that they want to put forward, that's what Parliament does. 'That's part of the process in the same way with any other piece of legislation, so let's get going on that'. Reacting to the bill's passing on the floor of the Commons, Tory MP Danny Kruger, who led opposition during Friday's debate and went as far as calling it a 'state suicide service', said that despite being 'disappointed' by the outcome, that the vote was 'simply to continue the discussion'. When speaking with PA news agency, the East Wiltshire MP stated: 'I was reassured that so many colleagues recognised that the Bill is very dangerous, there's lots of problems with it and they have said they want to improve it in committee. 'I want to help them do that and I hope we can make substantial improvements before it comes back for third reading, and I hope that if it's not good enough if the safeguards are not strengthened, then colleagues will vote against it before it comes into law'. Other organisations such as charities have also been reacting to the bill's passing, with palliative care charity Marie Curie lobbying parliamentarians for an amendment which would impose a duty on ministers to develop a strategy to improve end-of-life care. The charity's chief executive Matthew Reed said that the organisation is 'neutral' on the subject of assisted dying, 'but what we are absolutely not neutral on is the need to urgently fix end-of-life care'. An emotional Kim Leadbeater celebrates with campaigners backing her assisted dying bill outside the House of Commons An emotional Kim Leadbeater celebrates with campaigners backing her assisted dying bill outside the House of Commons An emotional Kim Leadbeater celebrates with campaigners backing her assisted dying bill outside the House of Commons Protestors against the passing of the assisted dying bill gathered outside Parliament buildings on Friday The bill has been labelled a 'state suicide service' by some MPs who oppose the scheme In a statement following the passing of the legislation, Mr Reed lamented the bill's lack of reference to improving existing palliative care systems and its lack of focus on funding the crisis. 'It says nothing about the postcode lottery for access to end-of-life care, nothing about the funding crisis, and nothing about people spending their final moments in A&E because our health system can't offer them the care and support they need, in or out of hours', Mr Reed said. The next stage of the bill sees it head to committee where MPs can put forward amendments, with an additional motion approved on Friday in the aftermath of the vote to allow the committee to have the power to send for people, papers and records. Further debates and votes will then take place in both the House of Commons and House of Lords, in a lengthy process which would mean any ratification into law of the bill will not be agreed until the beginning of 2025 at the earliest. A number of MPs who were teetering between camps have also let it be known that they may switch their vote from in favour to against should they not see suitable safeguards included in the drafted legislation. Ms Leadbeater has stated her belief that it will likely take two years from the bill's final signing off until an assisted dying service will be properly implemented for terminally ill people. An 18-year-old British girl is fighting for her life after she was involved in a horrific car crash in Albania. Pamela Mema from North London was on her way to celebrate her sister's 24th birthday party when the horror unfolded in the village of Belsh, central Albania, on November 22. The 18-year-old has been described as 'beautiful, intelligent, and strong' with her 'whole life ahead of her'. She was rushed to hospital where she is now fighting for her life in a medically-induced coma. Pamela's family and friends are desperately trying to raise money to have her flown back to the UK to be treated. A GoFundMe page has already raised more than 73,000 for the 18-year-old in just two days. Eshli Haxhiasllani, who set up the fundraiser, wrote: 'On November 22, 2024, our beautiful, intelligent, and strong Pamela Mema got into a car accident in the village of Belsh, Albania, on the way to celebrate her sisters 24th birthday. 'Since the 22nd Pamela has been fighting for her life In the hospitals of Albania. Pamela Mema (pictured) from North London was on her way to celebrate her sister's 24th birthday party when the horror unfolded in the village of Belsh, central Albania, on November 22 Pictured: A general view of Belsh in central Albania where the crash occurred 'We now urgently have to bring Pamela back home to London, so she can get the best medical care she needs with the doctors we trust and put our confidence in with an Air Ambulance. 'Pamela is only 18 with her whole life ahead of her and any donations are hugely appreciated to bring our Pam home and for her to get the best care possible.' A link to the GoFundMe can be accessed HERE. A former Liberal has slammed Australia's world-first social media ban, questioning why teens can legally fly planes or fire a gun but can't use TikTok, Snapchat or Facebook. Ex-NSW Liberal whip Peter Phelps, 56, took to X on Friday to criticise the ban, comparing activities under-16's are lawfully permitted to do in NSW with social media sites they won't be allowed to use. He claimed it showed the 'hypocrisy of the pearl-clutchers' who 'scream' about how dangerous social media is for kids. 'Things you can do in NSW if you are under 16,' he began his post. 'Learn to fly an aeroplane; possess and use a firearm; drive at 80kph in a Go-Kart. 'Captain any non-commercial boat up to 20 knots; Own a speargun for recreational fishing; Abseiling; Scuba diving. 'Join the Australian Army Cadet Corps; Drag racing; Change your sex.' He then listed 'things that you now can't do: Twitter/X; Facebook; Instagram; TikTok.' Peter Phelps left a scathing critique of the social media ban for under-16s on X on Friday morning Many other Aussies seemed to agree with his sentiment. 'So you can't use social media to find the Abseiling, Scuba Diving events, but they can still do them? This legislation is unworkable,' one woman commented. 'When I was 16, I left my parent's home, got a job, and rented a house. But thank God I couldn't get a social media account,' another said. Some argued children would now have an far easier time accessing pornography than social media under the legislation. Peter Phelps left a scathing critique of the social media ban for under-16s on X on Friday morning 'They are also criminally responsible and can go to jail by 10... which in future will be for looking at TikTok no doubt, the way this country is dumbing itself down.' One reader suggested adding running a business, having an ABN, working and paying taxes to the list. However, not everyone agreed there was any hypocrisy at all, arguing the ban was supporting those activities. 'They used to do all those things plus go out and be active until [the] street lights came on. Then along came Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok,' one woman wrote. 'With all those things they are able to do [it] just goes to show that they don't need social media,' another said. Aussie teens won't be able to use platforms like Facebook, X and Snapchat under the new law Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said implementation of the bill might not be perfect but it's 'the right thing to do' 'Mostly under the supervision or discretion of an adult, mostly a qualified adult. That is the point, in case you missed it,' one man said. 'All of those things listed are mostly good for children. Social media is not,' agreed another commenter. 'But yet (less than) one per cent of kids under 16 are doing what you've listed in the top half and the other 99.9 per cent are on the bottom half. Get them offline and doing your top half list! Problem solved.' Some saw a bit of both sides. 'Most of those things under 16 year olds can do that you list are more worthwhile than social media, but I see your point,' one wrote. The social media bill passed the Senate on Thursday night and passed back through the lower house without issue on Friday morning. The government has given technology companies a year to find suitable age-verification methods before the law takes effect at the end of 2025. Production of the technology will fall to social media companies themselves, with $50million fines to be introduced for systemic breaches of the new rules. Foreign governments have been watching Australia's legislation and transpiring conflicts with tech giants including TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat, Meta and X. Legislators worldwide have speculated on how similar restrictions could be imposed in their own countries. Human rights groups have said an outright ban wasn't a proportionate response, and impinged on the rights of children, despite requirements to take action to secure their wellbeing. Social media companies have criticised the laws as 'rushed' and difficult to enforce, going so far as to warn of unintended consequences on free speech. 'This has been an issue that has (been) raised with me more, or at least as much as any other issue by people when I'm out and about,' he told reporters on Friday. 'We'll work to make sure that it's got right. 'We don't argue that its implementation will be perfect ... but we know that it's the right thing to do.' The laws, which will come into effect from late 2025, will capture platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit and X (formerly Twitter). But exemptions will apply for health and education services including YouTube, Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline and Google Classroom. A husband and wife have tragically been left dead in a suspected robbery gone wrong in Sydney's west. A 69-year-old man and 68-year-old woman are believed to have been fatally stabbed inside Buzzy Bee's Burger House, Cambridge Park after officers found two bodies about 9.40am on Saturday. Police attended the business following reports made by a family member of an assault. Footage captured on Oxford St and circulating on social media showed a man dressed in all black. Witnesses said they saw him jump from the roof of the Cambridge Park Shops onto the ground. Police have since confirmed it will be a focus of their investigation, as they look into footage of 'numerous things'. The deceased are yet to be officially identified, but it has been reported the couple were Buzzy Bee's owners Hoa Tek Chien and Heang Kim Gau. Superintendent Michael Cantrell said officers arrived to a 'confronting scene' to two deceased with significant injuries. He said police haven't yet established any suspects, but believe the ongoing risk to the public is diminished with 'no intelligence to suggest that there's a further threat'. The husband and wife owners of Buzzy Bee's Burger Bar in western Sydney have died following a suspected robbery attempt Footage captured by a passerby appeared to show a man dressed in black on the roof of shops in the area on Saturday morning 'The investigation is in its infancy, there's many lines of enquiry and we don't have any targets at this point,' he told media from St Mary's police station about 2pm. 'The family are obviously devastated and they are assisting police,' Superintendent Cantrell added. Police refused reveal the exact extent of the injuries suffered by the deceased at this stage or where their bodies were found as their investigation continues. Locals expressed their condolences to the family and said they were shocked the quiet suburb had been rocked by such a violent attack. 'Been going to Busy Bees for years, such a beautiful family. Sad day for our community,' a Cambridge Park woman wrote. 'May Ma and Pa rest in peace ... their sons are in shock and so devastated right now. The community is here for you boys,' another said. 'Robbery gone wrong, ended in both their lives being taken from them, rest in peace, Cambo won't be the same without them two been going there for 20 years,' another man wrote. One woman said she waited with two boys in a laneway, while they were 'bawling their eyes out inconsolably' after the incident. Police have flooded to Cambridge Park, and were seen consoling grief-stricken young men Detectives have spent Saturday morning on Oxford Street in Cambridge Park following reports of an assault about 9.40am Locals reported waking to wailing emergency vehicles and thumping police helicopters in the quiet western Sydney suburb on Saturday morning. Police have taped off the storefront and surrounding lanes as detectives from the Nepean district police converged on Oxford Street. Grief-stricken men were seen embracing on the street about midday as police congregated in the area. A local business owner claimed the back door of the burger bar had been left open and items inside had been tossed around. He claimed the couple were found deceased upstairs by one of the pair's children. The quiet Cambridge Park high street has been flooded with police as their investigations continue Locals have sent heartfelt messages of support for the family after learning of the business owners' tragic deaths Heartbroken tributes have continued to flood in over the afternoon. 'They will be sadly missed I've been going there since I was 14, now I'm 42 the whole community is in mourning right now they were such lovely people. May they rest in peace,' a long-time resident said. Another said the couple's store was a community favourite. 'This is devastating news. Buzzy Bee's has been our favourite fish and chip shop for many years. My condolences.' A former sales representative said he'd dealt with the family for years, and couldn't imagine the sons' grief. 'I just can't believe that this has happened to the owners of this store. I looked after this store as a rep for Streets ice-cream for many years and the owners were very nice people. Just heartbreaking for their families and right before Christmas.' Mr Tek Chien had reportedly recently expressed his plans to retire to a family friend. Police confirmed the incident on Saturday morning. 'A crime scene was established and police commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident, assisted by the State Crime Command's Homicide Squad,' a NSW Police spokesperson said. 'No further information is available at this stage.' The Penrith community has been left reeling in the wake of a spate of tragic incidents. Earlier in November, in an unconnected incident, a man was charged over the alleged murder of his girlfriend in the Pullman Hotel, Penrith. Police allege they found kickboxer Darren John Berry inside a room at the hotel covered in blood with cuts on his arms with the body of Shirley So. On Thursday, in a separate occurrence, police pulled the body of a dead woman from the Nepean River at Penrith after a member of the public made a report. The woman is yet to be formally identified. Police have appealed for anybody wth information regarding the incident to contact Crime Stoppers online or on 1800 333 000. A Texas daycare worker has been arrested after security footage allegedly revealed her to be carrying out a horrifying pattern of abuse against several toddlers. Catherine Guziejka, 44, is accused of physically assaulting a total of six two-year-old children more than 100 times over the course of several months. She faces six counts of injury to a child with the intent to cause bodily harm, The alleged abuse at Punkin' Doodles Day Care in Lindale, Texas, 200 miles north of Houston, has been described by authorities as 'calculated and deliberate'. It was only uncovered after a daycare employee reviewed security camera video last month and discovered the alarming behavior. The footage sees Guziejka kicking a defenseless two-year-old boy in his lower back as he lay on the floor. Shocked by what she saw, the unnamed employee told the boy's father, who immediately contacted the Smith County Sheriff's Office. What investigators discovered next was even more disturbing. Catherine Guziejka, 44, is accused of physically assaulting a total of six two-year-old children more than 100 times over the course of several months Hours of security footage allegedly showed Guziejka targeting toddlers in a systematic campaign of cruelty Hours of security footage allegedly showed Guziejka targeting toddlers in a systematic campaign of cruelty. She was seen kicking children in the back, standing on their tiny hands, pulling them from their beds while they were napping and dragging another by their arms to a changing table. In several instances, Guziejka allegedly forced children to stare at a wall instead of a television while aggressively holding their heads down during diaper changes. Guziejka had been employed at the daycare since September 2023 with the abuse occurring between July and October. She was fired immediately after the assaults came to light after Melanie Dawn Law, who owned Punkin' Doodles Day Care, reviewed the footage. The police were contacted who confirmed Guziejka had engaged in abusive behavior on at least 134 separate occasions. To think someone I hired and trusted could harm innocent children in this way is beyond comprehension,' Law said. Following the revelations, Law ended up selling the daycare facility to a new owner, who now plans to reopen it under a different name in December. The alleged abuse was only uncovered after a daycare employee reviewed security camera video last month and discovered the alarming behavior on the premises, pictured above Smith County Sheriff, Larry Smith, describing the evidence as 'disturbing' but noting how, fortunately, none of the children suffered serious physical injuries. 'We're looking at minor to medium bruising, but that in no way diminishes the trauma these children endured,' Smith said in an interview with KLTV. 'This individual betrayed the trust of families and inflicted pain on those who couldn't defend themselves.' Sheriff Smith also revealed that detectives are continuing to review hours of remaining video footage to ensure all incidents are documented. 'We've charged her with six counts of injury to a child, but we'll pursue additional charges if further evidence comes to light,' he added. 'Now we're going forward and detectives are combing through hours of video to see if there's any other forms of abuse that have not been reported.' Guziejka was fired from her job at the daycare the moment the alleged abuse came to light. She is currently being held at the Smith County Jail on a $450,000 bond Sheriff Smith of the Smith County Sheriff's Office also revealed that detectives are continuing to review hours of remaining video footage to ensure all incidents are documented Guziejka is currently being held at the Smith County Jail on a $450,000 bond. The parents of the victims and members of the community have expressed outrage and heartbreak, demanding justice for all the children involved. As the investigation continues, officials have assured the public that steps are being taken to ensure such incidents never happens again. 'This wasn't just negligenceit was malicious, deliberate cruelty,' a local resident said. 'She didn't just hurt these children; she shattered the trust every parent places in caregivers.' A teenage Texas farmer has been left with life-changing injuries after he was electrocuted while riding his tractor in a near-fatal accident. Braycin Parrish, 17, began learning how to farm at a very young age and has since spent his entire life working on a field. But on October 2, while he was harvesting peanuts aboard his tractor, the buggy came in contact with an electrical line - leaving him shocked and on fire. 'I went and got on the tractor and went to dump it in the semi-trailer,' Braycin told KWTX while still in hospital. 'I guess there was a high line above it and I went to dump it over and the buggy caught on fire and caught the tires on fire. 'I got out and was going to unhook the buggy from the tractor and it was under electricity and I touched it and so it lit me up,' The young teenager's boss was nearby when the accident happened and found him face down in the dirt surrounded by flames. He promptly called 911 and began performing CPR on the teenager before notifying Braycin's father Blain about what had happened. Braycin's father, Blain said: 'He was dead. For how many minutes? Only God knows. You hear about it and see it on TV and stuff, but it's a whole different thing when its your kid laying there' Braycin Parrish, 17, has been left with horrendous burns, without an arm and some toes after he was almost fatally electrocuted while riding his tractor Blain was about 45 minutes away working at a sale barn in Gatesville and knew immediately he needed to get to his son. He said: '[The boss] calls me and he's screaming. I run outside because he never screams. He's a quiet guy and he's screaming and then... he said, "he's alive. It's not good". 'When he said there's a big hole in him, I gave that pickup all she'd do.' By the time Blain reached the scene, his son had started breathing again and was being loaded into a helicopter by emergency crews. 'He was dead. For how many minutes? Only God knows. You hear about it and see it on TV and stuff, but it's a whole different thing when its your kid laying there,' Blain said. Braycin was flown to the burn center at Parkland Health in Dallas where doctors discovered third-degree burns covering over 60 percent of his body and his left arm burned down to the bone. 'It was all the way to the bone. Bone was black. It looked like a hotdog that you left on there for four days at 500 degrees. The bone was even black,' Blain said. In order to save his life, Braycin's doctors had no choice but to amputate. Blain grimly remembered: 'There were two of them that sat right here in this office and said, "Weve been here over 20 years and weve never seen anybody have a burn that bad or a blow out that bad that lived".' In order to save his life, Braycin's doctors amputated his charred arm Braycin was flown to the burn center at Parkland Health in Dallas where doctors discovered third-degree burns covering over 60 percent of his body and his left arm burned down to the bone After a series of surgeries, Braycin remained unresponsive for about seven days until he miraculously began to came around while his dad and stepmom, Brandi, a nurse, played Zach Top's 'I Never Lie'. 'Were all sitting there talking and they were working on him, and Brandi said "look",' Blain said. 'That was the first time we ever seen any lights come on. I think he was just telling us everything is going to be all right,' Blain said. After hearing about his accident and tremendous recovery, the music star sent a care package with autographed merchandise to Braycin in the hospital. Since waking up, Braycin says that he could not have made it without the support of his family and believes that God is watching over him. Describing his current pain as a four out of ten, he said: 'God was there watching over me. If not, I think I would have been worse without God. Yeah, I don't think I'd be alive without him.' Braycin began learning how to farm at a young age and has since spent his entire life working on a field On October 2, while Braycin was harvesting peanuts aboard his tractor, the buggy came in contact with an electrical line - leaving him shocked and on fire Blain and Braycin's step-mom have been at the hospital by his side cheering him on as he recovers Talking about what he wants to do next, the young teenager says that he wants to get on a tractor as soon as he can. 'I may have to change the way I do it or it may be a little slower, but Ill get it done and I'll learn how to make it faster if I need to.' He was released from the hospital on November 29 but has a few more surgeries still planned. Man died after his car crashed into Coles A driver has been killed in Melbourne's southeast overnight after his car ploughed into the side of a Coles, leading to a concrete wall collapsing on the vehicle. Police have launched an investigation into the incident and are calling for any witnesses to come forward. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said it's believed the vehicle left the road along Olympic Way in Pakenham before slamming into the back wall of the Village Lakeside Shopping Centre about 3.50am. A slab of concrete fell on the vehicle, killing the driver. Several staff present inside the Pakenham store were uninjured. Police are investigating the cause of the crash into the back wall of the Village Lakeside Shopping Centre in Pakenham Police will prepare a report for a coroner and said a piece of wall fell onto the car which had crushed it 'The force of the crash caused part of a concrete wall to collapse onto the vehicle, trapping the single occupant inside,' the spokeswoman said. 'The exact circumstances surrounding the crash are yet to be established and police will prepare a report for the coroner.' Emergency services were still at the scene on Saturday morning. Anyone with CCTV or information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers. A Kentucky mother convicted of murdering her two sons claimed that her 'sugar daddy' manipulated her and drove her to commit the slayings, interrogation footage revealed. Tiffanie Ann Katherine Lucas, 32, pleaded guilty last month to the fatal shooting of her sons, Maurice 'Peanut' Baker Jr., 6, and his half brother, Jayden Howard, 9, in Shepherdsville in November 2023. of her sons, Maurice 'Peanut' Baker Jr., 6, and his half brother, Jayden Howard, 9, in Shepherdsville in November 2023. Her plea came after she initially attempted to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. In interrogation footage obtained by Law and Crime, a dazed Lucas was seen speaking with a deputy with the Bullitt County Sheriffs Office, who asked her what she was thinking hours after the slayings. 'I would never do something like this unless someone manipulated me,' she said. Lucas was the only person in the house with her sons on the day they died. She went on to lay the blame on a 'sugar daddy', without revealing any names, who she said had been 'manipulating my mind for like three years.' 'Hes been putting stuff up in my house,' she said. 'Real evil, dark, weird stuff.' Lucas was previously seen in other interrogation footage making wild claims about technology 'manipulating' her children through video games, WiFi and YouTube. Tiffanie Ann Katherine Lucas, 32, who was convicted of murdering her two sons, claimed that her 'sugar daddy' manipulated her and drove her to commit the slayings, interrogation footage (pictured) revealed Last month, Lucas pleaded guilty to the fatal shooting of her sons, Maurice 'Peanut' Baker Jr., 6, and his half brother, Jayden Howard, 9, in Shepherdsville, Kentucky in November 2023 The tragedy occurred on November 8, 2023, when Lucas' neighbor called 911 after she collapsed on their driveway, hysterically screaming that her children 'were dying'. Her neighbor had pulled into his driveway when he saw Lucas walking down the stairs of his porch screaming before she collapsed. The boys were discovered inside the home with gunshot wounds to the head, and Lucas' gun left on the bed. In the newly-released interrogation footage, Lucas claimed her 'sugar daddy' gave her the gun, but said that he never ordered her to use it on her sons. 'I feel like its not me,' she said. 'Im right with God, so its not me. Im not in my mind. Its not me. It just isnt.' She went on to describe herself as a 'really good mom' and a 'good woman', but refused to answer deputies' questions for details such as how many bullets she fired. 'I have no words,' she said. When Lucas was arrested at the scene, she said she was 'so stupid', claimed the shooting was an accident, and said that she wasn't in a 'good spot' Lucas said in rambling answers that she was a 'really good mom' and a 'good woman', and repeatedly insisted she was 'manipulated' into the killings Relatives called for Lucas to receive the death penalty, however she was handed consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty last month When Lucas was arrested at the scene, she claimed the shooting was an accident and that she wasn't in a 'good spot.' 'I'm so stupid,' she added. 'I would never do anything like this unless someone manipulated me.' The boys were taken to a hospital in Louisville, and ultimately died from their wounds. Bullitt County detective Richard Beahl testified that Lucas 'made statements that she was being manipulated through Facebook, through the internet or through Wi-Fi... into doing what she did.' In footage also revealed this week by Law and Crime, in Lucas' interrogation she continued making bizarre statements about being manipulated by the internet. 'I love my boys so much,' she said. 'I wouldn't have hurt them but I just felt like I was letting them play the video games and I wasn't like focusing how I was supposed to, you know?' Even though Lucas was the only other person in the house when the boys were shot, she claimed that she 'would never do something like this unless someone manipulated me' The tragedy occurred on November 8, 2023, when Lucas' neighbor called 911 after Lucas collapsed on their driveway (pictured), hysterically screaming that her children 'were dying' She then blamed her evil act on wild theories about technology 'manipulating' her children through video games, WiFi and YouTube. 'Video games and the YouTube and the kids, it just messes their minds up to where people can manipulate their parents or do whatever they want. 'I feel like someone put something upon my house or me or something. I just don't feel right. I don't do this. I love my kids.' Lucas displayed what appeared to be a lack of remorse and instead fixated on a deputy's finger movements during questioning. 'I'm watching you on camera move your fingers several times,' she told an officer in the video. 'You just keep moving them. Stop. I'm watching. It's not right.' 'I know I look crazy, but I'm not crazy,' Lucas told detectives in a rambling interview just hours after allegedly killing her own children. After the deputy left the room, Lucas reportedly admitted to firing four shots in 30 seconds, insisting the shooting 'was an accident,' according to the outlet. Lucas tried several wild theories about why she killed her sons, including saying technology 'manipulating' her children through video games, WiFi and YouTube She said she was 'manipulated through Facebook, through the internet or through Wi-Fi [] into doing what she did.' On Facebook, Lucas would often post heavily edited photos of herself and her two boys. 'I love my babies everyday of the year, I will always use any excuse to celebrate them and show them how special they are,' she wrote on Valentine's Day 2022. In another post, she proclaimed: 'I love my kings different and that's why Jayden & Peanut are different types of children. They are GOD SENT & every wrong I have ever done or any hurt I have ever caused I am so focused on correcting and loving them longer and deeper.' She continued: 'I can not guarantee a lot of things in life BUT I can guarantee the mother I will always be, the love I will always share, and the best I can ever give and do will be PROMISED to you my love, Jayden & Peanut!' Lucas seen in court, where she initially attempted to plead not guilty by reason of insanity before later pleading guilty Michelle Rice, who was a stepmother to Maurice, said she was devastated by the shootings and demanded that Lucas should be put to death. Rice said that the smiling pictures were nothing more than an act designed to fool others that she was 'normal'. 'A lot of people see the social media side of her but it's not really how she was off camera. In her personal relationships you would see her the crazy side of her,' Rice explained. 'She did things because she wanted people to see her as a certain way but that's not really how she was. That's just how she wanted to be seen on social media. 'Nobody knew of her drug issues. She never had a job. She never worked. Things like that. The boys were taken from her previously when they were smaller because of drugs.' In court, Lucas' lawyers played a video revealing footage of her and her two sons at a waffle house the day before the brutal murder, showing her seemingly unstable mental state. Waffle house staff recalled her acting like she was in her 'own world' and couldn't comprehend what was going on, as reported by WLKY. She also reportedly asked a neighbor for help and told them that God was 'talking to her.' 'You need me?' the neighbor asked. 'I need an anchor. I need a good friend. I need a good person in my life,' Lucas replied. Lucas did not receive the death penalty, but was handed two consecutive life terms in prison. Wild CCTV has captured brazen thieves cutting a trail of destruction and stealing a safe during an early morning ram raid on a Melbourne shopping centre on Saturday. Victoria Police have launched a manhunt for two people dressed head to toe in black who were caught on camera damaging seven businesses in the dawn incident. The stolen white SUV crashed through the front door of the Canterbury Road shopping centre at Forest Hill at about 5am. In the two minute, 16 second CCTV footage released by Victoria Police, the 4WD can be seen backing up to the entrance, before sharply accelerating, bursting through the doors and sending the glass panels flying. Another thief follows the car through the entrance before the vehicle flies into a shopfront, causing lights and panelling to fall down. The 4WD then backs into a kiosk in the middle of the centre, crumpling its bumper bar and destroying its headlights. The thieves fled in an unknown direction after stealing a safe The thieves damaged a kiosk during the incident The thieves then struggle to load a safe into the back of the 4WD before driving out the front door, causing more damage as they exit. Victoria Police said the people involved caused 'significant damage' and fled in an unknown direction. No one was harmed during the incident. 'Detectives have released CCTV footage in the hope someone who was in the vicinity at the time may be able to recognise those involved,' Victoria Police said in a statement. 'Any witnesses, anyone with vision or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or anonymously at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.' A dentist accused of killing his wife by poisoning her protein shakes with her eye drops has been accused of trying to get a fellow inmate in jail to kill a detective investigating the murder case. James Craig is facing two new charges against him - solicitation to commit murder as well as solicitation to commit perjury. The charging document does not say who Craig allegedly wanted to have killed but a spokesperson for Aurora police, Joe Moylan, confirmed that the alleged intended victim was an Aurora police detective. A judge allowed Craig's latest lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, to withdraw from the case last week on November 21 after he cited a professional conflict, just as Craig was about to stand trial for first-degree murder in the death of wife Angela Craig. Prosecutors filed the two new charges the following day. Craig's trial has now been delayed indefinitely. Craig, who has pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to appear in court with a new lawyer on December 16. Craig was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder in March 2023 for allegedly dosing his wife, Angela, with a fatal dose of potassium cyanide, resulting in her death. Angela Craig, 43, died in March 2023 of poisoning from cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, the latter a substance found in over-the-counter eye drops, according to the coroner. The couple had been married for 23 years and had six children together. James and Angela Craig pose for a family picture with their six children Earlier this year he was charged with felony count of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence after it was revealed that Craig tried to persuade one of his daughters to dispose of key evidence in the case against him James Craig was arrested for murder after detectives discovered his wife Angela Craig, 43, had been fatally poisoned Craig was also previously charged with smuggling a letter out of jail with an inmate bonded out by one of his adult daughters. It asked her to make a fake video of Angela Craig asking Craig to get poisons for her, according to prosecutors. For that he was charged with felony count of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence after the plot involving his daughter was revealed. He is also accused of asking another inmate to plant forged journal entries at the Craig home suggesting that Angela Craig killed herself. Aurora Police Detective Bobbi Olson, the lead detective on the case, said that she spoke with an inmate who was imprisoned in a cell near Craig. She told the judge and court that Craig reportedly told the inmate about his charges and asked them to place letters in his garage and truck at his home. Olson testified that the letters were allegedly written from inside the prison and meant to appear as his deceased wife had written them. According to the detective, the letters were meant to show that Angela was not happy with her life, felt suicidal and was aware about her husband's affair. Angela and James were married for more than 20 years. Her social media pages are littered with pictures of them together smiling Craig's mistress was uncovered as Texan orthodontist Dr. Karin Cain, 49, She testified that the entire point of those letters being written and spread across the house was so that law enforcement or defense attorneys could find them letters. Olson also told the court that the accused murderer had offered the inmate free dental work or money in exchange for scattering the letters across his house. However, the inmate declined and did not take up the offer, instead contacted the authorities. Craig's original defense team pointed out that the inmate only contacted authorities after an initial hearing to review the evidence in the case, which was widely covered by the media. Prosecutors also allege Craig tried a more elaborate and convoluted approach to put the blame on his wife. In court documents, they said he asked another former fellow inmate to find attractive women who would agree to testify at his trial that they had affairs with him and, after Angela Craig found out, they had refused to help her frame him. Police have described Craig's alleged plot a 'heinous, complex and calculated murder.' In a preliminary hearing last year, a prosecutor said that shortly after Craig started an affair, his online search history included the phrases: 'how to make murder look like a heart attack' and 'is arsenic detectable in an autopsy?' According to the arrest warrant, their marriage had been strained for years with Craig having multiple affairs and Angela repeatedly saying she wanted to leave her husband. His defense attorneys claimed that there was no direct evidence showing he had put the fatal dose of poison in his wife's drink and claimed Craig had been searching online for ways to take his own life. Craig was arrested in Aurora, Colorado after his wife began feeling unwell after drinking a shake that her husband made her on March 6. The mother of six visited the hospital multiple times over the following ten days and complained of nausea and dizziness. According to the charging documents, Craig had researched poison on his office computer Text messages Craig exchanged with Angela while she was in hospital fighting for her life On March 15, her brother took her to the hospital again where she had a seizure and lost brain function. While his wife was in hospital, Craig's mistress - who was uncovered to be 49-year-old Texan orthodontist Karin Cain - flew to Colorado to be with him between March 8 and March 10. The husband and wife exchanged text messages throughout her hospital visits revealing that Craig had drugged Angela before and she was becoming suspicious of him as her condition worsened. 'Are you nauseous?' he asked his wife. 'No. I feel drugged,' she replied. 'Given our history, I know that must be triggering. Just for the record, I didn't drug you. I am super worried though. You really looked pale before I left.' Prosecutors allege that Craig first gave his wife the poison on March 6, in a shake he mixed before their workout. According to the charging documents, Craig had researched poison on his office computer. Search terms included: 'how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human'; 'Is Arsenic Detectable in Autopsy'; 'Top 5 Undetectable Poisons That Show No Signs of Foul Play'; 'how to make poison,' and 'The Top 10 Deadliest Plants (They Can Kill You).' Angela Craig was taken to the hospital on March 15. She died on March 19, after four days on life support Craig's mistress was uncovered as Texan orthodontist Karin Cain, 49. Pictures obtained exclusively by Dailymail.com show her in medical scrubs and a pair of sneakers The text exchanges throughout Angela's hospital visits show Craig sending declarations of love. At one point he apologized for not bringing her flowers in hospital, and said he was looking forward to her returning home and to the marital bed. 'I love you. It was so nice hanging out with you and just watching a show and snuggling,' he wrote on March 7 - the day after he allegedly administered the poison. He tells her: 'I'm planning on coming home to eat lunch with you though. 'I'll need to ask you what you're hungry for and bring it to you. I'm kinda feeling just a smoothie or something.' She tells him she's not hungry. While she wrestles with her nausea, headaches, exhaustion and vomiting, Craig texts her repeatedly, telling her he loves her and wants her to recover. 'I'm going to trust that you are just sleeping and not dead somewhere,' he says at one point, when she fails to reply to his text. He says he is 'heading home to make you some dinner.' On March 9, Angela is in hospital. As her symptoms worsen, Craig texts his wife: 'Man, baby, you've got to stop scaring me like this! I love you so much, and I'm not used to all of this excitement!' At the same time, prosecutors say, Craig's mistress was visiting him, having flown in from Austin, Texas. On March 10, with his mistress still in town, Craig texts his wife: 'I wish I could have stayed longer. I love you and am so glad you seem to be doing better.' On March 11, he tells his wife: 'I just work up dreaming about making love to you. I love you and I want you.' As she is discharged, he tells her: 'I can't WAIT to see you at home in my bed tomorrow!' She says she needs to stop vomiting before she can think about sex. Craig is meanwhile ordering more poison, with a delivery of cyanide dispatched on March 13. On March 14, she returned home, and accused her husband of trying to poison her, he told a confidant. Craig allegedly first gave his wife the poison on March 6, in a shake he mixed before their workout Craig told investigators Angela had been intentionally overdosing on opioids since had asked for a divorce in December 2022 Craig's internet history showed he placed an Amazon order for 'Arsenic Metal 99.9999% Crystalline Metalloid 10 grams for Element Collection' among other poisons he ordered online 'James told her when Angela was discharged she made accusations that James had poisoned her,' the charging documents state. 'Angela said something to James along the lines of "there are poisons they don't test for".' Back home, her condition dramatically worsened and she was readmitted on March 15, suffering a seizure and never regaining consciousness. Craig's mistress expressed wanting to comfort him on March 16, as Angela's condition worsened. 'I am sorry I am not a part of your world to be of more help to you and instead I am pulling you away,' she wrote. 'This is so hard. I want to be and do whatever I can to support and encourage you and I don't want to add to what has become an incredibly difficult time. 'I do want to give you any comfort I can but I do not feel it is right for me to mix in with those gathering to mourn Angela either and I do not want to meet your family as a friend and conceal what I feel for you.' Craig was reported to authorities by a coworker who became suspicious of his behavior and the poison deliveries. The dentist also refused to have an autopsy conducted on his wife, despite pleas from concerned friends who were worried the cause of death may be genetic and passed to her children. Craig had allegedly ordered the arsenic online on February 27 and received a package at home on March 4. The dentist's home and business were raided and police seized protein powders, shakers, a computer tablet, phones and two Ziploc bags with powdery substances Craig admitted to drugging Angela five or six years ago and referenced the incident in a text message to his wife while she is hospitalized His second package arrived at his work on March 13, which was discovered by an employee who opened the box and found a biohazard sticker on a canister marked 'Potassium Cyanide'. After googling the compound, she found that Angela's symptoms were similar to that of cyanide poisoning. She then heard Angela had been readmitted into hospital and told Craig's business partner of her discovery. He then told a nurse, during a visit to check up on her. The nurse called police, and her death was then investigated by Major Crimes Homicide Unit detectives who determined she was poisoned. Craig had told investigators that his wife had intentionally overdosing on opioids since he had asked for a divorce in 2022. The dentist's home and business were raided and police seized protein powders, shakers, a computer tablet, phones and two Ziploc bags with powdery substances. A data analysis of his devices revealed the chilling searches he had conducted online, including a $13 Amazon order for 'Arsenic Metal 99.9999% Crystalline Metalloid 10 grams for Element Collection.' Craig had arsenic delivered to the family's home in Aurora, Colorado, days before he allegedly poisoned her When police combed through his email account jimandwaffles@gmail.com they found additional purchases of poison, according to the affidavit. Mark Pray, 55, Angela's brother spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com and said he wanted to thank the Aurora detectives and the DA's office for their 'unwavering dedication for seeking justice' for his 'beloved sister's senseless murder.' 'The heinous actions of her killer have left a void in the lives of her children, our family, her countless friends, and the world, depriving us of Angie's love and light,' he said. According to Pray, 'This cowardly act, driven by self-absorption, is a stark reminder of the depths of human depravity. 'The recent revelation of evidence tampering serves as damning proof not only of his guilt in orchestrating Angie's torment and demise but also of his utter disregard for the well-being of those around him, including his own children.' Pray continued, 'He manipulates and exploits anyone and anything to evade accountability for his monstrous deeds. However, his reckoning is inevitable. Whether in this life or the next, justice will prevail, and he will face the consequences of his actions.' The couple had been married for more than 20 years and were parents to six children - five girls and a boy - aged between eight and 20. WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT A former childcare worker who performed and filmed 'abhorrent' sexual acts on young girls in his care for his own 'selfish reasons' had spent years hiding in plain sight while avoiding detection, a court has been told. Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, was sentenced to life in prison with a non parole period of 27 years in Brisbane District Court on Friday. Griffith previously pleaded guilty to all 307 charges related to the sexual abuse of children in his care while he worked in childcare in Queensland and in Italy, with some offences dating as far back to 2003. Those charges included 190 counts of indecent treatment of children, 67 counts of making child exploitation material, 28 counts of rape, 15 counts of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child, four counts of producing child exploitation material, one count of distributing child exploitation material, one count of possessing child exploitation material and one count of using a carriage service to access child pornography material. The vile and 'depraved' acts The court was told Griffith had targeted girls in his care aged two to seven while they slept or played with him while at their childcare centre. 'This was very serious offending in terms of length and scale,' Judge Paul Smith said in his sentencing remarks. 'The victims were very vulnerable and there was a significant breach of trust. Ashley Paul Griffith was sentenced to life in prison on Friday (pictured: a court sketch) 'People expect their children will be protected in childcare centres.' Griffith's offending spanned throughout his career in childcare, from 2003 up until his arrest in 2022. Griffith was arrested after Australian Federal Police found evidence he had filmed or photographed himself sexually abusing victims - all young girls - while he was working at childcare centres in Queensland. The court was told the police had discovered several videos online and were able to identify a blanket specifically sold to certain childcare centres in Queensland which led them to tracking down Griffith in 2022. Griffith was initially arrested and charged with two counts of making child exploitation material and one count of using a carriage service for child pornography material in August 2022. AFP officers later charged him with 1400 additional charges after more child abuse material was found on devices belonging to Griffith a year later. Griffith initially denied the allegations made against him but later helped police identify nearly 70 victims he'd filmed and photographed 'for selfish reasons' while working in multiple childcare centres. The court was told Griffith had meticulously categorised and labelled his videos, many which included him raping or performing sexual acts with the girls, on his computer. Griffith (pictured) was arrested after Australian Federal Police found evidence he had filmed or photographed himself sexually abusing victims - all young girls - while he was working at childcare centres in Queensland. Griffith had told police this was a way for him to easily find a video he wanted to watch. The court was told he would watch his own videos every few days for his own sexual gratification. How a monster went undetected In reality, the childcare worker so many families had entrusted with their children to keep them safe had breached their trust in the most abhorrent of ways. But what many parents are still coming to terms with is how was he able to get away with it for nearly 20 years. The court was told on Friday Griffith had sexually abused multiple innocent victims across many childcare centres he worked in. Prior to his sentencing, Griffith told a psychiatrist his desire to sexually assault young girls 'snowballed' as he was given more opportunities to get closer to his victims through his line of work. Ashley Griffith will not be eligible for parole until 2049 (pictured: a court sketch) The court was told Griffith had preferred girls aged between two and five years old 'because they were easier targets ... but he was attracted to children up to 12-13' years old. The court was told Griffith at times had deleted all of his videos and photographs because 'he hated himself for what he was doing' but then would download all of the child abuse material again. Griffith had confessed he'd moved regularly between jobs in order to avoid detection. However, on two occasions he was questioned by police and his employers after complaints were made about him, with one girl alleging he'd touched her inappropriately. The court was told that ultimately no charges were ever laid against Griffith until he was arrested in 2022. On one occasion, when a colleague of Griffith's was accused of sexually abusing a child at the centre they both worked, Griffith opted to write a letter to parents explaining that all staff were held to the highest of standards when it comes to children's safety. 'Please be advised we are taking this issue very seriously and are currently seeking legal advice to be considered,' Griffith said in his letter, the court was told. Parents of one of the victims tell the media they're outraged Ashley Paul Griffith's offending wasn't detected sooner (pictured: the family members cannot be identified for legal reasons) 'We want to reassure families that the safety of you and your family are of paramount importance to the centre and we take child protection extremely seriously. 'All employed staff undergo rigorous screening through the Blue Card system which include a police and criminal history check. 'All staff also undertake yearly training in child protection as mandated by legislation.' The court was told Griffith had later informed police he was the one who had been abusing the child and believed the girl had just gotten the staff members mixed up. Distraught parents seek answers The court was told many of the victims and their families were unaware of the abuse by Griffiths until the AFP contacted them asking them to identify the girls in his pictures. While the families are relieved 'justice has been served' and Griffiths won't be able to harm any more girls, many are left questioning how he was allowed to get away with his vile behaviour for so long. One father, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said he was upset so many childcare centres 'ignored the signs' and he believed they had failed their children. 'We hope the Department of Education thoroughly investigates these centres and holds those responsible accountable for their negligence,' he said. 'The community deserves to know that these people will never work with children again. 'There obviously needs to be changed to better protect children in care. 'We implore those in positions of power and influence to have the courage to enact the leanings from this tragedy to a systematic failure like this is never allowed to happen again.' Mother's plea to ensure children protect in childcare centres Another mother said she's been betrayed by the childcare centre she entrusted her daughter's safety with. 'Our centre was the one at the end there and there were so many victims and so many maintaining charges at our centre,' she said. 'It just really goes to show the level of negligence at our centre. 'There's a distrust in the system, there's a distrust in policies that are supposed to protect our kids. The mother of one of the victims says more needs to be done to protect children 'Most of all is the betrayal of when you send your kids somewhere and he's just been doing what he's done to your child and to find our retrospectively that he's looking at you and saying 'she's having a great day' and he's just been raping her. 'It's hard to separate the anger I feel at the child care centre and the anger I feel at him, they're very intertwined. 'The didn't prevent him from doing what he did. 'Our centre knew about it. They had the reports made so it's heartbreaking that in my opinion they were trying to cover their own reputation instead of the safety and wellbeing of these little girls who are going to have to live with this for the rest of their lives.' The mother said people need to listen and not be 'complacent anymore'. 'When an allegation is made it needs to be made so seriously,' she said. 'We were so lucky as parents, and it's a weird way to say, but every facet of his offending was caught on camera. 'What about those victims that it's not recorded. 'What about all those victims who speak up but hey don't get believed. 'For us it's been a path that's not been too challenging in that sense that we didn't have to justify anything or prove anything because he recorded everything. 'But there are other offenders out there and we need to believe people who come forward who say something.' A flight carrying 193 people was forced to make an emergency landing after the cabin failed to pressurise when engineers forgot to turn the system on before take off. The Boeing 737-8K5 took off from Manchester Airport for Kos, Greece, on 17 October 2023, but only got as far as northern Lincolnshire before the pilot was ordered to abort. Now a report into the incident has said that the aircraft flew for 43 minutes with a 'CABIN ALTITUDE' warning light flashing on the dashboard. Adding that the pilots both failed to spot the error during initial checks and did not follow protocols when alerted, which would have included dropping oxygen masks. The reason the cabin failed to pressurise was because engineers had failed to turn on the engine bleed air systems, which regulate cabin pressure, after the aircraft underwent routine maintenance. No one was injured in the incident however passenger were put at risk of hypoxia, according to Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). A flight carrying 193 people was forced to make an emergency landing after the cabin failed to pressurise when engineers forgot to turn the system on before take off The Boeing 737-8K5 took off from Manchester Airport for Kos, Greece , on 17 October 2023, but only got as far as northern Lincolnshire before the pilot was ordered to abort According to a report into the incident over Lincolnshire, external, the aircraft departed 'with the engine bleed air system off' because the switches had been 'incorrectly left off following maintenance activity' the night before. The switches were also not turned on during pre-flight checks. 'The after take-off checklist is designed to trap the latter omission, but the incorrect switch selection went undetected by the crew,' the report said. MailOnline has contacted TUI for comment. Shockingly just three days later the same aircraft suffered 'catastrophic failure' and skidded off the runway at Leeds airport during storm Babet. The flight, that was carrying over 200 passengers from Corfu was attempting to land at the airport in strong winds when the it slipped off the tarmac and was left stranded on the grass. A Boeing aircraft suffered 'catastrophic failure' skidded off the runway in a crash at Leeds airport during storm Babet in October 2023. Pictured: Dramatic photos show the TUI aircraft lying to the side of the runway at Leeds Bradford Airport Following investigations, the AAIB found there were 'no mechanical impediment' to prevent the jet taking off from the runway The crew had attempted to regain control of the plane as the aircraft edged towards the outskirts of the runway, but they were unable to bring it under control. The plane left the runway at a ground speed of around 63mph, coming to a stop six seconds later in muddy ground, approximately 500ft beyond the taxiway. Following investigations, the AAIB found there were 'no mechanical impediment' to prevent the jet taking off from the runway earlier, but that the crew's job was made significantly more difficult by 'nosewheel juddering'. 'There was no mechanical defect identified by the investigation which would have prevented the crew from applying the additional right rudder that was available to keep the aircraft on the runway,' the AAIB said. 'However, the crew's actions may have been influenced by the nosewheel juddering'. This is the shocking moment a dog owner was caught kicking and whipping his pet dog - before turning on his neighbour trying to get justice. Lee Archer can be seen on doorbell footage lashing out and hitting the dog causing it to yelp. A distraught neighbour, who asked to be anonymous, says she fears for her safety after reporting the incidents of violence to Devon and Cornwall Police and the RSPCA. The owner, a pet owner herself, called Archer a 'horrible person' and said the sounds coming from the flat and the footage caught on video makes her 'feel sick'. In the video, Mr Archer is seen walking his Staffordshire bull terrier-looking dog and randomly kicking it as it looks visibly afraid. In one of the clips, the animal is walking along the ground when he whips it with the lead for seemingly no reason causing it to cower to the ground before kicking the dog causing it to yelp. To make matters worse, in another section of the footage, after the neighbour started sharing the videos to a community group on Facebook, Mr Archer starts to target her calling her a 'slag' and making other vile comments directly to the doorbell camera. Lee Archer, pictured, can be seen on doorbell footage lashing out and hitting the dog causing it to yelp She said that even her dog has become reserved and scared from hearing incidents of violence in the neighbouring flat. On one occasion, on October 1, she said things were so bad she called 999 after hearing the pet 'scream'. 'I'd never heard anything like it', she said. A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said it attended this particular incident at around 11.40pm but the dog appeared fine so officers left. The RSPCA won't comment on individual cases but the neighbour has confirmed she's reported multiple instances and has a case reference number but the dog remains in Archer's care. About the time she heard the dog scream, the neighbour said: 'It was awful and I was a state down the phone. It's horrible and I hear it all the time. It's disgusting.' After the videos were released, a former friend of Mr Archer was so disgusted that she contacted him to ask him why he would hurt his dog like that. Trying to justify his actions, he replied in a single message to her saying he only hurts his pet 'if he's being a buttmunch'. The owner also said the dog has a 'good life compared to most dogs out there' and that he 'eats like a king'. However, the videos show the dog appearing well-behaved and following its owner's leads before being abused. Responding to the now public footage there has been an outpouring of anger and upset in the area with people remarking that the dog looks 'scared of him' and should have been seized already. In the video, Mr Archer is seen walking his Staffordshire bull terrier-looking dog and randomly kicking it as it looks visibly afraid After the videos were released, a former friend of Mr Archer was so disgusted that she contacted him to ask him why he would hurt his dog like that The neighbour, having lived on her property for 13 years, says Mr Archer moved to the property just over a year ago with his father. 'After the first RSPCA visit I got a lot of abuse through the floor and my dog hid in such a state,' she said. An RSPCA spokesperson said: 'We are so grateful to people who report suspected animal suffering to us and we would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare. 'Unfortunately, we are unable to discuss complaints about specific people and what action may have been taken. We understand how frustrating that is for animal lovers but releasing information could prejudice a future prosecution or could lead to us being fined. 'We would urge anyone who is able to give an eye-witness account of the incidents described to contact our appeals line on 0300 123 8018 quoting reference 01395107.' A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: 'Police were called to Timber Close, St Austell at around 11.40pm on Tuesday 1 October following reports of a male beating a dog. Officers attended the address and checked on the welfare of the dog which appeared fine.' CornwallLive has contacted Lee Archer but received no response. Deutsche Lufthansa has secured final European Union approval for its acquisition of ITA Airways following the acceptance of proposed concessions. The agreement involves strategic slot allocations, with easyJet receiving new opportunities for short-haul routes from Rome and Milan, particularly at Linate airport. Meanwhile, International Airlines Group and Air France-KLM will benefit from long-haul concessions. This development marks the completion of regulatory requirements for the transactions Brussels approval, representing a significant milestone in Lufthansas expansion strategy. Market Response and Share Performance The markets reaction to the acquisition approval has been subdued, with Lufthansas stock experiencing a marginal decline of 0.2 percent to 6.30. Despite this landmark deal, the airlines shares remain significantly below their 52-week peak of 8.59. However, market Analysts maintain an optimistic outlook, projecting a median price target of 7.26. Recent financial performance indicators show a slight earnings decline, with earnings per share dropping from 1.00 to 0.92 compared to the previous quarter, reflecting ongoing industry challenges. Ad Deutsche Lufthansa Stock: New Analysis 01 December Fresh Deutsche Lufthansa information released. Whats the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated Deutsche Lufthansa analysis Deutsche Lufthansa has secured final European Union approval for its acquisition of ITA Airways following the acceptance of proposed concessions. The agreement involves strategic slot allocations, with easyJet receiving new opportunities for short-haul routes from Rome and Milan, particularly at Linate airport. Meanwhile, International Airlines Group and Air France-KLM will benefit from long-haul concessions. This development marks the completion of regulatory requirements for the transactions Brussels approval, representing a significant milestone in Lufthansas expansion strategy. Market Response and Share Performance The markets reaction to the acquisition approval has been subdued, with Lufthansas stock experiencing a marginal decline of 0.2 percent to 6.30. Despite this landmark deal, the airlines shares remain significantly below their 52-week peak of 8.59. However, market Analysts maintain an optimistic outlook, projecting a median price target of 7.26. Recent financial performance indicators show a slight earnings decline, with earnings per share dropping from 1.00 to 0.92 compared to the previous quarter, reflecting ongoing industry challenges. Ad Fresh Deutsche Lufthansa information released. Whats the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. A 36-year-old man allegedly caught attempting to deposit $1 million of dirty money in a Brisbane bank has been re-arrested at Sydney airport. The man was referred to the Australian Federal Police by ANZ Bank's financial crime team in October, prompting the force to launch an investigation into alleged money laundering. An AFP spokesman said in the subsequent months four men have been charged with dealing with the proceeds of crime, with investigators to allege in court they were part of a syndicate that laundered more than $10 million. 'The syndicate is suspected of co-ordinating the collection of criminal proceeds through 'dead drops' of cash,' the spokesman said. 'The cash would be deposited into online banking accounts linked to the syndicate, then swiftly transferred into cryptocurrency.' Police will allege the group has links to Sydney-based Korean and Middle Eastern organised crime figures. The 36-year-old man was arrested in Brisbane in October, after allegedly attempting to deposit $1m into a bank, and charged with dealing with money believed to be proceeds of crime. A 36-year-old man who was allegedly caught attempting to deposit $1 million of dirty money in a Brisbane bank was re-arrested and frogmarched through Sydney airport (pictured) Police allege the man attempted to deposit $1 million at an ANZ branch in Brisbane (pictured) He released on bail to appear in a Brisbane court on December 6. According to the AFP, the same man was re-arrested at Sydney airport on Tuesday and charged with one count of recklessly dealing in proceeds of crime worth $1 million or more. Two men, aged 51 and 38, were arrested on November 17 as officers raided five properties in Milsons Point, Concord, Strathfield and Rhodes in Sydney. Cash counting machines, two luxury watches, cash deposit receipts, electronic devices and cigarette manufacturing equipment were seized. The fourth man, 34, was arrested days later on November 25. Each of the men were remanded in custody on a charge of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime worth $1 million or more. Detective Acting Superintendent Luke Needham said the arrests showed the AFP was 'relentless' in pursuing those allegedly responsible for laundering dirty money through Australian financial systems. 'This criminal activity is not only bankrolling high-flying lifestyles, but it is often funding future criminal activity by offshore and Australian syndicates,' he said. Luxury watches were seized. Picture: Supplied/ Australian Federal Police. 'The dedicated work of Taskforce Avarus means those who engage in money laundering and financial crime should be aware the AFP is working to track them down and prosecute to the full extent of the law.' ANZ's Head of Financial Crime Threat Management Milan Gigovic said the bank was committed to safeguarding the financial system from criminal exploitation. 'With zero tolerance for criminal activity, we leverage analytics to proactively work with law enforcement and government partners to disrupt and prevent financial crime, while supporting investigations, prosecutions and the recovery of illicit assets,' he said. The four men will appear in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on January 15. The FBI has issued an urgent 'scam' warning to Black Friday shoppers after a report revealed 'telltale' signs of a cyber attack. Millions of shoppers will be looking to bag a bargain this Black Friday, whether online or on the high street. As many as one in three people will be shopping for deals in the Black Friday sales, with customers in the UK predicted to spend an eye-watering 233,300 per minute. However, fraud experts are warning that shoppers using Safari, Chrome and Edge could have their financial information snatched. The FBI has advised that you should carefully check the URL of whatever website you are on to ensure it is 'legitimate and secure', Forbes report. Websites should have the 'telltale' secure connection padlock in the address bar and https at the beginning of the full address. If the website is not secure to the URL, this means it is not obviously right and you should move on. Millions of shoppers will be looking to bag a bargain this Black Friday, whether online or on the high street People stand near Black Friday signage in shop windows during Black Friday on Oxford Street in London The FBI has advised that you should carefully check the URL of whatever website you are on to ensure it is 'legitimate and secure'. File image Other advice suggests that you do not buy from a website until you have checked online available reviews. For sellers on auction sites, you also need to make sure they have a lot of feedback and ratings. Next, you should not buy from sellers 'who act as authorized dealers or factory reps of popular items in countries where there would be no such deals'. The FBI also warns that you should not buy from websites that specify unusual shipping arrangements that bypasses customers checks or fees. Lastly, it is being advised that you should not buy with pre-paid gift cards. The FBI explains: 'In these scams, a seller will ask you to send them a gift card number and PIN. Instead of using that gift card for your payment, the scammer will steal the funds, and you'll never receive your item.' Earlier this week, risk analysts at fraud prevention firm LexisNexis Risk Solutions said customers should be 'extra vigilant' as the Black Friday bonanza gets under way. The firm warned that fraudsters often use sophisticated bots to test stolen login credentials at high speed and on multiple websites at once. Nationwide Building Society also reported that 'card not present' fraud is the building society's most common fraud this year, accounting for nearly a quarter of all fraud cases in 2024. More than 42million was lost to purchase fraud in the first half of 2024 with 375 cases every single day, according to trade body UK Finance. Cash-strapped Aussies could be entitled to a slice of $2.3bn worth of 'unclaimed money' through financial institutions across the country. The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) revealed the massive figure has gone unclaimed through bank accounts, shares, investments and life insurance policies. 'This can happen when people change address or go overseas and forget to update their details with a financial institution or company,' the ASIC website states. 'Or people may be unaware there is money to which they have a rightful claim.' It takes seven years of a bank account or life insurance policy being inactive to deem it as unclaimed, however there is no time limit on people claiming the cash and interest is paid for money unclaimed since July 2013. ASIC receives the unclaimed money before transferring it over to the Commonwealth of Australia Consolidated Revenue Fund. Australians can claim the cash by using the unclaimed money search on ASIC's Moneysmart website, or by checking the Australian Taxation Office, state government or Services Australia. NSW residents can also check Revenue NSW, while those in Victoria can give the State Revenue Office a go. Cash-strapped Aussies could be entitled to a slice of $2.3bn worth of 'unclaimed money' through financial institutions across the country (stock image) Australians can claim the cash by using the unclaimed money search on ASIC's Moneysmart website, or by checking the Australian Taxation Office, state government or Services Australia Those in Queensland can look to the Queensland Public Trustee, while those in the Australian Capital Territory can use the Public Trustee and Guardian. Western Australians, South Australians and Tasmanians can check their respective Department of Treasury and Finance, while those in the Northern Territory can check the Territory Revenue Office, the Department of Treasury and Finance and the Public Trustee, according to 9 News. TV broadcaster Alastair Stewart has revealed he can no longer tie as the 72-year-old battles dementia. Mr Stewart announced he was diagnosed with early-onset vascular dementia in September 2023 and has since spoken of how the disease has affected him. The longest-serving male newsreader on British television said that after seeing his GP a scan revealed he had had a series of 'minor strokes that are called infarct strokes', which led to his diagnosis. He began his career at ITV's Southern Television in Southampton in 1976 and later joined ITN in 1980. He left ITV in 2020 and the following year joined GB News, stepping away in early 2023 when he was diagnosed with dementia. 'I've covered the Gulf War and run the very first television Leaders' debate, but now I can't tie my own shoelaces or choose my own shirt. 'But there's no point feeling self-indulgent about it. I won't condemn myself to an awful life in the short term,' he told The Telegraph. Alastair Stewart announced he was diagnosed with early-onset vascular dementia in September 2023 and has since spoken of how the disease has affected him It's Mr Stewart's reliance on his wife, Sally, both pictured, that he finds the hardest about the new stage of life, describing it as 'demeaning' and 'soul-destroying' The 72-year-old said following his diagnosis he was told by a psychologist to at the end of each day to think back and find three things that made him happy. He confesses this always involves being with his grandchildren, describing them as his 'medicine'. He spends most of his time now at home in Hampshire set on 26 acres of farmland with his wife Sally. With them are their two rescue dogs and outside are his ex ducks, four chickens, two donkeys, a tortoise, a cat a horse and a Shetland pony. His career first started at Southern Television in Southampton where the two met, and where she was a production assistant. Mrs Stewart remembers him being 'very cocky' and he wore sweaters hand-knitted by his mother, white plastic shoes and flares. With his career at ITN came long absences while he was away for work. Binge drinking led to a driving ban and a very unhealthy workplace culture at ITN. Looking back at his career, his professional highs include covering the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first Gulf War, royal weddings, the late Queen's funeral and King Charles' coronation for GB News. Mr Stewart had witnessed first hand the impact Alzheimer's has on a person with his dad dying with the condition in a care home. He had worried about the condition, with his wife describing him as a 'panicker' and a 'fusser'. He had already gone to the GP about it five years later and was told not worry. He said he first started feeling discombobulated in the latter part of 2022, when he couldn't tie his laces or couldn't knot his tie and his appearance started to become messy or not being able to tell the time on an analogue clock. He suffered with high blood pressure, a smoker for more than 50 years and stressful periods with ITV News. He spends most of his time now at home in Hampshire set on 26 acres of farmland with his wife Sally. With them are their two rescue dogs and outside are his ex ducks, four chickens, two donkeys, a tortoise, a cat a horse and a Shetland pony, pictured An MRI scan revealed a series of small strokes, called infarct strokes, which had caused vascular dementia which he admits caused him 'terror'. But now he admits his wife, who herself was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer herself, has now become his carer, saying: 'Without Sal, I'd be finished.' Fortunately for them, she has begun treatment and hopes this will be taken care of. It's his reliance on her that he finds the hardest about the new stage of life, describing it as 'demeaning' and 'soul-destroying' adding: 'She is a beautiful, intelligent woman. I hate reducing her role in life to being my carer.' Mrs Stewart said both of them had lost their independence but added: 'But you have to keep going, don't you? For him and also for our children.' Since opening up about his condition, Mr Stewart has now been a spokesperson for the charity Alzheimer's Research UK in his view 'delusion is not a good medication' and says they want to 'give others the confidence to get through what we have had to go through together'. He appealed: 'Dont ignore it. Go to your GP. And if youve got it, dont be "Johnny-bollocks-brave" about it. Go and talk to somebody.' TV presenter Rav Wilding has said he was not aware of the sex abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al-Fayed while he worked at the store - after a documentary featuring him praising the ex-Harrods boss was repeated on Channel 5 last night. Inside Harrods at Christmas, a 2019 documentary made before the allegations about Al-Fayed came to light, features the Morning Live presenter praising Al Fayed as 'absolutely great to work for'. Viewers reacted with horror to the Channel 5 repeat, with one accusing programme controllers of 'falling asleep at the wheel' in choosing to air the fawning documentary two days after police said the businessman may have abused more than 100 women. After being contacted by MailOnline, Channel 5 pulled the programme from the My5 streaming service and said it would never be shown again. Rav worked at Harrods as a security guard for a period at least six months in 1999 after he left the Army following a serious leg injury. He said in the programme that Al Fayed 'Mohamed Al-Fayed was known as 'The Chairman'. 'He was the boss, he was in charge, and he was absolutely great to work for.' But the 47-year-old told MailOnline today he had not been informed the programme was set to be repeated - and has sought to distance himself from the programme, saying it should never air again. Channel 5 has been criticised after airing a documentary about Harrods that praises Mohamed Al Fayed's tenure at the department store Former Harrods security guard turned TV presenter Rav Wilding told the programme he thought Al-Fayed was 'great to work for' - but has now distanced himself from his comments The programme, which first aired in 2019, was repeated last night unedited from the original - and as of this morning was available to view on the My5 streaming service However, Channel 5 pulled the programme from its on-demand service after being contacted by MailOnline. My5 now shows a message reading: 'We no longer have the rights to show this content' Harrods pictured earlier this week after being given its annual Christmas makeover. The store's owners say it is a 'very different organisation' than it was under Al Fayed and is supporting those who say they were victims of abuse In a statement on Saturday, which does not identify Al-Fayed by name, Rav said: 'I worked at Harrods on the security team for six months in 1999. 'I never witnessed any of the abhorrent behaviour nor was I aware of any allegations of sexual abuse or offences until the recent BBC documentary and allegations came to light. 'I am pleased that the matter is being investigated by the police and I had no idea, nor was I notified that this old documentary would be repeated last night. 'It should not be shown or be available to view ever again.' Biographies of Wilding say he joined Harrods for nine months. He then joined the Metropolitan Police before embarking on a career in television, appearing in a reality show before becoming a Crimewatch presenter. He quit the Met in 2008. Channel 5 viewers have blasted the channel after it decided to air the uncritical programme in the wake of the allegations against Al-Fayed, who died in August last year. The last third of the programme praised the alleged sex predator, describing him as the 'Egyptian flamboyant businessman' who overhauled the department store's approach to the festive period to huge financial success. Staff told the programme of their fondness for al Fayed in the apparently unedited programme - horrifying viewers who now know of the allegations that al Fayed raped and sexually abused more than 100 women and girls. One viewer on X, formerly Twitter, quoting the programme, said: 'Al Fayed 'was absolutely great to work for'. Seriously Channel 5, don't you have any thought for the women he raped and abused? An absolutely appalling decision to air this programme about Harrods.' Another wrote: 'Channel 5 is currently showing a bleary-eyed piece called Inside Harrods at Christmas. A male employee has just said what s wonderful employer Mohamed Al Fayed was. Someone asleep at the wheel at C5?' The programme also features former Harrods public relations chief Michael Cole (pictured), who has said via his wife he knew nothing of the abuse allegations Channel 5 has been lampooned by viewers for airing the fawning documentary in the wake of the allegations against Al Fayed (pictured in archive footage in the programme) Viewers were highly critical of the decision to broadcast the programme in an unedited form '@channel5_tv really should not be reshowing a documentary about Harrods at Christmas, extolling Al Fayed, at a time when the horrifying extent of his abuse has been further revealed,' said a third. And one viewer asked: 'Did no-one think it might need an edit for 2024 broadcast?' The fawning documentary, which was available on the My5 streaming service until today, spends a large part of its last 15 minutes - a third of its runtime - looking back at Al Fayed's time as boss of the store. The 'flamboyant Egyptian businessman' was 'breathing new life into the store at Christmas' by introducing limited edition annual teddy bears to its range, the documentary said. 'Business thrived under al Fayed's ownership,' the narrator says, adding that despite Harrods being sold to the Qatari royal family for 1.5billion, 'Al Fayed's commitment to the festive season remains.' A Channel 5 spokesperson told MailOnline today: 'This episode is a repeat and was played out in error. It will not be repeated further or appear on My5. We apologise for any offence caused.' The documentary features a number of talking heads, including former head of public affairs Michael Cole. Mr Cole's wife told MailOnline in September he knew nothing of the allegations against al Fayed. Jane Cole, 82, said of Michael: 'He isn't around. He's not giving any interviews or talking at the moment. 'It's all terribly distressing and very, very sad. We're very upset about it, and shocked and appalled. It's best at the moment that Harrods deal with it.' Asked if her husband had been aware of any of the rape or sex assault allegations during his time working for Fayed, she added: 'Of course not, of course not'. Channel 5 had been quick to act on removing programmes featuring MasterChef star Gregg Wallace from its schedule after he was accused of inappropriate behaviour by at least 13 women on Thursday. In a wry move, it had removed repeats of World's Biggest Christmas Market and Christmas In Lapland from its schedule, replacing them with a repeat of a a documentary about bakery chain Greggs. Rav Wilding worked for Harrods for between six and nine months before joining the Met Police - and now presents BBC's Morning Live (pictured) Early in his TV career he began presenting Crimewatch (seen here on the set of Crimewatch Live in 2022 alongside then-Duchess of Cornwall Camilla) Scotland Yard has launched a probe after identifying over five people who allegedly assisted Mohamed Al Fayed (pictured) in carrying out 'horrendous abuse' The Channel 5 repeat aired two days after the Metropolitan Police said it had launched a criminal investigation following the identification of five suspects who allegedly assisted Al Fayed in carrying out 'horrendous abuse'. The Met has received an explosion of sex attack claims from a total of 111 victims, with the youngest said to be aged just 13. By the time of his death last year police were already aware of allegations made by 21 women between 2005 and 2023, including four claims of rape, 16 sexual assaults and one related to trafficking. Fayed was arrested in 2013 over a rape allegation, but the billionaire tycoon was not charged with any offence before his death in 2023 aged 94. Since the BBC broadcast an investigation into the Egyptian businessman's behaviour in September, 150 people have come forward with information about alleged abuse, including 90 new victims taking the total to 111 complainants, officers said. Detectives are now investigating accusations of rape, sexual assault and trafficking spanning almost four decades, from 1977 to 2014. An internal Met review is also being carried out into how the force handled claims about Fayed while he was alive, amid allegations of corruption and reports that officers were taking bribes to allow him to continue persecuting Harrods staff. Scotland Yard is currently re-examining all previous investigations. In an indication of the staggering scale of the inquiry, officers have already looked at 50,000 pages of evidence. The Yard approached the Crown Prosecution Service on five occasions between 2005 and 2023 about Fayed, but in each case no charges were brought despite mounting concerns about predatory behaviour. Yesterday a Met spokesman said: 'We know that contact with and support for some victims at the time could have been improved. 'Only after completing this comprehensive review will we fully understand what could have been done differently.' Following complaints from two women about the quality of investigations conducted in 2008, the Met has also voluntarily referred these cases to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Al-Fayed was arrested in 2013 over a rape allegation, but the billionaire tycoon was not charged with any offence before his death in 2023 (Al-Fayed pictured here in 2005) The Met says more than 100 women may have been abused by Al-Fayed, and has referred two of its own investigations to watchdogs Earlier today, former Harrods director Jon Brilliant told the BBC Al-Fayed had sought to manipulate department store managers in order to conceal his own crimes, sacking those he could not control. Mr Brilliant claimed the businessman presided over a culture of secrecy that saw managers kept apart and handed money when they went on business trips - with the implication that Al-Fayed could then exert power over them if they ever turned on him. 'He was trying to get you to come back and say 'oh, I spent money on drugs or I spent money frolicking, doing something that I shouldn't have been doing,' and that he would then use that information against you if you should ever turn on him,' he said. He added: 'I am certainly aware of people who... succumbed to the temptation.' Harrods said it was 'utterly appalled' by the allegations of abuse, describing the late businessman as 'an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated'. 'We also acknowledge that during this time his victims were failed and for this we sincerely apologise,' the statement added. 'The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Fayed between 1985 and 2010, it is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do. 'This is why, since new information came to light in 2023 about historic allegations of sexual abuse by Fayed, it has been our priority to settle claims in the quickest way possible, avoiding lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved. This process is still available for any current or former Harrods employees. 'While we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organisation, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future.' The funeral of comedian Janey Godley has taken place in Glasgow, with former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon among the mourners. The service was held at St Mary's Cathedral in Glasgow today, and mourners could be seen wearing an array of colourful outfits, at Godley's request. Godley died at the age of 63 in November after receiving palliative treatment for terminal cancer. The comedian achieved viral fame by creating voiceover parodies of Ms Sturgeon's coronavirus news briefings during the pandemic, and they became friends. Opening the service, the vicar said she would be remembered with 'kindness and with love' and added that 'forgiveness' would be among the themes of the service. Godley's daughter Ashley Storrie spoke at the funeral, saying she would not be able to do any of her mother's jokes as she was in 'a house of god'. Storrie, 38, a comedian and radio presenter, said: 'My mum is very grateful to all of you who came out yesterday to Edinburgh and lined the Royal Mile and lifted your voices and song, and the people who've come today to remember her in the best way possible. 'My mum was very much a daughter of Glasgow, she loved her city dearly, it was her favourite place in the whole wide world. The coffin of Scottish comedian Janey Godley is carried out of St Mary's Cathedral in Glasgow following her funeral Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon is seen leaving following the funeral of the comedian A group of queer and trans nuns could be seen paying their respects to the comedian Janey Godley (pictured) passed away on November 2 following a battle with ovarian cancer 'The emblem of Glasgow is the tree that never grew, and the bell that never rang, and the bird that never flew, and the fish that never swam, and I think she took that as a challenge.' Gavin Mitchell, who played Bobby the barman in BBC sitcom Still Game, was also among the mourners on a dry but overcast day in Glasgow. A group of queer and trans nuns from the Sisters of perpetual Indulgence could also be seen paying their respects to the comedian. The funeral is being held on the same day as a memorial service for former first minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond, at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. Yesterday, mourners lined the cobbled streets of Edinburgh's Royal Mile today to bid farewell to Janey Godley after her death. Grieving fans packed out the Royal Mile as the star's hearse travelled through Edinburgh on its way to her funeral service. Fans looked sorrowful as they said their final goodbyes to the entertainer, while others celebrated her life by wearing T-shirts referencing her comedic work. In a post on social media, Godley's daughter Ashley Storrie explained her mother's hearse would pass through Edinburgh - her 'beloved Festival home' - before travelling 'home to Glasgow' today. Godley found viral fame with her dubbed pastiches of Nicola Sturgeon's coronavirus news briefings as well as other comic voiceovers during the pandemic Mourners pictured outside of St Mary's Cathedral in Glasgow after the funeral Godley found viral fame with her dubbed pastiches of Sturgeon's coronavirus news briefings A mourner holds the order of service for the funeral of Godley The coffin of the Scottish comedian is carried out of the church. On the side of the hearse, her signature catchphrase 'Frank, Get The Door!' can be seen Ashley Storrie (centre) is pictured in tears following the funeral of her mother In a statement following her passing, Chris Davis Management said: 'It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our client doctor Janey Godley on November 2. 'Janey died peacefully in the wonderful Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow surrounded by her loved ones. She will be hugely missed by her family, friends and her many fans. 'She will be remembered for her legendary voiceovers of Nicola Sturgeon during the pandemic, her hilarious and outspoken comedy, but most of all for just being Janey.' Taking to X, formerly Twitter, her daughter Ashley shared a heartfelt video telling fans of her mother's death. 'My mum Janey Godley died this morning at about 7. She was with friends and family and I wanted to tell you face to face because it felt very much what she would have wanted,' she said. 'She went peacefully and I want to say a big thank you to all the staff at the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice and a big thank you to mum's found family who were around her through these last horrible days. People lined the streets yesterday as Godley's hearse travelled through Edinburgh on its way to her funeral service in Glasgow Ashley Storrie, daughter of Scottish comedian Janey Godley, watched as the hearse carrying her mother travelled through Edinburgh Godley's daughter Ashley grieves as the hearse carrying her mother travelled through Edinburgh Comedian Godley's hearse was adorned with photos and flowers People wearing T-shirts featuring the catch-phrase 'Frank Get The Door!' line the streets yesterday In a post on social media, Godley's daughter Ashley said her mother's hearse would travel through Edinburgh - her 'beloved Festival home' - today before travelling 'home to Glasgow' Members of the public followed the hearse carrying Godley as it made it's way down Cockburn Street People looked visibly emotional as Godley's hearse passed through Edinburgh ahead of her funeral 'I want to thank all of you for your kindness and your support. I believe in my heart of hearts that she felt every bit of love you sent to her. I think it kept her going. We got her longer because of all the support and love.' She ended the video with a tearful sign off of 'bye ma'. Godley, who found viral fame with her dubbed pastiches of Sturgeon's coronavirus news briefings as well as other comic voiceovers during the pandemic, revealed she had ovarian cancer in November 2021. In 2022 the comedian was given the all-clear and said in a post to X that a scan showed 'no evidence of disease'. However, she later announced that another scan had shown signs of the disease in her abdomen but added that she would continue touring. But the gigs were cancelled in September of this year after she was treated in hospital for sepsis before learning her cancer had returned with added complications. Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage are unlikely political bedfellows, a pair for whom a variation on a famous line from Kipling might seem most apt: left is left and right is right, and never the twain shall meet. Yet there appears to be an undercurrent of camaraderie between the Labour prime minster and the Reform UK leader, as a jovial public exchange about the amount of time Farage spends Stateside earlier this month demonstrated. The trend continued in Parliament on Friday when, in a moment that piqued the curiosity of many observers, Starmer rose from the front bench and strode across the Commons floor as voting began on the assisted dying bill, making a beeline for Farage. Greeting his rival with a warm smile, the prime minister placed a hand on Farages arm before the pair engaged in a brief confab. David Davis, the Conservative MP with whom Farage was speaking before Starmer approached, promptly retreated, leaving the two party leaders to share a quick exchange of pleasantries before the conversation appeared to take a more serious turn. As voices murmured in the background, Farage leaned in to say something, his hands obscuring his lips, before Starmer replied and walked off with a thumbs up. Earlier this month, Starmer quipped during a parliamentary exchange that he was half expecting to see Farage on the immigration statistics - much to the amusement of his rival. Their latest exchange followed an emotional five-hour debate in the chamber that culminated with MPs backing a plan to legalise assisted dying in England Wales. Following a five-hour parliamentary debate on the assisted dying bill, Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage shared an exchange of pleasantries before the conversation turned more serious Before Starmer made his way across the House of Commons floor, Farage had been chatting with the Tory MP David Davis, who did not linger following the prime minister's arrival In a landmark vote that paves the way for legislative change, the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill was passed by a majority of 55 votes, with 330 voting in favour and 275 against. Under the terms of the law, which will now face further parliamentary scrutiny, terminally ill adults expected to die within six months would be free to seek help in ending their lives subject to the approval of two doctors and a high court judge. While Starmer threw his weight behind the proposals, which were put forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, Farage voted against as did Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, and Wes Streeting, the health secretary. We should all have the right to make the choices and decisions we want about our own bodies, said Leabeater. The proposed law would require a person to have been registered with a GP in England or Wales for a minimum of one year. The founder of an Australian news channel staffed exclusively by teenage journalists has responded to new laws which will ban children under the age of 16 from social media. Leo Puglisi, 17, has run the online news service 6 News since beginning his media career at age 11. In five years the site had grown to now broadcast hourly bulletins and boasts almost 30,000 subscribers on YouTube, alongside hundreds of thousands of followers across other social media platforms. Responding to the legislation passing parliament on Friday, Mr Puglisi said the ban 'seriously risks restricting creativity from our young people'. 'As Australia's only national streaming news channel run almost entirely by teenagers in high school, 6 News has been asked many times about what the government's under-16s social media ban means for us,' he said. 'Let's be clear: 6 News is not going away.' The Melbourne-based news boss said his online site had been built up by the very age group the laws would seek to ban when implemented at the end of 2025. 'Our team is made up of many young journalists - some still in high school, while others are preparing to enter university,' he said. Leo Puglisi (pictured), 17, who has run the online news service 6 News since beginning his media career at age 11, said the new social media ban for children under 16 'seriously risks restricting creativity from our young people' The ban, passed by Anthony Albanese's (pictured) government on Friday, will bar under-16s from being able to access social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) 'With the ban not coming into effect for at least 12 months, there's serious potential for a lot to change. 'But no matter what, we will still be here for you, bringing all ages trusted independent and impartial journalism.' The new laws come amid concern over the mental health impact of social media on young people. Under the legislation, social media companies will need to take steps to ensure under 16s cannot access their platforms, facing fines of up to $49.5 million for breaches. Parents or children who fail to comply will not face any penalties. The specifics of the age-verification process have yet to be confirmed, however Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has confirmed users will not have to hand over government issued ID to prove their age. A trial of methods to enforce it will start in January with the ban to take effect in late 2025. Critics have argued the ban would not improve children's mental health, instead isolating them from online communities and resources to get help. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese heralded the move as something that would encourage 'better outcomes and less harm for young Australians'. 'Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs,' he said. 'I've met with parents who have lost and buried a child, it's devastating. 'We can't, as a government, hear those messages from parents and say: 'It's too hard'. 'We have a responsibility to act, my government has done that.' A woman who was found dead alongside a man in a unit in a beachside Melbourne suburb has been identified. The body of Sandra Dobrila, 41 was discovered next to a 38-year-old man at a property on James Street in Mordialloc, in the city's south-east, at about 11am on Thursday. Police have launched a major homicide investigation following the grim discovery. Tributes have poured in for Ms Dobrila with many posting heartfelt messages online on Saturday night. One of Ms Dobrila's friends shared an emotional message through Australian Femicide Watch, an online page that documents women and children who have lost their lives to violence. 'She had the most beautiful aura about her, spreading love and kindness wherever she went,' the person said. 'Sandra was always the first to check on everyone around her, making sure they were OK. 'She was a beautiful, kind soul who didn't deserve what happened to her.' The body of Sandra Dobrila (pictured) was discovered next to a 38-year-old man at a property on James Street in Mordialloc, in Melbourne's south-east, around 11am on Thursday Ms Dobrila and the man, who is understood to be from St Kilda, were found in the open kitchen and dining area of the second story of the property, the Herald Sun reports. Victoria Police said an associate, who works with either the man or Ms Dobrila, reportedly went to conduct a welfare check at the property after they failed to show up for work. Ms Dobrila, who worked as a customer services manager for cooking oil firm EcoFry, is understood to have moved in to the property around a month ago. It remains unclear how the pair died. Detective Inspector Scott Dwyer previously revealed that the deceased were known to each other. Inspector Dwyer said the nature of the relationship is unclear and the investigation into the incident was 'complex'. He also didn't disclose whether police had seized any weapons or if there were any signs that weapons might have been used in the lead up to the incident. No-one has been arrested and Victoria Police previously stated in a statement that detectives are not looking for anyone else in relation to the matter at this stage. Shocked residents previously said they rushed outside after they heard someone screaming 'someone's been killed'. Police have launched a major homicide investigation following the grim discovery at the beachside suburb (pictured police and SES crews at the scene on Thursday) Neighbour Jade Lindsay said she heard a 'blood curdling scream' from a 'very distressed' woman, who had discovered the bodies. 'It was a really distressing, blood curdling scream that really scared me because it was so prolonged,' she said. Ms Lindsay said a man and a woman, believed to be in their 30s, were pacing up and down the pavement outside the home. She saw the man stop and put his head in his hands. Witnesses had earlier said they reportedly saw the pair arguing outside before the tragedy. Other witnesses claimed to have seen and heard a vehicle tearing away from the scene shortly after the pair are believed to have died. Detectives and forensic crews returned to the scene on Friday morning while a block of apartments remained cordoned off. Forensic and homicide detectives remained at the scene for most of Thursday. The area is home to several luxury properties that are located just minutes away from the popular Mordialloc Beach. A teenage house party in a luxury beachfront rental ended in disaster when a balcony carrying 40 people suddenly collapsed, leaving four needing hospital treatment. Dozens of teenagers were partying at a three-bedroom rental property in Vincentia, 200km south of Sydney, on Saturday night when a small balcony off the upstairs master bedroom gave way about 11.30pm. Emergency services raced to the property, where they discovered 40 people had been on the balcony when it collapsed. Four of the young partygoers - three females and one male - suffered leg and back injuries and were rushed to hospital. 'About 11.30pm on Saturday 30 November 2024, emergency services were called to a house on Elizabeth Drive at Vincentia, following reports of a balcony collapse,' a spokesperson for NSW Police said. 'Officers from South Coast Police District were told approximately 40 people all aged in their teens - were on the balcony when it collapsed. 'Four people three females and one male - were injured and were treated at the scene by Ambulance Paramedics for minor injuries and taken to hospital for further treatment.' Daily Mail Australia approached NSW Ambulance for comment. A listing for the rental property said it offers 'spectacular views of Jervis Bay' and the master bedroom has a 'private balcony with stair access to the backyard/beach'. Dozens of teenagers were partying at a three-bedroom rental property (pictured) in Vincentia, 200km south of Sydney , on Saturday night when a small balcony off the upstairs master bedroom gave way at 11.30pm Volkswagens stock is experiencing significant market pressure, with shares trading at 80.60, marking a substantial 37% decline from its 52-week high of 128.60. This downturn reflects the automakers mounting challenges in an increasingly competitive global landscape. The companys quarterly revenue of 78.48 billion shows early signs of strain, prompting an urgent need for comprehensive efficiency improvements. Adding to these concerns, the announcement of upcoming warning strikes by labor unions at six German facilities, affecting approximately 120,000 workers, has further intensified market uncertainties. The automotive giant faces the dual challenge of reducing domestic operational costs while confronting intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers and managing a slower-than-anticipated transition to electric vehicles. Strategic Shifts in Asian Markets In response to these challenges, Volkswagen is implementing strategic changes in its Asian operations, notably divesting its production facilities in the Xinjiang region to state-owned SMVIC. The company has simultaneously reinforced its commitment to the Chinese market by extending its SAIC partnership through 2040. Through its Enter Electric! initiative and plans to launch 18 new models from 2026 onwards, Volkswagen aims to capture a 15% market share in China by 2030, demonstRating its determination to maintain a strong presence in this crucial market despite current headwinds. Ad Volkswagen Stock: New Analysis 01 December Fresh Volkswagen information released. Whats the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated Volkswagen analysis Volkswagens stock is experiencing significant market pressure, with shares trading at 80.60, marking a substantial 37% decline from its 52-week high of 128.60. This downturn reflects the automakers mounting challenges in an increasingly competitive global landscape. The companys quarterly revenue of 78.48 billion shows early signs of strain, prompting an urgent need for comprehensive efficiency improvements. Adding to these concerns, the announcement of upcoming warning strikes by labor unions at six German facilities, affecting approximately 120,000 workers, has further intensified market uncertainties. The automotive giant faces the dual challenge of reducing domestic operational costs while confronting intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers and managing a slower-than-anticipated transition to electric vehicles. Strategic Shifts in Asian Markets In response to these challenges, Volkswagen is implementing strategic changes in its Asian operations, notably divesting its production facilities in the Xinjiang region to state-owned SMVIC. The company has simultaneously reinforced its commitment to the Chinese market by extending its SAIC partnership through 2040. Through its Enter Electric! initiative and plans to launch 18 new models from 2026 onwards, Volkswagen aims to capture a 15% market share in China by 2030, demonstRating its determination to maintain a strong presence in this crucial market despite current headwinds. Ad Fresh Volkswagen information released. Whats the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. The genderfluid husband of a diamond 'heiress' has been accused of 'torturing her with boiling oil and putting hairspray in her eyes'. Betty Grafstein, a 96-year-old British socialite met her third husband Jose Castelo Branco, 61, in the 1990s after the death of her second husband. The couple became famous for their extravagant lifestyles, matching cosmetic procedures and designers clothes. Although this year Branco has been accused of abusing Grafstein after she ended up in a Portuguese hospital with a fractured femur and injured wrist. Now Portuguese prosecutors have now charged Branco with repeatedly assaulting his wife in Lisbon and the US. With the indictment also alleging that Branco tortured Grafstein with boiling oil and put hairspray in her eyes while telling her 'don't cry, it ruins your makeup'. Branco, who has vehemently denied all allegations of abuse, has insisted that he's devoted to her care. Betty Grafstein (right), a 96-year-old British socialite met her third husband Jose Castelo Branco (left), 61, in the 1990s after the death of her second husband The public prosecutor's office said in a statement: 'The indictment states that, since the start of the marriage, the suspect abused the victim physically and verbally' The public prosecutor's office said in a statement: 'The indictment states that, since the start of the marriage, the suspect abused the victim physically and verbally.' The indictment claimed the assaults included 'punching her all over her body and pushing her', and squeezing her neck 'until she had difficulty breathing'. Branco allegedly described his wife as 'old' and 'ugly' on a daily basis. 'By carrying out the conduct described, the defendant directly and necessarily caused the victim Betty Grafstein to feel anxious and afraid, fearing the actions that the defendant might take towards her, namely that he would offend her physical integrity, humiliate her, intimidate her or even kill her,' it continued. Grafstein's son from another marriage, Roger Basile, 75, has also previously weighed in, echoing claims that the abuse has been ongoing for decades. 'I've been silent because this has been happening for years,' Basile told Vanity Fair. 'I didn't want to say things people didn't already know.' He recounted a horrifying alleged incident from the late 1990s when he said he found his mother 'black-and-blue' after Castelo Branco allegedly knocked her down and repeatedly kicked her. 'When I got there, she was black-and-blue, from her buttocks to her neck, where Jose knocked her down and kept kicking her on the ground ... She always took Jose back.' Castelo Branco, a flamboyant Portuguese reality TV star dubbed 'The Count,' is known for his feminine style Their Upper East Side apartment, far from being a multimillion-dollar property, is actually a rent-stabilized unit Her son recounted a horrifying alleged incident from the late 1990s when he said he found his mother 'black-and-blue, from her buttocks to her neck' after Jose allegedly knocked her down and repeatedly kicked her Alexandre Guerreiro, Grafstein's lawyer, told Portuguese media: 'It was encouraging to see that the public prosecutor's office had the sensitivity to understand the gravity [of the case] and the alleged aggressor's conduct towards Mrs Grafstein.' She was born in London but moved to the US in the 1940s, where she married her second husband Albert Grafstein, a jeweller in 1959. The couple bought a house in Portugal in the 1970s, where she moved after her husband's death in 1991. She reportedly met Branco at a dinner in New York, where Branco claims he was unaware of their 30 year age gap. He identifies as having both male and female characteristics, though looks and is often thought to be a woman because of his extremely feminine style and makeup. They broke through into stardom after being arrested at Lisbon airport in 2003 with 1.6million worth of undeclared diamonds necklaces, bracelets, rings and watches. They were cleared of any wrongdoing. But Castelo Branco (right) vehemently denies all allegations of abuse, insisting that he's devoted to Grafstein's care Castelo Branco, a flamboyant Portuguese reality TV star known for his feminine style, was arrested in April after Grafstein ended up in a Portuguese hospital with a fractured femur and injured wrist (Castelo Branco walks the runway in NYC, 2016) Pictured: Castelo Branco inside their lavish Upper East Side home, which turns out to be a rental However, it is believed that their glamorous lifestyle is far from reality after Basile claimed that his mother is 'penniless' and lives off Social Security. Their Upper East Side apartment, far from being a multimillion-dollar property, is also reportedly a rent-stabilized unit. Meanwhile, the 'Grafstein Diamond Corporation' appears to have been little more than a modest family business, not the source of great wealth it was portrayed to be. Even Grafstein's titles - she was often referred to as 'Lady Betty Grafstein DBE' - have been called into question. It's now alleged that her 'dameship' came not from Queen Elizabeth, but from a Catholic chivalric order with no official royal recognition. Despite the allegations and revelations, Castelo Branco maintains that his love for Grafstein is genuine. 'For me she is everything. My sister, my mother, my wife. We have a complicity, like two souls in one,' he insisted. Ronny Chieng, star of Crazy Rich Asians and correspondent for The Daily Show, called Trump voters 'f***ing morons' during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday. 'There's nothing inherently evil or bad about [a] conservative mindset, I just think that we would like to have conservatives who aren't f***ing morons,' Chieng told host Jimmy Kimmel, as Kimmel and the audience roared with laughter. However, X users slammed Chieng for his remarks X, with one user writing, 'Ronny Chieng needs to be canceled.. said everyone who voted for Trump was stupid.. I say all Trump voters boycott his shows.' 'What a moron to make a statement in life at he needs his career ended time to boycott him like the others,' another added. Another person wrote, 'This is Ronny Chieng. He is a POS. 'I think he needs the Bud Light Treatment. Im so over these celebrities and their condescending comments, while they want my money. F that!' The conversation began when Kimmel asked Chieng about his experience covering Election Night for The Daily Show. Chieng compared watching the results unfold to witnessing a slow-motion car crash. 'Yeah, we were,' Chieng replied. 'But I think we kind of knew where it was leaning, being people who have our fingers on the pulse, unfortunately.' Ronny Chieng, star of Crazy Rich Asians and correspondent for The Daily Show, shared candid thoughts on voters who supported Trump during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! While discussing the election with Kimmel, Chieng noted that there's nothing inherently wrong with having a conservative mindset but expressed frustration with what he called a lack of intelligence among some voters He added, 'Covering the election live in America was both a dream come true as a political historian junkie U.S. political history junkie, and it was also like watching a car slowly crash into the country. 'And there's not even much you can do about it at that point other than make dumb jokes about it,' he said. He went on to frame Trump's victory as part of a historical pendulum swing between liberalism and conservatism in America. However, he criticized modern conservatism, emphasizing that the issue wasn't with the ideology itself but with some of its current proponents. Chieng also shared anecdotes about his interactions with friends who support Trump. 'I got MAGA friends. I got friends who are MAGA now, you know, I'm trying that's how much I love America I'm making friends with MAGA people. But sometimes, my MAGA friends, like their messaging is so convoluted,' he said. 'I can't get to what their core issue is because the surface level messaging is so chaotic.' He recounted, 'Like sometimes my MAGA friends will be like, 'Ronny, China caused COVID, but COVID isn't real.' And I'm like, 'OK, well, I don't know how I feel about it now.'' More and more celebrities have urged others to outwardly express their support for Donald Trump. Prior to the election, Shazam! star Zachary Levi urged fellow Hollywood stars who are voting for Donald Trump in the US presidential election to publicly speak out in regard to their support for the Republicans. Zachary Levi has urged fellow celebrities in Hollywood who are voting for Donald Trump in the US presidential election to publicly speak out Levi said: 'My cry to all of you out there, you closeted conservatives, closeted Trump voters, y'all, it's now or never, you know what I mean? 'Do whatever you feel like you need to do. If you need to come out publicly and say it, if you feel like you still can't, then don't. 'I would never pressure you to do that, but know that if what you're afraid of is somehow the backlash of an industry that's not going to exist very soon, then don't let that hold you back,' he added. Comedian Rob Schneider has said he feels 'emboldened' after being blacklisted by Hollywood for publicly sharing his views on subjects such as the US election and the Covid-19 vaccine. Schneider told the DailyMail.com, 'Once they attack you and you survive, you feel emboldened because it's like, "you didn't destroy me," you just felt like you got burned, but you're still intact.' Former GOP Congressman David Jolly has ripped into Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinksi after their controversial meeting with Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago. The two MSNBC hosts had met with Trump after a long feud, with the pair long criticizing the president-elect as a racist, sexist, fascist, and likened him to Adolf Hitler. On Friday, Jolly was a guest on Deadline: White House, with guest host Alicia Menendez, to discuss how the Democratic party should handle the results of the recent election. Jolly explained the importance for Democrats to 'hold Donald Trump accountable for being wrong', he said: 'You can't go to Mar-a-Lago. You can't do it. That's going to get me in trouble. You can't do that.' He explained that Democrats were upset because 'we know we're right, but we're on the losing side of this battle'. Jolly added that there is a responsibility for a 'responsible media, a responsible electorate, a responsible Democratic party' to 'double down' in holding both Trump and his allies accountable. 'And double down on trying to present a democracy that represents all people, even in a losing environment,' Jolly added. He also advocated for Democrats to not give equity to the president-elect, as Jolly claimed has already been happening. Jolly, seen here, was a guest on Deadline: White House, with guest host Alicia Menendez, to discuss how the Democratic party should handle the results of the recent election The two MSNBC hosts, seen here, had met with Trump after a long feud , with the pair long criticizing the president-elect as a racist, sexist, fascist, and likened him to Adolf Hitler 'In the Democratic Party, in media, among the electorate. They're saying: "I just give up. We're going to give him equity. We're going to give him parity to traditional American values." No, that's absolutely wrong.' Jolly added that 'Trumpism' is a 'threat to American democracy'. Following their meeting, the morning show hosts were met with criticism from both republicans and democrats. They said their meeting was intended to 'restart communications', but they were instead met with plenty of criticism and its ratings dropped by 15 per cent overall with a whopping 41 per cent in its 24-54 year old demographic. Both hosts defended the move, after media colleagues also slammed the stars, and the pair claimed that the backlash proved there is a 'massive disconnect' between 'social media and the real world'. 'Yesterday I saw for the first time what a massive disconnect there was between social media and the real world because we were flooded with phone calls from people all day, literally around the world, all very positive, very supportive, 'I understand what you did' 'Scarborough said. 'But once in a while I would get a text or call from someone going, 'Oh, man, I hope you're doing okay.' I would call them back... I'd go: 'Are you on Twitter?' And he goes, 'I am.' I'd go 'Well I'm not so we've had a good day.' 'All of us will do the best we can do and we're all working towards a better America.' Trump arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 06, 2024 in West Palm Beach Megyn Kelly ripped Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski to pieces for hypocrisy after their meeting at Mar-a-Lago to make peace with Donald Trump The View's Ana Navarro unleashed a blistering on-air tirade in response to Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski's surprise visit to Mar-a-Lago The View's Ana Navarro slammed the pair, accusing them of 'changing their stripes' because of 'who's in power' and calling the meeting 'opportunistic'. On the MAGA side, Megyn Kelly had a much sterner reaction and said on her show: 'I searched for a way to respond appropriately, and I called on my 10 years as a litigator, in addition to my now 20 as a journalist, and I think I found the perfect phrase: Go f*** yourselves.' 'Go f*** yourselves. Go f*** yourselves you dishonest jokes of faux journalists. What an absurd farce Which one was insincere? He's Hitler? Or now we're going to speak truth to power and find a way of speaking to and working with Donald Trump? Which one was a lie?' Her guest, left-leaning journalist Glenn Greenwald, went even further in speaking his lack of respect for the first family of MSNBC. 'This is not hyperbole. I've given actual thought to this. I've done rankings. Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are the most humiliating and pathetic people in all of corporate media, and I realized there's a lot of serious contenders for that crown,' he said. Greenwald added that the hosts 'don't believe in anything other than their own career in their own ratings.' After the meeting was announced, Brzezinski said they decided to reach out to Trump due to their viewers expressing fear over his election win. She added: 'My father [diplomat Zbigniew Brzezinski] often spoke with world leaders with whom he and the United States profoundly disagreed. That's a task shared by reporters and commentators alike. Their controversial meeting cost the show 15 per cent of its viewership overall, and 41 percent of its 24-54 year old demographic 'Joe and I realized its time to do something different and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but also talking with him.' Brzezinski shared that Trump was cheerful during their meeting and seemed interested in finding common ground with Democrats. However, Scarborough concluded by telling viewers they will not stop their criticism of the president-elect. He said: 'Dont be mistaken. We are not here to defend or normalize Donald Trump.' 'We are here to report on him and to hopefully provide you insights that are going to better equip all of us in understanding these deeply unsettling times.' Trump told Fox News that he took the meeting in order to 'Make America Great Again, it is very important, if not vital, to have a free, fair and open media or press.' 'I am not looking for retribution, grandstanding or to destroy people who treated me very unfairly,' he added. 'Many things were discussed, and I very much appreciated the fact that they wanted to have open communication,' he said. 'In many ways, it's too bad that it wasn't done long ago.' Liberals and conservatives have denounced the pair, with Kelly almost at a loss for words at their having 'done a 180,' before finding a very profane one Trump said that both of the hosts, 'congratulated me on running a 'great and flawless campaign, one for the history books.' 'The meeting ended in a very positive manner, and we agreed to speak in the future,' he added. The show, however, took a huge hit in viewership, from 770,000 viewers to just 647,000 two days later. Trump used to be routine contributor to Morning Joe, and Scarborough was an early cheerleader for the billionaire's maverick bid for the GOP nomination in 2016. But relations soured as Trump pulled off a surprise victory in the Republican primaries and began to look like a serious challenger to the Democrats' Hillary Clinton. The four-hour morning show became a bastion of the Democratic establishment after Trump's first term, with President Joe Biden routinely tuning in while doing his morning exercises to see his acolytes promote the party's talking points. With Trump in the White House and Scarborough engaged to co-host Brzezinski he began cementing his show's identity as an outpost of opposition to the new administration. The couple even recorded a Christmas album called 'A Very Drumpf Christmas' with children's songs portraying the president as Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Trump appeared on the show dozens of times before the pair fell out spectacularly during the 2016 election cycle Trump said that both of the hosts, 'congratulated me on running a 'great and flawless campaign, one for the history books.' 'The meeting ended in a very positive manner, and we agreed to speak in the future,' he added It eventually attracted the attention of the president himself, who delivered a series of withering put-downs, labeling Scarborough 'Psycho Joe' and his then-fiancee as 'low IQ Crazy Mika', while mischievously claiming she had been 'bleeding badly from a face-lift' during a visit to his Mar-a-Lago estate. Brzezinski later confirmed she'd been recovering from cosmetic surgery during the trip. And the feud deepened when the president revived long-debunked claims that Scarborough had been involved in the death of his former congressional staffer who was found dead on his office floor in 2001. An autopsy found that Lori Bolterstein Klausutis, 28, had hit her head on a desk after collapsing from an undiagnosed heart-valve irregularity but Trump called for a fresh investigation into the case. The allegations earned Trump his first rebuke from Twitter, which would eventually kick him off the platform altogether in January 2021. This is the dramatic moment Islamist insurgents in Syria toppled a statue of President Bashar al-Assad's brother after they stormed Aleppo in what is a major setback for the government. Meanwhile, Russia has in response launched air strikes into the Syrian city for the first time since 2016. Thousands of Syrian insurgents fanned out inside Aleppo in vehicles with improvised armor and pickups, deploying to landmarks such as the old citadel on Saturday, a day after they entered Syria's largest city facing little resistance from government troops. Syria's armed forces said in a statement Saturday that to absorb the large attack on Aleppo and save lives, it has redeployed and is preparing for a counterattack. Insurgents were filmed outside police headquarters, in the city center, and outside the Aleppo Citadel. They tore down posters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, stepping on some and burning others. In footage posted to X, rebels can be seen tearing down the statue of the president's brother Bassel al-Assad, who died in a car crash in 1994. The video shows how insurgents manage to yank at the statue by tying it to rope that is attached to a moving truck. Footage captured the dramatic moment Islamist rebels in Syria toppled a statue of President Bashar al-Assad's brother as they stormed Aleppo The video shows how insurgents manage to yank at the statue by tying it to rope that is attached to a moving truck As the figure topples over and smashes onto the hard floor, rebels can be heard cheering and chanting as they fire gunshots into the air Who was Bassel al-Assad? Bassel al-Assad was the first-born son of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and the older brother of current president Bashar. He was expected to succeed his father as Syrian leader but he died in a January 1994 car crash in Damascus. Due to his sudden death, his lesser-known brother Bashar, who was training as an ophthalmologist in London, assumed the mantle of president-in-waiting. He then officially became president in 2000 following the death of his father. Advertisement As the figure topples over and smashes onto the hard floor, rebels can be heard cheering and chanting as they fire gunshots into the air. Cars driving by join in on the celebration as they honk their horns. Other videos documenting the rebellion have been shared online too. One clip shows how men dressed in camouflage uniforms holding weapons pull down the Syrian flag from a monument in Aleppo. The surprise takeover is a huge embarrassment for al-Assad, who managed to regain total control of the city in 2016, after expelling rebels and thousands of civilians from its eastern neighborhoods following a grueling military campaign in which his forces were backed by Russia, Iran and its allied groups. Aleppo has not been attacked by opposition forces since then. The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against al-Assad's rule turned into an all-out war. The push into Aleppo followed weeks of simmering low-level violence, including government attacks on opposition-held areas. Rebel forces have been advancing in Aleppo amid reports that they have taken control over most of the city Anti-government fighters prepare to topple the equestrian statue of Bassel-al-Assad, the eldest son of late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad, who was killed in a car crash in 1994, in central Aleppo on November 30, 2024 Anti-government fighters celebrate in a street in Maaret al-Numan in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on November 30 Anti-government fighters celebrate in Aleppo, after jihadists and their allies entered the northern Syrian city An anti-government fighter tears down a portrait of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo An anti-government fighter raises an opposition flag in front of the landmark citadel of Aleppo Smoke rises from the area following an airstrike on Aleppo, Syria on November 30 A general view of the destruction following an airstrike on Aleppo, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says was laucnhed by Russia Members of the armed group opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime perform Islamic prayer at Aleppo Castle after they seized control of much of Aleppo's city center in Syria Anti-government fighters kneel to pray in a street in Aleppo, after jihadists and their allies entered the northern Syrian city Turkey, which has backed Syrian opposition groups, failed in its diplomatic efforts to prevent the Syrian government attacks, which were seen as a violation of a 2019 agreement sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran to freeze the line of the conflict. Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza rebel brigade, said their speedy advance had been helped by a lack of Iran-backed manpower to support the government in the broader Aleppo province. Iran's allies in the region have suffered a series of blows at the hands of Israel as the Gaza war has expanded through the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in a phone call with his Syrian counterpart on Friday, accused the United States and Israel of being behind the insurgent attack. The opposition fighters have said the campaign was in response to stepped-up strikes in recent weeks against civilians by the Russian and Syrian air forces on areas of Idlib province, and to preempt any attacks by the Syrian army. Opposition sources in touch with Turkish intelligence said Turkey, which supports the rebels, had given a green light to the offensive. Turkey's foreign ministry said on Friday that the clashes between rebels and government forces had resulted in an undesirable escalation of tensions. Meanwhile, a Syrian war monitor said today that rebels had seized Aleppo's civilian airport - the first time they have taken such a facility - along with key towns in Idlib and Hama provinces as they waged a dayslong offensive. Anti-government fighters brandish their guns as they ride a vehicle in Syria's northern city of Aleppo Image shows the destruction caused following an airstrike on Aleppo A Syrian opposition fighter takes a picture of a comrade stepping on a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo, early Saturday Who are the rebels seizing control of Aleppo? On Saturday, Syrian rebels had taken control of large parts of the city of Aleppo. The offensive is being led by Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which has long been involved in the ongoing Syrian conflict. The group was set up in 2011 under a different name, Jabhat al-Nusra, as a direct affiliate of Al Qaeda. In 2016 it broke its linke with the jihadist groups and became HTS. The rebel group is considered one of the deadliest organisations going against President al-Assad. Advertisement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and allied factions 'took control of the Aleppo international airport' on the city's southeastern outskirts after government forces withdrew, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that rebels also advanced in Hama and Idlib provinces, taking control of 'dozens of strategic towns without any resistance'. The offensive came as Iran-linked groups, primarily Lebanon's Hezbollah, which has backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battles at home. A ceasefire in Hezbollah's two-month war with Israel took effect Wednesday, the day the Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days. Witnesses said two airstrikes on the city's edge late Friday targeted insurgent reinforcements and hit near residential areas. A war monitor said 20 fighters were killed. More than 300 people have been killed since fighting broke out on Wednesday, according to a war monitor. It comes as the Syrian army said today said that dozens of its soldiers had been killed in a major attack by rebels. Russia has launched air strikes on part of Aleppo in response - the first since 2016 - according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The surprise rebel offensive has put the 13-year-long Syrian war back into the spotlight. The conflict has killed an estimated half-million people, while some 6.8 million Syrians have fled the country, a refugee flow that helped change the political map in Europe by fueling anti-immigrant far-right movements. The roughly 30% of the country not under al-Assad is controlled by a range of opposition forces and foreign troops. The U.S. has about 900 troops in northeast Syria, far from Aleppo, to guard against a resurgence by the Islamic State. Both the U.S. and Israel conduct occasional strikes in Syria against government forces and Iran-allied militias. Turkey has forces in Syria as well, and has influence with the broad alliance of opposition forces storming Aleppo. Coming after years with few sizeable changes in territory between Syria's warring parties, the fighting 'has the potential to be really quite, quite consequential and potentially game-changing,' if Syrian government forces prove unable to hold their ground, said Charles Lister, a longtime Syria analyst with the U.S.-based Middle East Institute. A single woman has revealed the secrets of a California resort that promises to help people find love. Katherine Bindley checked herself into the Esalen Institute after spending 20 years searching for her soulmate. The resort is a popular escape for the rich and famous and bills itself as a 'holistic retreat and educational institute'. Accommodation ranges from a 'sleeping bag space', which costs $900 for four nights, to private suites which cost $8,000. The 43-year-old reporter for the Wall Street Journal penned an essay for the outlet about her experience inside the oceanfront estate. For $940, Bindley stayed in a 'sleeping bag space' with several other roommates for four days as she expected to learn the 'truths of love.' She writes how she quickly felt out of place as one of her roommates told her to check out the baths - a group of tubs filled with 'healing waters' - where bathing suits were optional. Uncomfortable, Bindley, was the only one who opted for a suit as she sat knees to chest in the tiny tub, wondering how long it had been since the tub was last disinfected. Bindley would spend the next four days challenging herself through workshops where her and the 30 others - 22 women and nine men - would talk through 'romantic challenges' they've had. With promise of inner peace, emotional healing and maybe even a soulmate, Katherine Bindley, seen here, checked herself into a California resort Feeling hopeless as she spent the last 20 years of her life hardly dating, yet trying everything to find her soulmate, Katherine Bindley, 43, checked herself into the Esalen - a resort that promised 'research-backed tools to create a loving relationship' To her surprise, she learned those who sat beside her hadn't really shared the same hopelessness she had, as they had been widowed, cheated on or had 'accidentally signed up.' Over the next few days, Bindley and the others girlishly wrote letters to their exes which they later scorched in a fire to the sounds of drums, singing and a tambourine - a sort of cleansing ritual likened to those in a coming-of-age movie. Still feeling out-of-place, she continued on her 'healing journey' as she 'had nothing to lose,' and was looking for answers to her endless quest for love. She and the others later learned about the power of 'body language' as Amy Chan - a marketing exec turned dating expert - who led the workshop, cited research that found that men 'need on average 13 glances from a woman to feel brave enough to approach her in a bar.' They then practiced eye contact and active listening, rehearsing staying silent and being engaged while someone else spoke - helpful skills in life, but how would this help her find love? Still harboring feelings of hopelessness, Bindley tried to embrace all of the 'out-of-sorts' practices and activities before on the last day, Chan challenged her to 'go on 12 dates with 12 different people before she could enter her next relationship.' This was when she realized she had been 'earnest in heart but lazy in practice,' as she noted the past year, she had gone on just two dates. Yet, for Bindley, who has tried everything from blind dates to dating apps, the oceanside retreat wasn't at all what she had expected. Pictured: The Esalen in Big Sur, California Bindley would spend the next four days challenging herself through speaker-led workshops where her and the 30 others checked in for the long weekend - 22 women and nine men - would talk through 'romantic challenges' they've had She also noted that while some of those in the group had breakthroughs, others regressed with one woman flirting with a man who possessed the traits she had been told to avoid. Then she met Bill, another lonely singleton, who was, like her, devastated by a recent breakup. From their meeting, she sensed an 'emotional kinship,' which had reinstated some of her lost hope. she thought: 'I ached for Bill. I was also sure he neednt worry: He seemed like a great guy. Of course he was going to find someone.' As part of the group's final goodbye, they all gathered in a circle and took turns standing in the middle, before making eye contact with each other so they could 'receive their love'. With hope slowly restoring itself, Bindley reflected on her experience at the holistic resort as a positive one as she decided to embrace the teachings she learned. In closing, she wrote: 'Driving back north along Highway 1, feeling the sun on my skin, I found I was beaming. 'Id heard that Bill had made a romantic connection with a woman hed met on the retreat. I was full of hope for him, and for a moment, noticed there was a little left for me, too.' The daughter of a prominent fashion editor claims a top cancer doctor and distant relative duped her mom into signing over her apartment while she was suffering from dementia. Jo Ann Paganette died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City on April 30, aged 85, six years after a stroke that brought on her condition. Her daughter Georgia Lee Sarah Andrews expected to inherit her one-bedroom apartment at 152 East 94th Street on NYC's Upper East Side. But she discovered Paganette had changed her will to instead give her home to Dr Ann Marie Egloff, an oncologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. The head and neck cancer specialist is distantly related to Paganette, whose mother's maiden name is Egloff. DNA testing confirmed all three women were related. Egloff, 58, put the apartment up for sale for $749,000 and Andrews sued her in Manhattan Supreme Court on Wednesday, seeking to block the sale. Dr Ann Marie Egloff, an oncologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, is accused of duping her relative into signing over her apartment while he was suffering from dementia Jo Ann Paganette died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City on April 30, aged 85, six years after a stroke that brought on dementia Paganette gave up her daughter for adoption as a baby in 1966, but Andrews wrote in her lawsuit that she later pursued a relationship with her. She claimed the pair remained close and Paganette named her as the beneficiary in her will in 1986, leaving her the apartment. Egloff only got involved last July, Andrews claimed, when was moved to the Upper East Side Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Andrews claimed a lawyer for Egloff showed up and tried to get the ailing woman to sign what appeared to be estate planning papers. Doctors objected because Paganette was 'under the influence of psychotropic medication', the lawsuit claimed. 'Dr Egloff throughout her involvement in the decedent's affairs took steps to isolate the decedent from the rest of her family,' the lawsuit claimed. A trust was eventually set up in March this year and the co-op shares were transferred into it by April 18, less than two weeks before her death, by AKAM Living Services. Andrews is also suing AKAM, a property management company. Egloff tried to claim Andrews was not Paganette's biological daughter soon after her death, according to the lawsuit, but the DNA tests proved otherwise. The one-bedroom apartment is at 152 East 94th Street on NYC's Upper East Side Egloff (far right) with colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston Paganette was a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology and was a retail editor for several magazine in NYC, including Neiman Marcus magazine, and a founding member of the Women's Jewelry Association. Her obituary detailed that she was born in Detroit to and earned her BA from Marygrove College, then graduate studies at the University of Detroit and Wayne State University, majoring in journalism and English. After winning the College Board Competition at Mademoiselle magazine, she became a fashion accessories copywriter for Hudson's in Detroit, before moving to NYC. 'She was an FIT professor, writer, and frequent judge of national and international advertising competitions. Her books featured the best photographers, artists and writers of the 1970s to 2000s,' the obit detailed. She often wrote under the name 'Paganetti' and is known by both name variations professionally. Signs of Paganette's dementia after her stroke appeared in scathing reviews from her FIT students on Rate My Professor. Students overwhelmingly portrayed her as rude, stuck in her ways, disorganized, and generally difficult to deal with, and had problems following her lectures. 'She talks about nonsense and barely explains the material... Her emails are unclear, shes really rude, and condescending,' one student wrote. Egloff, 58, put the apartment up for sale for $749,000 and Andrews sued her in Manhattan Supreme Court on Wednesday, seeking to block the sale Another added: 'You could tell how unclear and messy she is just by the syllabus.' A third wrote that Paganette was 'doing her best' but 'just rambles on the entire class'. 'She seems like she is very knowledgeable if only you could understand and hear the words that are actually coming out of her mouth,' another added. A particularly scathing review claimed: 'I cannot stress this enough, do not take her class. She is very inconsistent, unorganized, condescending, and rude. 'She is narrow-minded and will not listen to ideas that aren't hers. The class itself is an easy-A but it is not emotionally worth it.' Egloff's ad for the apartment noted it was an 'estate sale' and described it as a 'welcoming Art Deco co-op built in 1937'. 'This freshly painted, north and west facing, fifth floor co-op apartment looks over the serene tree-lined street of brownstones on East 94th street,' it read. The ad spruiked the hardwood floors, five large closets, eight-foot beamed ceilings, a separate dining room, oversized corner windows, and a grand living area with room for dining, custom built-ins. The was also a windowed kitchen with dishwasher, and the building had two elevators, a bike room, storage, and onsite laundry. A remote Canadian town was fined thousands of dollars after it refused to celebrate Pride Month and didn't hang up a rainbow flag. The town of Emo in Ontario was fined $10,000 and its Mayor Harold McQuaker was also penalized $5,000 on November 20 after a local pride group sued the community of 1,300 for not recognizing Pride Month. McQuaker and two town councilors will also be required to complete mandatory human rights training within 30 days, according to The National Post. They also have show proof of their training to Borderland Pride, which filed the discrimination complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. The discrimination complaint was filed after the mayor said during a recorded meeting in May 2020: 'There's no flag being flown for the other side of the coin.' Councilman Lincoln Dunn questioned the mayor during the meeting discussing if the town should formerly recognize Pride Month and fly a pride flag, asking: 'Sorry, Harold, what's the other side of the coin?' McQuaker replied after a long silence: 'There's no flags being flown for the straight people,' according to TB News Watch. The mayor said Emo is a good Christian community and that he took in the thoughts of everyone in the area when he made his vote, according to the outlet. The mayor and Councilman Harrold Boven and Warren Toles voted no, while Lincoln and Councilwoman Lori Ann Shortreed voted yes to pronouncing June as Pride Month in Emo. The town of Emo in Ontario was fined $10,000 and its Mayor Harold McQuaker $5,000 after a local pride group sued the community of 1,300 for not recognizing Pride Month The discrimination complaint was filed after the mayor (pictured) said during a recorded meeting in May 2020: 'There's no flag being flown for the other side of the coin. There's no flags being flown for the straight people' 'Its a tough situation. We most certainly in the community have nothing against anybody who lives here or what their thoughts are. Democracy is made up of all different people and the majority rules,' he said at the time. 'Sometimes decisions dont suit all of the people. Moving forward I personally, and as mayor of Emo, I have nothing against the LGBTQ lifestyles. Ive always believed in the majority rules in a democracy. 'We have three flags. We have our Canadian flag, our provincial flag and our municipal flag. And Im proud of all three of them.' Borderland Pride Director Douglas Judson said asking towns to pass such legislation is a formality nowadays. Larger areas, like Toronto and Hamilton, symbolic proclamations are standard, according to The Post. Judson, who is an attorney, said he will continue to sue organizations and others until people stop attacking the LGBT community. 'As a lawyer who does this work that means Im going to start taking peoples houses and their vehicles and their toys and draining their bank accounts and garnishing their wages because no one is going to stop behaving this way until there are real consequences,' he told Dougall Media. The dispute began in 2020 when Borderland Pride sent a written request to Emo asking them to properly proclaim June as Pride Month to 'show community support and belonging for LGBTQ2 individuals.' Borderland Pride Director Douglas Judson (pictured), who is an attorney, said he will continue to sue organizations and others until people stop attacking the LGBT community. He also said asking towns to me proclamations is a formality nowadays 'As a lawyer who does this work that means Im going to start taking peoples houses and their vehicles and their toys and draining their bank accounts and garnishing their wages because no one is going to stop behaving this way until there are real consequences,' he said The organization asked the town to 'email us a copy of your proclamation or resolution once adopted and signed.' Emo said it only received four requests - two from Borderland Pride - in a 12-month period asking for a declaration or the flag to be displayed. Emo also does not have an official pole to hang a flag outside of the one that holds the Canadian flag in front of the Municipal Office, according to The Post. Despite that, the May 2020 meeting took place, where McQuaker made his remarks, which the Tribunal Vice Chair Karen Dawson wrote in her decision: 'I find this remark was demeaning and disparaging of the LGBTQ2 community of which Borderland Pride is a member and therefore constituted discrimination under the Code.' London, Ontario, and Hamilton are also towns that were 'sanctioned for refusing to adopt proclamations in support of their local Pride organizations,' according to Borderland Pride. Former Hamilton Mayor Bob Morrow was fined $5,000 in 1995 for not acknowledging Gay Pride Week and London was fined $10,000 for not recognizing a Pride Weekend. Borderland Pride said it will give one-third of the $15,000 owed to them to the Emo Public Library, but only if the establishment hosted a 'drag story time event' on a 'date of our choosing.' Borderland Pride has also won other discrimination cases, including $35,000 from a small claims court judgement against a Fore Frances man who wrote the organization's drag show was a 'pedophile show' on Facebook in August. The Editor-in-Chief of The Hill has predicted that Lara Trump may someday run for president, claiming she has 'that kind of talent'. Bob Cusack claimed on NewsNation that the 42-year-old, who is married to the president-elect's son Eric, could be the next in the family to step up to the role as commander-in-chief. His comments came as pressure is already starting to build on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump as Marco Rubio's Senate replacement. 'I think, out of all the Trump's, watch her. She may run for president someday,' Cusack said. 'At some point. I think she has that kind of talent.' 'I think she needs some kind of step in between, and I do think that the pressure on DeSantis is only going to intensify, and it's really going to be revealing - either he's going to listen to Trump world, or he's not.' Trump's daughter-in-law has said she would 'love' to serve in the Senate as her name began floating around to be Rubio's successor. Lara Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity: 'This is my home state now and has been for three years.' The president-elect appointed his daughter-in-law as co-chair of the Republican National Committee in March earlier this year, as she was unanimously voted in to the position. The Hill's Editor-in-Chief, Bob Cusack, predicted that the next of the Trump lineage to run for president will be his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, seen here in early November 'I think she needs some kind of step in between, and I do think that the pressure on DeSantis is only going to intensify, and it's really going to be revealing - either he's going to listen to Trump world, or he's not,' Cusack said President-elect Donald Trump appointed his daughter-in-law as co-chair of the Republican National Committee in March earlier this year, as she was unanimously voted in to the position 'I was truly honored to be the co-chair of the RNC through really the most historic election, I think, of any of our lifetimes,' she said. She added that she and her team 'accomplished on everything that we set out to do.' 'Likewise, if I am able to serve, I would love to serve the people of Florida. This is my home state now and has been for three years. This is where Eric and I live, and truly to have that opportunity, I think would be incredible,' she gushed. 'No one knows better than I do the America First agenda or the goals of Donald Trump in the coming four years. So, if I am asked, I would love to consider it, but I have yet to have a conversation with Governor DeSantis, so we will have to see.' Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has also publicly endorsed Lara Trump for the position, Luna said on a conservative talk show: 'I'm actually going to make a public call for Gov. DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump to fill Marco Rubio's term in office.' 'I think she is the best fit,' Luna said, adding Lara is 'largely responsible for securing president Trump's win.' Lara Trump also would likely be able to win the Senate seat in two years when the election for Rubio's vacated seat will be held, Luna believes. 'I think Lara Trump would avoid a really nasty primary in two years when that seat then comes open. And I think that she has the qualifications, she proved herself as a national leader.' But Luna is not the only lawmaker calling for Lara Trump's Senate appointment. 'I think she needs some kind of step in between, and I do think that the pressure on DeSantis is only going to intensify, and it's really going to be revealing - either he's going to listen to Trump world, or he's not,' Cusack said Lara Trump speaks before Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has also publicly endorsed Lara Trump for the position, Luna said on a conservative talk show: 'I'm actually going to make a public call for Gov. DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump to fill Marco Rubio's term in office' Freshman Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., also is backing the RNC co-chair. Britt told Axios Lara Trump would be a 'tremendous pick' and also cited her 'historic win' while overseeing the RNC. 'She understands the America First agenda,' said Britt, who is also 42-year-old working mother. 'For me, I think she would be a tremendous pick, a voice for hard working families and another mom of school aged kids that understands what we're up against, and that's to fight to protect the American dream,' the Alabama senator said. Britt's fellow Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville also liked the idea of Lara Trump as a possible co-worker. 'I think she'd be good If she wants to get into it,' Tuberville told DailyMail.com. Montana Republican Senator-elect Tim Sheehy similarly said Lara Trump joining Congress sounds like 'a good idea.' 'I don't know anything about Florida politics. I'm from Montana,' Sheehy told DailyMail.com. 'But it's sounds like a good idea to me. We'll see what happens.' 'No one knows better than I do the America First agenda or the goals of Donald Trump in the coming four years. So, if I am asked, I would love to consider it, but I have yet to have a conversation with Governor DeSantis, so we will have to see,' Lara Trump said DeSantis, who may still harbor presidential ambitions despite ending his campaign against Trump after Iowa, must decide whether to appoint a 'caretaker,' someone who would run to maintain the seat, or even himself Other Republicans, meanwhile, stayed silent when asked their thoughts about Trump's daughter-in-law joining the Senate. Sens. Steve Daines of Montana and Chuck Grassley of Iowa both did not answer questions from DailyMail.com about Lara Trump's possible appointment to the upper chamber. Billionaire X owner Elon musk on Tuesday also threw his support behind Lara. 'Lara Trump is genuinely great,' he posted. Rubio's pick has received a strong reception from Republicans, as his experience in the agency would help stacked up against Trump cabinet choices that shocked Republicans. 'Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility, and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me,' Rubio wrote after the announcement. 'I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda.' Whoever DeSantis picks would serve until a 2026 special election. DeSantis, who may still harbor presidential ambitions despite ending his campaign against Trump after Iowa, must decide whether to appoint a 'caretaker,' someone who would run to maintain the seat, or even himself. Wrote Trump loyalist Anna Paulina Luna, '@LaraLeaTrump needs to be the nominated replacement by @GovDestantis for Rubio. She will keep the seat and avoid a messy primary for FLORIDA. Well spoken. Kicked butt on election integrity. Etc.' Scott also jumped to get behind the effort to make Trump the junior senator from his state. 'RT if you think @LaraLeaTrump should be Floridas next Senator!,' he posted on X. Parole officials were warned a freed double killer would strike again before he horrifically murdered a kindly horsewoman - by his first victim's sister. Brian Whitelock, 57, was only released from jail in 2019 after serving 18 years of a life sentence behind bars for murder and manslaughter. On Wednesday, he was convicted of slaying generous retired riding instructor Wendy Buckney, 71, and faces dying behind bars. So brutal was his assault that a pathologist found her injuries were too many to count. As Ms Buckney's family said their lives would 'never be the same', the sister of Whitelock's first victim Nicky Morgan, 27, revealed she told parole officers she would 'categorically, 100 per cent guarantee that he'll murder again'. Mel Huxley said she had objected to Whitelock being freed in 2019 a year after he broke conditions when placed in an open prison, which included drinking and being in an 'altercation' with a shop security guard. The sister of Whitelock's first victim Nicky Morgan, 27, (above) revealed she told parole officers she would 'categorically, 100 per cent guarantee that he'll murder again' Whitelock battered Mr Morgan with a hammer then started a fire to cover his tracks Brian Whitelock pictured as a young man. He moved to a house in Clydach, a village north of Swansea after being released from prison Mrs Huxley, 52, said the family had not objected when Whitelock who battered Mr Morgan with a hammer then started a fire to cover his tracks, killing his own brother Glen, 35 was initially placed in the open prison at the end of his sentence for murder and manslaughter. But they became concerned after the incident with the security guard. When his full release was considered in 2019, she said: 'My last words to the parole board were that I will categorically, 100 per cent, guarantee that he'll murder again, and that we will back here. And we were.' A later review found 'the likelihood of him committing further harm was assessed as low' unless he relapsed into alcohol and drug misuse and he was released in November 2019. Asked for her reaction to hearing Whitelock had killed for a third time, Mrs Huxley added: 'I thought 'I told you so'. On his release, he moved to a house in Clydach, a village north of Swansea, where Ms Buckney, who lived across the road, who would employ him to do odd jobs in her house after telling her sister: 'Everyone deserves a second chance'. Ms Buckney 'must have suffered greatly' before her death with 'multiple stab injuries, sharp force injuries and blunt force injuries inflicted upon her - too many for the pathologist Dr Leadbeatter who examined her body to actually and accurately count Footage of the arrest shows Whitelock tell police 'wait till you turn her over' and 'I'm so sorry like, for her like, for Wendy' as he is put in handcuffs and escorted into a police vehicle She would pay him in money or food for tasks such as cutting her lawn or trimming her hedges after saying 'it was important to keep him busy.' Whitelock repaid her kindness by brutally murdering her using a knife, table leg, and wooden shelf, as well as sexually assaulting her. On August 23, 2022, Whitelock, wearing only inside-out boxer shorts and covered in blood, was seen leaving her home by neighbours and told them: 'I've killed Wendy. I don't know why, she was good to me.' He denied murder but admitted manslaughter, claiming he was acting out of character due to a brain injury. Jurors were sent out to deliberate yesterday afternoon following a two-week trial but found him guilty after just 27 minutes. Speaking after the verdict, Ms Buckney's sister Ann, accompanied by other family members, said: 'We are grateful that the truth has been heard. Wendy was a very much loved, sister and aunty whose kindness, laughter, and spirit touched the lives of so many. Our lives will never be the same without her'. Detective Chief Inspector Matt Davies, of South Wales Police, said 'defenceless' Ms Buckney was the victim of a 'senseless murder'. Raging Whitelock, who defended himself during his trial, shouted: 'I hope you all suffer a brain injury' and 'I hope you all rot' to the jury. Prosecutor Christopher Rees KC said his previous convictions for killing Mr Morgan and his brother in 2001 showed he has a 'propensity to use explosive and disproportionate violence' and there were similarities between the crimes. BBC drama The Archers has been slammed for seemingly underplaying the government's inheritance tax raid on farms. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have faced fury from farmers after they announced reforms to inheritance tax in last month's Budget. Farmers will have to pay a 20 per cent rate on land and property they inherit worth more than 1million or more from April 2026. It resulted in more than 10,000 farmers and high-profile supporters including Jeremy Clarkson and Lord Lloyd Webber descended on Westminster to protest against the controversial policy earlier this month. However, the topic was only given a 30-second mention on The Archers, one of the BBC's flagship rural shows, when it was aired on November 22. In the episode, farmer David Archer, who is one of the show's main characters, said: 'There's a lot of anger about this new inheritance tax on farms.' His friend Leonard Berry then replied: 'But we need those taxes to pay for things like the NHS.' This was the only time the topic of the inheritance tax changes was approached during the episode. The government's inheritance tax raid was given a 30-second mention on The Archers, one of the BBC's flagship rural shows, when it was aired on November 22 In the episode, farmer David Archer, who is one of the show's main characters, said: 'There's a lot of anger about this new inheritance tax on farms' His friend Leonard Berry then replied: 'But we need those taxes to pay for things like the NHS' Listeners of the show have since hit out at the show runners for not reflecting the difficulties it has brought on the farming community. Taking to Digital Spy online forum, one listener said: 'So the whole [massive] issue of the proposal to make inheritance tax applicable to farm land was given just these astonishingly bad three lines of dialogue. 'It's what all farmers in every part of the country are talking about incessantly, [including] all the farmers in my family, which is a lot.' Another on X (formerly Twitter) added: 'I wondered if they mentioned it. Laughable yet so predictable.' While someone else said: 'The BBC seems to have taken on the job of introducing State propaganda via bad *soaps*. 'Presumably all would-be writers have to submit potential scripts to the Ministry of Creativity for approval.' 'I do not understand how anyone maintains a) that the BBC has a right wing bias and b) that it is in anyway impartial,' another wrote. Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance described it as 'frankly very strange' with the Archers having previously 'reflected the grassroots feeling in the farming and rural community even on contentious issues'. Speaking to the Telegraph he said: 'Certainly there is a feeling in the rural community that is very widely held, that there isn't any programming that represents them. 'If even the Archers which is a programme about farming families can't tackle the really challenging issues - that only reinforces people's concerns about the BBC's approach to the countryside. 'These are perfectly relevant issues to explore - surely the Archers is exactly the place where that discussion should be taking place.' A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The Archers team meticulously research every farming story with our dedicated Farming and Countryside Advisor to ensure we accurately reflect the big issues within the rural community. 'We have plans to explore Inheritance Tax in more depth in future episodes but The Archers is a drama which is recorded many months in advance and is not able to respond to topical stories in the same way that other programmes can, such as Farming Today - where we have covered the story fully - as well as across BBC News.' November 29, 2024: Its recently become visible, via satellite photos, that the Russian railroads are at a standstill in many parts of the country and thousands of locomotives and rail cars are going out of service because of a shortage of ball bearings. The ball bearing shortage is a problem thats been building for over a decade and has now arrived. Satellite photos show major Russian cities receiving little or no merchandise by rail. The annual four months of cold and often freezing weather has begun. While oil and natural gas pipelines are still working, performing maintenance on those pipelines requires access to a functioning railroad system. Currently, if there are any pipeline problems, they have to be repaired using truck transportation. This takes longer if the problem is in an area with no roads or river/canal nearby. Some of these areas will take trucks a week to reach. Unlike the extensive road networks in Europe and North America, Russia depends mostly on railroads. Russia never built a large network of highways. It was too expensive. Instead long-distance commercial and military land transportation was handled by the government owned and operated railroad. There are 128,000 kilometers of track on which 800,000 uniformed railroad workers used to operate over 19,000 locomotives and over 800,000 railway cars. In addition there are 65,000 kilometers of private railways built, maintained and used by various industries. Russia has lost a growing number of railroad employees to army recruiters. Despite the importance of the railroads, the Russian military will grab any military age railway workers it can and turn them into soldiers for the Ukraine conflict. The government also uses fake ads seeking workers for the railroads. Those who respond are then easier to grab and put into the army. Several million Russians have left the country to avoid military service. Many of these men have completed their one year of conscript service and dont want to be forcibly mobilized into the military to die in Ukraine. The end result is a railroad labor shortage. Now the railroads are failing and so is the economy. Russia has been operating under economic sanctions for a decade and the sanctions got a lot worse after Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. The invasion force is stalled in part because of a shortage of soldiers, but also because the railroad crisis means their troops are not getting needed supplies of food, munitions, medical supplies and cold weather clothing for the next three months of low temperatures and lots of snow. The increased sanctions and reduced railroad capabilities have caused political problems for the Russian government and sustainability problems for Russian forces in Ukraine. To make matters worse, in late November, the Kerch Strait bridge suffered a partial collapse, apparently brought on by years of Ukrainian attacks followed by hasty Russian repairs. As a result of all this, since mid-2024 Russian forces in Ukraine have been suffering ammunition shortages and increasingly unreliable railroad deliveries. Part of the reason for this was the August 2nd Ukrainian attack into Kursk province. The Ukrainians destroyed several key bridges during their incursion and Russia has not been able to assemble the materials and manpower to make repairs. The Russian railroad system is also in bad shape. Over two years of economic sanctions sidelined hundreds of locomotives and reduced track and signal system maintenance. One thing that increased was Ukrainian sabotage efforts against Russian railroads. The sabotage is often carried out by Russians fed up with Putins foolish and costly war. Russia has been arresting, prosecuting and jailing some of these saboteurs. This does not appear to diminish the number of sabotage incidents. Ukrainian sabotage teams in Russian territory disrupt railroad movement by damaging key elements of the railroad signals and communications systems. This makes the railroads less reliable and often leads to accidents that derail supply trains and block further use of that line until the wreckage is removed and the rails are repaired. Ukraine has even been able to get operatives deep inside Russia to damage the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which is currently used to move weapons and munitions and North Korean soldiers from North Korea to Ukraine. Ukraine continues to concentrate on Russian logistics, using long range missiles and GPS guided aircraft bombs to destroy Russian supplies that have been stockpiled for troops to use. Russia responded by moving the stockpiled supplies farther from the front lines and, when possible, storing them in underground bunkers. Such bunkers are great in theory, but in practice there are not many of these bunkers and supply stockpiles often end up out in the open, on pallets and covered by tarps. Meanwhile, the railroad situation in Ukraine is not ideal. Ukraine and the NATO countries have different gauge railroads. Europe uses what is known as Standard Gauge while Ukraine uses the old Soviet standard. Gauge means the distance between the two rails. Current standard gauge rails are 1,455mm apart. The Russian gauge is wider with the rails 1,524mm apart. Until 1991 Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, which means Ukrainian railroads are Russian gauge. To deal with this problem, Ukraine built a transshipment point in the west Ukraine town of Uzhhorod which is on the border with Slovakia and near the Hungarian border. Here there are cranes that will quickly lift standard cargo containers from Russian gauge flatcars and load the containers onto European Standard Gauge flatcars. Passenger trains have a similar arrangement where passengers can disembark and walk a short distance to trains with a different gauge. Rail gauge can be quickly changed, especially if the conversion is from a wider to a narrower gauge. Converting locomotives and rail cars to use a narrower gauge takes longer and requires special facilities. Ukraine is also supposed to receive locomotives and rail cars from NATO countries where there are proper gauge rail lines and locomotive and rail car maintenance facilities. Ukraine has already converted some existing rail lines to European Gauge rail lines in several cities. Eventually Ukraine wants to convert all its major rail lines to Standard gauge. This will make it easier to handle trade with Europe. If theres another war with Russia, the Russians will not have all those Russian gauge rail lines available to quickly move troops and supplies into Ukraine on Russian gauge railroads. Instead, the Russians will have to use roads or capture Ukrainian railroad engines along with passenger, cargo, and flatcars so they can use Ukrainian European Standard gauge railroads. Sharp-sighted viewers have spotted a bizarre act in a recently posted photo of President-elect Donald Trump alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The pair, once adversaries, were pictured in 'all-smiles' together at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, where they met for a 'positive wide-ranging dinner' on Friday. Savvy social media users have since spotted a young man hilariously 'photobombing' the two leaders. The young boy can be seen in the background of the dinner photo, with his hands raised to his head and contorting his face into a playful expression. Social media users have since commented on the hilarious photo, with one user writing: 'He's making photos great again!' playing off of Trump's infamous MAGA slogan. 'What's even more funny is that kid over Trump's shoulder! Who cares about #JustinTrudeau? #MAGA #AmericaFirst #UniteAmerica' another commented. 'Even the kid at the table behind Trump is trolling Trudy!!' another added. Another chimed in: '10/10 photobomb from the lad! Kid chose to be an absolute legend.' The Friday post was shared by Pennsylvania Senator-elect Dave McCormack who posted the picture to X, formerly Twitter, while at what's often referred to as the 'Winter White House' in Florida. Sharp-sighted viewers have spotted the bizarre act in a recently posted photo of President-elect Donald Trump alongside Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau The young boy can be seen in the background of the dinner photo, with his hands raised in the air and contorting his face into a playful expression 'Honored to have dinner with @realDonaldTrump and to celebrate two big wins in PA! Ready to join him in Washington to shake things up and fight for every single Pennsylvanian!' McCormack captioned the post. Also seen seated at the table with the Senator-elect, Trump, and Trudeau, included nominee for Secretary of the Interior and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, National Security Advisor nominee Mike Waltz and Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick, among others. The nearly three-hour long event saw the world leaders, who seem to have rekindled their once-rocky relationship, touch on trade, border security, fentanyl, defense, Ukraine, NATO, China and pipelines, a person familiar with the details said. The liberal Prime Minister has been previously linked to clashes with the former President, but as he's facing re-election in 2025, Trudeau appears intent on working with his counterpart, even as Trump threatens Canada and Mexico with high tariffs. On Monday, Trump announced on Truth Social that he wished to impose a 25 percent import tax on Canada - and also on Mexico - to pressure America's neighbors to do more to control illegal immigration coming over the U.S. border. Two hours later, Trudeau got on the phone with Trump, with the two leaders having a constructive conversation on trade and border security. Now it appears the Canadian prime minister is going to make an in-person plea. Earlier this week Trudeau told reporters that Canada should take Trump's tariff threat seriously. The liberal Prime Minister has been previously linked to clashes with the former President, but as he's facing re-election in 2025, Trudeau appears intent on working with his counterpart, even as Trump threatens Canada and Mexico with high tariffs A person familiar with the details called it a 'positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours' 'One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out,' Trudeau said, according to the Globe and Mail. 'There's no question about it.' 'Our responsibility is to point out that, in this way, he would be actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, he'd actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses,' Trudeau added. The president-elect touted tariffs during his 2024 campaign as a way to bend other countries to his will, though critics pointed out that the cost of import taxes are generally passed on to the consumer. Trump won a second term, in part, because he pledged to be better on the economy than President Joe Biden and later Vice President Kamala Harris, as Americans are still feeling financially challenged by high prices in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Republican also won due to his more hardline stance on immigration. The 25 percent tariff threat on Canada and Mexico, Trump suggested, would get those countries to better control the flow of people over the U.S. border. He claimed that Canada and Mexico had 'the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem.' The tariffs, Trump said, would apply to 'ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.' 'This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!' Trump exclaimed. Trudeau did not respond to questions from the media as he returned to his hotel Friday evening after meeting with Trump. But for Canada, the stakes of any new tariffs are high. Dairy firm Arla is facing threats of a boycott over a controversial additive for cow feed that it says can reduce emissions related to cattle farming. Bovaer is claimed to reduce the amount of methane that cows produce - a significant source of and contributor to levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates invested millions in Rumin 8, a company developing similar methane-reducing supplements in early 2023, via his investment firm Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Conspiracy theorists have wrongly linked the two firms without evidence. Danish firm Arla - which holds the biggest dairy conglomerate in Britain - says the product can reduce methane emissions by 30 per cent among dairy cattle and is being supported by supermarkets Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco. But supermarkets are being threatened with a boycott amid concerns over the use of additives in food production. There is no suggestion that the additive is not safe for consumers. The UK's Food Standard Agency has approved it for use. And Arla has fired back at what it labelled as 'completely false' 'misinformation' around the additive on social media - particularly confusion between Bovaer and the Rumin 8 company that had benefited from Gates' investment. The tech entrepreneur has been a regular target of conspiracy theorists on social media for years, including during the coronavirus pandemic. Dairy firm Arla is under fire for testing a food additive that can help reduce methane emissions in cows that has been approved for use by the UK's Food Standards Agency The Danish company has hit out at conspiracy theories and misinformation that ties it to Bill Gates after he invested in a similar company Shoppers and other figures, including right-wing figure Lee Hurst, have said they will boycott shops linked to the trial of the additive, which has been meticulously tested prior to its approval An Arla spokesperson told The Grocer: 'The information spreading surrounding our link to Bill Gates is completely false and claims relating to his involvement in our products is inaccurate'. The firm said in its tweet announcing the trial: 'This represents an amazing chance to reduce emissions on farm.' Bovaer was cleared for bovine use in the UK at the end of 2023, and several other countries have approved its use in cattle. The additive will be tested by 30 of Arla's 9,000 farmers. How much do cows harm the environment? The UK Government said methane - the gas produced by cow flatulence - was responsible for 14 per cent of Britain's greenhouse gas emissions in 2022. Previous estimates of methane sources have suggested as much as 48 per cent of those methane emissions were produced by agriculture. Government figures suggest there are 5million cattle and calves in Britain as of June 2024, while NFU Scotland research has suggested beef cattle can produce as much as 372g of methane each per day, or 135kg a year. Advertisement Despite the conspiracy theories surrounding the product, the National Farmers' Union says shoppers are largely positive about products that reduce cows' methane output - but says it still has questions about its long-term use. Paul Tompkins, NFU Dairy Board chairman, said this week: 'While FSA-approved products could be useful tools in helping to reduce methane emissions, questions remain about long-term efficacy, that it can be used practically and effectively on farm, and that animal health and welfare will not be impacted. 'Defra research has shown that shoppers are generally positive about methane-suppressing products if human and/or animal health are not affected. 'It's critical we also have a strong evidence base to give farmers the confidence to use these products. 'This trial project between Arla, Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco could help provide this evidence.' DSM-Firmenich, the firm behind the additive, is preparing to open a Bovaer facility in Scotland as it ramps up production. Arla is behind some of the biggest dairy brands in Britain, including Lurpak butter and Cravendale milk. Supermarkets Aldi, Tesco and Morrisons said of the plan: 'Through collaboration as part of Arla's FarmAhead Customer Partnership, we have the ability to address some of the climate challenges facing our food system. 'It is this collective approach that is really going to make a difference.' Gates said in 2023 that action had to be taken to combat methane emissions in cattle. 'You can either fix the cows to stop them doing that or you can make beef without the cow,' he told the Sydney-based Low Institute think tank. 'Both of those will be pursued to see which one can lead to the best product in terms of taste, health and cost.' He has previously advocated for alternatives to beef and other animal products as part of his push to reduce environmental impacts of meat production. Gates is not the only billionaire looking to fund projects that reduce cows' methane emissions. Jeff Bezos, Amazon's billionaire founder, donated $9.4million (7.8m) to a project at Surrey's Pirbright Institute that aims to reduce the methane produced by cows by means of a vaccination. Thousands participated in a pro-Palestine march and Israeli-supporting counter-protest on the streets of central London today - but one man at least had something very different on his mind. As a heavy police presence and metal barriers worked to keep the opposing sides of the Gaza debate apart, a smartly-dressed waiter nonchalantly carried on serving his plate of cake as hundreds of banner and flag bearing demonstrators marched just feet away from him. Metropolitan Police had warned a heavier than usual presence would be apparent today as the protests coincided with the start of Christmas shopping and Winter Wonderland festivities. Bemused shoppers took photos as the streets around Piccadilly Circus in central London were flooded with Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstrators. Today's march from Park Lane to Whitehall marked their 21st protest since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Meanwhile counter-protesters from Stop the Hate gathered on Coventry Street near Piccadilly Circus, on the route of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) march, to urge the marchers to 'stop supporting terror'. The pro-Palestine protesters and counter demonstrators hurled abuse at each other as they met at Coventry Street, but were kept apart by metal barriers and a line of police officers. Met Police has warned that expressing support for Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanese militants Hezbollah is a criminal offence, because both are proscribed terror organisations. Thousands participated in a pro-Palestine march through central London on Saturday afternoon Today's march from Park Lane to Whitehall marked the 21st protest since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which prompted retaliatory action from Israel in Gaza A smartly-dressed waiter nonchalantly carried on serving his plate of cake as hundreds of banner and flag bearing demonstrators marched just feet away from him Offences include chanting slogans, wearing clothing and displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos that express support for those groups. The pro-Palestine march was also blocked at Piccadilly Circus when a group of men holding a banner ran into the middle of the road. They were pushed out of the way by police after a brief struggle. However, Met Police posted on X later in the afternoon that the PSC march had 'passed the Stop The Hate counter-protest without incident'. PSC speeches took place in in Whitehall, including from independent MP Jeremy Corbyn, with the assembly finishing by 4.30pm. The group, which has been at the forefront of organising pro-Palestine marches across the country, is demanding an end to 'British complicity in Israel's genocide and apartheid' of Gaza. Saturday's demonstration follows the agreement on Tuesday night of a 60-day truce between Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah to suspend hostilities, with both sides withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Last week, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister, and Hamas's military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza. The UK would respect the process set out under domestic legislation when it comes to the arrest warrant, Downing Street said. Counter-protesters from Stop the Hate gathered on Coventry Street near Piccadilly Circus The pro-Palestine protesters and counter demonstrators hurled abuse at each other as they met at Coventry Street, but were kept apart by metal barriers and a line of police officers Counter-protesters from Stop the Hate gathered on Coventry Street near Piccadilly Circus on the route of the PSC demonstration to urge marchers to 'stop supporting terror' Protesters are demanding an end to 'British complicity in Israel's genocide and apartheid' Saturday's demonstration follows the agreement on Tuesday night of a 60-day truce between Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah PSC speeches took place in in Whitehall, including from independent MP Jeremy Corbyn A gigantic inferno erupted inside a $4 million Connecticut mansion after residents attempted to fry a turkey in the garage on Thanksgiving. Firefighters faced several challenges on the holiday afternoon after the stunning mansion at 40 Weston Road in Weston went up in flames. The aggressive blaze quickly spread throughout the home, and soon, its structural collapse created dangerous conditions for responding firefighters. Residents were attempting to fry a turkey for the big meal Thursday afternoon when the garage went up in flames and began 'rapidly extending into the residence,' according to Weston Volunteer Fire Department. 'Firefighters attempted an aggressive fire attack, however, their efforts were thwarted by dangerous fire conditions and structural collapse,' the department, which battled the flames for 16 hours, wrote in a Facebook post. In addition to the gigantic flames ripping through the home, first responders hit a major setback when water flow stopped for 'several minutes' after a 'vehicle drove over the water supply hose,' damaging it. The identity of the turkey chef was not released by authorities, but the home is owned by Tweedy, Brown Managing Director Thomas H. Shrager, according to public records. Photos released by the department show massive flames ripping through the home and extending several feet outside the home through broken windows. A gigantic inferno erupted inside a $4 million Connecticut mansion after residents attempted to fry a turkey in the garage on Thanksgiving Photos released by the fire department show massive flames ripping through the home and extending several feet outside the home through broken windows The entire house was engorged in the orange blaze and a dark, billowing plume cloud of black smoke filled the air. Video of the inferno, posted by a commenter, shows a menacing wave of orange glaring through the trees along the roadway as the sky blackened with smoke around 5 pm. The blaze started shortly before 4 pm. The Weston home, located roughly 30 miles outside of New Haven, has been deemed 'uninhabitable.' Despite the dramatic photos of the blaze, no injuries were reported. However, it remains unclear how many people were inside the house when the garage fire began. Six other fire departments had to assist the volunteer crew, while Ridgefield Fire Department provided town coverage while Weston battled the mansion blaze. The official cause of the conflagration is still under investigation, but a preliminary investigation suggests it's the result of trying a turkey. This Thanksgiving, several unique turkey cooking methods made the rounds on social media. Residents were attempting to fry a turkey for the big meal Thursday afternoon when the garage caught fire and began 'rapidly extending into the residence,' according to Weston Volunteer Fire Department , which battled the flames for 16 hours Outside of the gigantic flames ripping through the home, first responders hit a major setback when water flow stopped for 'several minutes' after a 'vehicle drove over the water supply hose,' damaging it The identity of the turkey chef was not released by authorities, but the home is owned by Tweedy, Brown Managing Director Thomas H. Shrager, according to public records Pictured: The devastation of the Weston fire An influencer caught the ire of her followers after seasoning a raw turkey in a toilet bowl before later feeding it to her guests. The cook in question, Kate Heintzelman, from Minnesota, tossed the raw bird into the toilet before seasoning it - and stuffing it - leading to 5,800 likes on Instagram. More conventionally, Robert F Kennedy Jr. also caused a stir on social media for deep frying a turkey and pulling the bird from the pot without any shoes on. Police have launched a hunt for a Range Rover after a glamorous university graduate died after being knocked off a motorcycle pillion. Carolina Ramirez Jimenez, 23, who is believed to have been a pillion passenger on a Yamaha motorbike, was found with a serious head injury on August 1. Metropolitan Police officers were called to Silverthorne Road in Battersea, South West London, at around 2.30am that day after reports emerged of an injured woman. The former University of Greenwich student, who had recently graduated with a Master's degree in investments and finance, later died after being taken to a south London hospital. Officers were unable to find any vehicles that may have been involved in the incident at the time, but have since carried out further enquiries. Detectives are now appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident and may have seen the motorbike or a dark coloured Range Rover to come forward. The Roads and Transport Policing Command detectives area also urging anyone with dam cash footage to contact them. Carolina Ramirez Jimenez, 23, (Pictured) who is believed to have been a pillion passenger on a Yamaha motorbike, was found with a serious head injury on August 1 The former University of Greenwich student later died at a south London hospital following the incident Two men, aged 23 and 34 years old, have subsequently been arrested on suspicion of motoring offences including causing death by dangerous driving. They have been bailed pending further enquiries. Anyone with information is asked to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 020 8543 5157 or via 101 quoting CAD 710/01Aug. It comes after Ms Jimenez friends and family paid tribute to the 23-year-old after she was named for the first time following her death in August. Ms Jimenez was born in Gran Canaria but had moved the UK over a decade ago. As well as a Master's degree, she had also obtained an undergraduate degree in accountancy from the University of Greenwich. Her dad Rogelio described her as a 'very happy girl, who always had a smile on her face' in an interview with an island newspaper in August. He told Canarias 7: 'She was someone who transmitted happiness to everyone around her.' Detectives are now urging for anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident who may have seen the motorbike or a dark coloured Range Rover to come forward (Pictured: Silverthorne Road in Battersea, South West London) Carolina's cousin Estefani Jimenez, based in Antofagasta, Chile, said in a moving online tribute: 'This is going to hurt me my whole life cousin. 'Fly high my beautiful butterfly. Until I see your beautiful face again.' Although she originally came from Gran Canaria, Carolina described herself on Facebook as being from Croydon. She studied at Mitcham-based Harris Academy Merton, whose former pupils include rapper Stormzy, before starting her degree at Greenwich. She described herself on Linkedin as 'motivated and responsible' where she said she was looking forward to applying her knowledge in her country of origin. A murder investigation has been launched after a woman in her 60s was stabbed to death at her home in south London. Officers were called to an address on Greenland Quay, Surrey Quays, at about 3pm on Friday after reports that the woman had been stabbed, the Metropolitan Police said. The London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance also attended, and the woman was taken to hospital where she later died. A 61-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody. Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, who is leading the investigation, said: "We received multiple calls from members of the public close to the scene with concerns for the victim yesterday afternoon. "Officers, together with the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance, responded quickly but, sadly, the woman in her 60s died in hospital yesterday evening. "Our specialist crime command are continuing inquiries today and, at this stage, we believe that this was an isolated incident with the man and woman known to each other." Officers have launched an investigation after a woman was stabbed to death at her home in Surrey Quays, London Police have cordoned off the property and have arrested a 61-year-old man in connection with the incident A police cordon remained in place at the scene on Saturday evening, and forensic officers were still at the waterfront property. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or message @MetCC ref CAD 4235/29November on the social media platform X or Crimestoppers to remain anonymous. It is one of the smallest of the Orkney Islands and has lain abandoned and cut off from the rest of the world for 50 years. Now, the island of Swona has been inhabited once more, thanks to a group of daring students from the Kings old school. Swona was deserted in 1974 by its last two residents, siblings James and Violet Rosie, leaving only a small herd of feral cattle to roam its 92 acres. However, the island has finally welcomed human residents once more after ten students from Gordonstoun School spent eight days there. The pupils from Gordonstoun where three generations of Royals have been educated set up base in a house left deserted for a century and went on to repair much of the island infrastructure. Gordonstoun pupils have restored the Orkney Island, Swona, after it lay abandoned for 50 years King Charles attended Gordonstoun, where three generations of Royals have been educated, from 1962 to 1967 They also learned how to catch fish, bake bread on an open fire and pump fresh water from a 1,000-year-old well. Working with the owners of the island descendants of the Rosie family they rebuilt the old pier, paths and stone dykes and made one of the old cottages habitable again. They even constructed the islands first toilet in 50 years. The students from the private school in Moray travelled by bus, ferry and boat to reach the island, which lies seven miles north of John o Groats. Dan McLean, a house parent at Gordonstoun, said: When I first explained we would have to source our own water and would be staying in a cottage unoccupied for 100 years, some of them had a little bit of trepidation. Their spirit soon kicked in when they realised we would be making history, being the first group to return to the island in half a century. We made up the largest community on the island since the 1920s. Mr McLean said he hopes their restorative work will attract more visitors to the island. He added: It will allow greater access for those interested in the islands natural riches and its unique heritage. The project was such a success that we now plan to make an annual trip to Swona. We hope that many generations of Gordonstoun students will benefit from the opportunity to contribute to the restoration of such an inspiring and historic location. Student Hope Flemington said the experience was life-changing and something she wouldnt change for the world. Swona is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its rare plants and its role as an important breeding colony for many species of seabird, including Arctic terns, puffins and razorbills. Adventurous Gordonstoun students have become the first people in half a century to camp out on the island of Swona Gordonstoun pupils built a fence for a toilet on the island, the first loo there for half a century Orcas, dolphins, pilot whales and minke whales have been spotted in the waters around it. Vikings are believed to have been the first settlers on the island and by the mid-18th Century, Swona was home to nine families. It had its own school until 1920, but the population declined until only Mr and Ms Rosie remained. King Charles arrived at Gordonstoun as a 14-year-old in 1962 and left in 1967. His brother Edward and father Prince Phillip the late Duke of Edinburgh also attended, as did Peter and Zara Phillips. The King was reported to have once described his experience at Gordonstoun as Colditz in kilts. However, the school strongly contests he ever said this and Charles has also said he is glad I went to Gordonstoun. Police are urgently searching for a missing 14-year old girl from West London, who apparently vanished after receiving threats from an older man. Gracie Drake was last seen at her West Drayton home by her grandmother yesterday morning and spoke to her at 9.45am to say that she would be visiting her at work - but the teenager did not turn up. A friend heard from Gracie at 9pm via snapchat that she was on a train to Kent and in the company of a boy named Harry. Police have said Gracie may have connections to Frank Park in Bexleyheath. Officers are concerned about the youngster's connection to an older male who is alleged to have made threats toward her. Gracie is 5ft 5in in height and has very long dark brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing black flared trousers, a black t-shirt with a white rim around the collar, a black puffer jacket with black fur around the hood, and black Nike trainers. Police are now scouring CCTV to find the youngster and are appealing for help. Anyone who may have seen Gracie or who has information about her whereabouts is urged to call 101 and quote REF 01/1143888. Police are urgently searching for missing 14-year old Gracie Drake from West Drayton, West London, who apparently vanished after receiving threats from an older man Karen Read prosecutors will not be allowed to access her parents' phone records they claim prove she 'had done something terrible' on the night her boyfriend died. Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone denied special prosecutor Hank Brennan's request to compel Verizon to hand over the records. His petition asked for calls between Read and her parents in the hours after she allegedly struck Boston police officer John O'Keefe with her SUV on January 29, 2022. Read was charged with murdering O'Keefe after a night out, but she instead claimed he was beaten by those inside the house his body was found on the front lawn of. Her first murder trial ended with a hung jury on July 1 and a retrial is scheduled for January, which will likely again be picketed by her army of supporters. Both prosecutors and her defense requested to have the trial pushed back to April. Judge Cannone ruled Brennan's petition did not meet the legal requirements for a pretrial motion seeking third-party records. 'Despite the detailed arguments articulated in the supporting memorandum and at oral argument, the affidavit in support of the motion is insufficient on it's face,' she wrote. Karen Read prosecutors will not be allowed to access her parents' phone records they claim prove she 'had done something terrible' on he night her boyfriend died John O'Keefe, a 16-year Boston cop, was found dead around 6am on January 29, 2022, outside a house where Read dropped him off for a party around 12.45am. Prosecutors alleged Read hit him with her SUV, and she claimed she was framed Read claimed she dropped O'Keefe off at the afterparty and went home, then searched for him in the morning when he didn't come home - eventually finding him dead in the snow. Brennan in his request said she called her parents Janet and William Read several times in the early hours of the morning, around the time she claimed she left O'Keefe.. 'The inference that a 40-something-year-old woman is calling her parents at 1.30 in the morning after this tumultuous event, the inference is strong evidence that Ms. Read knew she had done something terrible,' he alleged on November 29. 'She knew she had struck John O'Keefe, and she knew she had left him behind.' Prosecutors with the Norfolk District Attorney's Office claimed the phone records would show she called her mother three times, at 1:14am, 4:38am, and 4:42am, and her father at 6:32am - none of which were answered. Brennan's request covered a 30-day window between December 30, 2021, to January 30, 2022, which he said was merely to establish whether Read often called her parents so late at night. 'If there were phone calls at 1.30 in the morning I would not argue the inference that it was remarkable. That would be an unfair inference,' he said. 'But in the absence of any other calls, it is terribly remarkable that she's panic-calling her parents at 1.30 in the morning.' Prosecutor Hank Brennan, who oversaw Read's first trial, argued that Read's phone calls to her parents will provide 'strong evidence that Ms Read knew she had done something terrible' Read allegedly called her mother Janet three times, at 1:14am, 4:38am, and 4:42am, and her father William at 6:32am, on the night O'Keefe died Brennan argued the request was important because O'Keefe's life could have been saved if he got timely medical attention, instead of slowing dying in the snowstorm. Defense attorney Elizabeth Little called the request a 'fishing expedition' and a 'gross invasion' of privacy. 'The Commonwealth is asking this court to sanction this gross invasion of her father's privacy so the Commonwealth can sift through Mr. Read's electronic data for information that is already in the possession of the Commonwealth,' she said. Read argued at her first trial that she was the victim of a wide-ranging conspiracy including the Boston Police Department to frame her. Brennan also requested the release of journalists' notes and recordings of interviews Read gave to a Boston Magazine reporter last year for a story. Prosecutors said they were in possession of two recordings of the interview, but there were about 150 redactions, and they wanted unredacted versions. They claimed these redactions included comments from Read that contradicted statements she made to other outlets, and there were other moments where Read made a statement before a redaction then resumed with a different story. In one example reported by the Globe, Read allegedly made an 'admission of drinking a vodka tonic every 40 minutes' at a bar with O'Keefe on the night of his death. Read and O'Keefe had been dating for two years at the time of his death. He had been serving on the Boston Police Department for 16 years Read's first trial in July ended in a mistrial as the jury was deadlocked, and she faces a second murder trial in January 2025 When the audio resumed, court records claimed she offered a 'non-sequitur claiming to consume sips of water' at a second bar, while she previously told 20/20: 'I had had probably about four [drinks], and not four that I completed either. I didn't drink maybe more than a few sips at' the second bar. 'Clearly something happened during that redaction that changed the admission to drinking alcohol, which is part of this case, to something of water,' Brennan said at the November 29 hearing. Judge Cannone is yet to rule on these requests, and other made by the prosecution as it cats a wider net than before the first trial. The case will next got to court on December 12. Read has maintained her innocence in the case and says she intends to fight to clear her name when she faces a second murder trial in January. Although her jury was deadlocked, O'Keefe's family launched a wrongful death lawsuit against her. Prosecutors alleged Read hit O'Keefe with her car following a drunken argument as she dropped him off at the home for an after party, and claimed to have found pieces of her car's tail light around his body. She spent the evening drinking with O'Keefe and friends at the Waterfall Bar and Grill in Canton, about 14 miles south of Boston, and the group were invited to the home of his friend Brian Albert, a retired Boston police officer. Chilling footage showing Read in a Boston bar on the night she allegedly killed her cop boyfriend was played in court Read came under scrutiny for a perceived flippant attitude in court, including winking at cameras and snacking during proceedings Read, whom prosecutors alleged drank several alcoholic drinks beforehand, decided to drop O'Keefe at the afterparty before she went to his home - that he shared with his orphaned niece and nephew - to sleep at around 1am. Court documents revealed that the couple had been bitterly arguing for weeks beforehand, and on the night O'Keefe died, Read left him a voicemail calling him a 'f**king loser', and 'John, I f**king hate you.' The couple had been dating for two years at the time of O'Keefe's death. He served with the Boston Police Department for 16 years. As the party went on inside Albert's home, Read said she woke up around 4am to find that he was not at home, and told O'Keefe's niece that she was 'distraught.' Attendees at the party, including some law enforcement, claimed O'Keefe never arrived at the party or entered the home. Read then searched for O'Keefe with a friend, and prosecutors allege that during the search she told her: 'What if he's dead? What if a plow hit him? I don't remember anything from last night, we drank so much I don't remember anything.' At 6am, Read found O'Keefe laying in the snow outside Albert's home, and a first responder on the scene reportedly claimed Read repeatedly cried out, 'I hit him, I hit him', reports CBS News. When her trial began, Read received a slew of support from true crime fans and locals who camped outside the courthouse with signs reading 'Free Karen Read' O'Keefe was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy found that the cause of death was blunt impact injuries and hypothermia. Read's defense countered that she is the victim of an extensive conspiracy to frame her, and claimed the police officer may have actually been attacked by other officers and attendees at the party where he was found dead. Throughout her trial, Read's claims that she was framed also drew a legion of fans, who wore pink to show their support and were often staked out outside the courthouse. The judge in her case even filed a ruling at the start of the trial banning supporters from coming within 200 feet of the courthouse. Read's courthouse behavior also sparked backlash as she was branded 'America's happiest murder defendant', as she appeared to soak up the attention while winking at the cameras and snacking in court. This video is no longer available This video is no longer available Chaos has erupted in the streets of Georgia as pro-EU demonstrators shoot fireworks at police with what appears to be a 'machine gun' in the third night of violent clashes. More than 100 protesters were arrested in Georgia following Friday's protest which were sparked by the government's decision to halt EU membership talks. Yesterday pandemonium continued to ensue, with protesters taking aim at cops with firework 'machine guns', as well as hurling fireworks and fiery Molotov cocktails into the streets. An effigy of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has also been set ablaze outside the country's Parliament by enraged protesters. Police can be seen cowering behind their shields as fireworks are blasted nearby in the country's capital of Tbilisi amid the post-election crisis. Officers have been spotted retaliating with force against protesters using water cannons. Heavy force was also used against members of the media as well as loudspeakers being utilised to shout profanities and insults at the crowds on Friday. Witnesses reported seeing protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the country's parliament. Protesters clash with police outside Georgia parliament during a demonstration against the government's decision to delay European Union membership talks amid tonight Demonstrators can be seen using what appears to be a homemade 'rocket launcher' An effigy of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has also been set ablaze outside the country's Parliament by enraged protesters A demonstrator throws a molotov cocktail during a protest against the new government's decision to suspend the European Union accession talks A group of protect themselves as police fire a water cannon in their direciton The country's interior ministry has since confirmed today that around 107 people have been taken into custody following the violent clashes on Friday. It was the second night of protests after Mr Kobakhidze of the country's ruling Georgian Dream party announced the discussions on Georgia's bid to join the EU will be delayed until 2028. Although the Georgian Prime Minister has boiled the decision down to 'blackmail' from the EU bloc, many fear the government plan on moving away from the EU and building a closer relationship with Vladimir Putin and Russia. The three nights of protest have come after the European Parliament condemned the country's election in October, saying it was neither free nor fair. Georgian Dream Party's parliamentary election victory on October 26 has been disputed, as the opposition claim the vote was rigged with the help of Russia. Government supporters were allegedly seen stuffing ballots, beating up election monitors and buying votes as the Black Sea nation went to the polls. The ruling Georgian Dream party, under a shadowy oligarch founder known as 'The Python', switched to openly support Moscow following Putin's 2022 invasion despite the country being the most pro-Western in the region. The party was originally forecast to get just 35 per cent of the vote in last months election, but managed to later walk away with 54 per cent of the vote. A demonstrator holds a burning object during a protest which has seen mayhem in the streets of Georgia A group of protesters stand and film as an effigy of the Georgian Prime Minister is set alight Fireworks explode near the police during tonight's protest against in Tbilisi Smoke billows into the air as demonstrators take to the streets of Georgia in the third night of fiery clashes Police detains a demonstrator during tonight's protest A demonstrator waves a European Union flag as droves of people take to the streets Hundreds of protesters outside the Georgian Parliament in the country's capital city of Tbilisi More than 100 protesters were arrested in Georgia as chaos erupted in the streets for the second night following the government's decision to delay EU membership talks The government interior ministry confirmed the number of arrests following a second night of violent clashes between pro-EU demonstrators Water cannons being used by authorities in Tbilisi, Georgia, as protesters gathered outside of Parliament (Pictured) The protests ensued after the government announced they would be delaying talks to join the EU until 2028 (Pictured: Activists standing near a fire) Witnesses reported seeing protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the country's parliament building The EU have also encouraged Georgia to re-hold the election under international supervision in the next year. According to opinion polls, becoming a part of the European Union was a popular choice among many in the country, with joining the diplomatic mission being a part of Georgia's constitution. Hundreds of government staff have also signed an open letter after EU discussions were halted branding it as unconstitutional. The country had previously been given EU candidate status in December last year, however it was stopped indefinitely this June. It came as a 'foreign influence' law, which was perceived to be an assault on democracy, was passed. Businesses have also encouraged the government to reassess their decision, according to Sky News. Georgian president, Salome Zourabichvili, joined protesters on Thursday after accusing the government of declaring 'war' on its own people. In an address to the nation on Friday, she urged police not to use force against protesters. A man washes his eyes after police used tear gas to disperse pro-EU protesters protesting outside Parliament The two nights of protest came after the European Parliament condemned the country's election in October, saying it was neither free nor fair Georgian Dream Party's parliamentary election victory on October 26 has been disputed, as the opposition claim the vote was rigged with the help of Russia A protester holding the European flag in front of a makeshift barricade on fire during the demonstration The party was originally forecast to get just 35 per cent of the vote, but managed to later walked away with 54 per cent of the vote Protesters wearing masks and goggles outside Parliament in the capital of Tbilisi The EU have also encouraged Georgia to re-hold the election under international supervision in the next year Pro-EU demonstrates hold up EU and Georgian flags Prime Minister, Mr Kobakhidze characterised the protests on Saturday as 'violent demonstrations', adding that he would not give in to demands. Mr Kobakhidze also said that Georgia remained committed to European integration. 'We will continue on our path toward the European Union; however, we will not allow anyone to keep us in a constant state of blackmail and manipulation, which is utterly disrespectful to our country and society,' he said. 'We must clearly show certain European politicians and bureaucrats, who are completely devoid of European values, that they must speak to Georgia with dignity, not through blackmail and insults.' November 29, 2024: Currently the Russian military is organized domestically into five military districts; Leningrad, Moscow, Central, Eastern, and Southern. In 2010 there were six or more, but the military reforms Russia has undergone since the 1990s reduced the number of districts as well as reducing and reorganizing the forces within each district. Each district was in charge of all the troops and bases within the district. Operations in Ukraine are controlled by generals from the Moscow District. As the war in Ukraine continued beyond the few weeks Russian leaders originally thought it would take, the other four military districts were gradually stripped of most of their military units. This was made possible by the reforms carried out in the districts since 1991. The districts have some autonomy with what they do and the central military command sought the most effective developments in districts and adopted them for the entire military. For years frustrated Russian leaders have been going public with statistics describing the sorry state of military reform efforts since the 1990s. You know the leadership is serious about changing something when senior people start spouting embarrassing statistics. Among the problems were officers in military schools still spending much of their time studying World War II. The world has moved on, and the Russian military leadership has not. Many Russian generals believed that serious reform should have begun after the Americans demonstrated what modern military tech and training methods could do during the 1991 Gulf War. At the time, Russian generals dismissed the results of that war because the Americans were fighting Arabs. This absolved Russia of any responsibility for the poor performance of the Russian weapons Iraq was using. It was pointed out that Russia didn't really try to reform after 1991, but simply reacted to over a decade of more immediate problems. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, it had five million troops. Now it's down to about one million in just Russia, which got about half the population of the Soviet Union, and most of the territory, when the USSR dissolved. Although the Russian armed forces lost 80 percent of its strength since 1991, a disproportionate number of officers remained. Twenty years after the Soviet Union collapsed, the Russian military had about 1.2 million personnel. This included 400,000 in the army itself, and the rest in paramilitary units that are largely uniformed and armed like soldiers. But there were 355,000 officers in this force. That's more than one in three, and included 1,107 generals, 25,665 colonels, 99,550 majors, 90,000 captains, and only 50,000 lieutenants. With all that, some 40,000 officer positions were still vacant. That led to a reorganization that eliminated 20 percent of the generals, 65 percent of the colonels, 75 percent of the majors, and 55 percent of the captains. The number of lieutenants was increased 20 percent. The 2,500 military organizations were reduced by 80 percent. Most of these organizations were reserve units and Cold War relics that contained only a cadre of officers. In the event of a major war, reservists, who were no longer available, would be called up to use the stockpiled equipment, which was now missing. The general staff had its personnel cut 61 percent to 8,500 and military districts and bases were consolidated. This eliminated thousands of officer jobs. Many generals were not happy with all these cuts, but their resistance never got beyond sharp words and bitter regrets. Nevertheless, all these cuts are not enough. The biggest change was the age of the senior officers. For those that served before 1991, many senior Russian generals and admirals suspected that they were the victims, as well as the authors, of all the bad decisions made during the Soviet period. After 1991 new generations of military leaders accepted the fact that Russia had fallen way behind in military technology and thinking. The 1991 generals, who spent their entire careers facing the United States as the primary foe, could not accept the fact that the American military had evolved farther, and more quickly, than Russia. But post-1991 generals accepted the fact that the Americans, and Western military professionals in general, had done a better job adapting rapidly changing technology to military use. Throughout the 1990s Russian military leaders sought to convince the politicians to pay more attention to personnel problems and that they should not hastily buy a lot of new weapons that were often second rate. Russian defense industries were under attack by politicians and generals for years for producing inferior weapons Until Russia became more aggressive in 2014, the military was allowed to buy warships, armored vehicles, UAVs and infantry equipment from Western suppliers. But reformist generals warned that the best weapons in the world do little good if you have not got world class troops to operate them. Conscription had to go, and the military needed better training, more professionalism and a more open minded attitude towards what works, and what doesn't. The government was spending more on military pay, so it was really up to the generals to actually do what they say needed to be done. That never happened because there was not enough money to buy all the new equipment or create an all-volunteer force. Conscription continued and most reforms were never enacted. One exception was the reorganization of the military districts. This did not cost much, because it was mainly staff work. Russian military staffs have long been among the best in the world. All this staff work warned that an invasion of Ukraine would not be easy. The staff advice was ignored and some staff officers were replaced with men more positive about conquering Ukraine. This is not the first time, in many nations, where sound staff advice was ignored in favor of disastrously flawed plans. Ukraine is the latest example and most national military staffs will ignore or misinterpret the lessons of Ukraine. Some traditions, especially bad ones, tend to resurface again and again because there are military and political leaders who dont believe the past has any influence on the future. Al Qaeda-linked rebels have advanced south towards Damascus after capturing Aleppo as a Russian commander propping up the dictator has reportedly been fired. Thousands of Syrian insurgents fanned out inside Aleppo in vehicles with improvised armor and pickups, deploying to landmarks such as the old citadel on Saturday, a day after they entered Syria's largest city facing little resistance from government troops. Syria's armed forces said in a statement Saturday that to absorb the large attack on Aleppo and save lives, it has redeployed and is preparing for a counterattack. The jihadist-led rebels seized Aleppo airport and dozens of nearby towns on Saturday after overrunning most of Aleppo, a war monitor said. Damascus-ally Moscow responded with its first air strikes on Aleppo since 2016 as the jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies pressed a lightning offensive they launched on Wednesday as a ceasefire took effect in neighbouring Lebanon. The rebels are understood to be moving towards Damascus, with unconfirmed reports of shootings in the outskirts of the city, as rumours of a coup on Al-Assad's regime swirling. They faced little to no resistance from government troops, according to fighters and activists. The swift and surprise offensive is a huge embarrassment for Syria's President Bashar Assad and raised questions about his armed forces' preparedness. The insurgent offensive launched from their stronghold in the country's northwest appeared to have been planned for years. Lieutenant General Sergey Kisel, who commands the Russian forces in Syria, has allegedly been removed from his post following the rebel storm on Aleppo. 'What you find is that whenever things start to go wrong, they will start to round on the leaders and start the blame game,' Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British Army intelligence officer, told MailOnline. 'One of the indications of it going very badly wrong is whenever you get reports coming out of generals being sacked. If this shows how concerned Putin is with everything, it's quite clear that the Syrians and Russians that are backing them have been caught off guard.' He added: 'It is a typical response from dictatorships to deny that there's any problem that's going on when the complete opposite is out in the public domain. Again, it suggests that things for the Assad regime are in a very bad position.' Syrian opposition fighters gather at Saadallah al-Jabiri Square, after rebels opposed to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said they had reached the heart of Aleppo, Syria November 30, 2024 An anti-government fighter tears down a portrait of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo, after jihadists and their allies entered the northern Syrian city, on November 30, 2024 Syrian opposition fighters get on a motorcycle as opposition supporters stand on top of a captured army armoured vehicle in the town of Maarat al-Numan, southwest of Aleppo, Syria, Saturday Nov. 30, 2024 Opposition fighters patrol the streets after they took control of the city of Maarat al-Numan where the international road M5 passes through it, in Maarat al-Numan, Syria, The bodies of Syrian army soldiers and allied fighters lie next to an Syrian army vehicle after being allegedly killed in combat by opposition fighters in Aleppo, Syria Who was Bassel al-Assad? Bassel al-Assad was the first-born son of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and the older brother of current president Bashar. He was expected to succeed his father as Syrian leader but he died in a January 1994 car crash in Damascus. Due to his sudden death, his lesser-known brother Bashar, who was training as an ophthalmologist in London, assumed the mantle of president-in-waiting. He then officially became president in 2000 following the death of his father. Advertisement The fighting has killed at least 327 people, most of them combatants but also including 44 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 'Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions... took control of most of the city and government centres and prisons without meeting great resistance,' the UK-based war monitor said. They also overran Aleppo airport after government forces withdrew, and took control of 'dozens of strategic towns without any resistance', it added. Putin-ally Bashar al-Assad is said to have fled to Russia with his wife and children earlier this week, according to unconfirmed rumours. 'What we will definitely see [in the next couple of days] is an increase in attacks against Aleppo and other areas where the Russians and Assad's forces believe that the rebels are holed up, but they'll be indiscriminate attacks, so there'll be a large number of civilians caught up in this,' Colonel Ingram said. 'The next couple days will tell us where the momentum lies, whether there is a coup. 'Certainly the speed with which everything is happening and the fact that the Russians and Assad forces have been caught effectively [off guard] suggests that this is not going to be a good outcome for Assad, who is in Moscow with his family. Maybe he thought he knew that this was coming so kind of tried to take himself and leave everyone else.' He added: 'This is almost the perfect moment for the rebel forces to attack into Assad. Russia is suffering. Hezbollah, in many cases, are suffering after what Israel has done. 'Therefore they're pretending, their ability to conjure the attack by the rebels is have been hugely diminished.' Colonel Ingram called the rebel attack on Aleppo a 'significant move', especially considering that 'there's been very, very little moving on the front line for the last eight years', but said it was 'too early to tell' whether it meant the end for Assad's regime. 'What we're seeing at the moment is an impact caused by Hezbollah not being as strong as they were beforehand, and Russia being distracted, but the indications are that Assad's regime is under significant pressure, and there's been reports that they are advancing on Damascus now as well. Their advance is rapid,' he said. Opposition fighters patrol the streets after they took control of the city of Maarat al-Numan The video shows how insurgents manage to yank at the statue by tying it to rope that is attached to a moving truck Syrian opposition supporters stand atop a captured Syrian army tank in the town of Maarat al-Numan, southwest from Aleppo, Syria Anti-government fighters celebrate in a street in Maaret al-Numan in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on November 30 Smoke rises from the area following an airstrike on Aleppo, Syria on November 30 It comes after the Islamist insurgents in Syria were seen toppling a statue of Bashar al-Assad's brother after they stormed Aleppo. Insurgents were filmed outside police headquarters, in the city center, and outside the Aleppo Citadel. They tore down posters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, stepping on some and burning others. In footage posted to X, rebels can be seen tearing down the statue of the president's brother Bassel al-Assad, who died in a car crash in 1994. The video shows how insurgents manage to yank at the statue by tying it to rope that is attached to a moving truck. As the figure topples over and smashes onto the hard floor, rebels can be heard cheering and chanting as they fire gunshots into the air. Cars driving by join in on the celebration as they honk their horns. Other videos documenting the rebellion have been shared online too. One clip shows how men dressed in camouflage uniforms holding weapons pull down the Syrian flag from a monument in Aleppo. The surprise takeover is a huge embarrassment for al-Assad, who managed to regain total control of the city in 2016, after expelling rebels and thousands of civilians from its eastern neighborhoods following a grueling military campaign in which his forces were backed by Russia, Iran and its allied groups. Aleppo has not been attacked by opposition forces since then. The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against al-Assad's rule turned into an all-out war. Footage captured the dramatic moment Islamist rebels in Syria toppled a statue of President Bashar al-Assad's brother as they stormed Aleppo Anti-government fighters prepare to topple the equestrian statue of Bassel-al-Assad, the eldest son of late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad, who was killed in a car crash in 1994, in central Aleppo on November 30, 2024 Members of the armed group opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime perform Islamic prayer at Aleppo Castle after they seized control of much of Aleppo's city center in Syria Rebel forces have been advancing in Aleppo amid reports that they have taken control over most of the city A general view of the destruction following an airstrike on Aleppo, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says was launched by Russia Edmund Fitton-Brown, former British ambassador to Yemen, said that A number of armed opposition groups are involved in the attack on Aleppo but Abu Muhammad Al-Jawlani and HTS/the Al-Nusrah Front are the key players'. 'They have consolidated their power in other areas of NW Syria and have the resources and strategic awareness to take advantage of Assads depleted support,' Fitton-Brown added. 'Jawlani is trying to sound statesmanlike and magnanimous towards the defenders of Aleppo. 'He will have half an eye on not alienating Turkey, which has its own interests in the region and helped broker the uneasy status quo that existed from 2020 until the current offensive.' Fitton-Brown said that his former colleagues at the UN monitoring team for the Taliban 'have consistently argued that Assad would never be able to get the genie back in the bottle and that the majority who oppose him would eventually resurge.' 'This is why ISIS and AQ affiliated groups have stayed, regardless of how many have been arrested or killed.' Anti-government fighters brandish their guns as they ride a vehicle in Syria's northern city of Aleppo Image shows the destruction caused following an airstrike on Aleppo A Syrian opposition fighter takes a picture of a comrade stepping on a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo, early Saturday Who are the rebels seizing control of Aleppo? On Saturday, Syrian rebels had taken control of large parts of the city of Aleppo. The offensive is being led by Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which has long been involved in the ongoing Syrian conflict. The group was set up in 2011 under a different name, Jabhat al-Nusra, as a direct affiliate of Al Qaeda. In 2016 it broke its links with the jihadist groups and became HTS. The rebel group is considered one of the deadliest organisations going against President al-Assad. Advertisement The alleged coup comes at a time when Assad's allies were preoccupied with their own conflicts. Turkey, a main backer of Syrian opposition groups, said its diplomatic efforts had failed to stop government attacks on opposition-held areas in recent weeks, which were in violation of a de-escalation agreement sponsored by Russia, Iran and Ankara. Turkish security officials said a limited offensive by the rebels was planned to stop government attacks and allow civilians to return, but the offensive expanded as Syrian government forces began to retreat from their positions. The insurgents, led by the Salafi jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and including Turkey-backed fighters, launched their shock offensive on Wednesday. They first staged a two-pronged attack in Aleppo and the Idlib countryside, entering Aleppo two days later and securing a strategic town that lies on the highway that links Syria's largest city to the capital and the coast. By Saturday evening, they seized at least four towns in the central Hama province and claimed to have entered the provincial capital. The insurgents staged an attempt to reclaim areas they controlled in Hama in 2017 but failed. The push into Aleppo followed weeks of simmering low-level violence, including government attacks on opposition-held areas. Turkey, which has backed Syrian opposition groups, failed in its diplomatic efforts to prevent the Syrian government attacks, which were seen as a violation of a 2019 agreement sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran to freeze the line of the conflict. Mustafa Abdul Jaber, a commander in the Jaish al-Izza rebel brigade, said their speedy advance had been helped by a lack of Iran-backed manpower to support the government in the broader Aleppo province. Iran's allies in the region have suffered a series of blows at the hands of Israel as the Gaza war has expanded through the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in a phone call with his Syrian counterpart on Friday, accused the United States and Israel of being behind the insurgent attack. The opposition fighters have said the campaign was in response to stepped-up strikes in recent weeks against civilians by the Russian and Syrian air forces on areas of Idlib province, and to preempt any attacks by the Syrian army. Opposition sources in touch with Turkish intelligence said Turkey, which supports the rebels, had given a green light to the offensive. Turkey's foreign ministry said on Friday that the clashes between rebels and government forces had resulted in an undesirable escalation of tensions. An anti-government fighter raises an opposition flag in front of the landmark citadel of Aleppo The bodies of Syrian army soldiers and allied fighters are collected by opposition fighters in body bags after being allegedly killed earlier in combat by opposition fighters in Aleppo, Syria Anti-government fighters kneel to pray in a street in Aleppo, after jihadists and their allies entered the northern Syrian city The offensive came as Iran-linked groups, primarily Lebanon's Hezbollah, which has backed Syrian government forces since 2015, have been preoccupied with their own battles at home. A ceasefire in Hezbollah's two-month war with Israel took effect Wednesday, the day the Syrian opposition factions announced their offensive. Israel has also escalated its attacks against Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria during the last 70 days. Witnesses said two airstrikes on the city's edge late Friday targeted insurgent reinforcements and hit near residential areas. A war monitor said 20 fighters were killed. More than 300 people have been killed since fighting broke out on Wednesday, according to a war monitor. It comes as the Syrian army said today said that dozens of its soldiers had been killed in a major attack by rebels. Russia has launched air strikes on part of Aleppo in response - the first since 2016 - according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The surprise rebel offensive has put the 13-year-long Syrian war back into the spotlight. The conflict has killed an estimated half-million people, while some 6.8 million Syrians have fled the country, a refugee flow that helped change the political map in Europe by fueling anti-immigrant far-right movements. Anti-government fighters celebrate in Aleppo, after jihadists and their allies entered the northern Syrian city The roughly 30 per cent of the country not under al-Assad is controlled by a range of opposition forces and foreign troops. The US has about 900 troops in northeast Syria, far from Aleppo, to guard against a resurgence by the Islamic State. Both the U.S. and Israel conduct occasional strikes in Syria against government forces and Iran-allied militias. Turkey has forces in Syria as well, and has influence with the broad alliance of opposition forces storming Aleppo. Coming after years with few sizeable changes in territory between Syria's warring parties, the fighting 'has the potential to be really quite, quite consequential and potentially game-changing,' if Syrian government forces prove unable to hold their ground, said Charles Lister, a longtime Syria analyst with the U.S.-based Middle East Institute. Hard-pressed families face record council tax hikes as the SNP is expected to ditch the local levy freeze at the Budget this week. The move could see residents in some parts of the country hit with a council tax rise next year of up to 17 per cent as town hall chiefs scramble to fill their budget blackholes. Umbrella local authority body COSLA has demanded SNP ministers remove the freeze imposed by Former First Minister Humza Yousaf earlier this year. And they have insisted that they do not impose a cap on council tax rises, citing extreme financial strain owing to consistent Scottish Government underfunding and Labour hikes to employer National Insurance Contributions. A Scottish Government insider last night confirmed that a lift on Mr Yousafs freeze on council tax was likely to be announced when Finance Secretary Shona Robison delivers her Budget on Wednesday. Now, individual councils have revealed how taxes could rise and local services may be hit as they draw up budget plans. Our research shows that in Aberdeenshire, council tax could rise by up to 17 per cent - and a staggering 67 per cent over the next four years. Finance Secretary Shona Robison delivers her Budget on Wednesday Town hall bosses are also planning a raft of cost savings which could see school hours cut, a reduction in the frequency of bin collections and even street lights dimmed save for the darkest winter months. A number of them have warned in budget consultation documents of a growing financial crisis, with local government research showing the sector across Scotland could face a budget gap of 392.7 million in the next financial year, 2025/26. In some cases, staff numbers may be reduced in schools, while parents will have to find alternative childcare owing to proposals to cut school hours. The war on motorists is set to continue apace, as workplace parking charges are being considered, as well as the extension of paid parking hours. Support for council buildings could also be affected as local authorities including Dumfries and Galloway consider cutting cleaning costs. Meanwhile, Edinburgh City Council, which needs to find an additional 30m next year, continues to pursue a visitor levy. Last night, Scottish Conservative finance and local government spokesman Craig Hoy said: These eye-watering proposals will alarm hard-pressed households across Scotland. Savage SNP cuts to councils mean they are already paying more and getting less in return. After Labours tax-grabbing Budget, the last thing they need is more tax hikes thanks to SNP underfunding. He added: Scots urgently need politicians to be focused on common sense, that will reduce the tax burden and protect essential services. Scottish Labour Local Government spokesman Mark Griffin said: After years of brutal budget cuts by the SNP, councils across Scotland are facing impossible choices. Services have already been cut to the bone and now tax hikes could be forced on hard-pressed households as a result of SNP cuts. Scots cannot keep paying more and getting less because of the SNPs incompetence we need a change in direction. Mr Yousaf angered local authorities in March last year when he brought in a council tax freeze without their knowledge. COSLA claimed the move ran against a previous agreement and took power out of the hands of local decision-makers. It also said it increased short- and long-term financial pressures, negatively impacting our councils ability to provide sustainable services and facilities. The Accounts Commission have projected a Local Government budget gap of 392.7 million in 2025/26, rising to a cumulative gap of 780 million by 2026/27. Local authorities fear the cuts could become so devastating that they will struggle to fund even essential services. UNISON Scotland secretary Lilian Macer said: Local services and council staff are under enormous pressure. A repeat of last years council tax freeze would be an exercise in social vandalism Scotland cant afford. An improvement service report earlier this year said financial pressures were preventing local authorities from recruiting staff in crucial areas like planning, environmental health, and building standards. The Scottish government needs to give councils a fairer funding settlement and more control over how they deliver services. According to a survey published by the Local Government Information Unit last week, some 57 per cent of respondents expected council tax rises of 5-10 per cent from April next year, while 18 per cent said rises of 10-15 per cent were likely. The MoS has found a number of councils are proposing such enormous hikes in their budget documents, including Falkirk, Angus and Aberdeen City. Aberdeenshire council is proposing the highest rates. Councils have stipulated they are at the consultation stage of their budget plans, and no decisions have yet been taken. A Scottish Government spokesman said: The Finance Secretary will announce the details of next years Scottish Budget on December 4. The Scottish Government has made available record funding of over 14 billion to councils this year, a real-terms increase on last year, with almost 1 billion included in councils general revenue grant as part of our commitment to the Verity House Agreement. Ministers are invested in delivering fairer, more inclusive and fiscally sustainable forms of local taxation. One of Britains most acclaimed composers has criticised modern movies for drowning out action with wall-to-wall music. Debbie Wiseman, who composed the theme for the BBCs Wolf Hall, said some film scores had the same emotional impact as elevator music because they were simply used too much. Ms Wiseman, 61, cited Oppenheimer, which earlier this year won the Oscar for Best Score, the 2021 sci-fi film Dune: Part One and its 2024 sequel Dune: Part Two and Japanese film Godzilla Minus One as movies whose scores were relentless. She said: There is a trend now, particularly in movies, when the music is wall-to-wall. It starts with frame one and ends with the final frame. To me, its counterproductive because it becomes like wallpaper. You dont notice the music. It doesnt have as powerful an effect as it should have because its there all the time. Its like going into a lift there is music going on and you dont notice it. You need to give space for the dialogue to breathe. ebbie Wiseman conducts the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus at Classic FM Live at London's Royal Albert Hall Ms Wiseman, 61, cited Oppenheimer, which earlier this year won the Oscar for Best Score She also noted Japanese film Godzilla Minus One as a movie with relentless music backing Ms Wiseman said she was not criticising individual scores, which were often excellent, but how they were used. The composer, who worked on both Queen Elizabeths Platinum Jubilee celebrations and King Charless Coronation, contrasted that with her approach to Wolf Hall. One of the key factors in the success of the series, which stars Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, Damian Lewis as Henry VIII and Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour, is the music. The soundtrack for the first series topped the classical music charts in 2015, and the follow-up for the new series will be released on December 13. Ms Wiseman praised the dramas director, Peter Kosminsky, for knowing when not to use her music, and described how they work together. She said: I wait until he has a rough assembly of the episode and then he and I and the editor sit around the piano and look at the scene, and we decide where the music goes. Not only do we decide where it goes, we decide every single bit of feeling, emotion and drama that it should have. A lot of time I am getting out of the way so I dont overpower the dialogue. l Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light continues on BBC1 tonight at 9pm. With Donald Trump's reelection, the US Supreme Court faces a 'looming' question as the president-elect prepares to take office in January, according to a legal analyst. After a resounding win against Kamala Harris, Trump has promised to tackle big campaign issues including the economy and immigration. However, even with his decisive victory, winning every battleground state and making substantial progress in 'deep-blue' states, Trump will face checks on his power. The looming question is how the billionaire businessman turned politician will respond to the courts potential rulings against him. Steve Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University, told The Washington Post that he believes the Supreme Court 'will stand up to [Trump] in some' but not all cases. The law professor told the outlet that Trump's ability to comply with 'adverse' decisions or if the country would instead see what Vladeck called 'break the glass conversations.' Vladeck added: 'That to me is the big question looming over the Supreme Court right now.' As of now, the Congress is closely divided - GOP holds 218 seats while the Democrats hold 212 - and the Supreme Court leans more conservative. With Donald Trump 's recent reelection, the US Supreme Court faces a 'looming' question as the former President prepares to take office in January. Pictured: A view of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC After a resounding win against Kamala Harris, Trump has promised to tackle big campaign issues including the economy and immigration In Trump's 2016 presidency he appointed three conservative justices to the bench, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Though, as seen in his previous term, the Supreme Court blocked several of his policies, even despite its conservative tilt. Steve Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University, told the Washington Post that he believes the Supreme Court 'will stand up to [Trump] in some' but not all cases Yet, the court's willingness to go against the soon-to-be President will be vital to his success on fulfilling his lofty campaign promises. During his term as the 45th President, Trump generally obeyed Supreme Court rulings, however in 2017, when administration officials rejected new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the then-President faced backlash as he acted against a Supreme Court ruling that put the program back in place. Legal and immigration experts later viewed the decision as violation of the ruling. The court also handed him several losses during his first four years as the US President, most of which his administration complied with. The Court blocked parts of his travel ban on a handful of Muslim-majority countries in 2018 and rejected his bid to block New York prosecutors from obtaining his financial records in 2020. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court sided with Trump, handing him a monumental legal win when it ruled the incoming President could not be charged for any official actions in the federal case surrounding the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Following his November 5 election, the Supreme Court closed that case. Trump speaks with Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., July 9, 2018 In Trump's 2016 presidency he appointed three conservative justices to the bench, Neil Gorsuch, right, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, left The case centered on Special Counsel Jack Smith's prosecution of Trump for allegedly masterminding efforts to overthrow the 2020 election while in office, including on January 6. The ex-president's team argued that Trump, and any president, must have absolute immunity from prosecution over actions taken while in office or it could impair important decision-making. The 6-3 decision split along the court's ideological lines ensures that Trump will not face another blockbuster trial. 'The President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official. The President is not above the law,' the justices led by Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority. 'But under our system of separated powers, the President may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for his official acts. That immunity applies equally to all occupants of the Oval Office.' Earlier this month, the sentencing in his New York hush money case was also called off after his election win. With Trump back in the White House, liberals have been calling for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to stand down. Members of the Supreme Court sit for a group portrait in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. Sotomayor is seen on the bottom row on the far left The thinking is that the 70-year-old should leave the court and allow President Joe Biden to replace her with a younger liberal before Donald Trump's inauguration in January. Their strategy supposes that Sotomayor might not survive Trump's second term, which would allow him to select a fourth justice for the Supreme Court. But one person close to Sotomayor told the Wall Street Journal earlier this month that the justice has no plans to step down. 'This is no time to lose her important voice on the court. She just turned 70 and takes better care of herself than anyone I know,' the source said. Over fears of history repeating itself - as in the 2020 death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, 87, while on the bench during Trump's first term - liberals have been asking for Sotomayor to stand aside and have even suggested Kamala Harris as her successor. A genocide survivor who met the Duchess of Edinburgh last week was robbed just hours later, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Awaz Abdi, 22, was kidnapped by Isis and held prisoner as a young child in Iraq in 2014 before escaping and moving to Germany in 2015. Awaz, part of the Yazidi minority group in Iraq, relayed her traumatic experiences to Sophie, 59, on Wednesday during an emotional event at the Foreign Office. She was comforted by the duchess, who put her arm around her, and the touching images were published in the national press. But the next day Awaz had her phone stolen in central London leaving her devastated. She told The Mail on Sunday: 'I'm really frustrated and sad, all my data and photos are on that phone.' The Duchess of Edinburgh (left) speaking to Yazidi survivor Awaz Abdi on November 27 Displaced Yazidi people fleeing violence from IS walk towards the Syrian border in 2014 Fighters from Islamic State drive through the streets of Mosul, Iraq in 2014 Awaz was captured a decade ago when Isis attacked her home region of Sinjar as part of a horrific campaign against the Yazidis. More than 3,000 men, women and children were killed. What was the Yazidi genocide? In 2014, IS invaded the Yazidi ancestral homeland of Sinjar, killing thousands and trafficking thousands more young women and children into slavery. Within days, thousands had been killed - shot, beheaded or burned alive - or kidnapped. Between 350,000 and 450,000 Yazidis in total are believed to have been displaced from the Sinjar district during the tragedy, branded 'devil worshippers' by IS. Mass graves continue to be found and uncovered, revealing evidence of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Today, more than 6,000 women and children are believed to remain captives of IS, with thousands still missing. Advertisement She was held by Isis for weeks before escaping but her parents were enslaved for several months. Eventually, she was reunited with them in Germany, where she is now studying politics. On Wednesday Awaz shared her survival story for an exhibition about the genocide called The Women Who Beat Isis. She travelled to London for the event and spoke about the devastating impact on her family. She said: 'I get very emotional sharing my story, it's very hard to talk about. 'But [Sophie] gave me a hug and said, 'It's very powerful, your parents would be very proud'. 'It was very special. I felt a lot of warmth, like I knew her, because she was so relaxed and normal. 'It's important to know that you are not alone with your pain and that you are seen by a person like her.' The next day, Awaz went sightseeing on Oxford Street and visited the popular clothing shop Bershka. 'I looked into my bag and suddenly I realised that I couldn't find my phone,' she said. On Friday, Awaz contacted the police, but has heard nothing back. She said: 'I'm upset but obviously angry as well. 'There are rumours of pickpocketing in London but this is unbelievable.' Commander Owain Richards of the Metropolitan Police said: 'We understand the impact that mobile phone theft can have on victims it's an invasive and sometimes violent crime and we're committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this issue as we make the capital safer.' A New York City employee of Mayor Eric Adams has sparked outrage after she was allowed to keep her job 'promoting diversity' despite being videoed ripping Israeli hostage posters down and allegedly assaulting a witness. Nallah Sutherland, a special event coordinator for the Mayor's Office of Special Projects and Community Events, was seen tearing down a poster from a lamp post on the Upper East Side in early November. Sutherland, 25, pulled the poster down and threw it in the trash, according to a video posted online by the nonprofit organization StopAntisemitism. A witness asked her, 'Is there a reason you're taking those down?', referring to the posters that were part of a public campaign to raise awareness of Israeli and American hostages taken captive by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, terror attack. The witness continued: 'Those were hostages. They were taken by terrorists.' Sutherland swipes the witness's phone and walks away, with the person then saying: 'That's assault actually. You know that, right?' The nonprofit's founder, Liora Rez, said: 'It's an appalling act of antisemitism.' The witness, who is Jewish, didn't report the incident to the authorities and wanted to remain anonymous considering antisemitism cases are soaring nationwide, according to the New York Post. On November 2, Nallah Sutherland, was seen earlier this month tearing down a poster from a lamp post on the Upper East Side in NYC The nonprofit organization, Stop Antisemitism's founder, Liora Rez, said: 'It's an appalling act of antisemitism' 'Its a sad state of affairs when the victim doesnt have trust in the NYPD or [soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg] to properly investigate hate crimes,' said Rez. 'Theres no trust in the authorities to keep the victim safe.' Rez called for the 25-year-old to be immediately fired, but Sutherland was given a disciplinary note on her work file and was required to take 'multicultural training', according to a City Hall source that spoke with the Post. The same 'multicultural training', to prevent similar behavior in the future, will be required by all of the Mayor's Office of Special Projects and Community Events staff. She began working for Mayor Eric Adams in 2023 and helps plan celebrations hosted at Gracie Mansion and other sites to honor the diverse city's many ethnic groups, according to the New York Post. According to her office's website, she's part of a team who work to 'bridge cultural divides' and 'support key city initiatives that help provide a source of strength, unity, and resilience to New Yorkers across all communities within the five boroughs and beyond.' Referred to as the MOSPCE team, the website also said that the events and projects they plan 'embrace and rejoice in the extraordinary cultural richness and range' of New York City. In May, the office organized a Jewish heritage celebration hosted by Adams - an Israel supporter- at Gracie Mansion. The guest speakers included Shoshan Haran who, with her daughter and two grandchildren, were taken hostage by Hamas and released 50 days later. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, after being told of Sutherland's actions, said: 'It's extremely hypocritical that someone who supports the murder of anyone still has a job, much less in a department that plays a vital role in our city's diversity efforts - despite the fact that she cannot tolerate innocent Jews who were kidnapped by Hamas.' Sutherland began working for Mayor Eric Adams in 2023 and helps plan celebrations hosted at Gracie Mansion and other sites to honor the diverse city's many ethnic groups A witness asked her, 'Is there a reason you're taking those down?', referring to the posters that were part of a public art campaign to raise awareness of Israeli and American hostages taken captive by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, terror attack Vernikov, who is Jewish, added: 'Decisive action must be taken to purge this disgusting pro-jihadist sentiment from [city government] once and for all.' City Hall learned of the incident after being tipped off by a viewer who recognized Sutherland on StopAntisemitism's social media account. Sutherland is a 'junior staffer' who doesn't directly communicate with Adams as part of her duties, according to a source within City Hall, reported the New York Post. 'Mayor Adams has been clear that hate has no place in our city, and the same - if not higher - standard should be held for our city's more than 300,000 employees,' the Mayor's Office said. 'That is why disciplinary action was taken immediately after learning about this incident a few weeks ago.' Yoav Davis, an activist and founder of Jews of NY, told the outlet: 'It is especially disturbing to learn that an individual employed by the mayor's office - particularly in a position meant to celebrate the city's diversity - is directly connected to this culture of hate.' Furious Scots booed as Scottish First Minister John Swinney attended a memorial service for Alex Salmond in Edinburgh on Saturday. Shouts of 'traitor' and 'shame on you' were called as Mr Swinney arrived at St Giles' Cathedral for the service remembering the life of former Scottish first minister, Mr Salmond, who died in North Macedonia in October at the age of 69. Following the service, Mr Swinney faced further criticism and cries of 'traitor' as he left the cathedral. The shouts appeared to come from supporters of Mr Salmond's Alba Party, according to the Telegraph, which he formed after he left the SNP in 2018 amid allegations of sexual misconduct. In March 2020, he was cleared of all charges, with a jury finding him not guilty of 12 charges, with another charge dropped by prosecutors and another found not proven. At the time, Mr Salmond alleged that senior SNP figures close to his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, were conspiring to imprison him. Ms Sturgeon has denied these claims. At the time of his death, Mr Salmond, who was first minister for seven years and led the Scottish Independence campaign in 2014, was seeking 'significant damages' and compensation for the loss of earnings from the Scottish Government, which totalled a reported 3m. The memorial service on Saturday followed a private family funeral which was held near Mr Salmond's home in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, on Friday. Furious Scots booed as Scottish First Minister John Swinney attended the memorial service The service was held at St Giles' Cathedral on Saturday to remember Mr Salmond who died in North Macedonia in October at the age of 69 Shouts of 'traitor' and 'shame on you' were called as Mr Swinney arrived at St Giles' Cathedral (L-R) Scottish Parliament presiding officer Alison Johnson, Elizabeth Quigley, First Minister of Scotland John Swinney and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes Former UK Prime Minister and Labour leader Gordon Brown (L) and Scotland's First Minister John Swinney (R) both attended the service Crowds gathered outside the cathedral to pay their respects to the late former Scottish leader People gather outside a memorial service in tribute to Scotland's former First Minister Alex Salmond Many held signs which spoke towards Mr Salmond's efforts to secure independence for Scotland More than 500 people, including family, friends and politicians from across the political spectrum attended the service. Attendees included the likes of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Tory grandee and former Brexit Minister Sir David Davis, who gave a reading, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, former Labour first minister Henry McLeish and Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay. Nicola Sturgeon, who previously described Mr Salmond as her mentor, was not present at the service and instead attended the funeral of Scottish comedian Janey Godley in Glasgow. It is thought that Ms Sturgeon was not invited to the service. She told BBC Scotland her 'thoughts are with Alex's family and friends today'. Reverend Dr George J Whyte, a former principal clerk to the general assembly of the Church of Scotland and chaplain to the King, led the remembrance service for Mr Salmond, where The Proclaimers performed Cap in Hand. Brothers and bandmates Craig and Charlie Reid said: 'We're going to do this for Alex, with love and respect and eternal gratitude for everything you did for our country'. There were also a performances by Dougie MacLean, who sang his folk ballad Caledonia, and Sheena Wellington, who led mourners in a rendition of Robert Burns' classic A Man's A Man For A' That. Kenny MacAskill, who founded pro-independence party Alba with Mr Salmond, told the congregation, which included Mr Salmond's widow Moira, that he had been a 'giant of a man'. He hailed his late friend as 'an inspiration, a political genius' and being 'most of all a man who had the cause of independence burned into his heart and seared in his soul'. 'Those of us who share his dream must conclude that journey on his behalf', he said. 'That's the legacy he'd expect and the duty we owe him'. Piper Hamish Moore leads the congregation at the public memorial service Reverend Dr George J Whyte, a former principal clerk to the general assembly of the Church of Scotland and chaplain to the King, led the remembrance service Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and former prime minister Gordon Brown sat next to each other at St Giles Cathedral John Swinney and his wife Elizabeth Quigley at the service Alba party Chair, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, and her partner Zulfiqar Sheikh Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry appeared to be deep in thought during the service Mr Salmond's wife Moira Salmond (C) appeared emotional during the service Former leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Annabel Goldie Brothers and bandmates Craig and Charlie Reid said: 'We're going to do this for Alex, with love and respect and eternal gratitude for everything you did for our country' Dougie MacLean sang his folk ballad Caledonia to the congregation Recalling Mr Salmond's words from when he stood down as first minister that 'the dream shall never die', Mr MacAskill concluded his address with the words: 'Your dream shall be delivered.' He also referred to Mr Salmond's final post on X, formerly known as Twitter, in which he criticised Mr Swinney for taking part in Sir Keir Starmer's Council of the Nations and Regions. In the post, he wrote that Mr Swinney 'should have politely declined the meeting with the words 'Scotland is a country not a county''. Mr MacAskill told the congregation Mr Salmond had been 'lambasting those demeaning our land and chastising those supinely allowing it to happen'. Mr Salmond's niece, Christina Hendry told the service the family would 'never get over' his death. 'We will endeavour to continue his life's work and the things left unfinished', she said. 'He instilled in us a strength and it is with that strength that we will continue. Continue his legacy and continue his ambition for the independence of our nation'. She described him as a 'political giant, a strong leader, a fearless campaigner' and added that he was also a 'dearly loved husband, brother and uncle'. 'As his family, we always felt loved no matter how far away he was or the time that passed before we saw him next', she said. 'We always knew he was standing up for our country, and for that we were grateful. 'Uncle Alex passing means a great loss for many. A loss of Scotland's voice on the international stage. A loss of integrity in Scottish politics. And a great loss to Scotland's independence movement. 'The world will be a much quieter place without Uncle Alex, for Moira, for the wider family and for Scotland'. Former Trump official Monica Crowley has issued a warning about Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Ocasio-Cortez, 35, also known better as 'AOC,' has fueled speculation that she will embark on a run for president in 2028, worrying some Republicans. On Friday, while appearing on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle, Crowley warned Republicans not to 'underestimate' AOC's potential White House run. Crowley, who served as an assistant secretary for public affairs at the US Department of the Treasury in 2019 to 2021, cited AOC's 'tremendous grassroots support' noting her 'early adoption of social media' allowing her to constantly 'connect directly to voters.' With her support from the likes of social media and her growing accessibility, Crowley insisted on Friday not to shy away from the potential Presidential-candidate. 'Just a word of warning to the Republicans, to my party, do not underestimate AOC, she's young, she's vibrant, she's attractive,' Crowley said on Friday. 'I think she's wrong on everything, but she does have real grassroot support. And all the energy and activism in the Democrat party remains with the revolutionary left, of which she is a part.' She continued: 'So, every time the Republicans have underestimated the Democrats, we ended up with Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. So, let's not do it again in four years.' With rumors of a possible Presidential run by progressive Democrat , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (pictured), a former Trump official issued a blistering warning not to 'underestimate' the New York congresswoman On Friday, while appearing on Fox News ' The Ingraham Angle, Monica Crowley (pictured), an ex-Trump administration official, warned Republicans not to 'underestimate' AOC's potential White House run Crowley added: 'The lesson of this last 2024 election and Donald Trump's landslide mandate victory is that the country has had enough of the radical Left, it's had enough of socialism, it's had enough of cancel culture and wokeness, and it rejected roundly all of those things. So, I don't think in four short years the country is going to say, "We need more communism."' Following the November 5 election that saw many split tickets from AOC's constituents in several New York boroughs, the congresswoman took to social media to ask why this may have happened - something her older counterparts may not have had as much success in. From her online polling, AOC received a wide array of responses, most concerned with the economy, but others touched on other policy positions and the overall attitudes of the candidates. Ingraham Angle host, Lisa Boothe, used AOC's online polling scheme to add onto Crowley's worrisome sentiment, saying that AOC's constituents 'like her accessibility' as demonstrated in her widely garnered social media response. Boothe also mentioned how the people responded well to President-elect Donald Trump's 'willingness to sit down with Joe Rogan, going on X, doing these three hour interviews,' something someone young, and well-versed in social media may use to their advantage. The leftist Congresswoman has been a polarizing figure ever since she upset powerful establishment Democrat Joe Crowley in a primary in 2018 - winning a seat in the House at just 29 years old. The 2028 election - which Donald Trump has said he will not run in, leaving both parties with open primaries - will be the first one where Ocasio-Cortez can legally run, as the Constitution states you must be 35. Another new story from The Hill suggests that AOC would be among the potential 2028 Democrat contenders, who include Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Gretchen Whitmer, JB Pritzker, Josh Shapiro and California Governor, Gavin Newsom. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz added fuel to the fire, writing: 'Alex has told people shes running in 2028 since 2019.' The leftist Congresswoman has been a polarizing figure ever since she upset powerful establishment Democrat Joe Crowley in a primary in 2018 - winning a seat in the House at just 29 years old The 2028 election - which Donald Trump (pictured) has said he will not run in, leaving both parties with open primaries - will be the first one where Ocasio-Cortez can legally run, as the Constitution states you must be 35 Though the Congresswoman has made no public indications she will run, multiple sources told the site she would be a top candidate. 'She's somebody who can cut through the noise and doesn't talk like Washington,' said one party insider. Another, however, is skeptical that the 'Squad' penchant for rabble-rousing against fellow Democrats could play in a primary. 'She and the 'squad' started pushing too hard, too fast. D.C. doesn't work that way. And our party doesn't work that way. We need to get back to the basics.' On social media, several left-wing activists and pundits expressed their own skepticism that Ocasio-Cortez - who would be the furthest left Democrat to run for president since mentor Bernie Sanders' failed runs - could pull it off. 'I like AOC, but would be so much better for the Left to run, say, a labor leader with the potential for a wide, 'cross-partisan' working-class appeal than an already polarizing left-wing elected from a deep blue district,' said Bhaskar Sunkara, author of The Socialist Manifesto. Others based their skepticism about how Ocasio-Cortez operates among the powerful in DC as a member of the House. 'AOC polls around 4% rn against other potentially Democratic primary candidates which isnt great bc she has huge name recognition,' wrote comedian Kate Willett. 'She could change that by running an anti establishment Bernie 16 style campaign but shes likely too conciliatory to power to do that.' 'AOC has the skill to be a real contender,' said Oscar nominated writer and journalist David Sirota. Ocasio-Cortez has been somewhat quiet since Harris' loss, after she spent much of the year backing Joe Biden to stay in the race, even after his disaster debate performance in June. She eventually backed Harris. The leading member of the House Democrats' progressive 'Squad' said in the days after the election the U.S. is entering a political period that will have consequences 'for the rest of our lives.' 'We find ourselves I believe in a time where there are lets say peers in history of massive movements of people that mobilize to protect one another in times of fascism and authoritarianism. And this is the era that we are poised to enter,' AOC said. BBC bosses allowed Gregg Wallace to work on MasterChef despite a warning from an executive about his 'unacceptable' behaviour seven years ago. Kate Phillips, who currently manages unscripted programmes for the BBC, intervened to address the host's conduct following a complaint raised by Scottish broadcaster Aasmah Mir. In emails seen by the Times, Ms Mir contacted the BBC about inappropriate comments made by Wallace during filming for the show's 12th season in November 2017. The radio host said in a message forwarded to Phillips that she didn't want 'to feel guilty when people say "why wasn't anything said before?' before adding in another email that 'this must not happen again to another woman.' The BBC exec said she would make sure she was 'informed straight away' if more allegations were raised against the food show host. However Wallace allegedly continued to behave inappropriately, being warned about his conduct on BBC quiz show Impossible Celebrities the following year. It comes as a producer who worked on MasterChef between 2014 and 2015 as well as other BBC shows claimed the presenter appeared to be 'too close' to certain contestants and 'spoke about sex a lot'. Georgia Harding alleged he would make 'inappropriate sexual jokes' and would get 'changed on set' in front of staff despite having a private changing room. BBC bosses allowed Gregg Wallace to work on MasterChef despite a warning from an executive about his 'unacceptable' behaviour seven years ago In emails seen by the Times , Aasmah Mir (Pictured far right) contacted the BBC inappropriate comments made by Wallace during filming for the show's 12th season in November 2017 BBC exec, Kate Phillips said she would make sure she was 'informed straight away' if more allegations were raised against the food show host 'He would show off his "muscles" from having a Personal Trainer, it made us feel uncomfortable,' she told The Telegraph. It has also been revealed that the tax-funded broadcasting channel let Wallace to continue hosting MasterChef after a separate warning from Nestle regarding his behaviour. Wallace allegedly disgruntled factory workers when he made jibes about their weight whilst filming a segment about Aero chocolate bars on BBC's Inside The Factory. A source told The Sun: 'He upset some of the female workers by joking along the lines of "working in a chocolate factory is the reason youre fat" It really upset them.' His jokes - made at the beginning of 2023 - infuriated staff so much that Nestle said Inside The Factory would not be welcome on their premises. It is understood that the food manufacturer contacted both the BBC and the show's production company. The recently emerged allegations come shortly after Wallace was accused of groping three different woman in bombshell new claims, with former MasterChef winner Emma Kennedy revealing she reported him 12 years ago. One former contestant, who wished to remain anonymous, has today accused Wallace of groping her while she was cooking on the set of the show. He also allegedly shouted 'You stupid cow' when she turned on the tap incorrectly and scalded her hand. Former Celebrity Masterchef winner Emma Kennedy revealed she reported Wallace 12 years ago after she allegedly witnessed him grope a camera assistant during a photoshoot for the 2012 finals Emma Kennedy (far left) claimed the PR team who worked for MasterChef were aware of Wallace's (middle right) behaviour and worried it was only a matter of time before it became public The woman claims she let Wallace know she was disgusted by his actions, but said she 'had her card marked' for not seeing it as banter. She told The Sun that Wallace came up behind her as she stood at the kitchen counter and put his hands on her hips before pressing into her. 'I made an 'Eww' sound and stepped forward,' she said. 'It was my instant reaction. But it set his mangy on edge and he moved on without saying anything.' When the woman burned her hand under the hot tap, it was at that moment, she claimed, Wallace decided to be an 'absolute b*****d. 'It was awful. He offered no assistance. I wanted to cry,' she told The Sun. The woman claimed Wallace was also appalling in the way he treated the show's staff, pushing a camerawoman and shouting 'Get out of my f****ng face'. The contestant said she didn't make a complaint about Wallace's behaviour at the time because she 'didn't see the point' because 'they won't do anything'. Another woman claimed Wallace told her in a pub that she aroused him and that he made sexually inappropriate comments and squeezed her bum. The then 27-year-old met Wallace at the Ideal Home Show in London and said it was one of her first roles as an events planner. Bosses at the corporation are said to have hauled the MasterChef co-host into a meeting in 2018 following allegations of 'inappropriate sexual comments' and told him to 'change his behaviour' Wallace on MasterChef with co-host John Torode. A re-emerged clip from the 2013 series showed Wallace making a 'innuendo-laden remark' at contestant Katy Brand She then bumped into him at the pub where he struck up a conversation with her and allegedly told her he couldn't look her in the eyes because he was aroused. The next day, the woman said she met Wallace's now ex-wife Heidi Brown, who was 'really sweet', but when Wallace came over the woman said his demeanour changed. She told The Sun: 'He said, "Do I know you?", like he was pretending he didn't know to justify his behaviour. The whole thing was grim and not acceptable.' The woman did not make a complaint because she said she feared repercussions. A third allegation came from Celebrity MasterChef winner Emma Kennedy who claimed she first reported Wallace's behaviour 12 years ago, after she allegedly witnessed him grope a camera assistant during a photoshoot for the 2012 finals. Wallace stepped down from the TV programme on Thursday amid a probe into his behaviour. Ms Kennedy, 57, claimed the PR team who worked for MasterChef were aware of Wallace's behaviour and worried it was only a matter of time before it became public. The actress and comedian told The Sun: 'They knew then. They knew before then and they've known since.' A total of 13 people, including Kirsty Wark, complained about Wallace's conduct while working with him over a 17-year period across five shows, from 2005 to 2022, the BBC revealed. The grocer turned broadcaster has insisted that it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature Following Gregg's departure, Rod Stewart released a statement to Instagram branding him a 'tubby bully' Rod and wife Penny pictured together in 2019 The presenter was accused of taking his top off in front of a female worker saying he wanted to 'give her a fashion show' and talking about his sex life to others, including telling one female colleague he wasn't wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans. Ms Walk claimed that on two occasions Wallace told stories and jokes of a 'sexualised nature' in front of contestants and crew while filming Celebrity MasterChef in 2011. She said his gags and comments were 'really, really in the wrong place'. The BBC presenter also allegedly made 'racist' remarks about an Asian MasterChef contestant on the show. According to a former staff member who worked on the production, Wallace would make the inappropriate remarks just after the contestant walked off the set. They told the Telegraph, Wallace would regularly make the 'very offensive' comments in front of the filming team, but that they felt unable to report them at the time due to their junior position. The 'racist' remarks included allegedly making 'Kung Fu noises' and saying 'me so horny' while on set filming a series. in another instance of inappropriate behaviour, a shocking video re-emerged of Wallace approaching 2013 MasterChef contestant Katy Brand in the kitchen and remarking he would 'munch the living daylights out of her little tart'. Reacting to the resurfaced video of Wallace's tart comment, Brand called the encounter 'awkward' and recalled her immediate 'shock and disbelief' at the 'crass and idiotic joke'. 'I took it as an innuendo-laden remark at the time, and I still see it that way now,' she said. Gregg Wallace will step away from presenting MasterChef while complaints made to the BBC from individuals about historical allegations of misconduct are investigated. Former Newsnight host Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have accused MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace of making inappropriate sexual comments she heard filming Celebrity MasterChef in 2011 (right) Kirsty would make the final of the sixth series of Celebrity MasterChef Gregg looked stressed as Ms Wark struggled with her gravy in 2011 Other inappropriate TV moments involving Wallace included a bizarre remark about 'salty balls' in a MasterChef contestant's underwhelming starter in 2023. He told Diya Kotecha-Lodhia: 'I found those balls really quite salty.' In 2015 while tasting a female contestant's dessert, Wallace declared: 'I want to take my shirt off and dive in!' What has Gregg Wallace been accused of? 13 people who have told the BBC of what they consider inappropriate sexual comments made by Wallace across a range of shows over a 17-year period. These include: Kirsty Wark says that on two occasions Wallace relayed stories and jokes of a 'sexualised nature' in front of contestants on Celebrity MasterChef and crew and that she felt they were 'really, really in the wrong place'. Gregg would allegedly openly talk about his sex life on set Taking his top off in front of a female worker saying he wanted to 'give her a fashion show' Telling a junior female colleague he was not wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans' Allegedly entering the studio naked with his genitals covered with a sock and doing a 'silly dance' Mimicking a sex act close to a member of production staff He told 'disgusting sex-related jokes', including one while tasting a contestant's unusual dish; Advertisement Celebrities that have now come out to complain about the presenter's conduct include Rod Stewart and Ulrika Jonsson. Repeats of MasterChef have allegedly now been removed by Channel 5 and - in a humorous twist - replaced by a documentary on Gregg's the high street bakers. The grocer turned broadcaster has insisted that it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. MailOnline revealed on Friday afternoon that some of Wallace's friends blamed his conduct on a secret autism condition. They said that despite never having been diagnosed, Wallace displays 'all the classic symptoms' including his 'lighter filter on the subject of sex' and 'inability to read the room'. The friend said: 'Gregg carries many of the autistic symptoms, the people who know him best have been saying it for years. ''He has a light filter when it comes to sex which is common in people on the spectrum. In the modern world of TV where you can't just dismiss some of his actions as banter.' They added: 'Sometimes he doesn't interpret facial expressions and tones of voice clearly, therefore can't decipher how a person is reacting to what he's saying. 'But there's denying he's good honest bloke.' On Friday night, a Downing Street spokesperson said the allegations around Wallace's conduct were 'deeply concerning'. The spokesperson said: 'It's right that a thorough investigation is conducted, but this of course is one for the BBC and you will have seen their statement saying that they 'take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place'. MasterChef co-presenter Gregg Wallace filmed a live video message admitting he was feeling some 'stress' as newly-emerged allegations were made against him in October 'While that process is underway it wouldn't be right for me to comment. I believe the BBC is currently undertaking a workplace culture review to deliver clear and timely recommendations, and it's essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. 'We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated' 'Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company, we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them. 'It would be inappropriate for us to comment on anything that could form part of Banijay's ongoing investigation or otherwise influence it.' MailOnline have approached Banijay and Wallace's representatives for comment. . Children's safety is being put at risk by new Ofsted inspections designed to be not 'too stressful' for teachers, a whistleblower has claimed. A senior Ofsted employee said the education watchdog is now 'bending over backwards' to improve the experience for staff but pupils are being 'forgotten' in the process. Several inspectors have raised similar concerns with their line managers which are having a 'chilling effect' on the organisation, The Telegraph has reported. It comes after Ofsted introduced a series of changes to the ways schools are graded after an inquest found an inspection directly contributed to the suicide of Ruth Perry, 53. The headteacher took her own life in January last year after Ofsted downgraded her primary school in Caversham, Reading, from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate'. At the start of this school year, the education watchdog introduced a series of changes aimed at protecting teachers' mental health. Instead of being judged by one word, schools receive ratings for individual sub-categories -quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. But some staff at Ofsted have hit back, saying the changes have gone too far and now put children's safety at risk. Labour announced back in September it would scrap one-word Ofsted judgements following the tragic death of Ruth Perry (pictured) Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, pictured in July during a visit to a nursery Single-headline Ofsted grades for schools were scrapped with immediate effect in September (file image) The source told The Telegraph: 'The main purpose of inspections is to make sure children are kept safe and they are getting a decent quality of education. 'But that is being forgotten. Now Ofsted is bending over backwards to make sure it is not too stressful for teachers. It has created a chilling effect.' The whistleblower added that when it comes to safeguarding, schools are no longer undergoing as 'rigorous' testing as before. They claimed that there are 'things going on in schools' that are no longer being flagged and called out. Ofsted is currently designing a new framework for school inspections, which is expected to be rolled out in September 2025. Under the new system schools will receive a scorecard containing ten separate grades based on 'key areas', it was revealed in October. Pupil attendance will be judged as well as how well schools instill British values and prepare children for the outside world. Other key areas will include the content of the school's curriculum and the quality of teaching. Ofsted previously awarded one of four headline grades to schools it inspects: 'outstanding', 'good', 'requires improvement' and 'inadequate'. Professor Julia Waters, the sister of Ruth Perry, said the family are 'delighted and relieved' by the changes to Ofsted inspections The scrapping of this system in September delighted teaching unions, while the family of headteacher Mrs Perry said they were 'relived'. Her sister Professor Julia Waters, said it was a 'relief that no other headteacher will have to go through what Ruth went through'. She said: 'She [Ruth] had a really bruising inspection that left her very fragile and that word 'inadequate' she just went over and over it, she kept repeating it, she wrote it down. 'It was that feeling not just that she'd had the terrible shock and trauma of a completely unexpected bad Ofsted, but that she was still anticipating the public humiliation that came with that.' Professor Waters added it 'should not take a bereaved family member to push for change' for something to be done, but confirmed Ruth's family were delighted by the news. However, the plans have been criticised by members of the Tory party. Shadow education secretary Damian Hinds previously said that scrapping the 'vital' headline inspection outcome 'is not in the best interest of pupils or parents'. Former Tory schools minister Nick Gibb added: 'If the Ofsted judgments are not crystal clear, the danger is they cease to be something parents look at when choosing a school. You run the risk of overall standards declining.' MailOnline has contacted Ofsted for comment.